Seven Days, September 2023

Vermont Railway BURLINGTON

“ NSB IS BIG ENOUGH TO BANK US, BUT SMALL ENOUGH TO CARE ABOUT OUR BUSINESS. ”

— David Wulfson, CEO

COMPILED BY SASHA GOLDSTEIN

BURIEDBY BUREAUCRACY

Five Barre residents have been homeless since shortly after the July flood because of a landslide that hasn’t even happened yet. With no clear timeline, they’ve been unable to pursue a buyout for their properties and are prohibited from returning to their still-standing homes.

“ e lack of communication is having drastic impacts on my mental health and ability to seek peace and sort out my life,” said Alex Raeburn, who lives at 44 Pike Street. He’s found a rental — but is still paying the mortgage on the empty home he bought in 2021.

His neighbor Brandy Lussier has owned 36 Pike Street for 28 years. She lived there with her daughter and son-inlaw, Shayla and Justin Messier, and their son, Cole.

All five had to move out on July 19, when Barre City officials deemed the houses uninhabitable due to an “imminent landslide.” ey’d discovered a large crack in the soil behind the two properties. Barre had been swamped by rain, and officials believed it was a matter of when — not if — the hill behind the two homes would collapse.

In most cases, that would qualify homeowners for a buyout of their imperiled properties. And in August, the Vermont Geological Survey recommended just that.

But Barre City officials say the houses might still be

salvageable, which prevents the Pike Street homeowners from pursuing buyouts.

“ is is unprecedented,” Ben DeJong, the state geologist, said of the situation. “I’m not aware of any other place in the state where we can very quickly state this is an imminent risk — but we might be able to fix it.”

e city has finally hired a geotechnical engineering firm that can assess the risk of a Pike Street landslide. City Manager Nicolas Storellicastro said the work should take about three to four weeks.

“It’s an ongoing challenge,” Storellicastro said. “From my layman’s perspective, it’s a no-brainer buyout. Hopefully we’ll get someone who can say that with credibility, and we’ll move forward.”

at’s cold comfort to Raeburn, whose home insurance doesn’t cover landslides. He’s been relying on some rental assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which also gave him $4,000 for home repair — money he can’t use until he regains access to his property.

e residents at 36 Pike Street are also unsure about their future. ey’ve been staying with friends and relatives for the past two months.

Read Rachel Hellman’s full story at sevendaysvt.com.

CAN OF WORMS

If the smoky skies and biblical rains weren’t enough, the Burlington Garden Club has another entry for any year-end “Reasons Summer 2023 Stunk” listicles.

e group had hoped to resume its popular plant sale fundraiser after a pandemic-induced hiatus but was forced this summer to downgrade the September 16 event to a regular ol’ yard sale — all because of some no-good, dirty, rotten worms.

e culprit is a type of non-native species known as the Asian snake worm, or the “jumping worm,” that has wriggled its way across Vermont, leaving a trail of poop and frustration in its wake.

emoji that NEW CONSTRUCTION

Josh Hanford, Vermont’s top housing o cial, is stepping down. His successor will still have plenty of work to do.

QUEEN CITY

Throngs of rainbow-clad people celebrated Burlington’s 40th annual Pride Parade and Festival on Sunday. Love ruled the day.

SHOT, CHASER

The UVM Medical Center is recruiting volunteers for a Lyme disease vaccine trial. A highly anticipated jab.

BACK ON TRACK

Amtrak service through upstate New York and into Canada has resumed after a monthslong hiatus. Foliage tour by train, anyone?

That’s how many calls police responded to during the 10-day Champlain Valley Fair, which ended on September 3.

TOPFIVE

MOST POPULAR ITEMS ON SEVENDAYSVT.COM

1. “Two School Districts Create eir Own Programs for Students With Special Needs,” by Alison Novak. Leaders in Essex Westford and South Burlington said the approach will cost the same as — or less than — the districts currently spend and will provide other benefits for students.

2. “A Vermont Teacher rough-Hikes the 115 Tallest Peaks in the Northeast,” by Alison Novak. As far as Will Robinson knows, he’s the first person to turn the challenge into a longdistance hike.

3. “A Young Man’s Path rough the Mental Health Care System Led to Prison — and a Fatal Encounter,” by Derek Brouwer & Colin Flanders. is investigation traces the descent of Mbyayenge “Robbie” Mafuta, a former student-athlete who struggled with mental illness and homelessness before allegedly beating a man to death in prison.

4. “Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner in Montpelier as the City’s Restaurants Rebuild,” by Melissa Pasanen. ree eateries to check out that are now open — or never closed — after the flooding in the Capital City.

5. “Delayed for Decades, the Champlain Parkway Takes Shape in Burlington’s South End,” by Courtney Lamdin. Now ahead of schedule, the long-planned road will connect the unfinished Interstate 189 interchange on Shelburne Road with downtown.

@VTFishWildlife

As a fish and wildlife agency we were on this platform mostly because of the bird thing, you know? We’re just having a hard time imaging the bobolink saying “X,” somehow.

e slimeballs gobble up the top layer of soil that plants, fungi and other life forms rely on, then crap out pellets that easily erode, creating a poor habitat for many plants. ey have an annual life cycle, yet their tiny, hard-to-see cocoons can survive winter and spawn a new generation, which makes infestations hard to combat.

Soil resembling discarded coffee grounds is a telltale sign of an invasion. e worms can also be identified by their movement: ey’re known to slither like snakes and thrash violently when handled, sometimes even shedding segments of their tail.

ere are no proven control measures, nor are any pesticides approved for use against them. Researchers at the University of Vermont are studying ways to systematically snuff them

out but say the best thing people can do for now is prevent their spread.

ose not afraid to get their hands dirty (in the metaphorical sense) can drown the little beasts in soapy water or alcohol or tie them up into sealed plastic bags. What better way to spend the final days of summer!

Despite the circumstances, Linda Lane, copresident of the garden club, was optimistic about this Saturday’s event at the Faith United Methodist Church in South Burlington. “ is way, members could contribute items and not have to worry about it,” she said. She expected attendees to enjoy themselves. “We have only good things.”  Leave it to a gardener to find a bright side in gluttonous worms.

For more information, visit bgcvt.org. COLIN FLANDERS

GOES TO SHOW.

publisher & editor-in-chief Paula Routly

deputy publisher Cathy Resmer

AssociAte publishers Don Eggert, Colby Roberts

NEWS & POLITICS

editor Matthew Roy

deputy editor Sasha Goldstein

consulting editors Ken Ellingwood, Candace Page

stAff writers Derek Brouwer, Colin Flanders, Rachel Hellman, Courtney Lamdin, Kevin McCallum, Alison Novak, Anne Wallace Allen

ARTS & CULTURE

coeditors Dan Bolles, Carolyn Fox

AssociAte editor Margot Harrison

Art editor Pamela Polston

Music editor Chris Farnsworth

cAlendAr writer Emily Hamilton

stAff writers Jordan Barry, Hannah Feuer, Mary Ann Lickteig, Melissa Pasanen, Ken Picard

proofreAders Carolyn Fox, Angela Simpson

AssistAnt proofreAders

Katherine Isaacs, Martie Majoros, Elizabeth M. Seyler

DIGITAL & VIDEO

digitAl production speciAlist Bryan Parmelee

senior MultiMediA producer Eva Sollberger

MultiMediA journAlist James Buck

DESIGN

creAtive director Don Eggert

Art director Rev. Diane Sullivan

production MAnAger John James

designers Jeff Baron, Kirsten Thompson

SALES & MARKETING

director of sAles Colby Roberts

senior Account executives

Robyn Birgisson, Michael Bradshaw

Account executives Michelle Brown, Logan Pintka

events & ticKeting MAnAger Katie Olson

legAls, lifelines And super reAder coordinAtor

Kaitlin Montgomery

ADMINISTRATION

business MAnAger Marcy Stabile

director of circulAtion & logistics Matt Weiner

circulAtion deputy Andy Watts

AssistAnt to the publishers Gillian English

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Jordan Adams, Justin Boland, Alex Brown, Annie Cutler, Chelsea Edgar, Erik Esckilsen, Steve Goldstein, Colleen Goodhue, Margaret Grayson, Amy Lilly, Rachel Mullis, Bryan Parmelee, Mark Saltveit, Jim Schley, Carolyn Shapiro, Casey Ryan Vock

CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS

Luke Awtry, Daria Bishop, Rob Donnelly, Caleb Kenna, Tim Newcomb, Jeb Wallace-Brodeur

FOUNDERS

Pamela Polston, Paula Routly

CIRCULATION: 35,000

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‘GIFT TO THE PEOPLE’

Making the trip to City Market from my downtown office every Wednesday to pick up the newest Seven Days is the most important part of the day. This paper is a blessing and a good reason to never leave Vermont, despite the unyielding weather. Thank you so much for this incredible gift to the people. Chelsea Edgar’s article on Bread and Puppet Theater [“Circus of Life,” August 30] was a true gem.

Sue Fowler ESSEX JUNCTION

‘HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?’

Thank you for your cover article on Mbyayenge Mafuta [“From Room 37 to Cell 17: A Young Man’s Path Through the Mental Health Care System Led to Prison — and a Fatal Encounter,” September 6]. Derek Brouwer and Colin Flanders did a thorough job of investigative reporting and allowed us as readers to follow “Robbie” on his journey through Vermont’s mental health and correctional systems.

My only encounter with Mafuta was when he smashed windows at our house during his early morning South End rampage last year. After that event, I talked to friends who knew him as a student at South Burlington High School or as a client at the Committee on Temporary Shelter. It was clear that, despite the trauma that his destructive visit caused to our family and neighbors, this was not a young man who belonged in prison.

The failure to provide effective treatment or support to a person who is so resistant to it is more understandable than the decision to transfer him to the general prison population. Now facing a second-degree murder charge, he may spend the rest of his life — probably a short one — in prison. Call me naïve, but after finishing the article, I was left staring at the arraignment photo of Mafuta thinking, How could this happen?

CORRECTION

Last week’s story “Let Them Read” included an incorrect end date for Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman’s “banned books tour.” More tour stops are being added, and the tour will continue through the fall.

For me, the most emblematic and tragic part of the article was Corrections Commissioner Nick Deml’s judgment that “There’s really nothing in the record that would have led us to a different conclusion.” Yep, we’ve covered all of our administrative bases, but our broken society’s faltering systems have totally failed a young person who deserved more.

Andrew Simon BURLINGTON

GIVE RESPONSIBLY

Thank you to Katie Futterman for a well-researched and written article on an important topic [“Payment Plan: At-Risk Young People Get a Monthly Stipend as a Hedge Against Homelessness,” August 23]. My continuing recommendation to Spectrum Youth & Family Services and others is to substitute vouchers for cash debit cards.

There is simply too much temptation to put free cash into young people’s hands and expect sound financial management.

Yes, in some cases, it will be spent on housing, but I suspect the bulk will not. I am particularly concerned by this quoted Spectrum approach to money management: “Spectrum can monitor the app to see how clients spend the money, though [chief operating officer Will] Towne said it would only use that data to help guide budgeting sessions with the youths.”

In my experience over many decades of financial management, public giveaways need teeth as well as generosity. One example: COVID-19 stimulus spending of approximately $6.6 trillion. Audits are now revealing that as much as $500 billion resulted in fraud, misuse and waste.

The common thread in this gross fiscal mismanagement is a lack of personal accountability.

Let’s not make that same mistake in Burlington.

Jack T. Scully COLCHESTER

EV

IN LA-LA LAND

[Re “EV Program Likely to Leave Some Flood-Stricken Vermonters Behind,” August 21]: What kind of cynical marketing ploy is this — to “o er” a “deal” on a new EV to someone or a family who has just su ered the trauma of losing their essential transportation or home to the worst flooding since 1927?

Have you not noticed?

We are in a housing/ homelessness crisis, an environmental crisis, a cost-ofliving crisis, a post-pandemic recovery period, now an agricultural crisis, a national political crisis of various kinds, and all you can think about is: Wow, here is our chance to sell some EVs!

This naked opportunism is insulting at best and cynically money-grabbing at worst. Most people are not in the market

for any kind of new vehicle because they can’t afford the payments, even with a measly 10 percent subsidy. Many Vermonters are struggling to keep their wheels on the road as it is, as insurance rates, interest rates and registration fees climb.

Owning an EV presupposes 1) a safe, private garage with a charging station; 2) the means to maintain it; 3) endless hours to recharge it; and 4) needing the car for more than just driving yourself to the nearest commuter line.

We out here in reality-land are glad just to have something that starts every day, can pass inspection and doesn’t leak too much oil.

This helpful o er is nothing but yet another taxpayer-supported subsidy for an upscale lifestyle, while Vermont families, children and veterans are living out in the woods.

Julia Purdy RUTLAND

BREAD AND PUFFERY

Chelsea Edgar’s aptly titled “Circus of Life” [August 30] is a probing, wellreported and refreshing alternative to the puff coverage given to Bread and Puppet Theater over the years. In my twenties, I reveled in trips to Glover to drink from the well. But seeing it in 2023 in Middlebury left me thinking this art has not evolved and is no more examined and no more challenging than a Donald Trump rally. Stale narratives, tired tropes, in-jokes and all-too-simple answers to complicated problems. Edgar asked the Glover thespians many good questions. She received few good answers.

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It’s a season of transition

NEWS+POLITICS 14

Fiber for Few

Some Vermonters find the cost of newly expanded broadband is too high

Burlington Measure

Declares the Drug Crisis a Top Priority Learning Curve

Northfield newcomers launch a childcare program

Judge Dismisses Camel’s Hump Logging Lawsuit

STUCK IN VERMONT

First Black Woman to Serve in Vermont Legislature Has Died Bridge Over Troubled Water Montpelier’s free, nonprofit newspaper fights to stay afloat after the flood

FEATURES 26

Risk and Reward

Critic Alex Brown on how to watch theater like a pro

On the Road Again?

Musicians grapple with a touring industry in flux

FOOD+ DRINK 42 Into

A young couple relocated 3,000 miles to buy a legacy vegetable farm in Brandon

ARTS+CULTURE 50

Uncertain Someone Book review: In the Lobby of the Dream Hotel, Genevieve Plunkett

Out

Stairway

Peruvian cacao comes to Hardwick with Prophecy Chocolate Choice Edibles ree questions for Milkweed Confections chef-owner Andrew LeStourgeon

Vermont’s only cat café, Kitty Korner Café in Barre, was severely damaged in the July flood. As the water rose, owner Alexis Dexter hammered a hole in the floor, diverting the water away from 57 rescue cats — and flooding the building’s basement in the process. Eva Sollberger recently returned to Kitty Korner to see the renovation work in progress.

in

MAGNIFICENT

MUST SEE, MUST DO THIS WEEK

SATURDAY 16

THE SYNTH AND THE FURY

And now for something completely different. Shannon Curtis, touring in support of her 2022 album Good to Me, makes her Vermont debut alongside her husband and collaborator, Jamie Hill, at the Flynn in Burlington. Combining elements of concerts, TED Talks and visual art, the show places the album’s 1980s-inspired synth-pop numbers in the context of what inspired them: climate change, rising fascism, and Curtis’ anxiety about and hope for the future.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 76

MONDAY 18

Hard Time

Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, the author of the acclaimed story collection Friday Black, stops by the University of Vermont’s Dudley H. Davis Center in Burlington to discuss his new, award-winning novel, Chain-Gang All-Stars. e book imagines a dystopian, not-too-far-away future where prisoners fight to win their freedom in gladiator-style death matches, and one such woman yearns to defy the system.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 78

FRIDAY 15-SUNDAY 17

Myth Congeniality

At Plattsburgh, N.Y.’s Y at the Oval, Adirondack Regional eatre takes audiences on a rip-roaring trip up Mount Olympus with e Iliad, e Odyssey and All of Greek Mythology in 99 Minutes or Less. is hilarious, high-octane adaptation speeds through and remixes familiar tales, turning Pandora’s box into an unsettling wedding gift and the creation of man into a botched subcontractor job.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 76

SATURDAY 16

Tree’s Company

Locals of all ages celebrate the Green Mountain State’s eponymous greenery at Forest Festival in Woodstock’s Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park. Visitors breathe in their surroundings during horse-drawn wagon rides and guided nature walks and watch demonstrations of traditional woodworking and Abenaki artisanry.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 76

SATURDAY 16

Bright and Brew-tiful

Stowe’s von Trapp Brewing Bierhall throws its annual Oktoberfest on the first day of the official Munich event, offering area beer lovers the perfect opportunity to don their lederhosen and brush up on their keg-tapping skills. Pretzels, bratwurst, schnitzel and goulash fuel revelers between rounds of pilsners and lagers, and local band Inseldudler keep the Bavarian vibes alive.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 76

SUNDAY 17

Alors On Danse

ere’s no experience or partner required at Bal Folk, an evening of French social dancing among the apple trees at Scott Farm in Dummerston. After a community jam session, francophone folk duo Eloise & Co. soundtrack various line, circle, spiral and pair dances. Proceeds help the orchard recover from this year’s crop loss.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 77

ONGOING Flood Pressure

Here’s a reason to visit Berlin’s Central Vermont Medical Center even in good health: Montpelier artist Delia Robinson presents her new solo show “Gravitational Reprieve” in the lobby. Her paintings, inspired by the July floods, depict a topsy-turvy world of waterlogged chaos and confusion — but with a comic edge.

SEE GALLERY LISTING ON PAGE 62

BROWSE THE FULL CALENDAR, ART SHOWS, AND MUSIC+NIGHTLIFE LISTINGS AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM.

COMPILED BY EMILY HAMILTON

Double Forte

For 27 years I’ve been humming “Fantasy on a Theme by Samuel Barber.” It takes me back to the university wind ensemble I joined in college. I auditioned for the group my junior year, looking for an easy one-credit A.

It didn’t work out precisely as planned. I presented myself to the conductor toting my cornet, which I hadn’t touched since eighth grade. After I butchered a couple of scales, he shook his head. Wasn’t there anything else I could play, I pleaded. He scanned his office. “How about that?” he said, pointing to a forlorn tuba in the corner.

A few months later I was playing tuba, second chair, on a 10-day concert tour in Japan. Because I was a bit too short for the giant instrument, I had to bring along a wooden block — essentially a booster seat — to reach the mouthpiece.

“The Sammy Barber piece,” as the conductor called it, was my favorite. My part was lyrical, loud at times and, most importantly, simple. I could play it confidently and feel like I was contributing to the ensemble.

Hearing the recording now brings tears to my eyes as I remember how hard I had to practice and how generous the other musicians were. They were more welcoming than any other group I joined at my conservative Virginia alma mater.

I haven’t played music onstage since graduation, but I’ve seen many symphony concerts at Burlington’s Flynn theater; my son, Graham, 17, is a trombonist in the Vermont Youth Orchestra.

Both Graham and his younger sister, Ivy, played brass instruments in the Winooski Middle/High School band — thanks in part to their devoted band teacher, Randall Argraves. Graham wanted to take it a step further.

When he was in fifth grade, we discovered the Vermont Youth Orchestra Association’s Endangered Instruments Program; it offers subsidized private lessons to kids who play hard-to-recruit-for instruments. Trombone was on the list, which also includes oboe, bassoon, French horn, string bass and tuba.

Graham got two years of heavily discounted lessons through the program. He also attended Symphony Summer Camp and was accepted into the VYOA’s Da Capo ensemble, then the Vermont Youth Philharmonia, the junior varsity orchestra. Last year he made it into the VYO. Over the summer, he played second-chair trombone on a 10-day tour of Greece. He’s much more dedicated to music than I ever was.

Playing trombone in the VYO is an escape, he told me. It forces him to listen closely to his fellow orchestra members. “You have to be so engaged in the music,” he

said. “It takes my brain completely away from whatever else is happening in my life.”

That includes playing two varsity sports — football and wrestling. Last year he was the No. 3 wrestler in the state in his weight class.

There’s not much crossover between the VYO and the wrestling community, which is filled with yelling coaches and parents and sweaty teens in singlets throwing each other to the mat. “It’s a completely different vibe,” Graham said.

But they’re more similar than you might think. The sense of camaraderie Graham feels with his wrestling teammates is similar to his bond with the low brass section of the orchestra — he pushes himself to improve because he doesn’t want to let his colleagues down.

Both activities require performing under pressure, often with hundreds of people watching.

In other words, they’re pretty good training for life.

“When I’m onstage, I just block out the noise and focus on what I have to do,” Graham said. “That’s the same thing I do for wrestling.”

I’ve loved watching Graham play sports and music, and not just because he’s my son — seeing talented athletes or artists perform in person is a thrill. There’s nothing like being part of a live audience witnessing something together — gasping, sighing or spontaneously cheering as a group.

Similar to the performers onstage, you feel like you’re part of something.

This week’s Performing Arts Preview highlights dozens of such opportunities. Get out your calendar, buy some tickets and see some shows — like the VYO’s Fall Concert on Sunday, October 22, at the Flynn.

Cathy Resmer

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Cathy Resmer and her tuba, circa 1996

Graham Resmer with his trombone in 2022

Fiber for Few

Some Vermonters find the cost of newly expanded broadband is too high

BY RACHEL HELLMAN • rhellman@sevendaysvt.com

Amid ambitious efforts to make broadband accessible statewide, Vermont is facing a related challenge: making it a ordable for every potential customer.

Regional groups known as communications union districts are backed by nearly $250 million in federal funding to build out the state’s high-speed internet network. But some are finding it difficult to create a viable business and keep down the price of monthly service for all Vermonters.

The problem is pronounced in Essex County, the poorest in the state. The communications union district that covers the Northeast Kingdom, called NEK Broadband, is launching long-awaited high-speed internet services in Concord, Lunenburg and Waterford. But for a number of residents — especially those on fixed incomes — the $50 to $80 monthly

fee for the cheapest level of internet service is out of reach.

Kimberly Petrich, a Lunenburg resident, said many of her neighbors are choosing not to subscribe to NEK Broadband because of the cost. “It feels like we’re being price gouged because we live in a rural setting,” Petrich said. Comparable service in Chittenden County costs between $25 and $35 per month.

Other districts across the state are also grappling with the challenge. A federally run program that provides discounts of up to $30 per month for eligible customers will run out of funding in 2024, adding time pressure in the quest to ensure that Vermont makes good on its promise of broadband for all.

“We’re still struggling trying to figure out how to make it completely a ordable,”

said Christine Hallquist, executive director of the Vermont Community Broadband Board, which oversees the statewide network of communications union districts.

“We’ve got the CUDs in place to get everybody connected. Now we’re intensively focused on that next level.”

Vermont’s innovative model for building out broadband was designed to fill a vacuum left by private providers, which saw few financial incentives in expanding service to rural areas. The communications union districts — of which there are 10 statewide — allow municipalities to band together and build fiber networks using bonds, loans, grants and gifts.

Burlington Measure Declares the Drug Crisis a Top Priority

BY COLIN FLANDERS colin@sevendaysvt.com

A Burlington City Council committee is considering a resolution that would declare the drug crisis as the top public health issue facing the city.

“Burlingtonians continue to express concern about the wellbeing of community members, public drug use, discarded syringes, and general discomfort at the level of despair we are seeing,” the resolution reads. e measure, currently before the three-member Public Safety Committee, is almost entirely symbolic. It calls for two city-hosted public forums about the crisis and for the council to make the topic a standing item on its agendas. Otherwise, the resolution proposes no new initiatives.

It instead reaffirms the council’s support for harm-reduction strategies such as overdose prevention sites and drug-checking services. And it calls on the state to join the city in responding to the crisis with a sense of urgency.

Burlington’s drug problem has no doubt worsened in recent years, a symptom of a changed drug supply that has made addiction deadlier and more disruptive.

Police responded to more than 300 overdose calls during the first eight months of this year, compared to 252 through all of 2022. at trend continues: Last ursday, Burlington police announced that they had responded to 11 overdose incidents in 24 hours.

“We want to remind neighbors of the prevalence of fentanyl and the severe impact it has on users,” the department said in a press release.

e increased drug activity has contributed to crime. efts, many carried out by people addicted to drugs, have risen sharply. And some shootings have been linked to the trade.

An initial draft of the resolution described the drug crisis as Burlington’s top “public safety” priority and called for more aggressive enforcement against drug activity. But a new version was released last ursday afternoon, shortly before the Public Safety Committee was to meet. It lost all references to drug dealing and instead framed the conversation in public health terms.

Learning Curve

Northfield newcomers launch a childcare program

STORY & PHOTOS BY ALISON NOVAK • alison@sevendaysvt.com

On a sunny Sunday afternoon in August, parents chatted outside Northfield’s Gray Building as their children played in a sandpit and slid down a slide built into the sloping lawn. An informal potluck gave families who’d enrolled their children in the new Rainbow Gardens early learning program the chance to see the space and meet teachers and classmates before it opened on September 5.

The yeasty aroma of rolls freshly baked by teacher Hannah Kraskow wafted inside the building. Light streamed through the large windows in two classrooms, illuminating the kid-size furniture, play kitchens, dress-up areas and simple wooden toys. Rainbow Gardens’ Waldorf-inspired philosophy emphasizes imaginative play, the arts and time spent in nature.

Blake Pierson, a former Silicon Valley entrepreneur, and his wife, Andrea Lively, who together founded the nonprofit childcare center, mingled with families. For months, the couple had been laser-focused on preparing to launch the school, which will serve 19 children ages 2 to 5.

The work had been nonstop: putting in kitchens for preparing snacks and lunches, ordering supplies, building outdoor play equipment, enlisting contractors to install additional fire alarms. They’d hired two teachers and support staff. And they’d

processed student applications and financial aid requests to fulfill their promise that no family pays more than 10 percent of their income on tuition.

Now, the couple was T-minus nine days from opening.

During a lull in the action, Pierson conceded that he’d never been as nervous about any other professional endeavor. He knew families and teachers were counting

on him, and he didn’t want to let anyone down.

“It’s a little surreal,” he said. “I haven’t had time to feel excitement.”

Pierson and Lively, recent Vermont transplants raising two young daughters in Northfield, have forged their own path to start Rainbow Gardens. But advocates, who worked to pass a historic childcare bill this year that puts more than $100

million dollars annually into the childcare sector, are hopeful that more people will follow in their footsteps.

While Pierson is new to the world of early childhood education, he has plenty of experience building a business from the ground up. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, Pierson cofounded Silicon Valley apartmenthunting app Lovely, which he sold in 2014 for $13 million. Lively, who has a graduate degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science, is a former consultant and classically trained violinist.

The couple lived abroad, in Spain and then Norway, before settling in Vermont in 2022. They decided to put down roots in Northfield, despite having no prior connection to the area, because they thought the socioeconomically diverse town of around 6,000 people would be a wonderful place to raise kids.

Pierson eagerly jumped into civic life. He began attending community meetings and joined the town’s planning commission and housing task force.

The couple soon realized it was difficult to find affordable, high-quality childcare in Northfield, the home of Norwich University and sock company Darn Tough.

Andrea Lively and Blake Pierson with their two children

Judge Dismisses Camel’s Hump Logging Lawsuit

BY KEVIN MCCALLUM kevin@sevendaysvt.com

There have been some success stories, but the task is harder in remote areas, where the cost of construction is spread across fewer clients. There's also less competition to provide internet service there than in more densely populated parts of Vermont. That means rural communities — some of the poorest in the state — can end up paying more per capita.

“It’s a twofold issue,” said Christa Shute, executive director of NEK Broadband. “One is the people and what they need. And the second is that we need to create a sustainable business model.”

A Vermont judge has dismissed an environmental group’s effort to block logging in Camel’s Hump State Forest and other state lands.

Standing Trees, a Montpelier-based forest preservation group, sued the state Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation in 2022, arguing that state lands are regularly approved for logging without a transparent public process. The suit asked a Vermont Superior Court judge to ban new logging on state lands until clearer rules protecting forests could be created.

But Judge Tim Tomasi ruled on September 1 that the organization and two plaintiffs, Duxbury residents Jamison Ervin and Alan Pierce, didn’t have standing to bring the suit.

Siding with the state, the judge found that Ervin and Pierce, who live on property that abuts Camel’s Hump, had not shown that they would be personally harmed by the logging. The couple predicted that the logging would decrease habitat in the forests where they hike, increase flooding near their home and result in significant truck traffic on nearby roads.

“They only speculate about some possible, future injury,” the judge said of the plaintiffs.

The suit focused on the 2021 management plan for Camel’s Hump, which calls for logging about 3,800 acres of forest in 34 different areas over the next 15 years. That's more than triple the average number of acres logged there during the past 25 years.

Logging would happen on about 7 percent of the 26,000 acres in the management area around iconic Camel’s Hump, Vermont’s third-tallest peak.

When filing the suit, Zack Porter, executive director of Standing Trees, said public forests were “being sold to the highest bidder while the public is kept in the dark about how decisions are made.”

The group believes that mature forests across New England must be protected for wildlife habitat, carbon sequestration, flood prevention and other benefits. Standing Trees has called for a moratorium on logging of mature forests in the Green Mountain National Forest, the state’s largest. Reached last week, Porter vowed to continue the fight. ➆

There are plenty of obstacles. For starters, few Vermonters are taking advantage of the federal discounts, known as the Affordable Connectivity Program, according to Holly Groschner, a telecommunications lawyer who serves on the Vermont Community Broadband Board. One reason: Would-be subscribers need internet access to complete the online application. Groschner also thinks social service providers have done little to help qualifying Vermonters trudge through the time-consuming application process.

At NEK Broadband, the district set the lowest monthly fee at $79.95. A $30 subsidy from the Affordable Connectivity Program would bring the customer’s cost to roughly $50 a month.

For many low-income residents in the area, that’s still too much. Sharon Eaton, board president for the Gilman Senior Center in Lunenburg, said many of the seniors she serves can’t afford even $30 a month.

“My road was one of the first ones for the new high speed hookups,” a member of the senior center recently posted on Facebook. “I am retired and on a fixed income... cheapest plan is $80 a month...more than my electric bill...crazy! I don’t qualify for the senior discount program through the government, and have few options for the internet!”

The affordability conundrum is not entirely new. F.X. Flinn, chair of ECFiber — the state’s first communications union district, formed in 2016 — said he focused on ensuring that it was on sound financial footing before tackling affordability.

“I feel no need to try and keep prices low because there’s plenty of people out there who can not only afford them but think it’s no big deal,” he said. “But I can take the surplus and create a fund for people who can’t afford broadband.”

In 2021, he did just that, founding Equal Access to Broadband, a nonprofit tasked with using ECFiber’s net revenue to ensure that qualifying customers received subsidies. Staff members helped residents apply for discounts under the Affordable

Connectivity Program, and the nonprofit chipped in an additional $20 subsidy for customers who qualified for federal aid. That brought the overall average fee to around $20 per month — a sum that Flinn said most found affordable.

Earlier this year, though, ECFiber shuttered the nonprofit after it struggled to reach the residents who would benefit from the program. Flinn said the org will continue to offer $20 discounts to qualifying households, and he hopes to resurrect the nonprofit in the future. He’s also inspired Shute, who wants to replicate Flinn’s model in the Northeast Kingdom.

At the state level, the Vermont Community Broadband Board has created a team to address the affordability problem. It will begin with a number of “digital equity listening sessions,” to be announced later this month.

Hallquist, of the statewide board, wants to encourage the local districts to reduce the overall price of broadband. “We can design rate structures that will give people

the ability to come in at a lower entry fee,” she said.

With that goal in mind, the board is proposing incentives for federal funding to internet service providers that can offer a $45 plan for households that are eligible for subsidies. That could drop the cost to about $15 per month for those customers.

But Flinn worries that the deep discounts won’t make business sense for some communications union districts. Shute feels the same.

“We cannot put that price point in place,” Shute said. “That’s literally less money than it takes to operate the network.”

For some residents in Lunenburg and other rural areas, these questions of affordability have real-time ramifications.

“Everyone talks about getting highspeed internet into every home, but they don’t think about seniors or other fixedincome people,” said Eaton, of the Gilman Senior Center. “The income in this area just isn’t going to allow for the current cost of broadband.” ➆

Rachel Hellman covers Vermont’s small towns for Seven Days . She is a corps member of Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms. Find out more at reportforamerica.org.

WE’RE STILL STRUGGLING TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE IT COMPLETELY AFFORDABLE.

CHRISTINE HALLQUIST

Standing Trees protest COURTESY OF ZACK PORTER

STATEHOUSE

First Black Woman to Serve in Vermont Legislature Has Died

BY KEVIN MCCALLUM • kevin@sevendaysvt.com

Louvenia Dorsey Bright, the first Black woman to serve in the Vermont legislature, died in July at her home in Park Forest, Ill. She was 81.

Bright died of natural causes, according to her son, Bill Bright of Alexandria, Va.

A longtime teacher at Colchester and Burlington high schools, Louvenia Bright represented South Burlington in the Vermont House of Representatives from 1989 to 1994.

When she was elected, there was only one other Black lawmaker in the 180member state legislature, Francis Brooks of Montpelier.

“She was very aware of the fact that she was a pioneer,” her son told Seven Days last Thursday. “She would never tell you that, but she understood that.”

Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale (D-Chittenden-Southeast) said Bright “paved the way with humility, grace and intention” for her and other women of color — including Diana Gonzalez and Kiah Morris — to serve in the legislature.

“Hers was a life of purpose, and I will always be grateful that she walked the halls of the Statehouse before me so I could feel a greater sense of belonging,” Ram Hinsdale said.

Ram Hinsdale was likely the first Vermonter to learn of Bright’s passing. She contacted Bill Bright on July 30 on behalf of Emerge Vermont, which trains Democratic women to run for office, and told him that the group was giving Bright a lifetime achievement award at the group’s 10th anniversary celebration. He told Ram Hinsdale that his mom had died the previous day, but he would be grateful to accept it on her behalf posthumously.

While Bright was many things — devoted teacher, mother of two, advocate for racial equity — serving as a Vermont lawmaker was one of her proudest achievements.

“She loved it. She threw herself into it wholeheartedly,” Bill Bright said. “To me, it was probably the pinnacle of her professional life.”

Louvenia Bright moved to Vermont from Detroit in 1971 when her husband, William Bright II, was hired as a professor of education at the University of Vermont. She taught business education; raised two children, Bill and his sister Rebecca; and advocated for racial and gender equity. She was a member of the Vermont State Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and a member of the Burlington NAACP.

“She was actually more of an activist than a politician,” her son said.

She didn’t think she’d win her first campaign, but years of community involvement and a catchy slogan (“The Time Is Right for Bright”) helped her secure a seat that she held for three terms.

Being a lawmaker was mostly a positive experience, her son said, especially when she could make a difference by helping pass the state’s first parental and family leave bill, for instance. But the job also “came with some baggage” that eventually took its toll, he added.

“You had your supporters, but you also had people who were waiting in the wings for you to make a mistake so they could say something about it,” Bill Bright said.

Louvenia Bright and her husband retired and in 1995 chose to follow their children out of state, first to Virginia and later to Illinois.

In honor of her legacy, local NAACP chapters established the Bright Leadership Institute in 2021 to train Vermonters of color who want to run for public office.

Emerge Vermont will honor Bright with its Kunin Achievement Award, named for Vermont’s only female governor, Madeleine Kunin, at its anniversary celebration on September 23. Kunin, who founded the local Emerge chapter, will turn 90 years old just a few days after the event.

Morris, who was the second Black woman to serve in the legislature, and Rep. Saudia LaMont (D-Morrisville), the third, will present the award to Bright’s family. A’shanti Gholar, president of the national Emerge organization, will also attend, according to the group.

That night, Emerge plans to kick off a fundraising effort to commission a portrait of Bright to be displayed at the Statehouse, according to the local chapter’s executive director, Elaine Haney. ➆

Louvenia Dorsey Bright

Bridge Over Troubled Water

Montpelier’s free, nonprofit newspaper fights to stay afloat after the flood

BY ANNE WALLACE ALLEN • anne@sevendaysvt.com

ell before floodwaters swamped Montpelier in July, the Bridge — the city’s hyperlocal, free newspaper — was weighing drastic measures to cut costs.

The nonprofit newspaper’s board of directors considered a monthslong break from printing the 24-page publication, which is mailed once every two weeks to addresses in the Montpelier zip code and placed in newspaper boxes around town. Advertising revenues had dropped precipitously and were not enough to sustain the 10,300-copy print run and the four part-time paid staff positions.

The flood hit the Bridge hard. Although its hilltop offices were untouched, many of its advertisers had to close, at least temporarily. With a deluge of news to cover, the Bridge started publishing stories every day on its website and launched a GoFundMe campaign seeking to raise $25,000.

The small paper’s supporters came to its aid, and the GoFundMe plea has raised more than $11,000. Meanwhile, the Bridge learned last month that it had won a $25,000 grant from the Vermont Arts Council. A front-page story about the paper’s financial problems, along with vigorous fundraising efforts by board members, yielded another $10,000 in donations, a welcome infusion of cash.

Several large advertisements in the current issue — including a full-page ad for Monteverdi Music School and a half-page ad for a flood-recovery benefit concert — have helped restore a sense of financial normalcy for the moment, according to editor Cassandra Hemenway. And a handful of flooded

downtown businesses have reopened to much fanfare, a welcome sign of life for the Montpelier community.

“It just bodes well for everybody in town,” Hemenway said of seeing businesses reopen. “It is a measure of how the town in general is doing.”

As Montpelier continues to regain its strength, Hemenway and the board are hoping to ride the wave of recovery. They want to continue covering local news as they always have: with free printed copies available at newspaper boxes and in the mail.

But it’s an opportunity to chart a more sustainable future, too. Even in good times the paper, which has an annual budget of about $250,000, has relied on dwindling advertising revenues, donations and unpaid labor to keep publishing. The board plans to meet in the coming weeks to map out a survival strategy.

A group of central Vermont residents founded the Bridge in 1993 as an alternative to the Barre-Montpelier Times Argus, then a daily afternoon paper.

“It felt like the coverage from the Times Argus was declining,” said Bridge cofounder Phil Dodd, who writes news stories for the paper and serves on its board. “They were supposed to have four Montpelier stories a day, but there was a lot more to cover.”

The Bridge found a business model that kept it going for decades. But in anticipation of dwindling ad revenue, in 2018, the board started a foundation and held what it hoped would be an annual fundraising event. The pandemic disrupted those plans.

Earlier this year, inspired by the nonprofit Charlotte News, the board made the newspaper itself into a nonprofit.

In the past decade or so, that approach

has emerged as an increasingly popular option for news organizations around the country. As a nonprofit, an outlet can accept tax-deductible donations and mail printed copies at a lower postage rate.

Vermont has a nonprofit online-only news organization, VTDigger.org, and a handful of small nonprofit papers, including the Commons, which covers Windham County. The Waterbury Roundabout, a startup online news site, takes donations through the Vermont Journalism Trust, the nonprofit fiscal sponsor that oversees VTDigger.

These newspapers and websites fill a void created when larger, more established news outlets start shrinking.

Free distribution is one of the hallmarks of nonprofit media outlets. “We don’t want to put a tollgate on information,” said Randy Holhut, editor of the Commons , which is also distributed in parts of New Hampshire and Massachusetts. “We think journalism is a public service.”

Economic accessibility is key for the Bridge , which proudly describes itself “local, independent and free,” Hemenway said. “Our board of directors holds that very dear.”

The 4,500 copies of the paper that aren’t mailed are distributed at 57 locations in central Vermont, including at 29 boxes — six of which were lost in the flood. The Bridge has hired Vermont Works for Women, a Burlington job-training organization, to make 10 replacements.

For most of paper’s 30-year run, its coverage has been on the lighter side. Local historian Paul Carnahan contributes a feature called “Then and Now”

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that describes the history of a Montpelier building, accompanied by photos of the building now and in the past. Cofounder Greg Gerdel writes an occasional piece — “For this, I am paid zippo,” he noted. Sometimes, letters to the editor end up on the front page. An August issue included an elegy in verse to local businesses by resident Sandy Vitzthum. The paper also prints real estate transactions. Montpelier Mayor Jack McCullough said the paper provides a perspective he can’t find anywhere else. He and his wife read the education column by Mary Mello, a retired local teacher, and he follows Carla Occaso’s “Heard on the Street,”

about business developments. He reads the Times Argus, too.

“There’s no reason we can’t have more than one,” he said.

The Bridge occupies a roomy warren of offices on the campus of the Vermont College of Fine Arts, which accepts ad space in the paper in lieu of rent payment. With two of the Bridge ’s four paid positions vacant, the office is a quiet place; Hemenway often works from home.

The paper has no paid reporters; it relies on a mix of paid and unpaid freelancers, as well as volunteers. Luckily, Hemenway noted, the Montpelier area

is rich in retired writers. The latest issue includes a story by veteran environmental journalist and fisherman John Dillon, who retired from Vermont Public Radio in 2021. He wrote about the future of the Winooski River, the North Branch of which overflowed in July, inundating downtown Montpelier.

“Every now and then he’ll contribute something, as long as it has something to do with the river,” Hemenway said, adding that Dillon, like many other contributors, evades her attempts to pay for the stories.

Photographer John Lazenby, who used to shoot for Vermont Life magazine, also volunteers.

But using unpaid help has its limits. Hemenway is the one who covers city council meetings.

“A lot of the stories other people don’t want to write, I end up writing,” she said.

Hemenway’s job description calls for her to work 30 hours a week at a salary she said she couldn’t live on if her husband’s job didn’t pay the bills. A few part-time employees recently departed, and the board is looking at ways to reconfigure the paper’s sta ng.

Since she started in 2021, Hemenway has published more hard news in the paper. She has a master’s degree in journalism and moved to Vermont in 1994 to take a job at the Hardwick Gazette

At the helm of the Bridge, Hemenway has covered Vermont College of Fine Arts’ decision to move its residencies to Colorado and the resignation of two top managers from the Hunger Mountain Co-op after an employee was arrested on an array of charges. A contentious debate about homeless people in Montpelier’s Confluence Park played out on the front page of the paper last year. Since the flood, Hemenway has provided a torrent of updates for business owners and residents about flood damage and recovery e orts.

The paper continued printing on schedule — at Québecor in Canada — but failed to mail copies of one issue after the flood because the post office was swamped, she noted.

The GoFundMe campaign and the Arts Council grant will keep the paper in business, and in print, through the end of the year, Hemenway said. But she foresees more fundraising ahead, including a gala planned for November. Ad revenues dropped 15 percent between January and May, she said, and the strong support in recent issues can’t be relied on to continue.

“We still have to think about how this business model is going to work for the next year,” she said. ➆

Learning Curve « P.15

In a series of community meetings in the spring sponsored by the Vermont Council on Rural Development, Northfield residents identified childcare as a pressing issue, town manager Jeff Schulz said. Besides Rainbow Gardens, the town has just two licensed childcare centers. Another, Little Crickets, recently closed.

Pierson and Lively, who became interested in Waldorf education after the birth of their first daughter, decided they wanted to help address the problem. Pierson had recently joined the board of directors of the Gray Building Coalition, a nonprofit that acquired the stately structure in 2002. He knew that the historic building, once a primary school that educated hundreds of Northfield’s children, would be the ideal location.

“We just ended up diving in the deep end,” Pierson said, “and have been trying to stay above water as best we can over the last few months.”

He discovered what veteran providers have known for decades: The business model for childcare is broken. Programs for young children require low teacherto-child ratios, meaning parents often pay exorbitant tuition. Early childhood educators earn low wages, making it difficult for childcare programs to recruit and retain staff. In Vermont, there’s been a perennial shortage of childcare slots for families, especially in rural areas.

From January through July of this year, 41 childcare centers and homebased programs in Vermont closed; another 28 opened, according to data from the state. The numbers reflect the reality that running a childcare center means taking on responsibility for young children despite the lack of financial reward.

But Pierson has found support from multiple sources.

The state has been responsive and helpful in answering questions about the licensing process, he said. After a site visit from a Department for Children and Families employee in mid-August, Rainbow Gardens received its license to operate on August 29. Pierson has also gotten advice and support from the Vermont office of First Children’s Finance, a national nonprofit that contracted with the state at the end of 2022 to provide free technical assistance to early childhood programs on topics such as budgeting, staffing and board governance.

A $48,000 grant from early childhood advocacy group Let’s Grow Kids went toward renovations of two classrooms and the center’s outdoor space. Family and friends donated another $50,000.

The community has rallied to support the school. Parents of enrolled students pitched in over the summer to build outdoor play kitchens, paint the swing set and do landscaping. Local businesses donated materials and labor. Schulz, the town manager, took Pierson into the town vault to locate a critical paper copy of the building’s wastewater permit.

The center is offering financial aid to offset the cost until the funds are available next year.

But there have also been challenges: Some grant requests were rejected. It will take months for the center to become eligible for federal school-lunch dollars. An overhaul of the building’s fire and carbon monoxide detection systems cost more than $20,000, though Pierson hopes to get partial reimbursement through a grant.

Further, Rainbow Gardens didn’t have its license over the summer, so it wasn’t eligible for the state’s universal pre-K program for 3- to 5-year-olds, which provides subsidized tuition for families.

The good news for those who are opening early childhood programs in Vermont is that more help is on the way, thanks to Act 76, a sweeping childcare bill enacted earlier this year. The law calls for the state to invest an additional $125 million into the childcare system annually, paid for by a 0.44 percent payroll tax shared between employers and employees. The money will allow the state to increase its reimbursement rate to home and centerbased programs by 35 percent starting in January. It will also expand eligibility for financial childcare assistance for families starting in April 2024. By next October, families earning up to 575 percent of the federal poverty level — or $172,500 for a family of four — will be eligible for some assistance.

In order to help childcare programs prepare for the changes, the state will begin sending out monthly “readiness” payments beginning in late September. The payments — starting at between $60 and $75 per child, plus bonuses if a childcare program meets certain criteria — can be used for a range of initiatives, including teacher raises, renovations and program materials.

Aly Richards, CEO of Let’s Grow Kids, thinks that the new funding will begin to bolster the sector and that more people will start early childhood programs.

“The whole point of this bill is to make it easier to start running a childcare,” Richards said. “This is a sustainable, systemic improvement to the childcare sector that will last forever.”

Northfield resident Cara Gauthier, whose 2- and 4-year-old children started at Rainbow Gardens last week, is thankful that Pierson and Lively decided to take the risk of starting a childcare program before the bill’s provisions went into effect. She’d spent a year looking for childcare, and her kids attended two separate programs, which proved logistically difficult. Before that, she tried using a part-time nanny, which she found to be too expensive.

Gauthier said she feels lucky to have a new childcare program in her community that follows the Waldorf philosophy.

In spite of all the logistical hurdles he’s encountered to get Rainbow Gardens up and running, Pierson said, he hasn’t lost sight of why he wanted to start a childcare program in the first place. Kids are “our hope for the future,” he said.

In his view, that’s an investment worth making. ➆

WE JUST ENDED UP DIVING IN THE DEEP END.

BLAKE PIERSON

A Rainbow Gardens potluck

GOOD INVESTMENT

[Re “From Room 37 to Cell 17: A Young Man’s Path Through the Mental Health Care System Led to Prison — and a Fatal Encounter,” September 6]: Colin Flanders and Derek Brouwer have reported and crafted a remarkable piece of journalism that aims to find the story behind the story of Mbyayenge “Robbie” Mafuta and — as good journalism can do — to help comfort the afflicted. Seldom do newspapers today invest the resources for investigations, due to unfortunately dwindling finances as fewer people read (and support) these newspapers and fewer advertisers buys ads in them. So, it is commendable that Seven Days invested in this piece so that readers can have context and meaning rather than shallow cop beat coverage with sensational headlines.

Shawn Murphy PLATTSBURGH, N.Y.

ODE TO OPPENHEIMER

I thoroughly enjoyed [“Fission Accomplished,” August 30]. In an amazing coincidence, one of my neighbors, who is in her early eighties, had just been telling me about the Rieser family and “the day Oppenheimer came to Norwich”; the Rieser house is just up the hill from where

I then bought and read the BBC book of this series by Peter Goodchild. I even remember rummaging around in the basement of my college library, tracking down Oppenheimer’s obituary in the journal Nature. In 2005, I read (and have since reread) American Prometheus, Martin J. Sherwin and Kai Bird’s magisterial opus on Oppenheimer, and I was delighted when Christopher Nolan made the movie based largely on the book.

As a (retired) scientist myself, I find the contemporaneous vilification of science extraordinarily frustrating and depressing. The way Anthony Fauci was politically harassed during the COVID-19 pandemic was so disturbing and, in some ways, reminiscent of how Oppenheimer was treated during the communist fear era of the 1950s. It seems that human nature never fails to disappoint.

Thanks again for a terrific article, which I will happily be sharing with my neighbor.

Brendan Classon NORWICH

‘DEADLY STATUS QUO’

Thanks for [“From Room 37 to Cell 17: A Young Man’s Path Through the Mental Health Care System Led to Prison — and a Fatal Encounter,” September 6]. The article highlights the glaring insu ciency of long-term creative alternative treatment for a man su ering from obvious severe mental illness.

At no time in his yearslong series of encounters with the health care and public safety systems did Robbie Mafuta get the kind of significant intervention he needed. Why is there not a therapeutic ombudsman in these kinds of potentially dangerous cases who derives authority from a judge to intervene and liaise with intensive inpatient treatment? Where is there a multifaceted therapeutic community equipped to apply creative approaches to healing such grievous severe PTSD and schizoid disorders?

which unconscionably (and expensively) relies on imprisonment as the default answer to horrible human tragedy and trauma. Putting resources into early intensive treatment instead of long-term incarceration is a no-brainer.

Michael Caldwell NORTH WOLCOTT

‘PUTIN’S PUPPET’

The Bread and Puppet Theater article [“Circus of Life,” August 30] deftly ignored Peter Schumann’s anti-Ukraine position. The photo captioned “Peter Schumann playing violin” is from the act about the war in Ukraine, but it receives no mention.

Bread and Puppet portrays Russian aggression against Ukraine as the fault of the “empire puppet of NATO.” For all of his artistic creativity, Schumann can’t get out of a simplistic view that Russia is good and the U.S. is bad.

Schumann’s myopic mindset shows a disconcerting ignorance of the history behind the conflict in Ukraine and gives a pass to the genocidal and territorial ambitions of an indicted war criminal.

Vladimir Putin is a 21st-century Adolf Hitler. And it bears remembering that Hitler was only stopped through military defeat.

It is the hypocrisy of Bread and Puppet that is most offensive — claiming the high ground of concern for civilians killed in conflicts around the world as part of its political theater while ignoring massive war crimes in Ukraine. It is not just Schumann who is complicit but the entire troupe.

A Ukrainian socialist, Alona Liasheva, states it clearly: “I know the left tends to look for a nefarious U.S. plot behind everything … [but] in the case of Ukraine, it’s far simpler than many on the left think. Ukraine was attacked by an imperialist army, and as a result we are in a struggle to defend our lives and our very right to exist as a sovereign nation … This is not an abstract question for us.”

Schumann is Putin’s puppet, to be sure.

Barbara Felitti HUNTINGTON

HELP THOSE IN CRISIS

A deep thank-you to Derek Brouwer and Colin Flanders for their thoroughly researched, reality-based and compassionate feature article on Mbyayenge Mafuta [“From Room 37 to Cell 17: A Young Man’s Path Through the Mental Health Care System Led to Prison — and a Fatal Encounter,” September 6].

In January 2021, I attended a police commission meeting during which his interaction with the police was discussed. In a poem, I acknowledged the anguish of a young Black man saying, “Don’t touch me!” as he is accosted and tased by police, knowing well his danger in such interactions.

I live. Presumably this was the occasion in 1963 when he was hosted at Dartmouth College by Leonard Rieser. My neighbor also recalls attending a J. Robert Oppenheimer lecture at the University of California, Los Angeles in 1964.

I first became interested in Oppenheimer in college after watching the 1980 BBC/WGBH TV series with Sam Waterston as Oppenheimer. I thought he gave a very credible and impressive performance.

Not much is mentioned in the media about the profound impact documented by the application of psychedelic and other alternative therapies. Maybe Colin Flanders and Derek Brouwer could follow up with a report on an upcoming conference at Spruce Peak in Stowe: Soulquinox: Psychedelic Science and Spirituality Conference. Remarkable statistics are emerging about the healing gained from these therapies by, for example, veterans of war diagnosed with PTSD.

Something is terribly amiss in a supposedly open-minded state, remiss to o er alternatives to the deadly status quo,

Now, two and a half traumatic years later, Mafuta is confined at Southern State Correctional Facility — who knows for how long. Will his mental health be stabilized on antipsychotic medications while he is in a restrictive environment, which is apparently needed for some time to control his schizophrenia?

Will he meet compassionate people who can give him the paternal love he never had and help him deal, through therapy and reparative justice, with the damage done to him and the damage he has done?

Thanks for those folks who value the lives of people with mental illness and tried to help Mafuta.

Let’s invest in systems that actively engage teams of therapists, clinicians, family members, friends and programs such as restorative justice to help others in crisis.

Sylvia Knight BURLINGTON

J. Robert Oppenheimer

ED

WESTCOTT/DOE DIGITAL ARCHIVE

lifelines

OBITUARIES

Timothy Swanson

APRIL 6, 1975JULY 12, 2023

SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT.

Timothy Baker Swanson, 48, of South Burlington, took his own life on July 12, 2023, after many months of intolerable depression and anxiety, thoughtfully weighing his own need for peace with the sorrow that it would inflict upon his family and friends.

Tim was born in Minnesota on April 6, 1975, the son of Ernest Swanson and Hope Baker Carr. When he turned 1, the family moved to Appleton, Wis., where his love of music became evident. He joined the Appleton Boy Choir and started Suzuki violin lessons. In 1985, his family moved to Mendon, Vt., where he attended Barstow Memorial School. rough various activities there and a great music program, he flourished and played violin solos at nearly every school assembly, bringing all the mothers to tears with his musicality. For several summers, he performed and sang with the Green Mountain Guild at Killington Playhouse in productions of e Sound of Music (playing Kurt, one of the seven von Trapp children), e Music Man and Oliver

Tim joined the Burlingtonbased Vermont Youth Orchestra in eighth grade and remained a member for five years. At Mill River Union High School, Tim played soccer, joined the ski team, and performed in various dramatic productions and choral groups. He graduated in 1993. At the University of Vermont, Tim joined the college’s orchestra and continued his violin studies with Evelyn Read. He graduated from UVM in 2000 with a degree in political science and a minor in sociology.

