Seven Days, November 22, 2023 by Seven Days

VE R MO NT ’S INDE PEN DENT VO IC E NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023 VOL.29 NO.7 SEVENDAYSVT.COM

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“Dandy” textiles in Hinesburg

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WEEK IN REVIEW

emoji that

NOVEMBER 15-22, 2023 COMPILED BY SASHA GOLDSTEIN & MATTHEW ROY FILE: MATTHEW THORSEN

CASE CLOSED A Texas jury sentenced a woman to 90 years in prison for murdering Vermont-born pro cyclist Anna Moriah “Mo” Wilson. Some justice for Mo’s family.

HEADING ON

MCNEIL STEAMS AHEAD

The Burlington City Council on Monday night voted 6-4 to build a $42 million pipeline to sell steam from the city’s wood-fired Joseph C. McNeil Generating Station, despite criticism that the power plant contributes to the climate crisis. “I have become convinced that McNeil will continue to provide electricity for many more years regardless of whether or not we pass this resolution tonight,” Councilor Mark Barlow (I-North District) said of the plan to pipe steam to the University of Vermont Medical Center, where it would offset natural gas heating. The district energy project would funnel steam from wood-fired boilers at the 40-year-old power plant through an underground pipe, enabling the hospital to cut its fossil fuel use by 90 percent or more. The medical center is among the biggest energy users in the city; the project would reduce fossil fuel emissions

COURTESY OF TSERING YANGKYI CUMMINGS

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Women at the Tibetan Festival

from commercial buildings citywide by 16 percent. The city and hospital have yet to sign a contract. Under a proposed 20-year pact, the city would provide steam to the Burlington District Energy System, the nonprofit collaborative that would build and operate the pipeline. It would also provide $665,000 annually to the hospital as an incentive to upgrade its heating equipment. On Monday, critics lined up. “The time for compromise and intermediate steps is long over,” David Rand, a doctor at the medical center, told the council. “The time to spend upwards of $50 million to buttress an aging, polluting and highly inefficient McNeil plant is also over.” Sarah Sciortino said she was astounded that Burlington, which is “constantly touting our climate-forward brand,” continues to burn trees “in the name of sustainability and progress.”

true802

Some spoke in favor. Liz Curry, a local planning consultant, said the project would help keep energy prices low. Further, natural gas comes mostly from fracked wells in Canada that are terrible for the environment, she noted. The vote doesn’t mean the McNeil plan is a done deal. The city must first negotiate a contract with the hospital. Then the nonprofit that will operate the system would need to get financing and permits. Also on Monday, the council approved a carbon-impact fee to reduce fossil fuel use for heat. Developers of new or renovated large buildings that use fossil fuel heating systems will be required to pay an up-front fee equal to $150 per ton of the carbon expected to be emitted throughout the life of the building. Read Kevin McCallum’s full story at sevendaysvt.com.

The UVM men’s soccer team scored an upset to advance in the NCAA tournament. The Cats will play West Virginia University on Saturday.

CAMPUS CRUSADE Bennington College faculty and staff held a rally in support of their bid for union recognition. It’s the latest labor group in Vermont to organize.

POURING IN The state has sold 22,000 Vermont Strong license plates, raising some $1 million for flood relief. Officials want to double that total during the holidays.

$169

million

That’s how much the U.S. Export-Import Bank loaned Beta Technologies for its South Burlington facility.

TOPFIVE

Online Now

Transgender newcomers find safety, services and community in Vermont B Y R A C H E L HEL L M AN

COVER DESIGN KIRSTEN THOMPSON • IMAGE JAMES BUCK

NEWS+POLITICS 14

Wind Resistance

Stamford proposal tests whether large turbines have a future in Vermont

Burlington High School Principal Who Pulled Fire Alarm Resigns School’s Out

The state abruptly closed a longrunning East Montpelier preschool, jolting parents and raising questions

Ken Squier, a Legend of Vermont and NASCAR, Dies at 88 Rep. Balint Reverses Course, Calls for Cease-Fire in Gaza

A Life by Design

The latest issue of 05401 honors the architects, idols and thinkers who shaped its eclectic publisher

Two Local Band Directors March in the Macy’s Parade

FEATURES 26 Moving the Needle

Former chef Ashley Farland launches home furnishings company DandyLion in Hinesburg

ARTS+CULTURE 42 The Truth Is Out There

Book review: UFO: The Inside Story of the US Government’s Search for Alien Life Here — and Out There, Garrett Graff

Don’t Look Down

Repairing a historic smokestack from a floating basket

The Novemberist

Eva Sollberger recently caught a ride in a SUPPORTED BY: metal basket dangling above the Winooski River to see two masons repointing the Chace Mill’s iconic brick smokestack, built in the early 1900s. A 175-foot-tall crane held the “man basket” in place as it swayed in the breeze. The epic view was worth the trip.

Vermont photographer Paul Rogers embraces transition time

In ‘At a Crossroad,’ Victoria Blewer’s Collages Employ Nostalgia to Face the Future

We have

Find a new job in the classifieds section on page 75 and online at jobs.sevendaysvt.com.

PRESENTING SPONSORS

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For tickets visit: shelburnemuseum.org/winterlights SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

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SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

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LOOKING FORWARD

MAGNIFICENT MUST SEE, MUST DO THIS WEEK COMPI L E D BY EM ILY H AM ILTON

FRIDAY 24

Waste and Space Those looking to avoid the Black Friday hubbub — and perhaps even divest from the consumerist aspects of the holiday altogether — flock to Brattleboro’s Epsilon Spires for a screening of the 1988 sci-fi satire They Live. John Carpenter’s cult classic depicts the wealth-worshiping Reagan era as the result of a sinister alien scheme. SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 60

FRIDAY 24

DIONNE THE ROAD

OPENS FRIDAY 24

The Vermont Symphony Orchestra String Ensemble accompanies five-time Grammy Award-winning vocalist Dionne Warwick for a post-Thanksgiving performance at Paramount Theatre in Rutland. The legendary voice behind “Walk on By” and “I Say a Little Prayer” shows why she’s one of the greatest of all time.

Blinded by the Light The darkest time of year is no match for Winter Lights at the Shelburne Museum. The beloved tradition lights up the iconic features of the museum campus in a dazzling display, from the steamboat Ticonderoga and the lighthouse to the Beach Woods and Bostwick Garden. SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 60

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 60

TUESDAY 28

Reading Frenzy The Norwich Public Library presents its annual fundraiser, Pages in the Pub, hosted in person at the Norwich Inn for the first time since before the pandemic. Local luminaries, including National Book Award finalist Ken Cadow and best-selling author Katie Crouch, share curated, curious and cackle-inducing book recommendations for everyone from your dad to your baby cousin. Book sales at the event also benefit the library. SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 64

TUESDAY 28 & WEDNESDAY 29

Brew Christmas The Holiday Maker’s Market at Burlington’s Foam Brewers returns to help Queen City shoppers stay local. Area vendors — from potters and artists to woodworkers and candlemakers — take over the brewery and Deep City restaurant next door for two evenings in a row, with different makers each day. SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 63

SATURDAY 25

There and Back Again J.R.R. Tolkien fans young and old enjoy The Hobbit, No Strings Marionettes’ latest puppet production at Randolph’s Chandler Center for the Arts. Bilbo Baggins embarks on a perilous journey to help a dispossessed dwarf reclaim his kingdom in this adept adaptation featuring marionettes and life-size body puppets. SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 61

Submit your upcoming events at sevendaysvt.com/postevent.

ONGOING

Dragonfly on the Wall Vermont artist Landa Townsend takes viewers deep into the lives of the dragonflies who live in a Guilford pond with her solo show at Shelburne’s Pierson Library. The prints in “Dragonfly Habitat at the Edges of Weatherhead Hollow Pond: 2021-2023” were made using the Japanese mokuhanga woodblock technique, which is sustainable and nontoxic. SEE GALLERY LISTING AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/ART

BROWSE THE FULL CALENDAR, ART SHOWS, AND MUSIC+NIGHTLIFE LISTINGS AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM. SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

December 9, 202414:45-7:00 PM

Middlebury College Museum of Art $SO/person, includes one free drink

Associate Professor of American Studies Ellery Foutch will present three contemporary works of art for possible purchase, and the Friends will vote to determine which work gets added to the museum's collection. Buffet dinner/ cash bar.

Tickets: midd.art/purchase23

FRIENDS OF THE ART MUSEUM

PURCHASE PARTY2023 EAT, DRINK, LEARN, VOTE

• [!l •.

THE ARTWORKS BEING PRESENTED

Image credits, L-R: Sonja Clark (Caribbean American, born 1967), Hair Weave, 2019, human hair; Ruth Cuthand (Plains Cree, Canadian, born 1954), Surviving: SARS, 2015, glass beads, thread, backing; Stephanie H. Shih (Taiwanese American, born 1986), Sauces, 2020, ceramic.

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

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FROM THE PUBLISHER

With Gratitude

Last week I sustained a remote-work injury. In the process of pushing back from my desk in my home office, I got tangled up in the computer cords, which sent my laptop crashing down on my foot. The sharp corner of the MacBook landed on the tendons below my right ankle bone. Nothing broke, but I couldn’t walk normally for a couple of days. Boots and stairs were tough, and I had to forego my daily exercise. As I hobbled around, I lamented my former functionality. How could I have taken my feet for granted? I thought, self-scolding. I promised myself: If and when I walk again, I’m going to treat these old dogs with the respect they deserve. Among the paradoxes of human existence is the blind spot that prevents us from seeing, much less counting, our blessings. The drive to survive makes us good at facing adversity, and even overcoming and adapting to it, but not so much at appreciating what’s going right. As singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell put it: “You don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone.” The host of the NPR show and podcast “Hidden Brain” has noticed this tendency, too. In a recent / ˇgradəˇ tood/ . noun episode, Shankar Vedantam asks, “Why is it, even the quality of being thankful; when our lives are objectively better than the lives readiness to show appreciation for of most people who ever lived, we are all prone to seeing the clouds, not the silver lining? ... We notice and to return kindness. SOURCE: OXFORD LANGUAGES small delays at the airport but ignore the miracle that we can literally fly across the world. We take our health for granted and only notice the gifts of our limbs and our senses when they are taken away from us. We zero in on annoyances in personal relationships and rarely pause to acknowledge what is wonderful about our friends, families and coworkers. “Our ungratitude for our good fortune is so automatic and ubiquitous that it seems obvious there must be an underlying psychology to it.” There is, indeed. After positing that “gratitude is a powerful driver of human well-being,” the show delves into all the ways we manage to avoid feeling it. Vedantam’s guest, Cornell University psychologist Tom Gilovich, covers everything from envy and myopia to the “hedonic treadmill” and why Olympic bronze medalists often look happier than the ones who win silver. I’ve listened to the show twice and plan to again on the three-hour drive to Thanksgiving festivities in Massachusetts. Not surprisingly, one of the antidotes for the absence of gratitude is active, regular expressions of it. So here goes: I am grateful to live in a beautiful and safe place, where people still try If you're grateful for Seven Days and can afford to care for one another. I am thankful to have to help pay for it, become a Super Reader! a sense of purpose: to be able to put out this Look for the “Give Now” button at the top of newspaper — hard as it is — with a team of sevendaysvt.com. Or send a check with your address and contact info to: dedicated colleagues who are no less devoted SEVEN DAYS, C/O SUPER READERS to its excellence, and to have the support of the P.O. BOX 1164 loyal advertisers and Super Readers who pay BURLINGTON, VT 05402-1164 to sustain it. I appreciate the patience of my For more information on making a financial friends and partner. contribution to Seven Days, please contact And I’m really happy I can walk again. Gillian English:

grat · i · tude

Paula Routly

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SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

TIM NEWCOMB

news

EDUCATION

Burlington High School Principal Who Pulled Fire Alarm Resigns B Y S A S H A G O LDS TE I N sasha@sevendaysvt.com

Debra Beaupre

Wind Resistance

Stamford proposal tests whether large turbines have a future in Vermont B Y K E V I N MCCAL L UM • kevin@sevendaysvt.com

artha Staskus first visited a clearing half a mile up a dirt road in Stamford to assess whether the remote southern Vermont property would be suitable for a solar array. Looking south across the forested valley, Staskus, the chief development officer for Norwich Solar, sensed another opportunity. She surveyed with pride the 19 turbines of the Hoosac Wind Power Project just over the state line in Massachusetts. While working for a different company, Staskus helped develop Hoosac, as well as 26 Vermont turbines nearby, in Deerfield and Searsburg. So she knew that strong, steady winds buffet the mountainous area. She told her boss, Norwich Solar CEO Jim Merriam, “Man, it would be nice to do a wind project there,” she recalled. Nearly two years later, Staskus is preparing to ask regulators to allow the construction of a 2.2-megawatt wind turbine on a knoll just north of that forest clearing. The 500-foot-tall turbine, which would provide enough power for about 925 homes, would be the tallest structure of any kind in Vermont. 14

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

There hasn’t been a new utility-scale wind project permitted or built in Vermont since Deerfield’s 15 turbines began spinning in 2017. Several subsequent proposals have stalled, which wind advocates blame on a hostile political and regulatory climate.

YOU LOOK TO THE LEFT — WINDMILLS. YOU LOOK TO THE RIGHT — WINDMILLS.

IT’S JUST CRAZY. L IS A GR AML IN

In 2020, David Blittersdorf, the chief executive officer of AllEarth Renewables, declared wind energy development all but dead in Vermont when he couldn’t secure a permit for a 2.2-megawatt turbine on a farm in the Northeast Kingdom. “We are in real trouble as a state if we can’t build a single wind turbine in a flat cornfield, hosted by a dairy farmer that

wants the project built to help keep the farm going,” Blittersdorf said at the time. The Stamford project represents a new test of Blittersdorf ’s wind-is-dead prediction. Staskus argues that the powerful turbine would reduce the burning of fossil fuels for electricity, generate needed tax revenue for the town and have limited impact on neighbors. “Wind energy in the southwest part of Vermont has been demonstrated to be an important resource contributing to the state’s renewable energy goals,” she said. “Here is an opportunity for Stamford to continue to be part of that movement benefiting all Vermonters.” The company has already secured a long-term contract for the electricity under the state’s Standard Offer Program, which creates incentives for renewable energy projects by requiring Vermont utilities to purchase the power at a specific, desirable rate. Staskus declined to say what the Stamford

ENERGY

WIND RESISTANCE

» P.16

Burlington High School principal Debra Beaupre has resigned, the school district said on Tuesday, about a month after she was placed on leave. Beaupre’s leave began just days after she pulled a school fire alarm during a lunchtime fight between students, though school officials have not said why she was sidelined. Assistant principal Sabrina Westdijk has served as acting principal since Beaupre’s leave began on October 24. The district plans to begin a search for an interim principal and assistant principal to serve through the end of the school year, according to a community letter from superintendent Tom Flanagan. Beaupre, who started on July 1 of this year, had been the school’s fourth principal in three years. The announcement of her resignation came a day after WCAX-TV aired school surveillance footage of the principal pulling the fire alarm last month. The Burlington Fire Department responded to the school, which was evacuated. In an October 20 email to the community, Beaupre said she “decided to evacuate the building to ensure safety and provide emotional space to students and staff amid a heightened, atypical situation. “I realize that this alternative was stressful in the moment, as fire drills are surprising and signal an emergency ... I regret if any student or staff member is experiencing any lingering unsettledness,” she wrote. Flanagan’s community letter on Tuesday alluded to challenging times at the school. In the note, he wrote that the district had created “additional positions to assist with building safety and security, and student support services.” A newly hired security person “will assist in monitoring entry and exit points and student activities, Flanagan wrote. Two other new hires will join the student support services team after the Thanksgiving break, he added. ➆

School’s Out

The state abruptly closed a long-running East Montpelier preschool, jolting parents and raising questions JEB WALLACE-BRODEUR

BY ALISON N OVAK • alison@sevendaysvt.com

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The East Montpelier farmhouse that housed AllTogetherNow!

n 2004, friends and business partners Ellen Leonard and Janice Walrafen purchased a 19th-century farmhouse in East Montpelier to serve as the idyllic home base for AllTogetherNow!, a creative venture that included an arts nonprofit, summer camp and preschool. Walrafen, a community organizer and visual artist, took the lead in running the arts nonprofit that organized freespirited community gatherings that would become renowned in central Vermont, including All Species Day and

THE STATE WAS REVOKING THE PRESCHOOL’S PERMIT TO OPERATE IN THE FARMHOUSE

OVER MULTIPLE CODE VIOLATIONS.

the Enchanted Forest. Leonard, a former music teacher, served as director of the on-site school for 3- to 6-year-olds, a program that the state awarded its highest quality rating of five stars. Half the farmhouse housed the preschool while the other half served as a living space for four tenants; the two entities shared a kitchen. In the basement, Walrafen set up a clay studio, where she made decorative tiles and crocks to sell. The building was a communal space that fostered interactions across generations. When Leonard died at 61 last November after a short battle with cancer, ownership of the preschool transferred to a trust

managed by her adult children. Rather than close the school, Leonard’s family allowed a longtime AllTogetherNow! teacher to step up to serve as director. Sixteen preschoolers attended the program, where they spent the bulk of the day outside, exploring the 10-acre property, with views of Spruce Mountain and the Winooski River, and the 500-acre wooded reserve across the road. But three weeks ago, parents of those young children were blindsided when the school announced it would close, leaving them scrambling for alternative childcare options. The state was revoking the preschool’s permit to operate in the farmhouse over multiple code violations related to the building’s heating systems, escape routes, and the inadequate separation of the preschool and living space. While Vermont loses dozens of childcare programs each year for a variety of reasons, state officials said a forced shutdown related to facilities issues is extremely rare. But the closure also shines a light on more typical challenges in the troubled industry: complicated oversight, low margins for operators and little wiggle room for parents, who can lose childcare without warning. Advocates believe that some of those issues will become less severe as Act 76, the sweeping childcare bill passed by the legislature in June, rolls out over the next year. Walrafen said she believes the preschool closure was a casualty of heavy-handed bureaucratic action and

CHILDCARE

SCHOOL’S OUT

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news Wind Resistance « P.14

MEDIA

Ken Squier, a Legend of Vermont and NASCAR, Dies at 88 B Y CO L I N F L AN D E RS colin@sevendaysvt.com

Wind Turbine Sites

FILE: PAULA ROUTLY

Ken Squier

Ken Squier, the Vermonter who built Thunder Road Speedbowl, owned WDEV radio and became a legendary voice of NASCAR, died on November 15. He was 88. Squier’s passing was commemorated with a two-hour broadcast on WDEV last Thursday morning. Callers included family members, close friends and longtime listeners who had grown up with Squier’s voice. A Waterbury native, Squier got his start in broadcasting as a boy at his father’s radio station, WDEV. He later took over the station and would spend decades hosting a twice-daily sports show and a quirky weekly program called “Music to Go to the Dump By.” He also built Thunder Road in Barre and owned it for more than 50 years before selling the racetrack in 2017. But Squier is perhaps best known nationally for his efforts to promote NASCAR. In 1970, he cofounded Motor Racing Network, a radio company that still broadcasts NASCAR races. He’s also credited with selling the idea of flag-to-flag coverage of the Daytona 500 — “The Great American Race,” as he coined it — to CBS and went on to voice the first-ever broadcast, in 1979. That race, still considered one of the best in history, ended with a crash in the final lap that led two drivers to fisticuffs. “I’m convinced that race would have not had its lasting impact had Ken not been our lead narrator,” Dale Earnhardt Jr., one of the sport’s most famous drivers, tweeted last Thursday. “We still ride the wave of that momentum created on that day.” Squier called every Daytona 500 for the next 18 years. In 2018, he became the first broadcaster to be enshrined into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. “I will always cherish the memories of all the time we spent together, and be thankful for his mentorship, humor, creativity and passion,” said Vermont Gov. Phil Scott, a longtime stock-car driver. “He often described those racing as ‘common men doing uncommon things.’ But in reality, he was describing himself — because Ken was indeed a very common man who did extraordinary things.” ➆

Lowell

project would cost but said it would be limited to a single turbine. Sheffield Milton Though it would not enjoy the same economies of scale as multiturbine installations, “At this point, it pencils,” she said. She is now preparing to seek formal approval from the state Public Utility Commission. Her application, due by December 15, will kick off a Deerfield Wind public process expected to stretch Searsburg and Readsboro, well into next year. 15 turbines, 30 megawatts Norwich Solar shared preliminary details of the project over the Georgia Mountain Milton, 4 turbines, summer with town officials and 10 megawatts neighbors — quickly prompting a litany of objections that echo those Kingdom Community Wind raised about past wind proposals. Lowell, 21 turbines, Neighbors wonder whether 63 megawatts their sleep would be disrupted, Sheffield Wind their views marred and their Sheffield, 16 turbines, property values deflated. Town 40 megawatts officials decry the turbine as too close to homes and out of step Searsburg Wind Farm Searsburg, 11 turbines, with the town plan. Others worry 6 megawatts about harm to the fragile hillside ecosystem and wildlife habitat from the steep, Stamford 1.5-mile access road that would need Proposed turbine to be built to reach the knoll. Activist Annette Smith, executive director of Vermonters for a Clean Environment, is counseling residents on the most effective ways to make their objections known. Searsburg “These turbines are too big,” Smith said of contemporary wind developStamford ment. “The amount of environmental Readsboro damage and community division and aftereffects they create are all massive for what the benefits are.” The fervid opposition to a single, during the day and 39 at night. Forty remote turbine underscores the head- decibels is about the sound level of a winds that wind energy development quiet library or the hum of a refrigerator. faces despite the state’s commitment to Those rules would need to be relaxed sharply reducing emissions from fossil if wind is to be harnessed on the scale fuels. needed to limit climate change, according Wind power advocates say the indus- to Peter Sterling, executive director of try has been stalled by political oppo- Renewable Energy Vermont. sition — Gov. Phil Scott is not a fan of “With a wind sound rule that is ridgeline wind — and by unnecessarily quieter than a library, we are not able strict permitting rules, including some to build wind in Vermont in a way that of the nation’s toughest limits on turbine would meaningfully help us meet the noise. load demand,” he said. “Wind is in a coma in Vermont,” said Wind power complements solar by Nicholas Laskovski, senior manager of operating well in winter, when days wind energy operations for Greenbacker are shorter, and at night, Sterling said. Renewable Energy, a New York-based Demand for cheap, clean electricity is investment company. Greenbacker owns only going to increase as more people Georgia Mountain Community Wind’s four switch to driving electric cars and heatturbines on a ridge northeast of Milton. ing their homes and businesses with Sound rules imposed on new wind electric heat pumps. projects in 2017 have suppressed wind But how turbines look, as much as development, he said. The rules require how they sound, will continue to drive that turbine noise measured 100 feet opposition to their installation. Until from a home must not exceed 42 decibels that changes, the industry will likely

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

be relegated to remote corners of the state, Laskovski said. “I think Vermonters in general have a very protective spirit of their ridgelines and mountains,” he said. Staskus is betting that her project would not be visually jarring to residents of Stamford, in part because there are lots of turbines there already. A visual simulation the company prepared from Route 8, three miles south of the turbine site, shows the slender white blades barely peeking over a distant stand of trees. Additional simulations will likely be required for the Public Utility Commission process. The fact that Stamford is surrounded by wind turbines is cold comfort to some residents who worry their town is already shouldering more than its share of the renewable energy burden.

WIND IS IN A COMA IN VERMONT.

N I C H O L A S L A S KO V S K I

“You look to the left — windmills. You look to the right — windmills. It’s just crazy,” said Lisa Gramlin, who lives a little more than a kilometer from the turbine site. “No matter which way we turn, we’re already surrounded.” Most frustrating for Gramlin, a writer who lives in the Alpenwald Village subdivision closest to the project, is that the town and Bennington County have planning documents that attempt to bar large turbines from within one kilometer of homes. About nine homes in Alpenwald Village are within that one-kilometer buffer zone, and the developer’s decision to push forward with a plan anyway has left many in town feeling steamrolled, Gramlin said. “Now the town feels like, Wow, we spent two years writing this plan, and now you’re not going to even respect it?” she said. In a letter to the PUC, the Stamford Selectboard objected to the turbine and noted that it had received more than 100 messages of opposition and none of support. Bill Colvin, the executive director of the Bennington County Regional Commission, said he met with the

POLITICS

Rep. Balint Reverses Course, Calls for Cease-Fire in Gaza BY SASH A GO LD S TEIN sasha@sevendaysvt.com FILE: LUKE AWTRY

developers in the spring and “flagged as potentially problematic” the town’s one-kilometer rule. Because Stamford adopted what is referred to as an “enhanced energy plan” in its town plan in 2019, the PUC is required to give “substantial deference” to the town’s input, he explained. Staskus acknowledged that the town plan’s residential buffer represents a “potential constraint” but denied that the zone was an absolute prohibition on turbines in those areas. She cited a line from a 2017 version of the plan that says “the need for a drastic shift in current energy trends is undeniable.” Bennington’s regional plan calls for 18 to 34 megawatts of new wind power capacity to be built in the county by 2050 to help the state reach its energy goals. Wind maps suggest that Stamford, with its windy peaks and proximity to transmission lines, could carry much of that load. “Not every town has these high ridges that make sense for wind generation,” Colvin said. T.J. Poor, the director of the Department of Public Service’s Regulated Utility Planning Division, agrees that wind will need to be part of the state’s transition to renewables. But Vermont can avoid erecting lots of new wind turbines on its ridgelines, he said. “Those goals can be met other ways,” Poor said, such as importing windgenerated electricity from elsewhere in the region, including from offshore turbines in the Atlantic Ocean. Advocates say that may be a pipe dream. A number of those offshore projects are stalled or have been abandoned as interest rates and construction costs soar. Those setbacks reinforce Blittersdorf’s conviction that Vermonters need to look not to Québec or Cape Cod for their renewable energy needs, but right at home. “We’re slow-walking our way off an energy cliff,” he said. “And we’re going to be destitute if we don’t produce our own energy.” Meanwhile, Staskus is hopeful her Stamford proposal will demonstrate that wind development is still possible in Vermont. Sound and other studies are under way and will be submitted with the PUC application. She hopes the community and regulators can then have an informed discussion about the impacts of the turbine, including the benefits. “I hope that this is a step in shifting the conversation for more wind in the state,” she said. ➆

Becca Balint

U.S. Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.) came out last Thursday in support of a cease-fire in Gaza, calling more forcefully for an end to the violence there. Balint announced her decision in a commentary published by VTDigger. org. The previous week, she came under pressure from hundreds of protesters during a fundraiser she held in Burlington. In the commentary, Balint, who is Jewish, noted that she had repeatedly called for an end to the violence and for an increase in aid to Gaza. She said she’d been in a “state of anguish” since the “devastating Hamas terrorist attack on Israel” last month. “That anguish has only grown as the ensuing siege has killed thousands of civilians in Gaza who were already struggling under Hamas rule and Israeli blockade,” she continued. “I want Vermonters to know that I am using the influence and power of my position to bring an end to this horrific violence and suffering,” Balint wrote. Some 1,200 Israelis were killed — and hundreds more kidnapped — during a surprise attack by Hamas on October 7. Retaliatory air strikes by Israel have killed an estimated 11,000 Palestinians in Gaza. Balint called for the release of the Israeli hostages held in Gaza and for more humanitarian aid to filter into the territory, where 2 million Palestinians have been under bombardment for weeks. “What is needed right now is an immediate break in violence to allow for a true negotiated cease-fire,” she wrote. “One in which both sides stop the bloodshed, allow critical access to humanitarian aid and move towards negotiating a sustainable and lasting peace.” Balint’s call for a cease-fire puts her in a small but growing group of members of Congress. And it is a reversal from her stance of the previous week, when she told supporters at a Burlington fundraiser that she supported a “humanitarian pause” in the hostilities but no cease-fire. Some 200 protesters interrupted that event in downtown Burlington, chanting, “Becca, Becca, you can’t hide! We charge you with genocide!” ➆

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news poor communication, and that the space, though unconventional, posed no danger to children. State officials in the Division of Fire Safety think otherwise. They said they gave Walrafen ample opportunity to address “significant and long-standing life safety concerns” over the course of two years. When “it became apparent that the needed building upgrades were not going to be completed before entering the winter months, if at all,” Division of Fire Safety regional manager Ben Moffatt explained in an email to Seven Days, there was no option but to close it down. That was all news to parents. School directors never alerted them to the state scrutiny — or the need for urgent repairs — and publicly available Department for Children and Families inspection reports dating back to 2019 make no mention of any fire code violations. Parents did not learn about facility problems until the day the school said it needed to close, according to Carrie Childs, whose 3-year-old attended AllTogetherNow! The Child Development Division, part of DCF, oversees the state’s approximately 670 licensed childcare centers and homebased programs. But it was the state’s Division of Fire Safety, a separate agency, that ultimately doomed AllTogetherNow! In a statement, the agency said it inspected the farmhouse two years ago — the owners were then considering a project to install backup batteries on the property — and found multiple violations. Since then, state officials said, they provided the owners time to develop “corrective action plans with achievable timelines.” Some of the upgrades they requested, according to inspection reports provided to Seven Days, were the installation of an automatic fire alarm system, adequate egress windows on the second-floor bedrooms and a cooking hood with a fire suppression system above the kitchen stovetop. The Division of Fire Safety said it “understands the need to balance the continued use of a facility with the timeframes it takes to obtain contractors, secure quotes and source funding for needed upgrades.” However, the statement continued, “little progress has been made by the building owners to bring the building into substantial compliance with its current operation as a mixed-use preschool, residential occupancy, and business.” The agency said it gave the building’s owners 60 days to show progress toward making certain improvements. That window expired on October 31. Yet that date was when the Child 18

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

FILE: JEB WALLACE-BRODEUR

School’s Out « P.15

Janice Walrafen

Development Division first learned of any issues at the school. Asked about the lack of communication, Janet McLaughlin, deputy commissioner of the division, said her agency and the Division of Fire Safety plan to review their “collaboration protocol regarding the safety of buildings housing child care programs.” When asked why the state Child Development Division awarded AllTogetherNow! five stars despite the serious facilities issues, McLaughlin said the process does not require childcare licensors to “look at items that are basic licensing requirements, like compliance with the standards set by the Office of Fire Safety.” AllTogetherNow! had achieved the “quality markers” needed for a five-star rating, she said. Walrafen said she was surprised by how abruptly the state revoked the farmhouse’s occupancy permit. Since purchasing the building almost two decades ago, Walrafen said, she and Leonard had always complied with the Division of Fire Safety’s requests. But beginning in 2021, she said, inspectors called for more aggressive action, including updating the fire alarm system and installing a sprinkler system that would reach all three floors of the building. The well that serves the property is too shallow to support that level of fire prevention, Walrafen said. Financial and administrative constraints, and the upheaval caused by Leonard’s illness and death, made it difficult to create a plan for complying with the stringent requirements, she said. Walrafen acknowledged that she may

have overlooked several emails from the Division of Fire Safety this fall because her administrative assistant fell ill and she was busy planning for the annual Enchanted Forest event, a guided walk along a jacko’-lantern-lighted trail in Hubbard Park that features art, music, song and magic. In light of the revocation, Walrafen said it’s unlikely that a preschool will ever be able to operate in the farmhouse again. She said she’s committed to finding ways to welcome young children into the space in the future — through playgroups or music classes, perhaps — as a way to honor her late friend, Leonard. “I’m praying something new can be born that fits in a home environment,” she said. Before that happens, though, Walrafen has to raise around $63,000 for upgrades to the farmhouse to ensure that the tenants, art studio and summer camps can continue using the space. Those upgrades include replacing the building’s boiler, putting in egress windows upstairs, and installing fire-rated walls and doors in the basement and pottery studio. Walrafen has begun a fundraising campaign and applied for an American Rescue Plan Act grant from the Town of East Montpelier. In an email sent to supporters last week, AllTogetherNow! asked for financial support, volunteers to help with “construction and code work,” a lawyer who would work pro bono, a grant writer, and new nonprofit board members. After getting over their initial shock of the closure, the parents — architects, state

workers, builders and journalists among them — quickly banded together to figure out next steps. They held brainstorming sessions, wrote an op-ed that appeared on VTDigger.org and toured empty buildings in Montpelier that might serve as temporary spaces for the school. The effort was “astounding,” said Childs, one of the parents. She said she was also impressed with how the state responded; several officials came on a tour of one of the potential spaces to make sure it was up to code. Ultimately, nine former AllTogetherNow! preschoolers were able to find space in another local childcare center — Montpelier Children’s House. Due to staffing shortages, the five-star program had an empty classroom that the students and four of their teachers will use. “It is very good news that we were able to make space,” Children’s House director Samara Mays wrote in an email. “But there should not be any assumption that there is sufficient capacity in Montpelier’s child care system.” Mays said she’s hopeful that as Act 76 goes into effect, capacity will grow. But, for now, she said, “local solutions on the ground are still important.” Dan Wheeler’s 3-year-old began attending Children’s House on November 15, just a day after AllTogetherNow! closed its doors. He said he’s relieved that his family was able to find quality care so quickly. Most importantly, he said, his son seems happy there — among many familiar friends and teachers and lots of new toys. ➆

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that has been deliberately tailored to require growth in order to sustain itself — by design, for the profit of a few. That will lead to the end of us all, just like lemmings jumping off the cliffs into the ocean to drown. This could change, but not from what I see with articles like this one. The current structure of the capitalist system itself has to morph into one that protects the environment and biodiversity. No, not communism. There are ways to accomplish it that have been known for decades, but greed among too many is too strong.

and that our elected officials act to promote a cease-fire. Despite its impressive numbers, and despite the urgency of its message, this event has not yet been reported online by Seven Days. We are left to wonder how Seven Days rationalizes this omission. Peter Lackowski

BURLINGTON

Ray Gonda

SOUTH BURLINGTON

NOTHING ‘COMPLEX’

[Re “Our Life During Wartime: During a Previous Explosion of Mideast Bloodshed, a Journalist and His Family Straddled the Divide,” November 1]: In his piece about the time he spent in occupied Palestine, Ken Ellingwood, like so many Western reporters writing from that country in the past decades, displays a depressingly naïve view of the conflict, despite his time in the country. Like so many others, he talks about the “complexities” of the situation. If he really made friends with Palestinians, as he claims, he would know that describing the conflict as “complex” is racist and therefore offensive to Arabs. There is nothing complex about white supremacist settler colonialism: Europeans, for various reasons, see a part of the world that isn’t theirs, decide they want it, and then move in and take it by force, obliterating the Indigenous inhabitants or driving them from the area. It’s pretty simple, and this is what happened and continues to happen in Palestine. What “complicated” means when used by Europeans to describe the theft of Palestine is: “I’m so entrenched in my culture’s white supremacist point of view that I can’t help considering the European colonialist approach as legitimate.” In the 21st century, when more and more people of European descent are recognizing their settler colonial heritage and attempting to make amends, readers of Seven Days need better voices than Mr. Ellingwood’s. Dave Hall

NEW YORK, N.Y.

VIEW FROM CITY HALL

I was confused to stumble upon a huge banner reading “Burlington Stands With Israel” at city hall on October 15 [“Hundreds Rally in Burlington in Response to Israel-Hamas War,” October 20

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

15]. While I am a moderate, we’re a pretty progressive city. Who is making this decision for the people of Burlington? As a rally gathered, I found out our mayor, Miro Weinberger, a guy I voted for and wave hi to on the streets, would be speaking. Since he is openly Jewish, I wondered, But what of separation of church and state? In his defense, it turns out it wasn’t just him there. I stuck around and respectfully called out between the intros: “Return electricity to hospitals. Support Judaism.” And “One million children in Gaza. Stop blockading aid. Support Judaism.” People were respectful back. I felt I did my civic duty of mild protest and left. I found out later Gov. Phil Scott was there, and again as a moderate Democrat, I was bummed. He’s always just seemed like a rational, good guy. I’m so glad that Jewish leaders like Sen. Bernie Sanders are coming out strongly against Israel’s extreme actions. One can say it’s all Hamas’ fault, but tell that to the children in Gaza, some slowly dying in their mothers’ arms with no morphine. I won’t offer more gruesome images, but this could be a long Vietnam-like engagement — this time with thousands of cellphones capturing the horror live. Good luck to us all. Jon Roberts

BURLINGTON

JEWS FOR PALESTINE

[Re “Hundreds Rally in Burlington in Response to Israel-Hamas War,” October 15]: As Vermont Jews, we attended and spoke at a rally for freedom in Palestine on October 14. Seven Days’ reporting on this rally referred to a statement, made by some other members of Vermont’s Jewish community, that condemned the rally. That condemnation saddened us. As Jews, we needed to stand with Palestinians in that moment, listening and calling together for an end to this violence.

The statement conflated support for Palestinian freedom with support of Hamas. It misunderstood “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” as an incitement to killing Jews. As Palestinian American historian Maha Nassar explains in the Forward, this chant expresses Palestinian grief at the division of the once-unified land of Palestine during the establishment of Israel and at so much oppression since. The chant is a yearning for beloved homelands and for freedom. As Jews, we cannot let our own grief and anger prevent us from standing with Palestinians to demand an end to this cycle of violence. We know there is no way to peace through violent efforts to silence Palestinian resistance while oppression remains intact. The only way to safety, for both our peoples, is through justice and liberation for Palestinians. The State of Israel has the power to end this oppression. As Vermont Jews, we urge our leaders to demand a cease-fire now and to press for justice for Palestinians. Jason Hirsch

MONTPELIER

Hirsch is a member of Central Vermont Chavurah for Justice and Liberation and Jewish Voice for Peace Vermont.

YOU MISSED IT

[Re “UVM Students Protest Cancellation of Palestinian Writer’s Appearance,” October 24, online]. Universities are expected to be places where opinions can be freely expressed without arbitrary censorship. News outlets are similarly expected to report on notable events that happen in their communities. On Saturday, November 4, a demonstration including approximately 1,000 people gathered at Battery Park and marched through Burlington’s downtown, demanding that Israel stop its admittedly indiscriminate bombing of the civilian population trapped in Gaza

Editor’s note: Seven Days has covered four local protests related to the IsraelGaza War – most recently last Friday’s “Empty Shabbat Table on Church Street Honors Israeli Hostages Held in Gaza.” We’ve also written about the positions of our congressional delegation.

