Jan 12-18, 2011
VT Next-generation Publishers Chart the Future of Local News; Death With Dignity in Vermont; Global Fare Without Chairs
Got Gnomes?
I’m hoping someone out there can clear up a little mystery for me. On Saturday, while I was happily putting my half-price coupon for a mani/pedi at Mirror Mirror to use in downtown Burlington, someone stuck a little lime-green card under the windshield wiper on my car. (It looks yellow here, but whatever.) Spotting it…
Vermont Political Blog Seeks Donations, Plans Expansion
Visitors to the left-leaning blog Green Mountain Daily were greeted with a pop-up window this morning with the opening line: “GMD needs your help.” No, the site’s existence isn’t being threatened or held hostage by some corporate web-hosting service. Instead, GMD is urging its fans to donate money to the five-year-old blog as a way…
Rev. Al Sharpton: ‘You Cannot Limit Justice and the Quest for Freedom’
Rev. Al Sharpton told more than 300 people at Burlington’s Unitarian Universalist church yesterday that the fight for justice that marked the life of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. is far from over. Sharpton called on attendees to honor King’s legacy by continuing the fight for justice and equality and to not just fight battles…
Boloco’s Bad and Good Karma
A welcome twist of fate befell the crew at Burlington burrito joint Boloco today when a man walked in holding the sign that had been stolen from outside the store last February. Will McDunnah was moving into a new sublet apartment when, he says, he found the double-sided sign at the back of a closet.…
The Two Man Gentlemen Band Shows Canceled
Goodness, it’s been a bad week for event cancellations. (See: Carmen Souza.) A late-breaking tweet from Morrisville’s River Arts Center just spread the word that the Two Man Gentlemen Band, which we previewed in this week’s paper, have had to cancel their Vermont tour. According to River Arts’ website, “The Gentlevan blew its transmission in…
Table Talk at the Statehouse
The scene: Wednesday, 3:30 p.m., the Statehouse cafeteria. It had been a momentous afternoon, and now it was time to eat. At one table, Pete Coleman of Vermont Salumi offered curls of capicola. A few feet away, apple pies rubbed shoulders with maple-cured bacon, pasture-raised pork meatballs simmered in sweet maple chili sauce, and green…
Want to Help Pete’s Greens?
***UPDATED 1/14/11*** Following yesterday’s devastating fire at Pete’s Greens in Craftsbury, many readers have wondered how to help the beloved produce purveyor. The Pete’s Greens homepage now features the photo at right, along with links to a page with more information about the fire and to Paypal, where folks can pledge any amount to help…
Criminalizing Comments? Bill Would Make “False and Defamatory” Internet Postings a Crime
Elected officials take a lot of abuse from anonymous commenters who attack them on blogs and news websites. But should “cyberbullying” politicians be a crime? It should if comments cross the line from critical into “false and defamatory,” says Michael Obuchowski (pictured in this old file photo). Obuchowski, a Rockingham Democrat, recently resigned from the…
More on the Pete’s Greens Fire
*** UPDATED BELOW, 1/13/11 *** According to a press release from the state police’s fire investigation unit, the cause of the barn-destroying fire at Pete’s Greens in Craftsbury is undetermined, but not suspicious. This will be of little comfort to farmer Pete Johnson, his staff and Good Eats CSA subscribers, who will likely have to…
Carmen Souza Show Canceled
This week’s calendar section features a spotlight of singer-songwriter Carmen Souza, who was scheduled to perform at Burlington’s FlynnSpace this Friday, January 14. According to a recent announcement on flynntix.org, though, “Carmen Souza’s performance has been cancelled due to visa issues. We are contacting ticket holders and apologize for the cancellation.” Bummer. Well, that makes…
Fire at Pete’s Greens’ Farm
Subscribers to Pete’s Greens’ popular CSA, Good Eats, will have to buy their produce elsewhere for a while. According to an e-mail sent to members this morning by CSA manager Amy Skelton, a fire broke out in a barn at the farm in Craftsbury around 4:20 a.m., just after Pete Johnson and Tim Fishburne had…
News Quirks
Curses, Foiled Again Police responding to a break-in at a home in Campbell, Ohio, found Todd J. Moffie, 34, stuck between two steps on the basement stairs. Detective Sgt. John Rusnak said he doesn’t know why Moffie tried to crawl through the narrow opening since there was plenty of room to walk around the stairs.…
Beauty and the Bank
Book Review: American Plastic: Boob Jobs, Credit Cards, and Our Quest for Perfection by Laurie Essig
Free Will Astrology
ARIES (March 21-April 19): What empire are you building, Aries? What master plan are you in the midst of carrying out? As you gaze out upon your realm, are you content with the way it’s evolving? Judging from the current astrological omens, I’d say it’s an excellent time to ponder questions like those. And if…
![English Country Dance Party [207]](https://i0.wp.com/www.sevendaysvt.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/episode207.webp?resize=400%2C300&ssl=1)
English Country Dance Party [207]
1/7/11: The Burlington Country Dancers host an English Country Dance Party at the Elley-Long Music Center in Colchester. Dancers travel back in time to the age of Jane Austen with the aid of live music by The Flying Romanos.
