Seven Days, January 17, 2024

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VE R MO NT ’S INDE PEN DENT VO IC E JANUARY 17-24, 2024 VOL.29 NO.15 SEVENDAYSVT.COM

Winter issue inside!

2024 : a wellness odyssey

WELLNESS ISSUE

BOYS TO MEN

PAGE 14

Masculinity classes in Montpelier

KIND ADVICE

PAGE 24

Vermont’s Cannabis Nurse Hotline

GOOD EATING

PAGE 34

Vegan businesses promote health

Do you suffer from Headaches?

Eye Strain?

WINTER

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Dizziness?

CLEARANCE

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WEEK IN REVIEW

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JANUARY 10-17, 2024 COMPILED BY SASHA GOLDSTEIN & MATTHEW ROY KEVIN MCCALLUM

BLOWN OVER

Tens of thousands of people lost power — some for days — after windstorms swept through the state. Inauspicious start to 2024.

WDEV to Be Sold

Two local businessmen, both former Republican candidates for office, are buying central Vermont’s WDEV radio from the Squier family, which has owned it for nearly a century.

The sale to Myers Mermel and Scott Milne comes about two months after longtime owner Ken Squier, a racing and radio legend, died at age 88. The buyers, along with Squier’s daughter, Ashley, announced the pending sale last Thursday on air from WDEV’s studio in Waterbury.

“We didn’t want to just turn the station over to anybody who was interested; we wanted buyers that understood the legacy that WDEV has been for all of us in central Vermont,” said Ashley Squier, who inherited the station. She noted that she’s a teacher and her brother is an engineer in California; neither wants to run the company.

The family had been looking for a new owner since last summer, she added.

In an interview, Mermel said the new owners want to focus on the local programming that has been a hallmark of the station’s offerings.

“What we want to do is drill down on Vermont,” he said. Mermel, 61, added that he doesn’t expect to change the format “as long as I’m alive.”

Station manager Steve Cormier said the existing team of workers and on-air personalities is expected to stay in place. The sale of WDEV, along with two other stations — WLVB and WCVT — requires Federal Communications Commission approval.

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LAYER OF PROTECTION

From left: Myers Mermel, Ashley Squier and Scott Milne at the WDEV studio

Mermel, an investment banker and businessman who lives in Manchester, ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate in 2022. More recently, he served as president and director of the Ethan Allen Institute, a conservative Vermont think tank. But Mermel was pushed out in September; he complained to the state Attorney General’s Office that the move followed his requests for more financial transparency from the group, according to VTDigger.org.

Milne, owner of South Burlington-based Milne Travel, has run for a variety of statewide seats as a Republican, including lieutenant governor in 2020. Most notably, he nearly knocked off incumbent Democratic governor Peter Shumlin in the 2014 election.

Milne described himself as a fellow investor and said he expects to remain focused on his travel business, leaving most of the programming decision making to Mermel.

“I think Myers is putting his personal life on hold to learn this business,” Milne said, adding that both see the station as a public asset.

WDEV is a unicorn in radio: a privately owned station with programming rich in local news and commentary, including several weekly interviews with journalists and news makers. Ken Squier, a Waterbury native, spent decades hosting a twice-daily sports show and quirky weekly program called “Music to Go to the Dump By.” He also built the Thunder Road auto racetrack in Barre and owned it for more than 50 years before selling it in 2017.

Read Anne Wallace Allen’s full story at sevendaysvt.com.

TO THE RESCUE

Vermont State Trooper Michelle Archer plunged into an icy pond and rescued an 8-yearold girl. A Green Mountain hero.

That’s how many years have passed since former Vermont governor Howard Dean, who sought the Democratic presidential nomination, finished third in the Iowa caucuses — and screamed.

TOPFIVE

MOST POPULAR ITEMS ON SEVENDAYSVT.COM

1. “Pair Will Share Oaxacan Heritage at El Comal in Williston” by Melissa Pasanen. An eatery named for a type of cast-iron griddle opens next month in Williston’s Taft Corners.

2. “Vorsteveld Farm Held in Contempt Over Runoff” by Kevin McCallum. Despite a court order, the farmers “took no meaningful action” until recently to address pollution, a judge ruled.

3. “Majestic Restaurant to Open in Former Majestic Car Rental in Burlington” by Melissa Pasanen. Partners plan to repurpose a building on the rotary in Burlington’s South End. 4. “Waterbury Couple Buy Rare Vermont Cannabis License” by Sasha Goldstein. The owners of Zenbarn Farms purchased an “integrated” license that allows growing, selling, testing and manufacturing products.

5. “Market Value: Burlington’s Remaining Corner Stores Double Down and Evolve” by Seven Days staff. We profiled seven of the familyowned neighborhood stores in Burlington.

post of the week @VTFishWildlife

SYRINGE CENTERS?

The Vermont House approved a bill that would allow and fund overdose prevention sites.

Gov. Phil Scott, who opposes the sites, still stands in the way.

Barn owls when humans invented barns:

FOLLOW US ON X @SEVENDAYSVT OR VISIT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/TWITTER

THAT’S SO VERMONT

MANCHESTER’S GOT MILK

Sage Willow midwife Lindsay Lachant accepting a milk donation

The UVM Medical Center has reinstated a mask mandate for staff who provide direct care to patients. A winter COVID-19 surge is under way.

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Human breast milk is packed with nutrients, including proteins, antibodies, vitamins and minerals. But some postpartum women struggle to produce enough of it. Others make more milk than their baby needs. Enter donor milk centers — places that accept excess milk from lactating women, send it to regional milk banks to be processed, then distribute it, free of charge, to local families.

Until recently, only one such center operated in the state — the Vermont Donor Milk Center in Essex Junction. But last month, Sage Willow Midwifery & Wellness, a women’s health practice in Manchester Center, opened the Manchester Milk Depot and Dispensary to serve women and

babies in southern Vermont. Both facilities send donated milk to Mothers’ Milk Bank Northeast, one of 31 accredited banks in the U.S. From there, the milk is pooled to ensure optimal nutrient content, pasteurized and tested at third-party labs before being sent to hospitals and milk dispensaries.

First priority is given to premature or sick babies in neonatal intensive care units, according to Kylia Garver, director of hospital relations and community education at the Mothers’ Milk Bank Northeast.

Kimberleigh Weiss-Lewit, a lactation consultant at Sage Willow, said milk dispensaries broaden the number of choices for women. She hopes that opening the Manchester site will make it just as easy for new moms to get donated breast milk as it is for them to buy formula at the nearby Walgreens.

Women can receive up to 10 100-milliliter bottles in total — more if they have a doctor’s prescription — through the dispensary, Weiss-Lewit said. It’s not intended to be a long-term solution but a bridge to get women through a rough nursing patch or until their own milk comes in.

Potential donors must register with Mother’s Milk Bank Northeast and take a blood test, which can be done at Sage Willow.

Altruism is often the driving factor for milk donors, Weiss-Lewit said. But there are other, more practical considerations.

“Sometimes,” she said, “women also tell me they need room in their freezer.”

For more information, visit milkbankne.org or sagewillowmidwifery.com.

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SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

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COW POKE

An udderly titillating article [Backstories 2023: “Funniest Fact Check,” December 27, 2023].

Patrick Mullikin

SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE, MEXICO

‘A DEEP LOSS’

[Re “Local Businessmen to Buy WDEV Radio From Squier Family,” January 11, online]: With the new owners’ ties to the Ethan Allen Institute and the Vermont GOP, the content of WDEV is certain to lean to the right, more and more over time.

I can feel Ken Squier rolling in his grave.

Local news coverage is important, yes, and even more so is the political balance Squier always tried to achieve. I was working at WDEV during the years when he first contemplated whether, and then decided, to broadcast “Democracy Now!” (when Vermont Public Radio ignored calls from the community to broadcast it — which should tell us all something about VPR, now Vermont Public).

At the time, Mark Johnson’s 9 to 11 a.m. news talk show was the award-winning program on WDEV; Jim Hightower and Molly Ivins were featured with short commentary; “True North” was the right-wing talk show; and the Ethan Allen Institute was well represented by John McClaughry’s commentary and the folks they organized to call in with comments supported by “Talking Points.”

This sale is a huge loss for all of us who understand the need for small-d democratic, liberal (meaning well-educated and thoughtful, rather than political) and small-p progressive media in Vermont. If democracy requires an informed electorate, then those of us who prefer democratic discussion rather than partisanship and political power plays will feel this as a deep loss.

My alarm bells are ringing!

Renée Carpenter EAST MONTPELIER

REMEMBER RUGG

I just had to chuckle at the mention of T. Rugg’s Tavern in the article announcing the new restaurant, Majestic, coming to the rotary in Burlington [“Majestic Restaurant to Open in Former Majestic Car Rental in Burlington,” January 10].

The owners hope to create a casual vibe, envisioning it as Dedalus Wine

F I R S T

The legislature should address this issue in January, adding language that reckless endangerment with a gun is a felony.

John T. Leddy

BURLINGTON

Michaella Collins

BURLINGTON

CITIZEN REACTION

Thank you for including an update on Citizen Cider in your recent 2023 food recap [“Sweet and Sour: Reflecting on a Year of Extremes in Vermont Food and Farming,” December 27]. The article included a redirect link to Citizen’s Instagram apology, which I thought might read as a true apology but fell short, as it lacked any real understanding of how misogynistic language — even if cloaked in literary trickery — harms everyone, not just those who might find it discomforting.

For example, the statement included this line: “While we never required any staff to wear them, and our intention was a harmless pun, we see that what feels harmless to some can make others uncomfortable.” The selection of “Get Plowed” as a slogan is not a “harmless pun”; it’s a deliberate choice of words used to generate (what Citizen thought would be) sales.

The decision makers at Citizen knew full well what their intentions were, as staff had previously vocalized the issues

that existed internally with leadership’s culture, which later manifested externally in its marketing tactics. Why was a third-party audit completed when Citizen could have instead accepted the feedback from its own employees? I hope that the proposed communication training “at every level” includes nonviolent gender-responsive and gender-inclusive education because it seems as though Citizen is still in denial of its issues, as can be determined from another slide in the apology series that says, “We have never promoted a culture of misogyny…” This, coming from a company that put “Get Plowed” on its T-shirts.

Citizen doesn’t need “HR communication”; it needs anti-sexist education.

SEVEN DAYS 2.3” x 7.46”

Emily O’Hara

BURLINGTON

TIME FOR TOUGHER GUN LAW

[Re “Two Killed During Chaotic Night of Crime in Burlington,” November 13]: Vermont’s gun violence is shocking. In November, at about the time two people were tragically shot and killed by a gun about a mile away, a firearm was discharged multiple times on Main Street in downtown Burlington. What is going on?

In investigating the downtown shooting, the police advised that the person responsible, if apprehended, could be charged with reckless endangerment, as no one was injured — thankfully.

Incredibly, under the statute, while “recklessness and danger” may be presumed when a person recklessly endangers another with a gun, the penalty is the same if without a gun. It is deemed a misdemeanor in both cases.

Flea & Farmers Market 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Join us in our historic site and shop on the first Sunday of each month for antiques & unique vintage items along with local handmade/ hand-produced goods.

THE TRUTH ABOUT TRUANCY

Bar meets T. Rugg’s Tavern “but leaning to T. Rugg’s.” Is this connection a mere coincidence?

Tom Rugg, T. Rugg’s founder and owner until recently, grew up on Ledge Road, overlooking the site. Our family, the Maleys, grew up there with the Ruggs, and we spent decades enjoying the Ledge Road area. The owners don’t need to worry. The T. Rugg’s vibe is embedded in the rock ledge there. I hope they name a drink after Tom.

S U N D AY ’ S

Reading [“Rules of Reengagement: Chronic Absenteeism in Schools Has Soared.

Getting Students Back Takes Teamwork,” February 4 • March 3 • April 7 December 20], I was disappointed but May 5 • June 2 not surprised that the Burlington School District has declined to chip in any money Come shop or visit to help the Sara Holbrook Community enosburgoperahouse.org Center fund the outreach program that for vending opportunities helps chronically absent middle school 123 Depot Street Enosburg Falls students return to school. No funds available for high school students, either.

That’s hard to understand, as it was 1/5/24 11:02 AM the administration at Hunt Middle School12v-operahouseatenosburgfalls011024.indd 1 that originally reached out to the SHCC for help in getting these at-risk students back to school, something the school was apparently unable to accomplish. Both the principal and behavioral specialist saw the many ways this program provided positive outcomes for the students at risk.

One should really ask why the district couldn’t find any funds from its multimillion-dollar annual budget to ... uplift these students at risk and financially support this valuable program.

Lease violations, rent One should also ask where the district’s nonpayment or underpayment millions of federal COVID-19 relief funds Repeated rule-breaking such as went. After all, the teachers and adminnoise, housekeeping, damage istrators never missed a paycheck nor lost benefits throughout this pandemic.

Conflicts surrounding apartment That priority was apparent, but not so entry, utilities, and more for any funds for the students in need.

While the COVID-19 shutdowns exacMEDIATION COULD erbated the problem, the lack of urgency BE THE SOLUTION on the part of the administration to get the students back to school just made the absenteeism that much worse at all levels.

Going forward, Burlington marches full speed ahead on the construction of a $90 million-plus high school.

Misguided priorities, for sure.

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contents JANUARY 17-24, 2024 VOL.29 NO.15

1/10/24 4:27 PM

eel the burn. No pain, no gain. Just do it. Whatever motivational meme gets your heart pumping and feet moving, many of us have health and fitness on the mind this time of year. New Year’s resolutions are often the catalyst for dieting, joining a gym or just generally cleaning up our acts after the holidays. But the path to wellness, both physical and mental, is a journey — or, as artist MATT MIGNANELLI suggests in his cheeky cover illustration, an odyssey.

Ginger Vieira’s path started when she was diagnosed with a life-altering health condition at age 13. In her latest book, she offers tips for EXERCISING WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES (page 41). Trainer and author Vieira would tell you that fitness is a lifelong adventure — one you’re never too old to start. Just ask the seniors who dance with joy at St. Johnsbury’s QUAHOG DANCE THEATRE (page 27).

Cannabis has been part of the wellness equation in Vermont since medical use was legalized in 2004. With general adult use legalized in late 2022, more folks are curious about weed’s health benefits. Got a question? Call Vermont’s CANNABIS NURSE HOTLINE for answers from a medical professional (page 24).

Speaking of nurses, several rural Vermont towns now employ COMMUNITY NURSES, who fill a gap in the state’s fragmented and expensive health care system by 27 offering a local, low-cost service in places with growing senior populations (page 15).

Fans of URBAN MOONSHINE’s Citrus Bitters, Clear Chest syrup and Immune Zoom tonic must be delighted that the company has returned to its original Vermont owner after its sale years ago to a California corporation (page 30). The Burlington-based biz rejoins a vibrant local health industry that includes a pair of new VERMONT VEGAN FOOD PRODUCERS aiming to enhance the wellness of people and the planet (page 34). Those companies would no doubt find common ground with Montpelier’s LISA MASÉ, author of The Culinary Pharmacy: Intuitive Eating, Ancestral Healing, and Your Personal Nutrition Plan (page 38).

Of course, there’s more to well-being than physical fitness and diet.

That’s why Vermont COLLEGES ARE SCHOOLING STUDENTS ON WELLNESS as mental health concerns mount on campuses (page 18). And in Montpelier, high schoolers are learning WHAT IT REALLY MEANS TO BE A MAN (page 14).

We think that’s pretty cool. Cooler, even, than the sweet shades you’ll need to wear to PROTECT YOUR EYES DURING THE SOLAR ECLIPSE in April (page 32).

Finally, those partaking in DRY JANUARY — or rather, not partaking — may be happy the month is more than half over. If you didn’t make it without a drink, that doesn’t necessarily indicate a problem with alcohol, Seven Days advice guru the Reverend says (page 89). Maybe try Damp January instead?

Cheers.

DAN BO LLE S

COLUMNS 11 Magnificent 7 13 From the Publisher 35 Side Dishes 46 Movie Review 52 Soundbites 58 Album Reviews 89 Ask the Reverend

SECTIONS

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

22 Life Lines 34 Food + Drink 40 Culture 46 On Screen 48 Art 52 Music + Nightlife 60 Calendar 66 Classes 67 Classifieds + Puzzles 85 Fun Stuff 88 Personals

132 Church Street, upstairs

true802cannabis.com

802.540.1420

COVER DESIGN DON EGGERT • IMAGE MATT MIGNANELLI

NEWS+POLITICS 14

FEATURES 24

FOOD+DRINK 34

Boys Wonder

The Straight Dope

Going Green

Montpelier High School students dig into what it means to be a man

Buckle Up: Lawmakers Pitch Traffic Cameras Taking Care

Community nurses help fill Vermont’s health care gaps

Vermont’s Cannabis Nurse Hotline answers health questions for consumers, patients and dispensary staffs

Happy as a Clam

Meals That Heal

Keeping up with St. Johnsbury’s senior Quahog Dance Theatre

Three questions for Montpelier author Lisa Masé about The Culinary Pharmacy

’Shine On

Vorsteveld Farm Held in Contempt Over Runoff

Herbal tonics business Urban Moonshine returns to Vermont ownership

Coping on Campus

Safe Spectacle(s)

Vermont colleges school students on wellness as mental health concerns mount

New Vermont vegan food producers aim to enhance wellness of people and the planet

STUCK IN VERMONT

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How to protect your vision while viewing the eclipse

ARTS+CULTURE 40 What’s Your Story?

Vermont Lawmakers Take Another Shot at a Pay Raise Slow Holiday Season Leads to Layoffs at Outdoor Gear Exchange

Cannabis has not been analyzed or approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). For use by individuals 21 years of age or older or registered qualifying patient only. KEEP THIS PRODUCT AWAY FROM CHILDREN AND PETS. DO NOT USE IF PREGNANT OR BREASTFEEDING. Possession or use of cannabis may carry significant legal penalties in some jurisdictions and under federal law.

It may not be transported outside of the state of Vermont. The effects of edible cannabis may be delayed by two hours or more. Cannabis may be habit forming and can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment. Persons 25 years and younger may be more likely to experience harm to the developing brain. It is against the law to drive or operate machinery when under the influence of this product. National Poison Control Center 1-800-222-1222.

A new Flynn festival celebrates first-person storytelling

Trainer and Author Ginger Vieira’s Tips for Exercising With Type 1 Diabetes Building a Dream

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mentors fellow immigrants

Online Now

Author and Activist Tim Brookes Launches World Endangered Writing Day

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THURSDAY 18

Bloody Murder True crime gets a historical twist with the latest talk in the Vermont Historical Society’s Virtual Speaker Series. Archivist Mariessa Dobrick tells the harrowing story of the 1914 murder of Henry Wiggins and Vermont’s first execution by electric chair and describes the process of researching a century-old crime.

MUST SEE, MUST DO THIS WEEK COMPI L E D BY EM ILY H AM ILTON

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 60

FRIDAY 19-SUNDAY 21

FRIDAY 19

Open Season

JERSEY GIRLS

Hunting and fishing enthusiasts go wild at the Yankee Sportsman’s Classic at the Champlain Valley Exposition in Essex Junction. Countless exhibitors offer up their wares for browsing between seminars and presentations on such wide-ranging topics as buck tracking, bow fishing, long-range shooting and salmon trolling. Kids keep busy at the trout pond and reptile shows.

Local drag legend Rhedd Rhumm returns to Higher Ground in South Burlington with her show Drag Me to the Shore.

This installment features bigger hair, bigger numbers and a bigger cast of New Jersey performers, including punk rock princess Tastie, dancing diva Victoria Courtez and the Garden State’s leading drag musician, E. LicksHer.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 62

SATURDAY 20

SEE CLUB LISTING ON PAGE 57

Party Like It’s 1599 Revels North draws on centuries of tradition for its Apple Tree Wassail & Community Dance at Hulbert Outdoor Center in Fairlee. This English tradition dating back to the 16th century features singing, barn dances and a music jam, all meant to warm up locals despite the winter cold and usher in a bountiful season for the orchards.

Submit your upcoming events at sevendaysvt.com/postevent.

FRIDAY 19 & SUNDAY 21

The Incredible String Band

Rhedd Rhumm

The internationally acclaimed Takács Quartet returns to the Middlebury College Mahaney Arts Center for two stupendous shows at Robison Concert Hall. The foursome finally performs Hungarian composer Béla Bartók’s entire string quartet cycle in this spectacular double concert that was planned for 2020.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 62

SATURDAY 20

Mr. Zine Rides Again Burlington’s Peace & Justice Center hosts a Zine Making Workshop for anyone interested in the decentralized mini publications that have circulated in fandoms, activist groups and marginalized communities for decades. Director of operations Kason Hudman shares the history and technique behind this art form that combines collage, writing and printing, then crafters get to work cutting and pasting their own manifestos.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 62

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 62

ONGOING

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Axel’s Frame Shop & Gallery in Waterbury presents “Observe, Absorb, Capture,” an exhibit of the photographs of Shoot-Out competition winner Sherry Knudsen. The Waterbury artist displays dramatic, colorful images captured throughout a life of travel.

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FROM THE PUBLISHER

Snow Day because walkers and their dogs hadn’t had yet destroyed them.

I alternated between the tracks, happily gliding along the path I often trod. Skiing is so much faster. And, frankly, more pleasurable. Nothing I do in the pool, at the gym or on a yoga mat comes close to the heart-pumping, hip-stretching fitness challenge of cross-country skiing.

Exploring a pristine, winter wonderland, it’s easy to forget I’m exercising, pouring with sweat, engaging muscles that haven’t been used in a year.

Soon I’d passed North Beach, then Rock Point and Leddy Park.

I felt like I could have kept going all the way to the Winooski River. But somewhere out in the New North End, I made myself turn around. Although it felt effortless, like I was flying, I knew I’d run out of gas and the return trip would not be so exhilarating.

Within an hour and a half, I was back at my desk, a little stiff but content. I emailed Colby to thank him for the nudge. “So glad you got outside and slid around for a bit,” he replied. “Today was spontaneous and super special.”

We agreed on the moral: to seize not just the day — but the moment.

PAULA ROUTLY

Everyone at Seven Days looks forward to our end-of-year break. We labor double time to pull it off — producing two newspapers in one week — though work never really stops for a lot of us. I got plenty of emails, including some story pitches, on Christmas Day. But for the vast majority of Seven Dayzers, the engine shuts down.

Revving it up again presents different challenges, not the least of which is: January. Although it divides one year from the next, a new calendar doesn’t mean we’re starting over.

Somehow, though, it feels that way.

In the brief moment we have to catch our collective breath before the news cycle knocks The snowy bike path in Burlington us for another loop, we wonder, and to the extent such a thing is possible, plan: What news will 2024 bring? How will we cover it? What ambitious projects should we tackle? How can we improve on what we did last year?

How will we pay for it all?

It’s a lot of pressure. Which is why I was surprised — and a little annoyed, initially — when I got an email from sales director and associate publisher Colby Roberts on Sunday, January 7, at 7:03 p.m. that read: “Hey guys - I will be working some tomorrow, but also finding some time to play in the snow. Available by text if needed.

Thanks- C.” A native Vermonter and lifelong ski hound, Colby had waited the entirety of our vacation for snow, and it had finally come, on Go-Time Eve. With rain and wind forecast for Wednesday, he was not going to miss his chance, however brief, to hit the slopes.

By the time I woke up on Monday morning, I knew Colby had likely already done a few runs with one — or all three — of his ski-loving daughters. It was a beautiful winter day, and I was glad he was seizing it.

Then a thought dawned on me: Wait, I can, too.

I found my cross-country skis in the basement, threw them in the back of the car, suited up and drove down to the Community Sailing Center. There I found the Burlington bike path covered with just enough snow for skiing. I had two options: the tire tracks from the plow that had just come through and packed the snow down nicely, or the parallel ski tracks along the east side of the path — still in pretty good shape

Paula Routly If you like Seven Days and can afford to help pay for it, become a Super Reader!

Look for the “Give Now” button at the top of sevendaysvt.com. Or send a check with your address and contact info to: SEVEN DAYS, C/O SUPER READERS P.O. BOX 1164 BURLINGTON, VT 05402-1164

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

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

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news

MORE INSIDE

DAIRY FARMERS STEP IN IT PAGE 16

STAYING HEALTHY ON CAMPUS PAGE 18

LEGISLATORS WANT A PAY HIKE PAGE 19

JEB WALLACE-BRODEUR

TRANSPORTATION

Buckle Up: Lawmakers Pitch Traffic Cameras B Y DE RE K B RO UW E R derek@sevendaysvt.com

Joe Carroll at Montpelier High School

Boys Wonder

Montpelier High School students dig into what it means to be a man B Y A L ISON NOVAK • alison@sevendaysvt.com

T

he students in Joe Carroll’s new class at Montpelier High School talk about the kinds of things one might expect from teenagers — skiing, favorite movies, grades. But the 10 boys in an elective called Healthy Masculinity delve into more complex topics as well: the mixed messages they get about what it means to be a man; how traditional concepts of masculinity have harmed women; and ways to respond when a peer says something ignorant or misogynistic.

Since the #MeToo movement began in 2017, there has been a renewed spotlight on reducing male violence and mistreatment of women. National data also indicate that, compared to women, young men have fewer friends and higher suicide rates. Carroll’s semester-long class 14

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

gives boys on the cusp of adulthood the rare chance to share private thoughts and feelings in a supportive, judgment-free environment — and to envision what kind of men they want to be.

Soren Bay-Hansen, a junior, said the class has been the highlight of his school year.

“It’s, by far, the most powerful, personally impactful class I’ve taken,” he said.

“Having this space has changed my mindset on a lot of things. I’ve been able to share information and … say things to friends I normally wouldn’t say.”

Reactions like that are just what Carroll hoped for when he created the class. He was inspired by training he took with other Vermont educators last year through Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit MCSR,

formerly known as Men Can Stop Rape.

The organization’s Healthy Masculinity Action Project aims to help boys and men embrace the idea of “strength without violence.” That includes combating harmful expectations and stereotypes about what it means to be a man.

Carroll, who also teaches Latin and philosophy, first planned to start a school club focused on masculinity but decided a credit-bearing class would draw more student buy-in. He recruited an inaugural class, capping the number of students at 10 to encourage open, deep discussion. He limited enrollment to juniors and seniors because he thought they would be best suited to handle the mature subject matter.

BOYS WONDER

» P.17

Speeders, beware: State officials want to use automated cameras to catch lead-footed drivers. Lawmakers in the House and Senate have introduced bills that would deploy the controversial technology in Vermont.

The broader of the new legislative proposals, S.184, would allow state and local officials to deploy automated cameras at any intersection with a traffic light, as well as along stretches of road with work zones and high rates of speeding.

Lead sponsor Sen. Martine Larocque Gulick (D-Chittenden-Central) said automated cameras could unburden cops at a time when police departments are short-staffed and deter traffic violations without the discriminatory drawbacks of roadside stops.

More than 20 states, including New York, use either speed cameras or red-light cameras, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. But other states, including Maine and New Hampshire, have passed laws to prohibit the technology. Critics say the cameras can be miscalibrated or abused by law enforcement, do more to raise revenue than improve safety, and infringe on civil rights. Their deployment has also perpetuated racial disparities in traffic enforcement in some places, largely because they’ve been used in lower-income neighborhoods.

Gulick’s proposal, cosponsored

by Sens. Thomas Chittenden (D-Chittenden-Southeast) and Nader Hashim (D-Windham), would impose civil fines on the registered owner of vehicles caught speeding more than 10 miles per hour above the posted limit.

The fines would begin with the second violation during any 12-month period and would not count against the owner’s driver’s license. Speeding tickets issued using automated cameras would start at $22 and increase according to the number and severity of violations. The cost of running a red light would be $75.

Registered owners would be liable even if someone else were driving, but they could appeal the ticket.

A separate bill in the House, H.562, is more narrow. Fines, though, would be steeper: $200 on the second violation, $500 for each thereafter. The program would expire in 2027. ➆

Community nurses help fill Vermont’s health care gaps ROB STRONG

Taking Care B Y R A CHEL HEL L M AN rhellman@sevendaysvt.com

R

ats had invaded the kitchen of an elderly woman’s home in rural Sharon by the time Dena Wilkie first visited two years ago. A family member had asked Wilkie, the town’s community care coordinator, to check on the woman, who was then 86 and used a wheelchair.

Wilkie has returned to the woman’s home hundreds of times since. She found her client a weekly house cleaner and made sure her food was properly stored, which resolved the rat infestation. She had smoke and carbon dioxide detectors installed, enlisted a volunteer to shop for the woman once a week, and arranged for mail to be delivered directly to her door.

Wilkie even took her client to a neurologist for the first time in years. When the woman was diagnosed with dementia, Wilkie helped her through an arduous state application for at-home long-term care services.

Once isolated, the woman today has caregivers five days a week. “She would not be able to still live at home if it wasn’t for me,” Wilkie said matter-of-factly.

Wilkie’s job is an unfamiliar one to most Vermonters. She is neither a visiting nurse nor a state employee, but a townbased, locally paid health care outreach worker and advocate. In some of the other 13 Vermont municipalities with a similar program, the position is called “community nurse.” In either case, the workers

Dena Wilkie and her client Gram Potter, 93, in Sharon

assist residents, usually elderly, by linking them to services they need to remain in their homes.

Community nurses offer a local, low-cost

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news older Vermonters’ quality of life but also save the state money by offering consolidated and cost-saving preventative care.

“When you look at the aging population and the strong will of older Vermonters to stay home, community nurses are really helping people to get what they want,” said Kristin Barnum, executive director of the nonprofit Community Nurse Connection.

Across the state, doctors have been disappearing from rural towns for decades, leaving behind mostly elderly patients without a nearby primary care provider.

And Vermont’s aging population is only growing. By 2030, one in three Vermonters will be over age 60.

Older Vermonters’ desire for independence can be challenging and dangerous, especially for those who do not qualify for more traditional health care options such as visiting nurses.

That’s when community nurses and care coordinators can step in, without cost to those they serve. They meet with patients in their homes to assess their health needs, advocate on their behalf and refer them to resources. They can help patients apply for fuel assistance, shop for groceries and even sell a car they no longer need.

“They’re basically liaisons. They’re a bridge between health and social services and the community,” said Jan Carney, associate dean for public health and health policy at the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine.

Community nurses and care coordinators tend to be trusted local residents.

They rely on referrals from neighbors or families of patients. Because they do not work under a doctor, they cannot provide skilled nursing services, such as wound care, but can arrange for others to do so.

While other in-home care providers are limited by reimbursement guidelines, community nurses have no restrictions on eligibility of clients or frequency of contact.

As a result, community nurses and care coordinators are often privy to valuable information that may not come to light in a doctor’s office. Regina Downer, a community nurse for six towns in Windham County, was puzzled by a senior patient who had elevated sodium levels. Then she noticed that he was eating more than five cans of a salty soup each week. That’s something she wouldn’t have learned had she not spent time in his kitchen.

“Doctors don’t have the ability to sit inside that person’s home to see their loneliness, to see that the refrigerator has two yogurts and a bottle of milk,” Downer said.

Community nurses build trust over time. One of Wilkie’s patients, a stoic 93-year-old Vermonter who claims he 16

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

first drove a tractor at age 6, was wary of the health care system. It took Wilkie six months to convince him to go to an eye doctor. Eventually Wilkie helped him through cataract surgery, which allowed him to function independently again.

This model is relatively new to the state. Some employ a community nurse for just 10 hours a week, while others pay for a full-time position. In Tunbridge, the town health officer prompted the selectboard to hire a part-time community nurse. In Hartland, on the other hand, the nonprofit

THOSE PEOPLE LIVED AT THE END OF DIRT ROADS,

AND THEY WERE 90.

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Aging in Hartland employs two full-time community nurses with money from the town and other donors.

Hartland was one of the first towns in Vermont to fund a community nurse.

In 2012, two concerned local medical workers — Laurie Harding and Dennis McCullough — formed a group to address some of the health care challenges they were witnessing.

Harding, then a visiting nurse, worried about the safety of patients who lived alone and had been discharged from her care because they had reached the limit of their Medicaid coverage.

“Those people lived at the end of dirt roads, and they were 90,” Harding said.

Harding and McCullough decided to try a contemporary riff on a 19th-century practice of “parish nurses” — a model still alive in parts of the state — who were employed by churches. They convinced a handful of towns to try out a secular version of the arrangement.

The experiment was a huge success.

“They demonstrated the effectiveness of the position,” Harding said.

Since then, their group, Community Nurse Connection, has become a catchall organization for a number of community nurses in Vermont and New Hampshire.

While the organization doesn’t directly pay community care providers, it offers support and advice for its member nurses.

Since its inception, the group has grown steadily, with community nurses established last year in Stratford and Tunbridge.

Data collected by Community Nurse Connection point to a reduction in hospitalizations, anxiety and loneliness in their patients.

Other towns have noted the success.

Hartford’s fire chief, Scott Cooney, convinced the town’s selectboard to invest $75,000 this year to hire a community nurse. He thinks having one on board

could actually save the fire department money. Residents over age 65 account for about half of all ambulance calls, he said.

A bill introduced in the Vermont House of Representatives last year, H.358, seeks to provide small grants for communities that want to employ a community nurse.

Cosponsor Rep. James Masland (D-Thetford) hopes the bill will pass this year and would like to lay the groundwork for a more ambitious, state-coordinated program.

“Initiatives such as this — with some regional and statewide coordination — will provide better health care for those who need it, for a lot less money than putting everybody in nursing homes,” Masland said.

State funding would be useful in Sharon, where Wilkie has worked for the past two years. She puts in 15 hours a week for roughly $35 an hour but could earn more elsewhere with her occupational therapy degree. Wilkie also runs a home modification company called Home and Able, which helps Vermonters age in place. The town contributed about $5,000 this year to her salary, and the rest comes from grants she obtains. Wilkie worries about the sustainability of the program, though, which currently has more than 15 clients. Without her fundraising, it could cease to exist.

The community sees the value of what she does. Last year, the Sharon Congregational Church started paying her to visit older churchgoers. For years, the congregation’s minister made those visits, taking the time to chat and check in on their health. But as the congregation searches for a new minister, it has come to rely on Wilkie for home visits.

“A lot of our older seniors miss and remember when the pastor would visit them,” Wilkie said.

On a recent Thursday, Wilkie helped the Sharon woman, who is now 88, to refill her time-automated pillbox. As her dementia progresses, the woman has started taking pills at the wrong time.

“I want to stay in my home for as long as I can,” the woman told Wilkie, who went over some of the upcoming doctor’s appointments she would help her client attend.

Later, on the way to the next home visit, Wilkie reflected on her role in her patients’ lives: “I know in my heart that for each one of these people, their quality of life is much better with me and the support that I bring,” she said. “I think that they just feel looked after and cared for. Somebody’s paying attention.” ➆ Rachel Hellman covers Vermont’s small towns for Seven Days. She is a corps member of Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms. Find out more at reportforamerica.org.

FILE: CALEB KENNA

Taking Care « P.15

The Vorstevelds

ENVIRONMENT

Vorsteveld Farm Held in Contempt Over Runoff B Y K E V I N MC C A LLUM kevin@sevendaysvt.com

A Vermont judge has found the three brothers who own a large Panton dairy farm to be in contempt of court for failing to prevent waste from their livestock from polluting a neighbor’s property.

Addison County Superior Court Judge Mary Miles Teachout ruled that Vorsteveld Farm “took no meaningful action” until recently to address her August 2022 order to stop the brown, foamy runoff from polluting a neighboring property and flowing into Arnold Bay. Neighbor Vicki Hopper, owner of a property on Aerie Point, sued the Vorsteveld brothers after her complaints to the state Agency of Agriculture failed to prevent the runoff, which continues to this day.

Pollution from farms represents about 38 percent of the phosphorus flowing into Lake Champlain annually.

Reducing it is one of the key strategies the state has identified to clean up the lake, which is increasingly choked by toxic blue-green algae during summer months.

After a six-day trial in December 2021, Teachout found that runoff from the farm’s tile drainage system polluted Hopper’s property. Tile drains are networks of buried perforated pipes meant to help soggy agricultural fields drain more quickly.

Teachout ordered the farm owners to find ways to resolve the problem but left it up to them to figure out how.

Hans and Gerard Vorsteveld told the court that they tried to comply with the ruling, but Teachout called their testimony “vague.”

The farm estimated that removing the drains could cost up to $3 million.

Teachout noted, however, that a specialist hired to help the farm address the runoff issues submitted a plan only days before a December 2023 court hearing.

“The Farm did not seriously investigate options for diverting water from the discharge outlets in other ways or for other uses,” Teachout ruled in her January 5 decision.

She ordered the Vorstevelds to pay attorneys’ fees and allowed Hopper’s attorneys to apply for “coercive sanctions.” ➆

SLASHED! STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD!

Boys Wonder « P.14 Carroll said he believes it’s the first high school class of its kind in Vermont.

Watching his students share their ideas and support each other has been “super cup-filling,” Carroll said. “It’s totally renewing my teacher soul and making me want to do more and more of this work.” He plans to offer the class again next semester.

On a December morning, the atmosphere in Carroll’s classroom was relaxed, with meditative flute music playing from a speaker. Students went around the

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room, answering lighthearted icebreaker questions projected on the board — an activity Carroll often uses to begin class.

The teens talked about the films they could watch repeatedly (Fight Club, La La Land, anything from Studio Ghibli); where they could imagine themselves living when they were older (London, British Columbia, Vermont); and what sources they turned to for news (YouTube, social media, the New York Times app.)

Because a reporter was present, the class then departed from its usual course, during which students often share personal stories and thoughts under a confidentiality agreement. Instead, class members answered questions about why they had enrolled and what they have learned.

Emmett Jarvis, a senior, said that when he heard about the class, it sounded like “a neat concept,” a form of gender studies, but also a “fellowship space” to connect with other young men. He said he liked the mix of structured activities, in which the group discusses masculinity and gender roles, combined with more free-flowing conversations about personal struggles and how to navigate tough situations.

Fellow senior Callum Robechek said he appreciated the respect that classmates show toward each other.

“This is a place where we’re absolutely comfortable to come in and say, ‘I’m

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feeling terrible. Here’s something really personal that I’m struggling with,’” he said.

Through thought-provoking activities, students are able to explore the concept of masculinity and why certain traits associated with it — such as dominance, aggression and stoicism — can be harmful. In one exercise, they were shown images of different male characters in popular media, including Olaf, the snowman in Frozen, and the Norse god Thor, and talked about the masculine traits each possesses. They also looked at advertisements for products such as razors and discussed what messages they convey to their target male audience.

“I think before I took this class it was hard to speak out against people saying slurs and stuff because I wasn’t really educated on what it all meant,” said Colden Hollingsworth, a junior. “Now I think it’s easier to speak out because I know why it’s wrong and I can tell that person why it’s wrong.”

• • Steven Supan, a senior, said examining Greek words for different types of love — familial, brotherly, romantic — really resonated with him. The class talked about how males are often wary of saying “I love you” or hugging friends because they don’t want to be perceived as weak or effeminate.

Supan said he came away from the discussion thinking, “I’m definitely going to try saying ‘I love you’ a lot more, just because it seems odd to me that I have such a barrier saying it.”

Talking about these matters can feel uncomfortable, even subversive, at first.

Bay-Hansen said that earlier in the school year, some of his peers made fun of the class and called him a “nerd” for taking it.

“I was like, ‘Nah, you guys are wrong.

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news JEB WALLACE-BRODEUR

Kylie Blodgett at Norwich University

Coping on Campus Vermont colleges school students on wellness as mental health concerns mount

BY ANNE WAL L AC E AL L E N • anne@sevendaysvt.com

A

s crisis calls to its counseling center rose during the pandemic, Norwich University administrators started looking for new ways to ease the adjustment from home to campus.

“Students were at a place where they couldn’t really handle what was going on in their lives,” said Nicole Krotinger, director of counseling and wellness at the Northfield military college.

Health providers knew that students nationwide were struggling with conditions such as anxiety and depression — problems exacerbated by the COVID-19 lockdowns. Post-pandemic, that unease persists.

Norwich’s response: a new class, held in a 200-person auditorium, that teaches skills such as mindfulness, conflict resolution, problem solving and stress 18

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

management. In the semester-long, for-credit class, called Resilient Bodies, students aim to develop skills that can head off problems before they derail learning. They break into groups to explore scenarios — for example, an argument with a roommate — and discuss strategies for managing their feelings.

“These are skills that are valuable to you as a person who wants to be a leader someday,” said Kylie Blodgett, an assistant professor of health science at Norwich who helped create the curriculum last year. Faculty and staff are welcome, and sometimes they participate. “These skills can serve you wherever you are in life, and you can practice them and get better at them,” Blodgett said.

Research shows that today’s students are more likely than earlier generations

to disclose emotional problems, as the norms around discussing mental health have evolved in recent years. In response, emotional wellness has become a priority on Vermont campuses, and many schools have started offering classes and seminars on topics such as conflict resolution, mindfulness and emotional regulation.

The preventative care approach is also more cost-effective, at a time when counselors are in short supply in this largely rural state.

Experts say the conflict and division in society at large, as well as social media usage, have contributed to students’ struggles. Nearly half of college students are diagnosed with a mental health disorder at some point, according to a study last

year by the national research organization Healthy Minds Network. Depression and anxiety were common, the study found.

Suicide, which the Kaiser Family Foundation says rose among teens and young adults in the decade ending in 2021, has become an area of growing concern.

Added together, this widespread mental malaise is “the defining public health crisis of our time,” U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has said. He pinpointed community as the ingredient that is missing in many people’s lives. As he wrote in a column in UCLA Health last spring, the resulting loneliness “is a corrosive COPING ON CAMPUS

» P.20

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Vermont Lawmakers Take Another Shot at a Pay Raise B Y K E VI N M C C AL L U M • kevin@sevendaysvt.com

Vermont lawmakers have introduced a more modest boost to legislative pay than the one Gov. Phil Scott vetoed last year, but the bump would still be the sharpest pay increase in memory.

The reworked bill, S.224, is the latest effort to increase legislative compensation to make it easier for working-class Vermonters to afford to serve in the Statehouse.

“It is time to take a look at [pay] to make the job both more sustainable for members and also more accessible to other people who might be considering running for the legislature,” Sen. Ruth Hardy (D-Addison) said last week as her committee began taking testimony on the new bill.

MOST OF THE STATE’S PARTTIME LAWMAKERS EARN ABOUT $15,000 PER YEAR BEFORE EXPENSES. Most of the state’s part-time lawmakers earn about $15,000 per year before expenses, which some say has helped create a General Assembly mostly composed of retired white people who can afford to serve.

Last year’s effort would have doubled a typical lawmaker’s pay over four years and boosted benefits, including the addition of health insurance. The new version of the bill no longer offers that, but it would still increase pay for rank-and-file lawmakers by 74 percent.

Committee chairs and party leaders would receive the sharpest pay hikes — 106 percent — to reflect their additional workload and responsibilities. The leaders of each chamber would see their pay rise 66 percent.

If approved, the increases would take effect next year and cost an additional $2.5 to $3 million.

In an interview, Hardy noted that lawmakers have significant unreimbursed expenses, such as purchasing stationery and using personal phones for work.

“I think it’s reasonable for this to go into effect as soon as possible because people are making pretty large sacrifices to do this job,” Hardy said.

Supporters of the changes argue that the paltry pay and intense, part-time nature of the work make it extremely difficult for working-class Vermonters to serve. That deprives the General Assembly of badly needed diversity and contributed to an exodus of members last biennium, they say.

In his veto message last year, Scott skewered lawmakers for the proposed sharp compensation hike.

“In my opinion, it does not seem fair for legislators to insulate themselves from the very costs they are imposing on their constituents by doubling their own future pay,” he wrote.

Despite Democratic supermajorities in both chambers, the legislature lacked the votes to override Scott’s veto, a sign of the discomfort some lawmakers felt with boosting their own salaries.

