Seven Days, November 27, 2024 by Seven Days

WEEK IN REVIEW

NOVEMBER 20-27, 2024

COMPILED BY SASHA GOLDSTEIN & MATTHEW ROY

e state teachers’ union is pushing Vermont lawmakers to fund education using an income-based tax in place of the confusing — and, they say, unfair — current system.

Leaders of the 13,000member VermontNEA briefed lawmakers last ursday about a three-step proposal that would phase in the change.

e meeting followed the November 5 election in which Republicans, who blame Democrats for rising property taxes, made historic gains in the legislature.

where an additional dollar of income or an increase in property value can dramatically boost their education taxes.

emoji that WANT BULLETS WITH THAT?

That’s the amount Roxbury will pay for its village school building after the district voted to close it.

ANOTHER WAY TO PAY FOR SCHOOLS

Democrats have since pledged to make soaring property taxes their top priority during the upcoming legislative session.

At the brieﬁng, VT-NEA political director Colin Robinson acknowledged that Vermonters are both confused and frustrated by education funding. Polling indicates that Vermonters believe public schooling is important yet also consider their property taxes to be too high.

e NEA enlisted the Public Assets Institute, a Montpelier-based nonproﬁt advocacy organization, to help devise a new path forward.

Step one, which would be implemented next year, would increase the number of Vermont homeowners whose income qualiﬁes them for a property tax credit. Roughly two-thirds of Vermonters already pay education taxes calculated partly based on their income, but the metrics used to determine who qualiﬁes haven’t been updated in 16 years. Many homeowners hit tax “cliffs” — or thresholds

e move would provide “targeted property tax relief to more than 50,000 middle-class homeowners” but would require an additional $50 to $60 million from the education fund, according to Robinson. e second step, which would likely take through 2025 to accomplish, would be to “rebalance the education fund” by evaluating current expenditures and revenues. e third step would be to eliminate the education property tax and replace it with an income-based system. Seven of 10 Vermonters support this shift, according to NEA polling. A legislative committee studied the issue in 2022. But more work is needed to ﬂesh out the logistics, Robinson acknowledged, such as whether the tax would apply to just homeowners or include renters.

e shift “would ensure that those with the greatest means pay their fair share,” Robinson said. e proposal does not detail how much people might save or who would beneﬁt the most.

No state funds education using an income-based system such as the one being proposed, according to Public Assets president and executive director Steph Yu. But “a lot of states make some adjustments based on income,” she said.

Read Alison Novak’s full story at sevendaysvt.com.

Gun sales spiked after Donald Trump’s election, shop owners told WCAX-TV. The buyers: left-leaning folks, reportedly.

DEAD END

VTrans has o cially closed Route 108, aka Smugglers’ Notch, for the winter. Let it snow!

SEEKING: GREAT NEWSPAPER

The New York Times wrote a love letter to Seven Days, noting we’re one of the “last bastions of newspaper personal ads.” Be still, our hearts.

LAST DETOUR

Burlington will keep a downtown intersection open through the holidays after businesses complained that closing it for construction would deter shoppers. Merrier.

TOPFIVE

PASSIONS PLAY

If you don’t get enough family drama at your anksgiving table, head to South Burlington this weekend to see Happy anksgiving, a comedy by Tim Boland. e play is set in 2016, just after Donald Trump was elected president. Conservative Midwestern parents Arthur and Bev Harmon are hosting their gay Log Cabin Republican son, two liberal daughters and the daughters’ husbands, one of whom is Black, the other Latino.

Boland, an independent from a blueand-red family, wrote dialogue to present clashing viewpoints evenly and respectfully as he serves up a bipartisan roast. Audience members will laugh at people from the left and

right, he said: “ ere are no heroes and villains in my story. ere’s just human beings with lots of imperfections and ﬂaws and contradictions.”

Amid the hilarity is a message: People who disagree politically have to start talking to each other. “ ere’s a line in the play that says, ‘If we can’t learn to get along here as a family, how can we ever expect America to?’” Boland said.

An American living in Sutton, Québec, Boland is best known for writing In the Name of the People, a play adapted into a 2000 TV movie. Happy anksgiving was one of two winners at the 2018 Long Beach Playhouse New Works Festival.

Trump’s reelection has given the show a second life. “Whether we like or dislike him, he’s

the gift that keeps on giving” to artists, Boland said.

Happy anksgiving will have three staged readings at Spotlight Vermont’s black-box theater. e performance will look much like any other play except for the fact that the actors hold scripts. Timothy Barden, a Colchester actor and cofounder of Spotlight eatre Academy, directs the seven-member cast. Discussions follow each show.

Audience members can expect to laugh and cry at the production, Boland said: “It’ll be thought-provoking, but they’re going to enjoy the ride.”

Admission is free, but reservations are required. A live stream of each performance will also be available.

MARY ANN LICKTEIG

@samdvt

HOLD ON TO YOUR HAT.

Paula Routly

Cathy Resmer

Don Eggert, Colby Roberts

NEWS & POLITICS

Matthew Roy

Sasha Goldstein

Ken Ellingwood, Candace Page

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

ARTS & CULTURE

Dan Bolles, Carolyn Fox

Chelsea Edgar, Margot Harrison, Pamela Polston

Jen Rose Smith

Alice Dodge

Chris Farnsworth

Rebecca Driscoll

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

Alice Dodge, Angela Simpson

Katherine Isaacs, Martie Majoros

DIGITAL & VIDEO

Bryan Parmelee

Eva Sollberger

James Buck

Je Baron DESIGN

Don Eggert

Rev. Diane Sullivan

John James

Je Baron

& MARKETING

Colby Roberts

Robyn Birgisson

Michelle Brown, Logan Pintka, Kaitlin Montgomery

Carolann Whitesell ADMINISTRATION

Marcy Stabile

Andy Watts

Gillian English

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Jordan Adams, Justin Boland, Alex Brown, Erik Esckilsen, Steve Goldstein, Amy Lilly, Bryan Parmelee, Suzanne Podhaizer, Samantha Randlett, Jim Schley, Dayton Shafer, Carolyn Shapiro, Xenia Turner, Casey Ryan Vock

CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS

Luke Awtry, Daria Bishop, James Buck, Bear Cieri, Tim Newcomb, Jeb Wallace-Brodeur FOUNDERS

Pamela Polston, Paula Routly

CIRCULATION: 35,000

NOTHING ‘SAFE’ ABOUT IT

[Re “Burlington City Council to Study Needle-Exchange Program,” October 28, online]: Howard Center provides great value to the Burlington community. However, its irresponsible management of the Safe Recovery program on Clarke Street is a disgrace. The sta admits it hands out 20,000 needles a month without requiring an exchange and therefore is responsible for 15,000 needles discarded in Burlington every month.

Additionally, the sta condones open drug use and loitering on its property, which has turned the center into a de facto injection site. Livability on Clarke Street has declined dramatically, with more frequent break-ins, discarded needles, verbal abuse of residents and even human defecation on neighboring properties. Howard Center is no longer operating a needle exchange program; it is a drug paraphernalia distribution facility. Howard Center should be embarrassed to be violating its own code of ethics with the harm it is doing to the neighborhood and the city. Instead, it places the perceived needs of the drug abusers over its neighbors and the city. While other Howard Center programs work well, the Safe Recovery center is a blight on its otherwise positive reputation.

Robert Perry WARREN

CUE THE SAVOY

won’t find elsewhere. All flood renovations are complete. To quote James O’Hanlon, the kind and thoughtful owner, “the Savoy Theater is Vermont’s coziest 2-screen cinema offering arthouse films in a historic building. Our mission remains to provide Vermont with the most thought-provoking documentaries, independent features, and international offerings.”

While in central Vermont, enjoy the shops around Main Street, most of which have reopened since the ﬂoods. See you at the movies in Montpeculiar, Vt.! Support local business!

DOCTORED PHOTO?

This is not something I would consider a big deal, and I hesitate to put this out as criticism, but I am quite curious about a photo shown on your “Contents” page in the past two issues [November 13 and 20]. The photo shows Joseph Pell Lombardi on a village green. Last week I noticed something strange about the photo and, upon closer inspection, we can see that while the subject’s face is clearly illuminated from the right side of the photo, the shadows in the background indicate the sun is definitely on the left side.

I would guess that this photo is doctored and respect the difficulty a graphics person might experience in putting content like this together. I have to wonder if a detail like this is commonly overlooked in this kind of graphics manipulation. Or am I missing something and seeing this wrong?

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

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DELIVERY TECHNICIANS

Harry Applegate, Joe Bou ard, Pat Bou ard, Colin Clary, Julie Copley, Elana Coppola-Dyer, Becky Gates, Matt Hagen, Russ Hagy, Nat Michael, Frankie Moberg, Liam Mulqueen-Duquette, Dan Nesbitt, Dan Oklan, Ezra Oklan, Matt Perry, Mike VanTassel, Andy Watts, Tracey Young With additional circulation support from PP&D.

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[Re “Merrill’s Roxy Cinemas in Burlington to Close,” November 8, online]: I thought it might be helpful to remind Chittenden County that there is a great art-house theater in Montpelier, on Main Street, that is quite a gem. The Savoy Theater routinely hosts unique events and has incredible titles you

CORRECTIONS

Last week’s cover story, “Aging Alone,” misrepresented how much Senior Solutions spent in excess of its budget to take care of elders su ering from self-neglect. It was $17,790. Also, Samantha Davis’ title was incorrect. She’s the codirector of case management for the Central Vermont Council on Aging.

I would love to know if anyone else noticed this.

Nate Goldman UNDERHILL

Editor’s note: In the age of AI, you’re right to wonder and ask the question. The image was a photo illustration that combined a photo of the Parsonage in Peru taken by Eva Sollberger and a photo of preservation architect Joseph Pell Lombardi taken by Mark Seliger. Lombardi lives in New York and was interviewed via Zoom and the phone for this “Stuck in Vermont” video. The photos were combined to preview the content of the video, which focused on Lombardi and his restoration work in Vermont. We typically mark photo illustrations as such in our editorial content but overlooked doing so for this video teaser; apologies for the confusion.

Anne MacLeod CALAIS

CRY FOR HELP

In [“No Phone Zones: To Limit Distractions and Encourage Student Interaction, More Vermont Schools Are Restricting the Use of Digital Devices,” September 4], Harwood Union High School junior Cashel Higgins says: “I think that every student in the school does know they’re addicted to their phone.”

I agree with this part of the article a lot, because I myself am addicted to my phone. I use it constantly for class and outside of class. It’s really hard not to get attached to it, and I get it: We are growing up in this generation in which technology is used most of the time. I don’t want to be addicted to the phone but can’t help it.

I am a shy person, and when I don’t have my phone with me, I don’t know what to do, because I don’t talk to people much. But when I have my phone with me, I can just be on my phone. I know it’s not just me; it’s every single person in my class who does this.

I know I am not the only one addicted to my phone.

Neeha Rai ESSEX JUNCTION

GREAT IDEAS IN FEEDBACK

Lori Barg’s idea of converting climatecontrolled storage units to provide at least short-term shelter for those who need it sounds great [Feedback: “‘Out-of-theBox’ Housing,” October 30]. I’ve thought of this myself. Some storage businesses do a great job landscaping, and it makes these units look very livable.

I’ve seen many great ideas in Seven Days’ Feedback over the years. Where can they be directed to be taken seriously? I’ve had lots of ideas myself and have sent them to the

mayor’s office but never heard back. I know that’s a busy place, but where else should they go? In at least one of my emails, I asked where I should send my ideas. No answer. There are a lot of smart, motivated people here with great ideas, and some even have time to research and take action. It’s all wasted, just down the drain, useless. And that’s wrong. Does anyone have a solution to this? Can’t we have someplace to send ideas for them to be evaluated and at least added to a database for future action, perhaps passed on to an appropriate action group?

Tree Spaulding BURLINGTON

AFTER TUESDAY

The election was a nightmare. Then I awoke

To find out, it was all very real. Although here in Vermont... We will always have Bernie!

David Przepioski MONTPELIER

FEEDBACK » P.20

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SEE SPOT RUN

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Brake Time?

Gov. Phil Scott vowed that Vermont would meet the targets in the Paris Accord. Now he’s not so sure.

Judge Says Burlington Can Regulate Short-Term Rentals

Crash Course

Activists want to reshape Shelburne Road after another cyclist is killed in South Burlington

Mafuta Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter in Prison Beating

Close to Home

Stowe’s new Holocaust exhibition examines what and when Americans knew about the genocide Slate Boutique Reopens in Burlington’s South End Page 32

Short takes on ﬁve Vermont books

Object Permanence In “Respite & Remembrance,” Daryl Burtnett reﬂects on the pandemic and the present moment

Micro Makers: Siglinde Langholz Creates Art With Silkworms at St. Mike’s

MUST SEE, MUST DO THIS WEEK COMPILED BY REBECCA DRISCOLL

SATURDAY 30

A HEARTFELT HOLIDAY

MAGNIFICENT

FRIDAY 29

Irish American singer-songwriter Maxine Linehan’s solo show, is Time of Year, was written, recorded and premiered in the Green Mountain State. Now hailed as a holiday tradition, the concert is less about tinsel and more about tone, inviting listeners at Southern Vermont Arts Center in Manchester to examine the sometimes stiﬂing season through a lens of love, loss and longing.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 62

SATURDAY 30

String Fling

No Strings Marionette’s new production, Quill and Foyle’s Hasty Composure, at Chandler Center for the Arts in Randolph uses puppets, scenery and a live score to tell the tale of twins who muster the courage to discover their life’s purpose. e original show features a bevy of notable names in music, including Vermont composer Paul Perley and Hadestown bassist Rob Morse.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 61

Lovely Branches

Burlington’s annual Tree-Lighting Ceremony returns to brighten faces and spirits. is festive display features the usual pomp, including classic carols and a performance of “A Visit From St. Nicholas” (more commonly known by its catchy lede, “’Twas the night before Christmas”), culminating in 100,000 bulbs beaming up the 30-foot gargantuan evergreen.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 60

FRIDAY 29 & SATURDAY 30

Crank It Up

Sandglass eater presents A Rafter of Crankies at Green Mountain Orchards in Putney as its charming offering for the town’s craft tour weekend. “What’s a cranky?,” you might ask. It’s a panoramic painting that scrolls across a backlit box, evoking a comic strip come to life. Combined with song and story, it’s an unmissable folk tradition.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 60

SATURDAY 30

Banjo’s Best

Local legend Tom Banjo mounts an old-timey Family Variety Show at Four Corners Schoolhouse in East Montpelier, ﬂanked by internationally renowned storyteller Tim Jennings and musical trio Sanctuary Mutts. e three dynamic acts coalesce for a high-octane evening showcasing captivating characters, concertina classics, superb strumming and traditional tales.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 61

SATURDAY 30

Got the Axe

Revered Grammy-winning jazz guitarist Pat Metheny brings his Dream Box/MoonDial tour to the historic Paramount eatre in Rutland. roughout Metheny’s multi-decade career, he’s performed with a diverse roster of noteworthy musical peers, from Herbie Hancock to David Bowie. No matter the era or genre, the virtuoso’s versatility remains unmatched.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 62

THROUGH SATURDAY 30

Tech-Free Technique

Abstract painter and environmental activist Kasey Child’s “Touch Sand, Touch Snow, Turn Off Your Phone” exhibition at Front Four Gallery in Stowe uses boisterous brushwork, impressionistic compositions and loud colors to underscore the inherent chaos of climate change. e show makes a timely plea: Put down your digital device and reconnect with the world!

SEE GALLERY LISTING AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/ART

Thanks for Giving

There’s a letter to the editor from Randolph writer Bill Scheller in this week’s issue. He doesn’t submit feedback often, but when he does, it’s short and sweet — my favorite. As I do with every letter writer, I called to verify his authorship and left a voicemail. He called back immediately, asking if I remembered his contribution to a group story we published many Thanksgivings ago.

Of course, I did! In year two of Seven Days, in advance of the holiday, cofounder Pamela Polston and I asked a group of Vermont writers to pick their favorite dish in the traditional meal and wax poetic about it in a few hundred words. We called it a “literary potluck.”

Scheller wrote about the nerve-racking ritual of making gravy. Abigail Stone took on the bird. The late, great poet John Engels celebrated cranberry. Author David Huddle dug into mashed potatoes. Other contributors included Ron Powers, Peter Kurth, Creston Lea and Phil Baruth — yes, that Phil Baruth. The least-known among them was Samantha Hunt. Although she’d worked for us as a graphic designer right out of college, it was the ﬁrst time we had published her writing — a snippet that involved sweet potatoes. She’s now the awardwinning author of ﬁve books.

The inimitable Sarah Ryan illustrated the whole feast. She and Lea now make guitars together. There, in the centerfold of our then-ﬂedgling newspaper, was a heaping serving of Vermont cultural history.

That 40-page paper on November 20, 1996, was our second focused almost entirely on food. I wrote my arts news column, “Backtalk,” and a story about New England Culinary Institute. Peter Freyne gave us the “Inside Track” political column and a piece about Leunig’s Bistro & Café host Bob Conlon. Food writers Marialisa Calta and Molly Stevens both contributed features to the edition, which we headlined with punny delight: “Happy Hollandaise.”

You can see it — and every issue of Seven Days — on our website. Click “Issue Archives” in the upper-right corner of the home page, pick a year and behold all the covers. Tap any one of them, and you can ﬂip through the pages. I emailed the link to Vol. 2., No. 12 to both Scheller and Stevens.

“Wow. Blast from the past! That NECI story!” Molly wrote back. “And Peter Freyne! Amazing how long you’ve been putting out a remarkable newspaper week after week after week after week...”

Almost 1,500, in fact, as Seven Days approaches 30

years of reporting on and celebrating Vermont.

Last month the paper was recognized in an important report about journalism in the U.S. For the third year running, Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism dropped an exhaustive study of the country’s news publishers. It’s mostly bad news: “Since 2005, more than 3,200 print newspapers have vanished. Newspapers continue to disappear at a rate of more than two per week; in the past year alone, 130 newspapers have shut their doors,” the executive summary of The State of Local News 2024 reads. “In addition to these closures and mergers, papers are reducing their print coverage, including shifting from dailies to weeklies or ending print publishing altogether.”

THIS JUST IN: WE’RE A “BRIGHT SPOT!”

Medill’s 2024 State of Local News report is pretty grim, but it highlights Seven Days as one of 12 “bright spots” across America. Learn “How Seven Days Deﬁes the Odds” in the editor’s interview with Paula Routly: sevendaysvt.com/bright-spot

The good news, at least for Vermonters? After surveying the media landscape from coast to coast, and counting and measuring its information deserts, the report identiﬁed 12 “Bright Spots.” Seven Days is one of them. You’ll ﬁnd everything but Scheller’s gravy recipe in the Q&A editor Autumn Brewington did with me. I spent most of a weekend answering her questions about community engagement, reader revenue, employee ownership, and training the next generation of writers and reporters.

If you want to know “How Seven Days Deﬁes the Odds,” as the story is headlined, give it a read at sevendaysvt.com/bright-spot. If you want to measurably improve our chances, become a Super Reader and support our work with a ﬁnancial contribution. The best way to help is with a recurring monthly donation.

For those who have already given, we can’t thank you enough.

Paula Routly

If you like Seven Days and can help pay for it, become a Super Reader!

Look for the “Donate” button at the top of sevendaysvt.com. Or send a check with your address and contact info to:

SEVEN DAYS, C/O SUPER READERS P.O. BOX 1164 BURLINGTON, VT 05402-1164

For more information on making a ﬁnancial contribution to Seven Days, please contact Gillian English:

VOICEMAIL: 802-865-1020, EXT. 115 EMAIL: SUPERREADERS@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

e November 20, 1996, issue of Seven Days

Judge Says Burlington Can Regulate Short-Term Rentals

ENVIRONMENT

Brake Time?

Gov. Phil Scott vowed that Vermont would meet the targets in the Paris Accord. Now he’s not so sure.

BY KEVIN MCCALLUM • kevin@sevendaysvt.com

Vermont is not on track to meet its 2030 climate emission-reduction commitment, but instead of accelerating to reach that mile marker, Gov. Phil Scott wants lawmakers to let him throttle back.

Scott says the cuts in carbon pollution would come at too high a cost for many Vermonters, especially those facing sharply higher property taxes and other expenses.

“We’ll continue to do our part but at a pace we can a ord,” Scott said at a recent press conference.

Lawmakers and climate activists are incensed. They argue that Scott has been a Sunday driver on climate initiatives for years, so Vermont is no nearer to its goals. And now with an impending deadline, they say Scott should be hitting the gas.

“He is retreating at exactly the time when bold leadership is essential,” said Paul Burns, executive director of the Vermont Public Interest Research Group.

Whether Vermont lives up to its climate commitments is shaping up to be one of ﬁercest ﬁghts of the 2025 legislative

WE’LL CONTINUE TO DO OUR PART BUT AT A PACE WE CAN AFFORD.

GOV. PHIL SCOTT

session. Scott and his Republican allies, reinvigorated by electoral gains that eliminated the Democrats’ veto-proof

supermajority, say Vermont can’t a ord to meet existing goals. Climate activists and many of their Democratic allies say the state can’t a ord not to.

Lawmakers must decide next year whether to continue on the path they have laid out to reduce the use of fossil fuels to heat Vermont homes and businesses. In 2023, they enacted the clean heat standard and tasked the Public Utility Commission with fleshing out a mechanism that would, over time, convert homes heated with natural gas, oil and propane to lower carbon sources of heat.

More recently, studies have suggested this clean heat transition would be tricky to administer and would raise the price of

BY COLIN FLANDERS colin@sevendaysvt.com

A Vermont judge ruled that Burlington has the legal authority to regulate short-term rental properties.

In a written decision last week, Superior Court Judge Samuel Hoar dismissed a lawsuit ﬁled last year by aggrieved Queen City property owners who argued that a 2022 ordinance seeking to regulate short-term rentals represented government overreach.

e ordinance deﬁnes short-term rentals as units rented for fewer than 30 consecutive days and for more than 14 days in a 12-month period. Hosts who list such properties on Airbnb, Vrbo or elsewhere must live on the same lot or in the same building as the unit, with few exceptions. Violators can be punished with $100 tickets.

e 14 plaintiffs — who appear to collectively own close to 30 shortterm rentals, mostly in Burlington’s Old North End — contended that the rules ran afoul of state law, which says municipalities can only regulate rentals to promote “health, safety and welfare.” Hoar wasn’t convinced.

“ e relationship between a lack of available long-term housing and strains on the housing market, with impacts on homelessness, is intuitive, as is the consequent impact on a municipality’s general welfare,” the judge wrote.

e plaintiffs have 30 days to appeal. Liam Murphy, one of their attorneys, said he has yet to discuss the matter with his clients. Burlington City Attorney Jessica Brown did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Vermont Public ﬁrst reported the decision.

e ruling comes as more municipalities are cracking down on the short-term rental industry amid Vermont’s prolonged housing shortage. Stock of the rentals has grown dramatically in recent years, and some local ofﬁcials say the units are a drain on the long-term rental supply.

At least 16 municipalities have already moved to regulate the practice, including South Burlington and Winooski, which passed ordinances this year. ➆

Crash Course

Activists want to reshape Shelburne Road after another cyclist is killed in South Burlington

BY DEREK BROUWER • derek@sevendaysvt.com

TRANSPORTATION

The road was dark and wet when cyclist Sean Hayes was hit and killed by an on-duty police officer in South Burlington earlier this month. Hayes, 38, was towing a trailer as he pedaled south on Shelburne Road just before 3 a.m. on November 11, destination unknown.

His death was the sixth since 2020 along the busy thoroughfare, which is also known as Route 7. That’s nearly half of the 13 bicyclists and pedestrians killed in Chittenden County over the same time frame.

The fatal crash has galvanized transportation activists to push for an overhaul of Shelburne Road, where ongoing development — including of much-needed housing and homeless services — is bisected by high-speed drivers.

The activists want to reduce the number of driving lanes along the suburban stretch of Route 7 from five to three and add bike or bus lanes as part of a larger transformation. That proposal might seem far-fetched for a road that carries more than 30,000 drivers each day, but a quick, life-saving fix may not exist.

In the days following Hayes’ death, Local Motion, a bike-walk advocacy group, began calling for local and state officials to convene a joint task force to reexamine the design of Shelburne Road with pedestrians and cyclists in mind. And a citizen group called Vermonters for People-Oriented Places organized a mass bike ride to a recent Burlington City Council meeting to demand action.

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Officials don’t seem eager to take drastic steps, and they point to data that show the stretch, from South Burlington to Shelburne, isn’t among the state’s most dangerous. An analysis by the Vermont Agency of Transportation, for instance, found that most of the serious crashes along Shelburne Road involving pedestrians and cyclists have been caused by intoxication and people disregarding the law rather than road design flaws.

Since 2019, all but one of 10 crashes there involved “unsafe or erratic behavior on the part of the pedestrian or the cyclist,” said Erin Sisson, deputy chief engineer of VTrans’ highway division. Other stretches in the state, such as West Street in Rutland, have much higher rates of crashes involving cyclists and pedestrians, she added.

Shelburne Road “is definitely on the radar, but it hasn’t risen to the

“Ghost bike” memorial at the site of the crash that killed Sean Hayes

fossil heating fuels. That’s something Scott and many newly elected Republicans have vowed to prevent.

Now Scott is signaling that he wants not only to block the clean heat standard but also to unwind the 2020 law upon which it is based, the Global Warming Solutions Act.

In 2017, Scott pledged that Vermont would stay the course to meet the targets of the Paris Agreement, the landmark international climate treaty from which then-president Donald Trump withdrew. Legislators enshrined the state’s climate goals in law. The Global Warming Solutions Act calls for Vermont to reduce its carbon emissions to 26 percent below 2005 levels by 2025; 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030; and 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.

If Vermont isn’t on track to achieve these goals, the law allows advocates to sue and ask a judge to order the state to take more drastic measures. The ﬁrst lawsuit has already been ﬁled. The plainti , the Conservation Law Foundation, says the state is likely to miss the imminent 2025 goal.

By delaying the targets set for 2030, Scott hopes to buy the state some time, protect Vermonters from higher fuel costs and avoid what he sees as inevitable litigation.

“We can’t put unrealistic goals out there and then wait to be sued,” Scott said. “That just slows everything down and impacts us ﬁnancially and doesn’t really attain the goals that we hold.”

The state faces multiple crises at the moment, including a lack of housing, workforce challenges and ﬂood recovery, he said. Climate change, he added, remains a concern but can’t be the only one.

“We have to pick and choose,” Scott said. “We can’t have all of them be our focus.”

On the issue of emissions reductions, Scott said he has ideas for “ways to make the goals more attainable and more costeffective in the long run,” but said he would not provide details until lawmakers meet in January.

His ideas will likely get a better reception after an election in which the GOP picked up 18 seats in the Vermont House and six in the Senate. Democrats say they’ve received the message about a ordability loud and clear and will make it their top legislative priority, though the immediate focus will be property taxes. Changing existing climate policy is certain to receive pushback from advocates and some lawmakers.

“What I’m hearing is a request for the administration not to have to comply with the law,” said Rep. Laura Sibilia, (I-Dover),

one of the staunchest defenders of the Global Warming Solutions Act.

She said she’s open to negotiating how the state moves toward its climate goals but is not interested in retreating from them.

“If we are not making progress, we are leaving Vermonters behind,” Sibilia said.

Sen. Anne Watson (D-Washington), who expects to be the new chair of the chamber’s Natural Resources and Energy Committee, is also likely to play a key role in any discussions about moving deadlines. A high school physics teacher, Watson says she will be guided by the knowledge that the Global Warming Solutions Act was based on the same

Natural Resources Secretary Julie Moore said she is likely to ask lawmakers to extend that deadline. “The overall desire here is to be ambitious but achievable in the path we’re charting to decarbonize by 2050,” Moore said.

She declined to say how far back the 2030 deadline should be moved, noting that more analysis must be done to see what is reasonable.

Moore said, however, that changes under way in the transportation sector suggest those emissions cuts could hit required levels by 2034. That’s due to the growing popularity of electric vehicles and 2022 state rules that require automakers

THOSE SCIENCE-BASED TARGETS ARE DESIGNED TO AVOID THE WORST IMPACTS OF A DESTABILIZED CLIMATE.

science that informed the goals of the Paris Accord. The treaty aims to keep the rise of global temperatures well below 2 degrees Celsius compared to preindustrial levels.

She said she’s open to talking to administration o cials but would view any change in the pace of emissions reductions through the lens of what is needed globally.

“I’m going to stick with the science,” Watson said. “I am going to be looking at all of our options to try to stay the course.” She said she is “all ears” if Scott o ers plans that clearly ensure emission reductions.

United Nations climate experts say countries are far behind in meeting their climate obligations. Vermont is, as well. By 2021, the latest year for which data is available, the state had only reduced total emissions by 3 percent compared to 1990 levels, far from the 40 percent cut it will need by 2030.

to sell an increasing percentage of zeroemission vehicles through 2035.

Moving back the 2030 deadline would actually rea rm the state’s commitment to the 2050 goal in a way that aligns with the ability of Vermonters to pay, she said.

Timing is important, she said, when encouraging people to replace oil furnaces with cleaner options such as cold-climate heat pumps. Offering incentives to somebody whose furnace is near the end of its life, rather than imposing an arbitrary deadline, could be a more cost-e ective way to enable the transition.

Debate about the cost of reducing emissions in the heating-fuel sector has been raging for years. Jared Duval, executive director of the Energy Action Network and a member of the state Climate Council, has been on the front lines of those ﬁghts.

Vermont may be an environmental leader in some respects, such as land

conservation. But the state still has the second-highest per capita annual emissions in New England, at 14.1 metric tons per person, he said. And since 2005, the state has reduced climate pollution the least of any of its neighbors.

“The idea that Vermont is greener than everywhere else, when it comes to climate pollution, it’s a myth, unfortunately,” Duval said. The 2030 deadline is not arbitrary; it was set because time is of the essence, he added.

“Those science-based targets are designed to avoid the worst impacts of a destabilized climate,” he said.

Duval ticked o reasons for staying on the current path: Emissions cuts made now are more effective because their beneﬁts are cumulative. Vermonters need to do more, not less, to make up for years of inaction relative to their neighbors. Arguing that Vermont is so small that its emissions don’t matter is a cop-out; any state or nation can say that, he noted.

Just as electric vehicles are more efficient and cheaper to operate, transitioning to cold-climate heat pumps would, over time, save money for many homeowners — especially those burning expensive oil and propane, he said.

It is frustrating that climate discussions are being framed as something the state can’t a ord, he said, when transitioning o fossil fuels would both help the state meet its climate goals and save people money.

“There is no path to energy a ordability as long as dependence on fossil fuels continues,” Duval said.

When Russia invaded Ukraine, fuel oil prices rose by $2 per gallon. And yet the clean heat standard was demonized when a 2023 report by the Energy Futures Group showed it might increase fuel oil prices by pennies per gallon between now and 2030, he said.

Moore counters that other cost estimates in the same report showed short-term increases closer to 50 cents per gallon and far higher after that.

Moore acknowledges that moving away from fossil fuel heat is vital to meet the state’s climate goals. The sector represents 31 percent of climate emissions, second only to transportation.

But many Vermonters can’t afford the up-front cost of making the switch themselves, and how much help they’ll get remains unclear, she said.

“I think there was a very clear signal from Vermont voters this November that they are concerned about climate and they are concerned about a ordability,” Moore said. “And therefore, it is incumbent on both the executive and the legislative branches to ﬁgure out a way to accommodate and address both of those concerns.”

Mafuta Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter in Prison Beating

STORY & PHOTO BY DEREK BROUWER • derek@sevendaysvt.com

the young man accused of killing his prison cellmate following a mental health episode in 2022, took a plea deal last Thursday that will likely keep him behind bars for six more years.

Mafuta pleaded guilty in a St. Albans courtroom to voluntary manslaughter and aggravated assault in exchange for a 15- to 30-year prison sentence, with all but eight years suspended. Mafuta will receive credit for the roughly two years he has already spent in prison.

The state initially charged Mafuta with second-degree murder for beating 55-year-old Jeff Hall, of Burlington, inside the cell they shared at Northwest State Correctional Facility. The December 2022 attack, which took place shortly after prison staff returned Mafuta to general population from mental health segregation, left Hall in a coma; he died months later.

Mafuta’s public defenders had been pursuing an insanity defense, which has not succeeded at trial in Vermont in living memory. Mafuta, 23, lives with a serious mental illness and was homeless in Burlington until a series of property crimes eventually landed him in prison. He killed Hall while awaiting trial on those charges.

Mafuta’s path — from a charismatic immigrant teenager to a troubled young man suffering from hallucinations, paranoia and inadequate care — was the subject of a Seven Days cover story last year.

Wearing green prison clothes, Mafuta entered his guilty plea before an empty courtroom gallery last Thursday. He admitted to punching and kicking Hall after confronting him for allegedly stealing other inmates’ items — something Mafuta had told a psychiatrist by phone in the days following the attack, Seven Days previously reported.

Franklin County State’s Attorney Bram Kranichfeld, who became the county prosecutor shortly after the murder case was filed, told Judge Alison Arms that Mafuta will spend 25 years on probation after his release from prison.

“The state recognizes that there is a strong component in this case of mental

health, mental illness,” Kranichfeld said. “Part of the sentence here is crafted to address that.”

Specifically, Mafuta will be required to participate in outpatient mental health treatment and angermanagement counseling, among other conditions.

Kranichfeld also told the judge that members of Hall’s family support the plea deal and plan to attend a future sentencing hearing. Hall’s family has sued the private medical contractor that was responsible for treating Mafuta while incarcerated, claiming VitalCore Health Strategies clinicians did not properly assess Mafuta’s mental health before allowing him to return to the cell with Hall.

Arms provisionally accepted Mafuta’s guilty plea, which will be reviewed at a sentencing hearing.

Both Kranichfeld and Mafuta’s courtappointed attorney, Paul Groce, declined to comment on the case until the sentencing hearing takes place.

Last Thursday’s hearing came less than a week after Mafuta and another prisoner in St. Albans were briefly taken to the hospital for a possible drug overdose. That incident was reported by freelance journalist Mike Donoghue, who cited unnamed sources. A Department of Corrections spokesperson said the agency is still investigating the incident.

Mafuta has separately resolved numerous cases in Chittenden County for which he was being detained when he attacked Hall. Last month, prosecutors there agreed to dismiss seven cases against Mafuta in exchange for a guilty plea to one count of unlawful mischief. That charge was related to an incident in which he destroyed the door handle of a car parked outside a homeless shelter.

The Chittenden County plea agreement calls for up to six months in prison, which Mafuta will serve concurrently with the Franklin County manslaughter sentence.

Mafuta will also be ordered to pay restitution to victims in all of the dismissed cases, court records say. ➆

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Mbyayenge “Robbie” Mafuta,

Robbie Mafuta and public defender Paul Groce

high-crash locations where we could have an infrastructure-related impact,” Sisson said.

were filed against the driver. The Town of Shelburne has since paid VTrans to install a flashing crosswalk at the site.

Yet crash analysis alone misses the bigger conundrum of Shelburne Road, advocates contend. Road users make mistakes “all across our roadway network, on all of our streets, but we don’t see the level of death and fatalities happening anywhere else” in Chittenden County, said Jonathon Weber, Local Motion’s programs director.

Shelburne Road is a particularly dangerous style of corridor that functions as both a busy road and a city street, Weber said; transportation advocates call them “stroads.”

In addition to its importance as a trucking and commuter route, Shelburne Road is a key shopping and residential district. Numerous motels have been converted into emergency shelters and low-income housing there in recent years. Mixed-income apartment buildings are also slated for development, including at the site of a derelict former Pizza Hut near the Interstate 189 interchange and, farther south, a multifamily project known as the Crombach complex.

Opponents of new housing development along Shelburne Road have leveraged traffic safety concerns to make their case. Some pointed to a fatal pedestrian crash in 2022 that killed Nathan Miner as a reason to scuttle the Crombach project. Miner had been crossing Route 7 near his recently constructed Harrington Avenue apartment one night when a driver struck him.

Police determined that Miner was intoxicated at the time, and no charges

The Crombach project is moving forward after the developers dropped more than 50 of the 115 units they initially proposed. But curtailing development along the corridor because of traffic congestion and poor safety isn’t the solution for a county with a severe housing shortage, Shelburne town manager Matt Lawless said.

“What can’t be the answer is we say no to infill [development] and have sprawl farther out,” Lawless said. “Then people are still driving to Burlington, and they’re driving farther, so the traffic gets worse. That’s been the trap of sprawl throughout our 20th-century history.”

Pedestrians and bicyclists along the busy road, where drivers go 40 miles per hour or much faster, tend to be those without many transportation options.

None was killed along the stretch from 2013 until late 2020, according to VTrans data. But on December 14, 2020, Jermee Slaughter was intoxicated and lying in the road at the Fayette Drive intersection when a woman ran over him and fled the scene. The driver was later arrested on a hit-and-run charge.

Others killed include bicyclist Joseph Allen, a Burlington eccentric known as “Byrdman”; a resident of a nearby mental health facility; and Edwin Mejia, who was struck at night while walking near the homeless motel where he was living on a stretch of Route 7 that has no sidewalk.

Earlier this month, Hayes was traveling south when he was hit and killed by Shelburne Sgt. Kyle Kapitanski, who was traveling in the same direction in a

police cruiser. Vermont State Police are still investigating the crash, and Kapitanski is on administrative leave pending its outcome.

Some activists have suggested that Hayes lacked stable housing, and court records reviewed by Seven Days indicate that Hayes told police last summer that he had no place to stay. Hayes’ family did not respond to an interview request.

Shelburne Selectboard chair Michael Ashooh often commutes by e-bike to his job as a University of Vermont lecturer. But he goes out of his way to avoid the main thoroughfare. “It’s scary,” he said. “There’s suddenly no shoulder for bikes. You have to get up on the sidewalk — the sidewalk is dangerous for bikes.”

Biking along the sidewalk is exactly how 54-year-old Bill Kinnear gets to Burlington each morning from his residence at the Beacon Apartments, across the road from the Fayette Drive intersection where Hayes was killed.

“There’s no bike lane out there,” he explained on Monday as he prepared for his 3.5-mile, rush-hour commute to get a free breakfast in Burlington’s Old North End. “I don’t want to have to worry about somebody rear-ending me on Shelburne Road.”

Kinnear, who became homeless and lost his car during the pandemic, moved into the former motel in September. Kinnear likes the location and says cycling gives him some exercise. But local and state governments seem only “half invested” in bike infrastructure, he said.

Kinnear contrasted the lack of bike lanes on Shelburne Road with the protected bike lanes he noticed in parts of Montréal, where medians separate riders from urban traffic.

“You can encourage biking, but you can’t really encourage safety when you got these giant cars riding behind you,” he said.

Kinnear plans to use the bus once the weather dips below 20 degrees, though the budget-strapped Green Mountain Transit system will soon reduce some service along Shelburne Road.

Making any improvements to Route 7 is a complicated, yearslong process. The busiest section of road crosses three municipalities but is largely managed by VTrans. The Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission is beginning a safety study of several intersections along the road in South Burlington, transportation program director Eleni Churchill said in an email. The last comprehensive study of the corridor was completed in 2012.

VTrans doesn’t plan to convene a special task force similar to the one Weber, of Local Motion, is seeking, Sisson said. The process, she said, should start with local planning officials.

But Hayes’ death has led to additional pressure for change. A week after the crash, activists with Vermonters for People-Oriented Places, a citizen group that promotes infill development and multimodal transportation, installed an all-white “ghost bike” memorial where Hayes was killed. A few days later, more than 20 of the activists rode their bikes en masse to a Burlington City Council meeting to demand better bicycling infrastructure, particularly along Shelburne Road. Some parked their bikes inside city hall and testified while wearing fluorescent safety vests. One person held a cardboard sign that read “Paint is not infrastructure.”

Another activist, 26-year-old Marty Gillies, said in an interview that members were upset that Burlington officials were not moving quickly enough to enact their stated goals for improved bike/walk infrastructure.

Hayes’ death also prompted a planned discussion of traffic safety at the Shelburne Selectboard meeting scheduled for Tuesday, November 26, and it was invoked recently at the South Burlington City Council, too.

“We can’t ask people to walk and bike places if they’re getting killed by cars,” Havaleh Gagne, chair of South Burlington’s Bicycle & Pedestrian Committee, told councilors, visibly choked up.

Reimagining Shelburne Road could be akin to opening Pandora’s box, and it remains to be seen whether local and state officials are interested in doing so. In the meantime, activists expect to see more “ghost bikes” along the strip. ➆

Activists cycling to Burlington City Hall

FEEDback

« P.7

DEFINE ‘REDUCE’

I must say the headline “Weakened Senate Dems Say Property Taxes are ‘No. 1 Priority’” [November 16] brought an audible chortle to my lips.

This line in particular: Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Baruth “reminded colleagues, including three new ones, that last year they ‘worked like dogs’ to reduce the possible property tax burden by a combined $70 million compared to what it could have been.”

I do not think that word “reduce” means what you think it means, Senator. My property taxes soared 12 percent in 2024.

No wonder Democrats lost their supermajority. Their ruinous tax-andspend policies have put tremendous hardship on working families. Vermonters have had enough.

Chris Harvey ESSEX TOWN

NEW DEAL-MAKING

[Re “Democrats Lose Supermajority in Vermont House, Senate,” November 6]: Vermont voters in outlying districts beyond Burlington blockade the ultraleft’s ability to unilaterally navigate a disputed agenda. With accruing crises, the legislature and administration might be wise to practice the diplomatic art of compromise.

Though, even with both factions working harmoniously, will voters’ concern for affordability in education and health care be met without causing citizen unease over deleted services, and, also, can the assignment be completed during the initial session of the upcoming biennium?

The beaten can no longer be kicked down the dusty road.

Stephen A. Jarvis SWANTON

TRADING PLACES

In his November 13 cartoon, Tim Newcomb got it wrong. He had the donkeys drinking beer and the elephant with a martini in front of him. Nowadays it’s the other way around.

Bill Scheller RANDOLPH

EVERY VOTE COUNTS

[Re “Prison Appeal: With a First-Ever Candidate Forum Inside a Correctional Facility, the State Looks to Improve Voting Access for Inmates,” October 30]: The recent article on improving inmate

voting access failed to mention the League of Women Voters of Vermont, which has been registering incarcerated Vermonters to vote since 2018.

