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WEEK IN REVIEW

$3.9 million

That’s how much FEMA will reimburse the Town of Hardwick for road and bridge work necessitated by ﬂooding in July 2023.

WIPED OUT

Hometown ski hero

Mikaela Shi rin was injured in a big fall during the Stifel Killington Cup over the weekend. Get well soon!

MAKING MOVES

TOPFIVE

TAXING DEBATE

Property taxes that fund education are forecast to rise an average of 5.9 percent next year unless state leaders intervene during the upcoming legislative session. at’s on top of the 13.8 percent average increase in education property taxes that homeowners are paying this year, which set off a political ﬁrestorm in Montpelier.

Tax Commissioner Craig Bolio released the latest forecast on Monday in an annual memo that gives the governor and lawmakers a sense of likely tax rate changes, absent policy adjustments. Republicans said the letter conﬁrmed their concerns that the state is becoming increasingly unaffordable for residents.

“With an already high tax burden, the last thing Vermonters need is yet another property tax increase,” Gov. Phil Scott said in a statement. He noted that the increase is just the latest across multiple years, compounding the pain. e increases, Scott wrote, are a result of “unsustainable costs, an aging demographic, and smaller workforce.”

He urged lawmakers to work closely with his administration to reduce the tax burden.

In a statement, House Speaker Jill Krowinski (D-Burlington) said she was committed to reducing costs “while ensuring our kids have a great education.”

“We are prepared to explore new approaches and consider all options to make sure all of our children have the opportunities they deserve at a price taxpayers can

afford,” she wrote. “We look forward to the Governor and his administration sharing their plans to achieve sustainability and reduce property taxes.”

Last year’s memo predicted an 18.5 percent increase, citing a number of increases in education spending, including soaring health insurance costs. Legislators ultimately wrestled the average increase down to 13.8 percent, in part by pumping tens of millions of dollars into the education fund. ey also allowed school districts to delay votes or revote their school budgets to rein in costs. e process was tumultuous and left many voters angry. Republicans blamed Democrats for the cost increases. Voters rewarded them with historic wins last month — 18 seats in the House and six in the Senate — which ended the Democratic supermajority in Montpelier.

e VTGOP said it planned to hold a press conference at the Statehouse on Wednesday, December 4, to discuss legislative priorities.

Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Baruth (D/PChittenden-Central) has said he’s “deeply concerned” about another property tax increase. In a statement last week, Baruth committed to giving Scott’s team the entire ﬁrst week of the session to present their plans for education ﬁnance reform.

Read Kevin McCallum’s full story and keep up with developments at sevendayst.com.

Burlington native and Olympic rugby player Ilona Maher ﬁnished second on “Dancing With the Stars.” Strong and graceful.

COMMUTATION KERFUFFLE

U.S. Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) said President Joe Biden was “unwise” to issue a pardon for his son Hunter. Nepotism at work.

NORTHERN ATTITUDE

Lauri Berkenkamp, the mother of singer Noah Kahan, is helping to keep Coburns’ General Store open in Stra ord. Giving back.

4. “Activists Want to Remake Shelburne Road After Cyclist Is Killed” by Derek Brouwer. After a sixth death since 2020 on the busy road, some are calling for additional safety measures.

5. “ ree Questions for Chef-Turned-Bladesmith Narin MacDonald of Narin M. Knives” by Jordan Barry. Our food writer had some pointed queries for the sharp designer.

Spotted the most Vermont car of all time

HOUSE RULES

Last month’s much-hyped boxing match between former heavyweight champ Mike Tyson and YouTube dude Jake Paul was the most wagered-on ﬁght since sports betting was legalized.

But none of those bets were legally placed in Vermont. at’s because the state, which has allowed sports wagering since last January, prohibited wagering on the contest. New York State, Pennsylvania and Colorado were among those that did the same. e decision, according to Josh Sumner, Vermont’s director of sports wagering and contract compliance, “was centered around the rule changes that were made in order to allow the ﬁght to happen,” which meant it

was “largely viewed as an untraditional boxing match.”

Among the oddities: Paul is a 27-year-old influencer-turned-boxer who’s only had one match with an active professional fighter. Tyson is 58 and far from the feared pugilist once known for his fierceness in the ring.

Also, the fight had eight two-minute rounds instead of the three-minute rounds that are called for in the official rules of boxing. Further, Sumner said, the fighters used heavier gloves: 14 ounces instead of 10-ounce ones. e format and changes made the spectacle a “stand-alone entertainment match, rather than a traditional boxing event,” Sumner said.

“ e fight was not between two professional boxers, but rather one (Tyson) who came out of his long-term retirement specifically for this match,” Sumner said in an email. “ ese circumstances lead us to view this as an exhibition match. If you saw the fight, it was clear that this was an entertainment event.”

Vermont has a 10-page “catalog of approved events for sports wagering” that includes entities such as the Chinese Professional Baseball League, Olympic sports and even the World Curling Tour. But Vermonters can’t place bets on big horse races such as the Kentucky Derby. e state bans wagering on events that involve the competitive use of animals, according to Sumner. Regardless, Vermonters are still putting plenty on the line: nearly $156 million in legal sports bets as of the end of October. at’s earned the state nearly $5.2 million in revenue, data show.

SASHA GOLDSTEIN

@NoahHurowitz

PHOTOS: KEVIN MCCALLUM, JEB WALLACE-BRODEUR AND MATTHEW ROY

Sen. Phil Baruth

Gov. Phil Scott

Mike Tyson

Paula Routly

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DIGITAL & VIDEO

Bryan Parmelee

Eva Sollberger

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Je Baron DESIGN

Don Eggert

Rev. Diane Sullivan

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Je Baron SALES & 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

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much it would cost and abandoned the e ort.” Is that true?

PSYCH OUT

Over the years, I’ve had a few letters published in Seven Days. The following, in response to [“Advocates Push to Keep Berlin Psychiatric Center Open,” November 19, online], is one that I never dreamed I would need to write.

I’ve been an RN for over 45 years, most of them serving as a nurse practitioner, and have spent the past five years working in the fields of addiction and mental health. Five months ago, I joined the nursing team on the Central Vermont Medical Center psychiatric unit and have witnessed firsthand the absolutely essential service that this unit provides for some of our most fragile citizens. At a time when there are “no beds in the inn” (any “inn” — in the entire state) for people struggling with psychiatric crises, it’s unimaginable how the closure of this unit will affect our local emergency room, where more and more patients will need to be housed until a bed is found somewhere. Are other Vermont hospitals prepared to pick up the slack? Very doubtful. Where will our patients receive care?!

I credit the Seven Days sta , through well-researched articles over the past few years, for highlighting the broken mental health system in this state, which so often fails its most vulnerable citizens, landing them in jail — or worse. We can do better. Closing the CVMC psychiatric unit is a huge step backward in this e ort. Keep in mind that this is a decision that lacks support from the Green Mountain Care Board. I encourage others to speak out before this is a done deal. We will all pay the consequences.

Rebecca M. Hill EAST MONTPELIER

$378 MILLION QUESTION

[“Urgent Scare: The Price of Health Care Plans in Vermont Has Doubled in Six Years. The Prognosis for Cost Containment Is Grim,” November 6] ﬂatly states that “former governor Peter Shumlin’s yearslong pursuit of a single-payer model imploded in 2014 after he learned how

Shumlin’s description of singlepayer as unaffordable referred to the amount of money that would have to be raised through taxes. It took no account of the offsetting savings in eliminating insurance premiums. Shumlin did make one statement that compared the overall “costs” of health care had single-payer been implemented: “At a growth rate of four percent, GMC would yield savings of $378 Million over the first five years of the program relative to current predicted trends.” And Shumlin acknowledged that this calculation had not even taken account of reductions in administrative costs under a single-payer plan.

The statement about saving $378 million was made in the announcement that Shumlin was aborting the singlepayer plan. It’s a strange world in which saving $378 million over ﬁve years is too costly.

Lee Russ BENNINGTON

LEARN FROM OTHER STATES?

[Re “Urgent Scare: The Price of Health Care Plans in Vermont Has Doubled in Six Years. The Prognosis for Cost Containment Is Grim,” November 6]: What can we learn from the most affordable states for health care, such as Massachusetts, Washington and Michigan? The projected Massachusetts population by age group appears to be similar to Vermont’s. According to a 2015 University of MassachusettsAmherst Donahue Institute estimate, 23 percent of Massachusetts’ population will be 65 or older by 2035. What are the factors in the most affordable states — with similar population projections by age group — that allow for more affordable health care?

Bernie Paquette JERICHO

WHITHER ‘INSURANCE’?

[Re “Urgent Scare: The Price of Health Care Plans in Vermont Has Doubled in Six Years. The Prognosis for Cost Containment Is Grim,” November 6]: Insurance isn’t really insurance

anymore. Once the government got involved, insurance became a bloodsucking vampire. You have limited choices, especially here in Vermont. You pay a fair amount for a family policy, and then you still have to pay a lot when you need doctoring.

You are not covered for a number of things and are often restricted to certain hospitals and doctors. You can’t figure out what your insurance will cover or how much of an event your insurance will cover until you get the bill. Plus, no one can explain to you what your insurance will cover.

What is guaranteed is that you will pay money every month. After that, nothing is guaranteed.

Clif Muller DANVILLE

PROPERTY TAXES ARE TOO HIGH

[Re “Weakened Senate Dems Say Property Taxes Are ‘No. 1 Priority,’” November 16, online]: Since the presidency of Ronald Reagan, taxes have gone up for working people while wealthier people got tax cuts. Taxes should be paid based on ability to pay, without exceptions and loopholes helping high-wealth individuals.

Vermonters had double-digit increases in property taxes this year. Huge health insurance increases are coming. No one has offered a good solution — not the governor, not the legislative leadership, not my successor.

The governor has always blamed the problem on the legislature. After eight years in office, it is time for the governor to stop blaming and instead present an affordable solution.

We must fix our education funding system so that everyone pays based on their income, not just those with household incomes under $115,000. Our high-quality schools are key to attracting young people to move here, raise a family and build our workforce.

The governor can close many small schools, drastically increase class size, or cut teachers’ pay and benefits to where we can’t compete for good teachers. Or we can tell the wealthy to pay their fair share and lower the burden on working people. We can get serious about bureaucratic reforms to save money. We can require second-home owners (of expensive vacation homes, not hunting camps) to pay more.

Or the governor and the legislature can point fingers at each other while Vermonters become more bitter, more divided, more angry and less able to afford to live here.

David Zuckerman HINESBURG

Zuckerman is Vermont’s lieutenant governor.

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JOE SEXTON

Campus Carillonneur

with a

VTrans to Remove Smugglers’ Notch Chicanes for Winter

‘Borrowed Time’ Burlington’s

Burlington City Councilor

Resigns

Montpelier Alive is shining light into the darkest days of winter by illuminating seven of Montpelier’s historic

MAGNIFICENT

MUST SEE, MUST DO THIS WEEK COMPILED BY REBECCA DRISCOLL

Lasso the Moon

FRIDAY 6

All at Jazz

e Vermont Jazz Center Big Band take the stage in Brattleboro with third-generation vocalist Carmen Bradford to mark two decades of the 18piece ensemble’s existence. e program features works by legendary bandleader Count Basie — as it should, considering Bradford just accepted a Grammy for her contribution to the Count Basie Orchestra’s Basie Swings the Blues album.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 71

TUESDAY 10

FRIDAY 6 & SATURDAY 7

GAELIC GAIETY

ere will be kilts! e Seán Heely Celtic Christmas show at Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center in Stowe is a sweeping showcase of Scottish and Irish heritage. Champion ﬁddler Heely and company use bagpipes, harp, traditional dance and ancient carols to transport listeners to the winter solstice celebrations of the Emerald Isle and beyond.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 74

Bright Lights, Little City

e annual stage spectacular Broadway Direct returns to Vergennes Opera House for its 19th year. Founded by seasoned Broadway veteran and Vergennes local Bill Carmichael, the perpetually sold-out crowd-pleaser nails the elusive “wow” factor with professional singers from New York City, as well as Vermont student performers Ella Kozak and Lila Brightman.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 71

SATURDAY 7

Sky’s the Limit

Middlebury College’s Mahaney Arts Center hosts the Vermont premiere of Sky Was Possible, a stunning new song cycle composed by music department chair Su Lian Tan, set to the text of four poems from president Laurie Patton’s published works. e cycle features sparkling soprano Kristen Watson and pianist John McDonald, with Tan deftly executing the ﬂute.

St. Johnsbury’s Athenaeum Players raise the curtain on Frank Capra’s Christmas Eve tearjerker It’s a Wonderful Life, told in the style of a riveting 1940s radio drama. e iconic characters of the silver screen come to life in this stage adaptation by Joe Landry, which brings the perennial tale of redemption, guardian angels and renewed hope right back into viewers’ hearts.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 70

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 72

SATURDAY 7 & SUNDAY 8

Miracle Makers

e Good Trade Makers Market at Hula in Burlington spotlights the meticulous craft of more than 90 tradespeople from across the country. Independent makers unite for a weekend of innovative design — so tell Jeff Bezos “no” this season and tackle that holiday shopping at a oneof-a-kind small business bazaar instead.

SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 71

ONGOING

Members Only

e 42nd annual Members’ Art Show at the Current in Stowe highlights the creations of 115 local and regional artists. e unjuried exhibition displays a wide array of mediums — sculpture, painting, ﬁber art, drawing, stained glass, print — and honors the organization’s mission of enhancing the human experience through accessibility to visual art.

SEE GALLERY LISTING AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/ART

Leap of Faith

“What Would Jesus Do in Barre?” That was the whimsical working title of this week’s cover story when Joe Sexton brought the idea to a group of Seven Days editors six months ago. A renowned journalist of New York Times and ProPublica fame, Joe moved his family to Vermont during the pandemic; a mutual friend connected us.

Looking at his new home with the eyes of an experienced journalist, Joe sees stories we don’t. When he spots something, we want to know about it — and, ultimately, to share his view with our readers.

His ﬁrst Seven Days byline was on a shocking October 2023 exposé about the former Woodside Juvenile Rehabilitation Center. Nearly a year later, Joe authored a deeply researched piece tracking Vermont’s guns-for-drugs trade, which we copublished with the national news site The Trace.

most Seven Days cover stories. But Joe’s searing narrative of the men and women called to this work — and the people they serve — is as memorable and artful as the headstones in Hope Cemetery. We hope you’ll make time to read it.

Seven Days rarely writes about faith, not simply because we live in one of the most secular states in the nation. Seventy-ﬁve percent of Vermont adults seldom or never attend religious services, according to the Pew Research Center, compared with 66 percent in New Hampshire and Maine.

IN BARRE, A CITY OF CHURCHES, JOE SEXTON FOUND AN UNEXPLORED ANGLE ON VERMONT’S ADDICTION PROBLEM: THE POTENTIAL LIFESAVING POWER OF RELIGION.

More likely we avoid the topic because journalists are trained to be skeptical, to concern themselves with veriﬁable facts and evidence, datasets and test results. We want proof.

It was only a matter of time before he discovered Barre, perhaps the state’s grittiest and most storied city, and started peeling back its layers. The Granite City was once a multicultural mecca, where immigrants coaxed the rock from the surrounding hills and sculpted it to memorialize the dead.

But Barre’s relationship with mortality has changed. In 2024 the city of roughly 8,000 has lost nine residents to drug overdoses — more than any other year since the start of the opioid crisis.

Joe got over that in 2007, working on a yearlong project for the Times about a Pentecostal church in Harlem. He recalled, “All it took was a determination to take believers seriously, to be comfortable writing about the idea of the miraculous, to realize that such churches in fact had their own array of empirical evidence: mouths fed, homes repaired, lives rescued.

“Those hard facts are every bit the equal of the documented good achieved by government programs and modern science.

Joe was moved by the Sisyphean struggle of the living to save those caught in the lethal spiral of addiction. We initially cautioned him: Barre is an easy target. Why single it out when so many other Vermont burgs are facing the same challenges?

But Joe kept reporting: He returned to Barre again and again and talked with cops, prosecutors, social workers, medical professionals, undertakers — and, notably, two devoted church planters.

Two months later, he came back to us with a di erent, sharper story pitch: Barre was getting a new place of worship. “It would not be an ordinary church,” as Joe writes. The plan, “at once radical and rooted in the New Testament, was to organize a church for the addicted ... a church, God willing, that would rescue lives and save souls.”

In a city of churches, Joe had found an unexplored angle on Vermont’s addiction problem: the potential lifesaving power of religion.

We green-lit the project, and he delivered “Acts of the Apostles.” At 10,556 words, it’s twice as long as

“So why not tell the story of those faith-driven, honest e orts? For one thing is sure: None of it, the public dollars spent or the simple power of faith, has been enough.”

Preach.

Paula Routly

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JAMES BUCK

EDUCATION

Campus Carillonneur

An octogenarian musician serenades college students with a rare instrument

BY ANNE WALLACE ALLEN • anne@sevendaysvt.com

Eighty-nine-year-old George Matthew Jr. clambered up a rough-hewn wooden ladder at the very top of the bell tower in Middlebury College’s chapel to show a visitor the school’s carillon, a set of 48 bronze bells he has been playing for nearly 40 years. Then he descended carefully into a small space below the belfry, seated himself at the carillon’s keyboard and struck one of the rows of levers with his ﬁst. An E note sounded above in the deep, musical voice of a 2,300-pound bell.

“If you ever wondered what the Liberty Bell would sound like, that’s it,” Matthew said.

From this antique arrangement of massive bells, broomstick-like keys and fragile connecting wires, the carillonneur, or bell player, draws music that rings across the campus from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. each weekday during the semester. His repertoire ranges from Johann Sebastian Bach sonatas to Scott Joplin and show tunes.

This year, Matthew is bringing an even

greater diversity of music to campus: He has set out to play the national anthems of every country represented in Middlebury’s student body — 70 in all — to help those students feel more at home.

Now, at lunchtimes, the campus air is

THE KIDS OFTEN WANT A POPULAR SONG OF SOME KIND. IF I CAN, I PLAY IT ON THE CARILLON.

GEORGE MATTHEW JR.

filled with anthems from places such as Bosnia, the Faeroe Islands, Ukraine, Lebanon and Mongolia. He plays them on rotation at a rate of about seven a day.

Matthew was inspired, he said, by a homesick Ecuadoran student who came to hear him play last Christmas Eve. The elderly musician found a book of carols

VTrans to Remove Smugglers’ Notch Chicanes for Winter

BY KEVIN MCCALLUM kevin@sevendaysvt.com

Vermont transportation ofﬁcials have agreed to remove a trafﬁc control device on the north side of Smugglers’ Notch after residents complained that it was preventing them from reaching prime winter recreation areas.

As they do every winter, VTrans crews closed Route 108 over the Notch in late November. But this year, they had to contend with the chicanes they’d installed in the spring on either side of the Notch to prevent trucks from getting stuck on the extremely narrow, sharp curves at the top of the pass.

Crews removed the device from the Stowe side of the Notch — but initially left the chicane in place on the Jeffersonville side and closed the road before it. at prevented residents from accessing winter parking areas used by hikers, ice climbers and backcountry skiers.

“ ere is a huge amount of community use up there,” Essex climber Keese Lane said.

from Ecuador in his vast collection and began to play.

The student was entranced, according to Matthew: “The biggest smile I’ve ever seen.”

The anthem project comes naturally to a musical omnivore who has played for synagogues, studied South Indian music and enjoys playing traditional melodies from Afghanistan. Matthew, who worked for many years as a teacher and church organist, has played the carillon professionally since the 1960s. He’s been the bell player at Middlebury, where he holds the title of lecturer, and Norwich University since 1985. At nearly 90, he continues to play the organ at St. Thomas & Grace Episcopal Church in Brandon, where he lives, and to o er occasional recitals.

“I’m still busy every Sunday,” he said.

Because it’s an unusual instrument and job, Matthew is well practiced at explaining the carillon. But when it comes to his own life story, Matthew expedites the

Many of those recreational users — “dozens, if not hundreds,” according to Lane — called VTrans and Gov. Phil Scott’s ofﬁce to voice their displeasure.

e Vermont Army National Guard also expressed concern about being able to access the area for winter training, as did ﬁrst responders who deal with emergencies in the area, according to VTrans spokesperson Amy Tatko. at prompted the agency to reverse course on Tuesday.

“After internal conversations and hearing from our stakeholders, AOT has made the decision to remove the chicane,” Ashley Atkins of VTrans said in a statement. e move will restore access to the parking areas.

After years of struggling with stuck trucks — and failing to ﬁnd solutions to prevent the problem — VTrans ofﬁcials believe the chicanes are the answer. In the past, about eight trucks each year would get stuck trying to navigate the pass, creating major headaches for tow truck crews and members of the public. is year, with the chicanes in place, just one bus got stuck, according to VTrans. ➆

CAMPUS CARILLONNEUR » P.16

Closure point on Route 108

George Matthew Jr.

‘Borrowed Time’

Burlington’s water systems are failing — and the ﬁxes could cost $225 million

The systems that treat both drinking water and wastewater in Vermont’s largest city are obsolete and decaying, and extensive, costly upgrades could be in the works.

After years of patchwork fixes, Burlington public works o cials say the solution is two bonds totaling $225 million proposed for the Town Meeting Day ballot in March. The projects could more than double residents’ water bills over the next decade.

& PHOTOS BY COURTNEY LAMDIN • courtney@sevendaysvt.com

of the community,” Burlington Public Works Director Chapin Spencer said.

“Unfortunately, we’re on borrowed time.”

Time hasn’t been kind to the city’s system. A recent tour of the main wastewater plant near Perkins Pier revealed corroded pipes and ancient equipment MacGyvered with parts ordered from eBay.

The edge of a concrete pool of bubbling brown water, known as an aerator, had a crack large enough to ﬁt a man’s hand. In the aptly named “sludge room,” where smelly solid waste is carried by a conveyor belt, staff are wary of using certain machines, lest they break one they can’t ﬁx. A big, red button on a control panel labeled “E-Stop,” used in emergencies, already has been rewired once.

•

City councilors say the price tag is too high at a time when Burlington is already facing untenable spending pressures, including another multimillion-dollar budget gap.

“I just don’t see how we can ask voters to support it all,” City Council President Ben Traverse (D-Ward 5) said.

Public works o cials are looking for ways to tamp down the cost, but they say the price of inaction would be steep.

“Municipal water and wastewater systems are foundational to the operation

The city last issued a wastewater bond in 2018, for $30 million. It paid to ﬁx some equipment, reline century-old pipes and install infrastructure to better handle stormwater runo in the wake of repeated wastewater overﬂows.

But public works officials say the money didn’t go far enough. The equipment that wasn’t touched by that bond is 30 years old, earning the plant a C or lower grade on a recent report card assessment performed by city engineers.

COURTS

Burlington City Councilor Resigns Following Judicial Appointment

BY DEREK BROUWER derek@sevendaysvt.com

Burlington City Councilor Tim Doherty (D-East District) has resigned his seat after Gov. Phil Scott named him as one of four new state judges.

Doherty will serve a rotating judgeship on Vermont Superior Court, the state’s trial court system, according to the governor’s ofﬁce, which announced the appointments on November 27. Later that same day, Doherty wrote in a Front Porch Forum post that he would be resigning from the Burlington City Council “effective immediately.”

“I am humbled and profoundly grateful for this opportunity to serve Vermont and look forward to this new phase of my career,” he wrote.

Doherty did not respond to an interview request. He has practiced law for more than 20 years and was working for the prominent Burlington law ﬁrm Downs Rachlin Martin. Previously, Doherty worked as an assistant U.S. attorney in the District of Vermont and clerked for two federal judges.

Burlington voters elected Doherty in 2023 to represent the East District, which encompasses Wards 1 and 8. His two-year term was set to expire this spring.

e seat will remain vacant until Town Meeting Day in March, the mayor’s office confirmed, citing the Burlington City Charter. With Doherty’s resignation, Democrats still retain a narrow effective majority on the council, with five seats and an ally in North District independent Mark Barlow. Progressives hold the other five seats.

Scott announced three other judicial appointments last week: Bonnie Badgewick, president of the Vermont Bar Foundation; Dana DiSano, a criminal prosecutor in the Vermont Attorney General’s Office; and Laura Rowntree, the civil division chief in the Vermont Attorney General’s Office. Scott’s office touted the governor’s effort to improve gender parity in the judiciary. Half of his appointees have been women, who now account for nearly 40 percent of superior court judgeships in the state, his office said. ➆

Campus Carillonneur « P.14

telling by handing out a three-page written summary.

His love affair with the carillon, it says, started with his ﬁrst glimpse of the instrument in 1939 at the World’s Fair in Queens, N.Y. He was about 5 years old and was seated on his grandfather’s shoulders.

“I saw an old man dressed in white, pounding away on an instrument of bells that made the most glorious racket,” Matthew wrote.

Almost any sheet music for piano or organ can be interpreted for the carillon, according to Matthew, which is how he learned the anthems. The most fascinating so far, he said, is that of Bangladesh, which was written by poet Rabindranath Tagore, who also authored the Indian national anthem.

“The Bangladesh anthem has an almost magic ﬂow to it, that is hard to describe,” Matthew said in an email. “I’ve never heard anything like that, in vocal or instrumental music anywhere.”

There are more than 700 carillons at work in more than 30 countries, according to the Guild of Carillonneurs in North America, a nonproﬁt dedicated to promoting the art. But in Vermont, only Middlebury and Norwich have bell carillons, Matthew said.

The University of Vermont has an electronic carillon in 165-foot-tall Ira Allen Chapel, which sits across from the university green. To Matthew, that’s not the same thing at all: “No bells, just loudspeakers.”

He thinks UVM could do better.

“The tower is just perfect and in the perfect location,” he said.

Doug Thornton, Norwich University’s music director, said he recently heard Matthew playing the theme from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera — which stood out from his usual repertoire on that campus.

“A lot of the time, he plays hymns and marches,” Thornton said.

Matthew typically plays at Norwich on festive occasions, such as graduation or alumni weekend. He also plays on Veterans Day or other observances.

His performances are a little more eclectic at Middlebury, where he chooses melodies from all over the world and mixes things up with the pop requests that come in from students. His favorite composer is Bach.

“The kids often want a popular song of some kind,” Matthew said. “If I can, I play it on the carillon.” His wife, Sherri, 56, is a music producer. She converts the pop songs into sheet music for the carillon.

“I have a fantastic wife,” Matthew said. “If it’s online, she’ll get it.”

In 2020, during the height of the Black Lives Matter movement, Matthew played gospel music, said Pieter Broucke, who is Middlebury’s associate dean for the arts and Matthew’s supervisor. With his music, Broucke said, Matthew expresses the college’s identity as a place that values tradition while striving to honor other cultures.

YOU JUST DON’T KNOW, AS YOU’RE PLAYING, IF YOU HAVE VERY MANY PEOPLE LISTENING OR NONE.

GEORGE MATTHEW JR.

“He’s using a very Western and traditional instrument to inspire and engage underrepresented groups,” said Broucke, who is from Bruges, a Belgian city with a strong carillon tradition.

Minutes before ascending the 75 stairs of the bell tower to demonstrate the carillon to a reporter and photographer on November 22, Matthew took a seat in the

chancel to deliver a thunderous pipe organ performance of Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D Minor for some chapel visitors. The small group listened quietly as the organ reverberated around the century-old structure, and they thanked him warmly afterward.

The sociable Matthew doesn’t often see reactions to his live performances. He’s at the keyboard high in the tower while his listeners are walking through campus or sitting on the lawn.

“You just don’t know, as you’re playing, if you have very many people listening or none,” Matthew said. But he said he’s fine with that. “You just do the best you can.”

The carillon is a contradiction in that way — an instrument that’s invisible to most but heard by many. It’s audible all over campus and in town. When the wind is right, Broucke can hear the bells at his house, a mile north of the chapel.

Matthew’s contract with Middlebury runs through 2027, and he doesn’t plan to retire anytime soon. But when he does, Matthew hopes one of the two students he is teaching the instrument will carry on his work. ➆

Tim Doherty

George Matthew Jr.

Holiday Guide

VERMONT CHRISTMAS TREES & WREATHS

‘Borrowed Time’ « P.15

A drinking water pump station on Main Street, near University Place, is even worse off. Built in 1867, the station is structurally unsound, and 40 years of deferred maintenance has pushed more than a quarter of its components to the brink of imminent failure. The station serves the city’s east side, including the University of Vermont Medical Center.

If nothing is done, the city estimates the main plant could near 80 percent capacity by 2028. That could cause state regulators to limit the number of new customers that connect to the system. The bond would allow the city to expand capacity, which could help Burlington achieve its goal of adding thousands of new housing units, including more than 1,000 in the South End alone.

With the ongoing Burlington High School rebuilding project, the city has nearly maxed out its ability to issue taxpayer-backed general obligation bonds. But a bond for water projects, which would be repaid by water bills instead of property taxes, is not affected by that debt limit.

The consequences of not upgrading both the drinking and wastewater systems could be dire, Spencer said. Spills of untreated wastewater containing E. coli bacteria could become more

THE REALITY IS WE NEED TO DO

“We don’t want to be an impediment to that,” Spencer said.

A $21 million drinking water bond would decommission the city’s Victorian-era pump house on Main Street and build a new one on the same lot, among other upgrades. The existing system distributes water from an on-site reservoir that was pumped from Lake Champlain and treated, using pipes that are more than 150 years old. One of the pumps was built from a World War II surplus diesel motor.

“If the pumps don’t work, it’s game over,” said Megan Moir, director of the city’s water division. “People keep asking me, ‘What can we push off?’ and it’s like, ‘Not this one.’”

common, polluting Lake Champlain and shutting down city beaches. The inevitable breakdown of drinking water pumps would leave the hospital, UVM campus and homes east of Willard Street high and dry.

If all fixes were approved, a typical single-family home that pays about $60 a month for water service would see that bill double by 2030, according to city estimates. The bill, which is based on the amount of water used, would peak at $148 a month in 2035.

A $204 million bond would go toward upgrading the wastewater system. Besides replacing aging machines, the city would build additional tanks to use if existing ones break or need maintenance, creating redundancy that the current system lacks.

Other costs for Queen City residents have also been rising in recent years, and there’s no sign of a slowdown. State legislators are forecasting another large property tax increase. And having just closed a $14 million shortfall, the city is anticipating another budget gap of up to $12 million next fiscal year, meaning voters may be asked to support a tax rate increase on the March ballot.

A $30 million chunk of the money would purchase a filtration device to reduce the amount of phosphorus flowing into the lake. The plant already discharges very little phosphorus, a mineral that feeds toxic algae blooms that plague city beaches, but a state permit will require even lower levels by 2030. The city would face hefty fines for exceeding those standards, which were created to comply with a mandate from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Another $30 million would be used to close the treatment plant on Riverside Avenue, leaving a pump station there that would be cheaper to maintain. The sewage from that plant would be rerouted to the main plant, work that the bond would pay for.

Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak will also propose a separate $20 million bond that would pay for various capital projects over the next three years. And councilors are seeking a charter change that would allow the city to borrow up to $10 million without going to a public vote, an increase from its current $2 million bonding authority. Officials will present more details at a January 6 town hall meeting.

Councilors agree the water projects are long overdue. But at a meeting last month, they implored officials to find a way to scale it back.

“I need to see these numbers go down,” Councilor Becca Brown McKnight (D-Ward 6) said, “because I don’t think this will pass the public if the numbers are this high.”

“There’s really no words for the pressure people are feeling,” Councilor Melo Grant (P-Central District) added. “It’s pretty extraordinary.”

Mulvaney-Stanak — who is married to Moir — said the water bond is necessary. But she also acknowledged that the city needs to contain costs.

“We have to find a middle path forward that’s within what we can afford and, frankly, what we can’t afford to keep deferring,” she said. “The reality is that we do need some level of bonding.”

Council President Traverse wouldn’t say whether he’ll vote to add the water bond to the ballot, a decision the council must make by mid-January. But he did say he can’t support putting every monetary item to voters at once.

If the water bond is the priority, he said, “then, from my perspective, there’s going to have to be some give in some other areas.”

Moir and Spencer are making efforts to reduce costs. They already trimmed $14 million from an earlier bond proposal that would have paid to relocate a sewer pipe that burst in the Winooski River during flooding in July 2023. The city now hopes to get Federal Emergency Management Agency funds to move the pipe to dry land.

Other federal cash, including grants and congressional earmarks, could bring down the total bond amount by as much as $16 million. Financing the loan through a state fund could offer lower interest rates. And housing growth

would bring in more customers to help repay the debt. Moir didn’t include any of those factors in her calculations in order to present the worst-case scenario for water rates, she said.

Moir has also proposed a way to help some residents afford the increases. While most renters don’t pay water bills directly, their rents could go up. To offset the cost, the city could opt to offer rebates to lower-income tenants on their electric bills. A council subcommittee is vetting another suggestion to charge certain residential customers lower rates than commercial water users.

“From what I understand [from] the council, that’s what they’re wanting us to do: Turn over every rock,” said Spencer, the public works director. “The unfortunate part is there aren’t easy options,” he added.

Officials have been making the rounds at Neighborhood Planning Assembly meetings and hosting tours at the wastewater plant to drum up support for a bond. During Seven Days’ recent visit, facilities manager Matt Dow said the upgrades would make things easier for his staff.

“Everybody here wants to do the best job that we can,” he said. “When you’re dealing with things that are broken or that you’ve been patching together for a decade already, there’s only so much you can do.”

Shortly after, one of Dow’s employees burst through the plant door and headed to an outbuilding. Something needed fixing. ➆

8h-robbihandiholmes060723.indd 1

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Corroded pipes at Burlington’s main wastewater treatment plant

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OBITUARIES

Kathleen Blow Clavelle

MAY 4, 1954NOVEMBER 17, 2024

JERICHO, VT.

Kathleen Blow Clavelle passed away on November 17,

Robert Francis Polworth Jr.

JANUARY 3, 1943NOVEMBER 23, 2024

BURLINGTON, VT.

Robert Francis Polworth Jr., a lifelong resident of Burlington, Vt., passed away peacefully in his sleep on Saturday, November 23, 2024. His friends called him Bob or Bobby. Bob was born on January 3, 1943, to Robert F. Polworth Sr. and Lena Bellino Polworth in Burlington, Vt.

OBITUARIES, VOWS, CELEBRATIONS

2024, as a result of pancreatic cancer. She accepted the challenge to ﬁght the disease but ultimately chose to continue her journey without enduring the debilitating side effects of the treatments.

Kathy was born on May 4, 1954, in Burlington, Vt., to omas J. Blow and Gabrielle Audette Blow. She loved to dance (at Loretta Sousie’s Dance Studio) and sing. She and her talented friends and schoolmates sang at St. Joseph’s Church for 15 years. eir voices and musical instruments harmonized at weddings, funerals and church masses. She and her friends had such beautiful voices that the priest would let them wander outside the sphere of only religious songs, John Denver being one such exception.

Bob graduated from Rice Memorial High School in 1961. He was president of his senior class and won the Vermont State High School Track Championship, competing in the 4x100 relay. It was here that he met his wife, Shirley Foss, who he would hold hands with for the next 65 years. He was a devoted husband, father and grandfather. ough Bob could be found bundled up even on a summer’s day, those around him were always warmed by his sense of humor, generous use of winks and knack for ﬁre lighting.

Upon graduating from Rice Memorial, he attended the University of Vermont and graduated in 1966 with a BA in political science. He was an active brother in the Kappa Sigma Fraternity. On June 11, 1966, he married Shirley Foss and soon after started raising a family.

Bob enjoyed working on political campaigns in the ’60s and ’70s. He held various administrative positions at the UVM College of Medicine and worked as a manager

Kathy graduated from Rice Memorial High School in 1972 and from the University of Vermont in 1976 with a degree in early childhood development. She loved the inquisitive nature and positive energy of children, as demonstrated by her work as a nanny, substitute teacher and, most of all, a terriﬁc mother.

She was married to Ray Clavelle Jr. on June 12, 1976. She worked at Champlain College as assistant housing director from the mid-1970s to the early ’80s but halted her career when her children were born; Adam and Alex were fortunate to have had an at-home Mom.

