Jun 1-7, 2022
After Four Years of Turmoil and Transition, the Flynn Enters a New Era; Legal Worries Prompt a Randolph School to Remove a Black Lives Matter Flag; Seven Can’t-Miss Shows at the Burlington Discover Jazz Festival
Cover Story
After Four Years of Turmoil and Transition, the Flynn Enters a New Era
This story was updated at 2:19 p.m. on June 2, 2022. The press conference for the 2022 Burlington Discover Jazz Festival opened on a late April afternoon in City Hall Park. Framed by budding trees, local arts administrators, sponsors and city officials offered earnest remarks and corny jokes. A local high school jazz band played…
Clean: ‘Learning From Others’ (6/6/22)
The sounds of cascading piano flourishes and syncopated bass lines overwhelmed my senses as I stood in front of a massive set of speakers. I was three years sober, and I was in the middle of a long and intense recording session at a music studio in East Arlington. I had been called in to…
In Memoriam: Mary Ann Athanas, 1952-2021
In Loving Memory of Mary Ann Athanas, February 1, 1952- June 12, 2021 Now run along home and jump into bed, Say your prayers and cover your head. This very same thing I say unto you, You dream of me and I’ll dream of you. The Teahouse of the August Moon
Obituary: Anna Elizabeth MacWilliams Neville, 1924-2022
Beloved and tireless Navy volunteer, children’s advocate, educator, gardener and parent cultivated relationships around the world
Obituary: Jody (Utton) Burns, 1970-2022
Vermont-born woman had an impressive nursing career and two children who were her greatest accomplishments
Misery Loves Co. to Add Second Winooski Restaurant
The Misery Loves Co. team will open a second Winooski food and drink establishment later this summer, said Laura Wade, who co-owns the restaurant with her husband, chef Aaron Josinsky. “We’re going to be opening an evening concept and keeping Misery as the day concept,” she said, noting that details are still in the planning…
Legal Worries Prompt a Randolph School to Take Down a Black Lives Matter Flag
The Black Lives Matter flag flew in front of Randolph Union High School for three years, but an administrator abruptly had it taken down last month over legal concerns. On May 2, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Boston had discriminated when it refused to raise the banner of a Christian group on a city…
Colchester Lister’s Record of Notice
We hereby certify that the Notices to Taxpayers of the time and place of holding the Grievance Meeting for 2022 and in the form as set forth on the opposite page were signed by us this day duly posted in the Town Clerk’s Office and in four other public places in said Town of Colchester…
Parades and Pups: Memorial Day With Democratic Rivals for Vermont’s U.S. House Seat
Becca Balint zipped up and down the sidelines of Middlebury’s Memorial Day parade, pausing every few feet to commune with spectators. “I love that dress!” she said to a girl in a blue-and-red gingham frock. “Did you get it special for today?” The girl’s mother replied that the dress was a hand-me-down. “A hand-me-down! I…
Town of Richmond Development Review Board Agenda
June, 8, 2022 at 7:00 PM Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81115438175?pwd=K1JOVjhRNWJlNkVOSTBMWnZWbitxZz09 Meeting ID: 811 15438175 Passcode: 376237 Call-in: +19292056099 US (New York) Application materials may be view at http://www.richmondvt.gov/boards-minutes/development- review-board/ one week before the meeting. Please call Tyler Machia, Zoning Administrator, at 802-434-2420 or email tmachia@richmondvt.gov with any questions. Public Hearing CU2022-05 J Hutchins INC Parcel…
In ‘Living Color,’ Bonnie Acker’s Paintings Offer Solace
Standing in a gallery surrounded by paintings by Bonnie Acker is highly recommended. You may find you want nothing more than to lay on the floor and soak it all in. “It,” in this case, is a roomful of natural beauty — floral and landscape paintings that gently invite you to breathe and calm the…
My Partner Is Really Loud When We Have Sex
Dear Reverend, My current partner is really loud when we have sex. I don’t mind it all that much, but sometimes I feel like she’s overacting. Also, my roommate has started referring to her as “the Screamer,” and it’s rather embarrassing. I want her to tone it down, but I’m not sure how to bring…
‘The Girl From Plainville’ Shows How True Crime Dramas Are Evolving
Is an obsession with true crime ruining our society? I see this claim regularly, often paired with the observation that streaming services are creating more and more drama series based on lurid stories of wrongdoing. “What happened to original fiction?” these commentators ask. Why are stars such as Renée Zellweger (“The Thing About Pam”) and…
Seven Shows Not to Miss at the Burlington Discover Jazz Festival
The 2022 Burlington Discover Jazz Festival has a different vibe from that of past years. The annual 10-day celebration of jazz in the Green Mountains kicks off this Friday, June 3. It’s guest curated by musician Michael Mwenso, along with his Electric Root creative partner, Jono Gasparro. Together, the two strive to make the festival…
Now Playing in Theaters: June1-7
new in theaters CRIMES OF THE FUTURE: David Cronenberg returns with a new body horror film in which Viggo Mortensen and Léa Seydoux play performance artists who regale audiences with new mutations of the human body. With Kristen Stewart. (107 min, R. Roxy, Savoy) FREAKSCENE: THE STORY OF DINOSAUR JR.: Philipp Virus directed this documentary…
Soundbites: Hometown Jazz Fest Heroes and New Music From Community of Sound
There used to be an unofficial Soundbites tradition in which the music editors rarely, if ever, discussed the behemoth that is the Burlington Discover Jazz Festival in the column those weeks. The thought was, Hey, the fest is all over the rest of the paper. Let’s give those not as psyched by the jazz takeover…
Clover Koval, ‘Me and the Animals’
(Self-released, digital) Of all the Vermont-based acts to perform at this year’s Waking Windows music and arts festival, Clover Koval was among my top picks. I’d never seen her play, but I remembered digging her 2019 EP, Spatial Awareness, and was eager to put a face to the voice on the record. But then I…