‘THE LEFT SHRUGS’

[Re “Protesters Disrupt Balint Fundraiser to Demand Cease-Fire in Gaza,” November 9, online]: Shouting Hebrew songs while excusing terrorism against Jews is creepy, even if some of the protesters were from Jewish Voice for Peace. Just as we don’t pretend that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas speaks for African Americans, we shouldn’t pretend that JVP speaks for Jews. While the rich world left protests Israel, Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad has killed at least 200,000 civilians and tortured to death 15,000, including children. The left shrugs. China is eliminating a Muslim population six times that of Gaza’s and occupies Tibet, 400 times the area of Palestine — and the left repeats China’s talking points. Refugees from the 1947 founding of Pakistan far outnumbered the Palestinians. The list could continue, but the only rallies I’ve seen oppose Israel. Yes, Israel is a U.S. ally. But U.S. ally Turkey kills Kurds with American-made weapons, and there are twice as many Kurds as Palestinians. Turkey has already exterminated Armenians. The Turks come from Central Asia and have ruled “Turkey” for about as long as Europeans have been in the Americas. If the Turks aren’t settlercolonists, then the term is meaningless. Of course, most countries are occupied by settler-colonists with less claim than Jews have to Israel. To be clear, I think enmity toward Turkey, China or other settler-colonists, such as Palestinians originally from Arabia, is unhelpful. And we absolutely should care about innocent Palestinians. But demonizing Israel, while excusing terrorism against Jews and ignoring actual genocide elsewhere, is rooted in antisemitism, even if the protesters don’t realize that. Peter Dubrul

CHARLOTTE

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OBITUARIES, VOWS, CELEBRATIONS

OBITUARIES Emily Hallett Higgins

DECEMBER 12, 1975NOVEMBER 10, 2023 WATERBURY CENTER, VT. Emily Hallett Higgins died on November 10, 2023, at her home in Waterbury Center, Vt. She was 47. It’s impossible to capture here the beauty and force of her spirit, the restless power of her creativity, her profound commitment to justice, and the joyous passion she had for family, friendship, exploration and reinvention. The greatest love of her life was the love she had for her two boys, Cashel, 15, and Ryan, 11. They returned her love fiercely. We all did. We all do. Emily died of a heart attack. There had been no warning, no signs. She was with us, smiling and laughing, and then she was gone. Her passing leaves us shocked and heartbroken and shattered. It doesn’t feel real. It never will. But her life fills us with gratitude and wonder. A graduate of St. Johnsbury Academy and

Wellesley College, Emily went on to become a force in the affordable housing community, earning the respect and admiration of colleagues and partners in Vermont and across the country. She started her career at AIDS Housing of Washington in Seattle in 2001. After moving to Vermont in 2003, she spent 12 years at Champlain Housing Trust, where she directed its homeownership programs and helped countless people find a safe, caring place for them and their families to call home. Emily then moved to the Vermont Department for Children and Families and took on a position overseeing all state and federal housing grants for people without shelter.

She worked most recently at the Vermont Department of Corrections, where she was responsible for managing the grants that provide housing for people returning from incarceration. Emily loved to travel on her own or with friends and family to new places, new countries, learning and experiencing as much as she could along the way. She had a knack for languages and could be found chatting to cabdrivers the world over while on her way to another adventure. Over the years, she spent more and more time making art, whether it was drawing, painting or creating metal sculptures. Any trip with Emily through the hills of her beloved home state of Vermont was bound to include pulling over and loading some frighteningly jagged and rusted piece of scrap metal into her car that she’d later turn into something unexpected and gorgeous. Emily was born in St. Johnsbury, Vt., in 1975. She grew up on a Christmas tree farm in East St. Johnsbury with her father, Scudder Parker, and mother, Pam

Parker. She spent her childhood exploring the woods with her sister, Katie Parker, swimming in their pond, and learning how to shear balsams and spruces to get that perfect Christmas tree shape. (It’s not as easy as it sounds!) She felt a deep connection to that land and returned to it as often as she could throughout her life. After graduating from Wellesley, Emily met Darren Higgins when they moved into the same four-bedroom apartment in Somerville, Mass., in 1997. Meeting up often to commiserate over their comically incompatible roommates, they fell in love and took off across the U.S. with no definite destination in mind, ultimately settling in Seattle. They took a leap back in the other direction five years later, getting married in Waitsfield, Vt., buying a house in Waterbury Center and starting a family. Cashel Higgins was born in 2008, followed by Ryan in 2012. Emily and Darren divorced in 2018 but remained devoted friends and co-parents to their wonderful boys. They lived just a few minutes apart and created a new

relationships and creating unforgettable memories. While pursuing her degree in interior design, she flexed her seemingly natural ability to envision an inviting yet innovative space. Everyone who knew Ashley described her as a spitfire

with a big heart. She had a passion for helping animals in need, having rescued three cats and cared for them devotedly. Ashley was ambitious, passionate and fiercely determined. She will always be loved and missed by many, and her legacy will not soon be forgotten. She is survived by her mother, Kathleen; her stepfather, Doug Grant; her father, Jack Pilla; her stepmother, Kristin Lundy; her sister, Kaitlyn Pilla; her brother, Nick Pilla; and her paternal grandmother, Dorothy Pilla. Those who would like to honor her memory with a contribution may do so at Free Arts NYC (freeartsnyc.org) or Meow Parlour (meowparlour.com).

Ashley Pilla JULY 21, 1987OCTOBER 25, 2023 BROOKLYN, N.Y.

Ashley Lynne Pilla left this world unexpectedly on October 25, 2023, in Queens, N.Y. She was born on July 21, 1987, in Burlington, Vt. She was an energetic child with a love for drawing, painting and the outdoors; she was extremely talented in competitive sports, including skiing and soccer. After living out her early years in Shelburne and Charlotte, she moved to New York City to pursue her dreams and make her mark on the world. Ashley was a gifted artist, and her creativity thrived in Astoria and Brooklyn,

where she lived. She developed a deep passion for entrepreneurship and restoring antique furniture and was even featured on an episode of “Flea Market Flip.” She also worked as a bartender for many years, forging long-lasting

family structure across two welcoming homes, redefining for many what a loving partnership looks and feels like. They continued to travel with their boys and celebrate all occasions together with their extended families. It was clear from her earliest days that Emily had been born with a strong sense of self. She forged her own way. She was not interested in the limiting expectations of society or culture or other people — she was committed to finding out who she was and what she wanted, and she did so generously and joyously. Her passion for life was infectious. She knew deep in her core that it makes no sense — and, in fact, cheats us all — to allow ourselves to be divided by gender, race, appearance, culture or religion. She confronted injustice. She gave back to her community. She was kind. She was generous. She was an amazing listener. Her hugs were warm and good and made you feel safe. She was an inspiration to her family and to all who knew her. Emily is survived by her sons, Cashel and Ryan Higgins; their father, Darren

Higgins; her three cats, Una, Thea and Dalia; her mother, Pam Parker; her father, Scudder Parker, her stepmother, Susan Sussman; her sister, Katie Parker; her brother-in-law, Waldo Aguirre; her nephews, Gabriel and Sebastian Aguirre-Parker; her many loving aunts, uncles and cousins in the Lovell and Parker families; her former father- and mother-in-law, Brian and Diane Higgins; her former sister-in-law, Lorrin Tuxbury; her former brother-in-law, Jim Tuxbury; her nieces, Charlotte, Emma, Maddie and Caroline; all of her adoring friends; and her coworkers, neighbors and members of the communities she called home. Emily’s light cannot be dimmed. It will forever shine within the hearts of all who loved her. A service of celebration of Emily’s life will be held at the Waterbury (Vt.) Congregational Church on Saturday, December 9, 1 p.m. We suggest that those wishing to honor Emily’s memory donate to Good Samaritan Haven in Barre and MakerSphere in Waterbury, in place of sending flowers.

IN MEMORIAM Paul Edmund Allard NOVEMBER 28, 1943MARCH 8, 2022 We miss you.

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OBITUARIES, VOWS, CELEBRATIONS

OBITUARIES Gordon Miller JANUARY 15, 1946NOVEMBER 5, 2023 COLCHESTER, VT.

Gordon W. Miller, born in Rutland on January 15, 1946, passed away after a courageous battle with cancer on November 5 in Colchester, Vt. Throughout his remarkable life, Gordon was a beloved husband for 56 years and one week to his cherished wife, Nancy Gay Miller, who predeceased him in March 2023. He took immense pride in his role as a father. Additionally, his adoration extended to his three granddaughters, Sophie Miller, Sydney Miller and Chloe Fraser, all of whom he cherished deeply. In his early years, Gordon, alongside his wife and 1-year-old daughter, manned the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation fire tower atop Killington Mountain for a season. He was granted conscientious objector classification and status by the selective service board #12 in Washington County, a testament to his principles and beliefs. His career path was diverse, ranging from employment as a rough and finish carpenter who designed and constructed residences in central Vermont to serving as a Head Start and classroom teacher for children with special needs. Gordon was also a licensed real estate salesperson in central Vermont and Chittenden

County before becoming the principal broker for Vanguard Properties PLC, offering services such as capital gains deferrals for highly appreciated assets. His passions were equally varied. He dedicated himself to breeding flat-coated retrievers and was an active member of the Flat-Coated Retriever Society of America. Gordon also advocated part-time for the earliest reform of Vermont’s adoption laws and contributed his expertise as a member of the Town of Huntington’s Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Adjustment. Gordon is survived by his son, Seth Miller; his wife, Buffy; daughter Hannah Miller; granddaughters, Sophia and Sydney Miller and Chloe Fraser; and his sister, Charlene Miller, and brother, Peter Miller. A service of thanksgiving for the life of Gordon Miller will be held on January 20 at All Saints Episcopal in South Burlington, Vt., at 11 a.m., followed directly by a reception. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in his honor to the FlatCoated Retriever Foundation or the McClure Miller Respite House. Gordon Miller’s legacy is one of love, service and dedication to family, community and causes that deeply mattered to him. He will be dearly missed and remembered fondly by all whose lives he touched.

David Bolton FEBRUARY 12, 1946NOVEMBER 8, 2023 NEW HAVEN, VT.

David Bolton passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his family on November 8, 2023, after a long battle with cancer. David was born David Dana Dexter Bradley on February 12, 1946, in London, England, to Patricia Adams and American serviceman Dana Bradley. When he was 3 years old, David and his family traveled from England on the Queen Elizabeth II to settle near his father’s family in the Keene, N.H., area. David spent a couple of idyllic years there and remembered his time with his extended family very fondly. In 1951, the family moved to Fairhaven, Mass., where David spent the remainder of his childhood and graduated from Fairhaven High School. Patricia eventually remarried, and David was adopted by his stepfather, Lester Bolton. David met his future wife and soulmate, Mary, in 1966, while attending Cape Cod Community College. Their relationship grew over their shared love of food, music and art. They married in 1968 and spent time in Provincetown on Cape Cod and in Boston, as David attended Boston University and pursued his career in the kitchens

of various area restaurant institutions, such as the Orson Welles, Joyce Chen Restaurant and the Colonial Inn. During this time, Mary and David had their two sons, Aaron and Gabriel. In the early 1970s, the family moved to Vermont, spending their first summer camped along Cota Brook on Lincoln Gap. Soon after, they purchased Snap’s Diner and opened their first restaurant together, naming it after David’s life partner: Mary’s Restaurant. David’s creativity, vision, and passion for food, plants and art established Mary’s as a sought-after culinary experience, launching a regional food scene. David and Mary have always been grateful for all the friends made and the food community cultivated there. David and his family, including newly arrived daughter Mary Holley, returned to Cape Cod in 1979 for a time, only to return “home” to Vermont in 1987, settling on Marigold Farm in New Haven, where he would spend the rest of his days. Here David was able to indulge in what brought him joy: his gift for gardening, both flower and vegetable, and gathering with and feeding family and friends. Back in Vermont, David

embarked on the second chapter of his culinary career at Lake Champlain Chocolates, where he spent 20 years as a chocolatier, creating the chocolates, candies and ice cream that were enjoyed by so many. David spent his final working years as an instructor and mentor for culinary arts students at the Patricia A. Hannaford Career Center, imparting his love and knowledge of food and cuisine to a new generation. He will be missed for many reasons, not the least being his generosity of spirit, his wry humor and his room-filling smile. David is survived by his wife, Mary (Shields) Bolton; his son Aaron Bolton, his wife, Marcie, and their three children, Addison, Reubie and Annie; his son Gabriel Bolton, his wife, Krissy, and their two children, Malin and Nora; his daughter, Mary Bolton-Orvis, her husband, Jake, and their three children, Grace, Henry and Marigold; and his brother, Christian Bolton, and his wife, Kelly. David is also survived by dozens of nieces and nephews, who all loved their Uncle Dave. David was predeceased by his parents, Patricia Bolton and Dana Bradley; his sister, Karen (Bolton) Lefkowicz; and his stepfather, Lester Bolton. The family wishes to thank the staff of the University of Vermont Medical Center Hematology and Oncology Department; Janet Ely, PA-C; Jordan F. Tolstoy, PA-C; and especially Dr. Maura Barry. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in David’s memory to Addison County Home Health & Hospice (achhh.org/donations) or World Central Kitchen (wck.org/donate).

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John William Blanchard JUNE 21, 1983-NOVEMBER 16, 2023 ESSEX JUNCTION, VT.

John lost his struggle for life on Thursday, November 16, 2023. He passed away in the embrace of his loving parents. He was 40 years old. John was born in Burlington on June 21, 1983, to Bob and Linda Blanchard. He graduated from Essex High School and went on to get his degree from the University of Kings College in Halifax, Nova Scotia, a place that John came to love very much. John loved to cook, and upon returning home from school, he began to work in the culinary field and would go on to spend his working years at various restaurants in the Burlington area. Years after high school, he ran into an old classmate, Viki Kramer, while both were riding a local bus. They fell in love, and on Halloween in 2015 they were married and purchased a home in Essex Junction. In June of 2018, they welcomed their daughter, Luna, into the world. She was the center of John’s universe from that time forward. His love for her is hard to put into words, and she loved her papa so deeply. The joy and affection that they shared whenever they were together is one of the lasting memories that we will all cherish. John’s deep booming voice and imposing physical presence masked the fact that he was an extremely sensitive person. Slights and injuries that would roll off the backs of most and be quickly forgotten were carried by John, resulting in an inner turmoil that we still cannot fully comprehend. John was tough as nails and strong-willed, but that was not enough to enable him to overcome the alcohol-use disorder that he struggled with for many years. John had an amazing intellect. He held few people close and did not suffer fools gladly. If he loved you, he loved you hard. He was often great fun and had a wonderful, if unusual, sense of humor. His witty barbs and jokes, largely reserved for his inner circle, were a source of delight and entertainment. He could crack up a room with his great impersonations. He and his brother, James, would do hilarious bits from “Saturday Night Live” and “The Simpsons” whenever James came home. The fun they shared together and the laughter they provided are memories we will all never forget. John loved all things Batman, Japanese manga novels and anything German. He mostly enjoyed the simple pleasures of life: tending his small garden, incorporating the hot chile peppers from it into various dishes he concocted, and, of course, cooking and grilling for his family. He loved sunsets over Lake Champlain; hiking in the woods; philosophy; horsing around with James; harmonious rock ballads; Burger King; his custom-designed sneakers; his firepit; long scenic drives with Viki; their cat, Guts; and trips to the park with Luna. He had a deep and abiding hatred for microwave ovens. John always wore athletic sweat bands on

his wrists from his time working in kitchens. They became his signature look even after his kitchen days were over. Holidays were special times with John. Luna’s birthdays, of course, were always a big deal. Halloween, which was also John and Viki’s anniversary, as well as his mom’s birthday, was a day that everyone looked forward to for months and celebrated with many memorable costumes, decorations, and trick-or-treating with Luna. John’s cooking skills played a great role in getting the Thanksgiving dinner on the table at his mom and dad’s house every year. Christmas was a special time, especially after Luna came along. For many years, John would play the role of Santa, putting on his Santa hat, doling out the presents and trying to keep the chaos organized. On September 28, 2023, John suffered a catastrophic medical event, from which he never really recovered. Except for a few days back at home, he spent the last seven weeks of his life in the hospital, putting up a mighty struggle for his life. By his side during those final weeks were his mom and dad, along with Viki, whose love for him and loyalty to him will never be forgotten. His loving brother, James, came from California to be by John’s side during his time in Boston. His support and love for John were so wonderful. John’s friend Ian kept in touch from a long distance right to the end. He was John’s best and truest friend. It’s so sad that after everything John went through that it had to end this way, but his body was just too damaged for him to win his battle. Left to cherish his memory are his parents; his wife, Viki; his brother, James; and most of all, Luna. All that everyone did to keep John going was because we wanted them to have more time together, but it just wasn’t meant to be. John is survived by numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. Special thanks go out to the staff, especially the nurses, on Miller 6 and at the ICU of the University of Vermont Medical Center and to the nurses and doctors who cared for him at the Massachusetts General Hospital ICU, where he spent the last month of his life. Also, thanks to those who give blood. John received numerous transfusions as he fought his battle. The last seven weeks have been incredibly difficult, but John’s suffering is finally over. Calling hours will be at the Ready Funeral Home, 261 Shelburne Rd., Burlington, from 3 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, November 25, 2023. A private committal service will be held later at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in John’s memory to the Humane Society of Chittenden County, 142 Kindness Ct., South Burlington, VT 05403, or the Vermont Land Trust, 8 Bailey Ave., Montpelier, VT 05602. There is a hole in our hearts that will never be mended. Things will never be the same without him. We have lost a great man. We pray that he has been lifted up to a better place and that we will see him again. Rest in peace, John. We love you.

Larry Earl Smith

JUNE 26, 1951-NOVEMBER 15, 2023 GRAND ISLE, VT. Larry Earl “Smite/Smitty” Smith, 72, passed away on November 15, 2023, after a long but valiant battle with cancer, with his loving family by his side. Born on June 26, 1951, in Randolph, Vt., to Ilah and Earl Smith, he soon moved to Newcomb, N.Y., where he grew up and graduated from Newcomb Central School in 1969. Soon after graduation he moved back to Vermont, where he lived in the Rochester area. In 1987, he married his wife, Diana, and moved to Grand Isle, where he lived since. He worked as a builder and master craftsman for more than 50 years, and he was known far and wide for his quality frame-to-finish carpentry. His family was the most important thing to him. He coached his kids’ sports teams and taught them all they know about the building trade. He loved to go to his grandkids’ sporting events to cheer them on. He was so proud of all his kids and grandkids. He loved to split and stack firewood and help with sugaring during the season. He was a lifelong sports fan, in particular of the New York Yankees, New York Giants and the University of Vermont women’s basketball team. He was also an animal lover and never met a dog or cat that didn’t adore him. He was an honest, hardworking and generous man who would do anything for a friend or neighbor. He believed laughter was the best medicine, and he provided

Frederick Senftleber

DECEMBER 7, 1927-NOVEMBER 6, 2023 SHELBURNE, VT. Frederick A. Senftleber, 95, died peacefully at his home in Shelburne, Vt., on November 6, 2023. Fred was born on December 7, 1927, in Astoria, N.Y., to Frederick and Frieda Senftleber. Fred was an avid sailor, skier, traveler and craftsman. Fred enlisted in the U.S. Air Force as a meteorologist and was stationed throughout the Far East. Fred graduated from Rhode Island School of Design, where he met his wife, Dawn, in 1953. He worked for Harold Sleeper in New York City before joining Freeman French Freeman in 1955, becoming a partner in 1967 and president in 1989, and retiring in 1997. Fred was a member and chair of both

plenty of it. You’d most always see him out and about, barefoot. He is survived by the love of his life, his wife of 36 years, Diana; his son Alex and daughter-in-law Jess; his son Zack and his partner, Joleen; his “daughter,” Dani, and partner Ben; his brother-in-law Paul Amell; his sister-in-law Michele and her husband, Ed VonTurkovich; his mother-in-law, Marilyn Chates; his grandchildren, Jacob, Karson, Olivia, Emma and Kenadi; many nieces and nephews; many special friends, including Bill Champagne and Kyle Turin; and his beloved cat, Zola. He is predeceased by his parents, Ilah and Earl; his sisters, Nancy Amell, Lorraine Sulham and Norene Warner; his brother- and sister-in-law Bill and Lorraine Currier; his sister-in-law Cindy Mokritski; and his father-inlaw, George Chates. The family would like to thank the Champlain Islands Community Health Center and the UVM Medical Center Oncology Department, not only for the health care they provided to Smitty up until the very end but also for the love and support along the way. There will be a gathering to remember and celebrate his life on December 30, 2023, noon to 3 p.m., at the North Hero Community Hall, Route 2, North Hero, VT. Bring stories and pictures to share. Attire is casual, and shoes are optional. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in his memory to Camp Ta-Kum-Ta, PO Box 459, South Hero, VT 05486. Please visit awrfh.com to share your memories and condolences.

the Shelburne Planning Commission and Zoning Board, a member and president of the Vermont AIA, and a member of the Vermont Access Board. Fred leaves his wife of 71 years, Dawn; his son, Fritz (Maria); his daughter, Gretchen (David); his brother-in-law, Burton Reynolds; his grandchildren, Max, Hannah, Norah and Mayve; and his niece, Amanda. The family would like to thank Emily, Matthew and Justin, as well as the entire teams from BAYADA and Shelburne Rescue. Memorial contributions in Fred’s memory may be made to Shelburne Rescue. There will be a private memorial service. Please visit awrfh.com to share your memories and condolences. In Fred’s own words, “Health, happiness and safe travels.” SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

ate and Drew Streip never planned to leave Chattanooga. The young couple — bornand-bred Tennesseans — were raising their three children in Streip’s childhood home in a hip, closeknit neighborhood they cherished, within easy reach of their extended family. But when Tennessee passed a law in March prohibiting gender-affirming medical care for transgender children, the Streips bid farewell to their beloved state. Their son Sam, 11, is transgender. Remaining in Chattanooga was not an option. “I remember, the day it passed, I watched the live stream and was just sobbing while making dinner,” Kate said of the new law. “It would not only mean that Sam couldn’t get puberty blockers but also that he couldn’t receive gender-affirming therapy.” Three months later, the family of five arrived in Vermont, a state they had visited only once. They had no family or friends waiting in South Burlington, but Sam, they hoped, could grow up as himself. The Streips have joined an influx of transgender people and their families drawn to Vermont by the promise of relative safety, crucial services and what they view as the state’s reputation for tolerance. Newcomers say they left their home states because of the national surge in hatred aimed at transgender people as well as the passage of laws that restrict genderaffirming care. Vermont’s emerging role as a haven stems in large part from its laws offering formal protections to LGBTQ+ residents, the array of support services available in the Green Mountains and a health care system that is seen as accommodating to transgender people. No one knows exactly how large this surge of newcomers is, and few organizations serve only trans people. But Out in the Open, a Brattleboro-based nonprofit that provides resources for LGBTQ+ people in rural areas, says it has doubled its capacity to meet the growing demand. The University of Vermont Medical Center’s Transgender Youth Program, which has gained notice for providing support, resources and referrals, has also doubled in size. So far this year, the program has served at least five families who moved to Vermont. Outright Vermont, a statewide nonprofit that supports young LGBTQ+ people, had a waiting list of more than 100 families — many from out of state — for its Camp Outright, a “summer camp with a queer twist,” when it opened enrollment in spring 2023. “We’re hearing from people thinking of moving here all the time,” said HB Lozito, executive director of Out in the Open. “A lot of them are parents who want — as 26

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

Transgender newcomers find safety, services and community in Vermont S TO RY BY R AC H E L H E L L MAN • P H O T O S B Y JA M ES B U C K

Richie Walker

any parent does — to offer the best kind of support and care for their kids.” For all of Vermont’s vaunted openness, though, publicized episodes of hostility to transgender residents and an acute shortage of affordable housing complicate the calculus for those seeking refuge here. Many are making the move anyway, seeking to escape more hostile environments. In the past two years, a number of Republican-led states have approved restrictions on gender-affirming medical care, bathroom access and sports participation for transgender children and teens. This year alone, 17 states have enacted bans or significant new restrictions on some or all gender-affirming care for minors. Advocates and physicians say those restrictions can damage the mental

health of trans teens, increasing their risk of suicide. By contrast, Vermont is consistently ranked by researchers and news outlets as one of the best states to live in as an LGBTQ+ person. According to an analysis by the Williams Institute, a think tank at the UCLA School of Law, Vermont has the seventh-highest percentage of LGBTQ+ people in the nation and the secondhighest percentage of same-sex couples. The state has a long history of relative acceptance. In 2000, Vermont became the first state to introduce civil unions for same-sex couples, though the law spurred a “Take Back Vermont” protest campaign. Vermont was the fourth state to legalize same-sex marriage, in 2009. Earlier this year, Gov. Phil Scott, a Republican, signed

a series of shield bills into law, safeguarding doctors who offer, and patients who receive, reproductive health care — including abortions and gender-affirming care. The Streips have lived in Vermont for only five months but are already settled in. On a Thursday in October, the family’s South Burlington home was decked out with Halloween decorations. Sam has joined his school’s Queer Straight Alliance. “It just feels like Vermont is set up with people like us in mind,” Kate said. “Of course, hate exists everywhere. But having a place that is set up to be less tolerant of that hate makes raising [a trans child] a lot more doable.” Seven Days spent time with a number of people who have come to Vermont for refuge. Here are the stories of four of them.

Live With DJ Turkey Joe The Walker Family

It was noon on a Friday, and DJ Turkey Joe — otherwise known as Richie Walker — had the mic at WGDR, central Vermont’s community radio station. “Thanks to everyone who supports WGDR,” the teenager offered with the easy assurance of a seasoned DJ. “For a 17-yearold queer kid coming from Texas, breaking a 10K fundraising goal for an independent radio station was never on my radar,” he said. “It’s not about survival anymore. It’s about community, it’s about passion, and it’s about good music.” With that, he eased into Brian Eno’s “St. Elmo’s Fire.”

I’VE NEVER HAD A CIRCLE WHERE I KNOW PEOPLE AND THEY RESPECT ME AND TRUST ME AND THEY DON’T SNEER AT ME. RICH IE WA LK ER

Richie, a transgender transplant in Barre, appears to be thriving. The punkish, effervescent teen hosts an offbeat radio show with loyal listeners (“You’re DJ Turkey Joe?” an acquaintance once asked, incredulously). He has a group of friends who “actually do things,” Richie said with pride, adjusting glasses that frame eyes accented with shimmery eye shadow. “They sell art out of buses, and they’re crazy, and they all know each other.” Homeschooled, he’s set to graduate from high school later this year. But life wasn’t always sunny. For years while living in the Houston area, Richie — who was assigned female at birth — had lifeending thoughts following his realization that he was transgender. “When I told my dad, I was crying,” Richie recalled. “I was 13. It was late at night, and I was sobbing. I couldn’t get the words out. I was ashamed. I couldn’t look at myself.” Faced with a struggling child, Richie’s parents found a therapist who could help Richie process his feelings. They made sure to say out loud that they loved him. And they allowed Richie, who was being taught at home, to explore his gender identity in public. But as the political climate in Texas changed, so did the family’s sense of safety. “Our friends, our neighbors and our community were looking at us like we were deviants,” said Fara Walker, Richie’s mother. In

2022, when a Texas law took effect barring transgender minors from access to puberty blockers and other gender-related care, Fara felt she had to move her family someplace where Richie could start hormone therapy. “He needed gender-affirming care, for sure,” Fara said. “And we needed to not go to jail for that.” So Fara and her husband, Chris, spent their evenings on the internet, researching the best states for transgender people and for escaping the worst effects of climate change. “It just kept shining back on Vermont,” she recalled. In February 2022, the couple purchased a house in Barre, sight unseen. The family loaded their car with two cats and a dog and drove north. They arrived in the depths of winter and found that their new home had no heat, bad plumbing and major electrical issues. Now, almost two years later, things are improving. The house has been fixed up, and the family is settling into the community. “Vermont more or less saved my life,” said Richie, who started hormone therapy shortly after arriving. For Fara, relocating to Vermont has been a relief. “I feel like I can breathe, knowing that my child is not going to kill himself,” she said. The move has not been without challenges. On his first day at Spaulding High School in Barre, Richie said he overheard homophobic remarks and students making rape jokes. He didn’t return, and Fara went back to homeschooling him. There have been smaller adjustments, as well. The family miss ready access to Tex-Mex food and are uneasy with the racial homogeneity of the state.

But Richie maintains that this new chapter — which finds him comfortable, chirpy and, above all, free of suicidal thoughts — is a happy one because of the community he’s found in Vermont. “I’ve never had a circle where I know people and they respect me and trust me and they don’t sneer at me,” he said. Richie met a number of his new friends through informal queer networks in central Vermont. He’s sold stuffed animal sculptures at the Queer Arts Festival, a relatively new and popular grassroots event for the state’s LGBTQ+ artists. This summer’s festival, held in Plainfield, boasted more than 50 vendors and more than 1,500 attendees. Transgender newcomers point to the availability of year-round resources as well. Outright Vermont, the statewide nonprofit, offers an assortment of support groups, including ones geared to parents supporting trans young people, another for non-white trans youth and one for children under 12 who are exploring their gender identity. The nonprofit also coordinates more than 100 gender and sexuality alliances for students in schools across the state. In southern Vermont, offerings by Out in the Open, the Brattleboro-based nonprofit, include support groups and a program that ensures LGBTQ+ people in rural areas have access to safe and supportive health care. It also runs a Trans Femme Chill Club, one of the only groups in the state catering specifically to transfeminine people — those who seek to present as predominantly feminine — of all ages. “For people who move here to know that they don’t have to reinvent the wheel, that they can just come here and plug in and find

immediate acceptance, understanding and peer connection, that’s pretty huge,” said Dana Kaplan, executive director of Outright. Several transgender newcomers said the visibility of organizations such as Outright, Out in the Open and Pride Center of Vermont helped them choose the Green Mountains. For Richie, finding a queer community means more than gaining friends who understand his experience. It has allowed him to picture a long life as a transgender person. While working at Farmers to You, an online farm-to-table grocer based in Berlin, he became fast friends with an older transgender man. “He’s this trans guy with gray hair,” Richie said, sounding amazed. “I never saw anyone like him in Texas.”

‘What Vermont Provided for Us Was Hope’ The Lucero family

For some recent arrivals, refuge can take the form of having a box to check. Tina Lucero, an Oklahoma native and primary caregiver for her 22-year-old daughter who has autism and muscular dystrophy, felt trepidation at the start of a recent doctor’s visit in Barre when she explained that Jessica was transgender. “And the nurse replied: ‘I’ve got a box for that. I can check that,’” Tina recalled, with evident relief. “And I was like, ‘Oh, TAKING REFUGE

» P.28

Jessica Lucero with her parents, Bill and Tina

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

Taking Refuge « P.27 wow. That’s actually not an option where we used to live.’” In Oklahoma, Jessica, who relies on a ventilator, had lost her disability benefits out of the blue. Tina spent hundreds of hours vainly advocating to have them restored. She suspects bias was at work, though she lacks hard evidence. “They knew she was trans,” Tina said. “I can’t say for sure that was the reason, but it sure felt that way.” And accessing gender-affirming care seemed out of the picture. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, a Republican, signed a bill into law this year that makes it a felony for health care workers to provide children with gender-transition medical care. A previous version of the measure would have barred gender-affirming medical care to patients younger than 26 years old. That worried Tina. In other ways, too, Oklahoma felt unsafe, she said. When Jessica was in eighth grade, Tina received a call from her daughter’s school saying two boys were overheard in the bathroom threatening to kill her. “When I got to the school, [the administrators] said nothing about how the boys were wrong,” Tina recalled. “It was, ‘Well, Jessica shouldn’t be putting makeup on.’” But it was the death of their eldest daughter, Savannah, from a rare heart condition that finally pushed Tina and her husband, Bill, to leave the state. Tina remembered deciding: “My job now is to make sure my other daughter is as happy as she can be and [can] live her best life.” Still in mourning over a death they attributed mainly to shortcomings in the health care system, the couple began searching for a destination where LGBTQ+ rights are protected and health care is accessible and affordable, especially for trans people. Jessica contributed to the search, spending hours reading articles and gathering statistics. Vermont stood out. Over the past decade, the state has emerged as a leader in the field of LGBTQ+-friendly health care. Under Vermont law, for example, gender-affirming care must be covered under any insurance plans offered in the state. For specialized gender care for youths, patients and their families typically turn to either the UVM Medical Center or Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, just over the border in New Hampshire. Only one surgery office in Vermont offers “top surgery” to patients 16 and over, who must have parental permission and meet “significant requirements from the surgeon,” 28

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

according to Erica Gibson, medical director of the UVM Transgender Youth Program. Generally, surgeons won’t perform “bottom surgery” on patients under 18, she said. But Vermont boasts a growing network of primary-care providers who have been trained to work with LGBTQ+ patients. Through a remote training program coordinated by UVM’s Larner College of Medicine, rural physicians have learned how to address transgender patients using gender-neutral language during routine checkups and how to prescribe hormone replacement drugs. One private practice, Grace Cottage Family Health & Hospital in Townshend, has created its own LGBTQ+ care program. The hospital has trained its doctors in everything from gender-neutral primary care, such as offering gynecological services to all patients, to alcohol- and substance-use treatment tailored to LGBTQ+ clients. Although there are still gaps in what’s available — especially in the Northeast Kingdom and in mental health — Vermont offers relatively inclusive health care, those in the field say. “I would venture to guess that people are a bit more gender-affirming in the state than in some other states,” Gibson said. “Medical students and residents really want to learn about [transgender care] and be able to provide it.” Gibson’s clinic — which expanded its capacity this year to meet a growing waiting list of patients — has served several families who flew into Vermont from states with anti-trans laws. “We’re all sort of anticipating seeing more out-of-state political refugees,” said Anja Jokela, a physician at UVM Medical Center and coordinator of a statewide gender-affirming care working group, which includes 30 providers. That promise of better health care for their daughter led Tina and Bill Lucero to spend more than two years saving money to make the move to Vermont. “We cut down to bare bones,” Tina said. “We did it to get our child to safety.” As motivation, the family would gather at night to watch a video produced by Barre Area Development — an economic development nonprofit — that featured a queer couple. “I remember thinking, Gosh, look how happy they are. Look how welcomed they are,” Tina said. “What Vermont provided for us was hope.” In March, Bill found a job as a special education teacher in Barre, and five months later, the family moved into a two-bedroom apartment nearby. Jessica got on the waiting lists of a number of doctors, some of them warning that it

THE QUEER COMMUNITY HERE IS A GREAT SOURCE OF JOY AND INSPIRATION. FE L I X

might be a year before she’d be seen. But within two months, she qualified for disability benefits. “That’s something that I worked on for over two years in Oklahoma and never could do,” Tina said. “My whole personality has improved. It’s just a relief knowing that when I leave, someone’s not going to beat the crap out of my daughter, or worse.” Jessica seems pleased with the move as well: “I haven’t felt unsafe here, and that’s a very good sign.” When Jessica’s health has permitted, Tina has taken her to LGBTQ+ events, including the Pride Seder at Ohavi Zedek Synagogue in Burlington. The family isn’t Jewish, but the chance to be in a queerfriendly community motivated mother and daughter to make the hour’s drive to attend. Because of her health, Jessica is often drowsy during the day, leading to an irregular sleep schedule. Late at night, while her family is asleep, she likes to write horror stories. She’s currently on her 12th book, one of which is self-published. Although the family can’t afford to buy a home, the Luceros say they’re glad to be here. Tina is prodding her best friend in Oklahoma to make the same move. The friend’s son thinks he might be gay, and both women are worried about his safety. For Jessica, the move has brought a sense of hope after the family’s despair. “My gender reassignment surgery is now

closer than ever,” she said. “And there are no words to describe how happy that makes me.”

A Rural Oasis Felix

For weeks in 2020, Felix received emails from an anonymous sender threatening to kill him. As soon as he blocked the address, the messages came again from a different account. They terrified him with their homophobic language and bluntly worded threats focused on his transgender identity. Felix, who lived in Utah and worked for a national animal rescue group, suspected a former coworker, but his complaints to higher-ups at the organization went nowhere. “I had thoughts like, If I walk my dog at night, someone could just drag me into a ditch,” Felix, 38, recalled. “I was like, What am I doing here?” The moment to act came on a morning when he woke up to find blood and feces smeared on the windshield of the converted bus in which he was living. “I need to get out of here,” he remembered deciding. His time in Utah was up. Felix studied maps of climate change, COVID-19 rates and voting histories to determine which state appeared the safest and most trans-friendly. Vermont was the clear winner. Browsing online, he happened upon a listing for a plot of land in central Vermont.

