V ERM ONT ’S INDEP E NDE NT V OIC E SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020 VOL.25 NO.49 SEVENDAYSVT.COM
REAL ESTATE of Affairs How COVID-19 is changing the places where Vermonters work, shop and live BY KEN PI CA RD, PAGE 36
SEPTEMBER 2020 SIMPLE SELF-CARE FOR PARENTS P. 10
Into the
UNKNOWN
PICTURE BOOKS ABOUT WOMEN’S RIGHTS P. 14
NEW CURRICULUM FROM CLEMMONS FAMILY FARM P.20
Back to school amid a pandemic
LESSONS FROM AN ILL-FATED CAMPING TRIP P. 26
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
INSIDE!
Kids VT September issue
CLASS ACTION
PAGE 16
Cops-in-schools controversy
TAKEOUT TALES
PAGE 48
A new series on foods to-go
Digital device overload?
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WEEK IN REVIEW AUGUST 26-SEPTEMBER 2, 2020 DREAMSTIME | DIANE SULLIVAN
COMPILED BY SASHA GOLDSTEIN, MATTHEW ROY & ANDREA SUOZZO
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That’s how many opioid-related deaths Vermont has recorded this year as of June — well above the 48 at the same point in 2019.
GREEN LIGHT
Vermont DMV offices in South Burlington, Montpelier and Rutland opened Monday, by appointment only. Start your engines.
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GETTING the POOP on COVID-19 Burlington officials are exploring how city sewage might help them find the next COVID-19 outbreak. Early results are promising, they say. The city is wrapping up a pilot program it quietly undertook in August to identify viral markers in wastewater. “I’m excited about this as an early warning system,” Mayor Miro Weinberger said. “I think this really has the potential to give us a sense of an outbreak starting to happen at the very early stages.” Wastewater monitoring has garnered interest around the country as a way to track the virus’ spread. A couple of weeks ago, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced plans for a national wastewater surveillance database to glean insights from this developing field of public health. Because people with COVID-19 often shed the virus’ genetic information in their feces, evidence of infection flows through sewers every day. Health officials increasingly believe the tests can gauge the disease’s prevalence within a community. Earlier programs elsewhere tracked opioids and polio. The hope is that any changes in the virus’ concentration can help decision makers direct the city’s public health response.
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During the monthlong pilot, the city has sampled untreated effluent entering each of the three wastewater treatment plants once a week. Data has “really just confirmed the low prevalence of COVID-19 that we’re seeing in Burlington,” said Carolyn Felix, an analyst for the city’s Department of Innovation and Technology. Burlington is looking into targeting smaller areas and is talking with the city school system, Champlain College and the University of Vermont about starting programs. “The more surgical interventions do seem potentially more powerful,” Weinberger said. Burlington isn’t the first Vermont city to plumb its residents’ poop for coronavirus clues. Rutland participated in an earlier, seven-week program in April and May. At that time, the infection rate in the city was too low to be detected, so the tests were discontinued. Commissioner of Public Works Jeffrey Wennberg said Rutland would consider using the tests again if the region experiences a new surge of cases. That was before the Vermont Department of Health announced an outbreak in Killington that was traced to an August 19 party at Summit Lodge. Read Derek Brouwer’s complete story at sevendaysvt.com.
SILLY SAP
Runamok Maple in Fairfax is planning to release something called Sparkle Syrup to try to juice up sales. All that glitters.
POINT PROVEN
The painting of a Black Lives Matter street mural in Bennington was interrupted by protesters, leading to four arrests. The struggle continues.
SNOW WAY
Some Vermont educators have suggested that remote learning could spell the end of snow days. And we had to walk three miles to school in eight-foot drifts!
1. “St. Albans Cop Used Demeaning Slur During Arrest at School” by Derek Brouwer. The city and the school district agreed to pay $30,000 to settle a human rights complaint alleging discrimination against a disabled student. 2. “Burlington’s File Cabinet Sculpture to Be Moved” by Pamela Polston. Creator Bren Alvarez will move the monument to bureaucracy from the spot where it was constructed in 2002. 3. “Stowe Skiers Must Make Reservations to Hit the Slopes” by Sasha Goldstein. Skiers at 34 Vail Resorts properties will need to purchase lift tickets ahead of time this winter. 4. “Addison County Sheriff Doubles Down on Accusations Against Vergennes Chief” by Colin Flanders. The sheriff criticized Attorney General T.J. Donovan for clearing Vergennes Police Chief George Merkel of allegations that he falsified time sheets. 5. “Coming and Going: Kingfisher to Open in Ludlow, Free Range to Close in Chester” by Melissa Pasanen. The Chester spot will close after nearly three years in business, while Ludlow will get a new pizza place by the end of September.
tweet of the week @OlsonAH82 I realized tonight I asked for a “dime bag” at @CityMarketCoop when checking out my groceries because I forgot my reusable bag. “Uh, let me start over.” #btv FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @SEVENDAYSVT OUR TWEEPLE: SEVENDAYSVT.COM/TWITTER
WHAT’S KIND IN VERMONT
CHOOSING HAPPINESS From the start of the pandemic, this space has been dedicated to positive stories. This week, it’s about someone who’s written the book on tales of kindness — literally. Fairfield resident Lynda Ulrich is the brains behind Ever Widening Circles, a website with millions of followers that publishes only good news. That’s right — no politics, no coronavirus death tallies, no police shootings. Since March, Ulrich said, readership has tripled, a sure sign that in these heavy times people are yearning for something lighter. That’s the concept behind Ulrich’s new book, Happiness Is an Option: Thriving (Instead of Surviving) in the Era of the
Internet, which came out on Tuesday. She makes the case that internet users can shape what’s published online by being intentional about what they read. “If we were a little bit more in tune and paused just for a second before we click on things, we can click the meaningless and just the plain mean into obscurity,” Ulrich said. That’s not to say Ulrich is anti-news. She considers herself well-informed and believes people should stay up-to-date on current events. But often, what trends on Twitter or catches fire on Facebook is stuff that plays on fears and insecurities, she noted. On Ever Widening Circles, the website Ulrich launched in 2014 and now runs with a small staff that includes her daughter, the top
stories examine whether walking has “the power to save lives and uplift communities” and reveal that “the world’s first ‘rock star’ isn’t who you think!” (Spoiler: It’s the classical pianist Franz Liszt, who made it big in the 1840s.) Ulrich’s book tells similar stories, some of which were among the 2,000 published on her website to date. There’s the tale of the innovator who used old cellphones to try to stop illegal logging in the rain forest, and the analysis of why single moms make the best game wardens in the African bush. Those are stories Ulrich wants people to read. “We can have more joy and less fear,” she said, “and a brighter future.” SASHA GOLDSTEIN SEVEN DAYS SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
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FEEDback READER REACTION TO RECENT ARTICLES
UNSAFE SELFIE?
I was appalled to find that the rules of the Seven Days MASKerade Contest, explained on page 47 of your August 26 issue, require contestants to travel to the South End Art Hop so they can take a selfie at the event. A contest that encourages and promotes mask use? Excellent. One that requires participants to physically travel to a crowded event? Absurdly irresponsible. Please, for the sake of public health, revise your contest rules to allow contestants to take a selfie from any location, including their own homes. There’s no reason to ask anyone choosing to express themselves through creativity and art to risk their health or potentially put others at risk while doing so. Lauren Lastowka
BURLINGTON
Editor’s note: As a sponsor of the South End Art Hop, Seven Days aims to encourage attendees to wear masks but make it more fun — and artful — by decorating them. Safety is a top priority for the event’s organizer, the South End Arts + Business Association, too. There will be a mix of virtual and carefully monitored in-person exhibits throughout the weekend. There will not be a street closure, food trucks, live music or vending other than the Artist Market on Saturday. Security at the event will enforce social distancing and mask wearing.
‘VERY FINE ANALYSIS’
I’m not a regular reader of the WTF column, but based on your “Insecure Mask-ulinity” piece in the August 5 issue, I probably should be. Very fine analysis. I read it with the sort of “Yes, that’s it exactly!” glee I feel when I see something in print that lines up with my own thinking — fleshed out with more detail and scholarship. I’ve been working downtown in Burlington for the last few months and
CORRECTION
Last week’s Soundbites column contained an error regarding the Plattsburgh, N.Y., band Mountain Carol’s track “Essex Ferry.” The song appears only on its album Starkiller and the Banshees and two-track EP Brother Bloom.
WEEK IN REVIEW
I mailed my ballot for the state primary on July 12, 30 days before Election Day. Two weeks later, I emailed my town clerk in Jericho to check if it had arrived. It hadn’t. I began to worry. On August 10, it still wasn’t there. I began to despair. It finally arrived August 11. My experience clearly shows that no Vermont voters living or stationed abroad can feel secure in their right to vote with the current state of international mail. Many states allow all voters living or stationed abroad to return ballots electronically or by fax. If Vermont values the voting rights of all its citizens, including those living or stationed abroad, it must expand the right to return ballots electronically to all.
TIM NEWCOMB
Kristen Jafflin
JERICHO, VT, AND SIERENTZ, FRANCE
WHITE LIKE ME take my lunch breaks outside at the corner of College and Church streets, a great place to observe the various mask cultures. From that bit of data gathering, I’d add one thought to your article. If you think about how your basic dude does his nobody-messes-withme performance, a big part of it is the Scowl — the alpha-dog facial expression meant to make it clear who’s the boss in his immediate vicinity. And, my point at last: Critical elements of the Scowl come from the lower half of the face — set of the jaw, curl of the lips, hard-ass grizzle. So you can’t do it with a mask on. It’d be like covering the fins and bullet taillights on a 1959 Caddy.
noise exposure is loudest on airport grounds — not good for a passenger caught outside the terminal when the F-35 takes off, even without afterburner. Nor does the article mention the BTV boycott campaign, launched by those calling for an end to F-35 takeoffs and landings at a civilian airport in a city. The article appears designed to present government views. Does the establishment, with all its millions, really need Seven Days to promote its views for free in news articles while omitting mention of serious health and safety flaws? Where is the traditional fourth-estate job to challenge power?
Thank you for the great piece on what a father of color has to do in this country to keep his family safe [Kids VT: “A Black Father Reflects on Privilege and Power,” July 7]. The story continues to remind me that, because I am white, I do not have the same worries as the author, Marlon Fisher, nor do I have to do the same things to keep my family safe. I know the term “white privilege” can ruffle feathers, and many people simply refuse to acknowledge it exists. I would urge anyone to listen to psychologist John Amaechi, who recently explained it in the most simple and eloquent terms on the BBC. By understanding white privilege, we can make society more fair and equal.
James Marc Leas
Lawrence Houston
SOUTH BURLINGTON
WILLISTON
Mike Rosen
BURLINGTON
TOO EASY ON AIRPORT
“Despite Fewer Passengers, BTV Is Weathering the Pandemic” [August 19] was a bit one-sided. Featuring five establishment figures — aviation director Gene Richards, two airport commissioners, the mayor of Burlington and the former CEO of a major airline — it included just one dissenting voice, that of Burlington City Councilor Jack Hanson. The article emphasizes airport money troubles from the sharp decline in passengers during the COVID-19 pandemic and the airport’s supposed benefits to the local economy. But it includes no words from any of the hundreds of people reporting continuing pain or injury from the F-35 takeoffs and landings that continue unabated. Nor does it mention that F-35
DISTANCE VOTING
It’s great that Secretary of State Jim Condos is encouraging Vermont voters to vote by mail during the COVID-19 pandemic [Pandemic Primary Voters’ Guide: “Mailing It In: A Q&A With Secretary of State Jim Condos,” July 22]. But these efforts don’t go far enough to address the problems faced by one group of Vermont voters: voters living or stationed abroad. I live in France, and mail to the U.S. is slow now. Still, I am lucky. Many countries currently have no mail service to the U.S.! Recognizing this problem, the Statewide Elections Directive that Secretary Condos issued allows Vermont voters in countries with no mail service to the U.S. to submit their ballots by email. But those of us with slowed mail services don’t have this option.
PRISON PROBLEMS
The number of coronavirus cases among Vermonters jailed in Mississippi is of great concern [Off Message: “A COVID Outbreak Prompts Scrutiny of Vermont’s FEEDBACK
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contents SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020 VOL.25 NO.49
Cupcake Day Care Accepting new kids! 7:30 am-5:30 pm INFANTS THROUGH PRESCHOOLERS Beautiful new facility with LARGE OUTDOOR PLAYGROUNDS
How COVID-19 is changing the places where Vermonters work, shop and live BY KEN PI CARD, PAGE 36
1060 Hinesburg Road, South Burlington Phone: 802-861-2068 email: geltabbakh@lcgo.com
COVER IMAGE ROB DONNELLY • COVER DESIGN REV. DIANE SULLIVAN
FOOD
Better Buns Winooski’s Morning Light Bakery shares Asian favorites
12
NEWS & POLITICS 11 From the Publisher House Parties
Dems, GOP and Progs jockey for power in legislative races
Purple Terrain
A longtime House Republican clings to a district that has shifted left
Hard Knocks
The arrest of a disabled student in St. Albans fuels debate over police in schools
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ARTS NEWS 24
FEATURES 42
Short takes on five Vermont books
Exotic trees and inspired sculptures in Woodstock
Page 32
Barn Free
Joshua Collier launches socially distant opera, online and outside
Gifting Wall
Couch Cinema: Build the Wall
Teach a Kid to Phish
Learning to Fly Program offers free, one-on-one music lessons to Vermont youth
STUCK IN VERMONT
Online Thursday
Keeping Pace
Getting Their Fix
Two comedians tackle the TV classic “MacGyver” in a new podcast
Blank Page Café serves farm-fresh breakfast tacos to-go
ALL CONTAINER GROWN TREES AND SHRUBS
PAGE 50
COLUMNS WTF Bottom Line Side Dishes Album Reviews Ask the Reverend
SECTIONS
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Labor Day Sale!
Turning the Page
The North Country Trail finally reaches into Vermont
23 46 52 56 59 76 80
Life Lines Food + Drink Music + Nightlife Classes Classifieds + Puzzles Fun Stuff Personals
8/26/20 11:17 AM
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Landscape Art
30 32 47 54 81
How has COVID-19 changed the camping experience? To find out, Eva spent the night at Grand Isle State Park with her mom — and the park’s former volunteer gardener — Sophie Quest. Some parks will remain open until mid-October.
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FROM THE PUBLISHER
Creating a weekly newspaper is labor-intensive and exacting — but it’s a breeze compared to a glossy magazine. Planning for our annual dining guide, 7 Nights, starts almost a year in advance. Our food writers and photographers crisscross the state through all seasons to report on some of the most exciting restaurants, breweries and nightclubs. The process of gathering information for the free listings of 1,400 food and beverage businesses takes two people roughly three months of full-time research and phone calling. The project requires detailed art direction, editing, design, multiple proofreads and year-round database management. And there’s a hard deadline: Its early-spring publication is timed to coincide with our 10-day Vermont Restaurant Week. This year’s edition was nearly printer-ready on March 16, when Gov. Phil Scott issued an executive order that closed bars and restaurants to in-person dining to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. As a result, Vermont’s thriving food scene changed overnight, and 7 Nights’ carefully curated coverage became instantly obsolete. In consultation with local restaurateurs, we made the difficult decision to scrap the publication and postpone Restaurant Week. Within 48 hours, we had repurposed our searchable The planned cover photo for statewide database to create a website, Good To-Go this year’s 7 Nights: a meal at Waitsfield’s Stoke Ramen Bar Vermont, to promote the only viable alternative then available: takeout. For the past six months a team of Seven Days food writers, editors and designers has toiled to obtain information from restaurants across the state and keep it current. Ads in the newspaper, on the website and via our many e-newsletters have directed Vermonters to takeout, outdoor dining and other eating options where they live. We had hoped things would be all better by now for our friends in the food business — VERMONT the people who work so hard to nourish and bring us together. But they’re not, and as the nights get colder and the days shorten, “to-go” still looks like the “go-to” way to help restaurants weather the pandemic. In recognition of the new reality, look for a regular weekly Good To-Go feature in the food section. In this issue, Jordan Barry savors breakfast tacos and coffee at Blank Page Café while explaining how the proprietors are managing their store and curbside pickup. Vermont Restaurant Week has been canceled for this year, but there’s no less appetite to help those 100 or so eateries that made plans to participate. With the resources provided by sponsors at Vermont Federal Credit Union, Vermont Creamery, Shacksbury, WhistlePig Whiskey, the Essex Culinary Resort & Spa, and City Market, Onion River Co-op, Seven Days is extending an offer for one free quarter-page ad to each eatery — to promote their VERMONT takeout offerings, holiday parties or gift Interested in becoming a Super Reader? cards — good through the end of the year. They can also use Look for the “Give Now” buttons at the top of the free space to advertise open positions. sevendaysvt.com. Or send a check with your We hope the weekly messages remind you to support address and contact info to: local restaurants, farmers and food trucks — in every way SEVEN DAYS, C/O SUPER READERS P.O. BOX 1164 possible — this fall and winter. Similarly, please make BURLINGTON, VT 05402-1164 the effort to get what you need at stores here in Vermont For more information on making a financial instead of on Amazon. contribution to Seven Days, please contact This state we love depends on it. Corey Grenier:
JEB WALLACE-BRODEUR
Food Chain
GOOD TO-GO
GOOD TO-GO
Paula Routly
VOICEMAIL: 802-865-1020, EXT. 36 EMAIL: SUPERREADERS@SEVENDAYSVT.COM
SEVEN DAYS SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
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news
MORE INSIDE
NEW DIGS FOR LAWMAKERS? PAGE 14
CRIME
DEL POZO DRAMA CONTINUES PAGE 15
Police Arrest Man Who Carried AR-15 Near BTV Protest
SCRUTINY OF COPS IN SCHOOLS PAGE 16
B Y DER EK B R OU WER
Burlington police on Monday arrested a Winooski man who they said stood near peaceful Black Lives Matter protesters with a rifle for three consecutive days. Jordan Atwood, 25, is not allowed to carry firearms because of courtimposed restrictions for an unrelated pending criminal case. He was booked for violating those terms, police said. Atwood was first spotted on Saturday night standing in a parking lot of the Burlington Police Department, located across the street from where racial justice protesters have camped and rallied daily for the past week. TIM NEWCOMB
Protesters preparing to march in Burlington on Tuesday evening
JAMES BUCK
House Parties
Dems, GOP and Progs jockey for power in legislative races B Y C O LI N FL A N D ER S
T
he coronavirus pandemic compelled Vermont lawmakers to set aside their partisan differences and swiftly respond to a once-in-a-lifetime challenge. The cooperative spirit stood in contrast to the sparring of their federal counterparts and sent a reassuring message to Vermonters in a time of crisis. It was also fleeting. As they campaign to win additional seats in the Statehouse this November, candidates in all three major parties are once again more focused on what divides rather than what unites them. Few observers expect the election to substantially alter the balance of power in the Democrat-controlled Vermont House and Senate. But even incremental shifts in the three-way tug-of-war could be consequential, particularly if Republican Gov. Phil Scott remains in office, his veto pen at the ready. “We’re writing the future for how Vermont recovers from this pandemic,” said House Majority Leader Jill Krowinski (D-Burlington), who oversees the 12
SEVEN DAYS SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
Democratic caucus. “Having the strongest, most thoughtful leaders sitting in that chamber in January is critical.” Leaders in all three parties claim they have momentum heading into the fall. Democrats and Progressives envision a blue wave — spurred by fear of four more years under President Donald Trump — that will fend off challenges from the right, backfill a slew of retirements and even flip some red districts. Republicans, meantime, fresh off their most successful recruitment season in years, hope voters will reward Scott’s pandemic leadership by supporting the party down the ballot. “Vermonters want some steady-handon-the-wheel balance to what has been happening in Montpelier,” argued Paul Dame, a former Republican state rep who is political director of the Vermont GOP. “Gov. Scott can’t do it alone. That’s one of the reasons we’ve got to make sure he has the support he needs from the legislature — so
that our candidates can run and actually feel like they can accomplish something.” Though Republican leaders hope to retake control of the legislature one day, they concede that a more realistic goal this year is to claw their way back from losses suffered during a disastrous 2018 election, in which they ceded 10 seats in the House. Republicans now hold only 43 of 150 House seats and six of 30 in the Senate. Neither is enough to prevent Democrats and Progressives from amassing the constitutionally required two-thirds majority to override a veto. That poses a troubling reality for a party that has branded itself as a vital check on Vermont’s liberal sway. “Right now, we rely on the help,” said Rep. Pattie McCoy (R-Poultney), the House minority leader, referring to independents and Democratic and Progressive defectors who don’t always vote with the majority.
2020
ELECTION
HOUSE PARTIES
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Police told complaining witnesses that the unknown man appeared to be “exercising his Constitutional rights” because Vermont is an open-carry state, interim Police Chief Jon Murad wrote in a press release issued late on Tuesday. The following evening, a man believed to be Atwood was seen again at the corner of Battery and Pearl streets. A city cop spoke to him, but he refused to identify himself. Police discovered his identity on Monday and learned he was barred from possessing guns. They initiated a search warrant application, Murad wrote. Just before midnight, witnesses reported seeing an armed man, later identified as Atwood, walking up Church Street. He was carrying an AR-15 and a pistol at the time of his arrest, police said. In a statement late on Tuesday, Mayor Miro Weinberger expressed “concern” for the safety of protesters and police. He asked demonstrators to coordinate forthcoming actions with the city “so that their safety, and the safety of the public, can be assured.” The city released information about Monday’s incidents shortly before demonstrators were scheduled to begin marching to Battery Park and just as Seven Days was going to print. For an updated version of this story, go to sevendaysvt.com. Contact: derek@sevendaysvt.com
Purple Terrain A longtime House Republican clings to a district that has shifted left BY KEVIN MC C ALL UM
G
eorge Lewis was in a panic. wave of Democratic activism fueled by The coronavirus shutdown in opposition to President Donald Trump. the spring and strict travel restric“2018 was a tough year, and it’ll be tions through the summer had devastated a tough year again this year, I suspect,” business at his Brass Lantern Inn, a nine- Scheuermann said. “Stowe has turned room guesthouse in Stowe. a little more left than it has been in the He and his wife, Mary Anne, were past.” Two years ago, Marina Meerburg, a banking on the state’s low infection rate and natural beauty to draw at least candidate in her first run for state some autumn leaf-peeper traffic. office, secured the DemoThen even that seemed to cratic line as a write-in, got be in jeopardy. A fall repavendorsed by Sen. Bernie ing project of Route 100 just Sanders (I-Vt.) and, with enthusiastic backing from outside the inn allowed the the state party, came just contractor to work through 87 votes short of defeating the night — hardly the quiet Green Mountain getaway for Scheuermann. Democrats view Meerburg’s strong performance as which Brass Lantern guests pay $250 per night. the latest evidence that Stowe is turning When his pleas to the Vermont from red to purple. Agency of Transportation fell on deaf The upscale ski town voted for ears, Lewis sought help from state Rep. Democrat Sue Minter over Scott in the Heidi Scheuermann (R-Stowe). 2016 gubernatorial race, 49 percent to “She got all the way to the top, and 47 percent, although Scott beat Minter the secretary of transportation called my 52-43 in statewide results. In the same house to tell me, ‘Listen, we’re election, Hillary Clinton working on a solution,’” Lewis trounced Trump in Stowe, said. receiving three votes for Lewis feels grateful to every one of his, a significantly have an advocate with a wider margin than she enjoyed statewide. track record of going to bat for people and businesses in But in 2018, when Stowe Stowe. “She is boots on the voters supported Republican ground,” Lewis said. “I’ve Scott over Democrat Christine never seen anyone work so Hallquist, 55 percent to 41 hard for their constituents as percent, Scheuermann outHeidi Scheuermann.” raised Meerburg in campaign Lewis describes himself as funding two-to-one and still a “middle-of-the-road guy” barely hung on. uninvolved in local party “The current representapolitics. He has voted for tive has been in there for RE P. HEIDI Democrat Barack Obama and more than a decade, and SCHE U ERMAN N Republican Gov. Phil Scott Stowe residents might be and said he’d have no problem looking for a different voice,” voting for a Democrat in a local race. But Spencer Dole, House campaign direcScheuermann’s work has earned his vote, tor for the Vermont Democratic Party, he said. said last week. “This is probably one of This ability to appeal to crossover our top 10 House districts in terms of voters such as Lewis helps explain how picking up a seat from an incumbent Scheuermann, a moderate Republican, Republican.” has been able to hang on to her House Instead of making another run herself, seat for seven terms, even as her district Meerburg convinced her friend Sabel has increasingly leaned left. Courtney to take up the mantle. It wasn’t But this year, Scheuermann, who owns a tough sell. A public relations consultant, and manages properties, is facing Jo Sabel Sabel Courtney was inspired by Sanders’ Courtney, a Democratic opponent wellknown in the community — and another
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SEVEN DAYS SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
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news STATEHOUSE
Lawmakers Consider Options for Meeting When New Session Begins BY K E VI N MC C A L L UM
If Gov. Phil Scott wins another term this November, he might find himself giving his 2021 inaugural address in his hometown instead of in the state capital. A recent study of how lawmakers might return for in-person legislating in January concludes that the Barre Municipal Auditorium is the only facility in central Vermont capable of safely hosting all 180 lawmakers at once. The tradition of the governor addressing a joint session of each new general assembly, with all 150 members of the House and 30 members of the Senate present in the Statehouse, is simply not possible given the social distancing currently required, the study concludes. “We very quickly understood there was no way there could be a full return to the Statehouse,” architect Jesse Beck, president of Freeman French Freeman, told lawmakers on Tuesday. His Burlington-based architecture and planning firm outlined a range of options for lawmakers in a 94-page report released by the House Committee on Corrections and Institutions. It concludes that in-person legislating is possible but would be expensive. Other large government buildings in Montpelier, Barre and possibly Waterbury would need to undergo significant upgrades to create the space needed for lawmakers to safely meet all together or in committees, the study found. For example, it would cost an estimated $85,000 just to outfit the Barre auditorium for a joint session of two days — such as the governor’s biennial inauguration and budget address — and another $132,000 if the space were used for the rest of the four-month legislative session. The Statehouse itself would require an estimated $331,000 in upgrades to host the return of lawmakers. Everything would change, including the distance between the tables in the cafeteria, the number of people allowed at once in the speaker’s office, and which urinals and sinks could be used in the bathrooms. Much like schools are creating options for returning students, the report gives lawmakers a number of choices, including in-person meetings, a hybrid approach, or continuing with the videoconferencing they’ve used since April, the least expensive option. The Joint Legislative Management Committee, which is made up of leaders of both chambers, will make the ultimate call. It’s unclear when the decision will be made.
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House Parties « P.12 House Democrats and Progressives have successfully wielded their supermajority power only once during Scott’s tenure, overriding his veto of a minimum-wage increase by a single vote in February. But Democratic voters are just as likely to remember the House’s failure to overcome Scott’s veto of paid family leave legislation that same month. A handful of moderate Democrats and independents joined Republicans to block that override attempt — also by a single vote. Scott’s vetoes have proven useful ammunition for candidates across the political spectrum. Many first-time Democratic and Progressive candidates cite paid leave as one of their top priorities, while Republicans have used the threat of that program as a recruitment tool. “While we can celebrate this win,” GOP chair Deb Billado wrote in a newsletter published days after the failed override vote, “I want every one of you to realize that we cannot leave [a] matter of this weight, and this kind of fiscal impact, up to chance.” “Vermonters cannot afford to have such razor-thin margins separating them from such massive tax burdens,” she added. “In another vote, we might not be so lucky.” Republicans have some cause for optimism. After years of lackluster recruiting, the party has managed to field 97 House and 28 Senate candidates to run in November. If Republicans win a little more than half their races in either chamber, Billado wrote earlier this month, “we can shift the balance of power and put some strength behind Governor Scott’s veto.” Gaining ground in the Senate poses the bigger challenge. Only two incumbent Democrats did not seek reelection, and both live in the left-leaning Chittenden district. And while Sen. John Rodgers’ (D-Essex/Orleans) decision to run as an independent — after failing to file paperwork in time for the Democratic nomination — could offer Republicans an opportunity, that’s only one of the five seats the GOP would need to gain to uphold gubernatorial vetoes. The path appears only slightly easier in the House, where Republicans need to flip eight of the 107 seats they do not hold to surpass the 50-seat mark. Dame, the GOP political director, said some of the party’s best takeover opportunities are in districts now occupied by top Democratic and Progressive lawmakers. They include House Speaker Mitzi Johnson (D-South Hero). Johnson has survived several close races in recent years and faces another tough — and familiar — challenge in the Grand Isle/Chittenden district. In 2018, the uncle-nephew duo
Leland and Michael Morgan sought to oust the speaker and her seatmate, Ben Joseph. Leland Morgan defeated Joseph, but Johnson survived. Two years later, both Morgans are back on the ballot, with their sights again trained on Johnson. Republicans are also targeting Rep. Robin Chesnut-Tangerman (P-Middletown Springs), the Progressive caucus leader who has won his last two elections by an average of 136 votes, and Rep. Sarah Copeland Hanzas (D-Bradford), a former House majority leader who has run unopposed in her last three races. Incumbency typically offers a significant advantage, but with the legislature back in session to work on a
REPUBLICANS NOW HOLD ONLY 43 OF THE 150 HOUSE SEATS AND SIX OF 30 IN THE SENATE,
NEITHER OF WHICH IS ENOUGH TO SUSTAIN A SCOTT VETO.
COVID-19-era budget, sitting lawmakers have less time and energy to dedicate to their campaigns. That could help some Republican contenders get a head start on their competition. Of course, it cuts both ways: Some GOP incumbents facing their own tough challenges will also be stuck in virtual committee meetings. Among them is Rep. Heidi Scheuermann (R-Stowe), one of the more influential Republicans outside of the House leadership. Scheuermann eked out a victory in 2018, and both parties view her race as one of the most hotly contested on the ballot. The parties are also keeping close tabs on the Chittenden 8-3 district, where political newcomer Alyssa Black, a Democrat, is challenging Rep. Bob Bancroft (R-Westford). Black, a medical billing manager from Essex, told Seven Days earlier this month that she decided to run after Bancroft led the unsuccessful opposition to codifying abortion rights in state law. Other potential takeover opportunities for Democrats, the party says, include Rutland Town, where Barbara Noyes Pulling is running against four-term Republican Rep. Thomas Terenzini; and Northfield/ Berlin, where Denise MacMartin’s strong showing in the primary has led some to believe she might be able to defeat one
of the two sitting Republicans: Rep. Anne Donahue (R-Northfield) and Rep. Kenneth Goslant (R-Northfield).. For Progressives, leaders said, the main goal heading into November is to maintain their current seven-member caucus in the wake of three incumbent retirements. State party executive director Josh Wronski said he was pleasantly surprised by how well Progs fared in the August primary, headlined by Emma Mulvaney-Stanak’s upset of longtime Rep. Jean O’Sullivan (D -Burlington) and Taylor Small’s strong showing in a race for a House seat in Winooski. (Both candidates are running in November with the Democratic and Progressive label. Wronski said he expects them to join the Progressive caucus.) With candidates fielded for all but two seats currently held by Progressives — and 14 candidates total — Wronski said he’s optimistic the party will hold the line. The party may even pick up a seat or two, he said, pointing to Tanya Vyhovsky, a Progressive/Democrat running alongside Rep. Marybeth Redmond (D-Essex). They face a pair of Republican contenders in the two-seat district. “A lot of new, young families are moving into that district [who] tend to be more progressive,” Wronski said, explaining why he believes Vyhovsky has a good chance of flipping the seat now held by Rep. Linda Myers (R-Essex), who is stepping down. As they drill down on individual races, leaders across the political spectrum say two names at the top of the ballot — Trump and Scott — are likely to play a role in the outcome of legislative elections. Vermont Democrats and Progressives believe Trump’s polarizing presence on the ballot will drive turnout, particularly among voters sympathetic to their causes. Even some Republicans, who are quick to note that Vermonters are well-known ticket-splitters, concede that they are unsure whether the president will help or hurt their prospects. Still, Republicans believe their governor’s widely admired handling of the COVID-19 pandemic will counteract whatever liability the president poses. “If [people] are going to vote for Phil Scott,” Dame said, “I think it’s very reasonable that they’re going to make sure … to give him the strength and the tools that he needs to accomplish his vision.” Contact: colin@sevendaysvt.com
BURLINGTON
Howard Center to Investigate After Employees Complain About del Pozo’s Board Position BY C O U R TN E Y L A M D I N
After complaints from employees, the Howard Center board of trustees has hired an investigator to help determine whether former Burlington police chief Brandon del Pozo should continue serving as a trustee. Board president Debra Stenner announced the inquiry last Friday morning in a letter to staff. The probe seeks “to better understand the full scope of events” surrounding del Pozo’s decision to create an anonymous Twitter account that he used last summer to troll Howard Center employee Charles Winkleman. The Howard Center provides mental health and substance-use services and is one of the biggest employers in the state. Del Pozo has served on the organization’s board since 2018. His three-year term ends in 2021. “We believe Brandon brings unique and valuable insight and have supported him in his decision to stay on the board,” Stenner wrote. “However, we recognize that there are strong feelings of harm on both sides and gaining a full, unbiased understanding of all that has happened, or continues to happen, is in the best interest of Howard Center and we believe is an imperative in order to move forward.” Del Pozo has agreed to recuse himself from board proceedings while the inquiry is under way, according to
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Stenner’s letter. Reached last Friday, Stenner would not disclose who is performing the investigation nor provide any details about its scope. “We’re looking at this collectively, not just Brandon’s actions,” she said. “People seem stuck on one set of actions, and I think we need to look at the whole set.” Stenner would not clarify whether the probe would also focus on Winkleman’s online conduct. “The letter speaks for itself,” she said. “I don’t want to do anything to prejudice or hinder the investigation.” The decision comes more than a month after members of AFSCME Local 1674, the union that represents Howard Center employees, started a petition to “drop del Pozo” from the board. It amassed more than 600 signatures, and many were from clients and employees. Del Pozo detractors and supporters have called in to several recent Howard Center staff and board meetings to speak on the issue. “Given the conflicting sentiments about Brandon, we recognize that any decision reached regarding Brandon’s participation on the Howard Center Board of Trustees will not have unanimous acceptance,” Stenner wrote. In July 2019, del Pozo created the @WinkleWatchers account and posted a series of tweets about Winkleman, a known police critic and avid Twitter user. Del Pozo initially lied when Seven Days asked him about the account last summer. The then-chief ultimately admitted his conduct in a conversation with Mayor Miro Weinberger, and the city proceeded to quietly investigate del Pozo’s social media behavior, removing his badge and gun and placing him on paid administrative leave. That leave soon changed to a six-week medical leave of absence when the city learned that del Pozo’s actions
were caused by an “underlying mental health condition,” Weinberger has said. Del Pozo publicly admitted to his behavior in December 2019 after Winkleman wrote a blog post that accused del Pozo of harassing him online. The chief resigned days later. After laying low for a few months, del Pozo has reemerged as a police reform expert in local and national media outlets following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Del Pozo has also used his newfound platform to insult Winkleman, calling him “toxic” and “onerous” in various interviews. Winkleman says the trauma from the del Pozo incident led him to take a mental health leave from the Howard Center in June. “It’s strange to see a community mental health organization entirely dismiss my own mental health needs,” Winkleman said. “I think it’s pretty clear where their loyalties lie.” Del Pozo’s board position is equally troubling to Winkleman’s fellow union members, who wrote in an open letter on Monday to the organization’s leadership that someone who belittles a Howard Center worker has no place on its board of trustees. Other community members have stood by del Pozo. Kimberly Blake, who Zoomed in to an August 11 board meeting, said she served on several panels with del Pozo after her son died of an opioid overdose in 2017. “[My son] died from a preventable disease, and people like Brandon have done tremendous amounts in our community to help people with opiate-use disorder,” she said. “I do believe that he has a place in our community.” Del Pozo declined to comment. Howard Center executive director Bob Bick did not respond to an interview request.
