Seven Days, January 11, 2023

WRESTLING WITH HISTORY

André

Vermont’s childcare system isn’t working for providers or parents. They hope help is on the way.

BY ALISON NOVAK, PAGE 26

YOUR DONATION BENEFITS:

JANUARY 1 – 15

Mad River Valley Recreation District facilitates, enhances and creates recreational opportunities throughout the Mad River Valley.

JANUARY 16 – 31 Park House, a congregate home in Roxbury, VT that helps independent elders and other qualifying adults live independently in a thriving community.

Eighty-six more people died from COVID-19 in Vermont over the past three years than previously known, according to the state Department of Health, which reported the additional deaths last Friday following an audit of its own data.

Seventy-three of the undisclosed deaths occurred in 2022, with more than a third of those — 30 — occurring in its final four months. The additions raise last year’s death toll from 309 to 382, a 25 percent increase, and bring the total number of coronavirus deaths in Vermont to 877.

In a press release, Health Commissioner Mark Levine expressed regret for the reporting delay but said that because the deaths were spread out over time, “we are confident this would not have had an impact on the trajectory of the data or on our approach to the pandemic.”

Vermont’s updated fatality rate of 140 people per 100,000 remains one of the lowest in the nation, trailing only Hawaii’s.

The previously undisclosed deaths will be included

in the state’s Open Geodata Portal when it is updated on January 11. As of January 4, 49 people were hospitalized with the virus, and two were in intensive care.

The department blamed the oversight in part on a “reduction in staff capacity as it scaled back from peak emergency operation.”

COVID-19 deaths are reported to the health department by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner but must be manually entered into the state’s epidemiology surveillance system. After an analyst noticed that several reports had not been entered, the department reviewed all of its data and found dozens of other reports that had not been processed correctly.

“Our data team are among the heroes of Vermont’s pandemic response,” Levine said in the press release. “Nonetheless, we are reviewing our systems to ensure data oversights like this one can be avoided, while supporting these dedicated public health workers.”

COLIN FLANDERS

emoji

that WATCH OUT

A Vermont State Police trooper is accused of stealing a $14,000 Rolex seized during an arrest. Giancarlo DiGenova has been suspended during the probe.

$20 million

That’s how much the City of Montpelier will receive to upgrade its wastewater treatment plant.

TOPFIVE

MOST POPULAR ITEMS ON SEVENDAYSVT.COM

1. “Mellencamp to Return to Role as Principal of Burlington High School” by Alison Novak. Back from retirement, former principal Amy Mellencamp will lead the school until a permanent replacement can be found.

HELP WANTED

Vermont officials are asking for federal funds to defray $2 million worth of damage from the December windstorm.

Budget blown.

2. “Backstory: Most Stressful ‘Mall Moment’” by Alison Novak. In the middle of an interview, mall security showed up to interrogate a Seven Days reporter.

3. “An Early Thaw Causes Maple Sap to Run — and Sugar Makers to Start Boiling” by Anne Wallace Allen. Unseasonably warm temps in December triggered premature sap flow for some Vermont sugar makers.

4. “Waiting in Washington: Becca Balint Enters a House in Disarray” by Chelsea Edgar. Seven Days headed to D.C. to cover a historic swearing-in. Turned out, we were early. Really early.

SUIT SQUABBLE

A judge heard arguments over Monsanto’s bid to delay the demolition of Burlington High School as part of a PCB-related lawsuit. Playing hardball.

5. “Remembering Vermonters Who Died in 2022” by Seven Days staff. Each year, we profile Vermonters out of the public eye whose lives moved and inspired us.

tweet of the week

WEATHER — OR NOT

Snowmobilers, skiers and other winter enthusiasts are getting antsy about the lack of white stuff. Are we in Vermont or Washington, D.C.?

CROWN JEWEL

A downtown Burlington jewelry store is trying to turn a traumatic day into something positive.

Von Bargen’s Jewelry was one of multiple Queen City stores hit earlier this month by a serial shoplifter who pocketed expensive pieces of bling. The stores banded together, trading info and images of the man, whom the police identified after publishing a photo of him. The cops later arrested James Lisaius, 30, and recovered the items, worth more than a combined $14,000. He’s pleaded not guilty to five felony counts of retail theft.

The piece stolen from Von Bargen’s was a gold medallion necklace worth $4,550, ac-

cording to Ali Dumont, the store’s manager. She also designs a line of jewelry, and the necklace, featuring round and baguette diamonds, was one of hers.

But rather than put the piece back out for sale, Dumont said the store will raffle it off, with proceeds from ticket sales going to the Howard Center’s Street Outreach team.

Made up of about half a dozen members, the team partners with the police and businesses in downtown Burlington to help connect people with needed services, including housing, addiction and mental health treatment.

“There’s a mental health crisis in Burlington, and the Street Outreach team are the first people we call when we’re confronted with individuals experiencing mental

health crises,” Dumont said. “We appreciate them, and we value them, and this is our opportunity to give back to them.”

Von Bargen’s is working on a plan to sell raffle tickets for $50 each; Dumont said it’ll cap sales at about 150 tickets to give buyers good odds. More information will be available at vonbargensjewelry.com.

The Howard Center, which has been extremely busy in the past few years, is thrilled about the impending donation, said Denise Vignoe, the organization’s director of development and communications. While Street Outreach doesn’t yet have a plan for using the cash, “they will always, always put it to good use in service of our community,” Vignoe said.

SASHA GOLDSTEIN

@rowjenny wolf moon was BITCHIN last night in #btv

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publisher & editor-in-chief Paula Routly deputy publisher Cathy Resmer AssociAte publishers Don Eggert, Colby Roberts

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DESIGN

creAtive director Don Eggert Art director Rev. Diane Sullivan production MAnAger John James designers Jeff Baron, Kirsten Thompson

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

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CIRCULATION: 35,000 Seven Days is published by Da Capo Publishing Inc. every Wednesday. It is distributed free of charge in greater Burlington, Middlebury, Montpelier, Northeast Kingdom, Stowe, the Mad River Valley, Rutland, St. Albans, St. Johnsbury, White River Junction and Plattsburgh, N.Y. Seven Days is printed at Quebecor Media Printing in Mirabel, Québec.

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SEVENS UP

Mathematically, this promises to be an interesting year: 2023 = 7 x 17 x 17.

Not a bad poker hand: three sevens and a pair of aces — a full house. Lucky New Year, everyone!

Jim Rader BURLINGTON

REMEMBERING SASHA

I want to express my gratitude to Seven Days for publishing the weekly Lifelines section and [“Life Stories 2022,” December 28] so that I had the chance to learn of Sasha Torrens-Sperry’s death and more about her life. My broken heart is now even more open.

I had the opportunity to be one of Sasha’s high school math teachers. I remember her joining in when we danced to “funky functions” — my name for linear, parabolic, square root and absolute value functions. Sasha came to me on the morning of Japan’s earthquake and tsunami. She asked that we watch the unfolding of this disaster. So, as a classroom community, we shared with the world. I also remember Sasha playing her sitar for our class. Sasha chose to learn how to play this instrument for her Graduation Challenge project.

As a high school teacher, I realized that we, as a classroom community, had the chance to touch each other’s lives. One of my messages for all of my students was, “And I still love you.”

In my daily prayers, I say, “Every breath is a prayer — open mind, open heart.”

Thank you, Sasha, for touching my life. My heart goes out to Sasha’s family, students, friends and loved ones.

Patricia Heather-Lea BRISTOL

DELIGHTFUL ‘BACKSTORIES’

I really enjoyed all the backstory articles [“Backstories, Sidebars and Follow-Ups 2022,” December 28]. Having read most of the articles they referenced made them all the more interesting. I must admit their brevity was also part of their appeal. Sometimes the length of an article makes it daunting for me to commit to reading it!

When taken as a whole, the degree of skill and professionalism in this regional paper is quite remarkable. I’m proud to be a monthly, albeit small-time, donor.

Thanks for keeping on keeping on!

Wren Grace BERLIN

CHURCH RULES

[Re “Burlington to Consider Demolition Permit for Historic Church,” December 16, online]: I appreciate your story on the diocese’s attempt to demolish the former Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, but there’s more going on. The diocese acknowledges that the property is under contract, but it’s not saying to whom or for what. Don Sinex? Luxury condos? Could be.

This matters because the Burlington zoning ordinance only allows buildings eligible for listing on a historic register — like the former cathedral — to be demolished if the replacement would provide “a substantial community-wide benefit that outweighs the historical or architectural significance of the building proposed for demolition.” Without knowing what’s next, how can one decide?

The city rejected the diocese’s application to demolish the former cathedral last year on just this ground. This year, though, it did an about-face. The permitting department now says normal zoning rules don’t apply to the property because it’s a church. But can a building

that’s been vacant for four years, fenced off, decommissioned under canon law and put under contract still be called a church?

Here’s hoping Seven Days decides to dig deeper!

Norman Williams ESSEX, N.Y.

And if you ever find out what you have missed, you’ll regret it. It’s that good.

Russell should win the Citizens’ Award for Best Vermont Art Exhibition of 2022.

Charlie Messing BURLINGTON

Editor’s note: The exhibition dates for “Riddleville” have been extended, to January 24. The Amy E. Tarrant Gallery will be open to the public on Saturday, January 21, from noon to 4 p.m.

HOW MUCH HOTTER?

[Re Last 7, December 14]: Two questions popped into my mind when I saw the statement that 7.1 degrees is how much Burlington winter temperatures have increased since 1970. The first was: Why did they pick 1970? The second was: How much did Plattsburgh, N.Y., increase in the same time period? It stands to reason that Plattsburgh, just across the lake, must be a close second.

However, it isn’t, as it has only increased 3 degrees in the same period. So I decided to crunch some numbers and try to answer the first question.

BEST EXHIBIT

[Re “Counting on Art: Remembering Exhibits We Loved in 2022,” December 28]: I cannot figure out how you could omit Clark Russell’s exhibition titled “Riddleville” at the lovely Amy E. Tarrant Gallery, which is still on display next to the Flynn in Burlington.

Looking in the windows, you can see some of these incredible mixedmedia pieces. They are essentially three-dimensional collages. Russell has brilliantly assembled thousands of objects, and they all look great [“Towering Artist,” October 12; Art Review: “Consumer City,” October 19]. I could take 1,000 photos in there. Hope I have the time.

The answer came easy, thanks to Weather Underground’s historical temperature database, which is searchable by year. The 1970s were exceptionally cold. So I took us back a decade and looked at the 1960s. From 1960 through 1969, the average coldest day was minus 12.6 degrees (yes, that is 12.6 below zero). So I averaged 2010 through 2019 for a comparison, and the average was minus 8.9 degrees. So for those two decades side by side, we are 3.7 degrees warmer than the 1960s. A change of 0.63 degrees would be a 5 percent change and therefore statistically significant. But a 3.7-degree change is more in line with the city across the lake and rests my case that 1970 was picked to make a more impressive statement about global warming.

CORRECTIONS

The end-of-year feature titled “Backstories, Sidebars and FollowUps 2022,” published in the December 28 issue, misidentified a photo of Vermont Sen. Mark MacDonald. Then, in an effort to fix the error online, an image of MacDonald challenger John Klar also got the wrong caption.

A different backstory in the same feature, “Most Revealing Trips,” wrongly stated that the town of Wolcott is part of the Northeast Kingdom.

Access to the gallery is a puzzle. Shouldn’t there be a sign on the door so we know when it’s open? I passed by yesterday, and Clark happened to be inside with a visitor. He let me in. I was happy to finally get some photos — this whole show is a knockout, and I thank the Flynn for bringing it to the public!

However, why didn’t it make it into the top 10 art exhibits of 2022? I would have made it No. 1, but it didn’t even get an honorable mention!

If any art lovers pass by the Flynn’s adjoining gallery, please glance in, and you, too, will be astonished at the skill, juxtaposition, taste and splendor of this exhibit. You will see exactly what I mean.

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FRIDAY 13

LIFE’S A FREEZE

Visitors snowshoe, ski or walk across the flame-lit grounds of Woodstock’s Billings Farm & Museum at Torchlight Snowshoe, meeting park rangers and learning about local wildlife and history along the way. The evening ends with complimentary s’mores and cozy drinks around the firepit. Bringing your own headlamp or flashlight is highly recommended.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 68

WEDNESDAY 11 & WEDNESDAY 18

Senior Slide

Snowboarders, snowshoers and skiers (both Alpine and Nordic) ages 55 and up congregate at Smugglers’ Notch Resort in Jeffersonville for Smuggs 55+ Ski Club, which meets every Wednesday this winter through March. After coffee and pastries at the lodge, athletes of all abilities enjoy an informal morning on the slopes. Membership fee includes a discount on senior day passes.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 66

THURSDAY 12

Noodle Around

Adventure Dinner kicks off a new series, Family Meal, at Soapbox Arts in Burlington. Starting with Pasta Night, a classic three-course meal with special wine pairings available for purchase, the series aims to capture the vibe of its eponymous restaurant industry ritual, a time when workers cook and eat together to share the love.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 66

THURSDAY 12

A Seat at the Tabla

Heart of Afghanistan stops by Mahaney Arts Center’s Robison Hall at Middlebury College for a stirring performance of traditional music spanning pre-Islamic times through the modern era. Playing the piano, violin, harmonium and tabla drums, the quartet keeps the flame of Afghan music alive abroad despite the Taliban’s ban on live music in its home country.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 66

FRIDAY 13, SUNDAY 15 & WEDNESDAY 18

We Will Rock You

Screening at Shelburne’s Pierson Library, Putney’s Next Stage Arts Project and Montpelier’s Savoy Theater, The Quarry Project’s tour continues apace. The film captures last summer’s sold-out dance performance at the Wells Lamson quarry, a sitespecific piece that used the flooded granite mine as a stage.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 66

TUESDAY 17

Grand Old Drag

Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center’s film series continues with a screening of The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert at the center’s Film House in Burlington. The 1994 cult classic comedy follows two drag queens and a transgender woman as they travel the Australian outback by tour bus. Donations benefit Pride Center of Vermont.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 69

Mogul Camp with Donna Weinbrecht, February 4-5, 2023 and March 4-5, 2023 Women’s Camp with Donna Weinbrecht, February 11-12, 2023 and March 11-12,

Small Children, Big Problem

I don’t have kids, but I’m no stranger to childcare. All through middle and high school, I babysat a minimum of two nights a week. One of my regular gigs involved four children, from a baby in diapers to an adolescent slightly younger than me. Apparently, he couldn’t be trusted to take care of his siblings, but I was sufficiently responsible, at age 16, to watch over the brood.

I remember the challenge of juggling their myriad wants and needs, of being “on” for hours. I tried to be attentive and playful but also to get them to bed on time. It was, in a word, exhausting And, for a $1.50 an hour — the going rate for babysitting in 1976 — exploitative.

The pay for professional childcare workers has gone up a bit, but it’s still not enough to guarantee its full-time practitioners a decent living, Alison Novak reports in this week’s cover story. She found that the median annual income for early childhood assistant teachers is just $22,000. Fast-food workers make more than that. Some early educators with graduate degrees earn so little that they qualify for 3SquaresVT, the governmentfunded nutrition program also known as food stamps. And most of their jobs don’t come with health insurance or paid vacation days.

The pandemic brought additional challenges, and, not surprisingly, many childcare providers left their jobs and haven’t returned. In a 2022 survey, nearly 90 percent of early childhood education programs reported staffing shortages. That’s driving up the cost of care and preventing some Vermonters from going back to work, because they either can’t find anyone to watch their kids or don’t earn enough to pay for the service.

Novak talked with one desperate Middlesex father who’s called 10 programs in search of an opening for his 3-year-old. He’s worried he’ll lose his job if he can’t find childcare. “I’m literally looking for anything I can get,” he said.

Pair that with Vermont’s scarcity of affordable

housing, and it should be no wonder that young people struggle to move here and put down roots. Novak explains how Vermont lawmakers are tackling this multifaceted problem in Montpelier. A former teacher with two school-age kids, she’s well versed in the topic.

So is her editor, Sasha Goldstein, one of only two Seven Days employees who currently have young kids. (Both are lucky to have babysitting grandparents nearby.)

Goldstein and art director Diane Sullivan came up with this week’s cover concept. None of the photos we’d shot fully conveyed the subject, so they got creative. Sullivan thought of illustrating the story with children’s art, and Goldstein recruited his 5-year-old daughter to draw something. He even gave her the headline for inspiration. She produced one draft, then called it quits. So Sullivan switched to plan B — an illustration created by kids at Montpelier’s Turtle Island Children’s Center — and designed a font to go with it.

The image is colorful, clever and cute, but the question we’re asking — “Who Cares?” — couldn’t be more serious.

Paula Routly

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Nell Goldstein

An Ounce of Prevention?

BY COLIN FLANDERS • colin@sevendaysvt.com

Vermont will receive more than $100 million from opioid manufacturers and distributors in the coming years, its share of legal settlements intended to help combat the national epidemic of drug-related deaths.

While the funding offers a significant opportunity to save lives, there’s no consensus on how to spend it most effectively. Some view programs that aim to keep people off drugs as the best longterm investment. Others say the state has a moral obligation to help those already addicted.

The money has just started to arrive, and an advisory committee tasked with recommending how to spend it plans to submit an initial proposal in time for it to be included in the 2023-24 state budget.

The work comes as Vermont is

assessing what may have been its deadliest year for drug overdoses. A record 217 people fatally overdosed on opioids in Vermont in 2021, and the total from 2022 could very well surpass that once all the data is collected.

“People’s lives are on the line,” said Rep. Dane Whitman (D-Bennington), a member of the advisory committee.

The funds come from settlements of lawsuits targeting major drug companies and wholesalers that are accused of fueling the opioid crisis with misleading marketing tactics. Without admitting wrongdoing, Big Pharma has agreed to pay more than $50 billion in settlements to date.

The Vermont Attorney General’s Office expects the state to receive some $150 million (an estimate that includes $35 million from the Purdue Pharma

bankruptcy deal, which is currently on appeal). Eighty-five percent of the total will go to the state; the rest, to municipalities.

Most of the funds will be paid out over a decade or more. Distribution of Vermont’s largest single pot of cash — about $53 million from opioid distributors Cardinal Health, McKesson and AmerisourceBergen — will drag on for 18 years. All told, the state could receive an average of $6 million to $7 million a year over the next two decades.

That’s a modest sum compared to the more than $50 million Vermont currently spends on substance-use disorder treatment and prevention each year. But the money can still make a significant impact

Burlington Council Changes Parking Rules for New Buildings

BY COURTNEY LAMDIN courtney@sevendaysvt.com

The Burlington City Council approved new parking regulations on Monday that are meant to curb carbon emissions and grow the city’s housing stock.

Instead of requiring developers to create a minimum amount of off-street parking, the ordinance now defines a maximum number of spaces that can be built, depending on the type of project. The measure passed 10-1, with Councilor Joan Shannon (D-South District) voting no.

City officials said the change will encourage residential development by removing an expensive barrier to projects. With everything factored in, one parking spot can cost thousands to build and increase the monthly cost of a typical residential unit by as much as 30 percent, according to city estimates.

“This forward-thinking move will allow projects more flexibility to build the parking their residents or their employees actually need, as opposed to uniform minimum standards established by this council,” said Councilor Ben Traverse (D-Ward 5).

“We will still have parking in the city,” he added. “It’s just that we’ll have the parking we need.”

The new ordinance also requires most developers to design a “transportation demand management” program to reduce the need for parking spaces. Options include offering residents discounted public transit passes; free car- or bike-share memberships; or courtesy shuttle service to a transit center. Developers must also track how many spots residents use for at least seven years, the ordinance says.

Councilor Shannon argued that the city doesn’t have a real plan to reduce residents’ reliance on cars. She said the transportation demand management program was “watered down to appease developers” and worries that lower-income residents will struggle to find parking.

Mayor Miro Weinberger, who first proposed eliminating parking minimums about eight years ago, acknowledged the ordinance could “create greater parking challenges in certain parts of the city” over time. But he said the city, residents and businesses can address those issues with the existing residential parking program, which issues permits for street parking, and with a more robust transportation demand management program.

“We will be looking more broadly at how we actually create new transportation systems that actually serve the people of Burlington and also allow much-needed new housing to get built,” he said. ➆

Super Power

BY KEVIN MCCALLUM • kevin@sevendaysvt.com

Vermont Democrats cheered wildly on the night of the November 8 election as their gains in the state legislature became apparent. For the first time ever, they would be positioned to override gubernatorial vetoes without having to rely on support from independent or Progressive colleagues.

Their elation was understandable. Republican Gov. Phil Scott has thwarted major Democratic initiatives in recent years simply by vetoing them, effectively halting plans for universal paid family leave and gun-purchase restrictions, to name just two.

However, as the 2023 session got under way last week, top Democrats said they hope to find the governor more willing to negotiate with the legislative majority to avoid vetoes and veto-override votes. House and Senate leaders are not saying they intend to ram things through but that they would like the governor to shift gears and engage more with lawmakers.

“I think that governing by vetoes and veto overrides is bad for democracy,” House Speaker Jill Krowinski (D-Burlington) told Seven Days last week after Scott delivered his inaugural address.

Still, Dems signaled that they will push again to achieve goals that Scott has repeatedly frustrated, including paid family leave and gun control, as well as reducing climate pollution from fossil fuel heating systems in buildings.

If recent history has taught Democratic leaders anything, it’s never to assume they have a veto-proof majority on any issue. Sen. Phil Baruth (D/PChittenden-Central), the newly elected president pro tempore of the Senate, said he thinks of his party as having only a potential supermajority on any bill until its details are fleshed out.

“We’re pleased with the outcome of the election, but we’re not counting our chickens on anything,” Baruth said.

In 2020, Democrats and their Progressive allies appeared to hold enough votes to override Scott’s veto of a mandatory paid family and medical leave bill. ThenHouse speaker Mitzi Johnson needed 100 votes, two-thirds of the 150-member chamber, but at the last minute could only muster 99. She blamed the failure on a single Democrat, describing former representative Linda Joy Sullivan of Dorset as “squirrelly” for failing to tell leaders about her change of heart.

A nearly identical scenario unfolded at the end of last session when another key Democratic priority, a bill meant to rein in carbon emissions from buildings, went up in smoke. After the governor vetoed the clean heat standard bill, one Democrat, Tom Bock of Chester, balked at voting to override. Bock had voted for the bill, but after the veto he unexpectedly withdrew support when critics raised concerns

Yes way.

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Democrats hope their legislative sword proves mightier than Gov. Scott’s veto pen

House Speaker

Jill Krowinski

An Ounce of Prevention?

Live From D.C.: After a Chaotic Week, Becca Balint Finally Becomes Vermont’s First Congresswoman

BY CHELSEA EDGAR • chelsea@sevendaysvt.com

At the beginning of last week, U.S. Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.) thought she was going to Washington, D.C. Instead, she found herself in purgatory.

Along with her 433 fellow Congress members-elect, Balint, whose campaign motto was “Courage and kindness,” endured a week of surreal liminality as House Republicans squabbled over the political ransom Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) would have to pay in order to win his bid for speaker.

For four days, a zealous faction of far-right Republicans refused to back McCarthy, forcing a fight for the gavel almost as historic as it was excruciating to behold. With the speakership held hostage, Balint and her colleagues couldn’t be sworn in, rendering them powerless to legislate, help their constituents, form committees, authorize federal spending or otherwise constitute a functional chamber.

At 1:40 a.m. on Saturday, after the House completed its 15th and final roll-call vote and elected McCarthy as its much-compromised leader, Balint was at last sworn in as the first woman and first openly gay person to represent Vermont in Congress. By that point, her only official action in the House since she arrived at the Capitol on January 3 had been bellowing the name of the Democratic nominee for speaker — Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) — 15 times, with barely diminished gusto. (According to Balint, Jeffries texted her during one of the voting rounds to thank her for her enthusiasm.)

But as the week wore on, even Balint, known for her hummingbird-like energy and spontaneous dance moves, seemed to wilt. She’d been spending her nights on a pullout couch in the Airbnb she rented with her family for the week; between those less-than-ideal accommodations and the mind-numbing tableau of dysfunction she was witnessing day in and day out on the House floor, she told me, she wasn’t getting much sleep.

Last Thursday, after yelling Jeffries’ name for the seventh time, Balint ducked out of the chamber to spend a few minutes with her wife, Elizabeth Wohl, and their two children, 15-year-old Abe and 12-year-old Sarah, before she would inevitably be called upon to shout it again, and again, and again, and then five more times after that.

She wore a glazed expression as she trudged through the underground tunnels of the Capitol to meet her family near the statue of the Hawaiian king Kamehameha in the visitor center. No one seemed to know when they might be released from this paralysis; even more troubling, Balint said, was that the chorus of GOP dissenters didn’t seem to mind at all.

“When you see people up close who actually don’t care if we have a functioning government, who would be perfectly happy bringing everything to a standstill — that’s bleak,” Balint said.

She perked up slightly when she spotted

her kids coming down the escalator. Abe greeted her with a hug and asked her how she was doing.

“I’m weary,” Balint replied.

By that point, almost everyone in the Capitol seemed weary, stupefied by the impossibility of reconciling the cursedness of this shit show with the lethally boring pace at which it unfolded. While McCarthy bargained away everything but the pants he was wearing to woo his detractors — conceding, ultimately, to allow any member of the House to call for a vote to oust him — a fug of tedium reigned in the halls.

Last Friday morning, on the two-year anniversary of the January 6 assault on the Capitol by Trump-emboldened insurgents, a group of almost exclusively Democratic lawmakers, including Balint, gathered on the Capitol steps to honor the 140 police officers who were seriously injured at the hands of the violent mob. (One Vermonter, Nicholas Languerand, has been convicted of crimes related to the insurrection. He’s serving a 44-month sentence at a federal prison in Maryland.) At the end of the ceremony, the children and family members

Afterward, Balint’s mood was heavy. “Hearing those kids broke me, man,” she told me.

A couple of hours later, she returned to the House floor for the next installment of the slow, bloodless insurrection being waged by the GOP fringe. Balint and the rest of the new Congress members were supposed to travel to Philadelphia that day for a bipartisan retreat, but the speakership mess scuttled the trip. When the House convened late last Friday night for what GOP leadership expected to be the last rounds of voting, Balint brought her daughter, Sarah, with her.

A few hours before they took their seats on the House floor, Balint said, she’d learned that an old friend had died by suicide. As the proceedings devolved into pandemonium — at one point, a Republican congressman had to restrain another member of his party from a physical confrontation with Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), no more than 100 feet from where Balint and her daughter sat — Balint was mentally elsewhere, she said.

Through two roll calls and one bizarrely aborted motion to adjourn, Sarah sat quietly beside Balint, crocheting a stuffed animal. After the last votes were counted, the speeches given, the oath of office taken, Balint and her daughter embraced. They took a selfie on the House floor, then left the chamber together, ready to get some sleep at last. ➆

if spent wisely, said Sen. Ruth Hardy (D-Addison), who represents the Senate on the advisory committee. “It’s incredibly important to get this right,” she said.

The money could, for instance, help the Department of Health meet the widely supported goal of expanding its Narcan distribution program, which currently receives about $2 million in state funding. The overdose-reversal drug comes in a nasal spray, and some U.S. cities are making it available in public places, and even in free vending machines.

Or the state could use the money to help expand a treatment option known as contingency management, in which drug users receive rewards such as prepaid debit cards when they meet certain treatment goals. The strategy has become the gold standard for outpatient stimulant-addiction treatment; a Vermont pilot program is under way in Chittenden County.

Attorneys involved in the opioid lawsuits drew lessons from the 1998 tobacco settlement debacle. Less than 3 percent of annual payouts from that $246 billion, 25-year deal have gone toward smoking prevention or cessation programs. States used most of the money instead to plug budget gaps, pave roads and even prop up tobacco farmers. The opioid settlements have protections in place to ensure that doesn’t happen.

Still, it’s up to states to decide exactly which programs to fund. Rhode Island wants to spend $2 million of its haul to establish a safe-injection site. Louisiana, on the other hand, plans to send a fifth of its money to local sheriff departments.

Vermont’s settlement money will be kept in a special fund controlled by the legislature; the advisory committee will make annual spending recommendations, though lawmakers will have no obligation to follow them. The committee’s initial proposal will focus on the $3 million Vermont has received so far.

Health Commissioner Mark Levine chairs the advisory panel, and its membership skews political: More than half of the 17 seats are held by people in state or local government, while only a third of the members work directly with drug users or could be considered experts in the field of substance abuse.

The group has held four meetings since August and has operated much like a legislative committee, inviting experts to provide testimony ahead of any debate.

Not everyone has been pleased with the process so far. Sen. Hardy said the testimony has all felt a bit “sanitized,” largely because it has mostly come from health department representatives.

of the five Capitol Police officers who died in the wake of the attack read aloud the names of the deceased.

Balint voting for speaker on the floor of the U.S. House

U.S. Rep. Becca Balint

PHOTOS: JAMES BUCK

“I know they’re doing a lot of great work,” she said of the department, “but I’d also really like to hear from people in the field about what they’re doing in the immediate instance of trying to help save somebody’s life.”

The committee will have to recommend whether to focus more on prevention efforts or on the approach known as harm reduction, which prioritizes keeping drug users alive so that they have a chance to eventually recover. Basic harm reduction strategies include distributing sterile needles, doses of Narcan and test strips that can check

“distant, future risks” while drugs are killing hundreds of Vermonters each year would be a “further travesty,” he said.

Ed Baker, a licensed drug and alcohol counselor who’s not on the committee but has been attending its meetings, agreed. “This money is coming in not because people got addicted to opioids, but because people died from opioids,” said Baker, who himself is in long-term recovery from intravenous drug use. “Hundreds of thousands of people — they got our attention by dying. This money is for the efficacious and immediate remediation of that.”

Weinberger thinks the funds should bolster Vermont’s existing hub-andspoke treatment model, which has lost some of its effectiveness in the age of fentanyl. The powerful synthetic opioid has complicated treatment efforts by making it harder for people to start taking the preferred addiction medication, buprenorphine. “Bupe” is not always effective for people who have used fentanyl for extended The medication can usher people who recently used fentanyl into immediate withdrawal.

drugs for fentanyl. Some cities have also begun offer ing on-demand drug-testing services so that users know what they are ingesting.

Rocket, a Hartford Selectboard member on the advisory committee who has a single legal name, said the committee has a responsibility to fund programs that will have the biggest long-term impact. He noted that successful prevention programs yield significant savings when compared to the cost of treating someone’s addiction after the fact.

“I don’t know what the value of simply providing reactive remedies to people who are suffering is, because what we fail to do then is stymie the problem at the root,” he said.

“The settlement is not just to repair the wrongs done to specific individuals,” he continued. “It is to repair the wrongs done to the people of Vermont. If you take that lens, there’s a much better case to say we should seek solutions that make sure we never go through this again.”

Other committee members strongly disagree. They say the state’s primary focus must be on keeping current drug users alive, pointing out that many of them got hooked on drugs after first using the products of opioid companies.

“These settlement funds are the illgotten gains of companies that preyed on these very people,” said Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger, a member of the committee. Directing the money to

Meanwhile, cocaine and methamphetamine have been increasingly tainted with fentanyl, and because Vermont has few treatment options for stimulant users, people addicted to these drugs often continue to use unabated, leaving them at a heightened risk of overdose.

Another factor the committee will need to consider: geography. Programs that work well in Burlington or Brattleboro aren’t always feasible in rural towns. “Obviously, Burlington needs to get help,” said Hardy, who represents Addison County. “But we also have to make sure we cover the rest of the state, too.”

Levine said he expects that the health department’s initial proposal will feature spending on harm-reduction strategies in recognition of the growing death toll. But he said it would be “shortsighted” not to focus on prevention programs in the coming years.

“We want to preserve life, and harm reduction is a way to do that,” he said. “But making strategic long-term investments in areas like youth prevention ... are going to be critical.”

Hardy, meanwhile, said she’s cautiously optimistic that the health department will come back with strategies that the committee can endorse.

“Will the proposal go as far as some of us would like to see? I don’t think so,” she said. “But I hope they realize they can’t just come back and say, ‘Let’s just do some Instagram posts.’” ➆

Weed Wish List

Cannabis industry advocates and regulators renew push for more potent products

BY DEREK BROUWER • derek@sevendaysvt.com

DoorDash for edibles. Farmstands selling bud. Smoking lounges. A state program to promote craft weed. Cannabis advocates will soon try to convince Vermont lawmakers to consider all these ideas, and more, to augment the new recreational market.

The industry is presenting a long wish list for the first legislative session since legal weed sales began in October. Advocates hope that the successful rollout — which netted the state nearly $475,000 in tax revenue from the first month of sales — will encourage policy makers to tinker with the law in ways that bolster the industry.

Aiding their efforts will be newly licensed cannabis entrepreneurs who can put a face to the lobbying effort — and, in one case, cast a vote on proposed legislation.

But with so many other pressing issues on the agenda this year, lawmakers are unlikely to take up many weed wants and may seek to let the market develop before expanding it further.

“We’re cautiously optimistic,” said Geoffrey Pizzutillo, cofounder and executive director of the Vermont Growers Association, a trade group whose 2023 policy agenda includes nearly 30 requests.

Already, the debate is heating up around a recurring question: How potent should legal weed be?

It’s a $12 million to $25 million question, according to the state’s Cannabis Control Board. That’s how much retailers are missing out on annually due to regulations that limit the amount of THC in products, the CCB concluded in a recent 82-page report.

The board supports lifting the caps, which are 30 percent for cannabis flower and 60 percent for solid concentrates. Of the 19 states where recreational sales are currently legal, only Connecticut and Montana also include limits on potency, the CCB found; Montana’s limit only applies to flower.

The potency caps were included at the request of public health advocates, who say ultra-potent cannabis may be linked to mental health problems and substance-use disorder. They worry that allowing legal sales of such products will entice new users to what has historically been a small segment of the illicit market.

The 60 percent limit on solid concentrates, in particular, curtails the availability

of products such as dabs, shatter, wax and bubble hash, which are generally produced with a very high THC content. Users heat and inhale such products, which are made by extracting cannabinoids from the plant and packaging them into highly concentrated forms. Concentrates make up between 4 and 8 percent of consumer demand, according to the CCB’s most recent estimate based on Vermont survey data and medical program sales.

Solid concentrates can be diluted but tend to be less desirable. Unlike many retail cannabis consumers, concentrate aficionados are “looking to get as high as possible,” said Bill Lofy, cofounder and CEO of Kria Botanicals, a cannabis extraction lab in South Burlington that uses concentrated extracts to infuse other products, such as gummies, with a lower resulting potency. Lofy considers the state’s 60 percent threshold “really arbitrary.”

Lofy and others in the industry contend that the state restrictions are unlikely to deter users of high-potency concentrates and will instead prop up the illicit market. For that reason, the CCB, charged with regulating the legal cannabis market,

has emerged as a chief proponent for lifting the caps.

Members of the Vermont Senate and House were at odds last spring over an attempt to remove the THC limits. A resulting compromise called for the CCB to produce a report on the issue, which it delivered earlier this month.

In the report, the board reiterated its earlier recommendation. It further called on lawmakers to earmark a portion of cannabis tax revenue for education and youth prevention programs that specifically detail the potential harms of potent concentrates.

It might seem odd that the state’s primary cannabis regulator has come out swinging for lifting a key regulation. But CCB chair James Pepper said the board’s advocacy is part of its responsibility to help move the illicit market into the regulated one. Plus, Pepper said, education

about concentrates, rather than potency limits, would improve consumer safety.

Senate Judiciary Committee chair Dick Sears (D-Bennington) plans to introduce a bill lifting the caps this session. He anticipates that the issue will be the “most controversial” cannabis-related policy debate this year.

Following the release of the CCB report, four state physician groups urged lawmakers to keep the caps. In a press release, the groups said lifting them would be “premature” just several months into legal sales, at a time when clinical research on the health effects of high-potency cannabis is still coalescing.

A literature review published in September in the Lancet, a leading medical journal, noted that use of higher potency cannabis was associated with an increased risk of psychosis and cannabis-use disorder, though it called for more research.

Lawmakers in Colorado, one of the first states to legalize recreational cannabis, recently debated whether to impose potency caps. Instead, they decided that dispensaries must provide shoppers with a warning. Customers now leave with a four-page pamphlet cautioning that high-potency concentrate consumption may lead to symptoms of psychosis, uncontrollable vomiting, cannabis dependence and other mental health problems.

The CCB cited inconclusive research in making its recommendation. But Mariah Flynn, coalition director for Burlington Partnership for a Healthy Community, a substance-abuse prevention group, said the lack of definitive research is cause for a wait-and-see approach. Historically, when industries that sell vices such as cigarettes or alcohol have been able to shape the narrative around their products, “that has always turned out badly for us,” she said.

“So it’s really important, now that we have the opportunity with a new industry to shape it from the ground up, that we put those public health safeguards in place,” Flynn continued.

Scott Sparks, who runs the Vermont Bud Barn cannabis store in Brattleboro, has been keeping a list of customers who say they’d like to know when high-potency concentrates are available. Practically speaking, they need not wait. A few miles down the road from Sparks’ store, in Bernardston, Mass., a cannabis retailer offers numerous sugars and hash rosins with THC levels of nearly 90 percent.

Bud Barn had only one concentrate available for purchase last week, a “dab oil” advertised at 68 percent THC. The product, which Bud Barn purchased from a Vermont

FEEDback

NO MORE ‘PORK-ANDGRAVY TRAIN’

[Re “Retiring Rainmaker: Leahy’s Departure From His Powerful Perch in the U.S. Senate Could Stanch the Flow of Federal Cash to Vermont,” December 21]: Reading about the loss of massive cash piles from senator Patrick Leahy’s largesse forces some of us to face the fact that much of, or even most of, all this money has gone for naught — excepting the grant writers and recipients, of course!

Example: I once asked about the $10,000 wasted for the “replacement” of the bandstand on Troy’s common and where the money went. Answer? “Oh, that was just for the study; we’d need more to replace it!” Typical. Newport city’s “Renaissance Commission” once paid a Montréal consultant $50,000 for a slogan proclaiming “Newport — Genuine by Nature,” every penny well spent!

Just look at all the piles of money incinerated to “clean up Lake Champlain.” What good did any of it do? Wasted even more money installing “secure liquid manure pits” on farms that have now

vendor, had been submitted to the CCB for review but was not yet approved for legal sale and exceeded the legal potency limit, a CCB spokesperson told Seven Days after the newspaper asked the board about it. The board contacted Sparks, who removed the product from his shop’s menu. He said he’d relied on his vendor’s word and hadn’t intended to circumvent the rules.

THE DEBATE IS HEATING UP AROUND A RECURRING QUESTION: HOW POTENT SHOULD LEGAL WEED BE?

Potency limits aren’t the only Vermont regulation that has put retailers at a competitive disadvantage. Cannabis vapes are currently taxed at 92 percent, just as e-cigarettes are. The resulting retail price for such products, which are more popular than solid concentrates, is roughly double what competitors across the state line charge.

“It’s almost not worth selling, to be honest,” Sparks said. Lawmakers will

likely consider easing that tax this session, something the CCB supports.

Many of the ideas percolating for new cannabis businesses, such as legalizing delivery services and direct grower-toconsumer sales, are intended to help small-scale entrepreneurs. Some growers want to be able to sell their bud at farmstands without having to incur the expense and regulation needed for a retail license.

Sears said he’s open to the concept but cautioned that it could take time.

“It may be something that we take some baby steps on,” he said.

The cannabis industry will have a new voice at the Statehouse this year in the form of David Templeman, a Brownington farmer who was elected to the House representing the Orleans-3 district. The Democrat, who ran unopposed, is a licensed outdoor cannabis grower and a partner in an edibles company. Templeman appears to be the first Vermont lawmaker to run a licensed cannabis business.

“My interest is in protecting the cannabis industry as a mom-and-pop, small business enterprise and not an out-of-state, big corporate game,” he said last week, a day after being sworn in.

As a first-time lawmaker, Templeman said he may spend much of this session learning the ropes. Lawmakers are subject to a state code of ethics that bars them from acting on issues for which they have an interest “greater than that of another person generally affected by the outcome of the matter.” Templeman said he will recuse himself from legislation in which he has a conflict of interest.

He’s been assigned to the House committee on Agriculture, Food Resiliency and Forestry, which will give him a chance to share his interest for cannabis with fellow lawmakers.

Most of his new colleagues are still trying to get up to speed on the cannabis business, Templeman noted, “whereas I’ve got the lingo. I’ve got the scientific understanding.” ➆

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blinked out of existence. And yet the algae blooms come earlier every year, closing beaches, and still the liquid crap flows freely, just like the Leahy money from Washington, D.C.

Maybe now these grant suckers will be forced to find real work in the real world, many returning from whence they came, which may alleviate Vermont’s housing crisis. Someday soon, we’re going to have to pay the piper to stop unsustainable federal debt, as rising interest rates mean the cost of “servicing” it overtakes the debt itself, and we may have to start with cutting these Soviet-style make-work grants and do-nothing agencies and nonprofits benefiting from one senior senator’s pork-and-gravy train’s annual arrival.

Steve Merrill NORTH TROY

SO LONG, LEAHY Farewell, our Senator,

retired, we, thank you for your love of the Grateful Dead. For following them

with your camera. To Highgate, in northern Vermont. Where a hundred thousand filled a field and parking lot. So happy to see you in the wings of the stage. Jerry and Phil looking over to you. Your compatriots.

Raising a wavering song, for the cows, too,  swaying in their stanchions.  The deer huddled

in their herd beds. And always for fall’s leaves. Every painted one of them.   Now you’ll have time to photograph.

To remind us of each vote you cast. For 48 years. To stop a war.  To spend our taxes for the neediest.

And any time there was a man made,  natural disaster.  Laws to make things right

for First Dawn people. Abenaki Vermonters. Who told the Grateful Dead where their ancestors’ bones were buried,

and not to set the stage there.  To honor and respect all the work  a life gives.

As we do you, Senator Leahy. Our Pat and your wife, Marcelle. And your family. Who let our nation

borrow you. Now gathered. Like a crowd in line at the Flynn. Or even better, waiting at a chair lift.

Your camera sitting on its tripod across from you. The timer set.

To hold the Capitol behind you. And then, our friend, for you  to step away. Toward

the Washington Monument.  Toward democracy’s own Lincoln  Memorial.

And home. To our snow-capped, leafy mountain Champlain called “Le Lion Couchant,” the resting lion.

Gary Margolis CORNWALL

about the costs and the complexities of shifting Vermonters away from fossil fuel heating sources.

Democrats now have enough votes — 104 in the 150-member House and 22 in the 30-seat Senate — to achieve more easily the two-thirds needed in each chamber to override a veto. They may also enjoy support from five Progressives and three independents in the House; in the Senate, Sen. Tanya Vyhovsky (P/DChittenden-Central), has said she’ll caucus with the Democrats.

Scott, who has faced strong Democratic legislative majorities throughout his governorship, has vetoed 38 bills in six years, far more than any other governor in Vermont history. Former Democratic governor Howard Dean comes in second; he issued 21 vetoes in his 11 years.

Officials in Scott’s administration have often objected to early drafts of bills and then sat on the sidelines as the measures were refined, Krowinski said. That meant lawmakers had to rework bills without knowing what Scott might be willing to accept — only to have him veto the final version.

Krowinski hopes her party’s new clout convinces Scott to see the importance of being involved early in the legislative process.

“I’m going to continue to offer him a seat at the table and be open and honest about what we are doing,” Krowinski said.

Baruth agrees with Krowinski’s analysis and approach. Scott has tended to wait until the end of the legislative process to negotiate with lawmakers, using the threat of a veto to get what he wanted, the pro tem said.

“That has some political advantages for him, but in terms of policy it’s not ideal,” Baruth said.

Take the case of lawmakers’ attempt to mandate universal background checks for firearms purchases. Previously, if the Federal Bureau of Investigation didn’t complete a check in three days, people could purchase a weapon anyway. That gap is referred to as the “Charleston loophole,” so named because it’s how a 21-year-old white supremacist in 2015 was able to buy the .45-caliber pistol he used to kill nine members of a church in Charleston, S.C.

The governor vetoed the bill and only then suggested that he would agree to a measure that would allow purchases without a completed check after seven business days, which lawmakers had little choice but to accept. The result is that a downsized Charleston loophole still exists in Vermont — and remains bad policy, in Baruth’s view. The Senate

doesn’t plan to push the issue further this session, Baruth said.

Like Krowinski, Baruth hopes lawmakers’ new power encourages the governor to come to the table sooner, rather than creating a dynamic where “the supermajority is going to roll over you repeatedly.

“I hope it’s marked by an era of increased productivity together,” he said. “I believe it’s possible.”

Scott announced this week that his administration would, for the first time, hold policy briefings for lawmakers on priority issues. They’re meant to give lawmakers an overview of key issues and “allow for an open exchange between executive and legislative branch officials.”

The briefings are in response to the large number of new lawmakers, not the new supermajority, said Scott’s spokesperson, Jason Maulucci.

Gun safety bills will definitely reemerge this session, Baruth said. This includes establishing a 72-hour waiting period on gun purchases, which is meant to reduce suicide risk, and an initiative to require “safe storage” of firearms. Scott has previously vetoed both measures. Another would make straw purchases of weapons illegal under Vermont law, just as they are federally, Baruth said.

Some housing bills that Scott swatted back may also return. Scott blocked a bill that would have allowed Burlington to restrict evictions to ones in which landlords can cite a “just cause.” He argued that this could worsen the housing shortage by making fewer landlords willing to rent their properties.

But Rep. Chip Troiano (D-Stannard) contends that such protections are vital during the housing crisis. While the governor rightly talks about speeding

the construction of new housing, he seems less concerned about those being evicted from existing units, Troiano said.

Vermont Legal Aid told lawmakers last session that “no cause” evictions had increased 50 percent in the previous year. “We’re displacing almost the same amount through landlords who are moving to Vermont and kicking people out so they can charge more,” Troiano said.

He expects that Democrats’ new influence will help reinvigorate a statewide “just cause” eviction bill he sponsored last year that never got out of committee.

In his inaugural address, Scott spoke about putting aside political differences, but he also signaled that he planned to double down on issues that have triggered past vetoes, suggesting he doesn’t see the election results as a rebuke.

He urged lawmakers to give his new voluntary paid family leave program a chance to work before rolling out a mandatory version he views as unnecessary and burdensome to workers. And he also stressed that, while he supports drug abuse prevention programs, “law enforcement and accountability” need to be part of the discussion about harmful drugs.

Asked to speak with Seven Days about whether the Democrats’ new power might change his approach, Scott provided a statement instead. It noted that while voters strengthened Democratic majorities in the legislature, they also elected him to office with nearly 70 percent of the vote, his strongest performance yet.

“They want balance,” Scott said of the voters. “They want us to put partisanship aside and focus on delivering results.”

He and the majority of lawmakers agree on most of the problems facing the state, such as the need to increase housing, expand and make childcare more affordable, and fight climate change. They just differ, at times, on how to get it done.

“When you share the goal for the outcome, the work to find common ground is much easier,” the governor’s statement said. “I look forward to continuing to work with our partners in the legislature this session to build a more prosperous Vermont.”

Krowinski said she had a productive remote meeting with Scott soon after the election, and they agreed to have in-person meetings during the session. One hasn’t happened yet, but she said she’s optimistic.

“It’s going to be up to him on how he shows up and changes his strategy or not, based on the numbers we have in the House,” she said. ➆

PHOTOS: JEB WALLACE-BRODEUR

Sen. Phil Baruth

Gov. Phil Scott

lifelines

OBITUARIES

Beth Danon

MAY 31, 1954JANUARY 6, 2023 HINESBURG, VT.

On Friday, January 6, 2023, Beth Ann Danon, 68, died in the arms of her sister, Mary, and best friend, Kate Mulgrew, succumbing to a recurrence of endometrial cancer. Beth lived the last few months of her life first in the warm and welcoming home of her dear friends Susan Sussman and Scudder Parker, and then with her sister, Mary Kehoe, brother-inlaw, Jeff Johnson, and niece Libby Dysart. In her last days, she was lovingly cared for by Kate, her best friend of 50 years.

Beth was born in Chicago on May 31, 1954, to William Kehoe and Joan Smith. As a young girl, Beth led her four siblings on endless exciting escapades throughout their North Side Chicago neighborhood, sneaking into hotel lobbies (Marlborough House), climbing on city statutes (Alexander Hamilton), swimming in the conservatory fountain (not allowed), and hunting for wounded turtles, birds and ducks in Lincoln Park (brought them

Mark Ransom

MAY 19, 1950DECEMBER 27, 2022 BURLINGTON, VT.

Mark Ransom, 72, of Burlington, Vt., passed away suddenly on the afternoon of December 27, 2022. Mark was a shining light in the community and will be missed by his family and many friends. He was a hard-rocking musician and a beloved early childhood educator whose kind and gentle nature endeared him to all who knew him.

Mark was born on May 19, 1950, to parents Robert and Louise Ransom (née Bristol) in Bronxville, a comfortable suburb north of New York City. He grew up with five brothers in a family that encouraged a love of music. Mark sang in the church choir

OBITUARIES, VOWS, CELEBRATIONS

all home). One of her favorite activities was forming clubs with the sole purpose of setting admission requirements she knew her little sister could not fulfill (like riding a bike down a long flight of stairs).

Beth began high school in Mamaroneck, N.Y., after her family moved there in 1967 so her mother could pursue her doctorate at New York University. In January 1969, while in high school, Beth led a group of activists to Washington, D.C., to participate in a nationwide anti-war demonstration. us began Beth’s lifelong pursuit of justice.

Beth finished high school in Hanover, N.H., and immediately returned to New

York. Beth started college at NYU in 1972 and finished at Hunter College in 1984. In the interim, she had a lot of fun, waiting tables in some of the classic folk and jazz clubs of Greenwich Village. Living in New York City enabled Beth to indulge her love of opera at the highest level. Beth went on to CUNY School of Law at Queens College, graduating in 1987. During law school, Beth provided legal services to victims of domestic violence. After graduation, she moved to Vermont to be close to her family, where she lovingly assumed the role of a third parent-figure to Mary’s children, Peter and Libby.

Beth began her legal career as a law clerk to Vermont Supreme Court justice Frank G. Mahady. After completion of her clerkship, she began practicing law as a plaintiff’s attorney. She was a partner at three law firms, most recently at Kohn Rath Law in Hinesburg, and at one time worked as interim director and staff attorney for Vermont Protection & Advocacy. In her 35 years of practice, Beth accepted cases simply because her client needed help. She was never

interested in making money. She was only interested in helping people and was drawn to those most in need. Beth was a fierce advocate and highly successful attorney with the highest of ethical standards. One of her many victories included winning equal health care benefits for same-sex partners of University of Vermont faculty and staff, well before such rights became universal.

Practicing law was not enough to fulfill her ardent need to pursue justice. Beth was an early board member, and then president, of Vermont CARES. She served as president of the Vermont Bar Foundation and the Vermont Association for Justice. She was a longstanding member of the American Civil Liberties Union of Vermont. Her work with these organizations is evidence of Beth’s devotion to maintaining a fair and just Vermont community.

Beth was the least judgmental person anyone could hope to know. She always had time to listen to her friends’ and family’s problems and woes for as long as necessary, often providing profound

and helpful insight. She was reliable and willing to help at the drop of a hat. She found great joy in her Birdland community in North Hero, making connections that were deep and dear. Hers was a life well lived.

ough Beth had no children of her own, she was a devoted aunt to her 10 nieces and nephews. But no remembrance would be complete without mention of her adorable dog, Lilly. Her constant and dear companion for over 19 years, Lilly passed away in April 2022, leaving Beth bereft for some time.

Beth is survived by her sister, Mary Kehoe, and her husband, Jeff Johnson, of Shelburne, Vt.; her brother Bill Kehoe and his wife, Kerstin Cmok, of Belmont, Mass.; her brother John Kehoe and his wife, Marina Kehoe, of Statesville, N.C.; and her brother Michael Smith Welch and his wife, Ami Yamasaki, of Tokyo, Japan. She is also survived by her stepfather, U.S. Sen. Peter Welch, and his wife, Margaret Cheney. Her surviving nieces and nephews are Peter (wife Raechel) and Libby Dysart; Lucas and Liam Cmok Kehoe;

Leo and Eji Conger; Max Kehoe; Whitney Johnson (wife Anubha Bhadauria); Kasey Murray (husband Osa Imadojemu); and Blake (wife Emily) and Steven Murray.

She is also survived by her great-nephew, Cassius Dysart, and great-nieces, Sosey Dysart and eodora Imadojemu.

Our family wishes to extend special thanks to Beth’s friends, too numerous to name, who supported her throughout her last months of life. We are also grateful for the support of UVM Home Health & Hospice; nurse Judy Johnson, whose help was both indispensable and kind; and Beth’s primary care provider, Dr. Susan Weinstein, and oncologist, Dr. Elise Everett.

A service to celebrate Beth’s life will be held on Saturday, January 21, 2023, 4 p.m., at the First Unitarian Universalist Church, 152 Pearl St., Burlington, VT.

Should anyone wish to honor Beth’s life with a gift, in addition to holding her memory close to heart, we suggest a donation to either the Vermont Bar Foundation or the Humane Society of Chittenden County.

of the thriving local “garage” scene at the time. Brother Larry played bass and would return from Amherst College for weekend gigs.

and played trombone in his high school orchestra.

In high school, Mark formed his first rock-androll band, the Good ings. He played lead guitar and was the group’s leader and arranger. ey played many church dances and parties and were considered the best

Mark moved to Burlington in 1981 to join the iconic Burlington band the N-Zones and soon met his future wife, Brooke Hadwen. His prolific musical credits include local institutions the X-Rays, the Fortune Tellers, the Chrome Cowboys, Mango Jam, Barbacoa and the Magnolias. Mark was a dynamic and talented musician with an unmatched passion for rock and roll in its many forms. He was often in multiple bands at the same time because he just couldn’t get enough. He was an accomplished bass player with a passion for the craft, and he rocked every note.

Mark and Brooke were married in 1984 and had their son, Drew, in 1986. He was a wonderful and loving father who espoused the value of skiing, music and taking the time to have a little fun.

In 1992, Mark began working at Trinity College Child Care Center (now Trinity Children’s Center), where he would become a fixture for the next 20 years. He is fondly remembered for his kindness and patience by the many children and parents whose lives he touched during his time there. Music, of course, was a big part of the curriculum.