When her sons were in middle school, she wanted to go back to work, and she happily worked at Claussen’s

at the local General Electric factory. From 1975 to 1980 he was clerk of the Chittenden County Superior Court in Burlington. He ﬁnished his professional career as a licensed real estate agent working for both Lang Associates and Janes and Jacob.

Bob gave back to the community, often volunteering his time for events at Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Burlington. He was highly active in the Burlington International Games and served as BIG president in 1978. He was a Little League coach and worked on the Rice High School Boosters.

Bob was an active parent and grandparent, attending countless school and athletic events for his kids and grandkids. Bob will be remembered for his encouraging words from the sidelines, the pep talks in the car on the way to athletic events, and the postgame wrap of what went well and where we could improve. He was happiest when the whole family was in the

Perennial Farm, specializing in perennials.

Kathy’s loves in life were her family, singing, gardening and living on her beloved island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas. Beautiful gardens appeared wherever she lived.

Kathy was preceded in death by her parents, Tom (Jiji) and Gabrielle (Betsy/ Baba) Audette Blow, and her brother Andrew. She is survived by her husband of 48 years, Ray/Raymie; her son Adam, his wife, Katie (Yost), and their two children, Benjamin and Max; her son Alex — who was born on her birthday — and his wife, Molly Gray. She is also survived by her brother Dan Blow and his partner, Larry Wilhelm; sister, Jayne Blow; brother John Blow and his wife, Deanna; niece, Tyra;

same room at the same time. He was an avid golfer and enjoyed socializing with his best friends at Cedar Knoll Country Club in Hinesburg.

Bob is survived by his sister, Carol Hearne of Piedmont, S.C.; wife, Shirley Polworth, and their two children, Kelley Barlow and Scott Polworth; son-in-law, Mark Barlow; daughter-in-law, Andrea Polworth; six grandchildren, Robert Polworth, Maggie Barlow, Christopher Polworth, Nash Barlow, Olivia Polworth and Owen Polworth; and his nieces and nephews.

Our family would like to thank the numerous friends, neighbors, family members, caregivers and medical professionals who have supported us over the past year. A celebration of life will occur at a time to be determined in spring 2025 at Cedar Knoll Country Club in Hinesburg, Vt. Please email robertfpolworthjr@ gmail.com if you would like to receive notiﬁcation of the event. Please visit awrfh.com to share your memories and condolences.

grand-niece, Josephine; nephews, Jake, Ryan, Dylan and Tei; and grand-nephew, Toshi.

She also leaves behind her mother-in-law, Eleanor (Dang) Clavelle; sister-inlaw Anne (Clavelle) Obbagy, married to Tom Obbagy; sister-in-law Betsy (Clavelle) Cain; brother-in-law Peter Clavelle, married to Betsy Ferries; Stephen Clavelle, married to Bonni Clavelle; nine nieces and nephews and their partners; 10 grand-nieces and -nephews; and many cousins and relatives who are the stewards of Camp Overlake in Malletts Bay.

Kathy’s grandchildren, Benjamin (Benji) and Max Clavelle, were the best things that ever walked the face of her Earth. e boys loved spending time with their

Grandy, as they referred to her, and their grandfather Raymie. ey especially enjoyed looking at family photos with Grandy, helping her water the ﬂowers at Camp Overlake and preparing her “meals” in their play kitchen.

Kathy would bring a positive energy to any room. She was always asked by friends for gardening advice, which she happily obliged. She was a beautiful, independent and intelligent woman who will be sorely missed.

In lieu of ﬂowers, please donate to the McClure Miller Respite House in Kathy’s name (uvmhomehealth.org/donate/ make-an-online-donation).

A celebration of Kathy’s life will be held in the spring, once the perennials begin to bloom again.

CELEBRATION OF LIFE

Barbara Nolﬁ 1942-2024

Barbara Nolﬁ’s celebration of life will occur on Saturday, December 7, 2 p.m., in Main Street Landing’s Film House, 60 Lake St., 3rd Floor, Burlington, VT. Please consider testing yourself for COVID-19 before coming. e event will also be live streamed at the following link: youtube. com/playlist?list=PLljLFn 4BZd2NsLyqKvMk2NEtjC tKOc3Oh or at cctv.org.

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VOWS, CELEBRATIONS

OBITUARIES

Donald H. Turner Jr.

JULY 19, 1964NOVEMBER 30, 2024 MILTON, VT.

Donald H. Turner Jr., a beloved pillar of the Milton community, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on November 30, 2024, at the McClure Miller Respite House in Colchester, Vt., after a short but courageous battle with glioblastoma.

Born on July 19, 1964, in Burlington, Vt., Don exempliﬁed a life dedicated to service, family and community engagement. As a respected ﬁgure in the political landscape of Milton, Don served as a state representative for

the Chittenden-9 district from 2006 until 2012 and, subsequently, for the Chittenden-10 district from 2013 to 2019. His commitment to public service was further highlighted by his role as the minority leader of the Vermont House

SEPTEMBER 9, 1922NOVEMBER 23, 2024

LYNDONVILLE, VT.

e feisty old broad reluctantly gave up on her quest

to live forever. At the ripe old age of 102, Irene Hartwell ﬁnally succumbed to the relentless deterioration of her body and passed away on the morning of November 23.

As befits someone of that advanced age, Irene lived a life containing both eras of bliss and ones of difficulty. rough it all she displayed a quiet determination and resilience in the face of every obstacle that confronted her. Irene was strong-willed and sometimes cantankerous, but she could always be counted upon to provide support and comfort to her children, as evidenced by her willingness over the years to welcome all of them back to the family home after they experienced difficulties in their lives.

of Representatives from 2011 to 2019. In addition to these accomplishments, he was actively involved in local governance as the town manager of Milton and as a member of the Board of Civil Authority. Don was a real estate broker for Century 21. His passion for community safety was demonstrated through his certification as a fire instructor; his membership in the International Association of Fire Chiefs and the Milton Firefighters Association; and in his roles as rescue chief, forest fire warden and a 14-year tenure as the Milton fire chief, a path he started at the age of 16. In 2017 he took on the role of town manager, contributing significantly to the betterment of Milton and its residents.

His family owned and operated local businesses, including the Milton Bowling Center and Don Turner and Sons Construction. Don was not only a stalwart in his career, but he was also a devoted family man. He cherished instilling in his children the values he learned from his own upbringing in a close-knit family, prioritizing weekly family time, vacations and holiday events. He particularly enjoyed playing and bonding with his grandchildren. He is survived by his loving wife of 40 years, Gail; his three daughters, Emily Turner-Frye and her husband, Ben, Hillary Joyal and her husband, Dana, and Erin Turner; his three grandchildren, Thea, Lydia

and Thatcher; and his parents, Donald H. Turner Sr. and Nancy Turner. He leaves behind his siblings, Lisa Lapete and her husband, Chris, and James Turner and his wife, Erin; and his nieces and nephews, Chris, Sam, Nikki, Haley, Owen and Quinn. He is also survived by a large extended family.

Don was predeceased by his sister Tammy Juaire; his mother-in-law and fatherin-law; his aunt, Betty Cross; and his grandparents.

The impact Don had on the Milton community and his family will be felt for years to come. He will be remembered not only for his extensive public service but also for his unwavering love, kindness and commitment to those around him.

His memory will forever be cherished by all who had the privilege of knowing him. A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, December 7, 2 p.m., at the Donald H. Turner Jr. Public Works Building, 160 Public Works Way, Milton. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the McClure Miller Respite House in his honor. Don’s family would like to thank the care team of the McClure Miller Respite House for their wonderful care. A special thank-you to Sarah, Mara, Debbie, Linsey and Robin. Arrangements are in the care of the Minor Funeral Home in Milton. For tributes and online condolences, please visit minorfh.com.

Irene was born on September 9, 1922, in Providence, R.I., to Walter and Augusta Field. She grew up in working-class Providence neighborhoods and attended Catholic schools through high school. She was working on the production line at Frisbie Pies when an NEK transplant delivery driver, Philemon C. Hartwell, noticed her because, as family lore has it, “she had great legs.” Apparently, the attraction was mutual, and they started to see each other. After World War II ended, they married and moved to Vermont.

e family lived in various towns early on, including Lyndonville, Websterville and Milton. Along the way, Philemon M., David and Marilyn were born. e lure

of the NEK and in particular of the Hartwell stronghold of East Haven led to the purchase of an old farmhouse on ﬁve acres in Hartwellville.

e house was once the headquarters of a veneer mill whose stone foundation ruins provided the children with their own personal fort.

e fort, the large barn with hayloft and accessible cupola, the island in the adjacent Passumpsic River and the base of East Mountain provided countless opportunities for imagination and adventure.

Irene started off as a typical 1950s housewife, but she was also the postmaster for East Haven for two years, was on the school board for a number of terms and served as the hot lunch cook for the

East Haven School for years.

e meal was cooked at her house and transported by sled to the nearby school.

Irene was an excellent cook and baker. Slow-simmered beef stew with dumplings, baked beans with salt pork and maple syrup, and roast leg of lamb were some of her signature dishes. She also baked great bread, made excellent pies with ﬂaky crust and made the best chocolate chip cookies ever.

As her husband suffered through his bouts with cancer, Irene once again stepped up and started working as a cook at the Town & Country Restaurant to supplement the family income. She eventually became the primary breadwinner when Phil became unable to work.

She continued to work at the Town & Country until it closed its doors.

Irene is survived by her children, Philemon M. Hartwell of Kissimmee, Fla., David Hartwell of South Burlington, Marilyn Williams of Lyndonville; her grandchildren, Laura (Eric) Berlin, Mark (Vickie) Hartwell, Kevin Sleeper, Matt Sleeper, his girlfriend, Amanda Boyce, and Abigail Lucia; and her great-grandchildren, Abe Berlin, Olivia Berlin, Chase Sleeper and Hunter Sleeper.

Irene was predeceased by her parents, her husband, her sister Estelle and her brother Walter Jr.

Per Irene’s wishes, there will be no public calling hours. A private burial service will be held at a later date.

Irene Hartwell

William A. O’Rourke Jr., MD

JUNE 5, 1931NOVEMBER 21, 2024

RUTLAND, VT.

William “Bill” O’Rourke Jr., MD, aka “Bucko,” died peacefully, with his wife by his side, at Rutland Regional Medical Center on November 21, 2024, at age 93. Bill was born in Rutland, Vt., on June 5, 1931, the first child of Mary Hinchey O’Rourke and William A. O’Rourke Sr.

Dr. O’Rourke practiced medicine in Rutland for more than 50 years. He retired from private practice, where he specialized in internal medicine and infectious disease until he was 80 years old. He cared for his patients at RRMC and served there as a consultant in infectious disease for most of that time.

After closing his office, he volunteered at the Rutland Free Clinic for nine years, where he was highlighted as a Vermont Super Senior on WCAX-TV.

Bill was raised in Rutland, Vt.; graduated from Mount St. Joseph Academy, class of 1949, where he was an honor student and was named the class athlete; and graduated from the College of the Holy Cross, class of 1953, and the University of Vermont College of Medicine, class of 1957.

Following graduation, he interned at Ohio State University Hospitals in Columbus, Ohio (1957 to 1958). After completing his

first residency in internal medicine at UVM (1958 to 1959), he served as a captain in the U.S. Air Force and was the chief medical officer (flight surgeon) at the Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins, Ga. He completed his second residency and an infectious disease fellowship at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C. (1961 to 1962), then returned to his hometown of Rutland to practice.

He served as president of the Rutland Hospital Staff, the Rutland County Medical Society and the Vermont Chapter of the American Heart Association. He was a member of the Vermont State Medical Society. He was the health officer for the City of Rutland for eight years. Bill proudly served on the board of directors of First Vermont Bank for many years.

Dr. O’Rourke was dedicated to Roman Catholic schools. He served as a Christ the King School basketball coach. He also served for many years on the CKS board. Dr. O’Rourke may be best known for his work with the Mount St. Joseph Athletic Association. For 32 years he was the physician for the MSJ athletic program. Dr. O’Rourke served on the MSJ Academy board and helped raise money to build the cafeteria at MSJ, as well as organized the Green Wave Golf Tournament and MSJ Scholarship Program. He received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Mount St. Joseph Academy in 2015, part of Honor Our Past, and the Service to Medicine and Community Award from the University of Vermont College of Medicine in 2017. Bill was a loyal alumnus of MSJ, the College of the Holy Cross and the University of Vermont College of Medicine. In 1986 he purchased a condominium in Naples, Fla., and enjoyed vacationing there. He was a longtime member of the Rutland Country Club; Imperial Golf Course of Naples, Fla.; Rutland Elks Club; Post 31

American Legion; and the Knights of Columbus.

Bill, aka “Doc,” greatly enjoyed family, friends, all sports, his patients, staff and his work. He was a wonderful human, selflessly serving his community for so many decades with such honor and dignity. He loved sharing stories that made those around him smile and laugh. He was a treasure.

Bill is survived by his wife, Suzanne Kovacs O’Rourke, and her children, Tammy Whelan (Kevin) and Tracey Lambert; daughter, Julie Foley (Brian), and grandchildren, Matthew, Mickey, Brigid and Kate; son Jim O’Rourke (Cindy); and son Atty. William A. O’Rourke Ill (Sandy). He is further survived by his brother, Atty. R. Joseph O’Rourke (Magill); his sisters Kathleen O’Rourke Valente and Anne O’Rourke Ratkus (Dr. Victor); and his brother-in-law Mike Kovacs (Robin). Bill is survived by many nieces, nephews and cousins who loved him dearly. Dr. O’Rourke was predeceased by his parents; his sister Mary Ellen Griffin (Gerry) in 2021; brother-inlaw Hon. Silvio Valente in 2017; and his sister-in-law

Patricia O’Rourke in 1990.

Bill was very appreciative of the support he received, in his later years, from two dear friends, Timothy Collins and Dr. Patrick Keenan.

Memorial contributions may be made to Christ the King School, 60 S. Main St., Rutland, VT 05701, or to Mount St. Joseph Academy, 127 Convent Ave., Rutland, VT 05701.

Calling hours were held on Friday, November 29, 2024, 4 to 6 p.m., at the Clifford Funeral Home, 2 Washington St., Rutland, VT. A mass of Christian burial was celebrated on November 30, 2024, 11 a.m., at Christ the King Church, 66 S. Main Street, Rutland, VT.

Interment followed at Calvary Cemetery, 102 Meadow St., Rutland, VT. Arrangements are under the direction of Clifford Funeral Home in Rutland.

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Early on a crisp and bright August evening, Chuck Clark stood in the basement kitchen of Enough Ministries, a Southern Baptist church on Washington Street in Barre City. He was dressed casually, in jeans and a fire-rescue T-shirt. But his aim was far from modest. Clark is a “church planter,” and he’d arrived in Barre weeks earlier to start a church from scratch.

It would not be an ordinary church. In a city brutalized by Vermont’s opioid crisis, Clark’s plan, at once radical and rooted in the New Testament, was to organize a church for the addicted, a population of the lost and the hurting who might have come from nothing or squandered riches.

Clark’s vision was as clear as it was unorthodox: The church would not just offer up prayers, a bit of food or temporary shelter to those who were unfortunate or struggling with substance abuse. Rather, it was to be all but wholly made up of people battling addiction and those newly sober. It would be both unpretentious and deadly serious. It would be a church, God willing, that would rescue lives and save souls.

Clark, who himself had wasted too many of his 65 years abusing cocaine, said there is no standard blueprint for how to found a new church, much less one for the sick and marginalized. But he said he’d identified instruction in the fifth book of the New Testament, the Acts of the Apostles:

Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.

And so for weeks, Clark had walked the streets of Barre, knocked on the doors of its many emergency-use motel rooms, sat among those gathered behind the Good Samaritan Haven shelter on North Seminary Street, made small talk at soup kitchens and set up an information table at the city’s farmers market.

Now, in the basement kitchen, Clark’s early recruits began to drift toward the four rows of white folding chairs. He stood

In Barre, dozens of people have perished in the opioid crisis. Can a church for the addicted stem the losses?

BY JOE SEXTON

Acts of the Apostles

under the word “COFFEE” spelled out on one of the walls, the sign an offer of a hot beverage and an acronym for Christ Offers Forgiveness for Everyone Everywhere.

Clark spoke to those who came by name.

Timmy wore a sweatshirt inscribed “Half Hood, Half Holy.” Danielle, who had a habit of speaking out of turn, wanted to pray for Rusty, a homeless addict who had not been seen or heard from in days. Malcolm, a 25-year-old in dirty road crew gear, was both noticeably high and genuinely interested in what Clark had to say.

Clark began with a statement based on a passage from the grandson of the Christian evangelist Billy Graham.

Christ’s church is for alcoholics, control freaks, adulterers, codependents, blame-shifters. It’s for gossips, shopaholics, liars, narcissists, worrywarts, the selfish, angry, and the arrogant. It’s for the proud, the scared, the unrighteous, the self righteous. It’s for you, it’s for me. Sinners are the only people God gives His grace to, and that means thankfully I qualify and so do you.

It was a bracing welcome for the 10 people in front of him, Clark acknowledged with a smile. Yet no one was offended or so

A service at the startup church in Barre

much as winced. To be seen and accepted was rare, and more than enough.

Clark’s preliminary gathering came just weeks after yet another grim casualty of Barre’s opioid threat.

A man had been found dead inside a building site Porta-Potty just before 8 a.m. on July 25. He was on the toilet, his head slumped atop his left arm on the plastic surface next to the seat. He clasped a blue plastic straw in his right hand, and a bit of tinfoil with burn marks lay next to his face. A police report noted some “purge” had come out of his nose and mouth and been smeared across his forehead.

A small glassine bag used to package drugs was found, too. It bore a smiley face and two words: “Be Happy.”

The man was quickly identified in part because of distinctive tattoos on his neck and chest. His death certificate later captured the bare particulars of his life: 37 years old; born in Burlington; one-time construction worker; dead of a toxic mix of fentanyl, xylazine, cocaine and alcohol.

That man is among at least 56 residents of Barre who perished in the past decade by overdosing. Each death has been a gut punch to a gritty, proud city badly bruised by economic decline, historic flooding, and, day by day, opioids.

State records offer one kind of accounting for the city’s losses: The oldest among the 56 was 78; the youngest, 16. Thirty-seven were male; 19 female. Five were married, but a majority had never had a spouse. Some had been born in surrounding towns, but others had made their way to Barre from Walnut Creek, Calif.; Fort Riley, Kan.; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; and Puerto Rico. They had once worked in various professions: landscaper, musician, homemaker, bartender, teacher’s aide, chef, dental hygienist, fingerprint analyst, handyman, software engineer.

Clark’s church, however humble, is meant to stem these human tragedies.

Over an hour that August night, the improvised audio-visual equipment would fail. One congregant’s oxygen tank would crash to the ground. Some would get up and leave without saying a word, while others would arrive late with a quick apology.

Clark would invoke scripture, including a promise from Jesus: “Your sins and iniquities, I’ll remember no more.”

People who’d shown an initial openness to what Clark was preaching delivered impromptu testimony.

“I’m not totally who I want to be,” a man named George said as he stood. “But I’m not who I was yesterday.”

Barre, of course, is not the city it was yesterday, certainly not the place it was decades ago. For much of the 20th century, it was one of the granite capitals of the world; a draw for immigrants from Italy and Scotland, eastern Europe and

I’m not totally who I want to be. But I’m not who I was yesterday.

GEORGE

Scandinavia; and a hotbed of labor activism. Built on the strong backs of quarry workers and stone polishers, it became known as a city of churches and banks, and for years it was the livelier sister city to Montpelier, lit up with bars and restaurants, brimming with dancing and brawling. It had an opera house and handsome museums, too.

Today, its foundations are cracking. Barre has been steadily losing population for 70 years, with fully 10 percent of its residents gone in a single decade, from 2010 to 2020. The granite industry is no longer a robust engine of jobs and stability, shrunk by mechanization and undercut by global competition. It is the drug trade, though, that has taken one of the deepest cuts at the

Barre are removed at least in part because of parental drug use.

Over on Church Street, the People’s Health & Wellness Clinic, a free health care outpost, won’t write painkiller prescriptions out of safety concerns — for patients and staff both.

The police department, meanwhile, continues to make scores of drug arrests, including these from last August: four males apprehended outside 46 South Main Street in an operation that also seized drugs and guns, including an AR-15 style rifle. One of those taken into custody was a 15-year old boy sent up from Springfield, Mass., as a drug courier.

And of course, last July, the young man was found dead in a portable latrine in the center of town. He’s one of nine Barre residents lost in 2024, already the deadliest year of the past decade in the city.

Chuck Clark was hired last spring by Dan Molind, the pastor of Enough Ministries, and it was in that church’s basement that Clark held his makeshift service. Molind, a son of Barre and a career officer with the U.S. Army, had returned to his hometown upon retirement and become an ordained minister.

city’s sense of itself and of its future. Barre has for years now been a distribution hub for out-of-state traffickers, its homes turned into “trap houses,” from which first heroin and now mostly fentanyl and crack cocaine are spread through the city’s streets. That trade has brought guns and crime, from the petty to the violent.

In the face of all that, Barre, a cramped city of just four square miles and just over 8,000 people, has not quit on itself. Its people and institutions have mounted a committed response to the drug menace through education, treatment programs and the dogged work of the city’s police force.

And yet.

At Barre City schools, hobbled by poverty and lagging in overall achievement, some children’s learning is hampered by the drug use of their parents. One child recently reported to class after administering Narcan to a parent.

Caseworkers with the Department for Children and Families in Barre remain traumatized and fearful after the 2015 murder of one of their own by a woman whose children had been taken from her, at least once because of her drug use. Many of the children taken into state custody in

Molind’s first project was a soup kitchen that began serving many of the city’s homeless and addicted in 2014. He soon began to hold services in the kitchen, and a startup church there came to attract about 50 members, most of whom struggled with substance abuse. The church was called “Garden of feEden,” and for Molind it proved that a church for Barre’s most vulnerable and troubled could succeed.

A decade later, his own church now firmly established and perhaps too formal for Barre’s dispossessed, Molind tasked Clark with starting again.

Clark concluded that basement service in August with song, his wife Sonia on the guitar. Those gathered had lost children to the state; had been both institutionalized and cast out to sleep in the cold; had once been loved and, too often, forgotten.

Their voices raspy but together, they sang as one and with a vigor worthy of any cathedral:

I’m trading my sorrows, I’m trading my shame,

I’m laying them down for the joy of the Lord.

I’m trading my sickness, I’m trading my pain.

I’m laying them down for the joy of the Lord.

Chuck Clark speaking with churchgoers at Enough Ministries

The Enough Ministries church building where Chuck Clark’s congregation worships in the basement

‘Amen’

Dan Molind was raised in a deeply religious household in Barre. His father was a surgeon who spent chunks of his career doing medical missionary work in countries around the globe. His mother was a motivated Christian, too, and she helped found the faith-based crisis pregnancy center in town.

Molind respected their work and its religious roots. But he didn’t hear God’s call himself until he was in uniform and on a combat tour in Afghanistan.

Molind had done an initial tour in Afghanistan early in the U.S. war on terror and returned in 2006, when he took leave from the Army and accompanied his father on a medical mission to Kabul. In the capital city, father and son made their way to an assortment of underground Christian churches — the secret routes to them marked in Kabul’s streets by a fish symbol.

Both men were struck by the courage and imagination of the 30,000 or so Afghans countrywide who risked their lives to worship Christ. In the U.S., including in their Vermont hometown, rain or snow was enough to keep some from church on Sundays.

Eager to protect such daring displays of faith from the Taliban, Molind volunteered in 2008 to serve a second combat tour. As chief of staff for the joint international forces in western Afghanistan, Molind earned praise from his superiors for his performance in a vast and deadly part of the country with limited resources.

“An absolute must to promote to colonel,” read one evaluation.

Molind said God, too, had plans for him. In the desert of Afghanistan, Molind said, God spoke to him and made clear his wishes: “You have mobilized armies. Can you lead a church?”

Back in Barre, Molind, now 61, first volunteered at Faith Community Church, a Southern Baptist congregation. He then participated in experiments with building smaller worship groups in the city and neighboring towns.

After an inauspicious start at Spaulding High School in Barre, he’d accumulated an array of degrees — in counseling and criminal justice, and in strategic studies from the U.S. Naval War College. All of that learning, it turned out, was of use for creating and leading churches. One other degree, in diplomacy, wound up helping him negotiate with his wife, Cathy. There’s an old line that the hardest job for a wife is to be married to a soldier. The second hardest is being married to a pastor. Neither is home very much. The pay is

poor. Cathy had done the first, and now her husband was asking her to do the second.

Cathy agreed to her husband’s pastoral ambitions. As partial repayment, Molind sent her to culinary school, one of her long-delayed passion projects. After her training, the two in 2014 opened a soup kitchen in what had once been side-byside gun and skate shops at 84 Summer Street in Barre. An earlier soup kitchen had been run there by the First Baptist Church on Washington Street. The church’s board gave it over to Molind and his wife.

The place, not far from the city’s homeless shelter, was immediately full. Feeding people was one thing; turning the space into a church would be trickier. But Molind had a working theory for success, a reverse of the “if you build it, they will come” cliché.

If they come, he figured, we can build it.

It would take a bit. Once Molind started to conduct worship services inside — it was to be a Southern Baptist congregation, just like the church where he’d first volunteered — he and his wife and children were often the only attendees.

The uphill fight was not hard to understand. Frightened, wounded people living on the street can be deeply mistrustful, even paranoid. A church, to some, sounded fishy. Even those who were receptive to worship could struggle to be consistent, reliable presences. The notion that those who came would be able to tithe — donate regularly — was not realistic, and so finances would be tight.

But the flame started by free food became a considerable fire, and soon chairs and speakers had to be placed in the street outside the kitchen to accommodate the congregation. The Gospel was straightforward: All of us, whether

The Gospel was straightforward: All of us, whether handing out the food or accepting it, are imperfect, even broken, people.

handing out the food or accepting it, are imperfect, even broken, people. Your failings don’t define you. The broken still have value. Your former lives are not some imperceptible, irretrievable dream. Saying yes to Jesus can give you a new life.

“Addiction is giving up everything for one thing,” Molind likes to say, borrowing a line from the recovery world. “Sobriety is giving up one thing for everything.”

In the first weeks and months of the church’s life, Molind visited crack houses to talk about Jesus. He drove potential congregants to rehab. He helped people secure supportive housing. While he doesn’t drink alcohol, or even coffee, Molind frequented bars, ordering wings to get a chance at conversation and connection. He met with a couple who called

Tom Sperry of Williamstown stocking the outdoor food pantry

Pastor Dan Molind baptizing Virgil

BARRE’S BEDROCK

The Undertakers

Duffy Ballard and his son Cort, who together run the Pruneau-Polli Funeral Home on Summer Street in Barre, didn’t shy from the chance to sign a contract to drive people found dead of overdoses to the state medical examiner’s office in Burlington. While there isn’t much money in the work, it suits their sense of mission.

Those they pick up were often estranged from their family, if they had one. Care and dignity are needed.

In recent years, father and son have taken calls at all hours. They’ve been out to the Hilltop Inn in Berlin, to the high-rise public housing apartments on South Main Street, to private addresses as far away as Williamstown.

They made at least 11 runs in 2023.

If the bodies Duffy and Cort pick up go unclaimed, the cremated remains are held for three years at the medical examiner’s facility. The hope is someone will turn up. Those families who do claim the bodies often choose to have formal services at a different funeral home. One of the few that paid for a service at Duffy’s was the family of a 7-month-old Barre child who ingested drugs belonging to his parents.

Almost all the families that opt to work with Duffy and Cort choose what’s called direct cremation. There is no service, no obituary, and the ashes are handed over for the family to do with as they wish. The cost is roughly $2,800 — cheaper than a funeral package but still too much for some.

“A lot of time there is no money,” Duffy said of the families of the dead. “And that’s when I say, ‘OK, I’ll just do it for the state money.’”

The State of Vermont pays the home $1,100 or so for accommodating families that have nothing.

Duffy explains the details without judgment. He is not a man of pretensions, although he says with a laugh that people have told him his life story is worthy of a book. It would be a tale of Barre hardship, tragedy and survival.

His father, he said, was a “railroad bum,” killed by a train when Duffy was a boy. His mother, nicknamed Happy, worked for a bit as a cook at a local diner, but in complete truth, Duffy said, she raised him and his siblings on public assistance.

Duffy, now 58, did not make it past eighth grade. He was a father at 15 and had eight children in all. He has already lost three, though none to drug use.

Cort, 26, a former football player at Spaulding High School, is Duffy’s youngest. He’s seen less heartbreak than his dad but plenty all the same. A run out to Williamstown not that long ago still haunts Cort.

The body was on the porch of a home and had been there for a while.

“Kind of hard to recognize,” Cort said of the corpse.

But he worked it out.

“A kid I grew up with,” Cort said. “I went camping with him. We played football together. He was 23.”

The work goes on. There have been eight runs so far in 2024, including to retrieve the young man found in the Porta-Potty.

In late summer, for the third year running, the funeral home’s hearse rolled along in Barre’s Heritage Festival parade. Duffy and Cort threw Slim Jims and Starburst candy to the crowds.

“Ninety-nine percent of the people thought it was great,” Duffy said.

Not all, though.

“A couple of people didn’t like it,” he said. “It triggered something in them.”

“Thank you from the bottom of my heart for my newto-me car. It couldn’t have come at a better time. I was going through a lot and didn’t have a car to get to work or to take my kids to appointments, school, etc. We all love it so much.

Thank you!”

Amanda, recipient of a 2008 Toyota Rav4

Duffy and Cort Ballard

themselves Satan worshippers and was pleased when, after a chat in their home, they agreed to let him leave a bible behind.

In what he said was a rare pastoral feat, he twice saved the same soul.

One day a frantic woman entered the soup kitchen for help. Another woman had overdosed in a nearby apartment. Molind grabbed a container of Narcan and used it on the woman, who he guessed was in her forties. The woman, who had stopped breathing, came around.

Days later, she turned up at 84 Summer Street. She apologized for any awkwardness or hostility. But she was also frustrated and distraught.

“Why didn’t you let me die?” she asked him. “I’m sick of this life.”

Molind sensed opportunity.

“If you save someone’s life,” he said wryly, “you automatically have a lot of stock.”

And so he answered her: “Jesus came so that none shall perish.”

The woman was later baptized into Molind’s church. She was dunked in water, and she emerged, as Molind put it, remade, or at least far different than when she’d come to after the dose of Narcan.

“Smiling and excited,” Molind said.

That wasn’t the only development that felt like a miracle for Molind’s church. The American Baptist church leaders who had given him use of the building on Summer Street, impressed by what he had created, had a new gift.

In 2019, with First Baptist’s worshippers down to about a dozen people, its leaders asked if Molind wanted his congregation to take over their quite beautiful church on Washington Street, complete with a glorious stained-glass sanctuary. It was theirs for the taking.

Molind and his congregation of roughly 50 moved right in, welcomed by the remaining members of First Baptist. Some adaptation was required.

The church was renamed Enough Ministries, and Molind ran a new version of the soup kitchen out of the basement. Blue lights were installed in the church bathroom to make it harder for those still actively using drugs to find a vein to shoot up, and people were charged with monitoring how long folks were in there to further guard against overdoses.

Enough Ministries has become a force in the rebuilding of Barre’s damaged housing since the 2023 flooding. It has been a vital player in the distribution of food beyond the soup kitchen, giving out or delivering $500,000 worth in a single year through partnerships with Shaw’s, Walmart and other companies in the area.

As I came out of the water, something was different. I can’t explain what it was, but something changed for me there. I just respect life itself now.

KODY FITZGERALD

And it has continued to baptize those who, as Molind says, make it up the toughest 10 steps on their journey to Christ — the staircase from the basement soup kitchen to the spectacular sanctuary above. It’s so hard, Molind said, for many to feel they belong, that they are worthy, that they won’t be judged by those in pressed suits and flowered dresses.

But some have made it, with each of those baptized writing their name and their favorite bit of scripture on a wall outside the sanctuary.

Carol, baptized on February 13, 2021,

‘Maybe Today Was Good’

The morning of June 24, 2019, was a moment of truth of sorts for Kody Fitzgerald; his partner, Heather; and their baby boy, Kylen.

Fitzgerald, who had abused drugs since his early teen years, had already lost two children to the custody of others. He’d been jailed for theft, lived long winters in abandoned railway cars, seen his own mother struggle with addiction. But he had been sober for more than a year, had a job and felt like this was his last, best chance to be a real father.

Fitzgerald needed Heather to get clean for good, too. She had overdosed during the pregnancy, and after surviving that, and even after the birth of Kylen, she still pestered Fitzgerald to feed her habit. Worried about leaving their boy with her alone, Fitzgerald had lined up a babysitter for the hours when he was away at work.

With Kylen in his arms, Fitzgerald addressed Heather on their porch before work. He wasn’t going to stay if she could not get sober, he told her, and he aimed to take the boy with him if he left. Reflect, he said to her, on what life would be like without her boy. Fitzgerald kissed her on the forehead and let her kiss the baby.

Heather later called Fitzgerald while he was at work. She said she was in Barre and asked him to pick her up after he got Kylen from the babysitter. She sounded upbeat.

“Maybe today was good,” Fitzgerald said to himself.

Fitzgerald was born in Berlin, the grandson of a famous U.S. Navy war hero, William Charles Fitzgerald. His grandfather was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for his valor in defending both his own men and civilians in the South Vietnamese village of Co Luy in 1967. The USS Fitzgerald , a destroyer that for years was part of the Navy’s vaunted 7th Fleet in the Pacific, was named in his honor.

opted for Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good, to give you a future and a hope.”

Esther 4:14 was Sindy’s inscription on July 20, 2024: “And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Earlier this fall, Virgil, seven months sober, his hair still damp from his christening, got on a ladder and with his tattooed right arm, wrote, simply, “God loves us all.”

He paused, then made a late addition. “Amen.”

Kody Fitzgerald’s best childhood memories involve time spent with his widowed grandmother, hearing stories about her legendary husband and taking summer trips to Maine.

But Fitzgerald was only 5 when he sensed there was trouble in his own home. Before long, he said, his mother had him steal pills from people in the community. He soon became a skilled burglar and later a high school dropout as he trailed his mother through a series of boyfriends and Vermont towns. He’d get locked up and do time mowing lawns while at prison work camps in St. Johnsbury and Windsor. Then he tried heroin.

Kody Fitzgerald

A sign on a store in Barre

BARRE’S BEDROCK

The Detective

Detective Sergeant Steve Durgin was one of nearly a dozen officers to hit an apartment in East Barre 18 months ago. Inside, police found a woman in the living room of what felt more like an attic than a residence. Something about the woman suggested she was keeping a secret.

Durgin found the secret in a tiny bathroom — a 13-year-old boy with drugs, cash and a gun. The boy had no identification, and when he answered any questions at all, he gave the officers fake names.

Durgin has been with the Barre City Police Department for 17 years. He’d come on after a deployment to Iraq with the U.S. Army in 2004, a year, he said, when the country was “blowing up” after the seemingly easy toppling of Saddam Hussein. Back home, he was keen for the excitement and purpose of police work, but the shine of the job, as he put it, has faded. The endless combat against drugs in Barre is the cause.

“They change; we adapt; they learn how we’ve adapted,” he said of the cat and mouse with Barre’s drug dealers, many of them from out of state.

The child in the bathroom represented the latest strategic gambit: underage boys from Springfield, Mass., or Hartford, Conn., set up in homes to deal drugs. The out-of-state traffickers know that Vermont doesn’t typically jail juveniles. If they’re busted, the boys are eventually released, though several thousand dollars in cash might be seized.

“The cost of doing business,” Durgin said.

The boys often do not know where they are other than somewhere in Vermont. They’ve been told to withhold their names from police. They almost never leave the apartments, ordering in food.

Durgin and other investigators tracked down security video and saw the moment the boy, with nothing but a backpack, had been walked into the apartment by three adults. Durgin found Domino’s pizza boxes in the bathroom.