SEVEN DAYS SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
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news
Hard Knocks
The arrest of a disabled student in St. Albans fuels debate over police in schools B Y DER EK B R O UWER
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SEVEN DAYS SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
PHOTOS: OLIVER PARINI
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acing scrutiny from parents over the summer, leaders of the Maple Run Unified School District defended a program that puts St. Albans cops in its schools. In a July letter to a group of critics, superintendent Kevin Dirth described the three uniformed officers working in district schools as the “creme de la creme” of the local police force. He acknowledged “disgusting, high-profile examples of police in schools who act as bullies and tyrants” elsewhere, but he said the experience of schools in the district, which includes St. Albans City, St. Albans Town and Fairfield, has been overwhelmingly positive. Behind the scenes, however, the district and the city were negotiating with the family of a high school student whose experience was not. Officer David French arrested the teen inside Bellows Free Academy in March 2019. The boy was cuffed and charged with disorderly conduct for yelling profanities at the officer. During the encounter, French told the 17-year-old, who had a documented disability, that he was “acting retarded.” The incident might never have received public attention if not for a school worker who tipped off Seven Days. The city omitted the arrest from a public records response to this newspaper last year and only released some information last week after it agreed to pay the student $30,000 for the incident. The settlement provides a rare view of the oft-hidden troubles that can arise when police officers work in schools. It has also fueled local activists who are concerned about cops’ role in educational settings, an issue that’s part of the larger national movement for racial justice. Schools “need people who are specially and specifically trained to help a student navigate those pressures and issues,” said Reier Erickson, a member of Neighbors for a Safer Saint Albans, which has pressed to remove officers from district schools. “Police are not specially trained to do any of those things.” School resource officers, as they are typically known, have been stationed in some U.S. schools for decades. They are often congenial figures intended to present a softer, trustworthy image of policing to young students. In a typical arrangement,
From left: Angie Sturm, Reese Kelly, Tanner McCuin and Reier Erickson, members of Neighbors for a Safer Saint Albans
the school district pays the officers’ salaries, but they are employees of a municipal police department. The programs have become more popular since the 1990s, spurred by school shootings and greater anxiety over on-campus safety. A 2018 state survey found that 21 percent of Vermont schools employed an officer. A more recent analysis by VTDigger.org shows that cops are concentrated in high schools, at a combined cost of roughly $2 million a year. Research is limited and conflicting on the effectiveness of the programs, the Vermont Department of Public Safety and the Agency of Education concluded in a 2018 research memo to Gov. Phil Scott. The state-funded School Safety Center has not included school resource officers on its list of 15 “best practices.” Some districts have continued to use the officers anyway. Champlain Valley Union High School hired its first one last school year, motivated by deadly school shootings elsewhere and the suspension of a CVU student who made threats in March
2018, the Williston Observer reported at the time. The nationwide civil rights movement ignited this summer by the latest spate of police killings has brought renewed energy to long-standing criticisms of cops in the schools. The efforts have gained some traction in Vermont. In August, the Winooski School Board agreed to replace its officer in 2021-22 with an employee trained in restorative justice practices and counseling. Burlington’s school board plans to study the district’s program. Critics charge that schools are importing racial biases found in American policing, criminalizing juvenile behavior, widening the school-to-prison pipeline and wasting funds that could be spent on more specialized supports. They are especially concerned that police in schools are more likely to arrest students of color or make nonwhite students feel less safe. “There is this idea that we need cops to be good role models for our kids,” said Amanda Garces, founder of the Vermont
Coalition for Ethnic and Social Equity in Schools. “What we’re saying is, ‘No, actually, you need other types of role models.’” School cops are not supposed to be involved in student discipline, but civil rights watchdogs in Vermont say the line between discipline and law enforcement tends to get blurred when there’s a cop on standby. Students with behavioral issues stemming from a disability can be at particular risk. Marilyn Mahusky, a staff attorney for Vermont Legal Aid’s Disability Law Project, said she represented a 16-year-old last year who was pushed against a wall during a conflict with a school officer at Brattleboro Union High School. The student was known to respond poorly to authority and had an individualized education plan that called for using alternatives to punitive discipline. Yet the school officer cited the student on juvenile criminal charges for using “inappropriate language” during the interaction. “That has long-term consequences for that student,” Mahusky said.
Mahusky’s case bears some resemblance to the recently revealed incident at Bellows Free Academy on March 26, 2019. The 17-year-old teenage boy appears to have been angry over school officials’ request to search his belongings for unspecified “contraband,” according to police records. School administrators radioed French for help, though the officer later told a departmental investigator that he wasn’t sure why he was asked to respond. The investigator’s written report states that the staffers and the boy were sitting in a lobby area near the busy cafeteria when French arrived. The officer said he asked the boy to stop cussing and quiet down. The boy responded, “Fuck you, bitch.” French threatened to arrest him for disorderly conduct and eventually told him to put his hands behind his back. The boy pulled away, a struggle began, and French took him to the ground. A school official held the boy’s legs while the officer cuffed him. The boy was already on the floor by the time French activated his body camera. Edited footage reviewed by Seven Days last week shows that the young man was clearly upset. While waiting for a police cruiser to arrive, the boy accuses the officer of ruining his chance of going to college. He also invites French to search his backpack, claiming that the alleged contraband was merely cologne. The boy was not charged with possessing any illegal substance. Instead, he was charged with disorderly conduct, a low-level misdemeanor that can include a wide variety of alleged misbehavior. The outcome of the criminal
case isn’t known because a judge sealed the records. Soon after the arrest, the boy’s mother formally complained to the St. Albans Police Department, pointing specifically to the “retard” language her son said French
THE SETTLEMENT PROVIDES A RARE VIEW OF THE OFT-HIDDEN TROUBLES THAT CAN ARISE
WHEN POLICE OFFICERS WORK IN SCHOOLS.
had used. That comment was not captured by French’s body camera, but the officer later acknowledged using the word. A bystander who witnessed part of the arrest told Seven Days last week that she was disturbed by how the student was treated. The woman, who asked not to be identified because she works in the school district and fears retaliation, said she immediately recognized the student. She was concerned to see him pinned to the floor because she knew he has a physical disability.
“There was no need for it,” she said. The department cleared French of using excessive force but imposed a suspension of at least half a day for his language, city manager Dominic Cloud said in an interview last week. French finished out the school year at Bellows Free Academy and was transferred to regular patrol in June 2019. Jay Diaz, a staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of Vermont, has worked on disparities in student discipline. He questioned why the officer was asked to intervene in the first place. Superintendent Dirth said the school district did not investigate that issue, but he believed his employees had made an appropriate decision. Taxpayers may have to take Dirth at his word. The city would not provide school surveillance video footage of the incident, and witness statements by school personnel were removed from the use-of-force review provided to Seven Days. Cloud said school district attorneys requested the redactions, citing federal student privacy law. It’s not clear whether any record of the arrest would have been public if not for the human rights complaint. The City of St. Albans apparently omitted the documents from its response to a Seven Days November 2019 request for use-of-force forms and civilian complaints against the police department during that year. The city’s initial response to a July 16 request for records about the specific incident was that no records existed, citing the statute that exempts sealed court records. After the newspaper appealed, Cloud said he would provide some information once the pending settlement was final.
Information about police officers’ work inside schools is often cloaked in the secrecy provided by state and federal privacy laws intended to protect kids, not adults, Diaz said. The ACLU has been requesting data on school arrests and citations around the state, with mixed response from police departments and schools. “It really makes it impossible to get a useful statewide picture of the impact of having police in schools,” Diaz said, suggesting that the legislature may need to step in. Dirth provided general data showing that police have filed 35 charges in district schools since 2016, including nine criminal charges last year at St. Albans City School, which serves grades pre-K through eight. The superintendent described the 2019 incident as a “real catalyst for change,” including more training for school resource officers and more careful selection of those chosen for the role. Those changes were enacted, he said, but were not mentioned in last year’s $246,000 contract between the district and the city, signed several months after the 17-year-old’s arrest. But Dirth said they may be added to a new agreement the school board is expected to review later this month. For local activists, the settlement confirmed that their district’s policing program warrants continued scrutiny. It also swayed the school worker who witnessed the arrest. “I do think it’s kind of a waste of money, and after watching this incident with this student, I don’t feel that they are trained enough to be around children,” she said. Whether the incident will persuade the school board to change its program remains unclear. Seven Days sought interviews with four of the 10 members, including board chair Jeff Morrill. None responded. Contact: derek@sevendaysvt.com
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news Purple Terrain « P.13 2016 presidential run and wanted to get more politically involved. “Bernie put out the call to all of us to step up,” she said. “I’m hearing that it’s time for a change.” Sabel Courtney owns her own PR firm and works largely for clients in the tourism industry. She was the marketing and public relations manager for the Stowe Area Association, and also has worked to market Cabot Creamery cheese around the region. “I’ve been so immersed in tourism in this town, promoting and marketing Stowe all over the world,” she said, adding that her experience would help her advocate for the industry. “I’ve worked in the business and know the players.” She also has deep ties to the arts community, having cofounded the Stowe Theater Guild in 1995. Despite working in one of the most upscale towns in the state, she’s an avowed Sanders supporter who advocates for progressive policy. She said she believes it is the government’s role to help people in need, and she would back Democratic priorities that support working people, including legislation to create a living wage, paid family leave, health care for all and affordable housing. The pandemic has brought home for her the importance of passing policies that address the glaring economic inequalities in the state. Sabel Courtney noted she can only afford to live in Stowe because she rents her apartment from a friend for less than the market rate. “I know young people who have grown up here, gone to school here, work here and can’t buy a house here, and they have families,” Sabel Courtney said. “What happens to our community when they move?” Affordable housing is crucial not just to families but to the local economy, Meerburg said. While Scheuermann owns rental properties and therefore benefits from advocating for low property taxes, Meerburg said, Sabel Courtney will attack the problem from a fresh angle. “Jo is acutely aware that in order to run our businesses, we need people to be able to afford to live here,” Meerburg said. That includes not just affordable housing but living wages and affordable childcare, she said. After deciding to run, Sabel Courtney participated in Emerge Vermont, which trains Democratic women to run for public office. It was not lost on Scheuermann that if her opponent were to win, she would not increase the number of women in the Statehouse. Scheuermann took to Twitter last month to point out that Emerge 18
SEVEN DAYS SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
Rep. Heidi Scheuermann
Vermont is not dedicated to electing all women, just Democratic women. In response to a tweet from Molly Gray, the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor, announcing a Rally to Elect VT Women, Scheuermann snarkily tweeted, “Must have misplaced my invitation.” “Oh wait,” she continued. “I’m a VT Republican woman, so not woman enough apparently.” The recent primaries suggest that Scheuermann might again have cause for concern. Sabel Courtney ran unopposed and collected 654 votes on the Democratic ballot, while Scheuermann, also unopposed, had 432 votes on the GOP side. Scheuermann said she understands all too well that Republican support in her district is eroding. Many Republicans, she said, have moved south or died. In their place are families drawn to Stowe “from urban areas, which tend to be a little bit more liberal,” she said. In 2018, however, after Republicans were routed nationally in the midterms and in the Statehouse, Scheuermann urged members of her party to look inward for an explanation. Disgust at Trump surely played a role in local losses, but so did a Vermont GOP that had lost its way, she argued then in an op-ed. “We continue to be lifeless and
part of national Republicans certainly can make it difficult for Republicans locally to attract the independents and moderate Democrats that we need to win,” she said. And yet the intense focus of Vermont voters on local issues — the response to COVID-19, returning to school, the reopening of the economy — all make Scheuermann hopeful Republicans will regain some lost ground. “Voters are focused on their local issues, and that’s where Republicans shine,” she said. When it comes to the tourism industry that is the lifeblood of her town, Scheuermann has lobbied hard in support. Last year she started a caucus made up of representatives from tourist-dependent towns. Scheuermann pushed to increase the state’s tourism marketing budget by $500,000, arguing that other states were chipping away at Vermont’s signature industry. “Her voice is probably one of the loudest in Montpelier in support of the tourism industry,” said Amy Spear, vice president of tourism at the Vermont Chamber of Commerce. Since COVID-19 hit, Scheuermann said, her concern for the hospitality industry led her to urge the Scott administration to reopen the state more quickly. In retrospect, her stance may have been unwise, she said. “Some of the things I might have been a little more aggressive on might not have been the right way to go,” she said, such as faster and broader reopening of lodging and restaurants. If the reopening of schools goes smoothly and infection rates remain at low levels, Jo Sabel Courtney Scheuermann said, she expects she’ll again make the case to further ease the constraints on businesses. “We don’t have enough grant money in the world to get our lodging community through this if people don’t come here,” uninspiring. We lack a clear message that she said. inspires and welcomes Vermonters into Pre-pandemic, Scheuermann voted our fold, and, in fact, in some cases, we against a minimum-wage increase and are moving away from our traditional core a mandatory paid family leave program values that have served this state so well during the current legislative session, and for so many years,” Scheuermann wrote. in the past she has opposed the push for She urged her colleagues to recommit single-payer health care. to Republican traditions of supporting free Vermonters have always had a strong enterprise, personal liberty, individual independent streak, Scheuermann said, responsibility and limited government, and she hopes they continue that long noting that she thought of herself as a tradition of voting for person over party. “Verpublican.” “It’s not about national politics,” Scheuermann stands by that analysis Scheuermann said. “It’s about who’s the and said national political trends continue best person to represent this community to generate stiff headwinds for local and fight for this community.” Republicans. “The image and the reputation on the Contact: kevin@sevendaysvt.com
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Private Prison Contract,” August 12; “30 More Vermont Prisoners Test Positive for COVID in Mississippi,” August 17]. It’s high time to end the Department of Corrections’ authority to send any prisoners out of Vermont. That is not to recommend more Vermont jails, or further overcrowding. Release all nonviolent prisoners. Upgrade probation and parole. Pay for services to convicted people by reducing police budgets. Geoffrey Cobden
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CHECK ME IN
[Re “No Vacancy,” August 5]: I would love to see the downtown Midtown Motel restored! My wife and I have great memories of that place, though I must admit they were mostly made-up fantasies during date nights in Burlington. Would jump at the chance to stay there in real life! The Hilton has been our go-to place, but this would be a great alternative and, at 66 years young, an easy walk for me. Any schmo can knock it down and pave paradise for a parking lot. Please do something fun with it. Israel Helfand
CABOT
SIMPLIFY MAIL-IN BALLOT
While I am excited by the number of ballots cast in the 2020 Vermont primaries, I was not surprised to learn so many were cast incorrectly [Off Message: “Spike in Defective Ballots ‘Concerning,’ Secretary of State Says,” August 14]. Although previously familiar with the ballot process, I found it to be complicated for many family members and close friends because the guidelines were scattered in multiple locations. After reviewing the data, the mail-in ballot process was too complicated for most, hence the number of incorrectly cast ballots currently projected at 6,000. A solution: Make the process simpler for the public to understand. Keep sentences clear and concise, and use bold, large text utilizing symbols on voting ballots and envelopes for anyone who may not be a strong reader or whose primary language is not English. Keep information and directions in one place, including the signature line. I understand this will be the goal for future ballots,
though you now run the risk of scaring away the number of voters due to both the process and the response for 2020 elections. I do not write to be nasty but to express a point I felt needed addressing after reading the comments from Secretary of State Jim Condos and Will Senning, director of elections and campaign finance. With so many incorrect ballots cast, the flaw should fall not entirely on the public but with the system. Ideally, the simpler the process, the smaller the margin of error shall be. Brendan Corey EAST FAIRFIELD
SHELBURNE ROAD — OR STREET?
Thanks to Sally Pollak for continuing to bring us along on food adventures, like in the M-Saigon review [“Dining on a Dime,” August 24]. Traditionally, that point of intersection of Route 189-Route 7-Flynn Avenue and north terminating at the rotary has been referred to colloquially as Shelburne Street, as opposed to Shelburne Road. This was likely an etymological effect of gentrification — that Burlington was becoming a sophisticated, gracious place with the explosion of industrial wealth in the late 1800s. In 1836, the city purchased a 70-acre farm fronting Shelburne Street at the present site of Market 32, running west to the railroad tracks, and eventually constructed a substantial brick public poorhouse after the original farmhouse was deemed inadequate. The city sold the property in 1903, and thereafter it was referred to as the Circus Grounds, where the likes of Tom Mix and Tony the Wonder Horse arrived on June 6, 1930, to thrill the crowds. Stephen C. Brooks
CHARLOTTE
PROTECT RED ROCKS
[Re “Neighbors Enlist Sound Experts, Lawyer to Fight Burton’s Concert Venue,” August 12]: Your story about neighbors’ concerns regarding noise, traffic and tailgating, if Burlington’s Development Review Board approves the BurtonHigher Ground project, makes no mention of protecting a most precious neighbor and shared resource: South Burlington’s Red Rocks Park. A hundred acres of magnificent forest, trails and cliffs overlooking Lake Champlain, the park sits directly across the street from the proposed concert venue. Falcons nest here each spring as wildflowers
WEEK IN REVIEW
bloom. Foxes and owls make Red Rocks their year-round home. Above all, this park has provided refuge and respite for people throughout the region during the pandemic. Even before the pandemic, park officials had restricted access to the park’s cliffs to protect the rocks, plants, animals, and people endangered by ill-advised cliff walks or jumps after a few drinks or hits. With the new norm of outdoor socializing, preconcert park parties will increase park policing and restrictions with impact far beyond Burlington city limits. The pandemic has demanded new visions of responsibility that move us beyond narrow human-drawn boundaries such as city limits. Burton’s proposed hub has great promise but must include protecting a shared irreplaceable natural resource. Daytime restaurants, a skate park, perhaps an arts innovation center and even a small-scale early-evening concert venue can expand the economy while also preserving Red Rocks. Ultimately, our long-term collective health requires a marriage of economic and natural sustainability based on interconnectedness, transparency and community stewardship of shared resources such as Red Rocks. Dana Walrath
SOUTH BURLINGTON
‘NOT WORTH READING’
[Re Feedback: “Seven Days Suspends Online Comments Until Further Notice,” April 8]: Sorry, but the paper is just not worth reading with the comments section closed. Just my opinion. Thank you. Andrew Terry
RANDOLPH
DEAR CANADA
[Re “No, Canada: A Closed Border Strains Vermonters’ Personal, Economic Bonds,” June 10]: Dearest Canada, The closed borders make us sad. We miss you. You get us. We admire your universal health care plan. Your poutine. Your joie de vivre (shout-out to my girl, Québec!). Your polite and warm welcome to us over the border! You can have our rolling Green Mountains, our craft beer, our finest cheese and our innate weirdness. We promise to be a good little state — some might even say we are the bravest little state. We are tired. Tired of the partisanship that is now not only annoying but downright dangerous. Tired of having to
spell-check and fact-check everything our orange president says. And, quite frankly, tired of fighting with our own neighbors. We seek solace. Please consider this our official petition for annexation. We really are nice people and have so much to offer. Warmest wishes, The State of Vermont Alise Certa
ESSEX JUNCTION
ANCIENT ‘CIRCUS’
[Re From the Publisher: “The Road to Resurrection,” August 26]: Paula Routly’s mention, along with photos, of the Bread and Puppet Theater troupe reminded me of the several times in the 1980s that I attended their Resurrection Circus. The Circus was an annual summer event, directed by the artist Peter Schumann, featuring gigantic puppets and somber political themes along with humor, music, mask-wearing “washerwomen” and “garbagemen,” and Schumann’s chewy and garlicky rye bread served free to all. The white-clad participants also carried posters with cryptic words and paintings. The vast scene suggested some ancient religious rite, perhaps deriving from old European Catholic festivals, with the distinctive bread an earthier precursor of the Communion wafer. Last year’s wonderful horror movie Midsommar also reminded me of the white-clad Bread and Puppet troupers. Except that the celebrants in Midsommar took their defiance of the modern world even farther back, to the seasonal festivals of the ancient Celts, Greeks and others. As documented in The Golden Bough, Sir James Frazer’s 1922 research masterpiece, those ancient festivals involved actual scapegoating, human sacrifice and cannibalism, along with maypoles and other innocuous vestiges that have found their way into today’s religious and secular celebrations. What makes Midsommar so terrifying is that it is an accurate rendition of the way many of our ancestors actually lived until modern science and technology liberated us. Those who would have us retreat from the noisy and confusing present into an imagined past might consider, as James Joyce once said, the nightmare from which we are trying to awaken. Andy Leader
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OBITUARIES, VOWS, CELEBRATIONS
George Anthony Schiavone
OBITUARIES Phyllis D. Powell
JULY 28, 1930AUGUST 10, 2020 SHELBURNE, VT.
Phyllis Powell died peacefully at the Converse Home on August 28, 2020, after a brief illness. Phyllis was born on August 12, 1928, in Burlington, Vt. She attended Ira Allen School and Burlington High School and graduated from the University of Vermont. After graduation she taught elementary school in Burlington. A gifted musician, Phyllis studied piano and organ and was the organist at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in St. Albans. She loved music and passed that love on to her children and grandchildren. She began acting classes in her mid-70s with an emphasis on improvisation. She played roles in a number of local productions, as well as performed off-Broadway in New York City at age 80. She loved her time in the theater! Phyllis was a kind, perceptive and loving person with many dear friends and acquaintances. She was a member of All Saints Episcopal Church and cherished her times with her PEO sisters. Phyllis leaves behind her sister Janice Mudgett, son John Davis (Wanda Stetson), and grandchildren George Davis (Audrey Feldman), Timothy Davis, Katie Wilder (Nick), Emily Fortune (Rudy) and Elizabeth Davis, as well as great-grandchildren Tylie Rose Fortune and Cooper Wilder. She was predeceased by her parents, Professor George and Helen Dykhuizen; her son Richard Davis; and her daughter Allyson LeDoux. She was also predeceased by husbands Philip Davis and Homer Powell. The family would like to express our gratitude to the staff at the Converse Home for their kind and loving care during her time there. Arrangements are in care of the Cremation Society of Chittenden County. To send online condolences to her family, please visit cremationsocietycc.com.
George Anthony Schiavone, 90, of Shelburne, Vt., passed away on August 10, 2020, after battling glioblastoma with his usual optimism and grace. He was born July 28, 1930, in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., to George Anthony Sr. and Margaret (Flynn) Schiavone. George had an aptitude and love for engineering at a young age, tinkering with and repairing the family car. He earned a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from Clarkson University in 1951 and immediately went to work for General Electric in Erie, Pa., as an electrical engineer. George married the love of his life, Linda Gieringer, on July 18, 1959, in Erie. They were married for 61 wonderful years of devotion, laughter and adventure. George had an intense love and deep appreciation for Linda and continued letting her know every day until the end. George and Linda moved to Vermont in 1959, which he described as “one of the best decisions” of his life; he loved this state and was grateful to live and raise his four children here. His fulfilling career at General Electric continued in Burlington, where he made many lifelong friends and retired as manager of engineering in 1992. George had many adventures with the family, often hiking, biking, sailing and skiing. Ever the inventive
leader, he created “Uncle George’s tours,” including hiking Diamond Head in Hawaii, clamming in Nantucket and many biking trips. He dedicated his energy and time to his children and grandchildren, supporting them in their various endeavors. Serving his community was of the utmost importance to George. He was a dedicated public servant and was highly respected by his peers. George served as a member of the Vermont House of Representatives for Shelburne from 1992 to 2005. He volunteered for and chaired the boards of the Burlington Emergency Shelter and Northern Vermont Red Cross, and he was a board member of the Board of Civil Authority, Champlain Valley Union High School, YMCA, Saint Michael’s College Association and Lake Champlain Bridge Commission. He also was a justice of the peace and volunteered for Junior Achievement, Athletic Boosters at Rice High School, Green Up Day, Shelburne Rotary and as Republican National Committeeman — a position he especially enjoyed.
George was a man of extensive and diverse interests, all of which he pursued ambitiously. He was an avid alpine skier, skiing up until he was 89! Hiking, cycling and distance running were other passions. George ran (impressive times) in seven marathons, including the Boston Marathon, New York City Marathon and the Marine Corps Marathon. He was methodical and thoughtful in his endeavors and life in general, keeping yearly logs and taking notes daily. George had an innate curiosity and insatiable love of learning. He tackled conversational Italian, German, Japanese and French, taking a college French class at the age of 85! In any environment, George delighted in befriending everyone and learning their stories. Another passion was tinkering with and driving his 1952 MG TD, often in local parades. George loved and lived life to its fullest, with endless optimism and boundless energy. His unparalleled sense of humor and wit brought joy to every day. Caring deeply about people, he found the unique and positive qualities in everyone he met. He was a gracious man, even throughout his illness, choosing to focus on others and finding beauty in each and every day. George’s deep faith guided him always, and he was an active member of the Essex Alliance Church. George and Linda shared this faith intensely. George will be dearly missed by his wife, Linda, of Shelburne, Vt.; four children,
loved to travel and was an expert at planning, map reading and providing provisions for long road trips. She had a goal of visiting every U.S. state and had only three left on her list. She was happiest by the ocean or atop a mountain. She was a passionate lover of nature and a committed and vocal environmentalist. However, at her core, Avery was an artist who expressed herself visually, musically and through poetry. Her creativity and her ability to look at things and see unique beauty will live on long after these sad days. She brightened her
family’s world and made that world a better place. Avery is survived by her parents; her brothers, Sam and Nathan; and Nathan’s fiancé, Erin Stokes, and their son, Carter. She is also survived by both sets of grandparents, both in Enosburg: Jay and Martha Sheperd and Alan and Susan Vaillancourt. Avery was also loved and treasured by a network of many aunts and uncles, cousins, and friends throughout Vermont and spread around the country. Avery’s greatest capacity was to love. She loved her fellow humans unconditionally
and without reservation. Avery accepted people as they stood and encouraged her friends to be their true selves. She was always a willing sounding board, a shoulder to cry on and an encourager to all. Avery developed a passion for social justice in high school and was always willing to engage others in conversation and debate. Her opinions were deeply held — and she wasn’t afraid to share them! Visitation was held on Thursday, August 27, 2020, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Spears Funeral Home, 96 Dickenson Ave., Enosburg Falls, VT.
AUGUST 12, 1928-AUGUST 28, 2020 BURLINGTON, VT.
Avery Vaillancourt SEPTEMBER 18, 2000AUGUST 24, 2020 ENOSBURG FALLS, VT.
Avery Margaret Vaillancourt left this world on August 24, 2020. She was born on September 18, 2000, in St. Albans, Vt., to James Vaillancourt and Jody Gehrke Vaillancourt. Avery graduated from Enosburg Falls High School in 2018 and studied art at the Herberger Institute of Art & Design at Arizona State University. She
was recently a resident of Burlington. Avery was an adventurous and creative spirit. She
Anne Schiavone MacKay of Whitinsville, Mass., and John of Bakersfield, Calif., George Schiavone III and Jen, of Palmetto, Fla., Mary Schiavone Lavoie and Phil of Burlington, Vt., and Elizabeth Schiavone Rider and Fenn of Shelburne, Vt.; 10 grandchildren, Sarah MacKay Robinson and Owen, Daniel and Rebekah MacKay, Meghan and Philip Lavoie, Joey, Eric, and Kira Schiavone, Fenn and Ian Rider; greatgrandchildren Penelope and Desmond Robinson; and sister Fran (Schiavone) Pangburn of Santa Barbara, Calif. He was predeceased by his sister, Margaret (Schiavone) Berens. Many thanks to Dr. Landry, Dr. Tranmer, Dr. Thomas and Dr. Unger — an amazing team. And thanks to his respite nurse Andrea Dewey and to Dr. Clough and all the wonderful staff at the McClure-Miller Respite House. A heartfelt thank-you also goes out to George and Linda’s neighbors, community and friends for all the love and support they’ve provided over the past eight months. A private burial service was conducted on August 17, 2020, by Pastor Scott Slocum. The family would like to thank him for such a peaceful and comforting service. Please consider a donation in George’s memory to the McClure-Miller Respite House, 3113 Roosevelt Hwy., Colchester, VT 05446 or UVM Home Health and Hospice, 1110 Prim Rd., Colchester, VT 05446. Or consider a donation to your favorite charity. A celebration of life was held on Friday, August 28, 2020, at 6 p.m. on the back lawn at Spears Funeral Home along the Missisquoi River. If interested and able, Avery’s parents have asked that memorial donations be made in her name to an environmental, youth art or mental health charity of your choice. They also ask you to hug your kids and love them as much as they both loved Avery. Condolences, photos and favorite memories may be shared through gossfs.com.
SEVEN DAYS SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
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arts news
The Green Mountains Murders: A Detective Sophie Junot Novel William Graham, self-published, 308 pages. $14.99.
He was happy reporting on rural events: ski races, youth hockey games, car crashes, local politics or the occasional burglary.
Short Takes on Five Vermont Books B Y CHELSEA ED GAR, MARGARET G RAYSO N , MA R GO T HARRISON & K RI S TEN R AV I N
S
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 zeal of zebras. 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 is a bunch of books, arranged alphabetically by authors’ names, that Seven Days readers might like to know about.
The Book of Atlantis Black: The Search for a Sister Gone Missing Betsy Bonner, Tin House, 280 pages. $26.95.
Her rules about stealing were clear in her mind. The Book of Atlantis Black opens with a death: the author’s sister’s death, in a hotel room in Tijuana under mysterious circumstances. It sounds like something straight out of fiction, but instead it’s the object of BETSY BONNER’s intense focus in this memoir-biography hybrid. Bonner depicts her sister, Nancy — who later changed her name to Atlantis Black — as a messy, creative, damaged person on a path to self-destruction. Bonner’s attempts to understand her sister’s complicated priorities and ethical codes — such as the one governing shoplifting, mentioned in the quote above — don’t lead to clear answers. If anything, the story of Atlantis gets more mysterious as it proceeds. But Bonner, a poet who lives in southwestern Vermont, is the right writer to lead us down the dark and twisty path. M.G.