After college, Tim spent five years in New York City, at U.S. News & World Report and Global Home Loans and Finance. He returned to Burlington in 2006 and held different positions at RealPage and Allscripts, where he did computer

OBITUARIES, VOWS, CELEBRATIONS

software support and troubleshooting for customers. Eventually he founded VT Painting Company so that he could serve as owner/ manager and painter until he was able to recruit others to work with him. Tim also pursued working with children (which he loved) at various points in his adult life, first as a substitute teacher, then as a ski instructor for the weekend children’s program at Sugarbush Ski Area. After completing Suzuki teacher training, he also gave violin lessons to children of all ages for quite a few years.

Tim’s greatest and most consistent enjoyment as an adult was playing his violin. Early on, he made a decision to branch out from his classical music training to compose, improvise and play a variety of pieces, from folk and contemporary music to bluegrass and hip-hop, and then to find a group to play with. He accompanied his childhood friend and guitarist Sean Ryan regularly, but, upon his return to Burlington, he met and joined the Beerworth Sisters, often with Joshua Glass on the keyboard. ey played and sang together for numerous weddings and other gigs over the years.

Last fall, he joined the Me2/ Orchestra, returning to his classical roots and surprising himself with how much he loved playing in an orchestra again. A few months later, he joined a bluegrass band called Minced Oats, enthusiastically taking on the challenge of learning a new musical style. His violin playing was hauntingly beautiful and brought a level of emotional depth to whatever he took part in.

Over the years, Tim was always present and enjoyed many different family gatherings, from the days as a child when he stayed with his grandparents in Yarmouth and Freeport, Maine, and went for sails — and even overnights — on his grandfather’s sailboat. ere were anksgivings, Christmases and summer gatherings with aunts and uncles and his four cousins (all boys), including the times when the whole Carr family rented large houses on the ocean at Red Roof on Gloucester’s Eastern Point and on Lovell’s Cove in Harpswell, Maine.

Tim will be remembered as an incredibly talented violinist and musician; a kind and loyal friend; an animal lover; an amazing skier; a hard worker; and a thoughtful, articulate, and intelligent person. He was loved by many, and he will be sorely missed.

Tim is survived by his mother, Hope Baker-Carr, and his brother, Andrew Swanson, both of Burlington, Vt.; his aunts and uncles, Sarah Carr of Great Barrington, Mass., Stephen E. Carr and Kathryn Carr of Newburyport, Mass., and Carla Swanson LeMar of South Pasadena, Fla.; four Carr cousins and spouses; and one Swanson cousin. Tim was predeceased by his father, Ernest Swanson, of Paris, Maine, in 2020, and his uncle, Frederick Carr Jr., of omaston, Maine, in 2023, and both sets of grandparents.

A celebration of life will be held at Shelburne’s All Souls Interfaith Gathering at 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 7, 2023. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Me2/ Orchestra: Classical Music for Mental Health at me2music.org, or another organization of your choice. In addition, there will be a concert with Tim’s groups, a “Tribute to Tim Swanson, featuring the Beerworth Sisters, Minced Oats and Sean Ryan,” at the Shelburne Vineyard from 5 to 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, October 8. Proceeds from this show will be donated to the Me2/ Orchestra.

Ann Logie Smallwood

OCTOBER 7, 1929SEPTEMBER 3, 2023 SHELBURNE, VT.

Ann Smallwood, 93, passed away peacefully with her family by her side on Sunday, September 3, 2023, after living in independent living at Wake Robin in Shelburne, Vt., since 2001.

Ann was born in Montclair, N.J., on October 7, 1929, the daughter of James and Dorothy Logie. After graduating from Montclair High School, she attended Smith College and graduated in 1951. at September, she married Frank Smallwood, who predeceased her in 2013.

Ann’s life was full of family, friendship and a quest for learning, as well as a love for travel, the arts, music and gardening. Ann and Frank raised their family in Norwich, Vt., and lived in their home for almost 30 years — a house that Ann designed — before they relocated to the Burlington area in 1991. Other places that Ann and Frank called home for extended periods were England, Greece and Washington, D.C. As avid travelers, they spent many weeks each year for almost 50 years in her beloved Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands.

Ann cherished time with family, organizing many family reunions over the years. She also had a fulfilling career. She began working after college at the Design School in Cambridge, Mass. When the children were teenagers, Ann went back to school and received her master’s degree in education from the University of Vermont. She worked for many years as an assistant dean of students at Dartmouth College, an opportunity that allowed her to support and mentor young adults. She held an interim deputy director position at the Hood Museum at Dartmouth, volunteered and served as chair of the board of the

Fleming Museum at UVM, helped with the recent Pierson Library renovation, and was very involved in many committees and activities at Wake Robin, including the Gentry Lectureship and the art selection committees.

Ann truly cherished the gift of friendship and joy so many gave to her. When asked to describe Ann, her friends offered the following: “She was an individual of exceptional grace, elegance, intelligence and generosity of spirit.” “She had a particular talent for making people feel deeply heard and genuinely appreciated.”

Ann was very generous and active with many local nonprofit organizations.

Ann and Frank established the Smallwood Family Scholarship Endowment Fund at the Stern Center for Language and Learning in Williston, Vt. She was also a passionate supporter of the Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival and was proud that the family

donated the beautiful music sound shell in Frank’s memory, used onstage at the festival.

Ann is survived by her four children: her daughter Susan and her husband, Warren M.S. Ernst, of Dallas, Texas; her daughter Sandy and her husband, Don Rendall, of South Burlington; her son Dave and his wife, Patti (Sullivan), of Essex Junction; and her son Don of South Hero. She was known as “Mia” to her beloved 10 grandchildren and their spouses/partners: Joshua and Kathryn, David and Ariana, Sam and Emilie, Katherine and Ryan, Annie and Matt, Stephanie and Mike, Sarah and Walt, Carrie and Andrew, Derek and Maura, and Kendra and Tristan; as well as her 10 great-grandchildren, Lydia, Nila, Teddy, Kate, Aza, Arthur, Margot, Oliver, Riley and Blaine. Ann is also survived by her brother Jim Logie and her sister Jane Logie Whitley.

e family would like to express special thanks to Dr. Gene Moore and the staff at Wake Robin. ose wishing to remember Ann with a gift, please contribute to the Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival (LCCMF), the Stern Center for Language and Learning, or a nonprofit of your choice.

A circle of remembrance will be held at All Souls Interfaith Gathering in Shelburne, Vt., on Saturday, October 14, at 2 p.m.

lifelines

OBITUARIES

Craig Chevrier

SEPTEMBER 19, 1969SEPTEMBER. 1, 2023

HINESBURG, VT.

Craig Michael Chevrier of Hinesburg, Vt., passed away unexpectedly on Friday, September 1, 2023. He was 53.

After living in both the Albany and Boston areas, Craig moved to Hinesburg in 2002 to create a home and start a family with his soon-to-be wife, Laura. He was the first in his family to receive an undergraduate degree, earning both a BA in journalism and public relations from Utica College and an MA in political and organizational communication from SUNY Albany. He excitedly shared his digital and marketing strategy expertise with entities in which he believed.

Craig was a passionate civic participant and worked tirelessly in pursuit of efforts to support social justice and sustainability. His work supported numerous causes that were important to him, such as education, the environment and a well-functioning democratic society. He was a founding member of the Vermont Green Party. Additionally, he served on the Hinesburg Land Trust board of directors from 2004 to 2008. As an active board member, he played a critical role in several key

land conservation projects — most notably, in the complex conservation project involving over 600 acres of farmland, wetlands and forest, of which 300 acres were conveyed to the Town of Hinesburg as the LaPlatte Headwaters Town Forest.

Craig was not only passionate about the ecological and agricultural values of conservation, he was also a strong advocate for people and the critical importance of public access to natural areas.

Craig helped with many board activities including organizing public outdoor events and speaking and writing on behalf of conservation. His famous chili was part of the Hinesburg Land Trust’s first Stone Soup Supper and was enthusiastically consumed. After leaving the board, Craig continued his dedication to conservation, evident in his close attention to stewardship of the town forest and the protection of the Indiana bats.

Craig cherished time with his wife, Laura, to whom he was joyfully dedicated for over 20 years, and his son, Brendan, born in 2007. ose closest to Craig were consistently reminded of the love, delight and connection he had with Brendan. Golf, skiing, music and so many other activities filled their days since Brendan was born.

Craig’s pleasure in creating a life of activity and contribution to the world

with his son was only outweighed by his pride in seeing Brendan grow into a kind, smart, funny and respectful loving young man.

Craig was an avid reader — consuming several books a week — and a music lover. He was always at the ready with a recommendation for a book or new music. Craig cared deeply about his family and friends and showed his love through attentive gifts, trip and concert planning, and a unique generosity he tailored for the wide array of individuals that surrounded him in his life for decades. He loved to garden and cook and hoped to one day open his own establishment to share that joy with others.

Craig was born September 19, 1969, in Lynn, Mass. He is survived by his wife, Laura Carotenuto; son, Brendan; mother, Barbara Trott; sister, Colleen Laffan (Eddy); brother, Adam Trott; and nephews and nieces, Zachary, Fiona, Natalie, Max and Amanda.

Upon the wishes of the deceased, there will be no formal services. A celebration of life will be held on September 23, beginning at 3 p.m., at his home at 1314 Gilman Rd., Hinesburg. All who knew Craig are invited to join and share their memories of a life well lived. ose wishing to support the family are kindly asked to consider a contribution to a fund, gofund.me/0a1cc799, that will be used for Brendan’s ongoing educational and extracurricular activities, which were of paramount importance to Craig. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Hinesburg Land Trust, P.O. Box 137, Hinesburg, VT 05461.

Want to memorialize a loved

lifelines

Andrew Brown

JANUARY 3, 1947SEPTEMBER 3, 2023 WINOOSKI, VT.

Andrew Barry Brown Jr., 76, of Winooski, Vt., passed away, surrounded by his family, on September 3, 2023, after battling melanoma.

Andy was born on January 3, 1947, to Rhoda (Bassett) and Andrew B. Brown in Bay Shore, N.Y. Because his father served in the U.S. Army, Andy spent his childhood moving with his family within the United States and places overseas, such as Japan and Germany. e family eventually settled in Bakersfield, Vt.

Andy graduated from high school from Brigham Academy in 1965 and went on to study mathematics at Johnson State College.

After graduating with a degree in mathematics, Andy started his first teaching job at St. Albans Town School in 1972, where he taught for over 37 years until his retirement. During that time. Andy earned a master’s degree in math education from the University of Vermont. After retirement, because of his love of math and lifelong learning, he became an instructor at CCV, where he helped students learn algebra. roughout Andy’s life, he shared his view of the world around him through photography. His images captured his love for his family and his special places — the beach and times in nature. When Andy retired, he furthered his photography art by practicing digital painting, using his photographs as a base for the work. He was a member of the Northern Vermont Artist Association.

Andy married Sandy Hall in 1979 in St. Albans. ey resided in the wonderful Windtop neighborhood in Fairfax, where their two children, Courtney and Megan, spent their childhoods until moving on to college. Since 2009, Sandy and Andy enjoyed life in the town of Winooski.

Andy lived his life with his family as the focus. He attended all of his daughters’ sports activities and school events and continued to participate in his grandkids’ activities. He instilled in his daughters his love of family, the environment and learning. Many summer vacations were spent in Maine or Cape Cod, enjoying the ocean. Andy loved family adventures, such as the cross-country camping trip from Vermont to California, with everyone packed into the Camry.

Andrew was predeceased by his parents and brother, Charlie Brown. He is survived by his wife, Sandy; daughter Courtney Laflin and her husband, Jeremy, and their daughters, Clara and Isabelle (Rockledge, Fla.); daughter Megan Klinefelter, her husband, Bob, and their son, Tommy (Essex, Vt.). He is also survived by his sister, Charlotte Sue Langreich, and brothers Walter, Warren, Carlton, Greg (Dale), Jerry (Sue) and Noel (Maureen). Andy is also survived by several much-loved nieces, nephews and cousins.

In honor of his lifelong commitment of taking care of the Earth and the environment, Andy chose a green burial. A memorial celebration of Andy’s life will be scheduled at a later date. e family wants to thank Dr. Rehman and her oncology team, the Miller 5 nursing staff, and the UVM Home Health and Hospice team.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Vermont Public, 365 Troy Ave., Colchester, VT 05446, or the McClure Miller Respite House, UVM Home Health & Hospice Development Office, 1110 Prim Rd., Colchester, VT 05446, or any environmental initiative.

Honored to be serving the family of Andrew Brown is the Heald Funeral Home, where messages of condolences are welcome at healdfuneralhome.com.

Louvenia Dorsey Bright

NOVEMBER 21, 1941JULY 29, 2023

SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT.

Louvenia Dorsey Bright passed away peacefully on Saturday, July 29, 2023.

Louvenia was born to Emma Mae Lee and Harold Dorsey in Chicago, Ill., on November 21, 1941. She spent her early and teen years in Robbins, Ill., and Niles, Mich., respectively. She later moved to Detroit, where she graduated with honors from Detroit Eastern High School.

Louvenia graduated from Highland Park Junior College in Highland Park, Mich. She then became a school secretary in the Highland Park Public School District. In 1961, she began studies at Wayne State University in Detroit, where she majored in business education, graduating in 1965.

In 1963, she married Dr. William E. Bright II, and the two served from 1965 to 1967 in the Peace Corps in the Philippines, where she taught at Philippine Normal College in Manila.

Upon returning to the United States, she taught business education at Highland Park High School. She also returned to Wayne State University, earning a master’s in education in 1971. That same year, she and her family moved to Burlington, Vt.

In Vermont, Louvenia earned a certificate of advanced studies in education administration at the University of Vermont. She was also active in her community, teaching business education at Colchester High School and Burlington High School and serving in many leadership capacities, including as vice president of the Black Professionals Network of Vermont; as a gender/ equity consultant to the Rural Education Center; and as a member of the Vermont State Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, the Minority Women’s Business Partnership and the local NAACP chapter.

In 1988, she was elected to the Vermont State House of Representatives and served three terms, representing the city of South Burlington. She was the first African American woman — and, in fact, the first woman of color — to serve in the Vermont state legislature.

Levi Carter

JUNE 12, 1981-AUGUST 29, 2023 ESSEX, VT.

As a state representative, Louvenia led the fight for race and gender equity, inclusion, and opportunity, serving as ranking member of the Health and Welfare Committee, where she stewarded passage of Vermont’s first Parental and Family Leave Act. She also served on the Government Operations Committee.

In 2021, local NAACP chapters in Vermont established the Bright Leadership Institute in her honor as a multistage training program for BIPOC Vermonters running for any level of public office or taking on community leadership roles. This fall, she will also be honored by Emerge Vermont with a lifetime achievement award for her political work in the state.

She was a member of the Burlington First United Methodist Church, serving in the church school and on the education commission.

In 1995, she retired and moved to Alexandria, Va. In 2011, she continued her retirement, with her husband, in Park Forest, Ill., where she was a faithful and active member of the Flossmoor Community Church.

Louvenia is survived by her husband of 60 years, Dr. William E. Bright II; her children, William E. Bright III, his spouse, Lauren Bright, and children Aaron and Erik; and Rebecca Louvenia Bright Pugh, her husband, Preston Pugh, and children Alexia and Kendyl. She is also survived by her siblings Carryle Kidder, Earl Dorsey and Nancy Gavin, as well as countless nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her parents, Emma Mae Lee and Harold Dorsey, and siblings Cecelia Jackson, Sherryle Allen and Harold Dorsey.

Memorial services and charitable donations in honor of Louvenia’s memory will be announced at a later date.

Harry “Levi” Carter left this earthly world on August 29, 2023, after losing his battle with congestive heart failure. He was born on June 12, 1981, to Harry Carter and Anne Marie Paquette. After the death of his mother when he was 8, he and his brother, Shawn, moved to Saint Croix to live with their Aunt Laurie and eventually ended up back in Vermont as teens, where they spent the remainder of their lives.

Levi was a consummate chef, a love that he inherited from his beloved Uncle Joe. Levi attended Colchester High School while working nearly full time at Vermont Pub & Brewery. He continued to grow his culinary knowledge by attending the New England Culinary Institute. His big break as a chef came when Doug Simms brought him on as the head chef of the Clover House Restaurant, and, later, they moved on together to the Lighthouse Restaurant. He was a master in his field and shared his creations at other area restaurants, including Shelburne Steakhouse, Barkeaters, Harrison’s and Idletyme — just to name a few — and he was featured multiple times in Seven Days and the Burlington Free Press After suffering a heart attack in

Henry Sisters

NOVEMBER 8, 1931AUGUST 28, 2023

ESSEX JUNCTION, VT.

Henry J. Sisters, of Essex Junction, Vt., passed away peacefully on Monday, August 28, at the McClure Miller Respite House after a short illness.

He was born in Huntington, Vt., in 1931 to Henry and Grace Shattuck Sisters. He graduated from Vergennes High School in 1950 and then enlisted in the Air Force for four years. In 1955, he married Patricia Little. He then attended New Hampshire Technical College for two years. In 1957, he was hired by IBM in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., before transferring to Essex

November of last year, Levi ventured out on his own and started Carter’s Keto Kitchen with his Uncle Joe. Throughout his career, Levi mentored and passed along his expertise to countless other chefs. He certainly wasn’t an easy chef to work under, but anyone he has taught has the utmost respect for him and what they learned.

Levi was a free spirit. Besides making mouthwatering meals, he loved live music, his books, going fishing and the Miami Dolphins. But Levi’s greatest loves were his two daughters. He may not have been the perfect dad or always did the right thing, but he loved them both unconditionally and was so proud of them. They were by far his most treasured creation. Levi struggled with periods of depression — especially after the loss of his brother, Shawn, in 2016 — but telling people about his two girls always brought back the light. He is survived by his father, Harry Carter, of Burlington; his niece, Marlee Carter, of Milton; his aunts and uncles Laurie Turner of Florida, Mary (Uriah) Paquette and Sara (Tony) SomervilleAiken of Colchester, Paul (Lori) Somerville of Milton, and his special aunt and uncle, JoAnne Paquette of Pennsylvania and Joe (Lisa) Paquette of Essex, who considered him more of a son than a nephew. He is also survived by his best friend of close

to 40 years, James and Charlotte Bushey and their daughters, Hailey and Addison; as well many cousins — especially his close cousins Wesley Williamson, Bridget Paquette and Hannah Yuric; and countless friends. He was predeceased by his brother, mother, and his favorites, Grandma Ruth Carter and Grandma Mary Somerville.

He lives on in his daughters Saebryn Carter and her mother, Mary Dearborn, of Bristol and Rowan Carter and her mom, Heidi Hausler, and her son, Axel, of South Burlington. Saebryn will cherish her memories of helping him in the various kitchens and has the honor of being the first person to ever get Levi onto a Ferris wheel. Rowan will miss her daddy’s lasagna birthday cake and having him wrapped around her little finger. Axel will fondly remember going fishing with Levi and used to laugh when Levi would tell his mother what an awful cook she was. No words can take away the loss of a father at a young age; only time will heal their pain.

A celebration of Levi’s life, officiated by his Uncle Paul Somerville, will be held Tuesday, September 19, 11 a.m., at the Cornerstone Community Church, 26 Bombardier Rd., Milton, with a reception to follow at the Lighthouse Restaurant, Mountain View Dr., Colchester.

If you would like to donate in his memory, a GoFundMe has been set up for his children: gofund.me/222c5868.

A special thank-you to Minor Funeral Home in Milton for helping to navigate through this difficult time and to Jonnaca Bushey and Doug Simms for graciously taking care of the reception.

Jeffrey and his wife, Diane, and John and his wife, Aidan; his grandchildren, Nathanial, Trenton and Shayla Sisters, and Summer and River Billings. He was predeceased by his mother and father and his eight older siblings — six sisters and two brothers.

Junction, Vt., where he worked for 33 years. In 1965, he built a home in Essex Junction, where he and Pat raised their four sons.

Henry enjoyed hunting and fishing at his camp in Ferrisburgh, playing golf, camping and boating with

his family, and attending his sons’ and grandsons’ hockey games. Most of all, he enjoyed spending time with his family. He will be greatly missed by all.

He is survived by his loving wife of 68 years, Pat; his four sons, Stephen, Todd,

Henry’s family wishes to thank all the caring staff and nurses at the McClure Miller Respite House who cared for him during his final days. Memorial donations can be made in his memory to the McClure Miller Respite House in Colchester.

There will be a graveside service for family and friends at the Gage Cemetery in Ferrisburgh at a later date.

SCENE CHANGE

It’s a season of transition in Vermont performing arts

BY SEVEN DAYS STAFF

DANCE

MOMIX: Alice

Tuesday, October 24, 7:30 p.m., Flynn Main Stage, Burlington, $19-59.

Moses Pendleton grew up on a Lyndonville dairy farm and would spend time in the summer showing his family’s Holsteins at the Caledonia County Fair. If that sounds like an unusual backstory for a worldrenowned dancer and choreographer, it is. But since Pendleton graduated from Dartmouth College in 1971, his career has only grown curiouser and curiouser.

Kurt Thoma had been on the job for all of three months when calamity struck.

In April, he was installed as executive director of the Barre Opera House, taking over from longtime director Dan Casey. Casey had helmed the theater for almost two decades, including keeping it afloat through a pandemic that crippled the performing arts worldwide. When he handed the reins to Thoma, the opera house seemed on solid

we

opera house, which occupies the second and third floors of Barre City Hall, was spared significant damage. But just steps away, much of the Granite City’s downtown was not so lucky.

“If you looked out the window, there was a lake covering Main Street,” Thoma recalled.

While the opera house itself was OK, the community it serves was devastated. Thoma scrambled to find ways to help in the aftermath. He distributed cases of water left over from last season to volunteers shoveling muck. He loaned an industrial fan to a nearby business. Still, he said, those gestures felt like little more than “moral support.” What, he wondered, could the performing arts center do to make a real di erence in the face of such tragedy?

Days later, he received a call from Lost Nation Theater lighting designer Samuel Biondolillo. The community theater company in neighboring Montpelier was mere days away from mounting its production of The Addams Family when the floodwaters rose. Lost Nation’s home theater, Montpelier City Hall Auditorium, was badly damaged, Biondolillo explained, leaving the musical’s future in doubt.

“Before he could even get the question out, I said, ‘Sam, the answer is yes. Please use our theater,’” Thoma said.

The opera house charged Lost Nation the “bare minimum” to rent the space — essentially basic operating costs, according to Thoma. Just over a week later, more than 1,000 people attended two performances of the musical in Barre.

“What was so heartwarming for me was to see the love and the energy from the audience to be able to come and see their friends or families,” Thoma said, “or just to see a show in the midst of the mud and muck still covering most of downtown.”

Another Montpelier arts organization whose usual stage was flooded, Capital City Concerts, used the Barre Opera House last week and may again in October.

“I’m glad that we have been able, as a performing arts center, to support folks in the community by doing what we do,” Thoma said. While Barre’s story is a particularly dramatic example, performing arts organizations around the state are back to doing what they do, finally emerging in earnest from the long shadow of the pandemic. There’s a celebratory air about Vermont theaters this fall, as evidenced by the Flynn’s first few September shows. Last week kicked o with the starstudded Hug Your Farmer flood-relief benefit, a Main Stage concert by Broadway legend Audra McDonald and an expanded version of the Burlington theater’s Playing Fields show, which toured high schools around the state.

It’s also a transitional time for many local performing arts venues. Thoma is not the only factory-fresh director. In February, Chloe Powell took over as the head of the Chandler Center for the Arts in Randolph — which, coincidentally, Thoma ran in the early 2000s. Powell replaces Karen Dillon, who is staying on in a newly created position, development director.

In Stowe, Seth Soloway was announced last week as the new head of Spruce Peak Arts. He comes from Nashville, where he was the associate dean for presenting and external relations at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music. Prior to that, he was the artistic director of the Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts.

Face-lifts extend beyond personnel at several area theaters. This summer, Middlebury’s Town Hall Theater unveiled plans for an ambitious $7.5 million, 7,000-square-foot expansion with a goal of transforming the theater into a regional performing arts center. Construction is expected to begin this fall.

Farther south, Rutland’s Paramount Theatre is in the midst of its own multimillion-dollar expansion, due to be completed in 2024. And just over the border in New Hampshire, the Lebanon Opera House is closed for renovations through December in advance of its centennial next year.

Of course, the changes patrons care most about can be found onstage. At the Flynn, executive director Jay Wahl, hired in 2021, and new programming director Matt Rogers are putting their imprint on the marquee. The number of shows at the state’s

Pendleton is the founder and artistic director of MOMIX, a Connecticut-based company whose dazzling productions blend an array of disciplines, from dance to gymnastics to mime, into mind-bending feasts for the senses. To witness any MOMIX performance is to slip down a rabbit hole as disorienting as it is delightful. So it’s only natural that Pendleton’s latest work is inspired by a disorienting and delightful staple of fantastical literature, Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

MOMIX’s Alice is less a retelling of Carroll’s surrealist classic than it is a reinvention. In the same way Alice shrinks and grows as she navigates Wonderland, Pendleton’s dancers expand and contract with the help of props, ropes and even other dancers. Also inspired by Je erson Airplane’s psychedelic 1967 hit “White Rabbit,” the show o ers a kaleidoscopic fusion of dance, lights, music, costumes and projections.

As Broadway World reviewer Cindy Sibilsky wrote of the production, “Like a hallucination or fever dream, it’s a feat of artistic achievement that almost seems unreal, but that’s what makes its excellence all the more astonishing.”

Or as Grace Slick sang, “Feed your head.”

Also try…

RICHARD MOVE & MOVEOPOLIS! HERSTORY OF THE UNIVERSE@ DARTMOUTH, Friday September 15, 4 p.m.; and Saturday, September 16, and Sunday, September 17, 2 p.m., Hopkins Center for the Arts, Dartmouth Outing Club House, Hanover, N.H., $18-30.

WORLD BALLET SERIES: CINDERELLA, Saturday, September 23, 7 p.m., Flynn Main Stage, Burlington, $55-89.

INSPIRIT DANCE: WHAT WE ASK OF FLESH, ursday, November 9, and Friday, November 10, 7:30 p.m.; and Saturday, November 11, 2 p.m., Mahaney Arts Center Dance eatre, Middlebury College, $5-25.

have been able, as a performing arts center, to support folks in the community by doing what we do.

KURT THOMA

D.B.

that

largest theater is approaching pre-pandemic levels, at least on the Main Stage. Its black-box Flynn Space is reawakening, too, after several years of dormancy.

Wahl highlighted the range of programming, not the volume, to Seven Days. Alongside big-ticket headliners such as Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt who cater to the Flynn’s older, bread-and-butter demographic, the playbill this year includes kids’ favorites Blippi and Wild Kratts, a provocative retelling of The Odyssey aimed at high schoolers, and a millennial-friendly screening of Napoleon Dynamite attended by the film’s stars.

To Wahl, the guiding question is “How do we make sure that, in every stage of life, the Flynn has a place for you?”

To piggyback on that sentiment: Whatever your age or inclination, Vermont likely has a stage for you. The 2023-24 performing arts season is loaded with shows all over the state to suit virtually every taste, from sophisticated chamber music to rambunctious rock and roll, elegant dance to gut-busting comedy, and highbrow theater to experimental fare that will leave you scratching your head (in a good way).

In the following pages, you’ll find highlights from the upcoming season in a range of disciplines. But they come with a caveat: This is just a sampling of the entertainment on tap in the months ahead. It’s meant as a starting point to help you find the performances that will move you. It’s up to you to get out there and experience the many splendors of the performing arts in Vermont.

Places, everyone. It’s showtime!

DAN BOLLES

JAZZ

Brandee Younger Trio

Friday, December 1, 7:30 p.m., Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, $5-25. Some folks believe that when you die and go to Heaven, angels herald your arrival in the clouds with harps. Sounds lovely, doesn’t it? But you don’t need to move on to the afterlife to enjoy an otherworldly harp serenade. Harpist Brandee Younger is revolutionizing the instrument right here on Earth.

Strumming in the footsteps of jazz harp trailblazers Dorothy Ashby and Alice Coltrane, Younger weaves together elements of classical music, soul, funk and jazz. “No harpist thus far has been more capable of combining all of the modern harp traditions — from Salzedo, through Dorothy Ashby, through Alice Coltrane — with such strength, grace and commitment,” saxophonist Ravi Coltrane, son of Alice and John Coltrane, told the New York Times.

Younger is a burgeoning star beyond the jazz world, having collaborated with the likes of Beyoncé, Lauryn Hill and John Legend. In 2022, she became the first Black woman to be nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Instrumental Composition category. She capped off the year with an NAACP Image Award nomination.

On her latest album, Brand New Life , Younger pushes her provocative approach even further while honoring her forebears, Ashby in particular. In reinterpreting her idol’s songs, Younger traces the lineage of hip-hop through Ashby’s groundbreaking post-bop work in the 1960s — rappers GZA, Mac Miller and Pete Rock have all sampled her work. The result is an album that places Younger at the vanguard not only of her instrument but of modern jazz itself.

“Many post-bop jazz records look to standards for inspiration,” Pitchfork’s Matthew Ismael Ruiz wrote of the album, “but few breathe such life into the legacy they inherit.”

Also try…

D.B.

KAVITA SHAH & CAPE VERDEAN BLUES, Friday, September 22, 7:30 p.m., University of Vermont Lane Series, UVM Recital Hall, Burlington, $6.50-34.

JAKE SHIMABUKURO , Friday, October 6, 7 p.m., Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, Stowe, $45-55.

TIME FOR THREE, Sunday, December 10, 7 p.m., Catamount Arts and KCP Presents, Fuller Hall, St. Johnsbury Academy, $16-56.

CIRCUS

Flip Fabrique: Blizzard

Wednesday, April 17, 7 p.m., KCP Presents, Alumni Gym, Vermont State University-Lyndon, Lyndonville, $16-56. A woman spins 12 Hula-Hoops around her body. Five people backflip in perfect unison. Two intertwined performers tumble from the sky, just one of them secured by aerial silks.

This is Flip Fabrique, a Québec-based circus troupe that tours the world telling stories through death-defying stunts. Its show Blizzard is a “love letter to Canadian winter,” cofounder Bruno Gagnon said, that evokes the nostalgia of a snow day when school is canceled.

In the show’s signature act, a performer bounces his back off a trampoline and hurtles toward a vertical wall that he appears to walk on. Such stunts “don’t seem humanly possible,” a New York Times reviewer wrote in 2015.

Gagnon started Flip Fabrique in 2011 with a group of friends after a five-year stint as an acrobat with Cirque du Soleil. The main difference between the two

circus companies? “The budget,” Gagnon said with a laugh. He added that Flip Fabrique takes a more poetic approach to circus performance. For example, its show Muse subverts gender roles through the story of a football player who wants to learn trapeze and become a drag queen.

Social commentary might not usually accompany acrobatics. But as a Fest magazine reviewer wrote, the show manages “to say more with breathtaking stunts and visual poetry than words ever could.”

HANNAH FEUER

Also try…

CHAMPIONS OF MAGIC, Friday, December 1, 7:30 p.m., Paramount Theatre, Rutland, $45-65.

STOMP, Tuesday, May 28, and Wednesday, May 29, 7:30 p.m., Paramount Theatre, Rutland, $35-55.

Rachel Mars: Your Sexts Are Shit: Older Better Letters

Thursday, February 29, and Friday, March 1, 7:30 p.m., Wright Theatre, Middlebury College, $5-25. Award-winning UK playwright Rachel Mars thinks your sexts could use some work. They’re short, impersonal and utterly lacking in literary merit. For example…

“I want to fuck you rabid,” followed by “Rachel! I meant Rachel!”

“Wow, congratulations on your penis.”

These are the real-life romantic sonnets of the modern era, taken from Mars’ one-woman show Your Sexts Are Shit: Older Better Letters But improvement is possible, and any aspiring writer ought to learn from the greats. Mars might recommend the writing of James Joyce, though probably not his novel Ulysses. In a lesser-known yet equally imaginative piece of writing, Joyce calls his future wife, Nora Barnacle, a “dirty little fuck bird.”

The historical equivalent of a sext, of course, is a raunchy love letter. In her show, Mars intersperses long-dead artists’ stirring dirty talk with far less eloquent messages from dating apps. The contrast informs Mars’ social commentary on how people express themselves and “a meditation on the construction of the queer female body,” according to her website.

Mars draws from the sexually explicit writings of a wide range of famous artists

and historical figures, including painters Georgia O’Keeffe and Frida Kahlo, first lady Eleanor Roosevelt, poets Charles Bukowski and Radclyffe Hall, and composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

“Oh my ass burns like fire!” Mozart wrote to his cousin Marianne.

“Never shying away from the tonguein-cheek humour of big brains getting their rocks off, Mars raises a toast to the human libido, elevating the carnal alongside the cerebral,” a reviewer wrote in Fest magazine. “In her hands, intimate human connection seems such a wondrous thing.”

Please, phones away — no sexting during the show.

H.F.

Also try…

THE WAIT WAIT STAND-UP TOUR, Friday, December 1, 8 p.m., Flynn Main Stage, Burlington, $41-109.25.

M’BALIA SINGLEY: TURN, Friday, December 1, and Saturday, December 2, 7:30 p.m., Flynn Space, Burlington, $30.

SARA SCHAEFER: GOING UP, Friday, January 26, and Saturday, January 27, 7 and 9 p.m., Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, $20.

ROOTS

Robert Mirabal

Saturday, October 14, 7 p.m., Chandler Center for the Arts, Randolph, $10-45.

Robert Mirabal’s music pulls inspiration from an unusual medley of genres. He fuses traditional Native American flute melodies, drumming and chanting with contemporary rock, folk, hip-hop, African and techno music. The resulting sound, as New York City’s Village Voice described it, is an “intoxicating swirl.”

Mirabal’s unconventional combination has found mainstream success. Major record labels have represented the Pueblo musician, who has two Grammy nominations under his belt and was twice named the Native American Music Awards’ Artist of the Year. In a breakout moment for the artist, Mirabal’s concert video Music From a Painted Cave was featured in a 2001 PBS special.

Popular recognition has never stopped Mirabal from experimenting. He composed his 1995 album Land for Japanese dance duo Eiko and Koma, whose slow-moving style earned both of them MacArthur “Genius” grants.

Even with contemporary influences, Mirabal’s work draws heavily from his Indigenous roots. Growing up on tribal land in Taos Pueblo, N.M., Mirabal learned to play clarinet, saxophone, piano and drums at the Pueblo Indian School. But he found his musical calling in flute at age 18, when he bought the instrument with a modest loan from his grandmother.

“My music is infused with all the ceremonial music that I’ve heard all my life,” Mirabal said in an interview with the School for Advanced Research in Santa Fe, N.M. “What I create comes out of my body and soul, in a desire to take care of the spirits of the earth.”

Also try…

MALI OBOMSAWIN, Friday, September 29, 7 p.m., Flynn Space, Burlington, $25.

What are you doing for Hunger

Saturday,

H.F.

ABLAYE CISSOKO & CYRILLE BROTTO, Friday, October 6, 7:30 p.m., University of Vermont Lane Series, UVM Recital Hall, Burlington, $6.50-39.50.

SMALL ISLAND BIG SONG, Friday, March 8, 7:30 p.m., Wilson Hall, Middlebury College, $5-25.

SPOKEN WORD

Henry Rollins: Good to See You 2023

Saturday, September 23, 7:30 p.m., Paramount eatre, Rutland, $30-40. Henry Rollins has been a lot of things to a lot of people. Whether as a front man for punk legends Black Flag and the Rollins Band, an actor, a poet and motivational speaker, an author, or a host of his own TV show, Rollins is a modern Renaissance man.

In his sixties, he shows no signs of slowing down. The famously garrulous Rollins still prowls the stage on his spoken word tours, his tattoo-covered arms gesticulating wildly as he unleashes words at a million miles an hour. Yes, his hair has gone gray, and he refers to himself as a “dried-up old lizard” in his stage show. But as he covers everything from the death of his parents to the state of modern music to what he did during the pandemic — spoiler alert, it involves developing a competitive need to win eBay auctions — the waves of energy exploding from him show an artist every bit as vital as he was in his Black Flag days.

Despite the occasional foray back into the studio to record Christmas songs with William Shatner, Rollins has essentially retired from music. “At this point, I wouldn’t go back on stage with a band for anything,” he told the Guardian in an interview in March. “I didn’t want to become a human jukebox playing old songs, so I filled the space the band took with films and TV and now my shows, my radio show and writing.”

Also try…

PAULA POUNDSTONE, Saturday, September 16, 7:30 p.m., Paramount eatre, Rutland, $35-45; and Friday, April 5, 8 p.m., Barre Opera House, $28-46.

DAVID NIHILL: WE MY PEOPLE, Friday, September 29, and Saturday, September 30, 7:30 and 9:30 p.m., Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, $30.

DAVID SEDARIS, Saturday, April 20, 7 p.m., Paramount eatre, Rutland, $30-50.

Samirah Evans and Her Handsome Devils

Friday, October 13, 7:30 p.m., Town Hall eater, Middlebury, $27-32.

For more than a decade, Samirah Evans was one of New Orleans’ most sought-after blues and jazz singers. Starting in 1990, she was a regular performer at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival for 15 years. Her debut album, Give Me a Moment, was lauded by the New Orleans Times-Picayune as one of the top releases of 2002.

When Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005, Evans moved north and settled in her husband’s hometown of Brattleboro. She wasted no time forming a band and performing as Samirah Evans and Her Handsome Devils. In 2007 she released My Little Bodhisattva, followed by Hot Club: Live at the Vermont Jazz Center two years later.

When not belting out songs onstage, Evans is a teacher, passing on her love for the art. A faculty member at the Vermont Jazz Center in Brattleboro, Evans also teaches at Williams College in Williamstown, Mass., where she founded the “Ladies in Jazz” series to encourage collaborations between female singers and musicians.

“She makes each song her own by probing its essence and then imbuing it with her own, authentic, heartfelt personality,” Vermont Jazz Center director Eugene Uman wrote about Evans.

For Evans, who spent a decade programming jazz music at WWOZ 90.7 FM in New Orleans, it’s all about keeping the tradition alive. “As I further developed this skill [as a storyteller], it became apparent that I had the ability to take my audience along,” she said in an interview with the Vermont Arts Council in 2020. One of her chief goals as a musician, she added, is to “serve those who want to participate in carrying on the music.”

C.F.

Also try…

MOIRA SMILEY & THE RHIZOME QUARTET, Saturday, September 16, 7:30 p.m., Town Hall eater, Middlebury, $27-32.

SESSION AMERICANA, Sunday, October 15, 7 p.m., Highland Center for the Arts, Greensboro, $22.

SHEMEKIA COPELAND, ursday, November 2, 7 p.m., Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, Stowe, $35-45.

CHRIS FARNSWORTH

BLUES

Night of Noir: Hangover Square and Theremin Noir

Friday, October 20, 6 p.m., Lane Series, University of Vermont Recital Hall, Burlington, $61.50. Bernard Herrmann soundtracked some of the greatest noir films of all time. He notably composed scores for the Alfred Hitchcock films Psycho, Vertigo and Marnie, as well as the theremin-heavy music from the science fiction classic The Day the Earth Stood Still

A much more obscure piece of Herrmann’s work takes center stage at the University of Vermont Recital Hall in a collaboration of the Lane Series and the Vermont International Film Festival: a screening of the film Hangover Square. The 1945 film noir, directed by John Brahm and adapted from the Patrick Hamilton novel of the same name, features some of Herrmann’s best work — it inspired composer Stephen Sondheim after he saw it in the theater as a 16-year-old. Herrmann was also a giant influence on Sir George Martin. The Beatles producer often included musical homages to the composer, such as on the score for the song “Eleanor Rigby.”

After the film screening, Theremin Noir take the stage. Featuring Rob Schwimmer on the theremin and

Haken Continuum synthesizer, Uri Caine on piano, and Sara Caswell on violin, the quartet performs Herrmann’s music — a vast catalog that runs the gamut from Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane to the Martin Scorsese film Taxi Driver

It’s a one-night study of a composer who “knew how lovely the dark should be,” film critic David Thomson wrote in The New Biographical Dictionary of Film. “He was at his best in rites of dismay, dark dreams, introspection, and the gloomy romance of loneliness.”

C.F.

Also try…

JOHNNY GANDELSMAN: THIS IS AMERICA: PART I, Tuesday, September 26, 7:30 p.m., Hopkins Center for the Arts, Church of Christ at Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H., $18-30.

LE CONSORT, Thursday, February 22, 7:30 p.m., Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, $5-25.

VSO: THE HOLLYWOOD SOUND, Saturday, March 2, 7:30 p.m., Flynn Main Stage, Burlington, $8.35-59.

GAME SHOW

The Price Is Right Live

Tuesday, September 26, 7:30 p.m., Flynn Main Stage, Burlington, $39-229.

Generations of daytime TV viewers have tuned in to watch “The Price Is Right” and dreamed of sitting in the studio audience and hearing host Bob Barker call their name and shout, “Come on down!”

The chosen would then test their knowledge of the price of various consumer items and, if they were lucky, go home with whatever was behind the big door, be it a color TV, a trip to Hawaii, a new car or, on one occasion, a live elephant. (Believe it or not, the pachyderm wasn’t the show’s most impractical prize. The submarine or the Ferris wheel are tied for that honor.)

Now, the onstage version of TV’s longest-running game show in history is swinging through Burlington and giving Vermonters a chance to spin the Big Wheel and go for broke. Though Barker, the show’s host of 37 years, won’t be there — he died on August 26 at age 99 — the live, in-person event will have plenty of gifts and cash prizes to give away. Attendees who want a chance to be contestants should plan on getting to the theater early to sign up. After all, who couldn’t use a new submarine?

KEN PICARD

Also try…

GAME GRUMPS LIVE, Monday, October 9, 7 p.m., Flynn Main Stage, Burlington, $42.50-136.50.

POTTED POTTER: THE UNAUTHORIZED HARRY EXPERIENCE, Tuesday, October 31, 7:30 p.m., Flynn Main Stage, Burlington, $35-65. WHEEL OF FORTUNE LIVE, Wednesday, November 15, 8 p.m., Flynn Main Stage, Burlington, $41-171.

COUNTRY

Black Opry

Friday, February 9, 7:30 p.m., Barre Opera House, $35. In 1981, Frankie Staton walked into the Captain’s Table nightclub in Nashville and signed up for a midnight open-mic jam session. The Black singer-songwriter was looking to make it in a city famous for its white country singers. Ignored for hours, Staton was finally called to the stage at 2:30 a.m., where she performed Loretta Lynn’s “Coal Miner’s Daughter.” She received a standing ovation and an invitation to return the following night — this time, with her name on the marquee.

“Despite playing an integral part in the origins of country music, Black artists have been pushed to the margins of the genre,” notes the narrator in Joshua Kissi’s 2022 documentary, For Love & Country, about country musicians of color. “A new crop of artists is seeking to change that and reclaim their place on the country music charts.”

Staton, who’s featured in the documentary, has long been at the forefront of that movement. After a 1997 New York Times story claimed that diversity didn’t exist among country music performers and fans, Staton created the first Black Country Music Showcase. She’s since joined Black Opry, a musical revue founded in 2021 to highlight African American artists in country, roots, blues and Americana music. Staton brings her unique and soulful blend of piano and musical storytelling to the Barre Opera House for a one-night-only performance.

K.P.

Also try…

AMYTHYST KIAH, Saturday, September 30, 7 p.m., Catamount Arts and KCP Presents, Dibden Auditorium, Vermont State University, Johnson, $16-51.

BAB L’ BLUZ, Friday, October 13, 7 p.m., Chandler Center for the Arts, Randolph, $10-45.

RHONDA VINCENT, ursday, January 11, 7 p.m., Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, Stowe, $48-65.

COMEDY

Aparna Nancherla: Standup and Book Tour!

Wednesday, September 20, and Thursday, September 21, 7 p.m., Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, $25. Describing herself as modest and shy — a “scrunched-up napkin with recyclable dreams” — comedian and actor Aparna Nancherla wrote a book, Unreliable Narrator: Me, Myself and Impostor Syndrome, about her modesty and shyness. She then scheduled a book tour that’s also a standup routine about being, well, modest and shy.

The title of her memoir notwithstanding, there’s little that is unreliable or fake about this established comedic force whom Vulture described as “hyperintelligent ... and [one] who bristles against the mainstream because she seems to be so much smarter than the rest of us.”

Fans of late-night comedy and smart adult cartoons will undoubtedly recognize Nancherla’s work, if not her name. She’s appeared on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” on CBS, “Inside Amy Schumer” on Comedy Central and “The Great North” on Fox. She was a staff writer on NBC’s “Late Night With Seth Meyers.” And on the Netflix hit series “Bojack Horseman,” she voiced the recurring role of the titular character’s

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half sister, a chestnut mare with the longest name in television: Hollyhock Manheim-Mannheim-GuerreroRobinson-Zilberschlag-Hsung-Fonzerelli-McQuack. In 2017, Rolling Stone included Nancherla in its annual list of “the 50 funniest people right now.”

The 41-year-old Washington, D.C., native has a Wikipedia entry long enough to scroll, though in deference to her modesty, we’ll keep it brief: She’s hilarious, so catch one of her Burlington shows.

K.P.

Also try…

ILIZA SHLESINGER, Sunday, October 15, 7:30 p.m., Flynn Main Stage, Burlington, $42.5-182.50.

BRIAN POSEHN, Thursday, October 26, 7 p.m.; and Friday, October 27, and Saturday, October 28, 7 and 9 p.m., Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, $30.

LANGSTON KERMAN , Thursday, November 9, 7 p.m.; and Friday, November 9, and Saturday, November 10, 7 and 9 p.m., Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, $25.

We are introducing this transformative treatment with an evening of live demos, raffle prizes, special pricing, and much more.

SCENE CHANGE « P.33

Mavis Staples

Monday, October 30, 7:30 p.m., Flynn Main Stage, Burlington, $35-69. She sang at John F. Kennedy’s inauguration, at civil rights rallies featuring Martin Luther King Jr. and in the Obama White House. Mavis Staples, the Grammy Award-winning member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Blues Hall of Fame, “has been a gospel singer,” New Yorker editor David Remnick wrote last year, “longer than Elizabeth II has worn the crown.”

And the 84-year-old Staples, one of Rolling Stone’s top 200 singers of all time, is still touring. “No one else does solidarity, reconciliation and mutual uplift with the soulful dignity of Mavis Staples,” Jon Pareles wrote in the New York Times

She rose to fame with the Staples Singers. The family gospel group led by her father, Roebuck “Pops” Staples, racked up a string of Top 40 hits including “Respect Yourself,” “Heavy Makes You Happy,” “If You’re Ready (Come Go With Me)” and “I’ll Take You There,” the last of which reached No. 1 in 1972.

In more recent years, she has collaborated with Prince, Arcade Fire, Bob Dylan, Nona Hendryx, Ry Cooder and David Byrne. She has recorded albums with producer Jeff Tweedy of Wilco. We Get By, released in 2019, is her first full-length collaboration with Grammy winner Ben Harper.

The last surviving member of the Staples Singers, Mavis Staples has asked God why she’s still alive, she told Remnick. “The only reason I could see is to sing my songs,” she said. “I’m going to sing every time I get on the stage — I’m gonna sing with all my heart and all I can put out.”

MARY ANN LICKTEIG

Also try…

JOANNE SHAW TAYLOR, Thursday, November 16, 8 p.m., Flynn Main Stage, Burlington, $35-109.50.

DIONNE WARWICK FEATURING VSO STRING ENSEMBLE, Friday, November 24, 7 p.m., Paramount Theatre, Rutland, $79-99.

JOAN OSBORNE, Friday, December 15, 7 p.m., Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, Stowe, $45-59.

THEATER ‘Frogman’

Thursday, October 5, through Sunday, October 8, various times, Hopkins Center for the Arts, Hanover, N.H., $18-30.

An English theater company that calls itself curious directive brings its coming-of-age, supernatural thriller Frogman to Dartmouth College.

Half virtual reality, half live theater, the production explores the fragility of childhood imagination as it weaves together time travel, scuba diving and a murder mystery. Set in a fictional coastal town in Queensland, Australia, Frogman tells the story of Meera, a coral reef scientist, who learns from detectives that her father is being charged for the murder of her childhood friend who disappeared in 1995. Recommended for audiences ages 12 and up, the show shifts between 1995 and the present, as the action takes viewers to childhood sleepovers with young Meera and her friends and on an underwater search-andrescue mission in a theatrical experience

the Independent called “touching and nostalgic.”

“Theatre through the lens of science” is the motto of curious directive, a two-time winner of the Fringe First Award, which recognizes the best new writing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

The company didn’t set out to mix virtual reality with live theater when it created Frogman, artistic director Jack Lowe told Theatre Weekly. “The story just needed it. It sounds glib, but it’s true.” M.A.L.

Also try…

THE ODYSSEY, Tuesday, October 17, 7 p.m., Flynn Main Stage, Burlington, $25-45. NO STRINGS MARIONETTE CO.: THE HOBBIT, Saturday, November 25, 11 a.m., Chandler Center for the Arts, Randolph, free.

Risk and Reward

Critic Alex Brown on how to watch theater like a pro

From small community productions to star-studded summer stock, Vermont’s theater scene is as rich and vibrant as a technicolor dreamcoat. And few know it as intimately as Alex Brown.

Since 2012, Brown has served as Seven Days ’ ace theater critic. She’s logged thousands of miles trekking to far-flung theaters and playhouses across the state to review upwards of 15 plays per year. The Bennington College and New York University grad is a director herself and deeply knowledgeable about the craft. But her reviews are never academic. Brown is the rare critic who impresses as much with the wit and accessibility of her insights as with her smarts. Reading one of her reviews is like sitting beside her in a packed house.

Recently, Seven Days spoke with Brown about the enduring allure of live theater at a time when the entirety of recorded entertainment is available at the push of a button. For average theatergoers eager to understand the workings of that experience, she also o ered tips on how to watch a play the way she does.

So, make the case: In the age of Netflix, why should I go see live theater?

That really seems like the question to ask. But you know, I’ll ask you this: Was anyone interested in Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour?

And how.

And why do you think that was? There’s something about being in the presence of a performer, and in the presence of an audience watching them, that is just immutably big in and of itself. You’re seeing something live take place before your very eyes that might surprise you a great deal.

Being in the presence of a performer of any kind — music, sports, dance, circus, any of those things — and seeing something that’s only going to happen one time, and knowing that your connection to everyone in the audience and your connection to the performer is actually real in that physical space — you don’t have that when you go to the movies. You don’t have it when you listen to a recording of music or of a movie. In fact, you don’t even have the same experience streaming a movie as you do being in an audience for a movie.

I just think that this is inarguable, that something actually happens when you are connecting with the performers and the audience.

BY DAN BOLLES • dan@sevendaysvt.com

When you take a seat at the Weston Playhouse or Unadilla eatre, what are you watching for?

First of all, the single most important thing is to let go, to experience it, to see what happens to you.

When I review a play, I’m trying to do two things. I am trying to have every little ounce of the experience that everyone around me is. I have to let go. I have to surrender to it. I have to see what’s there. I want the experience. I am not at a distance. I am not at a remove. I want to know: Is this making me laugh? Is this making me worry? Do I wonder what’s going to happen next?

Almost at the same time, I am trying to walk out of the theater with a vivid and very complete memory of the apparatus that caused it all to happen — the structure of the play, the techniques that this theater used and that these performers used.

How can a layperson pick up on some of those pieces?

As I said, I truly want to recommend that people just experience theater; don’t worry about the mechanics. But if you wanted to look for one thing that helps you understand how a play works — and this applies to movies, musicals, comedies, drama, everything: All performing arts must compress time.

The story that is being told is usually one in which some type of problem or obstacle or other character is having an e ect on one or more characters. For that problem to be important, for it to hurt or change a life, it has to take time, which is something a play has very little of.

Can you give me an example?

How long does it take for Romeo and Juliet to fall in love? They look at each other. And they talk to each other. And they each

Spring Awakening cast at Northern Stage in 2022 Alex Brown

COURTESY OF MARK WASHBURN

COURTESY OF CLARKE JORDAN

RAVE REVUES: UPCOMING VERMONT THEATER HIGHLIGHTS

Vermont theater companies are as busy as ever, churning out high-level productions. Here are seven shows to mark on your calendar.

Murder in the Studio, Essex Community Players, September 29 to October 8 at Memorial Hall in Essex, essexplayers.com

An evening of whodunits is composed of a trio of Agatha Christie murder mystery radio plays.

e Glass Menagerie, the Valley Players, September 29 to October 15 at Valley Players eater in Waitsfield, valleyplayers.com eater doesn’t get much more classic than Tennessee Williams’ tale of a single mother and her children struggling to survive in the Great Depression.

e Haunting of Hill House, Lamoille County Players, October 6 to 15 at Hyde Park Opera House, lcplayers.com is spine-tingler is based on Shirley Jackson’s classic haunted house novel.

Time Stands Still, Green Room Productions, September 15 and 16 at the Grange Hall Cultural Center in Waterbury Center; and September 22 and 23 at Off Center for the Dramatic Arts in Burlington, offcentervt.com, facebook.com/greenroomvermont

Returning home after covering war in the Middle East, a photojournalist finds herself torn between her career and domestic life in this Broadway hit from Pulitzer Prize winner Donald Margulies.

Cadillac Crew, Vermont Stage, September 27 to October 15 at Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center in Burlington, vermontstage.org

Four Virginia civil rights activists in the 1960s debate whether the proclamation of “equality amongst mankind” includes women.

touch the other’s hands. That’s it. That’s all it takes. That’s compression of time. And it takes powerful playwriting and performance to do it.

So if you’re trying to understand how a play or a movie works, how much did it compress time? And how elegantly did it do it? How did it use the limited action it had time for? How did it make one action stand for something gigantic? Also, what actions did it leave out and have either spoken, implied or told as confessions or stories by characters?

The structure of time, and storytelling itself, is delightfully unusual in movies and plays. And you can learn about why they work by seeing how they compress time.

eater involves more investment than putting on a movie at home — of time, travel and money. But it seems there’s also a pretty good payoff.

Selling Kabul, Northern Stage, October 11 to 29 at Barrette Center for the Arts in White River Junction, northernstage.org

A former U.S. military interpreter hiding from the Taliban faces an impossible decision on the eve of his son’s birth in Sylvia Khoury’s Pulitzer Prize-nominated drama.

