Happy Rocktober! I trust everyone had a good Zep-tember?

Here's what's happening this week in the world of Vermont news and politics. Think you got something newsworthy for next week's calendar? Email us by Friday to submit.

Monday, October 1

• Lt. Gov. Phil Scott kicks off a publicity stunt — er, campaign tour — today with his "Cycling Vermont's 14" excursion. That's right, the lite guv will pedal all 14 counties of this brave little state. Guess he finally ran out of other people's jobs to do. Follow the epic journey here.
• At 10:30 a.m. at his Burlington office, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) holds a press conference to announce an energy efficiency grant that will let Burlington electric ratepayers finance energy conservation projects through their utility bills. Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger and Vermont public service commissioner Liz Miller will join him.
• Republican gubernatorial candidate Randy Brock has scheduled a press conference on economic development — a departure from his almost singular focus on attacking Shumlin-care. 1:30 p.m. at ipCapital Group in Williston.
• The three candidates running for attorney general — incumbent Democrat Bill Sorrell, Progressive Ed Stanak and Republican Jack McMullen — will debate at Johnson State College at 4:30 p.m.in the library. Sen. Bill Doyle will moderate.

Rest of the week after the jump...

Tuesday, October 2

• CCTV Ch. 17 kicks off a series of election-year debates this week. (Stream them live here). At 5:25, four candidates competing for a two-seat Burlington House district face off: Democrats Jill Krowinski and Curt McCormack, and Progressives Gene Bergman and Kit Andrews.

Wednesday, October 3

• At 9:05 a.m. GOP Congressional candidate Mark Donka is on "The Mark Johnson Show" on WDEV-96.1 FM.
• Gov. Shumlin holds his weekly press conference at 2 p.m. As governor. Not as a candidate for re-election. So please, no election-related questions. He's too busy running the state.
• More Ch. 17 debates. At 5:25 p.m. it's Burlington House candidates Bill Aswad, Joanna Cole and Kurt Wright. At 6:20, Williston House candidates Terry Mccaig, Jim McCullough, Jay Michaud and Thomas Nelson.
• At 9 p.m., Barack Obama and Mitt Romney square off in their first presidential debate. With any luck, my colleague Paul Heintz will devise another clever drinking game to help the talking points go down.

Thursday, October 4

•  Ch. 17's debate-a-thon continues. At 5:25 p.m., it's South Burlington House candidates Democrat Maida Townsend and Republican Timothy Cutler. At 6:05, Essex/Essex Junction House candidates Democrats Tim Jerman and Linda Waite-Simpson, Republican Paul Dame and Independent Carlton Houghton.
• At 5:30 p.m., a group called The Vermont Chartered Financial Analysts Society will present "An Evening with Harry Markopolos — The Madoff Whistleblower" at the Burlington Country Club. Markopolis is the former securities exec who uncovered Madoff's massive Ponzi scheme and wrote a book on it called No One Would Listen: A True Financial Thriller.
• At 7 p.m., Bernie Sanders holds a "town meeting on women's issues" at the Statehouse in Room 11. The forum will cover everything from "health care and reproductive rights to economic fairness and gender discrimination."
• At 7:30 p.m., Vermont Public Television hosts a governor's debate — with all the candidates (fringies included). Candidates set to appear: Brock, Shumlin, Liberty Union candidate Dave Eagle, Liberty Union, United State Marijuana Party candidate Cris Ericson, and independent Emily Peyton. Steam it at vpt.org.

Friday, October 5

• At 9:45 a.m., Shumlin is joined by President Obama's Transportation Secretary, Ray LaHood, in Brattleboro to speak at a "higher speed rail event." Not high-speed rail. Higher-speed.
• Then at 1, Shumlin heads up to UVM's Ira Allen Chapel for the "installation ceremony" for new UVM prez Tom Sullivan. "Installation?" Kinda makes dude sound like a piece of modern art. Or a Middle Eastern dictator.

Saturday, October 6

• A full weekend of eating with Sen. Bernie Sanders. At 9:30, he's in Hinesburg for "Brunch with Bernie" at the Champlain Valley Union high school cafeteria. At noon, he's doing "Lunch with Bernie" at Folsom School in South Hero, and at 7 he's at the Enosburg Opera House for a rally with state House candidate Cindy Weed (huh huh ....weed).
• Randy Brock kicks off an eight-stop "gubernatorial forum series" across the state. First stops: Park Row Cafe in Waterbury from 12 to 2 p.m., and Catamount Arts in St. Johnsbury from 4 to 6 p.m.

Sunday, October 7

• Another chance to brunch with Bernie (man, this dude loves to eat) at 10 a.m. at Thatcher Brook School in Waterbury. Then at 5:30, Bernie does dinner at the American Legion Hall in Vergennes.
• At 11 a.m., state treasurer candidates Beth Pearce (the incumbent Democrat) and Wendy Wilton (the Republican) will debate on WCAX-TV's "You Can Quote Me." Guess Progressive Don Schramm wasn't invited.
• At noon, competitors grab paddles and climb into overgrown gourds for the annual Giant Pumpkin Regatta in Lake Champlain in Burlington. It's an election year. So if the past is any judge, there'll be at least a few politicians risking goofy photo-ops to win some votes.