Letters to the Editor
What’s Wrong With This Picture? Ken Picard’s December 22 story “Art or Exploitation? Local Artist Solicits Stories from Rape Victims for Video Project” was about me and my work. It is based upon a false premise and misquotes me. 1. No survivor who was interviewed by me complained to the WRCC [Women’s Rape Crisis Center].…
Sanders Cites Arizona Shooting in Campaign Fundraising Letter
File this one under WTF? Today, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders issued a campaign fundraising letter citing the recent shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in the opening line. Nope, I’m not kidding. The letter begins: “Given the recent tragedy in Arizona, as well as the start of the new Congress, I wanted to take this opportunity…
Video: Squirrel Stew
The latest Bite Club TV was months in the making. It was almost a year ago that my videographer Elizabeth Rossano first told me that her stepfather, John Mowad, hunted squirrels. As soon as the season kicked in, we were eager to head into Mowad’s super-secret patch of woods. Weather prevented us from making it…
Grinding the Night Away
By now, no doubt, you’ve heard about the grinding flap at South Burlington High School, first reported by the Burlington Free Press last Thursday. In anticipation of that chaperoning nightmare known as the Winter Ball, school officials banned grinding. As a result of the ban, the students revolted, refused to buy tickets to the dance…
Burlington Telecom Continues to Drag Down City’s Bond Rating
In what is becoming a routine event, the credit ratings agency Moody’s has once again downgraded Burlington’s bond ratings due to the fact that city leaders have failed to determine how Burlington Telecom will repay $16.9 million to the city’s checkbook. The credit ratings agency twice downgraded the city last year, along with other city-run…
Auditor Salmon Asked Judge to Weigh Costs of ‘Political and Insincere’ Records Requests
State Auditor Tom Salmon may be disappointed in the recent court ruling by Judge Geoffrey Crawford disallowing public officials to charge fees to produce some records for public inspection. The auditor recently sent an ex parte email urging Judge Crawford to consider the costs imposed on state offices by requesters with “political and insincere” intent…
Judge: State Can’t Charge Union to Inspect Public Records
A Vermont Superior Court judge has ruled that state officials were wrong to charge the Vermont State Employees Association more than $1300 to inspect public records. Washington Superior Court Judge Geoffrey Crawford issued the Friday ruling. The VSEA — the union that represents state workers — praised Crawford’s ruling. “This decision affirms the fundamental right…
Dancing with the Star: Peter Shumlin
In last Thursday’s NOW email, I suggested that Friday’s inaugural ball might call for a pair of glass slippers. I was just kidding — though it would have been doable, thanks to the heated walkways at Sugarbush. More modest footwear didn’t put off the “prince”, though, who was in a dancing mood. Governor Peter Shumlin, the…
Welch: Giffords is ‘Persistent and Effective’
Vermont’s Rep. Peter Welch, who counts Rep. Gabrielle Giffords as one of his closest friends in the House, said the congresswoman’s “kindness and graciousness knows no bounds.” Welch issued a brief statement In the wake of today’s shooting in Arizona. The shooting reportedly left five people dead and another five wounded. Giffords was allegedly shot…
Back to Basics
Okay, I admit it: I’m totally buying into the whole “new year’s resolution” thing. I’m hitting that imaginary reset button and pledging to choose the turkey burger over the cheeseburger, turning the computer off at midnight to ensure a good night’s sleep, etc. When you think about it, most resolutions are simple reminders to get…
Welch Makes Impassioned Plea to Preserve Health Care Reform in DC
In a passionate seven-and-a-half minute plea to colleagues on the House Rules Committee, Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT) asked the new Republican leadership to allow up-or-down votes on key aspects of the sweeping health care reform. Welch is spearheading a campaign to allow the new Congress to vote on individual aspects of health care reform measures,…
Tampon Shortage Signals End Times?
At 8:20 this morning, I received a frantic call from a reader. “I know it’s early,” she said,” but I wanted to tell you there’s an o.b tampon shortage.” Wait. What?! She went on. “First, I went to the Rite Aid. They didn’t have them. Then I went to the Hannaford’s, and they didn’t have…
After Running Out of Appeals, a Burlington Renter Reluctantly Moves Out
A father and his young daughter moved out of a ramshackle Burlington apartment Wednesday, and a landlord-tenant dispute that has dragged on for years — even reaching the Vermont Supreme Court — finally came to a close. The saga began in 2005, when Kevin Corcoran (pictured) and his 10-year-old daughter Rebecca rented a two-bedroom apartment…
Free Will Astrology
Here’s the weekly astrological forecast for Jan. 5 – 11, 2011. What’s your sign, baby? They’re all here… ARIES (March 21-April 19): “A man may fulfill the object of his existence by asking a question he cannot answer, and attempting a task he cannot achieve,” mused 19th-century author Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. Advice that wild…
Christmas Prezzie Post-Mortem
If Christmas is your gift-giving holiday of choice and you’re anything like me, your December 25 went a little something like this: after staying up late watching episodes of Tabatha’s Salon Takeover on Hulu while jamming festively decorated cookies down your maw, you awaken at noon, ready to tear into some prezzies. As you prepare…
Dubie and Former Campaign Manager Settle Lawsuit
A Vermont businessman has dropped a lawsuit against Republican Brian Dubie and his campaign manager Corry Bliss after the pair wrote letters of apology for statements made during the heat of the gubernatorial campaign. David Blittersdorf, who founded NRG Systems and AllEarth Renewables, filed a lawsuit in the waning days of the 2010 election, alleging…
Shannon Faces Challenge in Ward 5 Democratic Caucus
** updated ** ** updated #2 ** Incumbent Burlington City Councilor Joan Shannon, a Democrat, will face a challenge Thursday night for her Ward 5 seat at the district’s Democratic caucus. The challenger? Former Progressive City Councilor and state legislator Carina Driscoll. This time around, however, Driscoll is running as a Democrat and says she…
WTF UPDATE: How did Burlington’s Iranistan Road Get Its Name?
In late 2010, while my fellow Seven Days staff writers were busily poring over their stories from earlier in the year in search of possible updates for our annual year-end wrap-up, I was digging into Burlington’s more remote past — the late 19th and early 20th centuries, to be exact. My mission: to ferret out…