Collaborating with the Department of Corrections’ volunteer services, the league works with DOC volunteer coordinators to register inmates. As of October 11, 2024, 149 inmates were assisted in filling out voter registration and absentee ballot request forms.

During COVID-19, when prisons were closed to visitors, the league produced a professional video for inmates, showing them how to complete voter registration forms. The league sent this video, together with voter registration forms and our “Voting in Vermont” brochure, to each DOC volunteer coordinator. The videos could be viewed on closed-circuit television as inmates completed voter registration forms.

Through the years, league volunteers have reported that voter registration drives at correctional facilities have been very positive, with inmates and staff who are welcoming and ready to help.

In 2026, the League of Women Voters of Vermont will hold voter registration drives at correctional centers for statewide and county elections and will be recruiting volunteers. Contact league@ lwvofvt.org.

Sue Racanelli EAST MONTPELIER

Racanelli is president of the League of Women Voters of Vermont’s board of directors.

WHAT’S HER NAME?

I was so heartened by the article “The Lost Ladies of Lakeview Cemetery” [October 30], as I have come across that perplexing and irritating “tradition”

So many UVM students are from out of state and make up about 77 percent of the college population. The cost of living has been increasing everywhere — even here in Vermont. Many UVM students graduate with a ton of debt to pay, as well as paying for living here or anywhere else.

The article also mentioned that the UVM board of trustees is keeping in mind how much the costs are on students but that it is necessary to increase the tuition to keep the college running. It blows my mind how expensive college has become, and tuition continues to become even more expensive.

Katelyn Fontaine SOUTH

TRANS-GRESSION

myself. As a retired librarian, I volunteer at the Vermont Historical Society’s Leahy Library as a cataloger, and on occasion material will come through crediting women authors/contributors, but only under their husbands’ names, unless unmarried.

If the woman is to be included in the catalog record as an entity unto herself, I try to find out her name, as she was the one who did all the work — not her husband! Recently I was writing the history of the Northfield News for the newsletter of the Northfield Historical Society. For three years, from 1913 to 1916, a woman ran the paper, under her recently deceased husband’s name. Argh!

I was able to use the Ancestry website to discover her real name, Erval Whitney. If she was running a newspaper, she had every right to be known by her own name.

All this to say: Kudos to Holli Bushnell for trying to right this wrong. I appreciate all the work she has done and continues to do. Not an easy task, but very rewarding. History and genealogy will be forever grateful!

Kay Schlueter NORTHFIELD FALLS

THE COST OF COLLEGE

[Re “UVM to Raise Tuition for Undergraduates Next Year,” October 25, online]:

The University of Vermont is one of two colleges I’m considering. The only thing that has made me cautious about it is the cost. I know that all colleges are expensive, especially if you live on campus. As UVM continues to raise the cost, it makes me worried about how much I would be paying. I’m sure I am not the only one who is concerned about the rising cost of tuition.

“UVM has long been one of the more expensive public colleges in the nation,” Anne Wallace Allen wrote in your story.

[Re “Sticky Situation: A Proposed Burlington Ordinance Would Let People Sue Over Hateful Graffiti and Stickers. First Amendment Lawyers Have Concerns,” November 6]: There is a crucial distinction, of which Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak and Burlington resident Olivia Taylor seem unaware, between wishing someone harm and disagreeing with their own self-conception. It is entirely consistent to support transgender individuals’ civil rights and human dignity while disagreeing that they were literally born in the wrong body — a perspective that is controversial even among trans people!

Such differences of metaphysical opinion are fundamental to a truly inclusive society. Many transgender people do indeed feel very strongly that they were born in the wrong body, and many Christians feel equally strongly that they are saved by Jesus Christ. I should be just as free to state that no one is born in the wrong body, even to write it on a sticker if I wish, as I am to say that heaven isn’t real. There is a difference between being uncomfortable or offended and being unsafe.

BURLINGTON

Edie Quinn FLETCHER

COURTESY OF TAYLOR SANDERS

FILE: MARY ANN LICKTEIG

Holli Bushnell in Lakeview Cemetery

lifelines

OBITUARIES

Nancy Johnson Bassett

AUGUST 22, 1925NOVEMBER 15, 2024 NORTH POMFRET, VT.

Nancy Johnson Bassett of North Pomfret, Vt., left this life on her own terms on November 15, 2024. After a vibrant and energetic life of

Sarah Graves

JULY 6, 1938-JUNE 19, 2024 FRANKLIN, MASS.

OBITUARIES, VOWS, CELEBRATIONS

99 years and a brief illness, she died peacefully where and how she had wished — at the Jack Byrne Center in Lebanon, N.H.

Born in Fairfield, Conn., on August 22, 1925, Nancy was the daughter of Mabel Gravesen and John Peter Johnson. She was a graduate of Roger Ludlow High School in Fairfield and of Oberlin College. On the afternoon of her Oberlin graduation in 1947, she married fellow Oberlin graduate John Putnam Bassett, also of Fairfield. Nancy was coeditor of the Oberlin Review and, during summer 1944, a reporter for the Bridgeport Post. As a 19-year-old, Nancy was assigned to call on the bereaved families of soldiers who had died on D-Day. During the war, Nancy used her father’s gas rations to drive cancer patients to their treatments in New York City.

Sarah Graves, 85, of Franklin, Mass., formerly of Wrentham, Mass., passed away on June 19, 2024, after a long decline from Alzheimer’s disease.

She was born in Indiana on July 6, 1938, to the late Donald and Mildred (Charters) Leavitt.

Sarah grew up all over the Midwest, moving around for her father’s job. e family eventually moved east, and she met her late husband, Kenneth, at a youth group at Wayne Presbyterian Church in the Philadelphia area. ey raised their family in Pennsylvania before moving to Wrentham in 1972. Sarah and her family were longtime members at the Original Congregational Church in Wrentham, where Sarah was very involved in committees and activities.

ese experiences helped inform her lifelong kindness to, and interest in, everyone around her.

Nancy and John lived in San Francisco for several years after their marriage, returning to Fairﬁeld in the early 1950s, where they raised their family. In 1951, John started an independent insurance agency in Bridgeport, where Nancy initially maintained the books. As the business grew, Nancy was able to hand off this work to focus on her family and volunteer work.

In 1962, John and Nancy bought an abandoned house on the Bassett family farm in North Pomfret. Beloved by parents and children, the home became central to decades of family life. Nancy and John welcomed friends and family to their home — ﬁlled more with love than with heat. North Pomfret

as an ofﬁce manager for New England Controls. is was much more than a job to her: She loved it and thrived on the responsibility and respect she found there. She was part of a generation in which having a full-time job and running a household at the same time was a relatively new thing, but she managed to make it look easy most of the time, seldom complaining (at least not around us!). She was an active community member and volunteered at church and the town council on aging. She was always looking for ways she could pitch in and offer a helping hand, never looking for recognition but wanting to lighten the burden for others.

She was a kind and loving person, and she really enjoyed people and treasured her social connections.

For more than 35 years, Sarah worked

In her free time, she loved to play tennis, read and spend time with her family. She was known for making her home a welcoming space for people to gather, whether it was friends from their various

became their full-time home after John’s retirement in 1993. Nancy embraced life in North Pomfret, becoming involved in her community and building lifelong friendships. She especially loved her neighbors, whose kindness and support meant so much to her.

Hospital volunteering was central to Nancy’s life from the 1960s until the pandemic. At Bridgeport Hospital, she served on the board, as well as a committee that established the Clinical Pastoral Education Program. During a stay in Kenya for the International Executive Service Corps, Nancy volunteered at a hospital refuge for young mothers and their babies. For more than 25 years, Nancy served as a patient family adviser at Dartmouth Hitchcock. She visited patients, capturing their stories, and taught generations of

social circles, work colleagues or her children’s friends. She was an avid Celtics fan and enjoyed watching the games and cheering them on, often yelling advice at the television and pounding on the arm of the couch. Sarah also loved animals, from cats and dogs to horses and cows. Her favorite part of the county fair was always the animal barns — certainly NOT the rides.

She is survived by her daughters, Susan Poe, of Upton, Mass., and Sheryl Graves, of Winooski, Vt.; and her grandchildren, Morgan, Devon and Hannah.

We would like to thank her caretakers at the Enclave of Franklin Memory Care Unit, especially Garveline, and the Family and Faith Hospice staff, including nurse Mike and social worker Susan. It was so helpful and reassuring to be able to rely on them to keep her safe and comfortable during the times when we could not be with her.

In lieu of ﬂowers, donations in Sarah’s name may be made to the Wrentham Council on Aging/Wrentham Senior Center, Dana Farber Cancer Institute or the Alzheimer’s Association.

To send an online condolence, please visit the funeral home website at rjrossfuneralhomeinc.com.

nurses and residents about the importance of patientcentered care. In 2019 Nancy was named Dartmouth Hitchcock’s Volunteer of the Year.

Nancy volunteered and served on the board at David’s House, cochaired Woodstock’s Red Cross Blood Bank, and for decades advocated for hospice and palliative care. Nancy was a member of the planning group for the Jack Byrne Center for Palliative and Hospice Care at Dartmouth Health, where she hoped to draw her last breath — a wish fulﬁlled.

Nancy traveled the seven continents, played tennis and golf, and was a downhill and cross-country skier.

After John’s death, Nancy traveled with her children in France nearly every fall. She was a voracious reader with wide-ranging interests. Until the last week of her life, she

walked daily in her beloved Vermont hills, always savoring the beauty around her, especially spring wildﬂowers. Nancy adored watching her grandchildren and greatgrandchildren ﬁnd their way in life. She is survived by her children, Elizabeth Bassett (John Pane) and James Bassett (Ellen); grandchildren, Putnam Pane (Kelly Pettijohn), Victoria Pane (Travis Titus), Jesse Bassett (Mary), John Bassett (Rachel Johnson) and Hannah Bassett (Ian Lusty); and great-grandchildren, Stella and Austin Titus, Ada and Jack Bassett, and Roslin and Adeline Pane.

A celebration of Nancy’s life will be held next summer. Donations in Nancy’s memory can be made to the Jack Byrne Center at Dartmouth Health.

An online guestbook can be found at cabotfh.com.

Sarah Verret Kalinoski

1934-2024SHELBURNE, VT.

Sarah Verret Kalinoski, 90, beloved mother and grandmother, longtime history teacher, extraordinary quilter, and devoted volunteer, died on November 24, 2024, at her home in Shelburne, after a short illness. A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Saturday, December 7, 2024, 10 a.m., at St. Catherine of Siena Church in Shelburne, with the Rev. Dwight Baker presiding. Interment will follow later on Saturday, at 2 p.m. in Resurrection Park Cemetery in South Burlington. In lieu of ﬂowers, donations in Sally’s memory may be made to the Pierson Library or St. Catherine of Siena Church. ere will be no calling hours.

e family is assisted by LaVigne Funeral Home. To send condolences and view the complete obituary, please visit vtfuneralhomes.com.

lifelines

OBITUARIES, VOWS, CELEBRATIONS

OBITUARIES

Joyce Larrow Spagnuolo

MARCH 26, 1936NOVEMBER 23, 2024 ESSEX, VT.

Joyce Larrow Spagnuolo peacefully passed away on November 23, 2024, at the age of 88, with her loving family at her side. November 23 was also her 67th wedding anniversary with her adoring husband, Ken Spagnuolo.

Born in Vergennes, Vt., on March 26, 1936, to Leona (Danyow) and Rollin Larrow, she graduated from

Vergennes High School at the age of 16. Joyce attended Burlington Business College (present-day Champlain College), where she met her future husband, Ken. After graduation, the couple dated for several years and were married on November 23, 1957. ey eventually built a new home in Essex, Vt., in 1963, where she was still living at the time of her passing.

Joyce was a very successful real estate broker for more than 30 years. She especially enjoyed helping

young families ﬁnd their new homes. After the positive experience of planning her only daughter’s wedding, she opened and operated Traditions Bridal Salon in Essex for many years.

Ken and Joyce traveled extensively, skiing in Europe, crossing the country several times and, for two decades, spending part of the winters in Orange Beach, Ala. Most of all, they both enjoyed spending time with their family in the sunroom at their home.

Joyce leaves behind her beloved husband, Ken, and

she was the proud mom of Gary Spagnuolo and Amy Dubie (husband Mike). She loved her grandchildren, Chelsea Dubie (husband James Harhen), Whitney Critchlow (husband Tyler), Morgan Dubie and Kelsea Flanagan (husband Shane). She also leaves behind her cherished “light of my life” great-grandchildren, Ezra, Reina, Michael, Kennedy and Baby Flanagan on the way. She is further survived by her sister, Cheryl Ritchie, and niece, Andrea Ritchie, both of Arizona, and many

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more extended family members.

Visiting hours will be held on Monday, December 2, 4 to 7 p.m., at Ready Funeral Home — Mountain View Chapel, 68 Pinecrest Drive, Essex Junction, VT. A funeral service will take place on Tuesday, December 3, 11 a.m., at Holy Family Catholic Church, 30 Lincoln Street, Essex Junction, VT. Arrangements are in the care of Ready Funeral & Cremation Services.

To share a message of condolence, please visit readyfuneral.com.

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

Susan “Sue” Lestina Tardie

JANUARY 5, 1950NOVEMBER 14, 2024

BURLINGTON, VT.

With heavy hearts, the family of Susan Lestina (Jones) Tardie, known as Sue, announces her passing on November 14, 2024, at the age of 74. Born on January 5, 1950, in Burlington, Vt., to Lestina

and Thomas Jones, Sue was a cherished daughter, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and friend. Her infectious smile, warm heart and kindness touched all who knew her.

Sue’s professional life was devoted to caring for others. She worked as a shoe buyer at Magram’s in Burlington and spent 20 years of her career as an LNA at Starr Farm Nursing Home. Her compassion and dedication made a lasting impact on her community.

Outside of work, Sue loved the outdoors, particularly camping with her family. She was the heart of every family gathering, always preparing meals and hosting holidays filled with laughter and love. Her home was a place where cherished memories were made, including her tradition of singing along to Cher songs.

Sue also had a deep love for animals, sharing her home

Brook Lisaius

OCTOBER 25, 1992-NOVEMBER 19, 2024

BURLINGTON, VT.

Our beautiful, sweet boy has left this Earth, and the world is lesser for it.

James Brook Lisaius died at home on November 19, 2024, with his parents by his side. After a 15-year battle with anorexia, it became apparent his condition was terminal, and he was placed in hospice care at home for the last three months of his life.

Brook was born in Burlington, Vt., the son of Joseph David and Josie Neary Lisaius of Burlington and Montgomery, Vt. He grew up in Burlington spending as much time as he could outdoors. From a very early age, he felt at one with nature and loved to be in it as much as possible. He was full of wonder and joy. He grew up fishing with his dad, and they were often accompanied by their fishing buddy, Rick Provost. Brook loved snowboarding with friends, hiking and mountain biking, but mostly he loved being in the woods and observing and exploring nature.

with numerous cats, dogs and mourning doves that brought her comfort and companionship.

Sue is survived by her son, Ken Sweeney; daughter, Tammy Sweeney; brother, Thomas Jones; grandchildren James Sylvester, Mariah Sylvester, Samantha Anderson and Scott Anderson; great-granddaughter, Luna SweeneyCastro; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Fred Tardie; her parents; her sister, Debra Shortsleeves; and granddaughter Tabitha Sweeney.

A memorial service will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to a local animal shelter or charity of choice in her memory. Sue’s legacy of love and kindness will forever live on in the hearts of those who knew her. Please visit awrfh.com to share your memories.

metal works. His imagination knew no bounds!

He traveled extensively with his family. One of Brook’s favorite times of year was spending two weeks in Maine every summer, where he made lifelong friendships. He looked forward to seeing them every year, and they would pick up as though not a minute had gone by. He also had a great time visiting with his cousins — they laughed the entire time. He loved going to the Caribbean each winter, as well as a very memorable trip to Lithuania. He also took several cross-country trips with his family, where he explored so many different beautiful areas of the country. It inspired him to go back out west and work in different national parks during the summers of his college years, including Glacier, Zion, Badlands and Big Bend. He loved the journey as much as the destination — meeting people from all over the country in small, rural areas and always feeling welcomed.

William “Bill” P. Breault Jr.

JANUARY 3, 1938-NOVEMBER 18, 2024

COLCHESTER, VT.

William “Bill” P. Breault Jr. passed away on November 18, 2024, at the McClure Miller Respite House in Colchester, Vt., after a long and courageous battle with cancer. He was born in Burlington, Vt., on January 3, 1938, the son of Mary Breault. Bill joined the U.S. Navy at the age of 18 and was honorably discharged in 1963. He married his wife, Lucille Chagnon, in 1960, and they were happily married for 64 years.

Over Bill’s lifetime, he was a hard worker and had many jobs and businesses, including as a baker at Bunny Bread in Burlington and at Angle

community, he tutored children at King Street Center and volunteered at the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf and the Special Olympics. Following graduation, he worked in the school system as an autism specialist.

To know Brook was to love Brook. He was intelligent, creative, funny, athletic, brave, curious and adventurous — but most importantly, he was kind and empathetic. He understood the world around him and made it a better place — he brought light to it.

Besides his parents, Brook leaves behind his loving pup, Sable; a large extended family of aunts, uncles and cousins; and many friends, including his lifelong and loyal friend Brian MacFadyen. He was predeceased by his grandparents, Dr. James Ryder and Charlotte LaFleur Neary, and Joseph and Hilda Lisaius; and his maternal uncle, Peter R. Neary.

The family would like to thank Dr. Koulouris for her compassionate care; his team of specialists at Denver Health medical center; Angel MedFlight, for their lifesaving transport of Brook to Denver on several occasions; and UVM Home Health & Hospice, which provided loving care to Brook and tremendous support to his family.

He was an incredibly talented artist who created so many beautiful paintings, wood carvings, sculptures and

Brook graduated from Burlington High School, where he was an honor student and cocaptain of the crosscountry and tennis teams. He graduated from the University of Vermont, where he was a dean’s list student and a teaching assistant. In the

A gathering will be held at a future date.

He is finally unburdened, free and at peace. There is a hole in the universe through which we will forever hear the wind blow.

Corman Smith Brothers Furniture. He also owned Bill’s Delivery, Bill’s New and Used Furniture, and finally Pete’s Ice Cream on North Street in the Old North End of Burlington. He loved bowling, playing cards and horse racing in his spare time, spending many weekends in Saratoga, N.Y., at the racetrack. Bill was predeceased by his son, Michael Breault; mother, Mary Breault; sister, Jackie Brown; brother Gerry Breault; and sister-in-law, Barbara Breault.

Bill is survived by his wife, Lucille; daughter, Kelly, and her husband, Stephen Bourgeois; grandsons, Joshua and Adam, and Adam’s wife, Hallie; and brothers Paul Breault and Gary Breault.

The family of Bill wishes to extend our sincere thanks to Colchester Rescue, Colchester Fire, Colchester Police and the McClure Miller Respite House.

IN MEMORIAM

Calling hours for Jacob and Joseph Didyoung will take place on Saturday, November 30, 1 to 3 p.m., at Stephen C. Gregory and Son Cremation Service, located at 472 Meadowland Dr., Suite 7, South Burlington, VT 05403.

Hats Off

Skida CEO Corinne Prevot started making colorful ski hats in high school. Now, her beanies are turning heads in Vermont and beyond.

BY HANNAH FEUER • hfeuer@sevendaysvt.com

Sharp-eyed viewers of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics may have spotted a small reminder of the Green Mountains on the world stage: athletes sporting Skida, the Vermont winter wear brand known for its whimsical patterned hats and accessories.

Alpine racer Paula Moltzan of Waitsﬁeld was among the Skida ambassadors, showing o her strawberrypatterned neck warmer on the slopes. “Talk to any skier around the U.S., and they’ll know Skida,” she said. “It’s everywhere.”

Skida has come a long way since 2008, when Corinne Prevot, then a high school junior, started sewing hats in her dorm room at Burke Mountain Academy. Today, her company is a multimillion-dollar mainstay of Vermont winter fashion, one of a cohort of apparel makers, including Burton, Turtle Fur and Darn Tough, that have maintained their local roots as they have become nationally known outdoor brands. While Vermont remains Skida’s primary market — roughly a quarter of its sales happen here — its products can be found in 350 stores across the country, including some locations of iconic chains such as REI and L.L.Bean.

The brand’s sales have grown ﬁ vefold in the past decade, Prevot said, and the number of hats Skida sells each year tops six ﬁgures. (She declined to share revenue numbers.) The company has grown from a two-woman operation — Prevot and her mom, Margie — to 23 fulltime employees. Skida’s o erings have expanded beyond its signature beanies to include headbands, scrunchies, balaclavas, scarves, gaiters, gloves, bike shorts and dog bandanas.

Accessorizing with Skida has become a hallmark of the so-called “granola girl” aesthetic, designed to appeal to the environmentally conscious, outdoorsy, laid-back customer, who probably has a dog. To such customers, the Skida brand promises not just functionality but sustainability, made-in-Vermont craftsmanship and social responsibility. And its apparel isn’t just for the slopes anymore; you’re as likely to spot a Skida hat on Church Street as on the mountains.

Corinne Prevot

Prevot, 33, is a former Middlebury College Nordic ski racer and an embodiment of her brand — young, athletic, happiest outdoors. She often serves as a model herself on the Skida website. She travels the world skiing and mountain biking — and is currently nursing a shoulder injured in a spring bike accident. Sixteen years after selling her ﬁrst hat, Prevot still gets butterﬂies when she sees someone wearing Skida on the street.

“It’s been an incredible journey,” she said. “I feel like I’m living beyond what I ever dreamed.”

Queen of Hats

On a recent Tuesday morning, Prevot sat at her desk and ﬁddled with a miniature clay snowman, revealing the “YAY” tattooed on the inside of her middle ﬁnger as she worked.

“Frick, his little arm fell o !” she muttered, setting the piece aside.

She explained that she’d crafted the little guy since her biking accident forced her to rest — a challenge for someone who counts on outdoor exercise to recharge.

“And now I do Claymation,” Prevot said sarcastically. “I think I need to go spend more time in nature, or else I’m gonna make a whole clay world.”

In her purple Patagonia fleece and black Garmin watch, Prevot seemed more ready for mountain adventures than to be stuck behind a desk. Friends describe her as a daredevil, unafraid to send it o any cli . That sense of adventure was on display in a 2021 vermontvacation.com video of Prevot and elite mountain biker Ella McAndrew riding through northern and central Vermont.

“Take it with as much speed as you want,” McAndrew tells Prevot.

“To the fucking moon!” Prevot ﬁres back, as the clip cuts to a shot of her ﬂying through the air on her bike.

Yet for all her thrill seeking, Prevot is intimately aware of its dangers. Her 26-year-old cousin Adèle died while climbing in the French Alps in August 2022. The loss was compounded by a painful family history: Adèle’s mom — Prevot’s aunt — died in an avalanche in Switzerland in 2003.

In the face of these tragedies, some people might have stepped away from high-risk pursuits. Prevot did not.

“In a risky position, I can get really nervous, because I know what the consequences can be,” she said. “ I’ve looked inward to be like, I understand the risk, but I still want to do this because I love it.”

Prevot’s love of mountain sports isn’t just a personal pursuit — it’s at the heart of Skida’s small but proﬁtable niche in the $35 billion worldwide outdoor apparel industry. These days, successful outdoors companies don’t just sell products; they sell stories, according to Kelly Ault, executive director of the Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance.

She believes that’s Skida’s secret sauce.

“[Prevot] continues, to this day, to really be rooted and anchored in that sense of place and identity,” Ault said. “There’s a special magic to what Skida represents.”

While Skida can be for everyone — its o erings include a small men’s section and collections for kids and babies — the brand’s core “granola girl” customer ﬁts a certain proﬁle. According to Prevot, data show that she’s a collegeeducated, 30-year-old woman living in Denver, balancing a full-time job with a love for weekend hiking adventures.

Those customers also want to feel that their purchases align with their values, reﬂected in Skida’s long list of philanthropic ventures. Those include the Skida [+1] program, through which the company donates one hat to a cancer

patient for each one sold online with a promotional code. It has donated about 6,000 hats so far. Proceeds from the leafy green Elmore print support the conservation of Vermont State Parks. A portion of sales from the orangeand-pink Fulbaari print — “ﬂower garden” in Nepali — beneﬁts subsistence farming communities in Nepal.

Skida customers find themselves reflected on Skida’s website, where the company does close to 64 percent of its sales. (This year, Skida also began selling its apparel on Amazon, which Prevot said accounts for a smaller percentage of its business.) A tab called “Stories” features blog posts that fit with the typical Skida girl’s active lifestyle, such as “The Ski Movies We’re Psyched to See this Fall” and “Climbing Volcanoes 101.”

Skida’s ever-evolving patterns also set it apart and create eye-catching retail displays. Andy Kingston, co-owner of the Alpine Shop in South Burlington, observed that while other Vermont-based brands such as Turtle Fur have adopted similar colorful designs, Skida’s apparel has a particular way of standing out on a shelf. Browsing a display feels a little like peering through a kaleidoscope.

Talk to any skier around the U.S., and they’ll know Skida.

PAULA MOLTZAN

“When you put all the Skida patterns together, they’re all colorful, and they’re all unique,” he said. “So when you have them together in the store, it really pops.”

Skida makes eight di erent types of hats, but each one comes in seemingly endless patterns. While managing a wide selection of prints comes with challenges — Skida must make smart decisions about what to keep in stock — the variety helps appeal to a wide range of customers. The best-selling Alpine hat ($38), for example, comes in 38 prints, from the red Maine Character hat with lobsters to the white Crowded Slopes pattern dotted with skiers. Designed with crosscountry skiing in mind, the hat stays put even with intense exercise. The cozy ﬂeece lining and snug ﬁt make wearing the hat feel like wrapping your head in a tight embrace.

Prevot would prefer the company to grow by expanding the number of small independent stores that carry her products, rather than by appearing in big-box retailers. That’s because she is mindful of maintaining Skida’s community-oriented feel. At REI in Williston, for example, Skida appears as part of a display featuring several Vermont-based brands.

“I don’t suspect that you would see Skida at, like, Dick’s Sporting Goods,” she said.

She draws inspiration from Burton, the snowboard company that she said demonstrates how it’s possible to be an industry leader while staying anchored in Vermont. Success, she said, means building a company that thrives for the next 20 years and beyond. Given its current trajectory, she feels conﬁdent Skida is well positioned to last.

“Sure, anyone can create fun designs and make hats. The opportunity is there,” Prevot said. “[But] I think it would be incredibly di cult to replicate Skida as a complete package.”

Julia Kern in a Skida headband at the Minneapolis World Cup

Corinne Prevot (center) with the 2008 Burke Mountain Academy women’s Nordic team, all wearing Prevot’s hats

Paula Moltzan in a Skida neckwarmer in Croatia in 2019

Corinne Prevot skiing with her mom, Margie

Hats Off

Beanie Baby

Prevot grew up on a hobby farm in rural York County, Pa. She learned practical skills at an early age, shearing the family’s sheep and working at their farmstand with her two younger brothers after school.

Vermont always felt like a second home. The family regularly made the ninehour drive to visit Prevot’s grandmother in Lyndonville. At 2, Prevot learned to ski on the J-bar at Burke Mountain. She was hooked. Back in Pennsylvania, the kids used their steep driveway for practice, and the family often skied at the nearby Roundtop Mountain Resort.

Skiing runs in Prevot’s blood. Her mother, Margie, was a competitive Nordic skier at St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y. Her father, Roger, attended Burke Mountain Academy, the elite prep school in the Northeast Kingdom that trains competitive skiers, and later skied on the Alpine team at Williams.

Sewing, too, was a constant in Prevot’s childhood. She watched her mom spin wool and make clothes, and soon she was eager to try herself. At about age 5, Prevot decided her bedroom needed curtains. At the local fabric store, she loaded a cart with eight different colors. Amused, her mom asked which one she wanted for the curtains.

“All of them!” Prevot replied, explaining her vision for a mismatched, striped design. Margie bought all the fabrics. Sure enough, Prevot’s colorful vision came to life.

“Corinne’s very much a self-starter,” Margie said in a recent phone interview. “You could give her a sewing machine, show her the basics, and she’s off on her own.”

In eighth grade, Prevot followed her father’s path and enrolled at Burke Mountain Academy to begin racing competitively. In her junior year, she switched from Alpine to Nordic skiing. The sport’s aerobic demands quickly exposed a flaw in her gear: Her fleece hats were too warm.

Unable to find the breathable, stylish hat she was looking for, Prevot decided to make one herself. She bought some stretchy Lycra fabric at a craft store in Lyndonville and sewed a batch of hats that resembled swim caps.

Prevot and some of her teammates wore the homemade hats to a race in Rumford, Maine. The colorful patterns with polka dots and stripes caught the attention of girls from Stratton Mountain School, who asked where they could buy them. Prevot made up a price: $20.

She didn’t know it yet, but she had just sold the first Skida beanies.

Not the ‘Same Old Hat’

After that race, Prevot was ready to go into business, at least in a small way, and she needed a name for her enterprise.

She began googling the words for goddesses of snow and mountains in various languages. Many were already trademarked. She liked Skida, the Swedish word for “ski,” but the Southern Kentucky Industrial Development Association had already claimed the internet domain for skida.org.

“I was like, All right, I think that’s OK ,” Prevot recalled thinking. “ I’ll deal with that. ” (Until the Kentucky association went defunct some years later, she used skidasport.com and shopskida.com.)

She used money she had saved from babysitting jobs and a summer gig at a

golf course to buy more fabric. By the next weekend, she had made another batch of hats. She took them to a race at the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe and sold them out of a shoebox from the back of the Burke van. At other meets, she began setting up shop at the Burke tent. She would hang her hats from a clothesline and hand out business cards with her email so people could place orders. Soon, parents and spectators were buying hats, too.

Skiers rocking the hats during races proved to be the ultimate form of free advertising.

“People were intrigued by the fun designs and would come up and ask at races, ‘Where did you get the hat?’” said Caitlin Bernstein, Prevot’s former

teammate and longtime friend. “It was cool to be able to say, ‘Oh, Corinne made them and is making more of them.’ That was an appeal, too: They were made by somebody locally that they knew.”

Kate Newick, a former assistant coach for the Burke Nordic team, recalled that the multicolor hats allowed athletes to add a touch of personality to an otherwise drab ski uniform.

“Everyone’s been wearing the same old hat for years in the Nordic world. And up pops this totally unique company that you’re like, Oh, my gosh, I’m gonna wear flowers on my head instead of navy, blue and white. Sign me up,” said Newick, who now works as a Skida salesperson. “It was the first unique thing in the Nordic world in ages.”

As word of Skida spread, Prevot’s math teacher offered to drive her to East Burke Sports, an outdoors store where her husband worked as a bike mechanic. There, Prevot pitched a deal: She would sell the hats to the store for $15 each, and they could retail them for $20.

When the store owners explained the standard markup — buying hats for $15 and selling for $30 — it was a “rude awakening,” Prevot later recalled.

Meanwhile, parents of Burke classmates connected her with ski shops in New England. She launched a blog, where customers could comment on their preferred hat prints. Then they could mail Prevot a check to place an order.

As college applications loomed during her senior year, Prevot realized she needed help to keep up with all the

PHOTOS: LUKE AWTRY

Corinne Prevot with production coordinator Erin Petitt

Sewist Kaya Binti

People were intrigued by the fun designs and would come up and ask at races, “Where did you get the hat?”

CAITLIN BERNSTEIN

sewing. She’d made a dragon-print hat for one of Burke’s maintenance workers, who mentioned that his wife was a skilled sewist. Soon, she and a friend began sewing for Prevot — the start of Skida’s Vermont-based manufacturing network, with sewists working from homes across the Northeast Kingdom.

By the time Prevot graduated from Burke and headed to Middlebury College, Skida had made its first $8,000.

The Midd Market

At Middlebury, Prevot was often on the verge of falling asleep in class. She was competing on the school’s Division I Nordic ski team, maintaining a busy social life, double-majoring in sociology and geography — and managing Skida on the side.

She excelled on the ski team, winning the 5K freestyle race at a junior national championship in 2010. But she struggled with exams, although she never failed a class. For the first time in her life, her academic performance was being evaluated numerically. Neither her Montessori elementary school nor Burke had given students letter grades.

“When I got to Middlebury, I remember just being so scared of tests and grades,” Prevot said. “That was definitely a shock and an adjustment period. I think it went well, and I was able to graduate … but I don’t think I

really slept.” To help out, her mom took on tasks such as cutting fabric and shipping out Skida orders.

The summer before Prevot’s junior year, she received a call from an editor at Forbes magazine It was planning a story on student entrepreneurs, and someone at Middlebury had recommended Prevot and Skida.

“I remember thinking, Holy smokes,” Prevot said.

As part of the feature, the nine student entrepreneurs would be flown to Austin, Texas, to meet with Michael Dell, the billionaire founder of Dell computers, who started his company in a University of Texas dorm room.

Prevot called her dad, a partner at the private equity firm Kohlberg & Company, for advice about what to say to Forbes and Dell. He encouraged her to highlight the fact that she hadn’t raised outside capital and was reinvesting all of her revenue in the company.

“He helped me put words to what we were doing,” Prevot said. “My mom and I were laughing, because he’d be like, ‘How many hats have you guys made?’ And we’d say, ‘A lot.’ I didn’t know yet how to talk about the business.”

For someone who didn’t focus on numbers, Prevot’s metrics were pretty darn good. That $8,000 in revenue she’d made in high school? Now, she was doing

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Hats Off

$100,000 in sales each year. Roughly $42,000 of that was profit.

At the roundtable in Austin, 20-yearold Prevot, dressed in a gray knit cardigan and polka-dot blouse, stood out among a crowd of men in button-down shirts. The entrepreneurs included a recent graduate of California Polytechnic State University who repaired cracked iPhones and a senior at Brigham Young University who made potting soil from recycled food waste. The only other woman in attendance was a sophomore at Stanford University who was balancing her course load with a job as an associate at a San Francisco venture capital firm.

Prevot said the trip taught her to speak about Skida in business terms and intensified her determination to turn her passion into a full-time job.

“That event really kicked my ass into gear,” she said.

Afterward, Prevot told her parents she was thinking of dropping out of college. Dell had done it — why couldn’t she? Her parents urged her to stick it out at Middlebury, and ultimately she agreed.

Looking back, Prevot is glad she stayed, because those years would prove important to Skida. She spent four months of her junior year in Nepal’s Kathmandu Valley, learning about the cashmere industry. The experience culminated in a 44-page paper — “Pulling the Cash From Cashmere: Reviving Nepal’s Pashmina” — which she based on factory tours and interviews with local experts.

When Prevot returned from Nepal, she decided to stop skiing competitively and focus on Skida. As graduation neared, she didn’t bother applying for jobs. She already had one: Skida CEO.

A Snowballing Business

The summer after she graduated from Middlebury, Prevot attended the Tuck Bridge Business Program at Dartmouth College. During the three-week crash course, she and other students researched the strategy behind the high-end athleisure chain Lululemon.

Then she returned to Vermont and leased a 750-square-foot room for Skida in the Maltex Building on Pine Street in Burlington. Her commercial real estate agent, Yves Bradley, recently described the space as “essentially a box with a small HVAC closet” and noted that a marble could have rolled across the uneven floor.

Bradley remembers being surprised that such a young person was leasing the commercial space.

“I was so impressed,” Bradley said. “I remember saying to her, ‘When I was your age, I didn’t even have a clue about anything … You have so much focus and so much drive.’”

With increased confidence in her business instincts, Prevot started taking a salary. That year, she hired her first employee, Caitlin Mitchell — a friend from high school ski racing — to manage wholesale accounts. Not long after, she hired a second, Sarah Micioni, to oversee e-commerce. Two years after Prevot graduated, Skida had outgrown its tiny office and moved to its current retail location on Kilburn Street.

The young CEO set her sights on new products and markets. She returned to

Nepal, this time with a business proposal in hand. Skida soon launched a collection of cashmere hats, produced by the people she had met as a student.

Meanwhile, Skida’s reach continued to grow, gaining national — and even global — attention. When a number of U.S. athletes hit the slopes in Skida gear at the Beijing Olympics, they caught the eye of U.S. Ski & Snowboard, the national governing body for Olympic and Paralympic skiing and snowboarding. The association told Prevot that they would need to license Skida in order for the company to outfit their athletes. That led to a partnership and co-branded U.S. Ski & Snowboard and Skida collections.

I’m living beyond what I ever dreamed.

CORINNE PREVOT

“Our guerilla marketing days were over,” Prevot joked.

Several Olympic athletes now have their own Skida collections, including Alpine skiers Ryan Cochran-Siegle and Paula Moltzan, cross-country skier Julia Kern, freestyle skier Hannah Soar, and snowboarder Bea Kim. Moltzan’s sixth custom print, Farmer’s Market, features mountains, strawberries and flowers, a pattern she said was inspired by the essence of a Vermont summer.

But with growth came new challenges for a company that had always prided itself on its Vermont bona fides. As the brand’s offerings expanded, so did the complexity of its manufacturing needs. For instance, the flat-brim hat introduced in 2019 required more sophisticated construction than a simple straight stitch. Skida turned to a factory in New Jersey. This October, Skida introduced a collection of liner gloves made in China — a fact that does not appear in the firm’s marketing. The tag on the gloves reads “Designed in Vermont.”

Prevot explained that manufacturing outside Vermont allows Skida to incorporate advanced technical features, such

Prevot in the retail store

Skida retail store

as the touch screen compatibility of the gloves, which she couldn’t find locally. Skida’s mitten, produced in collaboration with Vermont Glove, is made in Randolph.

Prevot added that while she admires companies such as Darn Tough for keeping their manufacturing in Vermont, the Northfield company only has one product: socks.

“Where Skida is different is that we’re exploring other product categories, [so] we’ve needed to tap into different construction and manufacturing resources to be able to bring those products to life,” she said.

At the same time, she added, Skida remains committed to maintaining a local presence. Today, two-thirds of Skida products are made in Vermont. Home-based seamstresses continue to craft Skida products in the Northeast Kingdom. Fourbital Factory, a small-batch manufacturer in Burlington’s South End, produced two styles of Skida’s ribbed beanies this year. Vermonters also handle Skida’s custom orders at an in-house production studio, part of the 10,000 square feet of office space that Skida occupies on both sides of Kilburn Street.

University of Vermont senior Katja Astrauskas works part time at the Skida studio, sewing labels on custom orders for organizations that want their logo on Skida products. On a recent Friday morning, Astrauskas was working on headbands for Snowmass, a Colorado ski resort. The sewing gig was a dream job for the 21-year-old, a longtime Skida customer and competitive Nordic skier.

Growing up, Astrauskas admired Olympians such as Jessie Diggins, the most decorated American cross-country skier of all time. Now, thanks to Skida’s partnership with U.S. Ski & Snowboard, she’s helping craft apparel for those same athletes.

“I was like, Oh, my gosh. I got to see Jessie Diggins’ headband ,” she said. “Everyone I know, especially in the Nordic ski world, is like, ‘That’s the coolest job ever.’”

Looking Ahead

Prevot, who lives in Burlington’s Lakeside neighborhood with her longtime boyfriend, Patrick Dodge, isn’t slowing down. During one recent week, she directed a photo shoot in Burlington, visited a Skida warehouse in New Jersey and represented the brand at the Snowbound Expo in Boston.

In the near term, Prevot said she plans to continue expanding Skida’s offerings, including a new collection of fuzzy vests set to launch this December. She also

has an idea for a warm pant, the winter complement to the company’s lightweight summer Viska Pant.

Long term, she wants Skida to become an internationally recognized brand, tapping markets from Japan to Scandinavia. With that in mind, Prevot spends much of the year traveling to ski towns around the world. The company has sent representatives to international trade shows and has been scouting stores in Canada, where it aims to secure a larger retail footprint.

Eventually, Prevot hopes to collaborate with artists worldwide, creating Skida prints tailored to local styles. She dreams of opening a pop-up shop in Chamonix, the French mountain town she views as a prime destination for outdoor enthusiasts.

Despite these ambitions, Prevot remains committed to slow, organic growth. To date, Skida has not sought any outside investment. Prevot likens building the business to nurturing a fire — adding too big a log too soon could smother the flames.

“We’re really conscientious about what types of initiatives we’re going to invest in,” Prevot said. “For me, success is the brand continuing to live on.”

Prevot often reflects on why some businesses endure while others fade away. She acknowledged that luck plays a role — and that she’s had her fair share.

“There’s definitely some higher-power magic happening here,” Prevot said of Skida’s success.

“Walmart started as a small, familyrun general store,” she continued.

“Think about all the general stores that have existed in any small town, and that’s just the one that has survived and grown long enough to become what it is now, right?”

When Prevot thinks about Skida’s origins, she seems struck by a mix of nostalgia and disbelief. On her office windowsill, she keeps a photo of herself and two teammates wearing the very first hats she sewed in high school. Back then, she didn’t yet have the name Skida.

“They were just hats,” she said with a laugh.

This weekend, Prevot will be at the Stifel Killington Cup, an annual race where the fastest women skiers in the world compete in front of tens of thousands of fans. Prevot will watch races, sit at a table with Moltzan — who will be signing autographs — and participate in a panel discussion called “HERoic Women in the Industry.”

It’s a bit of déjà vu, selling Skida at a ski race, but now on a much bigger stage. ➆

Unlocking Potential

HireAbility Vermont connects workers with disabilities to career pathways

When Tanner Clippinger met with employment consultant Amanda Stevens in 2021 to talk about his future, he felt uneasy. Clippinger had recently graduated from the Community College of Vermont with a certificate in graphic design but had an unpleasant experience at his first job. He knew what he wanted to do and was passionate about it, but Clippinger has learning differences and a stutter and requires a supportive work environment. He worried he wouldn’t find it.

Stevens wasn’t nervous at all. She took the time to get to know Clippinger and set up regular meetings to talk with him about his strengths, struggles and dreams. She was certain that they could find the right job for him.

Stevens works with HireAbility Vermont, which employs a network of employment specialists and counselors to connect Vermonters with disabilities to job opportunities and help them find lasting careers based on their skills. Stevens is an employment consultant at the Vermont Association of Business Industry and Rehabilitation, which is a key partner of HireAbility.

To help Clippinger land a job that aligned with his desired career path, Stevens met with one of HireAbility’s dedicated business account managers, who build relationships with local businesses, to see if there could be a fit for Clippinger. They connected her with Douglas Corey at Main Street Graphics.