Suite Surrender, Girls Nite Out Productions, November 9 to 19 at Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center in Burlington, girlsniteoutvt.com

Two divas are assigned the same suite at a deluxe Palm Beach hotel in Michael McKeever’s farcical ode to 1940s Hollywood. Hilarity ensues.

I think everyone should experience what it means to be part of an audience. Because it can be uplifting; it can be a little bit transformative. It can show you something about what entertainment is that isn’t passive.

Theater is risk. It is a risk that I happen to consider really rewarding to watch. The actors are going to risk something. The audience is going to be part of something and partake of it with each other.

And that risk is: We don’t know what will happen tonight. Will this miracle happen? It just might. Will there be a special night that I saw that was unlike any other? Maybe. I’ve had some times in theater that I will remember forever. And theater has a way of rewarding any audience that wishes to partake of it. ➆

On the Road Again?

Musicians grapple with a touring industry in flux

BY CHRIS FARNSWORTH • farnsworth@sevendaysvt.com

“

It’s over. The old days are gone.”

So proclaimed no less of a music luminary than Neil Young in a March 19 post on his website titled “Concert Touring Is Broken.”

The famously cantankerous singersongwriter was responding to recurring controversy surrounding Ticketmaster. The massive ticket company enjoys a nearmonopoly in the field and has outraged concertgoers with its skyrocketing and often hard-to-decipher fees.

“CONCERT TOURS are no longer fun,” Young wrote.

He’s hardly alone in his sentiment. The past two years have seen a raft of well-established artists cancel tour after tour, from indie duo Belle and Sebastian to alt-rock royalty Weezer to rapper Lil Baby. Philadelphia indie rockers Dr. Dog quit touring, full stop.

In press releases and apologetic social media posts, artists cite common reasons for their decision: the rising costs of gas, lodging and food as a result of inflation; continued uncertainty surrounding attendance; and disadvantageous deals from promoters and venues.

Yet 2022 was a record-setting year for the live concert industry: It generated an estimated $6.28 billion, a 37 percent rise over pre-pandemic figures. How can a business that is raking in obscene profits be a bad financial proposition for the artists who actually make the music?

The answer is that those eye-popping numbers are top-heavy. Stadium tours by big acts such as Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift account for most of the pie. Swift’s 2023-24 Eras Tour shattered records as it moved across the country, grossing an estimated $2.2 billion and selling well over 1 million tickets in its first half alone.

Below that highest stratum of the industry, touring is a much riskier affair. Yet plenty of musicians continue to hit the road. For all of its pitfalls, touring is one of the few revenue streams left to artists, as streaming has significantly cut into the profits they generate from sales of albums and singles.

“Exposure is super important, for sure,” said Jack Parker, one-third of the New York City-via-Burlington post-punk band Pons. “But touring is also where you hope to make some money, between ticket sales and selling your merch. I don’t know, you just sort of have to.”

Independent, DIY bands such as Pons and Philadelphia rockers Low Cut Connie are striving to crack the equation of navigating a changing industry. Vermont musicians are in the same boat, with everyone from indie rockers Guster to Burlington jazz guitarist Xander Naylor tackling the touring conundrum in their own ways.

Those artists and others reported to Seven Days from the road this summer. Here are scenes from a twisting route that can lead to ruin more easily than it can to bliss.

ROAD WORRIERS

“The music industry is destroying and re-creating itself in real time,” Ryan Miller said from a hotel room in Florida.

As his band progressed through a leg of its recent American tour, the Guster front person and Williston resident described the current state of the touring industry as “fascinating.” Over their 30 years together, Miller and his bandmates have learned not only how to grow Guster’s brand but how to perfect their touring process.

“There’s no real secret,” Miller said. “You have to be a pretty significantly tuned

machine or a big deal to make money on the road.”

Guster are a bit of both, onetime college rock radio darlings with the benefit of grown-up wisdom — and a devoted fan base. One way for bands of their ilk and means to thrive is to stack the deck from the get-go. Guster cut costs by owning all of their gear and sleeping on their tour bus instead of in hotels when they can. They also know where it makes sense to tour the band.

“We know we don’t make money in Boise, Idaho,” Miller said. “So we’re not going to go. We stopped trying to develop markets that we’re not going to develop.”

Miller’s band enjoys a built-in and bankable audience, a network of fans amassed over years. But even for a mid-level band such as Guster, touring costs weigh more heavily these days.

“Every single thing that costs money on the road has skyrocketed now,” David Lowery said.

As the front man of two seminal altrock bands, Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven, Lowery has been touring for more than 30 years. He also has a math degree and a doctorate in higher education and is a senior lecturer in the music

business program at the University of Georgia. “It’s all so screwy out there right now, none of the math really adds up,” he said. “We never had to pay $400 for hotels when we were touring [in past decades], but we are now.”

Like Guster, Lowery’s bands have established fan bases, providing a measure of security on the road. He fears for younger bands that are trying to carve out a living in a less lucrative field.

“Touring has always sucked, there’s no getting around that,” Lowery said. “When Camper Van Beethoven was touring back in the day, yeah, we slept on floors and played shitty clubs with maybe five people there, but at least we weren’t out there competing with legacy acts.”

The Wall Street Journal reported in July that the average price of a concert ticket has more than doubled in the past five years. Higher prices naturally make fans more selective and less likely to take chances, Lowery pointed out. Faced with a choice between an up-and-coming band they don’t know and a legacy act such as, say, Cracker, consumers often choose the latter. That’s something Lowery said his bands never had to deal with coming up.

“It would have been like we were competing with Benny Goodman or something,” he said with a rueful laugh. “But that’s the shit that’s happening to young bands right now. It’s really tough to cut through that, and I worry.”

FAKE IT ’TIL YOU MAKE IT

Parker was exhausted when the promoter emailed him the threat.

“We were two days out from this gig in D.C., and the promoter suddenly tells us they’ll pull the show if we don’t agree to cover any costs of low ticket sales,” Parker recounted by phone from his apartment in New York City.

Parker’s band, Pons, was finishing up a 10-week run across the East Coast and Midwest when the promoter suddenly started playing hardball. Though the young band had recently signed with the Berlinbased label Dedstrange, Parker handles all the booking and business with the help of his bandmates — and he’s learned a few tricks along the way.

“We invented a fake manager named Mike Norris,” Parker admitted. “He’s just this hard-ass who will go toe to toe with

Pons

asshole promoters who try to rip us off — which happens a lot, incidentally.

“If we get one of those emails, like from the dude in D.C., we bring out Mike to get nasty,” Parker went on. “Then, after, we can be all smiles at the venue and be like, ‘Sorry about Mike. He’s hard-core, man.’”

Pons formed at the University of Vermont. After quickly establishing a reputation for wild, frenetic live shows, the band moved to New York City in 2020. Its members picked up right where they left off, ripping through the Big Apple’s club scene and earning the 2022 title of “Hardest-Working Band” in the city from NYC website Oh My Rockness.

These days, Pons pull off marathon DIY tours using lessons they learned in Vermont.

“I grew up in rural North Carolina,” Parker said. “Until I moved to Burlington, I didn’t even know what a DIY show was; I’d never been to a basement concert or anything like that.”

He and his bandmates quickly realized that their brand of chaotic punk wasn’t likely to land a booking agent to send them on tour. So they learned to do it themselves. Scouring the internet to assemble Pons’ tours, Parker focuses on finding “a cool venue or a band we like” and goes from there.

Once the shows are booked, he has to find the band a place to stay, since hotels are well beyond its budget. “Honestly, sleep is the hardest aspect of touring,” Parker said. “Finding a place to sleep for free, where you can actually get rest and not get stuck in an all-night after-party, is key.”

The band uses the Couchsurfing app, which connects people with free places to stay across the country. While Parker admits things can get a little sketchy — “definitely some weird swinger vibes out there, man” — the app has been essential to helping Pons tour.

While Pons take the ultra DIY approach, other independent artists have chosen another tack: skipping America.

“As it stands, I’m not even trying to tour in the U.S.,” Naylor said. The Burlington-based jazz guitarist, who also plays with NYC act Mwenso & the Shakes, has ruled out a solo run of stateside shows in 2023.

“I just can’t find the equation where I can break even,” Naylor said. “Put it this way: I’ve played long weekend mini-tours and come home losing more money than if I had gone to India for five weeks.”

Naylor figured out that it was more profitable and less stressful to play in India with the support of artist grants. After securing a Creation Grant from the Vermont Arts Council, he toured with Indian musicians Vinay Kaushal and Shreyas Iyengar at the end of 2022.

“The venue owners over there were stellar,” Naylor enthused. “It was just so fucking honorable the way they treated the musicians. You don’t see that as much in America, unfortunately.”

HOUSE MONEY

“The music industry is always evolving, and it’s not always necessarily going in a positive direction,” Mike Caulo said.

The North Hero native has helped produce the annual Waking Windows music festival in Winooski and worked for many years with Merge Records in Durham, N.C. Now operating his own promotion and management company, Sipsman, Caulo is keenly aware of how difficult touring is for the indie bands he manages. Yet he worries that the narrative has become “The poor bands are being ripped off by greedy promoters.”

making a profit on shows, between rising costs for concessions, post-pandemic staffing difficulties, bot and scammer accounts printing fake tickets, huge increases in liability insurance rates, and people who buy tickets but don’t show up.

“The level of no-shows are still staggering,” Johnson said. He estimated that 10 to 15 percent of people who buy tickets to a show don’t attend, “which is pretty devastating on our concession sales, as well as the overall feel of having a full club.”

cuts on our offer sheets to bands, but we never end up charging them. We haven’t taken a cut of a band’s merchandise since before the pandemic, and that was only when we had to provide an employee to sell the merch.”

The Stone Church is a rarity among mid-level and bigger clubs in that regard. Many venues have begun demanding a cut of any merchandise sales that musicians make while playing a show.

Musicians have widely condemned the practice. But, especially at clubs owned by giant corporations such as AEG and Live Nation, merch cuts have become the norm.

“We try to play places that don’t take merch cuts,” Lowery said. “But if Live Nation is involved, they can just pop up and say, ‘Yeah, that’s our table.’”

BAND ON THE RUN

With such tight margins for success and survival, it can seem nearly impossible for independent bands to tour, requiring as much psychological hardiness as it does talent.

“When you find out how the sausage gets made, it’s a dirty business,” said Adam Weiner, front person for Low Cut Connie. His band has appeared on Barack Obama’s Spotify playlists, is beloved by Elton John and has created a cult following over a decade of hard touring.

TOURING HAS ALWAYS SUCKED.

DAVID LOWERY

“I don’t want to see this thing where the blame game goes around from artists to venues, like an ouroboros eating its own tail,” he said. “Ticketmaster and all that shit aside, a lot of these venues are just trying to support music and stay alive themselves.”

Robin Johnson, owner and operator of the Stone Church in Brattleboro, outlined some of the challenges facing music venues, particularly independent clubs that are free from Ticketmaster’s equally evil alter ego, Live Nation. Venues such as his face long odds when it comes to

Johnson sees speculative ticket fees as one of the biggest enemies of live music. Often tacked on to the price of concert tickets as “delivery” or “facility” fees, these are usually payouts back to promoters. They’ve become such a problem that President Joe Biden addressed them during his State of the Union speech in February, calling on Ticketmaster to “stop service fees on tickets to concerts and sporting events and make companies disclose all the fees up front.”

Johnson pointed out that fans often blame venues for ticket fees. But clubs such as his get only $1 kickback from those fees, and they need it to pay staff. As the New England chapter president of the National Independent Venue Association, Johnson is part of a push for a bill in Congress that would ban both speculative ticket fees and scammers’ websites that masquerade as a venue’s ticketing site.

“We’re a venue that wants to support the artist,” Johnson said. “We do have merch

“I don’t have any illusions about what this thing is, man,” Weiner said by phone from the road. “I know it’s fucked — it’s more difficult and corrupt out there for musicians than it’s ever been, at least since I started.”

But Weiner feels he’s made touring work by investing in “myself and my own abilities, rather than use my limited resources trying to hire and gain my way into a higher strata.”

“Look, everyone wants easy advice, but there isn’t any,” he said. “It takes a lot of elbow grease and a lot of belief. But my advice to young bands out there is to invest in our own talent. Write the best songs, put on the best shows you can, inspire people and make this fucking thing your religion. Over time, you will find a path.”

At age 24, Parker admitted that there have been multiple times touring with Pons when he has contemplated quitting the music business.

“You’re going to have some soul-crushing nights out there — it’s just statistics,” Parker said. “But what keeps me going is that, hey, I’m getting to travel around and play music instead of cleaning houses in New York. I feel pretty good about the big picture, and if you use that mindset and you have a sense of adventure, you’ll be OK.” ➆

Adam Weiner of Low Cut Connie

LUKE AWTRY

THE NEST

This project started with an underutilized bank drive thru parking lot, which was transformed into 49 beautiful apartments in the heart of Downtown Burlington.

Wright & Morrissey undertook the challenge to construct this 9-story steel and concrete building, sprinkled with trees and vines up its 104’ façade, with the support of a long list of local sub-contractors.

The apartments were created with energy efficient construction, thoughtful details, and a gorgeous design. The residents experience premium downtown living with the ease of a walkable and bikeable location.

A.C. Hathorne Company, Gary

Guilmette, Shane

Raymond, Brad

Aubin, Zach Aubin, Joe Merchant, Jesse

Mashteare, Urhandus

Hall, Bruce Bouffard, Sheldon Leland

Abatiello Design Center, Michael

Abatiell, Jamie

Larson, Mark Zielinski, John Davine, Isaac

Merrill, Edwin Peer, Moray Brayall, Justin

Gosselin, Tom Hughes, Doug Jackson, Jake

Solomon

Acoustatherm, Gerald

Regnaud, Mark Bedell

Alpha Testing & Engineering, LLC, Bob

Lovgren, Patti Reed

Anything Grows, Dave

Wright, Steve Wright

Benoure Plumbing & Heating, Inc.,

Brad Benoure, Erin

Read, Scott Little, Ryan Brovarone, Bobby Circe, Dave

Russell, Avery Smith, Barry Gearwar, Tim Martel, Kyler

Brooks, Nate Shappy, Nick McGovern, Austin Chagnon, Devin Worcester, TomLabarge

Blodgett Supply, David Benway

Bouchard-Pierce, Matt Welch

Bugbee Insulation, Inc., Jim LaPorte, Eric Schroeder, Verne

Sheppard, Mark

Larrabee, Brandon

Larrabee

Building Construction Services, Inc.,

Terry White

BVH Integrated Services, PC, Jon Haehnel, Quinn

Treadgold

Champlain Door Systems, Phil Bechard, Vince Hanvey, Chris Martin, Ryan Heald, Donald Dziedzic

Chase Engineering, PC, Matthew Chase

Chey Insulation, Eben

Hunt

Civil Engineering Associates, Inc. Steve

Leppert, David Marshall

CNH Consulting, Nick Hurt, Shannon Hanson, Jasper Hanson, Terry Willett

Commercial Door Company, Susan

Barrett

CSE, Inc., Bill Michaud

Daltile, Inc., Jim

Lemoine, Rock Roberts

DMS Machining & Fabrication, Jeff Desrochers, Bill Reen

Tim Benson, Silas

Downer, Ed Larose, Matt Matotte, Jordan

Dunkling, Greg Crum, Tony Conant, Jack Chase

Engineering Services of Vermont, LLC, Dana Curtis, Jerry Marshall

EZ Distributing Inc.,

Clint Bridges, Ken Jones Nick Hinton, James Hinton

Joseph St. Juste, Mark Groenveld, Tim

Williams, Colton Vaden

Form and Fiber, Inc., Taylor Parker, Geri Rademacher

GBA Architecture & Planning, Chris Balzano, Gregg Gossens

Glass Systems, LLC, Mike Bruso, Keegan

Streeter, John Haynes, Sylis Decker, Ben Bruso, Brian Hemlin, Alan Irish

Green Mountain Millwork, Andy Barrett, David Farrington, Curran Devlin, Eric Nilson, Pat Bradeur

GE Appliances, Peter Bindelglass

Hammerworks Construction, Inc., Blake, Bigalow, Kyle Corbeil, Jason Desautels, Nathan Hengle, Ben Robbins, Luke Spaulding, Suzanne Levack-Carrier, Ben Hodziewich

HardRock Drywall, LLC, Travis Dashnow, Ben Fausel, Tucker Tarrant, Joseph Venini

Hardy Structural Engineering, Inc., Tim Hardy

Hayley Custom Stair Company, Inc., Gary Fournier

Hometown Closet Finishing, LLC, Donny Sheltra, Jim Barrett

Inline Fiberglass LTD., Anthony Bartolini

JD Finishes, LLC, Joe Canty

Jeffords Steel & Engineering Co., Scott Savage

Jourdan’s Electrical Contracting, Inc., Trevor Jourdan, Dakota Dubie

JT’s Contracting, JT Fitzgerald, Tammy Heath, Sarah Booska, Alexis Booska, Roger Deteso

Kamco Supply Corp. of Boston, Sean Kapusta, Rocky Giroux, Steve Rapoport

Kingspan Insulated Panels, Inc., Davis Nikol, Douglas Nye

KONE Elevators, Benjamin Brennan, Alan Huot, Matthew Sherman, Corey Violette

Lemnah’s Cleaning Service, Chad Lemnah, Tammy Lemnah, Tim Lemnah

Limb Corporation, Larry Cain

MBCI, LindaTolpa Metalworks, Inc., Joe Mason

Metzger, Inc., Tom Metzger

Mountain Valley Sprinkler Systems, Ryan Gadhue, Tom Gadhue, Colin McCarthy

Murphy Sullivan & Kronk, Liam Murphy, Jeremy Farkas

Nedde Real Estate, Grace Ciffo, Jaeger Nedde, Kristin Plantier, Kim Martin, Jeremy Marrier, Justin Marrier, Sue Bumbeck

Northern Plasterwork, Inc., James Calabro, Dan Calabro, Rick Hutchinson, Michael Hutchinson, Michael Paton, Grady Gilbert

Pearson & Associates, Inc., Ben Ferland, Alan Gould, Kendall Roberts

Pella Products, Incorporated, Nate Luippold, Jeff Stetter

Precision Digital Controls, Bill Plankey

Poulin Building Materials, Andrew Barranco, Russ/Wood

Decorating, Jeff Atwood

S.D. Ireland Companies, John Allen, Greg Gero, Shea Ireland, Randy LaFramboise, Dominick Poquette, Shawn

Robtoy

Sanborn-Head & Associates, Inc., Brian Beaudoin, Shawn Kelley, Daniel Thabault

Sheet Metal Specialists in HVAC, Inc., Adam Elwood, Wayne Billado, Corty Booth, Tucker Courchaine, Paul Jette, Adam Raymo, Shane West, Alden Woodard

Sportworks Global LLC, Erin Freise

Summit Construction, Aaron Beliveau, Brian Stott

Sunbelt Rentals, Bruce Hatfield

TBC Services, Kevin O’Brien

Thomas Engineering Associates, PC, Glenn Thomas

Vermont Construction Company, Byron Gokey, Cameron Roberts, Estevan Garcia, Carlos Garcia, Reynaldo Lopez, Juan Suastegi, Marco Aparisio, Alexander Chantel

Vermont Housing & Conservation Board, Craig Peltier

Wagner Hodgson

Landscape Architecture, James Findlay-Shirras, Keith Wagner

Wallboard Supply Company, LLC, Russ Baslow

Windows & Doors by Brownell, Marc Bourdeau

Wright & Morrissey, Inc., Robert Edson, Zack French, James Kemp, Chad Labombard, Keith Montani, Jamie Picard, Wayne Raymond, Curtis Raymond, Wayne Ring, Calvin Ring, Troy Sumner, Stephen Theriault, AlanTherrien, Michael Strzempko, Derek Strzempko, Kenny Wagstaff, Douglas Young, GianAloisio, Ziter Masonry, Tony Ziter, Justin Bolduc, Caleb Doney, Cory Cauley, Justin Doney, Mike Ziter, Steven Carrien, Walter Foley

A HUGE THANK YOU to all the people listed below that took part in the design, permitting, and construction that created 49 new apartments, 10 of which are affordable. JOB WELL DONE!!!

Into the Woods

A young couple relocated 3,000 miles to buy a legacy vegetable farm in Brandon

BY WILL SOLOMON

AGRICULTURE

out to her. He’d connected with several agricultural contacts in the state through Vermont Land Link, a database of farms and farmers looking to sell or buy land. But nothing had worked out until he spoke to Andrew Knafel of Clear Brook Farm in Shaftsbury, a longtime friend of the Satzes who put Courtney and Dan in touch.

The timing was right.

“We were super ready,” Dan said. “We had all our stu together [and knew] what we were looking for, what kinds of questions to ask.”

He was acutely aware of the challenges of securing farmland as a younger farmer with limited funds and attributed the eventual successful deal in large part to an array of institutions specific to Vermont.

The Vermont Land Trust, Dan said, played an invaluable role by both expanding existing conservation easements and adding new ones to the property. This lowered the final sale price of the farm — which initially cost over $1 million — by several hundred thousand dollars.

When it came to buying their own farm, Dan and Elyse Wulfkuhle weren’t set on moving to Vermont. Both Massachusetts natives, they spent the past decade on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, where Dan, 35, managed large vegetable farms and Elyse, 37, worked in river conservation.

But Dan’s agriculture career has roots in the Green Mountains. “The first farm I ever worked on was in Vermont,” he said. His experience, at age 17, at Barnet’s Small Axe Farm “had a profound impact on me,” he added. “I really have been farming ever since.”

After graduating from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a degree in

plant, soil and insect science, Dan farmed in the Pioneer Valley of western Massachusetts, and then the couple went out west. The Wul uhles might have stayed in Washington, but over the five-plus years they searched for farmland to buy, it was a challenge to find a plot with adequate access to water. And their desire to be closer to East Coast family — especially once they had children — led them back to Vermont, a state they saw as especially supportive of farmers.

Last December, they finally made the transition, buying Wood’s Market Garden — an organic, diversified, 165-acre vegetable operation in Brandon. Their enthusiasm has not been diminished by one of the roughest growing seasons in recent memory.

On an overcast late August day, the farmstand — where they sell the bulk of their produce — overflowed with freshly picked bell peppers, several varieties of cucumbers, enormous scallions, purplegreen okra, and a ton of other veggies and flowers. It looked as though the Wulfkuhles had been running Wood’s Market Garden for years.

The farm, located on Route 7 about two miles south of downtown, has been an area fixture for decades. Owned by the Wood family for a century, it was purchased by Jon Satz in 2000, who ran the farm with his wife, Courtney, until his untimely death from cancer in 2021.

Courtney was just thinking of listing the farm for sale when Dan reached

Even so, the Wul uhles needed a lot of financial support as first-time farm buyers. They received two U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency loans, a Vermont Economic Development Authority loan and a loan from the century-old Lotta Agricultural Fund, a zero-interest program available only to graduates of University of Massachusetts Amherst. (Jon Satz, coincidentally, was one of only two other Vermont farmers to receive Lotta support.)

The couple also had help from Mike Ghia at Land for Good, a nonprofit that works to improve land access and tenure security for New England farmers. Ghia helped the Wulfkuhles navigate the complex farm transition and loan application process.

Ghia said he sees intense competition for available farmland and established farm businesses. “Vermont really gets inundated with people who want to farm here because of all the support we have

CALEB KENNA

SIDEdishes

Headwaters Restaurant & Pub Opens in Cabot

HEADWATERS RESTAURANT & PUB opened at 3075 Main Street in Cabot on September 9. Owner RUSSELL STATMAN said he completely renovated the space, which used to house Cabot Café. Customers can eat inside beside a fountain and a mural, in the pub room, or on the outdoor deck overlooking the Winooski River.

The menu o ers a mix of fine dining — think filet mignon and tuna tataki — and more casual fare, such as chicken wings, a smash burger, and Cabot cheddar mac and cheese. Vegetarian options include a fig tartlet,

a portobello mushroom burger and herb-crusted tofu.

“If you want something fancy, we can help you,” Statman said. “If you just want to kick back with your snow boots on, we got that, too.”

Chef NELSON COGNAC changes Headwaters’ menu daily, Statman said. He considers the restaurant lucky to have hired Cognac, who previously led Big Jay Tavern in Montgomery. Before coming to Vermont, Cognac ran a French bistro and a Greek restaurant in the Boston area.

A Burlington resident and lawyer by day, Statman said one of his motives for buying the space was so he would have somewhere to eat when he goes snowmobiling in Cabot.

“I have no experience running a restaurant, and that’s why we brought in Nelson and his team,” Statman said. “I’m very lucky that … he’s really taking charge and showing me what to do.”

Headwaters Restaurant & Pub is currently open for dinner Thursday through Saturday from 5 to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Next, Statman said, he hopes to o er brunch and lunch on weekends and install heaters on the deck so guests can eat outside through late fall.

Hannah Feuer

Headwaters chef Nelson Cognac (left) and facilities director Chris Porter

Filet mignon at Headwaters Restaurant & Pub 4T-jskis080923 1

SMALL PLEASURES

Stairway to Heaven

Peruvian cacao comes to Hardwick with Prophecy Chocolate

BY AMY KOLB NOYES

On a Friday evening in late August, my husband and I stumbled upon a sandwich board on Hardwick’s Main Street that promised “Chocolate Upstairs.” We did what any chocolate lovers would do: We opened the door and climbed the stairs.

What once was a loft café inside Buffalo Mountain Food Co-op (relocated around the corner) is now Prophecy Chocolate. Mateo Block and his life and business partner, Wasi Rivera, opened the organic, vegan chocolate company in Hardwick last fall.

For most of the week, the space is used to manufacture chocolate creations, starting with roasting and grinding cacao beans that Prophecy imports directly from farmers in Peru. is makes it a bean-to-bar chocolate maker — unlike many chocolatiers, who use chocolate made by other companies.

“ e cacao beans we work with are usually [an] heirloom variety of cacao … native cacao that’s growing in the region,” Block said.

On Fridays, everything is cleared out to create a chocolate café serving hot and iced chocolate drinks ($4 to $6), organic vegan tamales ($5 each), and gluten-free “fresh creations and baked goods,” such as a fantastic almond butter-stuffed date dipped in dark chocolate and sprinkled with sea salt ($3).

Patrons perch at a counter overlooking Main Street or at a long table flanked by a couch and a bench. Just feet away, in a manufacturing space visible behind a half wall, stone grinders pulverize cacao nibs, one step in the long process of turning cacao to chocolate. Food and drinks can be ordered to go, but who wouldn’t want to enjoy the space where the magic happens?

Block started Prophecy Chocolate in 2019 after working in organic agriculture in the United States and South America. He spent about three years in Peru, where he learned how to cultivate and process cacao from rural farmers. He also learned traditional methods of making chocolate there before going on to study a European-style approach as an apprentice at Somerville Chocolate, outside Boston. Rivera joined him in 2020, and they moved to Hardwick in 2022.

At the café, I sampled an iced Copuazú Creamsicle ($5), a rich concoction made from ground copuazú beans (a cousin to cacao), orange peel, cinnamon, vanilla and a touch of coconut sugar. It was silky, slightly sweet and robust. I look forward to sipping the hot version in the depths of winter.

e café offerings are enticing, but the chocolate bars are the stars of the show.

e lightly sweetened 1.2-ounce squares ($5) are wrapped in brightly colored paper with a compostable inner liner to maintain freshness.

Into the Woods « P.42

and the support in the marketplace,” he said. He listed organizations and programs such as the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board’s Vermont Farm & Forest Viability Program, the Vermont Land Trust, and the nonprofit Intervale Center — all of which help facilitate farm transfer planning, partnerships with farmers looking to retire and conservation of agricultural acreage.

Prophecy’s classic maple is 75 percent cacao and 25 percent maple sugar. is dark chocolate bar made from just two ingredients delivers delicious complexity thanks to a pair of farms approximately 4,000 miles apart: Peruvian farm Sol Naciente (Rising Sun) in Koribeni, Cusco, and New Leaf Tree Syrups in Marshfield.

Block explained that he and Rivera like to flavor their chocolates with foraged herbs and other wild ingredients.

e 70 percent cacao Wild New England bar, for example, includes maple sugar, Chaga mushroom extract and freezedried wild Maine blueberries.

e bright berries and earthy Chaga create delectable balance.

I am a committed dark chocolate fan but fell for Prophecy’s coconut mylk chocolate bar. At 55 percent cacao, it’s on the dark side for a “milk” chocolate. Sweetened with coconut sugar and enriched with cacao butter and a hint of shredded coconut, it was bold and creamy.

Prophecy Chocolates are available online and at a growing number of Vermont stores. But to experience a slice of chocolatemaking heaven in person, you’ll want to head to Hardwick. ➆ INFO Learn more at prophecychocolate.com.

“Even before COVID, we were getting people who were looking from other states and other regions in the country to move to Vermont to farm,” Ghia said. “But after COVID, it got even worse.”

On a golf cart ride through most of the 25 acres under cultivation at Wood’s Market Garden, Elyse pointed out a cut-flower patch, heavy with weeds but still colorful. “I really like doing flowers. I want to get more into that, make that my thing,” she said.

Driving past plots of corn, squash, fall strawberries, lettuce and other crops — all ringed by woods with the Green Mountains in the background — one might forget that between the late May frost, devastating July flooding and almost incessant rain, this has been a pretty dismal year to get started.

Elyse said the couple had carefully evaluated available farms with past experience in mind. “A farm Dan used to work with had flooding issues, and it was such an ordeal for them,” she said. That weighed heavily in their search. “We’re really lucky we found a place that doesn’t flood — but has water,” she added, referring to irrigation restrictions out west.

That doesn’t mean there haven’t been challenges.

“Definitely, the excessive moisture and rainfall and lack of sunshine a ected our growing season and a lot of crops,” Dan said. “We haven’t had any catastrophic losses, but we’ve had a lot of crops that have su ered.”

Fresh produce from Wood's Market Garden

From left: Mateo Block with customers Sarah Augeri and Nora Lakhani

From top: Prophecy Chocolate bars; cacao pods; iced Copuazú Creamsicle with a sweet potato and collard greens tamale and a chocolate-dipped date

AMY KOLB NOYES

AMY KOLB NOYES

AMYKOLBNOYES

Pests are worse here than out west, Dan said, and the soil was not as immediately fertile as they’d hoped. During the two years that Jon Satz was ill, the farm was planted with organic corn. Dan believes the crop’s demanding nutrient requirements, plus this summer’s constant rain, depleted the sandy, fast-draining soils.

“Chalk it up to one of the very many learning curves that we’re going through this year,” he said. “In some ways, Vermont seems to be a more challenging climate than Washington. Just more extremes.”

Still, given the enormity of the transition, they’ve been pleased. “This year, my goal, I kept telling myself, was just get seeds in the ground,” Dan said. “Anything that we’ve been able to harvest and bring to market feels like a success.”

He and Elyse express enormous gratitude to the farm’s staff, some of whom worked the land under the Satzes.

“Several employees came back with all this knowledge,” Elyse said. They were key to organizing the farm’s early season plant sale of hanging baskets, potted

annuals and perennials, and veggie and herb starts — a huge part of the business with which the Wulfkuhles had little experience.

Long-standing community support has also helped. “Every single person who came in was like, ‘We’re so happy you’re here,’” Elyse said.

That includes Courtney Satz — despite the difficult decision to leave the farm.

“Dan and Elyse were always so kind and thoughtful and inclusive and just wanted our family to still be very much part of things there,” she said. “I think they’ve done a wonderful job of retaining the history and the connection with the community but also putting their own spin on things.”

As they navigate this first year, the new owners also have their eyes on the future. Elyse hopes to host events at the farm, while Dan wants to expand the wholesale business. They currently sell to the Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op, the Rutland Co-op, and some restaurants and other valued-added producers, including Burlington’s Pitchfork Pickle and Charlotte’s Sobremesa.

“I’d love to see our products, some of our stuff, on the shelves of [the Brandon] Hannaford’s at some point, and also schools and institutions,” Dan said. “We really hope to be a part of [making] organic and local produce more widely available.”

Taking over a legacy operation and connecting with the Satz family and the broader community have provided a longer-term perspective on the farmland itself.

“We’re just tending this land now,” Dan said. “Somebody’s going to farm this land when I’m gone.” ➆

Learn more at woodsmarketgarden.com.

VERMONT REALLY GETS INUNDATED WITH PEOPLE WHO WANT TO FARM HERE.

MIKE GHIA

Choice Edibles

ree questions for Milkweed Confections chef-owner Andrew LeStourgeon

BY MELISSA PASANEN • pasanen@sevendaysvt.com

In the early 2000s, Andrew LeStourgeon was studying forensic psychology in New York City when he decided he was much more interested in the restaurant work he’d always done to make money.

“I realized that’s what I wanted to do for a living,” LeStourgeon, now 40, recalled. “You can take eggs, cream and sugar and, four hours later, hand somebody an ice cream cone for immediate enjoyment.”

LeStourgeon started out unpaid in the pastry kitchen of Balthazar, the noted brasserie in SoHo. He worked his way up to become a pastry cook at Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Perry St. restaurant and, ultimately, executive pastry chef for the national Fig & Olive group. In 2012, he moved to Vermont, where he landed the pastry chef job at the original Waterbury Hen of the Wood.

As a side project, LeStourgeon began creating cannabis edibles under the brand Little Sweets by Hen of the Wood for the Vermont Patients Alliance, the state’s first medical dispensary.

With the backing of Third Place, a Burlington-based strategy and funding partner for food and beverage entrepreneurs, LeStourgeon left Hen in 2016 to open Monarch & the Milkweed, a small restaurant and cocktail bar on St. Paul Street in Burlington.

The promise of a legal cannabis market floated on the horizon like a beguiling cloud of bong smoke — and the business’ name hinted at things to come.

About a year later, LeStourgeon started selling CBD truffles such as Evergreen Bud, flavored with pine, honey and menthol, at Monarch and a few other Vermont stores.

In late 2022, he stepped away from the bar — which rebranded as Devil Takes a Holiday — to focus on Milkweed Confections. In May, Milkweed partnered with a licensed Massachusetts manufacturer to launch a trial in that state of two chocolate bars: milk chocolate caramel

crunch, and yuzu and Tahitian vanilla. Each contains 100 milligrams of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive component found in cannabis plants.

Around the end of September, Milkweed Confections containing THC will

finally be available in Vermont when the company starts selling four flavors of gummies through state-licensed retailers. The butterfly-shaped gummies each contain five milligrams of THC and were developed in partnership with Vermontlicensed manufacturer Kria Commons in

Colchester. A box of 10 will cost about $30; a box of 20, about $50.

Seven Days and LeStourgeon discussed how cocktails inspired his gummies and how Milkweed deploys a range of cannabinoids in cannabis — from the well-known THC to the less familiar cannabinol (CBN) and cannabigerol (CBG). The chef said he still finds it “selfishly rewarding” to create treats that “make other people happy.”

How does your background as a chef and bar owner influence Milkweed?

Everything is about the right sugars and the right acids and the right textures. Like, we’ve incorporated some large-grained organic sugar as well as honey granules for the coatings, visible vanilla bean seeds and raw Vermont honey — all of which produce a [gummy] that’s hopefully better than competitors’. And they’re pectinbased, not gelatin, just like the pâte de fruit I used to make at Hen and at Monarch.

They’re designed after cocktails from our cocktail bar. You’ve got Bee’s Knees — that’s lemon, honey, juniper and a little bit of lavender coated in honey granules. And Kettlebell is named after the most famous original cocktail born out of Monarch by bar manager Eddie DiDonato. It’s grapefruit, lemon and orange, honey and juniper. Moon Boots is another cocktail by Eddie. It has gardenia, Tahitian vanilla bean, lemon and juniper.

The Monarch was designed by Kate Malmstrom for the bar with fresh pineapple juice, chartreuse, tequila and cinnamon. The gummy has pineapple juice and bromelain, an enzyme found only in pineapples; agave; cinnamon; a little lemon — and the natural cannabis terpenes move into the chartreuse spot.

It sounds like you took cocktail recipes and kind of subbed in cannabis for some of the flavors and effects of alcohol?

Milkweed is a brand that I’ve designed to embrace those flavors [of cannabis] as opposed to reject them or cover them up. All the gummies have the slight bitter notes of the cannabis terpenes. We’ve learned how to use them to our advantage.

The cannabis is all organic, from a farm in the Northeast Kingdom. For Monarch and Kettlebell, we’re using live rosin, which

Andrew LeStourgeon

Milkweed Confections gummies

includes all the terpenes and cannabinoids in a particular strain of cannabis flash frozen and then processed immediately. They’re full spectrum and have an assortment of cannabinoids, but mainly each features five milligrams of THC.

Kind of like alcohol, each person reacts differently to the cannabinoids. In generally predictable terms, the live rosin we’re using produces a well-rounded sort of cloudy, soft, pillowy, marshmallowy effect — I don’t want to say “high.”

Then, for Moon Boots, we use five milligrams THC with five milligrams of CBN and five milligrams of CBG. That’s our antianxiety, sleepy gummy. Bee’s Knees has five milligrams THC and five milligrams CBG, so it’s relaxing but not sleepy.

Here’s the thing I still don’t get: If I love a cocktail but I don’t want to

drink more alcohol, I can probably order a virgin version. But with these delicious-sounding gummies, I can only get a THC version, right? So I’m just going to be sad that I can only eat one at a time.

Right, I’m sorry to have ruined your day. For a novice, I think that somewhere between one and five milligrams is a good starting point. My business partner cuts these in half and that works for him. I can have two or three, and that works for me. It’s just personal preference, and the effect is also very personal. ➆

SIDEdishes

Nomadic Kitchen Rebrands as the Vermont Marshmallow Company

Chef-owner ALEXX SHUMAN has renamed her 4.5-year-old South Burlington-based marshmallow business: Nomadic Kitchen has become the VERMONT MARSHMALLOW COMPANY

When Shuman started making and selling marshmallows in December 2018, the trained chef gave her venture the open-ended name Nomadic Kitchen to “give myself an out,” she said. “What if nobody cares about marshmallows like I do?” she recalled thinking.

Plenty of people in Vermont — and around the country — turned out to care about Shuman’s handmade marshmallows, which come in toasty vanilla, dulce de leche, cinnamon sugar and seasonal flavors. The newly launched maple chai, for example, is made with hand-ground green cardamom, clove, black pepper, nutmeg, black tea and ginger and rolled in maple sugar.

“We are the Vermont marshmallow company,” Shuman said. “I’m ready to claim the name.”

Shuman said the business, which

launched at the BURLINGTON FARMERS MARKET, has experienced 100 percent annual growth and hit six figures in sales in 2021. “We’re gunning for half a million a year,” she said. The company moved into a dedicated 1,200-square-foot production space this summer, where Shuman works with a team of four.

Changing the name of her growing enterprise made sense to Shuman, who also has an MBA.

“It’s one thing to come up to me at the farmers market, where I can explain the name,” she said. But as distribution has expanded and Shuman is not always hovering nearby, she wants her company to be able to stand independently without her.

“I need to be able to drop this kid off at the mall,” she said with a laugh, referring to her maturing business.

CONNECT

Melissa Pasanen

Alexx Shuman

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Uncertain Someone

Book review: In the Lobby of the Dream Hotel, Genevieve Plunkett

BY AMY LILLY • lilly@sevendaysvt.com

FROM IN THE LOBBY OF THE DREAM HOTEL

Portia Elby, the protagonist of Genevieve Plunkett’s debut novel, In the Lobby of the Dream Hotel, has an uncertainty problem. She can’t recall if the person who once helped her break into her locked car was her lover, Theo, or her husband, Nathan. Portia isn’t senile; she’s only in her early thirties. She just lives “nestled into that place between fantasy and truth.”

BOOK REVIEW

That liminal spot — not quite the Dream Hotel but its lobby, in the title’s metaphor — is a fair description of where Plunkett places her reader in this absorbing novel. Readers of the Bennington author’s first book, Prepare Her: Stories (2021) may recognize the uncertain atmosphere. In that collection, girls, surprised at their own fantasies, are caught between wishing their imagined scenarios were real and wondering if they actually are.

In Portia’s nonlinear story, filtered through her emotional understanding of moments and experiences, we learn that her recurring fantasy is to get away from herself. She dreams of becoming someone else — someone who would wear only dresses from the Salvation Army, say, or the woman depicted in a children’s book who lives in a room above a marketplace.

At age 20, a college dropout and diagnosed with bipolar disorder, Portia has thoughts of self-harm that land her in a mental hospital for three weeks. She finds institutionalization an unexpectedly freeing “exit of crisp linens and stainless steel.”

Fantasies of escape reappear after Portia’s son, Julian, is born. (The close

Portia had been playing guitar for a band called Poor Alice for almost three years. e name had been her idea, based on a misconception that she had long held about the lyrics to the song “White Rabbit,” by Grace Slick. e original version of the song opened with a lengthy, serpent-like instrumental that felt to Portia like swimming down, down, through watery light. Slick’s voice came in at a low register, at the bottom of this imagined light pool, confident and grave. Portia had seen footage of Slick, standing erect while she sang, not snapping her fingers or swaying or tossing her hair. “Go ask Alice,” she commanded. Her presence was a stare-down.

e “Alice” in the song was, of course, Lewis Carroll’s Alice — swallowing pills, changing size, caught in a hallucinogenic whirlwind. And the lyrics were not “poor Alice,” but, for a long time, that was what Portia heard when she listened to the song. e poor girl, becoming too large and then too small, the telescoping of the character, being used again and again in pop culture. Everybody thought they knew Alice. Everybody thought they knew what to do with her.

third-person narrative shifts repeatedly between periods of Portia’s life.) She plays “the Bus Game” with Julian, narrating to the infant “in light, cheerful tones” how she will leave on a bus without phone or money and, over time, become “unrecognizable, impossible to rehabilitate.”

But certain realities can’t be escaped.

In the present, Portia is married to Nathan, a lawyer with controlling tendencies who constantly finds fault with his much younger wife. Portia has fallen for Theo, the divorced drummer in Poor Alice, the band she and her friend Carrie formed as adults. And she has gone o her meds without telling anyone, including Dr.

Shay, her longtime and frankly admiring psychiatrist. The medication was making her experience of music — of life itself — feel “strangely sterile,” the narration reads. The novel is set in a small Vermont town, but the state is a subdued presence. Plunkett alludes only to leaf peepers and weather, like “the heaviness of midsummer in Vermont [which] could feel like a looming pregnant belly, the storms hormonal, the heat prickly and nauseating.”

Portia’s bipolar condition, presented from within her experience, is similarly muted; her mind has a lot more going on than a single diagnosis. (Some critics have commented that Plunkett’s portrayal of bipolar condition

is inadequate.) In a rare scene in which Portia’s disorder comes to the fore, she bursts into Carrie’s house in manic mode late one night and performs a song that just came to her. When Carrie plays back her phone video of the moment, Portia feels humiliated: The song is worse than mediocre, though she had thought it an instance of genius.

More pressingly, Portia must deal with a passive-aggressive husband who leaves Julian’s care to her but questions her every move. Trying to anticipate his criticisms, she saves hand-washing the dishes for the moment he comes home from work in order to look busy. Nathan once caught her thinking while staring blankly at a wall and asked, “Is this what you do? … I hope you will not space out like that in front of Julian.” Portia learns that “his accusations came wrapped and shiny in confusion.”

Plunkett’s novel is rife with uncertainty. Portia remembers knocking a giant cup of lemonade to the floor in anger after giving birth to Julian by unplanned cesarean, but Nathan claims she threw it at the ob-gyn nurse. And did she actually have sex with another mental patient during her early hospitalization, or did she merely sympathize with him, tolerating his lewd language and gestures?

he

Theo’s character could use some development; though he is divorced, he seems too similar to Portia, with parallel difficulties parsing fantasy from reality. And Nathan reliably delivers hurtfulness couched in marital love but never quite acquires any complexity beyond being a stand-in for the patriarchy.

In the Lobby is, from one angle, a novel about a woman feeling stuck in the roles of stay-at-home mom and wife of a manipulative husband, wondering what her life might have been had she pursued music instead. Alternately, it’s the story — as the book jacket copy puts it — of a woman “caught between a love a air and the wrath of her husband, who will do anything to put an end to it — even use his wife’s bipolar diagnosis against her.” But these are reductive plot summaries of a book that is, more interestingly, a portrait of a distinctive female imagination navigating the world in which she finds herself, both by choice and not.

INFO

In the Lobby of the Dream Hotel by Genevieve Plunkett, Catapult, 368 pages. $28. Genevieve Plunkett in conversation with poet Michael Dumanis: Tuesday, September 26, 5:30 p.m., at Robert Frost Stone House Museum in Shaftsbury. Learn more at genevieveplunkett.com.

IN PORTIA’S NONLINEAR STORY, WE LEARN THAT HER RECURRING FANTASY IS TO GET AWAY FROM HERSELF.

COURTESY OF JAMIE GRANGER

Singing Out

Mergers and expansions in Vermont’s opera scene

BY AMY LILLY • lilly@sevendaysvt.com

Vermont’s small opera world currently encompasses two professional companies — Barn Opera in Brandon and the Opera Company of Middlebury — and the Youth Opera Company of Vermont, a training program for teenagers based in Chittenden County. All three entities recently made significant announcements.

PERFORMING ARTS

and Youth Opera students essentially do the same things, if on different levels: get professional-grade training and perform outreach concerts at local schools and senior centers. With the merger, the Youth Opera students will be able to join the young artists in those performances while also getting a glimpse of next steps in a professional career.

On September 1, the Opera Company of Middlebury officially adopted the teen program, which will become the Youth Opera Company of OCM. The Middlebury company has successfully produced at least two operas a year for 20 years and already runs a three-and-a-half-week young artists

Cullins’ students experienced the merger’s benefits during the Opera Company of Middlebury’s spring 2023 opera, Ludwig van Beethoven’s Fidelio: Three sang in the ensemble, and one learned to cover a role.

“It was so amazing for them and so challenging [with] the late nights at the end of

program during its spring opera, for singers in their twenties and early thirties. Youth Opera will become the third — and youngest — tier of singers in the company each spring.

The teens will participate in the young artists’ high-level professional training, which includes workshops and master classes given by OCM founding artistic director Doug Anderson, music director Filippo Ciabatti, professional singers in the cast and their agents. They’ll also have a chance to perform in the ensemble cast (aka the chorus).

Soprano Sarah Cullins, who founded Youth Opera in 2019, began directing Middlebury’s young artists program last year. She realized the merger “just made sense — in terms of reducing administration costs, grant writing, and our shared vision and passion.”

Additionally, both the young artists

the school year while doing final exams,” Cullins recalled. “But they just absolutely loved it.”

Youth Opera will still operate its own programs, including two semesters of afterschool training in Waterbury and South Burlington churches that each culminate in group performances. (A new language is tackled each fall semester; this year it will be Spanish.) But the merger with the Middlebury company adds an unusually high-level opportunity for the kids.

Meanwhile, Brandon’s Barn Opera is embarking on a venue expansion. The company is something of a younger cousin to OCM: Founding tenor Josh Collier fell in love with Vermont after singing with the Middlebury company, located 25 minutes north of where he would start his own. Barn

Members of Youth Opera Company of Vermont

Second Annual Pride Seder Celebrates LGBTQ Jews

BY HANNAH FEUER • hfeuer@sevendaysvt.com

Six rainbow candles were lit at Ohavi Zedek Synagogue in Burlington on September 6 — the night of the second annual Pride Seder. About 30 people attended the celebration of LGBTQ freedom modeled on the Passover seder.

The event followed the structure of a Passover seder with modern twists: The lack of ritual handwashing symbolized that participants were already “whole and pure,” references to God weren’t gendered, and symbols of LGBTQ history replaced seder plate staples.

The celebration coincided with Vermont’s Pride Week in September, rather than with Passover in April. A fall seder is not unheard of — some Sephardic Jewish communities hold a seder on the first night of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.

“It’s like Christmas in July!” Ohavi Zedek rabbi Aaron Philmus said.

The pride seder tradition dates back to 1996, when B’nai Jeshurun, a synagogue on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, held a Stonewall Shabbat Seder. The inaugural event commemorated the 1969 Stonewall riots, a turning point for LGBTQ civil rights when people fought back against a police raid at the Stonewall Inn, a gay club in New York City. Since then, synagogues across the country have created their own versions of the event. In Burlington, co-organizer Jason Lorber said he adapted Ohavi Zedek’s Haggadah — the text recited at the seder — from San Francisco synagogue Sha’ar Zahav’s pride seder.

The lighting of the rainbow candles

was followed by the first cup of water — a nod to the four cups of wine traditionally drunk at Passover seders. The water’s transparency represented LGBTQ Jews’ “historical invisibility,” according to the Haggadah.

Symbols of pride were scattered throughout the seder. Instead of matzah, participants ate fruitcake. Challah, traditionally covered on Shabbat, was left bare — an invitation to be true to oneself “without shame or embarrassment.”

“It’s like having the Jewish half of my life meet the sexual gender identity part

Opera is housed in a circa-1850 barn that a small crew of helpers has spent the past four years turning into a performance space while also using it. The rehab is “97 percent finished,” Collier said, but opera enthusiasts have lamented the venue’s distance from more populous areas. And the intimate stage has no pit; it can accommodate only a piano.

So Collier is producing full operas in two larger venues located at the state’s northern and southern ends: the Highland Center for the Arts in Greensboro and the Arkell Pavilion at the Southern Vermont Arts Center in Manchester. At the 300-seat Highland, in February, the company will mount a production of Tosca to honor the centennial of composer Giacomo Puccini’s death. In May, it will present Giuseppe Verdi’s Rigoletto at the 400-seat Arkell.

Both venues have a pit — allowing Barn Opera’s music director, Cailin Marcel Manson, to bring in the New England Repertory Orchestra of Westborough, Mass., of

represented items of resistance thrown at the Stonewall riots.

Between prayers, participants turned to their table partners for discussion. Prompts included “How has being different brought you strength?” and “Describe a moment when you stood up for yourself or others.”

LGBTQ allies and non-Jews were also welcome at the seder. Tina Lucero isn’t Jewish, but she drove almost an hour to attend Pride Seder with her daughter, a bisexual and transgender woman. Fleeing a ban on gender-affirming care, Lucero and her family recently moved to Barre from Oklahoma in search of a more welcoming environment.

of my life and come together in a way that’s just like, I’m not hiding anything anymore ,” attendee Lynda Siegel said.

The items on the seder plate referenced historical moments of LGBTQ oppression and resilience. An inverted pink triangle alluded to the symbol that the Nazis forced those they labeled as gay to wear in concentration camps. A bundle of sticks represented “the faggot” and honored those “murdered for their love of one another,” according to the Haggadah. A brick and stones

which he is artistic director and CEO. Both have good acoustics, too, according to Collier, who test-sang on the SVAC stage and was the lead in OCM’s 2018 production of Gaetano Donizetti’s Elixir of Love at the Highland — the

Lucero thought Pride Seder would be “a great way” for her and her daughter “to try to get involved,” she said. “Just to be able to meet people that are accepting of her and we feel comfortable around.”

The last words of a traditional seder are “Next year in Jerusalem.” Pride Seder ended with “No. Not next year. Now and always. And not anywhere else, but here and everywhere.” Then the group sang “We Shall Overcome,” an anthem of the civil rights movement.

“It’s about how far we’ve come as an LGBT community, recognizing the triumphs and the oppression,” Lorber said of the seder. “It’s a time for reflection, a time for joy, and a time for deep contemplation and meaning. It’s a really beautiful experience.” ➆ INFO

Learn more about Ohavi Zedek Synagogue at ohavizedek.org.

production, however, will be repeated in Brandon. The home venue will instead present Gioachino Rossini’s Cinderella in October, and Collier is exploring renting out the space for community uses such as workshops, company events and studio album recordings by local ensembles.

The new audiences Opera Vermont hopes to attract can get a taste of what’s to come at two inaugural concerts of opera arias, at the Highland Center on Thursday, September 14, and SVAC on Friday, September 15. ➆

INFO

last time an opera was performed there, he noted.

The company will operate as Opera Vermont at the Highland Center and SVAC. The name reflects the new reach of Barn Opera to “parts of the state that have been neglected operatically,” Collier said. No Opera Vermont

Opera Vermont in Concert, Thursday, September 14, 7:30 p.m., at the Highland Center for the Arts in Greensboro, $40; and Friday, September 15, 7:30 p.m., at the Arkell Pavilion, Southern Vermont Arts Center, in Manchester, $25-50.

Learn more at barnopera.com, youthoperavt.org and ocmvermont.org.

IT’S ABOUT HOW FAR WE’VE COME AS AN LGBT COMMUNITY, RECOGNIZING THE TRIUMPHS AND THE OPPRESSION.

JASON LORBER

OPERA VERMONT’S NAME REFLECTS THE NEW REACH OF BARN OPERA TO “PARTS OF THE STATE THAT HAVE BEEN NEGLECTED OPERATICALLY.”

Co-organizer Jason Lorber speaking to attendees

Nine Lives

Alexis Dexter rescued 57 shelter cats during the July flood

Alexis Dexter opened Forget-MeNot Flowers and Gifts in 2016 on a busy corner in downtown Barre. In 2020, she started Kitty Korner Café, Vermont’s first — and only — kitty café, next door. Guests can visit the café, play with the resident felines and even adopt them. Cats are transported from the southern U.S., and more than 750 have found “furever” homes since the café opened. After making it through the pandemic, both popular spots were a big part of Barre’s revitalization.

There were 57 rescue cats in the café lounge on July 10, when it began to rain hard across the state. Downtown Barre was deluged, leading to unprecedented flooding. As water crept up outside the shop doors on North Main Street, Dexter and her boyfriend, Logan Wells, moved the terrified cats into carriers and placed them up high. The floodwaters rose so quickly that it was impossible to evacuate the cats to another location.

When water poured through the closed doors and began to inundate both shops, Dexter acted quickly. She used a screwdriver and a hammer to make two holes in the floor, diverting the water to the 7-foot-tall basement and saving the kitties. Once the floodwaters receded, the cats were relocated to foster homes within four hours.

