Apr 18-24, 2018
Vermont Tomato Farmer Leads Fight for Organic Standards; Who’s Overseeing the State Police?; Podcast Highlights Female Composers Past and Present
Cover Story
Vermont Tomato Farmer Leads Defense of Organic Principles
The weather forecast in East Thetford on a recent Friday called for snow flurries, but stepping into a greenhouse on Dave Chapman’s Long Wind Farm evoked a very different season. The air was warm and moist, and, as far as the eye could see, robust tomato plants climbed 11-foot guidelines toward the light. Their thick…
Organic Eats
Before moving to Vermont in 2010, Belgian-born Véronique Beittel had never bought a beet in her life. But the bounty of fresh produce she found at farmers markets after relocating with her husband from Washington, D.C., changed her outlook on food. “The more fruits and vegetables you start eating, you realize you don’t need all…
Seriously: So Much to Eat This Week
In this episode, Bryan talks to a hot dog about the tastiest week in Vermont. Featuring Madie Ahrens as “Hot Dog.” For more information visit: vermontrestaurantweek.com CREDITS Written, filmed and edited by: Bryan Parmelee Artwork/photography by: Terri Hallenbeck, Green Mountain CBD, Monarch & the Milkweed, Jeb Wallace-Brodeur, Don Eggert, Bryan Parmelee, Dreamstime Logo/art direction by:…
Obituary: Kate Nicholson, 1982-2018
Kate Ellen Nicholson, my beautiful daughter, passed away unexpectedly April 9, 2018 at Texas Falls in Hancock, Vermont. She was only 35 years old, born on September 30, 1982 in Aspen, Colorado to Marsha and Mark Nicholson. Mark preceded Kate in death 5 years ago and, sadly, Kate is also joining her brother Zachary who…
Obituary: Frederick Grant Hill, 1935-2018, South Burlington
Frederick Grant Hill was born December 6, 1935, in Tulsa, Okla., grew up in nearby Bartlesville and died peacefully on April 17, 2018, at the Vermont Respite House in Williston after a prolonged illness. He leaves behind his partner since 1979, Dianne Monaco; his son by first marriage, Tristram, and daughter-in-law Preetha Kurudiyara, both physicians…
Game Changer: Richmond Elementary’s PE Program Focuses on Accessibility, Lifelong Fitness and Fun
If elementary school physical education conjures memories of being pegged by a dodgeball, huffing and puffing through timed miles, or climbing a rope dangling from the rafters, Richmond Elementary School’s gym classes will probably be unrecognizable. In PE class at the pre-K through fourth grade school, students ride bikes, dance, golf, play tennis, rollerblade, practice…
Burlington Mural Tour: Art Appreciation — for Free! — in the Queen City
Burlington is a town full of art, artists and an abundance of murals. If you’re like our family, you’re always looking for fun, low-cost weekend activities. Why not pick a B-town neighborhood and explore some awesome street art on foot? On a Saturday in March, we came up with an easily walkable route that started…
The Cannabis Catch-Up: Hey, It’s 4/20!
Welcome to the first 4/20 in Cannabeat history! This year’s high holiday for stoners is the last one in Vermont for which weed will be illegal. That’s not to say there won’t be plenty of events and celebrations going on all around the state. And sure, it was snowing today, but we’d venture a guess…
Obituary: John Wayne Tomczyk, 1986-2018
Milton – John Wayne Tomczyk, 31, died unexpectedly on Monday, April 16, 2018, at his home in Milton. “Johnny” was born on November 29, 1986, in Burlington, the son of John and Melody (Shepard) Tomczyk. He is survived by his parents, of Milton; his sister, Desiree Tomczyk, and his brothers, Daniel and Perry Tomczyk, all…
Seriously: For the Trees
In this episode, Bryan takes a look at some of the tree stories making headlines and asks a emerald ash borer for advice. Featuring Michael Frank as “Emerald Ash Borer.” CREDITS: Written, filmed and edited by: Bryan Parmelee Artwork/photography by: VT GOP, Josh Kuckens, Alicia Freese, Jeb Wallace-Brodeur, Suisman Urban Design, Katie Jickling, Taylor Dobbs,…
Movie Review: Wes Anderson Brings Us to a Marvelously Designed ‘Isle of Dogs’
The new stop-motion animation from writer-director Wes Anderson is set in a futuristic Japan where people still use ’70s-style Dymo Label Makers. It contains a 45-second sequence depicting sushi preparation that took six months to create and plays a minimal role in the plot. Those two details tell you most of what you need to…
What Would Mozart Do? Sylvia Berry Performs on Replica Fortepiano
In 1777, when Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was 21 years old, he wrote an enthusiastic letter to his father describing a newly popular type of piano. Bartolomeo Cristofori in Florence had constructed a keyboard instrument that looked like a harpsichord but replaced its string-plucking mechanism with hammers wrapped in leather. The fortepiano, as it’s now called,…
Oversight Unseen: Who’s Watching the Vermont Police?