Changes in the new bill could make it more palatable for members.

Lawmaker salaries would be pegged to the average Vermont salary, published every April by the Department of Labor.

Estimates in the bill are based on the average salary in 2022, which was $59,190.

“So as the salary of Vermonters goes up or down, our average salary would potentially go up or down,” Hardy said.

Another change would create three tiers of pay based on legislative responsibilities.

The speaker of the House and the Senate president pro tempore would make the most, with pay based on 130 percent of the average Vermonters’ pay.

Committee chairs’ pay would be based on 110 percent of the average salary, and rank-and-file lawmakers’ salary would be equal to that of average Vermonters.

The new bill would allow lawmakers to earn up to 20 days’ pay when the legislature isn’t in session. That’s less than in last year’s compensation bill, which would have allowed lawmakers to earn 34 days’ pay when out of session.

The off-session pay would no longer be automatic, either. Lawmakers would have to request it and attest that they worked on legislative issues that week, such as meeting with constituents.

Political activities would not qualify.

Under the new bill, a typical lawmaker could make up to $26,180, or about $11,000 more than this session’s compensation.

Committee chairs such as Hardy would enjoy the biggest bumps.

The chairs currently earn about $16,867, only slightly more than rank-andfile members. Under the new system, the chairs could earn up to $34,717, or about $17,850 more than they earn now — a 106 percent increase.

The House speaker and the president pro tempore of the Senate, who already receive higher compensation for their leadership roles, would see their pay rise from $31,236 to about $51,791.

At a hearing last week, Sen. Alison Clarkson (D-Windsor) said the increases should be framed in the context of what people in the administration and judiciary earn.

“We’re supposed to be three equal branches of government. Where’s the equity?” she said. ➆

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news BUSINESS

Slow Holiday Season Leads to Layoffs at Outdoor Gear Exchange B Y CO L I N F L AN D E RS colin@sevendaysvt.com

Outdoor Gear Exchange has eliminated dozens of jobs since the start of last year as it seeks to cut costs amid a challenging retail environment.

OGE recently laid off nearly a dozen employees during the local outfitter’s latest round of cuts, co-owner Marc Sherman told Seven Days. The company has also chosen not to fill some positions left vacant due to attrition and now employs roughly 70 full- and part-time workers — down from about 140 just a year ago.

The cuts come as OGE contends with a second consecutive year of lagging sales at its flagship Burlington store, where Sherman said there has been a noticeable reduction of foot traffic, especially during the non-tourist months.

OGE announced last fall that it was downsizing its Burlington store and opening a second location in Essex in an attempt to reach more suburban shoppers. The storefront, which opened in November, has helped recoup some lost business, Sherman said, but overall sales were still down 30 to 40 percent during the recent holiday season.

Much of that appears to be due to changing work and shopping habits, Sherman said. Another potential factor in Sherman’s view: More people seem to be buying into the “unfounded” perception that the Queen City has become less safe. “Burlington is perfectly safe, although there are uncomfortable aspects of our community for people,” he said.

While testifying before lawmakers last week in favor of a bill that would increase penalties for retail theft, Sherman reflected on a sense of “lawlessness” that seems to be permeating Burlington. Police data show a dramatic spike in low-level property crimes. He warned that the city will suffer a “steady decline” if retail theft isn’t reined in.

Sherman said OGE tracked more than $200,000 in lost merchandise in 2023 and suspects that just as much was stolen without being noticed. Add in the more than $100,000 on security guards to combat shoplifting, and retail theft cost the company some $500,000 last year alone, Sherman said.

“This is not sustainable and calls our presence downtown and as a business at all into question,” Sherman said. ➆

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SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

Coping on Campus « P.18 condition with grave consequences,” putting people at greater risk of depression, anxiety and suicide.

“We are hardwired to live in community,” Murthy wrote. “Connection is the essential glue of our lives.”

The college campus, once seen as a place where friendships formed easily, has become more isolating and divided, college counselors say. The long-term costs of the resulting alienation can be steep. Research shows that students who are struggling with anxiety and depression have more difficulty with their academic work and are more likely to drop out. Addressing mental health means better student retention, a critical goal for administrators.

Many colleges have added to their counseling offerings. But most don’t have the capacity to expand the traditional oneon-one assistance that has been a staple for years on campus.

“Colleges and universities aren’t able to staff their way out of this,” said Kimberly Jessup, president of the Association of Vermont Independent Colleges, which held a conference on student mental health in early January. “There are simply not enough psychiatric care providers to meet demand.”

Instead, schools are bolstering services with community-based programs that bring students together to learn life skills.

Bennington College, in southwestern Vermont, and Sterling College, in the Northeast Kingdom, are part of a national group of 13 colleges that were awarded a $3.2 million grant to share strategies for improving student well-being. The funder, a New York City nonprofit called the Endeavor Foundation, gave each small college $100,000 last year and has pledged another $75,000 this year, said Laura Walker, president of Bennington College.

The schools will use the money to research and share new ways of integrating wellness education into campus life, including through the curriculum.

The University of Vermont, which has an array of mental health and wellness programs, offers an online form that members of the community can use if they’re concerned about someone they know. After a sophomore died by suicide last month, a UVM administrator sent a campus-wide letter that reminded students about the form, known as CARE — Concerning And/or Risky Event.

“If you think someone is struggling, do not keep that information to yourself,” wrote Erica Caloiero, vice provost for student affairs.

Some of the problems that students face on campus haven’t changed much over the years. When Annika Hawkins-Hilke,

assistant vice president of student health and well-being at Champlain College in Burlington, taught a conflict-management class last year, a discussion about laundry sparked one of the most robust conversations of the semester.

“You have 30, 40 young adults doing their laundry alone for the first time and only three washers,” Hawkins-Hilke said.

“It seems like nothing, but the conflict might be that you went to do your laundry, and it’s full, and that person is nowhere near, and you don’t know how to handle it.”

THE COLLEGE CAMPUS, ONCE SEEN AS A PLACE WHERE FRIENDSHIPS FORMED EASILY,

HAS BECOME MORE ISOLATING AND DIVIDED. Another common subject: disagreements with peers. In a group setting, students often get tips from classmates who have gone through similar situations, such as a roommate who stays up until 3 a.m. listening to music.

“It’s a stress-management issue,” said Blodgett, the assistant professor at Norwich. “That’s the biggest thing we see missing: They’re not de-escalating themselves before they try to address a problem.”

While these problems are not new, health professionals say they’re causing a new level of distress. Erika Lea, Champlain College’s coordinator of first-year transitions and well-being initiatives, said she thinks that as parents have become more hands-on — and easier to reach, thanks to mobile devices — they’ve taken on some of the problem-solving work that kids used to do on their own. She said that when well-meaning parents walk their children through problem-solving strategies, it can stifle the students’ abilities to handle those problems alone.

“The intensity of parenting has changed,” she said.

Students are also juggling more demands on their time and attention than in the past, mostly as a result of social media use, Hawkins-Hilke said.

“Their brains are used to constant stimulus coming from everywhere; they don’t know how to pause and think, This just happened. I need to think it through,” she said. “There are a lot of attentional demands on all of us.”

Another new challenge is online bullying and shaming, which can turn small problems into big ones, said Alisa Del Tufo, who teaches a class on restorative justice at Bennington College.

“Many students end up in counseling services because of the isolation and shame that they feel from being canceled,” she said.

For colleges that are competing for the region’s dwindling supply of young people, mental health preventive care can serve as a selling point.

“One of the reasons I went to Bennington was because they put so much emphasis on mental health and well-being,” said student Ade Byron, who is graduating this year. When Byron was looking at colleges, it was apparent that Bennington integrated mental health care into the academic work. “It’s talked about inside and outside of classes, and people are very open about it.”

Byron, who is studying conflict resolution and restorative justice, led a grief support group after two Bennington students died by suicide last spring. The school also has a therapist on call at all times.

“Going to Bennington has given me language to explain and talk about what I was feeling, which was something I didn’t have beforehand,” Byron said. “There is an expectation that mental health comes before academics, and the professors and other staff and faculty are very respectful and mindful of that.”

Krotinger, at Norwich, thinks the school’s sharpened focus on mental health is having an impact.

“We had zero crisis calls in the first two weeks this year,” she said. “Historically, we’d have around 10.”

In fall 2022, Champlain College started a 10-week program called Champ 101 to help new students ease into life on campus with required workshops and activities. One of the professors is Kimberly Quinn, an expert in cognitive and positive psychology who also teaches a popular class called Mindcraft: The Psychology of Optimal Human Functioning and Life Satisfaction.

Quinn shows the first-year students where the counseling center is and takes the Champ 101 class to Ben & Jerry’s to help them bond.

“We inject some fun icebreaking games into it,” Quinn said. “It’s basically helping them make the leap from high school to college.”

Lea, who runs the Champ 101 program, uses examples of minor crises — such as a romantic breakup — to spur brainstorming on how to handle stress.

It’s hard work, but there is laughter in the meetings, too, Lea said. Activities end with a discussion about how conflict can be an opportunity for growth, “which is something I don’t think I realized until I was in graduate school for social work,” Lea said. ➆

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OBITUARIES, VOWS, CELEBRATIONS

OBITUARIES Elizabeth “Betty” Violet Turnbaugh Garella JULY 1, 1943DECEMBER 26, 2023 WHITE HALL, MD.

Betty Garella, 80, of White Hall, Md., passed away on December 26, 2023, after a long struggle with Parkinson’s disease. Betty was born in Burlington, Vt., to the late Kathleen Virginia (Baker) and Charles Leonard Turnbaugh on July 1, 1943.

As one of 10 children, Betty always celebrated her birthday on July 2, until she discovered much later in life that her actual birthday was on July 1. Apparently this was not unusual in large families at the time, and she felt lucky that she got to celebrate on both days.

She grew up on North Avenue in the New North End and spent much time at Starr Farm Beach on Lake Champlain. She graduated from Burlington High School.

Betty married the love of her life, Romeo James “Jim” Garella Jr., of Hawthorne, N.J., on September 14, 1963. They recently celebrated 60 years of marriage. After they married, they moved to Baltimore, Baldwin (on Brookes Cross Farm) and finally to White Hall, Md., where they raised three children in a rural area of Northern Harford County surrounded by beautiful fields, farms and forests.

Betty is survived by her beloved husband, Jim, of White Hall, Md.; their devoted cat Nancy, who brings much comfort to Jim; and three children, daughter Jeanine Sandra Garella Standish (Scott, Phillip) of Burlington, Vt., son Michael James Garella (Amanda) of Felton, Pa., and daughter Lisa Kay Garella Johnson (Chris) of Fairfield, Pa. Betty adored her three grandsons, Emerson Brookes Garella Standish,

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Carter Fields Garella Standish and James David Wyatt Garella. She is also survived by her dear siblings Nancy Ransom (Bob) and Charlie Turnbaugh (Kathi); sister-inlaw Sylvia Garella Rehrey; and many nieces, nephews, in-laws, extended family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her sisters Pearl, Peggy, Sandy, Kathy, Debbie and Diane; her brother Bobby; and many cats.

Betty enjoyed her time raising a family, encouraging her children to get outside. Many summer days were spent at the North Harford Swim Club. She loved holidays with family and gift giving. Betty spent many years being a caretaker for older folks in their homes, being their friend, preparing meals and taking them to appointments. She was an excellent cook, making the best crab cakes and clam dip around.

Betty will always be remembered for her kindness and generosity to all people and animals, especially cats. She was a strong, outspoken spirit but also deeply sensitive. She loved chatting on the telephone with friends and family. She deeply missed her siblings and spent many summers visiting Vermont in order to spend time with them.

Two gatherings for friends and family will be held, the first on March 10, 2024, in Burlington, Vt. (email jeaninegs@comcast. net for information), and the second on April 27, 2024, in Fairfield, Pa. (email lisakj@ comcast.net for information).

If you feel inclined, please consider making a donation to your local cat rescue organization or adopt a cat in need of a home.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Fletcher Funeral & Cremation Services of Westminster, Md. To send online condolences, please visit fletcherfuneralhome.net.

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

Ruby Benoit

AUGUST 3, 1934-JANUARY 10, 2024 COLCHESTER, VT. Ruby Benoit, 89, of Colchester, Vt., beloved homemaker, passed away peacefully on January 10, 2024.

Born on August 3, 1934, in Chester, N.H., to Lester and Winifred Martin, Ruby was a compassionate and devoted woman who dedicated her life to caring for her family. She brought joy, love and laughter to all those fortunate enough to know her.

Ruby took great pleasure in her various hobbies.

She was a skilled bowler and was a valuable member of a local bowling league. She also enjoyed gardening and being out in the beautiful

Scott Evans FEBRUARY 8, 1955OCTOBER 3, 2023 BRANDON, VT.

Scott Evans, 68, of Brandon, Vt., and formerly of Clearwater and Dunedin, Fla., passed away on October 3, 2023.

Born on February 8, 1955, to Albert Evans Jr. and Neva (Sparks) Evans in Berea, Ohio, Scott grew up there with his two brothers, sister and beloved family dog, Charlie Brown. Upon graduating high school, he attended Michigan State University in East Lansing, Mich., earning his BA in hotel restaurant institutional management in 1977.

Soon after, he moved to Florida to support his aging grandfather. He remained in the Tampa Bay region

Vermont weather. Additionally, Ruby could be found doing arts and crafts or watching old Western movies.

Family was the cornerstone of Ruby’s life. As a devoted wife and mother, she tirelessly provided care and support. Ruby’s warm embrace and kind heart created a loving and nurturing environment that will forever be cherished by her family. Her love and guidance will continue to inspire and shape the lives of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Ruby Benoit is survived by her husband of nearly 64 years, John Benoit Sr.; her children Diane Sweeney-Taylor of Malletts Bay, Miles (Phong) Sweeney of St. Albans, Laura (Scott Palmer) Kirby

of Malletts Bay and John (Kim) Benoit Jr. of South Burlington; her siblings Bernie Martin and Francis “Chicky” Martin; her grandchildren, Angie, Jason, Kristy, Travis, Andrea, Danielle, Miles, Katie, Michelle, Jessica, Jennifer and Nickolus; her daughters-in-law Sue Sweeney and Corrinne Sweeney; and many great-grandchildren and other friends and family. She was predeceased by her first husband, Miles David Sweeney; her son Peter Sweeney; her parents, Lester and Winifred Martin; her siblings Leonard Martin, Jeanette Soloman, Gene Dumas, Blanche Rich, Winnie Martin and Mickey Martin; and her sisters-in-law and dear friends, Margaret Quigley and Nancy Carleton.

Visiting hours will take place on January 20, 2024, 1 p.m., at the Minor Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Milton, followed by a memorial service at 2:30. A committal service for this spring will be announced at a later date.

of Florida for most of his adult life, while his parents lived out their retirement years. Through the 1980s and ’90s, he worked in several restaurants, including partial ownership in Knockers and the Balloon Palace. He later worked at various home improvement chain stores, then as a handyman for what is now known as Parc Center for Disabilities.

Scott married twice to women with a child and welcomed his role as a stepfather. He tried to support his first stepchild after their mother lost her battle with cancer.

He supported his second wife through some tumultuous times with her child.

Upon the deaths of his parents, Scott moved to central Vermont to be near his oldest nephew, Ian Ross; his wife, Roxanne; and their

three children, Joyce, Cheyenne and Willow, to whom he became like a grandparent. In Vermont, he worked for a local home improvement store and later Olivia’s Croutons before COVID-19 pushed him into retirement.

Throughout his adult life, Scott was often in service to other beings in his life, be it the countless customers he helped over the years, his loved ones or the pets he had throughout his life. Scott was known for his love of the outdoors, willful spirit and pun-filled humor.

Scott was predeceased by his first wife, Cynthia (Amidon) Evans; his sister, Carol (Evans) Ross; and his parents. He is survived by his brothers, Keith Evans of Dunedin, Fla., and Richard Evans (Michele) of Clearwater, Fla., and their children, Andrew and Aleah; his nephews, Brogan Ross (Shihan Wang) of Los Angeles, Calif., and Ian Ross and his family of Cornwall, Vt.; his second wife, Mary (Price) Evans, of Durham, N.C.; and some cousins.

A memorial service will be planned for later this year.

READ, POST, SHARE + COMMENT: sevendaysvt.com/lifelines

Allen Banbury

schools and 20 years as a volunteer with Twinfield students in Vermont. Along the way, he earned degrees from the University of Hawaii and the University of Pennsylvania and also served in the Vietnam War while in the naval reserve.

He was musically gifted,

played multiple instruments and lent his beautiful tenor voice to a hospice choir he helped found. He was committed to his community and volunteered with the Marshfield Conservation Commission, Friends of the Winooski River, the Plainfield Co-op and the Marshfield Food Pantry, among others.

Always generous, Allen and Lorilla opened the home they shared to family and friends numerous times, providing a safe and supportive “bonus family” in times of transition.

Allen is survived by his wife of 65 years, Lorilla; his daughter Michelle Kearney and her husband, Padraig; his daughter Lorraine Banbury and her partner, Shaun Flaskamper; his son, outlaw Bradley Materick, and his wife, Elizabeth; his grandchildren, Saoirse and Will Kearney; his sister, Carol Darwin; and many treasured nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his brother, Robert Banbury, and his parents, Elmer and Miriam Banbury.

There will be a community celebration of life this summer; contact Lory for details.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice (cvhhh.org). Condolences can be left at holcombdesgroseilliers.com.

Harold and Gladys purchased their family home in Colchester Village, filling it with six children.

Harold coached and umpired his children’s Little League games. Harold proudly served his community as a volunteer firefighter, eventually becoming chief of Colchester Center Volunteer Fire Co. Harold could fix just about anything, be it a car or home repair.

After the passing of his wife, Gladys, in 2011, Harold

found companionship with Arlene Degree. She was a steady and loving partner to Harold.

Harold left this world on January 7, 2024.

Harold is predeceased by his wife, Gladys; son Reginald; and his siblings.

He leaves behind his partner, Arlene Degree, of Williston; his children Kathy Degree of Colchester, Sherry Pakulski (Mark) of Colchester, Bob Degree of Colchester, Mike Degree (Mindy) of Burlington and Ken Degree (Lori) of South Burlington; and his daughter-in-law Valory Degree of Fairfield, Calif.; as well as many other beloved members of his extended family.

A wake will be held on Wednesday, January 17, 4 to 7 p.m., at Corbin and Palmer Funeral Home, 9 Pleasant St., Essex Junction, VT. Funeral services will take place on Saturday, January 20, 11 a.m., at Our Lady of Grace Church, 784 Main St., Colchester, VT, with luncheon to follow.

JUNE 25, 1937JANUARY 1, 2024 PLAINFIELD, VT.

A devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, great-uncle and dear friend, Allen left the world a better place for his 86.5 years here.

Always curious about people and the world around him, he made friends everywhere he went, sharing wonderful stories and wide-ranging conversations. From the age of 18, he shared his life with his wife, Lorilla. They loved to adventure: first in tents and backpacks and later on cross-country car trips from Pennsylvania to California with daughters Michelle and Lory in tow, visiting countless national parks along the way. After decades spent skiing, backpacking, whitewater rafting the Colorado River and canoeing the entire Winooski River, in their retirement Allen and Lorilla graduated to a 30-foot fifthwheel trailer, living in it while they converted a barn into a home.

Allen’s fascination with the natural world fueled his love of geology and the natural sciences. His passion for learning led to a lifetime teaching mathematics, 30 years in Philadelphia public

Harold Degree SEPTEMBER 26, 1933JANUARY 7, 2024 COLCHESTER, VT.

Born on September 26, 1933, Harold was one of six children born to Delia and Frank Degree of Underhill, Vt. After the family relocated the family farm to Williston, Harold worked on the farm and studied machining and auto mechanics at Burlington High School. Harold was a U.S. Army reservist alongside his brother Wayne.

Harold’s career as an auto mechanic included working at Shearer Chevrolet as an accomplished technician, as well as co-owning, with his brother Wayne, Degrees Auto Repair in Essex Center.

When IBM came to Vermont, Harold left the auto industry and found a rewarding career there from 1963 until his retirement in 1992.

Harold met the love of his life, Gladys Provost, in 1953. They were married on October 24 of that year.

Peter Dixon Davis

SEPTEMBER 12, 1926-JANUARY 6, 2024 DORSET, VT. Peter Dixon Davis, 97, of Dorset, Vt., passed away peacefully on Saturday, January 6, 2024. Peter was born in Beverly Hills, Calif., on September 12, 1926.

Peter was “discovered” as a child and became a star at 5 years old. Peter enjoyed a successful 15-year career as a radio, movie and television actor. He was part of Jack Benny’s Gang and was also part of the cast of “One Man’s Family.” He appeared on “The Little Rascals” and worked in film with the likes of William Powell and Shirley Temple.

Peter enlisted in the U.S. Army during World War II and reached the grade of sergeant by the time of his honorable discharge in 1947. After his stint in the army, Peter earned an undergraduate degree in 1949 from the University of Southern California, focusing on his interest in foreign service.

Having always been fascinated with travel to foreign countries, Peter left his acting career behind and embarked on a six-month, 15,000-mile road tour of Europe in a two-seater MG TC roadster. Peter landed his first position in foreign service, serving as assistant press officer for the State Department in Pakistan during president Truman’s “Campaign of Truth.” He then returned to the U.S. to pursue a graduate degree in political science at the University of California, Berkeley, with a focus on South Asian studies.

After graduating, Peter was hired by the Central Intelligence Agency’s Office of Current Intelligence, where he produced daily foreign intelligence digests for the Eisenhower White House. He was later hired as an analyst to cover India and Pakistan and moved to McLean, Va. Peter ultimately became OCI’s acting director and was responsible for reviewing and analyzing foreign intelligence gathered from across the globe to produce the President’s Daily Brief — and present it in person to the president, vice president and secretary of state. Peter enjoyed a long and fulfilling 33-year career with the U.S. government, working under nine presidents.

Peter met his beloved June Dunn at St.

John’s Church in Washington, D.C. Their shared love of classical music kindled a friendship that soon blossomed into a wonderful romance. Peter visited June in Dorset, Vt., in 1981 and decided Vermont would be a great place to settle down.

They were married on February 14, 1982.

After Peter’s retirement, he and June traveled to France, Hawaii and the Caribbean.

They shared a love of travel, a love of the ocean, a love of the natural world and true love for each other. They both also enjoyed spending family time with June’s sons, their spouses and grandchildren.

In the late ’90s, Peter and June moved permanently to Dorset, Vt. They were active in many local organizations and especially enjoyed their involvement with the United Church of Christ of Dorset and East Rupert. Singing in the church choir became one of Peter’s favorite pastimes. Peter and June were strong supporters of land conservation efforts and supported forestry and wildlife education for children and landowners.

Peter was a lover of dogs and spoiled many a pet with a life filled with walkies, treats and rides in the car. Peter’s last dog was a Valentine’s Day gift from his beloved June. Peter also enjoyed fishing on Lake Champlain. Peter further explored his love of the ocean, embarking on tall-ship expeditions to Antarctica, the high Arctic, the Outer Hebrides and other wild places. Most recently, Peter enjoyed listening to classical music, and he was always a voracious consumer of news.

Peter was predeceased by his brother, Duane, and his wife, June Dunn Davis.

Peter is survived by Alan and Jeanne Calfee, William and Lara Calfee, and Helme Calfee. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Lily Calfee Bruce, Peter Calfee, Isobel Calfee and Mettie Calfee; and his greatgrandchildren, Camilla June Bruce and Atlas Calfee.

A service will be held on February 17, 2024, 10 a.m., at the United Church of Dorset and East Rupert, 143 Church St., Dorset, VT. Contributions can be made in his honor to the United Church of Dorset and East Rupert, PO Box 263, Dorset, VT 05251.

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The Straight Dope

Vermont’s Cannabis Nurse Hotline answers health questions for weed consumers, patients and dispensary staffs B Y K E N PI CA RD • ken@sevendaysvt.com

W

hen Doreen Keefe of Barre City tells people that she has a rare neurological disorder called trigeminal neuralgia, most people say they’ve never heard of it — until she mentions its nickname: the Suicide Disease. The chronic condition causes such intense and unrelenting pain in the face, jaw and head that many patients choose to end their lives rather than suffer through it.

“It feels like you have eight abscesses and an ice pick jabbing at your eardrum at the same time,” said Keefe, 63. “And it’s a 24-hour situation.”

Keefe’s condition was in remission for 12 years until December, when an avalanche of stressful events last year — including a life-threatening medical emergency and the deaths of her husband, brother and good friend — triggered a return of her symptoms.

But when the prescription drugs her doctor prescribed did little to ease her pain, Keefe found better relief using cannabis oil as a topical cream. Then her sister visited Forbins Reserve, an adult-use dispensary in Barre, to find out which cannabis strains and methods of delivery — smoking, vaping, edibles or creams — might work best on her sister’s symptoms, without getting her high.

Since most dispensary employees, aka budtenders, aren’t medical professionals, the one at Forbins Reserve suggested that Keefe call Vermont’s Cannabis Nurse Hotline. The public information line allows anyone — patients, caregivers, cannabusiness employees and curious consumers — to schedule a free, 15-minute medical consultation with a registered nurse who can address their weed-related questions and concerns.

Vermont’s cannabis industry doesn’t use the term “recreational” to describe the adult-use market, in part because many consumers use cannabis for symptom relief as well as physical and mental wellness.

But given the dearth of reliable, unbiased and evidence-based medical information available about cannabis, many consumers and health care providers are turning to the Cannabis Nurse Hotline for answers.

They include a growing number of patients from Vermont’s medical cannabis program, many of whom have switched from shopping at medical dispensaries to adult-use dispensaries instead.

“The Cannabis Nurse Hotline is a 24

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

Jessilyn Dolan at a budtender training

great resource for us when the question exceeds our certification and our knowledge base,” said Brandon Marshall, owner and manager of Forbins Reserve, one of 16 adult-use dispensaries that voluntarily pay $599 a year to support the hotline. “I love it because I just want to get that customer what they’re looking for.”

The Cannabis Nurse Hotline was created by Jessilyn Dolan, 44, a registered nurse from Richmond who has decades of experience with cannabis and other plant medicines. Until recently, Dolan served as director of the American Cannabis Nurses Association. A certified ganjier, or cannabis sommelier, as well as a state-licensed cultivator, she’s now president of the Vermont chapter of the American Nurses Association. She recently helped the national organization write the standards for a certified cannabis nursing specialty similar to those for oncology and pediatrics.

Dolan, who also teaches an eight-hour, state-mandated course for dispensary workers, launched the hotline on October

1, 2022, the same day that Vermont’s adultuse market opened. Every Friday from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., Dolan or one of her backup nurses will field queries on a range of topics, from the safety of consuming cannabis while pregnant or breastfeeding to which strains and delivery methods work best to relieve pain, inflammation, depression, anxiety or insomnia. Faced with some of those health challenges herself, Dolan found that cannabis helped.

“The No. 1 caller I’m getting right now is a senior citizen ... who is seeking symptom relief,” Dolan said. She estimated that 75 percent of her callers don’t want the psychoactive effects of THC but are curious about cannabis because other health remedies they’ve tried, such as pharmaceuticals and alternative therapies, either weren’t effective or had unwanted side effects.

Because most doctors, nurses and other health care providers have no training in the medicinal properties of cannabis, Dolan said, many are reluctant to advise their patients — and may not even know where

to point them for answers. Last year, when Dolan gave a presentation on the health effects of cannabis at Wake Robin, a retirement community in Shelburne, more than 40 people attended.

“The fastest-growing demographic of people who are using cannabis for the first time are people 50 years old or older.

And yet, there’s no good source of reliable information” about symptom relief, said James Pepper, who chairs the Vermont Cannabis Control Board. “So the Cannabis Nurse Hotline is stepping in to fill that gap ... [Dolan’s] education on this subject is so deep.”

Dolan begins each consultation with a standard disclaimer: As a registered nurse, she complies with the federal privacy law known as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA, which means that all calls are confidential and anonymous. Aside from gathering basic details about the nature of the query and what meds, if any, the person takes, Dolan doesn’t gather or share personal identifying information.

Dolan also tells callers that the advice she provides is the same as what she’d tell a family member or close friend.

That said, she always advises callers to defer to the recommendations of their own health care professionals and inform them of any changes they make to their medications.

A common concern among callers is how cannabis can interact with specific prescription drugs, especially for patients who take multiple pills for complex medical conditions. Dolan recently spoke to a man about a chronic gastrointestinal ailment that affects how his body absorbs nutrients. Edibles don’t work on this patient, Dolan explained, and smoking doesn’t adequately relieve his chronic pain. So she recommended that he try either a nanotech product, which the body absorbs through the stomach rather than the intestine, or a sublingual product, which gets absorbed through the mouth.

“Understandably, a budtender should not be making a definitive recommendation to this patient,” Dolan said.

Still, budtenders should be familiar with certain medical conditions, she added. One caller reached out last year with concerns about cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, a rare condition that afflicts chronic, heavy cannabis users and

causes severe bouts of vomiting. The and adult-use markets, as other states 22-year-old, who uses distillates daily, have done. visited five different dispensaries seekDown to the Roots, an adult-use ing answers. dispensary in Chester that opened in “Each dispensary looked at him like he September, is a financial supporter of the had three heads and said, ‘What are you Cannabis Nurse Hotline. It’s also the first talking about? People don’t vomit from dispensary that’s paying to bring Dolan cannabis,’” Dolan recalled. in for monthly, in-person visits with The individual visited a sixth dispen- customers. The store’s owners even built sary, where the budtender explained what a consultation room where the cannabis the condition was, then recommended he nurse can meet people in private. call the hotline. Dolan said the caller felt “The vast majority of our customers, at much better getting his information some point, are using cannabis for health from a medical professional. and wellness,” said Andi Goldman, Dolan explained to him what CEO and co-owner of Down to the syndrome is and how rare the Roots. “It’s not about [Dolan] it is and suggested avoiding making product recommendahigh-potency distillates, tions or anything like that. which are just THC and It’s about educating the don’t contain the other public and answering cannabinoids in the plant. health questions that only In fact, she generally a health professional with recommends the “fullknowledge of the plant can plant medicine” rather answer with conviction.”

Though Dolan is paid than THC-only products, especially for symptom for staffing the hotline, relief. her wage isn’t on par Dolan estimated that with what a registered about half the hotline nurse typically earns users are or were in Vermont. Currently, enrolled in Vermont’s the hotline receives medical cannabis no state funding and is program. She’s heard supported entirely by that many have opted the adult-use market. not to renew their state Dolan will offer callers registry cards even an hourlong consultaJ E SSILY N DOL AN though it means they tion — on a sliding scale lose access to the highfrom $75 to $125 — but potency strains available only at medical often provides the service for free to dispensaries and must pay the 14 percent cancer patients and others who are state cannabis tax and 6 percent sales tax terminally ill or live with severe chronic levied on retail customers. Products for conditions. medical patients are tax-free.

That was the case for Keefe, the Barre Such anecdotal evidence is consistent City woman who called the hotline last with statewide data. According to the month. Though the phone call lasted Cannabis Control Board, enrollment in the about half an hour, Dolan didn’t charge medical program has plummeted from a for the extra time. high of 5,600 patients in 2018 to 2,896 this “Right now I don’t have any pain at month. Based on the most recent annual all,” added Keefe, who’s gone off all her survey of medical patients, Pepper said, prescription meds since switching to the decline in enrollment is driven by cannabis. “I really feel that Jessilyn was several factors, including the convenience just wonderful and very, very helpful.” ➆ and proximity of shopping at adult-use outlets versus medical dispensaries, the INFO wider range of products available in retail To learn more about the Cannabis stores, and the fact that patients want to Nurse Hotline or to schedule a avoid the expense and hassle of reenroll- free 15-minute appointment, visit ment in the state program. vermontcannabisnurse.com.

As a consequence, adult-use dispensaries are increasingly serving mediFollow stories like this on... cal patients — and some retailers are addressing that demand by bringing the cannabis nurse right into their own stores. Pepper expects lawmakers to revamp the medical cannabis program this legislative session. One change he vermontcannabeat.com recommended is merging the medical

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Happy as a Clam Keeping up with St. Johnsbury’s senior Quahog Dance Theatre B Y A M Y A SH NI XON

STEVE LEGGE

Q

uahog, short for poquahock, the Narragansett tribe’s word for hard-shelled clams, is not typically part of the Vermont vocabulary.

But at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in St. Johnsbury, a chalkboard sign that reads “Quahog Dance Theatre” is set at the sidewalk’s edge most Tuesday and Thursday mornings. It advertises “FREE FUN” in the form of a senior citizen dance troupe from 10 to 11:30 a.m.

Why name a Vermont dance group for seniors after a clam?

“I love the word ‘quahog,’” said teacher and troupe founder Janet Warner-Ashley, who grew up on the Portsmouth end of Aquidneck Island in Rhode Island, where the clams are common. “I lived on clams and mussels harvested from the shore in my starving student days.”

Naming the dance troupe she founded in 2021 after the quahog was a deliberate metaphor. “My dancers are precious, and they sustain me,” Warner-Ashley, 71, said.

In return, her biweekly dance class aims to sustain the physical and social well-being of its senior participants.

Recently, she said, a student observed to her, “I bet you named this Quahog Dance because you want us to come out of our shells.”

Warner-Ashley’s response: “What could I say but ‘Yes!’” Inside the light-filled sanctuary of St. Andrew’s on a recent morning, 10 seniors gathered in a circle, seated in chairs they would later push out of the way when it was time to dance. First they warmed up, following their slender and sprite-like leader through a series of motions.

“It’s all about your breathing,” WarnerAshley said.

“Shake your head yes, then no. Relax the neck a little bit.”

“Relax your jaw, inhale, exhale.”

“Let go of the tension.”

“No TMJ, please!”

“It feels good, doesn’t it?”

Next, Warner-Ashley led the group through foot exercises, moving their raised feet back and forth, windshield wiper-style.

“I do this with my grandson,” WarnerAshley said, rotating her feet left to right in her black leather dance shoes.

As Warner-Ashley told Seven Days, her

Quahog dancers

long career has almost always involved “something to do with performing or teaching or choreographing or directing.” She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in theater performance from the University of Rhode Island and the University of Maine, respectively. She studied with masters, such as the mimes Marcel Marceau and Michael Grando, and over the years she’s taught ballet, modern, jazz, musical theater, tap, mime and folk at St. Johnsbury Academy, the University of Maine, and several other schools and private dance studios.

The seeds of Quahog Dance Theatre were planted in the early 2000s, after Warner-Ashley and her family moved from Maine to Oconomowoc, Wis., where her

husband had accepted a position as headmaster of a private school. Warner-Ashley got a job caring for elderly people — helping them to get out of the house and moving, or to practice their physical therapy at home.

For Warner-Ashley, it was an emotionally difficult time: Her mother had died a few years earlier, and moving away from her busy life in Maine rekindled WarnerAshley’s grief. Working with older adults helped her process her mother’s death.

“These elderly people became my teachers and mentors,” she said. “It helped my grieving to care for others who treated me like family.”

Her clients taught her a variety of things, from how to drive in the cities of Milwaukee and Waukesha to how to master baking pies and cakes. “I learned how important it was for people to keep active as they aged — and how important it was to find chances for social interaction,” she said.

Studies show that routine physical activity is one of the most beneficial things

for older adults — it can help stave off many effects of aging and allow seniors to maintain their independence longer. Older adults who lead social, active lifestyles tend to be happier, more resilient and less depressed; they may even live longer.

This was on Warner-Ashley’s mind during the pandemic, when she — by then living in St. Johnsbury and a senior herself — retired from teaching and running the Summer Shakespeare festival at St. Johnsbury Academy. She was looking to do something meaningful, for herself and others.

“I thought of my senior citizens in Wisconsin,” she said. “They loved dancing with me, and it brought them joy that transformed them from ‘old people’ to ‘amazing, cool people.’” So she decided to create a dance program for senior citizens that would “allow them to be the amazing people they have always been,” as

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Warner-Ashley put it. “I wanted them to dance with joy.”

To help launch Quahog Dance Theatre in September 2021, she recruited dancer and choreographer Humberto “Tito” Hernandez as her co-teacher. He had moved to the Northeast Kingdom during the pandemic and had a deep background in teaching and performing, with credits in several Broadway productions: Jerome Robbins’ Broadway, the national tour of Evita, and Cats in Vienna. He had also performed, directed and choreographed many regional productions and been the director of dance at the North Carolina Theatre Conservatory.

Hernandez, 59, suffered a stroke during the pandemic and isn’t able to participate in Quahog as much as he would like. But he said attending dance classes with “older people — I won’t say old!” — has been a joy for him.

For the first year of Quahog, WarnerAshley paid out of pocket to rent Catamount Arts’ Cabaret Room at a discounted rate. Classes moved to St. Andrew’s last summer, and the Northeast Kingdom Council on Aging gave her a one-time grant to cover the entire year’s rent. Since its inception, Quahog has received two Creative Aging grants from the Vermont Arts Council, as well as support from Catamount Arts, E.A. Michelson Philanthropy, the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies and the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as ongoing help with publicity and liability coverage from the NEK Council on Aging.

When Warner-Ashley started Quahog, she took a poll to find out what kinds of dance her students were interested in.

The winners, according to Warner-Ashley, were ballroom and line dancing.

On the morning when Seven Days visited, the seniors stood up following the warm-ups — most wearing the slip-resistant socks that Warner-Ashley provides — and pushed their chairs to the side. Suddenly, the sanctuary space was transformed into a dance hall.

This morning, Warner-Ashley was teaching line dancing. She moved through the two lines of dancers — almost all women, holding one another’s hands — and partnered with them briefly in turns, pointing her foot to demonstrate the moves and walking them through each step.

Her biggest message for her dancers, she told Seven Days, is “that they are in charge of their own dancing.”

“As we age, certain movements may not be a great idea,” she said. “For example, some people have difficulty turning, as they become dizzy or disoriented.”

STEVE LEGGE

Happy as a Clam « P.27

Janet Warner-Ashley (center) leading steps

I WANTED THEM TO

DANCE WITH JOY. JA N ET WA R N ER - A S H L EY

Joan Harlowe, 88, lives in East Burke and attends Quahog classes. She described them as “a lovely opportunity to stretch a lazy body, spend time with people I don’t regularly see and, of course, it’s healthy.”

“Janet is encouraging, cheerful, never condescending,” Harlowe added.

Damian Ryan, 66, is a friend of WarnerAshley’s who lives in St. Johnsbury. For him, Quahog has “been great,” he said.

“I have two left feet, so I can’t dance, but Janet is constantly complimenting our technique. I just love her, and I do love the social aspect of it.”

Sarah Houston of Walden, who is in her “eighth decade,” said Quahog has made her feel connected at an age when many people can feel isolated. “I become this person happily living in the larger world,” she explained.

“Something about the mental focus it calls for and the mind and body working together as we learn the steps without music and then dance them to music is pure magic,” Houston said. “One of the first things I discovered was that it doesn’t matter if you can’t do it right, or right away.

We’re all babies learning to walk here, and it’s OK.” ➆

INFO Quahog Dance Theatre, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 to 11:30 a.m., at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in St. Johnsbury. Free. catamountarts.org

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’Shine On Herbal tonics business Urban Moonshine returns to Vermont ownership B Y CA R OLYN SHAPI RO

F

ive years after Jovial King sold her digestive bitters and herbal tonics company, she called the new owner to ask how sales of the products were going.

The response surprised her: Would she like to take Urban Moonshine back?

King learned that Traditional Medicinals, the California tea company that had purchased Urban Moonshine for an undisclosed sum in 2017, had struggled to expand distribution of the herbal supplements.

Rather than drop the brand and write off its losses or sell it to another entity — as would be typical in such a situation — Traditional Medicinals took a nontraditional step and gifted Urban Moonshine back to its founder, according to King.

“They are a really ethical, thoughtful company,” she said, calling the unconventional offer “amazing. And I think that is not business as usual.”

Gary Gatton, Traditional Medicinals’ CEO, declined in an email to confirm that his company returned Urban Moonshine to King for free, saying it doesn’t disclose financial details.

King, who revealed few details herself about the Traditional Medicinals deal, insists she paid nothing to repossess her Vermont company. In her view, the boomerang of Urban Moonshine signals not a failure of the business or its products but an opportunity to redefine her ambitions. She said she’s learned the value of keeping her homegrown entity in its niche.

“Small is beautiful,” King said. “And not every product is destined for national distribution in Walmart and every corner store.”

Traditional Medicinals stopped manufacturing Urban Moonshine products at the end of 2022. Its popular tinctures, including Citrus Bitters, Clear Chest Syrup and Immune Zoom, slowly disappeared from store shelves.

“People were panicking,” King said.

When she and some former employees reclaimed the business, “we heard from more people than we ever would have imagined.”

Railyard Apothecary, an herbal products shop in Burlington, has carried Urban Moonshine for several years. When its products went out of stock, some of Urban Moonshine’s devoted customers tried to 30

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

Lexie Daly (left) and Jovial King of Urban Moonshine

substitute favorite tinctures — such as Joy Tonic, to boost depressed mood, and Simmer Down, to minimize anxiety and aid sleep — with “copycat” custom mixes, said Jessica Churchill, one of the apothecary’s buyers and a member of its cooperative ownership. Churchill recalled that one customer, an acupuncturist, swore

by Clear Chest and insisted nothing else would work.

“People were really excited when they came back in, and the first order that I placed I think actually sold out in a few months,” Churchill said, adding that Urban Moonshine’s formulas “have proven to be supereffective.”

King and four of her previous employees spent nine months rebuilding Urban Moonshine nearly from scratch. They picked a Vermont manufacturer to handle production, redesigned the bottle labels and built a new website. They reached out to wholesale customers to create new accounts and boosted efforts to sell directly to consumers online.

In October, Urban Moonshine relaunched under its new-old leadership.

King now serves as creative director and guiding star for the business, even as she pursues her next project, a botanical spa she plans to erect on a remediated brownfield at the old Barge Canal lakefront site in Burlington.

Lexie Daly, who joined Urban Moonshine in 2012 and served as chief operating officer before the Traditional Medicinals sale, has taken over as president. She said few businesses get the chance to pause, assess their strategies and reboot with a clean slate the way Urban Moonshine did.

“I feel grateful that we had the time to reset,” Daly said.

The story of Urban Moonshine begins

NOT EVERY PRODUCT IS DESTINED FOR NATIONAL DISTRIBUTION

in 2002, with King crafting bitters from fresh herbs in her Burlington kitchen.

She was an early adopter of the belief that “the root of good health is good digestion,” she said.

Finding almost no products like hers on the shelves of health and natural foods stores, the herbalist recognized a market niche. She sold her goods at farmers markets and craft fairs, where most would-be customers were baffled and wanted a tutorial on their intended benefits.

In 2007, King launched Urban Moonshine with several gut-enriching products.

The company rode a wave of national interest in herbal wellness and increasing medical attention on digestive health.

When the craft cocktail trend took off, a whole new cadre of customers clamored for Urban Moonshine bitters.

That demand kick-started the business, but King didn’t want to focus on the beverage market, she said. Instead, she positioned Urban Moonshine squarely in the herbal supplements channel, which created its own challenges.

U.S. Food & Drug Administration regulations for herbal supplements are stringent, requiring detailed tracking to verify the composition of every ingredient in products. Those rules created a major headache for the small Urban Moonshine team.

In those days, Urban Moonshine’s 20 employees in downtown Burlington were mixing, selling, labeling, packaging and shipping products themselves, providing customer service, and overseeing back-end regulations and bookkeeping. After issuing multiple citations for failure to comply,

IN WALMART AND EVERY CORNER STORE. JOVIAL KING

regulators looked poised to increase oversight of the company or even shut it down.

