Seven Days, March 1, 2023

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IN THE WEEDS

Opponents of a plan to kill invasive aquatic plants in Lake Bomoseen are calling for a statewide moratorium on the use of herbicides in lakes until their effects are better understood. Last week, residents gathered in the Statehouse to support a bill that would block regulators from issuing new permits for herbicide treatments in bodies of water until a year after a study committee reports findings on their impacts on the environment and public health.

Regulators already are drafting rules to clarify and codify the existing permit process, but residents say that doesn’t go far enough.

“What we need is a time-out and full reexamination of a flawed process,” said Bob Stannard, who owns property on the lake.

e 2,400-acre lake just north of Castleton is home to a popular state park and about 1,000 private homes. For decades, efforts to control Eurasian watermilfoil in Bomoseen have fallen short.

Once established in a lake or pond, milfoil is nearly impossible to eradicate. People have tried mowing it, ripping it out at the roots, sucking it up with underwater vacuums, spreading sheets on the lake bottom to block sunlight and even encouraging tiny weevils to eat it.

ey also sometimes try poison. e Department of Environmental Conservation has issued more than 600 permits for herbicide and lampricide treatments since 1963.

emoji that

$37,000

TRAIN PAIN

At a crossing in Sharon, an Amtrak train collided with a truck carrying stone. No one was hurt. No hazardous spill, either.

GAME OVER

The girls’ basketball team at a private Christian school withdrew from a state tournament to avoid playing a team with a trans player, the Valley News reported. Forfeit.

e latter targets lampreys, a parasitic fish. Since 2019, regulators have issued herbicide treatment permits for 10 lakes. Lake Bomoseen hasn’t been one of them.

In January 2022, the Lake Bomoseen Association applied for a permit to chemically treat the lake. e nonprofit group, which represents many lake homeowners, said in its permit application that it had been battling milfoil unsuccessfully for 40 years and wanted to try a product called ProcellaCOR. e herbicide was used on Lake Iroquois in 2021 to reduce milfoil levels. e DEC is still analyzing the Bomoseen application.

Environmental organizations and several lawmakers expressed support for the proposed moratorium.

Rep. Bill Canfield (R-Fair Haven) noted that selectboards in Fair Haven, Castleton and Hubbardton had all objected to the permit.

In an email to lawmakers, Liz Bird, president of the Lake Bomoseen Association, blasted Stannard for using “scare tactics, false claims, and unsubstantiated rumors” to disrupt the permit process. She suggested that Stannard’s ties to bass-fishing groups were behind his campaign.

“H.31 is an attempt to manipulate a process for a specific goal: Keep underwater milfoil groves alive and well as a super-habitat for largemouth bass. Please do not support this legislation,” she wrote.

Read Kevin McCallum’s full story at sevendaysvt.com.

TO ELECT OR APPOINT?

Running a small town in Vermont isn’t easy. An intricate web of officers, some of whom are volunteers, ensures that everything from sidewalk width to water quality is discussed — often ad nausea m — voted upon, warned, filed and enforced. But these positions are often overlooked or undesired and, as a result, can be difficult to fill.

at’s why some Vermont towns are opting to appoint versus elect officers. On this upcoming Town Meeting Day, 30 ballot items across 20 towns propose changing elected positions to appointed ones. Last year, there were 32 such ballot items.

In 2017, Act 27 was passed, allowing municipalities to give their legislative bodies the

PARTY FOUL

Two state troopers were on paid leave amid a probe into racist and sexist language they allegedly used during an o -duty game. Yikes.

SUBZERO SABBATICAL

The Vermont Army National Guard is headed to Nunavut, Canada, to participate in a winter training exercise. Brrrrr.

power to appoint their municipal clerks and treasurers. Ted Brady, executive director for the Vermont League of Cities & Towns, said many towns had wanted to make the switch for years.

In Stockbridge, voters will decide this Town Meeting Day whether or not to make the town clerk’s position appointed. Town Clerk Lori Scott, who plans to retire, said the switch would allow nonresidents to apply, making more people eligible.

Similarly, Pownal voters will decide whether to make the town’s constable position an appointment. e selectboard hopes to attract a constable with law enforcement training. e current, elected constable has none; the town has been outsourcing law enforcement to Bennington County.

In Hinesburg, town manager Todd Odit

That’s the amount raised from parking fines that the City of Burlington subsequently donated to Feeding Chittenden.

TOPFIVE

MOST POPULAR ITEMS ON SEVENDAYSVT.COM

1. “Chick’s Market in Winooski Approaches the End of an Era” by Carolyn Shapiro & Samantha Watson. An Onion City fixture that opened in 1944 is for sale.

2. “Lyme Disease Vaccine Trial Ends Abruptly, Surprising Participants” by Anne Wallace Allen. Pfizer said it dropped about half the participants in its national study.

3. “Dining on a Dime: Pioneer Lakeshore Café Serves Big Flavors for Small Prices in Colchester” by Melissa Pasanen. e ribsticking sandwiches and burgers mostly cost between $11 and $13.

4. “Mexican Man Dies After Crossing Canadian Border Into Vermont” by Sasha Goldstein. State police are investigating the death of a man who had just crossed into the U.S. illegally.

5. “Andrew Tripp Is an All-Star Union Organizer — and a Kick-Ass Cross-Country Coach, Too” by Derek Brouwer. Our cover story profiled the man who helped organize minor-league pro baseball players.

tweet of the week

@garlicksauce

#BTV politics are rarely boring. We’ve got a police measure on the ballot and people are ripping up lawn signs and Ben and Jerry are literally giving out Ben and Jerry’s in support.

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hopes that voters approve a measure to appoint a town clerk, saying it would bring greater accountability to the position. Currently, people lacking qualifications can be elected, he said.

Not everyone would agree. Brady made clear that he doesn’t think an appointed official is necessarily more qualified. And it’s not uncommon for a community to reverse course and opt to vote for a position that was previously appointed.

e intent is to give municipalities greater agency in how they hire officers so they can better meet the demanding needs of operating a town. In today’s world, some of these local jobs have only gotten more complicated.  is much is clear, Brady said: “Being a town treasurer ain’t what it was 100 years ago.”

A sign marking the offices of the Brookfield town clerk

COURTESY OF VERMONT STATE PARKS

Lake Bomoseen

TO THE RESCUE.

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THE STATE RESPONDS…

[Re Newcomb: “State Pushed to Amend Foster Care Records Access,” February 15]:

The Vermont State Archives & Records Administration and Vermont Department for Children and Families appreciate Tim Newcomb’s recent cartoon concerning foster care records and want to take this opportunity to provide additional information.

DCF does provide individuals access to their own information as allowed under current state laws: Minors in foster care or a child-caring institution can receive certain information from DCF, and adults who were in foster care and adopted can receive certain information from DCF. There is, however, a gap in current state laws: Adults who were in foster care but not adopted cannot receive the same information from DCF as minors and adopted persons. This is the gap we are striving to close.

Legislative changes can allow all individuals who were formerly in foster care to access their information. The Vermont State Archives & Records Administration, in consultation with DCF, submitted a report to legislators with recommendations. Further, and with careful forethought, we believe individuals’ access to their own information can be expanded while also protecting information pertaining to other individuals that is often included in the same case records and cannot be disclosed under other federal or state laws.

We invite stakeholders to read the Act 100 of 2022 report submitted to the legislature, including recommendations, and join us in advocating for legislative changes. The report can be found online on the Vermont General Assembly’s website.

Collaboration is key to ensure the voices of everyone involved are heard, respected and honored.

Gillie Hopkins MONTPELIER

Hopkins is permanency planning manager for the Vermont Department for Children and Families.

Tanya Marshall WILLISTON

Marshall is the Vermont state archivist and chief records officer.

WHAT OVERSIGHT LOOKS LIKE

Of course, police are free to get second jobs with their own cars, clothing and guns, but this private patrol crossed a line [“Crime Pays: Burlington Police Officers Land a Lucrative Side Gig,” January 24; “Burlington Police Chief in Spotlight After Revelation of Private Patrols,” January 31].

Is the answer a 2023 ballot measure authorizing a new city department and police commission to address this ongoing situation [“Burlington Voters Will Decide Whether to Create a New Police Oversight Model,” February 7]?

After discussions with my neighbors, we are voting against the new commission and department, as they are not the solution to the current dysfunctional situation. The ballot measure only ramps up the existing conflicts and blame game between the mayor, council and police.

This all started with national discussions about better police training and public safety for every citizen. Who doesn’t want that? And it takes thoughtful, collaborative and continuous work to make this a reality.

I suggest a working group with six representatives — two from the mayor’s office, two from the city council and two from the police — committed to working together to define goals, identify problems, and negotiate and implement policy solutions. The working group should also include a professional mediator and access to an expert who has experience with policing issues and solutions, successful community policing models, and knowledge of what other police departments have implemented.

If a city position were a possibility, maybe a new training officer and liaison could provide ongoing collaboration, information sharing and training.

I’m hopeful for a future with mutual respect, collaborative policies and a willingness to continue to work together for everyone’s benefit.

Steph Holdridge BURLINGTON

NO ACCOUNTABILITY FOR PROPOSED BOARD

[Re “Burlington Voters Will Decide Whether to Create a New Police Oversight Model,” February 7]: The proposed police control board, Item 7 on the March 7 Town Meeting ballot, is a fundamental attack on democracy in its constitutional form. Constitutional democracy limits what the democratic electorate can do in limiting the rights of its citizens.

Once a claim to rights has been established by constitutionally protected means, such as union agreements, then in a constitutional democracy that right cannot be violated by a fanaticism-based police control board.

First, the proposed board would give over part of the rights to discipline police to groups that are not responsible to citizens but are rather chosen by an arbitrary procedure by people who are not themselves elected representatives. If elected representatives violate people’s rights, they can be held accountable. The board would be chosen by seven community groups that are not defined, and by the director of racial equity, inclusion and belonging. There is no guarantee that any concept of the equal right of all citizens to try to be on the board would be respected. With the proposed board, its members and the people who choose it could not be held accountable.

Second, instead of making the attempt to be on the board an equal option for everyone, the proposed board would prevent anyone associated with law enforcement from being on the board.

Third, the proposal arbitrarily and capriciously would deny police their fundamental right, won through a

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constitutionally protected process, to grieve disciplinary measures.

CARELESS CANDIDATE

Seven Days recently reported “cribbing” on council candidate Tim Doherty’s website [“Website for Burlington Council Candidate Cribs Text From Current Councilor,” February 21, online]. Burlington Democratic Committee chair Adam Roof was reportedly furious that someone had, I guess, noticed this.

But the story is not about “gotcha” or even about plagiarism; it’s about the critical difference between substance and a sales pitch.

The candidate himself didn’t bother to read what he was “saying” to sell a supposedly superior brand of “constituent service.”

The revealing irony is that, in claiming he would be an attentive councilor who would take far more care than some

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NEWS+POLITICS

Money for Her Run

14

Court filing reveals how crypto moguls tarnished a historic Vermont election

O cials Press Navigation

Apps to Warn Truckers About Notch Road

Voting on Voting

Burlington ballot proposes big changes in city election rules

Lyme Disease Vaccine Trial

Ends Abruptly

Helping Hands

A mental health agency in Washington County provides doula services to families — free of charge

STUCK IN VERMONT

Lawsuits Filed Over BTV Cathedral Demolition

Burlington Considers Kicking Fossil Fuels to the Curb

FEATURES 28

Frontline Shooter Russian photojournalist Dmitri Beliakov exhibits photographs of years of war in Ukraine

Into the Forest 251: Culture (and car repair) in Putney

A Stone’s Throw Vermonters sweep into Québec’s curling scene

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Trent Cooper is obsessed with perfecting his loaf of

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COVER DESIGN REV. DIANE SULLIVAN • PHOTO DAVID SHAW

pain de campagne — a naturally leavened country-style bread that he learned to make from famed local baker Gérard Rubaud; Cooper took over Rubaud’s bakery in 2020, after his death. Eva filmed Cooper’s baking process and tasted bread hot out of the oven at 2:30 a.m.

MUST SEE, MUST DO THIS WEEK

FRIDAY 3 & SATURDAY 4

Make Some Magic

ose who couldn’t make it to the Brattleboro premiere can catch e Butterfly Queen at St. Johnsbury’s Catamount Arts Center. A farmer and a vagabond must defeat a nefarious fae who wants to steal their art in this farmpunk fairy-tale feature film, homegrown in the Northeast Kingdom. A Q&A with the cast and crew follows.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 70

FRIDAY 3

TICKLING THE IVORIES

e Emmet Cohen Trio approaches jazz as a way of making connections and tapping into deep feelings. Listeners feel the love when the virtuoso pianist and his backing band take to the stage at Burlington’s University of Vermont Recital Hall for an evening of sensitive, soulful stylings.

STARTS THURSDAY 2

First Class

Central Vermonters who have always wanted to learn how to beekeep, juggle, bake sourdough pastries or play Dungeons & Dragons, look no further: Bethel University is back. All month, across town and online, students of all ages can take seminars on subjects such as line dancing, home renovation, first aid, transgender rights, wine tasting and off-grid living.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 68

SATURDAY 4

Get Your Goat

Vergennes’ premier farm-to-scoop ice cream shop presents a Lu•lu Goat Milk Gelato Launch & Tasting Party. An all-new line of sweet treats, made with milk straight from the furry friends at Huntington’s Midnight Goat Farm, features original flavors to be revealed at the fiesta.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 70

SUNDAY 5

High Moon

Nordic skiers revel in the moonlight at Sleepy Hollow Inn Ski & Bike Center’s Full Moon Sunday in Huntington. Visitors traverse lighted trails and take ski lessons, followed by chili, s’mores and hot chocolate around the fire, as well as après-ski music and dancing in the barn.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 71

OPENS WEDNESDAY 8

Fear Factory

White River Junction’s Northern Stage presents Sweat at Barrette Center for the Arts. is Pulitzer Prize-winning play follows a Pennsylvania factory as the effects of the manufacturing industry’s decline unravel decades-old ties and exacerbate racial tensions. e first two preview nights are “pay what you wish.”

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 72

ONGOING

Floral Flourishes

Atlanta artist Lynn Johnson presents her solo show “As I See It” at Middlebury’s Edgewater Gallery on the Green. Johnson’s still-life paintings of flowers in oil and graphite capture an exquisite sense of calm and serenity and offer viewers a veritable dance of color and dynamism.

SEE GALLERY LISTING ON PAGE 57

COURTESY OF GABRIELA GABRIELAA

Either

Call and Response

I’ve always been afraid of sirens. Even as kid, safe and warm in bed at night, I knew that a piercing wail in the dark meant someone else was likely lying in the back of an ambulance, potentially struggling for their life. For years I had terrible nightmares about that and other grisly things. My parents — following the guidance of pediatrician Dr. Benjamin Spock — chalked it up to a “vivid imagination.”

Many decades later, I live one block west of a Burlington fire station. All day long, I hear the trucks responding to emergencies. At night, their sirens are replaced by flashing lights that illuminate the bedroom, briefly, until the heavy vehicles turn onto North Avenue. The visual reminder that they are o to deal with some drama I’ve been spared makes me feel just like I did when I was little: worried, guilty, grateful. I’ve always known — deep down — that one day an ambulance, a glaring reminder of mortality, would be driving in the dark for me.

Two years ago, one did. Readers of this column may remember I wrote about a stroke-like migraine that sent me to the hospital, unconscious, in the wee hours of my 61st birthday. Responses to that piece gave Seven Days the evidence we needed to document the extent of a waitingtime problem at the University of Vermont Medical Center. Our coverage launched a state investigation.

One detail I omitted back in 2021 seems important now, in light of this week’s cover story about the dire state of emergency medical services across Vermont. On that night, while I was unresponsive, my partner, Tim, debated whether to call 911. When he did, our neighborhood firehouse responded. The EMTs were in our house, by my side, in a matter of seconds.

There are paramedics among Burlington’s first responders and firefighters, and they are all professionals. City residents pay for their services, but that night nobody was complaining about property taxes or the cost of the ride, which was upwards of $800, as I recall. I left the house horizontally, in good hands.

When you’re really sick and need to be assessed in an emergency room, that’s the best way to go. Most Vermonters live much farther from a hospital than I do. And many are in towns with predominantly

volunteer rescue squads. But no matter where they reside or how long the ride to a hospital, they’ve been able to expect that someone will respond to a call for help — until now.

In “On Life Support” (page 28), Colin Flanders takes the vitals of Vermont’s statewide emergency response network. Sta ng and equipment shortages, combined with an increase in the number of calls, have stretched some teams, volunteer and professional, to the breaking point.

I worry about friends, many older than me, who live alone in the country. Their neighbors are there to help, of course, but sometimes those folks are on the senior side, too, or they’ve gone south for the winter. Helping someone up from a fall is one thing. But most emergency medical problems can’t be remedied by a strong back, duct tape or a plow.

Which brings me to another detail I left out of my migraine story: the conclusion. My neurologist retired, but not before we met over Zoom to discuss my headaches and what I should do the next time I got one.

He suggested: Now that I know all the ways the problem can manifest itself, from impaired speech to nausea to unconsciousness, maybe I don’t need to call 911 next time.

There hasn’t been a “next time.”

But it’s comforting to know that, at least in Burlington, we can still expect someone to answer.

Paula Routly

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THE EMTS WERE IN OUR HOUSE, BY MY SIDE, IN A MATTER OF SECONDS.

Officials Press Navigation Apps to Warn Truckers About Notch Road

BY ANNE WALLACE ALLEN anne@sevendaysvt.com

Lawmakers are hoping Vermont can get the attention of the GPS companies whose apps are routing truck drivers up the long, winding road through Smugglers’ Notch. A bill introduced this month would fine them $2,000 for failing to show drivers that Route 108, which narrows sharply and snakes through rock formations as it passes between Stowe and Cambridge, is closed to trucks and buses.

e Vermont Agency of Transportation has long reached out to companies such as Apple and Google that make way-finding apps as part of its efforts to curtail the hours-long traffic delays that can occur as trucks are slowly extricated, with little success.

Money for Her Run

Court filing reveals how crypto moguls tarnished a historic Vermont election

BY DEREK BROUWER & SASHA GOLDSTEIN

Awho’s who of Vermont politicians sipped Citizen Cider and traded small talk in a crowded Montpelier hotel conference room last Thursday, near a poster that bore the name of the event’s host: the LGBTQ Victory Institute.

The mood was jubilant as 100-plus attendees celebrated November’s election results. A record 14 openly gay or transgender state legislators and two statewide o cials won seats, most notably U.S. Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.), who notched a historic congressional victory.

Balint didn’t attend, but newly elected Vermont Treasurer Mike Pieciak, who is gay, earned big laughs from the crowd during his speech. He began by reading a congratulatory statement from Gov. Phil Scott, who couldn’t attend. Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman was one of the event’s sponsors.

Emceeing the evening was Marty Rouse, vice president of outreach and engagement for the Victory Institute’s political action committee, the LGBTQ Victory Fund. The two branches of the

organization work closely together, Rouse said, “to help lift up out LGBT leaders all across this country.”

The Victory Institute, a nonprofit, holds trainings and conferences, Rouse explained to the crowd; the fund helps candidates get elected.

Left unsaid: Earlier in the day, the Washington, D.C.-based Victory Fund’s super PAC featured prominently in

new information made public about a campaign finance scandal involving Sam Bankman-Fried, the disgraced founder of the cryptocurrency exchange FTX. An indictment filed in a fraud case against

POLITICS

Bankman-Fried detailed how he allegedly stole investor funds and funneled millions to congressional candidates during the midterms as part of a scheme to buy influence for the cryptocurrency industry. Part of the plan, an unidentified political consultant for Bankman-Fried wrote to an FTX executive last year, was to give to “woke shit for transactional purposes.” The executive, identified by the Wall Street Journal as Nishad Singh, later donated more than $1 million to an unnamed LGBTQ political action committee, according to the indictment.

That appears to describe the $1.1 million infusion the LGBTQ Victory Fund Federal PAC received last July — its largest ever — from Singh, FTX’s head of engineering. The super PAC spent almost all the money on ads supporting Balint in the final month of her Democratic primary campaign against then-lieutenant governor Molly Gray.

But Joshua Schultz, the operations and safety bureau director at VTrans, told lawmakers on Tuesday that Google got in touch with the state Agency of Digital Services a few months ago looking for ways it could work with Vermont. e agency notified VTrans.

“We were like, ‘Oh, heck yeah, we really would like to engage in this conversation,’” Schultz said at a hearing of the Senate Transportation Committee. at’s part of a larger strategy that involves signs and increased enforcement, and that has reduced incidents involving stuck trucks to five in both of the past two years.

Schultz said the agency is considering adding two roundabouts, one on either side of the Notch, that truckers could use for turning around, and a structure that mimics the geography of the road as it snakes through the Notch, to demonstrate whether a vehicle would fit.

VTrans asks stuck drivers why they tried the road. Many said they trusted their GPS when it recommended the route.

e bill is unlikely to go further, at least this year. One of its sponsors, Sen. omas Chittenden (D-ChittendenSoutheast), said he learned at Tuesday’s hearing on the bill that Google had approached the state.

“My intent,” Chittenden said, “was to start the conversation.” ➆

THE CASH TRANSLATED INTO A BOOST FOR BALINT IN THE GUISE OF SUPPORT FROM A PRO-LGBTQ GROUP.

Marty Rouse emceeing the LGBTQ Victory Institute event

JEB WALLACE-BRODEUR

A stuck truck at Smuggler’s Notch

Voting on Voting

Burlington ballot proposes big changes in city election rules

BY COURTNEY LAMDIN • courtney@sevendaysvt.com

Voting in Burlington could look much different if residents approve a slate of charter changes on Town Meeting Day. The March 7 ballot will determine how local elections are conducted, who can cast votes and whether voters themselves can put issues on the ballot.

Most of the questions are familiar to city voters. They’ll again consider extending voting rights to noncitizens living in Burlington legally, a proposal residents rejected in 2015. They’ll also revisit the use of ranked-choice voting in mayoral races, a method they abandoned in 2010. And they’ll review redrawn voting districts to rebalance the population in the city’s eight wards, just as they did in 2014.

New this year, and perhaps most controversial, is a proposal that would allow voters to enact city ordinances by referendum. If it passes, the so-called “Proposition Zero” would also let voters place nonbinding advisory items directly on the ballot.

All four items would change the city’s charter, meaning that even with voter approval, they would still need the OK of the state legislature and Gov. Phil Scott. Confused? Here’s an explanation of each of these ballot questions.

PROPOSITION ZERO

Burlington’s ordinances dictate everything from what types of trees can be planted in city parks to the hours it’s acceptable to use a leaf blower. City councilors have the authority to approve such rules and to rescind them.

Proposition Zero, however, would allow residents to place proposed ordinances on the ballot by collecting signatures of 5 percent of registered voters. The same could be done to repeal an ordinance if the council refused to reconsider it.

Opponents of Prop Zero argue that Burlington is a representative democracy and that allowing petitioners to overrule the council is unwise. Those in favor contend that direct citizen action could be a “check” on elected o cials’ power.

Prop Zero organizer FaRied Munarsyah, who is running as an

independent for the South District city council seat, said the measure would allow residents who feel disenfranchised to have a direct say in how their city functions. Voters can already petition to add charter changes to the ballot — such as the controversial question this year to create a police oversight board. But they can’t order up votes on ordinances.

Councilor Joan Shannon (D-South District), who is running for reelection against Munarsyah and Progressive candidate Will Anderson, said ordinances should be vetted by councilors and city attorneys.

“It’s an iterative process with the public, and it happens in the public eye,” said Shannon, who has served on the council’s Ordinance Committee. Crafting policy by referendum, Shannon said, is “just dangerous.”

Mayor Miro Weinberger is opposed, too. At a recent press conference, he recalled how activists in 2019 petitioned for a ballot item to ask voters whether they wanted to cancel the $4 million renovation of City Hall Park. The council rejected the request with a 6-6 tie vote.

“I very much appreciated that the council took that action,” Weinberger said. “If Prop Zero passed, they wouldn’t be able to do that.”

Munarsyah argued that councilors would still have a say in the process. The ballot language would allow the council to discuss the wording of a citizen-drafted ordinance proposal and alter it “to avoid repetitions, illegalities, and unconstitutional provisions,” but not to “materially change its meaning and e ect.”

Ordinances can be complicated, and the short versions that would be printed on ballots wouldn’t fully describe the proposed change. But Munarsyah argued that’s no di erent from councilgenerated ballot items.

Munarsyah has also heard criticism that Prop Zero would allow deep-pocketed special interest groups to petition for ballot items. But he said special interests — including landlords and business leaders — already control city politics.

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NO. 2

HEALTH

Lyme Disease Vaccine Trial Ends Abruptly

BY ANNE WALLACE ALLEN anne@sevendaysvt.com

Dan Tolle, a retired high school chemistry teacher, was excited to learn about the chance to participate in a Lyme disease vaccine study while he was visiting the Champlain Valley Fair last summer. He signed up right away.

The two-year research project was being conducted on behalf of Pfizer, a $100 billion global pharmaceutical company. Participants were told it involved being injected with several doses of an experimental vaccine against Lyme disease, a tick-borne malady that causes an array of symptoms, some serious.

Participants also learned they’d have their blood drawn repeatedly and would be asked to monitor and report on their own health from home.

Tolle agreed, and in November, he arrived at an office building near Middlebury for his first appointment. After a few hours in the waiting room with fellow volunteers, he filled out a mountain of paperwork and got his shot.

Tolles’ second visit to the clinic was scheduled for a Sunday in early January. On the Friday before, he said, he got a call confirming the time of his visit, but on Saturday, another call informed him it was off.

“They said, ‘Be sure to see your health provider if you have any concerns about your health, or contact us. But don’t come; we’ll reschedule,’” he said.

The company handling the vaccination clinics, Care Access, never called back to reschedule, and Tolles and others who had signed up were left to wonder.

Some questions were answered when Pfizer sent out a press release on February 17 explaining that it had decided to drop about half the participants in its huge national study called VALOR, or Vaccine Against Lyme for Outdoor Recreationists, because of problems with the clinical practices of the vendor.

The pharmaceutical giant reassured participants in a letter that there were no safety concerns and that the study hadn’t dropped them as a result of volunteers reporting adverse reactions to the vaccine. However, the situation left Tolle uneasy.

“I’m sure I’m not alone in wanting to know more about why the study was canceled suddenly and what the problem was with the way Care Access was conducting their business,” Tolles said. ➆

Money for Her Run « P.14

The Victory Fund was in no mood to discuss any of that at last week’s celebration.

“I can’t talk to you,” Rouse said when a reporter introduced himself. “Sorry, I can’t.”

The court documents, filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan, provide the clearest picture yet of how a crypto baron allegedly misappropriated funds to further his political aims. In Vermont, that translated into a boost for Balint in the guise of support from a pro-LGBTQ group. Gray and Balint were vying to be the Democratic Party’s standard-bearer and Vermont’s firstever congresswoman.

“This guy sitting in the Bahamas and his other buddies not only bilked [customers], but they impacted the outcome of a really historically significant race in Vermont,” said Carolyn Dwyer, a veteran manager of Vermont political campaigns. She advised the Gray campaign but said she was speaking only for herself. “That just shouldn’t happen, and it shouldn’t happen again.”

The stunning, swift collapse of FTX and its sister cryptocurrency investment firm, Alameda Research, in November resulted from what prosecutors now allege was a multibillion-dollar fraud, one of the largest in U.S. history. Bankman-Fried, the 30-year-old former industry darling, is accused of raiding customer funds deposited in FTX’s cryptocurrency exchange as capital for his and Alameda’s other ventures.

One of those ventures, according to last week’s indictment, was an effort to flood the 2022 midterms with cash in order to curry favor on Capitol Hill at a pivotal moment for the largely unregulated, risky and lucrative cryptocurrency industry. Bankman-Fried ultimately directed tens of millions of dollars to Democratic and Republican candidates, making him one of the country’s largest political donors last year. Many of the funds, prosecutors allege, were distributed under the names of other people to obscure the money’s true source, an illegal tactic known as a straw-donor scheme.

It was no secret that Bankman-Fried planned to spend big during the midterms; he’d said he might spend up to $1 billion on campaigns over the ensuing few years. Bankman-Fried, who cultivated an image as a leader of a new breed of altruistic capitalists, channeled much of his spending through groups that purported to be dedicated to preventing future pandemics. One of the groups gave millions in grants to news outlets to support reporting on the topic.

Bankman-Fried’s brother, Gabe, started an advocacy group funded by FTX called Guarding Against Pandemics. The organization purchased a luxury D.C. town house where Gabe reportedly hosted cocktail parties for politicians. In spring 2022, Guarding Against Pandemics began endorsing candidates, while a related super PAC called Protect Our Future spent heavily to support them.

The pandemic-focused outfits made an early splash in a primary race in Oregon,

It’s not clear why they took a particular interest in Vermont’s Democratic House primary, which involved first-time candidates who were unlikely to wield power in Congress anytime soon. But Guarding Against Pandemics met with the three top Democratic candidates.

State Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale (D-Chittenden-Southeast), who dropped out of the congressional race last May, and Gray both told Seven Days that the group contacted them to schedule an endorsement interview. Both met virtually with Gabe Bankman-Fried and another Guarding Against Pandemics staffer in early 2022, the candidates said.

Crypto policy was never mentioned in the interviews, they said. Ram Hinsdale, who backed Balint after dropping out of the race to run for state Senate, told Seven Days last summer that she believed — in a “Pollyannish” way — that the group seemed sincerely interested in pandemic preparedness. She had a Zoom meeting with the group in mid-February.

“From what I experienced,” Ram Hinsdale said in August, “I just think they want to have some friends in Washington.”

where Protect Our Future spent $11 million to support a virtually unknown candidate named Carrick Flynn, who ultimately lost in May. The Bankman-Fried brothers said they backed Flynn because of his policy positions on pandemic prevention.

As primary season wore on, Sam Bankman-Fried and his inner circle allegedly devised a scheme to obscure the breadth of their spending and circumvent donation limits.

In an email on Monday, Gray told Seven Days that she met with the group virtually on January 14, 2022. Guarding Against Pandemics “alleged they were interested in supporting candidates who would make pandemic prevention their top priority in Congress,” she wrote. “During the meeting they asked me whether I would, if elected, be willing to make an appropriation’s request in support of pandemic prevention.”

Gray said she declined and, based on that answer, did not expect the group’s endorsement. Weeks later, she said, she learned the group was linked to cryptocurrency executives and told her campaign

Becca Balint in Washington, D.C.

FILE: JAMES BUCK

Vermont Treasurer Mike Pieciak

manager she “wanted no contact with these groups or any cryptocurrency advocates, groups or individuals.”

The Balint campaign said it first met with Guarding Against Pandemics a few months later, in May. Campaign manager Natalie Silver previously told Seven Days that Balint met with Gabe BankmanFried at a lunch in D.C. and also for a virtual interview. They knew that Gabe was Sam’s brother, but, Silver said, the campaign got assurances that Guarding Against Pandemics had nothing to do with cryptocurrency.

pandemic-related language that Silver acknowledged had been provided by Gabe Bankman-Fried’s group.

Balint’s website also appeared to use a tactic known as “red-boxing.” The technique allows campaigns to create a section of their website — accessible by clicking a red box — that contains photos, B-roll and messaging that super PACs can use in mailers, TV or radio ads. The scheme is technically legal but allows campaigns to skirt rules against coordinating with outside groups. Silver denied using the tactic, but the red box

the LGBTQ community or its genuine allies. In fact, in messages with Sam BankmanFried’s unnamed political consultant, Singh had expressed discomfort with being the face of the donation to an LGBTQ cause, but the two agreed there was no one “trusted at FTX [who was] bi/gay” to do so, the court documents say.

Singh pleaded guilty on Tuesday to six criminal counts related to the FTX conspiracy, including conspiracy to defraud the Federal Election Commission for his role in the straw-donor scheme.

“I am unbelievably sorry for my role in all of this,” he reportedly said during a federal court hearing in Manhattan.

Seven Days revealed the source of the Victory Fund spending in August, when the group was required to file a financial disclosure postprimary. Balint and Silver

Balint wasn’t the only Vermont recipient of the FTX contributions: Sam Bankman-Fried gave $9,752 to the Vermont Democratic Party in late August, and Gabe Bankman-Fried contributed $10,000 in October. Now-U.S. Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) received $1,000 from the Guarding Against Pandemics PAC in March and $2,900 each from Sam and Gabe Bankman-Fried, Singh, and Sadowsky.

The direct contributions to Balint, Welch and the Vermont Democratic Party totaled at least $67,811, according to Seven Days’ review of Federal Election Commission records.

Asked if Welch ever met with Guarding Against Pandemics, his campaign declined to comment on his schedule.

“The campaign is following the guidance of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court and Department of Justice in this matter,” the Welch campaign said in a statement.

The VDP received the BankmanFrieds’ donations through the Democratic National Committee, executive director Jim Dandeneau said on Monday. The party will follow the DNC’s guidance regarding the potential return of the funds.

said they didn’t know Singh and had not solicited the money, which would have been illegal. Silver denounced Singh’s contribution as “problematic.”

He described the country’s campaign finance system as “broken and ugly” and noted that the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision opened the floodgates to political spending.

The group’s “sole focus is people who are going to be strong advocates for pandemic prevention, and Becca checked those boxes for them,” Silver told Seven Days in August. “She believed in the mission of their organization and felt like it was in line with her values. And so they thought she was the best candidate in the race for that.”

Guarding Against Pandemics endorsed Balint on June 9, the same day that Gray and Balint squared off in a debate.

Over the next two weeks, the BankmanFried brothers and four others linked to them donated the maximum legal amount directly to Balint, $2,900 each. They were six of just 41 people who cut $2,900 checks to the Balint campaign during the primary.

During the June 9 debate, Gray asked Balint to commit to holding a joint press conference to denounce any third-party spending that might come into the race. (Balint’s concise reply: “Yes.”) Afterward, in an interview with Seven Days, Silver alleged that Gray asked the question because she was upset about missing out on Guarding Against Pandemics’ endorsement.

Around that time, Balint’s online policy platform was updated to include specific

that was once on the site disappeared after Seven Days and VTDigger.org reported on it.

A few weeks later, the LGBTQ Victory Fund Federal PAC began inundating voters with pro-Balint mailers and ads. The $991,911 the super PAC spent was nearly equal to the $1.24 million the Balint campaign itself spent during the primary.

The timing meant the Victory Fund was not legally required to disclose the source of its new funds until after the primary election. When the Gray campaign criticized the surge of outside spending, Balint did not stand alongside her to denounce it. Silver instead told VTDigger.org that Gray’s criticism was “very close to saying, you know, ‘We don’t want a gay agenda.’”

The Victory Fund took a similar tack, writing to Seven Days at the time that “anyone questioning why the LGBTQ community is rallying behind an out LGBTQ Congressional candidate who has dedicated her life to fighting for our rights needs to take a serious look in the mirror.”

The indictment against Sam BankmanFried makes clear that the dollars leveraged by the Victory Fund did not originate from

But the campaign continued to accept money from people in the BankmanFried orbit. It received $2,900 contributions in October, during the homestretch of the general election, from Singh; Gabe Bankman-Fried; Ross Rheingans-Yoo of the FTX Foundation; Protect Our Future PAC’s then-president, Michael Sadowsky; and Data for Progress’ thenexecutive director, Sean McElwee, who served as a political consultant to Sam Bankman-Fried and whose firm was paid by Protect Our Future to conduct polling.

Seven Days tallied at least $34,459 in direct contributions to Balint from nine people connected to Bankman-Fried or Data for Progress, plus $1,000 more from the Guarding Against Pandemics PAC.

“The campaign has no knowledge of how Mr. Bankman-Fried or Mr. Singh’s political contributions were determined,” Silver said in a statement on Tuesday. “The campaign had no contact with the LGBTQ Victory Fund federal independent expenditure PAC, and has no knowledge of The LGBTQ Victory Fund’s interactions with their donors or their plans for their funds. The campaign, in compliance with federal campaign finance law, does not communicate or coordinate with SuperPACS in any way.”

Balint’s campaign has been in contact with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan and is “fully supporting their investigation” into Sam Bankman-Fried and FTX, according to Silver. The Victory Fund, meanwhile, said in a statement that it has set aside funds “and will take appropriate action once we receive guidance from authorities.”

The Victory Fund had just $200,000 in cash as of January, according to its most recent federal filings, far less than the nearly $1 million of FTX money it spent to support Balint. The Balint campaign, similarly, didn’t appear to have cash on hand equivalent to the total donations it received from Sam Bankman-Fried and his associates.

The Victory Fund remains in good standing among Vermont politicos, if attendance at last week’s celebration was any indication. To a round of applause and cheers, Rouse, the group’s vice president of outreach and engagement, noted that Gray was among the “strong allies” in the crowd.

Seven Days later asked Gray why she attended, given the group’s link to the outside money spent in her race.

“Whether in or out of elected office,” she responded in an email, “I will never stop showing up for Vermont’s LGBTQ+ community.” ➆

THEY IMPACTED THE OUTCOME OF A REALLY HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT RACE IN VERMONT.

CAROLYN DWYER

Molly Gray speaking with former secretary of state Jim Condos

Helping Hands

A mental health agency in Washington County provides doula services to families — free of charge

BY ALISON NOVAK • alison@sevendaysvt.com

Montpelier resident Allie Perline had never considered using a doula during her pregnancy, in part because of the expense — which is not typically covered by health insurance. But in fall 2021, during a first-trimester doctor’s appointment, Perline learned about a program that provides free doula care to all Washington County residents and decided to enroll.

Perline said doula care — before, during and after the birth of her child — was a big help in navigating the intense, emotional experience of becoming a new parent.

“To have someone in the room that was specifically there for me, to support me and be another voice for the intentions I had going into delivery … shaped my overall experience,” she said.

Pregnancy and new parenthood are moments of great change that for many lead to mental health challenges. Since COVID-19, the share of pregnant and postpartum Vermonters showing symptoms of depression and anxiety has ticked upward to around 25 percent, according to state health statistics.

In a modest effort to address the problem, Washington County Mental Health Services is employing federal funds to provide doulas, the nonclinical birth workers who for decades have tended to expectant parents.

The county’s Doula Project is based on findings that access to a doula has been shown to improve physical and mental health outcomes for those giving birth. Doulas are certified through training programs to provide emotional and physical support to women and to connect them with community resources. But doula services often cost thousands of dollars, making them inaccessible for many.

Health officials say the services provided by Washington County’s Doula Project — from helping expecting families craft a birth plan to caring for newborns so that parents can catch up on sleep — could be a model for perinatal care elsewhere in the state.

“The doula work is really a shining star of the federal grant work that we’re doing,” said Laura Pentenrieder, program manager for the Vermont Department of Health’s Division of Maternal & Child Health. “[We’re] a huge supporter of doulas and a proponent of elevating their work.”

Washington County Mental Health Services first began offering free doula

support more than eight years ago, but only for those who received Medicaid assistance, qualified for mental health services and gave birth at Central Vermont Medical Center, said Maria Rossi, the Doula Project coordinator. But in May 2021, the agency used funding from a federal grant called Screening, Treatment, and Access for Mothers and Perinatal Partners, or STAMPP, to make the program available to all women in Washington County, regardless of income.

Vermont was one of seven states to receive the competitive, five-year grant in 2019. The funds have also been used to launch statewide initiatives, including a Parents and Babies program that trains social services providers to prevent and treat mild or moderate mental health issues and a hotline called Support Delivered that helps connect families with mental health resources.

Under the Washington County program, which is now funded by a separate federal health equity grant, participants can choose from among six doulas on staff. Though each doula has their

own approach, they’ve all participated in the same trainings around topics such as trauma in childbirth, mental health and domestic violence and offer the same core set of services: two to three prenatal meetings, support during birth and three postpartum home visits. Participants are also eligible for free wellness services, such as massages and acupuncture. Since the program broadened its reach almost two years ago, it has served 89 families — a significant number, considering that only 243 babies were born in Washington County last year.

For Lauriana Capone, one of the doulas, the most important part of her work is helping to ensure that her clients’ rights and choices are honored during birth.

“Because the memory of their birth experience is one they will replay over and over throughout their life, we have a moral obligation to birthing people to help this memory be as positive as possible,” Capone said. “I have seen over and over how, when a person’s rights are upheld in the birth space, that is a powerful experience of self-agency that helps them be

HEALTH

stronger, more confident parents and have better mental health outcomes later on.”

Sandra Wood, a psychiatric nurse practitioner at the University of Vermont Medical Center who screens and treats women for perinatal anxiety and mood disorders, said she sees a strong connection between doula care and positive mental health outcomes for pregnant and postpartum women. Though medication might be called for in cases of severe depression, bipolar disorder or psychosis, doulas can play an important role in helping people navigate the challenges of pregnancy and parenthood, connecting them with information and providing emotional support, said Wood, who is not connected to the Doula Project.

The Doula Project served that role for Megan Cherry, who had moved to Vermont when she found out she was pregnant in fall 2021. The Barre resident heard about the program from her sister-in-law, who was also pregnant at the time, and signed up, selecting Capone as her doula. Cherry and her husband spoke with Capone about what to expect during labor and

Doula Wren Lansky (left) with Jess Lynch and her daughter Bayley

wrote a set of birthing wishes, including strategies for pain management and the atmosphere in the delivery room.

Cherry said those meetings fortified her for what would end up being an arduous, 31-hour childbirth at Central Vermont Medical Center last July, during which she suffered a high fever and her baby’s heart rate dropped. During labor, Capone supported Cherry and helped her worried husband understand what was happening, Cherry said.

The program, which is called HEART and serves between 85 and 100 families annually, began four and a half years ago, after nurses from Franklin County Home Health Agency reported seeing high numbers of families affected by perinatal depression and other mood disorders. The program started small, with just one home-visiting mental health clinician, but has steadily built up its staff. The efforts are funded primarily through state support for the 15 parent-child centers in Vermont, as well as money from the STAMPP grant and Medicaid reimbursement for clinicians’ services.

“We know that [when] families that have good mental health and wellness, it supports caregiver-child attachment, which then positively impacts development,” said Amy Johnson, director of the St. Albans center.

Johnson said she’s encouraged to see more advocacy work at the state level for increasing access to perinatal support, including doulas.

After Cherry’s son was born, Capone connected her with a group for new moms and suggested local events that would help the family get out of the house with their new baby.

“I don’t know if I would be in the same mental and physical state I am now if not for the program,” Cherry said.

Jess Lynch of Moretown, who is expecting her second child this month, enrolled in the Doula Project recently because she wanted a less clinical, more nurturing childbirth than when her first child was born two years ago.

“I feel so much more comfortable having someone to be that go-between so I don’t have to be in my thinking brain” during labor, she said.

Washington County isn’t the only place in Vermont that provides universal access to doulas. In St. Albans, the Parent Child Center of Northwestern Counseling & Support Services employs a seven-person team — three mental health clinicians, three doulas and a resource coordinator. They make home visits to anyone in Franklin or Grand Isle counties who is pregnant, has given birth, has experienced a pregnancy loss or is caring for a baby born to someone else.

One of those efforts is H.154, a bill recently introduced in the legislature that would help more Vermonters gain access to doulas by requiring Medicaid to cover up to $850 for doula services before, during and after birth.

Similar bills were introduced in 2019 and 2014 and failed to make it out of committee. But two of the new bill’s 23 sponsors, Reps. Sara Coffey (D-Guilford) and Barbara Rachelson (D-Burlington), said they are hopeful that the effort will get more traction this time around. The legislators noted that in the past few years, other states have adopted similar legislation. Eight states and Washington, D.C., now provide Medicaid coverage for doulas.

Rachelson pointed to data indicating that being supported by a doula reduces the probability of a C-section, strengthens parental bonding and increases the likelihood of successful breastfeeding.

Advocates also point to benefits from doula care that are harder to quantify. Katelyn Brose, a Doula Project participant from Middlesex whose first child was born in December, said the postpartum support was particularly valuable.

Brose recalled her doula watching her son while she napped, then helping prepare dinner for the family.

“A big pot of chili, which was so wonderful,” Brose said. “It filled my soul.”

I DON’T KNOW IF I WOULD BE IN THE SAME MENTAL AND PHYSICAL STATE I AM NOW IF NOT FOR THE PROGRAM.

Lawsuits Filed Over BTV Cathedral Demolition

BY COURTNEY LAMDIN courtney@sevendaysvt.com

In mid-February, a historic preservation group sued to stop the planned demolition of the former Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in downtown Burlington. Not long after, the parish countersued that group for interfering with its plans.

Filed in U.S. District Court last week, the parish’s lawsuit claims that the group, Preservation Burlington, violated a federal law that prevents zoning from interfering with religious practices.

The suit also names the City of Burlington as a defendant, alleging that it caused permitting delays that are “risking the insolvency of the Parish.” The parish, represented by Burlington attorney John Franco, is asking for monetary damages and a court order allowing the demolition to proceed.

Built in 1977, the cathedral and its grounds were designed by well-known modernists Edward Larrabee Barnes and Daniel Kiley. The cathedral closed in 2018 after the dwindling congregation could no longer afford to maintain it, and the parish listed the property for sale in summer 2019 for $8.5 million. It’s now under contract with an undisclosed buyer.

In 2021, parish leaders sought to demolish the building as a means of deconsecrating the property. But they withdrew their request after the city determined that the property is historically significant and therefore couldn’t be razed without plans to redevelop it.

The city reversed course when the parish applied for another demolition permit the following year. In a 4-2 decision in January, the Burlington Development Review Board ruled that the cathedral’s historical significance was irrelevant to its deliberations due to a state law that limits zoning review on houses of worship. The board allowed the demolition to move forward.

Preservation Burlington swiftly sued both the parish and the city, claiming that the law in question exempts religious buildings from zoning that secular ones must comply with. The nonprofit contends that the law violates the First Amendment and cites case law that says “government preference for religion, as opposed to irreligion, is forbidden.”

The parish’s lawsuit, meanwhile, argues that the parish shouldn’t have had to apply for a demolition permit at all. The suit alleges that Burlington can only issue demolition permits for historic buildings, which are defined as those eligible for listing on historic registers and that are 50 years or older. The cathedral meets the first criteria but not the second. ➆

Voting on Voting « P.15

“That’s a very good concern about money in politics,” he said, “but if [opponents are] thinking Proposition Zero is gonna be the cause of that, they’re looking at it the wrong way.”

ALL-RESIDENT VOTING

Hemant Ghising came to Burlington in 2011 after living for 18 years in a refugee camp in Nepal. Ghising, who is Bhutanese, became a U.S. citizen six years later.

On Town Meeting Day, Ghising will proudly vote yes on Question 4, which would grant the right to vote in city elections to legal noncitizens who are age 18 or older. That includes permanent legal residents, or green card holders; those with eligible work permits; and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients, also known as “DREAMers.”

Ghising believes all Burlington residents should have a say in their local government.

“It’s not about politics, that you belong to certain parties,” he said. “It’s about being human, bringing that sense of belonging.”

A victory would signal a shifting tide in Burlington. In 2015, voters turned down a similar measure, 58 to 42 percent.

Since then, Montpelier and Winooski have approved noncitizen voting, although not without challenges — including from Gov. Scott, who vetoed the measures in June 2021. Lawmakers overrode him, but the Vermont GOP and the Republican National Committee subsequently filed lawsuits alleging a violation of the Vermont Constitution. Both cases have since been dismissed, and in both cities noncitizen voters are showing up at the polls.

If approved in Burlington, the measure would grant suffrage to 5 percent of residents — about 2,132 people, according to U.S. Census data.

The city’s Community & Economic Development Office has launched a robust educational campaign about the ballot item. A frequently-asked-questions section of the city website clears up whether noncitizens would be able to vote in state and federal elections (they wouldn’t) and whether they could run for local office (they could). The FAQ has been translated into six languages: Arabic, French, Nepali, Somali, Swahili and Vietnamese.

CEDO has also produced short informational videos and distributed 300 lawn signs around the city. Its Trusted Community Voices liaisons, including Ghising, who regularly meet with new American residents, have been fielding questions about the proposal.

Gillian Nanton, CEDO’s assistant director for community engagement,

neighborhoods and workforce development, said immigrants and refugees are very interested in the ballot item.

“They see this as a process leading, potentially, to citizenship,” she said. “They feel that if this passes … that this gives them great opportunity.”

Ghising said extending voting rights to noncitizens, many of whom fled war-torn countries, would allow them to be part of a democracy while they wait to apply for citizenship, a process that can take six or more years.

“We don’t make a citizen just by sitting [for] a test,” he said. “It’s more about citizenship building, making them sense that this is their home now.”

RANKED-CHOICE VOTING

After a somewhat tortured process decided the city’s mayoral contest in 2009, Burlington abandoned ranked-choice voting. But now a measure to restore its use in mayoral contests is back.

Under the system, voters rank candidates in order of their preference. If no contestant gets a majority of votes, the one with the fewest votes is eliminated. The second-choice votes of everyone who picked that candidate are then tallied. The process continues until somebody wins more than 50 percent.

In 2009, it took three rounds before Progressive Bob Kiss won with 51.5

percent of the tally — despite notching fewer first-place votes than his Republican challenger, and fewer first- and secondplace votes than the Democrat. The result cast doubt on ranked-choice voting, and voters abandoned it in 2010.

Thirteen years later, the electorate may be warming to the increasingly popular voting method. A ballot item this year asks voters to consider reviving ranked choice in mayoral elections, plus those for school commissioner and election officials.

Ranked choice is already in use for city council races, having been approved by voters on the 2021 ballot. It was first used in a December 6 special election — and voters felt “overwhelmingly positive” about it, according to the Vermont Public Interest Research Group, which conducted informal exit interviews that day.

“Voters felt really empowered,” said Sam McGinty, a democracy advocate with VPIRG. “I think voters are really looking forward to expanding this pro-voter reform.”

Councilor Shannon, another proponent, said ranked choice more accurately reflects the will of the people. Under Burlington’s current system, a winner can be crowned with a minimum of 40 percent of the vote — meaning the majority of voters prefer someone else. Mayor Weinberger, for example, won his last reelection bid with 43 percent of votes; his competitors, Progressive Max Tracy and independent Ali Dieng, won 42 and 13 percent, respectively.

Had ranked choice been in place then, those who voted for Dieng would have had their votes reassigned to their second-choice candidate to determine the outcome.

Weinberger, for his part, told Seven Days in a statement that candidates don’t

IT’S ABOUT BEING HUMAN, BRINGING THAT SENSE OF BELONGING.

HEMANT GHISING

try as hard to distinguish themselves from one another in ranked-choice elections because they’re vying for second- and third-place votes. In 2020, Weinberger vetoed an attempt to reintroduce ranked choice for mayoral contests. But he let this year’s item head to the ballot without his signature. He plans to vote no.

Are voters still wary after the 2009 mayoral race? Maybe a bit, Shannon said. But her sense is that most are ready to embrace the change.

REDISTRICTING

Burlington’s population has grown since the last U.S. Census, in some wards more than others. New voting maps on this year’s ballot would change district and ward boundaries so that all residents have more equal representation.

The new numbers look good on paper. Divided equally, the population in each of Burlington’s eight wards should be 5,593. Redistricting rules say the new counts must be within 10 percent of that total to avoid a legal challenge.

But that target wasn’t the only goal. City staff had three objectives when making maps: maintain city neighborhoods, such as the Old North End; do away with “district” seats, which represent two wards apiece; and redistribute the large college student population in Ward 8.

The new design fails on one count: The district seats would live on. But whether the maps check the other two boxes is up for debate.

Ward 8’s population of college students would dip from 75 to 46 percent. The change means some former Ward 8 denizens would find themselves living and voting in Wards 1 and 6 instead. Boundaries of other wards would change, too; large swaths of the North Avenue corridor that are in Ward 4, for example, would be absorbed into neighboring Ward 7.

One of the more controversial aspects of the map is its treatment of the South End. The King Street-Maple Street neighborhood, home to a sizable number of immigrants and low-income residents, remains divided between two wards despite advocates’ call to group the area together.

The maps passed the council with a vote split on party lines. The four Democrats and two independents voted yes; the four Progressives, no. The candidates running for city council are equally divided on the matter. ➆

INFO

For details, voters can check out the proposed map at burlingtonvt.gov/cityplanning/btvstat/ redistricting.

Burlington Considers Kicking Fossil Fuels to the Curb

BY KEVIN MCCALLUM • kevin@sevendaysvt.com

Burlington voters are being asked this Town Meeting Day to accelerate the city’s transition away from using fossil fuels to heat buildings. If they approve Question 2 on March 7, the city would begin charging a “carbon pollution impact fee” on new buildings heated with fuels such as oil or natural gas.