Mark moved to Hawaii in 2012 with his then-partner, Mia Adams. After checking out the music scene there, he joined the Saloon Pilots, who billed themselves as “Hawaii’s

Best Bluegrass Band.” He continued writing songs, recording music and teaching bass guitar. Wherever Mark was, there was always music.

In 2013, Mark was diagnosed with throat cancer. e treatments were rough, but he rebounded and continued to enjoy island life. at included tennis, hiking and daily bike rides up the coast road from his Kuli’ou’ou home to swim at his favorite spot, the Halona Cove, also known as the From Here to Eternity beach. He even tried surfing a couple times.

Mark moved back to Burlington in 2020 and picked up where he left off, reuniting with his musician friends and rocking as hard as his health would allow. When Mark wasn’t onstage, he was in his home recording studio,

working alone or with other artists to create music.

Mark was predeceased by his parents and his eldest brother, Mike, who died in Vietnam in 1968. He is survived by his son, Drew, and daughter-in-law, Erin, of Burlington; brother Larry and his wife, Gail, of Seattle; brother John and his wife, Susan, of New York City; brother Matthew, also of New York; brother Daniel and his partner, Dorothy Casale, of Manchester, Vt.; former wife, Brooke, of Burlington; and many beloved nieces and nephews.

A memorial concert will be held on April 6 at Higher Ground in South Burlington.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Big Heavy World: bigheavyworld.com/donate.

lifelines

Joyce Holly

AUGUST 7, 1928JANUARY 3, 2023

SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT. It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Joyce S. Holly, 94, who died peacefully at Syracuse Home at McHarrie Place on January 3, 2023.

She was born on August 7, 1928, in Brockport, N.Y., daughter of the late Leon and Frieda (Clough) Salisbury, and attended Rochester schools.

Joyce was always at her happiest when socializing and laughing with family and friends, whether it be at a party, a square dance or a game of cards. She loved life and all it had to offer.

She adored her husband of 54 years, Kirk, and the times the couple spent cruising the Lake Ontario shoreline and the Thousand Islands. These were some of her most blissful days. In retirement, they explored the United States in their RV, which gave her much joy, as their days were filled with new adventures and new people to meet.

Joyce’s hands were seldom still, as she raised four children and still had time to create smocked garments and to sew, quilt, crochet and knit, making everything from sweaters to mittens for her grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. She loved to bake, and pies were her specialty.

Joyce was an active volunteer for the Oswego County 4-H Club in Oswego, N.Y., and the First United Methodist Church in Burlington, Vt. rough the years, she

Ilyo McCray

NOVEMBER 28, 1945DECEMBER 22, 2022

GRAND ISLE, VT.

Ilyo Lloyd McCray, 77, husband of Carolyn McCray, passed away suddenly on December 22, 2022. A visitation was held on ursday, December 29, at the Minor Funeral Home. A funeral service was held on Friday, December 30, at the South Hero Congregational Church. Please see minorfh. com for a full obituary.

held positions at Kodak, St. Regis, Columbia Mills, and at Oswego High School as a reading resource coordinator. She retired from the Oswego High School.

Joyce was predeceased by her husband, Stanley “Kirk” Holly, in 2003.

She is survived by her daughters, Sue (Steve) Small of Clifton Park, N.Y., Joan ( omas) Pelis of Brewerton, N.Y., and Lynn (Dave) Mirisola of Cape Neddick, Maine; one son, Mark (MaryFrances) Holly, of Colchester, Vt.; and nine grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

e family wishes to thank the staff at Syracuse Home at McHarrie Place for the loving and compassionate care provided to their mother over the past five years.

Contributions can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association Central New York Chapter, 5015 Campus Wood Drive, Syracuse, NY 13057, or to the McHarrie Life Foundation, 7740 Meigs Rd., Baldwinsville, NY 13027.

e family will hold a gathering in August to celebrate Joyce’s life, when relatives and friends can be together.

Ann Curran

SEPTEMBER 1, 1945DECEMBER 24, 2022 BURLINGTON, VT

Ann Marie (Bissonette) Curran, 77, died unexpectedly at the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington, Vt., on Saturday, December 24, 2022.

Ann was born in Buffalo, N.Y., the daughter of Larry and Mary Bissonette. She graduated from Mount St. Mary Academy in Kenmore, N.Y., and Nazareth College in Rochester, N.Y., with a bachelor’s degree in English. She then attended graduate school at the University of Buffalo and earned her master’s degree in communications from the University of Vermont. She met the love of her life and husband of more than 50 years, Fred A. Curran, who was a student at St. John Fisher College in Rochester.

In 1970, Fred and Ann married and settled in Vermont. She began her career at the PBS affiliate Vermont Educational Television (now known as Vermont Public) in 1975. Until her retirement, she worked in senior

leadership positions, including manager, marketing and communications, through many station name changes. For the last five years, she was the legislative liaison.

Ann’s face was familiar to Vermonters throughout the state due to her numerous appearances on the network’s many pledge drives. Besides the Vermont community, she often worked with national PBS officials, as well as employees of other PBS stations in the country, and in 2009, she was named Broadcaster of the Year by the Vermont Association of Broadcasters. In 2013, the Ann Curran “green room” (where guests waited for interviews) was created by

the station to honor her. She retired later that year.

She was an incredible friend to all — her good humor and her willingness to pitch in for anybody was legendary. A good friend and former colleague called her “the best boss I ever had.” She was a mentor and had an ability to bring the utmost tact and grace to any difficult situation. She started a small group of colleagues who have celebrated each other’s birthdays for decades.

Her humor expressed itself in many ways, including editing spelling errors on menus when dining out with friends and sending out the occasional cartoon that struck her fancy, from a source that she knew some friends could not access otherwise.

Ann and Fred were avid birders and travelers, including multiple trips to Europe and to Sri Lanka and Khartoum. ey also enjoyed opera and had a subscription to the Opéra de Montréal. She enjoyed exploring all cuisines and always enjoyed a glass of white wine.

She volunteered for many

community organizations. For many years, she was on the board of directors of the ACLU of Vermont and continued to serve on its development committee beyond her board service. She was also on the board of HomeShare Vermont and sang as an alto with the Burlington Choral Society, where she served as board secretary and publicist. At her death, she was working on its spring 2023 performance.

Ann is survived by her husband, Fred; her brother, Paul Bissonette, and his wife, Barbara Silvestri; her niece, Maya, and husband, David; her nephew, Bohdan, and his wife, Melissa; daughter, Josie; and cousins in New York, California and Arizona. She was predeceased by her parents; her mother- and father-in-law, Alma and Tracy Indivino; and her sister-inlaw, Larissa Bissonette.

In Ann’s memory, donations are encouraged in her name to Habitat for Humanity, the American Civil Liberties Union of Vermont, HomeShare Vermont or the Burlington Choral Society.

A memorial service will be held in the spring.

Jane Westervelt

APRIL 3, 1927OCTOBER 14, 2022 SHELBURNE, VT.

Jane Edgell Westervelt, 95, of Shelburne, Vt., died peacefully at Wake Robin on October 14, 2022. Jane was born in Paris on April 3, 1927, to General W.I. Westervelt and Dorothy (Jocelyn) Westervelt. She attended North Shore Country Day in Winnetka, Ill., followed by the Masters School in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., and Barnard College.

For much of her life, she traveled extensively, while hiking, climbing, and photographing remote and hard-to-access regions of the world. In the 1950s, she lived in Colorado Springs, Colo., where she worked for the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center. In the 1960s, she worked for the Swiss pharmaceutical company Sandoz, managing podophyllum seed farms in the Swat region of Pakistan. In the late 1960s, she made London her home, while continuing to travel across the Middle East and Central Asia,

returning with extraordinary photos of people and places, including the Wakhan Valley in Afghanistan. For her later years, she returned to Vermont, where she lived first in the family home in Burlington before eventually moving to Shelburne. She was a voracious reader with broad literary interests, a consummate Scrabble player, a collector of puzzles and a generous supporter of many organizations.

She is predeceased by her brothers, Dirck De Ryee Westervelt and Peter Jocelyn Westervelt, and is survived by her nephew, Dirck Edgell Westervelt, and niece, Abby Brown Westervelt.

Tinga Adiang

OCTOBER 3, 1996-JULY 7, 2022 JERICHO, VT.

On July 7, 2022, Tinga Adiang, loving brother, son and friend, passed away at the age of 25.

Tinga was born on October 3, 1996, in South Sudan. After Tinga graduated from Vermont Academy in 2016, he went on to study political science at St. Lawrence College.

Tinga had a passion for politics, and his first professional job was working on the political campaign for Bernie Sanders. He was a champion for social justice and equity.

Tinga’s greatest pride and joy was in his role as brother to his siblings, as well as to his friends. He lit up every room with his spirit and smile. He acknowledged the value of every person in all of his interactions.

Tinga loved basketball. More than the game, he appreciated the camaraderie, connections and community that he experienced on all of his teams. He soaked in every moment of joy and heartbreak, truly living these moments to the fullest.

Tinga is survived by his loving family and community. A memorial community basketball tournament will be held in 2023.

In memory of Tinga, the family requests that donations be sent to the Burlington Boys and Girls Club at 62 Oak St., Burlington, VT 05401.

Gloria Jean Abatiell

FEBRUARY 17, 1932DECEMBER 17, 2022 RUTLAND, VT.

Gloria Jean (Pratico) Abatiell, 90, of Rutland, Vt., died peacefully on December 17, 2022, at the Rutland Regional Medical Center, surrounded by her five children, their spouses and many grandchildren.

Gloria was born on February 17, 1932, in Rutland, Vt., to Natale and Catherine (Fucci) Pratico, who immigrated to Rutland from southern Italy at a young age. Gloria grew up with her six siblings in the Italian American community in Rutland. For over 60 years, the Pratico family was known for operating Pratico’s Greenhouse and Flower Shop, next door to Gloria’s childhood home. As the youngest, she outlived her four brothers

and two sisters and missed them dearly later in life. Having survived the Great Depression, World War II, the 1970s and everything in between, the seven Pratico siblings are back together again.

Gloria graduated from Rutland High School in 1951 and married the love of her life, Clement Abatiell, on June 5, 1954. ey spent 59 loving years together, raising their five children at 100 Oak Street and smothering their 12

grandchildren with affection for years to follow. In addition to raising five children, Gloria was well known throughout Rutland for the 20-plus years that she worked for First Vermont Bank. She made many lifelong friends from her bank community.

Gloria cherished her summer vacations with Clem in Maine and her many winter seasons in Naples, Fla. Some of her best memories were with old and new friends in Florida. ey loved to visit their children in Burlington, Massachusetts and Maine. However, Gloria did not need to go far to be happy. She found comfort going for fall foliage drives, outings to Manchester, and frequenting garage and estate sales with her lifelong Rutland friends. Wherever Gloria went, a good bargain created a big smile.

Although she had many interests, nothing compared to the love she had for her

family and friends. Nothing made her happier than cramming as many loved ones as possible into her small kitchen and spoiling them with endless servings of sauce, meatballs and sweet treats for the kids. Her joy of providing for those she loved sustained her throughout her life. She treated everyone with the same love and affection, whether merely a stranger or a lifelong friend.

After Clem’s passing, she spent the final chapter of her life in the Maples Senior Living community, where she was a source of joy for all, flooding the halls with holiday decorations, playing cards and socializing on the porch while spending time with her dear friends.

Her smile, words, and endless love for her family and friends will inspire and guide us forever. With a name like Glo, she was destined to light

up every space she entered — and she did.

In addition to her parents and siblings, Gloria was predeceased by her husband, Clement J. Abatiell, and her beloved grandson, Cameron L. Abatiell.

She leaves her five children: Tina A. Gallagher (Jack) of Jericho, Vt.; Lisa A. Hauenstein (John) of Charlotte, Vt.; Lori A. Smith (Matthew) of Shelburne, Vt.; Marc C. Abatiell (Jenny) of Newburyport, Mass.; and Larry Abatiell (Erica Giovanniello) of Newmarket, N.H.; and her 11 grandchildren (and their spouses): Evan, Andrew and Connor Gallagher; Audra, Greg and Alex Socinski; Cassie Nunnally and AnnaClare Smith; Taylor and Jess Abatiell; and Chad Abatiell. She is also survived by six great-grandchildren, along with many cherished nieces and nephews.

e Abatiell family wishes

Sallie West

APRIL 16, 1952-DECEMBER 20, 2022

FAYSTON, VT.

Sallie West died peacefully on December 20, 2022, in the beautiful home she designed in Fayston, Vt., after living with ALS for four and a half years. Her children, Ashley and Jonathan Leonard, were at her side.

Sallie was born in Northfield, Vt., on April 16, 1952. She enjoyed the loving care of her grandparents, Francis and Anna Martin, when she was a young girl dreaming of becoming a child psychiatrist.

Sallie went to Mad River Valley schools and attended Harwood Union High School. She graduated with a BS in human services from Springfield College and an MA in marriage and family therapy from Antioch New England graduate school.

Sallie deeply identified as a mother, dancer and psychotherapist. After devoting her younger years to motherhood and higher education, Sallie started her career as a psychotherapist and spent nearly 30 years in private practice in Burlington and the Mad River Valley. She helped countless people find meaning in their lives, take accountability and stop telling stories about themselves that didn’t serve them. Sallie felt blessed to do the work she did and to work with such wonderful people.

Sallie was also a lover of hiking, cooking, reading and spending time with her family. She was deeply attuned to both the pain and the beauty in the world. Even when faced with ugly truths or bitter consequences, she dug deep until she found beauty. Give her a piece of old fabric, some rusty staples and 50 cents, and Sallie could make over a room fit for a magazine cover.

Sallie ended every therapy session with “What are you taking with you today?” Her loved ones are taking with them dear memories of a fiercely independent, empathic, athletic, creative, sassy and stylish woman who touched us all.

Sallie is survived by her two children; her grandson, Alden Leonard; her sister and brother-in-law, Elizabeth and Stanley Walker; her sister, Kimi Jo Slayton; her cousins, Steve and Tony Martin; and her beloved dog, Hunny Bear. She was predeceased by her mother, Anna West omas.

e family of Sallie West invites all who knew her to come together to celebrate her life on Sunday, January 29, 1-3 p.m. We will be gathering at Tucker Hill Inn in Waitsfield to share stories over small bites and cocktails. Kindly assist the family in the planning process by responding via email to ashleywestleonard@gmail. com with the number of individuals planning to attend.

William H. Quinn

MAY 21, 1938DECEMBER 3, 2022 BURLINGTON, VT.

It is with profound heartbreak that the family of Bill Quinn announces his passing from this life on December 3, 2022.

Hailing from humble Vermont beginnings, Bill lived a purposeful life full of professional achievements, great and enduring friendships, and raw tragedy in the losses of his son, wife and daughter, one at a time, and all being too young.

Upon graduating from Bellows Falls High School in 1954, Bill attended Tufts University on a full scholarship, was appointed the student commander of the United States Air Force ROTC and afterward enrolled at New York University for meteorology training. He was assigned to Castle Air Force Base in Merced, Calif. When discharged from the air force, Bill chose Boston University School of Law — again on full scholarship — where he was elected editor in chief of the Boston University Law Review. In 1966, he moved his young family to Burlington, Vt., and proudly served as the first clerk for United States district judge Bernard Leddy. His legal career in Burlington lasted until his retirement in the early 2000s. He had

practiced in both state and federal courts.

Besides cherishing his home state of Vermont and Lake Champlain vistas, Bill loved skiing at Stowe and in the west, tennis, time on the lake in his wooden Chris-Craft, and summers on Martha’s Vineyard with friends and family. Ranking high on his special list — besides spending time with his grandsons — were his crazy Delta Upsilon brothers, with whom close relationships were maintained through legendary wild reunions in Woods Hole and Falmouth, Mass. ese frat bros kept one another young.

Bill was a wonderful, funny, brave, honest and stalwart human.

He is predeceased by his first family, which included his wife Susan Hurd, his son, Aaron Quinn, and his daughter, Micaela Quinn; and his two brothers, Charles and Bob. Surviving Bill are his wife Jane Ropulewis-Shaw;

to thank the staff at Maples Senior Living and all of Gloria’s dear friends there, as well as Dr. Peter Hogenkamp and the amazing staff and nurses at the Rutland Regional Medical Center.

Memorial contributions in Gloria’s name can be made to Rutland Regional Medical Center, 160 Allen St., Rutland, VT 05701, in support of the Palliative Care Comfort Suites. In addition, notes of laughter and remembrances can be sent to Tina Gallagher, 5 Lee River Rd., Jericho, VT 05465.

A funeral mass was held on Saturday, January 7, 2023, at Christ the King Church in Rutland, Vt., with a celebration of life immediately after. ere were no visiting hours. A burial will be held in spring/summer 2023 at Calvary Cemetery in Rutland.

Arrangements were under the direction of the Clifford Funeral Home in Rutland.

stepson Josh Shaw and his wife, Tiffany, of New Haven, Vt.; stepson Sepp Shaw and his wife, Mandy, of Portland, Ore., and their two sons (Bill and Jane’s treasured grandsons), Gavin and Jack Shaw; nephew, Shawn Quinn, and his wife, Sam, of Essex Junction, Vt., and their two sons, Jonathan and Cameron; and nieces, Caren of Essex Junction, Vt., Pam LaPierre of San Jose, Calif., Wendy Mattos of Worcester, Mass., Hilary McGuire of West Chester, Pa., and Kirsten Nagiba of Colchester, Vt.

As a man who didn’t want much fuss to be made over him, he will not have a formal service, but there will be a gathering of friends and family to honor Bill at the Quinn/ Shaw home on his birthday, May 21, 2023.

Our family wishes to extend to the special angels of the University of Vermont Home Health & Hospice — and to friends too numerous to name — our overwhelming gratitude for the love and support during this difficult time. Among the most significant of those, besides our perfect neighbors, are Dr. Susanna ach and her nurse, Carly, both who practice empathy with every breath. Should anyone care to honor Bill — in addition to holding him dear — we would suggest donations to University of Vermont Home Health & Hospice or Lyric eatre.

lifelines

Linda Slayton

APRIL 21, 1947DECEMBER 19, 2022 JERICHO, VT.

Linda Slayton passed away at the University of Vermont Medical Center on December 19, 2022, after a brief illness. She was born Linda Anne Vanesse at Copley Hospital in Morrisville, Vt., on April 21, 1947, to Wilfred and Juanita (Hallock) Vanesse. She grew up in Stowe, Vt., where she started dating the love of her life, Robert “Bert” Slayton, during their senior year at Stowe High School. Linda and Bert married on June 17, 1967, at Blessed Sacrament Church in Stowe and celebrated their 55th anniversary in June 2022.

Linda earned a history degree from the University of Vermont in 1969. She worked several part-time jobs through the years, but her primary job was as a full-time homemaker. Linda and Bert’s son, Steven, was born in 1973, followed by their daughter, Julie, three years later. In 1977, Linda and Bert moved with their young family from Morrisville to Jericho, Vt., to the home where they lived for the rest of their marriage. In the later years of their marriage, Linda was a dedicated caregiver to Bert during his long battle with Parkinson’s disease.

Linda was born to be a mother and delighted in every aspect of parenting. She volunteered to help in her children’s elementary school classes, often chaperoned field trips, and attended all of her children’s

sporting events, school events, award ceremonies and graduation ceremonies. She ensured that her children always felt her unconditional love for them and instilled them with the confidence to pursue their dreams. Even when Steve and Julie became adults, Linda was always there for them in every way, whether to provide rides to necessary appointments, care for them when they were sick, or just to support and offer guidance. She was their biggest cheerleader, ally and support, always. She cheered on every success with tremendous pride and felt her children’s losses deeply, as well. Steve and Julie feel incredibly lucky to have had such a loving and devoted mother.

When Steve and his wife, Karie, had their first child, Lucas, in 2008, Linda relished the role of “Mima” and offered the same devotion and unconditional love to Lucas, and later to his brother, Zachary, born in 2013, as she had with her own children. When Julie and her husband, Jonathan, had their

daughter, Haley, in 2014, Linda delighted in having a granddaughter. Because Julie and Haley also resided in Jericho, Linda was able to be a very hands-on grandparent with Haley, assisting with daycare pickups and providing lots of babysitting assistance. Linda, Julie and Haley were BFFs, frequently hanging out on weekends and regularly shopping together, doing lunches out and attending events like Circus Smirkus. Haley considers Mima and Papa’s home to be her second home and would often request to stay with Mima when her parents had plans that weren’t to her liking; Mima would always oblige.

Linda is survived by her loving husband, Bert; her son, Steven, his wife, Karie, and their sons, Lucas and Zachary Slayton, of Bow, N.H.; and her daughter, Julie (Slayton) Kolinich, Julie’s husband, Jonathan, and their daughter, Haley Kolinich, of Jericho, Vt. She is also survived by her brother, Paul Vanesse, of Wilder, Vt.

Words cannot adequately express the depth of our love for Linda or the extraordinary loss we feel in no longer having her love and support. We were incredibly lucky to have had the best wife, mother and grandmother for as long as we did and are trying to take comfort in the memories.

No services are planned at this time. e family will hold a private ceremony in the spring. Please consider a gift in Linda’s name to the American Heart Association.

Ellen Leonard

OCTOBER 25, 1961-NOVEMBER 29, 2022 EAST MONTPELIER, VT.

On November 29, 2022, Ellen Gilbert Leonard, 61, passed peacefully in her home, held by her family and friends in a nest of love and song.

She was born in 1961 to R. Webb Leonard and Betty McGee Leonard in Belleville, N.J. e youngest of four children, she attended the Vershire School and graduated from Skidmore College. Early on, she made her own way in the world, and the giving of joy and spirit through music was at the heart of her way.

At age 19, she gave birth to Aaron in a lean-to built by her husband George Jones on Martha’s Vineyard. Soon after, she moved to Vermont to continue her education, which had at its core a lifetime practice of meditation. She taught Aaron to meditate at 3 years old, and that is still a big part of his daily practice. Ellen’s mother was an initiate of Kirpal Singh.

In 1985, she married James LaPaglia, and Sophia and Aliza were born soon after at home, with help from midwife Judy Luce. At that time, another midwife, Katra Kindar, started teaching an Afro Cuban prenatal dance class, with live drumming by Stuart Paton. For more than 35 years, Ellen would sing, dance and teach the life-sustaining songs and rhythms of this Afro Cuban tradition. Also, for more than 17 years, she sang and danced as part of Midnight Capers, a Morris dance troupe.

up. ey had been teaching, organizing summer camps and hosting seasonal celebrations for years, and together they founded the AllTogetherNow!

Community Art Center. For over 30 years, AllTogetherNow! has been a place of celebration and creative learning for everyone. It is home to workshops, classes and popular summer camps. ese seasonal offerings have planted the seeds of song and spirit in generations of central Vermont children.

But Ellen always found a way to break free. ere was Prescott, then a horse, or a motorcycle, or a sailboat. When she turned 50, she traveled alone around Europe on a motorcycle, and for the past 10 years, she kept a sailboat moored and ready to go on Lake Champlain. In 2016, she went with Aro Veno by bus to the Standing Rock Indian Reservation at the peak of the Dakota Access Pipeline protests. Guided by dreams, she worked for many decades with North of Eden Archetypal Dreamwork, offering dreamwork and cofacilitating North of Eden workshops in this country and abroad.

Robert Diaco

SEPTEMBER 20, 1957DECEMBER 20, 2022

UNDERHILL CENTER, VT. Robert Diaco, husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend, died at the University of Vermont Medical Center on December 20, 2022, with family members at his bedside.

Bob was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., and grew up in Massapequa on Long Island. He received his bachelor’s degree in biology from Lycoming College in Pennsylvania and studied plant and animal virology at Iowa State University, where he received his master’s and PhD.

He met his wife, Paula, while in graduate school, and the couple were married in 1983. For the past 28 years,

Bob lived with his family in Underhill and ran Signarama in South Burlington. Prior to moving to Vermont, Bob worked at DuPont and Roche Diagnostics, where he developed automated testing of viral diseases.

Bob is survived by his wife, two sons, daughter-in-law and grandsons, as well as two brothers and their children. He was predeceased by his parents and older brother.

Many thanks to the many first responders and staff at the UVM Medical Center for their skill and care.

A memorial gathering was held on Tuesday, December 27, at the Underhill Town Hall.

roughout the ’80s and ’90s, Ellen taught music in central Vermont schools, including in Cabot and Waterbury. Ellen also taught private music lessons and Music Together to preschoolers.

Her collaboration with Janice Walrafen included leading the song and dance for All Species Day, Enchanted Forest, Ice on Fire, First Night Montpelier and more. She collaborated and performed with Emily Lanxner on many projects and performed with Dragon Dance eater. In the words of Katie Trautz, a music student whom she mentored, “She was a rock star.” And, in fact, she was a rock star, having been a touring member of the rock band Uproot.

In 1995, Ellen had a handfasting ceremony with Chris Miksic. Aaron, Sophia and Aliza would grow up with Chris’ three children, Erin, Galen and Amber, in Plainfield through 2003.

In 1999, Ellen opened the AllTogetherNow! Preschool as her part of the vision that she and Janice dreamed

She is survived by her children, Rev. Aaron Webster Leonard Jones and his partner, Rachel Houseman, of Santa Fe, N.M., Sophia LaPaglia and her fiancé, Andy Cofino, of Los Angeles, Calif., and Aliza LaPaglia; her sister Dr. Randi Leonard Holmes and brother-in-law, Dr. Doug Holmes, of Raleigh, N.C.; her sister Leigh Leonard Stallings of Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; her brother, Mark Leonard, and sister-in-law, Ginger Leonard, of Princeton, N.J.; her stepsisters, Heather Lund and Holly M. Leonard Ingersoll, of St. Paul, Minn.; and her beloved dog, Lily.

She was predeceased by both of her birth parents, as well as her stepmother, Joan Leonard, and stepfather, Dr. Philip West. She was also predeceased by her half brother, Justin, who was disabled and lived in a nursing facility in Argyle, N.Y. As Justin neared the end of his life, Ellen retrieved him and moved him to her property in Vermont, where she tended him until he passed. is experience pointed Ellen in a new direction, and she was actively contemplating becoming a death doula. She noted with irony that, instead of becoming a death doula, she would need one herself. She was tended by Aliza for the last nine months of her life.

e burial and memorial celebration happened on December 2, 2022, in East Calais, Vt. Ellen had a green burial; she was wrapped in a shroud and laid to rest in the Robinson Cemetery.

Pamela D. Volk

APRIL 21, 1928-DECEMBER 22, 2022

BALDWINSVILLE, N.Y.

Gentle into that good night she did not go. Our mother, Pamela Dow Volk, left this world a little better on December 22, 2022, after several years of declining health.

Pam was a daughter, sister, wife, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend to many. She lived her life fiercely and independently, lovingly and generously. Her strength and courage were unmatched. She was direct and often outspoken. You always knew where she stood.

Born April 21, 1928, in New York City to an artist father, John Dow, and an educator mother, Sarah Pickering Dow, she grew up first in Greenwich Village and then in Tarrytown, N.Y., following her parents’ divorce.

She graduated from Irvington High School and soon married the love of her life, World War II veteran Robert (Bobby) Dobson Volk. After four children and long before the advent of two-career households, she studied to be a licensed practical nurse, received a perfect score on her licensing examination and began her chosen career.

It’s likely that her experience caring for others led to her fierce advocacy for women’s reproductive rights. She was a regular on the Letters to the Editor page of the Tarrytown Daily News, pushing political leaders to legalize abortion in New York and then nationally.

Pam loved the water, and the family

Thomas Farrell

APRIL 5, 1987DECEMBER 21, 2022 ASHEVILLE, N.C.

omas Farrell, 35, succumbed to his battle with addiction at home in Asheville, N.C., on Wednesday, December 21. He was born to Mary Turnbaugh and Tom Farrell Sr. on April 5, 1987, in Burlington, Vt.

He graduated from Champlain Valley Union High School in 2005 and attended the University of Vermont School of Engineering. omas was an avid sports fan, specifically a devoted lifelong Yankee fan, something he shared with his brother Alex. omas was a gifted athlete, excelling at sports from a young age, especially baseball. omas had an incredible knack for games of skill and loved to challenge friends and family, letting his competitive spirit show.

omas’ wit, charm and charisma were his strongest qualities, apparent

vacationed on the Jersey Shore for many years. With Bobby, she retired first to the shores of Lake Champlain in North Hero, Vt., and later to the Outer Banks in Duck, N.C. When Bobby became ill, they returned to Vermont, and she cared for him at home until his death. She continued to live in Vermont, close to family, and then moved to Baldwinsville, N.Y., to be near her daughters.

Pam was forever learning new ways to express her creativity. She was a lifelong sewer and knitter, and later she learned quilting, embroidery, ceramics, basket weaving, needlepoint, rug hooking, watercolor painting and who knows what else. Her family has the goods to prove it: winter sweaters, afghans, quilts, hooked rugs and paintings, among other treasures. She also embraced computers, was a proud owner of an early Mac and could be found taking lessons at the Syracuse Apple Store.

Pam leaves four children, Kathie Rhein of Burlington, Vt., Debbie Deeb of Niskayuna, N.Y., Cindy Volk-Delucia of Baldwinsville, N.Y., and Tim Volk of Charlotte, Vt., and their spouses; six grandchildren; and five (soon to be six) great-grandchildren; as well as her brother-in-law, niece and nephew, John, Jennifer and Geoffrey Farrell; and many Volk nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her sister, Diana Farrell; a grandson, John David Deeb; her husband, Bobby; and many lifelong friends.

Christmas was her favorite holiday, so it seems fitting to remember her during this season of light.

Stella Robak Bukanc

DECEMBER 12, 1943DECEMBER 4, 2022 SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT.

Stella Robak Bukanc passed away on the morning of December 4, 2022. She was diagnosed with stage IV cervical cancer 11 months ago, one month after her husband, Michael Bukanc, suffered a traumatic brain injury while giving a talk to middle school students about his experiences surviving the Holocaust. Stella is also survived by her two daughters, Kat and Rachel Bukanc.

Although this has been a very difficult time for the Bukanc family and for close friends of the family, they experienced a true gift when Kat moved back to Vermont to live with and care for both of her parents. Rachel and her husband, Cory Campbell, also spent time over the year sharing caregiving duties. is is a testament to Stella, who valued family and community and took care of her own ailing mother at home as she suffered from Alzheimer’s.

Stella was born in New Bedford, Mass., to Stella and

John Robak. She received a BA from Bates College in 1965 and married Michael Bukanc in Maine in 1967; they moved to Vermont shortly after. Stella was a homemaker, cared for the family and worked with the League of Women Voters until 1983, when she went to work full time. Stella spent the bulk of her career working for the State of Vermont, initially as a quality assurance specialist and later as a policy analyst.

All who knew Stella understood her unconditional love and care, selflessness, and commitment to social justice issues and action. Stella was active in the League of Women Voters and fought to help pass the Equal Rights Amendment. She supported

Habitat for Humanity and the Respite House. Stella provided a safe and loving home not only for her daughters but also for their friends in times of need and crisis.

Stella and Michael have been active members of Ohavi Zedek Synagogue, and she was known to cook up a storm for many social events in her work on the kitchen committee. Friends and family were lucky to enjoy the results of her amazing culinary dishes.

Stella was also fortunate to travel with Michael. Trips included travel to Israel, Sicily and Malta, Chile, the Pacific Northwest, and the Grand Canyon, as well as a European river cruise and two Caribbean cruises.

A special thanks to the University of Vermont Health Network Home Health & Hospice care team, who provided care with such warmth and dignity.

ere was a memorial service for Stella Bukanc, followed by a meal of bereavement, on Sunday, January 8, at Ohavi Zedek in Burlington.

May the mourners be comforted along with the mourners of our people, and may Stella’s memory be an enduring blessing.

Kalvin DeForge

to everyone he met. His heart was bigger than most, and the love he had for his family and friends was felt deeply.

omas worked tirelessly for years to overcome his depression and addiction. is is not a battle he wanted but one he was deeply committed to trying to get a hold on. e love he had for his family was his driving force toward recovery. His loss is all the more devastating given how hard he tried.

He is survived by his mother and stepfather, Mary and Jeff Turnbaugh; father, Tom Farrell, and his partner, Carol Manning;

grandmother Laurie Farrell; sister and brotherin-law, Meaghan and Joe Wonderly; nieces, Eloise and Hazel Wonderly; nephew, Freddie Wonderly; brothers, Alex Farrell and Connor Turnbaugh; stepsister, Hannah Turnbaugh; stepbrother-in-law, Dan Compton; and many aunts, uncles and cousins whom he loved dearly; as well as his lifelong childhood friends, including John Haley. He is predeceased by his beloved grandparents Al and Alyce Furlani of Burlington and grandfather Ronald omas Farrell Sr.

omas’ family received friends and family on Wednesday, January 4, at the Ready Funeral Home, 261 Shelburne Rd., Burlington. A mass of Christian burial was held on ursday, January 5, at St. Catherine’s Parish in Shelburne.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in omas’ name to the Special Olympics of Vermont or the Turn 2 Foundation.

OCTOBER 14, 1992DECEMBER 16, 2022 SOUTH HERO, VT.

Kalvin DeForge passed from this world on December 16, 2022, at the age of 30. He loved his father, Jake B. DeForge of Colchester, Vt., and his mother, Angela Allard of South Hero, Vt., unconditionally. He adored his sisters, Jessica DeForge and Brianna Lareau, as well as Joe Lareau, whom he referred to as his stepfather.

Kalvin was known for his incredible intellect, quick wit, charm, tenacity and honesty. He loved fiercely, as his friends can attest to. Many didn’t know that Kalvin was constantly plagued by anxiety, fear and sadness. He mourned the lack of real conversation and connection in the world. He was deeply empathetic and felt the pain of the universe. But Kalvin wasn’t his illness. He was a tender, enthusiastic, loving soul. He loved teaching as much as he loved learning. He wanted you to understand the science and the history and the background of the world. He loved his cat, Schwill, with

all of his heart. He gave the neighbor’s dogs love and treats every time they came to our driveway. He asked his grandmother about her younger life and really listened.

He was enthralled with vintage fashion. He was so excited to share the history of each piece that he bought or wished he could buy; it was never just the look but the story of the designer and the time period behind it and what made it unique. He read the works of ancient philosophers, scientists and poets. He loved every kind of music and sang at the top of his voice, dancing around the living room. He was amazingly funny, and his one-liners are legendary. He

loved the shock factor and the reaction to his words. He was a big presence in any room he entered and wanted to make everyone around him better, whether by teaching them, listening to them, making them laugh or holding a space for them when they needed it. He was a true friend to many.

Addiction darkened his door many years ago as a way to numb his pain. Being sober meant he was raw and vulnerable and suffering. Eighteen years of therapy, being loved to his core and constant self-exploration couldn’t fix it. He spoke often of how there really was no place for him in this world. I like to imagine he is now sitting with Nietzsche and Joseph Campbell and Shakespeare. He had a lot he wanted to talk about … and maybe bring them up to speed just a little.

I hope there is peace on the other side. In the words of a close friend: Rest in greatness, Kal.

Donations in his memory can be made to Spectrum Youth & Family Services at spectrumvt.org or mailed to 31 Elmwood Ave., Burlington, VT 05401.

BY ALISON NOVAK • alison@sevendaysvt.com

At first glance, Turtle Island Children’s Center doesn’t look like a place on the front lines of a crisis.

Located in a sprawling, seafoam-green house on Montpelier’s Elm Street, the center has seven classrooms, with nature-based names such as Pinewoods and Rainforest, and serves as home base for 65 babies, toddlers and preschoolers.

Teachers lead children in songs about feelings and seasons and take them into the woods to forage for mushrooms. Sensory stations stocked with pom-poms, tongs and cups help toddlers practice their hand-eye coordination while preschoolers are taught to say “I need space” when they’re frustrated with a classmate.

But beneath the charming surface churns a darker reality that is felt widely across Vermont’s childcare sector: difficulty attracting and retaining teachers, high tuition costs, long waiting lists for few slots, and the gnawing feeling that the system is failing just about everyone. The childcare crisis reverberates far beyond the 677 regulated, fulltime childcare programs in the

state. It threatens Vermont’s ability to build its workforce at a time of labor shortages, attract young people to an aging state and provide women greater opportunities for financial independence.

for food stamps. Every day, parents call the center looking to enroll their children and are added to a waiting list that is already more than 200 families long.

The situation isn’t new or unique to Vermont. But it appears to be worsening. In 2021, Vermont experienced a net loss of 20 childcare programs, according to the most recent data available from the state. Many more programs have reduced their enrollments, closed classrooms or trimmed operating hours because of difficulty hiring staff.

For five days a week of childcare at Turtle Island, families pay between $1,350 and $1,500 a month — in line with other Vermont childcare centers — but staff members, some with master’s degrees, earn $14.50 to $21 an hour, wages so low that a number of them are eligible

Last February, Let’s Grow Kids, an early childhood education advocacy group, estimated that there were 21,000 Vermont children under the age of 5 who likely needed some form of regular childcare, but only 12,380 full-time spaces were available in childcare programs. The shortage is especially acute for infants because of the intensive care they require.

Vermont’s childcare system isn’t working for providers or parents. They hope help is on the way.

Although the pandemic put added strain on the system, it also increased public awareness of the critical role childcare plays in keeping the economy afloat and spurred providers to advocate more vociferously for their needs.

“Finally, our profession was given the recognition it so long deserved,” said Kathleen Burroughs, who runs a small, homebased childcare program in Northfield. “That helped give providers their voice because, for the first time, we were in the driver’s seat.”

Feeling that pressure, Vermont lawmakers have vowed to put the issue at the top of the 2023 legislative agenda. An early road map for their work exists in Act 45, a tri-partisan bill passed in 2021 that laid out three childcare-related goals: ensuring that families spend no more than 10 percent of their annual income on tuition; increasing wages and benefits for early childhood educators; and expanding the number of childcare slots. In recent months, a small group of lawmakers has been working to craft a follow-up bill to address those goals.

Let’s Grow Kids CEO Aly Richards, whose organization has spent the past seven years harnessing the voices of parents, providers and business leaders, believes that now is the time for transformational change.

“Everything we’ve been doing has been building to this point,” Richards said. “We’re not taking any more excuses about why not now, why it’s too hard, why it’s too expensive.”

In recent years, Vermont has made incremental investments in childcare, such

as funding 10 hours per week of preschool for 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds; expanding childcare subsidies for families; helping prospective and current early childhood educators pay for required classes; and allocating money for employee-retention bonuses. But Richards said those measures amounted to “nibbling around the edges” of what’s really needed: a major public commitment.

But while lawmakers hash out the matter under the golden dome of the Statehouse, Turtle Island’s administrators are just trying to stay afloat.

Director Vicky Senni and associate

director Cecelia Puleio started working at the center in 2019, months before the pandemic hit, and have had a bird’s-eye view of the system’s failings, large and small.

Supporting young kids’ development is joyful and inspiring, the women say. But most days, as they pinball around the old house with their walkie-talkies — lending a hand in classrooms, calling parents to pick up sick children, completing staterequired paperwork, dealing with broken heaters and leaking sinks — the work can also feel unsustainable.

They are waiting for some relief.

ON THE FRONT LINES

Sporadic showers and muddy ground did not deter six preschoolers, clad from head to toe in heavy-duty rain gear, on a soggy, gray day in early December. The children, ages 3 to 5, were members of the center’s adventure preschool class, a new program in which kids spend the majority of the day outdoors.

Teachers Adele Blaisdell and Susan Wright, wearing overstuffed hiking backpacks, led the group up a steep hill, pointing out interesting mushrooms along the way. When the leaders stumbled upon a pile of animal poop, they called excitedly to their straggling classmates: “We found scat!”

The group agreed to snap a photo and compare it to the pictures in a book called Who Pooped in the Northwoods? when they returned to school.

At a small clearing, Blaisdell and Wright lay a plastic tarp on the ground and strung another between branches to create shelter from the rain as the kids dug into bark with metal tools.

Teaching young children is not a job that allows you to phone it in.

“You have to be attentive 100 percent of the time,” said Senni, the Turtle Island director. “These are small humans. We’re taking safe risks outdoors … but also there’s the conversations happening among kids that we feel like it’s our responsibility to … help them navigate.”

Senni, the daughter of immigrants from Syria and Spain, grew up in Ohio, the youngest of six siblings. Her mom ran a home-based childcare program, where she would often lend a hand. In college, Senni majored in business, in part because her parents wanted her to get a job that would provide financial security.

She worked for a Swiss manufacturing company in Europe for several years, then trained with the same company as a quality-control engineer back in Ohio. After dozing off in a windowless lab one day, Senni awoke to a realization: She craved work that made her feel alive and allowed her to be outside, contributing to society. She soon found herself teaching kids in an outdoor education program, taking a 75 percent pay cut in the process.

Senni eventually landed in Vermont, where she worked in various educational programs and became a field organizer for Let’s Grow Kids. In that role, she was exposed to research about early childhood development, learning, for example, that young children’s brains form more than a million neural connections per second.

“I closed my laptop, and I said, ‘Whoa, this is the most important information in the world,’” Senni recalled.

Adele Blaisdell

Cecelia Puleio and Vicky Senni at Turtle Island Children’s Center

PHOTOS: JEB WALLACE-BRODEUR

Despite the critical role it plays in shaping young brains, the stamina and skill required for the job, and the messy work of wiping noses and defusing tantrums, childcare is among the lowest-paid professions in the country.

According to a 2021 report funded by the state, the median annual income for early childhood teachers in Vermont is less than $40,000; for assistant teachers, it’s around $22,000. Early childhood educators in Vermont typically don’t receive benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans or paid sick time, and even those in support roles are required to complete at least some coursework in early childhood education. They earn 30 percent less than kindergarten teachers in public schools, despite similar education requirements and job responsibilities, according to the same study.

That combination of hard work and poor compensation has long translated to high turnover, but the pressures of the pandemic worsened the problem. Statewide, one in seven people working in regulated childcare settings left the field between December 2018 and December 2020, according to data from Let’s Grow Kids. Last spring, the Vermont Association for the Education of Young Children found in a survey that nearly 90 percent of early childhood education programs were experiencing staffing shortages.

Before the pandemic, Turtle Island would typically lose about half of its 30 teachers annually. Since Senni and Puleio came on three years ago, they’ve improved worker retention, in large part by listening closely to what staffers need.

Last summer, the administrators worked with their center’s nonprofit board and business manager to raise wages slightly: Mentor teachers, who have master’s degrees or a Vermont teaching license in early education, now begin at $21 per hour; everyone else starts between $14.50 and $17.50.

Senni and Puleio know those wages aren’t a big enough draw, so they’ve had to find other ways to support their workforce. One of the biggest changes they implemented was to reduce the center’s operating hours to accommodate teachers’ own family schedules, relieve burnout and make scheduling more straightforward.

Turtle Island used to be open from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Now, its hours are 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

“That’s a seven-and-a-half-hour day for parents who need to work eight hours, at least, and commute, and I know that that is

not meeting their needs,” Senni conceded. The change has produced tense conversations with frustrated parents who say their own workplaces aren’t flexible and that they need more hours of care. Senni empathizes but has no ready solution to the quandary.

The administrators also have reduced enrollment numbers — from around 85 to 60 children — so that teachers don’t have to “work in a situation where they’re a conveyor belt every day,” Senni said. But that means serving fewer families.

They’ve given employees the option of enrolling in a limited health plan that allows participants to see a local primary care doctor but doesn’t cover lab work or specialists. They’ve built in breaks during the school day to allow teachers to complete state-required coursework and assisted staff members in signing up for state programs to help them pay for food, medical expenses and childcare for their own kids. When Senni noticed that some

teachers were coming to school without enough food to sustain them, she started buying healthy snacks for the break room but had to stop because the center hadn’t budgeted for the extra expense.

Preschool teacher Taylor McGlynn, 31, a single mom whose 3-year-old attends Turtle Island at a half-price staff discount, doesn’t have family in the area, so she is thankful to be in a workplace where she’s respected and can call on coworkers to babysit in a pinch or talk through personal problems.

Still, at a salary of $17.50 an hour, money is tight.

“I could go make more, sadly to say, waitressing,” McGlynn said.

Preschool teacher Joffrette Ellms, 34, who has worked at Turtle Island for six years, recently scaled back her work schedule from five to four days a week. She’s picked up a nannying gig on her extra day off because the work is easier and pays more per hour than Turtle Island.

“As I’ve been getting older, I have more doctor’s appointments, and I can’t afford them, and it’s building up and building up,” Ellms said. She wants to have children of her own one day, but she and her husband often talk about whether they’ll ever be able to swing it financially.

In Senni’s view, teachers shouldn’t have to sacrifice their financial, physical and emotional well-being to perform a role as important as educating young children. She wonders, too, if she’ll be able to afford her medical bills, pay off her student loans or buy a house one day.

“Yes, we want to do work that we’re good at and we’re passionate about,” Senni said, “and what about … the conditions of our lives?”

PARENTS’ DILEMMA

East Montpelier resident Alison Byrnes and her husband, David Hershey, are public school teachers, which means they both have to be at work before 8 a.m. When Byrnes found out she was pregnant in 2018 and immediately started looking for childcare, Turtle Island was the only center in the area that opened early enough. So Byrnes got on the waiting list. By the time she had to go back to work, when her son was 6 months old, she’d secured a spot.

In fall 2022, Byrnes’ 11-month-old daughter also started at Turtle Island, but things have been bumpier this time around, she said, in large part because of Turtle Island’s reduced hours. Byrnes was able to make special arrangements with Senni to drop off her kids at 7:30 a.m. so that she can arrive at work on time. She and her husband take turns picking them up at 3:30 p.m., which leaves little time for afterschool meetings.

Susan Wright playing with kids at Turtle Island Children’s Center

Cecelia Puleio sledding with the kids

Both child and adult illnesses, and other disruptions, seem more frequent now than before the pandemic, according to Byrnes, making childcare feel “wildly unreliable.”

And that “unreliable” care comes with a hefty price tag: almost $30,000 a year for two kids, even after a $3,000 state subsidy for 10 hours per week of preschool. Together Byrnes and Hershey earn too much to qualify for an additional incomebased subsidy, so they lean on Byrnes’ mom to help with the cost.

Despite those challenges, her family is among the lucky ones who’ve managed to find care for their young children.

Others are still searching for spots. Keith, a Middlesex resident who is currently the sole caregiver for his 3-yearold son, has contacted more than 10 programs in his area looking for full-time childcare — to no avail.

Keith, who asked to be identified only by his first name because of ongoing custody proceedings, loves his job at a national appliance-repair company but has been on leave while looking for childcare. If he doesn’t find it soon, he fears that he will be laid off.

“I’m literally looking for anything I can get,” Keith said.

The shortage of infant care is particularly severe because state regulations require one teacher for every four children in that age group. Some centers choose to keep the ratio even lower because of the amount of attention babies need. The high costs led Turtle Island to close one of its two infant rooms last year, leaving just six spots for kids under 2. In its place, the center added a second preschool classroom, which Senni said makes more sense financially because the state provides some funding through its universal pre-K program.

Smaller programs that exclusively offer infant and toddler care often can’t break even. In nearby Moretown, Kelly Hayes plans to close the doors of her center, the Learning Garden, at the end of June. She said she can’t make enough money to stay afloat without adding a preschool, which would require the daunting task of hiring more qualified teachers.

Increasingly, the childcare shortage has prompted some Vermont employers to devise their own in-house solutions. In 2021, Twincraft Skincare launched Babies at Work, allowing parents to bring children up to 6 months old to the office; the state launched a similar program for its employees in 2019. The Alchemist beer company gives employees who have kids in childcare a daily stipend of $26 to help defray the costs. And just last month, the University of Vermont Medical Center announced it would build an apartment building in South Burlington that will include a childcare facility for employees

with families. Though these initiatives have been celebrated, they address only a fraction of the state’s demand for care.

Nicole Noor, whose family of four moved from Baltimore to a cohousing development in Charlotte several months ago, is on the hunt for childcare for her two children, ages 1 and 3. She’d like to resume working as an acupuncturist but has had no luck finding care for her kids.

“It’s really frustrating,” Noor said. “I feel like I need to devote a lot more time to business building, but without childcare, I kind of feel in this limbo period.”

And even if she can find a slot for one or both kids, she added, there’s the question of “Is it actually worth it for me to go back to work, given the cost?”

For parents with nontraditional work schedules, such as professional firefighter Alexis Fojo of Wolcott, the options are even more limited. Fojo, whose husband is a nurse, has looked in vain for part-time childcare for her infant since she found out she was pregnant. The search has added an extra layer of stress to new parenthood.

Those who are early educators themselves — overwhelmingly mothers, since 94 percent of the early childhood

workforce in the United States is female — are also in a tricky position.

After working in the field since 2011, Berlin resident Katie Daigle left her job at a childcare center last April, when she realized she couldn’t afford to do it with two young children. Even with a college degree, she was earning between $14 and $18 an hour. Now, she stays home with her daughters — an infant and a 2-year-old — while juggling three more flexible part-time jobs, as a helpline advocate, a Realtor and a quality rater for search engine results. Often, she logs work hours before her kids wake up and after they go to bed.

Despite her efforts, Daigle said, “Our friends and family all think we’re not doing enough to find childcare or not doing enough to better our financial situation.”

THE ‘THREE-LEGGED STOOL’

Rep. Katherine Sims (D-Craftsbury) is well acquainted with the trials of childcare. The mother of 3- and 5-year-old sons helped found a nonprofit childcare center in Craftsbury before she became a parent. But it doesn’t have an infant classroom, so when her older son was a baby, she had to drive 45 minutes to a home-based program in Walden — a common scenario for parents in rural Vermont.

Currently, she pays $35,000 a year for childcare, about twice as much as her legislative salary. Though lawmakers are entitled to a $134-per-night allowance to stay in Montpelier during the legislative session, there is no such stipend for childcare.

Sims, who works as a nonprofit consultant when the legislature is not in session, believes the shortage of childcare has reached crisis proportions. As she knocked on doors during her reelection campaign last year, she heard from constituents who want the legislature to address it — not just parents but also grandparents who had put retirement plans on hold so that they could babysit their grandkids. Business owners explained how a lack of available childcare was preventing them from hiring desperately needed workers.

The issue resonates with other lawmakers caring for small children; there are about 10. Rep. Gabrielle Stebbins (D-Burlington) told of paying for four months of childcare in advance of her child’s birth just to ensure that she secured a spot. Rep. Emma MulvaneyStanak (P/D-Burlington) described spacing out pregnancies so that an older child would be close to public-school age by the time a new sibling was born.

Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale (D-ChittendenSoutheast), who announced last month that she was pregnant with her first child, said it has been “a wake up call to have friends with young children tell us we should get on waitlists now in the second trimester of pregnancy and hope something comes up in the next two years.”

“Even we feel anxious and uncertain, and we are fortunate to have the financial means and family nearby to widen our range of options,” Ram Hinsdale wrote in an email.

Mulvaney-Stanak, whose kids are now 3 and 7, suggested that the pressures on families are different than they were when older lawmakers were raising children.

“I’ve heard legislators say, ‘Oh, I know how hard it was,’ and I’m like, ‘Actually, I don’t think you do, because a one-wageearner household could actually get you by and the second person could be staying home’ … That’s not how our economy works now.”

She and others said they feel hopeful that the presence of more elected officials who understand firsthand the challenges of childcare may produce some longawaited action.

“Between this last incoming class and this group of legislators about to start, we have so many more parents with schoolage or younger children,” said Rep. Emilie Kornheiser (D-Brattleboro), who previously worked at Building Bright Futures, a nonprofit that works to improve the well-being of young children. “I think it will really change the policy conversation we’re about to have.”

Still, Kornheiser acknowledged, it will be a “big lift” to produce a bill that addresses the “three-legged stool” of childcare: affordability for families,

Taylor McGlynn teaching at Turtle Island Children’s Center

compensation for childcare workers and access to care.

For the past few months, Sen. Ruth Hardy (D-Addison) has been working alongside Sen. Ginny Lyons (D-Chittenden-Southeast) and Reps. Theresa Wood (D-Waterbury) and Jessica Brumsted (D-Shelburne) to draft a bill that could address the trio of challenges simultaneously. Two studies commissioned by the legislature as part of Act 45 — one that looks at the state’s childcare governance system and another examining how much a revamped childcare system would cost and ways to pay for it — are informing their work.

It’s unclear how much support lawmakers will receive from Republican Gov. Phil Scott. He only briefly mentioned childcare in his inaugural address last week, prompting Let’s Grow Kids to express dismay in a statement released after the speech.

“The Governor’s lack of emphasis on child care … is out of touch with the needs of Vermont families and businesses, and is a missed opportunity to improve our economy and set up our youngest children for future success,” the statement read.

The voices of childcare workers themselves will likely influence any new legislation. For the past four years, the Vermont Association for the Education of Young Children has been training its members to advocate for the recognition of early childhood education as a profession, with defined job descriptions and a pay scale and benefits comparable to public school jobs. These efforts are part of a national movement called Power to the Profession.

Hardy cautioned that solving the childcare crisis is more complex than finding a big pot of money. That’s partly because Vermont, like the rest of the country, has what’s known as a “mixed-delivery system” for childcare and early childhood education, meaning that services are provided by childcare centers, homebased programs and public schools.

“The funding mechanisms and regulations and oversight for those three different avenues … are complicated and don’t necessarily fit together well,” Hardy said.

Another tricky issue, she said, is ensuring that hundreds of private childcare providers around the state would actually increase worker compensation if they got more money.

Any legislation would likely need to be phased in over the course of several years, Hardy said, because “it will have to include some kind of tax increase, and that is hard to just do off the bat.”

In the meantime, Hardy pointed to some of the steps the legislature has

taken to shore up the system in recent years, including allotting $7 million for retention bonuses for childcare workers and increasing the number of families that are eligible for childcare subsidies.

Four-person households that make about $41,000 or less a year now qualify for fully

paid tuition, while families that make up to about $97,000 annually are eligible for partial assistance.

Childcare facilities received federal stabilization grants through the pandemic to help them with unexpected business costs.

The state also funded scholarships for early childhood educators, making it free to get a degree in the field. Early childhood education is now the most popular field of study at the Community College of Vermont, with 459 students currently enrolled in its early childhood degree and certificate programs, up from 253 in 2015.

But many childcare providers say those measures feel meager, given the scale of the problem.