In 2015, King decided to outsource manufacturing to a West Coast certifiedorganic producer that could more easily manage the regulatory morass, as well as the company’s growth. The giant Whole Foods chain had begun selling Urban Moonshine, presenting massive production demands.

Outsourcing freed King to concentrate on seeking investment and raising capital to expand the business. “When you grow rapidly,” she said, “you realize it’s hard to do everything.”

King said she hadn’t considered selling the company until Traditional Medicinals made an offer. The tea maker wanted to expand into herbal supplements and saw Urban Moonshine as the ideal fit — “a likeminded herbal brand that provided efficacious organic herbal medicine to more customers,” according to Gatton, the CEO. The new owner had plans to scale distribution of the brand to more outlets, King said: “The goal of the acquisition was to make Urban Moonshine stronger and more resilient.”

King and Traditional Medicinals declined to disclose the sale price or terms of the 2017 deal. But the eventual return of the company was not among the conditions set for transferring ownership, King said, and she had no plans to take it back.

“It was really hard to let it go, but, you

know, life is a wild ride,” King said of the original sale. “Urban Moonshine is the biggest success of my life.”

As part of the sale, King remained involved with Urban Moonshine to help shape its trajectory. “The plan was to stay on and support the brand and work on innovation,” she said.

After a couple of years, though, she stepped away and shifted her attention to her new project: Silt Botanical Bathhouse, with a “thermal circuit” of saunas and steam rooms, cold plunges, and hot coals. She stayed in touch with Traditional Medicinals’ executives to keep tabs on Urban Moonshine’s progress.

In summer 2022, the founder noticed that the new owners had discontinued some Urban Moonshine products, specifically Calm Tummy chamomile bitters and apple cider vinegar tinctures.

When she called Gatton, he told King that his team had concluded it couldn’t increase sales of Urban Moonshine the

way it had envisioned and needed to relinquish it.

Urban Moonshine “represented an extremely small percentage of our overall sales,” Gatton wrote in an email, adding that the ingredients for the bitters and tonics relied on a more complex supply chain than Traditional Medicinals’ teas do.

“We found it difficult to give Urban Moonshine the focus and attention that it needed without impacting our core business.”

The primary problem, in King and Daly’s view, was that the big tea company had no background in marketing herbal supplements. It added Urban Moonshine to its usual distribution network but lacked the “hand-to-hand” wholesale relationships required to move a specialty product, King said. Most retailers understand tea — put boxes on store shelves, and they sell — but know little about the nuances of enticing shoppers to buy digestive bitters and herbal tonics.

“Urban Moonshine requires a high level of consumer education targeted towards a very specific consumer base,” Gatton wrote.

Churchill has done a lot of that education at Railyard Apothecary and attested to its importance. “As a buyer but also as a consumer, and also as an herbalist in the store who’s recommending products to people, I feel like there’s more integrity when I have those kinds of personal relationships,” she said.

LAUGHING RIVER YOGA

After Traditional Medicinals offered to give the company back to King, she gathered former employees at her Burlington home and asked if they were on board. The group studied the Urban Moonshine financials.

“It wasn’t tanking or anything,” Daly said of the products’ sales under California ownership. “It just was small potatoes compared with the rest of their company.”

The Vermonters initially expected to continue manufacturing with the West Coast contractor. But since production had already halted, they took advantage of the hiatus to bring it back home.

King and Daly declined to identify the local company now making the products, saying they want to see how the c o l l a b o ra t i o n works before going public with it. Urban Moonshine also is trying to source more of its ingredients in Vermont when possible, Daly said.

The company has picked up most of its old wholesale accounts, with the exception of a few stores that may return in the future, Daly said. Web orders direct to consumers now constitute about 60 percent of Urban Moonshine’s sales revenue, up from 30 percent before the Traditional Medicinals takeover, she added.

Urban Moonshine no longer sells to Whole Foods or the Sprouts Farmers Market supermarket chain on the West Coast. King and Daly said they’ve lost interest in the holy grail of the big account with big-name recognition — and the big pile of debt that would allow them to pursue it.

“What we tout as being successful is the most possible growth and revenue, regardless of how much cash you’re burning,” Daly said of U.S. business in general.

“It’s just not sustainable from a financial standpoint to operate like that.”

Urban Moonshine’s sales “exceeded our expectations” for the company’s first three months back in operation, she added, though she and King declined to provide specific sales figures.

“We’re not chasing wild growth, and we’re really wanting it to be a sustainable business,” King said. “We really want to keep it local forever.” ➆

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Safe Spectacle(s) How to protect your vision while viewing the eclipse B Y M ARY A NN L I CKTE IG • maryann@sevendaysvt.com

MATT MORRIS

O

n April 8, a total solar eclipse — when the moon completely blocks the sun — will darken a 115-mile-wide swath from Mexico to eastern Canada. In Vermont, the path of totality will cover the upper third of the state. The time and duration of totality will vary from town to town. In Burlington, the eclipse will begin at 2:14 p.m., and the total eclipse will occur from 3:26 to 3:29 p.m., according to the University of Vermont.

Thousands of people across northern Vermont will marvel as the skies go dark in the middle of the afternoon.

One thing no one should be in the dark about: eye safety.

The stakes are high. The sun can burn the retina in seconds. Looking at the sun without proper protection — even when it’s partially blocked by the moon — can cause permanent blind spots, distorted vision and altered color perception. What’s more, says Berlin ophthalmologist Jessica McNally, it won’t be obvious that it’s happening. Sun damage doesn’t hurt, McNally said, and vision problems don’t show up for hours.

There is no treatment for such injury, called solar retinopathy.

Most people know to wear eclipse glasses or use solar filters to protect their eyes. “I think the most important thing is to understand what kind of glasses you’re getting,” said McNally, president of the Vermont Ophthalmological Society.

Eclipse glasses and their alternative — index-card-size, handheld eclipse viewers — need to meet international 32

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

safety standard ISO 12312-2. However, some are stamped with that ISO number even though they haven’t been tested or proven to meet that standard. Along with the American Academy of Ophthalmology, astronomers and other experts, McNally urges consumers to use only glasses and filters that come from the trusted suppliers vetted by the American Astronomical Society.

That list — along with specific guidelines for use — can be found at Solar Eclipse Across America, a website devoted to the April eclipse.

Among those guidelines is to always inspect your solar filter or glasses before use. If they’re damaged, throw them out. Also, be sure to read and follow any accompanying instructions.

At the risk of being obvious, put eclipse glasses on before looking up at the bright sun. If you normally wear eyeglasses, put your eclipse glasses on over them, or hold your handheld viewer in front of them. Turn away from the sun before removing your eclipse glasses or filter.

Cameras, telescopes and binoculars need their own filters, which must be attached to the front — not the eyepiece — of each device. The American Astronomical Society suggests seeking expert advice from an astronomer before using a solar filter with these devices. Eclipse glasses will not protect your eyes if you look through an unfiltered camera, telescope, binoculars or any other optical device.

The concentrated solar rays could damage the filter and injure your eyes. However, it is not necessary to wear eclipse glasses while looking through an optical device that has proper filters attached.

Lastly, keep an eye on your kids while they watch the eclipse. “If a 4-year-old were to develop solar retinopathy, then that could be pretty devastating throughout that child’s entire life,” McNally said.

The sun is about half a million times brighter than the full moon, and it emits potentially harmful ultraviolet and infrared radiation, according to the American Astronomical Society. Its rays don’t change or become more dangerous during an eclipse, McNally said, but because the sun is partially obscured, it can be easier for people to look directly at it. What’s more, she said, as the light around us grows darker, our pupils dilate to allow more light in, increasing the potential for damage to the retina, the layer of light-sensing cells that lines the back of the eye’s interior.

“You may have seen how sunlight can start a fire when focused through a magnifying glass,” the American Academy of Ophthalmology says on its website. “The sun can do the same thing to your retina.”

The sun damages the center of the retina, called the macula, which can result in blurry or blind spots in the center of one’s vision, McNally said. Straight lines, like those on a door frame, may appear wavy. Symptoms can arise more than 12 hours after damage occurs. The acute effects of this damage may be temporary, said McNally, who practices medicine at the University of Vermont Medical Center Ophthalmology in Berlin, but she suspects that full recovery isn’t possible.

Despite its dire warnings, the American Astronomical Society calls a solar eclipse “one of nature’s grandest spectacles.” Vermont last saw a total solar eclipse in 1932; the next one, which will cover the southern part of the state, won’t arrive until 2079.

On April 8, the Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium in St. Johnsbury will host one of the many eclipse celebrations throughout Vermont. Visitors to the free, daylong event will be able to view the eclipse through telescopes or glasses sold at the museum. American Paper Optics — on the list of vetted suppliers — manufactured the glasses, according to Mark Breen, the Fairbanks’ senior meteorologist and planetarium director, who will cohost programming during the eclipse.

Breen, who has worked at the Fairbanks for 42 years, has never seen a total solar eclipse. “I’m quite excited,” he said.

The museum will announce the beginning and end of totality in St. Johnsbury, which is expected to start at 3:28 p.m. At that point, people can take off their eclipse glasses — the only time it will be safe to do so — and look toward the sun. They will see its glowing corona, the superheated plasma that constitutes the outermost part of the sun’s atmosphere.

Ophthalmologist McNally said that’s the only setting where she thinks eclipse observers should remove their protective eyewear: “Having to make that judgment call yourself, I think, is pretty dangerous.” ➆

INFO Learn more at eclipse.aas.org and fairbanksmuseum.org/ solar-eclipse.

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JEB WALLACE-BRODEUR

food+drink

Jud Horner and John Lamppa producing Real Green Foods salad dressings with microgreens at Butterfly Bakery of Vermont

Going Green

New Vermont vegan food producers aim to enhance wellness of people and the planet B Y J O R D AN BAR RY & ME LISSA PASANEN • jbarry@sevendaysvt.com, pasanen@sevendaysvt.com

I

n a limited series that hit Netflix on January 1, sets of identical twins follow different diets — one vegan, one omnivorous — for eight weeks to see how food choices and lifestyle affect their bodies.

“You Are What You Eat: A Twin Experiment” attempts to determine “if it’s about your greens, not your genes,” as the trailer says. Spoiler alert: The Stanford University clinical trial on which the series is based showed that consuming a healthy vegan diet improves overall cardiovascular health.

The study had its detractors, as nutritionist, author and public health advocate Marion Nestle pointed out recently on her Food Politics blog. But besides being “clever and adorable,” Nestle wrote, the twin approach “is further evidence for the benefits of largely plantbased diets.”

Vermont’s growing vegan food scene makes it easy for consumers to jump into the

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SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

plant-based world, whether full-on or as a “flexitarian,” occasionally substituting vegan for animal-based products. Heck, we’ve even got vegan cheese and creemees now.

Many of these products tout wellness — both for the people eating them and for the planet. Here are two new Vermont companies that aim to make going green delicious.

J.B.

‘GREENS ON GREENS’

Real Green Foods, realgreenfoods.com

“Is your salad dressing hurting your healthy diet?” asks a headline on Harvard Health Publishing. The article proceeds to cite a registered dietitian who notes that people often drench bowlfuls of fresh, nutritious vegetables with prepared dressings that are high in calories, sodium, sugar and saturated fat.

For the past 15 months, a company called Real Green Foods has been producing a line of refrigerated salad dressings that aims to let people have their dressing and eat healthily, too.

On the morning of January 12, two of Real Green’s three cofounders, John Lamppa and Jud Horner, were at Butterfly Bakery of Vermont’s 16,000-squarefoot facility in Barre bottling the largest weekly production run to date of their six dressings.

A Butterfly Bakery employee working with the duo weighed handfuls of fresh microgreens and whirred them in a huge blender to stir into the previously mixed dressing bases.

All Real Green dressings contain microgreens, from Lamppa’s favorite maple mustard flavor, made with syrup from Nott Family Farm in Hartford, to Horner’s preferred — and seriously spicy — serrano lime. They’re especially proud of their new Green Goddess, which — like

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all of their dressings, but unlike most by that name — is vegan.

Essentially, Lamppa said, Real Green enables people to eat “greens on greens.”

The company’s carefully composed mix of organic microgreens is grown sustainably indoors on a Massachusetts farm, in soil with a recirculating irrigation system.

Their proprietary combination includes tender shoots of broccoli, pea, radish and red cabbage. The greens are Real Green’s not-so-secret nutritional weapon, adding flavor and body while keeping fats, sugar, salt and calories low and bringing vitamins and minerals to the party.

The bottle declares that Real Green’s are “the healthiest dressings,” and Horner offered a chart of comparative numbers to prove it.

The cofounders believe Real Green’s health halo merits their premium price of about $8.99 per 8.5-ounce glass bottle.

They are targeting a surprisingly open niche in the $4.1 billion U.S. prepared salad dressing market, as tracked by market research company IBISWorld.

Lamppa, 38, who now lives in Norwich, earned a PhD in protein engineering from Dartmouth College but deviated from an expected career in biopharmaceuticals to work in food startups. At one, he met Horner, 71, based in Hull, Mass., who has a long track record of working in consumer packaged goods.

“We made John the CEO because this was originally his idea,” Horner said.

Plus, he added, Lamppa is a supertaster — someone with a highly sensitive palate who can detect subtle flavors that others cannot.

“I’m a picky eater,” Lamppa joked.

About five years ago, Lamppa recalled, he and Horner “started kicking around

GOING GREEN

» P.36

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MELISSA PASANEN

Winooski’s Vermont Homebrew Supply to Close

Matt and Anne Whyte

After 29 years in business, ANNE and MATT WHYTE plan to close VERMONT HOMEBREW SUPPLY once they’ve sold through their inventory of equipment and ingredients for homebrewers, cidermakers and winemakers. The couple said they expect that to happen by the end of February.

When Anne, 64, and Matt, 69, opened their shop at 147 East Allen Street in Winooski in 1995, homebrewing “was just taking off,” Anne said. “Craft beer hadn’t really happened yet.”

Anne, an expert homebrewer, always provided advice along with yeasts, funnels and sacks of grain. She said a decline in the number of homebrewers and increased competition from online

retailers contributed to the decision to close, along with her age.

Fewer people feel motivated to brew at home these days because “there is so much good craft beer,” Anne theorized.

“Craft beer and craft cider owe a huge debt to homebrewers,” she said, adding that a number of local brewery and cidery founders started as hobbyists and customers.

The business supported the Whyte family of four for many years, the couple said. Matt technically retired a few years ago; their 35-year-old son, Terry, worked there part time until recently.

The Whytes made no attempt to sell the business before deciding to close.

They never expanded into online sales, “the 800-pound gorilla,” in Anne’s words.

“I don’t think anyone could walk in and turn this around,” she said.

Burlington homebrewer Michael Burdick swung by on Monday morning to pick up some grain. The longtime customer said he was shocked and saddened to learn of the pending closure.

For him, Vermont Homebrew was more than a supply source. “Anne knows her way around a mash tun,” Burdick said, referring to a brewhouse vessel. He found her adept at counseling seasoned and novice brewers alike: “It was a place to come talk about beer.”

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Melissa Pasanen

Stone’s Throw Pizzeria to Reopen in Charlotte Almost four months after closing, the takeout-only location of STONE’S THROW pizzeria at 86 Ferry Road in Charlotte will reopen on January 30.

The building has undergone a “pretty massive update to the septic” since September, co-owner TYLER STRATTON said. That lengthy project — along with difficulty in staffing — “halted our business there but allowed for a nice little transition time,” he continued.

During that closure, LEYLAND PAPA approached Stratton and Stone’s Throw co-owners ALLISON STRATTON and SILAS POLLITT. “Among the supportive emails we received [after closing], Leyland’s was

the only one that said, ‘Hey, I’d like to run the shop,’” Stratton said.

Papa, a Chelsea native, has an extensive wine and beverage background in the New York City area. He holds the Wine & Spirit Education Trust’s Level 3 Award — an advanced qualification for wine professionals He purchased Trash Away, a trash removal business in Shelburne, at the end of June and moved to Charlotte in September.

“I was picking up these pizza boxes every week, and it prompted me to start going to the place,” Papa said. “Now SIDE DISHES

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Going Green « P.34

DELI DELIGHTS

Mighty Mudita, mightydelislices.com

JEB WALLACE-BRODEUR

Jud Horner and John Lamppa of Real Green Foods

Real Green Foods’ Ginger Turmeric dressing on greens

some ideas” featuring one of Lamppa’s food passions.

“I’ve been a big consumer of microgreens.

I just love eating them. I love that they’re highly nutritious,” Lamppa said. Because microgreens contain the nutrients to power a growing plant, “They’re just more nutritionally dense than a lot of lettuce or other leafy greens out there,” he explained.

“I said, ‘Hey, it’d be great if microgreens were more readily available beyond just the clamshell at the grocery store, like in everyday products like soups, salad dressings and beverages.’”

Since the early days of recipe development, the Real Green team has partnered closely with Butterfly Bakery owner Claire Georges to refine, blend and bottle its dressings.

“Claire really brought these to life and even had some excellent flavor suggestions, like the Ginger Turmeric,” Lamppa said.

Real Green is among Butterfly Bakery’s two dozen clients at its Barre facility, where Butterfly Bakery also produces its own specialty foods and Fat Toad Farm caramels, which Georges purchased in 2022.

Horner said the January 12 production run of 540 bottles was more than double what the company has been shipping weekly to its distributor, Black River Produce of North Springfield.

With a third partner, Richard Madigan, the trio has so far self-funded the venture 36

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

and its team of six with about $1 million.

After an inaugural year of carefully controlled distribution to about a dozen stores, mostly in Vermont, where they solicited customer feedback, Horner said they were ready to expand. Their store count has tripled in the past two months, and they hope for 500 regional outlets within the next year.

Black River Produce purchaser Rebecca Johnson said Real Green stood out among the many small food startups who come knocking. She highlighted its “beautiful” packaging and said products touting health benefits “are huge in the co-ops and those kinds of stores.”

Seth Walker, a category manager for the three locations of Healthy Living market, agreed that the “slick look” helps Real Green dressings sell, along with the fact that they’re fresh, made locally and can be sold beside the produce.

“Our customer base is looking for this kind of thing,” Walker said. “They check all the right boxes.”

M.P.

As a public middle and high school teacher, Andrew Wild saw growing activism around the climate crisis, particularly in his students’ food choices: They wanted more options that do less harm to the planet and animals.

Wild, 42, who holds a PhD in science education, wanted those options, too — and to do work that would contribute to reducing carbon emissions. Last year, he launched Mighty Mudita, a plant-based deli slice biz. Occasionally dressed in orange and green superhero garb that matches the brand’s logo, he’s adding lower-waste, locally sourced options to the plant-based protein scene at Burlington-area grocery stores and delis.

Wild and his wife, Rachelle Gould — an associate professor in the University of Vermont’s environmental program and Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources — started making their plant-based alternatives to Tofurky and Field Roast two years ago. They wanted to avoid the plastic waste and preservatives that come with those large-scale brands.

The Burlington couple shared their DIY results with friends of all dietary preferences. The taste testers’ encouraging feedback led Wild to leave his education career at the end of the last school year to run Mighty Mudita full time.

Over the summer, Wild figured out how to scale up the three-pound home recipe. He wasn’t yet licensed to sell Mighty Mudita products, so he donated batches to community organizations.

When he and Gould got married in July, instead of traditional wedding gifts, the couple asked friends and family to sponsor those donations. Wild also received a $9,500 loan through the City of Burlington’s partnership with Kiva, a microlending organization.

This month, the first three Mighty Mudita deli slice products hit the shelves of area stores such as Jake’s ONE Market in eight-ounce packages. Flavors include spicy chipotle carrot ($11.99) — based on garbanzo beans and peas and free of seitan and gluten — original seitan ($9.49), and sun-dried tomato and basil seitan ($9.99).

They’ll be at local farmers markets and events throughout New England this winter, and in the grocery section and available on sandwiches in the delis of both locations of City Market, Onion River Co-op starting in late January. The

Andrew Wild

original seitan slices are also available as a breakfast sandwich add-on at Henry Street Deli.

“The market for plant-based proteins is growing quite a bit, so we’re super pumped that there’s somebody local doing it,” Cheray MacFarland, City Market’s director of community and marketing, told Seven Days. “And, unlike the big guys, you can explain all of the [Mighty Mudita] ingredients very easily.”

Many of those ingredients are locally sourced, including vegetables and Vermont Soy tofu. Ingredients from outside the state are mostly organic, including the vital wheat gluten used for the seitan, which is made in North America rather than from more common sources in Eastern Europe. The resulting products are lower in sodium and lack the lengthy list of preservatives found in national brands.

Mighty Mudita’s products are sold in reusable eight-ounce bags, rather than the standard 5.5-ounce packages.

While it’s still plastic, Wild said, it’s thinner, representing a waste reduction of approximately 50 percent.

“I’m not attempting to imitate meat here,” Wild said, though the slices are often sold alongside it. He finds their texture satisfying in a similar way, and they’re protein rich — 18 grams per serving for the seitan, based on his rough estimate. “But it’s its own category,” he continued.

The seitan is versatile, but not as flavorful as the bean-and-pea-based slices; in addition to spicy chipotle carrot, Wild is finalizing the recipe for a smoky beet slice. He produces everything singlehandedly in the commercial kitchen at

PHOTOS COURTESY OF WINTER CAPLANSON/NEW ENGLAND FOOD AND FARM

food+drink

A sandwich with Mighty Mudita deli slices 6h-petfoodware011724 1

1/3/24 10:29 AM

I’M NOT ATTEMPTING

TO IMITATE MEAT HERE. ANDREW WILD

Bagel with Mighty Mudita deli slices

Burlington Friends Meeting on North Prospect Street: 72 pounds in a sevenhour shift.

Wild’s experience as an educator and familiarity with the scientific method came in handy as he tinkered with recipes and scaled up to launch the business.

He’s on the third or fourth iteration of most of the pieces of equipment he uses.

For shaping the plant-based protein into loaves, he’s moved from a hinged plumbing duct, which he bought at Lowe’s and lined with parchment, to candle forms to stainless-steel cheese molds.

But his background has been most useful in helping him deal with failure — something teachers inevitably experience as they try to meet the needs of students with different interests,

advantages and disadvantages, Wild explained.

“Being able to rebound and learn from that has been helpful in dealing with challenges in the kitchen, like when a pile of bean-and-pea-based mush wasn’t fully cooked,” he said with a laugh. “I’ve been able to shrug it off and come back the next day without beating myself up too much.”

The business’ name is a doublebarreled reference to joy: “Mighty” conveys a sense of happy activity, Wild said, and “mudita” is a Sanskrit word representing a state of empathetic joy.

Regardless of whether Wild is wearing his orange cape as he samples and shares Mighty Mudita slices, his joy in this new path is mighty palpable.

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Meals That Heal

Three questions for Montpelier author Lisa Masé about The Culinary Pharmacy

BY ME L IS S A PAS ANE N • pasanen@sevendaysvt.com

F

ood had always brought joy to Lisa Masé. That is, until a parasitic infection contracted from a meal in Indonesia precipitated years of physical and mental pain.

“I could never have imagined that this meal, eaten thoughtfully and with gratitude for our hosts, would change my life forever,” Masé, 45, writes in her recently published book The Culinary Pharmacy: Intuitive Eating, Ancestral Healing, and Your Personal Nutrition Plan.

The author would have preferred to be spared the devastating effects of the Entamoeba histolytica that took up residence in her gut and severely compromised her ability to eat.

But she has made lemonade from those decidedly bitter lemons.

Masé spent her childhood in her father’s native northern Italy before moving to her mother’s hometown of Westwood Hills, Kan. She came to Vermont to attend Middlebury College and never left.

Today, the board-certified holistic nutritionist and registered health and nutrition coach lives with her partner and two young children in Montpelier.

Through her Harmonized Living coaching practice and her instructive and compassionate book, Masé offers hope and concrete advice to those struggling with a range of health challenges.

In The Culinary Pharmacy, she layers wisdom from her Mediterranean heritage with that of Chinese medicine and Indian Ayurvedic practices to help readers identify foods that can heal and nourish them.

Masé spoke with Seven Days about the power of olive oil, how to reclaim food roots and why recipe measurements only go so far.

In your book, you share deliciously evocative food memories from your Italian heritage. You also describe a 38

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

Goulash

low point of your struggle with parasites: “I felt poisoned. My vision was blurry, I could not drive. I was vomiting up most of my meals, and my intestines felt like they were on fire.”

It took that extreme to help you to realize that foods of your childhood could help heal, starting with a daily dose of olive oil?

Yes, that’s such an incredible thing about the interconnection between traditional foodways and traditional ways of healing and science. I’ve always known olive oil is, like, the source of life, right? That’s how I was raised. And then, to go to all these scientific studies and see how highly antimicrobial it is and how healing it is was truly incredible.

I was researching all different kinds of antiparasitic herbs and gut-healing herbs and foods, even reading Paul Pitchford’s book Healing With Whole Foods [Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition]. That’s when it dawned on me: Oh, some of these plants that he’s mentioning are plants I grew up making medicine with. I actually already know what to do.

You suggest that people make a list of foods that feel nourishing and meaningful to them. What if your childhood memories lean more Kraft mac and cheese than risotto with foraged mushrooms?

I think this is such an opportunity for

folks to take parts of their heritage, either lived or from the past, that may feel traumatic or may feel disconnected, and reconnect. What are the foods that grew wild on the lands where my ancestors lived? And oh, yeah, when I eat that sauerkraut, I do feel really good. Perhaps that speaks to a food that could become nourishing and meaningful to me as I reclaim my roots.

I think part of the big issue with the state of our health as a nation is this forgetting and the trauma that comes with the forgetting.

I love the nontraditional steps you include in recipes, like while waiting for the simmering goulash: “Stretch, read, talk with a loved one, or feed the chickens while you wait.” What’s your goal with these?

food+drink

SIDEdishes « SERVING UP FOOD NEWS

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it’s full circle” as he partners with Stone’s Throw to run the Charlotte location.

Papa will put his own stamp on the shop’s wine selection, he said, building on the curation of Stone’s Throw beverage manager ADAM GODDU. The pizza will stay the same.

“We try to make stores that reflect the town they’re in,” Stratton said. “Our partnership with Leyland is just a greater expression of what we think Charlotte is.”

Stone’s Throw currently operates shops in Fairfax, Richmond and Waterbury. Its new takeout spot at 38 Route 15 in Jericho, which was originally planned to replace the Charlotte location, will still open this spring.

Stratton said all the Stone’s Throw locations implemented a tip-free model earlier this month: A 17.5 percent service fee (20 percent at Waterbury’s dine-in location) is automatically added to each bill. That charge goes directly toward employee

From left: Tyler Stratton, Leyland Papa, Allison Stratton and Silas Pollitt

wages, allowing the owners to offer expanded benefits such as 401ks and expanded sick leave, he explained. Expect the same model in Charlotte.

Jordan Barry

New Owners of Brandon’s Gourmet Provence Rebrand Bakery, Add Pizza

Lisa Masé

It helps people to hopefully separate themselves a little bit from measurements and start to become more creative with their cooking. It truly is a creative art, and it’s very personal.

Even my clients will say to me sometimes, like, “I can’t believe you just said a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon.

I put in a whole teaspoon,” and I say, “Great, that’s your personalization of this recipe.”

All my recipes were taught to me via oral tradition, standing over the stove with my dad or my grandmother cooking, having them repeat the steps to me over and over again. My dad still does that to this day. ➆ This interview was edited and condensed for clarity and length.

INFO The Culinary Pharmacy: Intuitive Eating, Ancestral Healing, and Your Personal Nutrition Plan by Lisa Masé, Healing Arts Press, 260 pages. $24.99. Learn more at harmonized-living.com.

On January 9, Gourmet Provence relaunched as MORNINGSIDE BAKERY, adding Neapolitan-style pizza to the offerings at 37 Center Street in Brandon.

CARRIE and MATT LEWIS purchased the bakery from longtime owners LINE and ROBERT BARRAL on June 5. The Barrals, who listed their collection of businesses along Route 7 for sale in 2021, continue to operate CAFÉ PROVENCE while they look for a buyer for that restaurant.

The Lewises, who live in Brandon, recently renovated the bakery and added a wood-fired oven.

Five varieties of pizza — cheese, Margherita, pepperoni, and two weekly specials topped with ingredients such as bacon, goat cheese and dates, many locally sourced — are now available Thursday through Sunday. The couple

has made pizza as a hobby for 20 years, but before owning the bakery, he worked in carpentry, while Carrie was a veterinary nurse.

When the couple began to “look at new options for life,” Matt continued, they couldn’t resist the old brick bakery by the river — a one-minute walk from their house.

“There wasn’t anyplace around us where wood-fired pizza was offered,” Carrie added.

Morningside still sells the pastries, desserts, cakes and sandwiches for which Gourmet Provence was known. This summer, the Lewises hope to expand their hours and add on-site wine and beer service.

“Envisioning people eating pizza and drinking wine out by the waterfall in the summertime brings me chills,” Matt said.

Morningside Bakery

have also increased the bakery’s gluten-free and vegan options, added soups and provisions, and expanded the selection of wine and local beer.

The 12-inch pies “satisfy my need to make more pizza in the world — and consume it,” Matt told Seven Days. He

J.B.

Headwaters Restaurant & Pub in Cabot Ends Short Run Filet mignon at Headwaters Restaurant & Pub

Four months after opening at 3075 Main Street in Cabot, Headwaters Restaurant & Pub has closed, according to owner RUSSELL STATMAN. “I learned that I cannot run the restaurant as an absentee owner,” Statman, a Burlington resident and lawyer, wrote by text. He said he still believes that the recently renovated space has potential and hopes to sell or lease the restaurant to a new operator.

Those who hold outstanding gift cards can receive a refund by emailing refunds@headwatersrestaurantandpub.com.

M.P.

An Evening With Lisa Masé and Rosemary Gladstar, Tuesday, January 23, 7 p.m., at Phoenix Books Burlington. $3 with a $3 coupon toward purchase of the book.

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

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

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COURTESY OF LIZ LAUREN

culture David Cale performing We’re Only Alive for a Short Amount of Time at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago

What’s Your Story?

A new Flynn festival celebrates first-person storytelling B Y HA NNA H FEU ER • hfeuer@sevendaysvt.com

S

ince the beatnik heyday of the 1950s and ’60s, audience members at storytelling and poetry slam performances have shown their appreciation with finger snaps rather than handclaps.

When a line resonates with a listener during a performance, the quieter gesture allows for spontaneous feedback that doesn’t disrupt the speaker’s flow. At these events, hearing every word matters.

That’s because telling a personal narrative is “an act of bravery,” said Jay Wahl, executive director of the Flynn theater in Burlington. Publicly sharing vulnerable parts of our lives can evoke feelings of shame or embarrassment, he said, but “we don’t always know how powerful our stories can be.”

Enter the Flynn’s inaugural *snap* First Person Arts Festival, held this Friday to Sunday, January 19 to 21. The weekend

PERFORMING ARTS

will progress from professional to amateur storytelling — beginning with New York City playwright David Cale, continuing with sets by five artists selected by the Flynn through an application process and concluding with an open-mic story slam.

Wahl said he hopes participants will walk away from the new fest with heightened recognition of the strength of their own voices.

Kicking off the festival on Friday night, Cale will perform We’re Only Alive for a Short Amount of Time, a musical memoir

about his traumatic adolescence in Luton, an impoverished town in Bedfordshire, England. The 90-minute show premiered at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago in 2018 and is usually performed with a sixpiece orchestra. The Burlington production will have only one instrumental accompanist, musician Matthew Dean Marsh on piano.

Cale told Seven Days he was initially reluctant to write an autobiographical play for fear of being defined by his childhood or appearing self-indulgent. But a friend gave him advice that changed his mind, pointing out that Cale’s experience could be useful to people with similar struggles.

Writing the work as a musical, he said, allowed him to process the events of his childhood with some detachment from the subject.

“It really is very, very close to the truth. But then again, nobody [in my childhood] started singing,” Cale joked.

“There is a kind of an artistry to the work that removes it from being too much like a confession.”

Audiences benefit from seeing this kind of deeply personal show, Wahl said: “We’re so lucky when people are willing to say, you know, ‘I’ve had this experience, and this is how I’ve gotten through it.’”

Moving into the weekend, audiences will have the opportunity to hear a diverse array of stories. Saturday night’s free event will feature five performances that the Flynn selected among submissions from about 35 artists across New England and New York. Wahl said he and the other two judges — Jennifer Skinder, the Flynn’s director of education and community; and Christopher Kaufman Ilstrup, executive director of Vermont Humanities — were looking for authenticity, seeking WHAT’S YOUR STORY?

» P.45

From left: Storytellers Arshan Gailus, Molly Kirschner, Phoebe Dunn, Alex Cobb and Ron Jenkins

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WELLNESS

Trainer and Author Ginger Vieira’s Tips for Exercising With Type 1 Diabetes B Y D AN B O L L E S • dan@sevendaysvt.com

For many of us, starting an exercise regimen can be a daunting proposition.

But what if joining that new CrossFit class or a pickleball league is potentially life-threatening?

That’s the reality for millions of people living with type 1 diabetes, a chronic condition in which the body doesn’t produce enough, or any, insulin. Insulin is a hormone used to regulate sugar levels throughout the body. Without it, sugar builds up in the bloodstream, which can lead to serious and sometimes fatal complications. That’s why people with type 1 diabetes typically take daily insulin shots and, because diet factors heavily into blood sugar levels, must carefully manage meals.

Depending on the activity, physical exertion can raise blood sugar, causing hyperglycemia, or lower it, which causes hypoglycemia. Both can be dangerous for people with diabetes — think diabetic coma, or worse — making exercise a complicated endeavor.

“Many people with type 1 are terrified to exercise, or they’ll try it and feel very defeated very quickly, because we are constantly trying to balance the amount of this hormone in our body that should be really heavily micromanaged by our body,” Ginger Vieira said. “Like, you have to eat a whole bunch of calories just to survive your workout — literally.”

Vieira, 37, is a South Burlington-based physical trainer, author and speaker who has written about living with type 1 diabetes, including books on pregnancy, emotional eating, burnout and two children’s books.

The former powerlifting champ was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when she was 13. As she writes in the intro to her latest self-published book, Exercise With

TOTAL WELLNESS, UNIQUELY YOURS

EXPERIENCE THE DIFFERENCE Type 1 Diabetes: How to Exercise Without Scary Lows or Frustrating Highs, exercise didn’t come easily. It took years of trial, error and neglect before she finally dedicated herself to figuring out fitness in college.

In her new book, Vieira shares what she’s learned about developing a healthy relationship to exercise as someone with type 1 diabetes. She recently offered some tips to Seven Days.

Especially when you’re starting out, take notes.

It’s critical to understand all the variables in play when exercising with type 1 diabetes. And there are a lot of them, including when you exercise, what and when you ate, how much backward-acting insulin you have in your system, and the type of exercise.

To make sense of it all, Vieira recommends keeping detailed notes for every workout. “What was your blood sugar before, during and after?” she said.

If you get discouraged by the results, don’t give up, she said. Instead, ask yourself what you can try next time.

“What happens to your blood sugar is not random — you just have to take the time to learn some of the deeper science that’s going on,” she said.

EXERCISING WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES

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EVA SOLLBERGER

culture

706: From Uruguay to Vermont

You have to be very brave or a bit foolhardy to take on the renovation of an old property. The floors and walls are not straight, and you often have to improvise.

New builds with modern layouts are fine, but I love the unique quirks of older structures. I think there is something valiant about preserving and improving them for future generations. Guizler enjoys the challenge — and lucky for him, there are endless opportunities in this area!

Carpenter Dario Guizler renovates old houses and mentors fellow immigrants

Winter construction must be frigid!

It was 20 degrees outside, and the house is not insulated or heated yet. In the video, you can see Guizler’s breath. I was bundled up, but Guizler likes the cold.

I wish I had a photo from behind the scenes of Guizler’s interview. We used his work lights to illuminate the ceiling, and I aimed a ring light directly at him.

Construction sites don’t have chairs, so we sat on a few workbenches. The propane heater made a high-pitched hum, but it still felt like an icebox in there.

urlington has a lot of old homes that need some love. Dario Guizler is just the man to give it.

Renovating aging housing stock takes hard work, and Guizler is nothing short of hardworking.

He grew up in a small town on the outskirts of Montevideo, Uruguay, and came to the United States at age 18 in 2003, working 16-hour days at two fulltime jobs, one in construction. Two years later, he moved to Burlington, where he learned carpentry from his mentor, Bill Fagan. Over time, Guizler became fluent in English, and in 2008 he started his own business, Dario Carpentry.

He has renovated more than 100 houses and apartments over the years and redone many bathrooms and basements. Guizler often works with recent immigrants from Latin America as apprentices, telling them that if he can make it here, they can, too.

Seven Days

Guizler must have an interesting perspective on Burlington.

I have had a few talks with Guizler about Burlington and the much-discussed challenges it has faced in recent years, including a rise in criminal activity, more unhoused people with substance-use disorder and mental heath issues, and a dire lack of housing. He agrees things have gotten worse, but he also thinks it’s still better here than where he came from.

Guizler’s current apprentice, David Silva, has been in America for one year and sends money back to his family in Peru.

Silva works two jobs and doesn’t speak English. I can’t even imagine how difficult it would be to leave your home and live in another country with a strange language.

For Guizler and Silva, though, this is still the land of plenty, where anyone can make it and be successful. It’s an important lesson to remember as we face the same problems that many cities are experiencing across the country. ➆

Dario Guizler

Building a Dream

B

senior multimedia producer Eva Sollberger recently caught up with Guizler as he tackled an aging abode in Burlington’s Old North End. Guizler turns 40 this month and has now lived in the United States longer than in Uruguay. In the latest episode of “Stuck in Vermont,” he opened up about his passion for his work and his experience becoming an American citizen.

Sollberger spoke with Seven Days about filming the episode.

How did you meet Guizler?

I first talked to Guizler in early 2021 about renovating my 1890s home. This turned into a much bigger project than I anticipated.

Old houses are notoriously hard to work on and full of expensive surprises. Guizler maintained his good humor and calm demeanor, no matter what wrenches the renovation threw our way — from squirrels and toxic vermiculite in the attic to a rotten porch that needed to be rebuilt. Guizler is like many artisans I have featured in my videos: dedicated and slightly obsessed.

And that is the sort of advocate an old house needs to fortify it for another 100 years.

Why did you decide to feature him?

Guizler was the first person I had ever met from Uruguay. I learned a lot about his country during the months we worked together. I also got to know a few of his apprentices from Uruguay, Honduras and Peru. Most of them didn’t know English, so there was a lot of Spanish being spoken on the jobsite. As I heard about Guizler’s experience coming to America and learning carpentry, I thought he would make a compelling story.

Tell us about his current project in the Old North End. Burlington has many old houses like this one that have not been kept up over the years and need a full gut job to get them livable again. And, like at my house, Guizler found many surprises along the way. He’s only been there six weeks, but the progress is huge.

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

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culture WRITING

Author and Activist Tim Brookes Launches World Endangered Writing Day B Y K E N P I C ARD • ken@sevendaysvt.com

Tim Brookes

FILE: BEAR CIERI

The Balinese culture of Indonesia devotes one day each year to honoring Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of wisdom, learning and writing. On Saraswati Day, Balinese families dust off and repair their books, then display them in household shrines for veneration.

Tim Brookes, a longtime Vermont author, journalist, college professor and founder of the Burlington-based nonprofit Endangered Alphabets Project, described Saraswati Day in his soon-to-be-released book, Writing Beyond Writing: Lessons From Endangered Alphabets. When Brookes sent a draft of the book to David Crystal, one of the world’s preeminent scholars on languages, Crystal wrote in the manuscript’s margin that Brookes should invent a comparable holiday for Western society.

Thus was born the idea for World Endangered Writing Day, the first of which will be held on Tuesday, January 23. The free event, which Brookes organized, will feature presentations, discussions, games and an awards ceremony celebrating minority and Indigenous writing systems around the world. The festival, held entirely online, will include presenters from such far-flung locales as England, Scotland, Poland, Switzerland, India and Bangladesh. Mundolingua, a museum of language in Paris, will also live stream the event for its visitors. One presentation, on African scripts, will be held on Saturday, January 20.

As Brookes explained, the goal of the event is more than just celebratory. Of the world’s 300 known writing systems, 90 percent are threatened with extinction because they’re not officially used or recognized by governments, aren’t taught in schools, or have been actively suppressed by their countries’ dominant cultures.

Brookes had no formal education in anthropology, linguistics or foreign languages when, in 2013, he founded the Endangered Alphabets Project to preserve rare and endangered writing systems. In 2019 he launched an online Atlas of Endangered Alphabets, which has since been viewed by users in 183 countries. In 2021 Brookes unveiled a “red list” of scripts most at risk of extinction — comparable to the international red list of endangered species — which he hopes to finish by this summer. For World Endangered Writing Day, Brookes will unveil profiles of 100 endangered writing systems recently added to the atlas.

Among them are two scripts — Oromo and Walabu — that were created in the mid-20th century by and for ethnic minority groups in Ethiopia. Though reference books have often described these scripts as extinct, Brookes discovered that they’ve been kept alive and are still used within certain tribal groups in Africa.

Why did he dub the event World Endangered Writing

Day and not World Endangered Alphabets Day? Brookes explained that when he first coined the phase “endangered alphabets” in 2009, he knew relatively little about writing systems — specifically, that they’re not all considered alphabets. Many use ideograms, symbols that represent not just sounds but complex phrases or ideas. In fact, invading and colonial powers often viewed ideograms as childish and thus inferior to the Latin alphabet that they brought with them.

“We have the bully alphabet,” Brookes said, referring to the one now ubiquitous worldwide. “That is not only a colonial view and, to some extent a racist view, but it’s also incredibly limited and limiting in terms of what writing can be.”

Currently, there are no college or university degree

programs focused on endangered writing systems the way there are for endangered languages. In fact, Brookes pointed out, “The people most likely to study writing most thoroughly and perceptively are not linguists. They are type designers.”

One of his many goals is that World Endangered Writing Day will change all that. ➆

INFO World Endangered Writing Day: African Scripts Today, Saturday, January 20, 2 p.m. World Endangered Writing Day begins Tuesday, January 23, 8:30 a.m. For a complete schedule, including a link to live stream the events for free, visit endangeredalphabets.com.

EXERCISING WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES IS POSSIBLE This

Exercising With Type 1 Diabetes « P.41 The best exercise is the one you’ll actually do.

“There’s no one perfect type of exercise,” Vieira said, adding that your body’s fitness needs may change over time.

“There were times in my life when I was [weight] lifting that my goal every day was to grow as much muscle as possible,” she said. “That’s not my life today, and my body wants more cardio, and I feel better doing it.”

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SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

The key: Get moving, in whatever way is best for you.

“If you’re nervous about going to a gym, or you don’t have the money for a gym membership, turn on 10 songs you love and dance it out in your kitchen,” Vieira said.

“Just get moving and be consistent.”

Daily exercise can help prevent weight gain and reduce insulin dependence.

When you aren’t getting daily exercise, Vieira noted, your body needs more insulin to manage your blood sugar — and it takes excess sugar and stores it as body fat, which is true for people without diabetes, too.

book is all abo ut helping you possible, but enjoy exercisin there are a g again. It is handful of thin insulin, timi gs you need ng, and how to know abo different type ut As an avid exer s of exercise ciser and form impact the bod er competitive y. breaks down athl the need-to ete, Ginger -know facts Vieira of exercising with can get mov ing without T1D so you scary lows or frustrating high s.

“Before I started going to the gym world, when I was in college and I was not taking care of myself, I needed three times the amount of insulin that I need today,” she said.

But you don’t need to be an ultramarathoner to achieve results.

“I walk my dog and I jog every day,” Vieira said. ➆

INFO

GINGER VIEIR

A

EXERCISE

WITH

TYPE 1 DIAB

ETES

Ginger Vieir a has lived with type 1 diabetes also lives with since 1999. She celiac disease, fibromyalgia, and POTS. She hypothyroidism is thriving and , loving life! Once Ginger was a personal train upon a time , er, yoga instr competitive uctor, and powerlifter.

