Seven Days, February 14, 2024

TAXING SITUATION

Lawmakers grapple with rising ed costs

VE RMO NT ’S IN DEPE NDEN T VO IC E FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024 VOL.29 NO.19 SEVENDAYSVT.COM

PAGE 14

The Fight for Decker Towers

Drug users and homeless people have overrun a low-income high-rise.

Residents are gearing up to evict them.

B Y D EREK BR OUWE R, PAGE 2 6

HAIL TO THE QUEENS

PAGE 34

LeMays to host their last drag ball

TOO MANY COOKS?

PAGE 40

Commercial kitchens scarce in ChittCo

NERD ALERT

PAGE 46

New science wing at Fairbanks

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WEEK IN REVIEW FEBRUARY 7-14, 2024 COMPILED BY SASHA GOLDSTEIN & MATTHEW ROY

SASHA GOLDSTEIN

PIT HAPPENS

HEATING UP

A weekend thaw turned Vermont roads into mucky messes — weeks before mud season typically begins. Strap in.

LOOK OUT

Vermont State Police say they’re looking for the driver of a Subaru who was involved in a road rage incident. That ought to narrow it down.

Mayor Miro Weinberger at the CityPlace site

Developers have altered their plan for CityPlace Burlington by adding two hotels and reducing the number of housing units, which they said will enable them to access the financing to complete the downtown project.

The developers — local businessmen Dave Farrington, Al Senecal and Scott Ireland — have brought on Giri Hotel Management, a Quincy, Mass.-based company, as a minority partner. Giri will operate 350 rooms in two hotels.

The change means the developers will build 350 housing units instead of the 420 or so they initially proposed.

Seventy of those homes will be permanently affordable, in keeping with the city’s inclusionary zoning rules.

Farrington said “high construction costs, interest rates” and the “shaky lending environment that’s going on right now” forced the partners to rejigger their plans for the project, which is expected to cost more than $200 million.

He noted that previous iterations of the CityPlace design included a hotel.

“We’ve always been confident about the project — we’re gonna get this done — and now we’re feeling better,” Farrington said. “We’ve got some support and help from our new partners.”

The developers, including representatives from Giri,

true802 FULL HE-ART ?? ? ? ??

Lydia Littwin’s 5-year-old son, Ari, received a potholder loom as a gift last year, and he quickly started crafting the colorful kitchen items — a lot of them.

“He’s very detail-oriented and dexterous, and so it fit his attention span,” Littwin said. “He just started making more and more to the point where we kind of said, ‘Well, wouldn’t it be interesting if you had a place to sell these?’”

Littwin broached the idea of giving some of the profits to a good cause. She and Ari decided half the proceeds would go to Art From the

joined Mayor Miro Weinberger at the site last Thursday to announce the changes. Behind them, along Bank Street, construction continued on the “South Building,” which has been erected to its 10-story height. It’s expected to open early next year, while the “North Building,” along Cherry Street, should be finished in summer 2026.

The developers had initially partnered with Champlain Housing Trust to build an eight-story, 84-unit tower of affordable homes on the site. But Farrington said the economics of that arrangement did not work, prompting the developers to include the low-income housing units in the main buildings.

Giri’s portfolio includes a few dozen hotels in Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. It also owns the Comfort Inn & Suites in Montpelier. The company bought, and then later sold, the former YMCA building on College Street.

The changes, which included pushing the deadline for completion from the end of 2025 to mid-2026, required the Burlington City Council to sign off. On Monday night, councilors did so unanimously, though some lamented the reduction of housing.

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

WELCOME RELIEF

A hastily approved law will give towns affected by flooding a break on the property taxes they owe the state. Good start.

SHORE THING

$20 million That’s the approximate amount people in Vermont wagered on athletic events during the three weeks after January 11, when online sports betting became legal.

TOPFIVE

MOST POPULAR ITEMS ON SEVENDAYSVT.COM

1. “Postal Service Plans to Route Vermont Mail Through Connecticut” by Anne Wallace Allen.

Under the plan, mail in Vermont would be routed to Hartford for sorting — and then sent to its destination.

2. “In Secretive Facebook Groups, Vermont Women Are Crowdsourcing Men’s Red Flags”

by Hannah Feuer. The groups say they warn about potentially problematic men, but they can also be hotbeds for gossip.

3. “Judge Rules Parish Can Demolish Burlington Cathedral” by Courtney Lamdin.

Preservationists had sought to protect the vacant building, which is downtown between Pearl and Cherry streets.

4. “CityPlace Burlington Developers to Add Hotels, Reduce Housing” by Sasha Goldstein.

See story on this page.

5. “A Shelburne Couple’s Anti-Snoring Device Is Designed to Save Relationships” by Anne Wallace Allen. A man’s snoring problem led to the development of ZQuiet, a mouth guard that helps.

post of the week @KathrynVanHaste It’s a good week for Vermonters. @NoahKahan hits #1 on Spotify for the first time and Elle Purrier St Pierre wins the Wanamaker Mile, breaking her own American record — this time, as a mom. Keep chasing your dreams in this brave little state.

Vermont officials warned anglers to get ice shanties off frozen lakes and ponds by the end of March at the latest. Any ice left out there?

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

THAT’S SO VERMONT

Heart, a program that provides art supplies to patients and visitors at the University of Vermont Medical Center and its children’s hospital.

Ari’s aunt is a doctor there, and Littwin is a longtime art teacher who knew of the program’s impact on kids going through a tough time.

“We had all those connections to it,” Littwin said, “and that resonated with him.”

The Burlington family was able to secure a spot during a holiday market at Foam Brewers, and Ari set up a booth. A poster exAri with his creations plained his mission.

By the end of the night, he’d sold a couple dozen potholders and made more than $200, about $100 of which was destined for Art From the Heart.

Ari was too busy playing to grant Seven Days an interview, but he later told his mom that he was surprised how many people came to his booth. “It was hard to do all that weaving, all the up and over and up and over ... like 200 and a billion times,” she said he told her.

Littwin said the sales experience allowed Ari to squirrel some money away in a bank account and also learn about helping others.

“I do want him at a young age to start thinking about money as something that’s not just for buying toys, but … that other people in the world are to be thought of as well,” Littwin said.

Ari appears to have gotten the message. Next year, he wants to create a holiday market that features child artisans.

SASHA GOLDSTEIN

SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

5

FIT FOR A QUEEN.

publisher & editor-in-chief

Paula Routly

deputy publisher Cathy Resmer AssociAte publishers Don Eggert, Colby Roberts NEWS & POLITICS editor Matthew Roy deputy editor Sasha Goldstein consulting editors Ken Ellingwood, Candace Page stAff writers Derek Brouwer, Colin Flanders,

Rachel Hellman, Courtney Lamdin, Kevin McCallum, Alison Novak, Anne Wallace Allen A R T S & C U LT U R E coeditors Dan Bolles, Carolyn Fox AssociAte editor Margot Harrison consulting editor Chelsea Edgar Art editor Pamela Polston Music editor Chris Farnsworth cAlendAr writer Emily Hamilton stAff writers Jordan Barry, Hannah Feuer,

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Kaitlin Montgomery

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

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Last Wednesday’s mayoral debate was well moderated, and rebuttals and candidates asking each other a question added depth and interest. The “changed your mind” question was new, and I liked that it was not expected and answers were not from their talking points.

Congrats! And thanks for making it happen, Seven Days!

Katherine Isaacs, Martie Majoros, Elizabeth M. Seyler

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

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GOOD DEBATE

DELIVERY TECHNICIANS Harry Applegate, Joe Bouffard, Pat Bouffard, Colin Clary, Julie Copley, Elana Coppola-Dyer, Becky Gates, Matt Hagen, Russ Hagy, Debra Leduc, Ed Lieberman, Dan Manion, Nat Michael, Frankie Moberg, Liam Mulqueen-Duquette, Dan Nesbitt, Dan Oklan, Ezra Oklan, Steve Stanley, Mike VanTassel, Andy Watts With additional circulation support from PP&D. SUBSCRIPTIONS 6-Month 1st clAss: $140. 1-yeAr 1st clAss: $220.

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Helen Rock

BURLINGTON

BURLINGTON NEEDS MORE THAN LOVE

In last week’s “True 802,” we learned that Burlington “is in need of some lovin’.”

This text adds to a growing and deeply concerning body of language that drastically understates Burlington’s problems.

There’s such an unsettling discrepancy between lines like “in need of some lovin’” and the actual state of Burlington, and this discrepancy itself adds to the ominous portent of the whole situation. An old dog at a shelter might be in need of a little love; an old sweater with some holes is in need of a little love; a cold skier returning at the end of the day is in need of a little love.

Burlington, however, is in desperate need of much more than a little love.

You have no problem reporting on individuals who overdose or take their own life, and you render those reports in poetic, moving language that’s designed to make us all feel something. But when are you going to report on the trap houses in Burlington that openly sell fentanyl? You know, the ones the police say they can’t do anything about, some of which have flat-out stopped paying rent and operate with total impunity? Problems do not go away when you ignore them or render them palatable for the weekly paper, and Burlington is sinking fast.

Al Teodosio

nonexistent environmental benefits of expanding the bottle bill.

The most environmentally and economically sustainable recycling program is single-stream. It aligns with Vermont’s Universal Recycling Law, the sorting technology is advancing regularly, and it is the best way to meet Vermont’s recycling goals all while costing Vermonters substantially less than the bottle bill.

A 2018 study by DSM Environmental Services estimated the annual cost to operate an expanded bottle bill system: roughly $12 million. This represents a 50 percent increase over the current system and is nearly 10 times the per-ton cost of recycling this same material through existing single-stream infrastructure.

And it’s not just Casella Waste Systems that relies on this material. The Chittenden Solid Waste District, the state’s largest solid waste district and owner of a material recovery facility, estimated that the expansion would result in a revenue loss of up to $350,000 annually. Casella’s material recovery facility in Rutland estimates a loss of revenue of roughly $326,000. If this material were removed from single-stream recycling, it could not be sold to end markets, that value could not be shared with customers, and the cost of recycling would increase for all Vermonters to offset the losses.

Vermonters can continue to improve recycling, and the two systems can continue to coexist without increasing costs to Vermonters.

John W. Casella

RUTLAND

Casella is chair and CEO of Casella Waste Systems.

SUPPORT COMMUNITY NURSES

[Re “Taking Care: Community Nurses Help Fill Vermont’s Health Care Gaps,” January 17]: When I graduated from medical school in 1980, modern medicine was exploding. Antibiotics and vaccines were eradicating infectious disease.

New medications and techniques were preventing heart attacks. Cure of cancer

NORTH FERRISBURGH

CORRECTIONS OFF THE BOTTLE BILL

[Re “Vermont Senate Fails to Override Veto of Bottle Bill Expansion,” January 23]: The Vermont Senate recently supported Gov. Phil Scott’s 2023 veto of H.158, an act related to expanding the beverage container redemption system.

We appreciate the governor and the 13 senators who took the time to understand the economic consequences and

A December 13 story entitled “‘Hard Problem to Solve’” overstated how much a program called Building Employment and Meaning had paid its sole employee: Ashley Messier had earned almost $50,000.

In last week’s Life Lines, there was an editing error in Changa Foster’s obituary. Damon and Bella Foster are his children.

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was the challenge that lay before us. The operative word was “cure.” We treated and cured diseases in our offices and the hospital. The home was an unknown sphere, seemingly irrelevant to our work.

Today chronic, rather than acute, disease is paramount among us, young and old. Chronic diseases and disorders cannot be cured; rather, they are managed.

There is little time in brief office visits with doctors to discuss the means by which we accommodate these diseases and disorders in our home and personal environments.

How can these issues be communicated to the medical caregivers and addressed?

In more than 12 towns in the Upper Valley region of Vermont and New Hampshire, community nurses are helping residents address those barriers and link with their medical practitioners. These nurses work to improve health care access for town residents through health education, chronic illness management, coordination of health care and linkage with resources to address social barriers to good health.

Their services are provided free of charge.

In this year’s Vermont legislative session, a House bill to provide funding for a community nurse, H.358, has been proposed. If having a community nurse in your community sounds like a good idea, please contact your local representative and tell her or him that you support this bill.

Margaret Gadon

CAMBRIDGE

VEKOS SHOULD ‘SET AN EXAMPLE’

[Re “Addison Prosecutor Cited for DUI Last Week Is Back at Work,” January 29; “Police Cite Addison County Prosecutor for Allegedly Driving Drunk to Crime Scene,” January 26]: Addison County

2/8/24 3:18 PM

State’s Attorney Eva Vekos shouldn’t have shown up impaired for work, period.

The fact that she drove under the influence is unacceptable. She needs to set an example and go to rehab rather than ask for preferential treatment.

Here is a relevant statistic: The average person who gets a DUI has driven an average of 80 times before being caught!

I have seen people get multiple DUIs who still haven’t hit their proverbial bottom yet.

It’s easy to name a designated driver, pay for a ride, walk or stay home. Driving is a privilege, not a right.

Although I fully recognize that addiction is a pernicious illness, it doesn’t excuse the careless disregard for others that driving impaired sets in motion. I find this behavior to be impulsive, selfish and bordering on sociopathic.

To addicts, I say: Take responsibility and get help. You have an illness that puts us all at risk. Besides the driving, you often also create chaos in your wake when drunk.

Donna Constantineau NEWPORT CITY

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SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

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contents FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024 VOL.29 NO.19

COLUMNS

SECTIONS

11 Magnificent 7 13 From the Publisher 41 Side Dishes 52 Movie Review 58 Soundbites 62 Album Reviews 93 Ask the Reverend

22 Life Lines 40 Food + Drink 46 Culture 52 On Screen 54 Art 58 Music + Nightlife 64 Calendar 70 Classes 71 Classifieds + Puzzles 89 Fun Stuff 92 Personals

FOOD +DRINK 40 Everything but the Kitchen Sink

Small food producers navigate a lack of commercial cooking space in Chittenden County

The Fight for Decker Towers

STUCK IN VERMONT

Online Now

Drug users and homeless people have overrun a low-income high-rise.

Residents are gearing up to evict them.

B Y D E RE K BROUWE R

26

COVER DESIGN REV. DIANE SULLIVAN • IMAGE JAMES BUCK

NEWS+POLITICS 14 Busted Budgets

Education costs are driving doubledigit tax hikes, and legislators are scrambling to lessen the blow

Postal Service Wants to Process Vermont Mail in Connecticut

Addison County State’s Attorney Pleads Not Guilty to DUI

FEATURES 26 Last Drag

ARTS+CULTURE 46 Scaling Up

With a new annex and an impending eclipse, the Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium highlights hands-on discovery

Multiverse

Before a new host steps in, the House of LeMay throws its final Winter Is a Drag Ball

Sampling seven Vermont poetry collections

Crime in Mind

My Bloody Valentine

Morristown and other small towns are convening to address rising crime in rural Vermont

For Valentine’s Day, we’re featuring a couple SUPPORTED BY: who won’t be celebrating with anything pink.

Sarah and Jay Vogelsang-Card married in 2009 at a gothic-themed “Hallowedding.”

Halloween is their favorite holiday. Since then, the family has posed in an annual Halloween photo wearing creative costumes that share a common theme, such as comic book villains or Star Wars characters.

Meet a family in Waterbury that embraces Halloween year-round

Deputy Resigns From Criminal Justice Group After Hot Mic Moment

Earth and Stars

Balint Calls for $500 Billion in Housing Investment

Studio Place Arts Invites Artists, and Viewers, to ‘Head for the Hills’

At VTSU-Johnson, Michael Mahnke’s solo exhibit addresses memory, mortality and materiality

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LOOKING FORWARD

MAGNIFICENT

THURSDAY 15

A Modern Dystopia Lit lovers flock to Wright Memorial Theatre at Middlebury College, where acclaimed author Emily St. John Mandel discusses her career and answers questions submitted by the community.

Mandel is the author of the National Book Awardnominated dystopian novel Station Eleven, which was adapted into a limited series on Max, and her most recent novel, Sea of Tranquility.

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

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 66

WEDNESDAY 21

PUPPET MASTERS

FRIDAY 16

Creative Commons SB ArtMix, an annual South Burlington Friends of the Arts tradition, returns to Higher Ground with an allstar lineup of local luminaries. Burlington blues band Dwight + Nicole headline a program that includes A2VT, Andriana Chobot and others, and local artists and poets perform and display their work. Proceeds support scholarships for Vermont arts students.

The Farmers Night performance series at the Vermont Statehouse in Montpelier continues with “60 Years of Bread and Puppet,” marking a diamond anniversary for the Green Mountain State’s iconic leftist puppet show. The theater crew’s instantly recognizable papier-mâché beasts fill the chamber with color and a spirit of joyful resistance.

SEE CLUB LISTING ON PAGE 61

FRIDAY 16 & SATURDAY 17

Spill the Beans

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 69

Jeanne Beckwith directs a Lost Nation Theater performance of The Vagina Monologues, Eve Ensler’s groundbreaking play about the joys and tribulations of having a hoo-ha. The 1996 production went on to become a worldwide phenomenon. In this iteration, solo scenes based on Ensler’s real-life interviews range from hilarious to heartbreaking, and proceeds benefit Mosaic Vermont, a nonprofit working to end sexual violence.

Submit your upcoming events at sevendaysvt. com/postevent.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 67

SATURDAY 17 & SUNDAY 18

Write of Passage

SATURDAY 17

COURTESY OF TODD BALFOUR/VERMONT ARTS COUNCIL

Be My Neighbor Singer, activist, professor and writer François Scarborough Clemmons performs a free community concert at St. Johnsbury Academy’s South Church Hall. Catapulted to fame by his historic appearance as Officer Clemmons on “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” he has since written a memoir, conducted the MLK Spiritual Choir at Middlebury College, and become an outspoken advocate for the Black and LGBTQ communities.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 68

Vermont author Gail Marlene Schwartz takes her debut novel, Falling Through the Night, on tour to Barre’s Rainbow Bridge Community Center and Burlington’s Fletcher Free Library. This semiautobiographical coming-of-age story follows a queer Jewish woman as she heals from childhood trauma, addresses her anxiety and finds family in her new LGBTQ community.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 68

ONGOING

Once More With Feeling Whether you’re feeling the love this Valentine’s Day or embracing the angst, there will be something to enjoy and relate to at “All the Feels” at Burlington’s S.P.A.C.E. Gallery. This annual group show by local artists features works united by the strong emotion they exude, whether that be joy, humor or existential despair.

SEE GALLERY LISTING AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/ART

BROWSE THE FULL CALENDAR, ART SHOWS, AND MUSIC+NIGHTLIFE LISTINGS AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM. SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

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FROM THE PUBLISHER

The Power of Being There which aims to accurately observe and document the dynamics in a large, complex community. With details gleaned from being there, night after night, Derek’s story shines a light on system failures; it also reveals that all the players in this particular conflict are vulnerable and, in the end, seeking the same thing: reliable shelter.

Seven Days invests time and resources in crafting such stories because it’s not enough to explain what is happening in our community; our writers and editors set out to bring the news alive, to make the case for why readers should care. Derek took a similar approach last year when reporting a cover story about evictions. He spent more than a week shadowing Chittenden County Sheriff Dan Gamelin, whose job is to deliver mostly bad news to tenants. One was barricaded inside an apartment at Decker Towers.

This reporting experience was different. “It’s one thing to see the day a person is being evicted,” Derek said. “This was seeing the daily collateral damage that is coming from those problems.”

One detail that didn’t make it into his story: Mayor Miro Weinberger has not visited Decker Towers since residents began complaining of problems last year. Two who hope to replace him got invites to a recent meeting in which residents voted to organize volunteer security patrols. As Derek notes in his piece, one tenant sported a sweatshirt that captured the mood. It read: “We the People are pissed off.”

PAULA ROUTLY

News tips come to Seven Days in the form of emails, phone calls and old-fashioned letters, often posted from prison. Some are full of off-the-wall conspiracy theories; others point us in the direction of Vermont’s most important stories. There’s only one reliable way to tell the difference between the two: Check it out.

That’s how reporter Derek Brouwer found this week’s cover story about the shocking deterioration of living conditions at Decker Towers, an apartment complex run by the nonprofit Burlington Housing Authority. On St. Paul Street, three blocks south of city hall, it is home to 160 low-income, elderly and disabled residents.

And it has unwillingly become a go-to winter refuge for people who Derek Brouwer outside Decker Towers are unhoused.

Several residents reached out to the paper in January, and, Derek noted, “the things they were telling me seemed a lot more severe” than what had been reported in earlier media coverage. “Specifically, they were talking about how many homeless people were actually living inside the building.”

He added: “I went to Decker Towers to see for myself.”

Derek saw enough drama the first night — a blaring fire alarm that no one reacted to; residents showing him the steel cage they use to protect their packages — that he decided to come back for more. The next night he witnessed people trying to force their way into the building. He also learned that one of its managers had earlier been rushed to the hospital, where she later died.

“Within two hours, it was pretty clear that this was total chaos. And that the stakes were pretty high,” Derek said.

He returned five more times, interviewing some of the people who have been sleeping and using drugs in the stairwells of the 11-story high-rise, stealing property, and vandalizing the building’s amenities.

Freelance photographer James Buck spent nearly as much time shadowing security patrols and wandering the stairwells. James and Derek got to know Decker residents who are too scared to leave their apartments, as well as others forming what one termed a “tenant militia” to fight back.

“I didn’t feel like one night was enough,” Derek said. “It was clear there was bad stuff happening, but I needed to spend enough time there to know that this was a daily occurrence and not a one-off … [that] I could go any time of day, any day of the week, and the stairwells would look the same.”

There are no shortcuts in a story like this one,

Paula Routly PS: Got a news tip for us? Visit sevendaysvt.com/news-tip to send it.

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

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13

news

MORE INSIDE

BUSINESS

SHOCKING HOT MIC BALINT’S MOMENT BIG BILL PAGE 16

PAGE 18

PROSECUTOR DENIES DUI

Postal Service Wants to Process Vermont Mail in Connecticut

PAGE 19

TIM NEWCOMB

B Y A NNE WA LL A C E A LLE N anne@sevendaysvt.com

ANNE WALLACE ALLEN

Vermont mail that was routed through Connecticut

Busted Budgets Education costs are driving double-digit tax hikes, and legislators are scrambling to lessen the blow B Y K E V I N MCCAL L UM & ALISON NOVAK

M

embers of the Montpelier Roxbury Public Schools board gathered last week to figure out how to handle the latest twist in the most challenging budget season in recent memory.

“We’ve got some urgent decisions to make as a school board tonight,” superintendent Libby Bonesteel told virtual attendees and the smattering of residents sitting in the Montpelier High School library. “And I want to stress: This decision needs to be made tonight.”

In a sign of just how high the stakes were, four of Montpelier’s five state representatives — Sen. Ann Cummings (D-Washington), Sen. Andrew Perchlik (D/P-Washington), Sen. Anne Watson (D/P-Washington) and Rep. Conor Casey (D-Montpelier) — were in attendance.

EDUCATION

14

SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

On the agenda: coping with a forecasted property tax increase that could top 20 percent in the coming year. While inflation and employee health care costs are partly to blame, a change that legislators made to Vermont’s byzantine state education funding formula also contributed to the potential tax hikes.

Now lawmakers are scrambling to make a fix. A bill wending its way through the Statehouse would alter an education funding law known as Act 127 and give school districts the opportunity to push budget and other school-related votes to April 15, weeks after Town Meeting Day on March 5.

“This has been pure, absolute, complete chaos,” Montpelier Roxbury board member Kristen Getler remarked about the curveballs school districts have faced this budget season.

Across Vermont, school officials are discussing whether to revisit proposed budgets in light of legislative efforts to address the tax hikes. Some districts will vote as planned. Others say they’re in a holding pattern until the proposal to change Act 127 actually becomes law, which legislators hope will happen in a matter of weeks.

Most Montpelier Roxbury board members agreed that they’d spent months crafting a fiscally responsible spending plan that met students’ needs.

“We don’t have frilly things that we can take out of our budget,” school board member Jill Remick said. “I’d rather we try to hang on for this year … and then very strategically look at our overall long-term plan for our district.”

BUSTED BUDGETS

» P.18

The U.S. Postal Service is considering a plan that would route some of the letters mailed in Vermont through Hartford, Conn. — even those sent from one Vermont town to another.

Postal officials said they plan to hold public hearings on the proposal, which would move the letter-sorting operation from facilities in Essex Junction and White River Junction to Hartford, 250 miles south of Vermont’s largest city.

“That has already started happening,” said Stephen Doherty, a Bostonbased communications specialist for the postal service. Letters mailed in Vermont are being routed through sorting facilities in White River Junction, Essex Junction or Hartford, he said.

The Postal Service has been looking for years for ways to cut costs and streamline its services. In a 2021 report called Delivering for America, the Postal Service projected it would lose $160 billion by 2030 if it didn’t become more efficient. The government entity hasn’t been able to cover its expenses for more than 15 years, mostly because of drops in demand for first-class mail, its most profitable product.

Moving some mail-sorting services from Vermont to Connecticut is part of a complex plan to streamline sorting and distribution, now handled at hundreds of locations, into about 60 large centers around the country.

“White River Junction is still going to be there; Essex Junction is still going to be there,” Doherty said.

Those centers would be renovated for package-sorting and other purposes.

Doherty said Vermont mail would be picked up in the afternoon and processed overnight in Connecticut.

“The fact that it has to go to Hartford to be processed isn’t going to delay the mail at all,” he said in an interview. “Whether you were sending a letter from White River Junction to Burlington or from White River Junction to New York, that’s going to be processed and probably delivered the next morning.”

He added that no layoffs were expected. ➆

Crime in Mind

Morristown and other small towns are convening to address rising crime in rural Vermont

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he mood was tense at a public gathering in the Peoples Academy auditorium in Morristown.

An older man clutched the microphone while addressing nearly 100 fellow community members.

“I look back to when I grew up. There was rule of law. There was respect for each other,” he said. “Where did it go?”

He paused for effect, turning to a panel of safety officers, community health care workers and state lawmakers seated onstage. “So maybe someone could enlighten me and the community: When did this begin?”

Applause erupted as he sat down. A few attendees stood up in agreement, nodding fervently.

“Does anyone want to take a crack at that?” Todd Baxter, detective lieutenant for the Morristown Police Department and the emcee for the evening, asked with a chuckle.

The forum last month followed a heated community discussion in September that was prompted by a rash of retail thefts affecting downtown businesses. At the September meeting, organized by the Morristown Police Department, residents of the workingclass community voiced frustration with the state’s criminal justice system, sometimes angrily. This latest forum was meant to keep the conversation

going and loop state officials into the discussion.

Morristown, population 5,434, is not the only town with crime on its mind.

Across Vermont, communities such as Middlebury and Hardwick have held similar meetings to address what some residents describe as a sense that public safety is eroding.

“We need our elected legislators to change things,” said Michelle Menard, manager at Menard’s Family True Value in Morristown, which was burglarized three times in 2023. “There’s tangible frustration.”

Recent foul play in rural Vermont has ranged from the vandalization of a beloved farmstand in Isle la Motte to executionstyle murders in Eden and Troy. The resulting anxiety has caught the attention of state legislators and Gov. Phil Scott.

“With crime rising in too many places, I fear many see the Vermont they know slipping away,” Scott said during his annual State of the State address in January. Scott noted that in the previous 10 years, violent crime logged by state police has gone up 56 percent.

In Vermont’s rural communities, the discussion over petty crime has frequently turned into one over whom to blame, with local police quick to steer the spotlight CRIME IN MIND

» P.16

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10/19/22 10:32 AM

news Deputy Resigns From Criminal Justice Group After Hot Mic Moment B Y CO L I N F L AN D E RS colin@sevendaysvt.com

A member of the Vermont Criminal Justice Council — the state body that regulates the law enforcement profession — resigned during a public meeting last week after he was heard disparaging a migrant worker.

Michael Major, a now-former deputy sheriff in Chittenden County, represented the Vermont Police Association on the 24-member council. The body was taking testimony on proposed changes to the broad set of rules known as “fair and impartial policing” that seek to prevent state and local cops from collaborating with federal immigration authorities.

The council heard from several people in favor of the changes at the February 7 meeting, including a man named Eduardo. He said many undocumented people are wary of going out in public because they fear police may report them to immigration authorities.

Partway through the testimony, Major interrupted. “You’re fucking here illegally,” Major said, “and you’re worried about being taken? Oh, yeah. Unreal.”

The remarks spurred some initial confusion, as Major had called into the virtual meeting using an unnamed account. “Whoever is stating that opinion, it’s not welcome, and wait your turn,” said former attorney general Bill Sorrell, who chairs the council.

After members of the public asked for the speaker’s identity to be memorialized in the minutes, Major confirmed his identity and said he had not intended to be heard.

“I was having a discussion with my daughter,” he said. “I apologize for that, extremely.”

A half-hour reckoning ensued.

Council members questioned Major’s explanation and said he had undermined the council’s work. In addition to certifying police officers, setting policies and overseeing the Vermont Police Academy, the council also investigates cops accused of wrongdoing.

In response to the criticism, Major said he would step down immediately.

“I cannot apologize enough,” he said.

A longtime cop, Major worked for the Chittenden County Sheriff’s Department for more than three decades but resigned in 2018 following a failed campaign to unseat his boss.

He was rehired as a part-time deputy last year but resigned following last week’s meeting.

Major also had a part-time gig with the Bristol Police Department but has since resigned. ➆

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SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

Crime in Mind « P.15 toward the court system, mental health care and the provisions of criminal law written in the state’s capital in Montpelier.

Complicating the conversations is the reality that Vermont has little in the way of detailed crime statistics at the local level. Although some police departments keep records on reported crimes and make them public, others don’t, making it difficult to get a reliable statewide read on Main Street crime trends.

Americans tend to believe crime is up, even when data show the opposite. In 20 of 24 surveys conducted by Gallup since 1993, at least 60 percent of U.S. adults have said there is more crime nationally than the year before, despite a generally downward trend in violent and property crimes during most of that period.

In Morristown, however, crime has increased significantly. Reports of misdemeanor retail theft, for instance, nearly tripled from 12 in 2014 to 34 last year. Arrests increased in that period, from 239 to 303. Police are responding to more overall incidents, too — 4,987 last year, up about 8.4 percent over the same period.

The effect on downtown businesses has been acute, shop owners say. Hank Glowiak, owner of Chuck’s Bikes in downtown Morristown, had two bikes, with a combined value of almost $8,000, stolen from the front porch of his shop last year when he wasn’t looking. At the January meeting, Glowiak encouraged his neighbors to be proactive.

“I walk out of the shop, and I see things, and I try to give the police clues to what I see,” he said.

When the individual accused of stealing the bikes failed to show up at a court hearing, Glowiak “went and found him in seven minutes flat and called the police department, and he was brought straight there,” he told the crowd, eliciting laughter and applause.

Baxter, the Morristown detective lieutenant, used Glowiak’s appeal as an opportunity to invoke repeat offenders, who became a dominant topic of the January gathering. According to Jason Luneau, police chief for Morristown, repeat offenders accounted for a third of the arrests made in Morristown last year.

Police officials blame a criminal justice system that too readily frees them.

“The revolving door takes up time and resources across Vermont law enforcement, judiciary and mental health systems,” Lamoille County Sheriff Roger Marcoux said at the Morristown session. Marcoux argued in favor of stricter punishments and more timely court hearings.

Ted Brady, executive director of the Vermont League of Cities & Towns, told Seven Days that the organization

Morristown Police Chief Jason Luneau

PHOTOS: KEVIN GODDARD

LAW ENFORCEMENT

Hank Glowiak of Chuck’s Bikes

WE NEED OUR ELECTED LEGISLATORS TO CHANGE THINGS.

THERE’S TANGIBLE FRUSTRATION. M I C H EL L E MENAR D

is working on a survey of town representatives regarding public safety and municipal policing, which is scheduled for release next month. He said selectboard members around the state perceive an uptick in crime.

But Brady cautions against overstating the case. He describes some of the town discussions as “fraught with anecdotal horror stories that make it feel like we’re in Gotham.”

In Hardwick, for example, neighbors organized a community-wide discussion in September after a series of carjackings spooked residents. But during the meeting, police officials revealed that crime rates were actually down in Hardwick, according to town manager David Upson.

In places where hard numbers show that crime is on the rise, pinpointing underlying causes can be difficult. A factor frequently cited in local discussions is the nationwide drug crisis, which has left many people homeless and desperate for cash.

“Our mental health system is not able to meet the needs of our communities,” Brady said.

Last June, Lamoille County’s alcoholand substance-abuse awareness program closed its doors. Baxter said the Morristown Police Department is trying to get more funding for such programs.

“We’re thinking holistically,” Baxter told Seven Days. “There isn’t one set of answers.”

The police officials in Morristown told the residents assembled to look to Montpelier, and judicial reform, for lasting answers.

Some forum attendees followed their lead, directing sometimes sharp comments at the state representatives, who included Rep. Saudia LaMont (D-Morristown), Rep. Avram Patt (D-Worcester) and Sen. Richard Westman (R-Lamoille).

“No one else can do this for us,” one attendee said. “They” — he gestured toward the lawmakers — “have to do it.”

Legislators across the state seem to be feeling the heat. “It’s all become more salient this session,” Rep. Martin LaLonde (D-South Burlington), chair of the House Judiciary Committee, told Seven Days. “Representatives are hearing from their constituents that they are concerned about this.”

Four bills aimed at dealing with repeat offenders, backlogged courts and other issues are making their way through the House committee, including one that would increase the penalty for retail theft if a person commits more than one violation within a 14-day period and the total value of the stolen goods exceeds $900.

Two other bills seek to tackle court backlogs by simplifying the judicial nominating process and offering alternative hearings for offenders. Another measure would toughen punishments for stealing cars.

Separate bills on the Senate side would address offenders who violate their conditions of release and increase penalties for those held responsible for overdose deaths. LaLonde said the proposed reforms generally enjoy support across party lines.

Morristown’s forum, which veered into matters as philosophical as the origins of crime and human possibility for transformation, ended with plenty of questions unanswered. But the discussion had one effect. Although many residents still harbored frustration over crime as they filed out, there seemed to be a new resolve over where they might direct it. ➆

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news HOUSING

Balint Calls for $500 Billion in Housing Investment B Y A N N E WAL L AC E ALL E N anne@sevendaysvt.com

Rep. Becca Balint

U.S. Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.) wants the country to invest $500 billion in affordable housing, take new measures to prevent landlords from price-fixing and remove zoning barriers that stymie housing construction.

Balint has signed on to several bills since she was elected to Congress in 2022. But the housing bill is the first major piece of legislation she’s introduced, according to her communications director, Sophie Pollock. The complex proposal takes aim at many of the forces that are pushing housing out of reach for middle- and lower-income people in the U.S. Before heading to Congress, Balint served for eight years in the Vermont Statehouse, where she advocated for affordable housing. Many of the factors that are making it difficult for most people to buy or rent a home in Vermont are problems in other states, too.

According to Balint’s bill, the average rent in the U.S. increased 24 percent between 2020 and 2023, and more than half of low- and moderate-income people with mortgages now spend between 30 and 50 percent of their income on their home payments. Her bill, dubbed the Community Housing Act, calls for $44.5 billion in new spending each fiscal year through 2033.

“States can’t do this alone,” Seth Leonard, managing director of community development at the Vermont Housing Finance Association, said on Monday. He joined Balint at a news conference in Bellows Falls. VHFA administers several federal housing programs.

“As we transition into a world without [federal COVID-19 funding] available, more federal investment is going to be critical,” Leonard said in an interview.

Balint is also asking her colleagues in Congress to support a housing trust fund that would provide a dedicated and permanent source of funding for affordable housing, as well as a variety of other funding structures to help close the gap between what people earn and what they spend on a home. ➆

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SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

Busted Budgets « P.14 The legislature’s “fix” is likely to actually raise taxes even more for Montpelier and Roxbury homeowners, according to the school district’s initial calculations. Still, board members decided to stay the course and have voters decide the fate of the spending proposal on Town Meeting Day. In Vermont, once voters approve local budgets, the state sends districts money to cover costs from a single pot of cash, the education fund. Several factors outside of districts’ control ultimately determine local property tax rates. One of those is a district’s number of “weighted” pupils.

Students are given “weights” based on how costly they are to educate. Lowincome and rural pupils, as well as English language learners, are weighted more heavily. Act 127, a 2022 law that is just going into effect, increased the weights for those students in an effort to provide districts the needed funding to better serve them.

The change meant districts with lower pupil weights could expect their homestead property taxes to go up, even if they didn’t increase their spending. To blunt the hike, lawmakers created a “transition mechanism” in Act 127. It capped property tax hikes at 5 percent for districts that didn’t increase yearover-year spending by more than 10 percent per pupil.

Across Vermont, cash-strapped districts used the opportunity to add millions of dollars to budgets, planning to sock away money for long-delayed capital improvements. Those decisions, on top of much higher education spending overall, led to big tax hikes throughout the state — even in districts that Act 127 was intended to benefit.

Lawmakers say they didn’t see this coming.

Last week, legislators in the House Ways and Means Committee came up with an Act 127 tweak that they think could ease some of the pain. H.850 would repeal the 5 percent cap on property tax hikes for wealthier districts and replace it with something dubbed the “cents discount,” or a five-year property tax break seen as a better, simpler way to soften the tax increase shock: The lower a district’s budget, the lower the tax rate.

“Is it perfect? I don’t know,” Heather Bushey, finance director for the Essex Westford School District, told lawmakers last week. But it’s “bringing back that linear relationship between spending and the tax rate I think is hugely important.”

Why didn’t lawmakers foresee the consequences of Act 127 when they adopted the bill? They studied in excruciating detail how to update the system of weights to better reflect the true costs of educating kids in poverty, in rural districts

and with limited English proficiency. A special committee met off-session to study the issue. But estimates of exactly what the new formulas and caps could mean for school spending and property taxes were hard to come by.

Sen. Ruth Hardy (D-Addison) warned her colleagues that there were so many variables in the state’s complex school funding formula that how the weights affected district spending and tax increases was anyone’s guess.

“Things are going to change,” she said on the Senate floor in March 2022. “This is just for modeling purposes only and is just an estimate. So don’t take it to the bank.”

The legislature’s analysts, in the nonpartisan Joint Fiscal Office, told

THIS HAS BEEN PURE, ABSOLUTE,

COMPLETE CHAOS. K R IS TE N GE TL E R

lawmakers that they could predict which districts would benefit — and which wouldn’t — from the new formulas. But estimating the actual tax impact was beyond them.

In a May 2022 note on the bill, senior analyst Julia Richter cited only one concrete financial impact, saying the bill would require $605,000 from the state for various expenses. All the note says about other costs is that the bill “would have an unclear fiscal impact to the Education Fund in future years.”

“Total education spending is determined by local votes. It is possible this spending could increase. Districts … may increase education spending as a result,” she wrote in May 2022.

Catherine Benham, chief fiscal officer, declined to comment.

“JFO doesn’t like to get into conjecture,” Rep. Scott Beck (R-St. Johnsbury) said.

Others warned of the risk of further burdening taxpayers. The Vermont League of Cities & Towns supported the effort to revamp the pupil weights to improve equity but also worried that there “seems to be no cost control” in the bill.

At the time, however, there was little indication of the spending pressures ahead, Rep. Peter Conlon (D-Cornwall) said during testimony last week. He noted that school budgets were going up by about 3 percent, and “it looked like health care was under control.”

“That was definitely not good prognostication,” he said.

Rep. Brian Minier (D-South Burlington), who sits on the House Education Committee, said he worried that “a lot of fingers are being pointed” at the new weights as driving the spending increase when other factors are also at play. Voters may shoot down school budgets and blame lawmakers for failing to address the problem in time.

“I am just concerned that this is both going to discredit us when our fix doesn’t do enough and discredit the change in weights, too,” he said.

House Ways and Means Committee chair Rep. Emilie Kornheiser (D-Brattleboro) acknowledged the caps didn’t work as projected, apologized for the disruption the bill caused districts and expressed optimism that the new transition mechanism would help.

Asked by colleagues how the situation could have been avoided, she offered several answers. For one, she said lawmakers need to listen more closely to the guidance given by the Joint Fiscal Office, particularly the warnings that their estimates are based on “all other things being equal.”

“I think we really want to think that we can know the future, and we can’t,” she said.

There is also only so much lawmakers can do as a part-time legislature, Kornheiser said. The Vermont General Assembly is typically in session from January to mid-May. “I think we saw this coming in September, but there was nothing we could do, really,” she told colleagues.

That explanation didn’t sit well with Rep. Jay Hooper (D-Randolph Center).

“That’s bullshit,” Hooper told Seven Days.

There is plenty the legislature could have done to fix the problem, but no one was looking out for the impact on taxpayers, he said.

Heidi Scheuermann, who served Stowe as a Republican representative through 2022, lambasted her former colleagues on social media. “Pathetic! Indefensible!

Dishonest! Pitiful!” Scheuermann wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter). Lawmakers

ONCE IN A LIFETIME PRICING! SLASHED!

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Addison County State’s Attorney Pleads Not Guilty to DUI

ONCE IN A LIFETIME PRICING!

BY R ACH EL HELLM AN rhellman@sevendaysvt.com

Eva Vekos, the top prosecutor in Addison County, pleaded not guilty on Monday to a driving-under-theinfluence charge lodged after state troopers noticed that she appeared intoxicated at a crime scene.

At the arraignment in Addison County District Court, Judge Thomas Zonay denied defense attorney David Sleigh’s attempt to have the case thrown out.

Zonay did, however, transfer the case to Chittenden County for further proceedings. The Vermont Attorney General’s Office will prosecute the case to avoid potential conflicts of interest with Vekos’ own office.

Vekos’ troubles began when she responded to a crime scene on January 25 in Bridport, where state police were investigating a suspicious death. When she arrived, troopers Eva Vekos noticed that Vekos smelled like alcohol and observed “indicators of impairment,” including slurred speech, according to police affidavits.

After Vekos refused to take a field sobriety test, troopers arrested her and took her to the state police barracks in New Haven. In an affidavit, Trooper Kelsey Dobson said Vekos mistook him for another police officer while being transported.

Once at the barracks, Vekos “refused to cooperate with being fingerprinted and photographed,” police wrote. In an affidavit, Sgt. Eden Neary said Vekos requested the officer take photographs of her wrists, which were marked from handcuffs. Vekos was cited and released.

Vekos has not made any public statements since then and has continued to show up in court as a prosecuting attorney.

Vekos, 54, was elected to her first four-year term in November 2022. She spent much of her career in criminal defense, including juvenile defense.

In March, Vekos is slated to prosecute a fatal DUI case against a man who is accused of striking and killing a woman with his car in 2020.

Toward the end of her arraignment on Monday, Vekos appeared to be crying. As her appearance concluded, she rushed out of the courtroom, evading questions from reporters. ➆

GLENN RUSSELL/VTDIGGER

who passed Act 127 “didn’t care about the consequence,” which, she added, “any idiot could have seen.”

Scheuermann was one of just 11 lawmakers who voted against the bill. She said that while people think of Stowe as wealthy and able to handle any tax increases, workingclass families who have been there for generations are at real risk of being priced out.

The school district that includes Stowe, Lamoille South Supervisory Union, is on track for a big hit. Superintendent Ryan Heraty said the town could face a 40 percent increase in property taxes if cuts aren’t made or lawmakers don’t intervene.

The board held an emergency meeting on Monday, where they decided to delay the vote and look for cuts.

“This is a slow-moving train wreck that we’ve seen coming for six months,” Heraty said.

Even the proposed fix isn’t a cure-all, something legislators have acknowledged.

In joint testimony last Thursday, Vermont Superintendents Association president Amy Minor and Vermont School Boards Association president Flor Diaz Smith asked lawmakers to find additional tax revenues to offset property tax increases. And they urged legislators to provide clear and timely information to make the rollout as smooth as possible, suggesting that this last-minute change could erode voter trust.

The House bill, H.850, would provide $500,000 to pay for the cost of new elections for districts that postpone votes. It also would require clerks to automatically mail new absentee ballots to those who requested one for Town Meeting Day. The full House is expected to vote on the measure this week, after which the Senate will need to sign off.

Even with the Act 127 “fix,” the budget snafu has clearly unsettled Vermonters, some of whom are now directing their ire at lawmakers.

At an Essex Westford school board meeting last week, Essex Junction resident Alison Wermer told members that the projected tax rate increase was not sustainable for young families or retired people. That district has not yet approved a final budget; it’s one of a small number of Vermont towns that routinely vote on school-related matters in April. But even with the “cents discount,” administrators said last week, taxes are projected to go up 17 to 22 percent under the current spending proposal.

“I came here tonight … to say that when I vote no for the school budget, it is not so much to be negative about your efforts,” Wermer said, “but to send a message to the legislature that the direction we’re going in has to change.” ➆

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NEED FOR DIALOGUE

[Re “Burlington City Council Rejects Pro-Palestine Ballot Item,” January 23]: I just turned 75. This means I was born right after World War II, the Holocaust and the establishment of the State of Israel. As a young American Jew, I admired Israeli strength and was filled with pride when I saw photos of strong Jewish men and women riding on Israeli tanks. I can’t feel that way anymore. With so many thousands dead and maimed in Palestine and Israel — with violence and apartheid the evident outcome of Israel’s iron-fist approach — how could I, as a justice-loving Jew, continue to believe in security through strength?

I supported the recently suppressed Burlington ballot item. It was provocative and, yes, “one-sided.” But it offered us as a community a starting point for a citywide discussion. Where will that happen now?

When we are talking about genocide, fear, safety and revenge, passions will flare. But we still need to keep talking to, not just at, each other. I regret that the Burlington City Council took this important topic off the table and ignored the voices of more than 1,700 Burlington voters. However, the need for dialogue remains just as vivid as it was before the misguided council action.

Andrew Simon

BURLINGTON

DEFINE ‘PRO-ISRAEL’

It is unfortunate that those who spoke out against the proposed ballot measure to declare Burlington an apartheid-free city were referred to as a “pro-Israel contingent” in your coverage of the special city council meeting on the evening of January 22 [“Burlington City Council Rejects Pro-Palestine Ballot Item,” January 23]. Feelings about Israel, Palestine and the war are very complex and nuanced and vary greatly, even among Jews. The speakers you referred to were voicing their fears and concerns about language at the end of a proposal that would have served to further stoke hatred and antisemitism.