Dexter went viral in the national media after her story got out — but her basement was filled with water. She lost a brand-new washer and dryer, an HVAC system, hotwater heaters, an electric panel, and thousands of dollars’

worth of supplies for the cats. A leak from her neighbor’s space spilled diesel oil into her basement, which required hazardous materials remediation. Both businesses had significant water damage and black mold. Dexter started a GoFundMe campaign for the cat shelter and raised over $22,000. She has been working with volunteers to rebuild the space and estimates that she has spent about $55,000 so far. The flower shop never shut down; Dexter filled three orders for funerals on July 11, the day after the flooding.

Dexter has help at the two shops from her mom, Jo-Ann Dexter; her grandmother Maggie Dexter; and Linda Bedard. The women entertain each other while making bouquets and handfeeding newborn kittens.

Seven Days senior multimedia producer Eva Sollberger filmed a “Stuck in Vermont” episode about the café in 2021 and visited the Dexters again on a recent afternoon to see the work in progress — and get a kitty fix from the 27 felines who have returned to the café.

Dexter hopes to reopen soon and needs volunteers, supplies and donations. Follow her social media and GoFundMe campaign for updates.

Sollberger spoke with Seven Days about filming the episode.

Why did you return to the café?

I loved meeting Alexis and her menagerie of kitties in 2021. When the flooding happened, I was watching anxiously on social media to see if they were OK. She was posting about the traumatic experience, and I was so relieved to hear that the kitties were safe. It sounded like the plot of an action movie, and Alexis was definitely the star. I am so glad that

donations poured in after that harrowing night.

Downtown Barre looks pretty good post-flood.

It really does! When I filmed this, it was almost two months since the heavy rainstorm decimated downtown businesses. Most of them are open again, and the main drag is cleaned up. It’s nothing like the desolate images of streets filled with mud and muck that I saw online after the flood.

But as Alexis’ mother, Jo-Ann, pointed out, even if things look normal, there is a lot of work going on behind the scenes to get through this very di cult time. The Dexters have been incredibly busy with renovations and relocating everything from the basement to the upstairs. Both Alexis and Jo-Ann asked people not to forget about everyone affected by this flood and to shop locally and support small businesses to help them get through this recovery period. There are a ton of ways to contribute, whether through volunteering, shopping or buying a Kitty Korner Café T-shirt for $25.

What was it like being in the lounge with 27 kitties?

Cute overload! I was absolutely overwhelmed and surrounded by fuzzy sweetness. Alexis introduced me to a new

phrase: “cute aggression.” It is when you want to squeeze and attack cute things. The kitties were in heaven because Alexis sat still for my interview and they got a ton of her attention. Usually she is dashing around changing litter, feeding cats and making flower bouquets.

In the midst of this intense renovation work, Alexis managed to make room for a transport of 15 cats and is caring for two litters of newborns, one of which requires hand-feeding. The adolescent kitties are little balls of energy; di erent fuzzballs were teething on my headphone cords, climbing me and swatting at my iPhone. A tiny tiger kitten named Forest spent most of the interview snoozing in my lap. It was definitely distracting and totally adorable.

When will the cat café reopen?

That is the big question. People often stopped outside to look in the windows at the kitties. The flower shop never closed, but Alexis is not sure when the café will reopen. It has to pass inspection and is currently short-staffed. Alexis is still accepting adoption applications and trying to find “furever” homes for the cats.

ose kittens were pretty cute. I have two geriatric cats at home, so it was a big switch to be around this swirl of frantic kitten energy. So many of them are young and adorable and will probably find homes quickly. But the older cats always pull at my heartstrings. There was a flu y black cat named Mohawk who is a bit timid after surviving the scary night of the flood in a kitty carrier. These more mature cats still have tons of

give, and I hope they’ll

families soon. ➆

love to

find

THE FLOODWATERS ROSE SO QUICKLY THAT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO EVACUATE THE CATS TO ANOTHER LOCATION.

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

Episode 697: Saving Cats in Barre

Alexis Dexter

on screen

Remember back in 2002, when Hollywood tried to introduce us to mainstream female raunch with The Sweetest Thing, starring Cameron Diaz? The movie flopped, leading some to declare that the time for such unseemly endeavors had not arrived and never would.

Well, now it has — and if Bottoms is any indication, the future of sex comedies is sapphic. Directed by 28-year-old Emma Seligman, who made a stir with her 2020 debut, Shiva Baby, this tale of two unabashedly horny teen girls is currently playing in local theaters.

The deal

Bottoms ★★★★ REVIEW

Best friends PJ (Rachel Sennott) and Josie (Ayo Edebiri) desperately want to lose their virginity before heading o to college. They’ve set their sights high — on cheerleaders Isabel (Havana Rose Liu) and Brittany (Kaia Gerber), who rarely give their two misfit admirers the time of day. Isabel dates the school’s revered quarterback, Jeff (Nicholas Galitzine), whose job it is to lead the team to victory over the dreaded Huntington High Golden Ferrets.

After a little mishap involving their car and Je ’s kneecaps, PJ and Josie find themselves in danger of expulsion. Using her talent for fast-talking, free-associating bullshittery, PJ spins the incident to the principal as female empowerment.

Next thing they know, the two friends are starting a girls-only fight club and recruiting the school’s most laid-back teacher (Marshawn Lynch) as their adviser. Never mind that they’ve never set foot in juvie, where they claim to have learned scrapping skills. When the cheerleaders show up for lessons in selfdefense, Josie and PJ are all too ready to teach them.

Will you like it?

How would you view the above plot summary di erently if Josie and PJ were boys? Would they become sleazy, creepy predators? Would the charmingly wacky fight club scenario suddenly look like a recipe for sexual assault, reminiscent of the anything-goes high school comedies of the 1980s? Would that change even if the objects of their lust were genderflipped, too?

Luckily for these two, nobody expects

teenage girls to be physically dangerous, to other girls or to anyone else. Bottoms capitalizes on that double standard while also satirizing it with ruthless, sustained intensity.

This isn’t one of those Judd Apatowstyle comedies in which we laugh fondly at lovably flawed characters. In its commitment to dark comedy verging on surrealism, Bottoms is closer to Heathers — only without the soggy ending. A throwaway gag involving a bullied kid who plots violence feels every bit as perilously boundary-pushing now as those jokes about teen suicide did in 1989. Fluent in therapy speak, these characters talk casually of their “traumas” before inflicting cartoonish havoc on one another — and yes, people bleed.

Sennott cowrote the film with Seligman and personifies its anarchic spirit on screen. While Edebiri’s Josie has enough soft, likable moments to be a conventional romantic lead, PJ doesn’t do soft. Snarling like Jane Lynch, taunting like Joe Pesci, fighting like a Tasmanian devil, she’s a terrible person and a hilarious comic concoction.

We never really find out what makes PJ tick — why, for instance, she’s so cruel to Hazel (Ruby Cruz), a sweet, lethal oddball who is one of the fight club’s (and the movie’s) secret weapons. Sennott has virtually no arc to play, but that doesn’t

stop her from commanding the screen. (She’s also one of the few reasons to watch the misbegotten Max series “The Idol.”) Bottoms moves at a relentless pace, tossing out one-liners like firecrackers. While many of those jokes land, not all of the movie’s elements cohere, and viewers may wish for a few quieter moments in which to get to know the characters. There are enough juicy supporting performances here for several seasons of a cult TV show, but we don’t always have time to enjoy them.

Perhaps Bottoms ’ disjointedness betrays its guiding aesthetic: meme humor. The movie paints heteronormative rituals and modern sensitivities with equally broad satirical brushstrokes, capturing them in tableaux that don’t convey any particular worldview beyond the absurdity of existence in this moment. High school traditions such as the homecoming game and the bikini car wash, inherited from a less self-aware era, become as comically bizarre in this movie as Shakespearean duels and codpieces. In Heathers, it was radical to suggest that a football star could be gay. In Bottoms, the whole game of football is inherently campy, and nerdy girls pose the greatest risk to the cheerleaders’ virtue.

There are limits, of course. Unlike its ’80s forebears, Bottoms pauses to a rm

the importance of enthusiastic sexual consent before continuing on its gleeful rampage through the outdated bric-a-brac of high school comedies past. It may not have any eloquent valedictory addresses to deliver, but, like PJ, this frenetic comedy has a fighting spirit.

MARGOT HARRISON margot@sevendaysvt.com

IF YOU LIKE THIS, TRY...

SHIVA BABY (2020; Hoopla, Kanopy, Max, rentable): In Seligman’s acclaimed debut feature, Sennott plays a college student for whom a family funeral service becomes a nightmare when her sugar daddy shows up.

BOOKSMART (2019; rentable): With her directorial debut, Olivia Wilde led the way into a bold new world of raunchy, female-led high school comedies. More earnest than Bottoms, Booksmart likewise focuses on two misfit best friends.

JOY RIDE (2023; rentable): Bottoms isn’t the only female raunch comedy the summer has brought us. Adele Lim’s wild road movie with a mostly Asian cast disappeared from theaters in a blink, but it’s funny and heartfelt and deserves a second look.

e kids are definitely not all right in Emma Seligman’s outrageous comedy about teenage lesbians on the make.

NEW IN THEATERS

A HAUNTING IN VENICE: Kenneth Branagh returns as detective Hercule Poirot in this Agatha Christie adaptation, set after World War II. With Michelle Yeoh, Jamie Dornan and Tina Fey; Branagh directed. (103 min, PG-13. Essex, Majestic, Palace, Paramount, Star, Sunset)

THE INVENTOR: Stephen Fry voices Leonardo da Vinci in this animation about the Renaissance innovator, also featuring Daisy Ridley and Marion Cotillard. Jim Capobianco and Pierre-Luc Granjon directed. (92 min, PG. Palace)

THE RETIREMENT PLAN: Nicolas Cage plays a tough guy turned beach bum who comes out of retirement to get his daughter out of a jam in Tim Brown’s action comedy. (103 min, R. Palace, Star)

CURRENTLY PLAYING

ARISTOTLE AND DANTE DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSEHHH1/2 Two Mexican American teens find friendship in this adaptation of Benjamin Alire Sáenz’s novel. (96 min, PG-13. Palace)

BARBIEHHHH Margot Robbie plays the Mattel toy as she experiences her first-ever existential crisis. (114 min, PG-13. Bijou, Essex, Majestic, Palace, Roxy, Savoy, Stowe, Sunset, Welden; reviewed 7/26)

BLUE BEETLEHHH An alien scarab transforms a teenager (Xolo Maridueña) into a superhero in this action adventure. (127 min, PG-13. Majestic, Welden)

BOTTOMSHHHH Superbad but make it sapphic?

Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebiri play lovelorn high school friends who hatch a wild scheme to get close to their crushes in this comedy from Emma Seligman (Shiva Baby). (91 min, R. Essex, Majestic, Roxy; reviewed 9/13)

THE EQUALIZER 3HHH Denzel Washington is back as the former government assassin in Antoine Fuqua’s action thriller. (109 min, R. Bijou, Essex, Majestic, Palace, Roxy, Stowe, Sunset, Welden)

GOLDAHH1/2 Helen Mirren plays Golda Meir, former prime minister of Israel, in this drama about the Yom Kippur War. (100 min, PG-13. Palace)

GRAN TURISMOHH1/2 A teen (Archie Madekwe) transfers his video game prowess to professional car racing in this fact-inspired action drama from Neill Blomkamp. (135 min, PG-13. Majestic, Welden)

JAWAN: Atlee directed this Hindi action thriller about a man seeking justice, starring Shah Rukh Khan. (169 min, NR, Majestic)

MEG 2: THE TRENCHHH Jason Statham aids deep-sea researchers as they battle various menaces, including prehistoric sharks. (116 min, PG-13. Majestic, Sunset)

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE — DEAD RECKONING PART

ONEHHHH Tom Cruise returns as secret agent Ethan Hunt in the seventh installment of the action franchise. (163 min, PG-13. Palace)

MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING 3HH Nia Vardalos (who also directed) and John Corbett return as a couple bringing their grown daughter to Greece for a family reunion. (91 min, PG-13. Bijou, Essex, Majestic, Palace, Paramount, Roxy, Star, Stowe)

NO HARD FEELINGSHHH A down-on-her-luck woman (Jennifer Lawrence) is hired by a 19-yearold’s parents to bring him out of his shell in this comedy. (103 min, R. Sunset)

THE NUN IIHH1/2 Taissa Farmiga is back as a plucky nun chasing down a veil-wearing demon in this belated horror sequel. Michael Chaves directed.

(110 min, R. Bijou, Essex, Majestic, Palace, Roxy, Star, Sunset)

OPPENHEIMERHHHHH Director Christopher Nolan tells the story of the man (Cillian Murphy) who played a key role in creating the atomic bomb.

(180 min, R. Essex, Majestic, Palace, Roxy; reviewed 8/2)

STRAYSHH1/2 Will Ferrell and Jamie Foxx voice candid canines in this not-for-kids comedy. (93 min, R. Essex, Sunset)

TALK TO MEHHH1/2 A group of friends uses an embalmed hand to conjure spirits in this horror thriller. (94 min, R. Sunset; reviewed 8/9)

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT

MAYHEMHHH1/2 Cowriter Seth Rogen and directors Jeff Rowe and Kyler Spears reboot the comic-based series. (99 min, PG. Essex, Majestic, Palace, Welden)

OLDER FILMS AND SPECIAL SCREENINGS

ASTEROID CITY (Playhouse)

CHRISTINE 40TH ANNIVERSARY (Essex, Wed 13 only)

FATHOM’S BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: RAIN MAN 35TH ANNIVERSARY (Essex, Sun & Wed 20 only)

RENEE FLEMING’S CITIES THAT SING: VENICE (Essex, Sat only)

OPEN THEATERS

The Capitol Showplace and Catamount Arts are currently closed until further notice. The Marquis Theater is closed with a reopening date of September 15. (* = upcoming schedule for theater was not available at press time)

*BIG PICTURE THEATER: 48 Carroll Rd., Waitsfield, 496-8994, bigpicturetheater.info

*BIJOU CINEPLEX 4: 107 Portland St., Morrisville, 888-3293, bijou4.com

*CAPITOL SHOWPLACE: 93 State St., Montpelier, 229-0343, fgbtheaters.com

*CATAMOUNT ARTS: 115 Eastern Ave., St. Johnsbury, 748-2600, catamountarts.org

ESSEX CINEMAS & T-REX THEATER: 21 Essex Way, Suite 300, Essex, 879-6543, essexcinemas.com

MAJESTIC 10: 190 Boxwood St., Williston, 878-2010, majestic10.com

*MARQUIS THEATER: 65 Main St., Middlebury, 388-4841, middleburymarquis.com

MERRILL’S ROXY CINEMAS: 222 College St., Burlington, 864-3456, merrilltheatres.net

PALACE 9 CINEMAS: 10 Fayette Dr., South Burlington, 864-5610, palace9.com

PARAMOUNT TWIN CINEMA: 241 N. Main St., Barre, 479-9621, fgbtheaters.com

PLAYHOUSE MOVIE THEATRE: 11 S. Main St., Randolph, 728-4012, playhouseflicks.com

SAVOY THEATER: 26 Main St., Montpelier, 2290598, savoytheater.com

STAR THEATRE: 17 Eastern Ave., St. Johnsbury, 748-9511, stjaytheatre.com

*STOWE CINEMA 3PLEX: 454 Mountain Rd., Stowe, 253-4678, stowecinema.com

SUNSET DRIVE-IN: 155 Porters Point Rd., Colchester, 862-1800, sunsetdrivein.com

*WELDEN THEATRE: 104 N. Main St., St. Albans, 527-7888, weldentheatre.com

Now is the Time to Drive Electric!

Blue Beetle

Here Today

A tripart show at Rochester’s BigTown Gallery offers photographic visions of a Vermont past

BY PAMELA POLSTON • ppolston@sevendaysvt.com

This summer, BigTown Gallery in Rochester reopened after a long, pandemic-induced hiatus. During that time, gallerist Anni Mackay and her husband, Doon Hinderyckx, were not exactly idle: The couple bought a nearby 19th-century building and transformed it into the Stable Inn.

Beautifully furnished and sustainably powered, the inn has already offered respite to travelers, including bicycle touring groups — Hinderyckx owns the adjacent retail and repair shop Green Mountain Bikes. But Mackay has her eye on another use for the inn in the near future: a site for artist and multidisciplinary residencies.

Meantime, she has reopened BigTown Gallery with its first all-photography exhibit. Collectively titled “No Place Like Here,” it has three sections: black-andwhite silver gelatin images by Peter Moriarty, taken in Vermont primarily in the 1980s and recently reprinted; four prints from the Farm Security Administration collection of the Library of Congress that Moriarty purchased for his teaching portfolio; and another selection of 17 Vermontspecific FSA photos.

Moriarty, 70, lives in Clinton, Mass., but has had a long association with Vermont. After earning an MFA in photography at the Rochester Institute of Technology in 1979, he taught for 18 years at Vermont colleges. With a federal grant, he created the bachelor of fine arts program at Johnson (now part of Vermont State University) and for a time served as its chair.

Moriarty eventually left Vermont to print black-and-white images for Print Zone in New York City — one client was renowned portrait photographer Annie Leibovitz — and to teach at two New York schools before retiring in 2012. Through the years, he kept up his own photography practice — mostly with analog film and darkroom printing — and produced a couple of books. Copies of his 2019 volume, Warm Room: Photographs From Historic Greenhouses, are available at BigTown.

Most of the photos Moriarty selected for the current exhibit hew to a surprising theme: plastic. It’s natural for a present-day viewer to expect some

REVIEW

environmental commentary. But Moriarty’s rural Vermont pictures were taken decades before we learned about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and microplastics in our bloodstreams and how to sort our recyclables. His stark images show farm buildings, houses and gardens shrouded in plastic for thermal support in winter.

“I think the language we would use today is ‘adaptive reuse,’” Moriarty said in a phone conversation. “[It’s] what people have done to adapt to the climate. Vermonters pride themselves on their resilience.”

Viewers who harbor an antiplastic stance might experience an interesting psychological shift to witness the material as utilitarian rather than as waste. In “Miller garden Johnson, VT” (Moriarty’s titles are sparing), two white feed bags shield tomato plants from frost; in the twilight gloom, they might be ghostly trick-or-treaters in a darkened yard.

Conversely, black plastic-wrapped somethings in “Jericho, VT” loom in a snowy field like sculptures.

“Wrapped house Waterville, VT” evokes Christo, though even that wrap-happy artist, who died in 2020, probably wouldn’t have braved rural Vermont in January.

This and other structures encased in plastic illustrate an aesthetic phenomenon, too: light modulation. “Plastic amplifies the light striking the building,” Moriarty explained. For a photographer enthralled by film’s deep blacks, crisp whites and delicate permutations of gray, the sources and reflections of light are paramount considerations.

Moriarty expressed the same interest in his pictures of cut plastic. Unlike the straightforward rural views, these are abstract and harder to parse. The photographer sliced sheets of clear plastic, painted on them, hung them on

clotheslines outdoors and shot them billowing in the wind. From across the room, “July 22, 1985” could be a painting of enigmatic shapes cavorting against a dark field. “July 19, 1984” looks like strange botanical life forms reaching for the sky.

Moriarty included in this exhibit three prints from a series that has nothing to do with plastic: “The Hurt Dance: Photographs of Endurance Athletes.”

The figurative works depict competitive swimmers in and out of water, as well as his own swimsuit-clad daughter, Mirah, angled toward a backward somersault on a beach. That was 1990; Mirah later became a professional dancer, Moriarty said.

Moriarty’s photos alone reward visitors to BigTown; including Farm Security Administration photographs was not necessary, but they do add dimension to the show’s title.

Clockwise from above: “Wrapped house Waterville, VT”; “Jericho, VT”; “Mirah Kennebunk, ME”; and “Cut Plastic 4” by Peter Moriarty

The FSA was a U.S. government program that ran from 1937 to 1946 as part of an effort to combat rural poverty during the Depression. The Library of Congress houses the thousands of images collected during those years and, as they are in the public domain, they are available for purchase. Moriarty bought some photos printed from original negatives to use in his classes on the history of photography. One of them was arguably the most famous Depression-era image:

Dorothea Lange’s 1936 “Migrant Mother.” This hangs in BigTown along with two photos by Walker Evans and one by Ben Shahn.

The Vermont-centric FSA pictures — which are digital copies — might be even more intriguing to local viewers. Moriarty had a special interest in works by women, who — surprise, surprise — often did not get due credit in their lifetimes. One of these was Louise Rosskam, who spent some time in Lincoln. Her 1940 pictures in this selection document a farm, a band

Embrace Your Inner Artist

concert, a traveling silver salesman and the “Oldest woman in Lincoln.”

In the batch of Vermont photos, one was actually taken in Nipomo, Calif., by Lange. The 1935 image captures a couple of “Pea Pickers From Vermont” standing outside a tent with a jalopy that apparently made the cross-country trip. The caption indicates that they earned $7 for six weeks’ work.

“It calls into question who is a migrant,” Moriarty observed.

All the photographs in “No Place Like Here” ask a viewer to contemplate the special gravity of belonging. ➆

INFO

“No Place Like Here,” photographs by Peter Moriarty and Farm Security Administration prints, on view through October 29 at BigTown Gallery in Rochester. bigtownvermont.com

BLACK PLASTIC-WRAPPED SOMETHINGS IN “JERICHO, VT” LOOM IN A SNOWY FIELD LIKE SCULPTURES.

NEW THIS WEEK

burlington

‘HOW PEOPLE MAKE THINGS’: An installation inspired by the Mister Rogers’ factory tours includes hands-on activities in cutting, molding, deforming and assembly to show participants how certain childhood objects are manufactured. September 16-January 7. Info, 864-1848. ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain in Burlington.

chittenden county

JOSEPH SALERNO: “Inside & Out: Landscapes to Relics,” al fresco oil paintings by the Vermont artist. Reception: Friday, September 15, 5-7 p.m. September 15-November 4. Info, 985-3848. Furchgott Sourdiffe Gallery in Shelburne.

LARS JERLACH AND HELEN STRINGFELLOW:

“Tectonic industries: If you had followed the directive, you wouldn’t be here,” an immersive, multimedia installation transforming the gallery with painting, audio, video and sculptural elements. Artist talk: Thursday, September 14, 5 p.m., in Cheray 101, followed by a reception in the gallery at 6 p.m. September 14-October 13. Info, bcollier@smcvt.edu. McCarthy Art Gallery, Saint Michael’s College, in Colchester.

barre/montpelier

‘ROCK SOLID XXIII’: An annual exhibition that showcases stone sculptures and assemblages by area artists, as well as other work that depicts the qualities of stone. Main-floor gallery. KATE

ARSLAMBAKOVA: “Primordial,” paintings influenced by surrealism that bring the microscopic world into focus. Third-floor gallery. September 13-October 28. Info, 479-7069. Studio Place Arts in Barre.

middlebury area

‘FROM HOMESPUN TO COUTURE: FASHION IN HISTORIC MIDDLEBURY’: An exhibition featuring local advertisements, newspapers, fashion magazines, photographs, trade cards, catalogs and other documentation from the museum’s archives; curated by Eva Garcelon-Hart. Reception: Thursday, September 14, 5-7 p.m. September 14-January 13. Info, 388-2117. Henry Sheldon Museum of Vermont History in Middlebury.

‘THE LIGHT OF THE LEVANT’: An exhibit of early photography in the late Ottoman Empire, which encompassed contemporary Greece, Turkey and most of the Arab world. Fall opening reception: Thursday, September 14, 5:30-7 p.m. September 14-December 10. Info, 443-5007. Middlebury College Museum of Art.

‘MACRO | MICRO’: An exhibition of large and small works in a variety of mediums by more than 40 artists, featuring the monumental and the miniature. Reception: Friday, September 22, 5-7 p.m. September 15-November 4. Info, 989-7225. Sparrow Art Supply in Middlebury.

northeast kingdom

MERYL LEBOWITZ: “All Over the Place,” new landscape paintings by the Vermont artist. Reception: Sunday, September 24, 5-8 p.m. September 13-October 8. Info, 229-8317. The Satellite Gallery in Lyndonville.

brattleboro/okemo valley

‘GLASS | PASTEL’: A group exhibition of blown and sculpted glass along with pastel paintings by nine local artists. Reception: Friday, September 15, 5-7 p.m. September 15-November 4. Info, 289-0104. Canal Street Art Gallery in Bellows Falls.

ART EVENTS

‘THE 1960S FLUXUS ART MOVEMENT’: Vermont Humanities presents a Snapshot event in which John R. Killacky and Sean Clute discuss artists such as Yoko Ono and Nam June Paik and share their collaborative video, “FLUX.” Register to attend. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, Monday, September 18, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 262-2626.

EXHIBITION

BENNINGTON QUILTFEST: An exhibition of more than 190 new quilts, including featured quilter Timna Tarr, free lectures, guild challenge quilts, vendors, raffles and more. Mount Anthony Union Middle School, Bennington, Saturday, September 16, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, September 17, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. $10. Info, chair@benningtonquiltfest.com.

BTV MARKET: An outdoor market featuring wares by local artists, makers, bakers and more, accompanied

by live music and lawn games. Burlington City Hall Park, Saturday, September 16, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Info, 865-7166.

CURRENTLY SPEAKING: JOHN KILLACKY AND SEAN

CLUTE: “Fluxus: Art Performs Life,” original Fluxus films on loop (5-5:30 p.m.), followed by a presentation (5:30-6 p.m.) on the history of the Fluxus art movement, including a discussion of renowned artists such as Yoko Ono and Nam June Paik. The

Waitsfield Cartoon Show Features Comic Relief and Revelations

BY PAMELA POLSTON • ppolston@sevendaysvt.com

It’s been a minute since cartoonists had basically two career outlets: comic books and newspaper funny pages. At the Mad River Valley Arts gallery in Waitsfield, a current show demonstrates how the art form has blossomed. “The Mad Contemporary” features work by 15 artists that ranges from highly accomplished to aspirational, from book excerpts to stand-alone drawings.

The very name of the art form is slippery: We use the words “cartoons” and “comics” interchangeably, even when the work is decidedly not comical. And someone came up with the arid term “graphic novel” for book-length cartoon-style works even if they’re not really novels. Whatever. MRV Arts executive director and curator Sam Talbot-Kelly covered the bases in the show’s subtitle: “A Comics and Cartoon Art Exhibition.”

Fans of the genre will recognize some of the participants — several of them are contributors to this newspaper and/or affiliated

with the Center for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction.

Cartoonist Rachel Lindsay submitted an original board from her graphic memoir Rx Glynnis Fawkes shared pages from her book Charlotte Brontë Before Jane Eyre. Marek Bennett is represented by images from his book The Civil War Diary of Freeman Colby and the cover of The Most Costly Journey: Stories of Migrant Farmworkers in Vermont, Drawn by New England Cartoonists (the latter published by Vermont Folklife Center). Children’s illustrator-animator Dan Abdo has several drawings, including a spread from the book Grumbalina and the Flower Power Spell

A page from Daryl Seitchik’s Follow the Doll represents her in-progress painted graphic novel inspired by Slavic folklore. Artist and educator Jenni Bee (Belotserkovsky) shows her love for the Green Mountain State in her digital comic “VERMONTing.”

Many of the submissions are single drawings, such as Julianna Brazill’s

flower-sniffing “Peony Perv,” Sarah “Freedz” Conlon’s digital compositions of fantastical creatures, Myleigh Modun’s “cutesy-dystopian lineup of stuffed animal fashion,” Niko Stonorov’s sweet pencil drawings titled “Bad Dogs of Vermont” and panels from Valley Reporter cartoonist Keith Davidson.

To augment the exhibition, Talbot-Kelly pinned to one wall dozens of cartoons made by youngsters at a camp this summer — the first ever at MRV Arts. Another display shows visitor responses to panels from a New Yorker Cartoon Caption Game.

From line drawings to lushly painted illustrations, whether silly or somber or in between, “The Mad Contemporary” manifests the captivating synergy of words with pictures. ➆

INFO

“The Mad Contemporary,” on view through October 1 at Mad River Valley Arts in Waitsfield. madrivervalleyarts.org

Illustration from The Civil War Diary of Freeman Colby by Marek Bennett

ART SHOWS

Current, Stowe, Thursday., September 14, 5-6:30 p.m. $10 suggested donation. Info, 253-8358.

GRANITE LECTURE AND FILM SERIES: CHRIS MILLER: The local sculptor, who works in stone and wood, discusses his commission to create a new monument to represent the Vermont Academy of Arts & Sciences. Vermont Granite Museum, Barre, Thursday, September 14, 6-7 p.m. Free. Info, 249-3897.

IN CONVERSATION: ‘OUTSTANDING’ ARTISTS: Chip Haggerty, Liza Phillip and Kalin Thomas, featured in the current exhibit “Outstanding: Contemporary Self-Taught Artists,” share insights on their work and discuss the implications of the term “self-taught.” Moderated by Heather Ferrell, BCA’s curator and director of exhibitions. BCA Center, Burlington, Thursday, September 14, 6-7 p.m. Free. Info, 865-7166.

‘IN OUR WORDS, IN OUR COMMUNITY’: A touring public arts and humanities exhibit that amplifies the voices of Vermonters experiencing homelessness, food insecurity and economic challenges, created by Vermont Folklife and photographer Macaulay Lerman in partnership with the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity. Alburgh Public Library, Friday, September 15, 1-6 p.m. Info, 388-4964.

LECTURE: EDGAR DEGAS: Educator Sydelle Gansl discusses the 19th-century French impressionist painter. Chaffee Art Center, Rutland, Wednesday, September 13, 6-7:30 p.m. $10 donation. Info, 775-0356.

MEET THE ARTIST NIGHT: LIZA MYERS: The painter and sculptor talks about her nature-inspired work.

Brandon Artists Guild, Friday, September 15, 7-8 p.m. Free. Info, 247-4956.

OPEN STUDIO: Draw, collage, paint, move, write and explore the expressive arts however you please during this drop-in period. Available in studio and via Zoom. Most materials are available in the studio. All are welcome, no art experience necessary. Expressive Arts Burlington, Thursday, September 14, 12:30-2:30 p.m. Donations. Info, info@expressiveartsburlington.com.

PLEIN AIR PAINTING FESTIVAL: An outdoor painting session, with demonstration by artist William B. Hoyt, followed by potluck and informal critique. Rain date: September 22. Artistree Community Arts Center Theatre & Gallery, South Pomfret, Friday, September 15, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Info, exhibits@ artistreevt.org.

‘THE WORKING LANDSCAPE’: A family-friendly evening in the orchard featuring artworks by Edgewater Gallery artists Susan Abbott, Joe Bolger, Jonathan Ebinger, William Hoyt, Woody Jackson, Kathleen Kolb, Jay Lagemann, Robert O’Brien and Daryl Storrs, as well as sculptures by Jonathan Ebinger and Jay Lagemann. Sunrise Orchards, Cornwall, Friday, September 15, 5:30-7 p.m. Free. Info, 989-7419.

ONGOING ART SHOWS

burlington

‘60 YEARS OF BREAD & PUPPET’: Puppets, prints and banners by Peter Schumann, founder of the puppet theater group based in Glover. Through December 1. Info, hello@karmabirdhouse.com.

Karma Bird House Gallery in Burlington.

‘ABENAKI: FIRST PEOPLE EXHIBITION’: The council and members of Alnôbaiwi (in the Abenaki way) and the museum open a new exhibition featuring the Abenaki Year, the seasonal calendar of people who lived in the area for more than 8,000 years before Europeans arrived, as well as works by contemporary Abenaki artisans and a replica of a 19th-century Abenaki village. Through October 31. Info, 865-4556. Ethan Allen Homestead in Burlington.

‘ART AND THE MATTER OF PLACE’: A small exhibition of objects in the Wolcott Gallery that encourages critical thinking about place and why it matters. Reception: Wednesday, September 13, 5-7

p.m. ‘PRAXIS’: An exhibition of recent work by more than a dozen studio art faculty at UVM in an array of mediums. Reception: Wednesday, September 13, 5-7 p.m. Through December 8. Info, 656-0750. Fleming Museum of Art, University of Vermont, in Burlington.

ART AT THE HOSPITAL: Oil paintings by Louise Arnold and Jean Gerber and photographs by Mike Sipe (Main Street Connector, ACC 3); photographs on metal by Brian Drourr (McClure 4 ); acrylics and mixed-media painting by Linda Blackerby (Breast Care Center) and Colleen Murphy (EP2). Curated by Burlington City Arts. Through September 30. Info, 865-7296. University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington.

ASHLEY ROARK: “All the Things,” cyanotype collages that explore objects as symbols by the Burlington artist. Through September 30. Info, 338-7441. Thirty-odd in Burlington.

CAROL MACDONALD: “Emergence (Coming to Light),” new monotypes by the Vermont artist. Through September 28. Info, 863-6458. Frog Hollow Vermont Craft Gallery in Burlington.

CAROLYN BATES: “Street Murals of Burlington,” photographs from a new book by the local professional photographer. Through October 31. Info, 862-5010.

First Congregational Church in Burlington.

‘OUTSTANDING: CONTEMPORARY SELF-TAUGHT

ART’: Drawings, paintings and 3D works by area artists Larry Bissonette, Denver Ferguson, June Gutman, Chip Haggerty, Liza Phillip, Pamela Smith, Thomas Stetson and Kalin Thomas. Through September 17. Info, 865-7166. HYUNSUK ERICKSON: “Thingumabob Society,” multicolored, towering, playful sculptures that suggest sprouting seeds or family groupings. Through September 17. Info, 8657166. KATE LONGMAID: Contemporary portraiture, still life and landscape paintings in oil and acrylic gouache by the Vermont artist. Through December 17. Info, 865-7296. BCA Center in Burlington.

‘ONGOING ABSTRACTION’: Contemporary artworks by Stacey Fisher, Andrew Kuo, Meg Lipke, Rachel Eulena Williams and Sun You; curated by Steve Budington, associate professor of painting and drawing. Reception: Wednesday, September 20, 5:30-7 p.m. Through September 29. Info, sbudingt@ uvm.edu. Francis Colburn Gallery, University of Vermont, in Burlington.

ROSA LEFF: “Blown Away,” familiar scenes of urban life in intricately cut paper. Through September 30. Info, 324-0014. Soapbox Arts in Burlington.

chittenden county

ART AT THE AIRPORT: Acrylic abstract paintings by Matt Larson and acrylic floral paintings by Sandra Berbeco, curated by Burlington City Arts. Through September 30. JULIA PURINTON: Abstract oil paintings inspired by nature; in the North Concourse. Through February 29. Info, 865-7296. Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport in South Burlington.

BIRDS OF VERMONT EXHIBIT: An exhibit showcasing the history of birds in art, as well as a display of the tools a wood carver uses to create lifelike birds. Through September 30. Info, 846-4140. South Burlington Public Library Art Wall.

‘BUILT FROM THE EARTH’: An exhibition of masterful Pueblo pottery from the Anthony and Teressa Perry Collection of Native American art.

‘OBJECT/S OF PLAY’: An interactive exploration of the creative processes of American toy designers Cas Holman and Karen Hewitt. ‘POP UP’: An exhibition of contemporary inflated sculptures inside and outside the museum featuring three artists and artist teams from the field of pneumatic sculpture: Claire Ashley, Pneuhaus and Tamar Ettun. (Outdoor sculptures not on view on days with excessive wind.) STEPHEN HUNECK: “Pet Friendly,” an exhibition of hand-carved and painted furniture, sculptures, relief paintings, bronze sculptures and more by the late Vermont artist. Through October 22. Info, 985-3346. Shelburne Museum.

G. Richard Ames in Beast Friends: A Talk in the Woods

CHRISTINE MITCHELL ADAMS: “I Am Your Playground,” drawings that explore the shifting sense of self and identity as a parent/caregiver within the lens of play. Through September 30. Info, christinemitchelladams@gmail.com. MATT

LARSON & NANCY CHAPMAN: Nature-inspired abstract paintings. Curated by Burlington City Arts. Through October 17. Info, 865-7296. Pierson Library in Shelburne.

DEBBA PEARCE: “Ethereal Landscapes,” paintings in alcohol inks. Through September 30. Info, 660-4999. Art Works Frame Shop & Gallery in South Burlington.

JENNIFER ASHLINE: An installation of landscape, floral and figurative works. Through September 24. Info, 662-4877. Salt & Bubbles Wine Bar and Market in Essex.

‘LET THE LIGHT IN’: New paintings by Vermont artists Liz Hawkes deNiord, Joy Huckins-Noss, Jill Madden and Julia Purinton, curated by Essex High School student Xandra Ford. Through October 19. Info, gallery@southburlingtonvt.gov. South Burlington Public Art Gallery.

‘SPARK: FUELING A LOVE OF BIRDS’: An exhibition of works by more than 60 artists and writers expressing avian admiration. Through October 31. Info, 434-2167. Birds of Vermont Museum in Huntington.

TOM WATERS: “Reaching New Heights,” Vermont landscape paintings. Through September 24. Info, 899-3211. Emile A. Gruppe Gallery in Jericho.

barre/montpelier

ART AT THE KENT: ‘TRACES’: Nearly two dozen Vermont artists present works in wax, wood, paint, clay, fabric, metal and photographs in this annual exhibition. Through October 8. Info, thekentmuseum@gmail.com. Kents’ Corner State Historic Site in Calais.

DELIA ROBINSON: “Gravitational Reprieve,” imaginative works by the Montpelier artist, painted in response to Vermont floods. Reception: Thursday, September 14, 4-6 p.m. Through October 6. Info, robinson.delia@gmail.com. Central Vermont Medical Center in Berlin.

‘ELEMENTS OF SHELTER’: Original works in wood, metal and glass by Yestermorrow faculty members Thea Alvin, Meg Reinhold, Nick Pattis, Anna Fluri, Sophia Mickelson and Johno Landsman, in conjunction with the Waitsfield design/build school. Through May 31, 2025. Info, 828-3291. Vermont Arts Council Sculpture Garden in Montpelier.

ELINOR RANDALL: “Deep Impressions,” a survey of the master printmaker’s work 1954 to 2013. Curated by NNEMoCA. Second-floor gallery. Through October 18. Info, 479-7069. Studio Place Arts in Barre.

‘ENOUGH SAID? COUNTING MASS SHOOTINGS’: An installation that addresses rampant gun violence in the U.S., featuring artworks by Susan Calza, Samantha M. Eckert and Felix Gonzalez-Torres.

Through November 30. Info, 224-6827. Susan Calza Gallery in Montpelier.

ERICKSON DÍAZ-CORTÉS AND FIONA MCTEIGUE:

Two solo exhibitions: “By Myself With You,” featuring painterly colored drawings of domestic scenes; and “Rock Paper Scissor,” stream-of-consciousness graphite drawings of daily life, respectively. Through September 15. Info, hexumgallery@gmail.com. Hexum Gallery in Montpelier.

‘INSIDE OUT: INCARCERATION’: A traveling exhibition of artworks by imprisoned artists that explore the intersections of trauma, addiction, incarceration and reentry. A collaboration of Artists in the WV Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and Goddard College’s Reentry Advocates program. Through September 22. Info, 262-6035. T.W. Wood Gallery in Montpelier.

MARJORIE KRAMER: Portrait and landscape paintings by the gallery member. Through October 1. Info, marjkramer@gmail.com. The Front in Montpelier.

PATTY MERIAM: “The Longest Branch,” oil paintings that explore trees and human connections by the Barre-based artist and conservator. Through September 14. Info, 229-6206. North Branch Nature Center in Montpelier.

PREYA HOLLAND: Nature and landscape photography inspired by the beauty of Vermont and New England. Through September 30. Info, 479-0896. Espresso Bueno in Barre.

TRACEY HAMBLETON: “Barre Painted Fresh,” oil paintings of the city’s landmark buildings, granite quarries and hillside houses. Through October 15. Info, 249-3897. Vermont Granite Museum in Barre.

stowe/smuggs

JOE CHIRCHIRILLO: Recent sculptures by the southern Vermont-based artist and curator of the North Bennington Outdoor Sculpture Show. Through September 20. Info, 635-2727. Red Mill Gallery at Vermont Studio Center, in Johnson.

‘LAND & LIGHT & WATER & AIR’: The 16th annual group exhibition of landscape paintings featuring more than 90 regional artists. Reception: Thursday, September 14, 4-7 p.m. Through December 23.

‘NATURE’S ABSTRACTION’: A group exhibition of nature-inspired paintings that transcend traditional representation. Reception: Thursday, September 14, 4-7 p.m. Through November 5. LEGACY COLLECTION: A showcase exhibition of paintings by gallery regulars as well as some newcomers. Through December 23. Info, 644-5100. Bryan Memorial Gallery in Jeffersonville.

‘A PLACE OF MEMORY’: An exhibition that questions public representation and how cultures and countries define their past through monuments,

memorials and sculptural objects, featuring indoor and outdoor artwork by Woody De Othello, Nicholas Galanin, Vanessa German, Deborah Kass and Nyugen E. Smith. Through October 21. Info, 253-8358. The Current in Stowe.

SAMANTHA M. ECKERT: “The Color of the Sky Is Pink,” new sculpture and installation. Closing reception and artist’s talk: Thursday, September 28, 3 p.m. Through September 28. Info, 635-1469. Julian Scott Memorial Gallery, Vermont State University-Johnson.

SCOTT LENHARDT: An exhibition of graphic designs for Burton Snowboards created since 1994 by the Vermont native. Through October 31. Info, 253-9911. Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum in Stowe. ‘TINY FIREWORKS’: Small works on canvas, panel, paper and wood by 14 Vermont-based and -affiliated female-identifying artists: Athena Petra Tasiopoulos, Andrea Pearlman, Abigail Synnestvedt, Marjorie Kramer, Tamara Malkin Stuart, Lynne Reed, Louise Von Weiss, Annie Pearlman, Kathy Stark, Marie LePré Grabon, Lois Eby, Wiley Garcia, Mollie Douthit and Arista Alanis. Through September 16. Info, 646-5191781. Minema Gallery in Johnson.

VERMONT WATERCOLOR SOCIETY: Paintings by 20 watercolor artists. Through September 30. Info, 760-7396. Visions of Vermont in Jeffersonville.

mad river valley/waterbury

BANNERS ON BRIDGE STREET: Colorful double-sided banners painted with repurposed house paint by nine local artists decorate the street. Through October 15. Info, 496-3639. Waitsfield Village Bridge. DENIS VERSWEYVELD: “Still Life,” sculpture, paintings and drawings by the Vermont artist. Through September 30. Info, 244-7801. Axel’s Frame Shop & Gallery in Waterbury.

getyour flushot

You never know where the flu is hiding.

GREEN MOUNTAIN PHOTO SHOW: The 33rd annual exhibition of works by professional and amateur photographers, local and national. Through October 8. Info, 496-6682. Red Barn Galleries at Lareau Farm in Waitsfield.

‘THE MAD CONTEMPORARY’: An exhibition of cartoon artworks by more than a dozen Vermont artists. Through October 1. Info, 496-6682. Mad River Valley Arts Gallery in Waitsfield.

TRYSTAN BATES: “The Starling Symphony,” a five-part exhibition of abstract collage, sculpture, prints and mixed media that examines the ways in which we process, assimilate and store information. Through November 17. Info, joseph@thephoenixvt. com. The Phoenix in Waterbury.

middlebury area

BONNIE BAIRD: “Weathering,” a solo exhibit of land- and skyscape paintings by the Vermont artist and farmer. Through September 15. Info, 877-2173. Northern Daughters in Vergennes.

‘THE DECISIVE MOMENT’: A group photography exhibition, juried by Aline Smithson, on the theme of the singular moment when motion and composition come together to create a unified whole. Through September 27. Info, 388-4500. PhotoPlace Gallery in Middlebury.

‘FINDING HOPE WITHIN’: Subtitled “Healing & Transformation Through the Making of Art Within the Carceral System,” an exhibition of artwork created by prisoners. Curated by A Revolutionary Press in partnership with Vermont Works for Women and others. Through October 14. Info, 877-3406. Rokeby Museum in Ferrisburgh.

MARGARET GERDING: “Capturing the Moments,” new paintings featuring coastal scenes and rural Vermont. Through September 26. Info, 989-7419. Edgewater Gallery on the Green in Middlebury.

PENNY BILLINGS AND HOLLY FRIESEN: “Nature’s Inner Light,” paintings of the New England and Québec landscape. Reception: Thursday, October 5, 5-6:30 p.m. Through November 15. Info, 989-7419. Edgewater Gallery at the Falls in Middlebury.

‘STELLAR STITCHING: 19TH CENTURY VERMONT

SAMPLERS’: An exhibition of needlework samplers made by young girls in the 19th century that depict alphabets, numerals and decorative elements. Through January 13. ‘VARIETY SEW: A SAMPLING OF TEXTILE TOOLS AND DEVICES’: Sewing machines, spinning wheels and myriad sewing paraphernalia from the permanent collection. Through September 30. Info, 388-2117. Henry Sheldon Museum of Vermont History in Middlebury.

STEVEN & KYLE QUERREY: “The Aegean,” photographs taken on the islands of Hydra and Poros, Greece, by the local artists. Through September 14. Info, info@littleseed.coffee. Little Seed Coffee Roasters in Middlebury.

‘TOSSED’: Nearly 20 works that make use of found, discarded or repurposed materials, curated by museum exhibition designer Ken Pohlman. Fall opening reception: Thursday, September 14, 5:30-7 p.m. Through December 10. Info, 443-5007. Middlebury College Museum of Art.

rutland/killington

‘ART IN THE GARDEN, COLOR ME HAPPY’: Garden-themed artworks by gallery members, with a featured wall of garden and floral art by Arlene O’Connor. Through September 22. Info, 775-0356. Chaffee Art Center in Rutland.

‘THE ART OF THE CREATIVE PROCESS’: An exhibition of sculpture, photography, painting, fabric art and illustration by Kerry Fulani, John Lehet, Amy Mosher, Judith Reilly and Ashley Wolff, respectively, as well as works by Vermont lighting design company

Hubbardton Forge. Through October 8. Info, 468-2711. Stone Valley Arts in Poultney.

‘BROOM ART’: The inaugural exhibition in the new gallery features paintings and sculpture made with brooms by artists Warren Kimble, Sandy Mayo and Fran Bull. Through October 31. Info, 558-0874. Conant Square Gallery in Brandon.

NEW MEMBERS EXHIBITION: Fused-glass work by Garrett Sadler, wood crafts by Guy Rossi, landscape paintings by Brian Hewitt, pastel paintings of animals and nature by Lynn Austin, and sculpture and realist paintings by Liza Myers. Through October 31. Info, 247-4956. Brandon Artists Guild.

SCULPTFEST23: New works by 10 artists are sited along the new sculpture trail in this annual celebration of the medium. Through October 22. Info, 438-2097. The Carving Studio & Sculpture Center in West Rutland.

SHA’AN MOULIERT: “I Am VT Too, Rutland,” photographs of Rutland-area BIPOC residents and their stories, presented by the Root Social Justice Center and Rutland Area Branch of the NAACP. Panel discussion: Saturday, September 30, 1-2:30 p.m. at the Hub CoWorks, followed by reception at the gallery, 2:30-4:30 p.m. Through November 4. Info, cmm02180@castleton.edu. Vermont State University-Castleton Bank Gallery in Rutland.

champlain islands/northwest

‘HEARTFELT VESSELS FOR PEACE: A SHOW OF CLAY’: Unique pieces by artisans from Across the Grain Pottery Studio in South Hero. Includes silent auction to benefit UNICEF and the Vermont Community Foundation’s Flood Response and Recovery Fund. Through September 15. Info, 734-7448. Grand Isle Art Works.

TINA & TODD LOGAN: Acrylic paintings and 3D works, respectively, by the married artists. Through

October 1. Info, 308-4230. Off the Rails at One Federal in St. Albans.

upper valley

ALINA PEREZ & AREL LISETTE: “Living Proof,” charcoal and pastel drawings that address the oscillation of health and illness, pain and resurrection. Through September 30. Info, 347-264-4808. Kishka Gallery & Library in White River Junction.

KUMARI PATRICIA YOUNCE: Landscape paintings in a sensory relationship with place and people. Artist talk: Friday, September 29, 6 p.m. Through October 28. Info, 738-0166. Jai Studios Gallery and Gifts in Windsor.

‘SANCTUARY’: A group exhibition of prints that address the theme by 15 studio members and friends. Through October 20. Info, 295-5901. Two Rivers Printmaking Studio in White River Junction.

SUSAN SMEREKA: “Family,” collaged prints by the Burlington artist. Through September 30. Info, 603-443-3017. Scavenger Gallery in White River Junction.

‘VERMONT FEMALE FARMERS’: Forty-five photographs by Plymouth-based JuanCarlos González that focus on the impactful contributions that women farmers are making to the state’s culture, identity and economy. Through October 31. Info, 457-2355. Carriage Barn Visitor Center, Marsh-BillingsRockefeller National Historic Park, in Woodstock. WILLIAM B. HOYT: “Moments Noticed,” landscape paintings in oil by the Vermont artist. Through September 23. Info, 457-3500. Artistree Community Arts Center Theatre & Gallery in South Pomfret.

NORTHEAST KINGDOM SHOWS » P.64

Robert O’Brien

William Hoyt Jay Lagemann

Kathleen Kolb Joe Bolger

Daryl Storrs Susan Abbott Woody Jackson Jonathan Ebinger

art

northeast kingdom

ANN YOUNG: Figurative paintings by the Vermont artist. Through September 30. Info, oliveylin1@ gmail.com. 3rd Floor Gallery in Hardwick.

ANNE TAYLOR DAVIS: “Wonderland,” paintings and drawings, old and very new. Through September 24. Info, 533-2000. Highland Center for the Arts in Greensboro.

ISA OEHRY: “Looking Out,” paintings of animals. Through September 27. Info, 525-3366. Parker Pie in West Glover.

MICHAEL ROOSEVELT: “A Life in Print,” fine-art prints, linocuts and engravings. Through September 30. Info, 748-0158. Northeast Kingdom Artisans Guild Backroom Gallery in St. Johnsbury.

PHILIP HERBISON: “Water in Motion” and “Assemblages,” photographs of large bodies of water, and wood sculptures using the scraps of other works, respectively. Through December 31. Info, 748-2600. Catamount Arts Fried Family Gallery DTWN in St. Johnsbury.

‘WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND’: An exhibition of objects that explores the practical, spiritual and ecstatic human relationship to wheels and what they enable. Through May 31. Info, 626-4409. The Museum of Everyday Life in Glover.

brattleboro/okemo valley

‘GLASSTASTIC’: Glass creatures dreamed up by children in grades K-6, brought to 3D life by glass artists, and situated in a habitat designed by Cynthia Parker-Houghton. ‘PRIDE 1983’: Photographs, artifacts and audio recordings that explore the origins and legacy of Burlington’s first Pride celebration. A production of the Pride Center of Vermont and Vermont Folklife, curated by Margaret Tamulonis. ALEX EGAN: “Drawing Room,” a series of paintings that make up an imaginary house. ANINA MAJOR: “I Land Therefore

I Am,” ceramic sculptures and other objects that explore self and place, belonging and identity, by the Bahamas-born artist. AURORA ROBSON: “Human Nature Walk,” an immersive site-specific installation inspired by the natural forms of the Connecticut River and fashioned from plastic debris intercepted from the waste stream. Visitors are invited to contribute clean plastic bottle caps in designated sections of the installation.

HANNAH MORRIS: “Movable Objects,” narrative multimedia paintings in the gallery’s front windows.

LELA JAACKS: Outdoor abstract sculptures by the Vermont artist. ROBERLEY BELL: “Where Things Set,” an installation of distinct but related sculptures and drawings. Through October 9. Info, 257-0124. Brattleboro Museum & Art Center.

ANDY WARHOL: “Small Is Beautiful,” 100 of the artist’s smaller-format paintings, from the Hall collection. RON GORCHOV: A 50-year survey of the American abstract artist’s work, featuring shaped canvases from the 1970s to large-scale paintings in his last years. SUSAN ROTHENBERG: Nearly 30 figurative, gestural paintings by the late American artist from throughout her career. Weekends only, reservation required. Through November 26. Info, info@hallartfoundation.org. Hall Art Foundation in Reading.

FRAN BULL: “The Art Life,” paintings, prints and sculpture by the Vermont artist. Through October 15. Info, 251-8290. Mitchell Giddings Fine Arts in Brattleboro.

KIM GRALL & KATHLEEN ZIMMERMAN: “One Artist Bound to Earth,” mixed-media encaustics on paper, birch bark and gourds; and “Solo Spotlight,” serigraph and intaglio prints, respectively. Through October 14. LEN EMERY: An exhibition of aerial, journalistic and fine art photography by the latest member of the gallery’s Working Artist Program. Through September 29. Info, 289-0104. Canal Street Art Gallery in Bellows Falls.

PHOTOGRAPHY: FOUR PERSPECTIVES: An exhibition of images in different styles and subject matter by Al Karevy, Davida Carta, Joshua Farr and Vaune Trachtman, members of the Vermont Center for

Photography in Brattleboro. Through November 12. Info, 451-0053. Next Stage Arts Project in Putney.

VAUNE TRACHTMAN & RACHEL PORTESI: An exhibition of images by the Vermont-based alternative-process photographers. Reception: Friday, September 22, 4:30-6:30 p.m. Through October 29. Info, 387-5566. Michael S. Currier Center, Putney School.

manchester/bennington

‘THE RED DRESS’: A touring project, conceived by British artist Kirstie Macleod, that provides an artistic platform for women around the world, many of whom are vulnerable and live in poverty, to tell their personal stories through embroidery.

BARBARA ISHIKURA & SAM FIELDS: “Frippery, Finery, Frills: Works in Conversation,” an exhibition of paintings and mixed-media sculptures, respectively, that explore intimacy in women’s lives. Through September 24. Info, 362-1405. Southern Vermont Arts Center in Manchester.

‘FOR THE LOVE OF VERMONT: THE LYMAN ORTON COLLECTION’: More than 200 works of art that capture Vermont’s unique character, people, traditions and landscape prior to the 1970s from the collection of the Vermont Country Store proprietor. Also displayed at Bennington Museum. Through November 5. Info, 362-1405. Yester House Galleries, Southern Vermont Arts Center, in Manchester.

‘A HISTORY OF BENNINGTON’: An exhibition of artifacts that invites viewers to examine how history informs and affects our lives. Through December 31. ‘FOR THE LOVE OF VERMONT: THE LYMAN ORTON COLLECTION’: More than 200 pieces of art, primarily from the 1920s to 1960, acquired by the founder of the Vermont Country Store. Simultaneously exhibited at the Southern Vermont Art Center in Manchester. Through November 5. Info, 447-1571. Bennington Museum.