Occasionally, after hours of detention, and maybe threatened with prosecution as an adult, boys such as this one will give up their names on their own. At other times, police work with the Department for Children and Families to determine the identity of the boys and return them to their home states. It is not easy or quick work.

It’s often not clear whether the boys were sent to Barre against their will. They might willingly do it for money or to earn gang membership. If it were clear the boys had been coerced, the police might be able to make a human trafficking case. To date, Durgin said, they’ve been unsuccessful doing so.

Trissie Casanova, who heads up DCF’s human trafficking division, said youths are being stationed in other Vermont communities, too. Of late, she said, most of the boys are Somali immigrants.

A cynical and challenging new wrinkle in Barre’s drug-dealing operations is the last thing Durgin’s department needs. The department, with 21 sworn officers, has five unfilled openings, a staffing problem owing not to a lack of money but a lack of interest. The street crime unit has been eliminated. Durgin is one of the department’s two detectives; it once had four.

The uphill fight can wear on officers who have made at least 260 drug arrests in Barre over the past four years. Durgin is resigned to the idea that the job is a way to pay bills, to provide for his son.

“We’re never going to win,” he said. “So you do what you can so the city doesn’t burn.”

Detective Sergeant Steve Durgin

“From that moment,” he said, “I fell in love with heroin.”

Fitzgerald said his first two children, a girl then a boy, who he had with different women, were walked away by investigators with the Department for Children and Families after he was caught trying to beat a urine test required by his probation officer.

Things got dark. Fitzgerald spent one winter sleeping in an old railway oil tanker on the outskirts of Barre. He’d wake up not remembering what had happened the day before and organize this new day around the question of how he would get high so that he could later forget what had happened that day.

He wound up for a time at the Good Samaritan Haven shelter, where he met Heather. They could not stay in the shelter all day and had to find ways to kill time until they could return. One day, the two of them walked into the soup kitchen at 84 Summer Street.

It’s where he met Dan Molind. Fitzgerald said Molind was the first person to take him seriously in what felt like forever.

“He straight believed in me,” Fitzgerald said.

Fitzgerald would listen to the Sunday sermons and get goose bumps. He found himself noticing more richly the tiny good things that might happen in a day. And each of those moments, from feeling the purity and directness of Molind’s interest in him to something as silly as finding a quarter on the floor, were moments when he was not thinking about scoring dope.

Call him crazy, Fitzgerald said, but it became his modest daily goal not to disappoint God. It had been so long since he’d feared letting someone down. It’s hard to disappoint those who’ve long ago given up on you.

In 2018, Fitzgerald told Molind he felt ready to be baptized.

“As I came out of the water,” he said, “something was different. I can’t explain what it was, but something changed for me there. I just respect life itself now. I don’t know the word I want, but just how unique, how important life is.”

That’s why he was so determined in June 2019 for Heather to get sober and to, as he put it, help him “raise a child up the way it should be.” He’d struck out twice on that; Heather, having survived a near-fatal overdose, didn’t have many strikes left, either. Fitzgerald remembers the exact time he got a second call at work on June 24. It was 3:05 p.m., and it wasn’t Heather this time.

“Heather’s dead,” a friend on the phone said.

Fitzgerald, disbelieving, raced from Northfield back to Barre, taking a call from

Church is family. Families have problems. Church can have problem families.

CHUCK CLARK

a number he didn’t recognize as he hit 100 miles an hour. It was the police.

“I’m here with Heather,” the officer said, “There’s been an incident.”

Back in Barre, at an address of a man Heather used to score from, Fitzgerald was out of the car before he’d put it in park, and it slammed into a police cruiser. The officers there put their arms around him, to restrain him and to comfort him both.

“You don’t want to go in there,” they told him. “You want good memories to be in your head.”

Fitzgerald soon managed to wipe the tears from his face. He had to compose himself. He had to go pick up Kylen.

“I feel like I haven’t properly mourned over her,” Fitzgerald said of Heather. “She was good with Kylen. She loved him very much.”

Fitzgerald, who is 32, now works at Walmart, which recently promoted him to a manager’s position. Kylen is a student at a private Christian school. It’s costly, Fitzgerald said, but worth it. His contact with his first two children is limited, and although he is saddened by that, he understands.

Molind considers Fitzgerald an exemplar of what a church for the addicted can produce — a life of abject desolation transformed to one of simple satisfactions and a sturdy confidence. It’s the work of

God, Molind believes, and also a testament to Fitzgerald’s own redeeming tenacity.

“The first week after it happened, I was so angry with God,” Fitzgerald said of Heather’s death. “You know, How could you do this to me? I’m staying clean. I’m giving you my all.”

“But after a few months,” he said, “I came to the realization that maybe God wasn’t shunning me, disciplining me for the path I took in my past. Maybe it was his way of testing me. You know, seeing if I was worthy of him.”

‘Talk to Them About Jesus’

Five years after Dan Molind’s soup kitchen church took over the grand First Baptist Church, Molind had begun to worry that the congregation had become a bit too comfortable. Those folks who’d gotten sober had found their way to jobs and homes. The holdouts from the First Baptist congregation had by and large stayed, additional anchors to a growing Christian enterprise. New arrivals had come, attracted by the music or the stained glass, bringing the Sunday totals to as many as 80. The tithing was enough for Molind to consider taking a salary, although he opted not to.

Molind feared that the church had lost sight of those it was first formed to serve – Barre’s most alone and at risk.

And so in late spring, Molind hired Clark to breathe life into a second iteration of a church for the addicted. He invited Clark to use the Washington Street church’s basement for his early services, what the two men called the new church’s “soft launch.”

Can a church for the addicted save souls in Barre?

BY JOE SEXTON, XX

Timmy praying during a midweek service

and Barb during

BARRE’S BEDROCK

The Recovery Coach

The men in their late teens or early twenties cut Moriah Haggett to the quick. Haggett, a recovery coach, helps people struggling to shed their addiction, whether to heroin or alcohol or something else. She is most often stationed off the emergency room at Central Vermont Medical Center in Berlin. Overdose victims, once revived and treated, are encouraged to meet with her. The goal is to get them to work on sobriety and safety.

When young men turn up there, she is struck.

“Oh, my God,” she can’t help thinking, “that’s my boy.”

Haggett lost her 19-year-old son, Tyler, on Mother’s Day 2023. He’d come home for the weekend to celebrate, gone out on Saturday night with friends and spent Sunday morning in bed. He’d worked a late shift as a welder in South Burlington, and so she let him sleep late.

“The poor kid’s just tired,” she thought.

When Tyler’s girlfriend called around 3 p.m. looking for him, Haggett went to check. She couldn’t get a response. When she called 911, she was asked to touch her boy.

“He is really cold,” she said into the phone.

She believes that Tyler, who had struggled with a crack cocaine addiction, smoked something laced with fentanyl after arriving back at her home.

It’s an emptier place today.

“My kids have always been my entire world,” Haggett said.

Haggett, 46, spent the later years of her childhood with her grandparents in Barre Town. She had her first child, Jonnah, when she was 17, and she never finished high school. She gave birth to Tyler, battled a cocaine and drinking problem, confronted the challenge of girlhood trauma with therapists, and got sober.

During her own work with psychiatrists and counselors, Haggett said, she was struck by how many of those she’d see in the waiting rooms were alone. She became determined to support people like them, and she got trained and hired as a recovery coach at the Turning Point Center of Central Vermont in Barre. Most coaches are in recovery themselves.

Part of what the coaches do is something Turning Point calls “motivational interviewing,” suspending judgment, building confidence and focus. Haggett loves the work, hard as it can b e.

“I wasn’t always easy to deal with, and they aren’t always easy to deal with,” she said of her clients. “And that’s OK.”

Haggett found a coach for Tyler when he first confessed his issues with addiction.

“I wasn’t going to be his coach,” she said. “I needed to be his mom.”

As his parent, she’d seen him grow from a shy boy to a varied and competitive athlete. He loved hockey most, even if his mastery of skating wasn’t complete.

“He couldn’t figure out how to stop,” she said with a laugh. “Always hitting the wall.”

His efforts at sobriety would hit walls, too, including the final one.

With his death, Haggett decided to add grief counseling to her portfolio. She meets with those dealing with loss both individually and in groups. She finds the work easier, in its way, than the recovery coaching. It’s about sitting with people — holding space, as she put it, for people who don’t know what’s going to come next.

Asked what she expected of the future, she would not say. Not being overwhelmed by the now was enough.

“I’m OK,” she said. “I think I’m OK.”

Moriah Haggett at her son’s grave

Clark had grown up in Granby, Conn. He dropped out of school, took up cocaine, and came close to losing his grip on life and his family. He found Christ, though, and after years in Florida building pools for people with money, he committed himself to building churches, including ones for those with next to nothing.

Clark’s reputation for church planting was expanding among the country’s networks of pastors and congregations, and with his son he’d recently started a church in South Burlington. Molind met with him, was won over and urged him to start reaching out for potential church members door-to-door in Barre.

Early one cool September afternoon with a rumor of autumn in the air, Chuck Clark climbed into his truck behind Enough Ministries on Washington Street. His destination was the Quality Inn about a half a mile away, one of the motels used to house the indigent.

“Hopefully, I don’t run into people like me,” he said, recalling his own issues with addiction and isolation. “Or maybe I need to run into people just like me.”

Clark got permission from management to go room to room. Each held candidates for his growing church.

He’d have to navigate the scene in the parking lot first. It was full of the young, the ill, the frightened and the scheming. There appeared to be various factions protecting turf, while others moved from corner to corner in search of a favor, maybe a dollar, maybe a cigarette.

“Dear Quality Inn Guests,” a sign posted on a motel wall read. “There are no visitors allowed in your room at any time. If he/she is not on your voucher and you’re caught with them in your room for ANY amount of time, you will be immediately vacated.”

Clark took it all in.

“Church is family,” Clark said. “Families have problems. Church can have problem families.”

It was slow going.

“I’m busy, and I’m high,” one female resident said. “I won’t go to church high.”

Barre is a complicated mixed blessing of a hometown for those dealing with addiction. Its appeal includes a housing stock that is 50 percent apartments, a rarity in Vermont, and lots of them are government subsidized. Residents can get a degree of free health care at the People’s Health & Wellness Clinic. A variety of nonprofits provide treatment and supportive housing. Public transportation provides critical links.

At the same time, the presence of the county courthouse, and the attendant probation and parole offices, mean those

I’m busy, and I’m high. I won’t go to church high.

QUALITY INN RESIDENT

cycling through arrests and incarceration — 66 percent of those locked up in Vermont are taking opioid treatment medications — all but have to stay in Barre to meet the terms of their release.

The city’s surplus of drug operations, many orchestrated by gang members in Springfield, Mass., or Hartford, Conn., thus makes escaping the lure of drugs, and the access to them, deeply challenging.

In short, Barre is where many struggling with addiction have to be, even though they know it’s the last place they should be.

“For every gang member they take out of the city,” a man named Rusty said, “far more arrive.”

Rusty was at a table in the basement kitchen on Washington Street. He said he’d been born in Randolph and once dreamed of being an architect. But after becoming taken with the painkillers he stole from his dad, a telephone lineman, he’d been an addict most of his life. Even the birth of two sons could not shake him into sobriety, much as he loved his boys.

“No matter how high I got,” he said, “I was still their dad.”

No longer. He’d last seen his first son, now 16, when the boy was 4. He’d last seen his 9-year-old when he was just 18 months.

Molind, who oversees the congregation that worships in the church’s upstairs

sanctuary, and Clark, who puts together the basement services for the new, as-yetunnamed church for the addicted, have some strategic principles in seeking prospective members.

The military, Molind said, prioritizes mission over man. In building a church, it’s the other way around. He and Clark want to create relationships. Hear people’s stories. Understand the scope of their needs and begin to meet some of them. Then talk about Jesus.

Molind said his father used to say it took 18 positive encounters with someone before you could have a shot at gaining a convert.

“Don’t invite people to church; talk to them about Jesus,” Molind said of his thinking. “If you invite them to church and they don’t come, nothing good has happened. If you talk to them about Jesus and they don’t ever wind up coming to

church, you’ve at least shared the word of Jesus.”

By this fall, Molind and Clark had been talking with Rusty for quite a while. He’d spent an entire winter under cardboard and blankets on the church porch. He’d been a regular at the food giveaways. But he was a hard sell. Another winter was looming. That day in the basement, Rusty said of his life, “I always wanted more. I got a whole lot less. Once an addict, always an addict.”

Weeks later, in the same basement, congregants prayed for Rusty’s welfare. Word was he’d overdosed in Roxbury, left behind by those he was with. No one had heard from or seen him. Still later, some of those at the basement services would hear

Pastor Dan Molind

Downtown Barre

PHOTOS: JAMES BUCK

BARRE’S BEDROCK

The Prosecutor

One of the books that most influenced Kristin Gozzi after she took a job with the state attorney’s office in Washington County was The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog The moving work made clear “how trauma affects everybody,” she said.

Over her 17 years in the job as a prosecutor handling family court matters, she said, she has seen the book’s truths fully realized: families in crisis, fear and agony. She’s tracked all that trauma in her own set of statistics.

Since 2016, Gozzi has sought protection of one kind or another in family court for hundreds of Barre children, and in a sizable majority of those cases, substance use by parents or children was among the reasons. As of last month, 95 of her cases had led to the termination of parental rights, meaning the mothers and fathers lost any legal standing with regard to a child.

Some of those cases, Gozzi noted, amounted to critical “wins” that removed children from a dangerous situation. Yet she also views them as defeats of a kind – societal as often as personal failures. Homelessness, for instance, begets desperation, which can lead to destructive, dangerous decisions.

“Complicated situations that aren’t supportive of sobriety,” is how she puts it. “And I don’t know how we fix that as a community.”

Gozzi, 49, was certain she wanted to tackle the challenges of trauma work before she got to Barre. And for all the heartbreak, she has never regretted coming or ever really thought about leaving. She loves Barre’s working-class culture, the livelihoods of so many made through hard labor with their hands.

As a result, when a case concerning a child’s well-being comes to her, she sees the entire family as her client. The drug use of the parents may be at issue, but that does not make them the enemy.

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“I do my very best not to demonize substance use,” she said.

Over the years, Gozzi has worked to make the courtroom environment in downtown Barre as humane and collaborative as possible. Parents are referred to by name, not as father or mother or defendant. When possible, tables and chairs are arranged so that everyone can see each other, not merely be facing a judge.

“If people feel they are heard by the court,” she said, “they are more likely to follow court orders.”

The volume of cases, however, can frustrate the best of efforts. Weeks, even months, can elapse before hearings are held, the timely scheduling of what are at their heart urgent matters feeling like “an impossible task.”

Of course, Gozzi notes, there are “glimmers of hope,” such as a young boy who first showed up in court bent over and nonverbal returning to stand straight and speak for himself; and a mother who ran into Gozzi at Walmart and told her excitedly that she was three months sober.

Recovery and family restoration are possible, she said. “People do it every day.”

When they don’t, though, the losses hit like cataclysms. Gozzi said both a parent and a child on her caseload had died of overdoses within the past year. And they were just the latest.

Addicts, she said, have often blown up relations with families and friends. The system, meaning in many ways her, is all they have. That system, she knows, is imperfect, even flawed, too often inadequate. And no book about trauma can feel like comfort enough.

Indeed, the past year’s deadly defeats, recorded in Gozzi’s growing ledger, packed a wallop. Feeling a bit unmoored by the losses, she said she’s been wrestling with personal and professional questions about just how effective she was in her long-held goal of limiting trauma for families.

“Struggling,” she said of herself, “with my place in the world.”

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You may see a white cloud, mist, fog, bubbles in standing water , or blowing dust, or vegetation that appears to be dead or dying for no apparent reason.

You may hear an unusual noise like a roaring, hissing, or whistling.

If you suspect a leak:

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Have a happy and safe holiday season!

Kristin Gozzi

that Rusty had survived and was living in the woods around Montpelier.

A man named Chris did not make it. Clark had very briefly met the 37-yearold when he came for food. It might have been the start of a conversation, maybe the beginning of a relationship and, who knows, a step toward baptism.

Chris died of an overdose on September 18. A brief online obituary paid tribute.

“Chris was kind, caring, a good listener, and a true gentleman with a youthful personality. He was outgoing, bubbly, energetic, social, funny and determined. He was a talker and had countless stories that he loved to share with others. In his spare time, he enjoyed watching movies, listening to music, playing cribbage, swimming, biking and coloring pictures ... He loved ice cream and candy, and treats could always cheer him up when he was sad.”

Clark has been undeterred by the setbacks, and he earns the salary Molind is paying him. He’s had to overcome the insecurities of those he encounters, many of whom can suspect outsiders of being cops. One man actually threatened to knock Clark’s teeth out.

Yet there Clark was one day in late October, conducting a prayer walk through the streets of Barre, including up Main Street. To everyone he met, he offered, as he put it, “Jesus without religion.”

“Jesus said there is no sinner worse than me,” Clark said in one of his early services. “And there is no sinner worse than you.”

Fourteen people showed up for the first service back in August, and the number has since fluctuated. In the second week of November, though, 33 filled the seats. Clark has cultivated a core group of members to serve as the backbone of the new church. In late November, after a formal assessment of his project’s progress, a national church planting organization pledged its financial support.

Clark and Molind hope to move the church out of the basement and into its own quarters next spring. The hunt has centered on the city’s north end, the corner of town worst hit by the repeated flooding. They scouted one building out by the railway lines and toyed with the idea of naming the church “The Other Side of the Tracks.” Most recently, Molind and Clark have their eyes on an old garage. It fits Molind’s calculus.

“A place where you might find a dollar store,” he said of the area around the garage. “If there’s a need for a dollar store, there’s a need for the gospel.”

‘It’s Not Working’

Three years ago, Dan Molind pulled into an auto repair shop in the city’s south end and was struck by the warmth of the owner who met him. It didn’t take long to sense his despair, too. The man had split with the mother of his children, and he missed his three daughters. Business was slow. Molind would soon hear from others that drug use was a problem.

Molind made it a point to have church vehicles serviced there and gave out the owner’s card to church members.

The man was a bit wary of a pastor, so Molind did not aggressively push Jesus on him. He was also circumspect when asking how the man was doing — noting everyone carried their share of “struggles.”

Over the years, something of a bond took hold, though the man never spoke explicitly of his drug use. Eventually, Molind told the man he’d like to pray for him. The owner hesitated but said OK.

We can’t afford to lose one kid.

MAYOR THOM LAUZON

“One day,” Molind recalled, “he came up to me and gave me his private cellphone number. I invited him to church. I thought to myself that we might be getting somewhere.”

The good work preaching the promise of Jesus is far from the only act of care being extended to those battling addiction in Barre. It is a city rich in civic loyalty and personal generosity.

At the emergency department of the nearby Central Vermont Medical Center, Dr. Javad Mashkuri has sought to humanize the care given to those damaged by drug use, offering rapid access to medication and installing what are known as recovery coaches to immediately work on sobriety with those treated for overdosing.

Those recovery coaches are staff members of the Turning Point Center of Central Vermont, based in Barre. Rosemary Rosa, assistant director, said each of those coaches are at work on their own sobriety, as well as caseloads with as many as 40 clients at once.

Inside the Washington County Courthouse on North Main Street, Kimberly Fortier earned the admiration of the judge in charge of what is called Treatment Court for her efforts with defendants who are trying to stay clean and out of prison. As the court’s clinical case manager, she was a fierce advocate and a demanding supervisor for the defendants she supported and cajoled, demanding honesty and showing forgiveness.

At the same time, younger families are moving into the city, priced out of Vermont’s more expensive communities. They’ve found solid, spacious homes and neighbors of kindness and optimism. New restaurants pop up every once in a while, and longtime stores in the city’s downtown, Nelson Ace Hardware and Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel, are still stubbornly open for business. Locals are quick to point out that other Vermont communities, including Rutland and Brattleboro, face the same issues.

And yet for many who love Barre, it still can feel like a city on the brink. The police, understaffed and always a step behind drug traffickers, are exhausted. Two years of damaging floods have upended lives and sunk morale.

Few people love and worry for Barre more than Thom Lauzon, who served as mayor from 2006 to 2018 and is now back

Police officers making a traffic stop in downtown Barre

BARRE’S BEDROCK

The First Responder

Barre firefighter Will Bennington and his colleagues often get handwritten letters or modest gifts from people they’ve helped, whether after a heart attack or just a lift assist into an ambulance.

Bennington, 36, also has revived opioid overdose victims in streets, parking lots, bedrooms and kitchens. When those people come around, they are often angry, embarrassed, afraid or confused. They don’t say thanks. “They have no idea who is standing over them,” Bennington said. He added, “No one is baking us cookies after that.”

Bennington makes no complaint about this. His feelings aren’t ever hurt. He’s not in the job for thank-yous. In fact, his guess is that, should the person he’s helped later make the long journey to sobriety for a fresh shot at a better life, that moment of revival, however genuinely miraculous, will not be a lasting memory.

“I am not the solution to the opioid crisis,” Bennington said. “Our job is to save people’s lives, and I think we do a pretty good job of that.”

Bennington’s sense of perspective and proportion dates back years. He was a high school senior when he found his older stepbrother unconscious in the bathroom of the family home in New Jersey. He wasn’t exactly sure what to do, and so he closed the door and went to tell his mother. Her “bloodcurdling scream” came next, he said. Bennington’s brother was dead of an overdose.

Barre, whatever its struggles, is not on fire like the Bronx of the 1970s. Emergency medical runs make up the bulk of the department’s work, shift in and shift out.

The department’s preferred treatment is to administer Narcan intravenously. It’s critical to get people breathing on their own because Narcan can wear off and the drugs, heroin or fentanyl, may still be a present danger. As often as not, though, those who have overdosed have been revived by family or friends or passersby before Bennington and others arrive. The firefighters encourage a trip to the hospital, but they can’t order it.

“Once they are alert,” Bennington said, “they have no interest in going to the hospital.”

They worry they’ll get billed or that cops will get involved, he said. Thus the question of whether these people suffer lasting harm — brain injury because of a lack of oxygen — can go unanswered.

In the latest bit of strategy, the department has been equipped with supplies to leave with those who have overdosed, including a cellphone. Phone numbers for a variety of treatment options have been preloaded.

Some have questioned the utility of giving away phones, suspicious they might just be used to order up more drugs. Bennington dismisses the concerns.

“People found drugs before cellphones,” he said.

Asked about any fatigue in the face of seemingly endless overdoses — there can be several a shift, half a dozen in a week — Bennington was quietly resilient.

“This job is hard. Always has been, always will be,” he said. “A blue-collar, emotional job. Most of us have pretty tough skin.”

No need, then, for formal thank-yous.

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Will Bennington

for another stint. He grew up in Barre, and his memories of 1970s boyhood summers are vivid and detailed: kids on bikes everywhere; fishing every afternoon on Gunner Brook; an 8:50 p.m. citywide curfew, signaled each night with a whistle from the Barre firehouse.

Today, Lauzon, 63, misses those scenes. Not so much his lost youth, but the city’s dwindling numbers of young people. Barre, like so much of Vermont, is rich with the old and starved of a youthful labor force.

The toll taken by opioids in the city, then, has implications not only for devastated individual families but also for the economic future of Barre.

“We can’t afford to lose one kid,” Lauzon said.

Yet they are. State records show that eight of the nine Barre residents dead in 2024 of drug overdoses were 45 years old or younger. Some of those lost had worked at one time in just the kinds of jobs that Lauzon was talking about — a cashier, a mechanic, a store clerk.

Lauzon admits that his ability to reverse the onslaught is limited. The mayor’s job in Barre is not a position of great legal authority, the pay just a couple of thousand dollars a year. The work is part cheerleader, part facilitator — a driver of civic conversation more than a kingpin of policy and budgets.

And the job is also to be there in emergencies, be they floods or fires or traffic accidents. So Lauzon answered the phone in 2016 when there were nine overdoses, one fatal, in a single weekend, his initial disbelief turning to despair by the last call from emergency responders.

Back in office years later, Lauzon said the calls haven’t let up.

“We are sincerely trying to do the right thing,” the mayor said. “And it’s not working.”

“It sucks,” he added, “to feel like you are powerless.”

Molind, for his part, believes Jesus is all-powerful. But that doesn’t mean everyone accepts him into their lives, or that those who do will prevail in their struggles with addiction.

The auto shop owner, in the end, never made it to church.

“Perhaps rock bottom is deeper for people who don’t have another hope,” Molind said.

On October 4, at age 41, the repair shop owner died after an overdose.

Molind was sad for the man’s three girls and for the loss of another Barre City businessman.

And he was sad for Thom Lauzon. The shop owner was the mayor’s nephew.

‘How Can I Keep From Singing?’

On the morning of October 6, a quiet excitement was palpable inside Enough Ministries. It was the first Sunday of the month, and thus baptisms were in order, including three for people who had been coming to Chuck Clark’s basement services.

A sound check was under way for the musicians. The church’s front door was swinging open again and again with new arrivals. The baptism tub was filled up, and Clark, in jean shorts, was readying himself to step into it.

Just outside the sanctuary, old and newer members mingled over breakfast snacks. Craig Mugford, a former granite shed worker, was one of them.

“There’s something satisfying,” Mugford said, “about making a rough stone shine.”

Mugford had been a member of the old First Baptist congregation and had stayed and joined Molind’s group when they moved in back in 2019. He said the old congregation had not only been thinned out but also had “lost its sense of purpose.” He was grateful for the people and success stories Molind had brought with him when his congregation took over.

One congregant stood behind Mugford, holding a child’s hand in each of hers, nieces who had lost their mom to an overdose. She was their mother now. The back of her sweatshirt read: “If you are reading

this, know that you are loved. It’s easy to feel alone and invisible, but you being alive is a gift to many. I’m sure of it. So, hang in there and love the person you are the best you can.”

Molind was there, too. He, like the mayor, worries for Barre.

By his count, he’s administered Narcan three dozen or so times; one

basement — did not require sobriety nor promise it. Jesus simply made anything possible, in this life or the next.

The evidence was on the wall in front of him, the names of dozens of people with addictions who’d been baptized: Chris, Ashley, Bill, Sarai, Jeff, Michelle. Three on the wall had later been lost to their addiction.

Molind’s invitation to embrace Jesus, he wants to make clear, is for a church, not a 12-step program.

victim required a dozen doses. He’s met a man who overdosed 40 times. A church member lost a son to an overdose and then, on the anniversary of his son’s death, a grandson. The grandson had gotten high to relieve the pain of losing his dad. The irony is piercing.

So, too, Molind said, are the signs that have proliferated around town: “No loitering,” “No public restroom,” “No panhandling.” Molind knows drug users perceive the signs are directed at them and their presumed unworthiness. It can feel, he said, “kind of like Jim Crow.”

But Molind is an optimist. His invitation to embrace Jesus, he wants to make clear, is for a church, not a 12-step program. He is not a drug counselor. His churches — the one he was standing in and the one Clark was helping start in its

One of those names was that of a Spaulding High state champion in football, track and field, wrestling, and powerlifting. His longtime demon was alcohol, and when Molind met him, he told the pastor that the only calories he got every day came from booze. Molind worked with him, and he was baptized.

The man entered a facility to treat his alcoholism. He got through detox but died while in rehab. Giving up alcohol can be more deadly than withdrawing from any kind of drugs. Molind questioned whether the man’s hard work of recovery and spiritual awakening had been worth it. The push toward sobriety appeared to have killed him.

A church member reassured him. The man, the church member said, was going to die, one way or another, sooner than

Pastor Dan Molind pointing at scripture passages written by people who have been baptized

BUCK

later. His life was unsustainable. That he knew Christ through his relationship with Molind was a blessing, both for him and Molind’s church.

In the bustle outside the church sanctuary on October 6, two women were among the three congregants to be baptized.

One of them, Danielle, 40, had survived an itinerant childhood; lost her father, a Navy medic in Vietnam, to complications from exposure to Agent Orange; battled medical issues herself; and contemplated suicide more than once. But she was still standing.

“I can’t get out of this world yet for some reason,” she said with a chuckle.

She had an apartment for $280 a month, and she’d figured out a way to negotiate the city’s dangers.

“The quieter you are, the better it is,” she said of life on Barre’s streets. “You start talking, and that’s when you get a number on your head.”

She said she’d had water sprinkled on her head in church before, but it had felt like everyone, including herself, was just going through the motions. Here, working with Chuck Clark and his wife, preparation involved reading and genuine prayer.

This time, she said, “I know what I’m doing.”

Where Individuality Shines Bright

Early in the service, as light streamed through the stained glass, she descended into the tub and met Clark, who was standing thigh-deep with his arms open. She turned, leaned back into his arms and was gently, fully submerged. She came up wide-eyed and soaking.

Applause erupted.

And then the congregants took up the song “How Can I Keep From Singing?”

Their voices reached the very back of the sanctuary, downstairs where the children were learning, and even beyond the front door, into the streets of Barre.

My life goes on in endless song

Above earth’s lamentations, I hear the real, though far-off hymn

That hails a new creation.

Through all the tumult and the strife

I hear it’s music ringing, It sounds an echo in my soul.

How can I keep from singing?

Journalist Joe Sexton spent years as a reporter and senior editor at both the New York Times and ProPublica. He lives in Vermont with his family.

Chuck Clark and his wife, Sonia, praying with a churchgoer during a service

We all love our go-to restaurants, reliable local places that serve good food at a good price. But if you eat there enough times, even a tried-and-true standby can start to feel stale.

Look beyond the beaten path, however, and you might ﬁnd a new favorite nearby. The Vermont countryside is dotted with cozy inns, many of which o er dining for guests as well as the public. They often ﬂy under the culinary radar of locals. We think they’re not for us: too fancy, too pricey.

I live near one of those: the 200-yearold Waybury Inn in East Middlebury. It dates back to an era when a trip from Burlington to Middlebury took a day on horseback and most meals outside the home were eaten by travelers stopping overnight at such roadside inns.

In more recent times, the Waybury’s exterior represented a quintessential Vermont country inn in the opening montage of the 1980s sitcom “Newhart,” set at the ﬁctional Stratford Inn.

One recent Monday evening, my daughter, husband and I took a short drive from our Cornwall home to see whether the inn could expand our roster of go-to local dining destinations.

In the spring, the inn’s ownership transitioned after a quarter century to Halina and Chas Lyons and chef Antonio Petri. Now 33 years old, Petri grew up next door to the Waybury and waited for his school bus in front of the inn, he said.

He became executive chef at the Waybury two years ago. Before that, he cooked professionally in Ithaca, N.Y., and Chicago, as well as at the renowned, Israeli-influenced restaurant Zahav in Philadelphia.

In July, Petri told Seven Days that he planned to keep Waybury favorites such as its beefy, mashed potato-crowned shepherd’s pie ($20) while also broadening the menu’s global ﬂavors.

Upon entering the inn, I was disappointed not to spy Larry, his brother Darryl or his other brother Darryl, of “Newhart” fame. But the rustic brick ﬁreplace and warm wood touches immediately established a comforting atmosphere.

The Waybury Way

Under new ownership, East Middlebury’s 200-year-old inn stretches its culinary wings

BY KYMBERLY BRECKENRIDGE

The Waybury o ers two menus: one called “fine dining” and one dubbed “tavern.” The fine-dining menu is exactly what you’d imagine, featuring elaborate dishes such as filet mignon with whipped potato and confit of mushroom ($39) and Moroccan-spiced rack of lamb with apricot sauce ($46). They sounded delicious but would bust my normal dining-out budget. I’ll save that menu for birthday or anniversary celebrations.

The tavern menu, meanwhile, o ers dishes with lower price tags. The Waybury’s burger ($17), served on a brioche bun with fries, is in the ballpark of what I’d pay at several casual Middlebury restaurants that my family frequents. But in the spirit of trying new things, we decided to skip the burger and branch out.

Steak frites ($26) silenced my teenage daughter’s usual snarky comments. Her mouth was too full of crisp roasted potatoes and bites of tender steak draped in a silky peppercorn-brandy sauce. She was a little disappointed that the potatoes were not the fries that usually come with this classic.

I opted for the vegetarian Wellington ($24), a generous pastry wrapped around roasted portobello mushroom, spinach, soft chèvre and leeks. It was brightened by a pair of sauces: marinara and basil pesto. My husband picked the smoky fried chicken leg and thigh ($25), served with mashed potato, braised kale and gravy, then ﬁnished with hot honey. The menu said the meat was smoked, something I don’t expect with fried chicken. But the ﬂavor nicely permeated the beer batter and complemented the meat’s sweet, tangy, buzzy marinade of pineapple juice and Aleppo pepper.

I later learned that chef Petri smokes chicken and ribs on-site. Even the eggplant for his eggplant Parmesan ($24) starts in the smoker and ends in a pool of Parmesan cream.

Though not smoked, the surprise hit of the night was the small plate of za’atar carrots ($15) that we all shared. The sweetness of the root vegetable balanced

Smoky fried chicken with kale and mashed potatoes

Chef Antonio Petri

DINING INN

SIDEdishes

SERVING UP FOOD NEWS

The Cup & Leaf Specialty Coffee Shop Opens in Essex

There’s a new café tucked into the Essex Towne Marketplace off Susie Wilson Road. The CUP & LEAF is in the midst of its soft opening, offering coffee and pastries from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily.

The cozy café occupies Unit 25 of the shopping center at 1 Market Place, once home to Wicked Wings. It’s the only coffee shop in Vermont using beans from Chicago-based roaster Intelligentsia, a staple of the specialty coffee world.

Co-owner MIKE SANDS, 39, has worked in the coffee industry for a decade, having opened several cafés for a restaurant group in Massachusetts before managing multiple locations of Boston’s Flat Black Coffee. Since he and his wife, co-owner DANIELLE BOTTO, moved to Vermont in 2020, he’s been composing music for film and television.

“That work started to dry up, and it felt like time to do it the way I always imagined in my head,” Sands said of opening his own café. “The universe brought us to this location; it’s a little off the beaten path, but it’s kind of perfect.”

The couple renovated the space and built a new espresso bar. They’re now pouring traditional lattes and cappuccinos, as well as drinks such as the

Espresso Spartico: a double shot with lime and brown sugar. Tea, tea lattes, and an extensive hot and iced chocolate menu featuring housemade ganache are also on offer.

“Right now, we’re keeping it whim sical with fun flavored lattes and silly names,” Sands said. “But I’m excited to bring Intelligentsia’s standard and culture here.”

When the kitchen is complete and staffing allows, the Cup & Leaf will serve small plates for breakfast and lunch, including breakfast sandwiches and “northern Scottish comfort food” such as porridge and 12-hour brisket rarebit, Sands said.

Jordan Barry

the Cup & Leaf

From left: Danielle Botto and Mike Sands with their toddler, Ember

Local Food Truck Owners to Open Johnson General Store

The deli part of the business will “start small,” Mignone said, with premade breakfast and lunch sandwiches and take-and-bake items, such as lasagna, meatloaf and pot pies. Once staffing allows, the store will expand to a full deli with made-to-order sandwiches and possibly an on-site bakery.

Mignone didn’t have a car when he moved to Johnson 21 years ago from Manhattan, where he’d grown up in a restaurant family, he said. He lived across the street from the Johnson General Store location, then DJ’s Corner Store and Deli. Many days, he recalled, “I ate all three of my meals at DJ’s.”

Six months after launching the HANGRY MIKE’S food truck, MIKE MIGNONE and his fiancée, HALEY NEWMAN, are working to establish a general store with a deli in their hometown of Johnson. The couple are currently renovating 201 Lower Main Street East, where they hope to open the JOHNSON GENERAL STORE early next year, Mignone, 42, said.

According to Mignone, the loss of Sterling Market has been tough for Johnson. The town’s only supermarket sustained serious damage in the July 2023 floods and never reopened, and discussions with other potential grocery operators have stalled. Although a 3,500-square-foot general store will not replace the larger market, Mignone said it will stock staples, including dairy, meats, produce and household products.

Hangry Mike’s food truck is currently on seasonal hiatus, and Mignone said he expects to sell it. In the meantime, he said, “I want Johnson to have food so quickly, I just might pull the food truck up in front [of the new general store] to cook.”

CONNECT

the kick of spicy feta, citrusy sumac and smoky heat of harissa.

