Seven Days, October 12, 2022

DRUG PROBLEMS

FULL PLATES

WELCOME TO ‘RIDDLEVILLE’

emoji that OPEN HOUSE

Vermont lawmakers voted to drop COVID-19 vaccination and testing rules at the Statehouse. Instead, vaccination will be recommended for visitors.

EDUCATORS

warning about PCBs

Burlington High School

Two former Burlington High School educators have sued chemical manufacturer Monsanto after suffering physical ailments they claim are linked to their exposure to toxic PCBs in the school’s campus on Institute Road.

The 36-page federal suit, filed last week, alleges that spe cial education teacher Tracy Rubman “suffered a multitude of reproductive issues” since she started working at BHS in 2016, including two premature births and two miscarriages, one of which involved twins. In another pregnancy, her fetus developed a serious and often fatal condition, leading to an abortion. Afterward, Rubman “required medical intervention to stop her hemorrhaging,” the suit says.

In 2020, Rubman was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, which can affect the body’s metabolism. She left the district in June 2022. Her husband, James Ellery Baker, is also a plaintiff.

Another former employee, Kathy Lothian, who worked as a special education paraeducator at BHS from 2015 through 2020, suffered from cognitive issues such as “memory loss, confusion, and brain fog,” the suit says.

High levels of airborne PCBs were discovered in BHS during testing in summer 2020 in advance of a planned $70 million renovation. The chemicals, which “have no taste or smell and range in consistency from an oil to a waxy solid,” are often found in caulking, tile glue and light ballasts.

The discovery led the district’s leaders to close the school,

A ‘DIFFERENT’ BERNIE BOOK

A new novel due out in December puts U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) at the center of a “cozy” murder mystery.

The novel, Feel the Bern: A Bernie Sanders Mystery, falls into the same subgenre as works by Agatha Christie, accord ing to Kentucky-based author Andrew Shaffer. It takes place in fictional Eagle Creek during leaf-peeping season. Tranquility is upended when the body of a banker linked to “Big Maple” is found in Lake Champlain.

If that isn’t Vermonty enough, the novel also features Champ sightings; jokes about Boston tourists, flannel and weed; and a book cover featuring Sanders in his famous mit tens, perched in an Adirondack chair.

“It doesn’t treat Bernie’s philosophy as a joke; it doesn’t treat him as a joke,” Shaffer said. “But he gets into humorous situa tions. There’s a golf-cart chase at one point.”

move the students to a new location and ultimately decide to demolish the buildings. The district hopes to build a new school; Burlington voters face a $165 million bond on Election Day, November 8.

The situation led the Vermont legislature to require air borne PCB testing in some 350 schools that were built before 1980, around the time the U.S. banned use of the chemicals.

Both Rubman and Lothian worked in Building F, which registered the highest levels of PCBs during testing at BHS in 2020. The suit cites research that indicates PCBs are prob able human carcinogens “suspected of causing birth defects, miscarriages and cancer,” as well as endocrine issues and neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS, Parkinson’s disease and dementia.

Monsanto, the sole manufacturer of PCBs in the U.S. for commercial use between 1929 and 1977, was aware of the chemicals’ health effects decades ago, yet it disregarded the research, continued producing PCBs, and “chose not to warn its customers and the public” in order to protect its profits, the suit charges.

In recent years, Monsanto has paid out hundreds of millions of dollars in trial verdicts related to PCB contamina tion. Pharmaceutical and biotech giant Bayer AG purchased Monsanto for $66 billion in 2018. Bayer and several subsidiar ies are named as defendants in the Vermont suit.

Read Sasha Goldstein’s full story and keep up with devel opments at sevendaysvt.com.

PARTY CRASHERS

The City of Burlington canceled a free concert planned for City Hall Park after the expected crowd size ballooned from 300 to about 1,000. Organizers vowed to reschedule.

COLD CASE

A dive team found a pickup truck in the Winooski River that belonged to Donald Messier, who disappeared in 2006. His remains were not inside.

ON ALERT

A man in his seventies died after a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in St. Albans, health officials said. The disease spreads via contaminated water and is not contagious.

$19 million

That’s the cost of a terminal project including a new security checkpoint that just opened at Burlington International Airport.

TOPFIVE

MOST POPULAR ITEMS ON SEVENDAYSVT.COM

1. “Burlington’s Penny Cluse Café to Close Permanently” by Melissa Pasanen. Husbandand-wife co-owners Charles Reeves and Holly Cluse plan to shutter the landmark restaurant toward the end of the year.

2. “Burlington City Councilor Ali House Resigns” by Courtney Lamdin. The Progressive Ward 8 councilor said “several serious situations” led her to step down.

3. “Mother of Transgender Student in Randolph Says Her Daughter Was Bullied” by Alison Novak. The mother’s account was very different from a WCAX-TV story that caught the attention of right-wing media outlets and went viral.

4. “Lee’s Asian Mart Opens in South Burlington” by Melissa Pasanen. A 7,000-square-foot store in the Blue Mall offers Asian groceries, including lychees, fish balls and kimchi.

5. “Two Vermont Schools Cancel Classes Due to Illness, Staff Shortages” by Alison Novak. Spaulding High School in Barre and U-32 Middle & High School in East Montpelier canceled some classes early last week.

tweet of the week

@HaikBedrosian

Downtown #btv where half the people on the street are talking to imaginary people and the other half are talking on the phone with earbuds and it’s hard to tell the difference.

This sort of writing is Shaffer’s shtick. He made it as a bestselling New York Times author for his 2018 book, Hope Never Dies: An Obama Biden Mystery which he described as a bromance noir novel. He was casting about for his next blockbuster when he landed on Sanders, for whom Shaffer gained appreciation in recent years.

“I guess you could say I came to Vermont in a roundabout way,” Shaffer said. “I had an idea to do a book called Hillary Clinton: Pet Detective, and my editor and agent were like, ‘No, absolutely terrible idea.’”

Shaffer had never visited the Green Mountain State until he

booked a weeklong stay in North Hero in the summer of 2021. Sanders has a lake house there, but Shaffer never crossed paths with the senator. He did, though, catch a Lake Monsters baseball game and gleaned what he could about the locals.

The book is “a love letter to small towns,” said Shaffer, who grew up in an Iowa one. Like other “cozy” mysteries, Feel the Bern includes some regional recipes.

So did the title character give it two thumbs up? Shaffer says the novel is unauthorized, though he hopes Sanders gets his mittened hands on a copy.

“It’s parodying the mystery genre, sort of,” Shaffer said. “It’s not making fun of a politician or anything. It’s a little bit different than people might expect.”

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SASHA GOLDSTEIN

TRICKS OF THE TRADE

publisher & editor-in-chief Paula Routly deputy publisher Cathy Resmer

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NEWS & POLITICS

editor Matthew Roy deputy editor Sasha Goldstein

consulting editors Ken Ellingwood, Candace Page stAff writers Derek Brouwer, Chelsea Edgar, Colin Flanders, Rachel Hellman, Courtney Lamdin, Kevin McCallum, Alison Novak, Anne Wallace Allen

ARTS & CULTURE

coeditors Dan Bolles, Elizabeth M. Seyler

AssociAte editor Margot Harrison Art editor Pamela Polston

consulting editor Mary Ann Lickteig

Music editor Chris Farnsworth cAlendAr writer Emily Hamilton speciAlty publicAtions MAnAger Carolyn Fox stAff writers Jordan Barry, Melissa Pasanen, Ken Picard, Sally Pollak proofreAders Carolyn Fox, Angela Simpson

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SALES & MARKETING director of sAles Colby Roberts senior Account executives Robyn Birgisson, Michael Bradshaw Account executives Michelle Brown, Logan Pintka events & ticKeting MAnAger Katie Hodges legAls, lifelines & super reAder coordinAtor Kaitlin Montgomery personAls coordinAtor Jeff Baron

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CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS

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Pamela Polston, Paula Routly

CIRCULATION: 35,000

Seven Days is published by Da Capo Publishing Inc. every Wednesday. It is distributed free of charge in greater Burlington, Middlebury, Montpelier, Northeast Kingdom, Stowe, the Mad River Valley, Rutland, St. Albans, St. Johnsbury, White River Junction and Plattsburgh, N.Y.

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SUBSCRIPTIONS

SEVEN DAYS ‘STANDS OUT’

I am the grandmother of the victim in [“Trust Fail: After Discovering Unset tling Details of Naomi Wood’s Death, Her Family Channels Grief Into Action,” September 7]. What we thought was a tragic but simple death in May 2020 turned into just a lot of complexities and legal controversies. I wondered how the article would cover the subject.

I guess Seven Days is known for its “investigative” journalism, but I was amazed at how the writing team was so complete and accurate in all the details, just reporting objectively and truthfully to everything that transpired. There was no slant or bias to anything written or quoted.

I want to let the whole team know what a great job it did: Alison Novak, the writer, who showed such care for Nehe miah and the family. Daria Bishop, the photographer, who came to their house and took such an interest in things; the choice of photos was perfect. I also know the editors, Ken Ellingwood and Sasha Goldstein, and the proofreaders, Carolyn Fox and Angela Simpson, had their parts.

In a day when the media has sunk to a real low, you just stand out, far above anything I have read elsewhere. Thank you for doing such a great job!

Dory Kiess STAFFORD

FLUORIDE ISN’T ALL GOOD

[Re “Richmond Learns a Town Official Lowered the Fluoride Level in Its Water for Years,” September 28, online; “Rich mond Vows to Return to ‘Full Fluoride’ Levels,” October 3, online; “Richmond Seeks to Restore Public Confidence After Employee Slashed Fluoride Levels,” October 5]: I agree that it seems Kendall Chamberlin should not have taken things into his own hands by reducing the level of fluoride in Richmond’s drinking water. However, I think this may have been a more balanced article if Seven Days reporter Kevin McCallum had referenced some of the articles and studies that do address the concern over the toxicity of fluoride, depending on its source. Far too often, we accept the U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s endorsement as the gospel truth. I argue that, as science grows and research continues, positions can rightfully change.

Lizzy Sheehan BURLINGTON

folks who work under them — are the people who run the day-to-day opera tions of our state. And while it’s true that legislators can pass laws to change the conditions those civil servants and bureaucrats work within, it is not a quick or easy process, and the gubernatorial tentacles are almost everywhere.

There is much work to be done on dozens of important issues, such as health care, housing, wages, education, climate, overdoses, the ongoing pandemic, and the many layers of social justice between and beyond, and Democratic nominee Brenda Siegel is the clear choice to make a posi tive impact.

We have to remember this when we vote: We’re not voting for a person; we’re voting for the future of Vermont.

Peter Langella MORETOWN

‘STATE OF EMERGENCY’

We wish to thank Alison Novak and Courtney Lamdin for spending so much time researching, preparing and writing “The $165,000,000 Question” [September 21]. We believe the reporting was fair and showed both sides of how the issue is impacting a community working to make a critical decision for our students and city. We also had fun answering questions and working with your team, so thank you!

That said, the article omits one signifi cant detail. In fiscal year 2024, Vermont will enact a new weighted pupil formula, something Burlington’s school board advocated to make happen. The most recent state analy sis shows that this change will result in a tax decrease for Burlington residents. While we don’t have a specific number we can share today, it is essential that taxpayers know this will substan tially reduce the tax impact of this project (while still providing us with the opportunity to improve services to students).

We also want to thank the reporters for requesting additional tax impacts that show how those who pay based on income could be affected by this plan. While we were not ready in time for the story, read ers should know that estimates are now available on our project web page.

Finally, I want to encourage anyone with questions to reach out. The old build ing is totaled, and the lease at Macy’s will expire; we are in a state of emergency and so are committed to answering every ques tion we can about this important vote.

Tom Flanagan BURLINGTON

Flanagan is superintendent of the Burlington School District.

GOV OPS

I’m confused by your binary coverage of the upcoming gubernatorial election [“Candidates for Governor Display Stark Differences at Tunbridge Fair Debate,” September 16, online]. What I mean is that this election is not just between incumbent Gov. Phil Scott and chal lenger Brenda Siegel; it’s about dozens of secretaries and commis sioners and hundreds of board and commission appointees. If your read ers haven’t considered the ramifications of this recently, I urge them to familiarize themselves with Vermont’s list of agencies and depart ments, almost all of which are headed by gubernatorial appointees. It’s also wise to take a look at Vermont’s vast number of boards and commissions, where nearly all members serve at the will of the governor.

These unelected secretaries, commis sioners and board members — and the

INTRODUCING: IFOS

[Re “UFOMG,” October 5]: Standing on a pathway in our 1.3-acre yard of tall forbs, shrubs and trees, I can often be found gesturing wildly at an unidentified flying object. Some fly about as slow as an airborne turtle, while others zoom by reaching speeds of up to 30 mph.

Yes, I, too, am open to the idea that there’s alien life that can be seen from our Jericho backyard.

It might come as a shock to learn that Vermont is a hotbed of UFO activity not just high up in the sky, but also much closer to us terrestrials. After over 11,000 observations in Jericho, I can attest to some inexplicable and uncanny airborne life in our midst.

There are occasional mishaps, head-on crashes, grisly predation, glowing eyes and flashing lights, and alien-looking small crea tures with no visible ears — some with five, some with eight, some with 30,000 eyes.

Fortunately, I don’t have to rely on the Pentagon to identify any of them. I simply load photos onto iNaturalist, and experts in the field help identify these diverse

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QUALITY

TRAVEL & TOURS

“IRISH

BY ANNE WALLACE ALLEN

‘New’ Drug

Right Flank

Malloy’s

FEATURES 28

A Warm Welcome

Seams to Be

ARTS+CULTURE 46

‘Towering Artist’

the

Predicament

A Star Is Born

Drawn Together

Old College Try

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MAGNIFICENT

THURSDAY 13

Light It Up

Mummenschanz:

FRIDAY 14 & SATURDAY 15

Guitar Hero

Classical music collides with rock when the Vermont Symphony Orchestra Jukebox Quartet teams up with inventive guitarist Kaki King at Bennington College and Higher Ground Ballroom in South Burlington. The utterly original program features works by Bryce Dessner of the National, Spanish classical guitar composer Joaquín Rodrigo and maverick composer Daniel Bernard Roumain.

FRIDAY 14-SUNDAY 16

Green Light

The Valley Players offer their live studio audience a metatextual good time with The Great Gatsby: A Live Radio Play at Waitsfield’s Valley Players Theater. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic tragedy gets the 1940s broadcast treatment, with actors playing actors playing multiple characters, Foley sound effects and era-appropriate commercial breaks.

SATURDAY 15

All’s Shell That Ends Well

Spiny softshell turtles may be endangered in the Green Mountain State, but Vermonters are coming to the rescue. Volunteers join Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department staff at North Hero State Park Nesting Beach Cleanup Day After clearing the lakefront of excess vegetation to make room for the baby reptiles, everyone carpools to another location in Swanton.

SATURDAY 15

Chicken and the Egg

Richmond’s Maple Wind Farm hosts Meet, Greet & Eat, a community event for locals curious about where their chickens, turkeys and eggs come from. The afternoon includes farm tours, a lesson in using the whole bird, a Q&A with farmers about pasture raising, a load of family-friendly activities and plenty of delectable lunch options.

Years

a half century of a global theater phenomenon. Performing at the Dibden Center for the Arts at Northern Vermont University-Johnson, this Swiss troupe uses light, shadow and unconventional props to take audiences on a visually stunning — and entirely wordless — trip into a world of imagination and splendor.

upcoming events

SUNDAY 16

Thanks for the Memories

It’s a combination author reading and retirement party when Sen. Patrick Leahy makes an appearance at Ira Allen Chapel in Burlington. Phoenix Books and the University of Vermont cohost this celebration of Sen. Leahy’s recent memoir, The Road Taken, which tracks his life and long political career, from Watergate to today.

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MVP Health Plan, Inc. is an HMO-POS/PPO organization with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in MVP Health Plan depends on contract renewal. For accommodations of persons with special needs at meetings, call 1-800-324-3899

711).

Other physicians/providers are available in the MVP Health Care network.

Cluse Encounters

Last Tuesday, Seven Days reported the sad news that Burlington’s Penny Cluse Café would close permanently at the end of 2022, after 25 years of perfect pancakes and huevos rancheros.

Food editor Melissa Pasanen got the scoop, and we published it online. That generated some internal debate about whether we should push the story out over email and call it “breaking” news.

One editor argued that it did not meet the qualifications: No one had died. The owners’ decision to close hadn’t been prompted by a fire or personal health crisis. It wasn’t even related to the pandemic or resulting workforce shortage.

But a larger number, including me, countered: In the Vermont food world, which we cover extensively with two full-time reporters, the Penny Cluse news was huge. That goes for the thousands of people who have willingly waited in line to get a seat in the downtown restaurant.

One reader emailed to question the designation, suggesting that “breaking” news “should a ect more people in the state than the hipsters who frequent one local restaurant.” It left a “bad taste,” he said.

Meanwhile, the story got 35,000 page views on the day it broke — October 4 — and attracted three times more eyeballs in the course of the week than anything else we wrote about, including a pretty compelling cover article about UFOs.

Pasanen’s piece spread like a kitchen fire on social media, where people openly expressed their grief. Some even worried what the closure might mean for the future of Burlington. I consoled myself with a 5 p.m. supper on Saturday at Honey Road.

Penny Cluse opened for breakfast and lunch in 1998, three years after we started slinging Seven Days I watched with admiration as owners Charles Reeves and Holly Cluse grew their company, adding catering, special family-style dinners and, in 2013, a second spot next door. Their hard work and good taste attracted talented coworkers, including chef Maura O’Sullivan, who has toiled alongside Reeves in the kitchen for the past 16 years.

Running a busy restaurant is relentless — not

unlike publishing a newspaper. Both are fast-paced team e orts that, with many hands, nourish the community. Even though the product doesn’t last, it has to be right: appetizing, consistent and safe. One slipup can undo years of e ort. Practically speaking, your reputation is as good as the last meal served.

Being a handson owner is great for morale and quality control. But it makes getting away from the shop almost impossible.

Reeves cooked up a storm for the past two and a half decades. He also has a great head for the business. Together we’ve talked about everything from payroll taxes and pandemic relief to labor issues and work-life balance.

He hasn’t made much progress on that last one, as Pasanen’s story in this week’s food section reveals.

Neither have I.

Regrets? I’m sorry I didn’t eat more often at Penny Cluse. I wish I’d ordered every single dish on the menu, including Lunch With Lauren, named for one of our former employees who left town a long time ago. I’d like to do that before the restaurant closes between Thanksgiving and Christmas — a goal that would add up to many hours standing in line outside.

With the clock ticking, I know one thing: Instead of wishing for the wait to be over, I’ll savor every minute.

Paula Routly

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FILE: OLIVER PARINI

Penny Cluse Café in Burlington

A ‘New’ Drug

Methamphetamine use is growing around Burlington — and could portend more problems for Vermont

BY COLIN FLANDERS colin@sevendaysvt.com

Several years ago, Jess Kirby noticed that a number of her clients at Burlington’s Safe Recovery were suddenly acting differently. They worried that they were being watched and that people were conspiring against them.

“People I’ve known for years, out of the blue, experiencing paranoia,” Kirby said. “Saying things like, ‘I don’t know who to trust. Something is going on with me.’”

Some clients even grew wary of her, a former confidante. Others revealed what she was beginning to suspect. They had started using a new drug: meth.

Kirby was surprised. Vermont had largely managed to avoid the scourge of methamphetamine during the 1990s and early 2000s, even as it ravaged communi ties throughout the western U.S. In recov ery herself, Kirby had rarely even seen meth. “I just thought we were somehow insulated from it,” she said.

She doesn’t believe that anymore.

While Vermont has been intent on its opioid crisis, meth use has been quietly increasing in the Burlington area; Kirby

now knows dozens of people using the drug.

The toll can be felt in emergency rooms, where more people are arriving in the grip of meth-fueled psychosis; in the streets, where chronic users languish with few treatment options; and in the

“People are falling through the cracks,” said Kirby, who continues to work closely with substance users through her new job as director of client services at the nonprofit Vermonters for Criminal Justice Reform.

Man Faces Second Murder Charge

BY DEREK BROUWER derek@sevendaysvt.com

growing number of families who have lost someone to a meth-related overdose.

The true scope of meth’s reach is not fully understood, as opioids draw most of the state’s attention and resources. But health care providers warn that the drug is devastating to users and fear that the problem will worsen if Vermont doesn’t find a better way to treat it.

A South Burlington man was arraigned last Thursday on a second murder charge following a pair of fatal shoot ings the previous weekend.

Denroy Dasent, 52, was formally accused of killing Brian K. Billings II at the Swiss Host Motel & Village in South Burlington on October 2. He had previously been charged with murder in the death of Sheiknoor Osman, who was gunned down that same night at an apartment in Burlington.

Dasent was arrested on the city’s waterfront following a car chase and was charged with killing Osman. Vermont State Police divers recovered a Glock pistol from Lake Champlain that police allege Dasent threw into the water before he was arrested.

Dasent was also suspected of firing shots in Burlington’s City Hall Park on September 30.

Witnesses told police that Dasent knocked on Billings’ door at the Swiss Host Motel, where Billings lived with his fiancée and two young children, shortly after 11 p.m., according to a police affidavit. The two men briefly argued before Dasent allegedly shot Billings, who fell and died on the kitchen floor.

HEALTH

When meth use first spiked in the U.S. three decades ago, it was made in small home labs with pseudoephedrine, the main ingredient in many over-the-counter cold medicines. A federal crackdown on pseu doephedrine in 2006 helped curb these so-called “one-pot” operations, and meth seizures fell nationally. Then Mexican cartels figured out how to produce purer, cheaper and more lethal versions of the drug on an industrial scale.

As the western U.S. was flooded with potent meth in the early 2010s and street prices plummeted, the cartels began seek ing untapped markets. They looked to the Northeast, where the opioid epidemic was already well under way.

During an interview with Burlington police in the hours following his arrest, Dasent alleged that Billings, his former neighbor at the Swiss Host, had previously made a comment about his daughter. Dasent’s wife later told police she was unaware of the claim. She said her husband had been upset that Billings didn’t pick up dog waste from a grassy area at the motel where their daughter played.

In a statement, family members of Billings, whom they called “Little B,” thanked South Burlington and Burlington police for their “quick think ing and concerted, painstaking efforts in recent days to bring our loved one’s killer to justice.”

The statement described Billings as gentle, funny and kind. “He was a talented artist and amazing carpenter. He loved with everything he had and was loved deeply by his family and friends,” his family said. “That is how we hope our Little B will be remembered.”

Denroy Dasent

The Swiss Host Motel & Village

Flank

Gerald Malloy’s

U.S.

BY KEVIN MCCALLUM • kevin@sevendaysvt.com

W hen Republican Gerald Malloy entered the race to succeed U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) in March, few Vermonters had heard of the recent transplant, let alone had any sense of his hard-right politics.

The Republican establish ment was already backing Christina Nolan, a moderate former U.S. attorney with name recognition and posi tions that seemed to line up with many Vermonters’ values, including support for environmental standards and LGBTQ rights.

But signs urging voters to “Deploy Malloy” began popping up in key road side locations around the state. His campaign image is of a bald eagle with eyes as fierce as the U.S. Army veteran’s own. Malloy campaigned hard on a

Peter Welch (D-Vt.), who has represented the state in Congress for the past 15 years. Welch won the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate by a landslide.

With early voting already under way, Malloy must quickly convince voters who supported Leahy for 48 years to take a hardright turn on issues such as abortion, guns, voting reform, former president Donald Trump and the climate crisis. Standing in Malloy’s way is Welch, a popu lar, well-funded Democrat who has served the state in elected office for decades.

A newer poll released last week laid bare the uphill battle Malloy faces. Undertaken by the University of New Hampshire on behalf of WCAX-TV, the survey showed that Welch earned 62 percent of voters’ support compared to 28 percent for Malloy. Even more potentially problematic for Malloy is that 43 percent of those polled did not know enough about him to have an opinion.

During a campaign stop in Stowe on Saturday, Malloy said he was aware of the poll but had not had time to assess it. He said he wasn’t going to let it divert him from his mission.

platform of limited government, fiscal responsibility, a strong national defense, support for the fossil fuel industry and protection of constitutional rights such as gun ownership.

After pouring nearly $100,000 of his family’s money into his GOP primary campaign, Malloy won decisively, land ing 43 percent of the vote to Nolan’s 38 percent and retired businessman Myers Mermel’s 19 percent.

“I think Gerald Malloy surprised everyone, including me, in the primary,” VTGOP chair Paul Dame said.

Malloy has followed that up with disciplined debate performances and a tireless general election campaign sched ule. He’s given multiple print, radio and TV interviews and even appeared on national outlets such as Fox News, which heralded his apparent momentum based on a poll released on September 9.

The Trafalgar Group’s survey put Malloy just seven points behind U.S. Rep.

“I’m going to keep driving on with my ground game,” Malloy said.

Things didn’t exactly go his way that day, however, as many voters shunned Malloy and his message.

In Stowe, Beth Dubin, owner of South Hero embroidery shop Sew Colorful, said Malloy hadn’t lived in the state long enough to earn her vote. Her husband, Larry Dubin, said Malloy came across as a “super nice guy” but he “took the traditional Republican position on everything.”

“Needless to say, he’s not getting our vote,” Larry said.

Malloy’s opponent, Welch, 75, has been a fixture in Vermont politics for more than 30 years. A lawyer, Welch served in the state House and Senate in the 1980s, then lost a bid for governor in 1990. After another stint in the state Senate in the early 2000s, Welch was

In 2018, around the same time Kirby started hearing about meth in Burlington, drug treatment providers in other states were noticing similar changes. They had spent careers combating heroin and now needed to figure out how to address a very different drug. Many turned to national experts for advice — and their pleas ended up in the inbox of University of Vermont professor Rick Rawson.

“I started getting emails from West Virginia, Wisconsin, Florida, Kentucky: ‘Hey, we’ve got this big meth problem,’” recalled Rawson, a renowned addiction expert who spent decades research ing meth during a 40-year career at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Rawson moved to Vermont in 2015 and works as a research professor at UVM’s Center on Behavior and Health. He held what he estimates were more than 600 virtual training sessions during the pandemic, including for providers in Maine and New Hampshire, where meth has become a growing problem. Requests for help in his own backyard have been far less frequent, though: Rawson has performed only a few trainings in Vermont and said he’s had very little interaction with the Vermont Department of Health about meth.

The most logical explanation is that other states have been hit much harder, which Rawson himself believes. But it’s also unclear whether Vermont grasps the extent of its own meth problem.

It’s a tricky thing to track.

Unlike heroin and fentanyl, meth, on its own, doesn’t usually lead to fatal over doses. When it is detected in the blood of fatal overdose victims, it’s almost always accompanied by an opioid — primarily fentanyl, a cheap synthetic opioid that dealers are adding to meth and other drugs in an attempt to increase their potency and addictiveness. At least 38 people have died in Vermont with meth in their systems since the start of 2020. While that repre sents a huge increase, it’s unclear whether more people are using the drug or whether the deadlier fentanyl has become more common in Vermont’s meth supply.

Hospital data is equally murky. The UVM Medical Center’s emergency depart ment says about 200 people have tested positive for amphetamines over the past year or so, a doubling in just a couple years’ time. But that includes prescription drugs such as Adderall, and not every patient is tested upon arrival at the emergency department. Rawson usually looks to meth addiction treatment admissions for trends, but Vermont’s lack of programs makes that impossible.

Health department officials acknowl edge that meth is circulating in communities

but say it remains nowhere near as preva lent as opioids or other stimulants, such as cocaine. A major meth surge would likely appear in hospital data and a rise in crimi nal behaviors linked back to the drug, said Tony Folland, clinical services manager at the department’s Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Programs.

“We just haven’t seen enough of that to suggest we’re missing anything,” he said.

Law enforcement officials suspect most of the meth making its way to Vermont originates in Mexico, though they say some is also shipped from China. Recent arrests suggest that people selling it locally often deal it along with opioids.

Anecdotal evidence indeed indicates a scattered meth presence statewide. Washington County prosecutors say they rarely encounter it, while Rutland addiction specialist Dr. Saeed Ahmed

the extent of his recent drug use, came to Vermont in 2018 with a year of sobriety under his belt and hoped his meth days were behind him. But he ran into the drug almost immediately — his apartment building was “full of it,” he said — and he eventually started smoking it again.

He didn’t blame his neighbors for his relapse. “It was my decision to pick up a pipe again and smoke it,” he said. Still, the drug’s ready availability didn’t help. He was buying from three dealers at any given time.

Research suggests that some people are turning to meth out of a fear of dying from fentanyl. Others take it to counteract the sedative effects of opioids, or for a high while they take medications such as Suboxone to block the effects of opioids. Still others turn to it as a cheaper alternative to cocaine or begin using it as a party drug.

Whatever the reason, people can quickly get hooked on meth because of the way it interacts with the brain, accord ing to Kelly Klein, medical director at the Vermont Department of Mental Health.

“If somebody has chocolate cake or sex, their dopamine increases by around 150 percent. If they do coke, it’s around 300 to 400 percent and only lasts about eight to 20 minutes,” Klein said. “Meth? It’s around 1,000 to 1,500 percent their baseline — and lasts around seven to eight hours.”

This intense euphoria, coupled with an instant boost of energy, can make people feel confident, capable. “It’s such a fuck ing cloud of, like, I don’t care. It doesn’t matter,” said the man in recovery. “I can hide it. I can do this. I can function. I can go to work. I’m a rock star at work.”

ERIN O’KEEFE

told Seven Days that he sees meth users “all the time.” One Lamoille County drug treatment provider said she’s observed a noticeable increase; another in the same town has only encountered a few cases.

In Burlington, however, the trend seems clear.

Erin O’Keefe, one of Kirby’s former colleagues at Safe Recovery, said meth appears “very frequently” in the routine drug screenings performed on people who access the nonprofit’s low-barrier buprenorphine program. Those who pick up clean needles at the syringe exchange service regularly mention it.

One recovering meth user told Seven Days the drug is “prevalent” in Chitten den County. The man, who requested anonymity because his family did not know

But over time, devastating side effects show up. The repeated dopamine blitz convinces the brain that it needs the drug to feel happy. Long-term users eventually feel anxious, paranoid and confused. They skip meals and go days without sleeping. Some become obsessed with meaning less tasks — tinkering with car engines or bicycles, for instance — a psychiatric phenomenon known as “punding” that has been linked to overstimulation of dopamine receptors.

As the recovering user put it: “You start using the drug, and you end with the drug using you.”

Today’s potent meth induces severe states of psychosis faster than ever, experts say. Some users develop symp toms that mimic schizophrenia, and while it can be hard to know whether the drug created a mental health issue or simply exacerbated an existing one, the effects can be long-lasting.

“In some instances, that psychosis does appear to be permanent or semiper manent,” said O’Keefe.

IN SOME INSTANCES, THAT PSYCHOSIS DOES APPEAR TO BE PERMANENT OR SEMIPERMANENT.

Meth can cause risky or violent behav ior. Just last week, it was implicated in a seemingly random shooting at a White River Junction motel involving a 25-yearold man who police say had shown signs of deteriorating mental health in days before he shot a stranger in the face, the Valley News reported.

Drug treatment providers often have little to offer people hooked on meth. There’s no approved medication to curb meth cravings. Syringe exchange and other drop-in programs mostly just “make sure people have access to water,” O’Keefe said. “It’s really not the same as working with somebody using opioids.”

With few treatment avenues, some people continue using until they reach a point of crisis, further limiting their options.

They often wind up at the emergency department desperate for a bed in an inpatient rehab or psychiatric facility. But the two inpatient rehab centers that take Medicaid — Valley Vista in Brad ford and Serenity House in Wallingford — say they aren’t equipped to handle people with severe psychosis. And some health care providers accuse Vermont’s inadequate psychiatric system of over looking people whose mental health issues are thought to be intertwined with drug use.

“When you’ve got 20 other people waiting for an inpatient psych bed and you’re triaging cases, it’s really easy to take situations with some element of uncertainty and push it in a different direction,” said Dr. Adam Greenlee, the medical director of psychiatry and mental health at the Community Health Centers of Burlington. In other words, you don’t admit the patient.

Kirby said she’s seen at least 20 people get caught up in this not-our-job limbo. She’s accompanied clients to the ER only to watch them get released hours later without any treatment. They use again; their mental health further deteriorates; the cycle continues.

People who do manage to land a spot at an inpatient rehab center, meanwhile, often find that the short-term programs designed for opioid and alcohol depen dency don’t help as much for their meth addiction. Research shows that it can take months for the brains of long-term meth users to fully heal.

Dr. Deb Richter, a Lamoille County drug treatment provider, recalled work ing with two patients addicted to meth: “We had tried the two-week detox, the 28-day rehab — nothing kept them away from meth,” she said. What finally worked: a nine-month stay at an out-ofstate rehab center.

“We need a bunch of nine- to 12-month

facilities in order to get this problem under control,” she said.

Drug treatment counselors have always called for better inpatient rehab options, but Vermont has also been slow to adopt even the outpatient behavioral therapies shown to have positive impacts on meth addiction.

State health officials argue that invest ing in treatments for one specific drug addiction over another could lead to a more rigid system that fails to address the many underlying reasons people turn to drugs in the first place.

But Rawson, the UVM professor, said Vermont’s existing drug treatment system already focuses on opioids over stimulants, and until that changes, people who identify primarily as cocaine and meth users are unlikely to enter treat ment at high rates. They will instead continue using, raising their risk of a fatal encounter with fentanyl.

The effects have already been felt: Nearly two-thirds of the 77 people who died from overdoses in the first five months of 2022 had either meth (six) or cocaine (41) in their system.

Rawson’s now working in the Burling ton area to help establish new treatment programs based on an idea pioneered by another UVM professor decades ago. It’s called “contingency management,” and it involves offering people rewards such as prepaid debit cards when they meet certain treatment goals. The strategy has become the gold standard for outpa tient stimulant-addiction treatment,and Rawson said he’s seen it work out west.

Safe Recovery plans to soon launch a program for stimulant users who frequent its syringe exchange service. Kirby and her colleagues, meanwhile, are starting their own program, and though it’s open to all types of substance users, five of the first seven enrollees said they were struggling with meth, Kirby said. Rawson hopes success in these programs will convince Vermont to invest more in stimulant treatment programs statewide.

As they look ahead, service providers, treatment counselors and law enforce ment officials all seem unsure whether Vermont’s meth problem will worsen. Nikolas Kerest, the state’s U.S. attorney, offered perhaps the clearest distillation of their dilemma.

On one hand, the extent of the meth problem in the rest of the country would suggest Vermont is in for more, he said. On the other, the sheer ubiquity of fentanyl makes it hard to imagine meth or any other drug overrunning the market anytime soon.

“It’s hard, at least for me, to square both of those realities in [my] mind at once,” Kerest said. m

elected to Vermont’s lone seat in the U.S. House in 2006. The Norwich resident has been a reliably progressive Democrat, supporting abortion rights, gun control and efforts to combat the climate crisis.

Welch announced his intention to run for Leahy’s seat in November 2021, just a week after Vermont’s senior senator announced his retirement.

Malloy, 60, grew up in a Catholic family in the Boston area, the eldest of nine kids. He attended West Point, served 22 years in the Army, mostly as a field artillery officer, and retired as a major.

He served in a battalion that fought to liberate Kuwait, launching 650 rockets against Iraqi positions. He also helped train thousands of National Guard troops prior to their deployments and worked in Manhattan after the 9/11 terrorist attacks to help organize the military’s response in New York.

After retiring from active duty in 2006, he held emergency management roles before going to work for defense contractors. Among his positions was a job in business development for Raytheon Technologies, one of the largest aerospace and defense conglomerates in the world. Malloy said he still works part time for a smaller defense contractor, which he declined to name.

He and his wife and kids were living in Baltimore in 2020 when, after months

of being cooped up working and studying remotely, they decided to move to south ern Vermont.

Malloy said he’d visited the state often as a kid, including for skiing and snow mobiling, and was familiar with the area through his supervision of ROTC units in New England, including at Norwich University.

His family bought a remodeled 1910 hunting lodge in Weathersfield on 80 acres in August 2020 and settled into what they hoped would be their final

While Leahy’s retirement may have planted the seed for Malloy’s senatorial aspirations, Trump clearly tilled the soil. Malloy said he wishes Trump were president today and thinks Russia would not have invaded Ukraine if Trump were still in office.

“I think president Trump was a great president for our country,” Malloy told WVMT radio.

Trump’s electoral loss was initially difficult for Malloy to accept, he said, given how the vote count appeared to be heading in Trump’s favor on election night. Asked whether he believes Trump was fairly elected or the election was stolen, he answered: “I believe Presi dent Biden is the president, and he was installed as president.”

home after decades of relocating for the military. Three of their four children now attend Vermont schools.

Some have labeled Malloy a carpetbag ger for deciding to run less than two years after arriving in Vermont.

“The timeline really indicates that he moved here to run,” said Jim Dandeneau, executive director of the Vermont Demo cratic Party. Malloy, meanwhile, insists there was “not a twinkling in my eye of running for public office” until he learned the Senate seat would open up.

Malloy wanted to attend the January 6 rally but couldn’t because of work and family obligations. Asked about his attrac tion to a Stop the Steal event that turned into a violent attack on the U.S. Capitol, Malloy said he just wanted to hear Trump speak.

Like many other pro-Trump conserva tives, Malloy is concerned about election integrity and thinks using paper ballots — and getting rid of voting machines — would improve the process. He favors doing away with universal mail-in voting, which Vermont now enjoys.

Malloy, though, has voted by mail for years, during his military service and

Childcare Providers: State Has Erected a Barrier to Retention Bonuses

BY ALISON NOVAK • alison@sevendaysvt.com

When Dawn Irwin, director of the Essex Junction childcare center Growing With Wonder, learned last month that the state had finally released an online application for early childhood educator bonuses, she was excited.

The payments — $1,000 for full-time employees and $500 for part-timers — are part of a $7 million package approved by the Vermont legislature last spring to help providers retain their workers; the pandemic has exacerbated dire staff shortages. Irwin knew her five full-time teachers were banking on the bonuses to pay for critical expenses such as car repairs and medical care.

But after reading the fine print of the 26-page application, Irwin left her office in tears. As it turned out, the Child Development Division of the Vermont Department for Children and Families — the state agency handling the bonus program — is requiring childcare providers to pay bonuses to staff members out of their own funds and then wait to get reimbursed by the state.

“It really felt like a slap in the face,” Irwin said.

That’s because Growing With Wonder, like most childcare centers, operates on a razor-thin profit margin with little money budgeted for unanticipated expenses. The state hadn’t told providers they would have to front the money.

This system has erected a barrier to ac cessing the funds that have already been al located in Vermont’s budget, said Dominique Collins, a veteran early childhood educator who teaches at Growing With Wonder. “If our small center can’t front the bonus amount for our small number of staff members, I’m sure larger programs are having a similar problem,” she said.

Julie Buechler, director of Ascension Childcare in Shelburne, confirmed that.

Ascension has 11 full-time and four part-time employees who are eligible for the bonuses, which means Buechler would have to pay $13,000 in bonuses — plus another several thousand dollars in payroll taxes, before getting any of the state money. Furthermore,

she said, auxiliary staff who are critical to the operation of childcare centers, such as office managers and cooks, don’t qualify for the funds.

Buechler said she’s planning to apply for the bonuses but won’t distribute the money to employees until November due to budgetary constraints. The state is providing childcare centers with the option of paying staff in smaller installments over a longer period of time, she said, but she believes her staff would benefit more from the lump-sum option.

A 2020 incentive program made accessing the money simpler and more straightforward, Buechler said. Centers simply reported how many full- and part-time workers they had, and the state gave them the funds to distribute.

Miranda Gray, deputy commissioner of the Child Development Division of DCF, wrote in an email that it’s customary for her agency to use the reimbursement model for grant programs such as this one. Participating programs can expect reim bursement later this month or in November, she said. Gray did not respond to a ques tion about what options providers have if they lack the money to front the bonuses.

That’s the dilemma that Growing With Wonder director Irwin is grappling with. She’s contemplated giving one educator per month the $1,000 bonus to spread her out-of-pocket costs. But she’s not even sure she can afford that.

Meanwhile, teachers “are feeling really hoodwinked,” Irwin said. “They understand that right now I don’t really know what to do, and they don’t want me to put the busi ness in a precarious place … but they also desperately need these funds.”

Collins said the reimbursement model feels insulting to her.

“Requiring already struggling busi nesses to pay bonuses to their staff up front only to struggle while they wait to be reimbursed is kicking these business owners while they’re already down,” she said. “Unfortunately for many, this could be the final straw to force centers to close when we already have such a shortage of childcare spaces in our state.” m

Important medical decisions should be guided by a person’s health and wellbeing, not by a politician’s beliefs. Now that Roe v. Wade has been overturned by the Supreme Court, state level protections of our reproductive autonomy are more vital than ever.

In Vermont, that means passing Article 22, the Reproductive Liberty Amendment, to explicitly enshrine the right to reproductive health care in our state constitution.

Growing With Wonder in Essex Junction

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afterward. While living in Baltimore, he voted by mail for a decade in Massachu setts; he was registered to vote in Wren tham, where his family owned property.

Malloy initially told Seven Days he voted for Trump in Weathersfield in 2020, not long after moving to the state. After being informed that he didn’t register to vote in Vermont until November 24 — three weeks after the election — Malloy said he had misspoken and acknowledged voting by mail in Massachusetts. He noted that he voted in Weathersfield this year on Town Meeting Day and in the primary election.

Malloy deflects questions about Trump and January 6 because he, like other Republicans, wants it both ways, Dande neau said. During the primaries, they want to tap into the anger and conspiracy theories that rile the Republican base, but then they try to appeal to a more moderate general election audience. Now, Dande neau said, Malloy is shifting his positions as he tries to win a race involving the broader electorate.

Malloy is open about being anti-abor tion, even in cases of rape or incest. But his answers about whether he would support a nationwide ban on abortion have shifted.

Asked by two different interviewers during the primary whether he would support a nationwide ban, he said he would. He

quickly qualified those answers by saying a nationwide ban is not necessary in light of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to strike down Roe v. Wade

But now, Malloy said, he would support neither a nationwide ban nor a law protecting a woman’s right to an abor tion. The issue is before the states, where it belongs, he said.

Malloy’s position on abortion makes him an “extreme outlier” on the issue, said Welch, who joined an impromptu rally

SOME HAVE LABELED MALLOY A CARPETBAGGER FOR DECIDING TO RUN LESS THAN TWO YEARS AFTER ARRIVING IN VERMONT.

for abortion rights on the June day the Supreme Court struck down Roe.

“It’s a woman’s right; it’s not a state’s right,” Welch said. “It’s up to a woman, wherever she lives, to make that decision.”

Welch made those remarks last Friday following a roundtable on reproductive rights attended by U.S. Sen. Amy Klobu char (D-Minnesota), a presidential candidate in 2020. Klobuchar was in

Burlington to stump for Welch and stress the importance of electing a pro-choice Democrat to replace Leahy.

Klobuchar said allowing states to decide on abortion would create a patch work of laws. Even Republicans in places such as Kansas are rejecting restrictions, she noted.

“His opponent is not in keeping with a huge swath of where moderate Repub licans are,” Klobuchar told Seven Days of Malloy.

Malloy noted that his campaign is about far more than just abortion and voting reform. He also wants to block some of Biden’s environmental initia tives, which he called a “crusade to kill the oil and gas industry.” He wants to rein in inflation by cutting federal spending and the $31 trillion deficit that he says is driving it. He thinks the country should finish the wall on the southern border with Mexico, lock up criminals, properly fund the police, and get tougher with Russia and China.

Malloy is also seeking to paint Welch’s long tenure in Washington, D.C., as a liability, belittling his record and suggest ing he is benefiting from his time there to enrich himself.

Welch has faced criticism for trading stocks in companies regulated by congres sional committees on which he serves.

A recent New York Times analysis flagged eight stock trades Welch reported

Gerald Malloy talking to a skeptical Chris Gluck in Stowe

that involved possible conflicts of inter est. These included sales of stock in tech giants such as Cisco and medical device manufacturer Medtronic. Welch oversees those industries as a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Welch was also late in disclosing his wife, Margaret Cheney’s, sale of stock in ExxonMobil worth $6,238 last September.

A spokesperson for Welch said he has “consistently supported ethics reform and transparency in government.” He and Cheney no longer own individual stocks, and Welch supports a bill prohib iting members from owning them, the spokesperson said.

Dame, the VTGOP chair, said the trad ing conflicts nevertheless underscore Welch’s vulnerability as someone out of touch with struggling Vermonters.

“Peter Welch is running into trouble,” Dame said.

But at the Stowe Foliage Arts Festival, it was Malloy who was running into voters who found his positions troublesome. The event drew thousands to admire the handiwork of local artists against a back drop of autumnal splendor blanketing the slopes of Mount Mansfield.

Dressed in a crisp white shirt, maroon tie and tweed sport coat with a military service pin, Malloy introduced himself to jeweler Annika Rundberg of Winooski and asked what issues were important to her.

“Women’s reproductive rights,” she replied without hesitation.

Malloy explained that there was noth ing in the U.S. Constitution about such rights and that he supports states being able to decide such matters for them selves, as they would on this upcoming

Election Day. A Vermont ballot measure called Article 22, for instance, would enshrine “personal reproductive autonomy” in the state constitution. A recent poll showed that three-quarters of Vermont voters support the measure, also known as Proposal 5.

Rundberg initially appeared confused by Malloy’s answer, but after a few more clarifying questions, she wrapped up the conversation. After Malloy moved on, Rundberg told Seven Days she is adamantly opposed to politi cians inserting themselves into medical decisions made by a woman and her doctor.

“I think it’s bananas,” Rundberg said.

Chris Gluck of Underhill, an art instruc tor selling collages, listened politely as Malloy recounted how he marched in her town’s parade. Malloy also noted that he enjoys the support of someone else from Underhill — Ellie Martin.

Martin is an anti-abortion activist and Trump supporter who helped organize a bus trip to D.C. to attend the January 6 rally. Gluck nodded and smiled weakly as Malloy spoke. Afterward, she said the association was disqualifying.

“I’m not for him at all,” she said.

Jonathan Hart handed Malloy’s card back to him after learning of his posi tions, telling him to give it to someone who might support him. The Charlotte photographer said he knew the conver sation was hopeless when Malloy would not call the January 6 riot an insurrec tion. Malloy acknowledged that some protesters turned violent and those who did should be prosecuted, but Hart took that as downplaying the tragic events.

“He would just not own what I think he should own,” Hart said. m

U.S. Rep. Peter Welch and

Progressive Predicament

Burlington’s left-leaning party is down two members on the city council

BY COURTNEY LAMDIN • courtney@sevendaysvt.com

Two Progressive Burlington city councilors have resigned in the last few weeks, leaving the party shorthanded until at least March 2023.

did win reelection, but only after failing to find someone else to run for her Ward 1 seat.

The rapid downsizing comes just seven months after the Progs pulled out enough victories on Town Meeting Day to keep six seats on the 12-person council. And it raises ques tions of whether the party has lost momentum amid a spike in crime that some have attributed to Progled decisions to cut the size of the city police force more than two years ago.

POLITICS

Special elections for the now-vacant seats in Ward 8 and the East District could hold the answers. Both positions have seesawed between parties since the council created them during redistrict ing in 2015, so fierce competitions are anticipated.

Ali House, the Progressive who most recently held the Ward 8 seat, won elec tion in March. But the recent University of Vermont grad stepped down last week, saying that “several serious situations” made it difficult for her to serve, without elaborating. Her seat won’t be filled until a special election on Town Meeting Day in March 2023.

East District councilor Jack Hanson, meanwhile, called it quits in mid-September to apply for a job with the Burlington Elec tric Department. Hanson had held the seat since 2019, when he defeated incumbent Democrat Richard Deane.

The future of that seat will be decided on December 6, when Dina John, a Progressive, faces off against Maea Brandt, a Democrat. Jake Schumann, who unsuc cessfully lobbied for both parties’ nomi nations, plans to run as an independent. Early voting begins on October 24.

Josh Wronski, executive director of the Vermont Progressive Party, pointed to John as somebody who embodies the party’s values. The 22-year-old Kenyan immigrant grew up in Burlington, gradu ated from UVM and now works in the city. She defeated Schumann at the Progs’ caucus meeting on Saturday, and Wronski said her candidacy has rallied the troops.

“Progressives are fired up and ready to get to work,” Wronski said.

In her speech to members of the party on Saturday, John described the adversity her family faced when they moved to

Vermont in 2004. Her father didn’t know English, and her mother worked two jobs so that John and her siblings could attend private Rice Memorial High School, which John said was better equipped than public school to teach immigrant students. She said her upbringing taught her “that I had to make my own change.” Her priorities include tackling the city’s affordable housing crisis, homelessness and transportation.

“I’m 22 years old, and I know for a lot of people that’s worrisome: ‘How long would this person stay on this job? Is this person experienced enough?’” she said. “I can not only advocate for the issues, I’ve experienced them myself.”

Wronski said John is a powerful voice for the party, which, before the recent resignations, had been enjoying a

resurgence that began in 2019. That year, Hanson and Progressive newcomer Perri Freeman (Central District) defeated two moderates on the council. The momentum continued for two more years as the Progs gained members on the council and used their newfound power to reinstate rankedchoice voting. They also passed a measure to ban no-cause evictions, although it was later vetoed by Gov. Phil Scott.

In March 2021, Max Tracy, then the Progressive council president, challenged Democratic incumbent Mayor Miro Wein berger — and came just 129 votes short of unseating him.

But earlier this year, Tracy didn’t run for reelection in Ward 2. Progressive Ward 8 councilor Jane Stromberg also bowed out, citing struggles with mental health. Another Prog, Zoraya Hightower,

The pandemic certainly changed the dynamics of serving. And the caucus has faced significant backlash for leading the June 2020 vote to reduce the size of the police force through attrition. Officers left faster than anticipated, and some Burlingtonians blame the dearth of police for an increase in certain crimes. Progs and others say that’s a false narrative, citing the nationwide surge in drug use and violence in the wake of the pandemic.

Prog council members have since voted to reverse the police cuts and have approved bonuses to attract and retain cops.

Yet Adam Roof, chair of the Burling ton Democratic Party and a former Ward 8 councilor, thinks Burlingtonians have taken notice of Progressives’ “major fail ures.” He also thinks Progressive leaders don’t thoroughly vet their candidates, pointing to the recent resignations as proof. The Dems, meanwhile, make sure people interested in running know what to expect on the campaign trail and in public office, he said.

“It is stressful. It does take a lot of time. It’s hard to prepare for,” Roof said of council work. “But I think it’s the job of the party to communicate [that].”

Wronski doesn’t think there’s waning enthusiasm for his party. He compared the council turnover to what’s happening in the Vermont legislature and statewide races this year, which he said “highlights just how challenging it is for anyone to be in these positions.”

But Wronski also acknowledged that the party’s preferred candidates — young, working-class people, particularly those from historically marginalized communi ties — may struggle more than others to balance their council duties.

“That’s just the nature of the type of people we’re recruiting, and I think that’s a good thing,” Wronski said. “The council role is challenging, and we haven’t, as a society, totally figured out a way to fully support, especially working-class people, in these roles.”

Councilors are paid a meager $5,000 annual stipend for their large workload. Then-councilor Stromberg proposed an increase, but it didn’t happen; Wronski thinks the city should revisit the issue. m

Ali House

Dina John

Maea Brandt

FILE: DARIA BISHOP

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From air conditioners to x-rays, check our A-Z list and learn how to dispose of, recycle, or reuse items and materials you no longer want.

Now serving you with eight Drop-Off locations in Chittenden County.

Visit cswd.net for locations and materials accepted.

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OBITUARIES

Gary Roitman

MARCH 22, 1945NOVEMBER 28, 2021 WINOOSKI, VT.

Gary Roitman, 76, passed away on Sunday, November 28, 2021, in Winooski, Vt., due to complications from Parkinson’s disease. He is the son of the late Pearl (Scholnick) and Itzhak Roitman of Montréal, Québec, and brother of the late Anne Feehan (Paul) of Key Biscayne, Fla. Gary is survived by his best friend of 24 years and devoted wife of 18 years, Sadie KhouriRoitman; brother, Herschel Roitman; brothers-in-law, Paul Feehan, Dr. Rustom Khouri (Mary), Wafic Khouri (Saada) and Mounir Khouri (Karen); Samuel Khouri (deceased) (Ghada) and Chris Khouri (deceased) (Diana); and several nieces and nephews.

Born in Montréal, Gary was a remarkable and beloved “genius.” As a young man, Gary pursued business communications, management and advertising at Concordia University in Montréal. His personal success was the direct result of his positive, personal relationships with his clients. He earned several awards for excellence in business advertising and leadership; launched numerous new products; wrote company catalogs, business course guides and training brochures; and produced well-praised media kits for use in sales. As a cofounder of G. Roitman & Associates, along with the Savior Faire Advertising Company, he generated increased revenue for his clients, such as Ford Motors, De Beers Diamonds and Busch Gardens, through his approach to brand recognition and sales.

Gary loved blackjack (which he mastered), traveling, fine dining, great wine and the New York Times crossword puzzles. Gary was a go-to guy for friends, family and clients at any time of the day or night, for any problem or reason. Gary was a one-of-akind listener and was always willing to provide heartfelt advice, though it was often cloaked in his dry wit.

Above all, Gary loved his wife, Sadie. ey met during one of her visits to Montréal, and he ultimately moved to Vermont, where they were married in 2003. ey shared many of their days operating the school she founded in South Burlington, Vt., known as the International Children’s School. For Gary, this was a new adventure that he approached with enthusiasm. e students truly loved him and would seek out his wisdom and good nature.

Gary was calm, patient and generous to a fault. He loved kids of all ages, animals and those in need. His kindness and love were evident, and he will be greatly missed.

A follow-up graveside service will be held at Resurrection Park, 200 Hinesburg Rd., South Burlington, VT 05403, on ursday, October 20, 2022, at noon.

Pan Costa-Mangina

OCTOBER 2, 1992-OCTOBER 7, 2022 WINOOSKI, VT.

Pan Fenris Costa-Mangina was born on October 2, 1992, to his loving parents, Anne-Marie Costa and Tony Mangina, and was later joined by his devoted step-parents, Matthew Tanner and Adrian Mangina. He came into this world a footling breech baby, which set the tone for his challenging path in this life.

Pan was a wildly brilliant human who excelled academically. He was acerbically funny and liked to push the boundaries of propriety in his commentary on life or politics. He was an incredibly talented artist who worked in many mediums, including computer graphics for video games, digital illustration, colored pencils, watercolor and even needlepoint. From an early age, he was gifted with computers, building them and making music on them. If Pan picked up a guitar, a mandolin, an electric bass or a ukulele, he could

play it. He was both self-taught and quiet about his musical prowess. He spent many hours a day connecting with people from around the world on creative projects.

Pan was a man of few words, but those who took the time to get to know him were the better for it. He was a slow burn who worked his way into the hearts and minds of his friends and his family. We treasure having had him among us.

He leaves behind his four loving parents; an older sister, Uma Belili CostaMangina (Kevin Garrity); younger brother Ozazl CostaMangina, and his girlfriend, Aliah Roberts; brother Furious Joseph Tanner; cousins Nico Rhiannon Tanner-Garret and Miles Avery Tanner; his cousin, best friend, champion and constant companion, Justin addeus Tanner; dear friend Courtney Fuller; his grandmother, Pamela Y. Cotant; and his step-grandmother, Denise Costa.

Ozzy and Pan had a contentious relationship in their teen years, which

evolved into one of the most profound connections possible between two brothers, saving each other’s lives both figuratively and literally. To listen to them banter at family parties was more hilarious and entertaining than anything on TV.

Pan was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 10, and we know that every day after that was a gift. He also struggled with addiction, which robbed him of the ability to see how truly gifted he was and stole the opportunity for him to fully express his full potential on this planet, and eventually stole his life.

One thing is known: He is deeply loved and will be sorely missed by innumerable family and friends. You know who you are, and we appreciate the friendship and love you hold for Pan and for our whole family.

A service will be held at LaVigne Funeral Home, 132 Main St., Winooski, VT, on Wednesday, October 12, from 5 to 8 p.m. ere will be a potluck reception at Burlington Cohousing immediately following the service.

e address is 29 East Village Dr., Burlington, VT.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the American Diabetes Association at diabetes. org/?form=donate, or to Burlington’s Safe Harbor at chcb.org/donate.

