April 29 • 2026
Vermont Has the Lowest Birth Rate in the Nation. Why?; Democrats Try to Tee Up a Tax on the 1 Percent; Offbeat Places Vermonters Love in Montréal; How We Feel About Noah Kahan’s ‘The Great Divide’
News
Why Does Vermont Have the Lowest Birth Rate in the Nation?
People considering having children told Seven Days they think hard about financial implications — and the state of the world.
Democrats Try to Tee Up a Tax on the 1 Percent
Gov. Scott has said he’ll veto any such bill, even if it’s structured to lower taxes on other Vermonters.
Leahy BTV Airport Officials Hope New Terminal Will Help It Compete
Leaders say the new concourse increases the airport’s appeal to both prospective fliers and airlines that might expand operations — or at least continue them.
Afghan Girls’ Education Advocate to Speak at St. Mike’s Graduation
Shabana Basij-Rasikh graduated from Middlebury College and founded the first and only boarding school for girls in Afghanistan
From the Publisher: Out of Joint, Continued
Seven Days publisher Paula Routly thought recovering from knee surgery would be a breeze. Instead, it’s more like the stock market — up and down every day
Arts+Culture
Offbeat Places Vermonters Love in Montréal
From hidden gardens to an F1 racetrack, in-the-know Vermonters share Montréal’s most thrillingly unexpected destinations.
Center for Cartoon Studies Tackles Mass Incarceration
Beyond Punishment,’ a new comic from Vermont’s Applied Cartooning Lab, examines the history of mass incarceration, from ancient times to our current crisis.
Worth a Thousand Words: Ami Vitale’s Visual Storytelling
In an April 30 lecture at Burlington’s Fletcher Free Library, the ‘National Geographic’ photographer tells stories of animal conservation, heartbreak and hope.
Artists Explore ‘Human Impact’ on the Environment at BCA Center
Enticing visuals and scientific research coexist in the Burlington exhibition of eight artists’ beautiful paintings, photographs and installations.
Magnificent 7: Must See, Must Do Events in and Around Vermont (April 29-May 6)
Explore our editor’s picks for must-do events in Vermont this week, including Grammy winning soprano saxophonist Paul Winter at the Congregational Church of Middlebury
Food+Drink
New Short Film Features Bread and Puppet’s Peter Schumann
Shaftsbury filmmaker Robbie Leppzer postponed production of his feature-length documentary for this timely short. “An Artist Responds to War” premieres May 3.
Alimentari Café & Provisions Does Daytime Italian in BTV
The newest sibling in the St. Paul Street resto group offers breakfast and lunch sandwiches, a global pantry, and select Trattoria Delia and Pizzeria Verità faves.
Shell Out for Pizzeria Corinna’s Italian Subs in Essex
The sandwiches at the new 1980s-style pizza shop in Essex Towne Marketplace are named after Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. They’ll have you saying, “Cowabunga!”
520 BBQ and Grill Brings Southern-Style Smoked Meat to Essex
A Southerner in Matthew Desautels’ army unit introduced the Burlington native to barbecue. He started smoking as a hobby. A federal job buyout let him turn pro.
Music+Nightlife
Noah Kahan’s Netflix Doc ‘Out of Body’ Is Messy and Real
The star-produced film is no puff piece, centering on the singer as he grapples with the familial and creative fallout from his fame.
On the Beat: Foam Brewers Turns 10
The Burlington brewery throws a weekend-long rager to celebrate its anniversary. Plus Nick Grandchamp brings the punks together for a flea market in Rutland.
On Screen
Celebrity Is a Phantom in the Oddly Hypnotic ‘Mother Mary’
David Lowery directed the surreal drama in which Anne Hathaway plays a pop icon who seeks help from a collaborator she thought she’d left in the past.
Now Playing in Theaters, April 29-May 6
In addition to ‘The Christophers’ here’s what is playing in Northern and Central Vermont movie theaters this week. Listings include new movies, vintage films and a directory of open theaters.
Fun Stuff
Free Will Astrology (04/29/26)
Check out Rob Brezsny’s expanded weekly audio horoscopes & daily text message horoscopes: realastrology.com or 1-877-873-4888.
Ask the Rev: To Shave or Not to Shave?
One woman wonders if body hair will hinder her chance of finding romance. Here’s a history of hairy double standards and advice for doing whatever’s comfy.
Life Lines
Obituary: Dr. Zacharie Joseph Clements, 1936-2026
Beloved UVM professor and motivational speaker had a teacher’s love of people and lived by the Golden Rule
Obituary: Elaine Joyce (Kearns) Bushey, 1932-2026
Grand Isle woman’s calling was her decades of work for the Visiting Nurse Association
Obituary: Samuel Sheets Faris III, 1957-2026
Williston man built lasting friendships through his career and loved music, motorcycling and watching the Philadelphia Phillies and Eagles
Obituary: Mary F. Zagroba, 1925-2026
Registered nurse’s greatest pleasure was to be home with her husband and five children
Obituary: James “Jim” Thomas Strouse, 1940-2026
Local banker loved a good joke, a good drink, good people and, most of all, his family
Obituary: Craig Steuart Lyman, 1961-2026
Man of deep faith was known for his strong work ethic and dedication and found happiness in life’s simple pleasures
Obituary: Eva Bogue, 1931-2026
Registered nurse loved gardening and berry picking and was the heart of her large family
Obituary: Grace Constance (Wagner) Farley, 1932-2026
Nurse, teacher and church volunteer played an integral role in the creation of Shelburne nonprofit secondhand store SCHIP
Obituary: Frederick Winslow Stetson II, 1943-2026
U.S. Army veteran, National Guard pilot, writer and “true New Englander” showed his love through countless acts of kindness
Obituary: Robert Albert Languerand, 1971-2026
Wolcott man built his life around hard work and lived every day with a sense of joy and fullness
Obituary: Bud Etherton, 1930-2026
UVM botany professor and researcher loved the camaraderie of the lab and returned to part-time lab work in his retirement
Obituary: Michael Collins Jacobs Jr., 1945-2026
U.S. Air Force veteran was guided throughout his life by a strong sense of duty, humor and heart
