Seven Days, July 22, 2020 by Seven Days

CROWDED FIELD Chittenden County Senate race heats up

V ERM ONT ’S INDEP E NDE NT VO IC E JULY 22-29, 2020 VOL.25 NO.43 SEVENDAYSVT.COM

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RUNNING IN CIRCLES Can anybody defeat Gov. Phil Scott? B Y PAUL HEINTZ, PAGE 34

MOORE IS MORE

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Arts meets civics at Helen Day

VOTERS’ GUIDE INSIDE!

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WEEK IN REVIEW JULY 15-22, 2020 COMPILED BY SASHA GOLDSTEIN, MATTHEW ROY & ANDREA SUOZZO COURTESY OF LEWIS FIRST

SAFETY

FIRST

Even as Vermont schools are preparing for full-time or limited classroom instruction this fall, many parents are debating whether they’re comfortable sending their kids back. In June, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended that, despite the risks, students should return, but only based on the guidance of public health experts, along with input from local school leaders, educators and parents. Dr. Lewis First, chief of pediatrics at the University of Vermont Children’s Hospital, is also editor of the AAP’s peer-reviewed journal, Pediatrics. He points out that, as of early July, no children had been hospitalized in Vermont for COVID-19. Seven Days’ Ken Picard questioned him about the eeriest back-to-school season ever. (You can read the full Q&A with Dr. First at sevendaysvt.com.) SEVEN DAYS: Why did the AAP make this recommendation? LEWIS FIRST: The AAP recognizes the importance of school being critical to a child’s development. That is why their recommendation is to do what can be done in a community to safely open the schools. At this time, the ultimate decision is dependent upon the epidemiology of the virus, how a particular location is faring, and what measures schools can put in place to reduce risk, prevent transmission and minimize exposure. SD: What does the current research say about COVID-19 in children? LF: Children are less likely to become infected. We know from studies that children are less likely than adults to spread infection. Studies have shown that the most

COURTESY OF PAUL RICHARDSON

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Paul Richardson shooting a headshot

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Dr. Lewis First

common way children get the virus is from adult-to-child transmission. Children are also less likely than adults to come down with severe symptoms, and the complication we hear about in the news, called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, or MIS-C, is rare. As of July, we have not seen it in Vermont. Of the small number of children and teens who have gotten MIS-C in this country, 98 percent have survived, according to CDC data. SD: Why is it important for kids to be physically in school rather than taught remotely? LF: When it comes to the fundamentals of children and teenagers’ development and well-being, school is about more than just academic instruction, though that is certainly important. It’s also about learning social and emotional skills, engaging in physical activity, and, for many children, eating nutritious meals. There are also emotional and mental health support services that schools provide that students cannot get through online learning. SD: Will students need to wear masks throughout the day? LF: If children are outside playing and exercising and are at least six feet apart, they don’t need masks. It’s recommended that they wear masks indoors all day, even with appropriate physical distancing, unless they’re eating or drinking. There will be children who cannot wear a mask for medical or psychological reasons, and if this is the case, they should not be forced to do so. Teachers should set the example and help students keep their masks on. Parents can be supportive and help to encourage the wearing of masks during the school day.

STOPS DROP

Burlington police say traffic stops declined in 2019, as did the number of tickets the department issued. Black drivers, though, were stopped at a disproportionately higher rate.

MAIMED MONUMENT

University of Vermont police are looking for whomever stole a cane from a campus statue of Revolutionary War hero Marquis de Lafayette. En garde!

MURKY OUTLOOK

The Environmental Protection Agency says Vermont is falling behind in its bid to improve the water quality of Lake Champlain. Gulp.

BUTTS OUT

All Hannaford supermarkets will stop selling tobacco products by the fall. Healthy choice.

grants for health care providers. Applications will be accepted through August 15.

TOPFIVE

MOST POPULAR ITEMS ON SEVENDAYSVT.COM

1. “Two Burlington Breweries and Affiliated Restaurants Close Temporarily Over COVID-19 Concern” by Sally Pollak. COVID-19 tests came back negative, and Foam Brewers and Zero Gravity Craft Brewery have reopened; the two shuttered after learning that a staff member may have been exposed to the virus. 2. “Local Radio Personality Amy McGovern Dies in Motorcycle Crash” by Dan Bolles. The 46-year-old radio host died last week in a motorcycle crash in Georgia, Vt. 3. “Burlington Wants to House Homeless in Shipping Containers on Sears Lane” by Courtney Lamdin. The city is seeking a $1.3 million grant to convert 20 shipping containers into a 47-bed low-barrier shelter. 4. “Is It Safe for K-12 Students to Return to School Amid the Pandemic?” by Ken Picard. Dr. Lewis First, chief of pediatrics at the University of Vermont Children’s Hospital, shared his recommendations for reopening schools. 5. “Burlington’s Former Top Cop Reemerges as Police Reform Expert” by Courtney Lamdin. Since Burlington police chief Brandon del Pozo resigned, he’s made a comeback by writing op-eds and making high-profile media appearances.

tweet of the week @ProfTBLittwin F-35s flying overhead and rattling our houses to scare away COVID-19 maybe? #BTV #Burlington FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @SEVENDAYSVT OUR TWEEPLE: SEVENDAYSVT.COM/TWITTER

WHAT’S KIND IN VERMONT

FIRST IMPRESSIONS Professional headshots aren’t just for those auditioning for an acting gig anymore. In our increasingly online world, the photos are ideal for those trying to make an impression in the job market. That’s the assessment from an admittedly biased source: Paul Richardson, a Montpelier-based photographer. And while he usually charges for that great advice — and the pictures he takes — Richardson is offering free headshots at an event on Wednesday, July 22, in Burlington. For eight hours, he’ll set up inside the CityPlace Burlington mall and take photos of up

to 50 people who are unemployed (or underemployed). The event is part of a nationwide effort by photographers in all 50 states to take 10,000 headshots that day, spurred in part by the millions who have become unemployed in the months since the coronavirus pandemic hit the U.S. So much of the job search takes place online, from using a LinkedIn profile to recruitment to emailing résumés, that having a decent picture of oneself can act like a “digital handshake” and show a potential employer you care, Richardson said. “If you’ve got a selfie taken from the end of your arm, it looks like a selfie taken from the end of your arm,”

Richardson said. “This is a skill we have, this is something we can offer, and we can help people get a leg up.” The group of photogs partnered with malls owned by Brookfield Properties — owners of the notoriously stalled CityPlace project in Burlington — to host the event. As of Monday afternoon, Richardson had just 15 or 16 people signed up and was hoping to fill more time slots. He sees donating his time and skills as a way to give back and help those who could use it. “If you want to make a powerful first impression, you gotta focus on the visual,” Richardson said. “A headshot is really important.” SASHA GOLDSTEIN SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

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SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

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FEEDback READER REACTION TO RECENT ARTICLES

COMPOSTING ISN’T FUNNY

I am writing in response to Tim Newcomb’s editorial cartoon in the July 8 issue, which inaccurately buys into the misconception that composting is inconvenient and hard to do. There are many options for animal-proof composting — one need do just a little research — and keeping food waste out of landfills will help with the long-term goal of decreasing the overall landfill waste stream. Newcomb’s editorial is a narrowminded reaction to an environmental call to action. These kinds of views only promote inaction on various timely and critical climate and environmental issues. We all need to become active in helping the planet to a more stable future. Come on, Tim, learn how to compost properly and tackle something helpful in your next cartoon. Don’t give people another reason to avoid doing the things that will help our environment in the near term. John Crosthwait

STARKSBORO

GRAY HAS ‘BROAD EXPERIENCE’

[Re Off Message: “Gray, Ashe Take Heat During Democratic Lieutenant Governor Debate,” July 16; “Shumlin Endorses Molly Gray for Lieutenant Governor,” June 25]: Fifteen years ago, Molly Gray was an outstanding student in my University of Vermont class on “Women and Politics.” Today she is running for the democratic nomination for lieutenant governor. I happily endorse her candidacy. Molly grew up on her family’s farm, an experience that leaves her with a deep love for and commitment to Vermont. Today she is an assistant attorney general in Montpelier. She has broad experience, including working for U.S. Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) in Washington, D.C., and working for human rights abroad with the International Committee of the Red Cross. I believe that she will be an effective and dedicated lieutenant governor for Vermont. Madeleine M. Kunin SHELBURNE

Kunin is a former governor of Vermont.

TOO MUCH ZUCKERMAN

The July 1 news article “In-Person Pols” featured David Zuckerman’s campaign

WEEK IN REVIEW

them not be put into private hands for the exploitation of the truth.

TIM NEWCOMB

Miriam Rosenbloom HYDE PARK

Rosenbloom is vice president of the Vermont Holocaust Memorial.

SIEGEL CARES ABOUT THE VULNERABLE

car rally. It quoted Chittenden County candidates as well as Rebecca Holcombe and John Klar. In the July 8 edition, the news article “Progjam” also featured Zuckerman. It mentioned that some Democrats question “fusion” candidates seeking the Democratic nomination, while others see that as a strategy to avoid splitting the vote. I think Seven Days missed an opportunity to interview the Democratic candidates Zuckerman is contesting for the nomination for governor. When you prominently feature one candidate like this, it starts to look to me like free campaign advertising. Johanna Nichols

MONTPELIER

INGRAM IS A TRUE PUBLIC SERVANT

[Re Off Message: “Gray, Ashe Take Heat During Democratic Lieutenant Governor Debate,” July 16; “Debbie Ingram Kicks Off Bid for Lieutenant Governor,” June 26]: Debbie Ingram, candidate for lieutenant governor, has a lifelong commitment to public service. She values each individual as a person of worth. As Vermont deals with a widening income gap, Debbie has addressed that concern by working for affordable housing, quality health care for children and adults, criminal justice reform, and racial justice. As a public official, she has struggled with the harsh realities of COVID-19 budgetary constraints and the urgent needs of those who face food insecurity. For the past four years, Debbie has served with distinction as one of only 30

state senators. Her service on committees that focus on human needs (Health and Welfare, Education) provided opportunities for her to advocate passionately for paid family/medical leave and a $15-an-hour minimum wage. At an economic dignity town hall on July 4, Debbie’s remarks reflected the values she’d bring to her role as lieutenant governor: “When a person does not have economic dignity, they cannot be truly independent.” She then proceeded to outline why many Vermonters cannot be “truly independent” without significant changes. I have known Debbie for 15 years. I have observed her dedication on the Williston Selectboard, her statewide community organizing skills as director of Vermont Interfaith Action and her superb leadership in the Vermont Senate. I appreciate her endorsement by the Vermont Racial Justice Alliance and the LGBTQ Victory Fund. Vote Debbie Ingram for lieutenant governor on August 11!

Vermonters, please join me in supporting Brenda Siegel for lieutenant governor [Off Message: “Gray, Ashe Take Heat During Democratic Lieutenant Governor Debate,” July 16; “Progjam,” July 8]. Brenda is the one candidate fighting for fundamental change to uplift all Vermonters. Long before the coronavirus crisis, Brenda was working toward a “bottom-up” economy in which even the most vulnerable Vermonters become true stakeholders in our economy. As a candidate for governor in 2018, she ran a comprehensive anti-poverty campaign, winning 21 percent of the Democratic primary vote after joining the race only three months prior. Not only has she consistently fought for a $15-per-hour minimum wage and paid family leave, she has demonstrated a strong commitment to economic equity and inclusion by ensuring that the historically marginalized communities have seats at the table. I encourage voters to attend her regular internet/telephone community conversations and issue-centric events, and take notice of the breadth of perspectives covered. She truly “passes the mic,” amplifying voices that historically have not been heard. To shape policy, she asks the people directly impacted by a given issue what they need, instead of presuming to tell them, as many politicians do. With Vermont facing a high unemployment rate, as well as the rise of hate groups, we need a lieutenant governor who has not stopped and will not stop fighting for a more inclusive and

Carole Carlson

SHELBURNE

MEMORABILIA BELONGS IN MUSEUM

[Re “Not Buying It,” July 8]: The selling of Nazi memorabilia is morally wrong, and we at Vermont Holocaust Memorial strongly condemn the monetization of such artifacts. It’s shameful and naïve to believe they will not fall into the hands of Nazi sympathizers. These items glorify the darkest chapter in human history. Let them be curated in museums that tell the truth of how hatred, prejudice and bigotry can destroy mankind. Let

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contents JULY 22-29, 2020 VOL.25 NO.43

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RUNNING IN CIRCLES

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Can anybody defeat Gov. Phil Scott?

B Y PAUL HEI NT Z, PAGE 34 COVER IMAGE MARC NADEL • COVER DESIGN JOHN JAMES

Mon-Sat: 8am-4pm Sunday: 10am-4pm

Farm Fresh 30

NEWS & POLITICS From the Publisher False Insecurity

State tries to sort out Manchester COVID-19 testing snafu

Senate Scramble

Incumbents face crush of challengers in unwieldy Chittenden district

When Reform Is the Norm

Democratic LG candidates on crime, race and justice

ARTS NEWS Page 32

Five newish books by Vermont authors

Moral Fibers

“Mending Fences: New Works by Carol MacDonald” at the Rokeby Museum

Royal Bastards

Market Report: Mid-season trips to the Burlington and Richmond markets

PAGE 40

Online Thursday

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Making Connections

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Barfly: A takeout cocktail crawl around

also edited below: thecopy Winooski circle Art: At Helen Day Art Center, Rachel Moore brings the power of art to civic engagement

PAGE 42

Stars Aligned

Music: Will Oldham, Box of Chocolates and the Vermont ties to reissued gem Fearful Symmetry

COLUMNS + REVIEWS 26

Bottom Line

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WTF Side Dishes FOOD Album Reviews Ask the Reverend ADVICE

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SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

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Local Journalism Fuels Democracy

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MARC NA

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Vermont politicians should market themselves in local media outlets instead of buying ads on Google and Facebook. Seven Days made that point in a publisher’s note last month that has been picked up — or quoted — by newspapers across the state, from the Caledonian-Record to the Rutland Herald to the Bennington Banner. It’s long been a source of frustration among Vermont media outlets. While we dutifully cover their campaigns and publish their letters to the editor, the candidates increasingly send their donations to … Silicon Valley. We are grateful to the politicians in these pages who are aligning themselves with — and supporting — our first-ever Primary Voters’ Guide. But many are still spending thousands of dollars on social media. See for yourself by searching Facebook’s Ad Library, which archives all active and inactive political ads placed on Facebook and Instagram since May 2018. I found a candidate currently paying Facebook to promote a newspaper endorsement. Pandemic P Does anyone else see the irony there? rimary Voters’ The journalism newspapers produce is essential to our democracy. A 2019 Guide study from the nonprofit PEN America found a direct correlation between strong local media coverage and healthy civic institutions. Advertising trends and the economic fallout from the pandemic both threaten that crucial relationship. “As local journalism declines, government officials conduct themselves with less integrity, efficiency, and effectiveness and corporate malfeasance goes unchecked,” reads the summary. “With the loss of local news, citizens are: less likely to vote, less politically informed, and less likely to run for office.” Supporting and preserving local journalism should be a no-brainer for those seeking to lead our state. Facebook, on the other hand, is used to undermine democracy. It launched the Ad Library to increase transparency following the 2016 presidential election, when Russianbacked accounts bought ads aimed at manipulating American voters and suppressing turnout. Consider: Facebook not only fed those ads to its users, it accepted payment in rubles! And Facebook has other problems. The company is currently under pressure from civil rights groups demanding that it do more to stop the spread of hate speech and misinformation on its platforms. Hundreds of companies and organizations have endorsed the Stop Hate for Profit ad boycott, including Burton Snowboards and Ben & Jerry’s owner, Unilever. Others that have paused spending include Microsoft, Coca-Cola, Target, Starbucks and now Disney, according to the Wall Street Journal. Will that force Facebook to change? Company execs have said it won’t. They realize that most of Facebook’s $70 billion annual haul comes from 8 million advertisers — small businesses, nonprofits, political campaigns. They like Facebook because it lets them target you — by gender, age, geography, political affiliation, interests — and so far they’re willing to overlook how it contributes to divisiveness, polarization and the Want to help Seven Days through the spread of conspiracy theories. pandemic? Become a Super Reader. Facebook sees its users as a collection of data Look for the “Give Now” buttons at the top of points to be sold to a buyer. At Seven Days, we see our sevendaysvt.com. Or send a check with your readers as our active, educated and engaged neighbors address and contact info to: and friends, our biggest fans, and our sharpest critics. SEVEN DAYS, C/O SUPER READERS And, most importantly, as Vermonters who care about P.O. BOX 1164 BURLINGTON, VT 05402-1164 this place as much as we do. If that difference matters to you, let our advertisers For more information on making a financial know that you appreciate their commitment to contribution to Seven Days, please contact sustaining local journalism. It’s not too late to save it. Corey Grenier:

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SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

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Downtown Manchester

False Insecurity State tries to sort out Manchester COVID-19 testing snafu B Y D ER EK B R O UWER & ANDREA SUOZZO

SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

announced in a July 11 Facebook post reporting the first five positive tests. She asked her followers to share the news. But when state health officials later ran the standard test on Kittredge’s patients, the results told a very different story: Just four

IT’S BEEN AN ABSOLUTE

DUMPSTER FIRE. DR. JANE L K IT TR E D GE

of the 52 people retested as of July 21 had positive results. And when the state tested another 1,613 anxious southern Vermont residents at pop-up sites that were set up in response last week, it got only one positive result. There was no outbreak in Manchester. The discrepancy has pitted cautious state health officials against a defiant local doctor in a tussle for public trust. The resulting confusion threatens to undermine confidence in coronavirus tests just weeks before communities must count on them to safely reopen schools.

Testing a Niche

For two crucial months in the spring, it wasn’t easy to get a COVID-19 test in

Manchester. The three nearest hospitals are each 30 minutes away, and the hospitalaffiliated clinic in Manchester Center hasn’t offered them. A similar dearth of access to emergency care meant that residents were excited last July when Kittredge and her husband, Dr. Tom Sterling, opened their walk-in clinic. The couple are emergency medicine doctors who have worked in ERs and served as medical directors for regional ski resorts. Kittredge also manages a skin care practice, Sterling Aesthetics, which offers anti-aging treatments and Botox. Sterling is the Town of Manchester’s deputy health officer. Starting in early March, Manchester Medical Center prodded the Vermont Department of Health for test kits, but seven times it was directed to the University of Vermont Medical Center, which provided just a dozen or so. “Serving primary care providers is not yet part of our algorithm” for distributing test kits, health department spokesperson Ben Truman explained. In early May, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration gave “emergency use authorization” to San Diego-based Quidel to distribute its rapid antigen test. Manchester Medical Center leapt at the new option, even FALSE INSECURITY

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As coronavirus cases surge around the country, Castleton University is abandoning its plan to hold in-person classes this fall. Last month, interim president Jonathan Spiro announced that the college would resume regular courses under an altered schedule. Now, with the start of the semester just several weeks away, the public liberal arts college has decided instead to deliver all classes online. It’s the first traditional residential college in Vermont to do so. The nationwide spike in COVID-19 cases — including record caseloads and deaths in states such as Texas, Florida and Arizona — prompted the move, Spiro said in an announcement on July 15. “Vermonters are doing a great job of containing the virus. However, the public health situation in the rest of the country has dictated that we move nearly all of our courses online for the fall semester,” he said. Other colleges, including the University of Vermont and Middlebury College, still plan to offer substantial face-to-face instruction. Castleton will keep its campus, including dorms, open for students who want to live there during the semester. Those who do will still take all of their classes online but can access other on-campus resources. Vermont Law School and Goddard College have also said they plan to hold online classes in the fall, but those schools don’t face the same financial pressure as colleges that are structured around a full-time campus experience. Castleton has roughly 1,900 full-time students, and it has residence halls for 1,000 of them. Gov. Phil Scott issued reopening guidance for colleges on July 7 that mandates testing, quarantine and social-distancing measures. Also on July 15, Vermont Tech, another Vermont State Colleges System school, said it would require many students to live away from its Williston and Randolph Center campuses for most of the fall semester. Lectures will be delivered online, but students will hold in-person labs for “periodic weeks throughout the semester.” Contact: derek@sevendaysvt.com Castleton University

F ILE: MOLLY WALSH

he “wave,” as Dr. Janel Kittredge called it, started with a child’s stomachache. That’s not a typical sign of COVID-19, but the patient also had a fever, so Kittredge ordered a test. Unlike most doctors in Vermont, Kittredge didn’t have to wait days for an answer. Her urgent care clinic in Manchester was able to process the swab in just 15 minutes, thanks to a new COVID-19 test the federal government had recently authorized. This rapid antigen test is less accurate but much faster than the gold-standard method the state uses to diagnose the infection. The child tested positive through the rapid antigen method on July 10, Kittredge said. The next positive was a man in his early fifties who had a sore throat, then a “fatigued” 75-year-old man who’d just driven from Florida. Manchester Medical Center set up an outdoor tent as word spread and more people streamed in. Within days, the tiny clinic had tallied 65 positive antigen tests. Kittredge and her partners appeared to have discovered a major outbreak in an overlooked part of the state — and believed their rapid test had saved critical time in the race to contain it. “The virus is very much out there and floating through the community,” Kittredge

Castleton Reverses Plan for Fall Classes as Pandemic Worsens

Senate Scramble Incumbents face crush of challengers in unwieldy Chittenden district BY KEVIN MC C ALL UM

VERMONT ELECTIONS

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t’s been 20 years since a state senator recognition from repeated campaigns lost a bid for reelection in Chittenden and news coverage of their work in the County. legislature, this year feels very different, This year, challengers argue that the said Baruth, who has served in the Senate turmoil of a global pandemic and the since 2010. sweeping racial justice movement may “We’re in a time where people are break that streak by attracting new, ener- looking for fresh voices, and there is huge gized voters to the Democratic primary. grassroots energy out there,” Baruth said. Among the signs that have given the “If it’s going to balance out in any year, this insurgents hope: the size and strength is probably it.” of the field, a spike in absentee ballot Some observers cite the unprecedented Untitled-44 1 7/21/20 6:07 AM requests and the newcomers’ head start spike in absentee ballot requests as evidence of an unusually engaged elecin campaigning. “I would be very nervous if I was an torate, which can be a sign that voters are incumbent state senator in the Chitten- eager for a change. den district,” said Rep. Dylan Giambatista By Tuesday, 32,499 voters in Chit(D-Essex Junction), who in January was tenden County had requested absentee one of the first to announce his ballots, compared to 1,545 requests Senate candidacy. made by the same date during DAYS REP The size of the six-seat, the 2018 primary. That could N E indicate broader interest at-large district normally in a political contest that makes it extremely difficult for newcomers to gain the typically attracts a smaller name recognition and raise crowd of dedicated voters. the campaign cash needed “Normally, an August M 2 to defeat an incumbent. But primary can be a real 0 PA I GN • 2 this year, the departure of two snoozer,” said Erhard Mahnke incumbents, Senate President Pro of Burlington, a longtime affordTempore Tim Ashe (D/P-Chittenden) able housing lobbyist who entered the and Sen. Debbie Ingram (D-Chittenden) race shortly before the May 28 deadline. to run for lieutenant governor set off a But the surge in ballot requests may portend a groundswell of new voters, scramble to replace them. Nine Democratic challengers have drawn by the turmoil in Washington, joined the four remaining incumbents D.C.; the intensity of the Black Lives in the August 11 primary race. 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VENTILATOR DRIVE A big red banner across the Manchester Medical Center’s home page solicits donations to a “COVID-19 Relief Fund.” The page links to an online donation form to the Manchester Medical Center Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit formed by the urgent care clinic’s co-owners, Thomas Sterling and Janel Kittredge, in May 2019. They’ve previously described the foundation to local media outlets as an effort to help patients who can’t afford care and a means to provide community health education. Recently, the clinic began promoting donations to the foundation as a way to help the clinic purchase “life-saving supplies,” including ventilators, respirators and intubation equipment, and to fund the creation of negativepressure rooms for COVID-19 patients. The website states that the clinic has raised $50,000 but hopes to raise $100,000 more. Ventilators, used for the most dire COVID-19 cases, are typically found in hospital intensive care units, not urgent care clinics. Kittredge told Seven Days in a series of text messages that the clinic has a portable ventilator that Sterling, her husband, can use if he needs to stabilize a patient’s airway while they wait for transportation to an emergency room, which she noted is more than 20 miles away. “We had to ramp up when SARS-CoV-2 came on scene,” she said. Susan Barrett, executive director of the Green Mountain Care Board, which regulates hospitals, said the website language is “very concerning.” The yet-to-be-opened clinic, in 2016, tapped an exemption for doctors’ offices used by most urgent care centers in Vermont and avoided the onerous “certificate of need” process overseen by the board. As part of the paperwork, the clinic’s lawyers said it would offer the same services as a typical family physician’s office. “It will not hold itself out as an available option for care during a true medical, surgical or psychiatric emergency,” the couple’s attorney wrote. Doctors themselves must be licensed to practice, but the State of Vermont does not license outpatient clinics such as urgent care centers. The clinic’s online fundraising plea is ambiguous as to how the equipment might be used, David K. Herlihy, executive director of the Vermont Board of Medical Practice, noted in a statement. “It is possible to transfer a patient who is on a ventilator, but normally one would expect that a patient in need of a ventilator would be taken to the hospital as quickly as possible as opposed to being given that level of care in a walk-in clinic,” Herlihy said. Kittredge told Seven Days that Manchester Medical Center has no plan to provide inpatient care and said using the equipment would be a “last resort.” “If I am trained and credentialed to intubate in the back of an ambulance or on the side of the road, why am I any less able to do so in a controlled building?” she asked rhetorically. D ER EK BR O UWE R

SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

False Insecurity « P.12 though Vermont officials did not, and the state has yet to publish guidelines for how the tests should be administered. Rapid antigen tests, also used to diagnose strep throat and influenza, look for specific proteins on the surface of a virus. These markers are reliable; if properly detected, the proteins’ presence is a strong sign of infection. But sometimes the tests miss them, leaving an infection undiscovered. This risk of “false negatives” is lower for the conventional polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, tests typically used to diagnose a coronavirus infection. Still, some hospitals and other health care providers around the country have adopted antigen tests because the samples can be fed into a small machine that quickly spits out a result. The Trump administration plans to send thousands of them to nursing homes in hard-hit areas later this month. Manchester Medical Center was the first to use Quidel’s test in Vermont in late May, charging $65 per swab. (PCR tests in Vermont are generally offered without cost.) The short processing time proved attractive to travelers who sought to end their state-mandated quarantine period early. The Town of Manchester referred several of its employees there for that purpose, town manager John O’Keefe said. Kittredge initially told Seven Days that her clinic performed close to 700 negative tests over the first six weeks using Quidel’s equipment. She later said in a broadcast interview that her team had performed 284 tests during that time. When asked about the difference, she said the figure she’d provided to Seven Days was wrong.

Alarm Bells

The Town of Manchester has taken a proactive approach to the pandemic. Its selectboard passed an indoor mask mandate in early June, and the local government has distributed roughly 9,000 masks to its 4,400 residents. The state had reported just seven total cases there before the July 4 weekend. But as Kittredge watched the holiday bustle, she saw a town that had let down its guard. The following weekend, several seemingly unconnected people walked into her clinic and tested positive for the virus. By July 13, the clinic had recorded 35 positive antigen results. The doctors took the worrisome news to Sterling’s colleagues at the town, but rumors were already spreading, fueled in part by Kittredge’s earlier social media post. “Hysteria was setting in,” O’Keefe said. O’Keefe emailed a regional contact at the health department at 2:13 p.m. looking for input. After 30 minutes passed with no reply, town officials decided to publicly “confirm” the cases in a Facebook post from the government account.

Northshire Bookstore door showing COVID-19 precautions and temporary closure due to suspected cases

State officials, wary of the antigen tests, had not considered the cases “confirmed,” but O’Keefe said he felt an ethical obligation to make the information available as soon as possible, in the event it might save lives. Many local restaurants and retailers quickly shut down. Summer camps were postponed. The Saturday farmers market was canceled. It all made sense to Kittredge, who believed that Vermonters had been cruising on a false sense of security. “Every state around us has been on fire: New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut,” she said. “Why would we not be? The only reason we’re not is because we haven’t been testing.” In fact, Vermont has a relatively high overall rate of testing, and the states Kittredge cited have not experienced the same recent surges as southern states. But how else to explain the sudden rush of positive cases, after weeks of almost entirely negative results? Dr. Timothy Brewer, a professor of medicine and epidemiology at the University of California Los Angeles, who specializes in infectious diseases, offered one possible explanation in an interview with Seven Days: The test processing kits or the countertop analyzer equipment could have become contaminated. Before doing anything else,

Brewer said, “I would probably be calling my machine representative and having them check my kit.” Manchester Medical Center executive director John Mallard said he didn’t think twice about the initial spate of positives. “It’s super easy,” he said of the processing, citing the clinic’s experience with the machine to test for other illnesses. He said he did call his Quidel rep sometime last week, after the health department publicly questioned the results. When Seven Days asked test maker Quidel for comment last Friday, a spokesperson said the company was unaware of an issue in Manchester and declined further comment. “Can you please share with us the name of the Urgent Care sites,” he wrote in an email, “so that we are able to follow up?”

Positive or Negative?

State health officials scrambled to respond to the publicized cluster of cases while also trying to verify the extent of the spread. Kittredge’s clinic hadn’t run the PCR test alongside the rapid antigen version for many of its patients, saying it didn’t have enough kits. Kittredge said she didn’t want to “waste” limited backup tests on positive patients, because the antigen test is not known for producing false positives.

CHRISTINE GLADE

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The state’s retests were expected to find more infections by presumably catching cases that the rapid antigen tests missed. Instead, the results that trickled in were head-spinning. Last Thursday, officials reported that only two of the seven PCR test results they’d gotten were positive. The evidence was enough for Health Commissioner Mark Levine last Friday to state that the private clinic’s cases appeared to be “false positives.” He sought to reassure residents that the state had found no evidence of uncontrolled community spread. Kittredge took umbrage, saying the state’s skeptical approach to the antigen results merely sowed fear and distrust. “Oh, my God, it’s been an absolute dumpster fire,” she said. “I fear for the fallout as a result of that, because people now don’t trust the system.” She also critiqued the Southwestern Vermont Medical Center in Bennington in an all-caps-laced Facebook post over a statement it put out describing antigen tests as less accurate than the PCRs offered at the hospital. “If you tested POSITIVE, you are POSITIVE!” she wrote, hours before the first retests came back negative. O’Keefe said residents’ confusion over the nuances and uncertainties in testing have sprouted conspiracy theories that the health department might disavow the antigen cases to keep the state’s overall case count low. It should report those results, too, for the sake of “transparency,” he said. Other states that have reported combined test results have faced pushback from scientists who say it blurs the overall picture. Dr. Jennifer Nuzzo, associate professor and lead epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins University’s COVID-19 Testing Insights Initiative, said, “I can’t imagine that we’ll ever fully rely on rapid antigen testing without doing confirmatory PCR.” At a press conference Tuesday morning, Levine reported that he’d spoken with a health official in Maine, where a series of asymptomatic people had tested positive using the same rapid antigen testing kit but had tested negative on a subsequent PCR test. He said these two incidents may help guide scientific knowledge of “some kind of systematic error that’s occurring with this testing” — and determine how rapid antigen testing should be used going forward. The sources of public confusion have already become the subject of fingerpointing. O’Keefe said it was unsettling to see area health care agencies “rowing in different directions.” Southwestern Vermont Medical Center chief medical officer Trey Dobson said it was “unfortunate” that Manchester Medical Center and town officials made the tests public before “trying to do a quick investigation.”

The hospital plans to begin offering scheduled PCR testing at its Northshire Campus in Manchester Center this week. “It’s clear from this situation that responding by offering increased testing is the way to go,” Dobson said.