Betty Ellovich

JULY 10, 1928OCTOBER 4, 2022 SHELBURNE, VT.

Mrs. Betty Ellovich, 94, of Shelburne, passed away peacefully on Tuesday evening, October 4, 2022.

She was born on July 10, 1928, in San Diego, the daughter of the late Gustave and Grace Schneider.

Having grown up as an only child on a farm in Pensacola, Fla., Betty left home to attend Stetson University, where she studied literature. When she was not immersing herself in the works of Chaucer and Shakespeare, Betty became known for dancing the jitterbug. Her intellect, grace, humor and beauty caught the attention of a young Joseph Ellovich, whom she

later married. Joseph and Betty raised two children, Susan and Wendel. Susan Fay now lives in Fletcher, Vt., and Wendel Foerster lives in New Zealand.

Betty ran an antique business that she started at age 30. When living in Jacksonville, Fla., she sold antiques at shows in cities from Miami to Asheville, N.C. After moving to

Vermont, she sold antiques throughout New England and New York.

Betty lived a loving, accomplished and eventful life. She boastfully shot an alligator, she taught English, she was a fierce advocate for reproductive rights, and she studied fencing, where she was the only woman in her class. Her knowledge and fervor for antiques (and

jewelry) and the stories and history behind them were clear to all. She was a true expert in her field. Apart from antiques, she loved her garden in Weybridge.

She loved her grandchildren with all her heart and spoiled them endlessly. Her tremendous love for her family was like no other. e elegant style and impeccable rhythm that Betty effortlessly displayed on the dance floor in her twenties and thirties carried on until her last days. When she heard music, she moved, sang and illuminated the space around her.

In addition to the family members listed above, Betty is survived by her six grandchildren and six greatgrandchildren. Her family misses her dearly and will continue to celebrate her memory.

Mary Elizabeth Spypeck

JUNE 30, 1960SEPTEMBER 20, 2022

NORTH FERRISBURGH, VT.

Mary Elizabeth “Betsy”

Spypeck, 62, of North Ferrisburgh, Vt., died on September 20, 2022. She was born on June 30, 1960, in Holyoke, Mass., to her proud parents, Thomas J. and Christine Skypeck. Mary Elizabeth, known to many as Betsy, was her daddy’s little girl and a protective big sister to her beloved broth ers, Thomas, Andrew and Christopher.

A voracious reader and lifelong learner, Betsy began her formal education at St. Mary’s School in Ware, Mass., followed by Wilbraham and Monson Academy, where she received the student athlete

Ellen Reid

MAY 11, 1927SEPTEMBER 29, 2022 SHELBURNE, VT.

Ellen Page Reid, who championed adult literacy, delivered breech lambs, and embraced friends and family with the same fierce strength and generosity, died at the University of Vermont Medical Center, after a short illness, on September 29, 2022.

Ellen was born in Hyde Park Vt., on May 11, 1927, the daughter of Proctor Hull Page and Sara Smith Page. She grew up in Hyde Park and Burlington and gradu ated from the University of Vermont. In 1949, she married Howard Driscoll Reid, and they settled in Randolph,

award. A National Merit Scholarship recipient, Betsy earned her undergraduate degree from McGill University and obtained a master’s degree in social work from Fordham University. The early focus of her career was early childhood education, and she worked for many years at the Greenwich Head Start Program while a resident of

Greenwich, Conn. Betsy con tinued to advocate on behalf of children for her entire pro fessional and personal life.

A culinary artist, Betsy cooked and baked with the same heart and gusto with which she lived, always trying new and interesting ideas and graciously winging it when the need would inevita bly arise. A strong supporter of local farmers and food ven dors, Betsy was a food man ager in both the Charlotte Central School and Hinesburg Community School and fostered a sense of belonging among the children she fed and the staff she led. More than anything, Betsy enjoyed cooking for family and friends and sharing her tremendous skills, most particularly with her adored nephew, Mike, and third-generation sous chef and beloved great-niece, Aliyah.

Fittingly, Betsy was drawn to the stoic beauty of Vermont, where she met, fell in love with and married a gregarious and grateful Irishman, John D. Gallagher, whom she easily charmed with her beauty, endless kindness and biting wit. Betsy became a dear friend and stepmother to John’s grown children and “Moppy” to twin grandsons Liam and Riley. Together with their dog, Dewey, they made a lovely home in the quiet of North Ferrisburgh for well over a decade, loving and caring for each other through countless great times and some extraor dinarily difficult times, with laughter — finding joy always, through illness and unto death, as promised.

Mary Elizabeth is pre deceased by her father, Thomas J. Skypeck, DDS; her

husband, John D. Gallagher; and too many lucky dogs to list.

Betsy is survived and greatly missed by her parents, Christine and David Johnston of Massachusetts; adored brothers, Thomas Skypeck of South Carolina, Andrew Skypeck and his wife, Fabiana, of Utah, and Christopher Skypeck of Massachusetts; nephew, Michael Skypeck, and his fiancée, Laura Rose; and grandniece, Aliyah, of Maine. She is also survived by John’s children, Luke Gallagher of Vermont and Cara Gallagher and her fiancé, Derrick LaMarche; and her “Boyos,” Liam and Riley Gallagher of Vermont; as well as her sisters and brothers-in-law, and in love, Maura and Michael Callanan of South Carolina,

Kate Gallagher of Vermont, Colleen and Scott Ritter of New Jersey, and Erin and Kevin Campbell of New Jersey. And, of course, her wonder dog, Honey. Betsy is missed by so many.

Family and friends are invited to a memorial service in celebration of Betsy’s life on Friday, October 14, 2022, beginning at 5 p.m. at the Bixby Memorial Free Library in Vergennes, a place of beauty and books, kindness and comfort for Betsy. In lieu of flowers, memorial dona tions may be made to the Bixby Memorial Free Library, 258 Main St., Vergennes, VT 05491, or at bixby.library.org/ donate.

Services were entrusted to the Crematorium Society of Chittenden County in Burlington, Vt. Online condolences may be left at cremationsocietycc.com.

Vt., where they raised their four children. Ellen was very involved in the family farm, tending sheep and pigs, and keeping a big garden with all of the canning and preserving that went with it. In the early 1970s, she began working at Central Vermont

Adult Basic Education and went back to the University of Vermont to earn a master’s degree in education. Literacy became her passion. She continued to work for Adult Basic Education for a number of years, as a teacher and then as an administra tor. She also served on the Randolph School Board and the board of the town’s Kimball Public Library. Once an English major, always an English major, Ellen also ed ited local news for the White River Valley Herald Ellen always made the Reid farm a welcoming place for family and friends and frequently added more pasta to the pot when unexpected guests arrived for meals. Friends and cousins loved spending a weekend or a

vacation with Aunt Ellen, even if it involved processing bushels of beans for freezing, splitting winter wood or iron ing a stack of laundry.

She and Driscoll were involved in starting up Pinnacle Ski Ways, a local ski hill in Randolph. Ellen downhill skied until she was in her late eighties. She had many travel adventures, from camping trips in the family Airstream to traveling around the globe with her husband and children. Her curiosity and caring for the people she encountered along the way enriched the lives of everyone involved.

Ellen also loved the fam ily cabin, Pumpkin Rim. She never missed a trip to the pond and loved morning coffee and looking over the

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fog-bound valley, as well as hosting gatherings with fam ily and friends on the deck.

She was devoted to her children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and their children, and she kept the connections alive by attending weddings and vis iting far-flung relatives. She recently delighted in seeing her three great-grandsons, whether in person or on a phone screen.

Ellen lived her last 18 years as part of the Wake Robin community in Shelburne, where she had many friends, took up woodworking and silversmithing and where she is remembered, in particular, for her welcoming of new residents and years of faithful service providing compan ionship to residents of Wake

Robin’s nursing home. She frequently voiced her deep appreciation of the caring staff.

Ellen was predeceased by her husband, H. Driscoll Reid, and her son Proctor Reid. She is survived by her son Stephen Reid and his wife, Judith Irving; her daughters, Jane Ellen and Susan Reid; Proctor’s widow, LaDawn Naegel; 12 grand children and step-grandchil dren; six great-grandsons; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held in Randolph in the spring of 2023.

Arrangements are being han dled by Day Funeral home, 4 Franklin St., Randolph, VT.

Online condolences may be left at dayfunerals.com.

Post your obituary or in memoriam online and in print at sevendaysvt.com/lifelines Or contact us at lifelines@sevendaysvt.com or 865-1020 ext. 142.

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CHOICE WORDS

In November, Vermont voters will decide whether to amend their constitution to guarantee the right to an abortion within state borders. Although a potential federal ban would trump the local protection, it’s one thing Vermonters can do to defend their “reproductive liberty” — a term, some warn, that has no legal definition. This feedback is in response to a September 28 story in our 2022 Election Guide entitled “Lasting Changes: Revisions to Vermont’s Constitution — Dealing With Slavery and Abortion — Are on the Ballot This Fall.”

In early July 2022, more than 100 clergy and laypeople of the United Church of Christ in Vermont signed a letter in response to the United States Supreme Court’s decision in the Dobbs case that overturned Roe v. Wade . This letter included: “We believe that all people have a right to determine what one does with one’s own body, recognizing the difficult and painful yet life-supporting and sustaining necessity in making the decision to have an abortion. This is a statement rooted in our Christian faith which opposes any policy, precedent, statement or law that limits a human being’s right to bodily autonomy deter mination, dignity and respect.”

Within Christianity, there’s a diversity of understandings about what our faith requires. Moved by our faith as laity and clergy in the United Church of Christ, we affirm God’s gift of free will and proclaim our support for reproductive liberty. Not in spite of our Christian faith, but because of it, we encourage every Vermonter to vote in favor of Proposal 5/ Article 22, Reproductive Liberty Amend ment, to the Vermont Constitution.

Rev. Debbie Ingram Rev. Kevin Goldenbogen Rev. Karen Lipinzyck Margaret Campbell Sally Kerschner

The individuals above represent the Reproductive Liberty Task Force of the Vermont Conference of the United Church of Christ.

I am deeply troubled by Proposal 5/ Article 22, which would write into Vermont’s constitution that late-term abortions will be legal for any reason — or no reason at all. This is not common sense to me.

There is no reason to do something so radical as to make it easy and legal to abort 7-, 8- and 9-month-old babies who could live outside the womb. Taking a life at this stage — whether it is inside or outside the mother’s abdomen at this point — is inhumane.

We don’t need to become the only state in the country to embody this in our constitution. The recent U.S.

Supreme Court Dobbs decision did not abolish abortion rights; rather, it said that each state should make its own laws regarding abortion. And Vermont already has laws in place that allow abor tion in the first and second trimesters.

Even the majority of European coun tries, which some consider to be more progressive than the United States, have set a reasonable time limit for abortions.

A vote against Proposal 5 doesn’t take away anyone’s rights. Rather, it keeps Vermont a sane and humane place to live.

Jennifer Coleman RUTLAND

One of the worst effects of this law may be legalizing the deaths of newborn babies. If a woman gives birth, then decides she doesn’t want to be a mother, the infant could be left to die so her right to “reproductive liberty” isn’t violated. Being pro-choice would now mean approving the abandonment of newborns.

Far-fetched? That’s the problem. No one knows what “reproductive liberty” actually means — not until the law is used as a basis for litigation. Once again, a woman’s reproductive health would be in the hands of the courts.

This law should not be passed. It should be rewritten to say what Vermonters want it to say.

Douglas Hoffman BURLINGTON

If passed, Article 22, aka Proposal 5, would enshrine unlimited abortion in the Vermont Constitution. Current state law permits unlimited abortion up to and

deceitful, relying on such language as “That an individual’s right to personal reproductive autonomy is central to the liberty and dignity to determine one’s own life course...” Many would not find that objectionable, since the word “abor tion” is not included.

Proposal 5 would effectively shield abortion providers from state oversight or regulation, potentially leading to harm for young girls and women.

Polling of Vermont residents on abor tion revealed that around 87 percent support some restrictions that Proposal 5 would prevent.

Voters should consider whether unrestricted abortion is a value they want included in their state constitution as a reflection of a culture of death rather than life.

James Mathias Jr. WATERBURY

I want to commend Kevin McCallum for writing a clear and thoughtful article about Proposal 5 (which is actually Article 22 on the mail-in ballots that were sent out recently). I am so glad he pointed out “there seems little risk” that Vermont would restrict abortion. Vermont has one of the most liberal laws when it comes to abortion. Many news sources and ads do not mention this in their sales pitch to Vermonters.

Many of you have received ballots that ask you to vote on Article 22, a proposal to amend the constitution with pro-abortion language. If approved, it will be added to the 21 articles of our state constitution. Essentially, this would ensure that abortions at any stage, even up to the moment of birth, would become part of our Vermont Constitution.

We’re told Article 22/Prop 5 is all about abortion rights and choice. But the words “abortion” and “choice” aren’t mentioned in the legislation. Instead, the phrase “reproductive liberty” is used, and no one can tell you exactly what that means.

If you’re a man, it just might mean you finally get a seat at the reproductive rights table. If your partner is abortionminded but you aren’t, you may be able to sue to stop her from violating your “reproductive liberty.” Then again, if you want her to have an abortion but she’s not abortion-minded, you may be exempt from all future financial obliga tions because she violated your “repro ductive liberty.”

including the moment of birth, as long as the baby dies before taking a breath.

While its supporters claim this is simply a women’s right to choose, the potential ramifications of such a radical initiative are significant. No other state in America has ever passed such an extreme constitutional amendment. It would effectively prevent future legislatures from passing laws that would limit abor tion in any manner. It would bar restric tions based on advances in embryology or psychological and physical effects on mothers. It would prevent the passage of any law that would recognize the parental rights of the father or parents.

The wording of the proposal does not reveal the underlying intent and is

Unlike with a bill introduced in the legislature, it would not be easy to make changes to Article 22. Only senators could introduce changes to an amend ment. Thirty senators need to agree to vote on changes to the amendment, and a two-thirds majority is required before any changes are made. Due to the large majority of pro-abortion senators in our Vermont legislature, the chances of changing this amendment once it becomes part of our constitution are minimal at best.

Do we want to be known as the state that slaughters innocent babies?

Please vote no on Article 22!

Andrea Peden

life forms. To date, over 600 species have been identified after being observed and photographed from our yard.

We are definitely not alone. I, too, would not assume that things we see flying near us automatically come from space. I am obsessed with UFOs of the insect world. No abduction yet, but I wouldn’t mind being carried away by a dragonfly.

Bernie Paquette JERICHO

credit union and support our local finan cial community.

Alan Matson BURLINGTON

VOTE HIM OUT

[Re Feedback: “Council’s Fault]: In response to the letters on September 21 criticizing the Burlington City Council for our current problems, I would like to propose a solution. When I moved to Burlington in 2008, the problems we are having now barely existed.

Name: Dawn Marie Ellis

Age: 53

Town of Residence: Burlington

Occupation: Entrepreneur, Vermont Human Rights Commissioner, Researcher, Creative

Party affiliation: Independent Website: DawnEllisforVT.com

What will be your top priority in office?

Protect rights for all to take care of ourselves and our children, including in health, education, community and privacy. Freedom to act without experiencing violence, interference, or retaliation, including in speech, voting/running for office, and travel. I will fight so all may live, love, learn, and thrive without fear.

How would you address political polarization in the Senate?

‘NO’ ON MERGER

[Re “In Era of Mergers, Vermont’s Small est Banks Stay Attuned to Customers’ Needs,” March 30]: Doing a bit of online research, I see that currently Vermont State Employees Credit Union has a “sustainable” rating, at least in part because it doesn’t invest in fossil fuel companies. It also keeps 100 percent of its money in state.

In contrast, New England Federal Credit Union, with whom the proposed merger would occur, currently keeps only 80 percent of its money in Vermont and does indeed invest in fossil fuel compa nies. This makes it very easy for me to vote no on the proposed merger.

David Ellenbogen CALAIS

The merger vote referenced in the letters above will take place on November 8.

PERFECT COMBO

Two of the five finalists, including the winner, of this year’s Daysie award for best bank/credit union have proposed merging. The merger documents for the merger of New England Federal Credit Union and Vermont State Employees Credit Union have recently been sent to VSECU members for their approval. As a VSECU member, I am totally in support of this merger.

Earlier this year, Seven Days did an article on small and local banks that spoke directly to the issues involved in this merger [“In Era of Mergers, Vermont’s Smallest Banks Stay Attuned to Customers’ Needs,” March 30]. The article highlighted the balance between having a personal touch that comes from being a local institution and being able to support larger community borrowers, such as community cooperatives and affordable housing projects.

The merger between two locally grown and managed cooperatives — VSECU and NEFCU — would achieve this balance.

I would encourage all Vermonters to become a member-owner of a Vermont

Since the election of Mayor Miro Weinberger in 2012, things have gotten progressively worse. In the last mayoral election, he only won by 129 votes, or 43 percent, which suggests there is grow ing dissatisfaction with him. He needs to focus less on expensive development projects and more on the safety and needs of those who live and work here.

The next mayoral election is the first Tuesday of March 2024.

Jack Daggitt BURLINGTON

LAST WORD

[Re “Lit Party,” September 21]: A shout-out to the board and sponsors of the Green Mountain Book Festival two weekends ago in Burlington! So many people worked long and hard to bring it to fruition, from board members and private donors to volunteers, all along the way. The events were well chosen and organized, from keynote speak ers Ruth Ozeki and Shanta Lee Gardner to the array of panels on various categories of books to the readings, discussions and more.

As a Vermont author, I was pleased to be included in a panel and a reading and especially pleased that the festival lifted up and focused on Vermont writers. What a pleasure to meet and greet old and new colleagues and to feel a real part of this vibrant community of artists.

Nancy Hayes Kilgore BURLINGTON

CORRECTIONS

Last week’s story about PCB testing in schools, “Up in the Air,” misstated the deadline for the program. Statewide testing must be completed by July 1, 2025.

Dawn Marie Ellis’ answers to the U.S. Senate candidate questionnaire were unintentionally omitted from our 2022 Election Guide. Find them in a “house ad” on this page.

As an independent researcher, human rights leader and small business person, I speak across political differences. With experience serving Vermonters and the nation, I will highlight our common humanity and work on shared American needs. I’ll call out broken policies while offering innovative solutions, no matter who is in power.

How should Congress address rapidly rising health care costs?

1) Wellness: Ongoing people-directed investments to stay well, get moving, connect and find balance; 2) Upstream: address housing and healthy food insecurity; 3) Protect: Dis rupt systemic healthcare aggressions harming groups: inferior/excessive or weaponized diagnoses, treatments, providers, practices, and public health policies; 4) Business equity: Solo-entrepreneurs access businesses healthcare exchanges choices.

Would you support banning members of Congress from trading stocks while in office?

I support the Ban Conflicted Trading Act as described to avoid both conflict and the perception of conflict of interest.

Building a Workforce

Vermont is trying to bolster the ranks of skilled workers to construct housing, but it will take time

BY ANNE WALLACE ALLEN • anne@sevendaysvt.com

Lily Lukaszevicz doesn’t remember her guidance counselor, or anyone else, suggesting she pursue construction training when she was a high school senior in Lancaster, Mass.

“Everyone just sort of got fast-tracked to ‘What college are you going to?’” Lukaszevicz said. “They didn’t ask, ‘Do you want to go to college?’”

After graduating in 2017, Lukaszevicz studied communications at Champlain College but soon realized that she didn’t enjoy sitting through classes there any more than she had in high school. She wasn’t good at taking tests, and she didn’t relish the idea of spending her working life at a desk.

So after three semesters, Lukaszevicz left college and took a job at Starbucks. She was quickly promoted to supervisor but saw little potential for growth. Then she learned from an electrician friend about the training programs in the construction trades at Vermont Works for Women, a nonprofit organization in Winooski.

“I didn’t love the classroom setting at school, but I did miss learning new things,” she said.

Seven Days is examining Vermont’s housing crisis — and what can be done about it — in our “Locked Out” series this year. Read all the stories and check out our Vermont Housing Resources Guide at sevendaysvt.com/ locked-out. Send tips to lockedout@ sevendaysvt.com.

ese stories are supported by a grant from the nonprofit Journalism Funding Partners, which leverages philanthropy and fundraising to boost local reporting. For more information, contact Cathy Resmer at cathy@sevendaysvt.com or visit jfp-local.org.

She got a scholarship to take a two-month course that included time in a classroom and on the job with a custom home builder in Richmond. Last November, she found a full-time carpentry job at Lewis Creek Builders, which also specializes in custom homes. Lukaszevicz loves the work.

“Every week leaves you feeling good about yourself,” she said. “I wish I had done this sooner.” She declined to disclose her pay but said her benefits include two weeks’ paid vacation, a week of sick time and a 401k retirement plan.

As a shortage of workers hampers the construction of new homes, Vermont companies are working overtime to find more employees such as Lukaszevicz — people who didn’t initially choose a career in the building trades but discovered an a nity for it.

Vermont has a housing crisis, and the limited supply of homes has pushed prices ever higher as buyers bid against one another. The median sale price of a single-family home rose to $422,000 in July, a 17 percent increase from the year before.

The state simply needs more homes and apartments — but lacks the construction workforce to build them. The Vermont Department of Labor estimates that the state requires 5,000 new carpenters to meet demand in the next 10 years, or an additional 500 each year. And that’s just carpenters. Vermont needs more electricians, plumbers, roofers, heating and ventilation specialists, and masons, too.

“It’s unbelievable how much work we have turned down this year,” said Greg Wallace, who owns Sticks & Stones Construction, a small firm in Marshfield. He recently hired two carpenters who just moved to Vermont, even though they will need further training. “Everyone is looking for help.”

The shortage of construction workers has spurred e orts this year to attract more people to the trades. Lawmakers have bolstered programs that teach these skills. Private businesses are expanding their training — and paying workers to take it. They’re also adding benefits such as health insurance and retirement plans, and boosting pay so that tradespeople can earn more than some white-collar workers with college degrees. Wallace is o ering carpenters up to $35 an hour, the equivalent of a $68,250 annual salary assuming a 40-hour week, with paid time o and a 401k with a 3 percent company match.

IT’S UNBELIEVABLE HOW MUCH WORK WE HAVE TURNED DOWN THIS YEAR.

EVERYONE IS LOOKING FOR HELP.

GREG WALLACE

Nevertheless, Vermont’s demographics make recruiting young people to the trades a problem without an easy answer. With one of the oldest populations in the country, the state lacks a large pool of potential new construction workers. Rebuilding the workforce is expected to take a long time.

White or Blue Collar?

Dick Wilcox, president of VHV, a Winooski plumbing and HVAC contractor with 200 employees,

remembers warning sta ers at a 2018

entry-level people was tough,” Wilcox said.

Things have only gotten tougher. Today, to bring in more applicants, Wilcox and others at VHV visit schools and career-technical educational centers to talk to students about HVAC and plumbing trades. They also give presentations to school boards and community groups about the benefits of technical education.

Wilcox said he works to dispel the belief that a four-year degree is the safest bet for an emerging high school graduate.

“Parents are key,” Wilcox said. “They’re the ones always pushing their sons and daughters to pursue a college degree, even when it’s quite obvious that some just aren’t going to go to college, and if they do, they’ll fail.”

One challenge: Construction work is often physically demanding. After a day spent digging ditches or crouching in a dusty attic, a job in hospitality, programming or the medical field can look more appealing.

“It’s tough, and not everybody sees that as attractive,” said Jim Bradley, a builder who works with the Vermont Builders & Remodelers Association.

clear for years that the state’s population was stagnant and aging.

“Even at that time, the quantity and availability of craftsmen and

Still, some people finish their college degree programs only to decide that they’d rather work in a trade. Wallace, the Marshfield contractor, graduated from art school and worked as a commercial photographer for years before he learned carpentry and started his company. He said there are many paths to competency.

his

Amy Lester took one of those alternate paths. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in counseling but was drawn to the idea of working for herself. So she trained at Vermont Works for Women in 1998 and

Elliott Lester on a jobsite in Winooski

Lily Lukaszevicz of Lewis Creek Builders unloading materials at a jobsite in Huntington

Building

went to work as a housepainter. After being sidelined by an injury, she spent many years as a gender equity coordinator at the Central Vermont Career Center. But about eight years ago, she resigned and returned to painting. With contractors in such short supply, she can earn enough to survive with just part-time work.

Lester’s 25-year-old son, Elliott, has also found his way to the construction trades. He studied culinary skills in high school and went to work in a restaurant. But after several years, he joined a former coworker who’d gone on to a roofing job because the pay was better. Elliott felt at home right away: He enjoys working outside, doesn’t fear heights and likes the satisfaction of finishing a job that’s been done well. He works year-round and earns $25 an hour.

In high school, he said, he felt pressured to go to a four-year college and doesn’t remember hearing much about options. He wishes he’d learned the building trades back then. “I’d have an even better job now,” he said.

e Worker Supply Chain

Vermont’s supply of construction workers never really recovered after the 2008 housing crash that ushered in the Great Recession, according to Matt Musgrave, government a airs director at the Associated General Contractors of Vermont, a trade group. The Associated General Contractors of America has reported that about 17,000 people were working in the construction trades in Vermont in 2000, a number that dropped to about 13,000 by 2010. Many people who left never returned to the field.

These days, Associated General Contractors estimates Vermont’s construction workforce stands at about 15,000, a number the trade group would like to see grow by 1,000 annually for the next five years.

The association and its members have spent millions of dollars in the last few years on job fairs, online job boards — including a new site created by the group — and other measures to attract workers, Musgrave said.

These e orts have helped draw about 2,500 people into the construction field this year. But about 2,000 leave Vermont’s construction workforce each year through retirements, job changes or moves out of state.

By the Numbers

$57,000

Average annual pay for

15,000

Estimated size of

5,000

e number of new carpenters

2,000

Number of workers who leave

construction

45

Average age of a construction worker

Sources: Vermont Department of Labor; Associated General Contractors; Vermont Talent Pipeline

Musgrave said that 500 net gain comes from Vermont’s limited pool of young people — and to increase that number, the state has to look elsewhere. “What we need to do is attract some people from outside of the state, as well.”

The trades aren’t unique; Vermont has an overall workforce deficit — and the housing shortage is often cited as one of the primary reasons it’s di cult to attract new residents and workers.

“We could insert almost any category of jobs or skill sets into this conversation,” said Betsy Bishop, president of the Vermont Chamber of Commerce. “I hear it everywhere.”

The problem is more urgent in the construction industry because billions of dollars in federal COVID-19 emergency funding and infrastructure dollars have flooded Vermont. The money is being used to build roads, fix bridges, create

electric vehicle charging stations, bring broadband to rural areas and improve wastewater systems to promote housing growth. All that building requires workers.

Lack of training opportunities is not the primary issue, Bishop said: “The real problem is that we do not have enough people going through the training programs. Therefore, we don’t have enough people going into the construction industry.”

Seeking greater social and work opportunities, many young people leave Vermont. A recent Washington Post article listed Vermont as the No. 1 state for what it called “brain drain,” followed closely by West Virginia and New Hampshire.

The problem is exacerbated by the state’s low birth rate. Gov. Phil Scott noted in an interview that Vermont has

30,000 fewer kids in its schools than it did 20 years ago.

“That’s 30,000 fewer kids coming into the workforce,” he said. “The math is the math.”

Workforce growth in the sector is going to be slow, Scott said — and it’s going to rely heavily on attracting new working-age people to the state. The Vermont Talent Pipeline, a group of employers and public agencies aiming to align workforce skills with the needs of the economy, puts the average age of a construction worker in Vermont at around 45.

new skills puts

“There comes a time when they’re not going to be able to do it anymore, and I don’t see enough of our youth coming in,” Scott said.

His administration did create a program that invited would-be new residents to visit Vermont to learn about job and housing opportunities, but it stalled during the pandemic. Another state initiative reimburses some moving costs for people who move from out of state to take a job.

However they get to Vermont, newcomers confront the state’s housing crisis. If they find a place to live, they’re lucky. If they want or need to renovate a home, they’re having a tough time getting help.

Locals aren’t having much luck with their home projects, either. For example, Wallace, the Marshfield builder, said he’s booked out until 2024.

“I want to build a new house next year, and I’m trying to get them to return a phone call,” Pat Moulton, director of workforce development for the Vermont

Dragan Jakovljevic (left) and Kaden Luster working on a house site in Cabot for Sticks & Stones Construction

State College System, said of her search for a contractor. “They don’t have any time, and they can’t find the people.”

e House at Students Built

Chris Welch, a residential building instructor at the Center for Technology in Essex Junction, is building a 2,800-square-foot house from top to bottom with an oversize crew: 28 high school students, way more than a typical jobsite would use.

It’s been crowded on the second floor, where students are busy with interior work, but Welch is happy to have so many hands on deck. The number of applicants to the school’s building trades program has grown from 20 in 2017 to 58 this year.

Carpenters and others in the building crafts have long learned on the job. But building has become more specialized in recent years, and now formal certifications — particularly those related to safety — are all but required on most jobsites.

They’re part of the curriculum at Vermont’s 17 school-based career and technical education programs, which serve as regional hubs for school districts. About a third of Vermont’s high school students take at least one class at the centers.

Welch thinks students are doing a good job of spreading the word about his homebuilding class, which is now at work on its 29th house in a development on land owned by Essex High School. The high school kids have been building the homes, which are sold through a real estate agent, since 1976. Nevertheless, area high schools still seem reluctant to encourage students to try the program, he said.

Many schools have a financial disincentive to do so. State education dollars follow students from their home districts to the technical programs they learn in.

“Sometimes there is hesitancy from schools to bring up the idea of tech education because of the funding issue,” Welch said.

The Scott administration hopes to change that, and the legislature’s Joint Fiscal O ce is studying the issue with the hope of producing recommendations in January.

Welch and others who teach in career-technical programs do see signs of hope. Students have paid attention to the well-publicized problems of college debt, and many are determined not to end up owing tens of thousands of dollars for a degree of dubious value.

When Jeremi Lyford, the career development coordinator at Randolph Technical Career Center, talks to students about

trying out career-technical training, they don’t seem interested in the details, such as whether they’ll need additional training post-high school, he said.

“They want to know how much money can be made,” Lyford said. “They just want to know what the bottom line is.”

The pay for construction work varies. Lyford said one of his students, now a 22-year-old electric utility lineman, made $118,000 last year. The Vermont Department of Labor said the average annual pay for a construction worker last year was $57,000, about 3 percent higher than the average salary in Vermont.

“The trades could really appeal to students if it was laid out for them that ‘Hey, you can make a lot of money right o the bat,’” said Lukaszevicz, the former Champlain College student who now works as a carpenter. “You don’t have to go through four years of school and hope you get a good job in the field you want. You can dive right into doing it without futzing around.”

That’s why Champlain Valley Union High School student Spencer Cousino, 17, decided to enter the Essex program. “Financially, it makes the most sense,” Cousino said.

Last year, the students started their work on bare land, framing the home. Now, they’re inside building walls and completing more detailed interior work.

Cousino, who uses “they” pronouns, said their parents support their decision not to go to college — at least not right away. Cousino likes the sense of independence that comes along with mastering new skills.

“You save so much money by knowing how to do things like this,” they said.

ReSOURCING Workers

Increasingly, businesses are ready to provide training. Companies such as VHV build it into the job, letting workers choose a track and paying them to learn. Next month, a half dozen of Vermont’s larger home-building companies will start a new weekly construction training program at ReSOURCE, a Burlington nonprofit that provides job training.

The 18-month program was organized by the Vermont Talent Pipeline. It will provide entry-level workers with a type of group apprenticeship that leads to a carpentry certification. The goal is to help participants qualify for higher-skilled positions, said Mary Anne Sheahan, the pipeline’s executive director.

“Construction companies have a lot

THE TRADES COULD REALLY APPEAL TO STUDENTS IF IT WAS LAID OUT FOR THEM THAT “HEY, YOU CAN MAKE A LOT OF MONEY RIGHT OFF THE BAT.”

LILY LUKASZEVICZ

Spencer Cousino, a student at the Center for Technology, Essex

Students building a new garage at the Center for Technology, Essex

of people retiring in the higher-level positions, and the only way to get to those positions is to go the carpentry route,” Sheahan said. “If you have got those skills and you’re good at what you do, the career options are great.”

The companies in the program are competitors, but the labor crisis has brought them together to find common solutions, said Chet Layman, vice president of South Burlington-based PC Construction, which employs 400 people from Maine to Florida.

He said that while the program won’t help companies find new workers, it should help them retain employees by providing them a path toward more responsibility. Retention is as big a problem as finding workers in the first place, he said.

“We hire someone, and they don’t show up for the first day,” Layman said. “Or they last two days and say, ‘This is not for me.’”

Several nonprofit groups also provide free or low-cost job training. In addition to Vermont Works for Women, the Richmond-based Vermont Youth Conservation Corps hires up to 300 young people each year to work on public service projects and learn on the job.

These construction programs also teach communication and basic job readiness, such as dressing appropriately and showing up on time. Wilcox, of the Winooski company VHV, and many others in the construction business said they can’t find enough people who understand the commitment that a job demands.

“It seems like most employees’ jobs are secondary to what they want to do in life,” said Wilcox, who graduated from college in 1976. “It’s almost like you have to beg for them to come to work and be there on time and put in a full day.”

Culture Shift

There’s been an explosion of theories about work habits and trends such as the Great Resignation and “quiet quitting” — a term that emerged over the summer to describe the ways in which workers prevent their jobs from becoming a ruinous grind. As the Gallup organization describes it, quiet quitting is meeting the requirements of your job but not going beyond them.

To engage employees who choose not to hustle for advancement, academics and HR managers have been seeking to

summarize what workers are looking for, and why.

In the construction business, some managers theorize that young people just aren’t as willing as their predecessors to tolerate the physical demands and exposure to the elements that are inevitable on a building site. They also expect to have more time with their families.

“I do believe they have a di erent work ethic, though maybe it’s a better work ethic,” said Layman, of PC Construction, who described himself as a “60-plushour-a-week person, unfortunately.” He graduated from college in 1986.

“Maybe they have a better sense of the balance of life than our generation has,” Layman said.

“But we do want them to show up five days a week,” he added. “We, the older generation, have to become more educated on what motivates them and try to work that into our methods for our organization.”

Similarly, recruiters don’t really have a way to reach workers who follow unusual paths to the trades or come and go from the professions.

Dave Torres, for example, worked as a musician for many years before he discovered masonry when he o ered to help a friend take apart a chimney in 2006. Something about working with brick and stone had immediate appeal.

“I was giddy,” said Torres, 40, who now works year-round for a masonry company in Stowe. His skills are in such demand that Torres gets several calls a week from friends of friends wondering whether he can take some work on the side.

Cultural reasons prevented some

people Torres knows from choosing the trades, he said.

“I think it’s too blue-collar for most of the people who grew up around here who aren’t already in it,” Torres said. “They encounter people who are not like them in the field — a personality that can be really abrasive to the very sensitive Gen Z ‘Why don’t you care about my well-being at work?’ kind of person.

“The attitudes,” he said, “just don’t seem to line up.”

Vermont Opens Its Toolbox

Gov. Scott is well aware there’s a stigma attached to pursuing vocational education and is actively trying to dispel it. Before his current full-time job, he worked in construction for 35 years. Some of his recent speeches have included anecdotes about his experiences in the machine trades program at Barre’s Spaulding High School.

“I can say from my own personal experience that I know it’s not always easy to choose the [career-technical] track, even when it’s your passion,” he said at a press conference over the summer at Green Mountain Technology & Career Center at Lamoille Union High School in Hyde Park.

He’s made noncollege career preparation a priority of his administration. Vermont had about 2,000 people in apprenticeships last year, according to the state Department of Labor. Graduates are expected to see their wages rise at twice the state average over the next four years.

This year, the state Department of

Labor got an additional $1 million to support its registered apprenticeship programs and will add four new ones — including carpentry — to its roster of more than 200. Employers who sponsor apprentices qualify for tool and equipment reimbursements up to $300.

The Scott administration also plans to use $15 million to create a grant program that would help students at careertechnical centers renovate properties in their communities. And the Agency of Education is planning a $1 million publicity campaign showcasing the appeal of the trades.

In an interview, Scott described himself as a hands-on learner who was well suited to the trades. Although he earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Vermont and planned to teach, he soon started working for his uncle’s Middlesex excavation company, DuBois Construction. He bought the company with his cousin Don DuBois in 1986 and owned it until he became governor in 2017.

Scott’s face brightened when he talked about some of the personal projects he has worked on recently — including a small addition to his home and a tree house for his family’s two huskies that he built over the summer using wood left over from the first project. His work as governor, he said, doesn’t always o er the tangible sense of accomplishment that building does.

“I can look back and tell you stories about almost each and every project we built, small to large,” he said of his construction company. “It’s not for everyone, but it’s lucrative and it’s satisfying.”

Dave Torres working on a fireplace in a new home under construction in Stowe

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A Warm Welcome

With patience and an open ear, Joe Wiah leads refugee resettlement in southern Vermont

BY JENNIFER SUTTON

On a recent Saturday afternoon near Brattleboro, Joe Wiah went to a party. Among the guests were several Afghan families who moved to town in January as refu gees. Wiah, 49, is the director of ECDCVT, a branch of the Ethiopian Community Development Council, one of the refugee resettlement agencies working with the U.S. government to bring thousands of Afghans to safety following the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021. Wiah had met these families and others during their first weeks in Vermont, when they were exhausted, traumatized and anxious about their future in a state that most of them had never heard of.

Less than 10 months later, Wiah watched as a handful of kids at the party played and ran around.

“They were so open and speaking English so well after such a short period of time,” he said. “It made me proud. Who knows what would have happened to these kids if they had stayed in Afghanistan?”

Today, more than 100 Afghans call Brattleboro home. Close to 25 others have settled in nearby Bennington County.

The Vermont office of the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants has been welcoming refugees to the Burlington area for more than 40 years, but when Wiah was hired by ECDC in September 2021, the southern part of the state was new terri tory for refugee resettlement.

Wiah jumped into discussions with dozens of community leaders and govern ment officials, built volunteer networks, and developed partnerships with local business owners to help refugees secure housing, jobs and medical care.

According to Will Belongia, executive director of the Vermont Community Loan Fund, Wiah “led our state’s response to the world’s call” to support evacuated Afghans. Belongia made that declara tion at a September 28 ceremony where he presented Wiah with the Vermont Community Foundation’s annual Con Hogan Award, which celebrates leaders who “envision a better Vermont and seize the responsibility to make that vision real.”

Wiah said he is glad to see ECDC’s efforts receive recognition, but he brushed the grand appellations aside. He is the kind of leader who introduces his colleagues

before saying anything about vision or a better Vermont.

Recently, Speaker of the House Jill Krowinski (D-Burlington) visited the ECDC’s Multicultural Community Center, which serves as a gathering place for refugees in Brattleboro, and asked how the legislature could help in its upcoming session. Wiah had a list of points to talk about: housing, job retention, education. But first, he looked around the room.

“This is Jill Williams, our center manager,” he said, introducing some of the ECDC staff. “This is Sohaila; she does community engagement. Eduardo is our community engagement and communi cations manager; Ursula coordinated our summer programs; Noori is our finance assistant; and Abdul is our new employ ment specialist.”

Three of the six employees Wiah introduced were Afghans who had come to Brattleboro as refugees just months earlier.

“I’ve tried to build a team that is multi cultural,” Wiah said later. “When this Afghan program started, we knew there would be some very skilled, educated

people coming in who could help us understand how to work with our new residents and strengthen our programs.”

Besides necessities, such as signing up families for food stamps and rental assis tance and making sure there was furniture in their apartments, those programs have included English classes, sewing work shops, field trips, job-coaching sessions, driving lessons, Quran lessons, videos on how to take the bus and mail a letter, and an upcoming exhibit and celebration at the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center.

Tracy Dolan, director of Vermont’s State Refugee Office, called Wiah’s work in the past year “a really heavy lift.” She noted that Brattleboro community leaders had already been laying the groundwork for refugee resettle ment, but Wiah was tasked with opening up a new office, building staff at a time when it was hard to hire people and then actually welcoming refugees.

REFUGEES

“Normally, refugee resettlement is spread out throughout the year, but the Afghans came very quickly and in concentrated numbers,” Dolan said. Wiah “stayed calm in the face of a lot of chaos, and that’s a really great quality to have,” she continued. “And because he has been through this himself, he knows what it means to come into the country and have to acclimate and adjust to a whole new world.”

Wiah grew up in Liberia, in the small coastal city of Harper. When civil war broke out in the late 1980s, his family, like many others, escaped to a small village in the region. After a few years, the war appeared to subside, and Wiah’s mother gave him a choice: go to school or become a farmer like his peers in the village.

“She had never gone to school, but she understood the value of education,” Wiah said.

At 15, he left his family to attend a Catholic high school back in Harper. But soon the war escalated again.

“We would look out the window in class and see fighter-bombers flying over the city on their way to bomb the port,” Wiah said. Eventually, the school shut down, and Wiah fled to the Ivory Coast on his own. “I knew nobody,” he said. “I had to navigate the system like everyone else.”

Joe Wiah

DAVID SHAW

Perhaps that’s what helps make Wiah “a deep and sensitive listener,” which is how Williams, manager of ECDC’s Multi cultural Community Center, characterizes him. Williams was an ECDC volunteer when dozens of refugees started arriving in Brattleboro in January and were tempo rarily housed on the unoccupied School for International Training campus. “There was nobody who was overlooked by Joe, whether they were a toddler or an elder,” Williams recalled.

After high school, Wiah took vows to become a priest; he studied at seminar ies in Nigeria and Tanzania and earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Kenya. When he returned to Liberia, he decided not to pursue the priesthood but remained dedicated to his faith.

He worked for Catholic Charities in the capital city of Monrovia, managing programs that disarmed child soldiers and helped them reintegrate into their communities. And he worked for Don Bosco Children’s Homes, a Catholic orga nization that provides educational and training programs to children and teens.

In 2012, Wiah, by then a father of two, enrolled at the School for International Training Graduate Institute in Brattle boro, where he earned a master’s degree in intercultural service, leadership and management.

“Vermont was a good fit for me,” he said. “I wanted to challenge myself, learn how Americans live, understand American culture. And even though Vermont is a predominantly white state, it is a liberal state where no one questions you easily about the color of your skin or the way you speak.”

Wiah also thought the “quiet living environment” he found in Brattleboro would be good for his children, and he

HE KNOWS WHAT IT MEANS TO COME INTO THE COUNTRY AND

TO ACCLIMATE AND

TRACY DOLAN

began the process of trying to bring them to Vermont from Liberia — a process that is still ongoing.

Meanwhile, he found work at Pathways Vermont, an organization that advocates for people who are homeless, dealing with mental health issues or returning to community life after serving time in prison. He was also a case manager at Southeastern Vermont Community Action, where he helped individuals and families across 15 Vermont towns access housing and food resources.

Now, at ECDC, Wiah ties all those threads together. He and his current staff of 14 navigate a state social-service system that is stretched thin, a housing market that is historically tight, and community partners who are energized and want the best for their new neighbors.

TO

WHOLE NEW WORLD.

In Vermont, ECDC is piloting what it calls a “cosponsorship” model of refugee resettlement, in which local volunteers shoulder many of the logistical respon sibilities for helping families integrate. That approach is needed in part because “southern Vermont is a region that has not resettled refugees for a long time, and we don’t have the institutional capacity to deal with all the complexities quickly,” Wiah said.

The collaboration is crucial — but can also get messy and frustrating. It’s a chal lenge, Wiah admits, but one that, overall, demonstrates the high level of commit ment among ECDC’s volunteers. “The welcoming,” he emphasized, “has been huge.”

“Joe is a patient man — he doesn’t panic,” said Dr. Tsehaye Teferra, president

and CEO of ECDC, which he founded nearly 40 years ago. “In this line of work, you have to be very, very patient, because things are never going to be the way you planned them.”

Teferra was happily surprised by the amount of community support for refu gee resettlement in southern Vermont, even before he hired Wiah. The criticism today comes mainly from those who ques tion the wisdom of bringing in refugees when the state is immersed in a housing shortage.

“‘Let’s take care of our own,’” Wiah has heard people say. He understands the concern but noted, “We don’t ask the same question when someone drives their car across the border into Vermont.

“People move to Vermont because Vermont is a nice place,” he continued.

“But in those situations, we don’t know who is coming. And those people are competing for the same resources, too.”

Refugees, Wiah asserted, are the people who will help the Vermont economy survive.

“It’s a win-win situation,” he said. “People flee war and persecution, and we create a space for them to be here with us, building a community. But look at our state: Young people are leaving; we’re struggling with our workforce.

“The best thing is to have refugees who can integrate into our communities,” he maintained. “If we welcome refugees as we are doing now, we are not only helping other people, we are also helping our own environment, our own communities, our own government. The benefit is not only for refugees, but for ourselves.” m

Disclosure: Jennifer Sutton currently volunteers with several Afghan families resettled by ECDC-VT.

INFO

Learn more at facebook.com/ ecdcmccvermont.

Joe Wiah

SHAW

Let’s work together.

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Seams to Be

BY KEN PICARD • ken@sevendaysvt.com

At first glance, the squiggles printed on bolts of blue, green, yellow and black fabric look like abstract patterns. But if you’re a frequent hiker of Vermont’s tallest peaks, you might recognize that the wavy white lines mimic the topographic maps of Camel’s Hump, Mount Mansfield and Mount Ellen.

These newly printed cotton-twill fabrics are being turned into bandanas and hair scrunchies at Fourbital Factory, a new, state-of-the-art apparel manufacturing plant in Burlington’s South End. The 12,000-square-foot facility, which shares a building with Lake Champlain Chocolates, opened in May and has already hired about 30 employees, with more positions to fill.

On a recent factory tour, company founder and creative director Carey Strobeck explained that the bandanas and scrunchies are part of Fourbital’s in-house brand, called 4T2D (pronounced “fortitude”), which also includes beanies, zippered pouches and tote bags.

These items in the 4T2D Fundamentals line, which are relatively simple to produce, serve as training tools for new employees, many of whom had no prior experience in commercial sewing. As staff become more experienced, they’ll move on to making more complex garments, such as T-shirts, vests, coats and sweatshirts.

“It takes about 2,000 hours for someone to go from knowing nothing about sewing to being an accomplished sewist,” Strobeck explained. “There’s still a lot of learning to happen.”

To get there, Strobeck and her management team have created an in-house education program — essentially, classrooms within the factory itself — to build a workforce of skilled garment workers, for Fourbital and other local companies. In addition to manufacturing its own prod ucts, Fourbital is producing items contracted by other local apparel brands. And they’re doing it sustainably, using fabrics that, whenever possible, are sourced domes tically and made from natural and repurposed fibers. Ulti mately, Strobeck hopes consumers will be willing to pay slightly more for higher-quality, longer-lasting garments manufactured locally and responsibly.

In a sense, Fourbital is trying to resurrect a piece of Vermont’s past. As recently as the 1940s, Vermont was a textile hub, manufacturing fabrics for the U.S. garment industry. For years, the woolen mills in Winooski

were the state’s largest employers. At the height of production during World War II, they employed more than 3,000 workers who ran looms around the clock, producing military uniforms and other fabrics for the Allied war effort.

But after the mills shut down in the 1950s, Vermont’s textile industry all but vanished. A handful of Vermont companies, such as Northfield’s Darn Tough Vermont,

to the U.S. With a management team that includes five people with backgrounds in teaching — Strobeck has a master’s degree in education — the company teaches a program called Fundamentals of Industrial Sewing & Production. Developed by the Industrial Sewing and Innova tion Center in Detroit and taught at other companies in such cities as Seattle, Baltimore, Nashville and Indianapolis, FISP will benefit not just Fourbital but other Vermont apparel brands and technical schools.

“I have grandmothers that worked in the fashion industry,” Strobeck said. “There is a desire to bring [the industry] back. But you can’t bring it back if you don’t know how to do it.”

One of the first things a visitor notices upon entering Fourbital is that it’s not what people might envision as a typical clothing factory. Unlike the industrial sweat shops found overseas, Fourbital is modern, bright and airy. The production floor hums with activity, but it’s not noisy. The room is clean, with ample windows that provide natural light.

Some of those windows offer a view from the factory floor into the company’s soon-to-open retail shop at the front of the building. Strobeck said those windows will also allow consumers to see the people they’re supporting when they purchase products made at Fourbital.

As Strobeck explained, Fourbital is competing against “fast fashion,” an industry term that refers to apparel that’s inexpensive, rapidly produced, low quality and meant to be discarded quickly. Fast-fashion clothes are often made from fossil-fuel derived synthetic materials and manufactured in facilities that exploit workers and lack strong environmental safeguards.

Fourbital is doing things differently. The company uses mostly natural fibers, such as wool from Maine, and postconsumer materials, such as beanie pompoms made from recycled plastic bottles. It’s also using semisynthetic fabrics, such as Modal and Tencel, which are derived from wood, bamboo and cactus leather. Semisynthetics are especially useful in making athletic wear, Strobeck explained, because they’re durable and provide good wicking and thermal regulation.

Eventually, Fourbital will produce some of its own recycled fabrics in-house. In the back of the building near the company’s loading dock is a storage room that will soon house a machine that converts fabric waste into felt and yarn.

“There’s a lot of waste in apparel manufacturing,” Strobeck said. “There are other small [apparel] brands in Vermont, and we’d love to take their waste, too.”

When this reporter visited, almost everyone on the factory floor was engaged in skills development; Fourbital is cross-training its entire staff to perform different jobs, both to break up the monotony and to prevent repetitivemotion injuries.

which makes and sells socks, still produce apparel in the state. But more than 97 percent of all garments and shoes sold in the U.S. are made overseas, predominantly in Asia, according to the American Apparel & Footwear Associa tion. In offshore factories, especially those in developing countries, production costs are significantly lower, and environmental and labor protections substantially weaker.

Fourbital is part of a nationwide effort to reverse that decades-long trend and bring apparel manufacturing back

In fact, almost everyone at the company is learning something new. Neither Strobeck nor Jordan Leach, Fourbital’s brand and operations manager, had previ ous experience in apparel manufacturing before they launched the business last year.

“I’m not an accomplished sewist. I’m more of a bigpicture creator,” Strobeck said. “I’ve always had an interest in apparel for adventurers and joy seekers, the kind of clothes that you can hike [Mount] Philo, then go out to lunch in.”

A 48-year-old New Jersey native who moved to Vermont a decade ago, Strobeck and her husband, Matt, own Delta Properties, a Burlington real estate investment firm whose properties include the South End building

Fourbital Factory employee Kate Voorhees

that houses Zero Gravity Craft Brewery. When they heard that Champlain Chocolates was moving some of its Burlington operations to Williston and had space available in its Pine Street facility, Strobeck jumped at the opportunity.

A former college athlete who played hockey and lacrosse at St. Lawrence University, Stro beck said she has dreamed for years of starting her own line of activewear for people who want clothes that are functional and fashionable.

“I’ve always loved to look great while I’m doing things,” she said with a laugh. Strobeck grew up with three older brothers and often wore their hand-me-downs. She and her husband have four kids of their own — hence the name Fourbital.

Strobeck’s management team includes some people with professional sewing expe rience. Production manager Kat Whitledge, who joined the company in July, is a tailor by trade and previously made custom women’s clothing under her own brand, Kat Whitledge Basics & Bespoke.

In the training classroom, Whitledge, who also has a master’s degree in education, had laid out swatches on a table, which she uses to teach employees how to create different widths of fabric. Despite her tailoring experience, Whitledge has a learning curve of her own; making even a basic T-shirt can involve four different pieces of machinery.

“Each industrial machine does one thing and does it well, but it does it a lot of different ways,” she explained. “So we’re just figuring out what we have in our arsenal.”

Just months after opening, Fourbital has already begun manufacturing items for other Vermont brands, including Burlington-based headware company Skida; Fourbital is now making Skida’s neck gators, aka “tours.”

Skida founder and CEO Corinne Prevot said that, while her company hires other Vermont vendors to manufacture its products, she’s excited to be working with Fourbital, which is less than a mile from her office.

“It’s so awesome to have a capable and state-of-theart facility just down the street,” Prevot said. “Carey’s

vision and her focus on education is super inspiring, and that’s what’s going to set Four bital apart.”

In the future, Strobeck said, she envi sions other local companies using her facility to prototype new products before making them there or sending them on to larger manufacturers.

The company has already begun creating a pipeline of future apparel manufacturers with help from the state. According to Susan Nostrand, Fourbital’s strategic development coordinator, the company was awarded a $92,000 Vermont Training Program grant, as well as a $25,000 grant, the latter of which paid for summer internships for one college student and four high school students. Nostrand is also discussing future partnership opportunities with the Center for Technol ogy, Essex; Vermont Technical College; and Vermont State University.

“We need to get more people into the sewing trades. There’s a lot of demand in this area,” Nostrand said.

The final piece, Strobeck said, will be getting the public on board when Fourbital’s retail store opens in November.

“We’re educating the consumer, too,” she added. “Be conscious of the dollar T-shirt you buy, because there’s a reason it’s only a dollar.” m

INFO

Learn more at fourbitalfactory.com.

Fourbital employee Joe Domoracki

food+drink

Balancing Act

How Vermont restaurateurs strive for the elusive work-life equilibrium

BY JORDAN BARRY & MELISSA PASANEN jbarry@sevendaysvt.com, pasanen@sevendaysvt.com

On October 4, when Charles Reeves and Holly Cluse announced the upcoming closure of Penny Cluse Café, their beloved downtown Burlington breakfast and lunch spot, Reeves told Seven Days, “I always thought there would be a time in my life where I’d step away from it, have a regular life for a while.”

Working in the restaurant business, especially as a chef and co-owner like Reeves, does not make for a regular life. Even a restaurant that doesn’t serve in the evenings, such as Penny Cluse, still greedily consumes weekends.

Reeves said the pandemic did not end

Penny Cluse’s 25-year run, explaining that “The ultimate decision to move on was more of a personal one, to spend more time with my family.” It’s a refrain all too familiar to those in the hospitality industry.

The push-pull dynamic predates the pandemic but has intensified over the past two years. Reeves acknowledged this added strain on the restaurant sector: “Since the pandemic, I’ve been in the kitchen,” he said, “and then, like, trying to run the restaurant in my spare time.”

workers to step o the merry-go-round.

Along with the hardship that presented for some, the forced pause allowed time for reflection and career redirection.

WE REALLY JUST WANTED TO SIMPLIFY.

One result is a chronic staing shortage. According to a June 2022 report by Bentobox, a company that provides technology services to restaurants, the sector’s initial heavy workforce losses due to COVID-19 have persisted as the economy slowly recovers.

“restaurant workers returned in smaller numbers, many of them leaving for other industries.”

Multiple factors are driving this shift.

A March 2022 Pew Research Center survey revealed a trend, though: Across all sectors, a majority of people who landed new employment during the pandemic described their current job as providing better work-life balance than their former one.

For those with lifelong restaurant careers, switching to a new field is not always an option. But adjusting the demands of work could be.

“Once we shut down, everyone realized that life could be simpler,” said Andrew Machanic, chef and co-owner of the Swingin’ Pinwheel Café and Bakery in Burlington, which he and his wife, Wendy Piotrowski, closed in April 2021 to open a doughnut bus. The couple had taken the rare opportunity presented by the pandemic to consider, Machanic said,

The pandemic shutdown obliged many

“Even after enhanced unemployment benefits expired,” the report reads,

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Fresh doughnuts from Sweet Wheels Donuts on its last weekend of the 2022 season

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Off the Rails at

One Federal to Open in St. Albans

A beloved space in St. Albans is heating up once again. SHAWN CAREAU (pic tured) will open OFF THE RAILS AT ONE FEDERAL on Thursday, October 27.

Off the Rails is the first solo restau rant for chef-owner Careau, 34, who has been in the industry since he was 14.

“It’s wood-fired European fusion,” Careau said. “I’m taking a lot of the European influences from places I’ve worked and loved,” including Chittenden County restaurants such as HINESBURGH PUBLIC HOUSE, WATERWORKS FOOD + DRINK, ¡Duino! (Duende), Bella Luna and Vermont Tap House.

The menu will offer a small selec tion of wood-fired flatbreads. “But you can do so much more than pizza in a wood-fired oven,” Careau said. He hopes that his tapas-style shared plates, ember-seared steak, whole fish, crispy pork belly and fire-finished lamb shank will offer something new in Franklin County.

The restaurant at 1 Federal Street has been empty since before the pandemic, when the Old Foundry closed. Building owners CHERYL BOISSONEAULT and MARK LEDOUX recently refinished the 120-seat, multiroom dining space. With grant support from the City of St. Albans, Careau undertook a significant renova tion of the kitchen, gutting it back to the brick of the 19th-century factory building and adding two wood-fired ovens.