NORTH BENNINGTON OUTDOOR SCULPTURE

SHOW: An outdoor exhibition featuring 77 sculptures by 59 artists, curated by Joe Chirchirillo. Through November 12. Info, nbossvt@gmail.com. Various Bennington locations.

randolph/royalton

ASTRO DAN DAN: “Manufactured Phonies,” a show of prints and paintings by the Hanover, N.H.-based artist, aka Daniel Matthews. Through September 30. Info, 889-9404. Tunbridge Public Library.

CAROLYN EGELI & CHRIS WILSON: Landscape oil paintings and figurative sculptures, respectively. Through November 5. Info, 728-9878. Chandler Center for the Arts in Randolph.

LINDA BLACKERBY & BETTE ANN LIBBY: Abstract paintings and mixed-media mosaic works, respectively. Through October 1. Info, 279-5048. ART, etc. in Randolph.

MARK ROSALBO: “The Bad Thing,” recent paintings by the local artist. Through October 1. Info, markrosalbo@gmail.com. The People’s Gallery in Randolph.

‘NO PLACE LIKE HERE: PHOTOGRAPHS FROM VERMONT, PAST AND PRESENT’: Vermont photographs, 1978-98 by Peter Moriarty, main gallery; and Farm Security Administration photographs of Vermont 1936-43, center gallery. Through October 29. Info, 767-9670. BigTown Gallery in Rochester.

TANYA LIBBY: Detailed paintings from nature. Through October 14. Info, 889-3525. The Tunbridge General Store Gallery.

outside vermont

ELLIOTT KATZ, GAAL SHEPHERD & ROGER WELLS: Three solo exhibitions by the Vermont and New Hampshire artists. Through October 6. LINDA ROESCH: “A Lifetime of Unfinished Discovery,” paintings in ink and watercolor by the local artist. Through September 23. Info, 603-448-3117. AVA Gallery and Art Center in Lebanon, N.H.

‘HOMECOMING: DOMESTICITY AND KINSHIP IN GLOBAL AFRICAN ART’: More than 75 works drawn

UPPER VALLEY SHOWS « P.63

CALL TO ARTISTS

2023 PHOTOGRAPHY SHOOTOUT: “Texture” is the theme of this year’s exhibition, which will be October 11 to November 11. All capture and processing methods are welcome. Drop off your entry (one or two photos) on October 7 by 4 p.m. Prizes will be awarded. Axel’s Frame Shop & Gallery, Waterbury, $20. Info, 244-7801.

ART TO GO LUGGAGE AUCTION: Seeking local artists to paint or collage nature-themed designs on Monos luggage, which will be auctioned October 14 to 27 to benefit Come Alive Outside’s outdoor gear library. Email arwen@comealiveoutside.com for time to pick up the luggage. Artists will receive a piece of luggage as thanks for their contribution. Merchants Row, Rutland. Through September 30. Info, 518-423-5337.

ARTIST DEVELOPMENT GRANTS & FLOOD RELIEF FUNDING: The Vermont Arts Council offers grants that can fund activities to enhance mastery of a skill, or support an artist’s business or the creation of new work. Separate grants are available to artists who have been significantly and adversely affected by the recent flooding. The latter will be offered until funds are exhausted. Details at vermontartscouncil.org. Online. Through September 26. Info, 402-4602.

BTV WINTER MARKET: Burlington City

Arts invites artisans, makers and arty small businesses to apply as a vendor at the outdoor marketplace Fridays through Sundays, November 18 to December 23. Application at burlingtoncityarts.org. Deadline: September 18. Online. Through September 18. Info, 865-7166.

BURKLYN ARTS HOLIDAY CRAFT MARKET: Burklyn Arts invites artists to apply for a booth at the 54th annual holiday market on December 2 at Catamount Arts’ ArtPort event space. Details and application at burklyn-arts.org. Online. Through October 7. $120 per booth. Info, elly.barksdale@gmail.com.

‘CELEBRATE!’: Seeking art and craft by SPA member-artists for upcoming exhibition on all three floors of the art center. Membership is $20 to $35. Deadline: October 7. More info at studioplacearts.com. Studio Place Arts, Barre, $20/35. Info, submissions.studioplacearts@ gmail.com.

‘CYCLES’: Inclusive Arts Vermont invites artists to submit work for an upcoming touring exhibition that interprets the theme in any way. Artists with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Apply at inclusiveartsvermont.org. Deadline: September 22. Online. Info, exhibitions@inclusiveartsvermont.org.

‘LOCAL COLOR’: Artistree seeks works in 2D (wall-mounted) and 3D mediums for an upcoming exhibit, by Vermont or New Hampshire residents 18 or older. Work previously exhibited at Artistree or created more than three years ago will not be accepted. Details at

from the museum’s collection of African and African diaspora art that emphasize the role of women artists and feminine aesthetics. Through May 25.

KENT MONKMAN: “The Great Mystery,” four new paintings by the Cree artist along with five works in the museum’s collection that inspired them, by Hannes Beckmann, T.C. Cannon, Cyrus Edwin Dallin, Mark Rothko and Fritz Scholder. Through December 9. Info, 603-646-2808. Hood Museum, Dartmouth College, in Hanover, N.H.

‘PORTABLE UNIVERSE: THOUGHT AND SPLENDOUR OF INDIGENOUS COLOMBIA’: Nearly 400 artworks, including jewelry, masks, effigies, textiles and more, dating from about 1500 BC to the present. Through October 1. ‘THE POP OF LIFE!’: An exhibition of 70 iconic pop-art works from the museum’s collection. Through March 24. Info, 514-285-2000. Montréal Museum of Fine Arts.

artistreevt.org. Deadline: September 13. $15 for up to three pieces. Info, 457-3500.

‘MY DOG AND THE WOLF’: Radiate Arts Space is sponsoring an unjuried art exhibit about the dog-wolf connection: about people and their dogs, humans’ role in the domestication of the wolf, and why and how it has resulted in such a variety of breeds. Workshops October and November, celebration in December. Email Julie Longstreth for more info. Richmond Free Library, Through November 1. Info, mauie@gmavt.net.

THE PEOPLE’S ART SHOW: Montgomery Center for the Arts is seeking submissions to a non-juried, uncensored exhibition celebrating all forms of creativity, diversity and imagination. Submissions must be ready to hang. More info and registration at bit. ly/3Q7d1IM. Deadline: September 17. Online. Free. Info, montgomerycenterarts@gmail.com.

PUBLIC ART OPPORTUNITIES: Burlington

City Arts has issued two requests for qualifications: Artists can apply to create new work for Burlington International Airport’s recently updated terminal and/or for the CityPlace Streetscape Project. Details and application at burlingtoncityarts.org. Deadline: September 22. Online. Info, 865-7166.

‘REFLECTIONS’: Edgewater Gallery on the Green in Middlebury is seeking submissions for an upcoming juried show for emerging artists. Guest jurors are John and Gillian Ross of Gallery Twist in Lexington, Mass. Deadline: October 20. More info at edgewatergallery.com. Online. $15 for three images. Info, 989-7419.

SUNDOG POETRY BOOK AWARD: The annual award for a first or second book of poetry is now open for submissions from any Vermont-based poet. The winner’s manuscript will be published through Green Writers Press and receive a cash prize, 50 book copies and promotional support. This year’s final judge is Matthew Olzmann. Deadline: September 30. Details at sundogpoetry.org. Online. $25. Info, hello@sundogpoetry.org.

‘TREES FOR ALL SEASONS’: Artists are invited to submit one or two theme-based works in any medium including photography for an upcoming exhibit at the Jericho Town Hall. Must be able to be hung on a gallery hanger system. Details at jerichovt.org. Deadline: October 6. Online. Info, catherine.mcmains@ gmail.com.

‘WHO ARE WE? PIECES OF THE IDENTITY PUZZLE’: November is a time for reflection and introspection. The gallery is seeking artwork depicting your take on identity, whether personal or as a people. All mediums accepted. Deliver work on or before Wednesday, November 8. Register at melmelts@yahoo.com. The Satellite Gallery, Lyndonville. $20. Info, 229-8317.

ROBERT BURCHESS: “Through a Glass Darkly: Faces and Figures,” drawings by the Vermont artist. Through September 27. Info, robertburchess@ gmail.com. Howe Library in Hanover, N.H. ➆

music nightlife

in and out of the Dylan world, the book features interviews with more than 40 sources, covering a period from the earliest days of Dylan’s career in the 1960s to his most recent tours.

It’s a fascinating and at times heartwarming read. Dylan has always been a tough nut for writers to crack, keeping a locked door on his inner circle. Using anecdotes from those who moved in and out of that circle, Padgett shows us a rare version of Dylan that few other writers, if any, have managed to capture on the page.

S UNDbites

BY CHRIS FARNSWORTH

Sidemen Aside: Burlington Author Ray Padgett on His New Bob Dylan Book

I was 12 years old when I first saw Ferris Bueller’s Day O . It being a seminal film about high school rebelliousness, it was all a little over my head at the time, particularly the concept that you could just skip class. (I would perfect the art myself by my junior year of high school, with no need for an elaborate scheme involving a mannequin in my bed. There were benefits to being a latchkey kid!)

One thing that stuck with me was just how good a singer Ferris was, particularly his electric and mesmerizing howls as he belted out a refrain that sounded like “Twist it out” on a parade float. At that point in my life, most of my musical tastes were informed by what I saw on MTV or heard on the radio in the car with my parents — I’d never heard anything like the song. I immediately told my mom about it and asked her to buy me the “Ferris Bueller” album.

She had no idea what I was talking about and asked me what song I was so enamored of. Dutifully, I did my best attempt at singing the song I thought was called “Twist It Out” by Ferris Bueller, which sent her into peals of laughter.

“That’s the BEATLES, Chris,” she told me, and few sentences have had a bigger impact on my life. Once I realized the Beatles were, in fact, not a fictional suburban kid played by MATTHEW BRODERICK, I walked out of a music store with a copy

of Please Please Me, and a lifelong love a air with the Fab Four was born.

(Interestingly enough, I’ve met several other people who fell in love with the Beatles after seeing the movie. I once told this to a therapist as if I had just attained a major breakthrough, and she sighed and asked me to please, please stop referencing ’80s films. After I shifted to the ’90s and used Point Break to explain my distrust of surfers, our professional relationship came to a sad end.)

We all have that one artist or band. Maybe we don’t say silly terms like “favorite band,” but deep down, we know whom we’d name as our favorite if there were a gun to our heads. For RAY

PADGETT, it’s the music of one ROBERT ZIMMERMAN, aka BOB DYLAN Padgett has written books about LEONARD COHEN and obsesses over the work of “WEIRD AL” YANKOVIC (a yin/yang of musicians if there ever was one), but no musician has had a bigger e ect on him than Dylan. The Chicago native and Burlington-based writer became obsessed with Dylan’s music in high school, after his father took him to see the famously mysterious singer-songwriter play live

in Chicago in 2004. “Very di erent than the oldies-type act I expected,” Padgett recalled.

While at Dartmouth College, Padgett started a Dylan blog and a radio show. These days, he writes a Dylan Substack, “Flagging Down the Double E’s,” which traces the history of Dylan’s concerts over his decades-long career. With more than 10,000 subscribers, the newsletter is essential reading for fellow Dylan obsessives. It also features fascinating interviews with some of Dylan’s key collaborators and backing musicians over the years, from drummer JIM KELTNER to 92-year-old singersongwriter RAMBLIN’ JACK ELLIOTT to BENMONT TENCH, a founding member of TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS

Around 2020, Padgett contemplated turning those interviews into a book.

“I really thought this would only interest the Dylan superfans,” Padgett told me over lunch in downtown Burlington last week. “It was COVID, I had nothing but time on my hands, obviously, and I figured, Hey, I already have all these subscribers. I know at least these people will buy the thing.”

Thus

Pledging My Time: Conversations

With Bob Dylan Band Members was born. Released in early June to stellar reviews

“I really liked talking to all these people, because … Dylan can really be this normal, funny, warm guy if you’re on the inside,” Padgett said. “I mean, it’s not like Dylan was ever going to talk to me, but it almost works better without him, because you can get such a cool portrait of what he’s like once his guard is down.”

Padgett’s previous books — Cover Me: The Stories Behind the Greatest Cover Songs of All Time (2017) and his 33 1/3 series entry, I’m Your Fan: The Songs of Leonard Cohen (2020) — were released by publishers. With Pledging My Time, Padgett decided to self-publish.

“It just made a lot of sense, really,” he said. “I already had this built-in audience that read the newsletter, which takes some pressure o . It’s a lot more work as a writer, but you definitely keep more of the money, so it’s a bit of a trade-o .”

Promoting the book has been di erent as well, with Padgett largely focusing on reaching out to fellow Dylan obsessives. He made a virtual appearance with the Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa, Okla., in August and has done interviews here and there. For the most part, though, he has put the book out into the world and sat back and watched.

He’ll make his first local promotional appearance on Friday, September 22, at the Phoenix in Waterbury. After a moderated Q&A with Padgett, EASTERN MOUNTAIN TIME singer-songwriter SEAN HOOD will play a 45-minute set of Dylan songs.

“I kept coming up with dream set lists for Sean,” Padgett said as he leaned across the table with a mischievous smile. “At some point he had to say, ‘You know, just because I can play Dylan songs doesn’t mean I can play them all equally good.’ That’s when I realized it’s best to let the musician work out their own set.”

I pointed out that Dylan would have hated that, which got a laugh from Padgett.

“Oh, he’d have fired my ass on the spot.”

To order a copy of Pledging My Time: Conversations With Bob Dylan Band Members, visit substack.com/ @raypadgett.

Ray Padgett

LUKE AWTRY

On the Beat

Singer and composer MOIRA SMILEY has a new album on the way called The Rhizome Project. The Vermont-based folk artist will give fans an early listen of the record when she performs it live on Saturday, September 16, at Town Hall Theater in Middlebury.

“The Rhizome Project is a concert of folk songs that form the root system of my musical identity,” Smiley wrote in an email. Backed by JOHN DUNLOP on cello, BROOKE QUIGGINS SAULNIER and LAURA MARKOWITZ on violin, and STEFANIE TAYLOR on viola, Smiley will play a collection of folk songs from the Anglo-Celtic tradition and some of her original compositions.

Listening In

(Spotify mix of local jams)

The inspiration for the project came from Smiley’s work with the VERMONT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA’s Jukebox Quartet. The VSO series brings a quartet of musicians to play some of the world’s most innovative classical music in venues where classical music rarely pops up, such as Higher Ground nightclub in South Burlington.

“I was smitten with the string quartet’s extraordinary range of colors,” Smiley wrote. “That range gives me, as arranger and vocalist, a thrilling chance to express the songs’ characters and emotions.”

For tickets and more information, visit townhalltheater.org.

Comedian ASH DIGGS is headed back to his old stomping grounds for some laughs. The Burlington expat left town in 2022 for the big pond that is New York City, but he returns on Thursday,

September 21, to perform “Unexpectedly Human: A Half Hour With Ash Diggs” at Radio Bean.

Presented by local comedian MAX HIGGINS’ Comedy Wolf series, Diggs’ show covers race, mental health, substance abuse, and “the desire to be known and loved.” He swears it’s a comedy show!

Seriously, Diggs is one of the best comedians Burlington has produced in recent years. Catch him while you can!

Locals NIC SISK and MIKE THOMAS open the show. Pop over to radiobean.com for more information and ticket links.

Not enough funny stu for you? Well, good news: VERMONT COMEDY ALL-STARS is planning a big show for Saturday, September 30, at Next Stage Arts in Putney, featuring comedians

JESSIE BAADE, AUSTIN BORG, ADISON

,

. The nonprofit grassroots All-Stars, whose mission is to support and promote the comic arts in Vermont, hosts comedy nights around the state, from Nectar’s in Burlington to Montpelier’s Bent Nails Bistro.

and

“We’ve got to keep laughing to handle the news, these days,” wrote KEITH MARKS, executive director of Next Stage Arts, in a press release for the event. “The Vermont Comedy All Stars bring the best and brightest from around the state and beyond.”

Marks pointed out that many of the comedians featured in the All-Stars shows have moved to New York City and started successful careers in comedy.

“We’re proud to give them a space in southern Vermont to be seen,” Marks wrote.

To purchase tickets, visit nextstagearts.org. ➆

Eye on the Scene

Last week’s live music highlights from photographer Luke Awtry

On the Air

Where to tune in to Vermont music this week:

“WAVE CAVE RADIO SHOW,” Wednesday, September 13, 2 p.m. on 105.9 the Radiator: DJS FLYWLKER and GINGERVITUS spin the best of local and nonlocal hip-hop.

“EXPOSURE,” Wednesday, September 13, 6 p.m., on 90.1 WRUV: Indie rock band NEATO perform live.

“ROCKET SHOP RADIO HOUR,” Wednesday, September 13, 8 p.m., on 105.9 the Radiator: Host TOM PROCTOR plays selections of local music.

“THE SOUNDS OF BURLINGTON,” ursday, September 14, 9 p.m., at wbkm.org: Host TIM LEWIS plays selections of local music.

“CULTURAL BUNKER,” Friday, September 15, 7 p.m., on 90.1 WRUV: Host MELO GRANT plays local and nonlocal hip-hop.

SOUTH END ART HOP, BURLINGTON, SEPTEMBER 8-10: I heard that the Church Street Marketplace was unusually quiet this past weekend, and I’d wager a guess as to why: the 31st annual South End Art Hop! With the stretch of Pine Street from the Soda Plant to Flynn Avenue packed with open studios, public art installations and music, it was the place to be. ough the festival is hosted by the South End Arts + Business Association, whose primary interest lies with the visual arts, it has always had its share of live music, with Vermont’s NEW NILE ORCHESTRA playing the first iteration of Art Hop in 1993. is year’s lineup included the HIGH BREAKS PONTOON, DANNY LEFRANCOIS, MAD, HAPPY SPANGLER, ANDRIANA & THE BANANAS, DJ KANGA and the debut of BTV band HOLY HEART. Many of those acts were part of MAL MAÏZ’s Art Hop Block Party, held on Friday and Saturday at RIVEN Studio — the place to be for live music at Art Hop last weekend. What can I say? Art rocks.

“ACOUSTIC HARMONY,” Saturday, September 16, 4 p.m., on 91.1 WGDR: Host MARK MICHAELIS plays folk and Americana music with an emphasis on Vermont artists.

“LOCAL MUSIC SPOTLIGHT,” Sunday, September 17, 7 p.m., on Vermont Public: Host ROBERT RESNIK plays an assortment of folk music with a focus on Vermont artists.

EYRING

JULIA DIFERDINANDO

LIAM WELSH

1. “SYNCOPATED HEALING” by Twiddle

2. “IF YOU GET LOST” by Swale

3. “GREY TO GOLD (FEAT. JOSHUA GLASS)” by the Beerworth Sisters

4. “PERSONA” by Jewelry Company

5. “WRONG CHOICES” by Conswank, North Ave Jax

6. “A FLOWER NEEDS” by Wren Kitz

7. “TO THE STARS” by Maryse Smith

com/playlist

CLUB DATES music+nightlife

live music

WED.13

Bettenroo Duo (folk) at Blue Paddle Bistro, South Hero, 5:30 p.m. Free.

Bluegrass & BBQ (bluegrass) at Four Quarters Brewing, Winooski, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Hannah Frances, Vega, Vehicle (singer-songwriter) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. $10/$12.

e Human Rights, Soulstice, Satta Sound (reggae) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7 p.m. $12/$15.

Jazz Jam Sessions with Randal Pierce (jazz) at the 126, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

Jazz Night with Ray Vega (jazz) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. Free.

Lazy Bird (jam) at Red Square, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

Live Jazz (jazz) at Leunig’s Bistro & Café, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Natalie Cressman & Ian Faquini (folk) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 7 p.m. $15/$25.

e Rustics (folk) at American Flatbread Burlington Hearth, 5:30 p.m. Free.

Ryan Hanson (acoustic) at 14th Star Brewing, St. Albans, 6 p.m.

Free.

Wednesday Night Dead (Grateful

Dead covers) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. $5.

Willverine (electronic) at the Wallflower Collective, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. Free.

THU.14

Duke Aeroplane & the Inflatable

Gator Band (r&b) at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

Grace Palmer and Socializing for Introverts (rock) at Red Square, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Gus Dapperton, Chrissy (indie) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $25/$30.

Howling Waters (blues) at 1st Republic Brewing, Essex, 6 p.m.

Free.

Jaded Ravins (Americana) at Red Square, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

e Jauntee (jam) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 7 p.m. $10/$20.

Jazz with Alex Stewart and Friends (jazz) at the 126, Burlington, 8:30 p.m.

Left Eye Jump (blues) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 6 p.m.

Free.

Magic User (synth punk) at Charlie-O’s World Famous, Montpelier, 7 p.m. Free.

Natalie Cressman & Ian Faquini (jazz) at the Brass Lantern Inn, Stowe, 6:30 p.m. $35-$45.

e Original Wailers, Cas Haley (reggae) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $35/$39.

Find the most up-to-date info on live music, DJs, comedy and more at sevendaysvt.com/music. If you’re a talent booker or artist planning live entertainment at a bar, nightclub, café, restaurant, brewery or coffee shop, send event details to music@sevendaysvt.com or submit the info using our form at sevendaysvt.com/postevent.

This Year’s Model Indie pop

singer-songwriter Brendan Patrick Rice, aka GUS DAPPERTON, hit the scene in 2016 as a bedroom producer, releasing the moody, R&B-leaning single “Moodna, Once With Grace.” Since then, Dapperton has signed a major-label deal with Warner Records and become a model with the IMG agency. He now directs most of his own music videos and has gone from the intimate production of home-studio recordings to the slick, polished sounds on his latest record, Henge Dapperton described the pseudo concept album as “someone entering the underworld as the sun goes down and trying to get home before dawn.” He swings through the Higher Ground Ballroom in South Burlington on Thursday, September 14, with singer-songwriter CHRISSY opening.

Ryan Sweezey (pop) at American Flatbread Stowe, 6 p.m. Free.

Sundub (reggae) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 8 p.m. $18/$20.

FRI.15

Alex Stewart Quartet (jazz) at Bleu Northeast Kitchen, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

Bob Gagnon (jazz) at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

Chase Murphy, Maari, Luke Bar$, Charlie Mayne (hip-hop) at Club Metronome, Burlington, 9 p.m. $15.

Chris & Erica (covers) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 5 p.m. Free.

Dave Mitchell’s Blues Revue (blues) at Red Square, Burlington, 2 p.m. Free.

Dinosaur Jr., Luluc (alt-rock) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 8 p.m. $39/$42.

Dirtwire (electronic) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 8 p.m. $22.

Fern Maddie (folk) at Stone’s row, Waterbury, 6 p.m. Free.

Gaelic Storm (Celtic) at Spruce

Peak Performing Arts Center, Stowe Mountain Resort, 7 p.m.

$25-$35. Info, 760-4634.

Get Up With It (jazz) at Charlie-O’s World Famous, Montpelier, 5 p.m. Free.

Great Time (indie rock) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. $10.

Hamjob (rock) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 10 p.m. Free.

Jim Branca Trio (blues) at Jericho Café & Tavern, 7 p.m. Free.

Kirkland the Band (covers) at 1st Republic Brewing, Essex, 6 p.m. Free.

Kowalski Brothers (acoustic) at Taps Tavern, Poultney, 6 p.m. Free.

Lloyd Tyler Band (covers) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 9 p.m. Free.

Lovewhip (dance rock) at Red Square, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free. Quadra (covers) at the Old Post, South Burlington, 7 p.m. Free. Rap Night Burlington (hip-hop) at Drink, Burlington, 9 p.m. $5.

Shane McGrath (acoustic) at Gusto’s, Barre, 6 p.m. Free. Shanty Rats (sea shanties) at Whammy Bar, Calais, 7 p.m. Free. e Slaps, No Fun Haus (indie) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 9 p.m. $12/$15.

Slightly Used (rock) at 14th Star Brewing, St. Albans, 6 p.m. Free. aya Zalewski Quartet (jazz) at Wild Hart Distillery and Tasting Room, Shelburne, 7 p.m. Free.

Tom Cleary (jazz) at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

SAT.16

Alternate Take (jazz) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

Bob Gagnon (jazz) at Jericho Café & Tavern, 7 p.m. Free.

Bruiser & Bicycle, the Burning Sun, Buoyancy (indie rock) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 9 p.m. $10/$15.

Erin Harpe & the Delta Swingers (soul) at Red Square, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

e Glorious Sons, the Velveteers (rock) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $25/$30.

Jaded Ravins (Americana) at Whammy Bar, Calais, 7 p.m. Free.

Jesse Jo Stark, Rachel Bobbitt, Andriana & the Bananas (indie rock) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $17/$20.

Kafari, Paper Castles (indie) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 7 p.m. $10/$15.

Left Eye Jump (blues) at Red Square, Burlington, 2 p.m. Free. Maple & Hanson (rock) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 5 p.m. Free.

Matrix (covers) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 9 p.m. Free. Moondust (rock) at Charlie-O’s World Famous, Montpelier, 6 p.m. Free.

Dan Parks Duo (acoustic) at the Tap Room at Switchback Brewing, Burlington, 2 p.m. Free.

Sunday Brunch Tunes (singersongwriter) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 10 a.m.

Will Orchard (singer-songwriter) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 1 p.m. Free.

MON.18

Lauren Calve, Joey Frendo (singer-songwriter) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7 p.m. $12/$15.

Sammy Rae & the Friends, Britton & the Sting (roots) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $35/$39.

TUE.19

Big Easy Tuesdays with Back Porch Revival (jazz) at the 126, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free. Bluegrass Jam (bluegrass) at Taps Tavern, Poultney, 7 p.m. Free. e Corner Junction Bluegrass (bluegrass) at Lawson’s Finest Liquids, Waitsfield, 5 p.m. Free.

Glaive, Provoker (singersongwriter) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $25/$29.

Honky Tonk Tuesday with Wild Leek River (country) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 9 p.m. $10.

Saints & Liars (Americana) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 7 p.m. $5/$10.

WED.20

Nectar’s Jam Vol. 1: Mystic Bowie, Hunter Root, Tad Cautious (jam) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 7 p.m. $5.

Nick Warner (jazz) at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

Oaksie (indie rock) at the Den at Harry’s Hardware, Cabot, 7 p.m. Free.

Paul Asbell (jazz) at Bleu Northeast Kitchen, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

Ray’s Used Cars (Americana) at Painted Lady Café, Milton, 6 p.m. Free.

Rigometrics, Blackwater (rock) at Radio Bean, Burlington, midnight.

$10/$15.

Satyrdagg (rock) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 10 p.m. Free.

Tom Pearo (ambient) at Wild Hart Distillery and Tasting Room, Shelburne, 7 p.m. Free.

SUN.17

Agnostic Front, Murphy’s Law, Grade 2 (hardcore) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $25/$28.

Andriana & the Bananas (indie pop) at Red Square, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

Bloodroot Gap (bluegrass) at Lawson’s Finest Liquids, Waitsfield, 3 p.m. Free.

Bob MacKenzie Trio (blues) at Red Square, Burlington, 3 p.m. Free.

Bluegrass & BBQ (bluegrass) at Four Quarters Brewing, Winooski, 6:30 p.m. Free.

e Devil Makes ree, the DiTrani Brothers (Americana) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 7 p.m. $30/$35.

Hemlock, Lily Seabird, Cam Gilmour Band (indie rock) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 9 p.m. $10/$15.

James McMurty, BettySoo (singer-songwriter) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $25/$30.

Jazz Jam Sessions with Randal Pierce (jazz) at the 126, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

Jazz Night with Ray Vega (jazz) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. Free.

John Geno (folk) at 14th Star Brewing, St. Albans, 6 p.m. Free. Lazy Bird (jam) at Red Square, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

Live Jazz (jazz) at Leunig’s Bistro & Café, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Wednesday Night Dead (Grateful Dead covers) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. $5. Willverine (electronic) at the Wallflower Collective, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. Free.

THU.14 // GUS DAPPERTON [INDIE]

djs

WED.13

DJ CRE8 (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 11:30 p.m. Free.

THU.14

DJ Chaston (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.

DJ Two Sev (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 11 p.m. Free.

Mi Yard Reggae Night with DJ Big Dog (reggae and dancehall) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 9:30 p.m. Free.

Vinyl Night with Ken (DJ) at Taps Tavern, Poultney, 6 p.m. Free.

FRI.15

DJ Craig Mitchell (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

DJ Kata (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.

DJ LaFountaine (DJ) at Gusto’s, Barre, 9 p.m. Free.

DJ Taka (DJ) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 11 p.m. $10/$15.

SAT.16

Blanchface (DJ) at Manhattan Pizza & Pub, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.

DJ A-Ra$ (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, midnight. Free.

DJ Raul (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

DJ Rice Pilaf (DJ) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, noon. Free.

DJ Taka (DJ) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 11 p.m. $10/$15.

Matt Payne (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.

Molly Mood (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.

MON.18

Memery (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.

WED.20

DJ CRE8 (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 11:30 p.m. Free.

open mics & jams

WED.13

Irish Sessions (Celtic, open mic) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Open Mic (open mic) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 10 p.m. Free.

Open Mic with Danny Lang (open mic) at Taps Tavern, Poultney, 7 p.m. Free.

THU.14

Open Mic with Artie (open mic) at Whammy Bar, Calais, 7 p.m. Free.

MON.18

Open Mic (open mic) at Stone Corral, Richmond, 7 p.m. Free.

Open Mic Night (open mic) at Despacito, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

TUE.19

Open Mic Night (open mic) at 1st Republic Brewing, Essex, 6 p.m. Free.

Venetian Soda Open Mic (open mic) at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

WED.20

Irish Sessions (Celtic, open mic) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Lit Club (poetry open mic) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Open Mic (open mic) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 10 p.m. Free.

Open Mic with Danny Lang (open mic) at Taps Tavern, Poultney, 7 p.m. Free.

comedy

WED.13

On the Spot: Spontaneous Standup (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

Standup Comedy Open Mic (comedy open mic) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 8:30 p.m.

THU.14

Best In Show: Standup! (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 p.m. $5/$10. Red Flags (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 8:45 p.m. $5/$10.

FRI.15

Amy Miller (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7:30 & 9:30 p.m. $25.

Demetri Martin (comedy) at Flynn Main Stage, Burlington, 8 p.m. $29-$59.

SAT.16

Almost 30th Anniversary - Not Dead Yet (comedy) at Off Center for the Dramatic Arts, Burlington, 7 p.m. $12.

Amy Miller (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7:30 & 9:30 p.m. $25.

Good Clean Fun (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 4:45 p.m. $5/$10.

SUN.17

$5 Improv Night (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. $5.

MON.18

Comedy Open Mic (comedy open mic) at the 126, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

WED.20

Aparna Nancherla (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 p.m. $53.

Standup Comedy Open Mic (comedy open mic) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 8:30 p.m.

trivia, karaoke, etc.

WED.13

4Qs Trivia Night (trivia) at Four Quarters Brewing, Winooski, 6 p.m. Free.

Trivia Night (trivia) at Stone Corral, Richmond, 7 p.m. Free.

Venetian Trivia Night (trivia) at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

THU.14

Karaoke Night (karaoke) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. Free.

Karaoke Night (karaoke) at Gusto’s, Barre, 8 p.m. Free.

Trivia (trivia) at Highland Lodge, Greensboro, 7 p.m. Free.

Trivia Night (trivia) at McGillicuddy’s Five Corners, Essex Junction, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Trivia Night (trivia) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Trivia Thursday (trivia) at Spanked Puppy Pub, Colchester, 7 p.m. Free.

SUN.17

Sunday Funday (games) at 1st Republic Brewing, Essex, noon. Free.

Venetian Karaoke (karaoke) at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

MON.18

Trivia Monday with Top Hat Entertainment (trivia) at McKee’s Pub & Grill, Winooski, 7-9 p.m. Free.

Trivia with Craig Mitchell (trivia) at Monkey House, Winooski, 7 p.m. Free.

TUE.19

Karaoke with Motorcade (karaoke) at Manhattan Pizza & Pub, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

Taproom Trivia (trivia) at 14th Star Brewing, St. Albans, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Trivia Night (trivia) at the Depot, St. Albans, 7 p.m. Free.

Trivia Tuesday (trivia) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 7 p.m. Free.

Tuesday Trivia (trivia) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

WED.20

4Qs Trivia Night (trivia) at Four Quarters Brewing, Winooski, 6 p.m. Free.

Local Maverick (storytelling) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 6 p.m. $15.

Trivia Night (trivia) at Stone Corral, Richmond, 7 p.m. Free.

Venetian Trivia Night (trivia) at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free. ➆

FALL 2023 SEASON

September 30 ■ 7:30 PM

Emerson String Quartet $25/20/10/5

October 7 ■ 7:30 PM

Dreamers’ Circus $25/20/15/10/5

Live and streaming

October 20 ■ 7:30 PM

Mahani Teave, Piano $25/20/10/5

November 9 & 10 ■ 7:30 PM

November 11 ■ 2:00 PM

INSPIRIT Dance: What We Ask of Flesh

$25/20/10/5

November 11 ■ 7:30 PM

Danish String Quartet $25/20/10/5

December 1 ■ 7:30 PM

Brandee Younger Trio

$25/20/15/10/5

Live and streaming

REVIEW this music+nightlife

Justin Levinson, Collamer Circle

(SELF-RELEASED, CD)

Sometimes it seems like Vermont musicians are just standing by the tracks, a bindle perched on their shoulder as they wait for the first train out of town toward bigger markets.

That’s not a criticism, mind you — building an audience in the secondleast-populous state in the country can be a thankless task. But for every musician planning their exodus, there’s usually a boomeranging artist returning to the Green Mountains to show o what they picked up abroad.

It’s been a while since Vergennes-born Justin Levinson played music in his home

All Night Boogie Band, Angel of the Airwaves

(SELF-RELEASED, DIGITAL)

Born in the University of Vermont basement-show scene, All Night Boogie Band honed their craft playing around Burlington for a few years before releasing their first LP last summer. An impressive debut, Taste These Blues showed glints of jazz, R&B and soul. But it’s a blues album through and through, from the cover art that resembles that of the classic Blues Breakers With Eric Clapton to the version of Elmore James’ “Shake Your Money Maker” that closes the album.

With their second LP, Angel of the Airwaves, All Night Boogie Band have

state — eight years, to be exact. But with Collamer Circle, Levinson returns both to music (his last full-length, Yes Man, came out six years ago) and to the scene where he cut his teeth before moving to Los Angeles in 2015.

Levinson returned to Vermont in 2019. Just as the pandemic was breaking out in 2020, he started writing songs regularly with Ben Patton. The fellow singersongwriter, formerly of the duo Muller & Patton, possesses similar gifts to Levinson: a penchant for earworm melodies, British Invasion-loving songwriting and an erudite power-pop sound. They also both grew up with musician fathers: Bob Levinson and Will Patton, respectively. Collamer Circle is the result of that

songwriting partnership. It’s an album brimming with clever, meticulously arranged and recorded songs that serves as Levinson’s finest hour. From the Elvis Costello-leaning album opener “Madeline for the Win” to closer “Tuning Out and Plugging In,” Levinson goes from strength to strength on the 14 songs. His lyrical whimsy remains, dropping lines just on the jagged edge of cheesy — “No one can be your cookies and cream, your partner, your dream, your everything,” he sings on “No One Can Be Your Everything.” But he never quite lets things get silly.

The record is impressively varied. “California Sun” vamps and swaggers like a summer hit, while “Lead Me to You” could be a lost XTC B side. As Levinson’s wordplay has grown more sophisticated over the course of his five records, so has his ability to flesh out his songs. The summer jazz and tonguein-cheek humor of “Mirabelle” o ers a classy clarinet alongside the vocal

melody, and Levinson fearlessly adds the sounds of gunshots and horses to fill out the sonic character.

Patton does double duty, serving as coproducer on Collamer Circle with frequent Levinson collaborator Adam Popick. Their work, as well as the mixing and mastering from guitarist and producer André Maquera, leaves the album sounding as pristine as the songwriting.

Levinson’s past records have all had gems. But there were also moments of lag or repetition, perhaps marks of a songwriter who hadn’t reached his full potential. Whether the missing ingredient was his years away or his newfound songwriting partner or just a growing confidence in his own abilities, Collamer Circle represents a leveling up for Levinson.

The album is available now on all major streaming platforms.

CHRIS FARNSWORTH

lived up to the promise of their debut. The group has delivered a versatile record that remains steeped in its blues roots while pursuing new stylistic frontiers with which Taste These Blues merely flirted.

Like the first album, the group’s sophomore e ort is primarily composed of originals written by lead guitarist Brendan Casey with lyrical help from lead singer Jessica Leone. Despite the persistent influence of blues giants such as Muddy Waters and James on their songwriting, Casey and Leone seem less intent here on aspiring to the whiskey-soaked anguish of the Mississippi Delta or midcentury Chicago. The result is, as advertised, a blues album that you can boogie to, one filled with the upbeat zest of big-band

jazz and the hopeful lyricism of gospel and soul music.

The record opens with “Yes I Am,” a swinging roadhouse number that ramps up to a stomping gospel chant. With a powerful belt, Leone laments her struggles and wonders, “Am I built for this fight?” before announcing, “Yes, I am. Yes, I am.” The call-and-response seems to encapsulate the lyrical sensibility of the entire album in its declaration of strength and resolve in response to hardship.

The following track, “On the Road,” is an energetic romp that sounds not unlike Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” if it were written and sung by a seriously pissedo Susan Tedeschi. On these early songs, Casey displays impressive chops with and without a slide in his hand, making him an admirable Derek Trucks to accompany Leone as he and the group’s prodigiously talented keys player, Van Garrison, bust out dueling solos.

The album cools o with a few slow burners, the best of which is “Don’t Come

Around Here No More,” a breakup tune with a seductive horn arrangement. On the whole, the horns are better and bolder on Angel of the Airwaves than on the band’s debut. That’s especially true when they’re grooving as they do in the group’s penultimate track, a cover of Danny Barker’s “Palm Court Strut,” bringing to mind the swinging brass section of Fleetwood Mac’s Mr. Wonderful. Featuring extended scorchers from both Casey and Garrison, closer “Listen Up Boogie” confirms a suspicion that the listener harbors from the album’s outset: Though there’s some remarkable instrumental prowess on display throughout the record, this is a band you’re going to want to hear live.

Angel of the Airwaves is available now on all major streaming platforms. You can catch the group at the fourth annual Salvation Farms Aid Benefit Concert on October 28 at the Double E Performance Center in Essex.

HABIB SABET

Ukulele Strum Rehab Workshop and Shenanigan Jam

WED., SEP. 13

GRANGE HALL CULTURAL CENTER, WATERBURY

Eco-resiliency Gathering: New Stories for a New World

THU., SEP. 14

ONLINE

Focaccia Art Workshop

THU., SEP. 14

RED POPPY CAKERY, WATERBURY

Higher Calling

FRI., SEP. 15

PRANSKY’S FARM, WASHINGTON COUNTY

Hart’s Kitchen’s Anniversary Party Pop-Up

FRI., SEP. 15

TINY COMMUNITY KITCHEN, BURLINGTON

Live in the Gardens Music Series

FRI., SEP. 15

SNAPS AND SUNFLOWERS, CAMBRIDGE

Chatham Rabbits

FRI., SEP. 15

DOUBLE E PERFORMANCE CENTER: LOUNGE, ESSEX

Ethiopian and Eritrean Cuisine Takeout

SAT., SEP. 16

O.N.E. COMMUNITY CENTER, BURLINGTON

GOLD

Sativa: Purple Crack, Jack Herer

Hybrid: 303 Kush, Black Runtz, L.A. Kush Cake, Pink Cookies

Indica: Pink Gelato, Wild Sherbert, Wild Herb, Pink Bubba

PLATINUM

Sativa: Green Crack, White Widow

Hybrid: MAC 10, Purple Monkey Ballz, K.Y. Jelly, Golden Ticket

Indica: Candy Cake, Cherry Cola, Slurricane, Slurricane #2, Oreoz, Khalifa Mintz

SILVER:

Sativa: Phantom Cookies, Sour Patch Kids, Blue Dream

Hybrid: Mac21, Mac10, Gelato, GirlScoutCookies, Patron, Gas Pedal Indica: Black Mamba, Rainbow Zkittlez, Ice Cream Cake, Death Bubba, BlackBerry Cream, Island Pink Kush, Pink Kush, Air Jordan OG

SEPTEMBER 13-20, 2023

WED.13 activism

WHITE WOMEN ACCOUNTABILITY CIRCLE: White women discuss how to constructively engage in social justice. Plainfield location provided upon registration. 5:30 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 318-5527.

business

QUEEN CITY BUSINESS

NETWORKING

INTERNATIONAL GROUP: Savvy businesspeople make crucial contacts at a weekly chapter meeting. Burlington City Arts, 11:15 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 829-5066.

community

ANNUAL CELEBRATION: THE HOME WE SHARE: The Vermont Land Trust shares information about different aspects of their work. Fable Farm, Barnard, 4:30-7 p.m. $30 suggested donation. Info, 377-2725.

BARRE UP: COMMUNITY

FLOOD RECOVERY DISCUSSION: Neighbors discuss resiliency and rebuilding efforts over pizza. Virtual options available. Barre Opera House, 5:30-9 p.m. Free. Info, 234-1646.

COMMUNITY PARTNERS

DESK: AGEWELL: Seniors stop by the main reading room to ask questions and learn about programs available to them. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 2-4 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

CURRENT EVENTS: Neighbors have an informal discussion about what’s in the news. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30 a.m.noon. Free. Info, 878-4918.

crafts

GREEN MOUNTAIN CHAPTER OF THE EMBROIDERERS’

GUILD OF AMERICA: Anyone with an interest in the needle arts is welcome to bring a project to this monthly meeting. Holy Family Parish Hall, Essex Junction, 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, gmc.vt.ega@ gmail.com.

YARN CRAFTERS GROUP: A drop-in meetup welcomes knitters, crocheters, spinners, weavers and beyond. BYO snacks and drinks. Must Love Yarn, Shelburne, 5-7 p.m. Free. Info, 448-3780.

dance

WESTIE WEDNESDAYS

DANCE: Swing dancers lift and spin at a weekly social dance. North Star Community Hall, Burlington, 8-9 p.m. $5 suggested donation. Info, 802westiecollective@gmail. com.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

‘JOURNEY TO SPACE 3D’: Sparkling graphics and vibrant interviews take viewers on a journey alongside NASA astronauts as they prepare for stranger-than-sciencefiction space travel. Northfield Savings Bank 3D Theater: A National Geographic Experience, ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 10:30 a.m., 12:30, 2:30 & 4:30 p.m. $3-5 plus regular admission, $14.50-18; admission free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

‘MYSTERIES OF THE UNSEEN WORLD 3D’: Stunning footage takes viewers on a mind-bending journey into phenomena that are too slow, too fast or

LIST YOUR UPCOMING EVENT HERE FOR FREE!

All submissions must be received by Thursday at noon for consideration in the following Wednesday’s newspaper. Find our convenient form and guidelines at sevendaysvt.com/postevent

Listings and spotlights are written by Emily Hamilton Seven Days edits for space and style. Depending on cost and other factors, classes and workshops may be listed in either the calendar or the classes section. Class organizers may be asked to purchase a class listing.

Learn more about highlighted listings in the Magnificent 7 on page 11.

too small to be seen by the naked eye. Northfield Savings Bank 3D Theater: A National Geographic Experience, ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, noon, 2 & 4 p.m. $3-5 plus regular admission, $14.50-18; admission free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

NXT ROCKUMENTARY FILM SERIES: ‘GIMME SHELTER’: This landmark 1970 documentary looks at how the Rolling Stones’ music paralleled the end of the counterculture movement. Next Stage Arts Project, Putney, 7 p.m. $10 suggested donation. Info, 451-0053.

‘WILD AFRICA 3D’: Viewers are plunged into the magical vistas of the continent’s deserts, jungles and savannahs. Northfield Savings Bank 3D Theater: A National Geographic Experience, ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 11 a.m., 1 & 3 p.m. $3-5 plus regular admission, $14.50-18; admission free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

‘WINGS OVER WATER 3D’: Sandhill cranes, yellow warblers and mallard ducks make their lives along rivers, lakes and wetlands. Northfield Savings Bank 3D Theater: A National Geographic Experience, ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 11:30 a.m., 1:30 & 3:30 p.m. $3-5 plus regular admission, $14.50-18; admission free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

food & drink

COMMUNITY SUPPER: Neighbors share a tasty meal at their local library. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield, 6 p.m. Free. Info, 426-3581.

FIND MORE LOCAL EVENTS IN THIS ISSUE AND ONLINE:

art

Find visual art exhibits and events in the Art section and at sevendaysvt.com/art.

film

See what’s playing at theaters in the On Screen section.

music + nightlife

Find club dates at local venues in the Music + Nightlife section online at sevendaysvt.com/music.

= ONLINE EVENT

games

BOARD GAME NIGHT: Lovers of tabletop fun play classic games and new designer offerings. Waterbury Public Library, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

MAH-JONGG OPEN PLAY: Weekly sessions of an age-old game promote critical thinking and friendly competition. Manchester Community Library, Manchester Center, 12:30-3:30 p.m. Free. Info, 362-2607.

health & fitness

CHAIR YOGA: Waterbury Public Library instructor Diana Whitney leads at-home participants in gentle stretches supported by seats. 10 a.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

SEATED & STANDING YOGA: Beginners are welcome to grow their strength and flexibility at this supportive class. Manchester Community Library, Manchester Center, 9-10 a.m. Free. Info, 549-4574.

language

BEGINNER IRISH LANGUAGE

CLASS: Celtic-curious students learn to speak an Ghaeilge in a supportive group. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, noon-1 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

ELL CLASSES: ENGLISH FOR BEGINNERS & INTERMEDIATE STUDENTS: Learners of all abilities practice written and spoken English with trained instructors. Presented by Fletcher Free Library. 6:30-8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, bshatara@ burlingtonvt.gov.

montréal

‘AURA’: An immersive light show and soundscape highlights the rich history and stunning architecture of the Québec church. Notre-Dame Basilica of Montréal, 6 & 8 p.m. $18-32; free for kids 5 and under. Info, 866-842-2925.

music

JAZZ CAFE SERIES: NEW KANON

JAZZ TRIO WITH DAVID PATE: The in-demand saxophonist joins the trio for a night of original and classic tunes. BYOB. Stone Valley Arts, Poultney, 7 p.m. $10 suggested donation. Info, 325-2603.

ZACH NUGENT UNCORKED: The sought-after guitarist plays a weekly loft show featuring live music, storytelling and special guests. Shelburne Vineyard, 6-8:45 p.m. Free. Info, 985-8222.

seminars

MENTOR TRAINING FOR

JUSTICE-INVOLVED WOMEN: Volunteers receive training to help trauma-affected women. Mercy Connections, Burlington, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 8467164, jnelson@mercyconnections. org.

sports

GREEN MOUNTAIN TABLE

TENNIS CLUB: Ping-Pong players swing their paddles in singles and doubles matches. Rutland Area Christian School, 7-9 p.m. Free for

first two sessions; $30 annual membership. Info, 247-5913.

talks

HUBIE NORTON: A presenter relates the history of the 1805 Schoolhouse, the oldest building in Essex. Essex Memorial Hall, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 479-8500.

NICOLE PHELPS: A UVM history professor gives a virtual talk titled “When Typewriters Roamed the Earth: Power, Empathy and the U.S. Consular Service.” 4:30-6 p.m. Free. Info, 656-1297.

RENÉ PELLERIN: The community advocate recounts stories from his life as a deaf-blind person living with Usher syndrome. Ilsley Public Library, Middlebury, 1 p.m. Free. Info, 262-2626.

tech

CHATGPT FOR YOU & ME: Retired engineer and software developer Dick Mills offers an introduction to ChatGPT and AI. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 1-2:30 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

RECORDING AUDIO: Attendees learn about how to capture the best possible sound. RETN & VCAM Media Factory, Burlington, 1-3 p.m. Free; $25 suggested donation. Info, gin@mediafactory.org.

WIRED WEDNESDAYS: IPHONE

BASICS: New smartphone users discover the device’s essential functions. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 12:30-1:30 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

theater

‘THE DENIAL OF DEATH IN AMERICA’: Performer Darryll Rudy reckons with his Alzheimer’s diagnosis, Buddhist practice and unavoidable mortality. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 7-8 p.m. Free. Info, 748-8291.

words

‘THE BOOK OF FORM & EMPTINESS’: The Fletcher Free Library presents a virtual discussion of a literary fiction novel. 6:30-8 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

AFTER HOURS BOOK CLUB: Readers discuss Count the Ways, Joyce Maynard’s tale of one family’s process of grief and reconciliation. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

BANNED BOOKS TOUR: Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman hosts a reading featuring stories that have faced conservative backlash across the country. Norman Williams Public Library, Woodstock, 4 p.m. Free. Info, 828-2226.

CHRISTINE WOODSIDE: An author writes about her experience as an avid outdoorswoman in her latest release, Going Over the Mountain. Norwich Bookstore, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 649-1114.

LIFE STORIES WE LOVE TO TELL: Prompts from group leader Maryellen Crangle inspire true tales, told either off the cuff or read from prewritten scripts. Presented by Dorothy Alling Memorial Library. 2-3:30 p.m.

Free; preregister; limited space. Info, 878-4918.

THU.14 agriculture

SMALL SCALE COMMERCIAL COMPOSTING WORKSHOP: An onsite tour and in-depth discussions offer up tips for successful smallscale composting. Kingdom View Compost, Lyndonville, 10 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, caledoniacountynrcd@ gmail.com.

community

LIBRARY COUNCIL OF TEENS: Kids ages 13 through 18 gather to plan events and programs for their peers. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 5-6 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

crafts

KNIT FOR YOUR NEIGHBOR: All ages and abilities are invited to knit or crochet hats and scarves for the South Burlington Food Shelf. All materials are provided. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 2-5 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

KNITTING GROUP: Knitters of all experience levels get together to spin yarns. Latham Library, Thetford, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 785-4361.

dance

THE MORRÍGAN: Dancer Erin McNulty takes many forms in a contemporary performance. Path of Life Sculpture Garden, Windsor, 4 p.m. $5-32. Info, mcnult45@ gmail.com.

etc.

COMPLETE AQUARIUM KEEPING:

The Tropical Fish Club of Burlington invites all aquatic enthusiasts to learn the tenets of maintaining a healthy, beautiful piscine pad. VFW Post 6689, Essex Junction, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 372-8716.

fairs & festivals

TUNBRIDGE WORLD’S FAIR:

The 151st Tunbridge World’s Fair celebrates the kid in all of us with an array of fair food and fun for everyone. Tunbridge World’s Fairgrounds, 8 a.m.-11 p.m. $1020; free for children under 12. Info, info@tunbridgeworldsfair.com.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

EDITING WITH ADOBE PREMIERE: Attendees learn how to perfect film footage in a popular program. RETN & VCAM Media Factory, Burlington, 6-8 p.m. Free; donations accepted; preregister. Info, 651-9692.

‘JOURNEY TO SPACE 3D’: See WED.13.

MOVIE NIGHTS AT THE FRAME: ‘FINDING NEMO’: A nervous and overprotective clownfish leaves his comfort zone to find and bring

FAMI LY FU N

Check out these family-friendly events for parents, caregivers and kids of all ages.

• Plan ahead at sevendaysvt.com/family-fun

Post your event at sevendaysvt.com/postevent.

WED.13 burlington

BABYTIME: Librarians bring out books, rhymes and songs specially selected for young ones. Pre-walkers and younger. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

IMAGINATION STATION: Giant Jenga, Hula-Hoops and jump ropes entertain shoppers of all ages in between stops. Church Street Marketplace, Burlington, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 863-1648.

STEAM SPACE: Kids explore science, technology, engineering, art and math activities. Ages 5 through 11. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 5-6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

STORIES WITH SHANNON: Ages 2 to 5 gather in the library’s youth section for story time, songs and fun. No preregistration needed. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

chittenden county

AFTERSCHOOL: STEAM: Little engineers and artists gather for some afternoon excitement building trebuchets. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 2-3 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

LEGO FUN: Budding architects and engineers use their imaginations to build creations with the classic blocks to display in the library. Children under 8 must bring a caregiver. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 2:30-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

barre/montpelier

CHESS CLUB: Youngsters of all skill levels get one-on-one lessons at the School St. picnic tables. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 3:30-5 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

HOMESCHOOL BOOK GROUP: Home learners ages 10 through 15 start the school year off with an outdoor meeting. Rain date September 20. KelloggHubbard Library, Montpelier, 1-2 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

OUTSIDE AFTERSCHOOL: Undeterred by the library’s repairs, librarians lead students in games and art every weekday at the School St. picnic tables. KelloggHubbard Library, Montpelier, 2:45-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

mad river valley/ waterbury

LEGO CHALLENGE CLUB: Kids engage in a fun-filled hour of building, then leave their creations on display in the library all month long. Ages 6 through 8. Waterbury Public Library, 3-4 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 244-7036.

middlebury area

‘PLAYING FIELDS’: The Flynn presents an outdoor welcome-back multimedia party for students, families and neighbors,

chittenden county

BABY BRUNCH: Families with kids under a year old enjoy a yummy breakfast, meet new friends and take home free board books. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

SATURDAY MATINEE: Film lovers have a family-friendly afternoon at this screening of an all-ages favorite. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 2-3:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

stowe/smuggs

MUSICAL STORY TIME: Song, dance and other tuneful activities supplement picture books for kids 2 through 5. Morristown Centennial Library, Morrisville, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 888-3853.

northeast kingdom

TOWN OF LOWELL F.O.L.K. FESTIVAL: Funloving locals of all ages enjoy a parade, a barbecue feast, a baking contest and more at this benefit for Friends of Lowell Kids. Lowell Graded School, 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, friendsoflowellkids@gmail.com.

featuring live music, theater and illuminated 12-foot-tall dancing horses. Vergennes Union High School & Middle School, 6:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 863-5966.

manchester/ bennington

MCL FILM CLUB: Teen auteurs learn how to bring stories to life on camera. Manchester Community Library, Manchester Center, 3:30-5 p.m. Free. Info, 362-2607.