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Vermont has no lack of fictional sleuths or of readers eager for them. Stowe author WILLIAM GRAHAM enters the fray with his mystery series focused on detective Sophie Junot, who struggles with depression as she works to unravel webs of small-town intrigue. This novel, the first of four, offers not a single book-length whodunit but a series of distinct murder cases, with victims ranging from an antiquarian bookseller to the fictional governor of Vermont. Among the colorful players are a Thomas Pynchon-esque reclusive author, a spying housekeeper, a scheming tennis pro, secretive nuns, and rural journalists with and without ambition. Uniting them all is Junot, a tough cop dealing with dark thoughts and ambivalence about the baby that she and her wife are expecting. It’s tough to imagine any Vermont detective handling this much mayhem, but fans of short-form mysteries will appreciate the story’s lightning pace. M.H.
Lost One Standing Hector Hill, Waterfall Films, 258 pages. $12.99.
Maybe his therapist was right: focusing on the positives in life really can make all the difference. Imagine you find yourself in a position to save the lives of those who marginalized you by risking your own safety. What would you do? This is the scenario facing Cade Dixon, the teenage protagonist of Highgate author HECTOR HILL’s YA thriller Lost One Standing. Originally conceived as a screenplay, the fast-paced novel centers on the booksmart, blue-collar New England prep school student, whose brains, MMA skills and intimate knowledge of campus infrastructure come in handy when his wealthy classmates are held hostage by a group of armed (and delightfully snarky) men. Misfit hero Cade is likable for his advocacy of the little guy; less so for his invasive ritual of staring at his crush from the attic above her classroom. Hill could benefit from a bit of copyediting (he mentions Cade’s age — 17 — four times in the book’s first dozen pages), but teen and adult adventure fans are likely to enjoy the ride. K.R.
PAID POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT GOT AN ARTS TIP? ARTNEWS@SEVENDAYSVT.COM
PUBLIC NOTICE TO PHIL SCOT T:
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Freedom & Unity – Elect Emily for Governor
Laser Lady Meets the Light Junkies: A Hollywood Memoir
Paid for by: Truth Matters Campaign, EmilyPeyton.com
Linda Lane, Highpoint Lit, 326 pages. $26.99.
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GOT WINTER BLUES?
Met Dean Stockwell in Topanga. In February 1972, LINDA LANE was a clown with prospects. She had just agreed to be the harlequin-inresidence at a Los Angeles nightclub when someone gave her a 6-inch-long cylinder and showed her how, at just the right angle, she could make a tiny holographic cannon float in its center. The nightclub lasted barely two months, but Lane’s infatuation with holography became the animating drama of her life. She developed a screenplay, Revelation II (“I asked myself, what would be the most astonishing vision imaginable? The answer was simple: the Second Coming of Christ”), and spent the next few decades gallivanting around Hollywood, New York and San Francisco in search of someone to produce it. The Burlington resident’s long, weird memoir, which mostly goes down like a bowl of Froot Loops, involves, in various proportions, Salvador Dalí, Mylar, disappointment, astrology, Richard Harris, the Chateau Marmont and a curious flea named Gerald that becomes trapped in human earwax. C. E.
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When’s the last time you heard good news about the state of the Earth? Southern Vermont journalist JUDITH D. SCHWARTZ, the author of two previous titles about water scarcity and soil restoration from Chelsea Green, fully acknowledges the severity of the climate crisis in The Reindeer Chronicles. But she wants to give readers something more upbeat to think about than impending doom. The book presents a series of absorbing case studies of grassroots efforts to “heal the Earth.” We learn how people are revivifying plains in China and deserts in Saudi Arabia; how they’re herding reindeer in Norway and cattle in Washington. (One common thread is a new, holistic approach to grazing animals.) Throughout, Schwartz stresses the value of listening, consensus building and acting from hope, not fear. While those principles may seem like distant pipe dreams in the current political climate, they’re dreams worth keeping. “Earth repair,” Schwartz writes, “…is the inverse of apathy and an antidote to despair … We can all find a garden to tend.”
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Contact: chelsea@sevendaysvt.com, kravin@sevendaysvt.com, margaret@sevendaysvt.com, margot@sevendaysvt.com 4T-UMall090220 1
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Barn Free
Joshua Collier launches socially distant opera, online and outside B Y AMY LI LLY
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From left: Nick Tocci, Joshua Collier and Russ McColman
AMY LILLY
he pandemic cannot bring JOSHUA COLLIER down. The jocund tenor and founder of BARN OPERA admits he had to cancel the small Brandon company’s entire third season of four full-length operas. And he laments that the coronavirus has taken away singers’ “entire industry, their artistic outlet and their financial security.” Nevertheless, Collier is all about the unexpected opportunities. Are opera singers marooned in their homes around the world? Perfect. Collier tapped 54 of them to produce audio recordings of full operas. Called the Social Distance Opera, the project had singers located from California to Europe to South Korea record their parts while listening to the same piano accompaniments. Collier and his assistant director, NICHOLAS TOCCI, a baritone, mixed them. The project launched on August 22 with a release of Mozart’s Don Giovanni, and the website promises five more operas, to be released over five weeks. All are free to listen to, and any donations will be split evenly among all the artists. “I can’t fix [everything], but they get to sing. It’s hard to overstate the importance of that,” Collier said while sitting on the patio of his home on Pearl Street during a Seven Days visit. Meanwhile, local singers need work, so Collier has scheduled some of the first opera concerts in Vermont since the pandemic started that will feature live singers, without microphones, in front of a live audience. Strict safety measures are planned, including a distance of 20 feet between performers and audience. The concerts will showcase eight singers, including Collier, Tocci, soprano HELEN LYONS of Ferrisburgh and the Pittsford-based couple KASEY KING, a soprano, and MASON JARBOE, a baritone. (The remaining singers are coming from safe counties in Maine and New Hampshire.) On Thursday, September 10, they’ll sing a program of opera arias and musical theater favorites in the barn at Isham Family Farm in Williston; on Saturday, September 12, they’ll perform on the lawn at Estabrook Park in Brandon. Finally, why let an uncertain future delay planned renovations to Barn Opera’s new
home? The company turned a hayloft into a purchased a circabalcony. 1850 barn in August During the visit, 2019, settling on Seven Days was struck one across the dirt by the amount of road from Collier’s work the former dairy house after he barn, next-door horse J O S H UA C O L L IE R had explored and barn and grounds still tested the acoustics require. But the two of nearly 50 barns. (Bonus: The approach singers and experienced carpenter were from Brandon’s picture-perfect town center indomitably cheerful. requires driving through a covered bridge.) “It’s not as much work as you would The company had lined up a contractor and think,” McColman said, pointing out 42 secured permitting by early March. Then the rooftop solar panels already installed pandemic struck. on the horse barn, which will become a With contractors addressing a back- green room for performers. Gesturing at log of bigger jobs, Collier, Tocci and the overgrown grounds, he described the technical director and project manager proposed entry drive past a roofless silo to RUSS MCCOLMAN took on the renovations a parking field and a return footpath along themselves. The trio has repositioned the base of a rock ledge hidden by trees. massive wooden beams while standing The building’s entry points — two on ladders, framed outside rooms and sets of large, slightly askew, swinging
IT’S GOING TO BE A
REALLY BEAUTIFUL LITTLE JEWEL BOX OF A THEATER.
barn doors — are to be rehung as sliding doors, said Collier. Audiences will emerge at intermission to enjoy a propane fire pit ringed with benches in the circular Founders’ Garden, defined by the concrete base of a former silo. A Founders’ Wall nearby will list the names of major donors, who number 13 so far; each has contributed $10,000 or more to the barn’s purchase and restoration. “It’s going to be a really beautiful little jewel box of a theater,” Collier enthused. Inside, the construction crew has framed out risers on the original oak floor that will support plush red seats — rescued from a dismantled cinema in Manchester. The barn’s total seating capacity of 110 is double what the company had at its former home at BRANDON MUSIC, which is housed in a different barn, owned by EDNA and STEPHEN SUTTON. (The couple cofounded the nonprofit COMPASS MUSIC AND ARTS CENTER, of which Barn Opera is a project.) The seating faces the empty floor at the front of the barn that will serve as the stage. No curtain is planned, and the orchestra “pit” is simply a space off to one side. Drywall to be installed between wall beams will better show projected supertitles, but in most aspects the rough-hewn look of the interior will remain, in keeping with the company’s ethos of opera for everyone. As Collier describes it: “Come in your jeans, drink some local beer. This is opera for people who live in the 21st century.” The optimistic director declares that renovations will be completed “before snowfall” and is planning a barn-opening event “as soon as it’s safe” — possibly within four months. Whenever that happens, it will be another welcome opportunity for singers to demonstrate their significant training and for audiences to enjoy it, unmediated by screens. “There’s a lot of depression [in the singing world],” Collier noted. “My response to that feeling is to create.” Contact: lilly@sevendaysvt.com
INFO Learn more at barnopera.com and socialdistanceopera.com.
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NOBUDGE
Gifting Wall Streaming video review: Build the Wall B Y MA R GO T HARRISON
Kent Osborne
W
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 FILM: Build the Wall
WHERE TO SEE IT: YouTube
THE DEAL: No, this movie is not a pro-Trump
statement (though you will find plenty of impassioned defenses of the border wall if you simply plug the title into a search engine). It’s a low-budget, low-key drama that was shot by prominent indie film figures in Hardwick, Vt. The wall in question is the traditional stone wall that Kev (Kevin Bewersdorf ) has promised to build his friend Kent (Kent Osborne) as a 50th-birthday present. They were both drinking at the time, and when Kev shows up with a haul of stones, Kent is dismayed. The wall building conflicts with his plan to host a friend from LA, Sarah (Jane Adams), in whom he’s romantically interested. Kev, who currently lives in his truck, vows to bathe in the brook, “shit in the woods” and stay out of the pair’s way. Naturally, that’s not what happens. WILL YOU LIKE IT? The best way to find this movie with minimal search-engine
confusion is to google the title with “Joe Swanberg.” Known for his low-budget “mumblecore” work, which helped launch stars such as Greta Gerwig, the Chicagobased director went on to make slightly more mainstream slice-of-life movies such as Drinking Buddies, along with the Netflix anthology series “Easy.” Build the Wall, which was shot in six days in 2019 at the Vermont home of Osborne — Swanberg’s friend and frequent collaborator — is his back-to-basics movie. In an interview with NoBudge, the curated platform hosting the film, Swanberg describes a motive for making it that was, perhaps, prescient: I was extremely fearful to sink a ton of money into a film because it felt that the country was on very shaky ground and something bad was going to happen … I wanted to see what it was like to make something super tiny again — in the event that I wouldn’t have other options. There’s no better place to go back to basics than rural Vermont. While the setting of Build the Wall may seem idyllic or exotic
to some viewers, local ones will nod in recognition at the scenes of wall building, farmers market shopping, brook skinnydipping and, of course, cannabis cultivation. It’s easy to imagine how another big-city filmmaker might have turned this story into a broad culture-clash comedy in the “Schitt’s Creek” vein, pitting the homespun Kev against the transplanted urbanites Kent and Sarah. But that would be the polar opposite of Swanberg’s style, which redefines “subtle.” Comedy is built into the largely improvised script, but there are no gags. Kent and Sarah’s relationship is believably awkward, incorporating (parental advisory!) fullfrontal nudity that occurs in some extremely unerotic situations. There’s something deliciously middle-aged about the way these two interact — set in their ways, protective of their habits, yet tentatively yearning for something more. These scenes are interspersed with Kev explaining his wall-building technique to the camera. While his monologues can get amusingly self-serious, they don’t read as parody. Kev could be a native Vermonter, or he could be a newcomer who prides himself on his
acclimation (unlike Kent, who still struggles to toss his ax well enough to impress Sarah). Either way, Kev ends up making a damn nice wall, and nobody is the butt of the joke. Build the Wall is indeed a “super tiny” movie — it runs just more than an hour, and not a lot happens by usual movie standards — but it’s a refreshing, good-hearted one. IF YOU LIKE THIS, TRY...
• Happy Christmas (2014; Hoopla, rentable): Anna Kendrick plays an adrift young woman who crashes with her settled-down brother and his wife in Swanberg’s sort-of-happy sort of comedy, also featuring Lena Dunham. • My Mother’s Early Lovers (1998; on YouTube as part of Vermont PBS’ “Made Here” series): Vermonters also make Vermont films, of course. Norwich filmmaker Nora Jacobson’s family drama features a memorable performance from local actor-director George Woodard. • You’re Next (2011; Peacock, rentable): If you’d rather watch a low-budget minimalist horror movie set on an isolated homestead, try this one, directed by Swanberg’s friend Adam Wingard and starring Swanberg as part of an affluent family having an ill-fated reunion. Contact: margot@sevendaysvt.com SEVEN DAYS SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
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BY SEVI BU RGE T- FOS T E R
MUSIC
6/24/20 4:32 PM
Aram Bedrosian teaching a student (pre-pandemic)
A
new collaboration of the FRIENDS FOR A_DOG FOUNDATION
and the BURLINGTON MUSIC DOJO has received $20,000 in grants to provide free music education to kids in Vermont. Called Learning to Fly, the program will offer up to 24 local children private instrument lessons over the course of four years. The grant money comes courtesy of two organizations connected to the Vermont rock band PHISH. The first is the Mockingbird Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to music education founded and funded by the jam band’s fans. The organization raises money through book sales, recordings and “phan art”; it awarded more than $140,000 this year to support music education in the U.S. A $10,000 grant went to Learning to Fly, which was one of just 20 recipients chosen from 1,156 applicants across the country. Not only was it the only Vermont recipient, Learning to Fly received more money than any of the previous 10 local recipients since the foundation’s conception in 1996. Phish’s own charitable organization, the WATERWHEEL FOUNDATION, matched two Mockingbird Foundation grants this year: Learning to Fly and one for public school instruments in Massachusetts. Through 2025, Learning to Fly will provide four to six students annually with a year of weekly one-on-one instruction in
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the instrument of their choice through the Burlington Music Dojo. The Dojo, founded in 2013, calls itself a “growing hub” for music students and instructors, “offering state-of-the-art spaces to play, learn and relax in.” Instruments offered range from trumpets to drums to bass guitar. The project is the brainchild of local house music DJ, promoter and Friends for A_Dog board member JUSTIN REMILLARD and ARAM BEDROSIAN, a bassist and cofounder of the Burlington Music Dojo. Remillard approached Bedrosian in late 2018 with an idea to utilize the Mockingbird grant for local youth. In March 2019, the two began planning how they could launch Learning to Fly with or without the grant. “The Friends for A_Dog Foundation has a long history of reaching out to the youth with wonderful programming,” said Bedrosian, “and I was thrilled that Justin thought of our collective of music instructors at the Dojo.” The foundation honors the memory of DJ and skateboarder Andy “A_Dog” Williams, who died from leukemia in 2013. It supports bone-marrow drives, free programs for underserved youth and A_Dog Day, a Burlington event held every August to celebrate the turntablist’s legacy. “With the Burlington Music Dojo being the robust studio of live music instruction that it is, we knew it would be a great idea to pursue this partnership and grant together
and offer live music programming to those that may not have such an opportunity,” Remillard said. “The Learning to Fly program will be a direct reflection of Andy’s character and life as a musician.” Like everyone else, school music departments face uncertain times amid the pandemic. In June, the Vermont Agency of Education and Department of Health released guidelines recommending that schools avoid group activities that could “generate increased respiratory droplets and aerosols,” including playing woodwind or brass instruments. At the Dojo’s studios on Pine Street in Burlington, instructors have been able to continue providing in-person lessons by employing social distancing, increased sanitation protocols and polycarbonate shields between teachers and students. Should the coronavirus subside by January, Learning to Fly students will use the Dojo’s spacious, sound-insulated rooms. However, all Dojo music lessons are also available remotely. Remote learning has always been a good alternative, Bedrosian said. “Fortunately, I have been teaching remotely myself for over 10 years to students all over the world and can attest to how effective learning in this way can be.” Vermont students in grades 6 to 12 can apply for the Learning to Fly program starting September 15 until the second week of December. Remillard and Bedrosian decided upon this age range since, in their experience, middle and high schoolers are more apt than younger students to stick with an instrument for a whole year. Staff and board members from both the Dojo and Friends for A_Dog Foundation will review the answers to the application’s short essay questions. Financial need of students will be considered, but most importantly, Remillard said, “The right applicant is passionate to learn an instrument.” For kids accepted into the program, lessons will strike a balance between building core musical proficiency and keeping students inspired to make music. Learning Phish songs is not mandatory.
INFO For more about the Learning to Fly program visit burlingtonmusicdojo.com and friendsforadog.org.
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WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT BY SASHA GOLDSTEIN
Why Does the Electric Bill Have an Emerald Ash Borer Charge?
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DREAMSTIME.COM | © DON BILSKI
A
nyone who’s ever looked at a power bill knows it’s filled with acronyms and obscure charges. There’s “total KWH” and “storm adjustment” and numbers with five decimal places. But one unusual line item in particular caught Chris Tan’s eye as he reviewed his July bill from Green Mountain Power: a 41-cent “emerald ash borer charge.” “I check my bill every month, and there’s always a list of numbers on the right. I look down those to see the final cost,” Tan said. “But it wasn’t until recently that I looked to the left and saw the actual name of the charge. That’s when I said, ‘WTF?’” Indeed. Tan knew that his best course of action would be to contact the crack team at Seven Days to get to the bottom of this one. Just why are GMP customers paying an emerald ash borer charge? A good place to start is with the emerald ash borer itself. Native to Asia, the invasive pest first made its mark in the U.S. near Detroit in 2002, though it likely arrived earlier. In the years since, the beetle has chewed a destructive path around the country, killing tens of millions of ash trees. It wasn’t until February 2018 that experts found the first evidence, in Orange County, that the voracious vermin had landed in the Green Mountain State. Home to some 150 million ash trees, Vermont now has confirmed infestations in large swaths of the state, including the Upper Valley and Addison, Orleans, Windham, Grand Isle and Bennington counties. Once an infestation is confirmed, nearly all ash trees in the surrounding area are doomed to die, according to Ginger Nickerson, the forest pest education coordinator at the Vermont Urban & Community Forestry program. Proactively taking down healthy ash trees is safer — and less expensive — than waiting for the beetle to do its damage, she said. Ash trees generally are very brittle when they die, and that’s even truer when the borer kills them. “They will come apart in very unpredictable and sudden ways,” Nickerson said. “And the tree just shatters.” You can see where this is going. The last thing utility companies need are exploding tree bombs next to their lines, knocking out power and potentially hurting people or property. To combat that threat, GMP has spent the past few years creating a plan to deal with the emerald ash borer, according to spokesperson Kristin Kelly.
Emerald ash borer
“The first phase involves an inventory of all ash trees along the edge of our right-of-ways in infested areas, and selectively working to remove them,” she wrote in an email. “Trees that the forestry team considers at greatest risk to cause safety issues and outages due to a variety of factors are first identified for removal. Then, in the next phase, crews will move to areas that are considered high risk for infestation.” GMP supplies electricity to about 265,000 customers in Vermont. Its network serves 75 percent of the state’s population and covers 75 percent of the state’s geography, Kelly said. It has about 1,000 miles of transmission lines, which run between generating plants and substations, and another 11,500 miles of distribution lines, which bring power from substations to homes and businesses. The company estimates that 10 percent of the trees in its right-of-ways are ashes. GMP proposed the emerald ash borer charge during the most recent regulatory review of the company’s spending plan, which the Vermont Public Utility Commission approved in August 2019. The company intends to raise $1.2 million for ash tree removal in each of
the three years the plan is in place; any surplus money would go back to customers, according to Kelly. While the exact customer charge depends on the amount of electricity used, Kelly said the typical cost is about 19 cents a month, or about $2.30 a year. The first emerald ash borer charge appeared on October 2019 bills, Kelly said. As of June 30, 2020, the company had collected $777,000 for the work and had removed approximately 3,200 trees. “It’s an emerging concern that we’re going after in a very proactive way,” Kelly said. “Then once those trees are removed, they’re removed. And then we’re done.” This is the first time GMP has used a line-item charge to combat an invasive pest, and the technique is unique among Vermont utilities. But everyone has a plan for the beetle. Vermont Electric Coop, which serves more than 32,000 customers in the state, estimates it will cost about $3 million to remove more than 17,000 trees within striking distance of VEC lines in service areas with confirmed infestations, said Jake Brown, the nonprofit’s energy services planner. Though VEC customers aren’t seeing a specific charge on their bill, they’ll
ultimately pay for those removals, Brown noted. “It’s a continued cost pressure on utilities that 10 years ago we might not have anticipated,” he said. About 5 to 7 percent of Vermont’s trees are ashes, but the infestation won’t kill all of them, Nickerson said. Some have natural resistance to the beetle, something researchers are tracking, while some municipalities and homeowners use insecticides or other treatments to try to save the trees. Nickerson’s group has scheduled an Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week from September 12 to 19. It’s urging cities and towns to come up with plans — and budgets — for dealing with the insect. “We are finally realizing that we need to plant a wide variety of trees in urban environments, so that when the next pest comes, it does not mean we have to remove all of the trees on streets and parks,” Nickerson wrote in an email. Contact: sasha@sevendaysvt.com
INFO Got a Vermont head-scratcher that has you stumped? Ask us! wtf@sevendaysvt.com
SEVEN DAYS SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
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BOTTOM LINE
BY MELISSA PASANEN
Pregnant Pause With Walmart order, Burlington business Mamava is pumping again
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COURTESY OF MAMAVA
M
amava cofounder and CEO Sascha Mayer initially thought her company might get a boost from the pandemic — albeit one with a nine- to 12-month gestation. The nationwide lockdown, she imagined, would give couples more time together. “I was optimistic about a baby boom,” Mayer explained. More babies would mean more potential users of Mamava’s lactation units. The Burlington company’s sleek but friendlylooking pods are designed to provide breastfeeding mothers with a clean, quiet, private space to pump or nurse when away from home. Since 2013, Mamava has sold more than 1,200 units to airports, event centers and corporations. But, as the economic and social effects of the coronavirus drag on, the extended disruption has presented challenges to the company that Mayer helms with cofounder and COO Christine Dodson. Many moms are staying put. Travel is down; most entertainment and sports venues remain shuttered; more people are working from home and shopping online. So it was a bright spot for Mamava last week when Walmart announced the installation of 120 lactation pods across the retail giant’s network of stores. (The Williston Walmart has had a test unit since last summer.) That number was scaled back more than 50 percent from the prepandemic plan, but Mayer said Mamava expects to meet the original goal over a longer period of time. Thanks in large part to the original Walmart order, Mamava began 2020 at full throttle. Sales of the units — which start at $10,000 — were projected to hit between $15 million and $20 million. The company, a B Corp with a social mission, had just completed a successful round of financing. Ownership is split about evenly between outside investors and employees, all of whom receive stock options. From January to early March, Mamava added 14 new employees for a total of 40. All but eight are based in the company’s Battery Street headquarters. Mamava’s primary manufacturing partner, Konrad Prefab in Springfield, Vt., was also ramping up production. “We were gearing up, putting people in place in anticipation of this Walmart rollout,” Mayer said. Then 2020 swerved off the rails. “I’ll remember the day forever. It was Friday, March 13,” Mayer recalled. “I was
Walmart employee Tennille Webb, who advocated for Mamava lactation units
about to go down to South by Southwest to present, and then it was canceled,” she said, referring to the media and music festival in Austin, Texas. “It was almost like the pandemic wasn’t real until some sort of gesture that grand, something [that big], was canceled,” Mayer added. The Mamava team could S AS C H A see that people were changing their behavior via their smartphone app, which has 150,000 downloads. The app is a key part of the company’s overall business strategy. It allows women to locate lactation pods and gain secure access via Bluetooth. It also empowers users to add to a directory of lactation spaces other than Mamava units, report pod sanitation or access issues, and even leave words of encouragement for other moms. As lockdowns rolled out nationwide, the digital team could see that “moms
were not out in the world looking for lactation pods,” Mayer said. Activity was down 80 percent in April. While pod usage itself does not generate revenue for Mamava, having breastfeeding mothers out and about is a crucial sales tool. “Our primary marketing vehicle [is] the units in the field: ‘I saw you in an airport,’ ‘I saw you at Fenway Park’ or MAYE R ‘I saw you at this convention center,’” Mayer explained. “Our inbound leads flatlined, and we had to figure out what channels were still going to be vital … Where were women still going to work?” The company slashed 2020 revenue projections nearly in half. A federal Paycheck Protection Program loan of $525,000 helped cover payroll for a few months. In July, about half of Mamava’s employees scaled back to 80 percent time; the other half took a uniform percent pay cut across the board. “That will get us through the end
OUR HOPE IS THAT IT’S GOING TO REALLY SEND A SIGNAL
THAT BEASTFEEDING HAPPENS.
of the year,” Mayer said. Depending on the overall economic outlook, she added, “We honestly don’t know yet what 2021 and 2022 will look like.” Another big unknown is whether the pandemic-era shift to working from home will continue. The bulk of Mamava’s revenue comes from businesses; those with more than 50 employees are required by law to provide a private space for pumping that is not a bathroom. (Some states have lower employee thresholds.) Mamava’s team has been working remotely since mid-March, and Mayer herself admitted that she’s far more productive at home. “I don’t want to ever go back to the traditional office environment,” she said. But, she pointed out, many breastfeeding moms have jobs that cannot be done remotely. Those who can work at home are likely to continue to gather at least occasionally for collaboration and to maintain company culture. And those federal regulations apply to workplaces even when employees come in just one day a week. While Mamava’s sales to sectors such as travel have slowed significantly, others have continued to grow, Mayer noted. “We have sold to a couple of CBD and, I believe, marijuana growers on the West Coast,” she said. “That industry is doing fine.” Recently, the sales team has seen a slight uptick in inbound leads. “Moms are out and about, seeing our units and inquiring after seeing them,” Mayer said. That kind of advocacy is pure gold for Mamava. A Walmart employee who used a pod while traveling set the wheels in motion for the current rollout. Beyond providing welcome revenue during this lean year, Mayer said, Mamava’s presence in Walmart advances a core company mission. Unlike the pods at airports and event venues, or those to which only employees of a particular business have access, the ones at Walmart will become part of many people’s regular routines. “Now there’ll be people who work at Walmart and go to Walmart who’ll see our units maybe two or three times a week,” Mayer said. “Our hope is that it’s going to really send a signal that breastfeeding happens. Breastfeeding is supported. It’s not for the elite. That’s sort of the scale we never had before.” Contact: pasanen@sevendaysvt.com
INFO Learn more at mamava.com.
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even Days promoted eating local long before the term “locavore” became a thing. We wrote about Vermont food in the very first issue of the newspaper, on September 6, 1995. Three weeks later, it was on the cover. In a story headlined “Olive Me,” James Beard Award-winning chef and food writer Jim Dodge recommended more than a dozen local markets, from Ray’s Seafood and Healthy Living to Greg’s Meat Market and Settlement Farm. Although it sounds obvious now, his thesis was novel 25 years ago: “Tourists may know Vermont for its cheddar, maple syrup and Macs, but for those of us who live and shop here daily, the Burlington-Middlebury-MontpelierStowe area has become a trapezoidal treasure of special stores with special foods,” Dodge wrote. “Made-in-Vermont wholesomeness has met the ex-urbanite’s desire for diversity and the result is excellent eating.” As the local food movement grew heftier, so did Seven Days. Our first food-themed issue, in June 1996, was the biggest to that point: 40 pages. Among its dozen stories was our first creemee map of Vermont; another, titled “It’s a Wonderful Loaf,” naïvely asked: “Is artisanal bread here to stay?” The twice-a-year food issues were also stuffed with restaurant news, the precursor to today’s popular Side Dishes column and Bite Club e-newsletter. In 2006, we hired our first full-time food writer, Suzanne Podhaizer. She filled five pages a week with stories about chefs, farmers, butchers and brewmasters, and also expertly assembled our then-new annual dining guide, 7 Nights. By 2009, the quirky and boldly carnivorous Alice Levitt began contributing. The following year she was on staff and appearing weekly on WCAX-TV. Since then, at least two full-time food writers have juggled the busy food beat. Our current team — Melissa Pasanen, Jordan Barry and Sally Pollak — has rigorously covered the impact of the pandemic on Vermont’s restaurant industry and its local food producers. Once again, the state’s signature culinary community and
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How COVID-19 is changing the places where Vermonters work, shop and live BY KEN PI CA RD
SEAN METCALF
JAMES BUCK
Church Street in Burlington
T
he Church Street Marketplace in Burlington showed promising signs of life on a recent drizzly afternoon. Business wasn’t booming, but given the weather and the paucity of foot traffic in the last six months, retailers took what they could get. Ordinarily on a late August day BC (before COVID-19) the brick-lined pedestrian mall would have teemed with people: college students and parents shopping for dorm room supplies, Canadian tourists dining al fresco, downtown office workers catching some fresh air. But as the rain subsided and clusters of diners filled amply spaced outdoor tables, signs of the times were impossible to miss along the marketplace — and not just the 36
SEVEN DAYS SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
ones reminding shoppers to wear a mask and socially distance. “For lease” signs hung in windows once occupied by retailers Eddie Bauer, the Gap and Hydrangea Too. Uncommon Grounds coffeehouse, Half Lounge speakeasy, David’s Tea, Sweet Thing,and Scuffer Tap & Table were shuttered. The Five Guys burger restaurant, normally serving lunch midday, was inexplicably closed. Church Street, the crown jewel of Vermont’s retail sector, looked a little rough around the edges. While not all the empty storefronts were caused by the pandemic, COVID-19 has reduced demand for downtown retail and office space. Tony Blake, cofounder of V/T Commercial in Burlington, a real estate and business brokerage firm, said
he has lowered rents on two Church Street properties by 30 percent since March as he tries to retain tenants hit hard by the pandemic. “Retail is obvious. You can walk up and down Church Street and see some carnage already,” Blake said. As he’s been telling landlords who call him with new vacancies, “It really doesn’t matter what you’re asking for in terms of rent. What we need to do is get activity. If it’s a reasonably good tenant, then you need to be creative and flexible.” That might mean the landlord contributes to setup costs and offers shorter leases and options to terminate. Like much of life during COVID-19, Burlington’s — and Vermont’s — commercial real estate industry is in a period of profound uncertainty that may presage
permanent changes. The retail, office, hospitality, rental housing and industrial sectors aren’t necessarily all in the same boat, but they’re in the same storm. The changes in office work, for example, have delivered another blow to Burlington’s economic core. Stores and restaurants have lost revenue from all the workers who, until March, spent their weekdays in downtown office buildings and their midday hours eating or shopping on the marketplace. With thousands now working from home, companies and organizations are downsizing their physical office space. And that change isn’t unique to Burlington. Yves Bradley, vice president of commercial brokerage at Pomerleau Real Estate in Burlington, described Chittenden County’s office sector as “paralyzed.” One tenant, the American Cancer Society, informed him that it’s vacating the Williston offices it has occupied for years. At V/T Commercial, Blake said that two national firms he declined to identify — one with 15,000 square feet of offices in Burlington, the other with 30,000 square feet — have notified him they plan to shed half that space even before their leases expire. Though Blake cautioned it’s too soon to predict whether such changes will become the new normal, he added, “I don’t think we’ll see the need or the demand for four
CHRISTINE GLADE
walls and a door anywhere near as much as we did before the pandemic.” Not every business and sector is suffering from the pandemic. Supermarkets, convenience stores, lumberyards, outdoor gear suppliers and garden centers are faring better, even thriving. Industrial real estate, which includes manufacturing and warehouses used for storage, shipping and distribution, is as strong as ever, owners and brokers say. Even in hard-hit retail, the picture is mixed. While some national chains have closed Church Street stores, some smaller independent and locally owned businesses are weathering COVID-19 by staying creative and nimble. Retailers Common Deer, Homeport and Outdoor Gear Exchange have begun offering home delivery and curbside pickups. Dear Lucy, Whim Boutique and Ecco have stepped up their online commerce and social media presence. “These are unprecedented, extraordinary times. There will be closures. That’s to be expected,” said Kara Alnasrawi, executive director of the Church Street Marketplace. “But we’re seeing amazing entrepreneurial spirit on the street, as well as tenacity.” In some cases, COVID-19 was merely the final straw for struggling stores. The Gap never drew the business it had hoped for on upper Church Street, Bradley noted. “That doesn’t necessarily mean the Burlington market was bad,” he said. “It means the brand itself is suffering.” In normal times, commercial real estate professionals try to forecast market conditions 12 to 18 months down the road. But
Main Street in Manchester
with so many uncertainties — a possible COVID-19 resurgence or vaccine, a possible second round of federal stimulus checks, the federal election — it’s daunting to predict what’s to come even three months from now. “Talk about cloudy crystal balls,” said Blake. “Are there going to be opportunities? Yes. I just don’t know what they are right now.”