The retention bonus program, which promised $1,000 each to full-time workers, had a delayed rollout and required a time-intensive application. As of December, some programs still hadn’t received the money. And even with the increased subsidies, some families are still paying more than 30 percent of their income for childcare, according to Let’s Grow Kids.

Free degree programs, meanwhile, might succeed in building a strong pipeline of early childhood educators, but if low pay and scant benefits await them in the field, few are likely to stay. For those already working in childcare, spending time taking classes, even free ones, is a hard sell if they don’t lead to a wage increase.

“We are diminished from month to month, from year to year,” Montpelier Children’s House director Samara Hays said. “This is not a system that’s going to recover without some pretty comprehensive investment.”

READY, SET … ACTION?

On a Thursday morning in early December, outgoing lieutenant governor Molly Gray and House Speaker Jill Krowinski (D-Burlington) convened a legislative summit in an ornate room at the Statehouse to discuss the need for that investment.

Amid chandeliers, purple velvet drapes and framed oil paintings of past male leaders, a group of lawmakers, policy advocates and business leaders discussed the childcare crisis and its impact on the state’s economy. Panelists shared calls to action, along with personal anecdotes and data.

Sitting in the audience, Turtle Island administrators Senni and Puleio listened intently and took notes.

“Here’s one number for you: $275 million,” said Richards of Let’s Grow Kids. “That’s the economic boost we get when we put thousands of Vermonters back to work, that we know can go back to work when they have access to high-quality childcare.”

“Think of a manufacturing worker,” Vermont Creamery president Adeline Druart told the audience. Without childcare to allow workers to show up, she said, “the milk is coming, and we have nobody to turn this milk into cheese.”

In her closing remarks, Krowinski indicated a readiness to tackle the problem. She gave a special shout-out to the state’s early childhood educators, calling them “superheroes” for their work during the pandemic.

As people filed out of the room, Senni and Puleio were subdued as they sought to make sense of the stark contrast between the lofty-sounding policy conversations about childcare and the day-to-day lives of the industry’s beleaguered workforce.

For example, the administrators questioned the term “superhero” — to their ears, it seemed to suggest that childcare workers possess some special power to deflect the stress and financial insecurity that come with their jobs.

Senni explained later in an email: “It can be nauseating sometimes sitting through these adult meetings … Even in Vermont, where I landed because I believe that we can do more and better here, workers are pitted against each other and basic needs like food are in competition with housing or with childcare when it comes to public support.”

The two women had to make special arrangements — getting people to cover for them — to be in Montpelier for the weekday gathering. When it was over, they’d walk down the steps of the Statehouse and drive the short distance back to Turtle Island, where the important frontline work of caring for Vermont’s children awaited them. ➆

House Speaker Jill Krowinski

Aly Richards (right) speaking on the childcare panel at the Statehouse

PHOTOS: JEB WALLACE-BRODEUR

André the Giant Had a Posse in Burlington

How early matches in Vermont set the stage for the wrestling icon’s career

BY CLAYTON TRUTOR

On October 28, 1971, more than 2,100 people filled Memorial Auditorium to watch the stars of Montréal’s Grand Prix Wrestling perform for the first time in Burlington. Another 1,000 people were turned away at the door.

Vermont wrestling fans had become familiar with the upstart wrestling promotion through Canadian television, either on the English-language CFCF 12 or French-language CBFT 2. Among Grand Prix’s stable of performers, the biggest draw of the night was also the largest grappler that anyone had ever seen — on TV or elsewhere.

André Roussimoff was a 25-yearold wrestler from a farming village in northern France. He stood seven feet, four inches tall, weighed well over 400 pounds and wrestled for Grand Prix under the name Giant Jean Ferre. Not long after he wowed Queen City crowds, he became known to millions by a different name: André the Giant.

Dubbed the “Eighth Wonder of the World,” André the Giant was a pop culture phenomenon as a wrestler during the 1970s and ’80s, squashing all challengers while drawing huge crowds on every continent but Antarctica. At the time, he was the most profitable gate attraction in the history of the sport. And his journey from regional curiosity to global icon can be traced to his matches in Vermont.

In his Burlington debut, Giant Jean Ferre pummeled 245-pound Cowboy Kirk (misspelled as “Kuirk” on the promotional poster) into submission in just five minutes. Many who attended the event said Roussimoff looked even bigger than they expected. To show off his bulk, the wrestler would take a ring off one of his kielbasa-size fingers and pass a silver dollar through the hole. He was strikingly agile for such a large man, not only tossing around his foes but also running, jumping and drop-kicking with ease.

Montpelier native Dave Moody, who is now one of the country’s best-known motorsports commentators, attended that

Memorial Auditorium show after watching Grand Prix on Canadian television.

“When [Roussimoff] walked past me, he placed his hand on top of my head like he was palming a basketball,” said Moody, who was 10 years old at the time. “I clearly recall that his one hand nearly covered both of my ears.”

Moody and the rest of the Memorial crowd were far from the last people to be astounded by Roussimoff. As a wrestler, André the Giant is perhaps most renowned for his 1987 match with Hulk Hogan at the World Wrestling Federation’s WrestleMania III. Held at the Pontiac Silverdome in Michigan, the

spectacle drew more than 93,000 fans, making it one of the largest crowds ever for an indoor sporting event in North America. By the time of Roussimoff’s death in 1993, his stardom extended well beyond the ring.

Graphic artist Shepard Fairey made Roussimoff an icon of street art with his “André the Giant Has a Posse” and “OBEY” images, which became fixtures of 21st-century youth culture. Roussimoff also made numerous appearances in television and movies, perhaps most notably The Princess Bride in 1987. HBO’s 2018 film Andre the Giant is one of several documentaries about the man.

Essential to any rendering of Roussimoff’s rise is the striking response he received in Burlington. While his first two American shows were in Minneapolis and Milwaukee in summer 1971, Roussimoff demonstrated his ability to draw consistent live crowds in the United States with his string of sold-out performances at Memorial Auditorium and other Vermont venues over the next few years.

Before pay-per-view TV, wrestling was primarily a live-event business. Television shows served as advertisements for the in-person experience. It took a compelling performer such as Roussimoff to draw fans for return visits. His Burlington appearances, in particular, foreshadowed the box office appeal that André the Giant would have the world over.

According to detailed records compiled by Canadian wrestling historian Vance Nevada, Roussimoff wrestled in Vermont for Grand Prix on half a dozen occasions between 1971 and 1973 — four times in Burlington and once each in St. Johnsbury and Rutland.

“I heard about [Roussimoff] from my friend Frank Valois, an old-time Canadian wrestler,” Grand Prix promoter Paul “Butcher” Vachon recalled. Vachon, now 85 years old and retired in southern Québec, was the first North American promoter to hire Roussimoff, who had previously been a star in France and Japan.

Vachon and his brother Maurice “Mad Dog” Vachon, along with a couple of other well-known Québec wrestlers, created Grand Prix to tap into Montréal’s

Grand Prix Wrestling poster of Giant Jean Ferre from the early 1970s

long-vibrant wrestling scene. Almost immediately, the promotion became a bankable live draw across Québec and a fixture on local television.

Eventually, Grand Prix was shown coast-to-coast on Canadian television — a rarity in the regionalized, territorial wrestling business of the era. Wrestling fans in border states such as Vermont soon caught on, too — first on Canadian TV and later in syndication on Saturday afternoons on Burlington’s WCAX-TV.

The Vachon brothers, who were big names in the business as both promoters and performers, used their connections to build up an impressive cadre of stars. But Giant Jean Ferre was their most popular attraction and o ered a temporary leg up in Québec’s highly competitive marketplace.

His allure in Vermont also helped Grand Prix build a strong beachhead south of the border in the early 1970s. A retired Burlington police o cer named Ira Blow served as the local promoter of Grand Prix shows, booking 18 total events in the Green Mountain State between October 1971 and July 1974, not long before the Montréal promotion went out of business.

Twenty-first century spectators raised on the highly choreographed and cartoonish productions of World Wrestling Entertainment (the successor to WWF) would be surprised by the style of Giant Jean Ferre and his opposition in Grand Prix. Undergirding professional wrestling at the time was a strong sense that fans were watching a simulated fight that blurred the lines between fiction and reality. Footage of Grand Prix matches on YouTube shows that wrestlers were not just making contact; they were striking and grappling with force.

At the same time, Grand Prix relied on the showmanship of its performers to either win over a crowd or draw its ire.

“My brother and I had been in the business a long time, and we’d been around the world. We knew what the people wanted to see,” Paul Vachon said. “We knew what got them excited and what kept them coming back.”

Roussimoff learned to wrestle in Europe, where competitive matches were the norm. While in Grand Prix, he had to adapt his style to the conventions of North American wrestling.

“When he worked in France, André was taking bumps [falling on his back], getting head-scissored and wrestling on the mat,” said Pat LaPrade, the foremost historian of Québec wrestling. “When [Roussimo ] came to Montréal, Paul Vachon explained to him that he needed to work as a giant.”

As Giant Jean Ferre, Roussimoff’s style started to evolve under the Vachons’ tutelage. Typically, he squashed the

with being assigned to Blow’s wrestling matches at Memorial Auditorium, which were characterized by the same rowdiness that led to the earlier ban. In response, the city increased the number of police and firefighters assigned to the venue from six to 14 and required wrestling promoters to hire additional private security.

Nonetheless, the 1970s were certainly Blow’s heyday as a promoter. Grand Prix provided him with the opportunity to book stars who appeared regularly on local television.

The 1974 demise of Grand Prix, due to di erences among the organization’s promoters, cut Blow o from his bestdrawing talent. Still, Blow kept up the fight, booking shows until his death in 1987 — just as a new national wrestling boom, spurred in large part by André the Giant’s feud with Hulk Hogan, brought big-name wrestling events back to Burlington. Memorial Auditorium hosted the WWF on several occasions in the late 1980s and ’90s. The WWE appeared there a few times in the 2000s.

Roussimo left Grand Prix in 1973 to work for Vince McMahon Sr.’s World Wide Wrestling Federation — the forerunner to Vince McMahon Jr.’s WWF — and began wrestling as André the Giant. In addition to his Giant Jean Ferre pseudonym, Roussimo left behind much of the athleticism that fans witnessed in Burlington.

André the Giant’s less energetic style of ring work almost certainly extended his career. While still in his twenties, Roussimo developed serious back problems, started to gain significant weight and faced a series of additional health problems related to his gigantism. He died in 1993 of congestive heart failure at age 46.

DAVE MOODY

competition, proving impervious to his opponents’ blows while dominating them with his superhuman size and strength. Fans in Burlington responded to Roussimo ’s overwhelming display of force, making him the latest in a long line of professional wrestlers to win over Queen City audiences.

As far back as the 1930s, professional wrestling had been a popular and rowdy attraction at Memorial Auditorium. A Burlington-based promoter named Jack Carter brought in talent from around the country, but the sport drew the ire of city leaders.

In 1944, the city banned youths under the age of 16 from attending matches at Memorial Auditorium due to frequent fisticu s among spectators — and sometimes between fans and wrestlers. Two years later, mayor John Burns pushed successfully for a five-year ban on wrestling and boxing shows at the auditorium.

After the ban ended in the early 1950s, Blow brought wrestling back to Memorial Auditorium and promoted events all around the state. He, too, ended up on the wrong side of city o cials.

In 1975, Burlington police officers and firefighters expressed displeasure

There is no record of André the Giant working a match in Burlington after he left Grand Prix. However, his dazzling appearances at Memorial Auditorium in the early 1970s were highlights in the history of the storied venue. And the thorough embrace of Roussimo by Vermont’s wrestling fans constitutes a significant early chapter in the history of one of the sport’s greatest icons. ➆

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Clayton Trutor holds a PhD in U.S. history from Boston College and teaches at Norwich University. He is the author of Loserville: How Professional Sports Remade Atlanta — and How Atlanta Remade Professional Sports and the forthcoming Boston Ball: Jim Calhoun, Rick Pitino, Gary Williams, and College Basketball’s Forgotten Cradle of Coaches. He’d love to hear from you on Twitter: @ClaytonTrutor.

‘That Bar Was His Church. He Poured His Life Into It.’

Clyde Reagin “Ray” McNeill, April 26, 1960-December 2, 2022

BY JENNIFER SUTTON

Ned LaFortune, a cofounder of Wachusett Brewing in Massachusetts, remembers the longago day when he walked into a Brattleboro pub owned by Ray McNeill and drank his first pint of hand-pumped ale.

“It tasted like fresh bread,” LaFortune marveled. “It was the most amazing beer I’d ever had in my life.”

LaFortune shared his story during a memorial tribute for McNeill, 62, the owner and brewmaster of McNeill’s Brewery, who died on December 2 during a fire in the second-floor apartment above the bar. The cause of death is presumed to be smoke inhalation, but the state has not yet released an official death certificate.

The building, a former firehouse built in the mid-1800s, had been closed since the beginning of the pandemic and in 2021 had been deemed structurally unsafe to reopen to the public. It was undergoing repairs, but according to several news reports and a Facebook post by Eve Nyrhinen, one of McNeill’s two children, McNeill was advised in June that because of the building’s instability, the fire department would not be able to safely send in a crew if a fire were to break out. The building was so damaged in the fire that the Brattleboro Fire Department ordered it demolished the next day to ensure the safety of passersby and neighboring buildings.

The double loss left McNeill’s patrons shocked, sad, and eager to honor the man and the place that, for more than three decades, had quenched their collective thirst in so many ways.

“Ray Day,” as the December 17 tribute event was called, featured music, dancing, beer and an open mic. One after another, people took the stage at the Stone Church in Brattleboro to remember what they experienced when they visited McNeill’s cozy Elliot Street barroom, sat at one of the long wooden tables, drank a house-brewed Dead Horse IPA or Dark Angel Imperial Stout, and chatted with the irascible proprietor in the tie-dyed T-shirt.

LaFortune, for one, got inspired. “I didn’t know that I was going to start a brewery,” he said. “But I did, and it was because of Ray and his beer.”

Clyde Reagin “Ray” McNeill occupied a singular place in Vermont’s craft

brewing industry. He was a small-town entrepreneur with a sweeping reputation, a classically trained cellist with a pre-med background, an exacting craftsman and historical purist who emulated certain English and German beer styles yet also strove to be experimental.

“I dislike that ‘recipe’ word,” he said in the 2014 book FarmPlate Vermont Beer: Behind the Scenes With Vermont’s Craft Brewers

“What I loved about Ray and his beer was that there was always a sense of deep creativity to what he was doing,” said Paul Sayler, the founder and brewmaster of Zero Gravity in Burlington and a longtime board member of the Vermont Brewers Association. Sayler

LIFE STORIES 2023

met McNeill around 1990, when they were both launching brewing careers.

“Ray led the way when it came to creating a truly unique experience, not just with the beers he was making, but with the environment where he was pouring them,” Sayler said.

McNeill entered the beer business in the 1980s as a bar owner, running Three Dollar Deweys in Brattleboro with his then-wife, Holiday Eames. They moved the business to Elliot Street in 1990 so McNeill could have space to brew his own beer, which he did, drawing on his pre-med training in organic chemistry and biology. An apprenticeship at Catamount Brewing helped him hone his technique, and McNeill began to draw attention when his Duck’s Breath Bitter was named the best beer of the 1993 Boston Brewers Festival and his Alle Tage Alt, a German-style ale, won awards at the 1995 Great American Beer Festival and the 1996 World Beer Cup.

“For a fair number of people, their first experience of Vermont craft beer was at

McNeill’s,” Sayler said. “The place was a gateway, right at the base of Vermont, with a major interstate coming through it. I still come across people who have really strong, visceral memories of going to Ray’s pub and drinking his beers years ago.”

David Hiler, a cofounder of Whetstone Beer in Brattleboro, remembers traveling to Sonoma County, Calif., when he was working as a hospitality consultant, and stopping in at Bear Republic Brewing for a beer and a bite to eat.

“I mentioned to the bartender that I was from Brattleboro, Vt., and the brewer came out and said, ‘Ray McNeill! I love his beer! He’s the guy who made me want to be a brewer!’” Hiler recalled. “I was 3,000 miles from Ray’s tiny pub, and I realized the impact that he had and what a pioneer he was in this industry.”

In 1988, around the time that McNeill was beginning to brew — in five-gallon pickle buckets, initially — the Vermont legislature changed a Prohibition-era law to allow the purchase and consumption of alcohol where it was made, opening the door for the brewpubs and taprooms that have made the state a beer mecca.

“He was right there at the beginning,” Eames said, “and he helped so many other small breweries get started.”

It was a huge shift “away from Budweiser and toward rejuvenating and developing beer as a craft,” added Nyrhinen. “Now there’s a microbrewery on every corner, and brewpubs are not uncommon.” But back then, she said, “it was something the beer world hadn’t experienced yet.”

McNeill’s penchant for distinctive beers, even before he started brewing his own, “expanded people’s beer horizons,” according to longtime beer journalist and Newfane resident Tom Bedell, who began writing about the craft beer movement in the early 1980s, as he traveled around the country and observed “people getting tired of the same old fizzy yellow water.” There was, Bedell said, a “willingness to be innovative and super-creative that was part of what gave Vermont its identity, and when people thought of craft brewing in Vermont, McNeill’s would always pop up.”

That was partly because while McNeill was reading about beer history, poring over scientific journals, tweaking his

“Life

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

Ray McNeill early in his brewing career

Ray McNeill and his daughter, Eve

brewing processes and equipment, and hiring assistants to help him increase production, his bar became a social hub. Marlboro College students and faculty gathered there; parents brought their kids on Friday afternoons; musicians held monthly jam sessions and sing-alongs; and beer lovers flocked there to taste whatever McNeill was brewing.

“Ray knew how to make a space where community could thrive,” Amanda Witman, who started a regular pub sing at McNeill’s, said at the memorial tribute.

James Branagan grew up in Brattleboro and is now a brewer at Hermit Thrush Brewery, and he remembers walking by McNeill’s as a kid. It wasn’t until he started brewing his own beer after college that he grasped what was happening behind the pub’s big plate glass window that faced the street.

encompassed a blunt, sometimes bristly persona. “Ray was a genuine character, often beloved — but still not always an easy one,” Bedell wrote in an essay published in the Commons the week after McNeill died. “He was known to sample his own wares to a degree exceeding good health. His attitude could be as volatile as an over-primed beer.”

Among all the loving stories recounted at the memorial was the self-described “turd in the punch bowl” reflection from Matt Jacobson, who introduced himself as an alcoholic — he’s been sober 22 years — and recalled a time in the 1980s and ’90s when he spent more nights at McNeill’s two bars than not.

“Ray’s passion, his commitment, his enthusiasm and love for the craft were inspiring and unmatched,” Jacobson said. “Even after years of receiving medals and esteem, he approached each new project like a 7-year-old trying to make explosives with their first chemistry set.”

But while the bar and the beer “were gifts to all of us,” Jacobson continued, “they were very expensive gifts for those who loved Ray, and for him, too.”

Nyrhinen simply described her father as “single-minded” and “a brilliant man.” Eames added, “He never did anything in moderation. He had a risky all-or-nothing gusto.”

“I admired the publican aspect of what Ray was doing,” he explained. “What drew me to beer was the culture around it, the English-style pub, the Irish-style pub, the community vibe. Ray McNeill was really the cornerstone down south [in Vermont] for creating that kind of place.”

McNeill’s had communal tables, which encouraged people to talk to strangers. For years, there was no TV. The bar was constructed in such a way that the bartenders were at eye level with customers. “Ray brought that sort of intentional commitment to doing things,” Sayler noted. “He would look to tradition and history and then put his own stamp on it.”

McNeill’s stamp — besides his popular bar and award-winning beers — also

In the days following McNeill’s death, as people reached out to Nyrhinen to tell her how much her father and his brewpub had meant to them, she began to gain a new perspective on his legacy. She had been trying, in recent years, to persuade McNeill to retire to Mexico, to be closer to Nevada, where she lives with her husband and kids. But after having to shut down the bar, her father was determined to reopen; “he really wanted to build it back and make it better,” she said. And after the fire, she realized that he had another family in Vermont — a community of brewers, beer geeks and revelers of all kinds.

“That bar was his church,” Nyrhinen said. “He poured his life into it. I don’t think he was ever going to leave.” ➆

Surface Tension

STORY & PHOTOS BY KEN PICARD • ken@sevendaysvt.com

Shortly after 5 p.m. on a weekday evening, René Kaczka-Vallière crossed center ice at C. Douglas Cairns Recreation Arena in South Burlington. The name of the 43-year-old Charlotte resident looks like it should be emblazoned across the back of a Montréal Canadiens jersey. But Kaczka-Vallière wasn’t at the rink that night to play hockey, or even skate. As one of the arena’s Zamboni drivers, he was making ice.

Tiny fountains of hot water gurgled up from the rear carriage of the machine as Kaczka-Vallière piloted the blocky white vehicle in looping ovals around the empty rink. While a smattering of spectators watched from the stands, the Zamboni turned swaths of chalky, scuffed-up ice into a smooth, glassy surface. Less than 10 minutes after he started, Kaczka-Vallière steered back to an opening in the boards, passing a team of 8-year-old hockey players waiting on the bench to resume their practice. Kaczka-Vallière beeped his horn as he drove by, and the kids cheered.

As maintenance vehicles go, none is as popular or as mesmerizing as the fabled Zamboni, a trademarked name that’s become synonymous with ice resurfacing machines. It erases bumps, gouges and

scrapes for a better skating experience, and watching a Zamboni at work can be as meditative as a Zen sand garden. People often gaze, transfixed, as the machine satisfies some deep psychological yearning to start over with a clean slate.

Even Kaczka-Vallière, who drives a Zamboni three days a week at Cairns Arena, isn’t immune to its hypnotic appeal.

While attending a Boston Bruins game last year, he recalled, “There I was, in between periods, watching the Zamboni. And I’m like, Why am I doing this?”

Despite the Zamboni’s popularity, rink managers throughout Vermont are struggling this winter to find qualified drivers. Due to the job’s typically low pay and irregular hours, it’s a perennial hiring problem that’s gotten worse with

the pandemic-fueled worker shortage. As a consequence, many rink managers are hoping they can skate by this season with the few operators they have.

One of the busiest ice rinks in the state, Cairns Arena has three full-time and two part-time Zamboni drivers. The latter includes Kaczka-Vallière, who is also a social worker for Vermont Adult Protective Services.

Five drivers may sound like plenty, but the nonprofit arena, the only one in Vermont with two NHL-size rinks, has to be staffed seven days a week, often from 6:30 a.m. until midnight, said assistant manager Chris Cooper. Its rinks are used for public skating as well as hockey games and practices for three youth leagues, three high schools, and teams from the University of Vermont and Saint Michael’s College. In any given week, Cooper noted, more than 1,000 skaters hit the ice, which needs to be resurfaced about every hour it’s in use.

In December, Cooper lost a Zamboni driver who’d worked at Cairns Arena for about a decade. He took a job at Gordon H. Paquette Ice Arena in Burlington, a city-owned rink where he can earn more money. Municipally owned rinks, like those in Burlington and Stowe, often have year-round maintenance staff who drive the Zamboni in winter and do other tasks, such as mow lawns, in warmer months.

“It’s a tough business, because most of our work is nights and weekends,” Cooper said.

And it’s not like anyone can just climb aboard and let the machine do all the work. During college in Massachusetts in the late 1990s, Kaczka-Vallière learned to drive a Zamboni at the Boston Common Frog Pond. The outdoor rink, which is used primarily for public skating, is in a different league than those used for hockey and figure skating.

“That was kind of a walk in the park,” Kaczka-Vallière said. “You don’t get a lot of wear and tear on the ice.”

Part of the challenge is learning how much ice to shave off, Kaczka-Vallière explained. Essentially, a Zamboni is a giant cutting blade that removes the top layer of ice and applies cold water to clean the surface, then hot water to create a fresh coat. The quality of the new ice is affected by several variables, including the blade’s height and the arena’s air temperature; the latter affects how quickly the ice sets.

While it may look like the Zamboni driver is out for a leisurely spin, KaczkaVallière explained that he’s constantly tweaking the blade height and water levels while monitoring the augers that lift the snow off the ice and into a storage tank. Put down too much water, and it can create a wet, slushy mess. Set the blade too low, and the Zamboni can shave off the hockey lines and markers painted on the ice itself.

“It’s a fine balance,” Kaczka-Vallière added. “I’m always trying to hone those skills.”

Most of those skills are developed on the job. The nonprofit U.S. Ice Rink Association offers national ice resurfacing

René Kaczka-Vallière

René Kaczka-Vallière driving the Zamboni at C. Douglas Cairns Recreation Arena

certification programs primarily for elite Zamboni drivers who work professional hockey games, national and international figure skating competitions, and Olympic-related events. But the vast majority of Zamboni training happens locally, and community rinks rarely have the resources to provide formal training.

“You don’t just hop on a Zamboni and voilà, you’re great at it after one or two trips around,” said EJay Bishop, executive director of the Union Arena Community Center in Woodstock.

It takes 20 to 30 “ice makes” just to get a handle on the machine’s basic operations, he said. But even that much experience won’t guarantee that a driver makes a good sheet of ice.

“Not to say that it’s rocket science. It’s not. But there’s definitely an art to it,” Bishop added. “These guys that do it well make it look easy. It’s not.”

Bishop feels lucky this winter: Unlike many other rinks in Vermont, Union Arena is fully staffed with four Zamboni drivers, a first in Bishop’s nine years there.

“But to be honest, it’s just luck,” he added. “That could change tomorrow.”

Tom Eyman isn’t as fortunate. The manager of the Fenton W. Chester Arena in Lyndon Center isn’t sure how he’ll get through the winter season, which ends in March.

“I lost a lot of sleep last summer worrying about fully staffing this place and being able to operate it,” Eyman said. For now, he’s getting by with four drivers,

though one is leaving in the coming weeks. And because Chester Arena is the only indoor rink in the Northeast Kingdom — the next closest ones are more than an hour away — he doesn’t have a deep pool of applicants.

When Eyman took the job two years ago, he didn’t know how to drive a Zamboni, a machine which he likened to a Rube Goldberg contraption.

“We pretty much taught ourselves,” he said, though the former rink manager at Lyndon Institute offered some rudimentary tips. “It was basically, ‘Here’s how it works. Take a couple of spins around, and call me if you have any questions.’”

To be clear, Zamboni drivers aren’t considered essential workers, and no one interviewed for this story thought it would spell disaster if their ice maintenance teams weren’t fully staffed.

Still, as Cooper at Cairns Arena pointed out, rookie mistakes that impact the machine can be costly: A new Zamboni has to be ordered months in advance and costs more than $120,000. In October 2020, one in Rochester, N.Y., started leaking hydraulic fluid, then caught fire. The dramatic event, captured on video, shows the machine fully engulfed in flames. But the driver kept his cool long enough to pilot the vehicle off the ice and out of the building.

Despite such risks, Eyman at Chester Arena said he’s beating the bushes for anyone who’s willing to commit to driving a Zamboni 20 hours a week, whether they’re qualified to do so or not.

“We’ll make it work, one way or the other,” he said. ➆

René

Zamboni

grow

herb and vegetable seeds to his offerings, and renamed the business Le Jardin du Gourmet. Then, in the mid-’70s, he moved the operation to West Danville.

The key to Saufroy’s enterprise was offering small, inexpensive packets so that home gardeners could harvest a wide variety of crops without shelling out for seeds they didn’t need. The tiny West Danville post office was soon inundated with envelopes, each containing a single dollar and a request for Saufroy’s most popular offering: an eightvariety sampler pack, a catalog and a booklet of recipes.

BY SUZANNE PODHAIZER

As they ring in a new year, many people strive to plant the seeds of good habits, hoping to reap the benefits of healthier behavior patterns. (Dry January, we see you!) Many resolutions involve exercise, getting fresh air and eating more vegetables.

One way to meet all of those goals at once is planting actual seeds. Gardening is good for both physical and mental health, and getting rosemary and tomatoes to show for your efforts sweetens the deal.

In recent years, seed companies have been sending out their catalogs earlier and

selling out sooner. So, if you want to score the leek variety of your dreams, start planning now.

Online shopping gives gardeners access to seed sellers nationwide, and many are familiar with Wolcott’s High Mowing Organic Seeds, but Vermont also has smaller and more specialized sellers. Read on to learn about a multigenerational company that got its start importing French snails, a two-person operation that specializes in endangered varieties, and a business that deals solely in medicinal and culinary herbs and flowers.

Growing Up Gourmet

Le Jardin du Gourmet, St. Johnsbury, artisticgardens.com

Shallots were practically unknown in the United States until they made their way into American cuisine thanks to the “Shallot King.” In 1954, Raymond Saufroy, a French coal miner turned New York City chef, was dismayed that he couldn’t find shallots, couscous or escargots to use at his restaurant. So he began importing them from his native country.

During the ’60s, Saufroy left the restaurant biz and bought a farm in New Jersey. He started growing shallots, added European

In 1988, Saufroy sold the business to his daughter and son-in-law, Suzanne and Paul Taylor, who moved it to St. Johnsbury. They are now preparing to sell it to their son, Mathew Taylor, 34, and his wife, Alejandra.

Many of Le Jardin’s seeds are still imported from Europe, although the Taylors also buy from American seed companies. Their packets — some filled by Mat using tiny spoons, others by machine — come in just two sizes and price points: 45 cents or $1.25. A “50-vegetable seed packet special” combines some of their most popular varieties for $24.50.

The company’s focus on fine cuisine shows in its selection, which includes common crops, such as tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce, alongside salad burnet, black mint, epazote, tiny fraise des bois strawberries, saltwort and multiple kinds of mâche. And, of course, Le Jardin also sells shallots.

In the Taylors’ shop, seeds are stored in hundreds of red plastic Folgers coffee containers before going into packets. “We used to put them in glass containers,” Paul

Roland Taylor harvesting ground-cherries

Vegan Restaurant Despacito Opens in Burlington’s Old North End

Three months after Knead Bakery closed, the space at 294 North Winooski Avenue in Burlington’s Old North End is a vegan restaurant once again. Chef-owner

DAVID QUINTANA and chef JEFF HODGDON launched DESPACITO with a soft opening in mid-December; they’re targeting a grand opening on Saturday, January 14.

The co-chefs are cooking up a menu of both “vegan junk food and elevated vegan dishes,” Quintana said.

“It’s a fun, tapas-style, creative take on things,” Hodgdon added.

So far, dinner service has featured small plates such as Buffalo cauliflower, beet tartare and kimchi sliders on housemade buns, as well as larger, shareable dishes such as a tofu plate. Most menu items cost $10 or less, and many are gluten free.

Both Quintana and Hodgdon come from the mobile food biz world; Quintana has run the Burlington-based DOS FEOS vegan food truck since 2019, and Hodgdon founded seitan company the NEW DEAL in 2018, launching a food cart in 2022. The two chefs met while working at Winooski’s Mule Bar last winter.

A brick-and-mortar restaurant was always Quintana’s goal, he said, though he will continue to run Dos Feos in the warmer months. Like the food truck, the Despacito menu nods to his Puerto Rican roots, offering empanadas, mofongo, picadillo made with Impossible Burger and coconut flan.

Quintana and Hodgdon will complement their dinner service with beer, wine and mocktails. They’ve opened up the space to add seating and plan to offer entertainment in the future.

Daytime café service is in the works, too. Despacito will partner with Middlebury’s ILUMINAR COFFEE ROASTERS to source Puerto Rican beans.

“We’re trying to get the pieces together to open up the café,” Quintana said. “That’s what the community was used to,” he added, referring to the café service at Knead Bakery. “I get it.”

Jordan Barry

Empanazza (pizza empanadas)

Kimchi sliders

Cream of the Crop

Digging into Gammelgården Creamery’s maple skyr

BY JORDAN BARRY • jbarry@sevendaysvt.com

If I had my druthers, I’d eat a maple creemee for breakfast every morning.

Thanks to Pownal’s Gammelgården Creamery, I get pretty close. The womenowned micro dairy’s dreamy, creamy maple skyr is a socially acceptable breakfast that tastes like a treat.

Sold at stores in southern and central Vermont, Gammelgården’s Icelandic-style skyr is technically a soft cheese, but it tastes and acts more like yogurt. The creamery perfectly sweetens the rich skyr with Vermont maple syrup. It also sells skyr in flavors such as apple pie, cherry almond, strawberry and wild Maine blueberry.

Gammelgården’s origins date back to 2004. Stina Kutzer had always wanted to have a small dairy. On her 50th birthday that year, her husband, Peter, gave her a Jersey calf named Babette.

“I was just going to have a family cow,” Stina Kutzer said. When Babette had twin heifer calves two years later, she found herself with a herd and started experimenting in the kitchen.

In 2010, Kutzer and her sister, Marta Willett, built a small creamery and named it Gammelgården as a nod to their heritage; the name means “small, old farm” in Swedish, Kutzer said. They planned to sell cultured butter and a yogurt made with the

leftover skimmed milk, strained in cheesecloth to turn it nice and thick.

The milk inspector told the sisters that they could sell their handmade product, but they couldn’t call it “yogurt” unless it was machine processed. So they decided to name it “skyr,” another Scandinavian term, since they make it the same way as the traditional Icelandic soft cheese. After skimming off the cream, they pasteurize the milk, add cultures and rennet, and hang it to let the whey drip out.

Gammelgården launched with five cows and a 22-gallon pasteurizer. The sisters sold products at farmers markets in Dorset, Bennington and Troy, N.Y., and brought them to local stores. Williams College, just across the border in Williamstown, Mass., started buying their skyr in 2012; to keep up with the increased demand, they got a bigger pasteurizer and supplemented their own milk supply with high-quality milk from area farms.

The creamery now wholesales products to more than 30 businesses in Massachusetts, New York and Vermont — as far north as the Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op and Little Seed Coffee Roasters in Middlebury. Customers around the country place orders on Gammelgården’s website.

Peter Kutzer handles most of the

wholesale deliveries, though the team — which includes Signe O’Neil, the Kutzers’ daughter — is looking for a distributor. “That would help us expand in Vermont,” O’Neil said, “because my poor father is driving all over the place right now.”

Each week, the family still makes two or three batches of skyr by hand, exactly as it did when Gammelgården started, though the batches have grown. To make sure the hanging skyr has strained enough before adding maple syrup (or jam, for the creamery’s other skyr flavors), Kutzer pinches it to check its thickness, she said. Seasonal changes such as the cows’ diet and lactation can affect the skyr.

In any season, I enjoy Gammelgården’s maple skyr with berries or rhubarb and homemade granola — or straight out of the container. Next time I stock up, I’m going to try O’Neil’s winter-appropriate suggestion: a dollop on oatmeal. ➆

Small Pleasures is an occasional column that features delicious and distinctive Vermontmade food or drinks that pack a punch. Send us your favorite little bites or sips with big payoff at food@sevendaysvt.com.

INFO

Learn more at gammelgardencreamery.com.

said, “but in the ’80s there was an earthquake, and everything came off the shelves. That’s how ‘mixed radishes’ came about.”

The company’s mailing list, which the Taylors maintain with the same software they have used since the 1990s, includes 168,000 names. Once he has taken over dayto-day operations, Mat hopes to expand the business to include a garden center with greenhouses and a shop. He’d like to educate his customers on how to pursue self-sufficiency by setting up their own year-round greenhouses, he said.

Saving Salsify

Solstice Seeds, Hartland, solsticeseeds.org The Solstice Seeds catalog, which is available only online or as a pdf, describes plant varieties exuberantly. Some blurbs include detailed origin stories. Others offer recipes. Some have both. Houshu cabbage is described as “a favorite introduced by the Japanese agriculture students at Rudolf Steiner College.” The catalog recommends trying it “finely sliced as a salad with grapefruit, toasted nuts or seeds and a rice vinaigrette.”

These friendly notes come from founder Sylvia Davatz, a Swiss-born Hartland resident much sought after for her seed-saving knowledge. While she has mostly retired from Solstice, her neighbor and collaborator, Brian Stroffolino, 36, has taken the reins.

According to Stroffolino, Solstice has a mission different from that of many other seed companies: to safeguard rare varieties, such as Lüthy salsify, golden midget watermelon and orange giant amaranth, by “growing them out” and providing the seeds to other gardeners. “The seeds dictate the catalog,” he explained. “Instead of growing [what’s] popular, it’s based on preservation.”

Stroffolino grows nearly all of the Solstice seeds himself, with help from Davatz, despite having a full-time job as

Stina Kutzer of Gammelgården Creamery

Maple skyr

The Gammelgården herd

Sow Far « P.38

Baby cucumbers at Le Jardin du Gourmet

JORDAN BARRY

As the climate changes, Stroffolino said, some plants adapt more successfully than others. Certain crops do better in warmer conditions, others in cooler ones; some will eventually thrive in dry areas, others in damp. The more varieties people grow, the more likely it is that some will prosper as the weather becomes more extreme.

“It’s the big reason that we should be diversifying and looking into native perennial crops,” he said.

Busy finishing the 2023 catalog, Stroffolino said regular customers will notice

a smaller selection than in the past. He has let go of some items that are easy to find through other growers, including black turtle beans and rattlesnake beans, and focused on rarer items. “It takes the pressure off,” he explained, “because it reduces the huge number of varieties we’ve been maintaining.”

In a perfect world, Stroffolino said, enough people would be growing the varieties that Solstice curates and saving their own seeds to safeguard the plants against obsolescence. Until then, he and Davatz will keep plugging away.

JESSICA MANCHESTER

Hartland’s town clerk and a side hustle managing the local farmers market.

Vermont Red Kernel corn from Solstice Seeds

Ugandan Bantu beans from Solstice Seeds

Mountains of Cakes

Leunig’s Le Marché Café brings pastries and picnic staples to Shelburne

STORY & PHOTOS BY JORDAN BARRY • jbarry@sevendaysvt.com

Is there anything more dazzling than a pastry case full of fruit-topped tarts, chocolate-coated cakes and multicolored macarons?

While many forego such sweets in the name of New Year’s resolutions, the Seven Days food team continues its January tradition of celebrating them. We welcomed 2021 with a story on doughnuts and 2022 with one on croissants and kouign amanns. This year, we’re dedicating a whole month’s worth of stories to bakeries.

To kick things off, I headed to Shelburne’s newest French café and bakery: Leunig’s Le Marché Café. Opened in December in the former Harrington’s of Vermont space at 5597 Shelburne Road, Le Marché has already brought a bit of je ne sais quoi to town — along with favorites from Burlington’s Leunig’s Bistro & Café and Petit Bijou kiosk.

Leunig’s chef-owner, Donnell Collins, lives in Shelburne and designed the café and bakery to be the kind of place she and her family wanted in town: somewhere they could go for a takeout sandwich or a box of pastries. Since opening, Collins has been surprised by the number of people who want to sit and have lunch.

“I don’t know what I was thinking at first,” Collins said with a laugh.

The tables were full when I went in around lunchtime on a weekday, with customers enjoying salade Niçoise and jambon-beurre sandwiches beautifully prepared by chef Amy Langford and her team. Langford has worked with Collins at Leunig’s for more than 20 years, Collins said, and the pair dreamed up the Shelburne space together.

“The Petit Bijou kiosk was really the inspiration,” Collins said. But the Church Street kiosk is tiny, and the Leunig’s kitchen — where the pastries have been produced until now — is too busy. At 3,000 square feet, Le Marché has plenty of room and will soon take over most of the baking for Petit

Bijou. It will also serve popular street food snacks and fresh sandwiches, soups and salads from the kiosk menu.

Front-of-house manager Conrad Osborne took my order for a turkey BLT ($14) and an Anjou pear melt ($12) — made with local chèvre, caramelized onions, baby arugula and chai-infused honey from Ariel’s Honey Infusions on wheat bread. As I waited for my takeout order, the pastry case caught my eye; I added a delicate fruit tart ($6.50) and a bulging cinnamon roll ($4).

Pastry chef Rachel Cemprola started her pastry career 11 years ago at South Burlington’s Klinger’s Bread. She then baked in Colorado, Florida, Texas and Saratoga Springs, N.Y., before “coming full circle” and returning to Vermont when her husband got a job at Beta Technologies, she said.

“Leunig’s has a great reputation, so I threw my résumé into the ring,” Cemprola said. “Donnell has really allowed me to take the reins.”

Collins shared with Cemprola inspiration from her trips to France but has otherwise given the pastry chef and her team freedom to develop their own extensive lineup of croissants, kouign amanns, scones, focaccia, almond crunch bars, tarts and gâteaux.

Cemprola’s pastry program honors the Champlain Valley, she explained, using local ingredients to “emulate the scents, flavors and colors of Vermont’s seasons.” Many of Le Marché’s creations are based on local mountains, including the maple-inflected Mt. Mansfield Tart — a take on the traditional Mont Blanc tart, named for the highest mountain on the French-Italian border. So far, the most popular is the chocolaty Mt. Philo Cake, Cemprola said.

“Mount Philo is right down the road from us, and anyone who’s done that hike knows it’s pretty much steps all the way to the top,” Cemprola said. The meringue topping on the cake mimics those wood and stone stairs.

Next time, I’ll buy treats for a Mount Philo picnic. ➆

BAKERY MONTH

Keeping the Beat

Earthbeat Seeds, Worcester, earthbeatseeds.com

In 2010, Rutland-raised Jessica Manchester was living what she described as “the typical American dream” in Buffalo, N.Y. “I had a house and a partner and a career as a teacher,” she said, “but I was deeply unhappy.”

At the time, the highlight of Manchester’s week was picking up her CSA share at Thorpe’s Organic Family Farm in East Aurora, N.Y., an hour’s drive from her home. Her delight in those farm visits spurred her to leave the life she’d created and return to Vermont.

Back in the Green Mountains, Man -

chester took any job she could think of that got her close to the land — she catered, made cheese, “worked for a lot of farms” and studied plant medicine at Plainfield’s Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism.

One day, she recalled, it “popped into my

head that I should be ‘farming seeds.’” To learn more about the biz, she took a job at High Mowing Organic Seeds. On her first day, after some training, she was handed a stack of orders to fulfill. The very first one was destined for the New York farm where she used to pick up her CSA.

“It gave me a solid feeling that I was on the right path,” she remembered thinking.

Now 43, Manchester founded Earthbeat Seeds in 2017 as a hobby, packaging and selling online 24 varieties of medicinal and culinary herb seeds that she’d grown, wild harvested or gleaned from other people’s land. The heartening response from customers encouraged her to continue, despite not having her own farm.

Lacking acreage, Manchester turned to collaborations. To source the seeds she didn’t have room to grow, she teamed up with her friend Erin O’Hara of Turtle Hill

Native Plants in Montpelier, as well as a handful of growers on the West Coast.

On her simple website, Manchester posts photos of the colorful medicinal flowers and culinary herbs she sells and lists the provenance of each variety. She supplies the chamomile, common milkweed, wild leeks and wormwood, while California poppies, white sage and hyssop come from afar.

Because the plethora of seed options can overwhelm new gardeners, Manchester offers three starter kits in addition to individual packets: one for growing medicinal plants, one for herbal teas and one for culinary herbs.

Last year, after losing her primary job due to the pandemic, Manchester decided to make Earthbeat her full-time gig. For extra income, she chose to supplement her direct sales by taking on 30 to 35 wholesale accounts per year, primarily garden centers and food co-ops around New England.

Not long after putting up her first display — at Montpelier’s Hunger Mountain Co-op — Manchester stopped in to get groceries and noticed some kids and their mother excitedly examining her wares. That kind of community engagement keeps her motivated, she said.

Eventually, Manchester plans to buy a farm. Until then, she continues to build the soil on her half-acre plot in Worcester — glacial till full of rocks and roots. After five years of attention, she said, it’s gone from being desolate to hosting dense flower beds, worms, robins and flocks of migratory birds that have added a new stop to their route.

“What I’m doing really cultivates appreciation of the long game,” Manchester said. “When you nurture something for a long time and you finally get a harvest, it’s sort of glorious.”

Remember that when you don’t feel like going to the gym. ➆

Catering by Dale to Offer Takeout Menu at New South Burlington HQ

CATERING BY DALE is putting the final shine on COPPER AT DORSET, its new production kitchen and event venue at 100 Dorset Street in South Burlington. Owner SUSAN THOMPSON said she hopes to open the third week of January. The renovated space will operate primarily as the 22-year-old catering business’

kitchen and as a private event location for as many as 99 guests, but it will also offer weekday takeout lunches and preordered Friday night dinners to the general public. The restaurant space was most recently occupied by PULCINELLA’S, which relocated to 1710 Shelburne Road in early 2020. Before that, it was the longtime location of the Cork & Board. “I still miss the Reuben” from that restaurant, Thompson said.

Copper at Dorset’s tentative lunchtime takeout hours will be Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. “There will be no seating to start, with COVID lingering,” Thompson said.

Offerings will include soups such as tomato-basil-fennel, butternut squash-apple and German lentil; freshly baked breads such as rosemary focaccia; sandwiches, including a tomato, mozzarella and basil Caprese; and salads. Soups will also be sold in frozen quarts, and two to three Friday dinner options will be available weekly.

Melissa Pasanen

CONNECT

Follow us for the latest food gossip! On Instagram: Seven Days: @7deatsvt; Jordan Barry: @jordankbarry; Melissa Pasanen: @mpasanen.

Copper at Dorset

Attracting pollinators at Earthbeat seeds

Jessica

Manchester of Earthbeat Seeds

Earthbeat seed packets

culture

More Bread, More Puppets

BY SALLY POLLAK • sally@sevendaysvt.com

Late last year, Bread and Puppet Theater expanded its home base in Glover with the purchase of 23 acres of neighboring land. The acquisition, which includes a fourbedroom house and a defunct veal barn, will allow the nonprofit theater company to increase its gallery and performance space, add storage, and provide living quarters for more puppeteers, cofounder Peter Schumann said.

More space for artwork and archives is a particular need for the visual artist, theater director and performer, who calls himself a “quantity artist.”

“I produce and produce like crazy,” Schumann said.

He and his late wife, Elka Schumann, started Bread and Puppet on Manhattan’s Lower East Side in 1963. The internationally acclaimed company is known for its larger-than-life puppets, political activism and shows that incorporate performers of all levels. Bread and Puppet is an expression of Schumann’s belief that “you don’t need an academy, you don’t need an invitation, you don’t need a museum” to make, use or view art.

But you do need a lot of space to accommodate 60 years’ worth of big puppets, masks and other art. In the past, Schumann

has had to burn puppets because the company lacked adequate storage, he said.

“Bread and Puppet Theater is quite unusual, because its assets — its collection — includes thousands of puppets and banners and sets and also the Bread and Puppet press material,” said board president John Bell, associate professor of puppetry and director of Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry at the University

of Connecticut. “We’ve been running out of space.”

Bell called the opportunity to buy the adjacent land a “lucky coincidence.” The company had been considering constructing a storage building and expanding its print shop, he said.

The 160-by-60-foot barn on the new property will provide room for the theater’s “unbelievable amounts” of

puppets, paintings, paperwork, books and other materials, Schumann said. The collection can be stored both for archival purposes and for use by puppeteers in their performances.

“The basic space is big and the size that we need,” Schumann said. The company, which he said will grow, consists of people who are “so capable, so gifted; to continue this, they don’t need me.

“I’m not a youngster anymore,” Schumann, 88, said. “I’m of the one-footin-the-grave generation. But it’s OK, as long as I can hobble about.”

Schumann and his family settled in Glover in 1974 on a roughly 250-acre former dairy farm that became the home of Bread and Puppet. The property includes a barn that houses the Bread and Puppet Museum (open year-round), a print shop, a performance space called the Paper Maché Cathedral, and a farmhouse where puppeteers live. In the summer, apprentices camp on the grounds.

Schumann works in a studio that puppeteers built for his 80th birthday. (Asked by Seven Days what he wants for his 100th birthday, Schumann said, “a lollipop.”)

The company bought the adjacent property and buildings in November for $459,000, according to the Town of Glover. It’s the first land purchase for Bread and Puppet, which leases property at the Schumann farm, Bell said.

With an anonymous donation of $150,000 and numerous smaller contributions, the company is about halfway to its fundraising goal of $500,000, according to the board. This capital campaign is an unusual one for Bread and Puppet, which typically raises money for operation and preservation costs, Bell said.

“It’s a huge investment for us,” he said. “We thought a lot about it.”

Bread and Puppet purchased the site from its longtime friend Erik Porter. A roadie for Dave Matthews Band, Porter grew up as a neighbor of the Schumanns and later lived for 17 years on the recently sold property. He and his wife moved to Derby last summer.

“We’re happy it’s something they wanted and that we were able to make it work,” Porter, 55, said.

The new property is closer than Bread and Puppet’s rambling old farmhouse is to the pageant field where Bread and Puppet performs its weekly summer shows, and Porter has cleared a pathway from the property to the performance field. The new passage also leads to the pine forest, the site of memorial installations for puppeteers and friends, including Porter’s late father, Burt. A poet and musician who collaborated with Bread and Puppet, he taught English at Lyndon Institute.

“Peter is very nice about involving people

Peter Schumann’s bedsheet paintings and other art

Bread and Puppet eater

founder Peter Schumann

PHOTOS: JEB WALLACE-BRODEUR

who have something to offer,” Porter said. “Not just my dad, but everybody.”

Before Bread and Puppet hosted a late November opening of its expanded space, Schumann collaborated with a few puppeteers to mount an art exhibition in the barn.

The barn bay was dark and dingy, with objects strewn about, when they started its transformation into a gallery, said Ziggy Bird, 25, a resident puppeteer. She and two other puppeteers helped Schumann paint the ceiling, following about 20 feet behind him as he used a paintbrush on a stick to design and outline trees, stars, clouds and birds. Little puppets and painted trees and animals fill the barn gutters.

For Saade, Bread and Puppet’s decision to open a new space “when [Schumann] is almost 90 is proof ... that there are no limits,” she said. “There’s no impossibility for him or for the theater or for whoever commits to the theater. It’s absolute openness, and that’s so inspirational.”

By summer, the gallery will be open to visitors. Chamber music and other performing arts events will happen in the barn, Schumann said. He envisions a “pageant that walks the audience from one place to another, and we end up in the gallery and make music.”

In the past year or so, as the family has grieved the August 2021 death of Elka, Schumann has experienced a surge of

Elsa Saade, 30, a Brooklyn-based activist, performer and seasonal staff member, worked with Teresa Camou to select and hang a collection of Schumann’s bedsheet art in the barn. Painting on donated bedsheets that he gets from a variety of sources, including hospitals and prisons, is a relatively new practice for Schumann, and one of “fantastic inspiration,” he said.

“I have hundreds of them,” Schumann said. Working in this format “confronts such a big, empty thing that has so much background in it,” he said. “It isn’t from the factory of sheet-making, but from real life.”

In hanging the art, the puppeteers were guided by Schumann’s interest in refugees and his theme of moving from the “valley of tears” toward a “mountain of joy,” Saade said.

Originally from Lebanon, Saade first visited Bread and Puppet in summer 2019, invited by a friend who was a theater apprentice. “Bread and Puppet was literally a magnet,” she said. “I couldn’t leave.”

creative energy, according to his son Max. Elka was Schumann’s longtime partner in Bread and Puppet and the mother of their five children.

Schumann directed a puppet production of Ophelia last month at a theater in New York City. He’s currently leading dance workshops open to all at the Glover farm on Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m., followed by a performance later in the afternoon in a nearby town.

And Schumann remains involved in the ongoing work of transforming a barn full of old veal pens into an art gallery, performance space and more. The project is gratifying not only on an immediate level but also for the promise it holds, puppeteer Bird said.

“I do think that choosing this property and making this expansion is a triumphant declaration and decision to pursue a future,” she said. “To continue to expand and create and make our art.” ➆

Short Takes on Five Vermont Books

Seven 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, a conclave of cardinals. So this monthly feature is our way of introducing you to a handful of books by Vermont authors. To do that, we contextualize each book just a little and quote a single representative sentence from, yes, page 32. ➆

Sugaring Down

Dan Chodorkoff, Fomite Press, 418 pages. $15.

e Northeast Kingdom tends to have that effect on newcomers, even if they arrive during an April snowstorm.

In Dan Chodorkoff’s novel, the newcomers are anti-war activists from New York City who arrive at an uninhabited hill farm in 1968.

e young couple plan to live collectively with other like-minded revolutionaries — farm the land, build a base for a social movement — once they make it up the unplowed driveway and figure out how to light the woodstove. Having slathered the dusty farmhouse in Pine-Sol, an idealistic cast of characters moves in and works together — or not — to adapt to the richly described landscape.

A lifelong peace and ecology activist, Chodorkoff also found a home in northern Vermont, where he cofounded the Institute for Social Ecology and was a longtime member of the Goddard College faculty. is back-to-the-land story is drawn from “history, memory, and imagination,” he writes in an acknowledgment, capturing “a time when it seemed to us that anything was possible.”

JORDAN BARRY

Pavlov’s Colon

Howard Pierce, BookBaby, 492 pages. $21.39

Danni said her silent morning prayer wherein she asked yet again not to be sent to either the Pentagon or HHS.

It’s 2048, and Danni Kuiu, IT expert and “polymath” for the federal government, is sent to help the International Diplomatic Corps investigate a bizarre occurrence of global consequence — the purported religious rapture of Lester Cleland, 49th president of the United States.

ough video feeds captured the devout Christian ascending heavenward, naked as a jaybird, the miraculous nature of the event is immediately called into question when some Kenyan fishermen discover Cleland’s severed head, one ear nibbled by their donkey.

Pavlov’s Colon, book one of the trilogy A Sequence of Events by Charlotte author Howard Pierce, has ample irreverence to go around — for organized religion, global capitalism, corporate news, social media and geopolitics, all of which have coalesced into four world-governing factions in Pierce’s dystopian scenario. Pavlov’s Colon is all the more fascinating when you consider that writing speculative fiction is Pierce’s third career, following years as a high-end home builder and CEO of a medical software company. An eminently enjoyable romp.

KEN PICARD

A Judge’s Odyssey: From Vermont to Russia, Kazakhstan, and Georgia, en on to War Crimes and Organ Trafficking in Kosovo

Dean B. Pineles, Rootstock Publishing, 274 pages. $18.99.

“You must be punished,” Pineles said.

In this book about his legal career, Dean Pineles reprints portions of newspaper articles that concern cases he presided over as a Vermont district judge. In doing so, as our page 32 example illustrates, the author on occasion quotes himself as he was quoted in news accounts. ( is remark is from a sentencing hearing in the late 1980s.)

A resident of Stowe, Pineles began his legal life in Vermont 50 years ago as an assistant attorney general. He would go on to serve as governor Richard Snelling’s legal counsel in the early 1980s and, some 30 years after that, as an international criminal judge in Kosovo.