Corey owns the full-service graphics studio in St. Albans where “anything you can print on, they print on,” he says. Whether it’s cars, signs, banners, uniforms or stickers, the company designs and prints in-house for businesses in 19 states and five countries. When Stevens reached out to Corey

about Clippinger, it seemed like the arrangement could be a good fit. Corey had just one graphic designer and could use someone else to help fill orders for his growing business. So they made a six-week on-the-job training plan for Clippinger. This is a HireAbility program that would allow Clippinger to get a good idea of the work environment, and Corey could take the time to train him. HireAbility paid Clippinger’s salary for those six weeks.

Stevens said it was “like a home run” to be able to support both a local business such as Main Street Graphics and Clippinger at the same time.

“And it just grew from there,” Corey said. “Tanner immediately became part of our team. Everything just clicked, from us as a company needing another employee to getting Tanner out of a job market where he felt stuck. It was a perfect fit.”

Clippinger agreed. “At this job, the people here care about me as a person and want to help me. And that’s part of what makes all of us do so well here. We all work together.”

When the six weeks were up, Corey offered Clippinger a full-time job. He’s been employed there ever since.

“I’ve grown a lot in that time,” he said, referring to his skills as an employee and himself as a person. One of his recent achievements: using the money he saved from his paychecks to buy his first car.

This is the kind of work that HireAbility does for businesses and Vermonters on a regular basis. They offer a variety of programs designed to help connect employers with employees that need support and a chance.

Attention: Workers and Employers!

Need help navigating your current career or finding a new path? Or are you an employer looking to hire skilled Vermonters with disabilities? Reach out to HireAbility Vermont! hireabilityvt.com/ get-started

Local Partnerships Create Local Careers

HireAbility’s team of vocational counselors gets connected with someone like Clippinger through a variety of local partnerships. One, with the Community College of Vermont, has lasted more than 20 years. CCV has a program funded by HireAbility called the Vermont Career Advancement Project, which supports students with disabilities who are pursuing career advancement through an industry credential, degree or registered apprenticeship.

Last year, CCV and HireAbility launched another effort called the Career Pathways Entry Program (CPEP). The program starts with a six-week exploratory experience for students to learn more about jobs by shadowing people doing them while also earning college credit, industry-recognized credentials and a $560 stipend. Students in the program can experience the career they want to pursue with local employers looking to hire and, once they’re hired, move directly into an apprenticeship or custom Earn-and-Learn program.

“What’s really nice for employers is that we are helping them expand talent pools with one-stop shopping. They don’t have to be experts in supporting people with disabilities; they just have to work with our team,” said Michael Keogh, CCV’s director of workforce development. He’s also part of a team that is developing a training program for employers on how to make hiring practices more inclusive.

“We work very closely with HireAbility

Tanner Clippinger (right) working with Douglas Corey and Amanda Stevens at Main Street Graphics in St. Albans

to ensure a seamless transition between exploration to employment,” Keogh said.

One of these CCV students is April Irish, who is studying medical coding and billing. Irish moved to Vermont five and a half years ago while pregnant with her son. At first, Irish was living out of her car and in family shelters as she tried to find housing and a job. A single mom who experiences depression, she said she was worried about finding a job that would enable her to support her family. That’s when she found HireAbility.

“I just wanted a good employer that could work with my schedule as the sole caregiver for my son,” she explained. One of HireAbility’s counselors asked Irish about her past experience and her goals.

“They really made me feel like they listened and understood what I was looking for. I said that I wanted a real career and not just a job, and they really got that,” Irish said.

Her counselor suggested CCV and connected Irish with advisers there who helped her sign up for classes. To be with her son more, Irish wanted to work from home, and they suggested medical coding and billing. From there, HireAbility paid for Irish’s books, headphones and laptop for her classes. Her counselor also helped her apply for Vermont Student Assistance Corporation grants to pay for her classes.

HireAbility makes services accessible for people, with a disability and a desire to work being the primary components to receive services. Discussions about career goals and paths to get there include exploration around finances and funding. “We help people identify their career goal, and then we make sure that conversations around finances and tuition happen along the way,” said Emily Shiels, who works as the project director for HireAbility’s Vermont Career Advancement Project.

Irish will graduate by fall 2026 with a certificate, though she’s already started working in an internship program in her field. When she graduates, it’s likely that she’ll already have a job.

“HireAbility really does have your back and has supported me in every way it possibly can.”

The Purr-fect Career

Since Diane Dalmasse started with HireAbility in 1981, she’s been passionately committed to its mission of creating equity for people with disabilities in their careers. Back then, the organization was known as VocRehab, and she worked as a supervisor in its Barre office. She became the director 10 years later. Dalmasse has stayed at the organization for more than 40 years because of its ongoing commitment to helping people.

That’s never changed, she says, even though the name has.

In 2014, the state passed the reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act, which changed its approach to focus on careers. “It solidified that we weren’t just about helping people find jobs; we were helping them find careers. We began to focus on job retention and measurable skills,” Dalmasse explained. This change allowed HireAbility to form the Earn-and-Learn program, which funds Clippinger’s career pathway and the Vermont Career Advancement Project.

could explore her passion for taking care of animals.

Benoit participated in the Summer Career Exploration Program, through which she worked at Lamoille Valley Veterinary Services for five weeks and shadowed techs and assistants. She went to appointments, attended surgeries and, by the end of the five weeks, felt confident in what she wanted to do.

“I didn’t want the program to end,” she said. So when she went back to school in the fall, she kept working at the veterinary office a couple days after school every week.

“You could tell Marielle picked up things so quickly,” said Katy Weigel, the practice manager at Lamoille Valley Veterinary Services. “She was so willing to learn a new skill or help with lab work. She was such a great addition to the team.”

Benoit left Lamoille Valley Veterinary Services in July 2024 to prepare for her next step — Vermont State University, where she’ll study to be a vet tech. But she has every intention of returning to Lamoille Valley Veterinary Services.

“I really appreciate the connections I made there, and it would be good to go back and really show them what I learned and how much they helped me,” Benoit said. Weigel’s already told Benoit that they would love to have her back.

Benoit isn’t the only HireAbility Earn-and-Learn participant who has been placed at Lamoille Valley Veterinary Services. The smiling face at the front desk of the clinic most days is Amy McGowan, another HireAbility alum. She broke her ankle in 2020, and her change in mobility resulted in her losing her job at the time. McGowan was living in a shelter when she was connected with HireAbility.

“I was feeling pretty down on my luck. It was hard,” she said. “HireAbility provided me with so much support.”

A HireAbility counselor helped McGowan refresh her résumé, and the Earn-and-Learn program paid for an online administrative training class that allowed her to apply for her current job at Lamoille Valley Veterinary Services.

But it does a lot of other things, too, whether that’s helping pay for textbooks or for a summer career exploration program for high schoolers.

That’s how Marielle Benoit, 18, connected with HireAbility. Benoit grew up in Hyde Park and went to Lamoille Union High School. She was always interested in veterinary medicine but didn’t know much about the field or whether she’d like it in practice. So Benoit talked to her paraeducator about it. From there, they connected her with HireAbility to see if there was a way Marielle

“HireAbility helped me with so much,” she said. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without it.” ■

THIS ARTICLE WAS COMMISSIONED AND PAID FOR BY:

April Irish

Marielle Benoit (right) at Lamoille Valley Veterinary Services

HireAbility alumna Amy McGowan

It Takes a Village

Afew weeks before Thanksgiving, plump winter squash, bagged onions and sweet potatoes sat on metal shelves in the HOPE food shelf surplus room in Middlebury. Loose apples ﬁlled a large bin, and a cooler held parsnips, celery root and bags of clean but gnarled carrots. Jeanne Montross, the poverty relief nonproﬁt’s executive director, said most of the produce had been donated by or gleaned from Vermont farms.

Addison County residents can pick up such groceries daily from the surplus section, as well as make one monthly visit to HOPE’s main food shelf area, which stocks staples such as fresh eggs and dairy, frozen meat, canned chili, and boxed macaroni and cheese. Tra c at both rooms has spiked over the past few years. In 2023, HOPE tallied 10,289 visits, a 70 percent jump from 2022, and this year’s number is on track to leap again.

FOOD LOVER?

In the surplus room, recipe cards o ered simple steps for creamy potato soup, butternut squash pasta sauce and herbed parsnips. But Montross said many of HOPE’s 3,000 annual clients, including about 55 who are homebound, face obstacles to cooking.

“We know that a lot of folks don’t have the strength or the resources or the time to take a winter squash and hack it open and peel it and cook it,” Montross said. “We grow enough food here in Addison County that we can feed everybody, but it’s been inaccessible to the people who need it the most.”

A partnership between HOPE and the recently established Little Village Acres project, led and funded by Vermont Co ee founder Paul Ralston, aims to help meet that growing need with local foods made as accessible as possible.

The successful entrepreneur, who sold his 20-year-old Middlebury co ee roastery to national specialty foods company Stonewall Kitchen in 2021 for an undisclosed amount, is putting his money where his neighbors’ mouths are, so to speak. Ralston also hopes that his e ort can help funnel more Vermont food to those in need by demonstrating an on-farm model for turning surpluses into lightly processed and ready-to-eat o erings, from mashed squash to beef-and-vegetable chili.

Ralston, 71, has so far invested a little over $2 million into a 6,000-square-foot processing, storage and cooking facility on his 10-acre Middlebury farm. “We’re not done yet … though I hope it’s not a lot more,” he said with a grin during an early-November tour. He plans to endow the facility and expects annual operating costs of about $250,000.

When Ralston sold his co ee company, he put some of the proceeds into an umbrella L3C social venture dubbed Little Village Enterprises, whose overall mission, he said, “is to serve the common good.” After months of research, Ralston decided to apply his business expertise and dollars to help get more locally grown food to “people who are food insecure, the homeless and the homebound.” In a state that hangs its hat on farm-to-table, he said, “Those folks are largely left out.”

A 28-year-old HOPE client agreed that she felt excluded. “Just because we’re low-income doesn’t mean that we don’t

Test dishes made from Little Village Acres produce and other local ingredients

Little Village Acres farm manager JD Goettelmann and founder Paul Ralston (back row) with volunteers from Addison County Home Health & Hospice

SERVING UP FOOD NEWS

Kraemer & Kin to Relocate in the Champlain Islands

This Friday and Saturday will be KRAEMER & KIN’s ﬁfth annual holiday Maker’s Market and the last weekend for its taproom restaurant at the ALBURG GOLF LINKS HEATHER KRAEMER, who owns the 3.5-barrel brewery with her brother LEVI and his wife, CHRISTIE, said the family is vetting a couple of Champlain Islands spots for a spring reopening.

Heather, 42, said the Kraemers had hoped to make the hilltop golf clubhouse at 230 Route 129 in Alburgh their permanent home, but after three years of leasing the space, they were not able to close a deal. She said logistical considerations might require the brewery and taproom to operate in di erent locations for a while.

The Grand Isle County microbrewery started in a garage in early 2020. Kraemer & Kin beers, such as the

mustard saison, often feature local ingredients.

The business’ ﬁrst tasting room was in North Hero. When the Kraemers moved brewing and retail operations to Alburgh in early 2022, they inherited a 100-seat dining room and did not have much restaurant experience, Heather said.

She called the learning curve “arduous but incredibly enriching” and said the future taproom will also o er housemade food, though probably “dialed back” a little. The family found the menu an important complement to their beer, a way to deepen customer interactions and an opportunity for “a larger collaboration with our farmer friends,” Heather said.

During the business’ winter hiatus, Kraemer & Kin beer will be available at retail stores around Vermont, holiday shows and farmers markets.

Heather Kraemer at Kraemer & Kin at the Alburg Golf Links in 2022

deserve the right to eat good, healthy food,” said Alexandra, who asked to be identified by her middle name for privacy. Foods she can afford tend to be highly processed with unhealthy sugar and salt levels, she noted.

The Lincoln resident works seasonal environmental jobs and said her pay is not enough to reliably cover her living expenses. As someone with deep connections to the Earth, she said, “Fresh food and local food are really important to me, but the cost is really unattainable.”

The young woman said she appreciates the local, often organic produce in HOPE’s surplus room. “It’s a huge relief and a huge blessing to be able to make choices that are values-aligned without hurting myself financially,” she said.

Like many Vermonters, those who rely on the food shelf often lack time and energy for food prep, as well as cooking knowledge. In the past, when HOPE has been able to offer freshly prepared meals made with Vermont ingredients — such as those stocked during the pandemic through the statewide Vermont Everyone Eats program and through a past partnership with Middlebury’s Patricia A. Hannaford Career Center — they flew off the shelves, Montross said.

Alexandra does cook but said prepped local ingredients or ready-to-eat meals would be “a huge lifesaver,” especially during her busy season.

Little Village Acres is not the only organization in Vermont working to make minimally processed or prepared local foods more accessible or affordable.

Since 2013, the Just Cut program run by the Center for an Agricultural Economy in Hardwick has processed fresh-cut and frozen vegetables to sell to institutional markets, such as schools and hospitals. It has also collaborated with Salvation Farms, which coordinates statewide produce-gleaning efforts and distributes some of that food to charitable and institutional meal sites. Salvation Farms is completing fundraising to renovate a former Walgreens in Morrisville into a 6,100-square-foot processing facility of its own. In South Burlington, the nonprofit Common Roots grows vegetables that its culinary team incorporates into about 70 weekly meals and side dishes available at the town food shelf.

But Ralston believes that his self-bankrolled project has some advantages. Because he has only himself to answer to, he posited, “I’ve been able to move faster. I’ve been able to be more efficient, and

when we’re done, I think we’re going to be able to be more productive.”

The road has not been without bumps. He hopes that Little Village Acres can serve as a case study for others and save them from some of the mistakes he’s made, such as spending more than $13,000 on two potato diggers that were mismatched to

JUST BECAUSE WE’RE LOWINCOME DOESN’T MEAN THAT WE DON’T DESERVE THE RIGHT TO EAT GOOD, HEALTHY FOOD. ALEXANDRA, HOPE FOOD SHELF CLIENT

which permitted Ralston to build the processing facility. The 2018 state law was designed to help farmers establish on-farm, agriculture-related enterprises that towns might otherwise deny as commercial or manufacturing activities.

In January, Ralston hired a legislative lobbyist to help push through some clarifications to Act 143 that should enable more farmers, as he put it, to “ride up the value chain” by processing their raw products and those of fellow farmers into higher-revenue offerings. He recognizes that $2 million pots of gold don’t magically appear on most Vermont farms but said the Little Village facility model can be broken down into smaller, more affordable pieces.

This fall, Ralston’s five-person team wrapped up its second season growing about 8,400 pounds of vegetables for HOPE, including many butternut squash for Thanksgiving holiday boxes. Once the processing facility is fully up and running next year, Little Village Acres will help HOPE clean, process and store the roughly 40,000 pounds of local produce it gleans annually — and then expand that amount.

In the kitchen, Culinary Institute of America-trained Karen Goettelmann, former co-owner of Middlebury’s Storm Café, will be able to cook and package up to 250 meals a week for HOPE and other area food organizations. She and Ralston are connecting with meat farmers to incorporate their surplus, too.

the farm’s scale and soil type. “I’ve always said trial and error is a really good learning model. Believe me, we are making errors all over the place,” Ralston acknowledged. “I just happen to be able to afford a few errors.”

A secondary goal is to encourage small Vermont farms to take advantage of Act 143,

During an on-farm tasting, Goettelmann shared a spread of dishes she’s been working on, including comforting garlic-andpotato soup and creamy tomato bisque. As alternatives to canned chili and boxed mac and cheese, she will supply HOPE with chili made from local beef and farm-grown vegetables, as well as noodles sauced with Vermont cheddar and dotted with nuggets of locally raised pork. And those gnarly but perfectly good carrots in the surplus cooler could be put to delicious use in carrot-ginger soup or carrot cake muffins. ➆

INFO

Learn more at littlevillageacres.com and hope-vt.org.

Local squash at HOPE food distribution center in Middlebury

Paul Ralston in front of the culinary facility at Little Village Acres

PHOTOS: MELISSA

PASANEN

SIDEdishes

Crumbs: Pico Taco and Majestic Open; Rincon and Birches Close

Stowe’s lifts and trails aren’t yet open for the season, but its Spruce Peak Village is ahead of the game with a new fast-casual Mexican restaurant. PICO TACO, which serves burritos, tacos, bowls and quesadillas with fillings such as adobo squash, garlic butter shrimp, carne asada and Yucatán-style roast pork, opened last Friday at 242 Hourglass Drive.

The counter-service taqueria is “a place where you can kick back, fuel up and feel the vibrant energy of the mountains,” DAVID LOCKARD, managing director of the LODGE AT SPRUCE PEAK, said in a press release. Pico Taco is open daily, with early hours on weekends to serve breakfast burritos to skiers catching first chair. Learn more at sprucepeak.com/picotaco.

Burlington’s long-awaited rotary-adjacent café and bar, MAJESTIC, is now open. As of this week, business partners MAURA O’SULLIVAN and SAM TOLSTOI are serving snacks, cocktails and wine in

the former Majestic Car Rental at 616 South Willard Street, Monday through Friday, 4 to 10 p.m.

Also in Burlington, Rincon Pizzeria and Tapas Bar has closed just over a month after new owners brought a menu of Latin American-influenced dishes and cocktails to downtown staple Manhattan Pizza & Pub. Read more about the abrupt closure in “On the Beat” (page 53).

In St. Johnsbury, Birches has closed, DJ and KATEY MCLAUGHLIN announced on social media last week. The owners of nearby BOULE BAKERY opened their brunch and dinner spot in the street-level Kingdom Table space in May. They recently launched a fall menu with a more fine-dining approach, DJ told Seven Days in October.

“Unfortunately, the timing just wasn’t right, and the restaurant became unsustainable for us,” the post read.

The McLaughlins continue to operate the subterranean space at 397 Railroad Street, now called the BAR DOWNSTAIRS, serving a casual menu of pizza, nachos and wings.

Jordan Barry

Majestic

Burritos at Pico Taco

Cutting Edge

Three questions for chef-turned-bladesmith Narin MacDonald

BY JORDAN BARRY • jbarry@sevendaysvt.com

What makes for a great knife? Why not ask a chef — or better yet, have one make it for you?

Chef-turned-bladesmith Narin MacDonald puts his professional cooking experience to work with each knife he designs, honing details that make his handmade Narin M. Knives the go-to choice of many of his former colleagues and home cooks alike.

MacDonald, 39, is a New England Culinary Institute grad who worked at various Vermont restaurants during his 14-year cooking career, including highend resort Twin Farms in Barnard and Burlington’s now-closed Old North End spot Butch + Babe’s, where he was the opening chef. His last kitchen gig was at the Great Northern in Burlington; he left the industry in 2019 while dealing with family issues.

“I found myself wanting to make things with my hands and use my creativity,” MacDonald said. “If you’ve talked to chefs, you know we’ve all got a little knife thing going on. How hard would it be to make my own?”

To satisfy that curiosity, he watched

thousands of knife-making videos on YouTube. “Then I just went for it,” he said. Looking back, he said his first attempt, from 2020, was “horrible.”

By 2021, with more practice, he was getting serious about the endeavor. MacDonald used his years of holding knives in the kitchen to make some design improvements. Instead of

Narin MacDonald in his garage workshop

Knives in Narin MacDonald’s inventory

Narin MacDonald working on the rough shape of a knife

Heating a roughly shaped knife blank

PHOTOS: BEAR CIERI

90-degree angles on the spine and the choil — the area at the heel of the knife — he rounds them. Otherwise, the knife digs into the cook’s hand and creates blisters.

“He’s my favorite knife maker,” said chef Frank Pace, who co-owns Great Northern Catering and August First in Burlington and was MacDonald’s boss in 2019. Pace’s team uses four of MacDonald’s knives on a daily basis, and both he and August First executive chef Lahi Ibrahim use them at home, he said. When longtime employees leave, Pace gifts them one of MacDonald’s knives as a parting present.

“Narin was an incredible cook, so when he transitioned to knife making, he knew exactly what needed to work,” Pace said. “Once he learned how to refine that — and keep refining it — the knives have just gotten better and better.”

Now, when MacDonald is not taking care of his young child or cooking for his family, Narin M. Knives is his full-time focus. He works in his Monkton garage, using a gas forge, a specialized heat-treating oven that goes up to 2,200 degrees, and a 2-by-72inch belt grinder. The process for each knife takes days, even without interruptions.

MacDonald mostly makes chef’s knives that follow a Japanese profile. They’re priced between $300 and $400, he said, depending on size and materials; he’ll sharpen every knife he makes for free, for life. To prepare for this holiday season, when he’ll vend at the Shelburne Farmers Market and the Good Trade Makers Market at Hula in Burlington, he’s building a stock of at least 20; 12 or so will be available on his website.

it up pretty quickly. To me, it’s kind of like cooking: You’re taking raw ingredients and putting fire to them, then turning out something that’s beautiful and functional — or beautiful and tasty, when I was cooking. But taste definitely comes first. You don’t need bells and whistles, like inedible garnish.

I carry that over to the knives that I make. I don’t really like when people say, “It’s too pretty to use.” It’s made to be used.

Even though I’m not cooking [professionally] now, I like that I’m still kind of involved in the industry, providing tools to those who are — and even people who cook at home. It feels good to know that they have something of mine that they’re using to make something nourishing for their family.

What makes a good knife?

Obviously, it has to work. But it comes down to the process. You can have the best steel you can buy, but if you don’t know how to properly heat-treat it, then your knife is gonna be either too hard or too soft. While hardness is great — and it will hold its edge — there’s brittleness that comes with it. If it’s too soft, it’s easy to put an edge on and it won’t be prone to chipping, but it loses that edge quite quickly.

IF YOU’VE TALKED TO CHEFS, YOU KNOW WE’VE ALL GOT A LITTLE KNIFE THING GOING ON.

NARIN MACDONALD

The balance and geometry of the knife matters, too. You want a little convexity in the blade; a straight edge will cut well, but food tends to stick to it more because it creates a vacuum. That’s kind of a nitpicky thing.

What are your knife-related hot takes?

MacDonald stepped away from the forge last week to sit down and chat bladesmithing with Seven Days over coffee at Bristol’s Minifactory. If you’re thinking of gifting a knife this holiday season, he’s got great advice for how to be nice to them.

When you started bladesmithing, did you expect to turn it into a business? Honestly, no. It was just something that I really enjoyed doing. I found that I picked

Bamboo cutting boards are horrible for knives. Don’t use bamboo. Wood is best. You know those pull-through sharpeners? Go burn them. I’m just listing my pet peeves now.

Don’t put your knife in the dishwasher. It’s too harsh. That’s the most important one. ➆

This interview was edited and condensed for clarity and length.

Learn more at narinmknives.shop.

Close to Home

BY KEN PICARD • ken@sevendaysvt.com

The front-page headline of the Brattleboro Daily Reformer on March 29, 1933, read, “Jewish Boycott Taking E ect: Jewish Shops in Berlin Picketed by Storm Troopers.” The Rutland Herald proclaimed on November 11, 1938, “Terror Reigns as Angry Nazis Wreak Vengeance on Jews.” Below it, an ominous prediction: “More Trouble Ahead.”

By November 25, 1942, the Burlington Free Press and Times was reporting that approximately half of the estimated 4 million Jews in Nazi-occupied Europe had been killed in a German-led “extermination campaign.” And yet, when a public opinion poll conducted in January 1943 asked Americans whether such

reports were true or just rumors, only 48 percent believed they were real.

America’s seeming indifference to the genocide of Jews in the 1930s and ’40s has often been summed up in four words: Americans did not know. But a traveling exhibit, on display at the Stowe Free Library until December 16, challenges that long-held assumption.

persecution of European Jews and other groups: What did Americans know about the Holocaust, and when did they know it? And what more could have been done to prevent the genocide? While the exhibition does a good job of answering the ﬁrst question, it leaves the second for viewers to ponder themselves.

For a small show, “Americans and the Holocaust” packs a punch, focusing solely on public sentiments and behaviors on this side of the Atlantic. As visitors enter the exhibition, a touch screen displays a map of the U.S. that allows viewers to click on any state and read the dispatches from Europe that were published in local newspapers like those in Brattleboro, Rutland and Burlington.

“Americans and the Holocaust” is a compelling new exhibition created by the United States Holocaust

Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., in partnership with the American Library Association. The show poses two fundamental questions about Nazi Germany’s

Evident from the journalism and public opinion polls is that many Americans at the time subscribed to an isolationist worldview, especially as it related to the war in Europe. This attitude held true even when the consequences of U.S. nonintervention were glaringly obvious.

Consider one poll from November 1938 that asked, “Do you approve or disapprove of the treatment of Jews in Nazi Germany?” While 94 percent of Americans expressed disapproval, a follow-up question asked: “Should we allow a larger number of Jewish exiles from Germany to come to the United States to live?” To that question, only 21 percent answered yes.

“It is a fantastic commentary on the inhumanity of our times,” journalist Dorothy Thompson wrote in 1938, “that for thousands and thousands of people, a piece of paper with a stamp on it is the di erence between life and death.”

Even with the beneﬁt of 20/20 hindsight, “Americans and the Holocaust” never becomes judgmental. The exhibition explores some of the e orts made to counter Nazism and the America First movement that was championed by public ﬁgures including Charles Lindbergh. The display includes political cartoons by Theodor Seuss Geisel, then the chief editorial cartoonist for PM, a daily newspaper in

“Americans and the Holocaust” at the Stowe Free Library

1941 political cartoon by eodor Seuss Geisel

Slate Boutique Reopens in Burlington’s South End

BY KEN PICARD • ken@sevendaysvt.com

It took longer than she originally envisioned, but Sarah Baroni, owner of Slate, a home goods and lifestyle boutique, reopened the store on Sunday at its new location in Burlington’s South End.

“We’ve had amazing community support and people just missing us and wanting us to be open again,” said Baroni, who closed Slate’s brick-and-mortar store at 89 Church Street in February. The new store is located at 27 Sears Lane.

Baroni had initially planned to close Slate for just two to three months while she moved it into a new location. (The store continued doing business online.) However, after the real estate deal fell through, she had to scramble to find another spot.

But Baroni thinks she hit the jackpot with the new one, which she jokingly refers to as “Slate 2.0.” The current storefront, which previously housed a photography studio and artist space, required some “fast and furious” construction, she said, but provides everything she wanted. It’s a stand-alone building with twice the space of the old store, ample storage and parking. Customers and delivery trucks can back right up to the door.

When Slate closed earlier this year, some Burlingtonians interpreted its departure as just the latest Church Street business fleeing downtown for greener (read: safer) pastures due to growing public safety concerns over flagrant drug use, homelessness and crime. In the past two years, the marketplace saw the departures of the Body Shop, El Gato Cantina and Black Diamond; Outdoor Gear Exchange downsized, then opened an outlet in Essex.

“We certainly had our struggles on Church Street. I’m not gonna lie and say it was perfect,” Baroni said. “Theft was

a really big issue, and customers were certainly deterred at times.”

Nevertheless, Baroni emphasized that those issues were not her main impetus for moving Slate out of downtown.

“I love Church Street. It’s one of the reasons I picked Burlington in the first place,” said the Cape Cod native, who moved to Vermont from Arcata, Calif., in 2016, then opened Slate the following year.

As she explained, Slate’s Church Street location was “logistically challenging” for a home furnishings store, with no place to park a delivery van. The old spot’s limited storage space also required Slate to maintain an off-site warehouse, which was inconvenient and costly.

Slate’s departure also provided longtime Bank Street bookseller Phoenix Books with the opportunity to relocate to Church Street.

Slate’s new Sears Lane store will continue selling many of the goods that have drawn customers for years, Baroni said, including ethically and sustainably sourced furniture, rugs, pillows, gifts, bath and kitchenwares, and other household items. Slate will also continue to offer interior design services.

Longer term, Baroni, who lives in Stowe, sees the store becoming more of a gathering place for after-hours social events.

“We have big garage doors we can open up. We can have food trucks and bands. We’re really envisioning some fun times to gather with the community,” she added. “And this building allows us to do all that.” ➆

at slatehome.co.

The showroom at Slate’s new retail store in Burlington

Black Days

The acid in my stomach bubbled up into the back of my throat.

Biblical sadboi Job has nothing on Daniel Fassett, a divorced factory worker in the ﬁctional Vermont town of Granbury. On Christmas Eve 1992, Fassett’s car skids off the road and plunges into the icy Mad River. e accident leaves him in a coma for four months — and thwarts his Florida Keys retirement dreams.

Faced with the prospect of living out his days across the street from his ex-wife, Fassett does what any reasonable person would do: He enlists the help of a local doctor to freeze himself for the winter in his backyard sugar shack. When he wakes up, he discovers that the media has caught on to his hibernation experiment, and his tribulations multiply.

Black Days, Burlington author Jackson Ellis’ second novel, is both a thriller and an unexpectedly moving portrait of small-town Vermont life. When reporters descend upon Granbury to track down Fassett, the post ofﬁce puts up a sign announcing: “No Directions to the Hibernation House.” And Ellis renders Fassett with a genuine tenderness that makes up for the occasional clumsy line of dialogue. Fassett’s unshakable, commonsense morality will keep you rooting for him to the very last page.

CHELSEA EDGAR

Short Takes on Five Vermont Books

Seven Days writers can’t possibly read, much less review, all the books that arrive in a steady stream by post, email and, in one memorable case, a shrewdness of apes. So this monthly feature is our way of introducing you to a handful of books by Vermont authors. To do that, we contextualize each book just a little and quote a single representative sentence from, yes, page 32. ➆

Let’s Go, Coco! Coco Fox, Harper Alley, 236 pages. $24.99.

Are you okay??

I know of no one who would voluntarily travel back in time to middle school, that life chapter of raging hormones, awkward crushes, poisonous cliques and zits. is is where readers ﬁnd Coco, the young doppelgänger of White River Junction cartoonist Coco Fox and the likable title character in Fox’s debut middle-grade graphic novel.

Fox, a Center for Cartoon Studies alum and occasional Seven Days contributor, conveys the angst and triumphs of a young person struggling to build conﬁdence and understand herself and those around her.

Deep in the pubescent stew, Coco dreads the departure of her best friend, whose family is moving away. Anyone around age 11 or who was once 11 — i.e., everyone — will feel for Coco as Fox depicts her: in a school hallway surrounded by licking ﬂames taunting, “You’re alone. You’re alone. You’re alone.”

Coco does gradually make new friends — thanks, in part, to the counsel of her older brother. When he gets nervous, he conﬁdes, “I count down from ﬁve. When I get to one, I HAVE to do the thing I’m scared to do.”

at’s sound advice for navigating any stage of life.

MELISSA PASANEN

the Fall Ellen Parent, Fitzroy Books, 266 pages. $18.95.

I didn’t say it, but I knew Jacob knew something about me, something about my mom.

It’s not much, but June has little else to guide her. Ever since a barn ﬁre six years earlier scarred her body and stole her memory, the 15-year-old spends her days dreaming of ﬁnding the mother she now only remembers in fragments. But her hardscrabble existence in the Republic, a postapocalyptic Vermont poisoned generations earlier by war and climate change, offers few avenues to salvation — that is, until a sinister circus comes to town.

After the Fall, the debut novel by Ellen Parent, is a cleverly crafted page-turner about a teenager’s quest for answers. As June sets off for New Rutland with Jacob, a rogue lawman hunted by the corrupt Green Mountain Boys, she’s forced to confront a painful possibility: that her mother’s disappearance from her life wasn’t accidental.

Given that so many postapocalyptic tales portray Vermont as an idyllic sanctuary, it’s a novel twist to see the state depicted instead as a dark and hostile wilderness populated by superstitious and illiterate Luddites. Eden it is not.

KEN PICARD

Your Life

Way down there with the shipwrecks and the anglerﬁsh ... is the rest of the story.

Readers ﬁrst met Rainey Cobb in Benjamin Roesch’s 2022 debut novel, Blowin’ My Mind Like a Summer Breeze. Its sequel, e Rest of Your Life Soundtrack, is set two years later. Rainey is 17, and she ﬁnally has what she wanted. e Cobb Family Band has parked their RV, and her life on the road as a touring, homeschooled musician is in the rearview mirror. She goes to an ordinary school like an ordinary girl — who fronts an indie band. And catches the eye of a major record label.

Signing a contract would pay off her sick father’s mounting medical debt but crush his wish that she go to college ﬁrst. It’s an offer that might not come around again, but one with so many ﬂip sides.

e record producers want her to take out her nose ring and sing their “radio-ready” pop tunes. Are they right? Or are they the bloodsucking leeches her brother says they are? And what would they think if they knew “the guy” who inspired a love song she sang for them was actually a girl with iridescent green eyes?

MARY ANN LICKTEIG

How to Love a Forest: e Bittersweet Work of Tending a Changing World Ethan Tapper, Broadleaf Books, 229 pages. $28.99.

I wish not for a perfect relationship with this forest but for a good one...

Ethan Tapper is a professional forester (and tattooed punk rocker) who writes about his woodlot with the tenderness of a parent. In 2017, he purchased 175 acres on a hillside in Bolton. e woodlot had been “high-graded” by loggers — all the valuable trees removed, the land claimed by invasive Japanese barberry and thousands of beech seedlings doomed to die of beech bark disease.

How to Love a Forest makes a convincing case, in language at once lyrical and scientiﬁc, for wellconsidered human intervention to restore such woodlands. Tapper chronicles the pain as well as the satisfaction he feels as he treats invasives with herbicides and cuts down swaths of trees to make way for a more diverse, healthy forest. While he sometimes irritatingly repeats his deeply felt reactions to the world, the book should be required reading for lovers of trees and landowners who want to understand their woods — and want them to thrive.

CANDACE PAGE

Jackson Ellis, Green Writers Press, 204 pages. $19.95

After

e Rest of

Soundtrack Benjamin Roesch, Deep Hearts YA, 358 pages. $19.99.

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culture

New York City. He went on to become the beloved children’s book author Dr. Seuss. The exhibition also highlights some of the people who saved Jewish lives. Among them were Eleanor and Gilbert Kraus, a Philadelphia couple who rescued 50 Jewish children between the ages of 5 and 14. In 1939, the children’s parents made the heartbreaking decision to send them to the U.S. with the two strangers. While some were later reunited with relatives, others never saw their biological kin again.

The Stowe Free Library is among the smallest of the 50 libraries in the country hosting “Americans and the Holocaust,” said assistant library director Molly Nesselrodt, who applied for the exhibition about a year ago.

The library will also present related events, including a December 4 screening of the film The U.S. and the Holocaust, followed by a Q&A with Dr. Rebecca Erbelding, educator, curator and archivist at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Then, on December 7, the library will host a talk by Mercedes de Guardiola, author of the 2023 book “Vermont for the Vermonters”: The History of Eugenics in the Green Mountain State.

Before the exhibition’s arrival, Nesselrodt flew to Washington, D.C., for three days of training that included discussions about public safety. Although the exhibition makes no mention of Israel — the Jewish state wasn’t founded until 1948 — the exhibition’s creators expressed concern that, in the current political climate, some people might interpret it as pro-Israel. All the hosting libraries were

A U.S. POLL IN 1938 FOUND THAT 94 PERCENT OF THOSE SURVEYED DISAPPROVED OF GERMANY’S TREATMENT OF JEWS — BUT ONLY 21 PERCENT THOUGHT AMERICA SHOULD WELCOME MORE JEWISH REFUGEES.

advised to notify local law enforcement if the exhibition sparked protests.

Thus far, none has occurred, in part because the exhibition doesn’t wade into controversial topics such as the war in Gaza. “Americans and the Holocaust” is a history lesson about a specific period in U.S. history, although that era’s public sentiment about refugees, immigration and “America first” can feel disquietingly familiar.

As one volunteer docent, who asked not to be identified, described the exhibition, “This hits a little too close to home.” ➆

INFO

“Americans and the Holocaust,” on display until December 16, at Stowe Free Library.

The U.S. and the Holocaust, a film screening, Wednesday, December 4, 6 p.m. “Vermont for the Vermonters”: The History of Eugenics in the Green Mountain State, an author talk by Mercedes de Guardiola, Saturday, December 7, 6 p.m. Free. stowefreelibrary.org

“Americans and the Holocaust” at the Stowe Free Library

Close to Home « P.40

on screen

After months of hype, the ﬁlm adaptation of Broadway’s Wicked has more than fulﬁlled expectations with a $114 million opening weekend. Showstopping vocal performances from stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are bound to secure a place in the Oscars conversation for the movie, directed by Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians, In the Heights).

For younger viewers, Wicked could be the entry point for a crash course in media history and intertextuality. The musical, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and book by Winnie Holzman, is loosely based on the novel of the same name, itself a revisionist take on L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz , by part-time Vermont author Gregory Maguire.

The deal

Perhaps you recall how Dorothy Gale proved herself by slaying the Wicked Witch of the West. But who was this witch, anyway? How did she become so wicked? Whether you’re a curious Munchkin or not, Glinda the Good (Grande) is here to narrate the witch’s origin story for you.

Elphaba Thropp (Erivo) is born with green skin and a talent for magic, rare even in the fantastical land of Oz. While her looks make her an outcast, her power earns her a welcome at Shiz University, where she’s assigned to room with popular Galinda, aka Glinda.

Elphaba yearns for an invitation to the Emerald City to meet the Wonderful Wizard (Je Goldblum), who might just have the power to change her appearance. Meanwhile, her empathy for the downtrodden inspires her to aid the sentient animals of Oz, such as goat professor Dr. Dillamond (voice of Peter Dinklage), whose freedoms are threatened by new laws of the land.

Initially jealous and cruel, Galinda comes to admire Elphaba. A friendship blossoms between the two, even as they both pine for devil-may-care prince Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey). For these girls, a trip to see the Wizard could change everything, but not necessarily in the ways they expect.

Will you like it?

Anecdotal evidence suggests that if you love the musical Wicked , you’ll love the movie. Fans have been waiting years for it, and Chu gives ample time to every character and number in what is technically Wicked Part 1 , the ﬁ rst half of a duology. At my packed screening, applause greeted cameos by Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, who originated the roles of Elphaba and Galinda on Broadway.

I’m not one of those fans: This was my ﬁrst exposure to the Wicked-verse. I was thrilled by the subtle, soaring performances of Erivo and Grande, both of whom deserve every accolade, and by Bailey’s comedic charisma. The costume and production design were appropriately whimsical, the depiction of Oz was refreshingly inclusive, the script was witty, and the themes resonated. As a whole, though, the movie felt … long.

For a nonfan, two hours and 40 minutes

is a while to spend watching the ﬁrst half of an antiheroic origin story set in a world full of computer-generated backdrops that look like Florida condo complexes. While Wicked’s small-scale, practical designs are creative, the overall look of its simulated environments ﬁts right into a Universal theme park.

The film’s length doesn’t serve the plot, either. Because the characters’ arcs have been chopped in half, Wicked features considerable foreshadowing without payoff. A pivotal midpoint scene — Elphaba and Galinda’s transition from enmity to friendship — is presented with the breathless reverence of a climax, lessening its impact for this casual viewer. And the actual climax has been loaded with blockbuster-style action that feels unnecessary, tiring us out before we reach Erivo’s awe-inspiring final number.

Still, the performers rise above the ﬂu . Erivo gives wonderful layers to her portrayal of someone who is forced into an antagonist’s role while secretly longing to be the heroine. We read Elphaba’s conflict — conform to the dominant narrative or proudly rebel? — in her thoughtful interpretation of the lyrics of “The Wizard and I.”

On the surface, Grande’s role is much less likable. Canonical Glinda is unbearably saccharine, so it’s no shocker to learn that she started as a spoiled mean girl. Perhaps the biggest triumph of the performance and even the movie is that we end up caring about young Galinda, because Grande shows us that she craves love enough to sell her soul for it. As Galinda simpers through life, performing her own virtuousness like the most annoying

person you know on social media, there’s terror in her eyes.

There should be, because this Oz is a scary place, once you get beyond the pastels and cute neologisms (“distressful,” “horrendible”). The politics of the story are very simple — nay, heavy-handed — but that doesn’t make them less relevant. As a Wicked novice, I would have preferred a slimmer, less extravagant production that zeroed in on the story’s central friendship. But countless viewers are clearly ﬁnding Wicked an empowering experience, and more power to them.

MARGOT HARRISON margot@sevendaysvt.com

IF YOU LIKE THIS, TRY…

INTO THE WOODS (2014; Disney+, rentable): Less successful than Wicked was this star-studded ﬁlm adaptation of Stephen Sondheim’s revisionist look at fairy tales, featuring standout performances from Meryl Streep and Chris Pine.

BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE (2018; Disney+, rentable): If Erivo wowed you in Wicked, savor her singing and acting talents in this underrated neo-noir for an adult audience. She also stars in Harriet and Widows

OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (2013; Disney+, YouTube Primetime, rentable): e Wizard (James Franco) got his own sympathetic origin story in this fantasy from Sam Raimi. All I liked about it was a deliciously imperious turn by Rachel Weisz as the Wicked Witch of the East.

Audiences are ﬁnding this revisionist Oz tale empowering.