THESE ARE UNPRECEDENTED, EXTRAORDINARY TIMES. THERE WILL BE CLOSURES. THAT’S TO BE EXPECTED. JAMES BUCK
K A R A A L NA SRAW I
Church Street in Burlington
Piercing the Fog
Brad Minor, a partner at real estate firm Allen, Brooks & Minor in South Burlington, appraises commercial properties before they change hands. Doing one amid a pandemic, he said, is like determining its value blindfolded. Twice a year his firm publishes a report on commercial market conditions in Chittenden County by surveying brokers and others and by tracking transactions, vacancies and rental rates in five categories: commercial and industrial land, office, retail, industrial, and apartment space. According to the June report, demand for office space in Chittenden County has taken a big hit since March. Vacancies were 11 percent higher than in the six-month period pre-COVID-19. Of the 8.7 million square feet of total inventory, 817,500 square feet — or 9.3 percent — sat empty. The report described demand as “stagnant” and predicted that the full extent of the pandemic’s impact wouldn’t be apparent for another nine to 24 months. The data on Chittenden County retail were equally dismal. The report cited “extremely limited leasing activity,” with vacancies at their highest level since 2006 — although that spike was attributable in part to the closure of Sears in South Burlington. The report predicted that no new retail or office space would be built in Burlington’s downtown next year. Statewide, the Vermont Natural Resources Board reports a 35 percent decline this year in the Act 250 land-use permit applications required for new developments such as
shopping centers, office parks and large subdivisions. Back in March, as commercial activity ground to a virtual halt, Minor set out to assess how commercial real estate professionals felt about the future. In March, and again in May, he sent surveys to about 150 of them and received about 70 responses. “In the first survey, the responses were all over the board. There was no consensus,” Minor said. “As an appraiser, that tells you that you have a confused and uncertain market. Nobody knows what the impact [of the pandemic] will be.” By May, more respondents said they believed COVID-19’s negative impact would last longer than a year. Unsurprisingly, the gloomiest forecasts were in the office and retail sectors. The areas viewed most optimistically were industrial space and rental apartments, both of which have maintained low vacancy rates despite the pandemic. When Minor surveyed landlords in the rental housing market, “The two sets of words I heard more than anything else were ‘pleasantly surprised’ and ‘cautiously optimistic.’” Though some tenants initially couldn’t pay their rents due to furloughs or job losses, landlords reported that they didn’t have difficulty collecting rents or maintaining full occupancy. In the industrial sector, respondents also appeared upbeat, perhaps because of that sector’s low vacancy numbers. In June, for example, the vacancy rate for industrial properties was 3.1 percent, up REAL ESTATE OF AFFAIRS SEVEN DAYS SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
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PHOTOS: ZACH STEPHENS
Real Estate of Affairs « P.37 only slightly from December, when it hit an all-time low of 2.5 percent. Evan Langfeldt is CEO of O’Brien Brothers in South Burlington, which has a diverse portfolio of about 200,000 square feet of light industrial properties in Williston and South Burlington. Tenants range from mom-and-pop businesses to large national firms and the federal government. “We went into the pandemic with 100 percent occupancy on the commercial side, so we went in as strongly as we could have,” he said. So how many tenants has Langfeldt lost since the start of the pandemic? Just one. In fact, Langfeldt said he expects that business opportunities will emerge in the next 12 to 18 months as young people in the prime of their careers move to Vermont and bring businesses with them or start new ones. “Honestly, I can’t think of a better place to be living during this current situation than where we are,” he added.
Repurpose That Office
The South Rises Again
If COVID-19 is a forest fire, leaving scars that will be felt for a generation, new growth has begun to sprout already. As people flee more densely populated places in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Connecticut, some regions of Vermont could experience the largest in-migration of new residents since the back-to-theland movement of the 1960s and ’70s. Paul Carroccio isn’t ashamed to say it: He and his wife, Chrissy, co-owners of TPW Real Estate headquartered in Manchester, are “just killing it” this year. “I’d say I’m up 100 percent, year over year, on activity,” said Carroccio, whose firm employs 80 people, including 25 real estate agents, in Bennington and Windham counties. TPW handles both commercial and residential properties, including management of about 2,000 golf and ski resort homes at Okemo, Stratton and Bromley. But it’s not just residential properties that are changing hands. “Land is hot. Industrial is hot. And believe it or not, hospitality, like food and beverage, is hot,” Carroccio said. While the pandemic has some retailers in his region “stuck in the mud,” others, including delis and convenience stores, are “printing money right now,” he said, as second-home owners move in and phone in their meal and grocery orders. Bennington County’s influx of outof-state residents doesn’t appear to be a short-term phenomenon. With interest rates at a record low, Carroccio said, he’s seen a rush of new investors flush with cash. They are buying mom-and-pop 38
SEVEN DAYS SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
August, the Vermont Community Foundation announced a partnership with local philanthropists to donate nearly $1 million to 55 hard-hit small businesses in Manchester, Arlington and Dorset. One encouraging sign, observers said, has been the number of national retail outlets — Ann Taylor, Brooks Brothers, J.Crew, Eastern Mountain Sports — that have been replaced by locally owned, independent businesses. While those national retailers didn’t all close due to the pandemic, O’Keefe said he expects to see a bump in local entrepreneurship as Manchester experiences an influx of new residents and investment capital. “I can see a market where retail space is becoming more affordable and a spouse [of a telecommuter] says, ‘Hey, I’m going to open up a yogurt shop or a yoga studio,” O’Keefe added. “So, there’s definitely some lemonade being made in Manchester.”
Bob Stevens
THE CONVENTIONAL WISDOM IS THAT ANYONE WHO WAS WORKING ON AN OFFICE
NEEDS ABOUT A THIRD LESS NOW THAN THEY DID FOUR MONTHS AGO. B OB STE VE NS
hotels and motels, some with plans to convert them to apartments or condos. Diners, fast-food restaurants and convenience stores are also attracting investors. “I sold
seven gas stations in the last two weeks,” Carroccio boasted. His pandemic windfall is no aberration, according to Manchester town manager John O’Keefe. Many second-home owners are moving to the area full time and bringing their families with them. Burr and Burton Academy, which serves as the town’s high school, will add 50 students this fall, for a total of about 770, despite losing 35 international students, according to headmaster Mark Tashjian. He likened the influx to the post-9/11 era, when the school experienced a similar boost in enrollment. While the town’s local sales tax receipts declined only modestly — May to August revenues dropped to $169,000 this year from $183,000 in the same period last year — not all businesses are prospering. In early
The town of Berlin has a population of about 2,800 residents, which swells to more than 14,000 during the workday. Many of the commuters work at the Central Vermont Medical Center or the Berlin Mall. For the last three years, planners have been trying to create a town center with spaces for community gatherings. The master plan calls for shops, cafés, retail, office space and a 98-student childcare center. Also included: 160 apartments and 98 senior housing units; the latter are already under construction. Assistant town administrator Tom Badowski explained that a shortage of workforce housing has made it difficult for the medical center to fill dozens of mostly lowerwage positions. Since the pandemic hit, Badowski said, planners have begun questioning the need for more retail space, given the presence of the sprawling mall and this year’s announcement that JCPenney will close its 40,000-square-foot store there. Apartments may supplant at least some of that proposed retail and office space. For the foreseeable future, Badowski said, market conditions favor residential construction. Others agree. Bob Stevens of Brattleboro is cofounder of two companies: Stevens & Associates, an engineering, architectural and landscape design firm; and M&S Development, which does small industrial and community-led revitalization projects. One immediate consequence of COVID-19, Stevens observed, has been a shift away from projects that prominently feature retail and office space. Stevens had been designing a 4,000- to 6,000-squarefoot coworking space in downtown
VERY ACTIVELY PURCHASING Brattleboro. That project likely won’t open until next summer. “The conventional wisdom is that anyone who was working on an office needs about a third less now than they did four months ago,” he said. “Where appropriate, that space is going to convert to housing.” Stevens isn’t suggesting that vacant office buildings in industrial parks will convert to residential neighborhoods; nobody would want to live there. But in downtown Brattleboro, which has walkable streets and historic, mixeduse buildings, it’s far easier to convert upper-floor office space to apartments; in fact, Stevens is considering doing so in a building he owns, in part because it’s more profitable. Residential spaces
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in downtown Brattleboro rent for $30 or more per square foot; office space, for $15 to $18 a square foot. That trend, already under way in other regions of the country, is likely to accelerate in Vermont due to the pandemic, according to Josh Hanford, commissioner of the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development. Former offices, schools and banks could be repurposed as apartments or condos, especially in tighter housing markets such as Burlington’s. Hanford noted that the developers of the former People’s United Bank building at 77 Pine Street in Burlington just received a $200,000 state tax credit to convert former office space to 50 marketrate apartments. A similar project is under way in Bellows Falls, where the former Bellows Falls Garage is being renovated into 26 apartments for lowincome and workforce housing, including five units for the homeless. One advantage of such projects, Hanford explained, is that they usually
across the now-closed Canadian border. “The Northeast Kingdom is a whole different world,” said Ryan Pronto, a Realtor with Jim Campbell Real Estate in Newport. “We’re always two years behind everywhere else in the state of Vermont.” In Pronto’s region, there’s never enough real estate work to specialize in just one sector, so he does it all: residential, commercial, office, retail and industrial properties. Since COVID-19, he said, the residential side of his business has been “off the charts.” For years, lakefront property moved slowly. This spring and summer, Pronto was doing as many as five closings in one day. “It’s now the hottest thing we have,” he said. “We’ve never been able to say we have a shortage of inventory, ever. We do now.” But Pronto can’t say the same for industrial properties. A large percentage of his commercial work comes from Québec-based firms. But even Canadians REAL ESTATE OF AFFAIRS
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Future Tense
Despite all the uncertainties, eventually the pandemic will end, and Vermonters will return to restaurants, stores and office buildings. But how those places look may be very different. “This is a situation that’s going to take months or years to unfold,” said Minor, the commercial appraiser. “The commercial real estate market is more like a cruise ship. It doesn’t turn on a dime.” Consider the uncertainties in co-working offices, which exemplify Vermont’s values of collaboration, entrepreneurship and shared creative spaces. Now that employees know it’s possible to work remotely full time, the state could see more of them popping up as people seek work spaces more suitable than, say, a Ping-Pong table in their basement. At the same time, constraints around social distancing and the discomfort of workers sharing desks in close quarters could hinder their desirability in the COVID-19 age. At least two co-working spaces — Hinge Studio and Study Hall, both in Burlington — have closed permanently due to COVID-19; and a third, which has not yet announced its plans publicly, told Seven Days that it, too, will close. Other co-working spaces are retooling to survive. Faith Schumacher is co-working manager of BTV Works, a Burlington co-working space. According to Schumacher, all three of its rooms are now being marketed as private office space for small companies. COVID-19 has forced 40
SEVEN DAYS SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
JAMES BUCK
who are deemed essential workers and have permission to cross into the U.S. have told him they are nervous about the risk. Cycling apparel company Garneau’s U.S. distribution center is headquartered in Derby. The company’s upper management team has been unable to head south into Vermont, making it hard for them to oversee day-to-day operations. Pronto said he’s spoken to other companies’ executives who would like to invest in or expand their businesses in the NEK but are hesitant to pull the trigger. As he put it, “It’s a waiting game right now, with the virus and the election.” Nick Maclure, a real estate agent at Century 21 Farm & Forest in Derby, has faced similar obstacles. “It’s a difficult time to do national business, not to mention international business,” Maclure said. Canadian firms are “standing on the sidelines until they can get their feet on the ground and get a better handle on what’s available and what suits them.” Erik Hoekstra
BTV Works to reduce its total occupancy, so the business is now requiring tenants to rent for at least one month rather than by the hour or day. “At first, everything was completely dead, of course. But we are receiving a lot of inquiries now,” she said. “With all this vacant real estate and companies working from home, this does provide
ARE THERE GOING TO BE OPPORTUNITIES? YES. I JUST DON’T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE RIGHT NOW. TON Y B L A K E
opportunities for people who want to start their own business.” At least one co-working entrepreneur agrees. Gretchen Tarrant is cofounder of MyCube, which plans to offer six private offices and four conference rooms, rentable by the hour or day, in the Champlain Mill starting September 8. The business has space to expand but is abiding by Vermont Department of Health guidelines of no more than one person for every 100 square feet.
MyCube’s ribbon cutting this week may seem ill-timed, but Tarrant believes that, with so many offices closed and students learning from home, people want space where they can close a door and get things done. “Our model is tweaked somewhat toward the privacy people want, whether COVID is part of our reality or not,” Tarrant said. “Obviously, Vermonters have a lot to worry about right now without adding ‘Where do I work?’ to the list.” As for the fate of traditional offices, many experts predict they’ll never go back to the days before Zoom meetings and Microsoft Teams. One of Chittenden County’s largest office tenants is the University of Vermont Medical Center. When the pandemic hit, the hospital sent a significant portion of its workforce home to work remotely. As president Dr. Stephen Leffler noted back in May, the hospital was bursting at the seams pre-COVID-19 and didn’t have enough office space to accommodate all of its staff. With the rapid adoption of telemedicine — remote, internet-based medical visits — which advanced by years in a matter of weeks, Leffler predicted that staffers working remotely will become “the new normal, and probably in significant numbers.”
But not everyone expects that trend to continue across the board. “My belief is that people are going to get sick and tired of working from home,” said Bradley at Pomerleau Real Estate. “They’ll be like, ‘Thank God we’re back in the office! Let me close the door and have some peace and quiet!’” Frank Cioffi, president of the Greater Burlington Industrial Corporation, agrees. Cioffi suggested that, if COVID-19 lasts longer than expected, it’s possible that some companies will need more office space in order to accommodate socialdistancing guidelines. “We’ve all been Zooming our brains out and Microsoft Teaming it,and there are certain efficiencies in that,” he said. “But eventually we all have to get back out there again and work face-to-face.” At the commercial real estate firm Redstone, which manages about 1.5 million square feet of commercial properties, managing partner Erik Hoekstra said his commercial tenants are paying their rents and appear to be staying put, at least for now. “Big picture, I’m not freaking out,” Hoekstra said. “I’m optimistic about the future and that we’re going to find a vaccine and get through this health care crisis … But I think this is going to be a long, cold winter.” Contact: ken@sevendaysvt.com
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VERMONTING
BY SALLY POLLAK PHOTOS: SALLY POLLAK
Landscape Art Exotic trees and inspired sculptures in Woodstock
O
n several Vermonting excursions this summer, I sought places that offer a mix of recreation with art or history. On this quest, and by this measure, I struck gold at MARSH-BILLINGS-ROCKEFELLER NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK in Woodstock.
The 550-acre park encompasses one of the oldest planned and scientifically managed forests in the nation, possibly the oldest, according to the National Park Service. The site is a living laboratory of land stewardship and environmental conservation characterized by forest plantations that date back to 1880. The only national historic park in Vermont, Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller is linked by and named for three families who lived in
a brick mansion at the Elm Street property at the base of MOUNT TOM, over the course of two centuries. In 1992, owners Laurance and Mary French Rockefeller granted the house and property to the park service — carrying on a Rockefeller family tradition of donating land for the creation and expansion of national parks. The Woodstock park, which includes the mansion and its objects and artwork, opened to the public in 1998. “This one had to have felt extremely personal,” Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller curator Ryan Polk said. The park features a 20-mile network of trails that winds through forests established in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by Frederick H. Billings. A
Woodstock from the summit of Mount Tom
Vermonter raised in Woodstock, Billings was a lawyer, railroad magnate and the grandfather of Mary French Rockefeller. He put into practice ideas set forth by George Perkins Marsh in his influential 1864 book Man and Nature. Born in 1801, Marsh grew up on the land that, 200 years later, would become a national park that bears his name. Yet the park is not intended as a place of “hero worship where Marsh, Billings and Rockefeller are venerated,” Polk said. “It’s more about learning what these people did as models.” Polk noted that visitors to the park can see that “the conservation work and the preservation work they were doing was local. If everybody did their part locally,
you would have a global movement — a reconnection to the land and a more sustainable future.” Last month, I visited the park twice in four days — zipping down from Burlington in about 90 minutes. I couldn’t get enough on the initial outing — time ran out on us in the sculpture garden — so I went back for more. On the first trip, with my daughter, we stopped for lunch in Barnard, buying sandwiches at the BARNARD GENERAL STORE. We ate at a picnic table at SILVER LAKE STATE PARK, directly across the street from the store. I love that park for its location in the center of town and because Silver Lake is the best place to stop for a swim — just pull over and jump in — on a summer road trip. But this day, we ate our sandwiches and got back in the car, continuing south on Route 12 about 10 miles to Woodstock. Though a Vermont-style “billboard” — small and discreet — points the way to the park, more substantial guideposts are the trees: a row of tall Norway spruce that signals one’s arrival at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller. A “curtain” of green, to borrow the word of William Keeton, professor of forest ecology and forestry at the University of Vermont, the majestic evergreens welcome visitors to the park and obscure the mansion and surrounding grounds. The mansion, which houses a collection of Hudson River School paintings, is closed to visitors this season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But the walking trails and garden are free and open year-round. A map posted near the visitor center and available online marks the property by its tree plantations: European larch, 1887; white pine, 1911; mixed, 1896; Scots pine, 1930s. We walked for a bit on a carriage road through conifer and hardwood forests, then backtracked downhill and wandered to the flower garden behind the mansion. The formal gardens were in peak bloom,
HELLO, VERMONTING Even as Vermont opens up from the pandemic shutdown, Gov. Phil Scott still encourages residents to stay home as much as possible. And so this summer is a good time to explore our home state. Its diminutive size makes a multitude of short trips accessible, whether for a few hours, an overnight or a longer getaway. This series, running weekly through mid-October, presents curated excursions in every 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 to still be there when the pandemic is finally over. Happy traveling, and stay safe.
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SEVEN DAYS SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
Silver Lake State Park
Greg Wyatt’s bronze sculpture of Thomas Moran, which includes a biography of Moran
Path up Mount Tom
The mansion at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park
composed of a lovely array of daisies, black-eyed Susans, tiger lilies, bee balm and lavender mist. A marble water mountain, fed by a mountain spring, stands at the center of the space. Past the flower garden in a grass alleyway is a sculpture exhibit called “Hudson on the Garden.” The bronze sculptures, made by Greg Wyatt, depict three renowned Hudson River School landscape artists — Albert Bierstadt, Thomas Moran and Sanford Robinson Gifford — whose paintings and prints hang in the mansion. The sculptures made by Wyatt, a New York City-based artist and teacher, will be on view at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller through October 2021. On the back of each sculpture, he crafted in bronze the text of the National Gallery of Art biography of his subject. “It’s very interactive, very tactile,” Wyatt said in a telephone conversation. “I like art in the public square. You don’t have the museum security rules. You can experience the sculpture the way sculpture for artists is created.” He noted the significance of the sculptures’ placement in a national park; they were previously on display at Yellowstone National Park. “A lot of people are surprised and thrilled to learn that the Hudson River School of painting made a very significant contribution to the founding of the National Park Service,” Wyatt said. It’s an “honor,” Wyatt added, to be associated with the Woodstock park. “Each of the three owners [of MarshBillings-Rockefeller] made beautiful contributions to the arts and to the preservation of some of the finest things in America,” he said. The forest itself is one of those very fine
IN THE AREA • • • • • • • •
ASCUTNEY STATE PARK, vtstateparks.com/ascutney.html BARNARD GENERAL STORE, bgsvt.com BARNARD INN RESTAURANT & MAX’S TAVERN,
barnardinn.com
• •
BILLINGS FARM & MUSEUM, billingsfarm.org CLOUDLAND FARM, cloudlandfarm.com FABLE FARM, fablefarm.org HARPOON BREWERY, harpoonbrewery.com MARSH-BILLINGS-ROCKEFELLER NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK, nps.gov/mabi MON VERT CAFÉ, monvertcafe.com SILVER LAKE STATE PARK, vtstateparks.com/
•
WOODSTOCK FARMERS’ MARKET,
• •
silver.html
woodstockfarmersmarket.com WOODSTOCK INN & RESORT, woodstockinn.com WORTHY KITCHEN, worthyvermont.com
things. Following that first trip, I returned for a longer walk and a closer look at the woods. This time, I walked to the top of Mount Tom, a gentle summit of about 1,350 feet. I started on a path called Upper Meadow Road — which passes the garden — and followed it to the Mountain Road, one of the carriage roads Billings built in the 1870s. The last leg of the walk is along Mount Tom Road. Most of the four-mile round-trip hike is through the woods. But there’s also open meadow, freshly mowed the day I was there, and a side trail to a mountain pond called the Pogue. The top offers a marvelous view of the village of Woodstock, with its white clapboard houses and church steeples. On the walk down, I took a side trail through a stand of larch trees. A couple of days later, I spoke on the phone with Keeton, the UVM professor. He and his students have been studying the trees and forest structure at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller for 20 years. Keeton was immediately intrigued by the
Garden and marble fountain at MarshBillings-Rockefeller National Historical Park A Jersey heifer at Billings Farm & Museum
Woodstock site because it’s one of the first sites in North America, if not the first, to be deliberately reforested, he said. “The combination of decades of tinkering and experimenting with reforestation, alongside natural reforestation” makes the site “a microcosm” for recovery processes that are occurring across the region, Keeton said. He’s monitoring 62 permanent plots at the site, measuring and sampling factors including growth rate, carbon sequestration, insect infestation and plant understory. “The most exciting aspect of the research [is]: These secondary forests that we’re seeing across New England have the potential to recover the same amount of carbon storage, or close to the amount, that they did in precolonial times,” Keeton said. A noteworthy aspect of the planned forest at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller is that the plantings were initiated when the United States had “almost no knowledge of how to do forest plantings,” he said. “All the notions are based on European models of forestry,” Keeton continued. “That’s why the earliest plantations are almost entirely exotic species. They weren’t really thinking about native species or biodiversity.” Plantings that occurred under the
Rockefellers would include native species, he noted. Keeton’s favorite tree at the park, whose location he wouldn’t reveal, is a hemlock some 450 years old — one of the oldest trees in Vermont. It’s characterized by “big, gnarly upper limbs that take an abrupt right turn skyward,” he said. With a trunk bigger than a meter in diameter, the hemlock is among the “legacy trees” scattered throughout the park, Keeton explained. These trees predate clearing and are remnants of the original, old-growth forest that existed there. Though the park itself — with its natural beauty, fascinating history and bronze sculptures — is reason enough to return to Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller, I’ve got to go back to do two things: look for the secret hemlock tree and see the larch trees turn gold in the fall. Contact: sally@sevendaysvt.com Find more information on Vermont day trips and adventures from the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing at vermontvacation.com/staytripper. SEVEN DAYS SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
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Keeping Pace The North Country Trail finally reaches into Vermont B Y M ARG A RET G RAYSON PHOTOS: MARGARET GRAYSON
E
ver considered walking to North Dakota? Ambitious Vermonters can now trek the whole way on the nearly 5,000-mile North Country National Scenic Trail. It was officially extended into the Middlebury area in 2019 after decades of advocacy efforts and now winds through eight states in total. The trail, commonly called the North Country Trail, or NCT, was created in 1980 as part of the National Trails System. Other, better-known National Scenic Trails include the Pacific Crest, Appalachian and Continental Divide, though the NCT is the longest by more than 1,500 miles. After passage of the John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act of 2019, the eastern terminus of the NCT was extended to Vermont, at the Middlebury Gap on Route 125. While much of the route is still roadway, not trail, NCT staff and volunteers hope to build a lot of new trail over the next decade. From the Middlebury Gap, the NCT follows Route 125 into Middlebury and joins the Trail Around Middlebury, which is managed by the Middlebury Area Land Trust, an NCT partner. It winds through forest and pastureland before rejoining roads headed toward the New York State border. The Vermont section is only about 70 miles long; another 4,530 miles pass through New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and North Dakota, crossing 10 national forests and more than 100 state parks. National Scenic Trails were first established in 1968, beginning with the Appalachian and Pacific Crest. The impetus for the trail system is widely credited to Lyndon B. Johnson’s February 1965 special message to Congress, in which he called for increased environmental standards and protections and stated that access to nature and natural beauty was an important facet of American life. Today, 11 National Scenic Trails cover more than 18,000 miles. The National Park Service oversees the National Scenic Trails, but much of trail maintenance falls to nonprofit partners. For the NCT, that’s the North Country Trail Association, based in Michigan. It works with 37 chapters, partners and affiliates to maintain and improve the trail.
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A section of the North Country Trail near Middlebury
The NCT, established in 1980, was always supposed to extend into Vermont and connect with the Appalachian Trail (which follows the southern section of the Long Trail). But, initially, trail advocates met with some resistance from Vermonters, who feared their trails were becoming too crowded.
IT’S BEEN A LONG, LONG HAUL
WITH THE NORTH COUNTRY TRAIL. J OHN DE R IC K
“At the time, the Vermont delegation was not supportive of it. Even the Green Mountain Club, at the time, was a little nervous,” said Andrea Ketchmark, executive director of the North Country Trail Association. “That is something that has definitely changed.” In the mid-2000s, the association revived efforts to bring the NCT into
Vermont. According to John Derick, a longtime volunteer with the Middlebury Area Land Trust, there were numerous community meetings in Addison County towns that could be affected by the trail. Derick began work on new trails for the NCT route in 2013, but it wasn’t until 2019 that these Vermont sections officially became part of the trail. That required an act of Congress. “For the most part, trails have been really bipartisan,” Ketchmark said. Trails are considered not just natural assets but also economic drivers. But, she said, “It just hasn’t been top priority.” Eventually, the bill to extend the trail and to reroute a section in Minnesota was added to an omnibus bill and signed into law. “It’s been a long, long haul with the North Country Trail since they started,” Derick said. He has built trails for the
land trust for more than 30 years; it’s strenuous physical work and requires plenty of behind-the-scenes negotiations with landowners and regulatory agencies. Many sections of the NCT have required easements from private landowners because it doesn’t have eminent domain authority: Landowners can’t be forced to sell land for use in the trail. Currently, about 1,600 miles of the NCT are along roadways, though Ketchmark said that rural roads can be just as scenic as off-road trails. While more than 20,000 people
have completed the entire 2,190-mile Appalachian Trail, Ketchmark knows of fewer than 20 who have hiked the entire NCT — not surprising, given that it’s more than twice as long. Other National Scenic Trails have been increasingly popular. “I think we will continue to see an increase, because the other trails are getting so crowded,” Ketchmark said. “That’s drawing people to different trails, which is great.” Derick said he’s met only a handful of thru-hikers on the Vermont section of the trail, but he’s seen a huge increase in the number of locals on the TAM looking for an outdoor escape during the pandemic. “More than one person said having the trail there saved their sanity,” he said. Vermont’s section of the NCT is easily accessible off Hamilton Road in Weybridge near Sheep Farm Road. From there, hikers can walk south toward Middlebury College on the Jackson Trail or west along the Blue Trail toward Snake Mountain. “Even though there’s a lot of work to be done [on] the section in Vermont, it’s relatively small,” Ketchmark said. “We hope to see, in the next 10 years, close to completion of the trail in Vermont.” The North Country Trail Association recently hired a regional coordinator, who will help organize trail construction in New York and Vermont. Derick thinks the section of trail toward Crown Point, N.Y., will be the most difficult. “That’s going to be a toughie, because you’ve got so much wetland to cross,” he said. “You’d have to build so much boardwalk.” Derick, 73, said he typically spends a few hours per day working on the trails in the summertime, and he usually has help from a Middlebury College intern. But he hopes to find ways to get more young people involved in maintaining the trails. “We’ll just keep pecking away at it,” he said.
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| 802.654.3000 SEVEN DAYS SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
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food+drink
Coconut buns
Better Buns
FIRST
BITE DARIA BISHOP
Winooski’s Morning Light Bakery shares Asian favorites B Y MEL I SSA PASAN E N
K
en Liu moved with his family to Vermont from Hong Kong when he was 12. A decade later, he still remembers his favorite childhood breakfast of a hot dog bun and boxed chocolate milk bought from one of the Asian city’s countless little bakeries. “I would grab it on the way to school,” said Liu, 22. “All kids in Hong Kong would have that experience.” Now, the hot dog bun is one of the many varieties of Hong Kong-style buns on the menu at his family’s little bakery in a very different city almost 8,000 miles away. Liu’s parents, Ann Wong and King Chiu Liu, opened Morning Light Bakery across the street from the Winooski campus of Community College of Vermont in April 2019. All of the buns, savory and sweet, start with the same pillowy soft, slightly sweet, yeast-raised dough. They come in different shapes filled with cream or coconut, roast pork or chicken curry. We tried half a dozen and loved them all. When it comes to Hong Kong-style buns, the most iconic are the round pineapple buns. My son developed a deep appreciation for them while studying in Hong Kong a few years ago. When we visited him there,
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SEVEN DAYS SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
he took us to one of his favorite bakeries. The storefront was lined with trays of freshly baked pineapple buns with their signature dark golden glazed tops that crackle when baked into a pattern reminiscent of a pineapple skin. It was there I learned that appearance, not ingredients, gives the pineapple bun its name. But to our surprise, at the center of the excellent pineapple buns from Morning Light we found a small chunk of actual pineapple, tucked into an equally unexpected custardy layer. Before my chat later that week with Ken Liu, the designated spokesperson for the family business, I got to stick my masked face into the bakery to meet his mother. His father had gone home after baking since early morning. The bakery has been closed for on-site consumption of pastries and drinks since mid-March. It reopened on May 1 with reduced hours Friday through Monday for takeout. Wong was constructing a special order for some of the bakery’s signature layered sponge cakes. Perfect slices of kiwi, mango and strawberries were lined up like fruit jewels waiting to embellish cake and cream. I mentioned that the pineapple buns were delicious
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but different from those we’d eaten in Hong Kong. “The pineapple bun is made many different ways,” Wong said. “In America, we put [in a piece of ] pineapple because otherwise people say, ‘A pineapple bun with no pineapple?’” she said with a laugh. According to Liu, who works at the bakery and is also a part-time college student, his parents take their dough seriously. Although they didn’t bake professionally in Hong Kong, his parents did take baking courses there. “It is something they always wanted to do,” their son said. “They learned all the different ways to make the [bun] dough,” he recalled. “They have done a lot of experiments, and they might have found the golden ratio, but there is always room for improvement. They are never satisfied.” The family moved to Vermont in 2011 to join relatives in the area. “We wanted a different environment. Hong Kong is very crowded,” Liu said. “We have heard a lot of good things from our relatives about Vermont. There are a lot of different opportunities here.” One day, while driving from their home in Essex
GOOD TO-GO VERMONT:
BETTER BUNS
» P.48
VERMONT RESTAURANTS ARE STILL MAKING DELICIOUS FOOD FOR TAKEOUT, DELIVERY OR CURBSIDE PICKUP. FIND OUT WHAT YOUR FAVORITE EATERIES ARE SERVING UP AT GOODTOGOVERMONT.COM. #GOODTOGOVT
SIDEdishes FILE: JEB WALLACE-BRODEUR
SERVING UP FOOD NEWS
The Capital City Farmers Market on Taylor Street earlier this year
Shopping Around MONTPELIER MARKET PARKS IN A NEW LOT
The CAPITAL CITY FARMERS
MARKET has a new home
Jordan Barry
A Bigger Table NEW FARMS FOR NEW AMERICANS LANDS COMPETITIVE GRANT
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced last week that NEW FARMS FOR NEW AMERICANS in Burlington was selected as one of 10 nationwide awardees from among 500 applicants to a new urban agriculture grant program. New Farms for New Americans is a
13-year-old gardening and agriculture program run by AALV, a Burlington nonprofit serving refugees and immigrants. The program, which was recently featured in Seven Days, manages seven and a half acres on which 67 families raise food for 250 to 300 people. AALV program specialist ALISHA LARAMEE explained that the $300,000 grant will help to connect participants in the program with the broader Vermont food system. “We are going to work with 16 farmers over two years to establish a corps, [a] group of mentors and leaders within the five ethnic groups we currently serve,” Laramee wrote in an email. Programming will involve organizations such as the NORTHEAST ORGANIC
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Melissa Pasanen FILE: JAMES BUCK
— again. The weekly Montpelier market, which moved to 2 Taylor Street in May, will be held at 133 State Street for the remainder of its summer season. Construction along Taylor Street and in the current lot prompted the location change. The market’s members voted to make the move on Saturday, market manager KERI RYAN told Seven Days. The new lot — which is about a block from the Taylor Street location — belongs to the Vermont Department of Taxes. “I’ve never been so excited about a parking lot before,” Ryan said. “We will actually have a little bit of room to grow; even with the extra distancing that we have to have to meet COVID regulations, we can still fit about 56 vendors in the new lot, which is more than we can fit now.” The lot also has the potential to become a permanent home for the market, Ryan noted. “We’ll reevaluate after this season, but it’s not slated for any construction anytime soon, and we know it would be available at least next
year,” she said. “And hopefully going forward, too.” The market will officially move on Saturday, September 12, and will operate every Saturday through October 31. Market hours are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Our flagship Burly Irish Ale — named for Burlington — now travels everywhere. Brewed in collaboration with The Alchemist, these cans are available for a limited time and only at VPB.