Pineles’ judicial career was nearly scuttled at his 1985 confirmation hearing, he writes, due to his role in the Snelling administration’s decision to raid a religious community in Island Pond. Ultimately, he was confirmed. His book is written in a tone — thoughtful, deliberative, humane — consistent with optimal judicial qualities.

SALLY POLLAK

Absolutely elated, I eased out the clutch and inched across the parking lot in first gear, howling with delight.

AARP helpfully reminds people that they’re aging by mailing membership invitations to all who are celebrating — or trying to ignore — 50th birthdays. Many will identify with C. Jane Taylor, who discloses in her memoir that she “shredded the letter into tiny pieces.” Few, however, will do what Taylor did next: channel that angst into learning to drive a motorcycle so she could join her husband and 21-year-old son on a 10,000-mile cross-country journey, riding a black BMW.

With honesty and humor, Taylor chronicles the epic road trip’s peaks and valleys, from the wistful tenderness of observing her son savor the Grand Canyon to the frustration and pain of her relentlessly flowing perimenopausal period. By the conclusion, she has more or less tamed her steel steed and her dread of an empty nest and learned to “Let the wind blow through you, like you’re a part of it.” It’s Eat, Pray, Love for the midlife set.

MELISSA PASANEN

You Were Always ere Stephen Russell Payne, Cedar Ledge Publishing, 402 pages. $19.95.

When Sarah Clements drives up to Vermont from Washington, D.C., in 1970 to visit the cabin that her federal judge dad is building on Caspian Lake, she doesn’t know she’s about to fall in love. She and local farm boy Luke Simms spend an idyllic summer together, frequenting a Greensboro gathering of folk musicians where classical violinist Sarah learns to love traditional fiddling. But then Luke receives his draft notice, and the circumstances of a turbulent era tear the two lovers apart.

Vermont author Stephen Russell Payne, author of Cliff Walking and Life on a Cliff, spins a tale of love lost and found that will bring readers to tears as effectively as any Nicholas Sparks novel. But he also gives the genre a distinctive Northeast Kingdom spin, paying tribute to real local musicians, such as Dave Rowell, and celebrating their grit and gusto. Even cynical readers will end up rooting for Luke as he rebuilds his life with the help of an indomitable lakeside community.

MARGOT HARRISON

“Yeah, it’s gorgeous, like being on an acid trip or something.”

“Just to breathe this clean air is worth the trip.”

Spirit Traffic: A Mother’s Journey of Self-Discovery and Letting Go C. Jane Taylor, Magic Hill Press, 252 pages. $18.

BID NOTICE — HISTORIC HOUSE ON 0.19 ACRES

LOCATED IN THE CITY OF MONTPELIER, AT 14-16 BALDWIN STREET

PURSUANT TO VSA 32 H739, Sec. 21(b) THE COMMISSIONER OF BUILDINGS AND GENERAL SERVICES IS HEREBY AUTHORIZED TO SELL THE BUILDING AND LAND LOCATED AT 14-16 BALDWIN STREET IN MONTPELIER PURSUANT TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF 29 V.S.A. §166(b).

This property is being publicly advertised until February 03, 2023

A BID PACKAGE containing information about the property and sale procedures may be obtained online at bgs.vermont.gov/propertymanagement/sale. Informational packets will NOT be distributed via facsimile or email. The property will be open for inspection by potential bidders on January 25, 2023, from 10:00 AM until NOON and 2:00 PM until 4:00 PM.

Bids must be received no later than 2:00 P.M. on February 03, 2023. Any bids which have not been: (a) delivered, and (b) time and date stamped by the Department of Buildings and General Services Property Management Division, 133 State Street, 5th Floor, Montpelier VT 05633-5801 by 2:00 P.M, February 03, 2023, will not be opened and shall be unilaterally rejected. All accepted bids will be reviewed to determine compliance with the stated requirements. The State shall complete its review and notify the winning bidder by February 10, 2023. The property shall be sold to the bidder who submits the highest bid conforming to the requirements contained in the Notice of Bid Requirements and Sale Procedures and subject to the conditions and requirements contained in 29 V.S.A. §166. The State reserves the right to reject any and all offers. Electronic bids will NOT be accepted.

Bids shall be sent or delivered to:

Thomas Chagnon, Real Estate Manager I Department of Buildings & General Services 133 State Street, 5th Floor, Montpelier, VT 05633-5801

Jennifer M.V. Fitch, Commissioner Buildings and General Services, Montpelier VT

Dated January 03, 2023

4T-VtDeptBuildingsBaldwin011123.indd 1

Tree View

Photographer Richard Moore transforms city scenes with birch bark

BY PAMELA POLSTON • ppolston@sevendaysvt.com

Richard Moore’s cityscape photographs could not be described as psychedelic but nonetheless call to mind the visual legerdemain that Aldous Huxley detailed in his seminal 1954 book, The Doors of Perception. In Moore’s images, viewers are met with a murky sense of both reality and time: Are these pictures old or new? What exactly are we looking at here?

And yet one source of the mystery is in plain sight: birch bark. Moore, who shoots with a digital Fuji camera, prints the black-and-white photos directly onto this organic substrate, which does not aspire to the predictable behavior of paper.

The photographer, who moved to Vermont from New Hampshire in 2020, opened an exhibition of 25 works last Friday at the Front in Montpelier. Titled “Urban Revision,” the collection depicts buildings and other infrastructure in Burlington and Montpelier. Some are readily identifiable, others less so. Though the photos themselves

are straightforward, the bark’s patterns and textures lend them an enigmatic beauty and roguish topography. Think ridges, feathery curls, random bumps and whorls. One work even supports a tiny oasis of moss. (“Water lightly,” Moore jokes in a printed list of the photos.)

Moore said he became interested in bark while working on photographs of roots and began to collect samples from dead trees in New Hampshire and Vermont. His photographs are minimally framed in unpainted maple, and Moore left all but one of them sans glass. This was wise; it’s easier

to appreciate the dimensionality and, well, the barkiness without it.

Many images are printed on larger, roughly rectangular panels of bark, such as “Sarducci’s, Montpelier.” Shot from a location upstream, the serene, lovely image features a glowing North Branch of the Winooski River alongside the longtime Italian restaurant, which peeks out of tree cover on the left. The print’s soft, irregular contours recall the impressionistic photos taken with vintage plastic-lens cameras such as the Diana.

Other compositions include jagged bark that looms like ruins or shadowy towers over the photo of an urban setting, as in “Back of State and Main, Montpelier.” A few works, including “College and Battery, Burlington,” employ several horizontal strips of bark crossing the image. The latter works in particular have an embattled appearance, like photographs squirreled away by previous generations and rescued by their grandchildren.

Moore’s front-window dressing might lure passersby into the petite gallery: Bark pieces in a variety of shapes, sizes and stages of decay are deftly scattered about. Standing like sentinels over them are slim birch branches anchored in a plank of wood — de facto little trees. The scene is illuminated by LED lights set within columns of curled bark.

So enamored is Moore with the beauty of bark that he attached tiny, brooch-like pieces to squares of paper as mementos for visitors. One particularly large and handsome sheath of birch hangs on the wall alone, design courtesy of Mother Nature.

Moore said he retired in 2005 from a career in wildlife conservation and returned to his earlier pastime of photography. For the next 14 years, he experimented with another form of visual time

"Sarducci's, Montpelier"

"College and Battery, Burlington"

travel: projects he called “twiceseen images.” Working with vintage photographs in historic sites, he shot from the identical location and angle, and set an excerpt of the old photo within his new one. The boundaries between the images are virtually seamless, yet the compositions are startling testaments to the changes wrought over decades or centuries. Witnessing that implacable march of time in images on his website, it’s hard not to feel a little melancholy.

THE BARK’S PATTERNS AND TEXTURES LEND THE IMAGES AN ENIGMATIC BEAUTY AND ROGUISH TOPOGRAPHY.

ages a more expansive way of seeing. A viewer might perceive an overlay of the natural world on the built one or an intrusion of humans on the landscape; either notion can ramble down a contemplative path.

Observing our environs through birch bark won’t result in enlightenment, alas, but Moore’s exhibition might just nudge the doors of perception ajar. ➆

INFO

Moore’s “Urban Revision” photographs, created over the past two years, evoke a similarly pensive reaction. But by manipulating the conventions of his medium with birch bark, he gently encour-

“Richard Moore: Urban Revision,” through January 29 at the Front in Montpelier. Artist’s talk on Thursday, January 12, 6:30 p.m.; poetry reading on Thursday, January 19, 6:30 p.m. thefrontvt.com, richardmoorephotography.com

"The Savoy, Montpelier"

NEW THIS WEEK

barre/montpelier

JONI CLEMONS & TERRY J. ALLEN: New mixedmedia assemblages and porcelain tableware, respectively. Reception: Saturday, January 14, 1-3 p.m. January 14-February 14. Info, 223-5760. Adamant Co-op.

stowe/smuggs

ROSS CONNELLY: “Protest,” black-and-white photos from demonstrations in Washington, D.C., 1967 through 1969. Reception: Thursday, January 19, 3 p.m. January 17-February 10. Info, 635-1469. Julian Scott Memorial Gallery, Northern Vermont University, in Johnson.

mad river valley/waterbury

MIREILLE CLAPP: A retrospective of artworks by the late artist and mechanical/industrial engineer, featuring mixed-media wall sculptures and freestanding abstract pieces of welded metals. January 11-March 25. Info, 496-6682. Mad River Valley Arts Gallery in Waitsfield.

rutland/killington

MEMBERS’ EXHIBIT: Works in a variety of mediums fill the mansion in themed galleries: “Resolutions,” “Frozen” and “Breathe Deep.” Reception: Friday, January 13, 5-7 p.m. January 13-March 3. Info, 775-0356. Chaffee Art Center in Rutland.

northeast kingdom

‘WINTER BLOSSOMS’: Floral art by Benjamin Barnes, Sachiko Yashida Zahler and Robert Chapla. January 12-February 25. Info, 748-0158. Northeast Kingdom Artisans Guild Backroom Gallery in St. Johnsbury.

randolph/royalton

‘CREATIVE COLLABORATION: THE ART OF DEBORAH AND MICHAEL SACKS’: Printmaking and photography by the married artists. Reception: Sunday, January 15, 2-4 p.m. January 15-March 19. Info, 889-9404. Tunbridge Public Library.

outside vermont

‘UNCONDITIONAL’: A group exhibition about dogs and other beloved pets. Reception: Friday, February 3, 4-5:45 p.m. January 13-February 11. Info, 603-4483117. AVA Gallery and Art Center in Lebanon, N.H.

ART EVENTS

‘ARTISTS IN THE ARCHIVES: COLLAGE & PLACE AS ARCHIVE’: A panel of artists led by Ric Kasini Kadour present artwork and discuss what it means to explore a place through the collage art lens, in conjunction with a current exhibition at the Henry Sheldon Museum of Vermont History. Register for the webinar at henrysheldonmuseum.org. Online, Wednesday, January 11, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 388-2117.

COMMUNITY MURAL PROJECT KICK-OFF

PRESENTATION: Will Kasso Condry, Jennifer Herrera Condry and Alexa Herrera Condry of Juniper Creative talk about the power of community murals and plans for the orange wall in the Y lobby conference room. All are welcome to participate. Greater Burlington YMCA, Burlington, Sunday, January 15, 3-4 p.m. Free. Info, 862-9622.

OPEN STUDIO: Make art alongside other artists, socialize, get feedback and try out new mediums. No experience required; art supplies provided. Hosted by the Howard Center Arts Collective, whose members have experience with mental health and/ or substance-use challenges. ONE Arts Center, Burlington, Monday, January 16, 12:30-2:30 p.m. Free. Info, artscollective@howardcenter.org.

Carrie Pill

Outdoor enthusiasts who are driven to rack up accomplishments can find plenty of challenges in Vermont — hiking the Long Trail end to end, say, or sliding down every mountain. Carrie Pill’s goal is unique: She aims to ski and paint all 20 alpine resorts in the state. Call it a personal biathlon.

“It has always been a goal of mine to see all of these ski areas,” Pill said by phone. “I’d been painting at some of these mountains before, especially Pico and Killington, which are nearby, and I found it really rewarding. I really like putting together series — it’s very satisfying, and I learn a lot.”

For this series, which she dubbed “A Painted Tour,” Pill teamed up with Ski Vermont, which is helping her access the resorts. In a blog she recently launched on her website, she posts one or more of the day’s paintings — she paints up to four each time — along with some facts and comments about the mountain. One example: “I highly recommend a ‘peak to creek’ run,” she writes in her January 5 post, “which begins at Killington’s peak and ends somewhere in New Hampshire.”

The Rutland-based artist said she grew up in a creative family and has been painting since childhood, but she began to downhill ski just six years ago. “Cross-country skiing was my gateway drug,” she noted. Pill took up oils while earning a studio art degree at Green Mountain College. In addition to landscapes, she also paints portraits, pets and botanicals, she said.

Painting outdoors in winter presents several challenges — staying warm, first of all, for a session that might last three hours, and manipulating a paintbrush while wearing mittens. “Usually under those mittens is wool gloves and hand warmers,” she said with a laugh.

And then there is the behavior of oil paint in freezing temps. “It generally just slows down a lot — it acts like peanut butter,” Pill explained. “You do your best to push it around.”

Because oil paint requires time to dry, Pill has devised a way to secure each painting — most commonly six inches square — with strong double-sided tape inside a small pizza box. That way she can safely load up the artworks, along with her easel and painting supplies, in a backpack before she skis down the mountain.

Pill, who also posts her work on Instagram and Facebook, is planning an exhibition of larger paintings later this year. They’ll be based on the smalls she’s creating this winter, and sales will benefit Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports, she said. Meantime, the artist has fingers crossed that snowfall will reappear so she can complete her wintry tour. “Two [resorts] are rope-tow only,” she said. “I’m really looking forward to the small ones.”

And, Pill added, “If there are any nearby artists that are interested in painting with me, they should reach out. I’d love to have company and meet new plein air artists.”

VISUAL ART IN SEVEN DAYS:

ART LISTINGS AND SPOTLIGHTS ARE WRITTEN BY PAMELA POLSTON. LISTINGS ARE RESTRICTED TO ART SHOWS IN TRULY PUBLIC PLACES.

“Killington and the Belt of Venus”

Carrie Pill

“Summit Gaze”

COURTESY OF ABBY ALLAIRE

Vermont Symphony Orchestra presents

‘RESILIENCE: THE WAR THROUGH UKRAINIAN CHILDREN’S ART’: A benefit auction of more than 50 pieces of artwork by children of Ukraine, along with firsthand stories from volunteers and video messages from people throughout the war-torn country. Funds raised will go toward food and supply deliveries and support for shelters of internally displaced Ukrainians. Cash bar and light refreshments. Reservations recommended. Burlington City Hall Auditorium, Wednesday, January 11, 6 p.m. $25 suggested donation.

TALK: COLTON ORR: The freelance digital artist discusses the promise and peril of artificial intelligence in the art world. AVA Gallery and Art Center, Lebanon, N.H., Thursday, January 12, 6-7 p.m. Free. Info, 603-448-3117.

TALK: RENATE ALLER AND MAKEDA DJATA BEST: The artist discusses her current exhibition of photographs with the curator of photography and interim head of modern and contemporary art at the Harvard Art Museums. Brattleboro Museum & Art Center, Friday, January 13, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 257-0124.

ONGOING SHOWS

burlington

ART AT THE HOSPITAL: Photographs by Greg Nicolai and Caleb Kenna (Main Street Connector, ACC 3); relief monotypes by Erika Lawlor Schmidt (Main Street Connector); acrylic paintings by Sandra Berbeco (McClure 4 and EP2); oil and mixed-media paintings by James Vogler (EP2); and oil paintings by Julia Purinton (BCC). Curated by Burlington City Arts. Through January 23. Info, 865-7296. University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington.

ART AT THE MALTEX: Paintings by Pievy Polyte, Shannon O’Connell, Nancy Chapman and Ashley MacWalters and photography by Brian Drourr and Robert Fahey. Through April 8. Info, 865-7296. The Maltex Building in Burlington.

BILL MCDOWELL: “Roxham Road to North Elba,” color photographs that challenge viewers to consider complex ideas around borders, migration, privilege and racism. MATT LARSON: Acrylic paintings by the local artist. VALERIE HIRD: “The Garden of Absolute Truths,” small interactive theaters, hand-drawn animated videos, paintings and drawings by the Burlington artist that utilize familiar childhood stories to examine current power inequities. Through January 28. Info, 865-7166. BCA Center in Burlington.

‘BLACK FREEDOM, BLACK MADONNA & THE BLACK CHILD OF HOPE’: Designed by Raphaella Brice and created by Brice and Josie Bunnell, this mural installed for Burlington’s 2022 Juneteenth celebration features a Haitian-inspired image of liberation. Through June 18. Info, 865-7166. ‘VOICES OF ST. JOSEPH’S ORPHANAGE’: An exhibition that tells the stories of former residents of the Catholic-run institution (1854-1974) and their accomplishments. A project of the St. Joseph’s Orphanage Restorative Inquiry and Vermont Folklife Center. Reception: Thursday, January 12, 5-6 p.m. Through February 18. Info, 863-3403. Fletcher Free Library in Burlington.

CLARK DERBES: “Skateboarding Is Performance Art,” trompe l’oeil objects, shaped paintings and sculptures featuring colorful grids and bands that pay homage to the architecture that skateboarding utilizes. Through January 12. Info, 233-2943. Safe and Sound Gallery in Burlington.

‘CONNECTIONS’: Howard Center Arts Collective presents an art installation of painted mailboxes and mosaics, inviting viewers to reflect on the benefits of old-fashioned mail delivery and to consider whether mailboxes have become relics of the past. Through July 31. Info, artscollective@howardcenter.org. Howard Center in Burlington.

‘GUARDIANS OF THE GREAT OUTDOORS’: An exhibition in which young explorers can roam forests, navigate streams and become backyard adventurers while learning to become thoughtful stewards of the land. Through January 15. Info, 864-1848. ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain in Burlington.

KEILANI LIME: “Silver & Gold,” paintings on canvas with a metallic element that represents overcoming difficult times. Proceeds of sales go toward the costs of brain and spinal cord surgeries. In Honor Leather studio, Suite 103, by appointment. Through February 1. Info, 355-2855. The Vaults in Burlington.

‘LARGE WORKS’: A group exhibition of works measuring between two and six feet by artists of

CALL TO ARTISTS

2024 SOLO EXHIBITION

PROPOSALS: AVA’s exhibition committee of artists, art curators and art professionals seek proposals for solo shows from artists with strong connections to New Hampshire, Vermont and the greater New England region. Details at avagallery.org. Deadline: March 31. AVA Gallery and Art Center, Lebanon, N.H. $50. Info, 603-448-3117.

‘BEACON OF LIGHT’: This social commentary exhibit invites artists to challenge viewers to consider our day, our options, and what our country represents or could embody moving forward. Show dates: March 15 to April 29. Deadline: January 28. Details at studioplacearts.com. Studio Place Arts, Barre. $10; free for SPA members. Info, submissions.studioplacearts@ gmail.com.

CREATIVE SECTOR GRANTS, ROUND 2: Awards of up to $200,000 are available to creative sector organizations and businesses, including sole proprietors that can demonstrate economic harm caused by or exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Funding amounts are based on 2019 operating revenue and can be used for any regular operating expenses, such as payroll and benefits, utilities, rent, and insurance. Details and application at vermont artscouncil.org. Deadline: February 28. Online. Info, 402-4409.

‘MAGENTA!’: Our first show of 2023 will be an electrifying display of the color magenta. Named the color of the year by Pantone, the hue exudes bravery, energy, joy and optimism. All mediums and subject matters will be considered, as long as they feature this fearless color. Deadline: January 15. Entry guidelines and form at sparrow-art-supply.square. site. Sparrow Art Supply, Middlebury. Free to enter; $10 if accepted. Info, info@ sparrowartsupply.com.

all ages working in all mediums. Through March 10. Info, spacegalleryvt@gmail.com. The Soda Plant in Burlington.

‘PROCESS’: A capstone exhibition of seniors in graphic design and visual communication at the college. Through January 30. Info, 865-8990. Champlain College Art Gallery in Burlington.

‘SMALL WORKS’: An exhibition of works 12 inches or smaller in a variety of mediums by local artists. Through January 27. Info, spacegalleryvt@gmail. com. The S.P.A.C.E. Gallery in Burlington.

VANESSA COMPTON: “Come to Marlboro Country,” a solo exhibition of mixed-media collages that explore the challenges of reconciling personal narratives with collective histories of privilege, colonialism and racism. Through January 21. Info, 324-0014. Soapbox Arts in Burlington.

chittenden county

‘ABENAKI CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE VERMONT COMMUNITY’: A series of murals designed by Scott Silverstein in consultation with Abenaki artists Lisa Ainsworth Plourde and Vera Longtoe Sheehan and members of Richmond Racial Equity; the 10 panels celebrate the Abenaki origins of practices still important to Vermont culture. Through May 31. Info, radiate.art.space@gmail.com. Richmond Town Hall.

‘ONE + ONE IS MORE THAN TWO’: This show is about multiple artworks by an artist that relate to each other as a group, in some cases using repetition of pattern, form, shape, color and comparative imagery. Show dates: May 10 to June 24. Deadline: March 25. Details at studioplacearts.com. Studio Place Arts, Barre. $10; free for SPA members. Info, submissions.studioplacearts@ gmail.com.

‘PARENTHOOD’: Parenthood is a constantly changing state of being as a child grows older and life becomes more complex. Along the way are moments of bafflement, intense love, rage, hurt. We seek images of those moments for a March exhibition. Juror: Rebecca Senf. Deadline: January 16. PhotoPlace Gallery, Middlebury. $39 for first five images; $6 for each additional image. Info, photos@photoplacegallery. com.

SEEKING INSTALLATION ARTIST: Are you a video/media artist in New Hampshire or Vermont? Want your work on display for the month of February at our film and media-makers space in the heart of downtown White River Junction? Get in touch and let us know your ideas. We offer a $250 artist stipend, publicity and installation support, and the opportunity to sell your work. It is encouraged but not mandatory that work fit our February theme, “Radical Love.” Junction Arts & Media, White River Junction. Through January 11. Free. Info, 295-6688.

‘SPARK!’: The Birds of Vermont Museum’s 2023 art show seeks works that tell the story of your spark as it relates to birds, birding, conservation, science, art, love or something else. Up to three works of art in almost any media, by new or returning artists of any age, may be submitted. Details at birdsofvermont.org. Deadline: March 20. Online. Info, museum@birdsofvermont.org.

VERMONT

STUDENT WILDLIFE ART

CONTEST: The second annual contest and exhibition is open to all Vermont students in grades 7 to 12. The top 40 entries will be exhibited at the Highland Center for the Arts in Greensboro; 10 of those will be awarded cash prizes. Details and application at vtwildlifeeducationfund. org. Deadline: March 17. Online.

VERMONT WATERCOLOR SOCIETY: Members are invited to submit works on the theme of “Emergence” for a juried spring exhibition at the Emile A. Gruppe Gallery. Nonmembers may join the association and submit, as well. Details and entry form at vtwatercolor.org. Deadline: February 28. Online. Info, 673-8087.

‘WHAT MAKES A LAKE?’: Another Earth is seeking submissions from Vermont artists and current or former residents of photography, cyanotypes, drawings, writing, video stills, field recordings and historical images that are in some way connected to Lake Champlain. Those accepted will be included in a visual guide to what makes a lake, published in spring 2023. Details and submission instructions at another-earth. com. Online. Through January 31. Info, anotherearthsubmis sions@gmail.com.

‘THE WONDER OF LIGHT’: The gallery is soliciting artwork for a February exhibit that depicts the strong influence of light: highlights, shadow, dramatic effects, mood. Any medium is acceptable. Interested artists can submit two images for consideration at melmelts@ yahoo.com. Deadline: January 30. The Satellite Gallery, Lyndonville. $20.

ART AT THE AIRPORT: Oil paintings of cows by Stephanie Bush and hand-cut paper scenes from the natural world by Adrienne Ginter. Skywalk corridor. Through March 15. Info, 865-7296. Burlington International Airport in South Burlington.

BRECCA LOH & KRISTINA PENTEK: Abstracted landscape paintings and color photographs, respectively. Curated by Burlington City Arts. Through February 14. Info, 865-7296. Pierson Library in Shelburne.

‘OUR COLLECTION: ELECTRA HAVEMEYER

WEBB, EDITH HALPERT AND FOLK ART’: A virtual exhibition that celebrates the friendship between the museum founder and her longtime art dealer, featuring archival photographs and ephemera, a voice recording from Halpert, and quotations pulled from the women’s extensive correspondences. Through February 9. Info, 985-3346. Shelburne Museum.

PAUL VAN DE GRAAF & GERRY DAVIS: An exhibition of photographic portraits using a modern digital camera and 8-by-10-inch Deardorff film camera, respectively. Through January 28. Info, 846-4140. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall.

‘SILVER GLOW’: An annual winter exhibit featuring the works of 12 regional artists. Through January 31. Info, 985-3848. Furchgott Sourdiffe Gallery in Shelburne.

‘WELCOME BLANKET’: A collection of quilted, crocheted and knitted blankets handmade by community members to be gifted to new American neighbors. Immigration stories and welcoming messages from the makers are also on display. Through February 23. Info, 355-9937. Heritage Winooski Mill Museum.

barre/montpelier

2022 AUDUBON PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS

TRAVELING EXHIBITION: Images of birds by photographers in the U.S. and Canada. Through January 18. Info, 262-6035. T.W. Wood Gallery in Montpelier.

HEIDI COMJEAN: Playful, nature-inspired folk art. Through February 9. Info, 225-6232. Filling Station in Middlesex.

MEMBERS SHOWCASE: An exhibition of artworks by Karen Schaefer, Preya Holland, Paul Markowtz, JC Wayne and others. Through January 31. Info, info@ cal-vt.org. Center for Arts and Learning in Montpelier.

RICHARD MOORE: “Urban Revision,” digital inkjet prints on birch bark. Artist’s talk: Thursday, January 12, 6:30 p.m. Through January 29. Info, 603-4910943. The Front in Montpelier.

WAYA USDI: Digital art, pen and ink and painting. Through February 13. Info, 479-0896. Espresso Bueno in Barre.

Find your best self this year when you unwind at The Spa at Topnotch. Truly relax with a massage, facial, salon service and simply sitting poolside. Or get in shape with fitness classes or a round of tennis.

Either way, you deserve nothing less than Topnotch.

stowe/smuggs

ANDREA PEARLMAN: “Two Thousand Light Years From Home,” abstract oil paintings, drawings and hooked rugs that express plastic space, volume and movement. Through January 26. Info, 635-2727. Red Mill Gallery, Vermont Studio Center, in Johnson.

MARYA LOWE: “Scattered Cohesion,” contemporary wall quilts and textiles by the Vermont artist. Through January 14. Info, 646-519-1781. Minema Gallery in Johnson.

SCOTT LENHARDT: An exhibition of graphic designs for Burton Snowboards created since 1994 by the Vermont native. Through October 31. Info, 253-9911. Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum in Stowe.

mad river valley/waterbury

KIMBERLY HARGIS: “Close to Home: Photography From a 30-Mile Radius,” images from the natural world and human community around Thetford, Vt. Reception: Friday, January 20, 6-8 p.m. Through March 31. Info, 244-7801. Axel’s Frame Shop & Gallery in Waterbury.

middlebury area

FROBERTAN (FRAN BULL AND ROBERT BLACK): “We’re All at a Party Called Life on Earth,” a carnivalesque art installation of painted sculptures that celebrates humanity, harmony and diversity. Through February 18. Info, 382-9222. Jackson Gallery, Town Hall Theater, in Middlebury.

A MERRY LITTLE MARKET: A maker market featuring fine artwork, pottery, candles, jewelry and more by local artisans, plus handcrafted ornaments and holiday cards. Through January 14. Info, 989-7225. Sparrow Art Supply in Middlebury.

‘PORTRAIT: SELF AND OTHERS’: A group exhibition of portrait photography juried by Aline Smithson. Through January 20. Info, photos@photoplacegallery. com. PhotoPlace Gallery in Middlebury.

SARA KATZ: “Inner Landscapes,” new abstract paintings that explore botanical forms. Through January 31. Info, 458-0098. Edgewater Gallery at the Falls in Middlebury.

‘SOLACE’: Artworks by Anne Cady, Bonnie Baird, Jessica Parker Foley, Chelsea Granger, Julia Jensen, Hannah Sessions, Pamela Smith, Susanne Strater and Carla Weeks that respond to the question, “What do you turn to?” Through January 31. Info, 877-2173. Northern Daughters in Vergennes.

rutland/killington

JUST IMAGINE: A HOLIDAY GIVING MARKET: Handcrafted wares including pottery, stained glass, jewelry, photography, ornaments, dolls, and original works by more than 30 Vermont artists. Through January 29. Info, 247-4956. Brandon Artists Guild.

upper valley

ABRAHAM DUNNE: “Finds on a Hartland Farm,” relics compiled by the Sharon Academy first-year. Through March 31. Info, info@mainstreetmuseum.org. Main Street Museum in White River Junction.

‘I NEVER SAW IT THAT WAY: EXPLORING SCIENCE THROUGH ART: This self-curated exhibition of mixed-media works by artists, sculptors, photographers and crafters on the museum staff considers science from fresh perspectives. Through January 31. Info, 649-2200. Montshire Museum of Science in Norwich.

KATIE ROBERTS: Artworks in a variety of mediums by the nature artist, who is inspired by plants, animals and weather. Through February 28. Info, 359-5000. Vermont Institute of Natural Science in Quechee.

MEMBERS HOLIDAY PRINT SHOW: Prints by studio members, original prints on handmade greeting cards, and small matted prints for sale. Also online at tworiversprintmaking.org. Through January 30. Info, 295-5901. Two Rivers Printmaking Studio in White River Junction.

RICH FEDORCHAK: “Other Worlds,” mixed-media collage and video art that explores a utopian future and the role of art in healing the violence of the 21st century. Through January 31. Info, 295-6688.

Junction Arts & Media in White River Junction.

northeast kingdom

‘COMING CLEAN’: An exhibition that considers bathing practices throughout time and across cultures, including religious immersion and ritual purification, bathing as health cure, methods of washing in extreme environments, and much more. All kinds of bathing and scrubbing implements are on display. Through April 30. Info, 626-4409. The Museum of Everyday Life in Glover.

LARRY GOLDEN: “Larger Than Life,” nude figure studies by the Northeast Kingdom artist and educator. Hanging mosaic lamps by Mary Tapogna highlight the work. Info, 229-8317. The Satellite Gallery in Lyndonville.

OPEN AIR GALLERY: Outdoor sculptures by 14 area artists line a 1.8-mile trail open to cross-country skiers and snowshoers. Through March 26. Free. Info, 533-2000. Highland Center for the Arts in Greensboro.

VICTORIA MATHEISEN: Recent landscape paintings in oil. Through March 8. Info, 525-3366. The Parker Pie Company in West Glover.

brattleboro/okemo valley

‘WE FEEL OUR WAY THROUGH WHEN WE DON’T KNOW’: A group exhibition of works by Mariel Capanna, Oscar Rene Cornejo, Cheeny Celebrado-Royer, Vessna Scheff, Gerald Euhon Sheffield II and Lachell Workman, guest-curated by Michael Jevon Demps, that address themes of community, memory, dissonance, displacement, intimacy and loss. Through February 12. ALISON MORITSUGU: “Moons and Internment Stones,” watercolor paintings of rocks gathered by the artist’s grandfather while he was imprisoned at the Santa Fe Internment Camp during World War II paired with oil paintings of the moon. Through February 12. JUDITH KLAUSNER: “(De)composed,” sculptures of objects usually considered ruined, meticulously crafted from a child’s modeling medium, expressing a reevaluation of the underappreciated. Through March 4. MADGE EVERS: “The New Herbarium,” works on paper using mushroom spores and plant matter as artistic mediums. Through February 12. OASA DUVERNEY: “Black Power Wave,” a window installation of drawings by the Brooklyn artist, inspired by images of Chinese Fu dogs, the cross and the Yoruba deity Èsù. Through May 6. RENATE ALLER: “The Space Between Memory and Expectation,” an immersive installation of large-format photographs of mountains, glaciers, trees, ocean and other natural landscapes, plus an assemblage of lichen-covered rocks from the West Brattleboro home of artists Wolf Kahn and Emily Mason. Through February 12. Info, 257-0124. Brattleboro Museum & Art Center. ‘IN AWE, COEXISTENCE AND MINDFULNESS OF LIFE’: An exhibition of paintings by Vermont artists Judy Hawkins, Carol Keiser and MC Noyes. Reception: Friday, January 20, 5-7 p.m Through February 11. Info, artinfo@canalstreetartgallery.com. Canal Street Art Gallery in Bellows Falls.

‘SNOW SHOW’: Paintings in a winter theme by eight artists in the Hall collection. Through February 26. Info, info@hallartfoundation.org. Hall Art Foundation in Reading.

manchester/bennington

GAIL WINBURY: “The Girl Who Drew Memories,” large-scale abstract paintings and collage. Through February 25. Info, 367-1311. Southern Vermont Arts Center in Manchester.

randolph/royalton

VERMONT ARTISTS GROUP SHOW: Thirteen featured artists present paintings, drawings, photography, basketry and more. Through January 29. Info, artetcvt@gmail.com. ART, etc. in Randolph.

online

‘ACTION FIGURES: OBJECTS IN MOTION’: A virtual exhibition from the Shelburne Museum that explores the theme of movement and action in art. Through April 30. Free. Info, 985-3346.

‘PRIDE 1983’: Castleton University Bank Gallery presents an online exhibition of photographs and other documents from Vermont’s first Pride March on June 25, 1983, in Burlington; organized by the Vermont Folklife Center and Pride Center of Vermont . Through January 15. Info, 1-800-639-8521. Online.

outside vermont

‘DIANE ARBUS: PHOTOGRAPHS, 1956-1971’: Nearly 100 black-and-white prints shot by the late American photographer primarily around New York City. Through January 29. ‘SEEING LOUD: BASQUIAT AND MUSIC’: The first large-scale multimedia exhibition devoted to the role of music in the work of the innovative American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, organized in collaboration with the Philharmonie de Paris museum. Through February 19. ‘VIEWS OF WITHIN: PICTURING THE SPACES WE INHABIT’: More than 60 paintings, photographs, prints, installations and textile works from the museum’s collection that present one or more evocations of interior space. Through June 30. SHARY BOYLE: “Outside the Palace of Me,” a multisensory exhibition that explores how identity and personality are constructed in the age of social media. Through January 15. Info, 514-2852000. Montréal Museum of Fine Arts.

NELSON HENRICKS: Immersive video installations by the Montréal artist in which visual and sound editing create a musical dynamic, and which explore subjects from the history of art and culture. Through April 10. Info, 514-847-6226. Montréal Museum of Contemporary Art.

PARK DAE SUNG: “Ink Reimagined,” 23 ink paintings, some on view for the first time in the U.S., by the renowned Korean artist; curated by Sunglim Kim, Dartmouth College associate professor of art history. Through March 19. Info, 603-646-3661. Hood Museum, Dartmouth College, in Hanover, N.H. ➆

ACME GLASS

ACLU OF VERMONT

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music+nightlife

S UNDbites

News and views on the local music + nightlife scene

BY CHRIS FARNSWORTH

We Do, in Fact, Need Some Education

Something happens when you play an instrument for a while. Eventually, friends, family and even loose acquaintances will ask you to teach them how to play it. It makes sense in a way. When I see someone on “The Great British Baking Show” make some kind of mind-boggling cake, I feel an inclination to ask my much more culinarily inclined partner to show me how the bakers managed to make fondant look like Winston Churchill’s jowls.

I almost always restrain myself, however. For one, no one wants to eat a cake I bake, trust me. Second, I’ve learned that possessing a skill and being able to teach that skill are two very di erent things. Passing on musical knowledge is no easy feat, which makes it that much more important to bring students together with teachers capable of helping them realize their goals.

Enter Learning to Fly, a music education program designed by the nonprofit Friends for A_Dog Foundation and the Burlington Music Dojo. Now in its third year, the program provides funding for up to 24 students to take music lessons over the course of four

years at the Burlington Music Dojo. The program also assists students with procuring instruments.

organizations, the fan-founded nonprofit Mockingbird Foundation and the band’s own charitable wing, the WaterWheel Foundation. The orgs each awarded $10,000 to get Learning to Fly up and running.

It’s always a little bittersweet for me when I see all the incredible e orts folks like Remillard and Bedrosian and these foundations make to provide access to music education for our youth. While a recent study by the Arts Education Data Project reported that U.S. public school students still have broad access to music and arts programs, it also revealed that there are more than 3 million students without those opportunities.

So, cheers to the folks behind the Learning to Fly program for fighting the good fight.

Electronic Birthdays

It’s hard to believe, but Sunday Night Mass has been kicking it for a quarter of a century. The Burlington-based electronic music showcase that started in 1998 has become an institution at Club Metronome and brings in a wide array of international and local talent.

is to create new inroads for young people to learn — especially the kind of one-onone education they can receive at the Music Dojo.

“The larger the class, the less personal attention a student gets,” the Burlingtonbased musician and instructor wrote.

While it’s undergone changes over the years, the series heads into 2023 as strong as ever, with organizers NEXUS ARTIST MANAGEMENT putting on electronic music showcases on Friday and Saturday nights, as well.

Remillard

It’s a cause near and dear to both founders of the program, Friends for A_Dog Foundation board member JUSTIN REMILLARD and bassist and cofounder of the Burlington Music Dojo ARAM BEDROSIAN. For Remillard, it’s another way to honor his late friend, Burlington turntable legend ANDY “A_DOG” WILLIAMS.

“Although Andy was best known as an incredible DJ and world-class skater,” wrote Remillard in an email to Seven Days, “it was Andy’s love for bass guitar and making his first mixtapes in high school that served as a catalyst to his creative musical path.”

With music education in public schools a perennial target of budget cuts, Bedrosian knows just how important it

“At these formative ages, the scope of the impact that a private music lesson can make on a child’s life is immeasurable.”

The Learning to Fly program is accepting applications through February 10. Winners are announced on March 6, and lessons begin in April. All students in grades 6 through 12 who are able to arrange for transportation to the Music Dojo (or their preferred lesson destination) are encouraged to apply at friendsforadog. org.

The program is made possible by grants from two PHISH-adjacent

According to founder Justin Remillard (there he is again!), Nexus is pulling out all the stops for Sunday Night Mass’ silver anniversary.

“To mark this special occasion, we’ll be producing showcases throughout the year, highlighting the work of local, regional, national and international electronic music producers, DJ’s, labels and live performances,” Remillard wrote in the event’s press release. “Sunday Night Mass is the longest running electronic music event in New England; there is a lot of history and a powerful legacy to celebrate!”

The shows start with a doozy: Chicago legend DJ HEATHER. A staple of the house music scene for the past 20 years, DJ Heather is a master on the decks who has toured all over the world, even bumping up against KANYE WEST and BILLY CORGAN in a 2008 ranking of Chicago’s most influential artists.

She makes her Vermont debut at Club Metronome on Sunday, January 15, as part of a loaded bill that includes locals CRAIG MITCHELL, ELLIOTT MATOS, D-LAV, JUSTIN

Justin

Aram Bedrosian

It all kicks off a yearlong celebration of Sunday Night Mass: Every Nexus show of 2023 will shout out 25 years of huge beats and great nights. Be sure to check them out, not only because the series has become a big part of Burlington’s music history but also because Nexus is still booking absolute bangers for its events. Happy anniversary, Sunday Night Mass. Here’s to many more!

Fare Thee Well

In a music scene the size of Burlington, it’s always a little strange to find out you don’t know someone. Despite being a musician in this city for more than 20 years, I never met MARK RANSOM. Sure, I saw him play plenty of times, usually with the CHROME COWBOYS or at one of the Honky Tonk Tuesday shows at Radio Bean, but, like so many other great Burlington players, the guy was in about 100 other bands, too. From an outsider’s view, he was a hell of a bassist and seemed like a genuinely cool dude with one of the gnarliest-looking Fender jazz basses I’d ever seen.

Sadly, now I’ll never have the chance to meet him. Ransom, 72, died on December 27 due to complications from throat cancer treatments.

The sorrow expressed by many local musicians right now tells me that, for those who knew him, Ransom was much more than a great bassist. In the past few weeks, many have shared stories and pictures on social media, including a shot of Ransom playing bass with CHUCK BERRY

Burlington is a music scene with a long memory, especially for people who have given it a lot. We haven’t forgotten the N-ZONES. We haven’t forgotten the X-RAYS or MANGO JAM or BARBACOA or any of the other bands Ransom played with in his long career. And we certainly won’t forget someone who left the Queen City with so many memories and so much great music.

A memorial concert is planned for April 6 at Higher Ground in South Burlington. I’ll write more about Ransom’s life and career before the show. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that all donations be made to Big Heavy World at bigheavyworld. com/donate.

Farewell, Mark.

New Single Alert

Brattleboro synth-pop act DUTCH EXPERTS have released a debut single titled “Morrígu.” The project of vocalist and keyboardist HANNAH HOFFMAN, formerly of the band DUNE HUNTER, Dutch Experts dwell solidly in the ethereal, darkly romantic sounds of KATE BUSH and the COCTEAU TWINS

“Morrígu,” named for the Celtic goddess of war and death, is a throwback to ’80s new-wave bangers, with Hoffman’s almost crystalline vocals floating above a bed of synths and an 808 beat. That icy aesthetic makes the tune perfect for a neonlit dance floor full of goths.

The single kicks off what should be a busy

2023 for Hoffman and her project. The debut Dutch Experts EP is expected to drop in February, followed by a tour. You can listen to “Morrígu” at dutchexperts.bandcamp.com. ➆

Mark Ransom

Hannah Hoffman

CLUB DATES music+nightlife

live music

WED.11

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

Blues Jam with Nobby Reed (blues) at Twiggs — An American Gastropub, St. Albans, 7 p.m. Free.

Dave Lovald (jazz) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m. Free.

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

Jazz Sessions with Randal Pierce (jazz open mic) at the 126, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. Free.

Live Jazz (jazz) at Leunig’s Bistro & Café, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Pickin’ Party with Joe Agnello (bluegrass) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

Wednesday Night Dead (Grateful Dead covers) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. $5.

THU.12

Alex Stewart Quartet and Special Guests (jazz) at the 126, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

AliT (singer-songwriter) at Filling Station, Middlesex, 6 p.m. Free.

Avery Cooper (jazz) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

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

The Fabulous Wrecks (folk) at Black Flannel Brewing & Distilling, Essex, 6 p.m. Free.

Grace Palmer and Socializing for Introverts (rock) at Red Square, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

Nancy Smith & Friends (singersongwriter) at Hugo’s Bar and Grill, Montpelier, 7 p.m. Free.

Point of Order (rock) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m. Free.

Zach Nugent and Dead Set (Grateful Dead tribute) at Pickle Barrel Nightclub, Killington, 8 p.m. Free.

FRI.13

Black Artist Showcase (DJ) at the Venetian Soda Lounge, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

D Davis & Friends (folk) at Hugo’s Bar and Grill, Montpelier, 7 p.m. Free.

Dan Parks with Mark Steffenhagen (singer-songwriter) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 5 p.m. Free.

Danny & the Parts (Americana) at Red Square, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

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

David Karl Roberts (singersongwriter) at Stone Corral, Richmond, 7 p.m. Free.

A Day Without Love, Autumn Hollow (roots rock) at Charlie-O’s World Famous, Montpelier, 6 p.m. Free.

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

TUE.17

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

Dead Set (Grateful Dead tribute) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 7 p.m. $10.

Patrick J Crowley (singersongwriter) at Lawson’s Finest Liquids, Waitsfield, 5 p.m. Free.

The Soda Jerk Variety Show (variety show) at the Venetian Soda Lounge, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

WED.18

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

Dark Star Project (Grateful Dead tribute) at Moogs Joint, Johnson, 9 p.m. $10.

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

Clean

REGAN is something of a throwback comedian. Eschewing politics and even profanity, Regan’s sets focus on the absurdity of everyday life, often with a dose of self-deprecation and general bafflement. Unlike so many other standups of his stature, Regan doesn’t boast a lengthy film résumé. Yet his dedication to the craft has made him a comedian’s comedian, with no less a luminary than Jerry Seinfeld calling Regan one of his favorite performers. Regan rolls through Burlington this Thursday, January 12, on the Flynn Main Stage.

Dylan Patrick Ward, Johnny Gifford, Trevor Robinson (indie folk) at the Underground, Randolph, 8 p.m. $15.

The Four Horsemen: Ultimate Tribute to Metallica (tribute) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 8:30 p.m. $25/$29.

Honey & Soul, the Delta Sweet Duo (indie folk) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

JD Tolstoi (funk) at Taps Tavern, Poultney, 6 p.m. Free.

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

Justin LaPoint (singersongwriter) at Stone’s Throw Pizza, Richmond, 6 p.m. Free.

Kippincoe (acoustic) at the Tap Room at Switchback Brewing, Burlington, 5 p.m. Free.

Larkspurs (folk) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 4 p.m. Free.

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

Mark Legrand & Sarah Munro, Stabilizers (singer-songwriter, rock) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 7 p.m. Free.

Night Anthem (covers) at Pickle Barrel Nightclub, Killington, 8 p.m. Free.

Phantom Airwave (funk) at the Old Post, South Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

Shane McGrath (singersongwriter) at Gusto’s, Barre, 6 p.m. Free.

Shane Murley Band (Americana) at Jericho Café & Tavern, 7:30 p.m. Free.

TPR with the Daily Deadlies (rock) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 10 p.m. Free.

SAT.14

Austin & the Inlaws (country) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 10 p.m. Free.

Dalton & the Sheriffs (country) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 8 p.m. $15/$18.

The Edd, the Hot Chockeys (jam) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 8 p.m. $10.

Jaded Ravins (Americana) at Hugo’s Bar and Grill, Montpelier, 7 p.m. Free.

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

Left Eye Jump (blues) at Red Square, Burlington, 2 p.m. Free.

Mal Maiz & Afro-Latino Orchestra (funk) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 8 p.m. $10.

Moondust & Chemtrails (hard rock) at Charlie-O’s World Famous, Montpelier, 9:30 p.m. Free.

The New Old Vermonters (bluegrass) at Jericho Café & Tavern, 7:30 p.m. Free.

Night Anthem (covers) at Pickle Barrel Nightclub, Killington, 8 p.m. Free.

NightHawk (rock) at 14th Star Brewing, St. Albans, 6 p.m. Free.

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

Randal Pierce (jazz) at the Venetian Soda Lounge, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

Roach River & the Hair Shack (jam) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m. Free.

The Rough Suspects (rock) at Red Square, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

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

Something Reckless (rock) at Gusto’s, Barre, 9 p.m. Free.

Zack Dupont and Matt DeLuca (singer-songwriter) at Stone Corral, Richmond, 7 p.m. Free.

Zoe Sparks, Lazy Bird (funk, jam) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 8 p.m. $5.

SUN.15

’80s Night with Mullett (covers) at Pickle Barrel Nightclub, Killington, 8 p.m. Free.

Django Soulo (singer-songwriter) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 1 p.m. Free.

Pat Guadagno & the Candle Brothers (singer-songwriter) at Moogs Joint, Johnson, 6 p.m. Free.

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

Jazz Sessions with Randal Pierce (jazz open mic) at the 126, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. Free.

Live Jazz (jazz) at Leunig’s Bistro & Café, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free. RRRC (funk, jam) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 7 p.m. $10/$20.

Sarah Bell (folk) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m. Free.

Wednesday Night Dead (Grateful Dead covers) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. $5.

djs

THU.12

DJ Chaston (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 11 p.m. Free.

DJ Two Sev (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, midnight. Free.

Guest Selector: DJ Cre8 (DJ) at Paradiso Hi-Fi Lounge, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

Mi Yard Reggae Night with DJ Big Dog (reggae and dancehall) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 9:30 p.m. Free.

Molly Mood (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.

Vinyl Night with Ken (DJ) at Taps Tavern, Poultney, 6 p.m. Free.

Vinyl Thursdays (DJ) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 5 p.m. Free.

FRI.13

DJ Craig Mitchell (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

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

Sunday Night Jazz with Steve Goldberg & Friends (jazz) at Butter Bar and Kitchen, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Mr.

Having made his television debut on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” in 1991, BRIAN

THU.12 // BRIAN REGAN [COMEDY]

Please contact event organizers about vaccination and mask requirements.

COURTESY OF LEAVITT WELLS

DJ LaFountaine (DJ) at Gusto’s, Barre, 9 p.m. Free.

Guest Selector: Ryan Forde (DJ) at Paradiso Hi-Fi Lounge, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

Nice Up! with DJ C-Low & JP Black (DJ) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

SAT.14

DJ A-Ra$ (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, midnight. Free.

DJ Raul (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

DJ Rice Pilaf (DJ) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, noon. Free. Matt Payne (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.

Molly Mood (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.

SUN.15

Sunday Night Mass with DJ Heather, Craig Mitchell, Elliott Matos, D-Lav, Justin R.E.M., Justin Almond (DJ) at Club Metronome, Burlington, 8 p.m. $22.

MON.16

Guest Selector: Greg Davis (DJ) at Paradiso Hi-Fi Lounge, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

TUE.17

Local Dork (DJ) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

open mics & jams

WED.11

Open Mic (open mic) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 10 p.m. Free.

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

THU.12

Open Mic (open mic) at Whammy Bar, Calais, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Open Mic (open mic) at Orlando’s Bar & Lounge, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. Free.

Open Mic Night (open mic) at the Parker Pie, West Glover, 6:30 p.m. Free.

SUN.15

Open Mic Night with Justin at Charlie-O’s World Famous, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m.

WED.18

Open Mic (open mic) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 10 p.m. Free.

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

comedy

WED.11

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

Weird & Niche (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. $5.

THU.12

Brian Regan (comedy) at the Flynn Main Stage, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $42.50 - $69.25.

Comedy For a Cause (comedy, fundraiser) at Twiggs — An American Gastropub, St. Albans, 7 p.m. $30.

Mothra! A Storytelling/ Improv Comedy Show (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

Natalie Cuomo & Dan LaMorte (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. $10.

FRI.13

Monroe Martin (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 & 9 p.m. $25.

SAT.14

Monroe Martin (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 & 9 p.m. $25.

TUE.17

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

WED.18

BFC Comedy Fundraiser (comedy, fundraiser) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. $20.

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

Whale Tales: An Evening of Comedic Storytelling (comedy) at Club Metronome, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

trivia, karaoke, etc.

WED.11

Trivia Night (trivia) at Stone Corral, Richmond, 7 p.m. Free.

THU.12

Karaoke Night (karaoke) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. Free.

Trivia & Nachos (trivia) at Four Quarters Brewing, Winooski, 6 p.m. Free.

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

Trivia Thursday (trivia) at Spanked Puppy Pub, Colchester, 7 p.m. Free.

SUN.15

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

MON.16

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

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

TUE.17

Karaoke with DJ Party Bear (karaoke) at Charlie-O’s World Famous, Montpelier, 9:30 p.m. Free.

Lip Synch Battle (lip synch) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m. Free.

Trivia Night (trivia) at the Depot, St. Albans, 7 p.m. Free.

Tuesday Night Trivia (trivia) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

WED.18

Trivia Night (trivia) at Stone Corral, Richmond, 7 p.m. Free. ➆

Jack Cattabiani, Rousseau

(SELF-RELEASED, DIGITAL)

There’s no right way to make a breakup album. Heartbreak is one of the chief inspirations in songwriting, and however musicians transcribe that pain, the music is about the end result. As listeners, we want the sorrow, the regret, the anger; we want to hear someone sing the things we couldn’t say in real life to someone who broke our heart.

Burlington-based singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Jack Cattabiani decided to process his heartache by isolating himself in a

thayerperiod, Would You Trade Your Hands for Wings?

(SELF-RELEASED, DIGITAL)

At every overpriced, multistage music festival in the world, there is a point somewhere on those sprawling, littercovered grounds where you can stand and hear every act on every stage at the same time. The e ect is jarring, disorienting and very much like the cacophony heard on the latest album from Burlington bedroom pop/EDM wizard thayerperiod.

Would You Trade Your Hands for Wings? is both an inspiring and an exhausting listening experience. All the indulgences that shaped thayerperiod’s 2021 project,

cabin in the Vermont woods for four days. With not a single note written, Cattabiani spent the following 96 or so hours composing and recording all four songs on his new EP, Rousseau

It’s actually the second time Cattabiani, who plays bass with Middlebury funk-jazzjam band the Big Sip, sequestered himself to make a record on the fly. 2021’s Owl’s Head also featured four songs written and recorded in four days, and Cattabiani laid down every note of the music himself. Both EPs reflect his wide-ranging talents as a player and songwriter, but there’s a vulnerability to the songs on Rousseau that gives his latest e ort an edge.

Opener “Your Breath” is a breezy, summery jazz tune, with layers of

stacked vocals and Cattabiani’s bobbing and weaving bass line underpinning the song. A guitar figure reminiscent of Stan Getz’s “The Girl From Ipanema” gives the tune an e ortlessly cool vibe, even as Cattabiani croons about distance growing between lovers.

“Motions” leans into nightclub jazz as Cattabiani sings a hushed vocal over Latin-influenced percussion and a dark, minor-key progression. “Take myself through the motions just to make it through / It’s all I can do / It’s sad but it’s true,” he laments. It’s as if heartache had frozen him in stasis emotionally and he’s staring at the end of a relationship like a motorist who can’t rip his eyes from a crash on the highway.

Things lighten up marginally on “Want It All.” Cattabiani’s voice has a subdued, warm nature that conveys a tender aesthetic in which his songs dwell snugly. The sounds on Rousseau are soft and comforting, operating as a

sonic blanket for those left in the cold by the loss of love. Even in jammier moments, Cattabiani keeps a tight leash, reining in flourishes quickly and only giving glimpses of his prodigious chops.

While his new EP doesn’t exactly have the venom of something like Marvin Gaye’s bitter divorce record, Here, My Dear, Cattabiani does end it on a more jagged note. On “Dream of You,” he lets his ex know that, despite all the pain, he still dreams of them every night. But are they good dreams? And, if so, can they alleviate the broken heart?

