Aug 24-30, 2022
What Route 100 Says About Vermont: A Journey in Five Parts; State Officials Release Relaxed COVID-19 Guidance for the School Year; Lost Lantern Aims to Create New Markets for Small-Scale Whiskey Makers
Cover Story
What Route 100 Says About Vermont: A Journey in Five Parts
On a summer night in 1978, I hitchhiked in both directions on Route 100. I was 19 and had the next day off from my summer camp job in Hancock. When I saw approaching headlights, I stood on that side of the road and stuck out my thumb. Each way held promise. A ride north…
Pandemic-Era Rental Assistance Program to End Abruptly for Thousands
Updated 4:12 p.m. The Vermont State Housing Authority is sharply reducing the Vermont Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which was launched last year to help people whose housing was at risk because of the pandemic. Because money for the program is running out, households will be dropped from VERAP starting September 30, VSHA said in a…
Obituary: Eva Brett Church, 1930-2022
Loving mother and nurse became an expert in Alzheimer’s disease, dementia support and eldercare
In Memoriam: William C. Metcalfe, 1935-2021
A memorial service for William C. Metcalfe, who passed away on November 22, 2021, will be held at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Burlington on Sunday, September 11, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. Related Stories
Soundbites: Tom Pearo Gets Mathematical; the Return of Chin Ho!
Like many a suburban moppet who grew up dreaming of being a big-time rock star, I skipped the music education part of becoming a musician at first. Instead of enrolling in lessons or joining the school band, I stole my brother’s guitar and argued with my parents about growing my hair out. My denim jacket,…
For the Past 15 Years, the Burlington Bocce Club Has Hosted Friendly Throwdowns at Oakledge Park
It’s easy to sympathize with Oakledge Park visitors who recall better days when blue-green algae left Lake Champlain more or less alone. But for members of the Burlington Bocce Club, regulars on the park’s recreational scene, the good times roll regardless of bacterial load. For 15 years, the club has claimed a tract tucked behind…
COOKED, ‘GOOD LUCK DON’T DIE’
(Self-released, digital) The first time I heard a song about suicide, I was a kid watching the 1988 film Heathers, which features “Teenage Suicide (Don’t Do It)” by a fictional band called Big Fun. While many of the plotlines around the satirical song are played for laughs, hearing music that so blithely touched what I…
From the Publisher: The Scenic Route
Seven Days looks a little different this week. Occupying six full spreads of the paper — with lots of accompanying photos — is the journalistic equivalent of a summer road trip. Five of our writers teamed up to explore Route 100, which winds past a dozen Vermont ski areas, the birthplace of Calvin Coolidge, countless…
Greg Davis, ‘New Primes’
(greyfade, digital, vinyl) Greg Davis has been obsessed with electronic tones for more than 20 years. The Burlington-based composer established himself first in the Chicago area in the late ’90s as a leading light of experimental music. He would go on to work with artists such as Vermont’s Chris Weisman, Akron/Family and Harmonizer’s Toby Aronson.…
Theater Review: ‘Thirst,’ Dorset Playhouse
Behind any given door, someone’s story is taking place. In its world premiere at the Dorset Playhouse, Thirst puts viewers inside a kitchen on an August day in 1912. Playwright Ronán Noone creates three working-class characters making their unsteady way in America. They also happen to be the people who exist offstage in Eugene O’Neill’s…
An Asian American Family Struggles to Keep Their Restaurant Alive During Lockdown in the Stereotype-Busting Doc ‘Bad Axe’
It’s time again for the Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival, now in its eighth year and running from Wednesday, August 24, through Sunday, August 28, at various Middlebury venues. The fest offers a wealth of narrative films and documentaries, features and shorts, not to mention appearances by famous folks such as Maggie Gyllenhaal (discussing both her…
Letters to the Editor (8/24/22)
Even the Dog Loves It Thank you for publishing such a great weekly newspaper! Sorry to hear about your cat [From the Publisher: “Cat Tale,” August 10]. My family wanted you to know that our golden retriever, Willa, really enjoyed reading the annual Animal Issue. Tim, Marcia, Crosby and Lily Waite Richmond Organizing Stories I…
Now Playing in Theaters: August 24-30
new in theaters THE INVITATION: A bereaved young woman (Nathalie Emmanuel) finds romance and terror at the English country estate of her recently rediscovered relatives in this gothic thriller from director Jessica M. Thompson. (104 min, PG-13. Essex, Majestic, Paramount) THREE THOUSAND YEARS OF LONGING: George Miller (Mad Max: Fury Road) directed this modern fable…
Free Will Astrology (8/24/22)
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sep. 22)Whenever you are contemplating a major decision, I hope you raise questions like these: 1) Which option shows the most self-respect? 2) Which path would be the best way to honor yourself? 3) Which choice is most likely to help you fulfill the purposes you came to Earth to carry out? 4)…
I’m 42 Years Old, and I Suffer From Chronic Masturbation
Dear Reverend, I’m 42 years old, and I suffer from chronic masturbation, which started in my teen years. I am married now, but I prefer wanking. Yankee Doodle (male, 42) Dear Yankee Doodle, There aren’t a lot of details to go on here, but as long as you’re doing it in private and not in…
Vermont Officials Release Relaxed COVID-19 Guidance for the School Year