They were speaking specifically against the proposal, not about the war. Applying a blanket label such as “pro-Israel” is dismissive, oversimplified and only serves to increase “us against them” divisions in a very complex, painful situation.

Jeanne Montross

Pro-Palestine activists at Burlington City Hall

to approve a statement about the role of the State of Israel in the current crisis there.

As I stated in my remarks, everyone has a piece of the truth. If only we could come together and piece together a statement that represents the role of all the parties involved: the governments of Israel, Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, as well as the role of the United States. These governments are causing harm, death and destruction. That would have been a ballot measure I could have supported.

Unfortunately, increasingly brittle and vitriolic divisions prevent this kind of collaborative process. This measure was defeated due to its lopsided view of the awfulness and the pain, on all sides, that it would cause. We now have reports of threats and internet shaming against council members and speakers, perpetrated by those who were advocating for the motion’s success. This is not how a democracy should work. Rather, let us meet to find those places where we share positions, and let us leave behind the damaging and cruel treatment of those with whom you might disagree.

We can do this, folks. Turn down the volume and listen, respectfully, to each other. We all are in pain. We all have part of the truth. We all have more allies than you might expect.

Rabbi Jan Salzman

BURLINGTON

Salzman is the rabbi at Ruach haMaqom, a Burlington synagogue.

SALISBURY

WE COULDN’T AGREE

After [“Burlington City Council Rejects Pro-Palestine Ballot Item,” January 23], hundreds met again to discuss the proposal to include a motion on the upcoming ballot: 20

SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

‘BROADEN YOUR PASSION’

Pro-Palestinian activists, you poured out your hearts, urged us to pledge, to call for a cease-fire [“Burlington City Council Rejects Pro-Palestine Ballot Item,” January 23]. I urge you to broaden your passion.

‘ISRAEL PRACTICES APARTHEID’

Instead of asking Burlington to stop the bombing, let’s stop the U.S. from sending bombs.

The Israeli military gets 16 percent of its funding from U.S. taxpayers, and 80 percent of Israeli weapons are made in the U.S. Separate from taxpayer gifts of weapons, Congress needs to prohibit weapon sales to violators of international humanitarian law.

The U.S. is the largest supplier of weapons worldwide. This is our superpower: Given that the U.S. government prohibits the sale of wordprocessing software to Iran, we can ban the sale of weapons to war criminals. U.S. voters have more power than anyone, outside the Middle East, to stop the destruction of Gaza.

Vermonters excel at sending human rights advocates to Washington, D.C.: Sens. Bernie Sanders and Peter Welch are working to require that supplemental weapon funding only aids followers of international law. Bernie used the Foreign Assistance Act to request review of Israeli human rights violations. The “Leahy law” restricts the U.S. from assisting foreign militaries that commit “gross violations of human rights.”

Current laws are not being implemented.

But the problem is not in Vermont.

I urge you to focus your passion: Support anti-war candidates and organizations outside Vermont. I have traveled to volunteer and phone-banked from home.

Look for candidates through Justice Democrats and Progressive Democrats of America who will go beyond symbolic support, who will vote to stop the funding and stop the bombs.

[Re “Burlington City Council Rejects Pro-Palestine Ballot Item,” January 23]: I was disappointed by the coverage of the apartheid-free community ballot measure and the council meeting on January 22, and even more disappointed by the result of the meeting itself, which was that the measure would be excluded from the ballot.

Over the past six months, organizers in Burlington gathered a number of signatures far surpassing the legal minimum to get on the ballot and pledging opposition to apartheid, recognized under international law as a crime against humanity. Since 2021, human rights organizations Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and Israel-based B’Tselem have published detailed reports claiming that Israel practices apartheid. Whether or not one agrees with their legal arguments, they are certainly not antisemitic.

Councilors who voted against allowing the measure on the ballot did not claim they were doing so because it was antisemitic — instead, it was because some people believe it was antisemitic.

This is a ridiculous argument. To follow it to its conclusion, this would mean that a measure supporting Black Lives Matter should be excluded because some white people consider it antiwhite. Activists should not be able to block a measure because they feel threatened by people campaigning for a proposal and instead should make their case to voters.

The Jewish community is not united on this issue, and many of us strongly supported this resolution. It is shameful that the council used fear of antisemitism as an excuse to buck democracy and prevent the measure from appearing on the ballot.

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lifelines

OBITUARIES, VOWS, CELEBRATIONS

OBITUARIES

Alan D. Stracke

Sociology (STJ) as a deeper dive into the Caribbean and his one-of-a-kind childhood, directly connecting sociological concepts to the content. STJ built on Alan’s methodology — Collaborative Engagement Through Narrative (CEN) — and combined his passion for teaching, the Caribbean and storytelling into one.

Anthony Bourdain said, “Your body is not a temple; it’s an amusement park.”

Alan’s was more of an “island car,” decorated with colorful flotsam and jetsam, painted in bright colors, and held together with wire, jute and duct tape. The “held together” was thanks to many excellent doctors and therapists who were integral to Alan’s recoveries, from the doctors at the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington to his bone marrow transplant team at Memorial Sloane Kettering in New York

City to the surgeons at Loma Linda University Hospital to his amazing, ongoing care team at Eisenhower Medical in Palm Springs, Calif. His body had endured so much, not by fighting an illness (like his two aggressive cancers) but by allowing them to pass through. This time, the pneumonia was all-consuming; it would not pass through, so Alan chose to pass through it.

Alan’s last 16 years were thanks to his brother, Paul Stracke, who blessed him as a stem cell donor, allowing Alan’s adventures to continue. His sister, Virginia, and brother-in-law, Gary Mitchell, were always Alan’s playmates and supporters throughout his life. His sister-in-law, Sheilagh O’Dwyer, and her family relished being part of Alan’s crazy antics and supported him in countless ways. He was gifted with exceptional bonds to a unique group of students — Alan’s

Football, Undefeated Since 1974” T-shirt.

At the conclusion of his senior year at UVM, Peter was just a handful of credits shy of eligibility for graduation. Rather than returning to school to earn those few credits, he jumped into the business world, taking over Trono Fuels and Trono Construction from his father. Nonetheless, Peter was very proud to have attained his bachelor of science degree from the University of Vermont in fall 2018, a mere 44 years later.

He often joked that he was

contemplating moving back into on-campus housing as he pursued those last few required credits.

Peter worked very hard over many years to turn his businesses into successful, prominent establishments.

As he approached retirement age, rather than get a new set of golf clubs or look for a condo in Florida, as some men are prone to do, he decided to try his hand at beef cattle farming and started Fat Cow Farm in East Charlotte in 2010. That, too, has turned into a successful venture. However, he was most proud that he was able to run his businesses with the help of his three sons.

Peter will be remembered as a wonderful, generous man who was revered by his many friends. He was as comfortable on the stool in the dive bar as he was in the boardroom and was as happy playing shuffleboard at the Redwood as he was playing handball with a chief justice. If you were a friend of Peter’s, you were a friend for life. His sense of

humor and good-hearted antics will not be forgotten anytime soon. To quote a friend, “Peter will always be a part of Burlington’s history and lore and stories that he was either a part of or the start of.”

Hunting and the outdoors were among Peter’s most passionate pursuits. Opening weekend of rifle season at his camp in Montgomery was among his favorite days of the year. He greatly enjoyed hunting trips to the farthest reaches of Canada in search of trophy bucks. His hunting trips often conflicted with Thanksgiving, at which point his family would send photos of a beautiful turkey dinner with all the fixings and to which he would respond with a photo of a bologna sandwich from the inside of a drafty tree stand somewhere in Alberta, on the edge of the Northwest Territories.

Peter was predeceased by his parents, John and Bertha Trono. He will be greatly missed by his wife of 28 years, Wendy; three sons; two daughters-in-law;

SEPTEMBER 2, 1946JANUARY 31, 2024 PALM SPRINGS, CALIF.

Alan D. Stracke’s spirit took flight on Wednesday, January 31, 2024, at 4:30 a.m. in the arms of his wife, Lynda Reid, to the comforting tunes of Bob Marley’s “No Woman, No Cry.” Like all Caribbean music, Marley’s music inspired Alan to travel extensively throughout the islands, diving into the history, rich cultures and authentic peoples.

Those unique people and experiences motivated Alan, in 1998, to put the anecdotes to print and write Why Ask: A Cultural Exploration of the Caribbean.

Why Ask became his nontraditional textbook, utilizing storytelling to connect the students to their personal stories and thus to sociology concepts. In 2005, Alan created the accompanying A Storyteller’s Journey Into

John Peter Trono

SEPTEMBER 23, 1950FEBRUARY 2, 2024 CHARLOTTE, VT. John Peter Trono, 73, of Charlotte, Vt., passed away unexpectedly on Friday, February 2, at the University of Vermont Medical Center.

Peter was a lifelong Vermont resident. He graduated from Burlington High School in 1968 and served as captain of both the baseball and football teams. While stories of his academic prowess at BHS are less discussed, Peter was sure that it was well known that he especially excelled on the football field, earning AllState and Shrine team nominations his senior year. After a year at Bridgton Academy in Maine, he went on to play football at the University of Vermont, where he served as team captain and was selected to the All-Yankee Conference team in his senior year. He would often be seen proudly wearing a “UVM

22

SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

“Younglings,” who became and are like family to him and Lynda. Most treasured was the gift of reuniting with his son, Lincoln Dwyer, and getting to know and love his daughter-in-law, Carisa, and granddaughter, Mia. While not closely connected to others in his family over the last years, he held special memories of each of his siblings, in-laws, and nieces and nephews.

Alan was an awardwinning professor emeritus, a storyteller, a cultural explorer and a “pirate” who inspired countless students, colleagues and friends and brightened the day of everyone he encountered. Those who knew him knew there had never been anything subtle about Alan. Now that his incredible spirit has no limitations, he’s taking up all the space he can with his colorful energy. You will always find that energy in each sunrise and sunset. That

big spirit fills the sky each morning, reminding us to be bold, dream big and believe anything is possible. With each sunset, he invites us to embrace our gratitude for the little miracles of the day and the love we share.

Celebrations of life will be planned later this year in Burlington, Vt., and Tortola, British Virgin Islands.

Follow Alan’s “Storyteller’s Journey Revisited” at profstracke.blogspot.com, as his wife, Lynda, shares yetto-be-told stories of Alan and announcements of future celebrations.

To honor Alan and carry on his impact on the next generation by supporting them in studying abroad, Lynda asks that you donate to the Stracke/Reid Cultural Immersion Scholarship at Champlain College in Burlington, Vt., Alan’s academic home for over 40 years.

Contact advancement@ champlain.edu.

and dearly loved grandchildren: Lucas and Genevieve (Parker and Flynn), Derek and Antonia (Trae and Mia), and Zachary. Peter also leaves brothers Paul (Diane) and Chris (Renato Salvador) Trono; sisters Toni Marie Trono, Gina (Mark) Auriema, Julie Trono (Ted McCarthy) and Lisa (Tony) Perez; and many nieces and nephews.

The family would like to acknowledge the overwhelming outpouring of support from those who knew and loved him.

A mass of Christian burial will be held at St. Francis Xavier Church in Winooski, Vt., on Friday, February 16, at noon, followed by a reception, where the sharing of stories and laughs is encouraged. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Merrymac Farm Sanctuary, 490 Lime Kiln Rd., Charlotte, VT 05445.

Arrangements are in the care of LaVigne Funeral & Cremation Service, Winooski.

To send online condolences to his family, please visit vtfuneralhomes.com.

IN MEMORIAM Tobias “Toby” Andros Tomasi 1973-1990

In loving memory of Tobias “Toby” Andros Tomasi.

Born on February 3, 1973, in Decca, Bangladesh.

Died on December 28, 1990, in Williston, Vt. Meditation XVII “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main ... Any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind...”

—John Donne For his family, from Alice Siegriest and Ruth Furman.

➆

Christian “Chris” Alan Petrie

as a motor carrier safety inspector.

He was a passionate motorcyclist and gamer. As a proficient mechanic, he helped

many friends in need. Toyotas were his car of choice. He kept his 1993 Corolla wagon on the road for years.

Chris is survived by his lovely daughter, Kristiana “Ana” Petrie; her mother, his ex-wife Katsue “Chico” Sunagawa; his mother; his brother, Matthew; and aunts, uncles, nieces, a nephew, and many friends and coworkers.

He was predeceased in death by his father; both sets of grandparents, Pete and Jackie Petrie and Ted and Dany Costick; and his beloved dog Jasper.

A celebration of his life will be held in Vermont at a later date.

Hug your loved ones! Each day is precious!

was a director of adult basic education before moving to Middlebury to teach adult education at Middlebury High School. She later became the assistant director of the Hannaford Career Center.

Nancy served her community in many ways, most recently and especially as the chair of John Graham Housing & Services to help families find affordable, safe housing and services in Addison County. She chaired the Vermont Retired Teachers Association and served on the board of the Middlebury Acting Company.

Nancy and Geoff loved to support local venues throughout Vermont, listening to jazz and other forms of music and enjoying a good trivia night. Known for her annual support of Darn Tough socks, Nancy loved to support local businesses in as many ways as she could. She still played golf, hiked, skied and danced to good music. They enjoyed travels and adventures locally and abroad in Wales with family.

Nancy was lovingly devoted to her family and friends, especially the grandkids, in whom she found such great pleasure. She always ensured that the family gathered from various parts of the state to their home in Weybridge on a regular basis to enjoy each other’s company and the joy of her new grandson, Austin.

Any donations in Nancy’s honor would be gratefully accepted by John Graham Housing & Services.

Arrangements are under the direction of SandersonDucharme Funeral Home in Middlebury. Online condolences can be left at sanderson funeralservices.com.

MARCH 22, 1968JANUARY 23, 2024 CRESTLINE, CALIF.

Christian Alan Petrie, 55, of Crestline, Calif., passed away suddenly on January 23, 2024, from an accident.

He was born on March 22, 1968, in Hyannis, Mass., the son of Alan Lee and Danielle Costick Petrie. He graduated from Mount Mansfield High School in Jericho, Vt., in 1986. He became a proud U.S. Marine soon after. He worked for more than 30 years for the federal government

Nancy Slater Cobden OCTOBER 22, 1947FEBRUARY 4, 2024 WEYBRIDGE, VT.

Nancy Slater Cobden, 76, died suddenly while enjoying a hike on Chipman Hill in Middlebury on February 4, 2024. Nancy is survived by her husband, Geoffrey Cobden; her sons, Dylan Cobden (wife Joanna Cobden and children Carter, Camden and Chloe) and Llewellyn Cobden (wife Christa Shute); and her grandchildren, Bronwen Cobden, Oliver Cobden and Austin Cobden. She was predeceased by her parents, Irving Slater and Josephine Ahern Slater, of Keene, N.H. Nancy grew up in Keene, N.H., and received her bachelor’s degree from the University of New Hampshire and her master’s of education from the University of Vermont. Her love of teaching brought her to teach in Canaan, Vt., for two years before she focused on adult basic education in northwestern Vermont. She

Carole Diane Lichtenstein

APRIL 17, 1935-JANUARY 27, 2024 STOWE, VT. Carole Diane Lichtenstein passed away peacefully at her home in Stowe, Vt., on Saturday, January 27, 2024, barely more than a month after the death of her beloved husband, Steve. Carole and Steve would have celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary this August. They were rarely apart from one another in life and so, too, in death. They remained deeply in love to the very end.

Carole was born in Brooklyn in 1935 to loving parents Julius and Paula Goldstein. She grew up there with her older brother, Leroy, whom she admired and loved dearly.

At 17, Carole was devastated by the news that Roy had been killed in the Korean war. The sadness was overwhelming and formative for Carole, who kept Roy in her heart for the rest of her life.

Carole was in her early twenties when she met Steve, a young law student in New York. Steve would later reminisce that when he first met Carole, “I was dumbstruck at this vision of beauty ... and I knew at that very moment that this is the girl I was going to marry.” Carole felt an outpouring of affection upon meeting Steve and later told her children, “I felt like I was home.”

They married in 1958, and as Carole often reflected, “We were so happy together.” The joy of their romance overshadowed her lingering sadness over her brother’s death.

The couple raised their family of four children in Lawrence Township, N.J. Carole eventually pursued a master’s degree in counseling at nearby Rider College and worked for over a decade, helping students in need of emotional and psychological support.

Carole was a kind, generous and loving mother, wife and friend. She supported her husband, children, extended family and many close friends without hesitation, through good times and bad. She was a fierce advocate for those she loved. To her many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Carole will always be Meemaw. She was there to comfort and counsel, to share a laugh and make a meal, to nurture and encourage, and to spoil a bit.

Carole loved a good joke and would laugh with abandon. She sang and played piano. She danced at parties. She wrote poetry and was a voracious reader. She was a lover of animals, especially her dogs, to whom she always fed scraps at the dinner table and with whom she and Steve routinely shared their bed. Carole was an optimist who could always find the good in a tough situation. She loved to help others and donated her time and money to many causes.

After many years as seasonal residents of Stowe, Carole and Steve made the town their fulltime home in the early 2000s. You couldn’t drive down the road without Carole urging you to marvel at the beautiful scenery, which she never took for granted. Carole was a founding member of the town’s first synagogue, the Jewish Community of Greater Stowe. Well into her eighties, she stayed busy organizing educational, artistic and cultural programs at JCOGS. As her health failed in recent years, Carole focused on giving comfort and direction to Steve, who was struggling with dementia. Steve did everything he could to help Carole with her physical disabilities.

Carole was the brain and Steve was the brawn in the twilight of their never-ending romance. It was Carole’s final act of love to hang on to life until her beloved Steve no longer needed her help. After giving herself some time to grieve, she was then ready to join him.

Carole Lichtenstein was preceded in death by her parents, Paula and Julius; brother, Leroy (Cindy Beer); and husband, Steve. She is survived by her children, Lee Lichtenstein (Cyndi Snyder), Holly Lichtenstein, Paul Lichtenstein (Kathy), and Matthew Lichtenstein (Hilary Wood); nine grandchildren (and their partners), Sara Rose, Elias, Eisha, Pamela, Sophia, Julian, Tara, Naomi and Gabriel; and three great-grandchildren, Penina, Eitan and Skylar.

A graveside funeral was held on January 30 at the JCOGS Cemetery, Darchei Shalom (Paths of Peace) in Morrisville, Vt. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Jewish Community of Greater Stowe (jcogs.org) and Lamoille Home Health and Hospice (lhha.org).

READ, POST, SHARE + COMMENT: sevendaysvt.com/lifelines SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

23

lifelines lines OBITUARIES James “Jamie” Lee Bissonette MAY 18, 1962FEBRUARY 6, 2024 SHELBURNE, VT.

James “Jamie” Lee Bissonette passed away on February 6, 2024, as the musical group Judas Priest played his favorite song in his ear, with his loving family and close friends by his side. Jamie was born on May 18, 1962, to Charles and Corrine Bissonette.

Jamie was a lifelong Shelburne resident and graduated from Champlain Valley Union High School, where he established many enduring friendships. He was a loyal Boston sports fan and idolized Larry Bird. In 1995, he opened the Dutch Mill Family Restaurant with his family; it continues to this day as the Dutch Mill Diner.

His larger-than-life personality was best demonstrated by his love

of helping others under any circumstances. His spirit never waned, and he was very courageous during the many health battles that he encountered during the past decade. As Jamie said positively to many, “I just keep chugging along.”

He was predeceased by his wife, Marilou, and brother Steve. He is survived by his parents, Charles and Corrine; his sons, Michael (Jessica)

Sidiki Sylla

JANUARY 7, 1962-DECEMBER 26, 2023 BURLINGTON, VT. Sidiki “Boze” Sylla, age 61, passed away on December 26, 2023, after a yearlong battle with cancer. After hospice care in fall 2023, he returned home to Guinea to see his 93-year-old mother one last time. Surrounded by loved ones and the warmth of the rising sun, he peacefully passed away in Maferenya, Guinea.

Sidiki is survived by his mother; his wife, Armadinha Sylla; and his many children. He is most notably survived by his ex-partner, Victoria Holbrooke, and their children, Sidiki Jr., daughter Nadia and son Ismael, as well as many siblings and extended family members in Guinea.

Sidiki was born in Guinea and was surrounded by music from a very young age. Sidiki danced in many ballet companies, including Coleah Site, Ballet Coleah Centre, Ballet Commune Matam, Ballet National Djoliba and Les Ballet Africains. In the mid-’90s, Jeh Kulu Dance and Drum Theater — a nonprofit centered on celebrating West African dance, drum, and culture — sponsored a group of Vermonters to travel to Guinea to study under Sidiki’s tutorship. In 1997 Sidiki moved to Vermont to become Jeh Kulu’s artistic director and principal choreographer. The impact he made on the dance scene in Vermont was truly enormous, and his contributions to the overall community cannot be quantified.

He arrived in a cold and snowy Vermont and never

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SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

and Jhammar (Gerlie); his brother Chris (Karen); his sister, Nancy (Jim); his sisterin-law Janet; and his precious grandchildren, Jameson, Molly, Jhammarie, Victoria, Dominique, Raven, Ace and Emily. Jamie is also survived by so many members of the Aube, Bissonette, Estacio, Cruz, Martel, Antonio and Bermejo families and special friends.

Visiting hours will be held on Thursday, February 15, 5 to 7 p.m., at Corbin and Palmer Funeral Home in Shelburne, Vt. A Catholic mass funeral will be held on Friday, February 16, 11 a.m., at St. Catherine’s Catholic Church in Shelburne, Vt., with a reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in Jamie’s honor to the Vermont Kidney Association, 2309 UHC Med-Nephrology, 1 S. Prospect St., Burlington, VT 05401.

Robert James McKenzie DECEMBER 8, 1930-FEBRUARY 2, 2024 VENICE, FLA.

Robert (Bob) McKenzie, 93, of Venice, Fla., and formerly of Burlington, Vt., died peacefully of natural causes on February 2, 2024, at his home with his family present.

Born on December 8, 1930, in Burlington, he was the son of the late Gerald and Mildred (Hanley) McKenzie. After graduating from Saint Michael’s College (1952) and serving briefly in the Navy Reserve, he began his career at John McKenzie Meat Packing Company, the family business. He retired as vice president of sales and marketing in 1989.

He won the heart and hand of Ruth Anton of Barre, Vt., and enjoyed 65 years of marriage together. He was a loving husband and the proud father of five sons and two daughters. He is survived by his wife and all seven children: Rob (Lynda) McKenzie, Dan McKenzie, Tim

left and made it his home, while teaching multiple classes a week and introducing many people to the rich cultural heritage. He drilled the steps and rhythms into his students through weekly rehearsals, classes and school residencies — always reminding them to smile. From the echoes of the doundoun drum emanating from the top floor of Memorial Auditorium to the sights of Jeh Kulu popping up at farmers markets and artist festivals, Sidiki left a memorable impression on all who witnessed his masterful acting and dance performances. Most recently, in September 2023, Sidiki was awarded the well-deserved Governor’s Award for Excellence in Arts Education.

Sidiki’s artistry will continue to influence and reverberate in the bodies, hearts, souls and lives of his community. Students of Sidiki’s recall his unwavering support, exceptional teaching skills, encyclopedic dance vocabulary, encouraging yells, sparkling big eyes and giant smile.

Traditional services were held in Guinea on December 28, and the Associations for Africans Living in Vermont hosted a gathering on December 30. The community can look forward to a public celebration of Sidiki’s life in the spring. Condolences and memories can be shared on the Jeh Kulu Facebook page or by attending any of the ongoing West African Dance and Drum classes and events — we continue to dance in his honor! In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Jeh Kulu.

Inuwali, Sidiki, for your joy and genius, now and forever.

(Sally) McKenzie, Ted McKenzie, Marie McKenzie, John (Michelle) McKenzie and Debbie (Matt) Beer. He is also survived by 11 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

By giving up the sport he loved (golf) while his children were in school, he was able to be present at all their sporting events: early morning hockey practices, basketball games, track meets and cheerleading events. His faith and his love for God was seen in his daily routine of reading the Bible and prayer — a practice he maintained even in his final day — and his committed service to his church in each place where he lived. His favorite scripture was Psalm 91, which he began reading daily during the pandemic. He is described by his children as faithful, generous, God-fearing, devoted, gentle, unselfish and humble.

A memorial service will be held in Vermont on July 12 at Ignite Church in Williston.

Details to follow.

Joseph Anthony Albano OCTOBER 2, 1981DECEMBER 23, 2023 ESSEX JUNCTION, VT.

Joseph Anthony Albano, 42, of Essex Junction, Vt., died on December 23, 2023, in Bowling Green, Ky. His passing was very sudden and unexpected.

Joe was born in Arcadia, Calif., on October 2, 1981, the son of Gary and Lelynn Romin. He attended Montclair High School. Upon graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Army for a short term. He lived in the Las Vegas and Arizona areas for some time before moving to Rhode Island, where he worked for Town Fair Tire for more than 10 years. Finally, Joe moved to the Williston, Vt., area with Town Fair Tire to assist in opening a new location. Joe eventually found his calling at Carter’s Cars as an auto mechanic, where he felt at home.

Joe was a hard worker and took pride in all that he did.

Joe was a happy-go-lucky guy and always had a joke on the tip of his tongue. He was a car connoisseur, huge NASCAR fan, family man, music lover, adventurer and so much more. Joe lived his life as he wished and made sure to enjoy every moment.

Joe is survived by his wife, Jessica Albano; their children, Trevor, Natasha and Faith; his biological children Joey and Mary; his mother and father, Gary and Lelynn Romin; his brother, Tim Albano (wife Diana); his motherand father-in-law, Jerry and Kathleen Cote; his sisters-inlaw Melissa Cote and Jennifer Harris (husband William); his brother-in-law Brian Cote; his very best friend, Bacon Bits Albano; and many close friends whom he deeply valued.

Joe is predeceased by his grandfather Paul Ivie, his grandmother Virginia Beaman and his uncle, Gary Ivie.

Please join us in celebrating Joe’s memory and life on Saturday, May 18, 2024, 1 to 5 p.m., at the American Legion in Colchester, Vt.

William “Bill” Parker Noble Jr.

University. William had an adventurous career path, from serving three years in the United States Coast Guard aboard the USGS Cactus and the USCGC Castle Rock, an oceanic research vessel chasing storms, to earning a doctorate in judicial law from the University of Pennsylvania.

William went on to practice law and run the Model Cities Program in Lancaster, Pa. After many successful ventures in these different career fields, William found his true calling in writing.

William and his second wife, June, worked on several unique writing projects.

They traveled extensively together, writing their way through South America and Europe. In Norway, the pair investigated the wartime activities of Nazi collaborator Vidkun Quisling for the Norwegian Justice Ministry.

They also authored several books together, starting with The Custody Trap and followed by The Psychiatric Fix, How to Live With Other People’s Children, The Private Me and Steal This Plot.

William also coauthored five books with his wife and ballet director Angela Whitehill, including The Parents Book of Ballet and The Dancer’s Book of Ballet. In 1991, Bookbanning in America: Who Bans Books? And Why was published. As William was an activist and staunch supporter of free speech, this was one of his most impassioned projects.

In addition to writing many more books, articles and other published works, William also joined the staff of the Community College of Vermont. Here he taught creative writing and creative nonfiction for 37 years. He was an early practitioner of online education, developing innovative creative-writing curricula. William’s writings

and teachings broached a variety of subjects, including politics, history, the art of writing, golf and restaurant reviews. He was named a Vermont Scholar for the Vermont Council on the Arts and was close to completing his memoir at the time of his passing.

He is survived by his wife, Angela Whitehill; sons, William III and John; daughter-in-law, Leslie Noble; much-loved cousins Judy Ogden and son David; and stepchildren Lynn Feiner, James Whitehill and Pamela Harnish. William is also survived by his granddaughters, Madeline, Nataleigh and Veronique, and many loving stepgrandchildren. He is predeceased by his sister, Marsha Blythe; first wife,

Madeline Carman Noble; second wife, June Brogger Noble; and stepdaughter Leigh Shields Dudnick.

William immersed himself in books, baseball, horses and good conversation. He was the person others knew they could go to, and he always delivered. Above all else, William loved his family. He was happiest when talking about the accomplishments of the sons and granddaughters of whom he was endlessly proud and the love and laughter he shared with his wife Angela.

A remembrance will be held on Sunday, May 19, 2024, 12:30 p.m., at Boy Scout Island in Island Heights, N.J. A reception will follow in the Peto Museum Garden in Island Heights.

He was a fun-loving, hardworking man who was tough but had a huge heart.

He was gregarious, caring, generous and playful, often

found trying to make people laugh and have a good time.

He loved swimming, golfing, and teaching his children and grandson how to play various sports and games.

He enjoyed working in his woodshop, constructing both functional and artistic pieces.

He was also a crowd-pleaser and could throw a barbecue together with ease, greatly enjoying gathering people up to hang around, share a delicious meal and spend time together. The man simply loved having fun! He was a star athlete and displayed this from childhood on.

Steve attended St. Lawrence University, then

transferred to Plattsburgh State University, where he graduated with a degree in education. During his college years, he left to serve in the U.S. Army and was posted in Vietnam before returning home to finish his college education.

After a few years teaching math in elementary school, he became a successful entrepreneur, owning and operating multiple different businesses and restaurants throughout the Lake George, N.Y., area.

The restaurant business is not for the fainthearted, but it seemed to come naturally for him. He was a trendsetter and great entertainer, well known

for his skills and knowledge in the field. He truly loved to cook!

After retiring from the restaurant business in 1997, he lived full time in Shelburne, Vt., where he held a variety of jobs as he neared official retirement. He was an avid golfer and spent as much time on the course as he could.

Steve is survived by his loving partner, Karen Polihronakis; daughters Danyan Garcia and Kyla Garcia; stepdaughters Misty Castaneda (Julio Castaneda) and Maxi Polihronakis; all three siblings; and his grandchildren, Matteo (7) and

Seamus (“SJ”), who was born on January 8, 2024, and got to meet his grandfather at 4 days old.

Whether he is taking a siesta or throwing a great fiesta, he is in our hearts and minds forever!

Steve’s celebration of life will be held on July 6, 2024, at the Shelburne Farms Coachman’s House, at a time to be shared at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Stephen’s memory to Shelburne Farms at shelburnefarms.org/ support-marshalls-woods.

Condolences, memories and photos may be shared at bit.ly/rememberingsj.

JANUARY 25, 1932JANUARY 8, 2024 ISLAND HEIGHTS, N.J.

William “Bill” Parker Noble Jr., 91, of Island Heights, N.J., writer, author, educator, storyteller, lover, husband, father, adventurer and sage, died peacefully in his sleep on January 8, 2024.

William was born in New York City on January 25, 1932, to Ethel and William Noble.

Although he grew up in Pelham, N.Y., William went on to live much of his adult life in Pennsylvania and Vermont before permanently moving to Island Heights, N.J. After graduating from the Hotchkiss School, he earned a BA in history at Lehigh

Stephen Joseph Garcia APRIL 21, 1948JANUARY 14, 2024 SHELBURNE, VT.

Stephen Joseph Garcia, born on April 21, 1948, in Maine, was the oldest of four siblings, with Michael Garcia, Joe Garcia and Teresa Murray, raised by Adolph (Joe) and Shirley Garcia in Lake George, N.Y. Steve left this Earth peacefully on January 14, 2024, while in the care of Vermont’s McClure Miller Respite House.

He was surrounded by all of his closest loved ones.

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SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

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The Fight for Decker Towers Drug users and homeless people have overrun a low-income high-rise.

Residents are gearing up to evict them.

S TO RY BY D E R E K BR O UW E R • P H O TO S BY JAME S BUC K

A

grim battle is being waged inside Decker Towers, the 11-story apartment building in Burlington for low-income seniors and people with disabilities. No one is winning.

But in the drug-sieged corridors of Vermont’s tallest housing complex, it’s clear the 160 tenants are losing.

The vulnerable neighborhood is being overwhelmed by a surge of homeless people seeking shelter, many of them drug users. In the past two years, Decker residents have become collateral damage in an ongoing crisis.

Every day, dozens of people enter the building to buy and use drugs, or simply to escape the cold. Its twin stairwells are littered with used needles, crack pipes and glassine bags. They’re streaked with urine and feces, etched with vulgar graffiti, and strewn with blankets and other meager belongings of the people who sleep there each night. Intoxicated visitors routinely stumble around or pass out on the stairs, in the hallways and in the laundry rooms.

“People in Burlington know there are problems at Decker Towers,” longtime resident Bob Collins said. “They have no clue how bad.”

Over the past few weeks, someone defecated in a hallway recycling bin, and the stench permeated nearby apartments. A vandal or thief ripped the door to a resident-run food shelf off its hinges.

Someone tried to cut through a $600 steel cage installed to shield residents’ packages from thieves. Laundry machines were ripped apart. In the parking lot, within view of surveillance cameras mounted on a mobile security trailer, a car windshield was smashed.

Burlington Housing Authority, the federally funded agency that owns and manages Decker, has fortified the front doors and wired common areas with security cameras, which Burlington police detectives can view in real time. The problems, however, are only getting worse.

In a city and state where homeless shelters are full, police are stretched thin, and the combination of fentanyl and meth has made available drug treatments less effective, Decker Towers is functioning as an unfunded warming shelter, an unmonitored injection site, 26

SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

People in Burlington know there are problems at Decker Towers.

They have no clue how bad.

BO B C O L L INS

and a hub for distribution of drugs and stolen goods.

Residents in low-income apartments have nowhere else to go; there aren’t other vacant subsidized units in town. So those who live at Decker are barricading their apartment doors with chairs and security bars. Some are staying inside their units unless a friend can escort them to the laundry room or the bus stop. They are taking self-defense classes and buying weapons at Walmart. They are calling public officials and news outlets.

After hearing from several residents in January, I went to Decker Towers to see for myself. Over seven evenings, I planned to observe and listen but swiftly became enmeshed in a tangled net of chaos and community. I faced a few of the dilemmas that its residents routinely encounter, such as what to say to the angry man demanding to be let inside and whether to rouse an unconscious person in a common area.

Many of the residents I met expressed empathy toward their unwanted visitors; some tenants themselves have survived struggles with homelessness or addiction.

But they are getting desperate.

Last Thursday, Decker’s elderly and disabled tenants voted to form a resident council, which then voted to establish a neighborhood watch. The council plans to deploy teams of residents as amateur security guards — a “tenant militia,” as one resident put it, armed with pepper spray, stun guns and firearms — in place of professionals that Burlington Housing Authority says it can’t afford and would not resolve the complex problem.

“I hope it doesn’t turn into a bloodbath,” Cathy Foley, a lead resident organizer, told me ahead of the vote, “but everyone who is volunteering understands the risks.”

Those risks were apparent when I spent a recent Friday evening in the front lobby with Collins, 70, who was waiting for his son to take him to a movie. Collins boasts a white mustache and a quick wit.

Since the amputation of his right foot, he’s used a wheelchair. On this night, he wore a purple skullcap and a custom-ordered shirt emblazoned with his personal motto, “Peace and greed cannot coexist.”

Decker residents displaying their self-defense arsenal

Debris in a stairwell

A group of people gathering inside the lobby at night

We watched as people who did not live in the building filled the glass-lined entryway, again and again, looking for a way past the locked double doors. As one resident walked out of the building, Collins spotted a woman trying to slip inside. “Tailgating!” he yelled, then wheeled himself in front of the entrance. The woman retreated.

Soon, though, five people stood outside the doors. Someone used the call box to ask a resident to let the group in. As they waited, the gaggle grew to six, then seven.

Collins recognized one of the would-be guests.

“He got mad at me the other night when I wouldn’t let him in,” Collins said.

“He was banging on the glass, going, ‘You fucking asshole!’”

One of Collins’ neighbors, 52-year-old Jeffrey Flores, sat down on a wooden bench.

“I’m through with being nice,” he said.

The situation at Decker was bringing out the “other Jeffrey,” he later explained, the “evil Jeffrey,” who, when angry, could boom so loud that he frightened his neighbors.

Flores pulled a large pocketknife from his sweatpants and snapped open the blade.

“Don’t take that out now,” Collins urged.

“Oh, I don’t care,” Flores said. “If anybody messes with me…”

‘OPEN SESAME!’

A resident’s weapon

Resident Bob Collins confronting someone

Minutes later, a resident came downstairs and let the crowd inside. A man in a Phillies jacket grabbed the door before it swung shut and entered, too.

Collins and Flores looked on, their cooler heads prevailing. Blockading the front door had become a losing battle, and they knew it. Decker has 160 residents who need to walk their dogs, step out for a smoke or catch the bus, so its doors are opening and closing all the time. Moments after that group entered, a toddler emerged from an elevator, her guardian trailing behind her, and pressed the big blue handicap button that activates the front door.

“Open sesame!” the little girl said.

The lobby at Decker is the size of a small living room. These days, it’s a bare, forbidding space: no plants, no rug, one small bench. On the wall above the bench, a video monitor displays a live surveillance feed of the room, broadcasting to everyone who enters the building that they’re on camera.

Near the rows of mailboxes, a letter board still lists every tenant by name.

There was, on this Friday night, a landline phone for residents to make a free call, THE FIGHT FOR DECKER TOWERS SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

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though it has since been removed. The letter board and landline are remnants of a time when Decker more closely filled its original role as a place of respite for people with limited means and special health needs.

The stuccoed high-rise on St. Paul Street opened in 1971 for low-income seniors. Residents were drawn by its location near downtown and across from Kerry’s Kwik Stop, the shared amenities, and the majestic views of Lake Champlain.

Later, Burlington Housing Authority opened the building to people with physical and mental disabilities, too. Decker residents pay 30 percent of their income toward the roughly $750 monthly rent; the federal government typically covers the rest.

Over the past couple of years, as the drug market has exploded in Vermont, some Decker tenants have become part of the trade, whether by choice or exploitation by a dealer looking for a place to set up shop. The housing authority evicted nine Decker tenants last year, all of whom the agency suspected of dealing drugs; more evictions are pending.

The eviction process often takes many months, during which time problems fester. Some apartments, housing authority officials say, have attracted dozens of daily visitors, whom tenants have a right to host as their guests. Police have managed to shut down the suspected dealers at Decker, according to the housing authority.

The environment is corrosive for tenants, especially those who have a substance-use disorder or are in recovery.

Before dawn on the Friday when I met Collins in the lobby, an ambulance had arrived for Victoria Morrison, one of two live-in resident managers. The 55-yearold had struggled with alcohol and drugs and was on the brink of homelessness when the housing authority hired her last fall, according to Charlie Morrison, her stepbrother, who also lives at Decker. In exchange for a free room, Victoria served as eyes and ears for the building after the daytime property manager went home each night. She mopped floors, locked up the laundry rooms, and tried to keep order among the revolving door of visitors and squatters.

Within a few months, Victoria appeared to have relapsed, Charlie said.

On January 24, the housing authority had sent residents a letter informing them that Victoria was no longer employed and would be moving out soon.

Now, two days later, she was in the hospital.

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SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

Burlington Fire Department responding to a call at Decker Towers

Trash left behind by visitors who started a small fire in the electrical room

The environment is corrosive for tenants,

especially those who have a substance-use disorder or are in recovery.

A man assembling a puzzle in a stairwell

A man who does not live at Decker picked up the courtesy phone in the lobby and dialed the University of Vermont Medical Center.

“Hello, this is Al Williams,” he said.

“I’m looking for Victoria Morrison.”

Williams waited for a few moments.

“So, she’s over on ICU?” Williams hung up the phone. He pulled a key to Victoria’s apartment from his pocket and showed it to everyone who passed through the lobby. Williams, a frequent visitor to Decker, had been with Victoria shortly before she went to the hospital. He said she had been drinking and using drugs that he had not supplied to her.

Williams had met Victoria a week or so earlier, while he was visiting someone at Decker. They’d become friendly, Williams said, and he became her “caregiver.” Williams said Victoria had given him a key to her apartment. Now he was asking residents in the lobby whether he could enter her place while she was in the intensive care unit.

“I don’t want to just walk in. What’s the rules around here?” he asked.

Soon the remaining resident manager, Mayank Nauriyal, came and convinced Williams to hand over the key.

Victoria died in the hospital three days later, on January 29. It’s unclear what, exactly, caused her death. An autopsy is pending.

“I don’t feel good about throwing people out of the building,” Miller said.

Instead of patrolling the stairwells, Miller wishes Decker residents would set up a structured space for the homeless people in the community room.

Benoit spent the weekend in prison for violating his curfew. But on Monday, when he faced a judge, his public defender asked the court to release Benoit and change the address for his curfew — to an apartment at Decker Towers. A deputy state’s attorney did not object, so Benoit was released under orders to spend his nights there.

Only when a Decker resident called the cops on Benoit a week later did anyone check to see whether he actually had permission from the tenant whose address was listed on his curfew order. Benoit did not, police learned. Now they’re looking to arrest him again.

STAIRWAYS TO HELL

As Nauriyal retrieved the key from Williams, Decker’s two stairwells were beginning to fill up.

By 7:15 p.m., nine people occupied them, including one woman who had rolled out a blanket on a landing and held a needle in her hand. A man was passed out lengthwise along the stairs to another floor. Drug paraphernalia dotted the landings and many of the steps. Harsh fluorescent lamps illuminated everything, including broken glass and a water bottle filled with amber liquid. The floor was sticky, and the air was sour.

Most residents avoid the stairs when they can. The stairwells may not be clean, but they are warm, and warm spaces are in short supply for the estimated 250 people who are living on the streets in Chittenden County this winter. During a cold snap in January, housing authority employees encountered 23 people sleeping in Decker stairwells, the agency said — nearly as many as the 30 or so who stay in the city-run warming shelter down the street.

The housing authority has installed sharps containers and Narcan dispensers throughout the building. The agency also locked the single-stall restroom on the first floor after squatters commandeered it to inject drugs and, presumably, use the toilets. Now they find other places to relieve themselves.

Each morning, housing authority employees walk the stairwells and tell the homeless people to move along.

Throughout the day, they also tell unruly visitors to leave. Discerning who is at Decker visiting a tenant — a protected right — and who is squatting can quickly lead to confrontation. Someone escorted out of the building can easily get back inside a few minutes or hours later. Even if authorities filed trespassing charges, courts would typically not hold somebody on the low-level charge.

Keeping the building clear on a Friday night would be a Sisyphean task for the one remaining resident manager. Nauriyal had begun wearing a body camera during his rounds. He also installed a personal security camera outside his apartment door, next to a Buddha statue.

Burlington Housing Authority employee Jeffrey Edwin (right) conducting a morning sweep to evict homeless people from the stairwells

WILD, WILD TOWERS

A private security guard talking to a man in an upper-floor hallway

On this Friday night, two Burlington police officers arrived around 9 p.m. to do a mobile patrol of the building, known as a “walk-through.” Nauriyal trailed the officers as they snaked between the stairwells and hallways of all 11 floors.

“You cannot sleep here, ma’am,” Nauriyal told one woman. “If you’re visiting, it is understandable. But no sleeping in the stairs.”

“Why do you have a knife in your hands?” he asked another.

“Because I’m picking at my fingernails,” the woman replied.

The officers encouraged some people to move along but did not ensure everyone left the building.

They did, however, arrest a 20-year-old homeless man who often spends time at Decker. Sylas Benoit had been charged twice in recent weeks for breaking into trucks in Burlington and stealing their contents, including a shotgun and a hunting rifle. While those and other cases

were pending, the court required him to spend his nights at a King Street address where Benoit said he was staying. He was breaking curfew by wandering around the high-rise.

Some residents loathe Benoit, who they suspect of stealing their packages and breaking into cars, though he hasn’t been charged for any thefts at Decker.

Scott DeThomas, a 64-year-old resident, said he tackled Benoit in the lounge after seeing him rip open another resident’s package. “I told him I was going to beat the shit out of him,” DeThomas said. “He’s a little punk.”

Susan Miller, a 65-year-old retired nurse, has a different take. She also suspects Benoit has stolen her belongings — namely, $200 worth of groceries from Instacart — but said he “needs a hand up.”

As Decker’s unofficial community cook, Miller fixed Benoit a plate of food during a summer barbecue, drawing the ire of some of her neighbors.

A group of Decker residents gathered to play cards on a Sunday afternoon in late January. Several came armed with stun guns and pepper spray, which they never thought they’d carry. But they wanted to feel safe coming downstairs to the community room to play Exploding Kittens with friends.

Sarah Procopio, a 46-year-old painter, brought a special guest: her new puppy, Gizmo, a 3-month-old future service dog whose curly tail signaled the shar-pei in her.

“Do you want puppy therapy?”

Procopio asked her neighbor, Abbie Wolff.

“Yes! Are you kidding me?” Wolff said, taking Gizmo in her arms.

Wolff, 34, worked as a user-experience researcher for a health care company before a car accident several years ago left her with daily migraines. Now she lives on disability checks, $279 of which goes toward rent each month. She’s highly sensitive to light and wears sunglasses indoors.

Wolff explained the rules of the absurdist game to 71-year-old Victoria Carter, who did not understand the point of cat-themed cards that “attack” and “explode” but was happy to watch. She wore a big, round Trump button pinned to her shirt. The pair eyed a card in Wolff’s hand and giggled to each other.

“Is it the multi-boob cat?” another friend, David LeBeau, asked.

“No,” Wolff said, “it’s the one with rockets coming out of its underpants!”

Between turns, Wolff demonstrated her new stun gun to Debbie Phelps, and 67-year-old Phelps showed off the pink canister of pepper spray she keeps with THE FIGHT FOR DECKER TOWERS SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

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her walker. The pepper spray was part of a growing home-security arsenal that Phelps had ordered from Amazon. Wolff recently took a women’s self-defense and empowerment class. Both Wolff and Phelps said they’re afraid to leave their apartments alone. Phelps has been pushed through a doorway and caught in the middle of physical altercations.

Their decision to arm themselves has followed anguished reflection. Wolff has been torn between her progressive impulses — informed by the knowledge that, without family support while she waited for a housing voucher, she would have been homeless — and the creeping sense that the burden she and her neighbors are now shouldering is harmful and unfair.

“It feels like we’re bleeding heavily after numerous paper cuts, of just so many tiny, endless, unpunished violations of our space,” she wrote in an email to me.