“Hope I never have to see you again,” he sings toward the end of the EP. But he wonders a few lines later if they perhaps still think of him. And isn’t that the true essence of a breakup record? “Fuck you. I miss you.”

Rousseau is available on Spotify and Apple Music.

CHRIS FARNSWORTH

Sheep in Wolf’s Clothes, are pushed even further: the solid walls of carefully sequenced synthesizers and samples, the dive-bombing dubstep and glitch breaks crashing in out of nowhere and, most especially, the war on conventional song structure.

Yet this is hardly outsider art. It is straight-up pop music, even if the earworms are often buried beneath a billion plug-in e ects. The album only grows more compelling as it progresses, because thayerperiod’s audacious sonic experiments are grounded in his mastery of craft.

Over the past few years, thayerperiod has amassed an online following for both his music and his prolific video content exploring the intricacies of music production and sound design. For most artists, the digital audio workstation is

only a means to an end, but for him, it’s a musical instrument.

Would You Trade Your Hands for Wings? is thayerperiod’s most virtuoso performance so far, stu ed with more ideas than most artists muster in entire careers. The prescription amphetamine pace with which he aims and fires those ideas at the listener will, no question, alienate those with less adventurous ears. Such is art.

What stands out the most in this album is thayerperiod’s growing confidence in the oldest of instruments: his own voice. The young polymath is blessed with a perfect set of pipes for emo lamentations and places his vocals front and center more often.

The result is his most human album yet. That human is peaking on boutique psychedelic drugs in a video game arcade, surely, but thayerperiod’s songwriting has matured considerably over the past year. He is evoking feelings and ideas rather than simply

stating them. “Ode to Summer” and “Tourniquet” are both cinematic standouts, conjuring powerful images with remarkably few words.

That said, the music itself remains uncompromising, almost confrontational. Opener “Selfless Savior” is pure vertigo, alternating bursts of white noise, gothic organs and the skeleton of a synth-pop single. “Powerless” and “Hand Drum” would be catchy, full-on summer jams in less ambitious hands, but thayerperiod deconstructs them into, well, something like Aphex Twin and Death Grips having a jam session with Sean Lennon.

If you’re ready for all that, my friends, this album is a rare treat. In the neon wastelands where half a dozen genres collide, thayerperiod is carving out a sound all his own, and it’s some of the most wildly creative music coming out of Vermont.

Would You Trade Your Hands for Wings? is available on Soundcloud and Spotify.

JUSTIN BOLAND

in...

Now hear this!

Seven Days is now recording select stories from the weekly newspaper for your listening pleasure.

Listen to these stories today:

A Call-Taker Advises the Anxious During a Shift on Vermont's Suicide-Prevention Hotline

A Soccer Fan Tries to Enjoy a World Cup With Blood on Its Hands

Suresh Garimella Has Helped UVM Emerge Stronger From the Pandemic. But Who Is He, Anyway?

Life Stories: Musician Pete Sutherland Was a ‘Unifying Force’

Book Review: ‘The New Power Elite,’ Heather Gautney

How Family-Owned Vermont Rail System Became the Little Economic Engine That Could

A Burlington Chef with Abenaki Heritage Makes His Own Harvest Meal

Med School Students Say Dissecting Donated Bodies Provides Lessons Beyond Anatomy

Berlin Cop Who Murdered His Ex Previously Spoke of Killing Her, Colleague Says

With a Surge of Skiers, Stowe Struggles to Manage Traffic Jams and Parking Woes

Indoor Fun and Games Go Beyond Bowling at Colchester’s Refurbished Spare Time

Warning Shots: Burlington’s Immigrant Community Seeks Solutions to the Gun Violence That Is Claiming Youths

Essay: A Standup Comic Riffs on Grief and Comedy

Life Stories: Willem Jewett ‘Was a Real Doer’

Nicholas Languerand’s Quest for ‘Belonging’ Led Him to QAnon, the Insurrection — and Now Prison

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on screen

White Noise

Don DeLillo’s White Noise was the book of the moment when it was published in 1985 — a postmodern satire that skewered the blithe consumerism of the era, wrapped up in the story of an all-American family weathering a disaster. Now, nearly 40 years later, the novel has a screen adaptation from Noah Baumbach, who’s shown his skill at depicting screwed-up family dynamics in films such as The Squid and the Whale and The Meyerowitz Stories Is White Noise (released on Netfl ix on December 30) still timely enough to be worth a watch? Or has its moment passed?

The deal

Jack Gladney (Adam Driver) is living his best life as a professor of “Hitler studies” at the College on the Hill. Never mind that he can barely speak German; students find his operatic lectures on the Third Reich riveting. At home, he and his vivacious wife, Babette (Greta Gerwig), have four precocious kids from their various marriages. Their oldest daughter (Ra ey Cassidy) worries about a mystery pharmaceutical that she’s seen her mom popping, but Jack dismisses her concerns.

Then the “Airborne Toxic Event” arrives. Wafting toward the college town from a derailed freight train, the black cloud represents all the formless terrors that Jack and Babette have done their best to ban from their lives. Can this family survive an evacuation from their comfortable home — and adjust to the awareness that they were never as safe as they had hoped?

Will you like it?

Baumbach keeps White Noise set firmly in the ’80s, transporting us into the past with hairstyles, cars, 8-bit music and iconic brands (the now-defunct A&P supermarket chain is a central motif). As disaster sends the Gladney family on a chain of semi-comical misadventures, the film might remind viewers of vintage Steven Spielberg and the National Lampoon movies. Even the visual stylization, rich in matchy-matchy primary colors, evokes the era.

Yet White Noise isn’t a nostalgia piece, because the anxieties at its center are too immediate and too familiar to dismiss as relics of another time. As the Airborne Toxic Event approaches, the family sorts

through a blizzard of conflicting information. Is the threat a mere “feathery plume” or a “black, billowing cloud”? Does it cause nausea and sweaty palms or déjà vu?

“She’s having outdated symptoms!” one Gladney child cries accusingly as his sister runs o to toss her cookies. It’s a laugh line, but it might induce déjà vu in us as we recall all the lists of COVID-19 variant symptoms we’ve memorized, all the medical studies and wild theories through which we’ve sorted. When Jack learns that his body is contaminated by the chemical that caused the disaster, but no doctor can tell him what its persistence means for his future health, I suspect many of us can relate.

DeLillo portrayed a society saturated with information and voyeuristically fixated on catastrophes, where everything is for sale. Those trends have only accelerated into the 21st century. What may not have aged so well is the novel’s intensely mannered, postmodern style: Every character pontificates like a professor, including the children.

Usually a much more naturalistic filmmaker, Baumbach leans hard into DeLillo’s hyperreal mode, playing it for absurdist laughs. For roughly the first half of the movie, this choice works beautifully, aided by Driver’s and Gerwig’s largerthan-life performances. With its scenes

of carefully choreographed overlapping dialogue, White Noise feels sometimes like sketch comedy and sometimes like a sungthrough musical. One scene even plays like a showstopping number: Jack and his friend Murray (Don Cheadle), a professor of “Elvis studies,” tag-team a seminar to the responsive strains of Danny Elfman’s score, each vying to outdo the other in academic theater.

White Noise grows less compelling in its third act, in which the action leaves home and campus and the mood turns noir. Perhaps the problem is that the subplot involving dubious psycho-pharmaceuticals feels dated (if still undeniably relevant). Perhaps Baumbach needed to pick up the pace; two hours and 16 minutes is long for a movie that traps us in its own hermetic world. For whatever reason, by the film’s end, what began as an e ective dark comedy infused with dread feels more like a professor’s droning lecture on the theme of our existential fears. We may think, We get it, already — until the joyously wacky end credits win us over again.

Despite wearing out its welcome, White Noise deserves credit for being a wildly ambitious, unclassifiable, thoughtprovoking film — the sort of movie that streaming services don’t seem to know how to publicize. (Although it’s a recent

REVIEW

release from an Oscar-nominated filmmaker and a “98 percent match” with my viewing history, it didn’t appear on my Netflix home screen.) Seek it out if you want a breather from the toxic cloud of algorithmically programmed content.

MARGOT HARRISON margot@sevendaysvt.com

IF YOU LIKE THIS, TRY...

COSMOPOLIS (2012; Hulu, Kanopy, Pluto TV, tubi, rentable): Robert Pattinson plays a young billionaire who represents the corruption of the American financial system in David Cronenberg’s adaptation of DeLillo’s 2003 novel of the same name.

GAME 6 (2005; Amazon Prime Video, Kanopy, Pluto TV, the Roku Channel, Showtime, tubi, rentable): DeLillo wrote the screenplay for this drama starring Michael Keaton as a stressedout playwright and Boston Red Sox fan, with a score by Yo La Tengo.

INHERENT VICE (2014; rentable): If you haven’t had enough postmodernism yet, try Paul omas Anderson’s sprawling adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s private-eye novel set in 1970s Los Angeles.

Driver, Gerwig and Cheadle are lost in the supermarket in Baumbach’s very ’80s adaptation of DeLillo’s cult novel.

NEW IN THEATERS

BROKER: In South Korea, two men take advantage of a church drop-off for unwanted babies to sell the children for adoption in this acclaimed drama from Hirokazu Koreeda. With Song Kang-ho and Dong-won Gang. (129 min, R. Catamount)

THE DEVIL CONSPIRACY: A biotech company has satanic plans for the shroud of Turin in this horror flick directed by Nathan Frankowski. With Alice OrrEwing and Joe Doyle. (111 min, R. Majestic, Palace)

EO: This Palme d’Or nominee from director Jerzy Skolimowski explores modern Europe from the point of view of a donkey. With Sandra Drzymalska and Isabelle Huppert. (86 min, NR. Savoy)

A MAN CALLED OTTO: In the American adaptation of Fredrik Backman’s bestseller A Man Called Ove Tom Hanks plays a widower in need of a new lease on life. Marc Forster directed. (126 min, PG-13. Big Picture, Bijou, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Palace, Roxy, Star)

PLANE: Gerard Butler plays a pilot who makes a successful crash landing only to find himself forced to save his passengers from a war zone in this action thriller from Jean-François Richet. (107 min, R. Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Palace)

SKINAMARINK: Two young children wake to find their parents gone and their home a prison in Kyle Edward Ball’s low-budget horror film, which is already gathering a cult following. (100 min, R. Essex)

THE WHALE: Brendan Fraser plays an obese English teacher struggling with isolation and depression in this character study directed by Darren Aronofksky, based on Samuel D. Hunter’s play. (117 min, R. Essex, Majestic, Savoy)

CURRENTLY PLAYING

ALL THE BEAUTY AND THE BLOODSHEDHHHH1/2 Laura Poitras’ acclaimed documentary profiles artist Nan Goldin and her activism against the Sackler family. (122 min, NR. Catamount [ends Thu])

AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATERHHH1/2 Director James Cameron returns to Pandora for this sequel in which Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and his family face a new threat. (192 min, PG-13. Big Picture, Bijou, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Marquis, Palace, Paramount, Roxy, Star, Stowe, Welden)

BABYLONHHH Two young people set out to succeed in 1920s Hollywood in this ensemble epic from Damien Chazelle (La La Land), starring Diego Calva, Margot Robbie, Brad Pitt and Jean Smart. (188 min, R. Palace, Stowe)

BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVERHHH1/2 In Marvel Comics’ fictional African kingdom, the Wakandans mourn King T’Challa and protect their nation from new threats. (161 min, PG-13. Majestic)

CORSAGEHHHH Vicky Krieps plays Empress Elisabeth of Austria in this irreverent period piece about the monarch’s efforts to cling to her youth. Marie Kreutzer directed. (114 min, NR. Roxy, Savoy)

EMPIRE OF LIGHTHHH Olivia Colman plays the manager of a movie theater in the early ’80s who finds romance with a young immigrant (Micheal Ward) in Sam Mendes’ drama. (115 min, R. Savoy)

THE FABELMANSHHHH A teen in midcentury Arizona sets out to become a filmmaker in Steven Spielberg’s acclaimed autobiographical drama, starring Michelle Williams and Gabriel LaBelle. (151 min, PG-13. Majestic, Palace; reviewed 12/14)

M3GANHHH1/2 A robotics engineer (Allison Williams) makes the bad decision to introduce her young niece to her new lifelike creation in this viral horror flick. (102 min, PG-13. Bijou, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Palace, Roxy, Star, Welden)

THE MENUHHH1/2 A culinary adventure goes awry in Mark Mylod’s horror comedy. Anya Taylor-Joy and Ralph Fiennes star. (106 min, R. Roxy)

PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISHHHHH Antonio Banderas again voices the titular cool cat in this animated adventure in which Puss seeks to restore his nine lives. (100 min, PG. Bijou, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Marquis, Palace, Paramount, Star, Stowe, Welden)

WHITNEY HOUSTON: I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODYHH1/2 This biopic from Kasi Lemmons (Eve’s Bayou) traces the R&B singer’s rise to megastardom in the 1980s. With Naomi Ackie as Houston, Stanley Tucci and Ashton Sanders. (146 min, PG-13. Majestic, Palace)

OLDER FILMS AND SPECIAL SCREENINGS

EVERYTHING

METROPOLITAN OPERA: FEDORA (Essex)

MON ONCLE ANTOINE (Catamount, Wed 11 only)

MONSIEUR LAZHAR (Catamount, Wed 18 only)

SHIN ULTRAMAN (Essex, Wed & Thu only)

OPEN THEATERS

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

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

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

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

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

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

*MERRILL’S ROXY CINEMAS: 222 College St., Burlington, 864-3456, merrilltheatres.net

PALACE 9 CINEMAS: 10 Fayette Dr., South Burlington, 864-5610, palace9.com

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

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

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

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

calendar

JANUARY 11-18, 2023

WED.11

business

QUEEN CITY BUSINESS NETWORKING

INTERNATIONAL GROUP: Local professionals make crucial contacts at a weekly chapter meeting. Burlington City Arts, 11:15 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 829-5066.

climate crisis

CLIMATE CHANGE & SOCIAL JUSTICE: Senator Kesha Ram Hinsdale moderates a panel discussion on the intersections of two activist movements.

Presented by Kellogg-Hubbard Library. 7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 223-3338.

community

CURRENT EVENTS: Neighbors have an informal discussion about what’s in the news.

Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30 a.m.noon. Free. Info, 878-4918.

dance

NATIONAL CHOREOGRAPHY

MONTH CHALLENGE: Vermont Dance Alliance hosts a virtual check-in for those attempting to create choreo every day in January. Attendance at two gatherings is required to participate in the February 10 showcase. 7:30-8:45 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, alxcbb@ gmail.com.

film

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

‘AMAZON ADVENTURE 3D’: Viewers experience 19thcentury explorer Henry Bates’

journey through the Amazon rainforest. Northfield Savings Bank 3D Theater: A National Geographic Experience, ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, noon, 2 & 4 p.m. $3-5 plus regular admission, $14.50-18; admission free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

‘MON ONCLE ANTOINE’: A boy comes of age in 1950s Québec in this beloved French Canadian film. Discussion follows. Catamount Arts Center, St. Johnsbury, 6 p.m. Free. Info, 748-2600.

‘MYSTERIES OF THE UNSEEN WORLD 3D’: Sparkling graphics take viewers on a mindbending journey into phenomena that are too slow, too fast or too small to be seen by the naked eye. Northfield Savings Bank 3D Theater: A National Geographic Experience, ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 11 a.m., 1 & 3 p.m. $3-5 plus regular admission, $14.50-18; admission free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

NXT ROCKUMENTARY FILM SERIES: ‘SPRINGSTEEN ON BROADWAY’: The Boss gets personal in this filmed oneman show, the next installment in this screening series from Next Stage Arts and Next Chapter Records. Next Stage Arts Project, Putney, 7 p.m. $10 suggested donation. Info, 387-0102.

‘SEA MONSTERS 3D’: An adventurous dolichorhynchops travels through the most dangerous oceans in history, encountering plesiosaurs, giant turtles and the deadly mosasaur along the way. Northfield Savings Bank 3D Theater: A National Geographic Experience,

ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 11:30 a.m., 1:30 & 3:30 p.m. $3-5 plus regular admission, $14.50-18; admission free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

‘WINGS OVER WATER 3D’: Sandhill cranes, yellow warblers and mallard ducks make their lives along rivers, lakes and wetlands. Northfield Savings Bank 3D Theater: A National Geographic Experience, ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 10:30 a.m., 12:30, 2:30 & 4:30 p.m. $3-5 plus regular admission, $14.50-18; admission free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

games

BOARD GAME NIGHT: Lovers of tabletop fun play classic games and new designer offerings. Waterbury Public Library, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

WINTER TRIVIA ROUND 2: VERMONT NATURE: Lovers of the outdoors bust out their knowledge in the hopes of advancing to the championship round. Courtesy of the Vermont Historical Society. 7-8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 479-8500.

health & fitness

CHAIR YOGA: Waterbury Public Library instructor Diana Whitney leads at-home participants in gentle stretches supported by seats. 10 a.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

COMMUNITY CANDLELIT YOGA: Yogis of all levels find peace and community in a cozy scene. Wise

Pines, Woodstock, 5:30-6:45 p.m. Donations accepted. Info, 432-3126.

language

IRISH LANGUAGE CLASS: Celticcurious students learn to speak an Ghaeilge in a supportive group. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

lgbtq

MOMENTUM MONTHLY VIRTUAL SOCIAL HOUR: LGBTQ folks ages 55 and up gather to make new friends and connect with old ones. Presented by Pride Center of Vermont. 6-7 p.m. Free. Info, eeka@pridecentervt.org.

music

ZACH NUGENT UNCORKED: The sought-after guitarist plays a weekly loft show featuring live music, storytelling and special guests. Shelburne Vineyard, 6-9 p.m. Free. Info, 985-8222.

outdoors

SMUGGS 55+ SKI CLUB: Seniors who love to ski, snowboard and snowshoe hit the slopes after coffee and pastries. Smugglers’ Notch Resort, Jeffersonville, 9 a.m.-noon. $30 for season pass. Info, president@smuggs55plus. com.

sports

GREEN MOUNTAIN TABLE

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

MICHELOB ULTRA SKI BUM RACE SERIES: Teams of amateur skiers and snowboarders test their skills and speed at one of 10 downhill bouts. Killington Resort, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. $60; $250 per team. Info, events@killington.com. words

AFTER HOURS BOOK CLUB: Patrons discuss Astonish Me, a novel set in the cutthroat world of ballet, by Maggie Shipstead. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

over coffee. Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 10-11:15 a.m. Free. Info, info@vtwomenpreneurs.com.

crafts

KNIT FOR YOUR NEIGHBORS: Yarnsmiths create hats and scarves to be donated to the South Burlington Food Shelf. All supplies provided. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 3-6 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

KNITTING GROUP: Knitters of all experience levels get together to spin yarns. Latham Library, Thetford, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 785-4361.

film

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

‘AMAZON ADVENTURE 3D’: See WED.11.

‘THE CONFORMIST’: A man attempts to repress his memories of gay experiences and murder by joining Mussolini’s Fascist party in this 1970 Italian classic. Film House, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 7-9 p.m. $6-12; VTIFF member benefits apply. Info, 660-2600.

‘MYSTERIES OF THE UNSEEN WORLD 3D’: See WED.11.

‘NO OTHER LAKE’: UVM student Jordan Rowell chronicles his two-week kayaking trip along the 120-mile length of Lake Champlain to heighten awareness of the basin’s future. Presented by Friends of the Missiquoi National Wildlife Refuge. 7-8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, vtfiliberti@gmail.com.

‘SEA MONSTERS 3D’: See WED.11. ‘WINGS OVER WATER 3D’: See WED.11.

food & drink

FAMILY MEAL: PASTA NIGHT: Adventure Dinner serves up a new, intimate series of threecourse meals, with wine and cocktails available for purchase. Soapbox Arts, Burlington, 5:308:30 p.m. $75; preregister; limited space. Info, 248-224-7539.

Hall, Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, 7:30-9 p.m. $5-25. Info, 443-6433.

politics

THOUGHT CLUB: Artists and activists convene to engage with Burlington‘s rich tradition of radical thought and envision its future. Democracy Creative, Burlington, 6-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, tevan@democracycreative.com.

words

MORNING BOOK GROUP: Readers start the day off right with a lively discussion of Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead. ADA accessible. Virtual option available. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

All submissions must be received by Thursday at noon for consideration in the following Wednesday’s newspaper.

Find our convenient form and guidelines at sevendaysvt.com/postevent

Listings and spotlights are written by Emily Hamilton Seven Days edits for space and style. Depending on cost and other factors, classes and workshops may be listed in either the calendar or the classes section. Class organizers may be asked to purchase a class listing.

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

film

music + nightlife

FFL BOOK CLUB: ‘THE HARE WITH AMBER EYES: A HIDDEN INHERITANCE’: Readers break down Edmund de Waal’s tale of learning his family history via a collection of tiny wood and ivory carvings. Presented by Fletcher Free Library. 6:30-8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, bshatara@ burlingtonvt.gov.

POETRY POTLUCK: Wordsmiths and readers bring a dish and a poem (their own or others’) to share. Whirligig Brewing, St. Johnsbury, 7-9 p.m. Free. Info, acampbell@catamountarts.org.

THU.12

business

VERMONT WOMENPRENEURS

BIZ BUZZ MEETUP: Local female business owners meet and chat

MARY ANN ESPOSITO: The author of Ciao Italia: Plant, Harvest, Cook! discusses how to grow vegetables at home and turn them into delicious Italian dishes. Presented by Phoenix Books and the Vermont Italian Cultural Association. 7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 448-3350.

SOUTH INDIAN PONGAL: Instructor Anna Mays demonstrates how to cook rice puddings and porridges in celebration of one of India’s biggest festivals. Presented by City Market, Onion River Co-op. 5:30-7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, info@citymarket.coop.

music

HEART OF AFGHANISTAN: The Afghan quartet, unable to perform in its home country under the Taliban, brings traditional and modern tunes to Vermonters. Livestream available. Robison

BOOK GROUP: There are no rules and no assignments in this virtual book club, at which readers discuss old favorites, current obsessions and recent recommendations. Presented by Waterbury Public Library. 7-8 p.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

NO PRESSURE

PETER ORNER: The fiction writer is joined by other authors and musicians to celebrate the launch of his new collection of essays and stories, Still No Word From You: Notes in the Margin. Junction Arts & Media, White River Junction, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 649-1114.

FRI.13

film

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

‘AMAZON ADVENTURE 3D’: See WED.11.

‘MYSTERIES OF THE UNSEEN WORLD 3D’: See WED.11.

‘THE QUARRY PROJECT’: A 40-minute film captures last summer’s sold-out, site-specific dance theater performance at Wells Lamson quarry. Q&A follows. Pierson Library, Shelburne, 5:307:30 p.m. $5 suggested donation. Info, kunrath@shelburnevt.org.

‘SEA MONSTERS 3D’: See WED.11.

‘WINGS OVER WATER 3D’: See WED.11.

food & drink

SNOWSPORTS AUCTION AND CHILI COOK-OFF: A warming fundraiser benefits Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports and the Chill Foundation. Four Quarters Brewing, Winooski, 6 p.m. Free. Info, 391-9120.

health & fitness

GUIDED MEDITATION

ONLINE: Dorothy Alling Memorial Library invites attendees to relax on their lunch breaks and reconnect with their bodies. Noon-12:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, programs@ damlvt.org.

FAMI LY FU N

Check out these family-friendly events for parents, caregivers and kids of all ages.

• Plan ahead at sevendaysvt.com/family-fun Post your event at sevendaysvt.com/postevent.

WED.11

FINDING A SUMMER CAMP: THERE IS A CAMP IN NEW ENGLAND FOR EVERY CAMPER!: Parents learn about summertime options for their neurodivergent kids and teens.

Presented by Vermont Family Network. 10-11 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 876-5315.

burlington

BABYTIME: Librarians bring out books, rhymes and songs specially selected for young ones. Pre-walkers and younger.

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

CRAFTERNOON: Crafts take over the Teen Space, from origami to stickers to fireworks in a jar. Ages 11 through 18.

Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 4-5 p.m. Free. Info, 540-2546.

STEAM SPACE: Kids explore science, technology, engineering, art and math activities. Ages 5 through 11. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 5-6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

chittenden county

AFTERSCHOOL MOVIE: ‘ONWARD’: Two brothers go off in search of magic and one last chance to see their late father in this Pixar romp. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 2 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

LEGO BUILDERS: Elementary-age imagineers explore, create and participate in challenges. Ages 8 and up, or ages 6 and up with an adult helper. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 3-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

MOVIE MATINEE: Film lovers have a family-friendly afternoon at this screening of an animated favorite. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3-5 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

MUSIC WITH MARSHALL PAULSEN: A banjo-playing Richmond resident gets wee ones singing along to wacky warbling. Ages 2 through 6. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 10-10:45 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

TEEN NIGHT: JACKBOX GAMES: Kids ages 12 and up play hilarious trivia, word and drawing games in a friendly tournament. BYO phone, tablet or laptop. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 5-6 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

barre/montpelier

CHESS CLUB: Kids of all skill levels get one-on-one lessons and play each other in between. Ages 6 and up. KelloggHubbard Library, Montpelier, 3:30-5 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

MAGIC THE GATHERING & CRAFTS: Kids play card games or get artsy at a weekly get-together. Ages 8 through 15. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield, 3-6 p.m. Free. Info, 426-3581.

JAN. 14 | FAMILY FUN

mad river valley/ waterbury

LEGO CHALLENGE CLUB: Kids engage in a fun-filled hour of building, then leave their creations on display in the library all month long. Ages 6 through 8. Waterbury Public Library, 3-4 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 244-7036.

upper valley

PEABODY AFTERSCHOOL FUN FOR GRADES 1-4: Students make friends over crafts and story time. George Peabody Library, Post Mills, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 333-9724.

THU.12

burlington

PRESCHOOL YOGA: Colleen from Grow Prenatal and Family Yoga leads little ones in songs, movement and other fun activities. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

SAT PREP WITH WALKER TUTORING: Tutors Addison and Jacob help high school students get ready for the big exam at monthly sessions. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 4-6 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

chittenden county

COOL CHEMISTRY WITH REBECCA RUPP: The biochemist leads an afternoon of experiments for mad scientists ages 8 and up. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 3:30-5 p.m. Free; preregister; limited space. Info, nliuzzi@southburlingtonvt.gov.

LEGO TIME: Builders in kindergarten through fourth grade enjoy an afternoon of imagination and play. Dorothy Alling

The Lunar the Better

Aspiring astronauts and engineers of all ages get ready for blastoff at Shelter in Space, an out-of-this-world extravaganza hosted by NASA solar system ambassador Cynthia Shelton, planetary scientist Tara Tomlinson and librarian Emily Zollo. After watching footage of some recent rocket launches, kids start building their very own spaceship together out of papier-mâché and other materials. Everyone is encouraged to bring stickers, hardware and other supplies with which to personalize their section of the ship. Wear clothes that can get messy; kids under 6 must be accompanied by an adult or teen.

SHELTER IN SPACE

Saturday, January 14, 1-3 p.m., at Latham Library in Thetford. Free; preregister. Info, librarian@thetfordlibrary.org, thetfordlibrary.org.

Memorial Library, Williston, 3-4 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

PRESCHOOL MUSIC WITH LINDA BASSICK: The singer and storyteller extraordinaire leads little ones in indoor music and movement. Birth through age 5. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

PRESCHOOL PLAYTIME: Pre-K patrons play and socialize after music time. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: Books, songs, rhymes, sign language lessons and math activities make for well-educated youngsters. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 10-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

READ TO SAMMY: The Therapy Dogs of Vermont emissary is super excited to hear kids of all ages practice their

reading. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 4-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

barre/montpelier

FUSE BEAD CRAFTERNOONS: Youngsters make pictures out of colorful, meltable doodads. Ages 8 and up. KelloggHubbard Library, Montpelier, 3:30-5 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: Energetic youngsters join Miss Meliss for stories, songs and lots of silliness. KelloggHubbard Library, Montpelier, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

mad river valley/ waterbury

PRESCHOOL PLAY & READ: Outdoor activities, stories and songs get 3- and 4-year-olds engaged. Waterbury Public Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

FRI.13

chittenden county

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: Imaginative players in grades 5 and up exercise their problem-solving skills in battles and adventures. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

FRIDAY KIDS’ MOVIES: Little film buffs congregate in the library’s Katie O’Brien Activity Room for a screening of a G-rated movie. See southburlingtonlibrary.org for each week’s title. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 3-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

TEEN ADVISORY BOARD: Teenagers meet new friends and take an active role in their local library. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 4-5 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

barre/montpelier

WINTER STORY TIME & PLAYGROUP: Participants ages 6 and under hear stories, sing songs and eat tasty treats between outdoor activities. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 426-3581.

upper valley

STORY TIME: Preschoolers take part in stories, songs and silliness. Latham Library, Thetford, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 785-4361.

northeast kingdom

ACORN CLUB STORY TIME: Kids 5 and under play, sing, hear stories and take home a fun activity. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 10-11 a.m. Free; preregister; limited space. Info, 745-1391.

SAT.14

burlington

FAMILY PLAYSHOP: Kids from birth through age 5 learn and play at this school readiness program. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

FLYNNZONE KIDS HOUR: ANDRIANA & THE BANANAS: The singer and her band get little music lovers ages 3 through 5 wiggling and learning. The Flynn, Burlington, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 863-5966.

STORY TIME WITH BECCA IN THE NEW NORTH END: Little patrons of the library’s new location enjoy a morning of stories and songs. Fletcher Free Library New North End Branch, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 540-9176.

chittenden county

JIGSAW PUZZLE SWAP: Kids’ and adults’ puzzles make prime bartering material. Puzzles must be complete and include a picture of the completed image. Essex Free Library, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 879-0313.

KIDS’ CHESS CLUB: Clever kiddos ages 5 and up learn the ins and outs of the King’s Game. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, nliuzzi@southburlingtonvt.gov.

SATURDAY STORIES: Kiddos start the weekend off right with stories and songs. Ages 3 through 7. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

calendar holidays

A FOREST OF LIGHTS: The VINS forest canopy walkways and surrounding woodlands transform into a twinkling winter wonderland open for strolling. Vermont Institute of Natural Science, Quechee, 5-7 p.m. $5-10; free for members under 17; preregister. Info, 359-5000.

lgbtq

OUT IN BRADFORD: LGTBQ folks and allies make new friends at a casual, tea-fueled hangout. Vittles House of Brews, Bradford, 5-9 p.m. Free. Info, connect@vittlesespresso. com.

music

HOT PICKIN’ PARTY: The bluegrass band tickles the banjo strings to original tunes and classic covers. Shelburne Vineyard, 6-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, 985-8222.

‘MUSIC OF THE MADONNA’: Sarasa Chamber Music Ensemble draws attention to the long history of classical works celebrating the Virgin Mary with a program of loving cantatas and sonatas. Brattleboro Music Center, 7 p.m. $20-25. Info, 257-4523.

ROCK CITY: The local rock and soul choir presents four decades of bangers in four-part harmony at its first in-person concert since January 2020. Barre Elks Lodge, 7:30 p.m. $10-20. Info, 249-0414.

outdoors

TORCHLIGHT SNOWSHOE: Visitors trek around the flame-lit grounds, meeting park rangers and learning about local wildlife and history along the way. BYO headlamp or flashlight. Billings Farm & Museum, Woodstock, 4:30-6:30 p.m. $5-10; free for members and kids under 4. Info, info@billingsfarm.org.

theater

‘ALL I REALLY NEEDED TO LEARN I LEARNED IN KINGERGARTEN’: Frederick H. Tuttle Middle School and First Light Theater present a celebratory play adapted from the novel by Robert Fulghum. South Burlington High School, 7-9 p.m. $10. Info, 652-7000.

words

FRIENDS OF THE RUTLAND FREE LIBRARY BOOK SALE: Bibliophiles browse thousands of gently used page-turners, CDs, DVDs and puzzles, with proceeds benefiting library programs and collections. Rutland Free Library, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. Info, 773-1860.

SAT.14

activism

NAMI SMARTS FOR ADVOCACY, MODULE 1: TELLING YOUR STORY: Citizens learn how to raise their voices in support of better mental health care. Presented by National Alliance on Mental Illness of Vermont. 1-4:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 876-7949, ext. 100.

dance

SWING DANCE: All-star DJs back a night of dancing with big band bops. Bring clean shoes. Beginners’ lesson, 7:30 p.m. Champlain Club, Burlington, 8 p.m. $5. Info, 864-8382.

WINTER SHOWCASE: Every genre of dance from ballet to hip hop to pole is on display when students of Lines Vermont take to the stage. Black Box Theater, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 2 & 6 p.m. $18-40; free for kids under 2. Info, 497-2368.

film

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

‘AMAZON ADVENTURE 3D’: See WED.11.

Adventure Time

Telluride, Colo.’s Mountainfilm festival stops in Stowe during its cross-country road trip to bring Vermonters a slate of adventure-packed short documentaries. Each film inspires viewers with stories about the outdoors, environmentalism, social justice and mental health. Subjects include the creation of the southwestern United States’ canyons over millions of years; a skate park that brings castes together in a small Indian village; Arlene Blum, the woman who led the first American ascent of Annapurna; and Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s only female pilot and her journey toward overcoming trauma.

MOUNTAINFILM ON TOUR

Saturday, January 14, 7 p.m., at Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, Stowe Mountain Resort. $5-15. Info, 760-4634, sprucepeakarts.org.

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

BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL FILM SERIES: ‘KILLER OF SHEEP’: Rajnii Eddins hosts a screening of this 1978 drama in vignettes about a Black slaughterhouse worker who finds respite from the bleak realities of life in simple pleasures.

Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 3-5 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

‘FEDORA’: A new production of Umberto Giordano’s thrilling drama about a princess who falls for her fiancé’s murderer streams live from the Metropolitan Opera. Catamount Arts Center, St. Johnsbury, 12:55 p.m. $16-25. Info, 748-2600. Town Hall Theater, Middlebury, 1 p.m. $12-26. Info, 382-9222.

‘MISSION MT. MANGART - THE MIGHTY STORY OF THE TENTH MOUNTAIN DIVISION’: An awardwinning documentary tells the story of American soldiers in the Italian Alps at the end of World War II. Reception with the filmmaker precedes screening. Norwich University, Northfield,

6-9 p.m. $25; preregister; limited space. Info, 485-2000.

MOUNTAINFILM ON TOUR: Adventure hounds watch awardwinning documentaries celebrating mountain culture, snow sports, adventure and the environment. See calendar spotlight.

Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, Stowe Mountain Resort, 7 p.m. $5-15. Info, 760-4634.

‘MYSTERIES OF THE UNSEEN WORLD 3D’: See WED.11.

‘SEA MONSTERS 3D’: See WED.11.

‘WINGS OVER WATER 3D’: See WED.11.

WOODSTOCK VERMONT FILM SERIES: ‘CITIZEN ASHE’: A touching documentary tracks the rise of tennis legend Arthur Ashe against the backdrop of the civil rights movement and the AIDS epidemic. Billings Farm & Museum, Woodstock, 3 p.m. $1215. Info, 457-2355.

games

CHESS CLUB: Players of all ages and abilities face off and learn new strategies. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

holidays

A FOREST OF LIGHTS: See FRI.13.

language

FRENCH CONVERSATION FOR ALL: Native French speaker Romain Feuillette leads an informal discussion group. All ages and abilities welcome. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free; preregister; limited space. Info, 878-4918.

music

THE DAVE KELLER BAND: The triple-threat singer, songwriter and guitarist demonstrates his deep love of the blues and Southern soul. Highland Center

for the Arts, Greensboro, 7 p.m. $5-20. Info, 533-2000.

‘GET TOGETHER’: Don’t stop them now — an all-star ensemble of Vermont musicians do the crocodile rock at a celebration of the music of Queen and Elton John.

Double E Performance Center’s T-Rex Theater, Essex Junction, 8-11 p.m. $20. Info, 876-7152.

PINK FLOYD LASER

SPECTACULAR: Audiences get their minds blown at a multimedia light show set to Floyd fan favorites. Paramount Theatre, Rutland, 8 p.m. $37.50. Info, 775-0903.

outdoors

ADULT SNOWSHOE SCAVENGER

HUNT: Snowshoes are provided and no experience is necessary at this exploratory adventure. Ages 18 and up. Chipman Hill, Middlebury, 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. $5-8; preregister. Info, info@ maltvt.org.

STATEHOUSE LAWN SKATING

PARTY: Locals hit the ice and sip hot cocoa to celebrate the start of the New Year under the golden dome. Skates available to borrow. Vermont Statehouse lawn, Montpelier, 2-5 p.m. Free. Info, 223-9604.

WINTER REGULARS

AND RARITIES IN THE CHAMPLAIN

VALLEY: Rutland County Audubon leads a snowy search for hawks, buntings and ducks. BYO lunch. Otter Valley Union High School, Brandon, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. Info, 558-6930.

theater

‘ALL I REALLY NEEDED TO LEARN I LEARNED IN KINGERGARTEN’: See FRI.13.

words

CARTOONING WORKSHOP: Using The Most Costly Journey: Stories of Migrant Farmworkers in Vermont, Drawn by New England Cartoonists as an example, Marek Bennett shows artists of all experience levels how to draw their own comics. Ages 10 and up. Waterbury Public Library, 10 a.m.-noon. Free; preregister. Info, 244-7036.

FRIENDS OF THE RUTLAND FREE LIBRARY BOOK SALE: See FRI.13, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

POETRY EXPERIENCE: Local wordsmith Rajnii Eddins hosts a supportive writing and sharing circle for poets of all ages. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 1-3 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

SUN.15

film

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

‘AMAZON ADVENTURE 3D’: See WED.11.

‘FEDORA’: See SAT.14. Paramount Theatre, Rutland, 12:55 p.m. $23. Info, 775-0903.

‘MYSTERIES OF THE UNSEEN WORLD 3D’: See WED.11.

‘THE QUARRY PROJECT’: See FRI.13. Next Stage Arts Project, Putney, 4 p.m. Info, 387-0102.

‘SEA MONSTERS 3D’: See WED.11.

‘WINGS OVER WATER 3D’: See WED.11.

WOODSTOCK VERMONT FILM SERIES: ‘CITIZEN ASHE’: See SAT.14.

food & drink

WINTER FARMERS MARKET: Shoppers sip a local beer while browsing local bites at this wintertime hub for local growers, bakers and crafters. Four Quarters Brewing, Winooski, noon-3 p.m. Free. Info, 391-9120.

health & fitness

KARUNA COMMUNITY

MEDITATION: Participants practice keeping joy, generosity and gratitude at the forefront of their minds. Jenna’s House, Johnson, 10-11:15 a.m. Donations; preregister. Info, mollyzapp@live.com.

music

‘ELECTRONIC

etc.

SMALL TALK ANTIDOTE

// DIALOGIC CIRCLES: Life coach Maris Harmon facilitates biweekly virtual philosophical discussions designed around collective support. 6-7:30 p.m. $10; preregister. Info, maris. harmon@gmail.com.

film

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

‘AMAZON ADVENTURE 3D’: See WED.11.

‘MYSTERIES OF THE UNSEEN WORLD 3D’: See WED.11.

‘SEA MONSTERS 3D’: See WED.11.

‘WINGS OVER WATER 3D’: See WED.11.

health & fitness

ADVANCED TAI CHI: Experienced movers build strength, improve balance and reduce stress.

Holley Hall, Bristol, 11 a.m.-noon. Free; donations accepted. Info, jerry@skyrivertaichi.com.

LONG-FORM SUN 73: Beginners and experienced practitioners learn how tai chi can help with arthritis, mental clarity and range of motion. Holley Hall, Bristol, 11 a.m.-noon. Free; donations accepted. Info, wirlselizabeth@ gmail.com.

TUE.17

community

CURRENT EVENTS

DISCUSSION GROUP: Brownell Library hosts a virtual roundtable for neighbors to pause and reflect on the news cycle. 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6955.

dance

SWING DANCING: Local Lindy hoppers and jitterbuggers convene at Vermont Swings’ weekly boogie-down. Bring clean shoes. Beginner lessons, 6:30 p.m. Champlain Club, Burlington, 7:30-9 p.m. $5. Info, 864-8382.

film

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

‘THE ADVENTURES OF PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT’: Two drag queens and a transgender woman travel the Australian outback by tour bus in this 1994 comedy. Donations benefit Pride Center of Vermont. Film House, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, mariah@ mainstreetlanding.com.

‘AMAZON ADVENTURE 3D’: See WED.11.

MUSIC: THE ART

OF SOUND’: Sandy Nordahl is joined by Middlebury music instructors and others on a sonic adventure. Robison Hall, Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, 7:30-9 p.m. Free. Info, 443-5221.

PLAY EVERY TOWN: Prolific pianist David Feurzeig continues a four-year, statewide series of shows in protest of high-pollution worldwide concert tours. Donations benefit 350 Vermont. United Church of Ludlow, 2-3:30 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 321-614-0591.

talks

VERA LONGTOE

SHEEHAN: Chittenden County Historical Society and Ethan Allen Homestead host the Elnu Abenaki speaker’s address on Abenaki erasure and ethnocide. 2 p.m. Free. Info, 865-4556.

MON.16

crafts

HAND STITCHING GROUP: Embroiderers, cross stitchers and other needlework aficionados chat over their latest projects. Waterbury Public Library, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, 720-984-3083.

KNIT FOR YOUR NEIGHBORS: See THU.12.

YANG 24: This simplified tai chi method is perfect for beginners looking to build strength and balance. Congregational Church of Middlebury, 3:30-5:30 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, wirlselizabeth@gmail.com.

words

ADDISON COUNTY WRITERS COMPANY: Poets, playwrights, novelists and memoirists of every experience level meet weekly for an MFA-style workshop. Swift House Inn, Middlebury, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, jay@zigzaglitmag.org.

‘MYSTERIES OF THE UNSEEN WORLD 3D’: See WED.11.

‘SEA MONSTERS 3D’: See WED.11.

‘WINGS OVER WATER 3D’: See WED.11.

food & drink

HEALTHY NEW YEAR

MEAL PREP COOKALONG: Nutritional therapist Lili Hanft demonstrates recipes for breakfast muffins, beet hummus, salmon cakes and more.

Presented by City Market, Onion River Co-op. 5:30-7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, info@ citymarket.coop.

health & fitness

UNDERSTANDING VETERANS’ HEALTHCARE ELIGIBILITY & BENEFITS: Vets drop in to learn about recently expanded coverage from a specialist. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

language

FRENCH CONVERSATION GROUP: Francophones and French-language learners meet pour parler la belle langue Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 5-6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

talks

LUNCH AND LEARN: KIRBY DUNN: Homeowners who could benefit from some additional income and renters looking for an affordable housing option learn from the executive director of HomeShare Vermont how a compatible housemate could work for them. Ohavi Zedek

“What we need in the United States is not division; what we need in the United States is not hatred; what we need in the United States is not violence and lawlessness, but is love, and wisdom, and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer within our country, whether they be white or whether they be black.”

ROBERT F. KENNEDY, APRIL 4, 1968

Synagogue, Burlington, noon-1:30 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 864-0218, ext. 1.

tech

DROP-IN TECH HELP: Experts answer questions about phones, laptops, e-readers and more in one-on-one sessions. Registration is not required. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 5-6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

words

BOOK CLUB BUFFET

ONLINE: Readers dig into Julie Clark’s The Last Flight over lunch. Presented by Dorothy

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

MON.16

burlington

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. COMMUNITY

OPENS JAN. 18 | DANCE

Sway With Me

Vermont Burlesque Festival throws its own 10th birthday bash over five days of performances and parties in Burlington and Barre. New England’s biggest vaudeville jamboree offers audiences a multitude of opportunities to celebrate body positivity and have some good, not-soclean fun. The festivities kick off with a mixer at Orlando’s in Burlington, followed by showcases at Burlington’s Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, the Barre Opera House and the Hilton Burlington. Attendees will also have the opportunity to rub elbows with their favorite performers at Saturday’s after-party and a Sunday brunch at the Skinny Pancake.

VERMONT BURLESQUE FESTIVAL

Opens Wednesday, January 18, 5-8 p.m., at various Barre and Burlington locations. See website for additional dates. Prices vary. Info, 276-6362, vermontburlesquefestival.com.

Alling Memorial Library. 12:30-1:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, programs@damlvt.org.

J. M. COETZEE BOOK

DISCUSSION: The Burlington Literature Group reads and unpacks the South African Australian novelist’s Age of Iron and Disgrace over six weeks. 6:30-8 p.m. Free. Info, info@ nereadersandwriters.com.

‘THE MOST COSTLY JOURNEY’ BOOK DISCUSSION: Vermont Humanities’ 2022 Vermont Reads book informs a community conversation about immigration, the climate crisis and workers’ rights. Waterbury Public Library, 6:307:30 p.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

WED.18

business

CHAMBER ANNUAL MEETING: Local business owners gather over dinner to enjoy a show by musical comedian Joey Voices. Barre Opera House, 5-7:15 p.m. $50; preregister. Info, 229-5711.

QUEEN CITY BUSINESS NETWORKING INTERNATIONAL GROUP: See WED.11.

dance

VERMONT BURLESQUE FESTIVAL: Vermont’s vaudeville community comes together for five days of performances, classes and parties celebrating the institution’s 10th anniversary. See vermontburlesquefestival.com for full schedule. See calendar spotlight. Various locations statewide, 5-8 p.m. Prices vary. Info, 276-6362.

South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 3-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

upper valley

SHELTER IN SPACE: Aspiring astronauts of all ages watch recent rocket launches and build their own spaceships out of papier-mâché. See calendar spotlight. Latham Library, Thetford, 1-3 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, librarian@ thetfordlibrary.org.

northeast kingdom

SATURDAY CREATIVE FAMILIES

INITIATIVE: ‘TIME OUT’: The Rural Arts Collaborative leads artsy activities for creative kids ages 6 through 12 while parents socialize over tea and coffee on the second floor. Grass Roots Art and Community Effort, Hardwick, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, info@ruralartsvt.org.

CELEBRATION: Clemmons Family Farm and other local organizations offer a day of family-friendly activities celebrating MLK’s life and legacy. ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Info, 864-1848.

northeast kingdom

ACORN CLUB STORY TIME: See FRI.13, 2-2:30 p.m.

TUE.17

burlington

SING-ALONG WITH LINDA BASSICK: Babies, toddlers and preschoolers sing, dance and wiggle along with Linda. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

chittenden county

CRAFTYTOWN!: From painting to printmaking and collage to sculpture, creative kids explore different projects and mediums. Ages 8 and up, or ages 6 and up with an adult helper. ADA accessible.

PLAYGROUP & FAMILY SUPPORT: Families with children under age 5 play and connect with others in the community. Winooski Memorial Library, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 655-6424.

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: Little ones enjoy a cozy session of reading, rhyming and singing. Birth through age 5. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

TODDLERTIME: Kids ages 1 through 3 and their caregivers join Miss Alyssa for a lively session of stories, singing and wiggling. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

barre/montpelier

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: See THU.12.

mad river valley/ waterbury

POKÉMON CLUB: I choose you, Pikachu! Fans of the franchise discuss their favorite cards, games and TV episodes in this monthly activity group. Ages 6 and up. Waterbury Public Library, 3-4 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 244-7036.

northeast kingdom

RED CLOVER BOOK CLUB: Readers ages 6 through 10 discuss a book and do an art activity each week. Siblings welcome. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 1:30 p.m. Free. Info, 745-1391.

WED.18

burlington

BABYTIME: See WED.11.

CRAFTERNOON: See WED.11.

STEAM SPACE: See WED.11.

chittenden county

AFTERSCHOOL ACTIVITY: STEAM FUN: Little engineers and artists gather for some afternoon excitement. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 2-3 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

LEGO BUILDERS: See WED.11.

PLAY TIME: Little ones build with blocks and read together. Ages 1 through 4. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 1010:45 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

TEEN NIGHT: FOOD FOR THOUGHT: The Teen Advisory Board meets over pizza to brainstorm ideas for library programming. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library,

Williston, 5-6 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 878-4918.

barre/montpelier

CHESS CLUB: See WED.11.

FAMILY GAME NIGHT: After community dinner, families stay on for a friendly round of board games or cards. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield, 6:15-7:15 p.m. Free. Info, 426-3581.

HOMESCHOOL BOOK DISCUSSION: Middle-grade home students talk about Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 1-2:30 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

MAGIC THE GATHERING & CRAFTS: See WED.11.

mad river valley/ waterbury

TEEN ART CLUB: Crafty young’uns ages 12 through 18 construct paper jellyfish lanterns to bring underwater ambience to their bedrooms. Waterbury Public Library, 6-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

upper valley

PEABODY AFTERSCHOOL FUN FOR GRADES 1-4: See WED.11. K

film

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

‘AMAZON ADVENTURE 3D’: See WED.11.

ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN FILM

SERIES: ‘ALBERT FREY: THE ARCHITECTURAL INTERPRETER — PART II’: A film explores the revelatory career of Swiss midcentury architect Frey. Virtual option available. Burlington City Hall Auditorium, 6-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 865-7166.

‘MONSIEUR LAZHAR’: An Oscarnominated drama follows a Montréal middle school class grieving its beloved teacher and the Algerian substitute who helps them heal. Discussion follows. Catamount Arts Center,

St. Johnsbury, 6 p.m. Free. Info, 748-2600.

‘MYSTERIES OF THE UNSEEN WORLD 3D’: See WED.11.

‘THE QUARRY PROJECT’: See FRI.13. Savoy Theater, Montpelier, 6-8 p.m. Info, 229-0598.

‘SEA MONSTERS 3D’: See WED.11.

‘WINGS OVER WATER 3D’: See WED.11.

food & drink

COOK THE BOOK: Home chefs make a recipe from one of the library’s novels and share the dish at a potluck. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, noon1 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

games

PUZZLE SWAP: Folks of all ages looking for a new challenge trade

their old puzzles, accompanied by a picture and stored in a resealable bag. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 2:30-5 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

WINTER TRIVIA ROUND 3: VERMONT SYMBOLS: Vexillologists and beyond bust out their knowledge in the hopes of advancing to the championship round. Courtesy of the Vermont Historical Society. 7-8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 479-8500.

health & fitness

CHAIR YOGA: See WED.11.

COMMUNITY CANDLELIT YOGA: See WED.11.

language

IRISH LANGUAGE CLASS: See WED.11.

PAUSE-DÉJEUNER: DAVID

VERMETTE: A scholar of Franco-American migration speaks to the Alliance Française of the Lake Champlain Region about this forgotten aspect of New England history. Noon-1 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, eriktrinkaus1@ gmail.com.

SPANISH CONVERSATION: Fluent and beginner speakers brush up on their español with a discussion led by a Spanish teacher. Presented by Dorothy Alling Memorial Library. 5-6 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, programs@damlvt.org.

lgbtq

LGBTQ WINTER PRIDE FESTIVAL: Queer and trans skiers and winter enthusiasts descend on Stowe for a long weekend of slopes and

spectacular parties. See winterrendezvous.com for full schedule. Various Stowe locations, 8 p.m. $35-55; $165-235 for festival pass. Info, info@winterrendezvous. com.

THRIVE QTPOC MOVIE NIGHT: Each month, Pride Center of Vermont virtually screens a movie centered on queer and trans people of color. 6:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, thrive@pridecentervt.org.

music

ZACH NUGENT UNCORKED: See WED.11.

outdoors

SMUGGS 55+ SKI CLUB: See WED.11.

sports

GREEN MOUNTAIN TABLE TENNIS CLUB: See WED.11. MICHELOB ULTRA SKI BUM RACE SERIES: See WED.11.

words

‘THE MOST COSTLY JOURNEY’: COMMUNITY BOOK DISCUSSION: Alan Berolzheimer of Vermont Humanities leads a riveting conversation about the 2022 Vermont Reads pick. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 7-8 p.m. Free. Info, 748-8291. ➆

classes

THE FOLLOWING CLASS LISTINGS ARE PAID ADVERTISEMENTS. ANNOUNCE YOUR CLASS FOR AS LITTLE AS $16.75/WEEK (INCLUDES SIX PHOTOS AND UNLIMITED DESCRIPTION ONLINE). SUBMIT YOUR CLASS AD AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTCLASS.

art

AFTERSCHOOL DRAWING

CLUB: Come explore your love of drawing and nature with your classmates and friends! Each session will be inspired by a new theme, from animals to insects to flowers, guided by the group’s interests. Along the way, participants will try different art materials — and even make some themselves — with time to work on individual projects. All that’s needed is curiosity and creativity! The Drawing Club will follow the HUUSD schedule and weather cancellations, (announced for any students who aren’t in that district). No specific number of sessions is required: sign up for the dates that work for you! Mon., Jan. 23-Feb. 20, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Cost: $25 session-materials fee incl. all art & natural history materials. Please register no later than the previous Thu. so Rachel can prepare your child’s materials. Location: Grange Hall Cultural Center, 317 Howard Ave., Waterbury Center. Info: acrossroads@gmail.com or 244-4168.

DAVIS STUDIO ART CLASSES: Discover your happy place in one of our weekly classes. Making art boosts emotional well-being and brings joy to your life, especially when you connect with other art enthusiasts. Select the ongoing program that’s right for you. Now enrolling youths and adults for classes in drawing, painting and fused glass. Location: Davis Studio, 916 Shelburne Rd., South Burlington. Info: 425-2700, davisstudiovt.com.

empowerment

WISE EDUCATION & PARENTING: Join Creative Lives director Maureen Burford to study and implement A Framework for Wise Education. This powerful, holistic approach is based on author Ellen Tadd’s pioneering discoveries of the human energy system (or chakra system) and its fundamental role in human development. Participants will discover precise, detailed strategies for mitigating anxiety; building inner happiness, self-esteem and emotional equilibrium; and developing focus, wise insight and the self-discipline required to actualize potential.

Every Tue. starting Jan. 17, 7-8:30 p.m. Cost: $490/online learning portal access, 14 hours class time, mentoring, resources, peer support. Location: Creative Lives, PO

Box 23, Thetford. Info: Maureen Burford, 272-5950, mburford@ creativelives.org, creativelives.org.

language

ADULT LIVE SPANISH E-CLASSES: Join us for adult Spanish classes this winter, using Zoom online videoconferencing. Our 17th year. Learn from a native speaker via small group classes and individual instruction. You’ll always be participating and speaking. Five different levels. Note: Classes fill up fast. See our website or contact us for details. Beginning week of Jan. 9. 10 classes of 90+ min. each, 1/week. Location: online. Info: 585-1025, spanishwaterbury center.com.

ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE: Registration for winter French language classes is now open! The Alliance Française of the Lake Champlain Region offers French language classes from beginner through advanced levels. Winter session begins Jan. 9. Go to our website to learn about our offerings. Location: Alliance Française, Burlington. Info: Micheline Tremblay, education@ aflcr.org, aflcr.org.

Generator

GENERATOR is a combination of artist studios, classroom, and business incubator at the intersection of art, science, and technology. We provide tools, expertise, education, and opportunity – to enable all members of our community to create, collaborate, and make their ideas a reality.

PIERCE, SIFT, FIRE: ENAMELED PENDANT WORKSHOP: Learn the process of fusing powdered glass to metal using torch-firing. First we will design and saw a copper pendant, then apply several layers of enamel on both sides of the pendant to add color. The result is a smooth, colored surface. The pendant can be worn using cotton cord. Sat., Jan. 28 & Sun., Jan. 29, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Location: Generator, Burlington. Info: education@ generatorvt.com.

JAPANESE LANGUAGE CLASSES: The Japan America Society of Vermont will offer four levels of interactive Japanese language Zoom classes in spring 2023, starting the week of Jan. 30. Please join us for an introduction to speaking, listening, reading and writing Japanese, with an emphasis on the conversational patterns that occur in everyday life. Level 1: Tue., Level 2: Mon., Level 4: Thu., Level 5: Wed. Cost: $200/1.5-hour class for 10 weeks. Location: online. Info: Japan America Society of Vermont, 8659985, jasvlanguage@gmail.com, jasv.org/v2/language.

SPANISH CLASSES FOR ALL AGES: Premier native-speaking Spanish professor Maigualida Rak is giving fun, interactive online lessons to improve comprehension and pronunciation and to achieve fluency. Audiovisual material is used. “I feel proud to

say that my students have significantly improved their Spanish with my teaching approach.” —Maigualida Rak. Location: online. Info: 881-0931, spanishtutor.vtfla@gmail.com, facebook.com/spanishonlinevt.

martial arts

AIKIDO: THE POWER OF HARMONY: Discover the dynamic, flowing martial art of aikido. Learn how to relax under pressure and cultivate core power, aerobic fitness and resiliency. Aikido techniques emphasize throws, pinning techniques and the growth of internal power. The circular movements emphasize blending movements rather than striking. Visitors should watch a class before joining. Starting on Tue., Jan. 17, at 6 p.m. for adults; youths, 4:30 p.m. Membership rates incl. unlimited classes. Contact us for info about membership rates for adults, youths & families.

Location: Aikido of Champlain Valley, 257 Pine St., Burlington.

Info: Benjamin Pincus, 951-8900, bpincus@burlingtonaikido.org, burlingtonaikido.org.

MIXED MARTIAL ARTS: Boxing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai kickboxing, and personal training/ fitness in one place! Beginners to seasoned competitors, we have a program for you. Family discounts available. Safesport-, IBJJF- and USA Boxingcertified instructors. Go at your own pace in an inclusive environment. First class is free! Mon.Fri., 5-8:30 p.m. Cost: $15/day pass or membership.

Location: Combat Fitness MMA, 276 E. Allen St. #8, Winooski.

Info: Vincent Guy, 655-5425, vteguy25@gmail.com, combatfitnessmma.com.

VERMONT BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU: We offer a legitimate Brazilian jiu-jitsu training program for men, women and children in a friendly, safe and positive environment. Julio Cesar “Foca” Fernandez Nunes; CBJJP and IBJJF seventh-degree Carlson Gracie Sr. Coral Belt-certified instructor; teaching in Vermont, born and raised in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil! A two-time world masters champion, fivetime Brazilian jiu-jitsu national champion, three-time Rio de Janeiro state champion and Gracie Challenge champion. Accept no limitations! 1st class is free. Location: Vermont Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, 55 Leroy Rd., Williston. Info: 598-2839, julio@bjjusa.com, vermontbjj.com.

music

DJEMBE & TAIKO DRUMMING: JOIN US!: New classes (outdoors mask optional/masks indoors). Taiko Tue. and Wed.; Djembe Wed.; Kids & Parents Tue. and Wed. Conga classes by request! Schedule/register online. Location: Taiko Space, 208 Flynn Ave., Suite 3G, Burlington. Info: 999-4255, spaton55@gmail.com, burlingtontaiko.org.

apply is Feb. 20. Apply today! Mar. 27-31. Travel not incl. Travel scholarships avail. Location: Synergia Ranch, Santa Fe, N.M. Info: Great Old Broads for Wilderness, Lisa Pool, 970-3859577, lisa@greatoldbroads.org, greatoldbroads.org.

performing arts

BURLESQUE FESTIVAL CLASSES: The 10-year anniversary celebration featuring more than 120 burlesque performers, musicians, comedians, artists and variety acts! Learn the basics of burlesque, working with fans, belly dancing, miming for burlesque, Italian style bump and grind, and more! Jan. 22. Location: Hilton Burlington. Tickets avail. at sevendaystickets.com.

yoga

nature

BECOME A LEADER FOR WILDERNESS: Great Old Broads for Wilderness is looking for new volunteer Broadband chapter leaders in Vermont to advocate for our wilderness and public lands! If you’re ready to become a leader for wilderness, join us for four days of free, inspirational and fun training. Deadline to

YOGA NIDRA IN THE SALT CAVE: This workshop combines the deep healing and restoration of two complementary wellness practices: yoga nidra, and the salt cave. Explore how relaxing and rejuvenating these two practices can be when combined together. Yoga nidra is a sleep-based guided meditation that allows students to relax deeply and heal their body on the physical, emotional and mental levels. Yoga nidra takes us into deep relaxation and then, while in this state, we use a variety of techniques to train our mind to be still and balance out the tensions we accumulate in daily life. One session of yoga nidra is equal to three or four hours of sleep. Dry salt therapy of the salt cave, also known as halotherapy, benefits adults and children as well as athletes and animals. Halotherapy is beneficial for overall wellness by removing the toxicity from the respiratory system, improving the function and appearance of the skin, and boosting the immune system. You will be welcomed to the salt cave and begin with a gentle stretch before relaxing your body on a mat over a bolster. Then you will be guided on a yoga nidra meditation for approximately 45 minutes. Wake up refreshed, rejuvenated and with new tools to move through the world with less stress and more peace. Bring a blanket to cover yourself and warm cozy layers and socks for this restful and restorative practice. There will be no refunds issued once payment is made for this workshop. Thank you for supporting our small businesses and being a part of our community. Xoxo. Sun., Jan. 29, 10 a.m. Cost: $60. Location: Purple Sage, 21 Essex Way Suite 224, Essex. Tickets avail. at sevendaystickets.com.

Society

Layne

SUMMARY: Layne came to us in November from our transport partners in Louisiana and is still looking for someone to help him settle down here in Vermont! Layne is a bright and energetic young puppy who has been making big strides in his house-training and general manners, but he will still need someone with a lot of time and love to give as he learns “how to dog.” If you’re looking for a sweet and affectionate young buddy who can go for hours and then flop down and snuggle up for a cozy night in, come meet Layne today!

CATS/DOGS/KIDS: Layne has had limited experience with other dogs. He has shown some reactivity toward cats and a strong desire to chase them. He would likely do best in a home without cats. Layne doesn’t have experience with young children that we know of.

Visit the Humane Society of Chittenden County at 142 Kindness Court, South Burlington, Tuesday through Friday from 1 to 5 p.m. or Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 862-0135 or visit hsccvt.org for more info.

YOUTH PROGRAMS AT HSCC!

Sponsored by:

Humane

of Chittenden County

CLASSIFIEDS

HOUSEMATES

HOMESHARE IN SERENE NNE

on the road

CARS/TRUCKS

2010 PRIUS FOR SALE

Carefully maintained, new all-season tires, new front brakes. 137K miles. No rust. Asking $8,000. Contact avidvi@ msn.com or 802-5786502 to take Bluebird for a spin.

CASH FOR CARS

We buy all cars! Junk, high-end, totaled: It doesn’t matter. Get free towing & same-day cash. Newer models, too. Call 1-866-5359689. (AAN CAN)

Peaceful New North End homeshare w/ a professional in her 60s who enjoys music, animal rights & social justice. $550/mo., all incl. Walking a gentle, small dog 4 times/week. Spacious BR. 863-5625, homesharevermont.org for application. Interview, refs., background check req. EHO.

HORSE LOVERS

Unique horse/ homeshare opportunity. Beautiful mountain chalet. Many extras. 4/20 friendly. 1/2 mile off Rt. 2, Plainfi eld. Currently furnished. Info: 802-454-8405.

REALLY MUST LOVE DOGS!

Share a beautiful, spacious Burlington home w/ an artistic, community-minded woman seeking an open-minded, accepting housemate to provide occasional loving help w/ dogs. $650/mo., all incl. Furnished BR,

housing ads: $25 (25 words) legals: 52¢/word buy this stuff: free online

private BA. Off-street parking. 863-5625 or homesharevermont.org for application. Interview, refs., background check req. EHO.

OFFICE/ COMMERCIAL

OFFICE/RETAIL SPACE AT MAIN STREET LANDING

on Burlington’s waterfront. Beautiful, healthy, affordable spaces for your business. Visit mainstreetlanding.com & click on space avail. Melinda, 864-7999.

services: $12 (25 words) fsbos: $45 (2 weeks, 30 words, photo) jobs: michelle@sevendaysvt.com, 865-1020 x121

free pickup. 24-hour response. Running or not. Maximum tax deduction & no emission test req. Call 24-7: 855-504-1540. (AAN CAN)

CLEANING

COMMERCIAL/ RESIDENTIAL CLEANING

Elite cleaning has room for a few more clients. If you or anybody you know needs their business space or rentals cleaned, feel free to reach out to 802-559-2833 or elitecleaningllc.vt@ gmail.com.

EDUCATION

ATTN: ACTIVE DUTY & MILITARY VETS

Begin a new career & earn your degree at CTI! Online computer & medical training avail. for veterans & families. To learn more, call 866-243-5931, Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-6 p.m. ET. Computer w/ internet is req. (AAN CAN)

ENTERTAINMENT

WANTED

READERS

Tired of “formula fiction” & genre-driven tales? Character-driven literary fiction set in Vermont & Québec. See the books at cerealnovel.com.

FINANCIAL/ LEGAL

print deadline: Mondays at 3:30 p.m. post ads online 24/7 at: sevendaysvt.com/classifieds questions? classifieds@sevendaysvt.com 865-1020 x120

energy healing, chakra balancing, Reiki, rebirthing, other lives, classes & more. 802-899-3542, kelman.b@juno.com.

CREDIT CARD DEBT RELIEF!

Reduce payment by up to 50%. Get 1 low affordable payment/mo. Reduce interest. Stop calls. Free no-obligation consultation. Call 1-855761-1456. (AAN CAN)

HEALTH/ WELLNESS

PSYCHIC COUNSELING Psychic counseling, channeling w/ Bernice Kelman, Underhill. 40+ years’ experience. Also

HOME/GARDEN

WATER DAMAGE TO YOUR HOME?

Call for a quote for professional cleanup & maintain the value of your home. Set an appt. today. Call 833-6641530. (AAN CAN)

BATH & SHOWER UPDATES

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Affordable prices. No payments for 18 mos. Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & military

ser vices

AUTO

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housing FOR RENT

APT. AVAILABLE NOW

2-BR, 1-BA upstairs apt. in Old North End duplex. Avail. mid-Jan. or Feb.

1. Off-street parking. Fenced backyard. Indoor cat OK. $1,700/mo. Info: 323-821-5941.

SMALL HOUSE IN WORCESTER

New house w/ woodstove, kitchen, BA, shower/claw-foot bathtub, sparkling mountain spring water. 1 spacious, large octagonal room as BR/LR. No dogs, + utils. Contact: dunja@ workshopsfora betterlife.com.

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

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

readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. Any home seeker who feels he or she has encountered discrimination should contact:

HUD Office of Fair Housing 10 Causeway St., Boston, MA 02222-1092 (617) 565-5309 — OR —

Vermont Human Rights Commission 14-16 Baldwin St. Montpelier, VT 05633-0633 1-800-416-2010 hrc@vermont.gov

discounts avail. Call 1-866-370-2939. (AAN CAN)

COVERED HOME REPAIRS

Don’t pay for covered home repairs again! American Residential Warranty covers all major systems & appliances. 30-day risk-free/$100 off popular plans. Call 855-731-4403. (AAN CAN)

DOUBLE DIAMOND PAINT

New year, new paint color for the home! Professional painters avail. Interior & exterior. 20+ years’ experience. Call now for free estimate! 802-760-0584.

INTERIOR PAINTING SERVICE

South Burlington-based painter seeking interior projects. Quality work, insured w/solid refs. On the web at vtpainting company.com or call Tim at 802-373-7223.

SAFETY UPDATES FOR BATHTUBS

BathWraps is looking for homeowners w/ older homes who want a quick safety update. ey do not remodel entire bathrooms but update bathtubs w/ new liners for safe bathing & showering. ey specialize in grab bars, nonslip surfaces & shower seats. All updates are completed in 1 day. Call 1-866-531-2432. (AAN CAN)

CALCOKU

BY JOSH REYNOLDS

DIFFICULTY THIS WEEK: ★★

Fill the grid using the numbers 1-6, only once in each row and column. e numbers in each heavily outlined “cage” must combine to produce the target number in the top corner, using the mathematical operation indicated. A onebox cage should be filled in with the target number in the top corner. A number can be repeated within a cage as long as it is not the same row or column.

SUDOKU

BY JOSH REYNOLDS

DIFFICULTY THIS WEEK: ★★

Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each 9-box square contains all of the numbers one to nine. e same numbers cannot be repeated in a row or column.

WANT MORE PUZZLES?

Try these online news games from Seven Days at sevendaysvt.com/games.

NEW ON FRIDAYS: See how fast you can solve this weekly 10-word puzzle.

Put your knowledge of Vermont news to the test.

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music BANDS/ MUSICIANS

ROOT7 A CAPPELLA AUDITIONS

Root7 is auditioning new voices! We are a group of a cappella singers; our repertoire includes songs by Pink, James Bay, Rusted Root, Lauren Daigle, Jason Mraz & more. Information about our group is avail. at facebook.com/Root7vt. If you are interested in auditioning, please contact us at root7acappella@gmail. com for instructions.

INSTRUCTION

GUITAR INSTRUCTION

Berklee graduate w/30 years’ teaching experience offers lessons in guitar, music theory, music technology, ear training. Individualized, step-by-step approach. All ages, styles, levels. Rick Belford, 864-7195, rickbelford.com.

Legal Notices

Auditorium,

PLACE AN AFFORDABLE NOTICE AT: SEVENDAYSVT.COM/LEGAL-NOTICES OR CALL 802-865-1020, EXT. 110.

of Voters no later than the deadline established by Vermont law for that election or meeting.

AMENDMENTS FOR BURLINGTON, VERMONT MARCH 7, 2023 ANNUAL CITY MEETING

Pursuant to the requirements of 17 V.S.A. Sec. 2645, the first public hearing concerning proposed amendments to the Burlington City Charter by both the City Council and by voter petition will be held Tuesday, January 17th, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. e meeting will be held at Contois Auditorium, City Hall, Burlington, Vermont and will also be streamed via Zoom.

You are invited to a Zoom webinar.

When: Jan 17, 2023 05:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Topic: Board of Finance/City Council Public Hearings Regarding Charter Changes

Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://zoom.us/j/93874672154

Or One tap mobile : US: +16469313860,,93874672154# or +19292056099,,93874672154#

Or Telephone: Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1 646 931 3860 or +1 929 205 6099 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 305 224 1968 or +1 309 205 3325 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 360 209 5623 or +1 386 347 5053 or +1 507 473 4847 or +1 564 217 2000 or +1 669 444 9171 or +1 669 900 6833 or +1 689 278 1000 or +1 719 359 4580 or +1 253 205 0468 Webinar ID: 938 7467 2154

International numbers available: https://zoom. us/u/allqH4JNA

Pursuant to the requirements of 17 V.S.A. Sec. 2645, the second public hearing concerning proposed amendments to the Burlington City Charter by both the City Council and by voter petition will be held Monday, January 23rd, 2023 at 5:30 p.m. e meeting will be held at Contois

You are invited to a Zoom webinar. When: Jan 23, 2023 05:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Topic: City Council Meeting

Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://zoom.us/j/91234899734 Or One tap mobile : US: +16469313860,,91234899734# or +19292056099,,91234899734# Or Telephone: Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1 646 931 3860 or +1 929 205 6099 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 305 224 1968 or +1 309 205 3325 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 253 205 0468 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 360 209 5623 or +1 386 347 5053 or +1 507 473 4847 or +1 564 217 2000 or +1 669 444 9171 or +1 669 900 6833 or +1 689 278 1000 or +1 719 359 4580

Webinar ID: 912 3489 9734

International numbers available: https://zoom. us/u/abGZfrMTnj

ese charter amendments are proposed to be voted on at the Tuesday, March 7, 2023 Annual City Meeting.

e following changes (deleted matter in strikeout and new matter underlined) are being proposed by the City Council:

1. “Shall the Charter of the City of Burlington, Acts of 1949, No. 298 as amended be further amended to add a Section 8a to Article 4 as follows:

8a Requirements for Legal Resident Voters Who Are Not Citizens:

(a) Notwithstanding sections 7 and 8 above and 17 V.S.A., Ch. 43, a legal resident who is not a citizen of the United States shall be a legal voter at a local City of Burlington or Burlington School District election if the individual meets the following qualifi cations: is a legal resident of the United States, is not less than 18 years of age, has taken the Voter’s Oath, resides in the City of Burlington as residency is defined in 17 V.S.A. § 2122, and has registered to vote with the Board of Registration

(b) For purposes of this section, a legal resident of the United States means any non-citizen who resides in the United States on a permanent or indefinite basis in compliance with federal immigration laws.

(c) is section does not change a non-citizen’s ability to vote in any state or federal election.

(d) A legal resident voter who is not a citizen may cast a ballot only for local offi cers and local public questions specifi c to a ward or City district of which the individual is a resident at the time of voting.

(e) e Chief Administrative Offi cer shall develop all necessary forms and procedures for implementation of this section, including identifying on the voter checklist those legal resident voters who are not citizens.”

2. “Shall the Charter of the City of Burlington, Acts of 1949, No. 298 as amended be further have Title II, Article 4, Qualifi cations of Voters, and Article 8, Method of Conducting Elections, amended as follows:

TITLE II. ELECTIONS AND CITY MEETINGS—CITY ELECTIONS

ARTICLE 4. QUALIFICATIONS OF VOTERS

§8. Person to vote in ward or City district in which the person resides; residence requirement.

Person to reside in ward or City district if casting ballot for particular local offi cers or local public questions. No such citizen shall vote except in the ward or City district of which he or she is at the time a resident. A legal voter may cast a ballot for local offi cers and local public questions specifi c to a ward or City district only if that legal voter resides in that ward or City district at the time of casting that ballot.

ARTICLE

8. METHOD OF CONDUCTING ELECTIONS

FROM P.75

§19. Where elections held; early voter absentee ballots. Designation of Polling Places. Annual and special elections shall be held in the several wards. Notwithstanding 17 V.S.A. chapter 51, the ballots of early or absentee voters may be returned to the ward clerks of the various wards within the City. At least thirty days prior to a local, primary, or general election, the City Council, in consultation with the City Clerk’s Offi ce, ward clerks and inspectors of election, shall determine the number and location of polling places. Polling places shall be located in each ward unless a more accessible facility is available outside the ward which is in as close proximity as possible to the ward in which each voter resides. If more than one polling place is located within the same building, each shall be located so that it is separate and distinct from the others, in accordance with 17 V.S.A. 2501(e).”

3. “Shall the Charter of the City of Burlington, Acts of 1949, No. 298 as amended be further amended to amend Article 2, City Election Areas Defined, thereto to read as follows:

ARTICLE 2. CITY ELECTION AREAS DEFINED 2 Election boundaries.

(a) City Districts Described. For the annual meeting of 20 15 24 and all City elections thereafter, the City of Burlington is divided into four electoral districts, constituted as follows:

(1) East District. e East District shall include all that part of said City lying easterly and northerly of the following described boundaries: Beginning at the common boundary between the Cities of Burlington and Winooski in the Winooski River beneath the Central Vermont Railway bridge downstream of the Lower Winooski Falls and Salmon Hole; thence westerly in the centerline of said railroad tracks, crossing Intervale Road , for 406.6 feet to a point where the centerline of Hyde Street of Intervale Road extended northeasterly northerly intersects said railroad track centerline (approximately -73.2028 longitude, 44.4911 latitude ); (approximately -73.2045 longitude, 44.4912 latitude ); thence southerly along the extension of the centerline of Intervale Road, crossing Riverside Avenue until the centerline intersects with that of the Archibald Street

City Hall, Burlington, Vermont and will also be streamed via Zoom.

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centerline extended easterly; thence westerly along the Archibald Street centerline until the intersection of the Archibald Street centerline and the North Willard Street centerline; thence southerly along the North Willard Street Centerline until the intersection of the North Willard Street centerline and the Pearl Street Centerline; thence westerly along the Pearl Street centerline until intersecting with the South Winooski Avenue centerline; thence southerly along the South Winooski Avenue centerline until intersecting the Maple Street centerline; thence easterly along the Maple Street centerline for 1573.5 feet to a point where the eastern property boundary of 315 Maple Street extended northerly intersects Maple Street (approximately -73.2064 longitude, 44.4739 latitude); thence southerly along the eastern property boundary of 315 Maple Street for 276.5 feet (approximately -73.2064 longitude, 44.4734 latitude); thence 281.4 feet westerly to a point where the southern property boundary of 315 Maple Street extended westerly intersects with the western boundary of 251 South Willard Street extended northerly (approximately -73.2071 longitude, 44.4733 latitude), thence 723.7 feet 177 ° southerly to a point where it intersects the southern property boundary of 285 South Willard Street extended westerly (approximately -73.2071 longitude, 44.4719 latitude); thence easterly along the southern boundary of 285 South Willard Street for 696.5 feet until intersecting with the South Willard Street centerline (approximately -73.2051 longitude, 44.472 latitude); thence northerly along the South Willard Street centerline for 220.9 feet (approximately -73.2052 longitude, 44.4724 latitude); thence easterly along the southern property boundary of 262 South Willard Street for 557.6 feet (approximately -73.2037 longitude, 44.4725 latitude); thence northerly along the eastern property boundary of 262 South Willard Street for 89.6 feet to a point where the Juniper Terrace centerline extended westerly intersects the eastern property boundary of 262 South Willard Street (approximately -73.2037 longitude, 44.4726 latitude); thence following the Juniper Terrace centerline easterly until intersecting with the Summit Street centerline (approximately -73.2021 longitude, 44.4727 latitude); thence northerly along the Summit Street centerline until reaching the centerline of Main Street; thence following the Main Street centerline easterly 2339.6 feet (approximately -73.1964 longitude, 44.4753 latitude); thence southwesterly 214° for 136.1 feet (approximately -73.1966 longitude, 44.4751 latitude), thence southeasterly 98.2 feet (approximately -73.1964 longitude, 44.4749 latitude); thence southwesterly by 213 ° for 770 feet (approximately -73.1975 longitude, 44.4737 latitude); thence southeasterly by 123 for 477.4 feet until intersecting with the University Heights centerline (approximately -73.1964 longitude, 44.4732 latitude); thence southerly along the centerline of University Heights Road 1221.65 feet until intersecting with the PFG Road centerline, thence westerly by 79 ° until intersecting of Hyde Street, continuing on the centerline of Hyde Street to the intersection of the centerline of North Willard Street; thence southerly along the centerline of North Willard Street to the intersection of the centerline of Pearl Street; thence westerly along the centerline of Pearl Street to the intersection of the centerline of South Winooski Avenue; thence southerly along the centerline of South Winooski Avenue to the intersection of the centerline of Main Street; thence easterly along the centerline of Main Street to the intersection of the western property line of 525 Main Street extended, containing the Main Street Water Reservoir (approximately -73.1992 longitude, 44.4763 latitude); thence southerly along the western property boundary of 525 Main Street to its southwestern corner approximately -73.1991 longitude, 44.4746 latitude); thence easterly along the southern property boundary of 525 Main Street to its southeastern corner (approximately -73.1984 longitude, 44.4746 latitude); thence southwesterly along the western property boundaries of 49, 55, and 59 University Terrace to the southwestern corner of 59 University Terrace (approximately -73.1987 longitude, 44.4742 latitude); thence southeasterly along the southern property boundaries of 59 University Terrace and 60 University Terrace, extended to the centerline of University Heights Road (approximately -73.1964 longitude, 44.4732

latitude); thence southerly along the centerline of University Heights Road 1,314 feet to its intersection with the extended centerline of the walkway serving the University of Vermont Southwick Hall and the Music Building from the Redstone Campus loop road (approximately -73.1968 longitude, 44.4698 latitude); thence westerly along the extended walkway and walkway centerline, with the Music Building to the north and Southwick Hall to the south, 367 feet to its intersection with the centerline of the Redstone Campus loop road (approximately -73.1982 longitude, 44.4698 latitude); thence northerly and then westerly along the centerline of the Redstone Campus loop road to its intersection with the centerline of South Prospect Street; thence southerly along the centerline of South Prospect Street to its intersection with the centerline of the Davis Road; thence northeasterly along the centerline of Davis Road to its intersection with University Heights Road, continuing easterly along the centerline of Davis Road to its intersection with the common boundary between the Cities of Burlington and South Burlington.

(2) Central District. The Central District shall include all that part of the City bounded as follows: On the east, beginning at the common boundary between the City of Burlington and Town of Colchester in the Winooski River at the intersection of a point intersecting with the centerline of Institute Road extended northeasterly (approximately -73.2147 longitude, 44.5089 latitude approximately -73.2139 longitude, 44.5077 latitude); thence southerly along the common boundary between the City of Burlington and Town of Colchester in the Winooski River to a point beneath the Central Vermont Railway bridge downstream of the Lower Winooski Falls and Salmon Hole; thence southerly westerly along the East District northern western boundary to its intersection with the centerline of for 406.6 feet to its intersection with the westerly boundary of the East District; thence southerly along the westerly boundary of the East District to its intersection with the centerline of Archibald Street, then southerly along the East District western boundary to the intersection with the centerline of Pearl Street; thence westerly along the northern boundary of the East District to the intersection with the centerline of South Winooski Avenue; thence southerly along the western boundary of the East District to the centerline of Maple Main Street; thence westerly along the centerline of Maple Street until its intersection with the centerline of South Champlain street; thence northerly along the South Champlain Street centerline until continuing southerly along the centerline of South Winooski Avenue its intersection with the centerline of King Street; on the south along the centerline of King Street extended westerly to Lake Champlain; on the west by Lake Champlain; on the north, beginning at the intersection of the common property boundary between 87 North Avenue and 9 Lakeview Terrace extended westerly to Lake Champlain (approximately -73.2252 longitude, 44.4832 latitude); thence northeasterly along the extended property boundary between 87 North Avenue and 9 Lakeview Terrace to its intersection with the centerline of the Central Vermont Railway railroad track (approximately -73.2239 longitude, 44.4837 latitude); thence northerly and easterly along the centerline of the Central Vermont Railway railroad track, crossing North Avenue and the Burlington Beltline, to its intersection with the centerline of Spring Street extended northwesterly (approximately -73.2183 longitude, 44.4912 latitude); thence northwesterly along the extension of the centerline of Spring Street to its intersection with the centerline of Institute Road extended northeasterly (approximately -73.2281 longitude, 44.4995 latitude); thence northeasterly along the extension of the centerline of Institute Road extended to its intersection with the common boundary between the City of Burlington and Town of Colchester in the Winooski River (approximately -73.2139 longitude, 44.5077 latitude).

(3) South District. The South District shall include all that part of the City south of the southern boundaries of the East and Central Districts.

(4) North District. The North District shall include all that part of the City north of the northern boundary of the Central District.

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(b) Wards Described. Each of the City of Burlington’s four electoral districts set forth in subsection (a) of this section hereby comprises two wards, each of which is constituted as follows:

(1) East District - Ward 1 and Ward 8. (A) The East District is divided into two wards by the following boundary: Beginning at the center of the intersection of Brookes Avenue Pearl Street and South Willard Street; thence southerly easterly along the Brookes Avenue centerline until intersecting with the centerline of North Prospect Street; thence southerly along the centerline of North Prospect Street to the intersection of the centerline of Colchester Avenue; thence easterly along the centerline of Colchester Avenue to the intersection of the centerline of Mary Fletcher Drive; thence southerly along the centerline of Mary Fletcher Drive for 331.58 feet (approximately -73.196 longitude, 44.4802 latitude); thence southerly along the western side and easterly along the southern side of the UVM Medical Center building for 1854.5 feet until a point at the center of the intersection of Beaumont Avenue and Mary Fletcher Drive (approximately - 73.1932 longitude, 44.4788 latitude); thence south along the Beaumont Avenue centerline to the intersection of Carrigan Drive; thence following Carrigan Drive westerly for 199.1 feet (approximately -73.1932 longitude, 44.4756 latitude); thence travelling southwesterly for 821.3 feet along the UVM service road on the eastern border the southeastern wing of UVM Jeffords Hall; thence northwesterly along the service road bordering the southern border of the southeastern wing of UVM’s Jeffords Hall until a point at the intersection of the service road and the centerline of University Heights extended northeasterly (approximately -73.1947 longitude, 44.4751 latitude); thence southwesterly along the centerline of University Heights 977.3 feet (approximately -73.1962 longitude, 44.4735 latitude); thence continuing southeasterly along the centerline of the driveway bounding the western side of the UVM Living/Learning Commons for 404.3 feet (approximately - 73.1952 longitude, 44.4731 latitude); thence continuing south along the eastern side of UVM’s University Heights dorms until intersecting with PFG Road; thence continuing easterly along the western extension of the PFG Road centerline for 601.2 feet until intersecting with of South Willard Street to the intersection of the centerline of College Street; thence easterly along the centerline of College Street extended to the intersection of the centerline of University Place; thence southerly along the centerline of University Place to the intersection of the centerline of Main Street; thence easterly along the centerline of Main Street to the common boundary between the Cities of Burlington and South Burlington.

(B) Ward 1 lies to the north and east of the boundary described in subdivision (A) of this subdivision (1), and Ward 8 lies to the south and west.

(2) Central District - Ward 2 and Ward 3.

(A) The Central District is divided into two wards by the following boundary: Beginning at the intersection of the common property boundary between 85 North Avenue and 9 Lakeview Terrace extended westerly to Lake Champlain (approximately -73.2252 longitude, -44.4832 latitude); thence northeasterly along the extended property boundary between 87 North Avenue and 9 Lakeview Terrace to its intersection with the centerline of the Central Vermont Railway railroad track (approximately -73.224 longitude, 44.4837 latitude); thence southeasterly along the centerline of the Central Vermont Railway railroad track to a point intersecting with the northwestern property boundary of 300 Lake Street extended southwesterly (approximately -73.2234 longitude, 44.4832 latitude); thence northeasterly to a point at the intersection of the northwestern property boundary of 300 Lake Street extended northeasterly with the centerline of Depot Street (approximately - 73.2223 longitude, 44.4837 latitude); thence northerly along the centerline of Depot Street to the intersection with the centerline of Lakeview Terrace; Beginning at the centerline of the Central Vermont Railway railroad track at the intersection of the centerline of Spring

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Street extended northwesterly (approximately -73.2183 longitude, 44.4912 latitude); thence southerly easterly along the centerline of Spring Street Lakeview Terrace extended northwesterly until intersecting , continuing along the centerline of Spring Street to its intersection with the centerline of Elmwood North Avenue; thence southerly northerly along the centerline of Elmwood North Avenue to its intersection with the centerline of Pearl North Street; thence easterly along the centerline of Pearl North Street until intersecting with the North Union Street centerline; thence southerly following the North Union Street centerline until intersecting with the Loomis Street centerline; thence easterly along the Loomis street centerline to the intersection of the centerlines of Loomis Street and South Willard Avenue to the intersection of the centerlines of North and South Winooski Avenue.

(B) Ward 2 lies to the east north of the boundary described in subdivision (A) of this subdivision (2), and Ward 3 lies to the west south

(3) South District - Ward 5 and Ward 6.

(A) The South District is divided into two wards by the following boundary: Beginning at the intersection of the centerlines of King Maple Street and Saint Paul Church Street; thence southerly along the centerline of Church Street to the intersection with the centerline of Adams Street; thence westerly along the centerline of Adams Street to the intersection with the centerline of Saint Paul Street; thence southerly along the Saint Paul Street centerline along the centerline of Saint Paul Street to its intersection with the centerline of Shelburne Street; thence southerly along the centerline of Shelburne Street to its intersection with the centerline of Flynn Avenue; thence easterly along the centerline of Flynn Avenue extended easterly to the common boundary between the Cities of Burlington and South Burlington.

(B) Ward 5 lies to the west of the boundary described in subdivision (A) of this subdivision (3), and Ward 6 lies to the east.

(4) North District - Ward 4 and Ward 7.

(A) The North District is divided into two wards by the following boundary: Beginning at the centerline of Institute Road extended southwesterly to Lake Champlain; thence northeasterly to the intersection of Institute Road with the centerline of North Avenue; Beginning at the intersection of the centerlines of North Avenue and the Central Vermont Railway railroad track; thence northerly along the centerline of North Avenue to its intersection with the centerline of Fairfield Drive; thence westerly along the centerline of Fairfield Drive to its intersection with the western property boundary of 39 Westward Drive extended southerly (approximately -73.2685 longitude, 44.5257 latitude); thence northerly along the western property boundaries boundary of 39 and 40 Westward Drive, until intersecting with the centerline of Westward Drive; thence southwesterly along the centerline of Westward Drive to the intersection with the Northshore Drive centerline; thence northerly along the Northshore Drive centerline until intersecting with the Clair Pointe Road centerline (point); continuing northerly along the western property boundaries of properties fronting the west side of Hardy Avenue to the southern boundary of 35 Derway Drive; thence westerly along the southern boundary of 35 Derway Drive, extended to its intersection with the centerline of Derway Drive (approximately -73.2690 longitude, 44.5249 latitude); thence northeasterly along the centerline of Derway Drive to its intersection with the centerline of Claire Pointe Drive; thence northerly along the centerline of Claire Pointe Drive approximately 44 feet to its intersection with the southern property boundary of the Claire Pointe condominium development; thence westerly along the southern property boundary of the Claire Pointe condominium development (approximately -73.2686 longitude, 44.5286 latitude) to the Waterfront Bike Path right-of-way approximately 537 feet (approximately -73.2707 longitude, 44.5253 latitude), and then extended to Lake Champlain.

Legal Notices

(B) Ward 4 lies to the west of the boundary described in subdivision (A) of this subdivision (4), and Ward 7 lies to the east.

(5) Ward map reference. Reference is also made to a map entitled “ Ward Redistricting, 8 Wards - 4 Districts, 12 Councilors, Approved Map (December 2 V1.3), Map Date: December 8, 2022 Ward

Redistricting, 8 Wards - 4 Districts, 12 Councilors, Referred to City Council by CC Committee (v.3), Map Date: December 2, 2013” located in the Burlington Chief Administrative Officer’s office in further aid of the description of the wards set forth in this subsection.”

4. “Shall the Charter of the City of Burlington, Acts of 1949, No. 298 as amended, be further amended to adopt ranked choice voting for the election of the City’s Mayor through the amendment of City Charter § 5 as follows:

§ 5 Election to be by ballot; method of election; runoff elections

a) The election of the Mayor and school commissioners shall be by ballot, and the person or persons receiving a plurality of all votes cast for any office aforesaid shall, except as hereinafter provided, be declared elected thereto. However, if no person receives at least 40 percent of all votes cast for any office aforesaid, no one shall be declared elected and a runoff election shall be held.

The only candidates in the runoff election shall be the two persons receiving the greater number of votes or, in case of a tie, the persons receiving the greatest number of votes or the persons receiving the second greatest number of votes. The Chief Administrative Officer shall within seven days warn a runoff election to be held not less than 12 days nor more than 20 days after the date of the warning. The warning shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the City and posted in a public place. The person or persons receiving a plurality of all the votes cast in a runoff election shall be declared elected

b) All elections of the Mayor, and City Councilors, school commissioners and ward election officers shall be by ballot, using a system of ranked choice voting without a separate runoff election. The Chief Administrative Officer shall implement a ranked choice voting protocol according to these guidelines:

(1) The ballot shall give voters the option of ranking candidates in order of preference.

(2) If a candidate receives a majority (over 50 percent) of first preferences, that candidate is elected.

(3) If no candidate receives a majority of first preferences, an instant runoff tabulation shall be performed by the presiding election officer.

(4) The City Council may adopt ordinances consistent with this subsection to implement these standards.”

The following changes (deleted matter in strikeout and new matter underlined) have been petitioned by Burlington voters:

1.“Shall the Charter of the City of Burlington, Acts of 1949, No. 298 as amended, be further amended to provide for an independent office with the power to investigate and an independent board with the power to hear and decide complaints and impose discipline regarding a police officer’s actions or inactions through the amendment of Article 64 Appointment of Police Officers, Section 189 and Article 65 Removal or Suspension, Section 190 as follows:

189 Members of force to be retained as long as they remain competent. The members of said regular police force now serving, or who shall hereafter be appointed thereto, shall, after the expiration of the one-year probationary period above provided, and

so long as they shall remain competent, efficient and capable in the performance of their respective duties be retained as such, subject to the rules and regulations adopted under Section 184 of this Charter and provided that any member may be removed for cause as hereinafter provided. Any non-probationary member may be disciplined or removed if found to have become incompetent, inefficient or incapable from any cause, is or has been negligent or derelict in their official duty, is guilty of any misconduct in their private or official life, or for any other just cause.

ARTICLE 65. REMOVAL OR SUSPENSION INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY CONTROL BOARD 190 Chief may remove Composition, jurisdiction, powers, and duties.

(a) Whenever it shall appear to the chief that any member of said force has become incompetent, inefficient or incapable from any cause, or is or has been negligent or derelict in his or her official duty, or is guilty of any misconduct in his or her private or official life, or whenever any well-grounded complaints or charges to such effect are made in writing to the chief by a responsible person against such member, the chief may investigate and, after appropriate notice an hearing, dismiss such member from the force, order a reduction in rank, or suspend the member without pay for a specified time period in excess of 14 days. In connection with any possible dismissal, demotion, or suspension for more than 14 days, the chief’s notice to the member shall be given at least 48 hours prior to any hearing and shall include a description of the charge being considered. In connection therewith, the chief shall have the power to subpoena witnesses and to administer the oath to such witnesses. The board of police commissioners shall hear any appeal filed in a timely manner with respect to such actions of the police chief. The time of filing an appeal and the nature of the appellate process shall be as determined by such board of regulation. Following its consideration of any such appeal, the board may affirm, modify, or vacate the decision made by the police chief.

(b) Whenever it shall appear to the mayor that the chief has become incompetent, inefficient, or incapable from any cause, or has been negligent or derelict in his or her official duty, or is guilty of any misconduct in his or her private or official life, or whenever any well-grounded complaints or charges to such effect are made in writing to the mayor by a responsible person, the mayor may suspend the chief from duty pending a hearing thereon by the city council. The city council shall forth with notify the chief of the charges preferred by them, or of the complaints or charges presented by such responsible person in writing, and shall thereupon proceed to consider and investigate the same. It shall appoint a time and place for the hearing of such complaints and charges so made, shall give the chief reasonable notice of the same, not less than 48 hours, and the city council shall have the power to subpoena witnesses and to administer the oath to such witnesses.

(c) If, upon hearing, the city council shall find such complaints or charges to be well founded, it may dismiss the chief from the force, demote him or her in rank, or suspend him or her without pay for a period not to exceed 60 days. The procedures outlined in this section shall control in the event of any conflict with section 129 of this Charter as pertains to the removal of the chief.

(d) The chief may, without notice or hearing for any infraction, violation, or disobedience of any of the rules and regulations of the police department that may seem to the chief sufficient, suspend from duty without pay any member of the police force for a period not to exceed 14 days.

(a) Board Established.

A community police department control board consisting of no less than seven (7) members and no more than 9 members is established. The board shall be an independent department of the city.

A quorum of the board shall be four (4) members, and when a quorum exists a valid majority is the

majority of those present and voting. Members shall be entitled to fair compensation for their time spent working on the board through a stipend that shall be no less than that set by the city’s livable wage ordinance in effect at the time.

(b) Board Members Term, Qualifications and Selection.

(1) Term. Board members shall serve a term of three (3) years and shall be eligible to serve for no more than three (3) terms. Notwithstanding this term, members shall serve until their replacement has been qualified and appointed.

(2) Diversity and Qualifications. This board is intended to serve the public and community interest and, in particular and consistent with its jurisdiction, allow for the real redress of harms to those persons who have been historically harmed by police misconduct and those who have been underserved by public safety systems.

(A)Diversity.

The Board shall have a diverse composition, and to the extent possible, have members that represent diversity of age, race, socioeconomic status, gender, geographic residence, legal immigration status, and professional and lived experience. This shall, to the extent possible, include members who are Black, Indigenous, or other people of color, members who have lived experience with houselessness, mental health conditions, sex work, domestic violence, substance use disorder and/or arrest or conviction records, members who have experience working with an organization that supports Black, Indigenous, or other People of Color, and members who are affiliated with an organization in the field of civil rights, mental health, youth advocacy, LGBTQ advocacy or alcohol and other substance use. Individual members may represent more than one of the categories listed above.

(B) Qualifications.

(i) No member shall have ever been employed by a law enforcement agency. All previous employment and relevant relationships shall be disclosed at the earliest practicable time.

(ii) Members shall be residents of the city of Burlington, regardless of legal immigration status, at the time their board service begins. Members who move outside of the city may remain on the Board for the duration of their term, provided that they still reside in Chittenden County, but may not be reappointed if they reside outside the city at the end of their term.

(3) Selection. Annually, the City Council with Mayor Presiding will choose a set of seven communitybased organizations that have an interest in civil rights, immigrant rights, disability rights/mental health, racial equity and social justice, and that also have an interest in the safety of the city and criminal justice reform. Three (3) organizations, to the extent possible, should be Black-led or majority Black membership. Each organization shall appoint a representative to an appointment committee. The committee shall appoint qualified persons to be members of the board. The Director of the Racial Equity Inclusion & Belonging Office, or their designee, and one City Councilor, appointed by the City Council President, shall also be on the appointment committee. This appointment committee shall be considered a public body that is subject to the Open Meeting Law and the Access to Public Records Act. The City Attorney shall convene the first meeting of the committee and shall act as committee staff. The committee shall make appointments based on a selection process that is open to the public with regard to applications, nominations, and selection.

(4) Initial Board. The initial board shall be selected so that no more than half of the members shall serve a three-year term, and the remainder shall serve a four-year term; thereafter, each member shall serve a three year term.

(5) Vacancies. Any vacancy during a term shall not be filled unless the membership of the board drops to five members. The process for filling the seat

shall be the same as that for the appointment of members.

(c) Jurisdiction.

(1) Board investigation and adjudication of misconduct. The board has the jurisdiction to discipline or remove a member of the police force, including the chief, as it deems appropriate, including the right to order a reduction in rank or suspension without pay for a specified period, pursuant to section 189, this section, and all applicable rules and regulations related thereto. This jurisdiction includes the right to review and make findings on any incident or complaint against a police officer, including the chief, on complaints of excessive force, abuse of authority, unlawful arrests/stops/searches, other unlawful acts, discourtesy/disrespect, offensive language, theft, discrimination, or untruthfulness by police officers. Any other incident or complaint shall be heard at the discretion of the board. The board shall conduct investigations of alleged police misconduct into those complaints, and in those cases hold hearings and issue final decisions with regard to police officer discipline and removal pursuant to section 189. The procedures outlined in this section shall control in the event of any conflict with section 129 of this Charter as pertains to the removal of the chief.

(2) Department investigation and adjudication of complaints.

(A) In those cases that are not taken up by the board, the investigation shall be conducted by the police department. In such cases, the chief shall investigate and, after appropriate notice and hearing, may take disciplinary action, including but not limited to dismissal, reduction in rank, or suspension without pay for a specified time period. In connection with any possible dismissal, demotion, or suspension for more than 14 days, the chief’s notice to the member shall be given at least 48 hours prior to any hearing and shall include a description of the charges being considered.

(B) The chief may, without notice or hearing for any infraction, violation, or disobedience of any of the rules and regulations of the police department that may seem to the chief sufficient, suspend from duty without pay any member of the police force for a period not to exceed 14 days.

(C) Any decision made by the department pursuant to (A) or (B) above shall be submitted to the board for review and approval. If the board disagrees with the department’s decision, it shall vacate the decision and refer the complaint to the investigative office for processing in the same manner as complaints heard by the board.

(3) Administrative suspension. Pending any investigation, the chief, in their discretion, may suspend an officer from duty pending the applicable legal process. The board shall have such authority in the case of the chief, based on the nature of the alleged offense. This suspension may be with or without pay.

(4) Retention of records. Officer performance records and or investigatory/disciplinary records, being relevant to the adjudication of complaints shall be retained by the department for a period of seventy-five years, notwithstanding any record retention policy to the contrary.

(5) Hiring. The board shall also have input into the hiring of the police chief and the hiring criteria for police officers.

(d) Powers and Duties. The board shall have the following powers and duties:

(1) To establish rules and regulations for its operation, subject to approval by the city council;

(2) To meet and hold hearings. Disciplinary hearings held by the board at which evidence is taken shall be open to the public, unless otherwise limited by the rule of the board.

(3) To hire employees or consultants, including legal representation.

(4) To administer oaths and take the testimony

of any person under oath in connection with the jurisdiction of the board.

(5) To issue subpoenas to compel testimony or access to or production of records, documents and other evidence or possible sources of evidence or the appearance of persons, provided that the subpoena is issued pursuant to an action under the jurisdiction of the board and there is reasonable cause to believe that those materials or the testimony of the person are material to the complaint. Subpoenas issued under this subdivision shall be accompanied with a notice that informs the person that the person has a right to contest the subpoena at a hearing before a quorum of the board, and subpoenas shall be enforced as provided in 3 V.S.A. §§ 809a and 809b.

(6) To discipline or remove a member of the police force, including the chief, and discipline may include a reduction in rank or suspension without pay for a specified period, pursuant to section 189, this section, and all applicable rules and regulations related thereto. Whenever it shall appear to the board that any member of said force has become incompetent, inefficient or incapable from any cause, or is or has been negligent or derelict in their official duty, or is guilty of any misconduct in their private or official life, or whenever any well-grounded complaints or charges to such effect are made in writing to the board by a responsible person against such member, the board may investigate and, after appropriate notice and hearing, dismiss such member from the force, order a reduction in rank, or suspend the member without pay for a specified time period that is deemed appropriate by the board. In connection with any possible dismissal, demotion, or suspension for more than 14 days, the board’s notice to the member shall be given at least 48 hours prior to any hearing and shall include a description of the charges being considered. The board may, without notice or hearing for any infraction, violation, or disobedience of any of the rules and regulations of the police department that may seem to the board sufficient, suspend from duty without pay any member of the police force for a period not to exceed 14 days. Any and all appeals of a decision by the board, including whether or not just cause exists to warrant discipline and/or the punishment imposed, shall not be subject to grievance and arbitration but shall be made on the record established by the board to the Vermont Superior Court pursuant to Rule 74 of the Vermont Rules of Civil Procedure.

(7) To issue public reports on its work. The board shall issue quarterly reports that are publicly available in accessible formats on the number of complaints and the nature of the complaints. It shall also provide an annual report to the city council on all of its duties.

(8) To establish and maintain an investigative office.

(9) To attend and complete training sufficient to perform its duties.

(e) Investigative Office.

(1) If records are not provided or witnesses do not appear on request, the investigative office shall have the power to issue subpoenas to compel testimony or access to or production of records, documents and other evidence or possible sources of evidence or the appearance of persons, provided that the subpoena is issued pursuant to an action under the jurisdiction of the board and there is reasonable cause to believe that those materials or the testimony of the person are material to the complaint. Subpoenas issued under this subdivision shall be accompanied with a notice that informs the person that the person has a right to contest the subpoena at a hearing before a quorum of the board, and subpoenas shall be enforced as provided in 3 V.S.A. §§ 809a and 809b.

(2) The investigative office shall have, on request:

(A) Access to any and all records of the police department, subject to any legal limitations (e.g., expunged records) or legal confidentiality requirements;

(B) Full cooperation of the police department, its members, and relevant City staff (i.e., Human Resources, City Attorney, etc.);

(C) Unfettered access to police command and internal affairs personnel; and

(D)Access to all policies and data created or maintained by the police department.

(3) The investigative office shall have the authority to:

(A) Receive, investigate, and present to the board any complaint against a police officer. Once received, this process should be completed under normal circumstances within thirty days, but because the time required may vary from case to case based on the nature of the allegation(s) and the complexity of the investigation, if additional time is necessary to complete the investigation, the board may authorize an extension of up to sixty days;

(B) In any case that the investigative office or the board does not investigate, monitor any investigation being conducted by the police department with full access to interviews and any other pertinent materials;

(C) Be immediately notified so that an investigator may be sent to the scene of a police shooting or in-custody death;

(D) Be allowed to interview officers less than 48 hours after an incident where deadly force is used;

(E) Access crime scenes, subpoena witnesses and files; and

(F) Set penalties for and enforce against noncompliance with the lawful orders issued pursuant to the duties and powers of the office and board.

(G) Employ a director hired by and at the discretion of the board, and hire other staff or consultants as determined by its director and authorized by the city council, including independent legal counsel to advise the board.

(4) The investigative office shall:

(A) Have an appropriation adequate to conduct the work of the office;

(B) Issue public quarterly reports analyzing complaints, demographics of complainants, status and findings of investigations and actions taken as a result, as well as dispositions;

(C) Establish multiple in-person and online ways to submit, view and discuss complaints, including hearing from the chief or their designee or any other person with pertinent information and receiving recommendations deemed appropriate by that person;

(D) Provide complaint-related information and records to the public (without personally identifiable complainant information);

(E) Be housed in a separate location from the police department.

* Material underlined added.

** Material stricken out deleted.

2.“Shall the Burlington City Charter, Acts of 1949, No 298, as amended be further amended to grant voters the powers to initiate ballot questions, propose enactment and repeal of ordinances by majority vote?:

Powers of The People

- General Authority for initiative and referendum

(a) Advisory Question. The qualified voters of the City shall have power to gauge public sentiment through nonbinding question relating to domestic, regional, statewide, national, or international concerns, whether constituting the “business to be transacted” at any election or not.

(b) Binding Initiative. The qualified voters of the City shall have the power to propose, for any lawful purpose, binding ordinances to the Council and, if the Council fails to adopt an ordinance so proposed

without any change in substance, to adopt or reject it at a city election.

(c) Referendum. The qualified voters of the City shall have power to require reconsideration by the Council of any adopted ordinance and, if the Council fails to repeal an ordinance so reconsidered, to approve or reject it at a City election.

- Petitions

(a) Number of signatures. Petitions for ballot initiatives, referendums and questions must be signed by at least five percent of the legal voters of the city.

(b) Form and content. In addition to State requirements in 17 V.S.A. § 2642, petition for inclusion in the warning of an article to reflect public sentiment shall clearly state to be advisory only. Petition for inclusion in the warning of an article to adopt or repeal an ordinance shall clearly state that it is to be binding.

(c) Time for filing referendum petitions. Referendum petitions must be filed within 45 days after adoption by the Council of the ordinance sought to be reconsidered.

(d) No alteration of substance. The City Attorney is authorized, subject to approval of the Council, to correct such proposal to enact ordinances so as to avoid repetitions, illegalities, and unconstitutional provisions and to ensure accuracy in its text and references and clearness and precision in its phraseology, but he or she shall not materially change its meaning and effect.

- Action on petitions

(a) Action by Council. When an initiative or referendum petition has been finally determined sufficient, the Council shall promptly consider the proposed initiative ordinance in the manner provided in this Article or reconsider the referred ordinance by voting its repeal. If the Council fails to adopt a proposed initiative ordinance without any change in substance within 60 days or fails to repeal the referred ordinance within 30 days after the date the petition was finally determined sufficient, it shall submit the proposed or referred ordinance to the voters of the City.

(b) Submission to voters. The vote of the City on a proposed or referred ordinance shall be held during the next annual meeting, primary or general election or in a special meeting 30 days from the date of the final Council vote thereon. Copies of the proposed or referred ordinance shall be made available at the polls.

- Results of election

(a) Initiative. If a majority of the qualified voters voting on a proposed initiative ordinance vote in its favor, it shall be considered adopted upon certification of the election results and shall be treated in all respects in the same manner as ordinances of the same kind adopted by the Council. If conflicting ordinances are approved at the same election, the one receiving the greatest number of affirmative votes shall prevail to the extent of such conflict. (b) Referendum. If a majority of the qualified voters voting on a referred ordinance vote against it, it shall be considered repealed upon certification of the election results.

The official copy of the proposed charter amendments will be posted for public viewing by January 7th, 2023. Should any revisions be made to the proposed charter change amendments, they will be posted by February 15th, 2023.

ACT 250 NOTICE

MINOR APPLICATION 4C0094-6A

10 V.S.A. §§ 6001 - 6111

On November 14, 2022, SRTB Holdings, LLC, 1485 Shelburne Road, South Burlington, Vermont, filed application number 4C0094-6A for a project generally described as an expansion to the existing sales and show rooms and an addition for a drop off area for the vehicle service department at the Goss Jeep facility located at 1650 Shelburne Road, South Burlington, Vermont. The project includes a new sidewalk connection to Shelburne Road and construction of a stormwater infiltration basin for roof runoff from the proposed additions. The application was deemed complete on December 28, 2022 after receipt of supplemental information and can be viewed online by visiting the Act 250 Database: (https://anrweb.vt.gov/ANR/Act250/ Details.aspx?Num=4C0094-6A).

No hearing will be held and a permit will be issued

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unless, on or before January 26, 2023, 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://nrb. vermont.gov/documents/party-status- petitionform, and email it to the District 4 Office at: NRB. Act250Essex@vermont.gov. Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law may not be prepared unless the Commission holds a public hearing.

For more information contact Kevin Anderson at the address or telephone number below.

Dated this January 3, 2023.