Harka Rai on a New Farms for New Americans plot
CONNECT Follow us for the latest food gossip! On Twitter: Sally Pollak: @vtpollak. On Instagram: Seven Days: @7deatsvt; Jordan Barry: @jordankbarry. 6H-dcircle090220 1
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Junction, they spied the empty space at 106 East Allen Street that had previously housed Dobrá Tea. The small size suited them just fine; it was similar in scale to many of the little bakeries back in Hong Kong. King Chiu Liu left his job as a custodian at the University of Vermont when the family opened the bakery. His ANN W O NG wife still holds down a second job. She is also responsible for the bakery name. “She wants all our customers to have a great morning, like the morning light is splashing on them,” Ken Liu said. “In Hong Kong,” his mother added, “ everyone goes to the bakery for a quick breakfast.” Liu said the family has been surprised by the number of Vermonters with connections to Hong Kong who are familiar with the buns and other classics on the menu, such as bite-size sweet egg tarts. (These are similar to Portuguese custard tarts, common in Hong Kong and the nearby former Portuguese colony of Macau.) One Friday-morning regular, Jenn Jurasek of Shelburne, said she was familiar with Chinese bakeries in Montréal and was excited to hear last year that one was opening locally. In addition to her favorite buns — the pineapple and red bean-filled — she strongly recommends the pork belly bao. Jurasek describes it as “a gently steamed, puffy, delicate bun filled morsel of fresh mango or strawberry. with soft pork belly cooked with Featherlight Japanese-style cheesehoisin and spice, and served with a cake is a welcome reprieve from the little bit of greens.” She likes to pair dense American versions. A subdued her bao with a bubble tea or passion pastel rainbow of cream-filled sponge fruit green tea and, if available, a red bean paste-filled sesame ball for rolls includes a pale green matcha with the delicate savory flavor of dessert. (These labor-intensive items Japanese green tea. are only offered occasionally.) “I love Liu said the family will offer tradianything red bean paste!” she said. tional mooncakes for the Mid-Autumn Although Liu still enjoys the occasional hot dog roll, he now favors the Festival, a major holiday celebrated across Asia that falls this year on Octocroissant-shaped taro bun filled with ber 1. The squat, circular pastries are a sweetened purple paste made from Ken Liu making bubble tea usually filled with lotus seed or red the starchy root vegetable. On the bean paste. savory side, he loves the tuna with corn, mayonnaise and black pepper. “It really Throughout the pandemic, Liu said, his family has appreciated dedicated repeat customers. catches your tongue,” he said. Other tongue-pleasing treats on the menu include Their landlords, Nate and Jacquie Dagesse, have been small coconut-dusted nuggets of mochi encasing a “[two] of our biggest fans,” Liu said.
PHOTOS: DARIA BISHOP
Better Buns « P.46
IN HONG KONG, EVERYONE GOES TO THE BAKERY FOR
A QUICK BREAKFAST.
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SEVEN DAYS SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
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Mango and strawberry mochi
When the family first approached the Dagesses to discuss renting the space, Nate said he and his wife had to educate themselves on what a Hong Kong-style bakery was. “We liked that it was different than the other bakeries in town,” he said. “We’ve tried everything on the menu by now.” Jacquie is partial to the classic bubble milk tea. Nate said his menu favorites are “almost all the buns.” If he had to pick a few, he conceded, they would be the roast pork bun and the pineapple buns. “Oh, and the tuna bun is also one of my favorites,” Nate added. “If you like tuna sandwiches or tuna pea wiggle, you will definitely like it.” Contact: pasanen@sevendaysvt.com
INFO Morning Light Bakery, 106 East Allen St., Suite 101, Winooski, 540-1771, morning-light-vt.com. Preorders are appreciated.
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
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PHOTOS: JORDAN BARRY
Breakfast tacos and coffee from Blank Page Café
Turning the Page Blank Page Café serves farm-fresh breakfast tacos to-go B Y J O R D AN BAR RY
I
’ve ordered a lot of takeout since Seven Days launched Good To-Go Vermont on March 17. Until last week, none of it was for breakfast. There are plenty of restaurants offering eggs, pancakes and pastries in our online directory of takeout, curbside pickup and delivery options throughout the state, and I wasn’t ignoring them on purpose. The fact is, I alternate between sleeping through the so-called “most important meal of the day” and drinking so much coffee that I forget to eat. Somehow, though, at 9 a.m. one Friday, I found myself driving down Cheesefactory Road to the South Burlington/Shelburne town line for Blank Page Café’s weekly breakfast taco pop-up. And you’d better believe I’ll be doing it again. Blank Page Café has been serving coffee and gluten-free pastries since 2016 in the farm store at Bread & Butter Farm. In midMarch, the café added what owner-operator Mike Proia calls “farm-to-table casual” meals to-go, which are currently served three days a week. “My intention all along was to establish a 50
SEVEN DAYS SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
Good To-Go is a series featuring well-made takeout meals that highlights how restaurants and other food VERMONT establishments are adapting during the COVID-19 era. Check out GOODTOGOVERMONT.COM to see what your favorite eateries are serving up via takeout, delivery and curbside pickup.
GOOD TO-GO
GOOD TO-GO VERMONT
sort of to-go meal offering,” Proia said, cracking the eggs destined for my tacos onto a cast-iron grill top. The taco operation stands under a tent in the farm’s driveway, where it’s been every Friday morning since early June. Beside Proia, Alex Gemme worked a tortilla press, flattening balls of masa from Burlington’s All Souls Tortilleria before adding them to the grill. “We didn’t plan for the pandemic, obviously, but we had kind of strategically aligned the longer-term business strategy to really just fit with what happened,” Proia said. “We
Mike Proia (left) and Alex Gemme
renovated our kitchen and obtained a catering license at the beginning of March, literally a week before it hit. The timing was very serendipitous.” The week after that, the farm store closed to walk-in customers. Proia realized that the pandemic would drastically affect the café’s coffee and baked goods sales — and that fast-forwarding his plans to offer more
substantial meals for curbside pickup would be a smart move. “It was jarring and stressful but very fruitful,” Proia said. Blank Page and Bread & Butter Farm launched an online store where customers can order the farm’s products — including grass-fed beef and certified organic produce — together with the café’s baked goods, coffee drinks and prepared meals. The two businesses are separate entities, but more than just sharing space, they’re aligned “energetically, philosophically and strategically,” Proia said. As they worked together to move to the online platform, the farm and the café also reached out to other businesses that had lost their markets to the pandemic. The online store is now stocked with locally sourced products, such as eggs, pastureraised chicken, pork, sustainably caught fish, beverages, dairy products, dry goods, vegetables and more. “It felt really awesome to become an outlet for them, because we are so close to higher population density and the farm has a built-in CSA following,” Proia said of the producers whose wares the store carries. The café’s to-go meals are a perfect encapsulation of that collaboration. The menu brings together seasonal ingredients from Bread & Butter Farm and other farm partners to create internationally inspired gluten-free dishes. Last week, options included spiced beef-and-eggplant moussaka, lemongrass-basil-coconut chicken curry with summer veggies, and sesameginger pork stir-fry. Priced at $22 each, non-breakfast meals to-go are available for curbside pickup on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday between noon and 3 p.m. They make a hearty lunch and are easily reheated for dinner. Proia bills the meals as single serving, but he said many customers find them enough for two. Though I couldn’t make a midweek pickup this time, I have my fingers crossed that the moussaka will make a repeat appearance soon. When I went online to preorder my breakfast tacos, I was tempted by strawberry-lemon popsicles from Adam’s Berry Farm ($4) and by a container of Bread & Butter Farm’s lard ($15) — a pie-season necessity. There are many new takeout websites out there, and this is one of the best I’ve used. The offerings are divided into clear categories, and no matter what you put in your cart, it’s one easy checkout. To keep things simple, I stuck to the tacos ($6 each) and coffee ($4.25 each for a 16-ounce cold brew and a 12-ounce maple cold-brew, both made with beans from Brio Coffeeworks). The tacos are preorder only, available for pickup between 8:30 and 11:30 a.m. on Fridays. (Order a day or so early because
food+drink they frequently sell out.) Proia plans to continue serving them every Friday until it gets too cold to grill outside; at that point, he might bring the grill top inside and use it on the stove, he speculated. The preorder system lets Proia manage food costs and inventory “pretty tightly,” he said, which is essential when working with high-cost ingredients. The system also keeps the number of orders — and people coming through the farm — safe and manageable. “I don’t aspire to be a very large operation,” Proia said with a laugh. “My goal is to be able to do things well on a really small scale and figure out a way to make that work.” It’s not often that I pay $6 for a taco and feel like I’ve gotten my money’s worth. Watching Proia and Gemme at the grill on Friday morning, though, I had an inkling that these would be a bargain. Coffee and tacos in hand, I’d planned to hop back in the car and head home to devour my breakfast (and maybe return to bed afterward). But, when Proia pointed to the picnic tables spread out beside the farm’s greenhouses, I changed my plans. It was a 65-degree blue-sky day, after all. The hand-pressed tortillas were stuffed
with perfectly cooked fried organic eggs from Doolittle Farm in Shoreham and pulled pork from Agricola Farm in Panton, its edges crisped on the flattop. Slightly melted Cabot cheddar held it all together, while scallions, red cabbage and cilantro brightened things up with a punch of flavor and crunch. A side of Cholula Hot Sauce — the go-to in my house — spiced things up. In theory, the tacos would have tasted the same if I’d eaten them at home; the tortillas were structurally sound enough not to get soggy on my 11-minute drive. But sitting at the picnic table and gazing at the farm scene around me was a pretty magical secret ingredient. Reimagining what takeout can be — and where we can eat it — is playing a huge role in keeping the restaurant industry afloat right now. If that kind of creative thinking leads to meals like these, I’ll even venture out for breakfast.
Blank Page Café breakfast taco
Contact: jbarry@sevendaysvt.com
SCALLIONS, RED CABBAGE AND CILANTRO BRIGHTENED THINGS UP
WITH A PUNCH OF FLAVOR AND CRUNCH.
INFO Blank Page Café, 200 Leduc Farm Dr., Shelburne. Visit blankpagecafe.com for more information, or breadandbutterfarm.company.site to place an order for pickup.
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COURTESY OF THOMAS MICHAEL HILL
music+nightlife
episode by episode, and see what holds up and what was just the nostalgia of an overexcited 10-year-old. ANNIE RUSSELL: I was certainly aware of the show growing up, but I wouldn’t say I was exactly a fan of it. I hadn’t seen it since the ’90s, so I didn’t remember much. What I was interested in with the rewatch is what we could talk about comedically. Because there is a lot of unintentional comedy in “MacGyver.” SD: Nathan, what about Annie made her the right cohost for the pod? NH: Well, my first thought was, Who is someone that’s really funny but also as obsessed with TV as I am? Annie came right to mind, because she has this special kind of appreciation for television. Also, I know that when she commits to something, she’ll actually do it, which, as Annie will tell you, is not always the case with comedians. AR: [Laughing] That is correct! That is very correct.
COMEDY
Illustration of Nathan Hartswick and Annie Russell, hosts of “Duct Tape & Paperclips”
Getting Their Fix Two comedians tackle the TV classic “MacGyver” in a new podcast B Y CH RI S FAR NSW ORTH
G
rowing up in the Northeast Kingdom in the 1980s and ’90s, Nathan Hartswick didn’t have many TV channels to choose from, nor the parental permission to watch “Beavis and Butt-Head” or “The Simpsons.” Enter “MacGyver,” a major-network show about a casually cool hero — played by a mulleted Richard Dean Anderson — who used science to defeat the bad guys, as opposed to bullets or martial arts. Young Hartswick was hooked. Thirty years later, he has made a career in comedy, most notably as the co-owner of the 52
SEVEN DAYS SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
Vermont Comedy Club in Burlington. Also a podcaster, Hartswick was struck by an idea amid the sudden solitude of the quarantine: Rewatch his old favorite show — not the 2016 reboot, thank you very much — and dissect it with his comedy friends through a modern lens for the world to hear. The result is “Duct Tape & Paperclips,” a new podcast he cohosts with Vermont expat comedian Annie Russell, currently a news editor at KQED in San Francisco. Together, the two “rewatch, review and ridicule” the hourlong TV classic, episode by episode, with help from local guest
comics such as Hillary Boone, Brian Park, and Hartswick’s wife and VCC co-owner, Natalie Miller. Seven Days recently spoke with Hartswick and Russell by phone. SEVEN DAYS: There are a lot of shows to podcast about. Why “MacGyver”? NATHAN HARTSWICK: I loved it when I was a kid. But I also remember rewatching some episodes seven or eight years ago and realizing that it did not hold up well at all. So, eventually, I started thinking how cool it would be to really go through the show,
SD: So comedians watching “MacGyver,” essentially. How does that work? NH: We want to talk about the episode, but we want it to be entertaining. I’ve listened to enough of those recap podcasts with four white dudes in a room talking about what happened in each episode. That’s why we bring in a guest every week and play games or talk about stuff outside or around the episode, which is more fun than just reciting what happened. AR: We have a lot of respect for the listener, so we acknowledge that not everyone listening to our podcast is a superfan of the show. Someone might just want to hear what Nathan and I are chatting about, or maybe they’re a fan of our guest that week. So we really try to mix it up. NH: I’ve listened to a couple other “MacGyver” podcasts, and so often the people doing them talk about these characters as if they’re real people. Whereas Annie and I come at it more from the standpoint of creative people who have worked in similar mediums, so sometimes we just want to talk about, like, “OK. This actor was fucking terrible, right?” SD: The primary mission statement seems to be “Does the show hold up?” Does it?
GOT MUSIC NEWS? JORDAN@SEVENDAYSVT.COM
AR: I don’t think I’m spoiling anything when I say that this isn’t a particularly well-written show. Especially through a lens of 2020 television, the level of production and writing and pacing we expect is totally different than it was in 1988. The writing is really just so all over the map. NH: In Episode 1, he lives in this amazing observatory. But by the next episode, that’s just gone. Not a thing. AR: This show makes me feel like I could make a TV show with not a lot of effort. SD: There did seem to be a wholesome quality to Mac, though, especially compared to other ’80s action heroes, that made him and the show stand out. NH: Absolutely. He was anti guns, didn’t like to do anything that hurt people, didn’t like smoking and was all about science. I’m not a handy person at all, but I’m creative and I have to appreciate that he was always creative in his solutions to things.
AR: Yeah, I don’t know, man. Everything we’ve heard is that he’s a very good guy. NH: Which is the problem! AR: I don’t know if there’s someone like MacGyver in the inventor or spy community who has sort of had his job, but I’d love to track down that person and find out how they think MacGyver portrays what they do. NH: If there’s a spy out there who hates guns and invents shit, we want to hear from you. AR: I so want to hear him grumble about how unrealistic “MacGyver” is.
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NH: There’s an episode where ants Just come on down make a pretty big plot point, so we and checkout our supply got this entomologist who has a VPR DONT FORGET OUR NOVELTY SEEDS radio show in to lecture AVAILABLE AT EMERALDROSESEEDS.COM us about insects for 10 minutes. It was so awesome. Also, the guy who played Murdoc 8V-emeraldgrows090220.indd 1 8/28/20 8v-theboardroom090220.indd 11:31 AM (Mac’s archnemesis) is still kicking around, and he’s a real character. I feel like if I send him an email, you never know…
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AR: Also — and I don’t know if they were AR: Oh, I know! Henry necessarily trying to Winkler! He produced be progressive with the whole thing. I’d love the show — but I think to do a completely off-theANN IE RU SSE LL they were trying to rails interview where he just apologizes for making show a leading man with empathy. He helps the show. Henry! We’re people; he won’t kill; he’s nice to kids. He available; we’re ready. doesn’t quite have the tools we do now to ask the right questions about the cultures SD: Last question: Have either of you ever “MacGyvered” your way out of a he’s interacting with, though. difficult situation? NH: I remember it as a sort of socially AR: Hmm. We do this to our guests, too. conscious show. But, yeah, the white- I’m sure I have, but I can’t remember guy-savior-complex and American- right now. I just moved to Berkeley from exceptionalism thing is alive and well. Chicago, so I’m sure there was something But I think there’s room to both critique in that process… and enjoy it. You can enjoy the nostalgia it creates while still laughing at yourself NH: Um. Well. I cut a pair of boxer briefs and all the “USA No. 1” stuff you used to up and made them into a mask? That believe when you were a kid. counts, right? That counts. SD: You’ve had some great guests so far. But are there any you fantasize about booking? Maybe MacGyver himself? NH: I’d be afraid to have Richard Dean Anderson!
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This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.
INFO Listen to “Duct Tape & Paperclips” at ducttapeandpaperclips.libsyn.com.
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Dave Kleh, Speaking in Logistics (SELF-RELEASED, CD, DIGITAL)
It would be so easy to dismiss Dave Kleh with a simple “OK, boomer.” The quirky singer-songwriter was indeed born in the baby boom that followed World War II. And he clearly has a lot of deep-seated opinions about the world. Kleh boldly proclaims them within some of the strangest music made in Vermont, all of which he records with few additional musicians at his robust home studio. But diminishing his oeuvre with Gen Z’s favorite flippant catchphrase is ultimately lazy, because Kleh is genuinely fascinating. A real estate agent by day and prolific recording artist by night, Kleh is influenced by three great decades of music: the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s. Musically, his stuff actually isn’t so weird; he’s pretty
Humble Among, Fear of a Wack Planet (SELF-RELEASED, DIGITAL)
Humble Among is a rapper who proudly represents Bellows Falls. That’s a sentence I never thought I would live to write, but it’s true. He’s been on the margins of the Vermont hip-hop scene for a long time and in recent years has grown into a prolific contributor and ardent supporter, one of those human hubs who makes a “scene” possible. Deeply rooted in Juggalo and horrorcore culture, Humble Among’s style is not a pedigree shared by many artists around these parts. He’s best known for his “Halloween Tape” series, which started as a fun, one-off thematic EP in 2018 and grew into a monster of a concept album the next year. Presumably, he’s gearing up for another October release this year to complete the trilogy, but his latest, Fear of a Wack Planet, is his most evolved and refined creation to date.
straightforward in his takes on psych- and folk-rock, blues, and occasionally country. But combined with his diatribes, Kleh’s work crystallizes into a puzzling genre I’ll call rant-rock. On his latest album, Speaking in Logistics, every lick, fill and chord progression exists to support Kleh’s stream-of-consciousness lyrics, the central feature of his compositions. This is a departure from his 2019 album, the ludicrously titled Love Is Greater Than Infinity Divided by Zero, which was mostly composed of sweet love songs. Actually, maybe that album was the departure, and Kleh is back to basics on Speaking in Logistics. He’s at his OK-boomerest on tracks such as the 11-and-a-half-minute “So Sad to See the Old Man Goin’ Down”: “Evolving from apes to apes with smartphones / Looking more like apes every day / With vaping taking the place of cigarettes / It’s quicker that way,” Kleh rambles over a kinetic, harmonica-laden construction of Western-
tinged rock. Surely there are better things to take aim at — and Kleh does, turning toward structures of tyranny later on. “Just Bill Me” is an existential exploration wrapped in straight blues, featuring some sizzling work from guitarist Bill Mullins. Kleh is mildly aghast at where he’s at in life: “I still believe I am 19 in my mind / But I can’t fool my body,” he laments. Kleh is strongest when he embraces a more melodic approach, rather than the Sprechgesang style he mostly employs throughout Speaking in Logistics. The closing track, “Winds of Change,” is a sleek take on new-wave pop during which we finally hear Kleh sing in earnest. Koto synth and wavy guitars create a nice cooldown at the end of a record that burns hot with opinion. Kleh is cyclical about releasing music: He puts out a new record every year without fail. Speaking in Logistics might not be his strongest, but it’s a fairly representative slice of his ever-growing catalog of peculiar music. Speaking in Logistics is available at davekleh.bandcamp.com.
Humble Among has never been one to rap about rapping. All of his songs, whether caustic autobiography or nightmare narrative, are focused art. On this new surprise LP, he lets his cinematic imagination run absolutely wild, crafting a roller coaster of an apocalypse for your speakers. There’s nothing frivolous about it, either: This is an urgent, timely album, touching on climate change, resource wars and collapsing cities. Also, aliens. Fear of a Wack Planet is a predominantly locavore effort. The 802 Renaissance man THEN WHAt handles the bulk of the production, with some strong assists from horrorcore legend Bad Mind. There are local features in the mix, too. Humble Among’s hometown protégé Kasuke drops bleak bars for “Toxic Waste.” And the impeccable Raw Deff delivers another knockout 16 on “Anxious,” an ode to making peace with mental illness. Then there’s Doc C of Rhythm Ruckus, an unsung Windsor County hip-hop duo who were a big influence on Humble Among, as well as about a hundred other
local rap acts. They’re long since retired, but Doc C has been getting back in the booth lately. Here, he joins our protagonist for “Thin Blue Line,” a gleefully offensive storytelling song about killing police. Fear of a Wack Planet represents some serious artistic growth. Humble Among has never sounded more confident on the mic and, track after track, these are some of the strongest songs he’s ever written. Which is not to say he’s broadening his mass appeal. Calling an album like this “dark” is a joke — this is genocidal nihilism over thumping synth beats. That said, it’s also extremely well done. The mixing and mastering, handled by Bad Mind, are impressively smooth. Yet what really makes this project pop is the artistic vision. Humble Among has a deadpan, almost quavering delivery, but after years of home studio experimentation, he’s honed that into something truly compelling. So, for subgenre aficionados or curious listeners of any persuasion, Fear of a Wack Planet is strongly recommended. This is the best possible introduction to one of Vermont’s most distinctive MCs. Fear of a Wack Planet is available at humbleamong.bandcamp.com.
GET YOUR MUSIC REVIEWED: SEVEN DAYS SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
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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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classes
CLASS PLANS MAY CHANGE DUE TO THE PANDEMIC. PLEASE CHECK WITH ORGANIZERS IN ADVANCE.
THE FOLLOWING CLASS LISTINGS ARE PAID ADVERTISEMENTS. ANNOUNCE YOUR CLASS FOR AS LITTLE AS $16.75/WEEK (INCLUDES SIX PHOTOS AND UNLIMITED DESCRIPTION ONLINE). SUBMIT YOUR CLASS AD AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTCLASS.
ACCESS CVU
150+ classes offered online or outside at CVUHS! Classes run Sept 21-Jan 31. Full descriptions at cvsdvt.ce.eleyo.com. ACCESS ARTS & CRAFTS: Online and outside classes for all ages. Watercolor With Ginny Joyner (three levels), Drawing, Sketching, Portraits, Mixed Media, Beginner Calligraphy, Flower Arranging, Embroidery, Macrame, Crochet, Jewelry, Wood Carving, Batik and Silk Painting, Wreaths, and more! Full descriptions online. Location: Online and at ACCESS CVU, Hinesburg. Info: Access CVU, Laura Howard, 482-7194, access@ cvsdvt.org, cvsdvt.ce.eleyo.com. ACCESS CUISINE & DINNER SERIES: All ages; online and outside. Ethiopian/Eritrean With Alganesh, Vietnamese With Kim Dinh, Pierogi With Luiza, Fermentation, Five Italian Specialties With Adele, Middle Eastern Mezze With Richard, Knife Skills and more. New Dinner Series outside! Buy a table and safely join us under a tent for dinner or take out. Location: Online and at ACCESS CVU, 369 CVU Rd., Hinesburg. Info: Access CVU, Laura Howard, 482-7194, access@ cvsdvt.org, cvsdvt.ce.eleyo.com.
Antiracist by Ibram Kendi, Baseball Scouting 101, Royal Gardens of Spain, Vermont Architecture, the Thanksgiving Plate, Working Through Wishes, Temperance and Prohibition in the Champlain Valley, Gardens of Paris, Home Exchange, Author: Jack Mayer, and more interesting presentations from Access! Location: Online through ACCESS CVU. Info: Access CVU, Laura Howard, 482-7194, access@ cvsdvt.org, cvsdvt.ce.eleyo.com. HEALTH, WELLNESS, HOLISTIC LIVING: Online and outside classes for all ages. Mindful Meditation, Self-Hypnosis, Massage, Reflexology, Feldenkrais, Rethinking Sugar, Chinese Medicine, Tarot Card Adventure, Chakra Workshop, Gem and Crystals, and more affordable classes to boost your health and well-being! Full descriptions online. Location: Online and at ACCESS CVU, 369 CVU Rd., Hinesburg. Info: Access CVU, Laura Howard, 482-7194, access@ cvsdvt.org, cvsdvt.ce.eleyo.com.
ACCESS GARDENING, HOMESTEADING: Recreation, animals and nature; online and outside for all ages. Birding, Canine Manners, Dog and Cat Body Language, Primitive Fire Building, Build a Custom Snowboard, Ski/Snowboard Tuning, Chainsaw Maintenance, Cars 101, Seasonal Gardens, Forest Management, Fabulous Foliage, Medicinal Plants, Beekeeping With Bill Mares! Full descriptions online. Location: Online and at ACCESS CVU, 369 CVU Rd., Hinesburg. Info: Access CVU, Laura Howard, 482-7194, access@cvsdvt.org, cvsdvt.ce.eleyo.com. ACCESS SPEAKER SERIES ONLINE: Intro to Voice-Overs, Lincoln Hill’s 19th Century Black Farming Community, Shaken & Stirred: History of Cocktails,
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agriculture
massage
PORK PROCESSING WORKSHOP: Learn the art of on-farm, wholeanimal processing. NOFA-VT hosts a livestreamed webinar to learn whole-animal processing, including the benefits of ethnically raised, pasture-based meats. Mary Lake covers the full process from a half pig to individual cuts, with the slaughter taking place the day before. Live Q&A session follows. Sun., Sep. 13, 9 a.m.-noon. Cost: $20/$40 for members; $44-60 for nonmembers; free of charge for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous or a person of color). Location: three-hour livestreamed webinar, online, Richmond. Info: NOFA-VT, Livy Bulger, 434-4122, livy@nofavt.org, nofavt.org.
CHINESE MEDICAL MASSAGE: This program teaches two forms of Chinese medical massage: Tui Na and shiatsu. We will explore oriental medicine theory and diagnosis, as well as the body’s meridian system, acupressure points, and yin-yang and five-element theory. Additionally, Western anatomy and physiology are taught. VSAC nondegree grants are available. FSMTB-approved program. Starts Sep. 2020. Cost: $6,000/625hour program. Location: Elements of Healing, 21 Essex Way, Suite 109, Essex Jct. Info: Scott Moylan, 288-8160, scott@elementsofheal ing.net, elementsofhealing.net.
drumming
LANGUAGE, WRITING AND MUSIC: Online classes for all ages. Intro to ASL, French, Spanish, and German! Ukulele, Guitar, Harmonica, Mandolin, Singing. Flash Fiction, Write and Pitch Your Book So It Will Sell!, Getting Into the Writing Habit, Memoir Workshop, SAT Bootcamp. Full descriptions online. Location: Online with ACCESS CVU. Info: Access CVU, Laura Howard, 4827194, access@cvsdvt.org, cvsdvt. ce.eleyo.com.
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.
SPANISH ZOOM CLASSES STARTING: Register now; remaining space is limited. Classes start next week. Our 14th year. Learn from a native speaker in lively small classes via online video conferencing. You’ll always be participating and speaking. Private instruction and lessons for students also available. See our website or contact us for details. Beginning week of Aug. 31. Cost: $270/10 weekly classes of 90+ min. each. Location: Spanish in Waterbury Center, Waterbury Center. Info: 585-1025, spanishparavos@gmail.com, spanishwaterburycenter.com.
martial arts
PHOTOGRAPHY AND COMPUTERS: Online photography classes for all ages with Sean Beckett: Digital Photography 101, Mastering Photographic Composition, Digital Darkroom, and Photographic Critique. Online classes for all ages in computers and technology: Cybersecurity, LowCost CVU Computer Tech Help, Create a Webpage Using Simple Code, Database Programming and Design. Full descriptions online. Location: Online with ACCESS CVU. Info: Access CVU, Laura Howard, 482-7194, access@ cvsdvt.org, cvsdvt.ce.eleyo.com.
language
YOGA, FITNESS, MINDFUL MOVEMENT: Online and outside classes for all ages. Women’s Monday Yoga Hour, Thursday Yoga With Ellen, Beginners Tai Chi Chuan, Tai Chi Chuan Continued, Woman’s Self-Defense Workshop with Master Kellie, and Intro to Kickboxing! Low cost, excellent instructors, guaranteed. Full descriptions online. Location: Online and at ACCESS CVU, 369 CVU Rd., Hinesburg. Info: Access CVU, Laura Howard, 482-7194, access@ cvsdvt.org, cvsdvt.ce.eleyo.com.
ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE ONLINE CLASSES: Join us for adult online French classes this fall. Session begins September 14 and offers classes for participants at all levels. Whether you are a beginner or are comfortable conversing in French, there is a class for you. Please visit aflcr.org to learn more, or contact Micheline at education@aflcr.org. Begins Sep. 14. Location: Online. Info: Alliance Française of the Lake Champlain Region, Micheline Tremblay, 881-8826, education@ aflcr.org, aflcr.org.
VERMONT BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU: 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 sixthdegree 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.
spirituality QUAN YIN RETREAT OR WOMEN: A sweet retreat for women with Quan Yin, the goddess of lovingkindness and compassion. We’ll gather outside with Mother Nature, 6 feet apart, while we share, sing, pray, chant and enjoy healing journeys to a drumbeat. Quan Yin’s unconditional love is a blessing in these changing times. Sun., Sep. 6, 1-5 p.m. Cost: $50/person. Location: Lightheart Sanctuary, 236 Wild Apple Rd., New Haven. Info: Maureen Short, 453-4433, maureen@gmavt.net, lightheart.net.
yoga EVOLUTION YOGA: Come as you are and open your heart! Whether you are new to yoga or have been at it for years, you’ll find the support you need to awaken your practice. Livestream, recorded and outdoor classes. Practice with us in the park or on the Sailing Center dock, overlooking Lake Champlain and the scenic mountains. Enrich your practice with our Yoga for Life program or 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training for Health and Wellness Professionals. Single class: $015. 10-class pass: $120. $5 new student special. Flexible pricing, scholarships avail. Location: Evolution Yoga, 20 Kilburn St., Burlington. Info: 864-9642, evolutionvt.com.
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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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Humane
Grisley AGE/SEX: 8-year-old neutered male ARRIVAL DATE: August 4, 2020 REASON HERE: His owner could no longer care for him. SUMMARY: Grisley is a sweet older gentleman who still knows how to enjoy a good pile of catnip and a handful of treats. He would greatly appreciate a quiet home without young children or dogs — those are a young man’s game! Because he is declawed, Grisley will need to have an indooronly lifestyle, but he’s more than happy just kicking back in a cozy blanket or right on your lap. If you think you can provide a loving heart and home for this handsome guy, check out hsccvt.org/cats for instructions on how to sign up for an adoption appointment with Grisley!
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CARS, TRUCKS, MOTORCYCLES
HSCC classifies cats and dogs 7 years or older as “seniors,” but they still have plenty of pep in their step and love to give to a new family! In fact, older animals may be ideal for people looking for a more laid-back companion with some experience being a family pet (and possibly training experience, too). With the average life expectancy of an indoor cat at around 17 years, you could enjoy a senior cat like Grisley for many years to come! Sponsored by:
CATS/DOGS: Grisley has no known history living with cats or dogs.
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SEVEN DAYS SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
59
CLASSIFIEDS on the road
housing
CARS/TRUCKS
FOR RENT
2014 VOLVO S60 T5 FOR SALE 134K miles. $9,900. 802-793-7122.
2 ROOMS IN SOUTH END 2-room studio w/ natural wood, high ceilings. Patio, storage. No dogs, 1 spayed/neutered cat allowed. Avail. Oct. 1. Lease, refs. & sec. dep. Email leehem@gmavt. net.
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
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
All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1968 and similar Vermont statutes which make it illegal to advertise any preference, limitations, or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, handicap, presence of minor children in the family or receipt of public assistance, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or a discrimination. The newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate, which is in violation of the law. Our
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BASEMENT APT. DOWNTOWN $1,000/mo., $1,000 sec. dep. Avail. Sep. 1. Artsy furnished apt., coin laundry, paid utils., Wi-Fi/TV, shared outside decks, green area. Call Don at 802-233-1334. 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. 1-BR avail. now, $1,240/mo. incl. utils. & parking garage. NS/ pets. 802-872-9197 or rae@fullcirclevt.com.