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The property came with an A-frame tiny house with a woodstove and a sleeping loft. That same day, Felix set out for Vermont in his bus. “I remember driving into Vermont and being amazed by everything I saw. [Black Lives Matter] flags and trans flags just hanging out on the side of the barn in the middle of nowhere in these deep rural areas,” he said. “It filled me with a lot of hope and joy.” Although big cities have long served as safe havens for gay and transgender people, Felix and other transgender migrants say part of Vermont’s appeal is its rural character and sense of smalltown closeness. After a tour of the property, Felix purchased the plot and started building a life in the countryside. A self-described introvert and “building nerd,” Felix found new friends by taking classes in woodworking and tiny-house construction. He enrolled in a course in sourdough at Bethel University — an annual by-thepeople, for-the-people series of classes in Bethel — and got a part-time job in the field of outdoor recreation. Eventually, he started hosting small gatherings and construction classes on his property, where he had built several small structures and three-season dwellings. On a stroll around his property one fall afternoon, he sported sparkly eyeglasses, and an obligatory Vermont flannel jacket padded his slim frame. His pup, Santa, wore her own matching flannel. The

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self-taught jack-of-all-trades showed off the bus he is converting into his new 4T-VTRegenerativeMedicine110123.indd 1 10/11/23 11:54 AM abode. Felix hopes to turn the A-frame in which he is currently living into a place for friends or collaborators to stay. Over the summer, Felix held movie nights for queer people in a rustic minilibrary he built. He has hosted classes in basic carpentry geared toward local people of color and LGBTQ+ residents. The classes, Felix said, were big successes, drawing surprisingly large attendance. But life in the Green Mountains has not been all rainbows and butterflies, he NICK PARENT ALYSSA NICK PARENT DEUTSCH ALYSSA JOE DOUD DEUTSCH JUSTIN JOE DOUD WYDRA MORGAN JUSTIN WYDRA WOOLF REBECCA MORGANWILLIAMS WOOLF REBECCA RONNIEWILLIAMS RYAN JOHN RONNIE MALONEY RYAN JOHN MALON made clear. Mortgage Owner/Broker Loan Mortgage Mortgage Loan Loan Mortgage Mortgage Loan Loan Mortgage Mortgage Loan Loan Mortgage Mortgage Loan Loan Mortgage Mortgage Loan Loan Mortgage Mortgage Loan Loan Mortgage Loa Felix, who is a person of color, Owner/Broker says Officer Officer Officer Officer Officer Officer Officer Officer Officer Officer Officer Officer Officer Officer he’s experienced moments of racism — offhand comments, name-calling — and As your statewide resource As your statewide for residential resource mortgages, for residential refinances, mortgages, refinances, more than a few times has overheard our teamfinancing, has the experience ourresource team has you the experience you and investment property and investment financing, property As your statewide for residential mortgages, remarks disparaging transgender people can trust for all yourcan home trustfinancing for all your needs, home including financing Conventional needs, including Conventional refinances and investment property financing, Financing, FHA, USDA Financing, RD, VA, FHA, Jumbo, USDA and RD, Portfolio VA, Jumbo, loan options. and Portfolio loan options. by locals who didn’t know he was trans. “Vermont is definitely not the perfect our team has the experience you can trust for all your liberal utopia that everyone outside home financing needs, including Financing, 802.863.2020 802.863.2020 Burlington Burlington Vermont & Southern Vermont | VermontMortgageCompany.com | VermontMortgageCompany.com | Offices inConventional | Offices&inSouthern makes it out to be,” he said. “There’s FHA, USDA RD, VA, Jumbo and Portfolio loan options. still racism; there’s still transphobia. All kinds of problems still exist here.” Citing concern for his safety in a geographically isolated area, Felix asked that only his first name be used in this story and that other identifying information about him be withheld. In interviews, other transgender newcomers told of experiencing similar hostility, even if mostly veiled. At times, tensions over the presence of

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Taking Refuge « P.29 transgender people in Vermont have burst into open view. Last year, a 29-year-old transgender woman was stabbed to death in Morristown. While it is unclear whether the victim’s gender identity was the motive, an online petition gathered more than 9,000 signatures urging that the suspect be charged with a hate crime. A few months later, a 14-year-old transgender student at Randolph Union High School became the subject of a controversy that received some national attention, spurred by her presence in the girls’ locker room. Earlier this year, Mid Vermont Christian School in Quechee chose to forfeit a girls’ basketball game rather than play against a team from Long Trail School in Dorset that included a transgender player. Still, Felix said he feels safer in Vermont than he has anywhere before. “I felt tangibly unsafe in rural Utah, and the lack of a queer community made that experience even scarier and more isolating,” he said. Felix has big plans for his 11 wooded acres, which he hopes to turn into a queer sanctuary where LGBTQ+ people can learn to build useful things or stay for residencies. The outlines are still a bit fuzzy, but he’s gotten encouragement from a recent Samara Fund grant from the Vermont Community Foundation to lead a free “electrical wiring 101” class for queer residents and people of color. “Vermont has shown me that it goes beyond just a feeling of safety. The queer

community here is a great source of joy and inspiration,” Felix said. “I have never felt it as strongly as I do now.”

‘We Worried for Their Safety’ The Negrón and Melendez family

When the pandemic forced the three children of Adriana Negrón and Eduardo Melendez to attend school virtually, the couple noticed that their oldest child, Adrian, suddenly seemed much more at ease. Then 7, Adrian, who was assigned male at birth, started wearing their sister’s clothing around the house and would sport a hair bow during Zoom classes. Adrian, who now uses they/them pronouns, said they didn’t feel exactly like a girl or a boy. Without the social pressure of a public-school environment, which Eduardo said included religious indoctrination, the child seemed happier. The couple worried, though, about Adrian’s future in Puerto Rico, where Melendez says bullying is rampant and often goes unchecked. “They didn’t have the language at the time to explain to us what was happening,” said Negrón, who started to suspect that their child was nonbinary. “My husband and I were scared. On one hand, we felt like we should let them be who they are, but on the other hand, we worried for their safety.” Negrón and Melendez were born and raised in Puerto Rico but already had talked about moving. Hurricane Maria devastated

the island in 2017, and power outages persisted years later. Now, faced with a child who was exploring their gender identity, the couple gave more serious consideration to the idea of leaving the island. “Puerto Rico is not a welcoming place for LGBTQ+ people, especially in the rural area where we were living,” Negrón said. “There’s a lot of things that pushed us, but at the end of the day, our biggest motivator was our child.” Like Felix, the couple sought a rural state that would be kind to LGBTQ+ people as a place to raise their three young children. The couple saved all the money they received from COVID-19 stimulus

VERMONT IS A LITTLE LIGHTHOUSE OF HOPE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE. A DR I A N A N E G R Ó N

payments, then relocated to Brattleboro in 2021. At the time, Melendez was making just $8 an hour working for a marketing company in Puerto Rico. “We put all of our eggs in one basket,” he remembered. In Brattleboro, Adrian noticed Pride flags everywhere downtown. In school, teachers made sure that Adrian was addressed by the correct pronouns. And Adrian, now 11, started visiting a doctor at Grace Cottage, where they received age-appropriate, gender-affirming care. For now, that means simply discussing future options. The parents noticed a lift in Adrian’s demeanor. “It was kind of like this weight

Adriana Negrón, Eduardo Melendez and their children at home in Brattleboro

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

was lifted off of their shoulders,” said Negrón, who credits the open-mindedness of the Brattleboro community. The family has faced struggles in Vermont, too. For close to a year, they could not find affordable childcare, forcing them to live on Melendez’s pay alone. There have also been moments of discomfort as non-white Vermonters: an occasional infantilizing tone or uninformed question about Puerto Rico. They still worry about Adrian’s safety. “It’s very difficult raising a nonbinary and BIPOC kid,” Melendez said. But in the most difficult moments, neighbors have shown up again and again.

When they first arrived, members of the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation — with whom the couple was in touch before moving — showed Negrón and Melendez the best coffee shops and restaurants in town. When Negrón contracted COVID-19 while pregnant with her fourth child, neighbors brought groceries. And when she gave birth, those same neighbors organized a meal train that kept up for two weeks. “During this time, there is a lot of uncertainty,” Negrón said. “But I am very certain about who my community and my neighbors are and what they stand for. I know that they are not going to let my child down.” In what the couple sees as perhaps the most generous gesture, their landlady — inspired by their story — offered to sell her house to them directly, ensuring the family a future in Brattleboro amid a severe shortage of affordable housing. “Vermont is a little lighthouse of hope for a lot of people, and I wish there was more housing for more people like us to be able to actually make the move,” Negrón said. The couple dream of watching all four of their children graduate from Brattleboro Union High School and eventually growing old in the Green Mountain State. For now, they’re pleased with smaller victories. Since moving, Adrian has come out as nonbinary and seems confident wearing the clothes that make them feel themselves — sometimes clothing designed for girls, sometimes for boys. They love writing and reading and have good friends. Negrón has noticed, as well, that her child has shed an old nervous habit of digging their fingernails into their skin. It’s the kind of change that perhaps only a parent would detect. She sees it as a sign that Adrian is comfortable, at last. ➆

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Moving the Needle

Former chef Ashley Farland launches home furnishings company DandyLion in Hinesburg B Y M ARY A NN L I CKTE IG • maryann@sevendaysvt.com

BUSINESS

BEAR CIERI

hree and a half years ago, Ashley Farland had never turned on a sewing machine. Now she runs a company that makes handcrafted throw pillows from surplus designer fabrics. Two hundred of them adorn beds and sofas at South Fork Lodge in Swan Valley, Idaho, the historic flyfishing retreat that late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel bought three years ago with professional angler Oliver White. Farland’s pillows provided a finishing touch for a complete renovation. The designer’s request was spare: He wanted high-quality tweeds and suit materials in shades of green, “kind of like a fish,” Farland said. “So that was fun, because I had total creative control … other than the palette color.” She hand-cut every pillow and mixed and matched plaids and solids and tweeds from Zegna, Loro Piana, Kiton and Ralph Lauren Purple Label. Then she and the two women who sew for her stitched them together. “We had it done in, like … three weeks,” she said. The pillows shipped in May. Farland hadn’t even quit her full-time job sewing at Burlington’s Fourbital Factory. Her new company, DandyLion, opened its first store in Hinesburg on Saturday. Starting with artisan textiles and wooden kitchen accessories, Farland is building a lifestyle brand committed to expert craftsmanship, quality materials and sustainability. It’s named for — and inspired by — the “dandies,” 18th- and 19th-century gentlemen whom DandyLion’s website describes as “the original statementmakers, with extraordinary attention to quality, presentation, and flair.” Besides textiles such as pillows and throw blankets, DandyLion has a wood line — carving boards, rolling pins, a bread box and a sausage slicer — that Farland developed with South Burlington woodworker Jeremy Ravelin. Everything is built to last. “We have to stop thinking about things as They’re fine for the moment,” Farland said. Consumers may think they are getting a good deal at discount stores, she said, but that is often “perceived value,” because if goods are cheaply made, they don’t wear well and get replaced. The fashion industry has trained people to want a fresh look each season. “We have to adjust the way that we’re approaching our expectations and

consumerism,” Farland said. “We have to rewire people.” All DandyLion textiles are made with “deadstock” — surplus fabric from home furnishings and apparel companies that may have ordered too much or retired certain colors and weaves. Each year, the apparel industry generates $288 billion of deadstock, surplususe advocate Stephanie Benedetto said. Once destined for the runways of Milan and Paris as well as consumers’ closets, it ends up sitting in a warehouse, buried in a landfill or burned. The waste cuts into corporate bottom lines and comes at an environmental cost. Disposal causes pollution, as does making new fabric. Dyeing, rinsing and other treatments release toxic chemicals into the water supply that can’t be removed, Benedetto said. By some accounts, she said, the textile industry is the second-biggest polluter of water globally, Benedetto said. Every yard of deadstock kept in circulation saves up to 700 gallons of water and prevents the release of chemical pollutants and greenhouse gases that accompany textile production, according to Benedetto,

WE HAVE TO ADJUST THE WAY THAT WE’RE APPROACHING

OUR EXPECTATIONS AND CONSUMERISM. AS H L E Y FAR L AND

cofounder and CEO of Queen of Raw, a New York-based company that matches buyers and sellers of surplus fabric and provides software for textile companies to manage excess inventory. Demand for deadstock is growing, she said. Designers like it because it is readily available at a discount. “And it also has an environmental, sustainable story to tell,” she said. “So it’s a win-win-win to work with deadstock.” Farland has used more than 1,000 yards so far, she said. For her Couture line of pillows, she buys men’s suit material from tailors who get it from mills and from manufacturers such as Loro Piana, Zegna and Kiton. For her Luxe line, she buys alpaca bouclé, cashmere-silk velvet

and mohair from two companies, including luxury home furnishings maker Holly Hunt. Though the fabric is discounted 50 to 70 percent, it still costs Farland between $50 and $100 per yard. With inserts filled with down and feathers, DandyLion’s pillows start at $250. They’re not for everyone, Farland said, acknowledging that her own Hardwick farmer ancestors would “turn over.” But similar pillows sold by designer companies start at $800, she said. Farland has created two less expensive lines: her eclectic Studio and her wool Rustic pillows. Constructed with designer fabrics and the same down-andfeather inserts, they start at $108. Farland doesn’t offer those lines to other retailers, she said, so she doesn’t have to worry about undercutting them with the lower price point. DandyLion represents a radical life change for Farland, a 46-year-old Essex native and New England Culinary Institute graduate. She worked as a chef in New York City for 15 years, with stints at MOVING THE NEEDLE SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

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BEAR CIERI

Ashley Farland

Moving the Needle « P.33 restaurants Le Cirque 2000, Gramercy Tavern, L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon and Marea. She was also a private chef for, among others, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie and Revlon billionaire Ron Perelman and his wife, she said. During her last years as a private chef, Farland lived in Stowe and her employers flew her back to New York each week. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, she was asked to move to there. “And I just didn’t want to do that,” she said. She liked the families she worked for, she added. “But you do give your life to that family. It’s an absurd world that you live in.” So Farland moved back to Vermont full time to explore her love of textiles and home furnishings. Not content simply to curate a store, she wanted to design and make things, she said, “but I didn’t know how to sew. So I was like, Well, you’d better learn.” She took private quilting lessons and produced three quilts in four months. Then she spent a year making shoes at Queen City Footwear in Williston. Owner Matt Renna, a friend, started her out as he would any new employee, he said, sewing linings and the internal seams that no one sees. By the time Farland left, she was doing topstitching. Next, she spent six months training and six months working at Fourbital Factory, the Burlington apparel company. Additional mentoring came from entrepreneur accelerator LaunchVT, which selected her for its 2023 program.

DandyLion Couture collection

Meanwhile, Farland was moonlighting with her own business. She took more sewing lessons from Pat Santner of Middlebury, who taught her how to make a pillow. Santner continues to sew for DandyLion. Farland works fast, Santner said, and she’s always thinking about the next thing she wants to make. “Nothing daunts her,” Santner said. The fledgling entrepreneur started marketing the old-fashioned way: She

packed her pillows into hockey bags, flew out west and dropped in on boutiques in ski towns. Orders came in, and she left Fourbital in the spring to build DandyLion full time. Her pillows are now sold in Vail, Avon and Aspen, Colo.; Bozeman, Mont.; and Park City, Utah. A store called Mountain Dandy in Jackson, Wyo., ordered 400 over the course of eight months. The store has used DandyLion products in its interior design projects and will

continue to order them, owner Christian Burch said in an email. “Her pillows have been a huge hit.” Farland made a cold call at Burlington Furniture in September. “And we were like, ‘Yes, we have to have this,’” sales manager Maria Samara said. The store now stocks DandyLion pillows and blankets. It’s a member of the Sustainable Furnishings Council, and the store managers appreciate quality materials, sustainable practices and Vermont manufacturers, Samara said. Customers apparently do, too. “I had somebody come in last week that wanted to take a whole kit and caboodle for her home,” Samara said. So far, Farland has selffunded her company. She sold her house and traded her Audi Q5 for a “workhorse Subaru.” She lives in a room in a friend’s home in Starksboro and cooks for the family in exchange for free rent. She plows all DandyLion profits back into the business and works as a caregiver a couple of days a week to cover her personal expenses. “I literally have stripped down my life,” she said, “but it’s worth it.” Farland dreams of a line of boutique hotels called the Dandy — but she doesn’t want to run them, just to create the aesthetic. “I can see it being, like, the look for a hotel group,” she said. “That’s what I’d like. And then I just continue to keep creating fun stuff.” ➆

INFO DandyLion, 30 Kaileys Way, Suite 101, Hinesburg, dandylion.design

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Pressing Go

Two home cidermakers scale up and open bars in Chittenden County B Y J O R D AN BAR RY & ME LISSA PASANEN • jbarry@sevendaysvt.com, pasanen@sevendaysvt.com PHOTOS: GLENN RUSSELL

HAIR OF THE DOG

Vermont Cider Lab, 25 Essex Way, Suite 214, Essex, 876-7702, vtciderlab.com

Apple varieties such as Ashmead’s Kernel, Hubbardston Nonesuch, Sheep’s Nose and Westfield-Seek-No-Further give cidermakers plenty to work with when it comes to naming their products. But at Vermont Cider Lab, co-owners Chris Line and Karen Wisehart rely on a different fruitful collection of monikers: dog nicknames. The Essex Junction couple’s flagship ciders are Bubba, Cassa Frass and Stinker; seasonal flavors include Smelvis, Sloaner and Willow Willow. All are named after dogs they’ve had or known over the years. The logo depicts their current pup, Kurri — the yellow Lab behind the “Lab.”

CIDER IS A PRETTY DIVERSE,

VERSATILE BEVERAGE. CHRIS LINE A flight of ciders, a Bee’s Knees cocktail and a hand pie from Poorhouse Pies at the Vermont Cider Lab

hen it comes to Thanksgiving tipples, cider is top tier. The fermented applebased beverage screams fall flavors and goes perfectly with cranberry sauce, stuffing and turkey. It also has more range than most drinkers realize — from bubbly and sweet to still and dry, and just about everything in between. Two home cidermakers in Chittenden County recognized the drink’s potential, making the leap from basement and closet to commercial production facilities and bars over the past few years. Ahead of our favorite food holiday, we headed out to sample their ciders and stock up.

Chris Line and Karen Wisehart at the Vermont Cider Lab with Kurri

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Inside the cans with catchy canine names are dry ciders fermented with local maple syrup or honey, made on-site at the Essex Experience. They’re served — along with cider cocktails, slushies, hot toddies and snacks — in a 50-seat tasting room in the former Christopher & Banks outlet between Magic Mann and the Mad Taco. (There’s also a 24-seat, dog-friendly seasonal patio.) Line began making cider in his basement 14 years ago, tinkering with fivegallon batches on equipment his father had started using “way, way back,” he said. Over the years, the former strength coach shared batches with his clients who worked in the beverage industry, looking for feedback. “When the pandemic hit, just like everybody, we hit control-alt-delete to figure out what we really wanted to be doing,” Line said, metaphorically referring to the reboot command on a computer. PRESSING GO

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Fire Destroys Queen Bee’s Snack Bar in Monkton

FILE: CALEB KENNA

Queen Bee’s Snack Bar after the fire

QUEEN BEE’S SNACK BAR on Hardscrabble

Road in Monkton is temporarily closed after an electrical fire engulfed the kitchen trailer and surrounding structures early on Sunday morning. The fire started at around 5:15 a.m., owner KIM JEWELL said. She had already gone out to the snack bar to start the coffeepot, fryer and grill for the morning’s breakfast but had returned to her house to use the restroom when the power went out. “My husband thought somebody hit a tree,” Kim told Seven Days. “I went back out to the snack bar to shut everything off, and as soon as I opened the back door, there was the big glow. It took like seven minutes total.” The fire was probably started by a spark from the compressor on a mini fridge, Kim’s daughter KRISTEN JEWELL said. Firefighters were able to keep the flames from damaging the family’s home, which shares a driveway with the business, but the snack bar was a total loss. Tucked in the woods near the Monkton-Bristol border, Queen Bee’s has been an Addison County summer staple since 2015. This was its busiest year yet, Kim said. The Jewells added online ordering and started serving breakfast this fall, and they planned to be open long weekends all winter. “We may be in the sticks, but it’s a big hub of a place,” Kristen said. “This doesn’t mean we can’t have those plans come to fruition eventually, but now it’s a little on hold.” The Jewells’ long-term plan is to

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build a permanent structure where the snack bar’s trailer stood. In the meantime, they will work to finish a recently purchased second trailer to use for catering, and they will host Breakfast With Santa at St. Peter’s Catholic Church parish hall in Vergennes on Saturday, December 2. “I can’t sit still,” Kim said. “I gotta keep going.”

Jordan Barry

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Vermont Cider Lab

Bee’s Knees Week in late September, the balanced, fragrant cocktail features the Stinker cranberry cider, Barr Hill Gin, honey-based simple syrup and lemon juice, garnished with a sprig of thyme. It was my friend’s order, but I kept stealing sips. I opted for a sample flight of the Lab’s ciders ($12) to try as many as possible: the traditional dry Bubba, the cranberry Stinker, the blueberry-basil Sloaner and the ginger-lemon Cassa Frass. Each was worthy of a full pour, which I rarely find with flights. They all paired well with the array of snacks we ordered: a Vermont cheese plate ($15), soft pretzels ($12 for two) and a savory Gobbler pocket pie from Underhill’s Poorhouse Pies. On top of making all the cider and driving around distributing it, Line heads to Poorhouse every day to pick up whichever pies and quiches are in stock. “You have to be versatile,” Line said of his do-it-all approach. “I’m learning every day, but it’s never something I don’t want to learn.” J.B.

BEVERAGE BULL’S-EYE

Arrowhead Lodge, 2 River St., Milton, 891-6359, arrowheadlodgevt.com and @arrowheadciderworks on Instagram. Note: Arrowhead will be closed for Thanksgiving from November 22 to 27.

Lauren and Nick Mark never intended to become bar owners. But serendipity has played a big role in the lives of the co-owners of the Arrowhead Lodge taproom in Milton and its sister business, Arrowhead Ciderworks.

COURTESY OF JENNA BRISSON PHOTOGRAPHY

GLENN RUSSELL

Wisehart had long wanted to own a wine shop of her own. Meanwhile, she’d become a regular at the Essex Experience’s Salt & Bubbles Wine Bar and Market and was inspired by owner Kayla Silver’s work to get that business up and running. “Karen came home from there one day and said, ‘Why don’t we see if we can make this cider thing work?’” Line recalled. The couple headed out to cideries around Vermont to check out tasting rooms and introduce themselves. The welcoming response they received from big players such as Stowe Cider and Eden Ciders “made us want to do it even more, to be a part of that community,” Wisehart said. They sought out former Eden director of operations Garrett Huber, who now runs a cidery in Ohio and works as a craft cider consultant, for help scaling Line’s five-gallon basement batches to 250-gallon batches in the Lab’s brand-new production space. Four months in, Line is “asking fewer questions, now that I’m doing it on a daily basis,” he said. And Line’s doing everything, from fermenting juice sourced from Waterbury Center’s Cold Hollow Cider Mill to canning and self-distributing. He estimates that he’ll produce close to 5,500 gallons of cider this year. Wisehart, who still works full time as general manager of South Burlington’s Best Western Plus Windjammer Inn & Conference Center, handles marketing and other behind-thescenes tasks. She also joins Line in the taproom after work and on weekends. Distribution wasn’t in the couple’s immediate plans, but they’ve already expanded to local retailers and restaurants, including the Windjammer. They purchased their own canning line and now send kegs and 16-ounce cans to businesses as close as Black Flannel Brewing & Distilling in Essex and as far as Farmhouse Market in Wilmington. All of the Lab’s ciders are dry, with zero added sugar. “But not everybody has a dry palate,” Line said. To give folks a sweeter option, the tasting room offers ciderbased takes on classic cocktails, including cider mules, cideritas, cider Bee’s Knees and cider slushies — the latter are available hard, with an added shot of booze, or nonalcoholic. The cocktails help “bridge the gap” for folks who are new to cider or think they don’t like it, Line said. “We want to give them different avenues to try it out,” he continued. “Cider is a pretty diverse, versatile beverage.” The cider Bee’s Knees ($12) was a standout of my recent Sunday visit, when a group of friends and I sampled the Lab’s cider in various forms. Created for

Nick and Lauren Mark at Arrowhead Lodge

The couple met by chance a decade ago at a coffee shop in lower Manhattan. Nick, now 36, was in the city for the weekend. He hails from western Connecticut but was then living on Martha’s Vineyard and working as an architectural drafter. Lauren, now 34, grew up in Rochester, N.Y., and had recently moved to New York City to pursue a career in modern dance. Nick bought Lauren coffee, and the happenstance encounter led to bigger things. Earlier this year, the now-married couple welcomed their son, Ronin. And a few years before that, they had their “first baby,” as Lauren playfully described their bar and cider businesses. First, though, the couple moved to Milton in 2018. Lauren became the office manager for the Vermont Brewers Association, a job that immersed her in the craft alcoholic beverage market. Nick worked

in construction and developed a serious hobby of making hard cider in the closet of their apartment. The couple liked cider but didn’t care for the sweetness of many brands. The Marks became friends with the couple who owned and were renovating the 1840s brick building just off the intersection of Route 7 and Main Street, across from their apartment. “We’d bring beers over and sit on Home Depot buckets and talk,” Lauren said. The first floor of the building was zoned for commercial use, and their friends encouraged the Marks to do something with it. They explored the possibility of turning Nick’s hobby into a business and building a cidery there, but wastewater permitting issues wouldn’t allow it. The Marks still wanted to create something in the historic building. It had

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housed several different bars, so they figured they’d try a new watering hole — though with a different flavor. (One of their customers has since recounted a story of being thrown through the front window of a previous bar there.) The couple wanted to create a community gathering spot with game and trivia nights, book club gatherings, and seasonal music on an outdoor deck. They named their new bar Arrowhead, referring to the nearby lake and mountain. While

facilities, where they ferment and can the flagship cider. Cloud Cap is sold on tap and in cans at a growing number of northern Vermont retailers, restaurants and bars. Nick said he appreciates that a dry cider can be “a blank canvas” for added flavors. Before Christmas, he plans to launch a second cider: Cloud Hop, which features Chinook and Centennial hops grown by Starksboro’s Champlain Valley Hops. He is also working on a semisweet cider, one fermented with sake yeast and one made with Drinks and snacks at Chinese gunpowder tea — his Arrowhead Lodge wife’s favorite, she said. On a recent Thursday evening, a steady stream of customers came through the door of Arrowhead Lodge and settled in with a cider (from $7 for 12 ounces) or their choice of a list of mostly Vermont beers (from $3 for 8 ounces). Even though Lauren knew exactly what she wanted to offer on the tap and can list, she said the beer distributor rep was initially skeptical of her focus on craft beer and cider in a spot where Budweiser had flowed. “He said, ‘You’ll never make it in this town,’” she recalled. But locals have welcomed Arrowhead Lodge. Milton residents Cassidy Tedeschi and her boyfriend, Josh “Boomer” Patterson, were perched at the bar sipping Troc Star from Eden Ciders in Newport and a Candy Bar Gunner’s Daughter beer from Maine’s Mast Landing Brewing, respectively. Nick, who was working the bar, greeted them and most customers by name. J O S H “BOOM ER” PAT TERSON “Someone always walks in that we know, or we meet new people, or we can there are no overnight accommodations, talk to Nick all night,” Tedeschi said. they chose the word “lodge” because it’s The bar lacks a TV. “We want people “cozy,” Lauren said. to talk to each other,” Nick said. Arrowhead Lodge opened in FebruA limited food menu includes ary 2020. After a rough start due to the popcorn ($3 or $4 with Old Bay seasonpandemic, the business has become ing), a Vermont meat and cheese the community center the Marks envi- board ($19), pizzas ($12 to $15) made sioned. There’s a 100-person wait list for by Vermont Pie & Pasta in Derby, and its “mug club” — devoted locals who pay whoopie pies ($3) baked at the Painted a $100 annual membership fee for some Lady Café in Milton. Painted Lady will discounts, quarterly members-only events soon provide weekly hot specials, such and a personal mug cubby. Six months ago, as pulled pork mac and cheese, chicken the couple bought the building. and dumplings, and chili. The Marks started serving ArrowTedeschi and Patterson visit Arrowhead Ciderworks’ Cloud Cap — a clean, head often enough that they decided to crisp, bone-dry, unfiltered cider — at join the mug club; they finally got in after their taproom in March 2021. They now a year on the wait list. produce about 1,000 gallons annually “Everybody wants to be in the mug from freshly pressed Vermont apples in club,” Patterson said. partnership with local alcohol production M.P.

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DINING ON A DIME

Bento Bounty Sakura Sushi & Kitchen in Williston offers multicourse meal deals B Y M E L I S S A PAS AN E N pasanen@sevendaysvt.com

Sitting at a table at Sakura Sushi & Kitchen finishing up a late lunch last week, a pair of diners chatted animatedly over their bento box and bowl of wakame udon noodles. Colchester residents Dunja Hegeman and her 14-year-old daughter, Alizee, said they had stopped by the small Japanese restaurant in the Taft Corners Shopping Center after running errands nearby. “We like Asian food, and I was hungry,” Alizee said. Her mother added that the reasonable prices appealed to her. Listing the items in the $9 lunch bento box — miso soup, four California roll slices, salad, rice and two good-size pieces of tempura-fried horse mackerel — Dunja called it a lot of delicious food for the money. Alizee said her big bowl of broth filled with chewy noodles, seaweed and broccoli ($7.75) was very good and too much to finish. That might have had something to do with the fact that she had sampled her mom’s lunch, too.

Lunch bento box

KEEPING PRICES AFFORDABLE

IS IMPORTANT FOR THE FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESS. “Alizee wanted to eat mine, but I didn’t allow it,” Dunja said with a smile. I also chose the lunch-size bento box — a filling and satisfying deal. A dinner-size version without the rice costs $11.75, and either box can be ordered at lunch or dinner. The type of protein in the box changes weekly, with updates on the restaurant’s Facebook page. Recent offerings have included mahi-mahi teriyaki and bird’s nest tempura of chopped vegetables and shrimp. The California roll was fresh and came with a generous mound of pickled ginger. The oniony, tangy salad dressing made it easy to eat my greens. I was not sure what to expect of horse mackerel, but the two pieces of fish, each with a tiny tail poking out of its crunchy sheath, were flaky and moist and came with a compellingly sweettart sauce. Co-owner Tomoko Ohira later told me that was Bull-Dog tonkatsu sauce, one of the small selection of Japanese groceries Sakura carries. It also offers the curiously named Vermont Curry sauce, a very popular Japanese product, which Ohira told me

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

Spicy tofu don bowl

is the base for the sauce on the chicken cutlet curry ($8.50) I had enjoyed on my first visit. On that evening, I also shared a crunchy vegetable tempura appetizer ($6) with my dinner companion, keeping my meal under our Dining on a Dime budget of $12. Meeting that target is easy at Sakura. Just a few menu items rise above it — such as the teriyaki salmon dinner ($12.75) my friend selected, featuring two well-cooked pieces of fish swimming in sauce and served with salad, rice and miso soup. We also each indulged in a Sapporo beer ($3.50). The cooler holds sake and containers of that addictive salad dressing to take home. Ohira said keeping prices affordable is important for the family-owned business. She works with her husband, Isao, and their two sons, Masa, 26, and Yoshi, 23, plus five other employees. The couple, now both 61, came to Vermont in 1998. Isao was the sushi chef at Sakura Bana Japanese Restaurant on upper Church Street until it closed in early 2012. The Williston and Burlington restaurants were originally owned by one company, from which the Ohiras bought the Taft Corners Sakura in 2017. The low-frills spot has an additional unexpected perk. The glass-fronted order counter holds charming Japanese ceramic bowls decorated with cats and flowers, all priced under $12: holiday gifts on a dime. ➆ Dining on a Dime is a series featuring wellmade, filling bites (something substantial enough to qualify as a small meal or better) for around $12 or less. Know of a tasty dish we should feature? Drop us a line: food@ sevendaysvt.com.

INFO A diner at Sakura Sushi & Kitchen

Sakura Sushi & Kitchen, 19 Taft Corners Shopping Center, Williston, 288-8052, on Facebook at Sakura Sushi and Kitchen

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With the help of friends and family, ANISA MOHAMED reopened KISMAYO KITCHEN on November 15. It was almost three months to the day after her husband, the Burlington restaurant’s chef-owner, Ahmed Omar, died unexpectedly at home in his sleep on August 13. The chief medical examiner’s office determined the 36-year-old’s death to be from natural causes. The final death certificate attributes it to “probable cardiac arrhythmia of undetermined etiology.” A plaque in the reopened restaurant at 505 Riverside Avenue honors Omar, who arrived in Vermont with his family as a 17-year-old refugee from war-torn Somalia.

RP AR

Burlington’s Kismayo Kitchen Reopens After Chef-Owner’s Untimely Death

Colchester’s Guilty Plate Diner to Close; Relocated Heart n Soul to Open in South Burlington

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“They told me, ‘Baba used to tell us this was going to be ours,’” Mohamed recalled her girls saying about their father. “‘You just run it for us ’til we can do it.’” Kismayo Kitchen will be closed on Thanksgiving. Regular hours are Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, noon to 7 p.m.; Friday, 2 to 8 p.m.; and Saturday, noon to 8 p.m. See Kismayo Kitchen on Facebook for updates. OLI

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“He didn’t just serve delicious food, he served kindness, compassion and a sense of unity that touched countless lives,” the homage reads. “We can never fill Omar’s shoes,” Mohamed said, referring to him familiarly by his surname as everyone did. “We just want to keep his legacy going.” The menu, ranging from Philly cheesesteaks to Somali rice with meat, remains the same. Omar’s sister ASHA OMAR and several nieces — AMINA, BAHJA, QAMAR and SAFIYA IBRAHIM — will help cook and serve. Mohamed hopes to hire a grill cook. Before reopening Kismayo Kitchen, Mohamed said, she shared with her daughters, 8 and 4, her concern that the restaurant might be too much on top of her family responsibilities.

FIL E:

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Melissa Pasanen

MELISSA PASANEN

From left: Amina, Bahja and Qamar Ibrahim with Somali rice and chicken

is closing the GUILTY PLATE DINER in Colchester after this weekend due to Darrell Langworthy a failure to come to an agreement to purchase the business, which he had been leasing with the intent to buy. Langworthy is also reopening HEART N SOUL at 155 Market Street in South Burlington. He previously operated that restaurant beside his MARK BBQ in Essex Junction. Both those restaurants closed in October 2022, although Langworthy continued to run a Mark BBQ food truck and catering business and offer barbecue at the Guilty Plate. The new Heart n Soul, which Langworthy expects to open in early December, will offer a “mashup” of the original’s comfort-food menu of sandwiches and burgers with Mark BBQ staples, he said. It will seat 60 in the dining room and six at the bar. To start, the restaurant will be open Thursday through Sunday for lunch and dinner. New dishes will include a smoked and then pan-fried Apple Jack pork chop with apple chutney, a touch of Jack Daniels in the sauce and truffle mashed potatoes. Langworthy, who owns his businesses with his wife, SARAH, is currently doing takeout pop-ups at 155 Market Street. Details can be found on the Mark BBQ Facebook page. DARRELL LANGWORTHY

Melissa Pasanen

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SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

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The Truth Is Out There

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

Book review: UFO: The Inside Story of the US Government’s Search for Alien Life Here — and Out There, Garrett Graff BY C H E L S E A E D GAR • chelsea@sevendaysvt.com

COURTESY OF ELMAN STUDIO

n 1947, a pilot spotted a fleet of strange objects traveling in the skies over Mount Rainier at speeds between 1,200 and 1,700 miles an hour, unthinkably fast by the day’s technological standards. In 1997, a huge triangular craft glided over Phoenix without making a sound, spooking thousands of people, including then-Arizona governor Fife Symington. Two decades later, a Tic Tac-shaped object with no visible means of propulsion appeared off the coast of Baja, Mexico, accelerating and changing altitude in a way that confounded the U.S. Navy pilots who saw it. Burlington author Garrett Graff ’s latest book, UFO: The Inside Story of the US Government’s Search for Alien Life Here — and Out There, chronicles nearly 80 years of federal and scientific research into these sorts of mysterious sightings. It arrives at a moment of renewed public and government interest in UFOs, recently rebranded by the Pentagon as UAPs, or “unidentified aerial phenomena.” In July, three former military officials testified before a Congressional subcommittee about their encounters with airborne objects whose movements couldn’t be explained by any known technology; in September, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration designated a head of UAP research, giving new legitimacy to the study of strange objects in the sky. What makes these episodes so unsettling isn’t just the possibility that we might not be alone in the universe. As Graff explores in his book, part of the allure of modern UFO mythology is the great mystery of what top government and military brass really know — and what they’ve been concealing from us. An accomplished journalist and historian, Graff, whose 2022 book Watergate: A New History was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, specializes in wringing all that can be wrung from government documents. In UFO, he attempts to piece together the knowable truth by drawing on decades of declassified reports, mountains of scientific papers and the published writings of some of the biggest names in ufology, including astrophysicist Frank Drake, astronomers J. Allen Hynek and Carl Sagan, and U.S. Air Force officer Edward J. Ruppelt, who led two of the government’s inquiries into UFOs in the late 1940s and early 1950s. But this picture, as Graff warns in the book’s introduction, is almost certainly

BOOKS

Garrett Graff

incomplete. “The government is absolutely covering up the full extent of its interest and investigation into UFOs,” he writes. What is less clear, he continues, “is whether the government is covering up meaningful information about UFOs or UAPs.” In Graff ’s view, whatever the government might be hiding, its vast bureaucracies lack the cunning to pull off the grand bamboozlements of the American people with which they have sometimes been credited. “It’s not that the government knows something it doesn’t want to tell us; it’s that the government is uncomfortable telling us it doesn’t know anything at all,” Graff writes. “It’s a bafflement that hints at a much more exciting and intriguing truth: there is something out there, and none of us yet know what it is.” Graff presents the seminal events in modern UAP history in more or less sequential order, beginning with pilot Kenneth Arnold’s 1947 sighting of strange lights over Mount Rainier and bringing us up to the present moment of increasing government transparency. He weaves in colorful and eerie accounts of some of the most famous UFO incidents of the past half-century, some of which remain unresolved to this day. He details the passthe-buck attitude of the various authorities tasked with investigating reports of mysterious phenomena, to the chronic frustration of the few stalwarts who remained committed to finding answers. And he brings in geopolitical history and the paranoid insecurities of the Cold War era, providing important context for the paroxysms of UFO mania in mid-20th-century America. He also gets into some tantalizingly weird stuff; one of the book’s chapters is titled “Sex With Aliens.” Graff ventures no conclusions about whether any of the bizarre happenings he describes are proof of intergalactic visitation or total bunk, but he offers ample evidence that the government’s efforts to investigate them have often been tainted by political pressure. The Robertson Panel, one such effort that convened over four days in 1953 to review 75 UFO sightings that the Air Force had deemed worthy of serious scrutiny, determined that the only major cause for concern was the potential for mass hysteria, which could, according to the panel’s report, “result in a threat to the orderly functioning of the protective organs of the body politic.” The problem, in other words, wasn’t UFOs, whatever they were or weren’t; it

FROM UFO Despite the widening circles of global interest and the increasingly illustrious scientific names associated with the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, J. Allen Hynek still found the hunt for UFOs here on Earth an isolating experience — the subject still raised more eyebrows and snickers from “serious” scientists than Hynek felt he deserved, and, too often, he wasn’t even sure how he felt about the entire phenomena himself. Whatever brusque dismissals he’d once been inclined to make at the start of his work with the air force had faded into more uncertainty as the years passed. It really seemed to him that there was something out there, mysteries he couldn’t explain — “UFOs had been reported in more than 140 countries,” his biographer later noted, “and there was confoundingly little variety in the types of objects reported: what witnesses described seeing in the skies above Rio were essentially identical to what was being reported by witnesses in Turkey, Canada, France, and Japan, as though they were all manufactured on the same UFO assembly line.”