Meeting in the community room to laugh is one way Wolff and her friends are trying to overcome their fear. Yet the conversation, inevitably, returned to problems in the building. Between bites of homemade chicken wings, LeBeau, 41, recounted the story of a man who was jiggling the doorknob of his apartment at two in the morning. Wolff tensed up.

“Do we need to stop?” Procopio asked her.

“No, I want to know about it,” she said.

“I just had trouble sleeping last night.”

Procopio told the group that some Decker residents have started releasing pepper spray into the stairwells to deter squatters. It seemed to be aggravating her asthma, she said.

“I was spitting up blood yesterday because of that,” LeBeau said.

“The worst one is called bear mace because it is designed to turn a bear, and it’s nasty,” he explained. “And there’s somebody here who has it.”

After the game ended, around 6 p.m., LeBeau carried his plate of chicken bones out of the community room and into the lobby. Three people stood near the elevators: a man with a covering over his face; a woman with a sleeping bag and a large wheeled suitcase; and a man holding an electric weed whacker, still sealed in the box.

The man with the trimmer swayed about the lobby as though he were balancing on a dinghy in choppy seas. Decker residents have become accustomed to telltale signs of drugs. They know the lingo and recognize when somebody is high.

“He’s tweaking,” LeBeau observed, dinner plate in hand.

30

SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

From left: Residents Sarah Procopio, Victoria Carter, Abbie Wolff and Debbie Phelps playing cards on a Sunday afternoon

Abbie Wolff demonstrated her new stun gun to Debbie Phelps, and

Phelps showed off the pink canister of pepper spray she keeps with her walker.

‘CALL FOR HELP’

Why hasn’t this awful situation been forcefully addressed?

Steven Murray, Burlington Housing Authority’s executive director, arrived at the Statehouse on January 17 prepared to recount the reasons. But first, Murray decided, he had to make sure the politicians understood what was really going on.

“Y’all don’t see what we see,” he began.

Murray was one of more than a dozen people to testify before a joint legislative committee as part of a daylong hearing on public safety issues. Speakers before him offered data points and jargon and chose their words carefully. Murray resolved to riff “from the heart,” he told lawmakers.

He mentioned feces in laundry machines.

He talked about drug dealers using a woman’s head “as a battering ram.” In other words, he let it rip.

Residents, Murray said, “are living in terror.” He was personally “ashamed.”

But, he asserted, the housing authority was powerless to stop the drug dealing, trespassing and disorder that plagues many of its buildings, and Decker in particular.

“I don’t have the tools,” Murray told lawmakers. “I’m telling you right now: This is a call for help.”

Evicting suspected drug dealers is taking far too long — up to 15 months for a tenant at a complex a block away from Decker. Police aren’t apprehending those

dealers, he added, and “no one’s coming” when residents call them for help. The one thing the housing authority could do is hire full-time security guards, Murray said, but the agency cannot afford them.

(Murray has since contracted with private security guards, part time, to conduct nightly walk-throughs of Decker and several other buildings.)

A little more than a week later, Murray heard from outgoing Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger’s office. The mayor wanted to talk. When they met on January 29, Murray said, Weinberger chastised him for his comments to lawmakers about Burlington police.

Burlington Housing Authority operates as an independent government agency. It

distributes $25 million in rental housing subsidies each year and manages nearly 700 low-income units in Chittenden County. Under state law, the mayor’s sole formal role is to appoint the five volunteer commissioners who oversee the housing authority. They in turn have power to hire — and fire — its executive director.

Weinberger informed Murray that he would not be reappointing the commission chair, Mike Knauer, whose tenure on the board had stretched 30 years. Knauer had backed Murray’s leadership during his two years helming the housing authority, which has cycled through five directors since 2016.

Last week, Weinberger replaced Knauer with Brian Lowe, the mayor’s former chief of staff who later led the municipal COVID-19 response. Weinberger also appointed the recently retired executive director of HomeShare Vermont, Kirby Dunn, to fill a vacant board seat.

Murray told me that he thought Weinberger was exacting “political payback” for Murray’s legislative testimony. The mayor, he said, had ignored his pleas for help at Decker during a private meeting in early 2023, during which he claimed Weinberger was “playing with his phone.”

Weinberger told me that he did take issue with Murray’s comments about Burlington police, which he called inaccurate: Law enforcement responded to every high-priority call at Decker last year, the mayor’s office said, though police often do not show up to deal with lower-level issues that also plague the building. But Weinberger said his board appointments stem from his broader concern about Murray’s management.

“This is the responsibility of the housing authority to get this situation under control,” Weinberger said. “And they manifestly have not done that.”

Weinberger said Murray’s team has not done enough to control access to the building, a sentiment many Decker residents share. Weinberger said he is “deeply skeptical” that the housing authority can’t muster the cash “to manage the building properly.”

Following his meeting with Weinberger, Murray submitted a proposal for the city to help improve security at Decker Towers. According to the proposal, two around-the-clock guards would cost more than $600,000 per year. Weinberger described the request as “kind of absurd” in its cost estimates and limited scope of action.

Decker Towers takes in just $1.4 million in rent annually, Murray said, which yields about $90,000 in net revenue. Rent loss, security upgrades, legal expenses and more have already consumed that thin

Burlington Housing Authority executive director Steven Murray

Resident manager Mayank Nauriyal (left) and a security guard talking to a man in a hallway

Damaged laundry machines

full-time security guards aligns with the guidelines that HUD has issued for local housing authorities. The handbook discourages their use as a replacement for law enforcement and urges managers instead to make a “vigorous appeal” to public officials to expand policing services as needed.

Security guards may make it harder to trespass at Decker, Murray said, but they wouldn’t stop drug-dealing tenants from inviting their customers inside.

And if security guards did manage to push people away from Decker, they would still have to find somewhere else to go. Murray took me to three other housing authority properties in the King Street neighborhood. Each showed signs of the same problems as Decker, albeit on a smaller scale. He showed me homeless encampments in a backyard, scattered needles, urine damage in a laundry room.

We met angry tenants.

At one apartment building, next to a preschool on King Street, the housing authority had recently evicted a suspected drug dealer. Four people were using drugs in the stairwell leading to the now-vacant, boarded-up apartment.

Murray thought he recognized one of them as a man who goes by the street name “Richy Rich.” He’d been arrested last year for assaulting another man inside a Decker Towers elevator.

Murray told the group to clear out.

“Richy Rich,” wearing one shoe, could barely stand. Murray called the police. He told them “Richy Rich” was “very intoxicated” and acting aggressively.

“Keep my fucking name out your mouth,” the man yelled back. “I’m warning you. I’m not being aggressive. If I’m being aggressive, I’ll be in jail for aggravated assault for fucking you up! Leave my name out your mouth, you fucking faggot.”

“Richy Rich” was gone by the time two Burlington police officers arrived five minutes later. They determined that the man — who, at that point, had not been formally issued a trespass notice from housing authority property — had not committed a crime. I saw “Richy” inside Decker Towers later that night.

‘CLOSEST THING WE HAVE TO A HOME’

margin, Murray said. Because Decker Towers is not technically “public housing,” the housing authority cannot tap the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for emergency funds. Any

money Murray spends on private security will raid what’s needed for maintenance and capital improvements to the aging buildings.

Murray’s resistance to paying for

Two elevators service the apartments inside Decker Towers. The larger of the two has been broken for more than a month while the housing authority waits for a part.

On the afternoon of January 29, the other elevator broke down, leaving the THE FIGHT FOR DECKER TOWERS SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

» P.32 31

The Fight for Decker Towers «

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stairwells as the only way up and down.

Scores of residents with mobility limitations were stuck — for the second time in 10 days, they said.

Collins, in his wheelchair, was trapped on the first floor. So was a resident named Ella and her little black dog, Pepper, whom she pushed around in a stroller.

More than two hours passed, and the repairman wasn’t there yet. Collins would need to go to the bathroom soon, but the first-floor bathroom was still locked. No one from the housing authority was there to let him in.

Another resident and I went to survey the stairwells, where we found 13 people sheltering. One woman was tipped across the width of a step, her forehead to the floor. There was a needle near her body.

She didn’t move as we approached.

The resident gripped handrails on both sides and hoisted himself over her.

I followed behind; neither of us asked the woman whether she was OK. Over the next hour, we carried Ella’s dog and stroller up a few flights to her apartment, then escorted two middle school-age kids to a family member’s unit. A repairman arrived and opened the bathroom for Collins.

By 7:15 p.m., the elevator was fixed.

I returned to the stairwells. On an upper floor, I came upon a woman leaning on some steps. The woman, who asked to be identified by her middle name, Eve, was trying to eat a melted popsicle with her fingers. That, plus some pudding and a miniature cup of Ben & Jerry’s Americone Dream ice cream, were her dinner.

Eve said she has slept at Decker almost every night this winter. It’s better than being outside, as she was most of last winter. That year, she laid cardboard in Church Street porticos and kept warm by cuddling with her sister, who is now in prison, she told me.

To get a bed at the city warming shelter, which is full every night, she must line up outside for hours with no guarantee she’ll land a spot. Decker is a surer bet, and there’s a certain camaraderie with others who use the stairwells. A friend gave her the popsicle, Eve said.

That morning, however, while Eve had been asleep, a resident sprayed mace in the stairwell landing. Suddenly, she couldn’t see and could barely breathe. The irritant caused her to vomit. “It was a disaster,” Eve said.

Eve questioned why homeless people had been forced from two abandoned buildings downtown — the derelict Memorial Auditorium and the old YMCA 32

SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

Resident James Harvey

— where they didn’t have to encroach on a residential space.

“If they were to open up one of those buildings to us, and obviously there would need to be some oversight and things like that … we could make that into a home,” Eve said.

Eve’s friend, who also asked to be identified by her middle name, Mary, came down the stairs. Mary said she understands why Decker residents are frustrated; she would be, too. But Mary also gets angry when tenants make sarcastic comments about how she and other homeless visitors “make themselves at home” in the building.

“This is the closest thing we have to a home,” she said.

“If they were in our position, if they had nothing and they were outside in the cold, what would they do?” Mary continued.

“Pissing people off to stay warm? I’ll make somebody mad any day of the week to stay warm.”

“Absolutely,” Eve agreed.

I went home to my apartment to sleep.

Only later, while reviewing my notes, did I realize that Eve was the woman I’d stepped over in the stairwell earlier that evening.

GETTING ORGANIZED

On election night for the new resident council, a crowd filled the community room and spilled into the lobby.

Miller had enticed nearly 40 neighbors to attend by organizing a potluck dinner. David Foss, a soft-spoken

Dinner is served during election of the resident council.

resident-activist, had arranged for Burlington Tenants United to serve as official witnesses for the vote. Also in attendance: Democratic mayoral candidate Joan Shannon; a representative of Progressive nominee Rep. Emma Mulvaney-Stanak, who was in Montpelier for legislative hearings; and independent Ward 5 city council candidate Lena Greenberg.

Foley, the lead organizer and proponent of resident patrols, called the meeting to order. Decker Towers had never before elected a council to represent tenants to the landlord and community, she noted.

Doing so, Foley said, would give residents a “mandate” to “find common ground where

we can work together to make Decker Towers safer.”

The ballot asked residents to approve council bylaws and elect seven nominees for a board of directors. Voters were also asked whether the council should establish a neighborhood watch.

The nominees to the board of directors spoke.

“I want to be on the board because I want to have a voice in helping you guys and protecting you when I can,” Susan Chadwick, 68, said to applause. Her sweatshirt read “We the People are pissed off.”

“I want to continue to work with not only Burlington Housing but with city hall,” Foss, 62, said.

Susan Chadwick, a nominee for the resident board, speaking to neighbors ahead of the vote

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A man who was sleeping on a landing didn’t leave,

so one of the residents released pepper spray into the corridor.

LeBeau, of the card group, said, “I want to be on the board because I miss coming down here and having the activities in this room.”

“I live here because I like the community,” Miller popped out of the kitchen to say. “I want to keep building the community.”

Foley opened the floor to questions.

The first came from a woman who was worried about the neighborhood watch.

“How are we going to ensure people’s safety?” the woman asked.

Volunteers would patrol in groups, Foley said. They would “get some training.” There would be guidelines. And T-shirts.

Some residents had actually tested the concept on the eve of the vote, Foley revealed. Just before midnight, they took the elevator to the top floor and worked their way through the halls and stairways, pressuring squatters to leave. The group then sat inside the front lobby until 3 a.m., Foley, 67, said, to prevent those people from returning.

Foley considered the trial run a “huge success,” though, she said, there had been one “incident.” A man who was sleeping on a landing didn’t leave, so one of the residents released pepper spray into the corridor. His early-morning screams woke some residents; police officers and firefighters came. The man was

back in the stairwell by morning when the building managers did their usual walk-through.

Two residents asked Foley about the Narcan dispensers that the housing authority had installed to reverse overdoses, which they thought were attracting drug users to the building.

Murray, the housing authority director, stepped forward. Before he joined the housing authority, he’d run homeless shelters for veterans, many of whom had histories of drug or alcohol use. “If you have an addiction and you’re struggling with it, there’s a large percentage of those people that will overcome that addiction,” he said.

“I wholeheartedly believe that if you have an opportunity to save a life, please save that life,” Murray continued. Other residents clapped.

One by one, residents filled their plates and turned in their votes. Of the 136 eligible tenants, 36 cast ballots. The Decker Towers Resident Council was approved unanimously. The neighborhood watch passed by a vote of 35-1.

Resident James Harvey, a legendary local jazz musician, voted with his dog, Minnie, in tow. Harvey, 67, said he wasn’t sure whether the council would make a difference. But he was convinced of one thing: “We’re the only people who are really going to try.” ➆

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Last Drag Before a new host steps in, the House of LeMay throws its final Winter Is a Drag Ball B Y M ARY ANN L ICKTE IG • maryann@sevendaysvt.com

Bob Bolyard

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SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

FILE: MATTHEW THORSEN

I

n 2003, when Bob Bolyard became the producer of Vermont’s Winter Is a Drag Ball, the job had an unofficial term limit of two years. But the staff of the event’s beneficiary, the Vermont People With AIDS Coalition, recognized the skills Bolyard drew from his theater background. “I knew how to put together a show,” he said, which meant less work for the organization. “And so, after my second year, they said, ‘Ummm, would you mind doing it again?’”

Bolyard and his beloved drag troupe, the House of LeMay, have been producing and hosting the winter’s hottest dance and entertainment party ever since. A fundraiser to support people living with HIV and AIDS since its inception, the drag ball will benefit Vermont CARES this year.

But it’s a bittersweet occasion: The 29th drag ball, happening at Higher Ground in South Burlington on Saturday, February 17, will be the last one produced and hosted by the LeMays.

Founding member Michael Hayes, aka Margaurite LeMay, died last March, four years after a stroke ended his performing career. Two of the group’s musicians, Rob Root and Michael Cusimano, have also died in recent years. The surviving LeMays will continue to perform — including Bolyard

From left: Lucy Belle, Amber and Margaurite LeMay at the 2016 drag ball

as Amber and Johnnie McLaughlin as Lucy Belle — but the girls from the Hot Damn Trailer Park are ready to pass the mics.

“I’m proud of what we’ve done,” Bolyard said, noting that the drag ball has raised more than $300,000 during the LeMays’ 22-year stewardship.

“Two days after this drag ball, I’ll be 68 years old,” he continued with a hearty laugh. “And times have changed, you know? Entertainment styles have changed.

What I think is entertaining may not be what those who come out feel like is entertaining.”

Over cocktails at the Whiskey Room in Burlington late last year, Bolyard asked drag king Mike Oxready to take over.

“And I graciously accepted,” Oxready told Seven Days. “It’s a huge honor.”

Oxready, 41, who asked that Seven Days not publish his legal name to keep his private and public lives separate, has coproduced and hosted the lip-synch and burlesque show component of the drag ball on Higher Ground’s smaller stage since 2015. Bolyard likes Oxready’s style and professionalism, he said, and the fact that he considers the drag ball special.

“It’s such a tremendous event of clear joy and celebration,” Oxready said.

The six-hour party fills both rooms of Higher Ground with revelers in elaborate makeup, flamboyant headdresses and spectacular heels not at all suited to Vermont in February. Each year has a different theme — Back to the ’90s, Broadway Bound, Beware the Ides of Drag. Dance teams, DJs, Lyric Theatre performers and drag acts entertain, and every attendee is invited to strut across the stage in the costume parade and contest, slated for 11:30 p.m. this year.

Oxready said things may change on his watch, but those changes will emerge from

FILE: MATTHEW THORSEN

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conversations with community members.

Rather than just “copy-paste everything that’s been done in the past, I want to hear from folks,” he said. “Do folks have ideas on themes? Are there acts that they want to see? Is something not working for the community?”

Bolyard discussed this year’s event — and reminisced about the evolution of drag in Burlington — with Seven Days while seated before his lighted makeup mirror in the basement of his Burlington home. It’s a veritable LeMay museum, where Hayes’ sewing table sits. Costumes and jewelry hang amid set pieces, props and memorabilia: the “Laundromat, Library & Community Center” sign; Grandma LeMay’s cigarette-butt ball Christmas ornament; a name tag that says “Amber LeMay, Diva.”

The House of LeMay will open this year’s Apocalypstick-themed ball with an 8 p.m. performance honoring Hayes, Root and Cusimano. Backed by musicians Bones Blankinship and Craig Hilliard, they’ll roll out such LeMay hits as “You Can’t Take the Color Out of Colorado,” “Wrap It Up,” Margaurite’s “Bigger Is Better” and the Root original “Happy Rockin’ Drag Ball.”

Winter Is a Drag Ball cofounder Rev. Yolanda Mapes will perform a four-song solo set of her original music, as well as a number with Craig Mitchell and one with the LeMays.

Mike Oxready

LAST DRAG

» P.36

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Rev. Yolanda (far right) performing with the LeMays at the 2016 drag ball

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SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

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FOR MAKING BURLINGTON AN ACCEPTING PLACE FOR DRAG. J US TIN MAR S H FILE: JAMES BUCK

Much has changed since Mapes cofounded the drag ball. Her friend Chris Moes came up with the idea in 1995, after Mapes found out she was HIV-positive.

“I didn’t really know how long I would be around,” she said.

Mapes, Moes and Beth Garfinkel staged the first drag ball in 1996 to raise money for Vermont CARES, a nonprofit supporting people living with HIV and AIDS, which was Mapes’ employer at the time. “I’d like to think they were honoring my journey,” Mapes said of her friends. “I felt that.”

The first event drew more than 500 people to Burlington’s Memorial Auditorium Annex and raised thousands of dollars.

Seven years later, after the drag ball moved to Higher Ground, the LeMays took over.

In recent years, it has raised $20,000 to $25,000 annually for the Vermont CARES emergency assistance fund for people living with HIV, Vermont CARES executive director Theresa Vezina said.

Due to medical advancements, most cases of HIV infection do not progress to AIDS, but raising money to help those with HIV remains vital, Vezina said. They need daily medication, can’t be cured and may be susceptible to other diseases, she said, and many live in poverty.

Personal loss drives Bolyard’s commitment to the cause. Three of his first gay friends from his hometown of Lima, Ohio, died of AIDS. Maybe he feels survivor’s guilt, he said. “I don’t know. But I’ve always felt that, if my friends Kirk and Chris and Dave were still alive — they were much more talented than I am … how much more they would be contributing to the world today. And they can’t. So I do because I can.”

“Plus, I like to perform,” he added. “I like to show off.”

Burlington’s drag scene has evolved since Bolyard arrived from Ohio in 1987.

For his first couple of years in the city, he wasn’t aware of any drag performances in town, he said.

He and Hayes met playing volleyball and cemented their friendship working on the 1988 Lyric Theatre production of Annie. They performed with the Vermont CARES Cabaret Players, which raised money to fight AIDS. As a pair, they ventured onstage as the Green Mountain Gay Boys. “But no one really wanted to see us sing and do jokes,” Bolyard said.

Then he and Hayes attended a show by the first two drag queens they’d seen in Burlington: Cherie Tartt and Mapes. “We said, ‘We can do that,’” Bolyard recalled.

“Mike says, ‘Well, I got a costume degree from Castleton; I can sew costumes.’ And I said, ‘Well, I can write material and put

Emoji Nightmare at the 2018 drag ball

together a show.’ We started performing as the Sisters LeMay.” Their name comes from the metallic fabric lamé.

The LeMays never lip-synch — “No! Oh, God!” Bolyard said. As actors, he and Hayes were always comfortable singing; lip-synching wasn’t even allowed at early drag balls, he noted. He believes that the now-popular performance style impedes character development, and the LeMays are story-driven.

They introduce themselves at the start of every show. Amber and Margaurite were showgirls who had grown tired of life on the road and moved back home to Beaver Pond, Vt. Over the years, the sisters added members to their “house,” including cousin Lucy Belle, a “foreign exchange student” from Mississippi; and cousins Nanette, Crystal, Bones, Craig and

Rob. The three main characters became the most recognizable: Amber with her oversize glasses; Lucy Belle, the pretty one with the biggest hair and the Miss Beaver Pond sash; and Margaurite, the nice one, who smoothed the rough edges of the other two.

Waving from parade floats, working as celebrity waiters at the Ronald McDonald House, judging chili cook-offs and hosting fundraisers, the LeMays have endeared themselves to Vermonters and paved the way for the queens and kings who followed.

“I think we all have them to thank for making Burlington an accepting place for drag,” said Justin Marsh, 34, an event producer who performs as Emoji Nightmare.

The Emmy-winning reality competition series “RuPaul’s Drag Race” brought the performance art to prime time and played a role in shifting the local scene, from the men-in-dresses style of the LeMays to the double-take-inducing glamour of queens such as Emoji Nightmare, Bolyard said. The “showgirl dance stuff” isn’t the LeMays’ style, he said: “It’s too much work!” And he prefers a less laborintensive makeup routine. “Me,” he said, “I can do mine in 10 minutes.” The LeMays have never been female impressionists, he explained: “We were just characters … We made no pretense of being women.”

Another change in the local drag scene is the way some performers view their art.

Bolyard has always considered it a hobby, while Marsh described it as a business — “because it is an expensive hobby.” (Emoji Nightmare is incorporated.)

Drag kings — performers, typically women, who portray stereotypical men — have gradually gained ground in the scene.

Burlington-based Kings Local 802 started in 2004 and performed until about 2020.

But even in 2009, when Mike Oxready started performing, it wasn’t easy to get booked as a drag king, he said. Many people he encountered hadn’t heard of drag kings, he said, while others had dismissive attitudes, assuming that drag kings didn’t put in as much effort as drag queens.

In 2010, Oxready cofounded the Burlington-based drag king troupe New Cocks on the Block, which has since disbanded.

He continues to produce and host. Among his recent shows is October’s Drag King Night at the Telegraph Club in St. Johnsbury, a collaboration with Vermont Humanities and Catamount Arts.

As the genre widens, gender continues to bend. There are drag queens and kings and “in-betweens,” Oxready said. “Some people identify as drag things.”

These days, drag has moved beyond Chittenden County, but performers aren’t always welcomed. In 2019, Facebook personality “Activist Mommy” stoked outrage against a Drag Story Hour at Montpelier’s Kellogg-Hubbard Library.

But far from scuttling the event, the backlash attracted supportive demonstrators and the largest crowd of any Drag Story Hour the library has ever hosted, library services director Carolyn Picazio said.

In January, police received bomb threats targeting a Drag Story Hour at Northern Stage in White River Junction, along with the homes of the drag queen readers, Katniss Everqueer and Emoji Nightmare.

“The fact that these are happening, that the threats are happening, tells me … there’s still work to be done,” Marsh said.

The LeMays will continue to do their part, advocating for equal rights for everyone as they spin their tales and sing their songs.

They may be handing off the drag ball, “but House of LeMay isn’t going anywhere,” said Syndi Zook, who portrays Cousin Crystal.

“We will be very grand old drag queens … aging in our double-wide trailers at Beaver Pond in the Northeast Queendom.”

For now, there’s a party to plan. Last Friday, Bolyard was finalizing this Saturday’s drag ball lineup, which includes the Champlain College Dance Team, Isis Vermouth, Merde Dance, Big J Entertainment and Sasha Sriracha.

Still on the maybe list was an Amber LeMay act. Bolyard has never performed solo on the large stage during Winter Is a Drag Ball. “I’ve been wanting to do a number,” he said.

The song he’s been rehearsing: “I Will Survive.” ➆

INFO Winter Is a Drag Ball, Saturday, February 17, 8 p.m., at Higher Ground in South Burlington. $32-37. 18+.

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37

2/9/24 10:05 AM

Tag us @sevendaysvt

Thanks to all the readers who shared their Valentine’s greetings for this new annual tradition. If you missed out this year, be sure to tell your sweetie how you feel — in person!

DJ,

N.S.,

Dan the man,

To all our customers,

I can’t wait to marry you this year!

We’ve built a pretty cool life together — full of laughter, friendship, family, love and adventures. I love how whenever we do something together it feels special. Here’s to a lifetime of that special feeling! <3

You’re my favorite, as always.

Thanks for keeping me warm, pushing my buttons and making me laugh. I love you so much.

I’m so grateful for the adventures you plan, how your kindness can span, and how you make the most out of every day that you possibly can.

We love you! Thank you for making every day a special one! Here’s to making more memories with you!

— A.E.

— Your #1 fan

— KT

Suzy Zaner,

20 yilligini nishonlayapmiz.

Birinchi o’pishdan tortib boshqa ko’p narsalargacha. Men seni sevaman.

Boop,

From joy to sadness Wouldn’t you say this is fun?

I love you woot woot — G.D.S

— Shirin qiz

Sydney,

Happy Valentine’s Day. I love you :) — Jack

Bud,

Until heaven, and then forever.

— Peba

T Pick,

I love you in all three tenses and every place and every season.

— D Theodora

My NBS from NSB,

My oldest, dearest, truest of the true.

Making me feel seen, heard, loved, supported, stocked with Haribo.

Excited to laugh beside you when we’re li’l ole ladies, reminiscing about the raft and how restaurants close too early and everything in between.

— Your NBS from NSB

Gail Hartigan, love of my life,

Take this love poem to heed.

For you, my love, I’ll always need.

For you, my heart will always bleed.

For you, my sweet, I’ve love indeed.

For you, my darling Gail Marie, I’ll love you for eternity.

— Thomas

SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

My love,

Eleven years after a Seven Days personal ad ... we have a beautiful life.

Happy anniversary, happy life. Nice butt.

— JAS To My Jeopardy-loving Seth,

My Zelda-loving bookworm,

You brighten my days with a “Daily Double” of happiness.

No wagers needed — being married to you is the ultimate jackpot!

I’m so in love with you, it’s crazy. I love your laugh, your smile, your silly little jokes, your hugs. Thank you for always being my rock; on a hard day all I want is you. I love you always!

— Your lucky wife, Katie xoxo

— Your cat-obsessed nerd Lou,

You are simply the best and I love you! Happy Valentine’s Day to the guy who has made me laugh for more than 25 years and brings me flowers pretty much every week!

You’re top-notch, the bee’s knees, a primo partner, father and husband.

I’m a lucky gal!

— Rebecca

Mike Diemer,

25 years of being my best friend and life partner. I love you!

— Jill

Luker,

I love so much about ya, How you ski the T-bar with ease, Making treading water look like a breeze, No wonder you have the finest DUPR, Even your painting is simply super, Moon of my life, rider of darkness, Dreaming of October to say heck yes!

Rev. Karen G. Johnston,

Thanks for helping me regain my faith in beloved community.

— Evan L. Cooper

Gloria Goferlykebeeng,

Rar rar snassen frassen heh heh rar smooch rar heh snatzen fratzen heh heh iggle snass!

— Wally Goferlykebeeng

— MG 38

— Standing Stone Wines

Kunces Family,

We have all been through our ups and downs together. Let’s make this Valentine’s Day filled with a lot of love!

— Kimberly Kunces

Mom,

Flat tires and vet bills, tangled wires and wine spills. When I don’t know what to do, I know I can always call you! Thank you for always being a superwoman. You’re my hero.

I love you!

One year ago, you were studying for the bar exam and I was in Australia.

Now, I live in your house and you’re a lawyer. This Valentine’s Day is definitely better than last. Love you!

— Katie

— Caleb

Chris,

Shelley Hanna,

Chef Shawn,

To all my galentines,

Seven years celebrated with the help of Seven Days! Love, your constant admirer and willing 4848 partner.

Thanks for bringing home the bacon and frying it up in a pan. The world is more delicious and fabulous because of you and your many talents.

For MJR, SL, KB, RP, EG, JK, JW, BP, DB and AT — so much love and thanks for the walks, the dancing, the laughter, the adventuring, and the listening and support over the years.

I’m so lucky to have you in my corner. xoxoxo

— Enjoli Fan Club

— Melissa

— ACW

Lauren C,

Justina, my heart,

JP,

Will you be my valentine?

Over 15 years of love for you, over 15 years of adventures.

You are my heart, my soul and my better half. You are an amazingly kind, strong and loving women.

Your smile sets my heart on fire every day. I love you forever.

I like so much about you and love learning more. Your passion and compassion for the world help me fall in love with you more deeply.

The sight of your lake-storm eyes makes me feel like I’m lying under a cold shade tree on a hot, sunny day.

Thank you for being an amazing dad and husband. You mean the world to us, and we are so very lucky to have you! Love you to the moon and back x1M! Happy Valentine’s Day! xoxo

— Jimmy Lee Clark

— Elana C, not-so-secret admirer Robert, James,

You’re in my soul. Since the first snowy afternoon we spent together, I’ve thought you were exactly awesome. For tea in the sand, Boothbay and Hermit Island, Scotty and Rougie, planting beach roses, the greenhouse, my wishing well, I love you.

— JP

You’re the number one dog dad, best meatball maker, best dough baker and a phenomenal partner all around.

I love you to the moon and back! <3 — Madeline

I love that you want to talk while I’m brushing my teeth. I love how you pat your tum furiously. I love your eyes and your smile and your warm, wonderful heart.

— Your B

— Your lipstick femme AB

Paige,

Whether we’re at hiking at MARSH, walking along the waterfront, smelling the bread at CM, going for a ski, loading the car up for an adventure or watching the sunset on top of Mt. Philo, it’s always time I cherish and look back on fondly. ILYTTMAB! — Kyle

Dr. Karen Cooper,

My love, you have led the way to our wonderful new home. May we share it, and our love, for many Vermonty years to come.

— Evan L. Cooper

I love you most.

You open the door for me, and you have great hair.

I hope we do puzzles when we’re older.

— Margaret and Your Cherubs

Katherine the Great,

In Cashmere’s solar-powered embrace, our hearts intertwine Velcro-like bonds, your hand in mine With Rosie’s fur, our love’s pure hue Forever together, me and you.

— Anna

— Certified Cat Daddy

Sophia’s Friend,

Susanna,

My Sweet J,

To my sporty dyke sweetie,

I’m swishing you a hoopy Valentine’s Day. I court believe how cute you are.

You’re a slam hunk! xoxo

Seth,

Mama C,

Thanks for the spanks. They have changed my life.

You are the secondbest human :-) — Rumi

There’s a French poet who said, “There is another world, but it is in this one.” I like that there is another world (in this one) where we mean more to each other than just friends of a friend — all I have to do is ask.

So I’m asking.

Ping! I love you so much and am always happier when I’m with you.

You make me a better person, and I know I can count on you. I don’t tell you enough how fortunate I feel to be with you. Thank you for all the scratches. Happy Valentine’s Day!

— Also Sophia’s Friend

— Zoe

Bubby,

Mommy,

I love you more than words can tell, but: You are a truly phenomenal thinker, painter, dancer and jokester.

I deeply admire your ingenuity and integrity. It’s been my life’s greatest honor to know you. You are still the best part of the crumb cake.

Love U so much. Thank U 4: year-round outdoor access, food buffet, cleanest boxes in the NEK, comfy beds everywhere, left shoulder carries, countless cuddles, winter paths, sleeping by your face, kitchen amusement park.

U R the best human!

— BED

— Sir Nigel Francis Murphy To Michael, my sweetheart,

To my bestie,

Sam,

Michael, I’ve never been more grateful for you as a husband and friend since my operation. You have kept me entertained and well fed and have lifted my spirits! I really look forward to us taking our walks together again.

I truly love you.

I’m Kona Can’t use fona Like 2 run n play Now have 2 say My love for U is trU Not seeing U makes me blU Want 2 kiss U each day When I C UR car Comin from far It makes my heart sail I wag my tail On dis tender day I pray I C U soon 2 sing a happy tune.

You are like the husband from “Fargo.” Thank you for coffee and eggs each morning.

— Your Lynnie

— Kona

— Jeny

SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

39

food+drink

Everything but the Kitchen Sink Small food producers navigate a lack of commercial cooking space in Chittenden County

BY J O R D AN BAR RY • jbarry@sevendaysvt.com

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SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

BUSINESS

Tipsy Pickle cucumbers ready for brining in the Burlington Friends Meeting kitchen

FILE: DARIA BISHOP

romptly at 9 a.m. last Thursday, Esther Lotz assembled a very official, slightly intimidating crew in a Winooski parking lot.

Two fire marshals, an electrical inspector, and a plumbing and heating inspector followed her into a warehouse — not to deduce the cause of a blaze but to assure Lotz that the building wasn’t a tinderbox.

A commanding commercial real estate broker, Lotz had called on this team of city and state experts for a preliminary tour of the space with two of her clients, both owners of small food production businesses. The next day, a third would join them for a walk-through with a health inspector. For all three entrepreneurs, this was the furthest they’d gotten in a yearslong search for their own commercial kitchen space.

For an hour that Thursday morning, every inch of the building was scrutinized

by Lotz’s “fire safety heroes.” Winooski fire marshal Bruce Palmer and assistant state fire marshal Chris Boyd pointed out sprinklers, spots for hood vents, and the need for a fire wall or two. Vince Bent, a state electrical inspector, took a close look at the breaker.

State plumbing and heating inspector Ann Ross rattled off the math equation used to determine the necessary size of a grease trap.

The two prospective tenants, Angela Chicoine and Sarah Howley, got really, really excited about a hole in the wall that could be used for a hood vent. Its existence could help save some money, which would be huge: Hoods range anywhere from $3,000 to $30,000.

Chicoine, Howley and Eric Hill, the third prospective tenant, haven’t yet submitted a letter of intent to lease the space. The inspection was just the first of many steps in determining the feasibility of retrofitting the space to suit their businesses: the Tipsy Pickle, Only Cannoli and Birch Hill English Muffins, respectively.

Next would be a code review with the architect, hiring attorneys, and consulting

with civil and environmental engineers.

If an agreement were reached with the landlord, they’d need health inspections and permits for zoning, wastewater and fire safety. It’s a long, complicated process; if all went well, they’d move in by winter.

But for all three entrepreneurs, even this preliminary step was a significant one in Chittenden County’s competitive commercial kitchen landscape. Lotz has been in business for 35 years and knows all the options on the market. She’s shown

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Chicoine, Howley and Hill just about everything out there.

“Vermont is making a fabulous name for itself with its food products,” she said.

“Spaces are always coming available, but unless they have $100,000 to put into a space to fit it up, it can take two or three years for entrepreneurs to find the right one.”

In order to sell their food, producers making everything from pickles to pies to prepared meals must operate out of inspected, licensed kitchens. Many start by working in their homes, but home-based license exemptions come with limits on sales and equipment. When it’s time for these businesses to grow, it’s hard to find somewhere to go.

A lack of suitable commercial kitchens doesn’t just hurt small business owners hoping to get a little bigger. Even when operating on a tiny scale, they create jobs and increase demand for Vermont-grown ingredients. They add to the variety of what’s available in the local food scene, whether creating homegrown alternatives to mass-produced products or bringing underrepresented cuisines to pop-ups and events.

According to data shared in Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund’s Farm to Plate specialty food brief, food manufacturing represents $3 billion in economic output in Vermont. Many of those manufacturers — such as Ben & Jerry’s, to name one iconic example — are nationally known. They all start small, but Ben & Jerry’s gas-stationto-global-domination model has become harder to achieve. And it’s the first step past the gas station that’s creating a bottleneck.

Will Clavelle said the demand predates the pandemic; he’s seen a lack of commercial kitchen spaces in Burlington in the five-plus years since he started as the city’s assistant director of business development. Burlington began tracking EVERYTHING BUT THE KITCHEN SINK

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ORDER ONLINE! PICKUP & DELIVERY

Gallus Handcrafted Pasta to Open in Hen of the Wood’s Original Waterbury Location caused by kitchen limitations at the GALLUS HANDCRAFTED PASTA will open mill, he noted. Along with menu before summer in the historic items such as mushroom lasagna and Waterbury mill that housed the garganelli with oxtail ragù, Gallus will original HEN OF THE WOOD before it serve a few starters and non-pasta relocated last spring to South Main entrées.

Street after 17-plus years, The new restaurant’s said ERIC WARNSTEDT, chef name refers to Gallus and owner of HEIRLOOM gallus, HOSPITALITY. gallus the ancestor of the domestiWarnstedt’s cated chicken. group owns both of “It’s a little nod those restaurants, to the original along with HEN Hen,” Warnstedt OF THE WOOD in said. The décor is Burlington, DOC being refreshed, so PONDS in Stowe and “it will not feel like PROHIBITION PIG in Hen,” he added.

Waterbury. Heirloom In March 2023, when is also partnering with Warnstedt confirmed the Hilton Burlington Lake Mushroom-ricotta ravioli the long-rumored move Champlain at 60 Battery with brown butter and sage of the Waterbury Hen of Street to launch a casual the Wood, he told Seven seafood restaurant called Days that the Heirloom team was ORIGINAL SKIFF FISH + OYSTER this spring. developing “a more family-friendly When Gallus opens at 92 Stowe concept/price point, but still with a Street, it will offer dinner with a focus on fresh pasta made in the large nearby very strong farm-to-table ethic” for the Stowe Street restaurant space. kitchen of Hen of the Wood. Hen Menu pricing is still to be deterWaterbury’s executive chef, ANTONIO mined, Warnstedt said, but he hopes RENTAS, and general manager, EMMI KERN, will have an ownership stake in Gallus, Gallus can be less oriented toward special occasions than Hen of the said Warnstedt, 48.

Wood and more of “a weekly stop” for The commissary approach will diners. help overcome previous challenges

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Sweet Clover Market in Essex to Close After 17 and a half years in business, co-owner HEATHER BELCHER of SWEET CLOVER MARKET has announced that she will close the small independent grocery store, located at 21 Essex Way in the Essex Experience, by the end of February.

Belcher, 51, co-owns Sweet Clover with her partner, SHANE DESAUTELS, but she was the hands-on owner, she said. The couple’s daughter, Maya Desautels, now 20, grew up in the store, Belcher said.

The business had been listed for sale since November 2020, when Belcher hired a general manager and stepped away from day-to-day

operations to take another full-time job. It was a hard decision to close, but “businesses need continuous innovation,” Belcher said. While she saw opportunities to fill local demand for to-go lunches and prepared foods offerings, she didn’t feel she was the one to pursue those. “I had all the ideas but didn’t have the energy and tolerance for financial risk,” she said.

Belcher said she never aspired to open additional locations of Sweet Clover or expand beyond the market’s 3,600 square feet. For a “singlelocation natural foods retail store, the SIDE DISHES

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Co., which owner Alexx Shuman moved into its own space in South Burlington last summer.

“Some of these other towns have much more affordable space,” Clavelle said.

“Burlington’s market rents have gotten pretty high, and if you’re going to outfit your own kitchen and invest in equipment as a small food producer, you want the rent to be as affordable as possible.”

Clavelle thinks Burlington is ready for a food incubator similar to Boulder, Colo.’s Rosetta Hall, which consists of eight food

Cannoli Go Up

Hood vents are Sarah Howley’s archnemeses; that’s why the Only Cannoli chef-owner got so excited about the hole in the side of the Winooski warehouse. The crisp, bubbly cannoli shells she stuffs with creamy ricotta filling are fried. Even if she uses an electric tabletop fryer — like she does at the Burlington Farmers Market and other outdoor events — she creates what inspectors call dreaded “grease-laden vapors,” which could require a $30,000 hood. But at least

I NEED A LEASE WITH MY NAME ON IT. S AR AH H O W L E Y

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there’s already a spot for it cut into the side of the building.

From May through September 2023, Howley operated her year-old business out of Winooski’s O’Brien Community Center. The center charged hourly and had issues common with shared spaces, mostly around scheduling and cleaning, but it was convenient and allowed her to launch wholesale to accounts as big as the University of Vermont Medical Center.

She’d previously worked one day a week out of the now-closed Richmond restaurant Vermont Fine, where she was pastry chef.

“I was filling up my RAV4 with a 50-pound bag of flour and everything I needed, because there wasn’t storage” at Vermont Fine, Howley said. “We were never gonna be able to grow like that.”

Last September, the City of Winooski told Howley and other producers working out of the O’Brien Center that the space would be leased to a full-time tenant. The current hourly tenants could continue using the space when the new tenant wasn’t, Howley said, but the leftover nights and weekends wouldn’t work for her events-based business. (That full-time tenant didn’t materialize, and as of January, Afro-fusion soul food business Harmony’s Kitchen, which had shared the space with Only Cannoli, holds the lease.)

Howley had no choice but to close Only Cannoli while she looked for a new kitchen.

“There was nothing more heartbreaking EVERYTHING BUT THE KITCHEN SINK

» P.44 FILE: JAMES BUCK

the businesses it works with more carefully over the past year, he said, but even without that data, the increase in small food operations is clear.

Ac c o rd i n g t o s m a l l b u s i n e s s support specialist Johanna Schneider, food businesses are 50 percent more prevalent than any other type the city’s Business and Workforce Development team interacts with. There are ample opportunities for food ventures at popular seasonal events such as farmers markets, the South End Get Down and other food truck gatherings, as well as the city-run BTV Market, ONE World Market and Church Street Marketplace food cart program.

Clavelle and Schneider have helped business owners get their home kitchens licensed with the state Department of Health, and they maintain lists of available kitchen spaces at nonprofits and houses of worship around Burlington.

“We play matchmaker,” Schneider said, noting that the team recently connected Erinn Simon of That Cake Stand with a kitchen at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul. It also pointed Andrew Wild of Mighty Mudita, which makes plantbased deli slices, to an available space at Burlington Friends Meeting, a Quaker congregation.

There are plenty of underutilized church kitchens, Clavelle said. But some require church staff to be present when renters work there. Others don’t have the correct wastewater permits for food businesses.

Clavelle’s department has worked with several Burlington-born businesses that ultimately landed outside city limits.

These include the Vermont Marshmallow

Esther Lotz (left) conducting a walk-through of a potential commercial kitchen space

Kitchen on North Winooski Avenue, shared by Maudite Poutine and a handful of pop-up food entrepreneurs, showed that multiple businesses could operate out of one location when their needs and hours aligned. Farther north, in the Oak Street Cooperative, Poppy café and All Souls Tortilleria will soon share space with Fancy’s, a new restaurant from the team behind the Mister Foods Fancy food truck.

Back in Winooski, Lotz’s clients were considering a shared space, too. Each was intimately familiar with the challenges of scaling up their small business. Presented with a rare space with commercial potential, Chicoine, Howley and Hill were hoping that many cooks in the kitchen just might be a good thing.

BU

CK

truck-size kitchens with shared bar, dining and rooftop space. Meanwhile, Burlington is working with the Intervale Center to plan a food processing space, he said, but the multimillion-dollar project still needs funding.

There’s lots of interest and support for both projects, Schneider said, “but the main barrier is money.”

“And while these are cool and exciting projects,” Clavelle added, “they’re not top priority when you look at housing and other things going on in the city.”

On a smaller scale, sharing kitchen space could be an immediate solution, he said. The now-closed Tiny Community

Sarah Howley of Only Cannoli

food+drink

SERVING UP FOOD NEWS

MELISSA PASANEN

SIDEdishes « P.41

Sweet Clover Market

profitability just isn’t very robust,” she acknowledged.

Given the “hiring challenges in

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today’s climate” and the February 28 expiry of her current lease, Belcher said, closing the store made sense.

Bangkok Thai to Go Serves Quick Meals at University Mall

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Champ” cilantro-garlic-curry chicken CHAMP CHOMPUPONG, founding chef-owner over turmeric rice, served from the cart, of Burlington’s Bangkok Bistro, opened will also find it at Bangkok Thai to Go. BANGKOK THAI TO GO in January in the Learn more at bangkokthaitogovt.

University Mall food court at 155 Dorset com. ➆ Street in South Burlington.

The succinct menu of freshly cooked items includes pad kee mao (drunken CONNECT noodles) and tom ka chicken soup.

Lunch special boxes come with a Follow us for the latest food gossip! choice of prepared dishes from a buffet, On Instagram: Jordan Barry: @jordankbarry; Melissa Pasanen: @mpasanen. such as pad Thai, fried rice, egg rolls and panang curry.

The 60-year-old chef said he saw an opportunity to provide “quick lunch at a lower price with good quality for people who work here.” The new spot is located at the front of the food court, beside two vacant spaces.

The family’s original restaurant, now called BKK IN THE ALLEY, is co-owned and run by Chompupong’s son, BOBBY, and his wife, JENNY SANGKHANOND. During the summers, Champ said, he will continue to run the late-night Church Street cart Mathew’s Montreal (previously Amir’s Champ Chompupong Kebab). Fans of his “taste of

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Contact The Barn directly to book at: Steve@barnatsmuggs.com

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1/24/24 3:07 PM

Eric Hill of Birch Hill English Muffins (left) at a walkthrough of a potential commercial kitchen space

JORDAN BARRY

than packing up my business that had just had its busiest month ever — doubled revenue — and putting it into a storage unit,” Howley said. Between Only Cannoli and her previous venture, gluten-free bakery Black Rose Briar, it was the third time that complicated situations and changing availability at shared spaces had caused her to close. The latest shutdown, she estimated, cost her roughly $10,000 in lost revenue, on top of the $260 inspection fees she has paid each time she secures a new location.

“I need a lease with my name on it,” Howley told Seven Days last fall.

She was looking at listings every day — along with 40 or so other people she said she could name off the top of her head. But Chittenden County spaces were expensive, and affordable ones were far away.