Off the Rails will offer lunch,

dinner and takeout every day except Wednesday. In the summer, Careau plans to host live music in the 150-seat brick courtyard.

“I bought a house in St. Albans Town at the start of the pandemic and real ized the lack of variety up here,” Careau said. “I think we can bring a little bit of culinary flair to this area.”

Jordan Barry

Two Sons Bakehouse to Open Third Location in Johnson

TWO SONS BAKEHOUSE and the nonprofit Jenna’s Promise have partnered to open a café at 38 Main Street in Johnson by the end of October. The business will employ women in recovery from substance-use disorder, some of whom will live in the nonprofit’s sober housing facility above the café.

Open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30

CONNECT

Follow us for the latest food gossip!

On Instagram: Seven Days: @7deatsvt; Jordan Barry: @jordankbarry; Melissa Pasanen: @mpasanen.

Balancing Act

For Machanic and Piotrowski, along with other Vermont restau rant owners featured below, the constant tension between work and personal life contin ues. While the field may never be known for balance, these restau rateurs are working on making it more livable.

M.P.

FAMILY FIRST Maria Lara-Bregatta grew up in a restaurant family. The now-29-year-old owner of Burlington’s Café Mamajuana was 5 when her parents got their first restaurant in New Jersey, “so I know all the craziness,” she told Seven Days in 2019. “I never thought I would do it, but when I moved to Vermont, I thought, I have to do this. There’s no food here that I eat.”

At the time, Café Mamajuana was a busy pop-up business that served empanadas at bars and events around Burlington, fusing Dominican, African, Spanish and Italian influences to represent Lara-Bregatta’s DNA. In Novem ber 2020, Lara-Bregatta opened a brick-and-mortar restaurant as part of the community-funded Oak Street Cooperative in a shared space with Poppy Café & Market and All Souls Tortilleria. And she soon found that other people wanted to eat that food, too.

The building at 88 Oak Street immediately became an Old North End hot spot. Through the pandemic waves of the restau rant’s first year, Lara-Bregatta’s team navigated crowds seeking takeout and in-person service in its tiny dining room. Café Mama juana caught the attention of the James Beard Foundation, land ing on the organization’s 2022 Restaurant and Chef Awards semifinalist list in the Best New Restaurant category in February.

Oh, and between opening and getting one of the highest-profile

national accolades, Lara-Bregatta had a baby. Her daughter, Ayla, turned 1 in June.

On August 3, Lara-Bregatta announced on social media that Café Mamajuana would temporarily end its Wednes day-through-Friday dinner

SEEING MY BUSINESS FLOURISH SHOULDN’T BE BITTERSWEET.

and Saturday brunch service, switching exclusively to cater ing, wholesale orders and private dining.

“I’m downsizing for a bit and returning to the earlier days of Café Mamajuana, a model that better suits the current world & my little family,” the post read. In the caption, Lara-Bregatta explained that the decision to return to a lower-overhead model — doing everything herself, rather than managing a team — was a move to preserve her happiness in the industry.

“Seeing my business flour ish shouldn’t be bittersweet,” she wrote. “I’m going to work to make it sweet as the day I conceived it.”

In a text exchange this week, Lara-Bregatta said chronic staff ing issues and the rising costs of goods, utilities and labor led to her decision. Café Mama juana was seeing an average 30 percent increase in the price of meat, paper and produce; to keep it alive in its existing model, LaraBregatta would have had to make her menu unaffordable to many Old North End residents.

The chef described navigating COVID-19 exposures and indus try burnout among staff while trying to attract employees and compete with the pay and bene fits of larger restaurant groups. It all became “too big of a burden on myself and [my] family,” LaraBregatta wrote.

When her daughter’s daycare experienced similar staffing issues, she often had to step in to look after her house hold. “New moms are the first to leave the workforce to provide support for their family,” she wrote.

Lara-Bregatta’s current model for Café Mamajuana gives her flexibility. Catering orders are planned ahead — she’s booked through October — and she knows exactly what to expect of her days. She’s also playing with recipes again, cooking dishes such as chicken Milanese empanadas and coconut-curry arancini stuffed with stewed goat.

“How could we make our life simpler but still earn a living?”

MARIA LARA-BREGATTA

From top: Maria Lara-Bregatta at a Café Mamajuana pop-up in 2019; diners at Minifactory; oysters and cocktails at Minifactory; Minifactory owner V Smiley

CALEB

CALEB KENNA

Looking ahead to the holi days, Lara-Bregatta plans to host dinners at 88 Oak Street, keep fill ing empanada orders and host a holiday cooking class or two.

“I have found a lot of peace in not trying to make everyone else happy, fed, paid and cared for while neglecting my own happi ness, pay and self-care,” LaraBregatta wrote. “I am falling back in love with this work more and more each day.”

‘I DON’T HAVE IT’

On an early October Saturday evening at Minifactory in Bris tol, a few diners lingered over oysters, bright tomato salads, butternut squash soup and cherry-rosehip old-fashioned cocktails. It was a quiet night at the café, which opened in March and added Friday and Saturday dinners in July.

Located at 16 Main Street, the vast Minifactory is not just a café but also a grocery and jam manu factory. As a restaurant, it faces an uphill battle: The former long time home of Bristol Cliffs Café has never been known as a dinner spot, and change can be hard in a small town.

“It’s a huge lift to try to get that space realized as a place to come have supper,” Minifactory owner V Smiley said. “My hope is that we can grind it out.”

In the meantime, Smiley, 38, operates with a slim nighttime staff and is often in the kitchen alone during the two weekly dinner services, shucking the oysters and plating the mush room ragu or a half chicken with tomato jam.

“Amy, my partner, is like, ‘How cool! You can come to a place and the person who owns it is also making you dinner,’” Smiley said. “She’s incredibly optimistic.”

Last week, Smiley was also back on the production line for her award-winning jam company, V Smiley Preserves. That wasn’t part of the business plan, espe cially with Minifactory open seven days a week. But jam sales have slowed as pandemic restric tions have lifted, like those of many direct-to-consumer specialty food products.

“I’m super spread,” Smiley

said. “I do think about worklife balance. I think about it constantly, and I encounter it [in] other people. But I don’t have it at all.”

Smiley learned right off the bat that most people in Addison County weren’t looking for fulltime work; traditional restaurant industry expectations wouldn’t fly there.

“People definitely had firm boundaries,” Smiley said. “I have a number of people on staff who obviously had really bad work experiences in other places.”

Most of Minifactory’s staff is

part time. Right now, hiring an operations manager or execu tive chef isn’t financially feasi ble. Instead, Smiley sets the menu and works with line cooks, while pastry chef Andrea Quil len heads the pastry program and Ray McCoy manages the frontof-house staff.

Meeting the demands of the Bristol community has been another challenge, though the oysters are a surprise hit.

“I opened the place I was craving in Addison County, and I think there are reasons why this place didn’t exist,” Smiley

said. “But having newness on the menu is as important as having the standbys.”

That experimentation is Smiley’s way of giving herself room for creativity while working a demanding schedule — along with closing for a couple of weeks here and there. Minifactory took a break in September and will probably take one in January.

That can be hard on the staff, Smiley acknowledged. Paid time off is only available to full-time employees, of which Minifactory doesn’t have many.

“But that’s the main way I get my mental breaks,” Smiley said. “I’m also very disciplined. I do get sleep. And I watch lots of women’s basketball.”

J.B.

co-owner husband, Aaron Josin sky, welcomed the chance to downshift during the pandemic. They reinvented their popular Winooski restaurant as a market with a small takeout menu — and liked it that way. “We get to be home for dinner with our kid every night,” Wade said at the time.

Just about a year later, Josinsky and Wade, both 44, announced their plan to open a second Winooski food establish ment. Their 43-seat Onion City Chicken & Oyster opened for dinner at 3 East Allen Street on August 26.

A NEEDED RESET

In May 2021, Misery Loves Co. co-owner Laura Wade told Seven Days she and her chef and

In the tastefully decorated dining room with high ceilings and tall windows, guests can sip a perfectly made gin gimlet with freshly shucked East Coast oysters, scoop up rough-chopped steak tartare — a standout from the original Misery menu — with housemade potato chips and eat

J.B.

Above: The team at Onion City Chicken & Oyster. Front row: Laura Wade, Danny Zoch, Abby Olmstead and Echo Chartier. Back row: Emry Greene, Gillen Schofield, Dylan Campbell, Ryan Thornton, Mary Alberti and Omri Winkler.

Left: Martini and two-piece chicken dinner with greens and herbs and summer vegetable succotash at Onion City Chicken & Oyster

LUKE AWTRY

LUKE

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p.m., the café will offer baked goods such as bagels, croissants and cookies; sandwiches such as falafel or turkey, bacon and avocado on sourdough bread; and coffee and espresso drinks made with beans from JENNA’S PROMISE ROASTING, another of the non profit’s workforce development ventures, also in Johnson.

The whole building is called JENNA’S COFFEE HOUSE, but the café will be a third location of Two Sons Bakehouse. Baker-owner BILL HOAG launched the bakery in Jeffersonville in July 2020 and has since added a Hyde Park location.

A Johnson resident, Hoag was immediately interested in the opportunity. “Helping people is something I’ve always wanted to do,” he said.

Jenna’s Promise was founded by the family of Jenna Tatro, who died from an overdose in 2019.

“She had made a promise to her mom, just the week before, that she was going to stick it out in sober living,” explained Amy Tatro, Jenna’s sister-in-law and one of the nonprofit’s cofounders.

“[Jenna] and her mother were going to work really hard to keep people in recovery … The idea was to create safe housing and safe workforce training.”

The nonprofit collaborates with North Central Vermont Recovery Center to provide support services to women in its two housing facilities and three workforce development programs. Its original job training project, Promising Goods, resells surplus goods and appliances.

“Life skills atrophy when you’re actively using [drugs],” Tatro said. “Having a job or reason to get up every day, building that self-confidence … that’s what keeps you in recovery.”

Johnson needed another destination for quality food and drink, Tatro said. Beyond that, she believes the café is “a really important step for people to create bonds and community. You see that at cafés, because you have your regulars. You get to know people.”

Bet Your Boots

Three questions for Clara Walsh of Good Measure Pub & Brewery

BY JORDAN BARRY • jbarry@sevendaysvt.com

For the last six months, Clara Walsh has been busy brewing up the revival of Vermont’s chapter of the Pink Boots Society, an international orga nization that supports women and nonbinary folks in the alcoholic beverage indus try. Now, she also spends her days clad in rain boots, brew ing beer.

Walsh, 32, worked at Mont pelier’s Three Penny Taproom when she and Julie Smith relaunched the long-inactive local Pink Boots chapter in April. She’d spent years behind the bar, learning the ins and outs of beer styles and cele brating women-led brewer ies, but she’d never been on the production side.

“It’s really hard to get into brewing if you have no experi ence, like me,” Walsh said. “It’s not an industry where you can go back to school.”

With her twins start ing kindergarten this year, Walsh felt it was the right time to make the leap. In the spring, she asked Scott Kerner, former co-owner of Three Penny and current co-owner of Northfield’s Good Measure Pub & Brewery, if she could apprentice.

Good Measure was expand ing; it opened a pub next to its small, seven-barrel brew ery and tasting room in June. Kerner hired her that month as assistant brewer and direc tor of sales.

Walsh splits her time between brewing and packaging beer with Good Measure co-owner/head brewer Andrew Leichtham mer — “cleaning and watch ing and learning,” she said. She’s also the face of the Good Measure brand at its accounts around the state, including Burlington’s Farmhouse Tap

& Grill, Broken Hearts Burger in Fairlee and Three Penny.

Seven Days caught up with Walsh to see what she’s learned in her first few months at the brewery and find out what’s next for Pink Boots.

SEVEN DAYS: What lessons are you learning as a new brewer?

CLARA WALSH: You’re constantly soaking wet. [ Laughing ] On production days, I get there and imme diately put my rain boots on. Then it’s a lot of turning valves, remembering perpen diculars and parallels, and fixing things. I’ve never had to do anything like that before.

Everything happens in a very specific order. Going into it, I kept thinking, If you screw anything up, the beer’s done. You’ve wasted hundreds of dollars on grain. Actually, a lot of it’s fixable.

And I have to tell you, this smell . I didn’t realize how good it smells. That hot water when you’re pouring in the grain — it’s amazing. It’s given me a better appreciation for

styles of beer that I otherwise might have passed on, like our East Street Bitter. It’s an English-style bitter, which has never been my thing whatso ever. But it’s turned into my favorite beer.

SD: If you’re sitting down for a sandwich and a pint at the Good Measure pub, what’s your order?

CW: Nashville hot chicken and an ESB or [a] Townie, which is our 100 percent Vermont grain lager. I definitely lean on the side of being a lager/pilsner drinker.

SD: You recently helped revive the long-defunct Vermont chapter of Pink Boots. How’s that going?

CW: When we relaunched in April, it was on the tail end of when people [were] really excited about women [after Women’s History Month]. March is like “Estrogen for everybody!”

We were able to gain membership, and people were super jazzed. It’s fallen off a bit, but we’re working

on events and benefits. Our upcoming Brewer’s Harvest dinner at Pearl Street Pizza [in Barre] will donate 10 percent of ticket sales to Pink Boots. The donations go toward women advancing themselves, whether they’re getting a cice rone certification or taking a class on different styles of sours.

The beer industry in Vermont is so strong, but there’s a gap. To change people’s idea of who knows about beer, we need more women to be involved, partic ularly in brewing and sales. And it’s nice to know you’re not alone out there. m

This interview was edited and condensed for clarity and length.

INFO

Learn more at goodmeasurebrewing.com and on Instagram

@pinkbootsvermont. Call Pearl Street Pizza at 6228600 to purchase tickets for the Brewer’s Harvest dinner on Tuesday, October 18. $85.

Melissa Pasanen

Clara Walsh at Good Measure Pub & Brewery

Vermont fried chicken that is truly fingerlicking good.

Meanwhile, Misery had undergone yet another reinvention. On July 29, the couple and their team reopened it as a renovated “bruncheonette” with counter service and about two dozen inside seats.

“How mercurial we are,” Wade said, laughing, during a recent phone conver sation. Even though the couple essentially just launched two new restaurants, she emphasized, “It feels more balanced than it ever did before.”

What has changed is how she and her husband approach their roles. Navigating the first year of the pandemic with their core team was transformational, Wade said: “We were so in it together, figur ing it out together. I didn’t feel like a boss anymore.

“We’ve grown up a lot,” Wade contin ued. “We’ve allowed space for our team to really grow, as well. They can do the things that we do every day really well — some times better than us.”

Delegation enables the couple to have dinner with their 9-year-old daughter at least four nights a week and devote some energy to the bigger picture and not just the details.

Logan Bouchard, general manager of their restaurant group, has worked for Wade and Josinsky for a decade. In the pandemic, the trio saw an opportunity for a needed reset: a chance to support restau rant careers that were not merely endur ance tests or stepping stones to something better.

With Onion City, they resolved to take a fresh approach. Bouchard, 32, had no inter est in returning to 12-hour days of working brunch through dinner on Saturday and then coming back for Sunday brunch.

“You accept that is what the industry needs,” he said. “But we can rewrite the script.”

Out of the gate, Onion City opened for just three nights weekly, which would have been unthinkable before the pandemic, Wade said. Hours have now expanded to include Sunday nights and will increase “incrementally and organically,” Wade said. “I don’t want to wear my staff out, or wear us out.”

The restaurant has about 10 new employees, who earn at least $14 hourly, not including pooled tips. Instead of requesting résumés, the team posted a written job application with questions such as “What do you like to cook and drink at home?” and “How would you establish yourself within our team?”

Bouchard said he found candidates were more willing to state their needs than they had been in the past — a positive action, in his view, and one he has taken himself.

“I’ve realized that cooking dinner at home with my partner is really nice,” Bouchard said.

M.P.

Office Square mall on a warm recent morn ing. Chef and co-owner Machanic popped his head out the window under a striped awning to hand over a box of doughnuts: maple dusted with maple flakes, classic cinnamon-sugar, glossy raspberry and lemon glazes, and the daily specials: lime daiquiri and maple-bacon.

own a restaurant, even the off time is never really off … It’s a brutal industry for family.”

In late 2020, the couple saw more chal lenges on the horizon for the restaurant sector. They remembered a conversa tion they’d had while strolling on a Maine beach on a rare vacation a few years earlier.

“We allowed ourselves to fantasize about having a food truck that just made doughnuts,” Machanic said. There would be no staff and low overhead. “We really just wanted to simplify.”

Machanic found an old school bus for sale on Craigslist and spent the winter of 2020 to 2021 rehabbing it. Eight rows of seats took hours to remove. “The bolts were all rusted,” he said.

The couple closed the Swingin’ Pinwheel in April 2021 and opened Sweet Wheels Donuts on Father’s Day. Mach anic recognizes the irony of launching on a family-focused holiday. But, he said, “I had my kids with me, and they all helped.”

Piotrowski also helped on busy week ends. The shopping mall spot where they operated the bus was a two-minute walk from their home. The first year was great, Machanic said, with net income compara ble to the restaurant’s and a lot less stress.

Later, however, business slowed. “I don’t know if it’s just that the novelty has worn off [or] there’s more competi tion, less disposable income,” Machanic pondered.

SWEET RELIEF

The scent of frying doughnuts seeped from the Sweet Wheels Donuts bus into the back parking lot of Essex Junction’s Post

Machanic, 53, is a career chef and New England Culinary Institute grad. “I’ve worked in restaurants and resorts since I was essentially 16,” he said. “The food industry is pretty much the only type of work I’ve had.”

He and his wife, Piotrowski, 40, opened the Swingin’ Pinwheel Café on Burling ton’s Center Street in 2014. The under stated spot became a favorite breakfast destination for those in the know, who appreciated its popovers, plate-size hash browns and flaky “wafflinis” made with pastry dough.

During the pandemic’s first year, the couple struggled to make money with outdoor seating and takeout. But they also had time to think — and more time with their young son and Machanic’s two chil dren from a previous marriage.

“Having kids is like a measure of your life flying by,” Machanic said. “When you

Instead of staying open through the winter this year, Piotrowski and Mach anic decided to close for the season and evaluate their options. They may expand the bus menu to include more breakfast favorites from the Swingin’ Pinwheel menu. Another brick-and-mortar spot is a possibility that Machanic won’t rule out.

“You can take the chef out of the restau rant, but you can’t take the restaurant out of the chef,” he said with chuckle. “It’s almost like having another kid: You forget all the bad parts.”

In the meantime, Machanic will get a job in someone else’s restaurant. “I’m not too worried,” he said. “People like me are in high demand right now.”

Long term, the chef has no intention of giving up the family business. “I like being in charge of my own destiny,” Machanic said. “It’s a little more exciting than just hurrying to work for the man.”

WHEN YOU OWN A RESTAURANT, EVEN THE OFF TIME IS NEVER REALLY OFF.

ANDREW MACHANIC

Andrew Machanic with fresh doughnuts by his Sweet Wheels Donuts bus

culture

‘Towering Artist’

The road to “Riddleville,” Burlington sculptor Clark Russell’s work of a lifetime

BY SALLY POLLAK • sally@sevendaysvt.com

Clark Russell was a student at the University of Vermont when he formed a punk rock band called No Fun with guitarist and fellow student Bill Mullins.

“I got myself a microphone and decided I wanted to be a singer,” Russell, now 61, recalled. No Fun practiced in the trash room at dormitory Christie Hall, playing for a “stumble-in crowd” that followed the noise to the garbage. Pieces of refuse, such as words printed on a cereal box, became impromptu song lyrics. “We ruled over that trash room for a good year,” Russell said. “We had Friday night gigs there and cut our teeth.”

Four decades later, Russell is still making art, using trash for material. Although he performs occasionally with a band, Russell is known primar ily as a visual artist. An exhibition of his work, “Riddleville,” opened October 7 at the Flynn’s Amy E. Tarrant Gallery. It’s Russell’s first solo exhibition in Burlington in 10 years.

“Riddleville” is a pronounced depar ture from Russell’s large metal abstract wall sculptures. Flynn executive director Jay Wahl called it a “theater piece that belongs in a performing arts center.” Sure enough, the show, which is visible through the windows facing Main Street, attracted a steady stream of admirers on Saturday night, long after the gallery had closed.

“The toddlers are enthralled,” Russell said in the gallery a few days before the opening. “The 5-year-olds live in this world. It’s a confirmation of their wildest dreams.”

The installation consists of hundreds of “scenarios,” as Russell calls them, that he assembled from found objects, childhood toys, family heirlooms, free stuff on the sidewalk, castoffs unearthed

at ReSOURCE and items scooped from dumpsters. The vignettes are arranged upon hand-cut metal platforms; the scaf folding is mounted on painted panels, pilasters and “towers” with sculpted metal bases.

The thousands of minicomponents — a toy cop busting a cool skateboarder, a blue plastic firefighter chopping down a miniature tree, a tiny rocking chair from

Russell’s mother’s charm bracelet — form a world whose parts are familiar but whose whole is inventive and original.

“A lot of art is so distant to people who are trying to relate to it,” Russell said. “I’m trying to close that gap, if I can.”

Russell has been working on “Riddleville” on and off since 1984. In fact, he said he resisted making it even as he collected material. “I consciously refused to make this art for years and years and years,” he said.

“It took me a while to embrace it,” Russell continued. “I’m a true believer in abstract art, but I kept material just in case.” In contrast to his wall sculptures, Russell calls “Riddleville” “literally figurative.”

An early viewer of the installation was Cornel West, a political activist and profes sor of philosophy and Christian practice at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. West was in Burlington on October 1 to speak at the Flynn. He met Russell before his talk and saw “Riddleville” as the artist was installing it in the gallery. In the Q&A session after his speech, West mentioned the artwork and gave Russell a shout-out.

In a telephone call with Seven Days, West called Russell “my dear brother Clark.”

“His work overwhelms me in its power and its spirit,” West said. “It just comes at you in so many ways and on so many differ ent levels. I had to say something [to the

Clark Russell’s “Riddleville” installation

Clark Russell with the “Riddleville” installation

audience] because he’s a towering artist, in my opinion.”

Russell has lived and made art in a third-floor apartment next door to the Flynn since 1984. The earliest iteration of “Riddleville” dates back to that year, when Russell put a toy tank in the mouth of a plastic alligator and lassoed it to a door transom.

His apartment has almost no furniture but is filled with his art and art-making tools. A piece called “Chimes” stands by the windows that overlook City Hall Park. It’s composed of chains, slinkies and brass lampshades, hung upside down, that function as bells. The interactive sculp ture invites a viewer to throw a little red ball into a round metal piece at the center of the artwork. If you hit the target, it’s a win. If you miss, chimes play.

“We’re sucking the life out of the world for our own enjoyment,” he said. “And it might come back to bite us.”

Before “Riddleville” emerged in Burlington, hints of the work appeared in Russell’s childhood. He’s the eldest of Clark and Sarah Russell’s three children. His mother was a dean at Washington University; his father was vice president of the soft drink company that makes 7UP.

The Russells practiced a lenient form of parenting that their son described as “benign neglect.” This suited Russell when he moved from making dioramas in the house at ages 5 and 6 — setups that lasted until his cat, Sugar, knocked them over — to taking his games outside.

Russell was about 12 when he started setting his toy soldiers on fire, confla grations that added what he called an

Working on “Riddleville” over the past couple of years, when Russell devoted substantial time to the piece, he sometimes wondered if elves made it. There are vignettes in the work he doesn’t remember assembling. Yet at 1 or 2 a.m., it was Russell carrying toy figurines, cranes and plastic dinosaurs “like a fucking waiter,” he said, down the hall from his metal studio to his glue shop.

“I live in my palette,” he said. “Every waking minute.”

One scenario in “Riddleville” might convey a theme for the whole, Russell suggested: a deflated globe smushed into a plastic cup with a straw sticking out.

Send in the Gowns

Like a pyramid of glasses filling up with Champagne, Stephen Sond heim’s songs overflow with word play. Now at Lost Nation Theater, the musical revue Side by Side by Sondheim bubbles over with a cascade of more than two dozen of his songs. And that’s not counting a dizzying finale medley stuffed with phrases from about 30 more songs that will have listeners chuckling at funny lyrical connections while trying to name that tune.

Sure, the stage has some nice columns and platforms, but the star of the set is a white grand piano, lacquered within an inch of its life. It shines, and musical director Timothy Guiles honors it and the music by playing in tuxedo tails. This show is show tunes, pure and simple.

In various degrees of evening wear, the cast of five features four longtime LNT favorites and a recent theater graduate who appeared in a previous LNT musi cal. Kathleen Keenan and Tim Tavcar, who codirected the show, perform with Taryn Noelle, William Pelton and rela tive newcomer Alexa Kartschoke. Each performer gets a few solos in which to shine, interspersed with full company numbers, duets and trios.

Keenan takes on three standout tunes and triumphs with each one. She makes “Send in the Clowns” extraordinarily expressive, a rich insight without the syrup that often coats this ballad. Performing the

patter song “Getting Married Today,” she and Guiles slow the tempo just enough to let the words shine and slightly reduce the song’s immense degree of difficulty. Keenan’s diction and breath control never falter, and she not only conveys the char acter’s panic but sticks the comic landing.

Singing “I’m Still Here” from Follies, Keenan polishes the little jewels of the lyrics, holding a steady pace until she uncorks a walloping ending. When she punches a fist up to the sky, the gesture stands for surviving — exactly what theater itself is struggling to do as the pandemic eases.

each performer. Her use of gliding move ment showcases the pleasure of perform ing itself, and she punctuates some songs with fun tableaux. On her solos, Noelle hits the rush and pressure of “Another Hundred People” from Company and the sweeping expectations of “Something’s Coming” from West Side Story.

Pelton connects warmly with the audi ence and other performers, always moving with studied elegance. He lets himself get nicely lost in the reverie “I Remember.”

Tavcar serves as narrator, introduc ing songs and their history, and joins the company for several numbers. He savors every devilish turn of his “Could I Leave You?” solo, dripping acid with medi cal precision, and taps his reservoir of showmanship with every head tilt in the ensemble pieces.

Most of the music is by Sondheim, but the revue represents his early career with one song from his 1957 collaboration with Leonard Bernstein on West Side Story and two from the 1959 Gypsy, with music by Jule Styne. Those two shows put Sondheim on Broadway’s map as a lyricist. He got his first chance to compose both music and lyrics with 1962’s A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Appropriately, the revue uses that show’s “Comedy Tonight” as a repeating motif.

This slice of Sondheim emphasizes tunes that can stand alone and work without full orchestration. It’s long on easy rhythmic gimmicks and short on lush, complex layers. The production is essen tially straight singing, Noelle’s charming but simple choreography aside. Guiles is a fine pianist, but the lack of other instru mentation gives the songs a sameness. In the end, the lyrics shine brighter than the music.

And they should — Sondheim was arguably the wittiest lyricist in musical theater. No one in this production has the pipes to rattle the roof, but they all convey Sondheim’s fascination with a character’s emotional circumstances, rendered with cleverness to delight the audience and passion to drive the story.

Making rhymes may seem like a low art, but Sondheim uses it to reveal hidden connections, contrasting disparate images that just happen to rhyme. Take the wry ode to marriage “The Little Things You Do Together,” performed by the full company, which marches nicely through “the concerts you enjoy together, neighbors you annoy together, children you destroy together” to paint the highs and lows. The tune is forgettably bouncy, but the words give the performers all the ammo they need to zing each other.

Kartschoke’s bright voice fills “Broad way Baby” with loping, vaudevillian drive. In “Losing My Mind,” with no orchestra to raise the intensity, she plays the first verse as romantic and the second as romance shattered by obsession. Sondheim’s neat trick is using the same words for each half; Kartschoke’s is letting the story tear her apart.

In addition to singing, Noelle developed simple choreography to suit the abilities of

The revue was conceived in 1975, and though theaters can take some liberties with the song list, the musical carousel stops spinning before Sondheim’s later hits, including Sunday in the Park With George and Into the Woods. Songs from Company and Follies are well represented, and this Sondheim museum includes exhibits of little-known works. From the TV obscurity “Evening Primrose” comes “I Remember,” a fine tune sung by Pelton, but it may be safe to say that your curios ity about the unsuccessful musical Pacific Overtures is satisfied before “Pretty Lady” lumbers to completion.

The experienced cast brings rich understanding to shaping the musical presentation. If they don’t kick especially high in the side-by-side finale chorus line, they do know how to find the sweet and sour in Sondheim’s tunes. Theater companies have flooded the market with Sondheim since his death at 91 in 2021, but we won’t soon tire of his genius. m

INFO

Side by Side by Sondheim, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim; music by Stephen Sondheim, Leonard Bernstein and Jule Styne; codirected by Kathleen Keenan and Tim Tavcar; produced by Lost Nation Theater. Through October 23: Thursday through Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, 2 p.m., at Lost Nation Theater, Montpelier City Hall. $10-41. lostnationtheater.org

From left: Timothy Guiles, William Pelton, Alexa Kartschoke, Tim Tavcar, Taryn Noelle and Kathleen Keenan

“I knocked on 5,000 doors,” he said. “I interrupted people at dinner to tell them what we’re headed for.” (“Riddleville” could be it.)

In 1984, Russell moved back to Burl ington to perform with Mullins. “Playing music is my social side,” he added. “It provides a counterpoint to my solitary art-making.”

A party he hosted in the fall of 1986 nearly derailed his career. At 1 a.m., according to press reports at the time, a guest removed a bowling ball from one of his sculptures and used it to prop open a window. It fell onto the head of an 18-year-

Russell has managed to live off his artwork for 35 years, selling his work locally — two pieces hang in Muddy Waters on Main Street — and beyond. His metal sculptures, which he said sell for thousands of dollars, support a simple lifestyle: He doesn’t drink. He eats cereal and berries for breakfast, and rice, beans and kale for dinner.

“I may be the only person with a posi tive carbon footprint,” Russell said. “I don’t have a car. I live low. I’m saving this stuff from the landfill.”

About two weeks ago, Russell began moving “Riddleville” from his apartment to the gallery at the Flynn. He disassembled the vignettes that

C

N

old first-year college student standing on the street below, fracturing her skull. Despite being in a coma for days, the young woman recovered and the next year sued Russell, his landlord and the errant party goer for $1 million in damages.

“It was a very unfortunate incident, and I was cleared of any wrongdoing,” Russell said, noting that the lawsuit was settled out of court in 1990 before the jury reached a verdict.

After the accident, however, he became more guarded and less trusting of people, Russell said. He stopped showing his work for four years. “I didn’t want to be in the public eye,” Russell said.

“It forced me to focus on making the work and forgetting about presenting it,” he continued. “In a way, it made me more appreciative of the creating and less concerned with the presenting. And it’s part of why this exhibition is so important to me.”

populate the 31 towers in the piece and regrouped them two flights down. Each tower is named for a suburb of St. Louis; one is Ferguson, where in 2014 a police officer fatally shot 18-year-old Michael Brown. Russell refers to the killing in his Ferguson tower; West was arrested protesting there.

“The spirit of St. Louis and the spirit of Burlington are intertwined in a wonderful manner,” West said of Russell’s work. “That hit me hard, took me back, to marching and going to jail in Ferguson.”

For Russell, it was the “thrill of a lifetime” to meet West, whom he called a longtime hero.

“I have more affinity with the socially conscious than the arts-minded,” he said. m

Learn more at flynnvt.org and clarkrussellart.com.

We are seeking a BlueCross BlueShield of Vermont (BCBSVT) consumer representative to serve on our board of managers.

Must have BCBSVT insurance through a fully insured employer plan or purchased through Vermont Health Connect.

Learn more at: onecarevt.org/careers

LUKE AWTRY

Clark Russell in his apartment/studio

Rainey, the main character of Burlington-based Benjamin Roesch’s debut YA novel Blowin’

My Mind Like a Summer Breeze, is a musician by design rather than by choice. She has spent years playing in the band as her once-famous R&B musician parents tour well past their glory days of the ’70s in a run-down RV. The book takes place in the ’90s, allowing for the premise that their teenage offspring now round out the group: big brother Walden on drums, Rainey on keyboards and vocals.

FROM BLOWIN’ MY MIND LIKE A SUMMER BREEZE

Moving quickly, but not too quickly, as if I have a bubble balanced on the tip of my finger, I pick up Walden’s guitar and sit down on the edge of the bed. Using the white pick threaded through the top three strings, I strum until I find the chords that go with the melody I’ve been singing. The guitar is slightly out of tune, but who cares? A minor. D minor. G major. I’m not much of a guitar player so my chords are pretty chunky and a little sloppy. But I kind of like it that way.

BOOKS

Rainey has been on board for this default ride for a long time, but at 15, life on the road has lost its luster. “I love music more than anything,” she says, “but some times I feel like a char acter in a fairy tale who doesn’t realize she was born in a prison until she tries to go outside for the first time and the guards stop her at the door.” She dreams of staying put, going to school, holding a parttime job, having some friends for a change. Better yet, how about a little privacy?

Enter Juliet. As the daughter of the owners of the resort where Rainey’s family is headlining, she has her own unusual upbringing to contend with. Juliet’s child hood bedroom is a literal hotel suite, which comes with personal space in spades. Each girl is enamored of the other’s lifestyle and disenchanted with her own. Rainey is immediately intoxicated by Juliet, and the scene is set for a coming-of-age romance.

The girls have only a week together before the gig is over, but it’s the kind of life-altering week that YA novels were created to chronicle. Juliet has a much sharper edge than Rainey, who displays an interesting combination of maturity from being homeschooled and touring with the band mixed with naïveté from the sheltering that her close-knit family life has provided. Juliet challenges her in ways that are both exciting and confus ing, and Rainey is pushed to think more for herself than she is used to. When Juliet offers Rainey a cigarette, for example, the interaction isn’t as straightforward as it might seem.

“What, you’ve never had a puff?”

“Never,” I say, but she frowns as if she doesn’t believe me.

“Aren’t you a little bit curious?” She holds her cigarette out to me. “C’mon. Try it.” And for some reason, I can’t deny it, I am a little bit curious. There’s something magnetic in her eyes that I’m drawn toward. I reach out, but just before she’s about to hand it to me, Juliet pulls the cigarette back and frowns at me, shaking her head.

A Star Is Born

Book review: Blowin’ My Mind Like a Summer Breeze, Benjamin Roesch

BY TANYA LEE STONE

“That was a test,” she says, “and you failed miserably.”

She actually sounds kind of mad. I’m so confused.

Not surprisingly, Rainey racks up a lot of “firsts” during her time with Juliet, marking them — as well as other milestones throughout the book — with lists to which she gives names such as “Things I Did for the First Time When I was Fifteen,”

“Things My Mom Hates About Me” and “Things I Like About Juliet.”

The book is split fairly evenly into two halves: the brief interlude with Juliet, “Side One: A Week on Lake Michigan, July, 1995”; and the narrative of the year that follows, “Side Two: The Treehouse Tapes, August 1995-August 1996.” The structure is a nice commentary on the wavy nature of temporal perspectives, as a week can feel like a lifetime and a year can go by in a

Over and over, I play those chords, messing with the strum pattern, looking for a transition point, a way I can pivot out of this drone. I find it when my fingers stumble on a B diminished chord, then I go from E minor to F major, then to F minor, which opens a back door to cycle back to A minor and where I started.

Humming the melody on a loop so it won’t change shape, or simply drift away into the ether that produced it, stopping only long enough to get my journal out of my backpack, I furiously scribble down the words as they tumble out of my brain, too seized by the moment to even consider messing with the alien musical forces that have taken possession of my body.

flash, especially when that year is packed to the gills with transformative moments.

We see Rainey come into her own, not only as a young adult but as an evolving artist. In several scenes in which Rainey begins to write her own songs, Roesch captures the elusive magic of the creative process beautifully.

Given the overarching theme of music, the labeling of sections and chapters of the book as “Sides” and “Tracks” is a clever

Benjamin Roesch

device. The only hiccup in that structure is Track Zero (aka the prologue). On its own, it is an intriguing beginning, but I want a prologue that exists for a reason, offering information the reader needs to be clued in to for a specific purpose, and that doesn’t seem to be the case here. More to the point, the story might have been better served by not giving readers a heads-up about the relationship between the two girls, so that we could have watched it unfold rather than seeing it as a fait accompli.

Too many adults pepper the story for my YA palate, but the important rela tionships are well drawn and skillfully portrayed. Mother and daughter grapple with an angsty tension — exacerbated by Rainey’s desire to split the scene — which evolves nicely throughout the story arc. Likewise, the author creates a believable dynamic between father and daughter,

ROESCH CAPTURES THE ELUSIVE MAGIC OF THE CREATIVE PROCESS BEAUTIFULLY.

with their inside jokes and nicknames. In some spots, Dad’s story line threatens to eclipse Rainey’s, as his increasing bouts of stage fright morph into something more serious and she is pulled into a codepen dent cycle. But this is a family whose members all look out for one another, refreshing in YA fiction, a category in which parents and kids are so often pitted against each other from the outset.

In short, there is a lot to love here. If you are a fan of YA, ’90s music and stories about creativity, Blowin’ My Mind Like a Summer Breeze will be a lovely ride. m

INFO

Blowin’ My Mind Like a Summer Breeze by Benjamin Roesch, Deep Hearts YA, 285 pages. $14.99. Roesch discusses the book’s creation on Saturday, October 15, 11 a.m., at Pierson Library in Shelburne. Free.

Tanya Lee Stone is best known for her YA narrative nonfiction that focuses on overlooked histories. Courage Has No Color, about the first Black paratroopers in WWII, won an NAACP Image Award; Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream earned a Robert F. Sibert Medal. Peace Is a Chain Reaction is her newest book. Stone has a PhD in creative writing and is an assistant professor and program director of the Professional Writing Program at Champlain College.

Advance Your Career

culture Drawn Together

The first-ever Non-Fiction Comics Festival debuts in Burlington this weekend

BY REED NYE

Nonfiction comics burst with energy and insight. But rather than chronicle the fantastical exploits of superheroes and mutants, as more famous works by the likes of Marvel and DC do, nonfiction comics work on a more human scale. They break down complicated scientific processes and question societal views. They inform, observe and inspire empathy. From memoirs such as Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home: A Family Tragi comic to the Vermont Folklife Center’s award-winning anthol ogy The Most Costly Journey: Stories of Migrant Farmworkers in Vermont , nonfiction comics encompass a wide and diverse range of styles, stories and subgenres.

COMICS

This weekend, nonfiction comics creators and fans will come together for the first-ever Non-Fiction Comics Festival in Burlington. Vermonters such as James Kochalka, Glynnis Fawkes and Rachel Lind say, as well as nonlocals Isabella Rotman and keynote speaker James Spooner, are among more than 40 comics artists attending.

The fest begins on Friday, October 14, with a free screening of Spooner’s awardwinning documentary Afro-Punk at Merrill’s Roxy Cinemas. Panels and special programming on Saturday, October 15, at the Fletcher Free Library cover topics ranging from figure drawing to research. The fest closes on Sunday, October 16, with free workshops at the library.

“What we hope to do is to bring these people together in an interest in the form as it relates to certain types of storytelling,” Vermont Folklife Center associate direc tor and archivist and festival co-organizer Andy Kolovos said.

Kolovos has been interested in comics since he was a kid. In his work at the Folklife Center, he has focused on ethno graphic representation — the portrayal of different ethnicities and cultures — through comics. The Vermont Folklife Center has produced nonfiction comics projects such as The Most Costly Journey and Turner Family Stories: From Enslave ment in Virginia to Freedom in Vermont, which recounted the history of Grafton storyteller Daisy Turner and her ancestors.

“At one point or another, I started wondering, Can I connect these interests in my work? — so, basically, anthropological-style

research with comics,” Kolovos said. As he thought more about it, he realized, “We should do some comics events.”

The Non-Fiction Comics Festival explores a range of genres, including science, memoir, autobiography, politics and history. Kolovos has run smaller festi vals and events, such as the Pulp Culture Comic Arts Festival and Symposium

MY IDEAL FORM OF GATHERING KNOWLEDGE IS IN COMICS.

in 2018, for which the Folklife Center partnered with the Fleming Museum at the University of Vermont, and the NonFiction Comics Mini-Fest in 2019 at the Saint Albans Museum.

“We wanted to expand on those ideas and organize an ‘official’ nonfiction comics festival, as nothing purely focused on nonfiction comics exists in the comic

convention world, despite being a fastgrowing genre,” co-organizer Teppi Zuppo said.

Zuppo, an adjunct professor at Cham plain College, is working with Kolovos and Barbara Shatara, the programs and partnerships librarian at the Fletcher Free Library, to organize the festival. Zuppo has previously worked with Kolovos on a number of comics-related projects, tabled at indie comics shows throughout the U.S. and Canada, and is the workshop coor dinator for the Small Press Expo, one of the largest indie comics festivals in North America.

“I find comics to be a great tool in accessibility of information. As someone who’s neurodiverse, specifically ADHD, my ideal form of gathering knowledge is in comics,” Zuppo said. “Comics keep my attention, break down information into bite-sized pieces and add clarity through imagery.

“It’s easy for me to be overwhelmed by a giant textbook or prose novel,” Zuppo continued. “I’m never overwhelmed by a comic, no matter the size.”

Biologist Caroline Hu, who is speaking on Saturday’s “Invention and Research” panel, uses comics to explain complex scientific processes in her book The Little Scientist

Hu began reading at a young age and consumed comics from Asia. They gave her access to content by Asians and Asian Americans that was otherwise sparse in popular media. Now the comics commu nity offers Hu joyful connections with other artists.

“Have you ever witnessed, or done yourself, the thing where two people realize they share the same niche interest and just start squealing with joy? For me, it is like that when I meet another person who makes science-inspired comics,” Hu said. “I like the feeling of that instant

Jennifer Hayden

James Spooner

Brian Brown

connection. So far, all the science comics people I have interacted with have been curious and kind people.”

Brian “Box” Brown, who is speaking on Saturday’s “Comics That Change the Conversation” panel, has published five graphic novels, most of which are nonfic tion. He is currently working on a weekly comic strip called “Legalization Nation” about cannabis legalization in the U.S.

“They are people who will passion ately tell you about the most idiosyn cratic things,” Brown said of comics artists. “And they will politely listen to stories about your obsessions, too.”

Brown approaches his work as if he were making a documentary film. He said the first time he read nonfiction comics, it

was “like a revelation.” Once he found the subculture, he said, “the rest is history.”

Jennifer Hayden, speaking on Satur day’s “Graphic Memoir” panel, finds joy in connecting with readers. Her book The Story of My Tits is now available in three languages. Based on her own experiences, Hayden wrote it for women going through breast cancer and their friends and family.

“I’ve had fan mail from Spain, and I’ve had women in Italy going through this, writing me letters. And I can’t tell you how much that means to me, because I don’t speak the languages, and yet I can reach women there, and I can encourage them as they go through that,” Hayden said.

She added that she loves reading translated work herself because it has a different outlook, flow, sound and appearance.

For Hu, drawing together nonfiction comics artists and fans at the festival presents an opportunity to network and learn.

“I’m just excited to get to know some other cartoonists,” Hu said, “and … learn from their craft and their work.” m

INFO

The Non-Fiction Comics Festival runs Friday through Sunday, October 14 through 16, at various locations in Burlington. nonfictioncomicsfest.org

The phrase “college admis sions” has become politically charged. Add “scandal” to an internet search, and scores of stories pop up about celebrities and other wealthy, influential people buying their children slots at selective institutions. And then there’s the situation at Harvard University, which is currently facing a lawsuit that alleges the Ivy League school discriminates against Asian Americans.

As Anemona Hartocollis put it in a 2019 New York Times article, the American college admissions system is “exploitable, arbitrary, broken.”

In Joshua Harmon’s 2018 play Admis sions, presented this week by Middlebury Acting Company, a family implodes when its high school senior is deferred from Yale University. Directed by Rebecca Strum, the biting satire examines the reality (and perception) of bias, privilege, diversity and discrimination in higher education.

Set at prestigious New Hampshire prep school Hillcrest, the show centers on Sherri Rosen-Mason (Jena Necrason), the school’s dean of admissions. Her husband, Bill Mason (played by Necrason’s reallife spouse, John Nagle), is the school’s headmaster. Their son, Charlie (Orlando Grant), is Yale-bound, but the family’s world is shattered when he doesn’t get in.

The deferral itself isn’t what ultimately stokes Charlie’s rage. It’s that his best friend, Perry, who is Black, does get in. Charlie concludes that the only difference between them is race, since both are excel lent students with otherwise interchange able credentials.

After a four-hour screaming session in the woods, Charlie comes home to his parents, who try their best to calm him down. But Charlie’s anger intensifies as he launches into a Reddit-style tirade about how white men like him get screwed over in a world that’s beginning to open up to women and people of color.

He notes that the top slot at the school paper went not to him but to a female student who, in his opinion, lacks leadership and can’t write for shit. He goes off on a tangent about why a classmate of South American heritage gets to wear the Lantinx label when he’s clearly a descendent of white, Spanish conquistadors. His rant peaks when he ponders whether Kim Kardashian, who is half Armenian, should be given Asian American status.

Charlie’s outrage exemplifies the clue less, unchecked privilege of the archetypal straight, white American male. Later, when he reverses his attitude, he’s even more entrenched in his new perspective than he was in his old one, unable and unwilling to see outside his own point

Old College Try

Theater review: Admissions, Middlebury Acting Company

BY JORDAN ADAMS

of view. Grant’s performance sizzles as hormone-addled Charlie spits diatribe after diatribe, fists clenched and teeth gritted.

But how did he get here if his parents are liberal, conscious, forward-thinking intellectuals with an eye toward inclusion?

Sherri certainly thinks of herself that way. She’s spent her entire Hillcrest career pushing the school toward diversity and inclusion.

representation of diversity. Roberta’s second attempt swings the pendulum too far, producing a brochure with only people of color. Sherri tells her that doesn’t work, either, because diversity doesn’t mean the erasure of white people.

Roberta insists that Sherri be explicit in what she wants, because she doesn’t (can’t? won’t?) understand. Does Sherri want particular skin tones? Is it about specific races being showcased? She makes Sherri list out what she wants like ingredi ents in a recipe.

Producing this show a stone’s throw from Middlebury College is deliciously tongue-in-cheek. Not only is the school mentioned repeatedly in Admissions, the “little ivy” has likely dealt with issues similar to those explored in the play. The college’s website states that the class of 2026 is 52 percent students of color, up from 47 percent in the previous class.

Strum stages the show partially in the round, with the Rosen-Mason family’s chic home pushing into the middle of the Town Hall Theater’s auditorium. Blond wood and a taupe sofa lighten the open-concept kitchen and living room, a granite-topped island at its center. With few set pieces, scenic designer Sarah Pope McCright accurately conjures the domain of the enlightened upper-middle class.

By contrast, Sherri’s office holds an imposing, dark-wood antique desk topped with a silver MacBook, hinting at the insti tution’s out-of-date practices and Sherri’s attempt to modernize them.

Though a bit of tightening could have made some of the show’s tense moments even more explosive, the cast pulls off the tricky task of portraying characters that are both likable and unlikable. AdamsSmith’s Roberta does seem to genuinely want to understand the nuance of show casing diversity, but she does so with the grace of a hippopotamus. She pinches her words and lets her body language tell the story of her annoyance by laboring over wrapping a scarf around her neck and yanking a winter hat into place.

In a comic, nearly sitcom-like B plot, Sherri struggles with color-blind babyboomer colleague Roberta (Mary AdamsSmith) to create an admissions brochure that adequately reflects the school’s 18 percent nonwhite population. That percentage is a feather in Sherri’s cap; she worked to bump it up from single to double digits during her tenure.

Roberta’s first attempt yields a catalog with only three pictures of students of color out of 52 total photos, one of which shows the light-skinned Perry. Accord ing to Sherri, he doesn’t read as Black and therefore doesn’t count as a visual

Sherri seems to be a diversity champion, but we later learn that getting her son into a top university is her real priority. And she has her own racial discomfort. During a hangout with longtime family friend Ginnie (Amy Brennan), Perry’s white mom, Sherri says she couldn’t use the photo of Perry in the school brochure because it was blurry, not because his complexion wouldn’t help prospective nonwhite students visualize themselves at Hillcrest. She seems to know that her opinion is dubious, otherwise she wouldn’t have lied.

Ginnie and Sherri eventually discuss Perry’s acceptance and Charlie’s deferral, but the conversation spins out of control when Sherri suggests that Perry’s race may have been a factor. Ginnie is rightly incensed, though she has her own preju dices. She wrinkles her nose when she finds out Hillcrest’s recent bump in diver sity is heavily weighted by Asian students.

Necrason, Nagle and Brennan play smugness perfectly, their deliveries almost lyrical as they prance through self-satisfied dialogue. When Bill harangues Charlie after the teen makes some shocking choices in reaction to his deferral, Nagle plays the scene with a nasty combination of rage and complacency. Necrason and Brennan showcase the fragility of their characters’ friendship with a few encounters that keep their emotions politely bubbling under a veneer of civility.

The play does not attempt to fix any problems or solve racism, nor should it. Good satire provides a springboard for its viewers to examine the complex issues it pokes fun at. And Admissions gets an A in satire. m

INFO

Admissions by Joshua Harmon, directed by Rebecca Strum, produced by Middlebury Acting Company. Thursday through Saturday, October 13 through 15, 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, October 16, 2 p.m., at Town Hall Theater in Middlebury. $15-30. A panel discussion follows the performance on Saturday, October 15. middleburyactors.org

Orlando Grant and Jena Necrason

See if you qualify for financial help to make your plan even more affordable.

Reefer Gladness

Vermonters lined up for legal pot in Middlebury

Three adult-use cannabis retail stores opened in Vermont on October 1 — one each in Rutland, Burlington and Middlebury. That morning, outside FLŌRA Cannabis in Middlebury’s quaint downtown, dozens of people waited in line to buy legal weed. A party atmosphere prevailed as shop pers celebrated with some of the politicians who helped make the day possible. Seven Days art director Rev. Diane Sullivan was there to chat them up. And Seven Days senior multimedia producer Eva Sollberger filmed the festivities with help from tattoo artist Jim DuVal of Monster Mash Ink.

Unstuck: Episode Extras With Eva

SEVEN DAYS: Why did you decide to cover this?

EVA SOLLBERGER: I’ve been smoking weed since I was a teenager. There, I said it. The fact that you can finally buy it legally in Vermont was something I wanted to document. I asked Diane to interview people because she is highly entertaining and makes friends easily. She brought along a hilarious giant inflatable joint that we used as a base for the microphone. Jim helped me get some second camera angles. We both filmed with our iPhones. Three years ago I made a “Stuck in Vermont” video about so-called Frankenstein Castle, the home Jim shares with his wife, Niki Frankenstein, in Essex Junction. We were all pretty hyped up on the drive to Middlebury.

SD: You’ve done other videos with Diane, too, right?

ES: Oh, yes, Diane has probably been in dozens of my videos over the years. She is the life of the party and always makes events more spicy. Back in 2016, Diane invited me along when she got a colonoscopy. We made a video about it to help demystify the experience. Diane’s brother Michael died of colorectal cancer in 2003, and she gets tested regularly. Only Diane could make something like a colonoscopy fun, and I imagine that video may have saved some lives.

And then, in January 2019, Diane’s husband, beloved photographer Matthew Thorsen, died from skin cancer. We made a video about their unique relationship, and it helped her and the community mourn. That spring, we did a video about Diane getting a skin checkup in honor of Matt. These videos are like PSAs with a badass sense of humor.

SD: Did you buy anything on Saturday?

ES: No, I only had a credit card with me, and they only take cash or debit cards. Plus, it was a slightly complex process that involved getting your ID into the system. I definitely plan to purchase some pot soon — if the

supplies don’t run out! I was gifted a joint — not the inflatable one, a real one [ chuckling ] — that I will be enjoying on a sunny evening with friends and a hell of a lot of munchies. Smoking my first legal weed will be so damn sweet.

SD: How was the crowd in line?

ES: Everybody was so mellow and happy. Stoners are the best people. I loved that it was such a mix of ages and backgrounds. Talking to the older folks was interesting because they have seen pot through the decades and waited so long for this moment. I grew up in the ’80s with the “Just Say No” slogan that was part of the war on drugs. I kept pinching myself to make sure the day was real.

SD: How is Vermont doing things differently?

ES: Leave it to Vermont to find a way to keep the cannabis market local and small. That is just how we roll in the Green Mountains [ laughing ], and it feels good to see all the growers listed next to their products. You can see what small town they are from and what percentage of THC and CBD is in their weed. You know it’s been tested, and you trust the source. We eat so carefully nowadays that it makes sense to treat our weed like our organic, locally grown food and our craft beer.

SD: Who did you meet?

ES: We talked to so many people in the video who have been working for years to make this possible. They slogged through meetings, discussion groups and review boards to figure out how to make pot legal in Vermont and do it right. Diane jokes in the video, “Thank goodness for people like you, ’cause if it was up to me, I’d still be sitting around the kitchen table going, ‘Hey, man, we should legalize weed!’” This is totally true, and I am grateful to everyone who helped make this possible.

SD: Did you get emotional?

ES: Hell yes! I did not expect to, but we all did. Everyone was so excited, and it has taken years of so much hard work to get to this day. No more hiding in the shadows. We can finally purchase highquality weed.

Caesar Wright was the first one in line, and he drove to Middlebury from Morrisville. He was the first one in the store, along with a gaggle of reporters who all filmed him making his purchase. Caesar pumped his arms like Rocky and soaked up all the cheers, radiating good energy and joy. I declare October 1 Caesar Day from this day forth. Hallelujah! m

Seven Days senior multimedia producer Eva Sollberger has been making her award-winning video series, “Stuck in Vermont,” since 2007. New episodes appear on the Seven Days website every other Thursday and air the following night on the WCAX-TV 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 674: Legal Cannabis

PHOTOS: EVA SOLLBERGER

Caesar Wright

Rev. Diane Sullivan and Jim DuVal

Vermont Federal Credit Union,

plan your next road trip,

a great

now and you’ll make no payments

first

days. And no worries, our

as smooth as the open

one of the many benefits

art

World Views

Ancient cultures and contemporary expression in two shows at the Hood Museum

BY PAMELA POLSTON • ppolston@sevendaysvt.com

Looking at art can be transporting; images may take you to another place or time, or show you other ways of seeing and communicating — perhaps beyond known languages and cultural referents. Two major exhibitions at the Hood Museum of Art at Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H., achieve all of the above: “Maḏayin: Eight Decades of Aboriginal Australian Bark Painting From Yirrkala” and “Park Dae Sung: Ink Reimagined.” These extraordinary shows have little in common with each other aside from their current address — and the fact that each is far removed from white, Eurocentric and American art traditions.

For viewers who enjoy having their minds and biases blown, both exhibitions are highly recommended. To see them in tandem is a next-level experience, both visually and conceptually.

At first glance, visitors to the Hood might think “Maḏ ayin” was culled from

the substantial cache of Aboriginal art in the museum’s permanent collection. It was not. As the website explains, the exhi bition represents the seven-year collabo ration of the Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of the University of Virginia and “Indigenous knowledge holders from the Buku-Larrŋ gay Mulka Centre in northern Australia.” (The Kluge-Ruhe is the only museum outside of Australia devoted to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art.)

Though the artists represented here descend from ancestral peoples in a remote region of the continent, their eucalyptus bark paintings were made in the past 80 years — some quite recently. In other words, they are contemporary inter pretations of ancient forms of Aboriginal expression.

That context does not necessarily make the deeply symbolic paintings more comprehensible to a North American viewer, but even an untrained eye can appreciate the richness of visual elements.

The 90 pieces of bark are painted with patterns unique to 16 Yolŋu family groups: dots, waves, zigzags, diamonds — a seem ingly endless variation of graphic marks and arrangements.

Many of the paintings also feature figures, such as lizards, fish, snakes, armadillos, kangaroos and humans; some reference the sun, stars, sea or land. The paintings are primarily long verticals, roughly rectangular in shape and rendered in natural brown, black and white ocher. Only one notable piece, titled “Bänhdharra (Ocean),” employs a brilliant blue pigment. The artist, Dhambit Munuŋgurr, explains in wall text: “Blue is the color of gapu, of water. The earth is blue, the sky is blue and the sea is blue.”