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was that people were claiming to have seen them. The panel recommended that the military enlist airline personnel in a public education campaign aimed at quashing excitement about weird stuff in the sky. These kinds of episodes abound. Attempt after attempt to get at the true nature of UFOs succumbs to bureaucratic torpor, a tale as old as the galaxy itself. A number of fascinating individuals populate these attempts, but Graff’s chronological structure and exhaustive aims leave room for only cursory psychological development. It rarely bodes well when a book begins, as this one does, with the big bang. Graff has given himself so much ground to cover that he can hardly pause to tell us what he makes of it, which gives this 544-page doorstop an oddly hurried feel. The reader of UFO is like a person on a speed-walking tour of a strange and

enormous house, led by an unflappable docent: “And here is the room where the livestock were mutilated … Quickly, now, on to the master suite, where the thing happened with the orbs...” The subject matter is objectively fascinating, yet a feeling of inert muchness prevails. And there is so much muchness in here — the search for water on Mars, the psychology of people who claim to have been abducted by aliens, the long and mostly futile hunt for extraterrestrial radio signals, the origins of life on Earth, the UFO-obsessed lead singer of Blink-182 — that Graff can’t quite coax a coherent thesis out of it beyond the obvious: Yep, there’s probably something out there. ➆

ATTEMPT AFTER ATTEMPT TO GET AT THE TRUE NATURE OF UFOS SUCCUMBS TO BUREAUCRATIC TORPOR,

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INFO UFO: The Inside Story of the US Government’s Search for Alien Life Here — and Out There, Avid Reader Press, 544 pages. $32.50.

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11/21/23 9:26 AM

culture

photo essay of nude elderly women. A collection of short poems about bacteria, biting flies and western black rhinos. An essay by Burlington author Greg Guma on the history of decentralists in Vermont. And a blistering critique of a new apartment building in Winooski, calling its architects “irresponsible” and their creation “a pathetic vision for the present, let alone future, of our cities.” No one can predict what might appear in an issue of 05401, the slick, noncommercial magazine published and distributed by retired Burlington architect Louis Mannie Lionni. Founded in 1995, the architectural and literary journal has long been a headscratcher — to its readers and creator alike. “For the first 20 or 25 years, I think it puzzled people. I must say, it puzzled me,” said Lionni, who publishes 05401 on an irregular basis. The latest issue of 05401, which came out in September under its standard tagline, “The Free Radical,” won’t necessarily dispel the confusion. At 116 pages, it’s more than twice as long as any previous issue. And its autobiographical nature — a love letter of sorts that 91-year-old Lionni penned to the dozens of “friends, colleagues, mentors, idols, clients and students” who shaped his life and career — suggests that this issue may be among his last. “I’ve done most of what I wanted to do with the magazine,” Lionni said. After the current issue came out, he added, “A lot of people contacted me and told me it’s a wonderful thing, which is very heartening.” Ordinarily, Lionni doesn’t hear from his readers. Except for a two-year period when he published it monthly, 05401 has averaged only one annual issue, and few of them have generated letters. This issue was an exception. Lionni read aloud from a letter he received recently from a subscriber: “‘I’ve been reading 05401 since you started publishing it and I like it very much. This last issue was particularly terrific.’” The letter concludes with “‘Please cancel my subscription.’” “I don’t know what to tell you,” Lionni added with a chuckle. Despite the dearth of feedback, Lionni has soldiered on with his vanity project for decades, printing 1,500 copies per issue at his own expense. He mails 1,000 copies to subscribers for free, then distributes the rest in Burlington-area bars and coffeehouses. Lionni wouldn’t disclose what he spends on printing and postage, except

September’s issue of 05401, which features actor Wesley Snipes on the cover playing Harlem architect Flipper Purify in Spike Lee’s Jungle Fever

food and sex,” Lionni explained. “Because if you just do architecture and planning, nobody’s going to read that.” Over the years, Lionni has enlisted the help of numerous local writers, artists and photographers. They include Burlington author and political activist Marc Estrin, Lionni’s longtime friend, who described 05401 as “an architectural magazine for nonarchitects” and a community forum. Its contributors do not get paid. “That’s part of the success of the journal,” Estrin added. “It creates a kind of fidelity among the people who write for it. They just want to see it work.”

I KNOW IT’S KIND OF AN ELITIST MAGAZINE,

BUT I AM WHO I AM. LOUIS MANNIE LIONNI

PUBLISHING

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

A Life by Design

The latest issue of 05401 honors the architects, idols and thinkers who shaped its eclectic publisher BY K E N P IC AR D • ken@sevendaysvt.com

to say, “I’m embarrassed by how much it costs.” September’s issue — which, uncharacteristically, Lionni wrote entirely himself — pays tribute to a diverse cast of characters. They range from internationally renowned architects Frank Lloyd Wright, Frank Gehry and Buckminster Fuller to Vermonters David E. Sellers, Murray Bookchin, Beth Sachs and Blair Hamilton. Each tribute consists of five or six paragraphs of text opposite a full-page photo of its subject. Lionni doesn’t have a publishing background. A native of Genoa, Italy, he came to the U.S. at age 6 and grew up in Philadelphia. After studying architecture at

the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Lionni worked for years in New York City. In 1979, he and his wife, Barbara Zucker, moved to Burlington for her job as chair of the University of Vermont art department. Lionni never intended for 05401 to be a moneymaker. In the mid-1990s, after four of his design projects failed to get built for various reasons, he threw in the towel on his 40-year architectural career and began dabbling in other pursuits, including writing and photography. 05401 became his creative outlet. “When I first started it, I thought it should be about architecture, planning,

And it doesn’t always work, said Lionni, who confessed that he’s published some poorly written articles over the years. One goal of 05401, he said, is to represent alternative voices in Burlington, including those of people who might not always express themselves in polished form. “It’s about the things that interest me, basically. I know it’s kind of an elitist magazine,” he added, “but I am who I am.” In print, Lionni reserves his harshest criticism for the subject he knows best: architecture. He was initially furious when construction began on a new building across the street from his sixth-floor office on Pine Street above the Vermont Federal Credit Union. However, as the building went up, Lionni came to appreciate its design, even though it obstructed his view of Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks. “As far as my view is concerned, I’ve had it for 22 years,” he said, “so maybe it’s appropriate that someone else should have it now.” Despite the sense of finality to the latest 05401, Lionni appears to have at least one more issue in him. Estrin noted that his old friend has asked him to contribute a piece about motorcycles — specifically, Lionni’s observation that all the bikes he sees were built in countries that fought the U.S. during World War II. What that has to do with architecture, planning, food or sex is anyone’s guess. ➆

INFO Learn more or subscribe at 05401.com.

MUSIC

Two Local Band Directors March in the Macy’s Parade B Y A M Y L I L LY • lilly@sevendaysvt.com

Mary Bauer and Kim Thompson

GLENN RUSSELL

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City features the top marching bands from around the country. But this year it will also include one composed of the people who teach band. The Band Directors Marching Band will showcase more than 400 band teachers from around the U.S. — including two from Vermont. Representing the Green Mountains are Kim Thompson of Richmond, who has taught band at Williston Central School for 29 years, and Mary Bauer of Jericho, the band director at Mount Mansfield Union High School for 20 years. There, Bauer directs Vermont’s only field-show marching band — the kind that executes choreographed formations on a field. Weather limits the season to six weeks, giving students only three to learn their music. Thompson and Bauer, both clarinetists in their early fifties, are also friends who play together in Vermont Symphonic Winds. The two found out about the Band Directors Marching Band through the same Facebook page, but neither realized the other had applied until they both got in. The Band Directors Marching Band has performed only once before, at the 2022 Rose Parade in Pasadena, Calif. It is a project of Saluting America’s Band Directors, which is sponsored by the Michael D. Sewell Memorial Foundation, a nonprofit named for a band director who taught for 38 years in Ohio. Fittingly, the group will perform “Seventy-Six Trombones” from the 1957 Broadway musical The Music Man, as well as a trio medley, while marching south from Central Park. Its members will be dressed in matching black slacks, blazers and ties instead of flashy marching band outfits, to emphasize their role as educators. Once they reach Macy’s, they’ll perform “Big Apple Medley,” a collection of familiar American songs, to choreographed formations in front of the NBC cameras. The group will have just four days to learn the choreography, but Thompson isn’t worried. “We’re comfortable with that. It’s what we do,” she said. Thompson played in her high school’s “really competitive” marching band in Lindenhurst, N.Y., and became its drum major — the student leader who conducts the band while marching backward. She performed with the school in New York City’s St. Patrick’s Day parade before earning a bachelor’s degree in music education at Hofstra University. Bauer played in her high school’s marching band in nearby Long Beach, N.Y., and joined its color guard, the flag-twirling

set. She earned her music education degree at the Crane School of Music. Ironically, neither New Yorker ever attended the Macy’s parade. With millions in town, Bauer said, “It’s the one place you don’t want to be if you’re local.” For the 97th Macy’s parade, the directors have had to practice daily and memorize their music. “We’re doing what our kids do all the time,” Thompson pointed out. “I like that I’m modeling that for my students.” COVID-19 decimated school band program participation, and numbers are only now starting to return to pre-pandemic levels. It’s exciting “to have that many music educators come

And on the seventh day, we do not rest. Instead we bring you...

together [in the parade] and have that camaraderie, especially after such a hard time,” Bauer said. “And we’re sharing this gift with millions of people” — including their students. Bauer has performed the pieces for her students, who offered feedback. “They’ve been following me through this whole process,” she said. “I told them, ‘If you’re able to snap a photo of me, I’ll get you a creemee at Palmer Lane.’” ➆

INFO

The 97th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is Thursday, November 23, 8:30 a.m.-noon. Watch live on NBC or Peacock. Learn more at banddirectorsalute.org.

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11/16/23 3:13 PM

culture Jonathan Brownell of White Falcon Solutions

Episode 702: A Basket With a View

EVA SOLLBERGER

that the basket floor was going to fall out from under me. I’m very grateful to Jonathan and Will for making space for me and my neuroses in that small basket while they worked. Those were some great views up there. We call this neighborhood “Burlinski” because many people think we are part of nearby Winooski. You really can’t beat those vistas. The mills are such a big presence in this neighborhood, combined with the green from the forests and, of course, the river that winds through it all. I was pleased to see my house from up there, as well. It’s funny how being at that height makes everything down below look like a Monopoly board game.

Don’t Look Down

Repairing a historic smokestack from a floating basket

he Winooski Falls Mill District is known for its industrial history — the riverbanks are still lined with massive textile mills and towering smokestacks. In mid-October, the skyline on the Burlington side changed when a 175-foot-tall crane from Hutch Crane Service in Bradford moved in next to the Chace Mill’s iconic brick smokestack. Built in the early 1900s, the stack hasn’t operated for decades. Recently, falling bricks made repairs essential. Redstone, the owner of the 90,000-square-foot Chace Mill, hired Jonathan Brownell and Will Devereux of White Falcon Solutions in Vergennes to repoint the bricks in the stack and make it waterproof. They did the work from a 4-foot-4-inchsquare metal basket called a man basket, or a personnel basket, that was held aloft by a cable attached to a 100,000-pound crane controlled by Rick Hutchins. He’s been operating cranes for 38 years. The entire job took

a little more than three weeks, with interruption from one brief snowstorm. In her latest episode of “Stuck in Vermont,” Seven Days senior multimedia producer Eva Sollberger caught a ride with the masons in their basket on a sunny afternoon. They squeezed lime mortar from a bag, filling the cracks between the bricks, and waited for it to dry before scraping off the excess. The entire time, the basket swayed in the breeze, about 135 feet in the air. The epic views of the Winooski River, the Champlain Mill, the Woolen Mill and the city of Winooski were worth the trip. Sollberger spoke with Seven Days about filming the episode. What interested you in this project? I live near the Chace Mill and was excited when the crane moved in next to the smokestack. I was keeping an eye on the basket as it swung around to different spots and texting with my neighbors about our new resident. I wanted to find out about the workers, but I also didn’t want

to disturb them while they were busy. I finally caught them on solid ground, one day before they finished their work with the crane. As luck would have it, Jonathan is married to a former coworker and had seen some of my videos. He and Will suggested that I take a ride up that same day, because the next day’s weather forecast was not as good. In a way, that was best because I didn’t have a lot of time to second-guess it. Are you scared of heights? I am a big baby when it comes to scaling tall places. Nonetheless, the story is my priority, and I know it helps my stories to go up to the top of the Statehouse dome or film from the basket of a hot-air balloon — whatever the situation calls for. So I knew I had to go up in the basket, and I’m really glad I did — even if I was afraid to look down for most of the trip. Rick assured me that everything is inspected regularly, and I was also strapped into a safety harness. Nonetheless, I worried

How many trips up did you take? I got to go up to the smokestack twice because we had to go back down for a knife to cut the grout bag tip. And Rick gave us a scenic route over the water and up to the stack. He truly does have a steady hand and kept the ride very smooth. But once we were up at the stack and the masons were working, the swinging of the basket in the wind was noticeable. When we were back on solid land, I had Jell-O legs from the rocking motion. Will said he had that sensation for the three weeks he was working in the basket. Did you learn about the history of the Chace Mill? I tried to find out when this smokestack was built. It is confusing because there were a number of older mills and chimneys in that same location that were destroyed by fire. What is now called the Chace Mill was built in 1892. Our neighborhood historian, David Cawley, sent me a lot of helpful info about the mill. According to maps, the smokestack was built between 1900 and 1906. The cotton mills used massive steam boilers to supplement the water power and drive the machinery. When I see this smokestack rising majestically above the river, it reminds me of how the mills shaped our community. ➆

Seven Days senior multimedia producer Eva Sollberger has been making her award-winning video series, “Stuck in Vermont,” since 2007. New episodes appear on the Seven Days website every other Thursday and air the following night on the WCAX evening news. Sign up at sevendaysvt.com to receive an email alert each time a new one drops. And check these pages every other week for insights on the episodes. SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

on screen COURTESY OF SEACIA PAVAO/FOCUS FEATURES

The Holdovers ★★★★

wo-time Oscar-winning director Alexander Payne (Election, The Descendants) hasn’t had a critical hit since 2013’s Nebraska — until now. The Holdovers, a gently comic period piece that reunites him with Sideways star Paul Giamatti, was the runner-up for the People’s Choice Award at September’s Toronto International Film Festival and is likely to be a player at awards season. See it at the Savoy Theater, Majestic 10 or Merrill’s Roxy Cinemas.

The deal

It’s 1970, and the winter break approaches at Barton Academy, a New England boys’ boarding school. Every year, one unlucky teacher must stay on campus with the kids who have nowhere else to go for the holidays. This year it’s Paul Hunham (Giamatti), a single, middleaged classics nerd so determined to uphold academic standards that he made the mistake of flunking a major donor’s son. The students call him “Walleye,” and not in an affectionate way. He calls them “reprobates” and “troglodytes.” One of those reprobates is Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa), a smart kid with a smart mouth who likes to give Paul a hard time. When Angus’ mom’s honeymoon gets in the way of his vacation plans, he finds himself trapped on campus with his least favorite teacher. Also a “holdover” is cafeteria director Mary Lamb (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), who is mourning the death of her son, a promising Barton graduate, in the Vietnam War. She’s one of the few people with whom Paul lets down his guard, the two of them bonding over the solace they find in a glass of whiskey. As the dreary days of winter wear on, under Mary’s influence the disciplinarian teacher and the rebellious student begin to realize they might have a few things in common.

Will you like it?

Many films play on our nostalgia. But The Holdovers made me feel as if I really were transported back to the 1970s, when movies played in double features on gigantic screens and stories unfolded in their own sweet time. For older viewers, the vintage blue-and-white R-rating card that opens the movie serves the same 48

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

Paul Giamatti plays a prep school teacher forced to spend the holidays with a recalcitrant student in Alexander Payne’s retro comedy-drama.

function as Marcel Proust’s memorysummoning madeleine. The drab, wintry setting palpably recalls the unglamorous realism of filmmakers such as Hal Ashby (Harold and Maude); you can almost hear the tick of Barton Academy’s tetchy radiators. Even Payne’s cornier camera moves — such as a fast zoom out to show us Angus has flown the coop — feel impeccably ’70s. The thing about that era of movies, though, is that even when they get corny, they rarely get too corny, maintaining just enough wry, European-style distance from their characters to keep the audience from feeling manipulated. In this way, too, Payne follows his models. And that bit of distance is the movie’s saving grace, because the script, by TV writer David Hemingson, is not short on clichés. From the moment we meet the frenetically pompous Paul and hear him spew a Latin quote (the first of many), we know the movie is going to be about him loosening up and learning to relate to the youth. And the instant we meet Angus, with his callow arrogance and the giant chip on his shoulder, we know he will have to confront some grief in his backstory, just like Holden Caulfield. These two broken men will help each other heal — with the assistance of Mary, who’s also broken but

REVIEW emotionally intelligent enough to kickstart her own healing. For all of them, the new year will be a renewal. In short, what we have in The Holdovers is the kind of holiday drama about lonely people that makes Oscar voters feel warm and fuzzy (think Green Book or The Whale), laced through with humor that vacillates between subtlety and broadness. But those veins of subtlety save it. Even when the script is hammering home its points, the performances keep the characters multidimensional. Sessa dares to be unlikable, giving Angus a believably chaotic adolescent energy. Randolph’s dry wit anchors the story. Carrie Preston is both sweet and tart as a school secretary who’s kind to Paul. Giamatti’s portrayal of a clueless academic is initially so over the top that it’s reminiscent of the actor’s comic turns in terrible blockbusters. But as Paul warms up to Angus and starts treating him like a person rather than a pupil, his own humanity shines through. Giamatti does wonders with a brief, biting monologue in which Paul sums up the chaos of the era, revealing that he isn’t actually clueless so much as hopeless, clinging to his classics as a bulwark against a turbulent world. Predictable as The Holdovers is, Payne isn’t afraid to dwell on the bittersweet side

of nostalgia, and he refuses to parcel out happy endings. Come for the sentimental evocation of bygone times; stay for the bracing reminder that the past wasn’t actually that great.

MARGO T HARRI S O N margot@sevendaysvt.com

IF YOU LIKE THIS, TRY... SIDEWAYS (2004; rentable): Giamatti

became a star among character actors after his turn as a finicky, down-onhis-luck oenophile in Payne’s awardstudded drama set in California's wine country — a role spiritually akin to that of Paul. IF…. (1968; rentable): There’s no

shortage of movies involving boarding school, from the sappy (ahem, Dead Poets Society) to the sublime (Rushmore). But for a blast of the revolutionary spirit of the era when The Holdovers is set, try this British relic in which Malcolm McDowell plays a student leading a violent rebellion. THE BLACKCOAT’S DAUGHTER (2015;

Kanopy, Max, rentable): Or, if you’re fascinated by the creepiness of an abandoned campus, watch this arty horror movie set during a winter break at boarding school.

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Joaquin Phoenix in Napoleon

NEW IN THEATERS NAPOLEON: Joaquin Phoenix plays France’s emperor and Vanessa Kirby is his beloved Josephine in this historical epic from Ridley Scott, also starring Tahar Rahim and Rupert Everett. (158 min, R. Big Picture, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Roxy, Star) SALTBURN: Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman) directed this dark comedy/thriller about an Oxford University student (Barry Keoghan) spending the summer with his wealthier friend’s odd family. With Jacob Elordi and Archie Madekwe. (127 min, R; Essex, Majestic, Roxy) WISH: A young girl (voice of Ariana DeBose) calls on the power of a star to save her kingdom in this Disney animation, also starring Chris Pine and Alan Tudyk and directed by Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn. (95 min, PG. Bijou, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Marquis, Star)

CURRENTLY PLAYING FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’SH1/2 In this horror flick, a guy gets more than he bargained for when he takes a night security gig at a kids’ party spot. (110 min, PG-13. Majestic) THE HOLDOVERSHHH1/2 Paul Giamatti plays a grumpy prep school teacher forced to spend the holidays with his least favorite student in the acclaimed comedy-drama from Alexander Payne. (133 min, R. Majestic, Roxy, Savoy; reviewed 11/22) THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS AND SNAKESHH1/2 This prequel to the blockbuster dystopian series explores the youth of villain-to-be Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth). With Rachel Zegler and Viola Davis. (157 min, PG-13. Big Picture, Bijou, Capitol, Essex, Majestic, Playhouse, Roxy, Star, Stowe, Welden) THE MARVELSHH1/2 Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) must work with Ms. Marvel (Iman Vellani) and Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) to save the universe in the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe entry. Nia DaCosta directed. (105 min, PG-13. Bijou, Essex, Majestic, Roxy, Stowe, Welden)

PRISCILLAHHHH Sofia Coppola tells the story of the romance of Elvis Presley (Jacob Elordi) and his teen bride (Cailee Spaeny). (113 min, R. Roxy; reviewed 11/15) TAYLOR SWIFT: THE ERAS TOURHHHH Fans who didn’t score tickets can catch this cinematic version of the pop star’s concert. (168 min, NR. Thu-Sun only: Essex)

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THANKSGIVINGHHH Turkey Day gets its own slasher movie about a killer on the loose in Plymouth, Mass. (107 min, R. Essex, Majestic, Paramount)

Radio Vermont

TROLLS BAND TOGETHERHH1/2 The third installment in the animated musical family series reunites Justin Timberlake’s character with his boy band brethren. (92 min, PG. Bijou, Essex, Majestic, Marquis, Paramount, Star, Welden)

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WHAT HAPPENS LATERHHH1/2 Meg Ryan directed and cowrote this rom-com in which she stars with David Duchovny as exes who find themselves snowed in at the same airport after years apart. (105 min, R. Capitol)

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art

The Novemberist Vermont photographer Paul Rogers embraces transition time B Y PA M EL A POL ST O N • ppolston@sevendaysvt.com

or Paul Rogers, stick season isn’t really about sticks. Nor is it about Noah Kahan, whose viral hit of the same name propelled the Vermontborn singer-songwriter to international acclaim and a recent Grammy nomination. No, for the Stowe-based photographer, it’s about a photo project by that name that he began 16 years ago and continues to this day. “Stick season,” of course, is Vermont’s fifth calendar subdivision (mud being the sixth) and refers to the period between the end of foliage and the first lasting snow — basically, November. For Rogers’ purposes, it might start a little sooner and end a little later, depending on the weather, he said in a phone call. During that time, he goes out at least two days a week and shoots 2,000 to 4,000 pictures of, well, just about everything. Back in 2008, Rogers said, contemplating what kind of work he wanted to do in the fall, he decided not to compete with the hordes of photographers infatuated with showy foliage. “I thought, November — it’s an interesting time for me, a time of transition.” November is “a time when we’re not looking our best for visitors,” Rogers continued. “The landscape is unadorned. It’s like a model who’s beautiful but without all that makeup. That’s part of what I’m looking for.” Though he initially sought out muted landscapes, the project “quickly became more than that,” said Rogers, 63. “It became about the Vermont look, Vermont life. There’s an edge of realism to it.” With his 35mm DSLR Nikon, in color or in black and white, he has captured images of rural Vermonters preparing for winter, indoor activities such as community dinners, human and animal portraits, urban art and architecture, and artists at work. Collectively, Rogers’ “Stick Season” images tell a story about Vermont at a distinctive time of the year. So why do some of them — the cornice of a building, a wall of graffiti, a close-up of a face — not reveal the season at all? “The way I think about this is, if you were to travel to this beautiful place called New England in, say, June, would you limit your photos to landscapes?” Rogers 50

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

THE LANDSCAPE IS UNADORNED. IT’S LIKE A MODEL WHO’S BEAUTIFUL BUT WITHOUT

ALL THAT MAKEUP. PAU L ROGE R S

suggested. “Would you not also photograph people, architecture, etc.? This allows the photographer — me — to go a bit further.” The breadth of Rogers’ vision is evident on his website, where he packages more than 400 photos — updated regularly — in a Stick Season Gallery. To be sure, nature is well represented and not without color, despite November’s reputation for gray. In a composition shot in Glover, a scrum of ocher-tinged trees curves around a gently rising, still-green field; purplish clouds

From top: Rusty DeWees on Worcester Ridge, Elmore, 2012; Late Autumn Hillside, Glover, 2023

ART SHOWS

From top: Wheels for Warmth Tire Sale, Montpelier, 2013; Sister Dogs Dressed as Spiders, Barre, 2023

hover in a pale-blue sky. The golden light of late afternoon burnishes the scene, while a long shadow encroaches from below. The image eloquently conveys a bittersweet transition. November is not simply leafless; it’s a liminal phase in which all of nature — including humans — must apprehend the passage of time. Rogers also has an eye for the graphically arresting. In his aerial image of a thickly forested hillside in Rochester, the last rays of daylight irradiate bare white trees, turning them into specters against deepening shadows. Spruce trees toward the top of the frame maintain the promise of green. A recent non-landscape photo could be a master class in the dramatic potential of black, white and grays. From his standing height, Rogers aims his lens down on two pugs in spider costumes and the legs of their respective humans. Strong lines crisscross the image: sidewalk cracks, leashes, a splintered shadow angling from top to bottom of the picture. The stout little dogs face away, seemingly indifferent to their arachnid disguises.

On Rogers’ website, the Stick Season Gallery is one of many, reflecting his decades of freelance photography for commercial, editorial and documentary ends. After graduating from the School of Photographic Arts and Sciences at Rochester Institute of Technology, he returned to Stowe to work for a camera shop and lab. During a stint living in Elmore, Rogers rented from actor-writer-musician Rusty DeWees and ultimately became his official photographer. Dozens of DeWees’ formal and informal portraits populate their own gallery on the website. Rogers has traveled abroad, including to China and Southeast Asia, to shoot for clients such as Country Walkers and Mission Without Borders. Back in Vermont, he continues to locate the contours of home. And sometimes he locates himself, allowing his own shadow into the picture. “It’s about my journey, too,” he said. ➆

TRACY BURTZ “SPELLBOUND” 47” x 33” oil on linen

Currently on view at

Edgewater Gallery on the Green | 6 Merchants Row, Middlebury

THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY HOURS: Wednesday November 22: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM Closed Thanksgiving Day Friday November 24: 10:00 AM - 5:00PM Saturday November 25: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Sunday November 26: 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM

One Mill St and 6 Merchant’s Row, Middlebury Vermont 802-458-0098 & 802-989-7419

INFO See images in Paul Rogers’ “Stick Season Project” at paulrogersphotography.com and on Instagram @paulrogers.vermont.

edgewatergallery.com Untitled-23 1

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

11/15/23 2:33 PM

art NOV. 22-29 EXHIBITION

In ‘At a Crossroad,’ Victoria Blewer’s Collages Employ Nostalgia to Face the Future

PAMELA POLSTON

Victoria Blewer grew up in Manhattan and spent summers in rural New Hampshire. In both places, she and her three sisters were “given free range,” she said in a phone interview. Never did her family “go across the country in a station wagon, or go to motels or tourist traps.” Yet classic emblems of postwar Americana inhabit “At a Crossroad,” Blewer’s current exhibition at Frog Hollow Vermont Craft Gallery in Burlington. Her collages feature bigfinned cars, women in 1950s garb, midcentury gas stations, signs and, yes, motels. Nostalgia has long been a motif in Blewer’s work, from the pastel hand-colored photographs for which she is best known to the collages that she began making during the pandemic shutdown. She’s not sure why the past is so appealing. “It’s like a memory that I don’t have,” Blewer said. In her piece “See America,” Blewer packs roadside signage — “Wall Drug,” “The Last Chance Fuel & Food Stop,” “Route 66 Next Exit” — into a 13-inch-square collage, along with such images as a slice of pie, a Frontier Village shack and, incongruously, a dinosaur. This small piece alone conveys Americans’ desire to cram as much as possible into a summer vacation. Yet it also subtly skewers the nation’s hit-the-highway pastime. Of the 26 collages in her exhibit, 21 are analog. Blewer favors evidence of the hand. “It’s too perfect,” she said of digitized work. “With most art, it’s the imperfect that you kinda love.” Looking at her works, one can easily imagine the artist happily ensconced at home in Weybridge, collecting images and deciding how to put them together. Some elements are purely decorative, such as wallpaper-esque backdrops in polka dots or checks or squiggles. There are also references to outer space — a subject that began to enthrall Earthlings during the Cold War “space race,” with the obsession escalating after the 1969 moon landing. Blewer pairs the interplanetary and the asphalt-bound, as well as past and present, in “Billionaires Only” — a satirical commentary on today’s mega-rich space cowboys. A large image of the moon looms in the 16-inch-square composition; Airstream trailers emblazoned with corporate logos dot the lunar orb. Blewer’s avian-centric collages — “Cardinal,” “Cedar Waxwing,” “Goldfinch” and others — are pleasing compilations of nature-based content. In the digital collage “Gentleman Farmer,” local viewers will recognize the subject of her photograph: the gardens of Shelburne Farms and Lake Champlain as seen from the inn. Blewer humorously inserted said gentleman, in a bespoke suit and holding a hunting rifle, along with plastic-looking animals. A bright yellow Champ peeks over the hedge. In stark contrast are Blewer’s works addressing contemporary catastrophes. A sepiatoned copy of Grant Wood’s “American Gothic” dominates the 16-by-12-inch “Code Red for Humanity.” The iconic couple stare grimly at the viewer while, in one corner, a smiling ’50s-era woman speaks into a rotary phone. Her anachronistic text bubble reads: “911, I would like to report a code red for humanity. No, I can’t hold!” Flames and smoke billow behind her head. Blewer’s vintage imagery can be waggish, suggesting an era that we like to think was more innocent and hopeful about the future. But “At a Crossroad” also underscores what has been lost. ➆

COURTESY OF VICTORIA BLEWER

B Y PAM E L A P O L S T O N • ppolston@sevendaysvt.com

Clockwise from bottom left: “Goldfinch”; ”See America”; “Gentleman Farmer”; “Mustang”

Victoria Blewer, “At a Crossroad,” through November 27 at Frog Hollow Vermont Craft Gallery in Burlington. victoriablewer.com

GET YOUR ART SHOW LISTED HERE AND ONLINE!

PROMOTING AN ART EXHIBIT? SUBMIT THE INFO AND IMAGES BY FRIDAY AT NOON AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTEVENT OR ART@SEVENDAYSVT.COM.

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

COURTESY OF VICTORIA BLEWER

PAMELA POLSTON

INFO

VISUAL ART IN SEVEN DAYS:

ART LISTINGS ARE WRITTEN BY PAMELA POLSTON. LISTINGS ARE RESTRICTED TO ART SHOWS IN TRULY PUBLIC PLACES.

= ONLINE EVENT OR EXHIBIT

FIND ALL ART SHOWS + EVENTS AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/ART

OPENINGS + RECEPTIONS ‘ALL THAT GLITTERS’: An exhibition of artworks that use Vermont rocks and minerals as subject or medium, including paintings, photographs, sculptures, jewelry and conceptual work, by regional artists. Bennington Museum, November 24-December 31. Info, 447-1571. ANNUAL HOLIDAY EXHIBITION AND SALE: An exhibition featuring works by Vermont and New Hampshire artists in all six galleries. Open house: Saturday, December 2, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., with artist reception and holiday celebration 5-7 p.m. AVA Gallery and Art Center, Lebanon, N.H., November 24-December 30. Info, 603-448-3117. ANNUAL HOLIDAY SHOW: A showcase of pottery, jewelry, knitwear, woodwork, ornaments and more by member artists and guests. Northeast Kingdom Artisans Guild Backroom Gallery, St. Johnsbury, November 24-January 6. Info, 748-0158. ‘BECOMING THE LANDSCAPE’: Recent large-scale paintings by Mary Therese Wright, Tina Olsen, Ellen Maddrey and John Loggia. Artists’ talk and reception: Saturday, November 25, 3-5 p.m. 118 Elliot, Brattleboro, through November 26. Info, 380-9072. DON ROSS AND CALEB KENNA: “Double Vision,” an exhibition of fine-art prints by the Vermont photographers. Reception: Saturday, November 25, 1-5 p.m. Caleb Kenna Studio, Brandon, November 25-December 31. Info, 770-8700. ‘EIGHT ALUMNI ARTISTS 2006-2021’: An exhibition of artworks in a variety of mediums by Bangwei Bao, Miles Chapin, Phebe Macrae Corcoran, Yining Ge, Bronwyn Maloney, Isabel Rodriguez, Olaf Saaf and Jingting Wang. Meet the artists: Friday, December 1, 4:30-6:30 p.m. Michael S. Currier Center, Putney School, through December 17. Info, 387-6258. FALL/WINTER MEMBER EXHIBITION: An exhibition featuring painting, drawing, prints, textile/fiber, sculpture, photography, ceramics and more. Southern Vermont Arts Center, Manchester, through March 3. Info, 362-1405. HOLIDAY TRAINS: “Thirty Years Rolling Down the Tracks,” an annual exhibition of functioning model trains with tracks three levels high, plus a special display about the history of the museum’s trains during the holiday season. Henry Sheldon Museum of Vermont History, Middlebury, November 24-January 13. Info, 388-2117. KEILANI LIME BENEFIT AUCTION: The holiday market and silent auction includes original artworks and donations from local businesses to help the Vermont artist offset medical debt. Bidding through November 28 at noon. Online, through November 28. Info, 355-2855. NORTON LATOURELLE: “Rescue Dogs,” hand-carved canine sculptures by the Vermont artisan. Frog Hollow Vermont Craft Gallery, Burlington, November 24-January 29. Info, 863-6458. ‘SMALLS’: An annual group exhibition of affordable artworks 10 inches square or smaller. Reception: Saturday, November 25, 5-7 p.m. Axel’s Frame Shop & Gallery, Waterbury, November 25-December 23. Info, 244-7801. SUSI RYAN: “The Fiber Forest,” felted wall hangings using wool from New England. Sequoia Salon, Burlington, through December 31. Info, 355-3143.

ART EVENTS BTV WINTER MARKET: A European-style outdoor market featuring a rotating group of 20 local artists, makers and food vendors. Burlington City Hall Park, Friday, November 24, 2-6 p.m.; Saturday, November 25, noon-6 p.m.; Sunday, November 26, noon-4 p.m. Info, 865-7166.

BCA Center, Burlington, Saturday, November 25, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 865-7166. WATERCOLOR PAINTING WITH PAULINE NOLTE: Instruction in the medium from the Vermont artist; no experience necessary to attend. Register to reserve a spot. Waterbury Public Library, Monday, November 27, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Free. Info, judi@ waterburypubliclibrary.com. ‘DANCE! PAINT! WRITE!: A workshop that includes movement, painting and writing while listening to an inspirational soundtrack; open to teens and adults of all mobility and skill levels. In person or via Zoom. Expressive Arts Burlington, Tuesday, November 28, 6:30-9 p.m.; and Wednesday, November 29, 9:30 a.m.-noon. $25 per session. Info, 343-8172. ➆

gift certificate A gift everyone will love — a great night out this holiday season! For every $100, receive an additional $20 Offer ends Christmas Eve.

Fire & Ice

Vermont’s Iconic steakhouse

CALL TO ARTISTS ARTFUL ICE SHANTIES: The Brattleboro Museum & Art Center and Retreat Farm invite artists, ice fishing enthusiasts and builders of all ages and experience levels to enter the outdoor exhibition, which will be February 17-25. Details and entry form at brattleboromuseum.org. Deadline: December 15. Online. Free. Info, 257-0124.

26 Seymour Street | Middlebury | 802.388.7166 | fireandicerestaurant.com

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What’s next for your career?

8/17/23 4:34 PM

Work it out with Seven Days Jobs. Find 100+ new job postings weekly from trusted, local employers in Seven Days newspaper and online.

See who’s hiring at jobs.sevendaysvt.com.