No Answers

The state health department has been exceedingly careful to avoid criticizing Manchester Medical Center. On Monday, Levine and Kittredge appeared for a joint interview on Vermont Public Radio’s “Vermont Edition,” where host Jane Lindholm sought to make sense of the convoluted situation. Asked about the potential source of the false positives, Levine noted that he would work with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the FDA to understand what went wrong. He entertained the possibility, however unlikely, that the state’s PCR tests were in error. Levine also raised the prospect of laboratory errors at Manchester Medical Center but quickly added that Kittredge’s team had assured him that was “very unlikely.” Kittredge expressed doubt about the state’s data. She floated a notion that PCR tests might not catch the virus if symptoms manifested in a patient’s digestive tract. UCLA’s Brewer told Seven Days the concept “doesn’t make sense” unless Manchester Medical Center was testing stool samples. In his on-air response, Levine conceded that “anything here is a possibility” before politely mentioning that both tests rely on nasal or oral swabs. “Even the viral transport media, I have questions about that,” Kittredge pressed, suggesting a possible problem with how PCR samples are transported to the laboratory for processing. “These are just questions. I don’t have answers. I may be way off base. I have no idea,” she said. By the time the radio program reached the end of the noon hour, its host hadn’t found much clarity. “I think there are still going to be a lot of questions in the community about the accuracy of testing and how to trust [the tests],” Lindholm said, cutting the conversation off. Even as the controversy swirled last week, another Vermont provider, Springfield Hospital, began using antigen tests at its site, the health department said. Manchester Medical Center plans to continue using its antigen tests. Others in Manchester seem to be moving on. Northshire Bookstore, across the street from the clinic, was one of several businesses that announced it would reopen this week. m Contact: derek@sevendaysvt.com

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Burlington Proposes Shipping Container ‘Micro Units’ for Homeless

From left: Molly Gray, Debbie Ingram, Brenda Siegel and Tim Ashe

BY CO UR TN E Y L A M D I N

SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

Democratic LG candidates on crime, race and justice BY C OLIN FL AN D E RS

VERMONT ELECTIONS

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ermont leaders have spent years Peoples’ Day in Vermont, introduced debating how best to reform the a proposal to clarify the prohibition of state’s law enforcement and prison slavery in the Vermont Constitution systems. Calls for action only increased and proposed a statewide policy for the this spring after the killing of George use of deadly force that is still under Floyd, a Black man, by a Minneapolis consideration. police officer. Now, criminal justice issues Activist Brenda Siegel has not held have followed Vermont politicians onto state office but has become a familiar the campaign trail, where they are a point presence in Vermont politics. She spent of contention in the Democratic primary years advocating on behalf of people in poverty, often in the Statehouse, and has for lieutenant governor. called for prison reforms, tougher In interviews with Seven Days, the four candidates shared laws against hate speech, DAYS REP much common ground on and opioid policies that EN policing as well as crimiemphasize treatment over nal and racial justice punishment. reforms, but there The situation is were several points of different for assistant tension. attorney general Molly Voters who judge Gray. On one hand, the LG candidates on their years she spent fighting M 2 records will have the for human rights and her 0 PA I GN • 2 easiest time vetting the job as a prosecutor in the two who hold office, Senate Attorney General’s Office may President Pro Tempore Tim Ashe give her insight on issues of race and (D/P-Chittenden) and Sen. Debbie Ingram criminal justice. On the other hand, the (D-Chittenden). public reckoning in the wake of Floyd’s Ashe urged his colleagues to pass a death has left some voters suspicious of package of police reforms in June and led those who work in the criminal justice efforts to pass a law this session aimed at system. reducing Vermont’s prison population. Take, for example, the question of Ingram led last year’s successful push whether to reduce spending on the police to change Columbus Day to Indigenous and reallocate support to social services

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Contact: courtney@sevendaysvt.com

When Reform Is the Norm

The City of Burlington is applying for a $1.3 million grant to use 20 shipping containers as a 47-bed, low-barrier shelter on Sears Lane, the site of an existing homeless campground. More than 50 people gathered at Lakeside Park in the city’s South End on July 15 to hear about the plan. The new homeless shelter would take the place of the seasonal low-barrier shelter currently on South Winooski Avenue. Built by South Burlington startup Beta Technologies, the shipping containers would be converted into micro sleeping units and outfitted with running water, electricity, heat and air conditioning. The facility would be managed by ANEW Place, a homeless organization that operated the low-barrier shelter last winter and the temporary shelter at Burlington’s North Beach during the height of the coronavirus pandemic. “It’s kind of outside the box,” ANEW Place executive director Kevin Pounds said. “Basically, like taking the tiny home concept and applying it to a homeless shelter.” Some of Vermont’s CARES Act dollars specifically earmarked to address homelessness would help pay for the project. The city expects to hear back from the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board, the nonprofit chosen by the state to dispense the money, by early August. If the funding comes through, the city hopes to erect the site before winter, “when we may well be facing a rise in coronavirus infections again and really need a facility like this,” Mayor Miro Weinberger said. The shelter would be built on city-owned land near the Sears Lane homeless campground, a site that has elicited concerns over drug use and violence in the past. The city dismantled the campground in November 2017, but the site is still used. The shelter proposal drew mixed reactions from the crowd. Weinberger said the city has needed a professionally managed, year-round, low-barrier shelter for years, and the city may finally have the money to make it happen. “It would be very hard to pull together $1 million for this kind of project under normal circumstances,” he said. “This seemed to us a rare opportunity, and that’s why we’ve been moving forward quickly.”

— the so-called “defund” movement. The city of Burlington, where Gray and Ashe live, recently agreed to reduce the police force by 30 percent through attrition and spend the savings on programs that support people of color. At the Statehouse, Progressive lawmakers have proposed reducing the Vermont State Police budget by at least 20 percent. Siegel and Ingram say they support the defund movement, though neither put a figure on how much they would take from the state police. They also differ on where any savings should go. Ingram would spend more on mental health agencies and social workers, Siegel on communities most harmed by the criminal justice system. “We can’t just fill a hole in our budget,” Siegel said. “We need to be very intentional about where we are putting the funds.” Ashe has said he is skeptical that cutting spending on police departments could work in a small state such as Vermont. Instead, he supports stationing social workers at state police barracks so that officers have the “right tools to keep people safe.” He said he has asked Vermont’s public safety commissioner to propose a budget in August that would accomplish that. “I think that requires shifting some of the resources internal to law enforcement

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towards mental health professionals and social workers and others who know how to de-escalate situations which are really not criminal in their nature,” he said. At the same time, Ashe said he would have no problem using the lieutenant governor’s office to be a “thorn in the side” of any “institutional players” who tried to block further reform. “When you’re the lieutenant governor, you have the opportunity to basically be the chief watchdog on the issues that you’re most passionate about,” Ashe said. “I’ve not been afraid to speak out against institutional players who wield a lot of influence but aren’t getting the job done.” Gray appeared most dubious about the defund movement. She said she, too, supports embedding mental health experts with police response teams and diverting law enforcement funds toward prevention “where we can.” But she said she empathizes with the challenges that police officers face every day. Vermont must invest more in training and support if it plans to continue putting officers on the front lines of its mental health crisis, she said. “We basically asked them to address Vermont’s mental health challenges without the tools to be able to do that,” Gray said. “We need to think more closely about supporting health and human services and how we look at the needs of our law enforcement officers — and that it’s not a fight between [the two needs].” “Anyone who’s not fit to serve as a police officer has to go, absolutely,” Gray said. “But we need to not make those who are trying to — or should be trying to — support our communities out to be demons. And that’s the challenge I see with ‘defund the police.’” Gray’s boss, Attorney General T.J. Donovan, has been criticized by some for allegedly going too easy on police officers who have used deadly force. Asked how well she thought the Attorney General’s Office has handled such issues, Gray did not reply directly but repeatedly said, “We can do more, and we can do better.” Gray was more willing to discuss her recent proposal to end Vermont’s out-ofstate prison contract. She has criticized state leaders for wasting money on “broken systems” and said the millions it costs to house inmates at a private prison in Mississippi would be better spent helping underpaid childcare providers. Candidates for a variety of Vermont offices have promised to end the practice of sending prisoners out of state, only to find it is easier said than done. That includes Donovan, who made it a campaign pledge in 2016. Still, Gray’s comments on the subject ruffled feathers, including her claim on Vermont Public

Radio last week that she was the “first candidate” in the race to propose ending the practice. “I’ve been talking about it for three or four years,” Siegel told Seven Days. “That wasn’t just an idea that came out yesterday.” She added, “I welcome anyone that wants to come new to the fight. But we have got to recognize the voices that were there before.” Ingram and Ashe, meantime, pushed back on Gray’s criticism that it wasn’t until the coronavirus pandemic that lawmakers actively sought to decrease the prison population. “It shouldn’t have taken COVID-19 for us to be able to do that,” Gray told Seven Days. “I don’t think we’ve done enough, and I don’t think we’ve done it quickly enough.” Ingram disagreed with the assessment but said she didn’t blame Gray for seeking to “insert” her ideas, given that she has had no involvement in legislative decisions. Ashe described himself as the lawmaker who has been most “aggressive” in “trying to drive down our inmate population safely.” In 2019, Ashe called on his colleagues to reduce the prison population by 250 inmates within the next several years so Vermont could end its out-of-state contract. He led the push this spring to pass Justice Reinvestment II, a sweeping reform bill signed into law last week by Gov. Phil Scott. It will automatically parole some low-risk offenders who have served their minimum sentences, provide due process rights to those who violate conditions of furlough and reduce the sentences of those with good behavior. The American Civil Liberties Union of Vermont on Monday celebrated the passage of the bill, calling it a “historic and critically important step” toward reforming Vermont’s prison system. Ashe is touting the bill on the campaign trail as proof of his commitment to criminal justice reform. He told Seven Days that it is one of the “most important pieces of legislation in many years” and should “eliminate completely” the need for out-of-state prisons by 2022. Gray wasn’t impressed. She said the bill was a good initial step but does little to prevent people from ending up in prison in the first place. “As a prosecutor, you open up the case and you look at all the areas oftentimes where the state has failed or we haven’t supported the person through their life,” she said. As she criticizes Ashe’s record, Gray finds herself deflecting questions about her own. Her 20 months in the Attorney General’s Office represent almost a WHEN REFORM IS THE NORM

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SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

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news Black Lives Matter mural on Main Street in Burlington

JAMES BUCK

NEWS

Volunteers Paint ‘Black Lives Matter’ on Burlington’s Main Street BY MARGARET GRAYSON

The 90-degree heat didn’t stop more than 100 volunteers from painting the words “Black Lives Matter” along Burlington’s Main Street on Sunday. Clad in masks and armed with rollers, they spread traffic-cone-orange paint in a message for racial justice in front of courthouses and alongside city hall. “I think it’s important to show the support and to show the allies that we have in the community,” said Adam Carnes. He and Tia Marosy brought their young son, Felix, to the event. They moved to Burlington from Brooklyn two years ago. Being Black in Vermont, Carnes said, can be isolating.

“I feel like taking [Felix] to stuff like this is really important to see that you might find your community and feel like you’re at home here,” Marosy said. “I also hope that it’s not just a show. I hope there’s actually some substance behind it.” The Burlington City Council voted unanimously in favor of the street painting during a July 13 meeting. The resolution, drafted by Councilor Karen Paul (D-Ward 6), Councilor Zoraya Hightower (P-Ward 1) and city racial equity director Tyeastia Green, says the mural will be maintained through October 2023.

When Reform Is the Norm « P.17 footnote on a 15-year résumé that includes humanitarian and human rights missions abroad. Among her duties: engaging the U.S. government on behalf of the International Committee of the Red Cross and leading monitoring missions in countries including Nigeria and Iraq. But while Gray has walked a tightrope so far in the campaign, touting her position in Donovan’s office while distancing herself from some of his controversial decisions, her prosecutorial record has not always appeared to align with her personal views. Case in point: Last year, Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sarah George dropped a murder charge against Aita Gurung, who attacked his wife with a meat cleaver in 2017. George concluded he was 18

SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

insane, and Gurung was committed to the care of the mental health system. Donovan decided to refile charges in June 2019, even though a number of experts had found that Gurung was psychotic when he committed the crime. At a hearing last September, Gray and a colleague successfully lobbied for Gurung to be moved to a state prison until he could have a mental evaluation. As a result, he was locked up for four months until he was again deemed not competent to stand trial and returned to the Vermont Psychiatric Care Hospital. At a hearing in January, his defense attorneys said his prison stay was detrimental to his mental health. Gray said she is prohibited from discussing the ongoing case. She had little to say when asked how her involvement in

Volunteers stood in lines at the end of Church Street awaiting name tags and painting assignments that routed them to an assigned letter, already outlined on the roadway. Organizers poured paint and guided them in filling in the letters. Drummers from Jeh Kulu Dance and Drum Theater kept the mood lively. Elijah Hines awaited his turn to paint with Piper Turosak. Hines recalled some of his own experiences as a Black man living in South Burlington. His brother, Isaiah, led a push as a student at South Burlington High School to change its mascot from the Rebels.

the case squared with her views on criminal justice. “I was called in to an arraignment,” she said. “I have not been assigned to it subsequently.” She did, however, say that Donovan is “well aware” of her views on criminal justice reform and that she is running for lieutenant governor in part because her time in his office has shown her where Vermont’s criminal justice system can be improved. Among those lessons: “We shouldn’t be using our prison system to incarcerate those who need specific services,” she said. All four candidates acknowledge that voter concern about issues of racial and criminal justice could be a factor at the polls. “I’ve had so many conversations with people from all walks of life in recent weeks talking about what we’ve done, what we haven’t done, what we should do,” Ashe said.

Isaiah was harassed for his advocacy, and a South Burlington man was convicted of a misdemeanor stalking charge against him. “We have both faced a lot of racist namecalling,” Elijah said. “There’s been a lot of shit that’s gone down, and our family hasn’t been protected in the same way that a white family most likely would have.” But Elijah said events such as the public painting could engage the wider community in conversations about race. “There’ve been things that have kind of made me ashamed to live in Burlington, and live in Vermont, and this is one of the things that helps to change that,” Hines said. Turosak agreed and said art can be powerful by starting conversations and reminding people of the racial justice work still to be done in Vermont. “I’m an art student myself, and I’ve done murals and posters, and it genuinely changes people’s minds,” Turosak said. “Public art — it’s the most impactful thing, because it’s there for everybody to see and it evokes an emotional response.” The City of Montpelier took similar action in June. The Black Lives Matter mural painted on State Street was almost immediately defaced with dirt, oil and graffiti. A muralist for the nonprofit Arts So Wonderful, Jamie Bedard, told Seven Days that her own Black Lives Matter mural, on Burlington’s old YMCA building, was also targeted with graffiti. In both cases, the artwork was quickly restored. Mayor Miro Weinberger, who took a turn with a roller, said the city will take a “hardline” approach to any vandalism, prosecuting anyone who tries to deface the Main Street mural. Weinberger said he views the painting as a reminder of the city’s commitment to racial justice, which he said was solidified by its recent declaration of racism as a public health emergency. “This is something that is symbolism of the work we’ve started together as a community and we intend to do,” Weinberger said. “I hope it’s a reminder to everyone that’s committed to that work.” m Contact: margaret@sevendaysvt.com

At the same time, the candidates — all of whom are white — share the belief that they will need to do more than simply rely on their own individual experiences if they hope to make lasting change. “As we think about racial injustice, or economic injustice, or social injustice, criminal justice reform,” Gray said at a recent debate, “we have to ask ourselves who’s at the table when we have these conversations, which voices are not, and step back and elevate the voices of those who are most greatly impacted.” m Disclosure: Tim Ashe is the domestic partner of Seven Days publisher and coeditor Paula Routly. Find our conflictof-interest policy here: sevendaysvt.com/ disclosure. Contact: colin@sevendaysvt.com

WEEK IN REVIEW

FEEDback READER REACTION TO RECENT ARTICLES CONTINUED FROM P.7

equitable economy and a Vermont that values everyone. Jennifer Carpenter SOUTH BURLINGTON

‘ASYLUM IS A HUMAN RIGHT’

Sylvia Knight

BURLINGTON

ASHE IS A PROVEN LEADER

[Re Off Message: “Gray, Ashe Take Heat During Democratic Lieutenant Governor Debate,” July 16; “Ashe Kicks Off Campaign for Lieutenant Governor,” May 28]: I’m supporting Tim Ashe for lieutenant governor in the Democratic primary because, in times like these, experience

ow, “Mr. Brunelle Explains It All” has some passionate fans! We’re grateful to have had the opportunity to publish the comic strip, but as stated in response to a letter last week, we have discontinued it, along with “Red Meat,” and added “The K Chronicles” to help us meet two goals: to lower the expenses of the “funny pages” and to add a Black voice to the selection of comics that focus on national politics. Fans of local artist Robert Waldo Brunelle Jr. can still find his weekly strip on his Facebook page and at mrbrunelle.com, where he also sells his original art. The tagline: “Genius You Can Afford!”

I realize many factors go into determining the content of publications, but I am writing to express disappointment at the removal of “Mr. Brunelle Explains It All” from Seven Days.. Robert Brunelle consistently displayed a deft touch and a humane sense of humor to his insightful commentary on our difficult times. Although I like Jen Sorensen’s strip and feel that “This Modern World” is the best political satire of our day, “Mr. Brunelle Explains It All” brought a unique and enjoyable sensibility to the Fun Stuff pages. I’m certainly not the only reader who will miss it.

It is unfortunate that Robert Brunelle’s comic strip is being dropped from your paper. We need more, not less, locally sourced adult humor that deals with all the scary things in our world right now. Well-drawn comic characters, current topics and tongue-in-cheek droll humor! Don’t take it away! Elise Junker

CHESTER

I am very sad that you will no longer be carrying Robert Waldo Brunelle’s cartoon. It has been the first thing I look at when I pick up the paper. Fred Cheyette

ORANGE

I am writing to echo Margo Howland’s letter to the editor [Feedback: “Don’t Lose Brunelle,” July 15] and encourage Seven Days to reconsider your comics decisions: I enjoy “Mr. Brunelle Explains It All.” I would suggest that if you are trimming the funny pages, cut instead “Futon Life,” which is not funny at all.

L.J. Kopf

RICHMOND

Just wanted to say it’s always nice to see Robert Brunelle’s comic available in Seven Days!! It always touches on topics of concern to all. Finding the humor and truth in print is always important. I hope you’ll reconsider dropping his cartoon. I will miss it. Rochelle Wallace

Frances Cannon

BURLINGTON

Your decision to no longer support the cartoon “Mr. Brunelle Explains It All” is extremely disheartening. We need his kind of observation — both political and societal. His vision helps make others’ clearer. His humor brightens our day. I would ask you to please reconsider your decision and put Brunelle’s wonderful cartoons back in front of the eyes and minds of your readers.

ST. ALBANS

Lance Jones

MONTRÉAL, QUÉBEC

I am very disappointed that you are dropping Robert Waldo Brunelle’s comic strip. This popular comic will be sorely missed by many.

ROBERT WALDO BRUNELLE Jr.

Thank you for your piece on the death of Durvi Martinez [Off Message: “Farmworker Activist Dies of COVID-19 Following Deportation,” July 8]. It is important that the life and death of this beautiful young person and the circumstances be noted. I met Durvi when my husband and I transported them to a Migrant Justice meeting a few years ago, and I was aware of a deeply sensitive and beautiful person who was in danger even here in northern Vermont due to their sexuality and undocumented status, and aware of the danger if they were deported to Mexico. A trans person, Durvi was working at a farm in northern Vermont where U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol are particularly active. I am both angered and deeply saddened by this young person’s needless death from COVID-19 in Mexico, due in large part to ICE’s refusal to release them in Vermont from a crowded prison as they were pursuing a claim for asylum. Asylum is a human right, according to the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948. Our country signed this declaration and is obligated to observe its principles. In addition, the 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees (also signed by the U.S.) expands the scope of human rights envisioned in the Refugee Convention of 1951 to any refugees. Durvi was a refugee from violence. The violence of racism, incarceration, deportation and cruelty undermine the moral authority of this country. Will our next president honor international conventions to protect the dignity of all human beings?

’Toon Deaf?

Susan Miyamoto ESSEX

and proven leadership matter more than ever. During the four years that Tim has led the Senate, he’s shown the qualities that will make him a great LG. COVID-19 put Tim’s leadership skills to the test. He was a key partner with the governor and the House speaker in guiding Vermont through unprecedented times. Despite his heavy legislative workload, Tim provided daily video updates to inform Vermonters on actions being taken to address the many needs created by the pandemic. These were absolutely essential to many Vermonters.

I’ve been impressed with Tim’s ability to identify emerging issues that need to be addressed long in advance of others who simply react to them when they occur. He has initiated legislation to address privacy concerns, data retention policies, racial bias in law enforcement, energy conservation — the list goes on. He is one of those legislators who stands out for his ability to see the entire forest, not just the trees. A good example of this is providing a hazard pay grant to nearly 16,000 Vermonters on the front lines against COVID. Tim was outspoken on the need

to recognize these workers’ sacrifice in service to our communities and never let the issue go, despite every barrier thrown in the way. In the end, we got it done. Tim’s leadership was key. I know he’ll bring the same passion and skill to the LG’s office. Jane Kitchel

DANVILLE

Kitchel is a Democratic Caledonia County senator.

SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

news Senate Scramble « P.13

LUKE EASTMAN

spokesperson for the Vermont Democratic Party. “You normally don’t have such a large quantity of data [or know] exactly who’s going to turn out to vote,” Di Mezzo said. Challengers’ ability to contact these likely voters with mailings, phone calls and email blasts helps blunt the name recognition advantage incumbents enjoy, Di Mezzo said. But it’s an expensive way to campaign. The large number of absentee ballot requests has blown the $7,000 budget that candidate Thomas Chittenden had set for mailings to voters. The three-term South Burlington city councilor entered the race in May and said he now expects to spend two and a half times his original budget for mailers. “I’ve been prioritizing getting something in the mail as quickly as possible so that when [voters] get the ballot from their town clerk, they’re also getting something about me,” Chittenden said. Mail is a key way to get one’s message out in a crowded field at a time when COVID-19 has put the kibosh on traditional campaign events, debates and the door-knocking Chittenden had planned to do, he said. Newcomers who had planned to outhustle their competition in those ways have found themselves challenged to connect with voters, said Kesha Ram, a former state representative from Burlington and an unsuccessful candidate for lieutenant governor in 2016. “If you’re hardworking, I think that takes you very far in Vermont — usually,” said Ram, who joined the Chittenden Senate race in January. “But right now, people are exhausted, and they are just looking for direction.” For this reason, she said, she expects endorsements to play an outsize role in the campaign, because they can help voters cut through the noise. She has collected a raft of endorsements, including from Senate Majority Leader Becca Balint (D-Windham) and EMILY’s List, a national political organization committed to electing pro-choice women. EMILY’S List is also backing June Heston, a nonprofit consultant from Richmond. Heston hopes endorsements will also help her gain ground on

SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

incumbents. She’s won a rare endorsement from former governor Howard Dean. Heston’s late husband, Mike, had a long career as a state trooper and served on Dean’s security detail. The Vermont National Guard commander died in 2018 of pancreatic cancer after three tours of duty in Afghanistan, where he was exposed to pollution from open burning of hazardous waste on military bases. His death spurred his widow to push for legislation making it easier for Vermont veterans to sign up for a national registry that tracks people exposed to the burn pits. The successful effort inspired her to get more involved in government, she said. The endorsements and rise in absentee ballot requests give Heston hope that she can break through against established incumbents and chalS E N. P H IL lengers with better name recognition. It is far from clear, however, that the spike in ballot requests will result in an influx of new primary voters, said incumbent Pearson. The rise in requests for absentee ballots could just reflect how easy the Secretary of State’s Office made it to get one by returning a postage-paid postcard. The high-profile effort was aimed at drastically reducing the number of people voting in person at the polls during the coronavirus pandemic. While it is relatively easy to request a ballot, it takes time and energy to understand the differences among the 13 Democratic Senate candidates and to choose six — especially when voters have so much else on their minds, several candidates said. Heston figures people who vote from home by mail will have more time to research candidates, instead of hurriedly selecting six names they recognize while in a polling booth.

“When that ballot comes to your home, you can get on your computer and start looking things up and find out what people stand for,” she said. Chittenden said he can’t even remember who all the candidates are, let alone what they stand for. Only “the slimmest margin” of the thousands of voters Giambatista has called can name even one of the senators who represent them, let alone whom they’d prefer, he said. That tells him the race is “not dinner table conversation” and candidates, even ones with experience in political office, must work hard to make their case to voters. It also confirms the widely held belief that the Chittenden Senate district — the only at-large, six-seat district in the nation BAR UTH — is unwieldy and overdue for a breakup. The district includes all of the county’s communities except Colchester and Huntington. Last year the legislature passed a law limiting the size of electoral districts to no more than three seats starting in 2022. When the 2020 U.S. Census is released, a state commission will recommend a way to break up Chittenden County into smaller units to choose senators. The legislature will draw the final lines. How that might shake out is anyone’s guess, especially if legislators make decisions designed to protect their own seats,

ANYBODY THAT ISSUES ANY KIND OF PREDICTION ABOUT THIS RACE

IS A COMPLETE IDIOT.

which they undoubtedly will, said Davis, the retired Middlebury professor. Nonetheless, “this might very well be the last time that voters in Chittenden County have to choose candidates for six seats,” Davis said. The other candidates in the Democratic primary are Steve May of Richmond, a clinical social worker, and Louis Meyers of South Burlington, a physician at Rutland Regional Medical Center. Both are highlighting their knowledge of the health care system as a reason voters should support their candidacies. On the Republican ticket, the candidates are Ericka Redic of Burlington, an accountant, and Tom Chasteny of Milton, the owner of a heating and cooling business. Some incumbents lament that the length and intensity of this year’s legislative session delayed their campaigning and put them at a disadvantage. All were involved in drafting key COVID-19 and economic recovery bills; Sirotkin, Lyons and Baruth chair Senate committees, while Pearson is cochair of the Vermont Climate Caucus. “While we have the advantage of experience and name recognition, it is clear that many of the newcomers have been campaigning and raising large sums of money while we have been doing our jobs and have had far less time to campaign,” Sirotkin said in an email. As a result, Pearson said he feels “way behind” some other candidates in the race but hopes voters recognize the work he has been doing on their behalf during the pandemic. “Being a candidate in these circumstances is a wild ride,” Pearson said. “I’m hopeful, but I don’t take anything for granted.” Contact: kevin@ sevendaysvt.com Andrea Suozzo contributed reporting for this story. Find a complete list of the candidates for legislative and statewide offices starting on page 18 of the Pandemic Primary Voters’ Guide in this issue.

lifelines lines OBITUARIES Kelly Jean (Urie) Elder

MAY 13, 1971-JUNE 25, 2020 WEST BOLTON, VT.

Kelly Jean (Urie) Elder, 49 — the most generous, brave, strong-willed, independent, loving mother, friend, daughter and sister — left these legacies behind as she passed away June 25, 2020. Kelly was born May 13, 1971, and lived her first 18 years on the family dairy farm in South Albany, Vt. Her father called her “Baby Tender Love” after a popular doll of the time and the amount of affection we all had for her. Kelly was a precious, sweet and kind girl who grew into a precious, sweet, kind and sassy woman.

She graduated from Lake Region Union High School in 1989, and then attended Paul Smith’s College culinary program in New York. Later, she lived in Burlington, Vt., and then Richmond, Vt. She married Peter Elder in October 2001. They later divorced but together had two wonderful daughters, Abigail and Caroline. Kelly loved many things, including cooking, Elton John, flowers, her family and friends, and Vermont — but above all else, she loved her daughters. She was very proud of them and adored and admired everything about them. She is survived by daughters Abby and Caroline; her mother, Ellen Urie; sister Wendi Urie and brother-inlaw Mike Cimonetti; sister Barb Marshall; and niece and nephews Marissa, Jack and Hazen Marshall. She is predeceased by her father, Richard Urie; brother Daniel Urie; and brother-inlaw Jim Marshall. A service for Kelly will be held in the Kingdom at a later date, when it is safe to do so. If you wish to make a memorial donation, you may use the Elder Children’s Benefit Fund, Bank of the Rockies, P.O. Box 2, Clyde Park, MT 59018.

James R. Reda JANUARY 18, 1953JULY 12, 2020 JERICHO, VT.

Want to memorialize a loved one? We’re here to help. Our obituary and in memoriam services are affordable, accessible and handled with personal care.

James Richard Reda, 67, passed peacefully in his wife Ann’s arms on July 12, 2020, at his home in Jericho, Vt., surrounded by family. Per Jim’s wishes, a private ceremony will take place in Rochester, N.Y., and a celebration of his life will be held in Vermont next year. Donations in memory of Jim may be made to Vermont Adaptive Ski Program or the University of Vermont Medical Center Oncology Nurse Education Fund. The family invites you to view further information and share your memories by visiting awrfh.com.

Share your loved one’s story with the local community in Lifelines.

IN MEMORIAM Jesse Ben Budnick

NOVEMBER 12, 1989-APRIL 25, 2020 The funeral of Jesse Ben Budnick, who died on April 25, 2020, will take place on August 1, 2020, at 11 a.m. at St. Joseph’s Church in Burlington, Vt. After the service, there will be a procession to Lakeview Cemetery for his burial and final goodbyes. All are welcome to attend.

lifelines

Post your obituary or in memoriam online and in print at sevendaysvt.com/lifelines. Or contact us at lifelines@sevendaysvt.com or 865-1020 ext. 10.

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SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

9/12/19 3:05 PM

arts news

Among Familiar Shadows: Memories and Reflections Bruce Coffin, Swallow Tail Press, 261 pages. $13.95.

For me, those long days in that house with the displaced and distant people of my father’s family were redeemed only by my mother’s sympathetic presence and the certainty that she shared my sense of isolation.

Five Newish Books by Vermont Authors B Y DA N B O LLES, CH ELSEA ED G A R , MA R GA R ET GRAYSON, PA M E L A PO LSTO N & K R I STEN R AV I N

even Days writers can’t possibly read, much less review, all the books that arrive in a steady stream by post, email and, in one memorable case, a leash of foxes. So this monthly feature is our way of introducing you to a handful of books by Vermont authors. To do that, we contextualize each book just a little and quote a single representative sentence from, yes, page 32. Inclusion here implies neither approval nor derision on our part, but simply: Here are a bunch of books that Seven Days readers might like to know about.

Clothesline Saga Noah Burton, Vegetarian Alcoholic Press, 60 pages. $12.34.

They tell you your circus is no longer afraid, that the kettle drum of ponds, whole terrariums of capped lives, are suddenly serene.

C .E .

Noah Burton is a man of many interests. He’s the owner of the Queen City business Knock Knock Natural Coffins and Woodworking and a poet with a background in philosophy. Burton published his second book, Clothesline Saga, earlier this year. The pocket-size volume includes 57 works exploring themes such as domestication and development. Overall, the collection lacks the musicality that makes poetry by the likes of Sharon Olds and Sylvia Plath so pleasing to read, and Burton’s metaphors range from confusing (“The night slips on me like a cold sock.” Aren’t socks usually warm?) to revelatory (“a B-52 cuts clouds, fillets them / with warheads”). Still, Clothesline Saga offers exceptional moments, like this one from “The Purpose of the Thimble Inside the Cabinet”: “You are sitting in the laced light of a lamp, / that is how the quilt is made.” K.R.

SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

In his latest memoir, BRUCE COFFIN describes his family’s annual Thanksgiving at his paternal grandfather’s home in Woodstock, a tableau so empty of warmth that it might have occurred in black and white. Coffin’s Woodstock youth was the subject of his first personal history, The Long Light of Those Days. Here he revisits childhood scenes with an eye for the devastating details that sum up a lifetime of unspoken tensions: “It is easier for me to see my uncles with their coats on standing at the back door, saying goodbye, than it is to see them arriving…” But not all is Puritan bleakness; in this engaging memoir, Coffin illuminates the people and places of his past with humor and warmth. Read to the end for a dynamite description of the time he mistook a hunk of soap for a piece of marzipan.

We Have Met the Enemy and He Is Us: The Opiate Education of a Vermont Doctor Beach Conger, Onion River Press, 308 pages. $17.99.

Although strictly speaking I was her doctor, what I was, in fact, was a negotiator on behalf of the medical establishment. This is the fourth book by Dr. BEACH CONGER , set in the fictional town of Dumster, Vt. (“just a few miles down the road from South Royalton”). While the town may not exist, the real-life Conger has been practicing in Vermont since 1977. It’s unclear how much of the tale is fictionalized, but Conger, who shares his name with the narrator, appears to have based it on his own experiences. He’s a skilled writer whose pen can handle both quirky small-town characters and paragraphs jam-packed with medical history. The latter come in handy, as Conger lays out the ways in which physicians have been complicit in the opioid epidemic. Doctors have too long allowed blame for the crisis to be shifted onto pharmaceutical companies and addicts, he writes in the intro. “This book is about trying to do the right thing.” M.G.

NATURE CENTER

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Turn It Up! Music in Poetry From Jazz to Hip-Hop

Live Bird Programs Starting July 13!

Stephen Cramer (editor), Green Writers Press, 392 pages. $24.95.

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Billie Holiday’s burned voice Had as many shadows as lights, a mournful candelabra against a sleek piano, the gardenia her signature under that ruined face.

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STEPHEN CRAMER’s

obsession with the intersection of poetry and music has long provided the thumping backbeat to his work. The award-winning Burlington poet and University of Vermont senior lecturer in the English department has penned six poetry books. Most recently, Cramer is the editor of Turn It Up! Music in Poetry from Jazz to Hip-Hop, an ambitious collection of poems about music. He takes a few guest solos with his own verses inspired by Miles Davis, Public Enemy, Nirvana and others. But Cramer’s primary role here is bandleader, orchestrating lyrical works by the likes of Langston Hughes, James Baldwin and Joyce Carol Oates. Each of the book’s three sections — jazz, rock and hip-hop — sings with syncopation and soul, from former U.S. poet laureate and Pulitzer Prize winner Rita Dove’s ode to Lady Day, “Canary” (excerpted above); to Vermont poet MAJOR JACKSON’s “from Erie.” Turn It Up! is like a mixtape made by a friend with impeccable taste. D. B.

149 NATURES WAY / QUECHEE, VT / 802.359.5000

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Songs From a Voice: Being the Recollections, Stanzas, and Observations of Abe Runyan, Song Writer and Performer Baron Wormser, Woodhall Press, 176 pages. $17.95.

I was a town kid who could look away from the endless taking from the earth and pretend with everyone else that people knew what they were doing. Montpelier author BARON WORMSER tells us at the outset of his 18th book that Abe Runyan is a fictional character. But it’s clear the boy is loosely based on Bob Dylan: a keenly observant, intense kid growing up in northern Minnesota in the 1950s whose first “tool of liberation was a beige transistor radio.” Who falls in love with folk and blues and rock and roll and yearns to know the “elsewhere” of it all. Or, as Abe describes himself, “Jewish boy from West Nowhere meets spirits of Robert Johnson, James Dean, and Buddy Holly.” Songs From a Voice grounds a richly imagined faux memoir in a distinctive period of American music and in the emerging consciousness of the duck-andcover generation. Wormser’s immersion in both the popular and political zeitgeist is deep. His telling of Abe’s journey unfolds in evocative sentences you want to read aloud, like singing.

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7/20/20 10:05 AM

FOOD TRUCKS IN THE PARKS

P. P.

Contact: chelsea@sevendaysvt.com, dan@sevendaysvt.com, kravin@sevendaysvt.com, margaret@sevendaysvt.com, pamela@sevendaysvt.com

THURSDAY - SUNDAY LEDDY, WATERFRONT & OAKLEDGE PARKS

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SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

7/20/20 8:50 AM

arts news

Moral Fibers

“Mending Fences: New Works by Carol MacDonald” at the Rokeby Museum B Y A M Y LI LLY

ART

PHOTOS: AMY LILLY

“Woven Fence”

“Blue Beaded Bodice”

f ever the country needed mending — of its political rifts, racial divisions and coronavirus woes — now is the time. CAROL MACDONALD’s new work, on exhibit at the ROKEBY MUSEUM, plumbs that need with uncanny timing. The Colchester artist didn’t have this moment in mind when she conceived of “Mending Fences” in September 2019. But as she developed the show’s items — stitched monotype prints, repaired household objects and sitespecific installations — MacDonald began to realize that “repair and healing are conversations in tandem,” according to her artist’s statement. The artist proposed the exhibition after participating in a lab at the Rokeby led by Ric Kasini Kadour, a Montréaland New Orleans-based writer, artist and publisher. The lab, which drew 10 participating artists from as far away as Los Angeles, was part of “Contemporary Art at Rokeby Museum,” Kadour’s two-year project run in collaboration with Kasini House, his business. The project engaged contemporary artists with the museum’s archives, objects, buildings and land. Of the eight exhibition proposals generated through the lab, MacDonald’s was the winner; Kadour curated the exhibition. The Rokeby, a National Historic Landmark in Ferrisburgh, is the former home of four generations of the Robinson family, who served in the Underground Railroad. Familiarizing herself with letters and objects saved by the Robinsons, residents of the home from 1793 to 1961, MacDonald discovered that the act of mending was central to daily life. Broken wooden spoons were rejoined with linen thread; worn-out tablecloths were remade as children’s shifts; broken porcelain washbasins were preserved in boxes and stored in the attic for future repairs. For her art making, MacDonald was given access to any damaged items that had no known connection to a particular family member. Among her works in “Mending Fences” are 24

SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

“Porcelain Washbasin”

broken ceramics she repaired with reversible red epoxy and paint. These red cracks, wending through old white porcelain and china, are both beautiful and insistent in their disclosure of former rifts, like Japanese kintsugi. The artist also acquired several deaccessioned articles of clothing that were too deteriorated to display or were duplicated in the collection. She ran the garments through a printing press to make monotype prints, and then sewed that paper, “repairing” printed images of the fabric’s holes and tears with red thread and bits of fabric. In some cases she made repairs using pieces of the garment itself, which had shredded in the printing process. The Robinson family’s investment in repairs went beyond the physical: A generation of abolitionists attempted to redress the harm of slavery; another generation group-wrote a letter of support to a family member who struggled at work in nearby Brandon. (These and other items demonstrating such efforts are in a display case in the exhibition.)