The origin story of the madayin art is rather too complex to explain here — suffice it to say it figures in the history of cross-cultural relations in Australia — but it’s spelled out on a wall in the museum. An abundance of text throughout the exhibition helps guide the viewer through

Clockwise from top left: “Magnificent View of Samneung” by Park Dae Sung; “Wuyal at Yanawal” by Mithili Wanambi, Marrakulu Clan; “Bänhdharra (Ocean)” by Dhambit Munuŋgurr

IMAGES COURTESY

HOOD

a formidable number of names with unusual-to-us spellings, as well as the mystical significance of the works.

Perplexed viewers might take some comfort from the caveat stated in one of the printed guides: “As balanda (non-Yolŋu), it is not appropriate for us to learn the full meaning of these works. But Yolŋu have shared parts of these stories with us.”

The Hood has beautifully organized “Ma ḏ ayin” and justifiably touts its groundbreaking stature: It’s the first major exhibition of Aboriginal Austra lian bark paintings to tour the U.S. and, perhaps more importantly, marks the first time that Yol ŋ u people have been asked to participate in assembling one. Artist and cocurator Wakun Waŋambi told the Hood for a press statement, “No Yolŋu have done that job before, only balanda have done it, but in a different way because they have a different way of understanding.”

lyrical works reveal nothing about global conflict or personal tragedy but every thing about his deep absorption in his craft and keen observation of the natural world.

Sunglim Kim, an associate professor of art history at Dartmouth, curated the Hood exhibition. “Park is very humble and deliberate in personality yet passion ate and exuberant when engaged with painting,” she writes in a statement for the show. “Visitors will see two contrast ing characters in his sensitive bird and still life works; long handscroll callig raphy; and bold, energetic and gigantic landscapes.”

WE EXIST SO WE CAN PAINT THE LAND.

DJAMBAWA MARAWILI

Artist and clan leader Djambawa Marawili added that the Yol ŋ u “are the tongue of the land. Grown by the land so it can sing who it is. We exist so we can paint the land.”

Another superlative accompanies “Park Dae Sung: Ink Reimagined”: It’s the largest solo exhibition of the South Korean artist’s works to appear in the U.S. That aside, the show itself is spectacular. Like the works of the Yolŋu, Park’s are also steeped in reverence for place and timelessness. With the classic Asian medium of brush and ink on paper or silk, he creates paintings in a stratum between grounded and ethereal.

Some of the 23 pieces in the Hood show have not been exhibited previously, and local audiences are fortunate to be able to see them here. What impresses initially is sheer size: A few of Park’s paintings exceed 25 feet in length. A short documentary video shows how he manages to execute such monumental works.

Park was born in 1945, at the end of World War II. Five years later, he lost his parents and his left arm in the Korean War. The disabled boy, and then man, devoted himself to making art and to the practice of calligraphy. Traveling around the world, he studied both Eastern and Western art traditions. Park’s serene,

Though the curator does not explain what she means by “two characters,” viewers can see Park’s interwoven dualities for themselves: ancient Korean brush techniques and a contemporary graphic sensibility, delicate finesse and bold strokes, drama and contemplation, real ism and abstraction. Park’s enormously long paint ing, “Mount Geumgang in Winter,” possesses all of these characteristics. Pointy moun tains assert themselves like skyscrap ers, partially obscured by snow; black communes with white. The piece is both spectral and dazzling.

Smaller paintings are hung in the same gallery, including lovely studies of flowers, birds and pottery. The most visually arresting display in the room, however, consists of three long scrolls of calligraphy, wall hung at one end and unfurled onto a low platform. For viewers who cannot read Seoye, these are simply streams of interesting graphic marks set upon beautiful paper. Unencumbered by the slightest comprehension of the writ ten text, we are free to access a deeper language. Call it meditation.

East meets West meets Down Under in the Hood’s twinned exhibitions. For receptive viewers, both present welcome opportunities to embrace the unknown. m

INFO

“Maḏayin: Eight Decades of Aboriginal Australian Bark Painting From Yirrkala” is on view through December 4; “Park Dae Sung: Ink Reimagined,” through March 19. Hood Museum, Dartmouth College, in Hanover, N.H. Find programming in conjunction with both exhibits at hoodmuseum.dartmouth.edu.

Call

NEW THIS WEEK

burlington

f ‘ROXHAM ROAD’: An exhibition of landscape photographs by Bill McDowell taken along the U.S.-Canada border around an irregular crossing near Champlain, N.Y., with a sound installation by Jenn Karson. Reception: Wednesday, October 12, 5:30-6:30 p.m. October 12-November 4. Info, 656-0550. Colburn Gallery in Burlington.

northeast kingdom

MICHELE JOHNSEN: “Do You Believe in Magic,” paint ings of intimate spaces and sublime vistas. October 14-November 19. Info, 748-0518. Northeast Kingdom Artisans Guild Backroom Gallery in St. Johnsbury.

outside vermont

f NICK LAMIA, ELIZABETH NELSON & KATYA

ROBERTS: Paintings and installation in themes that signify water, landscape and ecology. Reception: Friday, October 14, 5-7 p.m. October 14-November 12. Info, 603-448-3117. AVA Gallery and Art Center in Lebanon, N.H.

‘SEEING LOUD: BASQUIAT AND MUSIC’: The first large-scale multimedia exhibition devoted to the role of music in the work of the innovative American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, organized in collaboration with the Philharmonie de Paris museum. October 15-February 19. Info, 514-285-2000. Montréal Museum of Fine Arts.

ART EVENTS

ARTIST TALK: SHANTA LEE: The poet and photog rapher presents an interactive talk titled “Imagining Within and Outside of the Self: Johari’s Window & the Endless Possibilities to Selves Through Making,” in conjunction with her current exhibit. Fleming Museum of Art, University of Vermont, Burlington, Wednesday, October 12, 5:30 p.m. Free. Info, 656-0750.

ARTLORDS POP-UP EXHIBIT: Members of the Afghanled movement using art for social transformation, now resettled in the Brattleboro area, create a mural at the museum in conjunction with the Multicultural Community Center. Brattleboro Museum & Art Center, Monday, October 17, 2-8 p.m. Free. Info, 257-0124.

BIWEEKLY FIGURE DRAWING SOCIAL: Tickets are limited to 20 seats and are first come, first serve. Live model; bring your own beverages and supplies; curated playlist. RSVP at wishbonecollectivevt.com. Wishbone Collective, Winooski, Wednesday, October 19, 6-8 p.m. $15. Info, hello@wishbonecollectivevt.com.

BOOK DESIGN EXHIBITIONS: “The Most Beautiful Swiss Books,” featuring the winning entries of an annual competition held by the Federal Office of Culture of Switzerland; and “50 Books | 50 Covers,” design winners culled from an American Institute of Graphic Arts competition. Gary Library, Vermont College of Fine Arts, Montpelier, Friday, October 14, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Info, 595-9011.

DOMINO TOPPLING EXTRAVAGANZA: The 15th an nual spectacle featuring an installation of thousands of dominos features veteran domino toppler and YouTube superstar Lily Hevesh along with Brady Dolan, Nathan Heck and Chris Wright. Brattleboro Museum & Art Center, Sunday, October 16, 5:30 p.m. $5, $3 for members, free to children 8 and under. Info, 257-0124.

‘HAND IN GLOVE: A STUDY OF GLOVES AND THE PEOPLE WHO WEAR THEM’: An exhibit that juxtaposes portraits of Tinmouth residents, who use different kinds of gloves for a variety of occupations and activities, with images of the gloves themselves, by New York City-based photographer Nick Mango. Tinmouth Old Firehouse, Saturday, October 15, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday, October 16, noon-4 p.m. Info, nick@nickmangophotography.com.

EXHIBIT

NON-FICTION COMICS FESTIVAL: Vermont Folklife Center and the library collaborate on a day of cartoonists exhibiting and selling their work, panel discussions, and presentations exploring nonfiction cartooning in its many forms. Keynote speaker is graphic novelist, tattoo artist, illustrator and filmmaker James Spooner. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, Saturday, October 15, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Free.

ROLLERBLADE DRAWINGS AND PAINTINGS: Jean Cherouny offers paintings on wood, canvas and paper for sale and talks about her project called “traveling painting on a wooden court,” which highlights the athlete’s past and future self in paint. Jean Cherouny Fine Art and Design, Winooski, Sunday, October 16, 2-5 p.m. Free. Info, 349-9491.

VISITING ARTIST TALK: RUBENS GHENOV: The Brazil-born artist, who immigrated to the U.S. in 1989, talks about his paintings. Red Mill Gallery, Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, Wednesday, October 12, 7-8 p.m. Free. Info, info@vermontstudiocenter.org.

ONGOING SHOWS burlington

‘ANYWHERE FROM ANYWHERE’: A collection of drawings by more than 20 artists. Through December 1. Info, hello@thekarmabirdhouse.com. Karma Bird House Gallery in Burlington.

ART AT THE HOSPITAL: Photographs by Greg Nicolai and Caleb Kenna (Main Street Connector, ACC 3); relief monotypes by Erika Lawlor Schmidt (Main Street Connector); acrylic paintings by Sandra Berbeco (McClure 4 and EP2); oil and mixed-media paintings by James Vogler (EP2); and oil paintings by Julia Purinton (BCC). Curated by Burlington City Arts. Through January 23. Info, 865-7296. University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington.

ART HOP JURIED SHOW: Artwork by more than 70 artists submitted for competition in the 30th annual South End Art Hop; juried by David Griffin. Through December 10. Info, 859-9222. The Vaults in Burlington.

‘BLACK FREEDOM, BLACK MADONNA & THE BLACK CHILD OF HOPE’: “Black Freedom, Black Madonna, and the Black Child of Hope,” designed by Raphaella Brice and created by Brice and Josie Bunnell, a mural installed for Burlington’s 2022 Juneteenth celebration, featuring a Haitian-inspired image of liberation. Through June 18. Info, 865-7166. ‘WITHIN THIS FOREST’: Photography by the late artist Catrin Rhiannon Steward. Through October 31. Info, 863-3403. Fletcher Free Library in Burlington.

‘CALL AND RESPONSE’: Artworks by 16 members of the Howard Arts Collective, each inspired by a piece in the museum’s collections. ‘DARK GODDESS: AN EXPLORATION OF THE SACRED FEMININE’: Large-scale black-and-white photographs by Shanta Lee, based on the inquiry, “Who or what is the Goddess when she is allowed to misbehave?” ROCKWELL KENT: Prints by the iconic American artist (1882-1971) from the Ralf C. Nemec collection. Through December 9. Info, 656-0750. Fleming Museum of Art, University of Vermont in Burlington.

CLARK RUSSELL: “Riddleville,” an alternate universe featuring thousands of still-life scenes constructed of metal structures and found objects, from family heirlooms to dumpster discards. Through November 19. Info, 652-4500. Amy E. Tarrant Gallery in Burlington.

‘CONNECTIONS’: Howard Center Arts Collective presents an art installation of painted mailboxes and mosaics, inviting viewers to reflect on the benefits of old-fashioned mail delivery and to consider whether mailboxes have become relics of the past. Through July 31. Info, artscollective@howardcenter.org. Howard Center in Burlington.

‘DARK MATTER’: An exhibition of artworks in multiple mediums that interpret the known and unknown, the dark, and the difficult to talk about. Through October 28. Info, spacegalleryvt@gmail.com. The S.P.A.C.E. Gallery in Burlington.

VISUAL ART IN SEVEN DAYS: ART LISTINGS AND SPOTLIGHTS

LISTINGS

‘Transformative Moves: Ray Brown’

A retrospective exhibition of works by the late Montpelier artist Ray Brown requires a lot of space. Accordingly, his paintings, drawings and prints now fill the walls on two floors of Studio Place Arts in Barre, as well as nearby auxiliary sites at Morse Block Deli & Taps and AR Market. Brown was beloved in central Vermont not only as an artist but also as the ever-friendly proprietor of the Drawing Board, the Montpelier art supply and framing business that he and his wife, Jody Wilson, purchased in 1983.

Originally from Brookline, Mass., Brown attended the Massachusetts College of Art and Design (now MassArt) in Boston and the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan. That formal training is evident in his earlier landscape and figurative works. But, according to a gallery statement by Mark Waskow, the exhibition curator and president of the Northern New England Museum of Contemporary Art, Brown longed to break away from traditional styles and “to develop works that were not so straightforward or realistic.”

An unfortunate event ultimately forced Brown to do just that: A massive stroke in 2006 immobilized his dominant side. Undeterred, Brown learned to paint with his left hand. “Instead of viewing his new situation as a disability,” Waskow writes, “Ray saw it as an opportunity to do what he had been trying unsuccessfully to do for about 15 years.”

Brown’s looser, more abstract approach to the canvas was not just a function of his lessdisciplined hand; he also began to render landscape as blocks of color, many reflecting the palette he witnessed during multiple trips to Italy. These explorations in geometry and ebullient hue recall the midcentury paintings of Mark Rothko.

But if Brown’s larger abstractions command more attention, visitors to the retrospective should

not miss his exquisite little etchings from an earlier period. Appropriately, they’re displayed in Studio Place Arts’ Quick Change Gallery — a former phone booth repurposed as a venue for diminutive works.

Brown died just before his 80th birthday in 2020 — shortly after attending the reception for his small solo show at Montpelier gallery the Front.

“Transformative Moves” is on view at all three locations through October 29. Pictured: “Two Villas,” from 2013.

GET YOUR ART SHOW LISTED HERE!

‘GUARDIANS OF THE GREAT OUTDOORS’: An exhibition in which young explorers can roam forests, navigate streams and become backyard adventurers while learning to become thoughtful stewards of the land. Through January 15. Info, 864-1848. ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain in Burlington.

KATHARINE MONTSTREAM & CHARLOTTE

DWORSHAK: Winter lake paintings big and small,

realistic and abstract, in oil, acrylic and watercolor by the mother-and-daughter artists. Through November 1. Info, 363-9253. Montstream Studio in Burlington.

KELLY O’NEAL: Painterly photographs focused on the beauty of place. Curated by Burlington City Arts. Through October 31. Info, 865-7296. Mascoma Bank in Burlington.

‘MORE THAN A MARKET’: An exhibit celebrating local, immigrant-owned markets in Burlington, South Burlington and Winooski, featuring an installation that re-creates the feel of a busy market, as well as wall panels with archival and contemporary photographs. Third floor. Through December 23. Info, 989-4723, cbarrett@historicnewengland.org. O.N.E. Community Center in Burlington.

OBADIAH HUNTER: Plein air paintings by the California-based artist, including a large-scale work painted on Church Street in Burlington. Through October 15. Info, 707-630-3188. Three Needs Taproom & Pizza Cube in Burlington.

SAM WYATT: “Writing on the Wall Project,” paintings that explore graffiti as a reflection of this moment in American society and culture, curated by Burlington City Arts. Through December 7. Info, 865-7296. Burlington City Hall.

‘VOICES OF ST. JOSEPH’S ORPHANAGE’: Photographs and stories of abuse and recovery from the Catholicrun Burlington orphanage, which was home to more than 13,000 children from 1854 to 1974. Presented by the St. Joseph’s Orphanage Restorative Inquiry and the Vermont Folklife Center. Through December 16. Info, 656-2138. Billings Library, University of Vermont in Burlington.

chittenden county

‘ABENAKI CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE VERMONT COMMUNITY’: A series of murals designed by Scott Silverstein in consultation with Abenaki artists Lisa Ainsworth Plourde and Vera Longtoe Sheehan and members of Richmond Racial Equity; the 10 panels celebrate the Abenaki origins of practices still important to Vermont culture. Through May 31. Info, radiate.art.space@gmail.com. Richmond Town Hall.

BRIAN DROURR & STEPHANIE BUSH: Nature photographs and paintings of cows, respectively. Curated by Burlington City Arts. Through October 18. Info, 865-7296. Pierson Library in Shelburne.

‘EYESIGHT & INSIGHT: LENS ON AMERICAN ART’: An exhibition of artworks that illuminates creative responses to perceptions of vision; four sections explore themes ranging from 18th-century optical technologies to the social and historical connotations of eyeglasses in portraiture from the 19th century to the present. Through October 16. Info, 985-3346.

‘OUR COLLECTION: ELECTRA HAVEMEYER

WEBB, EDITH HALPERT AND FOLK ART’: A virtual exhibition that celebrates the friendship between the museum founder and her longtime art dealer, featuring archival photographs and ephemera, a voice recording from Halpert, and quotations pulled from the women’s extensive correspondences.

Through February 9. LUIGI LUCIONI: “Modern Light,” more than 50 landscape paintings, still-life works, portraiture and etchings by the prolific artist (1900-88) and a comprehensive examination of his career. Through October 16. MARIA SHELL: “Off the Grid,” 14 contemporary quilts that push the boundaries of the traditional gridded format by the Alaska-based quilter. Through October 16. NANCY WINSHIP MILLIKEN: “Varied and Alive,” four monumental outdoor sculptures set in a pollinator meadow that embody the museum’s commitment to environmental stewardship and feature natural materials intrinsic to the region. Through October 16. Info, 985-3346. Shelburne Museum.

‘FINE FEATHERS’: Works by more than 60 artists and poets inspired by birds and feather colors, shapes, patterns and functions. Through October 31. Info, 434-2167. Birds of Vermont Museum in Huntington.

JESSICA SCRIVER: “Growth Patterns,” new paintings in mixed media that explore shape, pattern, texture and color. Through October 29. Info, 985-3848. Furchgott Sourdiffe Gallery in Shelburne.

MARILYN JAMES: “Old and New Paintings,” landscapes and more by the cofounder of the Essex Art League. Through November 6. Info, 899-3211. Emile A. Gruppe Gallery in Jericho.

MICHELE BRODY: “Papers of Place,” an exhibition of artwork incorporating paper created from local plants, presented in partnership with ecoartspace. Through October 28. Info, bcollier@smcvt.edu. McCarthy Art Gallery, Saint Michael’s College, in Colchester.

ROB HITZIG & BEAR CIERI: Abstract geometric paintings on birch panels (Skyway) and photographs from the artist’s Quarry Survey (Gates 1-8). Through December 6. Info, 865-7296. Burlington International Airport in South Burlington.

SOUTH BURLINGTON SHOWCASE: An exhibition of more than 60 paintings, photographs and mixedmedia works by local artists Gin Ferrara, Jeffrey Pascoe and Michael Strauss. Through December 13. Info, gallery@southburlingtonvt.gov. South Burlington Public Art Gallery.

barre/montpelier

AXEL STOHLBERG: “House,” collages and sculptures that consider the concepts of dwelling and place. Through December 30. Info, 279-5558. Vermont Supreme Court Gallery in Montpelier.

CRYSTAL STOKES: “Pieces of You,” portraiture in light and dark acrylic paint by the central Vermont artist. Through November 15. Info, 595-5252. Center for Arts and Learning in Montpelier.

EVE JACOBS-CARNAHAN: “Knit Democracy Together,” a five-foot-long sculpture of the Vermont Statehouse constructed from the knitted works of more than 50 crafters. Also on view are the artist’s mixed-media al legorical sculptures of knitted chickens encountering voting challenges. Through October 31. Info, 279-5558. Vermont Statehouse, Card Room, in Montpelier.

LESLIE ROTH & JOHN F. PARKER: Knitted creature sculptures and mixed-media works, respectively.

Through October 31. Info, 613-3182. J. Langdon Antiques & Art in Montpelier.

‘ROCK SOLID XXII’: The annual celebration of stone includes sculptures, assemblages and other works in the main gallery and plaza. RAY BROWN: “Transformative Moves,” a lifetime retrospective of the paintings, drawings, prints and more by the late local artist. Curated by NNEMoCA on the second and third floors and in the Quick Change Gallery, as well as annex locations at AR Market and Morse Block.

Through October 29. Info, 479-7069. Studio Place Arts in Barre.

REGIS CUMMINGS: “Retrospect,” paintings in response to the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, by the Montpelier artist. Through October 28. Info, 279-5558. Vermont Statehouse Cafeteria in Montpelier.

SHOW 51: Gallery members exhibit one or two works not shown before: Kate Fetherston, Anne Cogbill-Rose, Kimberly Malloy Backus, Earl Henry Fox, Delia Robinson, Diane Sophrin, Ned Richardson, Glen Coburn Hutcheson, Richard Moore, Monica DiGiovanni, Sam Thurston, Marjorie Kramer, Elizabeth Nelson, James Secor, Kathy Stark and Melora Kennedy.

Through October 30. Info, info@thefrontvt.com. The Front in Montpelier.

‘STORIES FROM RED OCULUS’: In-process video of stories collected from visitors to Calza’s “Red Oculus” installation in 2021 and 2022, plus a new video by Kelly Holt. Through November 19. Info, 224-6827. Susan Calza Gallery in Montpelier.

‘THE WORLD THROUGH THEIR EYES’: Watercolors and drawings by 19th-century Norwich alumni William Brenton Boggs and Truman Seymour depicting scenes in North and South America, Asia, Europe and Africa. Through December 16. Info, 485-2886. Sullivan Museum & History Center, Norwich University, in Northfield.

stowe/smuggs

‘LAND & LIGHT & WATER & AIR’: An annual exhibition featuring more than 95 works by local and regional artists who paint the Vermont countryside. Through October 30. ‘LET US INTRODUCE YOU’: Paintings by five artists who have not previously exhibited in the gallery: Robin Reynolds, Ellen Hopkins Fountain, Kate Follett, Ella Delyanis and Caroline Loftus. Through October 30. 2022 LEGACY COLLECTION: An exhibit of works by 16 distinguished New England landscape artists plus a selection of works by Alden Bryan and Mary Bryan. Through December 24. Info, 644-5100. Bryan Memorial Gallery in Jeffersonville.

ALTERNATIVE TAKES GALLERY: An exhibition by Misoo Bang, Richard Britell and Mary Reilly featuring three different perspectives on the world, from the ar chitecture of Western civilization to the natural world, to the individuals navigating both, accomplished with paint, collage and graphite. Through October 31. Info,

art

760-4634. Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, Stowe Mountain Resort.

‘EXPOSED’: The annual outdoor sculpture show featuring works by nine Vermont artists sited on the Current lawn and downtown. Through October 22. Info, 253-8358. Various Stowe locations.

‘GRACE: 45 YEARS OF CREATIVITY’: An exhibition of works by participants in the Hardwick-based Grassroots Arts and Community Effort, which facilitates art making with seniors and people with disabilities. Through October 21. Info, 635-1469. Julian Scott Memorial Gallery, Northern Vermont University, in Johnson.

TARANEH MOSADEGH: Paintings by the IranianAmerican artist based in Halifax, Vt., and Brooklyn, N.Y. Through November 30. Info, 635-2727. Vermont Studio Center in Johnson.

‘WHEN THE WELL IS DRY: An exhibition featuring 11 artists who explore the interconnection of environ ment, climate change, culture and community. In partnership with Visura. Through December 10. Info, 253-8358. The Current in Stowe.

mad river valley/waterbury

‘EARTH & FIRE’: A group exhibition of artworks in glass and ceramic by local artists. Through October 14. Info, 224-6878. Mad River Valley Arts Gallery in Waitsfield.

‘REACT! AN ECOART CALL TO ACTION’: Works that address social and ecological issues in collage, book art, sculpture, fiber, clay and found-object assemblage by Pamela Wilson, Jennifer Volansky, Dorsey Hogg, Kevin Donegan and Anne Cummings. Through October 15. Info, info.acrossroads@gmail.com. Grange Hall Cultural Center in Waterbury Center.

middlebury area

‘THE ORWELL ARTISTS’: Works by 11 artists including pottery, collage, painting and more. Through October 15. 6X6: A MINI EXHIBITION: An exhibition of 2D artwork with dimensions of six inches square by more than 50 local artists. The theme commemorates the store turning 6 months old. Through October 29. Info, 989-7225. Sparrow Art Supply in Middlebury.

‘ADDISON COUNTY COLLECTS’: An eclectic exhibition of objects and personal stories from 36 area collectors, celebrating the local and global community. ‘ADDISON COUNTY KIDS COLLECT’: A continually growing exhibition of photos of Addison County children with their personal collections. ‘ARTISTS IN THE ARCHIVES: COMMUNITY, HISTORY & COLLAGE’: Collage prints by 23 artists from seven countries that reflect upon the idea of community in the 21st-century world. Curated by Kolaj Institute director Ric Kasini Kadour. ‘THE ELEPHANT IN THE ARCHIVES’: An experimental exhibit reexamining the museum’s Stewart-Swift Research Center archival collections with a critical eye toward silences, erasures and contemporary relevance. CHUCK HERRMANN: “Sculptures of Perseverance,” eight poignant works by the Shoreham wood carver created in response to the ongoing Ukrainian tragedy. Through January 7. Info, 388-2117. Henry Sheldon Museum of Vermont History in Middlebury.

BONNIE BAIRD: “Tethered,” new landscape paintings by the Vermont artist. Through November 30. Info, 877-2173. Northern Daughters in Vergennes.

‘DISSENT! ABOLITION & ADVOCACY IN PRINT’: An exhibition of 19th-century print materials used as a platform to expose the horrors of enslavement and spread calls for emancipation in the United States. Through October 23. Info, 877-3406. Rokeby Museum in Ferrisburgh.

ELLEN GRANTER: “Tidal,” new paintings exploring the New England coast and the wildlife that inhabits

it. Through November 15. Info, 989-7419. Edgewater Gallery at the Falls in Middlebury.

KATHLEEN KOLB: “Fragile/Familiar,” contemporary realist paintings that explore light, a sense of place and community, and the artist’s relationship with the landscape of working Vermont. Through November 8. Info, 989-7419. Edgewater Gallery on the Green in Middlebury.

‘THE LIFE OF WATER’: An international juried exhibition of photographs of water in all its forms and sources. Through October 21. Info, photos@ photoplacegallery.com. PhotoPlace Gallery in Middlebury.

photographs whose visual narratives evoke a response in the viewer, by artists from Vermont, New York, California and Texas. Through November 20. Info, 325-2603. Stone Valley Arts at Fox Hill in Poultney.

SCULPTFEST22: An annual outdoor exhibition of sculptural installations in a variety of mediums. Through October 23. Info, 438-2097. The Carving Studio & Sculpture Center in West Rutland.

upper valley

‘BEYOND WORDS’: A group exhibition of book-inspired art by invited artists in the Connecticut River Valley region. Through November 30. Info, 295-4567. Long River Gallery in White River Junction.

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‘NO OCEAN BETWEEN US: ART OF ASIAN DIASPORAS IN LATIN AMERICA & THE CARIBBEAN, 1945-PRESENT’: Some 70 important works in a variety of mediums by Latin American and Caribbean artists of Asian heritage that demonstrate how the work emerged from cross-directional global dialogues between artists, their cultural identities and interac tion with artistic movements. Exhibition celebration: Tuesday, October 18, 5 p.m. Through December 11. Info, 443-5007. Middlebury College Museum of Art.

rutland/killington

ALTHEA BILODEAU LAMB & JUDITH REILLY: “Common Threads,” fabric and fiber art. Through November 6. Info, 247-4956. Brandon Artists Guild.

‘THE ART OF HALVES HALF KNOTS’: A group exhibition of textile arts in quilting, felting, sewing, crocheting, knitting, embroidery and mixed media. Through October 22. Info, 775-0356. Chaffee Art Center in Rutland.

‘NEW DATA/NEW DADA’: An open-call exhibition of 40 collage and 3D assemblages that explore, echo, translate or reinvent Dada, by artists from the U.S. and Canada. Through November 20. Info, 325-2603. ‘THE STORY’: An open-call exhibition of contemporary

EDIE FAKE: “Drylands Wetspot,” an installation and paintings by the artist, whose work examines issues of trans identity and queer space through the lens of architecture and ornamentation. Through October 30. Info, 347-264-4808. Kishka Gallery & Library in White River Junction.

‘I NEVER SAW IT THAT WAY: EXPLORING SCIENCE

THROUGH ART: This self-curated exhibition of mixedmedia works by artists, sculptors, photographers and crafters on the museum staff considers science from fresh perspectives. Through January 31. Info, 649-2200. Montshire Museum of Science in Norwich.

JENNIFER MAHARRY: Fine art wildlife photography by the Woodstock, N.Y., artist in celebration of VINS’ 50-year anniversary. Through November 30. Info, 359-5000. Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS) in Quechee.

‘LOCAL COLOR’: The 11th annual group exhibition showcasing the pleasures and colors of autumn with painting, photography, mixed-media, sculpture and ceramics. Through November 6. Info, 457-3500. Artistree Community Arts Center & Gallery in South Pomfret.

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‘MENDING THE SPACES BETWEEN: REFLECTIONS

AND CONTEMPLATIONS’: Prompted by a vandalized Bible, 22 artists and poets respond to questions about how we can mend our world, find ways to listen and work together. Through November 30. Info, 649-0124. Norwich Historical Society and Community Center.

‘MOVING IN STILLNESS, STILLNESS IN MOVING’: A video and photo installation by photographer, dancer and emerging filmmaker Carla Kimball that projects images and films on fabric panels and explores the idea of being on a journey. Through October 22. Free. Info, info@uvjam.org. Junction Arts & Media in White River Junction.

‘MULTIPLE AVENUES: ARTISTS EXPLORE

PRINTMAKING’: A faculty exhibition featuring a variety of works by Michael Smoot, Susan Smereka, Jes Raymond, Lynn Newcomb, Mary Mead, Patty Hudak, Rachel Gross and Janet Cathey. Through October 31. Info, tworiversprintmakingstudio@gmail. com. Two Rivers Printmaking Studio in White River Junction.

ROBERT BURCHESS: “Faces and Figures,” drawings by the Vermont-based artist. Through October 31. Info, 457-2295. Norman Williams Public Library in Woodstock.

northeast kingdom

‘1,111 COPPER NAILS’: A 36-year retrospective of the Bread and Puppet calendar. Through December 31. Info, breadandpuppetcuratrix@gmail.com. Hardwick Inn.

ANN CREAVEN: New photographs of the Northeast Kingdom. Through November 13. Info, 525-3366. The Parker Pie Company in West Glover.

ANN YOUNG: “In a Dangerous Time,” paintings that focus on people in troubling times and abstracted images of magnified natural objects. Included are three commissioned paintings concerning the

West Saharan human rights activist Sultana Khaya.

CHUCK TROTSKY: “Slightly Irregular,” large acrylic paintings and smaller mixed-media works drawn from pop culture. Through October 30. Info, 748-2600. Catamount Arts Center in St. Johnsbury.

‘CASPIAN ARTS AT MAC! WELCOME!’: Works in a variety of mediums by members of the Greensborobased artist organization. Through October 29. Info, 334-1966. MAC Center for the Arts Gallery in Newport.

‘COMING CLEAN’: An exhibition that considers bathing practices throughout time and across cultures, including religious immersion and ritual purification, bathing as health cure, methods of washing in extreme environments, and much more. All kinds of bathing and scrubbing implements are on display.

Through April 30. Info, 626-4409. The Museum of Everyday Life in Glover.

EMILIA OLSON: “Painting With the Past,” oil on canvas paintings incorporating objects from the artist’s childhood. Through November 27. Info, 533-2000. Highland Center for the Arts in Greensboro.

brattleboro/okemo valley

ALISSA BUFFUM: The mixed-media painter and sculptor is the first recipient of the gallery’s Working Artist Program, which provides studio and exhibition space. Visitors are welcome to experience her art-making process during gallery hours. Through November 28. Info, 289-0104. Canal Street Art Gallery in Bellows Falls.

BARBARA CAMPMAN: “In Passage,” painting, assemblage and mixed media by the Vermont artist. Through November 6. Info, 387-0102. Next Stage Arts Project in Putney.

LEON GOLUB: Nearly 70 expressive figurative paintings that explore man’s relationship with the dynamics of power, spanning the American artist’s career from 1947 to 2002. LOIS DODD: A survey of some 50 paintings by

the American artist from the late 1950s through last year that depict places she lives and works, from rural Maine to New York City. Through November 27. Info, vermont@hallartfoundation.org. Hall Art Foundation in Reading.

‘MASKED’: A juried exhibition of visual artworks by 22 artists with disabilities, organized by Inclusive Arts Vermont. Through October 15. Info, 404-1597. Main Street Arts in Saxtons River.

MUTSU CRISPIN: “Portals,” sculpture, drawings and photographs that explore the spiritual passage of the artist, aka Johnny DiGeorge. Through October 30. Info, 258-8515. 118 Elliot in Brattleboro.

OASA DUVERNEY: “Black Power Wave,” a window installation of drawings by the Brooklyn artist, inspired by images of Chinese Fu dogs, the cross and the Yoruba deity Èsù. Through May 6. Info, 257-0124. Brattleboro Museum & Art Center.

manchester/bennington

‘MANY AMERICAS: ART MEETS HISTORY’: More than a dozen artworks and installations that use divergent histories as a point of departure to address present-day issues. Curated by Ric Kasini Kadour. Through November 27. Info, 362-1405. Elizabeth de C. Wilson Museum, Southern Vermont Arts Center, in Manchester.

‘PARKS & RECREATION’: An exhibition of paintings past and present that explores the history and artistic depictions of Vermont’s state parks and other formally designated natural areas. Contemporary works on loan from the Bryan Memorial Gallery in Jeffersonville. Through November 6. ‘PERSPECTIVES: THE STORY OF BENNINGTON THROUGH MAPS’: A collection that shows the changing roles of maps, from those made by European colonists showcasing American conquests to later versions that celebrate civic progress and historic events. Through December

31. ‘THE WALLOOMSAC EXHIBITION’: Objects from the historic former inn and the museum’s permanent col lection. Through December 31. NORTH BENNINGTON OUTDOOR SCULPTURE SHOW: The 25th annual outdoor sculpture show at locations around town, as well as more works by regional artists inside the museum. Through November 12. Info, 447-1571. Bennington Museum.

SOLO EXHIBITIONS: Ten artists exhibit their work in a variety of mediums: Barbara Ackerman, Justin Kenney, Arnela Mahmutović, Evan McGlinn, Julie Merwin, Heather Palecek, Robert Ressler, Ron Vallario, Katrin Waite and Ann Young. Through November 6. Info, 362-1405. Yester House Galleries, Southern Vermont Arts Center, in Manchester.

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‘THE UNCIVIL WAR AT HOME’: A photographic exhibition that addresses women’s rights and the fight for abortion rights, Black Lives Matter, gay rights and other human rights issues in the U.S. Reception: Friday, October 14, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Through November 11. Info, rhondaratray@gmail.com. The Left Bank in North Bennington.

randolph/royalton

‘GHOST SHOW’: A collection of artists explore what the word “ghost” means to them. Through November 1. Info, 377-7098. Black Meadow Gallery and Tattoo in Randolph.

‘VERMONT VISTAS’: Seasonal views by six regional printmakers: Jeanne Amato, Matt Brown, Janet Cathey, Carol MacDonald, Maureen O’Connor Burgess and Jeannie Podolak. Through November 5. Info, 728-9878. Chandler Center for the Arts in Randolph.

art online

CAMPUS THEATER MOVIE POSTERS: The Henry Sheldon Museum Archives presents a virtual exhibit of posters and other ephemera from Middlebury’s former movie theater, which opened in 1936. It was later converted to the current Marquis Theater. Through January 7. Info, 388-2117. Online.

outside vermont

‘DIANE ARBUS: PHOTOGRAPHS, 1956-1971’: Nearly 100 black-and-white prints shot by the late American photographer primarily around New York City. Through January 29. Info, 514-285-2000. ‘VIEWS OF WITHIN: PICTURING THE SPACES WE INHABIT’: More than 60 paintings, photographs, prints, installations and textile works from the museum’s collection that present one or more evocations of interior space. Through June 30. Info, 514-235-2044. NICOLAS PARTY: “L’heure mauve” (“Mauve Twilight”), a dream like exhibition of paintings, sculptures and installation in the Swiss-born artist’s signature saturated colors. Online reservations required. Through October 16. SABRINA RATTÉ: “Contre-espace,” digital artwork by the Montréal artist that creates an interaction between architecture and landscape, projected onto the façade of the Michal and Renata Hornstein Pavilion from dusk to 11 p.m. Through November 27. Info, 514-285-2000. SHARY BOYLE: “Outside the Palace of Me,” a multisensory exhibition that explores how identity and personality are constructed in

CALL TO ARTISTS

ARTS CONNECT AT CATAMOUNT ARTS

JURIED SHOW: Artists are invited to submit up to five works in any medium created within the last five years. Accepted work will be displayed December 14 through March 12 at Catamount Arts in St. Johnsbury. Submission details at catamountarts.org. Through November 13. $35. Info, mstone@catamoun tarts.org.

BCA ELEVATION GRANT: Burlington City Arts announces a one-year pilot funding opportunity designed to support regional artists and artist groups with grants between $500 and $5,000. The goal is to help address the basic challenges of art making at any stage of the creative process. Find details and application at burlingtoncityarts.org. Deadline: November 15. Info, cstorrs@burlingtoncityarts.org.

CALL FOR EXHIBITORS: Enter your group show, traveling exhibit or new body of work for the 2022-23 season in our community gallery. We seek thought-provoking exhibits that examine the human experience. CAL is an interdisciplinary art center that celebrates diversity, equity and inclusion in all forms. Submit artwork at cal-vt.org. Deadline: December 31. Center for Arts and Learning, Montpelier. Info, 595-5252.

CALL FOR MEMBERS: Become part of a thriving hub for music and art education. CAL is committed to enhancing the cultural life of central Vermont through its founding member organizations, as well as embracing individual artists, musicians and other nonprofits in a collaborative and welcoming community. Register at cal-vt.org. Center for Arts and Learning, Montpelier. Through December 31. $36 annually. Info, 595-5252.

CREATIVE AGING GRANTS: The Vermont Arts Council is offering grants up to $4,000 for organizations to provide skill-based arts instruc tion and social engagement led by experienced teaching artists for older adults aged 60-plus. Info and application at vermontartscouncil.org. Through November 1.

CREATIVE FUTURES GRANTS: With $9 million in funding from Vermont’s last legislative session, the Vermont Arts Council is offering up to $200,000 grants to creative sector nonprofits and for-profit entities,

the age of social media. Through January 15. Info, 514-285-2000. Montréal Museum of Fine Arts.

‘FROM LIFE: THE CLASSICAL ART OF FIGURE

DRAWING’: An interactive exhibit by 15 members of the Strand Life Drawing Group, co-curated by artists Shaun O’Connell and Cynthia Root. Free life drawing workshops October 14, 21 and 28, 5-7 p.m. Through October 31. Info, 518-563-1604. Strand Center for the Arts in Plattsburgh, N.Y.

‘MAḎAYIN: EIGHT DECADES OF ABORIGINAL AUSTRALIAN BARK PAINTING FROM YIRRKALA’:

The first major exhibition of Aboriginal Australian bark paintings to tour the U.S., a contemporary interpretation of an ancient tradition of Indigenous knowledge expression. Through December 4. Info, 603-646-2821. f PARK DAE SUNG: “Ink Reimagined,” 23 large-scale ink paintings, some on view for the first time in the U.S., by the renowned Korean artist; curated by Sunglim Kim, Dartmouth College associate professor of art history. Artist talk: Thursday, November 3, 5-6 p.m., for the annual Dr. Allen W. Root Contemporary Distinguished Art Lectureship. Through March 19. Info, 603-646-3661. Hood Museum, Dartmouth College, in Hanover, N.H.

‘THE RESILIENCE OF TRAVELERS’: A juried selection of images from the annual Global Rescue photo contest. Through November 5. VICTORIA SHALVAH

HERZBERG: “Native Plants and Invited Immigrants,” figurative works in mixed media by the Vermontbased artist. Through October 20. Info, 603-448-3117. AVA Gallery and Art Center in Lebanon, N.H. m

including sole proprietors, that have sustained substantial losses from the pandemic. Find details, application and info about applicant workshops at vermontartscouncil.org. First deadline: November 1. Info, ccrawley@ vermontartscouncil.org.

‘TIME OF CHANGE’: All artists and makers in all mediums are invited to create work focusing on the entry into the transitional month of November. Work will be displayed at the gallery. For details and to request an entry form, email melmelts@yahoo.com. Deadline: October 27. The Satellite Gallery, Lyndonville. $20.

VERMONT STUDENT WILDLIFE ART

CONTEST: The Vermont Wildlife Coalition’s Education Fund and Highland Center for the Arts in Greensboro invite Vermont students in grades 7 to 12 to submit wildlife art in oil, acrylic, watercolor, pencil, ink or pastel. The top 40 will be exhibited in February; prizes awarded. Details and application at vtwildlifeeducationfund.org. Deadline: December 9. Free. Info, 434-3135.

WELCOME BLANKET PROJECT: The public is invited to submit handmade blankets and welcome notes to gift to refugees and new Americans. Both will be displayed in an upcoming exhibition before distribution. Welcome Blanket was created by Jayna Zweiman, cofounder of the Pussyhat Project. Instructions and drop-off locations at themillmuseum.org. Heritage Winooski Mill Museum. Through November 30. Info, info@themillmuseum.org.

‘WHAT MAKES A LAKE?’: Another Earth is seeking submissions from Vermont artists and current or former residents of photography, cyanotypes, drawings, writing, video stills, field recordings and historical images that are in some way connected to Lake Champlain. Those accepted will be included in a visual guide to what makes a lake, published in spring 2023. Details and submission instructions at another-earth.com. Through January 31. Info, anotherearthsubmissions@gmail.com.

‘WHIR, CLANK, BEEP’: An upcoming show is about machines: simple levers and pulleys, farm equipment, robots, computers and AI. Kinetic sculpture, working machines, 2D and 3D depictions of real and invented machines, and sculptures made from machine parts are all welcome. Deadline: December 10. Info at studioplacearts.com. Studio Place Arts, Barre. $10; free for SPA members. Info, 479-7069.

Culture:

Friday, October

Climate Café At Stowe Cider:

October

Community:

Saturday, October 22, 7:00PM

Afterparty at Alfie’s Wild Ride down the Mountain

Tears of a Clown music+nightlife

Flight of the Conchords’ Bret McKenzie gets serious, sort of

BY CHRIS FARNSWORTH farnsworth@sevendaysvt.com

Bret McKenzie knows how to tell a joke. Half of New Zealand musical comedy duo Flight of the Conchords and an Oscar winner for his song “Man or Muppet” in the 2011 film The Muppets, McKenzie has built a career on mixing humor with his prodigious musical talents. So, it was something of a surprise when McKenzie released his debut solo album this year and it was tellingly titled Songs Without Jokes

“My agents were like, ‘What the fuck are you doing, man?’” McKenzie recounted by phone. “But it’s like that Bowie quote, you know? You have to go out into the water until your feet can’t touch the bottom. And I definitely can’t touch the bottom right now.”

McKenzie is known for songs about racist dragons and for rapping under the pseudonym the Rhymenoceros, so opening a record by referencing climate change and weeping mothers before singing “This world is broken” is a bold move. On Songs Without Jokes , he’s crafted a mature, world-weary album that sonically delves into the rich, late ’70s vibe of songwriters such as Harry Nilsson and Randy Newman. It’s all part of his progression as a songwriter who “never stops learning” and finding new ways to engage with his listeners, he said.

Seven Days talked with McKenzie about his new (somewhat) serious music just before he hopped on a plane to Burlington ahead of his tour, which kicks o at the Higher Ground Ballroom in South Burlington on Friday, October 14.

SEVEN DAYS: So, to borrow a phrase, why so serious? What inspired you to stop joking around on the new album?

BRET MCKENZIE: I think it was a little bit of a reaction against what I had been working on. I do a lot of songs for films, and I love doing that, but I wanted to try something di erent. So I’d be at home writing songs after the kids went to bed, and I’d realize they weren’t too funny, they were this … other thing. They wouldn’t fit with Conchords or the Muppets or Simpsons; they were just their own thing.

SD: Was that an easy thing for you to do, or was it nerve-racking to ditch the jokes?

BM: Well, doing comedy songs is a bit of a shield, where you’re protecting yourself with the joke from feeling exposed. I really admire songwriters who can put themselves out there and create this honest connection with the audience. It’s just so powerful.

I came to that late in the game as a songwriter. Now I look at my heroes, like Bob Dylan and Paul Simon or Bill Fay — he’s a great British songwriter — and they’re so open and exposed that it’s really disarming. Dylan especially … He cuts through a song with his truth and then hides away again, so you as a listener don’t really know what’s going on. It’s just so cool to play with truth as a songwriter. That’s probably the biggest difference between writing these songs and my comedy stuff.

SD: The songwriting and production have such a late ’70s, West Coast feel. Was that a deliberate thing, or did the songs just inform the style?

BM: It’s a serious record, but there’s still a lot of playfulness in there. It definitely connects sonically with the music I’ve always loved, especially those great ’70s tones you’d get in a Leonard Cohen record or something. It’s funny; after we started recording the album and it was really sounding like the ’70s, I wanted to make it more contemporary, but I guess I only got as far as the ’80s. [Laughing] I wanted to catch the vibe of when synthesizers were first really hitting the scene, like those great Vangelis synths in Blade Runner. I got to know all these great session musicians in LA over the years, like Leland Sklar, who played bass with Phil Collins. We were working on a song in the studio, and he hits this chorus

pedal, and suddenly we’re in an arena in 1983. It was fantastic! So there were a lot of little cool things that went into the record’s sound.

SD: With such a successful career playing comedic music, are you nervous about touring a record without any jokes?

BM: When I started planning the tour, I wasn’t sure what it would be at first. We just did a tour of New Zealand, though, and we ended up having a mixture of comedy and the new songs. I can’t help myself doing gags in between songs. So I sprinkle in some Conchords songs, some Muppets stuff, as well. My drummer calls it a variety show.

Until we had done that tour, it had been so long since I’d played a show. I haven’t played in the U.S. in five years, I think. Coming out of the pandemic, everything has been so isolating, with phones and Zoom and all that, especially in New Zealand, where we really shut down during it all. Playing those shows was so fun and so powerful, just being in a room with actual people again.

That’s a big part of this tour. I want to wake audiences up and bring them into the show itself, which comedy is really great for. I’m doing this thing in the shows now where I try to write a song on the spot with an audience member.

SD: Oh, man. Has that actually yielded anything good?

BM: [Laughing] Well, it can go very badly, that’s for sure, which is almost funnier, you know? Sometimes it goes well, but it’s really just about trying to keep people on the edge of their seats. The first time I did it, I didn’t even tell the band. They’re all staring at me and saying “What the fuck are you doing, man?” It was great.

SD: So now that you’ve taken a serious turn, will you ever go back to comedy writing?

BM: Oh, definitely. I never stopped! I’m really excited to write more comedy songs. Doing this album has given me more energy to write funny stuff. I take what I’ve learned and apply it. I’m working with this great songwriter on a film right now, Linda Perry. She’s a really truthful, heartfelt kind of writer, whereas I’m often like, “Hey, what’s a funny rhyme that could go here?” But I’m learning it can be both and that it all just informs the process. For me, it’s about exploring all the sides of songwriting. m

INFO

Bret McKenzie plays on Friday, October 14, 8 p.m., at the Higher Ground Ballroom in South Burlington. $45. AA. highergroundmusic.com

Salvation Farms Aid

HAVE

Eric Pembroke

Director of Planning and Property Manager

of Vermont Department of Buildings

Eric Pembroke

General

Director of Planning and Property Manager

of Vermont Department of Buildings

State St, Montpelier,

General

CLUB DATES

live music

WED.12

Bluegrass & BBQ (bluegrass) at Four Quarters Brewing, Winooski, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Courtyard Music Series (blues, jazz, rock) at Halvorson’s, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Green Kettle Band (bluegrass) at Four Quarters Brewing, Winooski, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Irish Sessions (Celtic folk) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Jazz Night with Ray Vega (jazz) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. Free.

Jazz Sessions with Randal Pierce (jazz open mic) at the 126, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. Free.

Live Jazz (jazz) at Leunig’s Bistro & Café, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Marcus Rezak’s Shred Is Dead (Grateful Dead tribute) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. $12/$15.

Victor Toman (singer-songwriter) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 7 p.m. Free.

Ween Wednesday: Knights of the Brown Table (tribute) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 9 p.m. $5.

THU.13

Alex Stewart Quartet and Special Guests (jazz) at the 126, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

Blue Fox (blues) at Charlie-O’s World Famous, Montpelier, 8 p.m. Free.

Blues Jam with Tom Caswell (blues) at Black Flannel, Essex Junction, 6 p.m. Free.

Bombargo with Luke Mitrani (soul, pop) at Club Metronome, Burlington, 8 p.m. $15.

Breathwork with the Zakk Jones Trio (jazz fusion) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

Grace Palmer (singer-songwriter) at Red Square, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

John Lackard Blues Duo (blues) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 6 p.m. Free.

Maple Hill Gang (folk, rock) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 7 p.m. Free.

Marcus Rezak’s Gumbo (Phish tribute) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. $12/$15.

The Most Wanted with DuoMango (hip-hop) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 11 p.m. $5/$10.

Paul Asbell Trio (jazz) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

Tyler Mast Band (folk) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 9 p.m. $5/$10.

FRI.14

90 Proof (rock) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 9 p.m. Free.

Alex Stewart’s Phunktet (funk) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

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.

Jordan Sedwin (jazz) at Bleu Northeast Kitchen, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. Free.

Josh Jakab (singer-songwriter) at Taps Tavern, Poultney, 6 p.m. Free.

Left Eye Jump (blues) at Red Square, Burlington, 2 p.m. Free.

Lou McNally (singer-songwriter) at Taps Tavern, Poultney, 6 p.m. Free.

Nico Suave (rock) at Red Square, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

RAQ (jam) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 8 p.m. $20.

Rebecca Turmel (covers) at Gusto’s, Barre, 6 p.m. Free.

The Red Newts (country, rock) at Charlie-O’s World Famous, Montpelier, 9:30 p.m. Free.

Rhett Miller and Lowell Thompson (singer-songwriter) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 9 p.m. $30/$35.

Tom Bisson (singer-songwriter) at Stone’s Throw Pizza, Richmond, 6 p.m. Free.

VT Bluegrass Pioneers (bluegrass) at Jericho Café & Tavern, 6 p.m. Free.

Zach Bryson (singer-songwriter) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 4 p.m. Free.

SAT.15

Bettenroo (folk) at Blue Paddle Bistro, South Hero, 5 p.m. Free. Chris and Issy (folk) at 14th Star Brewing, St. Albans, 12:30 p.m. Free.

The Delta Sweet Duo (country) at Red Square, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Devon & Jeff (covers) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 5 p.m. Free.

Dupont & DeLuca (singer-song writer) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

Mourning Songs When Dave Lamb died of leukemia in 2014, it ended the promising career of indie folk duo Brown Bird. His wife and bandmate, MorganEve Swain, picked up the pieces two years later, recording and performing as the HUNTRESS AND HOLDER OF HANDS. The project, according to the band’s website, is about Swain “pursuing the white stag of grief through a foreign wilderness, intent on maintaining the sense of wonder and compassion with which her partner lived his life.” Swain and her band play Burlington’s Radio Bean this Friday, October 14, with support from DEAD GOWNS and VEGA.

Ali McGuirk with All Night Boogie Band, Rachel Ana Dobken (blues, pop) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7 p.m. $15/$20.

Bad Luck Bliss with Inflatable Alien (rock) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 6 p.m. Free.

Bret McKenzie (of Flight of the Conchords) (singer-songwriter) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $39/$45.

Dave Mitchell’s Blues Revue (blues) at Red Square, Burlington, 2 p.m. Free.

The Devon McGarry Band (rock) at the Old Post, South Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

George Walker Petit (jazz) at Bleu Northeast Kitchen, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. Free.

Grand Specimens of the Galactic Zoo (reggae) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 10 p.m. Free.

The Huntress and Holder of Hands, Dead Gowns, Vega (indie) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 6 p.m. $12/$15.

Jaded Ravins (Americana) at Whammy Bar, Calais, 7 p.m. free.

John Lackard Blues Band (blues) at Moogs Place, Morrisville, 9 p.m. Free.

King Me (covers) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 5 p.m. Free.

Durry with Shore Rites (indie rock) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $13/$15.

ELEVEN (covers) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 9 p.m. Free.

The Flycatchers (alt country) at Whammy Bar, Calais, 6:30 p.m. free.

The Garifuna Collective (world music) at Chandler Music Hall, Randolph, 7 p.m. $10 - $45.

Glass Pony (jam) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 10 p.m. Free.

Greg Freeman with Greaseface (indie rock) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 9 p.m. $5.

Hot Pickin’ Party (bluegrass) at Stone Corral, Richmond, 7 p.m. Free.

Jennings & McComber (folk) at the Den at Harry’s Hardware, Cabot, 6 p.m. Free.

Jim Brickman (folk, traditional) at Paramount Theatre, Rutland, 7:30 p.m. $40.

Joe Agnello & Friends (jam) at Red Square, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

The Lloyd Tyler Band (folk, country) at 14th Star Brewing, St. Albans, 6 p.m. Free.

McAsh with Dad?! (punk, ska) at Charlie-O’s World Famous, Montpelier, 9:30 p.m. Free.

Pile with Maneka (punk) at Monkey House, Winooski, 8:30 p.m. $16/$18.

RAQ (jam) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 8 p.m. $20.

Scary Songs with Robert and Crypt (rock) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 6 p.m. Free.

Something Reckless (rock, country) at Gusto’s, Barre, 8:30 p.m. Free.

VSO Jukebox Quartet featuring Kaki King (rock, classical) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 8:30 p.m. $10/$20/$30.

The Wormdogs (bluegrass) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

SUN.16

Cha Wa (funk) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $12/$15.

Mark LeClair (country) at 14th Star Brewing, St. Albans, 1 p.m. Free. Reid Parsons (singer-songwriter) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 1 p.m. Free.

Sunday Brunch Tunes (singersongwriter) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 10 a.m.

MON.17

Matt Hagen’s Murder Ballad Mondays (folk) at the 126, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

TUE.18

Dead Set (Grateful Dead tribute) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 7 p.m. $10. Honky Tonk Tuesday featuring Wild Leek River (country) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 9 p.m. $10/$15.

Western Terrestrials (Americana, country) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

WED.19

Bluegrass & BBQ (bluegrass) at Four Quarters Brewing, Winooski, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Courtyard Music Series (blues, jazz, rock) at Halvorson’s, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Dave Lovald (singer-songwriter) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 7 p.m. Free.

Irish Sessions (Celtic folk) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Please contact event organizers about vaccination and mask requirements.

FRI.14 // THE HUNTRESS AND HOLDER OF HANDS [INDIE]

music+nightlife

K-Pop Night (K-Pop DJ) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 8:30 p.m. $15/$20.

Jazz Night with Ray Vega (jazz) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. Free.

Jazz Sessions with Randal Pierce (jazz open mic) at the 126, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. Free.

KOPPS, Frances Forever, Boy Jr., Clover Koval (indie) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 9 p.m. $10/$12.

Live Jazz (jazz) at Leunig’s Bistro & Café, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Metal of the Month (metal) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

Wednesday Night Dead (Grateful Dead covers) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. $5.

djs

WED.12

Queer Bar Takeover (DJ) at Charlie-O’s World Famous, Montpelier, 7 p.m. Free.

THU.13

DJ Chaston (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, midnight. Free.

DJ CRE8 (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 11 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.

Molly Mood (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

Vinyl Night with Ken (DJ) at Taps Tavern, Poultney, 6 p.m. Free.

Vinyl Thursdays (DJ) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 5 p.m. Free.

FRI.14

ATAK (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.

Ben Blanchard (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

DJ Craig Mitchell (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 11 p.m. Free.

DJ Kaos (DJ) at Gusto’s, Barre, 9 p.m. Free.

DJ Taka (DJ) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 11 p.m. $10.

No Scrubs: ’90s Night with DJ Ron Stoppable (DJ) at Club Metronome, Burlington, 10 p.m. $5.

SAT.15

DJ A-Ra$ (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, midnight. Free.

DJ J Fier (DJ) at Club Metronome, Burlington, 10 p.m. $5.

DJ Matt Payne (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.

DJ Raul (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

DJ Taka (DJ) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 11 p.m. $10.

Molly Mood (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.

Record Day Celebration (DJ, record fair) at 14th Star Brewing, St. Albans, 11 a.m. Free.

TUE.18

DJ Bays (DJ) at Charlie-O’s World Famous, Montpelier, 9:30 p.m. Free.

Local Dork (DJ) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

open mics & jams

WED.12

Open Mic (open mic) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 10 p.m. Free.

Open Mic Night (open mic) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Open Mic with Danny Lang (open mic) at Taps Tavern, Poultney, 7 p.m. Free.

THU.13

Open Mic (open mic) at Whammy Bar, Calais, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Open Mic (open mic) at Orlando’s Bar & Lounge, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. Free.