NEW IN THEATERS

MOANA 2: The islander heroine (voice of Auli’i Cravalho) must form her own crew and sail unknown seas to break a curse in the sequel to the animated Disney hit, also starring Dwayne Johnson and Alan Tudyk. (100 min, PG. Bijou, Capitol, City Cinema, Essex, Majestic, Marquis, Paramount, Star, Stowe, Welden)

CURRENTLY PLAYING

ANORAHHHH The Cannes Film Festival’s Palme d’Or went to this drama about the romance between a sex worker (Mikey Madison) and a Russian oligarch’s son from writer-director Sean Baker (Red Rocket). (139 min, R. Catamount, Majestic, Savoy; reviewed 11/20)

THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVERHHH Six siblings known for making trouble take over the local church’s festivities in this comedy from director Dallas Jenkins, starring Lauren Graham and Judy Greer. (99 min, PG. Capitol, Essex)

BONHOEFFER: PASTOR. SPY. ASSASSIN: A Lutheran minister (Jonas Dassler) joins a plot to assassinate Hitler in this historical thriller directed by Todd Komarnicki. (132 min, PG-13. Essex)

CONCLAVEHHHH A conspiracy interferes with the selection of a new pope in this thriller starring Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci, directed by Edward Berger. (120 min, PG. Majestic)

GLADIATOR IIHHH Ridley Scott directed the sequel to his 2000 epic of ancient Rome, in which Maximus’ son (Paul Mescal) is forced to fight for his life just like Dad. With Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington and Connie Nielsen. (148 min, R. Bijou, Capitol, City Cinema, Essex, Majestic, Star, Stowe, Welden)

HERETICHHHH1/2 Missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) try to convert the wrong person (Hugh Grant) in this horror film from directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods. (110 min, R. Majestic; reviewed 11/13)

A REAL PAINHHHH1/2 Jesse Eisenberg wrote, directed and stars with Kieran Culkin in this comedy-drama about two estranged cousins exploring their family history in Poland. (90 min, R. Majestic, Savoy)

RED ONEH1/2 The North Pole’s head of security (Dwayne Johnson) joins forces with a bounty hunter (Chris Evans) to rescue a kidnapped Santa Claus in this action comedy. (123 min, PG-13. Bijou, Essex, Majestic, Paramount, Star)

WICKEDHHH1/2 Gregory Maguire’s subversive take on The Wizard of Oz becomes a musical becomes a movie starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. Jon M. Chu directed. (160 min, PG. Bijou, Capitol, City Cinema, Essex, Majestic, Marquis, Playhouse, Star, Stowe, Welden; reviewed 11/27)

THE WILD ROBOTHHHH1/2

A shipwrecked robot becomes caretaker to an orphaned gosling in this animated family adventure. (101 min, PG. Majestic)

OLDER FILMS AND SPECIAL SCREENINGS

CRAFT AND ROM COM (Savoy, Wed 4 only)

THE GREAT SANTINI (Catamount, Wed 27 only)

THE TALE OF PRINCESS KAGUYA (Essex, Wed 27 only)

OPEN THEATERS

(* = upcoming schedule for theater was not available at press time)

BIJOU CINEPLEX 4: 107 Portland St., Morrisville, 888-3293, bijou4.com

CAPITOL SHOWPLACE: 93 State St., Montpelier, 229-0343, fgbtheaters.com

CATAMOUNT ARTS: 115 Eastern Ave., St. Johnsbury, 748-2600, catamountarts.org

*CITY CINEMA: 137 Waterfront Plaza, Newport, 334-2610, citycinemanewport.com

ESSEX CINEMAS & T-REX THEATER: 21 Essex Way, Suite 300, Essex, 879-6543, essexcinemas.com

MAJESTIC 10: 190 Boxwood St., Williston, 878-2010, majestic10.com

MARQUIS THEATER: 65 Main St., Middlebury, 388-4841, middleburymarquis.com

PARAMOUNT TWIN CINEMA: 241 N. Main St., Barre, 479-9621, fgbtheaters.com

PLAYHOUSE MOVIE THEATRE: 11 S. Main St., Randolph, 728-4012, playhouseflicks.com

SAVOY THEATER: 26 Main St., Montpelier, 229-0598, savoytheater.com

STAR THEATRE: 17 Eastern Ave., St. Johnsbury, 748-9511, stjaytheatre.com

STOWE CINEMA 3PLEX: 454 Mountain Rd., Stowe, 253-4678, stowecinema.com

WELDEN THEATRE: 104 N. Main St., St. Albans, 527-7888, weldentheatre.com

Joseph Quinn in Gladiator II

Object Permanence

In “Respite & Remembrance,” Daryl Burtnett reﬂects on the pandemic and the present moment

BY ALICE DODGE • adodge@sevendaysvt.com

There’s been a lot of speculation on social media lately about how so many people have memory-holed the recent past, willfully forgetting the COVID-19 pandemic, among other things. Daryl Burtnett is not one of them.

In “Respite & Remembrance: Pandemic to Present,” the Montpelier artist pairs new works with “Gratitude in a Time of Loss,” his ongoing installation documenting the number of Vermonters who have died from COVID-19. Both experimental and elegiac, the show is on view at the Vermont Supreme Court Gallery in Montpelier.

In late summer 2020, Burtnett started folding washi paper into small packets, securing them with artist tape and submerging them in a tray of sumi ink. Unfolded, the paper wasn’t what he had hoped for, but something about both the process of making the folded packets and their tactile quality felt soothing to him, he recalled in an interview. Eventually, he realized that creating them was connected to his daily habit of listening to Statehouse brieﬁngs on Vermont’s death toll.

In the four years since, the packets have changed. They have been made from di erent kinds of paper and cardboard, including the brown backing-board of a bristol pad. Some are partially gessoed or

have abstract scribbles. Color has crept into others: ochre, blue, lemon yellow. Some are tightly wrapped, and some have no tape at all. Some are singular, while others closely resemble their neighbors: They are made

from a single piece of paper, painted and then cut into separate parts before being dipped in ink, their common visual style indicating two or three or eight people who were part of the same day’s tally.

A few packets have scraps of sheet music embedded in the surface, taken from a ruined hymnal Burtnett found on the street. He said he has written phrases in some of them, and a couple contain stones; one envelops a Polaroid. Their dimensions vary, but all are about the same size as the artist’s hand.

Each piece is pinned, in roughly chronological order, to one of six 4-by-8foot panels that lean against the wall, each

resting on granite cobblestone feet. Not part of past installations of “Gratitude,” those feet add literal heft and weight that the work deserves, transforming the panels from innocuous display into stelae. Their

YOU ONLY NOTICE THE LOSS IF YOU CARE ABOUT THE PRESENCE. DARYL BURTNETT

setting in the grand lobby of Vermont’s highest court adds to that e ect — it’s not often that objects such as scrap cardboard carry the gravitas of a memorial.

Only two of the pieces in “Gratitude” refer to specific individuals: an elderly couple Burtnett read about who were sick together but died apart within 24 hours of each other. Thinking of them, he created two packets from a single piece of paper, then wrapped them together in wax paper before dipping them in the sumi ink bath.

Unwrapped, that wax paper became “Shroud,” one of the framed works in the show. Collaged onto butcher paper gessoed white, the black-and-white form ﬂoats, both cast o and demanding attention. It

acts as a bridge to the other paintings in the exhibition, which are abstract but maintain the emotional tone set by “Gratitude.”

Burtnett was a photojournalist for many years before turning his camera to ﬁne art. His new mixed-media works on paper reﬂect his longtime fascination with textures of decay, such as rust or crumbling concrete, which he photographed in earlier work. He spreads paint with squeegees and scrapes it back with credit cards. He uses the back of a paring knife to etch paper with lines that show through subsequent layers of ink or paint.

“Arrival,” a 25-by-33-inch framed piece, is primarily light sepia, like old parchment. A shock of white connects inky black and blocky indigo forms. Smaller marks ﬂoat across the composition, sparkling thanks to Carborundum, which Bartnett sometimes adds to his paints. The whole thing is reminiscent of a traditional Japanese landscape.

Beside it on the wall, “Tsunami” carries that vibe into a smaller, 11-by-14-inch work, this one painterly, with a swirling, more centralized composition. A single thick line of paint collects in a ridge near the bottom of the work, broken by a ghostly drip that brings the eye up into the action.

“First Part of the Journey” veers

“Gratitude in a Time of Loss”

" e Opposite of a Constellation”

close to landscape. A collection of dark, impenetrable, Robert Motherwell-ish forms loll on what could be a beach of scraped tans, whites and grays, while a lighter shape looms behind everything in the top two-thirds of the paper.

In some of these works, such as “Ocho, Blue,” Burtnett’s technique makes a sense of loss manifest. Here, thicker dried lines of paint surround ghostly voids, as though the edges of a plate had rested there and left residue. Many of the works have the imprinted quality of monotype, though none of them is a print.

The show features one very large painting, “The Opposite of a Constellation,” a 4-by-11-foot horizontal work Burtnett created on the gallery floor for his 2021 solo show at the Front in Montpelier. It’s based on a memory of seeing his 10-year-old son out the window right before a big snowstorm. A flock of crows flew by, black spots on white, just as the snow started. Within minutes, “it was falling so thick I couldn’t even see my son,” Burtnett said. The painting explores the anticipation of loss, including the sense of things changing.

“You only notice the loss,” Burtnett said, “if you care about the presence.”

Many people have asked Burtnett

when “Gratitude in a Time of Loss” will be finished, he said, and even expressed concern about it. The project was on hiatus for a while, after the state stopped regular reporting. But COVID-19 deaths continue to occur, despite the virus’ endemic status. Before this show went up, Burtnett found new ongoing weekly reports and started making packets again.

At the project’s outset, Vermont’s death toll was about 60. When Seven Days reviewed the work in a 2022 show at Susan Calza Gallery in Montpelier, the installation had 630 pieces. After our conversation last week, Burtnett was on his way to creating the 1,028th.

He doesn’t feel like he’s done yet, he said. While others may argue over whether the pandemic is over or we should still be in crisis mode, Burtnett sees the installation and the show as a whole as offering a different kind of message. “Let’s be OK with remembering,” he said. “Let’s be OK with paying attention.” ➆

INFO

“Respite & Remembrance: Pandemic to Present” by Daryl Burtnett, on view through December 20 at Vermont Supreme Court Gallery in Montpelier. curator.vermont.gov/ vermont-supreme-court-gallery

Mondays - Thursday from October 21 - December 12 (excluding November 27-28) Must mention Fall Special at time of booking. If booking online, add “Fall Special” into the notes. Based on availability. Subject to change. Reservations required.

“Tsunami”

EXHIBITION

Micro Makers: Siglinde Langholz Creates Art With Silkworms at St. Mike’s

STORY & PHOTOS BY ALICE DODGE • adodge@sevendaysvt.com

It’s not every day that an artist talk takes place in a science classroom, but that was entirely appropriate for the November 7 discussion with Mexican artist Siglinde Langholz, whose work is currently on view at the McCarthy Art Gallery at Saint Michael’s College in Colchester. Part of her installation can be seen through a microscope; her collaborators were Bombyx mori, commonly known as silkworms.

Bombyx Mori: Micro Tissue Intersections” is admittedly a little inscrutable. One wall holds 11 sculptures. Each consists of a mirrored oval about the size of a person’s face. Langholz has attached a magnifying bug viewer — a small, clear plastic box with a lens in the lid — to each mirror. A visitor peeking into the magniﬁer sees a unique image printed on clear acetate, from photos of silkworm caterpillars to scientiﬁc diagrams of their anatomy. Each sculpture also incorporates an oval of backlit, peach-colored vellum, delicately poked with a needle to form a constellation of raised bumps that mimic silkworm eggs.

On the opposite wall, three crumpled sheets of what look like 3-foot-square pieces of foil insulation are covered in clusters of empty silkworm cocoons. Sewn on by the artist, they resemble yellow and white packing peanuts.

A projected video shows magnified microscope views of the insects and their silk fibers, accompanied by a somewhat haunting tonal sound: an amplified, enhanced version of the noises silkworms make, including chewing leaves. On a central table, visitors can use microscopes to examine dead silkworm specimens and related slides. ( ough live caterpillars have been part of Langholz’s past shows, U.S. Customs precluded that possibility.) Jars contain prints on acetate of cells and other magnified biological structures. Viewers can also handle hanging skeins and balls of soft, shiny natural silk.

Langholz doesn’t include exhibition text or didactics. When asked why, she said, “I never tell.” She wants people to interact with the work on their own terms, discovering what’s intriguing or meaningful to them. Instead of explaining, she offers clues, intending to “leave the traces and see what happens.”

St. Mike’s students have responded positively to that approach, according to gallery director and curator Brian Collier. By email, he said some were intrigued by the equating of animal or insect labor to human work; others commented on the exhibition’s interactivity. For many, “it seemed to trigger a real sense of wonder.”

From Puebla and currently working in Hidalgo, Langholz holds a PhD as well as an MFA. Her practice is interdisciplinary, ranging from biology to sound art. e installation at St. Mike’s grew from her research in the state of San Luis Potosi, famous for its ﬁnely woven silk rebozos (Mexican shawls).

In her artist talk, Langholz said she’s always been interested in textiles.

From that starting point, she literally and ﬁguratively followed threads wherever they led — to entomology, sculpture, and philosophers such as Gilles Deleuze, Félix Guattari and Erin Manning. Manning’s concept of the “more-than-human” has inﬂuenced Langholz’s work with the silkworms, she said.

For this show, as well as previous installations involving bees, Langholz has called anthropocentrism into question by viewing the insects as collaborators. She described their cocoons as “mobile architecture,” a viewpoint borne out by the formal beauty of the structures she has made into pieces on the wall. Magnifying and amplifying the creatures’ work is a way to introduce viewers to possibilities most humans would never consider.

Visitors may be familiar with hands-on science exhibitions presented as explanations of the world. Langholz’s work crosses over into visual art precisely because it doesn’t attempt to do that. e artist mentioned a favorite quote from Manning: “A process set up anywhere reverberates everywhere.” When she makes art, Langholz said, “suddenly there’s an echo that brings you to another thing, and then that brings you to another thing — it’s really important in a creative process.” ➆

INFO

“Bombyx Mori: Micro Tissue Intersections” by Siglinde Langholz, on view through December 13 at McCarthy Art Gallery, Saint Michael’s College, in Colchester. mccarthygallery.smc-artanddesign.space

Sculpture with vellum and bug viewer

Sculpture with silkworm cocoons

A St. Mike's student examining a silkworm

CALLS TO ARTISTS

2024 GINGERBREAD CONTEST: Interested bakers, schools, organizations, businesses, families, individuals and young people are invited to submit their imaginative gingerbread creations. All entries must be delivered Wednesday, December 4 or ursday, December 5. Preregistration required at chaffeeartcenter.org. Chaffee Art Center, Rutland, November 20-December 5. Free. Info, 775-0356.

ARTIST DEVELOPMENT GRANTS: Now accepting applications from artists at all stages of their careers. e grants provide up to $2,000 in funding for activities that enhance mastery of a craft or skills that increase the viability of an artist’s business. is year will pilot a new method of awarding grantees, as well as ﬂood relief funding. Apply online at Vermontartscouncil.org Vermont Arts Council, Montpelier, November 20-January 28. Info, 402-4602.

CALL FOR ENTRIES TO 10 BY 10: Members are invited to submit gallery-ready works in any medium that do not exceed 10 by 10 inches for the exhibition, which runs from December 6 to January 28. Drop off works on November 25 and 26, 2 to 4 p.m. T.W. Wood Gallery, Montpelier, November 13-26. Free for members. Info, info@twwoodgallery.org.

‘MORE THAT CONNECTS US’: Seeking submissions in all mediums of works presenting the faces and ﬁgures of a varied and integrated society for our January exhibition. Please send images and contact info via email. e Satellite Gallery, Lyndonville, November 6-December 31. $20 donation. Info, melmelts@yahoo.com.

Saturday, November 30, 5-7 p.m. Axel’s Frame Shop & Gallery, Waterbury, November 30-December 25. Info, 244-7801.

BFA EXHIBITION: An exhibition featuring ceramics, paintings, prints and sculpture by graduating artists Emmallie Bailey, Jason Flower and Danielle Hallam. Reception: ursday, December 5, 12-2 p.m. Julian Scott Memorial Gallery, Vermont State University-Johnson, December 2-20. Info, 635-1469.

2024 MEMBERS HOLIDAY EXHIBITION AND SALE: A show and opportunity to purchase works by members throughout the galleries. Reception and Holiday Party: Saturday, December 7, 5-7 p.m. AVA Gallery and Art Center, Lebanon, N.H., November 29-December 26. Info, 603-448-3117.

ART EVENTS

FALL PAINT CLASS: A class for seniors 55 and up, sponsored by the United Church of Fairfax. Limited seating; preregister with Joanne Delaney via email. Fairfax Green Senior Housing, Saturday, November 30, 10 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, artfun201@gmail.com.

OPEN STUDIO: A guided meditation followed by an hour of art making in any medium and concluding with a share-and-witness process. Many art materials available. In-person and online. Expressive Arts Burlington, Tuesday, December 3, 6:30-8:30 p.m., and ursday, December 5, 12:30-2:30 p.m. By donation. Info, 343-8172.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORK-

SHOPS FOR ARTISTS: A selection of free online and in-person workshops addressing the most urgent needs, challenges and opportunities facing artists in New England, presented by Assets for Artists in partnership with the Vermont Arts Council. Register online at assetsforartists.org. Vermont Arts Council, Montpelier, through January 28. Info, assetsforartists@massmoca.org. ➆

‘SILVER LINING’: Seeking shiny objects and silver-colored art for inclusion in the spring show in the main ﬂoor gallery; work may be silver in its entirety or have a small but essential silver element. e show will honor SPA’s 25th anniversary. Email submissions; guidelines at studioplacearts.com. Studio Place Arts, Barre, November 20-February 8. $10, free for members. Info, submissions. studioplacearts@gmail.com. 4t-Miltonartist'sGuild112024

OPENINGS + RECEPTIONS

MICHAEL STRAUSS: An exhibition of works investigating how saturated colors create the illusion of light and shadow. Burlington Emergency & Veterinary Specialists, Williston, through April 30. Info, 865-7296.

‘ARTISTS ON THE MOVE’: A show of new work by Hannah Morris, Clark Derbes and Jennifer Koch, all of which can be purchased and immediately brought home. e Phoenix, Waterbury, through December 31. Info, joseph@thephoenixvt.com.

‘UNCANNY VALLEY: MAGIC REALISM IN VERMONT’: e annual winter exhibition and auction, foreshadowing the “Green Mountain Magic” summer show in 2025. Works by 25 regional artists, with proceeds split between museum and artist, will be auctioned in person and online. Bennington Museum, November 29-December 18, 10 a.m. $5, free for members and gala ticket holders; RSVP. Info, 447-1571.

ROLLING DOWN THE TRACKS: HOLIDAY TRAINS!:

A three-level assemblage of model trains with a backdrop of the Green Mountains and miniature gondola lift, skies, snowboarders, rock climbers and bicyclists. Henry Sheldon Museum of Vermont History, Middlebury, November 29-January 4. Free with museum admission. Info, 388-2117.

CELEBRATE THE SMALLS: OPENING AND ARTIST

RECEPTION: A group exhibition of works 12 by 12 inches or smaller, priced under $100. Reception:

S UNDbites

The Wormdogs Learn New Tricks

There’s a brief pause after the phone stops ringing, and a deep voice says, “Welcome to the WORMDOGS’ hotline.” Options follow: I can leave the band a message, order its members a pizza (vegetarian, if you please) or listen to some jazz — a strange choice, as the ﬁvepiece Vermont band does not play jazz.

“Will came into practice one day with a big grin and told us to dial the number 802-WORMDOG,” bassist BRADEN LALANCETTE said as he and his bandmates, including drummer WILL PEARL, spoke with me on Zoom recently. “And there it was! It was a hilarious surprise.”

Lalancette, Pearl, DANICA CUNNINGHAM (ﬁddle), ERIC SOSZYNSKI (guitar) and NICK LEDAK (guitar) formed bluegrassrock band the Wormdogs in 2017 and released their debut LP, Doggin Is My Business, the following year. Several other albums followed, but something about their new, self-titled LP has the group thinking outside the box. Case in point: starting a hotline to promote the record.

“In a lot of ways, this feels like our ﬁrst record,” Lalancette said.

“We certainly haven’t made an album this way before,” Cunningham seconded. “We wanted to stretch the band’s legs. We bought a band van, but it usually doesn’t get too far out of New England. So we packed it up and headed south.”

For their fourth album, due out on Friday, December 6, the Wormdogs traveled to New Orleans to record at Bigtone Records, with fellow Vermont musician and producer ERIC GEORGE at the helm. The experience not only

wanted to take along a slice of their home scene in the form of producer George — sort of like bringing your own maple syrup to a restaurant down south. Louisiana o ered another perk as a recording destination.

“Will and I are both farmers,” Lalancette said. “So we always like to record in winter, obviously. But the notion of going somewhere warm in winter is hard to pass up.”

Escaping their collective bubble and getting warm for a few weeks energized the bandmates. The result is an album they’re excited about, one that showcases their ever-deepening connections.

“There’s something magical about when the ﬁve of us are together,” Cunningham said. “All of our creative voices seem to ﬁll in each other’s blind spots.”

Considering that all ﬁve members write and sing, balance and chemistry are key to the band’s success.

“We’ve gotten so good at consensus decision making,” Pearl said. “If we’re not all on board with something, we just drop it.”

The band released the advance single “Done Workin’” at the end of the summer and will celebrate the full album on Saturday, December 7, at Foam Brewers on the Burlington waterfront. Check out thewormdogs.com for more information — or, y’know, just pull out your phone and give the hotline a call. ➆

helped the bandmates form a deeper bond — the roughly 1,600-mile trek gave them ample time — but ushered in new methods of recording.

The Wormdogs recorded most of the new LP live, cutting the songs together in the same room and going straight to tape — something they didn’t do with past releases.

“In the past, we didn’t quite know what we wanted to sound like,” Pearl admitted. “But we’ve gotten better at it over the years, especially after the Cookin’ With records.”

Cookin’ With, Vols. 1 and 2, saw the band collaborating with such Vermont musicians as LILY SEABIRD, HONEY & SOUL, and the LARKSPURS

“It was an incredible experience for us,” Lalancette said. “We set up a studio in Danica’s house with Eric [George], and each morning we’d have a di erent person show up with a song.”

The process helped the Wormdogs ﬁgure out exactly what they wanted for their new album. They knew they needed to bust out of their comfort zone, hence the trip to New Orleans. But they

Listening In

(Spotify mix of local jams)

1. “DEEP BLUE” by rivan

2. “SCRAPING AT THE BOTTOM” by the Wormdogs

3. “BEFORE I FALL IN LOVE” by Ben Patton

4. “MINDKILLER” by Night Protocol

5. “LONG DISTANCE DRIVER — ACOUSTIC” by

6. “DRAMA AT THE CREST OF CREATION” by Ruminations

7. “MALAIKA” by Kerubo Scan to listen sevendaysvt. com/playlist

Greg Freeman, Merce Lemon

News and views on the local music + nightlife scene BY CHRIS FARNSWORTH

e Wormdogs

On the Beat

Now you see it; now you don’t. Rincon Pizzeria and Tapas Bar, which opened in October in the space formerly occupied by Manhattan Pizza & Pub, is already gone. The nascent restaurant and bar, which featured Puerto Rican-inspired tapas as well as pizza, has been closed since early November.

Co-owner NATHAN MACALPINE did not respond to Seven Days’ requests for comment, but one look in the former restaurant’s windows indicates that no one will be eating arepas there anytime soon. Much of the space has been ripped up, suggesting a construction project in progress.

Rincon had an uphill fight on its hands, considering that Manhattan’s former owner, DAVID QUINTANA, remained as one of Rincon’s investors. After Quintana fired several long-serving bartenders via text message in July, much of the staff walked out, which led to social media calls for a boycott.

MacAlpine and the other investors hoped to start a new chapter. The former told Seven Days food writer Jordan Barry in October that he and Quintana, who both have Puerto Rican heritage, were “trying to provide foods

Eye on the Scene

Last week’s live music highlights from photographer Luke Awtry

that are cultural, delicious and vibe with our communities.”

Some locals hoped the new owners would turn Rincon into a regular music venue, which is badly needed in Burlington right now. While early signs were encouraging, such as collaborations with reggae outfit SATTA SOUND, open mics and Hip-Hop Thursdays, the stage currently sits as empty as the restaurant.

As of this writing, I have seen nary a snowflake in the November sky, but I

HUG YOUR FARMER: A NIGHT AT THE OPRY AT THE FLYNN MAIN STAGE IN BURLINGTON, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22: After the devastating 2011 fire at Pete’s Greens in Craftsbury, the creative thinkers at marketing agency Select Design launched the Hug Your Farmer benefit concert series. The goal was to support Vermont farm recovery efforts by pledging all proceeds from shows to the selected beneficiaries. Last Friday at the Flynn in Burlington, local guitarist Bob Wagner led the Hug Your Farmer house band on a 26-song journey, inspired by the music of the Grand Ole Opry, to benefit the VT Flood Response & Recovery Fund. The night featured a large cast of Vermont musicians, including Grace Potter, Phish bassist Mike Gordon and his daughter Tessa, and Guster’s Ryan Miller. To conclude the evening, every performer came back onstage for a rendition of the Carter Family’s “Can the Circle Be Unbroken (By and By).” The sold-out crowd rose to its feet to join in, and if old buildings could smile, the Flynn would’ve been ear to ear. Amid the chaos onstage, I found my moment of zen: There stood U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) arm in arm with banjoist Pappy Biondo, swaying and singing as if they had been friends for life. Based on what I saw that night, Mr. and Mrs. Carter, the answer is a resounding yes.

have it on good authority that World Cup ski racing returns to Vermont this weekend. Killington Resort plays host to the 2024 Stifel Killington Cup, featuring U.S. Olympians Mikaela Shiffrin, AJ Hurt and Nina O’Brien.

This isn’t a sports column, so why am I going on about ski racing? Because the fine folks at Killington have booked quite a weekend of music to celebrate the race. Los Angeles indie-pop act FITZ

AND THE TANTRUMS headline the event, joined by MATT QUINN of MT. JOY, ’90s altrockers EVE 6, and New York City DJ and author ROSS ONE. Throw in the opening parade on Saturday morning and an après-ski party hosted by WORLD CUP REBELS to benefit the World Cup Dreams Foundation, and it doesn’t sound like they even need to bother making snow!

I’m kidding! Don’t throw your poles at me, you cold weather-loving oddballs. Head over to killington.com for tickets and more info.

Burlington indie singer-songwriter GREG FREEMAN announced last week that he’s rereleasing his 2023 LP, I Looked Out, via Transgressive and Canvasback Records. The album will also be available on vinyl for the first time, dropping on January 17 in a record store near you. To celebrate, Freeman has released two bonus tracks. The digital rerelease will include an acoustic version of his song “Long Distance Driver” featuring Pittsburgh indie-folk singer MERCE LEMON, while the vinyl release will feature a sound collage called “Sound Tests, Scraps, Lists.”

Burlington native and current NYCbased rapper RIVAN has a new track out: “deep blue,” with production from Grammy-nominated STOIC. The track reflects rivan’s indie-R&B influences, such as BLOOD ORANGE, JEAN DAWSON and KING KRULE. A slow-burning, washed-

music+nightlife

CLUB DATES

live music

WED.27

90 Proof (covers) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 8 p.m. Free.

Aaron Audet (singer-songwriter) at Poultney Pub, 7 p.m. Free.

Alice Grace (singer-songwriter) at Standing Stone Wines, Winooski, 7 p.m. Free.

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

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

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

Ira Friedman Band (jazz) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 7 p.m. Free.

Irish Trad Jam (Celtic) at ArtsRiot, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

Jamie Lee Thurston, Fran Briand (country) at the Old Post, South Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Jazz Sessions (jazz) at the 126, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

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

Night Protocol (synth rock) at Red Square, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

Tom Bisson (singer-songwriter) at Two Heroes Brewery Public House, South Hero, 6 p.m. Free.

Wednesday Night Dead (Grateful Dead tribute) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. $10. Willverine (electronic) at the Wallflower Collective, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. Free.

THU.28

Jazz with Alex Stewart & Friends (jazz) at the 126, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

FRI.29

Beerworth Sisters (folk) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 5 p.m. Free.

Bent Nails House Band (blues, jazz) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 9 p.m. Free.

Boom Box (rock) at Gusto’s, Barre, 9 p.m. Free.

Charlie Rice (rock) at the Old Post, South Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

Dave Mitchell’s Blues Revue (blues) at Red Square, Burlington, 2 p.m. Free.

The Dimmer Triplets (blues) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 5 p.m. Free.

Greg Freeman, the Big Net, Osange Orange (indie) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

Hard Scrabble (folk) at Two Heroes Brewery Public House, South Hero, 7 p.m. Free.

Jenny Porter (singer-songwriter) at Poultney Pub, 6 p.m. Free.

Karl Miller & the Instrumentals (acoustic) at ArtsRiot, Burlington, 4 p.m. Free.

Dad Jokes

It’s not often that losing a competition to a dog results in career success, but comedian TOM COTTER knows a thing or two about it. His breakout moment happened on Season 7 of “America’s Got Talent,” when he finished behind said canine act. Such was his popularity, he was eventually asked back to host Season 8 viewing parties. The New York City comic has since popped up everywhere from “The Howard Stern Show” to “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” to a Friars Club roast of former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason. Cotter is also an author, releasing his book Bad Dad: A Guide to Pitiful Parenting in 2016. Touring behind his 2024 comedy special, “Tom Cotter: Rapid Fire,” he performs at the Higher Ground Showcase Lounge in South Burlington on Friday, November 29.

Leah Rocketship (acoustic) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 7 p.m. Free.

Nate Michaud (acoustic) at Gusto’s, Barre, 6 p.m. Free.

Neil Gillespe (acoustic) at Olive Ridley’s, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 6 p.m. Free.

Paul Webb (jazz) at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Raised by Hippies (rock) at Hugo’s, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m. Free.

Rap Night Burlington (hip-hop) at Drink, Burlington, 9 p.m. $5.

Riot Reborn with Mal Maïz (psych, Latin) at ArtsRiot, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Round Trip (indie) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

The Shady Trees (jam) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. $10.

Shanty Rats (sea shanties) at Whammy Bar, Calais, 7 p.m. Free.

The Soul Rockerz (covers) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 9 p.m. Free.

Tiffany Pfeiffer (jazz) at Bleu Northeast Kitchen, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. Free.

Two for Flinching (acoustic) at 1st Republic Brewing, Essex, 6 p.m. Free.

The Y Lie, Overheard (indie) at Charlie-O’s World Famous, Montpelier, 9 p.m. Free.

SAT.30

Chicky Stoltz (rock) at the Den at Harry’s Hardware, Cabot, 7 p.m. Free.

D.Davis (acoustic) at Whammy Bar, Calais, 7 p.m. Free.

Electronic Emulsion: Glass Arrowhead, zkultra, Synclux (electronic) at Despacito, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $10.

Happy Spangler, Astrocat (rock) at Charlie-O’s World Famous, Montpelier, 9 p.m. Free.

Jerborn (acoustic) at 14th Star Brewing, St. Albans, 6 p.m. Free.

John Lackard Blues Band (blues) at Hugo’s, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m. Free.

Kyle Stevens (covers) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 5 p.m. Free.

Last Pages, Short Changed, Reverse the Grin, Shine (rock) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 10 p.m. Free.

Left Eye Jump (blues) at Red Square, Burlington, 2 p.m. Free.

Live Music Saturdays (live music series) at Dumb Luck Pub & Grill, Hinesburg, 7 p.m. Free.

Missisquoi River Band (folk) at Kraemer & Kin, Alburgh, 5 p.m. Free.

Moonbird (covers) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 9 p.m. Free.

The Nailers (rock) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 9 p.m. Free.

North Beach Dub Allstars, Bathwater (Sublime, No Doubt tribute) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 8 p.m. $12.

Paul Webb (jazz) at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Quasimojo (R&B) at Old Soul Design Shop, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 8 p.m. Free.

Rabbit’s Foot (indie) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 8 p.m. $5.

Shane Murley Band (folk rock) at Jericho Café & Tavern, 7:30 p.m. Free.

Steve Ellis (jazz) at Bleu Northeast Kitchen, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. Free.

SUN.1

Sunday Brunch Tunes (singersongwriter) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 10 a.m.

Wine & Jazz Sundays (jazz) at Shelburne Vineyard, 5 p.m. Free.

TUE.3

Big Easy Tuesdays with Jon McBride (jazz) at the 126, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

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

Bob Recupero (singer-songwriter) at Lawson’s Finest Liquids, Waitsfield, 5 p.m. Free.

Grateful Tuesdays (Grateful Dead tribute) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 9 p.m. $10/$20.

Honky Tonk Tuesday with Long Gone John & the Complaints (country, folk) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 9 p.m. $10.

Jay Southgate (vibraphone) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 5 p.m. Free.

Joe P, Anna Shoemaker (indie) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7 p.m. $25/$30.

SWAMPYTONK, English Major (country, indie rock) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 7 p.m. $10.

WED.4

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

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

Clive Wednesdays (indie) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 9 p.m. $5/$10.

Irish Night with RambleTree (Celtic) at Two Brothers Tavern, Middlebury, 7 p.m. Free.

Jazz Sessions (jazz) at the 126, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

Jeff and Gina (acoustic) at Two Heroes Brewery Public House, South Hero, 6 p.m. Free.

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

Wednesday Night Dead (Grateful Dead tribute) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. $10.

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

djs

WED.27

Disco Night with CRWD CTRL (DJ) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

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

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

DJ LaFountaine (DJ) at Gusto’s, Barre, 8 p.m. Free.

DJ Mildew (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

Local Dork (DJ) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Queer Bar Takeover (DJ) at Charlie-O’s World Famous, Montpelier, 8 p.m. Free.

FRI.29

Blanchface (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

DJ Ara$ (DJ) at Einstein’s Tap House, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.

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

SAT.30

DJ A-Ra$ (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, midnight. Free.

DJ Raul (DJ) at Red Square Blue Room, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

DJ Two Rivers (DJ) at Gusto’s, Barre, 9 p.m. Free.

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

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

Nastee (DJ) at Einstein’s Tap House, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.

SUN.1

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

WED.4

DJ Mildew (DJ) at Red Square, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

FRI.29 // TOM COTTER [COMEDY]

music+nightlife

Local Dork (DJ) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Wadada Wednesdays: Reggae

Dub Night with Satta Sound (DJ) at ArtsRiot, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

open mics & jams

WED.27

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

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

SUN.1

Olde Time Jam Session (open jam) at the Den at Harry’s Hardware, Cabot, noon. Free.

MON.2

Bluegrass Etc. Jam (bluegrass jam) at Ottauquechee Yacht Club, Woodstock, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Open Mic (open mic) at Despacito, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

TUE.3

Music Open Mic (open mic) at Monkey House, Winooski, 7 p.m. Free.

Open Mic Night (open mic) at Drink, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

WED.4

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

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

The Ribbit Review Open Mic & Jam (open mic) at Lily’s Pad, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

comedy

WED.27

Thanksgiving Eve Comedy

Hosted by Kendall Farrell (comedy) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 7 p.m. $10/$12.

WED.27 // IRA FRIEDMAN BAND [JAZZ]

FRI.29

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

Tom Cotter (comedy) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7 p.m. $25/$30.

SAT.30

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

TUE.3

The Cafeteria Presents: Hot Lunch Tuesdays (comedy) at ArtsRiot, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free. Stiff Socks Live (comedy, podcast) at the Flynn, Burlington, 7:15 p.m. $38.50-$58.50.

out jam, it mixes rivan’s singing with his rapping, effortlessly moving from melody to flow. It’s available now on all streaming services.

RUMINATIONS, the project of Winooski indie and experimental artist GREG BONSIGNORE, also released a new single this week, “Carnival in Town.” A sort of spokenword, indie-folk freak-out, it features Bonsignore uttering lines such as “Who invited you to my movie?” and “You’ve been banned from the dumpster of my mind.” The track has a wonderfully twisted charm. Ruminations are set to

WED.4

Challenge Wheel (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free.

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

trivia, karaoke, etc.

WED.27

Karaoke Night (karaoke) at Drink, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

Karaoke with Cam (karaoke) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 9 p.m. Free.

play a single-release show on Saturday, December 21, at Radio Bean in Burlington, along with local indie-rock outfit KITBASH.

Also getting in on the new-release action is Burlington synth-pop band NIGHT PROTOCOL. Their new single, “Mindkiller,” is a hard-charging slice of neon-coated synth-rock just begging to be used for a cinematic training montage. As the title hints, the song is heavily influenced by the Frank Herbert science fiction classic Dune. Worm rock? Spice-core? Arrakis and roll? So many possibilities! The bandmates also shot and released a video for the track, which is streaming now on YouTube. ➆

The Professor Montpelier

multi-instrumentalist IRA FRIEDMAN has spent more than two decades teaching would-be musicians, from giving private piano, conga and voice lessons to directing several school music programs and working with the nonprofit Champlain Valley Head Start. He’s just as active on the local soul and jazz scenes, lending his ferocious piano chops to the music of Dave Keller, Jennifer Hartswick and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. Friedman and his band — which features fellow Vermont heavyweights Paul Asbell on guitar, bassist Alex Budney and drummer Jay Gleason — bring a mix of soul and Afrobeat to Bent Nails Bistro in Montpelier for a performance on Wednesday, November 27.

Musical Bingo (music bingo) at the Depot, St. Albans, 6 p.m. Free.

Musical Bingo (music bingo) at Orlando’s Bar & Lounge, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

Trivia Night (trivia) at Dumb Luck Pub and Grill Winooski, 7 p.m. Free.

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

Trivia Night (trivia) at Alfie’s Wild Ride, Stowe, 7 p.m. Free.

Trivia Night (trivia) at Rí Rá Irish Pub Burlington, 7:30 p.m. Free.

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

Wednesday Team Trivia (trivia) at Einstein’s Tap House, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

FRI.29

Karaoke Friday Night (karaoke) at Park Place Tavern & Grill, Essex Junction, 8 p.m. Free.

SUN.1

Drag Brunch (drag) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 10:30 a.m. $20.

Karaoke with DJ Coco Entertainment (karaoke) at Old Soul Design Shop, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 5 p.m. Free.

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

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

MON.2

Trivia Monday with Top Hat Entertainment (trivia) at McKee’s Original, Winooski, 7 p.m. Free.

Trivia with Brain (trivia) at Charlie-O’s World Famous, Montpelier, 8 p.m. Free.

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

TUE.3

Godfather Karaoke (karaoke) at the Other Half, Burlington, 10 p.m. Free.

Karaoke Night (karaoke) at Alfie’s Wild Ride, Stowe, 7 p.m. Free. Karaoke with DJ Party Bear (karaoke) at Charlie-O’s World Famous, Montpelier, 9:30 p.m. Free.

Music Bingo (music bingo) at Stone Corral, Richmond, 7 p.m. Free.

Taproom Trivia (trivia) at 14th Star Brewing, St. Albans, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Trivia Night (trivia) at the Depot, St. Albans, 7 p.m. Free.

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

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

WED.4

Karaoke Night (karaoke) at Drink, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

Karaoke with Cam (karaoke) at Monopole, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 9 p.m. Free.

Musical Bingo (music bingo) at the Depot, St. Albans, 6 p.m. Free.

Musical Bingo (music bingo) at Orlando’s Bar & Lounge, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

Trivia Night (trivia) at Dumb Luck Pub and Grill Winooski, 7 p.m. Free.

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

Trivia Night (trivia) at Alfie’s Wild Ride, Stowe, 7 p.m. Free.

Trivia Night (trivia) at Rí Rá Irish Pub Burlington, 7:30 p.m. Free. Venetian Trivia Night (trivia) at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free.

Wednesday Team Trivia (trivia) at Einstein’s Tap House, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free. ➆

On the Beat

Six hours DAILY of IN-DEPTH, LOCALLY-PRODUCED news, weather, sports and commentary: 5:00 – 9:00 AM Morning News Service Noon – 1:00 PM Noon News Hour 4:00 – 5:30 PM Afternoon News Service

REVIEW this music+nightlife

Ben Patton, The Something Revue

(SELF-RELEASED, DIGITAL)

With his latest studio album, The Something Revue, Ben Patton brings to life his vision of an old-time art form and demonstrates his reﬁned skills as a songwriter, vocalist and multiinstrumentalist. He also portrays himself as a bright and charismatic modern-day showman with a classic appeal. The album dropped in September, and its 14 tracks present musical theater in studio form, while its generic title casts a curious theme and serves as its vague slogan. Patton described the project just as loosely on Bandcamp: “a sort of one man musical revue.” It’s not the ﬁrst of its kind from the

Rik Palieri, Hands of Time

(SELF-RELEASED, CD, VINYL, DIGITAL)

Burlington artist. Our Follies, a 2019 partnership with Indonesian singer Michelle Sudarsono, was composed mostly of songs from a revue Patton wrote years ago.

But here he ﬂirts with the concept from the start, using the opening title track to convey his purpose in absurdly obscure terms. Patton is persuasive in appealing directly to listeners: “Would you be so kind as to grant me your attention? … It’ll be something, that much I know,” Patton sings before breaking into the ﬁrst scat of the record, introducing “guitar solos” for an early dose of rock.

He promises ditties and love ballads, and he delivers. But like Patton’s past albums, his latest goes on to reveal a mastery of jazz and pop, blending these and other genres to extravagant e ect.

He presents these songs — some presumably of personal origin — in a rotation of compositions intended to be individual acts or musical features, each in a di erent style. Like most of the tracks, the self-examining “I Hope My Therapist Likes Me” thrives on Patton’s clear voice and handsome croon. “Back to Bakersﬁeld,” a nostalgic nod to his Vermont hometown, alternates between a breezy, roving jingle and punchy jazzrock.

Altogether, The Something Revue speaks to Patton’s expansive songwriting and his abilities as a musician — he plays several di erent guitars along with bass, electric piano, synthesizer, melodica, ukulele and harmonica.

He’s joined by his sister and clarinetist Anna Patton and drummer Caleb Bronz, two of his regular collaborators. Their contributions help make this a quality recording and a remarkable listen.

A couple of additional guests lend vocal support. Mingo Maquera joins Patton on the sunny and promising

“Together We Might Have a Shot.” He’s later accompanied by Sophia Donforth for a lovely duet on “This’ll Do.”

While thread through with Patton’s introspection, these numbers seem intended to stand alone, of which they’re certainly capable. Yet they also complement each other, as Patton impressively demonstrates when he fuses them to end the presentation.

The ﬁnale, “Something for Nothing,” is a melodic medley, with chorus and main verse from each track spliced together. The e ect is “to review the revue,” and Patton even asks for listener feedback before laying out an amusing conclusion: “I choose something rather than nothing,” he hums. “It was something rather than nothing / spending this moment, rocking with you. So, to something rather than nothing / that’s how we’ll close out the Something Revue.”

The Something Revue is available now at benpatton.bandcamp.com.

CASEY RYAN VOCK

Dusk settles, and the troubadour takes a moment to appreciate the truck stop. Surrounded by nomadic truckers killing time on iPhones while the rain pours down, his thoughts turn to his baby back home. He has many, many miles to go before he can sleep, but his thoughts dwell on her, the light at the end of the tunnel for a weary traveler.

Rik Palieri’s “Living in a Truckstop,” from his 17th album, has all the ingredients of an American fable: interminably long roads, endless trucks, the plight of the workingman as he pines for a distant sweetheart. “Trucker number seven, your shower is ready,” he sings as the song comes to a close. There are few songwriters around more suited to score this particular brand of American folklore.