FAMILY ART SATURDAY: Kids and their grown-ups create a unique nature print using materials collected from around Burlington, with guidance from “Texture & Response” artist Ann Wessmann. 6h-jobfiller-career2021.indd 1

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

7/30/21 1:03 PM

music+nightlife Llu Mulvaney-Stanak

S UNDbites News and views on the local music + nightlife scene B Y CHRI S FARNS W O RT H

Signal Boost: Central Vermont Community Radio Celebrates 50 Years of WGDR About a year ago, I moved to a spot a little outside Burlington. The new digs offered more peace and quiet than I’d had in my Old North End apartment but came with a strange neighbor: a seemingly abandoned radio station. On one of my first exploratory walks through the woods, I happened on the place, which sits unoccupied in a clearing, with a long dirt road stretching back toward civilization. Internet sleuthing revealed that the station is still operating but largely automated. Its proximity to my home kick-started my imagination, and I started daydreaming about breaking in at night to run my own pirate radio station. I thought about the playlists I’d concoct, the talk shows I’d invent and all the possibilities that having my own radio station held. It was all a fantasy, of course. I barely have my shit together enough to create the weekly Seven Days playlist for this column, so I’d last about a day running a station. Fortunately, I can live vicariously 54

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

through the folks at Central Vermont Community Radio in Plainfield. A little more than two years ago, the group, led by station manager LLU MULVANEY-STANAK, took over Goddard College radio station WGDR, which broadcasts on 91.1 FM in Plainfield and as WGDH on 91.7 FM in Hardwick. CVCR relaunched the station with fresh programming and a mission to “provide a forum for cultivating social change that re-harmonizes human communities with the natural world, supports the independent arts, and celebrates diversity, creativity, and freedom,” according to its website. On air, Mulvaney-Stanak and company are fêting 50 years of WGDR. Still in the planning stages, a celebration will likely happen next year — “It’ll be our 50th and a half party,” MulvaneyStanak joked. For now, the station is focusing on fundraising and continuing to add new producers with varied tastes. Transforming WGDR into a community radio network was no easy

process. First and foremost, MulvaneyStanak, known locally as DJ Llu from their time at radio stations such as 99.9 the Buzz and Burlington’s WBTV-LP 99.3 FM, had to figure out how to pay for the whole thing. “WGDR is a nonprofit, but technically it always was,” Mulvaney-Stanak explained by phone from their home in Burlington. “It’s a 50-year-old station, but for 48 of those years it was Goddard’s. Which meant that if the fundraising didn’t cover expenses, the college would come in and cover things. But that’s not the case for us.” Mulvaney-Stanak pointed out that, through some creative bookkeeping, Goddard was able to qualify for grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Those grants are intended for large public media entities with budgets in excess of $300,000 and require stations to match their fundraising against their own budgets. To qualify, CVCR would have to significantly increase its

fundraising and maintain it at that level. “So, in the normal world of community radio, none of us can go for those grants,” Mulvaney-Stanak said. “It would take us years to get even near being able to qualify. It’s a chicken-andegg situation: You need the grants to get more funding and more funding to get the grant.” It’s been a steep learning curve for Mulvaney-Stanak, who has had to master the art of fundraising and being a station manager. The DJ recalled helping set up WBTV-LP, a community station and home of the Media Factory in Burlington’s South End. “Between applying to the [Federal Communications Commission] and getting a license, building the tower, and the odd government shutdown or two in there, it took us seven years to set up the station,” Mulvaney-Stanak said. “Which made it even more wild when I read in the Goddard archives that they built this station and had it on the air in four months.” Goddard built WGDR in 1973 primarily to serve a class on broadcasting. Through its eclectic programming, the station became an integral part of the local community. That role is both a benefit and a hurdle for CVCR. The tough part, according to Mulvaney-Stanak, is helping that community understand that the half-century-old station needs more funding from listeners than it did when it was college run. “We have 50 years of Vermonters’ memories and love of radio to care for,” Mulvaney-Stanak said. “People here care deeply about the station and want it to represent them, which I feel it does. And we’re starting to connect with the community in ways I’m not sure the station did before.” Mulvaney-Stanak witnessed that connection first hand in July when historic flooding caused millions of dollars of damage across the state, but particularly in WGDR’s backyard. “We broadcast to Plainfield, Montpelier, Barre and, thanks to WGDH, Hardwick,” Mulvaney-Stanak said. “That is almost exactly who got flooded out. I remember leaving the station one day, and it was like a Looney Tunes cartoon or something — the water was hot on my heels, chasing me out of town as I watched the Winooski rise.” The catastrophe gave the new-look WGDR a unique opportunity to be a community resource. The station shared updates about resources, shelters, SOUNDBITES

» P.56

GOT MUSIC NEWS? MUSIC@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

SE OR

MAT TH

A trio of Vermont comics who currently live in New York City are returning for a one-night-only Thanksgiving eve show at Foam Brewers in Burlington on Wednesday, November 22. Hosted by comedian KENDALL FARRELL, the lineup is a who’s who of Vermont expat comics, including TINA FRIML and CARMEN LAGALA; TRACY DOLAN is the sole Vermont-based comic on the bill. Farrell won the annual Kendall Farrell Vermont’s Funniest Comedian contest in 2015 before moving to the city, where he was designated a “Comic to Watch” at the New York Comedy Festival in 2019. Friml left two years ago and made her late-night TV debut on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” last week — and absolutely crushed it, by the way. Lagala was the first of the group to make her way to the Big Apple — and to the late-night talk show circuit. She appeared on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” in 2018. Speaking of Vermont expat comics in the city, don’t miss ASH DIGGS’ new half-hour special “Unexpectedly Human,” which debuted on YouTube last week. For info and to RSVP for the show (it’s free!), visit foambrewers.com. Buch Spieler Records was one of the hardest-hit businesses in Montpelier during the summer’s flooding. The Capital City record store closed after floodwaters destroyed much of its instore stock and did serious damage to the shop itself. A little more than four months later, Buch Spieler’s doors are open once more.

FILE: CHRIS FARNSWORTH

On the Beat

SONGWRITER’S NOTEBOOK TUESDAYS > 8:00 P.M.

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11/1/23 11/2/20 12:23 3:07 PM

188 MAIN STREET BURLINGTON, VT 05401 | TUE-SAT 5PM-1:30AM | 802-658-4771

LiveAtNectars.com WED 11.22

A Cornucopia of Music w/ DJ Chia FRI 11.24

Emo Night w/ Malachi Knayte Lander of Buch Spieler Records

SAT 11.25

Waiting On Mongo WED 11.29

The Thing FREE 21+ $10 18-20 “It’s finally happening,” the store announced on Instagram last week. “We flooded in a way no one could imagine, we lost records we can never replace … You showed up in real life, and you gave us money you didn’t have to help us get out of an awful, muddy hole. We know our little town is still a mess. We’re gonna make it better.” Welcome back, Buch Spieler. You were missed! ➆

THUR 11.30

Double You w/ Up & Orange FRI 12.1 + SAT 12.2

Karina Rykman w/ Coyote Island

SUN 12.3

The Q-Tip Bandits WED 12.6

Workingman's Wednesdays

SAT 11.25

After Hours w/ Malachi

Listening In (Spotify mix of local jams) 1. “MUSEUM OF LIGHT” by

A Box of Stars 2. “GOSSIP” by NMND

SUN 12.9

Y2K Pop w/ D Jay Baron FRI 12.15

Talking Heads Tribute w/ Tad Cautious

3. “POSTMAN” by Caleb Lodish,

Hakim XOXO 4. “ALL THE KIDS” by the New Siberians

Eye on the Scene Last week’s live music highlights from photographer Luke Awtry JUNKTIQUES ACTUAL 20TH BIRTHDAY, JUNKTIQUES COLLECTIVE, BURLINGTON, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17: We won’t know until this time next year if we’ll celebrate Junktiques Collective’s

actual 21st birthday or once again gather on North Winooski Avenue in Burlington to pay tribute to its 20th anniversary — for the fourth year in a row. But who cares? My favorite thing about the Old North End’s premier emporium of oddities is its ability to live exclusively in the moment. Jamba’s Junktiques, as it was originally known, shares its birthday with owner PHINNEUS SONIN, who claims to have turned 53. I’m dubious, but after seeing such a masterful improviser and fearless performer as Phinn onstage with Burlington’s grandmasters of surf, BARBACOA — who were among the 20 performers at the shop’s “actual” 20th birthday bash on Friday — I’m reminded that age is, in fact, just a number.

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5. “LIGHTNING OCEAN (GENTRY REMIX)” by Matthew Mercury

6. “BETTER DREAMS” by

6radley, KillSJ 7. “DAILY MAIL” by Paper Castles

Scan to listen sevendaysvt. com/playlist

11/20/23 12:48 PM

Snack on the BITE-CLUB NEWSLETTER for a taste of this week’s flavorful food coverage. It’ll hold you over until Wednesday. SUBSCRIBE AT

sevendaysvt.com/enews SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023 16T-BiteClubfiller.indd 1

55 12/21/20 6:07 PM

music+nightlife Soundbites « P.54 road closures and weather updates. It even helped connect listeners with the agencies that were in the field helping those affected by the flooding. “People were calling in and updating and asking us to update constantly,” Mulvaney-Stanak recalled. “For two weeks, we just held space to inform our community, playing music and shows and letting them know they weren’t alone. It’s not the same thing, but it did remind me of working at my college station in Castleton on 9/11 and the way people turned to radio.” Beyond its call letters, today’s WGDR hardly resembles its former college radio incarnation. Just before the pandemic, the station dropped to a paltry 20 producers creating shows. Since school administrators planned to hand off the radio facilities, they had no interest in recruiting new programmers. Mulvaney-Stanak has worked to bring in 30 all-new producers with the help of the CVCR programming committee (whose members include former Vermont Public reporter JOHN DILLON and

ERICA HEILMAN, host of the popular podcast

“Rumble Strip”). From politics to humor to baroque music to ska, the station’s playlist is now all over the map. “Community radio is the Wild West,” Mulvaney-Stanak said. “These are independently volunteerproduced programs, which means they are inherently idiosyncratic, flawed and utterly unique,” Heilman told Seven Days. “As a listener, I am always surprised, and every now and then I catch something that is positively transcendent. “We are well on our way to becoming a radio station that sounds like where we live,” she went on. “I want CVCR to reflect the concerns and interests that are unique to this particular place.” As WGDR turns 50, Mulvaney-Stanak thinks it’s important to appreciate the progress the station has made in the twoplus years since CVCR took over. “Radio is the most resilient of our media sources,” Mulvaney-Stanak said. “We go anywhere you are, and community radio is more important than ever. We want to be part of this community for another 50 years.” ➆

Conni Magnuson and Maura Quinn at WGDR

Vermont Independent Radio pointfm.com 56

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

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4/26/21 3:38 PM

CLUB DATES live music WED.22

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.

Jazz Jam Sessions with Randal Pierce (jazz) at the 126, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

FRI.24 // LUKAS NELSON + POTR [COUNTRY ROCK]

Barbie-N-Bones (rock) at the Depot, St. Albans, 9 p.m. $5.

Jazz Night with Ray Vega (jazz) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. Free.

Bent Nails House Band (blues, rock) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 8 p.m. Free.

Karl Woods-Lucas (singer-songwriter) at American Flatbread Burlington Hearth, 5:30 p.m. Free.

Bird Mountain Sting Band (bluegrass) at Taps Tavern, Poultney, 6 p.m. Free.

Live Jazz (jazz) at Leunig’s Bistro & Café, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free. The Thing (rock) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

Bluegrass & BBQ (bluegrass) at Four Quarters Brewing, Winooski, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Wednesday Night Dead (Grateful Dead covers) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. $5.

Bob Montgomery Blues Band (blues) at Red Square, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Willverine (electronic) at the Wallflower Collective, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. Free.

Cozy (jam) at 14th Star Brewing, St. Albans, 6 p.m. Free.

djs

Fran Briand & Mike Trombley (acoustic) at the Old Post, South Burlington, 8 p.m. Free. Jazz Jam Sessions with Randal Pierce (jazz) at the 126, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

WED.22

Jazz Night with Ray Vega (jazz) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. Free.

The Mid Week Hump with DJ Fattie B and Craig Mitchell (DJ) at Monkey House, Winooski, 7 p.m. Free.

DJ CRE8 (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.

Live Jazz (jazz) at Leunig’s Bistro & Café, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free.

THU.23

Wednesday Night Dead (Grateful Dead covers) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. $5.

DJ Chaston (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.

Willverine (electronic) at the Wallflower Collective, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. Free.

Vinyl Night with Ken (DJ) at Taps Tavern, Poultney, 6 p.m. Free.

FRI.24

THU.23

Jazz with Alex Stewart and Friends (jazz) at the 126, Burlington, 8:30 p.m.

FRI.24

Dave Mitchell’s Blues Revue (blues) at Red Square, Burlington, 2 p.m. Free. Duncan MacLeod Trio (jazz) at Bleu Northeast Kitchen, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free. Gourd, Who (rock) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 10 p.m. Free. Gully Boys (acoustic) at Babes Bar, Bethel, 7 p.m. Free. Jaded Ravins (Americana) at Whammy Bar, Calais, 7 p.m. Free. Jason Baker (acoustic) at Gusto’s, Barre, 6 p.m. Free. Lukas Nelson + POTR, Ben Chapman (country rock) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 7 p.m. $35/$39. Milton Busker & the Grim Work (folk rock) at Jericho Café & Tavern, 7 p.m. Free. Mr. French (rock) at the Old Post, South Burlington, 7 p.m. The Nailers (rock) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 8 p.m. Free. Patrick Sargent (singersongwriter) at Taps Tavern, Poultney, 6 p.m. Free. Rap Night Burlington (hip-hop) at Drink, Burlington, 9 p.m. $5. Something Reckless (rock) at Gusto’s, Barre, 9 p.m. Free.

Chip Off the Ol’ Block It’s a long tradition for children of famous musicians to follow in their

DJ Craig Mitchell (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free. DJ CRWD CTRL (DJ) at Monkey House, Winooski, 9 p.m. Free.

parents’ footsteps. Whether it’s Wilson Phillips or the original musical nepo baby, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the key to

DJ Kata (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.

success is how they make a name for themselves. For LUKAS NELSON, the son of country great Willie Nelson, that hasn’t been

DJ Taka (DJ) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 11 p.m. $10/$15.

a problem. He and his backing band, Promise of the Real — or POTR — are bona fide hard-touring country rockers whose 2021 album, A Few Stars Apart, spent seven weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Americana/Folk Albums chart. Nelson also won a Grammy for his work producing the soundtrack to the 2018 film A Star Is Born. Clearly, the younger Nelson stands in no shadow. He and POTR swing through South Burlington on Friday, November 24, for a performance at the Higher Ground Ballroom, featuring support from BEN CHAPMAN. Tom Waits, the Black Frider (tribute) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $10. Zachary Defranco (bluegrass) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 4 p.m. Free.

SAT.25

Bob Gagnon (jazz) at Bleu Northeast Kitchen, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free. Drunk Off Diesel (metal) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 10 p.m. Free. Jeanne and Will (folk) at the Den at Harry’s Hardware, Cabot, 7 p.m. Free. Joanne Garton (folk) at Whammy Bar, Calais, 7 p.m. Free. Jonny Mop (rock) at 14th Star Brewing, St. Albans, 6 p.m. Free.

Left Eye Jump (blues) at Red Square, Burlington, 2 p.m. Free. Quadra, Phil Abair Band (rock) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 7 p.m. $15/$18. Queer Takeover Evening (indie, DJ) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 7 p.m. $10/$15. Tallgrass Getdown (bluegrass) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 8 p.m. $10/$12. Third Shift (jazz) at Jericho Café & Tavern, 7 p.m. Free.

SUN.26

Jon Wagar & Friends (rock) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 10 p.m. Free.

Music of Grateful Dead & More for Kids (tribute) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 11 a.m. $15/$18. Sunday Brunch Tunes (singersongwriter) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 10 a.m. Vermont Jazz Ensemble (jazz) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 5 p.m. $15.

TUE.28

Big Easy Tuesdays with Back Porch Revival (jazz) at the 126, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

Honky Tonk Tuesday with Queen City Cut-Ups (country) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 9 p.m. $10. John Lackard Blues Duo (blues) at Lawson’s Finest Liquids, Waitsfield, 5 p.m. Free. Rogê, Mikahely (samba) at Monkey House, Winooski, 7:30 p.m. $13/$15.

WED.29

Bent Nails House Band (blues, rock) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 8 p.m. Free.

Bluegrass Jam (bluegrass) at Taps Tavern, Poultney, 7 p.m. Free.

Bluegrass & BBQ (bluegrass) at Four Quarters Brewing, Winooski, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Elijah Berlow, Dirty Bird, Box of Stars (folk) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 7 p.m. $10/$15.

Family Junket, Scram!, Barn Cat (folk) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 8 p.m. $12/$15.

SAT.25

Blanchface (DJ) at Manhattan Pizza & Pub, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free. Crypt Goth Night (DJ) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 8 p.m. Free. DJ A-Ra$ (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, midnight. Free. DJ Gold Cheng (DJ) at Monkey House, Winooski, 9 p.m. Free. DJ LaFountaine (DJ) at Gusto’s, Barre, 9 p.m. Free. DJ Raul (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free. DJ Taka (DJ) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 11 p.m. $10/$15. Matt Payne (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free. Molly Mood (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free. Record Sale with DJ Ken (DJ) at Taps Tavern, Poultney, noon. Free.

DJS SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

» P.59 57

music+nightlife

REVIEW this Kyle Chadburn & the Earthbound Spirits, No Direction, Vol. 2 (SELF-RELEASED, DIGITAL)

Kyle Chadburn is on his way to becoming one of the more dogged and prolific local musicians in recent memory. Since cofounding the Evansville Transit Authority with Adam Choiniere and Travis LeBlanc in 2002, the Northeast Kingdom native has been a fixture in the Vermont music scene. For more than two decades, he’s played venues and festivals across the state both as a solo artist and a member of his many affiliated acts, all the while putting out records, including his 2017 solo debut, Faded Colors in Darkened Skies. Chadburn’s latest project is Kyle Chadburn & the Earthbound Spirits. The group has already released two EPs of originals written by Chadburn since forming in summer 2022. Listening to No Direction, Vols. 1 and 2, one gets the sense that the recordings represent a

Whimmers, In the Midst of Something Worth Seeing (SELF-RELEASED, DIGITAL)

You always remember your first. And I’ll never forget Isla Hormiga. The debut album from singer-songwriter Tim Halteman’s project Thai BlueJeans Salesman was the first piece of music I reviewed for Seven Days. It was a little undercooked, more of an exercise in making an album than an album itself, but I remember thinking to myself as I turned in the review to my editor: I wonder what this weird little project will turn into? Seven years later, Halteman is back with a new project called Whimmers and a new LP, In the Midst of Something Worth Seeing. Now living in Burlington after stints in White River Junction and

welcome creative outlet for Chadburn to experiment more broadly as he continues on the tour grind with the Transit Authority. The first volume, released last October, explores the strains of folk and country that have traditionally lurked under the surface of Chadburn’s work. On Vol. 2, however, Chadburn and company have ditched the acoustic instruments and the Americana influence in favor of a heavier sound grounded squarely in the rock and blues traditions. That’s about as far as I would go in trying to categorize the EP as a whole, thanks to the eclectic mix of styles and influences that the group has brought to these six songs. After opener “Try,” I got ready to buckle down for a round of fast-paced and brawny southern rock. Spurred on by LeBlanc’s tight backbeat, the tune’s

main guitar riff and rhythmic vamping are straight out of the ZZ Top playbook. Lead guitarist Rudy Dauth, meanwhile, skates over it all with deft slide work that bears the mark of Duane Allman’s influence. The EP comes to an abrupt simmer with “No Direction.” The title track is a slow, bluesy lament, which might seem slightly anticlimactic at first, given the galloping opener. But it serves as the lyrical high point of an album that’s mostly about people struggling as the walls close in on them. In a smoky drawl, Chadburn opens with a verse that’s eerily moving in the wake of this summer’s historic flooding: “Rain keeps falling, floodwaters at my door / Goin’ to keep my head above the water ’til I can’t breathe no more.” The group shifts gears on “Avalanche.” It’s a mellow post-grunge

tune (think Nickelback with a slide guitar) sung by LeBlanc, whose grainy delivery, reminiscent of Chris Daughtry, causes the listener to wish his vocals made more than one appearance on the album. It’s a mode in which the group works well and to which it returns on “Speak the Night,” just after the swinging blues tune “Wait So Long,” which showcases Mike Fried on the keys. Fried is a newcomer to the group for No Direction, Vol. 2, and his work on the organ and piano offers vital texture throughout, especially on the bluesinflected tracks. Rounding out the record is “On the Horizon,” a tune that could have ended up on either volume of No Direction. As a closing track to the project as a whole, the song seems to synthesize the sprawling influences of both volumes. As its name suggests, it hints at big things to come from Kyle Chadburn & the Earthbound Spirts. No Direction, Vol. 2, is available on all music streaming services.

North Hero, Halteman has a number of projects, including drumming in indie-folk group A Box of Stars and doom-metal act Summit Prowler. With Whimmers, he dives deep into his inner troubadour, composing songs full of introspection and subdued melodies. The LP opens with “In the Bubble (In the Middle),” picking up where the Thai BlueJeans Salesman project left off with Halteman’s tender, almost conversational voice set against acoustic guitars and a shuffling drumbeat. It’s all pretty standard indie folk until a vamping bridge reminds you of Halteman’s more aggressive influences. By the time the record hits “[You’re Going Fast],” the differences between Halteman’s

other projects and Whimmers become clearer. The instrumental track delves into new-wave influences with a math rock-like rhythm, a sudden slash of color sandwiched between rainy-day folk ditties. Even the songs that could fit into Halteman’s earlier work, such as “Crinkled Note” and “Two Lights Blinking,” have a heightened sense of adventure to their arrangements. In the Midst of Something Worth Seeing suffers no repetitive or lagging moments, something that wasn’t the case with Isla Hormiga. Halteman played every sound on the record — his first in four years — and engineered and mixed it himself. He returned to North Hero to make it, tracking the whole thing in a measly two days.

Unlike some of his earliest work, this LP has nothing raw or unfinished. On tracks such as “Night Pollinators” and “Two Lights Blinking,” Halteman displays new sophistication as a songwriter and a producer. At no point does the album sound like a demo or something made in a bedroom. The record closes with the title track and Halteman singing, “It’s never on the inside / the way it looks from the outside.” Listening, I understood why he shifted to a new project, even if Thai BlueJeans Salesman and Whimmers are both essentially indiefolk outfits. Halteman has leveled up, both as a songwriter and as a producer, making a record deserving of its own identity. In the Midst of Something Worth Seeing is available at whimmers. bandcamp.com.

GET YOUR MUSIC REVIEWED:

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

HABIB SABET

CHRIS FARNSWORTH

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

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SAT.25 CONTINUED FROM P.57

COURTESY OF JULIEN KINCEWICZ

djs TUE.28 // ROGÊ [SAMBA]

SUN.26

Mi Yard Reggae Night with DJ Big Dog (reggae, dancehall) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

Venetian Trivia Night (trivia) at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

THU.23

Karaoke Night (karaoke) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. Free. Trivia (trivia) at Highland Lodge, Greensboro, 7 p.m. Free. Trivia Night (trivia) at McGillicuddy’s Five Corners, Essex Junction, 6:30 p.m. Free.

open mics & jams

Trivia Night (trivia) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free.

WED.22

FRI.24

Irish Sessions (Celtic, open mic) at Burlington St. John’s Club, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Karaoke (karaoke) at McKee’s Pub & Grill, Winooski, 9 p.m. Free.

Open Mic (open mic) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 10 p.m. Free.

SUN.26

Trivia Thursday (trivia) at Spanked Puppy Pub, Colchester, 7 p.m. Free.

Sunday Funday (games) at 1st Republic Brewing, Essex, noon. Free.

Open Mic with Danny Lang (open mic) at Taps Tavern, Poultney, 7 p.m. Free.

Venetian Karaoke (karaoke) at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

THU.23

Open Mic (open mic) at Whammy Bar, Calais, 7 p.m. Free.

MON.27

Trivia Monday with Top Hat Entertainment (trivia) at McKee’s Pub & Grill, Winooski, 7-9 p.m. Free.

MON.27

Open Mic (open mic) at Stone Corral, Richmond, 7 p.m. Free. Open Mic Night (open mic) at Despacito, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

TUE.28

Open Mic (open mic) at 1st Republic Brewing, Essex, 6 p.m. Free. Open Mic Night (open mic) at Positive Pie Tap & Grill, Plainfield, 6 p.m. Free. Venetian Soda Open Mic (open mic) at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

WED.29

Irish Sessions (Celtic, open mic) at Burlington St. John’s Club, 6:30 p.m. Free. Open Mic (open mic) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 10 p.m. Free.

Trivia with Craig Mitchell (trivia) at Monkey House, Winooski, 7 p.m. Free.

Beach Sounds Brazilian samba and funk star

before he moved to Los Angeles in 2019. Following the tradition of other Brazilian musicians such as Astrud Gilberto and Sérgio Mendes, Rogê set about establishing himself in the American music market, releasing the album Curyman in March. The record reflects his reverence for the natural world and his love of Rio, all while

moving with the rhythms of samba and funk. He performs at the Monkey House in Winooski on Tuesday, November 28, along with local opener MIKAHELY. FRI.24

Carmen Lagala (comedy) at Hugo’s, Montpelier, 8 p.m. Free.

Open Mic with Danny Lang (open mic) at Taps Tavern, Poultney, 7 p.m. Free.

Phil Hanley (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 & 9 p.m. $25.

comedy

SAT.25

WED.22

Queer Comedy Hour with Max Higgins (comedy) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 7 p.m. $10/$15.

Standup Comedy Open Mic (comedy open mic) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. Whale Tales: An Evening of Comedic Storytelling (comedy) at Club Metronome, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

4H-HaganAssVTPub11223 1

ROGÊ was already a big deal in Rio de Janeiro

Phil Hanley (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 & 9 p.m. $25.

SUN.26

$5 Improv Night (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 p.m. $5.

MON.27

Comedy Open Mic (comedy open mic) at the 126, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

TUE.28

Free Stuff! (comedy) at Lincolns, Burlington, 9:30 p.m. Free. Standup Class Performance (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

WED.29

Jon Rudnitsky (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 p.m. $20.

TUE.28

Karaoke with Motorcade (karaoke) at Manhattan Pizza & Pub, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free. Karaoke Tuesdays (karaoke) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free. Karaoke with DJ Party Bear (karaoke) at Charlie-O’s World Famous, Montpelier, 9:30 p.m. Free. Taproom Trivia (trivia) at 14th Star Brewing, St. Albans, 6:30 p.m. Free. Trivia Night (trivia) at the Depot, St. Albans, 7 p.m. Free.

Standup Comedy Open Mic (comedy open mic) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 8:30 p.m.

Trivia Tuesday (trivia) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 7 p.m. Free.

trivia, karaoke, etc. WED.22

Tuesday Trivia (trivia) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

WED.29

4Qs Trivia Night (trivia) at Four Quarters Brewing, Winooski, 6 p.m. Free.

Trivia Night (trivia) at Stone Corral, Richmond, 7 p.m. Free.

Venetian Trivia Night (trivia) at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free. ➆

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

11/16/23 3:16 PM

calendar N O V E M B E R

WED.22 business

QUEEN CITY BUSINESS NETWORKING INTERNATIONAL GROUP: Savvy businesspeople make crucial contacts at a weekly chapter meeting. Burlington City Arts, 11:15 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 829-5066.

community

CURRENT EVENTS: Neighbors have an informal discussion about what’s in the news. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30 a.m.noon. Free. Info, 878-4918.

crafts

YARN CRAFTERS GROUP: A drop-in meetup welcomes knitters, crocheters, spinners, weavers and beyond. BYO snacks and drinks. Must Love Yarn, Shelburne, 5-7 p.m. Free. Info, 448-3780.

dance

WESTIE WEDNESDAYS DANCE: Swing dancers lift and spin at a weekly social dance. North Star Community Hall, Burlington, 8-9 p.m. $5 suggested donation. Info, 802westiecollective@gmail. com.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section. ‘GREAT WHITE SHARK 3D’: Viewers learn the true story behind one of our most iconic — and misunderstood — predators. 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,

2 2 - 2 9 ,

$14.50-18; admission free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848. ‘JOURNEY TO SPACE 3D’: Sparkling graphics and vibrant interviews take viewers on a journey alongside NASA astronauts as they prepare for stranger-than-sciencefiction space travel. Northfield Savings Bank 3D Theater: A National Geographic Experience, ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, noon, 2 & 4 p.m. $3-5 plus regular admission, $14.50-18; admission free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848. ‘OCEANS: OUR BLUE PLANET 3D’: Scientists dive into the planet’s least-explored habitat, from its sunny shallows to its alien depths. Northfield Savings Bank 3D Theater: A National Geographic Experience, ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 11 a.m., 1 & 3 p.m. $3-5 plus regular admission, $14.50-18; admission free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848. ‘TINY GIANTS 3D’: Through the power of special cameras, audiences are transported into the world of the teeniest animals on Earth. 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.

food & drink

COMMUNITY SUPPER: Neighbors share a tasty meal at their local library. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield, 6 p.m. Free. Info, 426-3581.

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WHAT’S THAT WINE WEDNESDAYS: Aspiring sommeliers blind-taste four wines from Vermont and beyond. Shelburne Vineyard, noon6 p.m. $15. Info, 985-8222.

health & fitness

CHAIR YOGA: Waterbury Public Library instructor Diana Whitney leads at-home participants in gentle stretches supported by seats. 10 a.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

holidays

‘A CHRISTMAS CAROL’: Northern Stage brings Charles Dickens’ classic story of redemption and community to life in an original adaptation. Byrne Theater, Barrette Center for the Arts, White River Junction, 7:30 p.m. $19-69. Info, 296-7000.

language

BEGINNER IRISH LANGUAGE CLASS: Celtic-curious students learn to speak an Ghaeilge in a supportive group. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, noon-1 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403. ELL CLASSES: ENGLISH FOR BEGINNERS & INTERMEDIATE STUDENTS: Learners of all abilities practice written and spoken English with trained instructors. Presented by Fletcher Free Library. 6:30-8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, bshatara@burlingtonvt.gov.

montréal

‘BOY FALLS FROM THE SKY’: Jake Epstein, famous for his role in Degrassi: The Next Generation, presents a one-man musical chronicling the ups and downs of a life in showbiz. Sylvan Adams Theatre, Segal Centre for

Performing Arts, Montréal, 8 p.m. $25-68. Info, 514-739-7944.

Londonderry, 5:30-9 p.m. $6-15. Info, 917-816-5773.

Arts, Greensboro, 2 p.m. $6. Info, 533-2000.

sports

holidays

‘GREAT WHITE SHARK 3D’: See WED.22.

GREEN MOUNTAIN TABLE TENNIS CLUB: Ping-Pong players swing their paddles in singles and doubles matches. Rutland Area Christian School, 7-9 p.m. Free for first two sessions; $30 annual membership. Info, 247-5913.

words

NANOWRIMO WRITE-IN: Writers participating in National Novel Writing month gather to put pen to paper and offer each other encouragement. Teen and adult spaces available. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 6-7:45 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

THU.23 holidays

THANKSGIVING 2023: Turkey, candied yams, shrimp and grits, and seasonal pies delight the alpine-inclined at this familyfriendly buffet. The Lodge at Spruce Peak, Stowe, 2 & 5 p.m. $45-90; free for kids under 5; preregister. Info, 888-478-6938. THANKSGIVING DINNER: SOLD OUT. A three-course autumnal menu pairs perfectly with mountain views and a cozy, intimate ambiance. Edson Hill Dining Room & Tavern, Stowe, 1-5 p.m. $28-98; preregister. Info, 253-7371.

montréal

‘BOY FALLS FROM THE SKY’: See WED.22, 8 p.m.

FRI.24 crafts

PUTNEY CRAFT TOUR: Jewelers, glassblowers, winemakers and cheesemongers open their studios to shoppers meandering through the area. See putneycrafts.com for participating studios. Various Putney locations, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Info, 387-4032.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section. ‘GREAT WHITE SHARK 3D’: See WED.22.

LIST YOUR UPCOMING EVENT HERE FOR FREE! All submissions must be received by Thursday at noon for consideration in the following Wednesday’s newspaper. Find our convenient form and guidelines at sevendaysvt.com/postevent. Listings and spotlights are written by Emily Hamilton. Seven Days edits for space and style. Depending on cost and other factors, classes and workshops may be listed in either the calendar or the classes section. Class organizers may be asked to purchase a class listing. Learn more about highlighted listings in the Magnificent 7 on page 11.

FIND MORE LOCAL EVENTS IN THIS ISSUE AND ONLINE: art Find visual art exhibits and events in the Art section and at sevendaysvt.com/art.

film See what’s playing at theaters in the On Screen section.

music + nightlife Find club dates at local venues in the Music + Nightlife section online at sevendaysvt.com/music.

= ONLINE EVENT

‘JOURNEY TO SPACE 3D’: See WED.22. ‘OCEANS: OUR BLUE PLANET 3D’: See WED.22. ‘THEY LIVE’: Anti-consumerist cinephiles buck the Black Friday trend by attending a screening of John Carpenter’s 1988 cult classic sci-fi satire. Epsilon Spires, Brattleboro, 7:30-10 p.m. $5-15 suggested donation. Info, info@ epsilonspires.org. ‘TINY GIANTS 3D’: See WED.22. WARREN MILLER’S ‘ALL TIME’: Ski fans celebrate the birth of places like Sun Valley and Aspen through snowy footage. Stratton Mountain School, South

‘A CHRISTMAS CAROL’: See WED.22.

‘JOURNEY TO SPACE 3D’: See WED.22.

FLANNEL FRIDAY: Festive fairies bestow gifts and prizes upon plaid-wearing holiday shoppers. Downtown Montpelier. Free. Info, 279-2236.

‘OCEANS: OUR BLUE PLANET 3D’: See WED.22.

A FOREST OF LIGHTS: The VINS forest canopy walkways and surrounding woodlands transform into a twinkling winter wonderland open for strolling. Vermont Institute of Natural Science, Quechee, 5-7 p.m. $7-12; free for kids 3 and under. Info, 359-5000. SANTA PARADE: Revelers don provided antlers to watch the beloved holiday tradition wind through downtown, led by local (and international) celebs including Champ, Miss Vermont and Santa Claus. Church Street Marketplace, Burlington, noon. Free. Info, 598-9296. TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY: Carolers ring in the Christmas season before the illumination of the towering tree. Church Street Marketplace, Burlington, 5-6 p.m. Free. Info, 863-1648. WINTER LIGHTS: Buildings and gardens glow in multicolored illuminations for the holiday season. Shelburne Museum, 5-8 p.m. $10-15; free for kids under 3; preregister. Info, 985-3346.

music

DIONNE WARWICK: The Vermont Symphony Orchestra string ensemble accompanies this legendary, five-time Grammywinning vocalist. Paramount Theatre, Rutland, 7 p.m. $79-99. Info, 775-0903.

sports

THE STIFEL KILLINGTON CUP: Superstars of snow sports hit the slopes for the women’s giant slalom and slalom races. See killington.com for full schedule. See calendar spotlight. Killington Resort, 3-7 p.m. $10-100. Info, 800-734-9435.

theater

A RAFTER OF CRANKIES: Panoramic scrolls wind through a box combined with a song or story to create a unique performance. Green Mountain Orchards, Putney, 7:30 p.m. $16-20. Info, 387-4051.

SAT.25 crafts

PUTNEY CRAFT TOUR: See FRI.24.

‘TINY GIANTS 3D’: See WED.22.

food & drink

SHOP & SIP: The sweet shop marks Small Business Saturday with hot chocolate tastings all afternoon. Lake Champlain Chocolates Flagship Store, Burlington, noon-4 p.m. Free. Info, 864-1807.

games

CHESS CLUB: Players of all ages and abilities face off and learn new strategies. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

health & fitness

COMMUNITY YOGA CLASS: An all-levels session offers a weekly opportunity to relax the mind and rejuvenate the body. Wise Pines, Woodstock, 10-11 a.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 432-3126.

holidays

‘A CHRISTMAS CAROL’: See WED.22, 6:30 p.m. FESTIVAL OF TREES: Kicking off with a spectacular tree lighting and laser show, a week of festive fun features such delights as a masquerade gala and cookie decorating in Santa’s workshop. See vtfestivaloftrees.com for full schedule. See calendar spotlight. Various St. Albans locations, 5-7 p.m. Free; fee for some activities. Info, vtfestivaloftrees@gmail. com. A FOREST OF LIGHTS: See FRI.24. HOLIDAY CRAFT FAIR: Shoppers browse a wide selection of Vermont-made gifts. Community Center in Jericho, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Free. Info, 899-3441. HOLIDAY MAKER’S MARKET: Neighbors shop local from a rotating roster of crafters and farmers. Kraemer & Kin, Alburgh, 3-8 p.m. Free. Info, 796-3586. HOLIDAY MARKET: Shoppers celebrate Small Business Saturday with browsing, themed cocktails and seasonal activities. The Soda Plant, Burlington, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Info, info@localmaverickus. com. ‘THE NUTCRACKER’: Albany Berkshire Ballet presents its 49th annual tour of Tchaikovsky’s beloved Christmas spectacle. The Flynn, Burlington, 3 p.m. $39-61. Info, 863-5966.

film

SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY: Horse-drawn wagons haul holiday shoppers between local shops. Downtown Montpelier. Free. Info, 279-2236.

‘THE BIG LEBOWSKI’: The Dude abides! Jeff Bridges plays an unemployed bowling fanatic who gets tangled up in a kidnapping scheme in this trippy 1998 comedy. Highland Center for the

WINTER LIGHTS: See FRI.24, 5-8 p.m.

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

SAT.25

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

» P.62

LIST YOUR EVENT FOR FREE AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTEVENT

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: Little ones enjoy a cozy session of reading, rhyming and singing. Birth through age 5. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

FAMILY FUN 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.

STORYBOOK CRAFTYTOWN: Creative kids make a project based on the book they read. Ages 8 and up, or ages 6 and up with an adult helper. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 3-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140. TODDLERTIME: Miss Alexa delights infants and toddlers ages 1 to 3 and their adult caregivers with interactive stories, songs, rhymes and more. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 9:15-9:45 & 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

WED.22

burlington

WRITE-IN (KID FRIENDLY): Aspiring authors of all ages challenge themselves to write for a full hour. BYO computer or pen and paper. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

DIY DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS DICE TRAY: Bards and barbarians craft containers for their dice out of fabric and clay. Ages 9 through 18; kids under 11 must bring a guardian. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 4-5:30 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403. TODDLER TIME: Librarians bring out books, rhymes and songs specially selected for young ones 12 through 24 months. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

chittenden county

BUILD A FORT AND READ!: Young bookworms build a perfectly cozy reading fortress out of chairs and blankets. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 1:30-3 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956. CRAFTYTOWN!: From painting and printmaking to collage and sculpture, creative kids explore different projects and mediums. Ages 8 and up, or ages 6 and up with an adult helper. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 1-3 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140. KIDS GAME ON!: Kids get together to play video games such as Mario Kart and Overcooked on the library’s Nintendo Switches. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140. PLAY TIME: Little ones build with blocks and read together. Ages 1 through 4. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 1010:45 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

mad river valley/ waterbury

LEGO CHALLENGE CLUB: Kids engage in a fun-filled hour of building, then leave their creations on display in the library all month long. Ages 9 through 11. Waterbury Public Library, 3-4 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 244-7036.

FRI.24

upper valley

THANKSGIVING WEEKEND: Fun farm activities such as games, crafts, historical cooking and s’mores around the fire make for a delightfully down-home holiday. See calendar spotlight. Billings Farm & Museum, Woodstock, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Regular admission, $10-17; free for members and kids 3 and under. Info, 457-2355.