Open Mic Night (open mic) at the Parker Pie, West Glover, 6:30 p.m. Free.

SUN.16

Open Mic Night with Justin at Charlie-O’s World Famous, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m.

TUE.18

Bluegrass Jam (bluegrass) at Taps Tavern, Poultney, 7 p.m. Free.

Open Mic Night (open mic) at 1st Republic Brewing, Essex Junction, 6 p.m. Free.

Open Mic with D Davis (open mic) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 7 p.m. Free.

WED.19

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.12

Katie Compa & Friends (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. $10.

Second Wednesday Comedy Jam (comedy) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Standup Comedy Open Mic (comedy open mic) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. Free.

THU.13

Michael Ian Black (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 p.m. $30.

Mothra! A Storytelling/Improv Comedy Show (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 8:45 p.m. Free.

FRI.14

Michael Ian Black (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 & 9 p.m. $30.

SAT.15

Michael Ian Black (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 & 9 p.m. $30.

TUE.18

Comedy Open Mic (comedy) at the 126, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

WED.19

Junk Island (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Standup Comedy Open Mic (comedy open mic) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. Free.

trivia, karaoke, etc.

THU.13

Karaoke Night (karaoke) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. Free.

Trivia & Nachos (trivia) at Four Quarters Brewing, Winooski, 6 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.

MON.17

LUNAFEST (film fest) at Lawson’s Finest Liquids, Waitsfield, 4 p.m. $15.

TUE.18

Lip Synch Battle (lip synch) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 7 p.m. Free.

Trivia Night (trivia) at the Depot, St. Albans, 7 p.m. Free.

Tuesday Night Trivia (trivia) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free. m

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.

get in shape with fitness classes or a round of tennis.

Either way, you deserve nothing less than Topnotch.

music+nightlife

REVIEW this

Thorny, Mostly Gray

(WITHERWILLOW SOUNDS, DIGITAL)

Just in time for autumn, Plainfield’s Thorny — aka synthesist and bassist JD Ryan — has released an album that is essentially a tribute to all the gradients of the color gray. To be fair, the record was released at the tail end of the summer, but it’s an especially fitting listen as the leaves change color and fog rolls across the hills.

Over six tracks of moody ambience and gentle synthesizer swells, Mostly Gray serves as a sonic extrapolation of what Ryan describes in the album liner notes as “a 5-year journey where I finally tapped into how to get what’s inside of me out there.” The result is a collection of soundscapes and drones that paint impressionistic, shadowy portraits of a sylvan, mist-enshrouded world.

• KEY TRACK: “The End of Before”

• WHY: Channeling late ’70s ambient classics like Brian Eno’s Ambient 1: Music for Airports, Ryan creates synth structures that sound like glass shattering softly.

• WHERE: witherwillow.bandcamp.com

Marxist Jargon, [anti] space opera

(SELF-RELEASED, DIGITAL)

It is the year 2050, and the national parks are being drained of fossil fuels, the cops are beating the kids, and robots are starting to feel existential despair. Shit is going all kinds of wrong on the new concept record from Burlington’s Marxist Jargon, a self-named “unamericana” band. The seven-piece outfit, complete with cajón, resonator, fiddles, cello, trombone and even a mini glockenspiel, has crafted a joyous, tongue-in-cheek record, [anti] space opera, full of songs that double as social commentary and raucous sing-alongs.

Between tracks such as “Capitalist motherfuckers” and “Salvage accumulation,” narration from co-vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Meg Egler explains how dire the situation on future Earth is, with billionaires jetting o to space to flee a rapidly depreciating planet. (Kind of sounds like 2022, to be honest.) Juxtaposing a dystopian, sci-fi concept record with pastoral folk music is an intriguing paradox and one Marxist Jargon handle expertly.

• KEY TRACK: “Space Robot Commuter Rail/F.A.L.C.”

• WHY: Vocalist and mandolin player Ben Dube drops lines such as “The robots took all of our jobs, and at first we thought it was a bad thing.”

• WHERE: marxistjargon.bandcamp.com

Ali McGuirk, Til It’s Gone

(SIGNATURE SOUNDS, CD, DIGITAL, VINYL)

When Ali McGuirk moved from Boston to Burlington in 2021, the neo-soul and R&B singer-songwriter became a full-time musician. She had already built quite a reputation in the New England scene — Boston Globe critic Steve Morse had included her album Slow Burn in his list of top 10 albums of 2017. But McGuirk has taken a notable step up with Til It’s Gone

She coproduced the record with celebrated songwriter and producer Jonah Tolchin and recruited a backing band of A-list session musicians, including Little Feat guitarist/mandolinist Fred Tackett. The songs on Til It’s Gone run the gamut from Americana to jazz to country to rock, but all retain a little of the darkened-blues-bar vibe that gives McGuirk’s sound just the hint of an edge.

• KEY TRACK: “All Back”

•

WHY: McGuirk and her band establish a classic R&B groove on a song brimming with longing.

• WHERE: alimcguirk.bandcamp.com

Nate Reit, Collage

(SELF-RELEASED, CD, DIGITAL)

Trombonist Nate Reit has been a mainstay in the Burlington jazz scene in recent years. With Collage, he makes his recording debut as a bandleader and composer.

Featuring some of Vermont’s best jazz talent, including Connor Young on trumpet and flügelhorn, Pat Markley on bass, and Dan Ryan on the drums, Reit’s album lives up to its name: Written and arranged over the course of 15 years, Collage is a thesis of sorts by the composer.

The songs traverse various forms of jazz, moving into more modern sounds at times before harkening back to Reit’s various influences. He dedicates Collage to the memory of his grandmother Betsy in the liner notes and, indeed, there is a ection in the tracks, particularly in Reit’s uplifting trombone work, through which he paints in vibrant sonic colors. It’s a joyous and moving debut from a talented composer.

• KEY TRACK: “Balance”

• WHY: A laid-back, late-night-at-the-jazz-bar number, the song all but hands you a cocktail and a cigarette.

• WHERE: natereit.bandcamp.com

Ventifacts, Chronic Town

(SELF-RELEASED, DIGITAL)

What do you get when a bicoastal songwriting duo decides to pay tribute to a favorite album? If you didn’t guess it would be a strange, microtonal tribute to R.E.M.’s classic debut, Chronic Town, you’re not alone! File under “I didn’t see that coming”: Ben Spees of Portland, Ore., prog rockers the Mercury Tree and Damon Waitkus of Brattleboro’s Jack O’ the Clock re-created the five-song EP using microtonal tuning, a scale of notes with intervals unheard of in traditional Western tuning.

“It seemed like an absurd undertaking, which is probably part of why it fascinated us,” the band wrote on the album’s Bandcamp page. There is a level of absurdity to hearing these classic, college rock radio-era R.E.M. songs filtered through a lens that seems to push the songs just out of phase. It’s like an artificial intelligence or machine deep learning take on the Athens, Ga., band’s signature sound.

• KEY TRACK: “1,000,000”

• WHY: No tune on the album makes a deeper microtonal metamorphosis than “1,000,000,” which goes from a four-minute song of jangly guitars to an eightminute-plus, industrial-leaning freak-out.

•

ventifacts.bandcamp.com

Drowningman, Later Day Saints

(SELF-RELEASED, CASSETTE, DIGITAL)

Drowningman have been part of the Burlington hardcore scene since debuting in 1995. The ferociously heavy band signed with Hydra Head Records, home to iconic acts such as Converge, in the late 1990s. It also released a split EP in 1999 with Dillinger Escape Plan, who were frequent tour mates in Drowningman’s heyday.

Drowningman broke up and reformed several times over the years, juggling members as they did. But with a settled lineup once more, the band has dropped a new, two-song release titled Later Day Saints Totaling just under seven minutes of music, Later Day Saints nonetheless showcases all the traits that made the band so revered: the gravelly power of Simon Brody’s vocals, the punishing guitar ri s and forays into math-rock, the volcanic rhythm section — it’s all still here. It’s both fascinating and inspiring to see a band with as much history as Drowningman continue to push their sound forward and display new traits, all while maintaining their distinctive sound.

• KEY TRACK: “It Will End in Cops”

• WHY: A song of pure rage, it features lyrical gems such as “I know where you live, laugh, love, and I’m coming over”

• WHERE: drowningman.bandcamp.com

Seven Days’ music desk has snapped in half from the collective weight of new albums submitted for review by Vermont musicians.

beneath the broken wood and piles of records, music editor CHRIS FARNSWORTH is doing his best to catalog all the new sounds out of the Green Mountains. Here are six records he rescued from the rubble.

HALLOWEEN HOWL

Join us for the 7th annual Halloween Howl!

will be costume contests, autumn crafts, a bounce house, face and body painting, food trucks, a fortune teller and more!

Where: Oakledge Park

Saturday, October 22nd, 2–6 p.m.

This year we are offering a sensory-friendly hour from 12:30–1:30 p.m. Email

for more information and to register.

on screen

Luhrmann’s Elvis, another fever dream that couldn’t pause the nonstop spectacle long enough to let its subject feel like a real person. Both movies portray their subjects as victims — martyrs, even — of their own fame. Both also feature lines of dialogue that no human being could speak with a straight face.

There’s something undeniably compel ling about these lurid pseudo-biopics, which feel like ambivalent meditations on America’s relationship with the concept of celebrity. Over nearly three hours, however, Blonde becomes a chore to watch, as we realize Norma Jeane will never evolve past being a walking wound.

Blonde HHH

Netflix’s new Marilyn Monroe movie has provoked strong reactions. Manohla Dargis of the New York Times expressed relief that Monroe herself didn’t have to sit through Blonde, “the latest necrophiliac entertainment to exploit her.” Camilla Long of Air Mail called it “a shocking, ugly, traitorous movie — nearly three hours of shrieking abuse.”

an icon of confident, carefree sexuality: Marilyn Monroe (Ana de Armas).

MOVIE REVIEW

Directed by Andrew Dominik, Blonde is not a Monroe biopic — as some might assume — but the adapta tion of a 2000 novel by Joyce Carol Oates, whose imagination leans to the gothic. With that firmly in mind, as someone with a high tolerance for drama and trauma, I decided to experience this supposed three-hour abuse marathon for myself.

The deal

In a shabby Los Angeles apartment in 1933, an unwed mother (Julianne Nicholson) gives her young daughter (Lily Fisher) a photo and announces, “Norma Jeane, that is your father.” This image of a glamorous stranger will become Norma Jeane’s lodestar, haunting her throughout her life — as she loses her mother to mental illness, endures neglect, and grows up into a pinup girl, a movie star and finally

But inside this woman who is desired by men the world over is a frightened child still seeking the daddy she never found. Marriages to a famous athlete (Bobby Cannavale) and a brainy play wright (Adrien Brody) fail to fill the gap. As Norma Jeane buckles under the weight of her own celebrity, letters from a mystery correspondent who claims to be her father become her lifeline.

Will you like it?

If Blonde were our only source of information about the historical Monroe, that would be a problem. But it’s not. Keeping in mind that there’s no dearth of books and documentaries about the star, I watched the movie not as an authoritative depiction but as an artist’s (or two artists’) fictionalized riff on the life of a celebrity.

And what a show-offy riff it is. Dominik never for a second lets us forget that we’re watching a movie. He switches from spectral black-and-white to glossy color to desaturated color and back; he messes with the aspect ratio. He uses impression istic digital effects to put us inside Norma Jeane’s increasingly paranoid mind: Her

husband’s face blurs; a cheering crowd of men become distorted ghouls.

The whole movie is a fever dream, fueled by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis’ synthy score and de Armas’ unsettling performance. She deftly plays Monroe as an icon of anxiety, an abuse survivor constantly flinching in expectation of another blow.

Early on, young Norma Jeane watches in helpless terror as her unhinged mother drives them straight toward a wildfire in the Hollywood Hills. In this version of her story, Norma Jeane never stops being that child, mesmerized by the flames that will eventually burn her alive. Sensuality is simply the armor that she wears to hide the damage within.

And there’s so much damage, from a horrifying bedroom scene with John F. Kennedy to an equally disturbing abor tion scene that has led Planned Parent hood to condemn the film as anti-choice propaganda. But this is a story with a highly unreliable narrator. When Norma Jeane’s fetus speaks to her in a voice that could belong to her own younger self, the conversation feels like a concoction of her deeply troubled imagination.

Blonde is less about the real Monroe than about the mythos that has grown from her story in the collective imagi nation. In that way, it resembles Baz

The movie reminds me of the problem that Leslie Jamison posed in her 2014 essay “Grand Unified Theory of Female Pain,” which examines the enduring appeal of suffering heroines in art and literature. Granted that pain is a common female experience, she asks, “How do we talk about these wounds without glam orizing them? Without corroborating an old mythos that turns female trauma into celestial constellations worthy of worship?”

Blonde can’t answer that question. But the film is such a self-consciously extreme, borderline-campy embodiment of the mythos Jamison dissected that it may prompt us to seek answers of our own.

MARGOT HARRISON margot@sevendaysvt.com

IF YOU LIKE THIS, TRY…

LOVE, MARILYN (2012; Kanopy, rent able): To explore the inner life of the star beyond Oates and Dominik’s version of her, delve into her letters and diaries with this documentary from Liz Garbus.

SPENCER (2021; Kanopy, Hulu, rent able): For another highly idiosyn cratic take on a cultural icon, check out Kristen Stewart in Pablo Larraín’s film about Princess Diana having a bad Christmas with the royals.

THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD (2007; Hoopla, rentable): Dominik’s most prominent previous effort, nominated for two Oscars, was this revision ist western starring Brad Pitt as an outlaw growing weary of his own legend. Like Blonde, it’s partially about celebrity itself, but I found it a less exhausting watch.

De Armas plays Marilyn Monroe as a walking wound in Dominik’s controversial riff on her legend.

NEW IN THEATERS

HALLOWEEN ENDS: The final installment of David Gordon Green’s “H40” trilogy bills itself as the last rampage of horror icon Michael Myers, period. We’ll see. Jamie Lee Curtis and Kyle Richards star. (111 min, R. Bijou, Essex, Majestic, Marquis, Palace, Paramount, Roxy, Star, Sunset, Welden)

STARS AT NOON: A businessman and a journalist (Joe Alwyn and Margaret Qualley) fall in love while navigat ing the dangers of 1984 Nicaragua in this drama from Claire Denis (Beau Travail). (135 min, R. Savoy)

CURRENTLY PLAYING

AMSTERDAMHH1/2 Director David O. Russell returns with a fact-inspired mystery about three friends (Christian Bale, Margot Robbie and John David Washington) caught up in a politically motivated murder plot in the 1930s. (134 min, R. Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Roxy, Star, Stowe)

BARBARIANHHHH An accidental double booking turns out to be the least of an Airbnb guest’s problems in this horror thriller from Zach Cregger. Georgina Campbell and Bill Skårsgard star. (102 min, R. Essex, Majestic)

BROSHHHH A museum curator finds love in this gay rom-com from Nicholas Stoller (Neighbors), starring Luke Marfarlane and Billy Eichner. (115 min, R. Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Palace, Playhouse, Roxy)

DC LEAGUE OF SUPER-PETSHHH Krypto the SuperDog assembles a band of crime-fighting critters in this animated adventure. (106 min, PG. Majestic)

DON’T WORRY DARLINGHH1/2 A 1950s homemaker (Florence Pugh) begins to suspect there’s something wrong with her utopian lifestyle in this thriller from Olivia Wilde. (122 min, R. Bijou, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Palace, Roxy, Stowe)

GOD’S CREATURESHHH1/2 A mother’s lie to protect her son divides the residents of an Irish fishing village in this psychological drama starring Emily Watson. (100 min, R. Savoy)

THE GOOD HOUSEHHH Sigourney Weaver plays a real estate agent reuniting with an old flame in this comedy-drama, also starring Kevin Kline. (114 min, R. Majestic, Savoy)

A LOVE SONGHHHH Two former lovers (Dale Dickey and Wes Studi) reunite in a desolate desert campground in the debut feature from Max WalkerSilverman. (81 min, PG. Big Picture)

LYLE, LYLE, CROCODILEHH1/2 A lonely kid befriends a singing crocodile in this family comedy based on the children’s book. (106 min, PG. Big Picture, Bijou, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Marquis, Palace, Paramount, Star, Stowe, Sunset, Welden)

MOONAGE DAYDREAMHHHH This documentary from Brett Morgen (The Kid Stays in the Picture) traces the career of David Bowie with cooperation from his estate. (135 min, PG-13. Roxy, Savoy)

PEARLHHHHH In 1918, a young woman (Mia Goth) dreams of escaping her isolated farmstead in this horror prequel to last year’s X. (102 min, R. Roxy; reviewed 9/21)

PONNIYIN SELVAN: PART ONE: This epic adventure based on a novel follows South Indian court intrigue in the 10th century. (167 min, NR. Majestic: showings in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi)

RIOTSVILLE, U.S.A.HHHH Sierra Pettengill’s documentary about police militarization takes us to a fake town that the U.S. military built in the 1960s to train officers for civil unrest. (91 min, NR. Savoy)

SEE HOW THEY RUNHHH Saoirse Ronan, Sam Rockwell and Ruth Wilson star in this murder mystery set in the 1950s among London theater folk. (98 min, PG-13. Essex, Palace, Savoy)

SMILEHHH1/2 A doctor (Sosie Bacon) is plagued by terrifying visions in this horror debut from writerdirector Parker Finn. (115 min, R. Bijou, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Palace, Roxy, Star, Sunset, Welden)

THE STORIED LIFE OF A.J. FIKRY: A grieving bookstore owner (Kunal Nayyar) gets an unexpected second chance in this comedy-drama, also starring Christina Hendricks. (105 min, PG-13. Capitol, Roxy)

THE TERRITORYHHHH An Indigenous leader organizes against Brazilian farmers who have ap propriated a protected part of the Amazon rainforest in Alex Pritz’s documentary. (85 min, PG. Savoy)

THE WOMAN KINGHHHH Viola Davis plays the general of an all-female protective force in this action epic set in 1823. Gina Prince-Bythewood directed. (135 min, PG-13. Majestic, Palace)

OLDER FILMS AND SPECIAL SCREENINGS

AVATAR (2009, 3D) (Majestic)

BAATO (Big Picture, Sat only)

BEETLEJUICE (Sunset)

GREMLINS (Sunset)

HALLOWEEN (1978) (Palace)

TCM BIG SCREEN CLASSICS PRESENTS: IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT 55TH ANNIVERSARY (Essex, Sun & Wed only)

TOP GUN: MAVERICKHHHH (Palace)

WHERE THE CRAWDADS SINGHH1/2 (Sunset; reviewed 7/20)

OPEN THEATERS

(* = upcoming schedule for theater was not available at press time)

BIG PICTURE THEATER: 48 Carroll Rd., Waitsfield, 496-8994, bigpicturetheater.info

BIJOU CINEPLEX 4: 107 Portland St., Morrisville, 888-3293, bijou4.com

CAPITOL SHOWPLACE: 93 State St., Montpelier, 229-0343, fgbtheaters.com

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., S. 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, 229-0598, 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

the newsletter featuring notable news, arts and food stories handpicked by our editors. Sit back, relax and read up on what you may have missed.

TODAY:

And on the seventh day, we do not rest. Instead we bring you...

Joe Alwyn and Margaret Qualley in Stars at Noon

PLEASE CONTACT EVENT ORGANIZERS

ABOUT VACCINATION AND MASK REQUIREMENTS.

calendar

HARVEST DINNER AND FILM

CELEBRATE REGENERATIVE

FARMING PRACTICES: A sustain able four-course feast and a screening of the 2020 documen tary Kiss the Ground make for an environmentalist’s ideal evening. Epsilon Spires, Brattleboro, 6-10 p.m. $5-65; preregister. Info, foreverxv@gmail.com.

language

CONVERSATIONAL SPANISH CLASS FOR BEGINNERS: New students and those looking to brush up learn from a local native speaker. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 6:30-8 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

ELL CLASSES: ENGLISH FOR BEGINNERS &

Braithwaite read their favorite selections by Leland Kinsey, Loudon Young and Daisy Dopp. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 7-8 p.m. Free. Info, 748-8291.

WED.12 business

QUEEN CITY BUSINESS NETWORKING

INTERNATIONAL GROUP:

Local professionals make crucial contacts at a weekly chapter meeting. Burlington City Arts, 11:15 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 829-5066.

community

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.

THE WORKING COMMUNITIES CHALLENGE IN YOUR TOWN:

Local community, business and nonprofit leaders come together to discuss solutions to shared challenges.

Presented by Vermont Council on Rural Development. 10-11:30 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 223-6091.

conferences

MILITARY WRITERS’

SYMPOSIUM: Authors and researchers gather to discuss artificial intelligence and the future of robots in combat. See norwich.edu for full schedule. Norwich University, Northfield, 9 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 485-2000.

etc.

‘WALKING: PERFORMANCE RUMINATIONS IN

AMBULATORY PROCESS’: An original University of Vermont performance event combines dance, visual art and multi media theater to explore the physical, mental and relational

aspects of moving through space. Royall Tyler Theatre, University of Vermont, Burlington, 6-8 p.m. $10-22. Info, rtttickets@uvm.edu.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

‘AMAZON ADVENTURE 3D’: Viewers experience 19thcentury explorer Henry Bates’ journey through the Amazon rainforest. 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; admis sion free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

‘BACKYARD WILDERNESS 3D’: Cameras positioned in nests, underwater and along the forest floor capture a year’s worth of critters coming and going. 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.

‘PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE’: Set in 1770 France, this 2019 lesbian drama follows a painter as she produces a portrait of a reluctant bride — without the bride knowing. Catamount Arts Center, St. Johnsbury, 6 p.m. Free. Info, 748-2600.

‘SEA MONSTERS 3D’: An adventurous dolichorhyn chops travels through the most dangerous oceans in history, encountering plesiosaurs, giant turtles and

the deadly mosasaur along the way. Northfield Savings Bank 3D Theater: A National Geographic Experience, ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 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.

‘SPACE: UNRAVELING THE COSMOS’: Sparkling graphics take viewers on a mind-bending journey from the beginning of time through the mysteries of the universe. 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; admis sion free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

food & drink

ADVENTURE DINNER: LEAF PEEPS & JAPANESE EATS: Kitsune chefs serve a four course, riverside feast featur ing Japanese dishes, local pro duce and paired sake pours. Tälta Lodge, Stowe, 5:30-8:30 p.m. $175; preregister; limited space. Info, 248-224-7539.

DANVILLE FARMERS MARKET: Villagers shop local from various vendors handing out fruits, veggies, prepared foods and more. Danville Village Green, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, cfmamanager@gmail.com.

FEAST FARM STAND: Farmfresh veggies and other delights go on sale at this market featuring weekly activ ities such as yoga and cooking demonstrations. Montpelier Senior Activity Center, 1-3 p.m. Free. Info, 223-2518.

THE MAPLE 100: Vermonters fill out bingo cards with a month of maple-themed activities for a chance to win prizes from local vendors. See agriculture.vermont. gov for all events and locations. Various locations statewide. Free. Info, 828-2430.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT OYSTER SHUCKING: School Street Kitchen serves up the freshest half shells to pair perfectly with cocktails. The 126, Burlington, 5:30-7:30 p.m. $15. Info, 603-548-8385.

games

BOARD GAME NIGHT: Lovers of tabletop fun play classic games and new designer offerings. Waterbury Public Library, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

health & fitness

ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION EXERCISE PROGRAM: Those in need of an easy-on-the-joints workout experience an hour of calming, low-impact movement. Waterbury Public Library, 10:3011:45 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 244-7036.

BONE BUILDERS/ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION EXERCISE PROGRAM: Folks of all ages ward off osteoporosis in an exercise and prevention class. Online, 7:30 a.m.; Twin Valley Senior Center, East Montpelier, 9 a.m. Free. Info, 223-3322.

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.

COMMUNITY HOOP CLASSES: Hula hoopers of all ages get loopy at this weekly class. Champlain Elementary School, Burlington, 6-7 p.m. Donations. Info, 355-8457.

LONG-FORM SUN 73: Beginners and experienced practitioners learn how tai chi can help with arthritis, mental clarity and range of motion.

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.

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.

Learn more about highlighted listings in the Magnificent 7 on page 11. = ONLINE EVENT

Bixby Memorial Library, Vergennes, 10-11:30 a.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, beverlyblakeney@ gmail.com.

WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY: Alice T. Chen, MD, and All Heart Inspirations founder

Ferene Paris Meyer speak about burnout and how to address it. Presented by Howard Center. 6-8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, bweinstein@howardcenter.org.

YANG 24: This simplified tai chi method is perfect for beginners looking to build strength and balance. Bixby Memorial Library, Vergennes, 1-2:30 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, beverlyblakeney@gmail.com.

INTERMEDIATE STUDENTS:

Learners of all abilities practice written and spoken English with trained instructors. Presented by Fletcher Free Library. 6:30-8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, bshatara@ burlingtonvt.gov.

IRISH LANGUAGE CLASS: Celticcurious students learn to speak an Ghaeilge in a supportive group.

Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

music

‘SIDE BY SIDE BY SONDHEIM’: Vermont artists honor the late Broadway legend with perfor mances of songs from Company, Follies, West Side Story and more.

Lost Nation Theater, Montpelier City Hall, 7:30 p.m. $10-35. Info, 229-0492.

tech

COMPUTER WORKSHOPS:

GOOGLE DOCS: Newbies learn how to write and edit in Google’s word processor. Virtual option available. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 6-7:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 863-3403.

theater

‘THE PITMEN PAINTERS’: A group of miners in 1930s England take a painting class in this Vermont Stage production based on the true story of the Ashington Group. Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $31.05-38.50. Info, 862-1497.

‘SPRING AWAKENING’: The road from adolescence to adulthood is marred by more than a few pot holes in this Tony Award-winning rock musical set in 19th-century Germany. Byrne Theater, Barrette Center for the Arts, White River Junction, 7:30 p.m. $19-69. Info, 296-7000.

words

AFTER HOURS BOOK CLUB: Patrons discuss Eight Perfect Murders, a twisty murder mystery by Peter Swanson. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 6:307:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

ARCHER MAYOR: The author launches his latest mystery, Fall Guy in which a Vermont detective discovers that three separate cases are actually woven together in complex, deadly ways. Norwich Bookstore, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 649-1114.

FFL BOOK CLUB: ‘THE LIVING SEA OF WAKING DREAMS’: Fletcher Free Library patrons break down Richard Flanagan’s mother-daughter story about aging, love and family. 6:30-8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, bshatara@burlingtonvt.gov.

NEK AUTHORS READING: Natalie Kinsey-Warnock and Chris

POETRY POTLUCK: Wordsmiths and readers bring a dish and a poem (their own or others’) to share. Whirligig Brewing, St. Johnsbury, 7-9 p.m. Free. Info, acampbell@catamountarts.org.

THU.13 business

HIRING2DAYVT VIRTUAL

JOB FAIR: The Vermont Department of Labor gives job seekers a chance to meet with employers from around the state. 11 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 828-4000.

community

MENTOR TRAINING FALL 2022: New volunteers who want to help support women healing from prison and other encounters with the criminal justice system learn the ropes. Mercy Connections, Burlington, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 846-7164.

WARDS 2 & 3 NEIGHBORHOOD

PLANNING ASSEMBLY: Old North End and Downtown residents gath er to discuss important local issues and hear from local officials. Virtual option available. O.N.E. Community Center, Burlington, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, wards2and3npa@ googlegroups.com.

conferences

MILITARY WRITERS’

SYMPOSIUM: See WED.12, 9:25 a.m.-9 p.m.

crafts

KNITTING GROUP: Knitters of all experience levels get together to spin yarns. Latham Library, Thetford, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 785-4361. etc.

‘WALKING: PERFORMANCE

RUMINATIONS IN AMBULATORY PROCESS’: See WED.12.

fairs & festivals

FALL HARVEST CELEBRATION & BENEFIT AT EARTHKEEP FARMCOMMON: Live music, face painting and jack-o’-lantern carving offer fun for all ages, and sales of seasonal produce benefit the Shelburne and Charlotte food shelves. Earthkeep Farmcommon, Charlotte, 4-6:45 p.m. Free. Info, 425-2283.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

‘AMAZON ADVENTURE 3D’: See WED.12.

‘BACKYARD WILDERNESS 3D’: See WED.12.

‘SEA MONSTERS 3D’: See WED.12.

‘SPACE: UNRAVELING THE COSMOS’: See WED.12.

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.12

burlington

CRAFTERNOON: Creepy crafts take over the Teen Space, from fossil soaps to pumpkin coasters to wizard wands. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 4-5 p.m. Free. Info, 540-2546.

chittenden county

BABYTIME: Teeny-tiny library patrons enjoy a gentle, slow story time featur ing songs, rhymes and lap play. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

LEGO BUILDERS: Elementary-age imagi neers explore, create and participate in challenges. Ages 8 and up, or ages 6 and up with an adult helper. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 3-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

MOVIE MATINEE: Film lovers have a family-friendly fright at this screening of an animated Halloween favorite. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 2-4 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

PLAY TIME: Little ones build with blocks and read together. Ages 1 through 4. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 10-10:45 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

barre/montpelier

THE CHESS MASTER IS BACK: Kids of all skill levels get one-on-one lessons and play each other in between. KelloggHubbard Library, Montpelier, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

mad river valley/ waterbury

SOUND ON: Mini musicians dance, play and try their hands at various instru ments. Ages 6 through 9. Waterbury Public Library, 3-3:45 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 244-7036.

rutland/killington

‘THE LAND OF SPARKLE DRAGONS’

STORY WALK: Eight dragons and an empress await intrepid little explorers in the outdoor story quest. Sparkle Barn, Wallingford, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Free. Info, 446-2044.

upper valley

PEABODY AFTERSCHOOL FUN FOR GRADES 1-4: Students make friends over crafts and story time. George Peabody Library, Post Mills, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 333-9724.

SCIENCE YOGA: This full-body, playful program combines body awareness with an introduction to early science topics ranging from dinosaurs to planets. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Regular admission, $15-18; free for members and kids under 2. Info, 649-2200.

OCT. 16 | MUSIC

How Suite It Is

The Vermont Youth Orchestra brings the drama in its first concert of the 2022-23 season. The ensemble of teen instrumentalists keeps audience members of all ages on the edge of their seats with a program highlighting music’s ability to tell enthralling stories. Works include the overture to American composer Scott Joplin’s ragtime opera Treemonisha; Georges Bizet’s fiery, undeniable “Carmen Suite”; contemporary Black composer Quinn Mason’s “Toast of the Town Overture”; and the fantasy overture from Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet

‘DRAMA!’

Sunday, October 16, 2 p.m., at Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center in Stowe. $17-22. Info, 760-4634, sprucepeakarts.org.

STORY TIME!: Songs and stories are shared in the garden, or in the com munity room in inclement weather. Norwich Public Library, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 649-1184.

THU.13

burlington

THURSDAY MOVIE MATINEE: Every Thursday in October, tweens and teens watch a spooky movie to get in the Halloween mood. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 3:30-5:30 p.m. Free. Info, 540-2546.

chittenden county

LEGO CLUB: Children of all ages get crafty with Legos. Adult supervision is required for kids under 10. Winooski Memorial Library, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 655-6424.

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; preregister; limited space. Info, 878-4918.

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: Books, songs, rhymes, sign language lessons and math activities make for well-educated young sters. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 10-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

barre/montpelier

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: Energetic youngsters join Miss Meliss for stories, songs and lots of silliness. KelloggHubbard Library, Montpelier, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

mad river valley/ waterbury

PRESCHOOL PLAY & READ: Outdoor activities, stories and songs get 3- and 4-year-olds engaged. Waterbury Public Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

rutland/killington

‘THE LAND OF SPARKLE DRAGONS’ STORY WALK: See WED.12.

FRI.14

chittenden county

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: Imaginative players in grades 5 and up exercise their problem-solving skills in battles and adventures. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

RICHMOND FARMERS MARKET: An open-air marketplace featuring live mu sic connects cultivators and fresh-food browsers. Volunteers Green, Richmond, 3-6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 881-1249.

TEEN ADVISORY BOARD: Teenagers meet new friends and take an active role in their local library. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3-4 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

mad river valley/ waterbury

BOOKS-TO-MOVIES CLUB: Bookworms face off against film buffs, with a new movie each month inspiring debate over whether the book was better. Ages 6 and up. Waterbury Public Library, 3-4:45 p.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

rutland/killington

‘THE LAND OF SPARKLE DRAGONS’ STORY WALK: See WED.12. upper valley

SCIENCE YOGA: See WED.12.

STORY TIME: Preschoolers take part in stories, songs and silliness. Latham Library, Thetford, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 785-4361.

northeast kingdom

ACORN CLUB STORY TIME: Kids 5 and under play, sing, hear stories and take home a fun activity. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 10-11 a.m. Free; preregister; limited space. Info, 745-1391.

SAT.15 chittenden county

KARMA KIDZ YOGA OPEN STUDIO

SATURDAYS: Young yogis of all ages and their caregivers drop in for some fun breathing and movement activities. Kamalika-K, Essex Junction, 11 a.m.1 p.m. Donations. Info, 871-5085.

LEGO FUN: Wee builders of all ages construct creations to be displayed in the library. Children under 8 must bring a caregiver. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 1-3 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

VERMONT YOUTH PHILHARMONIA

FALL CONCERT: Directed by Dr. Yutaka Kono, young musicians perform selec tions from Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 2. Elley-Long Music Center, Saint Michael’s College, Colchester, 5:30 p.m. Free. Info, 655-5030.

barre/montpelier

FAMILIES RISE UP STORYBUILDING

WORKSHOP AND LAUNCH PARTY: Parents share what moves them to cli mate action and learn about upcoming volunteer opportunities. Childcare and refreshments provided. Hubbard Park, Montpelier, 10 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 359-3520.

rutland/killington

‘THE LAND OF SPARKLE DRAGONS’ STORY WALK: See WED.12.

SUN.16

stowe/smuggs

‘DRAMA!’: Teen virtuosos play bom bastic works from Bizet’s “Carmen,” Tchaikovsky’s “Romeo and Juliet” and more. See calendar spotlight. Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, Stowe Mountain Resort, 2 p.m. $17-22. Info, 760-4634.

rutland/killington

‘THE LAND OF SPARKLE DRAGONS’ STORY WALK: See WED.12.

MON.17 burlington

COOKIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD: Kids snack, chat and learn about global cultures through biscuits. Ages 10 through 18. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 4-5 p.m. Free. Info, 540-2546.

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: Bookworms ages 2 through 5 enjoy fun-filled reading time. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

mad river valley/ waterbury

TINY TOTS: Tiny tykes have fun, hear stories and meet new friends with Ms. Cynthia. Waterbury Public Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

rutland/killington

‘THE LAND OF SPARKLE DRAGONS’ STORY WALK: See WED.12.

northeast kingdom

ACORN CLUB STORY TIME: See FRI.14, 2-2:30 p.m.

COURTESY OF ARIELLE THOMAS

Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $20-29. Info, 863-5966.

‘SIDE BY SIDE BY SONDHEIM’: See WED.12.

WESTERN VERMONT CHORAL

LAB: Led by Moira Smiley and other local musicians, the Queen City’s newest community choir welcomes singers of all abilities and performs songs in diverse languages. Burlington City Hall Auditorium, 7-8 p.m. $120 for 10 weeks; preregister. Info, info@ moirasmiley.com.

outdoors

PUBLIC OWL BANDING

DEMONSTRATION: Biologists capture, tag and release northern saw-whet owls to better understand their migra

‘A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC’: An actress, her lovers and their wives gather for a drama-filled weekend in the country in this Stephen Sondheim musical set in turn-of-the-century Sweden. Stowe Town Hall Theatre, 7:30 p.m. $15-20. Info, 253-3961.

‘MUMMENSCHANZ: 50 YEARS’: The Switzerland-based theater troupe uses shadow and unex pected props to put on a perfor mance befitting a half century of dazzling audiences worldwide. Dibden Center for the Arts, Northern Vermont UniversityJohnson, 7-9 p.m. $15-52. Info, 748-2600.

‘NUNSENSE’: The Artistree Musical Theatre Festival has theatergoers in stitches with

Story of Our Lives

Martha Redbone’s music has many ancestors: her father’s Black Appalachian gospel; her mother’s Cherokee, Choctaw and Shawnee roots; and the Brooklyn blues of her childhood. These lineages come together in her new touring project, Bone Hill, a multidisciplinary musical theater concert that tells the story of Redbone’s own ancestors. Deeply connected to the coal hills of Kentucky despite the laws and violence that threaten to drive them away, her multiracial family has an indomitable spirit that shines in this performance.

MARTHA REDBONE

Thursday, October 13, 7:30 p.m., at the Flynn in Burlington. $20-29. Info, 863-5966, flynnvt.org.

health & fitness

FALL PREVENTION TAI CHI: Humans boost their strength and balance through gentle, flowing movements. St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Vergennes, Levels 1 and 2, 9-10 a.m.; Level 3, 10-11 a.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, lhfrancis839@ gmail.com.

MEDICARE OPEN

ENROLLMENT: Age Well and New England Federal Credit Union teach online learners the ins and outs of signing up for health insurance. 6-7:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 764-6940.

music

MARTHA REDBONE: With her signature blend of influences from her Black, Cherokee and Appalachian heritage, the singer and her collaborators present a multidisciplinary show. See calendar spotlight. The Flynn,

tion. North Branch Nature Center, Montpelier, 8-9:30 p.m. Donations; preregister; limited space. Info, 229-6206.

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. theater

‘ADMISSIONS’: Two white board ing school administrators throw a selfish wrench in their own diversity initiatives in this biting satire from Middlebury Acting Company. Town Hall Theater, Middlebury, 7:30 p.m. $15-30. Info, 382-9222.

Dan Goggin’s knee-slapping play about a group of nuns scrambling to pull off a variety show amid chaos and calamity. See calendar spotlight. Artistree Community Arts Center Theatre & Gallery, South Pomfret, 7:30-9:30 p.m. $35-45. Info, 457-3500.

‘THE PITMEN PAINTERS’: See WED.12.

‘SPRING AWAKENING’: See WED.12, 2 & 7:30 p.m.

‘WOODY SEZ: THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF WOODY GUTHRIE’: Four Weston Theater performers, playing more than 20 instru ments, paint a portrait of the troubadour whose songs brought inspiration and understanding to generations of Americans. Walker Farm, Weston, 7 p.m. $22.50-74. Info, 824-5288.

words

ARCHER MAYOR: See WED.12, Bennington Free Library, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 442-5059.

FRI.14 etc.

‘WALKING: PERFORMANCE

RUMINATIONS IN AMBULATORY PROCESS’: See WED.12.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

‘AFRO-PUNK’: This 2003 documentary explores the lives of four Black Americans in the

overwhelmingly white punk rock scene. Merrill’s Roxy Cinemas, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. Free. Info, 388-4964.

‘AMAZON ADVENTURE 3D’: See WED.12.

‘BACKYARD WILDERNESS 3D’: See WED.12.

‘SEA MONSTERS 3D’: See WED.12.

‘SPACE: UNRAVELING THE COSMOS’: See WED.12. food & drink

THE MAPLE 100: See WED.12.

health & fitness

BONE BUILDERS/ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION EXERCISE PROGRAM: See WED.12.

FAMI LY FU N

TUE.18

burlington

DISNEY JUNIOR LIVE ON TOUR: ‘COSTUME PALOOZA’: Mickey Mouse and friends enlist the help of Spider-Man and his super pals in this family-friendly bonanza. The Flynn, Burlington, 6-9 p.m. $35-171. Info, 863-5966.

SING-ALONG WITH LINDA BASSICK: Babies, toddlers and preschoolers sing, dance and wiggle along with Linda. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

chittenden county

PLAYGROUP & FAMILY SUPPORT: Families with children under age 5 play and connect with others in the community. Winooski Memorial Library, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 655-6424.

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME ON THE GREEN: Dorothy Alling Memorial Library leads half an hour of stories, rhymes and songs. Williston Town Green, 10-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

TODDLERTIME: Kids ages 1 through 3 and their caregivers join Miss Kelly and her pup pets Bainbow and La-La for story time. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 10:3011 a.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

barre/montpelier

DIWALI CRAFTERNOON: Crafty kids make diya — traditional candle holders — for the Hindu festival of lights. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 3:30-5 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: See THU.13.

ROBIN’S NEST NATURE PLAYGROUP: Outdoor pursuits through fields and forests captivate little ones up to age 5 and their parents. North Branch Nature Center, Montpelier, 10 a.m.noon. Free; donations accepted. Info, 229-6206.

mad river valley/ waterbury

POKÉMON CLUB: I choose you, Pikachu! Fans of the franchise discuss their favorite cards, games and TV episodes in this monthly activity group. Ages 6 and up. Waterbury Public Library, 3-4 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 244-7036.

rutland/killington

EEE LECTURES: BILL SCHUBART:

The Education & Enrichment for Everyone series continues with this VTDigger writer’s address, “Challenges Facing Vermont’s Healthcare System and How It Is Impacting Access, Cost and Quality for Vermonters.” Virtual option available. Faith United Methodist Church, South Burlington, 2-3 p.m. $8; $55 for season pass. Info, 363-6937.

ONLINE GUIDED

MEDITATION: 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.

FRI.14 » P.80

northeast kingdom

HOMESCHOOL GEOGRAPHY CLUB:

Home learners ages 6 through 10 learn about a new continent and get stamps on their library passports each week. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 1:30-2:30 p.m. Free. Info, 745-1391.

randolph/royalton

YOUTH EMPOWERMENT & ACTION: Activists ages 14 through 18 discuss community service, climate action, LGBTQ rights and social justice.

BALE Community Space, South Royalton, 3:30 p.m. Free. Info, 498-8438.

WED.19 burlington

‘THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER AND BECKY THATCHER’: Two friends get in and out of mischief in this musical version of Mark Twain’s classic tale from Very Merry Theatre. Perfect for families with kids 6 through 13. O.N.E. Community Center, Burlington, noon. Free. Info, 646-284-4765.

CRAFTERNOON: See WED.12.

chittenden county

BABYTIME: See WED.12.

COMICS CLUB!: Graphic novel and manga fans in third through sixth grades meet to discuss current reads and do fun activities together. Hosted by Brownell Library. Essex Teen Center, Essex Junction, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

LEGO BUILDERS: See WED.12.

PLAY TIME: See WED.12.

barre/montpelier

THE CHESS MASTER IS BACK: See WED.12.

mad river valley/ waterbury

TEEN ART CLUB: Crafty young’uns ages 12 through 18 construct paper jellyfish lanterns to bring underwater ambience to their bedrooms. Waterbury Public Library, 6-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

rutland/killington

‘THE LAND OF SPARKLE DRAGONS’ STORY WALK: See WED.12. upper valley

PEABODY AFTERSCHOOL FUN FOR GRADES 1-4: See WED.12.

SCIENCE YOGA: See WED.12.

STORY TIME!: See WED.12. K

calendar

Then There Were Nun

e Little Sisters of Hoboken have a problem: ere are only five of them left after a bad batch of vichyssoise killed off the rest of the convent. Now they must find a way to raise funds for the funerals before the health department catches on. What’s a nun to do? Well, throw a variety show, of course. Artistree’s Music eatre Festival presents Dan Goggin’s comedic masterpiece — the second-longest-running offBroadway show in history — with a live band and a churchful of laughs, courtesy of Erin Edelle, Illeana Kirven, Renee Koher, Jean McCormick and Allie Seibold as the beleaguered sisters.

‘NUNSENSE’

ursday, October 13, through Saturday, October 15, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, October 16, and Wednesday, October 19, 2 p.m., at Artistree Community Arts Center, eatre & Gallery in South Pomfret. $35-45. Info, 457-3500, artistreevt.org.

SUN-STYLE TAI CHI: A sequence of slow, controlled motions aids in strength and balance. Twin Valley Senior Center, East Montpelier, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 229-1549.

language

ADVANCED INTERMEDIATE

ITALIAN CONVERSATION: Semifluent speakers practice their skills during a slow conversazione about the news. Fletcher Room, Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, Noon-1:30 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

lgbtq

OUT IN BRADFORD: LGTBQ folks and allies make new friends at a casual, tea-fueled hangout. Vittles House of Brews, Bradford, 5-9 p.m. Free. Info, connect@ vittlesespresso.com.

music

BEETHOVEN TRIO WEEKEND: CHIEN-KIM-WATKINS TRIO: ree brilliant musicians present early and middle period Beethoven works for piano, violin and cello. University of Vermont Recital Hall, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $5-40. Info, 846-2175.

THE JACOB JOLLIFF BAND: A group of virtuosic pickers showcase soaring harmonies and

bluegrass bona fides. Lebanon Opera House, N.H., 7:30 p.m. $25. Info, 603-448-0400.

MUSIC JAM: Local instrumentalists of all ability levels gather to make sweet music. BALE Community Space, South Royalton, 7-10 p.m. Free. Info, 498-8438.

‘SIDE BY SIDE BY SONDHEIM’: See WED.12.

VSO JUKEBOX QUARTET: e cutting-edge chamber ensemble plays alongside rising star guitarist Kaki King. Bennington College, 7:30-8:30 p.m. $10-30. Info, 864-5741.

WHERE WE LAND FALL FESTIVAL: GARIFUNA COLLECTIVE: Members of this Indigenous music ensemble tell stories about their ancestors. Chandler Center for the Arts, Randolph, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 793-2209.

theater

‘ALMOST, MAINE’: e Shelburne Players present John Cariani’s witty, romantic comedy set in a fictional Maine town in the dead of winter. Shelburne Town Center, 7-9 p.m. $20. Info, 343-2602.

‘ADMISSIONS’: See THU.13.

‘BUDDY: THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY’: e popular musical stops in Rutland to tell the life story of one of rock and roll’s original legends. Paramount eatre, Rutland, 7-9 p.m. $3545. Info, 775-0903.

‘THE GREAT GATSBY: A LIVE RADIO PLAY’: e Valley Players offer their live studio audience a metatextual good time with a 1940s broadcast treatment of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic tragedy. Valley Players eater, Waitsfield, 7 p.m. $14-18. Info, 583-1674.

‘LAUGHTER ON THE 23RD FLOOR’: e host of a 1950s comedy-variety TV show battles with executives who want to dumb it down for the Midwest market in this Essex Players production. Essex Memorial Hall, 7:30-9:30 p.m. $18. Info, ecpadmin@ essexplayers.com.

‘A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC’: See THU.13.

‘NUNSENSE’: See THU.13.

‘THE PITMEN PAINTERS’: See WED.12.

‘SPRING AWAKENING’: See WED.12.

‘WATER IN THE WOOD’ REPRISE: Alumni of the Sable Project’s residency return to the hills for a multimedia dance display. Fat Dragon Farm serves wood-fired

pizza. Sable Project, Stockbridge, 6-7:30 p.m. $10. Info, info@ thesableproject.org.

‘WOODY SEZ: THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF WOODY GUTHRIE’: See THU.13.

words

ARCHER MAYOR: See THU.13. Virtual option available. Village Square Booksellers, Bellows Falls, Info, 463-9404.

SAT.15

agriculture

MEET, GREET & EAT: An agricultural afternoon includes farm tours, a lesson in using the whole bird, a Q&A with farmers about pasture raising, a load of familyfriendly activities and plenty of delectable lunch options. Maple Wind Farm, Richmond, noon3:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 434-7257.

bazaars

CRAFT FAIR WITH BAKE SALE & LUNCHEON: Handmade goodies — edible and otherwise — go on sale at a bustling bazaar. St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Vergennes, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, 877-2367.

MISSION BAZAAR: Local vendors sell clothes, furniture, jewelry, accessories, iced tea, vintage and handmade items, doughnuts, bicycles, home decor, and so much more. Mission Bazaar VT, Burlington, noon-5 p.m. Free. Info, missionbazaarvt@ gmail.com.

community

OLD NORTH END REPAIR

CAFÉ: Volunteers troubleshoot computers, bikes, furniture and more — and teach locals how to fix their things themselves. Old North End Repair Café, Burlington, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, 540-2524.

crafts

CVU CRAFT FAIR: More than 150 local artisans converge on the school to sell their wares.

Sausage Shack Food Truck serves nosh. Champlain Valley Union High School, Hinesburg, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. Info, 482-7194.

FIBER CRAFT AND CHAT: Knitters, stitchers and crocheters bring their crafts and shoot the breeze over coffee. Uncommon Coffee, Essex Center, 11 a.m.1 p.m. Free. Info, milukra@ gmail.com.

dance

FALL FOR DANCE: Stone Valley Dance Collective presents a genre-blending show, featuring local performers dancing ballet, tap, jazz and more. West Rutland Town Hall eater, 7-8:30 p.m. $10. Info, 325-2603.

MONTPELIER CONTRA DANCE: To live tunes and gender-neutral calling, dancers balance, shadow and do-si-do the night away. N95, KN94, KN95 or 3-ply surgical masks required. Capital City

Grange, Berlin, beginners’ lesson, 7:40 p.m.; social dance, 8-11 p.m. $5-20. Info, 225-8921.

education

FALL OPEN HOUSE: Potential students scope out the institution included in the U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges Rankings 2019 list of most innovative schools. Champlain College, Burlington, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 625-0201.

environment

SPINY SOFTSHELL TURTLE

NESTING BEACH CLEANUP DAY:

Volunteers clear the lakefront of excess vegetation to make room for baby reptiles, then carpool to another location in Swanton. North Hero State Park, 10 a.m. Free. Info, toni.mikula@vermont. gov. etc.

NEK BUTTON UP EVENT: WEATHERIZATION FOR ALL: Energy experts educate homeowners on how to save money by prepping the house for winter. Childcare and refreshments provided. Tour of the museum follows. Old Stone House Museum & Historic Village, Brownington, 10 a.m.-noon. Free.

Info, communications@ oldstonhousemuseum.org.

‘WALKING: PERFORMANCE RUMINATIONS IN AMBULATORY PROCESS’: See WED.12.

fairs & festivals

FALL 5K-FUN RUN & FAMILY FESTIVAL: Runners of all ages race in the shadow of Stratton mountain — then kick back at a fair featuring a bake sale, pumpkin decorating and more — to benefit the Mountain School at Winhall. 8 a.m.-noon. $15-30; free for festival only. Info, 297-2662.

FLAXTRAVAGANZA!: A HARVEST & ARTISAN CELEBRATION: e homestead celebrates a successful flax harvest with historically accurate linen weaving demonstrations and other traditional

FOMO?

Find even more local events in this newspaper and online:

art

Find visual

film

crafts. Ethan Allen Homestead Museum, Burlington, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. $15. Info, 865-4556.

SUKKOT ON THE FARM FESTIVAL: All are invited to celebrate this Jewish harvest festival with two days of rituals, food, kids’ activities, dancing and live music from the Nisht Geferlach Klezmer Band. Living Tree Alliance, Moretown, 4-9:30 p.m. $9-60. Info, info@ livingtreealliance.com.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

‘AMAZON ADVENTURE 3D’: See WED.12.

‘BACKYARD WILDERNESS 3D’: See WED.12.

‘SEA MONSTERS 3D’: See WED.12.

‘SPACE: UNRAVELING THE COSMOS’: See WED.12.

food & drink

BURLINGTON FARMERS MARKET: Dozens of stands overflow with seasonal produce, flowers, artisanal wares and prepared foods. Burlington Farmers Market, 345 Pine St., 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. 133 State St., Montpelier, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, montpelierfarmersmarket@ gmail.com.

FREE SATURDAY CHOCOLATE TASTINGS: A sommelier of sweet stuff leads drop-in guests through a tasting platter. Lake Champlain Chocolates Factory Store & Café, Burlington, 11 a.m.4 p.m. Free. Info, 864-1807.

GATHER: BEER & PIEROGI: Neighbors warm up with local brews, homemade potato dumplings and glassblowing demonstrations. AO Glass, Burlington, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, 540-0125.

HARD CIDER DAY: A one-day-only sale of this autumnal drink features meet and greets with cider experts. Shelburne Orchards, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Info, 985-3684.

JASPER HILL CREAMERY + HILL FARMSTEAD BREWERY DINNER: Adventure Dinner presents a four-course feast featuring paired beers and cheese. Sandiwood Farm, Wolcott, 5-8:30 p.m. $195; preregister; limited space. Info, 248-224-7539.

THE MAPLE 100: See WED.12.

+ nightlife

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.

STELLA14 WINES GRAND OPENING: Live brass music underscores the official launch of a new neighborhood tasting room. Stella14 Wines, Jeffersonville, 3-7 p.m. Free. Info, 832-431-1301.

ENOUGHISENOUGH

It Costs How Much?!

calendar 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.

MECHANICAL BULL RIDES: Aspiring cowpokes hang on for dear life for the chance to win cash prizes. Ages 21 and up. The Depot, St. Albans, 7-11 p.m. $7. Info, 443-798-5380.

lgbtq

DRAG/BURLESQUE SHOW - AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION

FUNDRAISER: Anita Cocktail, Rhedd Rhumm, Grimm Noir and more put on a sultry show for a good cause. BYOB. Merchants Row, Rutland, 8 p.m. $20. Info, 558-8443.

music

BEETHOVEN TRIO WEEKEND: MASTERCLASSES: Interested parties get an inside look at the inner workings of the ChienKim-Watkins Trio, and a treatise on Beethoven’s piano trios from resident composer David Ludwig. University of Vermont Recital Hall, Burlington, 9:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 846-2175.

‘BRICKMAN ACROSS AMERICA’: Traveling between states, pianist and singer Jim Brickman plays his own hits and celebrates the music of each region he visits. Paramount Theatre, Rutland, 7:30 p.m. $40. Info, 775-0903.

ELSIE GAWLER AND ETHAN STOKES TISCHLER: Folk tunes get toes a-tappin’ among the apple trees. Food, hard cider and doughnuts top off the fun. BYO chair. Happy Valley Orchard, Middlebury, 4-6 p.m. Free. Info, 388-2411.

GENTICORUM AND GADAN:

Two Celtic groups — one Québécois and one northern Italian — deliver an energetic double bill. Cooper Field, Putney, 3 p.m. $25-30; free for kids under 12. Info, 387-0102.

THE MAD MOUNTAIN SCRAMBLERS: Locals dust off their dancing shoes for a night of bluegrass boogeying to benefit the Fairfield Community Center. Rust Bucket opens. Enosburg Opera House, Enosburg Falls, 5:30-9:30 p.m. $15; cash bar. Info, 827-3130.

NICOLE MITCHELL: The jazz flutist and her band deliver an Afrofuturist extravaganza of experimental, folklore-infused sound. Spaulding Auditorium, Hopkins Center for the Arts, Dartmouth College, Hanover N.H., 7:30 p.m. $20-35. Info, 603-646-2422.

PLAY EVERY TOWN: Prolific pianist David Feurzeig continues a four-year, statewide series of shows in protest of high-pollu tion worldwide concert tours.

United Church of Chelsea, 7:30 a.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 321-614-0591.

‘SIDE BY SIDE BY SONDHEIM’:

See WED.12.

VERMONT PHILHARMONIC:

The orchestra kicks off its 64th season with a program of works by New World composers, includ ing Arturo Márquez and Florence Price. Highland Center for the Arts, Greensboro, 7:30 p.m. $520. Info, 533-2000.

outdoors

LEAF PEEPERS BIRD MONITORING: Community scientists watch for warblers, spy sparrows and hear hawks to con tribute to Audubon’s database. Green Mountain Audubon Center, Huntington, 7:30-9:30 a.m. Free. Info, 434-3068.

MEET VINS COFOUNDERS:

Visitors meet the Woodstock locals who founded the museum as part of their clean-water efforts 50 years ago. Vermont Institute of Natural Science, Quechee, 2-4 p.m. Regular admission, $15-18; free for mem bers and kids 3 and under. Info, 359-5000.

PEAK TO PEAK TO POGUE: Hikers explore the trails — solo or with a guide — during the height of fall color, with snacks and activities for all ages along the way. Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park, Woodstock, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, 457-3368.

talks

ERIKA BRUNER: A veterinarian discusses the different options for end-of-life pet care. KelloggHubbard Library, Montpelier, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

theater

‘ALMOST, MAINE’: See FRI.14, 2-4 & 7-9 p.m. ‘ADMISSIONS’: See THU.13.

‘THE GREAT GATSBY: A LIVE RADIO PLAY’: See FRI.14.

‘LAUGHTER ON THE 23RD FLOOR’: See FRI.14.

‘A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC’: See THU.13, 2 & 7:30 p.m. ‘NUNSENSE’: See THU.13.

‘THE PITMEN PAINTERS’: See WED.12.