“I pulled every string I have, even [with] people who don’t like me,” Howley said with a laugh.

Months later, she landed at Williston’s Champion Comics and Coffee, which she now shares with Emma Slater of the doughnut company Twisted Halo. It’s small, and her hours there are limited to Monday and Tuesday. But it has everything she needs — including the right vent — until she finalizes a place of her own.

JAMES BUCK

Everything but the Kitchen Sink « P.42

Birch Hill English Muffins

A Hill to Climb

Eric Hill has been making English muffins in his home kitchen — or rather, his dining room — since launching Birch Hill English Muffins in May 2022. Other than needing to rewire the 1830s Jericho farmhouse after his electric griddles kept tripping the breaker, the lack of overhead coupled with an extremely short commute have made for a great setup, he said.

But Vermont’s home bakery license limits producers to run-of-the-mill home appliances, and Hill’s fluffy muffins are wicked popular, often selling out at farmers markets and grocery stores such as Burlington’s City Market, Onion River Co-op. It’s hard to keep up with demand on a regular mixer or without commercial equipment such as a dough dividerrounder, a specialized machine that would cut 19 minutes off what’s now a 20-minute process of portioning and shaping batches of dough.

Late last summer, Hill started looking in earnest for a commercial production space with real estate broker Esther Lotz’s help. In some cases, cost was a barrier. Other spots were too “restauranty,” since Hill’s vision is purely wholesale.

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SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

warehouse’s two available units and have roughly 1,800 square feet to design to his needs — right in the sweet spot of what he was seeking. There’s already a walk-in cooler and a floor drain. It’s a longer commute, but Winooski is close to many of Birch Hill’s current customers and conveniently located from a distribution standpoint.

“It doesn’t make it any less scary. I wish someone had told me the amount of time and work that goes into getting to do business two years ago, before I made my first English muffin — like, ‘Hey, maybe try anything else?’” Hill said, chuckling.

After a pause, he added, “It’ll be worth it.”

In a Pickle

“I’ve had a couple swing-and-misses,” he said, noting that the rent for one kitchen mysteriously went up after he submitted a letter of intent to the landlord. “I realized that if we wait for something that’s all ready to go, we could be waiting a very long time.”

The cost of retrofitting a space is a big leap from Hill’s home setup. As he’s explored what’s available — spaces ranging from 500 to 10,000 square feet — he’s accepted that he might need to do more than buy that divider-rounder.

“I’m still pretty risk-intolerant, though,” he said.

Thankfully, Birch Hill already has a wait list of customers. Hill isn’t looking to take down Thomas’ English muffins, but his expansion plan includes grocery stores and restaurants throughout northwestern and central Vermont. That growth would mean hiring his first employees, whom Hill plans to pay a livable wage. It would also mean sourcing more Vermont flour, butter, milk and maple syrup, which creates a “multiplier effect” on the local economy and food system, he explained.

At the potential space in Winooski, Hill would take over the larger of the

During the walk-through with the fire marshals in Winooski, Angela Chicoine of the Tipsy Pickle fielded several questions about her alcohol collection: How many cases? Spirits and beer? What’s the proof?

Each batch of Chicoine’s sweet, sour or spicy artisan pickles is flavored with products from Vermont’s breweries and distilleries. She started her business as a hobby in 2014, and by 2021, her pickles made the finals in the nationwide Good Food Awards — an honor she’s received yearly since, including several wins.

Finding adequate and affordable production space has been an ongoing challenge. In 2021, Chicoine was boiling brine and sealing jars at Burlington Friends

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Meeting. She also occasionally produced pickles at Brian Stefan’s Southern Smoke catering space in Winooski.

She was already seeing the pandemicprompted explosion in entrepreneurship and had teamed up with Ryan Nakhleh of Local Maverick, a sales and marketing platform for Vermont-made products, and landlord Peter Edelmann to build a food incubator space at Edelmann’s Essex Experience, a community-oriented shopping center. Inspired by the Vermont Food Venture Center in Hardwick, the team saw Maverick’s Kitchen as a hub with multiple production spaces, a demo kitchen and a retail shop promoting products made on-site.

“We would work together to share tools and information — all the stuff I’ve learned the hard way as I’ve grown,” Chicoine said.

“It would have been phenomenal.”

In early 2023, they pulled the plug on that project. At the time, Nakhleh told Seven Days that construction costs had risen to an unrealistic level, and his organization was unable to secure 501c3 status, which would have helped with funding.

Chicoine currently works out of the Burlington Elks Lodge, an arrangement she found through her cousin’s boyfriend — a bartender at the lodge — last May when she outgrew Burlington Friends Meeting.

Chicoine pays $800 per month to use the Elks’ kitchen roughly three days a week. It’s flexible, but she has to work around events held at the privately owned club, which can leave her scrambling to make 80 cases of pickles.

“It’s just me,” Chicoine said. “My mom comes and helps in a pinch — she’s the one who taught me how to pickle in the first place. But I’m not at a point where I can afford employees.”

The Tipsy Pickle is continuously

growing, though, and Chicoine is ready for her next step. She’s not interested in co-packing — a common way of scaling food businesses that involves outsourcing production to larger, specialized facilities — because she doesn’t want to give up the hands-on quality control of doing it herself.

If she won the Powerball, she’d build a large-scale facility for herself and other small business owners, she said. “It’s really all about money, unfortunately.”

For now, sharing kitchen space in Winooski with Only Cannoli’s Sarah Howley feels like the right move. If they signed the lease, the two women would work together to design and outfit the smaller of the warehouse’s two units as a production kitchen; like Eric Hill of Birch Hill English Muffins, neither plans to operate a storefront, so it would mostly be counter space and burners.

Howley’s and Chicoine’s equipment needs aren’t totally aligned — Only Cannoli requires a more powerful hood vent to fry cannoli shells, for one. But they weren’t shocked by what the fire marshals and electric and plumbing inspectors found during the initial walk-through. They’d both seen worse.

And the price seems right. Fully equipped available spaces, such as the former ArtsRiot in Burlington and Friendly’s in Williston, were listed for as much as $10,000 per month, Howley said.

Her share of this space could be as low as $600.

“It’s the perfect place to grow,” she said.

“And it would be ours,” Chicoine added. ➆

INFO Learn more at onlycannolivt.com, birchhillenglishmuffins.com and thetipsypickle.com.

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culture

This story is part of our 2024 Vermont Solar Eclipse Guide, sponsored by the Vermont Department of Tourism. Find it online at sevendaysvt. com/eclipse and get more information to plan your eclipse adventures at vermontvacation.com/solar-eclipse.

MUSEUMS

Scaling Up

Construction of the new annex

With a new annex and an impending eclipse, the Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium highlights hands-on discovery KEN PICARD

B Y KEN PICAR D • ken@sevendaysvt.com

A

front loader lifted a hefty wooden crate off the back of an 18-wheeler that was parked in front of the Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium in St. Johnsbury. The crate, one of three that arrived last week from a contractor in Spokane Valley, Wash., resembled a prop from an Indiana Jones movie, right down to the stenciled letters painted on its sides.

The crate didn’t hold ancient relics but modern, interactive exhibits and hands-on displays bound for the new Tang Science Annex, which opens to the public this Saturday, February 17. It’s named for Oscar Tang, a philanthropist and retired financier from New York City who lived in St. Johnsbury as a child and helped fund the project.

“They’re here!” announced Adam Kane, the museum’s executive director, as the front loader hauled its cargo to the rear of the building, where the annex is located.

Just a week from its scheduled opening, the space was still an active construction site buzzing with workers.

More than eight years in the making, the three-level, 6,000-square-foot science annex represents the largest expansion of the museum since its founding. Collector Franklin Fairbanks, a wealthy industrialist who owned Fairbanks Scales, opened the doors to the grand Victorian in 1889 to share with his hometown his worldly cabinet of curiosities — historical artifacts and natural specimens alike.

Now on the National Register of Historic Places, the museum annually hosts more than 11,000 schoolchildren from throughout 46

SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

Vermont and New Hampshire. They come to ogle the towering taxidermy bears, take in the bug art and marvel at guided tours of the cosmos held in the Lyman Spitzer Jr. Planetarium, added in 1961.

Those core exhibits will stay, but the $7 million annex, paid for with a patchwork of public and private funding, will expand the museum’s offerings. Beyond enhanced accessibility — a new elevator and wheelchair ramps throughout — the new space will highlight the two fields of science most closely associated with the Fairbanks Museum: meteorology and astronomy.

Indeed, even if some Vermonters have never set foot inside the stately red stone building in downtown St. Johnsbury, they’ve probably heard weather reports from the Fairbanks Museum’s Eye on the

Kids exploring the Hall of Science

Sky team of meteorologists, and perhaps planetarium director Mark Breen’s stargazing radio program on Vermont Public.

The timing of the annex’s opening is fortuitous. The museum is gearing up for one of the biggest astronomical events to occur in Vermont in nearly a century: the April 8 solar eclipse.

Because the state expects to hosts tens of thousands of visitors for the eclipse, the Fairbanks Museum has planned a long weekend of events, from an eclipse show in the planetarium to live-streamed NASA video coverage of the eclipse as it crosses North America. A family-friendly event, Sun+Moon+YOU, will use models and interpretive stations to illustrate how and why the eclipse occurs. Kids can craft pinhole viewers to watch the eclipse safely.

Much of the weekend lineup will be broadcast on Vermont Public. Jane Lindholm, host and executive producer of the network’s “But Why: A Podcast for Curious Kids,” will join Breen to explore the history, science and novel experience of being in the path of totality.

This kind of increasingly visible educational outreach, combined with the new annex, reflects the more modern and interactive philosophy of many 21st-century museums.

“There are some really excellent handson science museums not too far from here,” said Anna Rubin, director of external relations, referring to such educational centers as the Montshire Museum of Science in Norwich and Burlington’s ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain. “We wanted to have that same level of excellence for what we do.”

During a reporter’s tour last week, the whine of skill saws and power drills throughout the annex was slightly distracting but also apropos. When the secondfloor outdoor observation deck — aka the Peter Welch Science & Discovery Deck — opens this weekend, it’ll feature an exhibit that highlights the physics of sound. This will include a pair of large metallic “whisper dishes” that can amplify and throw hushed voices due to their parabolic shape.

Another interactive sound display is essentially an oversize phonograph that spins a giant disc on its side. Visitors can hold a card against the disc and, like a phonograph’s stylus, play the sounds recorded in its grooves.

“It’s so mind-blowing, especially for kids who grew up on digital-only audio,” Kane said.

The Tang Science Annex will also feature hands-on lessons in atmospheric and space science, including a display about lightning called a Jacob’s ladder, which illustrates the properties of plasma.

Another display helps visitors understand how the Coriolis force, which is created by the Earth’s rotation, affects weather patterns. Visitors can also build their own experimental wind turbines and discover which designs are the most efficient at generating electricity.

This spring, when the outdoor site work and landscaping are complete, guests can

Original exhibit drawings by David Macaulay

THE NEW ANNEX REFLECTS THE MORE MODERN AND INTERACTIVE

PHILOSOPHY OF MANY 21ST-CENTURY MUSEUMS.

stand in the center of a granite-inlaid sundial and tell the time using their own shadow.

Many of the new exhibits are illustrated with original drawings by Norwich illustrator David Macaulay, who’s famous for explainer books for young readers, such as The Way Things Work and Cathedral.

Visitors familiar with the Fairbanks Museum will immediately notice how different the annex looks and feels. Unlike the darker and largely windowless main hall — an intentional design that protects

the museum’s historic pieces from the sun’s damaging ultraviolet rays — the new annex is bright, modern and airy.

While the annex runs the full length of the historic building, it’s relatively narrow. As Kane explained, the design had to leave sufficient space to accommodate the weather station behind the museum, which has been used to document weather observations twice a day, by hand, since 1893 — the second-oldest continually operated weather station in the U.S. Had the annex been built too close to the

weather station, Kane noted, it would have invalidated its readings.

Fittingly, weather — specifically climate change — was top of mind in the construction of the new wing, which will also house the Community College of Vermont’s St. Johnsbury offices and classrooms. The annex is the first mass-timber building ever constructed in Vermont. It uses locally sourced eastern hemlock that has been processed into cross-laminated timber — a state-of-the-art technology that has a significantly smaller carbon footprint than building materials such as steel and concrete.

Construction of the new annex also provided the Fairbanks Museum an opportunity to refresh its entire facility from head to toe. That included masonry repairs to the roof and stone towers, as well as foundation upgrades to better weather the wetter and warmer Vermont climate forecast for the coming decades. Many of these improvements, Kane noted, were funded by the National Park Service and based on meteorological data and climate predictions done by the museum’s own staff.

While one eye remains solidly on the sky at the Fairbanks Museum, the other is clearly focused on the future. ➆

INFO The Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium’s Tang Science Annex has its grand opening on Saturday, February 17. Learn more about the museum and its eclipse events at fairbanksmuseum.org.

MUSEUMS

The main hall of the Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium

KEN PICARD

A young visitor exploring magnetism with the Ring Launcher display

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culture Field Notes Margaret Rogal, illustrated by Mike Jacobs, North Dakota State University Press, 120 pages. $16.95.

Hollowed in a field, can you call this dent a nest, this shallow in the stubble, this teacup in the grass?

Hidden, she hopes, from blade, boot, and crest, her house a mere dimple, a dip, a bend of thatch.

(From “Nest”) For our very first pick, we had to take a special dispensation, because every poem in Hancock resident Margaret Rogal’s Field Notes is about nature — specifically, about birds. In 1909, Rogal’s grandfather spent time in North Dakota with his uncle, who was, in the words of the introduction to this tiny book of verse, “the most esteemed birdman that North Dakota has ever known.” Long afterward, the author unearthed her grandfather’s notes on prairie birds and used them as a springboard for poems that are sprightly, clever and sometimes dark as they confront the violence of her ancestor’s archaic birding methods.

The resulting collection has won several awards, including the gold Benjamin Franklin Award from the Independent Book Publishers Association.

Dark Beds Diana Whitney, June Road Press, 102 pages. $16.

There is danger everywhere if I’m not vigilant. Knives in the washer, ripped screens, on the windows, ice water rushing in creeks & rivers.

The rivers are the veins of the springtime earth, energy channels flowing to the sea.

When the baby cut her cheek, blood welled like a ribbon & I bent down on instinct to lick the skin clean.

Tang of fresh iron, both salt & sweet. The peculiar taste of a living thing, brief as a shoulder season.

(From “River Mother”) Brattleboro poet Diana Whitney writes about motherhood and sexuality, marriage and infidelity, safety and danger. When she evokes nature (yes, there it is again) and Vermont’s seasonal cycle, her verse 48

SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

Multiverse Sampling seven Vermont poetry collections

A

BY MAR GO T H AR R IS O N • margot@sevendaysvt.com

lot of people wrote poetry during the pandemic. No, I don’t have numbers to back up that statement, but Seven Days has received ever-increasing volumes of local verse in the years since the lockdown. This roundup is our way of giving you a taste of the many submissions, quoting a few lines from each.

Over the years, we’ve noticed that Vermont poets have a tendency to versify on two subjects in particular: nature and aging. Just for fun, we attempted to restrict our quotes to snippets from poems that are about neither. We did not always succeed.

BOOKS

is not tame or pictorial but primal, with violence always lying in wait like a coyote for the hens. “Torched” is about a summer love affair: “the hay lay knit & spun in torrid rows … / ... You coasted / slow as syrup down the edge / of my daydream.”

“Swoon” describes sheep shearing at the county fair in a way that is frankly sensual.

In “Protection,” a rabid animal’s incursion into the yard is “An illness, a trespass, / a message from the darkness.” These poems, which first appeared in a host of literary journals, spin gorgeous, incantatory narratives for readers who prefer their love letters written in heart’s blood.

One Bent Twig Tricia Knoll, FutureCycle Press, 82 pages. $15.95.

A maple tree falls. I see its hole, miss a shadow.

I touch its great age — textured, twisted years it knew before I was born. Four men cut limbs into chunks, haul and stack as firewood. The tree does its corpse pose, their saws not big enough to sunder heartwood.

(From “American Chestnut”) Once again, we were foiled in our effort to bypass poems about nature. Tricia Knoll’s One Bent Twig, which carries blurbs from Bill McKibben and past Vermont poet laureate Chard DeNiord, does contain a couple of poems with indoor settings.

But it would be a shame to skirt around the actual subject of this collection, which is trees in all their glory: living and dead, ancient and recently planted, even pictured in a tattoo. A tree planter and master gardener, Knoll evokes arboreal matters in fleet, fey verse, dense with knowledge and humor and laced with an ever-present awareness of the looming climate crisis. “I am more at ease in a forest than at a cocktail party. / I talk to trees as sisters,” she writes in “Notes on One Bent Twig,” reminding us that nature poetry need never be boring.

The Views From Mount Hunger Marjorie Ryerson, Green Writers Press, 100 pages. $15.95.

It doesn’t matter the words we use.

Each poem narrates the same story.

Each poem attempts to make sense of the jagged past, tries to walk the thin ice of the present. Each poem

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(From “Blending With Light”) Marjorie Ryerson is a journalist, a longtime instructor at the New England Young Writers’ Conference and the photographer behind the acclaimed 2003 book Water Music. In her first poetry collection, she writes movingly about the Vermont landscape, aging and departed parents — but also about classical music, travel, the climate crisis, poetic transcendence and the gifts her generation can give the future. Poems about grief and “Almost Dying” share these pages with chuckle-out-loud ones such as “The W’s of 2020” (“In isolation, we use fewer words. / We watch winter and whine. / We wash down more whiskey…”). Sometimes Ryerson’s poems even transform as we read: “It Is a Pair of Soft Eyes” starts as a droll ode to the humble cow (“Not sacred, nor moon-hopping”) and evolves into a grim evocation of the slaughterhouse.

Ryerson’s work bears out the oracular ending of “Blending With Light”: When “we fuse with / the spirit of a poem… / we know ourselves at last.”

A World Where Many Worlds Fit Benjamin Dangl, Fomite Press, 118 pages. $10.

It is sunrise on the mountains outside Santiago, Chile, the sugar-spiked smile on the tourist with the strange rash, the ephemeral, sweaty joy of political victory.

(From “Landlocked Tropical Fish”) This collection of poems paired with photographs represents 20 years of reporting from Latin America and India — “beyond the homogenizing forces of global capitalism,” writes journalist and University of Vermont lecturer Benjamin Dangl in his preface. Divided into sections with titles such as “The Organismal City: Urban Ecosystems,” Dangl’s poems evoke their locations in vivid detail, capturing the rhythms of urbanity as they show us what tourists rarely see. In La Paz, Bolivia, “The sporadic rattle of firecrackers / throughout the night mixes with brass bands,” and “spider webs of electric lines weave / from building to building,” Dangl writes in “Rain in the Valley,

Snow in the Mountains.” Rarely do these poems approach political speechifying, but they do hint at the cruel lessons of history. In another poem about La Paz, “Archives of the Street,” Dangl writes, “The government counts the votes, / the centuries count the dead, / and the people keep on marching…”

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Roger Watters, Onion River Press, 146 pages. $14.99.

I am sorry it was left dangling in the wind.

(From “Searching”) Vietnam veteran Roger Watters writes straightforward, observational verse on everyday subjects: Champlain Valley weather, family trips, changes over the past half century, seed catalogs, men’s and women’s beach attire. While “simple thoughts” can also be banal ones, there’s poignancy in lyrics such as “That’s Me,” in which the poet recounts a conversation with a fellow client of an “arthritis aquatic program,” both of them unsure about the benefits of the therapy. While he’s happy to give it a shot, “‘I’m not so sure / that’s me anymore,’ / she quietly replied.” ➆

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(From “Naming the Cosmos”) A professor of Spanish at UVM, Tina Escaja is both an acclaimed poet and a creator of digital artifacts. Featuring poems in Spanish and their English translation side by side, her bilingual collection 13 Moons 13 is part of a multimedia project examining cultural taboos around menstruation, which also includes video interviews with 13 women. In her lyrics of love, politics and introspection, Escaja reclaims the moon as an empowering female symbol (“Pale and pure / and so grand, this hooker,” she writes in “Nocturne”) and uses space travel as a metaphor for creative exploration.

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culture

EVA SOLLBERGER

especially tickled to see a photo of them dressed in red jumpsuits as the alien Visitors from the 1983 TV miniseries “V.” Jay and Sarah embrace the horror aesthetic and have posted photos of themselves in which they appear to be doused in blood and eating each other’s flesh.

If you don’t know Jay and Sarah, I can understand being shocked by some of their imagery. But they are the nicest, most down-to-earth, goofy family. And many of their posts are happy family vacation snaps, just like everyone else’s.

Jay, Zarek and Sarah Vogelsang-Card

My Bloody Valentine

Meet a family in Waterbury that embraces Halloween year-round

I

t may be Valentine’s Day, but Waterbury couple Sarah and Jay VogelsangCard will not be celebrating with anything pink.

Preferring a darker — and bloodier — aesthetic, the pair were married in 2009 at a gothic-themed “Hallowedding.” They continue to show their love in ways most people would consider more horrible than adorable. Halloween is their favorite holiday, and Zarek, their 12-year-old son, was celebrating it with them before he was born; when Sarah was expecting, she dressed in a costume inspired by the film Alien, with baby-doll limbs appearing to poke out of her pregnant stomach. Jay was dressed as the attending surgeon, with a bag full of bloody-looking toys. Since then, the family has posed in an annual Halloween photo wearing highly creative costumes, from comic book villains to Star Wars characters.

The Vogelsang-Cards live with their Newfoundland, Domino, and their tuxedo cat, Zinie, in a haunted house that dates back to 1852. When they do home renovations, the couple said, a spirit they call the “Caretaker”

memorable affair. I follow Sarah and Jay on social media and enjoy their Halloween and holiday family photos. I thought they’d make a grand feature.

Episode 708: Goth Family

sometimes makes its presence known.

The spooky vibe is balanced out by the cheerful Puppetmobile in their driveway — that’s the vehicle Sarah uses for her work in schools with Puppets in Education, a program of Vermont Family Network.

Recently, Seven Days senior multimedia producer Eva Sollberger met up with the family to tour their unique home and hear the story of how Sarah and Jay met.

Sollberger spoke with Seven Days about filming this episode of “Stuck in Vermont.”

How did you find this family?

I have crossed paths with Sarah for years and featured her in a number of “Stuck in Vermont” videos, like the Green Mountain Derby Dame’s March Meltdown in 2009 and the Burlington S.P.A.C.E. Gallery’s “Art of Horror” exhibition in 2012. I have always regretted not covering their “Hallowedding,” as I’m sure it was a

Tell us how Sarah and Jay met.

It reminded me of the film When Harry Met Sally, where couples recall their meet-cutes. Jay first saw Sarah at a 2006 Dresden Dolls show at Higher Ground and was in awe of her seven-foot-tall stature — she was wearing platform boots — and bright red hair. They didn’t actually meet until later that year. He spotted her on the street and proceeded to, in his words, “stalk her.” Imagine his surprise when she approached him and broke the ice. Jay was so shocked that he made a strange noise, a “squawk” of sorts. (This part of the story elicited a lot of laughs.) Jay called it “a strike of lightning. It was a once-in-alifetime sound, and I think it only comes out when you meet your soulmate.”

Some of their costumes over the years were pretty risqué!

I didn’t have a lot of B-roll for this video, so I dove deep into Sarah’s social media photos. These images celebrate the couple’s bold, visually rich lives. I love all of their pop culture references and was

Zarek had some great costumes, too.

You can tell from the family photos that Zarek embraces the art of dressing up with aplomb. I was curious how he feels about his parents’ larger-than-life shenanigans.

He surprised me when he said his family was relaxed and calm. I got that vibe while we were filming, too. Their house is majestic but homey, with high ceilings.

And as Zarek said, “We’re just a normal family, mostly.”

You filmed this video way before Valentine’s Day for a reason.

I contacted Sarah in early January and learned she and Jay would be spending three weeks in California for her six-hour reconstructive foot surgery. Sarah’s mobility has been limited recently due to a neuromuscular disease called Charcot-Marie-Tooth. She regularly posts photos on social media with the hashtag #cmtawareness.

When I heard about her upcoming surgery, I figured this was not the right time for a video. But the family was game, and we met up a few days before their departure. Understandably, Sarah had a lot of presurgery anxiety, so I was very grateful that she was willing to make time for this.

How is Sarah doing now?

Jay and Sarah have a big group of friends and have been sharing their journey on social media. After Sarah’s grueling surgery, she has a lot of recovery time ahead of her. Jay is her caretaker — Sarah joked that earlier in their relationship, he signed his name in fake blood, saying, “Yes, I will take care of you!” Sarah won’t know for a while if the procedure was successful, but the hope is that she will be walking, dancing and rocking creepy costumes again soon. ➆

Seven Days senior multimedia producer Eva Sollberger has been making her award-winning video series, “Stuck in Vermont,” since 2007. New episodes appear on the Seven Days website every other 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.

50

SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

When we meet people’s basic needs—housing, health care, education—everyone can thrive.

Ensuring that everyone has access to housing will make our communities stronger and more vibrant—criminalizing unhoused people will not.

Harm reduction approaches to address the overdose crisis will save lives and make our communities safer—further criminalizing drug use will not.

Stronger oversight will make police more accountable to the people they serve, including people of color, people with lower incomes, and people with disabilities—more police and prisons will not.

Our communities are struggling. We all know it and we can all feel it. That’s why we need leadership that prioritizes justice, equity, and compassion.

Town Meeting Day is March 5. Find out which policies your candidates support. Then, vote your values.

acluvt.org | info@acluvt.org | @ACLUVermont

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2/5/24 4:55 PM

on screen Perfect Days ★★★★★

O

COURTESY OF NEON

f the five Oscar nominees for Best International Feature Film, one is in local theaters (The Zone of Interest), one is on Netflix (Society of the Snow), and three aren’t available to watch here at press time — unless you catch Perfect Days at the White River Indie Film Festival in White River Junction on Saturday, February 17, at 3 p.m. This meditative drama set in Tokyo marks an acclaimed comeback for Wim Wenders, director of Wings of Desire and Pina.

The deal

It’s a normal weekday for Hirayama (Koji Yakusho). He wakes at the break of dawn in his bachelor apartment, rolls up his futon, brushes his teeth, mists the maple saplings he painstakingly grows in jars and gets in his van. Driving through the stillquiet city, he listens to his beloved vintage cassette tapes: Lou Reed, Otis Redding, Patti Smith, Nina Simone. Then he parks the van, unpacks his supplies and gets to work cleaning the public toilets of Tokyo.

Will you like it?

I’m not sure who writes the capsule film descriptions on the Internet Movie Database, but Perfect Days has one of my favorites in recent memory: “A janitor in Japan drives between jobs listening to rock music.”

If that doesn’t entice you, rest assured that Perfect Days is about a lot more than watching some guy commute. Yet, on another level, the summary hits the mark, because Wenders’ film is ultimately about the mundane patterns that make a life worth living.

A reference to the Lou Reed song “Perfect Day,” the title isn’t even a little ironic. While other characters occasionally express pity for the solitary, hardworking existence of sixtysomething Hirayama, the movie itself (scripted by Wenders and Takuma Takasaki) portrays him as the opposite of a figure of pathos. True, the film is wordless for its first 10 minutes — until Hirayama’s feckless young coworker, Takashi (Tokio Emoto), arrives and starts chattering at the silent Hirayama. But, in his taciturn way, our protagonist is a happy man.

It might help that the toilets he spends his days sanitizing aren’t exactly your average johns. Perfect Days emerged from an art project called the Tokyo Toilet, whose organizers invited Wenders to document 52

SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

Koji Yakusho plays a toilet cleaner with impeccable musical taste in Wim Wenders’ drama about everyday transcendence.

16 artists’ redesign of public facilities in the Shibuya area of Tokyo. There’s a space-age WC, one that looks like a high-rise elevator, a sylvan one adorned with rough-hewn wooden slabs and one that has transparent walls until the occupant flips a switch. (“How the hell does this work?” a frustrated woman asks Hirayama.)

The tour of these toilets, combined with the classic needle drops and the dreamy skyline views of Tokyo, might be enough to hold our attention. But Perfect Days does more than accompany Hirayama on his routines; we also watch subtle currents of conflict swell and dissipate in his life. When Takashi suggests he sell the now-trendy analog cassettes, Hirayama must maintain their friendship without parting with his treasures. When Hirayama’s teenage niece, Niko (Arisa Nakano), arrives for a surprise visit, he quickly figures out she’s run away from home and has to address the situation.

These younger characters may fret about the future, but Hirayama lives in the present, serving in his unfussy way as an exemplar of mindfulness. “Next time is next time,” he tells Niko firmly when she tries to nail him down to a plan. “Now is now.”

On his lunch break, he communes with and photographs trees, which serve as a visual

REVIEW

motif throughout the film, cross-fading in black and white in his nightly dreams. Stay through the end credits, and you’ll learn that komorebi is the Japanese word for “sunlight filtered through leaves.”

One could argue that Wenders leans a little too hard on another motif: the generation gap. Young Takashi uses grating variations on the phrase “10 out of 10” in more than half of his lines. When Niko hears “Brown Eyed Girl” in her uncle’s car, she asks if the song is on Spotify; he asks her what Spotify is. There’s one shot that is practically an op-ed: Niko snaps a selfie while Hirayama aims his camera upward at the trees, one of them seeking transcendence in nature while the other documents herself, lost in the online echo chamber.

Despite these fleeting hints of “old man yells at cloud,” Perfect Days as a whole shares Hirayama’s generous openness to experience, his productive silence. This janitor is also an artist and a less obnoxious heir to Ferris Bueller, wordlessly telling us to stop hustling and look around once in a while — at a tree, a cast of light or, yes, even an exceptionally beautiful toilet.

M A R G O T HARRI S O N margot@sevendaysvt.com

IF YOU LIKE THIS, TRY...

FOUR DAUGHTERS (2023; playing at

WRIF on Saturday, February 17, 6 p.m.): After Perfect Days, catch one of the nominees for the Best Documentary Feature Film Oscar, which uses an innovative format to tell the story of a Tunisian mother reeling from the loss of two of her daughters to radical religious movements.

HUMANIST VAMPIRE SEEKING CONSENTING SUICIDAL PERSON (2023; playing

at WRIF on Saturday, February 17, 8:30 p.m.): If the title of this unusual coming-of-age tale from Québécois director Ariane Louis-Seize doesn’t sell you on it, nothing will.

CURE (1997; rentable): Yakusho has an

impressive filmography that includes Tampopo, Babel, 13 Assassins, the original version of Shall We Dance? and several films by my favorite Japanese horror director, Kiyoshi Kurosawa, such as this one, in which he plays a detective investigating a string of bizarre murders.

NEW IN THEATERS BOB MARLEY: ONE LOVE: Kingsley Ben-Adir plays the reggae icon in this biopic directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green (King Richard). With James Norton and Lashana Lynch. (104 min, PG-13. Bijou, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Roxy, Star) MADAME WEB: Sony’s Spider-Man Universe continues with this action flick in which Dakota Johnson plays a woman trying to use her precognitive abilities to save others from a looming threat.

With Sydney Sweeney and Isabela Merced. S.J. Clarkson directed. (117 min, PG-13. Bijou, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Marquis, Paramount, Roxy, Star) THE TASTE OF THINGS: A chef and a gourmet (Juliette Binoche and Benoît Magimel) develop a passionate and contentious bond in this acclaimed period drama for foodies from director Anh Hung Tran (Norwegian Wood). (135 min, PG-13. Essex, Savoy)

CURRENTLY PLAYING ALL OF US STRANGERSHHHH1/2 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. With Paul Mescal and Claire Foy. (105 min, R. Roxy; reviewed 1/24) 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. Big Picture, Playhouse, Roxy; reviewed 1/17) 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. Essex, Majestic, Paramount, Welden) ARGYLLEHH A mild-mannered novelist (Bryce Dallas Howard) is swept up in a spy plot when life mirrors her fiction in this action thriller from Matthew Vaughn, also starring Henry Cavill, Sofia Boutella and Dua Lipa. (139 min, PG-13; Bijou, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Marquis, Star, Stowe, Welden) 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. Majestic, Welden) 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. 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.

Majestic, Stowe) THE JUNGLE BUNCH: OPERATION MELTDOWN: Wild animals sail the world to find an antidote to the toxic foam invading their home in this family animation, with the voices of Wyatt Bowen and Holly Gauthier-Frankel. (89 min, PG. Welden) LISA FRANKENSTEINHH1/2 A teenage goth (Kathryn Newton) hopes to make an exhumed corpse into her dream boy in this horror-comedy scripted by Diablo Cody and directed by Zelda Williams. (101 min, PG-13. Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Roxy, Star)

ORIGINHHHH Ava DuVernay directed this drama about writer Isabel Wilkerson (Aujanue Ellis-Taylor) and how her experiences shaped her influential book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. (141 min, PG-13. Big Picture, Roxy) 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. Majestic, Roxy, Stowe; reviewed 1/10) WONKAHHH1/2 Timothée Chalamet plays the young Willy Wonka in this musical fantasy, directed

by Paul King (Paddington). (116 min, PG. Capitol, Essex, Majestic) THE ZONE OF INTERESTHHHHH Nominated for five Oscars, this drama from Jonathan Glazer (Under the Skin) chronicles the daily life of Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel) and his wife (Sandra Hüller). (105 min, PG-13; Essex, Roxy; reviewed 2/7)

OLDER FILMS AND SPECIAL SCREENINGS THE CHOSEN: SEASON 4: EPISODES 1-3 (Essex, Wed 14 only) THE CHOSEN: SEASON 4: EPISODES 4-6 (Essex, Thu-Sun only) DUNE — 40TH ANNIVERSARY (Essex, Sun & Mon only) DUNE: PART ONE (Roxy) FINAL FANTASY VII: ADVENT CHILDREN COMPLETE (Essex, Wed 21 only) TURNING RED (Essex, Majestic)

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

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L L A G N I L L CA GNERS!

FASHION DESI

*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, 2290598, savoytheater.com

OF PHOTO OF STO

BY LUK E AW TRY

STAR THEATRE: 17 Eastern Ave., St. Johnsbury, 748-9511, stjaytheatre.com

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. Essex, Majestic)

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

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. Essex, Majestic, Paramount, Welden)

Note: These capsule descriptions are not intended as reviews. Star ratings come from Metacritic unless we reviewed the film (noted at the end of the description). Find reviews written by Seven Days critic Margot Harrison at sevendaysvt.com/ onscreen-reviews.

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

4 SATURDAY, MAY

GTON, VT HULA • BURLIN

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art

REVIEW

Earth and Stars

Above: “Democracy”; below: “Humble”

At VTSU-Johnson, Michael Mahnke’s solo exhibit addresses memory, mortality and materiality

BY PAME L A P O L S TO N • ppolston@sevendaysvt.com

M

ichael Mahnke grew up in Nebraska surrounded by fields, then traded rural life for the taller pastures of New York City. A quarter century later, he relocated to Johnson with his wife, Kyle Nuse, and two young daughters. Now, a single road in the northern Vermont town marks something of a through line for the artist.

Since 2014, Mahnke and Nuse have owned the Studio Store, which sells art supplies and houses the petite minėmå gallery. Across the street, Mahnke maintains a workspace at the Vermont Studio Center. Past that, at the apex of a long hill, is Vermont State University-Johnson, where he’s a part-time painting instructor.

And in the school’s Julian Scott Memorial Gallery, Mahnke’s solo exhibition is currently on view.

“Memory in Material” is a revelation.

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Enormous paintings and thoughtfully crafted mixed-media installations reference Mahnke’s earlier locales and states of mind, yet his personal excavations strike universal veins. Both the materials and the names of his works speak to an encompassing theme for the show: humility and nobility, and what lies between.

Mahnke’s 60-by-288-inch painting “Democracy” — comprising six canvases adjoined horizontally — is a feat of sheer size. Extending across one wall of the

single-room gallery, the abstract work is executed mainly in ultramarine blue and white. A looping line connects unruly, randomly shaped forms scattered across the entire expanse. The painting could be a visual metaphor for the disunity in these United States, or for the fragile bonds holding the “American experiment” together.

Mahnke has added a fulcrum-like pile of blue-painted plaster pebbles on the floor at the center point of the painting and

a series of single rocks, also blue, along the top of the canvases. He leaves interpretation of these elements to the viewer.

“Democracy” is one of the works that includes a list of descriptors in the wall text. In this case, Mahnke has ascribed “charged,” “space in between shapes,” “equitable and safe,” and 16 other phrases to the concept. All words aside, “Democracy” is simply a beautiful work of art.

So is its tall companion, “Noble,” on an adjacent wall. Measuring 129 by 51 inches, it’s a vertical diptych with stone and wood inclusions at the lower right and upper left edges. These extensions give the painting a sense of reaching both above and below.

The vocabulary of forms is similar to those in “Democracy,” but here Mahnke has rendered them in vivid colors — purple, yellow, red, turquoise — and allowed more breathing room between

ART SHOWS

are essential to the exhibition’s import: “be humble for you are made of earth” and “be noble for you are made of stars.”

Mahnke reiterates the idea of humility in an installation titled “Humble.” It’s a shallow, 15-by-68-inch trough made of pine, hung like a floating shelf, and filled with yellow and white corn. That is, the word “humble” is spelled out in white corn in the middle of zillions of yellow kernels.

The subtle difference in hues is apropos.

Text for this piece includes the words “anonymous,” “all that exists,” “selfless” and “unending roads.”

THIS NATIVE AMERICAN GODDESS MIGHT BE LYING INERT ON A PIECE OF PLASTIC,

BUT SHE STILL HAS HER WILES.

From top: “Speaking to Atira”; “Noble”

them. Under “Noble is,” he writes, “virtue,” “sunrise,” “growing like a tree,” “a thousand mistakes” and more.

Text itself is the art on a pair of gray-painted columns between gallery windows. The lowercase sans serif font is in colors that are easy to miss, but the phrases, borrowed from a Syrian proverb,

A paean to the Pawnee Earth goddess rests on a smaller plexi shelf nearby: “Speaking to Atira” consists of a single ear of corn with multicolored kernels — some individually painted blue — placed on a sparkly turquoise mat. Desiccated leaves angling outward from the cob call to mind the wild gestures of a symphony conductor.

Mahnke probably did not intend to anthropomorphize, but there it is. This Native American goddess might be lying inert on a piece of plastic, but she still has her wiles.

An installation in the middle of the gallery floor, titled “Through Which Smoke Traveled,” is also a paean — to a late friend of Mahnke’s from Brooklyn named Jack Lindsay Smith. On a low, whitepainted wood platform, 72 by 17 inches, Mahnke arranged neat rows of milled bricks from a deconstructed chimney.

These are painted an oily black. A wispy trail of gray sand — which might be read as ashes — extends from the bricks to the end of the platform and over its edge, making a tiny mound on the floor. Mahnke added two chunks of rock to the pile in what seems to represent a final, affectionate nod to both the man and the studio the friends once shared.

“This structure pays tribute to the memory of Jack,” Mahnke writes, “and to the enduring, imperfect structures that hold us together until the end.”

“Memory in Material” is, in essence, about what holds us. ➆

INFO Michael Mahnke, “Memory in Material,” on view through February 23 at Julian Scott Memorial Gallery, Vermont State UniversityJohnson. A closing reception is Friday, February 23, 4-6 p.m.

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art FEB. 14-21 EXHIBITION COURTESY OF STUDIO PLACE ARTS

COURTESY OF ATHENA TASIOPOULOS

Studio Place Arts Invites Artists, and Viewers, to ‘Head for the Hills’ B Y GI N A T RO N

COURTESY OF STUDIO PLACE ARTS

Like bears, woodchucks and chipmunks, many human residents tend to hibernate this time of year. But Sue Higby, executive director of Studio Place Arts in Barre, hopes to lure people from their woodstove-heated nests to visit “Head for the Hills.” The exhibition’s theme takes inspiration from the local landscape and its wildlife, real and imagined.

“We wanted to have a show that people would enjoy during the deepest, darkest months of the winter,” Higby said during a gallery visit, speaking over a recording of birdsong, chirping frogs and babbling brook.

Some 30 artists present works in a broad range of mediums. The eclectic pieces are arranged around SPA’s first-floor gallery to invoke different moods and ideas.

One corner represents human manipulation of nature, according to Higby. Kristine Chartrand’s ink work “The Puppeteer” features a menacing human hand pulling tree branches with strings. In the East Calais artist’s “Gluttony,” a river filled with debris and people flows into a giant, monstrous person’s mouth.

Parked on adjacent pedestals are tragicomic sculptures by Burlington ceramic artist Jennifer McCandless. The beaver, bear and pigeon in her “Scenes From the Apocalypse: Zombie Road Kill” series have suffered tire-track injuries yet look perversely cheerful.

Craig Wiltse’s wall-hung “Forest Passages,” a 36-inch-square 3D collage, glows softly across the room. Behind its plexiglass surface, a green internal light illuminates actual fern leaves and other foliage. Nearby, the Websterville artist’s oil painting “Walking Through the Undergrowth” features rainforest-lush foliage.

Several delicate sumi ink and gouache drawings by Underhill artist Kristin Richland fantastically merge fauna and flora. In “Fern Horn Deer,” the bewitching animal has ferns in place of antlers; flowers bud from the neck of a ram-like beast in “Elder in the Woods.”

In contrast, Wolcott artist Gabriel Tempesta’s two stunningly realistic oil paintings could be mistaken for photographs. “Fell Swoop” features an owl about to swoop up a bunny; “Running Down a Dream” captures a bobcat chasing a pheasant.

Plainfield artist Adelaide Murphy Tyrol, a longtime botanical and natural history illustrator, used sumi ink to depict other members of the food chain. “Predator,” a crow with talons out, hangs above “Prey,” a wide-eyed mouse. Tyrol used deep, dark acrylic hues to paint a nighttime scene in “Flotilla” — a word typically used to describe a fleet of ships. In this case, it’s a gathering of magical lights that resemble both jellyfish and paper lanterns as they rise from a midnight-blue body of water into the cloud-darkened sky.

Higby observed that “Head for the Hills” could be interpreted as running toward or running away. Regardless, the contributions to this exhibition make clear that Vermont artists are not lying dormant. ➆

INFO

“Head for the Hills,” on view through March 2 at Studio Place Arts in Barre. studioplacearts.com

PAMELA POLSTON

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.

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Clockwise from left: “Flotilla” by Adelaide Murphy Tyrol; “Forest Passages” by Craig Wiltse; “Fern Horn Deer” by Kristin Richland; “Gluttony” by Kristine Chartrand

VISUAL ART IN SEVEN DAYS:

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

= ONLINE EVENT OR EXHIBIT

FIND ALL ART SHOWS + EVENTS AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/ART

CALL TO ARTISTS CORNISH CCS RESIDENCY FELLOWSHIP: The Center for Cartoon Studies has opened applications for its fall 2024 cartoonist residency in Cornish, N.H., and at CCS in White River Junction. Details at cartoonstudies.org. Deadline: April 1. Online.

Info, 295-3319.

GENERATOR ARTIST RESIDENCY: Burlington’s makerspace and the South End Arts + Business Association open applications for summer and fall residencies, which include a four-month membership, three-month studio rental, $500 stipend and more. Details at generatorvt.com. Deadline: April 14. Online. Info, 540-0761.

SEEKING NEW MEMBERS: The Island Craft Shop in South Hero is looking for artists to join the nonprofit cooperative. Email images of your art if interested. Space is limited.

Deadline: March 8. Island Craft Shop, South Hero. Free. Info, vtislandcraftshop@gmail.com.

‘VIOLACEOUS’: An upcoming show at Studio Place Arts in Barre will feature artwork predominantly in shades of purple and in multiple mediums. Details at studioplacearts.com. Deadline: March 30.

Online. Free for members; $10 for nonmembers. Info, submissions.studioplacearts@ gmail.com.

OPENINGS + RECEPTIONS ARTFUL ICE SHANTIES: An outdoor exhibition of shanties created by artists of all ages, presented by the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center. Awards ceremony: Saturday, February 24, 3 p.m., followed by all-ages outdoor dance party. Retreat Farm, Brattleboro, February 17-25. Info, 257-0124.

ERIC TOBIN: “40 Years Painting Vermont,” a retrospective of plein air landscape paintings by the Vermont artist. Reception: Saturday, February 17, 5 p.m. Robert Paul Galleries, Stowe, February 17-March 16. Info, 253-7282.

NICO ALLARD-KRAUSE: “(Un)familiar,” a solo exhibition of paintings by the SMC senior. Reception: Friday, February 23, 6 p.m. McCarthy Art Gallery, Saint Michael’s College, Colchester, February 19-23.

Info, bcollier@smcvt.edu.

STUDIO FEVER: Artists and community members are invited to come in and paint gallery walls with their own creations. Groups should schedule a session in advance. Artistree Community Arts Center, South Pomfret, February 16-March 9. Info, gallery@artistreevt.org.

TERRI SEVERANCE: “Painting While Traveling,” watercolors made during a year spent in New Mexico, California, Mexico, Greece and back to Vermont. Reception: Saturday, February 17, 5-7 p.m., with wine and live music. Village Wine and Coffee, Shelburne, February 17-29. Info, terri@terrispirit. com.

WAYNE F. BURKE: Abstract and realistic photo collages, pen-and-ink drawings, and acrylic paintings on paper. Espresso Bueno, Barre, February 19-March 27. Info, 479-0896.

‘WHICH WAY UP? FOUR PERSPECTIVES ON FINDING THE WAY’: Landscape paintings by Gretchen Alexander, Natasha Bogar and Alexandra Haselton, and kiln-formed glass by Christy Witters.

Reception: Sunday, February 18, 1-3 p.m. Emile A. Gruppe Gallery, Jericho, through March 17. Info, 899-3211.

ART EVENTS OPEN STUDIO: A guided meditation, an hour of art making in any modality or genre, and a share-andwitness process. No experience required. Many

OPERA VERMONT

Festival of Lights

FEB 24

materials available. Expressive Arts Burlington, Thursday, February 15, 12:30-2:30 p.m. Donations accepted. Info, 343-8172.

5:30PM - 8PM

ADRIAN TANS: “POP Goes the Easel,” a brief retrospective exhibition of paintings by the town’s resident public artist. Pop-Up Gallery, Woodstock, Friday, February 16, 5-7 p.m. Info, 617-733-9033.