HOUSEMATES NEED A ROOMMATE? Roommates.com will help you find your perfect match today! (AAN CAN)
Route 15, Hardwick
EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY
housing ads: $25 (25 words) legals: 52¢/word buy this stuff: free online services: $12 (25 words)
RESPECTFUL LIVING DOWNTOWN It is a small room in a completely remodeled downtown owneroccupied building. Call Don at 802-233-1334. Laundry & all utils. incl. ROOMMATE WANTED Room in a large apt. Shared kitchen & BA. 1 block from Perkins Pier on Lake Champlain. $500/mo. + utils. Call Julie, 802-865-9869. ROOMMATE NEEDED $750/mo. heat incl. Room in new apt. Large kitchen, LR & BR w/ walk-in closet. 1.5-BA. W/D in unit. Electricity, etc. separate. Call/text Sue: 802-324-9794.
readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. Any home seeker who feels he or she has encountered discrimination should contact: HUD Office of Fair Housing 10 Causeway St., Boston, MA 02222-1092 (617) 565-5309 — OR — Vermont Human Rights Commission 14-16 Baldwin St. Montpelier, VT 05633-0633 1-800-416-2010 hrc@vermont.gov
SEVEN DAYS SEPTEMBER 2-9, 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
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.
print deadline: Mondays at 4:30 p.m. post ads online 24/7 at: sevendaysvt.com/classifieds questions? classifieds@sevendaysvt.com 865-1020 x10
COMPUTER
work in months. Call 866-243-5931. Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.-6 p.m. (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. 866-939-0093. (AAN CAN)
FINANCIAL/LEGAL
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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) 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) OVER $10K IN DEBT? Be debt-free in 24-48 mos. Pay a fraction of what you owe. A+ BBB rated. Call National Debt Relief: 877-5901202. (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)
SERVICES »
services
AUTO DONATE YOUR CAR TO CHARITY Receive maximum value of write-off for your taxes. Running or not! All conditions accepted. Free pickup. Call for details. 855-978-0215. (AAN CAN)
Heavy Equipment and Tools
Simulcast Wed., September 9 @ 10AM Register from 8AM
131 Dorset Lane, Williston, VT
Preview: Wed., Sept. 2 from 10AM-2PM
BIZ OPPS
ELDERLY CARE AVAIL. Family-centered elderly care in my Bristol home. All living space is on the 1st floor; private BR next to shared BA. 802-274-8410. HOME HEALTH AIDE CLASS BAYADA is offering a free class to those who want to enter the rewarding field of home health care! Contact Lauren or Lisa today at 802-8575030, or email Lauren at lduboff@bayada.com.
CLOTHING ALTERATIONS SEWING MACHINE REPAIRS More than 50 years of experience. All makes repaired, parts for all brands, used machines avail. Ron Collins, 802-372-4497.
Online Wed., September 9 @ 6PM 131 Dorset Lane, Williston, VT
A great selection of diagnostic and specialty tools for Hyundai and other makes/models
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)
CAREGIVING
Automotive Diagnostic & Specialty Service Equipment
Mechanics Tools, Automotive Collectibles, Memorabilia
Online Ends Thur., Sept. 10 @ 12PM Barre, Vermont
John Deere Tractors, Hay and Horse Farm Equipment, Home Furnishings & MORE
Online Lots End Mon., Sept. 14 @ 12PM Peacham, Vermont Preview: Sept. 10 from 10AM-1PM by Appt.
An assortment of mechanics tools, equipment, automotive and racecar collectibles, and auto memorabilia from the Steven “Frenchy” LaFountain collection.
Business Opportunity on VT-103 Deli, Grocery, Gas Station, 1BR Apt. Simulcast: Friday, Sept. 18 @ 3PM 638 VT Rte. 103, N. Clarendon, VT Open House: Sept. 3 from 11AM-1PM
Pre-auction offers considered. Contact Tyler Hirchak at 800-634-7653
THOMAS HIRCHAK CO. • THCAuction.com • 800-634-7653 3v-hirchakbrothers090220 1
8/31/20 12:46 PM
Show and tell. Sudoku
Calcoku SEVENDAYSVT.COM/CLASSIFIEDS » Complete
Using the enclosed math operations as a guide, fill the grid using the numbers 1 - 6 only once in each row and column.
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CALCOKU
Difficulty - Medium
BY JOSH REYNOLDS
4 8 6 1 5 5 2 6 4 4 8 3 7
3 15x
Extra! Extra! There’s no limit to ad length online.
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Open 24/7/365.
View and post up to
Post & browse ads the following puzzle by using the 6 photos per ad online. at your convenience. numbers 1-9 only once in each row, column and 3 x 3 box.
No. 652
SUDOKU
Difficulty: Medium
BY JOSH REYNOLDS
DIFFICULTY THIS WEEK: HH
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.
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2 9 THE END IS IN SIGHT 8 ANSWERS ON P.63 » 7 5 1 4
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ANSWERS ON P.63 H = MODERATE 3HH2= HOO, 4 BOY! 5 6 H1H = CHALLENGING 7 8 9 H
5 6 2 3 7 9 8
9 5 4 1 2 3 6
1 2 9 4 3 7 5
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1/13/14 1:45 PM
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SEVEN DAYS SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
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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.
BROWSE THIS WEEK’S OPEN HOUSES: sevendaysvt.com/open-houses STARKSBORO DUPLEX
ENJOY LIFE ON THE MOUNTAIN!
A rare opportunity to own a piece of Smugglers’ Notch Resort. This move-in-ready 1 bedroom Condo is fully-furnished and has been renovated to allow for a more spacious & open layout featuring an eat-in kitchen. $120,000
Krista Lacroix 802-846-9551 Krista802RealEstate.com
services [CONTINUED] 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. 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)
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LOOKING FOR SUPPORT GROUPS? Check out the classifieds.sevendaysvt. com then find Support Groups in the Local Scene category. 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) VIRTUAL TAROT READINGS Looking for deeper meaning in your life? Feeling unsatisfied w/ the lack of balance & disconnection of the modern world? Connect w/ your inner, sacred self. Schedule a virtual tarot reading & kick-start your personal & spiritual
SEVEN DAYS SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
MINI ORCHARD
STARKSBORO | 10 BROOKSIDE DR. | #4810075
CAMBRIDGE | POOLSIDE AT SMUGGLERS NOTCH UNIT 5 | #4822761
Newly constructed duplex built to Efficiency Vermont standards. 2-1250 sq ft units, each w/ an open kitchen and living room, half bath, & laundry on the first floor. Second floor master bedroom w/en-suite bath, bedroom, bonus room & additional full bathroom. Situated on one acre lot, located off RT 116 $421,000
Listed by Margo Plank Casco 802-453-4190 and Bill Martin 802-989-1871 Greentree Real Estate vermontgreentree.com
GARAGE/ESTATE SALES
evolution. 802-881-8976, hw-GreenTree090220.indd 1 tarotwitherika@outlook. com.
HOME/GARDEN MOWING SERVICES, YARD WORK We offer the following services for your yard: mowing, trimming, cleaning out your flower beds or yard; & we can trailer out your piles of brush. Also, we do fall cleanup. Great prices. For more info: skyhorse205@ yahoo.com or call/text 802-355-4099.
buy this stuff
ELECTRONICS CANON COPIER/ SCANNER High-quality, high-volume copier/ scanner for sale. $1,950. brianhaas49@gmail. com or 802-343-2248 for photos & tech info.
MAPLE CORNER CALAIS FRI.-SUN. Sep. 4-6, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. School/art supplies, candle making, games, toys, stenciled wooden wheelbarrow, antique sewing machine, printer stand, bookshelves, antiques, office supplies, men’s ice skates, boots, shoes, clothes, jewelry, Italian Renaissance furniture. Many items free. Benefi t Calais Historical Buildings. Please follow signs from Maple Corner, Calais. Physical distancing. Masks. YARD SALE Sep. 5-6, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 22 Moss Glen Ln., South Burlington. Canoes, Thule rack, sporting & camping & ski equipment (men’s L & XL; women’s S & M), household items, men’s clothes, women’s trendy clothes & much more! valgoip@gmail.com.
MISCELLANEOUS 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)
MONKTON | 295 CHURCH ROAD | #4807131
One level home in Monkton on ten acres with mountain & pastoral views. 3 BR/2 BA, newly renovated kitchen, open floor plan and three season sunroom. 2 car attached garage, 30x40 Morton outbuilding, workshop, rolling hills, gardens, blueberry bushes, and dozens of apple trees are part of the beautiful setting. $425,000
Margo Plank Casco and Bill Martin 802-453-6387
Min. bid $10,770.93
GUITAR 9/1/20 hw-GreenTree062420.indd 9:59INSTRUCTION AM 1 Must be moved 5 days
music
FOR SALE YAMAHA CLAVINOVA CVP309GP Reliable, used almost 20 years in music studio, practice. Only 5 repairs. 802-660-8524. Asking $5,000/OBO. Pick up w/ precautions. octavemode@gmail. com.
INSTRUCTION BASS, GUITAR, DRUMS, VOICE LESSONS & MORE Remote music lessons are an amazing way to spend time at home! Learn guitar, bass, piano, voice, violin, drums, flute, sax, trumpet, production & 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.
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.
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.
AUCTION – MOBILE HOME Sale Date & Location: Wednesday, 9/9/2020 at 11:00 a.m. – Triple L Mobile Home Park, Lot #36, 159 Hillview Terrace in Hinesburg, VT. For more info. call (802) 860-9536. 1980 Liberty, 14’x 70’
after sale. Auctioneer: Uriah Wallace – Lic. #057-0002460
NOTICE TOWN OF DUXBURY SELECTBOARD PUBLIC HEARING ON DRAFT TOWN PLAN SEPTEMBER 14, 2020 6 P.M. AT THE TOWN MEETING ROOM The Duxbury Selectboard will hold a public hearing to receive input from the citizens of Duxbury and adjoining towns on the draft of the updated town plan. The last town plan expired in October 2019. The town plan covers the entire town of Duxbury and proposes no changes in land uses in the land use districts that currently are in place. The plan covers: an updated community profile; housing; natural resources; flood resiliency; economic development; food and agriculture; transportation; education; community utilities; facilities; forest blocks and wildlife crossings; and future land use are attachments to the plan. Town history and wildlife information are included in appendices. The full text with accompanying maps is available at the Duxbury Town Clerk’s office and on the town website: http://www. duxburyvermont.org/ planningcommission
STATE OF VERMONT 6/18/20 3:22 PM SUPERIOR COURT PROBATE DIVISION CHITTENDEN UNIT DOCKET NO.: 861-7-20 CNPR In re ESTATE of: Margaret E. Hayes NOTICE TO CREDITORS To the creditors of: Margaret E. Hayes, 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: August 25, 2020 Signature of Fiduciary: /s/ Laura L. Slater. Executor/Administrator: Thomas Palmer, Executor, c/o Launa L. Slater, 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: 9/2/20 Probate Court: Chittenden Probate Court, PO Box 511, Burlington, VT 05402-0511
and (4) Assignment of Mortgage from Countrywide Home Loans, Inc. to Nationstar Mortgage, LLC dated December 27, 2016 and recorded in Book 164 Page 116, all of the land records of the Town of Hyde Park, for breach of the conditions of said mortgage and for the purpose of foreclosing the same will be sold at Public Auction at 5491 Route 100, Hyde Park, Vermont on September 29, 2020 at 10:00 AM all and singular the
premises described in said mortgage, To wit: Being all and the same land and premises conveyed to Jacob S. Fales and Lana L. Fales by the Warranty Deed of Lindsey H. Reynolds, on or about even date herewith, to be recorded in Book __ at Pages _ of the Hyde Park Land Records, being further descried as follows: Being all and the same land and premises and driveway in common
8/31/20 11:03 AM
conveyed to Lindsey H. Reynolds by the Warranty Deed of Phillip A. Hamel and Connie W. Hamel dated October 31, 2005 and of record in Book 120 at Page 175 of the Hyde Park Land Records. Being further described as all and the same land and premises conveyed to Philip A. Hamel and Connie W. Hamel by the Limited Warranty Deed of NationsCredit Home Equity Services, dated August 8, 2000 and recorded in Book 93 at Pages 10-11 of the Hyde Park Land Records. Reference is hereby made to the above instruments and to the records and references contained therein in further aid of this description.
FROM P.61
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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. The 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.
3 16x 6 2 9 18 7 5 1 4
4 5 1 5 612 3 7 9 8
The mortgagor is entitled to redeem the premises at any
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FROM P.61
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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 30, 2020 By: _/s/ Rachel K. Ljunggren, 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: 53-1-17 WNCV MTGLQ INVESTORS, LP v. JOELL J. MARTEL AKA JOELL MARTEL AND KRISTINE E. MARTEL AKA KRISTINE MARTEL OCCUPANTS OF: 18 Winter Meadow, Barre 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 August 19, 2019 , in the above captioned action brought to foreclose that certain mortgage given by Joell J. Martel and Kristine E. Martel to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for First Horizon Home Loan Corporation, dated November 28, 2005 and recorded in Book 227 Page 606 of the land records of the City of Barre, of which mortgage the Plaintiff is the present holder, by virtue of the following Assignments of Mortgage: (1) Assignment of Mortgage from Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for First Horizon Home Loan Corporation to MetLife Home Loans, a division of MetLife Bank, N.A. dated October 23, 2008 and recorded in Book 249 Page 688; (2) Assignment of Mortgage from Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., solely as nominee for First Horizon Home Loan Corporation to MetLife Home Loans, a division of MetLife Bank, N.A. dated November 17, 2011 and recorded in Book 267 Page 885; (3) Assignment of Mortgage from MetLife Bank, National Association, also known as MetLife Home Loans,
a Division of MetLife Bank, N.A.to JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association dated May 1, 2013 and recorded in Book 276 page 876: (4) Assignment of Mortgage from JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association to Federal National Mortgage Corporation dated January 7, 2015 and recorded in Book 285 Page 918 and (5) Assignment of Mortgage from Federal National Mortgage Corporation to MTGLQ Investors dated February 11, 2019 and recorded in Book 346 Page 102 all of the land records of the City of Barre for breach of the conditions of said mortgage and for the purpose of foreclosing the same will be sold at Public Auction at 18 Winter Meadow, Barre, Vermont on September 29, 2020 at 10:00 AM all and singular the premises described in said mortgage, To wit: Being all and the same lands and premises conveyed to Joell J. Martel and Kristine E. Martel by Warranty Deed from Kevin G. Moore, Sr. and Tammy M. Moore, of even date about to be recorded. Being all of the same land and premises conveyed to Kevin G. Moore, Sr. and Tammy M. Moore by Warranty Deed from Paul W. Howard and Constance M. Howard dated November 12, 1999, and recorded November 16, 1999, in Book 178, Page 306 of the City of Barre Land Records. It being all of the same land and premises conveyed to Paul W. Howard and Constance M. Howard by Warranty Deed from Donald R. Seaver and Linda Seaver Devereaux, dated July 22, 1993 and recorded in the Barre City, Vermont Land Records in Book 152 at Page 507. It being all of the same land and premises conveyed to Donald R. Seaver. and Linda Seaver Devereaux, tenants in common, by Warranty Deed of First Vermont Bank & Trust Company, Trustee of Ardith M. Seaver Trust, which deed is dated November 23, 1992 and recorded on December 16, 1992 in Book 150 at Pages 149-50 of the Barre City, Vermont Land Records, It being all of the same
SEVEN DAYS SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
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7 1 9 47+ 2 4 5 8 6 3 4 85+ 1 5 3 7 9 2 6 1Difficulty9- Medium 4 6 5 8 3 7 2
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Using the enclosed math operations as a guide, fill the grid using the numbers 1 - 6 only once in each row and column. No. 652
Homeshare-temp2.indd 1
27, 2006 and recorded in Book 125 Page 387; (2) Assignment of Mortgage from Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. to Countrywide Home Loans, Inc. dated August 13, 2014 and recorded in Book 147 Page 319; (3) Assignment of Mortgage from Countrywide Home Loans, Inc. to Countrywide Home Loans Servicing, LP dated December 24, 2008 and recorded in Book 131 Page 457;
6
Calcoku
Difficulty: Medium
PUZZLE ANSWERS
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
1
In accordance with the Judgment Order and Decree of Foreclosure entered January 29, 2019, in the above captioned action brought to foreclose that certain mortgage given by Lana L Fales and Jake S. Fales to Universal Mortgage Corporation, dated September 25, 2006 and recorded in Book 124 Page 285 of the land records of the Town of Hyde Park, of which mortgage the Plaintiff is the present holder by virtue of the following Assignments of Mortgage: (1) Assignment of Mortgage from Universal Mortgage Corporation to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. dated September
HYDE PARK Share a mobile home w/ independent woman in her 80’s who loves yard sales & laughter. Looking for companionship, help w/ lifting & errands, and overnight presence. Shared BA. $400/mo.
3
Dated: 8/31/20 Signature of Fiduciary: /s/ Henri L. Perrault. Executor/Administrator: Henri L. Perrault, c/o Brian P. Creech, Esq., P.O. Box 445, Burlington, VT 05402 802-863-9603 bcreech@dkzlegal.com Name of Publication: Seven Days Publication Date: 9/2/20 Probate Court: Chittenden Probate Court, PO Box 511, Burlington, VT 05402
MORTGAGEE’S NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE OF REAL PROPERTY UNDER 12 V.S.A. sec 4952 et seq.
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!
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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.
BURLINGTON
Share lovely home w/ lively woman in her 80s who enjoys walking her dog & following politics. Share some meals, walks & provide help around the house. No add’l pets. Furnished rm/private BA. $300/mo. Familiarity w/ memory loss preferred.
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To the creditors of: Gertrude L. Perreault, late of South Burlington.
Homeshares
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NOTICE TO CREDITORS
STATE OF VERMONT VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT LAMOILLE UNIT, CIVIL DIVISION DOCKET NO: 39-3-18 LECV NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC D/B/A MR. COOPER v. LANA L FALES, JAKE S. FALES, FORD MOTOR CREDIT COMPANY LLC D/B/A MAZDA AMERICAN CREDIT, EQUABLE ASCENT FINANCIAL, LLC AND GREEN MOUNTAIN BUREAU, LLC OCCUPANTS OF: 5491 Route 100, Hyde Park VT
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STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT PROBATE DIVISION CHITTENDEN UNIT DOCKET NO.: 910-8-20 CNPR In re ESTATE of: Gertrude L. Perreault
LEGALS » 63
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land and premises as were decreed to First Vermont Bank & Trust Company, Trustee of the Ardith M. Seaver Trust, by Decree of Partial Distribution of the Probate Court, District of Washington in the Estate of Ardith M. Seaver, dated November 3, 1992 and recorded in Book 150 at Page 147 of the Barre City, Vermont Land Records. The subject land and premises are commonly known as being located at 18 Winter Meadow, Barre City, Vermont. This conveyance is made subject to and with the benefi t of any utility easements, springs rights, easements for ingress and egress, and rights incidental to each of the same as may appear more particularly of record, provided that this paragraph shall not reinstate any such encumbrances previously extinguished by the Marketable Record Title Act, Chapter 5, Subchapter 7, Title 27, Vermont Statutes Annotated.
for all.
Reference may be had to the above –mentioned deeds and to their records and to all prior deeds and their records in the City of Barre, Vermont Land Records for a more complete and particular description of the herein conveyed land 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. The balance of the purchase price shall be paid by
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a certified check, bank treasurer’s or cashier’s check within sixty (60) days after the date of sale. The 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: August 20, 2020 By: _/s/ Rachel K. Ljunggren Rachel K. Ljunggren, Esq. Bendett and McHugh, PC 270 Farmington Ave., Ste. 151 Farmington, CT 06032
STATE OF VERMONT VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT WINDSOR UNIT, CIVIL DIVISION DOCKET NO: 266-6-18 WRCV U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS TRUSTEE OF THE AMERICAN HOMEOWNER PRESERVATION TRUST SERIES 2015A+ v. DIANA HAYNES OCCUPANTS OF: 39 South Street, Woodstock 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 October 18, 2019, in the above captioned action brought to foreclose that certain mortgage given by Diana Haynes to CitiFinancial, Inc., dated October 31, 2007 and recorded in Book 207 Page 704 of the land records of the Town of Woodstock, of which mortgage the Plaintiff is the present holder, by virtue of the following Assignments of Mortgage: (1) Assignment of Mortgage from CFNA Receivables (MD), Inc. f/k/a CitiFinancial, Inc. to CitiFinancial Servicing, LLC, dated August 21, 2015 and recorded in Book 252 Page 96; (2) Assignment of Mortgage from CitiFinancial Servicing, LLC to Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, as Trustee of Stanwich Mortgage Loan Trust A dated February 27, 2018 and recorded in Book 263 Page 496; and (3) Assignment of Mortgage from Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, as Trustee of Stanwich Mortgage Loan Trust
A to U.S. Bank Trust National Association as Trustee of the American Homeowner Preservation Trust Series 2015A+ dated November 30, 2018 and recorded in Book 267 Page 225, all of the land records of the Town of Woodstock for breach of the conditions of said mortgage and for the purpose of foreclosing the same will be sold at Public Auction at 39 South Street, Woodstock, Vermont on October 2, 2020 at 10:00 AM all and singular the premises described in said mortgage, To wit: ALL THAT CERTAIN PARCEL OF LAND IN TOWN OF WOODSTOCK, WINDSOR COUNTY, STATE OF VT, AS MORE FULLY DESCRIBED IN BOOK 133 PAGE 43 ID#23.55.22, BEING KNOWN AND DESIGNATED AS ALL AND THE SAME LANDS AND PREMISES CONVEYED TO MORGAN JOSEPH HAYNES BY QUIT CLAIM DEED OF NANCY E: MOLL HAYNES DATED JUNE 8, 1989 AND RECORDED ON JUNE 8, 1989 AT BOOK 97, PAGES 10-12 OF THE WOODSTOCK LAND RECORDS AND CORRECTIVE QUIT CLAIM DEED OF NANCY E. MOLL HAYNES ABOUT TO BE RECORDED. AND BEING MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED AS A METES AND BOUNDS PROPERTY. LESS AND EXCEPT THE ABOVE PROPERTY FROM DIANA HAYNES TO RAYMOND RACICOT, DATED 07/12/2005 AND RECORDED ON 07/12/2005 IN BOOK 192, PAGE 306. BEING THE SAME FEE SIMPLE PROPERTY CONVEYED BY WARRANTY DEED FROM MORGAN JOSEPH HAYNES TO DIANA HAYNES SOLE OWNER, DATED 08/24/1998 RECORDED ON 09/17/1998 IN BOOK 133, PAGE 43 IN WINDSOR COUNTY RECORDS, STATE OF VT, 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. The 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. The 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: August 24, 2020 By: /S/Rachel K. Ljunggren, Esq. Rachel K. Ljunggren, Esq. Bendett and McHugh, PC 270 Farmington Ave., Ste. 151 Farmington, CT 06032
THE CONTENTS OF STORAGE UNIT 0104436 LOCATED AT 28 ADAMS DRIVE, WILLISTON VT, 05495 WILL BE SOLD ON OR ABOUT THE 10TH OF SEPTEMBER 2020 TO SATISFY THE DEBT OF KEVIN MARTIN. 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 DUXBURY WARNING DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD September 22nd – 6:00 p.m. Hearing will be held outside at town office. Please wear mask and observe distance recommendations. Langlais/ Popowicz – Ward Hill Rd – Subdivision
WARNING POLICY ADOPTION CHAMPLAIN VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT The Board of School Directors gives public notice of its intent to adopt local district policies dealing with the following at its regular meeting scheduled on September 1, 2020: C9 Delegation of Authority during State of Emergency due to COVID-19 Pandemic; D17 Electronic Communications between Employees and Students. Copies of the above policies may be obtained for public review at the Office of the Human Resources Dept. in Shelburne, VT.
PHOTO: JEB WALLACE-BRODEUR
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 1T-JobsTesti-Spruce Peak Arts0601020.indd 1
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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 PASTRY CHEF & LINE COOK
Musician/Worship Leader
Full Time - Two Positions Champlain Area Trails, which saves land & makes trails in NY's Champlain Valley, is seeking a full-time Operations & Communications Manager. champlainareatrails.com 518-962-2287
HVAC TECHNICIAN
Cover letter, resume, and three professional references to: manager@starrynightcafe.com
Applications are invited for a full-time HVAC Technician. Applicants should be flexible, CARING PEOPLE 1t-ChamplainAreaTrails082620.indd 1 8/21/20 1:19 PM dependable and motivated.2h-StaryNightCafe082620.indd 1 WANTED A minimum of 2-4 years Burlington Area of experience as an HVAC HEALTHY LIVING HIRING technician and a driver's Home Instead Senior Care, NEW WILLISTON LOCATION a provider of personal care license is required. Healthy Living Market and Café is ready to begin building our Williston family. We’re excited to have a second home in the community we love and we’re grateful for the opportunity to provide more jobs. When we think about staff, we think “amazing!”“dedicated!” “hospitality driven” and “FUN!” Come join us; heroes work here! Click healthylivingmarket. com/healthy-living-job-fair to learn about our upcoming job fair on 9/12/20 and apply for open positions!
Part-time Afternoon Preschool Teacher
Benefits include health, dental, vision, life, disability, 401(k), generous paid time off, employee and dependent tuition benefits, and discounted gym membership.
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Full-time, part-time and per diem positions available.
CHAMPLAIN VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT IMMEDIATE OPENINGS FOR SIX CUSTODIANS!
CBS is seeking community integration specialists to join our talented team of mental health professionals. Responsibilities include doing individual and group activities with youth both in the community and their home. The ideal candidate would have a desire to help kids and families reach their goals, be flexible, and enjoy working as part of a team and independently. Bachelor’s degree preferred, have a valid driver’s license, and reliable transportation. A generous benefits package is provided, which includes tuition reimbursement. Please apply online at nfivermont.org/careers. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and celebrate the diversity of our clients and staff.
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Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital (NVRH) has a variety of openings available, including RNs, LNAs, Ultrasound Technologist, Echocardiographer and Sr. Multi-Modality Technologist. NVRH also has Administrative Positions, Information Services, Food Service and Environmental Services openings.
2/24/20 1:02 PM
South Burlington
For job descriptions and to apply: theschoolhousevt. org/employment.
8/21/20 3:19 PM
For more information or to apply, please visit nvrh.org/careers.
COMMUNITY BASED SERVICES
PreK-8th grade. Subs will generally stay with one class/cohort per day. Flexible scheduling.
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Apply online at: homeinstead.com/483 Or call: 802.860.4663
COMMUNITY INTEGRATION SPECIALIST:
Substitute Teacher
MULTIPLE POSITIONS OPEN
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.
Providing Innovative Mental Health and Educational Services to Vermont’s Children & Families.
Playing with kids outside will be your primary responsibility along with some light cleaning and office work as needed.
Must pass a background check.
Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position has been filled. A link to the complete job posting and job description can be found here: smcvt.interviewexchange.com
Part time Lead Musician (keyboard, piano or guitar) needed for worship services at the United Church of Milton, Milton VT. Please contact Donna at donnapollock8@ msn.com for more details.
Highly regarded upscale restaurant seeks a full-time pastry chef and a full-time line cook. Fine dining experience preferred. Must be extremely reliable, hardworking, team-oriented and have unfailing attention to detail.
CUSTODIANS DAY SHIFT (6 POSITIONS) ONE YEAR LOCATION: CVSD – district wide (Charlotte, Hinesburg, Shelburne, Williston & CVU) In order to support a safe and healthy return to school this fall, CVSD will be hiring six additional day custodians. These will be 30-hour per week positions for the 2020-2021 school year. Hourly rate commensurate with experience and full benefits included. When applying please note preference for which school.
Day Shift hours: 7:30 A.M. – 4:00 P.M. Please apply online to www.schoolspring.com or contact Chris Giard, cgiard@cvsdvt.org.
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NEW JOBS POSTED DAILY! ai15980356785_Breadloaf-logo-2020-white.pdf
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JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM
WE ARE NOW HIRING
Bread Loaf Corporation, Vermont’s integrated company of architects, planners and builders, is searching for a Business Development Manager to join our sales team. The Business Development Manager takes the lead in the business development process: identifying, developing, and closing prospective and existing client business. You must be fully engaged in the process of building strategic relationships with our clients and must find satisfaction in helping solve their problems. The person we hire should have a background in architecture or construction management, at least five years of experience in business development in the industry and be results-oriented and organized. Bread Loaf offers a competitive salary, a comprehensive benefits package and a friendly work environment. We thrive on innovative ideas and excellent work. Please visit our website at www.breadloaf.com, for more information about our company. Interested candidates may send their resume to smclaughlin@breadloaf.com. E.O.E
Visit our website at www.breadloaf.com for a full company description.
The heart of our work as journalists is to explore stories that inspire impact and help us understand each other better. VPR is looking for someone who has a passion for telling distinctive stories and amplifying community voices. As our fellow, you should bring a life experience or background that contributes to a broader understanding of underrepresented communities and informs VPR’s news coverage. You will gain experience in reporting and our fellowship will also help you build a network within the public media industry. Find the full job description and application requirements at vpr.org/careers. VPR provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment, and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type, without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.
Carpenter Join a dedicated group of colleagues working hard to provide an enriching experience to students at a small liberal arts college in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. Sterling College in Craftsbury Common, Vermont’s higher education leader in ecological thinking and action, is looking for a talented professional to fill this full-time position.
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT, OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT Reports to the President and is responsible for the effective operational leadership of the Office of the President, for helping to coordinate and facilitate the work of the President’s Cabinet and its members, including support for and communication with the Dean of Finance & Operations. Qualifications should include relevant administrative experience in the public or private sector, for-profit or not for profit, with demonstrated experience working in a fast-paced, deadline-oriented environment. For complete position description & application instructions, visit:
sterlingcollege.edu/more/employment
Renewable Energy Installer Looking for a carpenter to work with a Chittenden County based green construction company. We build high performance net zero energy homes and retrofit existing homes to net zero energy. Looking for a motivated employee(s) that wants to be a part of company that is dedicated to moving Vermont to a more sustainable energy future. We offer competitive wages, paid holidays, vacation days and personal days. Send resumes to: vbrreiss@gmavt.net.
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CLINICAL PATIENT SAFETY ATTENDANT The Clinical Patient Safety Attendant (CPSA) is responsible for specific aspects of direct patient care and monitoring focused on safety, under the direct supervision of a Registered Nurse.
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SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
News Fellow
a Business Development Manager!
LEARN MORE & APPLY: uvmmed.hn/sevendays
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Is currently seeking:
JOBS Clinician Full Time
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ATTENTION RECRUITERS:
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POST YOUR JOBS AT JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM FOR FAST RESULTS, OR CONTACT MICHELLE BROWN: MICHELLE@SEVENDAYSVT.COM
SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
Commercial Roofers
Seven Days Issue: 9/2 Due: 8/31 by 11am Size: 3.83 x 5.25 Cost: $476.85 (with 1 week onli Klinger's Bread Company
Full-time, year-round employment. Good benefits. Experience in installing Epdm, Tpo, Pvc roofing. EOE/M/F/VET/Disability employer. Pay negotiable with experience. Apply in person at: A.C. Hathorne Co. 252 Avenue C Williston, VT 802-862-6473
Engaging minds that change the world
SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE WORKER
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is currently hiring for the following positions:
Center for Health and Wellbeing Temporary Counselor Positions
8/4/20
HYDE PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL seeks a motivated individual to join our school nutrition team. This position performs a wide range of cooking tasks to prepare student meals, cook from scratch and follow standardized recipes, comply with all state sanitation guideline requirements, and operate POS cash register system. Must be willing to take online trainings.
The University of Vermont is seeking Counselors, Social Workers, or Psychologists to join our Counseling and Psychiatry Services (CAPS) team for the Fall 2020 semester. CAPS is a part of the Center for Health and Wellbeing which includes Student Health Services, Athletic Medicine, and Education/ Outreach Services. CAPS provides mental health services to the UVM student 2:59 PMpopulation including undergraduate and graduate students. As an organization, we recognize that oppression and mental health are intricately connected, and that countless factors that contribute to a person’s health and wellbeing, including their environment, family, ethnicity, income, race, gender, social status, education, nationality, sexual orientation, and more. The ideal candidates would be knowledgeable of best practices related to integrated mental health systems and services designed to promote student success. Candidates would need to be available 2-5 days per week and willing to provide mental health services via telehealth using both telephone and video conferencing technology. We are searching for providers who can work well in the fast-paced and cyclical nature of a college counseling center. Duties include providing triage, needs assessment, and referral services for students seeking CAPS Services. Duties may also include crisis intervention/response, provision of short-term, on-going counseling services, and consultation with faculty and staff.
• Cafe Baristas • Dishwashers • Deli Associates We offer flexible scheduling, competitive pay and a good work environment. Please submit a resume to the attention of Cafe Manager and specify what position you are applying for at:
Pastry@klingersbread.com
Minimum of a high school diploma, or equivalent, plus one to two years of cooking experience preferred, but can train the right individual. Familiarity with public school hot lunch programs desirable. Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds.