‘SPRING AWAKENING’: See WED.12, 2 & 7:30 p.m.

‘WATER IN THE WOOD’ REPRISE: See FRI.14, 6-7:30 p.m.

‘WOODY SEZ: THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF WOODY GUTHRIE’: See THU.13, 2 & 7 p.m.

words

WRITERS’ WERTFREI: Authors both fledgling and published gather over Zoom to share their work in a judgment-free environ ment. Virtual option available. Waterbury Public Library, 10 a.m.-noon. Free; preregister. Info, judi@waterburypubliclibrary. com.

SUN.16

community

VETS TOWN HALL: Veterans share stories about their time in service, while community mem bers listen. Moore Community Room. Northern Vermont University-Lyndon, Lyndonville, 1 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, vermont@vetstownhall.org.

education

11TH ANNUAL HARVEST RUN: Families make strides in a 5K romp through farm fields and dirt roads. Funds raised support the Sustainability Academy. Intervale Center, Burlington, 10 a.m.-noon. $5-25. Info, 864-8480.

etc.

2022 VWA KILLINGTON BRIDAL

SHOW: Local matrimony profes sionals put their wares and services on display for engaged couples and their wedding parties. Killington Grand Resort Hotel, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. $6-7. Info, 459-2897.

‘WALKING: PERFORMANCE RUMINATIONS IN AMBULATORY PROCESS’: See WED.12, 2-4 p.m. fairs & festivals

MIDDLEBURY CAR SHOW & FALL FESTIVAL: Classic cars and fam ily fun offer townsfolk of all ages a fabulous fall day. Triangle Park, Middlebury, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, 388-7951.

SUKKOT ON THE FARM FESTIVAL: See SAT.15, 9 a.m.-noon.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

‘AMAZON ADVENTURE 3D’: See WED.12.

‘BACKYARD WILDERNESS 3D’: See WED.12.

FOMO?

even more local events in this newspaper and online: art

sevendaysvt.com/art.

film

See what’s

music + nightlife

club dates

Music + Nightlife section

at sevendaysvt.com/

‘SEA MONSTERS 3D’:

See WED.12.

‘SPACE: UNRAVELING THE COSMOS’: See WED.12.

food & drink

WINOOSKI FARMERS MARKET:

Families shop for fresh produce, honey, meats, coffee and pre pared foods from more seasonal vendors at an outdoor market place. Champlain Mill Green, Winooski, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, farmersmarket@ downtown winooski.org.

health & fitness

COMMUNITY MINDFULNESS

PRACTICE: New and experienced meditators are always welcome to join this weekly practice in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hahn.

Sangha Studio — Pine, Burlington, 6:30-8:15 p.m. Free. Info, newleaf sangha@gmail.com.

KARUNA COMMUNITY

MEDITATION: Participants prac tice keeping joy, generosity and gratitude at the forefront of their minds. Jenna’s House, Johnson, 10-11:15 a.m. Donations; preregis ter. Info, mollyzapp@live.com.

SUNDAY MORNING MEDITATION:

Mindful folks experience sitting and walking meditation in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition.

Shambhala Meditation Center, Burlington, 9 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, lungta108@gmail.com.

lgbtq

PRIDE HIKES: SLEEPY HOLLOW SKI AND BIKE CENTER: All ages, orientations and identities are welcome at this leaf-peeper’s paradise of a trail trek, featuring spectacular views of Camel’s Hump. Sleepy Hollow Inn Ski & Bike Center, Huntington, 1-3 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, gwendolyn.causer@audubon.org.

music

BEETHOVEN TRIO WEEKEND: CHIEN-KIM-WATKINS TRIO:

See FRI.14, 3 p.m.

THE BEST OF JOZAY AND

PATTI DAVILA: The dynamic duo covers the great American songwriters and a cavalcade of 1960s favorites. Lebanon Opera House, N.H., 3 p.m. $39-49. Info, 603-448-0400.

É.T.É.: The Québécois trio brings new life to traditional French Canadian tunes and original numbers. Richmond Congregational Church, 4-6 p.m. $15-25. Info, 434-4563.

QUEEN CITY CUT UPS: Orchard goers enjoy the improvisational strains of this Burlington acous tic band. Shelburne Orchards, noon-2 p.m. Free. Info, 985-2753.

SALVATION FARMS AID: A lineup of local cover artists summons the spirits of Tina Turner, the Rolling Stones and more to benefit local growers. Double E Performance Center’s T-Rex Theater, Essex Junction, 5-10 p.m. $35. Info, info@salvationfarms. org.

‘SIDE BY SIDE BY SONDHEIM’:

See WED.12, 2 p.m.

VERMONT PHILHARMONIC:

The orchestra kicks off its 64th season with a program of works by new-world composers, includ ing Arturo Márquez and Florence Price. Barre Opera House, 2 p.m. $5-20. Info, 476-8188.

ZZ TOP: That little old band from west Texas will have audiences wanting to grow out their beards.

The Flynn, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $85-285. Info, 863-5966.

outdoors

DAYHIKE & DINE: Landscape lovers and foodies carpool to a hiking adventure, then recharge with lunch at a local restaurant. Bradford Park & Ride, 10 a.m.3 p.m. Free. Info, jpendak@gmail. com.

GHOST HIKE: The Vermont Archaeological Society leads intrepid attendees on a trek through abandoned 19th century ruins. Ages 10 and up. Little River State Park, Waterbury, 5-7 p.m. $8.50. Info, vtarchaeology@ gmail.com.

politics

SEN. PATRICK LEAHY: The sena tor celebrates his new memoir, The Road Taken, which tracks his life and long political career. Ira Allen Chapel, University of Vermont, Burlington, 2 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 448-3350.

sports

PÉTANQUE IN THE PARK: The Alliance Française of the Lake Champlain Region invites locals to join in a friendly afternoon of France’s national pastime. Airport Park, Colchester, 4-6 p.m. Free. Info, eriktrinkaus1@gmail. com.

WAITSFIELD SKI & SKATE SALE 2022: The longest-running ski sale in the Mad River Valley has been outfitting winter sports enthusiasts with used equip ment and clothing since 1979. Proceeds benefit the Waitsfield Elementary School PTA. Mad River Glen, Waitsfield, 9 a.m.4 p.m. Free. Info, 496-3643.

talks

DAN O’NEIL: The museum’s for mer executive director explores how history is written, why some narratives are told and why others are silenced. Ethan Allen Homestead Museum, Burlington, 2-3 p.m. Free. Info, 865-4556.

theater

‘ADMISSIONS’: See THU.13, 2 p.m.

‘THE GREAT GATSBY: A LIVE RADIO PLAY’: See FRI.14, 2 p.m.

‘HATCHFORD HOTEL: A NEW VERMONT MUSICAL’: A home body B&B owner accidentally transforms into a chicken and gets falsely accused of murder in this workshop performance of a twisted musical adven ture. Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 6-8 p.m. $10. Info, 859-0100.

‘LAUGHTER ON THE 23RD FLOOR’: See FRI.14, 2-4 p.m.

‘NUNSENSE’: See THU.13, 2-4 p.m.

‘THE PITMEN PAINTERS’:

See WED.12, 2 p.m.

‘SPRING AWAKENING’:

See WED.12, 5 p.m.

‘WOODY SEZ: THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF WOODY GUTHRIE’: See THU.13, 3 p.m.

MON.17 film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

‘AMAZON ADVENTURE 3D’: See WED.12.

‘BACKYARD WILDERNESS 3D’: See WED.12.

‘SEA MONSTERS 3D’: See WED.12.

‘SPACE: UNRAVELING THE COSMOS’: See WED.12.

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.

BONE BUILDERS/ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION EXERCISE PROGRAM: See WED.12.

GENTLE HATHA YOGA: Movers focus on alignment, balance and extending into relaxation.

BYO mat. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

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, noon-1 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, wirlselizabeth@gmail.com.

RELAX & UNWIND RESTORATIVE YOGA AND BREATHWORK: Nicole Carpenter of the Breath and Balance leads a calming nighttime class for all levels. 8-8:30 p.m. Free; donations accepted; preregister. Info, 338-0626.

WEEKLY CHAIR YOGA: Those with mobility challenges or who are new to yoga practice balance and build strength through gentle, supported movements. Twin Valley Senior Center, East Montpelier, 3 p.m. Free; prereg ister; donations accepted. Info, 223-3322.

YANG 24: This simplified tai chi method is perfect for beginners looking to build strength and balance. Congregational Church of Middlebury, 4-6 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, wirlselizabeth@gmail.com.

talks

MARTY PODSKOCH: The author and historian traces the history of civilian conservation camps in Vermont. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

HOW’S THE

20% OFF APPRAISALS

25%

calendar words

ADDISON COUNTY WRITERS

COMPANY: Poets, playwrights, novelists and memoirists of ev ery experience level meet weekly for an MFA-style workshop. Swift House Inn, Middlebury, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, jay@zigzaglitmag.org.

BOOK CLUB/DISCUSSION: Bookworms and history buffs discuss A Few Lawless Vagabonds: Ethan Allen, the Republic of Vermont and the American Revolution by David Bennett over tea and cookies. Ethan Allen Homestead Museum, Burlington, 7-8 p.m. Free. Info, 865-4556.

SHANTA LEE GANDER: The multimedia artist and author of Ghettoclaustrophobia: Dreamin of Mama While Trying to Speak Woman in Woke Tongues reads her poetry. Presented by Vermont Studio Center. 7-8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 635-2727.

TUE.18 activism

SEEING AND DISRUPTING RACISM: The Peace & Justice Center leads a 101 workshop on recognizing racism in many contexts, from individual to sys temic. City Market, Onion River Co-op, Burlington South End, 6-8 p.m. Free; preregister; lim ited space. Info, 863-2345.

community

CURRENT EVENTS

DISCUSSION GROUP: Brownell Library hosts a virtual roundtable for neighbors to pause and reflect on the news cycle. 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6955.

dance

SWING DANCING: Local Lindy hoppers and jitterbuggers convene at Vermont Swings’ weekly boogie-down. Bring clean shoes. Beginner lessons, 6:30 p.m. Champlain Club, Burlington, 7:30-9 p.m. $5. Info, 864-8382.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

‘AMAZON ADVENTURE 3D’:

See WED.12.

‘BACKYARD WILDERNESS 3D’:

See WED.12.

‘SEA MONSTERS 3D’:

See WED.12.

‘SPACE: UNRAVELING THE COSMOS’: See WED.12.

games

BRIDGE FOR BEGINNERS: Expert player Grace Sweet teaches novices how to play a classic card game. Waterbury Public Library, 6-8 p.m. Free; preregister; lim ited space. Info, 244-7036.

health & fitness

FALL PREVENTION TAI CHI:

See THU.13.Congregational Church of Middlebury, 10-11 a.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, lindsayhart09@gmail.com.

SUN-STYLE TAI CHI: See FRI.14.

language

PAUSE-CAFÉ IN-PERSON

FRENCH CONVERSATION:

Francophones and Frenchlanguage learners meet pour parler la belle langue Burlington Bay Market & Café, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, pause-cafe+owner@groups.io.

SOCIAL HOUR: The Alliance Française of the Lake Champlain Region hosts a rendez-vous over Zoom. 5-6 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, ellen.sholk@gmail.com.

music

WATERFRONT PARK DRUM CIRCLE: Folks find rhythm at a joyful, beat-driven outdoor gathering. Waterfront Park, Burlington, 6-8 p.m. Donations. Info, 777-0626.

outdoors

TUESDAY NIGHT GRAVEL BIKE

RIDES: Pedal heads explore their local trails at this weekly meet up. Three Rivers Path Trailhead Pavilion, Lamoille Valley Rail Trail, St. Johnsbury, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, landanimal adventures@gmail.com.

talks

words

WINE & STORY: Lovers of liba tions and tellers of tales gather for an evening of good company. Shelburne Vineyard, 7:30 p.m. $5. Info, 863-1754.

WED.19

business

IMPROVE CUSTOMER RETENTION BY CREATING AN EXPERIENCE: Business coach Jennifer Kok enumerates the new rules of customer service.

Presented by Women Business Owners Network Vermont. 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 503-0219.

QUEEN CITY BUSINESS NETWORKING INTERNATIONAL GROUP: See WED.12.

WASHINGTON COUNTY VERMONT WOMENPRENEURS BIZ BUZZ

MEETUP: Local female business owners meet and chat over coffee. Stowe Street Café, Waterbury, 10-11:15 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, info@vtwomenpreneurs.com.

WOMEN BUSINESS LEADERS CONFERENCE: Panels, workshops and a keynote address by Chely Wright offer businesswomen unique opportunities to network and build skills. Presented by Center for Women & Enterprise. 10 a.m.-2:15 p.m. $125; preregister. Info, eventconcierge@ thecastlegrp.com.

film

DISTINGUISHED

SPEAKER SERIES: BRYN

GEFFERT: The history professor discusses Vladimir Putin’s determination to annex Ukraine. Presented by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Vermont. 11 a.m.-noon. $10; $25 for series pass; preregister. Info, 656-5817. tech

COMPUTER WORKSHOPS:

INTERNET SECURITY: Students learn how to keep themselves safe online. Virtual option available. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, noon-1:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 863-3403.

SCAMS, HACKS AND CYBERSECURITY: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TO

PROTECT YOURSELF: Copper Leaf Financial experts discuss strategies for protecting your money and your identity on the internet. Noon-1 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 203-915-7869.

theater

‘SPRING AWAKENING’: See WED.12.

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

‘AMAZON ADVENTURE 3D’: See WED.12.

‘BACKYARD WILDERNESS 3D’: See WED.12.

‘SEA MONSTERS 3D’: See WED.12.

‘SPACE: UNRAVELING THE COSMOS’: See WED.12.

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.

‘VISION PORTRAITS’:

The Vermont Association for the Blind & Visually Impaired screens this documentary about visionimpaired artists. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 6 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 223-3338.

‘YESTERDAY’: A man wakes up in a world where no one but him remembers the Beatles in this 2019 musical comedy. Catamount Arts Center, St. Johnsbury, 6 p.m. Free. Info, 748-2600.

food & drink

COOK THE BOOK: Home chefs make a recipe from one of the library’s cookbooks and share the dish at a potluck. Dorothy Alling

Memorial Library, Williston, noon1 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

DANVILLE FARMERS MARKET: See WED.12.

FEAST FARM STAND: See WED.12.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT OYSTER SHUCKING: See WED.12.

health & fitness

ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION EXERCISE PROGRAM: See WED.12.

BONE BUILDERS/ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION EXERCISE PROGRAM: See WED.12.

CHAIR YOGA: See WED.12.

COMMUNITY HOOP CLASSES: See WED.12.

LONG-FORM SUN 73: See WED.12. YANG 24: See WED.12.

language

CONVERSATIONAL SPANISH CLASS FOR BEGINNERS: See WED.12.

ELL CLASSES: ENGLISH FOR BEGINNERS & INTERMEDIATE STUDENTS: See WED.12.

IRISH LANGUAGE CLASS: See WED.12.

lgbtq

THRIVE QTPOC MOVIE NIGHT: Each month, Pride Center of Vermont virtually screens a movie centered on queer and trans people of color. 6:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, thrive@pridecentervt.org.

music

MIDORI & JEAN-YVES

THIBAUDET: The violinist and pianist, respectively, perform Beethoven’s complete violin sona tas over three extraordinary days. Spaulding Auditorium, Hopkins Center for the Arts, Dartmouth College, Hanover N.H., 7:30 p.m. $25-45. Info, 603-646-2422.

‘SIDE BY SIDE BY SONDHEIM’: See WED.12.

WILD WOODS SONG

CIRCLE: Singers and acoustic instrumentalists gather over Zoom for an evening of music making. 7:15-9:15 p.m. Free. Info, 775-1182.

outdoors

PUBLIC OWL BANDING

DEMONSTRATION: See THU.13. seminars

UNDERSTANDING ADJUSTABLE-RATE

MORTGAGES: Prospective home buyers learn about options that can offer more flexibility and lower payments. Presented by New England Federal Credit Union. Noon-12:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 764-6940.

tech

COMPUTER WORKSHOPS: GOOGLE SHEETS: Newbies learn the ins and outs of recording data and doing math using

spreadsheets. Virtual option available. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 6-7:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 863-3403.

theater

‘NUNSENSE’: See THU.13, 2-4 p.m. ‘SPRING AWAKENING’: See WED.12.

words

REBECCA & SALLYANN MAJOYA: The local couple launch their joint memoir, Uncertain Fruit: A Memoir of Infertility, Loss and Love. Norwich Bookstore, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 649-1114. m

art

classes

THE FOLLOWING CLASS LISTINGS ARE PAID ADVERTISEMENTS. ANNOUNCE YOUR CLASS FOR AS LITTLE AS $16.75/WEEK (INCLUDES SIX PHOTOS AND UNLIMITED DESCRIPTION ONLINE). SUBMIT YOUR CLASS AD AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTCLASS.

DAVIS STUDIO ART CLASSES:

Discover your happy place in one of our weekly classes. Making art boosts emotional well-being and brings joy to your life, especially when you connect with other art enthusiasts. Select the ongoing program that’s right for you. Now enroll ing youth and adults for classes in drawing, painting and fused glass. Location: Davis Studio, 916 Shelburne Rd., South Burlington. Info: 425-2700, davisstudiovt.com.

empowerment

THE LITERARY CIRCLE: FINDING STRENGTH AND INSPIRATION

IN DIVERSE BOOKS: This course explores the transformative power of stories, drawing on

Jungian concepts of the shadow and the collective unconscious, inviting participants to go on personal journeys where diverse literature takes center stage for strength and inspiration. Led by Maria Manteo, a professor of English and specialist in children’s literacy. Oct. 20 & 27, 7-8:30 p.m. Cost: $30. Location: Zoom. Info: mmanteo@supportlearning. com.ar.

kids

CHILD NUTRITION WEBINAR:

Are your kids picky eaters? Are you a short-order cook? Do you deal with a food fight or “I don’t like that” even before a first bite? Do your kids’ food preferences change day-to-day, and you can’t keep up? Oct. 13, 7-7:50 p.m. Cost: $39/ person. Recording will also be sent after live webinar.

Location: Zoom. Info:

KK Wellness Consulting LLC, Yoanna Vaughan, 818-540-5128, yoanna@ kkwellnessconsulting.com, kkwellnessconsulting.com/ childnutritionmasterclass.

language

SPANISH CLASSES FOR ALL AGES: Premier nativespeaking Spanish professor Maigualida Rak is giving fun,

interactive online lessons to improve comprehension and pronunciation and to achieve fluency. Audiovisual mate rial is used. “I feel proud to say that my students have significantly improved their Spanish with my teaching approach.” —Maigualida Rak. Read reviews on Facebook at Spanishcoursesvt. Info: Spanish Courses VT, 881-0931, spanishtutor.vtfla@gmail.com, facebook.com/spanishonlinevt.

martial arts

AIKIDO: 25 FREE CLASSES!:

Celebrate our 25th anniversary and discover the dynamic, flowing martial art of aikido. Learn how to relax under pressure and how aikido cultivates core power,

aerobic fitness and resiliency. Aikido techniques emphasize throws, pinning techniques and the growth of internal power.

Visitors are always welcome to watch a class. Starting on Tue., Nov. 1, 7:15 p.m.; meets 5 days/ week. 25 free classes for new adult members. Membership rates incl. unlimited classes.

Contact us for info about mem bership rates for adults, youth & families. Location: Aikido of Champlain Valley, 257 Pine St., Burlington. Info: Benjamin Pincus, 951-8900, bpincus@burlington aikido.org, burlingtonaikido.org.

VERMONT BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU:

We offer a legitimate Brazilian jiu-jitsu training program for men, women and children in a friendly, safe and positive environment.

Julio Cesar “Foca” Fernandez Nunes; CBJJP and IBJJF seventh-degree Carlson Gracie Sr. Coral Belt-certified instructor; teaching in Vermont, born and raised in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil! A two-time world masters champion, fivetime Brazilian jiu-jitsu national champion, three-time Rio de Janeiro state champion and Gracie Challenge champion.

Accept no limitations! 1st class is free. Location: Vermont Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, 55 Leroy Rd., Williston. Info: 598-2839, julio@bjjusa.com, vermontbjj.com.

music

DJEMBE & TAIKO DRUMMING:

JOIN US!: New classes (outdoor mask optional/ masks indoors).

Taiko Tue. and Wed.; Djembe Wed.; Kids & Parents Tue. and Wed. Conga classes by request!

Schedule/register online.

Location: Taiko Space, 208 Flynn Ave., Suite 3G, Burlington. Info: 999-4255, spaton55@gmail.com, burlingtontaiko.org.

Humane Society

Chittenden County

Oscar

SEX: 13-year-old neutered male

REASON HERE: His previous owner could no longer care for him.

ARRIVAL DATE: September 9

SUMMARY: This handsome gentleman has stolen the hearts of staff and volunteers at HSCC. Oscar is a sweet and sensitive senior kitty who is looking for a home to live out his golden years. Oscar will politely ask for pets and attention with his (adorable) raspy meow. If you are looking for a distinguished senior cat to join your family, come learn more about Oscar at HSCC!

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS: Oscar has mild kidney disease, which is fairly common in older cats. He will need to remain on a special diet and stay up to date on veterinarian care in his new home to make sure he stays healthy.

Visit the Humane Society of Chittenden County at 142 Kindness Court, South Burlington, Tuesday through Friday from 1 to 6 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?

Our Community Pet Clinic offers low-cost wellness services and spay/neuter for cats and dogs! Services include vaccinations, microchipping, nail trims, minor diagnostics and treatment, and more. Visit hsccvt.org/ community-pet-clinic to learn more!

Sponsored by:

CLASSIFIEDS

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on the road

CARS/TRUCKS

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housing LAND

FERRISBURGH LAND FOR SALE

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OFFICE/ COMMERCIAL

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on Burlington’s waterfront. Beautiful, healthy, affordable spaces for your business. Visit mainstreetlanding.com & click on space avail. Melinda, 864-7999.

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HEALTH/ WELLNESS

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APPLIANCES/ TOOLS/PARTS

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ser vices

COMPUTER

COMPUTER & IT TRAINING PROGRAM

Train online to get the skills to become a computer & help desk professional now. Grants & scholarships avail. for certain programs for qualifi ed applicants. Call CTI for details! 1-888-281-1442. (AAN CAN)

EDUCATION

TRAIN ONLINE TO DO MEDICAL BILLING

Become a medical offi ce professional online at CTI! Get trained, certifi ed & ready to work in months. Call 866-243-5931. Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Computer w/ internet is req. (AAN CAN)

FINANCIAL/LEGAL

CREDIT CARD DEBT RELIEF!

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DO YOU OWE BACK TAXES?

Do you owe over $10,000 to the IRS or State in back taxes? Our fi rm works to reduce the tax bill or zero it out completely, fast. Let us help! Call 877-414-2089. Hours: Mon.-Fri., 7

Fire cupping, refl exology, Reiki, Rolfi ng, fascial release. Get out of pain. Doesn’t hurt. 60-, 90- or 120-minute sessions. S. Burlington, Mon.-Fri., fl ex weekends. @Fullbodyconnection, fullbodyconnection@ gmail.com.

PSYCHIC COUNSELING

Psychic counseling, channeling w/ Bernice Kelman, Underhill. 30+ years’ experience. Also energy healing, chakra balancing, Reiki, rebirthing, other lives, classes & more. 802-899-3542, kelman.b@juno.com.

RAISE A HEALTHY FAMILY

Are you interested in raising vegan children but don’t know where to start? Contact me at traciwagner.com for whole-food, plant-based coaching with a boardcertifi ed pediatrician.

SUSTAINABLE WEIGHT LOSS

Do you need behavioral coaching, a nutritional plan, custom workout plan or more? Lifelong weight loss solutions through behavior modifi cation. Information: yoanna@ kkwellnessconsulting. com, kkwellness consulting.com

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SAFETY UPDATES FOR BATHTUBS

BathWraps is looking for homeowners with older homes who want a quick safety update. ey do not remodel entire bathrooms but update bathtubs with new liners for safe bathing and showering. ey specialize in grab bars, non-slip surfaces and shower seats. All updates are completed in one day. Call 1-866531-2432. (AAN CAN)

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music INSTRUCTION

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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.

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

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

readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. Any home seeker who feels he or she has encountered discrimination should contact:

HUD Office of Fair Housing 10 Causeway St., Boston, MA 02222-1092 (617) 565-5309

— OR —

Vermont Human Rights Commission 14-16 Baldwin St. Montpelier, VT 05633-0633 1-800-416-2010 hrc@vermont.gov

Spruce up for the holidays! Experienced & professional. Services: organizing by room/ home, packing/unpacking, selling/donating items. $45/hr., fully vaccinated. References upon request. declutterbtv@gmail.com.

INTERIOR PAINTING SERVICE

S. Burlington-based painter seeking interior projects. Quality work, insured w/ solid references. On the web at vtpaintingcompany.com

BY JOSH REYNOLDS

DIFFICULTY THIS WEEK:

SUDOKU BY JOSH REYNOLDS

DIFFICULTY THIS WEEK:

the grid using the numbers

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 onebox cage should be filled in with the target number in the top corner. A number can be repeated within a cage as long as it is not the same

Legal

250 NOTICE MINOR APPLICATION 4C0388A11H-7 10 V.S.A. §§ 6001 - 6111

On September 9, 2022, Vermont Technical College, P.O. Box 500, Randolph, VT 05601 filed application number 4C0388A-11H-7 for a project generally described as demolition and removal of two existing commercial structures at 5689 Williston Road, Williston, VT. A gravel parking lot will remain for VTC use. The project is located at 5689 Williston Rd. in Williston, Vermont. This application can be viewed online by visiting the Act 250 Database: (https://anrweb.vt.gov/ANR/Act250/Details. aspx?Num=4C0388A-11H-7).

No hearing will be held, and a permit will be issued unless, on or before October 31, 2022, a party notifies the District 4 Commission in writing of an issue requiring a hearing, or the Commission sets the matter for a hearing on its own motion. Any person as defined in 10 V.S.A. § 6085(c)(1) may request a hearing. Any hearing request must be in writing, must state the criteria or sub-criteria at issue, why a hearing is required, and what additional evidence will be presented at the hearing. Any hearing request by an adjoining property owner or other person eligible for party status under 10 V.S.A. § 6085(c)(1)(E) must include a petition for party status under the Act 250 Rules. To request party status and a hearing, fill out the Party Status Petition Form on the Board’s website: https://nrb. vermont.gov/documents/party-statuspetition-form, and email it to the District 4 Office at: NRB.Act250Essex@vermont.gov. Finding of Fact and Conclusions of Law may not be prepared unless the Commission holds a public hearing.

For more information contact Kaitlin Hayes at the address or telephone number below. Dated this October 10, 2022.

By: /s/ Kaitlin Hayes Kaitlin Hayes District Coordinator

111 West Street Essex Junction, VT 05452 (802) 622-4084 kaitlin.hayes@vermont.gov

ACT 250 NOTICE MINOR APPLICATION 4C0426-7

10 V.S.A. §§ 6001 - 6111

On September 20, 2022, Catherine and Michael Hassett, 953 Forest Road, St. George, VT 05495 filed application number 4C0426-7 for a project generally described as after-the-fact construction of a 50 x 33 foot addition to an exist ing house, consisting of a three bay garage with a second floor office/storage space. The project is located at 953 Forest Road in Saint George, Vermont. This application can be viewed online by visiting the Act 250 Database: (https://anrweb.vt.gov/ANR/Act250/Details. aspx?Num=4C0426-7).

No hearing will be held and a permit will be issued unless, on or before October 25, 2022, a party notifies the District 4 Commission in writing of an issue requiring a hearing, or the Commission sets the matter for a hearing on its own motion. Any person as defined in 10 V.S.A. § 6085(c)(1) may request a hearing. Any hearing request must be in writing, must state the criteria or sub-criteria at issue, why a hearing is required, and what additional evidence will be presented at the hearing. Any hearing request by an adjoining property owner or other person eligible for party status under 10 V.S.A. § 6085(c)(1)(E) must include a petition for party status under the Act 250 Rules. To request party status and a hearing, fill out the Party Status Petition Form on the Board’s website: https://nrb. vermont.gov/documents/party-status-petitionform, and email it to the District 4 Office at: NRB. Act250Essex@vermont.gov. Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law may not be prepared unless the Commission holds a public hearing.

For more information contact Stephanie H. Monaghan at the address or telephone number below.

Dated this October 5, 2022.

By: Stephanie H. Monaghan

District Coordinator

111 West Street

Essex Junction, VT 05452

802-261-1944

stephanie.monaghan@vermont.gov

ACT 250 NOTICE MINOR APPLICATION 4C1336-1 10 V.S.A. §§ 6001 - 6111

On September 29, 2022, Town of Hinesburg, 10632 VT Route 116, Hinesburg, VT 05461 filed application number 4C1336-1 for a project generally described as the construction of Phase II upgrades to the Hinesburg Wastewater Treatment Facility including (1) sitework and yard piping; (2) new headworks structure; (3) new two-basin sequential batch reactor treatment system including pre and post equalization basins; (4) new building to house tertiary filters, UV disinfection system, positive displacement blowers, sludge and chemical storage tanks; and new control building structure to include operator laboratory, offices, locker room, electrical room, and vehicle garage. The project is located at 290 Lagoon Rd, Hinesburg, VT 05461 in Hinesburg, Vermont. This application can be viewed online by visiting the Act 250 Database: (https://anrweb.vt.gov/ANR/Act250/Details. aspx?Num=4C1336-1).

No hearing will be held, and a permit will be issued unless, on or before October 24, 2022, a party notifies the District 4 Commission in writing of an issue requiring a hearing, or the Commission sets the matter for a hearing on its own motion. Any person as defined in 10 V.S.A. § 6085(c)(1) may request a hearing. Any hearing request must be in writing, must state the criteria or sub-criteria at issue, why a hearing is required, and what additional evidence will be presented at the hearing. Any hearing request by an adjoining property owner or other

person eligible for party status under 10 V.S.A. § 6085(c)(1)(E) must include a petition for party status under the Act 250 Rules. To request party status and a hearing, fill out the Party Status Petition Form on the Board’s website: https://nrb. vermont.gov/documents/party-status- petitionform, and email it to the District 4 Office at: NRB. Act250Essex@vermont.gov. Findingsof Fact and Conclusions of Law may not be prepared unless the Commission holds a public hearing.

For more information contact Kaitlin Hayes at the address or telephone number below.

Dated this October 4, 2022.

By: _/s/ Kaitlin Hayes

Kaitlin Hayes District Coordinator

111 West Street

Essex Junction, VT 05452 (802) 622-4084 kaitlin.hayes@vermont.gov

BURLINGTON DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2022, 5:00 PM PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

Remote Meeting Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83225696227? pwd=SGQ0bTdnS000Wkc3c2J4WWw1dzMxUT09 Webinar ID: 832 2569 6227 Passcode: 969186

Telephone: US +1 929

or

301 715 8592

or

1. ZP-22-524; 87 Hungerford Terrace (RH, Ward 8E) James & Madeleine Posig / Chi Nguyen Demolition of single-story garage and replacement with larger garage with second-story.

2. ZP-22-540; 217 Starr Farm Road (RL, Ward 4N) Kennet Dall Establishment of a cannabis home occupation business.

Plans may be viewed upon request by contacting the Department of Permitting & Inspections between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Participation in the DRB proceeding is a prereq uisite to the right to take any subsequent appeal. Please note that ANYTHING submitted to the Zoning office is considered public and cannot be kept confidential. This may not be the final order in which items will be heard. Please view final Agenda, at www.burlingtonvt.gov/dpi/drb/agendas or the office notice board, one week before the hearing for the order in which items will be heard.

The City of Burlington will not tolerate unlawful harassment or discrimination on the basis of political or religious affiliation, race, color, national origin, place of birth, ancestry, age, sex, sexual ori entation, gender identity, marital status, veteran status, disability, HIV positive status, crime victim status or genetic information. The City is also committed to providing proper access to services, facilities, and employment opportunities. For accessibility information or alternative formats, please contact Human Resources Department at (802) 540-2505.

CHITTENDEN SOLID WASTE DISTRICT – PUBLIC HEARING

The Chittenden Solid Waste District will hold a Public Hearing to present the proposed Materials Recovery Facility Bond. At this hearing, CSWD will receive public comments on the Bond, and information, as available, will be presented to voters on the estimated amount and type(s) of financing, the improvements to be financed by the Bond, and estimated construction timelines. The Public Hearing will be held on Tuesday, November 1, 2022 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Williston Central School Auditorium, 195 Central School Drive, Williston VT 05495. Instructions on attending remotely will be available on our website https://cswd.net/mrf-bond-2/ prior to the meeting.

EASY SELF STORAGE LLC NOTICE OF SALE

To: Burlington Health & Rehabilitation Center 300 Pearl Street Burlington, VT 05401

Customer: Unit(s): Burlington Health & Rehabilitation Center B054

You are in default of your rental agreement for the unit(s) described above. Demand is hereby made for immediate payment of the total amount due. Access to your unit(s) is suspended until payment is made in full. We will accept payment by credit card, certified bank check, or cash.

In accordance with Vermont State Law, Uniform Commercial Code, Section 7, Paragraphs 206 and 210, unless payment is received in this office by the date listed below, the contents of your unit will be advertised for sale and sold.

To avoid further legal action, your prompt attention to this matter is greatly appreciated. Please call our office immediately to discuss the seriousness of this matter. Our office hours are Monday through Friday, 8AM to 5PM, Saturday 8AM to 12PM.

Description of contents: boxes/miscellaneous items

TOTAL DUE: $348.30

NORTHSTAR SELF STORAGE WILL BE HAVING A PUBLIC AND ONLINE SALE/AUCTION FOR THE FOLLOWING STORAGE UNITS ON OCTOBER 19, 2022 AT 9:00 AM

Northstar Self Storage will be having a public and online sale/auction on October 19, 2022 681 Rockingham Road, Rockingham, VT 05101 (Unit R04, R36) and at 1124 Charlestown Road, Springfield, VT 05156 (Units CC-29, S22, S53, S56, S57, S94, S112, S128) and online at www.storaget reasures.com at 9:00 am in accordance with VT Title 9 Commerce and Trade Chapter 098: Storage Units 3905. Enforcement of Lien

Unit # Name Contents

1 R04 Patricia Damon Household Goods

2 R36 Deborah Mingins Household Goods

3 CC29 Emily Miller Household Goods

4 S22 Chris Colella Household Goods

5 S53 Marilyn Nourse Household Goods

6 S56

Bundy Household Goods

S57 Jen Johnson Household Goods

S94 Marilyn Nourse Household Goods

S112 Chris Colella Household Goods

S128

Putnam 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

Jacob Macdonald 10 X 10

10 X 10

10 X 15

10 X 25

Auction will take place: Saturday October 22,2022 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.

PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF VERMONT.

The 2019-2020 General Assembly proposed two amendments to the Constitution of the State of Vermont, and the 2021-2022 General Assembly concurred with each proposed amendment. The proposals will be submitted to the voters for final approval on the 2022 General Election Ballot. The proposed amendments are described as follows:

Proposal 2 would amend the Vermont Constitution to clarify that slavery and indentured servitude in any form are prohibited.

Article 1 of Chapter I of the Vermont Constitution would be amended to read:

Article 1. [All persons born free; their natural rights; slavery and indentured servitude prohibited ]

That all persons are born equally free and independent, and have certain natural, inherent, and unalienable rights, amongst which are the enjoying and defending life and liberty, acquiring, possessing and protecting property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety; therefore no person born in this country, or brought from over sea, ought to be holden by law, to serve any person as a servant, slave or apprentice, after arriving to the age of twenty-one years, unless bound by the person’s own consent, after arriving to such age, or bound by law for the payment of debts, damages, fines, costs, or the like slavery and indentured servitude in any form are prohibited.

Proposal 5 would amend the Vermont Constitution to ensure that every Vermonter is afforded personal reproductive liberty.

Article 22 of Chapter I of the Vermont Constitution would be added to read:

Article 22. [Personal reproductive liberty]

That an individual’s right to personal reproductive autonomy is central to the liberty and dignity to determine one’s own life course and shall not be denied or infringed unless justified by a compelling State interest achieved by the least restrictive means.

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).

Transitional Housing Program Emergency Rules. Vermont Proposed Rule: 22E15 AGENCY: Agency of Human Services, Department for Children and Families CONCISE SUMMARY: The purpose of the Transitional Housing Program is to offer more stability to households experiencing homeless ness. The Transitional Housing Program provides financial assistance to eligible households for up to 18 months in the form of direct monthly payments to motel and hotel owners who have executed an Occupancy Agreement with an eligible household. This emergency rule is substantially similar to the emergency rule adopted March 31, 2022, with the following additions: (1) language addressing the use of state funding; (2) deadline of October 1, 2022 for new applications; and (3) limit of $5,250 on monthly financial assistance and $3,300 on security deposits(the limit on security deposits was implemented via procedures when the Department adopted the first emergency rule).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Heidi Moreau, Vermont Agency of Human Services, Department for Children & Families 280 State Drive, Waterbury, VT 05671- 1080 Tel: 802-595-9639 Email: heidi.moreau@vermont.gov URL: https:// dcf.vermont.gov/esd/rules/current.

FOR COPIES: Nicole Tousignant, Vermont Agency of Human Services, Department for Children & Families, Economic Services Division, 280 State Drive, Waterbury, VT 05671- 1080 Tel: 802-2410588 Email: nicole.tousignant@vermont.gov.

Thurs., Oct. 13 @ 11AM

3BR/2BA Farmhouse, Morristown, VT

Online Closes Mon., Oct. 17 @ 10AM

Citroen, Tools & Household, Barnet, VT

Tues., Oct. 18 @ 11AM

Foreclosure: 56± Acres, Berkshire, VT

Online Closes Wed., Oct. 19 @ 10AM

Antiques & Household, Randolph, VT

Preview: Wed., Oct. 12 from 11AM-1PM

Online Closes Mon., Oct. 20 @ 10AM

CNC Machine Shop, Randolph, VT

Thurs., Oct. 20 @ 11AM

Foreclosure: 6± Acres w/ 3BR Home, Rochester, VT

Simulcast Friday, Oct. 21 @ 9AM

Public Auto Auction, Williston, VT

Online Closes Mon., Oct. 24 @ 10AM

Office Furniture & Equip, Williston, VT

Preview: Tues., Oct. 18 from 11AM-1PM

Online Closes Thurs., Oct. 27 @ 10AM

1800s Italianate Church, Enosburg, VT

Preview: Fri., Oct. 21 from 11AM-1PM

Simulcast Friday, Oct. 28 @ 9AM

Public Auto Auction, Williston, VT Thurs., Nov. 3 @ 11AM

Foreclosure: 3BR/2BA Condo, Plymouth, VT

Open House: Wed., Oct. 19 from 11AM-1PM

Simulcast Friday, Nov. 4 @ 9AM

Public Auto Auction, Williston, VT Simulcast Sat., Nov. 5 @ 9AM

Firearms & Sporting Goods, Williston, VT Thurs., Nov. 10 @ 11AM

USDA Foreclosure: 5BR/3BA Home, Hyde Park, VT

Open House: Fri., Oct. 21 from 3PM-5PM Thurs., Nov. 10 @ 3PM

2BR/2BA Finished Renovated Barn Home on 5± Acres, Hyde Park, VT Open House: Tues., Oct. 25 from 11AM-1PM

Liberty Head Post & Beam Timber Framer Simulcast Auction

Bid Online or In Person

Saturday, Oct. 15 @ 12PM (Reg. from 11AM)

2855 Main Rd., Huntington, VT

300+ lots of tools, timber, antiques & barn finds!

Antiques & Household

Online Lots Closing

Wed., Oct. 19 @ 10AM

Preview: Wed., Oct. 12, 11AM-1PM

44 Hull St., Ste. #6, Randolph, VT

BUY or SELL at Our Weekly Public Auto Auctions in Williston

State of the Art Machine Shop

Online Lots Closing

Thurs., Oct. 20 @ 10AM

Preview: Wed., Oct. 12, 11AM-1PM

44 Hull St., Ste. #6, Randolph, VT

You Bring It, We’ll Sell It!

Whether it’s a single item or a lifetime collection, an auction offers a fast, costeffective way to liquidate your property.

Foreclosure: 3BR/2BA Condo

Thurs., Nov. 3 @ 11AM

832 Grand View Lodge Rd, Unit D, Plymouth, VT

Open House: Wed., Oct. 19 from 11AM-1PM

Legal Notices

[CONTINUED]

REQUEST FOR PROPSALS

Fiscal Year 2023

Burlington Housing Trust Fund

The Burlington Housing Trust Fund (BHTF) provides grants and loans for the promotion, retention, and creation of long-term affordable housing for very low, low, and moderate-income households. Non-profit corporations, municipal corporations, limited equity housing cooperatives, for-profit corporations, partnerships, and individuals are eligible to apply for project funding. Capacity grants are also made for the staffing, training, planning, fundraising, and ongoing operations of non-profit organizations which provide services for or which create or preserve housing for very low, low, and moderate-income households.

The BHTF requests proposals for FY2023 awards. The total funding available for projects and capac ity grants for FY2023 is approximately $619,648. The proposals shall be for projects and organiza tions serving the housing needs of low-income Burlington residents. Organizations that provide services, as distinct from housing development, are limited to capacity grants of no more than $10,000 per program. FY2023 BHTF awards must be expended by June 30, 2023.

Proposals for FY2023 BHTF funding must be submitted on or before Friday, November 11, 2022, at 4:00 p.m. The complete request for proposal, as well as applications for both Projects and Capacity grants can be found at: https://www.burlingtonvt. gov/CEDO/Housing-Trust-Fund-FY23. Funding decisions are expected to be made by December 2, 2022. For further information on this RFP, please contact City of Burlington Community Economic Development Office Assistant Director for Grants and Finance Todd Rawlings at 652-4209 or by email at trawlings@burlingtonvt.gov.

STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT DOCKET NO. 22-ENV-00084 ENVIRONMENTAL UNIT

In re: Act 250 Permit 4C0288-19 Jurisdictional Opinion

NOTICE OF CROSS-APPEAL

NOW COMES Interested Party R.L. Vallee, Inc. ( an abutter to the project and recognized interested person and party under 10 V.S.A 6085(C)(1)(E) and 10 V.S.A. 8502(7)) by and through its counsel and pursuant to Rule 5(b)(2) of the Vermont Rules for Environmental Court Proceedings hereby files this Notice of Cross-Appeal. Vallee cross-appeals as concerns the August 10, 2022 Jurisdictional Opinion of the District 4 Environmental Commission. See Attached Jurisdictional Opinion. The property subject to this appeal is located at 218 Lower Mountain View Drive in Colchester, Vermont.

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: In order to participate in this appeal, you must enter an appearance in the Vermont Environmental Court within twenty-one (21) days of receiving this Notice of Appeal. Notices of Appearance should be mailed to Jennifer Teske, Court Office Manager, Vermont Superior Court—Environmental Division, 32 Cherry Street, Suite 303, Burlington, VT 05401. Respectfully submitted this 4 th day of October, 2022.

MSK ATTORNEYS

By: /s/ A.J. LaRosa, Esq.

Alexander LaRosa, Esq., ERN 5814 275 College Street, PO Box 4485 Burlington, VT 05406-4485 Phone: 802-861-7000 Email: ajlarosa@mskvt.com Attorneys for R.L. Vallee, Inc.

STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT PROBATE DIVISION CHITTENDEN UNIT DOCKET NO.: 22-PR-05178

In re ESTATE of Martha Allen NOTICE TO CREDITORS

To the creditors of: Martha Allen, late of Burlington, Vermont

I have been appointed to administer this estate. All creditors having claims against the decedent or the estate must present their claims in writing within four (4) months of the date of the first publication of this notice. The claim must be presented to me at the address listed below with a copy sent to the Court. The claim may be barred forever if it is not presented within the four (4) month period.

Dated: 10/08/2022

Signature of Fiduciary: /s/ Gordon Allen

Executor/Administrator: Gordon Allen, c/o Sharon M. Winn, Esq. PO BOX 10, Adamant, VT 05640, (802) 595 5888

Name of Publication: Seven Days Publication Date: 10/12/2022

Name of Probate Court: Vermont Superior Court, Chittenden Unit

Address of Probate Court: PO Box 511, Burlington, VT 05402

STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT PROBATE DIVISION CHITTENDEN UNIT DOCKET NO.: 22-PR-05730

In re ESTATE of: JOYCE BOISVINE NOTICE TO CREDITORS

To the creditors of: JOYCE BOISVINE, late of Williston, 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: 9/30/22

Signature of Fiduciary: /s/ Nicole Huff

Executor/Administrator: Nicole Huff, 1954 North Ave, Burlington, VT 05408 802-777-2306

Name of Publication: Seven Days Publication Date: October 12th, 2022

Name of Probate Court: Vermont Superior Court, Chittenden Unit

Address of Probate Court: PO BOX 511, Burlington, VT 05402

STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT PROBATE DIVISION RUTLAND UNIT DOCKET NO.: 22-PR-05495

In re ESTATE of RAJU MASTARAM

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

To the creditors of: RAJU MASTARAM, late of Brandon, 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: 10/09/2022

Signature of Fiduciary: /s/ Enza Desai Executor/Administrator: Enza Desai, 1366 Turk St, Apt 5C, San Francisco, CA 94115, (415) 935-3016

Name of Publication: Seven Days Publication Date: 10/12/2022

Name of Probate Court: Vermont Superior Court, Rutland Probate Division Address of Probate Court: 83 Center St, Rutland VT 05701

THE TOWN OF COLCHESTER IS SEEKING TO ESTABLISH A CONTRACT WITH A CONTRACTOR FOR THE JANITORIAL SERVICES FOR THE TOWN OF COLCHESTER BUILDINGS.

The Scope of Work includes providing all labor, materials, tools, equipment, supplies and supervision necessary to complete the specified janitorial services as described in the contract documents for eight Town of Colchester buildings. The contract for the services described will be for a period of three years, with an annual adjustment in compensation to the contractor based on the CPI-W, Northeast Urban, Class B/C (all items).

Bids for Janitorial Services for the Town of Colchester Buildings will be received by the Town of Colchester Department of Public Works at 781 Blakely Road, Colchester, VT 05446 until 1:00pm on Wednesday, November 2, 2022 , and then at said office publicly opened and read aloud.

Each Bid must be submitted in a sealed envelope, addressed to Lea Sanguinetti at the Department of Public Works, Town of Colchester, 781 Blakely Road, Colchester, VT 05446. Each sealed envelope con taining a bid must be plainly marked on the outside a Bid for Janitorial Services – Town Buildings, and the envelope should bear on the outside the name of the Bidder, and its address.

A pre-bid walk-through of all buildings will be of fered at 10:00am on Monday, October 24, 2022 . Any Bidders interested should come to the Colchester Town Office, Department of Public Works located on the 2 nd Floor, 781 Blakely Road, Colchester, VT on Monday, October 24, at 10:00am.

Contract & Bidding Documents can be downloaded from the Town Website at https://www.colches tervt.gov/bids.aspx

TOWN OF BOLTON DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD

PUBLIC HEARING: OCTOBER 27, 2022

The Town of Bolton’s Development Review Board will hold a public hearing on October 27, 2022, at 6:30pm.

Place: Virtual or Municipal Conference Room, 3045 Theodore Roosevelt Highway, Bolton, VT, 05676. Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom. us/j/84852293383 Call (audio only): +1 646 558 8656| Meeting ID: 848 5229 3383

The following application will be reviewed: 2022-50-DRB; Applicant & Property Owner: BV Timber LLC. Seeking conditional use approval to install two 500-gallon fuel tanks, one 275-gallon fuel tank, and three associated 500-gallon precast concrete fuel containment systems on 3227 Bolton Valley Access Rd. The property is in the Rural II, Resort Residential, Forest, and Conservation Districts (Tax Map #7-3003227).

Additional information can be obtained through email by calling 802-434-5075, or by email at zoningbolton@gmavt.net . Pursuant to 24 VSA § 4464 and § 4471, participation in this local proceeding, by written or oral comment, is a prerequisite to the right to take any subsequent appeal.

TOWN OF ESSEX SELECTBOARD NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING OCTOBER 17, 2022 6:35 P.M.

The Selectboard of the Town of Essex shall hold a public hearing at 6:35 p.m. on October 17, 2022, at the Town Offices, 81 Main St., Essex Jct. and electronically on Zoom. You can find the link at www.essexvt.org or join via conference call (audio only): (888) 788-0099 | Meeting ID: 987 8569 1140; Passcode: 032060

The purpose of the public hearing is to consider final passage of Chapter 6.11, Public Nuisance, of the Municipal Ordinance.

The Selectboard of the Town of Essex hereby ordains that changes be made to create Municipal Ordinance, Chapter 6.11, Public Nuisance. The purpose of the provisions is to provide ordinances regarding public nuisances, including disorderly conduct; excessive sound; public urination / defecation; public nudity; soliciting; defacing buildings, structures and signs; alcohol; open fires; and fireworks.

Full text of the proposed revisions may be

examined at the Essex Town Offices, 81 Main St., Essex Jct., VT, or online at www.essexvt.org.

Should the Town of Essex Selectboard adopt these ordinances, they will become effective immedi ately. Citizens have the right to petition for a vote on the ordinance at an annual or special meeting pursuant to 24 V.S.A. § 1973. Five (5) percent of the qualified voters of the Town of Essex, by written petition filed with the Town Clerk no later than forty-four (44) days following the date of adoption by the Selectboard, may request that the voters of the Town disapprove of the Selectboard’s action at a duly warned annual or special meeting.

Please direct questions to Lt. Robert Kissinger at rkissinger@essex.org or 802-878-8331.

Andy Watts, Chair Essex Selectboard

TOWN OF RICHMOND NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

PURSUANT TO 24 V.S.A. §§4441 (d) AND §4444, THE TOWN OF RICHMOND PLANNING COMMISSION WILL BE HOLDING A PUBLIC HEARING ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2022, AT 7:00 PM, IN THE RICHMOND TOWN CENTER MEETING ROOM AT 203 BRIDGE STREET TO RECEIVE COMMENT REGARDING THE PROPOSED ZONING AMENDMENT:

PURPOSE: To modify zoning regulations for the Gateway Residential/Commercial District

GEOGRAPHIC AREA AFFECTED: Gateway Residential/Commercial District (US Route 2 Corridor from 1108 West Main Street to 282 West Main Street)

SECTION HEADINGS: Non-Developable Portions on Lots (Section 2.5.2), Allowable Uses on Issuance of Zoning Permit by Administrative Officer (Section 3.1.1), Allowable Uses Upon Issuance of Conditional Use Approval (Section 3.1.2), Allowable Uses on Issuance of Zoning Permits by Administrative Officer (Section 3.2.1), Allowable Uses

Upon Issuance of Conditional Use Approval (Section 3.2.2), Allowable Uses Upon Issuance of Zoning Permit by Administrative Officer (Section 3.5.1), Allowable Uses

Upon Issuance of Conditional Use Approval (Section 3.5.2), Allowable Uses Upon Issuance of Zoning Permit by Administrative Officer (Section 3.6.1), Allowable Uses

Upon Issuance of Conditional Use Approval (Section 3.6.2), Allowable Uses Upon Issuance of a Zoning Permit by Administrative Officer (Section 3.7.1), Allowable Uses

Upon Issuance of Conditional Use Approval (Section 3.7.2), Allowable Uses on Issuance of Zoning Permit by Administrative Officer (Section 3.8.1), Allowable Uses

Upon Issuance of Conditional Use Approval (Section 3.8.2), Allowable Uses Upon Issuance of Zoning Permit and Site Plan Approval (Section 3.9.1), Allowable Uses Upon Issuance of Conditional Use Approval (Section 3.9.2), Allowable Uses Upon Issuance of Zoning Permit by Administrative Officer (Section 3.10.1), Allowable Uses Upon

Issuance of Conditional Use Approval (Section 3.10.2), Gateway Residential/Commercial District (Section 3.4), Multiple Use of Lots (Section 4.5), Site Plan Review (Section 5.5), Off-Road or Highway Parking Requirements (Section 6.1.2),Multifamily Housing Development Standards (Section 6.13), Definitions (Section 7), and Town Zoning District Map (Appendix A1)

THIS MEETING IS ALSO ACCESSIBLE ONLINE VIA ZOOM: Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom. us/j/88419874605 Meeting ID: 884 1987 4605 Call in (Calling rates apply): 1 (929) 205-6099

THE FULL TEXT AND MAPS OF THE

FOR INSPECTION AT THE RICHMOND TOWN CENTER

PURSUANT TO 24 VSA §4441 AND THE TOWN WEBSITE. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE RICHMOND PLANNING/ZONING OFFICE AT 802-434-2430 or rvenkataraman@ richmondvt.gov.

POSTED: 10/06/2022

Support

A CIRCLE OF PARENTS FOR MOTHERS OF COLOR

Please join our parent-led online support group designed to share our questions, concerns & struggles, as well as our resources & successes!

Contribute to our discussion of the unique but shared experience of parenting. We will be meeting weekly on Wed., 10-11 a.m. For more info or to register, please contact Heather at hniquette@ pcavt.org, 802-498-0607, pcavt.org/ family-support-programs.

A CIRCLE OF PARENTS FOR SINGLE MOTHERS

Please join our parent-led online support group designed to share our questions, concerns & struggles, as well as our resources & successes!

Contribute to our discussion of the unique but shared experience of parenting. We will be meeting weekly on Fri., 10-11 a.m. For more info or to register, please contact Heather at hniquette@ pcavt.org, 802-498-0607, pcavt.org/ family-support-programs.

A CIRCLE OF PARENTS W/ LGBTQ+ CHILDREN

Please join our parent-led online support group designed to share our questions, concerns & struggles, as well as our resources & successes!

Contribute to our discussion of the unique but shared experience of parenting. We will be meeting weekly on Mon., 10-11 a.m. For more info or to register, please contact Heather at hniquette@ pcavt.org, 802-498-0607, pcavt.org/ family-support-programs.

AL-ANON

For families & friends of alcoholics.

Phone meetings, electronic meetings (Zoom), & an Al-Anon blog are avail. online at the Al-Anon website. For meeting info, go to vermontalanonalateen. org or call 866-972-5266.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS

Do you have a drinking problem? AA meeting sites are now open, and online meetings are also available. Call our hotline at 802 864-1212 or check for in-person or online meetings at www. burlingtonaa.org.

ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUPS

Support groups meet to provide assistance & info on Alzheimer’s disease & related dementias. ey emphasize shared experiences, emotional support & coping techniques in care for a person living w/ Alzheimer’s or a related dementia. Meetings are free & open to the public. Families, caregivers & friends may attend.

Please call in advance to confi rm date & time. 4 options: 1st Mon. of every mo., 2-3 p.m., at the Residence at Shelburne Bay, 185 Pine Haven Shores, Shelburne; 4th Tue. of every mo., 10-11 a.m., at the Residence at Quarry Hill, 465 Quarry Hill Rd., South Burlington; 2nd Tue. of every mo., 5-6:30 p.m., at the Alzheimer’s Association Main Offi ce, 300 Cornerstone Dr., Suite 130, Williston; 2nd Mon. of every mo., 6-7:30 p.m., at Milton Public Library, 39 Bombardier Rd., Milton. For questions

or additional support group listings, call 800-272-3900.

ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION TELEPHONE SUPPORT GROUP

2nd Tue. monthly, 4-5:30 p.m.

Preregistration is req. (to receive dial-in codes for toll-free call). Please dial the Alzheimer’s Association’s 24-7 Helpline, 800-272-3900, for more info.

ARE YOU HAVING PROBLEMS W/ DEBT?

Do you spend more than you earn? Get help at Debtor’s Anonymous + Business Debtor’s Anonymous. Wed., 6:30-7:30 p.m., Methodist Church in the Rainbow Room at Buell & S. Winooski, Burlington. Contact Jennifer, 917-568-6390.

BABY BUMPS SUPPORT GROUP FOR MOTHERS & PREGNANT WOMEN

Pregnancy can be a wonderful time of your life. But it can also be a time of stress often compounded by hormonal swings. If you are a pregnant woman, or have recently given birth & feel you need some help w/ managing emotional bumps in the road that can come w/ motherhood, please come to this free support group led by an experienced pediatric registered nurse. Held on the 2nd & 4th Tue. of every mo., 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the Birthing Center, Northwestern Medical Center, St. Albans. Info: Rhonda Desrochers, Franklin County Home Health Agency, 527-7531.

