Dec 8-14, 2021
Why Independent Physicians Are Disappearing From Vermont; Canaan’s Busy Past Comes to Life in a Stash of Century-Old Photo Negatives; Five Meals That Will Take You Around the World for Less Than $15
Cover Story
The Doctor Is Out: Why Independent Physicians Are Disappearing From Vermont
As a physician in private practice, Dr. Laura Norris decides for herself how many patients to see each day. She often schedules 30- and 60-minute appointments even though a jam-packed schedule would bring in more money, because she believes that having time to ask patients about their kids, jobs and even their summer crop yield…
Obituary: Dr. John Carl Langfeldt, 1944-2021
Navy veteran, dentist and loving patriarch was full of wit and laughter
Obituary: Elaine Segal, 1951-2021
Teacher, performing artist and NPR commentator was boundlessly creative
Clean: ‘Ask and You Shall Receive’
The sounds of shuffling feet and hissing milk steamers rattled my eardrums as I walked through the front entrance of a crowded coffeehouse. I was three years sober, and I had just gotten a new job as a writer for a magazine. I was scheduled to meet with a local filmmaker to interview him about his newest project, and I had arrived half an hour ahead of…
Obituary: Linda Henzel, 1950-2021
Involved community member made contributions in dance, theater, conservation and preservation
Obituary: Irene Julia Blanchard, 1934-2021
Scholar, humanitarian and enthusiastic traveler was a pioneer in women’s studies
In Memoriam: Alice Murdoch, 1944-2020
Bold, beautiful, passionate about life, family, friends and her art. Her death a year ago is still incomprehensible and her loss palpable. We miss her terribly. In lieu of a memorial service there will be a retrospective show of her art in celebration and in her honor at the RCK Gallery in Stuart, Fla., on…
Obituary: Roger Dorwart, 1936-2021
Burlington man known as a generous and skilled neighbor cofounded Knight Consulting Engineers
Obituary: Thomas Harris Astore, 1961-2021
Avid golfer and lover of humanities realized his lifelong dream of becoming a community theater actor and playwright.
I’m Attracted to Men Physically, But Not Romantically. Am I Gay?
Dear Reverend, I’m not attracted to blokes one bit. But I love a nice cock — so much so that I do let guys fuck me, and I don’t mind sucking them off. But no way would I kiss a guy. Am I gay? Doodle Doo (male, 35) Dear Doodle Doo, Every year on Saint…
From the Publisher: Stay a While
Need some life hacks to get you through pandemic winter No. 2? Our Staytripper supplement this week recommends embracing the cold season. In the story headlined “Wintervention,” eight Vermonters share their survival strategies, from staying in a tiny Hardwick tree house to joining in the Abenaki Snow Snake Games. Take it from me, a California…
Why Are There New Sensors on Burlington Parking Meters?
Anyone who’s visited downtown Burlington on a busy afternoon or evening knows the frustration of trying to find a convenient parking space. Many employ the George Costanza method: First, look for the dream spot right in front of the destination, then loop around in concentric circles. That can work, but it often yields diminishing returns,…
AO Glass Creates Handblown Globes for Renowned Artist Maya Lin
More than 15,000 handblown glass globes made in Burlington are featured in a sculpture designed by internationally acclaimed artist and architect Maya Lin. Her towering piece, titled “Decoding the Tree of Life,” stands 40 feet tall in the atrium of a new hospital building in Philadelphia. The $1.6 billion, 17-story Pavilion at the Hospital of…
A Surprise Party Celebrates a Montpelier Postal Worker’s Retirement After 30 Years
Hand-painted signs and bunches of balloons adorned downtown Montpelier businesses on November 30. The decorations honored Rita Glück, a mail carrier who was retiring that day. Glück, who started working at the Montpelier Post Office in 1991, hadn’t told many people about her retirement, but her partner, Julia Chafets, put a notice on Front Porch…
Vermont Artisans Bust Out Their Wares at Burlington City Arts’ Outdoor Holiday Market
Holiday shopping can take a toll on the mind and soul. The brazen consumerism and high-key frenzies of Black Friday, Splurge Sunday and Cyber Monday (OK, the middle one is made up) can take the joy out of generosity. Burlington City Arts’ Holiday Artist Market might be the antidote for seasonal shoppers weary of the…
Soundbites: Father Figuer’s New Look and New Album; Waking Windows Sets the Date
I’ve always been obsessed with sophomore albums. Is there a better yardstick for whether or not a band has it? Debut records can be hot messes; artists are almost always broke when they make their first record (unless you’re the Strokes or Lana Del Rey), so they usually cut the albums in a few days…
Free Will Astrology (12/8/21)
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) A fashion company called Tibi sells a silver minidress that features thousands of sequins. It’s also available in gold. I wonder if the designers were inspired by poet Mark Doty’s line: “No such thing, the queen said, as too many sequins.” In my astrological estimation, the coming weeks will be a…
Letters to the Editor (12/8/21)
Time Check Thank you for your article on Memorial Auditorium [“Memorial Days,” December 1] and for including a photo of the late Frank Zappa. Unfortunately, the photo is captioned as 1989. Zappa’s final tour was in 1988; he played Memorial Auditorium on March 12 that year. Alan Pierce Duxbury Drunken Mayor? The piece on Memorial…
The Climate Council Doesn’t Want Its Plan to Burden Vermonters. Did it Deliver?