Current events — particularly the work of Black Lives Matter — gradually influenced MacDonald’s thinking during her months of detailed mending. The exhibition became “a much deeper inquiry into racism and social justice,” she notes in her artist’s statement. “I have come to understand that really it is up to those of us who are white to confront and engage in the conversation and work of undoing the wrongs that have been perpetuated for centuries.” In a phone call, MacDonald added, “I don’t know if I expected that [focus on BLM and the role of white people] to happen, but that was a huge change for me.” The focus led to“long conversations about reparations and social justice and the act of repair” between the artist and Kadour. Another timely topic, the pandemic, influenced “Pandemic Runner,” a sheer, cream-colored table runner whose many holes are embroidered with red thread. MacDonald worked on it in isolation; whether intended or not, its randomized pattern of holes, a few connected with thin lines of thread, evokes a map of isolated and socially distanced individuals. The trail of red in the exhibition — from the tiny decorative lace flower shape sewn onto a print of a child’s dress to the red nylon cord wrapping the split-log fence outside (“Woven Fence”) — reflects a continuum in MacDonald’s long career as an artist. In her early 1990s work relating to sexual abuse, red yarn signified both wound and repair. A drawn red line in her birds and nest imagery from the late ’90s evoked safe interior spaces. Work that followed 9/11 and the Iraq War used red threads to signify communal links and support. Lately, red threads “have become threads of communication” as MacDonald’s work has shifted to address divisions in society and politics. She states as much in Kadour’s exhibition book, Mending Fences: The Culture of Repair in Art and History. Explaining her use of red to a New York Times reporter on March 8, when she was still creating for the exhibition, MacDonald said it “speaks to a wound, something that’s been broken … It speaks to anger.” That article explored how the Rokeby is honoring its history by addressing contemporary racial tensions. It also recalled the museum’s posting of Black Lives Matter signs in 2016; they evoked sign-stealing, angry letters and the loss of one volunteer who quit because he objected to the signs and the movement they represent. Significantly, notes museum director CATHERINE BROOKS, MacDonald’s outlook seems to have shifted, as the artist made her repairs, away from the anger she referenced in that Times article. Exhibition labels quote her words: She describes her thinking process as “tending to the wound,” and references the “scars of repair.” And this time, adds Brooks, “the Black Lives Matter signs are all still there” outside the museum. Originally, the Rokeby intended to reclaim the items MacDonald mended with reversible glue and restore them to boxes in the attic. Now, says Brooks, the museum may “keep them as is, because they now have more of a story to tell.” Contact: lilly@sevendaysvt.com

INFO “Mending Fences: New Works by Carol MacDonald” through October 25 at the Rokeby Museum. rokeby.org

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Royal Bastards

and reason, yet she’s also painfully naïve — a sheltered kid trying to rebuild a country. Fanning and Hoult both give wonderfully timed comedic performances, as do the supporting players. “The Great” is lovely to look at and consistently witty and entertaining. Yet I found myself dawdling over finishing this (long) first season, because it’s hard not to be bummed out by the unplanned resonance of the tale of a vain, insecure, bullying leader with … current events. Perhaps the second season, in which Catherine starts earning her famous epithet, will offer more hope.

Streaming video review: “The Great” B Y MA R GO T HA R RISON

IF YOU LIKE THIS, TRY...

• The Favourite (2018; Cinemax, rentable on various services): With three powerhouse female performances and stylish direction by Yorgos Lanthimos, McNamara’s tale of intrigue at Queen Anne’s court is well worth a watch. • “Catherine the Great” (2019; HBO Max): Helen Mirren plays Catherine at a much later phase of her life in this four-part series, which is reportedly truer to history — but also, the Rolling Stone review contends, notable mainly for Mirren’s performance as “a cross between a tzarina gone wild and Cruella De Vil.” • “The White Princess” (2017; Starz): Jodie Comer (aka the slinky assassin from “Killing Eve”) plays Elizabeth of York in this palace-intrigue series set after the Wars of the Roses and based on Philippa Gregory’s novel.

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Contact: margot@sevendaysvt.com

Elle Fanning

here do we find entertainment these days? On our laptops and in our living rooms. The streaming options are overwhelming — and not always easy to sort through. So, in this weekly feature, I review a movie or series that might otherwise be easy to overlook. THE SERIES: “The Great” (10 episodes, 2020) WHERE TO SEE IT: Hulu

THE DEAL: In 18th-century Russia, a teenage princess arrives at the imperial court for an arranged marriage to the young emperor. Theirs is not a match made in heaven. While the bride, Catherine (Elle Fanning), is a dreamy bookworm who worships the thinkers of the French Enlightenment, the groom, Peter III (Nicholas Hoult), is a spoiled man-child who enjoys boozing, killing things, recreational sex and more boozing. The powers behind the throne, Peter’s eccentric Aunt Elizabeth (Belinda Bromilow) and the court’s resident archbishop (Adam Godley), are seasoned political players who do their best to steer Peter by indulging his narcissistic whims. For her part, Catherine connects with the court’s intellectuals and malcontents, and together they hatch a palace coup. Their plans are complicated by an ongoing war with Sweden and Peter’s clumsy efforts to

make Catherine warm to him — by, among other things, gifting her with a lover (Sebastian De Souza). WILL YOU LIKE IT? “The Great” is for viewers who don’t mind some alternative history in the name of contemporary relevance — and fun. The words “an occasionally true story” appear on each episode’s title card, and the emphasis should be on “occasionally.” Series creator Tony McNamara wrote the Oscar-nominated screenplay for The Favourite, which also plays fast and loose with historical facts. Indeed, “The Great” and The Favourite are so similar in their arch, absurdist tone that if you like (or hate) one, you’re likely to feel the exact same way about the other. Streaming services have no shortage of sumptuous-looking series about royal intrigue, but “The Great” stands out for its dark humor, shock value and sheer misanthropy. This is the “Deadwood” of queens-in-pretty-dresses dramas: When nobles toast to Peter III, they shout, “Huzzah!” and smash their glasses on the floor. The palace serfs, who presumably have to clean up all that broken glass, are treated like subhumans; during an outbreak of smallpox, the nobles blithely burn their infected servants alive. Pleading for vaccination, Catherine is the viewer’s surrogate and the voice of modernity SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

BOTTOM LINE

BY KEN PICARD

Tour Apart

With shuttered venues and no clients, Best in VT Tours & Charter idles for 2020 LUKE AWTRY

Tinotenda “Tino” Charles Rutanhira and his tour bus

ach year, Tinotenda “Tino” Charles Rutanhira challenges himself to take on a new project that pushes him outside of his comfort zone. In 2016, he launched a podcast series called “On the Shoulders of Giants,” in which he interviewed Vermont luminaries; that series ran for nearly four years. In 2018, Rutanhira, who hadn’t acted in a play since he was a child, landed a starring role in Vermont Stage’s theatrical production of The Call. Last year, the Zimbabwe native helped found a nonprofit networking group for Vermont’s professionals of color. But this year’s challenge is one that Rutanhira didn’t choose — trying to get to 2021 without his tour company going bust. In 2017 Rutanhira started his first business, called Best in VT Tours & Charter. It offers guided trips to northern Vermont breweries, wineries and distilleries, as 26

SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

well as chartered van and bus transportation for private parties and company events. His tours have no fixed itinerary, he noted, but can include wineries, distilleries, restaurants, even hipster dive bars. Rutanhira, who moved to Vermont in 2000 and is now a single dad, said he launched the business, in part, as a way to earn extra money for his now-15-yearold daughter’s college education. A gregarious fellow, he does all the driving and enjoys chatting with his passengers, whether he’s talking about soccer — he plays recreationally on weekends — or about life in Zimbabwe. Fans of Burlington’s South End Art Hop may remember Rutanhira piloting the 2019 “bunny bus” shuttle, which Seven Days sponsored. Best in VT Tours & Charter turned a profit for the first time in 2019, and Rutanhira expected to do even better this year. Normally, business is slow

throughout the winter, he said, then picks up again in the spring as people begin planning their weddings, bachelor and bachelorette parties, graduations, and corporate retreats. “But as soon as the pandemic hit, it all just dried up,” he lamented. “We’re talking not a single inquiry, not a single email. It’s essentially been like that ever since.” In the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, Rutanhira assumed he could just press the pause button on his homebased South Burlington business, ride out the governor’s stay-at-home order, and then restart his tours once Vermont’s drinking establishments and wedding venues were allowed to open again. However, he soon realized that plan was untenable. Liability insurance on chartered vehicles is expensive, especially when no revenue is coming in, he said. And after the governor extended the ban on large public

gatherings and on-premises food and alcohol consumption, Rutanhira’s revenue stream effectively disappeared. He applied for federal assistance through the Paycheck Protection Program but was declined because his company is too small and has no other employees. Rutanhira is waiting to hear whether he qualifies for a state program providing assistance to businesses that lost at least 75 percent of their revenue this year. By late June, even as Vermont reported low numbers of COVID-19 cases and the economy gradually reopened, Rutanhira said he had received just five inquiries from new clients. Despite the year’s catastrophic losses, however, he decided not to accept any new business, mostly in the interest of protecting the health of his passengers, his family and himself. “Personally, I just feel like I don’t want to risk people’s lives, especially since everybody is going to be inside the

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van,” he explained. “And I don’t feel like my business is large enough that if somebody got sick … I could withstand a lawsuit.” As for the remainder of 2020, Rutanhira said he’s taking a waitand-see approach but, realistically, he doesn’t expect to reopen until next spring. In the meantime, he continues to work a full-time job as a product manager at Dealer.com.

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Despite the setbacks, Rutanhira seems to be taking the pandemic in stride, trying not to let it dampen his spirits. Having grown up in Africa, he said he has a different mindset than what he’s seen in Americans. In Zimbabwe, Rutanhira noted, periodic outbreaks of potentially deadly diseases — including cholera, malaria, typhoid and African sleeping sickness — were commonplace. “They were always out there in your life,” he said. “I think it’s made me a little more resilient [and] less fearful.” Rutanhira said he never saw his fellow Zimbabweans hoarding toilet paper or stockpiling their pantries with a year’s supply of food during an epidemic. “Not to be critical,” he said, “but that was a quintessentially American attitude.” Rutanhira added that, if his business ultimately goes bust, he plans to just move on to his next project, whatever that might be. “I still want to know what I’m supposed to be when I grow up,” he said with a laugh. “And the only way to find it is to go out and try new stuff.” m Contact: ken@sevendaysvt.com

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INFO Bottom Line is a series on how Vermont businesses are faring during the pandemic. Got a tip? Email us! bottomline@sevendaysvt.com.

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WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT BY KEN PICARD

rive or bike Vermont’s back roads, especially in farm country, and you’re likely to spot an abundance of apple trees growing along untended roadsides and abandoned hedgerows. Bob Gagne of Westford noticed as much and asked if we could explain how those fruit trees got there. “I have asked many people all over the state and haven’t found a consistent answer,” Gagne wrote in a recent email. “Many are as perplexed as I am.” Terence Bradshaw has been asked that same question numerous times before, and he’s heard several theories — most of which were wrong, he said — about how and why Vermont’s roadside apple trees came to be. A tree fruit and viticulture specialist for the past 25 years, Bradshaw is a research assistant professor of specialty crops in the University of Vermont’s Department of Plant and Soil Science. When New England orchardists and cider makers have questions about their pommes, often he is the guy they call for answers. Bradshaw was more than happy to dispel a couple of common myths about the origins of Vermont’s roadside apples. The first is that those trees were planted by farmers as a way of feeding their neighbors and of sharing their agricultural bounty, especially during lean economic times. While that theory seems to jibe with Vermonters’ self-image of Yankee ingenuity, community-mindedness and a general love of trees, according to Bradshaw it has no historical or botanical basis. One need only take a bite from one of those roadside apples to discover why: Almost invariably, they’re small, hard and bitter — nothing like the round, sweet and juicy table apples shoppers can find in their supermarket produce section. Apples, Bradshaw explained, are “highly heterogeneous,” meaning that whenever they produce fruit out in nature — when an insect carries pollen from one tree to fertilize the flower of another — their genes get all mixed together. This genetic “shuffling of the deck,” he said, removes most of the palatable traits that humans bred into domesticated apples for generations, including their redness, sweetness and juiciness. Though roadside apples may have some edible qualities, he said, genetically speaking “the apples we eat as fruit are one in a thousand.” 28

SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

Why Do So Many Apple Trees Grow Along Vermont’s Back Roads?

Country road winding through an old apple orchard

The second theory Bradshaw often hears is that Vermont’s roadside apple trees are remnants of groves that were planted decades ago by Vermont cider makers. That theory may derive, in part, from Michael Pollan’s 2001 nonfiction book, The Botany of Desire: A Plant’s-Eye View of the World. In it, Pollan devotes a chapter to the legend of Johnny Appleseed and its roots in the historical figure upon whom it was based: John Chapman (1774-1845). Far from being the wholesome tale of a pioneer nurseryman who wandered the West planting apple trees for future generations of teachers’ pets, Chapman actually became legendary for spreading the blessing of booze to the American frontier. Talk about core values. However, as enticing as it may be for 21st-century craft cider makers to link feral apple trees to their 19th-century predecessors, Bradshaw nipped that one in the bud, too. Most of Vermont’s cider apple groves, he noted, were planted around the turn of the 20th century and were cut down during Prohibition a century ago. Those that weren’t, he added, would be dead by now.

“I have collected hundreds of trees of road apples … and they are almost never a cultivated variety,” Bradshaw said. “They’re almost always a feral tree.” Bradshaw distinguishes between “feral” apples and “wild” ones, the latter being native species. And how many native species of apples grow in Vermont? None, he said. What we call apple trees — Malus domestica — have genetic roots stretching back to Kazakhstan, and they were crossbred over generations before being brought to Vermont. “It’s like cows,” he added. “You can’t find their wild relatives anymore. They’re gone.” Which is not to suggest that the feral apples growing along Vermont’s highways and byways are unusable. In recent years, there have been efforts to put some of that roadside fruit to good use. Notably, in 2013 Shoreham-based cider maker Shacksbury launched its Lost Apple Project, which sampled thousands of apples from around the state and chose about a dozen to propagate for fermentation. “You can fill a cider barrel with all sorts of funky fruit,” Bradshaw said.

“Fermentation does its magic and makes stuff you wouldn’t eat but you can drink.” Whether any of those apple varieties were ever given a name, he added, would require a historian, as well as a horticulturalist. And it’s not like the fruit can be DNA tested, because there’s no genetic frame of reference dating back to the late 1800s. So where did all those roadside apple trees likely originate? According to Bradshaw, some may have sprouted from apple cores tossed from the windows of passing vehicles, which then took root in places that don’t get mowed. Others may have grown from the seeds of cider apple trees that died decades ago. “The ones you see on the side of the road are the children and grandchildren of those trees,” Bradshaw explained. “Usually, they’re from something a deer pooped out.” Hey, they don’t call them “spitters” for nothing. m Contact: ken@sevendaysvt.com

INFO Got a Vermont head-scratcher that has you stumped? Ask us! wtf@sevendaysvt.com.

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The good news is that you can help NOW! We have reduced the cost of entry and are putting all our effort into meeting this urgent call. Get on your bike or pull on your running shoes and register for the Point to Point, powered by VSECU. All funds go to the Vermont Foodbank as you raise them. Between July 17 and August 2, ride or run our road, gravel, or trail courses; choose your own course; or log miles on your virtual trainer. All participants will be entered in fundraising challenges and receive a gift bag with an event t-shirt and much more.

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SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

7/20/20 9:05 AM

VERMONTING

BY SALLY POLLAK

Mad Adventures Slippers, tubing and beer in the Mad River Valley

SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

my shirt as I took in a sculpture by Italian artist Colombo Manuelli. Wendell told me he discovered the piece in the woods. “I look down the hill and I see metal, and I’m like, ‘What the fuck?’” he recalled. He investigated with his ATV and a wench, pulling the mysterious object up and out of the ground. Now it’s hanging in a frame by the driveway. More than a dozen other sculptures are sited on the grassy grounds. If the world ends tomorrow, I wouldn’t mind being barefoot at the Bundy. I said goodbye to Nico and Wendell and drove to the WARREN STORE for lunch. The always-reliable deli is open via a takeout window on the back porch. I ordered a roast beef and Swiss sandwich with a side of kale Caesar salad, and I bought a bottle of water. Though the deck offers shaded picnic tables, I carried my food down a little path to eat by FREEMAN BROOK. This lovely picnic spot was cool and private. After polishing off my sandwich, I came up from the water to eat dessert — a big chocolate chip cookie — in the sunshine on the bridge that crosses the brook. Above the span, painted banners hang from a PHOTOS: SALLY POLLAK

very time I bop down from BurlHELLO, VERMONTING ington to the Mad River Valley Even as Vermont opens up from the pandemic shutdown, Gov. Phil Scott still encourages for a visit I want to move there, residents to stay home as much as possible. And so this summer is a good time to explore our so a daylong dose of the place was home state. Its diminutive size makes a multitude of short trips accessible, whether for a few bound to leave me wanting more. Heading hours, an overnight or a longer getaway. home one evening last week after spending This series, running weekly through mid-October, presents curated excursions in every a day there, I turned around on Route 100 corner of Vermont, based on the experiences of Seven Days reporters. The idea is to patronize the state’s restaurants, retailers, attractions and outdoor adventures — after all, we want them for one more taste. But more on that later. to still be there when the pandemic is finally over. The Mad River Valley is a recreational Happy traveling, and stay safe. paradise: ski mecca in the winter, hiking wonderland in the summer. The area is also home to a number of visual and in July. “I think people are craving things architect. Carpenter was also an investor in performing arts organizations, including that represent comfort,” she said. and cofounder of Sugarbush Resort. Yestermorrow Design/Build School, the Some customers, Potter noted, have Wendell and June Anderson own and Valley Players and Valley Arts. been interested in high-end paintings. operate the gallery now; they purchased it The outdoors is always open, of course, These purchases “tell a kind of story,” she in 2014 and converted part of the building and hiking options in the Mad River Valley suggested. into their home. “We’ve become gallerrange from dirt-road village walks to “If the world ends tomorrow, what do I ists,” said Wendell, whose background is summiting high peaks. Arts groups have want to look at and what do I want to feel?” in construction. limited (or no) offerings this summer Potter surmised, then answered herself: “a Open this summer by appointment, the due to the coronavirus pandemic. Yet it’s gorgeous painting and slippers on my feet.” Bundy mounts one exhibit per year. On possible to spend a few hours in the valley I threw my slippers in the back of the view right now is “Triad 2020: Paintings mixing arts with the outdoors. car and set off on valley adventures in my by Patrick Dunfey, Pam Glick and Richard My day began at the ARTISANS’ GALLERY on flip-flops — easy to slip off for the ultimate Jacobs.” The paintings hang on the walls Bridge Street in Waitsfield, which exhibits comfort: bare feet. of the main gallery, whose floor-to-ceilings My next stop was the BUNDY MODERN, an windows are fronted by a Johnny Swing and sells the work of Vermont painters, textile artists, jewelers, woodworkers, art gallery in a private home set on a rise couch made of welded coins. The windows ceramists and more. Housed in a former on 12.5 acres off Vermont Route 100. The overlook a pond and sculpture garden. general store built in the 1830s, the gallery high-ceilinged brick building, built in Outside, despite a social-distancing was founded 25 years ago by six local 1962, was designed by Harlow Carpenter, a mandate, I couldn’t stay away from Nico, women. sculptor and Harvard the Andersons’ 4-month-old black Lab Browsing in the shop, I realized it University-trained puppy. Nico took special delight in biting was the first “nonessential” store — except for a garden nursery — I’d been in since the start of the pandemic. Several items were tempting: a pizza slicer, a salad bowl, a black T-shirt. Then I spotted what I had to have: a pair of thick sheepskin slippers made in Richmond. I also chose two cloth face coverings — in leopard print and plain black — whose purchase benefits two nonprofits, World Central Kitchen and Mad River Valley Community Fund. Thus I was equipped for these summer days and the winter months to come. Peggy Potter, a founding partner of the gallery, was working the day I stopped in. An artist known for her painted wooden bowls, Potter noted my purchase and told me I’m part Maple-chocolate twist at Canteen Creemee of a little crowd that’s been buying slippers

Tubing on the Mad River

CORONA GARDEN NOTES The slower I go the more I see. The Pandemic has been like that, too. We are all going slower now and that slowing has helped us better see the inequities of the world. We see better that Black Lives Matter, that racism, like Corona, has infected and made less well just about everyone — that justice for all would help all.

Peggy Potter of Artisans’ Gallery

IN THE AREA

• AMERICAN FLATBREAD AND LAREAU FARM, americanflatbread.com, lareaufarm.com • ARTISANS’ GALLERY, vtartisansgallery.com • THE BUNDY MODERN, 777-2713 for appointments, bundymodern.com • CANTEEN CREEMEE, canteencreemee.com • CLEARWATER SPORTS, clearwatersports.com • EAST WARREN COMMUNITY MARKET, eastwarrenmarket.com • LAWSON’S FINEST LIQUIDS, lawsonsfinest.com • MAD RIVER DISTILLERS, madriverdistillers.com • MAD RIVER VALLEY TRAILS, madrivervalley.com/trails • MADSONIAN MUSEUM OF INDUSTRIAL DESIGN, madsonian.org • VALLEY ARTS, valleyartsvt.com • VERMONT ICELANDIC HORSE FARM, icelandichorses.com • VON TRAPP GREENHOUSE, vontrappgreenhouse.com • THE WARREN STORE, warrenstore.com

“Zeus” by Paul Aschenbach at the Bundy Modern

Beer and bratwurst at Lawson’s Finest Liquids

cable; some have one-word messages: Love, Hope, Peace, Kindness, Freedom. Driving back to Waitsfield to go tubing, I pulled over at KINGSBURY MARKET GARDEN to take a little walk by the Mad River. The half-mile path passes farm fields, crosses behind a gas station and ends at Route 100 on the Warren-Waitsfield border. Then it was off to CLEARWATER SPORTS on Main Street in Waitsfield, which offers curbside tube rental for $20 a day. By now it was 2:30 in the afternoon, giving me a couple of hours in the water — enough time for an aging rookie tuber. I knew the water was low and I’d probably be lolling around, not shooting rapids. So I decided to pick up a paperback at TEMPEST BOOK SHOP. Nothing in the outside bargain box of 50 cent and $1 books grabbed me; I went inside for a quick look. I ended up without a book but interested in the one I overheard owner Rick Rayfield recommending on the telephone: a book about animal poop that’s a dream tome for a 6-year-old. (In a phone call the next day with Rayfield, I learned the book by Werner Holzwarth was originally published in German in 1989. Its English title is The Story of the Little Mole Who Went in Search of Whodunit. Rayfield, who’s owned Tempest since 1986, said he always keeps a copy to read to kids in the shop.) With my river time ticking away, I left the bookstore and drove to a parking lot by the Mad River in the center of town. From there, I walked down a little path to a rocky beach to launch my tube. The water was shallow and calm, and I had to push off a few times to get some movement. I remembered from a longago canoe trip that fast-moving bursts of

And seeing that our modern economy is on a collision course with our essential ecology — that as the Human economy has contracted the vitality and health of nature has expanded.

water often mean (and mask) a rock below or above the surface. I narrowly And seeing avoided impalement on a jagged one. that policing is a great power granted by That was probably the most the governed dramatic moment on the mostly still to its government MAD RIVER. I floated around as kids and must always be played nearby in the water. I heard for the good of all the people two little boys make up a game in it seeks to serve and protect. which they changed the name of scuba masks to “corona masks.” GE O RGE S C HE N K I took a couple of dips and floated some more, keeping time by the clock George Schenk, founder-owner of American on the church steeple in town. I Flatbread, wrote this poem on July 18. His paddled under the covered bridge to “dedications” hang in his restaurant and are a little swimming hole and back in the printed on the menu. Pizza is available for other direction. takeout and limited picnicking at Lareau Farm. At about 4:30, ahead of Clearwater Sports’ 5 p.m. closing, I returned the tube. Then I headed to LAWSON’S FINEST LIQUIDS, where I met a friend for beer and “We’re trying to be conscious about bratwurst in the outdoor beer garden. giving people their space,” Main said, Reservations are required at Lawson’s; while hoping to have fun and create an the brewery also asks for the name and atmosphere that’s “open and breezy.” phone number of every person in the On my way home, driving by Waitsfield’s party, following the Vermont Department strip mall, I noticed that CANTEEN CREEMEE of Health regulations for potential contract was open. I found a place to turn around tracing. We were seated near the front gate and doubled back for one last valley thrill: in a spot set off from other tables — though a maple-chocolate twist. “She’s Leaving all locations looked well spaced. Home” was playing on the snack shack’s Our server, like her coworkers, wore sound system. a mask and gloves. She kept her distance If the world ends tomorrow, I from us — probably more than six feet wouldn’t mind licking a creemee, look— while taking our order. The only time ing at the mountains and listening to the she approached the table was to set down Beatles. m food or beer and pick up my credit card. We pulled our masks up when she was near, Contact: sally@sevendaysvt.com per the brewery’s instruction. This only slightly slowed my imbibing of a delicious Find more information on golden lager, Scrag Mountain Pils. Vermont day trips and adventures The system at Lawson’s is scrupulous from the Vermont Department in design and easy in execution. I told our of Tourism and Marketing at server, Taylar Main, how impressed we vermontvacation.com/staytripper. were. SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

Making Connections At Helen Day Art Center, Rachel Moore brings the power of art to civic engagement B Y A M Y L I L LY

ART

JEB WALLACE-BRODEUR

Rachel Moore outside the Helen Day Art Center

s a venue, the Helen Day Art Center in Stowe is easy to overlook. It consists of four rooms above the town library that connect to the elementary school. Yet, over the past decade, the center’s community focus and important exhibitions — often integrating the work of Vermonters with art-world stars such as Louise Bourgeois, Carrie Mae Weems and Kiki Smith — have drawn ever-wider attention. In late June, the 40-year-old center received an unprecedented level of national recognition when it won a multiyear, $80,000 grant from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. The driving force behind it all is Rachel Moore, an artist who became Helen Day’s curator in 2010 and its executive director and director of exhibitions in 2016. A petite, calming presence with an open, direct gaze, Moore has done more than bring in big names. She believes equally in the value of beauty in art and in its capacity to foster community engagement. 32

SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

In a town in which second-home owners make up more than half the population, Moore has been able to harness big-donor enthusiasm for visually stunning exhibitions that foster conversations around important and difficult issues. These have included immigration, explored in “Migration” (2012); the country’s neglect of social services and institutions, in “Matthew Christopher: The Age of Consequences” (2014); and the #MeToo movement, in “Reclamation” (2018). “People’s Cloth Trade Show: The T-Shirt Is the Problem” (2016) explored the global cotton trade and taught visitors how to upcycle their tees. The Arab Spring-inspired “Unrest: Art, Activism & Revolution” (2014) examined the impact of artists on political and social reform. Moore picks up on local issues, too. When then-Vermont House representative Kiah Morris came to speak at an event Moore organized to accompany “Reclamation,” the

Bennington resident, who is Black, privately shared with Moore an instance of racial hatred she had just witnessed in Stowe. In response, Moore began organizing an exhibition featuring African American artists that became “Unbroken Current” (2019). “She’s a deep and intuitive thinker, and she has that profound empathy for people and society, both contemporary and historical,” noted videographer Molly Davies about Moore. Davies’ work has been included in several exhibitions at Helen Day, most recently “Love Letters” (early 2020). “I firmly believe in the power of art as a tool of civic engagement,” Moore said in a phone interview. For every (pre-pandemic) exhibit, she and her staff of five women would stock a hands-on room with related projects and educational materials, lead droves of school children through the galleries, and organize a roster of publicengagement events — panel discussions, lectures, performances and film screenings — around each issue.

Warhol Foundation program director Rachel Bers acknowledged as much in award materials. Calling the center an “outpost for creative experimentation,” Bers noted both its “commitment to connecting artists and audiences” and its “support [of ] dialogue and exchange around shared issues, struggles and creative solutions.” Asked how she hoped to use the Warhol grant, Moore focused on community. “We have this long public programs wish list,” she declared. “In general, we’re trying to … drive civic engagement and highlight public activism.” The grant will fund artists’ travel to openings and program events, new commissions, gallery guides, and an annual artist residency in the gallery. It will also support a long-planned solo exhibit, opening in June 2021, by Botswana-born Meleko Mokgosi, whose large-scale paintings explore colonialism, democracy and nationalism, as well as programming related to the current exhibition, “Dona Ann McAdams: Performative Acts.” Viewable online now, and in person by appointment beginning August 1, the latter show is a retrospective of McAdams’ photographs of antinuclear protests, AIDS activism, working farm animals, racetrack workers and more. Programming will include a video conversation between McAdams and guest curator John Killacky about the 30-year anniversary of the 1990s culture wars; the recording will be made in October in collaboration with Vermont Humanities. Moore wasn’t always focused on art’s capacity for civic engagement. After earning a bachelor’s degree in fine arts at Alfred University, she settled into studio practice in Seattle, where she won “early recognition” through a solo show and grants. Gradually, she recalled, “I started thinking about how it looked to visitors who just walked inside my studio and [whether] it was really doing anything to change the world.” She decided to pursue graduate studies at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, a program known for its interdisciplinary approach, where she could “focus on public art and social practice,” she said. At the Art Institute, those interests came to fruition in a number of projects. For “Conserve-a-Story,” Moore spent a year interviewing the mostly Black residents of East Garfield Park in Chicago about their memories of the Garfield Park Conservatory, a venue at which they had long felt unwelcome. The resulting installation, which she mounted in the conservatory, helped heal that division. In another project, “E Pluribus Unum,” Moore taught people free of charge to make quilts from donated scraps on Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, and then gave the quilts to a transitional housing facility for homeless people. Moore linked her current activism to these projects in a 2018 PechaKucha presentation at the Fleming Museum of Art in Burlington titled “How Artistic Practice Can Be a Catalyst for Change.” “I continually ask, ‘What is the role of art in today’s society?’” she said during that talk. Her answer: “engaging the public in new and participatory ways to create understanding driven by a sense of humanity and stewardship for this place we call home.” Activism aside, Moore equally appreciates the power of aesthetics. “I love art for art’s sake — I love the materials, the beauty, the craftsmanship that some artists bring,” she said. “Their work may not be about saving the world, but in some way it connects us as human beings. It brings a moment of reflection or thought or peace or joy to our

lives. It changes us, too, but maybe in a more poetic and quiet way.” Moore’s own work as an artist, though infrequently exhibited, fuses beauty and civic engagement. She surprised many with a 2018 solo show — her second in Vermont — at Edgewater Gallery in Stowe titled “Traces.” The work drew on multiple mediums and installation techniques to address issues of migration, the Jewish diaspora and the climate crisis. One work, a dramatic, suspended cluster of blown-glass orbs, recalled the drifter buoys that scientists use to collect data on changing water temperatures. Davies said that Moore is best understood through her work. “Traces,” Davies recalled, “render[ed] these ideas in the most tender and subtle and delicate forms. I mean, she uses porcelain, for God’s sake, and glass for these very complex and profound subjects. And the pieces are interlinked, so they expand on each other and refer back to each other.