Today, Ginger diabetes artic creates educ les and video ational s for a varie lives with two ty of companies beautiful kiddo . She s, a handsome dogs in Verm fella, and two ont. Find more from Ginger and YouTube.c at GingerVie om/@Diabetes ira.com Nerd.

Exercise With Type 1 Diabetes: How to Exercise Without Scary Lows or Frustrating Highs by Ginger Vieira, self-published, 80 pages, $9.99.

Learn more at gingervieira.com.

HOW TO EX ERCISE WITH SCARY LOWS OUT OR FRUSTRAT ING HIGHS

What’s Your Story? « P.40 individuals who would tell an honest story rather than act a role.

Ron Jenkins, a professor of theater at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn., who runs theater workshops in prisons around the world, will explore why he has spent so many years teaching Dante’s Inferno to incarcerated people.

His piece is titled The Bread of Angels: Reading Dante’s Inferno Behind Bars.

Colchester resident Molly Kirschner, 29, will present a “tender comedy” called Double Dose of Molly, about living with undiagnosed bipolar disorder. Kirschner said she incorporated humor to help her process her struggle.

“Other people take drugs to get high.

I have to take drugs not to get high,” Kirschner quipped. “There’s so much catharsis in humor and being able to laugh at the vicissitudes of the mind.”

This isn’t Kirschner’s first time channeling her mental health struggles into art: She has written and performed in a play in which all the characters have bipolar disorder. But this piece feels more emotionally raw, she said, since she’ll be portraying herself onstage.

Other performances include What Are You Dad? by Vermont dancer Alex Cobb; Hair and Hummus and Things Like That by Arshan Gailus, a graduate student at Goddard College in Plainfield; and Out of the Woods by New York actor Phoebe Dunn.

On Saturday and Sunday afternoons, participants can receive guidance in crafting their own first-person narratives at a $60 workshop led by Susanne Schmidt, Vermont’s regional producer for the Moth StorySLAM competition.

The workshop will prepare participants to take part in the free open-mic Story Slam on Sunday night, where they will have first dibs on the stage. Afterward, any audience member will be able to take the mic.

Wahl said he hopes the festival will become an annual event and that spectators inspired by other community members’ stories will apply to be featured speakers next year.

Storytelling is a way to “connect with each other,” Wahl said. “I could be hit by a bus tomorrow. So if I have the opportunity to share a story, what do I have to tell you right now?” ➆

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INFO *snap* First Person Arts Festival, Friday through Sunday, January 19 to 21, at the Flynn in Burlington. See full schedule and pricing at flynnvt.org.

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1/15/24 1:04 PM

on screen American Fiction ★★★★ Fallen Leaves ★★★★ COURTESY OF CLAIRE FOLGER/ORION RELEASING LLC

W

e’ve reached the season when prestige films come at us thick and fast, so this week I wanted to cover two that represent opposite ends of a spectrum.

Fallen Leaves, the latest from renowned Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki, is a minimalist love story. American Fiction, the first film directed by Cord Jefferson (a writer on “The Good Place” and other shows), is a big, bold satire. For all their differences, however, both movies raise provocative questions about how fiction tells the stories of the downtrodden, making them palatable to audiences that are wary of sadness in their entertainment.

Those questions are front and center in American Fiction (starting Friday at Merrill’s Roxy Cinemas in Burlington), based on Percival Everett’s novel Erasure.

Its protagonist is novelist Thelonious Ellison (Jeffrey Wright), Monk for short, who produces what’s called “quiet” fiction — respected but not lucrative. Editors wish he would write something “more Black,” by which they mean more like the output of the wildly popular Sintara Golden (a hilarious Issa Rae). Her bestseller is called We’s Lives in da Ghetto.

This pigeonholing infuriates Monk, who comes from an upper-middle-class background and sees Sintara and her ilk as pandering to white people’s stereotypes about Black people. But when a constellation of personal crises — his beloved sister’s death, his mom’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis — puts him in dire need of funds, inspiration strikes. In a darkly funny scene, Monk sits down at his computer and channels the voice of a tragically fatherless inner-city drug dealer. He calls his manuscript My Pafology and bylines it “Stagg R. Leigh.”

Naturally, publishers want the book, to the tune of six figures. They’re even more excited when they learn the supposed author is a wanted fugitive. Horrified by his own creation, a satire that no one recognizes as such, Monk tries to back out. But his mom needs the best care available — a powerful incentive to strike a devil’s bargain.

Although Erasure was published back in 2001, the satire of American Fiction couldn’t be more timely, given the debates about “representation” that are currently

REVIEWS

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SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

Jeffrey Wright gives a superlative performance as a frustrated author who tries a daring hoax in American Fiction.

consuming publishing. The film skewers white tastemakers who push their own preferred versions of minority narratives, from “poverty porn” novels to horror flicks that exploit the shock value of slavery.

(Adam Brody plays a producer making a movie called Plantation Annihilation.)

While it’s consistently smart and scathing, American Fiction gets a little muddled toward the end. After both Sintara and Monk’s new girlfriend (Erika Alexander) push back on his disdain for his own cynically written novel, the movie closes on a meta note, foregrounding its own reluctance to make a decisive statement.

But American Fiction delivers plenty of satisfaction as a family drama. The prickly Monk is a beautifully fleshed-out character, as are his mom (Leslie Uggams), his sister (Tracee Ellis Ross), his brother (Sterling K. Brown) and even their longtime housekeeper (Myra Lucretia Taylor). The movie embodies an answer to the question Monk poses throughout: Where are the prestige books and films about Black characters who aren’t defined by oppression? If American Fiction reminds you of an old-school ensemble comedy-drama such as Terms of Endearment, that’s the whole point.

While American Fiction dissects the

lurid excesses of popular narratives about the underprivileged, Fallen Leaves reminds us that such stories can also be told with restraint and grace. A Golden Globe nominee and likely Oscar candidate, currently playing at the Roxy, it has been described as a companion to Kaurismäki’s trilogy of films about the working class: Shadows in Paradise, Ariel and The Match Factory Girl.

Ansa (Alma Pöysti) is a supermarket stocker who comes home each night to eat a solitary meal and listen to the radio drone about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine (an ominous thread running through the film). Holappa (Jussi Vatanen) works on a construction site, smoking and swigging from a flask to stave off despair. He rarely speaks beyond some playfully hostile banter with an older coworker (Janne Hyytiäinen), who tries to bring him out of his shell by dragging him to karaoke at a local bar.

There Holappa spots Ansa, but it will take a few more chance encounters before they exchange a word. A date? Maybe, but these two lonely people have histories of bad luck.

The film’s every shot is carefully composed, its script bare-bones, and its romantic gestures few. When they happen, though, they count, and Kaurismäki draws

on movie history for iconography that is simple and powerful in equal measures.

Fallen Leaves can be witty, too, as when Ansa and Holappa see Jim Jarmusch’s The Dead Don’t Die at the local theater. While a pair of cinephiles rhapsodize about JeanLuc Godard references, Ansa makes a more down-to-earth observation that small-town sheriffs are no match for zombies.

Watching the Helsinki-set movie often feels like falling into an alternate dimension where sunlight is muted, modern technological distractions barely exist and everyone matter-of-factly acknowledges the futility of existence. Kaurismäki doesn’t condescend to his characters, exaggerate their woes or strain to make them sympathetic. We know they’d shrug off our pity and turn our solicitude back on us — who are we to claim to have life figured out?

In this setting, gestures as simple as adopting a hungry mutt or extending generosity to a fellow human feel like enormous affirmations of light and love against darkness. As they should. In every walk of life, both these films suggest, prurient interest is cheap. But genuine empathy is a pearl of great price.

MARGO T HARRI S O N margot@sevendaysvt.com

NEW IN THEATERS ALL OF US STRANGERS: As he embarks on a new romance, a screenwriter (Andrew Scott) finds his long-dead parents still inhabiting his childhood home in this Golden Globe-nominated drama from Andrew Haigh (Weekend). With Paul Mescal and Claire Foy. (105 min, R. Roxy) AMERICAN FICTIONHHHH Jeffrey Wright plays a novelist who tries a daring hoax after his publisher tells him his books aren’t “Black enough” in this comedy-drama from Cord Jefferson, also starring Tracee Ellis Ross and John Ortiz. (117 min, R. Roxy; reviewed 1/17) I.S.S.: When war breaks out between the U.S. and Russia, the astronauts of the International Space Station must take sides in this sci-fi thriller from Gabriela Cowperthwaite (Blackfish), starring Ariana DeBose and Chris Messina. (95 min, R. Essex, Majestic, Paramount, Star)

CURRENTLY PLAYING ANYONE BUT YOUHH1/2 A fancy wedding gives two exes (Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell) an incentive to fake-date in this rom-com from Will Gluck (Easy A). (103 min, R. Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Stowe) AQUAMAN AND THE LOST KINGDOMHH The DC superhero (Jason Momoa) fends off threats while planning his wedding in the latest Justice League installment from director James Wan. (124 min, PG-13. Big Picture, Majestic) THE BEEKEEPERHH1/2 Jason Statham plays a former clandestine operative who goes on a vengeful rampage in this action thriller from David Ayer (Training Day). With Emmy Raver-Lampman and Josh Hutcherson. (105 min, R. Essex, Majestic, Paramount)

THE BOOK OF CLARENCEHHH In this comedic take on a biblical epic, directed by Jeymes Samuel (The Harder They Fall), LaKeith Stanfield plays a dope dealer who becomes a would-be rival to Jesus.

(136 min, PG-13. Essex, Majestic) THE BOY AND THE HERONHHHH1/2 Renowned animator Hayao Miyazaki brings us a fantasy with autobiographical elements about a boy seeking his mom in the otherworld. (124 min, PG-13. Essex, Roxy) THE BOYS IN THE BOATHH1/2 Director George Clooney follows the University of Washington rowing team on their unlikely path to Olympic gold during the Great Depression. (124 min, PG-13.

Bijou, Capitol, Majestic, Marquis, Playhouse, Roxy, Welden) FALLEN LEAVESHHHH Two lonely working-class residents of Helsinki (Alma Pöysti and Jussi Vatanen) drift toward a romance in the latest drama from renowned Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki. (81 min, NR. Roxy; reviewed 1/17) FERRARIHHH1/2 Adam Driver plays the auto maker as he and his drivers set out to win the 1,000-mile Mille Miglia in 1957. Michael Mann directed. (130 min, R. Majestic) THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS AND SNAKESHH1/2 This prequel to the blockbuster dystopian series explores the youth of villain-to-be Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth). (157 min, PG-13.

Majestic) THE IRON CLAWHHHH Sean Durkin (Martha Marcy May Marlene) directed this biopic about professional wrestlers the Von Erich brothers, starring Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White and Harris Dickinson.

(130 min, R. Majestic, Stowe)

MEAN GIRLSHHH The Broadway musical based on the 2004 comedy film about a high schooler’s struggle with the popular clique comes to the screen, starring Angourie Rice and Renée Rapp. (112 min, PG-13. Bijou, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Marquis, Roxy, Star, Stowe, Welden) MIGRATIONHHH A duck family meets many mishaps on its first-ever trip south in this animated family comedy with the voices of Isabela Merced and Elizabeth Banks. (92 min, PG. Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Star, Welden) NIGHT SWIMHH Don’t get in that backyard swimming pool! It turns out to be haunted in this horror flick from director Bryce McGuire, starring Wyatt Russell and Kerry Condon. (98 min, PG-13.

Majestic, Star) POOR THINGSHHHH1/2 In this Golden Globe winner, Emma Stone plays a clumsily resurrected Victorian woman who embarks on an odyssey of self-discovery. With Mark Ruffalo and Willem Dafoe.

Yorgos Lanthimos directed. (141 min, R. Essex, Roxy, Savoy; reviewed 1/10) TROLLS BAND TOGETHERHH1/2 The third installment in the animated musical family series reunites Justin Timberlake’s character with his boy band brethren. (92 min, PG. Majestic) WONKAHHH1/2 Timothée Chalamet plays the young Willy Wonka in this musical fantasy, directed by Paul King (Paddington). (116 min, PG. Big Picture, Bijou, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Paramount, Star, Welden)

OLDER FILMS AND SPECIAL SCREENINGS AXCN COWBOY BEBOP: THE MOVIE (Essex, Sun & Mon only)

OPEN THEATERS Catamount Arts’ theater is currently closed until further notice. (* = 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 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

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art

Material Evidence In “Warp & Weft,” seven artists reveal process, pattern and playfulness B Y PA M EL A POL ST O N • ppolston@sevendaysvt.com

T

he title of a new group show at the Phoenix in Waterbury is slightly misleading: “Warp & Weft” seems to suggest a display of fiber arts.

In fact, it is that and much more. Along with woven works, there are paintings, prints, drawings and mixed-media collages. The seven artists take different approaches with a variety of materials, yet they have something ineffable in common. Let’s call it savvy.

During a gallery visit, Phoenix owner and curator Joseph Pensak suggested that his selections all convey a strong sense of vertical (warp) and horizontal (weft) in composition or patterning. Moreover, he waxes philosophical in a curator’s statement: “It seems clear as a society we are in an ‘unweaving’ era,” it begins. “Institutions that once held solid ground and social sway are being torn apart, for good or ill.”

It may be a stretch to ascribe sociological import to this exhibit, but it’s not untoward to propose, as Pensak does, that “artists can show us the way.” Or that art can “re-weave us.”

Emma Warren hews most closely to the show’s theme with actual weavings. Her chosen art form is both meditative and rigorous, qualities that she enhances with earthy hues and simple geometry. Warren’s scroll-like “Untitled 4” is a 35-by-17-inch wool weaving held tautly in a suspended frame. Her other contributions to the show are more playful: three pairs of 12-by-9.5inch ink sketches with matching colorblock weavings that look like tiny rugs.

Jasmine Parsia employs weaving, too — with paper. An instructor at Burlington’s Iskra Print Collective, she’s a seasoned printmaker, but newspaper photographs, pencil line drawings and embossing turn up in her 11 pieces. Parsia’s subtly embossed monotypes, particularly several on indigodyed paper, are like patches of sky or sea. An all-white square of paper holds three oblong shapes pressed into it like whispers.

Much livelier is the 12-by-15-inch monotype “Seeing Salt.” Parsia layered woven strips of off-white paper and brushy swirls of black ink, creating fragments of

REVIEW

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SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

ONE DOES NOT EXPECT A SENSE OF VOID FROM COTTON FIBER,

YET HERE WE ARE.

checkerboard that confound the eye. The longer one looks, the more her abstract composition seems like an elusive dimension interrupted by visual static. Parsia roguishly crowns the piece with a strip of blue tape, a reminder of the artist’s presence.

“These works were created in a circulatory way, merging techniques and imagery, repurposing to create something new,” she explains in an artist statement. “A way of collaging a process.”

Artist and writer Karen Cygnarowicz works with fiber, including on a loom, but many of her creations are marvels of hand-knotting. And though her website offers practical items such as macramé plant holders, much of the Montpelier artist’s oeuvre is gloriously nonfunctional — except for the function of being sculpture. She writes that her practice “is in relationship to her experiences in nature, meditation and the mundane.”

For the Phoenix exhibit, Pensak chose two Cygnarowicz works, and both make a statement. “The River Finds Its Way” consists of wool and cotton fiber strands in a

Clockwise from top left: “Untitled 1” by Emma Warren; “Seeing Salt” by Jasmine Parsia; “Between a Rock and a Soft Place” by Karen Cygnarowicz; “Green Square and Orange Diamond” by Carleen Zimbalatti

range of blues that cascade from a valance near the ceiling and pool onto the floor. It is 125 inches of fiber-turned-flow.

Cygnarowicz’s other wall-hung piece, titled “Between a Rock and a Soft Place,” is a cement-gray construction 42 inches long. Its bottom is tightly knotted, forming a sort of basket; its long “arms,” knotted in several patterns, are gathered at the top.

The piece resembles a receptacle that is empty and perhaps unfillable. One does

not expect a sense of void from cotton fiber, yet here we are.

Elise Whittemore and Carleen Zimbalatti both navigate the elemental parameters of geometry. As a printmaker, Grand Islebased Whittemore writes in her statement, the practice “forces me to look at multiples, and think about why I use the same images over and over again.” Her austere 24-by-20inch monoprint “Met/Unmet” is almost a visual riddle: What would happen if you

ART SHOWS

cut a white and a black sphere in two, then rearranged the pieces along an invisible axis so that they overlap?

One answer, where the white and black forms meet, is gray; another is a multiplication of rounded shards.

Viewers might be reminded of a Venn diagram or a lunar eclipse. Either way, Whittemore’s eloquent configuration manifests her idea that “shapes contain space and delineate boundaries.”

Metaphorically, she adds, shapes with boundaries can reference “ways of thinking about how we stand in the world, how we mark our territory, and how we think about the places we claim.”

Montpelier-based Zimbalatti states that her work “is concerned with one of the most fundamental

aspects of pictorial language: the line.” But in her 26-inch-square acrylic-and-ink painting “Green Square and Orange Diamond,” lines become geometric shapes that in turn form cogent relationships. Zimbalatti softened the rigid contours of the diamond by painstakingly adding row upon row of minuscule curved lines that mimic weaving.

As the title indicates, Zimbalatti does not eschew color. Her second painting here, the 29.5-inch-square “Iris,” centers a large black sphere filled with an intricate web of white lines that, in this case, resembles crochet — as if a big, round doily were covering the black surface. The artist’s irregular rendering of the lines gives the iris a sense of depth and barely perceptible movement. Orbiting this sphere are smaller balls in lilac and pale blue.

Zimbalatti’s serene compositions achieve what she calls “a meditative quality toward fullness and transcendence.”

In contrast to this graphic tranquility, Rachel Laundon’s petite acrylic paintings on wood fairly burst with exuberance. Her mark-making repertoire of lines, dots and squiggles is delivered in lively colors and repetitive patterns. She typically corrals these into loose grids. But one 18-by-24inch piece titled “Can You Dig It?” features a melee of marks, as if the grid had unexpectedly exploded.

Laundon, from Waterbury, is also known for crafting 3D fish sculptures and paintings of biomorphic forms she calls “soulscapes.”

MATERIAL EVIDENCE

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THE MAYORAL MATCHUP

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 6 P.M. FREE BURLINGTON CITY HALL AUDITORIUM

Who Will Be Burlington’s Next Mayor?

Join Seven Days and Town Meeting TV for a free, in-person election forum with Burlington mayoral candidates.

The Progressive candidate, state Rep. Emma MulvaneyStanak, and City Councilor Joan Shannon, a Democrat, will get specific about their visions for the city. Sasha Goldstein of Seven Days will moderate this live, 90-minute event.

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Material Evidence « P.49 She has an interest in fabric design, too, and it’s not hard to visualize her latest works translated to, say, extroverted fashion.

Hannah Morris is a bit of an outlier in “Warp & Weft,” though a welcome addition regardless. Her mixed-media collages are the only figurative works in the show, but her enigmatic narratives do have their own kind of push and pull. As she puts it in an artist statement, “My figures, buildings, animals and urban and wild landscapes are inherently off-kilter and awkward.”

Morris ferrets out photos from vintage magazines, repurposing them in new scenarios. Then, using gouache paint, she creates a flattened plane and adds areas of color. At first glance her tableaux seem ordinary; upon closer inspection they are decidedly surreal. Sometimes her characters interact, such as the dancing couples in “Block Party”; in others, individuals are together but not really, like in an elevator when everyone faces forward and no one talks.

In her piece “Behind Schedule,” a small crowd of people is milling about on a platform waiting for some kind of transport.

Morris ignores the rules of scale; some of the people are preposterously larger than others. Perspective in the image pulls the eye toward the back, where a white double-decker bus looms at the left and a tall cityscape rises beyond it. The floor and ceiling of the platform are given complementary shades of turquoise and wine-red — pretty but unrealistic.

Morris’ compositional facility and unique process make for visually arresting images, but their superpower might be psychological intrigue. “I hope the vulnerability revealed inspires the viewer to connect with what they see,” the Barre artist writes in her statement. “I encourage the viewer to pause and enter into the visual space — to believe the absurd, the unlikely, the ambiguous — and then to construct their own personal narrative.”

In “Warp & Weft,” all seven artists contribute, as Pensak puts it, “their own thread to the fabric.” That fabric is a multifaceted pleasure to behold. ➆

INFO “Warp & Weft,” on view through March 29 at the Phoenix in Waterbury. thephoenixvt.com

From top: “Behind Schedule” by Hannah Morris; “Met/Unmet” by Elise Whittemore; “Be Well Infinity” by Rachel Laundon

= ONLINE EVENT OR EXHIBIT

Can’t make it in person?

VISUAL ART IN SEVEN DAYS:

ART LISTINGS ARE WRITTEN BY PAMELA POLSTON. LISTINGS ARE RESTRICTED TO ART SHOWS IN TRULY PUBLIC PLACES.

Watch live on Town Meeting TV’s cable channels (Comcast 1087 and Burlington Telecom 17 or 217) or stream it online at sevendaysvt.com.

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SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

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GET YOUR ART SHOW LISTED HERE AND ONLINE!

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

1/16/24 4:53 PM

FIND ALL ART SHOWS + EVENTS AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/ART

CALL TO ARTISTS DIANE GABRIEL VISUAL ARTIST AWARD: Burlington City Arts and the family of the late Burlington artist invite Vermont artists to apply for this annual award in support of professional development. Details and application at burlingtoncityarts.org. Deadline: March 15. Online. Info, jobrien@burlingtoncityarts.org.

NORTH BENNINGTON OUTDOOR SCULPTURE SHOW: Organizers of the annual outdoor exhibit invite artists to participate in the 2024 iteration. Details and application at nbossvt.com/artists. Deadline: March 31. Online. Info, nbossvt@gmail.com.

VERMONT STUDIO CENTER RESIDENCIES: Artists and writers near and far can now apply for 2024 residencies that will take place April through December. Details and application at vermontstudiocenter.org. Deadline: February 15. Online.

OPENINGS + RECEPTIONS 16TH ANNUAL HIGH SCHOOL EXHIBITION: Artworks in a variety of mediums by regional high school students who were nominated for participation by their art teachers. Reception: Friday, January 19, 5-7 p.m., with awards ceremony at 6 p.m. AVA Gallery and Art Center, Lebanon, N.H., January 19-February 10. Info, 603-448-3117.

COLOSSAL SANDERS: An exhibition of quirky digital montage illustrations by the North Ferrisburgh artist, aka David Holub. Burlington City Hall, through March 31. Info, 865-7296.

ERIKA LAWLOR-SCHMIDT: “K Is for Koan, T Is for Tone,” new project-based, site-specific prints, drawings, collages and assemblages that investigate the meaning of those Zen concepts. Second-floor gallery, Studio Place Arts, Barre, January 24-March 2.

Info, 479-7069.

‘HEAD FOR THE HILLS’: A group exhibition inspired by the region’s landscape and creatures, both real and imagined. Main-floor gallery, Studio Place Arts, Barre, January 24-March 2. Info, 479-7069.

‘IN THE GARDEN’: An exhibition of works using the garden as a motif to set the stage for connection and cultivation; featuring Carlos Amorales, Cameron Davis, Wylie Garcia, Valerie Hammond, Mary Mattingly, Ebony G. Patterson and Paul Anthony Smith. Reception: Thursday, January 18, 5-7 p.m. The Current, Stowe, January 18-April 11. Info, 253-8358.

JESSICA SCRIVER: “Every Which Way,” paintings in search of truth by the Vermont artist. Third-floor gallery, Studio Place Arts, Barre, January 24-March 2.

Info, 479-7069.

MICHAEL MAHNKE: “Memory in Material,” new abstract paintings and sculptures by the Vermont artist. Closing reception: Friday, February 23, 4 p.m. Julian Scott Memorial Gallery, Vermont State University-Johnson, January 23-February 23. Info, 635-1469.

‘MISSION AEROSPACE’: An immersive maze-themed exhibit in which visitors can experiment with thrust, lift and gyroscopes, as well as build paper planes and rockets and test them out. ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, January 20-May 12. Info, 864-1848.

REBECCA SCHWARZ: “Gaining Ground,” an installation of plastic plankton and sea foam by the creative media faculty member that invites visitors to consider environmental degradation of the oceans.

Reception: Thursday, January 18, 5-7 p.m. Champlain College Art Gallery, Burlington, through January 31.

Info, gallery@champlain.edu.

ROBERT ARTHUR BLACK: “The Art of Life,” an exhibition of photographs and collages by the Vermont artist, architect and teacher. Reception: Friday, January 19, 5-7 p.m. Chaffee Art Center, Rutland, January 19-March 1. Info, 775-0356.

‘THREE PERSPECTIVES: TRACINGS, TRACKINGS, TERRAINS’: An exhibition of artworks by Madge Evers, Nancy Storrow and Stefania Urist inspired by the natural world. Reception: Friday, January 19, 4:30-6:30 p.m. Michael S. Currier Center, Putney School, January 17-March 3. Info, 387-6258.

‘TRUTH TELLING’: A group exhibition that aims to find reconciliation, well-being and community resiliency through art. New artwork and input welcome throughout the show to provide an organic community space surrounding the topic. Reception: Friday, January 19, 5-7 p.m. Canal Street Art Gallery, Bellows Falls, January 19-March 2. Info, 289-0104.

‘WATERLOGGED BUT RED HOT’: An art-making fundraiser for SPA involving the creative reuse of damaged bricks from the foundation of our building.

Silent-auction bids taken in person and online.

Studio Place Arts, Barre, January 24-February 3. Info, 479-7069.

ART EVENTS ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE ARTS STUDY: BCA unveils the local results of Arts & Economic Prosperity 6, a comprehensive economic and social impact study of the greater Burlington area’s nonprofit arts and culture industry. The press conference can be viewed on Burlington City Arts’ YouTube channel as well. BCA Center, Burlington, Wednesday, January 17, 4 p.m. Free. Info, 865-7166.

OPEN STUDIO: A guided meditation, an hour of art making in any modality or genre, and a share-andwitness process. No experience required. Many materials available. Expressive Arts Burlington, Thursday, January 18, 12:30-2:30 p.m. Donations accepted. Info, 343-8172.

LAST CHANCE

FALL EXHIBITIONS CLOSING JANUARY 27 TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR FALL EXHIBITIONS VISIT: BURLINGTONCITYARTS.ORG

Terry Ekasala: Layers of Time, 2023, BCA Center installation | P: Isora Lithgow 2024 EXHIBITION YEAR PRESENTED BY

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Hospitality sponsors: Lake Champlain Chocolates, Farrell Distributing, and William Hill Estate Winery. Burlington City Arts is supported in part by the Vermont Arts Council & the National Endowment for the Arts.

1/12/24 4:44 PM

‘THE SIXTY FOUR PROJECT’: An art installation featuring photographs and testimonials of 64 women, including breast cancer survivors, in celebration of women’s beauty, diversity and strength; in conjunction with the Vermont Burlesque Festival. Reception: Thursday, January 18, 5-7 p.m. with a short presentation at 6 p.m. Hilton Burlington, Thursday, January 18, 5-8 p.m.; and Friday, January 19, and Saturday, January 20, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Info, thesixtyfourproject@gmail.com. ➆

But wait, there’s more!

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additional art listings are on view at sevendaysvt.com/art.

Find all the calls to artists, ongoing art shows and future events online.

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COURTESY OF SIMON REED

music+nightlife

S UNDbites News and views on the local music + nightlife scene B Y CHRI S FARNS W O RT H

Phin

Switch-Hitter

To young songwriters, writing music can seem like an act of sorcery. How do you get across an idea or emotion? How do you make something another person will actually want to listen to? Are you writing the music for you or for them, the imagined audience? Is the song too simple? Or have you overstuffed it in an attempt to show off — or worse yet, to cover up perceived inadequacy?

All of that goes along with the usual insecurities: Do I suck? Can I sing? Did I take enough lessons?

There are many ways to bypass the anxiety and get straight to the strange and emotionally compromising art of songwriting. The best advice I ever received on the subject came from a college professor who dropped a few pearls of wisdom before he gave me a D in music theory. (I redid the class in summer school and got a B, leading my mother to ask if I’d even paid attention during “all those goddamn guitar lessons.”)

“Why are you overthinking this?” my professor asked me after I shared some of my issues with composing. “You feel something? Great. Start writing. That’s it. Just start, and then don’t think about anything other than finishing it. If you want to write, fucking write.”

PHINEAS CHOUKAS didn’t need any tough love to figure that out. The Upper Valley native, producer and singer-songwriter, who records under the moniker PHIN, started building tracks and making beats when he was in seventh grade. By 52

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

The result is the debut single from phin as a recording artist, “you would never fall in love with me,” which drops this Friday, January 19, on all streaming services. A vibrant indie-pop the time he got to Middlebury College, jam, the song combines Choukas’ love he was working with Vermont expat of electronic music with a head-nodsinger-songwriter HANS WILLIAMS and also inducing beat, introspective lyrics and producing the 2020 Cape Elizabeth EP tender vocals.

by Grammy-nominated Strafford native “It sort of sounds like this ‘woe is NOAH KAHAN. me’ kind of tune, but it’s actually about Somewhere along the way, Choukas self-love and acceptance, disguised as wondered if he could go from just beatan unrequited love song,” Choukas said. making to writing his own songs.

“I was really proud to be “During the able to do that, because pandemic, I sort it’s this triumphant thing of ran out of about epiphanies and people for my learning to love yourself.” beats,” he told me The song also with a laugh by represents Choukas’ phone from his move from rap-adjacent mother’s house pop music (which he in Canton, Ga., called “Honestly, just where he moved not that great”) to more after graduating melodically inclined indie from Middlebury folk and pop. His new last February. “So sound stemmed from I figured I’d just the realization that he slap some AutoP H INE AS C H O UK AS couldn’t control what Tune on my voice anyone thought of his and rap over some music. of the beats and see what happened.”

“This track was made just for me, and That shift coincided with a change I think that’s really the way forward,” he in Choukas’ tastes. He’d been obsessed said. “It’s great if people like my music, with electronic dance music since grade truly, but it’s important to make music school, when his older brother played for yourself and to make music you, you him a SKRILLEX track. know, actually like.”

“I’d grown up listening to RADIOHEAD That’s a lesson he learned from and indie music but shifted hard to EDM watching his childhood friend after that,” he said. “Recently I started Williams create music and later from going back to [indie] music and learning working with Kahan. The pandemic to play guitar, so I started writing in that presented Choukas with an unexpected indie folk sort of vibe.”

IT’S GREAT IF PEOPLE LIKE MY MUSIC, TRULY, BUT IT’S IMPORTANT TO MAKE MUSIC FOR YOURSELF

AND TO MAKE MUSIC YOU, YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY LIKE.

opportunity: Both he and Kahan were stuck at home in southern Vermont when the singer-songwriter (now Massachusetts-based) asked him about producing an EP. “It was really simple,” Choukas recalled. “Noah had some songs, so he hit me up and we recorded the whole thing in the basement in a week.”

Watching Kahan work on the Cape Elizabeth sessions inspired Choukas to work out his own songwriting process.

“Noah and Hans both influenced me, for sure,” Choukas said. “Hans has this ability to just start freestyling over chords, and the songs seem to pour out of him. And Noah is fascinating; I’ve never worked with someone so talented and driven. He’ll show up with some chords or melodies, then start furiously typing on his phone or scribbling down stuff on paper — it’s just so cool to see how everyone writes differently.”

With his first track as an artist under his belt, Choukas feels inspired and ready for the next phase. He has more singles planned for this year and will soon move from Georgia to New Orleans, joining Williams there.

“I haven’t been in a physical music scene in a long time,” Choukas said. “And New Orleans just has so much musical talent to work with and such a great vibe.

I honestly can’t wait.”

It’s a fresh start for the brandnew solo artist. He hopes to continue combining his talents as a producer and his love of EDM with his newfound songwriting chops.

“I’m hoping to pull all of my roots together into something really cool,” he said.

GOT MUSIC NEWS? MUSIC@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

On the Beat

COURTESY OF BEN COLLINS

ALI MCGUIRK is finally putting her stamp on her adopted music scene.

Three years after the roots and soul singer-songwriter moved to Burlington from Massachusetts, she’s getting ready to hold down a residency at Radio Bean.

Starting on January 17, McGuirk will play every Wednesday at the club, bringing along some of her favorite local acts and debuting a brand-new project of her own.

“The timing is great, because I actually feel like I live here now,” McGuirk said by phone.

“Between COVID and having a chaotic tour schedule after the last record, I just didn’t get a chance to settle and do anything with the local scene.”

Now properly rooted in the Queen City, McGuirk is excited to try out new stuff with the home-field advantage Radio Bean provides. She’s assembled a crack squad of musicians to back her up, including DWIGHT RITCHER (DWIGHT + NICOLE), swapping out his Gibson Flying V guitar for the drum kit; JEFF LEONARD (FRUITION) on bass; and the ALL-NIGHT BOOGIE BAND’s BRENDAN CASEY on guitar.

“I still love playing songs from Til It’s Gone,, but I’m really excited to try out some new songs at the residency,” McGuirk said, referring to her 2022 LP. “And having these shows booked will hopefully put a fire under my tush to finish some of the songs that are, like, 80 percent finished.”

The new songs won’t be the only fresh thing McGuirk brings to the Bean.

She and NICOLE NELSON, the other half of Dwight + Nicole, will debut their new project, MISS TRANSISTOR, at the January 17 show. A duo featuring Nelson on bass and McGuirk on guitar, it promises to be a harmony-heavy vocal group, according to McGuirk.

“I’m thrilled to do this with Nicole.

Singing with her is legitimately one of my favorite things ever,” she continued.

“Our voices are so different, but when they link up it’s hard to tell who is who, which is so cool.”

McGuirk said she and Nelson have been dreaming of launching

behold on the six-string. Los Angeles’ Trousdale are an all-female trio with melody for days and uplifting songs suffused with harmonies.

“This exclusive event raises important funds to help underwrite Spruce Peak Arts in bringing unforgettable shared artistic experiences to the base of Stowe Mountain,” executive director SETH SOLOWAY wrote in a press release for the show.

Learn more and get tickets at sprucepeakarts.org.

Ali McGuirk

Cory Wong

Miss Transistor since she moved to Burlington in 2021, but it took some time for them to make it happen between their own album releases.

“We’re just dipping our toe into existence,” McGuirk said of the upcoming Radio Bean performance. “It’s sort of our soft opening, you know?”

For more information and tickets, head to radiobean.com.

It’s the annual Founders Cup Ski Race & Benefit Concert weekend at Spruce Peak Arts in Stowe. To celebrate, the nonprofit hosts guitarist CORY WONG (VULFPECK) and vocal group TROUSDALE for a concert on Saturday, January 20.

Wong is a frenetically fast guitar wizard who can channel jazz, funk and rock seemingly in the same riff, a wonder to

I still haven’t made it out to one of the Farmers Night events at the Vermont Statehouse in Montpelier, but I’m champing at the bit. The series, which has hosted all sorts of talent under the ol’ Golden Dome for more than a century, is bringing a version of the Moth to the Statehouse, with an assortment of Vermonters telling stories and comic asides.

The show goes down on Wednesday, January 24, at 7:30 p.m., hosted by comedian and storyteller SUSANNE SCHMIDT, who also leads storytelling workshops this weekend at the inaugural *snap* First Person Arts Festival at the Flynn in Burlington (see page 40). Featured Farmers Night performers include author and sexuality educator CINDY PIERCE, writer CORMAC STEVENS, graphic designer THOMAS BAGINSKI, and folk duo CRICKET BLUE. The series is (as always) free and open to the public. Learn more at legislature.vermont.gov. ➆

Listening In (Spotify mix of local jams) 1. “THE WAY YOU ARE”

by Saint Albums 2. “ALL THE BEST INTENTIONS”

by Couchsleepers 3. “GROW THE F UP”

by Omega Jade, Mavstar 4. “KIND SIR I SEE YOU’VE COME AGAIN” by Eric George 5. “THE DRIVE” by Bim Tyler

by Elephants of Scotland

1. ROUGH FRANCIS, Saturday, February 3,

5. RON FUNCHES, Thursday, February

at the Stone Church in Brattleboro

29, through Saturday, March 2, at the Vermont Comedy Club in Burlington

by Glenn Weyant

3. LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO, Tuesday,

February 20, at Barre Opera House 4. THE ROBERT CRAY BAND, Friday, February 23, at the Paramount Theatre in Rutland

6. SASHA VELOUR'S BIG REVEAL LIVE SHOW, Sunday, March 3, at the Flynn in

Burlington 7. KIM GORDON, Thursday, March 21, at

the Higher Ground Ballroom in South Burlington

THUR 1.18

Nectar’s Trivia Night FREE FRI 1.19

Good Gravy SAT 1.20

Brownstein Family Band w/ Marc (the Disco Biscuits), Jake (Eggy), Zach (Jon Anderson)

TUE 1.23

PRESENTED BY FIDDLEHEAD

Grateful Tuesdays w/ Dobbs’ Dead

WED 1.24

Mr. Mota THUR 1.25

Mono Means One feat. John Ferrara w/ Lara Cwass

FRI 1.26

Annie in the Water w/Fungkshui SAT 1.27

The Full Cleveland THUR 2.1

Burning Monk & PREECE play Green Day SAT 2.3

Baked Shrimp w/ Canopy SAT 2.10

A Band of Killers

SAT 2.24

Waiting On Mongo & Moondogs THUR 2.29

Seven Shows to Watch Out For:

Le Studio TD in Montréal

LiveAtNectars.com

Midnight North

6. “HOW TO DO NOTHING”

2. POOLSIDE, Wednesday, February 14, at

188 MAIN STREET BURLINGTON, VT 05401 | TUE-SAT 5PM-1:30AM | 802-658-4771

7. “FOR ALICE D.”

Scan to listen sevendaysvt. com/playlist

THUR 1.18

FULL MELT THURSDAYS

Milano, Oddpaco, Untitld & Snuggles (Lost Dogz Takeover) FRI 1.19

Malcolm Miller SAT 1.20

Jason Baron

SAT 1.26

Emo Night w/ Malachi SAT 2.3

DJ Chia’s Dancehard Speakeasy Midwinter Carnival THUR 2.8

FULL MELT THURSDAYS

Wraz, Mantra Sounds Tegeki, Oddpaco FRI 2.9

Vermont Mandolin Trio ft Jamie Masefield SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024 4v-nectars011724 1

53 1/15/24 1:12 PM

Point your kids' compass toward FUN next summer!

Let Kids VT lead the way. save the date:

Saturday, February 10, 2024 10 A.M.-2 P.M. BURLINGTON HILTON

FREE ADMISSION! REGISTER AT: CAMPFINDERVT.COM PRESENTED BY:

OUR 27th year!

The Fair is a great opportunity to:

SCIENCE

OUTDOORS ARTS

GYMNASTICS EDUCATION

ANIMALS SPORTS 54

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

k1t-CampFair111523.indd 1

Discover dozens of great regional summer camps and schools.

Connect with representatives and get your questions answered.

Get all your research and planning done in one day and have fun, too.

Scan the code to visit the Vermont camp and School Finder!

Do you run a camp or class?

Contact Kaitlin Montgomery for more info about exhibiting at the fair and getting listed on campfindervt.com:

kaitlin@kidsvt.com 802-985-5482, ext. 142

11/10/23 10:01 AM

music+nightlife

CLUB DATES

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

live music

Shane’s Apothecary (singersongwriter) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 5 p.m. Free.

WED.17

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

Ali McGuirk, Miss Transistor (roots) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 7 p.m. $8/$10.

SAT.20

Bent Nails House Band (rock) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 8 p.m. Free.

Brownstein Family Band (jam) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 8 p.m. $15.

Carlton Livingston with Dub Apocalypse (reggae) at Double E Performance Center’s T-Rex Theater, Essex, 6 p.m. $20/$25.

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

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

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

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

Erica Couture & Emilie Paquette (acoustic) at 14th Star Brewing, St. Albans, 6 p.m. Free.

Duncan MacLeod Trio (jazz) at Jericho Café & Tavern, 7 p.m. Free.

FIDLAR, Dari Bay (indie rock) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 7 p.m. $25/$30.

Embers in Umbra, Workingman’s Army, Frankie & the Fuse (rock) at Monkey House, Winooski, 8 p.m. $5.

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

Gnomenclature, Campfire Jack & the S’mores (rock) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. $10/$15.

Jazz Sessions (jazz) at the 126, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

Live Jazz (jazz) at Leunig’s Bistro & Café, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Goodwin, Danny James (funk) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 8 p.m.

Free.

Wednesday Night Dead (Grateful Dead covers) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. $5.

Willverine (electronic) at the Wallflower Collective, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. Free.

Hit Squad (covers) at Gusto’s, Barre, 9 p.m. Free.

Joe Agnello & Friends (blues) at Red Square, Burlington, 7 p.m.

Free.

THU.18 // JAY PHAROAH [COMEDY]

THU.18

Alex Stewart and Friends (jazz) at the 126, Burlington, 8:30 p.m.

Free.

Daniel Ian Smith (jazz) at the Brass Lantern Inn, Stowe, 6:30 p.m. $35-$45.

Duncan MacLeod Trio (jazz) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 6 p.m. Free.

The Fabulous Wrecks (Americana) at Black Flannel Brewing & Distilling, Essex, 6 p.m.

Free.

Frankie and the Fuse (indie rock) at Red Square, Burlington, 6 p.m.

Free.

Geoff Kim Organ Trio (jazz) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 7 p.m.

Free.

Happy Spangler (indie rock) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 9 p.m. Free.

Jennings and McComber (folk) at Filling Station, Middlesex, 6 p.m.

Free.

Matt Hagen (folk) at Stone’s Throw Pizza, Waterbury, 6 p.m.

Free.

Mowgli Giannitti (jazz) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 7 p.m.

Free.

The Steppes, the Stabilizers (rock) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. $5.

FRI.19

Bird Boombox (rock) at Two Heroes Brewery Public House, South Hero, 6 p.m. Free.

Who Can It Be Now? Comedian

Left Eye Jump (blues) at Red Square, Burlington, 2 p.m. Free.

JAY PHARAOH is one of the best in

the business at being someone else. The former “Saturday Night Live” cast member is known for his hilarious impressions of everyone from Kanye West to Barack Obama that he perfected during his six seasons on the show. Since starring in the Jamie Foxx-produced show “White Famous” in 2017, Pharoah has gone on to star in scores of film and television roles. And he released a hip-hop EP, Spittin Image, with his impressions of Jay-Z and 50 Cent’s styles. Pharoah swings through South Burlington on Thursday, January 18, for a performance at the Higher Ground Ballroom.

Blue Northern (blues) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 9 p.m.

Free.

Good Gravy with Pappy (bluegrass) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 8 p.m. $7.

Bodenbender, Wiseacres (punk) at Despacito, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. Free.

HIFI, DJ Sound Syndicate (EDM) at the Underground, Randolph, 7:30 p.m. $14. Info, 431-6267.

The Bresetts (folk) at Gusto’s, Barre, 6 p.m. Free.

Jack Hanson & Addison Daniels (jazz) at the Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 8 p.m. $10.

Christie Woods-Lucas (singersongwriter) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 4 p.m. Free.

Dale and Darcy (folk) at 14th Star Brewing, St. Albans, 6 p.m. Free.

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

Dupont & DeLuca (Americana) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 8 p.m.

Free.

The Elovaters, Shwayze, Surfer Girl (reggae) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $25/$30.

The Jeff Salisbury Band (blues) at Jericho Café & Tavern, 7 p.m.

Free.

Joanne Garton (folk) at Whammy Bar, Calais, 7 p.m. Free.

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

Free.

Karl Lucas (singer-songwriter) at Stone’s Throw Pizza, Richmond, 6 p.m. Free.