About a third of Vermont’s greenhouse gas emissions comes from heating and cooling buildings. Reduction is viewed as vital for the city and state to meet their climate goals.

The proposed fee is intended to encourage developers to design buildings using renewable forms of heat, such as electricity or wood pellets. Large existing buildings — those over 50,000 square feet — could also be on the hook for the fee if owners replace an existing system with a fossil-fuel furnace. Dozens of buildings, including the University of Vermont Medical Center, UVM academic buildings and Market 32 shopping center on Shelburne Road, are large enough to potentially be subject to the fee. Smaller buildings would be exempt.

Mayor Miro Weinberger said the approach strikes a balance between meeting the city’s ambitious goal of being a net-zero city by 2030 and keeping housing affordable.

The ballot question faces opposition from trade groups worried about the costs.

Jim Bradley, a South Hero contractor and former head of the Vermont Builders & Remodelers Association, said he supports a thoughtful shift toward renewables, not the all-or-nothing approach of the “electrify everything” crowd.

“Let’s walk toward a goal, not jump off a cliff,” Bradley said.

Under the ballot provision, a new fossil fuel heating system would be charged an up-front permit fee of $150 for every ton of carbon it would be expected to belch out over its lifetime. In one example shared by city officials, a new large building with a $5.2 million natural gas heating and hot water system would face a one-time $600,000 impact fee.

Increases in the fee would be capped at 5 percent per year. Revenue from the fees would be used to help transition the city’s fleet of gas-powered vehicles to electric ones and to establish programs that could help low-income residents afford cleaner heating sources.

Major environmental groups back

the measure, yet some activists are concerned.

Burlington resident Nick Persampieri said he worries that voters will support the measure reflexively because it claims to be good for the climate. In fact, the city would be encouraging the use of biomass energy in the form of electricity generated by burning tons of wood at Burlington’s McNeil Generating Station. Persampieri said that’s a false climate solution.

“I think they need to be planning for the retirement of the McNeil plant and its replacement with clean, low-carbon sources, including wind, solar and geothermal,” Persampieri said.

Instead of phasing out McNeil, however, the city is doubling down on its investment by seeking to capture the plant’s waste heat and using it to warm large buildings — which would help owners of those structures avoid paying a carbon fee. The Vermont Public Utility Commission is considering a plan by the Burlington Electric Department and its partners to pipe steam from McNeil Generating Station to the Intervale Center and up the hill to the University of Vermont and the medical center. The estimated $40 million project is a scaledback version of previous plans that date back to the 1980s.

Persampieri and others worry that investing millions in this plan would extend operations at a 39-year-old plant that may be nearing the end of its useful life.

Burlington Electric officials argue that the 453,470 tons of carbon emitted from the plant’s towering smoke stacks in 2021 originated mostly from well-managed forests that have added 20 million tons of carbon over the past two decades.

Critics scoff at this contention, arguing that burning trees degrades a forest’s ability to store carbon. Laura Haight, the policy director at the Massachusettsbased environmental group Partnership for Policy Integrity, said claims about biomass electricity’s carbon neutrality have been thoroughly debunked.

“Whatever the net [greenhouse gas] uptake of forests was over the time period, it is less than it would have been if they had not been burning all that wood,” Haight said.

Burlington Electric officials say that without McNeil, the city would be forced to purchase electricity largely generated from natural gas with far greater carbon emissions. They also note that capturing the waste heat would increase the efficiency of the plant. Further, they say, demand for new electricity in the future is expected to be met through solar and other renewables — not McNeil. ➆

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others, no care was taken at all. The voice of a candidate stepping up to serve us was, in fact, not actually his voice.

Doherty purportedly stepped up after observing from the sidelines for 20 years because he was concerned about two councilors resigning. But he remained on the sidelines for the December 6 special election and the December 15 Democratic caucus. He was recruited or decided to run after Maea Brandt dropped out [“Brandt Drops Out of Burlington’s East District Council Race,” January 25].

Even if you’re U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) or former senator Pat Leahy or President Joe Biden and you have a team of writers who work on speeches and website posts, you still need to read what they write. You still need to be involved and take care.

And if you don’t have the time to take care, even when you’re more than capable, it’s fair to wonder whether you have the time it takes for the seat you seek — even if there’s a political party that wants you sitting there.

Michael Long BURLINGTON

PROG PROBLEMS

Former UK prime minister Winston Churchill once might have said: “If in doubt, follow the Progressives — in the opposite direction.”

The Burlington Progressives do not understand the words they are using, like “clean,” “renewable” and “net-zero.” Zero net doesn’t exist; renewable doesn’t mean clean. Burning wood in the McNeil Generating Station is a dirtier business than burning coal, per unit of weight. The U.S. lowered its emissions significantly in the past 15 years because gas replaced coal. Wood-burning stations have efficiency around 25 percent, gas furnaces around 95 percent.

Ranked-choice voting is a way to get useless people into office. Because even if your candidate won, he or she might lose the election. If you have a certain number of candidates, a candidate with 5 percent of first places could beat a candidate with 49 percent. Counting second places might make sense when candidates are close, 5 percent apart; other than that, it’s nonsense. It is a mathematical coup d’état, not democracy.

If you do not want stray bullets flying over your kids’ heads, vote no on police oversight. Who is going to sit on the commission, and who is going to decide who is going to sit on the commissions? If that question passed, City Councilor Zoraya Hightower might be patrolling the streets by herself, with the help of other Progressives.

(I actually can’t wait to see Councilor Joe Magee fastening his gun in a hurry and Councilor Perri Freeman revving the engine of a cruiser going downtown in

order to reach Hightower, who got herself into trouble trying to pacify, with sensitive words, some belligerent drunk).

Evzen Holas BURLINGTON

FLIGHT TO SAFETY?

There have been numerous letters to the editor in the Feedback section associating increased crime in Burlington with the vast reduction in the size of the police force. While the writers clearly don’t understand that correlation is not causation, an increase in crime and reduction in quality of life certainly should have resulted in a reduction in property values.

This is a testable hypothesis, especially since new assessments were just performed in 2021. To do this, I randomly selected 20 single-family home sales from February 2023 and August 2022. Only one house sold below assessed value. The average was 26 percent above. Certainly, a crime-ridden city with awful management should see price reductions. Yes, prices have gone up elsewhere. Yet the same can generally be said of many crimes — they’ve gone up during the pandemic nationally. Ditto for the difficulties experienced in police recruiting; in bucolic, low-crime Norwich, the force dropped recently from four officers to just one.

While of course Burlington would be well served by increasing the morale, size, pay and training of its police force, there’s no evidence that the current situation is causing an exodus and reductions in property values — though it’s certainly reduced quality of life for many.

While we can’t know the counterfactual, if you believe the current situation has made Burlington undesirable, then you have to accept that a larger police force and the assumed lower crime rate resulting would certainly create more demand, driving up housing prices even more.

Dan Gottlieb SOUTH STRAFFORD

TRAIN TO SOMEWHERE

[Re “Burlington’s Amtrak Train Service Is Off to a Strong Start,” January 30]: Has the Amtrak Ethan Allen Express from Burlington to New York City attracted former riders of the Vermonter via Essex Junction to New York and Washington, D.C.? It must have.

Cited statistics that the Ethan Allen Express had 8,000 riders in November 2022 while the Vermonter had a record 11,700 riders are too vague.

How many people traveled via Essex Junction before and after they could choose Burlington instead?

The Amtrak Adirondack between Montréal and New York City had solved

FIGHTING WORDS

Readers had plenty to say about last week’s news story “Battle of the Books,” about a controversial decision to eliminate the old-school libraries in the Vermont State Colleges System. “President Parwinder Grewal says getting rid of the books and employees will save the cash-strapped colleges $600,000 a year,” Anne Wallace Allen wrote. “The staff will be replaced by one person who will run the merged virtual library.” Browse on…

Books and journals do not magically appear in a building that has been designed and constructed as a library. A trained and knowledgeable librarian, or perhaps a team of librarians, carefully selects from the hundreds of thousands of books published each year, spends taxpayers’ money on purchasing the chosen books, and creates standardized catalog records to facilitate identification and location. After a book is shelved and a journal is placed with its previous issues, the librarian ensures the physical care and ready availability of the assembled publications to those seeking information and knowledge. The librarian’s goal is to develop and maintain over many decades a balanced collection meeting the educational requirements of their community of readers and researchers.

Disassembling and redistributing such a collection constitutes irresponsible and wasteful stewardship of what has been assembled at substantial financial commitment and intellectual endeavor. Such actions will not contribute positively to the academic and intellectual endeavors of the students and faculty in our Vermont colleges and universities. Yet the February 7 announcement of changes to Vermont State University’s libraries contends that these “strategic decisions” will “preserve and enhance the quality of our education, create an engaging student experience, and revitalize our campuses and their communities.”

Harold Forbes CASTLETON

The bureaucrats running the new Vermont State University plan to get rid of books in their libraries to save money. These people would get rid of nurses in a hospital!

The money could be saved by eliminating waste — that is, the many highly paid bureaucrats who do not teach. The University of Vermont recently tried to eliminate much of its education beyond how to count money.

Online “education” can only teach some skills. Knowledge gain requires faceto-face listening, discussion and debate.

Reading books is necessary. Picking pieces one already likes while scanning

an electronic device is not. Too many people, students and teachers at all levels rarely pick up a book now. Eliminating books in libraries will only make this worse. Will these bureaucrats actually burn the books?

Such policy threatens to even increase the number of ignorant Donald Trump supporters in Vermont.

Geoffrey Cobden WEYBRIDGE

The reason given, over and over again, is that removing the books is to save money. The new administration does not explain how it will save money. The librarians have to be offered positions elsewhere in the college system at their current rate of pay. The technology across all campuses has to be upgraded. Many more computers will have to be purchased and maintained. Constant renewal of multiple leases to countless publishers, into perpetuity, at ever-increasing prices for evernarrowing resources, will have to be monitored to ensure we retain the titles we need.

The Vermont Library Association has confirmed that electronic libraries are more costly to establish and maintain than a physical collection. The plan is to renovate the newly opened areas, adding more expense. And, especially here in Vermont, it will be more expensive to heat the big, empty spaces. No one has explained how removing a single book will save any money at all. And most terrifying: Since none of the local libraries is capable of taking on even a portion of the collections, the books are bound for recycling. Once they are gone, there is no going back without spending millions of dollars to repurchase the over 300,000 books the colleges currently own outright.

We just want answers, and no one in the current transformation administration has offered the faculty, staff, students, alumni or communities a single one that makes sense.

Blithe Milks PROCTOR

Milks is an adjunct professor of English at Castleton University.

It Happened in Vermont: A Science Fiction Fable

Most science fiction has to do with imagining the future, but perhaps in the future science fiction writers will tend to imagine the past. They won’t know they’re imagining the past because our descendants will be so self-assuredly advanced as to have no need or knowledge of history.

I can imagine one of these descendants concocting a tale in which an obscure researcher accidentally finds a way to enter her computer and experience the worlds encoded there. She steps “through the screen” in the way that Alice stepped through the Looking Glass. There she discovers all the realities locked within microchips, all the domains inside “The Cloud.” Google images suddenly become actual things. Virtual universities become physical ones, places with walkways, buildings and grass.

The first thing to assault her consciousness will be an overwhelming sense of depth, a dimension that humans in her society have nearly lost their sense of. Suddenly “out of her depth,” as it were, she remembers what she was taught as a young child, that depth is best understood as the space between the tip of one’s nose and a screen. Her parents often said that in

any emergency involving depth her safest course would be to follow her nose to the nearest flat surface, which in her world is never out of reach.

Once on “the other side of the code,” however, she finds the walls around her are farther than any walls she has known in her life. Fortunately for her, she was accessing digitized information at the time of her breakthrough, so she finds herself inside some sort of repository — she might have died of fright had she been transported into the fresh air — and is able to follow her nose to a wall. But it is a very uneven wall, being, as you and I would instantly recognize, a tall shelf filled with b-o-o-k-s.

It doesn’t take our researcher long to conclude that she has somehow found her way to a civilization far more advanced than her own. It seems that all the information she has hitherto seen only on screens can be incarnated in these beautifully weighty objects, attractive to the eye and sensible to the touch. She can’t help laughing when she fans the pages. She laughs again when she snaps the covers closed. It’s as if she’s been given a body and a whole world besides. Soon she is able to find texts she never knew existed,

BY GARRET KEIZER

texts never mentioned in the data banks she’s consulted. What is more, she finds other people enjoying these objects with her. Some of them assist her in navigating the bumpy walls. They smile at her like 3D emojis with skin. It’s like doing social media only a thousand times more social.

But no sooner has she begun to savor this utopian vision than she is accosted by a man gathering up the charmed objects and throwing them in a box. “Are you done with that?” he asks, snatching the miracle from her hand. When our explorer demands to know the meaning of this rude confiscation, the man with the box explains that all these objects — he calls them “print sources” — are going to be eliminated and their contents transferred to digital platforms. “In this way,” he says, “we will create the library of the future.”

“But isn’t that where I am?” the woman exclaims.

The philosopher whose book she was reading could have told her where she is, yes, and where she is likely to be till the day she dies. She is in The Kingdom of The Autocrats Who Always Know Best, a land of endless heartache and unimaginable folly.

the customs and immigration problem before beginning the COVID-19 hiatus. How did it do it? Could the Vermonter extended to Montréal do the same?

Howard Fairman PUTNEY

Editor’s note: The ridership data used in the story are what Amtrak make available on a monthly basis.

On Amtrak’s Adirondack train, it’s now possible to complete customs and immigration paperwork at the border, but as the story notes, Amtrak plans to move that service to Montréal in the future to avoid delays at the border.

WWJD?

[Re “Religious Conversion: Vermont’s Old Churches Offer Potential for New Enterprises — If They’re Not Demolished First,” February 15]: Is taking a wrecking ball to deconsecrated churches (an ecclesiastical demolition derby, as it were) the best the Catholic church has to offer its members and surrounding communities?

The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception was my parish growing up in Burlington, and we were devastated when it burned to the ground in 1972. I still remember weeping parishioners watching as the tower and statue of the Blessed Mother were taken down the next day.

Fifty-one years later, the language used today by some church leaders is nothing more than fearmongering and hurtful at a time when unity, community and healing are desperately needed. What are they afraid of?

Jesus is not on sabbatical. Let’s ask Him what He would do — and, for a change, listen.

Jim Leddy COLCHESTER

CLEAN HEAT ‘FRAUD’

The return of “clean heat standard” fraud is back [“Senate Committee Advances the Latest Clean Heat Bill,” February 17, online].

This assault on working people as well as retired Vermont citizens has a new name to fool the uninformed. This bill intends to require fossil fuel dealers to buy credits from the Public Utility Commission to finance the fraud and drive the price of heating oil even higher to discourage people from using fossil fuel to heat their homes and cook their meals. The money collected in credits would then be used to subsidize the installation of heat pumps and wood heating systems, which are very expensive to convert from existing oil and propane systems. Some businesses would be forced to downsize, abandon expansion

Calvin Coolidge Library at Castleton University

FILE: CALEB KENNA

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plans, close or leave the state. That would cost jobs.

The fraud wants to create massive taxpayer subsidies for the purchase of EVs. How would the legislators extract money for repairs to roads and bridges if there were no taxes on motor fuel? Aside from EVs, what would be their plan to make Vermont all-electric by 2050? Windmills and solar are going to need backup power production, which will definitely be nuclear by 2050 when the adults will be in charge in Montpelier.

According to the secretary of state, only 57 percent of registered voters actually voted in the midterms. That doesn’t amount to much of a mandate. Why are legislators so hell-bent on requiring the people of Vermont to conform to this poorly thought-out fantasy? They refuse to see the economic damage this fraud would exact on the citizen taxpayers of Vermont.

Gordon Spencer LOWELL

REASONS TO DEFEAT COLCHESTER REC CENTER

[Re “Potlucks and Planes: Seven Votes to Watch on Town Meeting Day,” February 22]:

1. Inflation. Nationwide, construction costs are running 30 to 100 percent above initial estimates. What happens when the town’s $15,907,000 proposal becomes $20 million to $25 million or higher? Despite repeated requests for transparency, voters have only been told: “Colchester is currently in the process of negotiating contracts for the project.”

2. Competition with private gyms. The Vermont Supreme Court has ruled that local governments shouldn’t compete with private businesses. Local gyms would face tough competition from a government-subsidized gym.

3. Bias. The proposed rec center would discriminate against those on limited or fixed incomes. It would be a pay-to-play facility with family memberships running $1,200 per year.

4. High operating costs. It would cost two-thirds of a million dollars a year to operate the center. Large numbers must sign up to cover annual operating and maintenance costs. If not, rates would go up.

5. Environmental impact. Colchester proposes to build its rec center in peaceful woods with a diverse wildlife habitat. In 2014, Scott Moreau of Greenleaf Forestry performed a site evaluation, concluding “red pitch pine trees on the site likely represent a large sand plain community that is considered by the State of Vermont to be endangered habitat.” Instead of disrupting a natural habitat, a much less expensive option would have been to site

the rec center on town land with existing access roads and infrastructure.

6. Risky funding. Relying on local option tax proceeds from a few stores, even if one is Costco, is risky. Especially since capital loan payments would stretch out 10 to 15 years.

Jack Scully COLCHESTER

LOWER HEALTH CARE COSTS

[Re “Vermont Lawmakers Question Job-Creating Subsidies at a Time of Low Unemployment,” February 6]: New Hampshire spends almost $1,000 less than Vermont per capita on health care, and that expense is growing more slowly, too. Vermont has had the highest growth rate for health care in the U.S. over the past 30 years. The No. 1 thing that the legislature could do to improve business finances would be to engage and get Vermont’s health care costs and outcomes in line with the region’s. Companies come to Vermont because their employees want to live here. Some meager subsidy 1) doesn’t compare to what other states offer (those motivated by public subsidies aren’t going to move here anyway), and 2) can’t hold a candle to the costs and increases that health care has brought to personnel costs.

Whatever resources you are putting toward job retention, put them toward understanding why we are so inefficient at delivering health care in Vermont — and fix it.

Roger Brown RICHMOND

UNION MAN

Thanks for the great article about Andrew Tripp and his work as a union organizer [“The Long Run,” February 22]. If we could convince the Democratic Party to aggressively support unions and pass legislation that makes it easier to form and join them, it would go a long way toward winning back many working men and women who have voted for Republicans for reasons that have nothing to do with their economic prosperity.

I realize that working-class voters have often not rewarded the only political party that consistently goes to bat for them, but membership in a union can change that. Union leaders at every level are uniquely positioned to point out to their members that, however enjoyable it might be to vote based on the latest social hot-button issue, fed to you by a Republican con man, doing so does nothing for your paycheck.

Charles Taplin WARREN

lifelines

lifelines

OBITUARIES

Janet Truman

MARCH 1, 1938-JANUARY 20, 2023

SAN JOSE, CALIF.

Janet Truman died in peace on January 20, 2023, in San Jose, Calif., at the age of 84.

Our mother met the challenges of her illness as the nononsense, Queens, N.Y.-born girl she was — with grit and humor.

Her passing comes three years after that of her beloved husband, Isidore. She suffered his loss every day, but the life and family they built together was the foundation upon which Mom faced each morning and hill-crested sunset.

OBITUARIES, VOWS, CELEBRATIONS

Susan Carey Biggam

APRIL 7, 1947-FEBRUARY 22, 2023 EAST MONTPELIER, VT.

Susan Carey Biggam, 75, passed away peacefully at her home while surrounded by family and longtime friends.

Janet and Iz had four children and eight grandchildren. Geographic distance was never a barrier to Mom staying in touch. We treasured her calls and the beautifully drawn cakes with which she adorned each birthday card. Mom kept track of her friends’ and family’s significant life events and acknowledged each from her endless supply of cards.

Mom was a proud New Yorker. As her favorite sweatshirt declared: “You can take the girl out of Astoria, but you can’t take Astoria out of this girl!” And time did not diminish her disdain for the Brooklyn Dodgers’ move to LA. Her roots were also set in New Jersey and Vermont — where Mom worked in the University of Vermont biochemistry and sociology departments — and, when they were done with winters, the Villages in San Jose.

Mom was active in her community and gave generously to causes that make a difference in people’s lives. She was a member of the Temple Sisterhood of Vermont, taught mahjongg and was recognized for her leadership as president of the Brandeis University National Committee, San Jose chapter.

Janet was predeceased by her husband of nearly 60 years, Isidore. ey are both profoundly missed by her children, Bennett (Jennifer Wallace-Brodeur), Robert (Kirsten), Andrea and Jennifer; and her grandchildren, dear friends and relatives.

Mom will be reunited with our father at Lakeside Cemetery in Burlington, Vt., in the spring.

Born on April 7, 1947, to Dr. Edmund Carey and Eleanor Lynch Carey of Milton, Mass., Sue graduated from the Newton Country Day School in 1965. She earned her undergraduate degree in 1969 at Trinity College in Washington, D.C., where she met her husband, Patrick Biggam. After earning a master’s of education at Syracuse University in 1970, Sue married Patrick on August 22, 1970, and the pair moved to St. Louis, where Sue began her teaching career.

e couple made their way to Vermont in 1972, built their own post-andbeam house by themselves next to Spruce Mountain in Plainfield — with wiring proudly completed by Sue — and raised three children. Sue began her Vermont teaching career at Barre Town Elementary School and later became the Title 1 director as a reading specialist. She then worked at the Vermont Department of Education as the elementary reading and language consultant and changed her focus from educating children firsthand to partnering with the adults responsible for the process.

Sue received her doctorate of education degree from the University of Vermont in 1997. ree years later, she worked closely with former Vermont commissioner of education Marc Hull

to create the Vermont Reads Institute, which is now Partnerships in Literacy and Learning. eir efforts were dedicated toward offering professional development for Vermont K-12 teachers, principals and superintendents. Sue traveled across the country — and to every pocket of Vermont — sharing best practices in literacy assessment and instruction.

Sue’s education style was characterized by a lighthearted manner, and she was a master at simplifying complex tasks and empowering teachers and students to embrace literacy with enthusiasm and confidence. She used those skills during two trips to provide education training in Tanzania, and, in 2007, she spent a year in Haiti instructing teachers. She was a member of the NAEP Reading Assessment committee and served as president of the New England Reading Association.

Her publications, professional conference sessions and workshops had impacts on literacy practices locally and nationally. Sue initiated the first statewide writing portfolios and literacy profiles — used to measure students’ progress — while training teachers and administrators in the use of these assessment tools. She honored the hard work of teachers and advocated for the support they needed. Opportunities to work collaboratively were built into every professional development Sue planned, including the VRI Literacy Summer Institute for teachers. At the end of each of those workdays, Sue inspired group hikes, swims and happy hour charades.

e Susan C. Biggam Scholarship was created at the time of her retirement. It is annually awarded to a teacher who exhibits a commitment to literacy improvement, a collaborative approach to sharing professional practices and an insatiable desire to continue learning — all attributes that defined Sue.

Outside of work, Sue was a devoted and caring mother whose love of family was a powerful force. During the winter, she enjoyed sitting by a cozy fire and reading, cross-country skiing, and cooking delicious meals, including her signature corn pudding, French silk pie and blueberry pancakes. e arrival of spring was always a special joy as she planted seeds for her bountiful vegetable gardens. Sue loved the sun and radiated happiness while singing, taking walks with her friends and kayaking on local lakes and ponds.

Under Sue’s gentle demeanor was a steely resolve that helped overcome any personal or professional obstacles. In recent years, her optimistic outlook and love for the outdoors carried on even after a diagnosis of dementia. Her unflappable positivity and cheerful, authentic demeanor in the face of these new challenges allowed her to remain active while volunteering for the Vermont Foodbank and singing with the Montpelier Community Gospel Choir. Sue especially loved being a nana and reading books to her grandchildren. Her infectious smile could light up any room, and her warmth, kindness and generosity were limitless.

Sue is survived by her husband Patrick; their children, Carrie, Jamie and Kate; grandchildren Oakley and Bodhi arp; siblings Marilou Hyson, Tim Carey and Ted Carey; and Kate’s husband, Tim arp. A celebration of Sue’s life is planned for this summer. Online condolences may be left at guareandsons.com.

ON LIFE SUPPORT

Vermont’s emergency medical services system is struggling to survive. Can it be saved?

BY COLIN FLANDERS • colin@sevendaysvt.com

Colleen Ballard knew her industry was in distress. The seasoned paramedic had been hearing doomsday predictions about the future of emergency medical services for years, and her colleagues at Essex Rescue were feeling the strain of rising call volumes, staffing shortages and underfunding.

But it was not until she took over as chief in early 2020 that she realized just how dire the situation had become.

Essex Rescue needs at least two ambulances and about 16 full-time EMTs and paramedics to cover the 30,000 residents it serves across Essex, Essex Junction, Underhill, Jericho and Westford. But a shortage of volunteers was leaving big gaps in the schedule, forcing the agency to bring on more paid workers — something it couldn’t afford.

We’re speeding toward a financial cliff, Ballard thought to herself, and it’s going to be on my watch.

She raised the agency’s rates, convinced the towns to pay more and started sending patients’ unpaid bills to collection

agencies, something Essex Rescue had never done in more than 50 years of service.

It wasn’t enough; the agency ended last fiscal year $100,000 in the red, and the deficit was only projected to grow. Ballard saw only two options: raise the rates again, further burdening patients with no insurance, or ask the towns for more money.

In January, Ballard requested a total of $210,000 more from her five municipalities, bringing the combined ask to $543,000 — a 412 percent increase from the $106,000 the towns were collectively paying just two years ago, back when the agency’s payroll was low enough to be mostly offset by insurance reimbursements. The request would have been far bigger had Ballard sought enough money to pay the two extra full-time employees she now desperately needs. Instead, she sought simply to close her budget gap, she said, viewing that as a compromise.

The selectboards did not share her thinking. They grilled Ballard at public

meetings and followed up in writing to demand a greater say in the agency’s operations. And though they ultimately ponied up, Ballard is now worried about the towns’ long-term commitment.

“If one of these communities opts out, we’re going under,” Ballard said. That would leave the county’s 14 other ambulance services to cover the 3,000 emergency calls that Essex Rescue responded to last year.

EMS workers are the first responders of medical crises. They resuscitate the dying, bandage the wounded, pull people from car wrecks and help the elderly get back on their feet after falls at home. They are an extension of the health care system, bridging the gap between the hospital and your doorstep.

But the system they work in — a patchwork of mostly small-town rescue squads built on the backs of volunteers — was designed for a very different era. That system is now crumbling, and the people holding it together warn that it will collapse entirely if something doesn’t change.

Vermont’s aging population is fueling a dramatic rise in 911 calls, and understaffed ambulance agencies are struggling to keep pace. Some crews can no longer respond to all of their calls, forcing their neighbors to pick up the slack. The result: More ambulances are responding from farther distances, a frightening prospect in a field where every second can matter.

It’s not just 911 response that’s suffering. Fewer crews have the capacity to perform a secondary but equally vital role of EMS: moving patients between health care settings. Rural emergency departments say it has become harder to find ambulances that can take their sickest patients to the hospitals better equipped to save them. Some are dying while they wait.

The crisis was years in the making and, in many ways, inevitable. Ambulance crews have never made enough money to cover their costs, and the industry has been steadily losing its most vital subsidy: volunteers. To defray their growing payrolls, agencies are seeking

DAVID SHAW

more municipal support, frustrating local officials who have grown accustomed to cheap and reliable coverage. Many Vermont towns are just now learning the true cost of around-the-clock ambulance service.

The most promising idea for solving Vermont’s predicament: regionalize the system.

By pooling resources, towns could spend the same amount — and, in some cases, much less — in exchange for a more reliable service, one capable of fulfilling both of the EMS system’s responsibilities. These bigger, better-funded agencies could offer higher salaries and benefits, which might ease the workforce shortage.

The state already has some idea of what a regional system could look like. Vermont is organized into 13 EMS districts, each built around a hospital catchment area. The districts currently provide only limited oversight to the state’s 79 ambulance agencies but could serve as a rough sketch of a new regional map.

Still, the road to regionalization is filled with potholes, and even some of the biggest supporters question whether it will ever happen. Vermont towns and cities greatly value their local control, and the drawn-out battles over school mergers have done little to ease the skepticism around forced consolidation.

Perhaps that’s why state leaders have been so uninterested in taking a side in the debate. The Vermont Department of Health says it has no stance on the idea of regionalization, and lawmakers haven’t had much to say on it over the years, either.

That’s slowly starting to change, however, as legislators awaken to the crisis engulfing their hometown ambulance services. Nearly three dozen lawmakers recently signed on to a bill seeking to stabilize EMS and plan for its future. The measure would inject up to $20 million into the system annually over the next four years and create a study committee to explore regionalization. It’s not expected to move forward this session, though.

Until it does, ambulance crews have no choice but to hope that towns agree to pick up the increasingly expensive tabs.

“And pray that no one closes their doors,” said John Keating, chief of Saint Michael’s Fire and Rescue.

DISAPPEARING ACT

When Mike O’Keefe first joined Essex Rescue, he wore a white jumpsuit and responded to calls in converted vans. It was 1982, and he was one of more than

40 people who kept what was then a fully volunteer agency running. Many of his colleagues were either housewives or workers from IBM, which encouraged community service, even on company time. Volunteer interest was so high that the agency kept a waiting list.

Forty years later, O’Keefe is one of just 20 active volunteers left and among only a handful experienced enough to be the crew chief on an ambulance. The 65-yearold hopes to stick it out a bit longer, but he’s not sure if his health will cooperate.

“I don’t want to be the kind of person who sticks around longer than I should,” he said.

Volunteers such as O’Keefe are aging out of the EMS workforce faster than they can be replaced, putting enormous

pressure on ambulance crews. The shortage has created a vicious cycle in which unpaid providers are asked to do more and more until they eventually decide that there are less stressful ways to spend their free time. The trend is likely irreversible and has driven up costs in an industry

where the average volunteer can save agencies tens of thousands of dollars per year.

The nationwide loss of EMS volunteers has been especially disruptive in Vermont

If one of these communities opts out, we’re going under.

COLLEEN BALLARD

Executive director of Essex

Rescue Colleen Ballard

Essex Rescue, circa 1972

DARIA BISHOP

ON LIFE SUPPORT

night. He’d usually manage only a quick nap before returning to his paying job.

This year, Essex Rescue eased its requirement to provide more flexibility. Volunteers now can sign up for six-hour shifts, as long as they hit a total of at least 36 hours each month. Willits appreciated the gesture but said even that was untenable, leaving him only a handful of free weeknights per month once he factored in his work schedule and shifts as a ski patroller. Reluctantly, he resigned last month.

“Giving myself seven nights a month of free time to do laundry and hang out with my wife? It was too much,” he said.

WHERE’S THE MONEY?

Because the pool of free labor is evaporating, almost every crew in Vermont now pays at least some staff, either full time or by the shift. Another may soon start doing so: Voters in Alburgh will weigh in on a town budget next week that includes funds to pay their volunteers.

Such a change may create more problems.

because of just how instrumental unpaid labor has been.

When regulations and rising costs pushed funeral homes out of the ambulance business in the middle of the 20th century, groups of service-oriented residents stepped up to fill the void, launching dozens of volunteer squads across the state.

Many years later, the EMS system still bears the handprints of those grassroots efforts. Services are still provided exclusively at the local level: Municipalities either offer it themselves — often through fire departments — or contract it out to private nonprofits. The workforce is also still primarily volunteer, though increasingly less so.

The disappearance of that free labor has been felt most acutely in rural Vermont, where the pool of potential applicants is shallowest. Chittenden County has colleges and a major academic medical center to draw from; towns farther out mostly rely on people living and working in the community.

“We used to have a contingent of folks that worked in or around town who could jump on an ambulance for an hour or two,” said Peter Brescia, chief of the Alburgh Rescue crew. “Those days are gone.” Retirees now help cover most of the daytime shifts, but gaps remain: The agency dropped a few dozen calls last year because it had no one to staff its ambulance, forcing other agencies to respond from farther away.

Even in more populous areas, the busiest agencies are finding that their

workloads are often too much for volunteers. The number of EMS calls in Vermont has risen from 99,000 in 2020 to 118,000 last year, and Chittenden County made up a third of the increase. Essex Rescue alone went out 700 more times last year than in 2019.

“The model is just not sustainable when you’re asking volunteers who have full-time jobs to run eight calls in a 12-hour shift or come give us a night a week where you don’t sleep,” said Leslie Lindquist, chair of Vermont EMS District 3, which covers Chittenden County.

Scott Willits can attest to that. He decided to volunteer with Essex Rescue last June after moving to the area for a job at Beta Technologies.

The agency was asking volunteers to work one 12-hour shift a week, plus one weekend shift every month. It was a demanding schedule, but one that Willits, a U.S. Air Force veteran, thought he could handle.

He was wrong. Willits would come to the station directly from his day job and spend the next 12 hours averaging about six calls — enough to keep him awake all

Agencies that begin paying some but not all of their workers may find that the inequity rubs their volunteers the wrong way. Some end up leaving to go work at another agency where they can get paid for their efforts.

Nor is it easy to recruit paid workers. To find them, agencies have had to raise wages, which still aren’t very high.

AmCare, a fully paid service in Franklin County, has increased its pay 35 percent over the past two years in an effort to retain the people it already has. Even then, a starting EMT makes just $16 an hour. “That’s less than what you’ll make at McDonald’s starting out,” said Clement Roger, the agency’s chief. “And, let’s face it, we work out in the cold, the rain, the snow, cow manure.”

The upward pressure on wages has benefited people looking to make a career out of EMS. Until now, many of them have needed to work well over 40 hours to make a livable wage. But the trend has put rescue chiefs in a tough spot.

Indeed, the ballooning payrolls have raised existential questions for smaller crews, who already weren’t bringing in enough revenue to sustain themselves.

“It’s a scary future,” said Maggie Burke, executive director of Waterbury Ambulance Service, which expects to end the fiscal year $100,000 in the red.

The problem is that rural ambulance crews cannot possibly break even, given the way their services are paid for.

While all EMS squads rely on towns for a portion of their budgets, the bulk of their revenue comes from reimbursement

EMT Bryan Farry checking the blood pressure of EMT Rachel Yandow at Essex Rescue

Colleen Ballard checking bags in an ambulance at Essex Rescue

PHOTOS: DARIA BISHOP

by insurers — most often, Medicaid and Medicare, which cover more than twothirds of medical calls in some Vermont communities. But the cost of running a 24-7 ambulance service has always exceeded what insurers are willing to pay.

Last year, the maximum Medicare reimbursement for an ambulance trip was $500. Medicaid, whose rates are set by the state, was even lower, at $390. Most ambulance crews say they need to make far more per trip to cover their costs.

The deficit compounds quickly. Essex Rescue billed insurance companies $1.8 million last fiscal year, but only $1.1 million of that total was eligible for reimbursement based on its contracts with insurance companies. Another chunk of the bill went unpaid when patients didn’t make their co-pays. In the end, Essex Rescue recovered only $880,000, less than half of what it initially billed.

Another injustice of the funding model: Ambulances are usually paid only when they transport someone to the hospital. But more and more calls don’t end up at the emergency room.

Medical advancements have made it easier for EMTs and paramedics to treat people in place, without going to the emergency room. And EMS agencies are often plugging gaps in the rest of the health care system. Responders routinely hear stories from patients about how their conditions worsened as they waited to get in to see primary care doctors or specialists at hospitals.

Art Groux, the recently retired chief of the Bennington Rescue Squad, offered another common scenario: Your home health provider calls in sick, and their understaffed agency doesn’t have anyone to fill the shift.

“You need help getting from the toilet back to bed. What do you do? You call 911. We come out; we pick you up. We will help you,” Groux said. “But we don’t get paid for that.”

All this means that while ambulance crews are busier than ever, they aren’t necessarily making more money. Groux’s former squad took in an average of $325 per call in 2018. That figure dropped to $275 by last fall. The cost of each response, meanwhile, was around $435. Put another way: The agency lost, on average, $160 per call.

Rescue chiefs don’t expect this will change anytime soon. Medicare, which has acknowledged that it underfunds EMS, is currently conducting a study that industry leaders hope will lead to significant pay hikes. Any changes are probably years out, though. Until then, money-losing ambulance squads are turning to the only place they can to raise revenues — towns — leading to some friction.

In Bennington, selectboard members bemoaned their local squad’s request for $20,000 more this year and expressed frustration that they only hear from the organization during budget season.

Ludlow Ambulance Service has added three full-time staff since 2014 and recently implemented a seasonal pay scale that bumps its workers’ salaries during the winter to compete with the nearby Okemo ski area. To cover the costs, the agency asked the Town of Ludlow for more money: from $60,000 a few years ago to $310,000 now.

Stephanie Grover, the agency’s chief, said frustrated community members don’t understand why they’re being asked to pay for a service that, until now, has been almost free.

“They want you to be there when they need you, but they don’t want to foot the bill,” she said.

TO THE RESCUE

In Brattleboro one recent day, a loudspeaker crackled to life: male, late seventies, complaining of chest pain and dizziness. Recent history of heart attack.

It was the third time in less than eight minutes that someone in the Brattleboro area needed emergency medical assistance. Rescue Inc. had responded to the first two calls immediately, despite the fact that the nonprofit rescue squad already had a few ambulances out helping a neighboring Vermont agency.

This time was no different. Less than a minute after the latest alert, an ambulance at the agency’s West Townshend station radioed back: call acknowledged, en route.

Sitting in a training room back at the Brattleboro headquarters, Drew Hazelton, the agency’s chief of operations, went quiet. A few seconds later, the sound of a garage door could be heard.

We’re not just an ambulance service. We’re the center of an EMS system.

DREW HAZELTON

Rescue Inc. EMTs Asher Clark and Zach Gilbeau

PHOTOS: DAVID SHAW

“There it is,” a grinning Hazelton said. Two of his administrators were moving an ambulance to have it ready for service at the now empty West Townshend station.

Hazelton often gets asked how Rescue Inc. has managed to go seven years without needing to rely on another agency to answer one of its 911 calls. “That’s how,” he said.

The 57-year-old nonprofit provides regional coverage for a dozen towns in Windham County and two in New Hampshire; it’s been one of Vermont’s most stable ambulance agencies in recent years. Its annual budget increases have held steady at around 1 percent for the past decade. It’s fully staffed and has continued to provide reliable transport services between state hospitals. And using money made during its wide-ranging COVID-19 response, the agency recently launched a new EMS training academy. More than 250 people have taken classes at the academy since it opened in October, including some who have gone on to become certified critical care paramedics and EMTs.

The regional model on display at Rescue Inc. could be Vermont’s best chance at ensuring there’s always an ambulance around when you need one. The idea seems to be catching on even in the profession itself: The EMS Advisory Committee, which includes industry representatives from across Vermont, recently recommended that the state provide incentives to towns to develop regional partnerships.

“In many areas of the state EMS services are struggling to meet even the most basic needs of the community,” the report says. Despite efforts to stabilize the system in recent years, it is now “failing.”

A major source of the problem, according to the commission, is that Vermont simply has too many small ambulance agencies — one for every 8,000 people — which has contributed to growing costs and widespread inefficiencies.

Consider, for instance, an oft-overlooked but vitally important piece of EMS: moving patients between health care facilities. Small crews often can’t take hospital transfers because it removes a rescue vehicle from the 911 system. That makes it harder for hospitals to find rides for their patients. They might have to wait a few extra hours for a ride back to the nursing home. Or, more seriously, for a potentially lifesaving treatment.

Say you end up at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital in St. Johnsbury suffering from chest pain, and it’s decided you need a cardiac catheter procedure. Northeastern, like most small hospitals, doesn’t have the technology to do that, so it would seek to transfer you to a bigger facility that does.

You can’t just drive yourself — you’re having a heart attack — so the ER docs at

Northeastern call around for an ambulance to take you. They can’t get just any ambulance, though: They need one with a critical care paramedic on board in case you take a nosedive during the trip. But the area around Northeastern is served primarily by small ambulance crews that can’t pay enough to recruit critical care paramedics, the most highly trained EMS professionals. So you wait — in some cases, for 12 hours or more.

Similar scenarios are playing out at rural hospitals across the state, according

MAKING ‘REGIONAL’ WORK

Back in Brattleboro, Rescue Inc. not only provides regular critical care transports but is also branching out into new territory: The agency has partnered with the Brattleboro Retreat on a new project in response to Vermont’s mental health crisis. Every weekday from noon to 8 p.m., Rescue Inc. has an ambulance whose sole task is to transport psychiatric patients down to the Retreat. It’s staffed by crews trained in responding to mental health crises and will pick patients up at any Vermont hospital.

The ability to do all this and still manage the busy 911 system is a direct result of Rescue Inc.’s regional model, said Hazelton, the agency’s chief. With 11 total ambulances, a staff of more than 90 and a budget of around $4.5 million, Rescue Inc. is big enough to be nimble — a luxury in a chaotic field.

to ER chiefs. Faced with the prospect of waiting for a ride that may come too late, some patients have left ERs against medical advice so that their family can drive them to a bigger hospital. Others have stayed — and died.

And though it’s impossible to know whether they could have been saved, “there are definitely situations where things did not go the way they’re supposed to go,” said Dr. Josh White, chief medical officer at Gifford Hospital in Randolph.

Driving through his 500-square-mile territory last week, Hazelton described a typical day.

Each shift begins with at least four staffed ambulances: three in Brattleboro and one at the West Townshend station. These are all merely starting points, though, because the fleet is in flux throughout the day, constantly shifting to meet the agency’s needs.

The stations are located strategically so that no part of the territory is farther than 18 miles away, a relatively short distance in the world of rural EMS.

Rescue Inc. paramedics responding to a vehicle that slid off the road in Dummerston

Rescue Inc. in Brattleboro

PHOTOS: DAVID SHAW

Still, for some calls, every second counts, which is why Rescue Inc. has worked closely with its member towns to create “first-response agencies.”

These agencies have volunteers trained in the most basic life-saving supports, such as CPR and rescue breathing. Most are based at fire departments and can respond to 911 calls in their personal vehicles — ahead of ambulances — to start treatment.

“We’re not just an ambulance service,” Hazelton said. “We are the center of an EMS system.”

Perhaps the most instructive lessons from the Rescue Inc. regional model are the way it’s funded and governed — and how both have changed over time.

The agency subsisted almost entirely on donations during its first 15 years in business. Transported patients were never charged, and towns only occasionally kicked in support, usually to help fund the purchase of a new ambulance.

But as community donations fell and payroll grew, the agency had to start seeking support from its member towns. Just like other agencies are experiencing now, local officials called for greater scrutiny of the agency’s budget and demanded a bigger say in its operations.

In response, Rescue Inc. gave each town a voting spot on its board of directors — a governance model that continues today. The board meets regularly, reviews policies and approves Hazelton’s annual budget. Every three years, it adopts a new assessment for member towns.

It’s by no means the cheapest service around: Towns pay between $26 and $30 per person, about average for the state. (Essex Rescue, by comparison, is now seeking an $18 per capita rate from its towns.)

But for just $56,000 a year, less than the cost of a full-time EMS position with benefits, Newfane’s 1,600 residents receive around-the-clock service capable of sending multiple units into town.

The agency is stable despite losing Brattleboro, the largest community in its service area, last year. In April, the burg decided to cut ties with Rescue Inc. so that it could launch its own EMS service within its fire department.

Officials initially suggested the takeover would save them money. But to spend less than the $285,000 they paid Rescue Inc., they’d need to cut the service. The officials later said they wanted more local control.

It’s been a rough transition: The fire department has experienced a high level of turnover since taking on EMS.

Rescue Inc., meanwhile, has not laid off anyone, even though it is responding to about half the number of calls. In fact, it’s looking to add more staff.

SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST

On a frigid evening in late January, members of the Missisquoi Valley Ambulance Service gathered in a cramped, gasoline-scented ambulance bay to try to save their squad.

They needed to convince the four Northeast Kingdom town representatives before them that their small service was worth the rising costs. Rumors were swirling that the towns wanted to ditch the agency for the regional Newport Ambulance Service, a move that could force Missisquoi to close.

Bill Mapes, chief of the Morristown EMS Department and one of Missiquoi’s few remaining volunteers, spent the better part of an hour describing how small, rural agencies get shafted in the nation’s antiquated funding system.

To drive home his point, Mapes plopped a cardiac monitor onto a folding table. The machines have a recommended life cycle of just seven years, he said: “The two that we’ve had here? One was built in 2004, and one was built in 2009.”

At his full-time job in Morristown, he continued, ambulances get replaced every five years. “This,” he said, pointing to an ambulance behind the seated officials, “is a 2013 truck with 120,000 miles on it. The truck on the other side is a 2009 with 140,000 miles on it.”

“This squad isn’t looking to purchase a new vehicle,” Mapes said, pausing for effect. “It’s not about extravagance, my friends.”

If the presentation was meant to change the local officials’ minds, it had the opposite effect. Newport — a better staffed, more financially stable regional agency — planned to charge the same amount as Missisquoi, “and we’re not talking about trying to replace monitors that are 17 years beyond their life,” said Dave Sanders, chair of the Jay Selectboard. “We’re not talking about trying to replace trucks that are beyond their life.

“We’re talking about a system that is up-to-date, up to speed and properly staffed,” he said.

A week later, the four towns voted to end their contract with Missisquoi.

Barring a last-minute Town Meeting Day reversal, Missisquoi’s final day serving the towns will be later this month.

As lawmakers, EMS leaders and local officials prepare for what could easily become a drawn-out debate over regionalization, Missisquoi’s fate is a reminder that it’s already happening.

After the meeting, Danielle Lemieux walked out of the station, lit a cigarette and started to cry. A few of her colleagues joined her in the cold darkness, trying to make sense of the news.

Lemieux, 30, joined Missisquoi Valley Ambulance in late 2021 and became EMT certified shortly after. Since then, she’d worked a shocking amount of overtime, spending 80 hours on-call some weeks. She personally didn’t mind; a lot of that time was spent at home — the station isn’t up to code to allow overnight stays — and the extra hours made up for her $15-an-hour salary.

But now, even that had just evaporated before her eyes.

“These people here are my family. We see the worst of the worst, and we try our best to sustain life and get you to somewhere where a long-term option is possible and—” she said, her voice trailing off.

Choking back tears, she finished the sentence: “It will just never be the same.” ➆

We see the worst of the worst, and we try our best to sustain life.

DANIELLE LEMIEUX

Paramedic Stephan Bryant bringing a patient into Brattleboro Memorial Hospital’s emergency room

DAVID SHAW

Frontline Shooter

BY KEN PICARD • ken@sevendaysvt.com

For 25 years, Dmitri Beliakov covered armed conflicts and photographed countless soldiers, refugees, casualties and atrocities. His searing battlefield images, often shot in the reflections of windows and through holes in mortar-scarred buildings, have appeared in some of the world’s most prestigious publications, including the New York Times , the Washington Post , Forbes, Der Spiegel and the Sunday Times of London. Yet Beliakov bristles at the label “war photographer.”

“I’m an anti-war photographer,” he said. “I hate war because I’ve seen what war does.”

For the Russian-born photojournalist, the capacity of fanatics to inflict suffering on innocent civilians was forever burned into his memory beginning on September 1, 2004. That morning, Beliakov had just dropped off his son at school for the first time when he heard from a source within the Russian military. Counterterrorism units were deploying to Russia’s North Caucasus region to a school hostage crisis

in the town of Beslan. Beliakov immediately joined them.

By the end of the three-day siege, Chechen terrorists had killed 334 people, including 186 children, in what’s considered the deadliest school massacre in

America award for his images, and he was later featured in the 2006 Emmy Awardnominated CBS News documentary Three Days in September. After Beslan, Beliakov gained unprecedented access to Russia’s military

from the perspectives of civilians and refugees, other times from those of pro-Kremlin separatists and Ukrainian soldiers.

To mark the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Norwich University presents an exhibit of Beliakov’s work at its Kreitzberg Library in Northfield. For the opening on Tuesday, Beliakov, who resettled in Vermont last fall with his wife and three children, participated in a panel discussion titled “On the Margins of Europe: A War Before the War.”

Joining him was Rachel Denber, deputy director of the Europe and Central Asia Division of Human Rights Watch; Nathan Hodge, senior editor at CNN London; and Maj. Sergey Filippov, commander of the Kyiv volunteer battalion, who participated remotely from Ukraine.

history. Beliakov’s dramatic images of the siege — including one of a 6-year-old girl blown through a window by an explosion — circulated worldwide. (He learned later that the girl, Aida Sidakova, had survived and was reunited with her mother.) Beliakov earned a 2004 Overseas Press Club of

campaigns. Between 2014 and 2019, he covered the fighting in Ukraine, photographing the economic and humanitarian costs of the annexation of Crimea and war in the Donbas region. Unlike most photojournalists, Beliakov documented the conflict from multiple sides, sometimes

“Norwich University is very honored to host Dmitri, as he brings to our community an incredible understanding of war and peace in its many facets,” said W. Travis Morris, director of Norwich University’s John and Mary Frances Patton Peace & War Center, where Beliakov now works

I’M AN ANTI-WAR PHOTOGRAPHER.

I HATE WAR BECAUSE I’VE SEEN WHAT WAR DOES.

DMITRI BELIAKOV

Russian photojournalist Dmitri Beliakov exhibits photographs of years of war in Ukraine

as a senior fellow. “He has seen all sides of conflict in a part of the world that is now the center of international media attention.”

Beliakov, 53, grew up, coincidentally, in Yaroslavl, a sister city of Burlington about 160 miles northeast of Moscow, in what was then the Soviet Union. Like all teens, he was conscripted into the Soviet Army.

photographer from the Soviet era. Rozov encouraged Beliakov to give it another go.

“He said to me, ‘Never mind what that dickhead said to you. Try it!’” Beliakov recalled. “‘And if it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work.’”

a different country then,” Beliakov explained. “The president was [Boris] Yeltsin, and by the time [Vladimir] Putin emerged, we saw a lot of changes.”

By 2003, Beliakov had forged deep connections within Russia’s special forces.

positions were well known. I never made it a secret.”

However, because then-president Mikhail Gorbachev was “looking for some populist excuses and tricks to increase his popularity,” Beliakov said, he was discharged after only a year and a half of military service. By December 1991, the Berlin Wall had fallen, the Soviet Union had collapsed and Beliakov, then 21, traveled to the West for the first time.

In the early 1990s, Beliakov worked as a researcher and translator in the Moscow bureau of the British tabloids Daily Express and Sunday Express. But he saw Russiabased photojournalists earning huge sums working for Western media outlets and decided to try it himself.

“That was the golden age,” Beliakov recalled, “when you could just make a single phone call from Moscow to Washington or Hamburg or Paris and say, ‘Hey, I’ve got a story from Russia,’ and they would immediately give you an advance.”

Beliakov’s early efforts were belittled by his colleague, an established photojournalist who told Beliakov that he lacked any photographic abilities. Beliakov didn’t think seriously about photojournalism again until 1997 when he met Georgiy Rozov, a nationally renowned

Beliakov’s photojournalism career began in earnest in 1999 during the Second Chechen War. Spending his own money and “taking bold risks,” Beliakov said, he traveled to Russia’s Dagestan Republic to document the fighting between Russian forces and Wahhabi troops who’d invaded Chechnya.

Beliakov’s big break came in December 1999 when he landed a photo assignment with legendary American war correspondent Marie Colvin, who at the time worked for London’s Sunday Times. Colvin had secured an exclusive interview with Amir Ibn al-Khattab, one of Russia’s most wanted terrorists who ran mercenaries in Chechnya.

In those years, Beliakov explained, most reporters only covered the Chechen side of the conflict because warlords gave them extensive access and protection.

“With the Russians, it was different,” he said. The Ministry of Defense forced him to travel with military handlers who dictated what Beliakov could photograph and threatened to strip him of his press credentials for any “anti-Russian propaganda.”

Weren’t the Russians suspicious of his motives, given that he’d traveled with Chechen fighters?

“Not at that time. But we lived in

“I would drink and sleep with these guys, eat the same food, use the same

Not wanting his children to endure what he called a “Stalin-era propaganda campaign,” Beliakov immigrated with his family to the U.S. in October, with help from the Andrei Sakharov Foundation.

Lisa Chalidze, an adjunct faculty member

toilets,” he said. “There’s one rule in this life: Everything is about relationships. If you have relationships, you can get anywhere.”

Ultimately, those relationships gave Beliakov access to the Beslan school crisis. But its devastating imagery took a serious toll on him.