THU.14 burlington

IMAGINATION STATION: See WED.13.

chittenden county

LEGO TIME: Builders in kindergarten through fourth grade enjoy an afternoon of imagination and play. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 3-4 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

PRESCHOOL MUSIC WITH LINDA

BASSICK: The singer and storyteller extraordinaire leads little ones in indoor music and movement. Birth through age 5. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

PRESCHOOL PLAYTIME: Pre-K patrons play and socialize after music time.

Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

TEEN NIGHT: FOOD FOR THOUGHT: The Teen Advisory Board meets over pizza to brainstorm ideas for library programming. Ages 12 and up. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 5-6 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

barre/montpelier

OUTSIDE AFTERSCHOOL: See WED.13.

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: Energetic youngsters join Miss Meliss on the lawn for stories, songs and lots of silliness.

Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

stowe/smuggs

WEE ONES PLAY TIME: Caregivers bring kiddos 3 and younger to a new sensory learning experience each week. Morristown Centennial Library, Morrisville, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 888-3853.

Upper Valley Affair

Why is the Upper Valley such a great place to live and raise a family? One reason is LebFest, where fun lovers of all ages enjoy music, games and tasty food at one last farewell to summer. Audiences are amazed by the Wildlife Encounters Ecology & Wellness Center’s live animal presentation, and noodle connoisseurs taste and judge local restaurants’ creamy offerings at the annual mac and cheese competition. Extreme juggler Jason Tardy and guitarist Jamie Barnhill take the bandstand stage, and local vendors offer an unlimited supply of fun, from Hula-Hooping and cornhole to giant Jenga and cotton candy making.

LEBFEST

Saturday, September 16, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., at Colburn Park in Lebanon, N.H. Free. Info, 603-448-1203, uppervalleybusinessalliance.com.

mad river valley/ waterbury

‘PLAYING FIELDS’: See WED.13, Crossett Brook Middle School, Duxbury.

PRESCHOOL PLAY & READ: Outdoor activities, stories and songs engage 3- and 4-year-olds. Waterbury Public Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

THE HUNT FOR SUNZILLA, THE MONSTER SUNFLOWER: Growers earn prizes for the heaviest, largest diameter and tallest sunflower and for the largest zucchini. Kids 12 and younger compete in a sunflower seed-spitting contest. Rusty Parker Memorial Park, Waterbury, 5-6 p.m. Free. Info, 244-7373.

FRI.15

chittenden county

LEGO BUILDERS: Each week, children ages 8 and older build, explore, create and participate in challenges. Children ages 6 to 8 are welcome with an adult. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 3-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

SENSORY FRIENDLY FRIDAYS: Folks of all ages with sensory processing differences have the museum to themselves, with adjusted lights and sounds and various adaptive resources available. Shelburne Museum, 8:30-10 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 985-3346.

TEEN: DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: Local wizards and warlocks ages 12 and up play

a collaborative game of magic and monsters. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 5-6 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

barre/montpelier

OUTSIDE AFTERSCHOOL: See WED.13.

upper valley

STORY TIME: Preschoolers take part in tales, tunes and playtime. Latham Library, Thetford, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 785-4361.

manchester/ bennington

YOUNG ADULT DUNGEONS & DRAGONS:

Teens battle beasts with swords and spell books. Drop-in and recurring players are welcome. Ages 12 through 16. Manchester Community Library, Manchester Center, 2-4 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 549-4574.

SAT.16 burlington

FACE PAINTING AND CARICATURES:

Little Artsy Faces and Marc Hughes Illustrations paint faces in more ways than one at the corner of Bank and Church streets. Church Street Marketplace, Burlington, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 863-1648.

manchester/ bennington

NOTORIOUS RPG: Kids 10 through 14 create characters and play a collaborative adventure game similar to Dungeons & Dragons. Manchester Community Library, Manchester Center, 1-2 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 362-2607.

STEAM SATURDAY: Little ones have fun with foundational science and art. Manchester Community Library, Manchester Center, 11 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 362-2607.

outside vermont

LEBFEST: A family-oriented community carousal features a live animal show, a mac-and-cheese competition and an extreme juggling performance. See calendar spotlight. Colburn Park, Lebanon N.H., 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, 603-448-1203.

SUN.17

chittenden county

LIVE IN THE ORCHARD CONCERT SERIES: LIZ BUCHANAN: Apple pickers eat up stories and songs for kids from the delightful local ukulele player. Shelburne Orchards, 10-10:45 a.m. Free. Info, 985-2753.

MON.18

burlington

IMAGINATION STATION: See WED.13. STORIES WITH SHANNON: See WED.13.

barre/montpelier

OUTSIDE AFTERSCHOOL: See WED.13. POKÉMON CLUB: I choose you, Pikachu! Fans of the franchise — and beginners, too — trade cards and play games outside at the picnic tables. KelloggHubbard Library, Montpelier, 3:30-5 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

manchester/ bennington

NEW MOMS’ GROUP: Local doula Kimberleigh Weiss-Lewitt facilitates a community-building weekly meetup

home his missing son. Food and drink available for purchase. BYO blankets or lawn chairs. Moran Frame, Burlington, 6-11 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

‘MYSTERIES OF THE UNSEEN WORLD 3D’: See WED.13.

‘WILD AFRICA 3D’: See WED.13.

‘WINGS OVER WATER 3D’: See WED.13.

food & drink

ARE YOU THIRSTY, NEIGHBOR?:

A special discount cocktail menu sparks conversations and connections over cribbage and cards. Wild Hart Distillery and Tasting Room, Shelburne, 3-8 p.m. Free. Info, info@wildhartdistillery.com.

BARK & BREW: Humans chat over local food and beer while their pups play in the fenced yard. Proceeds benefit animal shelter programs. Humane Society of Chittenden County, South Burlington, 5:30-7:30 p.m. $20. Info, 862-0135.

VERGENNES FARMERS MARKET: Local foods and crafts, live music, and hot eats spice up Thursday afternoons. Vergennes City Park, 3-6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 233-9180.

games

THE CHECK MATES: Chess players of all ages face off at this intergenerational weekly meetup. Manchester Community Library, Manchester Center, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 549-4574.

DUPLICATE BRIDGE: A lively group plays a classic, tricky game with an extra wrinkle. Waterbury Public Library, 12:30-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 244-7223.

health & fitness

SIMPLIFIED TAI CHI FOR

SENIORS: Eighteen easy poses help with stress reduction, fall prevention and ease of movement. Manchester Community Library, Manchester Center, 3:15-4 p.m. Donations. Info, 362-2607.

TAI CHI THURSDAYS: Experienced instructor Rich Marantz teaches the first section of the Yang-style tai chi sequence. Manchester Community Library, Manchester Center, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 645-1960.

montréal

‘AURA’: See WED.13.

music

BARNARTS FEAST & FIELD MUSIC

SERIES: BALAKLAVA BLUES:

Farm-fresh foods and Ukrainian protest tunes are on the menu at a pastoral party. Fable Farm, Barnard, 5:30-8:30 p.m. $5-25. Info, music@barnarts.org.

BLUE OCTOBER: The alt-rock hitmakers play tunes from their latest record, Spinning the Truth

Around: Part I & II. The Flynn, Burlington, 8 p.m. $35-75. Info, 863-5966.

MLK, JR. COMMUNITY CHOIR OF SAN DIEGO & UVM VOCAL

ENSEMBLES: Choral groups raise their voices at an evening of music that feeds the soul and

FRI.15 cannabis

HIGHER CALLING: National and local artists take the stage at this music festival to benefit cannabis businesses impacted by recent flooding. See calendar spotlight. Pransky Farm, Cabot, 7-11 p.m. $50-200. Info, 917-1227.

crafts

SCRAPBOOKING GROUP: Cutters and pasters make new friends at a weekly club. Manchester Community Library, Manchester Center, 10 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 549-4574.

etc.

SOUND BATH: Singing bowl and gong player Stephen Scuderi delivers a unique sensory experience. BYO mat and pillows. Community of Sound, Burlington, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Donations. Info, 777-0626.

fairs & festivals

TUNBRIDGE WORLD’S FAIR: See THU.14.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

‘JOURNEY TO SPACE 3D’: See WED.13.

‘MYSTERIES OF THE UNSEEN WORLD 3D’: See WED.13.

‘WILD AFRICA 3D’: See WED.13.

music

ADDISON HOUSING ROCKS!: The Grift and Moira Smiley provide the music for Addison County Community Trust’s fundraiser. Guests enjoy food trucks, a bar, lawn games and more, all to support affordable housing. Middlebury Town Green, 4-8 p.m. $5 general admission; free for children under 12. Info, 877-2626.

CHATHAM RABBITS: Heartfelt harmonies and captivating lyrics characterize the tunes of this Americana duo. Evan Jennison opens. Double E Performance Center’s T-Rex Theater, Essex, 8-11 p.m. $25-30. Info, 878-4200.

FOUR SHILLINGS SHORT: Hailing from Ireland and California, respectively, husband and wife Aodh Og O’Tuama and Christy Martin have 12 independent folk recordings to their names. The Old Meeting House, East Montpelier, 7 p.m. Donations; preregister. Info, 229-9593.

JOHN DOYLE AND MICK

MCAULEY: The Celtic music superstars and former members of Solas get feet stomping. Fern Tamagini-O’Donnell opens. Elley-Long Music Center, Saint Michael’s College, Colchester, 7 p.m. $25 suggested donation. Info, 233-5293.

OPERA VERMONT IN CONCERT: See THU.14. Southern Vermont Arts Center, Manchester. $45. Info, 362-1405.

Sonic Chronic

Jokers, smokers and midnight tokers turn out for a great cause at Higher Calling, a music festival unlike any other. Over two days of live tunes, camping, yoga, workshops and vendor fairs, attendees support the Cannabis Retailers Association of Vermont’s relief fund for growers impacted by July’s flooding — a crucial resource, given that the state’s beloved pot purveyors can’t receive federal funds. The stacked lineup of local and national acts includes Lespecial, the Motet, Gentleman Brawlers and Gangstagrass (pictured). All tickets include camping.

HIGHER CALLING

Friday, September 15, 7-11 p.m., and Saturday, September 16, 9 a.m.-midnight, at Pransky Farm in Cabot. $50-500. Info, 917-1227, crvt.org.

celebrates unity. University of Vermont Recital Hall, Burlington, 7-8 p.m. Free. Info, carolyn@ music-contact.com.

OPERA VERMONT IN CONCERT:

The inaugural show of Barn Opera’s statewide expansion features works by the likes of Mozart, Puccini and Verdi, followed by a meet and greet with the artists. Highland Center for the Arts, Greensboro, 7:30 p.m. $40. Info, 533-2000.

THROWDOWN THURSDAYS: Sugarbush hosts a weekly summer shindig featuring live tunes, doubles cornhole tournaments and disc golf competitions. Lincoln Peak Vineyard, New Haven, 5-8 p.m. Free. Info, 552-4007.

politics

THOUGHT CLUB: Artists and activists convene to engage with Burlington’s rich tradition of radical thought and envision

its future. Democracy Creative, Burlington, 6-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, tevan@democracycreative.com.

tech

TECH AND TEXTILES: Crafters work on their knitting or crocheting while discussing questions such as how to set up a new tablet or what cryptocurrency even is. George Peabody Library, Post Mills, 1-5 p.m. Free. Info, 333-9724.

VTTA SUNSET NETWORKING

EVENT: Vermont Technology Alliance members and friends meet up over food, drink and stunning sunset views. ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 6-8 p.m. $45-60. Info, 324-5926.

theater

‘BEAST FRIENDS: A TALK IN THE WOODS’: G. Richard Ames’ oneman show explores creatures in fields and forests. QuarryWorks

Theater, Adamant, 7:30-9:45 p.m. Free. Info, 229-6978.

words

DANIEL HECHT: The bestselling Vermont author reads from his latest novel, The Body Below, at this event celebrating both the book launch and the reopening of the capital’s downtown. The North Branch Café, Montpelier, 7-8 p.m. Free. Info, 595-0997.

JESSICA HENDRY NELSON:

The author launches her raw, emotional memoir in essays, Joy Rides Through the Tunnel of Grief. Ticket includes $3 off the author’s books. Phoenix Books, Burlington, 7 p.m. $3; preregister. Info, 448-3350.

‘WINGS OVER WATER 3D’: See WED.13.

food & drink

HART’S KITCHEN’S

ANNIVERSARY PARTY POP-UP!: Diners feast on a mix of Korean and Filipino dishes, including fried chicken wings, soy-butter chicken, pancit and lumpia. Tiny Community Kitchen, Burlington, noon-8 p.m. $7.99-23.99. Info, iamrhart@yahoo.com.

RICHMOND FARMERS MARKET: Vendors present a diverse selection of locally produced foods and crafts as picnickers enjoy music from a different local band each week. Richmond Town Park, 3-6:30 p.m. Free. Info, rfmmanager@ gmail.com.

games

MAH-JONGG: Tile traders of all experience levels gather for a game. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 1-3 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

health & fitness

GUIDED MEDITATION

ONLINE: Dorothy Alling Memorial Library invites attendees to relax on their lunch breaks and reconnect with their bodies. Noon-12:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, programs@ damlvt.org.

montréal

‘AURA’: See WED.13.

PLAY EVERY TOWN: The Barnard stop on composer and pianist David Feurzeig’s Vermont tour includes artist Pamela Fraser in an improvised art-music exchange. First Universalist Church and Society, Barnard, 6:30-8 p.m. Free. Info, playeverytown@gmail.com.

SUMMER MUSIC AT GRACE:

FREVO: Vermont’s eclectic classical crossover quartet presents a set list of chamber, jazz, Latin and contemporary music. Grace Episcopal Church, Sheldon, 7-9 p.m. Donations. Info, 326-4603.

TWILIGHT SERIES: MARCIE

HERNANDEZ: The Latin indie folk singer-songwriter tugs heartstrings with her heartfelt lyrics. Burlington City Hall Park, 7:30-9 p.m. Free. Info, 865-7166.

sports

DROP A BALL FOR FIRE & RESCUE: Players buy a ball to benefit local first responders and win a prize if theirs falls out of a helicopter and lands closest to the target. The Kwini Club, Shelburne, 4-6 p.m. $10-450; preregister. Info, charlotteshelburnerotary@gmail. com.

tech

MORNING TECH HELP: Experts answer questions about phones, laptops, e-readers and more in one-on-one sessions. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 846-4140.

theater

‘BACKDOORS AND ALLEYS: SIX

ORIGINAL PLAYS’: Swift scenes

Find your best self this year when you unwind at The Spa at Topnotch. Truly relax with a massage, facial, salon service and simply sitting poolside. Or get in shape with fitness classes or a round of tennis.

Either way, you deserve nothing less than Topnotch.

written by Karen Klami and Burnham Holmes contemplate gateways, side streets and the places they can take us. Stone Valley Arts, Poultney, 7:30-9 p.m. $8-10. Info, stonevalleyarts center@gmail.com.

‘BEAST FRIENDS: A TALK IN THE WOODS’: See THU.14.

‘TIME STANDS STILL’: In this Green Room Productions performance, two journalists must leave the front lines of war and face an even greater terror: a conventional life in Brooklyn among their basic friends. Grange Hall Cultural Center, Waterbury Center, 7:30-9:30 p.m. $20. Info, jogreenvermont@gmail.com.

‘THE ILIAD, THE ODYSSEY AND ALL OF GREEK MYTHOLOGY IN 99 MINUTES OR LESS’: Adirondack Regional Theatre actors attempt to rapidly run through every tale ever told from Mount Olympus in this gut-busting reimagining. Y at the Oval, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 7 p.m. $15. Info, 518-572-6003.

SAT.16

bazaars

YARD SALE: A bustling bazaar benefits the Burlington Garden Club’s scholarships for students of the Plant & Soil Science Department at the University of Vermont. Faith United Methodist Church, South Burlington, 8 a.m.2 p.m. Free.

COLCHESTER CORNERS

AUTUMNAL MARKET: Food trucks, music, and kid-friendly activities and crafts are just a few reasons to celebrate the changing season. Colchester Town Center, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, 264-5509.

cannabis

HIGHER CALLING: See FRI.15, 9 a.m.-midnight.

dance

MONTPELIER CONTRA DANCE: Beginners, singles and newcomers of all ages learn the steps, then dance the night away to the music of the Russet Trio. BYO clean, soft-soled shoes. Capital City Grange, Berlin, 7:40-11 p.m. $5-20. Info, 225-8921.

‘SEASONS: AUTUMN’: Regional dancers perform original ballet and modern dance works in riverfront park, followed by an interactive public art project. Rain date Sep. 17. Comtu Cascade Park, Springfield, 5-6 p.m. Donations. Info, info@avantvt.com.

education

MENTAL ILLNESS & RECOVERY

TEACHER TRAINING: Participants, including mental health providers, peers in recovery and family members, gain skills needed to teach NAMI Vermont workshops. NAMI Vermont, Williston, 10 a.m.4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 876-7949, ext. 102.

FOMO?

Find even more local events in this newspaper and online:

art

Find visual art exhibits and events in the Art section and at sevendaysvt.com/art.

film

See what’s playing at theaters in the On Screen section.

music + nightlife

Find club dates at local venues in the Music + Nightlife section online at sevendaysvt.com/ music.

Learn more about highlighted listings in the Magnificent 7 on page 11.

= ONLINE EVENT

FAMI LY FU N

for mothers who are new to parenting or the area. Manchester Community Library, Manchester Center, 9-10 a.m. Free. Info, 549-4574.

TUE.19 burlington

SING ALONG WITH LINDA BASSICK: Infants, toddlers and preschoolers dance, wiggle and sing with local musician/early educator Linda Bassick. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 1111:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

FREE STUDENT SATURDAY: College students peruse the museum’s collections for free once a week all month long. Student ID required. Shelburne Museum, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Info, 985-3346.

fairs & festivals

FOREST FESTIVAL: Visitors take horse-drawn wagon rides, attend woodcraft demos or sign up for a guided nature walk, while meeting members of the Abenaki community, local artisans and outreach partners. MarshBillings-Rockefeller National Historical Park, Woodstock, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. Info, 457-3368.

NORWICH ANTIQUES SHOW

AND SALE: New England antique dealers display and sell timeless treasures, while on-site appraisers and conservators answer questions about family heirlooms. Norwich Historical Society and Community Center, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. $5. Info, 649-0124.

TUNBRIDGE WORLD’S FAIR: See THU.14.

WHOOPIE PIE FEST: Locals celebrate one of Vermont’s favorite sweet treats with an all-day extravaganza featuring games, performances and the unveiling of Rutland’s largest whoopie pie. Paramount Theatre, Rutland, noon-5 p.m. Free. Info, 773-2747.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

‘300 MILES MELTING’: SOLD OUT; WAITLIST AVAILABLE. A 317-mile ski journey along Vermont’s Catamount Trail illuminates hard truths about climate change in this new documentary. Hula, Burlington, 5-8 p.m. Free. Info, 558-3681.

‘JOURNEY TO SPACE 3D’: See WED.13.

MEDIA FACTORY ORIENTATION: Once aspiring filmmakers have taken this virtual tour of the Media Factory studio, they have access to the full suite of gear and

chittenden county

FREE PLAY ART: Kids ages 8 and older explore different art mediums and take home a finished project after every session. All materials are provided. Younger kiddos are welcome with an adult helper. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 3-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

PLAYGROUP & FAMILY SUPPORT: Families with children under age 5 play and connect with others in the community. Winooski Memorial Library, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 655-6424.

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: Little ones enjoy a cozy session of reading, rhyming and singing. Birth through age

5. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

SEPTEMBER SCIENCE: Painting and playing with magnets help elementaryage learners understand various STEAM concepts. Ages 6 and up. Dorothy Alling

facilities. 1-2 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 651-9692.

‘MYSTERIES OF THE UNSEEN WORLD 3D’: See WED.13.

‘WILD AFRICA 3D’: See WED.13.

‘WINGS OVER WATER 3D’: See WED.13.

food & drink

BURLINGTON FARMERS MARKET: Dozens of stands overflow with seasonal produce, flowers, artisanal wares and prepared foods.

345 Pine St., Burlington, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 560-5904.

CAPITAL CITY FARMERS MARKET: Meats and cheeses join farm-fresh produce, baked goods, locally made arts and crafts, and live music. Vermont College of Fine Arts, Montpelier, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, montpelierfarmersmarket@ gmail.com.

CHAMPLAIN VALLEY DINNER TRAIN: Travelers savor a threecourse meal and scenic landscape views during a three-hour trip in a kitchen car. Ages 5 and up. Union Station, Burlington, 5-8 p.m. $99-148.50; preregister. Info, 800-707-3530.

ETHIOPIAN & ERITREAN CUISINE TAKEOUT: Foodies from the Old North End and beyond sample Mulu Tewelde’s spicy, savory, succulent meals. Vegetarian options available; bring your own bag. O.N.E. Community Center, Burlington, 4-6 p.m. $23; preregister. Info, tewmlde@yahoo.com.

THE HILLS ARE ALIVE: Fans of local food enjoy dinner with live music and mingling. Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 5:30 p.m. $125. Info, maddy@hotelvt.com.

NORTHWEST FARMERS MARKET: Locavores stock up on produce, preserves, baked goods, and arts and crafts from over 50 vendors. Taylor Park, St. Albans, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 242-2729.

OKTOBERFEST 2023: Bavarianstyle cuisine and music are on tap at this festival. Guests test their skills in U.S. Steinholding Association competitions and keg tapping. von Trapp Brewing Bierhall, Stowe, 11 a.m., 2:30 & 6

Memorial Library, Williston, 5-5:45 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

TODDLERTIME: Miss Alexa delights infants and toddlers ages 1 to 3 and their adult caregivers with interactive stories, songs, rhymes and more. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

barre/montpelier

NOT BACK TO SCHOOL DAY: A picnic lunch on the lawn offers home-learning families a chance to connect and make new friends. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, noon-2 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

OUTSIDE AFTERSCHOOL: See WED.13.

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: See THU.14.

manchester/ bennington

STORY TIME: Youth librarian Carrie leads little tykes in stories and songs

p.m. $25-63; free for kids 3 and under. Info, 253-5769.

ST. JOHNSBURY FARMERS

MARKET: Growers and crafters gather weekly at booths centered on local eats. Pearl St. & Eastern Ave., St. Johnsbury, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, cfmamanager@gmail. com.

games

BEGINNER DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: Waterbury

Public Library game master Evan Hoffman gathers novices and veterans alike for an afternoon of virtual adventuring. Teens and adults welcome. Noon-4 p.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

BOARD GAME BRUNCH: The Friendly Tabletop Gamers of Essex and Beyond host a morning game-play session for anyone 18 and up. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

CHESS CLUB: Players of all ages and abilities face off and learn new strategies. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

health & fitness

BRAIN FREEZER 5K: Runners with stomachs of steel hit the pavement for 3.1 miles, pausing only to down a pint of local ice cream. Proceeds benefit People Helping People Global. North Beach, Burlington, 10 a.m.-noon. $30. Info, 373-1562.

YOGA FROM THE HEARTSPACE: Sexual violence prevention organization HOPE Works leads an outdoor stretch sesh for survivors. Rotary Park, Winooski, 9:3011 a.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 863-1236.

montréal

‘AURA’: See WED.13, 7 & 9 p.m. music

HOT TUNA: The beloved blues rockers draw from four decades of hits. The Flynn, Burlington, 8 p.m. $49.50-70.50. Info, 863-5966.

centered on a new theme every week.

Birth through age 5. Manchester Community Library, Manchester Center, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 362-2607.

WED.20

burlington

BABYTIME: See WED.13.

IMAGINATION STATION: See WED.13.

STEAM SPACE: See WED.13.

STORIES WITH SHANNON: See WED.13.

TODDLER TIME: Books, rhymes, songs and open-ended play for 1- and 2-yearolds and their caregivers. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

chittenden county

BABY SOCIAL TIME: Caregivers and infants from birth through age 1 gather

LIVE IN THE ORCHARD CONCERT SERIES: CHARLIE SCHRAMM: The young Shelburne musician shows off his singer-songwriter chops among the apple trees. Shelburne Orchards, noon-2 p.m. Free. Info, 985-2753.

THE MACHINE: The New Yorkbased quartet performs a diverse mix of Pink Floyd’s extensive 16-album repertoire, complete with faithful renditions of popular hits and obscure gems. Strand Center for the Arts, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 8 p.m. $30-55. Info, 518-563-1604, ext. 105.

MOIRA SMILEY & THE RHIZOME

QUARTET: The beloved local folk singer teams up with four string musicians to announce a new album of chamber-musicinspired tunes. Town Hall Theater, Middlebury, 7:30 p.m. $27-32. Info, 382-9222.

ORCHESTRE TOUT PUISSANT

MARCEL DUCHAMP: A 12-person ensemble transcends genres with a signature sound incorporating jazz, punk, rock and beyond. The Putney Inn, 5 p.m. $20-25; free for kids under 12. Info, 387-0102.

CLIFF EBERHARDT & LOUISE

MOSRIE COOMBE: Two folk singers at the top of their game deliver soulful vocals and stirring guitar strumming. Ripton Community House, 7:30-10 p.m. $15-25 suggested donation. Info, 388-9782.

SHANNON CURTIS: The singer of 1980s-inspired synth pop merges performance and visual art for a meditation on climate anxiety and hope. Flynn Space, Burlington, 7 p.m. $30.50. Info, 863-5966.

TWILIGHT SERIES: BOYSCOTT: Dreamy indie rock and beachy guitar hooks make for a wistful end-of-summer vibe. Cosmic the Cowboy opens. Burlington City Hall Park, 7:30-9 p.m. Free. Info, 865-7166.

outdoors

ASTRONOMY AT ROKEBY: The Vermont Astronomical Society sets up its telescopes so that amateur stargazers can check out various planets, nebulae

in the Wiggle Room to explore board books and toys. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

MIDDLE SCHOOL MAKERS: COOKING: Middle school students in grades 5 to 8 create kitchen confections with secret ingredients, listed on the library’s website. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 4-5:30 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

barre/montpelier

CHESS CLUB: See WED.13.

OUTSIDE AFTERSCHOOL: See WED.13.

manchester/ bennington

MCL FILM CLUB: See WED.13. K

and galaxies. Rokeby Museum, Ferrisburgh, 8:30 p.m. Free; donations accepted; preregister. Info, 877-3406.

AUDUBON WEST RUTLAND

MARSH BIRD WALK:

Knowledgeable guides lead birders of all levels on a 4-mile loop, starting at the marsh boardwalk kiosk on Marble St. West Rutland Marsh, 8-11 a.m. Free. Info, birding@ rutlandcountyaudubon.org.

CHAMP BENEFIT TRAIL RIDE:

Equestrians enjoy a scenic ride and a buffet picnic lunch to support the Champlain Adaptive Mounted Program. Good Hope Farm, South Hero, 10 a.m. $150; preregister. Info, 372-4087.

INTRODUCTION TO DINGHY

SAILING FOR ADULTS: Aspiring seafarers learn how to pilot small sailboats. Ages 17 and up. Lake

Champlain Maritime Museum, Vergennes, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Pay what you can; preregister. Info, 475-2022.

sports

WORLD OF HURT WRESTLING: Vermont Pro Wrestling Entertainment returns with a bang, featuring a live throwdown between Dink the Clown and Big Trouble Ben Bishop. O.N.E. Community Center, Burlington, 7 p.m. $30-5. Info, gary_hathaway@ hotmail.com.

theater

‘BACKDOORS AND ALLEYS: SIX ORIGINAL PLAYS’: See FRI.15.

‘BEAST FRIENDS: A TALK IN THE WOODS’: See THU.14, 2-4:15 & 7:30-9:45 p.m.

‘TIME STANDS STILL’: See FRI.15, 2-4:30 & 7:30-9:30 p.m.

‘THE ILIAD, THE ODYSSEY AND ALL OF GREEK MYTHOLOGY IN 99 MINUTES OR LESS’: See FRI.15.

words

WORDS IN THE WOODS: LINDA QUINLAN: The prolific poet leads a literary trek through the forest as part of this Vermont Humanities series. Elmore State Park, Lake Elmore, 11 a.m.-noon. Free; preregister. Info, 262-2626. WRITERS’ WERTFREI: Authors both fledgling and published gather to share their work in a judgment-free environment. Virtual option available. Waterbury Public Library, 10 a.m.noon. Free; preregister. Info, judi@ waterburypubliclibrary.com.

SUN.17 community

MIDDLETOWN SPRINGS

HISTORICAL SOCIETY ANNUAL

MEETING: Prof. Luis Vivanco takes attendees on a ride through the history of bicycles in Vermont after a dessert buffet and business meeting. Middletown Springs Historical Society, 2-4 p.m. Free. Info, 235-2376.

crafts

YARN CRAFTERS GROUP: See WED.13, 1-3 p.m.

dance

BAL FOLK: Eloise & Co. provide the tunes and instructions for French line, circle and pairs dances at a benefit for Scott

Farm Orchard. Scott Farm, Dummerston, 2:15-7 p.m. $1030 suggested donation. Info, 716-378-0943.

DANCING WITH THE BURLINGTON STARS: Local luminaries break out their best salsas and sambas at this fundraiser for the Vermont Association for the Blind & Visually Impaired. See calendar spotlight. The Flynn, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. $30.50. Info, 863-5966.

fairs & festivals

TUNBRIDGE WORLD’S FAIR: See THU.14, 8 a.m.-7 p.m.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

‘JOURNEY TO SPACE 3D’: See WED.13.

‘MYSTERIES OF THE UNSEEN WORLD 3D’: See WED.13. ‘WILD AFRICA 3D’: See WED.13. ‘WINGS OVER WATER 3D’: See WED.13.

food & drink

STOWE FARMERS MARKET: An appetizing assortment of fresh veggies, meats, milk, berries, herbs, beverages and crafts tempts shoppers. 2043 Mountain Rd., Stowe, 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, stowefarmersmarket@gmail. com.

WINOOSKI FARMERS MARKET: Families shop for fresh produce, honey, meats, coffee and prepared foods from more seasonal vendors at an outdoor

SUN.17 » P.78

marketplace. Winooski Falls Way, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 655-6410.

health & fitness

KARUNA COMMUNITY

MEDITATION: A YEAR TO LIVE (FULLY): Participants practice keeping joy, generosity and gratitude at the forefront of their minds. Jenna’s House, Johnson, 10-11:15 a.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, mollyzapp@live. com.

holidays

ROSH HASHANAH BY THE LAKE: Ohavi Zedek Synagogue invites community members to celebrate the Jewish New Year with songs, skits, apples, honey and shofar sounds. ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 3-4:30 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 8640218, ext. 801.

montréal

PIKNIC ÉLECTRONIK MONTRÉAL: A weekly throwdown pairs top-quality electronic music with a breathtaking view of Montréal from Île Saint-Hélène, aka St. Helen’s Island. Parc JeanDrapeau, Montréal, 4-10 p.m. $22-47; preregister. Info, info@ piknicelectronik.com.

music

A JOYFUL NOISE: FLOOD RELIEF BENEFIT CONCERT: Zoë Keating, Ray Vega, Champlain Trio, Kat Wright and TURN Music team up to support the Vermont Arts Council’s flood relief grants, followed by a reception headlined by the All Night Boogie Band. University of Vermont Recital Hall, Burlington, 3 p.m. $10-35. Info, 656-4455, lane.series@uvm.edu.

outdoors

GMC HIKE: EAGLE MOUNTAIN: A beginner-friendly hike takes trekkers from the Henry Road Trailhead to Hoyt Lookout, offering stunning lake views. Eagle Mountain Preserve, Milton, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Free; preregister; limited space. Info, luciemlehmann@ gmail.com.

talks

ROGER TEGART: The Bennington Historical Society president recounts the 1772 capture and rescue of Ethan Allen’s cousin, Remember Baker. Ethan Allen Homestead Museum, Burlington, 2-3 p.m. Free. Info, 865-4556.

theater

‘BACKDOORS AND ALLEYS: SIX ORIGINAL PLAYS’: See FRI.15, 3-4:30 p.m.

‘BEAST FRIENDS: A TALK IN THE WOODS’: See THU.14, 2-4:15 p.m.

‘THE ILIAD, THE ODYSSEY AND ALL OF GREEK MYTHOLOGY IN 99 MINUTES OR LESS’: See FRI.15, 2 p.m.

words

DAVID GODINE: The longtime independent publisher reflects on

five decades of ushering books into the world. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 4-5 p.m. Free. Info, 748-8291.

OPEN MIC POETRY: Resident poet Bianca Amira Zanella welcomes writers and listeners of all stripes to an artful afternoon of readings. Phoenix Books, Rutland, 2 p.m. Free. Info, 855-8078.

WORDS OUT LOUD: SEAN

PRENTISS & SCUDDER PARKER: Two wordsmiths discuss poetry, place and the passage of time. A reception at the Kents’ Corner State Historic Site follows. Old West Church, Calais, 3 p.m. Free. Info, 223-6613.

MON.18

crafts

KNIT WITS: Fiber-working friends get together to make progress on their quilts, knitwear and needlework. Manchester Community Library, Manchester Center, 3-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 362-2607.

WATERCOLOR PAINTING:

Instructor Pauline Nolte leads experienced painters and new dabblers in four weekly sessions. All supplies provided. Waterbury Public Library, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Free, space is limited; preregister. Info, 244-7036.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

‘JOURNEY TO SPACE 3D’: See WED.13.

‘MYSTERIES OF THE UNSEEN WORLD 3D’: See WED.13.

‘WILD AFRICA 3D’: See WED.13.

‘WINGS OVER WATER 3D’: See WED.13.

health & fitness

ADVANCED TAI CHI: Experienced movers build strength, improve balance and reduce stress. Holley Hall, Bristol, 11 a.m.-noon. Free; donations accepted. Info, jerry@skyrivertaichi.com.

LAUGHTER YOGA: Spontaneous, joyful movement and breath promote physical and emotional health. Pathways Vermont, Burlington, 2-3 p.m. Free. Info, chrisn@pathwaysvermont.org.

LONG-FORM SUN 73: Beginners and experienced practitioners learn how tai chi can help with arthritis, mental clarity and range of motion. Holley Hall, Bristol, 11 a.m.-noon. Free; donations accepted. Info, wirlselizabeth@ gmail.com.

YANG 24: This simplified tai chi method is perfect for beginners looking to build strength and balance. Congregational Church of Middlebury, 3:30-5:30 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, wirlselizabeth@gmail.com.

montréal

‘AURA’: See WED.13.

words

ADDISON COUNTY WRITERS COMPANY: Poets, playwrights, novelists and memoirists of every experience level meet weekly for an MFA-style workshop. Swift House Inn, Middlebury, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, jay@zigzaglitmag.org.

NANA KWAME ADJEI-BRENYAH:

The bestselling, award-winning author of Friday Black and Chain-Gang All-Stars reads from his work. Livak Ballroom, Dudley H. Davis Center, University of Vermont, Burlington, 5-6 p.m. Free. Info, 656-3056.

TUE.19 community

CURRENT EVENTS

DISCUSSION GROUP: Brownell Library holds a virtual roundtable for neighbors to pause and reflect on the news cycle. 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6955.

LOCAL COMMUNITY-LED RESILIENCE INITIATIVES:

The Vermont Council on Rural Development holds an online workshop for those interested in doing more to help their communities recover from flooding. 10-11:30 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 223-6091.

dance

MORRIS & MORE: Dancers of all abilities learn how to step, clog and even sword fight their way through medieval folk dances of all kinds. Revels North, Lebanon, N.H., 6 p.m. Pay what you can. Info, 603-558-7894.

SWING DANCING: Local Lindy hoppers and jitterbuggers convene at Vermont Swings’ weekly boogie-down. Bring clean shoes. Champlain Club, Burlington, beginner lessons, 6:30 p.m.; dance, 7:30-9 p.m. $5. Info, 864-8382.

FOMO?

Find even more local events in this newspaper and online: art

Find visual art exhibits and events in the Art section and at sevendaysvt.com/art.

film

See what’s playing at theaters in the On Screen section.

+ nightlife

Find club dates at local venues in the Music + Nightlife section online at sevendaysvt.com/ music.

Learn more about highlighted listings in the Magnificent 7 on page 11.

= ONLINE EVENT

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

‘JOURNEY TO SPACE 3D’: See WED.13.

‘MYSTERIES OF THE UNSEEN WORLD 3D’: See WED.13.

‘WILD AFRICA 3D’: See WED.13.

‘WINGS OVER WATER 3D’: See WED.13.

food & drink

NORTHFIELD FARMERS

MARKET: A gathering place for local farmers, producers and artisans offers fresh produce, crafts and locally prepared foods. Depot Square, Northfield, 3-6 p.m. Free. Info, 485-8586.

OLD NORTH END FARMERS

MARKET: Fresh local produce, bread, honey and prepared food bring good vibes to the Queen City’s melting pot. Dewey Park, Burlington, 3-6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 355-3910.

health & fitness

THE 8 BROCADES: Librarian Judi Byron leads students in the ancient Chinese practice of Ba Duan Jin qigong. Waterbury Public Library, 10 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, judi@waterburypubliclibrary. com.

TAI CHI TUESDAY: Patrons get an easy, informal introduction to this ancient movement practice that supports balance and strength. Manchester Community Library, Manchester Center, 9-10:15 a.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 362-2607.

language

ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS: Instructor Andrea Thulin helps non-native speakers build their vocabulary and conversation skills. Manchester Community Library, Manchester Center, 5:307 p.m. Free. Info, 549-4574.

PAUSE-CAFÉ FRENCH

CONVERSATION: Francophones and French-language learners meet pour parler la belle langue Burlington Bay Market & Café, 5-7 p.m. Free. Info, 343-5493.

montréal

‘AURA’: See WED.13.

music

COMMUNITY SINGERS: A weekly choral meetup welcomes all singers to raise their voices along to traditional (and notso-traditional) songs. Revels North, Lebanon, N.H., 7:30 p.m. Pay what you can. Info, 603-558-7894.

politics

MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING

COFFEE CHATS: AARP VT and the City of Burlington team up to discuss housing needs and options. The Bagel Café & Deli, Burlington, 9-10 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 951-1302.

VOTER REGISTRATION DAY: Locals become voters or check

on their registration at this community drive. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 3-6 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

seminars

SCIENCE ON TAP: Local scientists give lessons on their varying disciplines while patrons taste local beers. Burlington Beer, 6-7 p.m. Free. Info, btvscienceontap@ gmail.com.

talks

RICHARD J.S. GUTMAN: The diner historian speaks about the history of those American-asapple-pie establishments on the occasion of the Miss Bellows Falls Diner’s announced reopening. Rockingham Free Public Library, Bellows Falls, 7 p.m. Free. Info, info@rockinghamforprogress.org.

words

BOOK CLUB BUFFET

ONLINE: Readers dig into Still Life by Louise Penny over lunch. Presented by Dorothy Alling Memorial Library. 12:30-1:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, programs@damlvt.org.

BURLINGTON

LITERATURE GROUP:

ORHAN PAMUK: Readers analyze the Nobel Prize-winning author’s novel My Name Is Red over five weeks. 6:30-8 p.m. Free. Info, info@nereadersandwriters.com.

WINE & STORY: Lovers of libations and tellers of tales gather for an evening of good company. Shelburne Vineyard, 7:30 p.m. $5. Info, 863-1754.

WED.20 business

THE CONFIDENCE CONFERENCE: RUN YOUR BUSINESS LIKE A BOSS: Marie Eddy emcees this gathering of female entrepreneurs hosted by Women Business Owners Network Vermont. ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. $60-120; preregister. Info, 503-0219.

QUEEN CITY BUSINESS

NETWORKING INTERNATIONAL

GROUP: See WED.13.

community

COMMUNITY PARTNERS

DESK: HOWARD CENTER: Representatives post up in the main reading room to answer questions and provide resources.

Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 2-4 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

WOMEN & WILLS: In a relaxed and comfortable setting, women of all ages get advice, useful tools and tips to begin, or refine, a legacy plan that meets their goals and priorities. Shelburne Farms, 10 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 377-2725, maya@vlt.org.

crafts

YARN CRAFTERS GROUP: See WED.13.

dance

WESTIE WEDNESDAYS DANCE: See WED.13.

education

WIRED WEDNESDAYS: ANDROID BASICS: New users practice checking their voicemail, browsing the web and updating their settings. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 12:30-1:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 863-3403.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

‘THE GROUND BETWEEN

US’: Sustainable Woodstock virtually screens this 2020 documentary about threats facing public lands such as Bears Ears National Monument, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and Elliott State Forest. Free; preregister. Info, 457-2911.

‘JOURNEY TO SPACE 3D’: See WED.13.

‘MYSTERIES OF THE UNSEEN WORLD 3D’: See WED.13.

‘WILD AFRICA 3D’: See WED.13.

‘WINGS OVER WATER 3D’: See WED.13.

food & drink

COMMUNITY SUPPER: See WED.13.

COOK THE BOOK: Home chefs make a recipe from Rustic Fruit Desserts: Crumbles, Buckles, Cobblers, Pandowdies and More by Cory Schreiber and Julie Richardson and share the dish at a potluck lunch. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, noon-1 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

OKTOBERFEST: Homemade pretzels, brats and Oktoberfeststyle beer are served up along with tunes from German band Inseldudler. American Flatbread Burlington Hearth, 5-9 p.m. Free. Info, 861-2999.

games

MAH-JONGG OPEN PLAY: See WED.13.

PUZZLE SWAP: Participants bring completed puzzles in a ziplock bag with an image of the completed puzzle and swap for a new puzzle. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 2:30-5 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

health & fitness

CHAIR YOGA: See WED.13.

DYING TO TALK ABOUT IT: A FORUM ON DEATH AND DYING WELL: A panel including an interfaith chaplain, a funeral director and a medical doctor discuss the realities of the end of life. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 7-8 p.m. Free. Info, 748-8291.

SEATED & STANDING YOGA: See WED.13.

language

BEGINNER IRISH LANGUAGE

CLASS: See WED.13.

ELL CLASSES: ENGLISH FOR BEGINNERS & INTERMEDIATE

STUDENTS: See WED.13.

SPANISH CONVERSATION: Fluent and beginner speakers brush up on their español with a discussion led by a Spanish teacher. Presented by Dorothy Alling Memorial Library. 5-6 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, programs@damlvt.org.

montréal

‘AURA’: See WED.13.

music

ANI DIFRANCO: The feminist folk icon pairs an indie spirit with poignant lyrics and a captivating stage presence. Kristen Ford opens. The Flynn, Burlington, 8 p.m. $42-52.50. Info, 863-5966.

ZACH NUGENT UNCORKED: See WED.13.

outdoors

SEE IT SKETCH IT BIRD IT: DRAW & LEARN: An interactive program uses bird carvings and other items to learn how to sketch birds. No drawing experience required, and all materials are supplied. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 6-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

seminars

DEMENTIA AND ALZHEIMER’S: THE CAREGIVER’S PERSPECTIVE: Nurse practitioner and dementia expert Kelley Elwell leads this workshop on caring for a loved one with memory loss. Presented by Kellogg-Hubbard Library. 6:30-7:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 223-3338.

MENTOR TRAINING FOR JUSTICE-INVOLVED WOMEN: See WED.13.

sports

GREEN MOUNTAIN TABLE TENNIS CLUB: See WED.13.

words

BANNED BOOKS TOUR: See WED.13. Ilsley Public Library, Middlebury, 4 p.m.

Dance the Night Away

Beloved local competition Dancing With the Burlington Stars returns to the Flynn for an evening of salsa, samba and swing. This fundraiser for the Vermont Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired pairs Queen City luminaries with dance professionals to vie for the title of best hoofer in the Green Mountain State. Contestants include WCAX-TV reporter Cat Viglienzoni paired with Vermont Swings instructor Eric Recchia, Burlington City Councilor Ali Dieng (I-Ward 7) alongside Lines Vermont ballet teacher Megan Stearns, and Burlington Electric general manager Darren Springer with dancer Caitlin Morgan.

DANCING WITH THE BURLINGTON STARS

CACONRAD: The award-winning poet, playwright and author of Amanda Paradise: Resurrect Extinct Vibration reads from their work. Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, 8-9 p.m. Free. Info, 635-2727.

SHANNON MULLEN: The Maine author shares scenes from her book In Other Words, Leadership: How a Young Mother’s Weekly Letters to Her Governor Helped Both Women Brave the First Pandemic Year. Norwich Bookstore, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 649-1114.

VIRTUAL POETRY OPEN

MIC: Wordsmiths read their work at an evening with local performance poet Bianca Amira Zanella. Presented by Phoenix Books. 7-8:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 855-8078. ➆

FOMO?

Find even more local events in this newspaper and online:

art

Find visual art exhibits and events in the Art section and at sevendaysvt.com/art.

film

See what’s playing at theaters in the On Screen section.

music + nightlife

Find club dates at local venues in the Music + Nightlife section online at sevendaysvt.com/ music.

A pastiche concert of opera and musical theatre favorites from: La Bohème, Tosca, Carmen, West Side Story, Les Miserables, and many more, with a meet-and-greet reception with the artists following the performance!

Sunday, September 17, 6:30 p.m., at the Flynn in Burlington. $30.50. Info, 863-5966, flynnvt.org.

Dwight & Nicole command the HCA lawn with soul and blues this weekend in Greensboro. Swing into late summer with this dynamic trio while enjoying picnic fare from the HCA Café.

Learn more about highlighted listings in the Magnificent 7 on page 11.

= ONLINE EVENT

PLAY FAVORITES

A lot has changed since our first issue was published in 1995, but our team still works and plays hard. We hustle every week to bring you deeply reported, wide-ranging stories about this shared place we call home.

We know you’ve got options when it comes to local news, and we’re so grateful that you’ve picked Seven Days for 28 years — and counting.

Thank you, dear reader, and happy birthday to us!

BACK ROW: Ken Picard, Courtney Lamdin, Rachel Hellman, Kirsten Thompson, Mary Ann Lickteig, Derek Brouwer, Eva Sollberger, Kevin McCallum, Sasha Goldstein

BACK MIDDLE ROW: Robyn Birgisson, Matthew Roy, Logan Pintka, Pamela Polston, Carolyn Fox, Gillian English, Angela Simpson, Hannah Feuer, Bryan Parmalee

FRONT MIDDLE ROW: Chris Farnsworth, Margot Harrison, Colin Flanders, Michelle Brown, Colby Roberts, Diane Sullivan, Cathy Resmer, Marcy Stabile, Matt Weiner, Jeff Baron

FRONT ROW: John James, Emily Hamilton, Mimi, Don Eggert, Michael Bradshaw, Paula Routly

NOT PICTURED: Jordan Barry, Dan Bolles, Ken Ellingwood, Kaitlin Montgomery, Alison Novak, Katie Olson, Melissa Pasanen, Candace Page, Anne Wallace Allen, Andy Watts

PHOTOGRAPHER: James Buck

LOCATION: Battery Park, Burlington

The future is here.

At

KEYNOTE+RECEPTION: 3-5 P.M.

Will Vermonters go for lab-grown meat?

POWERED BY:

The USDA recently approved the production and sale of “cell-cultivated chicken.” What kinds of challenges and opportunities does noslaughter meat present? Dr. Rachael Floreani and Irfan Tahir, two UVM-based pioneers in the rapidly evolving field of cellular agriculture, explore those questions in a keynote conversation.

POWERED BY

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.

gardening

BULBS: LIGHT UP YOUR SPRING: Learn about bulb planting from our garden center manager, Paige. is lesson will include a talk, time to answer questions and a look at Horsford’s bulb plantings. Sun., Sep. 17, 10 a.m.

Location: Horsford Gardens & Nursery, 2111 Greenbush Rd., Charlotte. Info: 802-425-2811, sevendaystickets.com.

language

ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE FALL

CLASSES: Join us for online and in-person adult French classes this fall. Our 11-week session starts on September 18 and offers classes for participants at all levels. Please go to our website to read about all of our offerings or contact Micheline for more information.

Location: Alliance Française, 43 King St., Burlington and online. Info: education@aflcr.org, aflcr.org.

JAPANESE LANGUAGE CLASSES:

e Japan America Society of Vermont will offer 10 weekly interactive, online Japanese language classes at various levels in fall 2023, starting in October. Please join us for an introduction to speaking, listening, reading and writing Japanese, with emphasis on the conversational patterns used in everyday life.

Weekly, 7-8:30 p.m. Level 1: Mon. Level 2: Tue. Level 3: Wed. Level 5: u. Cost: $200/1.5 hour class each week, for 10 weeks. Location: Zoom. Info: Japan America Society of Vermont, 802-825-8335, jasvlanguage@ gmail.com, jasv.org/v2/language.

martial arts

AIKIDO: FREE WORKSHOPS: Discover the dynamic, flowing martial art of aikido. Cultivate core power, aerobic fitness and resiliency. Aikido emphasizes throws, joint locks and internal energy. We offer inclusive classes and a safe space for all. Basics classes 4 days/wk. Membership rates incl. unlimited classes. Contact us for info about membership rates for adults, youths & families. Location: Aikido of Champlain Valley, 257 Pine St., Burlington. Info: Benjamin Pincus, 802-951-8900, bpincus@ burlingtonaikido.org, burlingtonaikido.org.

people who support them. If you play an orchestral instrument, we would love to hear from you. Every Tue. evening, 7-9 p.m. Location: Miller Community & Recreation Center, 130 Gosse Ct., Burlington. Info: Caroline Whiddon, 802-238-8369, info@ me2music.org, me2music.org.

tai chi

music

TAIKO TUESDAY & THURSDAYS!:

Kids & Parents Taiko, Tue. & u., 4-5:30 p.m. Adult Intro

Taiko, Tue. & u., 5:30-7 p.m.

Accelerated Taiko, 7-8:30 p.m.

Drums provided! Four-week classes. Visit our space next to Nomad Coffee. Location:

Taiko Studio, 208 Flynn Ave., Burlington. Info: 802-999-4255, classes@burlingtontaiko.org.

WORLD DRUMMING

WEDNESDAYS!: Free intro workshops on Sat., Sep. 23! Kids & Parents Djembe, ages 6-plus, at 10 a.m. Adult Intro Djembe, 12:30 p.m. Weekly Wednesday classes for kids & parents, 4-5:30 p.m. Adult Djembe, 5:30-7 p.m.

Conga Beginners, 7-8:30 p.m.

Drums provided. 4-week classes start Oct. 4. Our space is next to Nomad Coffee. Location:

Taiko Studio, 208 Flynn Ave., Burlington. Info: Stuart, 802-9994255, classes@burlingtontaiko. org.

nature

ECO-RESILIENCY GATHERING: is is a free monthly space to gather with others who are interested in exploring ecological questions, emotional elements of climate change, ideas of change, building community and creating a thriving world. Come together, share, engage and learn. Each month we center on topics related to the ecological and climate crises. Wed., Sep. 13, 6 p.m. Location: Online. Info: Ariel K. McK. Burgess, akmckb@gmail. com, sevendaystickets.com.

performing arts

ME2/ORCHESTRA 2023-24

SEASON: No auditions. No fees. No stigma. Me2 (“Me, too”) is the world’s only classical music organization created for individuals living with mental illness and the

NEW BEGINNER TAI CHI CLASS: We practice Cheng Man-ch’ing’s “simplified” 37-posture Yangstyle form. e course will be taught by Patrick Cavanaugh, a longtime student and assistant to Wolfe Lowenthal; Wolfe is a direct student of Cheng Manch’ing and founder of Long River Tai Chi Circle. Opportunities for learning online are also available! Starts Oct. 4, 9-10 a.m.; registration open until Oct. 25. Cost: $65/mo. Location: Gym at St. Anthony’s Church, 305 Flynn Ave., Burlington. Info: Patrick Cavanaugh, 802-490-6405, patrick@longrivertaichi.org, longrivertaichi.org.

well-being

LIVING LOVE: FREE VISION

MASTER CLASS: Join Coach Christal for this month’s free Vision Master Class Series: Living Love. u., Sep. 14, 3 p.m. Location: Online. Info: 919-2929305, sevendaystickets.com.

yoga

AYURVEDIC INTEGRATION

a.m.-4 BECAUSE YOU GOTTA GET TO THE MOUNTAIN! NOW AVAILABLE Studdable Tread ‖ Severe Weather Rated

hour program. Location: e Ayurvedic Center of Vermont, 34 Oak Hill Rd., Williston. Info: Allison Morse, 802-872-8898, info@ayurvedavermont.com, ayurvedavermont.com.

Cost: $2,895/200Cooper® Evolution Winter™ 2V-VtTire091323 1 9/11/23 12:01 PM

Humane Society

Lazaylia

AGE/SEX: 2-year-old spayed female

ARRIVAL DATE: August 17, 2023

SUMMARY: Lovely Lazaylia came to HSCC via animal control after she was found as a stray. We don’t know much about her past, but she’s been a sweet and affectionate girl in our care, and we bet she’ll make a great addition to her new family!

Visit Lazaylia at HSCC to meet her and see if she could be your new best friend.

DOGS/CATS/KIDS: Lazaylia’s history with dogs, cats and kids is unknown. She’s done well next to dogs while in our care, and we’ll update this information as we learn more about her.

Visit the Humane Society of Chittenden County at 142 Kindness Court, South Burlington, Tuesday through Friday from 1 to 5 p.m. or Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 862-0135 or visit hsccvt.org for more info.

DID YOU KNOW?

Dogs are creatures of habit and feel most comfortable when their schedule is predictable. You don’t need to change your schedule to fit their needs, but try to keep mealtime, exercise and bedtime as consistent as possible.

Sponsored by:

Fur-ever Seven Days Pet Memorials

Herbie • 1972-1983

Herbie the Love Bug

Herbie,

Do you want to memorialize your pet in the pages of Seven Days? Visit sevendaysvt.com/petmemorials to submit your remembrance.

Paws at Home Mobile Veterinary Hospice & End of Life Care

Edna • 2007-2022

She Loved a Good Belly Rub

Rufus • 2006-2019

He’s Chasing Squirrels in Heaven

When we first laid eyes on each other at the Humane Society (thanks to Monica), I think we both knew we had found our best friend. I haven’t seen you here on Earth for about 40 years, but I think of you often and I’m certain we’ll be together again one day. Until then, I’ll hold you in my heart and know that you’re watching over me. ank you for everything you taught me about love.

Always, Diane

A true athlete, this courageous wiener dog loved to swim, dig, fetch and even paddleboard! We will never forget all the love and support she shared with us during the dark days of the pandemic. May our “Mama Goose” always enjoy an endless supply of baby carrots and give enthusiastic kisses to everyone she meets!