Last Pages, Onyxarches, Astrocat (punk, metal) at Monkey House, Winooski, 8 p.m. $5.

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

Lazy Bird, What? (jam) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 8 p.m. $10.

Marcus Rezak (jam) at Double E Performance Center’s T-Rex Theater, Essex, 7 p.m. $20. Info, 878-4200.

Queer Takeover (indie, drag, DJ) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $10/$15.

Raised by Hippies (blues) at Red Square, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

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

Ruby Street (acoustic) at Blue Cat Bistro, Castleton, 6 p.m. Free.

Sarah Bell (singer-songwriter) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 7 p.m. Free.

Live Music Saturdays (live music series) at Dumb Luck Pub & Grill, Hinesburg, 7 p.m. Free.

Moondogs (rock) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 11 p.m. $10.

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

Free.

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

Swale, Blowtorch (indie, punk) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 8 p.m. $10/$15.

Violet Crimes, Doom Service, Tired of Trying, Model 97 (metal) at Despacito, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. Free.

MON.22

zzzahara, Indie Anthony, Remi Russin (indie) at Monkey House, Winooski, 8 p.m. $15.

TUE.23

Big Easy Tuesdays with Jon McBride (jazz) at the 126, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

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

Bob Recupero (singer-songwriter) at Lawson’s Finest Liquids, Waitsfield, 5 p.m. Free.

Dobbs’ Dead (Grateful Dead tribute) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 9 p.m. $10/$20.

Fireside Collective, Airshow (bluegrass) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7 p.m. $15/$18.

Holding Napoleon, Alice Grace (indie) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 7 p.m. $5/$10.

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

WED.24

Ali McGuirk, Los Songoros (soul, blues) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 7 p.m. $8/$10.

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

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

Jazz Sessions (jazz) at the 126, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

John Lackard Blues Duo (blues) at American Flatbread Burlington Hearth, 5:30 p.m. Free.

Live Jazz (jazz) at Leunig’s Bistro & Café, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Small Talk, Barn Cat (jam) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 9 p.m. $10.

Troy Millette (singer-songwriter) at Two Heroes Brewery Public House, South Hero, 6 p.m. Free.

Wednesday Night Dead (Grateful Dead covers) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. $5.

Willverine (electronic) at the Wallflower Collective, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. Free.

VT Bluegrass Pioneers (bluegrass) at Whammy Bar, Calais, 7 p.m. Free.

djs

SUN.21

WED.17

Bluegrass Brunch (bluegrass) at the Skinny Pancake, Burlington, noon. Free.

Jaded Ravins (Americana) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 1 p.m.

Free.

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

Vermont Jazz Ensemble (jazz) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 5 p.m. $20.

Local Dork (DJ) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

THU.18

DJ Chaston (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 10 p.m.

Free.

DJ JP Black (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.

Milano, Untitld, Snuggles (DJ) at Club Metronome, Burlington, 8 p.m. $15/$20.

Vinyl Night with Ken (DJ) at Taps Tavern, Poultney, 6 p.m. Free.

FRI.19

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

» P.56 55

music+nightlife

Now is the time to help each other.

HOMESHARE Bringing Vermonters together to share homes

863-5625 • HomeShareVermont.org

CLUB DATES open mics & jams DJS « P.55

4t-homeshareVT011724 1

1/10/24 10:00 AM

FRI.19

WED.17

THU.18

DJ Craig Mitchell (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

Irish Sessions (Celtic, open mic) at Burlington St. John’s Club, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Comedy Wolf: Open Mic (comedy) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $5/$10.

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

Jazz Jam with Nina Towne (open mic) at Old Stagecoach Inn, Waterbury, 6 p.m. Free.

Good Tape (improv comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 9 p.m. $5.

Open Mic (open mic) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 10 p.m. Free.

Jay Pharoah (comedy) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 6:30 p.m. $35/$40.

Malcolm Miller (DJ) at Club Metronome, Burlington, 10 p.m. $5.

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

Joe Zimmerman (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 p.m. $25.

SAT.20

TUE.23

FRI.19

Open Mic (open mic) at 1st Republic Brewing, Essex, 6 p.m.

Free.

Fortune Feimster (comedy) at the Flynn, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $52.50 - $73.50.

Turn to the Classifieds section or go to sevendaysvt.com/legals for a list of legal notices including:

Crypt Goth Night (DJ) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 8 p.m.

Free.

Open Mic Night (open mic) at Drink, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

Joe Zimmerman (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 & 9 p.m. $25.

• Act 250 Permit applications

Emo Night Brooklyn (DJ) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 8:30 p.m. $20/$23.

HAVE YOU

NOTICED OUR LEGAL ADS?

• Foreclosures

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

John’s Jukebox (DJ) at Gusto’s, Barre, 9 p.m. Free.

Blanchface (DJ) at Manhattan Pizza & Pub, Burlington, 10 p.m.

Free.

• Notices to creditors • Storage auctions • Planning and zoning changes

Contact Michelle for a quote at legals@sevendaysvt.com; 865-1020 x121.

DJ A-Ra$ (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, midnight. Free.

DJ Raul (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Matt Payne (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 10 p.m.

Free.

Molly Mood (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.

SUN.21

Mi Yard Reggae Night with DJ Big Dog (reggae and dancehall) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 9 p.m.

Free.

WED.24

Local Dork (DJ) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

56

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

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

4t-legals2022.indd 1

10/19/22 10:15 AM

Venetian Soda Open Mic (open mic) at the Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 7 p.m.

Free.

WED.24

SAT.20

Bob Marley (comedy) at Paramount Theatre, Rutland, 5:30 & 8 p.m. $42.

Irish Sessions (Celtic, open mic) at Burlington St. John’s Club, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Comedy Night (comedy) at Castlerock Pub, Warren, 6:30 p.m.

Free.

Open Mic (open mic) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 10 p.m. Free.

Joe Zimmerman (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 & 9 p.m. $25.

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

SUN.21

comedy WED.17

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

$5 Improv Night (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 p.m. $5.

TUE.23

Free Stuff! (comedy) at Lincolns, Burlington, 9:30 p.m. Free.

WED.24

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

HEADSHOTS FOR INDIVIDUALS AND TEAMS

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SUN.21 // VERMONT JAZZ ENSEMBLE [JAZZ]

Swinging for the Fences The

VERMONT JAZZ ENSEMBLE first

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performed in 1976. In the ensuing decades, the state’s longest-running big band has played thousands of gigs across the Green Mountains on whatever stages would fit all

vermontheadshots.com 802.595.0657

4t-Storyworkz011824 1

1/12/24 11:16 AM

17 of its musicians. Made up of local players who hold down a variety of day jobs, from teaching to maple sugar making, the band is going as strong as ever — it even includes some members who’ve been swinging since its very first show 48 years ago. The ensemble hits the stage at Zenbarn in Waterbury Center on Sunday, January 21.

Laugh Local VT Comedy Open Mic Night (comedy) at the Den, Williamstown, 7 p.m. Free.

Karaoke Night (karaoke) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 9 p.m.

Free.

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

Trivia (trivia) at Highland Lodge, Greensboro, 7 p.m. Free.

Whale Tales: An Evening of Comedic Storytelling (comedy) at Club Metronome, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

trivia, karaoke, etc.

WED.17

4Qs Trivia Night (trivia) at Four Quarters Brewing, Winooski, 6 p.m. Free.

Karaoke Night (karaoke) at Drink, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

Trivia Night (trivia) at Stone Corral, Richmond, 7 p.m. Free.

Venetian Trivia Night (trivia) at the Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

THU.18

Karaoke Night (karaoke) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. Free.

Trivia Night (trivia) at McGillicuddy’s Five Corners, Essex Junction, 6:30 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.

FRI.19

Drag Me to the Shore (drag) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 8:30 p.m. $20/$25.

Karaoke (karaoke) at McKee’s Pub & Grill, Winooski, 9 p.m. Free.

SUN.21

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

Free.

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

MON.22

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

TUE.23

Karaoke with Motorcade (karaoke) at Manhattan Pizza & Pub, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

Karaoke Tuesdays (karaoke) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

Thursday, January 25, 4PM Ira Allen Chapel & Online go.uvm.edu/mlk

Karaoke with DJ Party Bear (karaoke) at Charlie-O’s World Famous, Montpelier, 9:30 p.m.

Free.

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

Trivia Night (trivia) at the Depot, St. Albans, 7 p.m. Free.

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

Free.

Tuesday Trivia (trivia) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

WED.24

4Qs Trivia Night (trivia) at Four Quarters Brewing, Winooski, 6 p.m. Free.

Karaoke Night (karaoke) at Drink, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

Trivia Night (trivia) at Stone Corral, Richmond, 7 p.m. Free.

Venetian Trivia Night (trivia) at the Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 6 p.m.

Free. ➆

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4t-UVMengagement011724.indd 1 4t-UVMdeptEngagement(MLK)011822 1

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

57

1/10/24 1/2/23 12:04 10:04 PM AM

GOT MUSIC NEWS? MUSIC@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

music+nightlife

REVIEW this Luminous Crush, Farewell to the Rainbow Cattle Company (SELF-RELEASED, DIGITAL)

Luminous Crush are a curious case. The duo is made up of two talented, accomplished musicians, Laura Molinelli and Bay Campbell, who hit the scene with 2016’s Lumina, a masterpiece of bedroomproduced dream pop. For all the assurance of their debut, Molinelli and Campbell never really inhabited that space again, only occasionally revisiting it over the course of their next three records as folk and alt-country vibes took the central place in their sound.

Which leads us to Farewell to the Rainbow Cattle Company, perhaps Luminous Crush’s most rural-sounding collection of tunes. It’s a honky-tonk-adjacent, often swinging record full of gorgeous harmonies, sweeping pedal steel guitar and vivid lyrical imagery.

Things get off to a suitably gothic-country start with

(SELF-RELEASED, DIGITAL)

Recording an album of original jazz compositions is a praiseworthy achievement for any musician, let alone one still in their twenties. But Connor Young’s been honing his trumpet skills since he was just 12 years old. With the release of his first solo project, Flight of the Starlings, the Vermont native struts out with an offering that sounds beyond his years and should establish him as one of the area’s leading jazz visionaries.

Self-released in December, the nine tracks take shape mostly in the bebop form and provide a framework for cool improvisation. Young deftly emulates some of the legendary jazz trumpeters who came before him, displaying his own touch of grace and subtly incorporating sounds from outside the genre.

The title piece sets a modern tone, billowing with allure before taking flight on Young’s tireless gale to become the first of numerous intricate feats on the album. But on most of these thoughtful and ambitious arrangements — some are robust in duration as well as sound — seasoned listeners will hear him and his mates paying remarkable tribute to the jazz of years past.

Winsome and refined, the album showcases other outstanding musicians from or now living in the Burlington area, each with their own impressive résumé. Young is joined by drummer Geza Carr, upright bassist John Rivers, pianist Michael Hartigan, cellist John Dunlop, violist Matt LaRocca, and violinists Brooke Quiggins Saulnier and Laura Markowitz.

As they range from the casual stroll of “Late Notice” to the feisty swing of the first single, “Red Light,” to the warm and meandering “Sundaze,” these compositions find the time and space to highlight the talents of each instrumentalist.

The recording closes with one of its more experimental endeavors. On “Whale Song,” Young uses strings in a fascinating design that drifts underneath some of the trumpeter’s most vivid and singular notes of the entire album.

Flight of the Starlings was recorded and mixed in the Old North End at Tank Recording Studio under the care of Ben Collette, one of Burlington’s most respected sound engineers. Fred Kevorkian, a veteran of the field who’s worked with a list of stars, mastered it in Brooklyn.

Before the album came to be, Young learned from a host of esteemed teachers and players as a jazz performance student at McGill University in Montréal.

Since graduating in 2018, he’s played with various

GET YOUR MUSIC REVIEWED: 58

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

Luminous Crush put their signature on the genre, adding horns and lap steel to give the song an even more dreamlike feel. “Saturday is two years to the day / I became once again my secret name / Saturday is two years to the day / I became once again my one true name,” sings Campbell, who recently transitioned to they/them pronouns and the first name Bay, having been credited by a different name on previous Luminous Crush albums.

“So Brave” is a standout blast of fuzzed-out indie rock, a pop thrust right in the middle of the record that does anything but interrupt the flow. When Molinelli and Campbell hit the “ba da ba ba” in the chorus and Campbell’s electric guitar soars, Luminous Crush embody their name, all but glowing with melody.

Farewell to the Rainbow Cattle Company is another triumph for the southern Vermont band, an evolving record that attests to the songwriting power and vocal mastery of one of the area’s most interesting acts. The album is streaming now at luminouscrush.bandcamp. com. Luminous Crush play Bronwyn-on-Battenkill in Arlington on Sunday, February 4.

CHRIS FARNSWORTH COURTESY OF BEN COLLINS

Connor Young, Flight of the Starlings

“Be Soon,” a wistful, moonlit track showcasing Molinelli and Campbell’s ability to intertwine their voices. They ease into the country rock of “Universal Clues,” on which Molinelli takes the lead. “Now we’re going away and we’re trying to stay / And we sin to win and we refuse to lose / The door is locked and we force the key / And we don’t pay our dues to the universal clues,” she sings.

Molinelli, a product of the New York City ’90s folk scene who moved to Jamaica, Vt., has an inviting warmth to her voice. She’s so evenly matched with Campbell’s often hushed, intimate vocal delivery that it sounds almost strange when either one sings without the other’s harmony.

While folk and country are embedded in the album’s DNA, shades of indie pop appear on “No Reciprocity,” and the duo flirts with doo-wop on “Don’t Fall in Love With an Angel,” a tune that showcases Bill Conley’s keening pedal steel.

“Saturday” channels the sort of pastoral folk you might hear on a Richard Thompson record. But

Connor Young

outfits based in Vermont or elsewhere in New England, such as Brickdrop, George Walker Petit, Kat Wright and Ray Vega — one of his first teachers. He also performs sets with his own trio and quartet.

With this sophisticated and thoughtful collection of songs, Young has put himself on track to build a repertoire of the same kind of music he studied with a passion in Québec and fell in love with years earlier as a teenager.

Flight of the Starlings is streaming on Spotify.

CASEY RYAN VOCK

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

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SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

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calendar J A N U A R Y

WED.17 business

QUEEN CITY BUSINESS NETWORKING INTERNATIONAL GROUP: Savvy businesspeople make crucial contacts at a weekly chapter meeting.

Burlington City Arts, 11:15 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 829-5066.

crafts

SOULCOLLAGE: WHAT’S YOUR SUPERPOWER?: Topaz Weis teaches students how to cut and paste a self-affirming art piece. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

YARN CRAFTERS GROUP: A drop-in meetup welcomes knitters, crocheters, spinners, weavers and beyond. BYO snacks and drinks. Must Love Yarn, Shelburne, 5-7 p.m. Free.

Info, 448-3780.

dance

DANCE ALUMNI LUNCH: Jessica Lee of the class of 2013 describes her postgrad dance career. Lower Lobby, Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, 12:30-1:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 443-2808.

1 7 - 2 4 ,

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fairs & festivals

for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

film

‘GREAT WHITE SHARK 3D’: Viewers learn the true story behind one of our most iconic — and misunderstood — predators. 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.

VERMONT BURLESQUE FESTIVAL: Vermont’s vaudeville community comes together for five days of performances, classes and parties celebrating the institution’s 12th anniversary.

See vermontburlesquefestival. com for full schedule. Various Barre and Burlington locations, 5:30-8 p.m. Prices vary. Info, 276-6362.

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

ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN FILM SERIES: ‘ALICE STREET’: A 2020 documentary follows the efforts of an Oakland community to safeguard an important mural from the threat of gentrification. Virtual option available.

Burlington City Hall Auditorium, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, 865-7166.

‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: Sparkling graphics take viewers on a journey into the weird, wide world of mushrooms, which we are only just beginning to understand.

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

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

‘NABUCCO’: Biblical stories are the basis of Giuseppe Verdi’s opera, filmed at the Metropolitan Opera and broadcast on the big screen. Catamount Arts Center, St. Johnsbury, 11 a.m. $16-25.

Info, 748-2600.

‘OCEANS: OUR BLUE PLANET 3D’: Scientists dive into the planet’s least-explored habitat, from its sunny shallows to its alien depths. 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.

RICK WINSTON: Drawing on 12 movie clips, the local film historian illuminates the arc of Alfred Hitchcock’s brilliant career. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Free. Info, 223-3338.

‘TINY GIANTS 3D’: Through the power of special cameras, audiences are transported into the world of the teeniest animals on Earth. 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.

food & drink

COOK THE BOOK: Home chefs make a pot of soup to swap or a loaf of bread to allocate at a potluck. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, noon-1 p.m.

Free. Info, 878-4918.

WHAT’S THAT WINE WEDNESDAYS: Aspiring sommeliers blind-taste four wines from Vermont and beyond. Shelburne Vineyard, noon-6 p.m. $15. Info, 985-8222.

games

PUZZLE SWAP: Participants bring completed puzzles in a ziplock bag with an image of the puzzle and swap for a new one.

South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 2:30-5 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

VIRTUAL VERMONT TRIVIA: VERMONT PLACES: History buffs bust out their knowledge of the Green Mountain State’s past. Courtesy of the Vermont Historical Society.

7-8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 828-1414.

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.

language

BEGINNER IRISH LANGUAGE CLASS: Celtic-curious students learn to speak an Ghaeilge in a supportive group. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, noon-1 p.m.

Free. Info, 863-3403.

ELL CLASSES: ENGLISH FOR BEGINNERS & INTERMEDIATE STUDENTS: Learners of all abilities practice written and spoken English with trained instructors. Presented by Fletcher Free Library. 6:30-8 p.m.

Free; preregister. Info, bshatara@ burlingtonvt.gov.

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.

music LIST YOUR UPCOMING EVENT HERE FOR FREE! All submissions must be received by Thursday at noon for consideration in the following Wednesday’s newspaper.

Find our convenient form and guidelines at sevendaysvt.com/postevent.

Listings and spotlights are written by 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.

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SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

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

FARMERS NIGHT: ‘TURN THE WORLD AROUND’: Vocal ensemble Counterpoint kick off a new season of this beloved series with a cappella folk songs and American Songbook favorites.

House Chamber, Vermont Statehouse, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m.

Free. Info, 828-0749.

film

outdoors

FIND MORE LOCAL EVENTS IN THIS ISSUE AND ONLINE: art

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

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

= ONLINE EVENT

SAM BRAKELEY: Green Mountain Club hosts this hiker’s presentation on his 900-mile tramp across the entire length of New Zealand’s South Island. Still North Books & Bar, Hanover, N.H., 7-8 p.m. Free.

Info, 244-7037.

seminars

ECOGATHERINGS: Sterling College hosts online learning sessions digging into big ideas such as joy, rage, climate change, mutual aid, food and art.

See ce.sterlingcollege.edu for upcoming topics. 6-7:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, ecogather@ sterlingcollege.edu.

sports

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

talks

THE SECRETS OF RETIREMENT INCOME: Experts from around the country discourse on how Vermonters can face the challenges of saving for retirement.

South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 6 p.m. Free. Info, 825-1976.

tech

RECORDING AUDIO: Attendees learn how to capture the best possible sound. The Media Factory, Burlington, 6-8 p.m. Free; donations accepted; preregister.

Info, gin@mediafactory.org.

THU.18 business

HIRING2DAYVT VIRTUAL JOB FAIR: Job seekers get a chance to meet with employers from around the state, thanks to the Vermont Department of Labor. 11 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 828-4000.

crafts

KNIT FOR YOUR NEIGHBOR: All ages and abilities are invited to knit or crochet hats and scarves for the South Burlington Food Shelf. All materials are provided.

South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 2-5 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

KNITTING GROUP: Knitters of all experience levels get together to spin yarns. Latham Library, Thetford, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 785-4361.

fairs & festivals

VERMONT BURLESQUE FESTIVAL: See WED.17, 6:30-9 p.m.

film

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

ESSENTIALS OF CAMERA OPERATION: Aspiring photographers and cinematographers learn how to shoot like the pros.

The Media Factory, Burlington, 6-8 p.m. Free; donations accepted; preregister. Info, 651-9692.

‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: See WED.17.

‘GREAT WHITE SHARK 3D’: See WED.17.

‘OCEANS: OUR BLUE PLANET 3D’: See WED.17.

‘TINY GIANTS 3D’: See WED.17.

food & drink

ARE YOU THIRSTY, NEIGHBOR?: A special discount cocktail menu sparks conversations and connections over cribbage and cards.

Wild Hart Distillery and Tasting Room, Shelburne, 3-8 p.m. Free.

Info, info@wildhartdistillery.com.

FREE WINE TASTING: Themed wine tastings take oenophiles on an adventure through a region, grape variety, style of wine or producer’s offerings. Dedalus Wine Shop, Market & Wine Bar, Burlington, 4-7 p.m. Free. Info, 865-2368.

games

CHESS FOR ALL: All skill levels are welcome at this weekly game session. Cobleigh Public Library, Lyndonville, 6:30-9 p.m. Free.

Info, 626-5475.

DUPLICATE BRIDGE: A lively group plays a classic, tricky game with an extra wrinkle. Waterbury Public Library, 12:30-4:30 p.m.

Free. Info, 244-7223.

language

ITALIAN CONVERSATION GROUP: Semi-fluent speakers practice their skills during a conversazione with others. Best for those who can speak at least basic sentences. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, noon-1 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

music

BRADFORD BRINGALONG SINGALONGS: Locals bring their friends, a brown bag dinner and their voices to a joyful community jam. Bradford Academy, 5:45 p.m.

Free. Info, jennifer@dandjmusic. com.

seminars

MERCY CONNECTIONS: LUNCH & REGISTRATION EVENT: Community members learn about and sign up for free programs in English learning, citizenship preparation, starting a small business and personal growth. Mercy Connections, Burlington, noon-2 p.m. Free. Info, 846-7338.

talks

MARIESSA DOBRICK: True crime gets a historical twist when this archivist tells the harrowing story of the 1914 murder of Henry Wiggins and Vermont’s first execution by electric chair. Presented by Vermont Historical Society. Noon.

Free; preregister. Info, 479-8500.

words

BOOK DISCUSSION: Readers enjoy Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer.

ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 6:30-8 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

INQUISITIVE READERS BOOK CLUB: Bookworms dig into a THU.18

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LIST YOUR EVENT FOR FREE AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTEVENT

MON.22

FAMILY FUN

burlington

STORIES WITH SHANNON: Bookworms ages 2 through 5 enjoy fun-filled reading time. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

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.

chittenden county

TEEN NIGHT: ‘HARRY POTTER’ MOVIE NIGHT: See WED.17.

barre/montpelier

POKÉMON CLUB: I choose you, Pikachu!

Fans of the franchise — and beginners, too — trade cards and play games outside at the picnic tables. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 3:30-5 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

WED.17

burlington

LEGO TIME AT THE NNE BRANCH: Kids ages 4 through 11 build blocky creations at the library’s new location. Fletcher Free Library New North End Branch, Burlington, 11 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 863-3403.

STEAM SPACE: Kids explore science, technology, engineering, art and math activities. Ages 5 through 11. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Free. Info, 863-3403.

TODDLER TIME: Librarians bring out books, rhymes and songs specially selected for young ones 12 through 24 months.

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

chittenden county

BABYTIME: Caregivers and infants from birth through age 1 gather to explore board books and toys. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 10:30-11 a.m.

Free. Info, 846-4140.

GAME ON: Kids and teens get together to play video games such as Mario Kart and Overcooked on the library’s Nintendo Switches. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

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: ‘HARRY POTTER’ MOVIE NIGHT: Fantasy fans ages 12 and up break out the popcorn for a flick in this fun franchise. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 5 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

TINKER TIME: KNIT A HAT: A loom helps little crafters make headgear for staying warm — and they get to keep the loom.

Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

JAN. 18 | FAMILY FUN The Flynn, Burlington, 5:30 p.m. $25-45.

Info, 863-5966.

GROW PRESCHOOL YOGA: Colleen from Grow Prenatal and Family Yoga leads little ones in songs, movement and other fun activities. Ages 2 through 5. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11:30 a.m.-noon.

Free. Info, 863-3403.

chittenden county

INAUGURAL CVU EMPTY BOWLS DINNER: A lavish feast of homemade soups, served in dishes handcrafted by high schoolers, raises funds for the Hinesburg Food Shelf.

See calendar spotlight. Champlain Valley Union High School, Hinesburg, 6 p.m. $1020. Info, 482-7194.

KIDS BOOK CLUB FOR GRADES K-2 AND THEIR PARENTS: Little bookworms and their caregivers learn to love reading together through sharing, crafts and writing activities. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 4-5 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, nliuzzi@southburlingtonvt.gov.

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.

Bowled Over Champlain Valley Union High School invites community members to slurp selflessly at its inaugural Empty Bowls Dinner. Organized

by CVU student and prolific potter Teryn Hytten, this bountiful buffet benefits the Hinesburg Food Shelf. Guests select a ceramic bowl — lovingly handmade at the CVU pottery studio — and dig their spoons into a delightful array of soups, accompanied by bread donated from local bakeries and ice cream from Shelburne’s Sisters of Anarchy. The evening also includes a silent auction, live music by CVU students and talks by experts on food insecurity.

INAUGURAL CVU EMPTY BOWLS DINNER Thursday, January 18, 6-8 p.m., at Champlain Valley Union High School in Hinesburg. $10-20. Info, 482-7194, cvsdvt.ce.eleyo.com. week. Morristown Centennial Library, Morrisville, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 888-3853.

mad river valley/ waterbury

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: Games, activities, stories and songs engage 3- through 5-year-olds. Waterbury Public Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

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.

FRI.19

CHESS CLUB: Youngsters of all skill levels get one-on-one lessons at the School St. picnic tables. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 3:30-5 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

STORY TIME: Little ones from birth through age 5 learn from songs, crafts and picture books. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 10-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

TEEN ADVISORY GROUP: Teenagers meet new friends over pizza and take an active role in their local library. Grades 6 through 12. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 5:306:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

mad river valley/ waterbury

barre/montpelier

upper valley

barre/montpelier

TEEN HANGOUT: Middle and high schoolers make friends at a no-pressure meetup. Waterbury Public Library, 3-6 p.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

THU.18

burlington

DINOSAUR WORLD LIVE: Impressive puppeteers animate remarkably lifelike tyrannosaurs, raptors and triceratops.

chittenden county

FUSE BEADS: Youngsters make pictures out of colorful, meltable doodads.

Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 3:30-5 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

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

TAMIL STORY TIME: Preschoolers sing and listen to stories in this South Asian language with librarian Paaru. KelloggHubbard Library, Montpelier, 10:30 a.m.

Free. Info, 223-3338.

SAT.20

stowe/smuggs

WEE ONES PLAY TIME: Caregivers bring kiddos 3 and younger to a new sensory learning experience each

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.

MARTIAL ARTS FOR KIDS: AIKIDO AND THE WAY OF HARMONY: Kids ages 7 through 17 are introduced to smooth moves for relaxation and increasing core power and resiliency. Aikido of Champlain Valley, Burlington, 9:30-10:30 a.m. Free.

Info, 951-8900.

MELINDA MOULTON: The local businesswoman and author launches her new picture book, Bobby Blue. Black Box Theater, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 6-8 p.m. Free.

Info, 316-6666.

chittenden county

TEEN BOARD GAMES: Countless board games are on the menu at this drop-in meetup for players in grades 6 through 12. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 2-3 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

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 and printmaking to collage and sculpture, creative kids explore different projects and mediums. 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.

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: Little ones enjoy a cozy session of reading, rhyming and singing. Birth through age 5. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:3011 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

WED.24

burlington

STEAM SPACE: See WED.17.

TODDLER TIME: See WED.17.

chittenden county BABYTIME: See WED.17.

COMICS CLUB: Graphic novel and manga fans in third through fifth grades meet to discuss current reads and do fun activities together. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3-4 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

GAME ON: See WED.17.

PLAY TIME: See WED.17.

READ TO A DOG!: Kids of all ages sign up for a 10-minute time slot to tell stories to Emma the therapy pup. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 4-5 p.m. Free; preregister; limited space. Info, 846-4140.

barre/montpelier CHESS CLUB: See WED.17.

mad river valley/ waterbury

CEDAR PRUITT: Owl-themed activities follow an author’s reading of her picture book Fire Flight: A Wildfire Escape.

Inklings Children’s Books, Waitsfield, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 496-7280.

middlebury area

TUE.23

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 9 through 11.

Waterbury Public Library, 3-4 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 244-7036. K

HOCUS POCUS MAGIC SHOW: Blaine Goad brings his formidable supernatural skills to an all-ages matinee. Vergennes Opera House, 2-3:30 p.m. $5-10. Info, 877-6737.

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

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new horizon-expanding tome each month. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 6-7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, henningsmh@ yahoo.com.

VIRTUAL POETRY OPEN MIC: Wordsmiths read their work at an evening with local performance poet Bianca Amira Zanella. Presented by Phoenix Books. 7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 855-8078.

food & drink

dance

BURLINGTON WINTER FARMERS MARKET: Dozens of seasonal stands overflow with produce, artisanal wares and prepared foods. Burlington Beer, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 560-5904.

BARNARTS COMMUNITY CONTRA DANCE: Fueled by a potluck dinner, hoofers put their best foot forward when following calls by Kevin Donohue. Barnard Town Hall, 6-9:30 p.m. Free. Info, 234-1645.

fairs & festivals

VERMONT BURLESQUE FESTIVAL: See WED.17, 6-11:30 p.m.

film

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

‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: See WED.17.

‘GREAT WHITE SHARK 3D’: See WED.17.

‘OCEANS: OUR BLUE PLANET 3D’: See WED.17.

‘TINY GIANTS 3D’: See WED.17.

JAN. 20 & 21 | FAIRS & FESTIVALS games

MAH-JONGG: Tile traders of all experience levels gather for a game. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 1-3 p.m. Free.

Info, 878-4918.

health & fitness

GUIDED MEDITATION ONLINE: Dorothy Alling Memorial Library invites attendees to relax on their lunch breaks and reconnect with their bodies. Noon-12:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, programs@ damlvt.org.

lgbtq

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 62

SNOWDANCE FILM SOIREE: Dressed in their Hollywoodmeets-Vermont best, cinephiles make a grand entrance into this glamorous gala featuring short films, warm nosh, live music, specialty cocktails and a silent auction. Billings Farm & Museum, Woodstock, 5:30-8 p.m. $125; preregister. Info, 457-2355.

‘TINY GIANTS 3D’: See WED.17.

FRI.19

YANKEE SPORTSMAN’S CLASSIC: Hunting and fishing enthusiasts browse the wares of countless exhibitors during three days of seminars, demos, talks and more.

Champlain Valley Exposition, Essex Junction, 2-6 p.m. $513; free for kids under 3. Info, 238-7501.

Oakland NAACP activist Kareem Weaver’s efforts to help. Ohavi Zedek Synagogue, Burlington, 5:45-7:45 p.m. Free; preregister.

Info, 864-0218, ext. 801.

RPG NIGHT: Members of the LGBTQ community gather weekly to play games such as Dungeons & Dragons and Everway. Rainbow Bridge Community Center, Barre, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, 622-0692.

music

FRIDAY NIGHT PIANO: A performance of piano rolls from the from the 1900s through the present — and from ABBA to Led Zeppelin — entertains as audiences eat snacks around the firepit.

Main Street Museum, White River Junction, 5-10 p.m. Free. Info, info@mainstreetmuseum.org.

LARRY HAMBERLIN: A professor emeritus of music gives a preshow talk before the Tákacs Quartet concert. Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, 6:15-7 p.m. Free. Info, 443-6433.

LONNIE HOLLEY: The improvisational musician and artist takes the stage alongside Afrofuturist collective Mourning [A] BLKstar.

Live stream available. Next Stage Arts Project, Putney, 7:30 p.m. $10-25; cash bar. Info, 451-0053.

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

TAKÁCS QUARTET: The legendary string quartet queues up six works by Béla Bartók for a night of invigorating classical music.

Robison Concert Hall, Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, 7:30-9:30 p.m. $5-25. Info, 443-6433.

TED PERRY EP RELEASE SHOW: The composer and pianist launches his latest original record, Beneath a Cobalt Sky, with an evening of live performances.

Black Box Theater, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 7:30-9 p.m. $10. Info, jess@uptop.group.

THE TENDERBELLIES: Bluegrass tunes get toes a-tappin’ at this bold, brazen show. Enosburg Opera House, Enosburg Falls, 7 p.m. $12. Info, 933-6171.

tech

MORNING TECH HELP: Experts answer questions about phones, laptops, e-readers and more in one-on-one sessions. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Free; preregister. Info, 846-4140.

theater

‘WE’RE ONLY ALIVE FOR A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME’: David Cale’s one-man musical tells the story of family tragedy and survival through song. The Flynn, Burlington, 7 p.m. $20. Info, 863-5966.

SAT.20 crafts

ZINE MAKING WORKSHOP: Kason Hudman of the PJC shares the history and technique behind this art form combining collage, writing and printing. Peace &

A Purrfect Purrformance Dogs may have to run and spin to win best in show, but cats? Cats just have to show up as their sublime selves. Kitties compete for the coveted title at the Vermont Fancy Felines’ Cat Show, the Green Mountain State’s annual celebration of princely pets. More than 30 breeds enter the judging ring in a nail-biting (or couch-scratching, that is) tournament, and audiences of all ages enjoy two cat parades per day and a vendors’ market featuring gifts for cats and humans. Don’t worry, kids: Many of the competitors are available for petting, and the first 50 youngsters in attendance receive a kitty coloring book.

CAT SHOW Saturday, January 20, and Sunday, January 21, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., at DoubleTree by Hilton in South Burlington. $7-10; free for kids under 5. Info, envycats21@yahoo.ca.

Justice Center, Burlington, 1 p.m.

Free. Info, 863-2345.

dance

APPLE TREE WASSAIL & COMMUNITY DANCE: An English tradition dating back to the 16th century features singing, barn dances and a music jam led by Revels North. Hulbert Outdoor Center, Fairlee, 3-6 p.m. $8-100.

Info, 603-558-7894.

MONTPELIER CONTRA DANCE: Dancers balance, shadow and dosi-do the night away to live tunes by the Gaslight Tinkers. Capital City Grange, Berlin, beginners’ lesson, 7:40 p.m.; dance, 8-11 p.m. $5-20. Info, 225-8921.

fairs & festivals

CAT SHOW: Kitties compete for best in show at this festival of fluff. See calendar spotlight.

DoubleTree by Hilton, South Burlington, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $10.

Info, envycats21@yahoo.ca.

VERMONT BURLESQUE FESTIVAL: See WED.17, 7:30-midnight.

YANKEE SPORTSMAN’S CLASSIC: See FRI.19, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

film

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

‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: See WED.17.

‘GREAT WHITE SHARK 3D’: See WED.17.

‘OCEANS: OUR BLUE PLANET 3D’: See WED.17.

‘THE RIGHT TO READ’: A panel discussion follows the screening of this new documentary about America’s literacy problems and

COOKING FOR THE CHINESE NEW YEAR: Foodies ages 13 and up make jiaozi dumplings and sweet sesame balls to ring in the year of the dragon. Faith United Methodist Church, South Burlington, 1:30-3:30 p.m. Free.

Info, 846-4140.

ETHIOPIAN & ERITREAN CUISINE TAKEOUT: Foodies from the Old North End and beyond sample Mulu Tewelde’s spicy, savory, succulent meals. Vegetarian options available; bring your own bag. O.N.E. Community Center, Burlington, 4 p.m. $23; preregister. Info, tewmlde@yahoo.com.

games

BEGINNER DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: Waterbury Public Library game master Evan Hoffman gathers novices and veterans alike for an afternoon of virtual adventuring. Teens and adults welcome. Noon-4 p.m.

Free. Info, 244-7036.

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.

health & fitness

COMMUNITY YOGA CLASS: An all-levels session offers a weekly opportunity to relax the mind and rejuvenate the body. Wise Pines, Woodstock, 10-11 a.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 432-3126.

lgbtq

PRIDE HIKES: SHELBURNE BAY STATE PARK: All ages, orientations and identities are welcome to experience a snowy stomp through the woods along the bay, spotting waterfowl along the way.

Shelburne Bay Park, 1-3 p.m. Free.

Info, sarah.hooghuis@audubon. org.

STRENGTH IN UNITY: Women and LGBTQ folks get the gym and the pool to themselves. Greater Burlington YMCA, Burlington, 6:30-8:30 p.m. $5; free for members. Info, 860-7812.

music

CAMILLE THURMAN WITH THE DARRELL GREEN QUARTET: The acclaimed vocalist, tenor

LIST YOUR EVENT FOR FREE AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTEVENT

saxophonist and flutist jazzes it up. Vermont Jazz Center, Brattleboro, 7:30 p.m. $26-61.

Info, 254-9088.

donation. Info, info@mainstreet museum.org.

HOGBACK HOLLOW: An Addison County acoustic trio plays Americana classics and originals.

Shelburne Vineyard, 6-8 p.m.

Free. Info, 985-8222.

*SNAP* STORIES: Five solo performers present one-person acts incorporating dance, music, spoken word, storytelling and theater. Flynn Space, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 863-5966.

MIDDLEBURY ON BROADWAY!: Music Department voice students present a lively evening of Broadway solos, duets and ensembles. Robison Concert Hall, Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, 7:30-9 p.m. Free. Info, 443-5000.

THE Y LIE: Ukulele tunes get an eclectic, electronic makeover at this multimedia power-pop show.

Main Street Museum, White River Junction, 7 p.m. $10 suggested

Virtual option available.

Waterbury Public Library, 10 a.m.noon. Free; preregister. Info, judi@ waterburypubliclibrary.com.

theater

words

SUN.21

community

KEN LIBERTOFF: The former director of the Vermont Association for Mental Health celebrates the release of his memoir, Snapshots of a Life: Essays. Christ Episcopal Church, Montpelier, 10:30 a.m. Free.

Info, info@rootstockpublishing.com.

WRITERS’ WERTFREI: Authors both fledgling and published gather to share their work in a judgment-free environment.

COMMUNITY CARE DAY: Volunteers hand out food, clothing and other necessities to community members in need.

Rainbow Bridge Community Center, Barre, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free.

Info, 622-0692.

crafts

YARN CRAFTERS GROUP: See WED.17, 1-3 p.m.

etc.

2024 VWA RUTLAND REGIONAL BRIDAL SHOW: Local matrimony professionals put their wares and services on display for engaged couples and their wedding parties. The Brandon Inn, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. $8.50; preregister.

Info, 459-2897.

fairs & festivals CAT SHOW: See SAT.20.

VERMONT BURLESQUE FESTIVAL: See WED.17, 8 a.m.

YANKEE SPORTSMAN’S CLASSIC: See FRI.19, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

film

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

‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: See WED.17.

‘GREAT WHITE SHARK 3D’: See WED.17.

‘OCEANS: OUR BLUE PLANET 3D’: See WED.17.

‘TINY GIANTS 3D’: See WED.17.

food & drink

WINOOSKI WINTER FARMERS MARKET: Families shop for meat pies, honey, kimchi, bread and prepared foods from more local vendors at an indoor marketplace. O’Brien Community Center, Winooski, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free.

Info, farmersmarket@downtown winooski.org.

health & fitness

KARUNA COMMUNITY MEDITATION: A YEAR TO LIVE (FULLY): Participants practice keeping joy, generosity and gratitude at the forefront of their

Feel the Warmth of a Winter Stay Our beautiful, cozy community is brimming with activity, culture, entertainment and fun - with just the right amount of care. Bid the snow shovel goodbye, and leave the winter worries behind.

Middlebury | 802-231-3645

S. Burlington | 802-489-7627

minds. Jenna’s House, Johnson, 10-11:15 a.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, mollyzapp@live.com.

holidays

TU BISHVAT: BIRTHDAY OF THE TREES CELEBRATION: Living Tree Alliance honors this Jewish holiday with a day of snowshoe treks, family programs and all-ages music. Dress warmly and bring food to share. Living Tree Alliance, Moretown, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. $10-110; preregister. Info, 603-387-8697.

music

JOE CROOKSTON: An acclaimed folk artist brings infectious rhythms and tuneful fiddling to the stage. Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Upper SUN.21

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Valley, Norwich, 4 p.m. $20. Info, 649-8828.

PAUL ASBELL: The veteran bluesman serenades concertgoers with his steel-string strains. Westford Common Hall, 4 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 363-0930.

The Play’s the Thing

JAN. 21 | THEATER

talks

THEA LEWIS: The local author, historian and tour guide gives a talk called “Stories That Shaped Us: Tales of Vermont’s Queen City,” filled with mystery, tragedy and humor. Ethan Allen Homestead Museum, Burlington, 2-3 p.m.

Free. Info, 865-4556.

Theater lovers attend an all-you-can-eat buffet at Bennington Theater’s Power and Love, a smorgasbord of six work-in-progress plays by five playwrights. A small group of actors cycles through wildly different roles in these short nuggets of theater magic. On the menu are “Can’t Take That Away” by Stephanie Phelan, “Coffee With the Boss” by Michael Brady, “Giving” by Max Rissman, and “Shoes” and “About the Author” by Sky Vogel. Of particular interest to southern Vermonters may be “Bridge Theory,” by local student Addie Lentzner, which tells the story of the life and death of Thierry Heuga, a Bennington homeless man who died in February 2020.

theater

‘POWER AND LOVE’

TAKÁCS QUARTET: See FRI.19, 2-4 p.m.

Sunday, January 21, 2 p.m., at Bennington Theater.

Free; donations accepted. Info, 500-5500.

PAPER MACHE MASS: Bread & Puppet welcomes audiences to the church of leftist pageantry. Bread and Puppet Theater, Glover, 3 p.m.; 1 p.m., rehearsal for anyone who wants to participate.

Free; donations accepted. Info, 525-3031.

regardless of what program you use. The Media Factory, Burlington, 6-8 p.m. Free; donations accepted; preregister. Info, 651-9692.

‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: See WED.17.

‘POWER AND LOVE’: A small group of actors cycles through wildly different roles to stage six work-in-progress plays by five playwrights. Bennington Theater, 2 p.m. Free. Info, 500-5500.

Thierry Heuga

words

*SNAP* STORY SLAM: Anyone can tell a five-minute story at this open mic closing out the inaugural *snap* First Person Arts Festival. Flynn Space, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free. Info, 863-5966.

MON.22 crafts

COMMUNITY CRAFTERNOON: Locals bring their own project to work on or join in a group craft. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 4:30-6 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

film

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

‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: See WED.17.

‘GREAT WHITE SHARK 3D’: See WED.17.

MONDAY MOVIE MYSTERY CLUB: Audiences don’t know which cult classic they’re about to watch at this monthly screening series.

Spiral House Art Collective, Burlington, 7-9 p.m. $5 suggested donation. Info, colleengoodhue@ gmail.com.

‘OCEANS: OUR BLUE PLANET 3D’: See WED.17.

‘TINY GIANTS 3D’: See WED.17.

games

MONDAY NIGHT GAMES: Discounted wine by the glass fuels an evening of friendly competition featuring new and classic board games, card games and

64

cribbage. Shelburne Vineyard, 4-7 p.m. Free. Info, 985-8222.

language

ENGLISH CONVERSATION CIRCLE: Locals learning English as a second language gather in the Digital Lab to build vocabulary and make friends. ADA accessible.

South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, noon-1 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

politics

LEGISLATIVE FORUM: State representatives discuss the upcoming session with their constituents. Virtual option available.

ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 6-8 p.m.

Free. Info, 846-4140.

words

ITALIAN BOOK CLUB: Intermediate-level Italian speakers and readers meet to discuss La Libreria Sulla Collina by Alba Donati. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 10:15-11:15 a.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

TUE.23

community

CURRENT EVENTS DISCUSSION GROUP: Brownell Library holds a virtual roundtable for neighbors to pause and reflect on the news cycle.