By: /s/ Kevin Anderson

Kevin Anderson District Coordinator 111 West Street Essex Junction, VT 05452 802-522-6074 kevin.anderson@vermont.gov

ACT 250 NOTICE

MINOR APPLICATION 4C0978-14B 10 V.S.A. §§ 6001 - 6111

On December 16, 2022, Leandro Vazquez, PO Box 86, Charlotte, VT 05445 filed application number 4C0978-14B for a project generally described as Driveway construction (800’ long X 15’ wide) from the town road (Highland Drive) to the building envelope on lot 15. To build and put driveway on the original 250 permit in compliance with Richmond town regulations. Town regs for driveways not to exceed 12% grade. The project is located at 65 Highland Drive in Richmond, Vermont. This application can be viewed online by visiting the Act 250 Database: (https://anrweb.vt.gov/ANR/ Act250/Details.aspx?Num=4C0978-14B).

No hearing will be held, and a permit will be issued unless, on or before January 18, 2023, 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://nrb. vermont.gov/documents/party-status- petitionform, and email it to the District 4 Office at: NRB. Act250Essex@vermont.gov. Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law may not be prepared unless the Commission holds a public hearing.

For more information contact Kaitlin Hayes at the address or telephone number below.

Dated this December 28, 2022.

By: /s/ Kaitlin Hayes

Kaitlin Hayes

District Coordinator

111 West Street Essex Junction, VT 05452 (802) 622-4084

kaitlin.hayes@vermont.gov

ACT 250 NOTICE

MINOR APPLICATION 4C1043-1B

10 V.S.A. §§ 6001 - 6111

On November 18, 2022, University of Vermont & State Agricultural College, 31 Spear Street Marsh Hall, Suite 10, Burlington, VT 05405 filed

Legal Notices

application number 4C1043-1B for a project generally described as the suspension of a 200 space off-campus parking lot as required in item 4(b) of UVM’s Local Parking Management Plan (Exhibit #018 of LUP #4C1043-1). The parking lot is located at 351 Pine Street in Burlington and is associated with UVM’s Health Science Research Facility located at 149 Beaumont Avenue in Burlington, Vermont. The application was deemed complete on December 16, 2022.

This application can be viewed online by visiting the Act 250 Database: (https://anrweb.vt.gov/ ANR/Act250/Details.aspx?Num=4C1043-1B).

No hearing will be held and a permit will be issued unless, on or before January 20, 2023, 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://nrb. vermont.gov/documents/party-status- petitionform, and email it to the District 4 Office at: NRB. Act250Essex@vermont.gov. Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law may not be prepared unless the Commission holds a public hearing.

For more information contact Kaitlin Hayes at the address or telephone number below.

Dated this December 20, 2022.

By: /s/Kaitlin Hayes Kaitlin Hayes District Coordinator 111 West Street Essex Junction, VT 05452 (802) 622-4084 kaitlin.hayes@vermont.gov

ACT 250 NOTICE

MINOR APPLICATION 4C1108-3 10

V.S.A. §§ 6001 - 6111

On December 28, 2022, Chatham Woods Homeowners Association, PO Box 1201, Williston, VT 05495 filed application number 4C1108-3 for a project authorizing the removal of 45 dead / dying trees located along the forest edge which present a danger to property and owners. The stumps of these trees shall be left in place. 37 of these trees are ash trees and 22 of these trees reside just inside the wetland buffer. The project is located within the Chatham Woods Development on Ian Place and Michael Lane in Williston, Vermont. This application can be viewed online by visiting the Act 250 Database: (https://anrweb.vt.gov/ANR/ Act250/Details.aspx?Num=4C1108-3).

No hearing will be held, and a permit will be issued unless, on or before January 24, 2023, 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://nrb.

vermont.gov/documents/party-status- petitionform, and email it to the District 4 Office at: NRB. Act250Essex@vermont.gov. Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law may not be prepared unless the Commission holds a public hearing.

For more information contact Kaitlin Hayes at the address or telephone number below.

Dated this January 4, 2023.

By: /s/ Kaitlin Hayes

Kaitlin Hayes District Coordinator

111 West Street Essex Junction, VT 05452 (802) 622-4084 kaitlin.hayes@vermont.gov

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS: TOWN OF COLCHESTER HVAC PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT – COLCHESTER TOWN BUILDINGS

The Town of Colchester is requesting proposals for a HVAC Preventative Maintenance Agreement for twelve (12) Colchester Town Buildings. The scope of work includes providing all labor, materials, tools, equipment, supplies and supervision necessary to complete the specified HVAC preventative maintenance services as described in the contract for the twelve (12) Town buildings. The agreement will be for a period of three (3) years, with an annual adjustment in compensation to the contractor based on a percentage provided by the bidder in the Bid Schedule.

A mandatory pre‐bid walk‐through of all buildings will be offered on Monday, January 23, 2023 at 10:00AM . Any bidder interested should come to the Colchester Town Office, Department of Public Works located on the 2nd Floor, 781 Blakely Road, Colchester, VT.

All questions by prospective bidders as to the interpretations of the Contract & Bidding Documents must be submitted in writing to Lea Sanguinetti, Assistant Town Engineer, lsanguinetti@colchestervt.gov, by end of day on Wednesday, January 25, 2023.

Bids will be received by the Town of Colchester, at the Colchester Town Office Building at 781 Blakely Road, Colchester, Vermont until Wednesday, February 1, 2023 at 1:00 PM and then at said office publicly opened and read aloud.

Bidders shall have a minimum of 7 years’ experience in the commercial HVAC and mechanical installation and maintenance industry. Bidders shall possess all state required licenses. Personnel assigned to perform maintenance at the Town of Colchester must be journeyman level with a minimum of 5 years of experience working on similar systems.

Bidders should submit the Bid Form, Bid Schedule, Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension and other Responsibility Matter, and three (3) references from clients with preventative maintenance contracts of similar scope for the bid submission to be deemed complete.

For the complete Bid & Contract Documents, please visit the Town website at: https://www. colchestervt.gov/bids.aspx

CITY OF BURLINGTON

In the Year Two Thousand Twenty-two A Regulation in Relation to Rules and Regulations of the Traffic Commission—Section 7A. Accessible spaces designated

Sponsor: Department of Public Works Action: Approved Date: 12/21/2022

Attestation of Adoption: Phillip Peterson

Published: 01/11/23 Effective: 02/01/23

It is hereby Ordained by the Public Works Commission of the City of Burlington as follows:

That Appendix C, Rule and Regulations of the Traffic Commission, Section 7A, Accessible spaces designated, of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Burlington is hereby amended as follows:

Section 7A Accessible spaces designated. No person shall park any vehicle at any time in the following locations, except automobiles displaying special handicapped license plates issued pursuant to 18 V.S.A. § 1325, or any amendment or renumbering thereof:

(1)-(27) As written.

(28) On the west side of Hyde Street beginning one hundred ninety-five (195) feet south of Riverside Avenue and extending south for a distance of twenty (20) feet. Reserved.

(29)-(138) As written.

(139) On the west side of North Willard Street in front of number 197.Reserved (140)-(173) As written.

** Material stricken out deleted.

*** Material underlined added.

TD: BCO Appx.C, Section 7A 12/21/22

ESSEX TOWN PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA

JANUARY 26, 2023 -6:00 P.M. IN PERSON OR VIA ZOOM 81 MAIN ST., ESSEX JCT., VT CONFERENCE ROOM

 Zoom link: https://www.essexvt.org/1043/ Join-Zoom-Meeting-Essex-PC  Call (audio only): 1-888-788-0099 | Meeting ID: 923 7777 6158 # | Passcode: 426269

 Public wifi is available at the Essex municipal offices, libraries, and hotspots listed here: https://publicservice.vermont.gov/content/ public-wifi-hotspots-vermont

1. Public Comments

2. Capital Budget

3. Discussion: Town Plan for 2024

4. Minutes: 12/8/22

5. Other Business

FRANKLIN NORTHEAST SUPERVISORY UNION

Franklin Northeast Supervisory Union is soliciting proposals to lease alternative school program space starting August 1st, 2023, for a term of three years. Interested bidders should contact Morgan Daybell (morgan.daybell@fnesu.org; 802-8487661; c/o FNESU, PO Box 489, Enosburg Falls VT 05450) for a copy of the Request for Proposals. Proposals will be accepted until 2:00 PM, Monday, February 13, 2023.

NOTICE OF SELF STORAGE LIEN SALE, JERICHO MINI STORAGE 25 NORTH MAIN STREET, JERICHO, VT 05465.

The contents of the following self storage units will be sold at public auction, by sealed bid, on January 30, 2023 at 12:00 PM.

Andrea Scott #256 Jordan Jerome #13 Tonya Cunningham #46 Units will be opened for viewing for auction, sale by sealed bid to the highest bidder, cash only. Contents of entire storage unit will be sold as one lot.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

I represent Play Dog Play, LLC. The company sold substantially all of its assets on December 30, 2022 and is currently in the process of winding up its business. I have been authorized by the company to administer that winding up. If you would like to submit a claim for amounts due to you from Play Dog Play, LLC, you may do so by sending your claim in writing to:

Pease Mountain Law PLLC P.O. Box 279 Hinesburg, VT 05461-0279

Your claim must commence within 5 years after publication of this notice. If your claim is not received within that 5-year period it will be barred pursuant to 11 V.S.A. §4108.

Your claim must include copies of all billing documents in support of your claim.

Dated: January 4, 2023

/s/ Michael T. Russell Michael T. Russell

Pease Mountain Law PO Box 279 Hinesburg, VT 05461-0279

NOTICE TO PUBLIC OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS

Dominic Cloud, City Manager

City of St. Albans 100 North Main Street St. Albans, VT 05478

Request for Release of Funds

On or about 2/6/2023 the City of St. Albans will submit a request to the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development (the Agency) to release the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds under Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (PL 93-383), the National Affordable Housing Act, as amended, to undertake a project known as the Champlain Housing Loan Fund for the purpose of providing loans and grants for owner-occupied dwellings (up to four units) for essential home repairs, home access modifications, and energy efficiency improvements. Funds may be used to cover the following costs: roof repair/replacement, furnace/boiler replacement, foundation repairs, drainage/grading, mold/moisture mitigation, septic and well replacement, access ramps and accessible bathroom modifications, and air sealing and insulation. Additionally, landlords who rent out single family homes and/or duplexes will be eligible for a loan for home repairs, provided that their tenants meet the income requirements and the monthly rent meets HUD’s requirements. The program also offers education and counseling support pre- and post-purchase: providing financial literacy education, Home Buyer Education workshops, and delinquency and foreclosure prevention services. These services improve the financial stability and well-being of the area’s low- and moderate-income population.

Site specific locations are unknown at this time; site selections will be limited to Chittenden, Franklin and Grand Isle Counties. The program expects to complete home repairs for approximately 35 households over the one-year grant cycle, with an average per unit cost of $11,000. The total estimated cost of the project is $1,035,000, including $525,000 in CDBG funding. Mitigation with respect to endangered species, wetlands, historic preservation and toxic sites (including lead, asbestos and mold) will be implemented at site specific locations if compliance with the corresponding regulation is required.

The activities proposed are categorically excluded under HUD regulations at 24 CFR Part 58 from National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements. An Environmental Review Record (ERR) that documents environmental determinations for this project is on file at the municipal office of the City of St. Albans at 100 North Main Street, and may be examined or copied Monday-Friday, 8:30am-4:30pm.

Public Comments

Any individual, group, or agency may submit written comments on the ERR to the City of St. Albans Attn: Chip Sawyer, Director of Planning and Development, to PO Box 867 St. Albans, VT 05478. All comments received by 2/3/2023 will be considered by the City of St. Albans prior to authorizing submission of a request for release of funds.

Environmental Certification

The City of St. Albans is certifying to the Agency that Dominic Cloud, in his official capacity as City Manager, consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisfied. The Agency’s approval of the certification satisfies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities and allows the City of St. Albans to use CDBG funds.

Objections to Release of Funds

The Agency will accept objections to its release of funds and the City of St. Albans certification for a period of fifteen days following the anticipated submission date or its actual receipt of the request (whichever is later) only if they are on one of the following bases: (a) the certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer, Dominic Cloud; (b) the Town has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 58; (c) the grant recipient or other participants in the development process have committed funds, incurred costs or undertaken activities not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of a release of funds by the Agency; or (d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality.

Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58, Sec. 58.76) and shall be addressed to the Attn: Environmental Officer, Agency of Commerce and Community Development, One National Life Drive, Davis Building, 6th Floor, Montpelier, Vermont 05620. Potential objectors should contact the Agency to verify the actual last date of the objection period.

PROPOSED STATE RULES

By law, public notice of proposed rules must be given by publication in newspapers of record. The purpose of these notices is to give the public a chance to respond to the proposals. The public notices for administrative rules are now also available online at https://secure.vermont.gov/ SOS/rules/ . The law requires an agency to hold a public hearing on a proposed rule, if requested to do so in writing by 25 persons or an association having at least 25 members.

To make special arrangements for individuals with disabilities or special needs please call or write the contact person listed below as soon as possible.

To obtain further information concerning any scheduled hearing(s), obtain copies of proposed rule(s) or submit comments regarding proposed rule(s), please call or write the contact person listed below. You may also submit comments in writing to the Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules, State House, Montpelier, Vermont 05602 (802-828-2231).

Radiological Health Rule.

Vermont Proposed Rule: 22P042

AGENCY: Agency of Human Services, Department of Health

CONCISE SUMMARY: This rulemaking amends Part A of the rule and provides requirements for safe handling, use, monitoring, notifications, record keeping, and reporting associated with radiationproducing (x-ray) machines in Vermont. These regulations primarily address diagnostic machines, but also establish requirements for radiationproducing machines used for therapeutics, as well as non-medical applications such as for security (e.g. body scanners) and industrial purposes. These amendments do not impact power generation facilities or sites (e.g. Vermont Yankee). Additionally, consistent with requirements established by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), several technical amendments were made to terms and incorporations by reference in Part B of the rule.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Brendan Atwood, Department of Health, 108 Cherry Street, Burlington, VT 05401 Tel: 802-863-7280 Fax:

802-951-1275 Email: ahs.vdhrules@vermont.gov URL: https://healthvermont.gov/laws-regulations/ laws/public-comment. FOR COPIES: David Englander, Department of Health, 108 Cherry Street,

PUBLIC NOTICE – REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL: CONSTRUCTION SERVICES

The Town of Shelburne seeks proposals for construction services for demolition of the existing Shelburne Beach House and construction of a new Beach House at the Town’s Shelburne Beach property. The deadline to submit bids is February 10, 2023 at 2:00 P.M. EST at which time bids will be opened. Information for bidders and the complete RFP may be obtained at Blueprints, etc and the Town of Shelburne: https://www.shelburnevt. org/398/Bids-RFQs-RFPs. Questions from bidders are due by Feb. 1, 2023, and answers will be posted on the website above by Feb. 3, 2023. A non-mandatory site visit is scheduled for Jan. 24, 2023 at 9:00 A.M. For more information contact Al DiPietro (802) 862-8435 or al.dipietro44@gmail. com.

STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT PROBATE DIVISION CHITTENDEN UNIT DOCKET NO.: 22-PR-01031

In re ESTATE of CURTIS L. COOTWARE

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

To the creditors of: CURTIS L. COOTWARE, late of Colchester, Vermont

I have been appointed to administer this estate. All creditors having claims against the decedent or the estate must present their claims in writing within four (4) months of the date of the first publication of this notice. The claim must be presented to me at the address listed below with a copy sent to the Court. The claim may be barred forever if it is not presented within the four (4) month period.

Dated: 12/20/2022

Signature of Fiduciary: /s/ ASHLEY LACEY

Executor/Administrator: Ashley Lacey C/O Paul R. Morwood, Esq., 333 Dorset Street, So. Burlington, VT 05403, 802-862-2135, morwood.paul@gmail. com

Name of Publication: Seven Days Publication Date: January 11, 2023

Name of Probate Court: Vermont Superior Court, Chittenden Unit Address of Probate Court: PO Box 511 Burlington, VT 05402

STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT PROBATE DIVISION CHITTENDEN UNIT DOCKET NO.: 22-PR-05845

In re ESTATE of Frederick George Delibac

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

To the creditors of: Frederick George Delibac, late of Burlington, VT, Vermont

I have been appointed to administer this estate. All creditors having claims against the decedent or the estate must present their claims in writing within four (4) months of the date of the first publication of this notice. The claim must be presented to me at the address listed below with a copy sent to the Court. The claim may be barred forever if it is not presented within the four (4) month period.

Dated: 12/22/2022

Signature of Fiduciary: /s/ Vicki Himelright

Executor/Administrator: Vicki Himelright, 2541 Stonesedge Blvd, Little River, SC 29566, (843) 458-3536, turtlehammie@yahoo.com

Name of Publication: Seven Days Publication Date: January 11, 2023

Name of Probate Court: Vermont Superior Court, Chittenden Unit

Address of Probate Court: 175 Main St, Burlington VT 05401

STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT PROBATE DIVISION CHITTENDEN UNIT DOCKET NO.: 22-PR-07161

In re ESTATE of Mary C. Learned

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

To the creditors of: Mary C. Learned, late of Milton, Vermont

I have been appointed to administer this estate. All creditors having claims against the decedent or the estate must present their claims in writing within four (4) months of the date of the first publication of this notice. The claim must be presented to me at the address listed below with a copy sent to the Court. The claim may be barred forever if it is not presented within the four (4) month period.

Dated: January 9, 2023

Signature of Fiduciary: /s/ John Learned, Terri Learned

Executor/Administrator: John Learned, Terri Learned, 32 Sheldon Road, Milton, Vermont 05468 802-734-2184

Name of Publication: Seven Days Publication Date: January 11, 2023

Name of Probate Court: Vermont Superior Court, Probate Division Address of Probate Court: 175 Main St - P.O. Box 511, Burlington VT 05401

TOWN OF BOLTON DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD

PUBLIC HEARING: JANUARY 26, 2023 The Town of Bolton’s Development Review Board will hold a public hearing on January 26, 2023, at 6:30pm.

Place: Virtual or Municipal Conference Room, 3045 Theodore Roosevelt Highway, Bolton, VT, 05676.

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8269130 4000?pwd=b2UxaHVnU2JEd29pMFJwWmlQdjU 4UT09

Call (audio only): +1 646 558 8656| Meeting ID: 879 7566 2274

The following applications will be reviewed: 2023-01-DRB Cobrass Night Skiing Light installation.

Additional information can be obtained through email by calling 802-434-5075, or by email at zoningbolton@gmavt.net . Pursuant to 24 VSA § 4464 and § 4471, participation in this local proceeding, by written or oral comment, is a prerequisite to the right to take any subsequent appeal.

TOWN OF ESSEX

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS

JANUARY 17, 2023 6:55 PM

JANUARY 30, 2023, 6:55 PM

Proposed Fiscal Year 2024 – 2028 Capital Budget and Five-Year Plan

The Town of Essex Selectboard hereby gives notice that public hearings on the FY2024 -2028 Capital Budget and Five-Year Plan will be held in person and online via Zoom:

• Tuesday, January 17, 2023, 6:55 PM at the Town Offices at 81 Main St., Essex Junction and online or by telephone (dial (888) 788-0099 and enter meeting ID: 98785691140, passcode: 032060

• Monday, January 30, 2023, 6:55 PM at the Town Offices at 81 Main St., Essex Junction and online or by telephone (dial (888) 788-0099 and enter meeting ID: 98785691140, passcode: 032060

The purpose of the public hearing is to solicit public comments on the proposed FY2024 Capital Budget and Five-Year Plan.

The proposed FY2024 Capital Plan shows capital tax additions of $322,000, spending of $1,368,170, and an ending balance of $2,874,266. Complete details can be found at www.essexvt.org.

TOWN OF ESSEX NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS

PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2024 BUDGET

JANUARY 17, 2023, 6:45 PM

JANUARY 30, 2023, 6:45 PM

The Selectboard of the Town of Essex, Vermont hereby gives notice that public hearings on the 2023-2024 municipal budget for the Town of Essex will be held in person and online via Zoom:

• Tuesday, January 17, 2023, 6:45 PM at the Town Offices at 81 Main St., Essex Junction and online or by telephone (dial (888) 788-0099 and enter meeting ID: 98785691140, passcode: 032060

• Monday, January 30, 2023, 6:45 PM at the Town Offices at 81 Main St., Essex Junction and online or by telephone (dial (888) 788-0099 and enter meeting ID: 98785691140, passcode: 032060

The public is invited to attend and offer comments regarding the proposed budget. The proposed FY2024 budget of $15,401,152 shows a decrease in expenditures of $1,274,089, or 7.6% less than the current budget. Due to the Town losing 41 percent of its tax base with the separation of the Village of Essex Junction, the budget is expected to result in a municipal tax rate increase of 22.0%. Complete details can be found at www.essexvt.org.

WARNING POLICY ADOPTION

CHAMPLAIN VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT

The Board of School Directors gives public notice of its intent to adopt local district policies dealing with the following at its meeting scheduled on February 13, 2023:

F28 - Pupil Privacy Rights

F37 - Policy on Section 504 and ADA Grievance Protocol for Students and Staff (NEW)

D8 - Resignations (REPEAL)

Copies of the above policies may be obtained for public review at the Office of the Human Resources Dept. in Shelburne, VT.

STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT PROBATE DIVISION CHITTENDEN UNIT DOCKET NO.: 22-PR-06979

In re ESTATE of Robert Riley

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

To the creditors of: Robert Riley, late of Colchester, Vermont

I have been appointed to administer this estate. All creditors having claims against the decedent or the estate must present their claims in writing within four (4) months of the date of the first publication of this notice. The claim must be presented to me at the address listed below with a copy sent to the Court. The claim may be barred forever if it is not presented within the four (4) month period.

Dated: January 5, 2023

Signature of Fiduciary: /s/ Laurel Jean Riley

Executor/Administrator: Laurel Jean Riley, 31773 King William Road, West Point, VA 23181, (802) 233-4397, prplcatwoman41@yahoo.com

Name of Publication: Seven Days Publication Date: 1/11/2023

Name of Probate Court: Chittenden County Probate Court

Address of Probate Court: P.O. Box 511, Burlington VT 05402

Experienced Comptroller or Finance Manager

Must be familiar with nonprofit financial management and healthcare/long term care. Join EastView at Middlebury’s dedicated management team to guide the fiscal health of our 99-home senior living/care community. Rewarding work in a beautiful, community-oriented setting filled with wonderful residents, supportive family members, an active Board, and great colleagues.

Send resumes to: tdunakin@eastviewmiddlebury.com Visit eastviewmiddlebury.com/join-our-team/ for the full posting. E.O.E.

ATTENTION RECRUITERS:

POST YOUR JOBS AT: JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POST-A-JOB PRINT DEADLINE: NOON ON MONDAYS (INCLUDING HOLIDAYS) FOR RATES & INFO: MICHELLE BROWN, 802-865-1020 X121, MICHELLE@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

VERMONT PUBLIC IS HIRING!

We are Vermont’s unified public media organization (formerly VPR and Vermont PBS), serving the community with trusted journalism, quality entertainment, and diverse educational programming. Current openings include:

We are seeking a Brand and Marketing O cer to increase awareness and strengthen the brand of the Community Foundation to make a greater impact in Vermont. e ideal candidate will bring stellar skills in branding, digital marketing, advertising, content development, and social media.

If this sounds like a good t for you, visit vermontcf.org/careers for complete job description and instructions for applying.

Environmental Services (Housekeeping) Job Fair

$5,000 sign-on bonus for full time positions!

Join The University of Vermont Medical Center at our upcoming and inperson Environmental Services (Housekeeping) Job Fair to learn about career opportunities that make a di erence in people’s lives each day.

Friday, January 20th, 2023, 11AM-4PM

UVM Medical Center- McClure Lobby 111 Colchester Avenue, Burlington, Vermont. Registration is encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome! uvmhealthnetworkcareers.org/evs-jobfair_sevendays

We believe a strong organization includes employees from a range of backgrounds with different skills, experience, and passions.

To see more openings & apply: vermontpublic.org/careers

Must be able to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination. Vermont Public is a proud equal opportunity employer.

ADULT EDUCATION MATH INSTRUCTOR

Full-time position available with benefits in Burlington, VT

The math instructor is responsible for providing individual and group instruction to adult learners at a variety of skill levels, from basic numeracy to algebra, geometry, and statistics. The instructor will use contextualized examples and differentiated instruction to engage students and help them gain the math skills they will need to reach both their immediate and long range goals. Project-based instruction is encouraged.

Salary based on education and experience, position will remain open until filled.

Full details: vtadultlearning.org/wp-content/uploads/ ABE-Math-Instructor-Burlington-VT.pdf

To apply, send a cover letter and resume electronically to: rcampbell@vtadultlearning.org

Vermont Adult Learning is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Residential Treatment Team

We’re looking for passionate individuals to join the Residential Treatment team at Lund! We are looking to fill several roles:

Residential Counselors: Provide residential services including parent education and life skill support within the treatment setting to pregnant and parenting individuals and their children. Day, evening, full, and part-time positions available. $24/hour and $3,500 hiring bonus for full-time hires. Bachelor’s degree or student in human services preferred, but not required.

Food Service Specialist (full & part-time positions available): Support all aspects of food services within Lund’s residential treatment program. Responsibilities include meal planning, preparation, and food service to parents and children in our residential treatment program. Provide individual coaching, cooking and nutrition classes for clients and their children. $18-22/hour and $500 hiring bonus for full time positions. Food prep and service experience required.

Lund helps children thrive by empowering families to break cycles of poverty, addiction, and abuse. Lund offers hope and opportunity to families through education, treatment, family support and adoption. See full job descriptions and qualifications, learn more about job openings, and apply here: lundvt.org/about-lund/employment. E.O.E.

Are you a marketing whiz that wants to help make a di erence in Vermont?

PACKAGING LINE OPERATORS

Looking for an opportunity to work at one of the Northeast’s most reputable breweries? Now is your chance! Zero Gravity is hiring for full-time Packaging Line Operators to work first & second shifts, Monday – Friday at our Pine Street and Bartlett Bay locations.

For more information & to apply: careers@zerogravitybeer.com

DR Power Equipment Now Hiring

JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM

Family Housing Voucher Program Administrator

Do you want to work for an Agency that positively impacts the lives of over 20,000 individuals?

The Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity’s Housing Advocacy Programs seek an energetic and committed individual with a high degree of initiative to join our team as the Family Housing Voucher Program Administrator. In this position you will manage the rental assistance support program for families with dependent children experiencing homelessness across Vermont. Please view our job description: recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/Details/1422966

When you come to work for CVOEO you're getting so much more than a paycheck! We offer a great working environment and an excellent benefit package including medical, dental and vision insurance, paid holidays, generous time off, a retirement plan and discounted gym membership.

Please visit cvoeo.org/careers and include a cover letter and resume with your application. CVOEO is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Mad River Glen is seeking a Basebox Manager to continue the long history of excellence in management of the Basebox and other food and beverage outlets at the Mad River Glen Cooperative. As the Basebox Manager, you will oversee all aspects of the Basebox and other Food and Beverage outlets for Mad River Glen. The Basebox Manager must understand the attributes of the Mad River Glen skiing experience and be willing to further the Cooperative’s mission by successfully directing the Basebox and food service operations of the Cooperative. The Basebox Manager reports directly to the General Manager, is a full-time, year-round position and includes a full benefits package.

Join the cooperative by applying today! Please email cover letter & resume to Matt Lillard, General Manager: matt@madriverglen. com. Or mail to PO Box 1089, Waitsfield, VT, 05673. Call Matt at 802-496-3551 ext. 114 for further details.

For full job description, visit: bit.ly/MadRiverGlenBASEBOX

WHY NOT HAVE A JOB YOU LOVE?

Plus, have a benefit package that includes 29 paid days off in the first year, a comprehensive health insurance plan with your premium as low as $13 per month, up to $6,000 to go towards medical deductibles and copays, a retirement match, and so much more.

And that’s on top of working at one of the “Best Places to Work in Vermont” for four years running.

Become a Direct Support Professional ($19-$20 per hour) at an award-winning agency serving Vermonters with intellectual disabilities and make a career making a difference.

Apply today at ccs-vt.org/current-openings/

ATTENTION RECRUITERS:

Housing Services & Assistance Specialist

Do you want to work for an Agency that positively impacts the lives of over 20,000 individuals?

The Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity’s Housing Advocacy Programs seek a motivated problem-solver who will provide counseling, education, referral, and advocacy services to help support and stabilize low income mobile home residents’ housing conditions. This is a 40 hours/week, temporary position with possible extension contingent on funding. View our job description: recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/Details/1423084

When you come to work for CVOEO you’re getting so much more than a paycheck! We offer a great working environment and an excellent benefit package including medical, dental and vision insurance, paid holidays, generous time off, a retirement plan and discounted gym membership. Please visit cvoeo.org/careers and include a cover letter and resume with your application. CVOEO is interested in candidates who can contribute to our diversity and excellence.

CVOEO is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Lane Press prints, binds, and mails high-quality magazines for publishers nationwide. We’re widely known for our quality and cra smanship, and we’re looking for dedicated, collaborative, friendly employees to join our team.

WE HAVE IMMEDIATE NEEDS FOR:

Bindery Production Crew

Entry Level, All Shi s Available

Work on our bindery production line, performing tasks to complete magazine binding and prepare finished magazines for shipping. This is a fun, fast-paced, and active role – your shi will go by quickly!

Shi s: 7am-3pm, 3pm-11pm, 11pm-7am.

Pay range: $18-$19.80/hour

Pressroom Trainees

Entry Level, All Shi s Available

Learn to perform technical, manual, and machine tasks in our pressroom. Assist in the set-up, maintenance, and operation of web presses, as well as stacker and roll-stand units.

Shi s: 7am-3pm, 3pm- 11pm, 11pm-7am.

Pay range: $18-$19.80/hour

General Maintenance Technician

3rd Shi

Maintain, troubleshoot, and repair controls, mechanical and electrical aspects of manufacturing equipment, and facility systems. Basic plumbing and carpentry skills desired.

Shi : 11pm-7am.

Pay rate: Commensurate with experience.

To learn more & apply: careers.lanepress.com

Lane Press is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

LINE/GRILL COOK

Mad River Glen is currently seeking to hire cooks to join our Food & Beverage team. Schedules are flexible, work part or full-time, seasonal or year-round. Benefits include free skiing for you and your dependents, competitive pay and discounts at the mountain/participating local businesses.

Apply: madriverglen.com/employment

SALES REPRESENTATIVE

If you are highly organized, love working with people, and want to make a di erence in Vermont, we have a position for you on our Philanthropy team.

e Donor Impact Specialist supports the Philanthropy team and the donors who have established charitable funds at the Foundation. By connecting fundholders to philanthropic resources and tools available through the Foundation, this person has a critical role in growing and maintaining philanthropic assets and for impact in our community. is position requires a reliable, highly adaptable individual who possesses excellent skills in communication, project management, and research and data analysis, and has a keen ability to nurture long-term relationships.

If this sounds like a good t for you, visit vermontcf.org/careers for complete job description and instructions for applying.

Start the New Year with a New Career at Rhino Foods!

Rhino is hiring like crazy to meet the summer demand for all our delicious products and we need you to join us! If you are hired in an hourly role for our Production, Distribution, Maintenance and Sanitation Teams, Rhino will pay YOU $2,000 on your 6-month anniversary!

Check out our website for all our job listings, which include:

1/9/23 4:16 PM

Craft Beer Distribution Company

Vermont Beverage Supply, (VBS) is actively seeking a Sales Rep. to perform the following functions:

• Develop and maintain strong customer relationships for both on-premises and off-premises accounts.

• Complete administrative tasks required such as setting marketing sales goals and strategies, analyze data and adapting to achieve desired goals and projections.

• Produce weekly, monthly, and quarterly sales goals and reports.

• Excellent oral & written skills.

• Basic computer knowledge as it pertains to the industry’s needs.

• Other duties as assigned.

Two years of sales experience in the beer and wine industry is preferred.

Production 1st, 3rd shifts, $17-18.50 depending on shift

Sanitation 2nd shift-$18/hr. Maintenance Techs

Please see more on these openings on our career page at rhinofoods.com/about-rhino-foods/jobs-and-careers *Rhino Foods does run sex offender checks on all employees

Must have a reliable vehicle, valid driver’s license, current insurance coverage & cell phone.

Salary commensurate with experience and growth of business.

Email resumes to: marty@ goodwaterbreweryvt.com

Development Director

Salvation Farms in Morrisville, VT is looking for a detail oriented and organized individual to fill a Development Director position. This staffer is responsible for the implementation of Salvation Farms’ annual fundraising plan and communication strategies. Project management & people skills are key for an individual’s success in this position.

For more information visit, salvationfarms.org/getinvolved/#jobs.

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE & OPERATIONS

The Vermont Historical Society seeks a full-time Director of Finance & Operations based in Barre. The DFO is responsible for management of all VHS financial functions, including financial statement preparation, personnel administration, grant accounting, and day-to-day bookkeeping. The position is also responsible for supervising and administering all operational contractors, including facilities, IT, and security. The DFO is a member of the senior management team and may be called on to supervise other staff as needed.

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in accounting, bookkeeping, or finance and five or more years of bookkeeping or accounting experience required. Expertise in non-profit and fund accounting preferred. Salary equal to Vermont State Pay Grade 28 ($70,000-$110,000) with generous benefits package.

Send a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three references to: steve.perkins@vermonthistory.org. Candidates will be considered as submitted.

Legal Assistant

Burlington, VT

Sheehey Furlong & Behm, an established, growing law firm located near the Burlington waterfront, is accepting applications for a legal assistant. The successful candidate will be detail-oriented, possess strong written and verbal skills and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment. Proficiency in MS Office applications is required. 1-3 years of legal experience is preferred. Competitive pay and comprehensive benefits package. Forward cover letter and resume to hiring@sheeheyvt.com, subject “Legal Assistant.”

Join a growing team at an innovative, nationally-recognized organization charged with creating affordable housing, building community, preserving historic assets, and conserving our lands.

Finance Director

Work collaboratively across VHCB programs, oversee financial operations, ensure compliance with funding sources, and lead budget and audit processes. Contribute to meeting the housing needs of Vermonters and preserving our landscape!

Housing Stewardship Coordinator

SUPPORT & SERVICES AT HOME WELLNESS NURSE

Burlington Housing Authority (BHA) in Burlington, VT seeks a part time (15 hours per week – non benefited position)

Support and Services at Home (SASH) Wellness Nurse  to provide oversight of wellness care and coaching for SASH participants in accordance with Vermont’s Nurse Practice Act.  The Wellness Nurse is responsible for overseeing the well-being of participants and in coordinating health services with other members of the SASH team and other community providers. The Wellness Nurse supports a philosophy of aging in-place consistent with the mission of SASH.  This position also works with the SASH team on developing individual participant healthy living plans as well as community healthy living plans for the enrolled community at large.

Program Support Generalist

UVM AHEC Educational Loan Repayment Programs For Healthcare Professionals

Provide administrative support for the Office of Primary Care and Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Program and its Vermont Educational Loan Repayment Programs for Healthcare Professionals. Provide exceptional internal and external customer service. This position requires attention to detail and ability to work within deadlines. Ability to exercise discretion when working with confidential or sensitive information is required.

Apply online: uvmjobs.com/ postings/59015

Evaluate, monitor, and support the long-term sustainability of housing developments across the state. Bring your excellent analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills and assist the network of non-profit organizations creating housing for Vermonters and revitalizing our communities.

Clean Water Program Director

Are you knowledgeable and passionate about clean water, agriculture and land conservation? The Clean Water Program Director works with state and local partners on water quality projects in the Memphremagog Basin help achieve Vermont's clean water goals.

VHCB offers an excellent benefit package and is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Candidates from diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply. To read the job descriptions and apply, visit vhcb.org/about-us/jobs. Positions will remain open until filled.

Candidate must be currently licensed as a Registered Nurse in the State of Vermont.  Must possess at least two years of experience in a clinical setting, demonstrated leadership skills and the ability to exercise sound judgment.  Must also have knowledge of standard record keeping procedures (i.e., progress notes, HIPAA guidelines), excellent verbal and written communication skills, be able to work independently and as part of a team and possess strong organizational and time management skills.

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!

If you are interested in this career opportunity, please send a cover letter and resume to: humanresources@burlingtonhousing.org

Human Resources, Burlington Housing Authority

65 Main St, Suite 101, Burlington, VT 05401

Burlington Housing Authority is an Equal Opportunity Employer

www.burlingtonhousing.org

ATTENTION RECRUITERS:

PART TIME PAYROLL & OFFICE ADMIN

About Us: Vermont Rail System has approximately 150 employees in various roles at locations in Vermont, New Hampshire, and New York. Our award-winning team of employees is recognized throughout the industry as some of the best in the profession, with a strong commitment to serving our freight and passenger customers safely and efficiently.

Job Description: This candidate will serve as the back-up for payroll processing and office administration. We are looking for someone with job stability and the demonstrated commitment to show continual work history.

Approximately 20 hours/week, Monday – Friday. Some flexibility with schedule.

Required Skills: Dependability, Strong attention to detail (payroll accuracy is critical), Familiarity with Excel/ spreadsheets, Analytical skills, Time management, ability to prioritize tasks, Knowledge of payroll principles, state/federal tax requirements.

Knowledge of Sage 50 Quantum Accounting and Sage HRMS payroll software are a plus, but not necessary.

Please send email resumes to: rgraham@vrs.us.com

WHERE YOU AND YOUR WORK MATTER

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

DIRECTOR, TELECOMMUNICATIONS & CONNECTIVITY –MONTPELIER

The Department of Public Service is seeking a Division Director to manage Telecommunications and Connectivity. The Director will lead the Department’s policy and regulatory work for telecommunications and cable television. The successful candidate will be familiar with telecommunications issues; have documented management experience; have strong communication skills; work well in a team-oriented environment; and can successfully manage competing priorities and projects. Remote work is possible. For more information, contact Carol Flint at carol.flint@vermont.gov. Department: Public Service. Location: Montpelier. Status: Exempt, Full Time. Job Id #45789. Application Deadline: January 30, 2023.

PUBLIC GUARDIAN – BURLINGTON

The Office of Public Guardian seeks an independent, energetic, and organized person to protect and monitor the legal and human rights of individuals under a court-ordered guardianship. This position covers a caseload of individuals with developmental disabilities or age-related cognitive impairments in Chittenden, Addison & Franklin counties who require assistance & judgment for decision - making in several life domains (such as medical, residential, legal, contractual decisions, & financial). For more information, contact Francesca Creta-Merrill at francesca.cretamerrill@vermont.gov. Department: Disabilities Aging & Independent Living. Location: Burlington. Status: Full Time. Job Id #45976. Application Deadline: January 13, 2023.

ENERGY & UTILITIES ANALYST – MONTPELIER

The Vermont Public Service Department seeks candidates with strong quantitative skills interested in electric, transportation, and building energy and emissions issues to work on economic and environmental analysis, rate design, utility rate and siting cases, power supply planning, regulatory compliance, and related initiatives. This position will involve significant data analysis, modeling, visualization and testimony before the Public Utility Commission and legislature. For more information, contact Anne Margolis at anne.margolis@vermont.gov. Department: Public Service. Location: Montpelier. Status: Full Time. Job Id #45793. Application Deadline: January 15, 2023.

Learn more at : careers.vermont.gov

The State of Vermont is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Administrative Assistant

CFSG Trust, a VT-based trust company that provides local personal service to our clients, is currently recruiting for an Administrative Assistant to work in our Barre, VT office.

The successful candidate will have an Associate’s Degree or higher, five years prior administrative experience, excellent communication skills, strong Microsoft products background including Excel, Word and Power Point, and be highly organized.

Send resumes to: bmason@cfsgtrust.com

RESIDENT MANAGER

South Square

Burlington Housing Authority (BHA) is seeking a Resident Manager for South Square Apartments, located in Burlington, VT. South Square Apartments is a community designated for the elderly and disabled and as such is supported by community and resident services. South Square Apartments provides communal spaces and group events that encourage engagement for our residents.

The Resident Manager is required to live at South Square and is provided with a free apartment, along with a monthly telecommunication stipend and free utilities. The Resident Manager is on-call after BHA business hours and every other weekend to attend to various resident requests, assisting with emergency service, and light cleaning duties.

The ideal candidate will possess strong communication skills, an attention to detail, and flexibility in their role with the residents. Basic computer skills, such as Word and e-mail, are required.

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!

Please send a letter of interest to: humanresources@burlingtonhousing.org.

Human Resources, Burlington Housing Authority

65 Main St, Suite 101, Burlington, VT 05401 Burlington Housing Authority is an Equal Opportunity Employer www.burlingtonhousing.org

Lead Carpenter & Carpenter’s

Apprentice

Mountain Tree Co. is a small, modern design-build company with a mission to build affordable, smallfootprint, high-performance homes. We are seeking two individuals, a lead carpenter (with 5+ years experience) and a carpenter’s apprentice, who are ready to grow their skill sets and experience in a collaborative, positive, genderdiverse, mission-focused company. We strive to support our team and customers to live more comfortably and sustainably. We are looking for driven team players who are goal-oriented and ready to share successes and financial reward. We offer competitive pay, wage growth, regular bonuses, and signing bonuses for the right applicants. The majority of our work is located in Chittenden and Addison counties.

If interested, please email us at: info@mtntreevt.com

Preschool Teacher

Early Learning Preschool Center is seeking a preschool teacher for our small, centerbased program located near downtown Burlington. Students are ages 3-5 years old. Candidate must have some college coursework and/or experience in education or a related field in order to meet state of Vermont requirements. This is a full-time position to begin at the end of January. We offer competitive wages, paid professional development and paid vacation and holidays in a warm and friendly atmosphere.

Please send resume or education and work history if interested.

For more information: earlylearningpreschoolcenter.com Facebook.com/ EarlyLearningPreschoolCenter

Homeless Outreach Services Provider

Do you want to work for an Agency that positively impacts the lives of over 20,000 individuals?

The Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity has an exciting opportunity to help individuals who are most in need at our Community Resource Center in Burlington. We are looking for compassionate advocates to help individuals who are experiencing homelessness and who have low income to find or maintain suitable housing, employment and other social and health supports, and connect clients with local social service agencies organizations, landlords, and funding sources. Please view our job description: recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/Details/1423239

When you come to work for CVOEO you’re getting so much more than a paycheck! We offer a great working environment and an excellent benefit package including medical, dental and vision insurance, paid holidays, generous time off, a retirement plan and discounted gym membership. Please visit cvoeo.org/careers. Include a cover letter & resume with your application.

CVOEO is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Behavior Interventionists

Mosaic Learning Center is seeking Behavior Interventionists (BI) who would enjoy working in a supportive and welcoming educational environment within our independent schools. The BI position requires strong communication skills, sense of curiosity, compassion, and attention to detail. Our BIs work directly with our students to provide individualized educational and therapeutic instruction in individual and group settings. Special Educators, Behavior Analysts, & Clinical Service providers support our BIs throughout the day.

This position requires skills working with children and young adults who exhibit mild to severe behavioral disorders and developmental disabilities.

Mosaic Learning Center offers a professional development opportunity to receive RBT training (Registered Behavior Technician).

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT: Full-time, year round position working with multiple students.

Mosaic Learning Center is an EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. For more information or to submit your letter of interest and resume, please contact: heather@mosaiclearningcenter.com or call 802-658-9176

Shared Living Providers

Seeking a Shared Living Provider for 2 older adults (male & female) with intellectual disabilities who have lived together for the past 22 yrs. Minimal personal care for both-female is beginning dementia. No mobility concerns, no violent behavior, good with children & animals. A budget to pay others for time in the community for walks & seasonal activities. They assist with household chores & do puzzles. Clients cannot be left home alone but can be independent within the home. Must have 2 available bedrooms. Compensation: Combined annual tax-free stipend is over $81,000.00 plus monthly room and board and contracted supports. Contact Sheila Spencer at sheilas@howardcenter.org or 802-343-3974.

Seeking Part-time Shared Living Provider in Chittenden County for a woman in her 30’s. Ideal candidate will be able to provide clear boundaries, clinical support while helping the client develop independent living skills and integrate into the community. Ideal candidate does not have young children. Compensation: $50,000 tax free annual stipend for part time schedule plus room and board. Contact mgeary@howardcenter.org or 802-488-6553

Seeking a Shared Living Provider for a 33-year-old man who loves video games and Magic the Gathering. He requires all day supervision but can be alone in his room or left at home for up to an hour. This position will require daily supervision and helping the client with meal preparation, some transportation, and emotional support. The ideal placement would be a person or couple without children in the home, but pets are fine. Compensation: $48,000 tax-free annual stipend plus room and board and contracted supports. Contact ahornyak@howardcenter.org or 802-373-1144.

howardcenter.org • 802-488-6500

Community Connections Coordinator

The Town of Essex Community Justice Center (ECJC) is recruiting for a full time Community Connections Coordinator.

The person in this position works with individuals who have been incarcerated and are returning to their community, or who are living in the community and are at risk of re-offending or re-incarceration. The primary responsibilities of this position include:

• Providing support to people reentering their communities from incarceration

• Co-coordination & staffing of the Circles of Support & Accountability Program (CoSA) in Chittenden County

• Recruiting, training, and supporting volunteers for the CoSA program

• Possible involvement in community conflict assistance as well as outreach to victims of crime

The Community Connections Coordinator position requires a flexible schedule allowing for some evening/weekend hours. Training, education, course work and/or lived experience in the areas of substance abuse, mental health, domestic and sexual violence, trauma, poverty, crime, and other challenges is desirable as well as knowledge of local resources. The ideal candidate will be passionate about social/racial/economic justice and restorative approaches to crime and conflict. Strong computer, data tracking, communication, and phone skills are desired.

The Essex Community Justice Center is committed to equity, and inclusion, recognizing and respecting that diverse perspectives and experiences are valuable to our team and essential to our public service. BIPOC, individuals with disabilities, LGBTQ+ applicants, and people from other underrepresented groups, are encouraged to apply. Applicants with a criminal record need to be at least one year past the completion of their supervision/ sentence in order to be considered.

The minimum starting salary for this position will be $22 per hour. This position is open until filled and applications can be submitted online at: essexvt.bamboohr.com/careers. An application will not be considered unless it is accompanied by a cover letter and three references.

Full job description: docs.google.com/document/d/1e4E-VWU7rRB5jzjM37gAwKQALddqq5eo/edit

The Town of Essex is an equal opportunity employer.

ADULT BASIC EDUCATION MATH & LANGUAGE

ARTS INSTRUCTOR(S) Part time,

St. Albans, VT

The Adult Basic Education (ABE) Math Instructor teaches basic and high school level math skills including arithmetic, algebra, geometry and statistics. The ABE Language Arts Instructor teaches basic and high school level reading and grammar/writing skills. These skills are taught to a diverse group of adults with a wide range of backgrounds, skills, and learning styles. Instruction includes individual and group classes, both in-person and online. Instructors work closely with other VAL staff to create a dynamic, effective learning environment in which all students find success. Instructors are committed to providing high quality services to our students, and are expected to create engaging and effective lessons, projects, and courses for our students. Instructors also play a critical role in creating a welcoming, supportive environment for new and current students. Please send cover letter and resume to: rcampbell@vtadultlearning.org. To learn more, visit: vtadultlearning.org/about-us/#careers. Position open until filled. Vermont Adult Learning is an E.O.E.

CONTRACTS & GRANTS MANAGER

If you want to join an organization with a mission that is focused on continuous improvement, this is the position for you. HireAbility Vermont is seeking a detail oriented and organized person to manage contracts, procurement monitoring. This position has the responsibility for managing contracts and grants including the writing, evaluation, and processing of RFPs, RFIs, RFAs, and RFQs. The position plays a key role in problem solving with staff regarding the most appropriate approaches and most efficient procurement mechanisms to meet the divisions objectives. They also draft and process contracts, grant agreements, and memoranda of understanding. Candidates must be able to manage multiple priorities and track contracts throughout their terms. HireAbility provides a very supportive work environment with a strong team ethic. This is an opportunity to join a highly innovative team of professionals with the mission of helping Vermonters with disabilities to go to work and advance in their careers. For more information on HireAbility’s mission and programs, visit hireabilityvt.com. Apply online: careers.vermont.gov reference job requisition 45913.

Operations Coordinator

Seeking a detail-oriented, tech-savvy, customerfocused person to join our team! Combo of remote and Winooski office time.

Folks outside of Chittenden County encouraged to apply! $45-50k with generous PTO. Find out more: GIV.org/jobs

Job Recruiters:

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Brown:

Job Seekers:

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• 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. jobs.sevendaysvt.com

Johnson Elementary School Nutrition

Johnson Elementary School seeks someone who loves to cook for kids to join our school nutrition team. This position performs a wide range of cooking tasks to prepare student meals, cook from scratch and follow standardized recipes. Must be willing to attend trainings in child nutrition and take online trainings.

Minimum of a high school diploma, or equivalent, plus one to two years of cooking experience preferred, but can train the right individual. Familiarity with public school hot lunch programs desirable. Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds. School year position, 7.5 hours daily.

Send resume with 3 references to:

Karyl Kent, 736 VT Rt 15w Hyde Park VT 05655 or email kkent@luhs18.org

GLOBALFOUNDRIES, a semiconductor manuf & tech co. seeks the following in Essex Junction, VT:

SMTS Device Engineering #JR-2201640: Support the development & qualification of 200mm SiGe BiCMOS & RF CMOS technologies. Responsible for designing new device features & the creation of process routes for these features.

SMTS Customer Engineering #JR-2201641: Build strong relationships w/ customer technical teams & establish a channel for effective communication. Work within a cross-functional team to execute on customer’s product requirements & deliver functional silicon that meets the customer’s requirements. Apply at http:// www.globalfoundries.com/, US Careers, & search by requisition #.

OFFICE OF THE DEFENDER GENERAL Financial Director – Montpelier

The Office of the Defender General is seeking a Financial Director & Administrative Services Manager to lead the department’s financial operations. This management position operates with considerable independence, reporting directly to the Defender General, and is responsible for all financial functions for the department.

In this role, you will be responsible for the department’s budget development and maintenance, including preparing annual budget projections, analyzing special patterns, advising the DG about needed adjustments, and projecting future needs.

You will also serve as the primary financial liaison for the department, including responding to inquiries from legislators and members of the criminal justice system. You will also have a significant supervisory role and will further support the department by taking responsibility for contract administration, property management, and overseeing procurement of goods and services, among other tasks.

The ideal candidate has excellent communication skills and is positive, self-motivated, assertive, and able to handle a diverse community of personalities and opinions. Prior management experience is preferred.

This is an exempt, full-time position with excellent State benefits. Salary: $61,963 - $97,156. EOE.

To apply, please email a cover letter and resume to Gina Puls, HR & Special Counsel, at gina.puls@vermont.gov.

Creative FLORAL DESIGNER

Claussen's Florist is looking for a full-time, creative floral designer with 3+ years’ experience to join our team! If you love working with florals and plants, this is the right place for you! Visit our website, claussens.com/careers.html for further details and to apply.

Homeless Services Coordinator, Full Time: work with persons experiencing homelessness, assisting them to access services including mainstream benefits, health care, and more; increase income and resources; and overcome barriers to stable housing. Must have experience with persons who have substance use disorders and mental illness, as well as a familiarity with services.

Data Entry Specialist, Part-Time: enter datapoints into a CloudBased Homeless Information Management System. Must be detail oriented and accurate.

Resale Associate, Full or Part Time: assist with accepting donated goods for resale; pickups and deliveries; minor repairs; and cleaning. Must have excellent customer service and communication skills, ability to work as a team, and be able to stand, lift and carry items.

Compensation includes very competitive wages, medical, dental and life insurance, generous paid time o , matched retirement savings. We o er a supportive team environment, where you can feel good about coming to work each day. Equal Opportunity Employer.

Resume and cover letter to receptionist@hope-vt.org, or Personnel, 282 Boardman Street, Ste 1A, Middlebury

MECHANICAL ENGINEER haywardtyler.com/job_listing/mechanical-engineer/

TECHNICAL SERVICES ENGINEER haywardtyler.com/job_listing/ technical-services-engineer/

SENIOR STAFF ACCOUNTANT haywardtyler.com/job_listing/senior-staff-accountant/

STAFF ENGINEER I: haywardtyler.com/job_listing/staff-engineer-i/ MECHANICAL DESIGNER haywardtyler.com/job_listing/mechanical-designer/

ELECTRO-MECHANICAL ENGINEER: haywardtyler.com/job_listing/ electro-mechanical-engineer/

LEAD AFTERMARKET DESIGN ENGINEER: haywardtyler.com/job_listing/ lead-aftermarket-design-engineer/ We

Hayward Tyler, Inc. – Attn: HR Department 480 Roosevelt Highway PO Box 680, Colchester, VT 05446

Email: Careers@haywardtyler.com

Equal Opportunity Employer

Mollie Beattie Internship

The Vermont Natural Resources Council is looking for a summer intern to help coordinate initiatives related to forest and wildlife conservation, land use planning, sustainable community development, water quality, and, if qualified, VNRC’s legal program. This opportunity is open to a graduate level student—or a recent graduate with a natural resources or law degree— who intends to pursue a career in environmental science, natural resources policy or law. Visit vnrc.org to learn more!

FULL-TIME LEGAL ASSISTANT

Bergeron, Paradis & Fitzpatrick, PC is looking for a highly-motivated, full-time legal assistant to support their general law practice in Essex Junction, VT. The ideal candidate will have excellent communication and organizational skills, be detail-oriented and computer proficient and must enjoy a fast-paced environment. Experience and a great sense of humor are helpful. The position comes with competitive pay and benefits. This position is not appropriate for remote candidates. Please email cover letter & résumé to Robin Beane: rbeane@bpflegal.com or, if you already know one of us, give us a call!

r.k. Miles, Inc. is hiring at its Waitsfield, Stowe, Morrisville and St. Johnsbury locations for the following positions:

MATERIAL HANDLER  WAITSFIELD (FULL OR PARTTIME)

Director of Events & Business Education

Do you have a passion for bringing people together for unforgettable experiences? Do you appreciate the Vermont business economy and desire to create events and educational programming that will further a mission of advancing Vermont’s economic growth? If so, we invite you to apply for this position, an exciting career opportunity with the statewide Vermont Chamber of Commerce. This full-time position pays an annual salary of $60,000 plus benefits.

Send your LinkedIn profile, resume, and a letter of interest to jobs@vtchamber.com

The Vermont Chamber embraces inclusivity in our hiring and employment practices.