Master’s in Counseling, Psychology, Social Work or equivalent. Vermont licensed or rostered. Experience working with college age population, preferably within2v-KlingersBreadCo090220.indd a university setting, or equivalent. Clear evidence of a demonstrated commitment to inclusiveness and willingness to provide respectful and affirming mental health services. Ability to enthusiastically support UVM’s commitment to enhance a diverse campus culture and inclusive student experience.
School year position, 6.5 hours daily. Please send resume with three references to:
Temporary employees are not eligible for benefits. Positions will be for the 2020 fall semester. At present, all work tasks would be completed remotely but positions may require on-campus presence as guidelines for in-person work evolve. Interested individuals should submit a letter of interest and current resume to Janet S. Green, CAPS Office Manager at Janet.S.Green@uvm.edu.
Karyl Kent 736 VT Rt 15w, Hyde Park VT 05655 or email kkent@luhs18.org
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DIRECTOR OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION
The University of Vermont is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
8/31/20 12:19 PM
A senior leadership position reporting to the VCFA President. Vermont College of Fine Arts welcomes applications for the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, a senior leadership position reporting to the VCFA President. The Director will guide the College in fulfilling its commitment to institutional change with respect to equity, inclusion, and diversity as articulated in the VCFA Statement on Community Values. This position requires a high level of cultural awareness, attentiveness, and interpersonal skills, plus a keen understanding of a fast changing social and cultural landscape and its relationship to both higher education and the arts. Successful candidates will have a Bachelor’s degree and demonstrated commitment to career development in diversity, equity and inclusion; leadership experience and progressive growth working in small organizations. Job description is available at vcfa.edu/about/jobs-at-vcfa. To apply, send cover letter, CV/Resume and Statement on Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, outlining your professional skills and experience, and willingness to engage in activities to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion to: DEIDirectorApplications@vcfa.edu. For full consideration, please submit application by 9/24/20. Position will remain open until filled.
NOW HIRING $15/Hour! FoodScience Corporation, developer of nutritional supplements for humans and pets, is seeking:
• MACHINE OPERATOR 4:00PM-2:30AM
Klinger’s Bread Co needs a PT or FT individual for packaging and order department. Duties include sorting, slicing and bagging breads, accurately filling invoices, working well with a team of 3-5 people. Hours average 6:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. Part-time and full-time positions available. $500-$1,000 Retension Bonus, Benefits after 25 hours/week and great bread and pastries!
4:00PM-2:30AM
• SHIPPING PICKING & PACKING AGENT
Submit resumes to Human Resources, hr@foodsciencecorp.com or at 929 Harvest Lane, Williston, VT 05495. FoodScience Corporation is an E.O.E. and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, parental status, crime victims or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
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Evening Order Fulfillment
• QUALITY CONTROL INSPECTOR
Our ideal candidates will have a High School Diploma or GED and must be able to lift up to 50lbs consistently. FoodScience Corporation offers a competitive wage and comprehensive benefits package. If you are passionate and committed about helping people and their pets live healthier lives every day, apply today!
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Ability to work on your feet, lift 20-30 lbs., have good math skills, good references and reliable transportation. Relaxed and productive work environment, paid holidays, sick days, health and 401(k) benefit package for FT. Send cover letter and/or resume via email to andy@klingersbread.com.
8/31/20 12:54 PM
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RESTAURANT MANAGER
CUSTOMER CARE ASSOCIATE I WATER DEPARTMENT The City of Burlington’s Department of Public Works is seeking a Customer Care Associate I for the Water Dept. This position is responsible for executing all daily functions related to utility billing and the provision of excellent customer service for water, wastewater, and stormwater. The individual in this role must possess a high level of professionalism and work to establish a positive rapport with each customer when communicating by phone, email, in person or on social media. Our ideal candidate will hold a high school diploma or equivalent and at least 2 years in customer service that includes direct customer interaction. The City of Burlington is on a hiring freeze; however, this position was deemed an exception given the importance of this role after being reviewed by Human Resources in collaboration with the Chief Administrative Officer. The City of Burlington is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women, Minorities, Veterans, and persons with disabilities are highly encourage to apply. To learn more and to apply for this position: governmentjobs.com/careers/burlingtonvt.
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Position #: 0209-19-001/2020
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WE ARE NOW HIRING
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
MAINTENANCE 1 HIGHWAY WORKER We are seeking applicants to join our highway maintenance team. Applicants will have experience in the maintenance & construction of roads & drainage systems, including snow removal operations and the operation of light equipment. A valid Commercial Driver’s License is required.
American Flatbread Middlebury Hearth is planning for our future! We’re hiring a Restaurant Manager to lead and support our incredibly hard working team, while continuing to drive our standard of excellence in customer service and quality of food and beverage. If you have experience offering stellar customer service, possess great communication skills, work well with a team, know how to motivate others and have an interest in delicious, local and organic food, please forward your resume to Danielle@americanflatbread.com. We offer a positive and respectful work environment, competitive salary and vacation package, retirement plan and other benefits. Please, only serious candidates interested in making a long term commitment and ability to work nights and weekends. EOE.
Hourly rate: $21.16 - $21.52 Excellent benefits package. 4t-AmericanFlatbread080520.indd Submit application, and resume: slabarge@colchestervtgov. Application deadline: 9/21/20. For application and full job description visit: colchestervt. gov/321/Human-Resources. E.O.E.
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100% EMPLOYEEOWNED
8/31/20 1:23 PM
Join the team at Gardener’s Supply Company
a Marketing Coordinator! Bread Loaf Corporation, Vermont’s integrated company of architects, planners and builders, is looking for a Marketing Coordinator to provide the Business Development team with administrative support and production of graphic design materials. This position will be responsible for creating and maintaining graphic materials to aid in the consistent branding of the company to potential and current clients. Ideal candidates will have at least two years of experience working with InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator. Knowledge of website maintenance is strongly preferred. This position will also assist the Construction department with administrative tasks. Visit our website at www.breadloaf.com for a full company description. Bread Loaf thrives on innovative ideas and excellent work. If you do, too, send a cover letter with your resume to: Bread Loaf Corporation, 1293 Route 7 South, Middlebury, VT 05753, or email to smclaughlin@breadloaf.com
MEDICAL BILLER/ ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Established dynamic psychotherapy practice is looking for a skilled medical biller/administrative assistant. Previous experience preferable. Duties to include billing claims, proficient use of QuickBooks, as well as providing administrative support. Competitive salary and benefits.
EOE
If interested please submit letter of interest & resume to Jackie at 162 Hegeman Ave., Suite 100, Colchester, Vt 05446 by September 18.
Visit our website at www.breadloaf.com for a full company description.
EOE
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We’re America’s leading web-based gardening company based in Burlington, Vermont! We are a 100% employee-owned company and an award winning and nationally recognized socially responsible business. We work hard AND offer a fun place to work including BBQs, staff parties, employee garden plots and much more! We also offer strong cultural values, competitive wages and outstanding benefits!
eCommerce Site Merchandiser: We’re seeking a talented individual to join our Merchandising Team! This person will be responsible for delivering an outstanding online shopping experience by ensuring customers easily find and buy the desired products through the development of sound, data-driven merchandising strategies, with a laser-focus on maximizing conversion. Our ideal candidate will have a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing, Business Administration or related field required; a min of 3 yrs of experience in online marketing, online retail or merchandising; working knowledge of Google Suite and Microsoft Office programs; and excellent project management, communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills. Interested? Please go to our careers page at www.gardeners.com/careers and apply online!
9/1/20 11:34 AM
ATTENTION RECRUITERS:
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POST YOUR JOBS AT JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM FOR FAST RESULTS, OR CONTACT MICHELLE BROWN: MICHELLE@SEVENDAYSVT.COM
SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
MARKETING & DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Sara Holbrook Community Center is a Marketing and Development PayData Workforce Solutions is looking for an additional team member to Director’s dream with a legacy that spans 84 years and newly join our Client Service Department as a Payroll Processor/Client Service renovated and expanded space on North Ave in Burlington where PayData Workforce Solutions is looking for a Payroll Tax Specialist $500 Sign on Bonus Representative. we are preparing to welcome more students than ever before. We to join our Team! are in search of a creative, passionate, and energetic addition to Providing enjoyable and nutritious Our Client Service Representatives work closely with our clients to produce PayData has been a leader in the State of Vermont for over 30 our team who will be responsible for developing and implementing meals is an integral part of the accurate payrolls utilizing various import methods including data entry, PayData is a professional office setting with a family first welcoming, homelike residence Excelyears. marketing, communication, and development strategies. This will worksheets, and time clock imports. The ability to perform multiple feel. The Payroll Tax Specialist should be familiar with payroll taxes that we strive to provide for include donor, volunteer, and public relations, media relations, online tasks efficiently and manage ongoing projects is necessary. Attention to be responsible for reconciling, processing, and filing state, our residents. As a dietary staff detailand giving, digital communications, key messaging, and storytelling. is awill must. member, you will have a direct federal and local tax returns. The Director will oversee the complete marketing of the Center, impact on the health and happiness Candidates must have prior payroll experience as well as customer service The right team member should have a strong attention to detail and its programs and campaigns; work with the Executive Director to of each resident through the food experience and possess strong communication and organizational skills. organizational skills, be able to handle multiple ongoing projects identify, cultivate and solicit prospective donors; maintain a donor and meals you prepare. Candidates should also have proven troubleshooting skills and be able to and possess the ability to adapt quickly to new and changing tax database and profiles; plan and implement special events, and to new and changing technology. Our Client Service We are looking for someone to adaptrequirements. To succeed in this position, the individual must have a conduct other special projects as needed. Are you ready to tell work on the Evening shift. This Representatives work in a team environment and cubicle office setting. solid understanding of payroll and payroll employment taxes. our story? Visit our website for the full job description or to apply: position requires someone who is saraholbrookcc.org. Experience handling a large volume of telephone calls, as well as having energetic, positive, and can work REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS POSITION ARE: independently, but will also be a strong number skills or prior payroll experience is required; working • Priorofexperience with federal, andislocal payroll tax return with knowledge the “Evolution” payroll state, software desirable. Experience strong addition to our team. Windows including Word, Excel, and Outlook is required as well as strong reconciliation and preparation. The right candidate will have 4t-SaraHolbrook090220.indd 1 9/1/20 10:50 AM keyboarding skills. PROGRAM FEATURES: • Must be able to do data entry with a high degree of accuracy. good communication skills and Train for your career in healthcare today! excel at multitasking. Experience Apply on • Possess number and organizational skills ➢ Dedicated student line atstrong https://paydatapayroll.companycareersite.com/JobList.aspx in a residential or long term care support • Diagnose and troubleshoot payroll and tax returns errors. setting a plus, as is the ability to use ➢ Guaranteed • Communicate professionally and effectively in both written and various ingredients and techniques. employment * verbal manner with clients, taxing agencies and internal staff Applicants will be required to pass a background check as well as a ➢ Starting wage of Apply online at: Functional Capacity Test. $15.45 with potential paydatapayroll.companycareersite.com/JobList.aspx. Apply online at villarehab.com. to earn $16.24 after one year
FULL-TIME COOK
PAYROLL TAX SPECIALIST
Invest in Yourself.
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RECEPTIONIST/ LEGAL ASSISTANT Small Family Law firm in Burlington has an immediate opening for an in-office receptionist/legal assistant, 30-40 hours per week. Position requires strong technology, organizational, administrative and communication skills. Applicant should be able to work independently and as a team member with a commitment to professionalism and client services. Law office experience appreciated but not necessary. If you are interested in applying for this position, please forward your resume and cover letter describing your interest in being part of our workplace to Caryn@Barberwaxman.com.
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TRAIN TO BE A PHLEBOTOMIST GUARANTEED JOB IN 8 WEEKS*
Work for Vermont’s Largest Employer!
IMPLEMENTATION & TRAINING SPECIALIST
PayData Workforce Solutions is looking for an additional team member to join our Client Service Department as a Payroll Processor/Client Service PayData Workforce Solutions is looking for an additional team Representative. member to join our growing Implementation Department! Our Client Service Representatives workthat closely clients to produce PayData is a local Vermont company has with beenour providing accurate payrolls utilizing import methods including data entry, business solutions to various our clients for over 30 years. Our specialists Excel worksheets, and time clock imports. The ability to perform multiple work closely with our Sales team to transition (or convert) new tasks efficiently and manage ongoing projects is necessary. Attention to onto our suite of payroll, HR and time keeping solutions, as detailclients is a must. well as work with our existing clients to add enhanced functionality. Candidates must have prior payroll experience well as customer service The right team member should have a strongasattention to detail, be experience possess strong communication organizational skills. able toand handle multiple ongoing projects andand possess the ability to Candidates should also have proven troubleshooting skills and be able to adapt quickly to new and changing technology. To succeed in this adapt to new and changing technology. Our Client Service position, thework individual mustenvironment be able to notand onlycubicle work independently Representatives in a team office setting. but also cohesively within a team environment. Client training is a key aspect to this position and is doneofboth online and Experience handling a large volume telephone calls,in-person. as well as having strongComfort numberinskills or prior payroll experience is required; speaking in front of small groups of people working is critical. knowledge of the “Evolution” payroll software is desirable. Experience with Windows including Word, OutlookARE: is required as well as strong REQUIREMENTS FORExcel, THIS and POSITION keyboarding skills. • Prior Customer Service, Payroll, and HR experience.
JOB FEATURES:
3Enrollment in a Registered Apprenticeship 3Up to 8 full-time positions available 3Guaranteed starting wages with shift differential (where applicable) 3 Performance-based increases 3Full benefits, including health, dental, paid vacation, 401k, and more 3No cost for qualified VT residents
➢ Day shifts available
* Employment guaranteed upon successful completion of the 8-week program.
• Possess strong number and organizational skills
➢ Work for Vermont’s largest employer ➢ Direct patient care ➢ Team environment ➢ Rewarding work ➢ High-growth occupation
LEARN MORE APPLY ONLINE
vthitec.org DEADLINE FOR FALL 2020 SESSION: SEPTEMBER 20, 2020
• Communicate effectively in both written and verbal manner.
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➢ National Certification as a Phlebotomy Technician
Over the past twenty years, Vermont HITEC educated and employed over 1,600 individuals in the healthcare, information technology, advanced manufacturing, and business services fields. We are accepting applications for our latest healthcare program. The program offers eight weeks of Phlebotomy training at no cost and immediate employment and apprenticeship as a Phlebotomist with the UVM Medical Center (up to 8 positions) upon successful completion.
• Ability tohttps://paydatapayroll.companycareersite.com/JobList.aspx manage multiple projects at one time. The ITAR Program (Information Technology Apply on line at Apprenticeship Readiness) is a partnership of: • Must be able to do data entry with a high degree of accuracy.
Launch your new career here: paydatapayroll.companycareersite.com/JobList.aspx.
➢ Performance-based salary increases
The ITAR Program is funded in part by a grant from the Vermont and U.S. Dept. of Labor. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment with regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disablity, genetics political affiliation or belief.
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FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @SEVENDAYSJOBS, SUBSCRIBE TO RSS, OR BROWSE POSTS ON YOUR PHONE AT JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM
NEW JOBS POSTED DAILY! JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM
WHERE YOU AND YOUR WORK MATTER...
FLOOR TECH/LAUNDRY AIDE/HOUSEKEEPING POSITIONS AVAILABLE!
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.
S E N I O R A U D I T O R A N D P R O G R A M C O N S U LT A N T – W A T E R B U R Y Come join the Division of Developmental Disabilities Services in challenging, innovative, rewarding and entirely mission driven work. This position is integral to the work in program integrity, quality control, and utilization management review standards; will inform and guide payment reform, policy development and implementation; and includes monitoring and ongoing operation. A successful applicant will have experience in systems analytics and tool as well as Vermont’s service delivery system. For more information, contact Lisa Parro at Lisa.Parro@Vermont.gov or 802-241-0304. Department: Disabilities Aging & Independent Living. Status: Full Time. Job ID #8303. Application Deadline: September 10, 2020.
Learn more at: careers.vermont.gov
71 SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
The State of Vermont is an Equal Opportunity Employer
SOCIAL WORKERS Northwestern Counseling & Support Services (NCSS) is seeking full-time and part-time candidate(s) to join our dynamic and supportive team to contribute to an exciting initiative of behavioral health integration in Patient Centered Medical Homes. This initiative is designed to increase access and improve health and wellness outcomes for individuals served in primary care settings. Our Social Workers are assigned to primary care settings, and work closely with an interdisciplinary Community Health Team serving Northwestern Vermont. These position(s) are currently serving Franklin and Grand Isle Counties via telehealth.
Duties and responsibilities will include: • Consulting with primary care and MAT providers • Providing short term and longer term therapy within a primary care setting • Implementing screenings for social determinants, mental health, and substance-use disorders • Connecting patients with appropriate services and resources • Working as part of a multidisciplinary team
Requirements include: • Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) or doctoral level Psychologist • Consideration to Master’s level Social Workers (MSW) with hours toward clinical supervision • The ability to deliver high-quality patient care • Experience in mental health offering therapy and experience in medical settings • Strong interpersonal, communication, and organizational skillssetting Please send resume and cover letter to careers@ncssinc.org or apply online at ncssinc.org/careers. EOE.
Interested in getting your foot in the door with a solid organization that is growing? Specialize in cleanliness? We want to talk with you! Elderwood at Burlington has some entry-level positions available! These 3 positions are FT with benefits! Qualifications: • Minimum 18 years of age required; High school diploma or equivalent preferred • Janitorial/Environmental Services/Laundry experience desired • Ability to follow written and verbal instructions required. • Ability to perform assigned tasks to a high degree of excellence, and cleanliness required. • Respect for residents’ privacy and rights for respect and dignity necessary. Learn more and apply online: elderwoodcareers.com.
COMMERCIAL LOAN DOCUMENTATION SPECIALIST Union Bank, a leading Vermont community bank founded in 1891, is seeking a Commercial Loan Documentation Specialist to provide a variety of administrative duties for our business and municipal loan customers. Responsibilities will include the accurate and timely completion of commercial, SBA and municipal loan documents, providing administrative support for the Commercial Lending team, and providing additional administrative support. We are seeking an individual with a demonstrated administrative background, who is a self-starter, has the ability to multi-task and work independently in a fastpaced environment, and has strong math and computer proficiency including a comprehensive knowledge of the Microsoft Office suite of products. Commercial loan documentation experience and/or paralegal experience is preferred but not required; we will train the right individual. This position may be located in our Morrisville main office or in one of our branch office locations throughout northern Vermont and New Hampshire. This is a full-time, 40 hours per week position Monday through Friday. We offer competitive wages, training for professional growth and development, strong advancement potential, stable hours, and a friendly, supportive environment. Union Bank offers a comprehensive benefit package including three medical plan and two dental plan options, 401(k) plan with a generous company match, paid vacation and sick leave, and fully paid disability insurance. We are looking for candidates who have a demonstrated background in providing superior customer service, have excellent written and oral communication skills, and experience in administrative and operational duties. Position requirements include a high level of computer proficiency in a Windows environment, and a High School diploma or equivalent. If you have excellent administrative skills and feel that banking is the place to utilize your knowledge and you wish to be a candidate, please submit a resume, employment application and cover letter to the address below. An employment application can be found at: ublocal.com/careers.
Human Resources-Union Bank P.O. Box 667 Morrisville, Vermont 05661 – 0667 careers@unionbanknh.com
E.O.E. - MEMBER FDIC
ATTENTION RECRUITERS:
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POST YOUR JOBS AT JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM FOR FAST RESULTS, OR CONTACT MICHELLE BROWN: MICHELLE@SEVENDAYSVT.COM
SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
POSITIONS OPEN New World Tortilla has positions open at both of our locations in Burlington. This is a fast-paced counter service restaurant. Tired of working Sundays and Holidays? You get them all off. We also offer paid time off for full time employees. Please send your resume to
NEWWORLDVT@GMAIL.COM, or just drop it off at 696 Pine Street.
GLOBALFOUNDRIES, a semiconductor manuf & tech co., seeks the following in Essex Junction, VT: Principal Engineer Product Plan & Control #20002277: Work on factory flow, product flow analysis, dispatch and scheduling, and productivity improvements. Apply at http://www. globalfoundries.com/, US Careers, & search by requisition #.
We are currently seeking applicants for the following position:
CONTRACT IT SPECIALIST Vermont Legal Aid, a non-profit law firm providing legal services to low-income Vermonters in five offices around the state, seeks a contract IT specialist for up to a one-year contract. Applicants should have a minimum of 1 to 3 years of Microsoft 365 support, as well as some experience with cloud-based network and systems administration experience in a Microsoft Windows environment. We are committed to building a diverse, social justice-oriented staff, and encourage applicants from a broad range of backgrounds. We welcome information about how your experience can contribute to serving our diverse client communities. We are an equal opportunity employer committed to a discrimination- and harassment-free workplace. Applicants must have strong Help Desk, MS365 (Exchange admin tasks, etc.), and Win 10 application skills, as well as familiarity with MS Azure AD, basic networking, bench work, Windows server, workstation management, etc. Familiarity with case management systems, social media platforms, mobile devices, cloud-based services, and cybersecurity are a plus. Clear oral and written communication skills, eagerness to learn and the ability to work independently as part of a small IT team are required. In-state travel (vehicle required), some evening and/or weekend work, and the ability to occasionally lift and move up to fifty pounds is required. This is an exempt position. Salary is $25/hour ($48,938 annualized). Some salary credit may be given for relevant prior work experience. Paid vacation, retirement, and excellent health benefits. Application deadline is September 8, 2020. Your application should include a cover letter, resume, and three references combined into one pdf, sent by e-mail to Betsy Whyte at bwhyte@vtlegalaid.org with “Contract IT” in the subject line. The full job description can be found at vtlegalaid.org/current-openings. Please let us know how you heard about this position.
CASE MANAGER (40 HOURS PER WEEK) Based in our Barre Office and currently working most hours remotely, the Case Manager will work with older persons to remain in their homes through creative connections with state and community resources. The successful applicant will have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience, social service and/or non-profit experience with vulnerable populations, ability to work independently and as part of a team,reliable transportation, experience with data entry and a working knowledge of MS Office, Excel, Word and Outlook. Experience with senior populations and public benefits programs is preferred. 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 this position, visit our website: cvcoa.org. To apply, please send resume and cover letter to jobs@cvcoa.org by September 23.
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WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS SUPPORT SPECIALIST
Client Service Department
If you are organized, like the challenge of learning new concepts, and enjoy building PayData is looking for an additional team me relationships in a strong team focusedWorkforce environment,Solutions PayData may be your next employer. join Client Service Department a Payroll Processor/Client S PayData Workforce Solutions is aour locally owned Vermont Business andas is proud to have won Representative. Vermont’s Best Payroll Service Provider 4 years in a row! We are looking for an additional team member(s) to join our Client Service Department.
Our Client Representatives closely with our clients to Our Client Service Representatives workService closely with our clients to helpwork manage and produce accurate payrolls utilizing import methods accurate payrolls using a variety of applications. Our team various provides one on one productincluding data e Excel worksheets, time clock The ability to perform m support of our timekeeping, payroll, & HR related and technologies. The imports. ability to efficiently tasks efficiently andtomanage ongoing projects is necessary. Attent manage multiple tasks & projects while adhering daily deadlines is necessary. Attention to detail is critical to your success. Candidates detail is a must. must possess prior payroll experience and a working knowledge of the “Evolution” payroll software is desirable.
Candidates must have prior payroll experience asawell as custome Team oriented candidates should have proven troubleshooting skills, experience handling experience strongadapt communication and organizationa large volume of telephone calls and e-mailsand and possess be able to quickly to new and changing should also have proven troubleshooting skills and be technology. If you take prideCandidates in your work, and you possess excellent communication and organizational skills, we want to hear from you. Experience with Windows including Word, Excel, adapt to new and changing technology. Our Client Service and Outlook is required as well as strong keyboarding position is a mid-leveland position and office se Representatives workskills. in aThis team environment cubicle is paid on an hourly basis.
Experience handling a large volume of telephone calls, as well as PayData is a pet friendly environment...must love dogs! After introductory training period, flexible schedule (includingstrong telecommunicating) may be a possibility. Come join our local and number skills or prior payroll experience is required; workin award-winning team! knowledge of the “Evolution” payroll software is desirable. Experie
Windows and Outlook is required as well a Please send a cover letter with resume including by applyingWord, on-lineExcel, at: paydatapayroll. keyboarding skills. companycareersite.com/JobList.aspx 7t-PayData081920.indd 1
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Apply on line at https://paydatapayroll.companycareersite.com/Job 8/14/20 12:41 PM
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @SEVENDAYSJOBS, SUBSCRIBE TO RSS, OR BROWSE POSTS ON YOUR PHONE AT JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM
NEW JOBS POSTED DAILY! JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM
Medical Assistant
Aldrich + Elliott, PC (A+E) is a 22 person engineering firm in Essex Junction, VT specializing in water resource engineering for municipalities in Vermont and New Hampshire. A+E offers a competitive salary and benefits package. This career will provide an opportunity to work with the A+E team, consulting municipalities in Vermont and New Hampshire with innovative solutions to their water resources engineering challenges. A+E is an equal opportunity employer seeking to fill the following position:
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.
SENIOR DESIGN ENGINEER PROJECT MANAGER
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.
POSITION SUMMARY
A+E is seeking a senior design engineer with a strong background in water, wastewater and stormwater planning, and design. The successful applicant will be responsible for managing small and large projects for planning and design of both linear and process treatment work. Work will involve a blend of analysis, layout and design, report writing, preparation of engineering design calculations, drawings 4t-Maitri072419.indd and specifications, and field work. It is expected that this individual will be the main contact for clients, regulatory officials, vendors, manufacturers, subconsultants, and contractors and command a comprehensive understanding of the projects on which they are working and will answer questions and direct staff on these projects. It is expected that a Senior Engineer has a comprehensive knowledge of engineering, design, and construction principles and provides highly skilled technical and management advice and assistance to principals and personnel.
1
REQUIRED SKILLS To be considered for this position, the following skills, or the appropriate background and interest in developing these skills, are required: § Understanding of water, wastewater and stormwater design principles, including process treatment § Familiarity with VT State Revolving Loan and USDA/RD funding programs and procurement process § Familiarity with modeling tools such as WaterCAD and HydroCAD § Experience with various water, wastewater and stormwater system designs § Experience administering water, wastewater and stormwater system construction contracts § Capacity to successfully manage multiple tasks, objectives, and assignments § Excellent oral and written communication skills § Motivation and enthusiasm to learn new skills § Legally able to work in the United States (proper documentation required)
REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE § B.S. in Civil/Environmental Engineering § 15+ years of relevant experience in the technical skills areas described above § Licensed Professional Engineer in Vermont or other State
Please send your resume to Aldrich + Elliott via email to agosselin@aeengineers.com. To get a glimpse at what we do, see our website at AEengineers.com. 10v-Aldrich+ElliottPC090220.indd 1
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JOBS and Post-Employment
CASE MANAGER
The Jump On Board for Success (JOBS) and PostEmployment Case Manager position is full-time and ideal for someone with strong communication skills, a clear sense of boundaries, knowledge of adolescent development, and an understanding of Vermont’s education, vocational training, and human service systems. Responsibilities include providing flexible and participant-centered case management services for teens and young adults. The case manager helps program participants develop the skills needed to live independently while focusing on their employment and education goals. Preference will be given to professionals with a bachelor’s degree and work experience with individuals with emotional or behavioral disabilities. LRC is a team-oriented, non-profit organization based in Hyde Park. Consider joining the LRC team if you’re interested in a work place that promotes employee well-being and that is known for its inclusive and collaborative work environment. The position comes with a competitive salary, and a comprehensive benefit package that includes health, dental, and life insurance. Other benefits include paid sick and vacation leave, 15 paid holidays, and a retirement plan. Applications must include a cover letter that describes the candidate’s interest in the position and relevant skills and experience, and a resume, and can be sent to this email address: info@lrcvt.org. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.
ATTENTION RECRUITERS: POST YOUR JOBS AT: PRINT DEADLINE: FOR RATES & INFO:
73 SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTMYJOB NOON ON MONDAYS (INCLUDING HOLIDAYS) MICHELLE BROWN, 802-865-1020 X21, MICHELLE@SEVENDAYSVT.COM
LRCis an equal opportunity employer. More information is available at www.lrcvt.org.
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ATTENTION RECRUITERS:
74
POST YOUR JOBS AT JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM FOR FAST RESULTS, OR CONTACT MICHELLE BROWN: MICHELLE@SEVENDAYSVT.COM
SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
All people share a powerful need for the basic necessities of a good life and a place that understands that good health starts with a caring touch and a kind word. Since 1971, the Community Health Centers of Burlington (CHCB) has provided access to high quality health care regardless of financial status or life circumstance. We strive to improve the health of all within the communities we serve in an environment that conveys respect, offers support, and encourages people to be actively involved in their own health care. Our positive, mission-minded staff make CHCB a great place to work! CHCB is an innovative Federally Qualified Health Center with eight sites throughout Chittenden County and southern Grand Isle County. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and are especially interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of the organization. We offer a generous benefits package to eligible employees and a competitive minimum hourly wage for entry-level positions.
CHIEF NURSING OFFICER The Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) assumes authority, responsibility and accountability for the delivery of nursing services for the Community Health Centers Burlington. The CNO openly supports and consistently communicates and models the mission, goals, and values of CHCB adhering to regulatory guidelines supporting a FQHC/HRSA Health Center’s operations and services provided. As a member of CHCB’s executive team, the CNO engages regularly with the Board of Directors, participates in executive level decision-making, strategic planning, the development of business initiatives, and advancement of the oversell mission and goals of the organization. Collaborating with the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and Chief Finance Officer (CFO) on the development, implementation and on-going oversight of a Clinical Scorecard. Providing leadership to CHCB’s Quality Improvement Program, partnering with the CMO, CQCO, CHCB’s Risk Manager and Compliance Officer. Ensuring nursing policies and procedures conform to current standards of clinical practice while maintaining compliance with state and federal laws and regulations, supporting CHCB’s policies and regulatory requirements.
Basic Qualifications • Active Vermont RN License, Bachelor’s Degree or Master’s Degree in healthcare or related field. • Minimum five years of professional nursing experience in a medical practice setting or hospital. Primary care of FQHC experience is highly desired. • Minimum five years of leadership experience demonstrating managerial and operational expertise and competence. • Demonstrated health care operations experience and an unwavering commitment to quality programs, cultural competence, community/public health, and data-driven program evaluation.
Knowledge, Skills and Ability • Strategic planning, resource allocation, productivity and performance measurement. • Primary care medical practice leadership, understanding protocols, processes, and procedures. • Knowledge and understanding of HRSA Health Center Program (330 Grant) requirements. Including the following: Quadruple Aim Principles, Value Based Care model, Pay for Performance (P4P), and Pay for Quality (P4Q) reimbursement models. • Uniform Data System (UDS) and Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS)
• Evidence-based Continuous Quality Improvement and Process Improvement methodologies. • Patient Centered Medical Home model, concepts, competencies, and criteria. • Care Coordination and Care Management programs/services • Excellent communication skills; verbal and written; conflict management and resolution. • Demonstrated basic knowledge of safety regulations such as OSHA, Emergency & Crisis Management, de-escalation of emergency situations, etc.
MEDICAL ASSISTANT Community Health Centers of Burlington is a seeking a Medical Assistant to join the team! Medical Assistants are responsible for facilitating patient care and flow, thorough and accurate patient documentation and for performing as a contributing member of the team!
Basic Qualifications • High School Graduate with vocational training or ability to be trained as a medical assistant.
• Prior Medical Assistant experience highly preferred.
Skills & Abilities • Ability to acquire knowledge of medical terminology and standardized testing procedures. • BLS Certified. • Must possess or be willing to acquire clinical and organizational skills.
• Must work accurately and efficiently in a fast paced environment. • Ability to seek out appropriate resources to problem solve effectively. • Willing to work with a variety to ethnic and socioeconomic groups with various special needs.
PATIENT SERVICES REPRESENTATIVE The Patient Services Representative is the face of the Community Health Centers of Burlington! Patient Services Representatives are responsible for accurately and expeditiously checking patients in and out for appointments, scheduling new appointments and providing excellent customer service.
Basic Qualifications • High School Diploma or GED, some experience in a related field or medical office environment
Knowledge, Skills and Ability • High-level customer service skills - ability to maintain an even tone in the face of conflict. • Good computer skills including accurate data entry and the ability to use Microsoft Office products including Word, Excel and Outlook as well as electronic scheduling systems. • Ability to convey detailed information clearly, ensuring others understand
• Ability to self-motivate, attend to and retain detail, and prioritize/re-prioritize with minimum supervision. • Ability to handle a fast-paced and changing environment • Willingness to cover satellite clinics and a variety of shifts as needed.