10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6955.

dance

SWING DANCING: Local Lindy hoppers and jitterbuggers

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

convene at Vermont Swings’ weekly boogie-down. Bring clean shoes. Champlain Club, Burlington, beginner lessons, 6:30 p.m.; dance, 7:30-9 p.m.; $5.

Info, 864-8382.

film

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

‘CABARET’: Liza Minnelli stars in Bob Fosse’s 1972 Academy Award-winning musical drama about a vaudeville performer in Berlin amid the rise of the Nazi party. Film House, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free. Info, mariah@mainstreetlanding.com.

‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: See WED.17.

‘GREAT WHITE SHARK 3D’: See WED.17.

‘OCEANS: OUR BLUE PLANET 3D’: See WED.17.

‘TINY GIANTS 3D’: See WED.17.

language

PAUSE-CAFÉ FRENCH CONVERSATION: Francophones and French-language learners meet pour parler la belle langue.

Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 5-6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 343-5493.

seminars

VHS VIRTUAL ROUNDTABLE: STORYTELLING AND PUBLISHING: The Vermont Historical Society and the League of Local Historical Societies & Museums lead a lunchtime discussion of best practices for

museum educators. Noon-1 p.m.

Free; preregister. Info, 828-1414.

words

BURLINGTON LITERATURE GROUP: ROBERTO BOLAÑO: Readers analyze the novel Distant Star over two weeks.

6:30-8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, info@nereadersandwriters.com.

POETRY GROUP: A supportive drop-in group welcomes those who would like to share and listen to poetry. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 11 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 846-4140.

‘GREAT WHITE SHARK 3D’: See WED.17.

‘MARIUPOL: THE PEOPLE’S STORY’: This award-winning 2023 BBC documentary tells the stories of the residents of a once-thriving Ukrainian city that has become a war zone. Axinn Center 232, Middlebury, 4:30-6:30 p.m. Free.

Info, 443-3190.

‘OCEANS: OUR BLUE PLANET 3D’: See WED.17.

‘TINY GIANTS 3D’: See WED.17.

food & drink

WHAT’S THAT WINE WEDNESDAYS: See WED.17.

games

VIRTUAL VERMONT TRIVIA: VERMONT WEATHER AND SEASONS: Amateur meteorologists bust out

WED.24

FOMO?

QUEEN CITY BUSINESS NETWORKING INTERNATIONAL GROUP: See WED.17.

Find even more local events in this newspaper and online:

business

community

CURRENT EVENTS: Neighbors have an informal discussion about what’s in the news. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 878-4918.

crafts

YARN CRAFTERS GROUP: See WED.17.

film

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

EDITING ESSENTIALS: Experts cover workflow and production tips that make video editing a breeze,

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

their knowledge in the hopes of advancing to the championship round. Courtesy of the Vermont Historical Society. 7-8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 828-1414.

health & fitness CHAIR YOGA: See WED.17.

language

BEGINNER IRISH LANGUAGE CLASS: See WED.17.

ELL CLASSES: ENGLISH FOR BEGINNERS & INTERMEDIATE STUDENTS: See WED.17.

outdoors

WORKING WOODLANDS: INTRODUCTION TO WILDLIFE TRACKING VIRTUAL WORKSHOP: Ed Sharron of the National Park Service teaches the basic tenets of identifying paw prints and other leavings. Noon-1 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, savannah_spannaus@partner. nps.gov.

seminars

THE MATTER OF MONEY: A financial counselor shares expertise about spending plans, loans, debt and savings.

Presented by Kellogg-Hubbard Library. 6:30-7:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 223-3338.

sports

GREEN MOUNTAIN TABLE TENNIS CLUB: See WED.17.

theater

‘CONSTELLATIONS’: Northern Stage actors sparkle in this cosmic romance about a beekeeper, a scientist and the infinite universe of possible futures their love creates. Barrette Center for the Arts, White River Junction, 7:30-9 p.m. $19-69. Info, 296-7000.

words

JEFF FRIEDMAN & BRINDA CHARRY: The acclaimed authors of Ashes in Paradise and The East Indian, respectively, read from their work. Norwich Bookstore, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 649-1114. ➆

New Nonstop Service to Florida Service to Tampa International Airport (TPA) will begin January 31, 2024 and flights to Orlando International Airport (MCO) will begin February 14, 2024 on Breeze Airways.

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SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

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CLASS PHOTOS + MORE INFO ONLINE SEVENDAYSVT.COM/CLASSES

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 FIGURE DRAWING AT SOAPBOX ARTS: Please join us for Figure Drawing, hosted by Ana Koehler of Devotion. Live nude model; short and long poses. Bring your own drawing supplies; please no wet supplies such as inks or paints.

All drawing levels welcome. Ages 18-plus. First come, first served.

Mon., Jan. 22, 6 p.m. Cost: $20.

Location: Soapbox Arts at the Soda Plant, 266 Pine St., Ste. 119, Burlington. Info: devotion.vt@ gmail.com, sevendaystickets. com.

date-night dinner that makes your beloved feel cared for and nourished. Along the way, you’ll gain the practical skills and techniques that you’ll need to become a Kitchen Casanova. Sat., May 4, 5 p.m. Cost: $150. Location: Richmond Community Kitchen, 13 Jolina Ct. Info: 802-434-3445, sevendaystickets.com.

business THE SECRETS OF RETIREMENT INCOME: This talk is open to the public. We have witnessed time and again that Vermonters nearing retirement are facing some challenges. Come hear from local experts as well as academics and professionals from around the country on the complex topic of retirement financing. Wed., Jan. 17, 6 p.m. Location: South Burlington Library, 180 Market St. Info: 802-825-1976, sevendaystickets.com.

craft CHAIR-MAKING WORKSHOPS: Make a Windsor or ladder-back chair in a weeklong workshop! I have a variety of classes in 2024; all have an emphasis on building skills with your hands and eyes and cover the fundamentals of green-wood chair making: steam-bending, hand-tool woodworking, sharpening, joinery, kiln use and construction. No previous experience necessary. Weeklong workshops, Mar.-Dec., 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Location: Eric Cannizzaro’s Shop, Charlotte. Info: 360-5281952, ericcannizzaro.com.

culinary COOKING FOR THE CHINESE NEW YEAR: Enjoy cooking for the Chinese New Year! We’ll be making jiaozi and sesame balls, watching a cooking demonstration and sampling niangao.

Come join us to cook for the New Year and pick up your copy of the book, available while supplies last. Sat., Jan. 20, 1:30 p.m. Cost: $30. Location: Brand Hall at Faith United Methodist Church, 899 Dorset St., S. Burlington, Info: 802-307-6332, sevendaystickets. com.

EFFORTLESS ROMANCE: EASY DATE NIGHT DINNER: In this hands-on class, you’ll learn how easy it can be to build a romantic

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ETHIOPIAN/ERITREAN COOKING CLASS: Learn simple techniques to prepare ethnic food that is rich in flavor. Ethiopian/Eritrean cooking relies on a diverse range of herbs and roots to develop characteristics quintessential to the cuisine. In this hands-on class, we’ll make three dishes that will be served with Injera, a spongy sourdough flatbread. Fri., Jun. 7, 6 p.m. Cost: $60. Location: Richmond Community Kitchen, 13 Jolina Ct. Info: 802-434-3445, sevendaystickets.com.

FOCACCIA ART WORKSHOP: In this workshop, you will tackle making focaccia bread dough and decorate it your own way with various herbs, veggies and cheeses. You’ll go home with an eight-inch-square pan of focaccia art and the recipe to make it again on your own at home.

Tue., Jan. 23, 6 p.m. Cost: $45.

Location: Red Poppy Cakery , 1 Elm St., Waterbury Village. Info: 203-400-0700, sevendaystickets. com.

FRENCH MACARONS 101: Learn the art and science behind making French macarons. Elizabeth will teach you how to make macaron shells, plus demonstrate how to make popular fillings. Get hands-on experience making and filling macarons and go home

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

with step-by-step instructions, including the recipe, troubleshooting guide, equipment list and approximately two dozen macarons! Sat., Apr. 13, 1 p.m.

Cost: $90. Location: Richmond Community Kitchen, 13 Jolina Ct. Info: 802-434-3445, sevendaystickets.com.

week of Feb. 19. Level 1: Wed. Level 2: Mon. Level 3: Tue. Cost: $200/1.5 hour class/week for 10 weeks. Location: Zoom. Info: 802865-9985, jasv.org/v2/language.

SWEET POTATO GNOCCHI BOLOGNESE: Join Janina for a virtual, heartwarming winter soul food class! Afterward, get the recipe to re-create the magic.

Easily adapt it to gluten-free, vegan or dairy-free. Receive detailed ingredient lists, supply needs and Zoom info via email 5-7 days before the event or within 24 hours of purchase. Thu., Feb. 1, 6 p.m. Cost: $25. Location: Online.

Info: 203-400-0700, sevendaystickets.com.

THE BASICS OF CAKE DECORATING: Learn the basics of filling, crumb-coating, getting nice smooth edges and some rosette piping. You’ll take home great new techniques plus a sixinch cake that serves 12. You can select your flavor! Gluten-free, vegan or both are available.

Please disclose allergies when registering. Thu., Jan. 18, and Fri., Mar. 22, 6 p.m. Cost: $85.

Location: Red Poppy Cakery, 1 Elm St., Waterbury Village Historic District. Info: 203-400-0700, VALENTINE’S SUGAR COOKIE DECORATING: Have you ever wanted to learn how to decorate cookies? This class is the perfect introduction to decorating cookies with royal icing. No experience necessary! You will learn how to decorate, outline and flood cookies; get the icing consistency right; and add dimensions to your cookies. Tue., Feb. 13, 6 p.m.

Cost: $65. Location: Red Poppy Cakery, 1 Elm St., Waterbury. Info: 203-400-0700, sevendaystickets. com.

family KIDSAFE COLLABORATIVE CHITTENDEN CO. LEGISLATIVE FORUM 2024: Join us to hear about and discuss current issues, concerns and legislative priorities regarding child protection; children exposed to domestic violence; and the health, safety and well-being of children, youths and families in our community.

All are welcome to join. Mon., Jan. 29, 9:30 a.m. Location: Hampton Inn, 42 Lower Mountain View Dr., Colchester. Info: 802-863-9626, sevendaystickets.com.

language JAPANESE LANGUAGE CLASSES: Interested in Japanese culture or traveling to Japan? Love learning new languages? The Japan America Society of Vermont will offer interactive, online Japanese language classes starting in February. Please join us for an introduction to speaking, listening, reading and writing Japanese, with emphasis on conversational patterns used in everyday life.

Weekly, 7-8:30 p.m., starting the

Burlington Lake Champlain. Info: sevendaystickets.com.

well-being

THEATER LAB PERFORMANCE WORKSHOP: In six weeks, participants learn how to analyze a script for its greater acting potential; apply techniques from a variety of proven acting methods; and liberate body, mind and creativity in the process. For anyone who wants to have fun and for those who are serious about upping their acting chops.

Tue. beginning Jan. 16 & ending Feb. 20, 6:30-9 p.m. Cost: $90/ for 6 weeks. Scholarships avail.

Proceeds to benefit the Grange Hall Renovation Fund. Location: Grange Hall Cultural Center, 317 Howard Ave., Waterbury Center.

Info: Monica Callan, 802-2444168, info.acrossroads@gmail. com, sevendaystickets.com.

BEGINNER’S GUIDE: NONMONOGAMY: Are you curious about the world of love and sex beyond monogamy? Then come to this nonjudgmental class on polyamory and non-monogamy for beginners! Topics include relationship types, communication, boundaries, jealousy, and establishing security with yourself and your partner(s). This class is open to all genders, sexualities and experience levels. Sun., Jan. 28.

Cost: $20 for workshop & Q&A. Location: Earth and Salt, 47 Maple St., Ste. 101, Burlington. Info: Beth Hankes, 802-316-8179, events@ earthandsaltshop.com, earthandsaltshop.com.

spirituality

martial arts AIKIDO: THE WAY OF HARMONY: Cultivate core power, aerobic fitness and resiliency. The dynamic, circular movements emphasize throws, joint locks and the development of internal energy. Inclusive training and a safe space for all. Visitors welcome! Free workshops for adults & youths. 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, 802-9518900, bpincus@burlington aikido.org, burlingtonaikido.org.

music TAIKO & DJEMBE CLASSES: Taiko, Tue. & Thu.; Djembe, Wed., starting Feb. 6. Drop-ins welcome.

Kids & Parents Taiko, Tue. & Thu., 4-5:30 p.m. Adult Intro Taiko, 5:30-7 p.m. Accelerated Taiko, 7-8:30 p.m. Drums provided.

4-week classes. World Drumming, Wed. Kids & Parents, 4-5:30 p.m.

Adult Djembe, 5:30-7 p.m. Conga Beginners, 7-8:30 p.m. Drums provided. Location: Taiko Studio, 208 Flynn Ave., Burlington. Info: Stuart, 802-999-4255, classes@ burlingtontaiko.org,

VISION BOARD FOR THE NEW YEAR WORKSHOP: In this twoweek course, you will get clear on what it is that you desire in your life and then will create a visual representation of your ideal life to enjoy long after our time together. Creating a vision board helps keep our goals in mind and aids in them becoming a reality. Wed., Jan. 17 & Jan. 24, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Cost: $70. Location: Purple Sage, 21 Essex Way, Ste. 224, Essex.

Info: celeste@divinefeminine leaders.com, sevendaystickets. com.

FACING CHANGE: LIFE’S TRANSITIONS &TRANSFORMATIONS: From the joys of births and weddings to the sorrows of death, illness and divorce to grappling with relocation, family struggles, identity issues, job changes, trauma and loss, change can leave us feeling unmoored and powerless. Facing Change is a small group experience focusing on embracing the transformative power of change.

Wed., Jan. 17 & Feb. 21, 4 p.m.

Cost: $5-$25. Location: Online.

Info: 802-825-8141, sevendays tickets.com.

LIVING WITH LOSS: A GATHERING FOR THE GRIEVING: During Living with Loss: A Gathering for the Grieving, we will explore how ritual, connection and community help us through times of loss. This gathering is an opportunity for those who have experienced loss to find connection through meditation, ritual and community sharing.

Wed., Feb. 7, 4 p.m. Cost: $5-$25.

Location: Online. Info: 802-8258141, sevendaystickets.com.

women FEMALE FOUNDERS SPEAKER SERIES: AUTHORS: Host Sam Roach-Gerber will be joined by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore, Breana Killeen and Lindsey Stoddard. These women share their unique paths to becoming authors and how they’ve approached their careers as creative entrepreneurs. Enjoy an evening that will inspire and energize.

Snacks and a cash bar are provided. All are welcome. Mon., Jan. 29, 5:30 p.m. Cost: $15. Location: Courtyard Burlington Harbor Hotel, 25 Cherry St., Burlington.

Info: sam@vcet.co, sevendays tickets.com.

performing arts BURLESQUE FESTIVAL CLASSES: The Vermont Burlesque Festival offers “teaser” classes from local Vermont businesses as well as fun introductory classes and expert classes taught by some of the best burlesque performers in the business. Offerings include classes about yoga and flexibility, shimmying, feather fans, twerking it, floor work, and boa lessons. Jan. 20. Location: Hilton

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

= TICKETED CLASS

COURTESY OF KELLY SCHULZE/MOUNTAIN DOG PHOTOGRAPHY

housing »

APARTMENTS, CONDOS & HOMES

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CARS, TRUCKS, MOTORCYCLES

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Humane

Scout & Domino AGE/SEX: 3-month-old males ARRIVAL DATE: October 1, 2023 SUMMARY: Meet Scout and Domino! These sweet, adventurous, social friends were born in our care in October, and they’re ready. Scout and Domino are brothers and best friends, and they’re looking for a home together as a bonded pair. They are currently available for adoption from an HSCC foster home. Please contact our adoption center at 802-8620135 if you’re interested in meeting them!

DOGS/CATS/KIDS: Domino and Scout have no known

Society of Chittenden County

DID YOU KNOW?

Rabbits require lots of space to hop around and jump up to have happy healthy lives! They can live free rein in a bunnyproofed room/home, in an X-pen enclosure or in a large rabbit cage. If contained, their space should always be large enough so they can hop around, and they should be let out of their pen for at least a few hours every day for exercise.

Sponsored by:

experience with dogs and cats. They have lived with children of different ages in foster homes and did well.

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.

NEW STUFF ONLINE EVERY DAY! PLACE YOUR ADS 24-7 AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM. SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

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CLASSIFIEDS on the road

CARS/TRUCKS 2010 GMC TERRAIN SLT No rust, loaded, 6-cylinder. New brakes, new rocker panels.

Inspected through Aug. Asking $5,000. Photos upon request. Call 355-4099.

housing

FOR RENT EFFICIENCY APT. Single unit, all utils. incl.

Garage space. NS, no pets or drugs. Contact 802-318-2524 for details.

FURNISHED BURLINGTON STUDIO, AVAIL. FEB. 1 Furnished studio in South End of Burlington. $1,550, incl. everything.

1 cat OK. No dogs, NS. Avail. Feb. 1. 3-mo. minimum lease/ refs. req. Text Lee, 802-578-6364 HIKE, SKI, HOMESHARE! Lovely rural home in Vergennes to share w/ active professional woman who enjoys hiking & skiing. Seeking pet lover to lend a hand letting dogs outside & outdoor chores. $550/ mo. + utils. Large BR, private BA. Call 802-863-5625 or visit homesharevermont. org for application.

Interview, refs. & background checks req.

EHO. ROOMY 3-BR AVAIL. NOW Good-size living room, 3 good-size BRs, small front porch, shared back porch. BA w/ tube shower, extra storage space. Call Joe at 802-318-8916.

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

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

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

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housing ads: $25 (25 words) legals: 52¢/word buy this stuff: free online

APT. FOR RENT 1-BR, 1 den apt. for rent in Essex Jct. Off-street parking. Tenant pays electric & heat, all else incl. (recycling, trash & plowing). Coin-op laundry. Cats negotiable, no other pets. $1,400/mo.

Sec. dep., 1-year lease.

Proof of income req.

Please respond by text only to 802-324-8183, subject line stating: apt. for rent.

1-BR APT. FOR RENT 1-BR apt. for rent in Essex Jct. Off-street parking, coin-op laundry. Cats negotiable, no other pets. $1,300/ mo. incl. all utils. Sec. dep., 1-year lease. Proof of income req. Please respond by text only to RS at 802-324-8183, subject line stating: apt. for rent.

HOUSEMATES BROOKFIELD HOMESHARE OPPORTUNITY Share rural home in Brookfield w/ beautiful views w/ friendly senior man who enjoys country music & cribbage.

Spacious home, w/ upstairs to yourself. $200/mo. toward utils. in exchange for light housekeeping & companionship. No pets, NS. Call 802863-5625 or visit homesharevermont. org for application.

Interview, refs. & background checks 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.

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

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

services: $12 (25 words) fsbos: $45 (2 weeks, 30 words, photo) jobs: michelle@sevendaysvt.com, 865-1020 x121

Lifetime warranty & professional installs.

Senior & military discounts avail. Call 1-866-370-2939. (AAN CAN)

services

ENTERTAINMENT ADVANCE COPY READER WANTED Vermont-based novelist seeks select adventurous readers for early-release editions of new books.

Post your review to your own social media!

Visit cerealnovel.com or contact jkilburn@ cerealnovel.com.

FINANCIAL/LEGAL $10K+ IN DEBT? Be debt-free in 24-48 mos. Pay a fraction of your debt. Call National Debt Relief at 844-9773935. (AAN CAN) FREE AUTO INSURANCE QUOTES For uninsured & insured drivers. Let us show you how much you can save!

Call 855-569-1909. (AAN CAN)

HEALTH/ WELLNESS DECLUTTERING & ORGANIZING Affordable, virtual, group decluttering & organizing sessions w/ a KonMari-certified organizing consultant.

Camaraderie, support, privacy, joy-sparking results. Make space for what matters to you.

Visit sparklingandstill. com for info.

PROFESSIONAL THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE THERAPY Deep tissue body work. Steamed towels/ hot packs. 30 years’ experience. Plainfield, Vt. Contact Peter Scott at 802-522-3053 or pscottmbs@gmail.com. pscottmbs.com REMOTE REIKI & ORACLE $50 remote Reiki healing & intuitive oracle sessions done by Reiki master Erica. Receive link to private YouTube audio of session. Visit belllasemporium.etsy. com to book.

BEAUTIFY YOUR HOME Get energy-efficient windows. They will increase your home’s value & decrease your energy bills. Replace all or a few! Call 844-3352217 now to get your free, no-obligation quote. (AAN CAN) DISCOVER OXYGEN THERAPY Try Inogen portable oxygen concentrators.

Free information kit. Call 866-859-0894. (AAN CAN) SHORT-TERM RENTAL STYLING Pragmatic, creative, customized solutions for STR hosts to stay competitive, elevate guest experiences, & increase bookings, ratings & profi tability w/ thoughtful, logical, beautiful, curated solutions. Visit sparklingandstill.com.

WATER DAMAGE REPAIR SERVICES If you have water damage to your home & need cleanup services, call us! We’ll get in & work w/ your insurance agency to get your home repaired & your life back to normal ASAP! Call 833-664-1530. (AAN CAN) NEVER CLEAN YOUR GUTTERS AGAIN! Affordable, professionally installed gutter guards protect your gutters & home from debris & leaves forever!

For a free quote, call 844-947-1470. (AAN CAN) NEW PET GROOMER Dirty Paws Pet Spa is opening at 4050 Williston Rd. Grooming all breeds of dogs & cats. W/ decades of experience, we will make your pet look & feel wonderful. Call 802 264 7076.

buy this stuff

HOME/GARDEN

MISCELLANEOUS

BATH & SHOWER UPDATES In as little as 1 day!

Affordable prices. No payments for 18 mo.

DIRECTV SATELLITE TV Service starting at $74.99/mo.! Free install.

160+ channels avail.

Call now to get the most

print deadline: Mondays at 3:30 p.m. post ads online 24/7 at: sevendaysvt.com/classifieds questions? classifieds@sevendaysvt.com 865-1020 x115

sports & entertainment on TV. 877-310-2472.

(AAN CAN) MALE ENHANCEMENT PILLS Bundled network of Viagra, Cialis & Levitra alternative products for a 50-pills-for-$99 promotion. Call 888531-1192. (AAN CAN).

(1528) VINTAGE CAMERAS

ONLINE AUCTION: TUES., JAN. 30 @ 10AM

1878 Cadys Falls Rd., Morrisville, VT

PET AKC GSP PUPS German shorthaired pointer pups, ready to go on Jan. 23. AKC sire Deutsch Kurzhaar.

Liver w/ bits of roan on feet & chest. Text 315-528-0729.

THCAuction.com  800-634-SOLD

COCKAPOO PUPPIES 1st generation cockapoos! Vet-checked, 16t-hirchakbrothers011724 1 1st shots. Ready for forever homes on Jan. 26. $1,800. Call or text 802-309-7780.

1/12/24 12:17 PM

WANT TO BUY TOP CASH FOR OLD GUITARS 1920-1980 Gibson, Martin, Fender, Gretsch, Epiphone, Guild, Mosrite, Rickenbacker, Prairie State, D’A ngelico & Stromberg + Gibson mandolins & banjos.

Call 877-589-0747. (AAN CAN)

?

music

FOR SALE PEAVEY RANGER 212 GUITAR Beautiful amplifier avail. for pickup/delivery in northwest Vermont.

Looks & works like new.

Age unknown. Price negotiable. Please email horsebaker@hotmail. com.

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.

Snack on the BITE-CLUB NEWSLETTER for a taste of this week’s flavorful food coverage.

It’ll hold you over until Wednesday.

SUBSCRIBE AT

sevendaysvt.com/enews

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There’s no limit to ad length online.

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

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SUDOKU

Put your knowledge of Vermont news to the test.

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BY JOSH REYNOLDS

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

DIFFICULTY THIS WEEK: ★★

DIFFICULTY THIS WEEK: ★★

Fill the grid using the numbers 1-6, only once in each row and column. The numbers in each heavily outlined “cage” must combine to produce the target number in the top corner, using the mathematical operation indicated. A one-box cage should be filled in with the target number in the top corner. A number can be repeated within a cage as long as it is not the same row or column.

Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each 9-box square contains all of the numbers one to nine. The same numbers cannot be repeated in a row or column.

NEW EVERY DAY:

ANSWERS ON P.70 ★ = MODERATE ★★ = CHALLENGING ★★★ = HOO, BOY!

Guess today’s 5-letter word.

Hint: It’s in the news!

crossword

MONEY-CHANGING ANSWERS ON P. 70

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SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

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Legal Notices RFP FOR HIAWATHA ELEMENTARY BOILER UPGRADES Essex Westford School District is seeking bids for boiler upgrades at Hiawatha Elementary. Bids must be submitted no later than Friday, February 2, 2024 at 3:00 pm.

To read the full RFP, go to (see News section): https://www.ewsd.org/page/purchasing-bids HOWARD CENTER If you received services from Howard Center and would like a copy of your record, please contact Howard Center’s Health Information Department at 488-6000. In order to protect individuals’ privacy, the agency routinely destroys healthcare records after retaining them for the number of years required by law.

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE AMENDMENTS TO THE CITY OF WINOOSKI UNIFIED LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS In accordance with 24 V.S.A § 4415 and § 4444, the Winooski City Council will hold a public hearing on Monday, February 05, 2024 beginning at 6:00 p.m.

Members of the public interested in participating in this hearing can do so by attending in person at Winooski City Hall, 27 West Allen Street, Winooski, VT; or electronically by visiting https://us06web. zoom.us/j/84364849328; or by calling (646) 558 8656 and using Webinar ID: 843 6484 9328. Toll charges may apply.

Amendments to the Unified Land Use and Development Regulations • Section 4.4 - Design Review • Section 4.9 – Nonconforming Lots, Structures, Right of Way or Drive, and Uses • Section 6.2 - Subdivisions • Section 6.6 - Site Plan Review • Article VIII - Administration • Article IX - Definitions • Article X - Official Zoning Maps Statement of Purpose: The purpose of these amendments are as follows:

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

Section 4.4 – Creates new standards for local review of historic, cultural, architectural, and archeological resources, including a new board to provide recommendations consistent with 24 V.S.A. § 4414(F).

Section 4.9 – Updates references to Section 4.4 related to a new section title and other minor editorial changes.

Section 6.2 – Removes the title for Section 4.4 based on proposed amendments.

Section 6.6 – Updates references to Section 4.4 and Section 4.8 related to section titles.

Article VIII – Creates a new local resources advisory board; including their power and duties related to administration of draft amendments to Section 4.4.

Article IX – Amends definitions related to changes proposed in Section 4.4.

Article X – Adds a new Zoning Map to identify properties that will be subject to the regulations in Section 4.4. A list of properties is also included.

Geographic Area Affected: The proposed amendments will apply to the entire City including all zoning districts.

Section Headings Impacted: The following specific updates are included with these amendments: Section 4.4 – Amends the title of this section from Design Review to Local Historic, Cultural, Architectural, and Archeological Resources.

Deletes the majority of the previous text related to design review and replaces it with a process whereby covered actions (new Section 4.4.C) require review by a newly established Local Resource Advisory Board. Includes references (new Section 4.4.D) to a new map and list of properties (included in Article X) to be covered by the proposed regulations. Provides information on review procedures (new Section 4.4.G), including the information required for review and possible issuance of a Certificate of Appropriateness (new Section 4.4.H). Provides a process for adding properties to the map and list (new Section 4.4.I) of local resources to be reviewed under Section 4.4; and process to remove properties from the list of local resources (new Section 4.4.J). Finally, the draft amendments

remove existing text related to impacts on state and national register of historic places and properties listed in the City’s Municipal Development Plan.

Section 4.9 – Updates existing references in Section 4.9.G.4.b to delete the text related to Design Review included in Section 4.4 and replace the reference for Section 4.4 to include information on Local Historic, Cultural, Architectural, and Archeological resource review.

Section 6.2 – Deletes text under Section 6.2.H.2 that reference the Historic Structures section of Design Review in Section 4.4, but retains the reference to Section 4.4.

Section 6.6 – Updates the text in Section 6.6.C.1 to include title references for Section 4.8 and Section 4.4 as proposed through this amendment.

Article VIII – Adds a new item (Section A.4) to provide a structure, including membership, powers, and duties for a Local Resources Advisory Board. Specific information is included related to the expertise that members should have in order to serve on the Local Resources Advisory Board including statutory authority to have a local resources advisory board (24 V.S.A. §§ 4433 and 4414). This amendment also includes references to public notice requirements for site plan review consistent with state statute.

Article IX – Clarifies the definition of Certificate of Appropriateness to remove references to design review consistent with the proposed language included in Section 4.4, and adds a definition for contributing element.

Article X – Adds a new Map 5 to identify specific properties that will be covered by Section 4.4 (as referenced in the draft Section 4.4.D). This map also includes a list of properties with addresses to specifically identify the property locations, and any resources that may currently exist on the properties; including a local resource number. The map also provides information consistent with Section 4.4.B that indicates properties in the Downtown Core Zoning District are exempt from the standards included in Section 4.4.

The full text of these amendments is available at the Winooski City Hall, 27 West Allen Street,

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during normal business hours or by contacting Eric Vorwald, AICP, City of Winooski Planning & Zoning Manager by calling 802.655.6410 or evorwald@ winooskivt.gov.

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

Enforcement of Lien, Champlain Valley Self Storage, LLC shall host an auction of the following units on or after 1/20/24: Location: 2211 Main St. Colchester, VT Contents: household goods Nick Aikey: #877 Thomas Cushing: #812 Bethany Burbo: #855 Kara Buell: #787 Location: 78 Lincoln St. Essex Jct., VT Contents: household goods Samantha Larocque: #108 Kara Buell: #359 Auction pre-registration is required, email info@ champlainvalleyselfstorage.com to register.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT/DESIGN BUILD SERVICES John Graham Housing Services (JGHS) requests Construction Management firms, capable of providing design/build services, to submit proposals for the renovations to three buildings located in Bristol, Middlebury and Vergennes, VT. Qualified applicants will have comparable experience and a bonding capacity of at least $500,000. To obtain a proposal response form and specific project information, contact Sue Cobb at RBIC at scobb@ redbirdconsulting.org. Response forms must be submitted and received by January 22, 2024 at 4:00 p.m. Minority-owned, women-owned, Section 3 businesses and locally-owned businesses are strongly encouraged to apply.

NORTHSTAR SELF STORAGE WILL BE HAVING A PUBLIC AND ONLINE SALE/AUCTION FOR THE FOLLOWING STORAGE UNITS ON JANUARY 25, 2024, AT 9:00 AM Northstar Self Storage will be having a public and online sale/auction on January 25, 2024 at 9am EST at 681 Rockingham Road, Rockingham, VT 05151 (Units R81), 205 VT-4A West, Castleton VT 05735 (3-10, 3-32) and 1124 Charlestown Road, Springfield, VT 05156 (Units S83) and online at www.storagetreasures.com at 9:00 am in accordance with VT Title 9 Commerce and Trade Chapter 098: Storage Units 3905. Enforcement of Lien Unit # Name Contents 1 R81 Rebecca Richmond Household Goods 2 3-10 James Burch Household Goods 3 3-32 Beverly Burch Household Goods 4 S83 Joshua Wyllie Household Goods THE CONTENTS OF STORAGE UNIT 01-2425 Located at 28 Adams Drive Williston, VT, 05495 Will be sold on or about the 25th of January 2024 to satisfy the debt of Nicholas Duprey. Any person claiming a right to the goods may pay the amount claimed due and reasonable expenses before the sale, in which case the sale may not occur.

THE CONTENTS OF STORAGE UNIT 02-00310, 02-00318 Located at 48 Industrial Ave, Williston, VT, 05495 Will be sold on or about the 25th of January 2024 to satisfy the debt of Torrey Allard. Any person claiming a right to the goods may pay the amount claimed due and reasonable expenses before the sale, in which case the sale may not occur.

ACT 250 NOTICE MINOR APPLICATION 4C0959-4 10 V.S.A. §§ 6001 – 6111 Application 4C0959-4 from Vern and Rachel Hutchins 363 Riverview Drive, Charlotte, VT 05445 was received on December 19, 2023 and deemed complete on January 4, 2024. The project is generally described as the subdivision of 18.12-acre Lot 3, and establishment of building footprints,

SEVENDAYSVT.COM/CLASSIFIEDS driveway access, and the placement of other infrastructure for the future construction of three residential dwelling unit, one each on Lots 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3. There is NO CONSTRUCTION authorized in this permit amendment; subsequent permit amendments must be sought for the construction of each of the three proposed residential dwelling units.

Lot 3.0, a 3.70-acre lot, currently improved with a farm access road and barn. Lot 3.1, an unimproved 2.28-acre residential lot. Lot 3.2, an unimproved 2.49 residential lot. Lot 3.3., an unimproved 1.70-acre residential lot.

Lot 3.4, an unimproved 7.95-acre lot, in addition to 1.61-acres of adjacent Lot 4, are to be held as on site mitigation for impacted Primary Agricultural Soils resulting from future construction of the three residential dwellings units, in addition to 0.16 acres of previously calculated impacts from Land Use Permit 4C0959-3. The total acreage of the Prime Agricultural Soils Mitigation area is 9.54 acres. The Prime Agricultural Soils Mitigation Area (Lot 3.4 and 1.61 acres of Lot 4) shall not be developed and may only be used for approved agricultural uses. All 3 residential lots will utilize a shared access off of Carpenter Road. The project is located at 363 Riverview Drive, Charlotte, VT 05445 in Charlotte, Vermont. This application can be viewed online by visiting the Act 250 Database: (https://anrweb.vt.gov/ANR/Act250/Details. aspx?Num=4C0959-4).

No hearing will be held and a permit will be issued unless, on or before January 31, 2024, 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

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A CIRCLE OF PARENTS FOR SINGLE MOTHERS Please join our parent-led online support group designed to share our questions, concerns & struggles, as well as our resources & successes!

Contribute to our discussion of the unique but shared experience of parenting. We will be meeting weekly on Fri., 10-11 a.m. For more info or to register, please contact Heather at hniquette@ pcavt.org, 802-498-0607, pcavt.org/ family-support-programs.

A CIRCLE OF PARENTS W/ LGBTQ+ CHILDREN Please join our parent-led online support group designed to share our questions, concerns & struggles, as well as our resources & successes!

Contribute to our discussion of the unique but shared experience of parenting. We will be meeting weekly on Mon., 10-11 a.m. For more info or to register, please contact Heather at hniquette@ pcavt.org, 802-498-0607, pcavt.org/ family-support-programs.

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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-statuspetitionform, 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.

Plans may be viewed upon request by contacting the Department of Permitting & Inspections between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Participation in the DRB proceeding is a prerequisite to the right to take any subsequent appeal.

Please note that ANYTHING submitted to the Zoning office is considered public and cannot be kept confidential. This may not be the final order in which items will be heard. Please view final Agenda, at www.burlingtonvt.gov/dpi/drb/agendas or the office notice board, one week before the hearing for the order in which items will be heard.

For more information contact Kaitlin Hayes at the address or telephone number below.

Dated this January 10, 2024.

By: /s/ Kaitlin Hayes Kaitlin Hayes District Coordinator 111 West Street Essex Junction, VT 05452 (802) 622-4084 kaitlin.hayes@vermont.gov

The City of Burlington will not tolerate unlawful harassment or discrimination on the basis of political or religious affiliation, race, color, national origin, place of birth, ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, veteran status, disability, HIV positive status, crime victim status or genetic information. The City is also committed to providing proper access to services, facilities, and employment opportunities. For accessibility information or alternative formats, please contact Human Resources Department at (802) 540-2505.

BURLINGTON DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2024, 5:00 PM PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE Hybrid & In Person (at 645 Pine Street) Meeting Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83225696227? pwd=SGQ0bTdnS000Wkc3c2J4WWw1dzMxUT09 Webinar ID: 832 2569 6227 Passcode: 969186 Telephone: US +1 929 205 6099 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 669 900 6833 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 1. ZAP-24-1; 230 Main Street (FD5, Ward 8) Mid-Town Associates, Inc. / Ryan Nick Appeal of zoning violation notice regarding unpermitted parking lot use.

Support Groups A CIRCLE OF PARENTS FOR MOTHERS OF COLOR Please join our parent-led online support group designed to share our questions, concerns & struggles, as well as our resources & successes!

Contribute to our discussion of the unique but shared experience of parenting. We will be meeting weekly on Wed., 10-11 a.m. For more info or to register, please contact Heather at hniquette@pcavt.org, 802-498-0607, pcavt.org/family-support-programs.

Open 24/7/365.

AL-ANON For families & friends of alcoholics.

Phone meetings, electronic meetings (Zoom) & an Al-Anon blog are avail. online at the Al-Anon website. For meeting info, go to vermontalanon alateen.org or call 866-972-5266.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS Do you have a drinking problem? AA meeting sites are now open, & online meetings are also avail. Call our hotline at 802-864-1212 or check for in-person or online meetings at burlingtonaa.org.

ALL ARTISTS SUPPORT GROUP Are you a frustrated artist? Have you longed for a space to “play” & work?

Let’s get together & see what we can do about this! Text anytime or call 802-777-6100.

ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION SUPPORT GROUPS Support groups meet to provide assistance & info on Alzheimer’s disease & related dementias. They emphasize shared experiences, emotional support & coping techniques in care for a person living w/ Alzheimer’s or a related dementia. Meetings are free & open to the public. Families, caregivers & friends may attend. Please call in advance to confirm the date & time.

The Williston Caregiver Support Group meets in person on the 2nd Tue. of every mo., 5-6:30 p.m., at the Dorothy Alling Memorial Library in Williston; this meeting also has a virtual option at the same time; contact support group facilitators Molly at dugan@ cathedralsquare.org or Mindy at moondog@burlingtontelecom.net.

TOWN OF ESSEX NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING JANUARY 29, 2023 6:45 PM Proposed Fiscal Year 2025 – 2029 Capital Budget and Five-Year Plan The Town of Essex Selectboard hereby gives notice that a public hearing on the FY2025 -2029 Capital Budget and Five-Year Plan will be held in person and online via Zoom: • Monday, January 29, 2024, 6:45 PM at the Town Offices at 81 Main St., Essex Junction and online

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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 FY2025 Capital Budget and Five-Year Plan.

The proposed FY2025 Capital Plan shows capital tax additions of $486,838, spending of $2,957,814, and an ending balance of $2,861,198. Complete details can be found at www.essexvt.org/budget.

TOWN OF ESSEX NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET JANUARY 29, 2023, 6:35 PM The Selectboard of the Town of Essex, Vermont hereby gives notice that a public hearing on the 2024-2025 municipal budget for the Town of Essex will be held in person and online via Zoom: • Monday, January 29, 2024, 6:35 PM at the Town Offices at 81 Main St., Essex Junction and online or by telephone (dial (888) 788-0099 and enter meeting ID: 98785691140, passcode: 032060) The public is invited to attend and offer comments regarding the proposed budget. The proposed FY2025 budget of $16,106,421 shows an increase in expenditures of $705,269, or 4.58% more than the current budget. Complete details can be found at www.essexvt.org/budget.

NOTICE OF SELF STORAGE INTENT TO DISPOSE Malletts Bay Self Storage, LLC 115 Heineberg Drive, Colchester, VT 05446. Notice is hereby given that the contents of the self- storage unit listed below will be disposed of at facilities discretion. Name of Occupant Brynn Rouleau, Storage Unit # 92. Said disposal will take place on 1/19/24 at Malletts Bay Self Storage, LLC, (MBSS, LLC) 115 Heineberg Dr., Colchester, VT 05446.

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

The Middlebury Support Group for Individuals w/ Early Stage Dementia meets the 4th Tue. of each mo., 3 p.m., at the Residence at Otter Creek, 350 Lodge Rd., Middlebury; contact Daniel Hamilton, dhamilton@residence ottercreek.com or 802-989-0097. The Shelburne Support Group for Individuals w/ Early Stage Dementia meets the 1st Mon. of every mo., 2-3 p.m., at the Residence at Shelburne Bay, 185 Pine Haven Shores, Shelburne; contact support group facilitator Lydia Raymond, lraymond@residenceshelburnebay. com. The Telephone Support Group meets the 2nd Tue. of each mo., 4-5:30 p.m. Prereg. is req. (to receive dial-in codes for toll-free call). Please dial the Alzheimer’s Association’s 24-7 Helpline, 800-272-3900, for more info. For questions or additional support group listings, call 800-272-3900.

AMPUTEE SUPPORT GROUP VT Active Amputees is a new support group open to all amputees for connection, community & support.

The group meets on the 1st Wed. of the mo. in S. Burlington, 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Let’s get together & be active: running, pickleball & ultimate Frisbee. Email vtactiveamputees@gmail.com or call Sue at 802-582-6750 for more info & location.

ARE YOU HAVING PROBLEMS W/ DEBT? Do you spend more than you earn? Get help at Debtor’s Anonymous & Business Debtor’s Anonymous. Wed., 6:30-7:30 p.m., Methodist Church in the Rainbow Room at Buell & S. Winooski, Burlington.

Contact Jennifer, 917-568-6390.

BABY BUMPS SUPPORT GROUP FOR MOTHERS & PREGNANT WOMEN Pregnancy can be a wonderful time of your life. But it can also be a time of stress often compounded by hormonal swings. If you are a pregnant woman, or have recently given birth & feel you need some help w/ managing emotional bumps in the road that can come w/ motherhood, please come to this free support group led by an experienced pediatric registered nurse. Held on the 2nd & 4th Tue. of every mo., 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the Birthing Center, Northwestern Medical Center, St. Albans. Info: Rhonda Desrochers, Franklin County Home Health Agency, 527-7531.

BETTER BREATHERS CLUB American Lung Association support group for people w/ breathing issues, their loved ones or caregivers. Meets on the 1st Mon. of every mo., 11 a.m.-noon at the Godnick Center, 1 Deer St., Rutland. For more info, call 802-776-5508.

BRAIN INJURY SUPPORT GROUP Vermont Center for Independent Living offers virtual monthly meetings, held on the 3rd Wed. of every mo., 1-2:30 p.m.

The support group will offer valuable resources & info about brain injury. It will be a place to share experiences in a safe, secure & confidential environment. To join, email Linda Meleady at lindam@vcil.org & ask to be put on the TBI mailing list. Info: 800-639-1522.

BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR DRAGON BOAT TEAM Looking for a fun way to do something active & health-giving? Want to connect

w/ other breast cancer survivors? Come join Dragonheart Vermont. We are a breast cancer survivor & supporter dragon boat team who paddle together in Burlington. Please contact us at info@drgonheartvermont.org for info.

BURLINGTON MEN’S PEER GROUP Tue. nights, 7-9 p.m. in Burlington.

Free of charge, 30 years running. Call Neils 802-877-3742 or email neils@ myfairpoint.net.

CANCER SUPPORT GROUP The Champlain Valley Prostate Cancer Support Group will be held every 2nd Tue. of the mo., 6-7:45 p.m. via conference call. Newly diagnosed?

Prostate cancer reoccurrence? General discussion & sharing among survivors & those beginning or rejoining the battle.

Info, Mary L. Guyette RN, MS, ACNS-BC, 274-4990, vmary@aol.com.

CENTRAL VERMONT CELIAC SUPPORT GROUP Last Thu. of every mo., 7:30 p.m. in Montpelier. Please contact Lisa Masé for location: lisa@harmonizecookery.com.

CEREBRAL PALSY GUIDANCE Cerebral Palsy Guidance is a very comprehensive informational website broadly covering the topic of cerebral palsy & associated medical conditions.

Its mission is to provide the best possible info to parents of children living w/ the complex condition of cerebral palsy. Visit cerebralpalsyguidance.com/ cerebral-palsy.