“After Beslan, I locked myself in a hotel room for two days and just drank,” he said. Even now, the battle-hardened Beliakov, who’s since documented countless scenes of death and suffering, said only the crash site of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, which the Russian military shot down over eastern Ukraine in July 2014, compared for its visceral intensity.

“These were some of the most memorable and crucial images of my entire career,” Beliakov said about Beslan. “This is how I really understood, for the first time, that what you’re doing is not just for your own ego and not for satisfying your photo desk.”

Beliakov hasn’t just photographed wars. His other subjects have ranged from Russian ballerinas to lifers in Russia’s penal colonies to psychiatric hospitals in Armenia — the last of which Beliakov was shooting on February 24, 2022, the day Russia invaded Ukraine.

Within weeks, the Russian parliament passed draconian laws subjecting anyone who criticized the invasion, or even called it a war, to 15 years of hard labor.

“I realized I was not coming back [to Russia],” Beliakov said. “My anti-Putin

at Norwich and Andrei Sakharov Foundation board member, is the widow of Sovietera dissident Valery Chalidze, who was a colleague of fellow dissident and Nobel Peace Prize winner Sakharov; she encouraged Beliakov to come to Vermont. Ironically, Beliakov hasn’t photographed any of the current invasion — because he still carries a Russian passport, the Ukrainians won’t allow him entry.

On the battlefield, Beliakov said, he never once shied away from capturing the difficult image.

“If you’re roaming the ruins of Aleppo or Grozny, you inevitably come back with some decent, usable pictures. But it isn’t about dead bodies or the texture of ruins,” Beliakov said. “Basically, you’re trying to say something else.”

In war, he explained, ordinary people get left behind or forgotten. As a photojournalist, his job is to bear witness to their plight.

“Thousands of people would have been alive if that idiot [Putin] didn’t invade the Crimea and the Donbas. Tens of thousands of people could be living a happy life. And I met countless unhappy, devastated families whose lives have been turned into ruins,” he said. “If I’m there, my job is to find appropriate examples and tell about these people. Because they don’t want to be invisible.”

Dmitri Beliakov’s photos are on display in Norwich University’s Kreitzberg Library through April 3. Free. norwich.edu

Left: A patrol of territory at the former Donetsk airport by soldiers of the Moscow-backed brigade Vostok, in Donetsk, Donetsk People Republic, on September 4, 2015 Center: A victim of a booby trap seen in an operation block of a hospital located dangerously close to the front line in the Donetsk People’s Republic on August 31, 2015

Right: Alla Segeda, the lone inhabitant of the cellar of a 90-apartment house, stuck in the “gray zone” between Ukraine and the Donetsk People’s Republic. All other residents had left the house and fled the war. Krasnogorivka, Donetsk region, Ukraine, on January 26, 2017

Into the Forest

Acouple of weeks ago, as I headed south on Interstate 91 to Putney for an outdoor art walk, my windshield wiper finally succumbed to February in Vermont. So before I hit the woods, I pulled into Rod’s Towing & Repair for new wiper blades.. The service station is just off the highway in this Windham County town, convenient for gas and a good bet for more than a fill-up.

“I think you got a brake light out, too,” co-owner Greg Winchester told me. I had no idea and no car appointment. I asked Winchester if he had time to fix it — right then. “No worries,” he said. “It’s all good.”

I took that as a yes, left my key with Winchester, and walked across the street for a plate of rice and beans at Putney Food Co-op ($6.70 with a cup of tea). When I returned to Rod’s 20 minutes later, my car had new windshield wipers and a working brake light ($57.95), and I was spared a possible ticket (priceless).

Rod’s, which is named for Winchester’s father, is a family business that opened in 1967. The garage is nearing completion of a rebuild after a fire in October 2021 burned the business to the ground. Vermont State Police determined that the flames were caused by arson. “It was very devastating,” Julie Winchester, Greg’s wife, told me.

Some of the firefighters who fought the early morning blaze are working on the construction crew that’s rebuilding Rod’s. The Winchesters have three children and six grandchildren, and they’re committed

to carrying on Rod’s “family legacy,” Julie said.

With my car intact, I left Rod’s and drove a couple of miles to the Forest for Learning, 167 acres of woods and wetland behind Putney Central School. The forest is the site of an art installation, “Winter in Place,” that’s on exhibit until the end of March. Its elements come into view on a short walk near the forest entrance, revealing themselves as echoes of and responses to the surrounding landscape.

The artwork was made by Brattleboro artist Stephanie Nichols and Putney Central School students. Next Stage Arts Project, a Putney-based nonprofit, organized the collaboration, which was funded by a $4,000 grant from AARP. One purpose of the exhibit is to attract the “50+ community” to the woods, according to Next Stage’s website. I belong to that demographic, yet my experience at the Forest for Learning was shaped by a different 50-plus measure: the temperature.

Spring had replaced winter on the midFebruary day I visited. The sky was bright blue, the sun was shining, and the trails — covered in a shell of melting snow — were a sheet of ice. Beware, 50-plus crowd!

I started my walk at the school then headed down a muddy hillside to a kiosk. Affixed to the structure are small drawings that students made with watercolor and colored pencil; old tin cans frame the artwork. These pieces welcome viewers to the exhibit and signal to walkers that they’re going in the right direction. I continued across a wet and snowy field, beyond which I could see the edge of the woods. Because I wasn’t certain where I’d find the art or what it might be, the stroll felt a bit like a treasure hunt.

On a footbridge spanning a stream, I spotted the first clue: a series of ceramic leaf forms hanging from the bridge rail. The best view of these earth-toned pieces could be from the water, but I was unwilling to find out. Peering over the rail offers a fine view, as does a spot in the woods to the side of the bridge.

On the other side of the stream, art hangs from the trees: white orbs in netting and ceramic pieces in the shape of mushrooms. The mushroomy flowers look like something you might see on the forest floor — if the forest were enchanted.

Just when I thought I’d seen all the art, I noticed a shimmer of blue lighting up the woods. Walking toward the color, which mirrored the sky, I came to an installation Nichols made. Her work is composed of slender PVC pipes spray-painted different shades of blue and attached to a mesh frame. The piece hangs between bare trees by a big moss-covered rock, which serves as a wondrous backdrop.

Beyond the art, a roughly seven-mile network of trails leads deeper into the woods. I had planned to explore the forest further, but walking uphill on ice proved too treacherous, and I reluctantly abandoned my plan. But the woods were lovely, and I hung out for a while — sitting on a rock, watching the stream.

By coincidence, I crossed paths with people who helped put together “Winter in Place,” including Nichols, the artist who worked with students to create the installation. She was leading folks on an art walk; though I’d taken a solo tour, I tagged along.

Nichols, who teaches studio art at Keene State College in New Hampshire, talked about the challenges and unpredictability of presenting art in a forest. As a visiting artist working with Putney kids, she noted the value of collaboration.

“You’re in the joy of making art side by side with your friends,” Nichols said, “but you’re a small part of a collective piece of art.”

Greg and Julie Winchester of Rod’s Towing & Repair

Putney Central School students at “Winter in Place” installation PHOTOS:

The woods are a familiar setting for students at Putney Central School, who work in forest classrooms as part of their education. The hope is that “Winter in Place” will encourage others in the community to get out in the woods, too.

“It was very intentional to put the art at the beginning of the trail, on flat ground that’s easy to get to,” Keith Marks, executive director of Next Stage Arts Project, told me. “The aspirational intention was for people to venture on and engage with the Forest for Learning.”

We all have aspirations. The Forest for Learning’s is to build a boardwalk across the wet meadow to the woods, according to board member Josh Fields. “Everyone’s been turned around by water at least once,” he said. It’s a $70,000 project.

My aspiration is to return to the Forest for Learning in true spring and walk on solid ground through the woods. I want to see the waterfall. Then I’ll walk another mile or so to the MockingBird Tavern on Bellows Falls Road, where I’ll eat a Caesar salad and drink a beer. It’ll cost about $15, plus gas from Burlington.

By then, something else will be wrong with my car.

251 is a series of on-the-road stories that aims to visit all 251-plus towns and cities in Vermont. We’ll be coming soon to a town near you.

Learn more at nextstagearts.org and putneyforestforlearning.org.

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREAM, ART HANGS FROM THE TREES: WHITE ORBS IN NETTING AND CERAMIC PIECES IN THE SHAPE OF MUSHROOMS.

A mixed-media drawing of a fiddler at the kiosk of the Forest for Learning

Stephanie Nichols’ installation in the Forest for Learning

A ceramic piece in the “Winter in Place” exhibit

A Stone’s Throw

Interest in curling — that curious sport in which players chase a huge stone puck with brooms on ice — has surged worldwide over the past few decades thanks to appearances in the Winter Olympics. But who among us really gets it? I mean, what’s with all the sweeping? Why all the yelling?

While some areas of the country, especially in the upper Midwest and parts of New York, embraced curling as a pastime more than a century ago, Vermont still lacks a venue built exclusively for the sport. That’s despite sharing a border with Québec, where nearly a dozen curling arenas dot the Estrie, the region stretching east from the top of Lake Champlain to a provincial border with Maine.

Vermonters do play curling, though: There’s the Equinox Curling Club in Manchester, the Rutland Rocks Curling Club, the Upper Valley Curling Club and the Green Mountain Curling Club. All but the GMCC make their home at skating arenas, vying for precious ice time with figure skaters and hockey leagues.

A skating rink can work for curling, but it’s not the same as having a dedicated curling “sheet” of ice. That’s why, in the 2013-14 season, after curling at the CREW Arena in Morrisville, some GMCC members began crossing into Québec to play at the Bedford Curling Club. The club is about 13 miles northeast of the Highgate Springs border crossing or roughly 10 miles due north of the Morses Line crossing. The move put GMCC players in the company of Vermont curlers who play in Québec at the Border Curling Club in Stanstead,

right across the border at Beebe Plain — and about three miles west of the Derby Line crossing.

A recent visit to these two clubs straightened out a few things I’d been wondering about curling and reacquainted me with our neighbors to the north after what has felt like a long separation.

The object of curling is no mystery: Slide a stone, sometimes called a rock — a roughly 40-pound granite puck with a handle — down the ice so that it comes to rest within the three concentric circles of the

target, known as the “house.” Earn a point for every stone in the house closer to the center, the “button,” than your opponents’ stones. (The rings’ colors, usually blue and red, have no bearing on the points scored.)

A typical two-hour match consists of 10 “ends” — akin to a baseball inning, in which each team has had a turn. Teams have four members who throw two stones each. One player, the “skip,” acts as the team’s captain and chief strategist in this game dubbed “chess on ice.” The Bedford and Border clubs also host doubles events.

Curling’s deepest secret was revealed to me shortly after I arrived at the Bedford club on a recent Friday evening. Under the guidance of GMCC president and Bedford club board member Bill Germer, I was just

in time to watch a member of the ice crew prepare the club’s two sheets for competition. The key to understanding curling, it turns out, is buried in the ice — literally.

Consider this: A heavy, circular curling stone would generate too much friction to move optimally across completely flat ice. So the ice sheet, typically 146 to 150 feet long, is leveled with a wide blade and then “pebbled,” or sprayed with water droplets. The tops of the pebbles are then “nipped” with another device. The result is an even surface textured with tiny bumps meant, for all the precision that goes into preparing the sheet, to simulate the snow and ice on the ponds and lochs of 16th-century Scotland, where curling was invented.

This, in turn, explains curling’s signature action: sweeping. By sweeping the pebbles in front of a moving stone, using a lightweight brush roughly four feet long with a head commonly made of nylon cordura, sweepers reduce the friction even more, allowing the stone to glide farther. Sweepers don’t touch the stones. That’s a foul. The stone’s path — the “curl” from which the sport gets its name — is determined mainly by the rotation the thrower gives the stone upon release. Sweepers can, however, accelerate the stone’s rotation and alter the length of its arc.

Germer, a Burlington resident, caught the curling bug after watching the annual Howard Center Curling Classic fundraiser in 2010. The 2023 event will be held on March 18 at C. Douglas Cairns Recreation Arena in South Burlington.

He went on to receive curling training in Toronto and now organizes three Bedford leagues and the juniors program. He and co-instructor Heather Bilodeau of Philipsburg, Québec, were running a coed juniors session when I returned to Bedford on a Saturday morning. One youth’s parent, Pierre Venneman of Noyen, Québec, described curling as a “calming sport” for his 13-year-old son, Nathan. He also praised Germer: “They say he gets along with the kids because he’s a big kid.”

After the youths’ ice time, Germer gave me a curling lesson. I slipped a “slider” beneath the sneaker sole on my nondominant foot and a rubber “gripper” over the sneaker on my dominant foot — standard curling gear. I learned right away that getting a good push o the “hack,” or rubber foothold, is key. The power in a curling throw comes from the legs, not the arms or the hand.

Skillful throwers simply release the rock at the “hog line,” which is like a foul line in bowling, letting their own momentum start the stone down ice. For me, throwing the stone was like a blend of yoga and slow-motion fencing — a deep, sustained, ungainly lunge.

On my first try, I glided just a few feet before coming to a humiliating halt. “That

STORY & PHOTOS BY ERIK ESCKILSEN

Watch a video of curling in Québec at sevendaysvt.com.

A lounge-side view of “beer league” curling action at the Bedford Curling Club

Charles Goulding setting a target as Faye Tolar looks on at the Border Curling Club

lunge that you see on TV,” Germer said, “80 to 90 percent of teaching people to learn to curl is teaching them how to do that delivery.”

On my second throw, I lost my balance after releasing the stone and toppled over. I was eventually able to send stones as far as the house at the other end of the sheet. Germer ended my lesson with some tips on how to put the proper rotation on the stone during release to make it curl.

Germer and GMCC offer Learn to Curl Clinics at the Bedford Curling Club on

Goulding remains hopeful that the club will rebound.

The players for the day’s bonspiel showed the sport’s multigenerational and multifaceted appeal. Newport curler Renee Fuller played in Minnesota before moving to Vermont. A public health nurse, she sees a range of benefits in curling. “I like curling because it’s physical, and it has that strategic piece,” she said. “It’s a team sport but doesn’t have that aggressive side.”

Erik Townsend, who travels from Westmore to play, also appreciates the

the first Sunday of every month during curling season; the last two sessions of the current season will be held on March 5 and April 2 from noon to 2:30 p.m. The cost is $25.

By the time I visited the Border Curling Club in Stanstead, I had a decent grasp of curling basics. This gave me the chance to watch the bonspiel — tournament, in curling parlance — and meet some players.

The Border Curling Club has first- and second-floor viewing areas that look onto the club’s two meticulously maintained sheets flanked by international flags. The club is unique for many reasons, among them the fact that it was founded in 1955 as an expressly international club, with governance shared among U.S. and Canadian members. Striking that balance has not been easy, club president David Edgell said, but he added with a note of pride that “we are a functionally bilingual club.”

According to membership director Mary Pat Goulding, the club historically has also maintained a pretty even membership split among U.S. and Canadian citizens. Tightened border restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic diminished membership numbers from the U.S., but

combination of exercise and strategy.

“It’s a challenging thing to do,” he said, likening the precision in the game to golf.

Curling competition can be intense, to be sure — the arena reverberates with the skips’ exhortations to “Hurry” or sweep “Hard,” all of it punctuated by granite rocks knocking together and sliding across pebbled ice. Still, a sense of camaraderie may trump all other aspects, especially postgame.

“The social aspect is part of the tradition,” Germer said. “You’ll hear people say, ‘Winners buy the first round, losers buy the second.’ It’s good form to stay around and buy the second round.”

On my way out the door at the Border Curling Club, Goulding was talking up the “donut league.” That sounds about my speed.

I now see curling from a new angle. It’s the poutine of winter sports: a Canadian cultural practice that more Vermonters would probably take up if we could just get our hands on it. ➆

Learn

FOR ME, THROWING THE STONE WAS LIKE A BLEND OF YOGA AND SLOW-MOTION FENCING — A DEEP, SUSTAINED, UNGAINLY LUNGE.

Bill Germer exhibiting good form at the Bedford Curling Club

The Sweet Life

BY MELISSA PASANEN pasanen@sevendaysvt.com

Gesine Bullock-Prado is enthusiastically enamored of many things. The list includes baking, teaching people to bake, maple syrup, Vermont and her pet goose named Mama. Oh, and brown butter. Of the copper-flecked, nutty liquid gold, the pastry chef gushed during a recent conversation in her White River Junction kitchen classroom, “What’s not to love about brown butter? It brings happiness to everything.”

The host of Food Network’s “Baked in Vermont,” frequent TV cooking show judge and prolific cookbook author regularly shares her enthusiasms with her 40,000-plus followers on both Facebook and Instagram. Preorders from a passionate fan base have already catapulted her forthcoming seventh title, My Vermont Table: Recipes for All (Six) Seasons, to a top slot in the seasonal cooking new releases category on Amazon. Unlike BullockPrado’s previous pastry-focused tomes, this one includes many non-baked savory

recipes and unabashedly celebrates her home state.

The cookbook debuts on March 14, purposefully timed for mud season, one of the two “extra” Vermont seasons that are all too familiar to locals but may be new to many of the chef’s devotees. Bullock-Prado, 52, often addresses those fans as “sweet people,” as in an October 2022 Instagram post in which she wrote, “Sweet people, this morning at 5 a.m. as I was wiping down the school benches, I thought to myself, ‘Crikey, I’m so happy.’”

It might all feel a little saccharine if Bullock-Prado didn’t come across as so genuine and unpretentious on TV, on social media and in person. During Seven Days’ recent visit, she sported blue sweatpants, well-worn UGG boots, a quaint heart-bedecked sweater and her dark hair in a ponytail. She gamely agreed to tromp around the snowy yard of the historic 1793 home she shares with her husband, Ray Prado.

Small-town Vermont is a far cry from

IT’S KIND OF A MOOD BOARD FOR THE SEASONS.

GESINE BULLOCK-PRADO

Confections of a Closet Master Baker: One Woman’s Sweet Journey From Unhappy Hollywood Executive to Contented Country Baker.

Hollywood, from which the couple fled in 2004. Bullock-Prado detailed that transition in her 2009 memoir, originally titled

The narrative traces how the couple left Tinseltown, where Bullock-Prado was running her movie star sister Sandra Bullock’s production company, for downto-earth Vermont. A self-taught baker, Bullock-Prado planned to leave her law degree behind and study at the nowdefunct New England Culinary Institute. Ultimately, she leapfrogged that step to

Gesine Bullock-Prado making maple tuiles

SIDEdishes

SERVING UP FOOD NEWS

Vermont Pastry Chef to Compete on Food Network’s ‘Spring Baking Championship’

Thinking spring? So is JESSICA QUIET, executive pastry chef at the LODGE AT SPRUCE PEAK in Stowe.

On Monday, March 6, she’ll make her Food Network debut on “Spring Baking Championship.”

Quiet, 34, is no stranger to highpressure contests. While still a high school student in St. Johnsbury, she won first place for Vermont and fourth place nationally in the SkillsUSA Commercial Baking competition.

But when producers for “Spring Baking Championship” asked if she would be interested in the television show, “it took a little debating until I got the courage up,” Quiet said. “The SkillsUSA competitions don’t have cameras in your face and America watching you.”

Ultimately, she decided to participate in the show to inspire younger generations of aspiring bakers. Quiet was in the first class to open St. Johnsbury Academy’s studentrun HILLTOPPER RESTAURANT, and she credits chef-instructor PAULA BYSTRZYCKI with showing her “the sweet side” of the culinary industry. Quiet went on to earn a baking and pastry arts degree at Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island and work for hotels in Boston, Florida and Minnesota.

In 2019, she returned home and joined the Lodge at Spruce Peak. There, Quiet creates “classical French pastries with a twist,” she said, such as éclairs with freeze-dried strawberry powder, matcha custard and candied lilac; and chocolate angel food cake with ricotta-mascarpone cream and bark made with her favorite Vermont ingredient, CALEDONIA SPIRITS’ Barr Hill Raw Honey.

Now in its ninth season, “Spring Baking Championship” is hosted by television personality and former pro football player Jesse Palmer, with judges Kardea Brown, Nancy Fuller and Duff Goldman. The two-hour premiere airs March 6 at 8 p.m. on Food Network and Discovery+.

Quiet can’t share much about the show before it airs, but she told Seven Days she’s still in touch with the other 11 baker-contestants.

“It was the sweetest group,” Quiet said. “They had to remind us, ‘Hey, you’re in a competition show. $25,000 is at stake.’”

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Barry

Jessica Quiet and her WhistlePig Whiskey cake

open a Montpelier bakery, Gesine Confectionary, which she operated from 2005 to 2008.

Five baking books, more than 1,000 in-person and online cooking classes, two seasons of her own Food Network show, and one move to the Upper Valley later, Bullock-Prado has crafted a love letter to her adopted state in My Vermont Table

The new book is illustrated with painterly photographs of food and scenes of Bullock-Prado gathering backyard sap, foraging for ramps and hanging out with Mama the goose. They were shot by her husband, who works as a television and film storyboard artist and is an ardent cheerleader for his wife and her career.

My Vermont Table grew out of Bullock-Prado’s “Baked in Vermont” show, which ran from 2017 to 2018. It paid homage to the Green Mountain State — and, pragmatically, leveraged its broad appeal.

“Vermont is, like, beyond a state, right?” Bullock-Prado said. “It’s a state of mind. It’s such a vibe … It’s something that people go to for comfort, literally.”

The book reflects BullockPrado’s deep attachment to Vermont from its first recipe (a ramp-and-goat-cheese goose egg bake) to its last (a flourless chocolate cake named for Montpelier’s Valentine’s Day Phantom). But it also represents her wide range of culinary influences.

During her conversation with Seven Days, she described Vermont as her “heart home,” partly due to its resemblance to her mother’s hometown of Nuremberg, Germany, and to the Blue Ridge Mountains, near where Bullock-Prado attended college in Charlottesville, Va.

Raised mostly in Virginia near Washington, D.C., she had never been to Vermont before Prado, a Colorado native and Dartmouth College grad, brought her to the Upper Valley for a football game.

“We were courting,” Bullock-Prado reminisced with a smile. The pair drove from Hanover, N.H., across the Ledyard Bridge into Norwich, she recalled, “and I’m like, Oh, God, this is it.”

In Vermont, Bullock-Prado elaborated, she found “all the things that I love the most: rolling, gentle mountains and very useful, beautiful villages where people actually still did stu .”

Bullock-Prado developed recipes for My Vermont Table based on how she cooks at home throughout the year. “They are

IT’S A STATE OF MIND. IT’S SUCH A VIBE …

inspired by the season, obviously, because of what is available and how you’re feeling at the time,” she explained. “It’s kind of a mood board for the seasons.”

Those varied recipes include dishes inspired by her German heritage, such as spaetzle, sauerkraut and her mother’s Maggi Seasoning-spiked potato salad. Vermont classics such as fiddlehead quiche, baked beans and apple cider doughnuts appear throughout the seasonal chapters — as do the beloved sticky buns from Middlebury’s Dog Team Tavern, destroyed by fire in 2006.

The pastry chef also delivers a few of her signature showstoppers, including a multipage recipe for Maple-Chocolate Baked Vermont, her preferred birthday cake, which involves a mountain peak of chocolate cake layered with homemade maple ice cream and slathered with meringue.

Ingredients run a similar gamut from global to hyperlocal. Bullock-Prado is an avid gardener and forager who tends her own laying chickens and ducks. She

IT’S SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE GO TO FOR COMFORT, LITERALLY.

harvests vegetables, fruits, wild mushrooms, sumac, ramps, maple sap for syrup and even sa ron from her land.

Bullock-Prado said she’s constantly amazed by the quality of foods grown and produced in Vermont. “You can make a meal just from things that are so ordinary to us,” she said, “but they are truly extraordinary to outsiders.”

She recalled running into a friend of a friend in the Northeast Kingdom. “She said, ‘Oh, this is my friend. He’s the master cheesemaker of Bayley Hazen’” — referring to the award-winning blue cheese from Greensboro’s Jasper Hill Farm. “I was like, ‘Ooohhhh,’” Bullock-Prado said, sounding far more impressed than one might be, for example, by a movie star.

Bullock-Prado’s recipes integrate her international and vegan upbringing. “I grew up using kombu and miso and all

those things that are like umami bombs in vegetarian and vegan food,” she said.

Her Vermont salt pork baked bean recipe, for instance, includes a vegan alternative made with kombu, vegetable stock and sweet white miso paste. “That will give you kind of the heartiness that you’re looking for in that recipe. Add a little maple, and then you’re happy,” BullockPrado said.

“It’s my Vermont table,” she said of the book’s fusion approach.

During my mid-February visit, BullockPrado guided me through a maple tuile recipe from the mud/sugaring season chapter. Deceptively simple, it required us to spread a sticky batter in small rectangles on a cookie sheet and then pull them

GESINE BULLOCK-PRADO

COURTESY OF RAYMOND PRADO

Bullock-Prado and Mama the goose

A maple tuile

Glass Act

Rise ‘n Shine makes home milk delivery cool again

STORY & PHOTOS BY RACHEL MULLIS

Peter Carreiro roared up in a white refrigerated truck, its sides emblazoned with his company’s colorful logo: “Rise ‘n Shine … it’s the milkman.”

It was a gray morning in February, and I was joining business owner Carreiro to deliver milk the old-fashioned way: in glass bottles, to people’s doorsteps.

Home milk delivery reached its zenith well before World War II.

e COVID-19 pandemic fueled a boom in home delivery services, but interest waned as businesses reopened. Standing udderly apart is Rise ‘n Shine, which has reliably served customers in a dozen-plus towns in and around Chittenden County for almost 20 years.

e back-in-time vibe was strong as we hit our first delivery stop: Officers Row, a huddle of historic brick condos in Colchester’s Fort Ethan Allen complex. Carreiro hopped out, grabbing apples, cheese, bagels, frozen veggies, even a package of recyclable paper sandwich bags.

en he pulled out a bottle of his signature product: milk.

“We have really good milk, and it’s the same if I deliver it in plastic or glass,” Carreiro said. “But our customers want the glass ... It’s just a really wholesome thing.”

Rise ‘n Shine’s milk supplier is Hatchland Farm, a family-run dairy producer and bottler just across the state line in North Haverhill, N.H. It’s the closest purveyor of glass-bottled milk that can meet Rise ‘n Shine’s demand. (A typical customer receives a combo of five glass bottles of milk, cream or chocolate milk per week — more than 250 bottles per year.) And customers rave about the taste.

“ is milk actually tastes better than store-bought milk. I don’t know what they do differently, but … it’s the real deal,” said Max Diem, an Essex Junction customer, as he stepped outside to grab the week’s delivery from an insulated cooler he’d put on his front porch.

Carreiro’s truck was also stocked with products from Vermont brands such as Klinger’s Bread in South Burlington, Cabot Creamery in Waitsfield, Misty Knoll Farms in New Haven, Champlain Orchards in Shoreham and Lewis Creek Farm in Starksboro. Customers can order what they need for the week online, up until the night before delivery.

“It’s nice to have [food] dropped off, because these are staples,” Diem said. “We used our last egg this morning, and boom, we’ve got another dozen.”

As we continued along the route and navigated icy driveways, Carreiro deftly ran crates of milk and groceries up to front-door coolers. Before leaving, he retrieved the empty glass bottles from the prior week.

“Let’s see when it was made … 1980,” he said, showing me the date stamped into one of the bottles. “ is company is not even in business anymore.”

I was staring at a milk container older than me. It was a reminder that, aside from tasting better, this glass-bottled milk is also less wasteful.

“I have this grandnephew who is very close to us, and every time I throw away plastic … like, this thing’s going to be around past his lifetime,” Carreiro said. “We try to use things that are either reusable or recyclable.”

If you’re not in the market for milk delivery, you can sample the goods at Rise ‘n Shine Farm in Charlotte. e former gas station along Route 7 is now a seasonal farmstand guarded by ducks and goats. Carreiro and his wife, Dale, plan to sell homemade creemees there this summer. ey won’t come in glass, but the milk they’re made with sure will. ➆ INFO

Rise ‘n Shine Farm, 44 Church Hill Rd., Charlotte, risenshine.farm

HOW’S THE RIDE FEELIN’?

LAKE POINT IS YOUR FULL SERVICE REAL ESTATE PARTNER

e Rise ‘n Shine delivery truck

Tending the Flock

BY JORDAN BARRY • jbarry@sevendaysvt.com

Hardwick Taco Truck to Add Caja Taqueria Restaurant

Chef-owner BRYAN PALILONIS will open CAJA TAQUERIA in Hardwick by the end of April, but the new restaurant’s origin can be traced back to October 2020. That’s when Palilonis drove his taco truck, CAJA MADERA, into a two-bay, heated garage at 154 Route 15, where he would serve that winter. Ultimately, the temporary solution designed to compensate for the pandemic loss of almost a year’s worth of events laid the groundwork for something permanent.

In this tumultuous time for the service industry, what makes a restaurant last? A great location, a dedicated staff, a unique concept, a reliable menu, affordable prices, die-hard regulars or all of the above?

is month, the Seven Days food team is revisiting enduring local restaurants — our “forever faves” — one dish at a time. As we dine on Brie-and-bacon-topped chicken, eggs Benedict, and crab cakes, we’ll share what keeps these community staples ticking, whether for 15 years or 60-plus.

When it comes to checking those boxes, Black Sheep Bistro in Vergennes gets pretty close to “all of the above.” It doesn’t really matter which dish you choose at the cozy, 40-seat restaurant: Every entrée, from ai broiled haddock to duck breast, costs $25. (Starters are $10 each.)

But the Brie-and-bacon chicken breast has been on the menu since the late Michel Mahe opened the bistro in 2002 — “more or less,” said Andrea Cousineau, now executive chef and general manager of the Black Sheep and its sister restaurant up Main Street, Park Squeeze. “We tried to swap it out 15-ish years ago but immediately brought it back due to popular demand.”

e hefty chicken breast is topped with melty Brie and crispy bacon, then slathered in a tangy balsamic cream sauce. It comes with garlicky green beans and a pop of pickled onions and arugula for garnish. e rich, comforting result is ideal for a chilly winter night.

Originally, the chicken was pounded, stuffed, rolled, seared, baked whole and then sliced. It was “a prep monster,” Cousineau said. e current version cooks faster in a way that ensures none of the good stuff bakes out.

e Black Sheep serves up to 30 orders of chicken on big nights — even in the summer, when the restaurant’s patio is popular. It wasn’t quite that busy during my recent Tuesday evening visit, but food flew out of acting chef Gary Cauchon’s kitchen with remarkable speed.

Seven Days culture coeditor Dan Bolles had given me a good tip: Start with the pork dumplings, but get them fried instead of steamed.

“ at’s called ‘Lady style,’” front-of-house manager Andrea Brien said when I made the request. “I’m Lady.”

Everyone else in the room seemed already to know that. Between taking orders and shaking martinis, Brien and server Laura Delaney chatted with regulars about the day’s news — a tiny lost dog that had wandered into city hall.

Mahe gave Brien her nickname, Cousineau recalled, to differentiate the two Andreas on staff. “Michel didn’t pronounce either of our names right,” she said with a laugh.

Since Mahe died unexpectedly in 2015, co-operators Cousineau and Dickie Austin have carried on their mentor’s legacy. ey closed the Bearded Frog in Shelburne, another Mahe-founded restaurant, in 2022 due to staffing problems, but otherwise they haven’t changed much.

e Black Sheep’s unique pricing model was Mahe’s way of keeping things simple and predictable, Cousineau said. Another trademark is the restaurant’s delightful starch-onstarch approach to sides. All entrées include a family-style bowl of garlic mashed potatoes and a big cone of French fries.

“Michel came from the brigade system, and he was always looking for ways to streamline,” Cousineau said. “Instead of dealing with substitutions, everybody just gets both.” e move made sense to me as I ladled scoops of the silky mashed potatoes onto my plate of chicken and dipped fries into a tangy basil aioli. e restaurant could last another 20 years on potatoes alone, and there’d be a serious revolt if they ever went away.

“It just wouldn’t be the Black Sheep,” Cousineau said. ➆ “One Dish” is a series that samples a single menu item — new, classic or fleeting — at a Vermont restaurant or other food venue. Know of a great plate we should feature? Drop us a line: food@sevendaysvt.com.

INFO

Black Sheep Bistro, 253 Main St., Vergennes, 877-9991, blacksheepbistrovt.com

Palilonis has spent this winter building a full commercial kitchen in the former garage to create a year-round restaurant. The Caja Madera truck will continue to travel to a full seasonal schedule of weddings and other events.

The taqueria will deliver a “tacoforward menu,” Palilonis said, featuring his house-smoked meats such as carnitas and pork belly, as well as seafood and vegetarian options. New items will include burritos, enchiladas, nachos and salads, such as one that combines roasted yucca, pickled jicama, cucumber, strawberries and pepitas over baby greens dressed with a lime vinaigrette. He plans to o er acai bowls for dessert.

Additional dishes such as Oaxacanstyle tlayudas will emerge from a new propane-fired pizza oven that the chef has decorated with Mexican tile. The crisp, flat tortillas spread with a black bean purée might be topped with plantains, housemade chorizo, quesillo cheese, onions and cilantro.

With 15 inside seats plus warmweather seating outside, Caja Taqueria will be open weekdays for lunch and early dinner, depending on demand and on Caja Madera’s catering schedule. Palilonis plans to apply for a beer and wine license.

Melissa Pasanen

Savoring the Brie-and-bacon chicken breast at Vergennes’ Black Sheep Bistro

Brie-and-bacon chicken breast with garlic mashed potatoes and French fries

Bryan Palilonis and son

hot from the oven one at a time to roll into tight cylinders like paper scrolls.

Original to Bullock-Prado, the recipe was inspired by her and her sister’s childhood love of Pepperidge Farm Bordeaux cookies. “We were obsessed with them as kids,” she said, “just the crunch and the butter.” She reverse-engineered a classic French cookie recipe called crêpes dentelles to use maple sugar and Vermont Creamery butter.

Bullock-Prado encouraged me to “smoosh” the butter into the sugar with a wooden spoon. “It’s so satisfying, right?” she said. When the cookies emerged from the oven, she patiently coached me through rolling one. After a few minutes’ cooling time, we sampled them, teeth crunching into buttery, caramelized sweetness.

“There is something magical about baking in that, unlike cooking, it’s so transformative,” Bullock-Prado marveled. “All those ingredients that are so singular before they go into the oven become completely transformed into something new. It’s an alchemy of a sort.”

One of the reasons Bullock-Prado

loves teaching and sharing recipes is to help show others that “the magic can be yours,” she said.

Bullock-Prado taught at King Arthur Baking’s school in Norwich for many years, but since 2017, she has focused mostly on teaching in the roughly 450-square-foot renovated carriage pass-through attached

to the couple’s house. She estimates that she teaches about 90 classes a year. The eight spots per three- to four-hour class cost $110 to $120 and sell out almost as soon as they go live. Students have traveled from as far away as Sweden, South Africa and Brazil.

The couple built the classroom, known

2023

as Sugar Glider Kitchen, after Prado happened to catch part of a King Arthur class his wife was teaching. “When it was over,” Bullock-Prado recalled, “he goes, ‘This is your superpower. This is what you need to do.’”

We had finished the maple tuiles when Prado popped his head into the kitchen. A thaw had prompted a run of sap from the property’s maple trees, and the buckets were close to overflowing and would need to be emptied soon. The seasonal cycle continued.

When the couple decided to move from Los Angeles to Vermont 20 years ago for Bullock-Prado to pursue baking professionally, they had no idea how it would go. She remembers thinking, “This is the thing that makes me happy. It might be dumb to take the thing that makes you happy and make a career out of it, because it could ruin it entirely.”

As it turned out, she said with a smile, “Vermont is our happy place.”

INFO

My Vermont Table: Recipes for All (Six) Seasons by Gesine Bullock-Prado, Countryman Press, 288 pages. $35. Learn more, and find dates for upcoming author events, at gesine.com.

Gesine Bullock-Prado and Ray Prado in front of Sugar Glider Kitchen

MELISSA PASANEN

Showtime in Hindi

A local multiplex plays Bollywood movies

BY SALLY POLLAK • sally@sevendaysvt.com

The word for “prince” in Hindi — shehzada — is also the name of a Bollywood movie that opened nationwide on February 17, including at Majestic 10 in Williston. The title character is a prince — with a twist. This wise hero played by Kartik Aaryan is also a dancer, singer, lover, fighter, peacemaker, biker and family man. In one scene, he saves a man who’s been stabbed with an umbrella; in every scene, he’s good-looking AF. He shares this latter attribute with his love interest and costar, Kriti Sanon. (Or maybe she surpasses him.)

Shehzada is one of a spate of Bollywood movies with recent or upcoming screenings in Chittenden County. Pathaan

played at Majestic about a month ago, and the romantic comedy Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar opens on March 8. Its trailer has 67 million views on YouTube.

Bollywood clearly has an enormous audience, and such movies commonly play multiplexes in more populated areas. Until recently in Vermont, however, the only theaters regularly programming foreign-language films were art houses such as Merrill’s Roxy Cinemas in Burlington and the Savoy Theater in Montpelier.

Merrill Theaters president Merrill Jarvis changed that when he brought Indian movies to Majestic 10 about a year and a half ago and started playing them

alongside the superhero epics and other big Hollywood releases that form the backbone of the multiplex’s programming. Though his current schedule represents a particularly heavy Bollywood rotation in Vermont, he said Indian movies are generally the foreign films most likely to show up on his 25 area screens.

Vermont lacks a sizable population of people of South Asian ancestry; according to the 2020 U.S. Census, the state’s Asian population as a whole is 1.8 percent of its total population of 643,077.

Yet Bollywood movies have a solid audience here, Jarvis said. In fact, he noted, some are the top-selling films at his theaters on their opening weekends. Most of the Indian films shown at Majestic 10

are in Hindi with English subtitles, though some are available in Telugu or Tamil. On occasion, Jarvis has shown the same movie in three languages, he said. The theater has screened movies such as the Oscar-nominated blockbuster RRR, made by “Tollywood,” the Telugu equivalent of Bollywood.

“The customers that I get for these films, they know what they want to see, and they want to see the movie as soon as it comes out,” Jarvis said. “It’s a whole family thing, no matter what the movie’s about.”

For the Patel family of Essex Junction, Bollywood in Vermont means they don’t have to drive out of state or across the border to see a movie in southern New Hampshire or Montréal.

“We are so, so happy,” said Sameer Patel, 49, a computer programmer. “This is a great opportunity for us to have [Bollywood] movies coming here in Vermont.”

The Patels attended a February 18 screening of Shehzada, where the family of three represented about one-quarter of the 11-person audience.

Merrill Jarvis with a Bollywood film on-screen at Majestic 10

DARIA BISHOP

Patel and his wife, Mansi Patel, are originally from India and moved to Vermont from Vancouver seven years ago. Bollywood films are made to be seen on the big screen, the couple said. They’ve seen five at Majestic.

“It’s our own language and our own actors,” said Mansi, 45, a pharmacy technician.

Theater owner Jarvis, 65, understands the appeal of Bollywood, whose industry name combines Bombay (now called Mumbai) and Hollywood. He grew up in the movie business and slept in the projection room of his family’s drive-in theater at 3 days old, he said.

engineer who grew up in Calcutta, has lived in Vermont for 20 years. The Essex Junction resident was beyond pleased to discover recently that she could see a Bollywood movie in a neighboring town, she said. For years, she’d been driving to Boston or Albany, N.Y., to watch movies — a costly event that involved spending the night in a hotel.

“To see Pathaan in a movie hall 10 minutes away from home — I was beaming ear to ear,” she said.

Herself a Bollywood-style dancer, Dasgupta enjoys the pure entertainment factor of many Bollywood movies, with their elaborate song-and-dance numbers. “For three hours, you’re in a different world,” she said. “You get transported to wherever and then come back.”

In a Facebook post about watching a Bollywood movie in Williston, Dasgupta wrote: “I love Vermont a little more now!!”

The opening of Shehzada coincided with the Global Roots Film Festival in Burlington, which presented films submitted to the Academy Awards by countries such as Finland, France, Pakistan and Uganda. The festival drew a large audience, with sellouts and near sellouts, according to Orly Yadin, executive director of the Vermont International Film Foundation, the nonprofit that organizes the event.

IT’S OUR OWN LANGUAGE AND OUR OWN ACTORS.

“These Indian movies compare to Mission Impossible, but they’re better than Mission Impossible because Tom Cruise can’t dance,” he said, perhaps having forgotten about Cruise getting down to Bob Seger in his underwear in Risky Business.

“The star of the [Bollywood] show can sing and dance and hang on to the side of an airplane and get in fights,” Jarvis continued. “A lot of times, they make Hollywood look not so good. The whole movie’s a spectacle.”

Jarvis started screening Bollywood movies because customers told him they were traveling several hours out of state to see them. “They asked if I could play one, and I did,” he said. “And it did well.”

Arunima Dasgupta, a 49-year-old

March 2-19

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But Yadin’s overall experience is that “Americans are not used to seeing so-called ‘foreign-language films,’” said the organizer, who moved to Burlington 20 years ago from London, having lived in Europe most of her life. “It’s taken me a long time to even come to grips with it.

“People in Europe are used to seeing films in so many languages, they think nothing of it,” Yadin said. “I still find it hard to think of the Anglocentric culture, generally, in the U.S.”

The festival screened a Bollywood movie about four years ago as part of a program on cinematic musicals, Yadin said, noting that the movies have a devoted audience.

“People who like Bollywood films will travel miles and miles and miles to see a Bollywood film in the theater,” she said. “People who like French films will not travel miles and miles and miles.”

The majority of the local audience for Indian films is people of Indian descent, Jarvis said. On Presidents’ Day, two young women at Shehzada told him they’d driven three hours to see the movie.

“We try to please everybody,” he said. ➆

Learn more at majestic10.com.

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Presented by the University of Vermont’s Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the 2023 Inclusive Excellence Symposium explores what it means to be in community with the University of Vermont’s Our Common Ground values with speakers Loretta Ross, Rabia Chaudry, D’Lo, and Maimouna Youssef.

Valley Players Theater, 4254 Main Street (Rt. 100) Waitsfield, Vermont

The Valley Players proudly present the mystery-comedy by Thomas Hischak

Produced by special arrangement with THE DRAMATIC PUBLISHING COMPANY of Woodstock, Illinois

Loretta Ross

Rabia Chaudry

Maimouna Youssef

D’Lo

The title of Kekla Magoon’s new novel, The Minus-One Club , refers to a wary and selective group of high school students who meet secretly, each having tragically lost someone.

Patrick’s father disappeared in a sailing accident, and Celia’s twin died of leukemia.

Simon’s only close relation was his grandfather, who had a fatal stroke.

Janna’s mom perished in a car accident while Janna was practicing driving, and Matthew lost his mother to pancreatic cancer.

Their club’s rules are stoic and unbending:

1. Tell no one else about us.

2. We never talk about IT.

3. Ever.

4. Ever.

The unmentionable “IT” is death. This is a circle of survivors who’ve demarcated their allegiance to one another in a solidarity of silence.

As the story begins, Kermit Sanders is inducted into the club as a wounded newcomer. His sister Sheila was killed by a drunk driver. Kermit is in the stunned, almost speechless state of grieving, barely able to do more than show up for class, then retreating to the solace of his bed whenever he’s at home.

Magoon, who lives in Montpelier, is the author of more than 20 books of fiction and nonfiction for children or teens, including

37 Things I Love (in No Particular Order), The Rock and the River, How It Went Down, and Revolution in Our Time: The Black Panther Party’s Promise to the People , which was a National Book Award finalist, Los Angeles Times Book Prize finalist, Vermont Book Award finalist and Michael L. Printz Honor book. She received the 2021 Margaret A. Edwards Award from the American Library Association for her “significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature.”

Magoon’s plaudits also include a Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, an NAACP Image Award and four Coretta Scott King Honors. She has a BA from Northwestern University and an MFA in writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts, where she has taught in the Writing for Children & Young Adults program.

In 2022, she was awarded a Creation Grant from the Vermont Arts Council to work on “a memoir celebrating the nonromantic relationships that sustain a single adult.”

A circle of grief-stricken teens is an anguished situation, and in The Minus-One Club, Magoon adds layers of further complications. Her narrator, Kermit, is a youth of color, which is subtly yet clearly indicated in

Circle of Sorrow

Book review: The Minus-One Club, Kekla Magoon

BY JIM SCHLEY • schley@sevendaysvt.com

annoying, to have to refer to her as such.

She grins. Her eyes drift closed. She falls as still as her corpse was when I had to go and look at it in the funeral home. In the dream, she still looks like herself, though. Not painted fake and frozen. Not the freaky Sheila death mask that springs from the back of my mind like a jack-in-the-box…

In The Minus-One Club, Magoon delves into a remarkable range of knotty themes, any one of which might be enough for a less masterly writer. The novel probes the torments of grief, the exploration of sexuality and interpersonal violence, racial tension, deception as an expression of shame, alienation between parents and children, substance abuse, estrangement from traditional religion, and suicidal ideation.

FROM THE MINUS-ONE CLUB

I sigh myself awake.

Sheila used to like to rub her hands on the top of my head. Especially after a haircut. It drove me absolutely mad.

Our hair is different. Was. Her hair is long and soft and wavy. Was. Her hair was darker than mine, too, at least a little. That must be why she liked touching mine, which was textured instead of smooth. Close-cropped instead of long.

I would let her touch my head a thousand times a day, or kiss my cheeks, if she could only be not-dead again.

My door creaks open. “Morning, sweetie.”

Mom shovels folded laundry out of the basket in the doorway and onto my rug. It softly plops in little piles that I won’t ever put away, even though Mom is right now saying, “Put these away, okay?”

Mom doing laundry is far too normal. How is it that all the normal stuff just keeps happening?

a few places. More central to the story is his growing acknowledgement of his attraction to other boys, in particular his club-mate Matt, who is the single “out” gay person in their school. Kermit’s parents are strict and devoted to their church, a congregation that explicitly condemns any lapse from strictly constrained sexual roles and propriety.

Matt challenges Kermit to be more self-accepting, to lower his guard and just be. But Matt’s bold expression of his individuality comes with dangers: He is assaulted by bullies more than once in the locker room.

Matt has other challenges, using his bravado as a shield against unappeased shock and grief. He also has a drinking habit that Kermit comes to see as a barrier in their relationship and an obstacle to healing.

Magoon builds her story in highly

concentrated scenes, mostly a page or less in length, with frequent chapter breaks that often occur in the middle of a continuing episode. Each chapter begins with a scrawled title (“Storage Closet Roulette,” “God of Snacks,” “Hammock”) and a graphic of broken glass shards. This pacing keeps injecting fresh shots of impetus and intensity. Some of the chapters are printed on pages with a gray background and white dots suggesting a starry sky. These describe dreams where Kermit’s deceased sister, Sheila, appears, often in fanciful and thought-provoking scenarios. Through these reveries, the younger brother continues to draw guidance from his elder sibling.

In the dream, Sheila’s sitting on a pillar, like a first-century ascetic monk …

“Speak to me, O Wise One.” How

Significantly, in a book that is extremely forthright about teenage trauma, Magoon keeps returning to the sanctity of friendship. The Minus-One Club provides support to its members, even on sudden notice. They respond like a fast squad when someone is in distress. Slowly they begin to consider adjusting the rules to allow for actually talking about their individual and shared pain.

Kermit is the quietest one, but as he learns to voice his thoughts and desires, he helps others approach greater openness and honesty.

For this reviewer, who is a long way from high school, Magoon’s book brought back the social tumult and emotional chaos of life at that age. Any reader who knows and cares about young adults is likely to find this novel engrossing and heartrending, however far off youth might seem.

Teenage anguish is perpetual, but Magoon portrays difficulties of adolescence that seem specific to our time, as different ways of being become visible and viable. While adult society struggles to cope with change, younger people are taking the lead in mapping vast, maybe unforeseen territories of human feeling and possibility.

As an exceptional storyteller, Magoon shows how worn-out rules can be — must be — questioned, and how new forms of care in times of mourning must be celebrated. ➆

INFO

The Minus-One Club by Kekla Magoon, Henry Holt, 368 pages. $19.99. For teacher and librarian resources, see keklamagoon.com. The Minus-One Club is featured in Bear Pond Books of Montpelier’s Read More, Ban Less campaign to deliver books to Florida kids and teens through the Florida Freedom to Read Project: bearpondbooks.com.

Kekla Magoon

Labor of Loaf

Trent Cooper marks three years of baking bread in Westford

Trent Cooper is obsessed with perfecting his loaf of pain de campagne — a naturally leavened country-style bread also known as French sourdough. In the past three years, he has made more than 77,000 of these oblong loaves, called bâtards. But only in the past few weeks has he felt that he has achieved some nearly perfect specimens.

Trent began as an apprentice to wellknown local baker Gérard Rubaud in 2012 and took over his Westford bakery in 2020, two years after Rubaud’s death. Cooper makes about 600 loaves per week in the winter, and each one takes a huge amount of e ort. He bakes solo on weeknights with only the company of his dog, Benny, who spends most of the shift sleeping.

Seven Days senior multimedia producer Eva Sollberger joined Cooper and Benny on a recent Tuesday night to watch two batches of dough get mixed, shaped and baked in a wood-fired oven. And at 2:30 a.m., she ate the fresh, hot bread smothered in butter.

Trent’s Bread can be found at multiple locations, including Jericho Center Country Store; Rail City Market in St. Albans; and Intervale Community Farm and City Market, Onion River Co-op in Burlington.

SEVEN DAYS: How did you hear about Trent?

EVA SOLLBERGER: Photographer and Westford resident Orah Moore sent me a card and mentioned Trent and his bread. Orah takes a weekly “bread walk” from her home to Trent’s bakery to pick up a loaf. It is about two miles round trip. I have never done a video about a baker, and as someone who loves bread, I thought it was essential.

SD: How long were you there?

ES: I talked to Trent on Monday around 5 p.m., which is when he wakes up and prepares to start his baking shift. I asked if I could come the next day to film, and he agreed. I realized after we hung up that Tuesday was also Valentine’s Day. I “loaf” bread, so it was fitting. I arrived around 6 p.m. on Tuesday and stayed until 2:30 a.m., when the first loaves

were ready to taste. I wore black, which Trent said was a bold choice in a bakery. While we were waiting for the dough to rise around 7 p.m., Trent shared his “breakfast” with me, which was a delicious feast of farm-share vegetables that were roasted in the massive wood-fired oven.

SD: at’s a long night!

ES: I used to be a night owl, so this would have been a great shoot for my younger self. But these days I get up early, and I started losing steam after midnight. Somehow, Trent has the stamina to work this grueling shift five nights a week, which is staggering to me. It takes a lot of physical strength and dexterity to cut the massive logs that feed the wood-fired oven, manipulate the huge

blob of dough, nimbly shape each of the loaves and yank the trays out of the oven. The timing has to be just right. And if you miss a step, it spells disaster.

SD: Did you participate?

ES: Trent asked me if I wanted to try shaping two chunks of dough into oblong loaves. He had already explained that the dough could only be touched a certain amount of times, and it was essential not to overwork it. I did my best to imitate his quick and fluid movements, but it was very di cult to copy. He told me later that my poorly shaped loaves would be headed to the donation bin. I guess I have a long way to go as a baker.

SD: Was there downtime?

ES: Yes. I was trying not to film too much, which can make editing harder because there is too much footage to wade through. So after I got enough shots of Trent shaping the bread, I sat down to knit. Trent recently learned how to knit, and this is one of the many activities he does while waiting for the bread to rise. I taught him the rib stitch, which is a good stretchy pattern for hats. He did a few rows and then went back to the endless shaping of the loaves. I stayed and finished the hat, which you see at the end of the video. Benny kept me company and slept at my feet. That dog is very Zen.

SD: What surprised you?

ES: The amount of time, e ort and skill that goes into each loaf. Trent touches, shapes and handles each bâtard multiple times. The next time I see his loaves on the shelf at the co-op, I will think of all the work, time and late nights that went into their creation. As I was editing this video, I started to feel like I was shaping a loaf of bread, slapping and pounding Trent’s story into an earthy, chewy delicacy. Luckily, I am a better video editor than a bread maker!

SD: How did the bread taste?

ES: I ate Gérard Rubaud’s bread many years ago, which was always a special treat. But I never had the pleasure of tasting Trent’s bread until this late-night shoot. After it emerged from the oven, the bread needed another 20 minutes to cool down. That is one hot oven! By the time I was allowed to cut into it, I was both exhausted and salivating. It truly is an unusual taste, and I savored every bite of this old-fashioned country bread with a thick, nourishing crust and a dense, wholesome crumb. This loaf was totally worth the wait! 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 ursday 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.