PATIENT ACCOUNTS REPRESENTATIVE II Essential Duties We are looking for an energetic, team player to join our staff. This position is responsible for overseeing the complete revenue cycle for assigned categories, ensuring that the days in accounts receivable stay within set guidelines. If you are someone who likes the challenge of claims processing and thrives in the ever changing world of medical billing, this job is for you!
Basic Qualifications • High School plus 3 years (or Associate’s Degree plus one year) experience in Medical Management
• Minimum one year experience with third party insurance billing • Familiarity/experience with third party insurance billing
To apply for these positions, please send a resume and cover letter to: HR@CHCB.org. The H.R. Department will contact applicants who have been chosen to continue through the applicant selection process. Learn More: chcb.org/careers/positions-available. 15t-CHCB082620.indd 1
8/24/20 10:07 AM
Support Your Community:
Get It To-Go!
The restrictions placed on restaurants are evolving, but many Vermont businesses are still making delicious food and drinks. INTRODUCES SPONSORED BY
Check GoodToGoVermont.com to see which businesses are serving up takeout, delivery, curbside pickup or on-site dining.
G O O D T O G O V E R M O N T . C O M 1T-GoodToGo090220.indd 1
SEVEN DAYS SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
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9/1/20 3:23 PM
fun stuff
RACHEL LINDSAY
76
SEVEN DAYS SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
CALCOKU & SUDOKU (P.61) CROSSWORD (P.61)
HARRY BLISS
Calling All Creatives! Are you going to the South End Art Hop?
Then YOU should enter the MASKerade Contest!
“I keep waiting for the day when ‘Garfield’ runs out of lives.”
WINNER
GETS A $100 GIFT CARD TO THIRTY-ODD
JEN SORENSEN
HOW DOES IT WORK? • • •
Decorate a face mask using whatever materials you wish. Wear your creation (over your mouth and nose) to Art Hop and snap a selfie while you’re there. The top designs, decided by the Seven Days team, will advance to a public voting round.
Submit your photo by Wednesday, September 16, at sevendaysvt.com/masks REMEMBER, SAFETY FIRST, BUT MAKE IT FASHION. This year’s Art Hop, September 11 through 13, will look a little different due to COVID-19. There will be a mix of virtual and in-person exhibits scheduled throughout the weekend. For all the details, look for the Art Hop Guide inserted into the September 9 issue of Seven Days.
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SEVEN DAYS SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
77
9/1/20 3:04 PM
fun stuff RYAN RIDDLE
is
Making it is not :( Keep this newspaper free for all. Join the Seven Days Super Readers at sevendaysvt.com/super-readers or call us at 802-864-5684.
78SR-Comics-filler071520.indd SEVEN DAYS SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020 1
7/14/20 3:32 PM
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 SEPTEMBER 3-9
VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22):
“Like any art, the creation of self is both natural and seemingly impossible,” says singer-songwriter Holly Near. “It requires training as well as magic.” How are you doing on that score, Virgo? Now is a favorable time to intensify your long-term art project of creating the healthiest, smartest version of yourself. I think it will feel quite natural and not at all impossible. In the coming weeks, you’ll have a finely tuned intuitive sense of how to proceed with flair. Start by imagining the Most Beautiful You.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): “A new idea is rarely born like Venus attended by graces. More commonly it’s modeled of baling wire and acne. More commonly it wheezes and tips over.” Those words were written by Aries author Marge Piercy, who has been a fount of good new ideas in the course of her career. I regard her as an expert in generating wheezy, fragile breakthroughs and ultimately turning them into shiny, solid beacons of revelation. Your assignment in the coming weeks, Aries, is to do as Piercy has done so well. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): “Every day I dis-
cover even more beautiful things,” said painter Claude Monet. “It is intoxicating me, and I want to paint it all. My head is bursting.” That might
seem like an extreme state to many of us. But Monet was a specialist in the art of seeing. He trained himself to be alert for exquisite sights. So his receptivity to the constant flow of loveliness came naturally to him. I bring this to your attention, Taurus, because I think that in the coming weeks, you could rise closer to a Monet-like level of sensitivity to beauty. Would that be interesting to you? If so, unleash yourself! Make it a priority to look for charm, elegance, grace, delight and dazzlement.
tine, regular contact we had previously taken for granted. I look forward to the time when we can again feel uninhibited about shaking hands, hugging and patting friends on the arm or shoulder. In the meantime, how can you cope? This issue is extra crucial for you Leos to meditate on right now. Can you massage yourself? Seek extra tactile contact with animals? Hug trees? Figure out how to physically connect with people while wearing hazmat suits, gloves, masks and face shields? What else?
GEMINI
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I propose we resurrect the old English word “museful.” First used in the 17th century but then forgotten, it meant “deeply thoughtful; pensive.” In our newly coined use, it refers to a condition wherein a person is abundantly inspired by the presence of the muse. I further suggest that we invoke this term to apply to you Libras in the coming weeks. You potentially have a high likelihood of intense communion with your muses. There’s also a good chance you’ll engage with a new muse or two. What will you do with all of this illumination and stimulation?
(May 21-June 20): Author Renata Adler describes a time in her life when she began to notice blue triangles on her feet. She was wracked with fear that they were a symptom of leukemia. But after a period of intense anxiety, she realized one fine day that they had a different cause. She writes: “Whenever I, walking barefoot, put out the garbage on the landing, I held the apartment door open, bending over from the rear. The door would cross a bit over the tops of my feet” — leaving triangular bruises. Upon realizing this very good news, she says, “I took a celebrational nap.” From what I can tell, Gemini, you’re due for a series of celebrational naps — both because of worries that turn out to be unfounded and because you need a concentrated period of recharging your energy reserves.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): “I like people who refuse to speak until they are ready to speak,” proclaimed Cancerian author Lillian Hellman. I feel the same way. So often people have nothing interesting or important to say but say it anyway. I’ve done that myself! The uninteresting and unimportant words I have uttered are too numerous to count. The good news for me and all of my fellow Cancerians is that in the coming weeks we are far more likely than usual not to speak until we are ready to speak. According to my analysis of the astrological potentials, we are poised to express ourselves with clarity, authenticity and maximum impact. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Of all the mournful impacts the pandemic has had, one of the most devastating is that it has diminished our opportunities to touch and be touched by other humans. Many of us are starved of the rou-
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Each of us has a “soul’s code”: a metaphorical blueprint of the beautiful person we could become by fulfilling our destiny. If our soul’s code remains largely dormant, it will agitate and disorient us. If, on the other hand, we perfectly actualize our soul’s code, we will feel at home in the world; all our experiences will feel meaningful. The practical fact is that most of us have made some progress in manifesting our soul’s code but still have a way to go before fully actualizing it. Here’s the good news: You Scorpios are in a phase of your cycle when you could make dramatic advances in this glorious work. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): “Life is the
only game in which the object of the game is to learn the rules,” observes Sagittarian author Ashleigh Brilliant. According to my research, you have made excellent progress in this quest during the last few weeks — and will continue your good work in the next six weeks. Give yourself an award! Buy yourself a trophy! You have discovered at least two rules that were previously unknown to you, and you have
also ripened your understanding of another rule that had previously been barely comprehensible. Be alert for more breakthroughs.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): “If you’re not lost, you’re not much of an explorer,” said rambunctious activist and author John Perry Barlow. Adding to his formulation, I’ll say that if you want to be a successful explorer, it’s crucial to get lost on some occasions. And according to my analysis, now is just such a time for you Capricorns. The new territory you have been brave enough to reconnoiter should be richly unfamiliar. The possibilities you have been daring enough to consider should be provocatively unpredictable. Keep going, my dear! That’s the best way to become unlost. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): “Dreams re-
ally tell you about yourself more than anything else in this world could ever tell you,” said psychic Sylvia Browne. She was referring to the mysterious stories that unfold in our minds as we sleep. I agree with her assessment of dreams’ power to show us who we really are all the way down to the core of our souls. What Browne didn’t mention, however, is that it takes knowledge and training to become proficient in deciphering dreams’ revelations. Their mode of communication is unique — and unlike every other source of teaching. I bring this up, Aquarius, because the coming months will be a favorable time for you to become more skilled in understanding your dreams.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In June 1876, warriors from three Indian tribes defeated U.S. troops led by general George Custer at the Battle of Little Big Horn in Montana. It was an iconic victory in what was ultimately a losing battle to prevent conquest by the ever-expanding American empire. One of the tribes that fought that day was the Northern Cheyenne. Out of fear of punishment by the U.S. government, its leaders waited 130 years to tell its side of the story about what happened. New evidence emerged then, such as the fact that the only woman warrior in the fight, Buffalo Calf Road Woman, killed Custer. I offer this tale as an inspiration for you Pisceans to tell your story about events that you’ve kept silent about for too long.
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N E W VI D E O ! Eva Sollberger’s
Watch at sevendaysvt.com 4H-Stuck090220.indd 1
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SEVEN DAYS SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
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Respond to these people online: dating.sevendaysvt.com WOMEN seeking... AUTUMN LIGHT Independent yet ready for someone who brings some “sparkle” into my life (favorite word this week!). Reverent yet irreverent. CG Jung, Pema Chodron, Jack Kornfield, Bono, Springsteen. INFJ Healthy mind/body/soul. Looking for same. Busy health care professional but ready for the next adventure. Is there love in the time of COVID? Or shall we settle for coffee, conversation and kayaking? Hope, 63, seeking: M, l AFFECTIONATE, ENTHUSIASTIC, DYNAMIC SINGLE MOM I make friends like the rest of Vermont is buying Subarus. I’ll make you laugh, solve problems together and be forever loyal. I’m a sucker for muscular thighs, thoughtfulness and looking good in a T-shirt. Sex is an important part of a relationship with me. I’m intelligent, self-employed, ambitious and highly moral. I’m fat by American standards and active. Elastic_Heart, 45, seeking: M, TM TRYING SOMETHING NEW I love kinky play. Enjoy MMF and MFF threesomes. Looking for a woman for some discreet play. Newly bi-curious. Looking for a fun friend to explore kinks with. vtkinkygirl, 44, seeking: W CUCKOO ABOUT ADVENTURES I’m just looking for a new friend. I’m somewhat new to the area and would like to find someone who likes to talk hike, or do anything that doesn’t involve going to the bar or lots of drinking! NDrootsNYbuds, 37, seeking: M, l
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HERE’S TO SECOND CHANCES Widowed, fit, fun, financi ly secure WF with serious BDSM/kinky fantasies that I want/ need to explore. Looking to find 50- t 60-y/o male with experience in the much less vanilla side of sex for dating and/or LTR. bestisyettobe, 53, 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
COVID TO THE UNMASKED: ICU Nice, honest lady who is renovating her basement on her own. Would love to step out and meet someone for a walk or chat and see where things go. Interested in more than a nooner. Move along if that’s all you’re looking for. GIRLwCURL, 53, 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
CREATIVE, EMPATHIC, KIND I am a curious, sensitive and intuitive woman who is creative and smart. I love excellent conversation, the outdoors, travel and good food! I’m a spiritual seeker and writer; mostly night owl. Looking for deep connection, independence and laughter in someone who values doing their inner work. SoulTraveler, 50, seeking: M, l GOOD MORNING! Female, vegan, 420-friendly, central Vermont. Seeking similar companion for summer (and beyond) activities: easy/ moderate hiking, nature walks, swimming, biking, long drives on back roads and other warm weather adventures. In the midst of the pandemic, I take “social smartness” seriously. For the time being, I am only open to outdoor, safely distanced meetings. Thanks for reading VtVegan2020, 57, 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, inte ligent and easygoing man with a great sense of humor. Nella26, 64, seeking: M, l FEMININE, FIT, FUN-LOVING FOREST WOMAN If the sun is shining, you’ll find m outdoors. If I’m indoors pursuing my artwork or piano, it must be raining. Silent sports, camping and canoeing. Swimming every day. Looking for a fit an active outdoorsman. I’d like to see if we can become best friends and then take it from there. Charley, 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, 73, seeking: M, l
SEVEN DAYS SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
PRRRRRR... Lookin’ for fun, honest, real person for friendship, FWB, dating, LTR option. KittyKat, 54, seeking: M COUNTRY AT HEART AND FREE I’m looking for a good guy who likes to eat, hang out, go fishing and camping, and enjoys my company. I love to please my man and make him happy. Looking for the same. I grew up in the Burlington area and am of French and German descent. Oldergal, 66, seeking: M
MEN seeking... DOWN-TO-EARTH COUNTRY SOUL I’m down-to-earth with a good sense of humor/wit. Hands-on dad. I enjoy everything outdoors — hiking, gardening, animals, barbecuing, summer at the lake. I enjoy cooking and projects around the home. I’m open-minded, open to trying new things and adventures. Enjoy a good balance between an evening out and a nice meal home with a movie. Countrysoul, 45, seeking: W, l HORNY BI-CURIOUS MAN Now is the time. I’ve been thinking about this too long, and it’s time for something new. I’ve dabbled and greatly enjoyed MMF threesomes. It’s time to explore this new side of my sexuality. Looking for a gay or bi male to navigate my exploration. Time4somethingNew, 44, seeking: M CARING, FUN-LOVING, FUNNY, IRREVERENT LAWYER I love spending as much time outside as possible — sailing, biking, live music, outdoor dining and enjoying all Vermont has to offer. I have been in the area for almost 30 years and have a wonderful group of friends. Now thinking about winter travel to somewhere a bit less gray. Looking for interesting conversations, sharing time in the outdoors and travel. SunMountainsFriends, 64, seeking: W, l HARDWORKING, NIGHT LIFE, HONEST I’m 55, looking for adventure with a friend with benefits. Working for the future for financial independence. Woodbury55vt, 53, seeking: M, W
MINDFUL AND KINDFUL It’s all about loving awareness. Let’s do it together. Taking on a graduate degree in mindfulness studies this fall; at the same time, I’m painting art and freelance editing and writing. I am a gentle soul looking for a conscious being to share time with in meaningful interaction, conversation and intentional living ... and hugs. bobbylove, 60, seeking: W, l SPOIL MY PARTNER I am a very fit lifelong passabl closeted cross-dressing cougar, non op trans woman seeking a discreet, fit, kind pa tner to spoil rotten. I have much to give and love to please my mate first and foremost Have very private home and love to entertain. Looking for trustworthy partner for fun to start, maybe more. Susan123, 55, seeking: M, W TIME FLIES Newly retired, not so newly single. Used to be OK with the patient method of meeting people spontaneously, but during these unusual times that has become almost impossible. I would really like to meet someone who enjoys traveling or just hanging out. A good conversationalist is a must. Someone informed and openminded. Spontaneous nature and adventurous are wonderful qualities. Strangetimes, 57, seeking: W P/E RATIO I enjoy spontaneous travel, reading biographies, learning new things, new places, daily exercise, bike riding, the gym, movies and your company. I am seeking a funny, educated woman with a successful career and/or financia security who shares some of the above characteristics. OAAG, 63, seeking: W, l GOOD-LOOKING BI Just looking for a friend-withbenefits situation. Must b discreet. OK-looking and fun-loving. Mright, 44, seeking: M, Cp WHY NOT? Last year I made a life change that some have called brave. Now I’m looking for that one special person to share real intimacy with. I’m passionate about being fit in m later years so that I can enjoy them. I’m also fascinated by people. “Why not?” is my headline, because I would just like to meet as many people as possible. POvt, 51, seeking: W, l PANDEMIC REAPPRAISAL Inquisitive bi guy, 68, in a reflecti e period actively exploring cinema before 1970, music before 1964, Zen and American noir also. FWB possibilities beyond limiting dualities. And you? NotTooOldToExplore, 68, seeking: M, l STRANGER THINGS HAVE HAPPENED A crisis tends to make one do what they should’ve been doing all along. So, here I am. Looking for someone(s) to get to know. Sense of humor a must, creativity a plus. Please be able to talk about current events — not necessarily pop culture. Don’t be upset if I don’t reply. VTBOB, 64, seeking: M LOOKING FOR BURLINGTON DREADED BRANDY In late February we sat next to each other and chatted on an early morning flight to DC. ou: headed to KC for the week to work. Dreads, beautiful, smart, computer person. Me: Headed to DC for the day to do political consulting. Would love to continue that talk over coffee or a drink or a walk by the lake. adnaZ, 58, seeking: W
COUPLE SEEKING GUY OR GIRL We are very open and honest. Clean, safe and totally discreet. We are looking for a man with a big dick or a woman who wants to try new adult things with a couple. We want to role-play and try some kink. Newboytoyvt, 50, seeking: M, W, TM, Cp 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 mysel 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
COUPLES seeking... HELP US BRANCH OUT We are a couple of over 30 years. We love to spend time together, enjoying good food, good beer/wine and good company. We enjoy the outdoors, camping, hiking, skiing. Looking for other couples to become friends with that can help us explore and branch out. We love each other very deeply and want to share that love with others. CentralVTCpl, 54, seeking: Cp, Gp, l EXPERIENCE SOMETHING NEW We are a loving couple of over fi e years. Love to play and try new things. Spend free time at the ledges. Looking for people to play with. Perhaps dinner, night out and maybe breakfast in the morning. Looking for open-minded men, women or couples who enjoy fun times and new experiences. 2newAdventurers, 52, seeking: M, W, Cp, Gp ATTRACTIVE MARRIED COUPLE Attractive, caring and honest married couple looking to meet a female for fun times both in and out of the bedroom. She is bi-curious; he is straight. We are very easygoing and fun to be around. Will share a photo once we communicate. Let’s see what happens. VTcouple4fun, 49, seeking: W SEASONED, REASONED, FRIENDSHIP AND CONVERSATION Older couple seeks new friends to enjoy honest conversation. Couples, women, or men. We are not seeking benefits thoug we are open to discussion if all are inspired. We’d love to meet and converse over a nice meal. We love warmth and open people. Our place has a hot tub for cold winters, and we have a massage table. Seasoned, 70, seeking: M, W, Cp, Gp, l
TRANS WOMEN seeking... BE MY CUDDLE BUDDY? Cute 50-y/o vegan straight-edge polyam ace enby trans girl. Love my parallel polyam primary nesting partner, so I’m looking for a part-time snuggle buddy for walks and talks and handholding and kissing and romance! I fall in love really easily! I’m half in love with you already just because you’re reading this! Anyone but cis guys. EnbyTransgirl, 51, seeking: W, TM, TW, Q, NBP, l GENEROUS, OPEN, EASYGOING Warm, giving trans female with an abundance of yum to share (and already sharing it with lovers) seeks ecstatic connection for playtimes, connections, copulations, exploration and generally wonderful occasional times together. Clear communication, a willingness to venture into the whole self of you is wanted. Possibilities are wide-ranging: three, four, explorations, dreaming up an adventure are on the list! DoubleUp, 63, seeking: M, Cp, l
i SPY
If you’ve been spied, go online to contact your admirer!
dating.sevendaysvt.com
COCHRAN’S PARKING LOT You were enthusiastically supportive of your buddy after mountain biking. I liked your bright blue biking shorts and infectious pep and passion. I smiled as I walked by in my blue flowered tank and white sunglasses. As I drove away in my Crosstrek, we smiled again. Want to smile together over a beer or coffee? When: Saturday, August 15, 2020. Where: Cochran’s. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915138 DUNKIN’ DRIVE-THRU I didn’t see you, but you were a car ahead and paid for my drink because, said the cashier, “She thinks you’re cute,” which totally made my day (not least because my order was not cheap)! Thanks so much — I was so happy! When: Saturday, August 22, 2020. Where: Colchester. You: Woman. Me: Woman. #915137 JAKE AT TJ’S We talked about swimming holes and the unbearable lightness of being 32. You make the mask mandate look good! I know it’s part of the gig to connect with shoppers, but I enjoyed our convo, and if you did, too, I’d love to meet up for more. When: Friday, August 21, 2020. Where: Trader Joe’s. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915135 FLYNN HARLEM DANCE COMPANY There was a man at the Flynn’s Harlem Dance, November/December. After the performance, I waited in the outer lobby for friends. When they appeared, he noticed me. When leaving, his eyes watched mine. I liked that. If you are that man, please get in touch. You wore a light gray tweed coat and a distinctive cap. Describe the cap. I’ll know it’s you. When: Sunday, December 1, 2019. Where: Flynn Theater. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915133
SAXON HILL You: orange shirt. Me: orange bike. We crossed paths at Saxon Saturday morning. Would enjoy hearing from you. When: Saturday, August 22, 2020. Where: Saxon Hill. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915134 FOUR_SEASONS Well, Miss Four_Seasons, you have been spied today on here. Your profile has caught my attention, and I am interested in knowing more about you. I am open to any ideas or thoughts that you have. When: Monday, August 17, 2020. Where: Seven Days. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915132 FRIEND OF A FRIEND, WINOOSKI I met you last night outside Monkey House — you’re a friend of a friend I was meeting for drinks. I sensed your energy and was attracted to it, and to your kind brown eyes. We were with your two friends, so I didn’t want to say anything to make anyone uncomfortable. All I know is your first name, Weston. When: Friday, August 14, 2020. Where: Monkey House, Winooski. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915131 I STAND WITH PLANNED PARENTHOOD You were doing some balancing on your head (and some not) with an “I Stand With Planned Parenthood” tattoo on your ... cheek. I was playing Spikeball nearby; your friend returned the ball to me. I was probably getting hit by the ball as I was distracted by you. Talk reproductive rights over distanced drinks? I’ll get a matching tattoo... When: Friday, August 14, 2020. Where: North Beach, evening. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915130 CITY MARKET WINK! I was just stopping by for a snack, and a pretty cashier winked at me, and my gay little heart is soaring! I should have winked back. When: Monday, August 10, 2020. Where: South End City Market. You: Woman. Me: Woman. #915127
Ask REVEREND ˝˙ˆ
Irreverent counsel on life’s conundrums
Dear Reverend,
How does a woman at the sagely age of 70 respond to male advances when the intention is “just for fun,” one-time-only sex? My reputation (and theirs) in my rural Vermont community and STDs are my concerns. Sex to me is sacred. How do I say “Non, merci” and not get mocked? Am I being old-fashioned?˛
Seventy and Simmering
(female, 70)
SAW YOU WALKING BY DRIFTERS At 11:45, I was walking down North Winooski and saw you across the street walking past Drifters. We were both wearing masks but shamelessly looked back at each other. If only I hadn’t crossed the street a block prior maybe I could have asked for your number. How about a socially distanced date? When: Friday, August 14, 2020. Where: passing by Drifters. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915129 NORTH BURLINGTON DREADED BRANDY In late February we sat next to each other and chatted on an early morning flight to D.C. You were headed to KC for work. You: dreads, beautiful, smart, computer person. I would love to continue our talk over coffee or a drink or a walk by the lake. When: Saturday, February 22, 2020. Where: Burlington flight to D.C. You: Man. Me: Man. #915128 GOT OAT MILK? I was wearing a blue face shield. You had strawberry blond hair, a black-and-white top, and jorts. We were flirting about low-sugar-content oat milk. Would love to share a glass and cook some vegan meals for you. ˛ When: Sunday, August 9, 2020. Where: Healthy Living. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915126 CAN’T STAND THE HEAT? You once promised me another redhot batch of your Mexican hominy stew — a shame you never got around to it. Give me a call if you ever do, and don’t be afraid to leave a VM if I don’t answer. ˝ e sultry timbre of your voice is a secret pleasure, and it’s almost as sexy as your smile. Light my fire. When: Tuesday, August 7, 2018. Where: Le Creuset in your kitchen. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915125 ...WAFFLES... My World At Large feels too big without you in it. A warrior’s broken Valkyrie heart ... Your Queen is trying — the resistance makes me no better than a pawn. I’d Follow You Into ˝ e Dark, if you’d love yourself enough. It’s All So Incredibly Loud, Green Eyes. Remember that the Revolution is in your Mind. ˝ is is my last iSpy. When: Monday, August 3, 2020. Where: at ° e End Of ° e F***ing World. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915124
Dear Seventy and Simmering, Casual sex is fi fine and dandy if you’re into it, but it’s also totally OK if it’s not your cup of tea. You have no reason to worry that you’re old-fashioned or deserve mocking. Any man who tries to make you feel badly about turning down his advances is the one who ought to be ashamed. I’d like to think most people would agree with me. If you’re hanging out with a fella and he seems to be headed toward the hot-andheavy, simply let him know you aren’t going there. Be honest and tell him that you don’t have sex just for kicks and that you need
MEMORIES OF QUÉBEC I was in love with you. Québec, then Massachusetts for Christmas with your family. Out of nowhere, you ended it. Yes, it was moving fast. When you go through life not knowing that feeling and find what’s missing, you don’t want to waste time! I think of you often. I wish I knew why, and think about what could have been. When: Wednesday, December 25, 2019. Where: everywhere. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915123
MALLETTS BAY You were docking; we chatted a little. Love to continue the conversation. You: blond hair, some sexy tattoos on the arm, green swimsuit. When: Monday, August 3, 2020. Where: Malletts Bay. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915117 RUNNER ON MOUNT PISGAH In the early morning, we met at the overlook. You were training, and I was on my first mountain hike in years. Will our paths cross again? When: Saturday, August 1, 2020. Where: Mount Pisgah. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915116
A WALK AROUND THE COURSE I joined your group for 9. I thoroughly enjoyed the time. Bit of an age difference, and I didn’t want to seem creepy. You’re very attractive. I loved your voice, and I find myself lost in thought thinking about you. Thought you may have felt an attraction, too. Would love to play again, maybe have a drink after. When: Friday, August 7, 2020. Where: golf course. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915122
CANADA EX Chatted briefly as you were walking your Portuguese/spaniel mix pup. I was eating lunch with my neighbor, a bit sweaty from working. Would love to join you for a dog walk and chat more. Haven’t seen you walk by again. When: Sunday, July 12, 2020. Where: near North St. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915115
‘THE BACHELOR’ & CROSSWORDS For months I looked forward to seeing you most Monday nights for dinner. Hearing about how fascinating “The Bachelor” is and trying to sound smart helping you with crossword puzzles. Then the world turned upside down, and I don’t know where to find you. I’d love to get back in touch. Let me know where I might run into you! When: Monday, March 9, 2020. Where: Rí Rá’s. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915121
TAN BLONDE AT AMERICAN FLATBREAD You were a tan, cute and happy blonde having dinner with your girlfriends. You made a risqué joke and gave me a playful smile before dancing down the sidewalk. Made my night. When: Thursday, July 30, 2020. Where: American Flatbread. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915113
TRACTOR SUPPLY IN MONTPELIER We were both looking for mower belts. Tried to help you figure out which one. You knew it was a Craftsman but didn’t know the model number. And the book didn’t even list part numbers for Craftsman! I tried to help, had to let you head off to customer service. Should have asked for your number. Kicking myself now. When: Wednesday, August 5, 2020. Where: Montpelier Tractor Supply. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915120 RT.7 DELI REDHEAD It was around 4. You were wearing an Army green tank top. You headed south on 7 toward Shelburne. When: Wednesday, July 29, 2020. Where: Rt.7 Deli, Shelburne Rd. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915119
to care about the person with whom you’re intimate. If he doesn’t want to see you again because of that, it’s his loss — and a great way to weed out losers who aren’t worth your time. When you do meet a like-minded
TELL ME SOMETHING Anne, I know you didn’t pick me all those months ago. I know why you didn’t, but all I want is another shot. You make me feel like no one has before. This is me asking you to pick me, pick us, because you’re the closest thing to magic I’ve ever found. When: Sunday, July 28, 2019. Where: Switchback brewery. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915112 SPLASH You were having lunch with a young companion. You were wearing a black top and jeans shorts and have a moon tattoo on the back of your left arm. I don’t know anything else about you, other than that you have a strikingly beautiful smile. I may have been staring, and you may have noticed. If so, let me know! When: Wednesday, July 29, 2020. Where: Splash. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915111
individual and feel comfortable taking it to the next level, be sure to practice the standard precautions for STDs (testing, condoms). And if he’s the sort of man who takes things slow, he’s not likely to be loose-lipped about what goes on in the bedroom. So your reputation should remain intact. I know people nearly half your age who aren’t getting any action, especially during the pandemic. They might just want to hit you up for advice. Good luck and God bless,
The Reverend What’s your problem?
Send it to asktherev@sevendaysvt.com. SEVEN DAYS SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
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I’m a bi-curious male seeking Bobby. I see your ad in the Personals, and I would love to hear from you. I can only text or call. I’m shy but a good listener. Open-minded and nonjudgmental. Contact me. #L1432 Me: man — successful, innovative, liberal — just finalizing several years of R&D; preparing to introduce my findings internationally; ISO long-term companion/ helpmate/lover. You: woman — friendly, intelligent, empathetic, adventurous; enjoy challenges, travel, sex. Driver’s license, passport required. All replies answered — USPS only. #L1428 Artistic/intellectual SWM, 68, possessing a wide range of metaphysical interests, seeks female companion for conversations, viewing good cinema, listening to classical music and taking walks in scenic places. A passion for literature, cats and/or the sea is a plus. I’m genuine, curious, creative and considerate. You are unique. I appreciate your response. #L1433 I’m a 61-y/o female seeking a male 58 to 62. I have had vivid dreams of someone named Mark. 58 to 62 y/o, tall, gray hair, kindhearted, active, honest. NEK. #L1431
I’m a 59-y/o GWM seeking out new guys for friendship and camaraderie! Outgoing, fun-loving and gregarious. Varied interests. Open to new social ventures. Value intimate conversations and close friendships. Let’s get together! #L1430 Petite, attractive WF, 39, seeks bright, fit WM, 30 to 50, for friendship and lasting love. Politically liberal, personally conservative, homebody and globe-trotter. Loves cats, books, laughter and vegetarian food. Observing social distancing, so any friendship will evolve slowly. #L1429
HOW TO REPLY TO THESE LOVE LETTERS: Seal your reply — including your preferred contact info — inside an envelope. Write your penpal’s box number on the outside of that envelope and place it inside another envelope with payment. Responses for Love Letters must begin with the #L box number. MAIL TO: Seven Days Love Letters
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SEVEN DAYS SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
SWF in NEK, mid-60s, seeking SM. I am tall with striking auburn hair. Good health. Average build. Lying in a hammock watching the love of nature and the nature of love. Wanting to expand on the intimacy of another willing to partake in gradual knowing of each other. Someone of intelligence, interested in arts, science, hand-powered tools, nature, or surprise me. Living the life off the grid, in more ways than one. My skills and time spent are in furniture and chair repair, weaving, maintenance of household. Bicycling, kayaking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, gardens. All reasonable responses will be answered. #L1426
Internet-Free Dating!
Reply to these messages with real, honest-to-goodness letters. DETAILS BELOW. I’m a male, 58, seeking a woman, 58. SSS Skipper. I enjoy a woman who is not afraid to take control. Enjoy role-play, dressing up, quiet times at home. #L1427 I’m a bi-curious male seeking a guy for summer fun, maybe more. Seeking age group 18 to 35. Need a guy to teach me the ropes. Really eager to try a lollipop, if you know what I mean. Write, please. #L1425 37 M seeks F. I’m a do-ityourselfer, sushi taco eater, nutrition enthusiast, Tuesday night bowler-ist, amateur thespian, butting libertarian, Bob Ross watcher, Emannuel Levinas talker, not much of a clubber, beer-drinking, poolplaying bocce ball thrower. Seeking same. #L1424 I’m a bi male seeking a bi or gay male. Enjoy reading, Scrabble, long walks and conversation, horse shoes, bench, 420 friendly, microbrews, scrabble, University of Vermont, psychology. Please write. #L1423
38-y/o Plattsburgh, N.Y., man here. I am looking for a man my age. Reserved, happy man here, just looking for someone to bring some excitement to my life and complete me. #L1422 I’m an older male seeking a sporty 50-plus woman. I’m affectionate and enjoy long walks and conversation, trivia, Scrabble, horseshoes, reading, the beach. 420-friendly, microbrews. Please write. Love to meet you. #L1421 I’m a mid-50s man seeking a 45- to 60-y/o female. Searching for fit, grounded, at-home country girl. I own a home, land and toys. Desire to travel. Love to garden. #L1420 53-y/o discreet SWM, 5’10, 156 pounds. Brown and blue. Seeking any guys 18 to 60 who like to receive oral and who are a good top. Well hung guys a plus. Chittenden County and around. No computer. Phone only, but can text or call. #L1419
Describe yourself and who you’re looking for in 40 words below:
Required confidential info:
(OR, ATTACH A SEPARATE PIECE OF PAPER.)
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THIS FORM IS FOR LOVE LETTERS ONLY. Messages for the Personals and I-Spy sections must be submitted online at dating.sevendaysvt.com.
SHOP SAVVY AND KEEP VERMONT STRONG.
Shopping from home? 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: COMMON DEER, 210 COLLEGE ST., BURLINGTON, COMMONDEERVT.COM (JAMES BUCK)
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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 SEVEN DAYS SEPTEMBER 2-9, 2020
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