SUPPORT GROUPS »

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

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Support Groups [CONTINUED] CODEPENDENTS ANONYMOUS CoDA is a 12-step fellowship for people whose common purpose is to develop healthy & fulfilling relationships.

By actively working the program of Codependents Anonymous, we can realize a new joy, acceptance & serenity in our lives. Meets Sun. at noon at the Turning Point Center, 179 S. Winooski Ave., Suite 301, Burlington. Info: Tom, 238-3587, coda.org.

THE COMPASSIONATE FRIENDS SUPPORT GROUP The Compassionate Friends international support group for parents, siblings & families grieving the loss of a child meets every 4th Tue. of the mo., 7-9 p.m., at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, 2 Cherry St., Burlington. Call/email Alan at 802-233-0544, alanday88@ gmail.com, or Claire at 802-448-3569.

DECLUTTERERS’ SUPPORT GROUP Are you ready to make improvements but find it overwhelming? Maybe 2 or 3 of us can get together to help each other simplify. Info: 989-3234, 425-3612.

DISCOVER THE POWER OF CHOICE! We welcome anyone, including family & friends, affected by any kind of substance or activity addiction. This is an abstinence-oriented program based on the science of addiction treatment & recovery. Meets are online Sun. at 5 p.m. at the link: meetings.smartrecovery. org/meetings/1868. Face-to-face meetings are 1st & 3rd Sun. at 3 p.m. at the Turning Point of Chittenden County.

Meetings for family & friends are online on Mon. at 7 p.m. at the link: meetings/ smartrecovery.org/meetings/6337.

Contact volunteer facilitator Bert at 802-399-8754 w/ questions. You can learn more at smartrecovery.org.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SUPPORT Steps to End Domestic Violence offers a weekly drop-in support group for female-identified survivors of intimate partner violence, including individuals who are experiencing or have been affected by domestic violence. The support group offers a safe, confidential place for survivors to connect w/ others, to heal & to recover. In support group, participants talk through their experiences & hear stories from others who have experienced abuse in their relationships. Support group is also a resource for those who are unsure of their next step, even if it involves remaining in their current relationship.

Tue., 6:30-8 p.m. Childcare is provided.

Info: 658-1996.

FAMILY & FRIENDS OF THOSE EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS This support group is a dedicated meeting for family, friends & community members who are supporting a loved one through a mental health crisis.

Mental health crisis might include extreme states, psychosis, depression, anxiety & other types of distress. The group is a confidential space where family & friends can discuss shared experiences & receive support in an environment free of judgment & stigma w/ a trained facilitator. Wed., 7-8:30 p.m. Downtown Burlington. Info: Jess Horner, LICSW, 866-218-8586.

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FAMILY RESTORED: SUPPORT GROUP FOR FRIENDS & FAMILIES OF ADDICTS & ALCOHOLICS Wed., 6:30-8 p.m., Holy Family/St. Lawrence Parish, 4 Prospect St., Essex Jct. For further info, please visit thefamilyrestored.org or contact Lindsay Duford at 781-960-3965 or 12lindsaymarie@gmail.com.

FCA FAMILY SUPPORT GROUP Families Coping w/ Addiction (FCA) is an open community peer support group for adults (18+) struggling w/ the drug or alcohol addiction of a loved one. FCA is not 12-step-based but provides a forum for those living the family experience, in which to develop personal coping skills & to draw strength from one another.

Our group meets every Wed., 5:30-6:30 p.m., live in person in the conference room at the Turning Point Center of Chittenden County (179 S. Winooski Ave., Burlington), &/or via our parallel Zoom session to accommodate those who cannot attend in person. The Zoom link can be found on the Turning Point Center website (turningpointcentervt. org) using the “Family Support” tab (click on “What We Offer”). Any questions, please send by email to thdaub1@gmail. com.

FIERCELY FLAT VT A breast cancer support group for those who’ve had mastectomies. We are a casual online meeting group found on Facebook at Fiercely Flat VT. Info: stacy.m.burnett@gmail.com.

FOOD ADDICTS IN RECOVERY ANONYMOUS (FA) Are you having trouble controlling the way you eat? FA is a free 12-step recovery program for anyone suffering from food obsession, overeating, under-eating or bulimia. Local meetings are held twice a week.: Mon., 4-5:30 p.m., at the Unitarian Universalist Church, Norwich, Vt.; & Wed., 6:30-8 p.m., at Hanover Friends Meeting House, Hanover, N.H. For more info & a list of additional meetings throughout the U.S. & the world, call 603-630-1495 or visit foodaddicts.org.

G.R.A.S.P. (GRIEF RECOVERY AFTER A SUBSTANCE PASSING) Are you a family member who has lost a loved one to addiction? Find support, peer-led support group. Meets once a mo. on Mon. in Burlington. Please call for date & location. RSVP to mkeasler3@ gmail.com or call 310-3301 (message says Optimum Health, but this is a private number).

GRIEF & LOSS SUPPORT GROUP Sharing your sadness, finding your joy.

Please join us as we learn more about our own grief & explore the things that can help us to heal. There is great power in sharing our experiences w/ others who know the pain of the loss of a loved one & healing is possible through the sharing. BAYADA Hospice’s local bereavement support coordinator will facilitate our weekly group through discussion & activities. Everyone from the community is welcome. 1st & last Wed. of every mo. at 4 p.m. via Zoom. To register, please contact bereavement program coordinator Max Crystal, mcrystal@bayada.com or 802-448-1610.

GRIEF SUPPORT GROUPS Meet every 2nd Mon., 6-7:30 p.m., & every 3rd Wed. from 10-11:30 a.m., at Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice in Berlin. The group is open to the public & free of charge. More info: Diana Moore, 224-2241.

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

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

GRIEVING A LOSS SUPPORT GROUP A retired psychotherapist & an experienced life coach host a free meeting for those grieving the loss of a loved one. The group meets upstairs at All Souls Interfaith Gathering in Shelburne. There is no fee for attending, but donations are gladly accepted.

Meetings are held twice a mo., the 1st & 3rd Sat. of every mo. from 10-11:30 a.m. If you are interested in attending, please register at allsoulsinterfaith. org. More information about the group leader at pamblairbooks.com.

HEARING VOICES SUPPORT GROUP This Hearing Voices Group seeks to find understanding of voice-hearing experiences as real lived experiences that may happen to anyone at any time. We choose to share experiences, support & empathy. We validate anyone’s experience & stories about their experience as their own, as being an honest & accurate representation of their experience, & as being acceptable exactly as they are. Tue., 2-3 p.m.

Pathways Vermont Community Center, 279 N. Winooski Ave., Burlington. Info: 802-777-8602, abby@pathways vermont.org.

HELLENBACH CANCER SUPPORT People living w/ cancer & their caretakers convene for support. Call to verify meeting place. Info, 388-6107.

INTERSTITIAL CYSTITIS/PAINFUL BLADDER SUPPORT GROUP Interstitial cystitis (IC) & painful bladder syndrome can result in recurring pelvic pain, pressure or discomfort in the bladder/pelvic region & urinary frequency/ urgency. These are often misdiagnosed & mistreated as a chronic bladder infection. If you have been diagnosed or have these symptoms, you are not alone. For Vermont-based support group, email bladderpainvt@gmail.com or call 899-4151 for more info.

INTUITIVE EATING SUPPORT GROUP Free weekly peer-led support group for anyone struggling w/ eating &/or body image. The only requirement is a desire to make peace w/ food & your body. Meeting format is: a short reading from Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole & Elyse Resch, 4th edition, followed by open sharing & discussion. Come find community through sharing struggles, experience, strength & hope. Located at the Pickering Room, Fletcher Free Library, Sun. 1-2:30 p.m. Contact 202-553-8953 w/ any questions.

KINDRED CONNECTIONS PROGRAM OFFERED FOR CHITTENDEN COUNTY CANCER SURVIVORS The Kindred Connections program provides peer support for all those touched by cancer. Cancer patients, as well as caregivers, are provided w/ a mentor who has been through the cancer experience & knows what it’s like to go through it. In addition to sensitive listening, Kindred Connections provides practical help such as rides to doctors’ offices & meal deliveries. The program has people who have experienced a wide variety of cancers. For further info, please contact info@vcsn.net.

KINSHIP CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP A support group for grandparents who are raising their grandchildren. Led by a trained representative & facilitator.

Meets on the 2nd Tue. of every mo., 6:30-7:45 p.m., at Milton Public Library.

Free. For more info, call 802-893-4644, email library@miltonvt.gov or visit

facebook.com/events/ 561452568022928.

support group programs for adults living w/ mental health challenges.

LAUGHTER YOGA Spontaneous, genuine laughter & gentle breathing for physical & emotional benefit. No yoga mat needed! This group is held every Mon., 2-3 p.m., at Pathways Vermont Community Center, 279 North Winooski Ave., Burlington. Contact Chris Nial for any questions: chrisn@ pathwaysvermont.org.

NAMI FAMILY SUPPORT GROUP Weekly virtual & in-person meetings.

ASL interpreters avail. upon request.

Family Support Group meetings are for family & friends of individuals living w/ mental illness. If you have questions about a group in your area, please contact the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Vermont, info@namivt.org or 800-639-6480.

LGBTQ SURVIVORS OF VIOLENCE The SafeSpace Anti-Violence Program at Pride Center of Vermont offers peer-led support groups for survivors of relationship, dating, emotional &/or hate-violence. These groups give survivors a safe & supportive environment to tell their stories, share info, & offer & receive support. Support groups also provide survivors an opportunity to gain info on how to better cope w/ feelings & experiences that surface because of the trauma they have experienced. Please call SafeSpace at 863-0003 if you are interested in joining.

LGBTQ VETERANS Share the struggles & celebrate the joys of being a service member & LGBTQIA+ in this peer-led discussion group.

Meetings are at the Rainbow Bridge Community Center in Barre on the 2nd & 4th Tue. of each mo. Visit rbccvt.org for more info.

LIVING THROUGH LOSS Gifford Medical Center is announcing the restart of its grief support group, Living Through Loss. The program is sponsored by the Gifford Volunteer Chaplaincy Program & will meet weekly on Fri., 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., in Gifford’s Chun Chapel. Meetings will be facilitated by the Rev. Timothy Eberhardt, spiritual care coordinator, & Emily Pizzale MSW, LICSW, a Gifford social worker. Anyone who has experienced a significant loss over the last year or so is warmly invited to attend & should enter through the hospital’s main entrance wearing a mask on the way to the chapel.

Meetings will be based on the belief that, while each of us is on a unique journey in life, we all need a safe place to pause, to tell our stories &, especially as we grieve, to receive the support & strength we need to continue along the way.

MARIJUANA ANONYMOUS Do you have a problem w/ marijuana?

MA is a free 12-step program where addicts help other addicts get & stay clean. Ongoing Wed., 7 p.m., at Turning Point Center, 179 S. Winooski, Suite 301, Burlington. Info: 861-3150.

MYELOMA SUPPORT GROUP Area myeloma survivors, families & caregivers have come together to form a Multiple Myeloma Support Group. We provide emotional support, resources about treatment options, coping strategies & a support network by participating in the group experience w/ people who have been through similar situations. 3rd Tue. of every mo., 5-6 p.m., at the New Hope Lodge on East Ave. in Burlington. Info: Kay Cromie, 655-9136, kgcromey@aol.com.

NAMI CONNECTION PEER SUPPORT GROUP MEETINGS Weekly virtual meetings. If you have questions about a group in your area, please contact the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Vermont, program@ namivt.org or 800-639-6480.

Connection groups are peer recovery

NARCONON SUNCOAST DRUG & ALCOHOL REHABILITATION & EDUCATION Narconon reminds families that overdoses due to an elephant tranquilizer known as Carfentanil have been on the rise in nearly every community nationwide. Carfentanil is a synthetic opioid painkiller 100 times more powerful than fentanyl & 1,000 times stronger than heroin. A tiny grain of it is enough to be fatal. To learn more about carfentanil abuse & how to help your loved one, visit narconon-suncoast.org/drug-abuse/ parents-get-help.html. Addiction screenings: Narconon can help you take steps to overcome addiction in your family. Call today for a no-cost screening or referral: 1-877-841-5509.

NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS is a group of recovering addicts who live without the use of drugs. It costs nothing to join. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using. Held in Burlington, Barre & St. Johnsbury. Info, 862-4516 or cvana.org.

NARCANON BURLINGTON GROUP Group meets every Mon. at 7 p.m., at the Turning Point Center, 179 S. Winooski Ave., Suite 301, Burlington. The only requirement for membership is that there be a problem of addiction in a relative or friend. Info: Amanda H., 338-8106.

NEW (& EXPECTING) MAMAS & PAPAS! EVERY PRIMARY CAREGIVER TO A BABY! The Children’s Room invites you to join our weekly drop-in support group. Come unwind & discuss your experiences & questions around infant care & development, self-care & postpartum healing, & community resources for families w/ babies. Tea & snacks provided. Thu., 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Bring your babies!

(Newborn through crawling stage.)

Located in Thatcher Brook Primary School, 47 Stowe St., childrensroom online.org. Contact childrensroom@ wwsu.org or 244-5605.

NORTHWEST VERMONT CANCER PRAYER & SUPPORT NETWORK A meeting of cancer patients, survivors & family members intended to comfort & support those who are currently suffering from the disease. 2nd Thu. of every mo., 6-7:30 p.m., St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 11 Church St., St. Albans. Info: stpaulum@myfairpoint. net. 2nd Wed. of every mo., 6-7:30 p.m., Winooski United Methodist Church, 24 W. Allen St., Winooski. Info: hovermann4@comcast.net.

OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS (OA) A 12-step program for people who identify as overeaters, compulsive eaters, food addicts, anorexics, bulimics, etc. No matter what your problem w/ food, we have a solution! All are welcome, meetings are open, & there are no dues or fees. See oavermont.org/meeting-list for the current meeting list, meeting format & more; or call 802-863-2655 anytime!

73 JANUARY 17-24, 2024

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

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

YOUR TRUSTED LOCAL SOURCE. JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM Packaging Line Operators

Love working with youth, we have open positions that pay up to 25.00 per hour!

Looking for an opportunity to work at one of the Northeast’s most reputable breweries? Now is your chance! Zero Gravity is hiring for FT Packaging Line Operators to work first & second shifts, Monday – Friday at our Bartlett Bay location. No experience necessary, just willingness to learn and work hard!

For more information & to apply: careers@zerogravitybeer.com.

JOIN OUR TEAM!

Shared Living Provider

Scan the QR code to view job descriptions & apply.

For a 24-year-old young woman

THE GRIND GOT YOU DOWN?

Seeking in home support for a 24-year-old young woman in her first apartment in the Old North End of Burlington. She needs support with cooking, cleaning, household tasks and attending appointments. This individual does not have supervision needs but staying in her apartment nightly is required. This individual has a great sense of humor, is very outgoing and enjoys socializing. An ideal candidate would have excellent inter-personal skills and a willingness to learn on the job. Rent and annual stipend included.

If interested, please call or text (802) 782-1588 with a summary of your experience.

howardcenter.org • 802-488-6500

Licensed Clinical Social Worker $70.00/hour Work 8-16 hours per week at the Northlands Job Corps Center in Vergennes, VT. Hours flexible but no evenings or weekend work available. You choose amount of hours per week. Remote work a possibility.

Please call Dan W. Hauben ASAP at 888-552-1660.

Grocery Assistant Manager & Manager on Duty

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If you enjoy helping others in a dynamic retail space, we want you to be a part of our team. Hunger Mountain Co-op offers employees a union environment with a comprehensive benefits package that includes: • Competitive wages and employee gain share program • Generous paid time off, closed for seven major holidays, and a set schedule with no late nights • Medical, dental, and vision coverage for full-and part-time employees • Company-paid life insurance • 401K retirement plan • 20% discount on Co-op purchases Visit: hungermountain.coop We are an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.

Intervale Food Hub Operations Coordinator

Perk up!

Goddard College, a leader in non-traditional education, has the following full-time, benefit eligible and part-time position openings:

Browse 100+ new job postings from trusted, local employers.

ACCESSIBILITY SUPPORT COORDINATOR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF CAMPUS OPERATIONS

Follow @SevenDaysJobs on Twitter for the latest job opportunities

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To view position descriptions and application instructions, please visit our website: goddard.edu/about-goddard/employment-opportunities/

The Intervale Center is seeking a Food Hub Operations Coordinator to join the Food Hub team. The Food Hub Operations Coordinator works collaboratively with the Food Hub team to successfully implement operations, increase efficiency and productivity, and run free food distributions year-round in the greater Burlington area.

Intervale Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values diversity of experience, background, and perspective to enrich our work. Applications by members of all underrepresented groups are encouraged. For full job description with instructions on how to apply, please visit: intervale.org/join-our-team.

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

74 JANUARY 17-24, 2024

DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC INITIATIVES Join our non-profit senior living community leadership team to chart medium- and long-term plans for EastView’s strategic growth.

EastView at Middlebury (Middlebury, VT) is seeking an experienced project development professional to support EastView in advancing its solid financial and cultural foundations through a series of smart growth priorities.

This Full-time Leadership position will initially focus on 3 areas: • Profit & Loss management – developing market-based revenue growth initiatives and identifying operational cost efficiencies • Collaborative affiliations or partnerships – leading an exploration of win/win relationships • Expansion – advancing smart-growth options to expand both the capacity of the community and services provided.

For full description & to apply go to: bit.ly/EastViewMiddleburyDIRSI.

Are you looking for an innovative, dynamic, and collaborative place to work?

Join us at Lake Champlain Waldorf School to deliver a holistic and developmental approach to education.

NETWORK ASSISTANT Join Farm to Plate (F2P) to strengthen Vermont’s food system by increasing economic development, climate resiliency, and access to healthy local foods for all Vermonters. Responsible for providing F2P Network with logistical, administrative, project implementation, and communications support.

Open Positions: • First Grade Teacher • Fourth Grade Teacher

FT salary at $52k, great benefits, casual but professional hybrid work environment, and an organizational culture where people feel valued and support forward-thinking solutions to our economic, social, and climate challenges.

Full job description: vtfarmtoplate.com/jobs/farm-plate-networkassistant. Send cover letter & resume to jobs@vsjf.org by 2/4/24.

VSJF is an E.O.E. committed to diversity, equity, inclusion and a strong sense of belonging in the workplace.

www.lakechamplainwaldorfschool.org

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Looking to make a positive difference?

Join our team of dedicated Instructors!

The Stern Center for Language and Learning is an education-focused nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding the power of learning. We are currently looking to add teachers to our team of dedicated Instructors. If you’re an educator who wants to explore new ways to make a difference in the lives of individual students each day, this rewarding position may be your next step. A flexible position based part-time or full-time in Chittenden County, VT. Ideal candidates will have a BA/BS in education, 2+ years’ experience in Special Education, enthusiasm for one-to-one instruction, knowledge of assessment and interpretation, and preferably a State of Vermont Teaching license. Interested candidates can send a cover letter and resume to hcastillo@sterncenter.org.

The Stern Center for Language and Learning is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

JOIN OUR TEAM!

Shared Living Provider Seeking a Shared Living Provider for a 34-year-old man. He would live in your home and needs support with cooking, cleaning, household tasks, attending appointments, and managing medications. He has a great sense of humor, is very outgoing, enjoys socializing, pets, politics, and TV shows. An ideal candidate would be kind, LGBTQ+-friendly, and have experience supporting people with disabilities. This individual would prefer to live in a roommate-style arrangement with other adults near his age. He has some supervision needs but can be alone for a couple of hours at a time, has weekday staff supports, and a generous respite budget. Monthly room/board payments & annual stipend included.

Interested candidates contact: hausermann@howardcenter.org, 802-343-9150.

howardcenter.org • 802-488-6500

Director of Sports Medicine & Performance The Athletic Department at Saint Michael’s College is excited to invite applications for the Director of Sports Medicine and Performance position. Join our dynamic Athletic Department’s leadership team and become the driving force behind the Purple Knights’ success. As a leader in the department, you will steer the ship for all Athletic Training and Strength & Conditioning services, elevating our student-athletes to peak performance. You can help shape the future of sports medicine and performance at our institution. Immerse yourself in a vibrant collegiate community, fueled by passion and commitment, and enjoy the rewards of a full-time (11-month) position with comprehensive benefits.

For a complete job description, benefits information, and to apply online, please visit: bit.ly/SMCDSMP.

Events Manager Do you love putting on events that inspire connection and learning on the land?

We are seeking an Events Manager who can: • Oversee & implement a robust program of on-line and in-person events • Collaborate with colleagues to design enriching experiences and compelling content • Think creatively & execute flawlessly, with excellent attention to detail The annual starting salary is $55,900, plus a generous benefits package equivalent to $24,300 annually to cover the cost of health insurance. Additional benefits include 6 weeks of time off, a 403(b) retirement plan with match, and flexible/hybrid work schedules.

Learn more and apply at vlt.org/employment. The position will remain open until February 2, 2024.

The Vermont Land Trust is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We honor and invite people of all backgrounds and lived experiences to apply.

You’re in good hands with...

“Seven Days sales rep Michelle Brown is amazing! She’s extremely responsive, and I always feel so taken care of. I can only imagine how many job connections she has facilitated for local companies in the 20 years she has been doing this.”

CAROLYN ZELLER Intervale Center, Burlington

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

JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM

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FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @SEVENDAYSJOBS, SUBSCRIBE TO RSS, OR BROWSE POSTS ON YOUR PHONE AT JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM

NEW JOBS POSTED DAILY! JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM

Operating Room Registered Nurse (RN)

Marketing & Box Office Manager

Child Care Resource

NORTHEASTERN VERMONT REGIONAL HOSPITAL

Chandler seeks a Marketing & Box Office Manager. Primarily responsible for developing materials for print and digital promotions of this growing arts organization. Also, for box-office support and front-of-the-house management of all Chandler events.

Child Care Financial Assistance Positions

(NVRH): Fun, fabulous, well-oiled, OR team seeks RN who’s organized, a great communicator, has excellent attention to detail - and can tell a joke or two! NVRH offers competitive wages, loan repayment, generous paid time off, career advancement and an exceptional benefits package. But, we also offer a thriving, fast-paced environment with co-workers who bring the fun, while providing exceptional care of our patients.

A full-time position, with paid vacation and holidays, plus a QSEHRA health reimbursement account.

Child Care Resource is hiring 2 positions. Join this small, flexible, friendly nonprofit and make a difference in the lives of Vermont families. Both positions are full time, excellent benefits, competitive salary.

Front Desk/Financial Assistance Program Assistant: Answer phones, greet clients and assist them with financial assistance application questions.

Apply now and experience the rewards of being in a supportive and thriving environment at NVRH.

Send resume, cover letter, and salary requirements to director@chandler-arts.org.

75 JANUARY 17-24, 2024

Child Care Financial Assistance Specialist: You will carry a case load, work with clients and process assistance. Review applications and determine eligibility.

NVRH.ORG/CAREERS.

For more information about CCR and the positions visit childcareresource.org.

Make a difference through sustainable agriculture, trail building, water quality, forest health, and carpentry projects.

Communications Content Specialist

Paid positions starting in March and May include:

The Communications Content Specialist will play a key role in producing materials and content that elevates Northeast Wilderness Trust’s profile across the region and beyond. The Specialist will develop content for all platforms including the website, enews, social media and printed material.

Visit newildernesstrust.org/ about/employment to learn more.

Day Crew Leader

Food & Farm Crew Leader

Co-lead a crew where Members get to work

Co-lead a crew – up to 8 Members – in vegetable production and harvest, raising chickens, and cooking in the commercial kitchen. Location: Richmond.

in their own community. Locations: Burlington, Rutland, Vergennes, Woodstock.

Projects include trail and water quality work.

Find these & 17 more opportunities at vycc.org

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WE’RE HIRING! Administrative Asst.

Investment Desk Assoc.

Compliance Asst.

ONEDAYINJULY.COM/CAREERS

12/18/23 9:39 AM

(802) 862-7662

DELIVERY DRIVERS WANTED We are currently accepting applications for both part time and full time positions. We have several different shifts available.

Feel free to stop in to our office at 54 Echo Place, Suite #1, Williston, VT 05495 and fill out an application.

You can also apply online via our website at shipvds.com or email Ian Pomerville directly at ian@shipvds.com.

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

76 JANUARY 17-24, 2024

FLORAL MERCHANDISER

VERMONT STATE HOUSING AUTHORITY IS HIRING!

Burlington

PT, 3 mornings per week, approximately 15-20 hours. Fun and flexible job perfect for a creative person who likes to work independently.

Join the dedicated team of staff at Vermont State Housing Authority who are making a difference in the lives of people in our communities. We offer competitive wages, training, an excellent benefits package, and a friendly, positive work environment.

Please contact Cindy at the number below: 802-233-7973

Openings include:

Field Representative (Windsor County) Property Superintendents (various locations)

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Rental Assistance Specialists (Montpelier) Site Manager (Central Vermont) Please visit vsha.org for complete job descriptions and to apply.

VSHA is an equal opportunity employer.

Propagation Assistant The Intervale Conservation Nursery is hiring a Propagation Assistant for the 2024 growing season. The Propagation Assistant is an essential role in production of native tree and shrub propagation at Intervale Conservation Nursery. This position reports to the Sales Manager and works with the ICN team to produce conservation grade trees and shrubs and achieve nursery goals. The Propagation Assistant supports greenhouse production, facilitates volunteer workdays, and coordinates field production and transplanting with the ICN team.

Intervale Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values diversity of experience, background, and perspective to enrich our work. Applications by members of all underrepresented groups are encouraged. The full job description with instructions on how to apply can be found at intervale.org/join-our-team.

Experienced Residential Carpenter Silver Maple Construction is seeking a fulltime, benefits-eligible Carpenter focused on high-level customer service & the execution of exceptional quality work.Here at Silver Maple, we want everyone to feel valued and do the work that inspires you while maintaining a work-life balance better than many others in this field.

• Competitive Weekly Pay (based on experience) • Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision Plans • Paid Parental Leave • 15 days Paid Time Off

• 7 Paid Holidays • 401k Retirement Plan + Company Match • Commuter + Mileage Reimbursement • Life, Disability And Accident Insurance & MORE!

To learn more, please visit silvermapleconstruction.com, email hr@silvermapleconstruction.com, or call our office at (802) 989-7677.

Explore opportunities like:

Sustainable Transportation Coordinator champlain.edu/careers

Farm Manager Position Successful organic farm growing Chamomile, Calendula, Nettle, and Hyssop etc. In operation for 10 years in Calais, Vermont, seeking 7/12/21 6:20 PM experienced farm manager.

Responsibilities include planning, planting, and harvesting 17 acres in herbs with additional acreage in cover crops. Management includes overseeing all aspects of crop production from greenhouse to field to harvesting & drying; oversight of experienced farmworkers; knowledge of farm machinery. Computer skills required, including Microsoft Office and data management. Excellent organizational and communication skills. Knowledge of Spanish is a plus. Salary commensurate with experience.

Scan code for more information.

For more information about our company: fosterfarmbotanicals. com. Please send resumes to: connie@fosterfarmbotanicals.com.

GOT A CASE OF THE

PUBLIC FINANCE MANAGER The Lamoille County Planning Commission (LCPC) seeks a highly skilled, self-motivated, Finance Manager to join our team of dedicated professionals in a public service organization.

Working directly with the Executive Director, responsibilities include management of LCPC’s financial accounts, development of indirect cost rate proposals, financial reporting to the Executive Director and Board, budget tracking, state and federal grant and contract management, financial aspects of grant reporting, management of payroll and staff benefits, annual audit preparation, and general oversight of office financial operations.

Knowledge of QuickBooks Accounting Software is required.

Knowledge of federal or state grants management is a plus.

Ability to work well with staff and the public is essential.

LCPC is the regional planning commission for the ten towns and five villages in Lamoille County. Our mission is to assist municipalities and to work collaboratively with them to address regional issues, including housing, transportation, land use, energy, disaster recovery, water quality and health. The position is based at the office in Morrisville with a hybrid schedule that includes remote work.

Please email a letter of interest, resume, and salary requirements to Tasha Wallis, Executive Director at tasha@lcpcvt.org.

This position will remain open until filled. LCPC is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

SUNDAY SCARIES? Find a job that makes it easier to sleep at night.

Browse 100+ new job postings each week from trusted, local employers.

Follow @SevenDaysJobs on Twitter for the latest job opportunities

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NEW JOBS POSTED DAILY! JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM

Burlington Electric Department, the City of Burlington’s 100% renewably powered electric utility, is seeking two accounting professionals to join our collaborative, high-performing finance team.

OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR

DevelopmentCommunications Assistant We are searching for a new team member to strengthen our community outreach and donor stewardship efforts.

Development responsibilities include gift processing, data collection, and reporting.

Communications will be focused on website updates, social media postings, and print mailings.

Staff Accountant-Operating

Vermont Information Technology Leaders, Inc. (VITL) is hiring an Office Administrator. The position will be responsible for providing comprehensive administrative support to the CEO and Board of Directors, as well as assisting the Accounting Manager with day-today accounting and human resource tasks. In addition, the Office Administrator supports the leadership team with administrative needs. This dynamic position requires the ability to creatively manage schedules, prioritize tasks, anticipate needs, think critically, and offer solutions to problems with professionalism and confidentiality. The Office Administrator manages the organization’s office operations and is often a liaison to ensure coordination and communication across the organization. Remote in Vermont.

For more information go to: vitl.net/office-administrator.

• 20 hours per week

We are Hiring

• Starting hourly wage $21-$25

Cardiac Sonographer

• Paid holidays, vacation, and sick time

This position is responsible for maintaining Burlington Electric’s general ledger and accounting structure; entering and verifying monthly and yearly financial transactions; and conducting internal and external financial reporting, including preparation of financial statements and external audit support. Our ideal candidate will have a Bachelor’s degree in accounting, business administration, or a related field and 3 years of accounting experience.

Accounting Administrator II This position is responsible for Burlington Electric’s day-to-day financial transactions, including accounts payable, corporate credit card reconciliations and payments, cash receipts and payment processing, and work order billing. This position performs bookkeeping, recordkeeping, and reporting functions as well as certain payroll functions on a rotational basis. Our ideal candidate will have an Associates degree in accounting or a related field and 3 years of relevant experience.

Visit: governmentjobs.com/careers/burlingtonvt

Do work that makes a difference. Join Team Copley.

vermonthumanities.org/jobs

77 JANUARY 17-24, 2024

Copley’s Cardiology providers are focused on finding, treating, and preventing heart attacks and heart disease.

These are International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers union positions with potential for some remote work flexibility. The City of Burlington is an equal opportunity employer and we encourage applicants who can contribute to our growing diversity.

We are hiring a Cardiac Sonographer to join the team. Full and part-time positions open.

Executive Director

For more info, visit copleyvt.org/careers or call J.T. Vize, Recruiter, at 802-888-8329

In the wake of devastating floods of July, the residents of Montpelier VT formed Montpelier Commission for Recovery and Resilience to ensure that the city and surrounding region are prepared to withstand the 4t-Copley011724 1 future climate-related challenges that are sure to come our way. The commission now seeks a Director to execute projects and facilitate education and outreach about the work of the commission while maintaining a focus on equity and environmental justice.

This is an exciting opportunity for the right person to have a lasting impact on the City of Montpelier and its people and to have a meaningful role in shaping the future of the emerging fields of climate resilience and disaster management.

Send applications to: contactmcrr@gmail.com.

Application deadline February 2nd.

Accounting & Human Resources Manager Summary: We are an organic, non-GMO leader in the seed, farming and food community who cares deeply about the need to grow nutrient rich, healthy food for the world and each other.

1/11/24 2:07 PM We are seeking an Accounting and Human Resources Manager to join our leadership team and collaborate with staff and partners to help us succeed. This role has responsibility for accounting, business and financial analysis, and identifying opportunities to improve financial management, as well as basic HR functions.

WHY NOT HAVE A JOB YOU LOVE?

Desired traits/skills:

Enjoy your job and be a part of one of the Best Places to Work in Vermont!

To apply: Email resume, cover letter, and references to jobs@ highmowingseeds.com. Please put the job title in the subject line.

No phone calls, please.

Great jobs in management and direct support serving Vermonters with intellectual disabilities.

High Mowing Organic Seeds believes that diversity and inclusion among our teammates is critical to our success as a company, and we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. E.O.E.

Visit ccs-vt.org/current-openings and apply today.

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• Accounting degree and 5 years of accounting experience • Knowledge of finance, accounting, budgeting, and cost control principles including Generally Accepted Accounting Principles • Ability to analyze financial data and prepare financial reports, statements and projections

12/18/23 3:08 PM

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78 JANUARY 17-24, 2024

Pre-Employment Transition Services Outreach Counselor Join our VSAC team as the Pre-ETS Outreach Counselor! This role is funded by a contract with HireAbility to develop and facilitate posthigh school learning activities to students with disabilities across Vermont. The VSAC Pre-ETS Outreach Counselor will work with the following contracted school sites in this first pilot year: Mount Anthony Union High School, Rutland High School, North Country Union High School, and BFA St. Albans. This list of contracted schools may expand after the pilot year to an additional 9 schools and three regions of the state. Given the disparate location of the 4 pilot sites, significant travel will be required for this position.

The Pre-ETS Outreach Counselor will deliver 2 to 3 learning activities per month at the contracted school sites beginning ASAP through the end of the school year.

The successful candidate will: • Be a highly motivated individual who is excited to work with youth with

disabilities to support them in planning for their futures.

• Be an experienced educator with a focus on accommodating learning activities to meet student needs and interests.

• Understand and excel at adapting learning activities and developing a sequence of learning activities where skills build upon each other.

• Enjoy building relationships with students, school sites, and stakeholders.

• Be an effective communicator, who is open to feedback, collaboration, and flexibility.

WE WE AREARE HIRING HIRING

Join JoinOur Our Team!

Team!

4 4positions including: positionsnow now open open including: Burlington Water Resources is seeking passionate, skilled professionals Burlington Water Resources is seeking passionate, skilled professionals to join our team.

Come work on critical public infrastructure every day! to join our team. Come work on critical public infrastructure every day!

TheResources Water Resources Engineer a variety of engineering The Water Engineer worksworks on a on variety of engineering across our drinking wastewater stormwater systems. projectsprojects across our drinking water,water, wastewater and and stormwater systems.

The Stormwater Field Specialist provides technical, fieldThe Stormwater Field Specialist provides technical, GIS,GIS, andand fieldbased support to the Stormwater City’s Stormwater Program. based support to the City’s Program.

The Asset Manager oversees the systems tracking the condition and

Water Engineer WaterResources Resources Engineer Stormwater Field Field Specialist Stormwater Specialist Water Resources Asset Water Resources Asset Manager Manager WaterResources Resources Utility Water Utility Inspector Inspector

The Asset Manager oversees the systems tracking the condition and maintenance of drinking water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure. maintenance of drinking water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure.

The Utility Inspector ensures all connections to and around water

The Utility Inspector ensures are all connections and around resources infrastructure compliant withtostandards and water assists with resources infrastructure are infrastructure compliant with standards and assists with maintaining accurate maps. maintaining accurate infrastructure maps.

LEARN MORE AND APPLY ONLINE:

governmentjobs.com/careers/burlingtonvt LEARN MORE AND APPLY ONLINE: Enter “Water Resources” in the search governmentjobs.com/careers/burlingtonvt Enter “Water Resources” in the search

BURLINGTON WATER BURLINGTON WATER RESOURCES DIVISION BURLINGTON WATER RESOURCES DIVISION RESOURCES DIVISION

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The salary range for this position is $42,000-$46,000 with 11 weeks off during the summer!

GEAR UP Director Are you a proven team leader with experience in the education sector who seeks to address complex challenges? Are you dedicated to supporting young people to achieve their dreams, potential, and grow Vermont’s future? Consider joining our VSAC team as the Director of our GEAR UP Program! You’ll join a team of highly committed, collaborative, and supportive colleagues who are dedicated to student success. The VSAC GEAR UP Director leads a team of 20 VSAC staff members who work across the state of Vermont serving students from middle school through their first year of education or training after high school. These staff hold a variety of roles, many embedded in middle schools and high schools, helping students explore passions, identify education pathways & career pathways, and ensuring financial aid to support their goals.

The successful GEAR UP Director candidate will: • Be a highly motivated and skilled leader who is focused on successful education and training outcomes for Vermont students and families.

• Maintain networks of communities, organizations, and stakeholders that are implementing both innovative and proven practices to effectively serve students and families in college and career readiness.

• Be an experienced supervisor and coach, with a focus on retaining and developing talent.

• Understand and excel at managing large, complex Federal budgets and fundraising through grant writing.

• Understand & enjoy grant management, developing, implementing & improving systems and processes that support staff and student success & leading thoughtful and impactful reporting to the federal government.

• Have a broad, analytical approach to the GEAR UP Director role, building understanding of and incorporating all VSAC programming into leadership of the VSAC GEAR UP grant.

New, local, scam-free jobs posted every day!

The salary range for this position is $85,000-$100,000.

jobs.sevendaysvt.com

For a full job description and to apply, visit vsac.org/careers 9t-postings-cmyk.indd 1

9/3/19 12:58 PM

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79 JANUARY 17-24, 2024

PRODUCTION TEAM MEMBER

Schedule: 40 hrs/week, Monday - Friday, 9 am - 5 pm Compensation: $20/hr, PTO, Employee Discount & Product Samples Deadline to apply: February 16, 2024

Registered Nurse – Howard Center Spoke Programs Provide oversight, coordination, and documentation of the medical care for clients served in Howard Center’s SPOKE programs.

Sub – Nurse Practitioner – MAT Seeking a medical provider with MAT experience to cover a Nurse Practitioner’s short-term leave at the Chittenden Clinic.

802-488-6946

howardcentercareers.org

N

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Chittenden County Clerk The Assistant Judges of Chittenden County are currently seeking a dedicated and self-motivated individual to fill that role of part-time County Clerk, requiring 30 hours per week over a five-day schedule. The ideal candidate should possess strong interpersonal skills, be proficient in bookkeeping, have knowledge of QuickBooks, and be familiar with tasks such as managing elections, creating and maintaining budgets, and passport issuance (training provided to the right candidate).

Attention to detail is a key requirement for this position.

As the primary presence in the Chittenden County Courthouse on a daily basis, the County Clerk will play a vital role as the eyes and ears overseeing Chittenden County properties, including the Courthouse and Sheriff’s Department building.

Collaborating closely with the Assistant Judges and the building supervisor, the qualified candidate will assist in the management of county properties.

Interested candidates are invited to submit a cover letter and resume to Suzanne.Brown@vermont.gov.

The compensation for this position ranges from $45,000 to $55,000 based upon experience, and it includes a generous benefits package.

175 Main Street, Burlington, VT 05401 The County of Chittenden is an equal opportunity employer.

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For a complete job description & how to apply, visit: sunsetlakecannabis.com/careers.

Registered Nurse – Crisis Stabilization Full time Registered Nurse position supporting two Crisis Stabilization programs in Burlington: ASSIST & Bridge

•

These are full-time positions with competitive wages, paid holiday/vacation and retirement. Located in Hardwick, Vt. Please send cover letter and resume to: work@ vermontnaturalcoatings.com.

Howard Center is Hiring Medical Staff

•

Create and design meaningful content while building brand awareness throughout our sales and marketing channels.

Seeking Impactful Work?

Verm

Graphic Designer

As a Production Team Member, you will assist in all stages of cannabis production. You will assist in making a variety of products, including hand-trimmed cannabis flower, prerolls and blunts, vape carts, THC and CBD tinctures, CBD topicals, and more! Our production schedule involves various tasks that balance efficiency and job varieties.

Production Team Members will become experts in the entire process of turning raw materials into finished products.

Qualified applicants should have previous experience working in a fast-paced team environment and maintain a positive professional relationship with a diverse group of co-workers. Fast hands, excellent time management & communication skills are valuable to our team.

E

Grow, manage and promote our e-commerce and digital sale platforms including Amazon, our own website and other online partner channels.

Are you passionate about sustainable agriculture? Do you want to work in the Cannabis industry? Sunset Lake Cannabis is now hiring!

RO

NC

E-Commerce Sales Manager

F E XC E L

LE

1.0 FTE Communications Specialist

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Immediate Opening

Champlain Valley Union High School seeks a full-time, energetic Communication Specialist to join our Special Education team starting in the 2023-2024 school year. We are looking for skilled, caring individuals with specific knowledge and expertise in the area of communication, who will be able to provide support and programming for individuals and small groups.

Candidates will require specific expertise and/or years of directly related training/experience in using a multi-modal communication system with school-age children with significant communication needs (including a high level of fluency in American Sign Language, with a particular focus on English-Order Sign).

Communication Specialists are expected to provide highly specialized communication supports and interventions that may include: • Monitoring, programming and facilitating the use of high- and low-tech communication devices and other assistive technologies • The integration of a high level of American Sign Language and other multi-modal communication forms to support receptive and expressive communication • Enabling a student with severe communication challenges to fully participate in and benefit from instruction, school activities and social interaction • Integrating instructional, behavioral and communication interventions into the classroom Communication facilitation (implementation of a multi-modal communication system may include: the programming of hiand lo-tech AAC devices, a high level of fluency in American Sign Language, Picture Exchange Communication [PECS], etc.).

All candidates should be able to implement interventions with fidelity & collect data, as directed by a Special Educator, take initiative, and maintain confidentiality. Positions can include directly supporting the activities of daily living & supervising students on the bus ride to or from school. Bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences, Education, or another appropriate discipline, is preferred. Pay rate is $26.01 to $27.83/hour depending on education and experience.

CVSD is an equal opportunity employer. Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), women, and LGBTQ+ candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. Please visit cvsdvt.org/jobs to apply.

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

80 JANUARY 17-24, 2024

Lake Champlain Island CARETAKER

JOIN OUR FACILITIES DEPARTMENT Custodian starting pay at $18.75/hr Grounds Member range starting at $19/hr Electrician range starting at $25/hr Plumber range starting at $25/hr HVAC Technician range starting at $25/hr Some positions are eligible for shift differential pay

APPLY ONLINE www.smcvt.edu/jobs

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WE’RE HIRING! • Program Clinicians • Residential Counselors & Mental Health Workers • Awake Overnight Counselors • Clinical & Therapeutic Case Managers • Teachers and Special Educators • Classroom Counselors & One to One Staff • Family Engagement Specialists NFI VT is a private, nonprofit, specialized service agency within the Vermont statewide mental health system. We are a healing organization, grounded in trauma-informed care.

We are hiring for Full-Time, Part-Time and Relief positions.

Regular positions of 30+ hours per week are eligible for our generous benefits package, which includes competitive salary and tuition reimbursement.Please apply online at: nfivermont.org/careers.

NFI VT is an Equal Opportunity Employer and, as such, prohibits discrimination against any employee or applicant based on race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, ethnic background, disability, or other non-work-related personal trait or characteristic to the extent protected by law.

Seeking a full-time caretaker for Lake Champlain island in Vermont for May - October.

Skill sets needed are: strong work ethic and selfmotivation; expertise with maintaining and running boats, farm machinery and solar systems; building & property maintenance; hospitality skills for weekly rental property. Monthly stipend with 3-bedroom log home, vegetable garden and utilities provided.

Please email: parker@ getonsnow.com to apply.

Market Garden Assistant Full description and to apply: trilliumhillfarm.com/ employment.html

LOOKING FOR A COOLER OPPORTUNITY?

1/10/24 11:11 AM

Litigation Attorney SRH Law PLLC, a mission-driven law firm and Certified B Corporation®, seeks an attorney with at least 5 years of litigation experience to assist in leading the firm’s active civil and administrative litigation practice. Our litigation practice consists of environmental and general commercial litigation in state and federal courts, often for clients promoting renewable energy, affordable housing, and downtown revitalization. We also conduct administrative litigation before the Vermont Public Utility Commission, Act 250 District Commissions, and other administrative tribunals at the federal, state, and local levels.