Development & Alumni Relations Coordinator

The Keewaydin Foundation, located on the shores of Lake Dunmore, outside Middlebury, VT, is a small non-profit which operates three summer camps and an environmental education center. The Foundation’s programs provide unique opportunities for youth to develop self-confidence, character, and leadership while living simply in beautiful wilderness settings. The Foundation is now offering an opportunity to a detail-oriented, systems-driven individual to join the team as the Development and Alumni Relations Coordinator.

Reporting to the Director of Development, the Coordinator will manage the Foundation’s gift processing, including acknowledgment letters; perform data entry and maintain the general integrity and consistency of the Raiser’s Edge database; manage financial reporting and serve as liaison to the Foundation’s business office; provide support for on-line and print mailings; provide planning assistance for campaign events; and provide administrative support for the capital campaign.

Successful candidates will have a proven track record managing detailoriented systems, experience working with financial data using a complex database, an interest in and experience with event planning and management, and a willingness to join a high-functioning energetic and collaborative team. Facility with Excel and Raiser’s Edge is preferred. Good writing and organizational skills are a must.

This position offers a generous compensation package, including retirement, health care, and a significant tuition reduction for Foundation employee children who attend our renowned camps. This is an on-site position located at the Keewaydin Foundation office in Salisbury, VT. Some weekend & evening work is required.

To learn more about the Keewaydin Foundation, visit our website at keewaydin.org. To apply, please send a cover letter and resume to Debbie Andrews at deborahtandrews@comcast.net. E.O.E.

Qualified applicants will be able to communicate clearly and assist customers with all building material needs. Responsibilities include receiving and fulfillment of orders, maintaining yard cleanliness and stocking product. Physical requirements include working outside in all seasons, heavy lifting, able to be on feet all day, use of ladders, forklifts and other power equipment as needed. No experience needed; we will train the right candidates.

OUTSIDE SALES  WAITSFIELD (FULLTIME)

Qualified applicants must have knowledge of building materials and millwork products. Previous sales and customer service experience a must. Candidates must possess strong organizational, communication and computer skills. In addition, must have the ability to read blueprints and prepare estimates. Must have valid driver’s license to visit jobsites to consult, measure, suggest material options, inspect issues and help problem solve.

MATERIAL HANDLER  STOWE (FULL OR PARTTIME)

Qualified applicants will be able to communicate clearly and assist customers with all building material needs. Responsibilities include receiving and fulfillment of orders, maintaining yard cleanliness and stocking product. Physical requirements include working outside in all seasons, heavy lifting, able to be on feet all day, use of ladders, forklifts and other power equipment as needed. No experience needed; we will train the right candidates.

COUNTER SALES  MORRISVILLE (FULLTIME)

Qualified applicants must have knowledge of building materials and hardware supplies. Previous sales and customer service experience a must. Candidates must also possess strong organizational, communication and computer skills. Physical requirements include heavy lifting, the ability to be on feet all day and climb ladders. Duties include assisting our customers with lumber & building material stock/special order purchases, as well as hardware and tool sales.

COUNTER SALES  ST. JOHNSBURY (FULLTIME)

Qualified applicants must have knowledge of building materials and hardware supplies. Previous sales and customer service experience a must. Candidates must also possess strong organizational, communication and computer skills. Physical requirements include heavy lifting, the ability to be on feet all day and climb ladders. Duties include assisting our customers with lumber & building material stock/special order purchases, as well as hardware and tool sales.

We understand that the success of our company relies on the people we have working for us. at is why we foster a friendly work environment, offer great benefits, and continuously provide growth for

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program Specialist

The Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity’s Chittenden Community Action Program seeks an individual to coordinate the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program, which offers free tax preparation services to low-to-moderate income Vermonters, as well as help with rent rebates and homestead property declarations. Please view our job description: recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/Details/1424185

If you have a Bachelor degree in an appropriate discipline, 2 years of community service experience (accounting and/or income tax preparation experience highly desirable); effective verbal and written communication skills (bilingual abilities are a plus); proficiency in Microsoft Word, e-mail and internet; exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail; a valid driver’s license, a clean driving record and access to reliable transportation; we’d like to hear from you!

When you come to work for CVOEO you’re getting so much more than a paycheck! We offer a great working environment and an excellent benefit package including medical, dental and vision insurance, paid holidays, generous time off, a retirement plan and discounted gym membership. Please visit cvoeo.org/careers and include a cover letter and resume with your application. CVOEO is interested in candidates who can contribute to our diversity and excellence. Applicants are encouraged to include in their cover letter information about how they will further this goal.

CVOEO is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Elmwood

Shelter

Front

Avenue

Community

Desk/

Community Support Workers

Full or Part-time

Champlain Housing Trust is currently hiring Front Desk/ Community Support Workers for the Elmwood Avenue Shelter Community that will provide shelter to individuals who have experienced chronic homelessness. In this role, you will welcome guests and promote a positive guest experience, providing professional, high quality service. Experience in social services, hospitality, retail or related fields is a strong plus. A high level of empathy, tolerance, a positive attitude, excellent customer service and conflict de-escalation skills and a strong commitment to the housing first model are required. Evening and weekend hours are required.

One of Vermont’s Best Places to Work in 2022, CHT is a socially responsible employer offering an inclusive, friendly work environment and competitive pay commensurate with experience. Our excellent benefit package includes a generous health insurance plan, three weeks of paid vacation, 14 paid holidays, sick leave, 403(b) retirement plan with employer contribution after one year, disability and life insurance and more.

Apply online: https://bit.ly/CHTfrontdesk

Champlain Housing Trust is committed to a diverse workplace and highly encourages women, persons with disabilities, Section 3 residents, and people from diverse racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds to apply.

Multiple Positions Open: Data Conversion Specialist, Security Analyst, eRx Application Specialist, Business Analyst

Pre-K Co-Director/ Head Teacher

Play & Nature Based Program South Burlington, VT jobso.id/fgvd

For more details regarding each position, check out our careers page: pcc.com/careers/ Unique benefits: AAA, cellphone, internet, 401(k), low-cost health insurance premiums & more. To apply, please email a cover letter and resume to jobs@pcc.com with the specific job title in the subject line.

EAR LY HEAD S TART HOME VISITOR CHITTENDEN COUNTY

Head Start is a federally-funded, national child and family development program which provides comprehensive services for pregnant women, children from birth to age five, and their families. Services for children promote school readiness, and include early education, health, nutrition, mental health, and services for children with special needs. Services for parents promote family engagement, and include parent leadership and social service supports.

As an Early Head Start Home Visitor, you will provide services in home-based settings to program participants to support prenatal education and services to promote healthy prenatal outcomes for pregnant women, provide or support the care of infants and toddlers so as to enhance their physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development, support parents in the care and nurturing of their infants and toddlers, and help parents move toward self-sufficiency and independent living, as needed. Motivated Home Visitors improve the trajectory of children’s lives, including children’s learning outcomes, living standards, and later academic and professional success. If you want to make a difference in the lives of young children and their families, consider joining the Head Start community.

REQUIREMENTS: Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education or related education field, social work, human services, family services, or counseling; Home-Based CDA Credential or comparable credential, or equivalent coursework as part of an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree; Demonstrated competency to plan and implement home-based learning experiences that ensure effective implementation of the home visiting curriculum and promote children’s progress and build respectful, culturally responsive, and trusting relationships with families; a commitment to social justice and to working with families with limited financial resources; excellent verbal and written communication (bilingual abilities a plus!), documentation, and record-keeping skills; valid driver’s license, clean driving record and access to reliable transportation; physical ability to carry out required tasks.

40 hours/week, 52 weeks/year. Starting wage upon completion of 60-working day period: $20.29- $25.04 /hour, depending on qualifications. Health plan and excellent benefits.

Please visit cvoeo.org/careers to submit cover letter, resume, and three work references

Do you want to work for an Agency that positively impacts the lives of over 20,000 individuals?

Visit hardwickagriculture.org/jobs or scan the code to learn more!

Production Advisor

The Production Advisor for the Vermont Food Venture Center will advise new food businesses and help manage our food production facility and storage hub in Hardwick. Minimum salary is $47,000/year full time with generous benefits.

PROGRAM DIRECTOR MFA IN VISUAL ART

Vermont College of Fine Arts welcomes applications for the Director of the MFA in Visual Art Program. The Program Director is a managerial, administrative position reporting to the Academic Dean.

The Program Director provides administrative leadership for the program, working closely with the Faculty Chair(s), who provide academic leadership through a system of faculty governance. The Program Director role is characterized by administrative experience; a commitment to creating and fostering equity, inclusion, and belonging; entrepreneurial, managerial, and team-building abilities; attention to detail; demonstrated budget management experience; excellent writing and interpersonal communication skills; and ability to collaborate. This is not a faculty appointment, and does not include teaching duties; however, knowledge and interest in the culture of visual art is desirable.

Successful candidates will have experience in higher education that includes: demonstrated aptitude for collaborative leadership; familiarity with post-secondary educational institutions and organizational systems; a background working with adult students; entrepreneurial, managerial, and team-building abilities, and exemplary written, oral and interpersonal communication skills.

For full consideration, submit an application by 2/5/2023. Position will remain open until filled. Low-residency, online, or remote education a plus. A master’s degree in higher education administration, non-profit management, a related field, or comparable experience is preferred.

VCFA Administrative offices are in Montpelier, VT. This position can be performed in-person, hybrid, or remotely. Travel to residencies is required.

Candidates are encouraged to consult VCFA’s website to acquaint themselves with our distinctive academic schedule, learning processes, and educational philosophy.

Please see full job description here: vcfa.edu/about/jobs-at-vcfa/

To apply, please send the following to vcfajobs@vcfa.edu with “Program Director, MFA in Visual Art” in the subject line: 1. Cover Letter; 2. Resume; 3. Statement on Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, outlining your professional skills, accomplishments, experience, and willingness to engage in activities to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Health Care Advocate

Vermont Legal Aid seeks candidates for a full-time legal helpline position within the Office of the Health Care Advocate (HCA) in our Burlington office. The advocate will provide legal help over the phone to Vermonters with health care or health insurance problems.

We encourage applicants from a broad range of backgrounds, and welcome information about how your experience can contribute to serving our diverse client communities. We are an equal opportunity employer committed to a discrimination- and harassment-free workplace. Please see our Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion: vtlegalaid.org/commitment-diversity-inclusion

Responsibilities include advising consumers on their rights, investigating and resolving problems, and maintaining a high caseload and detailed case records. The successful candidate must be able to work on a team and have excellent communication and research skills. Four years’ professional work experience or bachelor’s degree, or a comparable mix of education and experience desired. Full job description at vtlegalaid.org/hca-january-2023

Experience in advocacy, health care, health insurance, or human services is desirable but not required. Prior legal experience is not required.

Base salary is $44,200 with salary credit given for relevant prior work experience. Four weeks paid vacation, retirement, and excellent health benefits.

Application deadline is January 22, 2023. Your application should include a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and three references combined into one pdf, sent by e-mail to hiring@vtlegalaid.org with “HCA Position” in the subject line. Please tell us how you heard about this position.

ATTENTION RECRUITERS:

Join Country Walkers and VBT Bicycling Vacations, an awardwinning, Vermont-based active travel company, and be part of our high performing, international team.

We have amazing opportunities for Travel, Accounting and Service Professionals interested in supporting worldwide travel adventures with a leader in the industry, positively impacting established brands & working with a team of collaborative & gifted travel pros.

We’re seeking professionals for the following full-time positions.

· AIR AGENT

· GUEST SERVICES AGENT

· STAFF ACCOUNTANT

If you’re passionate, driven by excellence, want to make a difference and are looking for balance in your quality of life – check us out!

Ready to learn more? Visit our career pages at VBT.com or countrywalkers.com & submit your resume to nvoth@vbt.com

Staff Positions

Partners In Adventure is a nonprofit year-round program which provides activity based programs for young people with disabilities and friends, ages 7 and older. We have a variety of part-time opportunities available, and also summer day camp staff positions available for this coming summer (eight weeks MondayFriday 9-3:00 pm).

Applicants must be at least 18 years of age, experience working with people with disabilities is preferred. For more information please email Joan Martin, Executive Director at jmartin@partnersinadevnture.org

Engaging minds that change the world

Seeking a position with a quality employer? Consider The University of Vermont, a stimulating and diverse workplace. We offer a comprehensive benefit package including tuition remission for on-going, full-time positions.

Treasury Specialist / Business Support Generalist - Treasury Services - #S3998PO - The University of Vermont’s Treasury Services Office is seeking a self-motivated and highly detail-oriented individual to perform a variety of functions in support of the cash receipt operations of the University. Responsibilities include receiving, verifying, and processing all cash receipts collected by the University of Vermont. Assist faculty, staff, students, and external customers with all financial transactions involving receipt of funds. Answer routine to complex questions, using analytical analysis to problem solve discrepancies with deposits, chartstrings, system errors, etc. Maintain both accounting and physical controls, balancing, safeguarding, and settlement over cash, checks, and other negotiable instruments. Process multiple bank reconciliations, prepare and/or process daily bank deposits, and reconcile funds received through the banking and financial systems. Prepare petty cash and travel advances in conjunction with requests from departments. Have the ability to multi-task and prioritize work to meet deadlines and stay on task with other assigned duties and responsibilities, while maintaining a high level of attention to detail and accuracy. Uphold the University’s values of accessibility, inclusiveness, and academic excellence. Reports to the Director of Treasury Services with functional supervision from Team lead.

Qualifications: Associates degree in accounting or related field and one to four years of related experience that includes knowledge of data entry programs and spreadsheet applications. Proficiency with Banner and PeopleSoft applications is preferred. Must have advanced computer skills to perform duties and responsibilities using Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook, and Google Chrome. Must possess strong organizational skills and the ability to work efficiently under timedriven deadlines. Must be able to work independently, exercise good judgment and discretion in facilitating UVM’s operations and services and establish/maintain effective working relationships with other colleagues and the campus community. Show a strong understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion to be able to uphold the University’s Common Ground values ensuring everyone feels welcome at UVM.

Salary Range: $46,000.00 - $52,000.00

Water Quality Research Specialist - Ext - Programming & Fac Sup. - #S4068PO - The University of Vermont

Extension is seeking a Water Quality Research Specialist to manage field-based agricultural and environmental research projects. The specialist would be responsible for coordinating and performing data collection efforts, operating and maintaining water quality monitoring stations and other research instrumentation, and basic data management and analysis. This position would also contribute to both outreach and academic publications. This position will be located in our Middlebury Office. Minimum Requirements: Bachelor’s Degree in a related field and 3 to 5 years related experience in a natural resources, engineering, agriculture, or conservation science field is required. The University is especially interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of the institution. Applicants are encouraged to include in their cover letter information about how they will further this goal.

Information Security Officer - Information Security Office - #S4053PO - The University of Vermont is seeking a qualified candidate for the position Information Security Officer. This senior-level position has both operational and strategic responsibilities for information security at the University. The Information Security Officer (ISO) is responsible for establishing and communicating the University’s information security vision, policies, and programs to ensure that information assets entrusted to it are adequately protected. This position requires collaborative, hands-on leadership, with the ability to think strategically, plan to the strategy, and oversee execution of the plan.

Minimum Qualifications include: Bachelor’s degree in technology or related field and seven to ten years’ related experience. Ability to comprehend and assess technical issues across information technology domains. Knowledge of applicable information security regulations and compliance standards.

Technical skills required: Experience as a practitioner in one or more of network engineering, systems administration, forensics, traffic analysis, and/or SOC operations.

For further information on these positions and others currently available, or to apply online, please visit www.uvmjobs.com Applicants must apply for positions electronically. Paper resumes are not accepted. Open positions are updated daily. Please call 802-656-3150 or email employment@uvm.edu for technical support with the online application.

The University of Vermont is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

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Manufactured Home Improvement and Replacement Program

Home Repair Technical Assistance Specialist

The Home Repair Technical Assistance Specialist will primarily administer technical and application assistance to park residents who have unmet needs that affect habitability leading to unsafe and unhealthy housing living conditions and/ or displacement. This position requires supporting applicants through their financial assistance request process including followup support, referral and reporting services as needed.

Please visit cvoeo.org/careers to submit cover letter, resume, and three work references.

Office Manager & Programs Manager

River Arts in downtown Morrisville is looking for a full time Office Manager and Programs Manager with a passion for the arts and a keen interest in community development.  The Office Manager responsibilities include daily administrative tasks working in Salesforce, Squarespace, and Google Drive while supporting space rentals, our artisan gift shop, and assisting with marketing/ visibility of River Arts.

Our Programs Manager role is to create classes for youth/ adult/special events and hiring teaching artists while fostering community partnerships and offsite programming that connect River Arts to our community. Solid computer knowledge and strong interpersonal skills are a must for both positions in our vibrant, fast-paced office. Come and be a part of our team of fun, creative professionals today!

stephanie@riverartsvt.org

TOWN MANAGER

The Town of Shelburne, Vermont (pop. 7800) seeks a collaborative & creative professional full-time Town Manager. The Town has a combined budget of just over 14 million dollars and approximately 70 municipal employees. Shelburne is a quintessential and picturesque New England community situated on the shores of Lake Champlain just minutes from the cultural, educational and world class medical facilities in the eclectic city of Burlington. Shelburne prides itself on its commitment to sustainability and diversity.

The Town manager is responsible for supervising and coordinating the overall operations of the Town, and managing the day-to-day affairs under the general direction of a five-member Selectboard as provided for by Town Charter and Vermont state statutes. A detailed job description and position profile are available at shelburnevt.org/237/Human-Resources

The successful candidate will have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college in business administration or public administration, along with four to six years of relevant financial and administrative experience, or an equivalent combination of experience and training. Municipal government experience in an administrative or managerial capacity is preferred. Salary range is $105,000 to $125,000, commensurate with experience and training. Excellent benefits are offered.

To apply, please email a cover letter and resume, as one PDF attachment, in confidence, to municipal.recruitment@vlct.org with ‘Town of Shelburne” as the subject. Cover letter should identify how you learned of the position opening. Priority consideration will be given to applicants who submit cover letter and resume by Friday, January 27th, 2023, however, the position will remain opened until filled. Shelburne is an EOE/AA/Equal Access Employer.

JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM

BURLINGTON HOUSING AUTHORITY (BHA), located in Burlington, VT, is seeking candidates to continue BHA’s success in promoting innovative solutions that address housing instability challenges facing our diverse population of extremely low-income families and individuals. Join us and make a difference in our community!

JANUARY 11-18, 2023

RAPID REHOUSING SPECIALIST provides assistance to community members who are without housing and have barriers to locating and securing housing in the community. This grant funded position works closely with our Rental Assistance department and Chittenden County Coordinated Entry and is a part of a skilled team that focuses on assessment, intervention, and service coordination of at-risk households.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Responds to referrals from Coordinated Entry to assess need for housing search services and level of support needed to secure housing

• Provides direct retention services which may include home visits, supportive counseling, making referrals on behalf of household, accompanying member(s) of household to appointments, providing/coordinating transportation when needed, coordinating services which may benefit the household, and work to stabilize the housing as necessary

• Coordinates services which are beyond scope of housing search and makes appropriate referrals back to housing retention team or other agencies when necessary

• Supports households in meeting with landlords and attending showings in BHA’s service area

• Support the household’s awareness of resources, increase overall resiliency, and promote stability and proactivity over crisis management

• Collects and maintains required data and case notes in centralized database MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Bachelor’s degree required in human services or related field. Previous experience in direct service and advocacy preferred. Exhibits effective verbal and written communication skills. Knowledge of the social services network is preferred. Proficiency with Microsoft Office and internet navigation required. Excellent time-management skills and the ability to work independently are required.

To learn more about our organization, please visit: burlingtonhousing.org.

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!

BHA offers a competitive salary, commensurate with qualifications and experience. We offer a premium benefit package at a low cost to employees. Benefits include medical insurance with a health reimbursement account, dental, vision, short and long term disability, 10% employer funded retirement plan, 457 retirement plan, accident insurance, life insurance, cancer and critical illness insurance and access to reduced cost continuing education. We also offer a generous time off policy including paid time off, sick, and 13 paid holidays. And sign on bonus of up to $2,000.

If interested, please submit your resume and cover letter to:

HUMANRESOURCES@BURLINGTONHOUSING.ORG

Seven Days is a great resource for job seekers and hiring managers alike. Its statewide distribution and content attract a large audience. We tried posting on other online platforms, but the reach was too narrow and didn’t yield the same results.

After running our employment ad, we received applications immediately. We ended up finding a great candidate very quickly with the qualifications and initiative to fit right into our small team.

Working with Michelle Brown was great. She is very e cient, and her advertising expertise was very helpful. We would absolutely recommend advertising with Seven Days!

AMY KIMMEL / ROB PERRY Deerfield Designs

fun stuff

HARRY BLISS

JEN SORENSEN

CALCOKU

“Ok, now toss me the three juggling balls...”

JULIANNA BRAZILL

RYAN RIDDLE

CAPRICORN

(DEC. 22-JAN. 19)

When he was 74 years old, Capricorn author Norman Maclean published his first novel, A River Runs Through It. It became a bestseller. Capricorn film director Takeshi Kitano directed his first film at age 42. Now 75, he has since won many awards for his work in his native Japan. Capricorn activist Melchora Aquino, who was a leader in the Philippines’ fight for independence from Spain, launched her career as a revolutionary when she was in her eighties. She’s known as the “Mother of the Revolution.” I hope these heroes inspire you, dear Capricorn. I believe that 2023 is the year you will get an upgrade in any area of your life where you have seemed to be a late bloomer.

ARIES (Mar. 21-Apr. 19): Nigerian author Wole Soyinka reworked the ancient Greek play The Bacchae. In one passage, the god Dionysus criticizes King Pentheus, who is supposedly all-powerful. “You are a man of chains,” Dionysus tells him. “You love chains. You breathe chains, talk chains, eat chains, dream chains, think chains. Your world is bound in manacles.” The bad news, Aries, is that many of us have some resemblances to Pentheus. The good news is that the coming months will be a favorable time to shed at least some of your chains. Have fun liberating

yourself! Try to help a few others wriggle free from their chains, too. Doing so will aid your own emancipation.

TAURUS (Apr. 20-May 20): The coming weeks will be a great time to fill your journal with more intense ruminations than you have for many moons. If you don’t have a journal, think about starting one. Reveal yourself to yourself, Taurus! Make conscious that which has been vague, unnamed or hiding. Here are assignments to help launch your flood of intimate self-talk. 1) Write passionately about an experience you’ve always wanted to try but have never done. 2) Conduct imaginary interviews with people who rouse strong feelings in you. 3) Describe what deity, superhero or animal you are and how your special intelligence works. 4) Visualize a dream in which you appear as a bolder, more confident version of yourself. 5) Talk about a time you felt rousingly alive and how you plan to feel that way again.

GEMINI (May 21-Jun. 20): A stranger approached me at Wild Birds Unlimited, a store that sells bird food and accessories. “You write the horoscopes, right?” she asked. “I’m a Gemini, and I want to thank you for helping me tone down my relentless fidgeting. You made me realize I have been secretly proud of tapping my fingers on the table while talking with people, and constantly darting my eyes around the room to check out the ever-changing views. I’d unconsciously believed that stuff was a sign of my incredible vitality. But you’ve been a steadying influence. You’ve shown me ways to settle down and focus my energy better. I can see how restlessness sometimes saps my energy.” I told the woman, “You’re welcome!” and let her know that 2023 will be a favorable time to do much more of this good work. Homework: Meditate on channeling your incredible vitality into being grounded and centered.

CANCER (Jun. 21-Jul. 22): According to Cancerian author Ronald Sukenick, the writer’s work is “to destroy restrictive viewpoints, notice the unnoticed, speak the unspeakable, shake stale habits, ward off evil, give vent to sorrow, pulverize doctrine, attack and uphold tradition as needed, and make life worth living.” I believe 2023 will be an excellent

time for you to carry out those actions, even if you’re not a writer. You will have abundant power to bless and heal through creative rebellion and disruption. You will thrive as you seek out interesting novelty.

LEO (Jul. 23-Aug. 22): Psychotherapist Ryan Howes has wisdom you’ll benefit from heeding in the coming weeks. “We need to accept our age,” he writes. “We need to accept illnesses and addictions. We need to accept the past. We need to accept others as they are.” He goes on to say that this doesn’t mean we must like all these situations. And we can certainly try to make the best of them. But when we don’t struggle in vain to change what’s beyond our control to change, we have more energy for things that we can actually affect.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sep. 22): Here’s testimony from musician Pharrell Williams: “If someone asks me what inspires me, I always say, ‘That which is missing.’” Yes! This is an apt message for you, Virgo. The best way for you to generate motivation and excitement in the coming weeks will be to explore what is lacking, what is invisible, what’s lost or incomplete. Check in with your deep intuition right now. Do you feel a stirring in your gut? It may tell you where to find important and intriguing things that are missing.

LIBRA (Sep. 23-Oct. 22): “Every animal knows far more than you do,” declares a proverb of the Nimíipuu people, also known as the Nez Percé. Author Russell Banks provides further testimony to convince us we should be humble about our powers of awareness: “There is a wonderful intelligence to the unconscious,” he says. “It’s always smarter than we are.” These are good pointers for you to heed in the coming weeks, Libra. You will have a special power to enhance your understanding of the world by calling on the savvy of animals and your unconscious mind. They will be especially rich sources of wisdom. Seek out their educational input!

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Psychologist Carl Jung said the whole point of Jesus Christ’s story was not that we should become exactly like him. Rather, we should aspire to be our best and highest selves in the same way

that he fulfilled his unique mission. So Jesus was not the great exception but rather the great example. I bring these meditations to your attention, Scorpio, because I believe life in 2023 will conspire to make you, more than ever before, the hero of your own destiny. You will be inspired to honor only your own standards of success and reject all others’. You will clearly see that you are progressing at your own natural and righteous pace, which is why it makes no sense to compare your evolution to anyone else’s.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): A reader named Mary Roseberry describes her experience of being a Sagittarius: “I hate to be bored. I hate imperfections. I hate to wait. I hate sadness. I hate conflict. I hate to be wrong. I hate tension.” Wow! I admire Mary’s succinct understanding of who she doesn’t want to be and what she doesn’t like to do. I invite you to compose a similar testimony. You would benefit from getting clear about the experiences you intend to avoid in 2023. Once you have done that, write a list of the interesting feelings and situations you will seek out with intense devotion during the coming months.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): According to my analysis of the astrological omens, you will soon be called upon to summon grace under pressure; to express magnanimity while being challenged; to prove that your devotion to your high standards is more important than the transitory agendas of your ego. The good news is that you are primed and ready to succeed at these exact assignments. I have confidence in your power to activate the necessary courage and integrity with maximum poise and composure.

PISCES (Feb. 19-Mar. 20): “By dying daily, I have come to be,” wrote poet Theodore Roethke. He didn’t mean he suffered literal deaths. He was referring to the discipline of letting go of the past; shedding worn-out habits; leaving behind theories and attitudes that once served him well but no longer did; killing off parts of himself that were interfering with the arrival of the fresh future. I recommend his strategy to you, Pisces. To the degree that you agree to die daily, you will earn the right to be reborn big-time in a few weeks.

On January 7, hundreds of people brought their Christmas trees to Pine Island Community Farm in Colchester, where the post-holiday drop-off has become an annual tradition. e trees will feed a herd of goats belonging to Chuda Dhaurali, who provides fresh, local goat meat for Vermont's new American communities.

supported by:

Eva Sollberger’s

WOMEN seeking...

FUN, FUNNY AND FIT

Attractive, athletic woman interested in casual dating/connections. Kids are getting older, and work is winding down. Looking for new adventures. Love to travel, see new places, experience new things. Never bored or boring. I enjoy music, dancing, yoga, weight lifting and soccer. Not a fan of drama. If you are healthy, fit, nice, funny and easy on the eyes, reach out. Yolo50, 55, seeking: M

HAPPY WOMAN SEEKS HAPPY MAN

I’m a healthy, active, educated and curious woman. I currently live in a rural area of Vermont with my dogs, chickens and plenty of woods, where I am a town official. I work a little to supplement my pension. I enjoy travel, home projects, caring for my pets, enjoying friends and family. I love the beauty and challenges in Vermont. Happiness1, 66 seeking: M, l

HONEST, RESPECTFUL, PLANNER, CARING, THOUGHTFUL

I am a worker, a giver of my time, sincere, honest. I hide nothing. Very up-front and open. I like going places, traveling, beaches. I haven’t biked in a couple of years but enjoy biking. I like to eat healthy, but everything in moderation. I get tired of just staying at home! Give me an email. Would like to email/message. Respect2020, 47, seeking: M, l

RIDING THE ROLLER COASTER OF LIFE

Kind and caring, crazy busy, lonely when I have downtime. Looking for a likeminded person to spend that downtime with. moomail, 49 seeking: M, l

CREATIVE, OUTDOORSY STUDENT OF LIFE

I want to meet an active man, ages 60 to 68, who’d join me for outdoor adventures. I want to meet friends first. I enjoy music, good food, conversation, my home, my garden, simple things. I snowshoe, cross-country ski, hike. No picture at this time; I value my privacy. If you write, I’ll respond and possibly will provide a photo. nicensimple 64 seeking: M, l

RECREATION, RELAXATION AND EXPLORING

Retired, relocated to the beautiful, scenic Vermont. Looking for someone to share the magnificent sunset over Lake Champlain, hike, do tai chi, garden and cook good meals with. Someone to laugh with and explore the Vermont region. I am an optimist. If you have a good honest heart and are a hopeful nature lover, I am the one you’re looking for. Looking for fun in Vermont. Seeking M and a new group of friends. RecreationRelaxationandExploring, 57, seeking: M

FUN, KIND AND LOVING

Recently I relocated to Vermont and am looking for someone to enjoy Vermont life with. I’ve been divorced/single long enough to know myself and enjoy my own company. I would like to be in a longterm, healthy, monogamous relationship. So let’s be friends first and see where it goes! CoachKaty7, 53 seeking: M, l

RELAXED AND HAPPY

I would love to meet a kind and gentle man for companionship, friendship and long-term relationship. I live a pretty quiet and simple life, though would love to share time with a kind kindred spirit. I would love to meet someone who is easygoing, enjoys the outdoors, loves dogs and has a big, tender heart. angelight333, 75, seeking: M, l

HOPEFULLY YOURS?

Charismatic, adventuresome woman seeks man for friendship, LTR, shared and mutual interests! I am kind and fun, seeking the same to enjoy and share life! HopeVT, 62, seeking: M, l

ARTSY NATURE LOVER

Looking for a man who loves Vermont, is grounded and enjoys meaningful conversations. Youthful, educated, community-minded, endlessly curious, I love to dance, make music, watch indie and foreign films, attend live performances of all kinds, and laugh with friends. I’m in the woods daily to walk the dog, hike, snowshoe, ski, meditate. You? NEKdancerdrummer 61, seeking: M, l

MONTRÉAL WIFE IN OPEN RELATIONSHIP

Longtime married, very attractive, in open relationship. Desire playmate in Burlington area. I like confident, experienced, athletic, smart, welleducated, charming men. I am not looking to develop a relationship. Would like a regular playmate who is very discreet. My wonderful husband may be around for first meet, so need to be comfortable with that. He does not participate. MontrealWife 54, seeking: M, l

I NEED LOVE

I am proud of myself, honestly. I treat others the way I want to be treated, and I need a man who is going to love me and give me joy. elizabethlove 28, seeking: M, l

MELLOW,

CASUAL AND QUALITY

New to town, work a lot and looking for some casual fun. I’m real easygoing and easy on the eyes. Well hung and love using it. Saintj 41, seeking: W, Cp, Gp

LOOKING FOR GOOD TIMES

Submissive male willing to do most anything to please. Nairb 55, seeking: M, W 53-Y/O MWM SEEKING FWB SITUATION Open-minded guy, athletic, sane and nonsmoker. Seeking a situation to fill the sexless void in my life. Would be awesome if an individual or couple were into riding on two wheels or sliding on snow. meisbadvt, 53, seeking: W, NC, Cp

HONEST, LOYAL, AFFECTIONATE AND CARING

OLD-SCHOOL, READY TO PLAY

I am looking for a fun-loving, beachloving activity partner. I love playing in water; you should, too. I enjoy some good humor. I can laugh at myself. I enjoy cards and board games when the weather chases me indoors. vtswimmer, 54, seeking: W

NONBINARY PEOPLE seeking...

BOOKISH, CONSCIOUSNESS SEEKING, LIFELONG STUDENT

CREATIVE OLD HIPPIE

I love myself. Happy with my own company and in a crowd of people. I have many good friends and hobbies. The last time I remember being bored, I was 9! I consider it a really good day when I have learned something new and had a good laugh. Full-blown Libran. Prefer cultured, educated company. Versatility is a must. Zenbabe 61, seeking: M, l

INTUITIVE, CARING, LOVE BEING OUTSIDE

I am a passionate, fit, caring, downto-earth woman looking to share adventures. I love to be active — hiking, skiing, running, yoga. I love to travel, as I am fascinated by the different ways people live their lives. I hope to have honest, interesting, authentic conversations where we really get to know each other. Let’s meet for coffee or a drink! lovemountains, 57, seeking: M, l

ENERGETIC, CREATIVE, HONEST, INDEPENDENT

I am a combination of outdoorswoman, ballroom dancer and retired application developer. Hardworking, honest, funloving, romantic. Family is important to me. I have a log cabin in the NEK that I love. Hoping to find someone to laugh, learn and explore with. Friends first. College grad, Caucasian. Cabingirl 66, seeking: M, l

ENJOY LIFE BEFORE I’M DEAD

Looking for someone to share time with. Traveling is one of my passions. I enjoy the outdoors, camping, hiking, walking, snowshoeing, music, dancing and playing cards. I love spending time with family and friends and my little dog. ladyinvt 66 seeking: M, l

MEN seeking...

OSH GOSH BEGOSH LEVI’S

Looking for a companionship and friendship with an honest, kind lady who likes music and gardening. greenthumb123, 46, seeking: W, l

GENTLEMAN PREFERS BLONDES AND BRUNETTES

Old-school guy who seeks soul mate and partner in crime for next chapter. Fun, funny and family-oriented. Love the great outdoors, the arts and a farm-to-table foodie. Not in a huge rush to settle down. Be great to make a couple of female friends with common interests. George_2, 58, seeking: W

EASYGOING AND OPEN-MINDED 74 y/o but still in good shape. Still have hair and can see my toes. Run four miles a day, play pickleball, hike, ski and generally enjoy the outdoors. Avid reader, enjoy a wide range of subjects. Spent the last nine years providing at-home care for my wife, who suffered a debilitating stroke. Kyia341 74, seeking: W

I’m a very laid-back person and really hate confrontation. I’ve been in recovery over 10 years now and have a recovery coach certification. I’m looking for someone who knows what they want and how to communicate that. I feel like communication is the key to a healthy, strong relationship. I don’t really do hookups. Apollo16 39, seeking: W, l

SEEKING SOMETHING FUN AND CASUAL Living life collecting as many wonderful memories along the way as possible. Let’s make a few. ADK_ROVER, 52, seeking: W, l

SEARCHER

Lust for life looking for FWB, perhaps more. blueskyinvt2022 58 seeking: W

YOUNG-AT-HEART NATURE LOVER

Looking for an active, fit, outdoorsy woman who can laugh easily, appreciates the natural world, is thoughtful and playful. Who likes to “play like a dog”! Dog lovers a plus. I’m a kind, active, free-spirited, reliable, romantic, educated, spontaneous and sensual man. Youthful in appearance, mind, body and soul. Enjoy outdoor activities, especially skiing (all types), sailing, hiking. Skisailvt 69, seeking: W, l

MESSENGER IN A BOTTLE

Looking for a woman who likes herself, has a kind tongue, intelligence, a sense of humor, and wants someone with imperfections like mine. I tend to like movies that have character development, rather than special effects and gratuitous action. I avoid junk food as much as I can and get enough exercise but am not overboard with it. Outdoor tendencies. Victor58 58 seeking: W, l

WISE, VIBRANT, YOUNG AT HEART

Excellent generalist, language lover, witty conversationalist. I also live deep in my head and soul, a nature lover, and wish for a man to share the physical to probe the mind and heart. I am a practiced masseur with high potential for sensual abandon. SageOne 69 seeking: M

WHITE BOAT CUMMIN’ UP RIVER

I’m into Neil Young, B. Traven, Passivhaus, wilderness, water, Alexander Berkman, John Prine, writing, saving the world, silence, the stars, German beer, etc. I have no idea who I’m looking for. I’ve probably not learned the lessons I should have. Ragged heart is still on the sleeve. Stilgar, 71, seeking: W, l

LOVE

I am a decent and hardworking man. People love to see the moon and stars in the sky, but my eyes just love to see my love’s happy and smiling face! abelfirm 65, seeking: W, l

OLDER FUN LOVER

LOOKING FOR GOOD TIMES

Tall, a little fluffy, experimental, clean and mostly smooth. Looking to meet other fun people. weldon72, 75, seeking: M

I am old in chronology, full of childish wonder. I don’t use alcohol or cannabis. Sobriety is the greatest high of all. I am recently divorced, which is the source of great sorrow and pain for me, something I never wanted. My interests include, though not exclusively, classical music, opera, visual arts, literature and, of course, psychoanalysis. Petal269, 78, seeking: W, l

SENIOR LADY LOVEBUG

Hello, want to be email pals first? Are you cute, young 60ish? Looking for a straight, educated man, sorta wealthy, loving, easygoing. Friends to start, flirting OK. Try new foods, places, etc. In the end, I would love to love and be loved, like the old-schoolers did. Sammyd 74, seeking: M

REALIST WHO IS OPEN-MINDED

I’m an honest, down-to-earth person who has been through a lot in life and is looking for companionship since I’m new to the area. I’m not like most people in that I feel people are afraid to talk to me. I don’t go out of my way to make friends. I wait for them to come to me. BreBri2022, 37 seeking: M, W, Cp

COUPLES seeking...

SNOW AND SUN EQUAL FUN

Borders and boundaries are sexy. We’re pretty cute. We like to have fun, and we bet you do, too. Happily married couple (W, 35; M, 45), open-minded and looking to explore. Love playing outdoors. Looking to meet a couple, man or woman for fun and adventure. Ideal meetup is a cottage in the mountains with great food and lots of great wine.

SnownSun 46, seeking: Cp, l

LOVERS OF LIFE

We are a 40s couple, M/F, looking for adventurous encounters with openminded, respectful M/F or couples. Looking to enjoy sexy encounters, FWBs, short term or long term.

sunshines, 42, seeking: M, W, Q, Cp

LOOKING FOR OUR MAN!

Ideally hoping for a throuple/FWB situation. Us: established M/F couple. DD-free. (She: 44, straight BBW; he: 46, bi MWM). Drinks, 420-friendly, fires, get outside, music, Netflix and chill, always horny. You: DD-free, clean, masculine bi male (30ish to 50ish) who works and knows how to enjoy life! A little rough/hard (top, real man, etc.) with a compassionate heart and a bit of a snuggler. Connection is key. Let’s chat and get to know each other, then play! ginganddaddy 46, seeking: M

EXPLORING THREESOMES AND FOURSOMES

We are an older and wiser couple discovering that our sexuality is amazingly hot! Our interest is another male for threesomes or a couple. We’d like to go slowly, massage you with a happy ending. She’d love to be massaged with a happy ending or a dozen. Would you be interested in exploring sexuality with a hot older couple? DandNformen 66 seeking: M, TM, NC, Cp, l

dating.sevendaysvt.com

RE: I WISH...

He left that phone dangling off the hook / en slowly turned around and gave it one last look / en he just walked away. / He aimed his truck toward that Wyoming line / With a little luck he could still get there in time / And in that Cheyenne wind he could still hear her... When: Monday, January 9, 2023. Where: on the road. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915690

PRESTON POND TRAIL BEFORE SUNSET

You: hiking a race against the sunset with your dog, some kind of husky mix? You have beautiful blue eyes. Me: wearing a yellow coat and pink neck warmer, hiking with my grumpy dog. Yours wouldn’t come when you called, so I just picked mine up to avoid the encounter. I’d love to look into those eyes again. When: Sunday, January 8, 2023. Where: Preston Pond Trail. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915689

MARGARITA CUTIE AT OLIVE GARDEN

I was eating lunch and playing the trivia game. You walked up and ordered a margarita and joined in on my game and had a good convo. Wanted to give you my number but missed my chance. Trivia night sometime? You said your name is Hannah. When: ursday, December 29, 2022. Where: Olive Garden. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915688

MUBIKSSKI, I’D LIKE TO CHAT

I enjoyed reading your profile and would really like to connect with you. I haven’t used Seven Days for a long time, so my profile has been deleted. So I thought I’d try this. Take a chance on connecting with this 57-year-old artsy, even-keeled and also eclectic BTV gal. When: Friday, January 6, 2023. Where: Seven Days Personals. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915687

TARA FROM MATCH.COM

One day I saw your profile. Meditation was important to you. I went on a trip intending to respond when I returned, but by then you were gone. I just consulted the tarot and drew the Two of Cups. Could that be us? When: Monday, December 12, 2022. Where: match. com. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915686

HIGHER GROUND NYE MISSED OPPORTUNITY

You: cute guy with a killer smile and sharp button-up by the side bar at Dead Set NYE. You said you’d get me a drink after the set break. Me: decked out in a glitter shirt and glow ears. Second-guessed myself but totally interested. Buy me that drink? When: Saturday, December 31, 2022. Where: Higher Ground. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915684

NEWPORT NATURALS NATURAL BEAUTY

Saw you at NNM on a crisp December afternoon. You were wearing a pink sweater and purchasing mac and cheese. In hindsight, I should have diverted you from the checkout line to restore our connection. If you see this, I would love to take you out into the community. Let’s be social together; otherwise it would be an injustice. When: Wednesday, December 28, 2022. Where: Newport. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915682

CUTE BLONDE AT THE AIRPORT

Seeing you made my 5 a.m. flight that much better! We locked eyes at precheck while I was talking with friends. You: dark sweatshirt, green leggings, a gorgeous face and beautiful blond hair. I was wearing a funky cardigan and an orange hat. Coffee when you’re back in town? When: Wednesday, December 28, 2022. Where: BTV airport. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915681

OIL

I’d like the chance to continue the conversation. Seems bizarre to think this will work, but you were beyond cute, so maybe the universe could give me another chance. When: Saturday, December 31, 2022. Where: Oil n Go. You: Man. Me: Man. #915683

I SEE WOMEN IN TOWN

I recall what they were wearing, mostly their boots. I’m wondering, are they tomboys like me? I also notice their eyes. I turn around to look at them, as well. Mostly I see them walking or hiking. I notice their kindness and a willingness to engage in a conversations. Being a Buddhist, kindness is important. When: Wednesday, August 10, 2022. Where: Montpelier. You: Woman. Me: Woman. #915680

BUFFALO MOUNTAIN MARKET CUTIE

We walked from separate sides of the parking lot but met up at the door. You held it open for me, and it made my day. Sometimes it’s just those simple gestures and moments in time. Your gentle eyes and sweet face were exactly what I needed. Happy Winter Solstice. When: Tuesday, December 13, 2022. Where: Hardwick. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915679

DID ALEX GET FRENCH FRIES?

Has it been nine years since we grabbed coffee and talked chi running? is southern gentleman is so glad you squeezed my hand before I got out of your tiny car. A steamy hallway, secret swimming hole detour, three little ones, and many laughs later, it’s still the sweetest thing. Love you. When: Saturday, December 10, 2022. Where: downtown. You: Man. Me: Man. #915678

JITTERY OR CAFFEINATED?

Last week you commented that I was jittery. is week we talked about your tattooed hands and my only tattoo. My question to you is, how do you feel about ethical nonmonogamy? Sincerely, Not looking for a unicorn. When: Friday, December 9, 2022. Where: Montpelier. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915677

PATRON

BEARDED COFFEE

Approximately 2 p.m. You held the door for me and remarked on my beard. en, when I left, we met eyes and you smiled. Too shy to ask your name. Wish I had! When: Friday, December 9, 2022. Where: Williston Dunkin’ Donuts. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915676

RED HAT WOMAN, NEWPORT WALMART

Hello, Indiana Jones. You sauntered in wearing a leather hat, looked right at me and smiled the most beautiful smile. I had a red felt hat on. I will never forget what that smile meant to me at that moment in time. Perhaps I may find you again? When: Wednesday, December 7, 2022. Where: Newport Walmart. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915675

CYCLING ON PINE

We passed each other in the dark on Pine, near Flynn. You nodded, and I smiled. I appreciated that simple acknowledgment that we weren’t out in the cold alone. Safe travels, fellow commuter! When: Monday, November 28, 2022. Where: Burlington. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915674

HANNAFORD SUPERMARKET

Evening. Enjoyed talking with you about horses, blueberries and kids in the checkout line. You were wearing a black hoodie. Are you single? Do you want to have tea or coffee together and chat sometime? When: ursday, November 17, 2022. Where: Hannaford. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915673

WHO HAS THE REMOTE?

Older gentleman wondering who had the remote for the TV at Handy’s Toyota waiting room. We started talking about downtown Burlington, and then my car was ready. When: ursday, November 10, 2022. Where: Handy’s Toyota, St. Albans. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915672

WHY KNOT BE THEIR SQUARED?

My GPS brought me to your location twice. I didn’t catch your name, and I bet you can’t guess mine! When: Saturday, November 13, 2021. Where: in the eyes of the world. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915671

SHAMWOW

Two and a half years, and you still visit my dreams and almost every thought day-to-day! When: Saturday, June 6, 2020. Where: in my dreams. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915670

HELLO, SLOWWALKER

I saw your message a month after you posted it. Sorry for the late reply. I bet Ruby is out of treats; should I bring some more? When: Saturday, September 24, 2022. Where: Shelburne Bay Park. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915669

De Sadie Moji,

De Rev end,

I’ve been casually dating a guy for a year. Recently we decided to call each other “nonmonogamous partners,” but we may not be on the same page about what that means. He texts me all day long with updates about his daily activities. I feel pressured to reply, and it’s stressing me out to feel like I’m constantly being poked. How do I tell him to dial back the communication frequency without hurting his feelings? He told me he loves that we text all day.

If you’ve already navigated tricky conversations about the boundaries of a nonmonogamous relationship, it seems that talking about texting should be a breeze. But I understand your conundrum. I tend to avoid confrontation and can pussyfoot around a problem like nobody’s business. However, that rarely results in a resolution.

Your fella will never realize that his behavior is annoying if you keep your lips

SAXON MOUNTAIN BIKER, GREAT SMILE

You finished your ride and loaded up your orange mountain bike onto your black Subaru. ere were numerous glances between us while I stood chatting with my friends. As you drove away, you gave a very friendly smile and wave. It would be great to say hello, maybe do a bike ride or hike, or even just have a drink sometime. When: Sunday, November 6, 2022. Where: Saxon Hill Rd. parking lot. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915668

HAVE WE MET?

Maybe, or in another life? Like me, you’re weary of running away from, running to catch up, running in circles. Let’s be still, be patient and have faith; we will be together soon. en let’s practice those qualities in our union every day. How will we know we have found each other? Love, it will be love that feels right. When: Saturday, November 5, 2022. Where: to be destined by summer 2023. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915667

BEAUTIFUL BRUNETTE, VFCU

I was in a black truck at the teller window at lunchtime, in South Burlington. You are a stunning brunette with a great smile! You helped me with a shared branch banking transaction. Wanna grab a coffee sometime? When: ursday, October 27, 2022. Where: VFCU. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915666

WHATCHYA READIN’?

You were walking up Church Street with a bag from Phoenix and an iced matcha. I am envious of your afternoon with new books and a sweet drink. If you’d be interested in having company next time, I’d be thrilled to join you. When: Saturday, October 29, 2022. Where: top block of Church St. You: Woman. Me: Woman. #915664

HELP WITH CROSSWORD?

I was with someone else when we met at the movie theater — unfortunately. We’re fellow alumni, and you were wearing ... maybe a reddish sweater? Dressed like a professor? I dashed out to the nearest pile of Seven Days specifically for the puzzles, since you didn’t have one to share. I haven’t finished the crossword yet; I thought maybe you’d like to help? When: ursday, October 27, 2022. Where: the Marquis. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915663

zipped. e longer you wait to bring it up, the more the issue could fester and cause bigger problems. Approach the subject gently, and I guarantee the discussion won’t be as bad as you imagine.

Since you’re most concerned about his feelings, start the conversation there (“I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but…”) and proceed honestly. Let him know that you suffer from text anxiety — it’s really a thing — and that getting a lot of notifications during the day makes you jumpy. Offer an alternative: Perhaps you would rather share the details of the day in person or via one or two texts at times that work with your schedule. As long as he knows that you’re happy with him, just not the frequency of his texts, his feelings should remain unscathed.

Good luck and God bless,

What’s your problem?

Send it to asktherev@sevendaysvt.com.

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

Sadie Moji

Irreverent counsel on life’s conundrums

I’m a 47-y/o male seeking a male for some fun. I’m attractive, fit and drug/diseasefree; have perfect hygiene; and am looking for the same. Discreet fun only. Let’s watch each other cum and help each other out. Send stats with contact number. #1629

72-y/o male seeks similar qualities as my own in a woman. Kind, tender, loving, empathetic, fun, homebody, somewhat liberal, intelligent. I’m healthy, fit, thin and considered attractive. Cozy home in the country. Financially secure. Phone or email, please. #1627

I’m a 66-y/o woman seeking a 60-plus male. Not married, no children. I’m a loving, kind, talented, educated nonsmoker. Honest and love to cook and bake and share joyrides. Looking for a serious friendship. Chittenden County. Phone number, please. #1626

I’m a male, 70, seeking a female, 50-plus. I am single and looking for a good friend and possible partner. Chittenden County. Phone, please. #1621

I’m a GWM 59-y/o. Mostly a bottom seeking to take care of the needs of a top. Very attentive and willing to please. Rutland area. Phone/text. #1624

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PUBLISH YOUR MESSAGE ON THIS PAGE!

1

Submit your FREE message at sevendaysvt.com/loveletters or use the handy form at right.

We’ll publish as many messages as we can in the Love Letters section above. 2

Interested readers will send you letters in the mail. No internet required!

I’m a female, 71, single (W), seeking a male, 65 to 75 (W). Would like a quiet dinner, movie or just coffee. Central Vermont. Need a friend to get through the winter, etc. Please write a note or send a phone number. #1625

I’m a male seeking a loving companion of any gender. I’m a nonsmoker with a concentration on health. I’m an educated, honest, kind and calm baby boomer with a love for gardening. Time is precious. Open to the right person. #1622

Man, 70, seeking woman. Warm heart, hard body, open mind. Easy to look at. Musically inclined. Going to Astrala playing, singing, dancing. Mainly veggie. Grow my own. Bicycle. Looking for you, someone to be with in Astrala. #1623

I’m a 57-y/o woman. Not married, no children. I stay as healthy as I can. Educated, mostly by deep life experience. Need a dedicated relationship with a man who understands me and treats our unit as No. 1. Need to live in the country. Calm, gardens, sounds of nature, sunset. Please be honest, thoughtful and kind. Be able to relate well to others and be well liked. Phone number, please. #1620

I’m a 70-y/o WF seeking a 70-plus WM. (#1604, I’m interested.) Was widowed 10 years ago and am lonely and seeking a companion. I love being outdoors and seeing birds and animals. Car travel is fun for me. #1618

Young-looking baby boomer woman seeks the same in a male partner. Time is precious. I’m a humanist looking for a nonsmoking, honest, good person. Seeking an occasional drinker without drug or anger issues. Ninety-five percent Democrat and young-at-heart woman who doesn’t drink is looking for a partner, not a serial dater (aka bachelor). #1619

Along life’s highway: 1967 Canadian traditional sedan, high mileage but good steelbelted radials and rust-free, AM/FM radio, power steering, child’s car seat, seeks lightly used sporty 2000 Christian, low-maintenance family van (no child seat), 8-track a plus, for shared travel. #1614

Calling all bottom fem guys, trans into stockings, high heels, painted fingers, toenails. Any race, young or old. Gay, bi, straight. Always horny. Spend the weekend together. No drugs or smoke. Clean. Phone. #1617

I am a SWM, young-looking 52y/o in search of a trans woman. Not into drugs or 420 and not into a lot of drinking. Someone who wants to be treated like a lady in public and freaky in private. I am very respectful, romantic, physically passionate and enjoy some kinky situations.

I enjoy a lot of outdoor activities, like swimming (sometimes skinny-dipping), camping, fishing, walks and bike rides. I also like quiet nights at home, snuggling and watching movies. If you want to know more about me, please write. #1616

Discreet oral bottom. 54-y/o SWM, 5’8, slim, dark hair, blue eyes. Seeking any well-hung guys, 18 to 55 y/o, who are a good top and last a long time for more than one round. Phone only, but text. Champlain Valley. #L1615

Polish Potato Pierogi Workshop

FRI., JAN. 13

RED POPPY CAKERY, WATERBURY

Dylan Patrick Ward with Johnny Gifford & Trevor Robinson

FRI., JAN. 13

THE UNDERGROUND - LISTENING ROOM

Facing Change: Life’s Transitions and Transformations

WED., JAN. 18

ONLINE

Full Barrel Cooperative Brewery Pop-Up Tap Room

FRI., JAN. 20

12-22 NORTH ST., BURLINGTON

Ethiopian and Eritrean Cuisine Takeout

SAT., JAN. 21

O.N.E. COMMUNITY CENTER, BURLINGTON

Vermont Burlesque Festival: 17 Classes! See Website for Details

SUN., JAN. 22

HILTON BURLINGTON, BURLINGTON

After School Drawing Club with Rachel Mirus

MON., JAN. 23, 30, FEB. 6, 13, 20

GRANGE HALL CULTURAL CENTER, WATERBURY

Meza Bosnian Cuisine Takeout

MON., JAN. 23

TINY COMMUNITY KITCHEN, BURLINGTON

Female Founders Speakers Series: Motherhood

MON., JAN. 23

HOTEL VERMONT, BURLINGTON

Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour

THU., JAN. 26-SAT., JAN. 28

DUDLEY H. DAVIS CENTER, BURLINGTON

Kristian Montgomery & the Winterkill Band with A Day Without Love

FRI., JAN. 27

THE UNDERGROUND - LISTENING ROOM, RANDOLPH

Bagel School

SAT., JAN.