BETTER BREATHERS CLUB American Lung Association support group for people w/ breathing issues, their loved ones or caregivers. Meets

on the 1st Mon. of every mo., 11 a.m.-noon at the Godnick Center, 1 Deer St., Rutland. For more info call 802-776-5508.

BRAIN INJURY SUPPORT GROUP

Vermont Center for Independent Living offers virtual monthly meetings, held on the 3rd Wed. of every mo., 1-2:30 p.m. e support group will offer valuable resources & info about brain injury. It will be a place to share experiences in a safe, secure & confi dential environment. To join, email Linda Meleady at lindam@vcil.org & ask to be put on the TBI mailing list. Info: 800-639-1522.

BRAIN INJURY ASSOCIATION OF VERMONT

Montpelier daytime support group meets on the 3rd u. of every mo., at the Unitarian Church ramp entrance, 1:30-2:30 p.m. St. Johnsbury support group meets on the 3rd Wed. of every mo., at the Grace United Methodist Church, 36 Central St., 1-2:30 p.m. Colchester evening support group meets on the 1st Wed. of every mo., at the Fanny Allen Hospital in the Board Room Conference Room, 5:30-7:30 p.m. White River Jct. meets on the 2nd Fri. of every mo., at Bugbee Sr. Ctr. from 3-4:30 p.m. Call our helpline at 877-856-1772.

CANCER SUPPORT GROUP

e Champlain Valley Prostate Cancer Support Group will be held every 2nd Tue. of the mo., 6-7:45 p.m. via conference call. Newly diagnosed? Prostate cancer reoccurrence? General discussion & sharing among survivors &

those beginning or rejoining the battle. Info, Mary L. Guyette RN, MS, ACNS-BC, 274-4990, vmary@aol.com.

CELEBRATE RECOVERY

Overcome any hurt, habit or hang-up in your life w/ this confi dential 12-step, Christ-centered recovery program. We offer multiple support groups for both men & women, such as chemical dependency, codependency, sexual addiction & pornography, food issues, & overcoming abuse. All 18+ are welcome; sorry, no childcare. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; we begin at 7 p.m. Essex Alliance Church, 37 Old Stage Rd., Essex Junction. Info: recovery@essexalliance. org, 878-8213.

CELEBRATE RECOVERY

Celebrate Recovery meetings are for anyone struggling w/ hurt, habits & hang-ups, which include everyone in some way. We welcome everyone at Cornerstone Church in Milton, which meets every Fri. from 7-9 p.m. We’d love to have you join us & discover how your life can start to change. Info: 893-0530, julie@mccartycreations.com.

CENTRAL VERMONT CELIAC SUPPORT GROUP

Last u. of every mo., 7:30 p.m. in Montpelier. Please contact Lisa Mase for location: lisa@harmonizecookery.com.

CEREBRAL PALSY GUIDANCE

Cerebral Palsy Guidance is a very comprehensive informational website

Support Groups

or alcohol addiction of a loved one.

broadly covering the topic of cerebral palsy & associated medical conditions. Its mission is to provide the best possible info to parents of children living w/ the complex condition of cerebral palsy. cerebralpalsyguidance. com/cerebral-palsy.

CODEPENDENTS ANONYMOUS

CoDA is a 12-step fellowship for people whose common purpose is to develop healthy & fulfilling relationships. By actively working the program of Codependents Anonymous, we can realize a new joy, acceptance & serenity in our lives. Meets Sun. at noon at the Turning Point Center, 179 S. Winooski Ave., Suite 301, Burlington. Tom, 238-3587, coda.org.

DECLUTTERERS’ SUPPORT GROUP

Are you ready to make improvements but find it overwhelming? Maybe 2 or 3 of us can get together to help each other simplify. 989-3234, 425-3612.

DISCOVER THE POWER OF CHOICE! SMART Recovery welcomes anyone, including family & friends, affected by any kind of substance or activity addiction. It is a science-based program that encourages abstinence. Specially trained volunteer facilitators provide leadership. Sun. at 5 p.m. The meeting has moved to Zoom: smartrecovery. zoom.us/j/92925275515. Volunteer facilitator: Bert, 399-8754. You can learn more at smartrecovery.org.

DIVORCE CARE SUPPORT GROUP

Divorce is a tough road. Feelings of separation, betrayal, confusion, anger & self-doubt are common. But there is life after divorce. Led by people who have already walked down that road, we’d like to share w/ you a safe place & a process that can help make the journey easier. This free 13-week group for men & women will be offered on Sun., 5:307:30 p.m., Sep. 8-Dec. 1, at the North Avenue Alliance Church, 901 North Ave., Burlington. Register for class at essexalliance.churchcenter.com. For more info, call Sandy 802-425-7053.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SUPPORT

Steps to End Domestic Violence offers a weekly drop-in support group for female-identified survivors of intimate partner violence, including individuals who are experiencing or have been affected by domestic violence. The support group offers a safe, confidential place for survivors to connect w/ others, to heal & to recover. In support group, participants talk through their experiences & hear stories from others who have experienced abuse in their relationships. Support group is also a resource for those who are unsure of their next step, even if it involves remaining in their current relationship. Tue., 6:30-8 p.m. Childcare is provided. Info: 658-1996.

EMPLOYMENT-SEEKERS SUPPORT GROUP

Frustrated w/ the job search or w/ your job? You are not alone. Come check out this supportive circle. Wed. at 3 p.m., Pathways Vermont Community Center, 279 N. Winooski Ave., Burlington. Info: Abby Levinsohn, 777-8602.

FAMILIES COPING W/ADDICTIONS (FCA) GROUP (ADDICTION SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES)

Families Coping w/ Addiction (FCA) is an open-community peer support group for adults 18+ struggling w/ the drug

FCA is not 12-step based but provides a welcoming & stigma-free forum for those living this experience, in which to develop personal coping skills & to draw strength & insight from one another. Group meets weekly on Wed., 5:30-6:30 p.m., on  Zoom. Check Turning Point Center website (turningpointcentervt. org) for Zoom link, listed under “Family Support” (click on “What We Offer” dropdown).

FAMILY & FRIENDS OF THOSE EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS

This support group is a dedicated meeting for family, friends & community members who are supporting a loved one through a mental health crisis. Mental health crisis might include extreme states, psychosis, depression, anxiety & other types of distress. The group is a confidential space where family & friends can discuss shared experiences & receive support in an environment free of judgment & stigma w/ a trained facilitator. Wed., 7-8:30 p.m. Downtown Burlington. Info: Jess Horner, LICSW, 866-218-8586.

FAMILY RESTORED: SUPPORT GROUP FOR FRIENDS & FAMILIES OF ADDICTS & ALCOHOLICS

Wed., 6:30-8 p.m., Holy Family/St. Lawrence Parish, 4 Prospect St., Essex Junction. For further info, please visit thefamilyrestored.org or contact Lindsay Duford at 781-960-3965 or 12lindsaymarie@gmail.com.

FIERCELY FLAT VT

A breast cancer support group for those who’ve had mastectomies. We are a casual online meeting group found on Facebook at Fiercely Flat VT. Info: stacy.m.burnett@gmail.com.

FOOD ADDICTS IN RECOVERY ANONYMOUS (FA)

Are you having trouble controlling the way you eat? FA is a free 12-step recovery program for anyone suffering from food obsession, overeating, under-eating or bulimia. Local meetings are held twice a wk.: Mon., 4-5:30 p.m., at the Unitarian Universalist Church, Norwich, Vt.; & Wed., 6:30-8 p.m., at Hanover Friends Meeting House, Hanover, N.H. For more info & a list of additional meetings throughout the U.S. & the world, call 603-630-1495 or visit foodaddicts.org.

G.R.A.S.P. (GRIEF RECOVERY AFTER A SUBSTANCE PASSING)

Are you a family member who has lost a loved one to addiction? Find support, peer-led support group. Meets once a mo. on Mon. in Burlington. Please call for date & location. RSVP mkeasler3@ gmail.com or call 310-3301 (message says Optimum Health, but this is a private number).

GRIEF & LOSS SUPPORT GROUP

Sharing your sadness, finding your joy. Please join us as we learn more about our own grief & explore the things that can help us to heal. There is great power in sharing our experiences w/ others who know the pain of the loss of a loved one & healing is possible through the sharing. BAYADA Hospice’s local bereavement support coordinator will facilitate our weekly group through discussion & activities. Everyone from the community is welcome. 1st & last Wed. of every mo. at 4 p.m. via Zoom. To register, please contact bereavement program coordinator Max Crystal, mcrystal@bayada.com or 802-448-1610.

GRIEF SUPPORT GROUPS

Meet every 2nd Mon., 6-7:30 p.m., & every 3rd Wed. from 10-11:30 a.m., at Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice in Berlin. The group is open to the public & free of charge. More info: Diana Moore, 224-2241.

HEARING VOICES SUPPORT GROUP

This Hearing Voices Group seeks to find understanding of voice-hearing experi ences as real lived experiences that may happen to anyone at anytime. We choose to share experiences, support & empathy. We validate anyone’s experi ence & stories about their experience as their own, as being an honest & accurate representation of their experience, & as being acceptable exactly as they are. Tue., 2-3 p.m. Pathways Vermont Community Center, 279 North Winooski Ave., Burlington. Info: 802-777-8602, abby@pathwaysvermont.org.

HELLENBACH CANCER SUPPORT

Call to verify meeting place. Info, 3886107. People living w/ cancer & their caretakers convene for support.

INTERSTITIAL CYSTITIS/PAINFUL BLADDER SUPPORT GROUP

Interstitial cystitis (IC) & painful bladder syndrome can result in recurring pelvic pain, pressure or discomfort in the blad der/pelvic region & urinary frequency/ urgency. These are often misdiagnosed & mistreated as a chronic bladder infection. If you have been diagnosed or have these symptoms, you are not alone. For Vermont-based support group, email bladderpainvt@gmail.com or call 899-4151 for more info.

KINDRED CONNECTIONS PROGRAM OFFERED FOR CHITTENDEN COUNTY CANCER SURVIVORS

The Kindred Connections program provides peer support for all those touched by cancer. Cancer patients, as well as caregivers, are provided w/ a mentor who has been through the cancer experience & knows what it’s like to go through it. In addition to sensitive listening, Kindred Connections provides practical help such as rides to doctors’ offices & meal deliveries. The program has people who have experienced a wide variety of cancers. For further info, please contact info@vcsn.net.

KINSHIP CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP

A support group for grandparents who are raising their grandchildren. Led by a trained representative & facilitator. Meets on the 2nd Tue. of every mo., 6:30-7:45 p.m., at Milton Public Library. Free. For more info, call 802-893-4644 or email library@ miltonvt.gov. Facebook.com/ events/561452568022928.

LGBTQ SURVIVORS OF VIOLENCE

The SafeSpace Anti-Violence Program at Pride Center of Vermont offers peer-led support groups for survivors of relationship, dating, emotional &/ or hate-violence. These groups give survivors a safe & supportive environ ment to tell their stories, share info, & offer & receive support. Support groups also provide survivors an opportunity to gain info on how to better cope w/ feelings & experiences that surface because of the trauma they have experienced. Please call SafeSpace at 863-0003 if you are interested in joining.

LIVING THROUGH LOSS

Gifford Medical Center is announcing the restart of its grief support group, Living Through Loss. The program is

sponsored by the Gifford Volunteer Chaplaincy Program & will meet weekly on Fri., 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., in Gifford’s Chun Chapel beginning on Aug. 6. Meetings will be facilitated by the Rev. Timothy Eberhardt, spiritual care coordinator, & Emily Pizzale MSW, LICSW, a Gifford social worker. Anyone who has experienced a significant loss over the last year or so is warmly invited to attend & should enter through the hospital’s main entrance wearing a mask on the way to the chapel. Meetings will be based on the belief that, while each of us is on a unique journey in life, we all need a safe place to pause, to tell our stories &, especially as we grieve, to receive the support & strength we need to continue along the way.

MARIJUANA ANONYMOUS

Do you have a problem w/ marijuana?

MA is a free 12-step program where addicts help other addicts get & stay clean. Ongoing Wed., 7 p.m., at Turning Point Center, 179 S. Winooski, Suite 301, Burlington. 861-3150.

MYELOMA SUPPORT GROUP

Area Myeloma Survivors, Families & Caregivers have come together to form a Multiple Myeloma Support Group. We provide emotional support, resources about treatment options, coping strategies & a support network by participating in the group experience w/ people who have been through similar situations. 3rd Tue. of every mo., 5-6 p.m., at the New Hope Lodge on East Ave. in Burlington. Info: Kay Cromie, 655-9136, kgcromey@aol.com.

NAMI CONNECTION PEER SUPPORT GROUP MEETINGS

Weekly virtual meetings. If you have questions about a group in your area, please contact the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Vermont, program@ namivt.org or 800-639-6480. Connection groups are peer recovery support group programs for adults living w/ mental health challenges.

NAMI FAMILY SUPPORT GROUP

Weekly virtual meetings. If you have questions about a group in your area, please contact the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Vermont, info@ namivt.org or 800-639-6480. Family Support Group meetings are for family & friends of individuals living w/ mental illness.

NARCONON SUNCOAST DRUG & ALCOHOL REHABILITATION & EDUCATION

Narconon reminds families that overdoses due to an elephant tranquil izer known as Carfentanil have been on the rise in nearly every community nationwide. Carfentanil is a synthetic opioid painkiller 100 times more powerful than fentanyl & 1,000 times stronger than heroin. A tiny grain of it is enough to be fatal. To learn more about carfentanil abuse & how to help your loved one, visit narconon-suncoast. org/drug-abuse/parents-get-help. html. Addiction screenings: Narconon can help you take steps to overcome addiction in your family. Call today for a no-cost screening or referral: 1-877-841-5509.

NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS is a group of recovering addicts who live without the use of drugs. It costs nothing to join. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using. Info, 862-4516 or cvana.org. Held in Burlington, Barre & St. Johnsbury.

NARCANON BURLINGTON GROUP Group meets every Mon. at 7 p.m., at the Turning Point Center, 179 S. Winooski Ave., Suite 301, in Burlington. The only requirement for membership is that there be a problem of addiction in a relative or friend. Info: Amanda H. 338-8106.

NEW (& EXPECTING) MAMAS & PAPAS! EVERY PRIMARY CAREGIVER TO A BABY!

The Children’s Room invites you to join our weekly drop-in support group. Come unwind & discuss your experi ences & questions around infant care & development, self-care & postpartum healing, & community resources for families w/ babies. Tea & snacks provided. Thu., 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Bring your babies! (Newborn through crawling stage.) Located in Thatcher Brook Primary School, 47 Stowe St., childrensroomonline.org. Contact childrensroom@wwsu.org or 244-5605.

NORTHWEST VERMONT CANCER PRAYER & SUPPORT NETWORK

A meeting of cancer patients, survivors & family members intended to comfort & support those who are currently suffering from the disease. 2nd Thu. of every mo., 6-7:30 p.m., St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 11 Church St., St. Albans. Info: stpaulum@myfairpoint. net. 2nd Wed. of every mo., 6-7:30 p.m., Winooski United Methodist Church, 24 W. Allen St., Winooski. Info: hovermann4@comcast.net.

OPEN EARS, OPEN MINDS

A mutual support circle that focuses on connection & self-exploration. Fri. at 1 p.m., Pathways Vermont Community Center, 279 N. Winooski Ave., Burlington. Info: Abby Levinsohn, 777-8602.

OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS (OA)

A 12-step program for people who identify as overeaters, compulsive eaters, food addicts, anorexics, bulim ics, etc. No matter what your problem w/ food, we have a solution! All are welcome, meetings are open, & there are no dues or fees. See oavermont. org/meeting-list for the current meeting list, meeting format & more; or call 802-863-2655 anytime!

PONDERING GENDER & SEXUALITY

Pondering Gender & Sexuality is a twicemonthly facilitated mutual support group for folks of any identity (whether fully formed or a work in progress) who want to engage in meaningful conversations about gender, sexuality & sexual orientation, &/or the coming-out process. Discussions can range from the personal to the philosophical & beyond as we work together to create a compassionate, safe & courageous space to explore our experiences. The group will be held on the 2nd Sun. & 4th Tue. of every mo., 1-2:30 p.m., either virtually or at Pride Center of Vermont. Email pgs@pridecentervt.org for more info or w/ questions!

POTATO INTOLERANCE SUPPORT GROUP

Anyone coping w/ potato intolerance & interested in joining a support group, contact Jerry Fox, 48 Saybrook Rd., Essex Junction, VT 05452.

QUEEN CITY MEMORY CAFÉ

The Queen City Memory Café offers a social time & place for people w/ memory impairment & their friends & family to laugh, learn, & share concerns & celebrate feeling understood & con nected. Enjoy coffee, tea & baked goods w/ entertainment & conversation. QCMC meets on the 3rd Sat. of every mo., 10 a.m.-noon, at the Thayer Building, 1197 North Ave., Burlington. 316-3839.

QUEER CARE GROUP

This support group is for adult family members & caregivers of queer &/or questioning youth. It is held on the 2nd Mon. of every mo., 6:30-8 p.m., at Outright Vermont, 241 North Winooski Ave. This group is for adults only. For more info, email info@outrightvt.org.

ATTENTION RECRUITERS:

POST YOUR JOBS AT: JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POST-A-JOB PRINT DEADLINE: NOON ON MONDAYS (INCLUDING HOLIDAYS) FOR RATES & INFO: MICHELLE BROWN, 802-865-1020 X121, MICHELLE@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

YOUR TRUSTED LOCAL SOURCE. JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM

Receptionist/ Office Assistant

Gravel & Shea PC, a Burlington, VT law firm seeks an experienced, professional receptionist/office assistant.

This position requires extensive communication with our clients, staff and the legal community; a strong work ethic; excellent organizational skills; and experience using a variety of software applications including Microsoft Office. Prior legal and/or law firm experience a plus.

Join the team at Gardener’s Supply Company!

G ardener’s Supply is America’s leading catalog and web-based gardening company. We work hard AND offer a fun place to work with summer bocce games, BBQs, employee garden plots and much more! We also offer strong cultural values, competitive wages and outstanding benefits (ranging from a tremendous discount on plants & product, to actually owning shares of the company!).

ACCOUNTS RECEI VABLE COORDINATO R/ ACCOUNTS PAYABLE ASSIS TANT:

Our Accounting team is looking for an individual that will be responsible for all accounts receivable and collection activity for Gardener ’s Supply and our various divisions. Duties include daily bank deposits, internal employee billings, collections on returned checks, and providing back up to various Accounting depar tment functions. This position will also assist in accounts payable activities including invoice matching and invoice entry. This person must have 2 years work experience in accounting or related fields; proficient knowledge of spreadsheets and word processing (Excel & Word preferred); excellent customer service skills, both internally and externally. A high school diploma or equivalent minimum experience required, associate's degree preferred.

We are a 100% employee-owned company and an award winning and nationally recognized socially responsible business, voted one of Vermont’s “Best Places to Work ” Interested? Please send your cover letter & resumé to Gardener’s Supply Company, 128 Intervale Rd., Burlington, VT 05401 or to jobs@gardeners.com.

We offer a competitive salary, health insurance, 401(k) and Profit Sharing, and other benefits. For more information about Gravel & Shea PC, please visit gravelshea.com

Qualified candidates e-mail cover letter, résumé and references to: fmiller@gravelshea.com

Gravel & Shea PC is an Equal Opportunity Employer

NET ZERO ENERGY SERVICES ENGINEER POSITION

Burlington Electric Department (BED), the City of Burlington’s 100% renewably sourced powered electric utility, is seeking a Net Zero Energy (NZE) Services Engineer to advance Burlington’s NZE goals by helping customers identify opportunities to further energy efficiency and fossil fuel reductions in buildings. This position works with Burlington’s residential and small commercial customers, and with the energy professional community, in delivering NZE programs including energy efficiency, beneficial electrification of space heating and domestic hot water systems, energy codes and City ordinances that help to advance NZE goals. The position requires effective collaboration with community members, external partners, and stakeholders. Our ideal candidate will have a bachelor’s degree in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering or related degree and 3-years of relevant experience, and familiarity with energy efficiency techniques, heat pump technology, hybrid heat systems in homes and small businesses, load management and load control, and performing cost/benefit analysis.

The City of Burlington is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applicants who can contribute to our growing diversity.

Apply at governmentjobs.com/careers/burlingtonvt

We are an equal opportunity employer and we encourage applicants who can contribute to our growing diversity.

Property Manager/ Assistant Property Manager

Established Property Management Firm seeking an individual to manage a portfolio of homeowner associations located in Chittenden County. Property Manager duties include: Attendance at evening board meetings, Site visits of properties, Obtaining bids, contract negotiation and oversight of vendors, Management & oversight of building staff, Preparation of budgets & Review monthly financial reports.

Requirements

Thorough knowledge of Microsoft Office, Superior multi-tasking and organizational skills, Extraordinary customer service skills/understanding, 3 years’ experience in property management, real estate, or customer service.

Benefits

What we offer our Property Managers: attractive benefits package including health insurance, liberal holiday/ vacation schedule, and retirement plan, Competitive compensation (commensurate with experience)

Interested individuals should email cover letter and resume to patrick@appletreebay.com

DIRECTOR

Vermont Ultimate was created in the spring of 2020 with a mission to introduce, educate, and organize ultimate throughout the state of Vermont. The sport is currently thriving with youth and adult leagues, tournaments, learn-to-play camps, and pick up games. Vermont is the first and only state to have state-wide varsity status in high schools. Nationally competitive college teams at UVM and Middlebury are attracting talented players from across the country to the Green Mountain State.

Vermont Ultimate is looking for a part-time Director to shape and fuel this momentum in a way that expands the ultimate community in Vermont and elevates the capacity for education, recreation, and competition. The job will initially be 5-10 hours per week with the potential to expand in scope over time.

Please send a resume, cover letter, and at least two references to info@vermontultimate.org to be considered for this role. In the cover letter please identify any days or times of year where there may be constraints on work availability. The Board aims to review applications and hire for the role by December of this year. Please submit an application by November 1.

DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS

DIRECTOR

Job Type: Full-time

Compensation: $57,000 plus the Center’s comprehensive benefits plan includes 100% employer funded health, dental, and generous time-off allotment.

Work Environment: Hybrid – Mix of in-person and remote work.

Pride Center of Vermont is dedicated to advancing community and the health and safety of LGBTQ+ Vermonters through education, advocacy, and celebration.

The Development Director works in partnership with the Executive Director to support strategic fundraising and community engagement efforts that support the vision, mission, and values of Pride Center of Vermont. They will lead the Development and Communications team to implement effective fundraising campaigns, communicate with current and prospective donors, and continue to build a sustainable financial future for our organization.

With an emphasis on promoting the enhancement and engagement of support for Pride Center’s work, this position manages the organization’s communication tools, including but not limited to our donor database, all social media platforms, electronic newsletters, and print materials, in collaboration with the Development and Communications team.

Please submit your resume and cover letter to employment@pridecentervt.org by Friday, October 21.

More info: pridecentervt.org/2022/09/27/were-hiring-

Housing Analyst and Senior Housing Analyst

Join the staff of the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board, an innovative funding organization supporting the development and preservation of affordable housing and the conservation of agricul tural land, natural areas, recreational land, forest land, and historic public properties. To solve the unprecedented housing crisis, our collaborative and diligent housing team is seeking talented indi viduals to help create more affordable homes for Vermonters. If you have experience and passion for affordable housing, this position could be right for you. We are advertising for both the Housing Analyst role, and for the role of Senior Housing Analyst. Learn more and read the job descriptions at www.vhcb.org/about-us/jobs. VHCB is an Equal Opportunity Employer and candidates from diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply. Positions will remain open until filled.

TOWN OF JERICHO HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE WORKER

The Town of Jericho is accepting applications for a Highway Maintenance Worker Level 2. This is a full-time position requiring a CDL and the ability to respond to emergencies, snow removal and other conditions arising outside of standard work hours. This may include occasional calls on weekends, evenings, and holidays. The ideal candidate will have at least two years of experience in highway maintenance, construction, and methods. Experience operating large trucks and heavy road equipment, at the municipal level, is a plus. Applicants must be able to perform strenuous physical labor, be self-motivated, maintain a positive attitude and be a team player.

The starting hourly wage is dependent on qualifications and experience. The Town of Jericho offers excellent benefits, including health and dental insurance, vacation and personal time and a retirement plan. The successful applicant will be subject to pre-employment drug test, medical examination, and a driving background check.

Interested applicants must submit a cover letter, resume, and 3 reference to the Jericho Town Hall, at 67 VT 15 Jericho, M-F 8:30am to 2:30pm. Application materials may also be submitted to Asst. Town Administrator, Paula Carrier at pcarrier@jerichovt.gov

Please include Attention: Highway Maintenance Position in header. Questions? Contact Highway Supervisor, Adam Magee at 802.899.3180. Position open until filled.

Washington County Diversion Program

DIRECTOR

Washington County Diversion Program (WCDP) is a nonprofit organization located in downtown Barre, Vermont that provides a range of restorative justice programs for the communities within Washington County. WCDP addresses unlawful behavior, supports victims of crime and promotes a healthy community.

The Executive Director will provide leadership, direction, and vision to the organization and is responsible for the daily operations and management of the agency. This is a salaried position with occasional evening and weekend hours. The Executive Director reports to the WCDP Board of Directors.

Qualifications include:

• BA in restorative justice, human services, criminal justice, or relevant field;

• Master’s degree preferred.

• Demonstrated managerial and leadership experience.

• Direct client service experience.

Starting salary: $60,000 to $62,000 based on experience.

WCDP offers 100% of individual health and dental and life insurance, as well as an employer retirement contribution (SEP). Three weeks Paid Time Off (PTO).

Please submit cover letter, resume and three references by October 21, 2022 to: wcdpboard@aol.com

For more information visit: wcdp-vt.org

HIRING IN ALL DEPARTMENTS!

Full Time Year Round - Summer & Winter Operations

*Competitive Pay, Seasonal Pass and Resort Wide Discounts! 401K, Medical, Dental & Life Insurance

For more information: boltonvalley.com/the-resort/employment

SEASONAL HOLIDAY POSITIONS

OUTREACH MANAGER

Yestermorrow Design/Build School in Waitsfield seeks an Outreach Manager to craft the outward face of the School through written, visual, and digital communication. This position recruits students, increases enrollment through multimedia marketing, and collaborates on donor communication.

Our marketing plan includes a website, social media, e-newsletter, advertisements, catalogs, posters and mailings, all overseen by this position. This person will increase our presence in the local community, and communicate to current and potential students and alumni. Generous benefit package including paid time o , retirement plan, health care. Salary starts at $23/hour, based on experience.

To learn more and apply, visit yestermorrow.org/jobs

Are you looking to make some extra money around the holidays? Dakin Farm is currently seeking applicants to join our holiday team for a fast-paced exciting work environment. No experience is required. These seasonal positions are available from the middle of November through early January.

We have both full and part time positions available in our Mail Order Packing Department, and Specialty Food Production. We o er competitive wages, generous employee discounts, and hours that meet your schedule.

For an application or more information please email: tdanyow@dakinfarm.com

You can also give us a call or stop by our retail store : 5797 Route 7, Ferrisburgh 1-800-99DAKIN

Massage Therapists

You’re more than a massage therapist. You’re an artist, healer, and professional.

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looking for full or part-time

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hours, consistent clientele, ongoing

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scheduling.

LANDLORD RELIEF PROGRAM MANAGER

The Vermont State Housing Authority is accepting applications for a newly created position: Landlord Relief Program Manager. This position is responsible for the management and day-to-day operations of the Landlord Relief Program. We are seeking a customer-focused individual who will support and maintain programs, review and process claims, and provide technical assistance. Must have good communication skills, and ability to work independently as well as in a team setting. This position is limited-service, grant funded.

visit vsha.org for a complete description and application information.

Weaving Instructor

Weaving instructor wanted to help disabled women with her floor loom. Warp the loom, then visit a residence in central Burlington area weekly or twice monthly to monitor progress, provide guidance, instruction & oversight. Pay negotiable.

Read more about Jane: bit.ly/WeaveInstructor

Contact: nick@madriver.com

LOAN CLOSING OFFICER

A full-time Closing Officer is needed to prepare loan documents and handle all aspects of closings for agricultural, commercial, and SBA loan programs. Closing Officers review commitment letters and other closing documentation; communicate with borrowers, attorneys, and other lenders; and schedule and attend loan closings.

The job may be based out of VEDA’s Burlington, Middlebury, Montpelier, or St. Johnsbury offices, and after an initial period, remote work may be an option. Travel in Vermont is required.

Preference will be given to candidates with at least 5 years of legal experience and financial institution experience is beneficial. Important abilities include strong written, verbal, and computer skills; excellent customer service; and a proven team approach.

VEDA offers competitive salaries and excellent benefits. We are an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer, and we welcome job applications from all qualified candidates.

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Senior Operations Associate

Does making an impact matter to you?

Turn your passion for social change into Real Possibilities.

AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence and nearly 38 million members, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability, and personal fulfillment.

We are looking for a Senior Operations Associate. This role participates in a variety of administrative-level projects and programs in support of business initiatives, prepares and maintains records of incoming invoices & provides financial budgeting support for a business unit or department, produces data reports and processes various forms.

Apply today at careers.aarp.org.

AARP is an equal opportunity employer committed to hiring a diverse workforce and sustaining an inclusive culture. AARP does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, sex, color, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, mental or physical disability, genetic information, veteran status, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.

Operations Administrator

US Aircraft Finance & Insurance has an employment opportunity for an individual who would like to enjoy the flexibility of part time.

Our small but growing company is seeking a motivated Operations Administrator with a balanced skillset that can perform job duties that are part customer service representative and part recordkeeper. We can train the right person!

Work hours are flexible within the business day and week, Monday through Friday. We estimate 20 +/- hours per week.

US Aircraft Finance & Insurance has been in business for 24+ years. We provide aircraft financing and insurance for both new and used aircraft. We work with customers all over the country helping them finance and insure their aircraft.

One of our strengths, as a company, is providing excellent customer service. We communicate with our customers primarily via email and telephone in a timely manner.

We are located in a professional office building in the village of Richmond, VT. Check out our website: usaircraftfinance.com

Our compensation package includes benefits and pay commensurate with experience.

If you are interested in joining our team, call or email Dave Savoie: 802.434.4100 or dave@usaircraftfinance.com.

FIREFIGHTER / EMT

The Williston Fire Department has an immediate opening for a full-time Career Firefighter / EMT position.

Minimum requirements are EMT certification at the time of application, and current Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) certification prior to employment (dated within the last two years of the hire date). Paramedics are strongly encouraged to apply.

Visit willistonfire.com to view the full job posting and to obtain an application. Resume, cover letter and application may be emailed to Williston Fire Department at applications@willistonfire.com, Attn: Chief Collette, 645 Talcott Road, Williston, Vermont, 05495.

Williston Fire is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Bar Manager

We are looking for a committed, full time bar manager to join our team in a fast paced environment.

The bar manager is responsible for managing inventory and maximizing resources, creating weekly schedules for staff, facilitating menu changes, maintaining an effective costing system, maintaining and growing vendor relationships, planning and overseeing trainings, encouraging continued education, managing day-to-day operations, & proactively overseeing operational needs.

The bar manager should be a skilled communicator, have excellent problem-solving skills, be able to think critically and efficiently, have strong leadership skills, and have a strong understanding of the beverage and hospitality industries.

Email resume & cover letter to info@waterworksvt.com

Coordinator of Children & Family Ministries

Manufacturing

The Congregational Church of Vergennes, United Church of Christ, is an Open and Affirming congregation of 135 members seeking a Coordinator of Children and Family Ministries. We are a vibrant, Christian community—full of life, music, and laughter. We have a long history of deeply appreciating the gifts of our staff in supporting an inclusive, loving, and compassionate ministry in the heart of our little city. This position carries an expectation (on average) of 12-15 hours/week and pays $22/hour. We seek a person of faith with experience working with children and/or youth, who will direct a program of stimulating and nourishing faith formational opportunity. If this sounds like the way you want to make a big impact in our community, please contact Rev. Elliott Munn at elliott@vergennesucc.org

For more information, including the Job Description, please go to the church's website: vergennesucc.org/ccfmsearch

The Vermont Center for Anxiety Care, a private psychotherapy practice on Burlington’s waterfront, has an opening for a psychotherapist. Therapy experience with any age group including children. Can be licensed or post-master’s degree intern. Collaborative group with holistic approach and multiple specialties. Clinical supervision towards licensure provided as needed. Visit web site: vtcenterforanxietycare.com

Send resume and cover letter describing professional interests and goals to Paul Foxman, Ph.D., 86 Lake Street, Burlington, VT 05401 or email: paulfoxman@aol.com

FT and PT employees are eligible for excellent benefits, including student loan repayment, generous paid time off, health/dental/vision,

VNRC LEGISLATIVE INTERNSHIP

Would you like to learn about Vermont’s legislative process and track policies related to climate change, affordable housing, transportation, environmental justice, clean water, forests and wildlife? The Vermont Natural Resources Council is seeking a Legislative Intern to assist VNRC and our partners, Vermont Conservation Voters and the Vermont Planners Association, in advancing legislation through the Vermont State House, JanuaryMay 2023. Visit vnrc.org for the full job description and to apply.

MAINTENANCE ASSOCIATE

Performs routine maintenance and repair of residence, maintaining physical appearance of the grounds and building as well as ensuring that the building is physically sound and safe. Works with outside contractors as needed. Responsible for cleaning residents’ rooms and residence common areas including vacuuming, sweeping, dusting, polishing, mopping, disinfecting, etc. Discards waste into proper containers, replaces light bulbs and assists with any general housekeeping/laundry duties as necessary.

HOUSEKEEPER

Responsible for cleaning residents’ rooms and residence common areas including vacuuming, sweeping, dusting, polishing, mopping, disinfecting, etc. Discards waste into proper containers, and assists with any general housekeeping duties necessary.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

MONTPELIER, VT - The Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission (CVRPC) seeks an innovative and dynamic Executive Director with demonstrated management and collaborative leadership abilities. The Executive Director will ensure that the CVRPC advances its core mission while positioning the organization to take advantage of new opportunities that benefit the region.

The CVRPC serves 23 municipalities in Washington and Orange Counties, working on their behalf to build strong and resilient communities, foster economic prosperity, and promote a high quality of life in an equitable and sustainable manner. The CVRPC accomplishes this through planning and community development assistance to municipal governments and preparation and implementation of plans and special studies, and by developing working relationships with local and regional organizations and state and federal agencies. The CVRPC works cooperatively with municipalities to advance regional cohesiveness and facilitate effective communication among all levels of government.

The salary range for the position is $90,000 - $120,000, depending on qualifications, with a generous benefit package.

To apply, email a cover letter and resume to director@ cvregion.com by November 9, 2022. Additional information is available at centralvtplanning.org/news/job-postings/

CVRPC offers equal opportunity for all employees and maintains a drug-free workplace. CVRPC seeks and encourages applications from people with varied perspectives and experiences. Candidates must be committed to working effectively with diverse community populations and will be expected to strengthen such capacity if hired.

VERMONT LEGAL AID SEEKS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Vermont Legal Aid (VLA), one of the state’s largest law firms, is where Vermonters turn when they face a civil legal problem that threatens their rights, shelter, income, health, or well-being. VLA strives to advance fairness and justice in the civil legal system, address the social and economic barriers faced by our clients, and confront the underlying causes of poverty, discrimination, and inequality. VLA services are free.

VLA seeks an Executive Director to lead this nationally recognized, statewide civil legal aid organization, and engage in the exciting process of envisioning the future of VLA, with the support and commitment of Board and staff. VLA is a strong, successful organization that is well-regarded, with a staff of 89, offices in Burlington, Montpelier, Rutland, Springfield, and St. Johnsbury, and an annual budget of $9.5 million.

The next Executive Director will be a visionary leader with a demonstrated passion for advocating on behalf of low-income and other vulnerable populations, including families with young children, people with disabilities, New American communities, veterans, seniors, and other individuals impacted by poverty or marginalized by other factors.

The successful Executive Director candidate will be a licensed attorney with significant legal experience; demonstrate a passion for social and racial justice; possess exceptional leadership skills; have substantial management experience; have grant writing or fundraising experience; and understand financial matters, including development of budgets, compliance with grant and contract requirements, and financial oversight.

VLA’s Administrative Unit has historically been in Burlington, but the agency is open to your proposal on a remote work or a hybrid arrangement.

VLA believes everyone in Vermont should have equal access to legal services regardless of their race, ethnicity, language, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexuality, ability, mental health, income status, age, or education. We are committed, through our practices and policies, to fostering cultural competence, inclusiveness, understanding, acceptance and respect in order to more effectively fight poverty, discrimination, and inequality.

For more information about this position and how to apply, visit www.vtlegalaid.org Screening of applicants begins immediately. To receive full consideration, submit your application materials by October 14, 2022

NORTHEASTERN VERMONT REGIONAL HOSPITAL invites you to check out our exciting opportunities!

Support. Growth. Opportunity. Collaboration. Innovation. Teamwork. Are these missing from your career? Join the NVRH Respiratory Therapy team today. Breathe easier while you support our patients and community to make better breathing possible.

Why not have a job you love?

Positions include a sign on bonus, strong benefits package and the opportunity to work at one of the “Best Places to Work in Vermont”

Service Coordinator:

career

services

have strong clinical, organizational

working in a team-oriented position.

annual salary.

Residential Program Manager: Coordinate staffed residential and community supports for an individual in their home. The ideal candidate will enjoy working in a team-oriented position, have strong clinical skills, and demonstrated leadership. $45,900 annual salary.

Direct Support Professional: Provide 1:1 supports to help individuals reach their goals in a variety of settings. This is a great position to start or continue your career in human services. Full and part time positions available starting at $19/hr.

Residential Direct Support Professional: Provide supports to an individual in their home and in the community in 24h shifts including asleep overnights in a private, furnished bedroom. You can work two days, receive full benefits and have five days off each week! Other flexible schedules available, starting wage is $20/hr.

Shared Living Provider: Open your home to someone with an intellectual disability or autism and open a whole world to them, and to you. There are a variety of opportunities available that could be the perfect match for you and your household. Salary varies dependent on individual care requirements.

Join our dedicated team and together we’ll build a community where everyone participates and belongs: ccs-vt.org/current-openings.

Inclusive Hiring Program Manager

Help VWW develop a pilot program for re-entry employment services and inclusive hiring pathways with wraparound supports for women reintegrating into the community from incarceration. As the pilot grows, the manager will also build relationships with employers across Vermont to expand open hiring. The job will require weekly on-site work in Middlebury, as well as from the VWW Winooski office and other locations in the state. This is a full-time grant-funded position through 9/30/2025 paying $27.27/hour with full benefits.

To see the full job description and detail on how to apply, visit bit.ly/3Cjm8Pk.

If reasonable accommodation is needed to apply, please contact us at: jobs@vtworksforwomen.org,

Nursing Coordinator

Want your evenings, weekends, and holidays free? Adult day center committed to helping frail adults stay at home is seeking a 40 hour/ week Licensed Practical Nurse, with relevant experience. Oversee health monitoring services which promote health and wellness Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Tasks include administering medications, blood glucose monitoring, taking vital signs, treatments, wound care, documenting care provided and coordinating care with other health care providers and caregivers. Develop & implement plans of care. Supervise Nursing Assistants. Provide emergency first aid as needed. Good clinical, communication & organizational skills crucial.

To apply, send resume and cover letter to CarePartners Adult Day Center at 640 Franklin Park West, St. Albans or download an application at www.carepartnersvt.org. E.O.E.

General Assembly

Seasonal Law Clerk Seasonal Committee Assistants Seasonal User Support Specialist

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.

ADVOCATE

Disability Rights Vermont is looking to hire a full-time advocate to assist individuals with disabilities. Position works under the supervision of an attorney.

DUTIES WILL INCLUDE:

• Outreach to psychiatric facilities and other treatment settings, possibly including corrections

• Conduct investigations into abuse, neglect, and serious rights violations

• Advocacy work both for individual clients and for systemic issues in the community and/or in the legislature

• Work with victims of crime who have disabilities

Qualifications:

• High school degree

• Personal/professional experience with persons with

apply by October 28th,

Nicole Chicoine (she/her)

Coordinator

Main St. / Suite 7

VT 05602

PART-TIME LECTURERS

The Department of Education at UVM is currently hiring part-time Lecturers for Early Childhood, Elementary, and Middle Level Education Student Teaching Supervision and Elementary Education Practicum Courses for Spring 2023. On-site supervision is required. Qualifications include teaching experience and licensure and a master's degree. The position begins on January 17, 2023.

To apply, please include a cover letter that specifically addresses a)your philosophy of teaching b)your commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and c) illustrations of any experience with supervision, mentoring, or professional feedback to peers.

Send the cover letter with a resume or CV and three references to Julia.Stein@uvm.edu

Open until filled, a review of applications will begin immediately.

Deputy State’s Attorney Positions

THE VERMONT DEPARTMENT OF STATE’S ATTORNEYS AND SHERIFFS is hiring full-time Deputy State’s Attorneys in Orange County (Chelsea) and in Rutland County (Rutland), plus limitedservice positions in other locations throughout Vermont. A Deputy State’s Attorney represents the State’s Attorney’s Office in prosecuting criminal and certain civil offenses.

Minimum Qualifications: J.D. degree and admission to the Vermont Bar, or a candidate who has passed the VT bar exam by reading the law. A candidate pending bar results or admission to the Vermont bar may be considered.

For a complete list of openings and full job descriptions, go to prosecutors.vermont.gov/job-opportunities

Deadline November 7, 2022 or until filled.

Inquiries can be made by emailing sas.jobs@vermont.gov

Ride Coordinator/ Dispatcher:

We are looking for a reliable Ride Coordinator/ Dispatcher to act as a communication point for all SSTA drivers on the road. You will use our automated scheduling software to: transmit messages and track vehicles, schedule and move same day rides, and act as the point of contact for all of our amazing drivers on the road! The ideal candidate must be primarily an excellent communicator and able to remain calm and composed in varying situations. You will be asked to multi-task as well as take the appropriate action with little supervision. The goal is to enable different parties to communicate well by ensuring the accurate and timely transmission of information.

Previous experience is a plus, but not required! We have a great team here to help train and get you up to speed.

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE

Montpelier, the capital city of Vermont, is seeking a Director of Finance. The Director of Finance reports to the City Manager and has primary responsibility for financial management and information technology for the City of Montpelier. This position directly supervises 6 employees, oversees financial services contracts, and has responsibility for the complete budget. The City of Montpelier employees 121.2 FTEs and has a general fund budget of $16.1M.

BA/BS in Finance, Public Administration, or related fields is required. MA preferred. Significant experience in key administrative position within a public/non-profit agency with responsibility for budget. Direct experience in municipal government is preferred. Familiarity with human resources management and employee benefit programs are preferred. Familiarity with Vermont municipal regulations/policies a plus.

The salary range is $98,675 annually based on qualifications. This is an exempt salaried position with benefits offered per City’s Personnel Plan. This position is open until filled with resume review beginning November 1, 2022.

Please submit a cover letter & resume to tchambers@montpelier-vt. org. Montpelier is an equal opportunity employer. A full job description is available at montpelier-vt.org/Financedirector

Para Transit Drivers:

We are looking for Drivers to transport SSTA clients in a comfortable, safe and timely manner. Driver responsibilities include driving a 27’ lift-equipped van, providing reliable door-todoor transportation service to those in need, and arranging regular cleaning and maintenance services for the vehicle. Ultimately, you will help us increase customer satisfaction, making sure clients who depend on us for their transportation needs are delivered best-inclass service! To be considered for this role, you should have a valid driver’s license, a clean driving record with no traffic violations, and a desire to contribute to your community! Note that you don’t need to have a car; we provide drivers with our own vehicles.

Full or Part time positions available.

Apply online: sstarides.org/employment-opportunities/

ALL candidates must complete our application in full.

SSTA offers a robust benefits package, competitive pay, paid holidays, and vacation time.

SSTA is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

SSTA is subject to the rules and regulations of the Drug and Alcohol Policy.

Licensed

Multiple Positions Open!

e Community Foundation is seeking a Program Associate for Grantmaking to join the Grants and Community Impact team. is team provides leadership, partnership, and grantmaking and investment strategy at the local, regional, and statewide levels centered on closing the Opportunity Gap.

e Program Associate will play a key role in running the Foundation’s grantmaking processes by supporting internal and external grant review committees. We are looking for candidates who are able to support collaboration with diverse groups, learn new grantmaking strategies, dig into data, commit to promoting equity, and foster belonging for all.

If this sounds like a good t for you, visit vermontcf.org/careers for complete job description and instructions for applying.

COUNSELOR

STAFF ENGINEER I:

MECHANICAL DESIGNER

MECHANICAL DESIGN & SUPPORT

Engaging minds that change the world

ELECTRO-MECHANICAL ENGINEER:

LEAD AFTERMARKET DESIGN ENGINEER:

DESIGN ENGINEER:

Seeking a position with a quality employer? Consider The University of Vermont, a stimulating and diverse workplace. We offer a comprehensive benefit package including tuition remission for on-going, full-time positions. Academic Success Coordinator - Center for Academic Success#S3940PO - The Academic Success Coordinator for Academic Partnerships works in UVM’s Tutoring Center and oversees administrative and programmatic functions of the Supplemental Instruction and Academic Support Programs, supporting the academic success and retention of at-risk and underrepresented students. Collaborates with faculty, staff, and campus units to design and deliver innovative approaches to learning. Hires and supervises student employees for Supplemental Instruction and embedded Academic Support Programs. Designs, coordinates, and manages curriculum for student employee trainings. Develops educational resources and tools and facilitates trainings and workshops on academic success topics. Assesses and prepares reports on student demand and satisfaction and program effectiveness. Helps create and carry out the Center for Academic Success’ mission, which includes a strong commitment to equity and inclusion. Supervised by the Tutoring Center’s Program Director. Minimum Qualifications (or equivalent combination of education and experience): Bachelor’s degree AND three (3) years of experience in a higher education setting working directly with students; OR, any equivalent combination of experience and or education from which comparable knowledge, skills, and abilities have been achieved. Experience developing and implementing successful programs. Must have a demonstrated commitment to diversity, social justice, and multiculturalism; ability to work well with people; and the ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.

For further information on this position and others currently available, or to apply online, please visit www.uvmjobs.com Applicants must apply for positions electronically. Paper resumes are not accepted. Open positions are updated daily. Please call 802-656-3150 or email employment@uvm. edu for technical support with the online application.

RETREAT SERVICES

WILD TRAILS FARM

is seeking therapeutic practitioners in multiple areas for personal retreats, beginning in Spring 2023. Some examples of anticipated services include massages, psychotherapy and other forms of counseling, life coaching, spiritual guidance, reiki, sound therapy and guided nature walks. Ideal candidates have a flexible schedule and are available on weekends and occasional weekdays in Springfield VT. No scheduling or other administrative tasks required. Work in wellappointed spaces in our solar and geothermal-powered inn, with views of the surrounding mountains and forest.

Join our gathering of retreat practitioners in blazing a new trail in Southern Vermont! Contact retreats@wildtrailsfarm.com for details.

MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN

Keens Crossing – Winooski, VT 05404

Full Time, 40 Hours, Pay Rate $24.72

Are you looking to learn new skills or to start a career? Are you looking to join a supportive team and a dynamic company? We are so sure you will love it at HallKeen Management that we are offering a $1,000 hiring bonus for the right candidate. All bonuses to be paid per company policy. Will entertain employees looking to relocate to Vermont.

Responsibilities of Maintenance Technician are quite diverse including but not limited to Apartment turnovers, grounds keeping, various janitorial duties, painting, appliance, electrical, heating, plumbing and safety equipment repair & replacement & provide assistance at other company properties when needed.

The qualified candidate must have reliable transportation and have the ability to assist in carrying appliances and climb ladders as needed.

Please e-mail resumes to dfinnigan@hallkeen.com

Staff Attorney Full Time

Disability Rights Vermont is Vermont’s Protection & Advocacy system. DRVT is expanding its legal team and looking to hire a staff attorney with some experience to assist in our advocacy of people with disabilities. Advocacy includes litigation, policy advocacy, outreach and monitoring, and public education.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Draft legal memoranda

Assist, advise, and represent clients with disabilities on a wide range of issues from discrimination, getting reasonable accommodations, remedying rights violations, and victims representation

Identify & review potential cases and develop advocacy strategies

Conduct outreach and monitoring

Draft reports, articles, and other publications

Develop and maintain relationships with community partners

You’re in good hands with...

QUALIFICATIONS:

Licensed to practice law in Vermont

Some legal experience preferred

Litigation experience is a plus but not required (clerkship or fellowship experience also a plus)

Experience working with people with disabilities is a plus

Excellent research, writing, and analytical skills

Direct Support Professionals Needed

Part-time long-term positions available. Looking for two personable, responsible, athletic Direct Support Professionals to assist, have fun, learn with an incredible young adult autistic man.

Centrally located in Burlington, you will be out in the community and home. A plus if you like to sing and enjoy music. You will grow as he grows. Let’s meet!

Excellent training provided.

$30/hr. Please send a resume, three references and a cover letter to nbgteamvt@gmail

Overnight Respite and Community Work

Hiring two staff for an ongoing weekly schedule for an autistic young adult in his home. The position is one overnight/two days (33 hours) professional job at $33/hour. You will be working in the home and out in the community.

The characteristics we are looking for, compassionate, friendly, punctual, athletic, and responsible human beings. A great opportunity!

College degree preferred. Send cover letter, resume and three references to nbgteamvt@gmail.com

“Seven Days sales rep Michelle Brown is amazing! She’s extremely responsive, and I always feel so taken care of.”

CAROLYN ZELLER

Intervale Center, Burlington

Get a quote when posting online. Contact Michelle Brown at 865-1020, ext. 121, michelle@sevendaysvt.com

Strong interpersonal skills

Demonstrated commitment to public interest work

Ability to work with a team

Compassionate, creative & ability to maintain a sense of humor

Supervisory or management skills are a plus

Salary is competitive for a non-profit public interest legal organization and is based on experience. DRVT offers a competitive benefit package. This position comes with an opportunity for growth within the organization.

Please apply by October 28, 2022 by sending a cover letter explaining your interest in advocating for people with disabilities, resume, writing sample 10 pages or less & contact information for 3 references to: Nicole Chicoine (she/her), Administrative Coordinator, nicole@disabilityrightsvt.org or 141 Main St., Suite 7, Montpelier, VT 05602.

ANIMAL CARE SPECIALIST

Homeward Bound is hiring!

We are currently hiring for full-time animal care positions. Animal Care staffers provide the routine daily care- feeding, medicating, exercising, and cage/kennel cleaning-for the shelter animals and are responsible for dishwashing, laundry, sweeping, mopping and other cleaning duties in the shelter building. Animal Care Specialists takes direction for daily work from the Operations Manager and other staff as needed. Animal care positions require flexibility to work weekends as needed. Full time shifts are 8:30-4:30.

Please email Beth at Operationsmngr@homewardboundanimals.org with a letter of interest and skills. No phone calls or walk-ins.

Full-time positions at Homeward Bound enjoy a generous paid time off package, health insurance, paid holidays, and free basic wellness vet care for employee pets.

College,

has the

CUSTODIAL GENERALIST

DONOR SUPPORT & DATABASE COORDINATOR

I

MAINTENANCE GENERALIST II

MAINTENANCE GENERALIST III

Do you have a working knowledge of nonprofit donor databases and would enjoy supporting adoption of animals who need forever homes? This is a full-time position processing all donations to RCHS including thank you notes, memorial donations, mail lists, and managing the donor database. The ideal candidate pays strict attention to detail, is organized, analytical, discreet, and customer service oriented. Hourly pay is commensurate with experience.

Apply at: jane@rchsvt.org

&

UP TO $2,500 SIGN-ON BONUS

primary function of this

insulated units, glass shower

Join the team at Gardener’s Supply Company!

storm

storm

& doors. This is a great opportunity for someone looking for a career in a growing industry. A successful candidate is punctual, reliable, professional in their appearance and communication, and able to work with multiple people.

We respect confidentiality and you're encouraged to apply or inquire about this role if you would like to hear more about how you can be a part of the growth at Acme Glass!

addition to growth opportunities, we offer highly competitive pay, insurance, time off, company tools, company take-home vehicle for some lead technicians, bonuses throughout the year, overtime pay, and a sign-on bonus (bonus amount will be based on your experience).

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!

Payroll and Facilities Administrator

is part of both the Human Resources and Administrative Teams. This position manages all payroll processes for the company. In addition, this position will assist the Executive Assistant and Facilities Manager with coordination of various tasks for the building and other administrative functions as necessary. Our ideal candidate will have a min of 4-5 yrs of experience in Human Resources, Accounting, Administration or related eld; a min of a high school diploma or equivalent required (some college-level coursework preferred); and solid PC skills, with a focus on MS O ce and the Internet. Attention to detail and juggling multiple priorities is a must.

Interested? Please go to our careers page at gardeners.com/careers and apply online!

100% EMPLOYEE-OWNED

Medical Assistant

Primary Care Vergennes

EMPLOYMENT BONUS UP TO $3,000!

WHERE YOU AND YOUR WORK MATTER

Seasonal Positions & Flexible Schedule

World’s

Ham,

Smoked

work

in person:

East Main St,

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, VT

The ECHO, Leahy Center of Lake Champlain seeks a bold and visionary Executive Director to lead all sta in fulfilling the museum’s mission to inspire and engage families in the joy of scientific discovery, wonder of nature, and care of Lake Champlain.

Building on the museum’s strengths and successful evolution, the ideal candidate will be energized by the opportunity to work collaboratively with both the board and sta on four priority areas: designing and implementing a new strategic plan, building additional financial capacity, developing and empowering the internal team, and engaging with external partners and community members.

When you work for the State of Vermont, you and your work matter. A career with the State puts you on a rich and rewarding professional path.

find jobs in dozens of fields – not

an outstanding total compensation package.

ASSISTANT DIVISION DIRECTOR, FEDERAL & EDUCATION SUPPORT PROGRAMS – MONTPELIER

The Assistant Division Director (ADD) plays a key leadership role within the Federal & Education Support Programs (FESP) Division, requiring excellent strategic planning, supervisory, and budgetary skills, as well as the ability to accurately interpret and succinctly communicate federal and state regulations and collaborate effectively across divisions and agencies to facilitate and improve grants management processes. Requests for telework will be considered. For more information, contact Anne Bordonaro at anne.bordonaro@vermont.gov. Department: Agency of Education. Location: Montpelier. Status: Full Time. Job Id #41982. Application Deadline: October 31, 2022.

AGENCY DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL SERVICESDEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY – WATERBURY

Does the thought of impacting the future of criminal justice systems for all Vermonters intrigue you? Would you like to be part of the team leading the evolution to modernize Information Technology for the State of Vermont? Could you be part of the change in how the Agency interacts with its partners and customers? If so the Agency of Digital Services is looking for the right individual to join our team. This exempt director position will be the IT leader for the Department of Public Safety. For more information, contact Lisa Goslant at Lisa.Goslant@vermont.gov. Department: Digital Services Agency. Location: Waterbury. Status: Full Time –Exempt. Job Id #34723. Application Deadline: October 24, 2022.

PART-TIME PROGRAM TECH I – TEMPORARY – BARRE

HireAbility VT seeks a team-orientated individual with vital customer service and administrative skills to support our Barre & Morrisville offices in a part-time position. This role provides clerical support to vocational counseling & employment staff related to case documentation, development, and organization of DocuSign processes, communicating with participants, and front-line support for visitor reception. For more information, contact Holli Vidal at holli.vidal@vermont.gov. Department: Disabilities Aging & Independent Living. Location: Barre. Status: Part-Time. Job Id #41184. Application Deadline: October 19, 2022.

Vermont

The successful candidate will demonstrate ability to meaningfully engage all constituencies in the development of a compelling strategic plan that propels the museum into its next chapter and beyond. A demonstrated track record of aligning resources to simultaneously address both current operational needs and progress on strategic priorities is equally important. Evidence of innovative thinking coupled with knowledge of best practices and data-informed decision-making is strongly desired.

Top candidates will have a penchant for action while also consistently demonstrating a transparent and consultative style of decision-making. They will be an exceptional communicator and possess the ability to inspire and motivate sta at all levels of the organization. The ideal candidate will demonstrate evidence of inclusive and equitable leadership in previous work experiences. They will view leadership through a growth mindset and will relish the opportunity to support and develop sta and teams to drive maximum operational e ectiveness while fostering a positive work culture.