SHE’S A DEEP AND INTUITIVE THINKER, AND SHE HAS THAT PROFOUND

EMPATHY FOR PEOPLE AND SOCIETY. MO L LY D AVIE S

“Beauty is perhaps the final word,” Davies continued, “and empathy is the underlying subtext. I think that’s who Rachel is, and that’s what she brings to the curatorial work.” Terri Gregory of Hyde Park agrees. “Rachel is a radiant and caring woman,” said the former potter and current interior designer at Cushman Design Group, which she runs with her husband, Milford Cushman. “The fact that she views the world with artist’s eyes makes her an amazing director. Her willingness to be vulnerable and discuss the process of art and creativity openly — it draws people to her.” Gregory and Cushman regularly support “Exposed,” Helen Day’s annual outdoor sculpture show that sites large-scale works along Stowe’s downtown sidewalks and bike path. At openings, which typically involve a walking tour with Moore and some of the artists, Gregory recalled, “Moore would talk about some of the hard pieces that she was grappling with. And she’s a good listener.” Dutch-born digital artist Jeroen Nelemans, whose work was included in “Love Letters,” attended graduate school with Moore and related, during a phone conversation from his Chicago home, an instance of her facility with fostering conversation. Moore had gone to Greece for the 2009-10 year on a Fulbright scholarship; there she conceived of curating an open, collaborative conversation among artists in Chicago, Thessaloniki and Athens as an exhibition at the DYNAMO project space in Thessaloniki. Nelemans recalled, “The way she facilitated this was, ‘I have a group of Greek artists and a group of Chicago artists; let’s all Skype on what to come up with together.’ It became a really interesting experience that Rachel facilitated.” Helen Day board chair Diane Arnold said that Moore’s ability to communicate helps make the art world accessible. “When she speaks at these openings in front of laypeople — there are many people who know about art and many who

don’t — she has a way of being inclusive and simplifying things in a really easy and endearing manner,” Arnold said. A retired entrepreneur, Arnold also noted Moore’s ability to manage budgets. When Moore became director in 2016, the center was operating on a multiyear deficit. She turned that around and now manages a projected budget for 2020 of $585,000. “I love to be organized. I love numbers. I love math,” Moore explained. “I constantly need to be challenged in my life, so this was an opportunity.” The pandemic has shrunk that budget dramatically, so the Warhol grant is particularly timely. When Gov. Phil Scott issued a stay-at-home order and nearly every institution shut down, Helen Day quickly transitioned to online offerings. The staff seemed determined to engage a dazed and isolated community through art in every way possible. They posted an online public-art challenge to create a work of art or craft based on a cheerful geometric colorwheel graphic. Their online audio-visual offerings included poetry readings, studio visits and tutorials on art making. They assembled and made available 116 free art kits for local students. Art classes for children and adults, an integral part of the center’s operations, also went online, asking a sliding-scale fee as low as $20 and providing scholarships to those in need. In place of its hands-on room, the center launched a unique partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to sell subscription maker-space kits. At the same time, Moore scaled back “Exposed,” which has included works by international heavyweights such as Jaume Plensa and Mark di Suvero. This year’s show will feature six Vermont artists: Judith Wrend, Scott Boyd, Christopher Curtis, Justin A. Kenney, John Matusz and Nancy Winship Milliken. The Warhol grant will help provide their stipends. Through the pandemic, Moore has been able to keep the entire Helen Day staff of six employed. “Since she took on this job, she’s really made the center more stable than it has ever been financially,” said Arnold. “We’re looking forward to what can make us sustainable for the public’s good, as well, not just the center. It’s all about giving.” Nelemans experienced that culture of giving when he was invited in January to fly to Vermont to participate in a March 12 panel discussion about “Love Letters” — which was Helen Day’s last live program before the pandemic. Unsure of whether to accept, he recalled a phone conversation with Moore. “I remember Rachel saying, ‘It’s really important for you to come. I really want the public to hear you. You add a dialogue different from the other artists.’” Nelemans described the opportunity to participate in “Love Letters” as “an incredible experience.” But it was Moore’s inclusive vision that impressed him. “Other [institutions] get international curators who come in for two years and get tremendous artists, then leave Chicago. And then we are left to wonder, What’s the dialogue here?” The difference with Moore is that she not only attracts famed artists but “also connects to her local artist [base],” Nelemans said. “That’s important; that’s how you make the art world small.” Davies echoed that opinion: “I think that what she’s offered to the greater community of Stowe is inestimable. The fact that she is here is amazing.” m Contact: lilly@sevendaysvt.com

INFO Learn more at helenday.com. SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

or a moment this spring, Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman considered dropping out of Vermont’s gubernatorial race. “The thought has to cross your mind,” he recalled. As the coronavirus outbreak tested the state’s health care system and ravaged its economy, Gov. Phil Scott was emerging as an early hero of pandemic politics. The second-term Republican had earned tripartisan plaudits for heeding the advice of public health officials and serving as a calm, thoughtful and empathetic leader. Zuckerman, meanwhile, had found himself starved of the political oxygen he needed to take on the increasingly popular incumbent — shut out of the administration’s response to the outbreak and, with the public’s attention focused entirely on COVID-19, unable to draw policy contrasts with the governor.

SEV

VERMONT ELECTIONS

T OR

Rebecca Holcombe, Zuckerman’s chief rival for the Democratic nomination, had it even worse. The former education secretary had been campaigning for seven months when, in February, a poll conducted for Vermont Public Radio and Vermont PBS found that 61 percent of registered voters hadn’t even heard of her. When the pandemic struck the state the next month, S Y the first-time political candidate A RE D P was relegated to the basement EN of her Norwich home, working beside 17 baby chicks, unable to introduce herself to the electorate. Defeating Scott was never M 2 going to be easy. No incumbent 0 PA I GN • 2 Vermont governor has lost a race for reelection since 1962 — and, throughout his tenure, Scott has been one of the most popular governors in the country. But if the Democratic contenders faced an uphill battle before the coronavirus came to Vermont, they’ve been clambering up a craggy mountain ever since. Even Scott’s most recent Democratic rivals praise his response to the pandemic and characterize the efforts to defeat him as all but a lost cause. “I gotta tell you, his handling of the coronavirus has been outstanding,” said 2018 Democratic nominee Christine Hallquist, who lost to Scott by 15 percentage points. “I think it’s gonna be tougher this year than even when I ran.” Sue Minter, who lost to Scott by 9 points in 2016, said she was “very impressed” with Scott’s response to the crisis. “It’s going to be difficult to run against a record of the state with the lowest [coronavirus] impact thus far,” she said. Scott’s opponents have been further stymied by his unwillingness to engage in typical campaign activities, making it all the easier for the news media to ignore the contest. He has declined to hire a campaign staff, solicit contributions or even distribute yard signs. “It’s hard to campaign in a traditional sense when you SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

RUNNING IN CIRCLES

MARC NADEL

Can anybody defeat Gov. Phil Scott? BY PAUL H E INTZ

know people are suffering,” Scott explained. “I had to prioritize, and campaigning came last.” Scott’s critics argue that it’s easy — and awfully convenient — to avoid fundraising when the Republican Governors Association, which is bankrolled by Sheldon Adelson, the Koch brothers and a variety of corporate interests, has funneled $126,000 to its Vermont-based super PAC. That organization, called A Stronger Vermont, could swoop in at any point to finance an advertising campaign on Scott’s behalf, as it has in each of his previous gubernatorial runs. They also note that Scott has little need to campaign, given that his hours-long press conferences have been broadcast live on the state’s television and radio stations two to three times a week since March. “I’m sure he would prefer to skip not only the debates but the primary itself,” said Brookfield attorney and farmer

John Klar, who is challenging Scott for the Republican nomination. “Perhaps he’s too busy for the primary.” Pat Winburn, a Bennington attorney seeking the Democratic nomination, said of Scott’s reluctance to campaign, “What does that say to Vermont? ‘I’m anointed. I’m the king of Vermont. And I should be reelected without letting anyone know what my views are.’ That’s not the American way.” Scott has recently said he would take part in at least some campaign activities — including two to three debates — before the August 11 primary. “I do feel that I owe it to the competition, as well as to the process, to get myself involved in the last three or four weeks,” he told Seven Days last week. His competitors have also begun to emerge from campaign quarantine, holding occasional in-person

Former House speaker Shap Smith, who sought the Democratic nomination for LG in 2016, argued that just a few short months ago, Scott’s hold on the office didn’t appear so strong. “You never know,” Smith said, noting that yet another economic or public health shock could be in the works. “Things can change pretty quickly.”

FAR AFIELD

A remote meeting of the Montpelier City Council became an unlikely outlet for the Vermont gubernatorial

JEB WALLACE-BRODEUR

events and press conferences. Late last month, Zuckerman attracted about 100 carloads of supporters to a socially distanced, drive-in rally at a Williston farm. Despite his early indecision over whether to remain in the race, Zuckerman ultimately opted to stick it out. “One, I didn’t think it would be fair to all the people who jumped into the lieutenant governor’s race,” he said, referring to the crowded field to succeed him. “Second, I was running — I am running — for governor because there are major issues that are not being addressed by this governor and won’t be in the next couple of years.”

I feel as though I have my finger on the pulse of Vermont.

GOV. P HIL SC OT T

He and Holcombe have essentially arrived at the same argument for why they should replace Scott: Even if he’s responded well to the pandemic, he hasn’t addressed the problems Vermont faced before the coronavirus arrived, and he’s unlikely to solve those to come. “Managing a crisis is like running around your house in the middle of a rainstorm, sticking your pots and pans under the holes in your roof and catching the water as it comes through,” Holcombe said. “But I think most Vermonters know we need a new roof.” While many political observers may view Scott as a shooin, some are not so sure. President Donald Trump’s presence at the top of the ballot will almost certainly juice Democratic turnout. And the state’s move to universal mail-in voting in the general election could dramatically change the composition of the electorate. Already, 117,932 voters have requested absentee ballots for the August 11 primary election — more than the 107,637 who voted by any means in the 2018 primary. “I think it’s going to help a Democratic challenger more than it’s going to help a Republican,” said former House minority leader Don Turner, the 2018 GOP nominee for lieutenant governor. “Higher turnout has not been so great for Republicans.”

race earlier this month. In a bid to attract attention to his campaign for the Republican nomination, Klar had petitioned the city to paint an American flag and the words “Liberty and Justice for All” on State Street. They would appear beside a tribute to the Black Lives Matter movement, which racial justice activists had painted weeks earlier in the shadow of the Vermont Statehouse. “There should be no need to defend the flag or the Pledge of Allegiance or our police officers,” Klar told councilors, adding, “Our heritage is very important for many of us.” The council unanimously voted down his proposal. The stunt gave Klar an opportunity to highlight one of his biggest beefs with Scott: that the Republican governor had praised the Black Lives Matter movement after Minneapolis police officers killed George Floyd, an unarmed Black man. “He’s alienated a lot of white Vermonters,” Klar said of Scott. “We don’t have enough Black people here to really have a systemic kind of racism.” To Klar, who is 56, Scott’s rhetorical support for racial justice represented just the latest betrayal of conservative Vermonters. “He’s not a Republican. By any stretch of the word, he is not a Republican,” Klar said of his opponent. In Klar’s view, the betrayals began in 2018, when Scott

proposed and signed into law a series of gun control measures in the wake of the Parkland, Fla., school shooting and the discovery of an alleged school shooting plot in Fair Haven. They continued the next year, when Scott signed a bill codifying the right to abortion in state law. “That particular betrayal made me think, That’s enough,” said Klar, who has also served as a pastor at the First Congregational Church of Westfield. “That’s just unacceptable.” Klar, who christened himself an “Agripublican” when he announced his candidacy last October, is one of 10 candidates challenging the incumbent governor. The eclectic field includes a number of perennial office seekers, such as Newbury horse logger Boots Wardinski and Chester marijuana legalization advocate Cris Ericson — both Progressives — along with Emily Peyton of Putney, an independent-turned-Liberty Unionite-turned-Republican. Bernard Peters, a veteran Agency of Transportation employee from Irasburg, is making his second run for governor, this time as a Republican. Ralph Corbo of East Wallingford, who made headlines when he interrupted Scott’s second inaugural address last year by throwing fake dollar bills from the balcony of the Vermont House, is running as a Democrat. And convicted sex offender Douglas Cavett of Milton is seeking the Republican nomination. The field of would-be governors is larger than usual, likely because lawmakers temporarily scrapped a requirement that statewide candidates collect 500 signatures to appear on the ballot. Some are running more serious campaigns than others. Winburn, the Bennington Democrat, had never before sought state office, but the 64-year-old personal injury lawyer set his sights on the highest in Vermont. “I’m running for governor because I think this is the year of the outsider,” he said, apparently ignoring a former vice president’s victory over a number of outsiders to win the Democratic presidential nomination. “People are ready for a change.” Though Winburn compares himself to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and calls himself a “common, ordinary Vermonter,” he has pumped at least $191,000 of his own money into his campaign. Much of that has gone to ubiquitous green yard signs and peculiar television advertisements featuring his canine companion. “Some of you may be wondering why my dog Alphie is in most of my TV ads,” the candidate says in one spot. “Well, I’ll tell you: It’s because he’s so good-looking — and I’m not.” Winburn’s fortune hasn’t bought him expertise in state government. In an interview, he struggled to describe his proposals to address the opioid epidemic and provide health insurance to all. Confusingly, he vowed to advance climate change legislation authored by Sen. Dick Mazza (D-Grand Isle), a conservative Democrat who has introduced no such bills. As others have before him, Winburn has endeavored to tie Vermont’s governor to the president. “Phil Scott is a Trump Republican,” he said. “His policies are Trumpian.” Such assertions are difficult to square with the governor’s consistent opposition to the president. Scott says he’s never voted for Trump, became the first GOP governor to support an impeachment inquiry and alleged after the Senate acquitted the president that he had “abused his powers.” Indeed, Scott’s “Never Trump” bona fides have rankled Republicans who believe the governor has abandoned RUNNING IN CIRCLES SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

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his own party. “He’s doing it to please the left-wingers,” said Ethan Allen Institute founder John McClaughry, a Kirby conservative who served as a policy adviser to president Ronald Reagan. “There are so many times this has happened. Republicans are saying, ‘Maybe it’s time to please us.’” Klar blames Scott for demoralizing Vermont Republicans, which he believes has contributed to the loss of legislative seats. He’s also convinced that the party faithful are ready to jettison the incumbent. “He’s not very popular amongst conservatives right now,” Klar said. “And he could lose the primary.” Scott has easily brushed back past challenges from the right. In 2016, he outpaced retired Wall Street banker Bruce Lisman in the Republican primary by 21 percentage points, and in 2018 — even after he signed the gun bills into law — he trounced Springfield grocer Keith Stern by 34 points. McClaughry, who has donated $400 to Klar’s campaign, said he hopes Scott’s latest GOP challenger “will put some more backbone into Phil at a time when he needs to exhibit some more backbone.” But even McClaughry thinks the governor will — and should — win a third term. “I think Phil has earned reelection, from my standpoint,” he said.

‘SUCH A NERD’

On a muggy morning earlier this month, Holcombe removed a cloth mask from her face and stepped toward a microphone perched on the Statehouse lawn. “I’m glad to give you an opportunity to get out early and get a little sunshine in the middle of a pandemic,” the 53-year-old candidate told the assembled reporters, quickly adding that she would again don her face covering as soon as she completed her remarks. “We all need to remember that mask wearing isn’t just about reducing a surge once it’s here. It’s about preventing one in the first place.” It was Holcombe’s first press conference since the pandemic ground the campaign to a halt in March, and only three news outlets had shown up to cover it, even though the topic — ethics reform, lobbying and access to public records — was virtual catnip for journalists. That’s a problem for Holcombe, who, as a first-time candidate, needs the attention more than most. Since becoming the first to join the race last July, she has outhustled most of her opponents and proved herself a competent fundraiser. But she hasn’t broken through in the way that another 36

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COURTESY OF JOHN KLAR

Running in Circles « P.35

I’m sure [Scott] would prefer to skip not only the debates but the primary itself.

JOHN KL AR

novice pol, Democratic lieutenant gubernatorial candidate Molly Gray, has. Part of the problem, Holcombe’s supporters concede, is that she’s simply not a politician. “She’s not interested in elections per se,” said Amy Fowler, who became friends with Holcombe in graduate school and later served as her deputy secretary of education. “She’s interested in doing the work to help the state.” Indeed, Holcombe has spent much of her career running things, not running for them: The former social studies teacher became principal of Fairlee Elementary School in her twenties, directed Dartmouth College’s Teacher Education Program and served as education secretary under two governors. The Brown University alumna has two master’s degrees and earned her doctorate at Harvard University, but she doesn’t want voters to know it. “Please

don’t put that in,” she said in an interview. “I’m begging you. I’m probably way overeducated.” When Holcombe recites her professional achievements, she immediately descends into education jargon and bureaucratic gobbledygook about stakeholders, dashboards, processes and quantitative reviews — all while talking a mile a minute. “That’s the kind of thing that’s hard to talk about in the press,” she said, catching herself in an extended biographical digression. “She’s just really, like, she’s such a nerd — and I mean that in the best way possible,” Fowler said. “She’s brilliant, but she also thinks the rest of us are intellectual.” Holcombe also appears allergic to answering questions in a straightforward fashion and has a tendency to insinuate wrongdoing without backing up her

allegations. At the ethics reform press conference in Montpelier, she made clear allusions to Scott’s continued financial interest in a construction company that does business with the state and to former human services secretary Al Gobeille’s move to a high-paying job at the University of Vermont Health Network. But she repeatedly refused to confirm that they were the subjects of her critique. “I’ll let you draw your own conclusions,” she said. After describing her plan to slow the revolving door between public officialdom and the influence-peddling industry by imposing a five-year lobbying ban on top executive branch officials, Holcombe wouldn’t even say that Vermont has a revolving-door problem. “Not right now,” she said after reporters asked four times whether she could describe the challenge she was seeking to address. And for a candidate promising to bring transparency to the governor’s office — not to mention the spouse of a Pulitzer Prizewinning journalist, ProPublica investigative reporter James Bandler — Holcombe has been reluctant to engage with the press. During her tenure as education secretary, she repeatedly declined interview requests from Seven Days. Krista Huling, a former chair of the state Board of Education who now serves as treasurer of Holcombe’s campaign, says there’s a simple explanation for that. After the governor who first appointed her, Democrat Peter Shumlin, left office, she found herself increasingly at odds with the Republican governor who reappointed her: Scott. “She didn’t like giving interviews because she had a hard time defending his policies,” Huling said. When Holcombe finally had had enough, in March 2018, and resigned from the Scott administration, she wouldn’t even explain the reasons for her departure, though Bandler left bread crumbs on social media making clear that there had been a rift. “Part of it is, Gov. Scott was elected by voters. I was not elected by voters,” she recently explained. “So that is why I declined to comment at the time.” Holcombe now says her resignation was prompted by Scott’s repeated demands that local school boards cut spending in order to slow the rise of property taxes. She was particularly incensed when, after boards managed to meet Scott’s targets — and then some — Finance Commissioner Adam Greshin said it still wasn’t enough and that it was “time for state policy makers to take over.” “We know how important it is for everyone to have a fair chance at getting educated so they can go out and be a productive citizen and contribute to our economy,” she

JEB WALLACE-BRODEUR

said. “I just couldn’t serve that goal in the context of this administration.” According to Holcombe, when she told Scott she was considering leaving, it was the first time in their 15 months working together that he met with her one-on-one. Until then, she said, she had been relegated to reporting to chief of staff Jason Gibbs or more junior employees. Her second oneone-one meeting with the governor came later that week as she formally tendered her resignation. While Holcombe may be best known for her continuing feud with her former boss, those who know her well say what really matters is her devotion to public service and educational equity. Those values came to her early — the result of an unconventional childhood. Holcombe’s father was an economic development officer with the United Nations, and her mother worked in maternal and child health for a variety of NGOs. The family moved to Afghanistan just before she began fourth grade and left four years later, after the U.S. ambassador — a friend of her father’s — was killed in a botched kidnapping. Their next posting, in Pakistan, coincided with the 1979 torching of the U.S. embassy. Shortly thereafter, Holcombe’s parents sent her to an American boarding school and relocated to Fiji and then Sudan, where Holcombe would later volunteer at a refugee camp. “What we saw was pretty exaggerated

We know how important it is for everyone to have a fair chance at getting educated so they can go out and be a productive citizen and contribute to our economy.

R E BE C C A H O L C O M B E

income inequality, poor health outcomes, poor educational outcomes, and so certainly that shaped my commitment and my belief in the power of public institutions,” she said. “I saw the destruction and devastation that people really feel when political systems fail.” Holcombe’s commitment to human rights was evident in the classroom, according to former student Robby Mook, an Upper Valley native who managed Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign. More than 25 years after she taught him eighth-grade social studies at a Hanover, N.H., middle school, Mook still remembers her orchestrating a mock trial involving the Rwandan genocide and taking the class to see Schindler’s List. “It was pretty heavy stuff, now that I think about it, for eighth grade,” he said. “I think I’m a more compassionate and,

frankly, just a more active citizen than I probably would have been otherwise.”

ONE FOOT IN, ONE FOOT OUT

As he cranked open a high tunnel on his Hinesburg farm one recent morning, Zuckerman contemplated his career in agriculture. “I think farming chose me,” the 48-year-old lieutenant governor said. Though he grew up in the suburbs of Boston, the son of a thoracic surgeon and a chemist, Zuckerman spent most summers at his family’s rural Virginia farmhouse, not far from Shenandoah National Park. “And that’s when I got an affinity for this landscape,” Zuckerman said, gesturing east toward the spine of the Green Mountains. After studying at the University of Vermont, Zuckerman worked on a series of farms — at one point, alongside future

House Speaker Mitzi Johnson (D-South Hero) — and eventually started his own organic enterprise in Burlington’s Intervale. Now, he and his spouse, Rachel Nevitt, grow 50 crops and raise pigs, chickens and rabbits on a 155-acre plot of land near the border of Chittenden and Addison counties. “It is, foolishly, a little bit of everything,” he said. Other than his trademark ponytail — “There’s less hair than there used to be,” he admits — nothing could be more central to Zuckerman’s political brand than his vocation. His campaign logo is a silhouetted tractor, and his video ads feature the Carhartt-clad pol shoveling hay and feeding hogs. He happily performs the morning chores for notebook-wielding reporters, though he admits that he usually sticks to desk work while juggling his duties presiding over the Senate and campaigning for governor. Whenever anyone calls, he makes sure to fill them in on his latest agricultural endeavor. “I just fed the chicks and watered them and moved them,” he reported to Sen. Jane Kitchel (D-Caledonia) when she reached him by cellphone in a back field. Zuckerman even lives in a silo — two of them, actually — which he converted into a barn-side apartment. “I jokingly say, and you can laugh at this, but I say I live in silos; I don’t think in silos,” he said, waiting expectantly for a chuckle. Almost as central to Zuckerman’s political brand is his association with Sanders, whom he has seen as a mentor since watching him speak at UVM in 1992. “There was a guy that wasn’t even trying to be everybody’s friend. He was fighting for what he believed in, and he didn’t take corporate money,” Zuckerman said. “That was inspiring to me that that could exist in national politics.” Two years later, Zuckerman ran unsuccessfully for a seat representing Burlington in the House as a member of the Vermont Progressive Party. Two years after that, at age 25, he won. Ever since, with the exception of two years, he’s spent his winters at the Statehouse, eventually becoming chair of the House Agriculture Committee, a member of the Senate and, in 2016, lieutenant governor. Though he has also sought the Democratic nomination since he first ran for the Senate in 2012, he considers himself a Progressive first and foremost and is the party’s highest-ever elected official. Like Sanders, Zuckerman prides himself on his long-standing advocacy for causes that were not popular at the time but have since become so. When the legislature voted in 2000 to establish civil unions for same-sex partners, he was one of RUNNING IN CIRCLES SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

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JAMES BUCK

Running in Circles « P.37 just 22 representatives in the 150-member House who backed an amendment that would fully legalize gay marriage — nearly a decade before that came to pass. Zuckerman was an early and strident advocate for end-of-life choices, minimum-wage increases, GMO labeling and the legalization of cannabis. “I don’t find many folks like Bernie and like David who are championing people’s movements in the same way they ask people to champion them,” said Rights & Democracy executive director James Haslam, who has organized alongside Zuckerman for two decades. Though Zuckerman has earned Sanders’ endorsement in previous races, the senator has yet to weigh in on this one. Two organizations associated with Sanders, Our Revolution and Rights & Democracy, have endorsed Zuckerman, while the prochoice EMILY’s List has backed Holcombe. The lieutenant governor and his supporters say the secret to his success — legislative and political — is to get outside the Statehouse and engage in advocacy work throughout Vermont, holding meetings in public libraries, Rotary clubs and grange halls. “That’s kind of how I’ve always been in Montpelier — a foot in the building and a foot out around the state, organizing,” he said. Zuckerman’s skeptics, however, say his actual impact on the fate of the bills he champions is occasionally overstated. “I think he can take credit for highlighting and advocating legislation,” said Smith, the former House speaker, who lost to Zuckerman in the 2016 primary. “I think the fact of the matter is that most of the legislation he has highlighted and advocated for has been carried into law by other people.” Even Zuckerman admits that he has little to show for his four years as lieutenant governor, other than serving as what he calls “an ambassador for democracy” and sending a regular e-newsletter to tens of thousands of Vermonters. “I’m not gonna name for you a ton of policy successes,” he said. According to Zuckerman, that’s the nature of the job, which comes with few real responsibilities. He also blames Scott for refusing to include him in his cabinet — or even listen to his ideas. Like Holcombe, he complains that the governor hasn’t given him the time of day. “I’ve had one face-to-face, 30-minute meeting in four years,” he said. The state’s No. 2 job has been frustrating to Zuckerman for other reasons, according to Sen. Chris Pearson (P/D-Chittenden), a longtime friend and political ally. As the Senate’s presiding officer, Zuckerman rules on parliamentary matters but is not 38

SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

The time for more proactive policy is immediate, and as lieutenant governor there’s very little one can do to accelerate the vision that needs to be implemented.

LT. GO V. D AVID ZUC K E R M A N

permitted to engage in debate — and only votes when there’s a tie. “It’s a very difficult task for someone with a lot of political opinions,” Pearson said. “He is talking all the time and saying nothing.” That may explain why he chose last winter to sacrifice a relatively safe seat for an uncertain run against Scott — and why, even as the pandemic further jeopardized his political mobility, he ultimately decided against seeking another term as LG. “The time for more proactive policy is immediate, and as lieutenant governor there’s very little one can do to accelerate the vision that needs to be implemented,” he said. “While it would have been by far the easier race to run for reelection, I’m not there to keep a job. I’m there to influence the outcome.” Precisely what Zuckerman aims to achieve as governor isn’t entirely clear.

While he says he would swiftly sign into law four bills Scott has blocked— raising the minimum wage, mandating paid family leave, requiring a waiting period before the purchase of guns, and creating a tax-andregulate system for marijuana sales — the candidate has trouble articulating new policy proposals. Asked for two or three key priorities, Zuckerman described a germ of a plan to better coordinate the work of the state’s Agency of Human Services and Agency of Education, perhaps by stationing social service providers in school buildings. Asked for more details, he said, “I’m going to listen to the experts before telling you what the answer is.” Zuckerman said he would also raise marginal income tax rates on the highestearning Vermonters in order to recapture revenue forfeited by the Trump tax cuts

and reinvest the money in renewable energy, affordable housing, broadband and other priorities. But he conceded that he has not “run the numbers” and doesn’t know how much he’d raise rates and how much that would net the state. Some of Zuckerman’s critics quietly wonder whether he’s really running for governor this year to be governor — or whether he’s actually just setting himself up for a future run for the U.S. House or Senate. Zuckerman himself says he’s running to win, but he’s “not gonna rule out anything” down the road. “There’s a lot of uncertainty in the future of the Vermont political landscape,” he said.

SHOT IN THE ARM?

About an hour into a humdrum debate last month cohosted by the Addison County Democrats, gubernatorial candidates were asked whether they would pledge to support whomever won the Democratic nomination. “Yes,” Holcombe said in an uncharacteristically brief response. Zuckerman decided to elaborate. “One of the things we need to do is actually build each other up and make the case against the governor and not tear each other down,” he said, adding that others in the race had been making “unfounded attacks” that might damage the eventual

nominee. He was referring to Holcombe’s persistent criticism of his position on vaccinations — one of the only real policy disagreements to emerge thus far in the Democratic primary. In 2015, when Zuckerman was serving in the Senate, several colleagues sought to increase the vaccination rate in schools by repealing the state’s so-called “philosophical exemption.” It allowed parents to opt their children out of vaccinations even if they had no medical or religious reason to do so. When the proposal first came up on the Senate floor, Seven Days reported at the time, Zuckerman questioned the science behind vaccinations and accused the pharmaceutical industry of pushing vaccines simply to make money. “For me, as long as there’s the extreme financial conflicts of interest out there that are driving much of this debate and discussion, I have to maintain the individual right for someone to do their own research, as well, and make that decision,” Zuckerman said. When the Senate resumed the debate the next week, Zuckerman again opposed the proposal and called vaccine science “disputed.” Repealing the philosophical exemption, he argued, amounted to “adjusting the laws of our state to such that someone else is determining — we in this room are determining — what is going to go into every single person’s body.” Zuckerman introduced an amendment that would delay such a repeal until the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention signed off on “a reliable DNA swab test to check for the genetic predisposition to an allergic reaction to various immunization ingredients.” The amendment failed on a voice vote, and the underlying repeal of the philosophical exemption passed by a vote of 18 to 11. At the Addison County debate, Holcombe seized the opening Zuckerman had provided to revisit the issue, calling it “a matter of life and death, because a child who is immunocompromised and cannot be vaccinated cannot go to school if our vaccination rates are as low as 45 percent.” Addressing her opponent, Holcombe said, “This is a substantive policy disagreement, and you can tell me, and I’ve asked you to, do you disagree with your advocacy at that point? You haven’t said that.” Throughout the campaign, Zuckerman has maintained that he never questioned the science behind vaccines. He has also claimed that, after his amendment failed, he was among the 18 senators who voted for the underlying measure scrapping the philosophical exemption. That claim cannot be verified because no senator asked for a roll call and no video of the debate exists.

“The science is very clear. I’ve stated that I support it,” Zuckerman said at the Addison County debate. “I’ve made my position very clear that I voted for the bill, that I support the law and will support the coronavirus vaccine being mandatory, as well.” That wasn’t enough for Holcombe, who in the weeks since has continued to assail Zuckerman over the matter. In a television advertisement she began airing this week, Holcombe said he “questioned the science behind vaccines.” And in a Tuesday debate on Vermont Public Radio and Vermont PBS, she said that his rhetoric had “actually undermine[d] the public health of Vermonters.” Turner, who challenged Zuckerman in 2018, thinks Holcombe’s strategy is sound. “He doesn’t like you to hold him accountable for his voting record, that’s for sure,” the former House minority leader said. “If

election year, Scott collected 7,000 more votes than he did.) Neither result may say much about what would happen in a head-to-head matchup, given that many Vermont voters have clearly supported both candidates in the past and haven’t had to choose between them. According to Smith, it would be a mistake to sell his former primary opponent short. “The thing about David is, he never stops working, and people underestimate the network that he has throughout the state at their own peril,” the former House speaker said. “His 20 years of activism has created a web of contacts that he uses in his campaigns — and he’s good at it.” Holcombe’s supporters contend that she has been given short shrift in the campaign, in part due to her gender. “There’s a different standard for being a woman in leadership, and I think that’s

It’s hard to campaign in a traditional sense when you know people are suffering. I had to prioritize, and campaigning came last.

GO V. P H IL S C O T T

she can hold him to account on that, he’ll get mad — and when he gets mad, he gets off his game.” If Zuckerman wins the Democratic nomination, the issue is likely to reemerge in the general election. In a May press release, the Republican Governors Association pilloried the lieutenant governor as a “fringe anti-vaxxer” — an ironic attack, given that several Republican governors have espoused similar views. A poll conducted last month by the firm We Ask America found that 62 percent of Vermonters were less likely to support a candidate opposed to vaccinations. (That poll, which had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percent, also found that Scott would crush both Zuckerman and Holcombe, by 35 and 42 percentage points, respectively.) Zuckerman points to a different set of numbers when trying to make the case that he’s the most electable candidate in the Democratic field. In 2018, he notes, he picked up 7,000 more votes in his reelection race than Scott did in his. (The LG generally doesn’t mention that, two years earlier, in a higher-turnout presidential

underappreciated,” said Huling. But they also argue that what voters really value in a crisis is experience, and they think she has more of it than Zuckerman. “For me, it’s really important that the governor knows how to govern and knows how to govern complex organizations, as opposed to beating the drum for the Progressive agenda and being sort of a professional cheerleader,” said Vermont Partnership for Fairness & Diversity executive director Curtiss Reed, who has endorsed Holcombe. Asked to make the case that she’s the more electable candidate, Holcombe cited her experience as an executive, building consensus and managing complex budgets. When Seven Days noted that budget balancing might not be the most exciting political talking point, she said, “I think you’re speaking to one of the challenges of our political system, which is, perhaps what makes people good candidates isn’t always what makes them good at government.” But, Holcombe added, “I actually think Vermonters know that we’re in serious

trouble right now, and what they want is someone who will be able to stop kicking the can down the road and actually get to work on some of these problems.”

SPEEDING AHEAD

As Scott’s 10 rivals circle around him, he appears perfectly content to ignore them and focus on his day job. “These are unique times, and this is a unique campaign,” he said. The governor’s unwillingness to hire a campaign staff has certainly resulted in some unique situations. He said he has personally helped his volunteer campaign treasurer, Glen Wright, fill out mandatory campaign finance forms — and he has taken interview requests from his personal campaign email account. As for when he’ll feel comfortable enough with the public health crisis to engage in a more traditional campaign? “I can’t say at this point in time when that’s going to be, but I’ll know it when I see it,” he said. In the meantime, the 61-year-old Berlin resident says he’s confident voters have gotten to know him well enough during his two decades in public life — as a state senator, lieutenant governor and now governor — and he’s gotten to know voters well enough, too. “I feel as though I have my finger on the pulse of Vermont,” he said. “I think the middle-of-the-road approach is what is desperately needed right now.” “I think he has an impressive ability to be flexible,” said Minter, his 2016 rival, noting that, earlier in his career, he held more conservative views on abortion, gay rights and guns. “That flexibility and those positions make it hard, I think, for Democrats to oppose him on some very important social issues.” But Scott continues to infuriate the left over some positions, including his recent reluctance to embrace a mandatory mask policy or universal mail-in balloting. In his nearly four years as governor, Scott has rarely proposed big new ideas, and he’s certainly not planning to do so this election cycle. With no end in sight to the state’s economic and budgetary woes, he’s clearly conscious that whoever leads the state next year will be lucky to just tread water. All the governor seems willing to promise is more of the same — and he seems confident that’s what voters really want. “We need steady, experienced leadership right now — an experienced hand at the wheel, so to speak,” he said. “I just think that it makes a tremendous amount of sense for there to be consistency in place.” Contact: paul@sevendaysvt.com SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

food+drink

Farm Fresh

Mid-season trips to the Burlington and Richmond markets B Y M E L I SSA PASANEN MELISSA PASANEN

MARKET REPORT

’m an unabashed farmers market fan. I love them in the summer and the winter. I love them in the sun and in the rain. I love them big, and I love them small. And, yes, I love them even in an unprecedented, pandemic-altered season. A few Saturdays ago, I attended the Burlington market on Pine Street and was pleasantly surprised by how relatively normal it felt. The market is in its second year in the mostly asphalt lot behind the old Greyhound station. While decidedly less attractive than its previous City Hall Park home, the new, spacious location makes social distancing easy. Between several preorders I had placed, along with spontaneous purchases, I came away loaded with bounty, including flowers, mushrooms, sausages, radicchio, gooseberry-honey jam and farm-made gelato. (Not to mention the coolest earrings with tiny local mushrooms preserved in Lucite.) Pluses this year included easier parking and, somewhat surprisingly, more time and space to chat with farmers and other vendors because fewer people are crowding each booth. From a shopping perspective, I’m not sure there were really any minuses. The encouragement to preorder makes me more efficient and focused, and I find the less-congested market more pleasant and easier to navigate. Honestly, during a normal year on beautiful Saturdays, the Burlington market can be a little overwhelming; I sometimes skip it in favor of smaller markets a little farther away. Last Friday afternoon, I headed to one of those in Richmond. Usually located up on the hill of Volunteers Green just off Bridge Street, the market this year has moved down to a larger, flatter area of the park to accommodate the spacing required between vendor booths per guidance from the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets. The updated June 19 combination of rules and suggestions from the state allows booths to be set up closer together than previously required: six feet apart rather than 12. Theoretically, this could allow for more vendors — which some markets will pursue, while others will stick with their initial roster, according to Jennie Porter, market development manager with the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont. Porter highlighted a couple other key changes that customers might notice. Markets are now allowed to set up an on-site dining area for consumption of takeout food purchased at the market. They are also permitted to host

Last Resort Farm’s booth at the Richmond Farmers Market FARM FRESH

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SIDEdishes

crucial to keeping those programs running and Vermonters fed.