NOV. 24-26 | FAMILY FUN barre/montpelier SAT.25

burlington

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: Energetic youngsters join Miss Meliss and friends on the lawn for stories, songs and lots of silliness. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

Gobble, Gobble

SLED DOGS LIVE: October Siberians brings its impressive team of huskies for a meet and greet on the terrace. ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 10:30, 11:30 a.m., 1 & 2 p.m. Regular admission, $14.50-18; free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

Thanksgiving gets a blast from the past at Woodstock’s Billings Farm & Museum. The centerpiece of the weekend is a historically accurate and appetizingly aromatic 1890s table setting, featuring such delectable 19th-century delights as oyster soup, mashed turnips and baked apples. Families get in on the action by baking their own mini pies, crafting woven place mats and watching cooking demos at the farmhouse. After reading Chief Jake Swamp’s Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message along the StoryWalk, everyone warms up with s’mores and cocoa around the bonfire.

chittenden county

THANKSGIVING WEEKEND

FAMILY PLAYSHOP: Kids from birth through age 5 learn and play at this school readiness program. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

LEGO FUN: Budding architects and engineers use their imaginations and the classic blocks to build creations to display in the library. Children under 8 must bring a caregiver. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 10 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 878-6956.

Friday, November 24, through Sunday, November 26, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., at Billings Farm & Museum in Woodstock. Regular admission, $10-17; free for members and kids 3 and under. Info, 457-2355, billingsfarm.org.

upper valley

THANKSGIVING WEEKEND: See FRI.24.

TEEN THROWBACK MATINEE: Film buffs ages 13 and up share popcorn over a classic 1980s comedy. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 2-4 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

MON.27

upper valley

THANKSGIVING WEEKEND: See FRI.24.

STORIES WITH SHANNON: Bookworms ages 2 through 5 enjoy fun-filled reading time. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

randolph/royalton

chittenden county

burlington

‘THE HOBBIT’: Bilbo Baggins embarks on a perilous journey in search of hidden treasures in this No Strings Marionette puppet production. Chandler Center for the Arts, Randolph, 2 p.m. Pay what you can. Info, 728-9878.

KIDS SEWING WORKSHOP: Crafty kiddos make a puppet out of yarn and felt. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 3-4 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

SUN.26

TINY TOTS STORY TIME: Tiny tykes have fun, hear stories and meet new friends with Ms. Cynthia. Waterbury Public Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

MEET CLIFFORD: The big red dog makes an appearance at a special holiday story time. Phoenix Books, Rutland, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 855-8078.

northeast kingdom

rutland/killington

mad river valley/ waterbury

MONDAY MIXER: Little ones get energized through unstructured dancing and play. Ages 5 and under. St. Johnsbury

Athenaeum, 10:15-10:45 a.m. Free. Info, 748-8291.

WED.29

burlington

‘RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER: THE MUSICAL’: Everyone’s favorite flying friend takes to the stage and ushers in the Christmas season. The Flynn, Burlington, 7 p.m. $45-77. Info, 863-5966. FAM JAM!: Vermont Folklife hosts a tuneful get-together for musicians of all ages and skill levels. BYO instruments. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 6:307:30 p.m. Free. Info, 388-4964. STEAM SPACE: Kids explore science, technology, engineering, art and math activities. Ages 5 through 11. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403. TODDLER TIME: See WED.22.

chittenden county

STORY TIME: Kids 5 and under play, sing, hear stories and color. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 2-3 p.m. Free. Info, 745-1391.

BABYTIME: Caregivers and infants from birth through age 1 gather in the Wiggle Room to explore board books and toys. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

TUE.28

burlington

JOLABOKAFLOD: A COZY EVENING OF BOOKS & CHOCOLATE!: Pajamas are encouraged at this Icelandic-inspired evening of stories and sweets. Donations of picture books accepted. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 4:30-6 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

COMICS CLUB: Graphic novel and manga fans in third through fifth grades meet to discuss current reads and do fun activities together. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3-4 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956. KIDS GAME ON!: See WED.22. PLAY TIME: See WED.22.

northeast kingdom

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.

TWEEN BOOK CLUB: Book lovers ages 10 through 14 share their favorite recent reads at this monthly meeting. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 4-5 p.m. Free. Info, 745-1391.

chittenden county

manchester/ bennington

PLAYGROUP & FAMILY SUPPORT: Families with children under age 5 play and connect with others in the community. Winooski Memorial Library, 10:3011:30 a.m. Free. Info, 655-6424.

MCL FILM CLUB: See WED.22. K

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

calendar SAT.25

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montréal

language

‘BOY FALLS FROM THE SKY’: See WED.22, 8 p.m. GRAND MARCHÉ DE NOËL: Shoppers traverse the Quartier des Spectacles in search of oneof-a-kind gifts. Grand Marché de Noël, Montréal, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Free. Info, 514-550-7646.

ENGLISH CONVERSATION CIRCLE: Locals learning English as a second language gather in the Digital Lab to build vocabulary and make friends. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, noon-1 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

music

montréal

AARON FLINN: The guitarist delivers phenomenal fingerpicking. Shelburne Vineyard, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, 985-8222.

‘BOY FALLS FROM THE SKY’: See WED.22, 7 p.m.

sports

words

GRAND MARCHÉ DE NOËL: See SAT.25, 1-9 p.m.

THE STIFEL KILLINGTON CUP: See FRI.24, 7-midnight.

ADDISON COUNTY WRITERS COMPANY: Poets, playwrights, novelists and memoirists of every experience level meet weekly for an MFA-style workshop. Swift House Inn, Middlebury, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, jay@zigzaglitmag.org.

theater

A RAFTER OF CRANKIES: See FRI.24, 5 & 7:30 p.m.

words

ITALIAN BOOK CLUB: Intermediate-level Italian speakers and readers meet to discuss Novecento by Alessandro Baricco. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 10:1511:15 a.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

JEN ELLIS: The creator of Sen. Bernie Sanders’ famous inaugural winter wear signs her memoir, Bernie’s Mitten Maker, an account of her life, the shock of sudden internet fame and the joy of crafting. Phoenix Books, Essex, 1-3 p.m. Free. Info, 872-7111. JOE CITRO: The acclaimed author and reigning expert on all things spooky and strange in Vermont tells tales and signs books. Bradford Public Library, 1-2 p.m. Free. Info, 222-5826. THE POETRY EXPERIENCE: Rajnii Eddins hosts a local writing and sharing circle. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 1 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

SUN.26 bazaars

MONTPELIER ANTIQUES MARKET: Vendors offer up vintage toys, furniture, clothing, jewelry, art, glassware and beyond. Canadian Club, Barre, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. $2-5. Info, 751-6138.

crafts

PUTNEY CRAFT TOUR: See FRI.24. YARN CRAFTERS GROUP: See WED.22, 1-3 p.m.

NOV. 24-26 | SPORTS Girl Powder At the Stifel Killington Cup, Alpine superfans from all around descend upon Vermont’s most freewheeling ski town for three days of revelry and the roar of the crowd. The world’s best female slalom and giant slalom competitors vie for the top prize across four separate runs. Between all the downhill thrills, spectators enjoy a packed slate of festivities, such as live music by Young the Giant, Mix Master Mike, Matisyahu and 220 KID. The festival village is open early every day, there are fireworks on Friday, and guests are invited to panels, film screenings and a Saturday after-party.

THE STIFEL KILLINGTON CUP Friday, November 24, 3-7 p.m.; Saturday, November 25, 7 a.m.-midnight; and Sunday, November 26, 7 a.m.-4 p.m., at Killington Resort. $10-100. Info, 800-734-9435, killington.com.

holidays

‘A CHRISTMAS CAROL’: See WED.22, 2 p.m. A FOREST OF LIGHTS: See FRI.24.

film

HOLIDAY MAKER’S MARKET: See SAT.25, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

‘GREAT WHITE SHARK 3D’: See WED.22.

KIDS’ TRAIN: Youngsters get on board for a magical tour around the top block of Church Street, with an up-close look at the festive towering tree. Church Street Marketplace, Burlington, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, 598-9296.

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section.

‘JOURNEY TO SPACE 3D’: See WED.22. ‘OCEANS: OUR BLUE PLANET 3D’: See WED.22. ‘TINY GIANTS 3D’: See WED.22.

health & fitness

KARUNA COMMUNITY MEDITATION: A YEAR TO LIVE (FULLY): Participants practice keeping joy, generosity and gratitude at the forefront of their minds. Jenna’s House, Johnson, 10-11:15 a.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, mollyzapp@live.com.

SANTA ON THE MARKETPLACE: Kids get in the holiday spirit by saying hello to Santa. Homeport, Burlington, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, jgarrett@burlingtonvt.gov. WINTER LIGHTS: See FRI.24, 5-8 p.m.

language

FRENCH CONVERSATION CLUB: Francophones of all ages and skill levels gather over coffee for an approachable conversation.

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

Kraemer & Kin, Alburgh, 11 a.m.noon. Free. Info, 976-3586.

montréal

‘BOY FALLS FROM THE SKY’: See WED.22, 2 & 7 p.m. GRAND MARCHÉ DE NOËL: See SAT.25, 1-9 p.m. and 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

music

WINE & JAZZ SUNDAYS: Sixpiece band In the Pocket invite special guests to sing alongside vocalist Taryn Noelle each week. Shelburne Vineyard, 5-7 p.m. Free. Info, 985-8222.

sports

THE STIFEL KILLINGTON CUP: See FRI.24, 7 a.m.-4 p.m.

MON.27

balance and reduce stress. Holley Hall, Bristol, 11 a.m.-noon. Free; donations accepted. Info, jerry@ skyrivertaichi.com.

BILL MCKIBBEN: The climate activist describes his year of eating the “100-mile diet” — that is, limiting himself to food grown locally. Virtual option available. Community Center in Jericho, 6-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 829-8168.

BEGINNING TAI CHI (SUN SHORT FORM): Newbies learn how gentle movement can help with arthritis, mental clarity and range of motion. Holley Hall, Bristol, 10:30-11 a.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, jerry@skyrivertaichi.com.

film

LAUGHTER YOGA: Spontaneous, joyful movement and breath promote physical and emotional health. Pathways Vermont, Burlington, 2-3 p.m. Free. Info, chrisn@pathwaysvermont.org.

environment

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section. ‘GREAT WHITE SHARK 3D’: See WED.22. ‘JOURNEY TO SPACE 3D’: See WED.22. ‘OCEANS: OUR BLUE PLANET 3D’: See WED.22. ‘TINY GIANTS 3D’: See WED.22.

health & fitness

ADVANCED TAI CHI: Experienced movers build strength, improve

YANG 24: This simplified tai chi method is perfect for beginners looking to build strength and balance. Congregational Church of Middlebury, 3:30-5:30 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, elizabetharms56@gmail.com.

TUE.28 activism

MONTPELIER CELEBRATION — PAID LEAVE & PINTS: Supporters join AARP Vermont and the VT Paid Leave Coalition to advocate for a paid family and medical leave bill in 2024 while enjoying snacks and brews. Three Penny Taproom, Montpelier, 5:30-7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, cgliserman@ aarp.org.

community

CURRENT EVENTS DISCUSSION GROUP: Brownell Library holds a virtual roundtable for neighbors to pause

FOMO? Find even more local events in this newspaper and online:

art Find visual art exhibits and events in the Art section and at sevendaysvt.com/art.

film See what’s playing at theaters in the On Screen section.

music + nightlife Find club dates at local venues in the Music + Nightlife section online at sevendaysvt.com/ music. Learn more about highlighted listings in the Magnificent 7 on page 11.

= ONLINE EVENT

LIST YOUR EVENT FOR FREE AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTEVENT

and reflect on the news cycle. 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6955.

crafts

LEARN HOW TO CROCHET: Novices of all ages pick up a new skill. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 5:30-6 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6955.

dance

MORRIS & MORE: Dancers of all abilities learn how to step, clog and even sword fight their way through medieval folk dances of all kinds. Revels North, Lebanon, N.H., 6 p.m. Pay what you can. Info, 603-558-7894. SWING DANCING: Local Lindy hoppers and jitterbuggers convene at Vermont Swings’ weekly

Untitled-16 1

boogie-down. Bring clean shoes. Champlain Club, Burlington, 7:309 p.m.; beginner lessons, 6:30 p.m. $5. Info, 864-8382.

etc.

DOGS’ NIGHT OUT: Canines party down with snacks and toys while their parents get 15 percent off their bar tabs. 1st Republic Brewing, Essex, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, 857-5318.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section. EDITING WITH ADOBE PREMIERE: Attendees learn how to perfect film footage in a popular program. RETN & VCAM Media Factory,

Burlington, 6-8 p.m. Free; donations accepted; preregister. Info, 651-9692. ‘GREAT WHITE SHARK 3D’: See WED.22. ‘JOURNEY TO SPACE 3D’: See WED.22. ‘OCEANS: OUR BLUE PLANET 3D’: See WED.22. ‘THE THIRD MAN’: A 1949 film noir starring Joseph Cotten and Orson Welles follows a murder mystery in post-World War II Vienna. Film House, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 540-3018. ‘TINY GIANTS 3D’: See WED.22.

holidays

montréal

HOLIDAY MAKER’S MARKET: Local vendors from potters and artists to woodworkers and candlemakers take over the brewery and Deep City restaurant for two evenings in a row. Foam Brewers, Burlington, 5 p.m. Free. Info, 399-2511.

GRAND MARCHÉ DE NOËL: See SAT.25, 1-9 p.m.

FESTIVAL OF TREES: See SAT.25, 6 p.m.

language

PAUSE-CAFÉ FRENCH CONVERSATION: Francophones and French-language learners meet pour parler la belle langue. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 5-6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 343-5493.

‘BOY FALLS FROM THE SKY’: See WED.22, 8 p.m.

music

CHROMATICATS & JAZZ VOCAL ENSEMBLE: Blues tunes by Duke Ellington, Randy Weston, Bill Evans and others shine in a concert directed by Amber deLaurentis and Tom Cleary. University of Vermont Recital Hall, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 656-3040. COMMUNITY SINGERS: A weekly choral meetup welcomes all singers to raise their voices along to traditional (and not-so-traditional) songs. Revels North, Lebanon,

N.H., 7:30 p.m. Pay what you can. Info, 603-558-7894.

tech

AFTERNOON TECH HELP: Experts answer questions about phones, laptops, e-readers and more in one-on-one sessions. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 1-4 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140. LEARN GOOGLE WORKSPACE: GOOGLE PHOTOS: Newbies learn how to save, organize and edit images in the cloud. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 5:30-7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 863-3403.

TUE.28

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

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words

BROWN BAG BOOK CLUB: Readers digest Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt over lunch. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 12:30-1:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918. BURLINGTON LITERATURE GROUP: LAURENCE STERNE: Readers analyze the author’s 18th-century experimental novel The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman over eight weeks. 6:30-8 p.m. Free. Info, info@ nereadersandwriters.com. PAGES IN THE PUB: Local luminaries share thoughtful and hilarious book recommendations at this annual fundraiser for the Norwich Public Library. The Norwich Inn, 7 p.m. $25; preregister; limited space. Info, 649-1114.

Pine and Dandy

WHAT’S THAT WINE WEDNESDAYS: See WED.22.

The Christmas season starts as soon as the turkey’s cold in St. Albans, with the annual spruced-up Festival of Trees kicking off the Saturday after Thanksgiving and running into December. Throughout the week, locals can stroll the Downtown Tree Walk and take in the lights, get artsy at a Holiday Paint Party at Awaken Yoga & Creative Arts Studio, and dress up for an enchanted Holiday Masquerade Gala. Families can check out the Holiday PJ Story Time at the St. Albans Free Library, the crafts at Santa’s workshop and the surprise free movie at Welden Theatre. And, of course, one and all are welcome at the spectacular Tree Lighting and Laser Show at Taylor Park.

health & fitness

CHAIR YOGA: See WED.22.

holidays

‘A CHRISTMAS CAROL’: See WED.22. FESTIVAL OF TREES: See SAT.25, 6 p.m. HOLIDAY MAKER’S MARKET: See TUE.28.

language

BEGINNER IRISH LANGUAGE CLASS: See WED.22.

FESTIVAL OF TREES Saturday, November 25, 5-7 p.m.; and Tuesday, November 28, and Wednesday, November 29, 6 p.m., at various St. Albans locations. See website for future dates. Free; fee for some activities. Info, vtfestivaloftrees@gmail.com, vtfestivaloftrees.com.

ELL CLASSES: ENGLISH FOR BEGINNERS & INTERMEDIATE STUDENTS: See WED.22.

montréal

‘BOY FALLS FROM THE SKY’: See WED.22, 1 & 8 p.m.

POETRY GROUP: A supportive, drop-in group welcomes those who would like to share and listen to poetry. ADA accessible. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 11 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 846-4140.

GRAND MARCHÉ DE NOËL: See SAT.25, 1-9 p.m.

sports

GREEN MOUNTAIN TABLE TENNIS CLUB: See WED.22.

talks

FOMO?

art Find visual art exhibits and events in the Art section and at sevendaysvt.com/art.

COURTESY OF GEORGE OUELLETTE

Find even more local events in this newspaper and online:

OPENS NOV. 25 | HOLIDAYS

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.

WED.29 business

QUEEN CITY BUSINESS NETWORKING INTERNATIONAL GROUP: See WED.22.

crafts

YARN CRAFTERS GROUP: See WED.22.

= ONLINE EVENT

dance

THE GLOBAL BODY IN CONFLICT: MOVEMENT MATTERS SERIES WITH TATIANA DESARDOUIN: A masterclass from the hip-hop artist explores race, Black culture, immigration and colonization through dance. Dance Theatre, Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, 4:30-6 p.m. Free. Info, 443-2808. WESTIE WEDNESDAYS DANCE: See WED.22.

film

‘JOURNEY TO SPACE 3D’: See WED.22.

‘X: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MALCOLM X’: Filmed live at the Metropolitan Opera, this groundbreaking work by American composer Anthony Davis dramatizes the life of the Civil Rights movement leader. Star Theatre of St. Johnsbury, 11 a.m. $16-25. Info, 748-2600.

‘OCEANS: OUR BLUE PLANET 3D’: See WED.22.

food & drink

See what’s playing at local theaters in the On Screen section. ‘GREAT WHITE SHARK 3D’: See WED.22.

‘TINY GIANTS 3D’: See WED.22.

Need Help?

SUMMER JACK: A costume designer teaches what it takes to bring garments to life onstage in the presentation “Bringing the Past to Life: Historical Research and Theater Costume.” Franklin Environmental Center at Hillcrest, Middlebury College, 4:30-6 p.m. Free. Info, 443-4008.

words

NANOWRIMO WRITE-IN: See WED.22. SYDNEY LEA: The former Vermont poet laureate celebrates the publication of his 16th collection, What Shines. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338. ➆

COMMUNITY SUPPER: See WED.22.

obsessed?

Are you a senior who could use some extra help with cooking, cleaning, or other daily tasks? At Seniors Helping Seniors VT, our mature in-home caregivers can help you maintain your independence by providing compassionate care in the comfort of your home.

Find, fix and feather with Nest Notes — an e-newsletter filled with home design, Vermont real estate tips and DIY decorating inspirations.

To find out how we can help you or someone you love, visit our website at shsvermont.com.

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

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SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

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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.

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art

nature

LAYERS: SELF-PORTRAIT WORKSHOP: This unique collage self-portrait workshop will teach you how to create a visualized self-portrait comprised of self-constructed shapes and dynamic composition using a contemporary approach. You will explore and hone your technique using materials such as paper, paint, ink, pencil, marker and glue. Sun., Dec. 3, 11 a.m. Cost: $150. Location: The Kingdom Room, 444 S. Union St., Burlington. Info: devotion.vt@gmail.com, sevendaystickets.com.

ECO-RESILIENCY GATHERING: This is a free monthly space to gather with others who are interested in exploring ecological questions, emotional elements of climate change, ideas of change, building community and creating a thriving world. Come together, share, engage and learn. Each month we center on topics related to the ecological and climate crises. Wed., Nov. 15, 6 p.m. Location: Online. Info: Ariel K. McK. Burgess, akmckb@gmail.com, sevendaystickets.com.

HELLY HANSEN BURLINGTON | 66 CHURCH STREET

Thu., Nov. 16, 6 p.m. Cost: $10. Location: Maverick Market at 110, 110 Main St., Burlington. Info: info@localmaverickus.com, sevendaystickets.com.

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martial arts

AIKIDO: THE POWER OF HARMONY: Cultivate core power, aerobic fitness and resiliency. The dynamic, circular movements emphasize throws, joint locks and the development of internal energy. Introductory classes for adults and youths. Ask about our intensive training program and scholarships. Inclusive training and a safe space for all. Visitors welcome! Beginners’ classes 4 days/week. Membership rates incl. unlimited classes. Contact us for info about membership rates for adults, youths & families. Location: Aikido of Champlain Valley, 257 Pine St., Burlington. Info: Benjamin Pincus, 802-951-8900, bpincus@burlingtonaikido.org, burlingtonaikido.org.

Family Room’s mission to Help us support The be a place that builds healthy, connected, communities by supporting families and young

children. We will match all year-end appeal donations made between Nov 15 - Dec 15, up to $5,000! www.thefamilyroomvt.org

business MAKING MAVERICK’S: The introduction to Making Maverick’s! Local Maverick is hosting a monthly video podcast series to showcase the stories of some of Vermont’s favorite and emerging people. To kick it off, founder Ryan Nakhleh will share the story of Local Maverick, what we can expect from “Making Maverick’s” and the future of Local Maverick.

Find and purchase tickets for these and other classes at sevendaystickets.com.

= TICKETED CLASS

CLASS PHOTOS + MORE INFO ONLINE SEVENDAYSVT.COM/CLASSES

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

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COURTESY OF KELLY SCHULZE/MOUNTAIN DOG PHOTOGRAPHY

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APARTMENTS, CONDOS & HOMES

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Soup AGE/SEX: 8-year-old neutered male ARRIVAL DATE: November 11, 2023 SUMMARY: This sweet older boy made his way to HSCC when his previous owner could no longer care for him. It doesn’t take much to please him — treats and a nice place to perch are the keys to Soup’s heart! He takes a little time to warm up to new people, but once he feels comfortable, he is so loving with his humans. If you’re looking for a new furry friend to add to your family, come meet Soup at HSCC!

Society of Chittenden County

DID YOU KNOW?

November is Adopt a Senior Pet Month! Kittens and puppies are great, but there’s nothing like the life-changing love of an older pet. One of the many perks of having a senior pet is that they don’t need as much training and entertainment as their younger counterparts. Consider opening your heart to a senior pet like Soup!

Sponsored by:

DOGS/CATS/KIDS: Soup has lived with cats before. His experience with dogs and kids is unknown. Visit the Humane Society of Chittenden County at 142 Kindness Court, South Burlington, Tuesday through Friday from 1 to 5 p.m. or Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 862-0135 or visit hsccvt.org for more info.

NO SCAMS, ALL LOCAL, POSTINGS DAILY

NEW STUFF ONLINE EVERY DAY! PLACE YOUR ADS 24-7 AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM. SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

CLASSIFIEDS pay utils. Contact Joe: 802-318-8916.

on the road

CARS/TRUCKS 2010 GMC TERRAIN SLT No rust, loaded, 6-cylinder. New brakes, new rocker panels. Inspected through August 2024. Asking $6,500. Photos upon request. Call 802-355-4099.

housing

FOR RENT ROOMY 3-BR AVAIL. NOW Extra-roomy 3-BR avail. now. $1,650. We pay building heat & cold water. Tenants

HOUSEMATES HOMESHARE IN BURLINGTON Burlington: Upbeat woman in her 90s enjoys chair yoga & connecting w/ her faith community. Share conversation & cook a few meals/ week. $500/mo. Private BA. No pets. Call 802-863-5625 or visit homesharevermont. org for application. Interview, refs. & background checks req. EHO. MUST LOVE REALITY SHOWS Winooski: Share an apt. w/ woman in her 30s who loves “Survivor,” “The Bachelor” & One Direction. Convenient to UVM. No rent, just parking/utils. costs in exchange for flexible evening companionship & once/week transportation. Private BA. Call 802-863-5625 or visit homesharevermont. org for application. Interview, refs. & background checks req. EHO.

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

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

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

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

OFFICE/ COMMERCIAL OFFICE/RETAIL SPACE AT MAIN STREET LANDING on Burlington’s waterfront. Beautiful, healthy, affordable spaces for your business. Visit mainstreetlanding.com & click on space avail. Melinda, 864-7999.

Offices LLC. Principal office: 224 Adams Ave., Scranton, PA 18503. (AAN CAN)

blissfullyglutenfree.com or 802-448-2820 for a free 30-min. discovery session.

FIND LOWEST PRICES ON HEALTH INSURANCE Get the best rates from top companies. Call now! 866-429-3995. (AAN CAN)

PROFESSIONAL THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE THERAPY Steamed towels/hot packs. 30 years’ experience. Gift certificates avail! Plainfield, Vt. Contact Peter Scott at 802-522-3053 or pscottmbs@gmail.com.

FREE AUTO INSURANCE QUOTES For uninsured & insured drivers. Let us show you how much you can save! Call 855-569-1909. (AAN CAN)

HEALTH/ WELLNESS services

AUTO DONATE YOUR CAR TO CHARITY Running or not! Fast, free pickup. Maximum tax deduction. Support Patriotic Hearts. Your car donation helps veterans! 1-866-5599123. (AAN CAN)

EDUCATION ONLINE PHARMACY TECHNICIAN TRAINING For new students only. Financial aid avail. for those who qualify. All courses are online. Call 844-963-4157 and press 1. (AAN CAN)

CASH FOR CANCER PATIENTS Diagnosed w/ lung cancer? You may qualify for a substantial cash award, even w/ smoking history. Call 1-888-3760595. (AAN CAN)

PSYCHIC COUNSELING Psychic counseling, channeling w/ Bernice Kelman, Underhill. 40+ years’ experience. Also energy healing, chakra balancing, Reiki, rebirthing, other lives, classes & more. Info, 802-899-3542, kelman.b@juno.com. LIFE COACHING Looking for support navigating anxiety to regain focus & peace in these trying times? Visit sage-lotus.com or call Lauren at 802-2385259 for a free 20-min. consult.

$10K+ IN DEBT? Be debt-free in 24-48 mos. Pay a fraction of your debt. Call National Debt Relief at 844-9773935. (AAN CAN) APPEAL FOR SOCIAL SECURITY Denied Social Security disability? Appeal! If you’re 50+, filed SSD & were denied, our attorneys can help. Win or pay nothing. Strong recent work history needed. Call 1-877-311-1416 to contact Steppacher Law

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

print deadline: Mondays at 3:30 p.m. post ads online 24/7 at: sevendaysvt.com/classifieds questions? classifieds@sevendaysvt.com 865-1020 x115

pains. Deep tissue and Swedish. Contact me for an appointment: 802324-7539, sacllunas@ gmail.com.

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HOME/GARDEN BEAUTIFY YOUR HOME Get energy-efficient windows. They will increase your home’s value & decrease your energy bills. Replace all or a few! Call 844-3352217 now to get your free, no-obligation quote. (AAN CAN)

COVERED HOME REPAIRS Never pay for covered home repairs again! Our home warranty covers all systems & appliances. 30-days risk-free. $200 off & 1st 2 mos. free. Call 1-877-4344845. (AAN CAN) DISCOVER OXYGEN THERAPY Try Inogen portable oxygen concentrators. Free information kit. Call 866-859-0894. (AAN CAN) NEVER CLEAN YOUR GUTTERS AGAIN! Affordable, professionally installed gutter guards protect your gutters & home from debris & leaves forever. For a free quote, call 844-947-1470. (AAN CAN)

Happy

Thanksgiving!

MOVING/HAULING

MARKOSKI’S MOVE AND HAUL Markoski’s Move and Robbi Handy Holmes • 802-951-2128 Haul proudly serves Vermont’s communirobbihandyholmes@vtregroup.com MASSAGE FOR MEN BY ties. Whether you are SERGIO Client focused relocating to a new Time for a massage home or cleaning up Making it happen for you! to ease those aches & after renovating your current one, Markoski’s will treat you like family. Refs. gladly avail. upon 16t--RobbieHandiHolmes112223.indd 1 11/20/23 4:48 PM request. Contact at FORECLOSURE INVESTMENTS rickmarkoski@gmail. com. IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

GLUTEN-FREE HEALTH COACHING New to gluten-free & feeling overwhelmed? Want to bake yummy gluten-free desserts or breads? I can help you. Contact me: monica@

5,654 SF Commercial Office Building in Gorham, NH

FINANCIAL/LEGAL

readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. Any home seeker who feels he or she has encountered discrimination should contact:

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

services: $12 (25 words) fsbos: $45 (2 weeks, 30 words, photo) jobs: michelle@sevendaysvt.com, 865-1020 x121

PUBLIC AUTO AUCTION

SAT., DEC. 2 @ 9AM buy this stuff

FORECLOSURE

5 OFFICES

230-232 Main Street • Gorham, NH

Live Auction: Thursday, Nov. 30 @ 10AM Register & Inspect from 9AM

Commercial Property with Existing Rented Store in Colebrook, NH

FORECLOSURE

Bid Online or In Person

298 J. Brown Drive, Williston, VT

(1542) Antiques & Collectibles

Over 180 lots including clocks, geodes, vintage dolls, lamps, sport jerseys, vintage magazines, and landscaping equipment.

ONLINE AUCTION CLOSES: Friday, Dec. 1 @ 10AM

Preview: Tues. Nov. 28 - 11AM-1PM By Appt - Northfield, VT Location

9.3 ACRES

Live Auction: Thursday, Nov. 30 @ 1:30PM Register & Inspect from 12:30PM NH State Auction License # 3058 & 6153

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BCI WALK-IN TUBS Now on sale! Be 1 of the 1st 50 callers & save $1,500. Call 844-5140123 for a free in-home consultation. (AAN CAN) DISH TV $64.99 $64.99 for 190 channels + $14.95 high-speed internet. Free installation, Smart HD DVR incl., free voice remote. Some restrictions apply. 1-866-566-1815. (AAN CAN) DIRECTV SATELLITE TV Service starting at $74.99/mo.! Free install. 160+ channels avail. Call now to get the most sports & entertainment on TV. 877-310-2472. (AAN CAN)

16 Metallak Place • Colebrook, NH

THCAuction.com  800-634-SOLD

MISCELLANEOUS

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11/18/23 8v-hirchakbrothers112223 10:20 AM 1

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Put your knowledge of Vermont news to the test.

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DIFFICULTY THIS WEEK: ★★★

DIFFICULTY THIS WEEK: ★★

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

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ANSWERS ON P.70 ★ = MODERATE ★★ = CHALLENGING ★★★ = HOO, BOY!

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crossword

SHADES OF HISTORY ANSWERS ON P. 70

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

buy this stuff [CONTINUED] MALE ENHANCEMENT PILLS Bundled network of Viagra, Cialis & Levitra alternative products for a 50-pills-for-$99 promotion. Call 888531-1192. (AAN CAN)

PETS CORGI PUPS Family-raised in East Hardwick. $775. Ready Nov. 28. Shots & health guarantee. Contact 802-595-5345.

WANT TO BUY TOP CASH FOR OLD GUITARS 1920-1980 Gibson, Martin, Fender, Gretsch, Epiphone, Guild, Mosrite, Rickenbacker, Prairie State, D’Angelico & Stromberg + Gibson mandolins & banjos. Call 877-589-0747. (AAN CAN)

ANTIQUES/ COLLECTIBLES ANTIQUES MARKET SUN., NOV. 26 Antiques market on Sun., Nov. 26, & Sun., Dec. 10, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Canadian Club, 414

E. Montpelier Rd., Rte. 14, Barre. Early buyers $5 (8 a.m.); general admission $2 (9 a.m.). Offering antique, midcentury & vintage items in a flea market atmosphere. Call Don Willis Antiques for info: 802-751-6138; montpelierantiques market.com.

Legal Notices

deemed complete on October 24, 2023. The project is generally described as subdivision of an existing 3.8 acre parcel into two lots. Proposed Lot 1 (1.4± acres) will contain the existing single family residence that is served by onsite wastewater and water supply systems. Proposed Lot 2 (2.4± acres) will be improved by a 3- bedroom single-family residence served by an on-site wastewater and water supply systems and accessed via a shared 484 linear foot gravel drive. The project is located at 156 Wortheim Road in Richmond, Vermont. This application can be viewed online by visiting the Act 250 Database: (https://anrweb.vt.gov/ANR/ Act250/Details.aspx?Num=4C0370-1).

TOWN OF RICHMOND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD AGENDA DECEMBER 5TH, 2023, AT 7:00 PM Location: 3rd floor meeting room Richmond Town Offices, 203 bridge street Richmond VT, 05477

music

INSTRUCTION GUITAR INSTRUCTION Berklee graduate w/ 30 years’ teaching experience offers lessons in guitar, music theory, music technology, ear training. Individualized, step-by-step approach. All ages, styles, levels. Rick Belford, 864-7195, rickbelford.com. KIDS’ ROCK BAND For ages 5-12 in Randolph/Bethel, Vt. Music lessons incl. Free afterschool or weekend slots for income-eligible students. Call 802-4318629 or email sprouts. education.vt@gmail. com for info. MUSIC LESSONS Award-winning musician offers lessons in contemporary voice styles (pop, rock, jazz, etc.), songwriting & audition prep. Details & contact info, chloelouise brisson.com.

Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom. us/j/86053903652 Meeting ID: 860 5390 3652 Call-in: +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) Application materials may be viewed at http:// www.richmondvt.gov/boards-minutes/ developmentreview-board/ before the meeting. Please call Tyler Machia, Zoning Administrator, at 802-434-2430or email tmachia@richmondvt.gov with any questions

No hearing will be held and a permit will be issued unless, on or before December 4, 2023, a party notifies the District 4 Commission in writing of an issue requiring a hearing, or the Commission sets the matter for a hearing on its own motion. Any person as defined in 10 V.S.A. § 6085(c)(1) may request a hearing. Any hearing request must be in writing, must state the criteria or sub-criteria at issue, why a hearing is required, and what additional evidence will be presented at the hearing. Any hearing request by an adjoining property owner or other person eligible for party status under 10 V.S.A. § 6085(c)(1)(E) must include a petition for party status under the Act 250 Rules. To request party status and a hearing, fill out the Party Status Petition Form on the Board’s website: https://nrb. vermont.gov/documents/party-statuspetitionform, 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.

Public Hearing APE2023-01 Bradley Holt & Jason Pelletier Parcel ID#HV2427 The appellants, Bradley Holt & Jason Pelletier, are seeking to appeal the decision of the ZoningAdministrator regarding his 12-month extension of permit 2021-83 for work on the property locatedat 2427 Hillview Road. The Applicants are seeking a reversal of this extension and the enforcementof the permit conditions noted in the Access Permit 21-117. IN ACCORDANCE WITH VT TITLE 9 COMMERCE AND TRADE CHAPTER 098: STORAGE UNITS 3905. ENFORCEMENT OF LIEN, CHAMPLAIN VALLEY SELF STORAGE, LLC SHALL HOST A PRIVATE LIVE AUCTION OF THE FOLLOWING UNITS ON OR AFTER 12/9/23:

For more information contact Stephanie H. Monaghan at the address or telephone number below. Dated this November 14, 2023. By: Stephanie H. Monaghan District Coordinator 111 West Street Essex Junction, VT 05452 802-261-1944 stephanie.monaghan@vermont.gov

Location: 2211 Main St. Colchester, VT April Farrington, unit #681: household goods Auction pre-registration is required, email info@ champlainvalleyselfstorage.com to register. ACT 250 NOTICE MINOR APPLICATION 4C0370-1 10 V.S.A. §§ 6001 - 6111 Application 4C0370-1 from Bradley Jay and Karin C. LaRose, 156 Wortheim Road, Richmond, VT 05477 was received on October 12, 2023 and

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4 9 5 1 2 3 7 8 6 SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT PROBATE DIVISION CHITTENDEN UNIT DOCKET NO.: 23-PR-06421 In re ESTATE of RICHARD G. PARKER NOTICE TO CREDITORS To the creditors of: Richard G. Parker, late of Richmond, 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: November 14, 2023 Signature of Fiduciary: /s/ Matthew Parker Executor/Administrator: Matthew Parker, c/o Stackpole & French Law Offices, P.O. Box 819, Stowe, VT 05672, marlene@stackpolefrench.com, (802) 253-7339 Name of Publication: Seven Days Publication Date: November 22, 2023 Name of Probate Court: Vermont Superior CourtChittenden Probate Division Address of Probate Court: PO Box 511, 175 Main Street, Burlington, VT 05402 IN ACCORDANCE WITH VT TITLE 9 COMMERCE AND TRADE CHAPTER 098: STORAGE UNITS 3905. ENFORCEMENT OF LIEN, CHAMPLAIN VALLEY SELF STORAGE, LLC SHALL HOST A PRIVATE LIVE AUCTION OF THE FOLLOWING UNITS ON OR AFTER 12/9/23: Location: 2211 Main St. Colchester, VT Kara Buell, unit #787: household goods Johnathan Taylor, unit #879: household good Eileen Foster, unit #786: household good Location: 78 Lincoln St. Essex Jct, VT Trixie Johnson, unit #230: household good Auction pre-registration is required, email info@ champlainvalleyselfstorage.com to register.

PUZZLE ANSWERS FROM P.69

PLACE AN AFFORDABLE NOTICE AT: SEVENDAYSVT.COM/LEGAL-NOTICES OR CALL 802-865-1020, EXT. 142.