Candidates should have significant experience in all phases of litigation, at least some experience managing cases independently, & outstanding written & oral communication skills.

As a mission-driven firm, SRH Law works with clients— including businesses, nonprofits, cooperatives, government entities, and individuals—who share our commitment to making a difference in their communities and the broader world. We take our inspiration from our clients’ good work and help them excel in their business or mission by resolving their legal issues with creativity and integrity. We strive to create a new model for legal practice that offers the ability to do important work on issues we care deeply about, while still maintaining a healthy work-life balance. This position offers the opportunity to join a skilled team of lawyers and build a meaningful and rewarding litigation practice.

Competitive salary depending on experience and excellent benefits -- employer-paid health insurance, excellent work life balance, hybrid work model, 401(k) plan with employer match, family leave, dependent care account, free parking and paid vacation.

We are an equal opportunity employer and we seek to increase diversity within our firm. Interested persons should e-mail a letter of interest and resume to applications@srhlaw.com.

Applications considered on a rolling basis until position is filled.

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81 JANUARY 17-24, 2024

Assistant Planner/ Zoning Administrator

SR. LOAN ADMINISTRATOR

Northwest Regional Planning Commission (NRPC) is seeking a full-time assistant planner/zoning administrator to work with communities in Franklin and Grand Isle Counties. The position includes serving as the appointed zoning administrator/local planner for up to three municipalities & to assist NRPC with regional and local planning projects.

Evernorth’s vision is people in every community have an affordable place to live and opportunities to thrive. Our mission is to work with partners to connect underserved communities in the northern New England region with capital and expertise to advance projects and policies that create more inclusive places to live.

The ideal candidate has knowledge and skills in land use planning and development through professional, educational or volunteer experiences. This position requires effective written and verbal communication skills, the ability to work in a team environment and independently, and a strong customer service ethic. The position will require work in an office setting at local municipal offices and regular night meetings will be expected.

Evernorth is hiring a Senior Loan Administrator who will be responsible for coordinating the loan production life cycle from application through pay-off. A successful candidate will be a selfstarter with excellent big-picture thinking and problem-solving skills who can collaborate with others to design and implement efficient and effective business processes. Knowledge of CDFI programs, affordable multifamily housing programs such as LIHTC, HOME, Section 8, Section 515, FHLB-AHP, and others. This position requires an Associate’s degree or higher, the ability to travel throughout our service area of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, experience with lending and banking. Experience with loan software preferred.

For more details see nrpcvt.com/employment. Interviews will begin mid-January. This position will remain open until filled.

To apply, go to evernorthus.org/careers/. EVERNORTH IS AN E.O.E.

WHERE YOU AND YOUR WORK MATTER...

F I N A N C I A L A N D S Y S T E M S A N A LY S T – M O N T P E L I E R The Agency of Education is looking for a Financial & Systems Analyst to ensure financial compliance with federal education law. Support School Districts to understand fiscal requirements, anticipate funding changes, track federal spending, and evaluate the effectiveness of programs. Strong financial data analysis/modeling skills, expertise with Excel, and an ability to interpret complex fiscal regulations are critical. Understanding the human element of data work is an essential skill for success. For more information, contact Deborah Bloom at Deborah.Bloom@Vermont. gov. Department: Education. Location: Montpelier. Status: Full Time. Job ID #49066.

Application Deadline: January 21, 2024.

Veterinary Receptionist/ Patient Care Coordinator

CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAM COORDIN ATOR I FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT – MONTPELIER This new position will conduct financial reviews and provide training in financial management requirements for childcare centers and nonprofit organizations involved in the Child & Adult Care Food Program and the Summer Food Service Program. If you have a background in auditing or accounting and want to use that knowledge for meaningful work ensuring children and older adults have access to nutritious meals, we invite you to apply! Remote work is possible with some required in-state travel. For more information, contact Rosie Krueger at mary.krueger@ vermont.gov. Department: Agency of Education. Location: Montpelier. Status: Full Time.

Job ID #48910. Application Deadline: January 22, 2024.

ADMINIS TRATIVE SERVICES TECHNICIAN III – WATERBURY

Come do work that matters as a member of the small, dedicated team at the Vermont Board of Medical Practice, where we license physicians and investigate complaints about medical care. We seek an efficient and organized self-starter to provide administrative support handling mail and phones, maintaining files, and assisting physicians with medical licensing. This is a full-time - in office position in Waterbury and offers State of Vermont employee benefits. For more information, contact Jane Malago at jane.malago@vermont.gov. Department: Health. Location: Waterbury. Status: Full Time, Limited Service. Job ID #48812. Application Deadline: January 28, 2024.

Qi Veterinary Clinic

We’re looking for someone who is: • Passionate • A strong communicator in person, via email and phone • Loves animals and the people who care for them This is a full-time position consisting of four 10 hour shifts per week. Pay range is $18-$25 and includes the following benefits: • 40 hours paid personal/sick time per year • 80 hours paid vacation time/year • 52 hours paid major Holidays per year • $2600 contribution towards healthcare premium per year • Simple IRA with matching up to 3% • Staff Lunches 2-3 times/week

COMMUNICATIONS & OUTREACH COORDIN ATOR – MONTPELIER We are seeking a dynamic and passionate individual to join our communications team as a Communications & Outreach Coordinator. In this role, you will play a pivotal part in connecting jobseekers spanning generations with our no-cost services and available resources. If you are skilled in crafting compelling messages, shaping graphics, and engaging diverse communities, we want you to be a driving force in our mission to connect people with meaningful employment opportunities.

For more information, contact Jay Ramsey at jay.ramsey@vermont.gov. Department: Labor. Location: Montpelier, a hybrid work schedule may be considered. Status: Full Time.

Job ID #49160. Application Deadline: January 23, 2024.

Learn more at :

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The State of Vermont is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Serious applicants must submit a resume, include a cover letter telling us why you're the right person for us and 3 references. One reference must be from a direct supervisor.

Send resumes: therese@Qivet.com

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

82 JANUARY 17-24, 2024

Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and Clinics

Director of Information Technology

In-Person Career Hiring Event Licensed Nurse Assistants, Medical Assistants and Surgical Techs Thursday, February 1st, 2024 • 3pm-6pm Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center • Lebanon, NH We are happy to let candidates know that we will: • Be offering Onsite Interviews.

• On-The-Spot Offers may also be extended at the event.

We will have refreshments and giveaways. There will also be drawings for door prizes (must attend the event to be eligible to win).

If you are not already trained as a Nursing Assistant, Medical Assistant or Surgical Technologist, but would like to learn more, we will have representatives from the Dartmouth Hitchcock Workforce Readiness Institute (DHWRI) at this event. DHWRI offers training and career advancement opportunities through comprehensive training programs that offer full-time employment with benefits.

If you’re interested in a career with Dartmouth Health please learn more and register for our event at: DHCareers.org

Walk-ins are welcome.

Dartmouth Health values diversity and is committed to equal opportunity for all persons regardless of age, color, disability, ethnicity, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status or any other status protected by law.

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The Vermont League of Cities and Towns, a non-profit, nonpartisan membership organization that exists to serve and strengthen local government, seeks a creative innovator with a passion for technology to serve as our next Director of Information Technology. The ideal candidate will enjoy developing and maintaining our information technology programs, functions, and equipment while leading a small staff. We seek someone who has a big-picture vision for how to use and deploy new technology to serve our cities, towns, and villages. VLCT has an $8 million budget, and administers nearly $30 million in non-profit insurance and risk management trust funds. VLCT is especially interested in information technology professionals who have worked in municipal government or in the insurance industry.

Some of the projects you’ll immediately start working on include helping us fully transition to SharePoint, evaluating our incumbent managed service provider, helping implement a new risk services information system, and continually improving our association management system.

The ideal candidate will have a degree in computer science, information systems or comparable area, four years’ experience working in an information technology department with 20 or more users, and at least two years effectively leading an information technology department.

VLCT offers a competitive salary (anticipated range is $110,000 - $130,000, commensurate with experience) and an extensive benefit package, which includes participation in the VMERS retirement system, a 401(a), employer paid health insurance and dental premiums, generous vacation, sick and holiday time, flexible work schedules and remote work opportunities (within Vermont).

For full job description and to apply, please visit vlct.org/careers.

Application deadline is Friday, February 2. Applicants will be reviewed as they are received. Position is open until filled. E.O.E.

1/12/24 12:12 PM

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83 JANUARY 17-24, 2024

Executive Director Location: Montpelier, VT Organization: Washington County Mental Health Services

ABOUT US:

ADVOCACY:

WCMHS is a leading non-profit organization which advocates the inclusion of all persons into our communities and actively encourages self-determination and recovery. We serve all individuals and families coping with the challenges of developmental and intellectual disabilities, mental health, and substance use by providing trauma-informed services to support them as they achieve their highest potential and best quality of life.

Represent the organization in advocating for policies that support mental health and intellectual disabilities initiatives.

Position Overview: We are seeking an experienced and dynamic Executive Director to lead our organization into the future. The ideal candidate will have a deep passion for mental health, intellectual and developmental disabilities and co-occurring advocacy and the ability to drive strategic initiatives, oversee operations, and build strong relationships with community partners.

We value progressive ideas, encourage autonomy, and pride ourselves on building great teams, initiating change, and creating unique and innovative programming to meet our community’s needs.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: Strategic Leadership: Develop and execute the organization's strategic plan to meet our mission and vision. Lead and inspire a senior team of dedicated professionals, promoting a culture of diversity, inclusivity and accountability across multiple disciplines including; the Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operations Officer, the Co-Directors of our Center for Counseling and Psychological Services, the Director of Community Support Programs, the Director of Children, Youth and Family Services, the Director of Community Developmental Services, the Director of Nursing, the Medical Director, the Director of Information Technology, the Director of Human Resources.

Operations Management: Oversee day-to-day operations, and our best in class programs that service clients and families throughout their life including: an onsite therapeutic daycare, pre-school, an independent chartered school for youth, transitional services for at-risk youth, residential care for youth and adults, comprehensive trauma-informed mental health services for children and adults, including co-occurring therapeutic and case management services, groups, employment services, peer led crisis and respite housing and drop in services, intellectual and developmental disabilities learning network, supported employment, residential settings to support independence and life skills acquisition, psychiatry, nursing, administrative, accounting, billing, HR, facilities, and IT services to ensure continuous delivery of high-quality care and efficient use of our resources.

GRANTS AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT: Secure funding and grants to sustain and grow the organization's activities. Manage the budget effectively.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: Foster partnerships and collaborations with other community organizations, government agencies, and stakeholders.

BOARD RELATIONS: Work closely with the Board of Directors to provide regular updates and support their governance responsibilities.

QUALIFICATIONS: • Minimum of an advanced degree in Psychiatry, Psychology, Social Work or other human services field or completion of related behavioral health or business management credentials, or equivalent experience • 10 plus years in progressively responsible leadership positions in community mental health, substance use disorder treatment and/or developmental disability services, including five years of supervisory experience in an executive leadership position involving administrative and consultative responsibility or equivalent experience including direct relationships with a Board of Directors or similar governance body.

• Proven ability to engage with a wide range of key stakeholders and community partners effectively and meaningfully.

• Demonstrated ability to drive tactical short and long-term strategies resulting in sound fiscal and organizational management.

• Ability to demonstrate authenticity, enthusiasm, flexibility, empathy within the leadership of the agency as well as key stakeholders of the agency to invoke trust and confidence.

HOW TO APPLY: Interested candidates are invited to submit their resume and a cover letter outlining their qualifications, experience, and commitment to advocacy for issues affecting people receiving services through this human services organization.

Please send your application to recruitment@wcmhs.org.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: 1/22/24 BENEFITS: This is a contracted position whose salary will be negotiated with our Board of Directors. We offer a competitive total compensation package, including health and dental benefits, 403b plan with a match, and opportunities for professional development and growth.

WCMHS is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply. Join us in making a difference in the lives of individuals and families in need of mental health and developmental services. Be part of a dedicated team working towards a healthier community.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY BY ROB BREZSNY REAL JANUARY 18-24

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19)

We all go through phases that feel extra plodding and pedestrian. During these times, the rhythms and melodies of our lives seem drabber than usual. The good news is that I believe you Capricorns will experience fewer of these slowdowns than usual in 2024. The rest of us will see you at your best and brightest on a frequent basis. In fact, the gifts and blessings you offer may flow toward us in abundance. So it’s no coincidence if you feel exceptionally well loved during the coming months. PS: The optimal way to respond to the appreciation you receive is to ratchet up your generosity even higher.

ARIES (Mar. 21-Apr. 19): Aries chemist Percy

Julian (1899-1975) was a trailblazer in creating medicine from plants. He patented more than 130 drugs and laid the foundation for the production of cortisone and birth control pills. Julian was also a Black man who had to fight relentlessly to overcome the racism he encountered everywhere. I regard him as an exemplary member of the Aries tribe, since he channeled his robust martial urges toward constructive ends again and again and again. May he inspire you in the coming weeks, dear Aries. Don’t just get angry or riled up. Harness your agitated spirit to win a series of triumphs.

TAURUS (Apr. 20-May 20): Taurus actor Pierce Brosnan said, “You struggle with money.

You struggle without money. You struggle with love. You struggle without love. But it’s how you manage. You have to keep laughing, you have to be fun to be with, and you have to live with style.” Brosnan implies that struggling is a fundamental fact of everyday life, an insistent presence that is never far from our awareness. But if you’re willing to consider the possibility that his theory may sometimes be an exaggeration, I have good news: The coming months could be less filled with struggle than ever before. As you deal with the ease and grace, I hope you will laugh, be fun to be with and live with style — without having to be motivated by ceaseless struggle.

GEMINI (May 21-Jun. 20): Gemini author

and activist William Upski Wimsatt is one of my role models. Why? In part, because he shares my progressive political ideals and works hard to get young people to vote for enlightened candidates who promote social justice. Another reason I love him is that he aspires to have 10,000 role models. Not just a few celebrity heroes but a wide array of compassionate geniuses working to make the world more like paradise. The coming weeks will be an excellent time for you to gather new role models, dear Gemini. I also suggest you look around for new mentors, teachers and inspiring guides.

CANCER (Jun. 21-Jul. 22): I want you to fulfill your desires! I want you to get what you want! I don’t think that yearnings are unspiritual indulgences that divert us from enlightenment. On the contrary, I believe our longings are sacred homing signals guiding us to our highest truths. With these thoughts in mind, here are four tips to enhance your quests in the coming months: 1) Some of your desires may be distorted or superficial versions of deeper, holier desires. Do your best to dig down and find their heart source. 2) To help manifest your desires, visualize yourself as having already accomplished them. 3) Welcome the fact that when you achieve what you want, your life will change in unpredictable ways. You may have to deal with a good kind of stress. 4) Remember that people are more

likely to assist you in getting what you yearn for if you’re not greedy and grasping.

LEO (Jul. 23-Aug. 22): I regard Leo psychologist Carl Jung (1875-1961) as a genius with a supreme intellect. Here’s a quote from him that I want you to hear: “We should not pretend to understand the world only by the intellect; we apprehend it just as much by feeling. Therefore, the judgment of the intellect is, at best, only the half of truth, and must, if it be honest, also come to an understanding of its inadequacy.” You may already believe this wisdom in your gut, Leo. But like all of us, you live in a culture filled with authorities who value the intellect above feeling. So it’s essential to be regularly reminded of the bigger truth — especially for you right now. To make righteous decisions, you must respect your feelings as much as your intellect.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sep. 22): Poet Rainer Maria Rilke exalted the physical pleasure that sex brings. He mourned that so many “misuse and squander this experience and apply it as a stimulant to the tired spots of their lives and as a distraction instead of a rallying toward exalted moments.” At its best, Rilke said, sex gives us “a knowing of the world, the fullness and the glory of all knowing.” It is a sublime prayer, an opportunity to feel sacred communion on every level of our being. That’s the erotic experience I wish for you in the coming weeks, Virgo. And I believe you will have an expanded potential for making it happen.

LIBRA (Sep. 23-Oct. 22): Even if you are currently bonded with a spouse or partner, I recommend you consider proposing matrimony to an additional person: yourself. Yes, dear Libra, I believe the coming months will be prime time for you to get married to your own precious soul. If you’re brave enough and crazy enough to carry out this daring move, devote yourself to it with lavish abandon. Get yourself a wedding ring, write your vows, conduct a ceremony and go on a honeymoon. If you’d like inspiration, read my piece “I Me Wed”: tinyurl. com/selfmarriage.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Talking about a problem can be healthy. But in most cases,

it should be a preliminary stage that leads to practical action; it shouldn’t be a substitute for action. Now and then, however, there are exceptions to this rule. Mere dialogue, if grounded in mutual respect, may be sufficient to dissolve a logjam and make further action unnecessary. The coming days will be such a time for you, Scorpio. I believe you and your allies can talk your way out of difficulties.

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

tarian cartoonist Charles M. Schulz wrote, “My life has no purpose, no direction, no aim, no meaning, and yet I’m happy. I can’t figure it out. What am I doing right?” I suspect that in 2024, you may go through a brief phase similar to his: feeling blank, yet quite content.

But it won’t last. Eventually, you will be driven to seek a passionate new sense of intense purpose. As you pursue this reinvention, a fresh version of happiness will bloom. For best results, be willing to outgrow your old ideas about what brings you gladness and gratification.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In fall 1903,

the New York Times published an article that scorned human efforts to develop flying machines. It prophesied that such a revolutionary technology was still at least a million years in the future — possibly 10 million years.

In conclusion, it declared that there were better ways to apply our collective ingenuity than working to create such an unlikely invention.

Nine weeks later, Orville and Wilbur Wright disproved that theory, completing a flight with the airplane they had made. I suspect that you, Aquarius, are also primed to refute an expectation or prediction about your supposed limitations. (Afterward, try not to gloat too much.)

PISCES (Feb. 19-Mar. 20): Your sweat and tears are being rewarded with sweets and cheers. Your diligent, detailed work is leading to expansive outcomes that provide relief and release. The discipline you’ve been harnessing with such panache is spawning breakthroughs in the form of elegant liberations. Congrats, dear Pisces! Don’t be shy about welcoming in the fresh privileges flowing your way. You have earned these lush dividends.

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SOUND MIND AND SOUND BODY This international type prioritizes friendship because it’s more easily achieved than romance, and because some of the most rewarding romances emerge unexpectedly when people get to know each other in a relaxed manner, over time. I’m drawn to cerebral, ethical people with a sense of humor who want to share athletics, a love of nature, culture and/or thoughtful, spirited debate. Mireya, 63, seeking: M, l

ADVENTUROUS WANDERER, TRUSTWORTHY LISTENER I love storytelling and always try to write down my magnificent dreams.

A psychic once said, “Who is that red-bearded Scandinavian warrior standing behind you?” and I knew him well, my brave protector on this road less traveled by. Have you read John M. Gottman? Would you like a balanced relationship based on passion, commitment, courage, adventure? Me, too. seabreezes, 72, seeking: M, l

SILLY GAL SEEKS JOY-BASED LOVER Do you want a woman with all the attributes of a middle-aged mom but none of the kids? Do you like women whose idea of dressing up is putting on a pair of earrings and a scarf? Have you ever taken a class that wasn’t required by a judge? Then you are a catch. How are you still single? stisme, 47, seeking: M, l KIND, GARDENER, CURIOUS, CREATIVE, ACTIVE I love the Vermont outdoors. Spend my time with family and friends, gardening, creating, cross-country skiing, swimming, kayaking, walking my dogs, playing tennis and molding clay. I live intentionally and have a healthy, active lifestyle. I am hoping to share experiences with new friends and have good conversations.

Lovesdogs, 66, seeking: M, l STARTING OVER Honest, loyal, sensitive, loving. I’ve been divorced 16 years, most of that alone. Looking to get back in the dating scene. Finding my soulmate would be a bonus! Not looking for casual sex/ hookup. I don’t tolerate lies. I’m going to be an open book; I expect the same.

If you aren’t into BBW, then I’m not for you. poeticbabs, 54, seeking: M, l THIS COULD BE FUN?!

Seeking a cocaptain for my zombie apocalypse fight club (crap, I just broke the first rule of zombie apocalypse fight club!). Training strategies include hiking, swimming, eating well, wining and whining about work, baking (or anything that lets me replace existential dread with frosting), and hopefully doing our part to support our community where we can. Who’s with me?!

Thiscouldbefunoratleastafunnystory, 48, seeking: M, l SINCERE, ACTIVE AND EASYGOING I lead a healthy lifestyle and enjoy staying fit. Exercise, being in nature, dancing, meditation and cooking all bring me joy. My friends say I’m thoughtful, a good listener and very expressive. I appreciate a sense of humor and a good laugh. I believe that open communication is key to a successful relationship. Ontheroad, 65, seeking: M

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

MAKING IT WORK I’m a fun-loving girl who lives to laugh. I can find fun and beauty in most situations, and I’m really hoping to find a playmate who meets my needs, challenges me, and shows me new, fun and exciting things! Musicandleaves, 36, seeking: M LIVING LIFE HUMBLY AND LOVINGLY Would love to share what life has taught me through experiences. Traveled a lot and now like to go on long drives around Vermont hills. Looking for another soul in a physical form to laugh, eat, hike, swim, hold hands and watch the sunrise. Ahh285, 55, seeking: M, W, l DATE MY MOM! Originally from Chicago, lived in Santa Fe for a stint and owned a ski lodge in the ’70s in Waitsfield. She loves homecooked meals and trying new recipes.

Not a fan of exercise, conservatives or early mornings. Super fun to be around.

“I can’t believe I’m the same age as old people!” Cora, 82, seeking: M, l

MEN seeking...

SERIOUSLY SEARCHING FOR SUCCESSFUL SERENDIPITY Searching for the Katia to my Maurice.

Traveled all around the world. Visited 48 states and really spent time getting to know them and their people. Been all over Europe, backpacked through the Balkans, lived in Italy, hiked across Britain. Been to New Zealand as well and plan to trek across Asia someday.

Musician, chef, philosopher, the oldest of souls. RobMarch, 33, seeking: W, l HARDWORKING, HONEST, KIND VERMONTER Middle-aged, hardworking native Vermonter looking for an honest, kind and fun woman to spend time with. Let’s go out to dinner, watch the sunset and have a real conversation about who we are and what we’re hoping for out of life. I’m drama-free and would like to form a friendship first and hope it turns into something more. Working76, 65, seeking: W, l

LOOKING FOR MY DISCREET LOVER I’m an honest married man looking for another married man for a discreet relationship. I’d prefer a dominant top and a guy who loves to be pleasured on a regular basis. borpsalm69, 48, seeking: M ADVENTUROUS AND FUN I am a 56-y/o, very open-minded male looking for an honest, open, fun relationship, especially, with a couple or an individual. I do not have any preconceived ideas of what this looks like, just that it be enjoyable, adventurous, fun and open. UrsaMinor37, 57, seeking: Cp, l MATURE LADIES WELCOME I am down-to-earth, honest, loyal.

I’m interested in mature ladies, white, sexy and honest. Let’s go meet up for coffee, soup and chitchat.

Kapital78, 46, seeking: W, l LOOKING IN VERMONT I’m new to Vermont and trying to see what’s out there. I’m open to meeting all kinds of people. Prefer casual at first.

Maybe friends with benefits that could turn into more. Me: WM, six feet, larger build. SevenDates, 42, seeking: W, TW HARDWORKING, FUN-LOVING GUY Hi. I’m retired, looking for a more serious relationship. I’m financially independent and a good-natured human being. Father of three wonderful daughters. I enjoy laughing and making others laugh.

Cheers. Julio21, 64, seeking: W, l LAID-BACK TRAVELER LOOKING TO ROAM Laid-back ski bum and polyamorous naturist dude living in Vermont for a while. I’m looking for other female, trans, queer or like-minded individuals and couples who just want to meet up, get to know each other and have some fun. Vermont is a tough state to meet people who share unique interests. If you are looking for something unique, hit me. FunkySkibuff, 46, seeking: W, TM, TW, Q, NC, NBP, Cp, Gp, l SOCIAL WORKER, 68, SEEKING FEMALE Searching for an attractive, frecklefaced woman who likes progressive politics, music from the 1960s/1970s and the outdoors. Must be 55-plus with a college degree. I like long walks, fishing, camping, and spending time by the campfire or on the beach. I am very empathetic and compassionate with regards to people’s needs/desires and am very open-minded toward people. David_Lacroix, 68, seeking: W DATING SITE MISFIT SEEKS YOU Vermont-born and -raised improv guy ran away after high school and experienced the good, the bad and the ugly — learning much by the seat of my pants. Still in the process of discovering self. Unlikely “just sex.” Favor physical love. Dance some rockin’ blues with me, then coffee or tea the next morning. If afraid of life, afraid of meeting, I’m not your man. BoogieMan, 69, seeking: W, l LAID-BACK, MELLOW GUY I’m not sure what to say, so here goes: I get asked why I’m single a lot, and the answer is me. I haven’t put myself out there, and I’m trying to change that. I’m a good guy, got a job and a good car to get around in. If you want to know more, you just have to ask. mellowguy, 44, seeking: W, l

NATURE LOVER AND YOGA ENTHUSIAST Hi there! Nature-loving artist here hoping to meet a beautiful, easygoing inside and out female for friends or relationship.

Very familiar with Vermont (hiking and camping). Looking to relocate soon! I’m a seeker, and I practice all sorts of health and holistic practices. Please reach out if you have any similar interests, and we’ll connect! Thanks. —Joseph.

Growurownveggies, 57, seeking: W, l OPEN TO POSSIBILITY A delightful woman can be found.

Spreading a net on both sides of our northern lake. I love our region, wildness out of doors! My artsy outlook embraces the positive, natural and creative. Close to nature during the warm season, I pursue life in my antique camper. Cooking good food. Walking is my exercise. Reading, a regular pastime. Upbeat attitude and humor! mrprenyea, 69, seeking: W, l EASYGOING OUTDOORSMAN Looking for female friendship. Lost wife two years ago after 51 years of marriage. Just want someone to talk to and communicate with. Love wildlife photography.

Eaglelover, 81, seeking: W, l

TRANS WOMEN seeking...

RECENTLY RELOCATED, ADVENTUROUS, FREE SPIRIT I’m a gorgeous, white, 100 percent passable trans lady who is 57 and could pass as 30 — yes, 30! I long for love, laughter and romance, along with loving nature. I want a man who’s all man, rugged, handsome, well built but prefers a woman like myself. It’s as simple as that. We meet, fall in love and live happily ever after. Sammijo, 58, seeking: M, l

GENDER NONCONFORMISTS

seeking...

PLAYMATE WANTED, CROSS-DRESSER I love to dress, and I am looking for someone who can accept that side of me. I love the outdoors and fish and hunt. Love cars. paula69269, 74, seeking: W, TW, Q, NC, NBP, Cp, Gp

COUPLES seeking...

FUN COUPLE LOOKING FOR EXPLORATION We are a secure couple who enjoy the outdoors, good wine, great food, playing with each other, exploring our boundaries and trying new things. We are 47 and 50, looking for a fun couple or bi man to play and explore with us. We are easygoing, and we’d love to meet you and see where our mutual adventures take us. vthappycouple, 50, seeking: M, Cp, Gp 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, 43, 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, 47, seeking: M

i SPY

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

dating.sevendaysvt.com

GLOUCESTER GAL IN GORGEOUS GETUP While visiting Montpelier, you perused the racks at the Getup and tried on a delightful secondhand coat — several times. “This one’s too tight, though,” you said, but I thought you looked smashing. Coat or no coat, I was smitten with your style, and I hope that our paths cross again someday, because pondering your form was anything but ponderous. When: Sunday, January 14, 2024. Where: Montpelier.

You: Woman. Me: Man. #915928

POUTINE AND GUINNESS AT CORNERSTONE I recommended the Gunner’s Daughter.

You tried it and chose the Guinness.

You were alone on one side of the bar, and I was having a drink with my ex on the other. You seemed to tolerate my playful banter. Any interest in getting together where I can introduce you to some other dark beers you’re sure to dislike? When: Tuesday, January 9, 2024. Where: Cornerstone, Barre.

You: Man. Me: Woman. #915924

SEEKING PROJECT MANAGER We were in line. You were talking to your friend and another lady you met about how you are a project manager.

I didn’t want to interrupt, but I wanted to speak with you more about your job, how you got into it, the systems you use, etc. Drop a line if you would like to chat. TY! When: Tuesday, December 17, 2024. Where: Marshalls, Williston.

You: Woman. Me: Man. #915927

NYE HIGHER GROUND AFTER MIDNIGHT We were talking about our 13y/o daughters when I was rudely interrupted by my friend. I would like to talk more! When: Monday, January 1, 2024. Where: Higher Ground.

You: Man. Me: Woman. #915923

NORTH END YOGA FLAME We ended up next to each other that Friday night. A chance encounter I’ve dreamt of ever since. Your smile lit up the room; your red sweater said the rest. We may not have spoken, but your glances said it all. I wish I’d said hello. Tell me I’m not dreaming and we’ll shavasana together again, for real this time. When: Friday, January 5, 2024. Where: Sangha, North End. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915926 YOU LOVE TO FISH You work at Idletyme in Stowe. You love to fish. You have an amazing smile. If you are single, I would love to exchange fishing stories. When: Monday, September 11, 2023.

Where: at a restaurant in Stowe.

You: Man. Me: Woman. #915925

I MISS MISS MICHIGAN You were breaking your way into the UVM medical scene. I was working on my unfunded mechanical engineering master’s. I didn’t get your name because you didn’t sign it on the petition, and you didn’t get mine because I didn’t, either. Can we meet again? I have another can of spray paint. When: Sunday, January 7, 2024. Where: UVM campus. You: Woman. Me: Gender nonconformist. #915922 HOT ROD AT PRICE CHOPPER In the frozen food section. I glanced over to see you, a beauty, holding chicken nuggets. You were handsome and tall with glasses wearing a baby Yoda T-shirt.

In the parking lot, I saw you driving away in your Subaru. We waved before you left. Wanna share those nuggets over an episode of “The Mandalorian”? When: Thursday, January 4, 2024. Where: Price Chopper. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915921

Ask REVEREND Dear T. Totaler,

BURLINGTON ECHO, WATERFRONT BIKE PATH I was biking by in the dark. You went out of your way to say hi. A warm and beautiful smile! I could stay out in this cold all night thinking about it and still feel your warmth and peace.

But instead I biked home and say hi from here. What up? Show me how to walk sometime? When: Saturday, January 6, 2024. Where: Burlington.

You: Woman. Me: Man. #915920 WARM GOLD IN GREEN STATE I spy: a warm smile on the amber-haired 420 goddess checking IDs. Am I just another customer flirt, or does the wild poet sparkle in my eyes as I smile back shine past the deceptive walker (from hip replacements much younger than it would seem)? Find you interesting in many ways, so up for anything from 420 friends on. When: Tuesday, January 2, 2024. Where: Green State Dispensary.

You: Woman. Me: Man. #915919 DANCING IN SILVER DRESS Beautiful woman dancing with festiveness and gaiety on New Year’s — the joy of watching you move made my night! I was too drunk to think of asking you out! Happy New Year! When: Monday, January 1, 2024. Where: T. Rugg’s. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915918 SUGAR MOMMY I am Mark by nickname, 46, loyal, down-to-earth and a fun guy looking for a sugar mommy. Fun-loving, caring, sharing lady. Especially role play. Go out, adventure, lover, etc. When: Sunday, December 31, 2023. Where: Seven Days. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915917 RAVEN-HAIRED WOMAN AT STAPLES We chatted in the checkout line — old dogs, new tricks. I thought you were charming and very attractive.

I’d love to talk shop with you. When: Thursday, December 28, 2023.

Where: Staples Plaza, Williston Rd. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915916 RAVEN-HAIRED AT STAPLES We made some jokes in line at the checkout — old dogs and new tricks. Found you quick-witted and attractive. I’d like to meet up and talk shop. When: Wednesday, December 27, 2023. Where: Staple Plaza.

You: Woman. Me: Man. #915915



Irreverent counsel on life’s conundrums

Dear Reverend,

Everybody I know is doing Dry January. I’d never heard of it before, but it seems like it’s all the rage. I thought I’d give it a shot, but I fell off the wagon after only a week. Where did the idea come from, and why is it so popular? Should I be worried I have a drinking problem because I couldn’t stick with it?

T. Totaler

(MAN, 54)

It’s easy to swear off the booze when you wake up on New Year’s Day with a raging hangover. But the next thing you know, you’re at Taco Tuesday with some friends, ordering up a margarita. It can happen to the best of us.

Are there any other signs that you have a problem with alcohol?

(Find a list at samhsa. gov/find-help/atod/ alcohol, plus resources for rethinking your drinking.) If not, I don’t think you need to be all that worried.

Dry January traces its history to 1942, when the Finnish government launched Sober January in order to conserve resources as part of the war effort. More recently, in 2011, a woman named Emily Robinson signed up for a half-

BEST BUY STORYTELLER M, thanks for sharing your stories while we waited; laughter is definitely part of my love language! Surprised to feel it while pop-in shopping. Hope the world is small enough to share more laughter with you! —G. When: Thursday, December 28, 2023. Where: Best Buy, Williston.

You: Woman. Me: Man. #915914 SUSIE, POOL GODDESS! From the first moment that our eyes met, I knew it was meant to be. Nothing worthwhile is easy. You are worth every ounce of effort and more! We can celebrate our karmic fate at Victoria Falls! Can’t imagine tropical adventures with anyone but my best friend! When: Wednesday, January 11, 2023. Where: Essex. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915913 LOOKIN’ GOOD IN GREEN A couple bunches of green kale — and looking stunning in sage green tights.

(OK, turns out green’s my favorite color.)

So I did not one but two double-takes and wished I needed more than just kale myself. Any chance green’s your favorite color, too? If so, it’s a sign! We should get green tea together. When: Wednesday, December 27, 2023. Where: City Market.

You: Woman. Me: Man. #915912 WHITE SUBARU, LOWE’S PARKING LOT You were parked, waiting for a few bags of stone. I came over to pet your dog. We had a nice conversation about your project. You have the best smile.

Wishing I had gotten your name and number. When: Thursday, December 14, 2023. Where: Lowe’s parking lot, South Burlington. You: Man. Me: Man. #915910 MIDDLEBURY CO-OP LOOK-ALIKE You: brother from another mother of my now-ex boyfriend. Me: shameless middle-aged woman, unapologetic about my type (charming, Italian). A little more conversation? When: Wednesday, November 29, 2023. Where: Middlebury Co-op. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915909 TESLA TURMOIL I was walking down Pearl Street when I noticed you trying to parallel park a Tesla that clearly wasn’t going to fit. I tried to guide you, but you told me to “get a car of my own.” Care to go car shopping sometime? When: Thursday, December 14, 2023. Where: Pearl St. You: Man. Me: Man. #915908

I SPY MY WOODLAND ELF The universe has a beautiful way of operating. To the top of Katahdin.

Secret swimming spots. Traveling in a van to explore this world. Summer fun with little ones. Camping under the stars looking into each other’s soul.

Getting lost for hours in one another.

We are here together unconditionally, unwavering. I will spy you through this life into others. When: Wednesday, December 27, 2023. Where: Calais.

You: Woman. Me: Man. #915911 BRIDGE BONDING I was crossing the bridge over the Winooski River when you were looking at the water. I asked what you were looking at, and you said nothing, and that people didn’t really talk to you anymore. After I walked away, I realized I really did want to talk to you. If you want to hang, give me a ring. When: Sunday, December 17, 2023. Where: Main Street. You: Gender nonconformist. Me: Man. #915907 THANK YOU FOR YOU I love the Douglas “wrong way” Corrigan poster in your dining room and your sweet dogs, too. One Houdini-ed his way right into my heart, and the other one stole it like the little bandit he is.

I am grateful for your presence in my life — thank you for being exactly who you are. When: Saturday, November 11, 2023. Where: Colchester. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915906 FOR MY TWIN FLAME You will forever be held in my heart.

You had me at the long kiss in the misty rain. Those moments of warm embrace, soul connection ... I knew you in another life. Maybe you will realize my feelings are genuine and true. Maybe not in this lifetime. I only want for you to be safe and happy and know that you are loved. When: Friday, October 22, 2021. Where: staring into your eyes.

You: Man. Me: Woman. #915904 CAMEL’S HUMP SLEDDER You: tall, bearded. Me: short, holding a sled! Chatted on the Burrows Trail about hiking sleds. You mentioned one I should buy, and I can’t remember the brand! Something with a Y? The future of my winter sledding capabilities hangs in the air! When: Sunday, December 17, 2023. Where: Camel’s Hump.

You: Man. Me: Woman. #915903

marathon and decided to give up drinking for a month as part of her training. Long story short, she wound up working for an organization called Alcohol Change UK, which trademarked the term and built a whole campaign around it.

Since then, the idea has gained popularity around the globe. It’s easy to see why: A lot of people feel like they need to take a break after overindulging from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Eve. It can be a way to jump-start a year of healthier habits. Many people find that they sleep better and drop a few pounds. Cutting back on cocktails is also a good way to save some money after a holiday spending spree.

However, if you’re like me, you might want to try Dry January’s more laid-back cousin, Damp January — which I find more suitable to one of the yuckiest months of the year, at least in Vermont. Make an effort to cut back, but don’t beat yourself up if you want to occasionally tip back a tipple with your pals.

Good luck and God bless,

The Reverend

What’s your problem?

Send it to asktherev@sevendaysvt.com.

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

89

I’m a 65-y/o male seeking a 55- to 65-y/o female. I am a hardworking man, loving and kind. I enjoy gardening (vegetables and flowers), snuggling by a campfire/ camping, cooking, hunting and fishing. Seeking a woman who is honest and caring. Someone to spend time with and see where it goes. #L1717 For 55-y/o M wannabe geek: I’m your huckleberry.

Intense discussions and companionship are my game.

Say when. My fave character.

Demure, not exactly; yes, down to earth. You said intense — I’m your girl! I’m 55 also. Hope to hear back. #L1715 I’m a 73-y/o woman seeking a male age 68 to 78. Would like to spend my birthday with a friend. I am trying to pare down my things. Lots of antiques and family treasures. And I’m still working — need a break — midFebruary. I like sports — football, etc. Reading and movies. Please write me with your thoughts and phone number. #L1720 I’m a 72-y/o male who would love to sensually experience a mature woman in her 70s or 80s. Phone number, please. #L1719 I’m a GWM looking for some manto-man interaction in Rutland County. Age/race not important; just be you. Call/text. #L1712

I’m a 79-y/o woman seeking a man who is in his 70s. Want friendship and companionship.

Also like fishing as well and crafts such as knitting, crocheting and sewing. #L1718 I am a 35-y/o M, thirsty for love.

I am looking for a good-hearted woman who will accept that I am her ADAM. I promise to give you my best. You will never be disappointed. #L1721 I’m a single female, 47, 5’6, red hair, blue eyes, 206 pounds, looking for the one who will marry me and is very well off financially wealthy to fulfill my dreams with. #L1716

HOW TO REPLY TO THESE LOVE LETTERS: Seal your reply — including your preferred contact info — inside an envelope. Write your pen pal’s box number on the outside of that envelope and place it inside another envelope with payment. Responses for Love Letters must begin with the #L box number.

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90

SEVEN DAYS JANUARY 17-24, 2024

I’m a male, early 60s, seeking a female, 21 to 50ish. Married in nonsexual relationship.

Seeking sex — safe, discreet, disease-free. I’m told I’m goodlooking and don’t look my age.

Passionate about performing oral. Looking for goomah in Chittenden County. No computer. I have never strayed before. #L1714 55 M — tall, educated, wannabe hippie geek who’s into science fiction, creative writing and autumn in Vermont — desires to make the acquaintance of a sophisticated, demure, down-to-earth female comrade between the ages of 50 and 64 for intense discussions and companionship. #L1711

Internet-Free Dating!

Reply to these messages with real, honest-to-goodness letters. DETAILS BELOW. I’m a male “man” seeking a female. I am a 68-y/o man seeking a woman for friendship and companionship. Age appropriate. Would like to play and spend time together. #L1713 I’m a 72-y/o man seeking a woman for friendship and companionship. Age not important. Looking for a woman who is satisfied with one special man in her life and young at heart. #L1710 64-y/o GWM seeking new friendships with other GMs. (This is not an ad looking for sex!) Seeking in-depth conversations and sincere and real connections. Caring and fun-loving describe myself.

Looking forward to hearing from you! #L1709 I’m a female in my 60s seeking a male, 57 to 73. I’m a very outgoing lady. I like to be treated like a queen! I want a man who likes to get out and about and do things together.

Honest, kind, adventurous. #L1706

Seeking kinky individuals.

Deviant desires? Yes, please!

Only raunchiness needed.

Have perverted tales? Hot confessions? Anything goes!

No judgment. I only want your forbidden fantasies, openminded. I dare you to shock me. Replies upon request. Not looking to hook up. #L1707 I’m a 64-y/o male seeking Sammijo, 59. I am a lifelong Vermonter. I am a sugar maker and retired. I like to hunt and fish and go for rides. I have a dog and a cat. No internet. #L1704 I’m a GM looking for fun. Nice guy likes everything. Age/race not important. Also interested in a three-way. Any M/M or bi couples out there? Call/text. Rutland County. #L1700 I’m a 43-y/o SWM seeking a 20- to 50- y/o F. My Juliet, I will be your Romeo. I am 6’1, 220 pounds with baby blue eyes that will melt your soul.

Tattooed up and built for fun.

Are you my baby girl? I can’t wait to love you. Write me, Angel. #L1705

Describe yourself and who you’re looking for in 40 words below:

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EVENTS ON SALE AT SEVENDAYSTICKETS.COM Vision Board For the New Year Workshop

Figure Drawing

Facing Change: Life’s Transitions and Transformations

Focaccia Art Workshop

The Dilemma of Retirement Income

Culinary Maverick’s Flavors of Vermont!

A 4-Course Dining Experience

“The Basics” Cake Decorating Class

Bleu x Vermont Fresh Network Dinner

The Tenderbellies

Comedy for a Cause

HIFI + DJ Sound Syndicate

Reed Foehl

Vermont Burlesque Festival Classes

January Bird Monitoring Walk

Ethiopian and Eritrean Cuisine Takeout Dinner

Capital City Winter Farmers Market

Dry January Pop-Up Bottle Shop

KidSafe Collaborative Chittenden Co. Legislative Forum 2024

Joe Crookston

Winter Renaissance Faire

WED., JAN. 17 PURPLE SAGE, ESSEX

MON., JAN. 22 SOAPBOX ARTS AT THE SODA PLANT, BURLINGTON

WED., JAN. 17 ONLINE

TUE., JAN. 23 RED POPPY CAKERY, WATERBURY

WED., JAN. 17 SOUTH BURLINGTON LIBRARY

TUE., JAN. 23 MAVERICK MARKET AT 110, BURLINGTON

THU., JAN. 18 RED POPPY CAKERY, WATERBURY

THU., JAN. 25 BLEU NORTHEAST KITCHEN, BURLINGTON

THU., JAN. 25 TWIGGS AMERICAN GASTROPUB, ST. ALBANS

FRI., JAN. 19 OPERA HOUSE AT ENOSBURG FALLS, ENOSBURG

FRI., JAN. 19 THE UNDERGROUND, RANDOLPH

FRI., JAN. 26 THE UNDERGROUND - LISTENING ROOM, RANDOLPH

SAT., JAN. 20 HILTON BURLINGTON LAKE CHAMPLAIN, BURLINGTON

SAT., JAN. 27 BIRDS OF VERMONT MUSEUM, HUNTINGTON

SAT., JAN. 20 O.N.E. COMMUNITY CENTER

SAT., JAN. 27 CALEDONIA SPIRITS, MONTPELIER

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