SERVING UP FOOD NEWS

Sally Pollak

Crumbs NEW SKINNY PANCAKE IN STOWE; ICONIC BENNINGTON DINER FOR SALE COURTESY OF THE SKINNY PANCAKE

Staff at the Skinny Pancake in Stowe

Restaurants to the Rescue STATE ALLOCATES $5 MILLION FOR FOOD ASSISTANCE

Since late March, a program called SHIFTMEALS, launched by the SKINNY PANCAKE, has provided free meals to restaurant workers, musicians and other Vermonters who lost their jobs during the pandemic. In partnership with the VERMONT FOODBANK, ShiftMeals has served 50,000 meals to Vermonters in need, according to director JEAN HAMILTON. Now it’s serving as the model for a statewide initiative called EVERYONE EATS, backed by government funding, in which restaurants will use their facilities and employees to feed Vermonters who are experiencing food insecurity. The Everyone Eats pilot program, which will launch in August in Brattleboro, was announced last week at a press conference outside the Skinny Pancake’s Lake Street restaurant in Burlington. The state legislature allocated $5 million in CARES Act federal relief funding for

CONNECT Follow us for the latest food gossip! On Twitter: Sally Pollak: @vtpollak. On Instagram: @7deatsvt.

Everyone Eats, which could provide 18,500 meals a week through the end of the year, officials said. Ten percent of the funds, or $200,000, must be used to purchase food from local farmers and producers. Five large restaurants and a network of 40 smaller ones will participate in Everyone Eats, according to a press release. The restaurants have yet to be identified. At the press conference, Rep. Jean O’Sullivan (D-Burlington) noted that the program will serve “three sectors in need”: farmers, restaurants, and some 70,000 unemployed or underemployed Vermonters. “I’m so pleased and proud this program is going forward,” she said. Hamilton, the ShiftMeals director, told Seven Days that restaurants are well positioned to offer an emergency response to food insecurity because the industry is adept at responding rapidly and flexibly to changing circumstances. “We have this asset pool, this infrastructure, that is diversified and can easily be scaled up or down by bringing on more restaurants,” Hamilton said. Given the scale of the need, she added, government funding is

The SKINNY PANCAKE opened at 454 Mountain Road in Stowe on July 15, the 10th location for the crêperie that started as a food cart on Burlington’s Church Street in 2003. Like its sister restaurants in Burlington, Montpelier and Quechee, the Stowe Skinny Pancake offers outdoor dining and takeout. It’s housed in the former McCarthy’s Restaurant, which closed last fall after 45 years in business; general manager BRITTANY KISTNER is the former kitchen manager at McCarthy’s. On July 22, the Skinny Pancake reopened one of its three sites at Burlington International Airport, according to marketing and brand director MICHAEL CYR. The post-security Skinny Pancake has tables for dining and drinks, but no bar seating, he said. The other two airport locations remain closed, as do the local chain’s three seasonal businesses. Earlier this summer, the Skinny Pancake in Hanover, N.H., closed permanently, according to Cyr.

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S.P.

After close to 50 years of ownership, the Monroe family has listed Bennington landmark Sonny’s Blue Benn Diner for sale for just under $600,000. Broker Paul Carroccio of TPW Real Estate’s Manchester office said he had several solid prospects SIDE DISHES

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7/10/20 12:33 PM

Logan Bouchard handing off an order curbside from Misery Loves Co.'s “Digital Delicatessen”

BARFLY

Tipples To-Go A takeout cocktail crawl around the Winooski circle S TO RY & PHOT OS BY J ORDAN BARRY

ack in May, Seven Days reported that Vermonters appeared to be drinking more booze than normal while staying home during the coronavirus pandemic. According to data from the state Department of Liquor and Lottery, distilled spirits sales at retail outlets were up nearly 16 percent in April from the year before. Based on my own personal consumption, that increase seems to have held steady. Rather than stocking my bunker with handles from big national booze brands, though, I’ve been leaning in on the relaxed laws about taking cocktails to-go. In a directive issued on March 19, Gov. Phil Scott permitted takeout and delivery of alcoholic beverages from restaurants and bars during the state of emergency declared in response to COVID-19. More than 30 states and Washington, D.C., have enacted similar measures, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. Several states — including Iowa and Michigan — are now extending the fun beyond state-of-emergency measures, some permanently. Vermont’s takeout cocktail directive is still tied to the state-of-emergency declaration, which is currently extended through August 15. The governor’s office told Seven Days in an email that the 42

SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

directive would likely continue to be tied to the state of emergency if it’s extended again “to help bars and restaurants still impacted by restrictions and closures.” However, the administration is currently “focused on the emergency response” and is not working on a long-term or permanent extension of the directive. For the time being, allowing these sales to happen has been “an important component for a lot of restaurants,” said Amy Spear, vice president of tourism for the Vermont Chamber of Commerce. “Alcohol to-go has been, and continues to be, a helpful lifeline,” Spear said. As I was cleaning out my cupboards this week, I found a remnant of a midquarantine takeout cocktail purchase: an uneaten Cup Noodles, the instant ramen, from the Monkey House in Winooski. Part of the directive allowing booze to-go specifies that drinks must be purchased with a meal. When the bar reopened in late May, its approach to satisfying that requirement caught my attention. The Styrofoam-packed noodles (and a hot dog roller) allowed the Monkey House — which doesn’t have a kitchen — to meet the state Division of Liquor Control’s definition of a “meal.” “We didn’t have enough food for the DLC, so we needed to think creatively,”

general manager Ali Nagle told me at the time. I bought the noodles, put my to-go cup of maple-whiskey lemonade in the cup holder of my car — the one in the back seat, to be safe — and went home to enjoy the drink in my backyard. Finding that Cup Noodles months later made me curious about how other restaurants and bars in Winooski are dealing with this new world of portable potables. What drinks are they selling? How are they packaged? Is every bar selling instant ramen? With those questions in mind, I enlisted two friends for a socially distant cocktail crawl around the Winooski traffic circle. One of the joys of an old-fashioned, pre-COVID bar crawl was its spontaneity. Preordering my drinks online the night before our plans threw that straight out the window. How was I supposed to decide what we’d want to drink the next night? As I scrolled through Misery Loves Co.’s “Digital Delicatessen,” my worries faded. The descriptions of frozen piña coladas and strawberry-shiso margaritas — not to mention the Sangrita Kit, “best when shared with someone you love in a beautiful spot” — were my virtual bartender, gaining my trust and whetting my thirst. I placed an order for the Sangrita Kit, fully charmed by the tiny bottles of tequila and chile-lime Tajín seasoning, and eager

to chase it all with the spicy, tomatoey sangrita, or “little blood.” Not stopping there, I also ordered the Face Plant cocktail — a sour-cherry shrub mixed with an herby gin described as a “refreshing, earthy and perfectly balanced face-plant into the garden.” Sold. Everything-spice flax crackers and hummus filled the cart. Next, I placed a preorder at the Winooski outpost of El Cortijo: two salsas de casa and a “caliente marg for two.” Hoping to preserve a bit of the serendipity of a bar crawl, that’s where my premeditated purchases stopped. Several spots in Winooski take walk-up orders and last-minute online orders, so we’d take our chances. The next day I met my friends at the top of the circle, stopping at El Cortijo at my scheduled 4:15 pickup time. Two paper bags awaited me inside on the bar — tortilla chips, containers of salsa roja and salsa taquera, and a sealed juice bottle filled with the spicy margarita. One of my friends, also a former Brooklyn resident, immediately remarked that the cocktail packaging “looked like a Nutcracker” — a ubiquitous, usually illicit, high-proof staple of New York City summers. We wandered down the circle to our next stop, following the well-explained instructions posted outside of Misery Loves Co. for curbside pickup. Logan Bouchard quickly packed up our order in the restaurant’s reimagined dining room; a staging area was set up where diners once sat. He showed us the dill garnish for the Face Plant — cleverly placed in the bottom of two stacked cups — warned us to be gentle carrying the flax crackers and sent us on our way. I quickly placed an online order at Waterworks Food + Drink for a classic Bee’s Knees cocktail and marinated olives, and we headed to Mule Bar while we waited for them to be ready. Mule Bar allows walk-in ordering, one customer at a time. Bright-orange tape on the floor directed me to order at the bar, where a decorated Plexiglas shield reminded me to “please speak up so we can hear you.” I shouted an order for a Negroni and an Americano, showed my ID (lowering my mask when asked, to verify my identity), and signed the receipt with a pen from the “clean pens” cup. The bartender slid the drinks under the shield, the Negroni fitting easily in a small ice-cream-sundaestyle cup and the Americano getting a little stuck in its taller packaging. “We’re making it work,” the bartender said. Quickly out the door, we walked to Mandarin. I’ve been eating a lot of Mandarin’s sesame chicken during quarantine but had yet to try one of their Scorpion Bowls to-go. Unfortunately, when we tried to

food+drink Sangrita Kit from Misery Loves Co.

order at the window, the employee taking our order explained that the bartender wasn’t working that night. With all of the cocktails already in our hands, that was probably for the best. We walked under the bridge to Waterworks, where a swanky velvet rope separated the pickup line from the check-in spot for on-site diners. I’d ordered the cocktail with ice — the restaurant offers drinks with or without — and quickly realized my mistake. It’s not the Wild West (or New Orleans), and we weren’t going to drink the cocktail as we walked, so it was sufficiently watered down by the time we made it home. To-go cocktail tip: Skip the rocks. Our final stop was back at the top of the circle at McKee’s Pub & Grill. The pub’s patio was bustling with diners and

Pick-Your-Own

drinkers, but we walked up to the takeout window and placed an order for rum punch and sweet potato fries. Something about that random combination — and about ending the crawl at McKee’s, even though we hadn’t had a sip of any of the drinks yet — felt just right. Arms full, we headed to my friend’s roof and surveyed our wares. I was impressed by the array of packaging: tiny mason jars, plastic and compostable cups of all sizes and lid shapes, and the Nutcracker-style bottle. We put out our spread and split the drinks into vintage glassware from our host’s extensive collection. The bars and restaurants had done all the work to carefully craft these drinks to-go; dressing them up felt like the least we could do. m

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INFO El Cortijo, 5 East Allen St., Winooski, 5400052, cortijovt.com Mandarin, 22 Main St., Winooski, 800-1116, mandarinvt.com McKee’s Pub & Grill, 19 East Allen St., Suite 2210, Winooski, 655-0048, mckeespubsvt.com Misery Loves Co., 46 Main St., Winooski, 497-3989, mlcvt.com Monkey House, 30 Main St., Winooski, 655-4563, monkeyhousevt.com Mule Bar, 38 Main St., Winooski, 399-2020, mulebarvt.com Waterworks Food + Drink, 20 Winooski Falls Way, 497-3525, waterworksvt.com

4T-OwlsHead072220.indd 1

7/17/20 4:33 PM

WINE BAR.

Side Dishes « P.41

Melissa Pasanen

TRAVEL THE WORLD

IN ONE BITE.

Lisa LaFlamme of Sonny's Blue Benn Diner in April 2019

FILE: JANA SLEEMAN

within days of listing, and a deal is in process. The original 1940s-era Silk City Diner car has operated at 314 North Street since 1948. MARYLOU MONROE and her late husband, Sonny, bought it on Christmas Eve of 1973. Besides serving classic fare, such as hot turkey sandwiches and chocolate cream pie, Sonny Monroe broadened the menu over his tenure to include falafel burgers and “crunchberry” pancakes. Locals, tourists and college students alike appreciated the diner’s affordable, generous portions; walls papered with specials; and counters worn from the weight of sturdy plateware. It won the stamp of approval from Americana food experts Jane and Michael Stern of Roadfood fame as “a true-blue hash house.”

Dedalus Wine | Market | Bar

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SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

7/7/20 11:19 AM

â&#x20AC;&#x153;nonparticipatory entertainmentâ&#x20AC;? following social-distancing rules. The Burlington market has not changed its protocols based on the new guidelines, market director Mieko Ozeki wrote in an email. It will not adjust the space between vendor booths or add new ones. Although Burlingtonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s market has about half its normal number of vendors this year, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have an adequate market size for the moment,â&#x20AC;? Ozeki explained. Fewer vendors does mean lower revenue for the markets, which depend on funding from vendor fees. Ozeki noted that the tightened market budget cut money that would have paid musicians, and it cannot fund extra staff to monitor a dining area to ensure that it meets sanitation and social-distancing rules. Ozeki added that sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s concerned the revised guidelines are inconsistent with the original instruction to markets to eliminate activities that encourage people to congregate. Porter of NOFA-VT said that some markets will choose to offer music, suggesting that it â&#x20AC;&#x153;makes the shopping experience more relaxed.â&#x20AC;? Although no music accompanied my Richmond visit, the market has brought it back most weeks. Market manager Ariana Matthews-Salzman said that, so far, she has seen customers doing a good job of social distancing while enjoying the entertainment. Matthews-Salzman is in her first season as manager. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been an interesting first year,â&#x20AC;? she observed. The 25-yearold Richmond native knows what the market feels like normally: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been going to the farmers market my whole life,â&#x20AC;? she said. Matthews-Salzman said her hometown market has struggled in recent years to retain vendors. Though the market was small, I was perfectly content with the mix of offerings on my recent visit with friends. And I knew full well that the time I spent sweating under my required mask was nothing compared with what vendors had to contend with in the meltingly hot temperatures. I had put in a couple of preorders for vegetables, berries and eggs. I also planned to buy an evening meal from Aromaticah, a Latin American prepared foods vendor, for myself and two companions. Working my way in the prescribed direction CSWD ScrapFoodWaste-QTR-H-7Dsnap.pdf 1 through 6/17/20

For his nacatamales, he makes his own masa, which is wrapped in banana leaves and steamed with different fillings. The rich pork version I had was deliciously tangy with sour orange, briny with capers and olives, and just-right spicy. My friends found their chicken empanada and vegan mushroomand-chickpea tamale quite satisfying. A Richmond Farmers We did regret not trying the mango ceviMarket attendee preparing to enter che dressed with red onion, lime juice, cilantro, hot chile pepper and salt. Another time. Cuadra misses some of his busier summer venues, such as the Shelburne Farmers Market, which has taken the year off. He said sales are about 50 percent what they were last year, but he appreciates the Richmond market: â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is beautiful, and it energizes me.â&#x20AC;? Maria Steyaart of Honeywilya Fish in E UGE NIE D OYL E Duxbury and Perry Bland of Home and Away two rows of vendors, I procured smoked salmon caught Farm in Westford both said that, while foot traffic is down, in Alaska by a Vermonter; raspberries and fat, fresh bulbs sales are good. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re selling more stuff even though there of garlic; new potatoes; a container of still-rooted sprouts; are less people,â&#x20AC;? Bland said. thick sheepâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s milk yogurt (almost cream cheese); and a â&#x20AC;&#x153;The people who are showing up are the people who crunchy seed, nut and honey bar. want to buy,â&#x20AC;? Steyaart observed. I could also have bought bread, beef, plump zucchini Eugenie Doyle of Last Resort Farm in Monkton was a and apple cider, among other things. And I could have paid founding vendor-member of the Richmond market close for my sprouts with cryptocurrency, according to a sign to 30 years ago and staffs her family stand every other week. at Green Mountain Microgreens, although owner Brent â&#x20AC;&#x153;This year is very challenging, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really not quite as Klecka said that no customer had yet done so. much fun,â&#x20AC;? she said. To go with our dinner, my friends and I bought honeyDespite safety precautions, Doyle feels vulnerable and sweetened lemonade from Pedro Salas of Starksboro-based misses many regular customers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;On the other hand,â&#x20AC;? she Bee Happy Vermont. Asked how he was finding the market added, â&#x20AC;&#x153;there are people who come who are so happy to this year, Salas commented cheerfully, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s another line in have a little normality.â&#x20AC;? the tiger.â&#x20AC;? (Later he was spotted dancing â&#x20AC;&#x201D; in the heat! â&#x20AC;&#x201D; to The extra work of preorders, Doyle said, is balanced by the music wafting over from Stoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Throw Pizzaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s outdoor the guarantee of some sales even when the weather is not beer garden. They do say honey is the original energy food.) ideal. With almost no tourists, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are really dependent on We enjoyed our lemonade and Nicaraguan-style tamales local people who cook,â&#x20AC;? she said. and empanada at a picnic table overlooking the Winooski Supporting farmers markets even with their pandemic River, and then dangled our feet in the water, where tiny fish restrictions is â&#x20AC;&#x153;an investment in the local food system,â&#x20AC;? nibbled my toes. (Next time, I will a bring a swimsuit and Doyle pointed out. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve always wanted people to realize stop for a quaff at the beer garden.) that markets are community-supported agriculture, too.â&#x20AC;? m Aromaticah chef-owner Chepe Cuadra was born in California but raised in Nicaragua, he told me later. He owned Contact: pasanen@sevendaysvt.com restaurants in Colombia and Nicaragua before moving to Vermont and working for many years in Burlington restau- INFO rant kitchens. Cuadra launched his own business in 2014. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I Learn more at burlingtonfarmersmarket.org, richmondfarmersmarketvt.org and nofavt.org. started producing the food I was missing,â&#x20AC;? he said. 3:10 PM PHOTOS: MELISSA PASANEN

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SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

7/21/20 4:52 PM

music+nightlife

Stars Aligned

Will Oldham, Box of Chocolates and the Vermont ties to reissued indie-rock gem Fearful Symmetry BY J O R D AN AD AMS

COURTESY OF MIKE HOWE

piano emporium called Absolute Piano sits at 140 Plymouth in Brooklyn. Such boutiques are typical of gentrified, chic districts such as DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass). But 30-plus years ago, when the zone had no fancy acronym and was more or less just the clump of streets that spanned the Manhattan and Brooklyn bridges, 140 Plymouth was home to a scrappy artists’ collective. Members of Box of Primarily composed of Chocolates, clockwise from top left: Arnie filmmakers, a crew under Wobble, Mickey Hawaii the name Box of Choco(Mike Howe), Raphael lates would eventually cut Rivera and Brute Rake a quirky lo-fi rock record, Fearful Symmetry. Famed indie label Drag City originally released it on vinyl in 1990. Last month, Drag City reissued the album after dropping a couple of singles earlier this spring. The unearthed LP comes with extensive liner notes detailing the album’s history, the stories behind its songs and a couple of new tracks recorded in Vermont by members of the former collective, along “We were getting out a lot of our with some new players. All proceeds from creative frustration by jamming and the album are directed to food banks in writing songs in the loft,” explained Box places where the LP’s various players of Chocolates’ Michael Howe by phone. live, a charitable nod to the economic Howe, who appears on Fearful Symmetry disruption brought on by the coronavirus as Mickey Hawaii, has quietly lived in pandemic. central Vermont for decades. Though he Perhaps most notably — certainly to was a veteran musician when the LP was the type of music aficionado who adores recorded — including playing in a group obscure rock history — the album features called Disposable God Squad — Howe the first-ever recordings of Will Oldham, has since worked primarily in software better known as Bonnie “Prince” Billy. development. Oldham and a couple of Box of Chocolates After relocating from Brooklyn to the collaborators would later become the Palace Green Mountains in the mid-’90s, he Brothers, Oldham’s band before adopting enlisted some locals to record a couple of his current moniker in the late ’90s. new tracks, “Stigmataphoria” and “The SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

WE WERE GETTING OUT A LOT OF OUR CREATIVE FRUSTRATION BY

JAMMING AND WRITING SONGS IN THE LOFT. M I C H A EL HO WE

Past Lives of Clarence Thomas,” both of which appear on the reissue. Vermonters included Madtech Sound Reinforcement and Lovetown Recording’s Bennett Shapiro, Harwood Union Middle and High School director of vocal music Stefanie Weigand (also of TURNmusic), former shock-rapper Xavier Woogmaster, and Tony Award winner Michael Chorney (Hadestown, viperHouse). Howe had worked with Chorney previously, engineering some of the earliest viperHouse recordings, including Lap Hen, a live album. In the reissue’s liner notes, Howe described 140 Plymouth as a ramshackle

blank canvas, a 1,000-square-foot space doused in a “chemically infused whitewash,” a clean slate for its future residents to live out their artistic dreams and urban debauchery. It was a melting pot of creative minds, a jumbled assembly of young, hungry artists living the New York City dream. Oldham entered the picture after Box of Chocolate’s Brute Rake (a pseudonym) discovered him on the set of a Montanabased film production in the late ’80s. At the time, Oldham was primarily pursuing an acting career. “I’d always sung in private, and I thought that my voice had potential,”

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Oldham told Seven Days by phone. “It was a pretty important transitional time [for me]. I was very involved with music. All of my friends were musicians. I had just never made it myself.” With encouragement from Howe, Rake and others, Oldham began writing songs. In truth, Oldham only penned about three minutes of the 40-minute original Fearful Symmetry LP: the ephemeral, condemnatory pseudo-sea shanty “Garbage Barge” and the lumbering acoustic ballad “The Ephant.” He explained that the reason the chord changes, particularly in “The Ephant,” are played so slowly was because “it literally took me a full second to change chords, because I was still figuring out where your fingers went on the guitar.” Since multiple songwriters birthed its tracks, Fearful Symmetry was the definition of eclectic. Practically the only common denominator was the physical space in which it was conceived. Styles range from the folksy, psychedelic, Spanish-language “Perdido” to the sprawling, experimental opus “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Nightmare.” “[Songs] tended to be snippets that other people would bring in, and we would play them repeatedly [until] they would take shape and form over the course of repeated sessions,” Howe explained. Oldham noted that Howe and Rake imparted some guidance that he still thinks about today whenever he records. “I remember I was supposed to be singing backup on one song on the record, and there was something I was doing with my voice,” Oldham recalled. “[Howe and Rake] were saying I wasn’t hitting the note they were asking me to hit, I was gliding up to it. They were like, ‘Don’t glide up to it, just hit the note.’ And I didn’t know what they were talking about because I hadn’t really ever paid

that much attention to singing. “I have to say that them telling me that — and it took me five or 10 minutes just to understand what they were asking me to do — I still think about that little instruction probably every time I go into a recording studio,” he continued. In certain quarters, Fearful Symmetry has been credited with ushering in “the lo-fi movement” in indie rock. “This is wrong,” states Howe in the reissue’s liner notes. “Or maybe the wrong lens is being used,” he clarifies. “[It] was recorded under innocent pretenses and has nothing to do with the history of Rock ’n’ Roll which, like most pompous and overhyped histories, is rife with self-service and perversion.” “The record itself made the opposite of a splash,” Oldham said. “I don’t think anyone heard it. I don’t even think [some of ] the people who were on it even heard it.” So if the record wasn’t an exemplar of, to use Howe’s term, “the lo-fi movement,” nor a commercial success the first time around, why reissue it? Howe and Oldham both explained that it was just for nostalgia and to give the album a chance to be discovered by new audiences, since it had never been available through modern digital services. Most prominently, they reissued it simply because they could. Drag City, said Howe, knows that anything it releases with Oldham’s name attached “will sell 500, a thousand records.” Then he added, “In some ways, it’s kind of a collectible.” m

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7/21/20 10:51 AM

Feel Good. Do Good!

Feeling disappointed about the things you can’t do this season? Here’s how to have a feel-good summer: Step One: Explore Vermont. Step Two: Learn something new. Step Three: Be a Good Citizen. Take the Good Citizen Challenge, a youth civics program for young people in grades K-12. Each month we’ll announce new activities focusing on history, community, government, advocacy and news literacy to keep you and your family active and engaged.

Summer

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Box of Chocolates’ Fearful Symmetry is available at dragcity.com. 3V-GoodCitizen071520.indd 1

SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29,7/14/20 2020 12:29 PM47

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music+nightlife

REVIEW this Greaseface, Disposable (SELF-RELEASED, DIGITAL)

You can’t go wrong with Urian Hackney producing your album. In fact, it’s a privilege to employ his talents. The Rough Francis drummer has proven to be one of Vermont’s top authorities on how to make music sound good. And he made the new Greaseface EP, Disposable, sound really, really good. It’s clear that the band, composed of bassist/vocalist Jackson Glover, drummer Brenden Provost and guitarist Liam Thomas, ably communicated their vision to Hackney. A follow-up to 2019’s excellent and confrontational You Fucked Up My Car, which Provost engineered, mixed and mastered, Disposable could have been something akin to what its title suggests. The four-track effort was recorded in quarantine, the new normal in 2020 for indie bands the world over. Though the Provost-produced LP also sounded really, really good, Greaseface didn’t have a Champlain College recording studio to use this time around, opting instead for “moms attic,” as they briefly explain on Bandcamp. But the band’s clobbering, no-wave punk, eyebrow-cocking lyrics and general fuckeverything sensibilities always seem to come together, no matter the resources available. Bringing Hackney in to mix and master ties everything together in what I

want to say is a nice, clean package with a pretty bow on top, but that’s not really Greaseface’s style. The EP is more like a wrinkled brown paper bag scrawled with black Sharpie. Raw and graphic right on the first track, “Saboteur” is a self-flagellating, Ritalin-addled anthem of angst. Its sour riff repeats over and over while Glover bleats out bitter phrases: “This time’s not much different / A formula for sinking / I wish I’d stop reliving / I wish I’d stop.” A seamless transition introduces “Accts. of Ghosts.” Hot snares and a wiry riff roil under Glover’s vocals, which sound even more agitated than on the first track. The stinging techno-horror song is about the legacy we leave online, a specter of zeros and ones that tells advertisers what we like to consume, even after we’re dead. Barbed and blaring, “Everything’s Disposable” smashes the listener with grinding distortion. At times, the sounds of drums, bass and guitar are occasionally crumpled together, separated by brazen licks and acidic lyrics. The EP concludes with a marginally softer edge, though the tersely titled “Bye” still kicks up considerable dust with its rolling toms and imposing guitar chords. Once again, Greaseface prove to be both self-effacing and brash, as well as messy and calculated. These contradictions are what make them such standouts in local rock. Disposable is available at greaseface. bandcamp.com.

JORDAN ADAMS

Kingporgie, Mitochondriac (SELF-RELEASED, DIGITAL)

The video for Ian Morris Greenman’s song “Churchy” shows the Burlington musician in a bedazzled cowboy hat, shirt open, growling out the track while surrounded by trippy, kaleidoscopic images. If this video were my first exposure to Greenman’s music, I’d have expected the rest of the songs on his debut solo project, Mitochondriac, to sound similarly like a hybrid of Queens of the Stone Age and Grimes. Turns out, Greenman, whose musical moniker is Kingporgie, is unpredictable. He experiments with a different genre, from funk and jazz to pop and R&B, on nearly every track. The seven-song collection starts with “Is there Life on Mars? (and are dogs allowed?!?),” an experimental and mostly instrumental selection featuring spoken-word samples in which the speakers consider life on other planets. Greenman, who wrote and recorded the bulk of Mitochondriac in his bedroom while quarantining in April and May, surely wasn’t the only person puzzling over existential questions during a year so calamitous that describing it as a dumpster fire is passé. Still, Greenman expresses optimism in “Coddiwomple,” singing, “So baby don’t you fret, there’s adventures yet to be met / When we’re in the world you’ll get a splendor so divine.”

GET YOUR MUSIC REVIEWED:

SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

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KRISTEN RAVIN

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

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“Hungary” opens with shimmery, discordant bleeps trickling over a synthetic beat, then morphs into an ambient R&B slow jam sprinkled with sweeping harp effects. In “Valleity,” a stoner-rock riff gives way to a full-on pop song with an electronic beat and Auto-Tuned vocals. Here Greenman sounds like a darker version of pop singer-songwriter and Vermont expat Isaac French, and it’s a lot of fun. Rhythms range from funk to jazz to rock in “Coddiwomple,” and “LiL sTaR” is full-on reggae. Greenman, who also plays in Queen City folk-rock group the Jesse Taylor Band, handled the bulk of vocals and instrumentals on Mitochondriac. Tyler Dawson contributed bass on the album opener, and local vocalist Cathy (yes, just Cathy), lent her voice to a couple of tracks. In fact, Greenman even timewarped and pitchshifted Cathy’s voice to create a synth part for the disco-inspired “Getting to Know the Dark.” If one song on Mitochondriac isn’t doing it for you, stick it out ’til the next one. With so many styles represented, chances are you’ll hear something that catches your ear. What’s impressive is that throughout all the genre hopping, Mitochondriac makes a cohesive musical statement with through lines of fuzzy filters, electronic effects and a psychedelic bent. Mitochondriac is available at kingporgie.bandcamp.com.

introducing

The Kinney Wine Trail! Check out our expanded selections at amazing everyday prices!

. e n i w e m o s e u c s e “R It’s trapped in a bottle.“ 7/21/20 12:56 PM

dance DANCE STUDIO SALSALINA: Salsa, bachata, cha-cha: Latin dancing! Salsalina Dance Studio reopening July 20 to offer private lessons only. Call to schedule, learn about pricing and safety protocols. See website for details. No dance experience or partner required, just the desire to have fun! Opening Jul. 20. Lessons avail. Mon.-Thu., 6-9 p.m. Varies. Location: 32 Malletts Bay Ave., Winooski. Info: Victoria, 598-1077, info@salsalina.com, salsalina.com.

design/build TINY HOUSE ‘GARDENEER’: In class: tool type and use, materials, parts of a house, lumber list, cut list. In field: We will frame a floor, deck it, get a rafter pattern and put up two walls, framed for window and door. Forestry walk: cruising timber, dropping, limbing, chunking, splitting, stacking cord wood. Garden tour: tools, layout and utilities. Creating a “destination CSA” for progressive share cropping. vermonttinyhouses.com. Jul. 18-19. Cost: $250/weekend; sliding scale; on-site camping avail.; preregistration req. Location: Bakersfield, Vermont. Info: 9336103, vermonttinyhouses.com.

drumming DJEMBE & TAIKO: JOIN US!: Digital classes! (No classes on-site for now.) Taiko: Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Djembe: Wednesday. Kids and Parents: Tuesday and Wednesday. Private digital conga lessons by appointment. Let’s prepare for a future drum gathering outdoors! Schedule/register online. Location: Taiko Space, 208 Flynn Ave., Suite 3G, Burlington. Info: 999-4255, burlingtontaiko.org.

gardening GARDENING FOR HEALTH: Learn the basics of gardening, healthy eating, mindfulness and physical activity for all abilities through workshops and home activities. Must be UVMMC patients (or employees) who are beginner gardeners and have at least one of the following conditions: pre-diabetes, diabetes, high blood pressure or overweight. Program funded through the generosity of donors to the UVM Medical Center Fund. Starts Aug. 4, 8 weeks, every other Tue., 5-7 p.m., or Thu., 9-11 a.m. 2-hour workshops + at-home activities; all materials provided. Location: University of Vermont Medical Center Rooftop Garden, 111 Colchester Ave., Burlington. Info: UVMMC and the Vermont Community Garden Network,

Lisa Hoare, 847-3833, healthcare garden@uvmhealth.org, uvm health.org/medcentergardening.

language LEARN SPANISH LIVE & ONLINE: Broaden your world. Learn Spanish online via live video conferencing. High-quality affordable instruction in the Spanish language for adults, students and children. Travelers lesson package. Our 14th year. Personal small group and individual instruction from a native speaker. See our website for complete information or contact us for details. Location: Spanish in Waterbury Center, Waterbury Center. Info: 585-1025, spanishparavos@gmail.com, spanishwaterburycenter.com.

martial arts VERMONT BRAZILIAN JIUJITSU: Brazilian jiujitsu is a martial arts combat style based entirely on leverage and technique. Brazilian jiujitsu self-defense curriculum is taught to Navy SEALs, CIA, FBI, military police and special forces. No training experience required. Easy-to-learn techniques that could save your life! Classes for men, women and children. Students will learn realistic bully-proofing and self-defense life skills to avoid becoming victims and help them feel safe and secure. Our sole purpose is to help empower people by giving them realistic martial arts training practices they can carry with them throughout life. IBJJF and CBJJ certified black belt sixth-degree instructor under Carlson Gracie Sr.: teaching in Vermont, born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A five-time Brazilian National Champion; International World Masters Champion and IBJJF World Masters Champion. Accept no Iimitations! Location: Vermont Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, 55 Leroy Rd., Williston. Info: 598-2839, julio@ bjjusa.com, vermontbjj.com.

photography LEARNING MANUAL SETTINGS ON A DSLR CAMERA: Maria French demystifies aperture, shutter speed and ISO. Explore camera settings and relation to available light. Develop skills to capture beauty that moves you. Plenty of time for practice and sharing. Maria adjusts to participants’ needs. Bring a DSLR camera, full battery and empty memory card. Register online by 8/10. Two sessions over two days: Sat.-Sun, Aug. 15-16; 8:30-10:30 a.m. or 3:30-5:30 p.m. Cost: $80. Location: Horsford Gardens and Nursery, 2111 Greenbush Rd.,

PLEASE CHECK WITH ORGANIZERS IN ADVANCE.

Charlotte.Info: Horsford Gardens and Nursery, Maria French, 802425-2811, maria@mariadayphoto graphy.com, 2eyeswalking.com/ workshop.