To my sweet prince and loyal companion on the fourth anniversary of your passing: I still think about you every day. I remember the good times we had together: road trips to the Outer Banks, New York City and the coast of Maine; playing ball in the fields behind Burlington College; and running the shores of Texaco Beach when you first learned how to swim at the age of 6. You came to work with me every day for six years and brought so much joy to our workplace and home. I will love you forever with all my heart.

SUBSCRIBE TODAY: SEVENDAYSVT.COM/ENEWS

– Johnny and Mary

— Love, Don, Shawn and Trixie

CLASSIFIEDS

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

services: $12 (25 words) fsbos: $45 (2 weeks, 30 words, photo) jobs: michelle@sevendaysvt.com, 865-1020 x121

print deadline: Mondays at 3:30 p.m. post ads online 24/7 at: sevendaysvt.com/classifieds questions? classifieds@sevendaysvt.com

865-1020 x115

on the road

CARS/TRUCKS

2010 GMC TERRAIN 103,500 miles. 6-cylinder. Inspected, no rust. Sunroof, heated leather seats, hitch, backup camera, silver. Like-new. New brakes. Asking $8,500. Call 802-355-4099.

housing FOR RENT

SPACIOUS 2-STORY APT.

Newly remodeled. 2-BR, 1.5-BA, study. Large living space opens to

garden. 173 S. Prospect St., Burlington. Utils., W/D incl. No dogs. 1-year lease, $3,000/mo. Avail. now. Contact Eleanor at 802-734-2014 or elanahan@burlington telecom.net.

HOUSEMATES

HOMESHARE IN S. BURLINGTON Mid-30s professional enjoys horseback riding & reading. Seeking LGBTQ-friendly housemate who enjoys lovable dog & cat! Shared BA. $650/mo. + utils. Call 802-863-5625 or visit homesharevermont. org for application.

CLASSIFIEDS KEY

4 BR, 2.5 Bath contemporary home in Waterford, Vt. with access to the Waterford Springs Beach and Connecticut River. $450,000. Contact: simonecote20@gmail.com

Interview, refs. & background checks req. EHO.

LIVE W/ CARDS & GAMES FAN

Share Williston home w/ woman in her 70s. Loves cards, board games & game shows. No rent, in exchange for help w/ evening meals, light cleaning & occasional chocolate milkshake outings! Must be cat-friendly. Call 802-863-5625 or visit homesharevermont. org for application.

Interview, refs. & background checks req. EHO.

OFFICE/ COMMERCIAL

OFFICE/RETAIL SPACE AT MAIN STREET LANDING on Burlington’s waterfront. Beautiful, healthy, affordable spaces for your business. Visit mainstreetlanding.com & click on space avail. Melinda, 864-7999.

ser vices

AUTO

DONATE YOUR CAR TO CHARITY

Running or not! Fast, free pickup. Maximum

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

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

tax deduction. Support Patriotic Hearts. Your car donation helps veterans! 1-866-5599123. (AAN CAN)

PROFESSIONAL SAFE DRIVER

Avail. Mon.- u., 10 a.m.-3 p.m., fl exible. $25/hour, 1099 needed. Lightweight, no taxi or CDL. Prefer Chittenden County. Call 802-495-1954.

COMPUTER

SOFTWARE HELP NEEDED!

Our music studio on Pine St. is growing & we’re looking for a computer wiz to help integrate & optimize our processes w/ Squarespace, Square Appointments, Copper CRM, Zappier. Up to $30/hour depending on your experience/speed. Email info@burlington musicdojo.com or call 802 540-0321.

FINANCIAL/LEGAL

$10K+ IN DEBT?

Be debt-free in 24-48 mos. Pay a fraction of your debt. Call National Debt Relief at 844-9773935. (AAN CAN)

APPEAL FOR SOCIAL SECURITY

Denied Social Security disability? Appeal! If you’re 50+, filed SSD & were denied, our attorneys can help. Win or pay nothing. Strong recent work history needed. Call 1-877-311-1416 to contact Steppacher Law Offi ces LLC. Principal offi ce: 224 Adams Ave., Scranton, PA 18503.

PSYCHIC COUNSELING

Psychic counseling, channeling w/ Bernice Kelman, Underhill. 40+ years’ experience. Also energy healing, chakra balancing, Reiki, rebirthing, other lives, classes & more. 802-899-3542, kelman.b@juno.com.

DISCOVER OXYGEN THERAPY

Try Inogen portable oxygen concentrators. Free information kit. Call 866-859-0894. (AAN CAN)

MOVING/HAULING

LAST MINUTE MOVERS

We are Last Minute Movers, the guys here to “Save the day when you need it done right away.” Professionally trained & fully insured. Email rickmarkoski@gmail. com to experience the difference today w/ a complimentary in-home consultation.

ELDER CARE

FIND SENIOR LIVING

My Caring Plan has helped thousands of families fi nd senior

living. Our trusted, local advisors help fi nd solutions to your unique needs at no cost to you. Call 866-386-9005. (AAN CAN)

HOME/GARDEN

SECURE YOUR HOME

Secure your home w/ Vivint Smart Home technology. Call 855-621-5855 to learn how you can get a professionally installed security system w/ $0 activation. (AAN CAN)

buy this stuff

PETS

SHELTIE-DOODLE PUPPIES

Good w/ basic commands of sit, lay, come. Mostly potty-trained. Cute is an understatement. Ready for cuddles

& forever homes. Email frambach.elizabeth@ gmail.com or call 802-585-0234.

GOBERAIN PUPPIES

Goberain (husky/ golden retriever mix) puppies ready for a new home. Contact Devin: 802-522-0441

MISCELLANEOUS

DISH TV $64.99

$64.99 for 190 channels + $14.95 high-speed internet. Free installation, Smart HD DVR incl., free voice remote. Some restrictions apply. Call 1-866-566-1815. (AAN CAN)

SPORTS EQUIPMENT

PICKLEBALL MACHINE

Brand new slinger machine, rotates. 2 brand-new size 12 pickleball shoes. $250 for the machine, $350 for everything. Contact 802-238-9677.

WANT TO BUY

TOP CASH FOR OLD GUITARS

1920-1980 Gibson, Martin, Fender, Gretsch, Epiphone, Guild, Mosrite, Rickenbacker, Prairie State, D’Angelico & Stromberg + Gibson mandolins & banjos. Call 877-589-0747. (AAN CAN)

music

INSTRUCTION

GUITAR INSTRUCTION

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

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

(AAN CAN)

HEALTH/ WELLNESS

MASSAGE FOR MEN BY SERGIO

Time for a massage to ease those aches & pains. Deep tissue & Swedish. Contact me for an appt.: 802-324-7539, sacllunas@gmail.com.

CALCOKU BY JOSH REYNOLDS

DIFFICULTY THIS WEEK: ★★★

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

SUDOKU BY JOSH REYNOLDS

DIFFICULTY THIS WEEK: ★★

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. e same numbers cannot be repeated in a row or column.

ANSWERS ON P.88

★ = MODERATE ★ ★ = CHALLENGING ★ ★ ★ = HOO, BOY!

WANT MORE PUZZLES?

Try these online news games from Seven Days at sevendaysvt.com/games.

NEW ON FRIDAYS:

Put your knowledge of Vermont news to the test.

See how fast you can solve this weekly 10-word puzzle.

NEW EVERY DAY:

Guess today’s 5-letter word. Hint: It’s in the news!

Legal Notices

PROPOSED STATE RULES

By law, public notice of proposed rules must be given by publication in newspapers of record. The purpose of these notices is to give the public a chance to respond to the proposals. The public notices for administrative rules are now also available online at https://secure.vermont.gov/ SOS/rules/ . The law requires an agency to hold a public hearing on a proposed rule, if requested to do so in writing by 25 persons or an association having at least 25 members.

To make special arrangements for individuals with disabilities or special needs please call or write the contact person listed below as soon as possible.

To obtain further information concerning any scheduled hearing(s), obtain copies of proposed rule(s) or submit comments regarding proposed rule(s), please call or write the contact person listed below. You may also submit comments in writing to the Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules, State House, Montpelier, Vermont 05602 (802-828-2231).

NOTE: The seven rules below have been promulgated by the Agency of Human Services who has requested the notices be combined to facilitate a savings for the agency. When contacting the agency about these rules please note the title and rule number of the proposed rule(s) you are interested in.

• Health Benefits Eligibility and Enrollment Rule, General Provisions and Definitions (Part 1).

Vermont Proposed Rule: 23P024

• Health Benefits Eligibility and Enrollment Rule, Eligibility Standards (Part 2).

Vermont Proposed Rule: 23P025

• Health Benefits Eligibility and Enrollment Rule, Nonfinancial Eligibility Requirements (Part 3).

Vermont Proposed Rule: 23P026

• Health Benefits Eligibility and Enrollment Rule, Special Rules for Medicaid Coverage of Long-Term Services and Supports - Eligibility and PostEligibility (Part 4).

Vermont Proposed Rule: 23P027

PLACE AN AFFORDABLE NOTICE AT: SEVENDAYSVT.COM/LEGAL-NOTICES OR CALL 802-865-1020, EXT. 142.

• Health Benefits Eligibility and Enrollment Rule, Financial Methodologies (Part 5).

Vermont Proposed Rule: 23P028

• Health Benefits Eligibility and Enrollment Rule, Eligibility-and-Enrollment Procedures (Part 7).

Vermont Proposed Rule: 23P029

• Health Benefits Eligibility and Enrollment Rule, State Fair Hearings and Expedited Eligibility Appeals (Part 8).

Vermont Proposed Rule: 23P030

AGENCY: Agency of Human Services

CONCISE SUMMARY: These proposed filings amend Parts 1-5, and 7-8 of the 8-part Health Benefits Eligibility and Enrollment (HBEE) rules. Parts 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7 were last amended effective January 1, 2023. Part 4 was last amended effective January 15, 2019. Part 8 was last amended effective October 1, 2021. Substantive revisions include: implementing 12 months of Medicaid continuous eligibility for children; codifying ineligibility for Qualified Health Plan subsidy if failure to reconcile tax credits for 2 consecutive years; allowing self-attestation of income for Qualified Health Plan subsidies if no tax information is available through data sources; and codifying 2 new income and resource exclusions for purposes of Medicaid eligibility for the Aged, Blind, and Disabled (MABD).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Danielle Fuoco Agency of Human Services 280 State Drive, Waterbury, VT 05671-1000; Tel: 802-585-4265; Fax: 802-241-0450; E-mail: danielle.fuoco@ vermont.gov; URL: https://humanservices. vermont.gov/rules-policies/health-care-rules/.

FOR COPIES: Jessica Ploesser, Agency of Human Services, 280 State Drive, NOB 1 South, Waterbury, VT 05671 Tel: 802-241-0454 Fax: 802-241-0450 E-Mail: jessica.ploesser@vermont.gov.

NOTICE OF SELF STORAGE LIEN SALE

BURLINGTON SELF STORAGE, LLC

1825 SHELBURNE ROAD

SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT 05403

Notice is hereby given that the contents of the self storage units listed below will be sold at public auction by sealed bid.

Name of Occupant Storage Unit

Trombley, Unit 30

Said sales will take place on 09/22/23, beginning at 10:00am at Burlington Self Storage (BSS), 1825 Shelburne Road, South Burlington, VT 05403.

Units will be opened for viewing immediately prior to auction. Sale shall be by sealed bid to the highest bidder. Contents of entire storage unit will be sold as one lot. The winning bid must remove all contents from the facility at no cost to BSS, on the day of auction. BSS, reserves the right to reject any bid lower that the amount owed by the occupant or that is not commercially reasonable as defined by statute.

STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT

PROBATE DIVISION FRANKLIN UNIT

DOCKET NO.:23-PR-04972

In re ESTATE of Christopher Bouchard

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

To the creditors of: Christopher Bouchard , late of Town of Georgia, Vermont

I have been appointed to administer this estate. All creditors having claims against the decedent or the estate must present their claims in writing within four (4) months of the date of the first publication of this notice. The claim must be presented to me at the address listed below with a copy sent to the Court. The claim may be barred forever if it is not presented within the four (4) month period.

Dated: 9/8/23

Signature of Fiduciary: /s/ Mark Green

Executor/Administrator: Mark Green, c/o Brian P. Creech, Esq., 346 Shelburne Rd., Suite 603, Burlington, Vermont 05402 bcreech@dkzlegal.com 802-863-9603

Name of Publication: Seven Days

Publication Date: 9/13/2023

Name of Probate Court: Vermont Superior Court, Franklin County, Probate Division

Address of Probate Court: 17 Church St. St. Albans, VT 05478

CHAMPLAIN VALLEY SELF STORAGE

In accordance with VT Title 9 Commerce and Trade Chapter 098: Storage Units 3905. Enforcement of Lien, Champlain Valley Self Storage, LLC shall host a live auction of the following units on or after 9/30/23:

Location: 2211 Main St. Colchester, VT

Steve Lefkovitz, units #511,#803, #804 & #784: household good

John Campbell, unit #652: household goods

Location: 78 Lincoln St. Essex Jct, VT Valentino Anderson, unit #134: household goods

Auction pre-registration is required, email info@ champlainvalleyselfstorage.com to register.

SEEKING COMMENT ON 2023 CONSOLIDATED ANNUAL PERFORMANCE AND EVALUATION REPORT

(CAPER) TO HUD

The report is due to the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) each year by September 30. Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) staff have written the 2023 report. The report is in the format required by HUD. The report includes activity from July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023.

The report includes the following federal programs:

• Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)

• Community Development Block Grant CARES Act (CDBG-CV)

• HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME)

• Housing Trust Fund (HTF)

• Emergency Solutions Grant Program (ESG); and

• Emergency Solutions Grant Program CARES Act (ESG-CV).

To learn more about the CAPER go to DHCD’s website: http://accd.vermont.gov/housing/plansdata-rules/hud. The DRAFT CAPER report will be available on September 12, 2023, on the website. Send questions or comments to Cindy Blondin at Cindy.Blondin@vermont.gov. or call 802-828-5219 or toll free at 1-866-933-6249. Written comments are due by September 22, 2023, at 4:30 pm.

Mail to DHCD, 1 National Life Drive, Montpelier, VT 05620-0501, ATTN: Cindy Blondin.

Espanol:

En busca de comentarios sobre el Informe de evaluación y desempeño anual consolidado (CAPER) de 2023 para HUD

El informe debe presentarse al Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano de los EE. UU. (HUD) cada año antes del 30 de septiembre. El personal del Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Comunitario (DHCD) ha escrito el informe de 2023. El informe está en el formato requerido por HUD. El informe incluye actividad desde el 1 de julio de 2022 hasta el 30 de junio de 2023.

El informe incluye los siguientes programas federales:

• Subvención en Bloque para el Desarrollo Comunitario (CDBG)

• Ley CARES de subvenciones en bloque para el desarrollo comunitario (CDBG-CV)

• Programa de asociación de inversión HOME (HOME)

• Fondo Fiduciario de Vivienda (HTF)

• Programa de subvenciones para soluciones de emergencia (ESG); y

• Ley CARES del Programa de Subvenciones para Soluciones de Emergencia (ESG-CV).

Para obtener más información sobre CAPER, visite el sitio web de DHCD: http://accd.vermont.gov/ housing/plans-data-rules/hud. El informe DRAFT CAPER estará disponible el 12 de septiembre de 2023 en el sitio web.

Envíe preguntas o comentarios a Cindy Blondin a

Cindy.Blondin@vermont.gov. o llame al 802-8285219 o al número gratuito 1-866-933-6249. Los comentarios por escrito deben presentarse antes del 22 de septiembre de 2023 a las 4:30 p. m. Envíe por correo a DHCD, 1 National Life Drive, Montpelier, VT 05620-0501, ATTN: Cindy Blondin.

Francais:

Sollicitation de commentaires sur le rapport annuel consolidé de performance et d’évaluation (CAPER) 2023 au HUD

Le rapport doit être remis au Département américain du logement et du développement urbain (HUD) chaque année avant le 30 septembre. Le personnel du Département du logement et du développement communautaire (DHCD) a rédigé le rapport 2023. Le rapport est dans le format requis par le HUD. Le rapport inclut l’activité du 1er juillet 2022 au 30 juin 2023.

Le rapport comprend les programmes fédéraux suivants :

• Subvention globale pour le développement communautaire (CDBG)

• Loi CARES sur les subventions globales de développement communautaire (CDBG-CV)

• Programme de partenariat d’investissement HOME (HOME)

• Fonds d’affectation spéciale pour le logement (HTF)

• Programme de subventions pour les solutions d’urgence (ESG); et

• Loi CARES sur le programme de subventions pour les solutions d’urgence (ESG-CV).

Pour en savoir plus sur le CAPER, rendez-vous sur le site Web du DHCD : http://accd.vermont.gov/ housing/plans-data-rules/hud. Le rapport DRAFT CAPER sera disponible le 12 septembre 2023 sur le site Web.

Envoyez vos questions ou commentaires à Cindy Blondin à Cindy.Blondin@vermont.gov. ou appelez le 802-828-5219 ou sans frais au 1-866-933-6249. Les commentaires écrits doivent être déposés au plus tard le 22 septembre 2023 à 16 h 30. Courrier à DHCD, 1 National Life Drive, Montpelier, VT 05620-0501, ATTN : Cindy Blondin.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS GOODRICH MEMORIAL LIBRARY BUILDING MAINTENANCE

The Goodrich Memorial Library is requesting sealed proposals for the cleaning and repointing of building exterior brick walls, repairing and painting of outside woodwork including front entryway, repairing and replacing front walkway and repairing the inside entryway marble floor.

A detailed scope of work can be downloaded from the Goodrich Memorial Library Web site at: goodrichlibrary.org/maintenance. Proposals will be accepted until 12:00pm, Thursday, September 28, 2023 by e-mail to director@goodrichlibray.org or by mail or hand delivery with “Goodrich Memorial Library Maintenance Project” in the subject line or

on the envelope to: Goodrich Memorial Library, 202 Main Street, Newport, Vermont 05855.

Questions? Contact Board of Trustees Chair James Johnson or Library Director Joanne Pariseau (802) 334-7902 or director@goodrichlibrary.org.

The Goodrich Memorial Library is an equal opportunity provider and employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, religion, gender or familial status.

NOTICE OF SELF-STORAGE LIEN SALE

CHIMNEY CORNERS SELF STORAGE

76 GONYEAU ROAD, MILTON VT 05403

Notice is hereby given that the contents of the self-storage units listed below will be sold at public auction by sealed bid. This sale is being held to collect unpaid storage unit occupancy fees, charges, and expenses of the sale. The entire contents of each self-storage unit listed below will be sold, with the proceeds to be distributed to Chimney Corners Self Storage for all accrued occupancy fees (rent charges), late payment fees, sale expenses, and all other expenses in relation to the unit and its sale.

Contents of each unit may be viewed on September 27th, commencing at 10:00 am. Sealed bids are to be submitted on the entire contents of each self- storage unit. Bids will be opened one half hour after the last unit has been viewed on September 27th. The highest bidder on the storage unit must remove the entire contents of the unit within 48 hours after notification of their successful bid. Purchase must be made in cash and paid in advance of the removal of the contents of the unit. A $50 cash deposit shall be made and will be refunded if the unit is broom cleaned. Chimney Corners Self Storage reserves the right to accept or reject bids.

The contents of the following tenant’s self-storage units will be included in this sale:

Tina Barratt, Unit 702. Jay Mitiguy, Unit 216

NORTHSTAR SELF STORAGE WILL BE HAVING A PUBLIC AND ONLINE SALE/AUCTION FOR THE FOLLOWING STORAGE UNITS ON SEPT. 28TH, 2023, AT 9:00 AM

Northstar Self Storage will be having a public and online sale/auction on September 28, 2023, at 3446 Richville Rd, Manchester Center, VT 05255 (Unit 61), 681 Rockingham Road, Rockingham, VT 05101 (Unit R-50) and at 1124 Charlestown Road, Springfield, VT 05156 (Units S-72) and online at www.storagetreasures.com at 9:00 am in accordance with VT Title 9 Commerce and Trade Chapter 098: Storage Units 3905. Enforcement of Lien

Unit # Name Contents

61 Thomas Forest Household Goods

R50 Kevin Merritt Household Goods

S72 Annette Smith Household Goods

NOTICE OF SELF STORAGE LIEN SALE

EXIT 16 SELF STORAGE

295 Rathe Rd Colchester, Vt. 05446

Notice is hereby given that the contents of the self storage units listed below will be sold at auction

Kiley Blouin 10 X 15

Cameron Derose-Barden 10 X 20

Robert Wolfe 10 X 25

Barbara Roberts 10 X 15

Barbara Roberts 10 X 20

Relinquished 5 X 10

Relinquished 5 X 10

Relinquished 10 X 10

Auction will take place: Saturday September 23rd at 9:00 am at Exit 16 Self Storage 295 Rathe Rd Colchester, Vt. 05446. Units will be opened for viewing immediately prior to the auction.

Sale shall be by live auction to the highest bidder. Contents of the entire storage unit will be sold as one lot. All winning bidders will be required to pay a

$50.00 deposit which will be refunded once unit is left empty and broom swept clean.

The winning bid must remove all contents from the facility within 72 hours of bid acceptance at no cost to Exit 16 Self Storage.

Exit 16 Self Storage reserves the right to reject any bid lower than the amount owed by the occupant.

Exit 16 Self Storage reserves the right to remove any unit from the auction should current tenant bring his or her account current with full payment prior to the start of the auction.

BURLINGTON CITY COUNCIL

Openings

Burlington City Commissions/Boards

CCRPC – alternate Term Expires 6/30/25 One

Opening

Chittenden Solid Waste District – alternate - Term

Expires 5/31/24 One Opening

Design Advisory Board – alternate Term Expires 6/30/26 One Opening

Development Review Board – alternate Term

Expires 6/30/26 One Opening

Electric Light Commission Term Expires 6/30/25

One Opening

Fence Viewer Term Expires 6/30/24 One Opening

Housing Board of Review Term Expires 6/30/26

One Opening

Parks and Recreation Commission Term Expires

6/30/25 One Opening

Police Commission Term Expires 6/30/25 One

Opening

Board of Tax Appeals Term Expires 6/30/26 One

Opening

Vehicle for Hire Licensing Board Term Expires 6/30/24 One Opening

Vehicle for Hire Licensing Board Term Expires 6/30/25 One Opening

Board for Registration of Voters Term Expires 6/30/25 One Opening

Applications may be submitted to the Clerk/ Treasurer’s Office, 149 Church Street, Burlington, VT 05401 Attn: Lori NO later than Wednesday, October 18, 2023, by 4:30 pm. If you have any questions, please contact Lori at (802) 865-7136 or via email lolberg@burlingtonvt.gov.

City Council President Paul will plan for appointments to take place at the October 23, 2023 City Council Meeting/City Council With Mayor Presiding Meeting.

NOTICE OF TAX SALE TOWN OF COLCHESTER

The resident and non-resident owners, lien holders and mortgagees of lands in the Town of Colchester in the County of Chittenden are hereby notified that the taxes and stormwater fees assessed by such Town remain, either in whole or in part, unpaid on the following described lands in such Town, to wit:

Property Owner: David Angolano

Property Address: 85 Gorge Road

Parcel ID # 18-017021-0000000

All of the same lands and premises conveyed to the said David J. Angolano by Warranty Deed of Henry D. Angolano and Lucienne Angolano dated December 12, 1998 and recorded at Volume 304, Page 141 of the Land Records of the Town of Colchester, Vermont.

Tax Years: 2022 - 2023

Amount of delinquent taxes, stormwater fees, interest, cost and penalties: $3,956.34

Property Owner: K&N Enterprises, LLC

Property Address: 574 Prim Road

Parcel ID # 49-020002-0000000

All of the same lands and premises conveyed to the said K&N Enterprises, LLC by Warranty Deed of Andre J. Thibault and Gisele K. Thibault dated May 24, 2018 and recorded at Volume 837, Page 595 of the Land Records of the Town of Colchester, Vermont.

Tax Years: 2021 - 2023

Amount of delinquent taxes, interest, cost and penalties: $17,483.37

Property Owner: Estate of George Kuntz

Property Address: 84 Causeway Road

Parcel ID # 30-002002-0000000

All of the same lands and premises conveyed to the said George Kuntz (now deceased) by Executor’s Quitclaim Deed of George F. Kuntz, Jr. and Holly J. Searfoss dated November 25, 1996 and recorded at Volume 267, Page 484 of the Land Records of the Town of Colchester, Vermont.

Tax Years: 2022 - 2023

Amount of delinquent taxes, stormwater fees, interest, cost and penalties: $8,100.42

Property Owner: Debora Lamphere

Property Address: 261 Holy Cross Road

Parcel ID # 50-041022-0000000

All of the same lands and premises conveyed to the said Deborah Lamphere by Warranty Deed of Thomas James Walker and Megan Elizabeth Walker dated June 11, 2018 and recorded at Volume 838, Page 114 of the Land Records of the Town of Colchester, Vermont.

Tax Years: 2020 - 2023

Amount of delinquent taxes, stormwater fees, interest, cost and penalties: $9,639.41

Property Owner: Timothy Muir and Frances Muir

Property Address: 15 Valiquette Court

Parcel ID # 49-010002-0000000

All of the same lands and premises conveyed to the said Timothy Muir and Frances D. Muir by Warranty Deed of Gerald A. Lemons, Sr. and Theresa L. Lemons dated March 7, 1998 and recorded at Volume 286, Page 252 of the Land Records of the Town of Colchester, Vermont.

Tax Years: 2019 - 2023

Amount of delinquent taxes, stormwater fees, interest, cost and penalties: $2,060.23

Property Owner: T.A. Muir, Inc.

Property Address: 17 Valiquette Court

Parcel ID # 49-007022-0000000

All of the same lands and premises conveyed to the said T.A. Muir, Inc. by Warranty Deed of Francis F. Valiquette and Janice M. Valiquette dated May 18, 1995 and recorded at Volume 246, Page 533 of the Land Records of the Town of Colchester, Vermont.

Tax Years: 2021 - 2023

Amount of delinquent taxes, interest, cost and penalties: $760.57

Reference may be made to said deeds for a more particular description of said lands and premises, as the same appear in the Town Clerk’s Office of the Town of Colchester.

So much of such lands will be sold at public auction at the Town of Colchester, 781 Blakely Road, Colchester, Vermont 05478, on the 19th day of October, 2023 at 10 o’clock in the forenoon, as shall be requisite to discharge such taxes with interest, costs and penalties, unless previously paid.

Property owners, mortgagees, and lien holders may pay such taxes, interest, costs and penalties in full by cash or certified check made payable to the Town of Colchester. At tax sale, successful bidders must pay in full by cash or certified check. No other payments accepted. Any questions or inquiries regarding the above-referenced sale should be directed to the following address:

Kristen E. Shamis, Esq. Monaghan Safar PLLC 27 Main Street Burlington, VT 05401 kshamis@msvtlaw.com (802) 660-4735

Monaghan Safar PLLC, and the Town of Colchester give no opinion or certification as to the marketability of title to the above-referenced properties as held by the current owner/taxpayer.

Dated at Colchester, Vermont, this 11th day of September, 2023.

Julie Graeter Collector of Delinquent Taxes Town of Colchester

Now hear this!

Seven Days is recording select stories from the weekly newspaper for your listening pleasure.

How does it work?

1 2 3

Go to sevendaysvt.com/aloud and click on the article you want to hear.

When the article loads, scroll down past the first photo and find the prompt to “Hear this article read aloud.”

Press play! You can pause at any time, skip ahead, rewind and change the speaking speed to suit your needs.

Circus of Life: Inside Bread and Puppet Theater as Founder Peter Schumann, 89, Contemplates His Final Act 39 MINS.

Movie Review: ‘How to Blow Up a Pipeline’ 8 MINS.

Thrill Ride: Vermont Drummer Urian Hackney Is on a Wild Ride Through the Rock World 29 MINS.

Happy Days: Burlington High School Class of 1953 Holds ‘Final’ Reunion 13 MINS.

Movie Review: ‘Red, White & Royal Blue’ 8 MINS.

Talking to the Hand Is a Bad Idea in the Gritty Australian Horror Flick ‘Talk to Me’ 8 MINS.

This Stud Has Just One Job, and He’s the GOAT 8 MINS.

A Seven Days Canine Staffer Samples New Offerings from Vermont Dog Bakeries 10 MINS.

Dam Scary: Intense Storms Push Vermont’s Aging Structures to the Brink 23 MINS.

Start listening at: sevendaysvt.com/aloud

Then, tell us what you think: aloud@sevendaysvt.com

WHILE

GENERAL MANAGER

Seeking professional leadership to manage our two stores and contribute meaningfully to our next growth trajectory. We hope you join us in imagining the possibilities for an exciting future!

Apply: tomgirl.co/hiring

Baker

Scout coffee shops in Burlington and Winooski are looking for a baker to join our in house baking program. We offer good pay, paid time off and a thoughtful and supportive work environment. Some experience required.

Send resumes to: andy@scoutandcompanyvt.com

ATTENTION RECRUITERS:

Field Rep/Organizer

Join our team of organizers who are organizing healthcare and higher education professionals to protect and improve wages, benefits and working conditions in Vermont. The full job description can be found at vt.aft.org

VERMONT PUBLIC IS HIRING!

We are Vermont’s unified public media organization (formerly VPR and Vermont PBS), serving the community with trusted journalism, quality entertainment, and diverse educational programming.

• Director of Business Sponsorships

• Director of Engineering

• Education and Youth Reporter

• Digital Producer

We believe a strong organization includes employees from a range of backgrounds with different skills, experience & passions.

To see more openings & apply: vermontpublic.org/ careers

Must be able to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination.

Vermont Public is a proud equal opportunity employer.

Custodian

Saint Michael’s College is seeking applications from dependable and efficient workers to fill a custodial position. The shift is Monday – Friday, 5:00 AM - 1:30 PM. Successful candidates will join a team that cleans College buildings, including dormitories, restrooms, offices, and classrooms. Training will be provided for the right candidate. Benefits include health, dental, vision, employer-paid life and disability insurance, voluntary life, critical illness and accident insurance options, parental leave, flexible spending accounts (healthcare and dependent care), 401(k), generous paid time off, paid holidays, employee and dependent tuition benefits, employee and family assistance program, well-being programs and opportunities, discounted gym membership, paid volunteer time, use of the athletic facilities and the library, and countless opportunities to attend presentations, lectures, and other campus activities.

For a complete job description, benefits information, and to apply online, please visit: bit.ly/SMCFTCMF

Explore opportunities like:

• Groundkeeper

• Maintenance Technician

champlain.edu/careers

View opportunities here

FOOD SERVICE WORKER

Full-time, Part-time and Per-Diem Opportunities available for Food Service Workers. We’re happy to o er a new hourly wage starting at $16.30/ hour. Shift di erentials up to $6.15 per hour.

Learn More & Apply: uvmhealthnetworkcareers.org/ food-service_sevendays

Office Manager

Child Care Resource

Financial Assistant Specialist

Help make a di erence in the lives of Vermont families and join our team at Child Care Resource.

You will help families access nancial assistance to help pay child care tuition and other bene ts, and you’ll help child care providers receive accurate and timely payment for child care services. This position requires excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, basic math and computer skills, and the ability to work well with a diverse clientele. Bachelor’s degree in a human service eld plus 1 year of related experience or an equivalent combination of work and experience is desired.

This position is 40 hours/week. Generous health insurance allowance, employer matched 401k and leave time available. Some remote work is possible after you are fully trained. Please send your cover letter and resume to jvanburen@childcareresource.org. The position will be open until lled. For a full job description, go to childcareresource.org

Busy consulting office in Montpelier is seeking an office manager. Involved in all aspects of the firm’s operations, the office manager ensures the smooth operation of the office and supports a team of ten professionals. Financial responsibilities include client billing, collecting and depositing client payments, paying vendor invoices and working with outside bookkeepers and accountants.

The office manager is also responsible for the preparation and filing of lobbyist disclosure reports. Other activities include light administrative support and coordination with outside vendors for services such as IT support and employee benefits.

Generous benefits package includes paid time off and medical and vision benefits. Salary commensurate with experience. Compensation package includes profit-sharing, 401(k) and opportunity for bonus. Submit cover letter and resume to chris@mmrvt.com

JOB TRAINING. WELL DONE.

Join the Community Kitchen Academy!

Community Kitchen Academy (CKA) is a 9-week job training program featuring: Hands on learning, national ServSafe certification, job placement support and meaningful connections to community. Plus... the tuition is FREE and weekly stipends are provided for income eligible students!

At CKA you’ll learn from professional chefs in modern commercial kitchens and graduate with the skills and knowledge to build a career in food service, food systems and other related fields. Throughout the 9-week course, you’ll develop and apply new skills by preparing food that would otherwise be wasted. The food you cook is then distributed through food shelves and meal sites throughout the community. CKA is a program of the Vermont Foodbank, operated in partnership with Capstone Community Action in Barre and Feeding Chittenden in Burlington. Next sessions start October 16th in Burlington and November 13th in Barre.

APPLY ONLINE: vtfoodbank.org/cka.

Carpenters Wanted! Needed Immediately!

Finish Carpenters, Carpenters and Carpenters Helpers. Good Pay, Full Time and Long Term! Chittenden County.

Call Mike at 802-343-0089 or Morton at 802-862-7602.

Assistant Director for Alumni & Family Engagement

The Office of Institutional Advancement at Saint Michael’s College invites applications for the Assistant Director for Alumni and Family Engagement position. This position works collaboratively with Institutional Advancement colleagues and campus partners to create strategic engagement and fundraising opportunities for Saint Michael’s College alumni, family, and students. The Assistant Director supports the institution’s volunteer and philanthropic goals while adhering to its mission and vision. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to creating, planning and executing a robust program and events (on and off campus) calendar annually, designed to engage alumni, families, and students in the life of the College; taking an active lead in the creation and execution of both small and large-scale events including Reunion Weekend; serving as a primary point of contact for external constituents; and planning and executing a social media strategy for Alumni Office accounts. For a complete job description, benefits information, and to apply online, please visit: bit.ly/SMCADAFE

CONTROLLER

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT/ INTAKE COORDINATOR

Vermont Center for Anxiety Care Matrix Health Systems

Exclusive Burlington waterfront location

Duties:

• Manage online client applications for mental health services

• Telephone screening of new clients

• Health insurance verification

• Manage client wait list

• Coordinate case assignments

• Telephone and in-person patient reception

• Implement health safety protocols

• Administrative support to practice director

Required skills:

• Friendliness and effective verbal communication

Computer skills:

• Spreadsheets, JotForms, scanning, faxing, email, MS Word

• Efficiency and organization

Send resume to Alesia: alesia@ocamhs.com

Goddard College, a leader in non-traditional education, has the following full-time, benefit eligible and part-time position openings:

• ADMISSIONS & ENROLLMENT ADMIN COORDINATOR

• ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF CAMPUS OPERATIONS

• ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ENROLLMENT SYSTEMS

• CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

• DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES

• HELP DESK ASSISTANT – PT

• MAINTENANCE GENERALIST

To view position descriptions and application instructions, visit: goddard.edu/about-goddard/employment-opportunities

Client Services & Outreach/ Development Managers

Based in Burlington, JUMP has been providing direct assistance to people in need in Vermont for 35 years. If you are a team player who cares about people and community, apply to work with JUMP!

MANAGER OF CLIENT SERVICES:

Manage JUMP Drop-In Center; meet with clients; allocate direct assistance; maintain records; supervise volunteers; collaborate with JUMP staff/leader team.

MANAGER OF OUTREACH & DEVELOPMENT:

Coordinate JUMP communications, outreach, social media; JUMP Drop-In Center involvement, collaborate with JUMP staff/leader team.

Apply with letter and resume to: board@jumpvt.org

Positions @20 hours/week. Details: bit.ly/jobsatjump2023

Burlington Electric Department, the City of Burlington’s 100% renewably powered electric utility, is seeking a Controller to lead accounting and financial operations, including general accounting, grants and contracts accounting, treasury and cash management, payroll, and financial reporting and compliance. This position is a key member of BED’s leadership team and oversees the Department’s financial information and meter-to-cash systems. Our ideal candidate will have a Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or a related field; a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license; 8 years of financial management and accounting experience; and 3 years of management or supervisory experience. This position has potential for some remote work flexibility. The City of Burlington is an equal opportunity employer and we encourage applicants who can contribute to our growing diversity.

governmentjobs.com/careers/burlingtonvt

Development Director

SALARY RANGE: $75,000+

Reporting to the Executive Director, the Development Director will spearhead the launch of a multimillion-dollar capital campaign drawing on a sound and loyal donor base and seeking opportunities to expand same. The Development Director will work directly with the SLR leadership team, Board Development Commi ee, as well as contracted and volunteer partners, to promote a culture of philanthropy within the organization. This position o ers great flexibility and remote options.

BENEFITS:

• Competitive salary, flexible hours, opportunity to work remotely as needed.

• Five weeks paid time o , family leave options.

• Health Insurance with up to 90% of premiums paid by Spring Lake Ranch dependent on the plan.

• Dental & Vision insurances: premiums paid 100% by Spring Lake Ranch.

• Life and Short and Long-Term disability insurance: premiums paid 100% by Spring Lake Ranch.

• Employer contributions to retirement account a er first six-months.

• Employee Assistance Program.

• Professional development fi nancial support.

Send resumes to: heatherm@springlakeranch.org

WOMEN, MINORITIES AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ARE HIGHLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY. EOE.

ATTENTION RECRUITERS:

Seasonal Positions & Flexible Schedules

Solar Laborer

The Solar Laborer will perform many tasks requiring physical labor on construction sites in all types of weather. May operate hand & power tools: air hammers, earth tampers, cement mixers, concrete saws, surveying and measuring equipment, small equipment, and skid steer loaders. May clean and prepare sites, dig trenches, clear trees, build access roads, erect fencing, manage rubble and debris, and exfil as needed. Will assist other craft workers and take instructions. The Solar Laborer will assist the team when required. This position will learn their trade through on-the-job training. Teamwork & communication skills are highly prioritized in all aspects of this role.

REQUIRED: Minimum 1 year prior construction/installation experience. Legally permitted to work in the United States. Willing and able to pass a criminal background screening and pre-employment physical.

Starting Pay: $20/hr, Per Diem Rate $59-$110 Daily additional

Apply via email with resume to hr@bullrockcorp.com

Looking for a job for a few weeks or months? We have positions in our smokehouse, call center and warehouse. Flexible shifts to meet most schedules, paid training, a fun work environment making the World’s Finest Hams, Bacon and Smoked Meats for customers around the country.

Apply in person:

210 East Main St, Richmond (Just 15 minutes from Burlington or Waterbury)

Employment Specialist

Why not have a job you love?

Benefit package includes 29 paid days off in the first year, comprehensive health insurance plan with premium as low as $13 per month, up to $6,400 to go towards medical deductibles and copays, retirement match, generous sign on bonus and so much more. And that’s on top of working at one of the “Best Places to Work in Vermont” for five years running. Great jobs in management, and direct support at an award-winning agency serving Vermonters with intellectual disabilities.

JOB HIGHLIGHT – EMPLOYMENT SPECIALIST:

Work in our award winning supported employment program with individuals to develop career goals, seek and secure employment, and build partnership with local businesses for long term employment. The ideal candidate will have strong communication skills, enjoy working in a collaborative environment and have the desire to make an impact on their community.

Phlebotomy Apprenticeship Program

INVEST IN YOURSELF

Our apprenticeship program is a paid opportunity to become a phlebotomist with NO EXPERIENCE REQUIRED.

APPLY NOW

www.iaahitec.org/phlebotomy

REGISTRATION DEADLINE

Wednesday, October 11, 2023

$2,000 SIGN ON BONUS

External candidates are eligible for a one-time sign on bonus paid over 3 installments. Amounts reflect gross pay, prior to applicable tax withholdings and deductions required by law. Current University of Vermont Health Network employees are excluded and additional terms and conditions apply.

• Guaranteed paid employment on day one of training

• Direct patient care

• Team environment

• Full Benefits

• Dedicated support during the 5-week program

• Paid Certified Phlebotomy Technician Exam

This is an excellent position for someone who is looking for the next step in their career or to continue their work in this field. Rate of pay is $21 per hour plus $1,000 sign on bonus at six months.. Send resume to staff@ccs-vt.org

Director of Compliance

There has never been a better time to bring your values and talents to the collaborative team at the Vermont Department of Taxes. The rewarding work we do supports this brave little state and helps shape its future. We work with proven, dynamic technologies to fund initiatives that preserve the environment, build vibrant communities, strengthen families, and so much more. Discover new opportunities, learn new skills, and solve problems with our dedicated and supportive team.

Learn more at ccs-vt.org/current-openings Make a career making a difference & apply today! Follow

We are seeking a Director of Tax Compliance to manage, develop, and support a team of 50+ staff members. This position reports to the Department’s Chief Operating Officer and works closely with members of the Department’s leadership team, including the Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, and other division leaders. The position oversees the Department’s Compliance Division, which consists of audit, collections, data analysis, and support sections. This team employs a service-oriented approach to discovery, audit, and collection of delinquent taxes and promotes voluntary compliance. The salary range for this position is between $81,000 - $128,000.

To learn more visit tax.vermont.gov/careers

To learn more visit tax.vermont.gov/careers

To learn more visit tax.vermont.gov/careers

To learn more visit tax.vermont.gov/careers

LOOKING FOR A COOLER OPPORTUNITY?

Vermont Tent Company is currently accepting applications for the following positions for immediate employment.

Full time, part time and weekend hours available for each position. Pay rates vary by position with minimum starting wage ranging from $20-$23/ hour depending on job skills and experience. We also offer retention and referral bonuses.

• Tent Maintenance

• Tent Installation

• Drivers/ Delivery

Solar Electrician

Responsible for the installation of solar equipment, wiring and devices. The SE will lead and facilitate code compliant electrical work on solar projects including wiring, conduit, enclosures, switch gear, lighting, main service replacements, sub panels, and transformers. The Solar Electrician will read and interpret blueprints, schematics, and diagrams to determine the layout of electrical wiring and equipment for community solar installations.

Experience, Education and Certifications:

• 4+ years of commercial electrical experience (required).

• Experience working with Three Phase Services (208V, 480V and 600V).

• OSHA 30 certified.

• Working knowledge of local electrical codes as they relate to solar installations and inspection compliance.

• Must possess a valid Journeyman License/Electrician Certification or equivalent per local and state requirements.

Send resumes to: skeck@bullrockcorp.com

The University of Vermont Foundation is currently seeking qualified candidates to join our team in the following roles:

Associate Director of Major Gifts Stewardship

Assistant Director of Alumni Relations

(& Liaison to the Grossman School of Business)

Business Office Coordinator

The mission of the UVM Foundation is to secure and manage private support for the benefit of the University of Vermont. Our Vision is to foster relationships with alumni and donors that maximize their personal and philanthropic investment in the University, toward the realization of the University’s aspiration to remain among the nation’s premier small research institutions. Every staff member on our team contributes to our ability to meet that mission.

The UVM Foundation is committed to diversity and building an inclusive environment for people of all backgrounds and ages. We especially encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply, including women, people of color, LGBTQ people, and people with disabilities.

To learn more about our career opportunities, visit: uvmfoundation.org/careers

Application deadline is 9/23

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

The Executive Assistant will provide administrative, creative, strategic support to Bolton Valley’s President and Executive Team. The person in this position will sit at the front line of an exciting period of the resort’s growth, helping to drive change by executing administrative tasks and other projects to maximize productivity.

The ideal candidate will have an interest in one of more of the following areas: project management, land use and permitting, funding, public policy, strategic planning, resort operations.

Job Functions:

Administrative and project support across a wide range of projects related to the resort’s operation, compliance, and growth objectives.

Qualifications:

Bachelor’s Degree or at least 2 years of previous administrative or project management experience

Proficiency in MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint

Comfort with budgeting & basic accounting practices, or a willingness to learn

Excellent writing skills – both typing and composition

Excellent analytical skills (liberal arts & poly-sci majors encouraged to apply)

Application deadline is 9/23. More details and to apply: boltonvalley.com/job/assistant-to-the-president

Accountant

We’re looking for someone to work directly with our clients and assist them with weekly and monthly bookkeeping and payroll needs, as well as preparing month-end accounting adjustments.

You will be responsible for:

• Following a schedule to meet Federal, State and client filing deadlines

• Advising clients on accounting actions

• Preparing financial statements to review with clients

• Responding to client requests in a timely manner

• Working within the firm to prepare workpapers and/or tax returns

Ideal candidate will have:

• A certificate in bookkeeping or degree in accounting

• Experience with QuickBooks and Microsoft Word/Excel

• An understanding of technology and awareness around cybersecurity

• Excellent communication skills – both verbal and written

• A desire to learn and grow with our firm

This is a part-time to full-time position depending on current skills and ability. We offer flexible hours, paid time off, paid vacation and contributions to a retirement plan.

Interested applicants should respond to: 802tax802tax802@gmail.com

OFFICE OF THE DEFENDER GENERAL

Financial Director – Montpelier

The Office of the Defender General (ODG) is seeking an experienced and motivated Financial Director to lead the department’s financial operations.

Reporting directly to the Defender General, you will be responsible for overseeing all financial activities of the ODG and ensuring the department’s financial integrity and internal controls. You will be responsible for working directly with the Defender General on budget development, monitoring, and reporting.

As the financial lead for the department, you will also advise the Defender General and other members of the management team about the status of the department’s expenditures, analyze certain expenditures, and forecast future needs. You will also support the department by taking responsibility for contract administration and asset management, in addition to using the State’s Financial system on a daily basis.

The ideal candidate has excellent communication skills and is positive, self-motivated, assertive, and able to handle a diverse community of personalities and opinions. Prior management experience preferred.

This is an exempt, full-time position with excellent State benefits.

Salary: $71,281 - $112,403.

To apply, please email cover letter & resume to Gina Puls, HR & Special Counsel, at gina.puls@vermont.gov by Monday, September 25. EOE.

OFFICE MANAGER/RECEPTIONIST

Full Time

Position Description: This opportunity is available to a dynamic, hard-working individual looking to develop their hands-on experience with a community-based arts organization.

The Office Manager role is an integral part of the Artistree staff and will support Artistree’s mission to deliver meaningful arts experiences to children, families, and community members in the Upper Valley.

What we are looking for in a candidate: The ideal candidate for the Office Manager/Receptionist position will have experience handling administrative responsibilities in a non-profit and/or small-office environment, and will be able to serve as a cheerful and helpful first point of contact for visitors and outside inquiries to Artistree.

Schedule and compensation: This is a full-time, salaried position with pay rate in the range of $45,000/year based on experience. Standard work hours will be Monday through Friday, 9:00am to 5:30pm. There may be adjustments to the schedule during the summer, or at other times based on Artistree’s program and event schedule.

To apply: Please send a cover letter, resume, and a list of two-three professional references to programming@artistreevt.org. Applications received by September 12 will be evaluated on a priority basis. Learn more: artistreevt.org/employment

Assistant Manager

A unique part time position supporting a small non profit that provides food security to local communities. Starting with 7-10 hours per week with potential for more hours and added responsibilities.

• Reliable car needed

• $25 per hour, Simple IRA available

• Involves picking up 20-40 cases of food on weekly basis (some weighing up to 30lbs)

Please respond with resume via email.

richmondfoodshelfvt@gmavt.net

MAN WITH AUTISM

Weekends,

the brid ge

For details please visit: KieselsteinAutism Program.com/ join-our-team

To apply, send resume to: sk@kieselaw.com

ME Williston is Hiring

You’re more than a massage therapist. You’re an artist, healer, and professional. Join the brand that sees you that way at Massage Envy in Williston. Currently hiring massage therapists, estheticians and two new front desk associates. Flexible hours, consistent clientele, ongoing CEs.

Send resumes to: clinic0779@massageenvy.com

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Center, Burlington

The Human Rights Commission (HRC) is seeking highly qualified candidates for a litigation attorney. The HRC Litigator litigates cases where the Commission has found reasonable grounds for discrimination in housing, state government employment, and places of public accommodations. Applications will be accepted by email or mail only. Qualified applicants should send a resume, cover letter, and writing sample to human.rights@vermont.gov. OR mail to Maia Hanron c/o Vermont Human Rights Commission 12 Baldwin Street Montpelier, VT 05633-6301. For more information, contact Maia Hanron at human.rights@vermont.gov. Department: Human Rights Commission. Status: Exempt, Full Time. Location: Montpelier. Job ID #48057. Application Deadline: September 18, 2023.

PUBLIC GUARDIAN – HOME BASED

The Office of Public Guardian seeks an independent, enthusiastic, and organized person to protect and monitor the legal and human rights of individuals with developmental disabilities and age-related cognitive impairments under courtordered guardianship. The selected candidate will have a home-based office and will be required to travel frequently in Orange and Windsor counties and may be required to travel to other parts of the State as well. For more information, contact Maryann Willson at maryann.willson@vermont.gov.

Department: Disabilities Aging & Independent Living. Status: Full Time. Location: Home Based. Job ID #47986. Application Deadline: September 20, 2023.

HIRING IN ALL DEPARTMENTS!

Full Time Year RoundSummer & Winter Operations

Line Cook

Facilities

Maintenance Worker

Facilities

Common Area Cleaner

Lift Operators

Ski Patrollers

Snowmakers

Rental Technicians

Security Guard

*Competitive Pay, Seasonal Pass and Resort Wide Discounts, 401K, Medical, Dental & Life Insurance

For more information: boltonvalley.com/jobs

VERMONT STATE COURTS FINANCIAL SPECIALIST II

The Vermont Judiciary seeks to fill a permanent position in Montpelier. This position works at a professional level involving financial management, fund accounting, and internal auditing and reconciliation activities within the Vermont Judiciary. The principal function is the processing and management of state funds. High School Degree and 2 years of accounting experience or college work required. Starting pay at $20.40. Position includes 12 days of vacation & sick leave per year, 12 holidays and excellent health and retirement benefits. For a more detailed description and how to apply see vermontjudiciary.exacthire.com/job/114511

E.O.E.

General Assembly

Supervisor of Committee Services

The Legislative support offices are currently hiring. The nonpartisan offices are an interesting, challenging, and exciting place to work. You will be part of a highly professional and collegial team that is proud of, and enthusiastic about, the mission of the state legislature.

To apply, please go to 'Career Opportunities' at legislature.vermont.gov.

Operating Room RN or Certified Surgical Technologist

NORTHEASTERN VERMONT REGIONAL HOSPITAL

(NVRH): Join our team of experienced nurses and provide exceptional patient care in Perioperative Services. We offer competitive wages, loan repayment, generous paid time off, and a comprehensive benefits package. Don’t miss out on this amazing chance to advance your career and join a healthcare team that delivers excellent services to the community.

Apply now and experience the rewards of being in a supportive and thriving environment at NVRH. NVRH.ORG/CAREERS

Join our innovative and award-winning team to help bring more affordable housing to Vermont!

Controller

The Controller prepares monthly financial statements, ensures accurate accounting and reporting of federal and state grants, leads the management of VHCB’s loan portfolio, and supports program staff in the analysis of grant and program financial performance.

This position is open until October 16th.

Federal Housing Programs Manager

We’re looking for a skilled professional to independently support our federal housing programs while working in a collaborative problem-solving environment.

This position is open until filled; application deadline is October 9, 2023.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer

Candidates from diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply. We offer a comprehensive benefit package and an inclusive, supportive work environment.

For full job descriptions, salary information, and application instructions please visit vhcb.org/about-us/jobs

Vermont Housing & Conser vation Board

• Maintain relationships with print and other vendors for Annual Conference, ensuring accurate and on-time deliverables; primary contact for managing outsourced projects

• Research/recommend new systems & technologies to streamline work processes and enhance the member and attendee experience

• Understand membership database, its uses and tools, and serve as point person for staff help on database issues

• Membership and annual conference database entry; help run reports and other tasks for smooth registration process, as well as other admin tasks assigned by staff

Qualifications:

Technologically saavy; familiarity and ability in Microsoft/Adobe products; experience with CRM databases

Strong interpersonal, communication and customer service skills; self-motivated, innovative thinker

Strong analytical and communication skills, with great attention to detail

TO APPLY:

Provide minimum salary requirement in cover letter. Send cover letter, resume and any other relevant information to:

Mr. Francis McGill, VCIA Director of Communications, fmcgill@vcia.com.

Deadline to apply: EOB Wed. Sept. 20th 2023

Systems Administrator

PCC is a 40-year-old, Vermont-owned and operated software and services company. We specialize in practice management and EHR software and related services for pediatricians. We are seeking a Systems Administrator, which supports 250+ pediatric practices nationwide.

This systems administration position works on a PCC team that focuses on maintaining our clients’ servers and network infrastructure. The position is integral to a dedicated, client-focused technical services team and requires technical expertise coupled with exceptional customer service and communication skills.

PCC offices are a casual, but professional work environment located in Winooski, Vermont. We offer a competitive salary and fantastic benefits including medical, dental, and vision insurance, generous paid time-off, 401(k), tuition reimbursement, a hybrid work environment, and numerous other perks.

Please visit pcc.com/careers for a full job description. To apply, email a cover letter and resume to jobs@ pcc.com with “Systems Administrator” in the subject line and tell us you saw our ad in Seven Days!

AA/EOE

Community Access Worker

Seeking a community access worker to accompany a young lady who likes to enjoy activities in the area. Weekdays from 4-8:30 and /or weekends. Two to three day/ week minimum commitment. Must have own transportation. Send resume to: Barbaravenbjerg@gmail.com

Multiple Positions Open

Close To Home, Vermont’s only Luxury Plumbing and Architectural Hardware Showroom is hiring: Sales Consultant

Social Media Manager/ Jack-of-all-Trades

Please visit: closetohomevt.com/ careers

Cross Cultural Exchange Program Manager - For International NGO

PH International is seeking a full-time Program Manager for cross-cultural exchanges. The Program Manager will coordinate and travel on multiple reciprocal exchanges that promote mutual understanding and manage a small grants program to support innovative participant initiatives. The program will include both in-person and virtual exchange components that will engage youth influencers from around the world and the United States with a specific focus on the empowerment of women and those with disabilities. Diverse applicants, particularly those with lived experience in the program’s inclusion themes, are encouraged to apply. PH is an equal-opportunity employer.