Episode 684: Trent’s Bread

Trent Cooper

EVA SOLLBERGER

SPRING COM

IS YOUR SYSTEM RUNNING ON ANALOG, LEGACY COPPER OR CABLE VOICE LINES …

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A Rising Star in Waterbury

Meet the head baker at Black Cap

Looking for the perfect almond croissant to go with your cappuccino or maple latte? Black Cap Coffee & Bakery has you covered, with locations in Burlington, Stowe, Morrisville and — as of this past November — Waterbury. Housed in the historic downtown train station, Black Cap’s new Waterbury café offers more than just scrumptious pastries, creative lattes, and flavorful breakfast and lunch sandwiches; customers can also get a peek at the bakery team helping to fuel Black Cap’s success, working in the eatery’s open kitchen.

Its staff of 16 — lead by 25-year-old New England Culinary Institute-trained head baker Ashia Messier — turns fresh, locally sourced ingredients into the enticing array of treats available at all of Black Cap’s locations. Customers have noticed.

“People, they have the best baker in the northeast,” gushed one recent reviewer on Google, who visited the Burlington café. “It’s like walking into that first room at the Wonka Factory: slightly overwhelming in a good way as you take in all of the delicious options around you.”

Black Cap’s Waterbury addition ups the wow factor. For years, the beautifully renovated train station, built in 1875, housed the flagship café for Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, which closed at the beginning of the pandemic. Black Cap owner Laura Vilalta had been hoping to find a space for her bakery in Waterbury — the town is conveniently located between Burlington and Montpelier, and near the Mad River Valley — and she couldn’t pass up the opportunity to occupy the train station. “I just loved it,” she says.

Once Black Cap opened, just after Thanksgiving, word got around quickly. Vilalta reports that the place was instantly busy despite a very minimal marketing effort.

Step inside and you’ll understand why: The mouthwatering scents of fresh pastries, maple sugar and melted chocolate greet you at the door. The pastry cabinet will be familiar to Black Cap fans. On a recent January morning, it was stocked with orange zest morning buns, pecan coffee cake, orange-cranberry scones and an abundance of flaky croissants — butter, almond cream, chocolate, maple, chocolate hazelnut, ham and cheddar, spinach and feta. Fancy something sweet? Check out the dessert display, which

features chocolate-dipped cannoli, fresh berry and espresso mascarpone tarts, and coconut-mango chia seed pudding. Gluten-free options include peanut butter energy bites, blueberry-cashew cheesecake, and date-and-nut rolls that are also vegan.

Black Cap also sells standard coffee shop fare — think cinnamon buns, muffins and brownies. But Vilalta notes that “morning buns, croissants, the tarts and the cakes — that is where we shine.”

That wasn’t always the case. The business was originally known simply as Black Cap Coffee and had a single location, in Stowe. Vilalta, who lives there, bought Black Cap in 2012 and partnered with general manager Danielle Dolisie to add a distinctive breakfast and lunch menu, with sandwiches such as the Sophia Loren — Black Cap’s take on the traditional mozzarella, basil and tomato Caprese — and espresso drinks such as the Snickers latte, a blend of mocha, hazelnut and caramel.

The bakery part of the business didn’t take off until Messier took over as head baker four years ago.

Before applying at Black Cap, Messier had been working part time at Harrison’s Restaurant in Stowe while studying at NECI, but the work she got to do was “pretty limited,” she says. She wanted more. Harrison’s is across the street from Black Cap’s

PRODUCED BY 7D BRAND STUDIO — PAID FOR BY BLACK CAP COFFEE & BAKERY

Black Cap’s head baker Ashia Messier assembling pains au chocolat in the Waterbury bakery

“PEOPLE, THEY HAVE THE BEST BAKER IN THE NORTHEAST.”

Stowe location, and, in search of a change, Messier took a part-time job there as an assistant baker. The café had a token bakery operation, but Messier saw potential.

And Vilalta saw potential in Messier. “She was very young, but she was very smart,” remembers Vilalta. “It was clear very quickly that she was the person we had to have in charge.”

After Vilalta promoted Messier to head baker, Messier quickly stopped using premade dough and started making everything by hand. Demand for baked goods spiked. So Messier urged Vilalta to invest in a dough sheeter that tripled the number of croissants they could make in a single batch.

Today, Black Cap’s Waterbury customers can watch the bakery staff pull handmade dough through the sheeter and expertly layer it to produce its signature croissants.

When Vilalta nudged Messier to add some color to the dessert case, the baker eagerly took up the challenge. “I go for natural color,” she says. “I’m not a big fan of using food dyes, so I think about what fruits or produce I can put in that case. I always push to make products that don’t just taste good but look good, too.”

A hard worker who grew up in the Stowe area, Messier arrives at the bakery sometimes as early as 3 a.m. to oversee production and ensure that all Black Cap’s locations get deliveries of fresh pastries by the time they open their doors at 7 or 8 a.m.

Vilalta has been thrilled with the results — so much so that in 2021 she changed the name of the women-owned and -run business to Black Cap Coffee & Bakery.

The demand for Black Cap’s baked goods validated that change. According to one customer review on Google, “Black Cap’s pastries will complete your day.”

Writes another: “Amazing. Just superlative pastries. And all of the other entries in the thesaurus for ‘incredible.’ … Every bite was a marvel of flavor and texture and crispy auditory pleasure.”

But don’t just take their word for it — drop in to one of Black Cap’s four locations to sample a croissant. Vilalta is confident the pastries will speak for themselves. 

WATERBURY TRAIN STATION

1 Rotarian Place 802-560-7913

BURLINGTON 42 Church St. 802-540-1744

STOWE 144 Main St. 802-253-2123

MORRISVILLE 53 Lower Main St. 802-521-7197

blackcapvermont.com @blackcapvermont

Fresh berry tart

Black Cap Coffee & Bakery in the Waterbury Train Station

art

Cameron Davis’ paintings simultaneously convey vastness and intimacy. Her works are loosely tethered to botany, yet the recognizable shapes of petals and leaves could be seen as spirit guides to a less understood but deeply immersive realm. Call it the web of life. Or call it, as Davis does, “poetic ecologies.”

That’s the title of her entrancing solo exhibition at the Vermont Supreme Court Gallery in Montpelier; the phrase, which Davis borrowed from German biologist and writer Andreas Weber, hints at her existential engagement with nature. Her goal is not simply to observe and replicate earthly elements on canvas; rather, Davis investigates what it means to be in an empathic relationship with the Earth.

“My paintings are fundamentally an act of sense making,” her artist statement begins. “I have been circling experiences of presence in nature — including questions of what is nature — within the formal language of painting for 40 years.”

Davis recently retired after teaching for 34 years in the University of Vermont art department and is currently on sabbatical. And she’s putting in time at the easel: Many of the paintings in her exhibit are quite new.

Most of the 17 acrylic works in the courthouse gallery are large — particularly several diptychs. “Encounter,” for example, is 72 by 60 inches. Several ghostly magnolia blossoms dominate the left panel; the right contains a thicket of murkier plant shapes and colors. Gestural dabs of bright turquoise and sherbet orange, perhaps liberated petals, seem to leap from the foreground.

In the 80-by-60-inch “Entanglements With Spare Intensities,” vivid turquoise blossoms seem to dance atop a bramble of other plant patterns, while in the center of the diptych, areas of cavernous black pull the eye deeper.

Davis’ skilled application of contrasting hues and translucency gives her canvases remarkable dimensionality. Even the denser compositions have an ethereal inner glow, beckoning like a secret.

To create literal layers on the canvas, Davis uses a mix of other techniques, including tracing projections, laying down physical plants that leave impressions when removed, and pouring and manipulating paint. Some of the paintings subtly shimmer, as if sprinkled with fairy dust. Alas, the source is less chimerical: “It’s watered-down gold paint,” the artist said.

TALKING ART

Down to Earth

Painter Cameron Davis explores radical aliveness through art

BY PAMELA POLSTON • ppolston@sevendaysvt.com

Davis compared the elements in her paintings to “di erent kinds of languages — spontaneous, intuitive, referential, photographic, impressionistic,” she said. “I’m really interested in what happens mashing up these di erent vocabularies. How do you make those work? That’s where the newness happens.”

Her artistic process creates multiple spaces — perhaps multiple realities — within a single painting. The visual experience is both unsettling and enticing, like coming upon a portal to a parallel universe. “I like that space shifting, which for me also corresponds to time shifts,” Davis said. “I like that fracture, or disjunction of time and space.”

In a wide-ranging phone conversation, Davis shared ideas about coexistence with the Earth, the practice of awe and why painting is like life.

ere’s a lot to unpack in your artist statement. You write that you’ve been “circling experiences of presence in nature…” Do you mean human presence?

I’m exploring the subjective nature of nature, and that includes humans, but also that there is presence in liveness.

What is your formal language in painting?

What I’m doing is using line and color and mark, surface, space. The paintings have imagery, or subject matter, that might refer to plant patterns, but I also think the process itself reveals how nature works. Multiple layers of communication happen.

The [painting] process is improvisational, so the references to the patterns almost could be an equivalent to laying down a melodic line and then responding to it. Contrast, saturation of color, detail, threedimensionality — they have a kind of pace. What you notice more, or less, that’s where it starts to feel musical. Those coherent moments feel emergent.

Working musically, you lay down a track. But the tracks aren’t separate; they’re talking to each other. Accidents happen, relationships that you hadn’t noticed. It’s a corollary to how life works, how evolution works.

You write that “perceiving our shared subjectivity with living organisms opens us to sensing possibilities for innovative coexistence with a living Earth.” Are you saying that being fully aware or present with nature provides

“Encounter”

“Magnolia Memorial I”

NEW THIS WEEK

burlington

KEN RUSSACK: “House Portraits,” recent studio and plein air oil paintings by the Burlington artist.

Reception: Saturday, March 4. 1-3 p.m. March 4-30. Info, 863-6458. Frog Hollow Vermont Craft Gallery in Burlington.

barre/montpelier

ELIZABETH NELSON: “North,” paintings that explore the climate and landscapes of Vermont, Iceland and Norway. Reception: Friday, March 3, 4-7 p.m. March 3-31. Info, 552-0877. The Front in Montpelier.

GABRIELLE DIETZEL & HOWARD NORMAN:

“Beyond the Plovers, Flat Clouds,” 3D collages and shadow boxes created by Dietzel as a visual response to literature about birds; and poems, historic and scientific documents, memoirs, and quotes collected by Norman for an anthology.

Reception: Friday, March 10, 4:30-6:30 p.m., with artist talk at 5:30 p.m. March 1-27. Info, 229-6206. North Branch Nature Center in Montpelier.

VERMONT ART EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION:

“Vermont Voices,” the first-ever member exhibition, featuring one work of art by each participant in a range of styles and mediums. Reception: Saturday, March 11, 4 p.m. March 8-31. Info, dpeeples@ vermontartscouncil.org. Spotlight Gallery in Montpelier.

middlebury area

KEILANI LIME: An exhibition of recent and new abstract paintings by the Vermont artist, who lives with Classical Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. One hundred percent of sales will go toward her medical debt incurred from multiple surgeries. Artist talk: Lime presents “Ableism in the Arts,” about her process as an artist with a disability, Saturday, March 11, 11 a.m.-noon. March 1-31. Info, keilani. lime@gmail.com. Ilsley Public Library in Middlebury.

MEL REA: “Just Minding My Business Picking Your Flowers,” paintings that feature deconstructed botanical forms. March 1-April 18. Info, 458-0098. Edgewater Gallery at the Falls in Middlebury.

‘PARENTHOOD’: A group exhibition of photographs that addresses the constantly changing state of mind in parent and child. Reception: Friday, March 3, 4-7 p.m. March 2-24. Info, photos@photoplacegallery. com. PhotoPlace Gallery in Middlebury.

rutland/killington

LARGE WORKS: A pop-up exhibition of members’ works in a variety of mediums that express magnified perspectives. Reception: Friday, March 3, 5-7 p.m. March 3-April 30. Info, 247-4956. Brandon Artists Guild.

brattleboro/okemo valley

JOHN R. KILLACKY: “Flux,” an exhibition of objects from a wordless, process-based video inspired by scores, propositions and performative actions of Fluxus-era artists; cinematography by Justin Bunnell, editing by C. Alec Kozlowski and sound composition by Sean Clute. Reception and forum: Saturday, March 11, 1-3 p.m. March 1-August 30. Info, 257-7898. CX Silver Gallery in Brattleboro.

manchester/bennington

HIGH SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT: A showcase of artwork by Long Trail School’s International baccalaureate students and advanced art students from Arlington Memorial High School, Burr and Burton Academy, and Pownal High School. Reception: Saturday, March 4, 2–4 p.m. March 4-11. Info, 367-1311. Elizabeth de C. Wilson Museum, Southern Vermont Arts Center, in Manchester.

ART EVENTS

ARTIST TALK: SARAH STEFANA SMITH: The artist gives a brief presentation on her current exhibition, “Willful Matters,” and guides a larger conversation with community members about Black life and

identity. BCA Center, Burlington, Wednesday, March 8, 6-7 p.m. Free. Info, 865-7166.

‘CONCENTRIC CREATIVES’: The second in a presentation and conversation series featuring interdisciplinary artworks by jen berger and experimental dance theater by C. Reserve tickets in advance. Masks required. The Hive on Pine, Burlington, Tuesday, March 7, 6:30-8:30 p.m. $15. Info, attherootvt@gmail.com.

LECTURE: JAMES H. MARONEY JR.: The former American art specialist at Sotheby’s New York is the author of Fresh Perspectives on Grant Wood, Charles Sheeler, and George H. Durrie (2019), in which he makes the case for reattributing four 19th-century genre paintings from Durrie to James B. Clonney. In this talk, he presents his arguments based on stylistic, technical and archival evidence, as well as historical contextualization. Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, Wednesday, March 8, 4:30-6 p.m. Free. Info, 443-3136.

NEW DIRECTOR MEET & GREET: Executive director Corrina Thurston greets the community and shares plans for the arts nonprofit in 2023. Milton Artists’ Guild Art Center & Gallery, Saturday, March 4, 1-4 p.m. Free. Info, 891-2014.

OPEN STUDIO: Make art alongside other artists, socialize, get feedback and try out new mediums. No experience required; art supplies provided. Hosted by the Howard Center Arts Collective, whose members have experience with mental health and/ or substance-use challenges. ONE Arts Center, Burlington, Monday, March 6, 12:30-2:30 p.m. Free. Info, artscollective@howardcenter.org.

PECHAKUCHA NIGHT, VOL. 33: An evening of fastpaced slide/talk presentations by local creatives. Tickets at flynnvt.org. Flynn Space, Burlington, Thursday, March 2, 7 p.m. $10.

TALK: APRIL M. FRAZIER: The Houston-based photographer discusses the work in her current exhibition, “Frame of Reference.” Vermont Center for Photography, Brattleboro, Saturday, March 4, 6-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 251-6051.

WEBINAR: STEPHEN HUNECK: A discussion with Shelburne Museum associate curator Carolyn Bauer to celebrate the opening of the virtual exhibition “Pet Friendly: The Art of Stephen Huneck.” A selection of his prints will be featured in the Pleissner Gallery this coming season. Preregister for Zoom presentation. Online, Wednesday, March 8, 6-7 p.m. Free. Info, 985-3346.

ONGOING SHOWS burlington

‘ALL THE FEELS’: A group exhibition of works that project joy, angst and/or humor by local artists. Through March 25. Info, 578-2512. The S.P.A.C.E. Gallery in Burlington.

‘ART / TEXT / CONTEXT’: An exhibition of art objects that prominently feature words, images, symbols, and gestural or abstract marks, and that considers their power to prompt critical reflection or spur social action. JOSEF ALBERS: “Formulation: Articulation,” featuring studies by the late German American artist (1888-1976) that show how perception of color is affected by the environments in which it is viewed. SHANTA LEE: “Dark Goddess: An Exploration of the Sacred Feminine,” large-scale black-and-white photographs that encouraging inquiry beyond the limited roles to which society assigns women. Through May 20. Info, 656-0750. Fleming Museum of Art, University of Vermont, in Burlington.

ART AT THE HOSPITAL: Acrylic paintings by Matt Larson and Julio Desmont (Main Street Connector, ACC 3); photographic giclées by Jeffrey Pascoe (McClure 4 & EP2 Healing Garden); photographs by Sharon Radtke (EP2); and oil paintings by Judy Hawkins (BCC). Curated by Burlington City Arts. Through May 31. Info, 865-7296. University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington.

ART AT THE MALTEX: Paintings by Pievy Polyte, Shannon O’Connell, Nancy Chapman and Ashley BURLINGTON SHOWS » P.56

MacWalters and photography by Brian Drourr and Robert Fahey. Through April 8. Info, 865-7296. The Maltex Building in Burlington.

‘BLACK FREEDOM, BLACK MADONNA & THE BLACK CHILD OF HOPE’: Designed by Raphaella Brice and created by Brice and Josie Bunnell, this mural installed for Burlington’s 2022 Juneteenth celebration features a Haitian-inspired image of liberation. Through June 18. Info, 865-7166. ‘LET’S

BUILD A ROOF OVER THE WORLD’: Original paintings and drawings by children and young adults, ages 6 to 22, from Ukraine, Moldova and the Republic of Georgia, curated by the Fermata Arts Foundation. Through March 30. Info, 540-7214. Fletcher Free Library in Burlington.

‘CO-CREATED: THE ARTIST IN THE AGE OF INTELLIGENT MACHINES’: Interactive projects that examine how artists are engaging with the rapidly changing field of artificial intelligence and its uniquely collaborative character. JULIA PURINTON: Nature-inspired abstract oil paintings. LBG Room.

SARAH STEFANA SMITH: “Willful Matters,” photographic and sculptural black-and-white abstractions that explore ideas of Blackness and boundlessness by the contemporary artist and scholar. Through May 6. Info, 865-7166. BCA Center in Burlington.

‘CONNECTIONS’: Howard Center Arts Collective presents an art installation of painted mailboxes and mosaics, inviting viewers to reflect on the benefits of old-fashioned mail delivery and to consider whether mailboxes have become relics of the past. Through July 31. Info, artscollective@howardcenter.org. Howard Center in Burlington.

HOWARD CENTER ARTS COLLECTIVE: A spring show features work in a variety of mediums by more than 20 artists. Through April 28. Info, artscollective@ howardcenter.org. City Market, Onion River Co-op, in Burlington (South End).

‘LARGE WORKS’: A group exhibition of works measuring between two and six feet by artists of all ages working in all mediums. Through March 10. Info, spacegalleryvt@gmail.com. The Soda Plant in Burlington.

‘RIP: RELATIONSHIPS IN PROGRESS’: An exhibit in a variety of mediums by 14 area artists. Through March 26. Info, hello@thekarmabirdhouse.com. Karma Bird House Gallery in Burlington.

chittenden county

‘ABENAKI CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE VERMONT COMMUNITY’: A series of murals designed by Scott Silverstein in consultation with Abenaki artists Lisa Ainsworth Plourde and Vera Longtoe Sheehan and members of Richmond Racial Equity; the 10 panels celebrate the Abenaki origins of practices still important to Vermont culture. Through May 31. Info, radiate.art.space@gmail.com. Richmond Town Hall.

ART AT THE AIRPORT: Oil paintings of cows by Stephanie Bush and hand-cut paper scenes from the natural world by Adrienne Ginter. Skywalk corridor. Through March 15. Info, 865-7296. Burlington International Airport in South Burlington.

CHRISTINE SELIN & ALISON SAUNDERS: Sculptures in wood and clay and acrylic landscape paintings, respectively. Through March 26. Info, 899-3211. Emile A. Gruppe Gallery in Jericho.

GREG NICOLAI: Black-and-white and color photographs. Curated by Burlington City Arts. Through June 23. Info, 865-7296. Pierson Library in Shelburne.

IAN TRANCE: “Impermanent Marks,” an installation of large-format ink and Sharpie drawings on paper and vinyl sheeting by the SMC art student. Through March 3. Info, bcollier@smcvt.edu. McCarthy Art Gallery, Saint Michael’s College, in Colchester.

MARVIN FISHMAN: A retrospective of 2D and 3D work by the Charlotte artist. Through March 14. Info,

CALL TO ARTISTS

2023 CORNISH CCS RESIDENCY FELLOWSHIP: Applications are now open for the fall residency in Cornish, N.H., and the Center for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction. Dates are October 17 to November 17. For details and application, visit cartoonstudies.org. Online. Through April 1. Info, 295-3319.

2024 SOLO EXHIBITION PROPOSALS: AVA’s exhibition committee of artists, art curators and art professionals seek proposals for solo shows from artists with strong connections to New Hampshire, Vermont and the greater New England region. Details at avagallery.org. Deadline: March 31. AVA Gallery and Art Center, Lebanon, N.H. $50. Info, 603-448-3117.

ART IN THE PARK: The Chaffee Art Center in Rutland invites applications for the 2023 festivals featuring fine artists, craft persons and specialty foods. Show dates are August 12 and 13 and October 7 and 8 in Main Street Park. Application at chaffeeartcenter.org. Online. Through April 1. Info, artinthepark@chaffeeartcenter.org.

ARTISTS NEEDED: Musical and visual artists are invited to perform and exhibit at the University Mall space. Email for details. Arts So Wonderful Gallery, South Burlington. Through March 31. Info, artssowonderful2@gmail.com.

ARTS FOR ASYLUM SEEKERS: The Chittenden Asylum Seekers Assistance Network is looking for creatives (artists, poets, writers, sculptors, musicians, photographers, etc.) to join us for our April fundraising event. CASAN and artists will recruit sponsors, who will donate in exchange for receiving daily content. Funds will be used to help asylum seekers with housing, living expenses and other support. Details and sign-up at casanvermont.org. Deadline: March 8. Online. Info, artsforasylumseekers@gmail.com.

BTV MARKET: Applications are open to artists, makers and vendors for the 2023 market in Burlington City Hall Park, Saturdays from June 3 to September 30. Details at btv-market.mymarket.org. Deadline: March 27. Online.

CELEBRATING THE MISSISQUOI

WATERSHED: The Missisquoi River Basin Association’s 2023 art contest theme is: what the river means to you or the community and the importance of water quality, stream-side tree plantings and a healthy watershed. All mediums

gallery@southburlingtonvt.gov. South Burlington Public Art Gallery.

barre/montpelier

CAMERON DAVIS: “Poetic Ecologies,” paintings based on an ecological, scientific and spiritual narrative to reveal relationships that transform life. Reception: Friday, March 3, 4:30-6 p.m., with artist talk at 5:30 p.m. Through March 31. Info, 279-5558. Vermont Supreme Court Gallery in Montpelier.

DMITRI BELIAKOV: “On the Margins of Europe: A War Before the War,” a retrospective of 55 photographs from war in Ukraine, 2014 to 2019, by the Russian photojournalist now based in Vermont. Through April 3. Info, 485-2000. Kreitzberg Library, Norwich University, in Northfield.

JAY HUDSON: “Winter in the Northeast Kingdom,” oil and acrylic paintings of landscapes and inhabitants of the region by the Glover artist. Through March 31. Info, 223-2328. Vermont Natural Resources Council in Montpelier.

‘WHIR, CLANK, BEEP’: Artworks and assemblages by more than 30 artists that explore simple, complex and fantastic machines. KENNY HARRIS:

accepted. Entry groups: grades 1-3, grades 4-6, grades 8-12, and adult. Details and application at mrbavt.com. Deadline: March 10. Online. Info, corrina@mrbavt.com.

CREATION GRANTS AVAILABLE: The Vermont Arts Council is accepting applications for this annual grant, which supports artists in creating new work. Grant funds may be used to compensate artists for time spent creating new work, to purchase materials, or to rent equipment or space for the process. New this year: the People’s Choice Creation Grant. Find info and application form for both at vermontartscouncil. org. Deadline: April 3. Online. Info, 402-4614.

DIANE GABRIEL VISUAL ARTIST AWARD:

Burlington City Arts announces the opening of the application period for this annual award provided by the family of the late Burlington artist (1947-2017). The awardee receives a prize valued at $2,500, with their work showcased via BCA promotion and social media. Details and application at burlingtoncityarts.org. Deadline: March 17. Online. Info, jobrien@burlingtoncityarts.org.

‘ONE + ONE IS MORE THAN TWO’: This show is about multiple artworks by an artist that relate to each other as a group, in some cases using repetition of pattern, form, shape, color and comparative imagery. Show dates: May 10 to June 24. Deadline: March 25. Details at studioplacearts.com. Studio Place Arts, Barre. $10; free for SPA members. Info, submissions.studioplacearts@gmail.com.

PAINT-BY-NUMBER COW: Purchase a paint-bynumber cow kit and submit your version to the museum for an upcoming exhibition. Instructions at mainstreetmuseum.org. Deadline: April 15. Main Street Museum, White River Junction. Info, info@ mainstreetmuseum.org.

RFQ FOR STOWE STREET ALLEY:

Revitalizing Waterbury and a host of volunteers have been working for more than a year to reclaim and transform an alley that is central to Waterbury’s historic downtown district. The committee is looking for artists to create a medallion and a gateway to the alley; deadlines are April 1 and March 15, respectively. Details at revitalizingwaterbury.org. Online. Free. Info, karen@revitalizingwaterbury.org.

SAPPY ART SHOW: An exhibition with the theme “Maple, the Heart of Vermont” is open to Vermont artists working in any 2D or 3D medium and will be displayed during the Vermont Maple Festival. More info and instructions for application at

“Envisivivarium,” a site-specific installation that presents the universality of mythology through illustrative, sculptural and theatrical experiences. VERMONT SURFACE DESIGN ASSOCIATION: “Transformation: Material, Environment, Us,” fiber artwork by Sarah Ashe, Cari Clement, Judy Dales, Rosalind Daniels, Jennifer Davey, Elizabeth Fram, Eve Jacobs-Carnahan, Marya Lowe, Kris McDermet, Jane Quimby, Heather Ritchie, Leslie Roth, Dianne Shullenberger, Fern Strong, Sharon Webster and Betsy Wing . Through March 4. Free. Info, 479-7069. Studio Place Arts in Barre.

‘LET’S COLLAGE ABOUT IT!’: An exhibition of works in varied mediums by Kris Bierfelt, Liz Buchanan, Anne Cummings, Holly Hauser and Cariah Rosberg. Through April 8. Info, 207-373-8099. Center for Arts and Learning in Montpelier.

NITYA BRIGHENTI: “Side Streams in Art,” portraits, landscapes and cityscapes by the Italian painter living in Barre. Through March 27. Info, 479-0896. Espresso Bueno in Barre.

PATTY CORCORAN & MASON YOUNG: “Shared Spaces,” multimedia landscape paintings and abstract wood sculptures, respectively. Through

vtframeshop.com/sappy. Village Frame Shoppe & Gallery, St. Albans. Through April 15. Info, 524-3699.

‘SPARK!’: The Birds of Vermont Museum’s 2023 art show seeks works that tell the story of your spark as it relates to birds, birding, conservation, science, art, love or something else. Up to three works of art in almost any media, by new or returning artists of any age, may be submitted. Details at birdsofvermont.org.

Deadline: March 20. Online. Info, museum@ birdsofvermont.org.

SYLVIA BARRY ART CONTEST: The annual competition for students is designed to encourage the artistic endeavors of local youth. Open to permanent residents of Grand Isle County in grades K-8 attending GISU or home schools. Details at islandarts.org. Deadline: May 19. Online. Free. Info, islandartscontest@gmail.com.

VERMONT STUDENT WILDLIFE ART

CONTEST: The second annual contest and exhibition is open to all Vermont students in grades 7-12. The top 40 entries will be exhibited at the Highland Center for the Arts in Greensboro; 10 of those will be awarded cash prizes. Details and application at vtwildlifeeducationfund.org.

Deadline: March 17. Online.

VERMONT STUDIO CENTER FELLOWSHIPS AND GRANTS: Two studio fellowships for yearlong rentals are open to a visual artist and a writer from Lamoille County, based on merit. Rental grants subsidize a portion of the cost of studio rentals for residents of Vermont with financial need. Visual artists working in all mediums and writers in all genres are eligible to apply. Application at vermontstudiocenter.org.

Deadline: March 19. Online. Free. Info, admissions@ vermontstudiocenter.org.

WRIF EMERGING FILMMAKERS: In March, the 18th White River Indie Film festival will precede feature films with selected shorts. All self-identifying emerging filmmakers who are residents of Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine or Québec are eligible to submit. Those selected will be notified of screening date/time prior to the festival. Three will be awarded cash prizes. Details and submission form at uvjam.org. Deadline: March 4. Online. Free. Info, 295-6688.

March 24. VERMONT PASTEL SOCIETY: “Let It Snow,” a group exhibition by central region members of the art organization. Champagne reception: Saturday, March 25, noon-3 p.m. Through March 25. Info, 262-6035. T.W. Wood Gallery in Montpelier.

SUSAN CALZA: “Our Demons Are Translucent,” large-scale, mixed-media drawings created over 10 years, influenced by the artist’s travels in Nepal, and assemblages. Through March 25. Info, 224-6827. Susan Calza Gallery in Montpelier.

stowe/smuggs

ESPERANZA CORTÉS: Sculptures, paintings and installations by the Colombian-born artist, whose work considers social and historical narratives, colonialism and the politics of erasure and exclusion. Through April 8. Info, 253-8358. The Current in Stowe. ‘HOME AND HOW WE MAKE IT’: An exhibition of 30 miniature rooms, as well as woodworking, textiles and paintings that define visually and conceptually what home means. Through June 1. Info, 888-1261. River Arts in Morrisville.

KATHY BLACK: “Expanding Universe, Collapsing Time,” paintings that incorporate landscape, still

BURLINGTON SHOWS « P.55

life, maps and writing to explore our changing understanding of the universe. Through March 8. Info, 635-2727. Red Mill Gallery, Vermont Studio Center, in Johnson.

MARY ZOMPETTI: “Time and Again: Psychogeographic Meditations on Place,” new photographs. Closing reception and artist talk: Thursday, March 16, 3 p.m. Through March 16. Info, 635-1469. Julian Scott Memorial Gallery, Northern Vermont University, in Johnson.

MEG MCDEVITT: “Iterations,” a solo show of drawings, sculptures and textiles by the Vermont artist and educator. Through March 11. Info, 646-519-1781. Minema Gallery in Johnson.

SCOTT LENHARDT: An exhibition of graphic designs for Burton Snowboards created since 1994 by the Vermont native. Through October 31. Info, 253-9911. Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum in Stowe.

mad river valley/waterbury

KIMBERLY HARGIS: “Close to Home: Photography From a 30-Mile Radius,” images from the natural world and human community around Thetford. Through March 31. Info, 244-7801. Axel’s Frame Shop & Gallery in Waterbury.

MIREILLE CLAPP: A retrospective of artworks by the late artist and mechanical/industrial engineer, featuring mixed-media wall sculptures and freestanding abstract pieces of welded metals. Through March 25. Info, 496-6682. Mad River Valley Arts Gallery in Waitsfield.

middlebury area

LYNN JOHNSON: “As I See It,” large-scale still life works on canvas and paper. Through March 22. Info, 989-7419. Edgewater Gallery on the Green in Middlebury.

‘MAGENTA’: More than 50 local artists contribute works in this vibrant hue in a variety of mediums. Through March 11. Info, 989-7225. Sparrow Art Supply in Middlebury.

MEG MADDEN: “The Art of Mycology,” photographs of mushrooms by the Vermont naturalist. Through March 19. Info, 382-9222. Jackson Gallery, Town Hall Theater, in Middlebury.

‘URBAN CADENCE’: Photographs of street scenes from Lagos and Johannesburg that represent the complex issues facing these cities. Reception: Thursday, March 2, 5-6:30 p.m., with music by members of the Middlebury Afropop Band. Masks optional. Through April 23. Info, 443-5007. Mahaney Arts Center 221 in Middlebury.

rutland/killington

MEMBERS’ EXHIBIT: Works in a variety of mediums fill the mansion in themed galleries: “Resolutions,” “Frozen” and “Breathe Deep.” Through March 3. Info, 775-0356. Chaffee Art Center in Rutland.

TOMÁSIO: “Abstractions of a Metaphorical World,” energetic acrylic paintings by the Vermont artist also known as Thomas Hacker. Through March 11. Info, 800-639-8521. Castleton University Bank Gallery in Rutland.

upper valley

ABRAHAM DUNNE: “Finds on a Hartland Farm,” relics compiled by the Sharon Academy first-year student. Through March 31. Info, info@mainstreetmuseum. org. Main Street Museum in White River Junction.

northeast kingdom

‘ARTS CONNECT’: A juried showcase of emerging and established member artists using a variety of mediums. Through March 12. Info, 748-2600. Catamount Arts Center in St. Johnsbury.

‘COMING CLEAN’: An exhibition that considers bathing practices throughout time and across cultures, including religious immersion and ritual purification, bathing as health cure, methods of washing in extreme environments, and much more. All kinds of bathing and scrubbing implements are on display. Through April 30. Info, 626-4409. The Museum of Everyday Life in Glover.

OPEN AIR GALLERY: Outdoor sculptures by 14 area artists line a 1.8-mile trail open to cross-country skiers and snowshoers. Through March 26. Free. Info, 533-2000. Highland Center for the Arts in Greensboro.

VICTORIA MATHEISEN: Recent landscape paintings in oil. Through March 8. Info, 525-3366. Parker Pie in West Glover.

‘WINTER BLOSSOMS’: Floral art by Benjamin Barnes, Sachiko Yashida Zahler and Robert Chapla. Through March 11. Info, 748-0158. Northeast Kingdom Artisans Guild Backroom Gallery in St. Johnsbury.

‘WONDER OF LIGHT’: A group exhibit of works depicting the use of light by 25 artists. Through March 1. Info, melmelts@yahoo.com. The Satellite Gallery in Lyndonville.

brattleboro/okemo valley

APRIL M. FRAZIER: “Frame of Reference,” a pictorial representation of familial influences and experiences that shaped the photographer’s life and provide an alternate narrative of the African American experience in Texas and beyond. Reception: Friday, March 3, 5-8 p.m. Through April 30. Info, 251-6051. Vermont Center for Photography in Brattleboro.

‘HEROES & VILLAINS’: Artwork by Clare Adams, Thomasin Alyxander, Debi A. Barton, Jean Cannon, Len Emery, Mindy Fisher, Corinne Greenhalgh, Gregory Damien Grinnell, Su Lin Mangan, Charles Norris-Brown, Gretchen Seifert and Linda Udd. Through March 4. Info, 289-0104. Canal Street Art Gallery in Bellows Falls.

JAMES MULLEN: “Luminous Edge,” 72 vignette paintings from the artist’s “Pilgrim” series that investigate iconic sites of the 19th-century American landscape. Through March 3. Info, 387-6249. Michael S. Currier Center, Putney School.

JUDITH KLAUSNER: “(De)composed,” sculptures of objects usually considered ruined, meticulously crafted from a child’s modeling medium, expressing a reevaluation of the under-appreciated. Through March 4. KEITH HARING: SUBWAY DRAWINGS: Samples from the more than 5,000 chalk drawings the New York City artist made from 1980 to 1985 in subway stations. Through April 16. OASA

DUVERNEY: “Black Power Wave,” a window installation of drawings by the Brooklyn artist, inspired by images of Chinese Fu dogs, the cross and the Yoruba deity Èsù. Through May 6. Info, 257-0124. Brattleboro Museum & Art Center.

SIMI BERMAN: “Other Worlds,” paintings in mixed media. Through May 14. Info, 387-0102. Next Stage Arts Project in Putney.

manchester/bennington

SPRING SOLO EXHIBITIONS: Artworks by Domenica Brockman, Janet Cathey, Priscilla Heine, Rose Klebes, Lorna Ritz, Elise Robinson, Angela Sillars, Courtney Stock, Gregg Wapner, Susan Wilson and Chloe Wilwerding. Through May 7. Info, 362-1405. Southern Vermont Arts Center in Manchester.

randolph/royalton

AMY SCHACHTER & THE RANDOLPH RUGGERS: Abstract paintings, tile work and sculpture; and hooked rugs, wall hangings and handbags, respectively. Rug-hooking demonstration: Saturday, March 4, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Through March 26. Info, artetcvt@gmail.com. ART, etc. in Randolph.

‘CREATIVE COLLABORATION: THE ART OF DEBORAH AND MICHAEL SACKS’: Printmaking and photography by the married artists. Through March 19. Info, 889-9404. Tunbridge Public Library.

‘FEMMEZINE’: An exhibition of zines celebrating femme identity and DIY spirit by artists near and far. Through March 4. Info, 728-9878. Chandler Center for the Arts in Randolph. online

‘ACTION FIGURES: OBJECTS IN MOTION’: A virtual exhibition from the Shelburne

Develop Your Art Skills

us with a more informed guide to living on and with the Earth?

Yes, plus a little bit more. It’s more like situating ourselves within life in a deeply perceptual way. There are different frameworks for trying to support that — not just as an idea but, can we really be in our lives? There are oceans, webs of other relationships. Everything is alive.

Do you consider yourself an environmental activist?

I have always been questioning, Is it OK to paint, or do I need to be an activist? I’d go in and out of activism. But I also have been reading about various frameworks to understand at the level of presence itself.

In the book Awe [The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life ], Dacher Keltner writes about “collective effervescence” — this kind of awe of making connections, relationships. In a painting, there are also these relationships. [When] a new one arises, it’s like a murmuration: distinct birds, but they come together in these little insights. Moments of coherence that are attractive. I think that’s the realm I’m playing with.

The research says you can actually practice awe — such as seeing the light through the trees, moral beauty, things that brings you to tears. There is big awe and little awe. When you go out and experience that, you behave in ways that are more helpful to other people, you’re more connected, you’re taking care of the environment.

At a perceptual level, connectivity is a form of activism. And painting is a form of connectivity — it’s a sense-making activity. So many things happen over the course of a painting. That’s why it’s like life.

In what ways does all of this manifest in your daily life?

[Laughs.] It’s all the same. Sometimes a painting is trying to escape the damn mind. There are moments of tapping into other intelligences than the rational. It’s a tremendous relief to get out of the mind.

You create such plausible depth in your painting. My brain knows the surface is flat, yet it readily dives into an immersive visual experience. Is this tactical? When you make a painting, do you think about its effect on viewers?

No, it’s not tactical in the sense of I’m going to make it deep so I’m illustrating a deep space. I want to feel that space, so when I hear someone say, “I want to fall in that space,” cool!

It’s more like hunting for awe. I want

to be touched, to feel. I want to feel the presence that is very pleasurable.

It sounds amniotic.

Yes! In my [gallery] talk, I say that being totally immersed, being at one, is a characteristic of being in awe. So, there’s a desire, in the paintings, to dissolve, to be

present, to feel the pleasure of just beauty. It feels like orchestrating energy. Again, it’s like a murmuration, a gestalt.

Is it your thought or hope that the immersion makes us think more deeply about our own relationship with nature?

I would say hope. I want people to feel. That’s also a bodily sensation. And I enjoy thinking about, What is it? Then I go into interpretation. It sounds so cheesy, but it really is love. That presence is a kind of love. If people feel immersed in that, then yay.

Some of the paintings have the appearance of, not exactly a split screen, but parallel realities. A single canvas might seem to contain one contiguous image, but closer observation reveals visual shifts, delineated by subtle vertical lines. I’m having a hard time describing this. You said it just exactly right. I’ve been doing that since the ’80s. What is different from a landscape painting is a captured moment. Landscape, life itself has all these different moments.

It’s kind of like slices of simultaneous worlds overlaying each other on the same canvas.

Yes. The shape-shifting. I do feel like it’s world building, world engaging. There’s often this diptych or triptych thing going on, too. I’m thinking about all the things that might be true of human relationships.

Tell me about the magnolia motif. There are these two memorial trees — one, a lilac, from a colleague and one my dad gave me when my mother died. I saw these gorgeous magnolia blossoms in a neighbor’s tree. At her funeral, we talked about a memorial tree, and I said we should get the star magnolia. That one blooms when my mother died, in late April, and the lilac blooms a month later — her birthday.

The title of your exhibit is “Poetic Ecologies.” What does that mean to you?

I borrowed it from The Biology of Wonder [Aliveness, Feeling, and the Metamorphosis of Science ] by Andreas Weber. He’s referring to not just humans but nature itself. “Ecologies” refers to all these relationships in nature, and it’s also a metaphor for the web of relationships. It’s like the paintings have these references to what we call the natural world but also are playing with the relationships within a painting.

AT A PERCEPTUAL LEVEL, CONNECTIVITY IS A FORM OF ACTIVISM.

CAMERON DAVIS

“Magnolia Memorial”

“Animacy”

You’ve had many exhibitions since 1977. Does this latest one feel like a culmination of some kind? Or is there a sense of something new? It definitely feels like I’m getting closer — there’s a greater clarity in what I’m trying to do. But it’s not a culmination at all. I’m working on a whole new body of paintings that I’d love to have a chance to exhibit together. Three more

diptychs are started in my studio right now; six more will come to finish the series. ➆

INFO

“Cameron Davis: Poetic Ecologies,” on view through March 31 at the Vermont Supreme Court Gallery in Montpelier. Reception and artist talk: Friday, March 3, 4:30 to 6 p.m. camerondavisstudio.com

Museum that explores the theme of movement and action in art. Through April 30. ‘RIGHT UNDER YOUR NOSE’: The Shelburne Museum presents children’s printed textiles from the collection of J.J. Murphy and Nancy Mladenoff, featuring 21 playful, colorful handkerchiefs with motifs including insects, alphabets, circus clowns, shadow puppets, the solar system and a lumberjack beaver. Through May 13. Info, 985-3346. Online.

outside vermont

‘CHIAROSCURO’: A group exhibition featuring artwork in a range of mediums depicting light and shadow, both formally and allegorically, by Janet Van Fleet, Leslie Fry, Henry Isaacs and other artists from New Hampshire and Vermont. Through April 1.

‘FROM THE HEART’: Artworks by Sachiko Akiyama, Chris Chou and Kayla Mohammadi, curated by John R. Stomberg, director of the Hood Museum of Art at Dartmouth College. Through March 31. TOM FELS: Cyanotypes, drawings and watercolors, curated by John R. Stomberg, director of the Hood Museum of Art at Dartmouth College. Through March 31. Info, 603-448-3117. AVA Gallery and Art Center in Lebanon, N.H.

FRANKIE GARDINER & ANNE-SOPHIE VALLÉE: “Visions,” paintings and sculptural works, respectively. Through March 11. Info, 514-570-9130. Galerie Laroche/Joncas in Montréal.

NELSON HENRICKS: Immersive video installations by the Montréal artist in which visual and sound editing create a musical dynamic, and which explore subjects from the history of art and culture. Through April 10. Info, 514-847-6226. Montréal Museum of Contemporary Art.

‘PARALL(ELLES): A HISTORY OF WOMEN IN DESIGN’: A major exhibition celebrating the

instrumental role that women have played in the world of design, featuring artworks and objects dating from the mid-19th century onward. Through May 28. Info, 514-285-2000. ‘VIEWS OF WITHIN: PICTURING THE SPACES WE INHABIT’: More than 60 paintings, photographs, prints, installations and textile works from the museum’s collection that present one or more evocations of interior space. Through June 30. Info, 514-235-2044. Montréal Museum of Fine Arts.

‘¡PRINTING THE REVOLUTION! THE RISE AND IMPACT OF CHICANO GRAPHICS, 1965 TO NOW’: A Smithsonian American Art Museum traveling exhibition featuring 119 artworks by more than 74 artists of Mexican descent and allied artists active in Chicanx networks. Through June 11. Info, 603-646-2808. PARK DAE SUNG: “Ink Reimagined,” 23 ink paintings, some on view for the first time in the U.S., by the renowned Korean artist; curated by Sunglim Kim, Dartmouth College associate professor of art history. Through March 19. Info, 603-646-3661. Hood Museum, Dartmouth College, in Hanover, N.H. ➆

– EDGEWATER GALLERY PRESENTS –

SPRING EXHIBITIONS

LYNN JOHNSON “AS I SEE IT”

February 22 - March 22, 2023

Edgewater Gallery on the Green - 6 Merchants Row, Middlebury

MEL REA “JUST MINDING MY BUSINESS PICKING YOUR FLOWERS”

March 1 - April 18, 2023

Edgewater Gallery at the Falls - One Mill St., Middlebury

KAREN O’NEIL “THE COLOR OF LIGHT: RECENT STILL LIFE PAINTINGS”

March 1 - April 18, 2023

Edgewater Gallery at the Falls - One Mill St., Middlebury

GALLERY HOURS:

Tuesday - Saturday 10AM – 5PM or by appointment

One Mill St and 6 Merchant’s Row, Middlebury Vermont 802-458-0098 & 802-989-7419

edgewatergallery.com

“Entanglements With Spare Intensities”

S UNDbites

News and views on the local music + nightlife scene

BY CHRIS FARNSWORTH

Jazz Rationing

As ’80s hair metal outfit CINDERELLA will tell you, you don’t know what you got ’til it’s gone. If being a part of the Burlington music scene has taught me anything these past few decades, it’s that permanence has no place here. It doesn’t matter whether it’s an incredible band, a killer venue, a unique festival or even a dingy basement for secret DIY punk shows — nothing lasts forever.

Sure, I’m being a bit maudlin, but I think it’s forgivable right now. It’s been a rough stretch of time for lovers of local music, this “post”-pandemic — or whatever we’re calling the current phase. After a few years of being stuck inside watching live-streamed performances from people’s living rooms, most of us were champing at the bit to see an actual concert. As joyous as the return to live music has been, let’s be honest: The scene we returned to is a much, much di erent beast from the one we left in 2020.

Local music luminaries, from DJ CRAIG MITCHELL to Flynn director of programming MATT ROGERS, have pointed out recently that our scene is woefully short on venues. So many places to catch live music in Burlington have disappeared in recent years, including

ArtsRiot, Signal Kitchen and SideBar. But the real area of concern is our festivals.

GRACE POTTER’s GRAND POINT NORTH has been moribund since the pandemic, with no sign that the weekend event typically held at Burlington’s Waterfront Park will return. As I discussed in this column recently, WAKING WINDOWS is taking the

year o , possibly for good. (That one still hurts to type.)

Last week’s news about the 2023 Burlington Discover Jazz Festival, to be guest curated by saxophonist LAKECIA BENJAMIN, reminded us again how much the topography of the live music scene has changed. As opposed to the 10-day throwdown of all things jazz that we usually get from the Flynn, this year’s jazz fest will run for only five days, from June 7 to 11 — an event cut in half on its 40th anniversary, no less.

You can read Flynn executive director JAY WAHL’s comments on downsizing the fest online or in last week’s issue. Essentially, he points the finger at the post-pandemic festival landscape and the di culty of putting together big events. Artists are finding it more and more expensive to tour, given such factors as soaring fuel prices, venues or labels taking cuts of merchandise sales, and the vampiric pricing models of entities like Ticketmaster. That makes it more di cult than ever to book a large assortment of artists during a set period like a festival.

So we know that the Flynn had plenty of reasons to cut jazz fest in half this year. Do we have to like it, though?

“I definitely have an opinion,” Colchester-based musician MARTY FOGEL wrote to me. The saxophonist, who has played with LOU REED and DON CHERRY, didn’t hold back when I asked what he thought of the new jazz fest format: “I think it SUCKS.”

Fogel is hardly alone in that opinion. Other local jazz musicians have reached out to me over the past week to o er their takes — many preferring to stay o the record, since they hope that the shortened festival will still include local jazz. But their overall fear seems to be that Burlington’s jazz scene might not be super involved in the fest this year. Or, as one musician put it, “I’m fucking pissed.”

While I understand the anxiety about the shortened festival, a few things are worth remembering. For one, it’s early: Only three artists have even been announced so far. Traditionally, many of the local acts aren’t revealed until the final lineup announcement, which wasn’t released last year until May, a month before the festival.

For another thing, of the three artists who have been announced, one is singersongwriter MYRA FLYNN. A mainstay of our local scene celebrating the release of her new album on the Flynn Main Stage is hardly a sign of a lack of faith in Vermont talent.

That said, fewer days in the festival means fewer opportunities for locals to play at what is traditionally the biggest jazz showcase of the year. It’s easy to understand the artists’ concerns.

Regardless of how this year’s jazz fest turns out, I know this: We can’t take our festivals for granted — or live music in general. Yes, Burlington’s jazz fest has changed — and in some ways, perhaps not for the better. But it lives. And maybe (fingers crossed) what we’re seeing is an evolution rather than a reduction. Time will tell.

Burlington Discover Jazz Fest in 2022

Marty Fogel

On the Beat

The University of Vermont Lane Series has announced two new shows for March. The long-running UVM music series, established in 1955, typically holds about 25 events per season in its on-campus recital hall, featuring worldrenowned names in classical, jazz, folk and choral music.

This year is no exception, as Friday, March 3, sees a performance by jazz pianist and composer EMMET COHEN and his trio. Cohen created the popular Masters Legacy Series, in which the former child prodigy plays and highlights the music of some of jazz’s greatest players, from COLE PORTER to TOMMY DORSEY

“Jazz is enriched immeasurably by connecting and studying with jazz masters, forging backward to the very creation of the art form,” Cohen wrote in a press release for the Lane Series performance.

The following week, the series will host world-class cellist ZLATOMIR FUNG. The 23-year-old Juilliard School grad is on the cusp of becoming known as one of the finest cellists on the planet, having won the 2018 Alice & Eleonore Schoenfeld

International String Competition and become the first American in 40 years (as well as the youngest musician ever) to win first prize at the International Tchaikovsky Competition.

Find more information and tickets to both shows at uvm.edu/laneseries.

Everyone’s favorite nautically inclined children’s musician, ROCKIN’ RON THE FRIENDLY PIRATE, is getting deserved praise. Rockin’ Ron, also known as Je ersonville resident RON CARTER, has cut some great records in the past few years, including 2021’s Captains and Sea Monsters, and gained a reputation for writing fun, musically clever piratethemed songs for kids. One such track from Captains and Sea Monsters, “Five Little Pirates,” was recognized as one of 2022’s top 10 children’s songs by the annual USA Songwriting Competition.

A former promoter who worked with everyone from PAT BENATAR to ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT, Carter is a Berklee College of Music-trained musician and composer who decided to make tunes for kids when he moved to Vermont more than three decades ago. He described “Five Little Pirates” as “one of several of my songs that reference numbers and math.”

Listening In

(Spotify mix of local jams)

1. “If You Lie,” THE MOUNTAIN SAYS NO

2. “Burn,” UNRULY ALLIES

3. “Sleep Architecture,” GREG DAVIS

4. “Out of Here,” MARYSE SMITH

5. “Warhol/Warhola,” FAMOUS LETTER WRITER

6. “Out of Curiosity,” LAMP

7. “Triple Distilled (feat. Konflik),” THE LYNGUISTIC CIVILIANS

The tune sounds a little like an Irish jig. Carter sings, “Five little fingers / five little toes / five little pirates sitting in rows,” helping all the little buccaneers out there get their numbers straight. Congrats to Rockin’ Ron and his educational songs. Before I heard his music, I always assumed educational pirate music was just someone screaming, “Eat lemons, avoid scurvy!” over and over. ➆

On the Air

Where to tune in to Vermont music this week:

“WAVE CAVE RADIO SHOW,” Wednesday, March 1, 2 p.m., on 105.9 the Radiator: DJS FLYWLKR and GINGERVITUS spin the best of local (and nonlocal) hiphop.

“EXPOSURE,” Wednesday, March 1, 6 p.m., on 90.1 WRUV: Psychedelic garage trio RUMINATIONS play live in studio.

“ROCKET SHOP RADIO HOUR,” Wednesday, March 1, 8 p.m., on 105.9 the Radiator: Folk-punk band CONTENT CLOWN play live in studio.

Eye on the Scene

Last week’s live music highlights from photographer Luke Awtry

ANEKEN RIVER AT FOAM BREWERS IN BURLINGTON, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24: New band alert! By the time I arrived, Foam had filled up and was bubbling over with excitement for the debut show of Aneken River’s new band, also called Aneken River. e area in front of the stage was a frothy mess in the best way, filled to the brim with people dancing and sloshing around. e lull between songs afforded a brief moment to catch your breath, but the energy quickly rose to match Aneken’s effervescence as they burst into dance when the beat dropped. What else can I say? Foam was poppin’.