PHOTO: JEB WALLACE-BRODEUR

classes

CLASSES MAY BE CANCELED OR MOVED ONLINE DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS.

well-being ONLINE HAPPINESS PROGRAM: Learn to relieve stress and anxiety from home. This course uses SKY (or Sudarshan Kriya), a powerful breathing technique to quiet the mind, leading to a deep experience of meditation. Beginners welcome. Three-day online course, live interactive sessions with certified instructors. Register online or call Rondi for more information: 718207-5684. Fri., Aug. 7, 6:30-9 p.m., and Sat.-Sun., Aug. 8-9, 2:30-5 p.m. Cost: $190. Location: The Art of Living, Online venue. Info: The Art of Living, Rondi Sewelson, 718207-5684, rondi.sewelson@art ofliving.org, event.us.artofliving. org/us-en/online-course-2.

yoga EVOLUTION YOGA: Now offering live online and recorded classes. Practice yoga with some of the most experienced teachers and therapeutic professionals in Burlington, from the comfort of your home. Sign up on our website and receive a link to join a live class; a class recording will be sent after class. Pay as you go or support us by becoming an unlimited member. Join us outside this summer for Yoga on the Lake and Yoga in the Park. Registration is open for our 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training for Health and Wellness Professionals. Now offering flexible pricing based on your financial needs. Contact yoga@ evolutionvt.com. Single class: $0-15. 10-class pass: $100. $55 student unlimited membership. Summer unlimited pass Jun.Aug.: $195-275. Scholarships avail. for all pricing options. Location: Evolution Yoga, 20 Kilburn St., Burlington. Info: 8649642, evolutionvt.com. LAUGHING RIVER YOGA: Increase confidence and decrease stress. Enjoy inspirational teachings, intelligent alignment and focused workshops through daily virtual and live yoga classes. Check out our virtual library and practice with us outdoors at the Burlington Surf Club and limited capacity indoors at the Chace Mill. All bodies and abilities welcome. Daily classes, workshops, 200- & 300-hour yoga teacher training. $5-$15 single class; $44-$99/mo. unlimited. Location: Laughing River Yoga, Chace Mill and Burlington Surf Club, Burlington. Info: 3438119, laughingriveryoga.com.

When Spruce Peak Arts’ finance manager decided to retire, we definitely entered the search with some trepidation. It’s such a strange time for individuals and businesses that I just didn’t know what to expect. I wasn’t sure what the landscape would be for job hunters right now. We started advertising just with Seven Days, where we’d had success before, and never expanded the search beyond that. Previously, we’ve used a ton of sites, including Indeed.com. With those big, national sites, I just haven’t found the quality of candidates we were hoping for. We were just hopeful that, even in this strange time, we’d be able to find the right person. And luckily we did. We had an immediate flood of inquiries from some very, very qualified candidates. Within two weeks I was able to make an offer to someone whom I think will be an amazing addition to the team. Seven Days and Michelle made it super easy, super efficient. I was so pleasantly surprised by the caliber of people who responded — and the quantity, as well. It was really terrific for us.

HOPE SULLIVAN Executive Director Spruce Peak Arts, Stowe

…it works. CALL MICHELLE: 865-1020, EXT.21 OR VISIT JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM

CLASS PHOTOS + MORE INFO ONLINE SEVENDAYSVT.COM/CLASSES 2V-Filler070820.indd 1

SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

7/7/20 4:57 PM

“One could write a book about why shopping local is so important. When you shop at one of our bookstores, the money keeps recirculating in the local economy, because our staff patronizes farmers markets, restaurants and many other local retailers. National shopping websites don’t employ any local people, nor do they give back to our vital nonprofit organizations.” MICHAEL DESANTO OWNER, PHOENIX BOOKS

Take a break from the big guys and support local first. Vermont merchants have faced mandatory store closures and other challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even as some open back up, others operate online only. All need your support.

WITH GENEROUS SUPPORT FROM:

PICTURED: PHOENIX BOOKS, 191 BANK ST., BURLINGTON, PHOENIXBOOKS.BIZ (JAMES BUCK)

SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

1T-Register062420.indd 1

Visit the Register for all the info on area shopkeepers who are selling their products online for local delivery or curbside pickup. Browse by categories ranging from jewelry to electronics, outdoor gear to apparel. Whether you need something for yourself or that perfect gift for a loved one, shop savvy and keep Vermont strong. SHOP T HE R EGIS T E R .C OM

6/23/20 3:21 PM

COURTESY OF KELLY SCHULZE/MOUNTAIN DOG PHOTOGRAPHY

Humane

Rocco AGE/SEX: 4-year-old neutered male ARRIVAL DATE: June 12, 2020 REASON HERE: He wasn’t getting along with the other dog in his home. SUMMARY: He’s an extra-special pup looking for an extraspecial home, with a family who understands his personality and needs. Rocco enjoys peace and quiet, lounging around with his people, and bouncing around with squeaky toys. He is generally uncomfortable with frequent changes in his environment, loud noises and commotion, and new people coming and going. But once he knows you’re a friend, his silly side comes out and his little nub tail starts wagging a million miles an hour. See more of Rocco’s story on our Facebook page and visit hsccvt.org to schedule a meeting with Rocco!

Society of Chittenden County

DID YOU KNOW?

It’s impossible to determine a dog’s breed just by looking at them. Many people have heard the terms “mixed breed” or “mutt,” but HSCC uses “American Shelter Dog” to capture the spirit and individuality of the dogs who come through our doors. We encourage all prospective adopters to look beyond first appearances and consider each dog without assigning inaccurate labels. Just like humans, dogs are all a bit different — and great in their own ways!

Sponsored by:

DOGS/CATS: Rocco has lived with another dog but may prefer to be the only dog in his new home. He has no known experience with cats. He has lived with a child.

NEW STUFF ONLINE EVERY DAY! PLACE YOUR ADS 24-7 AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM.

housing »

APARTMENTS, CONDOS & HOMES

on the road »

CARS, TRUCKS, MOTORCYCLES

pro services »

CHILDCARE, HEALTH/ WELLNESS, PAINTING

buy this stuff »

APPLIANCES, KID STUFF, ELECTRONICS, FURNITURE

music »

INSTRUCTION, CASTING, INSTRUMENTS FOR SALE

jobs »

NO SCAMS, ALL LOCAL, POSTINGS DAILY

SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29 , 2020

CLASSIFIEDS on the road

BURLINGTON Single room, Hill Section, on bus line. No cooking. Linens furnished. 862-2389. No pets.

housing

CARS/TRUCKS

FOR RENT

2014 TOYOTA PRIUS Hybrid III, 108K miles, gray, auto, navigation. $2,000. kabotv@cbrnmail.com, 802-419-5132.

1ST FLOOR, NEAT, COMPLETE Living area, kitchen, BR, BA, walk-in closet. Central vac. W/D. Central air. 2 parking spaces. $950/ mo., dep. , refs., lease. No pets. Bill Kalanges 802-662-4992.

CASH FOR CARS! We buy all cars! Junk, high-end, totaled: It doesn’t matter. Get free towing & same-day cash. Newer models, too. Call 1-866-5359689. (AAN CAN)

We Pick Up & Pay For Junk Automobiles!

AFFORDABLE 2-BR APT. AVAIL. At Keen’s Crossing. 2-BR: $1,266/mo., heat & HW incl. Open floor plan, fully applianced kitchen, fi tness center, pet friendly, garage parking. Income restrictions apply. 802-655-1810, keenscrossing.com.

Route 15, Hardwick

802-472-5100

3842 Dorset Ln., Williston

802-793-9133

CLASSIFIEDS KEY

sm-allmetals060811.indd 7/20/15 1 5:02 PM

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

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1968 and similar Vermont statutes which make it illegal to advertise any preference, limitations, or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, handicap, presence of minor children in the family or receipt of public assistance, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or a discrimination. The newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate, which is in violation of the law. Our

housing ads: $25 (25 words) legals: 52¢/word buy this stuff: free online services: $12 (25 words)

KEEN’S CROSSING IS NOW LEASING! 1-BR, $1,054/mo.; 2-BR, $1,266/mo.; 3-BR, $1,397/mo. Spacious interiors, fully applianced kitchen, fi tness center, heat & HW incl. Income restrictions apply. 802-655-1810, keenscrossing.com. PINECREST AT ESSEX 9 Joshua Way, Essex Jct. Independent senior living for those 55+ years. 2-BR, 2-BA corner unit avail. Sep. 15. $1,520/mo. incl. utils & parking garage. NS/ pets. 802-872-9197 or rae@fullcirclevt.com.

both schools. FSBO. Contact 802-272-7864.

services

BIZ OPPS BECOME A PUBLISHED AUTHOR! We edit, print & distribute your work internationally. We do the work; you reap the rewards! Call for a free Author’s Submission Kit: 844-511-1836. (AAN CAN)

COMPUTER ISSUES? Geeks On Site provides free diagnosis remotely 24-7 service during COVID-19. No home visit necessary. $40 off w/ coupon 86407! Restrictions apply. 866939-0093. (AAN CAN)

HOUSEMATES

EDUCATION

NEED A ROOMMATE? Roommates.com will help you find your perfect match today! (AAN CAN)

TRAIN ONLINE TO DO MEDICAL BILLING! Become a medical office professional online at CTI! Get trained, certified & ready to work in months. Call 866-243-5931. Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.-6 p.m. (AAN CAN)

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. 3-ACRE BUILDING LOTS Off Cherry Tree Hill in E. Montpelier. Private road w/ cul-de-sac. Permits in place. Utils. underground. Close to

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

BURLINGTON

Share apartment with avid sports & music fan in his 50s. No rent in exchange for errands, occas. transportation & evening help w/ meals, etc. Shared BA. No smoking.

HINESBURG Retired professional couple seeking 8-10 hrs/wk of property work (wood stacking, snow removal, mowing, etc) & light cleaning in exchange for rural housing at no cost. Private BA, kitchenette.

MONTPELIER Professional couple interested in social justice & gardening, seeking housemate w/ limited exposure outside home due to Covid. $550/mo. plus sharing snow & yard work. Private BA. Must be cat-friendly! Finding you just the right housemate for over 35 years! Call 863-5625 or visit HomeShareVermont.org for an application. Interview, refs, bg check req. EHO

Homeshare-temp2.indd 1

FINANCIAL/LEGAL

SERVICES »

Vehicles  Personal Property Boat, Tools, Antiques, Furnishings & Decor

Public Auto Auction

Online Ends Tues., July 28 @ 12PM Lamoille County Location

Consign Yours Today!

802-878-9200

Barn Found Signs, Antiques & Collectibles Online End Wed., July 29 @ 6PM 4904 VT-22A, Addison, VT

Artwork, Antiques & Household Furnishings

Online Ends Mon., August 3 @ 12PM Shelburne Vermont Location

Preview: Wed., July 22 by Appointment

AUTO INSURANCE Starting at $49/mo.! Call for your fee rate comparison to see how much you can save. Call 855-569-1909. (AAN CAN) BOY SCOUT COMPENSATION FUND Anyone who was inappropriately touched by a Scout leader deserves justice & financial compensation! Victims may be eligible for a significant cash settlement. Time to file is limited. Call now. 844-896-8216. (AAN CAN)

7/20/20 10:52 AM

Fri., July 24 @ 9AM (Reg. @ 8AM) 298 J Brown Dr., Williston, VT PREVIEW Mon.-Thur. from 8AM-4PM

ENTERTAINMENT DISH TV $59.99 for 190 channels + $14.95 high-speed internet. Free installation, smart HD DVR incl., free voice remote. Some restrictions apply. 1-855-380-2501. (AAN CAN)

print deadline: Mondays at 4:30 p.m. post ads online 24/7 at: sevendaysvt.com/classifieds questions? classifieds@sevendaysvt.com 865-1020 x10

Homeshares

COMPUTER

PINECREST AT ESSEX 9 Joshua Way, Essex Jct. Independent senior living for those 55+ years. 1-BR avail. Jul. 15, $1,240/mo. incl. utils. & parking garage. NS/ pets. 802-872-9197 or rae@fullcirclevt.com.

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:

SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

display service ads: $25/$45 homeworks: $45 (40 words, photos, logo) fsbos: $45 (2 weeks, 30 words, photo) jobs: michelle@sevendaysvt.com, 865-1020 x21

Email: Mary@THCAuction.com

Preview: Wed., July 29 by Appointment Email: Mary@THCAuction.com

THCAuction.com  800-634-7653  802-888-4662 4t-hirchakbrother072220 1

Say you saw it in...

7/20/20 8:53 AM

NOW IN sevendaysvt.com

3D!

Calcoku SEVENDAYSVT.COM/CLASSIFIEDS »

Using the enclosed math operations as a guide, fill the grid using the numbers 1 - 6 only once in each row and column.

2÷

Show and tell. Sudoku

Open 24/7/365.

View and post up to Post & browse ads Complete the following puzzle by using theconvenience. 6 photos per ad online. at your

numbers 1-9 only once in each row, column and 3 x 3 box.

8 3

24x 1-

11-

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6 4 2 1

60x 7+

CALCOKU

2 5

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5 3-

4 2

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BY JOSH REYNOLDS

9 6 7

1 3 2 7

1 5 6

No. 646

SUDOKU

Difficulty: Medium

BY JOSH REYNOLDS

DIFFICULTY THIS WEEK: HH

Fill the grid using the numbers 1-6, only once in each row and column. The numbers in each heavily outlined “cage” must combine to produce the target number in the top corner, using the mathematical operation indicated. A onebox cage should be filled in with the target number in the top corner. A number can be repeated within a cage as long as it is not the same row or column.

Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each 9-box square contains all of the numbers one to nine. The same numbers cannot be repeated in a row or column.

2 6 7 3 8 9 5 1 4 ANSWERS ON P.55 H = MODERATE4 HH 9= CHALLENGING 5 7 6 H1HH3= HOO, 8 BOY! 2 8 1 7 3 REFORMULATED CEREAL 1 8 ANSWERS ON P. 55 » 9 5 6 2 3 7 5 4

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Find out what’s percolating today. Sign up to receive our house blend of local news headlines served up in one convenient email by Seven Days.

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SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

1/13/14 1:45 PM

services [CONTINUED] NEED HELP W/ FAMILY LAW? Can’t afford a $5,000 retainer? Low-cost legal services: Pay as you go, as low as $750-1,500. Get legal help now! Call 1-844-821-8249, Mon.-Fri., 7 a.m.-4 p.m. PCT. familycourtdirect. com/?network=1. (AAN CAN) NEED IRS RELIEF? $10K-125K+. Get fresh start or forgiveness. Call 1-877-258-2890 Mon.-Fri., 7 a.m.-5 p.m. PST. (AAN CAN) SAVE BIG ON HOME INSURANCE! Compare 20 A-rated insurances companies. Get a quote within mins. Average savings of $444/year! Call 844-712-6153! Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Central. (AAN CAN) SERIOUSLY INJURED in an auto accident? Let us fight for you! Our network has recovered millions for clients. Call today for a free consultation. 1-866-9912581. (AAN CAN) STRUGGLING W/ YOUR PRIVATE STUDENT LOAN PAYMENT? New relief programs can reduce your payments. Learn your options. Good credit not necessary. Call the Helpline: 888-670-5631. Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-5 p.m. ET. (AAN CAN)

HEALTH/ WELLNESS GENTLE TOUCH MASSAGE Specializing in deep tissue, reflexology, sports massage, Swedish & relaxation massage for men. Practicing massage therapy for over 14 years. Gregg, gentletouchvt.com, motman@ymail.com, 802-234-8000 (call/ text). Milton.

LOOKING FOR SUPPORT GROUPS? Check out the classifieds.sevendaysvt. com, then find Support Groups in the Local Scene category. 1-STOP SHOP For all your catheter needs. We accept Medicaid, Medicare & insurance. Try before you buy. Quick & easy. Give us a call: 866-2822506. (AAN CAN) OPTIMAL MEN’S HEALTH! Better sexual performance at any age! Bring spontaneity back w/ cutting-edge ED treatment. GAINSWave increases stamina & function w/out drugs. Email gainswave@ northbranchvt.com, or call 802-828-1234. PSYCHIC COUNSELING Psychic counseling, channeling w/ Bernice Kelman, Underhill. 30+ years’ experience. Also energy healing, chakra balancing, Reiki, rebirthing, other lives, classes, more. 802-899-3542, kelman.b@juno.com. RECENTLY DIAGNOSED w/lung cancer or mesothelioma? Exposed to asbestos pre-1980 at work or Navy? You may be entitled to a significant cash award! Smoking history OK. Call 1-844-925-3467. (AAN CAN) YOGA GRAND OPENING JUL. 26-AUG. 8 Kamalika-K Yoga Wellness Studio, Essex Jct. Wellness stations: auricular therapy, crystal healing, doTerra essential oils, plant-based vegan protein shakes & more. Weeknight workshops. Raffles. kamalikak.com.

HOME/GARDEN CLASSIC SHADES PAINTING Quality craftsmanship & courteous customer care. Interior/exterior painting. Residential/ commercial. Lead certified. Call now for your free estimate, 802345-2038, or email us at classicshadespainting@ gmail.com.

HEARING AIDS!! Buy 1 & get 1 free! High-quality rechargeable Nano hearing aids priced 90% less than competitors. Nearly invisible. 45-day money-back guarantee! 1-833-585-1117. (AAN CAN)

SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

buy this stuff

GARAGE/ESTATE SALES MOVING SALE Sat., Jul. 25, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., 51 Arlington Ct., Burlington. Housewares, end tables, lamps, dressers, clothes, books, puzzles & more + lots of freebies!

REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS: List your properties here and online for only $45/week. Submit your listings by Mondays at noon to homeworks@sevendaysvt.com or 802-865-1020, x10.

SWEET & CHARMING CITY HOME BURLINGTON | 10 MYRTLE STREET

HOUSEHOLD ITEMS ORIENTAL RUG Beautiful, round, 8’ oriental rug. Handmade, excellent condition. Soft earth tones. No stains, cared for. Asking $225. Pic available. Replacing for new décor. Sandra, 802-343-5510.

MISCELLANEOUS

Quaint one-way street with community garden in the heart of Burlington. Adorable home welcomes you with fully screened porch, beautiful open kitchen with gas range flows into living room with gas fireplace. You’ll love original hardwood floors, attention to detail and natural light. Upstairs features 3 bedrooms and nicely appointed ¾ bath. $285,000

ATTENTION, VIAGRA & CIALIS USERS! A cheaper alternative to high drugstore prices! 50-pill special: $99 + free shipping! 100% guaranteed. Call now: 888-531-1192. (AAN CAN) HW-Holmes1-072220.indd 1 BASS, GUITAR, DRUMS, STORE CLOSING VOICE LESSONS & Store closing in MORE Burlington. Fixtures, Remote music lessons displays, supplies, etc. are an amazing way Call Carol at 802-922to spend time at 8244 or carolvonrohr@ home! Learn guitar, yahoo.com. Nice glass bass, piano, voice, & wood display cases, violin, drums, flute, sax, bookshelves, & plenty trumpet, production more. & beyond w/ pro local instructors from the Burlington Music Dojo on Pine St. All levels & styles are welcome, incl. absolute beginners. Come share in the music! burlington musicdojo.com, info@burlington musicdojo.com.

music

INSTRUCTION ANDY’S MOUNTAIN MUSIC Online lessons! Affordable, accessible, no-stress instruction in banjo, guitar, mandolin, more. All ages/skill levels/interests welcome. Dedicated teacher; refs., convenience. Andy Greene, 802-658-2462, guitboy75@hotmail. com, andysmountain music.com.

GUITAR INSTRUCTION Berklee graduate w/ 30 years’ teaching experience offers lessons in guitar, music theory, music technology, ear training. Individualized, step-by-step approach. All ages, styles, levels. Rick Belford, 864-7195, rickb@rickbelford.com.

Robbi Handy Holmes

If you feel that any of the District Commission members listed on the attached Certificate of Service under “For Your Information” may have a conflict of interest, or if there is any other Waste Management, 7/20/20 2:54 PM reason a member should Inc., 220 Avenue B, be disqualified from Williston, VT 05495 sitting on this case, filed application please contact the number 4C0331-14E District Coordinator as for a project generally soon as possible, and by described as temporary no later than August 6, storage of dumpsters 2020. and rolloffs for Casella Management’s If you have a disoverflow storage ability for which you during construction of need accommodation in facility in Williston. The order to participate in Project is located at this process (including the BTV quarry at 1200 participating in a public Airport Drive in South hearing, if one is held), Burlington, Vermont. please notify us as soon as possible, in order to The District 4 allow us as much time as Environmental Commission is reviewing possible to accommodate your needs. this application under Act 250 Rule 51—Minor Parties entitled to Applications. A copy participate are the of the application and Municipality, the proposed permit are Municipal Planning available for review at Commission, the the office listed below. Regional Planning The application and a draft permit may also be Commission, affected state agencies, and viewed on the Natural adjoining property ownResources Board’s ers and other persons web site (http://nrb. vermont.gov) by clicking to the extent that they have a particularized on “Act 250 Database” and entering the project interest that may be affected by the proposed number “4C0331-14E.” project under the Act 250 criteria. Non-party No hearing will be held participants may also be and a permit may be allowed under 10 V.S.A. issued unless, on or Section 6085(c)(5). before August 6, 2020,

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices 802-951-2128 robbihandyholmes@vtregroup.com

STUDIO/ REHEARSAL REHEARSAL SPACE Safe & sanitary music/ creative spaces avail. by the hour in the heart of the South End art district. Monthly arrangements avail., as well. Tailored for music but can be multipurpose. info@ burlingtonmusicdojo. com, 802-540-0321.

ACT 250 NOTICE MINOR APPLICATION #4C033114E 10 V.S.A. §§ 6001 - 6093 On July 9, 2020, City of Burlington, Burlington International Airport, 1200 Airport Drive, #1, South Burlington, VT 05403 and Casella

a person notifies the Commission of an issue or issues requiring the presentation of evidence at 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 to the address below, 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. Prior to submitting a request for a hearing, please contact the district coordinator at the telephone number listed below for more information. Prior to convening a hearing, the Commission must determine that substantive issues requiring a hearing have been raised. Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law may not be prepared unless the Commission holds a public hearing.

Dated at Essex Junction, Vermont this 14th day of July, 2020. By: Stephanie H. Monaghan, District 4 Coordinator, 111 West Street, Essex Junction, VT 05452 802-879-5662 stephanie.monaghan@ vermont.gov

ACT 250 NOTICE MINOR APPLICATION #4C033135 10 V.S.A. §§ 6001 - 6093 On July 8, 2020, City of Burlington, Burlington International Airport, 1200 Airport Drive, #1, South Burlington, VT 05403 and Beta Air, LLC, 1150 Airport Drive, South Burlington, VT 05403 filed application number 4C0331-35 for a project generally described as construction of a 23,500 square foot, 3-story addition to the north side and a 960 square foot addition to the east side of an existing 36,800 square foot hangar/office building, along with associated site improvements. The Project is located at 1150 Airport Drive in South Burlington, Vermont. The District 4 Environmental Commission is reviewing this application under Act 250 Rule 51—Minor Applications. A copy of the application and proposed permit are available for review at the office listed below. The application and a draft permit may also be viewed on the Natural Resources Board’s web site (http://nrb. vermont.gov) by clicking on “Act 250 Database” and entering the project number “4C0331-35.” No hearing will be held and a permit may be issued unless, on or before August 6, 2020, a person notifies the Commission of an issue or issues requiring the presentation of evidence at 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 to the address below, 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. Prior to

SEVENDAYSVT.COM/CLASSIFIEDS

TURNKEY RUTLAND DELI

Sealed BIDS shall be marked in the lower left-hand corner: Bid Documents: Cherry Street Sidewalk STP SDWK (18).

format (PDF) files) for a non-refundable charge of $75.00, plus shipping. July 13, 2020 Dave Allerton Director of Public Works Town of Milton

NOTICE OF LEGAL SALE View Date: 8/6/20 Sale Date: 8/7/20 Asad Adan Unit #353; David Lawrence Unit #194 Easy Self Storage 46 Swift, South Burlington, VT 05403 802-863-8300

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE Burlington Comprehensive Development Ordinance. Pursuant to 24 V.S.A. §4442 and §4444, notice is hereby given of a public hearing by the Burlington City Council to hear comments on the following proposed amendment to the City of Burlington’s Comprehensive Development Ordinance (CDO): ZA-20-06 Bowling Alley in ELM Per Act 92, Secs. 5 and 6, the public hearing will

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take place on Monday, August 10, 2020 during the Regular City Council Meeting which begins at 7:00 pm. You may access the hearing/ meeting as follows: To join from a Computer, please use the following link: https://us02web. zoom.us/j/88141793542 To join by iPhone onetap: US: #19292056099, 88141793542# or +13017158592, 88141793542# To join by Telephone Dial: US: +19292056099 or +13017158592 or +13126266799 or +16699006833 or +12532158782 or +13462487799 Webinar ID: 881 4179 3542 International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom. us/u/kU59EMSSY Pursuant to the requirements of 24 V.S.A. §4444(b): Statement of purpose: The purpose of this amendment is allow bowling alleys as a permitted use in the Enterprise Light Manufacturing zoning district. Geographic areas affected: The proposed amendment is applicable to all properties located with the Enterprise Light Manufacturing zoning district within the City of Burlington.

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List of section headings affected: The proposed amendment modifies Appendix A- Use Table. The full text of the Burlington Comprehensive

STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT CHITTENDEN UNIT PROBATE DIVISION DOCKET NO.: 738-7-20 CNPR In re ESTATE of WILLIAM W. MACMILLAN, JR.

To the Creditors of: William W. MacMillan, Jr., late of Williston. I have been appointed executor of this estate. All creditors having claims against the decedent or the estate must present their claims in writing within four (4) months 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: July 14, 2020 Signature of Fiduciary: /s/ Launa L. Slater, Esq. Executor/Administrator: William W. MacMillan, III, c/o Launa L. Slater, Esq., Jarrett & Luitjens, PLC, 1795 Williston Rd., Suite 125, South Burlington, VT 05403 Name of Publication: Seven Days Publication Date: 7/22/20 Probate Court: Chittenden Probate Court, PO Box 511, Burlington, VT 05402-0511

STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT PROBATE DIVISION CHITTENDEN UNIT DOCKET NO. 534-5-20 CNPR IN RE THE ESTATE OF ROBERT COLE SCOTT, LATE OF SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT. NOTICE TO HEIRS AT LAW BY PUBLICATION: TO The Heirs at Law of ROBERT COLE SCOTT, late of South Burlington, Vermont: WHEREAS, a Petition to Open Testate Estate

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has been filed in the Chittenden Unit, Probate Division of the State of Vermont, by Geraldine E. Stewart, Esq. for John Cronin of United Way of Northwest Vermont, proposed Fiduciary, alleging that Robert Cole Scott left an instrument bearing the date of February 17, 2003, purporting to be his Last Will and Testament, and further alleging that the Decedent left personal estate to be administered, and said Petition is pending and requests that John Cronin of United Way of Northwest Vermont be appointed to administer the estate; and WHEREAS, the Court, by Order dated June 17, 2020, has ordered that a Notice to Heirs at Law of Robert Cole Scott be published in a local paper. Service by publication to be complete 21 days from the date of publication. THEREFORE, you are hereby notified to provide notice to the address below if you are an heir of Robert Cole Scott. This is the first action in this proceeding. If you wish to receive notice of future events or motions which may occur in this matter you must formally enter your appearance in the proceeding with the court. Dated at South Burlington this 13th day of July 2020. /s/ Geraldine E. Stewart, Esq. for John Cronin_ John Cronin of United Way of Northwest Vermont, Special Administrator, c/o Geraldine E. Stewart, Esq. Jarrett & Luitjens, PLC, 1795 Williston Road, Suite 125, South Burlington, VT 05403

STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT PROBATE DIVISION CHITTENDEN UNIT DOCKET NO. 6-1-20 CNPR IN RE: ESTATE OF HENRIQUE RODRIGUES VALLE, JR. NOTICE TO CREDITORS To the creditors of Henrique Rodrigues Valle, Jr., late of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: I have been appointed to administer this estate. All creditors having claims against the decedent or the estate must present their claims in writing

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Copies of the CONTRACT DOCUMENTS may be obtained at the office of Blue Prints, Etc. located at 20 Farrell Street, South Burlington, VT 05403, upon a nonrefundable payment of $100.00 for each set. Checks shall be payable to Blue Prints, Etc. Alternatively, CONTRACT DOCUMENTS are available on compact disc (as portable document

Expand your business to Rutland City. Currently a delicatessen, it’s ready to be reinvented. All equipment in good condition. Possibilities for a neighborhood business are endless! Plentiful parking. Contact Jim Watson, Watson Realty, 802-345-0081 for details and showings.

Development Ordinance is available online at www.burlingtonvt. gov/DPI/CDO. A hard copy of the proposed amendment is posted and can be viewed on the information board located on the first floor of City Hall, 149 Church Street, Burlington, Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or on the department’s website at https:// www.burlingtonvt.gov/ DPI/CDO/ProposedAmendments-Beforethe-City-Council.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Each BID must be accompanied by a certified check payable to the Town of Milton for fi ve percent (5%) of the total amount of the BID. A BID bond may be used in lieu of a certified check (If a certified check is being provided, bidder must contact the Milton Town Clerk to schedule a time to drop off the certified check. Certified check must be with bid at time of bid opening).

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using the numbers 1 - 6 only once in each row and Difficulty: Medium column.

PUZZLE ANSWERS

This delightful small business is ready for you! Expand your current business to Rutland City. Currently a delicatessen, it comes ready to be reinvented by you. All equipment is in good condition. The possibilities for a neighborhood business are limited only by your imagination. Plentiful parking and a large lot are part of the deal. This property is listed through Watson Realty. Contact Jim Watson, 802-345-0081 for more details and to make an appointment to view.

State officials. A summary of the bids received will be issued

List your property here for 2 weeks for only $45! Contact Katie, 865-1020, ext. 10, fsbo@sevendaysvt.com.

A live bid opening will occur immediately after the bid submittal deadline via a Zoom Meeting with Town and

FOR SALE BY OWNER

Parties entitled to participate are the Municipality, the Municipal Planning Commission, the Regional Planning Commission, affected state agencies, and adjoining property owners and other persons

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS: TOWN OF MILTON, 43 BOMBARDIER ROAD, MILTON, VT 05468 Sealed bids from prequalified contractors shall be accepted until 1:00 PM EST, August 11, 2020 at Town of Milton, Town Office, 43 Bombardier Road, Milton, VT 05468 for construction of the project hereinafter described. Bidding Contractors are required to submit their bids electronically no later than 1:00 PM to all of the following addresses: dallerton@miltonvt.gov, jbooth@aeengineers. com, ross.gouin@ vermont.gov.

A pre-bid meeting is scheduled at the intersection of Cherry Street and Turner Avenue, Milton, VT 05468 on 10:00 AM July 27, 2020. All prospective bidders are encouraged to attend this meeting.

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fsb

If you have a disability for which you need accommodation in order to participate in this process (including participating in a public hearing, if one is held), please notify us as soon as possible, in order to allow us as much time as possible to accommodate your needs.

Dated at Essex Junction, Vermont this 15th day of July, 2020. By: Stephanie H. Monaghan, District Coordinator, 111 West Street, Essex Junction, VT 05452, 802-879-5662 Stephanie.Monaghan@ vermont.gov

immediately after opening to all bidders via email. The time of receiving and opening bids may be postponed due to emergencies or unforeseen conditions.

If you feel that any of the District Commission members listed on the attached Certificate of Service under “For Your Information” may have a conflict of interest, or if there is any other reason a member should be disqualified from sitting on this case, please contact the District Coordinator as soon as possible, and by no later than August 6, 2020.

to the extent that they have a particularized interest that may be affected by the proposed project under the Act 250 criteria. Non-party participants may also be allowed under 10 V.S.A. Section 6085(c)(5).

Open 24/7/365.

View and post up to 6 photos per ad online.

submitting a request for a hearing, please contact the district coordinator at the telephone number listed below for more information. Prior to convening a hearing, the Commission must determine that substantive issues requiring a hearing have been raised. Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law may not be prepared unless the Commission holds a public hearing.

Show and tell.