WHEN LIGHT BENDS

ART FOR OUR RIVERS: Community members are invited to build an entryway arch for the park’s river trail with recycled bottle caps. Food and entertainment available, along with outdoor recreation. Registration optional at vermontriverconservancy.org. Rotary Park, Barre, Saturday, February 17, noon-3 p.m. Free. Info, addie@ vermontriverconservancy.org.

‘ART DECO: COMMERCIALIZING THE AVANTGARDE’: The NXT Curator Series presents Angelina Lippert, chief curator of Poster House, for a discussion about the history of art deco advertising.

Next Stage Arts Project, Putney, Sunday, February 18, 7 p.m. Donations accepted. Info, 451-0053.

SNOWLIGHTS

In the Path of Totality

FEB 16 & 17 | 7:30PM

MAR 22 - 24

HIGHLANDARTSVT.ORG

802.533.2000 2875 HARDWICK ST, GREENSBORO, VT

FIGURE DRAWING WEBINARS: A series of classes presented by the Shelburne Museum, including an analysis of selected artworks from the museum’s collection, brief instruction and demonstration, a live clothed model doing short and long poses, and optional reflection time. Register at shelburne museum.org. Online, Tuesday, February 20, noon-1 p.m. Free. Info, education@shelburnemuseum.org.

WonderArts Holiday Market

VISITING ARTIST TALK: JACQUELINE SURDELL: The artist and former VSC resident talks about her mixed-media work, which is inspired by her hometown of Chicago and the grit of the Midwest.

Red Mill Gallery, Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, Wednesday, February 21, 8 p.m. Free. Info, 635-2727. 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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music+nightlife

Talib Kweli

S UNDbites News and views on the local music + nightlife scene B Y CHRI S FARNSW O RT H

Let’s Talk: Previewing the Black Experience at the Flynn I come from a place that is, and has been for centuries, plagued by racism. Being an American, I can hear some people saying, “You’re going to have to narrow it down, Chris.” Fair enough. American racism contains multitudes: We’ve got people and organizations that hate just about every ethnic group you can think of. Hell, when a hitchhiking robot named HITCHBOT tried to make its way across the good ol’ US of A back in 2015, it ended up stripped for parts and decapitated in (where else?) Philadelphia, so this country will even hate-crime a robot.

But spending some formative years in North Carolina showed me there are places where the quiet parts get said a little louder.

To set the scene: I lived there in the early ’90s, when outright bigot and walking, talking shriveled prune JESSE HELMS was a United States senator. Just one state to the south, you had STROM THURMOND, who clung to his miserable life for an entire century — long enough to champion segregation and father a secret biracial love child. On my first day in the North Carolina public school system — in sixth grade, no less — I was told that the 58

SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

Civil War was known as the “War of Northern Aggression.” So … yeeeeaaaah.

Coming to Vermont in 2001 felt like an escape from the constant, poisonous and constant racial tension of the South.

But that was a rather, well, white view of the whole thing, and I soon realized that, while it might not be as bad as other places in the country, Vermont has its share of race-related issues.

According to the American Civil

Robert Livingston

Liberties Union, Vermont has one of the worst racial disparities in prison population in the country, with Black adults seven times more likely to be

Sweet Honey in the Rock

incarcerated than white adults. Black and Latinx drivers are 2.5 to four times more likely to have their cars searched by law enforcement than white drivers.

And that’s not even getting into stories like that of KIAH MORRIS. In 2018, the state representative from Bennington, at the time the only Black woman in the legislature, resigned from her seat following racist threats to her and her family.

On the “Beyond Busy” podcast with GRAHAM ALLCOTT, ROBERT LIVINGSTON offered some advice relevant in Vermont and beyond: “The first step to solving any problem, whether it’s racism, substance abuse, weight loss, even climate change — they all begin with an acknowledgement of the problem.”

A social psychologist and lecturer at the Harvard Kennedy School, Livingston is an expert on the science underlying racism and bias and the author of the 2021 book The Conversation: How Seeking and Speaking the Truth About Racism Can Radically Transform Individuals and Organizations Organizations. He’s coming to Burlington for this year’s Black Experience, the flagship event for the city’s Black History Month celebration at the Flynn, to take place on Saturday and Sunday, February 24 and 25.

Now in its third year at the Flynn, the Black Experience serves as both party and conversation, featuring a talk by Livingston and performances

by Brooklyn rapper TALIB KWELI, a former member of BLACK STAR; and allBlack, all-female a cappella ensemble SWEET HONEY IN THE ROCK. In a press release, Flynn executive director Jay Wahl said the venue is “honored to welcome” the team behind the Black Experience and the city’s Juneteenth celebrations and called the upcoming event “another impactful, insightful, and joyous community event for all.”

The Black Experience has three thematic pillars: culture, community and education. Before headliner Kweli takes the stage, there will be panels and other discussions revolving around the Black experience in Vermont and abroad.

The Flynn is copresenting this year’s event with the city and nuwave, a Burlington consulting firm that focuses on racial equity. “It’s a privilege to play a small part in the celebration and recognition of Black Vermonters,” nuwave’s EMILIANO VOID said in the press release. “We continue to believe that representation is a critical component of making this place feel like home for all.”

As Livingston pointed out, the first step is to talk about it.

GOT MUSIC NEWS? MUSIC@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

Florida and interpreted hiphop music on violin. Inspired to try their hand at adapting music from their father’s home country of Jamaica, Sons of Mystro fuse classical mastery with a vibrant take on reggae and hip-hop.

For tickets and more information, check out sprucepeakarts.org.

On the Beat The folks at Spruce Peak Arts in Stowe have booked one hell of a show for Thursday, February 15: SONS OF MYSTRO, a unique violin duo featuring two Black brothers, MALCOLM and UMOJA MCNEISH, who reinterpret reggae and dancehall songs for strings.

The McNeish brothers were motivated to create their sound as young men after meeting the groundbreaking duo BLACK VIOLIN, who also came out of

COURTESY OF RENE HUEMER

Phish

It’s a busy week in new releases from Vermont artists!

First up are Burlington indie-rock act ROBBER ROBBER. Formerly known as GUY FERRARI, the young trio showcased huge potential with the excellent Caldera in 2021. The group’s latest single, “Sea or War,” was released in January and delivers on that promise and then some.

Riding a frenetic, distorted beat from drummer and DARI BAY mastermind ZACK JAMES, bassist and vocalist NINA CATES creates a sinewy groove reminiscent of the BEATLES’ epic freak-out “Tomorrow Never Knows.” The song pulses and throbs, brimming with energy and indieslacker cool. Be sure to give it a spin over at robberrobber.bandcamp.com.

Next up is “Self Help,” from Vermont hip-hop project PROVISIONS, the nom de guerre of producer GARRETT HEANEY,

which debuted in 2022 with the superb and sprawling Know Thyself. That record featured some of the 802 rap scene’s best, such as TEECE LUVV and NAHTE RENMUS, as well as Chicago rapper DEFCEE. On the latest Provisions track, Heaney taps producer ES-K for beats and rappers A-F-R-O and HUGHIE! on the verses to make a classic boom-bap. It’s available now on Bandcamp.

Twenty-year-old Middlebury College student MARINA PRIKIS dropped her new single, “don’t wanna be your friend,” at the end of January. The Cyprus native wrote, recorded and produced her first dance song as part of an electronic music production class. A classically trained pianist, Prikis takes to EDM with style, making a club banger that puts the spotlight on her powerful pipes and clean, effective arrangements.

Check it out on all major streaming services.

Calling all Wookies and Custy kids: Vermont’s fab phour are bringing back a beloved tradition among their fervent fan base. PHISH have announced a four-day festival called Mondegreen for August 15 to 18 at the Woodlands in Dover, Del. It will be the band’s 11th selfproduced multiday event and first such endeavor in nine years, since Magnaball at Watkins Glen in New York.

I was hired to film the band’s ill-fated “farewell fest” in Coventry in 2004 and still remember bribing a very drunk farmer to pull my car out of the mud, so I’ll probably skip this one. Hey, more goo balls for you guys! ➆

188 MAIN STREET BURLINGTON, VT 05401 | TUE-SAT 5PM-1:30AM | 802-658-4771

LiveAtNectars.com

THURSDAYS

Nectar’s Trivia Night FREE THUR 2.15, 2.22

Lazy Bird SAT 2.17

Phat Hosea

w/ Mark Walsh, DJ Dew, Twondr SUN 2.18

mi yard Reggae Night presented by Kona TUE 2.20

PRESENTED BY FIDDLEHEAD

Grateful Tuesdays w/ Local Strangers SAT 2.24

Waiting on Mongo Moondogs THUR 2.29

Midnight North FRI 3.1 + SAT 3.2

REPRISE:

A Phish Experience THURS 3.7, 3.21, 3.28

No Showers On Vacation FRI 3.8

Hayley Jane w/s/g Hunter Root

THUR 3.14 + FRI 3.15

Eggy

LOW TICKET ALERT

SAT 3.16 + SUN 3.17 LOW TICKET ALERT

Dogs In A Pile SAT 4.6

Brown Eyed Women All Female Tribute to the Dead

Eye on the Scene Photographer Luke Awtry surveys local nightlife

Listening In (Spotify mix of local jams) “PRETTY THINGS” by Sarah King “ROSIE ROAD” by Cosmic the

Cowboy “CHARIOTS OF SMOG” by the Cush “CRACKED EYE” by Rangus “DON’T LOOK” by Teece Luvv “LOVE YOU RIGHT” by Myra Flynn

COTTER ELLIS WITH DOBBS’ DEAD, NECTAR’S, BURLINGTON, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 6: We all love

to see it when a local musician gets called up to the big leagues. Such was the case last week when local drummer COTTER ELLIS was named the new drummer for the band GOOSE. I first photographed Cotter with TAR IGUANA at Burlington’s SideBar in January 2017, but it wasn’t until December of that year that I saw SWIMMER and really appreciated Cotter for the drummer he is. He immediately evoked the spirit of LEVON HELM. Not only was there a striking resemblance, he also exuded a similar sense of leadership, confidence and creativity that few have behind the kit — indeed, he formed COTTER & THE HAWKS in 2022 to pay tribute to the BAND. As Nectar’s celebrated its 11th anniversary of Dead Set/Grateful Dead Tuesdays last week, Cotter played his heart out all night with DOBBS’ DEAD, knowing it would most likely be a long time before he played a stage that small again.

“IT’S NOT A PROBLEM”

by the Mountain Says No

FRI 2.16

Malcolm Miller SAT 2.17

Y2K Pop w/ Jason Baron

FRI 2.23

Emo Night w/ Malachi THUR 2.29

Taylor Swift Dance Party SAT 3.2

Y2K Pop w/ Jason Baron THUR 3.14

FULL MELT THURSDAY

Hudson Lee, Frequent w/ O-Prime Delta, gonima

Scan to listen

FRI 3.29

sevendaysvt. com/playlist

THUR 4.11

Grippo Funk Band LTJ Bukem FULL MELT THURSDAY Prosper, Kanganade, Tricky Pat SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

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SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

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music+nightlife

CLUB DATES live music

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.

SAT.17

TUE.20

Ali McGuirk, Giovanina Bucci, Andriana Chobot (singersongwriter) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 7 p.m. $8/$10.

Dan Parks with Mark Steffenhagen (covers) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 5 p.m.

Free.

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

Baby Fearn and the Plants, Frankie & the Fuse, GAYBAR (pop, rock) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. Free.

Dark Star Project, Oobleck Funk (Grateful Dead tribute, funk) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. $15.

Bent Nails House Band (blues, rock) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 8 p.m. Free.

Forest Station (bluegrass) at Whammy Bar, Calais, 7 p.m. Free.

WED.14

Bruce Sklar Jazz Trio (jazz) at the Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

WED.21 // SADURN [INDIE ROCK]

Gibson & Crawford, the Hot Mess (jazz) at Hugo’s, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m. Free.

Evan Alsop (singer-songwriter) at Two Heroes Brewery Public House, South Hero, 6 p.m. Free.

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

Go Ahead and Die, Bodybox, Half Heard, Voices, Split in Half (metal) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 6 p.m. $25/$28.

Jonny Mop (rock) at Gusto’s, Barre, 9 p.m. Free.

Left Eye Jump (blues) at Red Square, Burlington, 2 p.m. Free.

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

Live Music Saturdays (live music series) at Dumb Luck Pub & Grill, Hinesburg, 7 p.m. Free.

Jazz Sessions (jazz) at the 126, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

Maple Grove (rock, country) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 9 p.m. Free.

Live Jazz (jazz) at Leunig’s Bistro & Café, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Love Hurts (country) at the Den at Harry’s Hardware, Cabot, 6 p.m.

Free.

Organized Dead (Grateful Dead tribute) at the Den at Harry’s Hardware, Cabot, 7 p.m. Free.

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

Phantom Airwave (funk) at Red Square, Burlington, 7 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.

THU.15

AliT (singer-songwriter) at Filling Station, Middlesex, 6 p.m. Free.

Bill Pierce (jazz) at the Brass Lantern Inn, Stowe, 6:30 p.m. $35-$45.

Frankie & the Fuse (indie rock) at Red Square, Burlington, 6 p.m.

Free.

Jenni Johnson and the Junketeers (R&B) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 6 p.m. Free.

Coming Back Around Philadelphia’s

band, subsequently releasing their debut record, Radiator, in 2022. Built around DeGroot’s emotive and confessional songwriting, the band creates sparse folk-rock that showcases strong melodies and aching lyrics. Sadurn wear their collective heart on their sleeve, dedicated to delivering intimacy with their music. They play the Higher Ground Showcase Lounge in South Burlington on Wednesday, February 21, with local opener GREG FREEMAN. Justin Levinson (singersongwriter) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 4 p.m. Free.

Lazy Bird (jam) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

Brunch, Spiders for Breakfast, Rabbitfoot, Benway (indie) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7 p.m. $10/$15.

Karl Lucas (jazz) at Hugo’s, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m. Free.

Red Hot Juba (jazz, swing) at Black Flannel Brewing & Distilling, Essex, 6 p.m. Free.

Dan Parks with Mark Steffenhagen (acoustic) at Gusto’s, Barre, 6 p.m. Free.

Ryan Osswald (jazz) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

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

Slap Happy Jack (rock) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 7 p.m.

Free.

That 1 Guy (indie) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7 p.m. $18/$20.

Timothy Quigley & Friends (jazz) at Hugo’s, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m.

Free.

FRI.16

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

SADURN emerged from the

bedroom-folk project of singer Genevieve DeGroot to become a four-piece indie-rock

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

Jennings & McComber (folk) at Stone’s Throw, Waterbury, 6 p.m.

Free.

Phantom Suns, Shy Husky Kennedy Park, the Leatherbound Books (rock) at Despacito, Burlington, 8 p.m. $10.

Duncan MacLeod Trio (blues, rock) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 5 p.m. Free.

The Full Cleveland (yacht rock) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 6 p.m. $15.

The Harley Brown Band (rock) at the Old Post, South Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

The John Daly Trio (singersongwriter) at Jericho Café & Tavern, 7 p.m. Free.

Kuf Knotz & Christine Elise (hip-hop, indie) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 9 p.m. Free.

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

O.N.E., Voices in Vain, the Path, Cooked, Dead Solace, Violet Crimes (metal) at Monkey House, Winooski, 7 p.m. $10.

PONS, Blackwater, Dick Richard (indie rock) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. $10.

Rap Night Burlington (hip-hop) at Drink, Burlington, 9 p.m. $5.

Red Hot Juba (jazz, swing) at Whammy Bar, Calais, 7 p.m. Free.

Laura Fedele-Rasco (acoustic) at Twiggs — An American Gastropub, St. Albans, 5:30 p.m. Free.

Rose Asteroid (funk, rock) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 11:30 p.m. $10.

Laura Mollineli and Ben Campbell (alt-country) at Blue Cat Bistro, Castleton, 6 p.m. Free.

SB ArtMix 2024 with Dwight & Nicole (benefit) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 6:30 p.m. $25/$30.

Liam Bauman (singer-songwriter) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 7 p.m. Free.

Marcie Hernandez (singersongwriter) at Stone’s Throw, Richmond, 6 p.m. Free.

Tuned Up Concert Series: Neon Ramblers (bluegrass) at Stowe Cider, 8 p.m. $20.

Will Warren (acoustic) at Two Heroes Brewery Public House, South Hero, 6 p.m. Free.

Phat Hosea, Mark Walsh (hip-hop) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 8 p.m. $12.

Queer Takeover Evening (indie, DJ, drag) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 8 p.m. $10/$15.

Tuned Up Concert Series: All Night Boogie Band (blues) at Stowe Cider, 9 p.m. $5.

SUN.18

Bluegrass Brunch (bluegrass) at the Skinny Pancake, Burlington, noon. Free.

The Cosmo Duncan All Stars (indie, experimental) at Community of Sound, Burlington, 7 p.m. Donations.

Jeff & Gina (covers) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 1 p.m. Free.

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

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Kimaya Diggs (funk, soul) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 7 p.m. $44/$49.

Vermont Jazz Ensemble (jazz) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 5 p.m. $20.

MON.19

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Kimaya Diggs (funk, soul) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 7 p.m. $44/$49.

Big Easy Tuesdays with Jon McBride (jazz) at the 126, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

Dobbs’ Dead (Grateful Dead tribute) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 9 p.m. $10/$20.

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

Matt Pond PA, Alea Rose, Bathtub Cig (indie) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7 p.m. $15/$18.

Mike Mac (singer-songwriter) at Lawson’s Finest Liquids, Waitsfield, 5 p.m. Free.

Milk St, Campfire Jack & the S’Mores, Salmon Friends (rock) at Monkey House, Winooski, 7 p.m. $5/$10.

WED.21

Bent Nails House Band (blues, rock) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 8 p.m. Free.

Bluegrass Night: Corner Junction (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.

Live Jazz (jazz) at Leunig’s Bistro & Café, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Luis Betancourt (acoustic) at Two Heroes Brewery Public House, South Hero, 6 p.m. Free.

Luxury Skin, Rangus, Dutch Experts (indie rock) at Monkey House, Winooski, 7:30 p.m. $10/$15.

No Showers on Vacation (indie) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 8 p.m. $5.

Sadurn, Greg Freeman (indie) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $15/$18.

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.

djs WED.14

Local Dork (DJ) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

The Mid Week Hump with DJs Fattie B and Craig Mitchell (DJ) at Monkey House, Winooski, 7 p.m. Free.

THU.15

DJ Chaston (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 11 p.m.

Free.

DJ JP Black (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.

DJS SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

» P.63 61

music+nightlife

REVIEW this

Booster Fawn, Pour maman (DAMAGED HALO RECORDS, DIGITAL)

Montréal-based singersongwriter Joshua Marc Seguin started his indierock project Booster Fawn in 2016, following a career as a professional snowskater. With a dreamy, ’90s-leaning indie sound somewhere between the Stone Roses and Built to Spill, Booster Fawn also possesses tantalizing hints of psychedelic and folk. It’s a heady sonic brew, best captured on the 2023 album Dreams Made of Snowflakes.

Detailing Seguin’s drive to get sober, the record features anthemic rockers such as “Dear Sun, It’s Been So Long” and the surf-rock-influenced title track, on which Seguin promises, “Oh, mama, I’m fine / Just need a little more time, to figure this out.” The album is a powerful, often joyous blast of indie rock, sung entirely in English.

On Tuesday, Seguin offered his Francophile fans an early Valentine’s Day present, Pour maman, for which he rerecorded three tracks from the original album in French.

The language change is charming enough, but the EP also manifests a sonic shift. Seguin and his backing band present the reworked cuts as lo-fi, almost garage-rock raw, in contrast to the slick and powerful production on the full-length. The frenetic rock freak-out of “Nothing Will Make This Easier” still has power to spare, but “Y’en aura pas d’facile” feels just a little more DIY,

reminiscent of the Pixies’ Come On Pilgrim, a collection of demos turned into a killer debut rock album. And hey, maybe it’s just English-speaker bias at work, but to me, “À quoi ça sert?” feels more esoteric than the translation “What’s the Point?”

The EP is available at boosterfawn.bandcamp.com.

Django Soulo, Shadow Work (SELF-RELEASED, DIGITAL)

Look, I swear I’m not trying to convince anyone to elongate their Dry January, but yes, this is another album about getting sober and personal growth, among other topics. There’s a lot of recovery going on in the reviews this week.

Plainfield native Django Koenig, formerly of the Americana group TallGrass GetDown, wrote and recorded his latest LP as Django Soulo during the early days of the pandemic. Koenig came out of the isolation with Shadow Work, a pristinely recorded folk album that’s equally full of empathy and frustration.

“The Way the World Is” was written about Ben Bergstein, the founder of Burlington’s North End Studios, who pleaded guilty to a charge of lewd and lascivious conduct in 2022 following allegations of sexual assault. Koenig also taps into his fury at the death of George Floyd, the Black Minneapolis man killed by a white police officer in 2020, singing, “This is the way the world is” with disgust and resignation.

Shadow Work is dedicated to several friends who died recently. “Carry On (A Song for Kerry Monahan)” finds Koenig in full lamentation mode, plucking a

mournful progression on his guitar before admitting, “Sometimes, it’s hard to carry on / Sometimes it’s hard ’cos you’re gone.”

Check out Shadow Work at djangosoulo.bandcamp. com.

Wolfhand, Fool’s Gold (SELF-RELEASED, DIGITAL)

Burlington rockers Wolfhand kick off their latest EP, Fool’s Gold, with a slow, churning slice of doom.

On “Stagecoach,” guitarist Dave Mahan and keyboardist Mike Fried settle into a seriously heavy riff, riding drummer Adam Wolinsky and bassist Nick Wood’s steady, almost ominous groove.

Not your typical doom-metal act, Wolfhand represent a strange deviation, incorporating elements of psych and post-rock into their massive sound. On songs such as “Dust,” the band layers weeping pedal steel over a dirgelike chord progression, creating a swirling soundscape of building tension.

Wolfhand’s strength is in their restraint. The heaviness of their songs is palpable, but you can also feel how ardently the band holds it at bay with hanging notes and dark tones, letting open space do most of the work. They don’t need a bellowing vocalist or screaming guitar solos (though the ripper on “Stagecoach” is nothing to sneeze at) to convey their power.

Stream Fool’s Gold at wolfhandvt.bandcamp.com.

CHRIS FARNSWORTH

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

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.

62

SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

djs CONTINUED FROM P.61 DJ Two Sev (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 11 p.m. Free.

Vinyl Night with Ken (DJ) at Taps Tavern, Poultney, 6 p.m. Free.

FRI.16

DJ Craig Mitchell (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.

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

DJ Mildew (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

DJ Taka (DJ) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 11 p.m. $10/$15.

Today Is Your Birthday

QUEER TAKEOVER has been holding down a monthly residency

Venetian Trivia Night (trivia) at the Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

at Burlington’s Radio Bean for a full year now, inviting a

THU.15

varied cast of musicians, DJs and drag performers to the stage in a show of LGBTQIA+ representation. The collective celebrates its anniversary at the Queen City nightspot this Saturday, February 17, with a blowout birthday bash featuring

Music Bingo (music bingo) at 1st Republic Brewing, Essex, 6 p.m. Free.

local talent from the queer community. The lineup includes indie-rocker CARINAE, singer-songwriter WILL KEEPER, indiepop producer TIP/TOE, new-wave synth act BURIAL WOODS, and a drag and burlesque show hosted by PORTER STARBOARD.

Blanchface (DJ) at Manhattan Pizza & Pub, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.

SUN.18

SAT.17 // QUEER TAKEOVER EVENING [INDIE, DJ, DRAG]

Jazz Jam with Nina Towne (jazz open mic) at Old Stagecoach Inn, Waterbury, 5 p.m. Free.

V! A Vivacious Night of Variety (comedy) at the Opera House at Enosburg Falls, 8 p.m. $25.

The Vanguard — Jazz on Vinyl (DJ) at Paradiso Hi-Fi, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

Open Mic (open mic) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 10 p.m. Free.

SAT.17

WED.21

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

Free.

Open Mic (open mic) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 10 p.m. Free.

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

Free.

MON.19

Open Mic (open mic) at Despacito, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

TUE.20

Open Mic (open mic) at 1st Republic Brewing, Essex, 6 p.m. Free.

Open Mic Night (open mic) at Drink, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

WED.21

Irish Sessions (Celtic, open mic) at Burlington St. John’s Club, 6:30 p.m.

Free.

SUBSCRIBE AT

sevendaysvt.com/enews

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

Matt Payne (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.

Irish Sessions (Celtic, open mic) at Burlington St. John’s Club, 6:30 p.m.

Free.

Snack on the BITE-CLUB NEWSLETTER for a taste of this week’s flavorful food coverage. It’ll hold you over until Wednesday.

Winter Is a Drag Ball (drag) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $32/$37.

Fattie B (DJ) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

Emily Walsh (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 & 9 p.m. $25.

comedy

SUN.18

WED.14

TUE.20

Missy Sassy: My Sassy Valentine (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. $10.

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

THU.15

Bellow Free Academy Improv Team (comedy) at Twiggs — An American Gastropub, St. Albans, 5:30 p.m.

Donations.

Bored Teachers (comedy) at the Flynn, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $45.

College Improv Throwdown (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. Free.

Comedy Wolf (comedy) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $5/$10.

Emily Walsh (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 p.m. $25.

FRI.16

Emily Walsh (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 & 9 p.m. $25.

$5 Improv Night (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 p.m. $5.

Free Stuff! (comedy) at Lincolns, Burlington, 9:30 p.m. Free.

Standup Class Performance (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free.

WED.21

Improv Class Show (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free.

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

trivia, karaoke, etc.

WED.14

Karaoke Night (karaoke) at Drink, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

Rock and Roll Bingo (bingo) at McKee’s Pub & Grill, Winooski, 7 p.m.

Free.

Venetian Karaoke (karaoke) at the Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

12/5/23 11/2/20 9:25 3:07 AM PM

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SAT.17

DJ Raul (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

WED.14

Trivia Night (trivia) at Four Quarters 16t-vcamWEEKLY23.indd 16t-vcam-weekly.indd 1 1 Brewing, Winooski, 6 p.m. Free.

Karaoke (karaoke) at McKee’s Pub & Grill, Winooski, 9 p.m. Free.

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

open mics & jams

Trivia (trivia) at Highland Lodge, Greensboro, 7 p.m. Free.

FRI.16

DJ A-Ra$ (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, midnight. Free.

Local Dork (DJ) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Radio Bean Karaoke (karaoke) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

Trivia Thursday (trivia) at Spanked Puppy Pub, Colchester, 7 p.m. Free.

SAT.17

TUE.20

SATURDAYS > 11:30 A.M.

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

Social Noise (DJ) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 9 p.m. $10.

Mi Yard Reggae Night with DJ Big Dog (reggae and dancehall) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

VERMONT BYWAYS

Trivia Night (trivia) at McGillicuddy’s Five Corners, Essex Junction, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Malcolm Miller (DJ) at Club Metronome, Burlington, 10 p.m. $5.

SUN.18

Karaoke Night (karaoke) at North Hero House Inn & Restaurant, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Karaoke Night (karaoke) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. Free.

DJ Two Rivers (DJ) at Gusto’s, Barre, 9 p.m. Free.

Molly Mood (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.

Trivia Night (trivia) at Stone Corral, Richmond, 7 p.m. Free.

16T-BiteClubfiller.indd 1

12/21/20 6:07 PM

MON.19

Trivia (trivia) at McKee’s Pub & Grill, Winooski, 7 p.m. Free.

Trivia Night (trivia) at North Hero House Inn & Restaurant, 7 p.m. Free.

Trivia with Craig Mitchell (trivia) at Monkey House, Winooski, 7 p.m. Free.

TUE.20

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.

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.21

LEVEL UP

Our weekly beginner and intermediate clinics will take your cross-country skiing to the next level. Register at rikertoutdoor.com/clinics.

Karaoke Night (karaoke) at Drink, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

Rock and Roll Bingo (bingo) at McKee’s Pub & Grill, Winooski, 7 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

SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024 8v-RikertOutdoorCenter020724 1

63 2/5/24 1:32 PM

calendar F E B R U A R Y

1 4 - 2 1 ,

film

WED.14 business

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

community

‘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 for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

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.

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

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

Info, gmc.vt.ega@gmail.com.

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.

‘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.

‘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,

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

2 0 2 4

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.

‘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.

WHITE RIVER INDIE FILM FESTIVAL: Films from Brazil, Tunisia, Nigeria, New Hampshire and beyond make for an overflowing buffet of viewing experiences. See uvjam.org for full schedule.

Briggs Opera House, White River Junction, 9 p.m. Pay what you can; $40-150 for festival passes. Info, cedar@uvjam.org.

food & drink

LOVE YOUR LIBRARY BAKE SALE: Sales of sweets — just in time for Valentine’s Day — help support library programs.

Cobleigh Public Library, Lyndonville, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Free. Info, 626-5475.

games

BOARD GAME NIGHT: Lovers of tabletop fun play classic games and new designer offerings.

Waterbury Public Library, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

health & fitness

CHAIR YOGA: Waterbury Public Library instructor Diana Whitney leads at-home participants in gentle stretches supported by seats. 10 a.m.

Free. Info, 244-7036.

holidays

‘BITTER//SWEET’: Grimm Noir hosts and Golden Mystique headlines at this Valentine’s Day extravaganza of comedy, burlesque and art. Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 5:30-9:30 p.m. $1035. Info, grimmsdodmainvt@ gmail.com.

DAYS OF LOVE: Wine, chocolate, macarons and special grazing boards for two, plus live music, make for a consummate date night. Shelburne Vineyard, noon6 p.m. Cost of food and drink; preregister. Info, 985-8222.

FARMERS NIGHT: VERMONT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: A Valentine’s Day jubilee features the works of Bach and Haydn and the world premiere performance of a new student composition.

House Chamber, Vermont Statehouse, Montpelier, 7:30-8:45 p.m. Free. Info, 864-5741.

INFORMAL VALENTINE’S DAY CHOCOLATE TASTING: Aspiring connoisseurs assess sweet treats from across the world. Pierson Library, Shelburne, 3-4 p.m. Free.

Info, 985-5124.

VALENTINE’S PRIX-FIXE: Oysters, chocolate lava cakes and paired wines available for purchase make up a scrumptious datenight dinner. Dedalus Wine Shop, Market & Wine Bar, Burlington, 5-10 p.m. $80; preregister; limited space. Info, 865-2368.

VISSI D’ARTE DINNER — AN OPERATIC VALENTINE’S DAY: Diners dig into Venetian-style small plates, mingle with the cast of Opera Vermont’s Tosca and sit in on a rehearsal. Highland Center for the Arts, Greensboro, 6-7 p.m. $80; preregister. Info, 533-2000.

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.

lgbtq 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.

64

SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

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

QUEER WRITER’S GROUP: LGBTQ authors meet monthly to discuss their work, write from prompts, and give each other advice and feedback. Rainbow Bridge Community Center, Barre, 5:30-7 p.m. Free. Info, 622-0692.

film

politics

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

TOM LITTLE: The former chair of the Vermont Legislative Apportionment Board reflects on the state’s redistricting process.

Live stream available. KelloggHubbard Library, Montpelier, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

sports

GREEN MOUNTAIN TABLE TENNIS CLUB: Ping-Pong players

swing their paddles in singles and doubles matches. Rutland Area Christian School, 7-9 p.m. Free for first two sessions; $30 annual membership. Info, 247-5913.

words

LADEE HUBBARD: The award-winning author of The Last Suspicious Holdout and The Talented Ribkins reads from her work. Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, 8-9 p.m. Free. Info, 635-2727.

LIFE STORIES WE LOVE TO TELL: Prompts from group leader Maryellen Crangle inspire true tales, told either off the cuff or read from prewritten scripts.

Presented by Dorothy Alling Memorial Library. 2-3:30 p.m.

Free; preregister; limited space.

Info, 878-4918.

THU.15 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.

community

DEATH CAFÉ: Neighbors have an open-ended conversation about all things death and dying over cake. Odd Fellows Lodge, Burlington, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Free.

Info, wildembraceird@gmail.com.

conferences

VIRTUAL ARCHAEOLOGY CONFERENCE: Lake Champlain Maritime Museum researchers unveil their underwater findings from Revolutionary War battlefields in Arnold’s Bay. 1-4 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 475-2022.

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.

environment

JEFF PARSONS & SEAN MACFADEN: Representatives from Arrowwood Environmental and Shelburne’s Natural Resources & Conservation Commission discuss the status of the local wildlife habitat. Pierson Library, Shelburne, 6-7 p.m. Free.

Info, 985-5124.

film

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

‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: See WED.14.

‘GREAT WHITE SHARK 3D’: See WED.14.

HIRSCHFIELD THURSDAYS: ‘STONEWALLING’: A 20-year-old woman’s flight attendant dreams are interrupted by an unexpected pregnancy in this 2022 Japanese drama. Dana Auditorium, Sunderland Language Center, Middlebury College, 7-9:30 p.m.

Free. Info, 443-5844.

MAKING MAGIC WITH COMPOSITION AND LIGHTING: Aspiring auteurs learn how lighting and camera movements can tell a story. The Media Factory, Burlington, 6-8 p.m. Free; donations accepted; preregister. Info, 651-9692.

‘OCEANS: OUR BLUE PLANET 3D’: See WED.14.

‘TINY GIANTS 3D’: See WED.14.

WHITE RIVER INDIE FILM FESTIVAL: See WED.14, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.

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

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.

WEEKLY CHESS FOR FUN: Players of all ability levels face off and learn new strategies.

United Community Church, St. Johnsbury, 5:30-9 p.m.

Donations. Info, lafferty1949@ gmail.com.

holidays

CHINESE NEW YEAR: A festive feast benefits the Flynn’s artistic and educational programming. A Single Pebble, Burlington, 6 p.m. $150; preregister; limited space.

Info, 863-5966.

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 and their voices to a joyful community jam. Bradford Academy, 5:45 p.m. Free. Info, jennifer@dandjmusic.com.

FLOW SINGING: Students explore singing for joy and healing, not technical perfection or THU.15

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LIST YOUR EVENT FOR FREE AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTEVENT

upper valley

FAMILY FUN

ELLY SWARTZ: This acclaimed author’s latest middle-grade novel, Hidden Truths, follows two young boys as they learn how secrets and lies can change a friendship. Norwich Bookstore, 2 p.m.

Free. Info, 649-1114.

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.

GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT: Vermonters join bird-watchers around the world during a day of guided birding, tours of the songbird aviary, meet and greets with raptors, and close-up encounters with wild chickadees. See calendar spotlight. Vermont Institute of Natural Science, Quechee, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Regular admission, $16-19; free for members and kids 3 and under. Info, 359-5000.

WED.14

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. Kindergarten through 5th grade. 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

BABY SOCIAL TIME: Caregivers and infants from birth through age 1 gather in the Wiggle Room to explore board books and toys. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 10:30-11:15 a.m. Free.

Info, 846-4140.

MOVIE MATINEE: Film lovers have a family-friendly afternoon at this screening of an animated favorite. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3-4:30 p.m.

Free. Info, 878-6956.

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.

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. Info, 846-4140.

mad river valley/ waterbury

LEGO CHALLENGE CLUB: Kids engage in a fun-filled hour of building, then leave their creations on display in the library all month long. Ages 6 through 8.

Waterbury Public Library, 3-4 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 244-7036.

THU.15

chittenden county

PRESCHOOL MUSIC WITH LINDA BASSICK: The singer and storyteller extraordinaire leads little ones in indoor music and movement. Birth through age 5. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

PRESCHOOL PLAYTIME: Pre-K patrons play and socialize after music time.

Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

STORY TIME: Little ones from birth through age 5 learn from songs, crafts

MAGIC OF MAPLE: Families make candy and learn about sugaring in between $5 horse-drawn sleigh rides and other winter delights. Billings Farm & Museum, Woodstock, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Regular admission, $10-17; free for members and kids 3 and under. Info, 457-2355.

FEB. 17 | FAMILY FUN and picture books. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 10-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

WINTER WILDLIFE TRACKING: A FAMILY PROGRAM: Budding naturalists of all ages practice identifying animal tracks in the snow. Green Mountain Audubon Center, Huntington, 4-5:30 p.m. Free; donations accepted; preregister. Info, kyra.monsam@audubon.org.

barre/montpelier

ROBIN’S NEST NATURE PLAYGROUP: Outdoor pursuits through fields and forests captivate little ones up to age 5 and their parents. North Branch Nature Center, Montpelier, 10 a.m.-noon. Free; donations accepted. Info, 229-6206.

stowe/smuggs

WEE ONES PLAY TIME: Caregivers bring kiddos 3 and younger to a new sensory learning experience each 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 3through 5-year-olds. Waterbury Public Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

middlebury area

POND BROOK PROJECT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE: Rising 7ththrough 9th-graders and their families learn about this experiential school with an outdoor-focused curriculum.

Lawrence Memorial Library, Bristol, 5:30-7 p.m. Free. Info, 453-6195.

FRI.16

chittenden county

LEGO BUILDERS: Each week, children ages 8 and older build, explore, create and participate in challenges. Children ages 6 to 8 are welcome with an adult.

South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 3-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

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

brattleboro/okemo valley

Bird Brained Avian enthusiasts of all ages fly over to VINS to take part in the Great Backyard Bird Count, an annual event that enlists amateur ornithologists across the world to track wintertime sightings of their local feathered friends. All day long, birding tours depart from the museum, with binoculars and field guides available to borrow. Back at home base, visitors meet raptors and songbirds, take part in Pokemon Go-themed fun, and hope for an encounter with a wild chickadee at the feeding station.

GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT Saturday, February 17, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., at Vermont Institute of Natural Science in Quechee. Regular admission, $16-19; free for members and kids 3 and under. Info, 359-5000, vinsweb.org.

Junction, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

Museum, Burlington, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. $5-7.

Info, ethanallenhomestead@gmail.com.

champlain islands/ northwest

chittenden county

‘THE ADDAMS FAMILY’: Everyone’s favorite bloodcurdling brood faces the ultimate fright: Wednesday’s nice, normal boyfriend and his parents. Abridged, family-friendly version presented by student performers. Enosburg Falls Junior/ Senior High School, 7-8:30 p.m. $5-13.

Info, penelope.wade@fnesu.org.

upper valley

STORY TIME: Preschoolers take part in tales, tunes and playtime. Latham Library, Thetford, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 785-4361.

SAT.17

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.

PASTIMES PARTY!: Families party like it’s 1789 with historical reenactors, English country dancing, a costume photo corner and crafts. Ethan Allen Homestead

WINTER SUNSHINE SERIES: One-ofa-kind family puppet shows let the sunshine in at each of these weekly performances. Sandglass Theater, Putney, 11 a.m.-noon & 2-3 p.m. $8-12.

Info, 387-4051.

SUN.18

upper valley

MAGIC OF MAPLE: See SAT.17.

MON.19

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.

upper valley

MAGIC OF MAPLE: See SAT.17.

STORY TIME WITH BETH: A bookseller and librarian extraordinaire reads two picture books on a different theme each week. Norwich Bookstore, 10 a.m. Free.

Info, 649-1114.

TEEN THROWBACK MATINEE: Film buffs ages 13 and up share popcorn over a classic comedy. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 2-3:45 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

mad river valley/ waterbury

TUE.20

burlington

LIZA WOODRUFF: After a reading, the author and illustrator of A Quieter Story shows kids how to draw the characters from her book. Inklings Children’s Books, Waitsfield, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 496-7280.

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.

rutland/killington

chittenden county

OWLS OF VERMONT: Live birds, handson activities and interactive demos delight at this educational experience from the Southern Vermont Natural History Museum. Phoenix Books, Rutland, 2 p.m.

Free. Info, 855-8078.

GMBA BOOK GROUP: High school-age homeschoolers discuss thoughts and themes related to this month’s book.

Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 1:30-2:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 878-6956.

champlain islands/ northwest

GOLDEN DOME BOOK AWARD GROUP: Homeschooled readers in grades 4 through 8 discuss the book of the month together. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 1:30-2:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 878-6956.

‘THE ADDAMS FAMILY’: See FRI.16, 2-3:30 p.m.

TUE.20 SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

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calendar THU.15

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performance. Heineberg Senior Center, Burlington, 7-8:30 p.m.

Free; preregister. Info, 448-0181.

FEB. 16 & 17 | THEATER

SONS OF MYSTRO: A new kind of piano duo, backed up by a DJ and a drummer, leaves audiences breathless. Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, Stowe Mountain Resort, 7-9 p.m. $3555. Info, 760-4634.

outdoors

FEBRUARY BIRD MONITORING WALK: Community scientists watch for warblers, spy sparrows and hear hawks to contribute to Audubon’s database. Green Mountain Audubon Center, Huntington, 8-10 a.m. Free. Info, 434-3068.

Drop Dead Diva The Northeast Kingdom transforms into 19th-century Rome for Opera Vermont’s spectacular production of Giacomo Puccini’s Tosca at Greensboro’s Highland Center for the Arts. Political unrest and the Napoleonic Wars form the backdrop to this romantic thriller about an activist painter, an escaped political prisoner, a corrupt police chief and the celebrated soprano at the center of it all. Joshua Collier directs and stars alongside an accomplished, diverse cast, and Cailin Marcel Manson conducts the house orchestra and Claire Black on piano.

‘TOSCA’ Friday, February 16, and Saturday, February 17, 7:30 p.m., at Highland Center for the Arts in Greensboro. $5-40.

Info, 533-2000, highlandartsvt.org.

politics

SOUTH BURLINGTON CANDIDATE FORUM: The South Burlington High School debate team hosts a conversation with candidates seeking positions on the school board and city council. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 5-9 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

RUTLAND WINTERFEST: The 20th annual community congregation features sledding down Center Street, the Great Bigfoot Chase, a snow sculpting competition and a chili cook-off. See calendar spotlight. Downtown Rutland, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Free; fee for some activities. Info, admin@come aliveoutside.com.

talks

film

MEADOW DIBBLE: An anti-racist historian gives a Black History Month presentation reckoning with New England’s role in slavery and colonization. Presented by the Rokeby Museum. 6:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 877-3406.

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

BANFF CENTRE MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL: SOLD OUT. Lovers of adrenaline and the outdoors experience a slate of adventure films packed with high-climbing thrills.

Lebanon Opera House, N.H., 7 p.m. $24-33. Info, 603-448-0400.

VIRTUAL SPEAKER SERIES: DAVID A. SMITH: The author of A New Force At Sea: George Dewey and the Rise of the American Navy tells the story of a Montpelier native and hero of the Spanish-American War. Presented by the Vermont Historical Society. 1 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 828-1414.

‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: See WED.14.

‘GREAT WHITE SHARK 3D’: See WED.14.

‘OCEANS: OUR BLUE PLANET 3D’: See WED.14.

theater

‘THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST’: Oscar Wilde’s vicious social satire of Victorian England comes to life courtesy of BarnArts. Barnard Town Hall, 7:30-9:30 p.m. $15-20. Info, 234-1645.

words

AMY GODINE: A historian shares her recent book, The Black Woods: Pursuing Racial Justice on the Adirondack Frontier.

Norwich Bookstore, 7 p.m. Free.

Info, 649-1114.

EMILY ST. JOHN MANDEL: Acclaimed author of Station Eleven, The Glass Hotel and Sea of Tranquility discusses her career and answers questions submitted by the community. Wright Memorial Theatre, Middlebury College, 7-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, 989-0963.

EVENING BOOK GROUP: Readers discuss Heavy: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon in a relaxed round-robin. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 6-7 p.m. Free.

Info, 846-4140.

INQUISITIVE READERS BOOK CLUB: Bookworms dig into a new horizon-expanding tome each month. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 6-7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, henningsmh@ yahoo.com.

WRITING CRAFT TALK: LADEE HUBBARD: The award-winning author talks shop with listeners interested in the art of writing.

Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 635-2727.

Say you saw it in...

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SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

sevendaysvt.com

FRI.16 dance

LE PATIN LIBRE: Québécois ice dancers bring a joyful, no-frills vibe to the art form. Nelson Withington Skating Facility, Brattleboro, 6 & 8 p.m. $10-20. Info, 387-0102.

V! A NIGHT OF VIVACIOUS VARIETY: Comedy and live music round out this evening of burlesque featuring Mistress Manifest, Ginge O’Lolly, Renée Juliette and others. 18 and up.

Enosburg Opera House, Enosburg Falls, 8 p.m. $25. Info, 933-6171.

fairs & festivals

PEACHAM WINTER CARNIVAL: This annual celebration features snow sports, a pancake breakfast, live music, a lumberjack demonstration and a talk with Olympic biathlete Susan Dunklee. Various Peacham locations, 6-8:30 p.m.

Donations. Info, 592-3218.

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

SCREWBALL SPEAKEASY CLUB PRESENTS: ‘BRINGING UP BABY’: A community space transforms into a Prohibition-era watering hole for a screening of this 1938 classic starring Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant. Epsilon Spires, Brattleboro, 7-9:30 p.m. $15. Info, info@epsilonspires.org.

‘TINY GIANTS 3D’: See WED.14.

WHITE RIVER INDIE FILM FESTIVAL: See WED.14, 9 a.m.-11 p.m.

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.

holidays

BE MINE BALL: Drag and dancing feature heavily at this fun Valentine’s Day-themed shindig.

Catamount ArtPort, St. Johnsbury, 6 p.m. $20. Info, 748-2600.

DAYS OF LOVE: See WED.14, noon-10 p.m.

lgbtq

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

BOB & SARAH AMOS BAND: The father-daughter duo finds perfect harmony while performing original and classic bluegrass and folk songs. Seven Stars Arts Center, Sharon, 7-9 p.m. $20-25. Info, 763-2334.

FRIDAY NIGHT PIANO: A performance of piano rolls 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.

JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ORCHESTRA WITH WYNTON MARSALIS: The storied ensemble teams up with the legendary trumpeter for the performance of a lifetime. Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, Stowe Mountain Resort, 7-9 p.m. $65150. Info, 760-4634.

UVM LANE SERIES: JEREMY DENK: The pianist celebrates his new album and tackles some of Bach’s most challenging works.