“THE SOUNDS OF BURLINGTON,” ursday, March 2, 9 p.m., at wbkm. org: Host TIM LEWIS plays the best of local music.

“CULTURAL BUNKER,” Friday, March 3, 6 p.m., on 90.1 WRUV: Host MELO GRANT plays local and nonlocal hip-hop selections.

“ALL THE TRADITIONS,” Sunday, March 5, 7 p.m., on Vermont Public: Host ROBERT RESNIK plays an assortment of folk music with a focus on Vermont artists.

OPEN CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

DEADLINE: March 19, 2023

Studios at VSC Fellowships

Two Studio at VSC Fellowships for year-long rentals open to a visual artist and a writer from Lamoille County. Based on merit.

Studios at VSC Grants

Rental Grants subsidize a portion of the cost of studio rentals for residents of Vermont with financial need. Based on merit and need.

Visual artists working in all mediums and writers in all genres are eligible to apply.

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admissions@vermontstudiocenter.org

APPLY NOW vermontstudiocenter.org/studiosatvsc

Rockin’ Ron the Friendly Pirate

CLUB DATES music+nightlife

live music

WED.1

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

Fresh Pressed Wednesday (rock) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 9 p.m.

$5/$10.

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

Live Jazz (jazz) at Leunig’s Bistro & Café, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free.

One Time Weekend (funk, rock) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

Troy Millette Presents Sample Sets (singer-songwriter) at 14th Star Brewing, St. Albans, 6 p.m. Free.

Wednesday Night Dead (Grateful Dead covers) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. $5.

THU.2

Afternoon Bike Ride, Lillian and the Muses, Kafari (indie folk) at Monkey House, Winooski, 8 p.m.

$12/$15.

Couch (funk) at Pickle Barrel Nightclub, Killington, 8 p.m. $10.

Grace Palmer and Socializing for Introverts (rock) at Red Square, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Hatriot, Hell Priest, No Soul, Dearstreet (metal) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7 p.m. $12/$15.

Ira Friedman & Friends (jazz) at Hugo’s Bar and Grill, Montpelier, 7 p.m. Free.

Lincoln Sprague (jazz) at the Venetian Soda Lounge, Burlington, 5 p.m. Free.

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

Peter Schmeeckle (jazz) at Filling Station, Middlesex, 6 p.m. Free.

Ryan Osswald Trio (jazz) at the Venetian Soda Lounge, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

Sunny War, Sara Grace (singer-songwriter) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. $15.

anya Iyer, Buoyancy, Cam Gilmour Band (folk, jazz) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 9:30 p.m. $10/$15.

aya Zalewski Quartet (jazz) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

Tom Bisson (folk) at Folino’s, Williston, 5 p.m. Free.

Tom Caswell Blues Jam (blues) at Black Flannel Brewing & Distilling, Essex, 6 p.m. Free.

FRI.3

Antara (folk rock) at the Tap Room at Switchback Brewing, Burlington, 5 p.m. Free.

A Band of Killers (soul, funk) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 9 p.m. $10.

Couch, Lazy Bird (funk) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 8 p.m. $12.

As Seen on Zoom

The members of Boston’s COUCH met and formed the band when they were in high school together. After they left for di erent colleges, the pandemic set in and they were forced to become an online outfit, writing music over FaceTime and recording parts remotely. The genre-defying seven-piece band, which sprinkles in hints of jazz and soul with its funk-rock sound, is back to playing in the same room these days. And it’s hitting the road, ready to shake o the rust. Couch play the Pickle Barrel Nightclub in Killington on Thursday, March 2, then swing through Burlington for a performance at Nectar’s on Friday, March 3, with local openers LAZY BIRD

Please contact event organizers about vaccination and mask requirements.

TUE.7

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

Grateful Tuesdays (tribute) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. $20.

Griffin Brown, Xander Naylor (jazz) at Monkey House, Winooski, 8 p.m. $10.

Honky Tonk Tuesday with Queen City Cut-Ups (country) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 9 p.m. $10/$15. Kip de Moll (jam, folk) at Lawson’s Finest Liquids, Waitsfield, 5 p.m. Free.

Pepper, Joe Samba (alt rock) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 7 p.m. $30/$35.

WED.8

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

Double You (rock) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

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

Live Jazz (jazz) at Leunig’s Bistro & Café, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free. Needle in the Hay: A Benefit Concert Celebrating Elliott Smith (benefit) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 9 p.m. $10-$25.

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

Dead Sessions Lite (Grateful Dead tribute) at Moogs Joint, Johnson, 9 p.m. $10.

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

First Friday Folk (folk) at the Venetian Soda Lounge, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Jaded Ravins (Americana) at Whammy Bar, Calais, 7 p.m. Free.

Jerborn (acoustic) at Gusto’s, Barre, 6 p.m. Free.

Jesse Taylor Band, Cosmic the Cowboy (rock) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 10 p.m. Free.

Lost in Paris (covers) at Pickle

Barrel Nightclub, Killington, 8 p.m. Free.

Mean Waltons (bluegrass) at Taps Tavern, Poultney, 6 p.m. Free.

Mike MacDonald of Strange Machines (jam) at Orlando’s Bar & Lounge, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

Mile Twelve, the Tenderbellies (folk) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. $12/$15.

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

Moon People (dance) at Red Square, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

Phil Abair (rock) at the Old Post, South Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

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

Ryan Sweezey (singer-songwriter) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

Southtown (bluegrass) at Stone Corral, Richmond, 7 p.m. Free.

ank You Scientist, Dead Street Dreamers, NRVS (prog rock) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7 p.m. $20/$25.

Timothy Quigley & Friends (jazz) at Hugo’s Bar and Grill, Montpelier, 7 p.m. Free.

SAT.4

Bleeding Hearts (acoustic) at Whammy Bar, Calais, 7 p.m. Free. Cabinet Trio, Al Schnier (jam) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 8 p.m. $15.

Dan Parks, Mark Steffenhagen (singer-songwriter) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 5 p.m. Free.

Dead Sessions Lite (Grateful Dead tribute) at Moogs Joint, Johnson, 9 p.m. $10.

Direct Hit (rock) at Gusto’s, Barre, 9 p.m. Free.

Jaded Ravins (Americana) at 14th Star Brewing, St. Albans, 6 p.m. Free.

Left Eye Jump (blues) at Red Square, Burlington, 2 p.m. Free. Lost in Paris (covers) at Pickle Barrel Nightclub, Killington, 9 p.m. Free.

No Showers on Vacation, All Night Boogie Band (rock, blues) at Monkey House, Winooski, 8:30 p.m. $5/$10.

Redford Sons (rock) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 10 p.m. Free. Ron Gagnon (rock, blues) at Stone Corral, Richmond, 7 p.m. Free.

Spencer Lewis & the New Old Vermonters (folk) at the Den at Harry’s Hardware, Cabot, 6 p.m. Free.

e Spirit of Julia Festival with TAGABOW, Kitchen, Snoozer, Joyer, Hooky, Dari Bay, Greg Greeman, bugcatcher, Noah Kesey, Vehicle (indie) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 7 p.m. $22/$30.

Squirrel Flower, Horse Jumper of Love, Lily Seabird (singersongwriter) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7 p.m. $18/$20.

Steve Goldberg (jazz) at the Venetian Soda Lounge, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

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

Tom Caswell (blues) at Red Square, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

e Weather Birds (jazz) at Hugo’s Bar and Grill, Montpelier, 7 p.m. Free.

Willverine (electronic, live looping) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

SUN.5

Giovanina Bucci (singersongwriter) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 1 p.m. Free.

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

Zipper, Black Axe, Youth Dispute, Corrupt World (hardcore) at Monkey House, Winooski, 8 p.m. $7/$12.

MON.6

Elizabeth Begins (singersongwriter) at 1st Republic Brewing, Essex Junction, 6 p.m. Free.

Metal Monday with VOSH, Wolfhand, Melkor (metal) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $10/$12.

Troy Millette Presents Sample Sets (singer-songwriter) at 14th Star Brewing, St. Albans, 6 p.m. Free.

Wednesday Night Dead (Grateful Dead covers) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. $5.

djs

THU.2

DJ Chaston (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 11 p.m. Free.

DJ Two Sev (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, midnight. Free.

Mi Yard Reggae Night with DJ Big Dog (reggae and dancehall) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 9:30 p.m. Free.

Molly Mood (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.

Vinyl Night with Ken (DJ) at Taps Tavern, Poultney, 6 p.m. Free.

FRI.3

DJ 2Rivers (DJ) at Gusto’s, Barre, 9 p.m. Free.

DJ Craig Mitchell (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

DJ Dance Party (DJ) at the Depot, St. Albans, 9 p.m. $5.

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

THU.2 & FRI.3 // COUCH [FUNK]

TUE.7

7 p.m. Free.

Local Dork (DJ) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

open mics & jams

WED.1

Irish Sessions (open mic) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Lit Club (poetry open mic) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Open Mic (open mic) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 10 p.m. Free.

Open Mic with JD Tolstoi (open mic) at Taps Tavern, Poultney, 7 p.m. Free.

THU.2

Open Mic (open mic) at Whammy Bar, Calais, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Open Mic (open mic) at Orlando’s Bar & Lounge, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. Free.

Open Mic Night (open mic) at Parker Pie, West Glover, 6:30 p.m. Free.

FRI.3

Red Brick Coffee House (open mic) at Red Brick Meeting House, Westford, 7 p.m. Free.

SUN.5

Open Mic Night with Justin at Charlie-O’s World Famous, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m.

TUE.7

Open Mic Night (open mic) at 1st Republic Brewing, Essex Junction, 6 p.m. Free.

Venetian Soda Open Mic (open mic) at the Venetian Soda Lounge, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

WED.8

Irish Sessions (Celtic, open mic) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Open Mic (open mic) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 10 p.m. Free.

Open Mic with JD Tolstoi (open mic) at Taps Tavern, Poultney, 7 p.m. Free.

SUN.5

Comedy Night (comedy) at Four Quarters Brewing, Winooski, 6 p.m. Free.

WED.8

March Madness: Two-Prov Tournament (Prelims A) (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. $5. Standup Comedy Open Mic (comedy open mic) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 8:30 p.m.

trivia, karaoke, etc.

WED.1

Nerd Nite Trivia (trivia) at Citizen Cider, Burlington, 6:30-9 p.m. Free.

Trivia Night (trivia) at Stone Corral, Richmond, 7 p.m. Free.

THU.2

Karaoke Night (karaoke) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. Free.

Trivia (trivia) at Jericho Café & Tavern, 6 p.m. Free.

Trivia Night (trivia) at 1st Republic Brewing, Essex Junction, 6 p.m. Free.

Trivia Night (trivia) at McGillicuddy’s Five Corners, Essex Junction, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Trivia Thursday (trivia) at Spanked Puppy Pub, Colchester, 7 p.m. Free.

FRI.3

Karaoke with Garyoke (karaoke) at Monkey House, Winooski, 9 p.m. Free.

SUN.5

comedy

WED.1

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

Unrehearsed: An Underprepared Sketch Show (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. $5.

THU.2

Comedy Wolf: Open Mic (comedy) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

Marina Franklin (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 p.m. $25.

Mothra! A Storytelling/ Improv Comedy Show (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

FRI.3

Marina Franklin (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 & 9 p.m. $25.

SAT.4

Marina Franklin (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 & 9 p.m. $25.

Venetian Karaoke (karaoke) at the Venetian Soda Lounge, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

MON.6

Trivia with Craig Mitchell (trivia) at Monkey House, Winooski, 7 p.m. Free.

TUE.7

Trivia Night (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.

Trivia Tuesdays (trivia) at Nelly’s Pub & Grill, St. Albans, 7 p.m. Free.

Tuesday Night Trivia (trivia) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

WED.8

Nerd Nite Trivia (trivia) at Citizen Cider, Burlington, 6:30-9 p.m. Free.

Trivia Night (trivia) at Stone Corral, Richmond, 7 p.m. Free.

REVIEW this music+nightlife

The Tenderbellies, One by One

(SELF-RELEASED, CD, DIGITAL)

If there’s one feature prosperous bluegrass endeavors have in common, it’s a synergy resulting from fruitful and durable relationships. Picking and singing together a few nights here and there can’t fabricate those bonds. But through commitment over the course of time, and by way of shared experiences on and o the stage, the Tenderbellies have developed a deep level of comfort and trust.

About a decade after its members began making music together, the Burlington-based string band recently released its first full-length album, One by One. It represents an important achievement for the Tenderbellies, a staple on the local music scene.

This sextet has played many a gig at local bars, festivals, weddings and other functions to hone its sound. Along the way, the band digitally released an EP — 2015’s The Songs We Picked — as well as a batch of songs recorded live at Richmond’s Old Round Church.

But with One by One, a compelling 11song trek introduced in late December, the Tenderbellies resonate as a winsome, informed group of players coming into their own. The album is a blend of originals and twists on standards, and these longtime pals, who attended Champlain Valley Union High School together, shared in the project’s songwriting duties. Their e orts were brought to life with the help of recording engineer Jeremy Mendicino at Lane Gibson Recording and Mastering and mastering engineer Anna Frick.

As a whole, One by One arrives as a refreshing addition to the everchanging bluegrass registry, thoughtfully seasoned with workingman’s blues and progressive rock and jazz, and decidedly aimed in the direction of the group’s biggest inspirations: David “Dawg” Grisman and Tony Rice, two key figures in bluegrass’ evolution.

The album’s opening track, “Please,” is

a heartfelt invitation to join this tightknit group mid-stroll. The song is swift moving and adorned by the rich vocals of Chris Page, one of the outfit’s two adept guitar players. He’s heard on this track bolting o for an early excursion that showcases his terrific flatpicking abilities. Along with Page, the Tenderbellies are David Titus also playing guitar, Matt Francis on one mandolin, Greg Pauza on another, Luke Hausermann on bass and Collin Cope on harmonica. Page and Cope — the latter of whom channels the spirit of Joe Cocker with his own Green Mountain grit — handle the main vocals. But Francis also gets his time to shine on the mic, and each member is regularly involved in harmonizing, an underappreciated standard practice in the bluegrass realm. While modest in makeup with only acoustic strings and just the right amount of harmonica, the Tenderbellies’ compositions are unmistakably lush, roving with an organic precision, and the band — whose members grew up as fans of Vermont’s most famous onstage improvisers, Phish — is successful in its mission to seamlessly conjoin this vintage blend of instruments. Transitions

are especially tactful as some tracks are pathfinding by their design, rotating through the unique sound and style of each musician.

As the compositions advance, the players’ distinct individual skills comprise the group’s collective mastery in a smooth, flowing presentation. These 11 tracks fit together to serve as a perceptive and alluring view into the pursuit of life and happiness in the Champlain Valley.

In “Too Long Runnin’,” Cope’s vitality drives this strutting sick-and-tired jam before he’s joined by Page to conjure sounds that span New England to the Deep South. “In the Clouds” is a breezy piece written and sung by Francis, and it gains momentum on his chopping and chucking, ultimately billowing to a brilliant group harmony. In arranging these pieces to be so full of character, the Tenderbellies will captivate longtime bluegrass fans and new listeners alike.

Teetering, smoky and reminiscent of Grisman’s projects with Jerry Garcia, “So Easy” lures the listener to a fascinating space, and the blend of textures and Page’s crooning serve as further evidence of the Tenderbellies’ extensive sonic color palette.

The solemn title track is another success, a tale of self-destruction and blown chances that spins around a campestral groove and frets what’s

inevitably on the horizon. Cope’s harmonica casts melodic desolation before the piece seems to assess a shrinking number of options, with each player applying his own dark twist to this ill-fated number and adding to its chorus, too: “One by one / my troubles come / wasting time / past my prime / shadows and dust / swallowed in must / I fear my race has run.”

It climbs high to treacherous territory, eventually “peering over the cli ledge” — a vivid, fitting soundtrack for adventurous days spent in the mountains of the Northeast.

Pivoting in whimsical fashion, “If I Only Knew Better” shifts the mood to remembrance with a touch of regret. This sweet, get-up-and-go jingle finds its own redemption as Page accomplishes audacious and a ectionate vocal feats and Cope’s fervent, winding harmonica signals the whole band to fire o in sequence for one of the most impressive jams of the album.

“Hey Bucko” is fetching and provocative, demonstrating the group’s ability to fuse genres. This treasure hears Hausermann at his funkiest and out in front before the piece moseys and strolls, ultimately gaining speed and forming layers of intricate guitar picking and mandolin plucking to grow into a flourishing jaunt. A gorgeous moonlight waltz, “Leave Me Outside Tonight,” closes the album with an exhibit of each vocal frequency and progresses to enchanted harmonization, all cast over a flutter of strings that’s not just welltimed but also divine.

Completing their first full studio album, the Tenderbellies have solidified their place in Vermont’s bluegrass network, strengthened by an engaging sound and an appealing demeanor that could very well help them draw crowds to venues beyond their home state. Having forged this record in the wake of the pandemic, a period that pulled so many musicians out of whatever stride they had, the Tenderbellies show they’ve not just endured but are also prepared for the long haul.

One by One is streaming now on all major platforms, and CDs can be purchased at tenderbellies.com. The Tenderbellies play this Friday, March 3, at Radio Bean in Burlington.

CASEY RYAN VOCK

e Tenderbellies

on screen

Triangle of Sadness ★★★★

With the 95th Academy Awards coming up on March 12, I decided to check out a Best Picture nominee I hadn’t seen. Triangle of Sadness, the latest dark satire from Swedish director Ruben Östlund (Force Majeure, The Square) and his first English-language feature, won the Palme d’Or at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival. Set in the world of the obscenely wealthy, it features a memorable supporting turn by Woody Harrelson and breakout performances from Filipino actor Dolly de Leon and South African model-actor Charlbi Dean — the latter of whom, in a sad turn of events, died shortly before the film’s release. Triangle of Sadness can be streamed for a rental fee on various platforms.

The deal

Carl (Harris Dickinson) and Yaya (Dean) are model-influencers in a one-sided romantic relationship; she freely admits she dates him for the cameras, while he wants something deeper.

The pair receive comped tickets for a luxury yacht cruise, where they find themselves surrounded by arrogant Russian oligarchs, doddery British weapons moguls and socially awkward tech bros. While the guests bask in the sun, the crew leaps to meet their every petty demand, led by Paula (Vicki Berlin), who believes in upholding a standard of flawless service. Her nemesis is the yacht’s captain (Harrelson), who spends the cruise boozing in his cabin and has to be coaxed out to preside over the tradition of the “captain’s table.”

That formal meal coincides with a storm, and soon the guests are vomiting up their haute cuisine. One hellish night later, some of the passengers are dead and others are literally on the rocks. The social structure of the yacht flips upside down, and Carl and Yaya’s relationship undergoes its own sea change.

Will you like it?

As the real-life gap between the poor and the rich keeps widening, movies appear to have rediscovered class consciousness. While the Oscar-winning Parasite may have started the trend, Östlund was well positioned to take advantage of it. His first two festival hits were razor-sharp, meticulously observed satires of the foibles of the rich and cultured. With Triangle of

REVIEW

Sadness, the filmmaker goes bigger and broader, into the realm of the allegorical and surreal — and it mostly works. You may or may not find the film’s plot plausible as it evolves from low-key reportage on the lives of model-influencers into something more akin to a Marxist disaster movie, but the transformation is fascinating.

Shipwrecks have served as metaphors for social upheaval at least since Shakespeare’s The Tempest. In his popular 1902 play The Admirable Crichton, which went on to inspire multiple movies, J.M. Barrie envisioned a scenario in which the servant and master switch places when both are stranded on a desert island. Only the servant has survival skills, so he becomes the boss by default.

Like Barrie’s play, Triangle of Sadness starts from the premise that the most privileged people are the ones most eager to convince themselves that class distinctions can simply be tossed aside. Early on, we attend a high-end fashion show with the theme of “radical equality.” Later, bored guests on the yacht urge the sta to goof o and have fun, not seeming to grasp that they’re adding to the workers’ burden by asking them to masquerade as people who aren’t just there for a paycheck.

A similar dynamic plays itself out with

the influencers. While Carl wants them to be equal and share expenses, Yaya sees their relationship (and probably all relationships) as transactional. Eventually, they, too, will flip positions, and he will come to understand her point of view all too well.

Rather than giving us a broad satire out of the gate, Östlund keeps things subtle. He builds very slowly to the pure delirium of the captain’s table sequence, in which the captain and the oligarch drink each other under the table while theatrically debating capitalism and communism as the vessel pitches. Unsurprisingly, no one wins this sloshy ideological argument.

The downside of Östlund’s slow burn is that some viewers may feel tempted to check out during the early scenes of two vapid influencers arguing about nothing. The upside is that, for those who stick it out, Triangle of Sadness keeps gaining momentum. While the characters aren’t likable or deep, their shallowness feels real and human. The early conversations that seemed so trivial turn out to foreshadow significant shifts to come.

Triangle of Sadness disobeys the prime directive of Hollywood movies: It has no protagonist for the audience to identify with. (By contrast, The Menu is a movie

about awful rich people that is careful to make its heroine an underdog.) Nearly everyone in Östlund’s world is both exploited and exploiting; no one is innocent. Yet there’s something bracingly right, even crowd-pleasing, about the plot’s final twist. It may not be uplifting Oscar material, but this satire is seaworthy.

MARGOT HARRISON margot@sevendaysvt.com

IF YOU LIKE THIS, TRY...

THE MENU (2022; HBO Max, rentable): In Mark Mylod’s dark comedy, rich tastemakers get more than they bargained for when they pay top dollar for an avant-garde meal cooked by a mercurial chef (Ralph Fiennes).

GLASS ONION (2022; Netflix): A highend vacation getaway becomes a battle of haves and have-nots in Rian Johnson’s second retro mystery in the Knives Out series.

THE SQUARE (2017; Kanopy, Magnolia Selects, rentable): Östlund won his first Palme d’Or for this satire of the modern art world, in which a museum curator will do anything to make a new exhibition go viral.

A ship of fools — the very rich kind — sails toward calamity in Östlund’s surprisingly satisfying satire.

NEW IN THEATERS

CREED III: In this sequel directed by star Michael B. Jordan, boxing champion Adonis “Donnie” Creed faces a new rival who was his childhood friend. Tessa Thompson and Jonathan Majors also star. (116 min, PG-13. Bijou, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Palace, Star, Welden)

DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA —

TO THE SWORDSMITH VILLAGE: The film saga of the popular fantasy adventure anime continues. Haruo Sotozaki directed. (110 min, R. Essex)

OPERATION FORTUNE: RUSE DE GUERRE: Director Guy Ritchie and star Jason Statham reteam for this comedy action thriller in which secret agents recruit a movie star. With Aubrey Plaza and Cary Elwes. (114 min, R. Essex, Majestic, Palace)

SELFIEE: In this Hindi-language comedy-drama, a motor vehicle inspector makes big trouble for a movie star who needs a new driver’s license. Raj Mehta directed. (148 min, NR. Majestic)

TO LESLIE: Andrea Riseborough received a controversial Oscar nomination for her performance as a struggling Texas single mom in this indie drama directed by Michael Morris. (119 min, R. Savoy)

CURRENTLY PLAYING

2023 OSCAR NOMINATED SHORT FILMS: Three separate programs — Live Action, Animation and Documentary — offer everything from “My Year of Dicks” to “The Elephant Whisperers.” Check online for runtimes, ratings and program dates. (Palace, Roxy, Savoy)

80 FOR BRADYHH1/2 Sally Field, Jane Fonda, Rita Moreno and Lily Tomlin play four friends determined to meet Tom Brady. (98 min, PG-13. Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Palace)

THE AMAZING MAURICEHH1/2 A clever cat (voice of Hugh Laurie), a young piper (Himesh Patel) and a band of rats plot to scam an unsuspecting town in this animation. (93 min, PG. Capitol, Majestic, Palace)

ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIAHH1/2

The lives of the titular Marvel superheroes (Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly) get complicated in the Quantum Realm. Peyton Reed directed. (125 min, PG-13. Big Picture, Bijou, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Marquis, Palace, Paramount, Roxy, Star, Stowe, Welden)

AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATERHHH1/2 Director James Cameron returns to Pandora for this sequel in which Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and his family face a new threat. (192 min, PG-13. Majestic)

CLOSEHHHH In this Belgian Oscar nominee, two 13-year-old boys feel the strain when classmates begin to question the nature of their close friendship. Lukas Dhont directed. (104 min, PG-13. Roxy, Savoy)

COCAINE BEARHH1/2 Elizabeth Banks directed this comedy-thriller about a bear that terrorizes the countryside after going on a coke binge. Ray Liotta, Keri Russell and Margo Martindale star. (95 min, R. Bijou, Essex, Majestic, Marquis, Palace, Paramount, Roxy, Star, Stowe, Welden)

EMILYHHHH Emma Mackey plays the Wuthering Heights author in this drama imagining her life; Frances O’Connor directed. (130 min, R. Savoy)

JESUS REVOLUTIONHH1/2 Hippies in the 1970s spread the gospel in this inspirational period piece from the team behind I Can Only Imagine. With Jonathan Roumie and Kelsey Grammer. (120 min, PG-13. Capitol, Essex, Star)

KNOCK AT THE CABINHHH M. Night Shyamalan directed this horror flick about a vacationing family who encounter an apocalypse cult. (100 min, R. Majestic, Palace)

MAGIC MIKE’S LAST DANCEHH1/2 Channing Tatum reprises his role as a stripper in the final film of Steven Soderbergh’s comedy-drama trilogy. (112 min, R. Majestic, Stowe)

A MAN CALLED OTTOHH1/2 In the American adaptation of Fredrik Backman’s bestseller, Tom Hanks plays a widower in need of a new lease on life. (126 min, PG-13. Essex, Majestic, Palace)

MARLOWEHH Liam Neeson plays the classic private detective in this mystery, also starring Diane Kruger. Neil Jordan directed. (110 min, R. Palace)

MY HAPPY ENDING: Andie MacDowell plays a Hollywood star who draws strength from other women as she faces a cancer diagnosis in this comedy-drama. (89 min, R. Roxy)

OF AN AGEHHH1/2 A young Australian ballroom dancer (Elias Anton) finds himself romantically attracted to his partner’s brother in this drama from Goran Stolevski. (100 min, R. Roxy)

PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISHHHHH Antonio Banderas again voices the titular cool cat in this animated adventure. (100 min, PG. Bijou, Capitol, Majestic, Palace, Roxy)

SAINT OMERHHHH In this Oscar submission from France, a writer (Kayije Kagame) attends the trial of a student from Senegal who has confessed to an unspeakable crime. Alice Diop directed. (122 min, PG-13. Catamount; reviewed 2/22)

WOMEN TALKINGHHHH In Sarah Polley’s Oscarnominated adaptation of Miriam Toews’ novel, a group of isolated Mennonite women decides how to react to a pattern of assaults. (104 min, PG-13. Savoy; reviewed 2/8)

OLDER FILMS AND SPECIAL SCREENINGS

THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN (Big Picture)

THE BUTTERFLY QUEEN (Catamount, Fri & Sat only)

EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCEHHHHH (Palace, Roxy)

FATHOM’S BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: CASABLANCA (Essex, Sun & Wed 8 only)

INCREDIBLES 2 (Catamount, Fri only)

ONWARD (Catamount, Thu only)

THE QUARRY PROJECT (Catamount, Sun only) RRR (Majestic)

THE THORN (Essex, Mon only)

VICTORIA & ABDUL (Catamount, Wed 1 only)

OPEN THEATERS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*MERRILL’S ROXY CINEMAS: 222 College St., Burlington, 864-3456, merrilltheatres.net

PALACE 9 CINEMAS: 10 Fayette Dr., South Burlington, 864-5610, palace9.com

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

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

SAVOY THEATER: 26 Main St., Montpelier, 2290598, savoytheater.com

STAR THEATRE: 17 Eastern Ave., St. Johnsbury, 748-9511, stjaytheatre.com

*STOWE CINEMA 3PLEX: 454 Mountain Rd., Stowe, 253-4678, stowecinema.com

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

WED.1 agriculture

PLEASE

CONTACT EVENT ORGANIZERS ABOUT VACCINATION AND MASK REQUIREMENTS.

MARCH 1-8, 2023

FIRST WEDNESDAYS: SARAH MONTEIRO: A director of Massachusetts nonprofit Greenagers explains how the organization helps teens and young adults get involved in environmental and farming work. Presented by Vermont Humanities. 7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 223-3338.

business

BRANDING 101 FOR SMALL BUSINESS:

Alyse Schulte of Better World Creative explains how storytelling and visuals can help you reach customers. Presented by Mercy Connections. Noon-1 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 846-7081.

QUEEN CITY BUSINESS

NETWORKING

INTERNATIONAL GROUP: Local professionals make crucial contacts at a weekly chapter meeting. Burlington City Arts, 11:15 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 829-5066.

community

SPRING MENTOR TRAINING: Community members prepare to be matched with incarcerated and court-involved women in order to coach them in transitioning to life in Northwest Vermont and Chittenden County. Mercy Connections, Burlington, 5:307:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 846-7164. etc.

SELENE GODDESS CIRCLE: Witchy types reflect, share and learn about the ancient Greek

goddess of the moon. Winter Sun Collective, Burlington, 7-9 p.m. $18-38. Info, thechakra oracle@gmail.com.

film

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

‘SEA MONSTERS 3D’: An adventurous dolichorhynchops travels through the most dangerous oceans in history, encountering plesiosaurs, giant turtles and the deadly mosasaur along the way. Northfield Savings Bank 3D Theater: A National Geographic Experience, ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 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.

‘WILD AFRICA 3D’: Viewers are plunged into the magical vistas of the continent’s deserts, jungles and savannahs. 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.

‘WINGS OVER WATER 3D’: Sandhill cranes, yellow warblers and mallard ducks make their lives along rivers, lakes and wetlands. Northfield Savings Bank 3D Theater: A National Geographic Experience, ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 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.

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.

health & fitness

CHAIR YOGA:

Waterbury Public Library instructor Diana Whitney leads at-home participants in gentle stretches supported by seats. 10 a.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

language

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.

IRISH LANGUAGE CLASS: Celtic-curious students learn to speak an Ghaeilge in a supportive group. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

SPANISH CONVERSATION: Fluent and beginner speakers brush up on their español with a discussion led by a Spanish teacher. Presented by Dorothy Alling Memorial Library. 5-6 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, programs@damlvt.org.

lgbtq

THRIVE QTPOC MOVIE NIGHT: Each month, Pride Center of Vermont virtually screens a movie centered on queer and trans people of color. 6:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, thrive@ pridecentervt.org.

music

FARMERS NIGHT: KERUBO: Originally from Kenya, the Afro-jazz artist captivates audience members with her blend of blues, jazz and

FIND MORE LOCAL EVENTS IN THIS ISSUE AND ONLINE:

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

traditional African music. House Chamber, Vermont Statehouse, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 828-2228.

PAUL ASBELL: The veteran jazzman serenades concertgoers with his bluesy strains. Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, 7-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, 443-5221. outdoors

MARDI FULLER: RESCHEDULED. The first Black hiker to summit the N.H. 48 shares tales from her adventure. Presented by the Green Mountain Club. 7-8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, gmc@greenmountainclub. org.

SMUGGS 55+ SKI CLUB: Seniors who love to ski, snowboard and snowshoe hit the slopes after coffee and pastries. Smugglers’ Notch Resort, Jeffersonville, 9 a.m.-noon. $30 for annual membership. Info, president@ smuggs55plus.com.

TREASURE THE LIBRARY: Skiers or snowshoers who donate to the Craftsbury Public Library gain access to private trails through a magical cedar swamp for a designated time slot. 400 Post Rd., Craftsbury, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. $10-25 suggested donation; preregister. Info, 586-9683.

sports

GREEN MOUNTAIN TABLE

TENNIS CLUB: Ping-Pong players swing their paddles in singles and doubles matches. Rutland Area Christian School, 7-9 p.m. Free for first two sessions; $30 annual membership. Info, 247-5913.

MICHELOB ULTRA SKI BUM RACE SERIES: Teams of amateur skiers and snowboarders test their skills and speed at one of 10 downhill bouts. Killington Resort, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. $60; $250 per team. Info, events@killington.com.

talks

MARY LOU RECOR: An adventurer shares images and insights from her solo bike trip from Vancouver to Halifax. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 5:30-7 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

theater

‘THE BOOK OF MORMON’: SOLD OUT. In the latest Broadway tour to stop by the Queen City, two missionaries meet with more than they reckoned for during an attempt to convert a Ugandan village. The Flynn, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $50-120. Info, 863-5966.

words

FIRST WEDNESDAYS:

ILAN STAVANS: The Amherst College professor and author discusses his new book, The People’s Tongue: Americans and the English Language Presented by Vermont Humanities. 7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 754-6660.

= ONLINE EVENT

THU.2 business

TWO-PART BRANDING

WEBINAR: Jodi Lawaich of Rural Solutions teaches entrepreneurs four key aspects of getting their story out there. Presented by Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity. 10 a.m.-noon. Free; preregister. Info, 860-1417, ext. 112.

crafts

KNIT FOR YOUR NEIGHBORS: Yarnsmiths create hats and scarves to be donated to the South Burlington Food Shelf. All supplies provided. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 3-6 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

KNITTING GROUP: Knitters of all experience levels get together to spin yarns. Latham Library, Thetford, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 785-4361.

etc.

NIGHT OWL CLUB: Astronomers and space exploration experts discuss the latest in extraterrestrial news with curious attendees. Presented by Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium. 7 p.m. Free. Info, 748-2372.

film

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

‘SEA MONSTERS 3D’: See WED.1. ‘WILD AFRICA 3D’: See WED.1. ‘WINGS OVER WATER 3D’: See WED.1.

health & fitness

MINDFUL MOVEMENT

RESISTANCE BAND CLASS: Becky Widschenter leads a low-impact, strength-building and stressreducing workout. BYO band, or purchase one for $10. Waterbury Public Library, 6-6:45 p.m. Free; preregister; limited space. Info, 244-7036.

lgbtq

POP-UP HAPPY HOUR: Locals connect over drinks at a speakeasy-style bar. Hosted by OUT in the 802. Lincolns, Burlington, 5:30-7 p.m. Free. Info, 860-7812.

RURAL PROVIDER

EDUCATION SERIES:

INCLUSIVE PRACTICES AND BARRIERS TO ACCESS: Small-town medical providers learn how to support their queer and trans patients through sexual and domestic violence. Presented by Pride Center of Vermont’s SafeSpace Anti-Violence Program. 10-11 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, shea@pridecentervt.org.

montréal

‘WHAT ROUGH BEAST’: A controversial professor tears a campus apart in this Theatre Ouest End and Tantalus coproduction. Centaur Theatre, Montréal, 7:30 p.m. $20-30. Info, 514-288-3161.

music

FIRST THURSDAY CONCERT SERIES: AARON FLINN: The guitarist delivers phenomenal fingerpicking. Ten percent of bar sales benefits Make-A-Wish Vermont. Shelburne Vineyard, 6-8:30 p.m. Free; cash bar. Info, 985-8222.

KARAN CASEY: The awardwinning Irish vocalist captivates listeners with her folksy stylings. Next Stage Arts Project, Putney, 7 p.m. $22-25. Info, 387-0102.

outdoors

TREASURE THE LIBRARY: See WED.1.

VIRTUAL DISCUSSION WITH 2022 THRUPADDLERS: Several humans (and one dog) who completed the 740-mile Northern Forest Canoe Trail between New York, Canada and Maine discuss their experiences. 7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 496-2285.

politics

THOUGHT CLUB: Artists and activists convene to engage with Burlington‘s rich tradition of radical thought and envision its future. Democracy Creative, Burlington, 6-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, tevan@democracycreative.com.

seminars

BETHEL UNIVERSITY: Every day in March, locals take free outdoor and online classes on everything from thermodynamics to glassblowing to ice skating. See betheluniversityvt.org for full schedule. Various Bethel locations. Free; preregister. Info, bethel universityvt@gmail.com.

LIVING WILLS, POWER OF ATTORNEY & MORE: Lawyer Michael Caccano answers students’ questions about planning for unexpected scenarios. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield, 3:30-5 p.m. Free. Info, 426-3581.

talks

BRIAN LINDNER: Listeners hear three stories of airplane crashes along Vermont’s Long Trail. Presented by Green Mountain Club. 7-8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, gmc@ greenmountainclub.org.

tech

TECH SKILLS: PASSWORD

MANAGEMENT: Technology for Tomorrow teaches students all about keeping track of their passcodes. ADA accessible. Virtual option available. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 2-3:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, sbplprograms@southburlingtonvt. gov.

theater

‘THE BOOK OF MORMON’: See WED.1.

‘MURDER BY MEMBERSHIP

ONLY’: When a successful mystery writer is found dead, her colleagues must determine which of them is the killer in this madcap mystery from the Valley Players. See calendar spotlight.

FAMI LY FU N

Check out these family-friendly events for parents, caregivers and kids of all ages.

• Plan ahead at sevendaysvt.com/family-fun

Post your event at sevendaysvt.com/postevent.

WED.1 burlington

BABYTIME: Librarians bring out books, rhymes and songs specially selected for young ones. Pre-walkers and younger. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

CIRCUIT CIRCUS FESTIVAL: Hair-raising science shows, crowd-dazzling spectacles and hands-on activities spark the whole fam’s scientific curiosity. ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Regular admission, $14.50-18; free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

CRAFTERNOON: Crafts take over the Teen Space, from origami to stickers to fireworks in a jar. Ages 11 through 18. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 4-5 p.m. Free. Info, 540-2546.

STEAM SPACE: Kids explore science, technology, engineering, art and math activities. Ages 5 through 11. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 5-6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

chittenden county

BABYTIME: Teeny-tiny library patrons enjoy a gentle, slow story time featuring songs, rhymes and lap play. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

CRAFTERNOON: TREASURE BOXES: Little artists bedazzle and decorate little chests to keep their precious items in. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 2:303:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

CRAFTYTOWN!: From painting and printmaking to collage and sculpture, creative kids explore different projects and mediums. Ages 8 and up, or ages 6 and up with an adult helper. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 3-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

LEGO BUILDERS: Elementary-age imagineers explore, create and participate in challenges. Ages 8 and up, or ages 6 and up with an adult helper. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 3-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

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.

barre/montpelier

CHESS CLUB: Kids of all skill levels get one-on-one lessons and play each other in between. Ages 6 and up. KelloggHubbard Library, Montpelier, 3:30-5 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

WINTER BREAK CRAFT FESTIVAL: Over three days, crafty kids make cool creations from suncatchers to paper bag puppets. Kellogg-Hubbard Library,

MAR. 3 & 4 | FAMILY FUN

The Snow Glows White

Do you want to build a snowman? Families bundle up for some end-of-winter fun at Frozen Jr., the new production by Lost Nation Theater’s advanced-intermediate performance camp. Actors ages 9 through 15 bring the beloved story of Elsa and Anna to life onstage in an ensemble musical full of magic, jokes and sisterly love. The abridged play features everyone’s favorite tunes from the movie, including “Let It Go” and “Love Is an Open Door,” as well as new songs written for Broadway.

‘FROZEN JR.’

Friday, March 3, 7-8 p.m., and Saturday, March 4, 2-3 p.m. & 7-8 p.m., at Lost Nation Theater, Montpelier City Hall. $5-15. Info, 229-0492, lostnationtheater.org.

Montpelier, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

mad river valley/ waterbury

QUEER READS: LGBTQIA+ and allied youth get together each month to read and discuss ideas around gender, sexuality and identity. Waterbury Public Library, 6-7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 244-7036.

upper valley

PEABODY AFTERSCHOOL FUN FOR

GRADES 1-4: Students make friends over crafts and story time. George Peabody Library, Post Mills, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 333-9724.

THU.2 burlington

CIRCUIT CIRCUS FESTIVAL: See WED.1.

PRESCHOOL YOGA: Colleen from Grow Prenatal and Family Yoga leads little ones in songs, movement and other fun activities. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

FRI.3 burlington

CIRCUIT CIRCUS FESTIVAL: See WED.1.

chittenden county

KIDS’ MOVIES IN THE AUDITORIUM: Little film buffs congregate in the library’s Katie O’Brien Activity Room for a screening of a G-rated movie. See southburlingtonlibrary. org for each week’s title. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 1-3 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

TEEN FRIGHT NIGHT: Kids 13 through 18 hang out, eat popcorn and watch a freaky flick. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

barre/montpelier

‘FROZEN JR.’: LNT campers ages 9 through 15 bring Elsa, Anna and the icy kingdom of Arendelle to life. See calendar spotlight. Lost Nation Theater, Montpelier City Hall, 7-8 p.m. $5-15. Info, 229-0492.

WINTER BREAK CRAFT FESTIVAL: See WED.1, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

WINTER STORY TIME & PLAYGROUP: Participants ages 6 and under hear stories, sing songs and eat tasty treats between outdoor activities. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 426-3581.

mad river valley/ waterbury

TEEN NIGHT AFTER HOURS: Kids 12 through 18 have the place to themselves for a shindig featuring anime, pizza, balloons and games. Waterbury Public Library, 5-8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 244-7036.

upper valley

STORY TIME: Preschoolers take part in stories, songs and silliness. Latham Library, Thetford, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 785-4361.

chittenden county

MIDDLE SCHOOL MAKERS: COOKING: Students in grades 5 through 8 make delicious homemade snacks. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 4-5:30 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

PRESCHOOL MUSIC WITH LINDA

BASSICK: The singer and storyteller extraordinaire leads little ones in indoor music and movement. Birth through age 5. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

PRESCHOOL PLAYTIME: Pre-K patrons play and socialize after music time. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: Books, songs, rhymes, sign language lessons and math activities make for well-educated youngsters. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 10-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

barre/montpelier

FUSE BEAD CRAFTERNOONS: Youngsters make pictures out of colorful, meltable doodads. Ages 8 and up. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 3:30-5 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: Energetic youngsters join Miss Meliss for stories, songs and lots of silliness. KelloggHubbard Library, Montpelier, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

WINTER BREAK CRAFT FESTIVAL: See WED.1.

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 PLAY & READ: Outdoor activities, stories and songs get 3- and 4-year-olds engaged. Waterbury Public Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

northeast kingdom

‘ONWARD’: Two brothers go off in search of magic and one last chance to see their late father in this Pixar romp. Catamount Arts Center, St. Johnsbury, 1:30 p.m. Free. Info, 748-2600.

northeast kingdom

‘INCREDIBLES 2’: Everyone’s favorite super family returns to save the world in this stupendous sequel. Catamount Arts Center, St. Johnsbury, 1:30 p.m. Free. Info, 748-2600.

ACORN CLUB STORY TIME: Kids 5 and under play, sing, hear stories and take home a fun activity. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 10-11 a.m. Free; preregister; limited space. Info, 745-1391.

SING-ALONG: Kids of all ages enjoy original and traditional music from Ed “The Music Man” Morgan. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 745-1391.

SAT.4 burlington

CIRCUIT CIRCUS FESTIVAL: See WED.1. 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.

ICE, ICE, BABY! LIVE ICE SCULPTING

EVENT: Eight sculptors craft masterworks in real time for all to see. Church Street Marketplace, Burlington, 11 a.m.-1

COURTESY OF WAYNE FAWBUSH

Valley Players Theater, Waitsfield, 7-9 p.m. $10-18. Info, 583-1674.

words

PECHAKUCHA NIGHT

BURLINGTON: Participants in this Japanese storytelling phenomenon tell a tale through 20 images, with only 20 seconds to explain each one. The Flynn, Burlington, 7 p.m. $10. Info, 863-5966.

FRI.3

dance

ENGLISH COUNTRY DANCE: Locals get their Jane Austen on at a British ball where all the dances are run through beforehand. Wear casual, comfortable clothes. ElleyLong Music Center, Saint Michael’s College, Colchester, newcomers’ lesson, 6:30 p.m.; dance, 7-9:30 p.m. $10-15; preregister. Info, val. medve@gmail.com.

etc.

SPIRITUAL READINGS WITH RED

SAPPHIRE: Reiki master Lisa Condon offers intuitive guidance to audience members. Hilton Burlington, 7 p.m. $45-99. Info, 333-1512.

fairs & festivals

THE VERMONT FLOWER SHOW: Green thumbs gaze at arrangements inspired by the theme “Out of Hibernation! Spring Comes to the 100-Acre Wood.” See calendar spotlight. Champlain Valley Exposition, Essex Junction, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. $7-25; free for kids 4 and under. Info, kristina@vnlavt. org.

film

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

‘THE BUTTERFLY QUEEN’: A farmer and a vagabond must defeat a nefarious fae in this farmpunk fairy-tale feature, homegrown in the Northeast Kingdom. Q&A with the cast and crew follows. Catamount Arts Center, St. Johnsbury, 7 p.m. $6-9. Info, 748-2600.

‘SEA MONSTERS 3D’: See WED.1.

‘WILD AFRICA 3D’: See WED.1.

‘WINGS OVER WATER 3D’: See WED.1.

food & drink

ADVENTURE DINNER FONDUE

POP-UP PARTY: This rollicking gouda time features Jasper Hill cheese dip, shareable apps and plenty of cocktails. Haymaker Bun, Middlebury, 5, 5:30, 7 & 7:30 p.m. Cost of food and drink; preregister. Info, 248-224-7539.

games

MAH-JONGG: Tile traders of all experience levels gather for a game session. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 1-3 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

health & fitness

ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION

EXERCISE PROGRAM: Those in need of an easy-on-the-joints workout experience an hour of calming, low-impact movement. Waterbury Public Library, 10:3011:30 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 244-7036.

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.

language

ADVANCED INTERMEDIATE

ITALIAN CONVERSATION: Semifluent speakers practice their skills during a slow conversazione about the news. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, noon-1:30 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

montréal

‘WHAT ROUGH BEAST’: See THU.2.

music

CHORAL CHAMELEON: The New York City choir gets audiences on its frequency with an adventurous, experimental show. Live stream available. Robison Hall, Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, 7:30 p.m. $5-25. Info, 443-6433.

EMMET COHEN TRIO: Sensitive, soulful stylings stun audiences when the virtuoso pianist and his backup band take the stage. University of Vermont Recital Hall, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $6.2038.25. Info, 656-4455.

KARAN CASEY: See THU.2. Highland Center for the Arts, Greensboro, 7-8:30 p.m. $10-20. Info, 533-2000.

VERMONT MANDOLIN TRIO: Three of Vermont’s finest mandolinists pick their way through a plethora of genres. Chandler Center for the Arts, Randolph, 7-9:30 p.m. Pay what you can. Info, 728-9878.

outdoors

OWL PROWL: Hikers snowshoe through the forest searching for nocturnal neighbors. BYO flashlights or headlamps. Vermont Institute of Natural Science, Quechee, 5:30-7 p.m. $11.5013.50; preregister; limited space. Info, 359-5000.

TREASURE THE LIBRARY: See WED.1.

politics

EEE LECTURES: CALVIN CUTLER: The Education & Enrichment for Everyone series continues with the reporter’s legislative update. Virtual option available. Faith United Methodist Church, South Burlington, 2-3 p.m. Free. Info, info@eeevermont.org.

seminars

BETHEL UNIVERSITY: See THU.2.

The Rest Is Mystery

Murder mystery meets comedy at the Valley Players’ Murder by Membership Only, a side-splitting send-up of the golden age of whodunits. When successful author Octavia Sturges turns up dead at the Orczy Club, a meeting place for female mystery writers, her colleagues must use their dubious detective skills to uncover their greatest competitor’s killer. Was it the club’s has-been owner, Sturges’ long-suffering secretary or someone hoping to take her place on the bestseller list? An all-woman cast brings the suspects, each of whom has their own secrets and possible motivations, to life in this funny, suspenseful play.

‘MURDER BY MEMBERSHIP ONLY’

Thursday, March 2, through Saturday, March 4, 7-9 p.m.; and Sunday, March 5, 2-4 p.m., at Valley Players Theater in Waitsfield. See website for additional dates. $10-18. Info, 583-1674, valleyplayers.com.

sports

SLASH & BERM BANKED

SLALOM: Snowboarders of all ages shred to raise funds for a community member’s medical expenses over a full weekend of fun. See killington.com for full schedule. Killington Resort, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. $25-60. Info, 800-734-9435.

theater

‘ANYTHING GOES’: The North Country Community Theatre

Teens give their all in Cole Porter’s classic Broadway musical about a shipboard romance on a transatlantic cruise. Lebanon Opera House, N.H., 7:30 p.m. $11.5015.50. Info, 603-448-0400.

‘MURDER BY MEMBERSHIP

ONLY’: See THU.2.

SAT.4 cannabis

CANNABIS FARMERS MARKET:

MEET YOUR MAKER: Gram Central and Northern Craft

Cannabis host an opportunity for customers to connect with cultivators and ask questions about hot topics in the weed world. Caledonia Spirits, Montpelier, 5-8 p.m. Free. Info, 262-1701.

dance

MONTPELIER CONTRA DANCE:

To live tunes and gender-neutral calling, dancers balance, shadow and do-si-do the night away. N95, KN94, KN95 or 3-ply surgical masks required. Capital City Grange, Berlin, beginners’ lesson, 7:40 p.m.; dance, 8-11 p.m. $5-20. Info, 225-8921.

fairs & festivals

THE VERMONT FLOWER SHOW: See FRI.3.

film

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

‘THE BUTTERFLY QUEEN’: See FRI.3.

Store & Café, Burlington, noon-4 p.m. Free. Info, 864-1807.

HEALTHY BREAKFAST

MEAL PREP COOK-ALONG: Nutritional therapist Lili Hanft demonstrates recipes for a week of wholesome morning meals. Presented by City Market, Onion River Co-op. 10-11:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, info@citymarket. coop.

LU•LU GOAT MILK GELATO LAUNCH & TASTING PARTY: Scoops are complementary at this flavor reveal fiesta featuring a presentation by Yves Gonnet of Huntington’s Midnight Goat Farm. Lu•lu, Vergennes, noon-2 p.m. Free. Info, 777-3933.

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.

JIGSAW PUZZLE SWAP: Kids’ and adults’ puzzles make prime bartering material. Puzzles must be complete and include a picture of the completed image. Essex Free Library, 10 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 879-0313.

montréal

‘WHAT ROUGH BEAST’: See THU.2, 1:30 & 7:30 p.m.

music

‘THE BEAUTY WE LOVE’: Grammy Award-winning cellist Eugene Friesen and singer-songwriter Elizabeth Rogers offer an intimate, coffeehouse-style concert. Unitarian Church of Rutland, 7:309:30 p.m. $15-20. Info, 775-0850.

MEDIA FACTORY ORIENTATION:

Once aspiring filmmakers have taken this virtual tour of the studio, they have access to the full suite of gear and facilities. RETN & VCAM Media Factory, Burlington, 1-2 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 651-9692.

‘SEA MONSTERS 3D’: See WED.1.

‘WILD AFRICA 3D’: See WED.1. ‘WINGS OVER WATER 3D’: See WED.1.

food & drink

ADVENTURE DINNER FONDUE

POP-UP PARTY: See FRI.3.

CAPITAL CITY WINTER FARMERS

MARKET: Root veggies, honey, maple syrup and more change hands at an off-season celebration of locally grown food.

Caledonia Spirits, Montpelier, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, manager@ montpelierfarmersmarket.com.

CHOCOLATE MAKING DEMO: A master chocolatier makes maple buttercrunch bark right before the eyes of drop-in visitors. Lake Champlain Chocolates Factory

JORMA KAUKONEN: A founding member of Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna displays his unparalleled fretwork over an evening of old favorites and original blues tunes. Double E Performance Center’s T-Rex Theater, Essex Junction, 8-11 p.m. $55-80. Info, 876-7152.

MARK ERELLI: An award-winning multi-instrumentalist draws from his diverse catalog of murder ballads, western swing jams and singer-songwriter tearjerkers. Ripton Community House, 7:309:30 p.m. $15-25. Info, 388-9782.

PLAY EVERY TOWN: Prolific pianist David Feurzeig and guest cellist Linda Galvan continue a four-year, statewide series of shows in protest of high-pollution worldwide concert tours. Donations benefit 350 Vermont. Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Jericho, 7 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 321-614-0591.

WATCHHOUSE: SOLD OUT. The duo formerly known as Mandolin Orange share expertly crafted coffeehouse tunes. Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, Stowe

COURTESY OF PHOTOS BY KINTZ

Mountain Resort, 7 p.m. $25-35. Info, 760-4634.

outdoors

LEARN TO XC SKI: Adventurers ages 8 and up learn to crosscountry ski courtesy of the Catamount Trail Association. All equipment provided. North Branch Nature Center, Montpelier, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free; preregister; limited space. Info, 229-6206.