LEGALS » 55

Plaintiff is the present holder, by virtue of the following Assignments of Mortgage:

[CONTINUED] 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 as described within the four (4) month period. Dated: 7/9/2020 /S/ Bruno Guerra Rodrigues Valle Executor/ Administrator: Bruno Guerra Rodrigues Valle c/o Livia K. DeMarchis, Esq., Gravel & Shea PC, P.O. Box 369, Burlington, VT 05402 ldemarchis@ gravelshea.com Name of Publication: Seven Days Publication Date: 7/22/20 Probate Court: Chittenden Unit, Probate Court, P.O. Box 511, Burlington, VT 05402

STATE OF VERMONT VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT WASHINGTON UNIT, CIVIL DIVISION DOCKET NO: 311-5-18 WNCV U.S. BANK TRUST, N.A., AS TRUSTEE FOR LSRMF MH MASTER PARTICIPATION TRUST II v. JERI M. KEENAN OCCUPANTS OF: 78 Creamery Street, Plainfield VT MORTGAGEE’S NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE OF REAL PROPERTY UNDER 12 V.S.A. sec 4952 et seq. In accordance with the Judgment Order and Decree of Foreclosure entered December 23, 2019 in the above captioned action brought to foreclose that certain mortgage given by Jeri M. Keenan and the late Michael L. Keenan to First Franklin Financial Corporation, dated February 26, 2004 and recorded in Book 55 Page 99 of the land records of the Town of Plainfield, of which mortgage the

(1) Assignment of Mortgage from First Franklin Financial Corporation to First Franklin Financial Corporation dated January 12, 2010 and recorded in Book 55 Page 99-A; (2) Corrective Assignment of Mortgage from First Franklin Financial Corporation to Federal National Mortgage Association dated January 22, 2018 and recorded in Book 55 page 99-C and (3) Assignment of Mortgage from Federal National Mortgage Corporation to U.S. Bank Trust, N.A., as Trustee for LSRMF MH Master Participation Trust II dated February 18, 2020 and recorded in Book 55 page 757 all of the land records of the Town of Plainfield for breach of the conditions of said mortgage and for the purpose of foreclosing the same will be sold at Public Auction at 78 Creamery Street, Plainfield, Vermont on August 10, 2020 at 10:00 AM all and singular the premises described in said mortgage, To wit: All that certain property situated in the County of WASHINGTON, and State of VERMONT, being described as follows: A PARCEL OF LAND, WITH HOUSE THEREON, KNOWN AS 78 CREAMERY STREET, PLAINFIELD, VERMONT; AND BEING ALL AND SAME LANDS AND PREMISES CONVEYED TO PETER L’ESPERANCE AND PATRICIA L’ESPERANCE, TRUSTEES OF THE MINOR CHILDREN OF DEBBIE FOWLER BY QUITCLAIM DEED OF PATRICIA L’ESPERANCE DATED NOVEMBER 13, 1996 AND RECORDED NOVEMBER 15, 1996 IN VOLUME 40, PAGE 214 OF LAND RECORDS OF THE TOWN OF PLAINFIELD AND BEING MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: BEING ALL THE SAME LAND PREMISES CONVEYED TO PATRICIA L’ESPERANCE BY QUITCLAIM DEED OF

SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

TIMOTHY A. FOWLER DATED NOVEMBER 13, 1996 AND RECORDED NOVEMBER 15, 1996 IN VOLUME 40, PAGE 213 OF THE LAND RECORDS OF THE TOWN OF PLAINFIELD. BEING THE REMAINDER OF ALL AND THE SAME LAND PREMISES CONVEYED TO JUDITH FOWLER AND HOWARD FOWLER (DECEASED) BY WARRANTY DEED OF REBECCA JANE BUCK, DATED JULY 6, 1984 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 29, PAGE 11 OF THE LAND RECORDS OF THE TOWN OF PLAINFIELD, EXCEPTING AND RESERVING LAND AND AN OLD GARAGE ON THE EASTERLY SIDE OF CREAMERY STREET, SUBSEQUENTLY CONVEYED TO ALAN B, GOLDMAN SEPTEMBER 11, 1987. SAID PROPERTY BEING FURTHER DESCRIBED AS 43 ACRES, MORE OR LESS, WITH DWELLING LOCATED ON TH #9, CREAMERY STREET, SO CALLED, IN PLAINFIELD, VERMONT. REFERENCE IS HEREBY MADE TO THE ABOVE REFERENCED DEEDS AND TO THE REFERENCES THEREIN CONTAINED IN FURTHER AID OF THIS DESCRIPTION. SOURCE OF TITLE: BOOK 49 PAGE 93 RECORDED: FEBRUARY 13, 2002 APN: 11-100 Reference is hereby made to the above instruments and to the records and references contained therein in further aid of this description. Terms of sale: Said premises will be sold and conveyed subject to all liens, encumbrances, unpaid taxes, tax titles, municipal liens and assessments, if any, which take precedence over the said mortgage above described. TEN THOUSAND ($10,000.00) Dollars of the purchase price must be paid by a certified check, bank treasurer’s or cashier’s check at the time and place of the sale by the purchaser. Th e balance of the purchase price shall be paid by a certified check, bank treasurer’s or cashier’s check within sixty (60) days after the date of sale. Th e mortgagor is entitled to redeem

the premises at any time prior to the sale by paying the full amount due under the mortgage, including the costs and expenses of the sale. Other terms to be announced at the sale. DATED : July 2, 2020 By: /S/Rachel K. Ljunggren, Esq. Rachel K. Ljunggren, Esq. Bendett and McHugh, PC 270 Farmington Ave., Ste. 151 Farmington, CT 06032

STATE OF VERMONT VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT WASHINGTON UNIT, CIVIL DIVISION DOCKET NO: 658-1218 WNCV U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR STRUCTURED ASSET SECURITIES CORPORATION MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-BC2 v. NANCY MALCOLM, TRUSTEE OF THE CAROL CONKLIN WHEELOCK REVOCABLE LIVING TRUST U/T/A FEBRUARY 16, 2007 AND FLY-IN CHALETS CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION OCCUPANTS OF: 149 Airport Road, Unit E, Waitsfield VT MORTGAGEE’S NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE OF REAL PROPERTY UNDER 12 V.S.A. sec 4952 et seq. In accordance with the Judgment Order and Decree of Foreclosure entered January 6, 2020 , in the above captioned action brought to foreclose that certain mortgage given by the late Carol Conklin Wheelock to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. as nominee for EquiFirst Corporation, dated September 21, 2006 and recorded in Book 123 Page 321 of the land records of the Town of Waitsfield, of which mortgage the Plaintiff is the present holder, by virtue of an Assignment of Mortgage from Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. as nominee for EquiFirst Corporation

to U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee for Structured Asset Securities Corporation Mortgage PassThrough Certificates, Series 2007-BC2 dated September 11, 2018 and recorded in Book 170 Page 183 of the land records of the Town of Waitsfield for breach of the conditions of said mortgage and for the purpose of foreclosing the same will be sold at Public Auction at 149 Airport Road, Unit E, Waitsfield, Vermont on August 21, 2020 at 10:00 AM all and singular the premises described in said mortgage, To wit: Being all and the same lands and premises as were conveyed to Carol C. Wheelock by Warranty Deed of Ray Campanile and Camille Campanile dated August 22, 2005 and recorded August 24, 2005 in Book 118, pages 501-503 of the land records of the Town of Waitsfield, Vermont. Being all and the same lands and premises as were conveyed to Ray Campanile and Camille Campanile by Warranty Deed of Sara E. Tucker dated June 29, 2004 and recorded June 30, 2004 in Book 112, pages 308-309 of the land records of the Town of Waitsfield, Vermont. Being Unit E, together with the undivided percentage interest in and to the common areas and facilities appurtenant to said Unit, in Fly-In Chalets A, a condominium existing under and pursuant to Declaration of Condominium of Fly-In Chalets A dated April 30, 1979 and recorded May 8, 1979 in Book 33, pages 357-391 of the Waitsfield Land Records, which includes Exhibits (floor plans, site plan and as-built certification among them), Bylaws and Administrative Rules and Regulations, and recorded in Book 39, pages 112-146 of the Fayston Land Records. Subject to and with the benefi t of rights, restrictions, covenants, terms, rights-of-way and easements referenced in the above mentioned deeds and instruments and their

records, or otherwise of record in the Town of Waitsfield and Fayston Land Records, and subject to terms and conditions of state and local land use regulations and any permits issued by any state or local authority under those regulations, which are valid and enforceable at law on the date of this deed - not meaning by such language to renew or reinstate any encumbrance which is otherwise barred by the provisions of Vermont law. Reference may be had to the above mentioned deeds and their records, and to all prior deeds and instruments and their records, for a more particular description of the herein conveyed lands and premises. Reference is hereby made to the above instruments and to the records and references contained therein in further aid of this description. Terms of sale: Said premises will be sold and conveyed subject to all liens, encumbrances, unpaid taxes, tax titles, municipal liens and assessments, if any, which take precedence over the said mortgage above described. TEN THOUSAND ($10,000.00) Dollars of the purchase price must be paid by a certified check, bank treasurer’s or cashier’s check at the time and place of the sale by the purchaser. Th e balance of the purchase price shall be paid by a certified check, bank treasurer’s or cashier’s check within sixty (60) days after the date of sale. Th e mortgagor is entitled to redeem the premises at any time prior to the sale by paying the full amount due under the mortgage, including the costs and expenses of the sale. Other terms to be announced at the sale. DATED: July 17, 2020 By: /S/Rachel K. Ljunggren, Esq. Rachel K. Ljunggren, Esq. Bendett and McHugh, PC 270

Say you saw it in...

Farmington Ave., Ste. 151 Farmington, CT 06032

SUPERIOR COURT CHITTENDEN UNIT STATE OF VERMONT PROBATE DIVISION DOCKET NO.: 495-420 CNPR In re ESTATE of James M. Kraushaar NOTICE TO CREDITORS To the creditors of: James M. Kraushaar, late of Shelburne. 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 first publication of this notice. Th e claim must be presented to me at the address listed below with a copy sent to the court. Th e claim may be barred forever if it is not presented within the four (4) month period. Dated: July 15, 2020 Signature of Fiduciary: /s/ Launa L. Slater, Esq. Executor/ Administrator: Kay Kraushaar, c/o Launa L. Slate, Esq., Jarrett & Luitjens, PLC, 1795 Williston Rd., Suite 125, South Burlington, VT 05403 802-864-5951 launa@vtelaw.com Name of Publication: Seven Days Publication Date: 7/22/20 Probate Court: Chittenden Probate Court, PO Box 511, Burlington, VT 05402-0511

THE CONTENTS OF STORAGE UNIT 0200220 LOCATED AT 48 INDUSTRIAL AVE , WILLISTON VT, 05495 WILL BE SOLD ON OR ABOUT THE 30TH OF JULY 2020 TO SATISFY THE DEBT OF GERALD KIRBY. Any person claiming a right to the goods may pay the amount claimed due and reasonable expenses before the sale, in which case the sale may not occur.

TOWN OF ESSEX PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA AUGUST 13, 2020 -6:30 P.M. COVID-19 UPDATE: Due to the COVID-19/

coronavirus pandemic, this meeting will beheld remotely and recorded via Microsoft Stream. Available options to watch or join the meeting: Join via Microsoft Teams at https:// tinyurl.com/ESSEXPC. Depending on your browser, you may need to call in for audio (below). Join via conference call (audio only): (802)3773784 Conference ID: 590879654# Watch the live stream video on Town Meeting TV’s YouTube Channel. Town Meeting TV, formally Channel 17, will be moving to on Comcast channel 1087. 1. Public Comments 2. SKETCHSUBDIVISION-PUBLIC HEARING: Kathy Pecue: Proposal for a 4 lot, 5-unit residential subdivision on a 10.5 acre lot located at 84 Susie Wilson Road in the I1, C2, & R2 Districts. Tax Map 9, Parcel 4. 3. PRELIMINARYSUBDIVISION-PUBLIC HEARING: Richard Bouffard: Proposal for a 24 Unit multi-family PUD-R on a 7.74 acre lot located at 81 Susie Wilson Road in the R2 District. Tax Map 54, Parcel 3. 4. Minutes: July 9, 2020 5. Other Business Note: Please visit our website at www.essex. org to view agendas, application materials, and minutes.

TOWN OF RICHMOND DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS NOTICE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that an online Zoom meeting is to be held in the Town of Richmond on Wednesday, July 29, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. to nominate the Justices of the Peace for the November 3, 2020 election period. If you would like to join the meeting, please email Sue Pochop (spochop@uvm.edu) or call (802) 318-5360 to request the Zoom link. This meeting is being conducted via Zoom due to the uncertainties of the public health situation. Marcia Lawrence, Chair Richmond Democratic Party

NOW IN sevendaysvt.com

3D!

57 JULY 22-29, 2020

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

JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POST-A-JOB NOON ON MONDAYS (INCLUDING HOLIDAYS) MICHELLE BROWN, 802-865-1020 X21, MICHELLE@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

YOUR TRUSTED LOCAL SOURCE. JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM

Electronic Technician Needed

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT To find out more information regarding openings at Bolton Valley Resort, visit our website to apply online.

Long standing Audio Electronics manufacturer looking for a component level troubleshooting and repair technician.

Email resume to: HR@boltonvalley.com. boltonvalley.com/jobs

FULL TIME OR PART TIME POSITION AVAILABLE.

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7/17/20 1:35 PM

Technical school degree, equivalent Military training or equivalent hands-on experience required.

Project Manager Energy Action Network (EAN) is seeking a highly motivated, multi-skilled person to become a core part of our non-profit staff team in a permanent, full-time position. Our Project Manager will be responsible for managing the VT Energy Dashboard and leading EAN data collection, management, and analysis. Located in Montpelier or remote. Competitive salary and generous benefits. Find out more and apply: www.eanvt.org/employment Applications due by Aug. 7, 2020. EAN is an EOE. www.eanvt.org

Lifting heavy items will be required at times. Dealing with the general public in a professional and courteous manner will be required.

Salary will be based on experience. Send resumes to USASER@BRYSTON.COM

CHEF

Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital (NVRH) has RN, LPN, and LNA openings in our ER, ICU, Med/Surg, Birth Center, and Medical Office Practices. Full-time, part-time and per-diem positions available. NVRH is proud to offer competitive wages, student loan repayment, tuition reimbursement, shift differentials and per-diem rates. We offer a comprehensive benefits package for full and part-time employees including a generous earned time program, 401k with company match, low cost health plans, low cost prescriptions and more. New Grads welcome! For more info or to apply visit nvrh.org/careers.

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Burlington Area

Home Instead Senior Care, a provider of personal care services to seniors in their homes, is seeking friendly and dependable people. CAREGivers assist seniors with daily living activities. P/T & F/T positions available. 12 hours/week minimum, flexible scheduling, currently available. $13-$17.50/hour depending on experience. No heavy lifting.

To apply, submit a letter of interest, resume, transcripts, license, and 3 letters of reference to Principal Kaiya Korb at kkorb@huusd.org, or contact her for more information.

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Job Type: Full-time Pay: $50,000 per year Benefits: 401(k), Dental/Vision/Health Apply at: abbey@abbeygroup.net

CARING PEOPLE WANTED

Waitsfield and Warren Elementary Schools, part of the Harwood Unified Union School District, seek a K-6th grade French/Spanish teacher. Candidates must love kids and Apply online at: have experience with effective homeinstead.com/483 instructional strategies for this Or call: 802.860.4663 age group. The ideal candidate holds a VT teaching license with endorsements in both French and Spanish, but we are flexible to only one language. This is a 4 days/week teaching 2/24/20 position, with benefits and 2v-HomeInstead022620.indd 1 competitive pay.

RN, LPN, AND LNAs

The Abbey Pub & Restaurant is looking for a full-time passionate Chef to join our team. The Abbey is a fun family-oriented restaurant. Come in and see what a great job we have available.

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Must be proďŹ cient in the fundamentals of basic electronic theory along with experience using a digital volt meter and oscilloscope.

WORLD LANGUAGE TEACHER

1:02 PM

DANCE INSTRUCTORS

Lamoille Valley Dance Academy is seeking two experienced Dance Instructors, one in Ballet and one in Tap, to join our topquality professional teaching 11:25 AMstaff. These part time positions will focus on intermediate & advanced level dancers, while offering the opportunity for choreography and creative development of our annual, sell-out spring productions. Positions require dedication, enthusiasm, timeliness, experience and proper qualifications in the field of dance instruction. A great company, superb faculty, wonderful dance families, state of the art dance studios, and competitive pay! If you fit the dance shoe, we would love to meet you! Please email your resume to directorlvda@gmail.com.

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ATTENTION RECRUITERS:

POST YOUR JOBS AT JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM FOR FAST RESULTS, OR CONTACT MICHELLE BROWN: MICHELLE@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

JULY 22-29, 2020

GLOBALFOUNDRIES,

EARLY MORNING PASTRY BAKERS

a semiconductor manuf & tech co. is seeking the following in Essex Junction, VT:

• Previous commercial kitchen experience required. • Cake decorating skills preferred, but not required. Must be able to lift 50 pounds, stand for long periods of time, work additional hours during peak times if needed.

Engineer Design Enablement #20001817: Develop checking decks for differentiated technologies, including bulk, SOI, RF, SIGE, and Silicon Photonics.

Please email: pastry@klingersbread.com for more information.

Senior Engineer TD Test Development Engineering #20001818: Participate in the development of designs for mmWave test systems. Senior Engineer Design Enablement #20001819: Develop software solutions and infrastructure to generate mask data in the Tapeout Operations organization. PMTS Technology & Development #20001821: Serve as a lead technical resource for packaging engineering. Apply at globalfoundries.com/about-us/careers & search by requisition #.

Executive Director The Curtis Fund The Curtis Fund is a leader in Vermont providing scholarship support for postsecondary college and career training. The Fund is seeking an Executive Director with exceptional fundraising skills to increase the numbers of students served by its new Certificate of Value Scholarship Program.

The Executive Director will develop and execute the Curtis Fund’s fundraising strategy with particular focus on a major gifts campaign and planned giving, provide support for strategic planning and communications, and regularly collaborate with VSAC and the Vermont Community Foundation.

FULL-TIME, NIGHT LICENSED NURSE ASSISTANT

Qualifications: Demonstrated experience in fundraising and relationship building; proven ability to successfully conduct gift solicitations; excellence in organizational and communication skills; Bachelor’s degree with minimum of 5 years fundraising experience. Hours flexible but full-time preferred; 32 hours/wk minimum. Competitive salary/benefits. Cover letter/resume to curtisfund@vermontcf.org by July 27, 2020.

The Nursing Assistant is responsible for specific aspects of direct and indirect 4t-VTCommunityFoundation071520.indd 1 patient care under the direct supervision of a Registered Nurse. ADMINISTRATIVE High School diploma or equivalent. ASSISTANT LNA, licensed in Vermont.

Requires organization, LEARN MORE & APPLY: efficiency, flexibility, excellent oral and written uvmmed.hn/sevendays communication skills. The successful candidate must be passionate about WE’RE GROWING! 4t-UVMMedCenterLNA070820.indd 1 7/3/20 11:54 AM our mission, a good communicator, easy to Office Environments is work with, competent and looking for Qualified Sales, organized. Proficiency Design & Installation Professionals to join our dynamic with Microsoft Office team. Office Environments is Northern New England’s Suite, ability to lift 50 Leading Contract Furniture & Architectural Interiors pounds regularly, have a Provider, Serving Vermont, New Hampshire and valid driver’s license and Northern New York Since 1985. reliable transportation. For more information or to submit your resume, Salary commensurate with please contact: experience. Benefits.

Daniel Woodworth V.P. of Sales, Design and Architectural Interiors dwoodworth@oei-vt.com Kristen Kelley Scavone COO & Manager of Installation & Delivery Services kkelley@oei-vt.com Office Environments is an E.O.E. 802-864-3000, 800-773-5300, www.oeivt.com. 4t-OfficeEnvironments071520.indd 1

DIRECTOR

Please submit a cover letter, resume, PCAVT online application and 3 references to: Search, PO Box 829 Montpelier, VT 05601 Or submit online at pcavt@pcavt.org. PCAVT is an E.O.E.

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Home Base, Inc, a not-for-profit organization that provides services to adults with developmental disabilities, is seeking a Director(s). Shared half-time or full-time. Starts immediately. Send note of interest and resume to tvhg@mac.com.

7/13/20 2v-HomeBase071520.indd 12:18 PM T O W N O1 F

Operations Support We are seeking a full-time, yearround Operations Support person for our therapeutic program for adolescents and young adults located in Waitsfield. 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 and a SIMPLE IRA. To apply please visit truenorthwilderness.com/careers

D U X B U7/13/20 RY

2:20 PM

HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT MAINTENANCE WORKER Town of Duxbury is seeking a Highway Department Maintenance Worker. Full-time position with benefits. Looking for team player. Candidates must have Class B, CDL with manual endorsement, and must be able to operate a manual tandem truck, wheeled excavator and loader. Main duties involve plowing with and without wing, operating all town equipment and hauling material for the Town. Full job description and application here: duxburyvermont.org Pick up an application at: Duxbury Town Office 5421 VT RT 100 Duxbury VT 05676 Or email appilcations to duxburyforeman@gmail.com

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7/14/20 2:28 PM

NEW JOBS POSTED DAILY! JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM

FULL TIME NIGHT NURSE The Manor has an immediate opening for a night shift nurse. Join our quality driven team dedicated to excellent customer service and nursing care. Every other weekend required. Excellent wages and benefits! Apply:

100% EMPLOYEE-OWNED

100% EMPLOYEE-OWNED 100% EMPLOYEE-OWNED

100% 100%EMPLOYEE-OWNED EMPLOYEE-OWNED

HR@themanorvt.org

the team at Gardener’s Join Join theSupply team at Gardener’s Company Supply Company Join team Gardener’s Join the the team at at Gardener’s Supply Company Join the team at Gardener’s Supply Company – we’re Company Join the teamSupply at Gardener’s Supply Company – we’re Join the team at Gardener’s

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59 JULY 22-29, 2020

IN-HOME CARE PROVIDERS • Location: Wilder, VT – quiet neighborhood • Contact: uvjobsearch@gmail.com with your confidential letter of interest and qualifications. Currently seeking an individual or couple to serve as housemate(s) and live-in home care providers for an engaging and high functioning 34-year-old male with Down syndrome in his own home. The individual or couple would have a private bedroom and bath, 6:09 PM shared kitchen, living and laundry room.

Poulin Grain is a family America’s leading web-based gardening company owned and operated America’s leading web-based based inteam Burlington, Vermont! Wegardening are a 100% company employeeJoin the at Gardener’s Supply Company – we’re we’re company that has a true Join the team at Gardener’s Supply Company – Join theAmerica’s team atleading Gardener’s Supply – we’re based Burlington, Vermont! We Company are a 100% employeeownedin company an award winning and nationally web-based gardening company passion for its people. America’s leadingand web-based gardening company recognized socially responsible business. We work hard owned company and an award winning and nationally The company has been America’s leading web-based gardening company based in Vermont! We are a 100% employeebased inBurlington, Burlington, Vermont! AND offer a fun place to work including BBQs, staff recognized socially responsible business. We work hard serving the agriculture owned company and an award winning and nationally company and an based inowned Burlington, Vermont! Wemuch aremore! a 100% employeeparties, employee garden plots and Wehard community for 88 years! AND offer a fun place to work including BBQs, staff recognized socially responsible business. We work recognized socially responsible also offer strong cultural values, competitive wages and owned company and an award winning and nationally Caring for our people and AND offer aafun to including BBQs, staff parties, and much more! We AND offeremployee fun place placegarden to workplots outstanding benefits! our customers has set us parties, employee garden plots and much recognized responsible business. We workand hard parties, employee garden more! We alsosocially offer strong cultural values, competitive wages apart from the rest and also offer strong cultural values, competitive BBQs, also offer strong cultural wages and outstanding benefits! AND offer a fun place to work including staff Product Quality Manager: We’re seeking a talented we are now looking for outstanding outstandingbenefits! benefits! individual to garden join our Distribution Center! This more! person We the next family member parties, employee plots and much Product Quality Manager: We’re seeking has primary responsibility for: Product Assembly,a talented that is willing to go the Product Quality Manager: We’recompetitive seeking Product Quality Manager: a talented also offer strong cultural values, wages Returns, Quality Assurance, Parts and Refurbishing. individual to join our Distribution Center! This personand extra mile with us! individual to our Center! individual to join join our Distribution This person The primary manager ensures that these areas meet their daily We are seeking to outstanding benefits! has responsibility for: Product Assembly, has primary responsibility for: Product has primary responsibility Assembly, standards while staying within their budgets. Our ideal fill positions at our Returns, Quality Assurance, Parts and Refurbishing. Returns, Quality Assurance, Parts and Refurbishing. Returns, Quality Assurance, candidate will have an Associate’s degree or four years Newport, Bennington, The manager ensures that these areas their The manager ensures meetmeet theirsolid daily daily and Swanton locations. The manager ensures that these areas of distribution center and supervisor experience; Product Quality Manager: We’re seeking a talented

The role requires reliable, caring individuals to provide supervision and support, working collaboratively with a skilled support team. Applicants should be compassionate yet able to set limits and maintain a sense of humor. This young man enjoys music, movies, and community activities. He is employed outside the home. The goal of this position is to ensure a steady and consistent quality of life for this individual who needs oversight and guidance on a daily basis. In addition to receiving full-time housing with utilities included, the provider will also be compensated for hours worked (approx. 30-35 hrs per week). Valid driver’s license required, non-smoker; organizational and computer skills essential. Background in Developmental Disabilities, Clinical Mental Health, Social Work, Counseling or a related field is preferred but not required.

standards while staying within their budgets. Our ideal standards while staying within their budgets. Our ideal standards staying ideal computerwhile skills, including intermediate knowledge

CDL Truck Drivers individual to join our Distribution Center! candidate will have Associate’s degree orThis four person years candidate will have anan Associate’s degree or four years candidate will have an of Access, Excel, Word; and have excellent problem (Newport & Bennington) of distribution center and supervisor experience; solid distribution center and supervisor solid ofof distribution solving skills. center has primary responsibility for: Productexperience; Assembly, Plant Positions computer skills, skills, including intermediate knowledge computer including skills, including intermediate knowledge Returns,ofofcomputer Quality Assurance, Parts and Refurbishing. (Swanton & Newport) Access, Excel, Word; and have excellent problem Interested? Please go to ourand careers page at Access, Word; of Access,Excel, Excel, Word; have excellent problem solving skills. solving skills. www.gardeners.com/careers and apply online!meet their daily Plant Maintenance The manager ensures that these areas solving skills. standards whilePlease staying within budgets. Our ideal (Newport) Interested? Please go to to our careerstheir page at Interested? go Interested? Please to our careersdegree page at details, and to candidate will have angoAssociate’s four yearsFor www.gardeners.com/careers www.gardeners.com/careers and apply online! or7/20/20 apply, please visit GW_PQM_SD_072220.indd 1 3:24 PM www.gardeners.com/careers and apply online! of distribution center and supervisor experience; solid poulingrain.com/careers computer skills, including intermediate knowledge GW_PQM_SD_072220.indd 7/20/20 WHERE YOUand ANDhave excellent problem 11 7/20/20 3:24 3:24 PM PM ofGW_PQM_SD_072220.indd Access, Excel, Word; YOUR WORK MATTER... GW_PQM_SD_072220.indd 1 7/20/20 3:24 PM solving skills. 3v-PoulinGrain070820.indd 1

7/6/20

Interested? Please go to our careers page at www.gardeners.com/careers and apply online! When you work for the State of Vermont, you and your work matter. A career with the State puts you on

a rich and rewarding professional path. You’ll find jobs in dozens of fields – not to mention an outstanding total compensation package.

The Vermont Foodbank seeks a creative, motivated person who is capable of drafting compelling grant applications to help ensure that all individuals in Vermont have enough to eat. We are looking for someone who can describe intricate VF programs and activities in three pages, three paragraphs, 11:15 AM or even in three sentences. Capacity for creativity and diligence in submitting applications and reports in a fast paced, deadline-driven environment is a must. An ability to adapt well to changing organizational and philanthropic priorities is preferred. A significant portion of this position’s workload can be handled remotely; however, applicants should be located within commuting distance of one of the Foodbank’s three facilities, in Barre, Brattleboro, or Rutland.

HEARINGS EXAMINER, UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE – MONTPELIER

D_072220.indd 1 3:24 PM The Department of Labor is currently hiring a Hearings Examiner in7/20/20 the Unemployment

Insurance (UI) Division to manage appeals from determinations, assessments, and other administrative rulings issued by the UI division. If you have a strong understanding of due process, an ability to understand complex rules and regulations, and excellent writing skills, this might be the right job for you! For more information, contact Dirk Anderson at Dirk.Anderson@vermont.gov. Status: Full Time – Limited Service. Reference Job ID #7796. Application Deadline: July 28, 2020.

Learn more at: careers.vermont.gov 5h-VTDeptHumanResources072220 1

GRANTS SPECIALIST

The State of Vermont is an Equal Opportunity Employer 7/20/20 8:47 AM

The Vermont Foodbank’s work culture is progressive, forward thinking, and equity minded. Staff have the opportunity to fully develop their potential in a variety of ways: as organizational leaders, in shaping programs and advocacy efforts, and in working towards a future where no one in Vermont will go hungry. To apply for this position, please visit vtfoodbank.org/employment and submit an employment application with a resume and cover letter attached. The Vermont Foodbank is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

ATTENTION RECRUITERS:

POST YOUR JOBS AT JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM FOR FAST RESULTS, OR CONTACT MICHELLE BROWN: MICHELLE@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

JULY 22-29, 2020

Seven Days GLOBALFOUNDRIES, Issue: 7/22 a semiconductor Due: 7/20 by 11am manuf & tech company Size: x 5.25 in seeks3.83 the following Cost: $476.85 (with Essex Junction, VT: 1 week onlin

Part-Time Beertender

Seeking positive minded professionals dedicated to providing world class hospitality, beer & food. Evenings & weekends required.

Packaging Line Operator

Engaging minds that change the world

Seeking a position with a quality employer? Consider The University of Vermont, a stimulating and diverse workplace. We offer a comprehensive beneﬁt package including tuition remission for on-going, full-time positions.

Responsible for daily operations of canning and kegging lines in our Waitsfield brewery. Visit: lawsonsfinest.com/about-us/join-our-team.

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7/7/20

Director of Collection Development & Acquisitions - University Libraries - #F1633PO - The University of Vermont seeks a Director of Collection Development and Acquisitions to lead the University Libraries’ Collections Program. This position supervises ﬁve FTE (one faculty and four 12:10 PM staff); reports to the Dean of Libraries; and works closely with other directors, the Faculty Library Advisory Committee, and subject liaisons residing in UVM’s three library buildings: Howe Library, the Dana Medical Library, and the Silver Special Collections Library.

Medical Assistant Seeking full time experienced medical assistant to join our busy OB/GYN practice clinical team. Experience in women’s health is preferred but not required. Looking for someone that can work accurately and efficiently in a fast paced environment. The position requires competency in taking vitals, phlebotomy, immunization administration, assisting with medical procedures and medical intake. Candidate should also be comfortable with EMR systems, medical terminology, and general computer skills. Looking for an individual with good interpersonal and communication skills, who understands the importance of providing quality customer service and has a willingness to be flexible with duties in order to meet the needs of the patients and the clinic. Interested candidates should send a cover letter and resume to jobs@maitriobgyn.com.

Candidates are required to submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae 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 August 31, 2020. For further information on this position and others currently available, or to apply online, please visit www.uvmjobs.com. Applicants must apply for positions electronically. Paper resumes are not accepted. Open positions are updated daily. Please call 802-656-3150 or email employment@uvm. edu for technical support with the online application. The University of Vermont is an Equal Opportunity/Afﬁrmative Action Employer.

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Medication Technician & Resident Care Associates The Residence at Otter Creek is always on the lookout for new and extraordinary team members! Industryleading benefits, excellent wages, career advancement opportunities and training are all available! We are currently hiring for a Full-time, Overnight Medication Technician and Full-time, Part-Time, or Per Diem Resident Care Associates. Complete job descriptions and information on how to apply are available at: lcbseniorliving.com/ careers. Search by location: Otter Creek

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This is an exciting opportunity to lead major changes. Immediate priorities include reviewing and merging collections budgets, committees, and decisionmaking procedures; building and chairing a team to oversee collection development and acquisitions across the UVM libraries; developing a uniﬁed, print-management strategy; building consensus around major, upcoming decisions regarding big-deal packages; attending to the professional development of direct reports and creating plans for continuous learning; and cultivating an atmosphere of collegiality within the Collection Development and Acquisitions unit.

Local Food Hub

Cook

A half gallon of milk, 28 cups of flour, 36 eggs, and a pinch of salt. Just add you and we got ourselves a batch of batter. Now hiring prep cooks to join our Skinny Pancake Local Food Hub in Winooski! A.M. shifts available for part & full-time. Flexible scheduling, open availability is a plus. This is our production kitchen so there is no interaction with the outside public. We provide competitive pay, free shift meals, health insurance contribution, 401K, access to voluntary benefits, an opportunity for growth, and many, many perks besides! To apply, e-mail a resume and a note about yourself:

jobs@skinnypancake.com.

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7/17/20 3:13 PM

7/20/20

Landscape Installers, Gardeners & Lawn Care Professionals Church Hill Landscapes is hiring now for career-minded landscape installers,gardeners and lawn care professionals, plus seasonal crew members. We are an award-winning, full-service landscape company servicing Chittenden County and beyond. We care about the quality of work we do, the relationships we forge, and the results we leave behind when we’re done. We work closely our customers to create spaces that help them feel at home outdoors. We’re growing and ready to hire professional employees who work hard and enjoy being part of a team. We offer a safe work environment, competitive pay and benefits like dental insurance, paid time off, IRAs and bonus programs. For more details and to submit an application: churchhilllandscapes.com/careers

Senior Engineer TD Test Development Engineering #20001557: Develop the design of next generation semiconductor test systems. Apply at: globalfoundries.com/ about-us/careers & search by requisition #.

LICENSED REAL ESTATE AGENT Geri Reilly Real Estate is looking for a self motivated Real Estate agent to join our team. Must be willing to work evenings and 2:58 PM weekends. Leads provided and willing to train. Please call or email Geri for a conﬁdential interview: geri@buyvtrealestate.com or 862-6677 x1. Check out buyvtrealestate.com to learn more about Geri Reilly Real Estate.

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7/13/20 11:04 AM

MEDICAL OFFICE RN OR LPN I am looking for a top-notch LPN or RN with phlebotomy skills to work in my innovative, direct primary care practice in Burlington. Full time position, Monday-Friday, without any weekend or night hours. Over time I am willing to offer salary and benefits above market for excellence. For details and application procedure, please see: aliciacunningham.com/job. Thank you!

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7/13/20 3:36 PM

NEW JOBS POSTED DAILY! JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM

CUSTODIAL MANAGER

61 JULY 22-29, 2020

SECOND SHIFT

• Are you flexible and willing to work in a collaborative team environment?

Housing Navigator CVOEO’s Housing Advocacy Programs’ team is looking for a Housing Navigator who will provide housing support and advocacy services for low-income families, including comprehensive assessments and action-planning. Our ideal candidate will have the knowledge of community resources and social work practices with high risk and diverse populations and have a strong interest in and commitment to the overall needs and problems of low income families. Excellent verbal and written communication skills needed. Bilingual is a plus. Clean driving record, valid driver’s license and access to reliable private transportation must be maintained. This is a 40 hours / week position with excellent benefits. To learn more, please visit: cvoeo.org/careers. CVOEO is an Equal Opportunity Employer

• Do you have excellent communication and organizational skills? The Burlington School District seeks a hands-on, goal-oriented Custodial Manager to assist the Director of Property Services in the daily operations and supervision of assigned employees. This position coordinates all aspects of janitorial, custodial and cleaning services while ensuring students, staff, and visitors have a safe, attractive, comfortable, clean and efficient place in which to learn, play and develop. This is a direct report to the Director of Property Services in the supervision, scheduling, and evaluation of all custodial employees of the Property Services Department. Direct supervision and oversight of custodial staff on both first and second shifts. Experience with Microsoft 360 and the suite of Google Docs and Sheets highly desirable. To apply for this position and to Join our Team: Visit BSD Careers Page: bsdvt.org/careers or apply on SchoolSpring.com (Job Posting # 3317044). 5h-BurlingtonSchoolDistrict071520.indd 1

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7/17/20 1:49 PM

We are currently seeking applicants for the following position:

The Vermont Judiciary in now hiring 6 month positions at locations across Vermont. These full-time, limited service positions are funded through 12/20/20. They offer full benefits including healthcare, sick leave, holidays and paid time off.

REGIONAL COORDINATOR Building Bright Futures (BBF) is seeking a Regional Coordinator to support the Building Bright Futures regional early childhood councils in the Central Vermont and Lamoille Valley regions. The ideal candidate is a collaborative leader with a proven ability to foster coordination and cooperation among diverse partners, excellent facilitation skills, and who is organized and resultsoriented. Regional coordinators are based from home with the ability to travel regularly to support work in both regions.