University of Vermont Recital Hall, Burlington, 7:30-9:30 p.m. $6.50-50.50. Info, 656-4455.

outdoors

KATHY AND JIM ELKIND: The Green Mountain Club hosts two hikers who divulge the story of their coast-to-coast trek from the Mediterranean to Andalusia.

Richmond Free Library, 7-8 p.m.

Free. Info, 244-7037.

seminars

JOURNALISM COURSE: Veteran freelance reporter Carolyn Shapiro teaches attendees about media literacy and how the local news industry works. Presented by AARP

LIST YOUR EVENT FOR FREE AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTEVENT

Vermont. 10-11 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 866-227-7451.

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

‘THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST’: See THU.15.

‘TOSCA’: Opera Vermont presents Puccini’s classic romantic thriller alongside a scrumptious Italian buffet dinner. See calendar spotlight. Highland Center for the Arts, Greensboro, 7:30-9 p.m. $5-40. Info, 533-2000.

‘THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES’: Jeanne Beckwith directs a performance of Eve Ensler’s groundbreaking 1996 play about the joys and tribulations of having a hoo-ha. Lost Nation Theater, Montpelier City Hall, 7-9 p.m. $2030. Info, 229-0492.

words

‘MY VERMONT EYES’: OPENING RECEPTION: The library’s artist-in-residence shares poetry and stories about Black American migrations within the U.S. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 6-7 p.m.

Free. Info, 846-4140.

SAT.17 activism

‘UNITED FOR UKRAINE’: A showcase of music, poetry and film by the likes of the New York Crimean Tatar Ensemble and the Middlebury College Choir benefits various advocacy and aid organizations in Ukraine. Live stream available. Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, 7:30-9 p.m.

Donations. Info, 443-3169.

agriculture

NOFA-VT 2024 WINTER CONFERENCE: WORKING UPSTREAM: Featured speakers, socials, and more than 40 workshops, panels and kids’ activities give food and farm enthusiasts three days of fabulous fun. Davis Center, University of Vermont,

Burlington, 8 a.m.-6:30 p.m. $90300; free for POC; preregister.

Info, 349-1282.

community

BOLTON CITIZENS FAIR: Neighbors of all ages learn how to participate in town committees, vote for the town’s Pet Mayor, talk to local officials and learn about local history. Smilie Memorial School, Bolton, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Free. Info, 598-0048.

dance

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.

SHEN YUN: Through graceful movement, exquisite costumes and heavenly storytelling, the classical Chinese dance group takes audiences on a journey through 5,000 years of history.

The Flynn, Burlington, 7-9:15 p.m. $87.50-157.50. Info, 863-5966.

fairs & festivals

PEACHAM WINTER CARNIVAL: See FRI.16, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

RUTLAND WINTERFEST: See FRI.16, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.

WESTFORD WINTER FESTIVAL: Live music, horse-drawn trolley rides, mini golf, wine tastings and Girl Scout cookies turn the town into a winter wonderland for all ages. Westford Common, 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. Info, westfordwinterfest@gmail.com.

film

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

‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: See WED.14.

‘GREAT WHITE SHARK 3D’: See WED.14.

‘LUMINOUS VISIONS: THE ART OF ANDREAS JOHN’: Short, impressionist films explore lush landscapes, movement to music and human rituals. Q&A with the filmmaker follows. Big Picture Theater and Café, Waitsfield, 7-8:30 p.m. $15. Info, 496-5997.

MEDIA FACTORY ORIENTATION: Once aspiring filmmakers have taken this virtual tour of the Media Factory studio, they have access SAT.17

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CARE YOU CAN

COUNT ON.

Ask about our Winter Incentives AND SECURE YOUR EXCLUSIVE RATE

Middlebury | 802-231-3645

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SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

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calendar SAT.17

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Out in the Cold

to the full suite of gear and facilities. 1-2 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 651-9692.

Rutland Winterfest, a snowy extravaganza of family fun and glacial gaiety, takes over the Marble City for another year. Ten days of icy activities are in store for revelers, from snow sports to Yeti hunts and everything in between. Townsfolk join in a rave-like Nerf battle, giant foosball, a snow sculpting competition, sledding down Center Street, drag performances, snowshoeing, an LGBTQ cookout, Real Rutland Feud and ice skating with Bigfoot himself. Kids also enjoy story times, lessons in survival skills, teen rock climbing, coloring, crafts and a dance party especially for little ones.

‘OCEANS: OUR BLUE PLANET 3D’: See WED.14.

‘TINY GIANTS 3D’: See WED.14.

VOICES FROM UKRAINE FILM SERIES: ‘WINTER ON FIRE: UKRAINE’S FIGHT FOR FREEDOM’: A 2015 documentary depicts how pro-E.U. protests became the Maidan Uprising. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, noon-3 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

WHITE RIVER INDIE FILM FESTIVAL: See WED.14, 10-midnight.

RUTLAND WINTERFEST Friday, February 16, through Sunday, February 25, in downtown Rutland. Free; fee for some activities.

Info, admin@comealiveoutside.com, comealiveoutside.com.

WOODSTOCK VERMONT FILM SERIES: ‘IT AIN’T OVER’: A 2022 documentary paints an intimate portrait of iconic baseball player Yogi Berra. Billings Farm & Museum, Woodstock, 3 p.m. $1215. Info, 457-2355.

Mountain Club hike takes adventurers up two peaks at a strong pace. Bring microspikes, a light and snowshoes. Skylight Pond Trail, Ripton, 7 a.m. Free; preregister; limited space. Info, 413-884-5932.

food & drink

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.

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.

ST. PETER’S CEMETERY COMMITTEE BINGO: Players vie for cash prizes at this weekly event to support cemetery improvements. St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Vergennes, 5-9 p.m. $510. Info, 877-2367.

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.

holidays

ADVENTURE DINNER GALENTINE’S DAY CELEBRATION: Pierogi, cocktails, a blowout bar, doula Q&As, and a vendor fair full of women-owned businesses all raise money for Atria Collective (formerly WomenSafe). Ticket

68

HARRIS HILL SKI JUMP: Skiers from around the world compete to soar more than 300 feet off the only Olympic-grade ski jump in New England. Harris Hill Ski Jump, Brattleboro, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $15-25; free for kids under 6. Info, 254-4565.

theater

COURTESY OF RUSS MARSAN

JERICHO-UNDERHILL LIONS CLUB 33RD ANNUAL PANCAKE BREAKFAST: Hungry locals pile their plates with regular and gluten-free flapjacks, bacon, sausage, and Vermont maple syrup.

Proceeds benefit scholarships for Mount Mansfield Union High School seniors. United Church of Underhill, 8-11 a.m. Free. Info, julionsclub@outlook.com.

sports

OPENS FEB. 16 | FAIRS & FESTIVALS includes one drink and a raffle ticket. Vergennes Opera House, 5-8 p.m. $20; cash bar. Info, 248-224-7539.

contemporary and traditional sound. Ripton Community House, 7:30-9:30 p.m. $15-25 suggested donation. Info, 388-9782.

DAYS OF LOVE: See WED.14, noon-8 p.m.

FRANÇOIS SCARBOROUGH CLEMMONS: The singer, activist and writer of “Mister Rogers” fame draws from 400 years of Black spirituals in this moving performance. South Church Hall, St. Johnsbury, 4 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 748-2600.

lgbtq

PRIDE HIKE: WINTER HIKE AT RAVEN RIDGE: All ages, orientations and identities are welcome to experience a snowy stomp through the woods along the bay, spotting rare bats and bobcats along the way. Raven Ridge Natural Area, Monkton, 12:30-3 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, sarah. hooghuis@audubon.org.

STRENGTH IN UNITY: Women and LGBTQ+ folks get the wellness floor to themselves. Greater Burlington YMCA, Burlington, 6:30-8:30 p.m. $5; free for members. Info, 860-7812.

music

BEG, STEAL OR BORROW: Bluegrass fans tap their toes to warm harmonies and virtuosic instrumentals from the quintet’s latest album, Old Mountain Time.

Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, Stowe Mountain Resort, 7-9 p.m. $20-40. Info, 760-4634.

DANA ROBINSON: A fixture of the folk music scene blends

SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

HOMEGOINGS: A LIVE PERFORMANCE: Some of the artists of color featured on Vermont Public’s podcast “Brave Little State” make art at a soulful evening hosted by Myra Flynn.

Chandler Center for the Arts, Randolph, 7 p.m. $10-45. Info, 728-9878.

LET’S SING TAYLOR: A LIVE BAND EXPERIENCE: Swifties who couldn’t get Eras Tour tickets — so, most of them — revel in an extremely faithful tribute.

Paramount Theatre, Rutland, 7 p.m. $22-39. Info, 775-0903.

‘MIDWINTER’: Virtuosic chamber choir Ampersand celebrate the stark beauty of winter with poetic works from the Renaissance to the present. Richmond Free Library, 4-5:15 p.m. Free. Info, info@weareampersand.net.

PLAY EVERY TOWN: Prolific pianist David Feurzeig continues

a four-year, statewide series of shows in protest of high-pollution worldwide concert tours. Featuring special guest Henry Whitaker on trumpet. Waitsfield United Church of Christ & Village Meeting House, 3 p.m. Free. Info, playeverytown@ gmail.com.

SOMETHING SOMETHING TRUMPET: A funky, fabulous trio plays exhilarating works for the horn. BCA Center, Burlington, 7-9 p.m. Free. Info, something. trumpet@gmail.com.

VERMONT PHILHARMONIC: The orchestra continues its 65th season with a program of works from across the centuries, featuring acclaimed soprano Lisa Jablow and local violinist Maaike Dam. Elley-Long Music Center, Saint Michael’s College, Colchester, 7:30 p.m. $5-25. Info, 800-762-8000.

outdoors

MUSEUM OPEN FOR GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT: Citizen scientists join a worldwide effort to tally avian varieties. Birds of Vermont Museum, Huntington, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Regular admission, $4.50-9; free for members. Info, 434-2167.

SKYLIGHT POND, BREADLOAF MOUNTAIN AND MOUNT WILSON: A challenging Green

‘THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST’: See THU.15.

‘LOVE LETTERS’: This two-person production, starring husbandand-wife actors Juliet Mills and Maxwell Caulfield, follows a pair of lifelong pen pals through various stages of life. Monument Arts & Cultural Center, Bennington, 7 p.m. $50. Info, 318-4444.

‘TOSCA’: See FRI.16, 7:30-9 p.m.

‘THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES’: See FRI.16.

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

words

GAIL MARLENE SCHWARTZ: A local author launches her queer, Jewish, coming-of-age novel, Falling Through the Night.

Rainbow Bridge Community Center, Barre, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, info@rainbowbridgevt.org.

JACK KELLY: The historian virtually discusses his newest work, God Save Benedict Arnold: The True Story of America’s Most Hated Man. Presented by Ethan Allen Homestead. 2-3 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 865-4556.

WRITERS’ WERTFREI: Authors both fledgling and published gather to share their work in a judgment-free environment. Virtual option available.

Waterbury Public Library, 10 a.m.noon. Free; preregister. Info, judi@ waterburypubliclibrary.com.

SUN.18

agriculture

NOFA-VT 2024 WINTER CONFERENCE: WORKING UPSTREAM: See SAT.17, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

community

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.14, 1-3 p.m.

dance

SHEN YUN: See SAT.17, 1-3:15 p.m.

fairs & festivals

RUTLAND WINTERFEST: See FRI.16, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.

film

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

‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: See WED.14.

LIST YOUR EVENT FOR FREE AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTEVENT

‘GREAT WHITE SHARK 3D’: See WED.14.

MOUNTAINFILM ON TOUR: Adventure hounds watch award-winning documentaries celebrating mountain culture, snow sports, adventure and the environment. Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, Stowe Mountain Resort, 6-8 p.m. $20.

Info, 760-4634.

‘OCEANS: OUR BLUE PLANET 3D’: See WED.14.

‘TINY GIANTS 3D’: See WED.14.

WHITE RIVER INDIE FILM FESTIVAL: See WED.14, 10 a.m.10:30 p.m.

WOODSTOCK VERMONT FILM SERIES: ‘IT AIN’T OVER’: See SAT.17.

food & drink

LEATHER AND LACE PARTY: Exclusive cocktails fuel guests dressed in their sexy best as they browse adult delights from Earth + Salt. Devil Takes a Holiday, Burlington, 6-10 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 316-8179.

Smokey Newfield Project, benefit People Helping People Global’s economic development projects in Nicaragua. Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Jericho, noon-2 p.m. $5-20. Info, 373-1562.

on the city and school budgets. Presented by Winooski Partnership for Prevention.

O’Brien Community Center, Winooski, 4-6 p.m. Free; preregister; limited space. Info, 655-4565.

DAYS OF LOVE: See WED.14, noon-8:30 p.m.

games

music

VERMONT PHILHARMONIC: See SAT.17. Barre Opera House, 2 p.m. $5-25. Info, 476-8188.

outdoors

WILDLIFE TRACKING CLUB: Naturalists teach trackers of all ages how to distinguish the snowy paw prints of coyotes, foxes, minks and more. North Branch Nature Center, Montpelier, 10-11:30 a.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 229-6206.

sports

HARRIS HILL SKI JUMP: See SAT.17.

theater

KARUNA COMMUNITY MEDITATION: A YEAR TO LIVE (FULLY): Participants practice keeping joy, generosity and gratitude at the forefront of their minds. Jenna’s House, Johnson, 10-11:15 a.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, mollyzapp@live.com.

holidays

ANNUAL PHPG VALENTINE’S BRUNCH AND AUCTION: A breakfast buffet and silent auction, soundtracked by the

MON.19

fairs & festivals

RUTLAND WINTERFEST: See FRI.16, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.

film

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

‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: See WED.14.

‘GREAT WHITE SHARK 3D’: See WED.14.

‘OCEANS: OUR BLUE PLANET 3D’: See WED.14.

‘TINY GIANTS 3D’: See WED.14.

food & drink

COMMUNITY DINNER & BUDGETS: Local chefs Julia Menéndez Jardón and Drew Diemar cook a delicious Spanish meal for pickup or eating in, and locals hear presentations

FAMILY FUN

TUE.20

MANDARIN CONVERSATION CIRCLE: Volunteers from Vermont Chinese School help students learn or improve their fluency.

ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 11 a.m.noon. Free. Info, 846-4140.

crafts

words

GAIL MARLENE SCHWARTZ: See SAT.17. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 4-5 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

HEALING AND HOPE THROUGH MEDITATION: Buddhist teachings and mindful moments help participants explore how to live meaningfully. Fletcher Room, Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 12:30-2 p.m. Free. Info, 540-2544.

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.

community

dance

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@ downtownwinooski.org.

« P.65

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: Little ones enjoy a cozy session of reading, rhyming and singing. Birth through age 5. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

RED CLOVER AWARD BOOK GROUP: A book club for home learners in grades

language

TUE.20

‘LOVE LETTERS’: See SAT.17, 3 p.m.

‘THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST’: See THU.15, 2-4 p.m.

LISA MASÉ: The author of The Culinary Pharmacy: Intuitive Eating, Ancestral Healing and Your Personal Nutrition Plan discusses her cookbook. Presented by Phoenix Books and the Vermont Italian Cultural Association. 7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 448-3350.

ITALIAN BOOK CLUB: Intermediate-level Italian speakers and readers meet to discuss Seta by Alessandro Baricco. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 10:1511:15 a.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

LEARN TO CROCHET AND KNIT: Novices of all ages pick up a new skill. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 5-6 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6955.

SNOWFLAKE BRUNCH: All five senses get delighted at an all-ages breakfast in the gallery.

Highland Center for the Arts, Greensboro, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. $6-20.

Info, 533-2000.

health & fitness

MONDAY NIGHT GAMES: Discounted wine by the glass fuels an evening of friendly competition featuring new and classic board games, card games, and cribbage. Shelburne Vineyard, 4-7 p.m. Free. Info, 985-8222.

food & drink

SWING DANCING: Local Lindy hoppers and jitterbuggers 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.

fairs & festivals

RUTLAND WINTERFEST: See FRI.16, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.

film

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

ESSENTIALS OF BLACK CINEMA SCREENING: ‘THE LEARNING TREE’: Legendary polyglot Gordon Parks’ 1969 bildungsroman turns an semi-autobiographical eye to his childhood in Kansas. Pierson Library, Shelburne, 6-8 p.m. Free.

Info, 985-5124.

‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: See WED.14.

‘GREAT WHITE SHARK 3D’: See WED.14.

‘OCEANS: OUR BLUE PLANET 3D’: See WED.14.

‘TINY GIANTS 3D’: See WED.14.

K through 4 discusses two nominated books. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 1:30-2:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 878-6956.

TODDLER STAY AND PLAY: Unstructured playtime delights little ones ages 1 to 3 and their adult caregivers. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 10:30-11:15 a.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

barre/montpelier

HOMESCHOOL FAMILY MEET-UP: Kids who learn at home and their caregivers bond over crafts and games. KelloggHubbard Library, Montpelier, noon-2

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

SCIENCE ON TAP: Local scientists give lessons on their varying disciplines while patrons taste local beers. Burlington Beer, 6-7 p.m. Free. Info, btvscienceontap@ gmail.com.

words

BURLINGTON LITERATURE GROUP: TONI MORRISON: Readers analyze two novels, Song of Solomon and Jazz, over seven weeks. 6:30-8 p.m. Free; preregister.

Info, info@nereadersandwriters. com.

JEFF FRIEDMAN: The acclaimed New Hampshire author reads from his latest book of fabulist prose poetry, Ashes in Paradise.

Norwich Bookstore, 7 p.m. Free.

Info, 649-1114.

THOMAS CHRISTOPHER GREENE: The Vermont College of Fine Arts founder launches his newest book, Notes From the Porch: Tiny True Stories to Make You Feel Better About the World. Hugo’s, Montpelier, 7-8 p.m. Free. Info, info@rootstockpublishing.com.

WINE & STORY: Lovers of libations and tellers of tales gather for an evening of good company.

Shelburne Vineyard, 7:30 p.m. $5.

Info, 863-1754.

WED.21

ELL CLASSES: ENGLISH FOR BEGINNERS & INTERMEDIATE STUDENTS: See WED.14.

business

YARN CRAFTERS GROUP: See WED.14.

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.

dance

outdoors

QUEEN CITY BUSINESS NETWORKING INTERNATIONAL GROUP: See WED.14.

crafts

DANCE THEATRE OF HARLEM: The multiethnic troupe performs a forward-thinking repertoire that uses the language of ballet to celebrate Black American culture.

The Flynn, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $35-65. Info, 863-5966.

fairs & festivals

RUTLAND WINTERFEST: See FRI.16, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.

film

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

ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN FILM SERIES: ‘VANISH: DISAPPEARING ICONS OF A RURAL AMERICA’: Photographer Jim Westphalen travels across the country to document rural America’s disappearing structures in this moving documentary. Burlington City Hall Auditorium, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, 865-7166.

‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: See WED.14.

‘GREAT WHITE SHARK 3D’: See WED.14.

‘OCEANS: OUR BLUE PLANET 3D’: See WED.14.

‘TINY GIANTS 3D’: See WED.14.

food & drink

WHAT’S THAT WINE WEDNESDAYS: See WED.14.

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.

health & fitness CHAIR YOGA: See WED.14.

language

BEGINNER IRISH LANGUAGE CLASS: See WED.14.

p.m. Free. Info, info@kellogghubbard. org.

6:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, ytv@vtfolklife. org.

upper valley

TODDLER TIME: See WED.14.

MAGIC OF MAPLE: See SAT.17, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

WED.21

burlington

FAM JAM: Vermont Folklife hosts a tuneful get-together for musicians of all ages and skill levels. BYO instruments.

Fletcher Free Library, Burlington,

GALE’S RETREAT OPEN HOUSE/ FULL MOON CELEBRATION: Visitors learn about the Vermont Huts Association, explore nature at night and make friends around the fire. Birds of Vermont Museum, Huntington, 6-8 p.m. $5-15 suggested donation; preregister. Info, 434-2167.

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. 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Free; preregister. Info, ecogather@ sterlingcollege.edu.

YOUR PODCAST, YOUR WAY: Queen City citizens with something to say learn how to develop, record, conduct interviews for and distribute their own audio show.

The Media Factory, Burlington, 6-8 p.m. Free; donations accepted; preregister. Info, 651-9692.

sports

GREEN MOUNTAIN TABLE TENNIS CLUB: See WED.14.

theater

FARMERS NIGHT: ‘60 YEARS OF BREAD & PUPPET’: Colorful beasts fill the chamber with the spirit of joyful resistance at this birthday party for Vermont’s favorite lefty puppet performance troupe. House Chamber, Vermont Statehouse, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m.

Free. Info, 864-5741.

words

MY VERMONT EYES: ‘WE WEAR THE MASK’: Resident artist Jolivette Anderson-Douoning opens her studio for readings from her work. ADA accessible.

South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 6-7 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140. ➆

out of cardboard tubes and string.

Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 2:30-4 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

BABY SOCIAL TIME: See WED.14.

mad river valley/ waterbury

CACHE IT IF YOU CAN: Kids ages 6 through 10 try storing food for the winter like birds and other creatures do. Ticket includes museum admission.

Birds of Vermont Museum, Huntington, 10-11:30 a.m. $15-35. Info, 434-2167.

TEEN HANGOUT: Middle and high schoolers make friends at a no-pressure meetup. Waterbury Public Library, 3-6 p.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

upper valley

PLAY TIME: See WED.14.

MAGIC OF MAPLE: See SAT.17, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. K

chittenden county

TINKER TIME: MIGHTY MARIONETTE: Crafty kids make an alligator puppet

SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

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MY VT EYES

Come tell your story!

February 16 at 6PM South Burlington Public Library

Opening reception, performances and hands-on art programs with poet and spoken word artist Dr. Jolivet Anderson-Douoning Events with Dr. Jolivet from February 16-April 6 THANKS TO THE VERMONT COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

More information at

southburlingtonlibrary.org contact@clemmonsfamilyfarm.org 6h-southburlingtonpublicalibrary021424.indd 1

2/13/24 2:08 PM

In your heart f orever.

Share the story of your special friend.

Your beloved pet was a part of the family.

Explain how and why in a Seven Days pet memorial. Share your Seven Days Pet Memorials animal’s photo and SPONSORED BY a written remembrance in the Paws Fur-ever Loved section of the at Home newspaper and online. It’s an Mobile Veterinary Hospice & affordable way to acknowledge End of Life Care and celebrate the nonhuman companions in our lives.

Fur-ever

TO SUBMIT A PET MEMORIAL,

classes

in everyday life. Weekly, 7-8:30 p.m., starting the week of Feb. 19. Level 1: Wed. Level 2: Mon. Level 3: Tue. Cost: $200 for 1.5 hour class/week for 10 weeks.

Location: Online. Info: 802-8659985, jasv.org/v2/language.

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.

culinary

kids

BRUNCH CLASS FEATURING COOKING WITH STEPHANIE: Join Janina of Red Poppy Cakery and special guest Chef Stephanie for a delicious experience. Learn how to make the perfect pie crust for a savory galette or rustic breakfast pie to pair with a French toast bread pudding that will make brunch easy and delicious! Sun., Apr. 14, 9 a.m.

Cost: $100. Location: Red Poppy Cakery, 1 Elm St., Waterbury Village Historic Village. Info: 203400-0700, sevendaystickets. com.

CACHE IT IF YOU CAN: Which birds and mammals store food for the winter? What do they eat? Where do they hide it? We’ll all try a little caching ourselves!

For ages 6-10; takes place outdoors. Price includes museum admission. Wed., Feb. 21, 10 a.m.

Cost: $15-35. Location: Birds of Vermont Museum, 900 Sherman Hollow Rd., Huntington. Info: 802-434-2167, 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 six-inch cake that serves 12. You can select your flavor! Glutenfree, vegan or both are available.

Please disclose allergies when registering. Thu., Feb. 15 or Mar. 22, 6 p.m. Cost: $85. Location: Red Poppy Cakery, 1 Elm St., Waterbury Village Historic District. Info: 203-400-0700, sevendaystickets.com.

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!

Beginner’s classes 4 days a week.

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, 802-951-8900, bpincus@burlingtonaikido.org, burlingtonaikido.org.

music TAIKO & DJEMBE CLASSES: Taiko, Tue. & Thu.; Djembe, Wed. 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 on 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: 802-9994255, classes@burlington taiko.org.

CACIO E PEPE & AMARETTI COOKIES: Join Janina of Red Poppy Cakery and special guest Chef Stephanie from Cooking with Stephanie for a delicious experience. Learn how to make fresh pasta served in the Roman specialty with cheese and black pepper.

We’ll finish the night with a sweet treat of almond amaretti cookies! Fri., Mar. 15, 6 p.m. Cost: $100. Location: Red Poppy Cakery, 1 Elm St., Waterbury Village Historic District.

Info: 203-400-0700, janina@redpoppycakery.net, sevendaystickets.com.

COOKBOOK BAKING WORKSHOP: ‘FLOUR’ BY JOANNE CHANG: We’ll tackle a handful of recipes from the book family style, sending everyone home with a full belly, something sweet to share and a copy of Flour by Joanne Chang. In order to order the books in time, registration closes early, so don’t wait too long to confirm your spot.

Tue., Apr. 16, 6 p.m. Cost: $50100. Location: Red Poppy Cakery, 1 Elm St., Waterbury Village Historic District. Info: 203-4000700, sevendaystickets.com.

martial arts

writing

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

ISABEL WILKERSON PRESENTS ‘CASTE: THE ORIGINS OF OUR DISCONTENTS’: In her brilliant book, Isabel Wilkerson gives us a masterful portrait of an unseen phenomenon in America as she explores, through an immersive, deeply researched and beautifully written narrative and stories about real people, how America today and throughout its history has been shaped by a hidden caste system, a rigid hierarchy of human rankings. Sun., Apr. 28, 6 p.m. Cost: $45. Location: Hilton Burlington Lake Champlain. Info: patbw@hotmail.com, sevendaystickets.com.

Find and purchase tickets for these and other classes at sevendaystickets.com.

= TICKETED CLASS

please visit sevendaysvt.com/ petmemorials or scan the QR code.

CLASS PHOTOS + MORE INFO ONLINE SEVENDAYSVT.COM/CLASSES 70

SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

3v-petmemorials021424.indd 1

2/13/24 3:09 PM

COURTESY OF KELLY SCHULZE/MOUNTAIN DOG PHOTOGRAPHY

housing »

APARTMENTS, CONDOS & HOMES

on the road »

CARS, TRUCKS, MOTORCYCLES

pro services »

CHILDCARE, HEALTH/ WELLNESS, PAINTING

buy this stuff »

APPLIANCES, KID STUFF, ELECTRONICS, FURNITURE

music »

INSTRUCTION, CASTING, INSTRUMENTS FOR SALE

jobs »

Humane

Tipsy AGE/SEX: 2-year-old neutered male ARRIVAL DATE: February 7, 2024 SUMMARY: This friendly, social guy is easy to love. He loves making new friends, and he’s not shy about showing his interest. He’s always purring away and rubbing on legs! Tipsy loves cuddles and chin scratches, and his sweet little meows for attention make him impossible to resist. If you think Tipsy could be your new best friend, come meet him at HSCC!

DOGS/CATS/KIDS: Tipsy has previously lived with other cats

Society of Chittenden County

DID YOU KNOW?

If you have a particularly active or restless cat, food puzzles are a great way to keep them entertained and prevent destructive behaviors. Some great options include treat mazes, feeder balls and interactive treat dispensers.

Sponsored by:

and a dog and did well with them. He has no known history with children.

Visit the Humane Society of Chittenden County at 142 Kindness Court, South Burlington, Tuesday through Friday from 1 to 5 p.m. or Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Call 862-0135 or visit hsccvt.org for more info.

NO SCAMS, ALL LOCAL, POSTINGS DAILY

NEW STUFF ONLINE EVERY DAY! PLACE YOUR ADS 24-7 AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM. SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

71

CLASSIFIEDS on the road

CARS/TRUCKS 2010 GMC TERRAIN SLT 103,500 miles. Located in Colchester. No rust.

AWD. Inspected. 6 cylinder. Please text or call 802-355-4099 for more details.

housing

HOUSEMATES HOMESHARE IN THE NNE NNE Burlington home to share w/ professional in her 60s who enjoys animal rights & travel. $550/mo. + dog walking 3 days/

week. Private BA. No additional pets. Call 802-863-5625 or visit homesharevermont. org for application.

Interview, refs. & background checks req.

EHO. SHARE STUNNING CALAIS HOME Share large, beautifully handcrafted home in Calais w/ couple seeking help w/ housecleaning, firewood stacking, gardening & cat sitting. $450/mo. Call 802863-5625 or visit homesharevermont. org for application.

Interview, refs. & background checks req.

EHO.

OFFICE/ COMMERCIAL OFFICE FOR RENT Bright, spacious office for rent in the Richardson Building on Church St. in Burlington, Vt. Perfect for private practice. Seeking psychotherapists.

Shared waiting room w/ 4 other independent practitioners. Please call Michael Schaal, 802-658-9590, ext. 2.

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

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.

Foreclosure: 1568 SF, 3BR/2BA Ranch Style Montpelier Home

LIVE AUCTION: Thursday, March 7 @ 11AM

services

AUTO DONATE YOUR CAR TO CHARITY Running or not! Fast, free pickup. Maximum tax deduction. Support Patriotic Hearts. Your car donation helps veterans! 1-866-5599123. (AAN CAN)

BIZ OPPS

Register & Inspect from 10AM Open House: Tuesday, Feb. 20 from 11AM-1PM 22 Harrison Ave. Montpelier, VT 05602

40’x30’ Commercial Building and 2,703 SF Home on 5.3 Acres in Monkton (Bristol), VT

print deadline: Mondays at 3:30 p.m. post ads online 24/7 at: sevendaysvt.com/classifieds questions? classifieds@sevendaysvt.com 865-1020 x115

DISABILITY BENEFITS You may qualify for disability benefi ts if you are between 52-63 years old & under a doctor’s care for a health condition that prevents you from working for a year or more. Call now!

1-877-247-6750 (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 PROFESSIONAL THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE THERAPY Deep-tissue bodywork.

Steamed towels/ hot packs. 30 years’ experience. Plainfield, Vt. Contact Peter Scott at 802-522-3053 or pscottmbs@gmail.com., pscottmbs.com

LIVE AUCTION: Tuesday, March 12 @ 11AM

VIRTUAL DECLUTTERING COACH Affordable, RFP FOR ARCHITECT SERVICES virtual, group declutRegister & Inspect from 10AM Champlain Housing tering & organizing w/ Trust & Evernorth a decluttering coach Open House: Thursday, Feb. 22 are seeking a pair & KonMari-certified from 11AM-1PM of proposals from organizer. Let go of architectural firms for 654 Bristol Road clutter. Make space for the development & new what matters to you.

Monkton (Bristol), VT 05443 construction of 40 units Visit sparklingandstill. of affordable rental com. Contact: hello@ housing & 30 units of sparklingandstill.com THCAuction.com  800-634-SOLD condominium flats in 2 connected buildings in the Cambrian Rise women-owned, Section neighborhood of 3 businesses & locally AGING ROOF? NEW 1 2/9/24 3:37 PM Burlington, Vt. Qualifi8v-Hirchak021424 ed owned businesses are HOMEOWNER? STORM applicants will have encouraged to apply.

DAMAGE? ADVANCE COPY comparable experience READER WANTED You need a local expert as well as knowledge Vermont-based provider that proudly of affordable housing, novelist seeks select stands behind its work. multifamily & condoadventurous readers Fast, free estimate. minium construction, WEB DESIGN WORK for early-release Financing avail. Call publicly funded projects, TRADE editions of new books.

1-888-292-8225. Have & federal regulations. To Need help designing Post your review to the zip code of the obtain a copy of the RFP, a WordPress domain. your own social media! property ready when including submission Seeking work trade. I Visit cerealnovel.com calling! (AAN CAN) requirements & specific can offer child/animal or contact jkilburn@ project information, care & household help cerealnovel.com.

BATH & SHOWER please contact Jess (cleaning, organization, UPDATES Neubelt at Evernorth at errands, meal prep).

In as little as 1 day! jneubelt@evernorthus.

Other suggestions Affordable prices. No org. Proposals incl. welcome. Call payments for 18 mo. all attachments must 802-461-5238. $10K+ IN DEBT? Lifetime warranty & be submitted by 5 Be debt-free in 24-48 professional installs. p.m. on Friday, Feb. 16, mos. Pay a fraction of Senior & military 2024. Minority-owned, your debt. Call National discounts avail. Call Debt Relief at 844-9771-866-370-2939. (AAN 3935. (AAN CAN) CAN)

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 FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

services: $12 (25 words) fsbos: $45 (2 weeks, 30 words, photo) jobs: michelle@sevendaysvt.com, 865-1020 x121

ENTERTAINMENT

FINANCIAL/LEGAL

sevendaysvt.com

NEED NEW WINDOWS? Drafty rooms? Chipped or damaged frames?

Need outside noise reduction? New, energyefficient windows may be the answer! Call for a consultation & free quote today. 1-877248-9944. You will be asked for the zip code of the property when connecting. (AAN CAN) PEST CONTROL Protect your home from pests safely & affordably. Roaches, bedbugs, rodents, termites, spiders & other pests.

Locally owned & affordable. Call for service or an inspection today! 1-833-237-1199.

(AAN CAN) WATER DAMAGE CLEANUP & RESTORATION A small amount of water can lead to major damage & mold growth in your home. Our trusted professionals do complete repairs to protect your family & your home’s value! Call 24-7: 1-888-290-2264 Have zip code of service location ready when you call! (AAN CAN)

HOME/GARDEN

COMPUTER

Say you saw it in...

running quickly! Also, key reproductions, lock installs & repairs, vehicle fobs. Call us for your home, commercial & auto locksmith needs!

1-833-237-1233. (AAN CAN)

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) LOCKSMITH 24-7 We are there when you need us for home & car lockouts. We’ll get you back up &

buy this stuff

restore. Parts, panels, engines, cars. Any year, 1950-1998. Contact 802-391-0882.

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

BANDS/ MUSICIANS BLACK CROWES TRIBUTE BAND! Join Vermont’s top Black Crowes tribute band, Sting Me! Seeking musicians: guitar, keys, drums, vocals, horns.

Commitment & rock spirit essential! Visit stingmevt.com for info.

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.

MISCELLANEOUS DIRECTV SATELLITE TV Service starting at $74.99/mo.! Free install.

160+ channels avail.

Call now to get the most sports & entertainment on TV. 877-310-2472.

(AAN CAN)

PETS GERMAN SHEPHERD PUPPIES 12-week-old AKC East German shepherd puppies looking for a home.

2 bicolor males, 1 sable male. Call or text for more info, 802-873-1636

WANT TO BUY PORSCHE WANTED Old & rusty OK! Don’t ship to Germany; keep in Vermont!

I’ll buy anything &

art

AUDITIONS/ CASTING FIDDLER ON THE ROOF Local auditions will be held for Fiddler on the Roof on Feb. 25, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Monument Arts & Cultural Center, 44 Gypsy Ln., Bennington.

Performance dates: Apr. 26-28 at MAC Center. Info & sign-up for audition time: monumentcentervt.org.

Email: monumentcentervt@gmail.com.

LEGALS »

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BY JOSH REYNOLDS

SUDOKU

4

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.74 ★ = MODERATE ★★ = CHALLENGING ★★★ = HOO, BOY!

Guess today’s 5-letter word.

Hint: It’s in the news!

crossword

FOURTH-ESTATE FANTASY ANSWERS ON P. 74

»

SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

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Legal Notices OFFICIAL WARNING ANNUAL TOWN MEETING MARCH 5, 2024 RICHMOND, VERMONT The legal voters of the Town of Richmond Vermont and the legal voters of the Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District residing in Richmond are hereby notified and warned to meet at Camels Hump Middle School, in said Town, on Tuesday, March 5, 2024 at 9 AM to transact the following articles: The voters are further warned to meet at Camels Hump Middle School, in said Town, on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, where the polls will be open at 7:00 am in the forenoon and close at 7:00 pm in the afternoon to vote the following by Australian ballot: Town Officers and MMUUSD School Directors Article 1. To elect school and town officers for terms posted on ballot.

(To be voted by Australian ballot) Article 2. To hear and accept reports of the Town Officers.

Article 3. Shall the voters of the Town of Richmond approve a budget of $4,819,779.00 to meet the expenses and liabilities of the Town of Richmond in Fiscal Year 2025?

Article 4. Shall the voters of Richmond vote to appropriate $500.00 to Vermont Family Network to provide support to Richmond families with children with special needs, such amount being reasonably necessary for the support thereof?

Article 5. Shall the voters of Richmond vote to appropriate $3,500.00 to Age Well to provide support and guidance to town residents aged 60 years and older, such amount being reasonably necessary for the support thereof?

Article 6. Shall the voters of Richmond vote to appropriate $375.00 to VT Center for Independent

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

Living for providing services to enhance the lives of town residents with disabilities, such amount being reasonably necessary for the support thereof?

Article 7. Shall the voters of Richmond vote to appropriate $1,000.00 to The Committee on Temporary Shelter to provide emergency shelter, services, and housing for town residents who are homeless or marginally housed, such amount being reasonably necessary for the support thereof?

Article 8. Shall the voters of Richmond vote to appropriate $3,000.00 to Our Community Cares Camp to provide enrichment and food services to children, internship opportunities for youth, job training, and development for young adults for town residents, such amount being reasonably necessary for the support thereof?

Article 9. Shall the voters of Richmond vote to appropriate $1,500.00 to Steps to End Domestic Violence for assisting town residents who have been affected physically, sexually, emotionally, or economically by domestic abuse in the transition to a safe, independent life, such amount being reasonably necessary for the support thereof?

Article 10. Shall the voters of Richmond vote to appropriate $5,000.00 to Turning Point Center of Chittenden County to provide to town residents an inclusive compassionate community supporting those on multiple paths to recovery through peer-driven services in a safe, substance-free environment, such amount being reasonably necessary for the support thereof?

Article 11 Shall the voters of Richmond vote to appropriate $1,885.00 to HOPE Works for their work to end all forms of sexual violence to town residents, such amount being reasonably necessary for the support thereof?

Article 12. Shall the voters authorize renovating and making capital improvements to the Town Center building to address conditions affecting user health and safety concerns (i.e., deteriorating windows, electrical and HVAC systems, emergency

egress deficiencies, and the absence of a sprinkler system) and to bring the building into compliance with flood-related zoning regulations, and to issue notes or other debt instruments in an amount not to exceed Nine Million, Eight Hundred Forty-One Thousand, Six Hundred Three and 00/100 Dollars ($9,841,603.00) and for a term not to exceed thirty (30) years (the “Project”), subject to reduction by grants in aid and other state and federal funds then available to the Town for this purpose? (To be voted by Australian ballot) Article 13. Shall the Town of Richmond vote to approve funding the Conservation Reserve Fund by adding one cent to the municipal tax rate in the 2024-2025 fiscal year? (To be voted by Australian ballot) Advisory Article 14. Shall the Town of Richmond investigate developing housing on the Town owned property of Browns Ct.?

Article 15. To transact any other Town business that may come legally before this meeting.

Richmond Select Board: Jay Furr, Chairperson; Bard Hill; David Sander, Vice Chair; Jeffrey Forward; Lisa Miller.

Received for record this 18th day of January 2024.

Linda M. Parent, CVC, Town Clerk SPECIAL NOTES Requests for early voter absentee ballots will be accepted in the Town Clerk’s Office until NOON on March 1, 2024 Richmond Select Board: The legal voters of the Town of Richmond are warned and notified that an informational meeting will be held at Richmond Town Center in the Town of Richmond on Monday, February 26, 2024 commencing at 7:00 PM for the purpose of explaining the 2024-2025 proposed budget and Australian ballot items. This meeting may also be attended online or by phone: Join Zoom Meeting Online: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87155105423?pwd=W U81V1g1eXZVaTR3U2gvaVVndXJpUT09 Join by Phone: +1 929 205 6099

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Meeting ID: 871 5510 5423 Passcode: 025372 WARNING CHAMPLAIN VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT ANNUAL MEETING MARCH 4, 2024 AND MARCH 5, 2024 The legal voters of the Champlain Valley School District, are hereby notified and warned to meet at the Champlain Valley Union High School Room 160 in the Town of Hinesburg at five o’clock (5:00pm) in the evening on March 4, 2024, to transact any of the following business not involving voting by Australian ballot, and to conduct an informational hearing with respect to Articles of business to be considered by Australian ballot on March 5, 2024.

Virtual Zoom participation details: https://cvsdvtorg.zoom.us/j/82796942094 Meeting ID: 827 9694 2094 Passcode: cvsd11. Zoom Meeting phone participation: 1-646-876-9923 Passcode: 049722 ARTICLE I: To elect a moderator, clerk and treasurer.

ARTICLE II: To hear and act upon the reports of the school district officers.

ARTICLE III: Shall the voters of the Champlain Valley School District authorize the Board of School Directors to borrow money by issuance of bonds or notes not in excess of anticipated revenues for the next fiscal year?

ARTICLE IV: Shall the voters of the Champlain Valley School District authorize the Board of School Directors to provide a mailed notice of availability of the Annual Report to residents in lieu of distributing the Annual Report?

ARTICLE V: To establish the date of the Champlain Valley School District Annual Meeting of Monday, March 3, 2025 at 5pm at CVU High School and recessed and opened back up at Australian ballot voting on Town Meeting Day. ARTICLE VI: To transact any other business proper to come before the meeting.

BALLOT QUESTIONS The legal voters of the Champlain Valley School District, are hereby notified and warned to meet at their respective polling places on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, at seven o’clock in the forenoon (7:00am), at which time the polls will open, and seven o’clock in the afternoon (7:00pm), at which time the polls will close, to vote by Australian ballot on the following articles of business: ARTICLE VII: Shall the voters of the Champlain Valley School District approve the expenditure by the Board of School Directors of the sum of One Hundred Five Million, Eight Hundred One Thousand, One Hundred Eighty Five Dollars ($105,801,185) which is the amount the Board of School Directors has determined to be necessary for the ensuing fiscal year commencing July 1, 2024?

ARTICLE VIII: Shall general obligation bonds or notes of the Champlain Valley School District in an amount not to exceed Three Hundred Ninety-Five Thousand Dollars ($395,000), subject to reduction from the application of available state and federal grants-in-aid and reserves, be issued for the purpose of financing the cost of purchasing three (3) school buses, the aggregate cost of such purchases is estimated to cost Three Hundred Ninety-Five Thousand Dollars ($395,000)?

(1547) COINS, JEWELRY, ANTIQUES, COLLECTIBLES, FURNITURE & TOOLS

Over 600 Lots!

Online Auction Closes: Tuesday, February 20th @ 10AM

**Preview: February 15 from 11AM-1PM** 1878 Cadys Falls Rd., Morrisville, VT

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SEVENDAYSVT.COM/CLASSIFIEDS ARTICLE IX: Shall the voters of the Champlain Valley School District authorize the Board of School Directors to allocate its current fund balance, without effect upon the District tax levy, of Three Million, Two Hundred Seventy-Five Thousand, Five Hundred Forty-Seven Dollars ($3,275,547) as revenue for future budgets?

ARTICLE X: Shall general obligation bonds or notes of Champlain Valley School District in an amount not to exceed Three Million, Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($3,500,000), subject to reduction from the application of available state and federal grants-in-aid and reserves, be issued for the purpose of financing the cost of making certain public school building improvements, namely (1) Charlotte Central School building mechanical, electrical, paving and energy efficiency upgrades ($1,450,000), (2) Champlain Valley Union High School grounds and building repairs and replacements ($50,000), (3) Shelburne Community School building and grounds repairs, electrical and HVAC and upgrades ($1,900,000), (4) Williston Central School flooring ($50,000), and (5) Allen Brook School fire alarm system ($50,000), the aggregate cost of such improvements estimated to be Three Million, Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($3,500,000). State funds may not be available at the time these projects are otherwise eligible to receive state school construction aid. The District is responsible for all costs incurred in connection with any borrowing done in anticipation of the receipt of school construction aid.

POLLING PLACES Charlotte Charlotte Town Hall Hinesburg Hinesburg Town Hall Shelburne Shelburne Town Center – Gymnasium Williston Williston Armory St. George St. George Town Hall Ballots shall be transported and delivered to the Champlain Valley Union High School in the Town of Hinesburg and there commingled and counted by members of the Boards of Civil Authority of several towns under the supervision of the District Clerk of the Champlain Valley School District.

The legal voters of the Champlain Valley School District are further notified that voter qualification, registration and absentee/early voting relative to said annual meeting shall be as provided in Section 706u of Title 16, and Chapters 43, 51 and 55 of Title 17, Vermont Statutes Annotated.

Adopted and approved at a duly noticed, called and held meeting of the Board of School Directors of the Champlain Valley School District on January 23, 2024. Received for record and recorded in the records of the Champlain Valley School District on January 23, 2024.

ATTEST: Lynne T. Jaunich, District Clerk; Angela M. Arsenault, Chairperson THE CONTENTS OF STORAGE UNIT 01-4409, LOCATED AT 28 ADAMS DRIVE WILLISTON, VT, 05495 Will be sold on or about the 22nd of February 2024 to satisfy the debt of Georgia Bessette. 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 02-00115, 020228, 02-00313,02-00316, 02-00320 LOCATED AT 48 INDUSTRIAL AVE, WILLISTON, VT, 05495 Will be sold on or about the 22nd of February 2024 to satisfy the debt of aaaron 24-hour locksmith .

Any person claiming a right to the goods may pay the amount claimed due and reasonable expenses before the sale, in which case the sale may not occur.

TOWN OF JERICHO PUBLIC HEARING BUDGET & CAPITAL BUDGET On Monday, February 26th at 6:00 pm, the Selectboard will hold a public hearing to solicit comments on the proposed FY25 Budget & Capital Budget. The public is invited to attend and offer comments on the proposed budget. Copies may be viewed on the Towns website at www.jerichovt.org.