Happily, it was Margarita Monday: We sipped $6 cocktails made with a good shot of tequila and house-squeezed sour mix. Other nightly deals include $2 oysters on Thursday and Friday, followed by 75-cent wings on Sunday.

As Petri said, the specials are part of

the new owners’ play to lure in locals. The chef knows that Vermonters help keep the lights on, especially during slower tourism months. “We’d like the Waybury to be a comfortable space for all,” he said. After all, why should tourists have all the fun? ➆

INFO

Waybury Inn, 457 E. Main St., East Middlebury, 388-4015, wayburyinn.com

Melissa Pasanen

On Instagram: Jordan Barry: @jordankbarry; Melissa Pasanen: @mpasanen.

Mike Mignone, Elliot Mignone and Haley Newman in front of the future Johnson General Store

COLOR DANCE

Heavenly Hash

Revisiting Henry’s Diner under new ownership to enjoy an old favorite

BY MELISSA PASANEN • pasanen@sevendaysvt.com

Neither of the customers perched near me at the Henry’s Diner counter on a recent Monday morning knew or cared that the 99-year-old eatery had changed hands earlier this year. And Patricio Ortiz, the downtown Burlington landmark’s new owner, is just fine with that.

Ortiz left a successful engineering career to buy the Bank Street diner in February for $240,000 from Bill and Naomi Maglaris, who had owned Henry’s since 2004 and were ready to retire. First, though, he spent several months poring over the business’ balance sheets.

“We turn 100 next year. The numbers were solid,” Ortiz, 44, said. “Basically, my goal is to keep it running right: I don’t break it, it’s gonna work.”

So far, so good, according to at least two of Henry’s loyal customers — and me — who have all found favorite dishes and the warm, friendly ambience inside the gray stucco walls unchanged.

Two stools to my right, Burlington

resident Charles Olar spooned up the last of his grits and said he visits the diner for breakfast whenever he can fit it around his work schedule. “The food don’t

change,” he said appreciatively. “I like the mom-and-pop feel, the hometown feel.” Depending on his appetite, the 32-yearold Florida native orders either the Hungry

Henry ($16.95) or the Little Henry ($13.95) which he orders with sausage patties and grits subbed for the home fries. The southern staple, Olar noted, is not easy to find on Vermont menus.

At the end of the counter, Cindy O’Hara, also of Burlington, said she treats herself to a Henry’s breakfast every couple of months. She and I have the same go-to diner order: corned beef hash.

“I sometimes cringe when I see homemade corned beef hash on a menu,” O’Hara, 43, admitted. But the finely ground, house-brined and -braised beef version at Henry’s more than meets her standards. It’s fried up with onions and served on a bed of crunchy home fries topped with a little melted cheddar and two eggs in a sturdy cast-iron skillet.

“It’s the right consistency, chopped correctly with the right seasonings,” O’Hara said, “and I like the skillet with everything in there all together.”

My rock-solid appreciation of Henry’s Vermonter hash skillet ($13.95) grew

Henry’s Diner

PHOTOS: DARIA BISHOP

The Vermonter hash skillet, housebaked Greek toast and a coffee

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during my recent visit, when the diner’s general manager, Kim Smith, recommended house-baked Greek toast for the dish’s carb crown. The generously buttered, thickly sliced, craggy-textured white bread with a sesame-speckled crust served beautifully to mop up the runny yolks of my perfectly over-easy eggs.

Smith, 54, is on the roster of seven diner employees who have stayed through the ownership transition. Without them, Ortiz said, he would be lost. Nodding toward Smith bustling around the diner, he said, “She’s more than my right hand.”

Preserving a slice of Americana was never a dream for Ortiz, who came to the U.S. from Argentina as a Fulbright scholar 17 years ago. In 2016, he moved to Vermont, where his wife was completing her PhD. The couple and their two children now live in Richmond.

“Patricio came in green, but he’s a good learner,” she said of Ortiz. The hands-on owner mostly works behind the scenes — improving processes, doing quality control and ﬁxing equipment when it goes on the fritz — but he’s mastered takeout orders, Smith said. “My next trick is, he’s going to be serving tables,” she said with a chuckle.

Ortiz, an affable strawberry blond with a thick accent, is willing to jump in wherever he’s needed, but he’s happiest keeping a low proﬁle. Parts of Henry’s menu reﬂect the past owners’ Greek heritage — for instance, Ortiz’s favorite Santorini ($10.25), an egg sandwich dressed with spinach, tomato and feta and served on that excellent Greek bread. Asked if any Argentinean classics might show up on the menu, though, the new owner demurred.

I LIKE THE MOM-AND-POP FEEL, THE HOMETOWN FEEL.

CHARLES OLAR

After working for others for many years, Ortiz had resolved to become his own boss and looked for a solid business in which to invest. “It could have been a chocolate factory. It could have been a factory that makes buttons,” he said.

Unlike her boss, Smith has decades of diner experience, including managing the Maple City Diner in St. Albans for a dozen years. (Rumor has it that she occasionally makes a delectable peanut butter cream pie with an Oreo crust for the Henry’s dessert case.)

“I don’t push my taste on the diner,” he said. “Henry’s has its own identity and spirit. I won’t try to put a Patricio Ortiz spin on it. It’s an American diner.” ➆

“One Dish” is a series that samples a single menu item — new, classic or ﬂeeting — at a Vermont restaurant or other food venue. Know of a great plate we should feature? Drop us a line: food@ sevendaysvt.com.

INFO

Henry’s Diner, 155 Bank St., Burlington, 862-9010, henrysdinervt.com

Kim Smith and Patricio Ortiz

HOLIDAYS

Beyond Scrooge

Yule be glad you caught these Vermont holiday shows that don’t suck BY DAN BOLLES • dan@sevendaysvt.com

was three weeks before Christmas, and all through Vermont We were so tired of the same Christmas schlock. From Griswolds to Grinches to another Christmas Carol, TV options were stale as a tin popcorn barrel.

And I on the couch, dog in my lap, Had just settled in for some more Christmas crap, When what to our wondering ears should appear But rock-and-roll Santa spreading holiday cheer?

On, Swale! On, Matt Hagen! On, Kat Wright and Brett Hughes! On, Wizards of Winter ripping metal ri s, too!

Here’s a John Denver tribute, plus Vince Guaraldi. You love you some Nutcracker? Yeah, we’ve got that, times three.

Away to the box o ce I ﬂew like a ﬂash, Tore open my wallet and threw down some cash. What to do this yuletide? Friends, you’re in luck.

Here’s a sackful of holiday shows that don’t suck.

CHRISTMAS STARS

Holiday music extravaganzas

In the canon of TV Christmas specials, star-studded spectaculars are a rich and varied perennial. Singing celebs have long helped make the season bright, from

the Rat Pack’s swingin’ Christmases; to Stephen Colbert trading tunes with John Legend, Feist and Toby Keith; to Pee-wee Herman making merry at his Playhouse with Charo, Frankie Avalon and k.d. lang. The Vermont music scene has its own equivalents. Backed by an all-star collection of locals, musical polymath MATT HAGEN unveils his new original holiday album, Matt Hagen’s Christmas Bath, with a show at Nectar’s in Burlington on Wednesday, December 18. Read more next week about that record, which includes contributions from singer Grace Potter, Phish drummer Jon Fishman and rocker James Kochalka.

Among the longer-running local holiday showcases is A VERY HAIRY SWALEMESS, hosted by local art-rock band Swale since 2017. The quartet performs Christmas tunes both classic and obscure and serves as the backing band for the likes of Craig Mitchell and Francesca Blanchard. (It ain’t Christmas in Burlington until Ryan Ober and Jason Cooley do Run-D.M.C.’s “Christmas in Hollis.”) This year’s Swalemess hits on Sunday, December 22, at the Light Club Lamp Shop in Burlington.

A fresh tradition may be born unto the Capital City this season. On Saturday, December 7, the Montpelier Performing Arts Hub hosts the SLAPHAPPY SANTA CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR. The beneﬁt for the newly opened community venue features a 14-piece big band, led by trumpeter and bandleader Brian Boyes, playing blues, swing and rock renditions of holiday favorites.

If all that harking and heralding has you jonesing to join the chorus, don’t miss the SWEETBACK SISTERS COUNTRY CHRISTMAS SINGALONG SPECTACULAR at the Stone Church in Brattleboro on Friday, December 20. Led by Sweetback Sisters vocalist Zara Bode, the show aims to capture the magic of classic TV Christmas specials with a mix of carols, o eat original music and funny trivia.

A Charlie Brown Christmas

Swale

BLUE CHRISTMAS

Sad music for happy holidays

While Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year for some, midwinter can be bleak for others. If you’re away from family, unhappily single or otherwise down at the holidays, your eggnog may be spiked with melancholy — and whiskey. Of course, that all makes for great songwriting fodder, and there’s a whole slumped branch of Christmas music dedicated to sad tidings and wistful nostalgia.

In Vermont, the foremost purveyors of glistening-eyed holiday music are Kat Wright and Brett Hughes. For more than a decade, the KAT & BRETT HOLIDAY SHOW has broadened the seasonal options with sad and sweet Christmas songs, including a few originals. This year, backed by Swale and Rough Francis bassist Tyler

TWISTED CHRISTMAS

What, you wanted socks?

Sure, you can spend your holidays watching Hallmark movies and listening to Mariah Carey. But for braver souls — or damaged ones — there’s another side of Christmas that’s darker, weirder and hornier.

The WIZARDS OF WINTER are an 11-piece rock ensemble composed of former members of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Alice Cooper, Blue Oyster Cult and Def Leppard. As you might infer from the lineup, the band’s take on Christmas music is decidedly glam metal. The Wizards hit the Barre Opera House on Friday, December 13, performing The Christmas Dream , an original rock opera about searching for the meaning of Christmas. (Spoiler: The meaning of Christmas is finger-tapping guitar solos and octave riffs.)

Bolles and multi-instrumentalist Will Seeders, Wright and Hughes play 10 intimate holiday shows all over the state. Their run, which kicked off last weekend in Bennington and includes stops in Burlington, Middlebury and Waitsfield, wraps up at the Richmond Free Library on Saturday, December 21.

Maine singer-songwriter and artist Dan Blakeslee should probably have honorary Vermonter status, given how often he plays here. (Plus, he did the art for the Alchemist’s Heady Topper and Focal Banger beer cans.) Blakeslee has a thing for holidays — his Halloween shows always draw a crowd — and has been writing Christmas songs for nearly two decades. Hear his tunes, which mix childlike whimsy (“To Be an Elf”) with more somber reflections (“The Somerville Lights”), at A DAN BLAKESLEE CHRISTMAS at Radio Bean in Burlington on Tuesday, December 10.

If heavy metal isn’t heavy enough for your holidays, hit up the fourth annual HARDCORE HOLIDAY SHOW at the Higher Ground Showcase Lounge in South Burlington, also on Friday the 13th.

A benefit for Feeding Chittenden, the showcase features a sleighfull of local and regional hardcore bands, including Vermont’s Old North End, Dead Solace, Challenger and Outnumbered, plus western Massachusetts act Concrete Ties.

For an entirely different kind of heavy metal, try TUBACHRISTMAS, a gathering of local tuba, euphonium and sousaphone players on Saturday, December 21. The celebration of yuletide cheer and cumbersome instruments has been running in cities around the world for more than a half-century. In Burlington, players will convene for rehearsal at the Fletcher Free Library at 10 a.m. before marching up the Church Street Marketplace playing holiday favorites at 1 p.m.

If you want to ditch your company Christmas party, we don’t blame you. Instead, check out the ANNUAL VCC HOLIDAYGASM PARTY, GIFT SWAP & OPEN MIC on Wednesday, December 18, at Vermont Comedy Club in Burlington. Essentially a holiday party for the local comedy scene, the show is part improv jam and part standup open mic, with a Yankee gift swap thrown in for good measure. It sounds like a blast, but be warned: There’s a good chance everyone involved will end up on the naughty list.

BEYOND SCROOGE » P.49

Kat Wright and Brett Hughes

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

Fest to Kill

BY KEN PICARD • ken@sevendaysvt.com

Actor and comedian Tim Meadows, who headlines this year’s Vermont Comedy Festival at the Woodstock Town Hall Theatre, jokes that white people frequently mistake him for fellow actor Don Cheadle. It happens so often that Meadows’ FAQ page includes only one question: “Is Tim Meadows Don Cheadle?”

The Detroit native, known for his 10 seasons on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” and such movies as Mean Girls, Wayne’s World 2 and Dream Scenario, also enjoys riffing on his beleaguered hometown.

As he told a crowd recently at New York City’s Gotham Comedy Club, “If you ever get out of New York and go to Detroit for a visit and find yourself in a nice area, I got news for you: You’re in Chicago.”

Meadows is one of about 60 standup comedians who will take the stage this week at the third annual Vermont Comedy Festival, the state’s largest gathering of standup comedians. From Thursday through Sunday, December 5 to 8, comics from across the U.S. and Canada will perform at five Upper Valley venues. Many of the shows are free, including those at Still on the Mountain in Killington, Long Trail Brewing in Bridgewater Corners and the Ottauquechee Yacht Club in Woodstock.

The lineup features Nadia Quinn, a New York City stage and screen actor, singer, and standup comic who appeared in Steven Spielberg’s 2021 West Side Story, the HBO series “Succession” and

the New York Times . The show, which she performs with her husband, Aaron Quinn, highlights the couple’s many musical talents in songs such as the risqué “Everyone’s a Little Bisexual.”

Also on the bill is Nikki MacCallum, another New York City comic whose solo off-Broadway musical comedy show, Adulting for Idiots, won Best Musical at the 2023 United Solo festival.

Among a few local faves on the festival program is Max Higgins. The bespectacled comic, formerly of Burlington, got his start in comedy while attending the University of Vermont and won the 2023 Seven Daysie for best standup comic in Vermont.

the ABC sitcom “Black-ish.” On Sunday at the Woolen Mill Comedy Club in Bridgewater, she’ll do a holiday version of the show she performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe show in August, which was critically acclaimed and covered in

Though he recently moved to Brooklyn, he’ll be back for midnight shows on Friday and Saturday at the Woolen Mill Comedy Club.

“I was never much of a girl,” Higgins joked about coming out as trans at a show earlier this year at Burlington’s Vermont Comedy Club. “I was about as much a girl as three children stacked in a trench coat are an adult.”

The Vermont Comedy Festival is the brainchild of Collen Doyle and Matt Vita, thirtysomething actors and comedians who’ve run the Woolen Mill Comedy Club in Bridgewater for the past 10 years. The festival, which draws more than 1,000 attendees annually, is considered the unofficial start of Wassail Weekend, a 40-year winter tradition of food, music and holiday revelry in Woodstock.

Following a kickoff party at Ramunto’s Brick & Brew Pizza in Bridgewater, the festival will begin with the head-to-head 1 Minute Stand Up Battle at the Woolen Mill Comedy Club on Thursday. Fifty comedians each perform a one-minute standup act, and the audience decides which of them move on through four rounds. The winner is invited to headline a show at the Woolen Mill at a later date. Last year’s winner was Dennis Rooney, a staple of Long Island’s comedy scene.

“It’s a super high-energy show,” Vita said. “A lot of people say it’s one of their favorite shows of the festival each year.” ➆

INFO

Vermont Comedy Festival, Thursday to Sunday, December 5 to 8, various locations. Free-$45. vermontcomedyfestival.com

Tim Meadows

Max Higgins

Nadia Quinn

culture

Beyond Scrooge

A SWINGING HOLIDAY

These are a few of our favorite things

From Ella and Louis to Frank and Bing to John Coltrane, some of the most enduring Christmas music comes from the jazz world. Those wishing to hear holiday classics scatted and swung must have been good this year: Vermont’s jazz scene is bursting with holiday cheer in December.

AUDREY BERNSTEIN has long reigned as one of Vermont’s preeminent jazz vocalists. But she’s taken a hiatus from performing the past few years, focusing instead on teaching the next generation of local jazz singers. The sultry chanteuse, whose voice the Los Angeles Times likened to “cognac over ice,” makes her return to the stage on Friday, December 13, performing a Lane Series holiday program at the University of Vermont Recital Hall, backed by a crew of ace players including Evan Allen, Geoff Kim, Jeremy Hill, Patricia Julien and Dan Ryan. Call it a Christmas miracle. Bernstein isn’t the only local hepcat swinging in the holiday season. The 18-piece BRIAN MCCARTHY JAZZ ORCHESTRA plays a trio of holiday shows this month, on Friday, December 6, at Town Hall Theater in Middlebury; Satur day, December 7, at Vermont State University in Johnson; and Sunday, December 8, at Vermont State University in Lyndon. Ray Vega, renowned trumpeter and host of Vermont Public’s “Friday Night Jazz,” is the featured guest.

Canadian vocalist and trumpeter BRIA SKONBERG scored Spotify fame with her slinky cover of “All I Want for Christmas Is You” in 2017. She’ll perform that tune and other jazzed-up classics at her “Jingle Bell Swing” holiday concert at Middlebury College’s Mahaney Arts Center on Wednesday, December 4.

VISIONS OF SUGARPLUMS

Nutcrackers galore!

and School presents VERMONT’S OWN NUTCRACKER at four performances on Saturday and Sunday, December 21 and 22.

That same weekend at the Barre Opera House, Moving Light Dance offers a local spin on the show with GREEN MOUNTAIN NUTCRACKER. A cast of 65 professional and community dancers performs this rendition set in Vermont in the 1970s.

For a more traditional interpretation of the show, don’t miss the Dance Factory at Springfield High School on Saturday and Sunday, December 14 and 15, the longest-running local production of THE NUTCRACKER in Vermont.

BAH, HUMBUG

Keeping holiday traditions fresh

If you had to spend Christmas on a desert island with only one Christmas album, what would it be? Probably Vince Guaraldi’s A Charlie Brown Christmas, right? The soundtrack to the 1965 TV special may be the most universally beloved holiday standard, which could explain why Spruce Peak Arts in Stowe is hosting a nearly two-week run of A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS LIVE IN CONCERT. Running from Thursday, December 12, to Christmas Eve, the live-action version features the whole “Peanuts” gang, Guaraldi’s iconic score and one scraggly tree.

Whether you’re catching It’s a Wonderful Life on Christmas Eve, caroling through the snow or watching Uncle John get blind drunk on mulled wine, Christmas is nothing without traditions. Among the season’s most cherished annual rites is The Nutcracker, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s 1892 ballet set in a child’s imagination on Christmas Eve. Three local theater and dance companies mount the show this month. At the Flynn in Burlington, the Vermont Ballet Theater

If you could have two Christmas albums on that desert island, your second choice might well be a John Denver offering, with or without the Muppets. In that case, the JOHN DENVER CHRISTMAS CONCERT WITH CHRIS COLLINS AND BOULDER CANYON , at the Barre Opera House on Saturday, December 14, is for you. Despite Collins’ resemblance to the late bespectacled singer, the show is meant not as an impersonation but as a tribute to Denver’s beloved Christmas concerts and specials.

Finally, there is no greater Christmas tale than A Christmas Carol . Charles Dickens’ 1843 novella has been adapted countless times to stage and screen, from the Albert Finney-led musical Scrooge to Bill Murray’s comedy Scrooged. The story of Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim and a cadre of spirits is so canonical, it’s easy to overlook how powerful and spooky the original is. In what’s become an indispensable annual tradition, Yankee storyteller Willem Lange performs A CHRISTMAS CAROL: A GHOST STORY, a live reading of Dickens’ classic, at Lost Nation Theater in Montpelier on Sunday, December 15, with a live stream available through Tuesday, December 31. No humbugs allowed. ➆

Disclosure: Tyler Bolles is the author’s brother.

« P.45

Audrey Bernstein

COURTESYOFJOHN LAZENBY

Green Mountain Nutcracker

John Denver Christmas Concert

Montpelier Is Lit

The Capital City is shining light into the darkest days of winter. For the first time, the downtown revitalization nonprofit Montpelier Alive has illuminated seven of the city’s historic bridges with thousands of bulbs. Every night through mid-February, and on special occasions, they will stand bright above the Winooski River and its North Branch. After the heartbreaking floods Montpelier experienced in 2023, the lights are a sparkling sign of community spirit and strength.

At a kickoff ceremony in midNovember, hundreds of people carrying glowing lanterns met on the Langdon Street bridge for cookies and celebratory speeches. When the bridges were lit, the lantern parade followed the Brass Balagan street band toward the Main Street bridge. The proces sion ended near the Taylor Street bridge for a ﬁ ery performance by Cirque de Fuego.

Senior multimedia producer Eva Sollberger recorded the festivities for the latest episode of “Stuck in Vermont.” She spoke with Seven Days about the ﬁlming process.

Why did you feature this event?

I love Montpelier and have been amazed by how resilient the community has been after the devastating ﬂoods. It is such a unique and funky capital, and I enjoy bringing out-oftown friends for a visit. These dark winter nights can be a bit depressing, so I jumped at an opportunity to be surrounded by people and lights.

PARADING OVER THE BRIDGES ALMOST FELT LIKE A RITUAL, HOPING FOR BRIGHTER DAYS.

bridge slowly fill with hundreds of people carrying creative lights. The lanterns were in a variety of interesting shapes: a bridge, the state of Vermont with a heart, a giant butterfly. It was definitely heartwarming to be surrounded by lights as darkness fell.

Tell us about the drone footage in the video.

Montpelier Alive estimates that 1,000 people were in the parade!

What moments of the evening stood out to you?

There were many cute kids wearing colorful wings and blinking cat ears. We even met one young man who was celebrating his birthday. It was exciting to be out at night with the moon overhead, following a large crowd of people and listening to the invigorating music of Brass Balagan. Parading over the bridges almost felt like a ritual, hoping for brighter days. And it was fun to see the children’s faces illuminated by the explosive ﬁre performance by Cirque de Fuego.

How is Montpelier recovering from the ﬂoods?

It’s hard not to remember those painful images of the downtown engulfed by water and people kayaking down State Street. Montpelier residents and business owners were hit so hard by the 2023 ﬂoods. It has been really inspiring to see the community come together to survive this di cult chapter. Many businesses are open and ready for the holiday rush. Now more than ever, we need to shop local to support them.

There is a set of markers at the Langdon Street bridge that really put the past floods into perspective. They show the water levels for the 1927, 1992, 2011 and 2023 floods. The 1927 marker was well above our heads and, at 535 feet relative to sea level, the highest recorded flood in the city. I can’t even imagine what the downtown must have looked like swamped by eight to 10 feet of water. For comparison, the 2023 flood inundated the downtown with three to four feet of water.

What was the scene like?

My friend Kelly Thomas came along on the trip, and we arrived early, before the crowds had gathered. It was cool to see the empty

I always wish that I had a drone to get a bird’seye view of large events like this. Luckily, Paul Richardson of Storyworkz was willing to share his wonderful drone footage from the evening, which included a really cool shot of the Taylor Street bridge as day turned to night. His footage of the city and bridges all lit up with the moon hovering above was also wonderful.

Covering parades can be difficult, especially when there are a lot of people.

There are no easy answers for our small towns, which were built along rivers, but I am conﬁdent the residents of Montpelier will ﬁ nd a way forward. Events such as the bridge lighting show the town’s community spirit and provide hope. ➆

Episode 729: Illuminating Montpelier’s Bridges

A crowd in Montpelier for the bridge lighting ceremony

Seven Days is one of 12 “Bright Spots” for local news across the country, according to Medill’s State of Local News 2024 report. Help us illuminate Vermont news, food, arts and culture — make a contribution and become a Super Reader. The best way to give is through a monthly recurring donation that will power our reporting all year long. Go with the glow and donate at:

Or send a note (and a check) to: Seven Days c/o Super Readers PO Box 1164

VT 05402 Contact Gillian English at 865-1020, ext. 115 or superreaders@sevendaysvt.com.

on screen

A Real Pain ★★★★★ Memoir of a Snail ★★★★★

REVIEWS

Grief is a difficult subject for movies. It doesn’t tend to ﬁt into a story arc, spiraling out instead into self-destructive coping mechanisms that defy a clear resolution. It can be amorphous yet persistent, even passing from generation to generation. And it’s a hard sell to holiday shoppers at the multiplex.

But ﬁlms that grapple with all the messiness of grief can also be deeply cathartic. I watched two recent ones that are likely to show up on 2024 award ballots — one live-action, one animated.

Jesse Eisenberg, best known as the Oscar-nominated star of The Social Network , has been making waves as a writer-director. His second feature, A Real Pain (at the Savoy Theater in Montpelier and Majestic 10 in Williston at press time), is far from a vanity project. Though Eisenberg also stars, he’s given himself the “quiet” part, reacting throughout to a much showier performance by Kieran Culkin. Both show great skill, whether portraying emotional explosion or restraint.

The two play cousins who have drifted apart over the years: While David (Eisenberg) has a career and a family, Benji (Culkin) is still living in his mom’s basement and ﬁguring life out. In the wake of their beloved grandmother’s death, the cousins travel together to Poland to visit her childhood home. First, however, they spend several days on a Jewish heritage tour helmed by a British gentile (Will Sharpe) whose smooth, self-conscious sensitivity rubs Benji the wrong way.

Benji has the kind of big, volatile personality that was made for sitcoms — he’s always stirring up excitement or conﬂict, as if terriﬁed of boredom. It’s easy to imagine a broadly comic version of this movie in which we’d watch him transform the staid group into free spirits, sleeping with the attractive older widow (Jennifer Grey) and teaching the sober survivor of Rwandan genocide (Kurt Egyiawan) how to laugh again.

But A Real Pain is more drama than comedy. It forces us to look straight at Benji and recognize all the ways he hurts himself and others, even as he entertains them. As

David tells him, “You light up a room, and then you shit on everything in it.”

The film is also a meticulous study of group dynamics and generational trauma. Comparing their hardworking Holocaust survivor grandmother to his aimless stoner cousin, David can’t fathom the disconnect. But Benji feels the weight of the past. When the group visits the Majdanek concentration camp, the music cuts out, and Benji’s chatter gives way to a prayerful silence. On the surface, A Real Pain might look like just an odd couple travelogue, but its currents run deep, and viewers may ﬁnd themselves pondering its unresolved questions days later.

While A Real Pain faces grief with straightforward realism, Memoir of a Snail (rentable on various platforms) takes a whimsical route. The second feature from Australian Oscar winner Adam Elliot (Mary and Max), this R-rated stop-motion animation tells the colorful story of Grace Pudel (voiced by Charlotte Belsey as a child and Sarah Snook as an adult), who narrates.

Born with a cleft palate, motherless

Grace is bullied at school but thrives at home with her paraplegic dad (Dominique Pinon) and twin brother, Gilbert (Mason Litsos and Kodi Smit-McPhee). The twins collect snails, and their pet of choice — safe in its shell from the cruel world — becomes Grace’s personal icon.

Then tragedy strikes, and Grace and Gilbert are packed o to foster families on opposite sides of the continent. While Grace ﬁnds a mentor in her octogenarian neighbor, Pinky (Jacki Weaver), Gilbert lives under the iron hand of evangelical orchardists who consider his very essence — arty, goth, gay — to be a sin. Once protected by her brother, Grace is now powerless to help him.

Memoir of a Snail hinges on simple value judgments: Art, freedom and weirdos are good; repression and patriarchy are bad. But the ﬁlm’s retro style and setting (the 1970s) give an air of authenticity to its oldschool progressive values. The paucity of dialogue keeps us focused on the visual storytelling. And the wonderfully bizarre, tactile animation creates a world that feels just removed enough from ours to be a fable, with a whi of the earnest kids’ Claymation of the pre-digital era.

In press materials, Elliot says he wanted to celebrate the “lumps, bumps and imperfections” of clay, creating ﬁgures that look “as if made in a hurry or by someone who was drunk.” He succeeded. Memoir is the antidote to computer-animated blockbusters: Everything looks gritty, grimy, weathered or mossy, and you can almost feel the di erent textures.

The movie is full of deliciously random moments — as when Pinky’s dead husbands pop up in flashbacks, one of them voiced by Aussie musical icon Nick Cave. Elliot embraces a pack-rat aesthetic while acknowledging that clutter can also be a symptom of unprocessed trauma. As the adult Grace’s mental health deteriorates, her home becomes a hoarder haven, a metaphorical shell full of snail-themed tchotchkes. But Weaver’s Pinky is a cigarchomping force of nature, and thanks to her influence, Grace eventually finds a path out of grief.

In both these movies, the older generation o ers inspiration to sad, ﬂoundering young people. Benji in A Real Pain fondly recalls his grandmother’s gumption, although healing evades him. Grief isn’t something we can just purge and forget, these ﬁlms suggest, but something we need to make our peace with, because it owes its existence to love.

MARGOT HARRISON margot@sevendaysvt.com

A bullied girl ﬁnds safety in identifying with a snail in Adam Elliot’s gorgeously quirky stop-motion animation.

NEW IN THEATERS

FLOW: This Latvian animation, recipient of many festival awards, follows the fate of a cat who must team up with other animals to survive a natural disaster. Gints Zilbalodis directed. (84 min, PG. Savoy)

SOLO LEVELING: REAWAKENING: The South Korean web novel, webtoon and anime continues in animated movie form, directed by Shunsuke Nakashige. (121 min, NR. Essex)

SOUNDTRACK TO A COUP D’ETAT: Johan Grimonprez’s documentary explores how two activist musicians crashed the United Nations Security Council during the Cold War. (150 min, NR. Savoy)

STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF KITTIES: The Trailer Park Boys return in the latest movie based on the cult Canadian series. Mike Smith and Billy Bob Thornton star; Charlie Lightening directed. (111 min, R. Essex)

Y2K: It wasn’t the end of the world — except maybe for the characters in this high school horror-comedy set at the turn of the millennium, directed by Kyle Mooney. Jaeden Martell and Rachel Zegler star. (93 min, R. Essex)

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. Majestic; 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)

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. Capitol)

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. Catamount, 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, 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)

MOANA 2HHH 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)

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; reviewed 12/4)

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)

FOR KING AND COUNTRY’S A DRUMMER BOY CHRISTMAS LIVE (Essex, Thu, Sat & Sun only)

METROPOLITAN OPERA: THE MAGIC FLUTE, HOLIDAY ENCORE (Essex, Sat only)

MOONRISE KINGDOM (Catamount, Wed 4 only)

MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO (Essex, Sat-Mon & Wed 11 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, 2290598, savoytheater.com

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

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

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

• $100* for four visits

• Each visit includes a drivetrain cleaning and frame wipe down • Must be used by March 29th 2025

for Everybody Bikes customers

Water, Water Everywhere

“Elemental” makes waves at Mad River Valley Arts

BY AMY LILLY • lilly@sevendaysvt.com

Recent catastrophic ﬂooding in Vermont has cast water as something of a menace, but at Mad River Valley Arts in Waitsﬁeld, a water-themed group exhibition reminds viewers of the element’s inspirational side. Sam Talbot-Kelly, who curates the nonprofit gallery, said the theme for “Elemental” came to her during her daily commute from Montpelier along the Winooski River.

“I ﬂow with the river,” Talbot-Kelly said of her drive, adding that a Winooski tributary, the Mad River, deﬁnes the gallery’s own community.

“Elemental” brings together 21 artists from around the U.S., including eight Vermonters. As with recent exhibitions Talbot-Kelly curated with themes of trees and flight, she used an online call-toartists platform to source work. The result, which garnered artists from Louisiana to New Mexico, is equally wide-ranging in experience and media, from emerging to seasoned artists and paint to video installation.

Three large-format color photographs of crashing waves, by Waitsﬁeld resident Tesla Hausman, greet visitors from the gallery’s exterior window displays. For “Bonaire Waves” 1, 2 and 3, Hausman captured the Caribbean island’s translucent crests from beach level, excising any visual information that might put them in perspective. They could be surﬁng height or ankle dusters; either way, they look dramatically kinetic.

Inside the gallery, Charlotte artist Cameron Davis’ work dominates the ﬁrst of two rooms. A longtime senior lecturer in studio art at the University of Vermont who also teaches in environmental studies, Davis contributed several works from her 2017 series “Airs, Waters, Soils (Places)”: four 48-by-60-inch oil paintings and two installations of apothecary jars, etched and ﬁlled with water, sand, soil, stones and plants from Lake Champlain and its

tributaries. The earth-toned paintings are dreamlike miasmas of plant life; Davis hints at water through dappling or threading. The luminous white apple blossoms of “Champlain Tonglen II (white)” reference invasive plants in Lake Champlain, according to Davis’ artist statement, compiled in an exhibition pamphlet of writings by all the artists.

Water quality is also a concern of Michale Glennon, an upstate New York

fiber artist who works with scientific research organizations in the Adirondack Park. Her “Wool and Water” project, which integrates scientific data and fiber arts, is currently on view at North Branch Nature Center in Montpelier. Glennon’s crocheted and knitted works, draped over pedestals, are visual representations of scientific water-quality measurements and conditions. While the artist has found that her fiber works are “more powerful

From left: “Champlain Tonglen II (white)” by Cameron Davis; " e Inﬁnite Shapes of Water" by Tina Valentinetti; “Raging River” by Dave King

than graphs, charts and lectures” for informing viewers, a legend showing how to interpret her ridged and celllike fiber patterns would have been helpful.

Bonnie Barnes of Fayston, a board member at Mad River Valley Arts, contributed a minimalist black-andwhite photograph titled “The Water Runs Free.” In her statement, Barnes describes the steam and melted streams created by a hot magma chamber located beneath a frozen caldera, or cratered volcano. In the photo’s calligraphic zigzag on a featureless white plain, it’s unclear if water or a formation caused by its absence is pictured, but the inundation reads as natural and even mystical.

A video installation titled “Puddle Music,” by Waitsfield resident Julie Parker, projects intersecting ripples of blue light into a corner of the gallery, imitating disturbances on a pond’s surface. Parker is a Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab graduate and cofounder of Creative Micro in Waitsfield, which develops augmented-reality electronics and other technologies. Her training emerges in the mechanism by which the ripples are produced: a large, rotating musicbox cylinder whose pins dip into a tray of water. Blue lights trained on the water cause the reﬂection. “There is something intrinsically soothing about the natural movement of light,” Parker writes.

of “the beauty and fragility of the ecosystems that lie just below the surface,” he

A variegated cobalt blue threaded with black characterizes Nancy McCormack’s monotype “Cultivation no. 4.” The printmaker from Raynham, Mass., used pochoir, a stenciling process, to print thin, wavy lines over the abstract work’s upper block of swirling color while a smaller, lower block balances the composition with calming striations.

M. Leuschel’s bluedominated mixed-media work, “Ethereal Ocean,” approaches that body of water metaphorically, aligning its “vast mystery” with the unseen depths of consciousness. Water exists for the artist mainly in childhood memories of oceans and lakes; Leuschel lives

I FLOW WITH THE RIVER.

It is impossible not to think of climate change while viewing “Elemental,” though few of the artists represented explore the topic directly. Water was integral to Dave King’s process in creating his soft sculpture “Raging River.” The Oak Park, Ill., artist soaked both the abaca paper to shape its crushed-funnel forms and the rattan strips that hold those forms in place. King doesn’t talk about climate change as an inﬂuence, but both his dramatic choice of title and the source of his interest in disparate materials — his family’s HVAC business — seem connected to a cycle of environmental destruction.

As might be expected, watery blue hues recur in “Elemental.” The oil pigments in Milford, Conn., artist Day Moore’s “Surfacing Series: Kaya Deep Water” progress from cerulean to turquoise to a light, dusty blue at the top of the unstretched canvas. The work’s sheer size, at 86 by 72 inches, creates the illusion of submersion, aided by the painting’s perspective from underwater looking up. Moore bases his paintings on photographs he takes while diving. He aims to “evoke a sense of peace and contemplation” while reminding viewers

Vermont winters are warming, and we don’t know how many more will be cold enough to produce the wondrous ice formations in Moretown resident Tina Valentinetti’s digital photograph “The Inﬁnite Shapes of Water,” printed on metal. The image’s dense forest of stalactite-like ice cones were formed by “water splashed up from a dam, nearly freezing in mid-air,” the artist writes. While “Elemental” may not address existential issues, it does inspire appreciation of water itself — a necessary ﬁrst step. ➆

INFO

“Elemental,” on view through December 19 at Mad River Valley Arts in Waitsﬁeld. madrivervalleyarts.org

EXHIBITION

Arista Alanis Brings Ocean Views to Johnson

BY ALICE DODGE • adodge@sevendaysvt.com

Need to counter the gloom of early December in Vermont, but can’t get yourself to the warm azure waters of the Mediterranean? Johnson is a viable alternative. That’s where Arista Alanis is presenting “Windfall: Paintings & Monoprints,” through December 11 at Vermont Studio Center’s Red Mill Gallery.