The Vermont State Police held a press conference in February after one of its troopers killed an armed suicidal man on the side of Interstate 89 — the third fatal shooting in six months. A reporter asked Col. Matt Birmingham: Is it time to empanel a civilian oversight group for the state police? “We have one.…
Page 32: Five Short Takes on New Vermont Books
Seven Days writers can’t possibly read, much less review, all the books that arrive in a steady stream by post, email and, in one memorable case, a clowder of calicos. So this monthly feature is our way of introducing you to a handful of books by Vermont authors. To do that, we contextualize each book…
Listening to Ladies Podcast Highlights Female Composers
For its May 5 Masterworks concert, the Vermont Symphony Orchestra will play Ellen Taaffe Zwilich’s horn concerto from 1993. It shouldn’t be a momentous occasion, but it is — simply because the composer is female. The VSO has performed only 29 works by women in the last 50 years. Such numbers are no different from…
In Middlebury, ‘The Christians’ Explores the Power of Belief
An old axiom holds that religion and politics should be avoided in polite conversation. But, with its latest project, Middlebury Actors Workshop charges headfirst into the former and hints at the latter. The Christians, by up-and-coming playwright Lucas Hnath, explores what happens when a charismatic pastor — who has grown his church from a modest…
Vermont Companies Win Specialty Food Awards
On April 11, the national Specialty Food Association announced the winners of its annual sofi Awards. Among the honorees were a handful of Vermont companies, including Vermont Creamery, which took home honors for three of its cheeses; and Mount Mansfield Maple Products, whose maple candy and barrel-aged syrup both received nods. Other winners included Blake…
New Champlain College Dorm to Ease the Student Housing Crunch
The granite countertops, sparkling appliances and panoramic lake views look like they belong in a posh condo development. Instead these amenities enhance a new six-story, off-campus apartment building that Champlain College is leasing to undergraduates in Burlington. The newly constructed units are helping to finally cool the long-overheated student rental market. The big new building,…
Eat This Week, April 18 to 24, 2018: Vermont Restaurant Week
If the past week’s weather has you wanting to duck under the covers, we get it. Maybe a three-course meal would help? The ninth annual Vermont Restaurant Week kicks off on Friday. Notable plates from this year’s 115 participating restaurants include Korean-barbecue steamed buns with smoked pork belly (Hired Hand Brewing, Vergennes); handmade pasta with…
Anna & Elizabeth Mine New England’s Musical Traditions on ‘The Invisible Comes to Us’
On their latest album, The Invisible Comes to Us, Anna & Elizabeth went in a new direction — north, specifically. For the past five or so years, the Virginia-based duo has enjoyed a growing reputation in folk music circles, primarily for their pristine and inventive take on American traditional music. Like the majority of Americana…
Principled Stand? Why Vermont’s Former Ed Chief Split With Scott
When Rebecca Holcombe left Vermont’s Agency of Education this month after four years as its leader, she gave just one week’s notice — and zero explanation. Holcombe’s boss, Gov. Phil Scott, announced her departure by press release and later insisted that hers was “a personal decision,” unprompted by disagreements with his administration. But according to…
Vermont Breweries Aim to Reduce Carbon Footprint
On Tuesday, April 17, members of Vermont’s Green Brewery Cohort gathered at Magic Hat Brewing’s South Burlington Artifactory to discuss recent efforts to green up their brewing operations. The newly formed group of Vermont breweries — including Magic Hat, Mill River Brewing, Hermit Thrush Brewery, 14th Star Brewing, Whetstone Station Restaurant and Brewery, and Northshire…
Theater Review: ‘Noises Off’ at Northern Stage
Nine doors, nine actors and nonstop silliness are the ingredients in Northern Stage’s production of Michael Frayn’s farce-within-a-farce, Noises Off. It’s a loving parody of the stage itself, and this top-notch cast scampers up and down a magnificent two-story set to skewer the illusion of theater and the delusions of its practitioners. The play depicts…
Album Review: J Bengoy, ‘Dogwood Winter’
(Self-released, digital download) The boys of “bummer rock” quintet J Bengoy seem thick as thieves. As they state in the liner notes to their full-length debut, Dogwood Winter, they’re a family, and they love each other. If you’ve ever seen the young Burlington quintet live — or even caught a glimpse of them in the…
Art Review: ‘Vox Populi’ Asks How ‘the People’ Are Faring
In journalism, the “vox pop” interview — short for vox populi, or voice of the people — places the reporter on the street, asking passersby their thoughts on a particular subject. The method is meant to suggest authenticity, an unscientific but real barometer of what “the people” know or believe, or how they are faring.…
Album Review: Adrian Aardvark, ‘Dying Optimistically’