TREASURE THE LIBRARY: See WED.1.

WINTER TREE AND TRACKING

BIOBLITZ DAY: RESCHEDULED. Community scientists at all levels team up to log animal tracks and local tree species. Green Mountain Audubon Center, Huntington, 9 a.m.-noon. Free; preregister. Info, 434-3068.

seminars

BETHEL UNIVERSITY: See THU.2.

LEMON’S HOPE SANCTUARY

FUNDRAISER: WORKING

WITH FEAR, AGGRESSION & REACTIVITY BEHAVIOR: Dog trainer Debbie Jacobs gives a daylong masterclass in dealing with difficult dogs. Lemon’s Hope Sanctuary, Brattleboro, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Donations. Info, 689-0707.

sports

SLASH & BERM BANKED

SLALOM: See FRI.3, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

theater

‘ANYTHING GOES’: See FRI.3, 2 & 7:30 p.m.

CIRCUS SPECTACULAR: Highflying aerialists, acrobats and jugglers from around the globe dazzle audience members at this New England Center for Circus Arts fundraiser. Virtual option available. Latchis Hotel & Theater, Brattleboro, 7:30 p.m. $15-50. Info, 254-9780.

‘MURDER BY MEMBERSHIP

ONLY’: See THU.2.

‘RED, WHITE AND BLACKLISTED’: Donny Osman stars in this drama based on the life and letters of Dalton Trumbo, a screenwriter who was renowned until his banishment from Hollywood during the Red Scare. Main Street Museum, White River Junction, 7:30 p.m. $20 suggested donation. Info, info@ mainstreetmuseum.org.

words

AIMEE HOBEN: An author signs copies of her debut novel, The Third Way, which follows a college student who becomes the reluctant leader of a movement to abolish corporations. Bridgeside Books, Waterbury, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 244-1441.

ANDY NAGY-BENSON AND ANDI

LLOYD: A pastor and an ecologist read from their book, Letters

From the Ecotone: Ecology, Theology and Climate Change Bill McKibben offers opening remarks. Congregational Church of Middlebury, 4-5:30 p.m. Free. Info, lloyd.andi@gmail.com.

FRIENDS OF ISLEY LIBRARY

BOOK SALE: Books of all genres for all ages go on sale, and all

proceeds fund library programming. Ilsley Public Library, Middlebury, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 388-4095.

SUN.5

etc.

SPIRITUAL READINGS WITH RED SAPPHIRE: See FRI.3, 10 a.m.

fairs & festivals

THE VERMONT FLOWER SHOW: See FRI.3, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

film

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

MNFF SELECTS FILM SERIES:

‘GOLDA’: Never-before-seen archival footage tells the story of the turbulent tenure of Israel’s first and only female prime minister. Town Hall Theater, Middlebury, 2 p.m. $14-16. Info, 382-9222.

‘THE QUARRY PROJECT’: A 40-minute film captures last summer’s sold-out, site-specific dance theater performance at Wells Lamson quarry. Q&A follows. Catamount Arts Center, St. Johnsbury, 2 p.m. $5 suggested donation. Info, 748-2600.

‘SEA MONSTERS 3D’: See WED.1.

‘WILD AFRICA 3D’: See WED.1.

‘WINGS OVER WATER 3D’: See WED.1.

food & drink

WINTER FARMERS MARKET:

Shoppers sip a local beer while browsing local bites at this wintertime hub for local growers, bakers and crafters. Four Quarters Brewing, Winooski, noon-3 p.m. Free. Info, 391-9120.

health & fitness

COMMUNITY MINDFULNESS

PRACTICE: New and experienced meditators are always welcome to join this weekly practice in the tradition of Thich Nhat

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.

Hahn. Sangha Studio — Pine, Burlington, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, newleafsangha@gmail.com.

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.

montréal

‘WHAT ROUGH BEAST’: See THU.2, 1:30 p.m.

music

ALWAYS ON SUNDAY: THE COACH’S CORNER: Opera aficionados get to see how a role comes to life with an exclusive peek into a rehearsal with vocal coach Louis Burkot and soprano Nina Evelyn Anderson. Presented by Opera North. 2 p.m. $20; preregister. Info, 603-448-4141.

THE BUSCH TRIO: The Dutch piano trio plays Haydn, Mendelssohn and Rachmaninoff. South Church Hall, St. Johnsbury, 3-5 p.m. $20. Info, 748-7135.

outdoors

FULL MOON SUNDAY: Nordic skiers traverse lighted trails, followed by live music and nourishment around the fire. Sleepy Hollow Inn Ski & Bike Center, Huntington, 4-9 p.m. $21-41; free for kids under 7. Info, 484-2283.

TREASURE THE LIBRARY: See WED.1.

seminars

BETHEL UNIVERSITY: See THU.2.

sports

SLASH & BERM BANKED

SLALOM: See FRI.3, 9 a.m.-noon.

theater

‘ANYTHING GOES’: See FRI.3, 3 p.m.

CIRCUS SPECTACULAR: See SAT.4, 1 p.m.

‘MURDER BY MEMBERSHIP

ONLY’: See THU.2, 2-4 p.m.

‘RED, WHITE AND BLACKLISTED’: See SAT.4, 3 p.m.

MON.6 climate crisis

SEAN CASTEN: The Illinois congressman and Middlebury College alum talks about his attempts to fight climate change with legislation. Dana Auditorium, Sunderland Language Center, Middlebury College, 4:30-6 p.m. Free. Info, jwiseman@middlebury.edu.

crafts

FIBER ARTS FREE-FOR-ALL: Makers make friends while working on their knitting, sewing, felting and beyond. Artistree Community Arts Center Theatre & Gallery, South Pomfret, 6-8 p.m.

CHERISH the LADIES

Saturday, March 11, 7:30

Barre Opera House

“It is simply impossible to imagine an audience that wouldn’t enjoy what they do.” - The Boston Globe

802-476-8188 or order barreoperahouse.org

Free. Info, theknittinkittenvt@ gmail.com.

KNIT FOR YOUR NEIGHBORS: See THU.2.

dance

WEST AFRICAN DANCE CLASS: Live drummers soundtrack a fun, joyful lesson for all experience levels. Dance Theatre, Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, 5-6:30 p.m. Free. Info, mabbatiello@ middlebury.edu.

film

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

‘SEA MONSTERS 3D’: See WED.1. ‘WILD AFRICA 3D’: See WED.1. ‘WINGS OVER WATER 3D’: See WED.1.

health & fitness

ADVANCED TAI CHI: Experienced movers build strength, improve balance and reduce stress. Holley Hall, Bristol, 11 a.m.-noon. Free; donations accepted. Info, jerry@ skyrivertaichi.com.

LONG-FORM SUN 73: Beginners and experienced practitioners learn how tai chi can help with arthritis, mental clarity and range of motion. Holley Hall, Bristol, 11 a.m.-noon. Free; donations accepted. Info, wirlselizabeth@ gmail.com.

YANG 24: This simplified tai chi method is perfect for beginners looking to build strength and balance. Congregational Church of Middlebury, 3:30-5:30 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, wirlselizabeth@gmail.com.

lgbtq

RURAL PROVIDER EDUCATION

SERIES: INCLUSIVE PRACTICES AND BARRIERS TO ACCESS: See THU.2, 2-3 p.m.

music

TOTO: The best-selling band behind “Africa” stops in the Green Mountain State along their Dogs of Oz world tour. Paramount Theatre, Rutland, 7:30 p.m. $69.50-89.50. Info, 775-0903.

outdoors

TREASURE THE LIBRARY: See WED.1.

seminars

BETHEL UNIVERSITY: See THU.2.

words

‘VERMONT ALMANAC: STORIES FROM & FOR THE LAND, VOL. III’: Contributors Edith Forbes and Chuck Wooster, alongside editors Virginia Barlow and Patrick White, get together for an evening of storytelling. Norwich Bookstore, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 649-1114.

ADDISON COUNTY WRITERS

COMPANY: Poets, playwrights, novelists and memoirists of every experience level meet weekly for an MFA-style workshop. Swift House Inn, Middlebury, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, jay@zigzaglitmag.org.

Bloom With a View

Winter may be lingering, but spring has already sprung at the Vermont Flower Show, one of the country’s most unique floral affairs. This year’s theme, “Out of Hibernation! Spring Comes to the 100-Acre Wood,” sees the 15,000-square-foot grand garden display evoke the magical world of Winnie the Pooh, with shrub- and tulip-laden pathways leading visitors past Piglet’s house, Eeyore’s bog, Rabbit’s garden and other storybook locales. There’s also a vendor fair featuring botanical delights of all varieties, a bevy of workshops and seminars for growing green thumbs, and an after-dark gala fundraiser for social butterflies.

THE VERMONT FLOWER SHOW

Friday, March 3, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Saturday, March 4, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; and Sunday, March 5, 10 a.m.4 p.m., at Champlain Valley Exposition in Essex Junction. $7-25; free for kids 4 and under. Info, kristina@vnlavt.org, vnlavt.org.

TUE.7 community

CURRENT EVENTS DISCUSSION GROUP: Brownell Library hosts a virtual roundtable for neighbors to pause and reflect on the news cycle. 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6955.

dance

SWING DANCING: Local Lindy hoppers and jitterbuggers convene at Vermont Swings’ weekly boogie-down. Bring clean shoes. Beginner lessons, 6:30 p.m. Champlain Club, Burlington, 7:309 p.m. $5. Info, 864-8382.

film

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

‘SEA MONSTERS 3D’: See WED.1.

‘WILD AFRICA 3D’: See WED.1.

‘WINGS OVER WATER 3D’: See WED.1.

food & drink

COOKBOOK CLUB: Amber & Rye: A Baltic Food Journey by Zuza Zak inspires a potluck. ADA accessible.

South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 5:30-7 p.m. Free;

preregister. Info, sbplprograms@ southburlingtonvt.gov.

outdoors

TREASURE THE LIBRARY: See WED.1, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

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

Presented by Kellogg-Hubbard Library and the League of Women Voters of Vermont. 7-8:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 229-4737.

community

CURRENT EVENTS: Neighbors have an informal discussion about what’s in the news. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 878-4918.

SPRING MENTOR TRAINING: See WED.1.

crafts

GREEN MOUNTAIN CHAPTER OF THE EMBROIDERER’S 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.

environment

NATURALIST JOURNEYS 2023:

SPENCER HARDY: A biologist discusses the more than 350 species of wild bees that make Vermont their home. North Branch Nature Center, Montpelier, 6:30-8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 229-6206.

etc.

language

ELL CLASSES: ENGLISH FOR BEGINNERS & INTERMEDIATE STUDENTS: See WED.1. IRISH LANGUAGE CLASS: See WED.1.

lgbtq

MOMENTUM MONTHLY

VIRTUAL SOCIAL HOUR: LGBTQ folks ages 55 and up gather to make new friends and connect with old ones. Presented by Pride Center of Vermont. 6-7 p.m. Free. Info, eeka@pridecentervt.org.

montréal

‘WHAT ROUGH BEAST’: See THU.2, 1 & 7:30 p.m.

music

IL DIVO: The internationally acclaimed quartet sings its unique blend of modern and opera music. The Flynn, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $89-128. Info, 863-5966.

outdoors

SMUGGS 55+ SKI CLUB: See WED.1.

seminars

BETHEL UNIVERSITY: See THU.2.

seminars

BETHEL UNIVERSITY: See THU.2.

words

BARON WORMSER: The poet reads from and discusses The History Hotel, his newest collection, and a new edition of his essay collection The Road Washes Out in Spring. Norwich Bookstore, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 649-1114.

VIRGINIA WOOLF BOOK

DISCUSSION: The Burlington Literature Group reads and analyzes the foundational author’s novels Mrs. Dalloway To the Lighthouse and The Waves over nine weeks. 6:30-8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, info@ nereadersandwriters.com.

WED.8 business

QUEEN CITY BUSINESS

NETWORKING INTERNATIONAL GROUP: See WED.1.

climate crisis

THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON VERMONT: WHAT CAN WE DO?: An expert panel contemplates future action.

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.

film

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

‘THE FULL MONTY’: A crew of unemployed steel workers in the north of England decide to make some cash by becoming Chippendales-style dancers in this 1997 comedy. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 426-3581.

NXT ROCKUMENTARY FILM

SERIES: ‘SEARCHING FOR SUGAR

MAN’: This 2012 documentary about two South African fans’ obsession with musician Sixto Rodriguez is next in this screening series from Next Stage Arts and Next Chapter Records. Next Stage Arts Project, Putney, 7 p.m. $10 suggested donation. Info, 387-0102.

‘SEA MONSTERS 3D’: See WED.1. ‘WILD AFRICA 3D’: See WED.1.

‘WINGS OVER WATER 3D’: See WED.1.

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: See WED.1.

sports

GREEN MOUNTAIN TABLE TENNIS CLUB: See WED.1. MICHELOB ULTRA SKI BUM RACE SERIES: See WED.1.

theater

‘SWEAT’: A decline in the manufacturing industry unravels decades-old ties in a Pennsylvania factory town in the Pulitzer Prize-winning play presented by Northern Stage. Barrette Center for the Arts, White River Junction, 7:30 p.m. $5-69. Info, 296-7000.

‘AIRNESS’: A 1980s-inspired feel-good comedy, presented by Vermont Stage, follows a woman who finds community in the air guitar competition circuit. Black Box Theater, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $31.0538.50. Info, 862-1497.

words

AMITAV GHOSH: The climate activist reads from his latest work, The Nutmeg’s Curse: Parables for a Planet in Crisis. Q&A and signing follow. Ira Allen Chapel, University of Vermont, Burlington, 5-6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 656-3056.

LYNN STEGER STRONG: RESCHEDULED. The acclaimed author reads from Flight, her new novel about the tensions that arise between siblings during their first Christmas without their mother. Norwich Bookstore, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 649-1114.

POETRY POTLUCK: Wordsmiths and readers bring a dish and a poem (their own or others’) to share. Whirligig Brewing, St. Johnsbury, 7-9 p.m. Free. Info, acampbell@catamountarts.org. ➆

SAT.4 « P.69 p.m. Free. Info, churchstmarketplace@gmail. com.

chittenden county

TOPLOADER DECORATION AND PHOTO

BOOTH: To mark the third anniversary of the start of lockdown, patrons decorate cases to hold their vaccination cards and Polaroid pictures. 6th grade and up. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3-4 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

VT READS PODCAST INTERVIEWS: Friends and families in third grade and up are interviewed for a local teen-produced podcast. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 9 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 878-6956.

barre/montpelier

‘FROZEN JR.’: See FRI.3, 2-3 & 7-8 p.m.

stowe/smuggs

MUSICAL STORY TIME: Song, dance and other tuneful activities supplement picture books for kids 2 through 5. Morristown Centennial Library, Morrisville, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 888-3853.

northeast kingdom

SATURDAY CREATIVE FAMILIES INITIATIVE:

‘TIME OUT’: The Rural Arts Collaborative leads artsy activities for creative kids ages 6 through 12 while parents socialize over tea and coffee on the second floor. Grass Roots Art and Community Effort, Hardwick, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, info@ruralartsvt.org.

SUN.5

burlington

CIRCUIT CIRCUS FESTIVAL: See WED.1.

MON.6

burlington

CIRCUIT CIRCUS FESTIVAL: See WED.1.

MANGA MONDAY: Lovers of Japanese graphic novels get together for snacks and discussion. Ages 11 through 18. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 540-2546.

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.

barre/montpelier

WINTER BREAK CRAFT FESTIVAL: See WED.1, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

northeast kingdom

ACORN CLUB STORY TIME: See FRI.3, 2-2:30 p.m.

DANCE PARTY MONDAYS: Little ones 5 and under get groovy together. Siblings welcome. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 10-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 745-1391.

TUE.7 burlington

CIRCUIT CIRCUS FESTIVAL: See WED.1, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

RED CARPET PURIM: Community members dress their best for a swanky celebration of the Jewish holiday. Hilton Burlington, 4 p.m. $10-18; preregister. Info, 658-5770.

SING-ALONG WITH LINDA BASSICK: Babies, toddlers and preschoolers sing, dance and wiggle along with Linda. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

chittenden county

PLAYGROUP & FAMILY SUPPORT: Families with children under age 5 play and connect with others in the community. Winooski Memorial Library, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 655-6424.

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: Little ones enjoy a cozy session of reading, rhyming and singing. Birth through age 5. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

barre/montpelier

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: See THU.2. WINTER BREAK CRAFT FESTIVAL: See WED.1, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

WED.8

JUMP ON BOARD FOR SUCCESS (JOBS): SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT FOR YOUTH: Caregivers learn about work opportunities for youth ages 16 through 22 with mental health challenges. Presented by Vermont Family Network. 1-2 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 876-5315.

burlington

BABYTIME: See WED.1.

CEREAL TOURNAMENT: In honor of National Cereal Day, teens taste test up and down the bracket to determine the Queen City’s favorite breakfast treat. Ages 11 through 18. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 4-6 p.m. Free. Info, 540-2546.

CRAFTERNOON: See WED.1.

STEAM SPACE: See WED.1.

chittenden county

BABYTIME: See WED.1.

LEGO BUILDERS: See WED.1.

MOVIE MATINEE: Film lovers have a familyfriendly afternoon at this screening of an animated favorite. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3:15-4:45 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

PLAY TIME: See WED.1.

barre/montpelier

CHESS CLUB: See WED.1.

mad river valley/ waterbury

LEGO CHALLENGE CLUB: Kids engage in a fun-filled hour of building, then leave their creations on display in the library all month long. Ages 6 through 8. Waterbury Public Library, 3-4 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 244-7036.

upper valley

PEABODY AFTERSCHOOL FUN FOR GRADES

1-4: See WED.1. K

classes

THE FOLLOWING CLASS LISTINGS ARE PAID ADVERTISEMENTS. ANNOUNCE YOUR CLASS FOR AS LITTLE AS $16.75/WEEK (INCLUDES SIX PHOTOS AND UNLIMITED DESCRIPTION ONLINE). SUBMIT YOUR CLASS AD AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTCLASS.

art

DAVIS STUDIO ART CLASSES:

Discover your happy place in one of our weekly classes. Making art boosts emotional well-being and brings joy to your life, especially when you connect with other art enthusiasts. Select the ongoing program that’s right for you. Now enrolling youths and adults for classes in drawing, painting and fused glass.

Location: Davis Studio, 916 Shelburne Rd., S. Burlington. Info: 425-2700, davisstudiovt. com.

LIFE DRAWING:

Two-hour drawing class with a clothed model.

Instruction is self-led. We focus on shorter poses ranging from one to 20 minutes. Super fun, very casual. Beginners encouraged to join. Every Tue., 6-8 p.m. Cost: $10/2-hour class. Location: Karma Birdhouse Gallery, 47 Maple St., Burlington. Info: Kirsten Hurley, 503-8773, kirsten.hurley@gmail. com, kirstenhurley.com.

craft

CHAIR MAKING, SPOONS, BASKETS!: Learn the fundamentals of Windsor or ladder-back chair making in a weeklong workshop! A variety of workshops are on the schedule from Mar. to Oct., many featuring guest instructors coming in to teach related skills such as spoon carving and basket weaving. Open to all skill levels. All tools & materials provided.

Location: Chairmaker’s Workshop, Charlotte. Info: Eric Cannizzaro, 360-528-1952, ericcannizzaro. com.

dance

SWING DANCING WITH VERMONT

SWINGS: Swing is a partner dance to jazz music from the 1920s to 1940s. is monthlong series is for people new to swing dancing. You’ll learn the basics of how people move, communicate and have fun while swing dancing.

Let’s get you out on the dance floor! Every Tue. in Mar., 6:30-7:30 p.m. Cost: $15/week; students $10/week; $50 for 4-week series.

Location: Vermont Swings at the Champlain Club, 20 Crowley St., Burlington. Info: Sarah King, 2341240, contact@vermontswings. com, vermontswings.com.

martial arts

AIKIDO: THE POWER OF HARMONY: Discover the dynamic, flowing martial art of aikido. Learn how to relax under pressure and cultivate core power, aerobic fitness and resiliency. Aikido techniques emphasize throws, pinning techniques and the growth of internal power. e circular movements emphasize blending rather than blocking.

Visitors should watch a class before joining. Beginners’ classes 5 days/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, 951-8900, bpincus@burlingtonaikido.org, burlingtonaikido.org.

GMMAC INCLUSIVE MARTIAL

herbs

HERBAL ROOTS

APPRENTICESHIP: is seasonal course emphasizes hands-on learning and is ideal for those who are new to herbs but keen to make them part of their daily lives. Topics include herb gardening, harvesting, medicine making, herbal justice, energetic concepts, basic physiology and first aid. Students take home a full kit of remedies, seeds for next year’s gardens and a strong skill set for self-care! Every Mon., Apr. 10-Nov 6, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Cost: $2,730/210hour course. Location: Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism, 123 Pitkin Rd, Plainfield. Info: 224-7100, info@vtherbcenter.org, vtherbcenter.org.

language

SPANISH CLASSES FOR ALL

AGES: Premier native-speaking Spanish professor Maigualida Rak is giving fun, interactive online lessons to improve comprehension and pronunciation and to achieve fluency. Audiovisual material is used. “I feel proud to say that my students have significantly improved their Spanish with my teaching approach.”

—Maigualida Rak. Info: 881-0931, spanishtutor.vtfla@gmail.com, facebook.com/spanishonlinevt.

ARTS: Green Mountain Martial Arts Collaborative offers martial arts that will strengthen your body and your mind. We foster a collaborative community for a diverse range of individuals. Our practices include Muay ai, Brazilian jiu jitsu, Filipino and ai combat arts. First class is always free! Membership, drop-in or private training available. See our website for rates.

Location: Green Mountain Martial Arts Collaborative, 274 N. Winooski Ave. #3, Burlington. Info: 316-8896, info@ greenmountainmartialarts.com, greenmountainmartialarts.com.

VERMONT BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU:

We offer a legitimate Brazilian jiu-jitsu training program for men, women and children in a friendly, safe and positive environment. Julio Cesar “Foca” Fernandez Nunes; CBJJP and IBJJF seventh-degree Carlson Gracie Sr. Coral Belt-certified instructor; teaching in Vermont, born and raised in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil! A two-time world masters champion, fivetime Brazilian jiu-jitsu national champion, three-time Rio de Janeiro state champion and Gracie Challenge champion. Accept no limitations!. 1st class is free. Location: Vermont Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, 55 Leroy Rd., Williston. Info: 598-2839, julio@bjjusa.com, vermontbjj.com.

music

DJEMBE & TAIKO DRUMMING: JOIN US!: New classes (outdoors mask optional/masks indoors).

Taiko Tue. and Wed.; Djembe Wed.; Kids & Parents Tue. and Wed. Conga classes by request! Schedule/register online.

Location: Taiko Space, 208 Flynn Ave., Suite 3G, Burlington. Info: 999-4255, spaton55@gmail.com, burlingtontaiko.org.

performing arts

THE ACTOR’S LAB: PRECHARACTER: A mosaic approach to explore the art of the actor in pre-character state. Exploration on various themes: body & space, word & space, presence, etc. e teacher is a professionally trained actor and director with experience from France, Canada, Vermont, NYC & Italy. Excellent training for the serious and creative! Join us! Mar. 9, 16, 23 & 30, 6-8 p.m. Cost: $120/8 hours. Location: Studio GGP, 171 Orr Rd., Jericho. Info: Georgette GarbesPutzel, 735-7912, georgett@mac. com, garbesputzel.com.

well-being

WOMEN’S TRANSFORMATIVE RETREAT: is transformational retreat is for women seeking personal growth, inspiration and a stronger connection with their spirit. You will be led through group healings and various workshops for empowering the soul, elevating the mind-body-spirit connection and creating the changes you are looking for in your life. Apr. 27, 4 p.m.-Apr. 30, 11 a.m. Cost: $933/4-day retreat, incl. meals. Accommodations avail. through separate group rate. Location: Windjammer Inn & Conference Center, 1076 Williston Rd., S. Burlington. Info: Cheryl Banfield, 207-216-9584, info@lovelightilluminations.com, lovelightilluminations.com.

AYURVEDIC INTEGRATION

PROGRAM: Learn to integrate Ayurveda as lifestyle medicine that can prevent or reverse chronic disease, increase energy, promote longevity, and reduce stress, anxiety and depression. Specialized seasonal and daily Ayurvedic routines, holistic nutrition, stress-reduction techniques, and self-care will be taught. Sat. & Sun. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. 2023: Oct. 14-15, Nov. 4-5, Dec. 2-3; 2024:

Jan. 6-7, Feb. 3-4, Mar. 9-10, Apr. 6-7, May 4-5, Jun. 8-9, Jul. 13-14.

Cost: $2,895/200-hour program.

Location: e Ayurvedic Center of Vermont, 34 Oak Hill Rd., Williston. Info: Allison Morse, 8728898, info@ayurvedavermont. com, ayurvedavermont.com.

POSTPARTUM DOULA TRAINING: Serve women and families in your community during a time of huge transition and growth by becoming an Ayurveda postpartum doula. You will learn about pregnancy, birth and postpartum through the lens and language of Ayurveda while receiving training in traditional postpartum care practices, balanced with practical understanding for modern women. Apr. 3-7, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Cost: $995/weeklong workshop w/ VSAC grants avail. Location: e Ayurvedic Center of Vermont, 34 Oak Hill Rd., Williston. Info: Allison Morse, 872-8898, info@ayurvedavermont.com, ayurvedavermont.com.

Now hear this!

Gator

AGE/SEX: 7-year-old neutered male

ARRIVAL DATE: February 6, 2022

SUMMARY: Sweet Gator came to us when his owner went into hospice care. He has been through quite the transition with the stress of losing his person but has settled in well at HSCC. Gator enjoys spending time outside, car rides, belly rubs and cuddling! He jumps up for attention and affection but is also able to settle after a few minutes. He’s been known to show some mouthy behavior when he is excited. Mental and physical enrichment as well as time to decompress will be important for this big squishy boy, and he is most deserving of a happily ever after.

DOGS/CATS/KIDS: Gator previously lived with another dog and did well. He likely did not have a lot of exposure to other dogs and needs to be the only dog in his new home at this time. He needs a home without cats and will likely be a better fit for older kids.

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.

DID YOU KNOW?

As a Pronature Pal, Gator’s adoption fee is $0 and comes with a $50 gift card to Pet Food Warehouse and 6 months of free food from Pronature Canada! Come in to HSCC to meet him and see if he could be your new best friend.

Sponsored by:

Humane Society of Chittenden County

CLASSIFIEDS

ROOM FOR RENT

on the road

CARS/TRUCKS

DONATE YOUR CAR FOR KIDS

Fast, free pickup.

Running or not. 24-hour response. Maximum tax donation. Help fi nd missing kids! Call 877-266-0681. (AAN CAN)

housing FOR RENT

BURLINGTON

Burlington Hill Section, single room, on bus line. No cooking. No pets. Linens furnished. Utils. incl. Call 862-2389.

Room for rent, private BA. In Essex Jct. on bus line, 3 miles from hospital. $1,000/mo. Contact homebase130@ gmail.com.

HOUSEMATES

HOMESHARE WALKABLE TO UVM

Share a Burlington home w/ intellectual 90-year-old who enjoys poetry & BBC. No rent (small utility contribution) in exchange for providing meal prep 3-4 times/week & light help around the house. Private BA. No pets. Info, 863-5625 or homesharevermont.org.

Application, interview, refs., background check req. EHO.

MONTPELIER HOMESHARE OPPORTUNITY!

Professional couple interested in social justice, animals & gardening seeking COVID-19-cautious housemate. $550/ mo. Lending a hand on snow removal would be a plus! Private BA. Must be cat-friendly. Info, 863-5625 or

CLASSIFIEDS KEY

housing ads: $25 (25 words) legals: 52¢/word buy this stuff: free online

homesharevermont.org. Application, interview, refs., background check req. EHO.

OFFICE/ COMMERCIAL

OFFICE/RETAIL SPACE AT MAIN STREET LANDING on Burlington’s waterfront. Beautiful, healthy, affordable spaces for your business. Visit mainstreetlanding.com & click on space avail. Melinda, 864-7999.

ser vices EDUCATION

BILLING TRAINING FROM HOME

Career training in medical billing. CTI Career Training allows students to earn a degree from home & be ready to work in mos. Call 866-2435931. (AAN CAN)

COMPUTER CAREER

TRAINING

Career training in computer IT. CTI Career Training allows students to earn a degree from home & be ready to work in mos. Call 888-2811442. (AAN CAN)

HEALTH/ WELLNESS

ADULTS W/ SCHIZOPHRENIA

If you or someone you love have schizophrenia & it’s disrupting daily life, you may be interested in the clinical research study being conducted at Green Mountain Research Institute. Info: 802-855-8368 or greenmoutain research.org.

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

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

readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. Any home seeker who feels he or she has encountered discrimination should contact:

HUD Office of Fair Housing 10 Causeway St., Boston, MA 02222-1092 (617) 565-5309

— OR —

Vermont Human Rights Commission 14-16 Baldwin St. Montpelier, VT 05633-0633

1-800-416-2010 hrc@vermont.gov

services: $12 (25 words)

fsbos: $45 (2 weeks, 30 words, photo) jobs: michelle@sevendaysvt.com, 865-1020 x121

CASH FOR CANCER PATIENTS

Diagnosed w/ lung cancer? You may qualify for a substantial cash award, even w/ smoking history. Call 1-888-3760595. (AAN CAN)

PSYCHIC COUNSELING

Psychic counseling, channeling w/ Bernice Kelman, Underhill. 40+ years’ experience. Also energy healing, chakra balancing, Reiki, rebirthing, other lives, classes & more. 802-899-3542, kelman.b@juno.com.

HOME/GARDEN

ASH TREES?

Save your ash trees from EAB before it’s too late! Free tree evaluation & estimate for systemic multiyear control. Contact 802.752.5596, ashtreemedic.com.

BATH & SHOWER UPDATES

In as little as 1 day! Affordable prices. No payments for 18 mos. Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & military discounts avail. Call 1-866-370-2939. (AAN CAN)

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BUY A PORTABLE BUILDING

Buy your portable building direct from the manufacturer. Custom storage buildings to cabins to greenhouses. 10x16’ storage building is $4,646. Call Adirondack Backyards for more information, 518-481-4195.

COVERED HOME REPAIRS

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GUTTER GUARD INSTALLATIONS

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PET

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print deadline: Mondays at 3:30 p.m. post ads online 24/7 at: sevendaysvt.com/classifieds questions? classifieds@sevendaysvt.com

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APPLIANCES/ TOOLS/PARTS

BCI WALK-IN TUBS BCI walk-in tubs are now on sale. Be 1 of the 1st 50 callers & save $1,500. Call 844-514-0123 for a free in-home consultation.

MISCELLANEOUS

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SPECTRUM INTERNET

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SWITCH TO DIRECTV

By switching to DIRECTV, you can receive a $100 Visa gift card! Get more channels for less money. Restrictions apply. Call now! 877-693-0625. (AAN CAN)

WANT TO BUY

MEN’S WATCHES WANTED

Men’s sport watches wanted. Rolex, Breitling, Omega, Patek Philippe, Here, Daytona, GMT, Submariner & Speedmaster. Paying cash for qualifi ed watches. Call 888-3201052. (AAN CAN)

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INSTRUCTION

GUITAR INSTRUCTION

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Commercial

Public

Public Auto Auction, Williston, VT

Fri., Mar. 17 @ 9AM

Public Auto Auction, Williston, VT Simulcast Sat., Mar. 25 @ 9AM Vespa,

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DIFFICULTY THIS WEEK: ★★★

Fill the grid using the numbers 1-6, only once in each row and column. e numbers in each heavily outlined “cage” must combine to produce the target number in the top corner, using the mathematical operation indicated. A 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.

DIFFICULTY THIS WEEK: ★★★

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of Vermont

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Legal Notices

ACT 250 NOTICE MINOR APPLICATION 4C0235-2C

10 V.S.A. §§ 6001 - 6111

Application 4C0235-2C from JNF Holdings LLC, Attn: Mark Farrell, 326 College Street, Burlington, VT 05401 was received on February 14, 2023, and deemed complete on February 22, 2023. The project is generally described as an expansion of the rear parking lot located at 1 Tigan Street within the Highland Industrial Park in Winooski Vermont. This application can be viewed online by visiting the Act 250 Database: (https://anrweb.vt.gov/ANR/Act250/Details. aspx?Num=4C0235-2C).

No hearing will be held, and a permit will be issued unless, on or before March 14, 2023, a party notifies the District 4 Commission in writing of an issue requiring a hearing, or the Commission sets the matter for a hearing on its own motion. Any person as defined in 10 V.S.A. § 6085(c)(1) may request a hearing. Any hearing request must be in writing, must state the criteria or sub- criteria at issue, why a hearing is required, and what additional evidence will be presented at the hearing. Any hearing request by an adjoining property owner or other person eligible for party status under 10 V.S.A. § 6085(c)(1)(E) must include a petition for party status under the Act 250 Rules. To request party status and a hearing, fill out the Party Status Petition Form on the Board’s website: https://nrb. vermont.gov/documents/party-status-petitionform, and email it to the District 4 Office at: NRB. Act250Essex@vermont.gov. Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law may not be prepared unless the Commission holds a public hearing.

For more information contact Stephanie H. Monaghan at the address or telephone number below.

Dated this February 22, 2023.

By:/s/Stephanie H. Monaghan

Stephanie H. Monaghan District Coordinator 111 West

Street Essex Junction, VT 05452

PUZZLE ANSWERS

802-261-1944 stephanie.monaghan@vermont.gov

PLACE AN AFFORDABLE NOTICE AT: SEVENDAYSVT.COM/LEGAL-NOTICES OR CALL 802-865-1020, EXT. 142.

ACT 250 NOTICE MINOR APPLICATION 4C032921D 10 V.S.A. §§ 6001 - 6111

Application 4C0329-21D from Allen Brook Development 31 Commerce Ave, South Burlington, VT 05403, and Reinhart Foodservice, LLC, 12500 West Creek Parkway, Richmond, VA 23238 was received on February 7, 2023, and deemed complete on February 22, 2023. The project is generally described as construction of a 35,000 square foot warehouse and office building with associated parking on Lot 3 off Red Pine Circle in the Forestdale Industrial Park. The project includes boundary line adjustments between Lot 1/Lot 2 and between Lot 2/Lot 3 on Red Pine Circle, as well as a boundary line dissolution of the rear line of undeveloped Lot 2 and addition of this acreage to the 21-acre parcel and facility owned by Reinhart Foodservice, LLC at 32 Thompson Drive. The project is located at 150 Red Pine Circle in Essex, Vermont. This application can be viewed online by visiting the Act 250 Database: (https://anrweb.vt.gov/ANR/Act250/Details. aspx?Num=4C0329-21D).

No hearing will be held, and a permit will be issued unless, on or before March 20, 2023, a party notifies the District 4 Commission in writing of an issue requiring a hearing, or the Commission sets the matter for a hearing on its own motion. Any person as defined in 10 V.S.A. § 6085(c)(1) may request a hearing. Any hearing request must be in writing, must state the criteria or sub- criteria at issue, why a hearing is required, and what additional evidence will be presented at the hearing. Any hearing request by an adjoining property owner or other person eligible for party status under 10 V.S.A. § 6085(c)(1)(E) must include a petition for party status under the Act 250 Rules. To request party status and a hearing, fill out the Party Status Petition Form on the Board’s website: https://nrb. vermont.gov/documents/party-status-petitionform, and email it to the District 4 Office at: NRB. Act250Essex@vermont.gov. Findings of Fact and

Conclusions of Law may not be prepared unless the Commission holds a public hearing.

For more information contact Stephanie H. Monaghan at the address or telephone number below.

Dated this February 22, 2023.

By:/s/ Stephanie H. Monaghan

Stephanie H. Monaghan District Coordinator

111 West Street Essex Junction, VT 05452 802-261-1944

Stephanie.Monaghan@vermont.gov

CITY OF ESSEX JUNCTION NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENTS

MARCH 6, 2023, 6:30 PM

A public hearing on the proposed charter amendments for the City of Essex Junction will be held in person at 2 Lincoln Street, Essex Junction, VT, and online via Zoom on Monday, March 6, 2023, at 6:30 pm. Join Zoom Meeting here: zoom.us/j/9 4464297825?pwd=T0RTL0VteHZXNHlteTJpQi83 WUg4QT09; or by telephone at 1 (888) 788-0099. Enter meeting code 944 6429 7825, passcode 635787. Visit www.essexjunction.org for meeting connection information.

The public is invited to attend and offer comments regarding the proposed charter amendments. Complete details and information to connect to the meetings can be found at www.essexjunction.org.

ESSEX PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA

MARCH 9, 2023 - 6:00 P.M. ZOOM OR MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE ROOM, 81 MAIN ST., ESSEX JCT., VT • Zoom link: https://www.essexvt.org/1043/ Join-Zoom-Meeting-Essex-PC • Call (audio only): 1-888-788-0099 | Meeting ID: 923 7777 6158 # | Passcode: 426269 • Public wifi is available at the Essex municipal offices, libraries, and hotspots listed here:

https://publicservice.vermont.gov/content/ public-wifi-hotspots-vermont

1. Public Comments

2: Sketch/Master/Final Plan: Public Hearing: Gary Villeneuve: Proposed a 2-lot subdivision to create a 5.06-acre lot and a 91-acre lot located at 250 Jericho Road, Tax Map 8, Parcel 16, AR Zone.

3. Minutes: 2/23/2023

4. Other Business Visit our website at www.essexvt.org.

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 March 13th, 2023, commencing at 10:00 am. Sealed bids are to be submitted on the entire contents of each self- storage unit. Bids will be opened one half hour after the last unit has been viewed on March 13th, 2023. 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: Amy Atwood, Unit 814. Desiree Cutting, Unit 822.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS: DESIGN OF NEW WEBSITE FOR VT EDUCATIONAL NON-PROFIT

The Rowland Foundation seeks proposals from qualified vendors to design and build a new website for our organization that will help to promote our mission and provide a platform for communication with our stakeholders. The site should be userfriendly, responsive, and accessible to individuals with disabilities.

Proposals should be submitted to info@therowlandfoundation.org by March 11, 2023. Please view full RFP at https://tinyurl. com/3pzaya6n

STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT CIVIL DIVISION RUTLAND UNIT CASE NO. 23-CV-00665 IN RE: ABANDONED MOBILE HOME OF NEAL HIER

NOTICE OF HEARING

A hearing on Windy Hollow Mobile Home Cooperative, Inc.’s Verified Complaint to declare as abandoned the mobile home of Neal Hier located at the Windy Hollow Mobile Home Park, 609 River Street, Lot #37 in Castleton, Vermont and authorize the sale by auction has been set for March 14, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. To participate in this remote hearing, the WEBEX Login Information is as follows:

App: Webex Meeting

Website: https://vtcourts.webex.com

Meeting Number (access code): 179 381 8436

Password: civilonhill

If you do not have a computer or sufficient bandwidth, you may call 1-802-636-1108 to appear by phone. (This is not a tollfree number). You will then enter the meeting number listed above, followed by the pound symbol (#). You will be prompted to enter your attendee number (which you do not have). Instead, press pound (#). If you have technical difficulties, call the Court at (802) 775-4394.

FROM P.79

FROM P.79

Date: 2/15/2023 Nichol McKeighan, Deputy Clerk

VERIFIED COMPLAINT FOR ABANDONMENT PURSUANT TO 10 V.S.A. § 6249(h) (Auction)

NOW COMES Windy Hollow Mobile Home Cooperative, Inc. (“Windy Hollow”), by and through its counsel Nadine L. Scibek, and hereby complains as follows:

1. Windy Hollow, a Vermont cooperative corporation with a principal place of business in Castleton, County of Rutland, State of Vermont, is the record owner of a mobile home park known as the Windy Hollow Mobile Home Park (the “Park”) located in the Town of Castleton, Vermont.

2. Neal Hier (“Hier”) is the record owner of a certain mobile home described as a 1985 Champion Titan, 14’ x 70’, bearing serial No. 196-397-2555 (the “Mobile Home”), located at the Windy Hollow Mobile Home Park, 609 River Street, Lot #37 in Castleton, Vermont. See attached Vermont Mobile Home Uniform Bill of Sale.

3. Hier leased the Lot in the Park from Windy Hollow for his mobile home pursuant to an written lease. No security deposit was paid. See attached Member Occupancy Agreement.

4. Hier’s last known mailing address is 609 River Street, Lot #37, Castleton, VT 05735.

5. The mobile home has been abandoned and is empty. The last known resident of the mobile home was Hier and he was evicted from the Park for non-payment of rent on October 19, 2022. Judgment was entered against him on September 16, 2022 in the amount of $1,090.00. Pursuant to Paragraph 7 of the Court Order, Hier had until January 3, 2023 to sell or remove the Mobile Home from the Park, otherwise the Mobile Home would be deemed abandoned. See Windy Hollow Mobile Home Cooperative, Inc. v. Hier, Vermont Superior Court, Rutland Civil Unit, Case No. 22-CV-02689. See attached Stipulated Judgment Order & Order of Possession, Writ of Possession and Sheriff’s Return of Service.

6. Park’s Counsel communicated in writing with Hier on November 3, 2022. On January 3, 2023 Hier contacted the Park and requested an additional 30 days to remove the Mobile Home from the Park. Hier has still failed to remove the Mobile Home from the Park and has not contacted Windy Hollow since. See attached.

7. The following security interests, mortgages, liens and encumbrances appear of record with respect to the mobile home:

a. Property taxes to the Town of Castleton are current according to the Town Clerk. See attached Tax Bill.

8. Licensed auctioneer Uriah Wallace is a person disinterested in the mobile home and the mobile home park who is able to sell the Mobile Home at a public auction.

9. Mobile home storage fees continue to accrue at the rate of $360.00 per month. Rent due Windy Hollow as of February, 2023 totals $1,810.00. See attached accounting. Court costs and attorney’s fees incurred by Windy Hollow exceed $1,000.00.

10. Windy Hollow sent written notice by certified mail to the Town of Castleton on January 5, 2023 of Plaintiff’s intent to commence this action. See attached.

WHEREFORE, the Park Owner respectfully requests that the Honorable Court enter an order as follows:

1. Declare that the Mobile Home has been abandoned;

2. Approve the sale of the Mobile Home at a public auction to be held within fifteen (15) days of the date of judgment, pursuant to 10 V.S.A. § 6249(h); and

3. Grant judgment in favor of the Park Owner and against the Mobile Home for past due rent and mobile home storage charges through the date of judgment, together with the Park’s court costs,

attorney’s fees, publication and mailing costs, auctioneer’s costs, winterization costs, lot cleanup charges incurred in connection with this matter and any other costs incurred by Park herein.

DATED this 15 th day of February, 2023.

WINDY HOLLOW MOBILE HOME COOPERATIVE, INC.

BY: Nadine L. Scibek Attorney for Windy Hollow

I declare that the above statement is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief.

I understand that if the above statement is false, I will be subject to the penalty of perjury or other sanctions in the discretion of the Court.

February 15, 2023

By: Silvia Iannetta

Duly Authorized Agent for Windy Hollow

STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT FAMILY DIVISION CHITTENDEN UNIT DOCKET NOS. 20-JV-00377/378/379

In Re: A.G., W.G., & I.G. NOTICE OF HEARING

TO: Sidney Sumner, father of A.G., W.G., and I.G., you are hereby notified that the State of Vermont has filed a petition to terminate your residual parental rights to A.G., W.G., and I.G. and that the hearing to consider the termination of all residual parental rights to A.G., W.G., and I.G. will be held on April 3, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. at the Vermont Superior Court, Chittenden Family Division, at 32 Cherry Street, Burlington, Vermont. You may appear remotely by contacting the Clerk’s office at 802 651 1709. You are notified to appear in connection with this case. Failure to appear at this hearing may result in the termination of all of your parental rights to A.G., W.G., and I.G. The State is represented by the Attorney General’s Office, HC 2 North, 280 State Drive, Waterbury, VT 05671-2080.

Kirstin K. Schoonover 2/24/2023

Superior Court Judge Date

STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT PROBATE DIVISION CHITTENDEN UNIT DOCKET NO.: 23-PR-00575

In re ESTATE of Norma-Jeanne Henis

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

To the creditors of: Norma-Jeanne Henis, late of South Burlington, 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 15, 2023

Signature of Fiduciary: /s/ Katherine Hennis

Executor/Administrator: Katherine Hennis C/O Julie Hoyt, Jarrett | Hoyt, 1795 Williston Road, Suite 125, South Burlington, VT 05403, 802-864-5951 julie@vtelaw.com

Name of Publication: Seven Days

Publication Date: 3/1/2023

Name of Probate Court: Vermont Superior Court, Chittenden Unit, Probate Division

Address of Probate Court: ATTN: Debra Brunell, Register PO Box 511, Burlington, VT 05402

SUPERIOR COURT OF ARIZONA IN COCHISE COUNTY In the matter of: Aaliyah Heather Gaboriault Riley Spencer Gaboriault

Case #: SV202300002

NOTICE OF INITIAL HEARING ON PETITION FOR TERMINATION OF PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIP

Notice is hereby given that the Petitioner: Gentilissa L Thibodeau has filed a Petition for Termination of Parent-Child Relationship with the Juvenile Department of the Superior Court in Cochise County regarding the above-named child or children and: Matthew Thomas Gaboriault.

An initial hearing has been set to consider the petition:

Date: May 10, 2023

Time 11:00

Before: Hon. Terry Bannon

At the Cochise County Superior Court (Juvenile Department) located at: 100 Colonia De Salud, Division Six, Sierra Vista AZ 85635

VERMONT SELF STORAGE

THE CONTENTS OF STORAGE UNIT 01-01331, Located at 28 Adams Drive Williston, VT 05495 Will be sold on or about the 9th of February 2023 to satisfy the debt of Jamie Peters. 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 01-04118, Located at 28 Adams Drive, Williston VT 05495 Will be sold on or about the 9th of March 2023 to satisfy the debt of Jennifer Anderson. 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.

WARNING CHAMPLAIN VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT

ANNUAL MEETING

MARCH 6, 2023 AND MARCH 7, 2023

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 in the evening (5:00pm) on March 6, 2023, 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 7, 2023.

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 4, 2024 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 7, 2023, 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 NinetySix Million, One Hundred Nineteen Thousand, Eight Hundred Four Dollars ($96,119,804) which is the amount the Board of School Directors has determined to be necessary for the ensuing fiscal year commencing July 1, 2023? It is estimated that the proposed budget, if approved, will result in education spending of Twenty Thousand,

Ninety-Four Dollars ($20,094) per equalized pupil. This projected spending per equalized pupil is 8.4% higher than spending for the current year.

ARTICLE VIII: 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, as follows: assign Six Hundred Thousand Dollars ($600,000) of the school district’s current fund balance as revenue for the 2023-2024 operating budget, and assign the remaining balance, One Million, Three Hundred Seventy-Seven Thousand, Four Hundred Fourteen Dollars ($1,377,414) as revenue for future budgets?

ARTICLE IX: Shall the voters of the Champlain Valley School District authorize the Board of Directors to borrow money by the issuance of notes not in excess of Three Hundred, Ninety-Five Thousand Dollars ($395,000) for the purpose of purchasing three (3) school buses?

POLLING PLACES

Charlotte-Charlotte Town Hall, HinesburgHinesburg 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 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 17, 2023. Received for record and recorded in the records of the Champlain Valley School District on January 17, 2023.

ATTEST: David Connery, District Clerk; Angela M. Arsenault, Chairperson

STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT PROBATE DIVISION CHITTENDEN UNIT DOCKET NO.: 23-PR-00492

In re ESTATE of Catherine E. Hosig

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

To the creditors of: Catherine E. Hosig, 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 27, 2023

Signature of Fiduciary: /s/ Jeanne Mulac

Executor/Administrator: Jeanne Mulac C/O Geraldine E. Stewart; Jarrett Hoyt, 1795 Williston Road, Suite 125, South Burlington, VT 05403 802-864-5951, gerry@vtelaw.com

Name of Publication: Seven Days Publication Date: 3/1/2023

Name of Probate Court: Vermont Superior Court, Chittenden Unit, Probate Division

Address of Probate Court: PO Box 511, Burlington, VT 05402

Support Groups

A CIRCLE OF PARENTS FOR MOTHERS OF COLOR

Please join our parent-led online support group designed to share our questions, concerns & struggles, as well as our resources & successes!

Contribute to our discussion of the unique but shared experience of parenting. We will be meeting weekly on Wed., 10-11 a.m. For more info or to register, please contact Heather at hniquette@pcavt.org, 802-498-0607, pcavt.org/ family-support-programs.

A CIRCLE OF PARENTS FOR SINGLE MOTHERS

Please join our parent-led online support group designed to share our questions, concerns & struggles, as well as our resources & successes!

Contribute to our discussion of the unique but shared experience of parenting. We will be meeting weekly on Fri., 10-11 a.m. For more info or to register, please contact Heather at hniquette@pcavt.org, 802-498-0607, pcavt.org/ family-support-programs.

A CIRCLE OF PARENTS W/ LGBTQ+ CHILDREN

Please join our parent-led online support group designed to share our questions, concerns & struggles, as well as our resources & successes!

Contribute to our discussion of the unique but shared experience of parenting. We will be meeting weekly on Mon., 10-11 a.m. For more info or to register, please contact Heather at hniquette@pcavt.org, 802-498-0607, pcavt.org/ family-support-programs.

AL-ANON

For families & friends of alcoholics. Phone meetings, electronic meetings (Zoom) & an Al-Anon blog are avail. online at the Al-Anon website. For meeting info, go to vermontalanonalateen.org or call 866-972-5266.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS

Do you have a drinking problem? AA meeting sites are now open, & online meetings are also available. 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. monthly, 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, 800-2723900, for more info. For questions or additional support group listings, call 800-272-3900.

ARE YOU HAVING PROBLEMS W/ DEBT?

Do you spend more than you earn? Get help at Debtor’s Anonymous & Business Debtor’s

Anonymous. Wed., 6:30-7:30 p.m., Methodist Church in the Rainbow Room at Buell & S. Winooski, Burlington. Contact Jennifer, 917-568-6390.

BABY BUMPS SUPPORT GROUP FOR MOTHERS & PREGNANT WOMEN

Pregnancy can be a wonderful time of your life. But it can also be a time of stress often compounded by hormonal swings. If you are a pregnant woman, or have recently given birth & feel you need some help w/ managing emotional bumps in the road that can come w/ motherhood, please come to this free support group led by an experienced pediatric registered nurse. Held on the 2nd & 4th Tue. of every mo., 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the Birthing Center, Northwestern Medical Center, St. Albans. Info: Rhonda Desrochers, Franklin County Home Health Agency, 527-7531.

BETTER BREATHERS CLUB

American Lung Association support group for people w/ breathing issues, their loved ones or caregivers. Meets on the 1st Mon. of every mo., 11 a.m.-noon at the Godnick Center, 1 Deer St., Rutland. For more info call 802-776-5508.

BRAIN INJURY SUPPORT GROUP

Vermont Center for Independent Living offers virtual monthly meetings, held on the 3rd Wed. of every mo., 1-2:30 p.m. The support group will offer valuable resources & info about brain injury. It will be a place to share experiences in a safe, secure & confidential environment. To join, email Linda Meleady at lindam@vcil.org & ask to be put on the TBI mailing list. Info: 800-639-1522.

BRAIN INJURY ASSOCIATION OF VERMONT

Montpelier daytime support group meets on the 3rd Thu. of every mo., at the Unitarian Church ramp entrance, 1:30-2:30 p.m. St. Johnsbury support group meets on the 3rd Wed. of every mo., at the Grace United Methodist Church, 36 Central St., 1-2:30 p.m. Colchester evening support group meets on the 1st Wed. of every mo., at the Fanny Allen Hospital in the Board Room Conference Room, 5:30-7:30 p.m. White River Jct. meets on the 2nd Fri. of every mo., at Bugbee Senior Center from 3-4:30 p.m. Call our helpline at 877-856-1772.

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.

CELEBRATE RECOVERY

Overcome any hurt, habit or hang-up in your life w/ this confidential 12-step, Christ-centered recovery program. We offer multiple support groups for both men & women, such as chemical dependency, codependency, sexual addiction & pornography, food issues, & overcoming abuse. All 18+ are welcome; sorry, no childcare. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; we begin at 7 p.m. Essex Alliance Church, 37 Old Stage Rd., Essex Junction. Info: recovery@essexalliance.org, 878-8213.