Join via zoom meeting online: https://us02web. zoom.us/j/86345523828?pwd=Z1hWT2twQ08wW mIxZHJVdFcrQkQ4QT09

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Join by Phone: +1 929 205 6099 Meeting ID: 863 4552 3828 Password: 798650 STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT PROBATE DIVISION CHITTENDEN UNIT DOCKET NO.:​24-PR-0534 In re ESTATE of Katherine Seaton NOTICE TO CREDITORS To the creditors of: Katherine Seaton, late of Essex Junction, Vermont I have been appointed to administer this estate. All creditors having claims against the decedent or the estate must present their claims in writing within four (4) months of the date of the first publication of this notice. The claim must be presented to me at the address listed below with a copy sent to the Court. The claim may be barred forever if it is not presented within the four (4) month period.

Dated: February 6, 2024 Signature of Fiduciary: /s/ Carolyn Seaton Executor/Administrator: Carolyn Seaton, 20 Dunbar Street, Essex Junction, VT 05452 Phone: 802-557-7762 Email: ctseaton3@yahoo.com Name of Publication: Seven Days Publication Date: 02/14/2024 Name of Probate Court: State of Vermont Chittenden Probate Division Address of Probate Court: 175 Main Street , Burlington, VT 05401 WARNING OF THE 101ST ANNUAL WINOOSKI CITY MEETING The legal voters of Winooski are hereby warned and notified to meet at the Winooski School District Auditorium on March 4, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. to discuss Article Four & Article Five and Article Eight to conduct an informational hearing on the Australian Ballot questions. A public hearing will coincide with the informational meeting to discuss Article Six and Article Seven. The meeting to be adjourned and to reconvene at the Winooski Senior Center, 123 Barlow Street on Tuesday, March 5, 2024 to transact any business involving voting

by Australian Ballot to begin at 7:00 o’clock in the morning and to close at 7:00 o’clock in the evening.

The legal voters of the City of Winooski are further notified that voter qualification, registration, and absentee voting relative to said meeting shall be as provided in Title 17 V.S.A. Chapters 43, 51 and 55. In addition, Act No. M-6 (H.227) Article One To elect a (1) Mayor for a term of three (3) years.

Article Two To elect (2) City Councilors for a term of two (2) years each.

Article Three To elect (1) Champlain Water District Commissioner for a three (3) year term Article Four- City Budget Shall the voters of the City of Winooski approve the budget for the Fiscal Year 2025 in the amount of Ten Million Nine Hundred Eighty-One Thousand Eighty-Six dollars and Seven cents ($10,981,086.07). The amount to be raised from property taxes is Eight Million Three Hundred Nine Thousand Five Hundred Forty-Six dollars and Thirty-Five cents ($8,309,546.35).

Article Five Shall the City Council be authorized to apply for and accept funds from sources other than property taxation, and to expend the same for the benefit of the City in addition to sums for which budget appropriation has been made? (Approval of this article will not impact property taxes.)

Article Six - Bond Vote Shall the voters approve the use of up to $515,000 of the unexpended proceeds of the City’s 2020 Capital Improvement Bond (Hickok Street Water Line and Reconstruction Project) to finance

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construction of improvements for capital improvements for the City’s public infrastructure, including improvements to City streets, traffic control and landscape elements, sidewalk, and road improvements, including costs of planning, design, construction, and reconstruction?

Article Seven - Bond Vote Shall the bonds or notes or other indebtedness of the City of Winooski in a principal amount not to exceed Four Million Six Hundred Thousand Dollars ($4,600,000), be issued for the purpose of the planning, design and construction of improvements for the City, known as the Burlington-Winooski Bridge Project, consisting of planning, design, construction and relocation or reconstruction of the bridge across the Winooski River between the City and the City of Burlington, including environmental remediation and improvements for traffic, bike path and pedestrian use, traffic control and related park improvements, and for a term not to exceed 30 years, with the understanding that if the City secures funds from other sources for the Burlington-Winooski Bridge Project, it could issue such bonds or notes to pay for improvements for the two Rail Bridges?

Article Eight - Champlain Water District Shall Three Million Two Hundred Thousand dollars ($3,200,000.00) of unexpended infrastructure bond proceeds authorized at the September 13, 2022, special meeting of the Champlain Water District be expended for the implementation of a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (‘SCADA”) upgrade, the cost thereof estimated to be Three Million Two Hundred Thousand dollars ($3,200,000.00)?

Dated at Winooski, Vermont this 22 of January, 2024 Mayor Kristine Lott Deputy Mayor Thomas Renner Councilor Bryn Oakleaf Councilor Aurora Hurd Councilr Charles Judge PROPOSED STATE RULES By law, public notice of proposed rules must be given by publication in newspapers of record. The purpose of these notices is to give the public a chance to respond to the proposals. The public notices for administrative rules are now also available online at https://secure.vermont.gov/ SOS/rules/ . The law requires an agency to hold a public hearing on a proposed rule, if requested to do so in writing by 25 persons or an association having at least 25 members.

To make special arrangements for individuals with disabilities or special needs please call or write the contact person listed below as soon as possible.

To obtain further information concerning any scheduled hearing(s), obtain copies of proposed rule(s) or submit comments regarding proposed rule(s), please call or write the contact person listed below. You may also submit comments in writing to the Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules, State House, Montpelier, Vermont 05602 (802-828-2231).

Reach First Rules.

Vermont Proposed Rule: 24P008 AGENCY: Agency of Human Services, Department for Children and Families CONCISE SUMMARY: The Reach First program provides cash assistance for up to four months to families experiencing a short-term crisis. The Reach First rules govern the eligibility criteria for the Reach First program. A family that meets eligibility criteria for Reach Up financial assistance (Vermont’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program) and has needs that can be fully addressed by Reach First payments and support services may be eligible for Reach First.

The proposed rule reorganizes and renumbers the rules to conform to a standard outline format, updates terminology, updates statutory references, and replaces deficit-based language with strengths-based language (for example, using the term “engagement” instead of “compliance”).

To conform to Act 133 of 2022, the proposed rule replaces references to the “Reach Up work requirement” with “federal work requirement” and eliminates provisions regarding work-requirement

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based referrals to other programs and mandatory participation in Reach First.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Heidi Moreau, Agency of Human Services, Department for Children and Families, 280 State Drive, NOB 1 North, Waterbury, VT 05671 Tel: 802-595-9639 Email: heidi.moreau@vermont.gov URL: https:// dcf.vermont.gov/esd/laws-rules/proposed.

FOR COPIES: Amanda Beliveau, Agency of Human Services, Department for Children and Families, 280 State Drive, HC 1 South, Waterbury, VT 05671 Tel: 802-241-0641 Email: amanda.beliveau@ vermont.gov.

Reach Up Services Rules.

Vermont Proposed Rule: 24P009 AGENCY: Agency of Human Services, Department for Children and Families CONCISE SUMMARY: The Reach Up program provides cash assistance and support services to low-income families. The Reach Up Services rules govern participation requirements for families receiving Reach Up financial assistance. Act 133 of 2022 substantially changed the Reach Up program by replacing the requirement for participants to engage in designated work activities for a set number of hours based on the family’s composition with participant requirements that employ a universal engagement model that identifies participants’ strengths and needs and develops individualized plans, considering their unique circumstances to help them move toward their goals. This rule implements these changes by removing all references to the work requirement, work requirement hours, and related criteria and replacing the work requirement structure with “Reach Up participant requirements” that includes the list of activities outlined in Act 133 and updates language to reflect the universal engagement model.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Heidi Moreau, Agency of Human Services, Department for Children and Families, 280 State Drive, NOB 1 North, Waterbury, VT 05671 Tel: 802-595-9639 Email: heidi.moreau@vermont.gov URL: https:// dcf.vermont.gov/esd/laws-rules/proposed.

FOR COPIES: Amanda Beliveau, Agency of Human Services, Department for Children and Families, 280 State Drive, HC 1 South, Waterbury, VT 05671 Tel: 802-241-0641 Email: amanda.beliveau@ vermont.gov.

Reach Up Eligibility Rules.

Vermont Proposed Rule: 24P010 AGENCY: Agency of Human Services, Department for Children and Families CONCISE SUMMARY: The Reach Up program provides cash assistance and support services to low- income families. The Reach Up Eligibility rules govern the eligibility criteria for the Reach Up program. The proposed rule implements changes to Reach Up eligibility criteria required by Act 133 of 2022, including increasing the age of an eligible child attending school from 19 to 22; increasing the child support pass through amount from $50 to $100, and increasing the earned income disregard from $250 to $350. The proposed rule also updates outstanding uses of terms such as “failure” and “compliance” that were not updated in the previous cycle of rulemaking; adds language to rule 2253(10) clarifying that financial assistance from poverty reduction programs is excluded; and inserts language regarding the proration of benefit payments that was inadvertently stricken from the rule in the previous cycle of rulemaking.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Heidi Moreau, Agency of Human Services, Department for Children and Families, 280 State Drive, NOB 1 North, Waterbury, VT 05671 Tel: 802-595-9639 Email: heidi.moreau@vermont.gov URL: https:// dcf.vermont.gov/esd/laws-rules/proposed.

FOR COPIES: Amanda Beliveau, Agency of Human Services, Department for Children and Families, 280 State Drive, HC 1 South, Waterbury, VT 05671 Tel: 802-241-0641 Email: amanda.beliveau@ vermont.gov.

Postsecondary Education Program Rules.

Vermont Proposed Rule: 24P011 AGENCY: Agency of Human Services, Department for Children and Families CONCISE SUMMARY: The Postsecondary Education (PSE) program provides financial assistance, case

LEGALS » SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

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Legal Notices [CONTINUED] management, and support services to assist parents in eligible low-income families to obtain two- or four-year postsecondary undergraduate degrees. The proposed rule reorganizes and renumbers the rules to conform to a standard outline format, updates terminology, updates statutory references, and replaces deficit-based language with strengths-based language (for example, using the term “engagement” instead of “compliance”).

The proposed rule also includes amendments to align with changes to the PSE program made by Act 133 of 2022, such as updating the definition of “dependent child,” allowing two parents to participate in the PSE program at the same time, and replacing references to the Reach Up work requirement with federal work requirement.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Heidi Moreau, Agency of Human Services, Department for Children and Families, 280 State Drive, NOB 1 North, Waterbury, VT 05671 Tel: 802-595-9639 Email: heidi.moreau@vermont.gov URL: https:// dcf.vermont.gov/esd/laws-rules/proposed.

FOR COPIES: Amanda Beliveau, Agency of Human Services, Department for Children and Families, 280 State Drive, HC 1 South, Waterbury, VT 05671 Tel: 802-241-0641 Email: amanda.beliveau@ vermont.gov.

PUBLIC HEARING WINOOSKI Tuesday, February 20, 2024 at 6:00 PM Winooski City Hall 27 W. Allen Street, Winooski, VT 05404 The Winooski City Council will hold a Public Hearing on Tuesday, February 20, 2024 at 6:00 PM at Winooski City Hall (27 W. Allen Street) in the Claire Burke Council Chambers to consider the adoption of Chapter 28 Fees pursuant to Section 19-401 of the Charter of the City of Winooski, this Chapter of Ordinance shall be adopted to (1) Add extension and short-term options for sidewalk permits (2)Add of short-term rental license fees (3) Increase non-resident fees for garden, pool, library and facility rentals (4) Add a rubric and rate structure for community service programs (5) Add fees for frequently requested parking services such as group event parking and the blocking of paid parking spaces (6) Other clerical updates for clarification or to correct previous errors.

PUBLIC HEARING WINOOSKI Tuesday, February 20, 2024 at 6:00 PM Winooski City Hall 27 W. Allen Street Winooski, VT 05404 The Winooski City Council will hold a Public Hearing on Tuesday, February 20, 2024 at 6:00 PM at Winooski City Hall (27 W. Allen Street) in the Claire Burke Council Chambers to introduce the amendments to Chapter 17, Public Buildings, to regulate Short-Term Rentals pursuant to Section 19-401 of the Charter of the City of Winooski.

Jenny Willingham, City Clerk WARNING- TOWN OF JERICHO, VERMONT Bond vote at Annual Town Meeting March, 5, 2024 The legal voters of Jericho, Vermont are hereby notified and warned to meet on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, to vote on the following article by Australian Ballot at the Mount Mansfield Union High School in said town of Jericho. Polls for voting by Australian ballot will be open on Tuesday, March 5th, 2024, at the Mount Mansfield Union High School from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., at which time the polls will close.

ARTICLE XIII Shall general obligation bonds or notes of the Town of Jericho in an amount not to exceed Four Million, One Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($4,150,000.00) be issued under Chapter 53 of Title 24, Vermont Statutes Annotated, payable from the Town’s general fund, derived from the taxation of real property for a period not to exceed thirty years, and subject to reduction by available grants-in-aid or other

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SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

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

funding sources, be issued to finance the cost of constructing certain improvements to the Town Maintenance Facility (the Project)?

Dated this 29th day of January 2024 at Jericho Vermont.

Jericho Select Board Catherine McMains Joseph Flynn Erik Johnson The legal voters of the Town of Jericho are further notified that a public informational meeting will be held on Monday, February 26th, 2024 at the Jericho Town Hall at 6pm, to discuss the bond issue proposition and explain the proposed Project and the financing thereof. Zoom link will be available on the Jericho Town Website, JerichoVT.org NORTHSTAR SELF STORAGE WILL BE HAVING A PUBLIC AND ONLINE SALE/AUCTION FOR THE FOLLOWING STORAGE UNITS ON FEBRUARY 22, 2024, AT 9:00 AM Northstar Self Storage will be having a public and online sale/auction on February 22, 2024 at 9am EST at 130 Taconic Business Park, Manchester Center, VT 05255 (Unit M203), 681 Rockingham Road, Rockingham, VT 05151 (Units R19, R55, R67), 205 VT-4A West, Castleton VT 05735 (3-10, 3-32, 3-37) and 1124 Charlestown Road, Springfield, VT 05156 (Units S56, S72, S108, S131) 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 M203 Corey Hazelton Household Goods 2 R19 Laura Lockerby Household Goods 3 R55 Mitchell Pike Household Goods 4 R67 Melinda Bussino Household Goods 5 3-37 Thomas Amerio Household Goods 7 3-10 James Burch Household Goods 8 3-32 Beverly Burch Household Goods 9 S56 Helena Bundy Household Goods 10 S72 Desiray Bemis Household Goods 11 S108 Bobbie Bennet Household Goods 12 S131 Amy Dacharme Household Goods NOTICE OF SELF-STORAGE LIEN SALE Chimney Corners Self Storage 76 Gonyeau Road, Milton VT 05403 Notice is hereby given that the contents of the self-storage units listed below will be sold at public auction by sealed bid. This sale is being held to collect unpaid storage unit occupancy fees, charges, and expenses of the sale. The entire contents of each self-storage unit listed below will be sold, with the proceeds to be distributed to Chimney Corners Self Storage for all accrued occupancy fees (rent charges), late payment fees, sale expenses, and all other expenses in relation to the unit and its sale.

Contents of each unit may be viewed on February 28th, commencing at 10:00am. Sealed bids are to be submitted on the entire contents of each selfstorage unit. Bids will be opened one half hour after the last unit has been viewed on February 28th. The highest bidder on the storage unit must remove the entire contents of the unit within 48 hours after notification of their successful bid. Purchase must be made in cash and paid in advance of the removal of the contents of the unit. A $50 cash deposit shall be made and will be refunded if the unit is broom cleaned. Chimney Corners Self Storage reserves the right to accept or reject bids. The contents of the following tenant’s self-storage units will be included in this sale: James Brigham, Unit 609 STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT PROBATE DIVISION CHITTENDEN UNIT DOCKET NO.23-PR-02891:​ In re ESTATE of Joan Ann Powell NOTICE TO CREDITORS To the creditors of: Joan Ann Powell, late of Colchester, Vermont I have been appointed to administer this estate. All creditors having claims against the decedent or the estate must present their claims in writing within

four (4) months of the date of this publication of this notice. The claim must be presented to me at the address listed below with a copy sent to the Court. The claim may be barred forever if it is not presented within the four (4) month period.

Dated: February 6, 2024 Signature of Fiduciary: /s/ Harry C. Parker, Esq.

Please send all comments via email to Cindy.

Blondin@vermont.gov or mail to Cindy Blondin, Grants Management Analyst, Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development, 1 National Life Drive, Davis Building, 6th Floor, Montpelier, VT 05620 by 4:30 p.m. on Friday, March 1, 2024.

Executor/Administrator: Harry C. Parker, Esq. Administrator Bauer Gravel Farnham, LLP 38 Community Lane South Hero, VT 05486 email: hparker@vtlawoffices.com

Avis Public Le Département du logement et du développement communautaire (DHCD) de l’État du Vermont sollicite l’avis des parties prenantes sur le deuxième amendement au plan d’action du programme de logement de rétablissement du Vermont (RHP) qui doit être soumis au Département américain du logement et du développement urbain (HUD). pour l’allocation de 991 106 $ du programme de logement de rétablissement pour l’exercice 23. L’État du Vermont s’est vu attribuer des fonds RHP pour les exercices 20 à 23, destinés à être utilisés pour répondre aux besoins de logements de transition pour les personnes se remettant d’un trouble lié à l’usage de substances dans l’État. Le plan d’action RHP définit les priorités pour l’utilisation d’environ 3,3 millions de dollars de fonds fédéraux fournis à l’État.

Name of Publication: Seven Days Publication Date: February 14, 2024 Name of Probate Court: State of Vermont Chittenden Probate Division Address of Probate Court: 175 Main Street , Burlington, VT 05401 STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT PROBATE DIVISION CHITTENDEN UNIT DOCKET NO.:​24-PR-00482 In re ESTATE of Harold E. Riley JR. NOTICE TO CREDITORS To the creditors of: Harold E. Riley, Jr. late of Colchester I have been appointed to administer this estate.

All creditors having claims against the decedent or the estate must present their claims in writing within four (4) months of the date of the first publication of this notice. The claim must be presented to me at the address listed below with a copy sent to the Court. The claim may be barred forever if it is not presented within the four (4) month period.

Dated: February 7, 2024 Signature of Fiduciary: /s/ Launa L. Slater Executor/Administrator: Shawn Riley, c/o Launa L. Slater, Wiener & Slater, PLLC, 110 Main Street, Suite 4F, Burlington, VT 05401 Phone: 802-863-1836 Email: launa@wsvtlaw.com Name of Publication: Seven Days Publication Date: 2/14/2024 Name of Probate Court: State of Vermont Chittenden Probate Division Address of Probate Court: 175 Main Street , Burlington, VT 05401 THE ENOSBURGH-RICHFORD UUSD has established pre-qualification criteria that contractors should meet to be included on a list of bidders for the installation of a pellet boiler system at Richford High School. Qualification statements are due no later than 3:00 PM, March 8, 2024. For a copy of the criteria and submission instructions, please contact Brad Noviski (Bnoviski@nebiomass. com; 518-645-4559).

PUBLIC NOTICE The State of Vermont’s Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) is seeking input from stakeholders on the Second Amendment to the Vermont Recovery Housing Program Action Plan (RHP) that is to be submitted to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the Recovery Housing Program’s FY23 allocation of $991,106. The State of Vermont has been allocated RHP funds for FY20-FY23 that are intended to be used to address the needs of transitional housing for people recovering from substance use disorder in the State. The RHP Action Plan outlines priorities for the use of approximately $3.3 million in federal funds being provided to the State.

The Second Amendment can be found on DHCD’s website at: https://accd.vermont.gov/ community-development/funding-incentives/ vcdp/recovery-housing-program.

Le deuxième amendement peut être consulté sur le site Web du DHCD à l’adresse: https://accd.vermont.gov/communitydevelopment/funding-incentives/vcdp/ recovery-housing-program.

Veuillez envoyer tous vos commentaires par courrier électronique à Cindy.Blondin@vermont.gov ou par courrier à Cindy Blondin, analyste de la gestion des subventions, Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development, 1 National Life Drive, Davis Building, 6th Floor, Montpelier, VT 05620 par 4 : 30 heures le vendredi 1er mars 2024.

Noticia Pública El Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Comunitario (DHCD) del Estado de Vermont está solicitando comentarios de las partes interesadas sobre la Segunda Enmienda al Plan de Acción del Programa de Recuperación de Vivienda (RHP) de Vermont que se presentará al Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano (HUD) de EE. UU. para la asignación del año fiscal 23 del Programa de Vivienda de Recuperación de $991,106. Al estado de Vermont se le han asignado fondos RHP para los años fiscales 20-23 que están destinados a abordar las necesidades de viviendas de transición para las personas que se recuperan de un trastorno por uso de sustancias en el estado. El Plan de Acción de RHP describe las prioridades para el uso de aproximadamente $3,3 millones en fondos federales que se proporcionan al Estado.

La Segunda Enmienda se puede encontrar en el sitio web del DHCD en: https://accd.vermont.gov/ community-development/funding-incentives/ vcdp/recovery-housing-program.

Envíe todos los comentarios por correo electrónico a Cindy.Blondin@vermont.gov o por correo a Cindy Blondin, analista de gestión de subvenciones, Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Comunitario de Vermont, 1 National Life Drive, Davis Building, 6th Floor, Montpelier, VT 05620 antes de las 4: 30 p.m. el viernes 1 de marzo de 2024.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL CHAMPLAIN VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT MULTI-TIERED SYSTEM OF SUPPORT Attention Coaches and Consultants! The Champlain Valley School District (CVSD) invites you to help us make positive change in our educational community. Seize the opportunity to make a lasting impact by submitting a proposal on our Request for Proposal - CVSD Multi-Tiered System of Support.

CVSD is on a mission to elevate the well-being of our students and staff through the implementation of Restorative Practices (RP) and Trauma-Informed Practices. We are seeking qualified consultants to join us in creating a comprehensive framework that nurtures a positive and supportive school environment, especially in

SEVENDAYSVT.COM/CLASSIFIEDS response to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The scope of work includes: training staff in Restorative Practices and Trauma-Informed Practices; assisting staff in implementing RP into classrooms; providing on-going coaching in RP; and, assisting our newly trained staff to train others. The period of service is March – September, 2024.

Interested parties should contact Evan Sivo at esivo@cvsdvt.org for a copy of the Request for Proposal for bid specifications and submission requirements, or may obtain a copy at the CVSD website at www.cvsdvt.org on the Services tab.

Proposals are due to Evan by Friday, February 23, 2024 at 2:00 pm.

THE CONTENTS OF STORAGE UNITS: Will be sold on or about the 2nd of March 2024 at 10:00 am to satisfy debt. 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.

Unit #, Name, Description 99 Michael Whitney Household Goods 47 James Savard Household Goods 42 Jennifer Burnor Household Goods 16 Serina Shows Household Goods

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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.

AL-ANON For families & friends of alcoholics. Phone meetings, electronic

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STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT PROBATE DIVISION CHITTENDEN UNIT DOCKET NO.:​2 4-PR-00442

STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT PROBATE DIVISION FRANKLIN UNIT DOCKET NO.:​23-PR-07014

In re ESTATE of Jerome Meunier NOTICE TO CREDITORS To the creditors of: Jerome Meunier, late of Milton I have been appointed to administer this estate. All creditors having claims against the decedent or the estate must present their claims in writing within four (4) months of the date of the first publication of this notice. The claim must be presented to me at the address listed below with a copy sent to the Court. The claim may be barred forever if it is not presented within the four (4) month period.

Dated: February 11, 2024 Signature of Fiduciary: /s/ Rebecca Rocheleau Executor/Administrator: Rebecca Rocheleau, Co-Exec, c/o Tim Hurlbut, Esq., 375 Lake Road, Suite 2A, St. Albans, VT 05478 Phone: 802-527-7200 Email: tim@vtlaw.us Name of Publication: Seven Days Publication Date: 02/14/2024 Name of Probate Court: State of Vermont Chittenden Probate Division Address of Probate Court: 175 Main Street , Burlington, VT 05401

In re: ESTATE of John Langlois NOTICE TO CREDITORS To the creditors of: John H. Langlois, late of Colchester, Vermont.

I have been appointed to administer this estate. All creditors having claims against the decedent or the estate must present their claims in writing within four (4) months of the date of the first publication of this notice. The claim must be presented to me at the address listed below with a copy sent to the Court. The claim may be barred forever if it is not presented within the four (4) month period.

Dated: February 12, 2024 Signature of Fiduciary: /s/ Corey F. Wood Executor/Administrator: Corey F. Wood, 34 Pearl Street, Essex Junction, VT 05452 Phone: 802-879-6304 Email: cwood@bpflegal.com Name of Publication: Seven Days Publication Date: February 14, 2024

In re ESTATE of Roger Fuller NOTICE TO CREDITORS To the creditors of: Roger Fuller, late of Georgia, Vermont.

I have been appointed to administer this estate. All creditors having claims against the decedent or the estate must present their claims in writing within four (4) months of the date of the first publication of this notice. The claim must be presented to me at the address listed below with a copy sent to the Court. The claim may be barred forever if it is not presented within the four (4) month period.

Dated: 01/24/2024 Signature of Fiduciary: /s/ David Fuller Executor/Administrator: David Fuller c/o Geraldine E. Stewart Jarrett | Hoyt, 1795 Williston Road, Suite 125, South Burlington, VT 05403 Phone Number: 802-864-5951 email: gerry@vtelaw.com Name of Publication: Seven Days Publication Date: February 14, 2024 Name of Probate Court: Vermont Superior Court, Franklin Unit – Probate Division Address of Probate Court: 17 Church St., St. Albans, VT 05478

Support Groups

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.

Post & browse ads at your convenience.

STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT PROBATE DIVISION CHITTENDEN UNIT DOCKET NO.:​24-PR-00049

Location: Milton MiniStorage, 3-11Chrisemily Lane, Milton, VT Questions: Leslie 802-893-7952

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.

View and post up to 6 photos per ad online.

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. 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@ residenceottercreek.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

Name of Probate Court: State of Vermont – Chittenden Probate Division Address of Probate Court: 175 Main Street, Burlington, VT 05401

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

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 802-2330544, 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 abstinenceoriented 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.

SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

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78 FEBRUARY 14-21, 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 Program Manager Responsible for managing the full life cycle of our art & craft education programs. Send email and cover letter to Program Director, Jess Wilkinson jess@ whiterivercraftcenter.org.

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.

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. MUST be licensed in VT. Please call Dan W. Hauben ASAP at 888-552-1660.

Energy Navigator Program Manager Help your neighbors implement climate and energy solutions.

Overnight Supervisors & Stockers Case Administrator/ Intake Clerk U.S. District Court

Healthy Living is looking for outstanding Overnight Supervisors and Stockers in our award-winning Grocery Store. Be part of great, healthy team of staff at a locally owned company. We want to meet you!

Scan to see all open positions!

The nonprofit Climate Economy Action Center of Addison County (CEAC) needs you as Program Manager for its new Residential Energy Navigator Program. The Program Manager will play a vital role in providing an independent, trusted, and local resource connecting Addison County people to the opportunities available to bring electric heat pumps and other weatherization and energy efficiency improvements into their homes to create a low carbon future.

Immediate opening. Please submit applications by email to energynavigator.ceac@gmail.com. Applications should include a cover letter, resume, three references, and several work samples. More details are available at: tinyurl.com/2uwank6n.

The United States District Court is seeking a qualified STAFF CURATED BENEFITS individual with excellent Apply online at healthylivingmarket.com/careers analytical, clerical, operational and 2/2/22 4:58 PM computer skills capable 4t-HealthyLiving020922 1 of functioning in a dynamic, team-oriented environment. The duty Join the Flynn & be part of a team striving to make the Navigate New Possibilities™ Your Career at NDI is Waiting station is Burlington, community better through the arts. All backgrounds Vermont. Full federal encouraged to apply. benefits apply.

Complete job description and formal application requirements are found in the official Position Announcement available from court locations in Burlington and Rutland and the court’s website: vtd.uscourts.gov E.O.E.

Project Manager

At NDI we are driven by our belief that advanced spatial measurement solutions can help our customers in their aim to improve medical procedures and patient lives.

Full descriptions and to apply: bit.ly/NDIfall2022

HOUSE MANAGER Part-time

SUMMER CAMPS ASSISTANT Mid-June through Early August

For complete job descriptions and to apply, visit: flynnvt.org/ About-Us/Employment-and-Internship-Opportunities.

Email materials to: HResources@flynnvt.org No phone calls, please. E.O.E.

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @SEVENDAYSJOBS, SUBSCRIBE TO RSS, OR BROWSE POSTS ON YOUR PHONE AT JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM

Dental Office Manager

NEW JOBS POSTED DAILY!

79 FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

JOIN OUR TEAM!

Family dental practice looking for an office manager to join our team. The ideal candidate would have a minimum of five years dental/medical front desk experience including: excellent communication skills, computer proficiency, accounts receivable and insurance knowledge.

Training of candidate with similar proficiencies in a different field a possibility.

Send resumes to: lavoiedental@ lavoiedental.com.

Vermont Housing & Conservation Board VHCB AMERICORPS

MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR COMMUNITY!

Open positions around the state serving with non-profit orgnizations.

LAND STEWARDSHIP ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AFFORDABLE HOUSING SERVICES

Seeking a gentle/thoughtful Shared Living Provider willing to provide complete personal care and special care procedures for a 69-year-old woman. An accessible home will best meet her needs and we are willing to help with this. She enjoys watching her favorite shows, music, and the companionship of people.

Compensation: Annual stipend of $37,724 plus room and board.

Call (802)989-1075 or e-mail avernon@howardcenter.org with interest.

howardcenter.org • 802-488-6500

Publishing Assistant Prospect Press seeks a Publishing Assistant.

We are a small company located in Burlington, Vermont, which publishes college textbooks for courses in Information Systems.

Responsibilities will include tracking the progress of manuscripts through the development process, soliciting reviews, liaising with production contractors, entering textbooks into our distributors’ systems, helping maintain our customer database, and helping promote our textbooks at professional conferences. A central responsibility of this position will be to assemble and maintain a cloudbased tracking procedure to coordinate development, production, and promotion of our growing product line.

The ideal candidate will have a year of office work experience; interests in publishing, higher education, and Information Systems; excellent communication skills; a positive learning attitude; and be highly organized, detail conscious, and a team player. College degree required. This is an in-person position. Salary is $19.50 per hour for a 35-hour work week. To apply, send an excellent cover letter and resume to: Andy.Golub@ProspectPressVT.com.

Quarter Time

• Living & Housing Allowance of $8,080 for 12-week term • Education Award of $1,824.07 • Health insurance • Training opportunities • Leadership development

WHY NOT HAVE A JOB YOU LOVE? Enjoy your job and be a part of one of the Best Places to Work in Vermont!

Great jobs in management and direct support serving Vermonters with intellectual disabilities.

Visit ccs-vt.org/current-openings and apply today.

1/30/24 11:52 AM

best recreation, food, and culture.

Recent graduates welcome.

We provide on-the-job training and support.

Sandy, Lead Mammography Technologist at Copley

For more information, visit copleyvt.org/careers or call J.T. Vize, Recruiter, at 802-888-8329

NEK Delivery Driver Wanted

4t-Copley021424 1

2/12/24 10:10 AM

Want to be a hero every Wednesday? Need some cash?

Get paid to drive through beautiful Vermont scenery while delivering Vermont’s most beloved newspaper! We are looking for a driver to deliver Seven Days weekly in the Orleans County (NEK) area.

Only requirements are a clean driving record (no major violations), availability on Wednesdays, a reliable vehicle (preferably station wagon style or larger), ability to lift 15 pounds and a positive attitude. If you can check all these boxes, then we want you to join the Seven Days Circulation team. Familiarity with the region is a plus. We pay hourly plus mileage reimbursement. Papers can be picked up locally. Regular trips to Burlington not required.

Email circ@sevendaysvt.com. No phone calls, please Seven Days is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Operations Manager

vhcb.org/americorps • Living & Housing Allowance of $15,565 for 6-month term • Education Award of $3,447.50 • Health insurance • Training opportunities • Leadership development

Work with caring colleagues in the heart of beautiful Lamoille County close to the

69-year-old woman

Recruiting for Spring and Summer Positions: end of service August 30th

Half Time

WE ARE HIRING! Radiology Techs

Shared Living Provider

HOMEBUYER EDUCATION

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JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM

The Preservation Trust of Vermont (PTV) builds community through the preservation of historic buildings and the revitalization of Vermont’s villages and downtowns. Last year, PTV worked on 356 preservation and revitalization projects in 152 Vermont communities.

PTV is seeking a highly organized and collaborative team member who will help PTV achieve its mission by managing our physical office and administrative functions. The ideal candidate will be excited to serve Vermont communities, have exceptional attention to detail, and have experience managing an office and organizational resources. This position is a hybrid in-office/work-at-home position, based in Montpelier.

See ptvermont.org/seeking-operations-manager-for-thepreservation-trust-of-vermont for description, salary & benefits.

Send resume and cover letter to Ben Doyle, President, at ben@ptvermont.org. Application deadline: February 23, 2024.

YOUR JOBS AT JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM FOR FAST RESULTS, OR ATTENTION RECRUITERS: POST CONTACT MICHELLE BROWN: MICHELLE@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

80 FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

JOIN OUR TEAM!

Shared Living Provider For a 24-year-old young woman 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

New GRAD RN program helps ensure success!

Kick-start your nursing career at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital (NVRH) with our innovative Nurse Residency Program. Designed for passionate new grads, the program offers wrap-a-round support for long-term career excellence. Beginning in summer 2024, full-time positions will be available in departments such as Med Surg, Emergency and more. Applicants need a Vermont or multi-state RN licenses, BLS certification, and to be a graduate of an accredited nursing program. Program pillars include Leadership, Patient Outcomes, and Professional Roles. New grads are provided daily support and collaborative guidance. Join NVRH for competitive compensation, benefits, and a supportive environment where patients, community and employees thrive.

St. Johnsbury, Vermont.

Buyer

Minifactory (cafe & grocery) homes V Smiley Preserves (jam company) in downtown Bristol, Vermont. This hybrid restaurant, grocery & production model hums with daily activity. 16 Main St (our location) has operated continuously as a bakery/cafe for over 4 decades.

We serve coffee, manufacture and sell our preserves in house while serving an all-day-style menu. Biscuits w/ Ham & Peach Tomato Jam, 24 Hour Yogurt w/ Braised Greens and Crispy Lentils, Radicchio w/ Honey Creme Fraiche & Lemon, Chickpea Pancakes w/ Herby Urfa Biber Chicken.

Currently hiring with pay $20-28/hr, DOE:

• EXPERIENCED SERVER • AN OUTGOING BARISTA • LEAD JAM MAKER (TO TRAIN) Bristol, Vermont is located in Addison County. The area is agricultural and adjacent to the mountain communities of Lincoln and Starksboro. We are a 40 minute drive to Burlington, 25 minutes to Middlebury.

V Smiley Preserves and Minifactory are queer owned/run. Full descriptions & application details: vsmileypreserves.com/jobs.

You’re in good hands with...

Apply now at www.nvrh.org/careers.

Case Manager (Multiple Positions Available) Goddard College, a leader in non-traditional education, has the following full-time, benefit eligible and part-time position openings:

ACCESSIBILITY SUPPORT COORDINATOR REGISTRAR To view position descriptions and application instructions, please visit our website: goddard.edu/about-goddard/employment-opportunities/

We are looking for a buyer to join our team!

The buyer will work with our buying team to source local goods and produce for our farm market and kitchen.

Position involves weekly ordering, recordkeeping, frequent communication with vendors, staff, and customers, and daily tasks on the store floor. Must be comfortable interacting with the public.

Knowledge of buying and the retail cycle preferred.

24+ hrs/week + one weekend day. Full job details: therootsfarmmarket.com/ job-openings.

State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) Coordinator Work at an organization that cares as much about you as the clients it serves! Our employees appreciate their health benefits, employer paid retirement plan contributions, flexibility, professional development opportunities and positive work environment.

We seek new team members who can empathize with others, are comfortable with computers, are strong communicators and are enthusiastic about growing as professionals.

For more information, visit: cvcoa.org/employment.html.

“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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8/20/21 1:41 PM

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

81 FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

Rhino’s hiring is hot right now! Get on board in time for their busy season.

Full-time Lecturer or Senior Lecturer in Secondary Education UVM, College of Education & Social Services, Department of Education, is seeking a 9-month, full-time lecturer or senior lecturer in Secondary Education.

For more information and to apply visit: uvmjobs.com/ postings/70523

Check out our website for all job listings, which include:

Explore opportunities like:

Production 1st shift

Admissions Counselor

$18.00/hr, Sign-on Bonus: $1,500

Production: 3rd shift $18.00/hr + $1.50 shift differential.

Sign-on Bonus: $2,000

Sanitation: 2nd Shift

Job Fair!

2/24 10 am-1 pm

$18.00/hr + $1.00 shift differential. Sign-on Bonus: $1,500

Earn some “Dough” at Rhino Foods!

champlain.edu/careers Scan code for more information.

rhinofoods.com/about-rhino-foods/jobs-and-careers

Check out these openings and others on our career page:

*Rhino Foods runs sex offender checks on all employees

VERMONT PUBLIC IS HIRING! We are Vermont’s unified public media organization (formerly VPR and Vermont PBS), serving the community with trusted journalism, quality entertainment, and diverse educational programming.

• SVP People & Culture • Newsroom Intern • Producer Reporter Engagement Journalism We believe a strong organization includes employees from a range of backgrounds with different skills, experience & passions.

To see more openings & apply: vermontpublic.org/ careers.

Must be able to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination.

Vermont Public is a proud equal opportunity employer.

T H E University of Vermont M E D I C A L C E N T E R

BUILDINGS MANAGER The Town of Essex is receiving applications for full time employment as our Buildings Manager.

Under the direction of the Public Works Director, the Buildings Manager is responsible for administrative, technical, budgetary, as-needed hands-on support, supervisory and professional work in planning, directing and managing the buildings activities of Public Works covering all municipal buildings in the Town of Essex. The Buildings Manager administers planning, records maintenance, design and construction for the town relating to public buildings and provides direct buildings technical assistance within the department and to all other Town departments as required.

The approximate salary range is $65,000-$80,000 per year with the actual starting salary based on qualifications and experience.

This is a full-time, non-union, exempt position. The Town of Essex offers a competitive benefits package to include: Generous vacation and sick accruals, VMERS C Retirement Plan, MVP Health Insurance, health savings accounts, employer paid Dental and Vision insurance, Short Term Disability, Life and AD&D Insurance and optional ICMA-RC 457 and Roth IRA Retirement plans.

The full job posting, and job description, can be found online at: essexvt.bamboohr.com/careers/121.

The Town of Essex is an equal opportunity employer.

H EUniversity EE NN TE Vermont M Universityofof Vermont T HT E MEEDDI ICCAAL LCC TR ER Phlebotomy Apprenticeship Training Program PhlebotomyApprenticeship Apprenticeship Training Phlebotomy TrainingProgram Program You can invest in your career! Our training program is a paid, You can invest in your career! Our training program is a paid, paid

You can invest in yourcareer! career!Our Our training training program isisa a paid Youopportunity can invest your paid, toinbecome a phlebotomist withprogram no experience necessary, a opportunity to become a phlebotomist with no experience necessary, necessary. a opportunity todiploma becomeoraGED phlebotomist no experience a high school is required. with Selected students willnecessary, be high school diploma oror GED is is required.

Selected students will bebe A high school diploma GED required.

Selected students will provided textbooks, receive mentoring from program staff, high schoolwith diploma or GED is required.

Selected students will and be provided with textbooks, receive mentoring from program staff, and prepared to textbooks, take the Phlebotomy Certification Exam!

The application provided with receive mentoring from program staff, and prepare tototake prepared takethe thePhlebotomy PhlebotomyCertification CertificationExam!

Exam!The Theapplication application deadline for thethe Spring 2024 program is Wednesday, February 28th. prepared to take Phlebotomy Certification Exam!

The application deadline for the Spring 2024 program is Wednesday, February 28th. deadline for theemployment Spring 2024on program Guaranteed day oneisofWednesday, the training February 28th.

Guaranteed employment on day one of the training Great pay and full benefits

Guaranteed employment on day one of the training Great pay and full benefits A $2,000 sign on bonus

Great pay and benefits A $2,000 signfull on bonus sign-on bonus

External candidates are eligible for a one-time sign on bonus paid over 3 installments. Amounts reflect External candidates are eligible a one-time sign on bonus over 33 installments. sign-on bonus paid paid overby installments.

Amounts reflect gross pay, prior to applicable taxfor withholdings and deductions require law. CurrentAmounts Universityreflect of Vermont gross pay, applicable tax withholdings and deductions deductions require by Current prior to applicable tax withholdings and required bylaw. law.apply.

CurrentUniversity Universityof ofVermont Health Network employees are excluded and additional terms and conditions External candidates are eligible for a one-time sign on bonus paid over 3 installments.

Amounts reflect Health Network are excluded and additional terms andterms conditions apply. apply.

Vermont Healthemployees Network employees are excluded and additional and conditions

A $2,000 sign on bonus

gross pay, prior to applicable tax withholdings and deductions require by law. Current University of Vermont Health Network employees are excluded and additional terms and conditions apply.

Apply now at www.iaahitec.org/phlebotomy Apply now at www.iaahitec.org/phlebotomy

Apply now at www.iaahitec.org/phlebotomy

The UVM Medical Center will not discriminate against apprenticeship applicants or apprentices The UVM CenterRELIGION, will not discriminate applicants or apprentices based onMedical RACE, COLOR, NATIONALagainst ORIGIN,apprenticeship SEX (INCLUDING PREGNANCY AND GENDER based on RACE, COLOR, RELIGION,GENETIC NATIONAL ORIGIN, SEX OR (INCLUDING GENDER IDENTITY), SEXUAL ORIENTATION, INFORMATION, BECAUSEPREGNANCY THEY ARE ANAND INDIVIDUAL SEXUAL OR ORIENTATION, GENETIC IDENTITY), WITH A DISABILITY A PERSON 40 YEARS INFORMATION, OLD OR OLDER.OR BECAUSE THEY ARE AN INDIVIDUAL WITH A DISABILITY OR A PERSON 40 YEARS OLD OR OLDER. The THe UVMUVM Medical Center willwill not discriminate applicants apprentices Medical Center take affirmative against action toapprenticeship provide equal opportunity in or apprenticeship based RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, NATIONAL ORIGIN, SEX (INCLUDING AND GENDER THe UVM Medical Center will take take affirmative affirmative action to provide provide equal opportunity in of apprenticeship and will operate the apprenticeship program action as required under Title 29 of PREGNANCY the Code Federal Theon UVM Medical Center will to equal opportunity in apprenticeship IDENTITY), GENETIC INFORMATION, OR BECAUSE THEY ARE INDIVIDUAL and willSEXUAL operate the program as required under Title 29 of the Code ofAN Federal Regulations, partORIENTATION, 30.apprenticeship Regulations, partOR 30.A PERSON 40 YEARS OLD OR OLDER. WITH A DISABILITY

THe UVM Medical Center will take affirmative action to provide equal opportunity in apprenticeship and will operate the apprenticeship program as required under Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations, part 30.

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82 FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

JOIN OUR TEAM!

Shared Living Provider 50-year-old Woman Seeking a gentle/thoughtful Shared Living Provider willing to provide complete personal care and special care procedures for a woman over 50 years of age. An accessible home will best meet her needs and we are willing to help with this.

She enjoys watching her favorite shows, music, and the companionship of people.

Compensation: Annual stipend of $37,724 plus room & board.

Call (802)989-1075 or e-mail avernon@howardcenter.org with interest.

howardcenter.org • 802-488-6500

Are you passionate about making a difference?

Wake Robin is seeking enthusiastic individuals in all departments to join our vibrant community! We are currently HIRING:

• HR Generalist (Human Resources) • Staff Nurse (RN, LPN), Licensed Nursing Assistants (LNA) (Health Services) • General Manager, Floor Managers, Healthcare Hospitality Assistants, Servers, Dining Operations Coordinator, Cooks, & Dishwashers (Dining Services)

BUILDERS | MAKERS | DOERS®

Vermont Concrete Cutting & Concrete Solutions is hiring.

Full-time position/year round.

Mechanically inclined individuals are encouraged to apply. We are willing to train the right person.

This is a great opportunity to learn a new trade. Valid Vermont Drivers license is a must.

Apply in person at 8 Mill Street, Barre, Vermont.

Pay based on experience plus bonuses.

• Housekeepers (Environmental Services) At Wake Robin, we are committed to your professional development and career growth, making your experience with us not only rewarding but also a significant step in your career. Wake Robin offers competitive benefits & believes in supporting a livable wage for all Vermonters.

Community Bankers

Concrete Cutter

Visit wakerobin.com/contact-us/employment and apply today to join a team & caring community where your work truly makes a difference in the lives of others!

LOOKING FOR A COOLER OPPORTUNITY?

There is no better time to join NSB’s team!

Northfield Savings Bank, founded in 1867, is the largest LOCAL BANK in Vermont. We are committed to providing a welcoming work environment for all. Consider joining our team as a Community Banker at our Waitsfield, Taft Corners, or Richmond location!

Relevant Skills: • Customer Service, Cash Handling (we’ll train you!)

• Even better… if you have prior banking experience, we encourage you to apply!

• If you are 18 or older and have a high school diploma, general education (GED) degree, or equivalent, consider joining NSB! Opportunity for Growth NSB has training opportunities to engage employees and assist with professional development within our company. The average years of service for an NSB employee is 9! If you’re looking for a career in an environment that promotes growth, join our team!

What NSB Can Offer You: • Competitive compensation based on experience.

• Well-rounded benefits package, Profit-Sharing opportunity.

• Excellent 401(k) matching retirement program.

• Commitment to professional development.

• Opportunities to volunteer and support our communities.

Work-Life balance!

Please send an NSB Application & your resume in confidence to: Careers@nsbvt.com.

E.O.E. / Member FDIC

Engaging minds that change the world

Seeking a position with a quality employer? Consider The University of Vermont, a stimulating and diverse workplace. We offer a comprehensive benefit package including tuition remission for on-going, full-time positions.

Soil Health & Water Quality Outreach Specialist - Ext. Programming & Fac Sup - #S4888PO - The University of Vermont Extension Crop, Soil, and Pasture Team in Middlebury is looking for a new team member. You will provide outreach education, technical assistance to farmers, and support applied soil health and water quality research as part of sponsored projects including, but not limited to, the Lake Champlain Basin Conservation Effects Assessment Project and the Agricultural Clean Water Initiative Program.