When Jared Duval was a kid, he and his mother lived in an uninsulated apartment above a garage in the Upper Valley. His mother eked out a living as a waitress, so on even the coldest winter days, they used the wall-mounted propane heater sparingly to save money. “At night we’d set the thermostat just…
Six Quick-Hit Reviews of Local Albums
Your friendly neighborhood music editor is sinking in album submissions like a hapless jungle explorer, clawing to escape the quicksand. Long story short, Vermont musicians have been busy this year. It’s almost like they were forced to stay inside with their instruments or something. Anyway, here are six Vermont records that might have slipped under…
State Scrutinizes Investors’ Bid to Take Over Five Vermont Nursing Homes
Vermont officials appear skeptical of an application from a group of New York men who want to buy five of the state’s largest nursing homes. During a hearing last Thursday, Human Services Secretary Mike Smith and agency staff pressed the owners of Priority Healthcare Group on deficient care and short staffing at their existing homes,…
Jane Campion’s ‘The Power of the Dog’ Explores Stark Exterior and Interior Landscapes
Nearly 30 years ago, writer-director Jane Campion won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival for The Piano. Now the writer-director brings us a new period drama in a similarly harsh setting. The Power of the Dog, which earned Campion the Silver Lion at the 2021 Venice International Film Festival, was filmed in the…
Now Playing in Theaters: December 8-14
new in theaters BEING THE RICARDOS: Aaron Sorkin wrote and directed this dishy drama about midcentury pop culture power couple Lucille Ball (Nicole Kidman) and Desi Arnaz (Javier Bardem). With J.K. Simmons and Nina Arianda. (125 min, R. Essex, Savoy) BENEDETTA: Two nuns fall in love in 17th-century Italy in this drama from Paul Verhoeven…
A Shelburne Entrepreneur Takes Some of the Waste Out of Gift Giving
A sheet of Shiki Wrap feels like high-tech workout gear. It’s smooth and silky, with ample stretch. But it’s designed for giving gifts, not scaling cliffs. Made mostly from recycled plastic fibers, Shiki Wrap is the eco-minded giver’s answer to nonrecyclable paper and ribbon. The square sheets of fabric come in various sizes and are…
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 sloth of black bears. So this monthly feature is our way of introducing you to a handful of books by Vermont authors. To do that, we contextualize each…
As Opioid Deaths Surge, Advocates Push for Overdose-Prevention Site in Burlington
Melissa Bronson had just started a load of wash at King Street Laundry in Burlington one day in September when she saw a man fall down, unconscious. Bronson, who works as a personal care assistant, realized he was overdosing and called 911. By the time emergency responders arrived, Bronson feared the man had died. “I…
Canaan’s Busy Past Comes to Life in a Stash of Century-Old Photo Negatives
Dennis Fuller was raised in Canaan, a Connecticut River town located at the meeting place of New Hampshire, Vermont and Québec, and he’s always been interested in his hometown. But not until he started looking closely at hundreds of old glass-plate photo negatives did Fuller discover that liquor smugglers used to send riderless horses through…
Five Meals That Will Take You Around the World for Less Than $15
Who knows what “normal” is at this point? But we’ve still got to eat — and we still feel the urge to treat ourselves to an occasional night off from cooking. Since it started in 2016, our “Dining on a Dime” online column has covered more than 100 meals that cost $12 or less. Recently,…
My Favorite Things Food Truck Lands Permanent Indoor Spot
After two years on the road, food truck My Favorite Things has landed permanent digs upstairs at 158 Main Street in its hometown of Jeffersonville. “This was definitely the goal for us,” chef-owner Lea Ann Macrery said. “It happened sooner than we expected.” Macrery grew up in South Africa and Malawi and worked for a…
The Magnificent 7: Must See, Must Do, December 8 to 14
Nollaig Chridheil! Saturday 11 It’s a proper Nova Scotian noel when the Barre Opera House presents A Còig Christmas, featuring Celtic carols from one of Canada’s favorite fiery folk bands. Flying fiddle bows and breakneck banjo strumming yield fresh takes on traditional holiday tunes, such as “Carol of the Celts,” “In the Bleak Midwinter” and…