PH International (Project Harmony, Inc.) is an international non-profit with over 35 years of experience focusing on civic engagement, cross-cultural learning, and increased opportunities in the digital age. The U.S. headquarters office is located in Waitsfield, VT with field offices in Armenia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, the Republic of Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, and Ukraine with projects implemented in countries across the globe. FULL JOB DESCRIPTION & APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: ph-int.org/vacancies. Application deadline: September 23, 2023.

Mental Health Clinician *** $2,000 Sign On Bonus

Soup & Salad Prep

Must love colorful foods & working with a team!

Sunrise Crew

Smoothies & Service

***

Join Our Team as a Ch.O.I.C.E. Academy Mental Health Clinician! Empower Youth. Transform Lives. Make a Difference.

Are you passionate about making a positive impact on the lives of youth facing emotional and behavioral challenges?

We are seeking a dedicated Mental Health Clinician/Case Manager to be a crucial part of our integrated mental health treatment facility and educational center at Ch.O.I.C.E. Academy.

Who We Are: Ch.O.I.C.E. Academy is a place where clinical excellence meets compassionate care. As a Mental Health Clinician, you'll provide vital clinical and case management services to youth in need, both within our facility and out in the community. Working closely with our school and families, you'll play a key role in helping our youth access appropriate support and services.

What We Offer:

• Comprehensive Benefits: Enjoy generous medical, dental, vision, life, and accident insurance coverage, with WCMHS covering 82.5% - 92% of premium costs.

• Investing in Your Future: Benefit from a matching 403(b) plan, starting at 4.25% and increasing based on years of service.

• Work-Life Balance: Enjoy generous sick and vacation accruals, with 12 days of vacation and 12 days of sick time annually for full-time regular positions.

• Agency Closure Days: Get 12.5 paid agency closure days annually for that much-needed break.

Qualifications: To excel in this role, you should possess a master's degree in a human service field. Preferably, you'll be on a clinical or license track as a psychologist, social worker, or clinical mental health counselor. A valid driver's license, excellent driving record, and access to a safe, reliable, insured vehicle are essential for this position.

Note: De-escalation and physical intervention training will be provided as needed. Completion of comprehensive assessments is required. Apply online: wcmhs.applytojob.com/apply/NeQA2XkZPN/Clinician

Now Hiring! LPNs, Med Techs, Resident Services Assistant

Brand new, state-of-the-art Residential Care program.

Clara’s Garden Memory Care is looking for caring staff to join our team. Our community is beautiful, peaceful, and purposefully designed for those living with memory loss.

Excellent work environment, competitive pay, great benefits!

FT, Tuesday-Saturday from 9-5PM. Email gk@tomgirl.co to apply!

FT Tuesday-Saturday PT 2 Shifts + 1 Weekend Day tomgirl.co/join-our-team-1

1t-TomGirlSUNrise011222.indd 1 1/5/22

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The Vermont Nursery & Landscape Association invites applications for their Executive Director, a part-time, at-home flexible management position working with a board of directors. Candidates should have experience in management, communications, accounting, marketing, and computer skills. View the job posting at www,vnlavt.org/news-events/jobpostings/. To apply, please send a cover letter and resume to kristina@vnlavt.org.

Expert Mechanic

The Zmotorsports Collection is seeking an Expert Mechanic with a deep knowledge of European and Japanese high-performance vehicles. Our private collection: 40 standout vehicles from the mid-'60s to early 2000s, including Jaguars, Ferraris, and Lotuses, plus vintage motorcycles.

Key Responsibilities:

• Hands-on mechanical maintenance and restoration.

• Troubleshoot and resolve mechanical issues.

• Ensure each vehicle is roadworthy and in top display condition.

Qualifications:

• Extensive mechanical expertise, especially in European and Japanese high-performance vehicles.

• Proven track record of meticulous mechanical restorations & maintenance.

• Ability to work methodically, ensuring each task is completed to perfection.

Perks:

• Competitive compensation package.

• Engage with a diverse range of high-caliber vehicles in a state-ofthe-art workshop.

• Supportive work environment, with assistance available when required.

• An emphasis on doing each job to the highest standard, rather than taking shortcuts.

100 Executive Director

ATTENTION RECRUITERS:

SEPTEMBER 13-20, 2023

Ascension Childcare, Inc is seeking an Executive Director to lead and complement our experienced, diverse, and dedicated teaching team and staff. We are an established non-profit, NAEYC accredited, 5 STAR, Seed & Sew certified early education program in Shelburne, offering early care and education for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years.

The Executive Director oversees all day to day operations, supervises all staff, and maintains all records. The E.D. maintains and upholds local, state, and national partnerships, which are tied to various funding streams, program improvements, or community connections. In partnership with the Board of Directors, the E.D. maintains and manages all financials, creates and maintains a strategic plan for growth and development.

Send resumes to: director@accplayisforever.org

Executive Office Manager/ Executive Assistant

VSAC is seeking a talented full-time Executive Office Manager/Executive Assistant at our Winooski office. This position will closely support the executive team by overseeing the executive office’s day-to-day operations and administrative activities, managing various special projects and executive office budgets, acting as the primary point of contact for internal and external communications, and working on priority initiatives set by the executives.

The ideal candidate will have five years of executive office management experience, substantial experience with Microsoft Office Suite, and excellent written and verbal communication skills. Candidates with a BA are preferred but comparable life experience will also be considered.

At Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC), we’re all about the mission. Help us fulfill our vision of providing all Vermont students with information and financial resources to reach their educational goals.

APPLY ONLINE: VSAC.ORG/CAREERS

Customer Service & Administrative Assistant

Join the team at Gardener’s Supply Company!

Join the team at Gardener's Supply Company!

Join the team at Gardener’s Supply Company! We are a 100% employee-owned company and an award winning and nationally recognized socially responsible business. We work hard AND o er a fun place to work including BBQs, sta parties, employee garden plots and much more! We also o er strong cultural values, competitive wages and outstanding bene ts!

We are a 100% employee-owned company and an awardwinning 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!

Customer Retention Manager

Accounts Payable Specialist

Are you a dynamic and results-driven professional with a passion for retaining loyal customers? We're looking for a talented Customer Retention Manager to join our E-Commerce Team to drive customer satisfaction to new heights. In this position you will develop and implement customer retention strategies to reduce churn and increase customer lifetime value; analyze customer data and feedback to identify opportunities for improvement in products/services; and collaborate with omni-channel cross-functional teams to enhance customer experience and resolve issues promptly. Our ideal candidate will have 5+ yrs’ experience in a customer marketing role; bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, related field or equivalent life experience; and strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret customer data and trends.

This position is responsible for the coordination of all AP related activities including AP entry, quick check processing, foreign & domestic wiring, weekly check runs, le organization, inventory & freight invoice matching, and direct communications with internal employees, vendors, and banks. Our ideal candidate will have 2 yrs work experience in accounting or related eld; aptitude for working with numbers; high school diploma or equivalent, Associates Degree preferred; and a commitment to excellent customer service. Interested? Please go to our careers page at gardeners.com/careers and apply online!

Interested? Please go to our careers page at gardeners.com/careers and apply online!

Mad River Glen is seeking a Customer Service and Admin Assistant. The Customer Service & Admin Assistant is a key member of the office team who provides front line customer service and support for the main office and all points of sale across the ski area. This position will work closely with our guests, homeowners, shareholders and area personnel in a dynamic and fast paced environment. Candidates for the position should be detail oriented with excellent customer service skills. The employee is expected to work full time from August through April and have a flexible schedule. The work schedule will include weekends and holidays during the ski season. The Admin Assistant will receive competitive pay and a full benefits package.

If you are interested in joining the Mad River Glen team, have a passion for customer service and our unique ski area experience we would like to hear from you. Join the cooperative by applying today! To apply please visit madriverglen.com/employment and fill out an application.

For more information, please contact Ticketing & Sales Manager Virginia Ferris at 802-496-3551 ext. 110 or Vee@madriverglen.com

Food & Beverage: Line Cook/Chef

General Stark’s Pub at Mad River Glen is looking for a year-round, part-time/full-time Line Cook/Chef with culinary experience and an understanding of ski area culture. The ideal candidate for this position will be able to prepare and cook pub menu items in a fast paced, high volume restaurant environment. We are looking for an individual who is team oriented and can be available to prepare the occasional banquet meal as well. Food ordering and inventory experience are a plus.

This is an hourly position that comes with an employee ski pass and other benefits at Mad River Glen. Winter hours and shifts may vary. Pay is based on experience with the opportunity to grow into an Executive Chef/Kitchen Manager role for the right candidate. Interested candidates please send a resume, cover letter, and 2 references to david@madriverglen.com or call 802-624-1882 for more information.

VT has 2 openings:

• Customer Service

• Operations Manager

Join our team and help our business grow. To apply, please email your resume and letter of interest to: info@ vermontnaturalcoatings.com

Prevent Child Abuse Vermont is hiring for the following grant-funded positions:

SAFE SLEEP INFANT/TODDLER TRAINER

Prevent Child Abuse Vermont is seeking a full time Safe Sleep Infant/Toddler Trainer. We’re looking for an experienced professional in social work or human services with excellent oral and written communication skills; ability to work well with middle and high school students, early childhood caregivers, parents, medical professionals, human service providers and educators. Must be able to work flexible schedule which may include day, evening and occasional weekend presentations in person and virtually. Excellent organizational and computer skills necessary. Reliable transportation required.

PREVENTION EDUCATOR

Do you like working with adolescents and adults and feel passionate about protecting youth from human trafficking? PCAVT seeks prevention educator for grant funded statewide schoolbased anti-trafficking program. Candidate must have bachelor’s degree in related field, experience with 7th to 12th grade students, and reliable vehicle.

FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAMS COORDINATOR:

DIVISION DIRECTOR OF PARKING & TRAFFIC

Burlington Public Works seeks an innovative leader of the City’s Parking and Traffic Division to oversee and guide all aspects of the City’s public parking system, traffic signals/ signs/markings, and the crossing guard program. Leadership of this $7M/year and 30-person division requires staff development, high-level financial management and fostering a culture of customer service and entrepreneurship.

Our ideal candidate will hold a bachelor’s degree and 4+ years of experience in public or private business administration and leadership of a customer-facing operation. We are looking for someone with strong knowledge of business and management principles involved in leadership, strategic planning, budget development, asset management, human resources, performance evaluation and business analytics. The annual salary range of this position is $91,337 - $101,979.

The City of Burlington offers an incredible benefits package to our employees including:

• Medical/Dental Insurance Coverage

• Prescription Drug Coverage

• Flexible Spending Programs

Bilingual Patient Services Coordinator

Our free health clinic seeks a detail-oriented bilingual (Spanish/English) Patient Services Coordinator who will work compassionately and collaboratively to help patients obtain needed services. The in-person role coordinates volunteer interpreters and supports Middlebury clinic operations. Desired: cultural and linguistic competence, excellent communications, problem-solving, and admin support skills. BA/BS preferred. ODC offers a great work environment. 28-32 hrs/wk, $21-$24/hr plus benefits purse.

To apply, send cover letter, resume, & 3 refs to Heidi Sulis, hsulis@opendoormidd.org

Details: opendoormidd.org/ about-us/jobs

Prevent Child Abuse Vermont is seeking a Family Support Programs Coordinator to be part of a statewide team. Successful candidates will organize, oversee and facilitate online parent education and support groups. Groups may move to in-person meetings. The position may involve travel around the region. Duties include recruitment, training and supervision of volunteers and outreach and collaboration with community partners. Knowledge of child development and child abuse, love of parent education/support and experience with online facilitation are all a plus. Reliable transportation required. Minimum of Bachelor’s degree in human services, social work, education or related field required. These are currently grant funded positions.

*All employees receive health, vision, and dental insurance, paid time off, family leave, yearly bonus, and retirement plan.

PCAVT does not discriminate in the delivery of services or benefits based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity. E.O.E.

Please email cover letter, resume, and 3 references, along with the employment application to pcavt@pcavt.org

Or mail to: Prevent Child Abuse Vermont - Search PO Box 829, Montpelier, VT 05601-0829

For application visit: pcavt.org/jobs-and-internships

• Short-Term Disability Insurance

• Paid Leave (Sick and Vacation)

• Pension Plan

• Contributory Retirement Plan

• Life Insurance

• Discounted Gym Memberships

• Free Yoga Membership to Sangha Studios (Burlington, Williston & online)

• Tuition Discounts for Champlain College TruEd

• Employee Assistance Program

• Working Bridges Program

• Wellness Bonus Incentives Program

• Local & National Store Discounts

• Subsidized Transportation Options

The City of Burlington is a qualified employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

To learn more and to apply for this position, please visit: bit.ly/BTVdpw2023

The City of Burlington is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applicants to apply who can contribute to our growing diversity.

Vermont Natural Coatings in Hardwick,

ATTENTION RECRUITERS:

SEPTEMBER 13-20, 2023

Burlington Housing Authority (BHA)

Are you interested in a job that helps your community and makes a difference in people’s lives every day? Consider joining Burlington Housing Authority (BHA) in Burlington, VT to continue BHA’s success in promoting innovative solutions that address housing instability challenges facing our diverse population of low-income families and individuals.

We’re currently expanding our team of professionals in the Housing Retention and Services department Here are three full time (40 hours per week) positions available:

HOUSING RETENTION SPECIALIST – COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Aids community members who are experiencing homelessness and need support navigating housing systems and locating and securing housing in the Chittenden County community. The Housing Retention Specialist – Community Outreach works collaboratively with community service agencies and providers in addition to Chittenden County Coordinated Entry, BHA Section 8, and Property Management.

HOUSING RETENTION SERVICES – SITE BASED

Responsible for supporting those who have mental health and substance use challenges and/or who have moved from homelessness to Bobbin Mill, Wharf Lane, and other BHA properties. The position works closely with property management and other site-based staff to identify challenges and respond with appropriate direct service and coordination of community services, with a goal of eviction prevention and facilitating a healthy tenancy.

OFFENDER RE-ENTRY HOUSING SPECIALIST

Provides support to men and women under the VT Department of Corrections supervision from prison back to Chittenden County. The ORHS focuses on high-risk men and women who are being released from jail and graduating transitional housing programs and in need of permanent housing. The ORHS provides intensive retention and eviction prevention services and works collaboratively with the Burlington Probation and Parole Office. Additionally, the ORHS works with various case workers, Re-Entry staff and the Administrative Staff from the VT Department of Corrections and the broad network of COSA staff as necessary throughout Chittenden County.

Find more info about these career opportunities at burlingtonhousing.org.

*BHA serves a diverse population of tenants and partners with a variety of community agencies. To most effectively carry out our vision of delivering safe and affordable housing to all, we are committed to cultivating a staff that reflects varied lived experiences, viewpoints, and educational histories. Therefore, we strongly encourage candidates from diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals, and women to apply. Multilingualism is a plus!

Our robust benefit package includes premium medical insurance with a health reimbursement account, dental, vision, short and long term disability, 10% employer funded retirement plan, 457 retirement plan, accident insurance, life insurance, cancer and critical illness insurance.

We provide a generous time off policy including 12 days of paid time off and 12 days of sick time in the first year. In addition to the paid time off, BHA recognizes 13 (paid) holidays and 2 (paid) floating cultural holidays.

Interested in this career opportunity? Send a cover letter and resume to: humanresources@burlingtonhousing.org.

Human Resources

Burlington Housing Authority 65 Main Street, Suite 101

GO HIRE.

Job Recruiters:

Post jobs using a form that includes key info about your company and open positions (location, application deadlines, video, images, etc.).

Accept applications and manage the hiring process via our applicant tracking tool.

Easily manage your open job listings from your recruiter dashboard.

Job Seekers:

• Search for jobs by keyword, location, category and job type.

• Set up job alert emails using custom search criteria.

• Save jobs to a custom list with your own notes on the positions.

a quote when you post online or contact Michelle Brown: 865-1020, ext. 121, michelle@sevendaysvt.com.

Get

Community Arts Openings

Come work in a former convent and Catholic school - turned community arts hub in Montpelier!

BOOKKEEPER

CAL's Bookkeeper is primarily responsible for the care and maintenance of CAL’s financial activity and records. They ensure that routine transactions and reports are completed accurately and presented on time. They will act as support for other financial activities like 990 tax prep and business projections. This position includes some office admin support, but is primarily focused on bookkeeping.

This position is budgeted for 10 hours per week at $18 – $20 per hour and reports to CAL’s Executive Director. Position open until filled. Find out more and apply: cal-vt.org/jobs

The Center for Arts and Learning is a Vermont-registered nonprofit and is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, gender or other protected class. We welcome all interested applicants.

Water Superintendent/ Operator

An Exciting Career Opportunity!

Royalton, Vermont Fire District 1 Seeks Water Superintendent/OperatorVermont Class 4B License required.

The Royalton Fire District 1 seeks a water superintendent/operator. This is a full-time, 40-hour per week position with weekend rotations. The position requires occasional emergency response outside normal hours.

The water superintendent/operator will report to the Prudential Committee for the Fire District. The candidate will work with a contractor for coverage for weekly days off and vacation. Schedule will be established by mutual agreement.

The water treatment plant is currently undergoing a $3.2 Million upgrade. This is an excellent opportunity for someone who wants to participate in the launch of a new, state-of-the-art computerized water management system.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Conducts water system testing and reporting.

• Monitors water quality and adjusts chemicals used in the plant in accordance with standards for operation.

• Performs maintenance of equipment and facilities according to procedures and schedules.

• Investigates possible violations of water system rules & regulations.

• Responds to and resolves customer complaints.

• Conducts semi-annual water meter readings.

• Dedication to water quality and safety.

Full job description at Town of Royalton, VT: royaltonvt.gov

The Royalton Fire District 1 is an equal opportunity employer. Please submit resume and three references to office@ royaltonfiredistrict1.com no later than September 25, 2023. Applications may also be submitted by using the drop box at 55 North Street, the office for the Royalton Fire District, or via mail at Royalton Fire District 1 PO Box 204 South Royalton, VT 05068.

Program Managers

The City of Burlington's Racial Equity Inclusion & Belonging (REIB) Office is hiring four (4) Program Manager positions.

Program Managers are tasked with addressing systemic racial inequality as it relates to Racism as a Public Health Crisis within the identified domain category. This position will primarily focus on assessing, examining, and designing interventions and policies relating to one of the five domains for identified communities and city departments.

Each Program Manager will serve as the lead for programming as it relates to the specific domain and the associated specific categories. Each position will be critical in executing REIB’s racial equity objectives. This includes leading, consulting, and auditing programs and identifying future programmatic needs. These individuals will support the program management, reporting, analysis, and relationship-building component of all current and future equity programs. The roles require a collaborative skillset, an understanding of strategic processes related to the associated domain and it best practices, and the ability to support the implementation and development of program principles within the City. The positions will also lead the assessment of City departments’ culture, policies, processes, and strategies related to race equity, inclusion, and belonging, utilizing a collaborative approach in designing and tailoring engagement and strategic planning aligning with their designated equity goals. The program managers will manage City-wide equity initiatives ranging from the Equity Tool Kit, Neighborhood Equity Index, and cultural events, such as Juneteenth, that accurately reflect the City’s position on addressing racial equity through a public health model.

The Program Managers will plan, manage and execute the City’s directive for racial equity staff training as outlined in the 2020 Resolution Relating to “Racial Justice through Economic and Criminal Justice” and all other REIB educational content in partnership with Human Resources and other city departments.

Economy Program Manager: In order to address systemic racial inequality in the economy, this domain will assess and design interventions and policies relating to workforce development, wealth disparities, business development, entrepreneurship, investment, and procurement.

Community and Belonging Program Manager: This domain will address systemic inequities in policing, public safety, civic engagement, and representation in power structures.

Social and Human Development Program Manager: This domain will address systemic inequities in recreation, family integration and development, and K-12, higher, and adult education.

Health Program Manager: Recognizing racism as a public health crisis, this domain will evaluate and design interventions in access to healthcare, cultural competency in healthcare settings and quality of care, systemic inequities across morbidity, mortality, chronic disease, and other health outcomes.

Each role has an annual salary range of $73,798.40 - $82,326.40 and comes with a comprehensive benefits package which includes; Medical/Dental Insurance Coverage, Flexible Spending Programs, Paid Leave (Sick and Vacation), Pension Plan, Contributory Retirement Plan, Life Insurance, Discounted Gym Memberships, Tuition Discounts, Wellness Bonus Incentives Program, Subsidized Transportation and more.

For more detail about each of the positions and to apply, visit: governmentjobs. com/careers/burlingtonvt?department%5B0%5D=Racial%20Equity%2C%20 Inclusion%20%26%20Belonging&sort=PostingDate%7CDescending

The City of Burlington is an Equal Opportunity Employer and we welcome applicants that will contribute to our growing diversity.

fun stuff

CALCOKU & SUDOKU (P.87) CROSSWORD (P.87)

JEN SORENSEN

JULIANNA BRAZILL

“Well,

HARRY BLISS & STEVE MARTIN

VIRGO

(AUG. 23-SEP. 22)

The Virgo writer Caskie Stinnett lived on Hamloaf, a small island off the coast of Maine. He exulted in the fact that it looked “the same as it did a thousand years ago.” Many of the stories he published in newspapers featured this cherished home ground. But he also wandered all over the world and wrote about those experiences. “I travel a lot,” he said. “I hate having my life disrupted by routine.” You Virgos will make me happy in the coming weeks if you cultivate a similar duality: deepening and refining your love for your home and locale, even as you refuse to let your life be disrupted by routine.

ARIES (Mar. 21-Apr. 19): Aries photographer

Wynn Bullock had a simple, effective way of dealing with his problems and suffering. He said, “Whenever I have found myself stuck in the ways I relate to things, I return to nature. It is my principal teacher, and I try to open my whole being to what it has to say.” I highly recommend you experiment with his approach in the coming weeks. You are primed to develop a more intimate bond with the flora and fauna in your locale. Mysterious shifts now unfolding in your deep psyche are making it likely you can discover new sources of soulful nourishment in natural places — even those you’re familiar with. Now is the

best time ever to hug trees, spy omens in the clouds, converse with ravens, dance in the mud and make love in the grass.

TAURUS (Apr. 20-May 20): Creativity

expert Roger von Oech says businesspeople tend to be less successful as they mature because they become fixated on solving problems rather than recognizing opportunities. Of course, it’s possible to do both — untangle problems and be alert for opportunities — and I’d love you to do that in the coming weeks. Whether or not you’re a businessperson, don’t let your skill at decoding riddles distract you from tuning in to the new possibilities that will come floating into view.

GEMINI (May 21-Jun. 20): Gemini author

Fernando Pessoa wrote books and articles under 75 aliases. He was an essayist, literary critic, translator, publisher, philosopher and one of the great poets of the Portuguese language. A consummate chameleon, he constantly contradicted himself and changed his mind. Whenever I read him, I’m highly entertained but sometimes unsure of what the hell he means. He once wrote, “I am no one. I don’t know how to feel, how to think, how to love. I am a character in an unwritten novel.” And yet Pessoa expressed himself with great verve and had a wide array of interests. I propose you look to him as an inspirational role model in the coming weeks, Gemini. Be as intriguingly paradoxical as you dare. Have fun being unfathomable. Celebrate your kaleidoscopic nature.

CANCER (Jun. 21-Jul. 22): “Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth.” Cancerian author Henry David Thoreau said that. I don’t necessarily agree. Many of us might prefer love to truth. Plus, there’s the inconvenient fact that if we don’t have enough money to meet our basic needs, it’s hard to make truth a priority. The good news is that I don’t believe you will have to make a tough choice between love and truth anytime soon. You can have them both! There may also be more money available than usual. And if so, you won’t have to forgo love and truth to get it.

LEO (Jul. 23-Aug. 22): Before she got married, Leo musician Tori Amos told the men

Eva Sollberger’s

she dated, “You have to accept that I like ice cream. I know it shows up on my hips, but if you can’t accept that, then leave. Go away. It is nonnegotiable.” I endorse her approach for your use in the coming weeks. It’s always crucial to avoid apologizing for who you really are, but it’s especially critical in the coming weeks. And the good news is that you now have the power to become even more resolute in this commitment. You can dramatically bolster your capacity to love and celebrate your authentic self exactly as you are.

LIBRA (Sep. 23-Oct. 22): My hitchhiking adventures are finished. They were fun while I was young, but I don’t foresee myself ever again trying to snag a free ride from a stranger in a passing car. Here’s a key lesson I learned from hitchhiking: Position myself in a place that’s near a good spot for a car to stop. Make it easy for a potential benefactor to offer me a ride. Let’s apply this principle to your life, Libra. I advise you to eliminate any obstacles that could interfere with you getting what you want. Make it easy for potential benefactors to be generous and kind. Help them see precisely what it is you need.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In your history of togetherness, how lucky and skillful have you been in synergizing love and friendship? Have the people you adored also been good buddies? Have you enjoyed excellent sex with people you like and respect? According to my analysis of the astrological omens, these will be crucial themes in the coming months. I hope you will rise to new heights and penetrate to new depths of affectionate lust, spicy companionship and playful sensuality. The coming weeks will be a good time to get this extravaganza under way.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Is it ever morally permissible to be greedily needy? Are there ever times when we deserve total freedom to feel and express our voracious longings? I say yes. I believe we should all enjoy periodic phases of indulgence — chapters of our lives when we have the right, even the sacred duty, to tune in to the full range of our quest for fulfillment. In my astrological estimation, Sagittarius, you are beginning such a time now. Please enjoy

it to the max! Here’s a tip: For best results, never impose your primal urges on anyone; never manipulate allies into giving you what you yearn for. Instead, let your longings be beautiful, radiant, magnetic beacons that attract potential collaborators.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Here’s a Malagasy proverb: “Our love is like the misty rain that falls softly but floods the river.” Do you want that kind of love, Capricorn? Or do you imagine that a more boisterous version would be more interesting — like a tempestuous downpour that turns the river into a torrential surge? Personally, I encourage you to opt for the misty rain model. In the long run, you will be glad for its gentle, manageable overflow.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): According to the Bible’s book of Matthew, Jesus thought it was difficult for wealthy people to get into heaven. If they wanted to improve their chances, he said they should sell their possessions and give to the poor. So Jesus might not agree with my current oracle for you. I’m here to tell you that every now and then, cultivating spiritual riches dovetails well with pursuing material riches. And now is such a time for you, Aquarius. Can you generate money by seeking enlightenment or doing God’s work? Might your increased wealth enable you to better serve people in need? Should you plan a pilgrimage to a sacred sanctuary that will inspire you to raise your income? Consider all the above, and dream up other possibilities, too.

PISCES (Feb. 19-Mar. 20): Piscean author

Art Kleiner teaches the art of writing to nonwriters. He says this: 1) Tell your listeners the image you want them to see first. 2) Give them one paragraph that encapsulates your most important points. 3) Ask yourself, “What tune do you want your audience to be humming when they leave?” 4) Provide a paragraph that sums up all the audience needs to know but is not interesting enough to put at the beginning. I am offering you Kleiner’s ideas, Pisces, to feed your power to tell interesting stories. Now is an excellent time to take inventory of how you communicate and make any enhancements that will boost your impact and influence. Why not aspire to be as entertaining as possible?

Vermont's only cat café, Kitty Korner Café in Barre, was severely damaged in the July flood. As the water rose, owner Alexis Dexter hammered a hole in the floor, diverting the water away from 57 rescue cats — and flooding the building's basement in the process. Eva Sollberger recently returned to Kitty Korner to see the renovation work in progress.

supported by:

CHECK OUT ROB BREZSNY’S EXPANDED WEEKLY AUDIO HOROSCOPES & DAILY TEXT MESSAGE HOROSCOPES: REALASTROLOGY.COM OR 1-877-873-4888.

WOMEN seeking...

LAID-BACK, OLD-SCHOOL

I am a loving, caring, honest and dependable woman. I care about family and old and new friends. I would do what I can to help others. I believe in God. Looking for someone of the same, plus kind and gentle, to be someone my family would also like.

sunshineCarol, 75, seeking: M, l

HONEST, KIND, FUNNY, ADVENTUROUS, CURIOUS

I’m comfortable being on my own but want to share adventures and experiences with that special someone. I love to hear people’s stories; I’ve been told I’m a good listener. I’m looking for someone who is kind, likes to laugh and loves experiencing new things; ideally starting off as a friendship that grows to a deeper and more caring relationship. Friendlysoul, 67, seeking: M, l

CLASSICAL MUSIC/ATHLETE

Mellow, low maintenance, self-sufficient. Love sunshine and warmth. Enjoy reading, walking, sailing, kayaking, swimming. (Gold medalist in Vermont and Tucson Senior Games.) Like to watch Netflix and PBS “Masterpiece” mysteries. My family and friends are tops with me. Thrifting is fun. Museums and history. Recumbent around BTV nowadays. Wish for a kind, cultured, good-humored man. Choralmusic83 83, seeking: M, l

LIFE IS GOOD

Nice lady seeking wonderful guy. CookiesandCream 65, seeking: M, l

WANT TO RESPOND?

You read Seven Days, these people read Seven Days — you already have at least one thing in common!

All the action is online. Create an account or login to browse hundreds of singles with profiles including photos, habits, desires, views and more. It’s free to place your own profile online.

l See photos of this person online.

W = Women

M = Men

TW = Trans women

TM = Trans men

Q = Genderqueer people

NBP = Nonbinary people

NC = Gender nonconformists

Cp = Couples

Gp = Groups

LIVING LIFE NOW

I am looking forward to seeing someone who is willing to explore life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Mature adult dude with laughter and excitement.

GypsyPoppins 66 seeking: M, l

NOT SO DESPERATELY SEEKING

Fat, funny, farty (sixtysomething) femme seeks same in a man. Must be clean, clever and kind.

CatsANDdogs, 66, seeking: M

LOVE AND COMPASSION FOR ALL

I am very active and young for my age. You’ll usually find me outdoors, in my flower garden or with my horse. Lived in Essex for many years before moving to Utah in 2008. Retired now but work temporary jobs and in stables where I am usually with my horse. Have a dachshund and cat. Have always loved Vermont. equus 72, seeking: M, l

OPTIMISTIC, DRIVEN, BUBBLY BABE

Smiles, affectionate, hardworking, passionate, emotionally intelligent. Wants to find the love of her life. You: good head on your shoulders, know what you want, motivated, emotionally intelligent and want a future with a really cute girl with a pretty smile. An affinity for old farmhouses will get you extra brownie points! Battlebeautyfarmhouse, 33, seeking: M, l

ADVENTUROUS, ENJOY LIFE, SUNSHINE

I am energetic, love to try new things, adventures, short trips. I have a cat for company, live simply, low maintenance, bilingual. Seeking someone who likes to explore Vermont, Québec. A great cook would be a plus. Funny, good conversationalist, conservative in politics, but I will respect your political choices, a bit old school, a gentleman. Luvtosmile, 78, seeking: M

WIDOW STARTING OVER

I’ve been working for the same health care provider for over 40 years and plan to retire in the next 18 months. I own my home and have worked since 16, so no “gold digger” here. I’m 5’6, some “love handles,” hazel/blue eyes and short medium brown hair with highlights. I love going to Maine on weekend getaways. Here’s to our next adventure! LilyMae23 63, seeking: M, l

CRUNCHY, BISEXUAL

Funny, open-minded, worldly, direct woman looking for a woman to hang out with, friends with benefits, hook up. Highly sexual and looking for same in a woman. No couples, no men. JATCASUAL, 41 seeking: W

QUIRKY HOMESTEADIN’ SWAMP HAG

Just your run-of-the-mill hermitess growing and cooking loads of food.

I’m a cynical leftist who loves the Earth and all the critters. I’d love to meet someone with similar ideals and goals to join me on the homestead.

I’m goofy, serious, quiet and loud. I have a yarn and seed addiction. Let’s go for a walk! VTHomesteader, 42 seeking: M, W, TM, TW, Q, NC, NBP, l

SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL

Fierce femme with a tender heart seeks someone sweet as baklava whose eyes I can fall into. Interests include doubleshot espresso, watching the rain fall from my front porch and discovering beauty in all forms. Must have curiosity, a heart of gold and be willing to shower me in adoration. tamaracktrees, 24, seeking: M, W, TM, TW, Q, NC, NBP

NOT DEAD YET

I considered myself a high-heels, makeup-at-all-times city girl until I moved to Vermont 12 years ago. I never even owned a car, and all my Boston/New York friends wondered how I would survive. Well, not only did I survive, but I learned how to fish in a lake year-round and even how to shoot a gun. CLC, 77, seeking: M, l

SUNSHINE AND WANDERLUST

Seeking fun-loving, easygoing people for friendship and maybe more. Wonderful weather these days. Who’s up for enjoying it? CarolinaGirl 36, seeking: M, TM, Q, NC, NBP, l

ACTIVE WATER AND MOUNTAIN PERSON

Do you ever not want to go alone?

Traveling is something I want to do with someone. I go to music events and theater in Vermont and beyond. I love to dance. I don’t mind my alone time at home. I’ve been single for 15 years. Hopefully you are fun, happy, active and loving. Time4Me2, 65 seeking: M, l

MEN seeking...

POET SEEKING INTELLECTUAL FRIENDS, BOYFRIEND

I’m a poet and intellectual seeking friends to discuss poetry with. I am open to adults of any age and gender, but they must be comfortable with online communication via email or social media sites. Additional topics of conversation can be cinema, art, history, music, novels, science, handcrafts and D&D. I’m not interested in video gaming or TV shows. sea2sea 30 seeking: M, l

HEALTHY OUTDOOR LOVER

Lived in Europe and the D.C. area most of my life before retiring in Vermont, where I built my dream house for two. Bike toured in Europe, Canada and the Northeast. Enjoy day hikes and cross-country skiing. Love my garden and other people’s pets. Enjoy cooking, eating well and having pleasant, faceto-face, meaningful conversations. lovegaia, 82, seeking: W, l

FUNNY FACE

They say there’s a man for every woman and a woman for every man. Another is: Only a mother could love this face. I enjoy humor, although mine is rather dry. Seeking a fishing partner, one who is happy, financially secure, adventurous, kind and honest. muddywaters 74, seeking: W, l

THE LITTLE THINGS

Take it as it comes. Laid-back, animal lover, athletic, self-deprecating, dry. YoYoMa55 55, seeking: W

SIMPLE, DOWN-TO-EARTH ROCKER

We are a man and his dog. Must take the pair and not just the black furry one. I work out three times a week, love live music, festivals, road trips, lots of cuddling. Very touchy-feely. I would like a beautiful soul and amazing chemistry. How about you? AdudeinVT 56, seeking: W, l

TALKATIVE AND ADVENTUROUS

Looking for conversation and companionship and someone to share travel adventures. Was a high school history teacher. Now work on oil paintings and as a woodshop teacher at camp. Love all things physical — hiking, running, biking, swimming, etc. Also an avid reader of books, fiction and nonfiction, which make for wonderful talks. Two kids in college currently. EightBells38 68 seeking: W, l

LAID-BACK, EASYGOING, HARDWORKING

Honest, hardworking, trustworthy man. I like laughing, having a good time and making memories. Looking for the same with a strong sex drive and an open mind.

I’m not looking to change you; I just want to enhance our lives. I love to spoil my partner. Just ask for a picture. I’m a middle-aged handsome man who works a lot. HappyGoLucky72 51, seeking: W, l

WANDERING SOUL, DAD, SILENT, MINDFUL

Let’s just get together IRL and see what happens. supernovaender, 42, seeking: W, l

OUTDOORSY AND SOCIAL

New to Vermont from Colorado. I would consider myself a mountain person who loves spending time with someone in the mountains and ski resorts or any sort. Apart from outdoor things, karaoke is also my thing, and I can sing ’til my Adam’s apple dries out. Looking for someone who can share fun moments together.

MountainKnight12, 27, seeking: W, Cp

CARING, GIVING, KNOWLEDGEABLE, QUIET, DETAILED

I’m looking to date and have fun with a woman and am hoping that it would lead to a long-term relationship. I am young at heart and don’t like a lot of rules. Don’t like acting old. Looking for a woman who is a bit quirky, spicy and wears unique jewelry. Make_It_Happen, 65, seeking: W, l

FUN, CREATIVE, SMART

Music is my passion, and I have eclectic musical tastes. Playing guitar, keyboards, percussion, singing. Selfaware, mindful and meditative. Love the outdoors, hiking, walking and running, snowshoeing, travel. Love good food. Crossword enthusiast. Life is all about sharing the good things with someone you love.

OneOfAKindArtist 63, seeking: W, l

NORDIC FOREVER

I am kind, gentle, intelligent and fun-loving. Looking for a gal who’d love to wander the woods in winter on skis, snowshoes and microspikes, and hike and walk the rest of the year. Just plain love waking and talking. Love to read, browse bookstores and libraries. Love good writing for its own sake. Roadwalker, 78, seeking: W, l

LOOK YOUNGER THAN I AM

I have been married twice, 20-plus years each time. The second one left me a widower. I am not looking for a long-term relationship at this time. All I want at this time is a someone who is open-minded and adventurous. My preference would be a nonsmoker and close to my age (i.e., over 65). Moose44 78, seeking: W, l

MY ACRONYM...

Benevolent. Academic. Dependable. Able. Sane (as can be with my current occupation). Sexy (in my own mind).

TeddyBear 56, seeking: W, l

HONEST, RESPECTFUL, LOVE TO LAUGH

I’m a UVM grad and recently retired. I love to cook and travel and enjoy a good restaurant. I consider myself open-minded, easy to talk to and a good listener. Friends and family are very important to me. People say I look younger than I am. I’m looking for someone to share the big and little things in life. FLKeys 69, seeking: W, l

TRANS WOMEN seeking...

HONESTY, COMMON SENSE

A MUST

53-y/o single trans woman. Have a few pounds around the center. LOL. I’m finally ready to meet someone who will not be embarrassed to be seen in public with me. Love to get dolled up for someone. I’m easygoing. My ideal person would be female. Interesting to kinky. Do you think you could be my dominant other? Shygurl 53, seeking: TW, l RECENTLY RELOCATED, ADVENTUROUS, FREE SPIRIT

I’m a gorgeous, white, 100 percent passable trans lady who is 57 and could pass as 30 — yes, 30! I long for love, laughter and romance, along with loving nature. I want a man who’s all man, rugged, handsome, well built but prefers a woman like myself. It’s as simple as that. We meet, fall in love and live happily ever after. Sammijo, 58, seeking: M, l FABULOUSLY FUTCH

Tall, smart trans woman looking for my people. I live in Middlebury. Any background in punk or politics is a plus — let’s make some noise! sashamarx, 53, seeking: M, W, TM, TW, Q, NC, NBP, Cp, l

COUPLES seeking...

COUPLE LOOKING FOR FUN

We are a married couple looking for another couple or female for sexual encounters. We are clean and discreet. Would love to chat to see if we are compatible — he is muscular and 5’11; she is curvy and 5’0. New to this lifestyle. Incognito1984 38, seeking: W, Cp

SNOW AND SUN EQUAL FUN

Borders and boundaries are sexy. We’re pretty cute. We like to have fun, and we bet you do, too. Happily married couple (W, 35; M, 45), open-minded and looking to explore. Love playing outdoors. Looking to meet a couple, man or woman for fun and adventure. Ideal meetup is a cottage in the mountains with great food and lots of great wine. SnownSun 46, seeking: Cp, l

LOVERS OF LIFE

We are a 40s couple, M/F, looking for adventurous encounters with openminded, respectful M/F or couples. Looking to enjoy sexy encounters, FWBs, short term or long term. sunshines, 42, seeking: M, W, Q, Cp

LOOKING FOR OUR MAN!

Ideally hoping for a throuple/FWB situation. Us: established M/F couple. DD-free. (She: 44, straight BBW; he: 46, bi MWM). Drinks, 420-friendly, fires, get outside, music, Netflix and chill, always horny. You: DD-free, clean, masculine bi male (30ish to 50ish) who works and knows how to enjoy life! A little rough/hard (top, real man, etc.) with a compassionate heart and a bit of a snuggler. Connection is key. Let’s chat and get to know each other, then play! ginganddaddy 47, seeking: M

CAMEL’S HUMP DOG DAD

BEAUTIFUL SMILE

You held the door for me. You were with your daughter, I believe. Even though I wanted you to enter first, you insisted. You said “Have a nice day” when I walked by. I was drawn to your smile, someone with a kind heart. Someone I would really like to get to know. When: Saturday, August 5, 2023. Where: Jiffy, Hinesburg. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915832

To the dog dad hiking in the rain: I was running/hiking and crossed paths with you guys on the last section of the trail before the summit. You said, “Not a good day to hang out up here.” I hoped I’d catch you on the way down, but sadly I did not. Would love to connect! When: Saturday, August 19, 2023. Where: Camel’s Hump. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915825

MY CAMERADO

I saw you across the room in the upstairs theater lobby. You: dark hair, in jeans and a white button-down shirt. I wore a beret. Our eyes met, and you smiled. Forty years flashed by, and I am glad for every minute and for all those to come. I’d like to travel with you still. When: Saturday, September 2, 2023. Where: UVM theater. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915840

MILTON DINER

You weren’t our assigned waitress, but we did exchange a quick laugh. I am sure you are taken but wanted to mention what an amazing smile you have. Melted me immediately. You: working. Me: with my elderly parents having breakfast. Was hoping to see you again before we left, but the sounds of broken dishes probably kept you busy. When: Sunday, September 10, 2023. Where: Milton Diner. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915839

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

I spy beautiful people on Shelburne Road while I was at work. I was a bit in shock. Mac, the trained EMT with red hair. Melissa? Christine? I’m sorry, I’m getting your name wrong. Great people in line, the SBVT EMTs. anks for helping me out. I’m going to be OK, and I want to extend my thanks for caring. When: Wednesday, September 6, 2023. Where: work. You: Group. Me: Woman. #915838

CAR TROUBLES?

WILLISTON GAS STATION

You drove into the gas station. Your vehicle was making a grinding noise. When you came out, I mentioned that your wheel bearing was noisy. You had to get to Barre and asked if it would be safe to drive. I hope you get it fixed soon! Seemed like a very sweet person. Hit me up sometime. I’d like to chat again! When: Tuesday, September 5, 2023. Where: Williston gas station. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915837

TAKE ME FOR A RIDE?

You were driving a two-tone blue/cream ’70s Chevy truck in the evening. I was behind you in a boring-ass car. Your fumes were intoxicating. All I could see was a baseball cap. If you take me for a ride, I’ll take you for a... When: Friday, August 11, 2023. Where: Route 2. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915820

SEXY ART MAN

MUTTS ARE THE BEST

To the tattooed woman who took the time to give Miss Tulip some love: In the moment, I resisted the urge to state the obvious, but I just can’t keep it bottled up any longer ... You are beautiful! ( ere, it’s out. I feel better now.) P.S. I hope your life is blessed with many more magical mutts. When: Sunday, September 3, 2023. Where: Gardener’s Supply, Williston.

You: Woman. Me: Man. #915836

IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME

You were in a smokin’ black dress! You were leaving with a tall bald guy. I walked up to him (you’re leaving with the most beautiful girl!). You were flattered, I believe. Need to meet you again. If you are one of her friends reading, please tell her to answer this post. #iscrewedup When: Friday, September 1, 2023. Where: the Old Post. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915835

STUNNING BLONDE

ree Brothers around 1:15 p.m. You: stunning blonde driving the Audi. Me: the guy with no game eating pizza in the corner. I am sure you are taken, but I could feel your radiance. Would love to have a coffee and chat. When: ursday, August 31, 2023. Where: Colchester. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915834

YOU HAD ME AT SUBLIME

I was grabbing some coffee that night. You said, “Nice shirt, miss.” We chatted about seeing Badfish live. You saw them the other week. We spotted each other once more. I should have grabbed your number! You were wearing a hat and brown shirt and had gorgeous blue eyes. Let’s go to a concert together? When: Tuesday, August 29, 2023. Where: Shaw’s, Randolph. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915833

REVEREND Ask

Irreverent counsel on life’s conundrums

De Rev end,

I think I’m addicted to thrift shopping. I go to at least one or two thrift stores a week, and I rarely leave empty-handed. I definitely wouldn’t call myself a hoarder, but I do feel a certain attachment to my things. I know I need to get rid of some stuff, but I don’t know where to start. Help!

Vintage Val

(WOMAN, 37)

BERLIN PRICE CHOPPER BLONDE

You: gorgeous blonde, tan skirt with green and pink stripes. Me: guy in a red T-shirt and baseball hat. We passed each other, made eye contact and smiled. I wish I had stopped and said hi, but you were a woman on a mission. Coffee sometime? When: Sunday, August 27, 2023. Where: Berlin Price Chopper. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915831

RE: LOOKINGFORONLYYOU

ey say, “Don’t take the risk, you’re sure to fail. ere’s no ‘get out of jail free’ card in life.” But what’s the worst that could happen, end up in a coffin? Isn’t that where we’re all headed anyway? Can’t escape the madness, so you might as well embrace it. Can’t be worse than a nineto-five cubicle jail cell. When: ursday, February 23, 2023. Where: on the run, sin amor. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915829

TO MY MAINTENANCE MAN

I know that you’ve had a lot on your plate recently. And things haven’t been easy. I just wanted to let you know I’m proud of you, and no matter what, I have your back. I love you. I wouldn’t want to go through the rest of this life with anyone but you. When: Friday, November 11, 2022. Where: in my future. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915828

WE ALMOST COLLIDED

We almost collided with our shopping carts. Sorry, not sorry! Your smile was amazing! I wish we had made more of a connection. You: silverhaired male. Me: curly hair, Wolfsgart tank. When: Sunday, August 20, 2023. Where: Milton Hannaford. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915826

TALL SHELBURNE BLONDE

We crossed paths twice. You were wearing leggings and dark-rimmed glasses! Are you around and available?

When: ursday, August 10, 2023. Where: Kinney Drugs, Shelburne Rd. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915822

De Vintage Val,

I can totally relate. I love hunting for treasures at secondhand stores and garage sales — and don’t get me started on free side-of-the-road scores. at said, it’s not good feng shui to keep too many unused or unloved items in your home. Every once in a while, you need to do a purge.

It can be overwhelming to go though everything in your house, but if you do a little at a time, it becomes manageable. Start by putting a big storage tub with a lid in each room. Whenever you come across something that you don’t use, put it in the box.

Give yourself a deadline, perhaps a week or two, to fill up the boxes. Every now and then, spend some time focusing on one area, like your clothes

COLCHESTER SHAW’S

We crossed paths, once when I was walking toward the refrigerated pasta section and the other moment we were at adjacent checkouts. I think we exchanged smiles, but maybe it was in my head? Dark blonde here, tattooed. You had dark hair, glasses and a salmon-colored shirt, I think. When: Tuesday, August 22, 2023. Where: Shaw’s. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915827

ENCHANTING IN OVERALLS, FOX MARKET

I was sitting at the downstairs table with a friend when you walked in on a rainy Saturday. We held eye contact and smiled. I felt a spark. Did you? When: Saturday, August 19, 2023. Where: Fox Market, East Montpelier. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915824

LOOKING FOR COMPANIONSHIP

I want someone who is single, around 70 years old, and wants to have fun and do things together. Do things outdoors and other types of activities. He is a man who is a mechanic who I saw on this personals list. Can you get in touch with him for me? His ad says just what I would like. When: Friday, August 18, 2023. Where: internet.

You: Man. Me: Woman. #915823

OLDER MAN AT HANNAFORD, RUTLAND

Around 4:30 p.m., I was in the produce department and I saw you walk in. You were white, older, balding, wearing shorts, a graphic T-shirt and flip-flops. You have a nice butt/hot package. Would love to invite you over for cocktails! I was the one wearing short shorts, flipflops. I’m 50, masculine and enjoy older white mature men. When: Saturday, August 5, 2023. Where: Hannaford, Rutland. You: Man. Me: Man. #915819

HUBBARD PATHS

Serious eye contact! Let’s connect!

When: Saturday, August 5, 2023. Where: Hubbard, Montpelier. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915818

You: big, hairy muscle man with white tank. Your drawing was beautiful. Emotional but understated and classic. I feel like I understand you. I borrowed your eraser. I’m a 28-y/o woman, brown hair, hazel eyes. I also saw you at Target, and I smiled. Come back to class. Maybe I’ll even model sometime if you want a preview. When: Tuesday, June 13, 2023. Where: Kestrel Coffee.

You: Man. Me: Woman. #915816

BRAVO ZULU

You greeted us as we were leaving at night. Something about that has me still thinking about you! Please reach out if you’re interested in getting acquainted! When: Saturday, August 5, 2023. Where: Bravo Zulu.

You: Man. Me: Woman. #915812

MONTPELIER FARMERS MARKET

You: black dress with flannel shirt, 40ish, driving a beautiful black VW Bug convertible. Me: tall, dark and handsome. Gave you a big smile. Would love to take a long ride in that sweet Bug! When: Saturday, August 5, 2023. Where: Montpelier farmers market.

You: Woman. Me: Man. #915811

HIGH PRIESTESS

I was at the rite you held in the woods of Mansfield. I was there when the moon ascended into the heavens, our souls freed from our corporeal forms to become one in the night. Praise Lugh Ildánach the harvest this fall will be a blessed one. Anyhow, we should get a cup of coffee sometime. You’re really pretty. When: Tuesday, August 1, 2023. Where: Mount Mansfield. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915810

DOG WEARING

SUNGLASSES

Saw ‘em. Dog wearing sunglasses. at’s a cool dog. Feel free to reach out. When: Friday, August 4, 2023. Where: dog park. You: Group. Me: Man. #915809

or kitchen items — but try to make it fun. Listen to a podcast or put on some great music. Have a glass of wine if that’s your thing. Anything to make it less of a chore. While it can be a hoot to look through old stuff, try to be ruthless. Unless something has real sentimental value, if you haven’t used it in the past year, put it in the box.

e big question is what to do with the boxes once they’re full. Summer is on the way out, but there’s still time to have a yard sale and make a little cash.

If you don’t have the time or energy for that, just take the boxes to your favorite thrift store and drop ’em off.

ink of it as casting treasures out into the world for others to find. Letting go of things you don’t need could make a whole bunch of people really happy — including yourself!

Good luck and God bless, The Rev end

dating.sevendaysvt.com What’s your problem? Send

If you’ve been spied, go online to contact your admirer!

I’m a 72 y/o M who admires very mature women. I find myself sexually attracted to these ladies of distinction. I would love to meet one in her upper 70s or 80s. #L1696

I’m a 73-y/o woman seeking a man, 68 to 78. I am a Christian woman (look younger than I am) wanting a male companion to just live life with. Conversation, movies, dinners in or out. Someone to enjoy life with again. #L1695

GM bottom looking for playmates. Age and race not important. Just fun, hot sex without strings. Also interested in three-way. Rutland County. Call/text. #L1694

I’m a very unique lady who’s seeking a gentleman. Very passionate, honest, loyal, humble. I love to garden, read, listen to music and watch a good movie. Love to walk in the beautiful nature and earth, as well. Hoping to meet a man with the same likes. #L1693

Need an heir? Too busy on that career? Let’s meet on that. #L1684

I’m a 79-y/o woman seeking a man, 70-plus y/o. Want companionship as well as a friend. Willing to stay home or travel — whichever you want to. Want to help anyone who needs it. #L1691

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PUBLISH YOUR

Handsome straight man wanting an erotic exchange with another handsome straight man, but only in a full threesome with your wife, fiancée or girlfriend. #L1692

Gracious, faithful, educated, humorous soul seeks a fit, tender and natural female counterpart (55 to 65) to bask in autumn splendor. Let’s hike, bike, frolic, listen, ponder and share! I’m a worthy companion. #L1690

Dragonfly, hummingbird / warm winds, butterfly, / sun in bright sky, sun inside, / Iris, tigerlily, / Bright flowers in summer sun, / Dreams that fly, Come back in spring, / Lalee, lalee, lalee, liii. / Grown up boy for similar girl. #L1686

58-y/o SW. Humbled, thoughtful. Hoping for a safe, kind, honest relationship with a man. Calm in nature, love for nature. Morning coffees, long walks, talks, sunsets, art, music, dance, friends, family, laughs! Willing to see and resolve suffering. Unconditional love and support find me at home. Phone number, please. #L1680

Man, early 70s. Still grieving from two-plus years ago, but moving on. Funny, engaging, storyteller, listener. Interesting life (so far!). Greater MontpelierBarre area. Looking for a woman friend: have fun, eat out, do stuff. Maybe more, but maybe not. Companionship. #L1687

Int net-Free Dating!

I’m a SWM, 38, attractive, pierced nipples, friendly tattoos, purple and blue hair and goatee. No booze, no drugs. Looking for a kindred spirit, female, 18 to 58. #L1685

I’m a working man, 33, seeking a working woman, 25 to 33, to get to know and possibly build a life together. Born in Vermont to European family. Nonsmoking; no drugs. #L1683

I’m an older guy with a high libido looking to meet a woman with similar interests to hopefully develop a LTR. My interests are country living, travel, humanpowered sports, music, art, gardening, etc. I’m secure and happy; very fit and healthy; a financially secure large-property owner; a curious, free-spirited adventurer; a singer and musician; a connoisseur of peace and quiet. 420-cool, friendly, compassionate, experienced and well endowed. You are your own beautiful self with a lust for life. Willing to travel for the right gal. Ability to sing, slender and body hair a plus. #LL1677

Describe yourself and who you’re looking for in 40 words below:

(OR, ATTACH A SEPARATE PIECE OF PAPER.)

I’m a AGE + GENDER (OPTIONAL) seeking a AGE + GENDER (OPTIONAL)

I’m a man, 72, seeking a woman, 45 to 70. Looking for a friend to go to dinner, movie, walking. I am fit for my age and seek the same in a woman. Phone number, please. #L1681

I’m a man seeking a woman. Very passionate, sexual and loyal man. Honest, loving, treat-youlike-a-lady guy seeking special woman, 35 to 60ish. No drugs or drunks. Must be honest and supportive emotionally. #LL1678

Seeking kinky individuals. Deviant desires? Yes, please! Only raunchiness needed. Have perverted tales? Hot confessions? Anything goes! No judgment. I only want your forbidden fantasies. Openminded. I dare you to shock me. Replies upon request. #LL1676

Sensual older couple enjoying life. Snowbirds (Florida), well-traveled, fit and fun. Seeking to meet others curious about alternative modes of sexuality. Meet up in BTV for a glass of wine and chat? #LL1670

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