Clerical/Administrative (#20015) Approximately 10 Docket Clerk B positions, which will specialize in customer service, records keeping and data entry involving one or more docket areas. Work locations to be determined later but will likely include Burlington, Rutland, Brattleboro, St. Albans, Bennington, St. Johnsbury, White River Junction and Montpelier. High school degree and 2 or more years of clerical work required. Starting pay at $17.11 per hour.

Operations Assistant (#20014)

For full job description visit buildingbrightfutures.org.

Approximately 20 positions to coordinate the use of audio/video technology to deliver court hearings over online meeting tools such as Webex, Zoom and YouTube livestreaming. Working in either our IT Department (RIS) or the Planning and Court Services unit, this position exercises independent judgment and quick thinking. Extensive interaction with members of the legal community, judicial officers, court staff and the public. Work locations to be determined later but will likely include Burlington, Rutland, Brattleboro, St. Albans, Bennington, St. Johnsbury, White River Junction and Montpelier. High school and 4 years’ experience (will substitute 4 year degree for experience) with office systems required. Starting rate is $23.67 per hour.

Please submit your resume, cover letter and 3 references by 7/30 at 5pm to kmobbs@ buildingbrightfutures.org. Position is open until filled.

Go to vermontjudiciary.org/employmentopportunities/staff-openings for more details and to complete application. These positions are open until filled. The Vermont Judiciary is an equal opportunity employer.

The Regional Coordinator position is 4 days/week (.8 FTE) position with a competitive salary, flexible work schedule, comprehensive benefits, and vacation package.

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7/14/20 2:33 PM

7/17/20 2:21 PM

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TECH SPECIALIST (30-40 HOURS PER WEEK) Do you enjoy working with others to solve technical challenges and assisting others? Central Vermont Council on Aging is looking for someone who can support staff, volunteers and older adults to connect via various technology to alleviate social isolation and to participate in a wide range of classes and activities to help fulfill CVCOA’s vision of “a world where aging is honored.” The ideal candidate will have a BA with 3+ years, relevant experience, demonstrated training and mentoring skills, patience, a sense of humor, effective written and interpersonal communication skills and be able to be a bridge between technology and learners who have varying degrees of experience with it. Central Vermont Council on Aging is an innovative agency dedicated to quality services for older persons living in Central Vermont. We provide a generous benefits package. Salary is based on experience. Central Vermont Council on Aging is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. Applications from veterans, mature workers, individuals with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals, and people from diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds are encouraged. For more information about these positions, visit our website at www.cvcoa.org. To apply, please send resume and cover letter to jobs@cvcoa.org by August 10.

ATTENTION RECRUITERS:

POST YOUR JOBS AT JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM FOR FAST RESULTS, OR CONTACT MICHELLE BROWN: MICHELLE@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

JULY 22-29, 2020

REGISTERED DENTAL HYGIENIST Our growing dental practice in Randolph, VT is seeking a full-time or a part-time dental hygienist to join our team. We are a fast paced, energetic office looking to add an outgoing hygienist to our team.

Lincoln House, 120 Hill St., Barre, VT is looking for full and part-time PCAs.

Please send resume to dentist@cwilsondds.com.

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7/14/20 12:33 PM

ASSISTANT CITY CLERK South Burlington Vermont

South Burlington is home to over 18,000 residents and lies at the heart of Chittenden County, Vermont. The second largest city in the state, South Burlington is comprised of five districts rich with residential, economic, and recreation vitality. Annually, more than 150 employees of the municipality serve the community to make it one of the best places to live, work, and visit. Governed by a City Council of five citizens and operated under the direction of a City Manager, South Burlington is in the midst of smart growth with its commitment to building a new urban downtown—City Center. With a 10 year comprehensive plan, the City is a leader in quality and innovation. JOB DESCRIPTION: Assists in the maintenance of official municipal records, issuance of various licenses and official documents, and administration of election activities and performs other related work as required. QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS: High school diploma, Associate’s degree preferred, two years’ experience in a responsible clerical or administrative position, municipal experience, or experience in a law office, or any equivalent combination of education and experience. • Demonstrated ability to utilize computer and software related to the performance of essential functions. • Working knowledge of state statutes and city rules and regulations relating to the duties and responsibilities of city clerks. • Working knowledge of election and voter registration laws and procedures. • Working knowledge of the operations and procedures of local government. • Working knowledge of municipal government procedures and operations, including relationships between departments. • Demonstrated ability to adapt to changes in municipal procedures, operations, relationships Please submit your application to Jaimie Held, Human Resource Manager, at jheld@sburl.com.

AWS Software Engineer

WAREHOUSE OPERATOR

We are a small beverage manufacturing company FT includes benefits. in Williston, VT looking for Please call 802-476-3283 a forklift operator to help ixisdigital.com/careers to set up an interview. run our warehouse. The ideal candidate will have experience with forklifts, be 1t-IXIS Digital071520.indd 1 7/13/20 12:48 PM able to lift and move up to 50 lbs, basic understanding of warehouse function (shipping, receiving, pick/ pack, ect). Starting rate based on experience. 40 hours/week. Monday-Friday 8am-4:30 pm. Hiring@adropofjoy.com.

For full job description and to apply go to:

INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT ASSISTANT

Vermont College of Fine Arts welcomes applications 2v-ADropofJoy071520.indd 1 7/13/20 10:52 AM for the Institutional Advancement Assistant. The Assistant is an administrative position reporting to the Director of Alumnx Affairs and the Director of South Burlington School District Development. This is a part-time, remote position. is seeking a full-time, school year Licensed Practical Nurse. The Assistant will work collaboratively with the Director of Alumnx Affairs and the Director of Development as A minimum of a current VT a valued member of a small Institutional Advancement LPN license. Two years of team. Successful candidates will have administrative experience in a health-related experience, work in a self-directed manner, and manage or school setting required. multiple tasks at once. A full job description with more Interested candidates may information is available on our website here: apply at schoolspring.com vcfa.edu/about/jobs-at-vcfa. Keyword: South Burlington To apply, please send cover letter and CV/resume to School District (ID# 3313729), alumnx@vcfa.edu. Position will remain open until filled. or forward a resume, cover letter, and 3 references to: South Burlington School District Human Resources, 500 Dorset Street, South WRITING & PUBLISHING PROGRAM Burlington, VT 05403. Vermont College of Fine Arts welcomes applications for the Assistant Director of the Writing & Publishing Program. The Assistant Director is a one academic year (July 2020-June 2021) full-time, administrative position2v-SoBurlingtonSchoolDistrict081520.indd 1 7/10/20 3:01 PM reporting to the Writing & Publishing Director. St. Joseph’s Residential Responsibilities include the daily office duties Care Home has a required for the smooth operation of a successful full-time position academic program. The Assistant Director will work for a Cook at our collaboratively with the Director on all planning and Burlington location. event details for semester periods. The successful If you’re an energetic, candidate will have administrative experience in hardworking individual and enjoy education or related field, excellent communication working with great, cheerful and computer skills; is detail and customer service people, please send us your oriented, flexible, and able to multi-task. resume! We offer a competitive Full job description: vcfa.edu/about/jobs-at-vcfa. salary and free delicious meals To apply, send the following to: VCFAjobs7@vcfa.edu: to our staff on duty during mealtime. We strive to work with • Cover Letter, CV/Resume our Vermont farmers to provide • Statement on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, outlining nutritious meals for all! professional skills, experience & willingness to engage in activities to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion. Our benefits package is one of the best in the area. If For full consideration, submit application by July 31, interested, send resume to 2020. Position will remain open until filled.

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

COOK

ddaniel@vermontcatholic.org.

2v-VTCatholicCharitiesCOOK070820.indd 1

7/6/20 9:57 AM

Support Your Community:

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SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

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RACHEL LINDSAY

SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

CALCOKU & SUDOKU (P.53) CROSSWORD (P.53)

HARRY BLISS

Be a Tourist in Your Own State!

“See this right here? That is the racist bone in your body.” JEN SORENSEN

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SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

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Let Seven Days be your travel guide. Every month we’ll be rounding up mini excursions, dining destinations, lodging, tours and more into a curated itinerary for you to grab and go. Why? Because you’re on vacation — let us do the work.

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Have a deep, dark fear of your own? Submit it to cartoonist Fran Krause at deep-dark-fears.tumblr.com, and you may see your neurosis illustrated in these pages.

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY BY ROB BREZSNY REAL JULY 23-29

be susceptible to right now, Taurus. You’re a bit out of touch with aspects of your psyche that are crucial for you to include in your total sense of self. You’ve been neglecting to nurture certain soulful qualities that keep you healthy and wise. Please note: It won’t be useful to try to find those parts of you in other people; you will have to locate them in your own depths. Here’s the good news: The coming weeks will be an excellent time to do just that.

LEO

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “Someone ought

(JULY 23-AUG. 22):

“How can I communicate to wild bunnies that I am their ally?” asked a Twitter blogger named Ghost Girl. That question is a good place to start my oracle for you. In the coming weeks, I think you’ll be wise to meditate on how to enhance your relationship with all kinds of wild things: animals, people, weather, landscapes, and your own exotic thoughts and fantasies. In my opinion, you will upgrade your intelligence and wellbeing by increasing your access to influences that don’t necessarily play by conventional rules and that draw their energy from primal sources.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): “The creation of

the world did not take place once and for all time, but takes place every day.” Aries playwright Samuel Beckett made that observation, and now I’m passing it on to you as you glide into an extra-creative phase of your astrological cycle. I hope you will regard Beckett’s idea as an open-ended encouragement to improvise and experiment. May it rouse you to brainstorm about novel possibilities. May it inspire you to explore fresh trends you could launch. May it mobilize you to imagine the new worlds you might big bang into existence.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Author Diane Ackerman tells us, “So often loneliness comes from being out of touch with parts of oneself.” That’s the kind of loneliness I worry you may

t John who served and suffers D and a explains rd gives duce from 's Greens.

to do it, but why should I?” Author and activist Annie Besant identified that sentence as the motto of people who are moral cowards: those who know about an injustice but do nothing to address it. Very few of us have completely avoided that behavior. Most of us, including me, have now and then chosen to serve our need for comfort instead of stand up against corruption or unfairness. But I think it’s more important than usual that you Geminis don’t engage in such moral cowardice now. More depends on your integrity and bravery than you realize.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Born in 1936,

Cancerian author and activist June Jordan was a black feminist bisexual born to Jamaican immigrant parents. When she was growing up, her father beat her and her mother committed suicide. Later, she raised her child alone as a single mother. Despite the challenges she faced, she published 28 books, won numerous awards and wielded significant influence. How did she do it? She was a highly evolved Cancerian in the sense that she put a priority on treating herself well. “I must undertake to love myself and to respect myself as though my very life depends upon self-love and selfrespect,” she testified. I’d like to make that your keynote for the rest of 2020. Your task is to achieve June Jordan-levels of self-care.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): It’s never too late to have a rebellious adolescence — hopefully bigger and better and smarter than any you’ve had before. And according to my analysis, now would be a favorable time to get started. Is there any stuffy authority you’d be wise to flout? Any dumb and oppressive

conventions you would benefit from breaking? Any stale old traditions you’re primed to ignore so you can create some lively new traditions? In my estimation, you will generate good fortune for yourself if you try some benevolent mischief and creative experiments.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Your word of power for the coming weeks is ubuntu, a Zulu term meaning “I am because we are” or “the belief in a universal bond of sharing that connects all humanity.” Nobel Prize-winning theologian Archbishop Desmond Tutu writes, “A person with ubuntu is open and available to others, affirming of others, does not feel threatened that others are able and good, for he or she has a proper self-assurance that comes from knowing that he or she belongs in a greater whole and is diminished when others are humiliated or diminished.” I hope that between now and August 25, Libra, you will put ubuntu at the center of everything you do. Make it an intensely practical practice. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “The size of your dreams must always exceed your current capacity to achieve them,” says Scorpio-born Liberian politician Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. “If your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough.” I trust you’ve arrived at this realization on your own in the past few weeks. And I hope you have audaciously expanded and supercharged your dreams so that they do indeed surpass your current ability to accomplish them. If you have not yet done this daring work, please attend to it now. If you have done it, move on to the next step: making definite plans to acquire the power and resources necessary to achieve your new, improved dreams. SAGITTARIUS

(Nov. 22-Dec. 21): “The soul should always stand ajar,” wrote Sagittarian poet Emily Dickinson, “That if the heaven inquire, / He will not be obliged to wait, / Or shy of troubling her.” I’m confident that this will be a fertile meditation for you in the coming weeks. So what does it mean? By “heaven,” I assume Dickinson meant marvelous interventions, sacred revelations and lucky accidents — and maybe also soulful invitations, out-of-the-blue opportunities and

supernatural breakthroughs. What do you think, Sagittarius? What can you do to make your soul ajar for phenomena like those?

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): “Everything is complicated,” wrote poet Wallace Stevens. “If that were not so, life and poetry and everything else would be a bore.” I agree! And therefore, I conclude, you should shed any resentment you might feel for the fact that our world is a crazy tangle of mystifying and interesting stories. Drop any wish that life will stop being so fascinatingly messy and confusingly intriguing. Instead, why not celebrate the deep riddles? And revel in the intriguing complexity? And give holy thanks for the paradoxical beauty? Everything I just said should prepare you well for the next four weeks. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You’ll be ex-

tra sensitive to stimuli in the coming weeks. Every little event will touch you more intensely than usual. Every perception will flow into you with an unusually strong potential to move you and influence you. That’s why I think you should be vigilantly self-protective. Erect a psychic shield around yourself. Make sure your boundaries are firm and clear. Affirm your unshakable commitment to deflecting vibes that aren’t of use to you and welcoming vibes that will enhance your well-being.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Actress Gwyneth Paltrow founded Goop, a company that markets exotic, expensive health treatments. She claims that far-infrared gemstone therapy and crystalbased sound-healing baths will dissolve your negativity. Allowing bees to sting your scars will supposedly cause the scars to fade. Drinking “sex juice,” a blend of watermelon and alkaline water, will enhance your libido. The “collagen martini,” which is a mix of vodka, vermouth, olive juice, and collagen peptides, will smooth your skin’s wrinkles. I’m favorably disposed to you taking strong actions to improve your well-being in the coming weeks, Pisces, but I recommend that you try cheaper, more reliable modalities than those Paltrow recommends. Like what? Ample sleep and good food, for starters, along with fun exercise, time in nature, enjoyable meditation sessions, and tender expressions of love.

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LET’S HAVE FUN Easygoing and lots of fun. 802chef, 41, seeking: W

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SEVEN DAYS JULY 22-29, 2020

SSS SKIPPER My friends say I am a classic dresser, self-sufficient, educated, kind, loving, thoughtful and successful, but a bit headstrong and sometimes a little too honest. Basically, I know what I want and how to achieve it. I am looking for a gentleman with similar qualities, but it is key that he is honest, kind and not controlling. First_Mate, 58, seeking: M, l HONEST, RESPECTFUL, PLANNER, CARING I’m not a girlie girl; I like my sneakers! I love to plan and know what’s going on. I have been kind of in a slump with exercise, but I have hiked, biked and skied before. I enjoy food, and I don’t aim to impress people. If they can see my caring, affectionate, hardworking side of me, they will like me. Respect2020, 44, seeking: M, l TRUTH, BEAUTY AND GOODNESS I’m told that I create art in every aspect of my life; in my business, in my gardens, in my home, etc. I’d love to find a friend/ partner to collaborate and explore the world around us, all while laughing, sharing, planning the next adventure and creating amazing meals together. I am 58 years young. I am well traveled and true. Magicmaker, 58, seeking: M, l HAPPY, COMPASSIONATE AND CURIOUS I love to cook, dance, but most importantly, laugh. Favorite movie: Miracle at Morgan’s Creek; celebrity crush: Cary Grant; post-retirement dream (or if Trump gets reelected): escaping to a cottage in Connemara, Ireland. I am looking for a confident, kind, intelligent and easygoing man with a great sense of humor. Nella26, 64, seeking: M, l THINKING ABOUT IT... Probably everyone thinks they’re smart, funny, and reasonably good-looking, so no news there. So, what I hope to find: a reader, thinker — someone who likes movies, theater, museums, travel, music, conversation, and the Oxford comma. Three years into widowhood, I realize I could really use someone to share experiences with. The range of those experiences would have to be explored. ZanninVT, 67, seeking: M, l COUNTRY GIRL ON THE WATER I’m passionate about being outside. Walking, hiking, snowshoeing, paddling, horseback riding. I love food, going out or staying in. Wood fires on a snowy night. Family time. Conversation about anything interesting. I’m enjoying renovating my house. I love Vermont but enjoy traveling. Woodburygirl, 56, seeking: M, l LUCKY IN LOVE AND NICARAGUA I loved being married. Sadly, he died young. I own gorgeous land in Nicaragua and want a partner to develop it with me as an artist/surfer retreat (as soon as we get rid of the small problem of a dictator killing his own people). A perfect life is Vermont in summer and Nica in winter,but only with a terrific man. W, 72, seeking: M, l

ARE YOU SEARCHING, TOO? Seeking kind, adventurous 60ish man who likes camping, fishing, walks, sunsets and Maine. I would like a partner who can surprise me with “Let’s go...” and off we go. I’m a true Vermont gal who needs adventure. Let’s have fun. BoredCat, 57, seeking: M, l ENJOY LIFE TO THE FULLEST I enjoy gardening, animals and reading, and I split my own wood (electric splitter). I love cooking and contra dancing, and I have a new hobby: shape note singing. countrygirl1, 77, seeking: M, l OUTDOORSY, HONEST, HEALTHY MUSIC LOVER Hi there! I’m an optimistic, funny, smart, nature- and animal-loving kind of gal. Spending time together with someone who makes you smile, and has your back, is a gift. I’m a world traveler who has recently returned to Vermont. I am looking for a friend first to enjoy life and Vermont. If it turns into something more, bonus! Bella2020, 62, seeking: M, l INSIGHTFUL, CREATIVE, ADVENTUROUS Outdoorsy, attractive brunette. Poet, explorer of spirituality and personal growth, lover of nature. I love hiking, paddling, exploring new mountains, towns and ideas with others ... feeling what we’re drawn to along the way, sharing thoughts and impressions. Fairly flexible and easygoing. Healthy minded; not big into alcohol, not into drugs. Waterpoet, 58, seeking: M, l PREFER BEING OUTDOORS AND ACTIVE Genuine, honest and an active listener. I like to cook and eat real food that is locally produced/raised. Gardening (veggies, not so much flowers), hiking, biking, running, snowshoeing, eradicating invasive plants — most anything outdoors will do. VTu4ia, 44, seeking: M, l

MEN seeking... FUN AND RELAXED I have had submissive woman, and they were fun. But their end game was to give and not receive. One didn’t like my wallet, and others liked my pocket. They were all about the head and not the heart. timage, 50, seeking: W NSA FUN Looking for a couple to have some NSA, discreet fun. I am clean, sane, fun, good-looking, shaved, professional, bi-curious and willing. Must be discreet. Let’s chat and have a drink, see what happens. Willinou812, 51, seeking: Cp QUIET, ANTISOCIAL, LONELY, LONER, HEADCASE Life’s a mess. Comfortable with silence. Have been described as creepy. I love comics and cartoons of all sorts. PC gamer/computer addict. Jaded cynic. Animal lover. Pro-gun liberal. Can’t stand authoritarians. Not financially stable. If you want to date me, there’s probably something wrong with you. I’m just here to try to get my hugs/year average above one. QuietIntrovert, 31, seeking: W, TW

FUN-LOVING, GOOD-LOOKING, ADVENTUROUS, GENUINE, COMPASSIONATE I recently moved to Vermont from Florida and am looking for someone who enjoys great, funny company and nice walks and talk. I’m really outgoing and very easy to talk to. I love cats and all animals. I have a 23-y/o daughter who lives in Germany. Livinlife47, 47, seeking: W, l BOOK TITLE: WORKING ON IT I’ve had a ton of schooling, and I still don’t know what’s going on. Do you? Didn’t think so. If you did know, then you are god — or the universe, or nature, whatever — and that would be way too much for me to handle. Assuming you are looking for someone to share your wide-eyed stumble over the jagged Earth, drop a line. HillRider, 63, seeking: W, l LIFE LESS ORDINARY, AND FUN! Honest, educated, funny, adventurous, optimistic, active, artistic and employed. I’m hoping for an LTR but OK with dating too. Sounds pretty straightforward, right? Well, I’m also kinky, very open-minded, heteroflexible and consider myself sexually “well rounded.” Seeking an active, fun, adventurous, laid-back, like-minded woman who knows which hole is for the round peg. Are you out there? ;). NewAdventures11, 51, seeking: W, l UNSCENTED Women seem to be wearing less perfume these days, so this point is mostly moot. I just prefer no artificial fragrances and don’t wear any myself. We’ll like each other’s scent. MountainTiger, 41, seeking: W, l CUB LOOKING FOR COUGAR I’m interested in finding someone who is fun for a mutually satisfying FWB situation or longer-term dating. Specifically interested in women older than myself. PoolBoy2295, 35, seeking: W MASTURBATION PLAY AND PHONE CHATS Looking first to phone. See if we have some commonality, which leads to friendship. Hopefully I can find someone whom I can share my weird sexual fetishes with. Too many to list. Big talker with limited actual experimentation. Alone and available often to talk. Great to actually in the future develop relationship more than the phone. Waterbury/ Stowe. Bobby, 50, seeking: M CANOE CANOE? I’m looking for someone to canoe the Allagash with, preferably a beautiful woman half my age. I’m 68, and last winter I summited Mount Washington by myself; can you believe it! And I’m not too bad-looking, and occasionally I tell a funny joke. The Allagash runs low by August, so reply soon! Stilgar, 68, seeking: W, l STRONG, LOYAL, NOBLE, MODEST MAN I’m Brian from Barre, Vt. Just moved back to town after living in Santa Monica, Calif. Loyal is probably the word that describes me best. My word is my bond. I’m interested in all different relationships with a woman: friends with benefits, casual or serious long term. Let’s meet for coffee and see where it goes from there. Judeisthe14unow, 60, seeking: W, l

WIDE OPEN, ADVENTUROUS, SPONTANEOUS I recently moved back to Vermont, leaving a seven-year relationship that was like dating my mom. I want to be single, meet someone who is cool with a friends with benefits thing, let me spoil them and go home, do my own thing ’til we meet again. I’m a closet freak. Email me, and let’s see where it goes. Tannerlove35, 35, seeking: M, W, TM, TW, Q, Cp, l VERMONTER, GENUINE, FUN LOVING GUY. I’m here to find ladies who like to have a good time with a good guy. Satisfaction guaranteed, or I’ll keep going. Always up for sex, and I hope you’d be also. Outdoorsman76, 44, seeking: W, l HIGH ADVENTURE Adventurous, compassionate, good disposition. Positive (the glass is full). Highly active. Love life and the great outdoors. Seek sweetness, chemistry and exploration. Mountains, 67, seeking: W, l WISHING YOU ALL THE BEST I’m easygoing and love to laugh and have fun. No drama or games; life’s too short for that nonsense. High sexual drive and desire; sexy lingerie and panties make me drip. Nipple play, edging, prostate toys and e-stim make my motor purr. Massage giving and receiving is always nice, too. sandy, 62, seeking: M

TRANS WOMEN seeking... SUBMISSIVE SEEKING... Looking to expand my experiences. I am open to many different scenes and roles. tina1966, 54, seeking: W, TW, Q, NC, NBP, Cp, Gp

TRANS MEN seeking... WEIRDO LOOKING FOR MY PEOPLE Late twenties West Coast transplant looking to meet new friends in Burlington. Looking for folks up for biking, hiking, socially distanced coffee in the square, craft afternoons (crafternoons?), beers, bookstore browsing and dismantling the patriarchy. Please don’t be an asshole. jamesy, 29, seeking: M, W, TM, TW, Q, NC, NBP, Cp, Gp

GENDERQUEER PEOPLE seeking... COFFEE, TEA AND WALK BUDDY 48 years, now soon 49 years of age, needing to get healthy, wanting a friend to take walks on trails, someone to drink tea and coffee with, become friends. I’m funny, witty and eager for a friend. Like nature, animals. And I’m a pagan, but not to fear me being a witch; I fart spells, not casting spells, yet! LOL, JK. Charmed1971, 48, seeking: M, W

COUPLES seeking... SWINGER COUPLE Couple in early 50s looking to have fun with a male partner. Husband likes to watch but also join in. Wife is a knockout little hottie who likes to cut loose. Looking for a male between 40 and 50 for some serious adult fun. Only well-hung men need apply — at least nine inches, please. Spaguy, 52, seeking: M, Gp LOOKING FOR SOMEONE AMAZING We are a couple in an open relationship seeking a bi male, gay male or couple to join us in kinky play. Cuckholds, DP, etc. Are you a playmate (or playmates) who are open to safe, sane and crazy experiences. Lets fulfill each others fantasies. We’ll try anything twice! We are two clean, professional adults. Discretion given and expected. vtfuncouple, 44, seeking: M, Cp

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LUV OF MY LIFE Beautiful goddess in white Jeep. When I saw you, I thought I was in heaven. You were entering the Milton Post Office. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Looking to the stars for a rendezvous. Please take me to heaven with you. When: Tuesday, July 21, 2020. Where: Milton. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915099 ATTRACTIVE BLONDE, MIDDLE ROAD MARKET You were wearing an orange-and-pink top with black shorts. I had a black T-shirt and tan shorts. We smiled at each other as I walked in. As you were buying your Nantucket Nectars, I was being too shy to say hi. Which I now regret! Hoping you see this, and hoping to hear back from you. When: Saturday, July 18, 2020. Where: Milton, Middle Road Market. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915098 MALL MAILMAN You were waking through the mall with a package under your arm. I didn’t get a good look at your face because you had sunglasses and a mask on, and you looked like you were in a hurry, but I’d love to see what else you can pick up with those arms. When: Wednesday, July 15, 2020. Where: University Mall. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915096 RESTAURANT AWE OF TEMPTING BEAUTY Your presence is so sure, pleasing and reassuring! We worked together briefly and caught eyes at Ray’s Seafood; you were enjoying some ice cream. Even though just for a moment, was it purely nature helping us catch eyes at that moment? Does inspiration guide us? Hope you may be single! Again? Could I cook for you for fun? CB sees inspiration! When: Wednesday, May 27, 2020. Where: Ray’s Seafood. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915095

THOUGHTS OF YOU LINGER You wore a Haight Ashbury hat. I wore purple and was nervously waiting for a job interview. You said that you had been a job developer and your advice helped get that job! You showed me pictures of the beautiful marble tables that you make. You are a very sexy older man, and I am a very interested younger woman. When: Wednesday, February 12, 2020. Where: Speeder & Earl’s. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915094 NORTH BURLINGTON, DREADED BRANDY In late February, we sat and chatted on an early flight to DC. You were headed to KC, dreads, beautiful, smart, computers. I would love to continue that talk over coffee or a drink or walk by the lake. I apologize for having to find you this way, and during a global pandemic, but it’s all I could think of. When: Monday, February 24, 2020. Where: Burlington flight to DC. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915093 SUMMER 2007 You: beautiful black boy walking your bike. Me: white girl with bright brown eyes. We were so young when we stopped to flirt on the corner in front of the Shopping Bag, but I’ve been thinking about your smile for over a decade. I still hope we’ll run into each other again. When: Friday, July 10, 2020. Where: North Street. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915092 WILLISTON STARBUCKS - H Hi H: Thanks for the brief chat and not laughing at my attire (button-down shirt, long underwear for skiing and flip flops for the beach); such is life in a busy remote Zoom world. In the event you find this and there’s appetite and availability to lengthen the conversation, I’m in. Wishing you a fantastic day! D. When: Thursday, July 9, 2020. Where: Maple Tree Place Starbucks. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915091

Ask REVEREND 

Irreverent counsel on life’s conundrums

Dear Reverend,

About a year ago, I moved out of the house I was living in with the mother of my child. We were having some issues, and I just couldn’t live with her anymore. I rented a place nearby so I could still be close to them. Recently we have rekindled the old spark, and now she wants me to move back in. I’m afraid that if I do, I will be in the same situation I was a year ago. I love her and my daughter, but I just don’t think we can live together. What should I do?

Rebound for Trouble (MALE, 32)

WISHIN’ AND WISHIN’ I’ve been movin’ calm; don’t start no trouble with me. Trying to keep it peaceful is a struggle for me. Don’t phone up at 6 a.m. to cuddle with me. You know how I like it when you’re loving on me. She said, “Do you love me?” I tell her, “Only partly.” I only love my bed and my mama, I’m sorry! When: Thursday, July 9, 2020. Where: Shelburne. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915090 GORGEOUS BLONDE, COLCHESTER AVE. To the gorgeous blonde walking by at 10 a.m. I was in a commercial work truck waiting for the light to change. You already had my full attention when I saw you look at me and say, “You’re hot.” I yelled, “Right back at you” and blasted the horn going up hill. Care to masquerade? When: Wednesday, July 1, 2020. Where: in front of Domino’s, Colchester Ave. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915089 HOT UPS MAN, DARTMOUTH Never seen you before. Smiled and said hello, but get the sense there was more you wanted to say to me. You: sexy salt-and-pepper beard, hot in your uniform. Me: 5’6 blonde, jogging near the green. Deliver me a package sometime, or start with getting my number. When: Monday, June 22, 2020. Where: the green. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915087 THE EARTH BROKE OPEN The Earth broke open when I saw you in the parking lot: white hair, enchanting blue eyes, about to enter a blue RAV4. Did you somehow see my blue eyes and white hair? I still want to meet you and hope you will take a chance. I can’t camp in the lot all summer long. Blessings. When: Tuesday, June 30, 2020. Where: Healthy Living. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915086 YOU AND LUCY Just checking if you and Lucy feel like hiking company with the toasted marshmallow dog and me. When: Saturday, June 27, 2020. Where: hiking. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915085 SEEKING DOBRA ASTROLOGER This is the longshottiest of longshots, but I overheard you giving an astrology and (maybe reflexology) reading in June 2018. You had this soothing, calming and grounded presence, but not in a douchey way. I can’t give any details about what you were wearing #becauseblind, but maybe if you’re meant to find this, you will. When: Tuesday, June 12, 2018. Where: Dobra. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915084

Dear Rebound for Trouble, I think you should trust your instincts. I don’t know what your issues were, but people don’t change that much in a year. If you were to move in now, your relationship could become a hot mess again in no time. I highly recommend that you take it slow. If you two are serious about getting back together, you should consider going to couples counseling. It’s typically not covered by insurance, but you should check your plan (if you have one) and any other extra benefits your employer may have. You can also find lowcost options in your area by doing a quick online search.

WAFFLES <3 When the world burns, I’ll still follow you into the dark. The rising phoenix screams out not in pain but in victory. You matter more than anything — the ashes make great clay from which to build again. Babe, I know. There will always be water at the bottom of the ocean. Let’s step offshore and remember how to swim. When: Thursday, July 2, 2020. Where: in my wildest dreams, my arms... You: Man. Me: Woman. #915083

PLAINFIELD CO-OP SANSKRIT TATTOO MAN You were 6’ in front of me, waiting outside in line around 7:30. You had a blond braid and gray yoga pants on. I was in brown pants and a black tank top on a motorcycle. You asked about my tattoo, and we talked briefly about MIA book by CT. Talk sometime? Motorcycle ride? When: Thursday, June 25, 2020. Where: Plainfield Co-op. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915078

SITTING ACROSS FROM YOU I see your head peeking out of your shorts. When: Tuesday, June 30, 2020. Where: the boat. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915082

COLLEGE ST., YOU FOLLOWING ME You: beautiful dark-haired woman who was walking behind me on College. We caught eyes as I stopped suddenly to enter a building. I froze and I didn’t say anything, as I was late and trying to find my building. I have regretted it since not talking to you. Me: dark, curly hair, wearing a hat with big beard. When: Tuesday, June 23, 2020. Where: College St. and St. Paul. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915076

GRACIE07 Good afternoon. I haven’t been on here for a while. Not sure when you sent me a flirt, but I went to read your profile, and it is hidden. Would you mind opening it up for me or sending me a link to it? Please and thank you! When: Monday, June 29, 2020. Where: Seven Days. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915081 LEDDY PARK BEACH We met at the beach with my lady-killer baby bloodhound, and I was falling in love at first sight so I bumbled words and didn’t get your number. When: Thursday, June 25, 2020. Where: Leddy Park. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915080 AMOR (IN THE NIGHT SKY) You are in my dreams almost every night. You slip away from me in every dream, though, just as you did in real life. I so wish you would drift back to me regardless of the past. Remember the red thread. We’ll always be connected. If you see this, please text me a heart. When: Sunday, June 28, 2020. Where: in my dreams. You: Man. Me: Man. #915079 RICHMOND POST OFFICE, FRIENDLY NEIGHBOR? You: female, pretty strawberry-blond long hair and glasses, dark flowered dress, friendly smile. Me: male, tall, short dark hair, Yankees baseball cap. You live down the block from me by the market, and we keep seeing each other at/by the post office and saying hi. Care to meet? When: Thursday, June 18, 2020. Where: Richmond Post Office. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915077

You might need to make a few phone calls to find the right therapist for your needs, but it’s worth the effort.

HONEY HOLLOW SMILES Was with my pup doing our thing as we came across you doing your own thing around 12:30. We exchanged glances and smiles a couple times as you climbed up beyond sight, and you’ve been on my mind. Care to do our own thing together sometime? From a socially safe distance, of course. When: Sunday, June 21, 2020. Where: Honey Hollow. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915074 BIKE PATH DETOUR, LAKESIDE Passed you at the Lakeside RR bridge as you were heading for the beach and said hi. You: in a purple bikini and orange fishnet cover. Me: office nerd out for lunch. Want to find a shady spot by the water to chat? When: Thursday, June 18, 2020. Where: Lakeside RR bridge. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915073 DELI CASE CHAT We were both getting sandwiches from Sweet Clover Market. We chatted about what’s good (everything). You recommended the quiche and egg rolls, and I said I like the samosas and peanut noodle salad. I’m intrigued. Care to chat more? When: Tuesday, June 16, 2020. Where: Sweet Clover Market. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915072

It is possible to love someone whom you just don’t totally get along with. Maybe that’s the case with you two. If you decide to put out the flame on your romance, you can still stay involved in your daughter’s life and remain friends with your former partner. However, you should take into consideration that the more involved you are with your ex, the harder it will be to meet new potential love interests. Good luck and God bless,

The Reverend

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