CELEBRATE RECOVERY

Celebrate Recovery meetings are for anyone struggling w/ hurt, habits & hang-ups, which include everyone in some way. We welcome everyone at Cornerstone Church in Milton, which meets every Fri. from 7-9 p.m. We’d love to have you join us & discover how your life can start to change. Info: 893-0530, julie@mccartycreations.com.

CENTRAL VERMONT CELIAC SUPPORT GROUP

Last Thu. of every mo., 7:30 p.m. in Montpelier. Please contact Lisa Mase for location: lisa@ harmonizecookery.com.

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

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. 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. 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. The first meeting will be March 28. Call/email Alan at 802-233-0544 alanday88@ gmail.com or Claire at 802-448-3569.

DECLUTTERERS’ SUPPORT GROUP

Are you ready to make improvements but find it overwhelming? Maybe 2 or 3 of us can get together to help each other simplify. 989-3234, 425-3612.

DISCOVER THE POWER OF CHOICE!

SMART Recovery welcomes anyone, including family & friends, affected by any kind of substance or activity addiction. It is a science-based program that encourages abstinence. Specially trained volunteer facilitators provide leadership. Sun. at 5 p.m. The meeting has moved to Zoom: smartrecovery.zoom.us/j/92925275515. Volunteer facilitator: Bert, 399-8754. You can learn more at smartrecovery.org.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SUPPORT

Steps to End Domestic Violence offers a weekly drop-in support group for female-identified survivors of intimate partner violence, including individuals who are experiencing or have been affected by domestic violence. The support group offers a safe, confidential place for survivors to connect w/ others, to heal & to recover. In support group, participants talk through their experiences & hear stories from others who have experienced abuse in their relationships. Support group is also a resource for those who are unsure of their next step, even if it involves remaining in their current relationship. Tue., 6:30-8 p.m. Childcare is provided. Info: 658-1996.

FAMILY & FRIENDS OF THOSE EXPERIENCING

MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS

This support group is a dedicated meeting for family, friends & community members who are supporting a loved one through a mental health crisis. Mental health crisis might include extreme states, psychosis, depression, anxiety & other types of distress. The group is a confidential space where family & friends can discuss shared experiences & receive support in an environment free of judgment & stigma w/ a trained facilitator.

Wed., 7-8:30 p.m. Downtown Burlington. Info: Jess Horner, LICSW, 866-218-8586.

FAMILY RESTORED: SUPPORT GROUP FOR FRIENDS & FAMILIES OF ADDICTS & ALCOHOLICS

Wed., 6:30-8 p.m., Holy Family/St. Lawrence Parish, 4 Prospect St., Essex Jct. For further info, please visit thefamilyrestored.org or contact Lindsay Duford at 781-960-3965 or 12lindsaymarie@gmail.com.

FCA FAMILY SUPPORT GROUP

Families Coping w/ Addiction (FCA) is an open community peer support group for adults (18+) struggling w/ the drug or alcohol addiction of a loved one. FCA is not 12-step-based but provides a forum for those living the family experience, in

which to develop personal coping skills & to draw strength from one another. Our group meets every Wed., 5:30-6:30 p.m., live in person in the conference room at the Turning Point Center of Chittenden County (179 S. Winooski Ave., Burlington), &/or via our parallel Zoom session to accommodate those who cannot attend in person. The Zoom link can be found on the Turning Point Center website (turningpointcentervt.org) using the “Family Support” tab (click on “What We Offer”). Any questions, please send by email to thdaub1@ gmail.com.

FIERCELY FLAT VT

A breast cancer support group for those who’ve had mastectomies. We are a casual online meeting group found on Facebook at Fiercely Flat VT. Info: stacy.m.burnett@gmail.com.

FOOD ADDICTS IN RECOVERY ANONYMOUS (FA)

Are you having trouble controlling the way you eat? FA is a free 12-step recovery program for anyone suffering from food obsession, overeating, under-eating or bulimia. Local meetings are held twice a wk.: Mon., 4-5:30 p.m., at the Unitarian Universalist Church, Norwich, Vt.; & Wed., 6:30-8 p.m., at Hanover Friends Meeting House, Hanover, N.H. For more info & a list of additional meetings throughout the U.S. & the world, call 603-6301495 or visit foodaddicts.org.

G.R.A.S.P. (GRIEF RECOVERY AFTER A SUBSTANCE PASSING)

Are you a family member who has lost a loved one to addiction? Find support, peer-led support group. Meets once a mo. on Mon. in Burlington. Please call for date & location. RSVP mkeasler3@ gmail.com or call 310-3301 (message says Optimum Health, but this is a private number).

GRIEF & LOSS SUPPORT GROUP

Sharing your sadness, finding your joy. Please join us as we learn more about our own grief & explore the things that can help us to heal. There is great power in sharing our experiences w/ others who know the pain of the loss of a loved one & healing is possible through the sharing. BAYADA Hospice’s local bereavement support coordinator will facilitate our weekly group through discussion & activities. Everyone from the community is welcome. 1st & last Wed. of every mo. at 4 p.m. via Zoom. To register, please contact bereavement program coordinator Max Crystal, mcrystal@ bayada.com or 802-448-1610.

GRIEF SUPPORT GROUPS

Meet every 2nd Mon., 6-7:30 p.m., & every 3rd Wed. from 10-11:30 a.m., at Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice in Berlin. The group is open to the public & free of charge. More info: Diana Moore, 224-2241.

HEARING VOICES SUPPORT GROUP

This Hearing Voices Group seeks to find understanding of voice-hearing experiences as real lived experiences that may happen to anyone at anytime. We choose to share experiences, support & empathy. We validate anyone’s experience & stories about their experience as their own, as being an honest & accurate representation of their experience, & as being acceptable exactly as they are. Tue., 2-3 p.m. Pathways Vermont Community Center, 279 N. Winooski Ave., Burlington. Info: 802-777-8602, abby@pathwaysvermont.org.

HELLENBACH CANCER SUPPORT

Call to verify meeting place. Info, 388-6107. People living w/ cancer & their caretakers convene for support.

INTERSTITIAL CYSTITIS/PAINFUL BLADDER SUPPORT GROUP

Interstitial cystitis (IC) & painful bladder syndrome can result in recurring pelvic pain, pressure or discomfort in the bladder/pelvic region & urinary frequency/urgency. These are often misdiagnosed & mistreated as a chronic bladder infection. If you have been diagnosed or have

these symptoms, you are not alone. For Vermontbased support group, email bladderpainvt@gmail. com or call 899-4151 for more info.

KINDRED CONNECTIONS PROGRAM OFFERED FOR CHITTENDEN COUNTY CANCER SURVIVORS

The Kindred Connections program provides peer support for all those touched by cancer. Cancer patients, as well as caregivers, are provided w/ a mentor who has been through the cancer experience & knows what it’s like to go through it. In addition to sensitive listening, Kindred Connections provides practical help such as rides to doctors’ offices & meal deliveries. The program has people who have experienced a wide variety of cancers. For further info, please contact info@ vcsn.net.

KINSHIP CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP

A support group for grandparents who are raising their grandchildren. Led by a trained representative & facilitator. Meets on the 2nd Tue. of every mo., 6:30-7:45 p.m., at Milton Public Library. Free. For more info, call 802-893-4644 or email library@miltonvt.gov. Facebook.com/ events/561452568022928.

LAUGHTER YOGA

Spontaneous, genuine laughter & gentle breathing for physical & emotional benefit. No yoga mat needed! This group is held every Mon., 2-3 p.m., at Pathways Vermont Community Center, 279 North Winooski Ave., Burlington. Contact Chris Nial for any questions: chrisn@pathwaysvermont.org

LGBTQ SURVIVORS OF VIOLENCE

The SafeSpace Anti-Violence Program at Pride Center of Vermont offers peer-led support groups for survivors of relationship, dating, emotional &/ or hate-violence. These groups give survivors a safe & supportive environment to tell their stories, share info, & offer & receive support. Support groups also provide survivors an opportunity to gain info on how to better cope w/ feelings & experiences that surface because of the trauma they have experienced. Please call SafeSpace at 863-0003 if you are interested in joining.

LIVING THROUGH LOSS

Gifford Medical Center is announcing the restart of its grief support group, Living Through Loss. The program is sponsored by the Gifford Volunteer Chaplaincy Program & will meet weekly on Fri., 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., in Gifford’s Chun Chapel. Meetings will be facilitated by the Rev. Timothy Eberhardt, spiritual care coordinator, & Emily Pizzale MSW, LICSW, a Gifford social worker. Anyone who has experienced a significant loss over the last year or so is warmly invited to attend & should enter through the hospital’s main entrance wearing a mask on the way to the chapel. Meetings will be based on the belief that, while each of us is on a unique journey in life, we all need a safe place to pause, to tell our stories &, especially as we grieve, to receive the support & strength we need to continue along the way.

MARIJUANA ANONYMOUS

Do you have a problem w/ marijuana? MA is a free 12-step program where addicts help other addicts get & stay clean. Ongoing Wed., 7 p.m., at Turning Point Center, 179 S. Winooski, Suite 301, Burlington. Info: 861-3150.

MYELOMA SUPPORT GROUP

Area Myeloma Survivors, Families & Caregivers have come together to form a Multiple Myeloma Support Group. We provide emotional support, resources about treatment options, coping strategies & a support network by participating in the group experience w/ people who have been through similar situations. 3rd Tue. of every mo., 5-6 p.m., at the New Hope Lodge on East Ave. in Burlington. Info: Kay Cromie, 655-9136, kgcromey@aol.com.

NAMI CONNECTION PEER SUPPORT GROUP

MEETINGS

Weekly virtual meetings. If you have questions about a group in your area, please contact the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Vermont, program@namivt.org or 800-639-6480. Connection groups are peer recovery support group programs for adults living w/ mental health challenges.

NAMI FAMILY SUPPORT GROUP

Weekly virtual & in-person meetings. ASL interpreters available upon request. Family Support Group meetings are for family & friends of individuals living w/ mental illness. If you have questions about a group in your area, please contact the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Vermont, info@namivt.org or 800-639-6480.

NARCONON SUNCOAST DRUG & ALCOHOL

REHABILITATION & EDUCATION

Narconon reminds families that overdoses due to an elephant tranquilizer known as Carfentanil have been on the rise in nearly every community nationwide. Carfentanil is a synthetic opioid painkiller 100 times more powerful than fentanyl & 1,000 times stronger than heroin. A tiny grain of it is enough to be fatal. To learn more about carfentanil abuse & how to help your loved one, visit narconon-suncoast.org/drug-abuse/ parents-get-help.html. Addiction screenings: Narconon can help you take steps to overcome addiction in your family. Call today for a no-cost screening or referral: 1-877-841-5509.

NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS

is a group of recovering addicts who live without the use of drugs. It costs nothing to join. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using. Info, 862-4516 or cvana.org. Held in Burlington, Barre & St. Johnsbury.

NARCANON BURLINGTON GROUP

Group meets every Mon. at 7 p.m., at the Turning Point Center, 179 S. Winooski Ave., Suite 301, Burlington. The only requirement for membership is that there be a problem of addiction in a relative or friend. Info: Amanda H. 338-8106.

NEW (& EXPECTING) MAMAS & PAPAS! EVERY PRIMARY CAREGIVER TO A BABY!

The Children’s Room invites you to join our weekly drop-in support group. Come unwind & discuss your experiences & questions around infant care & development, self-care & postpartum healing, & community resources for families w/ babies. Tea & snacks provided. Thu., 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Bring your babies! (Newborn through crawling stage.) Located in Thatcher Brook Primary School, 47 Stowe St., childrensroomonline.org. Contact childrensroom@wwsu.org or 244-5605.

NORTHWEST VERMONT CANCER PRAYER & SUPPORT NETWORK

A meeting of cancer patients, survivors & family members intended to comfort & support those who are currently suffering from the disease.

2nd Thu. of every mo., 6-7:30 p.m., St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 11 Church St., St. Albans. Info: stpaulum@myfairpoint.net. 2nd Wed. of every mo., 6-7:30 p.m., Winooski United Methodist Church, 24 W. Allen St., Winooski. Info: hovermann4@comcast.net.

OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS (OA)

A 12-step program for people who identify as overeaters, compulsive eaters, food addicts, anorexics, bulimics, etc. No matter what your problem w/ food, we have a solution! All are welcome, meetings are open, & there are no dues or fees. See oavermont.org/meeting-list for the current meeting list, meeting format & more; or call 802-863-2655 anytime!

PONDERING GENDER & SEXUALITY

Pondering Gender & Sexuality is a twice-monthly facilitated mutual support group for folks of any identity (whether fully formed or a work in progress) who want to engage in meaningful conversations about gender, sexuality & sexual orientation, &/or the coming-out process. Discussions can range from the personal to the philosophical & beyond as we work together to create a compassionate, safe & courageous space to explore our experiences. The group will be held on the 2nd Sun. & 4th Tue. of every mo., 1-2:30 p.m., either virtually or at Pride Center of Vermont. Email pgs@pridecentervt.org for more info or w/ questions!

POTATO INTOLERANCE SUPPORT GROUP

Anyone coping w/ potato intolerance & interested in joining a support group, contact Jerry Fox, 48 Saybrook Rd., Essex Junction, VT 05452.

QUEER CARE GROUP

This support group is for adult family members & caregivers of queer &/or questioning youth. It is held on the 2nd Mon. of every mo., 6:30-8 p.m., at Outright Vermont, 241 N. Winooski Ave. This group is for adults only. For more info, email info@ outrightvt.org.

READY TO BE TOBACCO-FREE GROUPS

Join a free 4-5-week group workshop facilitated by our coaches, who are certified in tobacco treatment. We meet in a friendly, relaxed & virtual atmosphere. You may qualify for a free limited supply of nicotine replacement therapy. Info: call 802-847-7333 or email quittobaccoclass@uvmhealth.org to get signed up, or visit myhealthyvt.org to learn more about upcoming workshops!

RECOVERING FROM RELIGION

Meets on the 2nd Tue. of every mo., 6-8 p.m., at Brownell Public Library, 6 Lincoln St., Essex Junction, unless there’s inclement weather or the date falls on a holiday. Attendees can remain anonymous if they so choose & are not required to tell their story if they do not wish to, but everyone will be welcome to do so. The primary focus of a Recovering From Religion support group is to provide ongoing & personal support to individuals as they let go of their religious beliefs. This transitional period is an ongoing process that can result in a range of emotions, as well as a ripple effect of consequences throughout an individual’s life. As such, the support meetings are safe & anonymous places to express these doubts, fears & experiences without biased feedback or proselytizing. We are here to help each other through this journey. Free.

REFUGE RECOVERY MEETING

Burlington Refuge Recovery is a Buddhistoriented, nontheistic addiction recovery group that meets every Tue. at 6:45 p.m. at Turning Point Center, located at 179 S. Winooski Ave. in Burlington.

SCLERODERMA FOUNDATION NEW ENGLAND

Support group meeting held on the 4th Tue. of every mo., 6:30-8:30 p.m., Williston Police Station. Info, Blythe Leonard, 878-0732.

SEX & LOVE ADDICTS ANONYMOUS

12-step recovery group. Do you have a problem w/ sex or relationships? We can help. Shawn, 660-2645. Visit slaafws.org or saa-recovery.org for meetings near you.

SEX ADDICTS ANONYMOUS, MONTPELIER

Do you have a problem w/ compulsive sexual behavior? A 12-step program has helped us. SAA Montpelier meets twice weekly at 6 p.m: Mon. virtual meeting, details at saatalk.info; Thu. faceto-face at Bethany Church, Montpelier, details at saa-recovery.org. Contact saa.vtrecovery@gmail. com or call 802-322-3701.

SEXUAL VIOLENCE SUPPORT

HOPE Works offers free support groups to women, men & teens who are survivors of sexual violence. Groups are avail. for survivors at any stage of the healing process. Intake for all support groups is ongoing. If you are interested in learning more or would like to schedule an intake to become a group member, please call our office at 864-0555, ext. 19, or email our victim advocate at advocate@ sover.net.

SOCIAL ANXIETY SUPPORT GROUPS

For screened adults age 28-40. Therapist-led sessions. For more info, contact diane@ldtayeby. com.

STUTTERING SUPPORT GROUPS

If you’re a person who stutters, you are not alone! Adults, teens & school-age kids who stutter, & their families are welcome to join 1 of our 3 free National Stuttering Association (NSA) stuttering support groups at UVM (join by Zoom or in person). Adults: 5:30-6:30 p.m., 1st & 3rd Tue. monthly; teens (ages 13-17): 5:30-6:30 p.m., 2nd Thu. monthly; school-age children (ages 8-12) & parents (meeting separately): 4:15-5:15 p.m., 2nd Thu. monthly. Pomeroy Hall (489 Main St., UVM campus). Info: nsachapters.org/burlington,

burlingtonstutters@gmail.com, 656-0250. Go, Team Stuttering!

SUICIDE SURVIVORS SUPPORT GROUP

For those who have lost a friend or loved one through suicide. 6:30-8 p.m., on the 3rd Tue. of every mo. Maple Leaf Clinic, 167 N. Main St., Wallingford, 446-3577.

SUICIDE HOTLINES IN VT

Brattleboro, 257-7989; Montpelier (Washington County Mental Health Emergency Services), 2290591; Randolph (Clara Martin Center Emergency Service), 800-639-6360.

SUPPORT GROUP FOR WOMEN who have experienced intimate partner abuse, facilitated by Circle (Washington Co. only). Please call 877-543-9498 for more info.

SURVIVORS OF SUICIDE

If you have lost someone to suicide & wish to have a safe place to talk, share & spend a little time w/ others who have had a similar experience, join us on the 3rd Thu. of every mo., 7-9 p.m., at the Faith Lighthouse Church, Route 105, Newport (105 Alderbrook). Please call before attending. Info: Mary Butler, 744-6284.

SURVIVORS OF SUICIDE:

S. BURLINGTON

This group is for people experiencing the impact of the loss of a loved one to suicide. 1st Wed. of each mo., 6-7:30 p.m., at the Comfort Inn & Suites, 3 Dorset St., Burlington. Info: Heather Schleupner, 301-514-2445, raysoflifeyoga@gmail.com.

TOPS

Take Off Pounds Sensibly chapter meeting. Hedding United Methodist Church, Washington St., Barre. Wed., 5:15-6:15 p.m. For info, call David at 371-8929.

TRANS & GENDER-NONCONFORMING SUPPORT GROUP

As trans & GNC people in the world, we experience many things that are unique to our identities. For that reason, the Transgender Program hosts a support group for our community on the 1st & 3rd Wed. of every mo., 6:30-8 p.m., either virtually or at Pride Center of Vermont. The Trans & GNC Support group is for Vermonters at all stages of their gender journey to come together to socialize, discuss issues that are coming up in their lives & build community. We welcome anyone whose identity falls under the trans, GNC, intersex & nonbinary umbrellas, & folks questioning their gender identity. Email safespace@pridecentervt. org w/ any questions, comments or accessibility concerns.

TRANSGENDER EXTENDED FAMILY SUPPORT

We are people w/ adult loved ones who are transgender or gender-nonconforming. We meet to support each other & to learn more about issues & concerns. Our sessions are supportive, informal & confidential. Meetings are held at 5:30 p.m., the 2nd Thu. of each mo., via Zoom. Not sure if you’re ready for a meeting? We also offer 1-on-1 support. For more info, email rex@pridecentervt. org or call 802-318-4746.

VEGGIE SUPPORT GROUP

Want to feel supported on your vegetarian/vegan journey? Want more info on healthy veggie diets? Want to share & socialize at veggie potlucks & more in the greater Burlington area? This is your opportunity to join w/ other like-minded folks. Info: veggy4life@gmail.com, 658-4991.

WOMEN’S CANCER SUPPORT GROUP

FAHC. Led by Deb Clark, RN. Every 1st & 3rd Tue., 5-6:30 p.m. Call Kathy McBeth, 847-5715.

YOUNG ADULT SUPPORT GROUP

A support group for young adults to build community & access peer support. This group meets weekly on Thu. from 3-4 p.m. at Pathways Vermont Community Center, 279 North Winooski Ave., Burlington. Contact Chris Nial for any questions: chrisn@pathwaysvermont.org

“I just wanted to pass along the praise from my HR manager, who was overjoyed with how many solid applicants we received from our postings on Seven Days Jobs. Everyone we hired for these seasonal positions was very friendly, hardworking and cared about the success of our holiday season. is year in particular we used Seven Days as our main form of advertising, and we were highly rewarded for this strategy.

Dakin Farm advertises with Seven Days as a way to reach candidates and food lovers in our community. We appreciate that the newspaper is free and widely distributed. As a local family-run business, we also love how Seven Days shares incredible stories from Vermonters.

Our account executive, Michelle Brown, has been wonderful to work with. e whole sales team is very helpful and great at sending reminders about upcoming promotional opportunities without being too pushy. ey truly care about the success of their customers!

I greatly appreciate the support from the team and would recommend advertising with Seven Days to any local company.”

CAROLYN CUTTING Marketing Manager, Dakin Farm

ATTENTION RECRUITERS:

POST YOUR JOBS AT: JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POST-A-JOB

PRINT DEADLINE: NOON ON MONDAYS (INCLUDING HOLIDAYS) FOR RATES & INFO: MICHELLE BROWN, 802-865-1020 X121, MICHELLE@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

YOUR TRUSTED LOCAL SOURCE. JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM

Cra Beer Delivery Driver (F/T)

Ensure the timely delivery of goods to predetermined customers on specific routes, review orders prior to delivery, load and unload trucks, & provide exceptional customer service. Driving experience preferred.

Packaging Line

Round out our Packaging Team by kegging and canning fresh beer.

Union Street Media is a web development and digital marketing company located in Burlington, VT. We have the following open positions:

DIGITAL SPECIALIST • DIGITAL ADVISOR

For more information visit: unionstreetmedia.com/careers

To apply, please email your resume and cover letter to: jobs@unionstreetmedia.com

Are numbers your thing? Do you want to work for an organization with a mission to make a di erence in Vermont? Join our Finance and Accounting team!

We are seeking two new team members: An Accountant responsible for maintaining and reconciling all cash accounts, investment accounts, and providing assistance on preparation and analysis of nancial reporting.

An Accounts Payable and Payroll Specialist to work with a wide range of vendors, grantees, and employees across the company on all activities related to AP and payroll.

If either of these positions sound like a good t for you, visit vermontcf.org/careers for complete job descriptions and instructions for applying.

PROJECT MANAGER

Affordable Housing Design/Construction

Evernorth is a nonprofit organization that provides affordable housing and community investments in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. We have an exciting opportunity for a construction Project Manager to join our real estate development team in Vermont. This position manages all aspects of design development and construction for our affordable housing projects from predevelopment through construction completion. The successful candidate will be an excellent communicator, team builder and problem solver with strong experience in construction project management & commitment to our mission. We believe in equal access to affordable housing and economic opportunities; the power of partnerships based on integrity, respect, and teamwork; and a collaborative workplace with professional, skilled, and dedicated staff.

To apply, go to bit.ly/EvernorthPM

Evernorth is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Development Coordinator

30-40 hours per week

Yestermorrow Design/Build School is seeking a talented, selfmotivated individual to bring our development e orts to the next level. This person will work closely with the Executive Director to cultivate existing donor relationships and to provide insight, direction and leadership to our school’s fundraising initiatives, which include special events, major gifts, grant writing and more.

Prior fundraising experience, especially at a nonprofit, is required. Experience organizing events and coordinating volunteers is preferred. Some remote work available.

Base Pay Starting at $23/hour plus generous benefit package.

For a more detailed job description visit our website at yestermorrow.org/jobs

Curriculum & Assessment Specialist

Join our fun and dedicated team in preparing all UVM students to approach their careers with confidence, courage, and curiosity.

The Curriculum and Assessment Specialist will take the lead in creating a comprehensive curriculum that provides opportunities for career preparation throughout the student lifecycle. They work closely with campus partners to support the integration of career preparation. Working alongside the Assistant Director, they create effective assessments for Career Center content, & use that data for content/program improvement. Ideal candidate is highly collaborative, an effective communicator, and will pursue innovative ideas to elevate marginalized voices. Application review begins March 13th.

Learn more at uvm.edu/career/join-our-team

Accounting Manager

ENERGY SERVICES ENGINEER

The City of Burlington Department of Burlington Electric is hiring for an Energy Services Engineer! The Net Zero Energy Services Engineer works to advance the City of Burlington’s Net Zero Energy (NZE) goals by helping customers identify opportunities to further energy efficiency and fossil fuel reductions in buildings. This position is responsible for working with Burlington’s residential and small commercial customers, and with the Burlington energy professional community, in delivering BED’s Net Zero Energy (NZE) programs, including energy efficiency, beneficial electrification of space heating and domestic hot water systems, energy codes and City ordinances that help to advance NZE goals. The position requires effective collaboration with community members, external partners and stakeholders, and other BED staff. This is a non-union exempt position, and we are offering $58,032.00 - $95,137.32 annually and a generous benefits package. Apply today! Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

To learn more & apply for this position, please visit: 7dvt.co/electric-engineer

We are an equal opportunity employer and we encourage applicants who can contribute to our growing diversity.

OFFICE OF THE DEFENDER GENERAL Financial Director – Montpelier

The Office of the Defender General is seeking a Financial Director & Administrative Services Manager to lead the department’s financial operations. This management position operates with considerable independence, reporting directly to the Defender General, and is responsible for all financial functions for the department.

In this role, you will be responsible for the department’s budget development and maintenance, including preparing annual budget projections, analyzing special patterns, advising the DG about needed adjustments, and projecting future needs.

You will also serve as the primary financial liaison for the department, including responding to inquiries from legislators and members of the criminal justice system. You will also have a significant supervisory role and will further support the department by taking responsibility for contract administration, property management, and overseeing procurement of goods and services, among other tasks.

The ideal candidate has excellent communication skills and is positive, self-motivated, assertive, and able to handle a diverse community of personalities and opinions. Prior management experience is preferred.

This is an exempt, full-time position with excellent State benefits.

Salary: $61,963 - $97,156. EOE.

To apply, please email a cover letter and resume to Gina Puls, HR & Special Counsel, at gina.puls@vermont.gov.

Goddard College in bucolic Plainfield, Vermont seeks a diligent and resourceful Accounting Manager to collaborate with our Chief Finance and Administration

O cer, Business O ce, Human Resources and Academic A airs teams in support of our low residency learning communities and auxiliary operations.  The Accounting Manager must feel comfortable working independently, and in support of our team. The ideal candidate will hold knowledge in non-profit, higher education, or public sector accounting. Experience with or interest and ability to learn ADP WorkforceNow payroll software, Netsuite accounting software, Google platforms & the Microsoft O ce Suite or similar software is desired. Goddard College o ers a generous paid leave package. Our benefits package includes Blue Cross, Blue Shield of Vermont health insurance and other employee insurances and tuition remission.

To learn more and to apply for the position, please visit: goddard.edu/about-goddard/employment-opportunities/

NOW HIRING

Creative Micro is looking for highly motivated, out-ofthe-box thinking individuals to join our unique team. CMC works on diverse technical challenges in a vibrant workplace located in the Mad River Valley. We are actively seeking Firmware, Software, Optical Engineers with cross disciplinary skills. Please check us out at creativemicro.com

Public Safety Positions

PART TIME

The Department of Public Safety at Saint Michael’s College is inviting applications for a part-time Public Safety Officer. This position requires the ability to deal with a wide range of individuals, often in stressful or emergency situations. A successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to work effectively in a college environment seeking a balance between education and enforcement in performing duties. Maintaining a safe campus includes the performance of routine services, response to incidents and emergencies, and completing necessary documentation and follow-up. The schedule is rotating and includes nights, weekends, and holidays. This position will require regular work hours, as well as evening, weekend, and holiday times.

For a complete job description, benefits information, and to apply online, please visit: https://bit.ly/SMCPTPSO

FULL TIME

Are you looking to make a difference in people’s lives? The Department of Public Safety at Saint Michael’s College is inviting applications for a full-time Public Safety Officer from those looking to enhance their skills. This position requires the flexibility to problem-solve in a wide range of situations, both demanding and rewarding. A successful candidate will possess the ability to work effectively in a college environment seeking a balance between education and enforcement. Benefits include health, dental, vision, employer-paid life and disability insurance, voluntary life, critical illness and accident insurance options, parental leave, flexible spending accounts (healthcare and dependent care), 401(k), generous paid time off, paid holidays, employee and dependent tuition benefits, employee and family assistance program, well-being programs and opportunities, discounted gym membership, paid volunteer time, use of the athletic facilities and the library, and countless opportunities to attend presentations, lectures, and other campus activities.

For a complete job description, benefits information, and to apply online, please visit: https://bit.ly/SMCFTPSOD22

VERMONT PUBLIC IS HIRING!

We are Vermont’s unified public media organization (formerly VPR and Vermont PBS), serving the community with trusted journalism, quality entertainment, and diverse educational programming.

Current openings include:

• News Producer, Morning Edition

• Data Journalist

• Digital Producer

• Event Producer

• Production Technician

We believe a strong organization includes employees from a range of backgrounds with different skills, experience, and passions.

To see more openings & apply: vermontpublic.org/careers

Must be able to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination. Vermont Public is a proud equal opportunity employer.

Visitor Services Manager

The Green Mountain Club (GMC), maintainer and protector of the Long Trail system in Vermont, is seeking a Visitor Services Manager with experience in interpretation, education, and visitor services and a commitment to welcoming members of the public to the outdoor recreation community.

The Visitor Services Manager is responsible for developing and implementing public engagement programming and operations at two Visitor Centers managed by the Green Mountain Club: GMC’s Visitor Center in Waterbury Center, VT, and Barnes Camp Visitor Center in Stowe, VT. Responsibilities include hiring and managing visitor center staff and volunteers and managing the inventory and sales of merchandise, publications, and maps. The Manager will work with program staff across the organization to provide public messaging and programming to the hiking community. Apply by March 17, 2023, at greenmountainclub.org/jobs

The position is open until filled. The Green Mountain Club is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

JOB TRAINING. WELL DONE.

Join the Community Kitchen Academy!

Community Kitchen Academy (CKA) is a 9-week job training program featuring: Hands on learning, national ServSafe certification, job placement support and meaningful connections to community. Plus... the tuition is FREE and weekly stipends are provided for income eligible students!

At CKA you’ll learn from professional chefs in modern commercial kitchens and graduate with the skills and knowledge to build a career in food service, food systems and other related fields. Throughout the 9-week course, you’ll develop and apply new skills by preparing food that would otherwise be wasted. The food you cook is then distributed through food shelves and meal sites throughout the community. CKA is a program of the Vermont Foodbank, operated in partnership with Capstone Community Action in Barre and Feeding Chittenden in Burlington. Next sessions start March 20th in Burlington and April 3rd in Barre.

APPLY ONLINE: vtfoodbank.org/cka

Conservation Nursery Crew

The Intervale Center is accepting applications for our Conservation Nursery Crew to support conservation efforts by assisting in tree harvest, planting, and general nursery tasks, as well as participating in invasive species removal and stewardship projects. An ideal candidate is energetic and enthusiastic about working outdoors and being part of a team. The position is full-time and seasonal beginning April 3 through May 31, 2023, with the possibility to extend beyond the spring. Intervale Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values diversity of experience, background, and perspective to enrich our work. Applications by members of all underrepresented groups are encouraged. The full job description with instructions on how to apply can be found at intervale.org/get-involved#employment-banner.

MANUFACTURING TEAM MEMBER

Super Thin Saws, of Waterbury, VT, manufactures precision circular sawblades and similar tooling, primarily for the woodworking industry. We are seeking highly motivated individuals to work and grow in our manufacturing operation.

Candidates must be mechanically inclined. Previous experience with measuring tools such as micrometers, calipers, and dial indicators is desired. We will provide training to successful candidates.

Super Thin Saws provides excellent benefits, including medical, good pay, and flexible work hours.

To apply: please send your resume to bookkeeping@ superthinsaws.com or call 802-244-8101

IMMEDIATE OPENINGS

K-8 Lunchroom/Recess Monitors:

Supervises students during lunch and/or recess. Helps to maintain a safe and respectful environment. HS graduate or equivalent

Nutritional Services: Prepares and serves meals to students and staff. Experience with large-scale cooking, food preparation, and serving is preferred, but not required.

Bus Drivers: Transports students over established routes and special trips. Regular driver’s license for Van Drivers. Commercial Drivers license (CDL) class B, Senior Vermont Operator's license with Vermont School Bus Endorsement needed for Bus Drivers. Training provided to qualifying candidates for special licensure. Substitute positions are also available.

Please apply through SchoolSpring.com. Keyword: South Burlington School District.

Or contact Elissa Galvez, HR Employment Specialist at (802) 652-7247 or egalvez@sbschools.net

Medical Lab Scientists: Consider Copley’s Alternative Lab Schedule

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JOIN THE TEAM AT GARDENER’S SUPPLY!

Through gardening, our customers control their access to safe and a ordable food, and grow food to share with their neighbors. At Gardener’s Supply, we are committed to doing everything we can to help our customers keep gardening, but we need your help.

We’re hiring for SEASONAL POSITIONS AT ALL LOCATIONS:

•Pick/Pack customer orders at our DISTRIBUTION CENTER IN MILTON

•Provide exceptional customer service in our CALL CENTER - Remote options available

• Help customers with their gardening needs at our WILLISTON & BURLINGTON, VT GARDEN CENTERS

We are 100% employee-owned and a Certi ed B Corporation. We o er strong cultural values, competitive wages and outstanding bene ts (including a tremendous discount!). Please go to our careers page at www.gardeners.com/careers and apply online!

Paralegal

Vermont Legal Aid seeks a full-time paralegal located in any of its five offices: Burlington, Montpelier, Rutland, Springfield or St. Johnsbury. Responsibilities may include interviewing, advising, and advocating for clients, including written and oral communications, and assisting project attorneys with cases. Initially, paralegal will assist with two projects trying to keep people housed; over time, paralegal may work in other projects with different job responsibilities.

We encourage applicants from a broad range of backgrounds, and welcome information about how your experience can contribute to serving our diverse client communities. We are an equal opportunity employer committed to a discrimination- and harassment-free workplace. Please see our Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion: vtlegalaid.org/commitment-diversity-inclusion

Prior advocacy experience desirable. Knowledge of database software a plus. Bachelor’s degree or four years’ professional work experience required, or a comparable mix of education and experience; some weekend work and in-state travel necessary. See vtlegalaid.org/work-at-vla for additional information and job description.

Base salary is $44,200, with starting salary determined by a candidate’s relevant skills and experience. Generous benefits package including four weeks paid vacation, retirement, and excellent health benefits. Opportunity for law firm study. Application deadline is March 7, 2023 Your application should include a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and 3 references, all combined into one pdf, sent by e-mail to hiring@vtlegalaid.org with “Paralegal – March 2023” in the subject line. Please let us know how you heard about this position.

“Seven Days sales rep Michelle Brown is amazing! She’s extremely responsive, and I always feel so taken care of.” CAROLYN ZELLER Intervale Center, Burlington

COMMUNITY BANKERS

CHITTENDEN COUNTY

BUILDERS | MAKERS | DOERS

There is no better time to join our Team! Northfield Savings Bank, founded in 1867, is the largest banking institution headquartered in Vermont. We are committed to providing a welcoming work environment for all. Are you looking to start or continue a career in the finance industry? Consider joining our team as a Community Banker! To see all our available positions, please visit www.NSBVT. com/careers/open-positions.

JOB

RESPONSIBILITIES & REQUIREMENTS

This frontline position is crucial in creating a positive, welcoming and inclusive experience for NSB customers. The successful candidate will have exceptional customer service and communication skills.

The Community Banker will be responsible for receiving and processing customers’ financial transactions as well as opening and maintaining customer accounts and services. We are looking for someone who can develop and maintain relationships with our valued customers, protect bank and customer information, and uphold customer confidentiality. A high school diploma, general education degree (GED), or equivalent is required.

If you have customer service, previous cash handling, or banking experience we encourage you to apply!

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! We understand the importance of having evenings and weekends with our friends, families, and the communities we serve!

Please send an NSB Application & your resume in confidence to: Careers@nsbvt.com or Northfield Savings Bank | Human Resources PO Box 7180, Barre, VT 05641

Equal Opportunity Employer/Member FDIC

MacDun Garden Care

Development Manager

The Intervale Center seeks a dynamic, mission-driven Development Manager to join our team in Burlington, Vermont. The Development Manager provides critical leadership in the areas of donor tracking and stewardship, appeals, and communications. An ideal candidate has experience working in development, marketing, or communications; excellent communication and public speaking; strong time management and attention to detail; demonstrated experience as a fundraiser; and a passion for community food systems, thoughtfulness, a sense of humor, and a desire to grow.

Intervale Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values diversity of experience, background, and perspective to enrich our work. Applications by members of all underrepresented groups are encouraged. The full job description with instructions on how to apply can be found at intervale.org/getinvolved#employment-banner

CONTROLLER

Burlington Electric Department, the City of Burlington’s 100% renewably powered electric utility, is seeking a Controller to lead accounting and financial operations, including general accounting, grants and contracts accounting, treasury and cash management, payroll, and financial reporting and compliance. This position is a key member of BED’s leadership team and oversees the Department’s financial information and meter-tocash systems. Our ideal candidate will have a Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or a related field; a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license; 8 years of financial management and accounting experience; and 3 years of management or supervisory experience. This position has potential for some remote work flexibility.

To learn more & apply for this position, please visit: governmentjobs.com/careers/burlingtonvt/jobs/3918206/

OPERATIONS SUPPORT

True North Wilderness Program is seeking Operations Support people.

The ideal candidate is an adaptable team player with a positive attitude who is willing to work both indoors and outdoors performing a variety of tasks associated with the logistics of running our program. Tasks including food packing and rationing, gear outfitting, transportation and facilities maintenance. Candidates must be willing to work weekends and occasional evenings. A clean and valid driver’s license is required. Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits offered. Benefits include health, dental, vision and accident insurance, an employee assistance program, a Wellness Fund, student loan repayment reimbursement, and a SIMPLE IRA.

Please apply at: truenorthwilderness.com

Join our Legal Services Team

Are you a legal professional looking for your next adventure? Join a high performing and collaborative team that brings passion and commitment to protecting Vermont’s farms, forests, and community lands. Two positions are now open.

THE DIRECTOR OF LEGAL SERVICES will bring 7-10 years of expertise in real estate law to oversee our legal department and provide general counsel. Starting salary is $85,000.

THE LEGAL PROJECT MANAGER will bring 1-3 years of legal support experience to help manage a wide range of land transactions. Starting salary is $62,800.

We offer a generous cafeteria allowance of $23,600 to cover the cost of health care and other benefits, 6 weeks of Combined Time Off, a 403b retirement plan with match, flexible and hybrid work schedules, and more. Deadline to apply is 3/20/23. To learn more, visit vlt.org/employment

We are an equal opportunity employer and we encourage applicants who can contribute to our growing diversity.

Assistant Manager of Technology & Security Services

THE VERMONT PUBLIC POWER SUPPLY AUTHORITY, located in Waterbury Center, Vermont is seeking an Assistant Manager of Technology & Security Services to join our team. This position will support the Manager of Technology & Security Services and all Authority cyber-security efforts. Essential functions include but are not limited to:

• Design, develop, install & manage IT and cyber-security

• Provide metering support, management of MV-90 interrogation software

• Network administration and maintenance

• Maintain hardware and software inventory

• Troubleshoot and resolve software and hardware issues

• Research and source new information technologies

• Administer SQL Server Database installations

Duties require specialized knowledge of computer technology support, project management, computer and hardware applications, and specialized training equivalent to completion of four years of college and/or three to five years of progressively responsible related experience with training in computer technology and software programs.

VPPSA is building a team of professionals who are passionate about helping Vermont towns meet their energy needs. If you are a team player & enjoy a fast-paced collaborative environment we want to hear from you. Please send resumes and salary requirements to: Vermont Public Power Supply Authority, PO Box 126, Waterbury Ctr., VT 05677. Attn: Ken St. Amour, or to kstamour@vppsa.com. The position will be open until filled.

90 Administrative Assistant

MARCH 1-8, 2023

Our Montpelier-based nature center seeks a part-time Administrative and Finance Assistant with strong interpersonal skills, attention to detail, solid math and writing skills, and a commitment to collaborative teamwork. This 20-hour/week position will work with our Finance Director on all types of NBNC’s financial, HR, and administrative operations. $19/hour + paid leave and other perks. Flexibility in schedule & location. Starts May 1. Apply by March 20. For details see: northbranchnaturecenter. org/employment/

ATTENTION RECRUITERS:

Delivery Driver/Sales Non-CDL

We are looking for a part time delivery driver for a small family business specializing in fresh fish and shellfish.

Tuesday/Thursday (Adding Fridays late Spring). Hours are typically 10-7 with option for 1-7 shi . Excellent job for people with part time schedules. Fun job, good pay, good people.  Check us out at: WoodMountainFish.Com for more information!

Community Relations Manager

CVFiber is seeking a Community Relations Manager to  manage public engagement & marketing activities aligned with CVFiber’s mission of bringing world-class high-speed Internet to rural Vermont.

CVFiber is a Communications Union District (CUD) building a 1,200-mile community-owned fiber network in Central Vermont. The successful candidate will be someone who embraces the CVFiber mission and thrives in a fast-paced, “startup” environment.

View the full job description at cvfiber.net/category/careers/ Send your resume and cover letter to careers@cvfiber.net

Applications accepted until March 7 or until the position is filled.

Right People. Right Business. RIGHT JOB FOR YOU!

Rhino is hiring like crazy to meet the summer demand for all our delicious products and we need you to join us!

If you are hired in an hourly role for our Production, Distribution, Maintenance and Sanitation Teams, Rhino will pay YOU $2,000 on your 6-month anniversary!

Check out our website for all job listings, which include:

Production 3rd shift, $18.50/hr.

Maintenance Techs 1st & 3rd shifts, $20-$35/hr DOE

Earn some “Dough” at Rhino Foods!

Please see more on these openings on our career page at rhinofoods.com/about-rhino-foods/jobs-and-careers.

*Rhino Foods does run sex offender checks on all employees

Sous/Line Cook

Barkeaters Restaurant is seeking an experienced sous/line cook to join our team!

Located in Shelburne, we’re serving up delicious creative food, local beers, and craft cocktails in a fun, friendly environment. We offer a competitive wage, two consecutive days off a week, and the opportunity to showcase your skills and creativity in the kitchen.

Apply here: barkeatersrestaurant@yahoo.com

Hey!

work with us!

Details and to apply: bit.ly/3YbgWox

GUEST SERVICES

CREW MEMBER

Details and to apply: bit.ly/3IsE9g0

RSENR Financial Transaction Generalist - #S4154PO – The Rubenstein School at the University of Vermont is seeking a motivated and organized individual to support the Rubenstein School’s Business Services Team.

The RSENR Financial Transaction Generalist will be responsible for providing financial transaction support for faculty, staff, and students in the Rubenstein School including but not limited to transactions for credit cards, purchase order requisitions, accounts receivable, and other functions as needed to keep up the daily operations of the Rubenstein School.

The University is especially interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of the institution. Please apply online at uvmjobs.com. Applicants must apply electronically –paper resumes are not accepted. Please call (802)656-3150 or email employment@jobs.uvm.com for technical support.

The University of Vermont is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer

Oral Health Project Coordinator

Are you an organized self-starter who enjoys learning and building relationships? The Oral Health Project Coordinator serves a key role in projects related to the integration of oral health and primary care, oral health workforce development, and recruitment and retention of dental professionals for Community Health Centers in VT and NH. Background in oral health is helpful but not required.

View the full job description for this and other open positions by visiting: bistatepca.org/home/careers/

This position may be based in Montpelier, VT or Bow, NH and includes regular regional travel. Bi-State offers a comprehensive benefit package, including a sign on bonus.

To apply send cover letter (including salary expectations) and resume to: employment@bistatepca.org

Bi-State is an equal opportunity employer.

Are you fast, focused, and FUN and want to work with other like-minded highly creative people? Come

FACILITIES MANAGER

The First UU Society of Burlington is searching for the perfect person to care for our historic building at the top of Church Street. If you have a strong background in building maintenance and management and want to work for an organization with a mission you can feel good about, we just might be the fit for you! Send an email with your resume to Christina Fulton at xina@uusociety.org.

Read the full description at uusociety.org/information/ employment-opportunities/

Executive Director

The Mad River Path Association is searching for the organization’s next Executive Director. This part-time position based in the Mad River Valley, Vermont is a dynamic role for a professional interested in creativity, collaboration, working with the community, and the desire to positively influence outdoor recreation in the region. The Executive Director will ideally live within or close to the Mad River Valley. The preferred starting timeframe is late March. Considering applications on a rolling basis. Visit madriverpath. org for full job description.

REGIONAL MANAGER FOR THE LAMOILLE VALLEY & CENTRAL VERMONT

ABOUT THE POSITION

The Regional Manager will support the BBF Regional Early Childhood Councils in Lamoille Valley and Central Vermont regions. The Regional Manager engages partners to collectively build a seamless system experienced by families with a focus on the prenatal period through age 8 and beyond. The Regional Manager supports Regional Council operations, coordinates the implementation of regional action plans, and serves as a liaison between regional partners and the BBF statewide network.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES WILL BE TO:

• Convene and strengthen council operations in Central Vermont and Lamoille Valley regions

• Promote understanding, utilization, and alignment of the BBF Network

• Serve as the liaison between regional and state teams to communicate regional priorities, gaps, and needs experienced by children, families, and partners (through participation in meetings, written updates, blogs, social media posts, etc.)

• The Regional Manager position is full-time with a competitive salary and flexible work schedule. Must be able to travel regularly to support the work across Central Vermont and the Lamoille Valley. A resident of Lamoille or Washington counties is preferred. This is a home-based position with the option to work in BBF’s Williston headquarters.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

• The salary for this position is $55,000 annually. Benefits include generous paid time off, healthcare insurance, dental insurance, and retirement.

DESIRED EXPERTISE:

• Excellent public speaking, facilitation, verbal, and written communication skills

• Bachelor’s Degree in child, youth, and family policy, community development, or a related field preferred

• Experience building relationships and convening diverse stakeholders and underrepresented populations.

PARK MAINTENANCE

Work outdoors in beautiful parks! General maintenance of parks, beaches, athletic fields and other municipal grounds including, mowing, trimming, pruning, leaf and trash removal.

Seasonal positions available from March - November 7am - 3pm, 40 hrs./week, $18.50/hr.

Visit: colchestervt.gov/321/ Human-Resources for job description and application. E.O.E.

Pharmacy Technician Apprenticeship Program

Have you considered a career in healthcare but don’t know where to start?

We provide a 9-week paid Pharmacy Technician training program, followed by full-time employment as a registered apprentice.

Register by March 22nd for our May 2023 Program

We are offering a $2,500 Sign-On Bonus for Lebanon, NH based positions

Pharmacy Technicians (PTs) work collaboratively with pharmacists, nurses, doctors and insurance companies to support a positive experience. PTs work in a variety of environments including our Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Outpatient (Retail), and Inpatient (Hospital) Pharmacies.

We encourage anyone interested in learning more about the program to register. This is the first step to starting your career as a certified Pharmacy Technician.

Our next program starts in May, 2023 so register today! Registration ends on March 22nd, 2023.

For more information, and to register, please visit: DHWRI.org

ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT STAFF

Project: 23-DART50-00

Client: Dartmouth Health

• Basic understanding of data literacy and analysis to support decision-making

Pub: Seven Days - VT

2023: Harger Howe Advertising

• Experience with technology that supports collaborative and virtual work, including Google Suite, Microsoft Office Suite, Slack, and Zoom

TO APPLY:

Candidates are encouraged to consult the Building Bright Futures website to acquaint themselves with our organization, please also see the full job description at buildingbrightfutures.org

Please email a cover letter, resume and three references by March 27, 2023 at midnight. Please send application materials as one PDF labeled: lastname_firstname_Partnership to: kmobbs@buildingbrightfutures.org. Position is open until filled.

Link to job posting: https://buildingbrightfutures.org/getinvolved/regional-manager/

Section: Careers

Run Date: Next Available Issue

Vermont Legal Aid seeks a highly organized individual who enjoys working as part of a team, with a desire to further our mission. We have two full-time positions available: one in Burlington and one in Montpelier, VT. We encourage applicants from a broad range of backgrounds, and welcome information about how your experience can contribute to serving our diverse client communities. Applicants are encouraged to share in their cover letter how they can further our goals of social justice and individual rights. We are an equal opportunity employer committed to a discrimination-and-harassment-free workplace. Please read our Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion: vtlegalaid.org/commitment-diversity-inclusion

Size: 3.83 x 5.25

NOTE: Please ad very carefully, as verify the section and is to run. Once approved tion, Harger not responsible errors.

Responsibilities include general office management and front desk duties (answering phones, client contact, data entry, typing, file/document/database management), as well as providing administrative support to multiple attorneys and paralegals. Experience in an administrative support role is preferable. Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite required. Fluency in French, Spanish, Swahili, Kirundi, Somali, Arabic, Nepali, or Burmese is a plus. See job description and more details at vtlegalaid.org/work-at-vla

Artwork, designs, copywriting, production and creative materials created by Harger Howe Advertising are the property of Harger Howe Advertising and are not to be used, displayed, reproduced, recreated or republished without our expressed written consent. We retain all rights under applicable copyright laws to all materials.

Base salary is $38,480 with salary credit given for relevant prior work experience. Benefits include 4 weeks paid vacation, retirement, & excellent health benefits; possibility for law office study. Application deadline is March 7, 2023. Send cover letter (indicating which office you prefer), resume & contact information for 3 references as a single PDF file with the subject line “Support Staff -Burlington or Montpelier - March 2023” to hiring@ vtlegalaid.org. Please tell us how you heard about the position.

Lake Champlain Yacht Club

Launch Operator/Steward

Required: US Coast Guard

Limited OUPV (Launch Tender or “6-Pack”) license

To apply or learn more: lcycstewardschair@gmail.com

FULL AND PART TIME FRONT DESK CLERKS

2nd shifts. Shifts are 3pm-11pm. Looking to hire immediately. Apply in person: 1016 Shelburne Rd., South Burlington, VT 05403 or email: travelodgeburlingtonvt@gmail.com

RAPID REHOUSING SPECIALIST

Are you interested in a job that helps your community and makes a difference in people’s lives every day? Consider joining Burlington Housing Authority (BHA) in Burlington, VT. We’re seeking candidates to continue BHA’s success in promoting innovative solutions that address housing instability challenges facing our diverse population of low-income families and individuals.

FOOD TRUCK & PRODUCTION COORDINATOR FEEDING CHITTENDEN

Do you want to work for an Agency that positively impacts the lives of over 20,000 individuals?

The Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity (CVOEO) addresses fundamental issues of economic, social, and racial justice and works with people to achieve economic independence by “bridging gaps and building futures” We are a part of the communities in which we work and live and together we create belonging and connection. Feeding Chittenden, a Program of CVOEO, brings critical nutrition, comfort and wellbeing into the lives of over 11,000 neighbors. They strive to make people feel heard and supported as they expand their critical programming to reach more vulnerable Vermonters.

Are you highly effective in working objectively with a diverse group of people, groups and organizations? Feeding Chittenden has an opening for a Food Truck and Production Coordinator. In this position you are responsible for planning and organizing production schedules, partnering organizations and vendors as well as administrative duties including reporting. The position prepares food for multiple programs and serves directly to community members using the Good Food Truck when available. The role comes with the supervision of volunteers and coordination with culinary teams. Please view the Food Truck and Production Coordinator position at cvoeo.org/careers.

If you have an Associates Degree in culinary arts preferred plus two-four years related experience or a combination of education and experience from which comparable knowledge and skills have been acquired; ServSafe certification; demonstrated skills in food handling procedures; strong organizational skills; experience with project management, planning and organizing, and computer skills; effective verbal and written communication skills, (bilingual abilities are a plus); a valid driver’s license, a clean driving record and access to reliable transportation; we’d like to hear from you!

When you come to work for CVOEO you’re getting so much more than a paycheck! We offer a great working environment and an excellent benefit package including medical, dental & vision insurance, paid holidays, generous time off, a retirement plan & discounted gym membership. Visit cvoeo.org/careers and include a cover letter and resume with your application. Review of applications begins immediately and will continue until suitable applicants are found.

CVOEO IS AN E.O.E.