The show combines two main bodies of work: calming little monoprints based on Alanis’ travels to Greece, Costa Rica and the coast of Maine; and abstract paintings bursting with color and energy.

Alanis has worked as a staff artist at Vermont Studio Center going on 30 years. For most of that time, she has run the center’s partnership with local elementary schools, teaching art to generations of Lamoille County kids. Somehow, she seems to have bottled their joyful chaos and deployed it in her paintings.

“Traveling hands of time,” the largest work in the show at 6 by 5 feet, is a Day-Glo tornado of a composition. A mass of stylized green leaves flows from its center, jockeying for the foreground with blurrier echoes of the same shapes in orange and magenta. Pink and violet are interrupted by apple green, sometimes dripping as though flung at the canvas. Around all this, wide magenta and Indian yellow stripes give the painting structure; patches of variegated deep blues become oceans with tiny bathers floating here and there.

Two paintings from the same series, the 30-by-24-inch “On and on” and 3-foot-square “Wilderness poem,” are smaller but no less feisty. In “On and on,” Alanis’ patterns — pointed ovals and teardrops that read as leaves or fish — sit back, leading the eye toward a horizontally striped sun setting over a striped ocean. Their meditative calm is interrupted by a geyser of paint flung through the middle of the canvas, vertical but flurried, like a clump of seagrass in a strong wind.

“Wilderness poem” is airier, integrating gestural paint with pattern and even offering two versions of yellow leaves: some sharp and regular, standing out against greens and violet; and some brushy, diminishing into a jumbled jungle by the ocean.

That painting looks like a very different version of the scene in “Playa Carrillo” 2, 3 and 4, three black-and-white monoprints. Each presents a view of a distant island, seen through a close thicket of vegetation; from left to right, the plants shift from naturalism toward pattern.

Below them on the wall, five 5-by-4-inch monoprints from the “Ocean Sketch” series trade pattern for color. In each, Alanis has created a base of variegated deep blues and gently wiped the plate to create peaks and reflections on waves. “Ocean Sketch” 4 and 14 situate tiny, barely suggested bathers in the surf, while 2 and 3 offer only ripples on the surface.

Across the room, Alanis continues her experiments with oceans in slightly larger 8-by-6-inch monoprints of the Aegean. Here, bathers float in turquoise expanses framed by rocks or caves. With a few well-placed strokes creating highlights and carefully seen shadows, “Aegean Sea #8” conveys light reflecting off the water onto the roof of a natural tunnel. The hint of a bather in a swimsuit — inferred from the same figure in the rest of the series — offers the viewer a way to dip their toe into that distant sea. ➆

INFO

“Windfall: Paintings & Monoprints by Arista Alanis,” on view through December 11 at the Red Mill Gallery, Vermont Studio Center, in Johnson. vermontstudiocenter.org

From left: “Ocean Sketch #4”; “Traveling hands of time”

OPENINGS + RECEPTIONS

‘ATTITUDE OF COEXISTENCE: NON-HUMANS IN EAST ASIAN ART’: An exhibition inviting viewers to reflect on relationships with non-humans — deities, mythological beings, animals, natural phenomena and machines — through works from the permanent collection, curated by Haely Chang. Hood Museum, Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H., through June 29. Info, 603-646-2808.

KAREN SCHAEFER: “Quiet Spaces,” a collection of winter landscapes by the Vermont artist. Speeder & Earl’s Coffee, Burlington, through February 28. Info, curation@seaba.com.

2024-2025 CURATED PROGRAM: An exhibition program curated by Catherine Ross Haskins and comprising five unique galleries of varying sizes and site-specific commissioned installations throughout the newly renovated 11,000-square-foot historic flour mill on Main Street in Westport, NY. The Mill ADK, Westport, N.Y., ongoing. Free. Info, catherine@ themilladk.com.

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

SHOW 64 AND HOLIDAY SALE: A group show featuring works by all members, accompanied by a seasonal sale of items under $100. Reception: Friday, December 6, 4-8 p.m. The Front, Montpelier, December 6-November 29. Info, info@thefrontvt. com.

JANET VAN FLEET: “Movement,” a site-specific installation of creatures, vehicles and conveyances made from found and reclaimed materials. Reception: Friday, December 6, 4-8 p.m. T.W. Wood Gallery, Montpelier, through January 28. Info, 262-6035.

‘10 X 10’ MEMBERS’ EXHIBITION: An exhibition of small paintings, prints, drawings and twodimensional mixed-media works by artist supporters of the gallery. Reception: Friday, December 6, 4-8 p.m. T.W. Wood Gallery, Montpelier, through January 28. Info, 262-6035.

‘COLOR DANCE’: The second annual juried group show, featuring artists chosen from across the country by juror Terry Norton-Wright of Moore College of Art & Design. First, second and third place winners to be announced at the reception. Reception: Friday, December 6, 5-6:30 p.m. Edgewater Gallery at the Falls, Middlebury, through January 7. Info, 989-7419.

‘DECEMBER COLORS’: An exhibition of work by Jessy Park, Edie Fake and Jess Johnson, showcasing the artists’ individual approaches to invented visual languages. Reception: Friday, December 6, 5-8 p.m. Kishka Gallery & Library, White River Junction, December 6-February 15. Info, info@kishka.org.

‘SEARCHING FOR VERMONT’S LOST SKI AREAS — PART 2’: An exhibition featuring 113 ski areas not included in Part 1 of the exhibition, documented through photographs, interviews, newspaper clippings and memorabilia. Reception: Friday, December 6, 5-8 p.m. Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum, Stowe, December 6-October 12. Info, 253-9911.

‘WINTERTIDE’: An annual group exhibition featuring works by 16 Vermont artists, ranging from abstract to landscape, still life, art glass and sculpture. Reception: Friday, December 6, 5-7 p.m. Furchgott Sourdiffe Gallery, Shelburne, December 6-January 31. Info, 985-3848.

‘BLACK & BLOOM’: A group exhibition showcasing grayscale floral still lifes by 12 contemporary artists. Reception: Friday, December 6, 4-8 p.m. Hexum Gallery, Montpelier, December 6-January 17. Info, hexumgallery@gmail.com.

SEABA ART HOP JURIED SHOW WINNERS: An expanded showcase of winning pieces and additional works by Art Hop juried show winners Matt Larson, Pamela Hunt and Jake Barakat and people’s choice winners Lindsay Centracchio and Kristina Pentek. Reception: Friday, December 6, 5-8 p.m. The Vaults, Burlington, December 6-February 26. Info, 859-9222.

PAUL RICHARDSON: “World Wide Wend,” an exhibition of panoramic landscape photographs of Vermont. Reception: Friday, December 6, 4:30-7:30 p.m. Vermont Natural Resources Council, Montpelier, through January 31. Free. Info, 223-2328, aconnizzo@vnrc.org.

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

JASMINE PARSIA AND VISCAYA WAGNER:

“Process & Presence,” an exhibition featuring new works by two Burlington artists merging art and design, from furniture and functional objects to printmaking and installation. Reception: Saturday, December 7, 6-9 p.m. K. Grant Fine Art, Vergennes, December 7-January 31. Info, kristen@ kgrantfineart.com.

GINGERBREAD OPEN HOUSE: A display of the annual gingerbread contest entries, with award ceremony and holiday activities for all ages during the reception; visitors can vote for the people’s choice award until January 4. Reception and Awards Ceremony: Saturday, December 7, noon-2 p.m. Chaffee Art Center, Rutland, December 7-January 4. Info, 775-0356.

ART EVENTS

ESSEX ART LEAGUE MONTHLY MEETING: Artist presentations, art making and camaraderie. Essex Art League, Essex Junction, Thursday, December 5, 9-11 a.m. Free for two meetings, then $25 annually. Info, 318-5220, howekit0@gmail.com.

MIDD NIGHT STROLL: An open evening with free admission, model trains, decorated tree and wreath display with raffle, and museum store. Henry Sheldon Museum of Vermont History, Middlebury, Thursday, December 5, 5-8 p.m. Free. Info, 388-2117.

MONTPELIER ART WALK: Venues around downtown Montpelier welcome pedestrian viewers in this bimonthly event. Various Montpelier locations, Friday, December 6, 4-8 p.m. Free. Info, info@cal-vt. org.

‘CLOWN TOWN’: A one-night exhibition of ceramic sculptures by Small Time Clown and on-site tattoos. Stranger Still, Burlington, Friday, December 6, 5-9 p.m. Free. Info, 316-8370.

STACY HOPKINS: An opening for “Soul Fire,” a new print series by the artist, combined with holiday celebration and wine tasting with Artisanal Cellars. Scavenger Gallery, White River Junction, Friday, December 6, 5:30-7 p.m. Info, scavenger.gallery@ gmail.com.

HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE: Functional and sculptural pottery, watercolors and prints by Madeleine Bertrand-Gerndt. Maddy BG Clay Gallery, Morrisville, Saturday, December 7, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, December 8, noon-4 p.m. Free. Info, 760-8175.

HOLIDAY ARTISAN FAIR: Crafts by North Hero artists and artisans. GreenTARA Space, North Hero, Saturday, December 7, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Info, 355-2150.

SOCIAL SUNDAY: An opportunity for children and caregivers to stop in and complete a 15- to 30-minute activity during the two-hour workshop. Milton Artists’ Guild Art Center & Gallery, Sunday, December 8, 1-3 p.m. Free. Info, 891-2014.

VANESSA COMPTON OPEN STUDIO: An open studio with collage and mixed-media works by the Burlington artist. 143 North Ave., Burlington, Sunday, December 8, 2-6 p.m. Info, info@ krinshawstudios.com.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS 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

CELTIC

DECEMBER 18 & 26 ISSUES

Per holiday tradition, Seven Days will not be published January 1, 2025. e ﬁrst issue of the year will be published on January 8.

Submit your event listings early!

Events taking place December 18January 8 must be submitted no later than Tuesday, December 10, at noon at: sevendaysvt.com/postevent

Deadline for classiﬁeds, classes & jobs: Monday noon, 12/16 (in print only) sevendaysvt.com/classiﬁeds

Deadline for retail advertising: Friday noon, 12/13 802-864-5684, sales@sevendaysvt.com

music+nightlife

S UNDbites

News and views on the local music + nightlife scene

BY CHRIS FARNSWORTH

A New Morning: Emma Cook Has a Game Plan

Rock and roll success stories aside, the vast majority of musicians have to hold down a day job to support their creative endeavors. As music has been progressively demonetized, the need for side hustles and second careers has only increased. Observe English pop star LILY ALLEN ’s recent comment on social media that she makes more money from OnlyFans subscribers looking for pictures of her feet than from her 8 million monthly subscribers on Spotify. She’s not alone. Singer KATE NASH recently launched a Butts for Tour Buses campaign, funding her ongoing tour by flashing the goods on OnlyFans.

ANTHRAX drummer CHARLIE BENANTE put it succinctly in an interview with the Irish Times: “There is no music industry,” he said. “You’d probably make more money selling lemonade on the corner.”

Balancing making art with making a living is a conundrum, and many artists are searching desperately for answers. As Burlington-based singer-songwriter EMMA COOK pointed out when we spoke last week, musicians’ solutions vary.

“There’s no road map anymore

— everyone is doing it in their own way,” the 33-year-old told me while discussing recording her forthcoming solo album, Of the Morning, her ﬁrst since 2011.

Much has changed for Cook between solo records, including having a daughter in 2022. She’s fronted two

process will cost around $20,000 — not particularly costly for a studio project.

“So much of the work in music is unpaid work,” she said. “My songwriting, my booking, the overall development of entire projects ... it’s all unpaid. I could be doing kids’ music or teaching lessons, where I know I’ll be paid. But I’ve found that I have to keep a balance where I’m accessing my songwriting and expressing myself and taking the opportunity to connect with people listening to my songs.”

To o set the costs of the recording, Cook launched a Kickstarter campaign, the ﬁrst time in her career she’s tried crowdfunding. While it initially felt strange to her to ask for money, seeing the project halfway funded in the campaign’s ﬁrst 24 hours gave Cook an immense feeling of gratitude and connection to her fans.

“The theme of Of the Morning is about connection and our shared humanity,” Cook said. “So it’s kind of ﬁtting how something like a fundraising e ort brought that home for me. I put out a call for help with making an album, and my community was there — that really makes me emotional.”

Cook hopes to wrap up the campaign in December and, with full funding, ﬁnish tracking, mixing and mastering the new LP. In the meantime, she has more than enough other projects to keep her busy.

local bands, the now-defunct EMMA COOK & QUESTIONABLE COMPANY and her trio with ALAYNA HOWARD and ANDY FELTUS, EMALOU & THE BEAT. In 2018, she became a fulltime working musician, teaching piano lessons and performing kids’ music with her mentor, early childhood educator CHRIS DORMAN, aka MISTER CHRIS

When she wrote a new batch of songs in 2022, Cook decided to record them as a solo artist and make the folk album of her dreams. Having cut multiple records in her career, she knew that wouldn’t be cheap.

“I made my ﬁrst record after taking a semester o at [the University of Vermont] and moving back in with my parents,” she recalled. “It was great, making a record in the woods of northern Michigan, a very homegrown kind of experience. But I knew that with this record, I wanted to do something very di erent.”

Cook linked up with producer and musician KATIE MARTUCCI and headed to the Greenpoint Recording Collective in Brooklyn to begin making Of the Morning, which she hopes to release in May. She estimates the entire

She’ll teach music and movement classes for kids with local singersongwriter GIOVANINA BUCCI at Bucci’s Marigold Gallery in 2025. And EmaLou & the Beat will host a live holiday album recording on Saturday, December 21, at Burlington’s Tank Recording Studio as part of its TRS Live series.

“The band did a holiday show at the Venetian [Cocktail & Soda] Lounge last Christmas, and it was such a blast,” Cook recalled. “So we decided to record a holiday album live at the Tank with BEN [COLLETTE, producer and Tank owner].”

Show attendees will have access to a free download of the performance a week or so later. The band hopes to put the recording out on vinyl for next Christmas. It’s shaping up to be a big 2025 for Cook. While she acknowledges the challenges of creating and promoting her music while raising a family and working full time, she said the process also brings plenty of rewards.

“At the end of the day, I’m making the music I want to make, and that’s immensely gratifying,” she said. “And the response I’ve gotten from fans and friends and family, as they see my pursuing a dream I’ve had since I was a kid, just makes me want to keep going.” ➆

Lincoln Sprague (left) with EmaLou & the Beat

Emma Cook COURTESY OF HAYES

On the Beat

Songwriter, producer, composer and multiinstrumentalist ANDREW

DOUGLAS PALEY, who produced music for BRIAN WILSON and wrote songs with and played sessions for the likes of MADONNA, JERRY LEE LEWIS, ELTON JOHN and LITTLE RICHARD, died of throat cancer on Wednesday, November 20, in Colchester. He was 73.

Paley started out in the mid-1970s with the powerpop outﬁt the PALEY BROTHERS before hooking up with Wilson and producing the BEACH BOYS founder’s debut solo record. Wilson once said Paley was “the most frighteningly talented person that I’ve met and the greatest musical genius I’ve come across in many years … maybe my whole life.”

Among Paley’s other accomplishments were scoring the Oscar-nominated ﬁlm Dick Tracy, working for Sire Records and writing songs for Nickelodeon’s hit “SpongeBob SquarePants” franchise.

Paley and his family left Los Angeles in 2021 and settled in the Champlain Islands. His brother-in-law TREVOR CRIST and his MAPLE RUN BAND, in which Paley

often played the harp, are hosting a celebration of Paley’s life and music on Sunday, December 8, at Radio Bean in Burlington.

Paley summed up his goals as a producer in an interview with the Los Angeles Times in 1990: “I just want the thing to sound good, whatever it takes … That end carries over into everything, even to questions like, ‘Should they order lunch now?’”

South Burlington native CRISTIAN ARHIRI is set to represent Vermont in the Music Teachers National Association Division Junior Piano Competition, starting in mid-January. Arhiri, a seventh grader at Frederick H. Tuttle Middle School

Eye on the Scene

Last week’s live music highlights from photographer Luke Awtry IN MEMORIAM: LANE GIBSON RECORDING AND MASTERING, CHARLOTTE, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1: After a long and celebrated run, Lane Gibson Recording and Mastering in Charlotte closed last month. In the space commissioned more than three decades ago by Vermont keyboardist CHARLES ELLER, only a skeleton of the studio remained. Its arteries — literal miles of cabling — lay coiled in unruly piles. Up until just a few weeks ago, engineers Eller, Gibson and JEREMY MENDICINO — a Burlington-born musician who ﬁrst came to the studio when working with GREGORY DOUGLASS while in high school — sat on one side of the recording equipment racks. On the other side were musicians such as ANAÏS MITCHELL “BIG JOE” BURRELL, FRANCESCA BLANCHARD and SETH YACOVONE. e studio’s discography is extensive, and its legacy secured. But the music scene will take no moment of silence — we’ve got more hit records to make.

who has studied piano under teacher YIN STEWART for ﬁve years, has the chance to win the divisional round and move on to compete in the National Finals later in 2025. ANDREEA BRUMA of Essex has been named the alternate.

Founded in 1876, the MTNA is a nonproﬁt organization made up of 17,000 independent music teachers. For more information about the organization and the Junior Piano Competition, visit mtna.org.

As live music venues in Chittenden County continue to struggle with and, in some cases, close over insurance worries, it’s always nice to hear about people taking the issue into their own hands and, well, making a space for live music. Enter MAYA SUN ROBEDEE-MOLINO and RORY GOODALE, local musicians who play in the CHAMPLAIN SHOREGASM. The two started hosting open mics and performances at Lily’s Pad — aka their house on North Avenue in Burlington — 12 months ago, booking an assortment of New England talent including JASON BAKER, FISHER WAGG and LOBOTOMOBILE. Robedee-Molino and Goodale celebrate the one-year anniversary of Lily’s Pad on Wednesday, December 4, with performances by a host of local musicians — and yes, there will absolutely be cake. Hop on over to lilyspadvt.com for more info. ➆

Listening In

(Spotify mix of local jams)

1. “BROKEN THROUGH” by Gregory Douglass

2. “ONLY IF” by Belizbeha

3. “YONKERS” by Pretty & Nice

4. “YOUR FONDER HEART” by Anaïs Mitchell

5. “RADIATE” by Lisa Piccirillo

6. “EVERYDAY” by Aaron Flinn’s Salad Days

7. “HOME IS A CAGE” by Francesca Blanchard

Scan to listen sevendaysvt. com/playlist

Andrew Douglas Paley and Brian Wilson

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music+nightlife

CLUB DATES

live music

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

Typhoid Mary (ska, punk) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $5/$10.

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.5

The Fabulous Wrecks (Americana) at Black Flannel Brewing & Distilling, Essex, 6 p.m. Free.

The Gallison Hill Band (rock) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 8 p.m. Free.

Karina Rykman (jam, rock) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 7 p.m. $20/$25.

Kraatz Rumba Quartet (jazz) at Hugo’s, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m. Free.

Lady Lamb, Fawn (indie) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $25/$30.

The Old Soul House Band (indie) at Old Soul Design Shop, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 8 p.m. Free.

FRI.6

90 Proof (rock) at the Old Post, South Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

Ali McGuirk, Thea Wren, Jeremy Mendicino (indie soul) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7 p.m. $15/$18.

Armanodillo, Matthew Linkkila or Lack Thereof (folk) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 9:30 p.m. $10/$15.

Butterfly, the Moonlight Project (funk, rock) at Monkey House, Winooski, 8 p.m. $7.

Carrie Cook (singer-songwriter) at Whammy Bar, Calais, 7 p.m. Free.

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

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

Coast to Coast

Singer-songwriter and guitarist ALI MCGUIRK left Boston and moved to Burlington in 2021, joining her friends and fellow Massachusetts-to-Vermont R&B/soul devotees Dwight + Nicole. But on the advice of producer and singer-songwriter Jonah Tolchin, McGuirk headed west to record her latest LP, Til It’s Gone. She cut the album in Los Angeles’ Silver Lake neighborhood, delivering a properly sunny, 1970s-SoCal-inspired blues-rock record that even features a cameo from Little Feat guitarist and mandolinist Fred Tackett. McGuirk is back on the East Coast and hits the stage at the Higher Ground Showcase Lounge in South Burlington on Friday, December 6, with support from fellow Burlington acts THEA WREN and JEREMY MENDICINO

The Full Cleveland (yacht rock) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 8 p.m. $12/$15.

Get Up With It (jazz, funk) at Hugo’s, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m. Free. Good Morning Gils (indie rock) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 10 p.m. $10.

Green Mountain Swing Band (swing) at ArtsRiot, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $15.

J.J. Booth (singer-songwriter) at Two Heroes Brewery Public House, South Hero, 7 p.m. Free.

Josh Panda & Peter Day (Americana) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 5 p.m. Free.

Karina Rykman (jam, rock) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 7 p.m. $20/$25.

Lowell Thompson (singersongwriter) at Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 4 p.m. Free.

Mean Waltons (Americana) at Poultney Pub, 6 p.m. Free.

Mickey Western’s Lineage Medicine Show (country, folk) at Standing Stone Wines, Winooski, 7 p.m. Free.

Paul Webb (jazz piano) at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

Phantom Suns, Keepsake, Black Vinegar, Shiny New Toyz, Sabrehound (metal, rock) at Despacito, Burlington, 8 p.m. $10.

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

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

Shane McGrath (acoustic) at Gusto’s, Barre, 6 p.m. Free.

Soap, Earthshine (jam) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $10/$15.

Them Apples (folk) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 9 p.m. Free.

Tim Brick (country) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 7 p.m. Free.

SAT.7

The Aaron Audet Band (singersongwriter) at Pickle Barrel Nightclub, Killington, 9 p.m. Free.

Avery Cooper (jazz) at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free.

Bearly Dead (Grateful Dead tribute) at Nectar’s, Burlington, 8 p.m. $15.

Bells on Bobtails with Dwight + Nicole and Friends (holiday music) at Double E Performance Center’s T-Rex Theater, Essex, 8 p.m. $25/$30.

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

D. Davis, Steve Goldman, Marc Gwinn (jazz) at the Den at Harry’s Hardware, Cabot, 7 p.m. Free.

Dead to the Core (Grateful Dead tribute) at Zenbarn, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. $10.

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

Dylan Patrick Ward, Ian Galipeau (singer-songwriter) at Stage 33 Live, Bellows Falls, 7 p.m. $15.

Good Gravy (bluegrass) at Shelburne Vineyard, 6 p.m. Free.

His/His (indie folk) at ArtsRiot, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $10.

Jaded Ravins (Americana) at Whammy Bar, Calais, 7 p.m. Free.

The Jagaloons vs. the Tsunamibots (surf rock) at Charlie-O’s World Famous, Montpelier, 8 p.m. Free.

Jerborn (acoustic) at 1st Republic Brewing, Essex, 6 p.m. Free.

Las Brujas Bonitas, Peg Tassey & the Loud Flowers (folk, rock) at Standing Stone Wines, Winooski, 8 p.m. $10.

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.

Live Piano with Paul Lyons (piano) at Kru Coffee, Burlington, 10:30 a.m. Free.

Lunch (indie) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 7 p.m. $10/$15.

MONSOON, Hissy Fit (indie rock) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 7 p.m. $12/$15.

Moore & Moore (rock) at Old Soul Design Shop, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 8 p.m. Free.

Mr. Moose & Friends (covers) at Poultney Pub, 6 p.m. Free.

The PET Project (covers) at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction, 5 p.m. Free.

Pink Talking Fish, Annie in the Water (tribute) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $25/$29.

Pure Joy (rock) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 7 p.m. Free. Reggae Saturdays (DJ, reggae) at the Double E Lounge at Essex Experience, 9 p.m. $10. Residual Groove, Scram! (funk) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 9 p.m. $10/$15.

Something Reckless (rock) at Gusto’s, Barre, 9 p.m. Free.

The Wormdogs (folk rock) at Foam Brewers, Burlington, 8 p.m. $10.

SUN.8

Dopapod, lespecial (jam) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 8 p.m. $22/$25.

Live Piano with Paul Lyons (piano) at Kru Coffee, Burlington, 10:30 a.m. Free.

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

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

TUE.10

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.

A Dan Blakeslee Christmas (singer-songwriter) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 7 p.m. $10.

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

Honky Tonk Tuesday with Wild Leek River (country) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 9 p.m. $10. Jay Southgate (vibraphone) at Bent Nails Bistro, Montpelier, 5 p.m. Free.

John Lackard Blues Duo (blues) at Lawson’s Finest Liquids, Waitsfield, 5 p.m. Free.

WED.11

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

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

Elijah Berlow, Vega, Riverbed (indie folk) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 7 p.m. $10.

Evan Alsop (acoustic) at Two Heroes Brewery Public House, South Hero, 6 p.m. Free.

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

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

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

FRI.6 // ALI MCGUIRK [INDIE SOUL]

music+nightlife

Jazz with Alex Stewart and Friends (jazz) at the 126, Burlington, 8:30 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.4

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

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.

THU.5

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

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

Santa Rave (DJ) at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $18/$20.

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

FRI.6

DJ Taka (DJ) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 11 p.m. $10/$15. John’s Jukebox (DJ) at Gusto’s, Barre, 9 p.m. Free.

Latin Night with DJ JP Black (DJ) at Einstein’s Tap House, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

SAT.7

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

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

HAVEN (DJ) at MothershipVT, Burlington, 10 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.

What If Something Happened, Two Sev, GAYBAR, NewMantra, Philhaay, Anxiocide, MEGH (DJ) at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, 9 p.m. $10/$15.

SUN.8

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

WED.11

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

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

open mics & jams

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.

THU.5

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

FRI.6

Red Brick Coffee House (open mic) at Red Brick Meeting House, Westford, 7 p.m. Free.

SUN.8

Olde Time Jam Session (open jam) at the Den at Harry’s Hardware, Cabot, noon. Free.

MON.9

Open Mic (open mic) at Despacito, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

TUE.10

Open Mic Night (open mic) at Drink, Burlington, 8 p.m. Free. Venetian Soda Open Mic (open mic) at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

WED.11

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.

comedy

WED.4

Challenge Wheel (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

THU.5

Sean Donnelly (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 p.m. $25.

Strapped-In: A Queer Comedy Showcase (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 9 p.m. $10/$15.

FRI.6

Comedy Night: Open Mic (comedy open mic) at the Den at Harry’s Hardware, Cabot, 8 p.m. Free.

Jim Jeffries (comedy) at the Flynn, Burlington, 7 p.m. $44-$86.

Pinky Patel, Katie Arroyo (comedy) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $30/$35.

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

Vermont Comedy All Stars 3rd Anniversary Show (comedy) at Next Stage Arts, Putney, 7:30 p.m. $12/$15.

SAT.7

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

TUE.10

The Cafeteria Presents: Hot Lunch Tuesdays (comedy) at ArtsRiot, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free. Open Mic Comedy with Levi Silverstein (comedy open mic) at the 126, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free.

WED.11

Standup Open Mic (comedy open mic) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 8:30 p.m. Free. What’s in the Box? (comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. $5.

trivia, karaoke, etc.

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.

Wave of Mutilation

Are you craving a real fight after the dud that was Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson? Look no further than the titanic clash between Albany, N.Y., instrumental surf-rock band the JAGALOONS and their human-hating, cybernetic counterparts from Vermont’s “Bad Liver Valley,” the TSUNAMIBOTS. The staccato guitar riffs might bring to mind swelling ocean waves, sun and sand, but there won’t be anything placid as this surf battle royale pits man against machine for the soul of the cabana club. Pick your side on Saturday, December 7, at Charlie O’s World Famous in Montpelier.

THU.5

Radio Bean Karaoke (karaoke) at Radio Bean, Burlington, 9 p.m. Free.

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

FRI.6

Karaoke Friday Night (karaoke) at Park Place Tavern & Grill, Essex Junction, 8 p.m. Free.

SAT.7

Spectacular Spectacular (talent show) at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 11 a.m. $7/$10.

SUN.8

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.9

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.10

Christmas Villains Trivia (trivia) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington, 7 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.

WED.11

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.

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.

Musical

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

SAT.7 // THE JAGALOONS VS. THE TSUNAMIBOTS [SURF ROCK]

According to former Spotify chief economist Will Page, there is now more music released in a single day than in all of 1989. at means it’s harder than ever to sift through the mountain of singles, EPs and full-length records dropping every week — and the Vermont music scene is no exception. Seven Days receives more submissions than a dominatrix, but we do our best to cover as much of the local scene as possible. Inevitably, some records get lost in the shufﬂe. So as 2024 comes to a close, here’s a look at six albums from Vermont artists that almost slipped through the cracks.

Ruminations, Machine Age Exhibition

(SELF-RELEASED, DIGITAL)

Caught somewhere between lo-ﬁ shoegaze and progressiveminded synth pop, Ruminations, the project of Winooskibased multi-instrumentalist Greg Bonsignore, is an intriguing paradox. Ruminations’ latest LP, Machine Age Exhibition, is at once raw and slick. Bonsignore builds complex melodies and robot-funk grooves, layering them with stacks of guitar, mellotron and Moog. Yet the record retains the cozy air of a home demo.

As endearing as his ambient and experimental turns are, the quirky indie songwriter inside Bonsignore continually reins in his wilder instincts. The result is a tension between those two modes that propels Machine Age Exhibition toward serious weirdness, in all the best senses of the word.

KEY TRACK: “Divine Disappearance” WHY: Bonsignore leans into free jazz and Syd Barrett-esque psych rock. WHERE: ruminationsmusic.bandcamp.com

Revolution Robots, tube

(SELF-RELEASED, DIGITAL)

Vermont-based artist and graphic designer Matthew Chaney’s experimental electronic project Revolution Robots has always been an acquired taste. Chaney tags his genre on Bandcamp as “shitty music,” so the artist is aware of its confrontational sound. Indeed, his 2021 LP Microprocessor might have been one of that year’s hardest records to endure, full of songs awash in digital distortion and abrasive beats. Yet a wry, cleverly creative heart pumps at the center of the music. It was robotic, sure, but a robot with a self-deprecating sense of humor.

On Chaney’s latest, tube, the artist seems to be focused more on establishing drones and krautrock-esque landscapes than following storylines and song structure. The record’s six tracks are built from more pleasant sounds than Chaney’s previous work, giving tube an almost lo-ﬁ, ambient feel. It’s a slight shift but a welcome one.

KEY TRACK: “Control” WHY: The song is the slowest of slow burns, ﬂirting with a futurist, Detroit-techno turn. WHERE: revolutionrobots.bandcamp.com

The Mountain Says No, SUREFIRE

(SELF-RELEASED, CD, DIGITAL)

Enosburg’s the Mountain Says No might just be Vermont’s most consistent rock band. Formed from the ashes of muchloved early aughts band Farm, the Mountain Says No have quietly dropped killer album after killer album for the better part of the past decade. The trend continues with SUREFIRE, released in October.

The band derives its power from the songwriting and vocal team of Ben Maddox and Jedd Kettler, who also happen to be a killer guitar duo. Heavy-hitting power chords, oddball ri s and near-telepathic interplay drive songs such as “Gentle Giant” and the blues-on-mushrooms stomp of “Power of a Dead Man.” Drummer Justus Gaston and bassist Andrew Frappier stay in constant conversation, shifting the dynamics as quick as a jump scare in a slasher ﬁlm.

The Mountain Says No are a long-toothed beast, an erudite combination of stoner rock and the proggier side of college radio that have held down their own unique corner of Vermont’s music scene for most of the 21st century. Long may they sit atop their mountain.

KEY TRACK: “Do Unto Others” WHY: The last minute of this mazelike rocker is a high point of the record. WHERE: themountainsaysno.bandcamp.com

About Time, About Time

(SELF-RELEASED, DIGITAL)

On their self-titled sophomore record, Burlington septet About Time hit the sweet spot between jazz and funk. Whether swinging with a nasty groove on “Neon Pedestal” or ﬂirting with Celtic folk on “For the Time on the Hill,” the band moves from strength to strength. And vocalist Lauren Kelley’s powerful and dynamic range is a treat as she crafts classy, tender melodies.

About Time has big shoes to ﬁll. The band’s 2019 debut, I Don’t Think I Belong Here, received rave reviews, making former Seven Days music editor Jordan Adams’ year-end best-of list. It took ﬁve years for About Time to write, record and release the follow-up, but the patient approach was clearly worth it. The band may even have improved on its formula, with e ortless shifts from jazz to pop to funk to folk that have only become more impressive.

KEY TRACK: “Back to the City” WHY: Connor Brien and Stephanie Currier’s dueling saxophones give the song a jolt of energy. WHERE: abouttime802.bandcamp.com

and penguin, Paper Route

(SELF-RELEASED, DIGITAL)

There’s a clear progression to Paper Route, the debut album from Burlington’s and penguin, aka singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Philip Roy. The ambitious record is a sort of concept album that tells a life story through the documents that mark our time on Earth. From opener “Birth Announcement” to the closer, “Obituary & Classiﬁeds,” and everything in between — including love, marriage and, inevitably, death — the tale Roy crafts is impressively expansive.

Roy is a gifted songwriter who populates Paper Route with colorful, sometimes desperate characters raw dogging life in a slow-burn montage — like a Bruce Springsteen fable, but with a stoner sheen. Musically, Roy’s songs veer toward power pop played through a Frank Zappa ﬁlter; tracks such as “Hit the Light” sound like the Beach Boys on MDMA. Paper Route is as fresh and daring a debut as anything to come out of the Green Mountain indie-rock scene since THUS LOVE’s Memorial or Robber Robber’s Wild Guess. KEY SONG: “Metaphor in Public” WHY: You have to love a snarling ode to doing drugs in public. WHERE: andpenguin.bandcamp.com

D.FRENCH, All Saints Day

(SELF-RELEASED, DIGITAL)

Rapper D.FRENCH started working on his latest album in 2019, when Boston-based producer Louis Mackey sent the St. Albans-based MC an album’s worth of beats. French took his time and worked with Vermont producer Zach Crawford, aka SkySplitterInk, to turn those beats into the nigh-ﬂawless collection of tracks that make up All Saints Day With its stripped-down, classic boom-bap sound, French keeps All Saints Day wonderfully simple, letting the strength of the beats and his ﬂow carry one of the year’s top local hip-hop releases. The rapper brings along plenty of friends from the 802 scene; the record features memorable turns from Mavstar, Wombaticus Rex and Yung Breeze. But French never takes his hand o the wheel, steering each track with his assured delivery, lyrically heavy verses and shiny, melodic choruses.

KEY SONG: “Solid Gold Necklace” WHY: French and Yung Breeze trade bars over a classic, head nod-inducing beat. WHERE: dfrench.bandcamp.com

CHRIS FARNSWORTH

December

THESPECTACULAR

Our panel of judges had an incredibly difﬁcult time selecting the ﬁnal lineup for this year’s Kids VT Spectacular Spectacular, but we’re excited to welcome these acts to the stage at Higher Ground!

Among this year’s performers, ages 8 to 16, are singers, dancers, songwriters and a poet. We can’t wait to see them in person so we can say we knew them way back when.

Tickets are $7 in advance and $10 on the day of the show. Scan this QR code to buy them at highergroundmusic.com.