As Vermont students prepare to return to class this month, the state has loosened its school COVID-19 guidance in the belief that protocols can be relaxed without opening the door to widespread virus outbreaks on campus. The focus is on keeping students in class, according to Education Secretary Dan French. “[COVID-19] testing should not be…
At Furchgott Sourdiffe Gallery, ‘Summer’s Light’ Isn’t Just Flowery
If you expect that the works in an exhibit called “Summer’s Light” might be heavy on the florals, you’d be right. But the current show at Furchgott Sourdiffe Gallery in Shelburne is more diverse, with dramatic abstractions, mixed-media works and sculptures that seem utterly impartial to the seasons. The gallery even slips in a few…
Art in the Village Keeps the Vibe Local and Lively in Warren
Color greets you like an enthusiastic hugger at Art in the Village. Red and fuchsia impatiens border the lemon yellow front door, tiny heralds of what’s to come. Inside the shop, a profusion of artworks in all mediums and hues kaleidoscopes your attention. In the middle of it all, proprietor Rita Ioannidis welcomes visitors with…
Page 32: Short Takes on Five Vermont Books
Seven Days writers can’t possibly read, much less review, all the books that arrive in a steady stream by post, email and, in one memorable case, a swarm of biting midges. So this monthly feature is our way of introducing you to a handful of books by Vermont authors. To do that, we contextualize each…
Vermont Symphony Orchestra Seeks Contributors for New DBR Piece
The Black, Haitian American musician-composer-activist Daniel Bernard Roumain, aka DBR, has composed a strikingly democratic piece that will receive its world premiere in Vermont. “Riots and Prayers,” co-commissioned by the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, the University of Vermont Lane Series and the Flynn, will be performed at the VSO’s season-opening concert at the Flynn Main Stage…
Opponents of Wake Boats Seek New Rules, Roiling Lake Communities
A debate over proposed rules for wake boats is stirring the waters of Vermont’s lakes and ponds this summer. Wake boats are large watercraft specially designed to create a rear wave big enough to surf on. Large water tanks serve as ballast, tipping the rear of the boat down and extending the propeller deep into…
Officials Lay the Groundwork for Replacing the Busy Burlington-Winooski Bridge
Crossing the bridge that connects Burlington and Winooski isn’t a pleasant experience for anyone. Squeezed into two narrow travel lanes in each direction, motorists are at risk of sideswipe crashes. Pedestrians must pick their way across a crumbling sidewalk with little buffer from speeding traffic; cyclists have no lane of their own. The deficiencies of…
Grateful Dead: A Shelburne Road Cemetery Is Spruced Up
A traveling troupe of grave rehabbers has resurrected a South Burlington burial ground. The Shelburne Road Cemetery has long been a relic to the dead, counting among its 115 or so inhabitants several War of 1812 veterans. But the weight of time transformed this centuries-old cemetery into something better reserved for horror movies, filled with…
Koffee Kup Bakery’s Founding Family Celebrates Its Legacy With a Doughnut-Making Party
The smells of frying oil and cinnamon flooded my nostrils as I entered a large private garage in Colchester. Smell is said to be the most powerful of the senses, and on that recent Sunday morning, the wafting scent of fried goodness overpowered the bright sunshine and the boisterous chatter of 50 or so people…
An Industry Veteran Finds Her Post-Shift Watering Hole at Warren’s Hostel Tevere
After a long day cooking in a Mad River Valley restaurant kitchen, I crave the social connections I found working in wine bars and restaurants in Los Angeles and Manhattan — not to mention the almost obligatory post-shift drink. Shortly after moving to the valley in late 2021, I noticed a lack of late-night options.…
Lost Lantern Aims to Create New Markets for Small-Scale Whiskey Makers
Nora Ganley-Roper was a wine expert at the storied Astor Wines & Spirits in New York City when she fell in love with whiskey. She had grown up under the tutelage of her wine-appreciating family in Weybridge and honed her expertise in grapes and regions by reading wine textbooks while commuting by bus to a…
Burlington Bagel Bakery Takes Over Bagel Market in Essex
Avery Fersing, who co-owns Burlington Bagel Bakery with her brother, Hayden, and parents, Kyle and Tamara, confirmed that the family has bought the Bagel Market Bakery & Café location at 30 Susie Wilson Road in Essex. They hope to open their new bakery this week after a thorough cleaning, fresh paint and equipment delivery. This…
Cozy Cocktail Bar Au Comptoir Opens in Woodstock
Woodstock has a new place to meet au comptoir — “at the bar.” Zoe Zilian opened the Dutch door of her quaint village cocktail spot at 4 Mechanic Street on August 10. Inspired by Zilian’s travels in Europe, Au Comptoir offers a mix of classic cocktails and seasonal, original recipes featuring fresh-pressed juices and housemade…
Short Staffing Closes the Bearded Frog in Shelburne
The Bearded Frog served its final meals on August 18. The Shelburne restaurant is unlikely to reopen, according to Dickie Austin and Andrea Cousineau, co-operators for the restaurant’s owner, Vergennes Restaurant Group. The two will continue to run the group’s Black Sheep Bistro and Park Squeeze, both in Vergennes. Austin, 43, director of operations, and…
The Magnificent 7: Must See, Must Do, August 24-30
Freestyle Fun Wednesday 24-Saturday 27 Burlington’s Vermont Comedy Club throws an end-of-summer pool party (metaphorically speaking) called Mini-Fest. The four-day celebration of all things improv features an audience-participation jam, a Best in Show competition, the Mothra troupe’s after-dark storytelling hour, and performances by the VCC touring group, the Kingdom Kids, and improv power couple James…