Currently, we’re looking for a full time (40 hours per week) Rapid Rehousing Specialist in our Housing Retention and Services department. This position provides assistance to community members who are without housing and have barriers to locating and securing housing in the community. This grant funded position works closely with our Rental Assistance department and Chittenden County Coordinated Entry and is a part of a skilled team that focuses on assessment, intervention, and service coordination of at-risk households.

Bachelor’s degree in Human Services or related field and three years of experience working with home-based service provision to diverse populations is required. The ideal candidate should be highly organized with strong written and verbal communication skills and positively contribute to a collaborative team. A valid driver’s license and reliable transportation is preferred.

BHA serves a diverse population of tenants and partners with a variety of community agencies. To most effectively carry out our vision of delivering safe and affordable housing to all, we are committed to cultivating a staff that reflects varied lived experiences, viewpoints, and educational histories. Therefore, we strongly encourage candidates from diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals, and women to apply. Multilingualism is a plus!

BHA offers a competitive salary, commensurate with qualifications and experience, and a sign on bonus of $2,000!

Our robust benefit package includes premium medical insurance with a health reimbursement account, dental, vision, short and long term disability, 10% employer funded retirement plan, 457 retirement plan, accident insurance, life insurance, cancer and critical illness insurance.

We provide a generous time off policy including 12 days of paid time off and 12 days of sick time in the first year. In addition to the paid time off, BHA recognizes 13 (paid) holidays. Interested in this career opportunity? Send a cover letter and resume to: humanresources@burlingtonhousing.org

Human Resources - Burlington Housing Authority 65 Main Street, Suite 101 Burlington, VT 05401 https://burlingtonhousing.org, BHA is an Equal Opportunity Employer

ATTENTION RECRUITERS:

POST YOUR JOBS AT: SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTMYJOB

PRINT DEADLINE: NOON ON MONDAYS (INCLUDING HOLIDAYS) FOR RATES & INFO: MICHELLE BROWN, 802-865-1020 X121, MICHELLE@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

Join Our Auto Auction Team

We are looking for DYNAMIC INDIVIDUALS to help run our Williston Auto Auction.

OPEN POSITION:

Auto Auction Positions

We are currently looking for applicants who are interested in the car auction industry, have basic knowledge of cars and trucks, enjoy a face paced work environment and strive to better themselves every day. We have multiple positions open including yard crew, front office and auction day support staff. We offer competive wages and benefits for full time employees!

Thomas Hirchak Company is an at will employer. See details at: THCAuction.com

WANT TO APPLY?

Email Us: Eric@THCAuction.com or drop by our auto office today at 298 James Brown Dr., Williston 802-878-9200 or 800-474-6132

Workforce Initiatives Faciliator

Do you enjoy teaching, building relationships and planning new programs? The Workforce Initiatives Facilitator supports Community Health Centers in VT and NH to develop new and innovative health professional training programs to address their ongoing workforce needs. By sharing best practices, facilitating trainings, and connecting partners, this position is a key resource to growing the next generation of primary care providers in our region.

View the full job description for this and other open positions by visiting: bistatepca.org/home/

This position may be based in Montpelier, VT or Bow, NH and includes regular regional travel. Bi-State offers a comprehensive benefit package, including a sign on bonus.

To apply send cover letter (including salary expectations) and resume to: employment@bistatepca.org

Bi-State is an equal opportunity employer.

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 ongoing, full-time positions.

Residential Manager – Developmental Services: Provide supervision to residential staff in Howard Center’s Developmental Services programs

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Rubin, Kidney, Myer & Vincent, a Barre, VT small law firm is seeking an administrative assistant.  The successful candidate should have excellent phone, organizational, communication and computer skills, be a fast learner and be able to work effectively as part of a team.  Although legal experience is desirable, we are willing to train the right person.  This is a 30-40 hour a week position.  Competitive salary and benefits.  A great job at a fun place to work.

Kindly respond to:  Loretta L. Larson, Office Manager via email to llarson@ rkmvlaw.com

Congressional Papers Archivists - Howe Library, Silver Special Collections - #F2576PO - The University of Vermont Libraries seeks to hire three Congressional Papers Archivists to arrange and describe the papers of Senator Patrick J. Leahy. The archivists will arrange and describe the Senator Leahy Papers, digitize content from the collection and make it available online, and conduct an oral history project with the Senator and his staff. The archivists will also supervise student employees and interns, principally on arrangement and description tasks. These positions are grant funded for five years.

The search will remain open until the position is filled. For best consideration, complete applications should be received no later than March 19, 2023.

Libraries Facilities Coordinator - University Libraries#S4137PO - The Libraries facility coordinator will be the leader of facilities (five unique buildings/spaces) as they relate to the University Libraries programs. This position oversees safety protocols to ensure the protection of the libraries’ collections, estimated at over $400,000,000, some of which are irreplaceable. Coordinate and lead discussions about library facilities and emergency/safety planning with Library leadership, staff, faculty and on-campus partners such as Physical Plant, Risk Management and Planning, Design and Construction. Oversee construction projects, renovations, and space planning in library facilities. Assume operational oversight and administration of facilities as they relate to research and outreach programs.

Candidates are required to submit a cover letter, résumé, and contact information for three references. The search will remain open until the position is filled. For best consideration, complete applications should be received no later than March 15, 2023.

For further information on these positions and others currently available, or to apply online, please visit www.uvmjobs.com Applicants must apply for positions electronically. Paper resumes are not accepted. Open positions are updated daily. Please call 802-656-3150 or email employment@uvm.edu for technical support with the online application.

The University of Vermont is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

Clinician – Developmental Services: Therapist position working directly with individuals with developmental disabilities to offer therapeutic support

Clinical Manager – Transition House: Assume responsibility of Transition House, a 4-bed residential treatment program for youth from out of state placements

Clinical Supervisor – ASSIST: Provide clinical and administrative oversight to ASSIST, a 6-bed residential crisis stabilization program for adults needing services

Director of Nursing – Chittenden Clinic Opioid Treatment Program: Provide on-site supervision, patient care, and nursing leadership

MAT Program Clinical Supervisor: Supervise staff/ interns and provide counseling and health home services to people dependent on opioids

Sign on bonuses available

ATTENTION RECRUITERS:

Heavy Equipment Service Technician

Monroe Tractor, an established company with 71 years as an agriculture dealership is growing in VT and we are seeking to add Service Technicians to perform repair and maintenance on industry leading Agricultural and Construction equipment in shop and on the road.

Applicant will be responsible for troubleshooting and repairing of electrical, hydraulic, transmission and diesel engine components.  Ideal candidate will be self-motivated, safety minded, organized, reliable and a strong communicator. Applicant must have a clean driving record, have reliable transportation, successfully pass a background check and drug test. Must be able to meet the physical requirements of the job which include bending, lifting heavy components and working in confined spaces.

Competitive pay and benefits provided. Please send resume to mhendy@monroetractor.com or call 802-771-3007

VERMONT STATE COURTS DISCIPLINARY COUNSEL

The Vermont Judiciary has an immediate full-time career opening for the position of Disciplinary Counsel. Disciplinary Counsel is responsible for investigating and litigating disciplinary and disability matters. Located in Burlington or Montpelier, the position requires an active member in good standing of the Vermont bar and 5 to 8 years’ litigation experience, as well as strong research, writing and analytical skills. Disciplinary Counsel works closely with the Professional Responsibility Board and serves at the pleasure of the State Court Administrator. Job code # 23005. This position is open until filled with a salary equivalent of $98,000 or higher depending upon experience. Excellent benefits including generous leave, group life and health and retirement plans. Further information and how to apply see vermontjudiciary.exacthire.com/job/106292

WHERE YOU AND YOUR WORK MATTER

DDS MEDICAL CONSULTANT – WATERBURY

Are you a physician looking for a flexible part-time career helping to improve the lives of Vermont’s most vulnerable people? Disability Determination Services seeks a licensed M.D./D.O. with experience in general medicine, family practice, or cardiology to consult with adjudicative staff and provide medical eligibility decisions for applicants filing for Social Security disability, SSI, and Medicaid disability. Telework available. Program training is provided with no patient care responsibilities. For more information, contact Kirsten Moore at kirsten.moore@ssa.gov. Department: Children and Families. Location: Waterbury. Status: Part-Time, Temporary. Job Id #44279. Application Deadline: March 5, 2023.

RESIDENTIAL COUNSELOR I – ESSEX

Come join a team of dedicated and compassionate staff at a new 16-bed state-ofthe-art Secure Residential Facility in Essex, Vermont! Residential Counselor duties involve the care and treatment of the residents within the facility and out in the community. Residential Counselors provide education, support with life skills, and milieu management. Residential Counselors support residents to appointments in the community, activities, and various community visits. Shifts available, including a need for overnight staffing. For more information, contact Troy Parah at troy.parah1@vermont. gov.

Department: Mental Health. Location: Essex. Status: Full-time with benefits! Job Id #45895. Application Deadline: March 6, 2023.

PUBLIC HEALTH COMMUNICATION OFFICER/EQUITY FOCUS –BURLINGTON

Join our team and help Vermonters of all backgrounds and abilities have a fair and equitable chance to be healthy! We are looking for a communication professional who can help reach a diverse array of communities, including the BIPOC/global majority, Indigenous communities, people with disabilities, LGBTQIA+, and unhoused people. This position will ensure language, social/cultural norms, and other needs are considered in public health communications — to improve health equity in Vermont. For more information, contact Nancy Erickson at nancy.erickson@vermont. gov. Department: Health. Location: Burlington. Status: Full Time – Limited Service. Job Id #46422. Application Deadline: March 15, 2023.

DDS PROVIDER RELATIONS SPECIALIST – WATERBURY

Do you thrive at making connections and creative problem-solving, all while promoting great customer service? This position develops relationships with the medical community to expand the division’s network of providers and aid in our mission of providing accurate and timely decisions to disability applicants, resolving issues, and facilitating the efficient flow of medical records. Work is performed at the DDS office with the option to telework 2-3 days per week. Some travel is required. For more information, contact Kirsten Moore at kirsten.moore@ssa.gov. Department: Children and Families. Location: Waterbury. Status: Full Time. Job Id #46415. Application Deadline: March 19, 2023.

PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE SUPERVISOR – SPRINGFIELD

The Vermont Department of Health is looking for an enthusiastic and experienced nurse to lead a dedicated and caring team toward improving population level health. This is achieved through the delivery of essential public health services and programs such as chronic disease prevention, immunizations, maternal and child health, healthy homes, infectious disease, substance abuse prevention, school health, and emergency preparedness. This position reports to the District Director. For more information, contact Michael Russell at michael.russell@vermont.gov.

Department: Health. Location: Springfield. Status: Full Time. Job Id #45721. Application Deadline: March 15, 2023.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR –MONTPELIER

The position will lead the implementation of the Climate Action Office’s engagement strategy which includes climate action communication, the development of and support of public engagement events, and a focused effort on targeted engagement with frontline and impacted communities. It will also serve as a critical liaison with the Environmental Justice Unit in the Secretary’s Office at ANR. This is an exciting opportunity to engage Vermonters in decisionmaking to inform climate action. For more information, contact Jane Lazorchak at jane.lazorchak@vermont.gov. Department: Environmental Conservation. Location: Montpelier. Status: Full Time. Job Id #46222. Application Deadline: March 14, 2023.

PUBLIC HEALTH INSPECTION MANAGER – BURLINGTON

The Vermont Department of Health has an exciting opportunity to be on the front lines of protecting public health in Vermont. The successful candidate will provide leadership and management for the field team conducting a variety of public health inspections of food safety systems, general sanitation practices, and environmental conditions in the Food & Lodging Program. For more information, contact Elisabeth Wirsing at elisabeth.wirsing@vermont.gov.

Department: Health. Location: Burlington. Status: Full Time. Job Id #46062. Application Deadline: March 14, 2023.

SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROGRAM EVALUATOR - BURLINGTON

Come help the Health Department determine the effectiveness of our substance use prevention and treatment services! We are seeking a Program Evaluator to design and complete program evaluations and to share that information through reports and data dashboards. This important work supports existing, and informs future, programming. The evaluator must be able to manage multiple projects simultaneously and should have evaluation and data analysis experience. For more information, contact Anne VanDonsel at anne.vandonsel@vermont.gov.

Department: Health. Location: Burlington. Status: Full Time – Limited Service. Job Id #46411. Application Deadline: March 8, 2023.

Mobile Home Program Resident Organizer

CVOEO’s Mobile Home Program is seeking an experienced, energetic, and committed individual with a high degree of initiative to join our team.

We are looking for a motivated, problem-solver to provide education, support and outreach to residents of Vermont’s mobile home parks. Our ideal candidate will have the ability to work closely with our clients and community demonstrating strong communication & facilitation skills as well as learning & maintaining a working knowledge of related statutes & regulations.

Please visit cvoeo.org/ careers to submit cover letter, resume, and three work references.

General Assembly

Legislative Drafting Coordinator

The Legislative support offices are currently hiring. The nonpartisan offices are an interesting, challenging, and exciting place to work. You will be part of a highly professional and collegial team that is proud of, and enthusiastic about, the mission of the state legislature.

To apply, please go to 'Career Opportunities' at legislature.vermont.gov.

Vermont CARES Is Hiring

Looking to join a team committed to harm reduction and lifesaving work in Vermont? We have multiple positions open, both client facing and administrative, full and part time. We would love to learn more about you and your professional goals today. Please check out our website for the details: vtcares.org

JOIN OUR TEAM!

Shared Living Provider

Seeking a Shared Living Provider for a 37-year-old female who loves art and local music. This position would require the candidate to move into the client’s Winooski home and assist the client while they recover from surgery, help with transportation (on-site parking available), and assist the client with daily tasks due to their diagnosis of Autism Disorder. The SLP will have the ability to work full time outside of this opportunity. The ideal provider would be a single female under the age of 60 who is sensitive and open minded. The client has a service Labradoodle, but no other large pets are allowed.

Compensation includes an annual tax-free stipend of $25,000 plus contracted supports.

Contact: RebeccaLO@howardcenter.org or (802) 324-5729.

howardcenter.org • 802-488-6500

Looking for a great way to spend your summer in Vermont?

Consider joining an incredible team of Camping Professionals at Camp Kiniya on Lake Champlain in Colchester, VT! We seek to employ youth oriented, hard working and fun loving program staff!

2023 SUMMER POSITIONS INCLUDE: LIFEGUARDS!

All ages are encouraged to apply. (High-schoolers, that’s you too!) And if you have skills in paddling, water skiing, sailing, or swimming, we want to hear from you as well! Full summer commitment or flexible schedule available. Daily shifts range from 9-5:30, 9-Noon, or 2:30-5:30.

Vice President of Communications Vice President of Business Development

www.CommunityHeartandSoul.org

Now that you know who we are, what we do, and our passion for small cities and towns across America, read on if this stirs you.

Founded by Lyman Orton, who built his family’s business, The Vermont Country Store, into an enduring retail organization, Community Heart and Soul is a resident-driven process that engages the entire population of a town in identifying what they love most about their community, what future they want for it, and how to achieve it. Practiced in over 100 towns across America, we are expanding our program to include hundreds of new communities.

If you are a strong leader with business experience, an entrepreneurial hands-on approach, and have a passion to expand Community Heart and Soul across America, write to our President, Mark Sherman, with your background and what you can do to bring Heart & Soul to vastly more small cities and towns. Needless to say, you must be a convincing public speaker, writer, effective manager, and have the desire and ability to evangelize Community Heart & Soul effectively to small cities and towns so they will want to invest in it for their own benefit.

Both VP positions will be based at our office in Shelburne, Vermont. To learn more about each position and submit your cover letter and resume, visit communityheartandsoul.org/careers/

GARDENERS AND GREEN THUMBS!

If designing and planting and nurturing a garden from scratch excites you, this one is for you! We have opportunities in May and June for a lucky person to design, plant and nurture our summer garden.

If working with kids and teaching them about all aspects of gardening and farmto-plate programs interests you, our summer program begins mid-June and extends through mid-August.

Perhaps you’re interested in one of the two scenarios above. Or both. Either way, reach out so we can chat through the possibilities.

OUTDOORS-MINDED FOLKS

If you have a passion for hiking, climbing, and/or challenge course facilitation, consider sharing your passion with kids and getting paid to do so too!

On campus room and board is available, if needed, for all positions listed above but living off campus and commuting each day is ok too!

We offer very competitive salary, an excellent work environment & a ton of fun! If interested in applying, please send resume with cover letter outlining specific experience and skills in area of expertise by email to the Camp Director at Marnie@campdudley.org. campkiniya.org

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If you like what we do and can a ord to help pay for it, please become a Seven Days Super Reader. Your donation will help to keep our community informed and connected.

Join the Super Readers at sevendaysvt.com/super-readers.

Or send a note (and a check) to: Seven Days c/o Super Readers PO Box 1164 Burlington, VT 05402

PAULA

fun stuff

HARRY BLISS

“Here’s a thought: Poop closer to the house.”

CALCOKU & SUDOKU (P.79) CROSSWORD (P.79)

JEN SORENSEN

PISCES

(FEB. 19-MAR. 20)

Piscean author and activist W.E.B. Dubois advised us to always be willing to give up what we are. Why? Because that’s how we transform into a deeper and stronger version of ourselves. I think you would benefit from using his strategy. My reading of the astrological omens tells me that you are primed to add through subtraction, to gain power by shedding what has become outworn and irrelevant. Suggested step one: Identify dispiriting self-images you can jettison. Step two: Visualize a familiar burden you could live without. Step three: Drop an activity that bores you. Step four: Stop doing something that wastes your time.

ARIES (Mar. 21-Apr. 19): In 1993, I began work on my memoirish novel The Televisionary Oracle. It took me seven years to finish. The early part of the process was tough. I generated a lot of material I didn’t like. Then one day, I discovered an approach that liberated me: I wrote about aspects of my character and behavior that needed improvement. Suddenly everything clicked, and my fruitless adventure transformed into a fluidic joy. Soon I was writing about other themes and experiences. But dealing with self-correction was a key catalyst. Are there any such qualities in yourself you

might benefit from tackling, Aries? If so, I recommend you try my approach.

TAURUS (Apr. 20-May 20): Two Taurus readers complained that my horoscopes contain too much poetry and flair to be useful. In response, I’m offering you a prosaic message. It’s all true, though in a way that’s more like a typical horoscope. (I wonder if this approach will spur your emotional intelligence and your soul’s lust for life, which are crucial areas of growth for you these days.) Anyway, here’s the oracle: Take a risk and extend feelers to interesting people outside your usual sphere. But don’t let your social adventures distract you from your ambitions, which also need your wise attention. Your complex task: Mix work and play; synergize business and pleasure.

GEMINI (May 21-Jun. 20): Astrologer Jessica Shepherd advises us to sidle up to the Infinite Source of Life and say, “Show me what you’ve got.” When we do, we often get lucky. That’s because the Infinite Source of Life delights in bringing us captivating paradoxes. Yes and no may both be true in enchanting ways. Independence and interdependence can interweave to provide us with brisk teachings. If we dare to experiment with organized wildness and aggressive receptivity, our awareness will expand, and our hearts will open. What about it, Gemini? Are you interested in the charming power that comes from engaging with cosmic contradictions? Now’s a favorable time to do so. Go ahead and say, “Show me what you’ve got” to the Infinite Source of Life.

CANCER (Jun.21-Jul. 22): “Only a lunatic would dance when sober,” declared the ancient Roman philosopher Cicero. As a musician who loves to dance, I reject that limiting idea — especially for you. In the upcoming weeks, I hope you will do a lot of dancingwhile-sober. Singing-while-sober, too. Maybe some crying-for-joy-while-sober, as well as freewheeling-your-way-through-unpredictable-conversations-while-sober, and cavorting-and-reveling-while-sober. My point is that there is no need for you to be intoxicated as you engage in revelry. Even further: It will be better for your soul’s long-term health if you are lucid and clearheaded as you celebrate this liberating phase of extra joy and pleasure.

Eva Sollberger’s

LEO (Jul. 23-Aug. 22): Poet Mary Oliver wondered whether the soul is solid and unbreakable, like an iron bar. Or is it tender and fragile, like a moth in an owl’s beak? She fantasized that maybe it’s shaped like an iceberg or a hummingbird’s eye. I am poetically inclined to imagine the soul as a silver diadem bedecked with emeralds, roses, and live butterflies. What about you, Leo? How do you experience your soul? The coming weeks will be a ripe time to home in on this treasured part of you. Feel it, consult with it, feed it. Ask it to surprise you!

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sep. 22): According to the color consultant company Pantone, Viva Magenta is 2023’s Color of the Year. According to me, Viva Magenta is the lucky hue and power pigment for you Virgos during the next ten months. Designer Amber Guyton says that Viva Magenta “is a rich shade of red that is both daring and warm.” She adds that its “purple undertone gives it a warmth that sets it apart from mere red and makes it more versatile.” For your purposes, Virgo, Viva Magenta is earthy and exciting; nurturing and inspiring; soothing yet arousing. The coming weeks will be a good time to get the hang of incorporating its spirit into your life.

LIBRA (Sep. 23-Oct. 22): If you are not working to forge a gritty solution, you may be reinforcing a cozy predicament. If you’re not expanding your imagination to conjure up fresh perspectives, you could be contributing to some ignorance or repression. If you’re not pushing to expose dodgy secrets and secret agendas, you might be supporting the whitewash. Know what I’m saying, Libra? Here’s a further twist. If you’re not peeved about the times you have wielded your anger unproductively, you may not use it brilliantly in the near future. And I really hope you will use it brilliantly.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Storyteller

Martin Shaw believes that logic and factual information are not enough to sustain us. To nourish our depths, we need the mysterious stories provided by myths and fairy tales. He also says that conventional hero sagas starring big, strong, violent men are outmoded. Going forward, we require wily, lyrical tales imbued with the spirit of the Greek word

metis, meaning “divine cunning in service to wisdom.” That’s what I wish for you now, Scorpio. I hope you will tap into it abundantly. As you do, your creative struggles will lead to personal liberations. For inspiration, read myths and fairy tales.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Many astrologers don’t give enough encouragement to you Sagittarians on the subject of home. I will compensate for that. I believe it’s a perfect time to prioritize your feelings of belonging and your sense of security. I urge you to focus energy on creating serenity and stability for yourself. Honor the buildings and lands you rely on. Give extra appreciation to the people you regard as your family and tribe. Offer blessings to the community that supports you.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): If you are like 95 percent of the population, you weren’t given all the love and care you needed as a child. You may have made adaptations to partly compensate for this lack, but you are still running a deficit. That’s the bad news, Capricorn. The good news is that the coming weeks will be a favorable time to overcome at least some of the hurt and sadness caused by your original deprivation. Life will offer you experiences that make you feel more at home in the world and at peace with your destiny and in love with your body. Please help life help you! Make yourself receptive to kindness and charity and generosity.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): The philosopher Aldous Huxley was ambitious and driven. Author of almost 50 books, he was a passionate pacifist and explorer of consciousness. He was a visionary who expressed both dystopian and utopian perspectives. Later in his life, though, his views softened. “Do not burn yourselves out,” he advised readers. “Be as I am: a part-time crusader, a half-hearted fanatic. Save the other half of yourselves for pleasure and adventure. It is not enough to fight for the land; it is even more important to enjoy it.” Now I’m offering you Huxley’s counsel, Aquarius. As much as I love your zealous idealism and majestic quests, I hope that in the coming weeks you will recharge yourself with creature comforts.

Trent Cooper is obsessed with perfecting his loaf of pain de campagne — a naturally leavened country-style bread that he learned to make from famed local baker Gérard Rubaud; Cooper took over Rubaud's bakery in 2020, after his death. Eva filmed Cooper's baking process and tasted bread hot out of the oven at 2:30 a.m.

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Respond

WOMEN seeking...

KINDNESS

I enjoy warm, creative people. A sense of humor and radical politics are necessary. Do you love music and have a curious, open mind? Let’s be friends. ComicMellow, 45, seeking: M, W, TM, TW, Q, NC, NBP, Cp, Gp, l

CLEAN AND SIMPLE CRAFTER

Hello, gentlemen. I am a creative maker looking for a good friendship. I don’t imbibe nor inhale smoke. I enjoy clean, quiet, thoughtful conversation. I’m happy with my life and hope to find a pal to share short hikes or a relaxed cup of tea. If we enjoy each other’s company, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it! Quiet_quality 55, seeking: M, l

OLD-SCHOOL R&B LOVER

COVID-19 has left me feeling alone — hoping to get my groove back. Building a friendship is at the top of my list. Love R&B, dancing and music. Clean up well. Very independent and social. Artistic and crafty. Looking for someone to go on walks and bike rides, a hike in the woods, movies and dinners out.

RareBean13 71, seeking: M, l

READY, SET, GO

Honestly, after 68 years of life and a major upheaval, I am learning about who I am now. The things I know are: I am honest, sincere, thoughtful, flexible and hardworking. I seek justice and truth in this jumbled-up world. I love to travel but also love my home in Vermont. dontknowaboutthis 68, seeking: M, l

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You read Seven Days, these people read Seven Days — you already have at least one thing in common!

All the action is online. Create an account or login to browse hundreds of singles with profiles including photos, habits, desires, views and more. It’s free to place your own profile online.

lSee photos of this person online.

W = Women

M = Men

TW = Trans women

TM = Trans men

Q = Genderqueer people

NBP = Nonbinary people

NC = Gender nonconformists

Cp = Couples

Gp = Groups

IT ALL BEGINS WITH HELLO

Hi! Thanks for stopping by. Now to tell you a bit about myself: I’m a kind (treat people the way I’d like to be treated), happy, hardworking, financially self-sufficient, inquisitive, romantic, humble, drama-free, non-helicopter parent, makeup or not, pull-yourselfup-by-your-bootstraps kind of girl. Oh, and I’m searching for “the one.”

Daisies36, 53, seeking: M, l

IS LOVE A FAIRY TALE?

I am a very kindhearted person. Been called the world’s biggest cheerleader. Love loud muscle cars and even louder bikes. I will fish all day with you as long as you take the fish off my hook. I promise you’ll either laugh at me once a day or question whether my mom brought me to Houston for the follow-up appointment.

CaptainCupcake, 43 seeking: M, l

NEK, ADVENTUROUS, INTELLIGENT, WELL-ROUNDED

Looking for a kind, self-confident guy with whom to explore our worlds. A nice mix of homebody and adventurous spirit would be ideal. Travel near and far, time spent on the water, a social life. Traveling into Québec is always interesting. French speakers welcome. Call now for a free set of Ginsu knives!

Stemtostern 74 seeking: M, l

TRAVEL PARTNER

I would like to have a partner to do fun things with outdoors and indoors. I enjoy exploring, good food, travel, talking, laughing.

Rendeveuz 54, seeking: M, NC, l

HAPPILY MARRIED, HAVING SOME FUN

I’m just looking for low-drama physical fun, and my husband is delighted to watch, participate or just know that I’m out having a good time. The_Lemon_

Song 41 seeking: M, TM, Q, NC, NBP, l

FIRST, LET’S TALK

A devoted VPR listener. Love gardening, almost all music, museums, movies, theater, flea markets, trips to nowhere and travel. I don’t need someone to “complete” me or support me, just someone to talk to, hold hands, share adventures. I am short and round — not sloppy fat, but definitely plump. I love to laugh and sing, preferably with others — hence this endeavor.

ZanninVT 73, seeking: M, l

EYE-TO-EYE IN ALL

Love to cook, garden, travel, write, photograph, cross-country ski, hike, bike, watch movies, read, walk my dogs. Wish to share all that with a kind, grounded, warm and self-reflective man who can communicate — key to a strong relationship. I’m still working part time in private practice. I’m looking for a healthy, long-term, monogamous relationship.

RumiLove, 73, seeking: M, l

I NEED LOVE

I am proud of myself, honestly. I treat others the way I want to be treated, and I need a man who is going to love me and give me joy.

elizabethlove, 28 seeking: M, l

FUN, FUNNY AND FIT

Attractive, athletic woman interested in casual dating/connections. Kids are getting older, and work is winding down. Looking for new adventures. Love to travel, see new places, experience new things. Never bored or boring. I enjoy music, dancing, yoga, weight lifting and soccer. Not a fan of drama. If you are healthy, fit, nice, funny and easy on the eyes, reach out. Yolo50 50, seeking: M

CREATIVE, 64, CURIOUS AND FUNNY

I’d like to meet an active, friendly man, ages 60 to 68, who’d join me for outdoor adventures. I want to make friends first. I enjoy music, good food, movies, conversation, my home, my garden, simple things. I am fit: I snowshoe, cross-country ski, hike, cycle. If you write, I’ll respond and can then send a photo. Let’s get outside! nicensimple, 64, seeking: M, l

FUN, KIND AND LOVING

Recently I relocated to Vermont and am looking for someone to enjoy Vermont life with. I’ve been divorced/single long enough to know myself and enjoy my own company. I would like to be in a long-term, healthy, monogamous relationship. So let’s be friends first and see where it goes! CoachKaty7 53, seeking: M, l

MONTRÉAL WIFE IN OPEN RELATIONSHIP

Longtime married, very attractive, in open relationship. Desire playmate in Burlington area. I like confident, experienced, athletic, smart, welleducated, charming men. I am not looking to develop a relationship. Would like a regular playmate who is very discreet. My wonderful husband may be around for first meet, so need to be comfortable with that. He does not participate. MontrealWife, 54, seeking: M, l

MEN seeking...

STAYING ACTIVE

I am staying young by keeping active. I would say that I’m attractive and looking for the same. I will take some photos and post soon. Looking for someone in this post-covid (can we say that yet?) world to join me for adventures, exploration and learning about one another. If you are ready to get out there then let’s meet. 802David, 54 seeking: W

OLD-FASHIONED, HARDWORKING, HONEST MAN

Honest man looking for a partner to enjoy life’s simple joys with. Five-foot-sixinches tall, looking for nice lady to share the ups and downs of life. Animal and nature lover. Love to cook and garden. Vermontgardener 65, seeking: W, l

MELLOW, EASYGOING AND FRIENDLY

My eyes don’t smile? My warmth comes from talking with me. I love to have a good time, and it shows wherever I go. I enjoy working on my house (quite the project), creating models in motion and learning the piano. I’ve been told I look like Carmine from “Laverne & Shirley,” Buddy Holly and Elvis Costello. Vinijackson 59, seeking: W, l

PROUDLY NEURODIVERGENT, LAID-BACK POET

Proudly neurodivergent, laid-back poet who appreciates the quirky and wondrous. Inhabit a 54-y/o, cis male (he/him) body of pan-Celtic, English, German and a trace of Penobscot heritage. Enjoy writing, making art, music of all kinds, gardening, camping, cooking/baking, reading and cats. Seeking friendship or romantic relationship with 25- to 45-y/o hetero or bisexual woman — or friendship with anyone who respects the dignity of every human being and can deal with unconventionality.

Dan_o_Shanter, 54, seeking: W, l

GO WITH THE FLOW

I’m looking for someone just like me — someone who works hard, cares about others and the world we live in but is missing something in their life and/or partnership and wants to find that spark of excitement. I also live a busy life, so spontaneity is desired but oh so challenging. Anybody out there that fits the mold? my_fungi_ username 45, seeking: W, l

FUN LOVER SEEKING

MEANINGFUL CONNECTION

Young-at-heart (and looks), fun-loving hopeless romantic looking for physical and spiritual connection with a woman. I enjoy getting together with friends and family, traveling, seeing live shows and movies, and being active. What I’m looking for in a lady is someone who is kind, curious, caring and playful (frisky?). If this sound like you, reach out! Pictures available upon request. Batterout, 50, seeking: W

LOOKING TO CONNECT WITH YOU

Looking for males and couples to satisfy high sexual passion. Same and discreet. Rootvet 66, seeking: M, W, Cp

ALWAYS BUSY, OFTEN BROKEN

Just one man doing his best to solve the endless puzzle of life. Missing a few pieces, looking for help with them and not worrying too much if they only fit for a fleeting moment. Very passionate, modest looks, undefeatable personality, with just enough impostor syndrome for the both of us to share. XTC 27, seeking: M, W, TM, TW, Q, NC, NBP

COUNTRY MAN 2023

Seeking LTR and fun for 2023. Route302 45, seeking: W

ROMANTIC KISSES AND LAUGHTER

Seeking someone who has a spark and values quality time together. I value kindness, sensitivity and communication. Looking for passion and comfort in a connection. I appreciate humor and ease of being with a partner, as well. feoh794 54, seeking: W, l

NICE GUYS SOMETIMES

FINISH FIRST

Friends have told me I’m a good listener and reasonably deep thinker possessed with a subtle sense of humor ... and I’m not afraid to turn the squirt gun on myself! If you’re a woman who wants to spend time with someone with whom you can hold meaningful conversations and who will treat you with kindness and decency, reach out. VTRepatriated, 57, seeking: W, l

HONEST, HILARIOUS POLYMATH

I stopped telling lies when I was 6 — too much trouble remembering them. Since then, mind freed, I’ve followed my heart through art, yoga and arbology. Live on a river in southern Vermont but will relocate for the right woman. Looking for a creative, open-minded, honest, fun-loving, sexy woman, someone who’ll be my friend and collaborator in creating heaven on Earth. Moonscout 64 seeking: W, l

RENAISSANCE LONE WOLF IN NEK

You are talented, driven or grounded. Conversations, adventures, maybe more. You have a life, as I work PT, home projects. Events, exploring, sharing meals or time works. Sensuality if we become more than friends. I’ve traveled the U.S. and world. Still much to see. I’m right- and left-brained. Good times, also hard times; builds character. Neither rich nor poor. Happy. SoundofLight, 63 seeking: W, l

LOOKING FOR RESPECTFUL, CASUAL FUN

Healthy, happy and horny! Looking for a regular FWB for mutually satisfying sweaty encounters. A1Sparky 46, seeking: W, l

NEW GENT

Hi, I’m newish to Vermont and seeking interesting and open-minded folks to connect with. I have a lot of interests and plenty of things I want to do, but not interested in drugs, drinking or games. Euphemystic, 45 seeking: W

ADVENTUROUS SPONTANEOUS/DOM

Looking for someone fun and adventurous who isn’t afraid to try new things. claballero 42, seeking: W

GENDER NONCONFORMISTS seeking...

SUBMISSIVE MALE ENJOYS OBEDIENCE

I have a little package and a big heart. I desire one or more dominant key holder/s for full- or part-time play and training. Deep desires to be obedient. I wish to enhance your life as you see fit. A desire to give foot rubs and oral services. SPH. Cbtj, 36, seeking: M, W, TM, NC, Cp, Gp, l

COUPLES seeking...

SNOW AND SUN EQUAL FUN

Borders and boundaries are sexy. We’re pretty cute. We like to have fun, and we bet you do, too. Happily married couple (W, 35; M, 45), open-minded and looking to explore. Love playing outdoors. Looking to meet a couple, man or woman for fun and adventure. Ideal meetup is a cottage in the mountains with great food and lots of great wine. SnownSun 46, seeking: Cp, l

LOVERS OF LIFE

We are a 40s couple, M/F, looking for adventurous encounters with openminded, respectful M/F or couples. Looking to enjoy sexy encounters, FWBs, short term or long term. sunshines, 42, seeking: M, W, Q, Cp

LOOKING FOR OUR MAN!

Ideally hoping for a throuple/FWB situation. Us: established M/F couple. DD-free. (She: 44, straight BBW; he: 46, bi MWM). Drinks, 420-friendly, fires, get outside, music, Netflix and chill, always horny. You: DD-free, clean, masculine bi male (30ish to 50ish) who works and knows how to enjoy life! A little rough/hard (top, real man, etc.) with a compassionate heart and a bit of a snuggler. Connection is key. Let’s chat and get to know each other, then play! ginganddaddy 46, seeking: M

VT COUPLE SEEKING A FEMALE/COUPLE

Fun married couple in their 30s looking for a female or couples for casual dates. We like the outdoors. 3inthevt, 36, seeking: W, Cp, Gp

COUPLE LOOKING FOR SOME FUN My husband and I are looking for some fun with a woman or a couple to join us for some drinks and a good time. Let us know if you are interested. Torshamayo 40, seeking: M, W, Cp

SKI-WITH-ME ON MATCH

Hi. I saw your profile, but I’m not a member. I am also looking for someone to ski with. And kayak, and hike, and all kinds of fun outdoor activities. Say hello? And what ski area do you prefer? Maybe we can meet there. When: Monday, February 27, 2023. Where: Match. com. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915721

JUMP-STARTING YOUR MOM’S VAN

I brought the jumper cables and noticed the tires on your Volvo were bald. Was too shy to ask you out in front of your mother. You seemed nice. Would like to get to know you. Meet me for a coffee sometime? Would be happy to show you the sights in the Capital City. When: Saturday, February 18, 2023. Where: Montpelier City Hall parking lot. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915720

PAID FOR MY MCDONALD’S

I spy a very kind man who paid for my order at about 8:15. at was very kind and generous. As a single woman, I don’t get a lot of special things in my life. You made my day and made me feel special. ank you. When: Tuesday, February 21, 2023. Where: McDonald’s, Barre. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915719

BOLD AND SILKY

You: rich amber-haired City Market clerk. Me: chatty customer, greenand-red plaid shirt, gray jacket, beret. When: 3:42 p.m. You were working the right-hand 15-items-or-less checkout; I bought dinner and then the “bold and silky” chocolate bar, and we chatted. You are intriguing in many ways, and I’d like to get to know you. If you’re a 4/20 kind of woman or like quirky poets, get in touch and we’ll see what flowers. When: Monday, February 20, 2023. Where: City Market checkout lane. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915718

IF YOU’RE DUE NORTH

I know discretion is important, so I’ll keep it brief. We chatted for a bit, tried to make plans but I had something come up, and you called me a phony and seemingly disappeared. I’m still utterly devoted to the idea of getting together with you, so let’s reconnect and I’ll prove I’m no phony yet. When: Sunday, February 19, 2023. Where: chatting on an app. You: Man. Me: Man. #915717

I LOOK LIKE JIMMY FALLON?

Your eyes, warm and curious, catch mine twice. You ask me if anyone’s told me I look like Jimmy Fallon. I’m shocked at a compliment out of the blue and answer that, yes, in fact they have. Uninspired response, for sure. Maybe you’ll see this, and we’ll find a time to meet when I’m not in a rush?

When: Sunday, February 19, 2023. Where: City Market hot bar downtown.

You: Woman. Me: Man. #915716

KRIS KRISTOFFERSON

I saw you over cocktails a few months back in Winooski in a black beanie. I am more curious if this is the first iSpy you have seen for you. Hope you have booked the flight to Italy and have a copilot ready for the ride. Hope this made you smile. When: Wednesday, December 14, 2022. Where: celebrating the holiday.

You: Man. Me: Woman. #915714

OGE/WALGREENS MEET-CUTE

We were leaving OGE at the same time, skis in tow. It was raining — we both groaned and smiled. A minute later, we saw each other again in the Walgreen’s lot, which we agreed is the best place to park for a quick run into OGE. Want to go skiing and show me the best runs? When: Tuesday, February 7, 2023. Where: OGE/Walgreen’s lot.

You: Man. Me: Woman. #915712

REVEREND Ask

De Rev end,

My penis is in the high sevento eight-inch range — think a water bottle or a little less than an air freshener — but it has been called skinny by one girl. at’s the first time I’ve ever heard that from a girl. I’ve always just thought I’m not that thick. Any advice?

Rod Schwing

(MAN, 18)

FIDIUM GUY AT THE LOCAL

I had you in my peripherals the entire time I was wine tasting. You walked by and gave me the brows and smile. I was too chicken to talk to you. Wanna meet for a drink? I was the only girl in the room wearing sparkles. When: ursday, February 16, 2023. Where: the Local. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915715

RE: MISSING MY TWINFLAME

I needed time and space to become the best version of myself and to attend to matters I could never explain. Where I went, you could not follow. I tried to tell you tête-à-tête, but it wasn’t in the cards. I still keep that Jack close, and I keep warm with the thought of being in your arms. Soon. When: Wednesday, April 29, 2020. Where: the astral plane. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915711

VTHOMESTEADER ank you for the iSpy! I’m still interested in checking out the paradise you have created in Hardwick, and I would like it if we can finish our novel we have started. If all goes well, perhaps I can be your Papa Ganoush! When: Tuesday, February 7, 2023. Where: un-Hinge.

You: Woman. Me: Man. #915710

LIFE DRAWING AT KARMA BIRD HOUSE

You were drawing, super focused. IDK if you even noticed me, but I love how seriously you take your craft, and you’re sooooo cute! You: blue hair and septum piercing. Me: 30-y/o woman, overalls, backward cap. Sometime in the beginning of January on a Tuesday night. Come back to class! I go most weeks. We could draw each other. When: Tuesday, January 3, 2023. Where: Karma Bird House. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915709

UNTAPPED, TOO NERVOUS TO SPEAK

Hi! I was too shy surrounded by my friends at Friday’s Untapped show to strike up a conversation. You kept checking people into the show, and my friends hung out at the bar. But you seemed like a lovely person and also someone who may possibly enjoy grabbing a beverage and conversation sometime? When: Saturday, February 11, 2023. Where: Winooski circle. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915708

You: Man. Me: Woman. #915708

De Rod Schwing,

I’ve heard of penises being compared to vegetables and sausages, but air fresheners? Such an interesting choice. Now I can’t stop picturing a guy with a Glade can where his junk should be. So, thanks for that.

Penises come in all shapes and sizes. at girl may have only had experience with penises thicker than yours, but that doesn’t necessarily mean yours is thinner than average. Studies show that the average human penis measures 3.61 inches in length with a circumference of 3.66 inches when flaccid, and 5.17 inches with a circumference of 4.59 inches when erect.

According to one study, only five men out of 100 had an erect penis longer than six inches. So, if you really are seven to

REDHEADED WONDER, TAKE TWO

I saw you having lunch with two other women. I think I also saw you at Shanty on the Shore a few weeks earlier. If you are the same woman from the airport a few months ago with the white Mercedes, maybe we could have lunch together sometime. You name the place, and I’ll be there. When: Wednesday, February 8, 2023. Where: Grazers. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915707

BEAUTIFUL BROWN EYES

Dear woman, I miss you. ough you are just three houses down the street, it seems you are 1,000 miles away. I miss you and would love to move beyond the past to a brighter future with you. Always! When: 2014 to present. When: Monday, January 30, 2023. Where: central Vermont. You: Woman. Me: Woman. #915706

MUDDY WATERS SMILE

I saw you when I walked in around 4:30. You were sitting by the window in a multicolored crocheted hat. I had my hair in two pigtails, and you smiled at me on your way to the bathroom. You look really thoughtful and introspective. I’d love to get to know you more. When: Friday, February 3, 2023. Where: Muddy Waters. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915705

OLD POST BLONDE, BAD BAND

We spoke briefly as you and your friend were about to leave. I asked you about talking in a place more conducive to conversation. Here’s another invite to talk. Interested? I could try and catch up with you again at Old Post but would rather see you elsewhere — dinner or drinks? I know your name; it starts with an M. When: Monday, January 30, 2023. Where: the Old Post. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915704

BRIGHT-EYED, ENERGETIC SUNFLOWER

TOMGIRL EMPLOYEE

You were working the register. You had a really warm and beautiful energy. I ordered a half avocado toast, but you gave me a full. ank you!

If you’re interested in connecting further, I’d love to. Either way, thank you for the extra food and good vibes. When: Monday, January 30, 2023. Where: Tomgirl Kitchen.

You: Woman. Me: Man. #915703

CROSS-COUNTRY SKIER IN HUBBARD PARK

We crossed paths while skiing and chatted for a bit while I was waiting for my friend to catch up to me. I enjoyed talking with you! Care to meet up for a ski together? When: Friday, January 27, 2023. Where: Hubbard Park. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915701

DENNY’S BEAUTY

You were our server this morning and told me to eat a pancake bite for you. When I offered you one, you said you couldn’t because you’re watching your figure. You don’t need to. I tipped you personally before I left. Would love to hear from you!

When: Wednesday, January 25, 2023. Where: Denny’s, South Burlington. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915700

TRADER JOE’S

CASHIER QUEER

You: working at Trader Joe’s, shaggy haircut with brown, blond and purple. Me: buying almond butter, pink hair, wearing post-dance class sweats. You rang up my groceries and asked about my pink dye. I tried to play it cool, but when you said I had a nice laugh, I couldn’t meet your eye. Let’s bleach each other’s hair sometime? When: Tuesday, January 24, 2023. Where: Trader Joe’s. You: Genderqueer. Me: Woman. #915698

BELLA’S

BARTOK AT ZENBARN

You wore a jean jacket. I wore a derby and the eye. We chatted after the show around the fire, and on our way to leave you told me your name. I regret not giving you my phone number. I’d love to reconnect sometime.

When: ursday, December 29, 2022. Where: Zenbarn, Waterbury. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915697

close by, but I’d love to say “in my arms.” You: Woman. Me: Man. #915702

You give me the goosebumps. Your eyes are light like water, but your mind is strong and driven — like a freight train. I can’t see myself anywhere else but with you. Why don’t we share some red grenadine? Down by the black, muddy river, perhaps. I hope you see me here, and I hope you see me today. When: Saturday, January 28, 2023. Where: close by, but I’d love to say “in my arms.” You: Woman. Me: Man. #915702

eight inches, consider yourself in the top percentile of penis length. Here’s how to take an official measurement (best done when erect): Using a soft measuring tape, place the end at the base of your penis by the pubic bone (squish down any fat around the area) and take the tape to the tip on the top. To measure the girth, you should measure around the middle of the shaft.

tape

A little googling can bring you to a number of manual stretching exercises that you can use to try to increase the girth of your penis. You can also talk to your doctor about options, including surgery, if you are really concerned. But I wouldn’t worry about it too much. ere is truth to the old saying “It’s not the size; it’s how you use it.” As long as you’re happy with your equipment, don’t let one not-so-glowing review get you down.

Good luck and God bless, The Rev end

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

Irreverent counsel on life’s conundrums

58-y/o male seeking a fullfigured woman. You can be yourself and not worry. I love the company of full-figured women. I’m the guy who loves bigger women. Let’s see what happens. Write to me with a phone or text number. #L1645

I’m a 71-y/o W male seeking a very mature woman in her 70s or 80s desiring a sensual relationship with a passionate man. Maturity is your beauty and allure. Please give me a try, and maybe sparks will fly. Phone number, please. #L1644

I’m a 74-y/o male looking for a female to wine and dine. I have money and compassion. #L1641

I’m a GWM seeking others for NSA fun. Looking for tops. I’m fun and adventurous. 40 to 60ish is preferred. Call or text. #L1643

We are three guys: two gay and one bi; one in his 40s and two in their 60s. We get together about once a week at my place in Burlington for men-to-men fun. Looking for another male to join us. If interested, leave a contact number. #L1642

I’m a male, 60s, bi, seeking another male. Any race, any age. I’m fit, clean, disease/drug-free. Fun guy, open to everything, but mostly a bottom. Reply with phone and best time to call. #L1639

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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!

Submit your FREE message at sevendaysvt.com/loveletters or use the handy form at right.

We’ll publish as many messages as we can in the Love Letters section above.

Interested readers will send you letters in the mail. No internet required!

Mature male searching for mature female for company and creativity. is will not be all flowers and fun, more like hard work and effort. In the end, we will have our hearts’ desires. Activities centered on gardening, art and music. I’m a white Indigenous person who appreciates all colors and shapes. ese are only words; I have so much to show you. #L1640

Man of letters/amateur artist seeks companionship of thoughtful, considerate woman, mid-50s to low 70s. Share fine cinema, literature, classical music and discussions concerning spiritual/ metaphysical subjects. I’m healthy, 71, creative, curious, a good listener, appreciate the feminine soul and mysteries of existence. #L1638

ISO “gingandaddy, 46, seeking M.” Did you find your man? Nontech-connected guy would like to discuss possible connection. #L1635

Young-looking, attractive, principled woman, 66, seeks man, 50 to 78, for companionship. Treat man with empathy, kindness, love and respect, and expect the same in return. Enjoy the arts (except dance), cooking, reading, quiet chats, walks, television. Phone number, please. #L1636

Int net-Free Dating!

Reply to these messages with real, honest-to-goodness le ers. DETAILS BELOW.

I’m a 70-y/o GWM seeking a 60-plus male for some fun. I’m fit and drug- and disease-free, looking for the same. Discreet fun only. Send stats and contact number. I’m in the Barre/ Montpelier area. #L1637

I’m a GWM in his 60s, 5’8, 150 pounds. Seeking a male for fun. I am open-minded and live alone. Can host. Please leave your phone number. #L1634

I’m a young-looking, 65-y/o male seeking a female over 45 who likes cattle ranching, working together, auctions and gardening. Must be active, fit, good-looking, financially secure, healthy and a good cook. No smokers or drugs.

#L1632

Gentle, affable, fit, humorous, principled, educated man (67) seeks tender alluring woman (52 to 66) who relishes a life of organic gardening, animals, hiking, biking, Scrabble and pillow talk. Land conservation and off-grid living are also interests of mine. #L1630

Describe yourself and who you’re looking for in 40 words below: (OR, ATTACH A SEPARATE PIECE OF PAPER.)

I’m a AGE + GENDER (OPTIONAL) seeking a

60s bi white male seeks older guys for relaxing, M-to-M fun in the NEK. Regular guys being yourself. Soft or hard is less important than attitude. #L1631

I’m a 47-y/o male seeking a male for some fun. I’m attractive, fit and drug/disease-free; have perfect hygiene; and am looking for the same. Discreet fun only. Let’s watch each other cum and help each other out. Send stats with contact number. #L1629

72-y/o male seeks similar qualities as my own in a woman. Kind, tender, loving, empathetic, fun, homebody, somewhat liberal, intelligent. I’m healthy, fit, thin and considered attractive. Cozy home in the country. Financially secure. Phone or email, please. #L1627

I’m a 66-y/o woman seeking a 60-plus male. Not married, no children. I’m a loving, kind, talented, educated nonsmoker. Honest and love to cook and bake and share joyrides. Looking for a serious friendship. Chittenden County. Phone number, please. #L1626

Required confidential info: NAME

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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.

Living with Loss: A Gathering for the Grieving

WED., MAR. 1 ONLINE

Hotel Vermont Ice Bar 2023

Night 1

FRI., MAR. 3

HOTEL VERMONT, BURLINGTON

Ethiopian/Eritrean Cooking Class

Veggie Sauces

FRI., MAR. 3

RICHMOND COMMUNITY KITCHEN, RICHMOND

Trumbo: Red, White, & Blacklisted

SUN., MAR. 5

MAIN STREET MUSEUM, WHITE RIVER JUNCTION

Concentric Creatives

TUE., MAR. 7

THE HIVE ON PINE, BURLINGTON

“ e Basics” Cake

Decorating Class

THU., MAR. 9

RED POPPY CAKERY, WATERBURY

Bow ayer & Jack Snyder w/ Budd E

FRI., MAR. 10

THE UNDERGROUND - LISTENING ROOM, RANDOLPH

e Butterfly Queen

SUN., MAR. 12

GRANGE HALL CULTURAL CENTER, WATERBURY CENTER

After School Drawing Club with Rachel Mirus

MON., MAR. 13, 20, 27; APR. 3, 10, 17

GRANGE HALL CULTURAL CENTER, WATERBURY CENTER

Eco-resiliency Gathering

WED., MAR. 15 ONLINE

Facing Change:

Life’s Transitions and Transformations

WED., MAR. 22; WED., APR. 19 ONLINE

Young Tree Pruning and Care

SAT., MAR. 25

HORSFORD GARDENS & NURSERY, CHARLOTTE

Swing Time! @ the Grange Hall

SAT., MAR. 25

GRANGE HALL CULTURAL CENTER, WATERBURY CENTER

Mega March Birthday Bash - Suburban Samurai, NRVS, What Makes Sense

SAT., MAR. 25

THE UNDERGROUND, RANDOLPH

David Feurzeig Play

Every Town VT

SUN., MAR. 26

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, ESSEX

Virtual Cooking Workshop

Sweet Potato Gnocchi Bolognese

SUN., MAR. 26 ONLINE

Vermont Gatherings

Spring Market

SAT.,-SUN., APR 1-2

CHAMPLAIN VALLEY EXPOSITION, ESSEX JUNCTION

Living with Loss: A Gathering for the Grieving

WED., APR. 5 ONLINE

Homemade Ramen Bowls & Dumplings

THU., APR. 13

RICHMOND COMMUNITY KITCHEN

[NEW DATE] Paul Asbell

Plays & Sings Steel-String Americana

SUN., APR. 30

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, ESSEX

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