The track kicks o Hands of Time, a ﬁtting title for a songwriter who

represents a direct connection to the elder wizards of folk music. Palieri learned to play banjo from Pete Seeger’s 1962 instructional book, How to Play the 5-String Banjo. By the mid-1970s, Palieri was performing with Seeger as part of the legendary singer’s Hudson River Sloop Singers. He’s followed in Seeger’s footsteps — sometimes literally — ever since.

Palieri’s career has been that of a traveling bard: touring the country and the globe relentlessly, playing music, and telling and collecting stories. He’s written articles for folk magazine Sing Out! and hosted a television show on Vermont Community Access Media called “The Songwriter’s Notebook.” He’s penned two memoirs: The Road Is My Mistress: Tales of a Roustabout Songster in 2003 and Banjo Man: Adventures of an American Folk Singer in 2020.

For all the folk history he’s chronicled and contributed to, the 69-year-old still has some tricks up his sleeve. In Hands of Time, Palieri looks back to his earliest musical memories, when his grandmother Katherine introduced him to country-andwestern music through the likes of Johnny Cash, Roger Miller and Johnny Horton. In the past decade or so, Palieri has delved back into that world more deeply, often traveling to Nashville to meet with country legends such as Marty Stuart and Jeannie Seely.

The e ect of his e orts is palpable on Hands of Time. From the title track’s weeping pedal steel guitar to the hobo love letter “Riding on the Westbound,” with its rolling banjo and keening ﬁddle, the album might as well be wearing a rhinestone fringe jacket.

While Palieri’s country turn might

not seem as extreme a switch as, say, Beyoncé or Post Malone’s recent records, he sticks the landing. “Just Too Old to Still Die Young” is a rollicking, slap-yourhands-on-your-denim jam that serves as the album’s de facto anthem. “Camp Broken Heart” shouts out all the country tropes: broken-down trailers, a yard full of junk and a man down on his luck with love.

“I’m just a poor child of God / I got no place to rest my head,” Palieri intones over a banjo and surprisingly ﬁtting steel drums on “Got No Place to Rest My Head.” Like so much of the record, the song obsesses over the notion of people who have lost everything except the will to sing.

Hands of Time is about more than just an old folk songwriter scratching a country itch. It’s a survival guide from an artist who knows that when the times get tough, you pick up your guitar — or banjo.

Hands of Time is available on all major streaming services.

CHRIS FARNSWORTH

calendar

NOVEMBER 27-DECEMBER 4, 2024

WED.27

business

QUEEN CITY BUSINESS NETWORKING

INTERNATIONAL GROUP: Savvy businesspeople make crucial contacts at a weekly chapter meeting. BCA Center, Burlington, 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 other fiber artists. BYO snacks and drinks. Must Love Yarn, Shelburne, 5-7 p.m. Free. Info, 448-3780.

etc.

BLOOD DRIVE: Participants part with life-sustaining pints at this American Red Cross donation event. Greater Burlington YMCA, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 862-9622.

games

CHESS CLUB: Players of all ages and abilities test their skills with instructor Robert and peers. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 3:30-5 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

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

ARTISAN HOLIDAY MARKET:

Festive shoppers flock to a one-stop gift destination featuring handmade jewelry, ceramics, paintings, fiber arts and household goods. Chandler Center for the Arts, Randolph, noon-6 p.m. Free. Info, holidaymarket@ chandler-arts.org.

outdoors

E-BIKE & BREW TOUR: Pedal lovers cycle through scenic trails and drink in the views with stops at four local breweries. Lamoille Valley Bike Tours, Johnson, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. $85. Info, 730-0161.

sports

GREEN MOUNTAIN TABLE

TENNIS CLUB: Ping-Pong

These community event listings are sponsored by the WaterWheel Foundation, a project of the Vermont band Phish.

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 Rebecca Driscoll 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.

food vendors. Burlington City Hall Park, 2-6 p.m. Free. Info, 865-7166.

etc.

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.

theater

‘BEAUTY AND THE BEAST’:

Northern Stage presents the classic Disney tale as old as time about learning to look beyond appearances. Byrne Theater, Barrette Center for the Arts, White River Junction, 5 p.m. $24-94. Info, 296-7000.

THU.28

holidays

ANNUAL THANKSGIVING DAY

TURKEY TROT: Runners and walkers burn off holiday calories with a 5K or 10K course to benefit the Lions Club. Peru Junior Senior High, N.Y., 9-11 a.m. $27.50. Info, cmawood@ gmail.com.

COMMUNITY THANKSGIVING DINNER: Neighbors gather for a traditional meal with all the trimmings, donated by local volunteers. Chase Community Center, Vermont Law School, South Royalton, 11:30 a.m.1 p.m. Free. Info, 291-3750.

FRI.29

bazaars

ANNUAL PODS FOR THE PULPIT CRAFT FAIR: Dozens of quality crafters showcase their wares to benefit the Upper Valley Haven. Tracy Hall, Norwich, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. Info, 649-8828.

BTV WINTER MARKET: Locavores enjoy a Europeanstyle outdoor market featuring a rotating group of 20 local artists, makers and

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 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 = GET TICKETS ON SEVENDAYSTICKETS.COM

ALPHA FILM SERIES: Community members enjoy a meal, watch a brief video and share their perspectives on faith in an informal, friendly environment. St. John Vianney Parish Hall, South Burlington, 6:15-8:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 864-4166.

ANNUAL PUTNEY CRAFT TOUR: Twenty-four prominent Vermont makers invite folks in to discover their works, ask questions and snag one-of-a-kind gifts directly from their studios. Various Putney locations, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Info, 323-627-4625.

THE STIFEL KILLINGTON CUP: Superstars of snow sports hit the slopes while an impressive bill of bands performs between runs. See website for full schedule. See calendar spotlight. Killington Resort, 5:45 p.m. $10-100. Info, 800-734-9435.

film

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

‘ANTARCTICA 3D’: Never-beforeseen footage brings audience members to the farthest reaches of the coldest, driest, windiest continent on Earth. Northfield Savings Bank 3D Theater: A National Geographic Experience, ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m. $3-5 plus regular admission, $16.50-20; admission free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

‘BLUE WHALES: RETURN OF THE GIANTS 3D’: Andy Serkis narrates the journey of a lifetime into the realm of the world’s largest mammals and the scientists who study them. Northfield Savings Bank 3D Theater: A National Geographic Experience, ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m. $3-5 plus regular admission, $16.50-20; admission free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: Sparkling graphics take viewers on a journey into the weird, wide world of mushrooms, which we are only just beginning to understand. Northfield Savings Bank 3D Theater: A National Geographic Experience, ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, noon, 2 p.m., 4 p.m. $3-5 plus regular admission, $16.50-20; admission free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

‘T. REX: GREATEST OF ALL TYRANTS 3D’: Incredible CGI and revelations in tyrannosaur paleontology help to chronicle a remarkable discovery in the badlands of Hell Creek. Northfield Savings Bank 3D Theater: A National Geographic Experience, ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m. $3-5 plus regular admission, $16.50-20; admission

free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

food & drink

GIN-TER WONDERLAND: Libation lovers revel in a special cocktail menu filled with holiday cheer, including gingerbread old-fashioneds and Euro-style hot chocolate. Barr Hill, Montpelier, 2-8 p.m. Free. Info, 472-8000.

games

DUPLICATE BRIDGE GAMES:

Snacks and coffee fuel bouts of a classic card game. Burlington Bridge Club, 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. $6. Info, 872-5722.

health & fitness

GUIDED MEDITATION

ONLINE: Dorothy Alling Memorial Library invites attendees to relax on their lunch breaks and reconnect with their bodies. Noon-12:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, programs@ damlvt.org.

holidays

ARTISAN HOLIDAY MARKET: See WED.27.

A FAMILY THANKSGIVING: Families step into the past and delight in 19th-century Thanksgiving traditions, crafts and food. See calendar spotlight. Billings Farm & Museum, Woodstock, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Regular museum admission, $1219; free for members and kids under 3. Info, 457-2355.

A FOREST OF LIGHTS: Folks stroll through a magical landscape filled with enchanting displays, including a snow shower tower and a whimsical woodland. Vermont Institute of Natural Science, Quechee, 4:30-7 p.m. $8-13; free for kids 3 and under. Info, 359-5000.

HOLIDAY MAKER’S MARKET: Shoppers enjoy live music and tasty treats while supporting small local businesses. Kraemer & Kin, Alburgh, 2-6 p.m. Free. Info, 796-3586.

SANTA PARADE: Revelers don provided antlers to watch the beloved holiday tradition wind through downtown, led by local celebs including Rally Cat, Aero the Griffin and Mr. Claus himself. Church Street Marketplace, Burlington, noon-12:30 p.m. Free. Info, 863-1648.

TIP TOP MAKERS MARKET: Holiday patrons check off every loved one on their list with an array of handmade products, including ceramic bowls, charcuterie boards, hats and handbags. Tip Top Building, White River Junction, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. Info, 738-3667.

TREE-LIGHTING CEREMONY: Carolers ring in the festive season before the illumination of the towering 30-foot tree. Church Street Marketplace, Burlington, 5:15 p.m. Free. Info, 863-1648.

WINTER LIGHTS: Buildings and gardens glow with multicolored bulbs in a spectacular display for the holiday season. Shelburne Museum, 4:30-8 p.m. $10-30;

free for kids 3 and under. Info, 985-3346.

language

FRENCH SOCIAL HOUR: The Alliance Française of the Lake Champlain Region hosts a rendez-vous over cocktails. Hilton Garden Inn Burlington Downtown, 5:30-7 p.m. Free; cash bar. Info, bbrodie@aflcr.org.

lgbtq

RPG NIGHT: Members of the LGBTQ community get together weekly for role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons and Everway. Rainbow Bridge Community Center, Barre, 5:308:30 p.m. Free. Info, 622-0692.

music

HAYLEY REARDON & SAM ROBBINS: Listeners revel in a contemporary folk singer-songwriter double bill. Virtual option available. Next Stage Arts, Putney, 7:30 p.m. $10-25. Info, 387-0102.

outdoors

E-BIKE & BREW TOUR: See WED.27.

tech

PHONE & TECH SUPPORT: Perplexed patrons receive oneon-one aid from library staff on a first come, first served basis. Fletcher Free Library New North End Branch, Burlington, 10 a.m.noon. Free. Info, 863-3403.

theater

‘BEAUTY AND THE BEAST’: See WED.27, 2 & 7:30 p.m.

‘HAPPY THANKSGIVING’: Audiences take in a staged reading of this two-act political comedy featuring turkey, tears and a heaping spoonful of hope. Spotlight Vermont, South Burlington, 7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 514-979-5696.

‘A RAFTER OF CRANKIES’: Panoramic scrolls wind through a backlit box combined with song or story to create a unique audience experience, presented by Sandglass Theater. Green Mountain Orchards, Putney, 5 & 7:30 p.m. $15-25 sliding scale. Info, 387-4051.

SAT.30

bazaars

ANNUAL PODS FOR THE PULPIT CRAFT FAIR: See FRI.29, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

BTV WINTER MARKET: See FRI.29, noon-6 p.m. crafts

ANNUAL PUTNEY CRAFT TOUR: See FRI.29, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. dance

CONTRA DANCE: Dancers of all ages and abilities learn at a gathering that encourages joy, laughter and friendship. Bring clean, soft-soled shoes. See website for

FAMI LY FU N

Check out these family-friendly events for parents, caregivers and kids of all ages.

• Plan ahead at sevendaysvt.com/family-fun

Post your event at sevendaysvt.com/postevent.

WED.27

burlington

NANOWRIMO WRITE-IN: Aspiring authors ages 11 to 18 enjoy snacks and a comfortable spot to write alongside each other. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 4-5 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

TODDLER TIME: Librarians bring out books, rhymes and songs specially selected for young ones 12 to 24 months. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 1111:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

chittenden county

BABY TIME: Infants and their caregivers enjoy a slow, soothing story featuring songs, rhymes and lap play. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

PLAYGROUP & STORY TIME: Little ones and their caregivers listen to stories, sing songs and share toys with new friends. Richmond Free Library, 10 a.m.noon. Free. Info, 434-3036.

SCHOOL VACATION 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. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 1-2 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

FRI.29

barre/montpelier

LEGO CLUB: Budding builders create geometric structures with snap-together blocks. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 3:30-5 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

STORY TIME & PLAYGROUP: Participants ages 5 and under enjoy themed science, art and nature activities. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 426-3581.

upper valley

STORY TIME: Preschoolers take part in tales, tunes and playtime. Latham Library, Thetford, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 785-4361.

SAT.30

burlington

FAMILY PLAYSHOP: Little ones ages birth to 5 explore a range of themes and rotating activities designed to promote school readiness and foster creativity. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

SLED DOGS LIVE: Kiddos get up close and personal with the amazing huskies of Vermont’s own October Siberians. ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Back to Basics

Why limit Turkey Day to, well, just one day? The festivities persist through the weekend at Billings Farm & Museum’s A Family Thanksgiving in Woodstock. The charming property vibrates with the hum of bygone traditions, including 19th-century baking and crafts right out of a Charles Dickens novel. The 1890 Farm Manager’s House sets the table with historic recipes, featuring oyster soup (yum!), bread rolls, mashed turnips and baked apples — all authentically prepared with the farm’s own harvest. Between the piecrust making, candle dipping and place mat weaving, old traditions find new life for children and adults alike.

A FAMILY THANKSGIVING

Friday, November 29, through Sunday, December 1, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., at Billings Farm & Museum in Woodstock. Regular museum admission, $12-19; free for members and kids under 3. Info, 457-2355, billingsfarm.org.

$16.50-20; free for kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

STORIES WITH GEOFF: Little patrons of the library’s satellite location enjoy a morning of stories and songs. Fletcher Free Library New North End Branch, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

chittenden county

TEEN MOVIE: Kids ages 13 to 18 take in a surprise flick during school vacation. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 12:30-2:30 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

barre/montpelier

FAMILY VARIETY SHOW: Folk legend Tom Banjo performs an annual hand-turned cranky show, joined by renowned storyteller Tim Jennings and musical trio Sanctuary Mutts. Four Corners Schoolhouse, East Montpelier,

7-9 p.m. $10-35. Info, folktale@mac. com.

randolph/royalton

NO STRINGS MARIONETTE COMPANY: ‘QUILL AND FOYLE’S HASTY COMPOSURE’: All ages delight in fantastical string puppets, scenery and musical compositions uniquely created to tell the tale of twins who set out to seek their life’s purpose. Chandler Center for the Arts, Randolph, 3-4:30 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 728-9878, ext. 104.

SUN.1

burlington

MASKS ON! SUNDAYS: Elderly, disabled and immunocompromised folks get the museum to themselves at a masks-mandatory morning. ECHO

creativity and sensory exploration. The Current, Stowe, 10-11:30 a.m. $5. Info, 253-8358.

mad river valley/ waterbury

TODDLER TIME: Little tykes ages 5 and under have a blast with songs, stories, rhymes and dancing. Waterbury Public Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

upper valley

STORY TIME WITH BETH: A bookseller and librarian extraordinaire reads two picture books on a different theme each week. Norwich Bookstore, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 649-1114.

TUE.3

burlington

‘JOLABOKAFLOD’: Little ones ages 2 to 8 and their caregivers don cozy pajamas and delight in stories, treats and crafting inspired by the Icelandic winter tradition of sharing books and chocolate. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 4-6:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 863-3403.

SING-ALONG WITH LINDA BASSICK: Babies, toddlers and preschoolers sing, dance and wiggle along with Linda. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 1111:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

chittenden county

STORY TIME: Youngsters ages birth to 5 enjoy a session of reading, rhyming and singing. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

northeast kingdom

LAPSIT STORY TIME: Babies 2 and under learn to love reading, singing and playing with their caregivers. Siblings welcome. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 10:15-10:45 a.m. Free. Info, 745-1391.

WED.4

burlington

TODDLER TIME: See WED.27.

chittenden county

BABY TIME: Parents and caregivers bond with their pre-walking babes during this gentle playtime. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 9-10 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 864-1848.

MON.2

burlington

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: Bookworms ages 2 to 5 enjoy a fun-filled reading time. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

chittenden county

READ WITH SAMMY: The Therapy Dogs of Vermont emissary listens to kiddos of all ages practice their reading. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3:304:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

stowe/smuggs

ART PLAY: Wee ones ages 1 to 4 and their caregivers enjoy process-based

PLAYGROUP & STORY TIME: See WED.27.

mad river valley/ waterbury

TEEN HANGOUT: Middle and high schoolers make friends at a no-pressure meetup. Waterbury Public Library, 3-6 p.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

TEEN QUEER READS: LGBTQIA+ and allied youths get together each month to read and discuss ideas around gender, sexuality and identity. Waterbury Public Library, 6-7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 244-7036. K

callers and bands. Capital City Grange, Berlin, 8-11 p.m. $5-20 sliding scale. Info, 225-8921. etc.

BLOOD DRIVE: See WED.27.

South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 846-4140.

SISTERHOOD CAMPFIRE: Women and genderqueer folks gather in a safe and inclusive space to build community through journaling, storytelling, gentle music and stargazing. Leddy Park, Burlington, 7-9 p.m. Free. Info, sisterhoodcampfire@gmail.com.

THE STIFEL KILLINGTON CUP: See FRI.29, 7 a.m.

film

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

‘ANTARCTICA 3D’: See FRI.29.

‘BLUE WHALES: RETURN OF THE GIANTS 3D’: See FRI.29.

‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: See FRI.29.

‘T. REX: GREATEST OF ALL TYRANTS 3D’: See FRI.29. food & drink

GIN-TER WONDERLAND: See FRI.29, noon-8 p.m. games

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

D&D & TTRPG GROUP: Players of Dungeons & Dragons and other tabletop role-playing games embark on a new adventure with a rotating cast of game masters. Virtual option available. Waterbury Public Library, 1-5 p.m. Free. Info, judi@ waterburypubliclibrary.com.

LEARN TO PLAY MAH-JONGG: Expert tile trader Pauline Nolte leads players through the Chinese and American versions of the ancient game. Waterbury Public Library, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, judi@ waterburypubliclibrary.com.

holidays

ARTISAN HOLIDAY MARKET: See WED.27.

A FAMILY THANKSGIVING: See FRI.29.

A FOREST OF LIGHTS: See FRI.29.

HOLIDAY MAKER’S MARKET: See FRI.29.

HOLIDAY MARKET: Shoppers delight in a unique treasure-filled boutique showcasing locally crafted one-of-a-kind items. Viva Marketplace, South Hero, 10 a.m.4 p.m. Free. Info, 373-2321.

HOLIDAY TEA ADVENTURE

DINNER: Festive folks celebrate the season with a bountiful tray of sweet and savory treats and a soothing pot of hot tea. Adventure Dinner Clubhouse, Colchester, 1-3 & 4-6 p.m. $60. Info, sas@adventuredinner.com.

HOLLEY JOLLY HOLIDAY

MARKET: Locavores take in a vibrant hub of artisanal talent featuring a curated selection of high-end handmade goods. Holley Hall, Bristol, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. Info, zarabeth.duell@ gmail.com.

INTIMATE HOLIDAY SALE: Shoppers fed up with fighting big crowds browse local ceramics, oil paintings and vintage clothing in a cozy space. The Vaults, Burlington, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. Info, 324-1724.

‘THE NUTCRACKER’: Albany Berkshire Ballet presents its 50th annual tour of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s beloved Christmas spectacle. The Flynn, Burlington, 1 & 5 p.m. $41.50-63.50. Info, 863-5966.

SING OUT, SING BRIGHT: Neighbors gather for a midwinter sing-along celebrating the reasons for the season, guided by local musicians. St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church of St. Johnsbury, 7 p.m. Free; donations accepted for VT Warmth. Info, fifthbusinessgigs@ gmail.com.

THE SODA PLANT HOLIDAY MARKET: Small Business Saturday supporters browse locally crafted artisanal goods, fine art, jewelry and pottery. The Soda Plant, Burlington, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Info, 578-2512.

MAXINE LINEHAN: ‘THIS TIME OF YEAR’: An Irish singer-songwriter performs her wildly popular holiday show about love, loss and memory. Southern Vermont Arts Center, Manchester, 7:30 p.m. $25-125. Info, 362-1405.

TIP TOP MAKERS MARKET: See FRI.29.

VISIT SANTA!: Festive kiddos pop by the snowflake station to take a magical photo and share their holiday wishes. Church Street Marketplace, Burlington, 11 a.m.3 p.m. Free. Info, 863-1648. WINTER LIGHTS: See FRI.29.

HOLIDAY ZINE & BUTTON MAKING: Crafty locals create festive custom gifts, just in time for the holidays. Materials provided. Peace & Justice Center, Burlington, 1-3 p.m. Free. Info, 863-2345.

music

CLINT BIERMAN’S 50TH BIRTHDAY NEIGHBORHOOD JAM FEST: Noteworthy Vermont musicians take the stage to honor a legendary local multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and educator. Town Hall Theater, Middlebury, 7:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 382-9222.

PAT METHENY: A Grammywinning guitar legend demonstrates the improvisational genius that helped him reinvent the art. Paramount Theatre, Rutland, 7 p.m. $60-125. Info, 775-0903.

outdoors

E-BIKE & BREW TOUR: See WED.27.

NOVEMBER BIRD MONITORING WALK: New and experienced avian aficionados join a slow-paced

Race to the Stage

The eighth edition of the Stifel Killington Cup showcases the world’s fastest female technical Alpine skiers. But skiing isn’t the only draw: The event’s concert lineup is comparable to that of any major Vermont music festival. Between races, the resort’s Kona Big Wave Stage hosts multiplatinum artists Fitz and the Tantrums, Eve 6, Mt. Joy’s Matt Quinn and DJ Ross One — a diverse sampling of musical acts, all household names in their respective genres. The celebration continues off the slopes with a HERoic Initiative panel and film screening, fireworks, and an après-ski party.

THE STIFEL KILLINGTON CUP

Friday, November 29, 2 p.m.; Saturday, November 30, 7 a.m.; and Sunday, December 1, 7 a.m., at Killington Resort. $10-100. Info, 800-734-9435, killington.com.

stroll to identify our flying, feathered friends. BYO binoculars. Birds of Vermont Museum, Huntington, 8-9 a.m. $10-15 suggested donation; preregister. Info, 434-2167.

talks

EXPLORING THE NATURE OF SOUL: Folks from Eckankar of Vermont guide listeners through an open spiritual discussion about consciousness. Waterbury Public Library, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, eck.vermont@gmail. com.

tech

PHONE & TECH SUPPORT: See FRI.29. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington. theater

‘BEAUTY AND THE BEAST’: See WED.27, 2 & 7:30 p.m.

‘HAPPY THANKSGIVING’: See FRI.29.

‘A RAFTER OF CRANKIES’: See FRI.29.

words

WRITE NOW!: Lit lovers of all experience levels hone their craft in a supportive and critique-free environment. Kellogg-Hubbard

Library, Montpelier, 10 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 223-3338.

SUN.1 bazaars

BTV WINTER MARKET: See FRI.29, noon-4 p.m.

WINOOSKI WINTER FARMERS MARKET: Locavores peruse a variety of vendors’ delicious produce, fine art and other homemade goods. Winooski Senior Center, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, farmersmarket@ downtownwinooski.org.

community

HUMAN CONNECTION CIRCLE: Neighbors share stories from their lives and forge deep bonds.

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.

Eve 6

Job of the Week

High School Principal

Orleans Central Supervisory Union seeks qualiﬁed candidates with visionary and systemic leadership capacity to serve as Lake Region Union High School's next Principal.

ScanQR code to apply:

The Scoop on Lake Region Union High School

Penny Chamberlin, Superintendent

What are the speciﬁc challenges of this job?

A principal’s role is critical to ensuring students are safe and the community and school board remain informed at all levels. e principal will help guide our mission to provide an environment that celebrates diversity and creativity, promotes inclusion and integrity, and partners with parents and community members to give students access to a 21st-century education.

What is unique about this position and the district?

Lake Region has 80 staff members and approximately 350 students who attend from the towns of Albany, Barton, Brownington, Glover, Irasburg, Orleans and Westmore in the beautiful Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. We are unique because our size is small enough to support a tight-knit staff and school community that can wrap around every child and every family.

Pickering Room, Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 3-4:30 p.m. Free; preregister; limited space. Info, humanconnectioncircle@ gmail.com.

crafts

ANNUAL PUTNEY CRAFT TOUR:

See FRI.29, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

YARN CRAFTERS GROUP: See WED.27, 1-3 p.m.

dance

DANCE OF GRATITUDE: All ages and abilities come together to celebrate community and learn dances taught in a circle. Light refreshments provided. Bobbin Mill Community Center, Burlington, 2-4 p.m. Free. Info, 777-4414.

etc.

THE STIFEL KILLINGTON CUP:

See FRI.29, 7 a.m.

ﬁlm

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

‘ANTARCTICA 3D’: See FRI.29.

‘BLUE WHALES: RETURN OF THE GIANTS 3D’: See FRI.29.

‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: See FRI.29.

‘T. REX: GREATEST OF ALL TYRANTS 3D’: See FRI.29.

food & drink

GIN-TER WONDERLAND: See FRI.29, noon-7 p.m.

games

DUPLICATE BRIDGE GAMES: See FRI.29., 1-4:30 p.m.

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.

NEW LEAF SANGHA

MINDFULNESS PRACTICE: Newcomers and experienced meditators alike stretch their skills in the Plum Village tradition of ich Nhat Hanh. Hot Yoga Burlington, 6:30-8:15 p.m. Free. Info, newleafsangha@ gmail.com.

holidays

ARTISAN HOLIDAY MARKET: See WED.27, noon-4 p.m.

A FAMILY THANKSGIVING: See FRI.29.

A FOREST OF LIGHTS: See FRI.29.

HOLIDAY TRAIN RIDES: All aboard the Big Blue Express! Kids — and kids at heart — take a trip around the top block’s towering tree. Church Street Marketplace, Burlington, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, 863-1648.

‘MESSIAH’ SING-ALONG: Four preeminent Vermont vocalists and a professional chamber ensemble, including the musicians

of Skylark, lead listeners in bringing George Frideric Handel’s timeless holiday masterpiece to life. Charlotte Congregational Church, 4-6 p.m. $5-50 suggested donation. Info, 425-3176.

‘THE POLAR EXPRESS’: Tom Hanks voices the conductor of a train bound for the North Pole in this 2004 animated Christmas classic. Town Hall eater, Middlebury, 2 p.m. Free. Info, 382-9222.

VISIT SANTA!: See SAT.30. WINTER LIGHTS: See FRI.29.

music

BLUEGRASS BRUNCH: Longtime local legends Brett Hughes, Pat Melvin, Caleb Elder and Beau Stapleton perform upbeat toe-tappers on the deck. Madbush Falls, Waitsﬁeld, noon2:30 p.m. Free. Info, 496-7575.

SUNDAY SESSIONS: A variety of musicians share their melodies on the patio at Tavern on the Tee. Ralph Myhre Golf Course, Middlebury, 4-7 p.m. Free. Info, 443-5125.

tech

DIGITAL EDUCATION & EMPOWERMENT CLASS SERIES: FILE MANAGEMENT & CLOUD STORAGE WITH ONEDRIVE: Emmy Hilliard of Grow Digital Skills teaches listeners how to organize their online life and access their ﬁles from anywhere. Fletcher Free Library New North End Branch, Burlington, 11 a.m.12:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 863-3403.

theater

‘BEAUTY AND THE BEAST’: See WED.27, 2 p.m.

‘HAPPY THANKSGIVING’: See FRI.29, 2 p.m.

MON.2

crafts

FUSE BEADS CLUB: Aspiring artisans bring ideas or borrow patterns to make beaded creations. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 3:30-5 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

ﬁlm

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

‘ANTARCTICA 3D’: See FRI.29.

‘BLUE WHALES: RETURN OF THE GIANTS 3D’: See FRI.29.

‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: See FRI.29.

‘T. REX: GREATEST OF ALL TYRANTS 3D’: See FRI.29.

language

LANGUAGE LUNCH: GERMAN: Willkommen! Speakers of all experience levels brush up on conversational skills over bagged lunches. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, noon-1 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

discussion inspired by Asma Khan’s Ammu: Indian Home Cooking to Nourish Your Soul South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 5:30-6:45 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 846-4140.

games

DUPLICATE BRIDGE GAMES: See FRI.29, 1-4:30 p.m.

GAMES GALORE: Library patrons of all ages gather for bouts of board and card games. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3:304:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6955.

health

& ﬁtness

COMMUNITY MEDITATION: Practitioners engage in the ancient Buddhist practice of clearing the mind to achieve a state of calm. First Unitarian Universalist Society of Burlington, 5:15-6 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 862-5630.

La Vie en Rose

e Wall Street Journal once asserted, “If Louis Armstrong and Doris Day could somehow be the same person, they’d be Bria Skonberg.” A tall task, indeed — but one listen to the Canadian-born musician’s work, and the comparison jives. Acclaimed for her smoky vocals and trumpeting prowess, Skonberg returns with her quintet to Middlebury College’s Mahaney Arts Center after a lauded sold-out show nearly 10 years ago. Her holiday concert, “Jingle Bell Swing,” dazzles listeners with sizzling jazz and cool vibes and features Skonberg’s renditions of seasonal superhits — including a Spotify-famous cover of Mariah Carey’s earworm “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”

BRIA SKONBERG JAZZ QUINTET: ‘JINGLE BELL SWING’ Wednesday, December 4, 7:30 p.m., at Robison Concert Hall, Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College. $5-25. Info, 443-6433, middlebury.edu.

lgbtq

BOARD GAME NIGHT: LGBTQ tabletop fans bring their own favorite games to the party. Rainbow Bridge Community Center, Barre, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, 622-0692.

seminars

WINTER BICYCLING 101: TIPS FOR RIDING YEAR-ROUND & LOVING IT: Vital Communities hosts an informative webinar for cyclers who want to ride safely through all four seasons. 5-6 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 291-9100.

words

SCRIPTWRITERS’ GROUP: Got a story to tell? Talented local writers swap techniques and constructive critiques. Junction Arts & Media, White River Junction,

5:30-7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 295-6688.

TUE.3 community

CURRENT EVENTS

DISCUSSION GROUP: Brownell Library holds a virtual roundtable for neighbors to pause and reﬂect on the news cycle. 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6955.

dance

DANCE 261 CLASS SHOWING: Students present the fruits of their labor with an informal performance led by assistant professor of dance Lida Winﬁeld. Dance eatre, Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, 5 p.m. Free. Info, 443-6433.

SWING DANCE PRACTICE

SESSION: All ages and experience levels shake a leg in this friendly, casual environment designed for learning. Bring clean shoes. Champlain Club, Burlington, 7:30-9 p.m. Free. Info, 864-8382.

ﬁlm

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

‘ANTARCTICA 3D’: See FRI.29.

‘BLUE WHALES: RETURN OF THE GIANTS 3D’: See FRI.29.

‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: See FRI.29.

‘T. REX: GREATEST OF ALL TYRANTS 3D’: See FRI.29.

food & drink

COOKBOOK CLUB: Cook the book! Readers share a dish and

holidays

BLUE CHRISTMAS: A SERVICE OF COMFORT & HOPE: Folks experiencing loss, sadness or stress come together with neighbors for quiet reﬂection, candle lighting and peaceful music. All Saints Episcopal Church, South Burlington, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 862-9750.

language

FRENCH CONVERSATION GROUP: Francophones and language learners meet pour parler la belle langue. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 5-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

LANGUAGE LUNCH: ITALIAN: Speakers hone their skills in the Romance language over bagged lunches. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, noon-1 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

MANDARIN CONVERSATION CIRCLE: Volunteers from Vermont Chinese School help

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.

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.

COURTESY OF SHERVIN LAINEZ

students learn or improve their fluency. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 11 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 846-4140.

music

FLOW SINGING: Singers both new and seasoned intertwine music and mindfulness while learning a sequence of five to six songs by ear. Heineberg Senior Center, Burlington, 11:15 a.m.12:45 p.m. Free. Info, patricia@ juneberrymusic.com.

NONET & LATIN JAZZ

ENSEMBLE: Ray Vega directs students in a stirring program of works. University of Vermont Recital Hall, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 656-3040.

OUTER SOUNDS SERIES: BERMAN, WALLACE, ALI, HARRIS & ARTHUR BROOKS

ENSEMBLE V: Jazz musicians take the stage for an evening of acoustic interplay and rhythmic propulsion. The Phoenix, Waterbury, 7:30-8:30 p.m. $1040 sliding scale; free for ages 21 and under. Info, 355-5440.

seminars

TENANT SKILLS WORKSHOP: The Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity helps new and experienced renters gain a better understanding of their rights. Noon-1:30 p.m. Free. Info, 660-3456.

talks

CHAMBER SMARTS & CENTS SERIES: MIKE

PIECIAK: The state treasurer sheds light on Vermont Saves, a publicly administered retirement program launching this month. 9 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 229-5711.

words

BURLINGTON LITERATURE GROUP: Bookworms analyze Colum McCann’s 2009 National Book Award winner, Let the Great World Spin, over the course of five weeks. 6:30-8 p.m. Free. Info, info@nereadersandwriters. com.

VIRGINIA BARLOW, DAVE MANCE III, BRETT ANN STANCIU & PATRICK WHITE: The team behind the creation and publication of Vermont Almanac: Stories From & for the Land, Volume V discuss the invaluable resource, hosted by Phoenix Books. 7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 872-7111.

WED.4 activism

DISABLED ACCESS & ADVOCACY OF THE RUTLAND AREA MONTHLY ZOOM MEETING: Community members gather online to advocate for accessibility and other disability-rights measures. 11:30 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 779-9021.

business

QUEEN CITY BUSINESS NETWORKING INTERNATIONAL GROUP: See WED.27.

VERMONT

WOMENPRENEURS BIZ

BUZZ ZOOM: A monthly virtual networking meetup provides a space for female business owners to connect. 10-11 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 870-0903‬.

crafts

YARN CRAFTERS GROUP: See WED.27.

dance

DANCE 260 & BUTOH CLASS SHOWING: Students from two classes share their choreography and demonstrate what they’ve learned this semester. Dance Theatre, Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, 5 p.m. Free. Info, 443-6433. etc.

CHAMP MASTERS

TOASTMASTERS CLUB: Those looking to strengthen their speaking and leadership skills gain new tools. Virtual option available. Dealer. com, Burlington, 6-7:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, champmasterstm@gmail.com.

ANNUAL WINTER MEETING:

The Vermont Council on World Affairs lets loose at a public, catered reception and silent auction. Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 6-7:30 p.m. Free; donations accepted; preregister. Info, 557-0018.

games

CHESS CLUB: See WED.27.

health & fitness

CHAIR YOGA: See WED.27.

holidays

ARTISAN HOLIDAY MARKET: See WED.27.

BRIA SKONBERG JAZZ

QUINTET: ‘JINGLE BELL SWING’:

A Canadian trumpeter and vocalist brings compelling holiday compositions and arrangements to the stage with her ensemble. See calendar spotlight. Robison Concert Hall, Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, 7:30 p.m. $5-25. Info, 443-6433.

language

SPANISH

CONVERSATION: Fluent and beginner speakers brush up on their vocabulario with a discussion led by a Spanish teacher. Presented by Dorothy Alling Memorial Library. 5-6 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, programs@damlvt.org.

music

CHAMBER ENSEMBLE: Emily Taubl directs students in a rousing program of classical works. University of Vermont Recital Hall, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 656-3040.

MICKY DOLENZ: The former vocalist and drummer of ’60s

pop legends the Monkees performs the band’s greatest hits and crowd-pleasing tunes from the era. Paramount Theatre, Rutland, 7-9 p.m. $60-80. Info, 775-0903.

sports

GREEN MOUNTAIN TABLE

TENNIS CLUB: See WED.27.

talks

CHRIS GRAFF: A journalist and historian traces the transformation of Vermont — and its image — from a “red state” to a “blue state.” Virtual option available. Rutland Free Library, 2-3 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 262-2626. theater

‘BEAUTY AND THE BEAST’: See WED.27, 11 a.m. & 7:30 p.m. words

JOSEPH LUZZI: ‘MY LIFE WITH DANTETRANSLATION & TRADITION IN TWO NEW BOOKS’: Phoenix Books and the Vermont Italian Cultural Association present a virtual evening with the award-winning author of Dante’s Divine Comedy: A Biography and Vita Nuova. 8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 872-7111. ➆

FOMO?

Find even more local events in this newspaper and online: art

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

See what’s playing at theaters in the On Screen section. music + nightlife

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

Learn more about highlighted listings in the Magnificent 7 on page 11.

= ONLINE EVENT

= GET TICKETS ON SEVENDAYSTICKETS.COM

Historic District. Info: 203-4000700, sevendaystickets.com.

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.

craft

GIFT WRAPPING MADE FUN!:

No more last-minute gift wrapping alone in the dark! is year Red Poppy is offering community gift-wrapping sessions so we can have fun doing this task together. Red Poppy Cakery will provide holiday refreshments and treats, as well as all the necessary supplies: wrapping paper, ribbons, tags, garnishes, tape and scissors. We will not have gift bags or tissue paper. Just bring your gifts and boxes or bags to carry them in and out of the shop. Each guest will have their own table to work at. Tickets are for an hour-long session with space for four people per hour. BYOB optional. Tue., Dec. 17, 5-8 p.m. Cost: $25/hour.

Location: Red Poppy Cakery, 1 Elm St., Suite #1, Waterbury Village

PERFUME-MAKING EVENT WITH BLOOM LAB: Discover the art of botanical perfumery at this Bloom Lab perfume-making event. Create your own unique perfume that is blended with intention to reﬂect your individual personality and style. is event is for anyone interested in perfumery or simply enjoying good company while trying something new! You’ll leave with one 1.7-ounce bottle of custom eau de parfum. Gosia Meyer Jewelry will have open studio hours from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for holiday shopping, so we encourage folks to come early and get sparkly with their gorgeous permanent jewelry! is is a BYOB event, so feel free to bring something to sip on. Limited spots available; reserve a spot for you and a friend today! Sun., Dec. 8, 3-5 p.m. Cost: $95.

Location: Gosia Meyer Jewelry, 1 Lawson La., Burlington. Info: sevendaystickets.com.

WOODWORKING CLASSES:

Timothy Clark is offering limited-size classes in furniture making and boat building. Current classes include Shaker Bench, Cutting Dovetails by Hand, High Work Stool, Intro to Chair Making and Build Your Own Cod Rib 12 Skin-on-Frame Canoe. Timothy has been building furniture and teaching for 38 years. 2-day & 6-day classes start in Jan. See website for costs. Location: 2111

Green St., Waltham (Vergennes). Info: Timothy Clark, 989-3204, tim@timothyclark.com, timothyclark.com.

culinary

DECEMBER COOKIE-DECORATING

CLASS: Time to get into the holiday spirit! is class is a great introduction to some basic cookie decorating techniques. You will learn the basics of royal icing consistency while also using several techniques that will allow you to create beautiful cookies for your friends and family. Kids are welcome! Sat., Dec. 7, 10 a.m.-noon. Cost: $75. Location: Red Poppy Cakery, 1 Elm St., Waterbury Village Historic District. Info: 914-610-5275, sevendaystickets.com.

HOMEMADE ÉCLAIRS FROM SCRATCH: Learn the classic French pastry techniques you need to make delicious éclairs and other pâté à choux-based dishes. Each participant will get to make their own éclairs from scratch to bring home and enjoy. u., Dec. 5, 5:308 p.m. Cost: $65. Location: Richmond Community Kitchen, 13 Jolina Ct. Info: 434-3445, sevendaystickets.com.

POLISH POTATO PIEROGI WORKSHOP: We will learn how to make Polish pierogi, just like my Babcia taught me! You’ll get the full recipe, as well as the chance to eat your ﬁll for

dinner with the class. is recipe cannot be dairy-free, vegan or gluten-free, but it is vegetarian. u., Dec. 5, 6-8 p.m. Cost: $85.

Location: Red Poppy Cakery, 1 Elm St., Waterbury Village Historic District. Info: 203-400-0700, sevendaystickets.com.

martial arts

AIKIDO: THE WATERCOURSE

WAY: Cultivate core power, aerobic fitness and resiliency. e dynamic, circular movements emphasize throws, joint locks and the development of internal energy. Join our community and find support in difficult times: inclusive training, gender-neutral dressing room/bathrooms and a safe space for all. Vermont’s only intensive aikido programs. Visitors are always welcome to watch a class! Membership rates incl. unlimited classes 6 days/week. Contact us for info about membership rates for adults, youths & families.

Location: Aikido of Champlain Valley, 257 Pine St., Burlington. Info: Benjamin Pincus, 951-8900, bpincus@burlingtonaikido.org, burlingtonaikido.org.

sports

THE ONE-NIGHT STAND: BIKE-CARE BASICS: Having an understanding of your bike and knowing how to care for it is empowering to both you and

your ride. It will help you stay safer, keep your bike running longer, and give you conﬁdence to either get what you need at the bike shop or ﬁgure out how to deal with it on your own. Wed., Dec. 4, 6-7:30 p.m. Cost: $50. Location: Old Spokes Home, 331 North Winooski Ave., Burlington. Info: 863-4475, sevendaystickets.com.