ACT 250 NOTICE MINOR APPLICATION 4C0436-26M-1 10 V.S.A. §§ 6001 – 6111 Application 4C0436-26M-1 from Automotive Services International, Inc. (d/b/a the 4x4 Center) and BV Timber LLC, 63 Ethan Allen Drive, South Burlington, VT 05403, was received on October 3, 2023 and deemed complete on November 14, 2023. The project is generally described as the extension of the construction completion date for the project authorized in Land Use Permit Amendment 4C0436-26L and relocation of the previously approved vehicle wash bay. The project is located off the Bolton Valley Access Road in Bolton, Vermont. This application can be viewed online by visiting the Act 250 Database: (https://anrweb.vt.gov/ANR/Act250/Details. aspx?Num=4C0436-26M-1). No hearing will be held and a permit will be issued unless, on or before December 5, 2023, a party notifies the District 4 Commission in writing of an issue requiring a hearing, or the Commission sets the matter for a hearing on its own motion. Any person as defined in 10 V.S.A. § 6085(c)(1) may request a hearing. Any hearing request must be in writing, must state the criteria or sub-criteria at issue, why a hearing is required, and what additional evidence will be presented at the hearing. Any hearing request by an adjoining property owner or other person eligible for party status under 10 V.S.A. § 6085(c)(1)(E) must include a petition for party status under the Act 250 Rules. To request party status and a hearing, fill out the Party Status Petition Form on the Board’s website: https://nrb. vermont.gov/documents/party-statuspetitionform, 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 Kevin Anderson at the address or telephone number below. Dated this November 15, 2023. By: /s/ Kevin Anderson Kevin Anderson District Coordinator Natural Resources Board 10 Baldwin Street Montpelier, VT 05633 802-522-6074 Kevin.Anderson@vermont.gov STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT PROBATE DIVISION CHITTENDEN UNIT DOCKET NO.:23-PR-05625 In re ESTATE of Barbara Luckenbill NOTICE TO CREDITORS To the creditors of: Barbara Luckenbill late of Shelburne, 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: November 14, 2023 Signature of Fiduciary: /s/ Traci Stevens Executor/Administrator: Traci Stevens, c/o Brian P. Creech, Esq. 346 Shelburne Rd., Suite 603, Burlington, VT 05402 phone: 802-863-9603, bcreech@dkzlegal.com Name of Publication: Seven Days Publication Date: 11/22/2023 Name of Probate Court: State of Vermont Chittenden Probate Division Address of Probate Court: PO Box 511, 175 Main Street, Burlington, VT 05402 VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT SUPERIOR COURT CIVIL DIVISION CHITTENDEN UNIT DOCKET NO:23-CV-04767 IN RE: ABANDONED MOBILE HOME OF BILL RUBLEE, JR. VERIFIED COMPLAINT NOW COMES Sunset Lake Cooperative (hereafter “Plaintiff”) by and through counsel Steven J. Kantor, and hereby makes this complaint: 1. Plaintiff is a Vermont Cooperative Housing Corporation which was formed by the owners of mobile homes to purchase Sunset Lake Villa Mobile Home Park (the “Park”). 2. Plaintiff is the record owner of the Park located in town of Hinesburg, Vermont. 3. Defendant Bill Rublee, Jr. is the record owner of a certain mobile home in the Park, described as a 1983 Commodore, 14x56, Serial Number 81573 and located in Sunset Lake Villa Mobile Home Park at 38 Wile Street in Hinesburg, Vermont. 4. Defendant Rublee’s last known mailing address is 38 Wile Street, Hinesburg, Vermont. 5. Defendant leased a lot in Sunset Lake Villa Mobile Home Park under the terms of a written Member Occupancy Agreement. 6. On June 29, 2023 this Court evicted Bill Rublee, Jr. and Danielle Rublee from the Park, in the case Sunset Lake Cooperative vs. Bill Rublee and Danielle Rublee, Docket No. 23-CV-01286. The Judgment of Eviction ordered that the Defendants

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sell or remove the mobile home from the Park within three (3) months pursuant to 10 V.S.A. Section 6237(e). 7. The Rublees failed to remove or sell the mobile home and have instead abandoned the mobile home in the Park. 8. The following liens and encumbrances appear of record with respect to the mobile home: a. Delinquent property taxes to the Town of Hinesburg in the amount of $460.69. 9. Mobile home lot rent has not been paid since October 2022 and continues to accrue at the rate of $480.00 per month. Late fee charges are $25/ month. Rent and other charges due to Sunset Lake Cooperative as of October 31, 2023 are $13,562.02. Court costs and attorney’s fees incurred by Sunset Lake Cooperative continue to accrue. 10. Plaintiff sent written notice on September 26, 2003 to the Town Clerk of the Town of Hinesburg of Plaintiff’s intent to commence this action. 11. Charles Bolton is a person disinterested in the mobile home or mobile home park who is able to sell the mobile home at a public auction. WHEREFORE, Plaintiff respectfully requests that the Honorable Court enter an order as follows: 1. declaring that the mobile home has been abandoned; and 2. approving the sale of the mobile home at a public auction to be held within 15 days of the date of judgment, pursuant to 10 V.S.A. §6249(h); and 3. granting judgment in favor of Plaintiff and against the mobile home for past due and unpaid rent and other charges through the date of judgment, together with Plaintiff’s court costs, publication and mailing costs, and Plaintiff’s counsel fees incurred in connection with this matter, pursuant to 10 V.S.A. 6249(h)(7)(B). DATED AT Burlington, Vermont this 14th day of November, 2023. Sunset Lake Coopertive Steven J. Kantor, Esq. Doremus Kantor & Zullo 346 Shelburne Road, Suite 603 P.O. Box 445 Burlington, VT 05402-0445 (802) 863-9603 Attorney for Sunset Lake Cooperative DATED AT Chittenden, Vermont this 14th day of November, 2023. STATE OF VERMONT, CHITTENDEN COUNTY, SS. At South Burlington, in said County and State, this 14th day of November, 2023, personally appeared Maura Fitzgerald, Duly Authorized Agent of Sunset Lake Cooperative and he/she/they swore to the truth of the foregoing. Before me, Ashley Heather Cousino Notary Public Print Name: Ashley Cousino Commission Expires 1/31/2025 Commission No. 157.0013843 VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT CHITTENDEN UNIT 175 Main Street, PO Box 187 Burlington VT 05402 802-863-3467 www.vermontjudiciary.org Civil Division Case No. 23-CV-04767 Date: November 15, 2023 Notice Of Hearing Sunset Lake Cooperative v. Bill Rublee, This is to notify you to appear at the Court named above in connection with the above-named case on: DATE: December 14, 2023 TIME: 2:00 PM DURATION: 15 Minutes HEARING RE: Abandoned Mobile Home A hearing on Sunset Lake Cooperative’s verified Complaint to declare abandoned the mobile home of Bill Rublee, Jr., et al located at the Sunset Lake Villa Mobile Home Park, 38 Wile Street in Hinesburg, Vermont to authorize the sale of the mobile home at a public auction to be held within 15 days of the judgment, has been set for December 14, 2023 @ 2:00PM. Electronically signed Wednesday, November 15, 2023 pursuant to V.R.E.F. 9(d) Nancy L. Bean Judicial Assistant – Chittenden Civil Division Vermont Superior Court 175 Main Street Burlington, Vermont 05401

To participate in this hearing remotely, the Webex Login Information follows: App: Cisco Webex Meeting Website: https://vtcourts.webex.com Meeting Number: 129 647 6521 Password: CIVIL2 Any individual with a disability requiring assistance accessing the services, programs, and/or activities at the Courthouse should contact the Clerk’s office at the above address for further assistance. TOWN OF WESTFORD DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Pursuant to 24 V.S.A. Chapter 117 and the Westford Land Use & Development Regulations, the Westford Development Review Board will hold a public hearing at the Westford Public Library (1717 Route 128) & via ZOOM on Monday, December 11, 2023 at 7:00 PM to review the following applications: Subdivision Amendment, Boundary Line Adjustment, & Waiver Review – Mathieu Property - Applicant: Corey Mathieu (approx. 9.98 acres and 10.01 acres) located on the Westford-Milton Road and Richard’s Way in the Rural 5 and Water Resource Overlay Zoning Districts. This is a proposal to adjust the boundary line between Lots 2 and 1A with the intention of separating the multi-family dwelling from the remaining parcel. A density waiver is being requested to allow Lot 2 to be less than 5 acres. Conditional Use Review – Swansong Take Two LLC Property - Applicant: Lee Hendler (approx. 83.2 acres) located off VT Route 128 in the Rural 10, Rural 5, Flood Hazard Overlay, and Water Resource Overlay Districts. This is a proposal to perform maintenance on the pre-existing manmade pond, which lies within the Water Resource Overlay (WRO). Manmade ponds and stormwater & erosion control are conditional uses in the WRO. Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/93808185199?pwd=b09uVGVka ncwM1FUR1FqZmNWcmI3dz09 Or Dial +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) Meeting ID: 938 0818 5199 Passcode: 6sxdQS For more information call the Town Offices at 878-4587 Monday–Thursday 8:30am–4:30pm & Friday 8:30a.m.-1:00 p.m. Matt Wamsganz, Chairman Dated November 17, 2023 CITY OF BURLINGTON SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT TO 2023 ACTION PLAN The City of Burlington is soliciting input in connection with the development of its substantial amendment to the 2023 Action Plan for Housing & Community Development, as part of federal requirements under 24 CFR Part 91.105 for planning and allocation of federal funds. The substantial amendment was released on November 17th, 2023 for review and it proposes revised uses of the City’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) allocations. The Action Plan amendment can be found online at www.burlingtonvt.gov/ CEDO and is also available for review at the CEDO front desk at 149 Church Street, 3rd Floor, from 9am-5:00pm, Monday-Friday. The public is encouraged to review the Action Plan amendment and funding recommendations and submit all comments through December 19th, 2023. For more information, or information on alternative access, contact Christine Curtis, Community & Economic Development Office (CEDO), at (802) 735-7002, ccurtis@burlingtonvt.gov. PUBLIC HEARING - WINOOSKI The Winooski City Council will hold a Public Hearing on Monday, December 4, 2023 at 6:00 PM at Winooski City Hall (27 West Allen Street) in the Claire Burke Council Chambers to consider the adoption of Chapter 9 (Housing) of the City’s Municipal Code. “The proposed amendments update the ordinance to add clarity, and adds requirements related to heating systems, plumbing, storage and placement of garbage and other waste, interior and exterior walls, roofs, windows, exterior doors, cellars, meeting of fire and safety codes, means of egress (escape in an emergency), fire protection systems, smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, extermination of vermin and lead paint. Many of

these additions are to maintain consistency with national guidelines, state codes or both”. November 16, 2023 TOWN OF ESSEX TOWN PLAN PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE Pursuant to 24 V.S.A. § 4444, the Essex Selectboard has scheduled two public hearings for Monday, December 18, 2023 and Monday January 8, 2024, at 6:35 p.m.at the municipal offices, 81 Main Street, Essex Junction, Vermont, or online via Zoom, using the following link https://zoom.us/j/9 8785691140?pwd=WENqeFhITGVDS0Q5blROdkhu S3RkZz09, or by calling 1-888-788-0099 using the meeting ID: 987 8569 1140 and Passcode: 032060. The purpose of the hearing is to solicit public input on the 2024 Essex Town Plan. Significant items in the Plan include an Act 171 Forest Block and Habitat Connector element; incorporation of the new identity of Essex since the separation of the City of Essex Junction in 2022; and incorporation of the Essex Town Center (ETC) NEXT Master Plan and desired implementation steps, including the Town’s desire to seek Village Center, New Town Center and Neighborhood Development Area designations from the state’s Designation Program. The draft Town Plan includes an Introduction and four chapters: The Action Plan, Essex as a Community, How We Relate to the Land, and Serving the Community. The proposed Plan will affect all areas in Town. Copies of the proposed Town Plan, as required by 24 V.S.A.§ 4385, may be obtained or examined at the Clerk’s Office in the Essex municipal offices at 81 Main Street, Essex Junction, VT and the Essex Free Library at 1 Browns River Road. The proposed Town Plan may be downloaded from the Town website at https://www.essexvt.org/1140/ Town-Plan-2024. For more information contact Katherine Sonnick, Community Development Director at ksonnick@ essex.org or 878-1343. Andy Watts, Chair Essex Selectboard NOTICE TO CREDITORS I represent Stern Properties, LLC. The company sold substantially all of its assets on November 16, 2023 and is currently in the process of winding up its business. I have been authorized by the company to administer that winding up. If you would like to submit a claim for amounts due to you from Stern Properties, LLC, you may do so by sending your claim in writing to: Pease Mountain Law PLLC P.O. Box 279 Hinesburg, VT 05461-0279 Your claim must commence within 5 years after publication of this notice. If your claim is not received within that 5-year period it will be barred pursuant to 11 V.S.A. §4108. Your claim must include copies of all billing documents in support of your claim. Dated: November 20, 2023 Michael T. Russell Pease Mountain Law PO Box 279 Hinesburg, VT 05461-0279 Name of Publication: Seven Days Publication Date: November 22, 2023 THE CONTENTS OF STORAGE UNIT 01-4428 Located at 28 Adams Drive Williston, VT, 05495 Will be sold on or about the 7th of December 2023 to satisfy the debt of Joline Cosman. Any person claiming a right to the goods may pay the amount claimed due and reasonable expenses before the sale, in which case the sale may not occur. THE CONTENTS OF STORAGE UNIT 01-4282 Located at 28 Adams Drive Williston, VT, 05495 Will be sold on or about the 7th of December 2023 to satisfy the debt of Andrea Myers. Any person claiming a right to the goods may pay the amount claimed due and reasonable expenses before the sale, in which case the sale may not occur.

SUPPORT GROUPS » SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

Support Groups A CIRCLE OF PARENTS FOR MOTHERS OF COLOR Please join our parent-led online support group designed to share our questions, concerns & struggles, as well as our resources & successes! Contribute to our discussion of the unique but shared experience of parenting. We will be meeting weekly on Wed., 10-11 a.m. For more info or to register, please contact Heather at hniquette@pcavt.org, 802-498-0607, pcavt.org/family-support-programs. A CIRCLE OF PARENTS FOR SINGLE MOTHERS Please join our parent-led online support group designed to share our questions, concerns & struggles, as well as our resources & successes! Contribute to our discussion of the unique but shared experience of parenting. We will be meeting weekly on Fri., 10-11 a.m. For more info or to register, please contact Heather at hniquette@ pcavt.org, 802-498-0607, pcavt.org/ family-support-programs. A CIRCLE OF PARENTS W/ LGBTQ+ CHILDREN Please join our parent-led online support group designed to share our questions, concerns & struggles, as well as our resources & successes! Contribute to our discussion of the unique but shared experience of parenting. We will be meeting weekly on Mon., 10-11 a.m. For more info or to register, please contact Heather at hniquette@ pcavt.org, 802-498-0607, pcavt.org/ family-support-programs. AL-ANON For families & friends of alcoholics. Phone meetings, electronic meetings (Zoom) & an Al-Anon blog are avail. online at the Al-Anon website. For meeting info, go to vermontalanon alateen.org or call 866-972-5266. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS Do you have a drinking problem? AA meeting sites are now open, & online meetings are also avail. Call our hotline at 802-864-1212 or check for in-person or online meetings at burlingtonaa.org. ALL ARTISTS SUPPORT GROUP Are you a frustrated artist? Have you longed for a space to “play” & work? Let’s get together & see what we can do about this! Text anytime or call 802-777-6100. ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION SUPPORT GROUPS Support groups meet to provide assistance & info on Alzheimer’s disease & related dementias. They emphasize shared experiences, emotional support & coping techniques in care for a person living w/ Alzheimer’s or a related dementia. Meetings are free & open to the public. Families, caregivers & friends may attend. Please call in advance to confirm the date & time. The Williston Caregiver Support Group meets in person on the 2nd Tue. of every mo., 5-6:30 p.m., at the Dorothy Alling Memorial Library in Williston; this meeting also has a virtual option at the same time; contact support group facilitators Molly at dugan@cathedralsquare.org or Mindy at moondog@burlington telecom.net. The Middlebury Support Group for Individuals w/ Early Stage Dementia meets the 4th Tue. of each mo., 3 p.m., at the Residence at Otter Creek, 350 Lodge Rd., Middlebury; contact Daniel Hamilton, dhamilton@ residenceottercreek.com or 802-9890097. The Shelburne Support Group for

Individuals w/ Early Stage Dementia meets the 1st Mon. of every mo., 2-3 p.m., at the Residence at Shelburne Bay, 185 Pine Haven Shores, Shelburne; contact support group facilitator Lydia Raymond, lraymond@residenceshelburnebay.com. The Telephone Support Group meets the 2nd Tue. of each mo., 4-5:30 p.m. Prereg. is req. (to receive dial-in codes for toll-free call). Please dial the Alzheimer’s Association’s 24-7 Helpline, 800-2723900, for more info. For questions or additional support group listings, call 800-272-3900. AMPUTEE SUPPORT GROUP VT Active Amputees is a new support group open to all amputees for connection, community & support. The group meets on the 1st Wed. of the mo. in S. Burlington, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Let’s get together & be active: running, pickleball & ultimate frisbee. Email vtactiveamputees@gmail.com or call Sue at 802-582-6750 for more info & location. ARE YOU HAVING PROBLEMS W/ DEBT? Do you spend more than you earn? Get help at Debtor’s Anonymous & Business Debtor’s Anonymous. Wed., 6:30-7:30 p.m., Methodist Church in the Rainbow Room at Buell & S. Winooski, Burlington. Contact Jennifer, 917-568-6390. BABY BUMPS SUPPORT GROUP FOR MOTHERS & PREGNANT WOMEN Pregnancy can be a wonderful time of your life. But it can also be a time of stress often compounded by hormonal swings. If you are a pregnant woman, or have recently given birth & feel you need some help w/ managing emotional bumps in the road that can come w/ motherhood, please come to this free support group led by an experienced pediatric registered nurse. Held on the 2nd & 4th Tue. of every mo., 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the Birthing Center, Northwestern Medical Center, St. Albans. Info: Rhonda Desrochers, Franklin County Home Health Agency, 527-7531. BETTER BREATHERS CLUB American Lung Association support group for people w/ breathing issues, their loved ones or caregivers. Meets on the 1st Mon. of every mo., 11 a.m.-noon at the Godnick Center, 1 Deer St., Rutland. For more info, call 802-776-5508. BRAIN INJURY SUPPORT GROUP Vermont Center for Independent Living offers virtual monthly meetings, held on the 3rd Wed. of every mo., 1-2:30 p.m. The support group will offer valuable resources & info about brain injury. It will be a place to share experiences in a safe, secure & confidential environment. To join, email Linda Meleady at lindam@vcil.org & ask to be put on the TBI mailing list. Info: 800-639-1522. BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR DRAGON BOAT TEAM Looking for a fun way to do something active & health-giving? Want to connect w/ other breast cancer survivors? Come join Dragonheart Vermont. We are a breast cancer survivor & supporter dragon boat team who paddle together in Burlington. Please contact us at info@drgonheartvermont.org for info. CANCER SUPPORT GROUP The Champlain Valley Prostate Cancer Support Group will be held every 2nd Tue. of the mo., 6-7:45 p.m. via conference call. Newly diagnosed? Prostate cancer reoccurrence? General discussion & sharing among survivors & those beginning or rejoining the battle.

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

CONTACT CLASSIFIEDS@SEVENDAYSVT.COM OR 802-865-1020 EXT. 115 TO UPDATE YOUR SUPPORT GROUP

Info, Mary L. Guyette RN, MS, ACNS-BC, 274-4990, vmary@aol.com. CENTRAL VERMONT CELIAC SUPPORT GROUPW Last Thu. 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 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. Visit 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. Info: Tom, 238-3587, coda.org. THE COMPASSIONATE FRIENDS SUPPORT GROUP The Compassionate Friends international support group for parents, siblings & families grieving the loss of a child meets every 4th Tue. of the mo., 7-9 p.m., at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, 2 Cherry St., Burlington. Call/email Alan at 802-233-0544, alanday88@ gmail.com, or Claire at 802-448-3569. DECLUTTERERS’ SUPPORT GROUP Are you ready to make improvements but find it overwhelming? Maybe 2 or 3 of us can get together to help each other simplify. Info: 989-3234, 425-3612. DISCOVER THE POWER OF CHOICE! We welcome anyone, including family & friends, affected by any kind of substance or activity addiction. This is an abstinence-oriented program based on the science of addiction treatment & recovery. Meets are online Sun. at 5 p.m. at the link: meetings.smartrecovery. org/meetings/1868/. Face-to-face meetings are 1st & 3rd Sun. at 3 p.m. at the Turning Point of Chittenden County. Meetings for family & friends are online on Mon. at 7 p.m. at the link: meetings/ smartrecovery.org/meetings/6337/. Contact volunteer facilitator Bert at 802-399-8754 w/ questions. You can learn more at smartrecovery.org. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SUPPORT Steps to End Domestic Violence offers a weekly drop-in support group for female-identified survivors of intimate partner violence, including individuals who are experiencing or have been affected by domestic violence. The support group offers a safe, confidential place for survivors to connect w/ others, to heal & to recover. In support group, participants talk through their experiences & hear stories from others who have experienced abuse in their relationships. Support group is also a resource for those who are unsure of their next step, even if it involves remaining in their current relationship. Tue., 6:30-8 p.m. Childcare is provided. Info: 658-1996. FAMILY & FRIENDS OF THOSE EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS This support group is a dedicated meeting for family, friends & community members who are supporting a loved

one through a mental health crisis. Mental health crisis might include extreme states, psychosis, depression, anxiety & other types of distress. The group is a confidential space where family & friends can discuss shared experiences & receive support in an environment free of judgment & stigma w/ a trained facilitator. Wed., 7-8:30 p.m. Downtown Burlington. Info: Jess Horner, LICSW, 866-218-8586.

FAMILY RESTORED: SUPPORT GROUP FOR FRIENDS & FAMILIES OF ADDICTS & ALCOHOLICS Wed., 6:30-8 p.m., Holy Family/St. Lawrence Parish, 4 Prospect St., Essex Jct. For further info, please visit thefamilyrestored.org or contact Lindsay Duford at 781-960-3965 or 12lindsaymarie@gmail.com.

GRIEVING A LOSS SUPPORT GROUP A retired psychotherapist & an experienced life coach host a free meeting for those grieving the loss of a loved one. The group meets upstairs at All Souls Interfaith Gathering in Shelburne. There is no fee for attending, but donations are gladly accepted. Meetings are held twice a mo., the 1st & 3rd Sat. of every mo. from 10-11:30 a.m. If you are interested in attending, please register at allsoulsinterfaith. org. More information about the group leader at pamblairbooks.com.

FCA FAMILY SUPPORT GROUP Families Coping w/ Addiction (FCA) is an open community peer support group for adults (18+) struggling w/ the drug or alcohol addiction of a loved one. FCA is not 12-step-based but provides a forum for those living the family experience, in which to develop personal coping skills & to draw strength from one another. Our group meets every Wed., 5:30-6:30 p.m., live in person in the conference room at the Turning Point Center of Chittenden County (179 S. Winooski Ave., Burlington), &/or via our parallel Zoom session to accommodate those who cannot attend in person. The Zoom link can be found on the Turning Point Center website (turningpointcentervt. org) using the “Family Support” tab (click on “What We Offer”). Any questions, please send by email to thdaub1@gmail. com. FIERCELY FLAT VT A breast cancer support group for those who’ve had mastectomies. We are a casual online meeting group found on Facebook at Fiercely Flat VT. Info: stacy.m.burnett@gmail.com. FOOD ADDICTS IN RECOVERY ANONYMOUS (FA) Are you having trouble controlling the way you eat? FA is a free 12-step recovery program for anyone suffering from food obsession, overeating, under-eating or bulimia. Local meetings are held twice a week.: 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 to 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

GRIEF SUPPORT GROUPS Meet every 2nd Mon., 6-7:30 p.m., & every 3rd Wed. from 10-11:30 a.m., at Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice in Berlin. The group is open to the public & free of charge. More info: Diana Moore, 224-2241.

HEARING VOICES SUPPORT GROUP This Hearing Voices Group seeks to find understanding of voice-hearing experiences as real lived experiences that may happen to anyone at any time. We choose to share experiences, support & empathy. We validate anyone’s experience & stories about their experience as their own, as being an honest & accurate representation of their experience, & as being acceptable exactly as they are. Tue., 2-3 p.m. Pathways Vermont Community Center, 279 N. Winooski Ave., Burlington. Info: 802-777-8602, abby@pathwaysvermont .org. HELLENBACH CANCER SUPPORT People living w/ cancer & their caretakers convene for support. Call to verify meeting place. Info, 388-6107. INTERSTITIAL CYSTITIS/PAINFUL BLADDER SUPPORT GROUP Interstitial cystitis (IC) & painful bladder syndrome can result in recurring pelvic pain, pressure or discomfort in the bladder/pelvic region & urinary frequency/ urgency. These are often misdiagnosed & mistreated as a chronic bladder infection. If you have been diagnosed or have these symptoms, you are not alone. For Vermont-based support group, email bladderpainvt@gmail.com or call 899-4151 for more info. INTUITIVE EATING SUPPORT GROUP Free weekly peer-led support group for anyone struggling w/ eating &/or body image. The only requirement is a desire to make peace w/ food & your body. Meeting format is: a short reading from Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole & Elyse Resch, 4th edition, followed by open sharing & discussion. Come find community through sharing struggles, experience, strength & hope. Located at the Pickering Room, Fletcher Free Library, Sun. 1-2:30 p.m. Contact 202-553-8953 w/ any questions. 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

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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., 6:307:45 p.m., at Milton Public Library. Free. For more info, call 802-893-4644, email library@miltonvt.gov or visit facebook. com/events/561452568022928. LAUGHTER YOGA Spontaneous, genuine laughter & gentle breathing for physical & emotional benefit. No yoga mat needed! This group is held every Mon., 2-3 p.m., at Pathways Vermont Community Center, 279 North Winooski Ave., Burlington. Contact Chris Nial for any questions: chrisn@ pathwaysvermont.org. LGBTQ SURVIVORS OF VIOLENCE The SafeSpace Anti-Violence Program at Pride Center of Vermont offers peer-led support groups for survivors of relationship, dating, emotional &/or hate-violence. These groups give survivors a safe & supportive environment to tell their stories, share info, & offer & receive support. Support groups also provide survivors an opportunity to gain info on how to better cope w/ feelings & experiences that surface because of the trauma they have experienced. Please call SafeSpace at 863-0003 if you are interested in joining. LGBTQ VETERANS Share the struggles & celebrate the joys of being a service member & LGBTQIA+ in this peer-led discussion group. Meetings are at the Rainbow Bridge Community Center in Barre on the 2nd & 4th Tue. of each mo. Visit rbccvt.org for more info. LIVING THROUGH LOSS Gifford Medical Center is announcing the restart of its grief support group, Living Through Loss. The program is sponsored by the Gifford Volunteer Chaplaincy Program & will meet weekly on Fri., 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., in Gifford’s Chun Chapel. Meetings will be facilitated by the Rev. Timothy Eberhardt, spiritual care coordinator, & Emily Pizzale MSW, LICSW, a Gifford social worker. Anyone who has experienced a significant loss over the last year or so is warmly invited to attend & should enter through the hospital’s main entrance wearing a mask on the way to the chapel. Meetings will be based on the belief that, while each of us is on a unique journey in life, we all need a safe place to pause, to tell our stories &, especially as we grieve, to receive the support & strength we need to continue along the way. MARIJUANA ANONYMOUS Do you have a problem w/ marijuana? MA is a free 12-step program where addicts help other addicts get & stay clean. Ongoing Wed., 7 p.m., at Turning Point Center, 179 S. Winooski, Suite 301, Burlington. Info: 861-3150. MYELOMA SUPPORT GROUP Area myeloma survivors, families & caregivers have come together to form a Multiple Myeloma Support Group. We provide emotional support, resources about treatment options, coping strategies & a support network by

participating in the group experience w/ people who have been through similar situations. 3rd Tue. of every mo., 5-6 p.m., at the New Hope Lodge on East Ave. in Burlington. Info: Kay Cromie, 655-9136, kgcromey@aol.com. NAMI CONNECTION PEER SUPPORT GROUP MEETINGS Weekly virtual meetings. If you have questions about a group in your area, please contact the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Vermont, program@ namivt.org or 800-639-6480. Connection groups are peer recovery support group programs for adults living w/ mental health challenges. NAMI FAMILY SUPPORT GROUP Weekly virtual & in-person meetings. ASL interpreters avail. upon request. Family Support Group meetings are for family & friends of individuals living w/ mental illness. If you have questions about a group in your area, please contact the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Vermont, info@namivt.org or 800-639-6480. NARCONON SUNCOAST DRUG & ALCOHOL REHABILITATION & EDUCATION Narconon reminds families that overdoses due to an elephant tranquilizer known as Carfentanil have been on the rise in nearly every community nationwide. Carfentanil is a synthetic opioid painkiller 100 times more powerful than fentanyl & 1,000 times stronger than heroin. A tiny grain of it is enough to be fatal. To learn more about carfentanil abuse & how to help your loved one, visit narconon-suncoast.org/drug-abuse/ parents-get-help.html. Addiction screenings: Narconon can help you take steps to overcome addiction in your family. Call today for a no-cost screening or referral: 1-877-841-5509. NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS is a group of recovering addicts who live without the use of drugs. It costs nothing to join. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using. Held in Burlington, Barre & St. Johnsbury. Info, 862-4516 or cvana.org. NARCANON BURLINGTON GROUP Group meets every Mon. at 7 p.m., at the Turning Point Center, 179 S. Winooski Ave., Suite 301, Burlington. The only requirement for membership is that there be a problem of addiction in a relative or friend. Info: Amanda H., 338-8106. NEW (& EXPECTING) MAMAS & PAPAS! EVERY PRIMARY CAREGIVER TO A BABY! The Children’s Room invites you to join our weekly drop-in support group. Come unwind & discuss your experiences & questions around infant care & development, self-care & postpartum healing, & community resources for families w/ babies. Tea & snacks provided. Thu., 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Bring your babies! (Newborn through crawling stage.) Located in Thatcher Brook Primary School, 47 Stowe St., childrensroomonline. org. Contact childrensroom@wwsu.org or 244-5605. NORTHWEST VERMONT CANCER PRAYER & SUPPORT NETWORK A meeting of cancer patients, survivors & family members intended to comfort & support those who are currently

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suffering from the disease. 2nd Thu. of every mo., 6-7:30 p.m., St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 11 Church St., St. Albans. Info: stpaulum@myfairpoint. net. 2nd Wed. of every mo., 6-7:30 p.m., Winooski United Methodist Church, 24 W. Allen St., Winooski. Info: hovermann4@comcast.net. OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS (OA) A 12-step program for people who identify as overeaters, compulsive eaters, food addicts, anorexics, bulimics, etc. No matter what your problem w/ food, we have a solution! All are welcome, meetings are open, & there are no dues or fees. See oavermont.org/ meeting-list for the current meeting list, meeting format & more; or call 802-863-2655 anytime! PONDERING GENDER & SEXUALITY Pondering Gender & Sexuality is a twice-monthly facilitated mutual support group for folks of any identity (whether fully formed or a work in progress) who want to engage in meaningful conversations about gender, sexuality & sexual orientation, &/or the coming-out process. Discussions can range from the personal to the philosophical & beyond as we work together to create a compassionate, safe & courageous space to explore our experiences. The group will be held on the 2nd Sun. & 4th Tue. of every mo., 1-2:30 p.m., either virtually or at Pride Center of Vermont. Email pgs@pridecentervt.org for more info or w/ questions! POTATO INTOLERANCE SUPPORT GROUP Anyone coping w/ potato intolerance & interested in joining a support group, contact Jerry Fox, 48 Saybrook Rd., Essex Junction, VT 05452. QUEER CARE GROUP This support group is for adult family members & caregivers of queer &/or questioning youth. It is held on the 2nd Mon. of every mo., 6:30-8 p.m., at Outright Vermont, 241 N. Winooski Ave. This group is for adults only. For more info, email info@outrightvt.org. READY TO BE TOBACCO-FREE GROUPS Join a free 4-5-week group workshop facilitated by our coaches, who are certified in tobacco treatment. We meet in a friendly, relaxed & virtual atmosphere. You may qualify for a free limited supply of nicotine replacement therapy. Info: call 802-847-7333 or email quittobaccoclass@uvmhealth.org to get signed up, or visit myhealthyvt.org to learn more about upcoming workshops! RECOVERING FROM RELIGION Meets on the 2nd Tue. of every mo., 6-8 p.m., at Brownell Public Library, 6 Lincoln St., Essex Junction, unless there’s inclement weather or the date falls on a holiday. Attendees can remain anonymous if they so choose & are not required to tell their story if they do not wish to, but everyone will be welcome to do so. The primary focus of a Recovering From Religion support group is to provide ongoing & personal support to individuals as they let go of their religious beliefs. This transitional period is an ongoing process that can result in a range of emotions, as well as a ripple effect of consequences throughout an individual’s life. As such, the support meetings are safe & anonymous

Open 24/7/365. Post & browse ads at your convenience.

places to express these doubts, fears & experiences without biased feedback or proselytizing. We are here to help each other through this journey. Free. REFUGE RECOVERY MEETING Burlington Refuge Recovery is a Buddhist-oriented, nontheistic addiction recovery group that meets every Tue. at 6:45 p.m. at Turning Point Center, located at 179 S. Winooski Ave. in Burlington. SCLERODERMA FOUNDATION NEW ENGLAND Support group meeting held on the 4th Tue. of every mo., 6:30-8:30 p.m., Williston Police Station. Info, Blythe Leonard, 878-0732. SEX & LOVE ADDICTS ANONYMOUS 12-step recovery group. Do you have a problem w/ sex or relationships? We can help. Info: Shawn, 660-2645. Visit slaafws.org or saa-recovery.org for meetings near you. SEX ADDICTS ANONYMOUS, MONTPELIER Do you have a problem w/ compulsive sexual behavior? A 12-step program has helped us. SAA Montpelier meets twice weekly at 6 p.m.: Mon. virtual meeting, details at saatalk.info; Thu. face-toface at Bethany Church, Montpelier. Details at saa-recovery.org. Contact saa.vtrecovery@gmail.com or call 802-322-3701. SEXUAL VIOLENCE SUPPORT HOPE Works offers free support groups to women, men & teens who are survivors of sexual violence. Groups are avail. for survivors at any stage of the healing process. Intake for all support groups is ongoing. If you are interested in learning more or would like to schedule an intake to become a group member, please call our office at 864-0555, ext. 19, or email our victim advocate at advocate@sover.net. SOCIAL ANXIETY SUPPORT GROUPS For screened adults ages 28-40. Therapist-led sessions. For more info, contact diane@ldtayeby.com. STUTTERING SUPPORT GROUPS If you’re a person who stutters, you are not alone! Adults, teens & school-age kids who stutter, & their families are welcome to join 1 of our 3 free National Stuttering Association (NSA) stuttering support groups at UVM (join by Zoom or in person). Adults: 5:30-6:30 p.m., 1st & 3rd Tue. monthly; teens (ages 13-17): 5:30-6:30 p.m., 2nd Thu. monthly; school-age children (ages 8-12) & parents (meeting separately): 4:15-5:15 p.m., 2nd Thu. monthly. Pomeroy Hall (489 Main St., UVM campus). Info: nsachapters.org/ burlington, burlingtonstutters@gmail. com, 656-0250. Go, Team Stuttering! SUICIDE SURVIVORS SUPPORT GROUP For those who have lost a friend or loved one through suicide. 6:30-8 p.m., on the 3rd Tue. of every mo. Maple Leaf Clinic, 167 N. Main St., Wallingford. Info: 446-3577. SUICIDE HOTLINES IN VT Brattleboro, 257-7989; Montpelier (Washington County Mental Health Emergency Services), 229-0591;

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Randolph (Clara Martin Center Emergency Service), 800-639-6360. SUPPORT GROUP FOR WOMEN who have experienced intimate partner abuse, facilitated by Circle (Washington Co. only). Please call 877-543-9498 for more info. SURVIVORS OF SUICIDE If you have lost someone to suicide & wish to have a safe place to talk, share & spend a little time w/ others who have had a similar experience, join us on the 3rd Thu. of every mo., 7-9 p.m., at the Faith Lighthouse Church, Route 105, Newport (105 Alderbrook). Please call before attending. Info: Mary Butler, 744-6284. SURVIVORS OF SUICIDE: S. BURLINGTON This group is for people experiencing the impact of the loss of a loved one to suicide. 1st Wed. of each mo., 6-7:30 p.m., at the Comfort Inn & Suites, 3 Dorset St., S. Burlington. Info: Bob Purvee at 802-922-4283 or ripurvee1@ yahoo.com, or Aya Kuki at 802-881-3606 or ayakokuki@gmail.com TOPS Take Off Pounds Sensibly chapter meeting. Hedding United Methodist Church, Washington St., Barre. Wed., 5:15-6:15 p.m. For info, call David at 371-8929. TRANS & GENDER-NONCONFORMING SUPPORT GROUP As trans & GNC people in the world, we experience many things that are unique to our identities. For that reason, the Transgender Program hosts a support group for our community on the 1st & 3rd Wed. of every mo., 6:30-8 p.m., either virtually or at Pride Center of Vermont. The Trans & GNC Support group is for Vermonters at all stages of their gender journey to come together to socialize, discuss issues that are coming up in their lives & build community. We welcome anyone whose identity falls under the trans, GNC, intersex & nonbinary umbrellas, & folks questioning their gender identity. Email safespace@ pridecentervt.org w/ any questions, comments or accessibility concerns. TRANSGENDER FAMILY SUPPORT We are people w/ adult loved ones who are transgender or gender nonconforming. We meet to support each other & to learn more about issues & concerns. Our sessions are supportive, informal & confidential. Meetings are held at 5:30 p.m., the 2nd Thu. of each mo., via Zoom. Not sure if you’re ready for a meeting? We also offer 1-on-1 support. For more info, email rex@pridecentervt.org or call 802-318-4746. WOMEN’S CANCER SUPPORT GROUP FAHC. Led by Deb Clark, RN. Every 1st & 3rd Tue., 5-6:30 p.m. Call Kathy McBeth, 847-5715. YOUNG ADULT SUPPORT GROUP A support group for young adults to build community & access peer support. This group meets weekly on Thu. from 3-4 p.m. at Pathways Vermont Community Center, 279 North Winooski Ave., Burlington. Contact Chris Nial for any questions: chrisn@pathwaysvermont.org.

sevendaysvt.com SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

Now hear this! Seven Days is recording select stories from the weekly newspaper for your listening pleasure.

WITH AT HOME A BUDDY

NEW

WHILE YOU WORK

How does it work?

From a Cabin in Norwich, School Principal Ken Cadow Wrote a Young Adult Novel Set in Vermont That’s Up for a National Book Award 20 MINS.

Go to sevendaysvt.com/aloud and click on the article you want to hear.

When the article loads, scroll down past the first photo and find the prompt to “Hear this article read aloud.”

Press play! You can pause at any time, skip ahead, rewind and change the speaking speed to suit your needs.

JUSTIN CASH

Listen to these stories and more:

During a Previous Explosion of Mideast Bloodshed, a Journalist and His Family Straddled the Divide 11 MINS.