Minimum Requirements: Bachelor’s degree in a related field and two years’ related work experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Working knowledge of goCrop for nutrient management planning, ArcGIS for agriculture mapping, word processing and spreadsheet applications, and other agricultural related software.

Working knowledge of USDA EQIP programs, Land Treatment plans, Nutrient Management plans, and NRCS conservation practice certification. Experience with field trial design, implementation, data collection and summary report preparation with cover crops and other soil health building practices.

The University is especially interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of the institution. Applicants are encouraged to include in their cover letter information about how they will further this goal.

For further information on this position and others currently available, or to apply online, please visit www.uvmjobs.com. Applicants must apply for positions electronically. Paper resumes are not accepted.

Open positions are updated daily. Please call 802-656-3150 or email employment@uvm.edu for technical support with the online application.

The University of Vermont is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

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Seven Days Issue: 2/7 Due: 2/5 by 11am Size: 3.83” x 5.25” Cost: $476.85 (with 1 week onl

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Follow @SevenDaysJobs on Twitter

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83 FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

Registered Nurse Case Manager/ Clinic Coordinator Our free health clinic is hiring an RN (28-32 hours/ week) for case management, patient care, and weekly clinic administration. Seeking a candidate with excellent nursing, communication, critical thinking, attention to detail, computer skills, and ability to work with volunteers. We serve special populations: Latin American and Caribbean agricultural workers comprise half our patient caseload.

Spanish highly desired. $31$38/hr plus $7,000-$8,000 benefits purse. ODC offers a collaborative work environment.

To apply, send cover letter, resume, & 3 refs to Heidi Sulis, hsulis@opendoormidd.org.

Details: opendoormidd.org/ about-us/jobs.

CNC Operators and Quality Inspectors 1st & 2nd shift Launch a rewarding career in complex machining for the aviation, space, military, and biomedical industries. We will train you!

A great working environment and generous benefits, including: Medical and dental insurance • Life insurance • 401K + match • Profit sharing • Generous PTO & paid holidays • Small tool purchase plan

Events are a big part of what we do at Burlington-based Seven Days. The mission of our employee-owned company is to inform and engage Vermonters with reliable reporting on local news and culture. We are seeking a creative, enthusiastic and organized planner to manage our Seven Days Tickets box office, as well as our own dynamic slate of events and promotions.

Digital fluency is key to success in this job, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg. Applicants should feel comfortable running the registration desk at the Vermont Tech Jam, schmoozing at a cocktail reception or creating an Instagram story for Burger Week. Organization and time management are also crucial — rolling deadlines for print publications and digital products drive an aggressive promotional cycle across our multiple media channels. To join our team, you must be an excellent communicator, meticulous about details, a creative problem solver and a master multitasker who appreciates the value of local journalism. It helps if you also like to have fun!

Learn more & apply > Williston, Vermont | Mineville, New York

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EVENTS, PROMOTIONS & TICKETING MANAGER

2/12/24 1:01 PM

Responsibilities for this full-time position include: • Planning, promoting and executing events large and small, such as: Vermont Tech Jam, the Seven Daysies Party, the Spectacular Spectacular youth talent show and more

Media Technician Multicultural Student Success Coach Administrative Assistant 1/Trainee (NY HELPS) For position details and application process, visit jobs.plattsburgh. edu and select “View Current Openings” SUNY Plattsburgh is an AA/EEO/ADA/VEVRAA committed to excellence through diversity and supporting an inclusive environment for all.

Veteran Housing Service Coordinator- Northern VT Region Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) at the University of Vermont is looking for a Veteran Housing Service Coordinator (VHSC).

The VHSC will provide case management and housing navigation services to Veterans in northern Vermont and Clinton County, NY using the Housing First model and utilize Motivational Interviewing, Harm Reduction and Trauma Informed Care to help Veterans and their families improve their quality of life and increase connection to stable permanent housing opportunities. This position plays a critical role by guiding low-income Veteran families through the housing stability process, connecting them to resources and providing direct assistance as needed, with the goal of stabilizing housing for Veteran families who are literally homeless and those who are in danger of losing their homes.

Applicants apply through the UVM Jobs website: uvmjobs.com.

Posting Number: S4706PO. The University of Vermont is an Equal Opportunity/ Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any category legally protected by federal or state law.

• Conceptualizing strategic marketing plans for Seven Days events, promotions and ticketing • Recruiting local event promoters to use our free box office software, walking them through the process of selling tickets on the platform, coaching and providing basic tech support • Communicating with our audience and beyond using all the marketer’s tools, including social media, newsletters, radio, TV, print and IRL conversations • Identifying strategic community partnerships to enhance our events and promotions; this includes working on events related to reader revenue and promoting local journalism • Working primarily out of our Burlington office If you are passionate about Vermont and inspired by the opportunity to help connect local businesses, event promoters and Seven Days readers, we want to hear from you! Send a cover letter and résumé to eventsjob@ sevendaysvt.com by February 18. For consideration, applicants should have at least two years of experience planning events for 100-plus guests. Please describe your current employment situation and provide three professional references. Preference given to individuals who’ve worked in local media. No phone calls, please. Seven Days is an E.O.E.

YOUR JOBS AT JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM FOR FAST RESULTS, OR ATTENTION RECRUITERS: POST CONTACT MICHELLE BROWN: MICHELLE@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

84 FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

WEC was founded in 1939 to bring electricity to rural Vermont communities and to provide our members with a voice in their energy future. WEC continues today with that same spirit as our pioneering founders with a commitment to our environment, communities and our memberowners.

We are a not for profit cooperative utility serving our member/owners in 41 towns in central Vermont’s rural landscape.

Stockkeeper Class A or B UNION POSITION OPENING General Summary of Job Responsibilities: The Stockkeeper position is responsible for purchasing, receiving, storing, and issuing utility equipment, materials, supplies and tools to operation personnel for their daily work schedules as well as during outage restoration efforts. This position will also be involved in annual inventory counts and reconciliation to maintain good inventory control and stock levels. This position also assists in our rubber glove testing program, and in the operation and maintenance of WEC’s hydroelectric station, including being scheduled for after hour “On-Call” duties. This position also assists in the maintenance of WEC buildings and grounds and restoration of electric service during storm-related and other power outages.

Qualified applicants must be able to operate a forklift and vehicles ranging from a car to a one-ton line truck. Applicants must also, at a minimum, be proficient with computers, have knowledge of inventory control and basic electricity, and work effectively with others with minimal supervision, or alone as required.

All applicants must possess & maintain a Vermont driver’s license.

Mechanic Class A or B UNION POSITION OPENING WEC is seeking an individual to fill a union opening in the Operations Department. This position is an integral part of our operations team as it is responsible for maintaining and managing the fleet and equipment our line and engineering departments utilize daily in maintaining and improving over 1,300 miles of distribution/transmission lines to assure reliable service for nearly 11,500 Cooperative members. General Summary of Job Responsibilities: Under the general direction of the Director of Operations & Engineering, the mechanic will be responsible for servicing and maintaining all Cooperative vehicles and equipment. Qualified applicants must at a minimum be proficient with diesel and gas engines, hydraulics, tire changes, electrical wiring, welding, fabrication, off road equipment and all mechanical work. All applicants must possess or have the ability to acquire a Vermont commercial class A driver’s license within one year from date of hire.

Both positions require courtesy in dealing with members, co-workers and others, adaptability, and willingness to acquire new skills. Professional attitude and interest in work, and attention to general work rules and safety procedures are essential characteristics of the ideal candidate Submit letter of interest to WEC’s Human Resources Dept., c/o Teia Greenslit, Director of Finance & Administration, PO Box 8, East Montpelier, VT 05651 or Teia.Greenslit@wec.coop.

WEC is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Water Treatment Plant Operator This job description illustrates typical tasks that are common to a water treatment plant operator; however, the tasks described are not meant to be all-inclusive. The water treatment plant operator is responsible for technical work involving the operation and maintenance of the City’s water treatment plants, pump stations and well facilities.

Individuals assigned to this position are expected to exercise initiative and sound judgment in working without close supervision and to possess the specialized skills, knowledge, abilities, and training required to operate and maintain assigned water treatment plants, pump stations, and well facilities. May supervise & assist other Water Treatment Plant personnel in the performance of their duties.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: The following are illustrative of duties and responsibilities associated with this position and are not to be all-inclusive.

• Performs preventive and corrective maintenance to plant equipment, mixing of chemical solutions, operation of manual valves, general plant cleaning, painting, and grounds maintenance. Performs routine laboratory analysis for control of the treatment process.

Analyzes records and evaluates instrument readings and laboratory test results; makes process and treatment adjustments as required; determines remedial action in emergency.

• Operates the water treatment and pumping stations using the SCADA system at the water treatment plant. Assists in the operation and maintenance of specialized equipment and activities.

• May be subject to call and rotational shift work as assigned. Prepares daily reports on water quality, power consumption, chemical treatment, rainfall and all other work necessary to maintain an adequate and potable supply of water to the distribution system.

EDUCATION, TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE: Good knowledge of the techniques and operational characteristics of machinery and the computer process control, mechanical and electrical system associated with the operation of a water treatment plant. Good knowledge of mathematics, computers, chemistry, and other physical sciences.

To apply, please send resume and references to Marty Manahan, Director of Public Works at m.manahan@stalbansvt.com. Pay commensurate with experience. Open until filled. E.O.E.

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JOIN OUR TEAM! Data and GIS Analyst Program Coordinator As Interns who plan programs and events to empower our peers and improve mental health distress and wellbeing, we are looking for a Program Coordinator to support our efforts. You are organized, a good communicator and listen with intention. This role is primarily responsible for logistics, planning and organizing, keeping the flow of efforts moving, seeking grant opportunities, and advocating for youth priorities based on our data collection. Most important is mutual respect and support for our voices and skills to support us making positive changes.

The City of South Burlington is looking for an innovative, strategic, and dynamic team member to be our next Data and GIS Analyst. Perform office and field work related to the gathering, input, updating, and development of City’s data resources to inform operational and policy decision making. The Analyst works across departments and leads efforts to build and maintain strategic systems and structures to allow for open government and to inform decision making aligned to our community goals.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Bachelor’s degree in a related field, plus a minimum of three years’ experience with creating, managing, analyzing, and visualizing data in a geographic information system, equivalency considered.

APPLY NOW: Review of applications will begin February 26, 2024. To apply, learn more about the position and see a complete job description please complete an application through southburlingtonvt.gov/jobopportunities.

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT/PAYROLL CLERK – (30 + hrs. a week).

Responsible for the successful operation of payroll, accounts payable, employee orientation and benefits. Responsible for tasks that assist in successful operations of the administrative office. Looking for someone that is detail oriented, a team player with strong communication and positive interaction skills.

We offer flexible scheduling, paid time off, 403b retirement plan, a collaborative working environment and medical benefits.

Contact Kim at 802-586-2415 with any questions or e-mail your resume: kroberge@craftsburycarecenter.org.

Compensation: $38,850 tax-free annual stipend.

Interested candidates contact Sara at shanlon@howardcenter.org.

howardcenter.org • 802-488-6500

PeopleHelping Helping People People People

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Craftsbury Community Care Center

Seeking dynamic Shared Living Provider to support a 68 -yearold woman who enjoys crafts, bingo, and going out to lunch. We are looking for a caring, patient provider with strong boundaries, excellent communication skills, and the ability to provide support with personal care, transportation, medication administration, and attending medical appointments. An accessible home, with a first floor bedroom and bathroom is needed. Two providers, or one provider with abundant availability, to provide care and companionship are preferred. A quiet home environment without children is preferred.

Clara MartinCenter Center Clara Martin

For more information about the position, visit: projectalltogethernow.org/ current-openings. This is a contract based position.

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT/ PAYROLL CLERK

Shared Living Provider 68 -year-old woman

ClaraMartin Martin Center is hiring for exciting Clara Center is hiring for exciting roles roles at our Bradford and Randolph, VT offices! at our Bradford and Randolph, VT offices!

Our Child a Family Team has full Our Child a Family Team has full time time positions ready to dive positions ready for for YOUYOU to dive in to! in to!

Child && Family TeamPsychotherapist Psychotherapist Child FamilyServices Services Team ClaraClara Martin Center is is seeking Masterlevel level Psychotherapists to provide Martin Center seekingfull fulltime time Master Psychotherapists to provide assessments, diagnosis, treatment planning, group / individual/ family therapy, assessments, diagnosis, treatment planning, group/ individual/ family therapy, andand case management childrenand and adolescents. case management to to children adolescents.

We offer a wonderful team-based environment with case managers provide We offer a wonderful team-based environment with case managers whowho provide community-based work stafftotoassist assist with crisis situations. community-based workand andemergency emergency staff with crisis situations.

We provide regular group supervision to clinical all clinical We provide regular groupand andindividual individual supervision to all staff,staff, including supervision licensure,and and robust training including supervisiontowards towards licensure, robust training & continuing opportunities. & continuingeducation education opportunities.

Qualifications forthis thisposition: position: Qualifications for Master's degree in in Counseling, Psychology, related required.

Master's degree Counseling,Social Social Work, Work, Psychology, or or related fieldfield required. censure strongly strongly pref erred.

LiLi censure pref erred. years of experiencein incommunity-based community-based programming preferred.

3-53-5 years of experience programming preferred.

Salary: $56k-$64K Salary: $56k-$64K Full Time Benefits: Full Time Benefits: Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance Paid Holidays and Vacation Time Paid Holidays and Vacation Time Time, STD and LTD Paid Paid SickSick Time, STD and LTD Retirement Match 403b403b Retirement Match

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86 FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

JOIN OUR TEAM!

Shared Living Provider 18-year-old man Seeking a Shared Living Provider(s) for a caring, outgoing 18-year-old man who enjoys playing video games, listening to music, and sports.

The right provider(s) will be understanding role model(s), providing clear communication, structure, and routine within a supportive environment. This individual uses the bus system to get around and enjoys being around people. Provider(s) with dogs are a plus! Two providers, or one provider with abundant availability, is preferred.

Compensation: $60,000 tax-free annual stipend plus room & board.

Interested candidates contact Sara at shanlon@howardcenter.org.

howardcenter.org • 802-488-6500

Program Coordinator | Director of Membership & Development The Lake Champlain Chamber is dedicated to creating economic opportunities in our region. We are looking to add two members to our team who can help us do that.

Director of Membership & Development: You’ll work closely with a dynamic team serving our business community, developing and executing fundraising strategies, and playing a role in the organization’s strategic leadership. Your work will directly benefit programs like Leadership Champlain, Burlington Young Professionals, and LaunchVT and grow our ability to create economic opportunities for Vermonters. Learn more and apply here: lccvermont.org/job/ director-of-membership-development.

Program Coordinator: This role works closely with other team members, assisting with programs and initiatives such as Leadership Champlain, Burlington Young Professionals, Hello Burlington and more. Learn more and apply here: lccvermont.org/job/program-coordinator-2.

LCC offers competitive salaries and benefits; a collaborative and supportive work environment, opportunities for professional development and growth, and the opportunity to make a significant impact on our community. The Lake Champlain Chamber is an E.O.E. that welcomes diversity in the workplace. We strongly encourage all qualified persons to apply.

WHERE YOU AND YOUR WORK MATTER MATTER...

SEASONAL STATE TRAIL CREW MEMBER I & II – BARRE

Crew Members perform trail work in both backcountry and front-country settings in a close-knit team of two to five Trail Crew Members. Work will be performed at Vermont State Parks and State Forests throughout Vermont. Duties and work projects are performed under the direction of the Trail Crew Leader with oversight by the District Trails Coordinator and/or District Recreation Representative, with the need for significant independence in interacting with the public while in the field. For more information, contact Walter Opuszynski at walter. opuszynski@vermont.gov. Department: Forests Parks & Recreation. Location: Barre. Status: Full Time, Temporary. Job ID #49228 for Level II or #49227 for Level I. Application Deadline: Open Until Filled.

PUBLIC HEALTH INSPECTOR I/II/III - SPRINGFIELD

The Vermont Department of Health has an exciting opportunity to be on the front lines of protecting public health in Vermont, conducting inspections for food safety and environmental health conditions at regulated facilities to ensure compliance with Vermont’s food and lodging establishment regulations. The inspection area is southeastern Vermont with a duty station in Springfield or Brattleboro. For more information, contact Elisabeth Wirsing at elisabeth.wirsing@ vermont.gov. Department: Vermont Department of Health. Location: Springfield. Status: Full Time.

Job ID #48481 for level I, 48447 for level II, 48480 for level III. Application Deadline: February 21, 2024.

GENERAL COUNSEL I – WATERBURY

ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECT OR F OR THE VERMONT COMMISSION ON N ATIVE AMERICAN AFFAIRS – MONTPELIER

The Department of Housing and Community Development seeks an energetic and outgoing self-starter with a passion for organization and deadlines to join our hard-working, dedicated, and good-humored Historic Preservation Team. Incumbent responsibilities involve assisting in the operations of the Vermont Commission on Native American Affairs within the Division for Historic Preservation. Duties would include public assistance, organizational duties related to governor-appointed commission, organization of events and outreach, and monitoring legislative agendas and activities of other state boards and advisory councils regarding Native American Affairs. For more information, contact Laura Trieschmann at laura. trieschmann@vermont.gov.

Department: Commerce & Community Development. Location: Montpelier. Status: Exempt PartTime. Job ID #49342. Application Deadline: February 19, 2024.

PUBLIC HEALTH NUTRITIONIS T III (SUPERVISOR) – BARRE

The Vermont Department of Health is seeking a dynamic professional with a commitment to public health to join our team as General Counsel. Key responsibilities include confidential legal services, rulemaking, and guidance on situations posed by new or conflicting laws and policies. This position offers significant responsibility, intellectually engaging work, and requires strong communication skills. The successful candidate will also be licensed to practice law in the State of Vermont. For more information, contact Sarah Gregorek at sarah.gregorek@vermont.gov. Department: Health. Location: Waterbury. Status: Full Time. Job ID #49327. Application Deadline: February 15, 2024.

The Vermont Department of Health has an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic and experienced Nutritionist who wants to make a difference in the health of communities in Washington County. This position will oversee local implementation of the supplemental nutrition program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) as well as supervise the WIC team.

We are seeking a well-organized and energetic Nutritionist with great communication skills to complete our public health team. For more information, contact Joan Marie Misek at Marie.Misek@ vermont.gov. Department: Health. Location: Barre. Status: Full Time. Job ID #48651. Application Deadline: March 6, 2024.

Learn more at: careers.vermont.gov

The State of Vermont is an Equal Opportunity Employer

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SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

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SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY BY ROB BREZSNY REAL FEBRUARY 15-21

a phase when it’s essential to know what story you are living in and where you are located in the plot’s unfoldment.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18)

Poet Anna Akhmatova (1889-1966) lived until age 76, but her destiny was a rough ride. Her native country, the authoritarian Soviet Union, censored her work and imprisoned her friends and family. In one of her poems, she wrote, “If I can’t have love, if I can’t find peace, give me a bitter glory.” She got the latter wish.

She came close to winning a Nobel Prize and is now renowned as a great poet and heroic symbol of principled resistance to tyranny. Dear Aquarius, I predict that your life in the coming months will be very different from Akhmatova’s. I expect you will enjoy more peace and love than you’ve had in a long time. Glory will stream your way, too, but it will be graceful, never bitter. The effects will be heightened if you express principled resistance to tyranny.

ARIES (Mar. 21-Apr. 19): Some stories don’t have a distinct and orderly beginning, middle and end. At any one point, it may be hard to know where you are. Other tales have a clear beginning, middle and end, but the parts occur out of order; maybe the middle happens first, then the end, followed by the beginning.

Every other variation is possible, too. And then there’s the fact that the beginning of a new story is implied at the end of many stories, even stories with fuzzy plots and ambiguous endings. Keep these ruminations in mind during the coming weeks, Aries. You will be in

TAURUS (Apr. 20-May 20): As I meditate on your destiny in the near future, I sense you will summon extra courage, perhaps even fearless and heroic energy. I wonder if you will save a drowning person, or rescue a child from a burning building, or administer successful CPR to a stranger who has collapsed on the street. Although I suspect your adventures will be less dramatic than those, they may still be epic. Maybe you will audaciously expose corruption and deceit, or persuade a friend to not commit self-harm, or speak bold thoughts you haven’t had the daring to utter before.

GEMINI (May 21-Jun. 20): Lately, you have

been learning more than you thought possible. You have surpassed and transcended previous limits in your understanding of how the world works. Congratulations! I believe the numerous awakenings stem from your willingness to wander freely into the edgy frontier — and then stay there to gather in all the surprising discoveries and revelations flowing your way. I will love it if you continue your pilgrimage out there beyond the borders for a while longer.

CANCER (Jun. 21-Jul. 22): As I study the astrological omens for the coming weeks, I suspect you will feel more at home in a situation that has previously felt unnerving or alien. Or you will expedite the arrival of the future by connecting more deeply with your roots. Or you will cultivate more peace and serenity by exploring exotic places. To be honest, though, the planetary configurations are halfmystifying me; I’m offering my best guesses.

You may assemble a strong foundation for an experimental fantasy. Or perhaps you will engage in imaginary travel, enabling you to wander widely without leaving your sanctuary.

Or all of the above.

LEO (Jul. 23-Aug. 22): Of your hundreds of wishes and yearnings, Leo, which is the highest on your priority list? And which are the next two? What are the sweet, rich, inspiring experiences you want more than anything

else in life? I invite you to compile a tally of your top three longings. Write them on a piece of paper. Draw or paste an evocative symbol next to each one. Then place this holy document in a prominent spot that you will see regularly. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, you are in a phase when focusing and intensifying your intentions will bring big rewards.

such inhibitions. Take a brief break. Experiment with what it feels like to free yourself to ingest big helpings of food and drink — as well as metaphorical kinds of nourishment such as love and sex and sensations and entertainment. Just for now, allow yourself to play around with voraciousness. You may be surprised at the deeper liberations it triggers.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sep. 22): Actor and travel

Wise Gambler: You rank high in your spacious intelligence, intuitive logic and robust fantasy life. There’s only one factor that may diminish your ability to discern the difference between wise and unwise gambles. That’s your tendency to get so excited by big, expansive ideas that you neglect to account for messy, inconvenient details. And it’s especially important not to dismiss or underplay those details in the coming weeks. If you include them in your assessments, you will indeed be the shrewdest of wise gamblers.

writer Andrew McCarthy hiked across Spain along the famous pilgrimage route Camino de Santiago. On the way, he felt so brave and strong that at one point he paradoxically had a sobbing breakdown. He realized how fear had always dominated his life. With this chronic agitation absent for the first time ever, he felt free to be his genuine self. “I started to feel more comfortable in the world and consequently in my own skin,” he testified, concluding, “I think travel obliterates fear.” I recommend applying his prescription to yourself in the coming months, Virgo — in whatever ways your intuition tells you are right. Cosmic forces will be aligned with you.

LIBRA (Sep. 23-Oct. 22): In the natural world, there are four partnership styles. In the parasitic variety, one living thing damages another while exploiting it. In the commensal mode, there is exploitation by one partner, but no harm occurs. In the epizoic model, one creature serves as a vehicle for the other but gets nothing in return. The fourth kind of partnership is symbiotic. It’s beneficial to both parties. I bring these thoughts to your attention, Libra, because the coming weeks will be an excellent time to take an inventory of your alliances and affiliations — and begin to de-emphasize, even phase out, all but the symbiotic ones.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Scorpio author Dan Savage said, “I wish I could let myself eat and eat and eat.” He imagines what it would be like if he didn’t “have to monitor the foods I put in my mouth or go to the gym anymore.”

He feels envious of those who have no inhibitions about being gluttonous. In alignment with astrological aspects, I authorize Savage and all Scorpios to temporarily set aside

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Dear

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Capricorn golfer Tiger Woods is one of the all-time greats. He holds numerous records and has won scores of tournaments. On 20 occasions, he has accomplished the most difficult feat: hitting a hole-in-one. But the weird fact is that there were two decades (1998-2018) between his 19th and 20th holes-in-one. I suspect your own fallow time came in 2023, Capricorn. By now, you should be back in the hole-in-one groove, metaphorically speaking. And the coming months may bring a series of such crowning strokes.

PISCES (Feb. 19-Mar. 20): Piscean perfumer Sophia Grojsman said, “Our lives are quiet. We like to be disturbed by delight.” To that end, she has created more than 30 best-selling fragrances, including Eternity Purple Orchid, Désir Coulant (Flowing Desire), Spellbound, Volupté (Pleasure) and Jelisaveta (“God is abundance”). I bring this up, Pisces, because I believe it’s now essential for you to be disturbed by delight — as well as to disturb others with delight. Please do what’s necessary to become a potent magnet for marvelous interruptions, sublime interventions and blissful intrusions. And make yourself into a provider of those healing subversions, too.

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GREENONE Hello! GreenOne, 45, seeking: W, Cp

Respond to these people online: dating.sevendaysvt.com WOMEN seeking...

HONEST, EASYGOING, STRAIGHTFORWARD Vermonter retired from dairy farming, looking for a friend to share lunch, to get to know each other — what likes and dislikes we have in common, and what type of relationship we are looking for together. retired70, 76, seeking: M LOOKING FOR LOVE I’m a rainbow in motion most days. I love all animals and most humans. I’m at a point where I want to spend my life with someone. I want a real, true friend lover and confidant for the rest of my days and nights. Serious inquiries only, please. I’m only looking for love, not hurt nor hate. Kate, 52, seeking: M, l INTEGRITY FIRST I live a very positive life, and I’m truly happy with where I am. I’m here, hoping to find someone to add to my happiness.

I am a mother to two teenage boys in high school, a business professional, a very independent woman and love my family/friends who surround my life. Integrity, 41, seeking: M, l THIS COULD BE GREAT, RIGHT? Calm, peaceful woman hoping to connect with a kind, smart, liberal, dog-loving guy. I work in a medical practice and also have a small business and live in northern New York. I am a widow but so ready for a great second chapter!

Julie2085, 66, seeking: M, l

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CURIOUS, QUIET, SILLY, CONTENT I’m looking to enhance my life, not complete it. Curiosity about others, kindness and generosity are essential.

It’s important to me that a partner be able to share thoughts and emotions kindly, have a sharp intellect and a ready sense of humor. (PS: If Trump is for you, you’re not for me, but I wish you well.) Elaine, 59, seeking: M, l

INDEPENDENT, HONEST, OUTDOORSY, FUNNY, CREATIVE I am an active person who values honesty, integrity and positivity and enjoys all that life has to offer. I enjoy music of all types, especially live music. I am looking for a positive, drama-free gent who enjoys and appreciates life and is interested in travel, arts and culture and is kind to the environment, people and animals. Bella2024, 66, seeking: M, l

CREATIVE, KIND, OUTDOORSY AND BEAUTIFUL Seeking a fellow nature extremist. I want an active, compatible partner who wants to hike mountains, tent out, build bonfires, river walk or watch the stars.

To enjoy all that the outside world has to offer. Someone who is all into me and can love me back as much as I love them.

I want an us. Sprite, 56, seeking: M, l

MUST LOVE DOGS I’ve been unattached for several years but feel this is the time to start looking. I’m getting ready to retire, and I will have more time to devote to a relationship. I love to travel and would love a companion for these adventures.

Bunique316, 69, seeking: M, l

PRACTICAL, OPEN-MINDED, ROMANTIC THINKER I’m 61, so been there/done that. However, I am age-agnostic and enjoy young people because they have unique perspective. I need people in my life who provide thoughtful, interesting viewpoints; can discuss topics without prejudice; crave physical pleasure; and make me smile. Love to travel and be outside. I am quiet but never a wallflower.

MysticMuse, 61, seeking: M, l NO-DRAMA RIVER LOVER Seeking conversations, hikes and walks, sharing a meal. Compatibility with where we each are in life. Hanging out with friends, watching a movie, just talking. Love learning about science, metaphysics, new music but also appreciate dad jokes to send to my grandkids, watching podcasts and reading mystery books. What are you serious about, and what makes you laugh? greentara, 65, seeking: M, l LOYAL, DEPENDABLE, DIFFERENT, LOVING I am a mature, single woman of color who is open-minded, real and comfortable in my uniqueness. I am looking for white mature man for companionship and friendship. I value peace, joy and am not interested in any drama. Mami8, 40, seeking: M OLD FIDDLES MAKE SWEET TUNES Independent and creative. Looking for someone to hang out with on the weekend. More of a temperate weather person — considering a move in a few years where it’s warm in the winter. If we ever get some snow, would love to find a good sledding hill. summerchild, 63, seeking: M, l COFFEE ’N’ CUDDLES I’m laid-back. Love my family, friends and dogs. Have become a homebody but looking for someone to change that or who does not mind staying in sometimes. I enjoy dining out and going to Cape Cod whenever possible. I’m no supermodel; if that’s what you need, I’m not it. If you would like to know more, just ask. jenjen33, 50, seeking: M, l

SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

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 CLASSY, WARM, INTELLIGENT, NICE-LOOKING LADY Seeking a warm, intelligent, active, health-conscious, reasonably attractive man (70 to 80) with whom to share my beautiful home on the lake. Of course, dating relationship and love must come first! AnnieL, 75, seeking: M, l

MEN seeking...

SOUL REBEL Feet barefoot walking / Hands harvesting abundance / Heads high in smoky clouds / Hearts as one.

Soul_Rebel, 47, seeking: W, l EASYGOING GUY Hi. Just looking to see what is out there.

I love animals and love my family. I enjoy watching movies and chilling at home.

During the summer, I love to be outside.

I have lived in Vermont my whole life.

Would love to find a relationship with someone. Jman85, 38, seeking: W, l NEW IN VERMONT New here. Want to meet someone fun who likes to have a good time. I’m very easygoing and love adventures.

Let’s have a good conversation!

Latemanus, 36, seeking: W, l FUN, MAGNANIMOUS GENTLEMAN Hello! I’m a CNC maintenance technician, and I enjoy mechanics, good food and good company. I love to be outside whenever I can and enjoy the sunshine!

I love watching documentaries, working out and traveling! I’ve been to a few different countries, and I’m always planning for my next expedition.

JerimiahD, 35, seeking: W, l

NO CELLPHONES, SPORTS OR BEER Widower, 66. Advanced degree, college instructor, psychotherapist. Published author: novels, nonfiction. Drinks, no drugs, “conservatarian” politics. Interests: antiques, history, literature, art and photography. Blind since mid-’90s, think/act like a sighted person. Seek attractive woman, well read, intelligent, articulate, sense of humor. Ideally, great conversation and companionship will lead to someone I can pamper and spoil. 121nyv, 66, seeking: W, l EMPATHETIC, CARING, DRIVEN NERD Looking to make some friends with benefits. Open to a relationship. ios, 45, seeking: W, l LAID-BACK Looking for just a fun time, no strings attached. Blacktuner802, 31, seeking: W, l LAID-BACK, DRAMA-FREE Hi. We are looking for a single lady FWB — someone we can talk to and go out with. Someone who is respectful and kind. No drama, please. We would like to get to know you first through some texting or messaging before we meet. Streeter3845, 42, seeking: W LIVING AND LOVING THIS MIRACLE Living in paradise. Hiking or walking in the woods year-round. Active with woodworking, making furniture.

Paddleboarding/kayaking. Physically and emotionally healthy, active and playful. I’m seeking a long-term relationship with someone who is also physically and emotionally healthy.

Hanbleceya, 62, seeking: W, l EASYGOING, SINCERE NATURE LOVER OK, here goes: I’m a fit hard worker who likes to be out in the fresh air and sunshine doing most activities.

Responsible and loyal, I’m a realist. Life is fun but can be difficult alone. I would love to have a best friend to come home to every night. Thanks for your time.

Drafthorse_50, 50, seeking: W, l FINDING PEACE IN VERMONT This is a challenge. I feel like I’m on a dating TV show. A good day includes friends, family and exercise. Hiking and bicycling are so good for you, both body and soul. The shortness of motorcycle season angers me, but at least winter hikes are mosquito-free.

Vermont is stunning. Want to explore?

Seeking_Vermont, 60, seeking: W, l SENSUAL, RESPECTFUL, EXPLORER, LOVING, PRAGMATIC I am a reasonably intelligent, sane, mellow man, an “average Joe” type who enjoys connecting with others who appreciate sensuality, respect, excitement, and the exploration of what the human soul and body have to offer. Sharing interests, be they in the garden or the bedroom, is always an adventure of new things to smell, taste, caress, plant and explore.

—E. Elidrill, 61, seeking: M, W, Cp, l 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 HONEST, OPEN PERFECTIONIST Easygoing, open-minded, quick to help. Young at heart. Looking for a significant other who makes me whole. Lots of acquaintances, but best friends are a breed apart and special to me. Prefer rural versus urban. Try to learn something new each day. Skier10, 81, seeking: W, l 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: 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

GENDERQUEER PEOPLE seeking...

LET ME WRITE YOUR STORY Truly just here to explore everyone else. Dating weirds me out, and sex is so intimidating, so just let me be your friend. I promise I’m actually kinda cool. orion_nebula, 28, seeking: M, W, TM, TW, Q, NC, NBP, l

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

FRIDAY AT DUNKIN’ 8:30 a.m. We exchanged glances multiple times at the Shelburne Road Dunkin’, both of us waiting for our drinks. You: blonde, jacket, black yoga pants, Sorels, sunglasses. Me: brown hair, jeans, blue jacket. Can I buy you coffee next time over conversation? When: Friday, February 9, 2024. Where: Dunkin’.

You: Woman. Me: Man. #915949 LOOKING FOR LOVE Trying to reach user “Kate.” Thought it could be here in the iSpy. Any chance you would like to get a coffee? I am a bit south of your age range, though. When: Sunday, February 11, 2024. Where: iSpy. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915948 THE LAMP SHOP IN BURLINGTON I was browsing, and you offered to help me a couple of times. You were confused because I didn’t seem very interested in the lamps, until I told you I was with a friend who was shopping. I liked your look and your confident energy. I’m intrigued.

When: Saturday, February 3, 2024.

Where: the Lamp Shop, Burlington.

You: Woman. Me: Woman. #915946 NICE GUY AT ECLECTIC VT I enjoyed our brief encounter at checkout.

That Texas/Vermont connection is real. Wish I could have met your senior dog. They are the best. Maybe next time. When: Saturday, February 3, 2024. Where: Eclectic VT, Church St. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915945 SHAW’S, VERGENNES, ROASTED CHICKEN Attractive blonde at checkout. We discussed the convenience of buying a roasted chicken. The teller chimed in with a soup suggestion. Let’s make soup together. When: Saturday, February 3, 2024. Where: Shaw’s, Vergennes.

You: Woman. Me: Man. #915944

HAPPY BORN DAY! The happiest born day to my love. I look at you and see all the possibilities of our future together. The laughs and inside jokes. The way you look at my stupid face with so much love and compassion.

So grab your flannel panties and let’s explore this journey called life together.

In my heart and thoughts always. When: Saturday, February 10, 2024. Where: Calais. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915943 FRIENDLY KENNEDY DRIVE INTERACTION WAVE You and I were waiting at a traffic light at the intersection of Kennedy Drive and Route 116 around 3. You were in a silver GMC pickup truck, and I was in a white SUV Acura. You gave me a friendly wave, and it made my day. Reach out if you would like to meet for a coffee/ drink! When: Saturday, February 3, 2024.

Where: Kennedy Dr., South Burlington.

You: Man. Me: Woman. #915942 CRYING AT COMEDY WOLF You were onstage at Comedy Wolf this week talking about crying in public. I’m the one who guessed your sign after the show, then forgot to leave you my number before running away into the night. Funny, pretty and a water sign?

What a dream! Get in touch if you want to cry in public together sometime. When: Thursday, February 1, 2024. Where: Radio Bean. You: Nonbinary person.

Me: Nonbinary person. #915940 BLACK FLANNEL BAR, SATURDAY 2/3 6 to 7ish. I was at the corner of the bar with a friend. You were directly across from me wearing a black knit hat. Caught your eye a few times; something about you caught my interest. Care to chat? When: Saturday, February 3, 2024. Where: Black Flannel. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915941

Ask REVEREND the

Irreverent counsel on life’s conundrums

Dear Reverend,

My cousin is getting married, and she wants a destination wedding with only immediate family and a few friends. I’m psyched for my cousin, but her mother, uncles and aunts (including my mom!) are really angry with the bride-to-be for not inviting extended family. I want to help smooth things over, but I don’t know what to do. How can I convince the family to cool their jets and support the bride’s wishes?

Karen Cuz

(WOMAN, 31)

DEB, LONG AGO, DAVID, 1999 I miss you, Deb. This is David from 25 years ago. We had many nice times but fell apart, and now we are older.

Wiser? Love to see you again. I lived in Berkshire, and you in Montpelier. Shall we share some words? Perhaps even a kiss? When: Saturday, February 2, 2019. Where: Montpelier and Berkshire.

You: Woman. Me: Man. #915939 YOU ALWAYS MAKE MY DAY To the dark- aired customer service associate whose kindness always makes my day better: You smiled so warmly when you told me how you appreciated what I said; dare I hope that may have been more than courtesy? I’m respectful enough to accept whatever you wish, and you’re intriguing enough that I’m fine with whatever that is. When: Thursday, February 1, 2024. Where: City Market.

You: Woman. Me: Man. #915938 SUSHI AND SOMERSAULTS To the elegant woman in stripes having sushi with a friend: I couldn’t help but overhear you tell the story of your gymnastic reawakening, and it reminded me of a septuagenarian gymnast I knew who designed her home around a set of rings, upon which she could be found swinging every night. So, you go, girl! When: Tuesday, January 30, 2024. Where: Sakura Sushi & Kitchen.

You: Woman. Me: Man. #915937 45 YEARS AGO At the mall with my sisters. You with your girlfriend. After what seemed like forever, you yelled “ED.” I believe I yelled back. You were a distance away at this point. Though we did not meet, I have had the privilege of hearing you call out my name. I responded, and dreams of you through years keep me going. TY. When: Monday, July 1, 2019. Where: at the mall. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915935 MATURE BLOND EMPLOYEE, LOWE’S, ESSEX You’re a mature blonde, wear a blue Lowe’s vest, usually have your hair in a ponytail. Have seen you multiple times during my visits to Lowe’s. I get the impression you’d be interested in meeting. Let me know! When: Friday, January 26, 2024. Where: Lowe’s, Essex.

You: Woman. Me: Man. #915934

Dear Karen Cuz,

PEOPLE EVERYWHERE Please give ear to my words. If you love someone deeply, don’t let petty or juvenile things come between you both. Be gentle, kind and brave. Listen well. Be supportive and nurturing.

Be strong and vulnerable and fight for one another. True love is too rare and valuable to treat as though it’s disposable. Broken hearts are not easily mended. When: Wednesday, January 24, 2024. Where: everywhere I go.

You: Group. Me: Woman. #915933

DOLLAR TREE, ST. J You were in line. I was after you. Wow, you were gorgeous. You kept turning around. I was getting to wonder, She might be interested. Wow, she has it all. 5’6, dark hair and curvy. Sure would like to get to know you better.

When: Friday, January 12, 2024.

Where: Dollar Tree, St. Johnsbury.

You: Woman. Me: Man. #915929 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

ADAM, MY ONE TRUE LOVE Once upon a time, you were Charming.

You had a smile so fantastic it could have ended wars. I loved how you moved and felt. Life has destroyed me, but I’ll hold love in my heart for you until there are no more days.

Your son told me he wanted me to be his mom. Nothing would’ve made me happier. When: Thursday, March 12, 2020 (guessing at the date).

Where: S. Union St., Burlington.

You: Man. Me: Woman. #915932 BAREFOOT ADAM Remember when we held hands at that coffee shop and you spoke about the love you had for me? I was so happy yet confused; my brain had shut off. I drove to you in a great time of need, and you yelled at me. What gives? Do you ever check your adam...@gmail? Please say to me, “As you wish.” When: Monday, March 16, 2020 (guessing at the date). Where: Burlington, Williston and Colchester.

You: Man. Me: Woman. #915931

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: Sunday, December 17, 2023. Where: Marshalls, Williston.

You: Woman. Me: Man. #915927

HOMETOWN HOTTIE AT THE CO-OP To the hottie in the buffalo plaid jacket and wide-brimmed hat: Thank you for flashing a glimpse of your winning smile.

The co-op didn’t have what I needed, but seeing you made my day. When: Monday, January 15, 2024. Where: coop. You: Woman. Me: Woman. #915930

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

CITY MARKET I was at a cooler in a tan jacket.

You walked by toward the wine section, maybe on your phone.

Didn’t see much except your eyes.

When: Monday, January 29, 2024.

Where: City Market, Flynn Ave. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915936

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

Over the course of my years as a mail-order reverend, I have officiated a lot of weddings. From big, fancy church affairs to short, sweet ceremonies at city hall, I’ve seen it all. One thing I’ve come to realize: The only people who really need to be at a wedding are the couple getting married and somebody to sign the papers. Everybody else is extra, and who they are ought to be up to the betrothed.

Your cousin and her partner should have whatever kind of wedding their hearts desire.

Wanting a small ceremony with close family doesn’t mean they love their extended family any less. Maybe they’re shy and don’t want a crowd when they declare their love. Or perhaps they’re mindful that not everybody can afford to take time off work and travel to a destination wedding. Whatever the reasoning, people should respect their choices.

I’m sure your cousin is aware that feathers have been ruffled, and she’s going to have to lead the charge in the smoothing. I suggest that she and her soon-to-be-spouse have a reception party shortly after they return from the wedding. Perhaps you could offer to assist with the planning. It doesn’t have to be fancy.

Even a backyard barbecue would be a nice way for extended family and friends to celebrate with the couple and feel included.

Invite people sooner rather than later, and there’s a good chance of nipping any hurt feelings in the bud.

Good luck and God bless,

The Reverend What’s your problem?

Send it to asktherev@sevendaysvt.com.

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56-y/o single, sincere gentleman looking for one female partner for fun/ experiences in St. J. Healthy, fit, humorous, not bad looking.

Honest, tolerant, respectful.

Open mind/heart. Just a tad lonely, and that is a good thing for us. #L1727 I’m a man, 34, seeking a woman, 20s to 30s. Make something out of me. I am full of potential.

I work and was born in Vermont.

Looking for a partner in life. #L1724 I’m 47, seeking a male. I’m 5’6, 206 pounds, looking for someone to marry me and who is very wealthy. Please respond ASAP. #L1728 Let’s do some things — coffee at Black Cap Coffee, dinner, films at the Green Mountain Film Festival, live music at Hugo’s or Bent Nails Bistro. Woman, early 70s, seeking man of similar age to explore common interests. #L1732 I’m an 80-y/o woman seeking a man for friendship and companionship. I don’t look my age. Love to fish and play card and board games. Have never done much traveling. #L1731 I am a 25-y/o male forager, tinkerer and dumpster diver seeking like-minded empathetic woman of a similar age. #L1729

I’m a 62-y/o female who wants a male companion to have fun with, maybe go for some drinks or smoke a bowl. Young in spirit, but I’m not into the romantic part of relationships anymore.

Simply looking for a goofy friend to take me out on the town. #L1730 I’m a lifelong good-looking senior Vermonter. BA at Saint Michael’s College. Had a 750 Honda for 10 years to explore Arizona and Vermont. Live with my cat. Regular gardening indoor and out. Seeking a companion who is caring and honest for love and sexual experiences. #L1725

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.

MAIL TO: Seven Days Love Letters

PO Box 1164, Burlington, VT 05402

PAYMENT: $5/response. Include cash or check

(made out to “Seven Days”) in the outer envelope. To send unlimited replies for only $15/month, call us at 802-865-1020, ext. 161 for a membership (credit accepted).

PUBLISH YOUR MESSAGE ON THIS PAGE!

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Submit your FREE message at sevendaysvt.com/loveletters or use the handy form at right.

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We’ll publish as many messages as we can in the Love Letters section above.

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Interested readers will send you letters in the mail. No internet required!

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SEVEN DAYS FEBRUARY 14-21, 2024

Kind, loving and sincere 72y/o woman looking for a male companion/friend to spend time with and get to know. #L1726 I am a 25-y/o female looking for a sugar-daddy male (50 to 70).

Not for a sexual relationship; more of a companionship. #L1723 SWF, mid-60s, slender. Loves: wildlife safety, non-predator pets, honest ones, kept-real dynamics and excellence with style. Hates: Psychos and phonies, tech-obsesseds and scams. ISO of well-established guy, 60s to 70s — rather saintly.

Also, hates old buildings — I like new! #L1722

Internet-Free Dating!

Reply to these messages with real, honest-to-goodness letters. DETAILS BELOW. 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 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

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

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 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 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 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 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

Describe yourself and who you’re looking for in 40 words below:

Required confidential info:

(OR, ATTACH A SEPARATE PIECE OF PAPER.)

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I’m a _________________________________________________ __ ____

NAME

AGE + GENDER (OPTIONAL)

seeking a____________________________________________ ___________ AGE + GENDER (OPTIONAL)

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_______________________________________________________ MAIL TO: SEVEN DAYS LOVE LETTERS • PO BOX 1164, BURLINGTON, VT 05402 OPTIONAL WEB FORM: SEVENDAYSVT.COM/LOVELETTERS HELP: 802-865-1020, EXT. 161, LOVELETTERS@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

THIS FORM IS FOR LOVE LETTERS ONLY. Messages for the Personals and I-Spy sections must be submitted online at dating.sevendaysvt.com.

OUR WINNERS of the

Sweetie Sweepstakes!

Thanks to everyone who entered the Sweetie Sweepstakes! We loved seeing your photos. Congratulations to Molly and Jason of Huntington – you’ve won our romantic giveaway! Details include: • A $250 gift card for a romantic dinner for two by Copper at Dorset in South Burlington • A $250 gift card to the Vermont hotel of their choice • A pair of limited-edition Seven Days T-shirts

SPONSORED BY

Catering By Dale's new restaurant and kitchen is now located at Copper at Dorset: a private event space featuring bar service, lunch, prepared meals to-go, pop-up tapas dinners and theme parties. On-site or at any Vermont location, they specialize in creating the ultimate experience for their clients.

Learn more at copperatdorset.com.

See all the sweeties online until March 1 at sevendaysvt.com/sweetiesweeps

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