YOUTH TALENT SHOW FOR VERMONT’S

Saturday, Dec. 7, 11 a.m. HIGHER GROUND BALLROOM, SOUTH BURLINGTON

Come see these rising stars wow the crowd with their talents:

• Aiden Sherpa (11) of South Burlington

• Mira Biggs (11) of Underhill

• Jaya Heitkamp (10) of Jericho

• Caroline Clayton (12) of Colchester

• Norah Canavan (12) of Colchester

• Addyson Long (11) of Colchester

• Evan Benoit (16) of Montpelier

• Myla Larmond (11) of South Burlington

• Piper Hall (15) of East Hardwick

• Calise Valiska (11) of Jeffersonville/Cambridge

• Adim Benoit (12) of Montpelier

• Violet Lambert (12) of Monkton

• Eva Lambert (8) of Monkton

• Addison Minor (15) of Westford

• Claire Blais (12) of Colchester

• Emerson Leeuw (11) of Colchester

• Alyce Ayer (11) of Bolton Valley

• Georgia Kunkel (14) of Vergennes

• Robin Hart (13) of Jericho

• Alaia “AJ” Rolfe (11) of Jericho/Richmond

• Eva Terrant (13) of South Burlington

• Stella Forward (10) of Burlington

• Eli Bart (14) of Shelburne

• Jack Blazewicz (13) of Shelburne

• Frank D’Amore (13) of Shelburne

• omas Schramm (14) of Shelburne

• Charlotte Clark (14) of Lincoln

• Lily Ryersbach (15) of Starksboro

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Seven Days on the press in Mirabel, Québec

Humane Society

housing » APARTMENTS, CONDOS & HOMES on the road » CARS, TRUCKS, MOTORCYCLES pro services » CHILDCARE, HEALTH/ WELLNESS, PAINTING buy this stuff »

APPLIANCES, KID STUFF, ELECTRONICS, FURNITURE music »

INSTRUCTION, CASTING, INSTRUMENTS FOR SALE jobs »

NO SCAMS, ALL LOCAL, POSTINGS DAILY

Banks

AGE/SEX: 10-month-old neutered male

ARRIVAL DATE: September 30, 2024

SUMMARY : Banks is a big, playful puppy with a heart full of love and a spirit that’s eager to thrive! He may need a little time to adjust, but once he feels comfortable, he’ll be your best friend. is lovable boy’s energy and zest for life shine through when he’s having fun, and there’s nothing better than seeing his joy as he frolics in the great outdoors. What Banks craves most is a home with adopters who can provide him with structure, positive reinforcement, and the time and patience he needs to adjust. Could you open your heart and home to big boy Banks? Come meet him at HSCC and see if he could be the one for you!

DOGS/CATS/KIDS: Banks is dog-social. He is seeking a home without feline friends, and we think he will be most successful in a home with teens and adults.

Visit the Humane Society of Chittenden County at 142 Kindness Court, South Burlington, Tuesday through Friday from 1 to 5 p.m. or Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 862-0135 or visit hsccvt.org for more info.

DID YOU KNOW?

HSCC can facilitate dog-to-dog introductions! If you’re interested in adopting a dog and you already have one at home, we can introduce your dog to a potential new pal at HSCC to see if they get along before you take them home.

CLASSIFIEDS

housing FOR RENT

2-BR, 1-BA, $2,495

Top-ﬂ oor corner-unit apt. in Winooski. Open layout w/ beautiful views of Burlington city skyline & Winooski River. In-unit W/D, laundry hookups, maple cabinets, wood luxury vinyl plank, ample closet space. AC avail. in unit. Underground parking, outdoor green space incl. patio/ grilling area. Avail. storage lockers on-site, bike storage. Fitness center & other common space. All utils. incl in rent: electricity, water, sewer, trash & recycling Pet-friendly. Apt. #410. $1,000 off 1st month’s rent! Apply today at summitpmg.com & contact Sammi.

2-BR APT.

Burlington: Newly renovated, 2nd ﬂ oor,

across from city park. Gas heat/range, W/D, DW, shared yard, parking. Email: knittens@ aol.com

HOUSEMATES

GREAT NEW NORTH END LOCALE

Share NNE townhome in Burlington w/ active retired woman who enjoys meditation, swimming, reading. Furnished BR, private BA, shared kitchen. $600/mo. (utils. incl.) + vacuuming & cooking 2 meals/week. No pets; NS. W/D, parking, access to tennis/pool. Call 802-863-5625 or visit homesharevermont. org for application. Interview, refs., background checks req. EHO

LOVE THE ISLANDS?

Share Grand Isle home w/ artistic woman in her 60s who enjoys stainedglass art, horseback riding, British dramas. Reduced rent of $400/ mo. in exchange for help in the house/yard. A horse enthusiast welcome! Must be cat-friendly. Call 802-863-5625 or visit

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

homesharevermont. org for application. Interview, refs. & background checks req. EHO.

SHARE 3-BR HOUSE IN E. WINOOSKI

Share nice house w/ two young professionals. 3-BR, 2-BA. Open ﬂ oor plan, cathedral ceilings, off-street parking. Room w/ private BA. Incl.: D/W, W/D, water, sewer, lawn care, trash/ recycling. Near bus line. Avail. Dec. 14. Text Chris at 802-578-7526 or email westwick2014@ gmail.com.

PERFECT MASSAGE FOR MEN!

Men, I’m Mr. G. It’s all about you relaxing. Very private, 1-on-1 moment. If you feel good, I’m happy. e massage is ﬂ awless; the sessions are tailored to your needs! Located in central Vermont just off exit 7. Text only now to 802-522-3932 or email motman@ymail.com.

HOME/GARDEN

24-7 LOCKSMITH

We are there when you need us for home & car lockouts. We’ll get you back up & running quickly! Also, key reproductions, lock installs & repairs, vehicle fobs. Call us for your home, commercial & auto locksmith needs! 1-833-237-1233. (AAN CAN)

PEST CONTROL

Protect your home from pests safely & affordably. Roaches, bedbugs, rodents, termites,

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

HUD Ofﬁce of Fair Housing 10 Causeway St., Boston, MA 02222-1092 (617) 565-5309 — OR — Vermont Human Rights Commission 14-16 Baldwin St. Montpelier, VT 05633-0633 1-800-416-2010 hrc@vermont.gov

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

spiders & other pests. Locally owned & affordable. Call for service or an inspection today! 1-833-237-1199. (AAN CAN)

COUNSELING

SUICIDE LOSS SUPPORT GROUP Support for people w/ loss to suicide. Meetings 1st Wed. of each mo., 6-7:30 p.m., at South Burlington Comfort Inn. Contact Bob at 802-922-4283 or Aya at 802-881-3606.

APPLIANCES/ TOOLS/PARTS

HOLIDAY BLOW MOLDS

SALE

Holiday blow molds for sale. All in excellent condition. Halloween & Christmas. Serious inquiries only. Email Vince at vek0620@live. esu.edu.

AUTO

2011 CHEVY 2500 PLOW TRUCK

120K miles. 8-foot Fisher plow. Diesel tuned and deleted, clean. My personal use only. $21,900. Text for pics: 802-363-1710.

FURNITURE

AMISH/WALNUT WOOD

BEDFRAME

Queen size w/ bunkie board, no tools needed. $450. Queen-size Foster & Stearns Mattress, $250. Contact hopefulvt70@gmail. com or 802-495-1954.

GARAGE/ESTATE SALES

COLCHESTER ESTATE SALE

Online now, ends Wed., Dec. 4. Antique percussion musket, Chinese porcelain pig tureen jar, cherry dining set, vintage Pyrex, Zulu African baskets, pottery lamps, antique furniture, Vermont art paintings, ﬁ ne art, antique Montpelier Seminary & Masonic items, decorated stoneware, Info, estatesalesofvermont. com

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

(1631) Commercial Kitchen & Coffee Equipment

Auction Closes: Tues., Dec. 10 @ 10AM Preview: Mon., Dec. 9 from 11AM-1PM

Location: Williston, VT

Over 65 lots of top quality kitchen and coffee equipment including a gas range, refridgerators, freezers, coffee grinders, beverage disp., work stations, cookware and more!

DEVELOPER LIQUIDATION SALE

Log home kits selling for balance owed. Up to 50% off. Design plans can be modiﬁ ed! No time limit on delivery. Call 1-888-676-6960, Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (AAN CAN)

HOUSEHOLD ITEMS

SHIPPING CONTAINER HOME

Custom shipping container home designed for year-round living w/ kitchen, LR, BA & BR. Some work is still needed. $65,000 as is. Email chrissy@ yestermorrow.org or call 802-496-5087.

KID STUFF

HO SCALE MODEL TRAIN CARS

33 vintage HO scale model train cars, mint condition in original boxes. $5 each or $100 for entire collection. Avail. immediately in Essex Jct. Contact seller at vthsl@ comcast.net.

MISCELLANEOUS

1962 WAINROY BACKHOE

1962 WainRoy BR100 Bronco backhoe. Runs. Diesel, hydraulic steering, 2WD. Approximately 5,270 hours. Weight approximately 8,681 pounds. New battery. Please contact sherrieadams42@ yahoo.com.

(1527) Event, Charter Boat & Shop Closure

Auction Closes: Fri., Dec. 13 @ 10AM Preview: Wed., Dec. 11 from 11AM-1PM

Location: Grantham, NH

Over 180 lots of Event, Charter Boat and Shop Equipment. Auction items are from the owner’s 500 person event center and 79 passenger charter boat and shop.

WANT TO BUY

MEN’S WATCHES WANTED Rolex, Breitling, Omega, Patek Philippe, Heuer, Daytona, GMT, Submariner & Speedmaster. ese brands only! Call for a quote: 1-855-402-7109. (AAN CAN)

TOP CASH FOR OLD GUITARS

Looking for 1920-1980 Gibson, Martin, Fender, Gretsch, Epiphone, Guild, Mosrite, Rickenbacker, Prairie State, D’Angelico & Stromberg + Gibson mandolins & banjos. ese brands only! Call for a quote: 1-855-402-7208.

music

BANDS/ MUSICIANS

HIRING A MUSIC DIRECTOR

In search of a music director for Daisy and the Wonder Weeds by Jean-Elliot Manning, running Jun. 12-22 at the Grange Hall Cultural Center in Waterbury Center. Paid position! Info, acrossroads.org/ events/daisy-and-thewonder-weeds. Email, info.acrossroads@gmail. com.

TIP TOP MAKERS MARKET

Professional artisthandmade art, ceramics, pottery & more, incl. live demonstrations. Nov. 29 & 30, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at 85 N. Main St., White River Junction.

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

Sudoku

Show and tell. View and post up to 6 photos per ad online.

Complete the following puzzle by using the numbers 1-9 only once in each row, column and 3 x 3 box.

Open 24/7/365. Post & browse ads at your convenience. Extra! Extra! There’s no limit to ad length online.

WANT MORE PUZZLES?

Try these online news games from Seven Days at sevendaysvt.com/games.

Put your knowledge of Vermont news to the test. NEW ON FRIDAYS:

CALCOKU BY JOSH

REYNOLDS

DIFFICULTY THIS WEEK: HHH

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

3 1 6 5 2 4 1 2 4 6 3 5 6 4 3 1 5 2

SUDOKU BY JOSH REYNOLDS

DIFFICULTY THIS WEEK: HH

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.

ANSWERS ON P.74

See how fast you can solve this weekly 10-word puzzle.

Legal Notices

TOWN OF BOLTON, VERMONT

SPECIAL TOWN MEETING

OFFICIAL WARNING

DECEMBER 17, 2024

The legal voters of the Town of Bolton, Vermont, are hereby notified and warned to meet at 2712 Theodore Roosevelt Highway in the Town of Bolton on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, between the hours of seven o’clock (7:00) in the forenoon (a.m.), at which time the polls will open, and seven o’clock (7:00) in the afternoon (p.m.), at which time the polls will close, to vote by Australian ballot upon the following Article of business:

ARTICLE 1

Shall general obligation bonds, notes or other debt instruments of the Town of Bolton be issued in an amount not to exceed Three Million and 00/100 Dollars ($3,000,000.00) for a term not to exceed ten (10) years, subject to reduction by grants in aid and other state and federal funds then available to the Town, to fund the repair, restoration, or replacement of roads and bridges damaged by the weather events of July 2024?

The legal voters of the Town of Bolton are further notified that voter qualification, registration, and absentee voting relative to said Special Meeting shall be as provided in Chapters 43, 51 and 55 of Title 17, Vermont Statutes Annotated.

The legal voters of the Town of Bolton are further notified that an informational meeting will be held on December 16, 2024, at the Smilie Memorial Elementary School in the Town of Bolton and electronically on the Zoom platform beginning at six (6:00) in the evening (p.m.), for the purpose of explaining the Project and the financing thereof. The details concerning access to and participation using the Zoom platform will be specified in the warning for the public informational hearing.

Adopted and approved at a meeting of the Selectboard of the Town of Bolton duly called, noticed, and held November 12, 2024.

TOWN OF BOLTON SELECTBOARD

Paula Gervia, Chair

Rich Reid, Vice Chair

Leah Scott

Andrew Pond

Mica Cassara

Received for record and recorded in the records of the Town of Bolton on November 12, 2024.

Michael Webber, Town Clerk

IN ACCORDANCE WITH VT TITLE 9 COMMERCE AND TRADE CHAPTER 098: STORAGE UNITS 3905. ENFORCEMENT OF LIEN,

Champlain Valley Self Storage, LLC shall host an auction of the following units on or after 12/14/24:

Location: 2211 Main St. Colchester, VT

Contents: household goods

Tyler Mansfield: #832

Auction pre-registration is required, email info@ champlainvalleyselfstorage.com to register.

NOTICE OF SELF STORAGE LIEN SALE

BURLINGTON SELF STORAGE, LLC 1825 SHELBURNE ROAD SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT 05403

Notice is hereby given that the contents of the self storage units listed below will be sold at public auction by sealed bid.

Name of Occupant Storage Unit Waggoner, Unit #327 – 5x10

Said sales will take place on Friday 12/06/24, beginning at 10:00am at Burlington Self Storage (BSS), 1825 Shelburne Road, South Burlington, VT 05403. Units will be opened for viewing immediately prior to auction. Sale shall be by sealed bid to the highest bidder. Contents of entire storage unit will be sold as one lot. The winning bid must remove all contents from the facility at no cost to BSS, on the day of auction. BSS, reserves the right to reject any bid lower that the amount owed by the occupant or that is not commercially reasonable as defined by statute.

NOTICE OF SELF-STORAGE LIEN SALE

CHIMNEY CORNERS SELF STORAGE

76 GONYEAU ROAD, MILTON VT 05468

Notice is hereby given that the contents of the self-storage units listed below will be sold at public auction by sealed bid. This sale is being held to collect unpaid storage unit occupancy fees, charges, and expenses of the sale. The entire contents of each self-storage unit listed below will be sold, with the proceeds to be distributed to Chimney Corners Self Storage for all accrued occupancy fees (rent charges), late payment fees, sale expenses, and all other expenses in relation to the unit and its sale.

Contents of each unit may be viewed on December 4th, commencing at 10:00 am. Sealed bids are to be submitted on the entire contents of each selfstorage unit. Bids will be opened one half hour after the last unit has been viewed on December 4th. The highest bidder on the storage unit must remove the entire contents of the unit within 48 hours after notification of their successful bid. Purchase must be made in cash and paid in advance of the removal of the contents of the unit. A $50 cash deposit shall be made and will be refunded if the unit is broom cleaned. Chimney Corners Self Storage reserves the right to accept or reject bids.

The contents of the following tenant’s self-storage units will be included in this sale:

Alexia Metivier, Unit 331. Thomas Millette, Unit 306. Jessica Ferrecchia, Unit 633. Michael Maslack, Units 611 and 131. Leila-Jeanne Comegno, Unit 118.

ISLE OF MAN COMPANIES (TRANSFER OF DOMICILE) ACT 1998

Signature Aviation Insurance Limited (the Company) (the Company), incorporated in the Isle of Man under Company No: 036866C

NOTICE IS GIVEN pursuant to Section 8(2)(c) Companies (Transfer of Domicile) Act 1998 (as amended by the Insurance Act 2008) of the Isle of Man that the Company proposes to apply to cease

to be registered in the Isle of Man and to continue in Vermont.

Interested persons may make comments to the Isle of Man Financial Services Authority PO Box 58, Finch Hill House, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM99 1DT during the ten days following the publication of this notice.

NOTICE OF HEARING

You are hearby notified that a hearing has been scheduled for August 21 at 9:30 am in Horry county family court 1301 2nd Avenue Conway South Carolina 29526.

Docket number: 2023-DR26-1995.

Summons for divorce

(One year continuous separation) Vivienne Morales, Plaintiff vs. Eric Morales Defendant.

To the Defendant above named you are nearby notified that you have been sued by the Plaintiff for divorce in the court indicated above.

You must respond in writing to the attached complaint for Divorce and serve a copy of your answer (30)days after this summons upon you, or (35) days if you were served by certified mail return receipt requested to the plaintiff address listed below

Vivienne Morales P.O.Box 51242 Myrtle Beach South Carolina.

If you do not answer the complaint within (30) days the court may grant a Divorce and grant the relief requested in the complaint.

CITY OF BURLINGTON

IN THE YEAR TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FOUR ORDINANCE 7.3

AN ORDINANCE IN RELATION TO TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS TO ARTICLE VI OF CHAPTER 21 OF THE BURLINGTON CODE OF ORDINANCES, COMMENCING AT SECTION 21-80, LIVABLE WAGES TO STREAMLINE ENFORCEMENT AND OTHER PROCESSES

Sponsor: Traverse Public Hearing Dates:

First reading: October 28, 2024

Referred to: Board of Finance Rules suspended re referral: October 28, 2024 Second reading: November 12, 2024

Action: adopted

Date: 11/12/24

Signed by Mayor: 11/19/24

Published: 11/27/24

Effective: 12/18/24

It is hereby Ordained by the City Council of the City of Burlington as follows:

That Chapter 21, of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Burlington be and hereby is amended by amending Article VI (Livable Wages) thereof, commencing at Section 21-80, to read as follows: Section 21-80, as written.

Section 21-81, Definitions:

Subsections (a) to (d), as written.

(e) Designated accountability monitor shall mean a nonprofit organization, business, or individual hired or retained by the city that is independent of the city contractors it is monitoring one or more city employees or a city contracted consultant tasked with responsibility for enforcement of provisions of this article

(f) Employee means a person who is employed on a full-time or part-time regular basis. In addition, commencing with the next fiscal year, a seasonal or temporary employee of the City of Burlington who works ten (10) or more hours per week and has been employed by the City of Burlington for a period of four (4) years shall be considered a covered employee commencing in the fifth year of employment. “Employee” shall not refer to volunteers working without pay or for a nominal stipend, persons working in an approved apprenticeship program, persons who are hired for a prescribed period of six (6) months or less to fulfill the requirements to obtain a

as an attorney, persons who are hired through youth employment programs or student workers or interns participating in established educational internship programs.

(g) Employer-assisted health care means

health care benefits provided by employers for employees (or employees and their dependents) at the employer’s cost or at an employer contribution towards the purchase of such health care benefits, provided that the employer cost or contribution consists of at least one two dollar and twenty fifteen cents ($ 2 1 15 20) per hour.

(S Commencing July 1, 2025, s aid amount shall be adjusted every fiscal year two (2) years for inflation, by the chief administrative officer of the city by the percentage increase from March 1 in the prior calendar year to March 1 in the current calendar year in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Workers: Medical Care in the U.S. City Average (CPIMEDSL), or, if the U.S. Department of Labor ceases to publish such measure of inflation, a reasonably similar measure of medical inflation chosen by the chief administrative officer.

Subsections (h) to (j), as written.

(k) Joint Fiscal Office estimate means the hourly rate needed to support the basic needs budget as determined in the most recently published report of the Joint Fiscal Office of the State of Vermont for a single person using a model of two (2) adults residing in a two (2) bedroom living unit in an urban area with the moderate cost food plan.

(l) CPI-U means the increase in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Workers (Northeast Region) from March 1 in the prior calendar year until March 1 in the current calendar year, or, if the U.S. Department of Labor ceases to publish such index, a reasonable alternative measure of inflation selected by the chief administrative officer.

Section 21-82, Livable wages required:

(a) Every covered employer shall pay each and every covered employee at least a livable wage no less than:

(1) For a covered employer that provides employer assisted health care, the livable wage shall be at least thirteen dollars and ninety four cents ($13.94) per hour seventeen dollars and ninety-six cents ($17.96) per hour on the effective date of the amendments to this article. Effective July 1, 2025, the chief administrative officer shall adjust this amount to be the greater of either the most recent Joint Fiscal Office estimate or the previous year’s rate increased by CPI-U, as the terms Joint Fiscal Office estimate and CPI-U are defined in Section 21-81 hereof. This rate shall again be adjusted every July 1 thereafter using the same methodology for each such subsequent year.

(2) For a covered employer that does not provide employer assisted health care, the livable wage shall be at least fifteen dollars and eighty three cents ($15.83) per hour nineteen dollars and fifteen cents ($19.15) per hour on the effective date of the amendments to this article. Effective July 1, 2025, the chief administrative officer shall set this amount as the amount set forth in the foregoing paragraph (1) increased by the amount calculated as set forth in Section 21-81(g) of this article. This amount shall again be adjusted accordingly every July 1 thereafter.

(3) Covered employees whose wage compensation consists of more or other than hourly wages, including, but not limited to, tips, commissions, flat fees or bonuses, shall be paid so that the total of all wage compensation will at least equal the livable wage as established under this article.

(b) The amount of the livable wage established in this section shall be adjusted by the chief administrative officer of the city as of July 1 of each year based upon a report of the Joint Fiscal Office of the State of Vermont that describes the basic needs budget for a single person but utilizes a model of two (2) adults residing in a two (2) bedroom living unit in an urban area with the moderate cost food plan. Should there be no such report from the Joint Fiscal Office, the chief administrative officer shall obtain and utilize a model of two (2) adults residing in a two (2) bedroom living unit in an urban area with a moderate food cost plan shall not become effective until rates meet or exceed the 2010 posted livable wage rates. Prior to May 1 preceding any such adjustments and prior to May 1 of each calendar year thereafter, the chief administrative officer will provide public notice of this adjustment by posting a written notice in a prominent place in City Hall by sending written notice to the city council and, in the case of covered employees that have requested individual notice and provided contact information to the chief administrative officer, by notice to each such

covered employer. However, once a livable wage is applied to an individual employee, no reduction in that employee’s pay rate is permissible due to this annual adjustment.

(b) Annually prior to May 1, the chief administrative officer shall provide public notice of the wage rates required under this section effective July 1 of the same year. Public notice shall, at a minimum, include positing online and at City Hall, issuance of a press release, and written notice to the members of the city council and the officers or steering committees of the neighborhood planning assemblies.

(c) Covered employers shall provide at least twelve (12) compensated days off per year for full-time covered employees, and a proportionate amount for part-time covered employees, for sick leave, vacation, personal, or combined time off leave. For a contract with a covered employer with a duration of less than one (1) fiscal year, the minimum number of compensated days off shall be prorated according to the length of the contract. If compensated days off are designated by the covered employer for vacation or combined leave, then covered employees shall have the ability to cash out unused leave accrued during the term of the covered employer’s contract with the City.

Section 21-83, as written.

Section 21-84, Enforcement:

(a) Each service contract or grant covered by this article shall contain provisions requiring that the covered employer or grantee submit a written certification, under oath, during each year during the term of the service contract or grant, that the covered employer or grantee (including all of its subcontractors and subgrantees, if any) is in compliance with this article. The failure of a contract to contain such provisions does not excuse a covered employer from its obligations under this article. The covered employer shall agree to post a notice regarding the applicability of this section in any workplace or other location where employees or other persons contracted for employment are working. The covered employer shall agree to provide payroll records or other documentation for itself and any subcontractors or subgrantees, as deemed necessary by the chief administrative officer of the City of Burlington, within ten (10) business days from receipt of the City of Burlington’s request. For contracts or grants with a maximum limiting amount of $50,000 or more per fiscal year and not in connection with a highway or heavy construction project otherwise covered under the Davis-Bacon Act, 40 U.S.C. § 3141 et seq., as the same may be renumbered, renamed, or amended from time to time (the “Davis-Bacon Act”), the chief administrative officer shall develop a form of payroll record, which shall be required to accompany each invoice or other request for payment from the covered employer. All such records shall be forwarded to the designated accountability monitor for review and retention.

(b) The chief administrative officer of the City of Burlington designated accountability monitor may require that a covered employer submit proof of compliance with this article at any time, including but not limited to:

(1) Verification of an individual employee’s compensation;

(2) Production of payroll, health insurance enrollment records, or other relevant documentation; or

(3) Evidence of proper posting of notice. If a covered employer is not able to provide that information within ten (10) business days of the request, the chief administrative officer the designated accountability officer may turn the matter over to the city attorney’s office for further enforcement proceedings.

(c) The City of Burlington shall appoint one or more designated accountability monitors that shall have the authorityThe designated accountability monitor shall have the following authority, in addition to the authority set forth in subsection (b), above:

(1) To inform and educate covered employers and their employees about all applicable provisions of this article and other applicable laws, codes, and regulations;

(2) To work with the chief administrative officer city attorney to create a system to receive complaints under this article;

(3) To visit work sites of city contractors (and their subcontractors) or communicate directly with

contractors’ employees to check for compliance with this article;

(4) To assist the chief administrative officer to conduct periodic audits of payroll and leave records of covered employees; and

(5) To refer credible complaints to the city attorney’s office for potential enforcement action under this article and assist in enforcement actions.

The designated accountability monitor shall forward to the City of Burlington all credible complaints of violations within ten (10) days of their receipt

Subsections (d) to (f), as written.

(g) A violation of this article shall be a civil offense subject to a civil penalty of from two hundred dollars ($200.00) to five hundred dollars ($500.00).

All law enforcement officers the designated accountability monitor, the city attorney or designee, and the chief administrative officer or designee, and any other duly authorized municipal officials are authorized to issue a municipal complaint for a violation of this article. Each day any covered employee is not compensated as required by this article shall constitute a separate violation.

Subsections (h) to (j), as written.

Section 21-85, Other provisions:

Subsections (a) to (c), as written.

(d) Notwithstanding subsection (c) of this section, where employees are represented by a bargaining unit or labor union pursuant to rights conferred by state or federal law and a collective bargaining labor agreement is in effect governing the terms and conditions of employment of those employees, this chapter shall not apply to those employees and the collective bargaining labor agreement shall control. Likewise for employees working on highway or heavy construction projects covered under the Davis-Bacon Act, payment of wages and provision of benefits as required under that act shall be deemed compliance with the wage rate and benefits provisions of this article.

Subsection (e), as written.

(f) The chief administrative officer of the city shall have the authority to promulgate rules as necessary or convenient to administer the provisions of this article, which shall become effective upon approval by the city council posted on the City’s website. Whenever such rules are made or substantively amended, notice of the same and a web address providing access to the rules shall be promptly communicated to the Board of Finance and published once in a newspaper of general circulation, and the rules shall become effective fifteen (15) days from publication. The city council may amend or repeal any published rule by motion.

Sections 21-86 and 21-87, as written.

Section 21-88, Annual reporting:

On or before April 15 of each year, the city attorney’s office shall submit a report to the city council that provides the following information:

(a) A list of all covered employers broken down by department. This list also shall be provided upon request to the Vermont Department of Labor.;

(b) A list of all covered employers whose service contract did not contain the language required by this article ; and

Section 21-89, Effective date:

The amendments to this article shall take effect on January 1, 20 25 14 , and shall not be retroactively applied; provided that the prior version of this article shall theretofore remain effective.

* Material stricken out deleted.

** Material underlined added.

er/Ordinances 2024/Technical Amendments: Living Wage November 12, 2024

CITY OF BURLINGTON IN THE YEAR TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FOUR ORDINANCE 8.9

AN ORDINANCE IN RELATION TO BURLINGTON CODE OF ORDINANCES- SECTIONS 21-45 — 21-49 TRESPASS

Sponsor: Ordinance Committee Public Hearing Dates:

First reading: 12/18/23

Referred to: Ordinance Committee

Rules suspended and placed in all stages of passage:

Second reading: 11/18/24

Action: adopted as amended by OC Date: 11/18/24

Signed by Mayor: 11/19/24

Published: 11/27/24

Effective: 12/18/24

It is hereby Ordained by the City Council of the City of Burlington as follows: That Chapter 21, Offenses and Miscellaneous Provisions, Article I, In General, of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Burlington be and hereby is amended to read as follows:

ARTICLE I. In General Secs. 21-1 – 21-44 As written. Sec. 21-45 Unlawful trespass.

It shall be unlawful for a person who, without legal authority or the consent of the person in lawful possession, enters or remains on any land or in any place as to which notice against trespass is given by:

(a) Actual communication by the person in lawful possession or his their agent or by a law enforcement officer, community service officer, community support liaison, urban park ranger, parks patrol, the city’s contracted private security, or any other city official authorized to enforce the city’s ordinances , acting on behalf of such person or his their agent pursuant to protocols and/or directives established by the police department ; or

(b) Signs or placards so designed and situated as to give reasonable notice.

A violation of this section shall be a civil matter and enforced in accordance with the provisions of 24 V.S.A. section 1974a and section 1977 et seq. A civil penalty of not more than five hundred dollars ($500.00) may be imposed for a violation of this section. The civil penalty may, at the discretion of the prosecuting official, be eliminated or reduced upon the successful completion of a restorative or reparative justice program through the community justice program. In lieu of further process and prosecution, persons ticketed for violations of this section may pay a waiver penalty under the schedule set out below:

Waiver Penalty:

First offense: The waiver penalty shall be two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00).

Second offense, within a six-month period: The waiver penalty shall be three hundred dollars ($300.00).

Third offense or more, within a twelve-month period: The waiver penalty shall be four hundred dollars ($400.00).

Each time that the violation occurs will constitute a separate violation of this section. Any law enforcement officer, community service officer, community support liaison, urban park rangers, parks patrol, or any other city official authorized to enforce the city’s ordinances, can enforce this section.

Sec. 21-45A Notice of trespass on city property.

(a) Purpose. The purpose of this section is to enable a city official in charge of city property to issue a notice of trespass and enforce that notice against an individual whose behavior is dangerous, illegal, or unreasonably disruptive, while recognizing the rights of individuals to engage in constitutionally protected activities on public or city-owned property.

(b) City official/officers authorized to issue notice of trespass. The city council hereby expressly delegates its authority to issue a notice of trespass to any city official who is in charge, at the time of issuance, of the city property for which the notice of trespass is issued and to any

Legal Notices

sworn officer, community service officer, or community support liaison of the Burlington police department or the City’s urban park rangers, parks patrol, contracted private security, or any other city official authorized to enforce the city’s ordinances in the exercise of their official duties (hereinafter “official/officer”)

(c) Issuance of notice of trespass – Initial conference. If an individual violates any city ordinance, rule or regulation, or State law, or within a public building fails to follow the lawful directive of a city official / or police officer authorized under subsection (b) of this section, that official /officer may issue a notice of trespass for a violation which was committed while on or within a city facility, building, or outdoor area, including a municipal park, for the specific property where the violation occurred, excluding a right-of-way. Prior to issuance of the notice of trespass, the issuing official /officer must ensure that the person to whom a notice of trespass will be issued has been informed of the basis for the notice of trespass and has been given an opportunity and reasonable amount of time to change or address the underlying conduct – that is, a verbal warning must have been issued. No verbal warning is required if the reason for the trespass is an accusation of serious harmful conduct such as arson, assault, harassment or a threat of such conduct. Notices of trespass may be issued at the Fletcher Free Library as provided in Section 21-43.

(d) Service of notice – Content. In most cases, the notice of trespass must be hand-delivered to the person to whom it is issued by an authorized city official / or a law enforcement officer; however, if the circumstances do not permit safe delivery of the notice in person, in the discretion of the authorized city official / or law enforcement officer, it may be mailed to the individual’s legal address. The written notice of trespass shall detail the basis for which the notice of trespass was issued, the length of time for which the notice of trespass remains in effect, and the consequences for violating the terms of the notice of trespass; it shall also advise the recipient of the right to contest the notice of trespass and the location at which to file the appeal.

(e) Length of notice of trespass.

(1) Generally. For minor, first-time violations, such as having an open container of alcohol, the notice may be issued for up to one (1) day. For moderate violations, such as other nonviolent disorderly conduct, or for a second offense within thirty (30) days, the notice may be issued for up to thirty (30) days. For more serious violations or a third offense within sixty (60) days, the notice may be issued for up to one hundred eighty (180) days. Generally, it is expected that the length of time should reflect the severity or repetitiveness of the underlying conduct. Only for more serious offenses such as conduct that involves violence, harassment, or threats of physical harm to an individual may a notice be issued for over one hundred eighty (180) days, and in any event, a notice of trespass may not be issued for more than one (1) year.

(2) Fletcher Free Library. Due to the nature and character of the Fletcher Free Library, the following durations apply to violations made under the library ordinance. For a violation of Section 21-43(a)(1), a notice of trespass may be issued for up to one hundred eighty (180) days. For a violation of Section 2143(a)(2), a notice of trespass may be issued for a period up to sixty (60) days. For a violation of Section 21-43(a)(3), a notice of trespass may be issued for a period of one (1) day.

(f) Appeal.

(1) Process. The recipient of a notice of trespass may appeal the notice of trespass by filing an appeal, in writing, within seven (7) calendar days of the issuance of the notice. The written appeal shall include the appellant’s name, address, phone number, and indicate whether a hearing is requested. No fee shall be charged for filing the

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

appeal. The appeal shall be filed at the location designated in the notice of trespass. Except for in exigent circumstances, any such appeal shall stay the operation of the notice of trespass beyond the day the appeal is filed, pending a hearing and/or written decision.

(2) Exigent circumstances. For purposes of this chapter, “exigent circumstances” means any situation in which the issuing city official / or officer determines that a person presents an immediate and substantial threat or danger to the health, safety, or welfare of another person. In such circumstances, an appeal shall not stay the operation of the notice of trespass.

(3) Designated hearing panels. All appeals made under this chapter shall be heard by the public safety committee of the city council, which will make an annual report to the city council on the number of appeals.

(4) Procedure. When an appeal is filed, the designated hearing panel shall meet within ten (10) business days to consider the appeal. If no hearing is requested, the designated hearing panel may consider any written submissions as part of its decision. If a hearing is requested, the appellant must be provided at least three (3) business days’ written notice of the date, time, and location of the hearing. The designated hearing panel shall allow oral and/or written testimony and evidence from the appellant and the issuing city official / or officer. In reviewing the notice of trespass, the panel will utilize the preponderance of the evidence standard with the burden of proof on the charging official /officer or their representative. The designated hearing panel shall issue a written decision within ten (10) business days of the hearing. The designated hearing panel may extend the time period for hearing if the operation of the notice of trespass is stayed or if the appellant consents.

(5) Waiver requests. An individual who has received a notice of trespass may request a waiver from the issuing official /officer (or in the absence of that official /officer from another city official /officer authorized to issue the notice) in order to access the property for which the notice of trespass was issued for purpose of work, residence, access to government services, or the exercise of constitutionally protected activities. If that waiver is denied, an appeal may be made to the designated hearing panel. In addition, in the context of any appeal of a notice of trespass, the designated hearing panel shall also consider any waiver request from the individual appealing.

(g) Enforcement. Once a notice of trespass has been issued, unless the notice has been stayed by receipt of an appeal or the notice has been overturned by a decision on appeal, a violation of the notice may be enforced pursuant to Section 21-45 (a civil violation) or 13 V.S.A. § 3705 (a criminal violation). Unless the notice of trespass was issued for conduct involving violence, harassment, or threats of physical harm to an individual, enforcement pursuant to 13 V.S.A. § 3705 may only commence with issuance of a citation and a request to leave the premises; however, arrest is permissible for refusal to leave the premises within a reasonable period after issuance of the citation.

Sec. 21-46 Disorderly conduct. It shall be unlawful for a person who, with the intent to cause public inconvenience, or annoyance or recklessly creating a risk thereof:

(a) Engages in fighting or in violent, tumultuous or threatening behavior; or

(b) Makes unreasonable noise; or

(d) Without lawful authority, disturbs any lawful assembly or meeting or persons; or

(e) Obstructs vehicular or pedestrian traffic.

A violation of this section shall be a civil matter

and enforced in accordance with the provisions of 24 V.S.A. section 1974a and section 1977 et seq. A civil penalty of not more than five hundred dollars ($500.00) may be imposed for a violation of this section. The civil penalty may, at the discretion of the prosecuting official /officer, be eliminated or reduced upon the successful completion of a restorative or reparative justice program through the community justice program. In lieu of further process and prosecution, persons ticketed for violations of this section may pay a waiver penalty under the schedule set out below:

Waiver Penalty:

First offense: The waiver penalty shall be two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00).

Second offense, within a six-month period: The waiver penalty shall be three hundred dollars ($300.00).

Third offense or more, within a twelve-month period: The waiver penalty shall be four hundred dollars ($400.00).

Each time that the violation occurs will constitute a separate violation of this section. Any city official/ law enforcement officer can enforce this section.

Sec. 21-47 Unlawful mischief.

It shall be unlawful for a person who, having no right to do so or any reasonable ground to believe that he has such a right, intentionally does damage to property of any value not exceeding two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00).

A violation of this section shall be a civil matter and enforced in accordance with the provisions of 24 V.S.A. section 1974a and section 1977 et seq. A civil penalty of not more than five hundred dollars ($500.00) may be imposed for a violation of this section. The civil penalty may, at the discretion of the prosecuting official /officer, be eliminated or reduced upon the successful completion of a restorative or reparative justice program through the community justice program. In lieu of further process and prosecution, persons ticketed for violations of this section may pay a waiver penalty under the schedule set out below:

Waiver Penalty:

First offense: The waiver penalty shall be two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00).

Second offense, within a six-month period: The waiver penalty shall be three hundred dollars ($300.00).

Third offense or more, within a twelve-month period: The waiver penalty shall be four hundred dollars ($400.00).

Each time that the violation occurs will constitute a separate violation of this section. Any city official/ law enforcement officer can enforce this section.

Sec. 21-48 City Hall Park.

(a) Prohibited activities. Not withstanding other rules and regulations, the following activities are prohibited at City Hall Park and may be ticketed under this section.

(1) Disorderly conduct as defined by Section 21-46; . Any person who, with the intent to cause public inconvenience, or annoyance or recklessly creating a risk thereof:

a. Engages in fighting or in violent, tumultuous or threatening behavior; or

b. Makes unreasonable noise; or

c. In a public place uses abusive or obscene language; or

d. Without lawful authority, disturbs any lawful assembly or meeting or persons; or

e. Obstructs vehicular or pedestrian traffic.

(2) Unlawful mischief as defined by Section 21-47; . Any person who, having no right to do so or any reasonable ground to believe that he has such a right, intentionally does damage to property, private or public.

(3) Graffiti and defacement of property as defined by Section 21-29;

(4) Possession of open or opened intoxicating liquor as defined in 23 V.S.A. § 1200(4), except as permitted pursuant to a valid liquor license and/ or an outdoor consumption permit for properly organized and supervised activities or events held within the limits of City Hall Park ;

(4 5) Possession of a regulated drug as defined in 18 V.S.A. § 4201(29);

(6) Public urination and/or defecation as defined by Section 21-24.

(b) Enforcement.

(1) First offense. Any violation of any provision of subsection (a) above shall be deemed a civil offense and shall be punishable by a penalty of a minimum fine of two hundred dollars ($200.00) to a maximum fine of five hundred dollars ($500.00). The waiver penalty for purposes of the municipal complaint (civil ticket) shall be two hundred dollars ($200.00). The recipient of a municipal complaint for violation of this section (first offense) shall not be permitted within the City Hall Park for the balance of the day on which the alleged offense occurred.

(2) Second offense. Any violation of any provision of subsection (a) above by an individual who has previously violated any provision of subsection (a) above shall be deemed a civil offense and shall be punishable by a penalty of a minimum fine of three hundred dollars ($300.00) to maximum fine of five hundred dollars ($500.00). In addition, the recipient of a municipal complaint for violation of this section (second offense) may be issued an order of no trespass prohibiting the recipient from entering the City Hall Park for a period of up to 90 days commencing immediately upon said issuance. The waiver penalty for purposes of the municipal complaint (civil ticket) second offense shall be three hundred dollars ($300.00); payment of which shall also be deemed acceptance of the no trespass order. Both the fine and the no trespass order may, at the discretion of the prosecuting official /officer, be waived in whole or in part upon the successful completion of a restorative or reparative justice program through the community justice program.

(3) Third and subsequent offense. Any violation of any provision of subsection (a) above by an individual who has on two (2) or more occasions violated any provision of subsection (a) above shall be deemed a civil offense and shall be punishable by a penalty of from four hundred dollars ($400.00) to five hundred dollars ($500.00). In addition, the recipient of a municipal complaint for violation of this section (third and subsequent offense) may be issued an order of no trespass prohibiting the recipient from entering the City Hall Park for a period of up to one (1) year commencing immediately upon said issuance. The waiver penalty for purposes of the municipal complaint (civil ticket) third or subsequent offense shall be four hundred dollars ($400.00); payment of which shall also be deemed acceptance of the no trespass order. Both the fine and the no trespass order may, at the discretion of the prosecuting official /officer, be waived in whole or in part upon the successful completion of a restorative or reparative justice program through the community justice program.

Sec. 21-49 Church Street Marketplace District trespass authority.

(a) Purpose. The Burlington city council finds and declares that the following substantial government interests will be advanced by the ability to issue a no trespass order created by this section, based on conditions the police department and the Church Street Marketplace District

commission have identified and confront in the Church Street Marketplace District on a regular basis:

(1) The abatement or removal of nuisances determined to be against the public health, safety or welfare of citizens;

(2) The protection of citizens from physical threats or injury and from damage to property;

(3) The prevention of harassment and intimidation of any member of the public;

(4) The prevention of violent crime;

(5) The orderly control and safety of pedestrian, car and cart traffic on Church Street; and

(6) The provision and maintenance of a safe, attractive environment in areas designed to attract tourist revenue.

(b) Findings. The substantial government interests identified in subsection (a) of this section are undermined by unlawful and inappropriate behavior in the Church Street Marketplace District. Such behaviors include, but are not limited to, disorderly conduct, unlawful mischief, the possession and consumption of intoxicating liquor, and the possession and use of regulated drugs.

Specifically:

(1) Unlawful behavior within the Church Street Marketplace District diminishes this public asset and deprives citizens and visitors of its full use and enjoyment;

(2) In addition to more serious criminal acts that threaten personal injury and property damage, a wide range of illegal disorderly behaviors can and often do transform the Church Street Marketplace District into an unwelcoming, unattractive and ultimately unsafe public space requiring increased expenditures for public safety and maintenance;

(3) Laws intended to preserve and protect public spaces like the Church Street Marketplace District for the benefit of all people are effective only if those present on the space obey the law. The current criminal and civil penalties for violating these types of laws are frequently inadequate to deter the illegal behavior, to prevent its recurrence, or to provide for the removal of offenders from the public space;

(4) Compliance with behavior laws within the Church Street Marketplace District will be enhanced by the immediate administrative sanction of removing offenders from the Church Street Marketplace District in addition to issuing tickets to them. For repeat offenders and for more serious offenses, exclusion for extended periods will further provide a necessary additional remedy to protect the public;

(5) The failure to comply with these and other laws creates a public nuisance.