(Epifo Music, CD, digital download, vinyl) When last we left Christopher Stott-Rigsbee, he was captaining the intergalactic curiosity that is Plattsburgh’s Our Holy Orgasmic Cosmic Rays. That Lake City sorta-supergroup specializes in a distinctly off brand of no-fi indie rock that is often juvenile, sometimes funny and almost always dangerous. If OHOCR were a sandbox,…
Get on the CannaBus: A Smokin’ Festival In Burlington
Here’s the major challenge of creating a successful pot-themed film festival, especially one that’s scheduled on the stoner high holiday of 4/20: Compile an impressive-enough lineup of feature films, shorts and ancillary entertainment — comedians, bands, munchies, trippy visuals — that will convince hardcore cannabis enthusiasts to get off the couch and out on the…
Into the Arena: Gov. Phil Scott Confronts the Gun Issue Head-On
It was one of the most dramatic scenes in recent Vermont history: Gov. Phil Scott striding toward the Statehouse steps on the afternoon of April 11, his wife, Diana McTeague Scott, by his side. The governor was about to sign three pieces of gun control legislation, not behind closed doors, not in the confines of…
A Ferret Is Lost, and Found, in a Hannaford Parking Lot
Tyler LaBelle thought the tail poking out from under a car in the parking lot at the Shelburne Road Hannaford belonged to a squirrel. But when the furry critter came into view, LaBelle saw that it was a ferret. He watched in amazement as it wiggled its way up into the engine compartment of a…
Shelburne Vineyard Celebrates LEED Certification
In other environmentally friendly booze news, Shelburne Vineyard will celebrate its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification with snacks and pours at the winery this Thursday, April 19. The certification recognizes the winery’s adherence to stringent standards for environmental impact and energy use. The original print version of this article was headlined “Crumbs:…
Sampling Bistro de Margot’s New App + Wine Special
The white tablecloths are gone from the bar area at Burlington’s Bistro de Margot, but the service remains first-rate and full range. I was on the receiving end of such service the other night at the bar, where I had a dish I couldn’t eat fast enough, and a lesson on how to eat it.…
Scarlett Letters: How Do I Ask My New Girlfriend to Get Tested?
Dear Scarlett, About a year before my girlfriend met me, she had unprotected sex with her boyfriend, although she was still on the pill. This dude was apparently more experienced, and I do worry about the possibility of STIs [sexually transmitted infections] from her ex, although I don’t know the full story. How do I…
Letters to the Editor (4/18/18)
Dairy Clarification Thank you for covering the current situation facing Vermont dairy farmers [“Selling the Herd,” April 11]. My parents, brothers, and several aunts, uncles and cousins are in that number. It is regrettable, however, that your cover story perpetuates a widespread myth about antibiotics and milk. You printed that Michael Colby “takes particular issue…
Movie Review: Dwayne Johnson Takes Viewers on a ‘Rampage’ Through an Idiotic Giant-Monster Flick
Recently I spent nearly two hours watching Dwayne Johnson pretend to look with concern in the direction of giant creatures that would be created on computers and inserted into his scenes at a later date. Considering that the mutant ape, wolf and alligator he spends most of the movie gaping at weren’t really there, one…
Free Will Astrology (4/18/18)
ARIES (March 21-April 19): In the early history of the automobile, electric engines were more popular and common than gasoline-powered engines. They were less noisy, dirty, smelly and difficult to operate. It’s too bad that thereafter the technology for gasoline cars developed at a faster rate than the technology for electric cars. By the end…
Soundbites: Vermont Comedy Club to Host New Improv Festival
Big Fish, Big Pond When an artist achieves success in a small city like Burlington, they’re sometimes saddled with the “big fish in a small pond” narrative. Underneath the colloquialism’s folksiness, it’s a low-key way to diminish someone’s accomplishments. The phrase — and its inverse — often comes up when a hometown hero moves on…
Hackie: The Grapes Are Dead
“I’m a seventh-generation Ver-monter,” Cindy shared with me — matter-of-factly with just a sliver of pride — as we got underway to her home in Hyde Park. It was a crisp and sunny afternoon in early April. “I grew up in Stowe,” she added. “Aha, a Stowe townie,” I said with a chuckle. “That’s all…
It’s All About the Sides at Montpelier’s Banchan Korean Restaurant
In restaurant kitchens, the French phrase mise en place (“setting in place”) describes prepared ingredients set out to facilitate efficient dish assembly during service. When orders come in, the well-prepared cook quickly puts things together, then sends the finished plate out the door. In Korea, similar arrangements play out on the dinner table. Meals revolve…
Si Aku Ramen Brings Café and Market to Barre
Things are about to get noodle-y in Barre. Marlyn and Peter Brown — partners in life and business — plan to open an 18-seat ramen café and Asian market called Si Aku Ramen at 237 North Main Street, next to Paramount Twin Cinema, this Saturday, April 21. Peter Brown is a South Royalton native who met…