The Executive Director will provide overall leadership and management of the day-to-day operations of the museum and its sta . As such, strong candidates will be able to provide leadership, through and in collaboration with Senior Sta , on exhibit and educational planning, financial and risk management, human resources, marketing/communications, retail and event management, facility maintenance, and animal care.

Candidates must be able to develop meaningful relationships that expand the museum’s relevance and relevance within the community. Direct experience in fundraising, and the ability to cultivate funds through both individual solicitations and grant or foundation-sourced contributions, is required. The ability to leverage professional networks and relationships to develop new partnerships and funding sources is viewed as a valuable asset.

The successful candidate will possess, through a combination of academic experience and professional achievement, a strong science-related background. The ideal candidate will also hold a heartfelt passion for ECHO’s mission and a deep love of science education, native wildlife, and environmental stewardship.

Review of candidates will begin immediately, with a preferred application date of October 21, 2022 and will continue until the position is filled. To apply, please email a cover letter, resume, and the names of three references to ECHOED@hawleyconsultingservices.com. All correspondence will be treated as confidential and references will not be contacted without prior permission.

ECHO is an E.O.E. and welcomes candidates for employment who will contribute to our diversity.

ECHO requires all employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

To learn more about ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, visit: echovermont.org

Accountant/Bookkeeper

The

MULTIPLE OPENINGS

ESSENTIAL EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE:

ESSENTIAL SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES:

Mans eld Hall is a private, innovative residential college support program for students with diverse learning needs. We are looking for dynamic individuals to

the

ACADEMIC COACH (Full Time)

Essential Functions:

• Provide direct service academic coaching, tutoring, and support to students with diverse learning needs.

• Support students during daily Structured Study Time.

Minimum Quali cations:

• A bachelor’s degree in behavioral sciences or related elds, or equivalent experience

• One or more years of working with diverse learners

CONNECTIONS COACH (Part Time)

e Connections Coach serves as both an Academic Coach and a Life Skills Coach for students in our post-residential transition program (Connections Program).

e Connections Coach builds fun and engaging relationships

eld Hall students living as college students within the

while supporting both their academic and life skills success.

Mans eld Hall employees, the Connection Coach should embody

philosophy, and approach of the organization.

Minimum Quali cations:

bachelor’s degree in behavioral sciences or related elds, or equivalent

or more years of experience working with diverse learners and

preferably in a higher education setting

supporting students and stakeholders around academic/ social growth and development in a higher education environment

For full job descriptions and to apply: mans eldhall.org/employment

College Street, Burlington,

(802)

mans eldhall.org

eld Hall is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to a diverse

People from diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds, women,

with

Circulation Driver

Want to be a hero every Wednesday? Need some cash? Enjoy getting out and about? Delivering Seven Days, Vermont’s most beloved newspaper, is a great way to do all of this while getting paid! We are looking for a driver to handle deliveries in the city of Montpelier on Wednesday mornings weekly. The only requirements are a clean driving record (no major violations), availability on Wednesdays, a reliable vehicle (at least a small SUV or larger), ability to lift 15 pounds and a positive attitude. If you can check all these boxes, then we want you to join the Seven Days circulation team. Papers can be picked up in Burlington or just outside of Montpelier in Berlin. We pay hourly plus mileage reimbursement. Email circ@sevendaysvt.com. No phone calls, please.

Seven Days is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

HOME PROVIDERS NEEDED

Community Developmental Services seeks singles, couples and families from Washington County area to open their home to an individual.

TRAINING, CLINICAL SUPPORT, TAX FREE STIPEND, AND RESPITE PROVIDED.

• 20-year-old man seeking a home without young children. Enjoys playing video games, swimming & collecting trains. Needs a home that can be supportive & set good boundaries. Call Steve – 522-2360

• 22-year-old man seeking home without young children. He uses augmented communication and enjoys being outside and would enjoy a farm setting with animals. The bedroom should be on the same floor as providers. Call Tracy - 802-636-7379

• 28-year-old man seeks home without young children. He loves computers, animation, planes, trains & cars. Call Katie – 802-904-3414

• 55 -year- old man seeking patient and active home provider, without young children or cats. He works for WCMHS as a peer mentor, he enjoys walks, hiking, swimming and snowshoeing. He uses Facilitated Communication (FC) and would like an individual who is open to training and learning the processes and best practices of FC so that he is able to communicate in his home setting. Call Leigh – 802-505-1889

• 54-year-old man seeks FEMALE ONLY home in the Barre area. He is very active, loves fishing, biking, shopping, doing odd jobs, and watching TV. He prefers home without children or dogs. Call Brittany – 802-798-9115

• 64-year-old woman seek quiet home, with first floor bed and bath, without children. She enjoys old country music, soap operas, car rides, visiting her family. Call Jayne – 479-1477

* NOTE, MUST RESIDE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY OR THE TOWNS OF ORANGE, WILLIAMSTOWN, OR WASHINGTON. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SHARED LIVING OPPORTUNITIES PLEASE CONTACT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES: 802-479-2502 EXT. 3416

General Manager

Green Mountain Transit (GMT) is seeking a highly qualified General Manager for its urban and rural transportation operation. The General Manager serves as GMT’s chief executive officer advancing the organization’s mission by carrying out all policies and directives established by the Board of Commissioners. This position is responsible for assisting the Board in developing and meeting their goals, objectives, and strategic plans. The General Manager also supervises and works with Senior Management to manage and develop the annual budget, as well as oversee all risk management functions within the organization and all legal issues affecting the Authority. This position is responsible for fostering professional culture within the organization and building relationships with community, state, and federal partners. A degree in Business Administration, Public Administration or a related field, or equivalent experience is required. Transit experience is preferred. Successful candidate must have five years of management experience, including working with a Board and must possess excellent financial management, leadership, analytical, organizational, public speaking, and internal and external communication skills.

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE

JOIN

Shared Living Providers

Seeking Part-time Shared Living Provider in Chittenden County for a woman in her 30’s. Ideal candidate will be able to provide clear boundaries, clinical support while helping the client develop independent living skills and integrate into the community. Ideal candidate does not have young children. Compensation: $50,000 tax free annual stipend for part time schedule plus room and board. Contact mgeary@howardcenter.org or 802-488-6553

Seeking a Shared Living Provider for a 33-year-old man who loves video games and Magic the Gathering. He requires all day supervision but can be alone in his room or left at home for up to an hour. This position will require daily supervision and helping the client with meal preparation, some transportation, and emotional support. The ideal placement would be a person or couple without children in the home, but pets are fine. Compensation: $40,000 tax-free annual stipend plus room and board and contracted supports. Contact wmanley@howardcenter.org or 802-488-6581

Seeking afterschool respite support for an active 11-year-old boy in Essex Junction who is on the Autism Spectrum. He enjoys music, sensory type activities, swimming, and much more. Be prepared to laugh a lot with a silly kid who loves to make jokes and explore his community. The support is 2:1 and the starting pay rate is $20.54/hr. and based on experience up to $25.00/hr. Currently we are looking for afternoons 2:45-5pm on weekdays, weekend supports 8:30-1 and 1-5 and asleep overnights. If interested contact Eric at 802-922-5752 or langevinvt@gmail.com.

Seeking a Shared Living Provider for a 50-year-old male that loves movies, sports, and hiking. This position can be part-time or full-time as the current provider is flexible about transition date. This client would need to be supervised at home and in the community but can be alone in his bedroom or in the bathroom. He is high energy and curious about his surroundings. He will require some emotional supports and help with personal care. The ideal provider would be a female or couple living without children in the home. Pets are ok. Compensation includes a yearly tax-free stipend of $30,385 plus monthly room and board payments. Please contact Autumn Rakowitz at arakowitz@howardcenter.org or 802-307-2705

Experienced Residential Carpenter

Silver Maple Construction is hiring for the position of Experienced Residential Carpenter. Our company is dynamic, high energy, and team-oriented; our culture is one of customer service, collaboration, and agility; and our projects are unique opportunities to create beautifully crafted homes.

Qualified applicant will be:

• a collaborative team player with a willingness to wear many hats on any job

• an experienced start-to-finish carpenter capable of bringing a building out of the ground from foundation to finish

• a production-oriented craftsperson capable of generating exceptional quality work at a blistering pace

• a problem-solver who approaches challenges as opportunities to collabo rate and learn

• a customer service ambassador to our clients, architects & the community

If you are interested in joining our team in any capacity, please reach out. We are eager to hear from you!

ALPINE SKIING ASSISTANT COACH

Saint Michael’s College is inviting applications for the Alpine Skiing Assistant Coach position. The Assistant Coach assists in all aspects of training and racing and ensures that a safe environment is created for players on the team. This role is responsible for recruiting athletes, planning fundraising and educational programs, and managing the budget for meals on trips. Located in the greater Burlington, Vermont area, Saint Michael’s is a NCAA Division II institution (Northeast-10 Conference) and sponsors 21 varsity sports. Additional program information can be found at www.smcathletics.com. This is a seasonal part-time position between the months of November and April.

a complete job description, benefits information,

to apply online, please visit: bit.ly/SMCacas

Education Manager

The Education Manager champions school-based transformation across Vermont. This role has a strong focus on helping adults build the skills and knowledge needed to create hope, equity, and power for LGBTQ+ youth in schools. This is a 35 hr/wk, FT position with excellent benefits. Salary $45,000 - $49,500.

Outright Vermont is an EOE. Queer & trans people of color & trans feminine folks are strongly encouraged to apply. Visit outrightvt.org for full position description & how to apply.

100% EMPLOYEE-OWNED

TOWN TREASURER / GRANT ADMINISTRATOR

The Town of Waitsfield is looking for an organized and motivated candidate to serve as its Town Treasurer / Grant Administrator. The position is responsible for keeping all of the Town’s funds, keeping a record of taxes voted, billed, and collected; collecting other funds receivable by the Town, and paying orders drawn on Town accounts. Additionally, the job includes grant administration tasks including assistance preparing grant applications, reviewing grant agreements, and managing awarded grants. The position also serves as the Assistant Town Clerk and the Water Clerk for the Town’s water system.

A bachelor’s degree in accounting, public administration, business administration, finance, or equivalent subjects is preferred. Qualified candidates should have at least three years of experience in the areas of accounting, governmental budgeting, municipal operations, and/ or finance in either the public or private sector (including experience managing payroll, employee benefits, and accounts payable and receivable). A combination of the above qualifications may be acceptable. The position is full time, 5-days, 40 hours a week & eligible for employee benefits. There is flexibility in scheduling for the right candidate. Salary range: $26.00 – $30.00/hr, depending on experience.

Applications will be reviewed starting on Monday, October 24th. This position is open until fi lled. A detailed job description can be found on the town's website.

To apply please submit a cover letter and resume including contact information for three professional references via email to townadmin@gmavt.net or mailed to:

Town of Waitsfield, c/o Town Administrator

4144 Main Street, Waitsfield, VT 05673

Please contact Annie Decker-Dell’Isola, Town Administrator with any questions at townadmin@gmavt.net or (802) 496-2218 ext. 5

The Town of Waitsfield 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.

VNRC LEGISLATIVE INTERNSHIP

100% EMPLOYEE-OWNED

100% EMPLOYEE-OWNED

100% EMPLOYEE-OWNED

Join the team at Gardener’s Supply!

We have immediate openings in our Call Center!

Join the team at Gardener’s Supply!

Join the team at Gardener’s Supply!

REMOTE WORK OPTION AVAILABLE!

We have immediate openings in our Call Center!

We have immediate openings in our Call Center!

We have immediate openings in our Call Center!

We are looking for part-time and full-time, seasonal SALES & SERVICE SPECIALISTS to provide exceptional customer service to our customers over the phone at our Call Center located in Burlington, VT.

We are looking for part-time and full-time, seasonal SALES & SERVICE SPECIALISTS to provide exceptional customer service to our customers over the phone at our Call Center located in Burlington, VT.

We offer:

We are looking for part-time and full-time, seasonal SALES & SERVICE SPECIALISTS to provide exceptional customer service to our customers over the phone at our Call Center located in Burlington, VT.

We are looking for part-time and full-time, seasonal SALES & SERVICE SPECIALISTS to provide exceptional customer service to our customers over the phone.

Would you like to learn about Vermont’s legislative process and track policies related to climate change, affordable housing, transportation, environmental justice, clean water, forests and wildlife? The Vermont Natural Resources Council is seeking a Legislative Intern to assist VNRC and our partners, Vermont Conservation Voters and the Vermont Planners Association, in advancing legislation through the Vermont State House, JanuaryMay 2023. Visit vnrc.org for the full job description and to apply.

We offer:

•Very flexible scheduling

We offer:

•Competitive pay

•Very flexible scheduling

We are seeking reliable & quick learners who are enthusiastic, outgoing, upbeat, flexible, computer savvy, team-oriented and who will thrive in a busy contact center. Not a plant expert? Not a problem!

•Very flexible scheduling

•Competitive pay

•Competitive pay

•Huge discount on product

•Huge discount on product

•Huge discount on product •Amazing culture and the best co-workers •Positions thru the month of December

•Amazing culture and the best co-workers

•Positions thru the month of December

• 30%-40% employee discount on plants and product

•Amazing culture and the best co-workers •Positions thru the month of December

COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR

• REMOTE WORK OPTION AVAILABLE

• Flexible Scheduling

• Part-time and Full-time positions available

Through gardening, our customers control their access to safe and affordable food, and grow food to share with their neighbors. At Gardener’s Supply, we are committed to doing everything we can to help our customers keep gardening, but we need your help.

Through gardening, our customers control their access to safe and affordable food, and grow food to share with their neighbors. At Gardener’s Supply, we are committed to doing everything we can to help our customers keep gardening, but we need your help.

• Fun company culture and the best co-workers!

Come join the team at Gardener's Supply!

Through gardening, our customers control their access to safe and affordable food, and grow food to share with their neighbors. At Gardener’s Supply, we are committed to doing everything we can to help our customers keep gardening, but we need your help.

The Green Mountain Club is hiring for a full-time position that will be responsible for gathering and distributing content across GMC’s communications channels and supporting the club’s 14 membership sections communications work.

We are 100% employee-owned and a Certified B Corporation. Please go to our careers page at www.gardeners.com/careers and apply online!

We are 100% employee-owned and Certified B Corporation. Please go to our careers page at gardeners.com/careers and apply online.

We are 100% employee-owned and a Certified B Corporation. Please go to our careers page at www.gardeners.com/careers and apply online!

We are 100% employee-owned and a Certified B Corporation. Please go to our careers page at www.gardeners.com/careers and apply online!

Visit greenmountainclub.org/jobs. Applications accepted until October 24.

a complete job description and to apply, please visit greenmountainclub.org

ROAD CREW MEMBER

The Town of Westford is seeking qualified applicants for a full time Road Crew position with benefits. This position involves skilled and unskilled labor tasks and the knowledge and operation of highway equipment for maintenance and repair of town roads. Requirements: valid Vermont CDL Class B license; good driving record; experience operating various highway equipment; willingness to work long hours; participate in random drug/alcohol testing. Must pass pre-employment physical exam and drug test. A full job description can be viewed at westfordvt.us/administration/ highway-department

For consideration, please submit resume, references, and employment application to:

Town of Westford - Nanette Rogers 1713 VT Route 128, Westford, VT 05494 or email to: townadmin@westfordvt.us

Position open until filled. Equal Opportunity Employer

Join Our Auction Team

We offer competitive wages & a full benefits package for full time employees. No auction experience necessary.

OPEN POSITIONS:

• Auto Auction Yard Crew:

Full time position working Mon–Fri 8-5 & 1 Sat. a month. The position is fast-paced, requires computer skills, working in all types of weather & working with customers. Tasks include; filling out forms when customers bring in cars, jump starting cars, driving auto & manual cars, taking pictures, assigning lot numbers, uploading to online auction platform, & more.

Thomas Hirchak Company is an at will employer. See details at: THCAuction.com

Email resumes to: Eric@THCAuction.com.

Security Officer

Variable Shifts, Per Diem

Are you recently retired, self-employed, or someone who has free time on their hands and is willing to work any shift? If so, the UVM Medical Center is seeking qualified individuals to join the Security team on a Per Diem basis. This position prefers but does not require security experience. We will look at your work history skillset to see if you might be the right fit.

Learn more and apply: uvmmed.hn/sevendays

Membership Coordinator

Do you have experience or interest in arts administration and fundraising? Check out the Membership Coordinator position at Spruce Peak Arts!

Perfect for someone with an interest in managing a dynamic membership program with lots of opportunity for growth and learning. Many perks, including remote work and access to an incredible array of performances! For more information visit: sprucepeakarts.org/jobopportunities

OWN YOUR CAREER. OWN YOUR FUTURE. OWN YOUR COMPANY.

Public Works Director

The Town of Hinesburg, Vermont is seeking qualified applicants for the position of Public Works Director. The Town of Hinesburg has a population of approximately 4,700 residents and encompasses approximately 40 square miles. Hinesburg is a growing community, located 10-miles from downtown Burlington, the University of Vermont and Lake Champlain.

Hypertherm is more than a place to work; it’s a place to call your own. And right now, we’re hiring 2nd and 3rd shift Machine Operators to join our 100% Associate-owned team. Own your future with a $2,000 sign-on bonus, great pay and benefits. Become an Associate and you’ll earn exceptional incentives that include:

The Town of Hinesburg maintains 55 miles of road, 870 water connections, and 650 wastewater connections. Nearly 500 new housing units are expected within the next 8-10 years. Construction of a new sequential batch reactor wastewater plant is slated to begin in 2023. The addition of a well to the town’s drinking water system is in the preliminary engineering phase. The Town Hall has a structurally compromised roof and the Fire Station is inadequate for future needs so replacement of both structures is currently in the early planning phase. A new highway garage was completed in 2018.

OWN YOUR CAREER. OWN YOUR FUTURE. OWN YOUR COMPANY.

OWN YOUR CAREER. OWN YOUR FUTURE. OWN YOUR COMPANY.

Hypertherm is more than a place to work; it’s a place to call your own. And right now, we’re hiring 2nd and 3rd shift Machine Operators to join our 100% Associate-owned team. Own your future with a $2,000 sign-on bonus, great pay and benefits. Become an Associate and you’ll earn exceptional incentives that include:

Great pay and benefits – including reduced medical premiums starting on Day 1

An annual profit-sharing bonus with a target of 20%

Great pay and benefits – including reduced medical premiums starting on Day 1

Hypertherm is more than a place to work; it’s a place to call your own. And right now, we’re hiring 2nd and 3rd shift Machine Operators to join our 100% Associate-owned team. Own your future with a $2,000 sign-on bonus, great pay and benefits. Become an Associate and you’ll earn exceptional incentives that include:

The security of an over 50-year history with no layoffs

An annual profit-sharing bonus with a target of 20%

The security of an over 50-year history with no layoffs

Great pay and benefits – including reduced medical premiums starting on Day 1

An annual profit-sharing bonus with a target of 20%

Apply now at HYPERTHERM.COM/OWNIT and own your future!

The Town offers a comprehensive benefits package and a starting salary of $80,000 - $90,000 depending upon qualifications and experience. A full job description can be found under about/employment at Hinesburg.org. To be considered for the position, submit a resume and cover letter to Todd Odit, Town Manager via email to todit@hinesburg.org by November 4, 2022.

The security of an over 50-year history with no layoffs

Apply now at HYPERTHERM.COM/OWNIT and own your future!

Hypertherm Associates is proud to be an equal opportunity employer

Apply now at HYPERTHERM.COM/OWNIT and own your future!

Hypertherm Associates is proud to be an equal opportunity employer

Hypertherm Associates is proud to be an equal opportunity employer

The Town of Hinesburg is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion hiring goals to create a diverse workforce within the community.

Hypertherm is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer, and we welcome all applications. All employment decisions are based on business need, job requirements, and our values as an Associate-owned company without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability,or

status, or any

protected by federal, state, or local laws.

DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS

(City of Montpelier, Vermont – population 8,118)

Montpelier, the capital city of Vermont, is seeking a Public Works Director. This high-level management position provides leadership and oversight to three divisions; streets, water distribution / sewer collection, and equipment (fleet operations) and the water and wastewater treatment facilities. Also responsible for managing traffic operations, stormwater, combined sewer overflow long term control plan, , district heat, engineering, facilities, sustainability winter maintenance, capital planning, and a variety of other issues.

Under the administrative overview of the City Manager, the Public Works Director directs the Department through effective communications, planning, staff management, resource allocation, and assures the effective development and delivery of Public Works projects required to meet the City’s goals. Additionally, the Public Works Director provides excellent customer service to the residents and business owners in Montpelier by administering a staff of approximately 40 employees with a budget of $12 million (including general, water, sewer, district heat and capital funds.)

Interested candidates should hold a Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited four-year college or university in engineering, public administration, or a related field. Qualified candidates should have significant experience in managing public organizations, public works projects, including supervisory experience or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience. Knowledge and experience with principles of sustainability are a plus.

The successful candidate will have excellent communications and project management skills and the ability to make strategic decisions around staffing, budgeting, and procedural development. Additionally, they will be a leader able to delegate authority and responsibility while maintaining appropriate levels of operational control. Finally, they will have excellent interpersonal, public presentation, and collaboration skills, have demonstrated ability to track multiple priorities and activities, must be able to work creatively with tight budgets for the best public value. Technical writing skills considered a plus and a sample may be requested. Must have or be able to obtain a valid Vermont driver’s license. Montpelier residency is preferred but not required.

The position requires significant direct interaction with local elected officials, state regulatory officials, professional consultants, construction contractors and crews, residents, and fellow city employees.

The City of Montpelier offers a comprehensive benefit package. The salary for the position is up to $101,920 based on qualifications.

Interested candidates should electronically submit a letter of interest, resume and list of references to tchambers@montpelier.vt.org. The position will be posted until filled and review process will begin no later than November 1, 2022. The selection process may include background check, drug test and/or psychological exam. A full job description is available at montpelier-vt.org.

HEMODIALYSIS TECH TRAINEE

SIGN ON BONUS UP TO $3,000!

University of Vermont Medical Center is seeking

for Hemodialysis Tech Trainees to join their team in Barre, Burlington and South Burlington.

Trainee is the entry-level position for the role of Hemodialysis Technician. The Hemodialysis Trainee program is paid, on the job training, and the trainee learns

initiate, monitor and discontinue outpatient hemodialysis

under the supervision of an RN and a preceptor (during the orientation period). The technician trainee has 18 months from hire date to pass the National Hemodialysis Technician Certification Exam.

Full Time Drivers

DELIVERY DRIVERS & TRUCK LOADERS

and Part Time Warehouse/Loader Positions

Working at W.B. Mason is more than just a job, it’s a career.

Join our great team in Burlington, VT to provide outstanding delivery service to our Customers. Our personalized approach has distinguished W.B. Mason to become one of the largest privately owned independent distributors of

physical work where

VIRTUAL

2022 TALENT SHOW FOR VERMONT’S RISING STARS

CASTING

fun stuff

JEN SORENSEN

CALCOKU

HARRY BLISS

“Okay, say you catch the squirrel – then what?”

RYAN

LIBRA

(SEP. 23-OCT. 22)

When he was young, Libran poet W. S. Merwin had a teacher who advised him, “Don’t lose your arrogance yet. You can do that when you’re older. Lose it too soon, and you may merely replace it with vanity.” I think that counsel is wise for you to meditate on right now. Here’s how I interpret it: Give honor and respect to your fine abilities. Salute and nurture your ripe talents. Talk to yourself realistically about the success you have accomplished. If you build up your appreciation for what is legitimately great about you, you won’t be tempted to resort to false pride or self-absorbed egotism.

TAURUS (Apr. 20-May 20): On February 1, 1976, singer Elvis Presley was partying with buddies at his home in Memphis, Tenn. As the revelry grew, he got an impetuous longing for an 8,000-calorie sandwich made with French bread, peanut butter, blueberry preserves, and slabs of bacon. Since this delicacy was only available at a certain restaurant in Denver, Colo., Elvis and his entourage spontaneously hopped onto his private jet and flew 900 miles to get there. In accordance with astrological omens, Taurus, I encourage you to summon an equally keen determination to obtain pleasurable treasures. Hopefully, though, they will be more important than a sandwich. The odds of you procuring necessary luxuries that heal and inspire are much higher than usual.

GEMINI (May 21-Jun. 20): Gemini writer

Nikki Giovanni reminds us, “It cannot be a mistake to have cared. It cannot be an error to have tried. It cannot be incorrect to have loved.” In accordance with astrological omens, I ask you to embody Giovanni’s attitude. Shed any worries that your caring and trying and loving have been blunders. Celebrate them, be proud of them and promise yourself that you will keep caring and trying and loving. The coming weeks will be an excellent time to renew your commitment to your highest goodness.

CANCER (Jun. 21-Jul. 22): I was born near Amarillo, Texas, where the U.S. Energy Department stores over 20,000 plutonium cores from old nuclear warheads. Perhaps that explains some of my brain’s mutant qualities. I’m not normal. I’m odd and iconoclastic. On the other hand, I don’t think my peculiarity makes me better than anyone. It’s just who I am. I love millions of people who aren’t as quirky as me, and I enjoy communicating with unweird people as much as I do with weirdos. Everything I just said is a preamble for my main message, Cancerian: The coming weeks will be prime time for you to give extra honor and credit to your personal eccentricities, even if they comprise a minor part of your personality.

LEO (Jul. 23-Aug. 22): Author Jennifer Huang testifies, “Poetry is what helps me remember that even in my fragments, I am whole.” What about you, Leo? What reminds you, even in your fragments, that you are whole? Now is an excellent time to identify the people, animals and influences that help you generate a sense of unity and completeness. Once you’re clear about that, spend quality time doing what you can to nurture those healers. Maybe you can even help them feel more cohesion and harmony in themselves.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sep. 22): Virgo journalist Sydney J. Harris described “the three hardest tasks in the world.” He said they weren’t “physical feats nor intellectual achievements, but moral acts.” Here they are: 1) to return love for hate; 2) to include the excluded; 3)

to say “I was wrong.” I believe you will have a special talent for all three of these brave actions in the coming weeks, Virgo. Amazingly, you’re also more likely than usual to be on the receiving end of those brave actions.

Congratulations in advance!

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In his absurdist play Waiting for Godot, Samuel Beckett offers us two characters, Vladimir and Estragon, who patiently wait for a whitebearded man named Godot. They’re convinced he will provide them with profound help, perhaps even salvation. Alas, although they wait and wait and wait, Godot never arrives. Near the end, when they have abandoned hope, Vladimir says to Estragon, “We are not saints, but we have kept our appointment.” My sense is that you Scorpios, like Vladimir and Estragon, may be close to giving up your own vigils. Please don’t! I believe your personal equivalent to Godot will ultimately appear. Summon more patience.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Poet Charles Wright has testified, “I admire and revere and am awed by a good many writers. But Emily Dickinson is the only writer I’ve ever read who knows my name, whose work has influenced me at my heart’s core, whose music is the music of songs I’ve listened to and remembered in my very body.” In my astrological reckoning, now is an excellent time for you Sagittarians to identify artists and creators who provide you with similar exaltation. And if there are no Emily Dickinson-type influences in your life, find at least one! You need to be touched and transformed by sublime inspiration.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): I’ve read and studied poetry for many years, but only recently discovered Capricorn poet Lizette Woodworth Reese (1856–1935). How is it possible I missed her? Her contemporary, journalist H.L. Mencken, described her work as “one of the imperishable glories of American literature.” She received many other accolades while alive. But today, she is virtually unknown, and many of her books are out of print. In bringing her to your attention, I am announcing my prediction about you: Anything in your life that resembles

Reese’s reputation will change in the next 12 months. If you have until now not gotten the recognition or gratitude you deserve, at least some of it will arrive.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Author Sophia Dembling defines a friend as a person who consoles you when you’re feeling desperate and with whom you don’t feel alone. A friend is someone whose life is interesting to you and who is interested in your life. Maybe most importantly, a friend must not be boring. What’s your definition, Aquarius? Now is an excellent time to get clear about the qualities you want in a friend. It’s also a favorable phase to seek out vital new friendships as you de-emphasize mediocre and overly demanding alliances.

PISCES (Feb. 19-Mar. 20): Do you or do you not wish to capitalize on the boost that’s available? Are you or are you not going to claim and use the challenging gift that would complicate your life but also expedite your growth? Act soon, Pisces! If you don’t, the potential dispensation may disappear. This is an excellent chance to prove you’re not afraid of achieving more success and wielding more power. I hope you will summon the extra courage necessary to triumph over shyness and timidity. Please claim your rightful upgrade!

ARIES (Mar. 21-Apr. 19): @MagicRealismBot is a Twitter account that generates ideas for new fairy tales. Since you will benefit from imagining your life as a fairy tale in the coming weeks, I’ll offer you a few possibilities. 1) You marry a rainbow. The two of you have children: a daughter who can sing like a river and a son who is as gleeful as the wind. 2) You make friends with a raven that gives you savvy financial advice. 3) You invent a new kind of dancing; it involves crying and laughing while making holy prayer gestures toward your favorite star. 4) An angel and a lake monster join forces to help you dream up fun new adventures. 5) You discover a field of enchanted dandelions. They have the power to generate algorithms that reveal secrets about where to find wonders and marvels.

Eva Sollberger’s

On Saturday, October 1, three adult-use cannabis retail stores opened in Vermont. ere was a party atmosphere outside FLŌRA Cannabis in quaint downtown Middlebury, where Seven Days art director Rev. Diane Sullivan interviewed shoppers with a giant inflatable joint.

WOMEN seeking...

INTUITIVE, CARING, LOVE BEING OUTSIDE

I am a passionate, fit, caring, downto-earth woman looking to share adventures. I love to be active — hiking, skiing, running, yoga. I love to travel, as I am fascinated by the different ways people live their lives. I hope to have honest, interesting, authentic conversations where we really get to know each other. Let’s meet for coffee or a drink! lovemountains, 57, seeking: M, l

MAN BITES DOG

This is the worst part, because there is no right answer and it’s a pass/fail exam. I’m a unique woman (standard package, no upgrades). I like a comfortable silence almost as much as comfortable banter. Lead with your second-best opener, unless it’s late in the season.

Pearly_Sweetcake 41, seeking: M, l

MATURE, INDEPENDENT AND LOYAL

I have a variety of interests and am always open to learning about what others do for fun. I’m not really a couch potato, but I’m not a regular at the gym either. I’m completely comfortable in my own space, keeping myself happily occupied most of the time. That being said, a special someone would be a welcomed diversion. SJ065 57, seeking: M

ISFJ, WORK IN PROGRESS, KIND, SIMPLE

I value honesty, commitment, compassion. Trying to lead a kinder, gentler life and be a source of goodness. IGotAName, 43, seeking: W

WANT

CREATIVE, WARMHEARTED OUTDOORSWOMAN

I’m taking the risk of “putting myself out there” with hopes of connecting with a man who enjoys getting his hands in the dirt, canoeing, kayaking, walking and hiking. I like carefully prepared whole-food meals, am an avid reader and appreciate lively discussions. I live a quiet, nature-connected life and value spending time with others who enjoy the same. turningleaf, 67 seeking: M, l

INDEPENDENT COUNTRY GIRL LOOKING FOR LOVE

Online dating was a flop, so a friend suggested trying this! While I’m very independent, I want to share this wonderful world with someone! I own my own home, work hard, and love my rescue dogs and horse with all my heart. My dream would be to run a farm and/ or animal rescue alongside my person! SweetasCandie29 29, seeking: M, l

ENERGETIC, CREATIVE, HONEST, INDEPENDENT

I am a combination of outdoorswoman, ballroom dancer and retired application developer. Hardworking, honest, fun-loving, romantic. Family is important to to me. I have a log cabin in the NEK that I love. Hoping to find someone to laugh, learn and explore with. Friends first. College grad, Caucasian. Cabingirl, 66, seeking: M, l

ENJOY LIFE BEFORE I’M DEAD

Looking for someone to share time with. Traveling is one of my passions. I enjoy the outdoors, camping, hiking, walking, snowshoeing, music, dancing and playing cards. I love spending time with family and friends and my little dog. ladyinvt 65, seeking: M, l

GONNA NEED A BIGGER BOAT

I’m definitely a country-city girl who appreciates someone who understands “both worlds.” I definitely tend to be a ride-or-die girl. I’ve lived life’s high highs and low lows — most compatible with the same. Really “get” this song? “Welcome to My House” by Nu Breed featuring Jesse Howard (YouTube/official video). Yes, we’re on same wavelength. No, well, we’ll see. MVIslandDreamin 50, seeking: M, l

LOVER OF GOD SEEKS SAME

Tall and slender, athletic, active and fun, pretty enough and youthful, mother of adult kids, Swiss German American. I’m passionate and singleminded, vulnerable yet capable. I would love to rest in the arms of a kindred spirit. Love to travel, hate to pack. Ivy League education. Have always asked the big questions of life. Hope you do, too. Govinda 66, seeking: M, l

UNCANNY INTELLIGENCE, INTENSE WIT, SENSITIVE

I’m an engaged listener. Love to share honestly and laugh a lot. A lot of spontaneous ceremony and joy in communing with nature, as well as people in the most easeful states possible. Unconventional views on just about everything. Disengaged from most news and social media. ISO LTR. femininepersuasion 50, seeking: M

HAPPY, OUTGOING, CREATIVE

Worked and traveled in many countries as a teacher but still can find adventures closer to home. I have a warm heart and an inquisitive mind. I enjoy painting and sculpture. I know how to relax and enjoy good conversation. The Champlain Islands, especially North Hero, are very close to perfect for a bike ride or canoe outing. Northgirl 75, seeking: M, l

NATURE-LOVING ARTIST

Looking for a friend for local hikes, dining, concerts, etc. Possible travel partner, and if love grows, that would be awesome. It’s fall 2022, and I just created this account. Will write more soon. Will send photos. If you have a drug or alcohol dependency, please do not contact me. Artfulllife, 65, seeking: M, W, l

GOOD RELATIONSHIPS START WITH FRIENDSHIP

Easygoing and loyal woman looking for friends first, casual dating and seeing what the future holds. Love everything about nature and being outdoors. Avid reader. Road trips. Art. Music. Wildlife. Open to trying almost anything! New experiences help us learn and open our minds. Vaccinated, boosted and masked as appropriate. Happy to share photos privately. Artfully_Outdoors 57, seeking: M

NEW TO VERMONT

Just moved to Vermont this year. I have a great sense of humor and like to laugh. I love music and like to take long drives to nowhere discovering new areas of Vermont. For fun, I like golf and bowling, and I am not good at either but have a great time. KelBelle 53, seeking: M, l

MEN seeking...

CURIOUS AND FUN

I’m seeking a non-possessive relationship fueled by a shared interest in exploring sensual and sexual pleasures and avoiding the obstacles that more traditional relationships place in the way of such exploration. I am curious about everything and appreciate curiosity and creativity. If you like good conversation (on virtually any topic) and great sex, we may be a match. Kamadeva, 72, seeking: W, Cp

WANT TO SHARE

I look and feel 20 years younger than my age. I have an airplane and a sailboat and enjoy both. I have a strong background in theater and promoting the arts. I’m looking for a companion who has a sense of adventure and is a good reader. Orion2, 83, seeking: W, l

LOOKING FOR THAT HONEST WOMAN

I’m a loyal, positive guy who is hardworking, and I am a fun-loving, fairly easygoing guy with a love of the outdoors. Looking for someone positive and energetic to share the rest of my life with. hills1 55, seeking: W, l

LAID-BACK LOVE LIFE

I am a trustworthy gentleman. Very sincere. Love conversation. Love watching old movies. Love the simple things in life. Mikegates, 69, seeking: W, l

LAID-BACK, NO DRAMA!

I am a low-key, physically fit individual looking for the same. I do not need to be catered to. If you like to be creative and like to laugh, we could have a good time. lanshrk, 58, seeking: W, l

LIVE WHERE? PORTUGAL!

Looking for companion: woman 50s to 70s. Tired of life in America. American man, 60s. Nonsmoking/drinking. Fit. Vegetarian. Spiritual. Sense of humor. Liberal. You: American woman, free-spirited. I’m a bit crazy but not nuts. You, too? Clean, nonsmoking, light drinker. Rehabbed stone village home. Room is adequate (not large) and furnished. Things work out, we can adjust. Questions answered honestly and quickly. Scoot 65 seeking: W, l

HARDWORKING, HONEST DIESEL MECHANIC

I’m just a normal middle-aged guy who works hard and is kind, honest, faithful and not so hot. I’ve got a great little dog whom I’d die for. I own my own home — not much, but it’s home. I enjoy the outdoors! Love hiking, camping, snowshoeing, fly-fishing and RC airplanes! I’m open and honest! Ask me anything! DieselDoc, 42, seeking: W, l

FRIENDLY, GRACIOUS, SENSUAL, FUNNY

Good guy seeking good woman. I’m a bit of a sapiophile; I enjoy informed, intelligent conversation. If you’re good to me and kind, I’ll return the favor and then some. Healthy, not wealthy, but self-sufficient and definitely fun to be around. I can be quite sensual and open-minded for the right person and situation. Feel free to contact me. NY7CA7VT 67, seeking: W, l

PRESENT MOMENTS

Seeking intelligent woman with a great sense of humor, and one who cherishes spontaneity. Likes to dress elegantly with makeup and perfume! In addition, she enjoys outdoor activities along with cooking, cuddling and discussions/emotional connection over ordinary experiences. EnglishProfessor12, 71, seeking: W, l

EASYGOING WITH THE FLOW

Looking for a couple to do with me as they please. Willing to learn and try new things. Willing to keep all people satisfied to the best of my abilities. imnu2u802, 56, seeking: Cp, l

LAID-BACK, RESPECTFUL, FUNNY

I’m complex: Buddhist but ADDish, very well educated, laid-back, quiet, calm, funny, smart. Love to just have a gentle dinner, cook together, play with pets, go to a comedy show, take a walk. Interested in almost anything and love my alone time. Except when I don’t and want to snuggle with another human. Palhaco, 66, seeking: W, l

EASYGOING GUY LOOKING FOR COUPLE

Middle-aged guy, easy on the eyes, in good shape. Looking for discreet relationship with a couple to sexually explore. Would like to start slow and see how things progress. I am thoughtful, considerate, nonjudgmental. Looking for the same. bill123, 58, seeking: Cp

A GOOD OLD CATHOLIC BOY

Hi there, my name is Josh, and I’m looking for a long-term relationship that could lead to marriage. I’m a practicing Catholic, and I intend on raising a family in the church someday. I can be on the quiet side at first, but once I get comfortable with someone, I can’t shut up. jpaquette36 25, seeking: W, l

SPIRITUAL SEEKER, ADVENTURER, PLAYFUL PARTNER

Healthy, fit, adventurous, grounded, playful guy seeking a woman who understands and believes in herself — who is healthy and wants to build a deep, fun, playful, adventurous partnership that is expanding. If we don’t feel connected with our first kiss, well… I am passionate and creative in many ways and want to share that part of me. Much to share. Deeg, 59, seeking: W, l

INTIMATE ENCOUNTERS DESIRED

I am looking for a discreet FWB situation. Appearance and age do not matter to me. In fact, I actually have a thing for older, more mature and/or shapely women. I have little experience with men or others, but I am open to new experiences. I am a good-looking guy, or so I have been told, LOL! 0470, 46 seeking: M, W, TM, TW, Q, NC, NBP, Cp

TRANS WOMEN seeking...

T GIRL LIVE IN VT

I’m a feminine trans woman with a good sense of humor. I want a special someone. I like dinner and a movie or a baseball game, ride the bike path and see shows at Higher Ground. I love my record collection and taking care of my house. I’m looking for some companionship and love, building a good relationship. Luv2BaGurl 62 seeking: M, W, TM, TW, Q, NC, NBP, l

NONBINARY PEOPLE seeking...

REALIST WHO IS OPEN-MINDED

I’m an honest, down-to-earth person who has been through a lot in life and is looking for companionship since I’m new to the area. I’m not like most people in that I feel people are afraid to talk to me. I don’t go out of my way to make friends. I wait for them to come to me. BreBri2022 37, seeking: M, W, Cp

COUPLES seeking...

EXPLORING THREESOMES AND FOURSOMES

We are an older and wiser couple discovering that our sexuality is amazingly hot! Our interest is another male for threesomes or a couple. We’d like to go slowly, massage you with a happy ending. She’d love to be massaged with a happy ending or a dozen. Would you be interested in exploring sexuality with a hot older couple? DandNformen 62, seeking: M, TM, NC, Cp, l

SPICING UP OUR LIVES

Married for two wonderful years and known each other for 12. We are honest people. We are looking for another couple to go have drinks with, go on an adventure with. We are very discreet with our lives and enjoy privacy. Good hygiene is a must, and no drugs, please, If you’re out there, we would love to meet you. kjgray8784 38, seeking: W, Cp, l

COUPLE LOOKING FOR SOME FUN

My husband and I are looking for some fun with a woman or a couple to join us for some drinks and a good time. Let us know if you are interested.

Torshamayo 39, seeking: M, W, Cp

2 + 1 = 3SOME

My husband and I are a very happily married couple looking for a woman to add to our relationship. We have talked extensively about a third and look forward to meeting the right woman. We are a very down-to-earth, outdoor-loving couple. Very secure in our relationship. We would like a relationship with a woman with an honest persona. Outdoorduo1vt 53, seeking: W, l

SPY

GEORGIA MARKET, SUNDAY 10/9/22

It was near 2 p.m. We were waiting to check out. You had two bags of sugar, and you were wearing a black coat and jeans. I was also in a black coat and wearing shorts in the cold weather. If by chance you’re single, I would enjoy getting to know you. Hope your Sunday (and assumed baking) went well. When: Sunday, October 9, 2022. Where: Georgia Market. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915646

SWIMMING WITH AMY

Looking to reconnect with Amy, whom I met at Bolton Potholes this September. We talked about traveling and ADHD and swimming spots! You sent me a text, but before I could save your number, my phone completely died for good! I would love to reconnect somehow. When: Wednesday, September 7, 2022. Where: Bolton Potholes. You: Woman. Me: Woman. #915645

PARKING LOT, NNE HANNAFORD

Around 1 p.m. Windy! My door made contact with the door of a parked Nissan black SUV. Saw no dent, moved on. Ten minutes later, I realized there’s a dent in my door, and I should have looked more closely at the other car. Went back, but the car was gone. If this was you, contact me with photo of car/ damage. When: Sunday, October 2, 2022. Where: NNE Hannaford parking lot. You: Group. Me: Man. #915644

INTERVALE FOOD HUB HUBBY

You: in a Subaru ahead of me in line for Intervale Food Hub pickup. Me: minding my business in a Prius until I couldn’t help but wonder if the produce package you drove away with was for one. Us: local food enthusiasts who could maybe make dinner together sometime? When: Wednesday, September 28, 2022. Where: Intervale. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915643

LATE-NIGHT FLIGHT

You: black hair, black leather jacket, black pants, white shirt, a beautiful siren. Me: one row behind diagonally on your left, listening to music, struck by you and trying not to stare but mostly failing there. I felt mutual interest and a potential spark. HMU, let’s find out. When: Sunday, October 2, 2022. Where: airplane. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915642

RIVER DIPPING

You jumped in for a quick dip, and I wish I had said something more than hi. The guy I was with I am not actually with. I’m still trying to hit the river as long as I can; I would love to run into you again! When: Thursday, September 1, 2022. Where: Richmond. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915641

BEAUTY WAITING OUTSIDE POCO

You were sitting on the bench outside, right by the door, waiting with a couple of friends. I’m the guy in the jean jacket. We had an eye contact that was electric. Please tell me you are single. If not, my apologies, and your partner is lucky. When: Thursday, September 29, 2022. Where: Poco restaurant in Burlington. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915640

LIFEISANADVENTURE

You have been spied, young lady! We should talk! When: Thursday, September 29, 2022. Where: here. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915639

GIRL, CHOCOLATE AISLE, CITY MARKET

I was wearing dark colors and carrying macaroons. You were wearing gray leggings and a T-shirt and checking out the chocolate bar options. I’ll just say you’re beautiful. When: Wednesday, September 28, 2022. Where: City Market. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915638

I first laid eyes upon you in the ER. Since then, you’ve utilized the same deft skill you use to eviscerate chickens to grab ahold of my heart. Your kindness, laugh and joie de vivre brighten every room you’re in. Your strength, wit and determination make you an invaluable teammate. And you never waste a Ziploc. Let’s do this together. When: Saturday, August 13, 2022. Where: ER. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915637

THANK YOU FOR DOG TREATS

You left some dog treats for Ruby at my car at Shelburne trails. Can I thank you with a drink? When: Saturday, September 24, 2022. Where: Shelburne Bay Park. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915636

SHELBURNE FARMERS MARKET HOTTIE

You make beautiful jewelry. I’ve loved seeing you this summer at the market!

I’m the one who is always smiling at you when we lock eyes. Is that your boyfriend who’s always around? If not, I’d love to get to know you. Maybe we could polish our planishing hammers sometime. When: Saturday, September 17, 2022. Where: Shelburne market. You: Woman. Me: Gender non-conformist. #915635

SEXY SUNDAY BARRIO BOY

Where have you gone? I’ve missed your beautiful face every Sunday. What happened? You know who I am. I miss your killer tunes and beautiful smile. Coffee sometime? Maybe a jam sesh? When: Sunday, June 5, 2022. Where: Barrio bakery. You: Man. Me: Gender non-conformist. #915634

BOOKSTORE ENCOUNTER

To the guy who asked me to catch some live music: I’m sorry my response was so awful and awkward. I have a boyfriend, and I should have just said that. You seem like a nice person, so I didn’t want you to think it had anything to do with you. Hope you were able to find some good tunes. When: Friday, September 16, 2022. Where: Burlington. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915633

GIRL AT THE THRIFT SHOP

We chatted and shared a few laughs. You are the cute brunette with the Tigger shirt. I’m the man who’s gray around the edges and told you a joke. Thought maybe we had a moment. Would you like to grab a coffee and chat? When: Saturday, September 17, 2022. Where: Replays. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915632

Dear Rose Issarose,

Dear Reverend,

I’ve been with my boyfriend for about a year and a half. I recently found out that he has dated three other women with the same first name as me. Aside from that just seeming a little strange, now when he calls out my name during sex, I wonder if he’s thinking about one of them instead of me. Am I overthinking?

As long as your name isn’t something really unique like Rowandaleena, I would say yes, you are overthinking the situation. A friend of mine happened to date four guys with the same first name, and it was definitely unintentional. There are at least two people in my town who share the same first and last name with me.

Some names are just more common than others, and I’m fairly certain your beau didn’t pick his samenamed partners on purpose.

When he calls out your name any other time — if he’s trying to get your attention across a crowded

ON CAMEL’S HUMP SUMMIT

We talked about the trails on the mountain and about your work as a traveling nurse — up here until December.

Afterward, I was sorry we weren’t going down the same way. If you’d like to get together for a hike or a coffee, that would be cool. When: Saturday, September 17, 2022. Where: the summit of Camel’s Hump. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915631

BRUNETTE BEAUTY, RDH

I spied you over some apple crisp and a stack of Breton crackers while you sat at the bar. Your eyes locked with mine more than once in a playful manner, but you may have been reacting to my flatulence.

Care to meet up again at the same place?

I’ll bring some Bean-o. When: Wednesday, September 14, 2022. Where: Winooski.

You: Woman. Me: Man. #915630

TRASH TALKINGS

Saw you dropping off my trash and recycling at CSWD. You were in scrubs.

I was questioning my parking abilities. Your smile made my day, and your encouragement for better parking days ahead felt right. Coffee? Talk trash?

When: Wednesday, September 14, 2022. Where: CSWD drop-off center. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915629

PUPPY PLAYDATE?

We met at Petco, and you showed me a picture of your dog, Riley, while making her a new tag. Does she want to meet for a puppy playdate? Let us know! When: Monday, September 12, 2022. Where: Petco. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915628

CUTIE WITH A DEAD PHONE

I was sitting on my porch. You were walking by and asked to borrow a phone charger. I think you could tell I was into you. You said you hoped to see me again. Maybe responding to my iSpy is easier than catching me on the porch. When: Monday, September 12, 2022. Where: down the hill from UVM.

You: Woman. Me: Man. #915627

IF TWO BY SEA

You were spending a lovely day at the beach, as was I. If I had it to do over again, I wouldn’t have changed a thing but maybe would have tried to have been more engaging with you. Just was respecting your and your friend’s space. Perhaps another time, another place. When: Sunday, September 11, 2022. Where: Lake Caspian, Greensboro. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915626

SANDBAR

Chatting with you. Should have gotten your number. I think we should chat. When: Saturday, September 10, 2022. Where: Sandbar. You: Man. Me: Woman. #915625

LOVE OF MY LIFE

To the love of my life: I see you in my dreams. I see you during my waking moments. I’ve watched you grow into the most beautiful woman, mother and best friend I could ever ask for. I look forward to the many more years to come. Your Papa Bear. When: Friday, September 9, 2022. Where: dreamland. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915624

I’M SO PROUD OF YOU!

You: a trans woman who stopped in at my place of work to discuss a mutual project. Me: cis woman. I see you. I saw how comfortable you seemed in your own skin. I don’t know you or know your path, but I’m so proud of you for being you and being true to yourself. Keep on being you! When: Wednesday, September 7, 2022. Where: around town. You: Trans woman. Me: Woman. #915623

HEY CULLIGAN WOMAN!

To the brunette woman who drives for Culligan (I can’t remember your name): I just wanted to say I think you are totally sexy! Would love to get to know you sometime when you aren’t lugging jugs of water! When: Thursday, August 25, 2022. Where: carrying lots of water. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915622

SANG ALONG TO DAVID GRAY

I sang “Babylon,” and your entire table sang along to “The Freshmen” by the Verve Pipe during my gig in Jeffersonville. I loved your enthusiasm and your silvery hair. Care to meet up for a drink? When: Thursday, September 8, 2022. Where: the Village Tavern. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915621

FAMOUS FEET

You were leaving the store with your motorcycle helmet in tow and said something about forgetting something. I was wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses and managed a sheepish smile. Safe travels, and if you read this and want to connect, please drop me a line. When: Sunday, August 28, 2022. Where: outside Famous Footwear. You: Woman. Me: Man. #915615

room, for instance — do you worry that he’s thinking of one of his previous partners? Probably not. So you shouldn’t think that’s what’s happening when you’re having a roll in the hay. You’re the person he’s with, and he’s saying your name; it’s safe to assume he means you. If it really makes you nuts, you could come up with a nickname to use during sexy time. Tell him you want to be called “baby” or “sugar” or “Louise” — whatever floats your boat. Better yet, just forget about the exes and keep your head in the game.

Good luck and God bless,

What’s your problem?

GARMIN

If you’ve been spied, go online to contact your admirer!

Happily married older couples who’ve enjoyed some wonderful sensual encounters with other single M/F and couples. Seeking sensual encounters. Chat, sensual massage for starters. Well traveled, fun and outdoorsy. #1612

41-y/o male, formerly moderately handsome, now world-weary, depressed and socially isolated, looking for 30- to 50-y/o female to share time with. I’m über friendly and considerate, but years of depression and self-doubt have rendered me something of a self-hating loner. Interested to hear about you and your story. #1609

I’m a male, 78, seeking a female, 50-plus, to come live with me and do cooking and house cleaning. I have two dogs to take care of. I like outdoor work and hunting. I need someone to be with me to love. #1611

I’m a female seeking the person who waved at me (almost two months ago) by the liquor warehouse in Winooski. You were interested in me, but I told you I had someone else. Now I realize I’m interested in you. You drove a newer-model gray truck. #1610

I’m a SWM seeking a SBF. Kinkier the better. Love women’s clothes, high heels and stockings. Very clean. Phone. #1605

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Gracious, attentive, educated, humorous soul seeks a fit, tender and natural female counterpart (52 to 65) to bask in autumn splendor. I prefer simplicity over complexity, quiescence over commotion and creativity over conformity. Hot cider and ginger cookies await! #1607

Older male wishes to share exhibitionist fantasies with older women. I’ll tell you mine if you share yours. Cosplay possibilities. #1608

Female, 60, seeks an intelligent, curious and open man to ponder/explore things like the perfect bite of a meal, the wonder of the stars, the meaning behind a piece of art, the answers to a crossword puzzle and more. #1606

Chittenden County female, 52, seeking male 52 to 60. I’m veg, progressive, educated, nonsmoker, nondrinker, a dog and bird person. I love art, architecture, museums, documentaries, old classics, organic gardening and DIY projects. #1601

An open letter to all the beautiful women, couples and men with lifestyle swing interests. WM, 6’1, very handsome and adventurous. Looking for daytime fun! Let’s play! #1603

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Reply to these messages with real,

letters.

I’m a 70-y/o male seeking a woman, 60 to 75 y/o. I’m active, love the outdoors, walks on beaches and camping. Alone and lonely. Would like to meet for companionship. #1604

Romance is nice, but what I really need is “family.” Are you a bright, well-educated, optimistic, compassionate, older but active person who happens to be alone? I am convinced that there are perfectly wonderful people out there who, due to no fault of their own, have no spouse, children or significant others in their lives. Friends are great, but they are busy with their own families. It has been a particularly difficult summer with many people reuniting with family members after the long period of isolation imposed by the pandemic. Meanwhile, other people have become more lonely than ever! If you have needs similar to mine and meet the criteria set out above, I look forward to hearing from you. 74-y/o female in Addison County. #1599

BELOW.

Woman, 57. Healthy, respectful, genuine. I’d like to share the last dance with a man in the country. A man who is kind, healthy and stable. A man who cares about how he treats a person and is well liked by others. Phone number, please. #1600

I’m a 65-y/o male seeking a 60-plus female or a trans female. Looking for single or married females and transgender females for fun. Discreet only. Live in Vermont during the summer months, Ocala, Fla., in the winter. Come play. #1596

ISO sympathetic connection with BM stud and his woman. In need of attentive oral service. Mature WM offers body massage and friendly fulfillment of need for compatible couple. #1595

I’m a GWM seeking gay or bi men for NSA fun. I can be discreet if needed. I’m fun and adventurous. Primarily sub but can be aggressive. Mid-central Vermont, south of Rutland. #1593

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Meza Bosnian Cuisine Takeout

WED., OCT. 12

TINY COMMUNITY KITCHEN, BURLINGTON

Queen City Ghostwalk Grateful Ghosts & Legends of Lake Champlain Tour

WED., OCT. 12

UNION STATION, BURLINGTON

Cheese & Charcuterie Pairing Class

THU., OCT. 13

RICHMOND COMMUNITY KITCHEN, RICHMOND

Night Protocol

Live from The Underground

THU., OCT. 13

THE UNDERGROUND, RANDOLPH

True Crime Burlington Tour

THU., OCT. 13

COURTHOUSE PLAZA, BURLINGTON

Octoberfest:

Full Barrel Pop-Up Beer Garden

FRI., OCT., 14

12-22 NORTH ST, BURLINGTON

Queen City Ghostwalk Darkness Falls Tour

FRI., OCT., 14

COURTHOUSE PLAZA, BURLINGTON

Halloween Cookie Decorating Class

SAT., OCT. 15 YOGASIX, SO. BURLINGTON

Sweater Weather Cookie Class/ South Burlington

SAT., OCT. 15 YOGASIX, SO. BURLINGTON

Ethiopian and Eritrean Cuisine Takeout

SAT., OCT. 15

O.N.E. COMMUNITY CENTER, BURLINGTON

The Leaf Peepin’ Cider Sippin’ Revue

SAT., OCT. 15

THREE NEEDS, BURLINGTON

Queen City Ghostwalk Lakeview Cemetery Tour

SUN., OCT. 16

LAKEVIEW CEMETERY, BURLINGTON

Get the Right Visuals for your Website MON., OCT. 17 ONLINE

Apple Cider Donut Muffin Workshop

WED., OCT. 19 RED POPPY CAKERY, WATERBURY

Here For The Boos presented by Queen City Ghostwalk

WED., OCT. 19 BURLINGTON BEER COMPANY, BURLINGTON True Crime Burlington Tour

THU., OCT. 20 COURTHOUSE PLAZA, BURLINGTON

Trevor Robinson Live from The Underground

THU., OCT. 20 THE UNDERGROUND, RANDOLPH

Eventide x Hotel Vermont

FRI., OCT. 21 HOTEL VERMONT, BURLINGTON

Queen City Ghostwalk Fright by Flashlight Tour

FRI., OCT. 21 LAKEVIEW CEMETERY, BURLINGTON

Maurice Clerc, Organ

FRI., OCT.