(c) Prohibited activities. Notwithstanding other laws, ordinances, rules and regulations, the following activities are prohibited within the Church Street Marketplace District and may result in a no trespass order authorized under this section.

(1) Disorderly conduct as defined by Section 21-46;

(2) Unlawful mischief as defined by Section 21-47;

(3) Graffiti and defacement of property as defined by Section 21-29;

(4) Possession of open or opened intoxicating liquor as defined by 23 V.S.A. § 1200(4), except as permitted pursuant to a valid liquor license and/ or an outdoor consumption permit for properly organized and supervised activities or events held within the limits of the Church Street Marketplace District;

5) Possession of a regulated drug as defined in 18 V.S.A. § 4201(29);

(6) Offense of retail theft as defined by 13 V.S.A. §2575 from a business in the Church Street Marketplace District;

(7) Public urination and/or defecation as defined by Section 21-24.

(d) Enforcement.

(1) First offense. Any person ticketed for a prohibited activity noted in subsection (c) of this section as a first offense may also be issued an order of no trespass, and will not be permitted within the Church Street Marketplace District for the balance of the day on which the alleged offense occurred.

(2) Second offense. Any person ticketed for a prohibited activity noted in subsection (c) of this section as a second offense may also be issued an order of no trespass prohibiting the recipient from entering the Church Street Marketplace District for a period of up to ninety (90) days, commencing immediately upon said issuance.

(3) Third and subsequent offense. Any person ticketed for a prohibited activity noted in subsection (c) of this section as a third or subsequent offense may also be issued an order of no trespass prohibiting the recipient from entering the Church Street Marketplace District for a period of up to one (1) year commencing immediately upon said issuance.

(4) Hearing procedure and staying of order of no trespass.

a. Recipients of an order of no trespass issued pursuant to subsections (d)(2) and (3) of this section may appeal said order to a hearing panel designated by the Church Street Marketplace commission pursuant to the procedure detailed below. Any such appeal shall stay the order of no trespass pending the hearing and written decision of the hearing panel.

b. Any individual subject to the trespass provisions of subsection (d)(1), (2), or (3) of this section may request in writing that a hearing panel of the Church Street Marketplace commission hold a public hearing for the purpose of challenging the issuance of the order of no trespass and/ or to request a waiver to access the Church Street Marketplace District for purpose of work, residence, access to government services, the exercise of constitutionally protected activities, and/or for any other good reason as determined by a hearing panel.

c. Recipients shall have thirty (30) days from the date of issuance of an order of no trespass to request a hearing. Requests shall be sent to the executive director of the marketplace commission at 2 Church Street, Suite 2A, Burlington, VT 05401-4457.

d. If a hearing is requested, the hearing shall be scheduled within ten (10) calendar days of receipt of the request, and a written notice of the hearing shall be sent to the recipient at least seven (7) calendar days prior to the hearing.

e. The hearing panel shall consist of three (3) people designated by the Church Street Marketplace commission or its designee, and be comprised of one (1) representative from the business community, one (1) representative from the social services community, and one (1) representative from the general public.

f. The hearing panel shall allow for oral and/or written testimony and evidence from the recipient of the order of no trespass, the issuing city official/ police officer, and any other witnesses requesting to be heard.

g. The hearing panel shall issue a written decision within ten (10) calendar days of the hearing.

* Material stricken out deleted.

** Material underlined added.

KS/Ordinances 2024/BCO 21-45 – 21-49, Trespass

November 15, 2024

PURSUANT TO THE VERMONT SELF-STORAGE FACILITY ACT SEC. 2.9 V.S.A CHAPTER 98 UNITS WILL SOLD BY SEALED BID.

Viewing by appointment. Call us at 802-891-9374 to schedule.

Appts for viewing and sealed bidding will be 12/12 9:00 AM-4:30 PM

Bid will be opened on 12/12 at 4:45 PM. Winning bidders will be notified by phone.

5x10 – Ashleigh Tillson & Israel Holbrook

10x10 – Kayla Davis, Penny Butchino & Kerry Prim

10x20- James Lachance

Storage unit will be sold as one lot.

All winning bidders will be required show valid ID & to pay a $200.00 deposit which will be refunded once unit is left empty and broom swept clean.

The winning bid must remove all contents from the facility by the end of the weekend corresponding with date of bid acceptance at no cost to EZ Access Self Storage. We reserve the right to reject any bid lower than the amount owed by the occupant. We reserve the right to remove any unit from the auction should current tenant bring his or her account current with full payment prior to the start of the auction.

Storage Unit Address:

387 Route 7 South, Milton, Vermont

STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT PROBATE DIVISION CHITTENDEN UNIT DOCKET NO.: 24-PR-05467

In re ESTATE of John Abajian

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

To the creditors of: John Abajian, late of Essex, VT

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 11, 2024

Signature of Fiduciary: /s/ Bryce M. Thompson

Executor/Administrator: Bryce M Thompson, Fiduciary, c/o Mark A. Langan, Esq., Dinse P.C., 209 Battery St., Burlington, VT 05401 phone: 802-864-5751 email: mlangan@dinse.com

Name of Publication: Seven Days Publication Date: 11/27/2024

Name of Probate Court: State of VermontChittenden Probate Division Address of Probate Court: 175 Main Street, Burlington, VT 05401

AUCTION – MOBILE HOME

Sale Date & Location: Tuesday, 12/3/2024 at 1:00

p.m. – Mountain View Mobile Home Park, Lot #5, 158 Buck Hill Road East in Hinesburg, VT.

For more info. call (802) 860-9536.

1969 Richardson, Min. bid $12,707.45 Must be moved 5 days after sale.

Auctioneer: Uriah Wallace – Lic. #057-0002460

AUCTION – MOBILE HOME

Sale Date & Location: Tuesday, 12/3/2024 at 11:00

a.m. – Evergreen Manor Mobile Home Park, Lot #32, 236 Evergreen Manor Drive in Hardwick, VT.

For more info. call (802) 860-9536.

1975 Greenbriar, 14’ x 70’, Min. bid $12,846.81 Must be moved 5 days after sale.

Auctioneer: Uriah Wallace – Lic. #057-0002460

ACT 250 NOTICE

MINOR APPLICATION 4C1074-4

10 V.S.A. §§ 6000 - 6111

Application 4C1074-4 from Sixty Farrell Street Associates, LLC, 99 Swift Street, South Burlington, VT 05403 was received on November 18, 2024 and deemed complete on November 20, 2024. The project is generally described as the retrofit and conversion of an existing stormwater wet pond to a gravel wetland for enhanced stormwater control and treatment. The project is located at 38 Eastwood Drive in South Burlington, Vermont. The application may be viewed on the Natural Resources Board’s website (https://act250.vermont.gov/) by clicking “Act 250 Database” and entering the project number “4C1074-4.”

No hearing will be held and a permit will be issued unless, on or before December 11, 2024, 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://act250.vermont.gov/documents/ party-status petition-form, and email it to the District 4 Office at: Act250.Essex@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 22, 2024. By: /s/ Kevin Anderson Kevin Anderson District Coordinator 10 Baldwin Street Montpelier, VT 05633 802-522-6074 Kevin.Anderson@vermont.gov

BURLINGTON DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2024, 5:00 PM PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

Hybrid & In Person (at 645 Pine Street) Meeting Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83225696227 ?pwd=SGQ0bTdnS000Wkc3c2J4WWw1dzMxUT09 Webinar ID: 832 2569 6227

Passcode: 969186

Telephone: US +1 929 205 6099 or +1 301 715

1. ZAP-24-14; 1835 North Avenue (RL, Ward 4) Hoang Nguyen / Quyet Pham / Alina Mills Appeal of administrative approval, ZPF-24-74, to increase existing fence from six-foot-high to eight-foot-high.

Plans may be viewed upon request by contacting the Department of Permitting & Inspections between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Participation in the DRB proceeding is a prerequisite to the right to take any subsequent appeal. Please note that ANYTHING submitted to the Zoning office is considered public and cannot be kept confidential. This may not be the final order in which items will be heard. Please view final Agenda, at www.burlingtonvt.gov/dpi/ drb/agendas or the office notice board, one week before the hearing for the order in which items will be heard.

Legal Notices

The City of Burlington will not tolerate unlawful harassment or discrimination on the basis of political or religious affiliation, race, color, national origin, place of birth, ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, veteran status, disability, HIV positive status, crime victim status or genetic information. The City is also committed to providing proper access to services, facilities, and employment opportunities. For accessibility information or alternative formats, please contact Human Resources Department at (802) 540-2505.

STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT

PROBATE DIVISION CHITTENDEN UNIT

DOCKET NO.: 24-PR-06073

In re ESTATE of David Chartrand

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

To the creditors of: David Chartrand, late of South Burlington.

Dated: October 31, 2024, October 28, 2024

Signature of Fiduciary: /s/ Shirley Priest and Deborah Lovejoy

Executor/Administrator: c/o Adam Bartsch, PO Box 928, Shelburne, VT 05482

Phone: 802-985-8811

Email: abartsch@neetlaw.com

Name of Publication: Seven Days Publication Date: 11/27/2024

Name of Probate Court: State of VermontChittenden Probate Division

Address of Probate Court: 175 Main Street, Burlington, VT 05401

PUBLIC HEARING

WINOOSKI DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD

A public hearing will be held by the Winooski Development Review Board on Thursday, December 19, 2024 beginning at 6:30 p.m. to consider the following:

Preliminary and Final Subdivision Review – 85 West Street

Applicant has submitted a request to create a twolot Planned Unit Development (PUD) subdivision. Both proposed lots are expected to host residential uses.

This property is located in the City’s Residential C (R-C) Zoning District. Preliminary and Final Subdivision Review under Section 6.2 of the ULUDR is required for subdividing a property and for creating a PUD.

This hearing will begin at 6:30pm. Members of the public that are interested in participating in this hearing can do so by attending in person at Winooski City Hall, 27 West Allen Street, Winooski, VT; or electronically by visiting https://us06web. zoom.us/j/82129899225 or by calling (301) 715 8592 and using Webinar ID: 821 2989 9225. Toll charges may apply.

Members of the public interested in participating in the above captioned hearing are requested, but not required to make their intentions known by completing the public comment request form located on the City’s website at https://www. winooskivt.gov/FormCenter/Human-Resources6/ Public-Comment-Request-Form-61 at least 24

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

hours in advance to ensure this information is included in the record of the hearing. This will also allow the chair to recognize participants to provide testimony at the appropriate time during the hearing.

The Development Review Board will hold a public hearing on this matter before rendering a decision. Decisions of the Development Review Board can be appealed by “interested persons” (as defined by 24 V.S.A. § 4465) to the Environmental Division of the Vermont Superior Court.

Questions or comments on this matter can be directed to Ravi Venkataraman, AICP, CFM, Director of City Planning by calling 802.655.6410 or visiting Winooski City Hall at 27 West Allen Street during normal business hours. Information related to this matter will also be available on the City’s website at https://www.winooskivt.gov/229/ Development-Review-Board

TOWN OF RICHMOND

DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD AGENDA

DECEMBER 11, 2024, AT 7:00 PM

Location: 3rd floor meeting room Richmond Town Offices, 203 Bridge Street Richmond VT, 05477 Join Zoom Meeting:https://us02web.zoom. us/j/89057870483

Meeting ID: 890 5787 0483

Call-in: +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)

Application materials may be viewed at http:// www.richmondvt.gov/boards-minutes/ development-review-board/ before the meeting. Please call Tyler Machia, Zoning Administrator, at 802-434-2430 or email tmachia@richmondvt.gov with any questions.

Public Comment Public Hearing

Item 1.PRESUB2024-03 Matthew Parisi Parcel

ID#EM0112

Project Location: 114 East Main Street

1.Project Description: The Applicants are seeking preliminary approval for a proposed 3 lot Residential Planned Unit Development. Lot 1 contains a preexisting duplex. Lot 2 contains a preexisting single-family home. Proposed lot 3 would be common land.

2.Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest or ex parte communication.

Item 2.SKP2024-04 Jessica & Micheal Sipes Parcel

ID#WF0060

Project Location: 60 Wolf Lane

1.Project Description: The Applicants, Jessica & Michael Sipes, are seeking to remove a restriction from the building envelope of lot 7 of the Wolf Lane Subdivision. This lots building envelope is currently restricted to agricultural uses only.

2.Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest or ex parte communication.

Item 3.SKP2024-05 Village View Condo Assoc

Parcel ID#EM0075

Project Location: 90 East Main Street

1.Project Description: The Applicants, Village View Condo Assoc, are looking to subdivide one lot off of their property.

2.Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest or ex parte communication

Item 4.SKP2024-06 VYCC Parcel ID#EM1949

Project Location: 1949 East Main Street

1.Project Description: The Applicants, Vermont Youth Conservation Corps, are seeking an expansion of uses at their Richmond Campus. They are hoping to add a number of uses to the property, including housing for VYCC staff and participants, in order to offer more programing.

2.Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest or ex parte communication

Other Business

1.Public discussion of the Richmond Code of Ethics.

2.Public discussion on the Development Review Boards rules and procedures and possible revisions.

TOWN OF JERICHO – PLANNING COMMISSION NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Pursuant to 24 V.S.A. § 4444, the Jericho Planning Commission will hold a Public Hearing on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, at 7pm in the Jericho Town Hall, 67 VT Route 15, Jericho, Vermont, to hear public comment regarding proposed amendments to the Jericho Land Use and Development Regulations.

Summary of Amendments to Regulations

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE:

The primary purposes of the proposed amendments are to include “Town Garage/Maintenance Facility” as a conditional use in the Open Space District and support the 2024 Jericho Town Plan’s guidance to improve the Town’s Highway Garage.

LIST OF SECTION HEADINGS: The amendments include changes to Section 2: Definitions; Section 4: Zoning Uses, Section 11: General Development Standards, and Section 13: Character Based Zone.

GEOGRAPHIC AREA AFFECTED: These amendments have the potential to affect areas of the Town in the Open Space District.

PLACE WHERE FULL TEXT MAY BE EXAMINED: The complete text of the amended regulations may be found at https://jerichovt.org/proposed-bylawamendment-town-garage-maintenance-facility. Alternatively, a full-text copy may be examined in the Planning and Zoning office, Jericho Town Hall, 67 VT Route 15, Jericho, Vermont.

PERSON TO CONTACT: Additional information pertaining to these proposed amendments may be obtained by contacting Chris Shaheen, Town Planner, at the Jericho Town Hall by calling (802) 899-2287 x 103 during regular office hours.

ACT 250 NOTICE

MINOR APPLICATION 4C0367-10

10 V.S.A. §§ 6000 – 6111

Application 4C0367-10 from Town of Milton, Attn: Lisa Schaeffler, 43 Bombardier Road, Milton, VT 05468 and Jason and Amanda Pitts, 93 Red Clover Way, Milton, VT 05468 was received on November 15, 2024 and deemed complete on November 22, 2024. The project is generally described as repair and stabilization of an existing stormwater gully located at the outlet of an existing culvert. The project includes installation on new concrete curbing, catch basins, pretreatment swirl separator and subsurface infiltration chambers within the roadway. The project is located on Red Clover Way in Milton, Vermont. The application may be viewed on the Natural Resources Board’s website (https://act250.vermont.gov/) by clicking “Act 250 Database” and entering the project number “4C0367-10.”

No hearing will be held and a permit will be issued unless, on or before December 19, 2024, 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:// act250.vermont.gov/documents/party-statuspetition-form, and email it to the District 4 Office at: Act250.Essex@vermont.gov. Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law may not be prepared unless the Commission holds a public hearing. For more information contact Stephanie H.

Monaghan at the address or telephone number below.

Dated this November 25, 2024. By: Stephanie H. Monaghan District Coordinator 111 West Street Essex Junction, VT 05452 802-261-1944

stephanie.monaghan@vermont.gov

TOWN OF ESSEX PLANNING COMMISSION NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

DECEMBER 12, 2024, 6:30 PM

Hybrid & In Person (Municipal Conference Room, 81 Main St., Essex Jct.) Meeting. Anyone may attend this meeting in person at the above address or remotely through the following options: Zoom link: https://www.essexvt.org/1043/ Join-Zoom-Meeting-Essex-PC Call (audio only): 1-888-788-0099 | Meeting ID: 923 7777 6158 # | Passcode: 426269 | Public wifi is available at the Essex municipal offices, libraries, and hotspots listed here: https://publicservice.vermont.gov/ content/public-wifi-hotspots-vermont

1. CONTINUED FROM 09/12/24 – Sterling Homes – Sketch application of a 28-lot subdivision including 26 lots with new single-family homes, 1 condominium with 4 duplexes (8 living units) and 15.44 acres open/common land, located at 53 Center Road, Parcel ID 2-087-001-000 in the Medium Density Residential (R2) district.

2. CONTINUED FROM 09/26/24 – Allen Brook Development – Preliminary review of a 6-lot subdivision of Parcel B within the Saxon Hill Industrial Park. Access will be provided via a new 30’ wide curbed road off of River Road (currently Kimo Drive). The property is located at 75 Thompson Drive, Parcel ID 2-072-008-000, located in the Industrial (I) district.

Application materials may be viewed before the meeting at https://www.essexvt.org/182/ Current-Development-Applications. Please call 802-878-1343 or email COMMUNITYDEVELOPMENT@ESSEX.ORG with any questions. This may not be the final order in which items will be heard. Please view the complete Agenda, at https://essexvt.portal.civicclerk.com or the office notice board before the hearing for the order in which items will be heard and other agenda items.

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

BURLINGTON COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE

Pursuant to 24 V.S.A. §4442 and §4444, notice is hereby given of a public hearing by the Burlington City Council to hear comments on the following proposed amendment to the City of Burlington’s Comprehensive Development Ordinance (CDO):

ZA-24-03

Emergency Shelters

The public hearing will take place on Monday, December 16, 2024 during the Regular City Council Meeting which begins at 6:00 pm in Contois Auditorium, Burlington City Hall, 149 Church Street, Burlington, VT or you may access the hearing/ meeting as follows :

On-line: https://zoom.us/j/96070476680

By telephone: +1 646 931 3860 US Webinar ID: 960 7047 6680

Pursuant to the requirements of 24 V.S.A. §4444(b):

Statement of purpose:

The purpose of proposed amendment ZA-24-03 Emergency Shelters is to bring emergency shelter standards in the CDO into compliance with the current state statutory standards, it also modifies where emergency shelters may be located.

SEVENDAYSVT.COM/CLASSIFIEDS »

Geographic areas affected:

ZA-24-03 Emergency Shelters applies to all zoning districts within the city that will permit emergency shelters, either as-of-right or conditionally (I, RH, RC, NMU, NAC, NAC-RC) and those that will no longer permit them (RL, RM, and NAC-CR).

List of section headings affected:

The proposed amendment ZA-24-03 Emergency Shelters modifies the following sections of the CDO--deletes Sec. 5.4.13, Emergency Shelters, modifies Secs. 13.1.2, Definitions; 14.3.4-H-Use Type FD6, 14.3.5-Use Types FD5, and Appendix A-Use Table-All Zoning Districts.

The full text of the Burlington Comprehensive Development Ordinance is available online at https://www.burlingtonvt.gov/53/ZoningOrdinance Upon request a hard copy of the proposed amendments can be viewed at the Clerk’s Office located on the second floor of City Hall, 149 Church Street, Burlington, Monday through Friday

Show and tell. View and post up to 6 photos per ad online.

8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or online at https://www. burlingtonvt.gov/555/Pending-CDO-Amendments

TOWN OF BOLTON DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD

PUBLIC HEARING: DECEMBER 12, 2024

The Town of Bolton’s Development Review Board will hold a public hearing on December 12, 2024 at 6:30pm.

Place: Virtual or Municipal Conference Room, 3045

Theodore Roosevelt Highway, Bolton, VT, 05676. Time: December 12,2024 06:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

Town of Bolton is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Bolton DRB Hybrid Meeting Time: Dec 12, 2024 06:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84566484038?pwd= Gt2S9lEOb1zgjTaSkeocbAcUBAHhrt.1 Meeting ID: 845 6648 4038

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 vermontalanonalateen.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.

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.

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@dragonheartvermont.org for info.

BURLINGTON MEN’S PEER GROUP

Tue. nights, 7-9 p.m. in Burlington. Free of charge, 30 years running. Call Neils 802-877-3742 or email neils@myfairpoint.net.

Passcode: 028381

Open 24/7/365.

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The following applications will be reviewed: 2024-09-DRB; Applicant & Property Owner: John Devine, 4387 Notch Rd., Subdivide a +/-2.11 acre parcel, Proposed Lot #4, from an existing +/-56.07 acre parcel known as Lot #1. Two parcels were previously subdivided from Lot #1; +/-2.02 acres (Lot #2) and +/-2.00 acres (Lot #3). Lot #1 contains an existing single family home with accessory buildings and Lot #4 is being proposed with a single family home, on-site septic and drilled supply well. (Tax Map #1-0044387) Final Review.

2024-15-DRB; Applicant & Property Owner: Lindsay DesLauriers, President & CEO, BVR, LLC, 4302 Bolton Valley Access Road, Bolton Valley, Five-lot Planned United Development subdivision with a total of 48 residential units at 3969 Bolton Valley Access Road. (Tax Map #07-105/16-000 (Span: 069-021-10090). Preliminary Review.

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

PROSTATE CANCER SUPPORT GROUP

The Champlain Valley Prostate Cancer Support Group meets online on the 2nd Tue. of the mo., 6-7:30 p.m., via Zoom. Whether you are newly diagnosed, dealing w/ a reoccurrence or trying to manage the side effects of treatment, you are welcome here! More info: Andy Hatch, group leader, ahatch63@gmail.com.

CENTRAL VERMONT CELIAC SUPPORT GROUP

Last Thu. of every mo., 7:30 p.m. in Montpelier. Please contact Lisa Masé 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.

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 St. John Vianney Catholic Church, 160 Hinesburg Rd, S. Burlington. Call/ email Alan at 802-233-0544 alanday88@gmail. com or Claire at 802-448-3569.

DISABILITY PEER SUPPORT GROUP

Our group is a space for mutual support, open to anybody who identifies as disabled, differently abled or having a disability. Whether your disability is visible, invisible, physical or cognitive, this group is for you! The group meets every 1st and 3rd Mon. of the mo., 1:15-2:15 p.m., at 279 N. Winooski Ave., Burlington, VT & online on Zoom. Email us for the Zoom link & more info: pvcc@ pathwaysvermont.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

2024-16-DRB; Applicant & Property Owner: McCain Consulting Inc./Kilpeck, 895 Duxbury Rd., a 3 lot subdivision. Two of the lots will be suitable for single family homes. The third lot will be the balance of the land. (Tax Map #01-036.000) Final Plan Review.

Additional information can be obtained through email by calling 802-434-5075, or by email at zoningbolton@gmavt.net. Pursuant to 24 VSA § 4464 and § 4471, participation in this local proceeding, by written or oral comment, is a prerequisite to the right to take any subsequent appeal.

THE CONTENTS OF STORAGE UNIT 02-0120, 02-00233,

Located at 48 Industrial Ave Williston, VT, 05495 Will be sold on or about the 12th of December 2024 to satisfy the debt of Kevin Norton. 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.

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

Tue., 6-7 p.m., the Turning Point Center, 179 S. Winooski Ave., Burlington. For further info, please visit thefamilyrestored.org or contact 207-387-0015.

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.

Support Groups

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 603-6301495 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 register, please contact bereavement program coordinator Max Crystal, mcrystal@ bayada.com or 802-448-1610.

GRIEF SUPPORT GROUPS

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

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.

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 Vermontbased 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 wide variety of cancers. For further info, please contact info@ vcsn.net.

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 Mon., 7 p.m. at First United Methodist Church of Burlington (Red

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

Door Church) 21 Buell St., Burlington. Contact: jointsession@newenglandma.org.

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 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!

REFUGE RECOVERY MEETING

Burlington Refuge Recovery is a Buddhistoriented, 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. faceto-face 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.

Woman/LGBT+ owned and operated. Seeking a badass CSR to join our team!

Send resumes to: jessie@ vermontawards.com.

ATTENTION RECRUITERS:

POST YOUR JOBS AT: JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POST-A-JOB PRINT DEADLINE: NOON ON MONDAYS (INCLUDING HOLIDAYS) FOR RATES & INFO: MICHELLE BROWN, 802-865-1020 X121, MICHELLE@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

SUPPORT COORDINATOR

Seeking a support coordinator to work as a team member with a person who experiences an intellectual disability. Job responsibilities include helping with paperwork and applications, making appointments, check-ins, working closely with the team, and helping sort out complicated information. It is important that this person be on-time, reliable, patient, knowledgeable about resources, and caring. The schedule is 4 hours per week, pay will be determined by experience.

Please send resume and letter of interest to: jobseeking775@gmail.com Director of Development and Major Gifts

Age Well is seeking a Director of Development and Major Gifts to strengthen and expand its fundraising efforts in support of new strategic priorities and in preparation for a multimilliondollar comprehensive campaign. Reporting to the Chief Advancement Officer, the Director will develop a strategic plan for major and planned giving programs to maximize philanthropic potential to engage and inspire donors to invest in Age Well and deepen their commitment to our aging community. Key to success in this role will be building relationships with new prospects and strengthening relationships with existing donors to maximize philanthropic support. Send resumes to: hr@agewellvt.org

Join the Community Kitchen Academy!

Community Kitchen Academy (CKA) is a 9-week job training program featuring: Hands on learning, national ServSafe certification, job placement support and meaningful connections to community. Plus... the tuition is FREE and weekly stipends are provided for income eligible students! At CKA you’ll learn from professional chefs in modern commercial kitchens and graduate with the skills and knowledge to build a career in food service, food systems and other related fields. Throughout the course, you’ll develop and apply new skills by preparing food that would otherwise be wasted. The food you cook is then shared with neighbors via community food shelves and meal sites. CKA is a program of the Vermont Foodbank, operated in partnership with Capstone Community Action in Barre. Next session starts January 6th in Barre.

are currently accepting applications for full-time and part-time availability. Apply today and work

NEK Delivery Driver Wanted

Want to be a hero every Wednesday? Need some cash? Get paid to drive through beautiful Vermont scenery while delivering Vermont’s most beloved newspaper! We are looking for a driver to deliver Seven Days weekly in the Orleans County (NEK) area.

Only requirements are a clean driving record (no major violations), availability on Wednesdays, a reliable vehicle (preferably station wagon style or larger), ability to lift 15 pounds and a positive attitude. If you can check all these boxes, then we want you to join the Seven Days Circulation team. Familiarity with the region is a plus. We pay hourly plus mileage reimbursement. Papers can be picked up in Newport, VT. Regular trips to Burlington not required. Email circ@sevendaysvt.com. No phone calls, please. Seven Days is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

ATTENTION RECRUITERS:

Lake Watershed Program Specialist

WHERE YOU AND YOUR WORK MATTER

PUBLIC HEAL TH NURSE SUPER VISOR – BRATTLEBORO

The position is a member of the Brattleboro District leadership team and supervises seven staff. The work involves extensive relationship-building with staff, state partners, and community partners. Duties are performed under the supervision of a Public Health Services District Director This is a unique opportunity to have a broad impact on Vermonters’ health and well-being. Responsibilities include performance management of nursing and non-nursing staff. View the website listing for details. For more information, contact Chloe Updegraff at Chloe.Updegraff@vermont.gov. Location: Brattleboro. Department: Health. Status: Full Time: Job ID #50720. Application Deadline: Open Until Filled.

PUBLIC HEAL TH N URSE SUPER VISOR – SPRINGFIELD

The Public Health Nurse Supervisor plans, supervises, organizes, coordinates, and reviews the work of staff performing a full range of professional nursing practices promoting and protecting the health of populations using knowledge from nursing as well as social and public health sciences, including the delivery of clinical, community, field and population-based intervention; licensed care management; data collection and analysis; program planning. For more information, contact Mike Russell at Mike.Russell@vermont.gov. Location: Springfield. Department: Health. Status: Full Time. Job ID #50721. Application Deadline: Open Until Filled.

CLIMA TE CHANGE MITIG A TION SECTION LEAD –MO NTPELIER

This is an exciting leadership position in the Climate Action Office (CAO) that will support crafting and implementing policies and programs that support Vermont in meeting its emission reduction requirements. In doing so, this position will coordinate closely with other State Agencies, as well as advance the programmatic work of the CAO including the decarbonization of the transportation and nonenergy sectors, the deployment of climate funding, and leadership on relevant rulemaking initiatives. For more information, contact Jane Lazorchak at Jane. Lazorchak@vermont.gov. Location: Montpelier. Department: Natural Resources. Status: Full Time, Limited Service. Job ID #50560. Application Deadline: December 16, 2024.

CLIMA TE CHANGE D AT A AN ALYS T – MONTPELIER

The Climate Change Data Analyst is an exciting and dynamic position in the state’s Climate Action Office in the Agency of Natural Resources. The primary responsibilities of this position include the preparation of the state’s annual Greenhouse Gas Inventory and the scoping and development of a new data tool that will measure and track the progress of meeting the state’s climate action goals over time. The position requires strong communication skills and the ability to work independently. For more information, contact Jane Lazorchak at Jane.Lazorchak@ vermont.gov. Location: Montpelier. Department: Natural Resources. Status: Full Time. Job ID #51436. Application Deadline: December 16, 2024.

Join the Orleans County Natural Resources Conservation District team! The primary role of this position will be to work with lakeshore landowners, lake associations and state and local partners in four priority watersheds to address land use impacts to surface waters from sediment and nutrients from individual lakeshore properties, municipal roads, and other high priority areas in a lake’s watershed. The position will be based out of our office in Newport VT. Bachelor’s degree is desired but not required with at least 2 years of work experience in a related field. The Orleans County NRCD is an organization that offers staff a supportive work environment with a goal of meeting our clients’ need as well as the wellbeing of our staff.

We are Vermont’s unified public media organization (formerly VPR and Vermont PBS), serving the community with trusted journalism, quality entertainment, and diverse educational programming.

We are currenlty hiring two people for the following positon:

We believe a strong organization includes employees from a range of backgrounds with different skills, experience & passions.

VCRD TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE COORDINATOR (LIMITED SERVICE)

The Technical Assistance Coordinator will provide direct services and/or coordinate contracted services to support rural community leaders who are driving projects forward for community and economic development, resilience, and renewal. Must be a team player with a strong grasp of municipal government, community engagement, facilitation, and project development strategies, particularly as applicable to small, rural communities; with excellent communication skills, an eagerness to learn, and a strong sense of mission in service to Vermont communities. Salary range $60,000-$72,000 based on skills and experience. The position is limited service with funding secured through the end of 2025.

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS ASSOCIATE

Seeking a dedicated, energetic and hardworking Community Programs Associate to support VCRD’s community programs. Must be a team player with excellent communications skills, an eagerness to learn, and a strong sense of mission in service to rural Vermont communities. Salary range $45,000$55,000 based on skills and experience.

Find job descriptions and application information here: vtrural.org/vcrd-job-openings. Deadline to apply is 12/1/2024.

More openings and to apply: vermontpublic.org/careers

Vermont Public is a proud equal opportunity employer.

For more info, visit: orleanscountynrcd.org/we-are-hiring to learn more about the position, salary and beneﬁts here. Applications are due by the end of Monday December 30th. To apply please send your cover letter and resume as one PDF to sarah.damsell@vt.nacdnet.net. No phone calls please. You’re in good hands with... “Seven Days sales rep Michelle Brown is amazing! She’s extremely responsive, and I always feel so taken care of.”

CAROLYN ZELLER Intervale Center, Burlington

Bookkeeper

Local independent Internet Service Provider based in Jericho, VT seeking additional bookkeeping support.

Particular help with monthend closing, reconciliations, A/R. Flexible hours and remote work possible. Can be employee or contractor.

Employees enjoy paid holidays, vacations, health, vision and dental insurance. Pay commensurate with skills and experience.

Send resumes to: leslie.nulty@mcfibervt.com

Executive Director

The Vermont Association of Conservation Districts (VACD) is seeking an experienced and passionate leader to serve as its next Executive Director. This is a unique opportunity to guide the organization’s growth and support Vermont’s 14 Natural Resources Conservation Districts (NRCDs) as they tackle climate change, water quality, and land conservation challenges. The Executive Director will provide strategic leadership, oversee financial management, advocate for conservation policies, and build partnerships across the state. This full-time, remote position requires travel throughout Vermont, including regular presence in Montpelier during the legislative session.

Starting salary is $90,000–$105,000, with a competitive benefits package. Applications are due by 5 PM, December 2, 2024.

2v-MansfieldCommunityFiber103024.indd 110/28/24

Office Assistant

Red House Building is hiring an Office Assistant to assist with data entry, accounting, payroll, and vendor coordination.

Flexible hours and generous benefits are available. The position is 30+/- hours with potential for full-time. Accounting and/or Quickbooks experience is preferred.

Send resumes to chris@ redhousebuilding.com Redhousebuilding.com

Carpenter

New Frameworks, a worker-owned cooperative design and construction company, is hiring a Carpenter to add to our team. We are a busy, fun, egalitarian-yet-structured, creative, kind, and mission-driven group of people working together towards the goal of developing ecological and social climate justice and regeneration practices in the building and design trades.

Our ideal candidate has 8+ yrs’ experience in construction, renovation, trades and/or energy & weatherization work, and at least 2 years’ experience managing a crew. If you’ve been looking for a way to use your carpentry skills to advance climate change response through the built environment; build with natural, local, and plant-based materials; and be an integral part of an equitable, intersectional feminist workplace with a strong team culture, we welcome you! This position is based in Essex Junction, Vermont, but we travel to job sites across northern and central Vermont. $26-30/hr depending on experience, plus paid time off, benefits, education, and profit sharing.

To apply, please submit a letter of interest and resume via email to info@newframeworks.com People of color, trans and gender-nonconforming people, people from poor and working-class backgrounds, queer people, and women are encouraged to apply.

Executive Director

2v-RedHouseBuilding112024.indd 1 11/14/24 10:41 AM

Lab Assistant/ Phlebotomist

The Wonderfeet Kids Museum Board of Directors is seeking an individual with a passion for children, families and learning, to launch our newly expanded museum into a future with expanded growth and opportunity for our community.

For full job description or to apply, send your cover letter and resume to: WonderfeetEvents@gmail. com and in the subject line please write: Executive Director application.

Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital (NVRH) is hiring for a Lab Assistant/ Phlebotomist in St. Johnsbury. In this role, you’ll engage with patients of all ages – inpatient, outpatient, and ER. You’ll collect specimens, process orders, and provide excellent customer service and office support by greeting patients and answering phones.

Our collaborative team is growing! We are seeking a Philanthropy Specialist who is passionate about having a direct impact on Vermont communities. In this role, you will be responsible for: Development and Fundraising Support

Event Coordination

Customer Service and Donor Relations

Data and Administrative Assistance This role supports fundraising development, stewardship, and administrative duties. Visit vermontcf.org/careers to learn more.

Program Manager Full-Time Exempt Position

The Addison County Solid Waste Management District is seeking a motivated and experienced individual to join our team in Middlebury, VT as Program Manager. Basic function: To design and implement education, waste reduction, reuse, recycling, composting, pollution prevention and special waste diversion programs to help individuals and businesses in member municipalities effectively reduce and manage waste. To manage the HazWaste Center. To promote District facility and program compliance with state and federal laws. To coordinate the health & safety training of staff and assist the District Manager in developing policies and procedures that promote safe facility operation. To collaborate with other professionals on special projects and subcommittees.

Office hours: Mon-Fri, 8:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m., with flexibility to work occasional nights and weekends as programs and projects require

The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, analytical and versatile.

Desired skills and experience:

• Education –Bachelor’s degree or higher in a biological-life or physical science, engineering, planning, sustainability, social science, data science, or an environmental or natural resources field;

• High degree of motivation, creativity, and persistence in developing and implementing new ideas and in finding solutions to problems.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• High degree of motivation, creativity, and persistence in developing and implementing new ideas and in finding solutions to problems.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse audiences (staff, haulers, local

The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, analytical and versatile. Desired skills and experience:

• Ability to obtain 24-hour HAZWOPER training, RCRA training and DOT training, including ability to be respirator fittested. Ability to read and understand hazardous waste rules and regulations and to apply them to daily practice.

• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse audiences (staff, haulers, local and state officials, facility managers, and general public).

and state officials, facility managers, and general public).

• A valid VT Driver’s license or ability to obtain one within the first month of employment, and a reliable personal vehicle to be used for attending events, inspecting facilities and delivering materials.

We offer competitive compensation (salary starts at $59,000) and a full benefits package, including health insurance, employer-paid HRA, Dental, Eye, Life, and STD/LTD insurance. Generous sick and vacation leave, training and retirement contribution match are offered.

NVRH offers competitive wages and excellent benefits, including student loan repayment, affordable and comprehensive medical, dental and vision plan choices, and more. There’s a generous paid time off plan and career advancement opportunities. A minimum of 6 months of phlebotomy experience OR certification is required. Make a difference in healthcare! Apply today! Apply now at www.nvrh.org/careers Are you a detail-oriented development professional who thrives in a team environment?

We offer competitive compensation (salary starts

Please submit a letter of interest and résumé to Teresa Kuczynski via email at teri@acswmd.org. OR apply on Indeed.com. For a copy of the job description, go to www.AddisonCountyRecycles.org. Open until filled. E.O.E.

Please submit a letter of interest and résumé to

ATTENTION RECRUITERS:

Business Systems Administrator/Analyst

The Vermont League of Cities and Towns (VLCT) has an immediate need for an experienced Business Systems Administrator/Analyst. This position shares responsibility for managing, maintaining, documenting, evaluating, and continuously improving property and casualty insurance applications and processes within VLCT’s Risk Management Services Department (RMS).

Key requirements include, but are not limited to:

• Familiarity with property and casualty insurance applications desired

• Familiarity with SQL query language desired; proficiency strongly desired

• Detailed knowledge of common Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, Outlook)

• Understanding of relational databases

• Ability to interpret and communicate analysis to nontechnical end users

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

Education/experience requirements: Undergraduate degree or a related designation in business administration or a technology related field and three years of equivalent work experience, or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience is required. Experience with application administration, preferably within a risk pool or insurance company, is preferred. Familiarity with HTML and XML; proficiency strongly desired. Project management experience is also desired.

Salary commensurate with experience. Hiring salary range is $70,000 - $80,000. VLCT offers an incredible total compensation package that includes health, dental, vision and pet insurance along with 403b retirement plan, a pension within the Vermont Municipal Employees’ Retirement System, employer paid life, generous paid leave, and a remote work environment that meets core work objectives.

To view the full job description and to apply, please visit: vlct.org/careers. Please plan to upload a cover letter, resume, and three professional references. Application deadline is Wednesday, December 4.

Resume review begins immediately. Applications accepted until the position is filled. Equal Opportunity Employer.

Water & Sewer Supervisor

The Town of Fairfax seeks to hire a full-time Water and Sewer Supervisor to conduct daily operations of the Fairfax municipal water and sewer system including the collection of water/wastewater samples, maintenance and upkeep of facilities. Candidates are required to hold a VT Driver’s License, be able to respond to the system within 30 minutes of being called-in, successfully pass a background check, and participate. The successful candidate will possess a minimum of a Class 3 Certiﬁcation for Public Water System Operator and at least a Domestic I for Pollution Abatement Facility Operator with at least three years of related experience. Pay range is $35 to $42 per hour with pay commensurate with experience. The position has excellent beneﬁts including VT Municipal Retirement, competitive compensation package, and is eligible for overtime.

Recreation Activities Coordinator

The Town of Fairfax is seeking to ﬁll the permanent part-time position of Recreation Activities Coordinator to help plan, implement, and promote programs for residents of all ages. Candidates should have knowledge of community recreation and experience planning, organizing, and leading recreation activities. Pay range is $18.59 to $21.70 per hour and requires a ﬂexible schedule that includes some evenings, weekends & holiday work.

To review both job descriptions & download applications visit: fairfax-vt.gov/jobs. Send cover letter, application & resume to: townmanager@fairfax-vt.gov OR mail to: Town of Fairfax, Attn. Town Manager, 12 Buck Hollow Road, Fairfax, VT 05454. Postings will remain active until ﬁlled. The Town of Fairfax is an E.O.E.

CLIENT SERVICES & SCHEDULING COORDINATOR

Hinesburg, VT | Full-Time Competitive Pay Based on Experience

We are a trusted water well drilling company based out of Hinesburg, VT. Our team is dedicated to providing professional water solutions, and we’re looking for a highly organized and personable Client Services and Scheduling Coordinator to join our office team.

Requirements:

• Strong customer service skills and clear communication.

• Experience with office tasks like scheduling, data entry, and ﬁle management (QuickBooks experience a plus).

• A detail-oriented, organized, and proactive attitude.

• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment while maintaining accuracy.

Hours: Monday to Friday, 7:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Send resume & cover letter to vtwellpump@gmavt.net

We’re looking forward to meeting you!

THE GRIND GOT YOU DOWN?

Trusted, local employers are hiring in Seven Days newspaper and online. Browse 100+ new job postings each week.

Follow @SevenDaysJobs on Twitter for the latest job opportunities

See who’s hiring at jobs.sevendaysvt.com

Service Coordinator

Join our team of professionals providing case management for individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism. In this position you will work with individuals to create and realize goals while supporting them in maintaining a safe and healthy lifestyle.

Compensation package is $51k annually plus a generous on-call stipend, mileage compensation, and $1500 sign on bonus. Position includes comprehensive and affordable health insurance, 20 paid days off plus 12 paid holidays, retirement match, tuition reimbursement and so much more. In addition, CCS has been voted as one of the Best Places to Work in Vermont for six years in a row!

Why not have a job you love? Continue your career in human services in a compassionate & fun environment. Join us today and make a career making a difference. Send resume to Karen Ciechanowicz at staff@ccs-vt.org ccs-vt.org

High School Principal

Orleans Central Supervisory Union seeks qualiﬁed candidates with visionary and systemic leadership capacity to serve as Lake Region Union High School's next Principal.

Scan QR code to apply:

Visit the link below to learn more about open positions, including salary & beneﬁt details.

www.onedayinjuly.com/careers

PUBLIC WORKS COORDINATOR

The Town of Jericho (VT) is looking for a full-time Public Works Coordinator. Jericho (pop. ~5,080) is a small rural community in the center of Chittenden County about 30 minutes from Burlington to the west and Mt. Mansfield to the east. The community has 3 small historic village centers surrounded by a quintessential rural landscape and abundant recreational opportunities.