1. Alaia “AJ” Rolfe 11, Jericho/Richmond

Performing original standup poetry

2. Aiden Sherpa 11, South Burlington

Singing “Castle on a Cloud” from Les Miserables

3. Stella Forward 10, Burlington

Singing “Rainbow” by Kacey Musgraves

4. Adim Benoit 12, Montpelier

Playing “Jailhouse Rock” by Elvis Presley on the piano

5. Addyson Long 11, Colchester

Lyrical dance to the song “Watershed” by Anaïs Mitchell

6. Calise Valiska 11, Je ersonville/Cambridge

Singing “Deja Vu” by Olivia Rodrigo

7 & 8. Caroline Clayton 12, Colchester

Norah Canavan 12, Colchester

Playing the ukulele and singing “Riptide” by Vance Joy

9. Eva Tarrant 13, South Burlington

Singing an original song titled “Roses”

10. Piper Hall

15, East Hardwick

Singing an original song titled “Driving Down a Lonely Road”

11 & 12 Claire Blais

12, Colchester

Emerson Leeuw

11, Colchester

18. Addison Minor 15, Westford

Dancing to “Friend Like Me” by Robin Williams, from the movie Aladdin

13. Lily Ryersbach

15, Starksboro

Singing “Scars to Your Beautiful” by Alessia Cara

14 & 15. Violet Lambert

12, Monkton

Eva Lambert

8, Monkton

Performing “People Watching” by Conan Gray

16. Charlotte Clark

14, Lincoln

Playing piano and singing “Stay” by Rihanna

19. Robin Hart 13, Jericho

Singing “Dead Mom” from the musical Beetlejuice

20. Poutine

a band from Shelburne featuring Eli Bart (14), Jack Blazewicz (13), Frank D’Amore (13), Thomas Schramm (14)

Playing the song “White Room” by Cream

21 & 22. Mira Biggs, 11, Underhill Jaya Heitkamp, 10, Jericho

Singing “Say You Won’t Let Go” by James Arthur

17. Evan Benoit

16, Montpelier

Playing piano and singing “Lost Boy” by Ruth B

23. Georgia Kunkel 14, Vergennes

Playing guitar and singing a cover of Phoebe Bridgers’ “I Know the End”

24. Alyce Ayer, 11, Bolton Valley

Singing “The Cup Song” from Pitch Perfect

Playing “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay on the piano

25. Myla Larmond , 11, South Burlington

Performing the ﬁrst movement of Felix Mendelssohn’s Concerto in E Minor on violin

calendar

DECEMBER 4-11, 2024

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: Savvy businesspeople make crucial contacts at a weekly chapter meeting. BCA Center, Burlington, 11:15 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 829-5066.

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: 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.

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: 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

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.

discussion led by a Spanish teacher. Presented by Dorothy Alling Memorial Library. 5-6 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, programs@ damlvt.org.

music

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 onestop 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.

CELEBRATION OF TREES:

Merrymakers wander through a sparkling display of decorated trees — and enter a raffle to win one of them. Proceeds benefit ANEW Place. University Mall, South Burlington, 10 a.m. $5. Info, 862-8871.

HOLIDAY BAZAAR & FOOD

DRIVE: The school’s staff council hosts more than 40 vendors composed of faculty, alumni, retirees and students. Donations benefit Feeding Champlain Valley. Davis Center, University of Vermont, Burlington, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Free; nonperishable food donations accepted. Info, 656-4493.

‘JINGLE BELL SWING’: The Bria Skonberg Jazz Quintet brings compelling holiday compositions and arrangements to the stage. Robison Concert Hall, Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, 7:30 p.m. $5-25. Info, 443-6433.

MERRY & BRIGHT ART

MARKET: Holiday gift hunters discover unique handmade items crafted by more than 35 Vermont artists. Brandon Artists Guild, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Info, 247-4956.

language

SPANISH

CONVERSATION: Fluent and beginner speakers brush up on their vocabulario with a

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.

seminars

IMOVIE EDITING: Visual storytellers learn how to hone their craft with a user-friendly computer program. A Q&A follows. The Media Factory, Burlington, 6-8 p.m. Free; preregister; donations accepted. Info, 651-9692.

sports

GREEN MOUNTAIN TABLE

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

talks

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’: Northern Stage mounts the classic Disney tale as old as time about learning to look beyond appearances. Byrne Theater, Barrette Center for the Arts, White River Junction, 11 a.m. & 7:30 p.m. $24-94. Info, 296-7000.

words

FIND MORE LOCAL EVENTS IN THIS ISSUE AND ONLINE:

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

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

business

GROW YOUR BUSINESS:

Shelburne BNI hosts a weekly meeting for local professionals to exchange referrals and build meaningful connections. Connect Church, Shelburne, 8:30-10 a.m. Free. Info, 377-3422.

crafts

KNITTING GROUP: Knitters of all experience levels get together to spin yarns. Latham Library, Thetford, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 785-4361.

WOODWORKING LAB: Visionaries create a project or learn a new skill with the help of mentors and access to tools and equipment in the makerspace. Hannaford Career Center, Middlebury, 5-8 p.m. $7.50. Info, 382-1012.

dance

FALL DANCE CONCERT: Audience members take in dazzling original choreography by students Leigha Francis, Brys Peralta and Liefe Temple. Dance Theatre, Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, 7:30 p.m. $5-15. Info, 443-6433.

etc.

NIGHT OWL CLUB: Astronomers and space exploration experts discuss the latest in extraterrestrial news with curious attendees. Presented by Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium. 7 p.m. Free. Info, 748-2372.

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, 2:30 & 4:30 p.m. $3-5 plus regular admission, $16.50-20; admission free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

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.

THU.5 activism

COMMUNITY FORUM ON HOUSING & HOMELESSNESS: Neighbors come together with local organizations to overcome stereotypes and discuss the realities of unhoused people in Lamoille County. Morristown Centennial Library, Morrisville, 6-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 391-8661.

‘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 & 3 p.m. $3-5 plus regular admission, $16.50-20; admission free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

‘BLACK DOG’: Viewers take in Guan Hu’s 2024 neorealist thriller about citizens being left behind by rapid economic development in China. Film House, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 7-9 p.m. $6-12. Info, 660-2600.

games

DUPLICATE BRIDGE GAMES: Snacks and coffee fuel bouts of a classic card game. Burlington Bridge Club, Williston, 12:30-4 p.m. $6. Info, 872-5722.

WEEKLY CHESS FOR FUN: Players of all ability levels face off and learn new strategies. United Community Church, St. Johnsbury, 5:30-9 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, lafferty1949@gmail.com.

health & fitness

ART YOGA: Artist Sharon Fennimore combines awareness with a child’s sense of play and curiosity. Waterbury Public Library, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, judi@waterburypubliclibrary. com.

holidays

ANNUAL TREE-LIGHTING: Merrymakers join Gov. Phil Scott for a magical evening ushering in the festive season, featuring live music, animals and wagon rides. An indoor reception follows. Vermont Statehouse lawn, Montpelier, 4-5:30 p.m. Free. Info, 595-4381.

ARTISAN HOLIDAY MARKET: See WED.4.

CELEBRATION OF TREES: See WED.4.

‘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 & 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 & 4 p.m. $3-5 plus regular admission, $16.5020; admission free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848.

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. $813; free for kids 3 and under. Info, 359-5000.

HOLIDAY HOUSE PARTY: Listeners enjoy a cozy evening of seasonal favorites showcasing singers and instrumentalists from McGill University’s Schulich School of Music. Centaur Theatre, Montréal, 8 p.m. $45-75. Info, 514-971-3454.

MERRY & BRIGHT ART MARKET: See WED.4.

OPEN STUDIO & HOLIDAY SALE: Locavores browse Middleburymade bags, gear and bicycling accessories. Fifth Season Canvas, Middlebury, 4-8 p.m. Free. Info, fifthseasoncanvas@gmail.com.

WINOOSKI HOLIDAY POP-UP

SHOP: Onion City shoppers

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.4

burlington

TODDLER TIME: Librarians bring out books, rhymes and songs specially selected for young ones 12 to 24 months. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

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.

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.

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.

THU.5

burlington

BABY & ME CLASS: Parents and their infants ages birth to 1 explore massage, lullabies and gentle movements while discussing the struggles and joys of parenthood. Greater Burlington YMCA, 9:45-10:45 a.m. $10; free for members. Info, 862-9622.

BABY TIME: Pre-walking little ones experience a story time catered to their infant interests. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

GROW PRESCHOOL YOGA: Colleen from Grow Prenatal and Family Yoga leads little ones ages 2 to 5 in songs, movement and other fun activities. Fletcher Free

channel the holiday spirit with drink specials, live music, shopping and tastings. See website for full schedule. Downtown Winooski, 5-9 p.m. Free. Info, info@downtownwinooski.org.

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;

Library, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

chittenden county

PRESCHOOL MUSIC WITH LINDA BASSICK: The singer and storyteller extraordinaire guides little ones ages birth to 5 in indoor music and movement. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

PRESCHOOL PLAY TIME: Pre-K patrons play and socialize after music time. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

STORY TIME: Little ones ages birth to 5 learn from songs, crafts and picture books. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 10-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

barre/montpelier

POKÉMON CLUB: I choose you, Pikachu! Elementary and teenage fans of the franchise — and beginners, too — trade cards and play games. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 3:30-5 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

STORY TIME: Kids and their caregivers meet for stories, songs and bubbles. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

stowe/smuggs

WEE ONES PLAYTIME: Caregivers bring kiddos 3 and younger to a new sensory learning experience each week. Morristown Centennial Library, Morrisville, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 888-3853.

mad river valley/ waterbury

BUSY BEES PLAYGROUP: Blocks, toys, books and songs engage little ones 24 months and younger. Waterbury Public Library, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

northeast kingdom

STORY TIME: Youngsters 5 and under play, sing, hear stories and color. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 10:15-10:45 a.m. Free. Info, 745-1391.

FRI.6

chittenden county

TEEN ADVISORY GROUP: Students in grades 6 to 12 help plan future library programs while hanging out and enjoying lit-themed games. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 4-5 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

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.

free for kids 3 and under. Info, 985-3346.

language

ITALIAN CONVERSATION GROUP: Semi-fluent speakers practice their skills during a conversazione with others. Best for those who can speak at least basic sentences. Fletcher Free Library,

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.7

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.

LEGO TIME: Mini makers ages 4 to 11 design and build original, colorful creations. Fletcher Free Library New North End Branch, Burlington, 11 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 863-3403.

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.

mad river valley/ waterbury

SATURDAY STORY TIME: Stories and songs help young children develop social and literacy skills. Waterbury Public Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

middlebury area

10TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OPEN

HOUSE: Families celebrate a decade of the beloved music school with an interactive instrument petting zoo, live youth concerts, and holiday-themed arts and crafts. Middlebury Community Music Center, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 989-7538.

SATURDAY PLAYGROUP: Folks new to town or to parenting connect while their kids make friends. Vergennes Congregational Church, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 877-2435.

upper valley

LEGO ANIMATION WORKSHOP: Kiddos flock to the library to learn basic stop-motion techniques using colorful snap-together blocks. Norwich Public Library, 10 a.m.-noon. Free; preregister. Info, 649-1184.

SUN.8 burlington

DAD GUILD: Fathers (and parents of all genders) and their kids ages 5 and under drop in for playtime and connection.

Burlington, noon-1 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

lgbtq

POP-UP HAPPY HOUR: Locals connect over drinks at a speakeasy-style bar, hosted by OUT in the 802. Lincolns, Burlington, 5:30-7 p.m. Free. Info, 860-7812. music

Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 3:30-5 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: Tabletop role-players ages 9 to 18 practice their craft with the library’s newest dungeon master, Andrew. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, noon-4 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 863-3403.

SENSORY-FRIENDLY SUNDAY: Folks of all ages with sensory processing differences have the museum to themselves, with adjusted lights and sounds and trusty sensory backpacks. ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 9-10 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, kvonderlinn@ echovermont.org.

chittenden county

SOCIAL SUNDAYS: Families participate in fun and educational art activities with diverse mediums and themes. All supplies and instruction provided. Milton Artists’ Guild Art Center & Gallery, 1-3 p.m. Free. Info, 891-2014.

barre/montpelier

GENDER CREATIVE KIDS: Trans and gender-nonconforming kiddos under 13 and their families build community and make new friends at this joyful monthly gathering. Locations vary; contact organizer for info. Various locations statewide, 2-4 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 865-9677.

MON.9

KIDS IN THE KITCHEN: Dietitian Joanne Heidkamp leads families in making a fun recipe from the comfort of their own homes. Hosted by Brownell Library in collaboration with Dorothy Alling Memorial Library. 4-5 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 878-6956.

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

POKÉMON CLUB: Players trade cards and enjoy activities centered on their favorite strategic game. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 4-5 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

stowe/smuggs

ART PLAY: Wee ones ages 1 to 4 and their caregivers enjoy process-based 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.

JAZZ GUITAR ENSEMBLE & POST

BOP ENSEMBLE: Joe Capps and Ray Vega conduct lively works by Clifford Brown, John Coltrane and Duke Ellington, as well as two original compositions by students. University of Vermont Recital Hall, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 656-3040.

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.10

burlington

SING-ALONG WITH LINDA BASSICK: Babies, toddlers and preschoolers sing, dance and wiggle along with Linda. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

chittenden county

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.

TEEN BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS: Litloving kids in grades 6 to 12 discuss their favorite novels and authors. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 5-6 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

barre/montpelier

STORY TIME: See THU.5.

mad river valley/ waterbury

WATERCOLOR FOR KIDS: Artist Pauline Nolte leads little painters in grades 2 to 4 in exploration and expression. Waterbury Public Library, 3-4 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 244-7036.

WED.11

burlington

ART EXPLORERS: Young creatives ages 5 to 14 learn about art history and self-expression at this homeschooler-friendly program from Davis Studio. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 1-2 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 863-3403.

TODDLER TIME: See WED.4.

chittenden county

PLAYGROUP & STORY TIME: See WED.4.

barre/montpelier

HOMESCHOOL BOOK GROUP: Kids ages 10 to 15 who learn at home bond over books. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 1-2 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

upper valley

PRE-K STORY TIME: Little ones ages 3 to 5 hear a different farm-themed tale every week. Snacks included. Billings Farm & Museum, Woodstock, 9:30-11 a.m. $10-12; preregister. Info, 457-2355. K

MIDDLEBURY WIND ENSEMBLE: Forty local musicians play a diverse program including two Vermont premieres, an homage to Abraham Lincoln and a beloved holiday classic. Robison Concert Hall, Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, 7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 443-6433. seminars

NATURAL REMEDIES FOR COLD & FLU SEASON: Naturopathic doctor Tara Pollock sheds light on herbal and homeopathic recipes and hydrotherapy techniques to support the immune system. Stepping Stones Children’s Center, Burlington, 7-8 p.m.

THU.5

Free; donations accepted. Info, 860-1915.

talks

ENGAGING THE NEXT GENERATION OF LAND

STEWARDS: Community members tune in to learn about two local programs working with students to foster the skills and passion needed to care for our fields and forests. Hosted by Vermont Land Trust. 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Free; donations accepted; preregister. Info, 262-3765.

LEGISLATIVE PREVIEW:

VERMONT’S CREATIVE

SECTOR ADVOCACY PRIORITIES:

A panel shows citizens how they can help ensure state representatives and senators understand the importance of our local creative economy. Presented by Vermont Arts Council. 11 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 828-3291.

WATER RHYTHMS: Anglers, scientists, naturalists, conservationists and students come together to reflect on the precious resource. Light refreshments provided. Mad River Valley Arts Gallery, Waitsfield, 5-7 p.m. Free. Info, 496-6682.

theater

‘ANNIE’: The musical story of a plucky orphan’s adventures through New York City charms audience members. Monument Arts & Cultural Center, Bennington, 7 p.m. $25-40. Info, 318-4444.

‘BEAUTY AND THE BEAST’: See WED.4, 2 & 7:30 p.m.

words

ART & WRITING SHARE

GROUP FOR JEWS OF ALL STRIPES: Secular, spiritual or religious, all adult Jewish artists, writers and creators are invited to a monthly virtual meetup, presented by Jewish Communities of Vermont. 7-8:30 p.m. Free; preregister for Zoom link. Info, alison@jcvt.org.

ETHAN TAPPER: The Bolton author discusses his latest book, How to Love a Forest: The Bittersweet Work of Tending a Changing World, which outlines the importance of forestry and stewardship in Vermont. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 6:30-7:45 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4140.

ELLEN PARENT: A Vermont author launches her debut novel, After the Fall, exploring the complexities of family in a postapocalyptic setting. Phoenix Books, Rutland, 6:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 855-8078.

LESLIE SAINZ: Listeners enjoy a Cuban-American poet’s debut collection, Have You Been Long Enough at Table exploring the realities of inherited exile. A Q&A follows. Adirondack Center for Writing, Saranac Lake, N.Y., 7-9 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 518-354-1261.

FRI.6

bazaars

BTV WINTER MARKET: Locavores explore an outdoor market featuring a rotating group of 20 local artists, makers and food vendors. Burlington City Hall Park, 2-6 p.m. Free. Info, 865-7166.

WINTER FAIR & ARTISAN

MARKET: Attendees marvel at a European-style bazaar highlighting handcrafted items from local makers, as well as nature craft activities, winter games and live music. Lake Champlain Waldorf School, Shelburne, 6-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, 985-2827.

crafts

FIRST FRIDAY FIBER GROUP: Fiber-arts fans make progress on projects while chatting over snacks. GRACE, Hardwick, 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, info@ruralartsvt.org.

dance

FALL DANCE CONCERT: See THU.5.

etc.

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.

film

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

‘ANTARCTICA 3D’: See THU.5.

‘BLUE WHALES: RETURN OF THE GIANTS 3D’: See THU.5.

‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: See THU.5.

‘T. REX: GREATEST OF ALL TYRANTS 3D’: See THU.5.

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: See THU.5, 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

MAH-JONGG: Tile traders of all experience levels gather for a game. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 1-3 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

health & fitness

GUIDED MEDITATION ONLINE: Dorothy Alling Memorial Library invites attendees to relax on their lunch breaks and reconnect with their bodies. Noon-12:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, programs@ damlvt.org.

holidays

ARTISAN HOLIDAY MARKET: See WED.4.

DEC. 6 | MUSIC

New Wave

The University of Vermont Recital Hall hosts Trio Fadolín as part of the school’s dynamic Lane Series concert season. The multifaceted classical ensemble — made up of Sabina Torosjan, Valeriya Sholokhova and Ljova (one name, like Madonna) — formed during the pandemic and spent its inaugural season performing at a mass vaccination site in Manhattan. The unusual start to the group’s career tracks, considering its name honors the equally unusual fadolín: This special six-stringed instrument encompasses the range of the violin, viola and most of the cello — and speaks to the limitless possibilities of acoustic evolution in the 21st century.

LANE SERIES: TRIO FADOLÍN Friday, December 6, 7:30 p.m., at the University of Vermont Recital Hall in Burlington. $5-35. Info, 656-4455, uvm.edu.

CELEBRATION OF TREES: See WED.4, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.

CHRISTMAS MUSIC NIGHT: Neighbors come together for festive songs, readings and refreshments to usher in the spirit of the season. United Reformed Church, New Haven, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 989-4139.

A FOREST OF LIGHTS: See THU.5. FRIGHTFUL FIRST FILMS: ‘RARE EXPORTS’: Series host Eric Ford presents the 2010 Finnish horror-fantasy flick about unearthing Santa Claus from the depths of the Korvatunturi mountains. The Screening Room @ VTIFF, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 7-8:30 p.m. $5-10. Info, 660-2600.

GIFT WRAPPING: Gift givers bring presents of any size and shape to be wrapped by cheerful volunteers. Proceeds benefit ANEW

Place. Center Court, University Mall, South Burlington, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. By donation. Info, 862-8871.

GNOME FOR CHRISTMAS BAZAAR: Community members flock to a sparkling showcase of crafts, baked goods, dolls, jewelry and attic treasures. Bristol St. Ambrose Parish, 1-4 p.m. Free. Info, 453-2488.

HANDEL’S ‘MESSIAH’: Vermont Philharmonic performs part one of the timeless oratorio, ending with the iconic “Hallelujah Chorus.” St. Augustine Church, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m. $5-25. Info, 223-9855.

HOLIDAY HOUSE PARTY: See THU.5.

ICE BAR AT WINTER LIGHTS: The twinkling wonderland transforms into a foodie’s dream with frosty wine and spirits and treats from local food trucks. Ages 21 and up.

Shelburne Museum, 5-10 p.m. $75-100. Info, 985-3346.

‘IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE’: The Athenaeum Players mount a staged radio drama rendition of Frank Capra’s 1946 Christmas classic about a man saved from despair by his guardian angel. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 4 & 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 748-8291.

MCCARTHY JAZZ ORCHESTRA: An 18-piece ensemble brings the holiday vibes with an evening of original arrangements of classic Christmas hits. Town Hall Theater, Middlebury, 7:30-9 p.m. $40-50. Info, 382-9222.

MERRY & BRIGHT ART MARKET: See WED.4.

TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS WEEKEND: Families visit Stowe for magical festivities including a children’s lantern parade, a Santa stroll and ice skating at the town

arena. Various Stowe locations, 4:30 p.m. Free. Info, abby@ stowevibrancy.org.

VISIT SANTA!: Festive kiddos pop by the snowflake station to take a magical photo and share their holiday wishes. Church Street Marketplace, Burlington, 4-8 p.m. Free. Info, 863-1648.

A WESTON WINTER CABARET: SOLD OUT. Former company members take to the stage for a spirited spectacular. Weston Theater at Walker Farm, 7:30 p.m. Wait list available. Info, 824-5288.

WINTER WONDERLAND: Folks explore a charming offering of themed displays, hands-on activities and children’s workshops. Gardener’s Supply Company, Burlington and Williston, 3 p.m. Free. Info, 658-2433.

YULETIDE CONCERT & CAROL SING-ALONG: Neighbors gather for seasonal music performed by the Cauld Wind Pipers, the Green Mountain Celts and the Good Shepherd Folk Musicians. Proceeds benefit the JerichoUnderhill Ecumenical Ministries Food Shelf. Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Jericho, 7-8 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 238-5686.

language

‘ZIEH DEN STECKER RAUS, DAS WASSER KOCHT’: The school’s German Theater Group presents satirist Ephraim Kishon’s hilarious take on the modern arts scene. Performances in German with English synopses available. Le Château, Middlebury College,

7:30-9:30 p.m. Free. Info, bmatthia@middlebury.edu.

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

DECEMBER VOCAL CONCERT:

Voice students cap off a semester of study with a lively program of classical and Broadway songs. Robison Concert Hall, Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, 7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 443-6433.

ETHAN SETIAWAN & FINE

GROUND: A virtuosic mandolin champion performs commanding original compositions in his bluegrass quintet. Artistree Community Arts Center, South Pomfret, 7 p.m. $30. Info, 457-3500.

LANE SERIES: TRIO FADOLÍN:

A new classical instrument — the fadolín, or six-string violin — takes center stage at a performance exploring its unique sonority. See calendar spotlight. University of Vermont Recital Hall, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $5-35. Info, 656-4455.

VERMONT JAZZ CENTER

BIG BAND WITH CARMEN

BRADFORD: The center’s own 18-piece ensemble marks 20 years with a dynamic swingdance performance featuring a renowned Grammy-winning vocalist. Vermont Jazz Center, Brattleboro, 7:30 p.m. $40-100 sliding scale. Info, 254-9088, ext. 1.

tech

MORNING TECH HELP: Experts answer questions about phones, laptops, e-readers and other devices in one-on-one sessions. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 846-4140.

PHONE & TECH SUPPORT:

Perplexed patrons receive 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

‘ANNIE’: See THU.5.

‘BEAUTY AND THE BEAST’: See WED.4, 7:30 p.m.

‘BROADWAY DIRECT #19’: Big city talent meets a little city stage in this annual favorite showcasing crowd-pleasing hits. Proceeds benefit the All Access Project. Vergennes Opera House, 7:30-9 p.m. $10-20. Info, 877-6737.

‘INHERIT THE WIND’: Lamoille County Players stage Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee’s drama centered on the case of a science teacher accused of the crime of teaching evolution. Hyde Park Opera House, 7 p.m. $15-20. Info, 888-4507.

‘THE SOUND OF MUSIC’: Lebanon High School’s Wet Paint Players raise the curtain on the classic

Rodgers and Hammerstein musical inspired by Austria’s von Trapp Family Singers. Lebanon Opera House, N.H., 7 p.m. $4. Info, 603-448-0400.

words

BOOK SALE: Community members peruse a wide array of carefully selected, high-quality used books, DVDs and CD audiobooks to benefit the library. Richmond Free Library, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 434-3036.

SAT.7

bazaars

BTV WINTER MARKET: See FRI.6, noon-6 p.m.

GOOD TRADE MAKERS MARKET: Shoppers delight in a marketplace featuring more than 90 small businesses from across the country. Hula, Burlington, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. $8. Info, hello@ goodtrademakersmarket.com.

WINTER FAIR & ARTISAN MARKET: See FRI.6, 10 a.m.-2 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 callers and bands. Capital City Grange, Berlin, 8-11 p.m. $5-20 sliding scale. Info, 225-8921. etc.

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.

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

film

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

‘ANTARCTICA 3D’: See THU.5.

‘BLUE WHALES: RETURN OF THE GIANTS 3D’: See THU.5.

‘DRIVER’: Audiences take in a powerful documentary following truck driver Desiree Wood as she finds purpose within an irreverent group of fellow female truckers. Billings Farm & Museum, Woodstock, 3 p.m. $12-15. Info, 457-2355.

‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: See THU.5.

‘THE MAGIC FLUTE’: The Metropolitan Opera’s colorful, kaleidoscopic 2006 production of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s masterpiece returns for an encore on the silver screen.

Paramount Theatre, Rutland, 1-3 p.m. $20. Info, 775-0903.

‘QUALITY SKI TIME FILM TOUR’: Snow sports fans gear up for winter with flicks featuring incredible athletes and diverse styles of skiing. Proceeds benefit Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports.

Paramount Theatre, Rutland, 7-9 p.m. $18. Info, 775-0903.

‘T. REX: GREATEST OF ALL TYRANTS 3D’: See THU.5.

‘THE ADVENTURES OF PRINCE ACHMED’: Viewers of all ages revel in Lotte Reiniger’s visionary 1926 animated feature — the oldest surviving film of its kind. The Screening Room @ VTIFF, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. $5-10. Info, 660-2600.

food & drink

BURLINGTON WINTER FARMERS

MARKET: More than 40 vendors showcase their finest fresh farm produce, meats, unique crafts and baked goods. Burlington Beer Company, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 560-5904.

GIN-TER WONDERLAND: See FRI.6, noon-8 p.m.

NARNIA ADVENTURE

DINNER: Fantasy lovers travel through the wardrobe and enjoy a multicourse, family-style feast inspired by the beloved C.S. Lewis novel. Adventure Dinner Clubhouse, Colchester, 6-9 p.m. $75. Info, sas@adventuredinner.com.

games

CEMETERY COMMITTEE BINGO: Players vie for cash prizes at this weekly event to support cemetery improvements. St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Vergennes, 5-9 p.m. $5 per 10 games. Info, 877-2367.

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: Fans 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.

holidays

AFTERNOON HOLIDAY A

CAPPELLA: The Green Mountain

Chorus and the Barre-Tones take the stage for an afternoon of holiday favorites sung in fourpart harmony. Hedding United Methodist Church, Barre, 2-3:15 p.m. $10 suggested donation. Info, info@barretonesvt.com.

ANNUAL HOLIDAY BAZAAR: Treasure hunters peruse craft vendors, “Granny’s attic” and books, then enjoy a luncheon of soup and sandwiches. First Unitarian Universalist Society of Burlington, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 862-5630.

ANNUAL HOLIDAY SWEATER

PARTY: Merrymakers don their tacky, classy, ugly or stylish knits while enjoying games and savory offerings from Pie Empire. Simple Roots Brewing, Burlington, 3-9 p.m. Free; preorder pies. Info, 399-2658.

ANNUAL HOLIDAY TRACTOR

PARADE: Families line the streets for an illuminated procession of festive floats, tractors, trailers and machinery. Various Manchester locations, 5:30 p.m. Free. Info, john@manchestervermont.com.

ARTISAN HOLIDAY MARKET: See WED.4.

CELEBRATION OF TREES: See WED.4.

CHRISTMAS AT THE FARM: Folks step back in time for a Victorian holiday experience featuring traditional 19th-century decorations, candle dipping, pie crust making and snow sports. Billings Farm & Museum, Woodstock, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $12-19. Info, 457-2355.

CHRISTMAS BAZAAR: Community members browse a vast array of local goodies including crafts, ornaments, baked goods and pine cone wreaths. Trinity Episcopal Church, Shelburne, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, 985-2269.

COMMUNITY HOLIDAY PARTY: Neighbors gather for cookie decorating, card making, gift exchanging and fireside singing led by local musician Coco Kallis. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield, 3-5 p.m. Free. Info, 426-3581.

COMMUNITY TOY SWAP: Attendees save money on holiday shopping and find like-new toys, games and puzzles for the whole family. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6955.

COOKIE SWAP: Locals embrace the spirit of giving and sharing while adding a touch of sweetness to the holidays. Next Stage Arts, Putney, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 387-0102.

A FOREST OF LIGHTS: See THU.5.

GIFT WRAPPING: See FRI.6.

‘GLORIOUS SEASON’: The singers of Bella Voce offer Antonio Vivaldi’s timeless Gloria for women’s voices, as well as a variety of jubilant holiday compositions. McCarthy Arts Center, Saint

Michael’s College, Colchester, 7:30-9:30 p.m. $5-30 suggested donation. Info, 999-8881.

GNOME FOR CHRISTMAS

BAZAAR: See FRI.6, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

HOLIDAY ARTISAN FAIR: Treasure hunters find a wide variety of handmade goods, including pottery, paintings, jewelry and sweet treats. GreenTARA Space, North Hero, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Info, 355-2150.

HOLIDAY ARTISAN SALE: Craft enthusiasts browse the wares of 37 exceptional artisans, including potters, wood turners, painters and weavers. Barrett Memorial Hall, South Strafford, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, kurmacdavid@ gmail.com.

HOLIDAY BOOK SALE:

Bookworms find new and like-new titles to take home or gift this season. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

HOLIDAY CONCERT & SING-

ALONG: Festive folks ring in the season with their voices, led by the Carol Ann Jones quartet. Proceeds benefit Harbor of Hope. First Baptist Church of St. Albans, 7-9 p.m. $18. Info, 363-3861.

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 POPS’: The Vermont Symphony Orchestra performs a joyful program complete with three sing-alongs and beloved classics by John Rutter, LeRoy Anderson and George Frideric Handel. Flynn Main Stage, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $8.35-62. Info, 863-5966.

HOLIDAY SALE: Folks flock to the museum to peruse wreaths, books and clothing, then take part in a hands-on 19th-century printmaking activity. Rokeby Museum, Ferrisburgh, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 877-3406.

INTERNATIONAL BOUTIQUE: A unique selection of goods from Mexico, India, Nepal and beyond makes for special holiday gifts. Waitsfield Masonic Lodge, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Free. Info, 793-2205.

MERRY & BRIGHT ART MARKET: See WED.4.

‘MESSIAH’: Eric Milnes directs the Vermont Choral Union in George Frideric Handel’s timeless and sacred oratorio, accompanied by Montréal’s award-winning baroque ensemble L’Harmonie des saisons. Holy Angels Church, St. Albans, 7:30 p.m. $10-70 sliding scale; free for students and kids. Info, 524-2585.

NORTH COUNTRY CHORUS: Seventy community singers perform seasonal works by Conrad Susa and Benjamin Britten. United Community Church, St. Johnsbury, 7:30 p.m. By donation. Info, 274-3644.

RICHMOND HOLIDAY MARKET: Locavores take in a wide variety of more than 40 unique crafters and a silent auction to benefit Toys for Kids. Richmond Congregational Church, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, 318-5360.

OPENS DEC. 8 | QUÉBEC

Strike a Chord

Toronto theater company Soulpepper mounts its tribute concert, “The Secret Chord: A Leonard Cohen Experience,” at the Segal Centre for Performing Arts — which happens to be in the titular singer-songwriter’s hometown of Montréal. The production runs through mid-January and showcases the unparalleled artistry, lyricism and introspection for which Cohen was known. Often referred to as “the Bard of Montréal,” Cohen had an uncanny ability to tap into the human experience — especially suffering — that still resonates with audiences today. Using storytelling and fresh arrangements of popular songs, the staged homage continues Cohen’s legacy of profound poetry and evocative melody with heartfelt reverence.

‘THE SECRET CHORD: A LEONARD COHEN EXPERIENCE’ Sunday, December 8, 2 p.m., and Monday, December 9, through Wednesday, December 11, 7:30 p.m., at Sylvan Adams Theatre, Segal Centre for Performing Arts, in Montréal. See website for future dates. $33-80. Info, 514-739-7944, segalcentre.org.

SANTA DAY: Little ones share a special moment with Mr. and Mrs. Claus and their elves while exploring the fire station and sipping hot cocoa. Highgate Volunteer Fire Department, Highgate Center, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Free; donation of unwrapped toys accepted. Info, 868-7722.

SING OUT, SING BRIGHT: Neighbors gather for a midwinter sing-along celebrating the reasons for the season, guided by local musicians. West Newbury Hall, 7 p.m. Free; donations accepted for VT Warmth. Info, fifthbusinessgigs@gmail.com.

TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS

WEEKEND: See FRI.6, 8 a.m.

VERMONT HOLIDAY MARKET: The Blue Ribbon Pavilion hosts more than 175 jewelers, potters,

woodworkers, artists and other craftspeople. Champlain Valley Exposition, Essex Junction, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. $10; free for kids 12 and under. Info, info@ vtgatherings.com.

VISIT SANTA!: See FRI.6, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

WAITSFIELD HOLIDAY WALKABOUT: Folks explore the charm of an old-fashioned Christmas as the town comes to life with music, crafts and a festive scavenger hunt. See website for full schedule. Various Washington County locations, noon-4 p.m. Free. Info, 496-3928.

A WESTON WINTER CABARET: See FRI.6.

WINTER LIGHTS: See THU.5.

WINTER WONDERLAND: See FRI.6, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

WINTERMARKET: Families flock to a Bavarian-inspired, indoor-outdoor artisan extravaganza featuring more than 60 makers, live music, sleigh rides and toasty fires. Highland Center for the Arts, Greensboro, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, 533-2000.

language

‘ZIEH DEN STECKER RAUS, DAS WASSER KOCHT’: See FRI.6.

music

GUY DAVIS: A two-time Grammy nominee performs traditional blues tunes with lyrics that address social injustices. Roots & Wings Coffeehouse at UUCUV,

Norwich, 7-9 p.m. $25. Info, 6498828.

‘SKY WAS POSSIBLE’: Listeners revel in the Vermont premiere of a song cycle composed by Middlebury College professor of music Su Lian Tan. A reception follows. Virtual option available. Robison Concert Hall, Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury College, 7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 443-6433. VERMONT FIDDLE ORCHESTRA WINTER CONCERT: String and

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

flute players present a fantasia of all things folk, from Scottish jigs to Appalachian reels. Barre Opera House, 7 p.m. By donation. Info, 476-8188.

outdoors

MONTHLY BIRDING OUTING:

Avian enthusiasts enjoy a casual morning of observation, facilitated by North Branch Nature Center staff. Berlin Pond, 8-9:30 a.m. Free. Info, 229-6206.

seminars

MEDIA FACTORY ORIENTATION:

Curious creatives and multimedia enthusiasts get a tour of the facilities and check out available gear.

The Media Factory, Burlington, 1-3 p.m. Free; preregister; donations accepted. Info, 651-9692.

talks

MERCEDES DE GUARDIOLA: A New York author and historian

enlightens listeners about the history of Vermont’s eugenics movement. Stowe Free Library, noon. Free. Info, 479-8500.

tech

PHONE & TECH SUPPORT:

Perplexed patrons receive aid from library staff on a first come, first served basis. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 863-3403.

theater

‘ANNIE’: See THU.5, 2 & 7 p.m.

‘BEAUTY AND THE BEAST’: See WED.4, noon & 7:30 p.m.

‘BROADWAY DIRECT #19’: See FRI.6, 3-4:30 p.m.