Too Many Vermont Kids Struggle to Read. What Went Wrong — and Can Educators Reverse a Yearslong Slide in Literacy? 30 MINS.

In Vermont’s Juvenile Lockup, a Girl Endured Violence and Isolation. She Wasn’t the Only One. And It Was No Secret 104 MINS.

Movie Review: ‘No One Will Save You’ 8 MINS.

Lab-Grown Meat Could Help Feed a Climate-Changed World. Newly Launched Burlington Bio Hopes to Take a Bite. 28 MINS. UVM Scientists Unearth Bad News for Our Climate Future Beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet 23 MINS. 74

ON THE ROAD

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

1t-aloud112223.indd 1

Cleaning House: Burlington Officials Are Fed Up With a Notorious Church Street Apartment Building 10 MINS. 19th-Century Educator Alexander Twilight Broke Racial Barriers, but Only Long After His Death. It’s Complicated 27MINS.

Start listening at: sevendaysvt.com/aloud Then, tell us what you think:

aloud@sevendaysvt.com

11/21/23 2:23 PM

75 NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

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

JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POST-A-JOB NOON ON MONDAYS (INCLUDING HOLIDAYS) MICHELLE BROWN, 802-865-1020 X121, MICHELLE@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

YOUR TRUSTED LOCAL SOURCE. JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM

HOLIDAY CASH

Executive Director

Are you recently retired or between careers? Just looking for something for a few weeks or months? We have seasonal positions to make The World’s Finest Ham, Bacon and Smoked Meats, as well as postitions in our call center and warehouse fullfilling orders. Flexible shifts to meet most schedules, paid training, a fun work environment.

Apply in person: 210 East Main St, Richmond

(Just 15 minutes from Burlington or Waterbury) 3h-Harringtons111523 1

11/13/23 4:19 PM

Bring your passion for agriculture and locally grown food, sustainability, and leadership to building resilience in VT’s food system and strengthening the organization’s prominent voice in the farm and food sector. Following two decades of extraordinary growth and evolution, the new ED will collaborate with and inspire Salvation Farms’ dedicated team and help foster a respectful, intentional workplace culture where employees feel empowered and supported to thrive and succeed. Learn more or apply at bethgilpin.com.

INSTRUCTOR OF SPANISH ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT/ INTAKE COORDINATOR Vermont Center for Anxiety Care Matrix Health Systems Exclusive Burlington waterfront location Duties: • Manage online client applications for mental health services • Telephone screening of new clients • Health insurance verification • Manage client wait list • Coordinate case assignments • Telephone and in-person patient reception • Implement health safety protocols • Administrative support to practice director Required skills: • Friendliness and effective verbal communication Computer skills: • Spreadsheets, JotForms, scanning, faxing, email, MS Word • Efficiency and organization Send resume to Alesia: alesia@ocamhs.com

The Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Literatures at Saint Michael’s College invites applications for an Instructor of Spanish position to begin in August 2024. We seek a versatile teacher with a commitment to undergraduate education in the liberal arts tradition. Candidates should be prepared to teach all levels of undergraduate language, culture, and literature courses: introductory and intermediate language classes, advanced written communication (composition), conversation, and a variety of cultural and literary topics at the advanced level. The area of specialization is open, and candidates must be prepared to teach a range of cultural and literary topics that include both Latin America and Spain. Experience teaching, or a willingness to teach, Spanish for professional/specific purposes — such as Business Spanish or Spanish for Health Professions — is also highly desirable. For a complete job description, benefits information, and to apply online, please visit: bit.ly/40KK48G.

JOIN OUR TEAM!

Shared Living Provider Looking for a skilled Shared Living provider to assist a cultured gentleman. Collaborate as part of a team to establish the perfect living setup. Offering a generous annual stipend of $66,000. The role involves assisting a young man with developmental disabilities in acquiring skills for independent living and enhancing his ability to cope with strong emotions. He takes pleasure in discussing historical topics, enjoying music, and savoring Mexican cuisine. He thrives in a calm and predictable setting, making someone with a relaxed and easygoing demeanor an excellent fit. The ideal candidate should be patient and affirming. Trauma-informed preferred, but training can be provided. For more information contact me at (802) 373-8862.

howardcenter.org • 802-488-6500

Salvation Farms is an equal opportunity, at-will employer with a commitment to building and fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. We value both professional and personal expertise in prospective job candidates as well as a passion for the mission. We honor and encourage people of all backgrounds and lived experiences to apply.

Court Diversion & Victim Services Case Manager LRC is hiring a 32 hr/wk Court Diversion and Victim Services Case Manager to coordinate restorative processes and support services for individuals and communities impacted by crime. This position is ideal for someone with excellent communication, collaboration, and organizational skills. This person should understand trauma-informed and victimcentered practices in Vermont’s legal and human service systems. A bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience required. This is an opportunity for professionals who are interested in a workplace that promotes employee well-being and is known for its inclusive and collaborative work environment. The hourly pay rate is between $21.97 and $23.12. A generous benefits policy provides $12,000 annually for each employee to pay for the benefits they need, such as: medical, dental, vision, and supplemental insurance, and retirement. Additional benefits include 27 paid days off and 17 paid holidays, pre-tax dependent care deductions, paid family medical leave, an annual training stipend, and life insurance. Please submit a cover letter and resume to: info@lrcvt.org.

LRC is an equal opportunity employer and invites applications from professionals with lived experience. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

5v-LamoilleRestorativeCenter110823.indd 1

11/7/23 11:49 AM

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

76 NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

JOIN OUR TEAM! Financial Navigator

Shared Living Provider

If interested, please call or text (802) 782-1588 with a summary of your experience.

Join our thriving and growing fertility practice at Northeastern Reproductive Medicine. The purpose of this role is to provide education about patient’s insurance coverage and financing, support patients along their journey, and continuously improve NRM’s financial efficiency process and performance. The role will report to the Business Operations Manager.

howardcenter.org • 802-488-6500

For more details and to apply, contact info@nrmvt.com.

Seeking Live-In Home Provider Seeking in home support for a 24-year-old young woman in her first apartment. She needs support with cooking, cleaning, and attending appointments. The individual is very sarcastic and outgoing and does well with others who share a similar sense of humor. An ideal candidate would have excellent inter-personal skills and a willingness to learn on the job.

Education & Leadership Coordinator Outright Vermont is looking for an Education & Leadership Coordinator to join our Transforming Team! Do you love to work with youth? Enjoy facilitating experiential learning and practicing direct democracy? Then this job is for you! This is a 35hr/week FT position with comprehensive beneﬁts. Salary $51,000-$56,000; applications welcome by December 3. Outright Vermont is an EOE. Queer & trans people of color & trans feminine candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. Visit outrightvt.org for full description & hiring details.

FISCAL COORDINATOR South Burlington School District is seeking a selfmotivated, team-oriented, organized individual to join our Business Office as the Fiscal Coordinator. This position will assist the Business Office with reporting and accounting functions, and provide backup support to the payroll department. The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field. Two years of experience in accounting functions is preferred.

“Vermont Adult Learning opens the door to 2v-OutrightVT111523.indd 1 11/14/23 10:39 AMTo apply, visit SchoolSpring. a world of possibility for our students.” com, reference Job ID -Maureen, VAL Employee of 33 Years

Chemistry Laboratory Coordinator/Instructor The Chemistry Department at Saint Michael’s College is excited to welcome applications for the Chemistry Laboratory Coordinator/Instructor position. The department is searching for passionate candidates who will inspire the next generation of chemists and contribute to a dynamic educational community beginning in January 2024. The Chemistry Laboratory Coordinator/Instructor plays a pivotal role in shaping the hands-on learning experience for students. This involves teaching two lab sections per semester, fostering an inclusive and engaging learning environment, and overseeing the training and supervision of student lab assistants throughout the department. This role is also at the forefront of lab administration, managing preparations for all course-affiliated labs, which extends to resource management, where this position oversees the acquisition and stocking of teaching-related chemicals, lab supplies, equipment, and manuals. The salary range is $60,000 - $65,000.

Workbased English Language Learning Instructor in Burlington Math English Language Learning Instructor in Burlington Adjunct Math Instructor in Middlebury Educational Advisor in Rutland

THE GRIND GOT YOU DOWN?

Learn more about current opportunities at

4t-VTAdultLearningMULTI112223 1

Join the Copley Lab Team

Three-year, Part time contract beginning Fall 2023 The Vermont Judiciary is currently recruiting a Behavioral Health Project Consultant. This person will work with the Vermont Judiciary Commission on Mental Health and the Courts and its justice partners and stakeholders to assist with expanding and improving the judicial response to mental and behavioral health issues, to assist with the development and implementation of training curriculum and materials, and to facilitate and support justice partners and stakeholders in the Commission’s work. A BA in Behavioral Science, Social Services, Psychology, or related fields with 5+ years of experience in project management or policy development in areas related to mental/behavioral health treatment providers and evidencebased practices for mental/behavioral health, substance abuse disorders, and/or co-occurring disorders. E.O.E. For details: vermontjudiciary.exacthire.com/job/115182. To apply, submit a resume to JUD.jobs@vermont.gov.

Human Resources Director, Remote with Some Statewide Travel Adult Basic Ed Instructors in St. Albans & Springfield

vtadultlearning.org/about-us/#careers

For job description, benefits & to apply online, visit: bit.ly/SMCCLCI.

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROJECT CONSULTANT

#4450883, or visit our website sbschools.net/page/ employment-opportunities. If you have questions, contact Elissa Galvez, HR Employment Specialist at (802) 652-7247 or egalvez@sbschools.net.

At Copley Laboratory, all team members play a critical role; each opinion matters; and there is opportunity for advancement. We welcome all qualified applicants—those with many years of experience and those who are just starting their careers.

11/20/23 11:53 AM

Perk up!

Browse 100+ new job postings from trusted, local employers.

We’re currently seeking:

Laboratory Supervisor Medical Lab Scientist—Night Shift For more info, visit copleyvt.org/careers or call J.T. Vize at 802-888-8329

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Follow @SevenDaysJobs on Twitter for the latest job opportunities

jobs.sevendaysvt.com 11/16/233v-CoffeCampaign.indd 9:54 AM 1

8/26/21 5:17 PM

Lecturer, Economics Clinical Coordinator, Nursing Labor Relations Specialist (half-time) Assistant Professor, Multimedia Production

NEW JOBS POSTED DAILY! JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM

Water/Wastewater Project Engineer or Environmental Technician New England Consulting Engineers is actively seeking a talented Water/Wastewater Project Engineer or Environmental Technician for immediate employment at our Morrisville, Vermont location. The candidate will have a primary focus on water/wastewater, geothermal planning, hydraulic modeling, design, condition assessment, and mapping for municipal and private clients. An interest or experience in renewable energy conservation is a plus.

Assistant Professor, Communication Sciences & Disorders

The candidate will perform a variety of tasks, including site investigations, field measurements, utility investigations, hydraulic modeling, capacity studies, treatment process design, permitting, conceptual through 100 percent design, cost estimating, and construction administration/observation.

For position details and application process, visit jobs.plattsburgh.edu and select “View Current Openings”

The successful candidate will have ample opportunities to develop professionally through frequent collaboration with others and attendance at professional conferences.

SUNY Plattsburgh is an AA/EEO/ADA/VEVRAA committed to excellence through diversity and supporting an inclusive environment for all.

77 NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

Explore opportunities like:

Assistant/Associate PROFESSOR OF MARKETING champlain.edu/careers Scan code for more information.

Requirements: • Good computer skills, including CADD • Ideal candidate will have professional engineer registration or be eligible for registration within 1 year

Goddard College, a leader in non-traditional education, has the following full-time, benefit eligible and part-time position openings:

Senior, entry-level and non-engineer candidates encouraged to apply. We offer comprehensive benefits and a great working environment.

AFFILIATED FACULTY – SCHOOL COUNSELING K-12

Send cover letter and resume to: saral@manosh.com.

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF CAMPUS OPERATIONS CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

SEASONAL HOLIDAY POSITIONS 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 Warehouse Department. We offer competitive wages, generous employee discounts, and hours that meet your schedule.

For an application or more information please email:

tdanyow@dakinfarm.com or Jims@dakinfarm.com

You can also give us a call or stop by our retail store : 5797 Route 7, Ferrisburgh 1-800-99DAKIN

3v-DakinFarm111523 1

DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES To view position descriptions and application instructions, please visit our website:

FULFILLMENT CREW MEMBER / PACKING CREW MEMBER

goddard.edu/about-goddard/employment-opportunities/

• Full and Part-Time, Seasonal (Anticipated length of position: December – April 2024)

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11/13/23 12:08 PM

• Weekends and Evenings • Wage scale 6: Starting pay $15.60/hr High Mowing Organic Seeds is a leader in the organic seed, farming, and food community. We value our unique opportunity to meet the growing demand for professional-quality organic seeds. If you are interested in joining our team of fun-loving individuals brought together by our common love of sustainable agriculture, please come to our job fair. You will be able to tour the campus, meet potential coworkers, and interview on the spot. The fair will be held at our Wolcott campus at 76 Quarry Road on Thursday, December 7th from 4-6pm. If you can’t make the fair but are interested in joining our team, please email your cover letter and resume to jobs@highmowingseeds.com. Full job descriptions can be found at highmowingseeds.com/staff-and-careers. To apply, email resume/cover letter to jobs@highmowingseeds. com. Please put the job title (Fulfillment Team Member or Packing Team Member) in the subject line. No phone calls please.

5v-HighMowingSeeds112223.indd 1 11/13/23 4:05 PM

MULTIPLE POSITIONS OPEN! Are you our next Guest Services Representative? Buyer? Produce Associate? Scan to see all open positions! STAFF CURATED BENEFITS Apply online at healthylivingmarket.com/careers

11/17/234t-HealthyLiving020922 3:23 PM 1

2/2/22 4:58 PM

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

78 NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

Operating Room Registered Nurse (RN) NORTHEASTERN VERMONT REGIONAL HOSPITAL (NVRH): Fun, fabulous, well-oiled, OR team seeks RN who’s organized, a great communicator, has excellent attention to detail - and can tell a joke or two! NVRH offers competitive wages, loan repayment, generous paid time off, career advancement and an exceptional benefits package. But, we also offer a thriving, fast-paced environment with co-workers who bring the fun, while providing exceptional care of our patients. Apply now and experience the rewards of being in a supportive and thriving environment at NVRH.

NVRH.ORG/CAREERS.

Director of Development The Lake Champlain Chamber is a dynamic organization dedicated to creating economic opportunities in our region. We are seeking a passionate and experienced Director of Development to join our team and play a crucial role in supporting our mission. This newly created role will be responsible for developing and executing fundraising strategies to secure financial support from individuals, businesses, and organizations. You’ll play an integral part in strategic leadership and be responsible for acquiring and managing various resources, including financial support and partnerships. Your work will directly benefit programs like Leadership Champlain, Burlington Young Professionals, and LaunchVT and directly impact our ability to create economic opportunities for Vermonters. To view a complete job description, visit bit.ly/LCChamberDofD. Interested candidates should submit their resume and a cover letter detailing their fundraising experience and their passion for economic development to vermont@vermont.org. Please include “Director of Development Application" in the subject line. The Lake Champlain Chamber is an Equal Opportunity Employer that welcomes diversity in the workplace. We strongly encourage all qualified persons to apply.

Now Hiring! WE’RE HIRING! • Program Clinicians • Residential Counselors & Mental Health Workers • Awake Overnight Counselors • Clinical & Therapeutic Case Managers • Teachers and Special Educators • Classroom Counselors & One to One Staff

• Resident Care Director (RN) • Medication Tech/Resident Services Assistant (evenings) • Cook An excellent work environment, competitive pay, and great benefits await you at our welcoming independent living and residential care community. We are looking for caring professionals to join our team, where teamwork and a positive attitude are essential to helping everyone feel at home.

• Family Engagement Specialists • Administrative NFI VT is a private, nonprofit, specialized service agency within the Vermont statewide mental health system. We are a healing organization, grounded in trauma-informed care. We are hiring for Full-Time, Part-Time and Relief positions. Regular positions of 30+ hours per week are eligible for our generous benefits package, which includes competitive salary and tuition reimbursement. Please apply online at: nfivermont. org/careers.

LEARN MORE & APPLY Apply at westviewmeadows.com Email your resume to HR@westviewmeadows.com

2 of 4 7t-WestviewMeadows110823 1

11/3/23 8:47 AM

ATTENTION RECRUITERS:

NFI VT is an E.O.E. and, as such, prohibits discrimination against any employee or applicant based on race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, ethnic background, disability, or other non-work-related personal trait or characteristic to the extent protected by law.

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

3h-ContactInfo.indd 1

SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTMYJOB NOON ON MONDAYS (INCLUDING HOLIDAYS) MICHELLE BROWN, 802-865-1020 X121, MICHELLE@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

6/29/21 2:49 PM

NEW JOBS POSTED DAILY! JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM

79 NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

Bookkeeper Caledonia County NRCD & Essex County NRCD.

SEEKING DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES

Full RFP at caledoniadistrict.org.

This engaging leadership role oversees all HR functions for Vermont Adult Learning, a nonprofit organization with a $5+ million budget and approximately 45 full-time and 40 part-time employees.

Email smayne.essexnrcd@ gmail.com.

Responsibilities: Recruitment, compensation and benefits, employee relations and performance management, training and staff development, and administration.

Tues-Fri, 9-5, $25/hr. Health ins. reimbursement

Help us expand our team of incredible educators to bring the joy of learning through play to more children across Chittenden County. Experience working with children and families is required; an Associate’s degree in childhood education is preferred. Substitute and float teacher positions are also available.

For full job description go to vtadultlearning.org/about-us/#careers This position is a remote from home position with occasional travel to meet with staff across the state. Preference will be given to someone living in or moving to Vermont. Send resume, cover letter and salary requirements to: djustice@vtadultlearning.org

LEARN MORE

Join our team and support educators making a difference in the lives of adult learners!

Full-time, competitive salary, excellent benefits.

Some flexibility in hours

4t-VTAdultLearningDIRECTORhr112223 1

11/20/23 11:50 AM

We’re Hiring!

11/13/23 12:10 PM

We offer competitive wages & a full benefits package for full time employees. No auction experience necessary.

$1,000 sign-on bonus, $22-25/hour lundvt.org/employment

Competitive Pay, Generous PTO, 13 Paid Holidays. Health, Dental, Vision, Life, Pet Insurance, Identity Theft Insurance, Wellness Reimbursement, Flexible Spending and Dependent Care Accounts, Great Working Environment.

To apply, send resume, cover letter explaining interest and references to: sk@kieselaw.com

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Early Childhood Educators

Requires: Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration or a related field (preferred) with 2+ years of HR generalist experience and 3+ years of progressive HR leadership experience. SHRM, PHR, or SPHR certification a plus. Comparable combination of education and experience may be acceptable. Knowledge of payroll and HR software. Experience in nonprofit and/or educational organizations preferred.

AIDE FOR YOUNG MAN WITH AUTISM

$1500 quarterly retention bonus

We're hiring for several positions, including:

5v-Lund112223 1

11/16/23 5:52 PM

Human Resources Coordinator

OPEN POSITIONS: Auto Auction Yard Crew (WILLISTON, VT)

Full time - Monday – Friday 8:00 to 5:00 + 2 Saturdays a month. Tasks include; filling out forms when customers bring in cars for auction, jump starting cars, driving auto/manual cars, taking pictures, assigning lot numbers, uploading vehicles to online auction platform, and more. Email eric@thcauction.com

Auction Site Tech (MORRISVILLE, VT)

We’re seeking an energetic & motivated individual to join our auction team. Techs work an average of 40 hours per week. Email: info@thcauction.com

Thomas Hirchak Company is an at will employer. See more jobs at:

$24 - $28 hourly, DOQ Full-time with flexible scheduling available and excellent local government benefits.

WE’RE HIRING

The Town of Shelburne team has grown to require a dedicated human resources professional. Help all our staff achieve their best, and cultivate the spirit of public service in our town. This coordinator will support all of our departments in the full suite of HR routines and special projects. The ideal candidate has related education and experience in human resources work, including recruiting, benefits administration, training, and problem solving. We have opportunities to grow, and to shape this position to the skills and interests of the right candidate.

Join the Vermont Department of Taxes to help support this brave little state and shape its future.

Visit shelburnevt.org/jobs to see the full job description and application. To apply, email scannizzaro@shelburnevt. org. Review of applications begins immediately. The Town of Shelburne is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

FIELD AUDITOR

This new position is a priority for the Shelburne Selectboard, to enhance all of the Town’s services.

ANALYST

THCAuction.com

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COMPLIANCE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR VTAX ASSISTANT DIRECTOR SUPPORT COORDINATOR COMPLIANCE OFFICER FISCAL ANALYST

SECTION CHIEF EXAMINER

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11/20/23 4:03 PM

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

80 NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

WHERE YOU AND YOUR WORK MATTER...

Human Rights Investigator & Program Assistant

When you work for the State of Vermont, you and your work matter. A career with the State puts you on a rich and rewarding professional path. You’ll find jobs in dozens of fields – not to mention an outstanding total compensation package.

D D S M E D I C A L C O N S U LT A N T – W A T E R B U R Y Are you a physician looking for a flexible part-time career helping to improve the lives of Vermont’s most vulnerable people? Disability Determination Services seeks a licensed M.D./D.O. with experience in general medicine, family practice, or cardiology to consult with adjudicative staff and provide medical eligibility decisions for applicants filing for Social Security disability, SSI, and Medicaid disability. Telework available. Program training is provided with no patient care responsibilities. For more information, contact Kirsten Moore at kirsten.moore@ssa.gov. Department: Children and Families. Location: Waterbury. Status: Part Time – Temporary. Job ID #48615. Application Deadline: November 26, 2023.

Learn more at: careers.vermont.gov

The State of Vermont is an Equal Opportunity Employer

UVM Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Special Education The University of Vermont’s Department of Education in The College of Education & Social Services seeks to hire a Lecturer/ Senior Lecturer in Special Education for a full-time, 9-month appointment to begin August 2024. This position includes teaching core courses in the undergraduate and master’s special education programs and providing field supervision. Courses in the program are delivered in hybrid, online, and in-person modalities. Full description and to apply go to: uvmjobs.com/postings/68391.

GO HIRE.

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The Milk with Dignity Standards Council brings together farmworkers, farmers, and corporate buyers to secure dignified working conditions in dairy supply chains. Join our bilingual team of advocates modeling a new form of cooperation between dairy workers and farmers. Conduct interviews of farm workers and farmers; receive and investigate complaints through a 24-hour confidential support line. This position will also assist with meeting the administrative needs of the organization. Salary is $47K + benefits; position based in Burlington. For more info and to apply: milkwithdignity.org/careers.

11/18/23 10:14 AM

Job Recruiters: •

Post jobs using a form that includes key info about your company and open positions (location, application deadlines, video, images, etc.).

•

Accept applications and manage the hiring process via our applicant tracking tool.

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Easily manage your open job listings from your recruiter dashboard.

Job Seekers: • Search for jobs by keyword, location, category and job type. • Set up job alert emails using custom search criteria. • Save jobs to a custom list with your own notes on the positions. • Apply for jobs directly through the site.

Get a quote when you post online or contact Michelle Brown: 865-1020, ext. 121, michelle@sevendaysvt.com.

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jobs.sevendaysvt.com

8/31/21 3:10 PM

NEW JOBS POSTED DAILY! 3.83”

JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM

Household Help

an equal opportunity employer

Personal Assistant Looking for female to assist with ambulatory care of elderly female. Drive vehicle for appointments & just to get out and about weekly.

WE’RE HIRING!

• Meal preparing • Shopping • Help getting personal things done • Flexible Hours weekly - 2x a week • Pay rate negotiable

Now Hiring!

Administrative Assistant

YOUR TRUSTED LOCAL SOURCE.

This list is just a sample to acquaint you with what we may be getting into. Send application to: ccwalker2@ aol.com or call 802-899-3088, ask for Craig or Cindy.

81 NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

Investment Desk Associate ONEDAYINJULY.COM/CAREERS

Multiple Positions!

Let chocolate change your world! It’s a great time to join LCC and bring happiness to our amazing customers throughout the holiday season! •SEASONAL ORDER FULFILLMENT ASSOCIATE DAY SHIFT (WILLISTON)

•SEASONAL ORDER FULFILLMENT ASSOCIATE SECOND SHIFT (3:30PM11:30PM) (WILLISTON)

JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM

Shipping chocolates across the country every day is no small task! If you are attentive to detail, enjoy fast-paced work, and love working with a team, we can't wait to meet you! •SEASONAL CHOCOLATE MAKER & PACKAGING SPECIALIST (WILLISTON)

We are looking for motivated team players to join our community of chocolate makers and packagers for the busy season at our factory in Williston! 2v-OneDayinJuly112223 1

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•SEASONAL FLAGSHIP STORE RETAIL ASSOCIATE (PINE STREET, BURLINGTON)

We seek team members who care about providing an exceptional and welcoming in-store experience for the diverse community of chocolate-lovers who enter our doors.

Ready to apply? Email your resume to employment@lakechamplainchocolates.com

Please visit our website for additional job details: https://www.lakechamplainchocolates.com/careers

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11/18/23 10:16 AM

Join the WISE Team! Since 1971, WISE has supported survivors of gender-based violence in the Upper Valley. We encourage and cultivate a dynamic environment that requires us to be an adaptive, flexible, and innovative team. We are growing and expanding our programming.

WISE Multidisciplinary Interview and Training Center (MITC) Coordinator

LPN/RN

Join the MITC team and facilitate supportive interview experiences for survivors, represent WISE with community partners, and work with all of expert witness development. AVENUE, PLEASANT PRAIRIE, WI 53158 CGD Design.LLC 10330 32ndaspects

LPN Start at $35/hr RN starting at $45/hr carol grabowski-davis cgrabod@sbcglobal.net Family Violence Prevention Coordinator $7500 Sign on bonus — $5,000 yearly retention bonus

Provide sophisticated, well-coordinated advocacy for people impacted by

CHOCOLATES 04-01-16 Valley Vista is a comprehensive drug & alcohol rehab center inDATE: Vermont offering CLIENT: LAKE CHAMPLAIN gender-based violence. Work with families experiencing the co-occurrence of Ads PROJECT: LCC Employment JOB NO: LC-0253 treatment for substance abuse and dual diagnosis therapy. The LPN/RN are aFILE keyNAME: LC0253_RETAIL child5v abuse and domestic violence. / 3.83”x5.25” PHASE: FNAT part of our team assisting in medical detox and behavior interventions. DS 302-3 Program Advocate

Recovery Specialist

PLEASE CHECK CAREFULLY. Although every effortProvide is made to ensure that artwork correct, 25-0-95-0 advocacy for this people whois have experienced domestic and/or sexual errors and omissions do occur. CGD DESIGN cannot assume liability beyond the corrections needed.

violence, trafficking and stalking, and build relationships with community organizations and institutions.

Youth Violence Prevention Educator

Starting at $20-22/hr

Work with students, educators, and parents throughout the Upper Valley providing prevention education, student leadership to end violence, and youth advocacy for survivors.

Valley Vista is seeking caring and motivated Recovery Specialists and Recovery Coaches at our Bradford facility, for all shifts. This position will help patients have a positive and successful recovery by ensuring the patient understands his/her responsibilities in the program and giving guidance when needed.

Community Educator

Engage adults, provide learning experiences, and create connections to end gender-based violence in our communities. Work closely with businesses, faith-based organizations, and community partners to develop these opportunities.

Visit: vvista.net 9t-ValleyVista111523.indd 1

To learn more and apply: wiseuv.org/how-to-join/careers 11/13/23 11:20 AM 5v-WISE110123 1

10/31/23 12:43 PM

M 0

Join Our Team as CEO of Howard Center About the Organization

Started in 1865 as a program for the widows and orphans of the Civil War, today Howard Center is a cornerstone in the community, offering an array of mental health, substance use, and developmental services with 1,600 staff members serving in over 50 different programs in 60 locations throughout Chittenden County and Vermont. With a mission focused on helping individuals, families and communities thrive, we offer accessible, compassionate, and lifesaving support and services. Our dedicated team of professionals continually strives to foster a healthy and inclusive community, embodying the core values that define Howard Center’s enduring legacy. The people we serve, and our staff, are at the heart of everything we do.

About the Opportunity

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Howard Center is a pivotal role, meticulously developed for a seasoned, collaborative leader eager to propel the mission of Howard Center further into the community. The CEO, under the guidance of the Board of Trustees, is the cohesive anchor for the operations, functions, and programs of the agency, aimed at the consistent achievement of the agency’s mission, vision and values. This role encompasses a robust partnership with the Board to carve out a strategic direction, including shortand long-term objectives while formulating pertinent policies. The CEO is expected to exhibit exemplary leadership, fostering a spirit of collaboration among staff, agency stakeholders, donors, and community partners. The essence of this role lies in selecting, managing, and evaluating executive and key senior leadership team members, thus providing an overarching direction for agency operations and programs. Establishing fiscally responsible short-and longterm goals aligning with the mission, vision, and values of the agency is a key aspect of this role with a budget of $134.5M.

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A wholehearted commitment to the principles of diversity, equity, and belonging is essential,

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F E XC E L

SEVEN DAYS NOVEMBER 22-29, 2023

along with engaging the community in setting agency direction, priorities, and service needs identification. The CEO will also be instrumental in developing effective relationships with the legislature, state agencies, local community leaders, and other relevant local and statewide providers to promote the agency, its myriad of services, and a statewide communitybased system of care. The successful candidate will navigate through challenges, capitalize on opportunities, and foster innovation to maintain financial viability, working collaboratively with the Board of Trustees on regular programmatic and financial reporting, and ensuring the agency meets requisite accreditation standards while maintaining certification and licensure.

About the Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate for the CEO position at Howard Center will reflect a deep understanding and have extensive experience across the human services landscape. The successful candidate will have an advanced degree in related human services field or completion of behavioral health or business management credentials, supplemented by over 10 years of progressively responsible leadership positions within community mental health, substance use disorder treatment and/or developmental disability services, including five years of supervisory experience in an executive leadership role. The successful candidate will demonstrate a proven ability to develop strong relationships with donors and funders and the ability to fundraise on behalf of the agency. The successful candidate will have experience working with unions, showcasing the candidate’s capacity to navigate through complex labor relations landscapes. Engaging with state and local government entities, understanding legislation, and advocating for policies that advance the mission of Howard Center is a significant aspect of this role. The successful candidate should possess media experience and be capable of representing Howard Center across various media platforms, projecting a positive

agency image, while effectively articulating the agency’s mission, vision, values and impact to the public. A robust commitment to racial justice is paramount, with the successful candidate expected to drive initiatives that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion both within the organization and in the community at large. The ability to authentically engage with a wide range of key stakeholders and community partners and to foster a culture of inclusivity is crucial. Enthusiasm, flexibility, and empathy are essential traits, enabling the successful candidate to invoke trust and confidence among key stakeholders of the agency. The ideal candidate will have the ability to translate strategic visions into actionable goals, ensuring sound fiscal and organizational management that aligns with the agency’s overarching mission and values. The capability to adapt to evolving community needs, innovate solutions, and lead the agency in a manner that resonates with the core values of Howard Center is what will set apart the ideal candidate in fulfilling the dynamic responsibilities of the CEO role.

How to Apply

Inquiries regarding the CEO position should be directed to Jami Armstrong, Senior Consultant at Nonprofit HR at jarmstrong@ nonprofithr.com. Please submit your CV/resume and cover letter outlining your interest and qualifications specific to the role. Howard Center is an equal-opportunity employer fully committed to creating an environment and team that represent a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, styles, and experiences. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, military status, veteran status, genetic information, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. We encourage ALL qualified candidates to apply.

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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY BY ROB BREZSNY REAL NOVEMBER 23-29 eration. Your mental, physical and spiritual health will flourish in response.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC.21)

Composer Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) was charismatic and forceful but also hot-tempered and prone to rude behavior. The writer Goethe, his contemporary, said, “His talent amazed me” and described him as an “utterly untamed personality.” Beethoven seldom lived in one home for very long and loved to sing at the top of his lungs as he washed himself. Although he played piano with exquisite skill, he was quite clumsy as he moved through the world. Can you guess what astrological sign he was? Same as you! Sagittarius! I’m not saying you are exactly like this wild, unruly genius, but you do have tendencies in that direction. And in the coming weeks, I expect you’ll be inclined to be more Beethoven-esque than usual. Please work on emphasizing the winsome aspects.

ARIES (Mar. 21-Apr. 19): When we experience authentic awe, our humility deepens. This in turn tends to make us kinder, smarter and more positive. So how can we stimulate awe? Among the many possible ways are gazing at magnificent art, hiking in a natural wonderland or being in the presence of a beautiful human soul. In accordance with astrological omens, I recommend that you go in quest of awe and related feelings such as reverence, amazement, adoration and ven-

TAURUS (Apr. 20-May 20): It’s the Season for Cherishing and Smoking Out Secrets. So let’s talk about the subject. 1) Some secrets are sad, haunting, even risky — and worth keeping secret. 2) Other secrets can be beautiful, healing and potentially life-changing if they are revealed gracefully. 3) Some secrets are buried so deeply that only very persistent seekers dig them up. 4) Some secrets are “hidden” in plain view and only visible to people who are clear and brave enough to identify them. I suspect you Tauruses will have a special knack for managing all types of secrets in the coming weeks, including those I mentioned. GEMINI (May 21-Jun. 20): I hope you won’t

fill yourself up with appetizers and hors d’oeuvres in the coming weeks, Gemini. My soul will be at peace if I see you save your hunger for the main courses. Your motto should be “Feasts, not snacks!” or “The real deal, not the pretenders!” or “The jubilee, not the distractions!” If you ever find yourself feeling half-hearted or inattentive, you’re probably not in the right situation. Here’s an affirmation to go with your mottoes: “I am liberating my divine appetite!”

CANCER (Jun. 21-Jul. 22): Playwright Anton Chekhov (1860-1904) is regarded as one of history’s great writers. That does not mean everything he said was wise, useful or worthy of our attention. For example, he was once asked to give his opinion about ballet. “During the intermissions, the ballerinas stink like horses,” he replied. I hesitate to bring up such a vulgar reference, but I wanted to make a vivid point. In the coming weeks, I hope you will ignore the advice of people who don’t know what they are talking about, no matter how smart or charismatic they may be. I hope you will not attribute expertise to those who have no such expertise. I hope that, as much as possible, you will rely on firsthand information, rigorous research and reliable influences. LEO (Jul. 23-Aug. 22): Researchers have determined that there are two basic dispositions among tigers. One is what they call “majesty.” Creatures with this orientation tend to be

dignified, imposing and agile. The other type of tiger personality revolves around “steadiness.” This is the opposite of neuroticism and includes the qualities of being affable, easy to get along with and well adjusted. I know many astrologers associate lions with you Leos, but I prefer to link you with tigers. If you agree with me, here’s my prediction: You are beginning a phase when you will be more majestic than steady — but with plenty of steadiness also available if you want it.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sep. 22): “It is better to entertain an idea than to take it home to live with you for the rest of your life,” author Randall Jarrell wrote. That’s decent advice, though I will add a caveat: If you entertain an idea for a while and it turns out that you love it, and you also love the beneficent effect it has on you, you may be smart to take it home to live with you. I’m guessing you Virgos are at a pivotal point in this regard. Not yet but soon, you will know whether it will be wise to get cozier with certain influences you have been flirting with — or else decide they are not ones you want to keep. LIBRA (Sep. 23-Oct. 22): If I could give an award for Most Curious Genius in the World, it would be to Libran author and naturalist Diane Ackerman. She would also get my prize for Most Voracious Learner and Best Questioner and Most Exuberant Seeker and Searcher. “To hear the melody,” she writes, “we must hear all the notes.” In response to the question, “What is life?” she offers this answer: “Life is … corsages and dust mites and alligator skin … and tree-frog serenades and foreskins and blue hydrangeas and banana slugs and war dances and cedar chips and bombardier beetles.” In accordance with current astrological omens, I encourage you to be like Diane Ackerman in the coming weeks. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Have you located any of your soul twins? If not, is that an interesting prospect for you? Please note that soul twins are not necessarily the same as dream lovers. They may simply be people with whom you share deep values and perspectives. They might aspire to influence the world in ways similar to you. With a soul twin, you feel at home in the world and extra happy to be your-

self. I bring these meditations to your attention, Scorpio, because the coming months will be an especially likely time for you to encounter and engage with soul twins. Be on the alert!

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): I hope you have developed good boundaries, Capricorn. I hope you are so skilled at taking care of yourself that you steadfastly refuse to let people manipulate you or hurt you. Just to make sure your discernment is working at peak levels, though, I will offer you a tip. In the English language, we have the idiom “to rub salt in a wound,” which refers to the fact that daubing salt in an open gash in the skin makes the pain even worse. But did you know that smearing sugar in a wound is equally distressing? The metaphorical lesson is that you should be vigilant for seemingly nice, sweet people who might also violate your boundaries to hurt or manipulate you. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): I estimate

this horoscope is worth $22,225. It has been made possible by my many years of disciplined meditations, extensive reading of holy texts, and an ever-growing devotion to astrology and my readers. But here’s the fun part: You can read these words for free! No cost at all! I will, however, ask you to do something for me in return. First, give your gifts joyously and generously in the coming weeks, holding nothing back. Second, don’t be in the least concerned about whether you will receive benefits in return for your gifts. Find the sweet spot where you love bestowing blessings for no other reason except this one: You are expressing your gratitude for the miraculous life you have been given.

PISCES (Feb. 19-Mar. 20): Do you possess gambits, tactics and knacks that we might refer to as your “bag of tricks”? I hope so, because such an asset will be extra valuable during the coming weeks. You will be wise to employ every cagey move you can imagine and call on every favor that’s owed to you and cash in on every advantage you have accrued. I don’t want you to engage in outright cheating, but I encourage you to use ploys and stratagems that have full integrity. Be on the lookout for secret shortcuts, magic cookies and wild cards.

CHECK OUT ROB BREZSNY’S EXPANDED WEEKLY AUDIO HOROSCOPES & DAILY TEXT MESSAGE HOROSCOPES: REALASTROLOGY.COM OR 1-877-873-4888.