The Public Works Coordinator works under the supervision of the Town Administrator and in coordination with the Highway Department and Town Engineer to manage municipal infrastructure, and coordinate permitting and projects. The work of the Public Works Coordinator involves diverse administrative and technical tasks. Organizational, communication, and technical skills are required. The position requires a high degree of independence, initiative, sound judgment and professionalism. Salary range is commensurate with experience and will be in the range of $50-$65,000 annually.

For a complete job description, visit jerichovt.org, and find the link on our home page. To apply, please email cover letter, resume and 3 references to Linda Blasch, Assistant Town Administrator to: lblasch@jerichovt.gov or mail to: PO Box 39, Jericho, VT 05465. Review of applicants will be ongoing until filled.

The Town of Jericho is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

FULFILLMENT TECHNICIAN, FT

Shelburne, VT

Qualiﬁcations:

• Process driven, attention to detail

• Able to lift up to 25lbs, team player

Job Summary:

The prospective candidate will be responsible for picking and packing orders. Other responsibilities may include but are not limited to cycle counting inventory, data entry, and other administrative tasks. Hours: Monday-Friday, 7:30 am to 4 pm.

Beneﬁts:

• Pay: $19.50 per hour (Hourly wage will be increased to $20.00 after probation period of 5 months)

• 401(k), Life insurance, Medical, Dental & Vision insurance

• Employee discount & monthly gratis product, Paid time o Send resume to amy@tataharper.com

ATTENTION RECRUITERS:

Dental Assistant - Pediatric

Middlebury Pediatric Dentistry is looking for a dental assistant to join our practice. Help us take care of Vermont kids’ oral health! Four day work week. Competitive salary. Benefits include retirement plan, health insurance, 2 weeks paid vacation, licensure, and CE.

Please send your resume to: frontdesk@middleburypediatricdentistry.com

Engaging minds that change the world

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

Administrative Assistant - Nutrition and Food Sciences#S5399PO - The position serves as administrative assistant to the department Chair, as well as provide support for the department faculty and faculty recruitments, facilitate schedule of courses, coordinate course and curriculum changes, create and manage the department website, social media, listservs and Teams site. The position will also handle advisor assignments and change of major/minor for undergraduate students; assist in undergraduate and graduate student recruitment activities; organize event planning, including annual first year and graduate welcome, department retreats, department award ceremony and other department-related events; coordinates maintenance requests and keeps office stocked with supplies and will assist with special projects as needed. Social media experience is helpful.

Minimum Requirements: Associate’s Degree with three years administrative experience to include customer service required. Working knowledge of applicable office software applications (Microsoft Word and Excel) and internet resources required. Ability to work independently and take initiative. The ability to prioritize and multi-task is essential.

The University is especially interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of the institution. Applicants are encouraged to include in their cover letter information about how they will further this goal.

For further information on this position and others currently available, or to apply online, please visit www.uvmjobs.com Applicants must apply for positions electronically. Paper resumes are not accepted. Open positions are updated daily. Please call 802-656-3150 or email employment@uvm.edu for technical support with the online application.

The University of Vermont is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

GO HIRE.

Seven Days Issue: 11/27

Due: 11/25 by 11am

Job Recruiters:

Size: 3.83” x 5.25”

Cost: $476.85 (with 1 week online)

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

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

• Easily manage your open job listings from your recruiter dashboard.

Job Seekers:

• Search for jobs by keyword, location, category and job type.

• Set up job alert emails using custom search criteria.

• Save jobs to a custom list with your own notes on the positions.

• 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.

TOWN ADMINISTRATOR

The Town of Duxbury seeks a dynamic, team-oriented individual to work in close coordination with the Selectboard and other Town employees in the administration of Selectboard and Highway Department priorities. The Selectboard Assistant is appointed by a majority of the Selectboard and is directly accountable to the Selectboard. He/she shall present an open, friendly, cooperative, and neutral attitude toward members of the public, the Selectboard and all other town officials at all times.

The selected candidate will exhibit a commitment to the Town's goals and objectives as determined by its voters, Selectboard, and commissions and will exhibit initiative and sound judgment in the administration of all affairs placed in his/her charge.

Education, Training and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in appropriate discipline.

• 5 years' experience in local government planning and administration, or equivalent experience in business or government.

• Grant writing, grant administration and grant management experience strongly preferred. Considerable knowledge of municipal operations, intergovernmental relations and Vermont municipal law.

• Experience in Project Management, particularly in the area of construction, is desirable. Management experience in an office environment preferred.

Compensation/Schedule:

Commensurate with experience. This is a part-time, hourly position, averaging 20 hours/week requiring a flexible schedule that will include night meetings. This is a "non-exempt" position under the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act.

For full description go to: bit.ly/DuxburyVTta

Please direct all inquiries & resumes to (mailed, dropped off or emailed): Town of Duxbury Selectboard 5421 VT Route 100, Duxbury, VT 05676 Email: pzduxvt@gmail.com

For full description go to: bit.ly/DuxburyVTta

Burlington Housing Authority (BHA)

Are you interested in a job that helps your community and makes a difference in people’s lives every day? Consider joining Burlington Housing Authority (BHA) in Burlington, VT to continue BHA’s success in promoting innovative solutions that address housing instability challenges facing our diverse population of low-income families and individuals.

We are currently hiring for the following positions:

Building Operations Technician:

Performs general maintenance work in BHA owned and managed properties. This includes building exteriors, common areas, apartments, building systems, fixtures, and grounds. Our Building Operations Techs are required to participate in the on-call rotation, which covers night and weekend emergencies.

Offender Re-entry Housing Specialist: Provides support to men and women under the VT Department of Corrections supervision from prison back to Chittenden County. The ORHS focuses on high-risk men and women who are being released from jail and graduating transitional housing programs and in need of permanent housing. The ORHS provides intensive retention and eviction prevention services and works collaboratively with the Burlington Probation and Parole Office. Additionally, the ORHS works with various case workers, Re-Entry staff and the Administrative Staff from the VT Department of Corrections and the broad network of COSA staff as necessary throughout Chittenden County.

Resident Manager at South Square: Attends to various resident requests, assisting with emergency service, and light cleaning duties. The Resident Manager is required to live on property. The Resident Manager is provided with an apartment and along with free utilities in exchange for being on call after BHA business hours and on weekends.

*BHA serves a diverse population of tenants and partners with a variety of community agencies. To most effectively carry out our vision of delivering safe

and affordable housing to all, we are committed to cultivating a staff that reflects varied lived experiences, viewpoints, and educational histories. Therefore, we strongly encourage candidates from diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals, and women to apply. Multilingualism is a plus!

Find more about these career opportunities: burlingtonhousing.org

Our robust benefit package includes premium medical insurance with a health reimbursement account, dental, vision, short & long term disability, 10% employer funded retirement plan, 457 retirement plan, accident insurance, life insurance, cancer & critical illness insurance.

We provide a generous time off policy including 12 days of paid time off and 12 days of sick time in the first year. In addition to the paid time off, BHA recognizes 13 (paid) holidays and 2 (paid) floating cultural holidays.

Interested in this opportunity? Send cover letter/resume to: humanresources@ burlingtonhousing.org

Human Resources

Burlington Housing Authority 65 Main Street, Suite 101 Burlington, VT 05401 BHA is an Equal Opportunity Employer

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Elise Brunelle

Executive Director, Vermont Symphony Orchestra

PHOTO:

fun stuff

“Slow down. No treats if daddy’s dead.”

JEN SORENSEN

HARRY BLISS

TIM SNIFFEN

JULIANNA BRAZILL

JOHN KLOSSNER

SAGITTARIUS

(NOV. 22-DEC. 21)

I invite you to get a head start on formulating your New Year’s resolutions. January 1 is a good time to instigate robust new approaches to living your life, but the coming weeks will be an even better time for you Sagittarians. To get yourself in the mood, imagine you have arrived at Day Zero, Year One. Simulate the feeling of being empty and open and fertile. Imagine that nothing binds you or inhibits you. Assume that the whole world is eager to know what you want. Act as if you have nothing to prove to anyone and everything to gain by being audacious and adventurous.

ARIES (Mar. 21-Apr. 19): Renowned composer Mozart had a sister nicknamed Nannerl. During their childhoods, she was as much a musical prodigy as he. They toured Europe doing performances together, playing harpsichord and piano. Some critics regarded her as the superior talent. But her parents ultimately decided it was unseemly for her, as a female, to continue her development as a genius. She was forcibly retired so she could learn housekeeping and prepare for marriage. Is there a part of your destiny, Aries, that resembles Nannerl’s? Has some of your brilliance been suppressed or denied? The coming months will be an excellent time to recover and revive it.

TAURUS (Apr. 20-May 20): Do you know if you have any doppelgängers, Taurus? I bet you will meet one in the coming weeks. How about soul friends, alter egos or evil twins? If there’s no one like that in your life right now, they may arrive soon. And if you already know such people, I suspect your relationships will grow richer. Mirror magic and shadow vision are in the works! I’m guessing you will experience the best, most healing kind of double trouble. Substitutes and stand-ins will have useful offers and tempting alternatives. Parallel realities may come leaking through into your reality. Opportunities for symbiosis and synergy will be at an all-time high. Sounds like wild fun!

GEMINI (May 21-Jun. 20): Humans have been eating a wide range of oranges since ancient times. Among the most popular type in modern times is the navel orange. It’s large, seedless, sweet, juicy and easy to peel. But it didn’t exist until the 1820s, when a genetic mutation on a single tree in Brazil spawned this new variety. Eventually, the navel became a revolutionary addition to the orange family. I foresee a metaphorically comparable development in your life during the coming months, Gemini. An odd tweak or interesting glitch could lead to a highly favorable expansion of possibilities. Be alert for it.

CANCER (Jun. 21-Jul. 22): Cancerian, you are a finalist for our “Most Resourceful and Successful Survivor of the Year” trophy. And if you take a brief trip to hell in the next two weeks, you could ensure your victory. But wait! Let me be more exact: “Hell” is an incorrect terminology; I just used it for shock effect. The fact is that “hell” is a religious invention that mischaracterizes the true nature of the realm of mystery, shadows and fertile darkness. In reality, the nether regions can be quite entertaining and enriching if you cultivate righteous attitudes. And what are those attitudes? A frisky curiosity to learn truths you have been ignorant about; a brave resolve to unearth repressed feelings and hidden yearnings; and a drive to rouse spiritual epiphanies that aren’t available when you’re in the trance of everyday consciousness.

LEO (Jul. 23-Aug. 22): In my astrological opinion, you need and deserve big doses of fun, play, pleasure and love. Amusement and

enchantment, too. As well as excitement, hilarity and delight. I trust you will schedule a series of encounters and adventures that provide you with a surplus of these necessary resources. Can you afford a new toy or two? Or a romantic getaway to a sanctuary of adoration? Or a smart gamble that will attract into your vicinity a stream of rosy luck? I suggest that you be audacious in seeking the sweet, rich feelings you require.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sep. 22): December will be Home Enhancement Month for you Virgos. Get started immediately! I’ll offer tips for how to proceed and ask you to dream up your own ideas. 1) Phase out décor or accessories that no longer embody the style of who you have become. 2) Add new décor and accessories that will inspire outbreaks of domestic bliss. 3) Encourage everyone in your household to contribute creative ideas to generate mutual enhancement. 4) Do a blessing ritual that will raise the spiritual vibes. 5) Invite your favorite people over and ask them to shower your abode with blessings.

LIBRA (Sep. 23-Oct. 22): Libran songwriter and producer Kevin MacLeod has composed more than 2,000 pieces of music — and given all of them away for free. That’s why his work is so widespread. It has been featured in thousands of films and millions of YouTube videos. His composition “Monkeys Spinning Monkeys” has been played on TikTok more than 31 billion times. (PS: He has plenty of money, in part because so many appreciative people give him free-will donations through his Patreon page.) I propose we make him your inspirational role model in the coming weeks and months, Libra. How could you parlay your generosity and gifts into huge benefits for yourself?

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): According to my grandmother, I have such a mellifluous voice I should have pursued a career as a newscaster or DJ on the radio. In eighth grade, my science teacher admired my work and urged me to become a professional biologist. When I attended Duke University, my religious studies professor advised me to follow his path. Over the years, many others have offered their opinions about

who I should be. As much as I appreciated their suggestions, I have always trusted one authority: my muses. In the coming weeks and months, Scorpio, you may, too, receive abundant advice about your best possible path. You may be pressured to live up to others’ expectations. But I encourage you to do as I have done. Trust your inner advisers.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): There was a long period when many popular songs didn’t come to a distinct end. Instead, they faded out. The volume would gradually diminish as a catchy riff repeated over and over again. As you approach a natural climax to one of your cycles, Capricorn, I recommend that you borrow the fade-out as a metaphorical strategy. In my astrological opinion, it’s best not to finish abruptly. See if you can create a slow, artful ebb or a gradual, graceful dissolution.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): When he was young, Aquarian musician and sound engineer Norio Ohga wrote a critical letter to the electronics company now known as Sony. He complained in detail about the failings of their products. Instead of being defensive, executives at the company heeded Ohga’s suggestions for improvement. They even hired him as an employee and ultimately made him president of the company at age 40. He went on to have a stellar career as an innovator. In the spirit of the Sony executives, I recommend that you seek feedback and advice from potential helpers who are the caliber of Norio Ohga. The information you gather in the coming weeks could prove to be highly beneficial.

PISCES (Feb. 19-Mar. 20): What would your paradise look and feel like? If you could remake the world to suit your precise needs for maximum freedom, well-being and inspiration, what changes would you instigate? Now is an excellent time to ponder these possibilities, Pisces. You have more ability than usual to shape and influence the environments where you hang out. And a good way to rouse this power is to imagine your ideal conditions. Be bold and vivid. Amuse yourself with extravagant and ebullient fantasies as you envision your perfect world.

Montpelier Alive is shining light into the darkest days of winter by illuminating seven of Montpelier’s historic downtown bridges with thousands of bulbs. Hundreds of people carrying glowing lanterns met at the Langdon Street bridge on November 16 for a parade. Seven Days’ Eva Sollberger was there to record the festivities.

Respond

WOMEN seeking...

MONTRÉAL WIFE WHO VISITS

BURLINGTON

Anglo Montréaler wife visits Burlington regularly. Would like to have a man-friend to meet, mostly for sex. Husband approves. Discretion is essential for professional life. I like charming, handsome men who are confident but not arrogant. I don’t want to teach anyone how this works, so assume a level of experience or understanding. This is fun and an escape. MontrealWife, 55, seeking: M, l

I’M LAID-BACK, CONSERVATIVE

I have been single for a while. Looking to explore what’s out there. Looking for someone who’s confident and knows what they are looking for. Myself, looking for someone who’s loyal, who shares some of the same interests

I have yet has their own ideas, too.

I love dancing, but it sucks dancing alone. vtgal204, 58 seeking: W, l

RESOURCEFUL DIY-ER

Introverted hillside farmer who enjoys a few deeper relationships. I’ve done my share of traveling; now very happy to listen to my land and share her fruits with special friends who love homegrown food and seasonal chores. Looking for a man with the inner strength to be cheerful, even with eyes wide open, and the spark of mutual recognition.

Soiltender62, 62, seeking: M, l

WANT TO RESPOND?

You read Seven Days, these people read Seven Days — you already have at least one thing in common!

All the action is online. Create an account or login to browse hundreds of singles with profiles including photos, habits, desires, views and more. It’s free to place your own profile online.

l See photos of this person online.

W = Women

M = Men

TW = Trans women

TM = Trans men

Q = Genderqueer people

NBP = Nonbinary people

NC = Gender nonconformists

Cp = Couples

Gp = Groups

BUSYBEEDAIRYMAID

John Deere or Case? Jerseys or Holsteins? Why? Just kidding — I like cows and enjoying the day and want to share that with someone. Am looking for a thoughtful individual who can also laugh at how ridiculous life is and enjoy it together. Short hikes, picnics, theater and workdays are my favorites. Really, anything can be fun with the right mindset!

Dairymaid28, 28, seeking: M, l

WONDERING64

I live a simple life, closely connected to the Earth and wanting to make a difference in the well-being of humanity, even if in a small way. I enjoy walks in the woods, reading, music, dinner with family and friends, gardening, good food, rural Vermont life, and more. I value honest communication, open-mindedness and care for oneself.

Justme63 64 seeking: M, l

WALK UPRIGHT, LITERATE, BE REAL

Quirk-enabled, bighearted widow of three-plus years seeking amenable companionship. Bullies, hot dogs, egotists need not apply. Scrabble maven, math wonk, always learning. Have a decent brain; not afraid to use it. Crazy for theater, music and the arts. You? Authenticity, kindness, humor and a lively curiosity are what I find attractive. Friendship, first and foremost. Looking forward to meeting you. allycat, 70, seeking: M

KIND WOMAN LOOKING FOR SAME

Hi, I moved to Vermont from New York last year to live near my daughter. I haven’t really met too many people. I’m kind of a homebody, especially in the winter. I’d like to spend it snuggling with someone special. Alone2Long 61 seeking: W, Cp, l

IT’S CUFFING SEASON!

What are the rules of cuffing season? Be mindful of your desire for a relationship. Be clear about what you’re seeking in the long and short term. Define your relationship. Don’t make plans too far in advance. Prepare for the holidays. Set healthy emotional and physical boundaries. Don’t ghost the relationship. Roadtripingdestinations, 66, seeking: M, l

A FORM OF PSEUDO-ANONYMOUS CONNECTION

All humans are chaos gremlins — it’s about finding the ones who meld with you. lelapin, 37, seeking: M, l PLAYFUL, THOUGHTFUL, OBSERVANT, HYBRID

I love cleverness and discussing ideas. I appreciate humility, wisdom and smilers. I avoid the conventional and am enlivened by those with a childlike love of learning and discovery. I love cooking, eating out, movies, biking, small-venue music, lectures, art, travel, walking my dog, Ping-Pong. I love children, animals, trees, vanishing points, windows. I value authenticity and ethical decisions. Periwinkle, 61, seeking: M, l

PHOTOGRAPHER/MUSICIAN, DOGS, OUTDOORS, CHILL

I am an amateur photographer looking for a guy (26 to 45) who is also interested in photography. Looking for someone who could go on location with me, hike trails, climb mountains and explore the better points of the state while looking for the perfect shot. And later, crack a beer to celebrate. I am a musician, animal lover, slim, attractive blonde. Houston123m, 37, seeking: M, l

CURIOUS, ADVENTUROUS, SILLY AND OUTDOORSY!

I love being outside and exploring in nature, especially for off-the-beatenpath swimming holes (in winter, too!).

I’m a very curious and engaging person and definitely crave that in a partner. Being silly at times, dancing and singing are cool with me. At the same time, self-awareness is key! You get the idea, right? seejrun 58 seeking: M, l

WOODS-LIVER WANNABE

Work hard, play hard. Life is short. I want to meet people, have new experiences and adventures. I appreciate all things small, whether it is a tiny snail in the forest or a kind gesture. redrocks 44 seeking: M

CURIOUS, COMPASSIONATE AND ADVENTUROUS

I think I’m pretty delightful. I care deeply about music, art, my home and the environment. I want a partner I can trust who will trust me. I sing — not so well, but don’t try to stop me! I’m curious about new things and never want to stop learning. ProfTripp, 64, seeking: M, l

LIFE IS HERE. NOW.

I’m an active biker, hiker, gardener, musician who has adapted well to retirement (there had to be something positive about COVID-19!) but is ready to explore life with a companion, maybe a partner, again. Many things are better with a partner, including dining out, travel, bike rides, hikes, laughing, sharing — so I’m putting my toes back in the water! maplesong 69, seeking: M, l

MEN seeking...

I LOVE TENNIS AND DOGS

I would love to find someone to whom I can relate. I hope that is you. tennispals2315 58, seeking: W

SKIBUDDY

Looking for a female to ski with at Bolton night skiing. Please be older, 50 to 65, and intermediate to advanced skier. Let’s use Bolton as our gym. outdoorloverboy, 61 seeking: W

MIDDLE-AGER WANTS SOMETHING NEW

Honestly, I was told I’m not up to snuff for my manager kitchen position, so I’m debating next steps. I’m looking for a partner who can lighten the load. Someone who sees my flaws and can help me be better. One who’s active but also likes road trips or just hanging around the house once in a while. Flowers, anyone? a1cook, 56 seeking: W, l

CARING, OLD-SCHOOL VALUES

Independent spirit who loves nature. Retired from a fulfilling career but work part time now. Zero debt and currently living on Lake Hortonia with an incredible view. Looking for companionship that includes conversation, cuddling and warmth. I enjoy family, children and grandchildren. I am socially active and enjoy people, volunteering and helping others. ps217 73, seeking: W, l

YOUTHFUL, CURIOUS, OPEN

I’m a widower, very unique, married to the same woman for 47 years, who passed away in 2018. I’d love another intimate relationship with a kind, strong, honest, loving woman. A woman who can understand how music is very important. Yes, I’m worth it. ihearmusic66, 75, seeking: W, l

RESPECTFUL, TOLERANT, LAID-BACK MAN

Looking for a woman for friendship, companionship and intimacy that develops at a pace that is mutually comfortable. I am intelligent, articulate, curious and love deep conversations. I own my own home, have no debts and am financially secure. I am knowledgeable on many topics and consider myself enlightened. All else can be determined by conversation and mutual agreement. twomonts, 73, seeking: W, l

YOUNG IN HEART

Always charming in life and take things day by day. Enjoy espresso coffee in the mornings; always searching for new opportunities. I explore new adventures, and I emit positive vibes to the person who will attract me. I don’t want to be used, but give me a chance to cuddle you. Very educated and happy to share paths, ideas or any other thoughts. Anas1st 53, seeking: W, l

LAID-BACK TRAVELER, FUN, OUTDOORS

Just looking for a connection with someone. Frenchmen15 59, seeking: W, l

PASSIONATE, LIVELY AND LOVE LAUGHING

I love hearing stories people tell about their journey and want to learn yours. I crave emotional intimacy, hugs, sharing as many belly laughs as possible. I love the outdoors (but don’t ski). Fabulous (if somewhat immodest) cook and get great joy out of nurturing. I read. I write personal essays. I love dogs; hope to find a rescue soon. LaughAndBeHappy 71, seeking: W, l

NATURE LOVER

I am an active, youngish man who would like to meet someone for various adventures. I am funny, honest, fit and smart. A nice date would be a hike, enjoying the surroundings, then some good food, maybe look at the stars. Sense of humor and honesty are two important things in a partner. Communication skills and open-mindedness, also. niceguy123 58, seeking: W, l

SEEKING LIFELONG PARTNER

I am a young, energetic 77-y/o male. Taking care of my health is very important to me. I work out some and do not smoke or drink alcohol. My work background is in social services and college teaching. I presently teach history and human rights courses at Champlain College. My wife died of cancer two years ago. Ed609, 77, seeking: W, l

OLD-SCHOOL

Honestly, did not want to try this, yet it seems all roads lead to this path. SeeksCompanion, 54, seeking: W

MEET IN PERSON

Active, athletic, well-rounded, artistic, professional. Enjoy outdoors, hiking, biking, walks and cooking. Would meet over lunch. If all goes well, we’ll go for a dinner date and take it from there. nyu2vt 64, seeking: W, l

OPINIONATED BUT LOVABLE

Active, fit, outdoor/indoor type of guy. Making a difference, no matter how small, every day. Play acoustic guitar. Enjoy golf as a “hike and a game,” not a religion! Travel is important. Don’t need “things.” Don’t have to be a priority, but don’t want to be an afterthought. What do you think: Give it a go? Pastabilities18 78 seeking: W, l

TRANS WOMEN seeking...

COMMUNITY-MINDED AND INDEFENSIBLY JOYFUL

I love writing, dancing, making music and meaningful action. My favorite conversations are about people’s passions. I like hiking, biking and paddling, but I spend a lot of time happily indoors being social or creative or productive. I’m interested in people of all genders and am seeking a connection that generates joy every day for us both. Sylph 55 seeking: M, W, TM, TW, Q, NC, NBP, l

GENDERQUEER PEOPLE seeking...

GENDERQUEER, SINGER-SONGWRITER, INTERFAITH MINISTER

It’s me, from the “Cherie & Yolanda” show in the ’90s. Moved to NYC in 2001; met my husband, Glen; together 20 years; now in Vermont after his death. I am a transfemme genderqueer singersongwriter and interfaith minister. Youthful looks and attitude, long gray hair, stocky build, funny, compassionate. Looking for a cisgender man who appreciates the femininity and spirituality in me. RevYolanda 28 seeking: M, l

BABY BUTCH SEEKS GUIDANCE

(Not sexual or romantic.) If you’re queer, an activist or anything of the like, I would love to connect! I’m a genderweird (truly) babydyke butch, and I desperately want to learn from older queers. As much research as I’ve done on gay history, I always want to learn more and connect. If there are any other butches out there, please reach out! antweed 18, seeking: TM, TW, Q, NC, NBP, l

GENDER NONCONFORMISTS seeking...

BEWARE! CHILDLESS CAT LADY AHEAD

ADHDled, ailurophilic, alliterative, autodidactic acolyte of the resident demigoddesses seeks similar for socialization. Long-term, platonic friendship with humanoids is my goal. Stuff I like: gawking at the night sky; sunsets over Lake Champlain; gardening; films/TV shows about postapocalyptic, dystopian societies; Scrabble; art; music; peoplewatching on Church Street; volunteering; etc. Not looking for a sugar parent, but I am a pauper. Alas. Ailurophile, 65, seeking: M, W, TM, TW, Q, NC, NBP, Gp, l COUPLES

seeking...

KINKY COUPLE SEEKS ADVENTUROUS PLAYMATE

We have explored each other’s boundaries and fulfilled many fantasies along the way. We are looking for new friends to bring into our sexual circle with new possibilities. Help us fulfill our desires for exploration, and we will all learn together through mutual satisfaction. kinkyvermonters 48, seeking: M, W, Cp

i SPY

TURKEY TROT IN WESTFORD

We chatted a bit after finishing the 10K. I liked talking with you. Afterward I regretted I did not suggest we exchange phone numbers so we could enter a race together. When: Saturday, November 23, 2024. Where: Turkey Trot in Westford. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916187

THOUGHTFUL ON THE THINKER

You were sitting behind me with your friends at the performance of Mauritius and noticed the Thinker statue on the set. I was quite interested in your explanation of what the statue was about and thought I would like to talk more with this person. When: Sunday, November 24, 2024. Where: Grange Hall Cultural Center. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916185

RE: RE: HEARTBROKEN

Thank you, I think. Totally reminds me of a song: “It’s all a bit of fun until somebody gets hurt / I’ll take it with a pinch of salt, another bridge is burned / I don’t need to know what’s real or not no more / I don’t need to know what’s real or not no more, yeah.” When: Sunday, November 24, 2024. Where: buying earplugs. You: Woman. Me: Woman. #916184

ATHENA

Upon humble chariot of wheels three / You came seeking your tithe on All Hallows’ Eve / Engaged in Sage wisdom and spoke of the youth / Around fire, forged friendship on the isle of Booth. In a world of parsley, rosemary, and thyme / A bitterness averted when two name align / A grace was granted in the presence of a God / A delightful encounter with an astral nod. When: Thursday, October 31, 2024. Where: Old North End. You: Group. Me: Group. #916183

If you’ve been spied, go online to contact your admirer!

HEALTHY BOUNDARIES

To the home-wrecker from Gardenside — you can have the narcissistic liar, but stay out of my house and off of my turf. When: Saturday, November 16, 2024. Where: my house. You: Man. Me: Man. #916186

RE: HEARTBROKEN

For the last few weeks you’ve been posting dramatic and irate messages regarding individuals who you thought were friends. Clearly, truth shone through, as it tends to do. You deserve devoted friends who truly care about you, and now you have the space in your life for them. Don’t let people steal your peace. Try to focus on healing. When: Thursday, November 21, 2024. Where: I Spy. You: Woman. Me: Woman. #916182

I SEE YOU

Trans loves, perfect GNCs, magical enbys, powerful two-spirits, beautiful cis-ish people and anyone else who needs to hear this: I see you. I am with you. You are valid exactly as you are. We are here. We will not and cannot be erased. When: Wednesday, November 20, 2024. Where: everywhere, always. You: Group. Me: Nonbinary person. #916181

BABES TRIVIA BABE

You were wearing a red dress that swayed with your hips. Your smile could light up any room, and your laughter could brighten any dark day. Ditch those guys and play with me next time? When: Thursday, October 17, 2024. Where: Babes. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916180

GRAZING

You were having dinner with a group of girlfriends and passed by the table my friend and I were at while your group was heading out. When: Friday, November 15, 2024. Where: Grazers in Williston. You: Group. Me: Man. #916175

Dear Sindi Lew,

SHOUT-OUT REVERB

Shout-out on a literal shout-out. Route 2A headed south, Sunday night. You rolled your window down at a red light (I thought I was driving without my lights on). Instead, I received a thoughtful compliment and well wishes for tomorrow. It was unexpected, and I missed responding in kind — so a belated thank-you for making my evening. When: Sunday, November 17, 2024. Where: Route 2A in Williston. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916179

HEY DER

I’m a history nerd who overthinks but knows how to have a good time. Hit me up. When: Saturday, November 16, 2024. Where: online. You: Man. Me: Man. #916177

“JOYFUL” FLIRTED WITH “MALEMAN”! However, you blocked me three months ago. But “you make me want to be a better man”! We’re both dog-loving Shelburners, and winter is a good time to make new friends! Doing so may seem a threat to your joy, but nothing ventured, nothing gained? When: Friday, August 16, 2024. Where: Seven Days Personals. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916176

“CYCLEMEAWAY” ON FITNESS SINGLES

To the handsome guy who goes by “cyclemeaway” on Fitness Singles and 50plus club: You liked one of my photos on Fitness Singles back in June — I wasn’t available at the time. Now I am, and I’d like to be in touch. When: Wednesday, November 13, 2024. Where: online. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916174

JERICHO COUNTRY STORE

We talked. Could not help noticing how caring you were with the gentleman who was with you. We talked about the museum and Norwich. I had driven to look at a camper. Might you have any interest in a walk and/or lunch? When: Wednesday, November 13, 2024. Where: Jericho Country Store. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916173

LIGHT EYES

You knew I love the GMO, and you suggested the banana pudding. Your energy is like I’ve known you forever, too. Thank you to the Heybud-tender I’ve been lucky enough to smile at once or twice. When: Sunday, November 10, 2024. Where: Heybud. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916171

MONTPELIER HUNGER MOUNTAIN

COOP CUTIE

Were you checking me out while we walked side by side to our cars, coincidentally parked next to each other? I think you drive a black Jeep? I drive a white Subaru. I was wearing Bean boots, black leggings and a black jacket. When: Wednesday, November 13, 2024. Where: Hunger Mountain Coop. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916172

HARDWICK POST OFFICE

You had on an orange dress, with a reddish puff-type jacket. Believe your hair was pulled back. You were getting into a white Subaru Crosstrek. Thanks for putting some fashion in Hardwick. When: Friday, November 8, 2024. Where: Hardwick. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916170

HEARTBROKEN

I thought we’d have a wonderful surprise due to hope in humanity restored. Turned out it was all faked to steal from me once again. Great work, nerds. Thanks for the pain, instead of the love claimed to be there. When: Wednesday, November 6, 2024. Where: They see me more. You: Group. Me: Woman. #916169

YOU WERE SADNESS FOR HALLOWEEN

Halloween Dance Party: You were Sadness; I was 27 club; we chatted in the bathroom line! I totally missed out on getting the deets for your band’s house concert. Will you invite me? When: Saturday, October 26, 2024. Where: East Montpelier. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916168

THE MAN IN THE TOWER

I was flying home from Chicago to Burlington. As I got off my plane I looked out the window and saw you standing in the tower. Your broad shoulders, big muscles, perfect mustache: my perfect man. We locked eyes, and I could feel our connection. What color was my neck pillow? (So I know it’s you.) When: Tuesday, October 22, 2024. Where: Burlington Airport. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916167

PAUL FROM MATCH

You can thank a friend who happened to see this. :) My other profile is active, so you can send me a note where you saw me first. When: Wednesday, November 6, 2024. Where: Seven Days I Spy. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916166

HARLEY QUINN AT JP’S

We kept making eye contact that always froze me. You had a sweet smile and a great singing voice. I ran into an old friend when going to talk to you; then you were gone. I had a dopey “costume” that was really just a white shirt. I’d love to take you out for a drink or coffee sometime. When: Thursday, October 31, 2024. Where: JP’s. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916164

PAUL IN BTV

You were on Match, and then you weren’t. IT professional with a daughter. I’m in South Burlington and in the “voyeur” stage of Match, so don’t have a photo posted and a very limited profile. Anyway, your profile caught my eye. If you found a match, happy for you! If you haven’t, I’d welcome making a connection. When: Tuesday, October 1, 2024. Where: Match.com. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916163

WILLISTON MASKED SHOPPER

We chatted briefly at checkout. I asked about your Colby Sawyer sweatshirt. I’d love to see the pretty face behind your mask. When: Sunday, October 27, 2024. Where: Williston Hannaford. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916162

BRUNETTE SOCIAL WORKER AT LAUNDROMAT

Saw you helping a client today with the laundry process. You seemed really nice, calm, patient and cute! I didn’t want to try and talk to you while you were working, but I wanted to talk to you. Maybe you’ll see this and send me a message? Maybe a colleague will see this and point you in my direction? When: Monday, October 28, 2024. Where: laundromat. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916161

SISTERS AT MONKEY HOUSE

Sat at the bar and was surprised to see you again, A, after Waterworks! Always fun to live through a serendipitous moment. To your sister: Hope you had a good night with your friend. Didn’t intend to Irish exit, but you seemed super involved with your friend and didn’t want to bother! When: Saturday, October 26, 2024. Where: Monkey House, Winooski. You: Group. Me: Man. #916160

Dear Reverend,

My mother always asks me to go shopping with her on Black Friday. We get up really early, hit all the big stores, and buy a bunch of presents and stuff we don’t need. She loves it, but I hate it. Dealing with parking, crowds and everyone being in a shopping frenzy really stresses me out. How do I get out of it this year without hurting her feelings?

Every year, on the day after Thanksgiving, I participate in Buy Nothing Day (buynothingday.co.uk). I stay cozy at home, snack on leftovers, maybe see some friends and family — basically just chill out and do whatever. But I don’t buy a damn thing. It’s absolutely fantastic, and I invite you (and your mother!) to join in my tradition.

If you need more inspiration, I suggest watching the documentary Buy Now!

The Shopping Conspiracy, currently streaming on Netflix. If it doesn’t make you want to cut your consumption, nothing will.

Be straight up with your mom. Tell her that the hustle and bustle of this big shopping day just isn’t fun for you anymore. Explain to her that the Black Friday sales that used to be limited to just one day often now last weeks, so she’s most likely not going to miss out on any spectacular deals if she chooses to sit this day out, too.

If she still feels the need to enter the fray, she’s a big girl and can head out there on her own — or wrangle another shopping companion. You shouldn’t feel guilty about that. However, I imagine your mom really looks forward to spending that time with you. It would be nice if you could suggest another day to get together for some light shopping and holiday cheer. How about heading out on Small Business Saturday to hit up local shops instead?

She might not find such big bargains, but I can guarantee that these types of retailers will appreciate the business a heck of a lot more than any of the big chains. Aunt Josephine really doesn’t need another pair of $3 pajamas anyway.

Good luck and God bless, The Reverend

your problem? Send it to asktherev@sevendaysvt.com.

CD into fetish? Tight and shiny clothing? #L1814

Single woman, 59. Wise, mindful. Seeking tight unit with man, friend, love. Country living, gardens, land to play on. Emotionally, intellectually engaged. Lasting chats. Appreciation for past experience. Please be kind, stable and well established. Phone number, please. #L1813

GM looking for a man or men for mutual pleasure. Maybe develop into LTR or FWB. Would like regular or semiregular visits. Fun and adventurous. #L1812

I’m an 80-y/o man in good health. I own a ranch house on Route 110 in Tunbridge, south of fairgrounds. Never married. No children, retired. Like going out to eat and riding around. Looking for a nice lady for a long-term relationship. #L1810

I miss the touch, the ﬂirting, the taste, the smell of a woman. I’m 69, retired and disabled. I also have many facets that make me up. NEK please, thanks. #L1811

I’m an 80-y/o woman seeking a man for companionship and friendship. I am a widow living in Burlington. Love to go out to dinner and movies and have good conversation. #L1809

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We’ll publish as many messages as we can in the Love Letters section above.

SWM, bi, seeking guys for fun. Any race. I’m 6’1, 175 pounds. Clean, safe and discreet. Love being a bottom. Respond with a phone number. #L1804

58-y/o enjoys the simple things: walks with my dogs, candlelit evenings, window shopping. I don’t have to have someone to complete me but would love to share the beauty of life with a man who also is ready to dance like nobody’s watching. #L1808

76-y/o male seeking a female. Widower, Burlington resident, gardener, ﬁsherman and writer wants to meet you for dinner, movies, events and conversation. You: old, kind, no issues. Possible friendship, LTR. I don’t watch football. #L1807

T-girl? Transgender? CD? Gay? I’m a dom, so looking for subs. anks. #L1799

I’m a sweet, ﬁt, busy 48-y/o DILF type seeking a 28- to 68-y/oish woman who wants some more affection in her life. Let’s have a great evening together every month and share good memories and joyful anticipation in between. #L1806

I’m a SWM seeking a Black couple, both bi. I’m clean, a nonsmoker and don’t drink. Would like a weekly meet, on weekends. My place is private. I only date Black men and women. Age no problem. Phone. Serious. #L1802

Int net-Free Dating!

Handsome SWM, young-looking 60, yearning for a woman’s connection and intimacy. Seeking friendly relations with slim-average 45- to 60y/o, kind, smart, respectful, humorous, playful. Activities indoors and outdoors — dinners, talks, walks, nature, TV, entertainment, day trips, overnights, spontaneity, hobbies, more. #L1803

I’m a 54-y/o male seeking a 50- to 60-y/o female. Looking for an honest person. Sex is less important. I enjoy taking walks, soft rock and movies, in or out. Love to go out to eat. No drugs, no smoking. #L1800

Mid-60s, SWM, 6’, 175 pounds. Looking for a forever romance but just meeting with new friends can work, too! Extremely romantic and passionate! I stay active as I run, hike, bike; play golf, tennis and pickleball; and work out at the Edge. Full of spontaneity and love dancing, travel. I will love you snuggling in my arms always as I shower you with love and romance! #L1801

Describe yourself and who you’re looking for in 40 words below: (OR, ATTACH A SEPARATE PIECE OF PAPER.)

I’m a

AGE + GENDER (OPTIONAL) seeking a

AGE + GENDER (OPTIONAL)

SWM, 69, seeking a SF. I am warm, friendly, clean and respectful, seeking a LTR. Just an ordinary guy looking for same. Phone number, please. #L1798

SWM, 55, seeking Barbie with brains. FWB/NSA relationship and open to a LTR. Seeking any woman, younger or older, for fun play. Please send a picture and contact info. I’m looking for one woman for a special time together. #L1797

I’m a GM, mid-60s, seeking a SM, 70s, passionate. Enjoy many activities: nature walks, camping. Let’s talk, hopefully meet. #L1791

Marshmallow enthusiast, wildﬂower gazer, sort-of seamstress, ex-librarian seeks someone who enjoys literature and going outside. I’m a 37-y/o woman; you’re a person in your 30s or early 40s. I’m nerdy but cool. Are you? #L1794

Abstract portrait artist in need of a discreet female model (18 to 28). #L1795

Required conﬁdential info: NAME ADDRESS

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THIS FORM IS FOR LOVE LETTERS ONLY. Messages for the Personals and I-Spy sections must be submitted online at dating.sevendaysvt.com.

November Bird Monitoring Walk

SAT., NOV 30

BIRDS OF VERMONT MUSEUM, HUNTINGTON

Mandarin Conversation Circle

TUE., DEC 3

SOUTH BURLINGTON LIBRARY

Outer Sounds ft. Berman / Wallace / Ali / Harris + Arthur Brooks Ensemble V

TUE., DEC 3

THE PHOENIX, WATERBURY VILLAGE

The One-Night Stand: A Single-Evening Course in Bike-Care Basics by Old Spokes Home

WED., DEC 4

OLD SPOKES HOME, BURLINGTON

Homemade Éclairs From Scratch

THU., DEC 5

RICHMOND COMMUNITY KITCHEN

Polish Potato Pierogi Workshop

THU., DEC 5

RED POPPY CAKERY, WATERBURY VILLAGE

Monte Carlo Holiday Festival- A Festival of Trees Gala

FRI., DEC 6

SAINT ALBANS CITY HALL

December Cookie Decorating Class

SAT., DEC 7

RED POPPY CAKERY, WATERBURY VILLAGE

Vermont Holiday Market

SAT., DEC 7

CHAMPLAIN VALLEY EXPOSITION, ESSEX JCT

Honky Tonk Dance

SAT., DEC 7

GRANGE HALL CULTURAL CENTER, WATERBURY VILLAGE

Guy Davis

SAT., DEC 7

ROOTS & WINGS COFFEEHOUSE AT UUCUV, NORWICH

Bella Voce "Glorious Season" Holiday Concert

SAT., DEC 7

MCCARTHY ARTS CENTER RECITAL HALL, COLCHESTER

Handel's Messiah

SAT., DEC 7

HOLY ANGELS CHURCH, ST. ALBANS

Sugar on Tap: Anniversary Show

SAT., DEC 7

MAIN STREET LANDING, BURLINGTON

Make Your Own Holiday Cards at Standing Stone Wines

SUN., DEC 8

STANDING STONE WINES, WINOOSKI

Perfume-Making Event with Bloom Lab

SUN., DEC 8

GOSIA MEYER JEWELRY, BURLINGTON

The Kat & Brett Holiday Show 2024

SUN., DEC 8

RANSOM TAVERN AT KEDRON VALLEY INN, WOODSTOCK

Culinary Mavericks - A Multi-Course African Dinner

MON., DEC 9

COLD HOLLOW CIDER MILL, WATERBURY

Holiday Wine Tasting

TUE., DEC 10

STANDING STONE WINES, WINOOSKI

Buche de Noel Workshop

TUE., DEC 10

RED POPPY CAKERY, WATERBURY VILLAGE

If your family income is under $75,000, you are eligible for the 802 Opportunity Grant at the Community College of Vermont.