‘THE GAZA MONOLOGUES’: Southern Vermont for Palestine presents a reading of testimonies written by Gazan youths in 2010. Proceeds benefit ASHTAR Theater. Sandglass Theater, Putney, 7-9 p.m. Free; donations accepted; masks required. Info, info@ sovt4palestine.org.

‘INHERIT THE WIND’: See FRI.6.

‘ROCKY HORROR PICTURE

SHOW’: Hot patootie! The Ones From the Vaults put a unique spin on a monthly stage adaptation of the 1975 cult-classic film about newly engaged lovebirds who encounter an unconventional

scientist. Bellows Falls Opera House, 10 p.m. $20-25. Info, 4633964, ext. 1120.

‘THE SOUND OF MUSIC’: See FRI.6.

words

USED BOOK SALE: Community members peruse a wide array of like-new books to benefit Ilsley Public Library. Middlebury United Methodist Church, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 388-4095.

BOOK SALE: See FRI.6, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

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.8

bazaars

ANTIQUES MARKET: Vintage enthusiasts scour unique treasures and timeless finds in a relaxed atmosphere. Canadian Club, Barre, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. $2-5. Info, 751-6138.

BTV WINTER MARKET: See FRI.6, noon-4 p.m.

GOOD TRADE MAKERS MARKET: See SAT.7.

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, farmers market@downtownwinooski.org.

community

HUMAN CONNECTION CIRCLE: Locals share stories from their lives and forge deep bonds. Pickering Room, Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 3-4:30 p.m. Free; preregister; limited space. Info, humanconnectioncircle@ gmail.com.

‘MY DENTIST’S SON’: Neighbors swap mystical experiences at a facilitated storytelling circle. Ferrisburgh Town Offices & Community Center, 3-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 914-953-5707.

crafts

YARN CRAFTERS GROUP: See WED.4, 1-3 p.m.

dance

DANCE, SING & JUMP AROUND:

Traditional music enlivens an afternoon of circle and line dances taught and called by Liz Benjamin, Stan Carlson and Alice Smolinsky. Capital City Grange, Berlin, 3-4:30 p.m. $5 suggested donation; free for kids. Info, 223-1509.

‘SNOW QUEEN’: The Grand Kyiv Ballet presents a classic fairy tale told through dance about love, devotion and friendship. Flynn Main Stage, Burlington, 7 p.m. $48.75-69.75. Info, 863-5966.

etc.

BRAVE LADLE STATE: Fans of the “Brave Little State” podcast enjoy an evening of finger foods, mingling and a live voting round for the show’s upcoming episode. Crooked Ladle, Middlebury, 3-6 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, jvasquez@vermontpublic.org.

film

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

‘ANTARCTICA 3D’: See THU.5.

‘BLUE WHALES: RETURN OF THE GIANTS 3D’: See THU.5.

‘DRIVER’: See SAT.7.

‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: See THU.5.

‘T. REX: GREATEST OF ALL TYRANTS 3D’: See THU.5.

food & drink

GIN-TER WONDERLAND: See FRI.6, noon-7 p.m.

games

DUPLICATE BRIDGE GAMES: See THU.5, 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 Thich Nhat Hanh. Hot Yoga Burlington, 6:30-8:15 p.m. Free. Info, newleafsangha@gmail.com.

holidays

ARTISAN HOLIDAY MARKET: See WED.4, noon-4 p.m.

A CANDLELIGHT SERVICE OF LESSONS & CAROLS FOR ADVENT & CHRISTMAS: Community members enjoy a winter celebration featuring traditional music and seasonal biblical texts. Memorial Chapel, Middlebury College, 4 & 7 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 443-6433.

CELEBRATION OF TREES: See WED.4.

CHRISTMAS AT THE FARM: See SAT.7.

COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS CONCERT: Locals delight in a seasonal offering of joyful works, showcasing local singers and the town’s own band. The Opera House at Enosburg Falls, 2 p.m. Free. Info, 933-6171.

HANDEL’S ‘MESSIAH’: See FRI.6. Barre Opera House, 2 p.m.

HINESBURG ARTIST SERIES

HOLIDAY CONCERT: Listeners boost their spirits with an afternoon of notable holiday works including “Angels We Have Heard on High” and “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” Hinesburg St. Jude Catholic Church, 2 & 4:30 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 373-0808.

HOLIDAY BOOK SALE: See SAT.7, noon-5 p.m.

HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE: Community members visit the festively decorated museum for a day of tasty treats, engaging exhibits, antique toys and kids’ activities. Milton Historical Museum, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 893-1604.

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.

INTERNATIONAL BOUTIQUE: See SAT.7, noon-6 p.m.

MAKE YOUR OWN ORNAMENTS: Festive families make hanging clay creations for the tree. All

materials provided. Burlington Beer Company, noon-4 p.m. $15 per ornament. Info, katie@ crybabyclay.com.

MERRY & BRIGHT ART MARKET: See WED.4.

‘MESSIAH’: See SAT.7. Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Burlington, 4 & 7:30 p.m. $10-80 sliding scale; free for students and kids. Info, 238-5434.

NORTH COUNTRY CHORUS: See SAT.7, 3 p.m.

RANDOLPH SINGERS HOLIDAY CONCERT: A local choir presents a diverse holiday program featuring classical compositions and traditional Christmas tunes, culminating in an audience sing-along. Chandler Center for the Arts, Randolph, 4 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 728-9878.

TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS WEEKEND: See FRI.6, 1:30 p.m.

VERMONT HOLIDAY MARKET: See SAT.7.

VISIT SANTA!: See FRI.6, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

WINTER LIGHTS: See THU.5.

WINTER WONDERLAND: See FRI.6, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

WORCESTER HOLIDAY CRAFT

FAIR: Shoppers encourage local talent and peruse handmade art, food, pottery, jewelry and glass. Doty Memorial Elementary School, Worcester, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. Info, sparkledamour@ gmail.com.

lgbtq

CRAFT CLUB: Creative queer folks work on their knitting, crocheting and sewing projects. Rainbow Bridge Community Center, Barre, 10 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 622-0692.

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, noon-2:30 p.m. Free. Info, 496-7575.

MICHELLE WILLIS: A Canadian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist harkens back to the days of Carole King with a stirring solo show featuring piano and

guitar. Richmond Congregational Church, 4-6 p.m. $17.50-25. Info, 557-7589.

‘MUSICAL JANE’: Pianist Donna Chaff delights with a lively program of music from Jane Austen’s life and written works. Light refreshments provided. Charlotte Senior Center, 1-3 p.m. Free. Info, jasnavtregion@gmail.com.

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.

québec

‘THE SECRET CHORD: A LEONARD COHEN EXPERIENCE’: Audience members delight in a tribute to the Canadian artist’s extraordinary life, music and poetry. See calendar spotlight. Sylvan Adams Theatre, Segal Centre for Performing Arts, Montréal, 2 p.m. $33-80. Info, 514-739-7944.

theater

‘ANNIE’: See THU.5, 2 & 7 p.m.

‘BEAUTY AND THE BEAST’: See WED.4, 2 p.m.

‘INHERIT THE WIND’: See FRI.6, 2 p.m.

‘THE SOUND OF MUSIC’: See FRI.6, 1 p.m.

words

FOOD FOR TALK BOOK CLUB: Cooking enthusiasts gather for a chat about The Snowy Cabin Cookbook: Meals and Drinks for Adventurous Days and Cozy Nights by Marnie Hanel and Jen Stevenson. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 3-5 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, bshatara@ burlingtonvt.gov.

MON.9

community

VERMONT CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE: Neighbors gather to hear more about the 2025 Lake Champlain Action Plan rollout. Light refreshments provided. Virtual option available.

Shelburne Town Offices, 5-7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 372-2019.

conferences

BRAIN INJURY

CONFERENCE: Educator Ali

Rheaume and author Nick

Prefontaine keynote a virtual conference featuring cerebral workshops for survivors, caregivers and professionals. 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. $50; free for survivors and their families; preregister. Info, 244-6850.

crafts

COLLAGE COLLECTIVE: Creatives of all experience levels cut, paste and make works of wonder. Virtual options available. Expressive Arts Burlington, 6:309 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 343-8172.

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 THU.5.

‘BLUE WHALES: RETURN OF THE GIANTS 3D’: See THU.5.

‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: See THU.5.

‘THE HUNGRY HEART’: Presented through the eyes of Franklin County residents and St. Albans pediatrician Fred Holmes, Bess O’Brien’s 2013 documentary examines prescription drug addiction and recovery. A Q&A follows. College Street Congregational Church, Burlington, 6:30-9:15 p.m. Free. Info, 864-7704.

‘T. REX: GREATEST OF ALL TYRANTS 3D’: See THU.5.

food & drink

CULINARY MAVERICKS: A MULTICOURSE AFRICAN DINNER: Diners savor delectable dishes that marry traditional African fare with local autumnal bounty. Cold Hollow Cider Mill, Waterbury Center, 6-8:30 p.m. $80. Info, 800-327-7537.

holidays

INTERNATIONAL BOUTIQUE: See SAT.7, noon-6 p.m.

MERRY & BRIGHT ART MARKET: See WED.4.

language

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

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.

québec

‘THE SECRET CHORD: A LEONARD COHEN EXPERIENCE’: See SUN.8, 7:30 p.m.

talks

REGULATION REPORT: CHANGES IMPACTING CREATIVE BUSINESSES & NONPROFITS: A panel of experts edify listeners about new state and federal laws that may affect local businesses. Sponsored by the Vermont Arts Council. 11 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 828-3291.

TUE.10 business

CEDRR DECEMBER MIXER: Chamber and Economic Development of the Rutland Region hosts a night of networking, food, prizes and activities. Ron Hance Operation Center, Rutland, 5-7 p.m. Free. Info, 773-2747.

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.

LAKE CHAMPLAIN MEMORY CAFÉ: Those living with dementia and their caregivers gather to make friends and have fun. Fletcher Free Library New North End Branch, Burlington, 11 a.m.noon. Free. Info, 863-3403.

THE MOTH STORYSLAM: Local tellers of tales recount true stories in an open-mic format. Film House, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $17.50; preregister. Info, susanne@ themoth.org.

conferences

BRAIN INJURY CONFERENCE: See MON.9.

crafts

COZY CRAFTING CLUB: Hobbyists gather to hone their skills and make new friends. South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, 5-6:45 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 846-4140.

dance

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, 7:309 p.m. Free. Info, 864-8382.

film

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

‘ANTARCTICA 3D’: See THU.5.

‘BLUE WHALES: RETURN OF THE GIANTS 3D’: See THU.5.

‘FUNGI: THE WEB OF LIFE 3D’: See THU.5.

‘T. REX: GREATEST OF ALL TYRANTS 3D’: See THU.5.

Hearth and Home

OPENS DEC. 11 | HOLIDAYS

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

WED.11

business

QUEEN CITY BUSINESS NETWORKING INTERNATIONAL GROUP: See WED.4.

VERMONT WOMENPRENEURS BIZ BUZZ MEETUP: Women business owners of Addison County convene for a morning of networking, new opportunities and sharing. lu.lu Ice Cream, Vergennes, 10-11:15 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 870-0903‬.

climate crisis

COMMUNITY ACTION

WORKSHOP: MANCHESTER

REGION: Concerned locals gather to discuss climate resilience legislation to support our state’s farms. Manchester Community Library, Manchester Center, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, jessica@nofavt.org.

community

December’s dreary days just got a whole lot brighter: Vermont Stage raises the curtain on Winter Tales at Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center in Burlington. Now in its 20th year, the annual jubilee puts the spotlight on songwriting and storytelling — harking back to a much simpler time, when families and neighbors united around a hearth to share their souls. This year’s event welcomes local writers Stephen Kiernan, Sen. Phil Baruth, Geoffrey Gevalt and Patti Casey, with musical accompaniment by Casey and Susannah Blachly. The cherished celebration of oral traditions also includes cookies and cider — need we say more?

‘WINTER TALES’

Wednesday, December 11, 7:30 p.m., at Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center in Burlington. See website for future dates. $34-64. Info, 862-1497, vermontstage.org.

games

DUPLICATE BRIDGE GAMES: See THU.5.

health & fitness

COMMUNITY MEDITATION: All levels and ages 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.

holidays

INTERNATIONAL BOUTIQUE: See SAT.7, noon-6 p.m.

MERRY & BRIGHT ART MARKET: See WED.4.

‘MERRY MUSIC FOR ADVENT & CHRISTMASTIDE’: Organist

Peter Stoltzfus Berton celebrates the season with a program of short works enhanced by a video screen showcasing the player’s hands and feet and aspects of the instrument’s mechanisms.

Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Burlington, noon-1 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 864-0471.

SEÁN HEELY CELTIC CHRISTMAS:

A champion fiddler and cast of acclaimed performers guide audience members on a magical holiday journey through Scotland and Ireland. Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, Stowe Mountain Resort, 7 p.m. $50-60. Info, 760-4634.

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.

music

TRADITIONAL IRISH MUSIC

SLOW SESSION: Beginners of the genre join up to play tunes and share resources in an informal and welcoming setting. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 6-7:45 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403.

québec

‘THE SECRET CHORD: A LEONARD COHEN EXPERIENCE’: See SUN.8, 7:30 p.m.

seminars

FINDING HOUSING

WORKSHOP: Prospective renters learn how to build an apartment-search tool kit, presented by the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity. 5-6 p.m. Free. Info, 660-3455, ext. 205.

theater

‘BEAUTY AND THE BEAST’: See WED.4, 7:30 p.m. 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.

ETHAN TAPPER: See THU.7. North Branch Nature Center, Montpelier, 6:30-8 p.m. Free. Info, 229-6206.

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.

LIFE STORIES WE LOVE TO TELL: Prompts from group leader Maryellen Crangle inspire true tales, told either off the cuff or read from prewritten scripts. Presented by Dorothy Alling Memorial Library. 2-3:30 p.m. Free; preregister; limited space. Info, 878-4918.

conferences

BRAIN INJURY CONFERENCE: See MON.9.

crafts

GREEN MOUNTAIN CHAPTER OF THE EMBROIDERERS’ GUILD OF AMERICA: Anyone with an interest in the needle arts can bring a project to this monthly meeting. Holy Family Parish Hall, Essex Junction, 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, gmc.vt.ega@gmail.com. YARN CRAFTERS GROUP: See WED.4.

etc.

CHAMPLAIN COLLEGE CAPSTONE POSTER SESSION: Stiller School of Business and School of Social Innovation students present their senior projects, followed by networking and light refreshments. Miller Center, Lakeside Campus, Champlain College, Burlington, noon-1 p.m. Free. Info, 651-5991. film

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

NXT ROCKUMENTARY FILM SERIES: ‘MADONNA: TRUTH OR DARE’: Alek Keshishian’s 1991

Susannah Blachly

documentary offers a closer look at the surprisingly candid “Material Girl.” Next Stage Arts, Putney, 7 p.m. $10. Info, 387-0102.

food & drink

WOMEN’S WHISKEY

WEDNESDAY: A BARREL ROOM

TASTING: Experts Mallory Graves and Nora Ganley-Roper lead rye-curious ladies on a delightful tasting journey. Barr Hill, Montpelier, 5:30-6:30 p.m. $10. Info, 472-8000.

games

CHESS CLUB: See WED.4.

CHESS TIME: All ages and abilities partake in the ancient game of strategy. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 5-6 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

health & fitness

CHAIR YOGA: See WED.4.

holidays

ARTISAN HOLIDAY MARKET: See WED.4.

CELEBRATION OF TREES: See WED.4.

INTERNATIONAL BOUTIQUE: See SAT.7, noon-6 p.m. MERRY & BRIGHT ART MARKET: See WED.4.

‘TWO FOR CHRISTMAS’: Audience members travel back in time to 1479 England with a staged reading of Vermont playwright David Budbill’s wondrous and wacky two-act. Virtual option available. Lost Nation Theater, Montpelier City Hall, 7-9 p.m. $10-20. Info, 229-0492.

‘WINTER TALES’: Folk singers Patti Casey and Susannah Blachly take the stage with local writers for an end-of-the-year jubilee of local artistry, spirit and storytelling. Ages 13 and up. See calendar spotlight. Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $34-64. Info, 862-1497.

lgbtq

QUEER WRITERS’ GROUP: LGBTQ authors meet monthly to discuss their work, write from prompts, and give each other advice and feedback. Rainbow Bridge Community Center, Barre, 5:30-7 p.m. Free. Info, 622-0692.

music

AMATEUR MUSICIANS

ORCHESTRA: A community

ensemble marks 40 years of performances with a dynamic program including works by Johannes Brahms, Franz Schubert and Oscar Hammerstein. McCarthy Arts Center, Saint Michael’s College, Colchester, 7:30 p.m. Free. Info, mail.amovt@gmail.com.

québec

‘THE SECRET CHORD: A LEONARD COHEN EXPERIENCE’: See SUN.8, 7:30 p.m.

seminars

FILMING IN THE STUDIO: Media enthusiasts walk through the process of conducting interviews on set while switching between cameras and utilizing chromakeyed backgrounds. The Media Factory, Burlington, 6-8 p.m. Free;

preregister; donations accepted. Info, 651-9692.

sports

GREEN MOUNTAIN TABLE

TENNIS CLUB: See WED.4.

talks

LEAGUE OF WOMEN

VOTERS SPEAKER SERIES: FRANK KNAACK & FALKO

SCHILLING: The Housing & Homelessness Alliance of Vermont executive director and ACLU Vermont advocacy director examine a recent pivotal Supreme Court decision. 7-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, 229-4737.

theater

‘BEAUTY AND THE BEAST’: See WED.4, 7:30 p.m.

words

FFL BOOK CLUB: Fletcher

Free Library patrons gab about Zadie Smith’s 2023 historical novel, The Fraud. 6:30-8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, bshatara@burlingtonvt.gov.

VERMONT HUMANITIES

SNAPSHOT SERIES: SARAH STEWART TAYLOR: A Vermont author illustrates how the state’s Cold War history provided inspiration for her 2024 novel, Agony Hill. Virtual option available. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 7-8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 748-8291.

POETRY POTLUCK: Wordsmiths and readers bring a dish and a poem (their own or others’) to share. Whirligig Brewing, St. Johnsbury, 7-9 p.m. Free. Info, acampbell@catamountarts.org. ➆

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

2025 CRAFT WORKSHOPS: In addition to the regular chairmaking and jewelry workshops, this year we are hosting guest instructors who teach dry stone walling, natural dyes, broom making, Shaker boxes, plant pressing, basket weaving, bowl carving and more. Gift certiﬁcates available. e 2025 schedule is now live at ericcannizzaro.com/classes.

Location: Handmade Charlotte.

Info: Eric Cannizzaro, 360-5281952, ericcannizzaro.com.

PERFUME-MAKING EVENT WITH BLOOM LAB: Discover the art of botanical perfumery at this Bloom Lab perfume-making event while creating your own unique perfume that is blended with intention to reﬂect your individual personality and style. 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 your friend today! Sun., Dec. 8, 3-5 p.m. Cost: $95. Location: Gosia Meyer Jewelry, 1 Lawson La., Burlington. Info: sevendaystickets.com.

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. Cost: $425/2- and 6-day classes.

Location: Workshop of Timothy Clark, 2111 Green St., Waltham (Vergennes). Info: 989-3204, tim@timothyclark.com, timothyclark.com.

culinary

BUCHE DE NOEL WORKSHOP: Join us for this in-person workshop in our space in downtown Waterbury! We will make a perfect chocolate sponge rolled up with buttercream to make a beautiful buche de noel to wow on your holiday table. We have a few ﬁlling options to make it your own! Tue., Dec. 10, 6-7:45 p.m. Cost: $85. Location: Red Poppy Cakery, 1 Elm St., Waterbury Village Historic District. Info: 203-400-0700, sevendaystickets. com.

DECEMBER COOKIE-DECORATING

CLASS: You will learn the basics of royal icing consistency while also utilizing several techniques that will leave you able 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: 914-6105275, sevendaystickets.com.

MAKE YOUR OWN HOLIDAY

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 of the necessary wrapping 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 hourlong sessions 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 Historic District. Info: 203-4000700, sevendaystickets.com.

HOMEMADE ÉCLAIRS FROM SCRATCH: Learn the classical 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, 5:30-8 p.m. Cost: $65. Location: Richmond Community Kitchen, 13 Jolina Ct. Info: 434-3445, sevendays tickets.com.

language

ADULT LIVE SPANISH E-CLASSES: Join us for adult Spanish classes this winter, using Zoom online video conferencing. is is our 19th year! Learn from a native speaker via small group classes or individual instruction. You’ll always be participating and speaking. Beginning to advanced levels. Classes ﬁll up fast. See our website or contact us for details. Group classes begin week of Jan. 13; private instruction avail. anytime. Cost: $325/10 classes, 90+ mins. each, 1/week. Location: online. Info: Spanish in Waterbury Center, 5851025, spanishparavos@gmail.com, spanishwaterburycenter.com.

POLISH POTATO PIEROGI

HOLIDAY HOUSES WORKSHOP:

WOODWORKING CLASSES: Timothy Clark is offering limited-size classes in furniture making and boat building. Current classes include Shaker

CARDS: Learn how to make your own holiday cards from linoleum blocks! Each person will leave with at least 6 cards and a block to bring home to make more. No prior experience needed! Sun., Dec. 8, noon-3 p.m. Cost: $55. Location: Standing Stone Wines, 33 Main St, Winooski. Info: standingstonewinesvt@gmail. com, sevendaystickets.com.

In this workshop, we will get extra creative in decorating a holiday house. You get to decide if it will be a gingerbread or sugar cookie kit. Children must have the supervision of an adult. Please disclose all allergies in the ticket registration. Mon., Dec. 16, 5:306:30 p.m. Cost: $70. Location: Red Poppy Cakery, 1 Elm St., Waterbury Village Historic District. Info: 203400-0700, sevendays tickets.com.

WORKSHOP: In this 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. My family makes these every year around Christmas, and I am so excited to share my family tradition with you! 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.

Want to memorialize a loved one?

We’re here to help. Our obituary and in memoriam services are affordable, accessible and handled with personal care.

Share your loved one’s story with the local community in Lifelines.

ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE WINTER

SESSION: e Alliance Française of the Lake Champlain Region offers French classes for adults from beginner through advanced levels. Our winter session begins on Jan. 13. Visit website for class listings. Location: Online or in person at Alliance Française, 43 King St., Burlington. Info: Marc Juneau, education@aﬂcr. org, aﬂcr.org.

martial arts

AIKIDO: THE WATERCOURSE

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:

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. Visitors are always welcome to watch a class! Vermont’s only intensive aikido programs. Membership rates incl. unlimited classes

Having a basic 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 in either getting what you need at the bike shop or ﬁguring 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.

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

= TICKETED CLASS

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. 121

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

Precious

AGE/SEX: 2-year-old spayed female

ARRIVAL DATE: November 7, 2024

SUMMARY : is charming girl is ready to make your house a home! Precious is a true companion – she loves to be around her people, whether it’s curled up by your side or simply sharing some quiet time together. She’s friendly, engaging, and absolutely adores head scratches and gentle pets. While she’s still adjusting to her new surroundings, we know she’s well on her way to blossoming into a fabulous feline friend. If you’re looking for a sweet kitty who will ﬁll your home with warmth and companionship, come meet Precious at HSCC!

DOGS/CATS/KIDS: Precious is seeking a home without other cats. We have no history about Precious with dogs or kids.

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?

Shy cats need time to feel comfortable in a new home. We recommend introducing a new cat to your home slowly, starting them off in a small “safe room,” then gradually increasing their access to the rest of the home as they build conﬁdence.

by:

Humane Society of Chittenden County

Sponsored

CLASSIFIEDS

on the road

CARS/TRUCKS

MICHELIN WINTER TIRES

Michelin X-ICE

215/65R16. Reliable, top-rated winter tires. Quarter-inch tread. Mounted on wheels. Incl. pressure sensors, lug nuts, wheel covers. $500. Located in Bomoseen. Email moonorbit@gmail.com.

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.

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

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.

HOUSEMATES

GREAT NEW NORTH

END LOCALE

Share NNE Burlington townhome w/ active retired woman who enjoys meditation, swimming, reading. Furnished BR, private BA, shared kitchen. $600/mo. (utilities 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 homesharevermont. org for application. Interview, refs. & background checks req. EHO.

SHARE 3-BR HOUSE IN E. WINOOSKI

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

HOME/GARDEN

24-7 LOCKSMITH

ser vices

COUNSELING

SUICIDE LOSS SUPPORT GROUP Support for people w/ loss to suicide. Meetings 1st Wed. of each mo., 6-7 p.m. at the South Burlington Comfort Inn. Contact Bob at 802-922-4283 or Aya at 802-881-3606.

HEALTH/ WELLNESS

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.

MOVING/HAULING

MARKOSKI’S MOVE & HAUL

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)

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.: DW, 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.

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

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

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

HUD Ofﬁce of Fair Housing 10 Causeway St., Boston, MA 02222-1092 (617) 565-5309 — OR — Vermont Human Rights Commission 14-16 Baldwin St. Montpelier, VT 05633-0633 1-800-416-2010 hrc@vermont.gov

Markoski’s has established a local reputation for being a team of friendly professionals who treat their customers like family. Based out of Chittenden County, we go across Vermont & out of state. Contact Rick at rickmarkoski@ gmail.com, & please browse our reviews & jobs on Facebook & Front Porch Forum.

FURNITURE

AMISH/WALNUT WOOD BED FRAME

Queen size w/ bunkie board, no tools needed, $450. Queen-size Foster & Stearns mattress, $250. Contact hopefulvt70@gmail.com or 802-495-1954.

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

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

for entire collection. Avail. immediately in Essex Jct. Contact seller at vthsl@comcast.net.

MISCELLANEOUS

1962 WAIN-ROY BACKHOE 1962 Wain-Roy BR100 Bronco backhoe. Runs. Diesel, hydraulic steering, 2WD. Approximately 5,270 hours. Weight approximately 8,681 lbs. New battery. Please contact sherrieadams42@ yahoo.com if interested.

WANT TO BUY

PORSCHE WANTED Old & rusty OK! Don’t ship to Germany; keep in Vermont! I’ll buy anything & restore. Parts, panels, engines, cars. Any year, 1950-1998. Contact 802-391-0882.

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: 1-855-4027208. (AAN CAN)

GARAGE/ESTATE SALES

DEVELOPER LIQUIDATION SALE

Log home kits selling for balance owed. Up to 50 percent off. Design plans can be modiﬁ ed! No time limit on delivery. Call 1-888676-6960, Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (AAN CAN)

ANTIQUES/ COLLECTIBLES

ANTIQUES MARKET Sun., Dec. 8, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Canadian Club, 414 East Montpelier Rd., Route 14, Barre. Early buyers $5, 8 a.m.; general $2, 9 a.m. Vendors offering antique, midcentury & vintage toys, advertising, clothing, glassware, furniture, tools, jewelry, postcards, early American, paintings, militaria & much more. Call Don Willis Antiques for info, 802-751-6138, montpelierantique market.com.

BANDS/ MUSICIANS

ISO LEAD GUITARIST Please email manager@ heartlesstribute.com w/ questions or requests for audition materials. Info, heartlesstribute. com.

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.

Using the enclosed math operations as a guide, fill the grid using the numbers 1 - 6 only once in each row and column.

Complete the following puzzle by using the numbers 1-9 only once in each row, column and 3 x 3 box.

» Show and tell. View and post up to 6 photos per ad online. Open 24/7/365. Post & browse ads at your convenience.

WANT MORE PUZZLES?

Try these online news games from Seven Days at sevendaysvt.com/games.

NEW ON FRIDAYS:

Put your knowledge of Vermont news to the test.

CALCOKU BY JOSH

REYNOLDS

DIFFICULTY THIS WEEK: HH

Fill the grid using the numbers 1-6, only once in each row and column. The numbers in each heavily outlined “cage” must combine to produce the target number in the top corner, using the mathematical operation indicated. A one-box cage should be filled in with the target number in the top corner. A number can be repeated within a cage as long as it is not the same row or column.

SUDOKU BY JOSH REYNOLDS

DIFFICULTY THIS WEEK: HHH

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.80

See how fast you can solve this weekly 10-word puzzle.

PROPOSED STATE RULES

By law, public notice of proposed rules must be given by publication in newspapers of record. The purpose of these notices is to give the public a chance to respond to the proposals. The public notices for administrative rules are now also available online at https://secure.vermont.gov/ SOS/rules/ . The law requires an agency to hold a public hearing on a proposed rule, if requested to do so in writing by 25 persons or an association having at least 25 members.

To make special arrangements for individuals with disabilities or special needs please call or write the contact person listed below as soon as possible.

To obtain further information concerning any scheduled hearing(s), obtain copies of proposed rule(s) or submit comments regarding proposed rule(s), please call or write the contact person listed below. You may also submit comments in writing to the Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules, State House, Montpelier, Vermont 05602 (802-828-2231).

Vermont Water Supply Rule.

Vermont Proposed Rule: 24P047

AGENCY: Agency of Natural Resources

CONCISE SUMMARY: In 2024, EPA promulgated new PFAS regulations, including Maximum Contaminant Levels. States are required to implement these new standards into State regulation and be no less stringent. This rule incorporates the federal regulation but expedites the timeline due to our existing PFAS data and regulation. This will ensure systems in need of PFAS treatment seek and install such treatment while federal funding remains available, through 2027. It also updates state technical standards for PFAS treatment. We are also seeking updates to the regulation of bottled water in Vermont. EPA also promulgated updated regulations pertaining to Consumer Confidence Reports, a form of public notice providing essential information to be conveyed annually to water systems users. This state rule revision will incorporate those federal changes as well.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Ben Montross, Agency of Natural Resources,

Department of Environmental Conservation 1 National Life Drive - Davis 4, Montpelier VT 05620 Tel: 802-498-8981 Fax: 802-828-1541 Email: ben. montross@vermont.gov URL: https://dec.vermont. gov/water/laws.

FOR COPIES: Catherina Narigon, Agency of Natural Resources, 1 National Life, Davis 2, Montpelier VT 05620, Tel: 802-261-5487 Fax: 802-828-1541 Email: catherina.narigon@vermont.gov.

WARNING POLICY ADOPTION

CHAMPLAIN VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT

The Board of School Directors gives public notice of its intent to adopt local district policies dealing with the following at its meeting scheduled on December 17, 2024: E16 - Flag Display

Copies of the above policies may be obtained for public review at the Office of the Human Resources Dept. in Shelburne, VT.

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.

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

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

Passcode: 028381

One tap mobile +16465588656,,84566484038#,,,,*028381# US (New York) +16469313860,,84566484038#,,,,*028381# US

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.

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.

CITY OF ESSEX JUNCTION

DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD PUBLIC MEETING DECEMBER 19, 2024 6:30 P.M.

This meeting will be held in person at Brownell Library, 6 Lincoln Street in the Kolvoord room and remotely. The meeting will be live-streamed on Town Meeting TV.

• JOIN ONLINE: Click here to join meeting Visit www.essexjunction.org for meeting connection information.

• JOIN CALLING: Join via conference call (audio only): Dial 1(888) 788-0099 (toll free) Meeting ID: 839 2599 0985 Passcode: 940993

PUBLIC MEETING Sketch plan for a three lot subdivision for one residential lot and two lots for future development; road connection of Taft Street to Meadow Terrace in the R-1 District by Center for Technology Essex, owners.

PUBLIC HEARING Final site plan to construct a triplex with parking at 162 West Street in the R2 District by Franklin South LLC, owner.

This DRAFT agenda may be amended. Any questions re: above please call Michael Giguere or Terry Hass – 802-878-6944 x1604

STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT CIVIL DIVISION CHITTENDEN UNIT DOCKET NO.: 24-CV-02714

20 San Remo Drive, LLC v. Frank Giubardo and Flooring Solutions, LLC.

SUMMONS AND ORDER FOR PUBLICATION

THIS SUMMONS IS DIRECTED TO: Frank Giubardo and Flooring Solutions, LLC

1. YOU ARE BEING SUED. The plaintiff has started a lawsuit against you. A copy of the Plaintiff’s Complaint against you is on file and may be obtained at the office of the Clerk of the Court, County Court House, Chittenden County, Burlington, Vermont. Do not throw this paper away. It is an official paper that affects your rights.

2. PLAINTIFF’S CLAIM. Plaintiff’s claim is for

damages and ejectment arising from a breach of a commercial lease agreement for a property located at 20 San Remo Drive, South Burlington, Vermont.

3. YOU MUST REPLY WITHIN 42 DAYS TO PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS. You must give or mail the Plaintiff written response, called an Answer, within 42 days after the date on which this Summons was first published, which is December 4, 2024. You must send a copy of your Answer to the Plaintiff’s attorney located at: Dinse P.C., 209 Battery Street P.O. Box 988, Burlington Vermont 05402-0988, jdiamond@dinse.com

4. YOU MUST RESPOND TO EACH CLAIM. The Answer is your written response to the Plaintiff’s Complaint. In your Answer you must state whether you agree or disagree with each paragraph of the Complaint. If you believe the Plaintiff should not be given everything asked for in the Complaint, you must say so in your Answer.

5. YOU WILL LOSE YOUR CASE IF YOU DO NOT GIVE YOUR WRITTEN ANSWER TO THE COURT. If you do not send the Plaintiff and the Court your Answer within 42 days, you will probably lose this case. You will not get to tell your side of the story, and the Court may decide against you and award the Plaintiff everything asked for in the Complaint.

6. YOU MUST MAKE ANY CLAIMS AGAINST THE PLAINTIFF IN YOUR REPLY. Your Answer must state any related legal claims you have against the Plaintiff. Your claims against the Plaintiff are called Counterclaims. If you do not make your Counterclaims in writing in your Answer, you may not be able to bring them up at all. Even if you have insurance and the insurance company will defend you, you must still file any Counterclaims you may have.

7. LEGAL ASSISTANCE. You may wish to get legal help from a lawyer. If you cannot afford a lawyer, you should ask the Court Clerk for information about places where you can get free legal help. Even if you cannot get legal help, you must still give the Court a written Answer to protect your rights or you may lose the case.

ORDER

The verified Complaint or Affidavit filed in this action shows that service cannot be made with due diligence by any of the methods provided in Rule 4(d)-(f), (k), or (1) of the Vermont Rules of Civil Procedure. Accordingly, it is ORDERED that service of the Summons set forth above shall be made upon the defendant, Frank Giubardo and Flooring Solutions, LLC , by publication as provided in Rules 4(d)(1) and 4(g) of those Rules.

TOWN OF BOLTON PLANNING COMMISSION NOTICE AND AGENDA FOR HYBRID MEETING

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2024 6:00 PM

The Planning Commission for the Town of Bolton will meet at the Bolton Town Office, 3045 Theodore Roosevelt Highway, in Bolton, on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. The meeting will also be accessible remotely by electronic means.

Topic: Planning Commission Hybrid Meeting Town of Bolton is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Planning Commission Time: Dec 17, 2024 06:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82928988867?pwd=F e53ZQVhfaTGBXMbicsc8F5dekaarm.1 Meeting ID: 829 2898 8867

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.

Passcode: 900159

One tap mobile +13126266799,,82928988867#,,,,*900159# US (Chicago) +16465588656,,82928988867#,,,,*900159# US (New York)

Dial by your location

• +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

• +1 646 558 8656 US (New York)

• +1 253 205 0468 US Meeting ID: 829 2898 8867 Passcode: 900159

1. Call to Order

2. Additions/Deletions to Agenda

3. Public Comment

4. Approval of Past Minutes

• October 15, 2024

5. General Business

• CCRPC Utilities & Facilities

• Wastewater – BV transformed to non-profit

• Economy & Prosperity

• Energy Housing & Land Use

• Mapping

6. Other Business

• Next PC Meeting – January 21, 2025

• Identify Next Agenda

• Land Use BLUDRS for Resort

• Recreation

• Mapping Updates

• Mission/Vision

• Historic Bolton

• Zoning Administrator Update

• Other Communications

7. Adjournment

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.

STATE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT WASHINGTON UNIT FAMILY DIVISION CASE NO.23-JV-1025

In re: W.P.