Junes, ‘Nothing Feels Right’
(Self-released, CD) I’m a strong believer in spirit ages. Your spirit age is how old you feel, not how old you are according to the calendar. I think this is important information to know about others, and I highly recommend asking your loved ones about their spirit age. Mine is 17. As a 17-year-old, spiritually…
From the Publisher: Critical Coverage
I have a special relationship with the Flynn — my first postcollege employer and the subject of this week’s cover story. When I first stepped inside the Burlington building’s art deco lobby, in 1983, a small group of people was hard at work, transforming the former vaudeville movie house into a first-rate performing arts center.…
Northeast Kingdom Weaver Handcrafts Jewish Prayer Shawls
How did a Vermonter who grew up atheist come to weave Jewish prayer shawls sold to customers as far away as San Francisco, Denmark and Australia? The multifaceted answer includes falling in love with an observant Jew, said weaver Nelly Wolf, owner of Black Cat Judaica. On a recent afternoon, Wolf, 29, chatted with Seven…
Letters to the Editor (6/1/22)
‘Coeds,’ Really? Last week’s “Gowntown Development” article was excellent. But “coeds”? Really? That term was offensive when coined and remains so. Just say “students.” Eloise Boyle Lake Forest Park, WA Good for Gray I read with interest Sasha Goldstein’s piece regarding campaign finance in Vermont’s hotly contested election for the open seat in the U.S.…
The Summer Seasons of Vermont’s Two Opera Companies Are All About Edgy Updates
This year, Vermont’s two opera companies, Barn Opera in Brandon and the Opera Company of Middlebury, offer summer seasons that diverge in just about every way — except in their impresarios’ shared goal to get people to love opera. Under the artistic direction of founder Doug Anderson, OCM, now in its 19th season, will present…
Shakesqueer Vermont’s ‘Romeo & Juliet’ Plays with Gender and Sexuality
The Plainfield Friends Meeting house buzzed with activity as the cast and crew of Shakesqueer Vermont’s production of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet arrived for an evening rehearsal. Outside the building, cast members drilled fight choreography on an old stone wall beside the Winooski River, surrounded by trees and a sea of violets and forget-me-nots.…
Families and Self-Advocates to Share Experiences at a Vermont Family Network Storytelling Event
Bidur Rai spends his days knocking on doors, checking to see if someone on the other side might need his help. He’s a family support consultant for the Vermont Family Network, an organization that supports children, youth and families, especially those with disabilities or health needs. Rai works primarily with non-English speakers, translating at medical…
Free Will Astrology (6/1/22)
GEMINI (May 21-Jun. 20) A blogger named Sweetlikeacherry reminds us, “Some epiphanies are only possible when you put away your phone and go completely offline for a while.” She adds that sometimes you also need to at least partially avoid your phone and the internet if you hope to incubate new visions of the future…
A New Bridge Marks a Milestone for the Cross Vermont Trail
We were rolling on a lovely spring day, riding our bikes eastward on Stone Cutter’s Way from downtown Montpelier. Railroad tracks were to our left as we continued past the Central Vermont Memorial Civic Center, then bore right on an old railbed that leads to the hydroelectric dam. The Winooski River rushed downstream away from…
First Bite: Sampling bramble’s Wood-Fired Fare at the Essex Experience
The first big, juicy tomato of the summer is the headliner of Vermont’s local produce season. But for me, the real delights are the opening acts — the rhubarb, radishes, asparagus, peas and spring greens filling our plates right now. They get the party started after a long winter, before the more brazen summer vegetables…
Age of Asparagus: Planting for the Future as a Link to the Past
When I was growing up, asparagus meant one thing: must be May. Once the tender green shoots started popping through the soil, they were on the plate at every meal for a month — roasted, grilled, sautéed, chopped into a casserole, shaved in a salad, pickled or puréed. My late parents were both teachers, and…
New My Little Cupcake Owners Keep Baking While Seeking Retail Spot
In March, My Little Cupcake founder Michelle Trudell announced that she would close her business at the end of April. Since then, there’s been a change of plans: Trudell recently confirmed that she has sold the business to two longtime employees for an undisclosed amount. The new co-owners, Matt Labare and Madison Russett, will continue…
Burlington Church Congregants Cook to Benefit Their Southeast Asian Homeland
Last year, when the First Baptist Church on St. Paul Street in Burlington held a takeout meal fundraiser, the options were either Italian-style spaghetti or Burmese-style noodles. The latter were prepared mostly by cooks from the congregation’s roughly 40 families with roots in Myanmar, the Southeast Asian country also called Burma. Of the 120 meals…
The Magnificent 7: Must See, Must Do, June 1-7
Good Taste Thursday 2 Music on the Farm, the delectable summer concert collaboration between BarnArts and Feast & Field Market, is back and serving up farm-fresh foods alongside fabulous tunes. This week, traditional Scottish harpist Rachel Clemente serenades attendees as they eat, drink and make merry on the grounds of Fable Farm Fermentory in Barnard.…
Buckle Up: Vermont’s Robust August Primary Contests Take Shape
This story was updated on June 2, 2022. The cast of characters planning to run for state office began firming up last week as election officials pored over the last-minute deluge of petitions filed by candidates seeking slots on the August 9 primary ballot. This year’s huge number of retirements from public office — federal,…
New LGBTQ Community Center to Open in Barre
The city of Barre was a lot different when Kris Hunt attended Spaulding High School about 15 years ago. Back then, many LGBTQ people weren’t open about their identities. “There was a lot of negativity around it,” said Hunt, who is a transgender man. But Hunt, who works as a bike mechanic at Vermont Bicycle…