CORRECTED NOTICE OF HEARING

TO: Jesse Shaw you are hereby notified that the State of Vermont has filed a petition to terminate your parental rights to W.P. (D.O.B. 07/28/2023) and that a hearing to consider the petition will be held on January 2, 2025 at 9:00 AM at the Vermont Superior Court, Washington Unit, Family Division, at 255 North Main Street, Barre, Vermont 05641. You are notified to appear in connection with this case. Failure to appear at this hearing may result in the termination of your parental rights. The other parties to this action are the State of Vermont, Department for Children and Families, the child, W.P., and the mother, K.P. The State is represented by the Vermont Attorney General’s Office, 280 State Drive, HC2 North, Waterbury, Vermont, 05671-2080

Date: 11/1/2024

Kirstin Schoonover: Superior Court Judge

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

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.

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 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.

Woman/LGBT+ owned and operated. Seeking a badass CSR to join our team!

Send resumes to: jessie@ vermontawards.com.

DIRECTOR

The Hardwick Area Food Pantry (HAFP) is seeking a full time director who is passionate about the innovative and collaborative work of supporting community resilience through food access. The director will be an executive manager developing and overseeing expanded HAFP operations in Hardwick, Craftsbury, and Albany and leading a team of staff and volunteers. nourishhardwick.org

ATTENTION RECRUITERS:

POST YOUR JOBS AT: JOBS.SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POST-A-JOB PRINT DEADLINE: NOON ON MONDAYS (INCLUDING HOLIDAYS) FOR RATES & INFO: MICHELLE BROWN, 802-865-1020 X121, MICHELLE@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

MU LTIPLE POSITIONS OPEN!

Are you our next Guest Services Representative? Buyer? Produce Associate? Scan to see all open positions!

4t-HealthyLiving020922

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

We are currently accepting applications for full-time and part-time availability. Apply today and work with a tight-knit team that supports growth and learning.

For more information visit copleyvt.org/careers or contact Kaitlyn Shannon, Recruiter, at 802-888-8144 or kshannon@chsi.org.

work in a fast-paced critical care environment with a high degree of autonomy using a multitude of respiratory driven protocols.

We are offering the opportunity to work at an academic medical center in a rural environment. Experience incredible facilities, academic rigor, and a commitment to compassionate care in an environment that allows respiratory therapists to

•Work-life Balance Culture

•Earned Time Off

•8,000 square foot, state-of-theart Patient Safety Training Center

•Health, Life, Dental, Short-Term & Long-Term Disability Insurance

•Outstanding Retirement Plan

•Flexible Spending Accounts

•Tuition Assistance

•Relocation Assistance

•On-Campus Child Care

•Free On-Site Parking

•Night shift differential: 20%, Weekend: 15% You’ll be impressed at all we have to offer including:

•Free Continuing Education

O pportunities On- Site

• Career advancement opportunities with ECMO, Pediatric and Transport positions

•2 person RT/RN air and ground neonatal transport team

•50 adult critical care beds (MICU, SICU & Cardiac ICU)

• Pediatric ICU

• Level 3 Neonatal ICU

wilderness Wilderness Trust fundraising position organizational development leading our team.

Development Director

Join our ambitious wilderness team! Northeast Wilderness Trust seeks an experienced fundraising professional for a new position aimed at fueling organizational growth, managing development program activities, and leading our philanthropy team.

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

2h-MiddleburyPediatricDentistry112724.indd 1

Central Clinical Educator (CCE)

Visit newildernesstrust.org/ about/employment to learn more.

Executive Director

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) in St. Johnsbury is looking for a Central Clinical Educator (CCE) to help us elevate our nursing education. We want to hear from you if you’re passionate about mentoring and supporting healthcare professionals.

What You’ll Do: Manage our mandatory education programs and nursing orientation. Ensure compliance with training requirements. What We’re Looking For: An RN graduate (BSN required/MSN preferred) with at least 3 years of nursing experience. We offer competitive pay and excellent benefits, such as student loan repayment, and generous paid time off. If you’re ready to make a meaningful impact in your community, apply today! We can’t wait to welcome you to our team!

Apply now at www.nvrh.org/careers.

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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.

Lake Watershed Program Specialist

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.

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.

Jenna's Promise provides a unique and whole-life approach to the treatment of substance use disorder by providing sober housing, treatment services, a supportive community, and an innovative work program that provides valuable job skills.

ATTENTION RECRUITERS:

Production Chef/Line Cook

Deep City is a Foam Brewers project located adjacent to the brewery next to picturesque Waterfront Park. We are looking for an experienced Production Chef/Line Cook with a passion for cooking and career advancement. Join a fast-paced, high-energy restaurant that values creativity, precision, and a commitment to delivering top-notch culinary experiences. Work with an experienced, creative team led by Charles Reeves, founder of Penny Cluse. Deep City serves brunch Friday through Monday 8AM-2PM, provides culinary support to Foam Brewers, and caters private events at night.

• Thursdays – Monday, daytime shifts

• Full-time and Part-time positions available

• Pay and benefits commensurate with experience and hours worked Foam Brewers offers health benefits, IRA, paid time off, employee discounts, and more and is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Send resume to: Charles Reeves charlesreeves@foambrewers.com

Manager of Government & Member Relations

The Vermont Public Power Supply Authority, located in Waterbury Center, Vermont is seeking a Manager of Government & Member Relations to join our team. In coordination with the General Manager this position is responsible for the development and presentation of the Authority’s positions in legislative and regulatory matters. Overseeing the VPPSA Members’ customerfacing programs under Tier 3 of Vermont’s Renewable Energy Standard in addition to coordinating VPPSA’s communications and education activities.

Essential functions include but are not limited to:

• Monitor and participate in regulatory proceedings, and other governmental matters.

• Provide oral and written testimony, comments, and other indications of the Authority’s positions in regulatory forums.

• Manage the research, design, budgeting, and implementation of programs to meet VPPSA’s Members’ requirements under Tier 3 Renewable Energy Standard.

• Plans and delivers educational courses and materials to VPPSA staff, members, and utility staff and coordinates VPPSA sponsored conferences.

• Supervise legislative activities undertaken by staff and lobbyists. Duties require a four-year college degree or equivalent experience. General knowledge of and significant work experience in the electric utility field. Experience participating in regulatory and legislative proceedings with an ability to manage a diverse workload and tight timeframes.

VPPSA is building a team of professionals who are passionate about helping Vermont towns meet their energy needs. If you are a team player and enjoy a fast-paced collaborative environment we want to hear from you. Please send resume and salary requirements to: Vermont Public Power Supply Authority, PO Box 126, Waterbury Ctr., Vermont 05677 Attn: Amy Parah, or email to aparah@vppsa.com with the subject: Manager of Government & member Relations.

Vermont Paid Leave Coalition Manager

Voices for Vermont’s Children seeks applications for a Vermont Paid Leave Coalition manager to support policy education and advocacy efforts toward creating a universal, equitable paid family and medical leave program.

Working in concert with coalition members, the Paid Leave Coalition Manager will oversee and implement the administration, advocacy, communications, and communitybased organizing efforts to build widespread support for paid leave among legislators, community groups, and other grassroots constituencies.

This position requires a demonstrated commitment to racial and social justice, the ability to work effectively with many different types of stakeholders, and at least two to three years of experience developing and coordinating successful campaigns, including legislative or grassroots advocacy work. The Coalition Manager will be an employee of Voices for Vermont’s Children and be accountable to the campaign plan and decision-making structure developed by the Paid Leave Coalition. Voices is a hybrid workplace, with a small office in Montpelier available for use. The position will be primarily remote, with travel required throughout the state and a regular presence at the Vermont Statehouse from January to May. This is a new, grant-funded position with an initial term of 18 months.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The pay rate is $31/hr – $34/hr for this 32-hour-per-week fulltime position ($51,580 – $56,576 annually). Benefits include: flexible scheduling, a flexible spending account stipend that can be used for health/dental/vision insurance, dependent care, or cash if you have health coverage elsewhere, a retirement account; generous vacation, holiday, paid family leave, and sick leave.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

To learn more, please review the full job description at voicesforvtkids.org/employment. To apply, email a letter of interest and resume to mfay@voicesforvtkids.org

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

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.

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:

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:

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.

and state officials, facility managers, and general public).

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.

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.

• High degree of motivation, creativity, and persistence in developing and implementing new ideas and in finding solutions to problems.

• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse audiences (staff, haulers, local

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse audiences (staff, haulers, local

• 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.

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.

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 Teresa Kuczynski

• 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

ATTENTION RECRUITERS:

Seasonal Crew Positions

Year Round Conservation Crew Leaders AmeriCorps Farm Leaders

Support

Support crews in the field Mentor crew members Expand your professional networks Gain leadership and

Positions based in Richmond Start dates in March

Year Round Staff Positions

GO HIRE.

CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION SECTION LEAD –MONTPELIER

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 advance the programmatic work of the CAO including the decarbonization of the transportation and non-energy 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.

CLIMATE CHANGE DATA ANALYST – 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.

VT DEPT.

The Vermont Department of Labor (VDOL) is seeking a highly motivated and dynamic individual to join the Workforce Development team as a Regional Manager for Chittenden, Franklin, and Grand Isle Counties. This leadership role is integral to ensuring the success of our employment and training initiatives in the region and plays a critical role in supporting Vermont’s job seekers, career changers, and employers. For more information, contact Danielle Kane at danielle.kane@vermont.gov. Location: Burlington & St. Albans. Department: Labor. Status: Full Time. Job ID #51491. Application Deadline: December 22, 2024.

Job Recruiters:

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

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

• Easily manage your open job listings from your recruiter dashboard.

Job Seekers:

• Search for jobs by keyword, location, category and job type.

• Set up job alert emails using custom search criteria.

• Save jobs to a custom list with your own notes on the positions.

• 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.

Academic Success Coach

Admissions Technology Assistant

Visit jobs.plattsburgh.edu & select “View Current Openings”

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

Get Paid

Billing

Implementation Specialist

Join PCC in improving the lives of children and pediatricians nationwide. PCC is the leader in the pediatric software industry with a mission to remove obstacles that keep pediatricians from practicing medicine. As a benefit corporation, PCC is a values-driven, pragmatically irreverent company that prioritizes humanity over profit while promoting independence and knowledge sharing. PCCers solve meaningful problems with an obsessive commitment to customer service and quality of experience, all while having fun.

PCC is looking for a team member to help put our newest clients on the path to billing success. Our ideal candidate loves collaborating closely with our users to ensure that they are trained and ready to begin using all of PCC’s tools for billing and reconciliation of accounts receivable. This position coordinates closely with teammates and with billers to be sure that configuration and training preparations are made in time for a successful launch. Working on the team that provides ongoing day-to-day support for users is also a responsibility of this position.

Experience with medical billing is essential and Pediatric billing experience is preferred. Travel is required.

PCC’s Benefits:

In addition to health, dental, vision, 401k, and life insurance for employees, PCC offers medical insurance for domestic partners and civil union couples, as well as reimbursement for home internet, cellular plan, laser eye treatment, fitness and wellness expenses, charitable donation matching, AAA Plus membership, frequent catered lunches, and more. PCC supports families with an adoption assistance program, extended paid holiday time off, and paid family leave options.

PCCers currently enjoy a hybrid workplace model with the options of meeting remotely and on-site at PCC’s office in Winooski, Vermont. Applicants should expect to be based in Vermont, within commuting distance of Winooski.

Send resumes to: jobs@pcc.com

Please apply by Thursday, December 19th as we have an extended break beginning on Monday, December 23, 2024 and we will be returning to the office on Monday, January 6th.

No phone calls, please. AA/EOE

Special EducationLecturer/Senior Lecturer

The University of Vermont’s Department of Education in The College of Education & Social Services seeks to hire two Lecturer/ Senior Lecturers in Special Education for a full-time, 9-month appointment to begin August 2025.

We are hiring expert practitioners in Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education and/or K-age 21 Special Education within our Birth-21 Special Education program. The successful candidate will teach 8 courses per year in the undergraduate and master’s special education programs (inclusive of field supervision). Courses in the program are delivered in hybrid, online, and in-person modalities.

Our nationally accredited Special Education program features innovative coursework and hands-on learning founded on research-based practices, with a commitment to sustainability, inclusion, and social justice, and applied work in the field. Student teaching internships with our community partners provide the opportunity to work in various inclusive learning settings with children and families fully supported by dedicated faculty and experienced mentor teachers.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Demonstrated commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, and social justice, including experience collaborating with settings and agencies that serve diverse child and family populations

• Earned master’s degree in Special Education, or Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education, or a closely related area (degree completion required prior to start)

• A minimum of 3 years teaching Special Education in public schools or working in Early Intervention or community agencies

• Current knowledge of Special Education legal issues and federal regulation of practices in the U.S. Successful experience supervising or mentoring undergraduate and/or graduate pre-service teachers/ special educators in internship placements desirable

• Current or recent license in Early Intervention or Early Childhood Special Education

(Birth-age 6) or Special Education (K-age 21).

• Knowledge and skills to teach in two or more areas: curriculum, assessment, literacy, numeracy, severe disabilities, and inclusion.

• Knowledge and skills to supervise practicum and student teaching internships at the undergraduate and graduate levels which may include Early Intervention/ Early Childhood Special Education and/ or K-age 21 Special Education in school, center, and community-based settings.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Successful college/university teaching or supervision experience

• Commitment to university and state service

The University of Vermont is especially interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity and inclusive excellence of the academic community through their teaching, service, research, scholarship or creative arts. We are an educationally purposeful community seeking to prepare students to be accountable leaders in a diverse and changing world. Members of the University of Vermont community embrace and advance the values of Our Common Ground: Respect, Integrity, Innovation, Openness, Justice, and Responsibility.

Apply online: uvmjobs.com/ postings/77720

Any questions or support needs pertaining to the web-based application should be directed to: Julia.Stein@uvm.edu.

The University of Vermont is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other category legally protected by federal or state law.

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

Handel's Messiah

SAT., DEC 7

HOLY ANGELS CHURCH, ST. ALBANS

Sugar on Tap: Anniversary Show

SAT., DEC 7

MAIN STREET LANDING, BURLINGTON

SAT., DEC 7

Bella Voce "Glorious Season" Holiday Concert

MCCARTHY ARTS CENTER RECITAL HALL, COLCHESTER

Make Your Own Holiday Cards

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

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

Culinary Mavericks - A Multi-Course

Brass Quintet and Counterpoint

THU., DEC 12

WARREN UNITED CHURCH

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

FRI., DEC 13, SAT., DEC 14

OPERA HOUSE AT ENOSBURG FALLS

Flannel & Pajama Holiday Boogie Down

SAT., DEC 14

AFTERTHOUGHTS, WAITSFIELD

fun stuff

“Remember, don’t ﬂip out when they say the word ‘treat.’”

JEN SORENSEN

HARRY BLISS

RACHEL LINDSAY

KYLE BRAVO

SAGITTARIUS

(NOV. 22-DEC. 21)

In his song “Voodoo Child,” Sagittarian musician Jimi Hendrix brags, “Well, I stand up next to a mountain / And I chop it down with the edge of my hand.” I encourage you to unleash fantasies like that in the coming days, Sagittarius. Can you shoot lightning bolts from your eyes? Sure you can. Can you change water into wine? Fly to the moon and back in a magic boat? Win the Nobel Prize for Being Yourself? In your imagination, yes, you can. And these exercises will prime you for an array of more realistic escapades, like smashing a mental block, torching an outmoded fear, and demolishing an unnecessary inhibition or taboo. To supercharge your practical power, intensify your imagination’s audacity.

ARIES (Mar. 21-Apr. 19): Blaming others for our problems is rarely helpful. If we expend emotional energy focusing on how people have offended and hurt us, we diminish our motivation to heal ourselves. We may also get distracted from changing the behavior that ushered us into the mess. So, yes, it’s wise to accept responsibility for the part we have played in propagating predicaments. However, I believe it’s also counterproductive to be relentlessly serious about this or any

other psychological principle. We all benefit from having mischievous fun as we rebel against tendencies we have to be dogmatic and fanatical. That’s why I am authorizing you to celebrate a good-humored Complaint Fest. For a limited time only, feel free to unleash fantasies in which you uninhibitedly and hilariously castigate everyone who has done you wrong.

TAURUS (Apr. 20-May 20): What you are experiencing may not be a major, earthshaking rite of passage. But it’s sufficiently challenging and potentially rewarding to qualify as a pivotal breakthrough and turning point. And I’m pleased to say that any suffering you’re enduring will be constructive and educational. You may look back at this transition as a liberating initiation. You will feel deep gratification that you have clambered up to a higher level of mastery through the power of your intelligent love and feisty integrity.

GEMINI (May 21-Jun. 20): You are now about halfway between your last birthday and next birthday. In the prophecy industry, we call this your Unbirthday Season. It is usually a time when you receive an abundance of feedback — whether you want it or not. I encourage you to want it! Solicit it. Even pay for it. Not all of it will be true or useful, of course, but the part that is true and useful will be very much so. You could gather a wealth of information that will help you fine-tune your drive for success and joy in the months to come.

CANCER (Jun. 21-Jul. 22): Legend tells us that the Buddha achieved enlightenment while meditating beneath the Bodhi Tree in Bihar, India. He was there for many weeks. At one point, a huge storm came and pelted the sacred spot with heavy rain. Just in time, the King of Serpents arrived, a giant cobra with a massive hood. He shielded the Buddha from the onslaught for the duration. Now I am predicting that you, too, will receive an unexpected form of protection and nurturing in the coming weeks. Be ready to open your mind about what help looks and feels like. It may not be entirely familiar.

LEO (Jul. 23-Aug. 22): In written form, the Japanese term oubaitori is comprised of four kanji, or characters. They denote four fruit trees that bloom in the spring: cherry, plum, peach and apricot. Each tree’s flowers blossom in their own sweet time, exactly when they are ready, neither early nor late. The poetic meaning of oubaitori is that we humans do the same: We grow and ripen at our own unique pace. That’s why it’s senseless to compare our rate of unfoldment to anyone else’s. We each have our own timing, our own rhythm. These ideas are especially apropos for you right now, Leo.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sep. 22): I hope you will hunker down in your bunker. I hope you will junk all defunct versions of your spunky funkiness and seek out fresh forms of spunky funkiness. In other words, Virgo, I believe it’s crucial for you to get as relaxed and grounded as possible. You have a mandate to explore ultimate versions of stability and solidity. Shore up your foundations, please. Grow deeper roots. Dig down as deep as you can to strengthen and tone your relationship with the core of your being.

LIBRA (Sep. 23-Oct. 22): Every one of us is a hypocrite at least some of the time. Now and then, we all ignore or outrightly violate our own high standards. We may even engage in behavior that we criticize in others. But here’s the good news for you, Libra. In the coming weeks and months, you may be as unhypocritical as you have ever been. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, you are likely to be consistently faithful to your ideals. Your actual effects on people will closely match your intended effects. The American idiom is, “Do you practice what you preach?” I expect the answer to that question will be yes as it pertains to you.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Author George Orwell advised us that if we don’t analyze and understand the past, we are likely to repeat the mistakes of the past. Alas, few people take heed. Their knowledge of our collective history is meager, as is their grasp of recurring trends in their personal lives. But now here’s the good news, dear

Scorpio: In the coming months, you will have exceptional power to avoid replicating past ignorance and errors — if you meditate regularly on the lessons available through a close study of your life story.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The name of my column is “Free Will Astrology” because I aspire to nurture, inspire and liberate your free will. A key component in that effort is to help you build your skills as a critical thinker. That’s why I encourage you to question everything I tell you. Don’t just assume that my counsel is always right and true for you. Likewise, I hope you are discerning in your dealings with all teachers, experts and leaders — especially in the coming weeks and months. You are in a phase of your cycle when it’s even more crucial than usual to be a good-natured skeptic who poses exuberant, penetrating questions. To serve your soul’s health, refine your practice of the art of creative rebellion.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Be like a beautifully made fountain that people love to visit, Aquarius. Not like a metaphorical geyser or stream or waterfall out in the natural world but a three-tiered marble fountain. What does that entail? Here are hints. The water of the fountain cascades upward, but not too high or hard, and then it showers down gently into a pool. Its flow is steady and unflagging. Its sound is mellifluous and relaxing. The endless dance of the bubbles and currents is invigorating and calming, exuberant and rejuvenating. Be like a fountain.

PISCES (Feb. 19-Mar. 20): Around this time of year, persimmon trees in my neighborhood have shed their leaves but are teeming with dazzling orange fruits. Pomegranate trees are similar. Their leaves have fallen off, but their red fruits are ready to eat. I love how these rebels offer their sweet, ripe gifts as our winter season approaches. They remind me of the current state of your destiny, Pisces. Your gorgeous fertility is waxing. The blessings you have to offer are at a peak. I invite you to be extra generous as you share your gifts with those who are worthy of them — and maybe even a few who aren’t entirely worthy.

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 to these people online: dating.sevendaysvt.com

WOMEN seeking...

POSITIVE, DOWN-TO-EARTH, STABLE, COMPASSIONATE

Hey! Just a girl looking for an honest, fellow compassionate person who loves nature and life in Vermont. I’m looking for a connection that evolves into a long-term relationship. Let’s go hiking together, go on spontaneous day adventures, explore new towns, cook delicious dinners together, go paddle boarding or Nordic skiing. Let’s sit by a fire under starlight. Silenceandstarlight 54, seeking: M, l

LIONHEARTED LAMB SEEKS

COMPANIONSHIP

A unique childhood instilled in me an innate curiosity and desire to continue learning and exploring. My adventures included skydiving, motorcycles, trains and cross-country trips. Are you an interesting gentleman who is also financially and emotionally secure, flexible, easygoing and enjoys the outdoors, cooking, art, music, movies, dining out, theater, bookshops, quiet solitude and affectionate companionship? If so, contact me! WyoGal, 75, seeking: M, l

ADVENTUROUS OPTIMIST WHO LOVES

LIFE

I am looking for a man who can make me laugh, enjoys life’s adventures, and values kindness and stability. Someone whose life complements mine, and I theirs. If you’re interested in good conversations, spontaneous adventure and sharing simple moments, let’s connect! GirlFromtheNorthCountry, 59, seeking: M

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W = Women

M = Men

TW = Trans women

TM = Trans men

Q = Genderqueer people

NBP = Nonbinary people

NC = Gender nonconformists

Cp = Couples

Gp = Groups

CASTING CALL: WHIMSICAL PLAYMATE

Ex-professor cum higher-ed administrator by day, community theater nerd by night. Petite woman looking for a costar who is kind, open to new experiences, adventurous, curious, thoughtful, funny and witty. I’ll cook you some amazing Indian food and destroy you in board game competition before we jet off to snorkel the shores of the Big Island. daybor, 44 seeking: M, W, TM, l

ADIRONDACK QUEER FEMINIST

Mountain resident, cisgender white woman seeking connections. Social justice warrior loves cooking, music, politics and art. Formerly a small-farm owner, I’m not afraid of hard work and tell good stories. Mid-career professional. Seeking other queer women for friendship and open to more. No rush. Patience wins.

ADKpersephone 58, seeking: W, TW, Q, l

HONEST, CARING AND FUN

I enjoy experiencing different things and exploring new places, whether in my backyard or across the country. I am honest, caring, like to laugh, and like to spend time with family and friends. I am socially active and enjoy volunteering and helping others. Would like to laugh and share the joys of life with someone. LaughandEnjoy 62, seeking: M, l

HAPPY AND LAID-BACK

I am hardworking, loving, caring, sensitive and observant. A Christian seeking truth within the spiritual side of life. I am impressed by nature; being outdoors in natural environments restores me. I love meeting people. And I enjoy live music. I am blessed with good health and would like to share my life with the right person. Quietromantic 67, seeking: M, l

READY TO PLAY FOR KEEPS?

Are you ready for adventure? Broadway show, hiking in Sedona, wine in Portugal? And then home to stack wood for winter and stir minestrone soup? Generous, spirited, joyfully feisty, this (previously) redheaded woman will make your life worth living to the fullest. You will never be bored. Seeking kind, intelligent man-friend 55 to 70 with belly laugh who is ready to play for keeps. springpeeper 64 seeking: M, l

GOOD VIBES ONLY

I am all about my children and positivity. I’m looking to live a happy life around good-hearted, happy people. I appreciate music, art, science and truth. Kindness, honesty, respect, caring, empathy, trust, love, peace, creativity, understanding, patience and a healthy lifestyle are all things I value in myself, my family and all those I include in my life. rclsivcreativ 50 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

ARTS, ANIMALS, NATURE AND BEAUTY

Gentle lady seeks gentle man for companionship, walks, talks, travel around Vermont finding neat diners, covered bridges, thrift shops, scenic spots and majestic mountains. Delicious home-cooked meals or dining out and good conversations are a plus! Share a sense of wonder and joy. Care to join me? pepstar 63, seeking: M, l

YOUTHFUL 66

Ready for a loving and healthy relationship where kindness, selfawareness and growth are shared values. Love sharing the goodness and essence of life. Looking to get to know you slowly over time, with friendship first, then seeking what deeper connection might be possible. If you are a person like me who prioritizes spiritual growth and emotional connection, then reach out! NatureLoverVT 66, seeking: W, l

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

RECENTLY RETIRED, LOOKING FOR ADVENTURE

I know you’re out there. I’ve always had an incredible passion for living life to its fullest. I’m honest and compassionate and am looking for an equally positive partner who loves to try new experiences and is a great and open communicator. Suddenly realizing that retirement can be an adventure and that I wasted too much time working! Somewhere, 71, seeking: M, 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

MEN seeking...

WORKING ARTIST

I’m a man who must walk with crutches. I spend my days painting and walking around town. I like reading, YouTube and Netflix. I am romantic and passionate in my loving and would like to find a similar partner. Looking for my muse to bring some fulfillment to my life. artist56 68 seeking: W, l

YOUNG AT HEART

Looking for that mutual attraction. Some common interests while accepting others’ individual desires that may not be. Laidback, easygoing, culturally adaptable. Born and raised overseas as a diplomat’s son. Moving to VT soon to care for my parents and start a simpler life. Currently in MD, finishing up a commitment to my employer and selling my house. Woodsmith60 60, seeking: W, l

OLD SOUL, YOUNG HEART

Gentle weird with a bit of dry, silly humor. Seeking compatible weirdness, independence, humor and kindness. Plants, animals, music and film light my fire. Here to help others, spread laughter, and create cool art. Any others want the same? lostinthesupermarket, 36, seeking: W

MATURE CONNECTION WANTED

I’m a confident, open-minded man looking to connect with an older woman who knows what she wants. I value honesty, fun and mutual respect. I’m here for an exciting, no-strings-attached arrangement where we can explore our chemistry and have a great time together in bed. cub4m1lf 35 seeking: W

HONEST EASYGOING

I am an honest, laid-back person who likes the outdoors, walking, hiking and cuddling. Looking for someone who enjoys most of what I like to do. Outdoorsron54 54, seeking: W, l

OVER-THE-HILL HIKER

I am warmhearted and friendly, with a quirky sense of humor. I like nature (hiking), theater, working out, music, watching streaming services on TV. I used to contra dance and folk dance; not so much any more. Looking for dating, friendship or a long-term relationship. I still work, telecommuting, so working from home, with a flexible work schedule. VT_Transplant, 70, seeking: W, l

‘IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT’

If you think that’s one of the greatest flicks ever, then we’ll get along. If you can skate backwards, I’m in awe. Everything I ever really needed to know I learned from Julia Child and Marcela Hazan. Life without Lester Young and Teddy Wilson would be so sad. If you like to sail, let’s talk. Annascaptain 71 seeking: W, l

KINDHEARTED, ACTIVE

I am educated, active, creative and fun. I play and study guitar and care about social justice and the environment. I am a good cook, and cook healthy food for myself daily. I am an avid skier, hiker, kayaker and cyclist. I am hoping to find a woman to build a lasting and loving relationship with. BillG, 65 seeking: W, l

SUNSETS OVER LAKE CHAMPLAIN

Hello! Separated guy in his sixties who loves progressive politics, cooking and good books. College graduate with a passion for exploring new areas and staying current on national and foreign affairs. I’m looking for a friend for conversations with funny banter and interesting info. I enjoy Brit detective series on the TV and NFL football. I also write erotic stories. Orwellguy 59, seeking: W, l

OLD-SCHOOL CUDDLING

Looking for cuddling partner. Just open up, warm and friendly openminded person! Lookingforaspecial, 69, seeking: W, l

PNW TRANSPLANT SEEKS

ENTHUSIASTIC ACCOMPLICE(S)

Open schedule, graduate degree, 5’10”, athletic. Interested in like-minded people looking to explore their passions with

an accomplice: skiing, climbing, bikes, foraging, vinyl records, film photography, sailing, freediving and fly fishing, to name a few. Ideally some shared interest could lead to a lasting partnership and I’m always up for fun along the way. Accomplice, 46 seeking: W, l

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

TRANS MEN seeking...

INDUSTRIOUS, NERDY, PURSUING KNOWLEDGE

Student and professional artist constantly pursuing new hobbies and studies. Looking for friends to tinker and hang with or a partner for more or less the same. Friendly and open-minded but shy to start. Still wears a mask in crowds. grimblegromble, 23 seeking: W, TW, 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 singer-songwriter 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

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

LOOKING FOR FUN PEEPS

Fun, open-minded couple seeking playmates. Shoot us a note if interested so we can share details and desires. Jackrabbits 60, seeking: W, Cp

LOVER OF LIFE

40’s couple seeking adventurous encounters with open-minded, respectful f/m or couples.

sunshines, 44 seeking: W, Q, Cp

THE LADY AND THE SAUSAGE

I ﬁrst spied you many years ago — whether it was on a playground or at a turkey luncheon is still up for debate. Either way, I have been head over heels in love with you pretty much ever since. I am the luckiest lady in the world to be with you. Happy birthday, Sausage! Yours forever, AG When: Tuesday, December 3, 2024. Where: Mad River Valley. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916195

BAD NIGHT; KIND PERSON

You: Checking IDs at JP’s after 10:30ish on Saturday. Asked me if I was OK. Me: Entered and exited several times, paced all around downtown, went and sat in City Hall Park, left the bar for good having clearly been crying. I said I probably would be OK, and thanks. Your kindness meant a lot. I’m mostly OK now. When: Saturday, November 9, 2024. Where: JP’s. You: Trans woman. Me: Trans man. #916194

WHAT’S A SOLARA?

ese are the only words I could think to shout at you from across the gas pumps. ank you for educating me on classic Toyota coupes — did you know you’re a handsome devil with an outrageously good-looking smile, and charming banter to boot? How do you sleep at night? I’d sleep better with you next to me! Coffee sometime? When: ursday, November 28, 2024. Where: Orleans Mapleﬁelds. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916193

BPS

I wish I had talked to you more. I’ll marry you in my dreams. Good luck in your new adventure. Maybe I’ll see you again. If I do, I’ll ask you out. I’ll miss seeing you every day. Hopefully our paths will cross again. When: Friday, November 22, 2024. Where: Breakroom. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916192

If you’ve been spied, go online to contact your admirer!

RE: GRAND? FAR FROM

I told you, when my son came home, your time to mend the bond was over; instead of doing the work, you created chaos everywhere. You have set me so far back, creating problems for your solution. You have turned any who have shown me love into Schrödinger’s cat. You have proven how heartless you truly are.

Please leave! When: Tuesday, November 26, 2024. Where: ey never showed up. You: Man. Me: Woman. #916191

MISSED TWO CHANCES

Saw you this summer at the Norwich Bookstore; you bought a book about the NYC music scene in the '70s. We ran into each other again a couple hours later, on your way back home. I was driving, you were walking, and I realized later I should have offered to drop you off. How was that book? When: Monday, July 15, 2024. Where: Norwich. You: Woman. Me: Woman. #916190

TOSCA AT THE PARAMOUNT

A rainy Tuesday afternoon. Tosca at the Paramount had just ended. I rushed out to get the car for my mom; you were there to pick up yours. “Is it over?” you asked. “All but the curtain calls,” I replied, putting on my raincoat. By the time I got back, you were gone. When: Tuesday, November 26, 2024. Where: e Paramount eater, Rutland. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916189

GRAND? FAR FROM IT, ACTUALLY

Everyday I wake up and you’re not next to me is the emptiest of days. We were so close, but now we’re further apart than ever. My heart still yearns for you the same way it has all these years. is was never a hunt or a “sadistic pleasure,” as you put it. I love you, always have, always will. When: Wednesday, October 2, 2024. Where: Same place as always. You: Woman. Me: Woman. #916188

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

HEALTHY BOUNDARIES

To the home-wrecker from Gardensideyou 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

THOUGHTFUL ON THE THINKER

You were sitting behind me with your friends at the performance of Mauritius and noticed the inker 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

ank 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: ursday, October 31, 2024. Where: Old North End. You: Group. Me: Group. #916183

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: ursday, October 17, 2024. Where: Babes. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916180

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: ursday, November 21, 2024. Where: iSpy. 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

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

GRAZING

“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

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

LIGHT EYES

You knew I love the GMO, and you suggested the banana pudding. Your energy is like I’ve known you forever, too. ank 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

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. anks for putting some fashion in Hardwick. When: Friday, November 8, 2024. Where: Hardwick. You: Woman. Me: Man. #916170

HEARTBROKEN

De Momza Milf,

My mother is in her fifties, and she’s a real hottie. She’s always been a little flirty with my boyfriends, but I never thought anything of it — until now. Last week, I came home from work to find her and my current partner cooking dinner together. (She said she just happened to be in the neighborhood.) Ever since, I’ve noticed that they have been texting each other a lot and sending pics. e frequency is making me a little uncomfortable. Would I be wrong to ask them what’s going on?

Do you know what they’re texting about? Maybe they’re sending each other recipes or talking about you and planning a surprise. Have you peeped any of the pics? Is he sending her photos of cucumbers on a tray or his cucumber on display? If the latter is true, I’d say you ought to chop it right off quick. (Just kidding. Really.) But I hope that’s not the case.

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

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. anks for the pain, instead of the love claimed to be there. When: Wednesday, November 6, 2024. Where: ey see me more. You: Group. Me: Woman. #916169 a All give 15, 2024. Where: Grazers in Williston.

assholes to mess around with each other, so I’m going to bet that you’re making a mountain out of a mole sauce.

All jokes aside, it’s no fun to feel uncomfortable. If you want to clear the air, inquire about the situation — delicately. You don’t want to make either party feel like you’re seriously accusing them of doing something so terrible. You could bring it up jokingly and see what happens. If it goes badly, you’re going to need more help than I can give you. But hopefully the three of you will just have a good laugh about it over dinner.

Good luck and God bless,

The Rev end De Rev end,

What makes you distrust their interactions? Do you have any real reason to believe that either of them would do something inappropriate? Your mother and your boyfriend would both have to be real

What’s your problem?

I’m a SWF, 71 y/o, seeking a white or black man 50-70 y/o. I want companionship/sex, movies, warmth; I love music. Phone calls only. #L1815

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

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Interested readers will send you letters in the mail. No internet required!

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

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 48y/o DILF type seeking a 28- to 68-y/o-ish 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

Int net-Free Dating!

Reply to these messages with real, honest-to-goodness le ers. DETAILS BELOW.

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

Handsome SWM, young-looking 60, yearning for a woman’s connection and intimacy. Seeking friendly relations with slim-average 45- to 60-y/o, kind, smart, respectful, humorous, playful. Activities indoors and outdoors — dinners, talks, walks, nature, TV, entertainment, day trips, overnights, spontaneity, hobbies, more. #L1803

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)

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

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: 30s or early 40s. I’m nerdy but cool. #L1794

Required conﬁdential info:

NAME ADDRESS

ADDRESS (MORE)

MAIL TO: SEVEN DAYS LOVE LETTERS • PO BOX 1164, BURLINGTON, VT 05402

OPTIONAL WEB FORM: SEVENDAYSVT.COM/LOVELETTERS HELP: 802-865-1020, EXT. 161, LOVELETTERS@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

THIS FORM IS FOR LOVE LETTERS ONLY. Messages for the Personals and I-Spy sections must be submitted online at dating.sevendaysvt.com.