

Cover Story
Guarded Secrets: Claims of Sexual Misconduct, Drug Use Plague a Vermont Prison for Women
As an officer at the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility, Daniel Zorzi’s job has been to guard and protect the 140 women incarcerated at the South…
She’s Got an Open Relationship, but I’m Falling in Love
Dear Reverend, On our second date, this woman told me that she had a boyfriend, but they had an open relationship or were polyamorous. I…
How Vermont Game Wardens Netted an Alleged Salmon Poacher
Five law enforcement agents surrounded a split-level ranch in Winooski at 1:19 p.m. on November 8. Protected by bulletproof vests and Glock semiautomatic pistols, they…
Vermont Poet Laureate Mary Ruefle Is Unplugged
Mary Ruefle, who became Vermont’s ninth poet laureate in October, does not own a computer. The contact page of her website features a graphic of…
Rob Hitzig’s Bumper Stickers Aim to Open Minds
Montpelier artist Rob Hitzig has been making bumper stickers since 2013. Not the kind that announce a motorist’s preference for president, that there’s a “baby…
‘Mount Island’ Launches Prize for Rural Poets of Color
Brattleboro-based Mount Island, founded by Desmond Peeples, is a literary magazine devoted to the voices of rural LGBTQ and people of color. This week, the…
Church Street Accidentally Plays Holiday Music All Night
Leah Gimbutas is already sick of Christmas music. That’s because Gimbutas, who lives on Burlington’s Church Street Marketplace, got an all-night holiday serenade back on…
A New American Finds Purpose, and ‘Family,’ in Caregiving
After 12 years in caregiving, Malinga Mukunda still works long days. The Burlington resident starts most mornings at Community Health Centers, where she acts as…
Despite Discrepancies, St. Albans Officials Stand by Police Chief
Faced with contradictory narratives about when their police chief learned that one of his officers had punched a handcuffed woman in the face in March,…
Free Will Astrology (12/4/19)
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): “My greatest asset is that I am constantly changing,” says Sagittarian actress and activist Jane Fonda. This description may not always…
Art Review: ‘Color Fields: 1960s Bennington Modernism’
When Jamie Franklin became curator of the Bennington Museum in 2005, he started connecting with artists’ estates and living artists linked to Bennington College’s midcentury…
Banjo Virtuoso Béla Fleck Reflects on 30 Years With the Flecktones
Before Béla Fleck came along, the banjo was mostly relegated to the world of roots music. But the New York City-born banjo virtuoso changed the…
New Steinway Showroom Opens in North Ferrisburgh
A roomful of pianos takes up an inordinate amount of oxygen. Not literally — although pianos do tend to be picky about humidity and altitude…
Essay: A Profligate Shopper’s Christmas ‘Carol’
Hello, old friend. It’s been a long time since you groped around in my corner of the winter clothes crate. I know you were hoping…
Sarah King and the Guilty Henchmen, ‘What Happened Last Night’
(Self-released, CD, digital) Sarah King is relatively new to the Vermont music scene, but the Addison-based singer-songwriter is far from some fresh-faced neophyte. Originally from…
Why Are Travelers to Canada Asked to ‘Declare’ Cannabis Products?
Drivers heading north from Vermont into Canada may have noticed that, just as they’re about to cross the international border, signs in English and French…
Jennings & McComber, ‘Will You Leave the Light On?’
(Thunder Ridge Records, CD, digital) Orange County’s Jennings & McComber specialize in what Guy Clark called “that old-time feeling.” The folk duo’s moniker actually comes…
Little Help: Low Pay, Tough Work and Turnover Bedevil Vermont’s Eldercare Workforce
Like many Vermont eldercare homes, EastView at Middlebury was struggling to keep enough ’round-the-clock staff in early 2015. The nonprofit’s 34 elderly residents were falling…
Soundbites: Yes Darling’s Theatrical Debut
Honey, I’m Home Nearly two years after releasing their debut, self-titled album, Yes Darling return bigger and better than ever. On Saturday, December 7, the…
Noah Baumbach Doesn’t Have Much New to Say About Broken Bonds in ‘Marriage Story’
When was the last time a couple directed dueling Best Picture contenders? James Cameron and Kathryn Bigelow went head-to-head at the Oscars in 2010 with…
Letters to the Editor (12/4/19)
Talking Tech Thanks to Kevin McCallum for bringing to light challenges we are having in the tech sector [“Hire Anxiety,” November 6]. As a tech…
Everyone Has ‘Knives Out’ in Rian Johnson’s Razor-Sharp Tribute to Classic Murder Mystery
In the 1970s, Hollywood periodically took refuge from politics and “serious” subjects in drawing-room-style mysteries. Movies like Murder by Death and The Last of Sheila…
Teaching Christmas Breads at Brot Bakehouse School & Kitchen
A pair of centuries-old European Christmas baking traditions waltzed gracefully with each other around a Fairfax bakery on a chilly November Sunday. Evocative and festive…
Chef Joey Buttendorf Energizes Community Kitchen Academy
Chef Joey Buttendorf Position: Senior chef instructor Location: Community Kitchen Academy at Capstone Community Action, Barre Age: 49 Cuisine type: Contemporary global, or “everything!” Education:…
Jeff’s Maine Seafood Expands to Stowe
A restaurant that was established a generation ago in St. Albans will launch a second location this month in Stowe when Jeff’s at Stowe opens…
The Clothier Speakeasy Opens in St. Albans
The 1920s were the era of the speakeasy. In St. Albans, it looks like the 2020s will be, too. The Clothier is a new cocktail…
UVM, Norwich Receive $250K Grant to Strengthen Regional Food Systems
The University of Vermont, Norwich University, Sodexo and their affiliated partners will receive a $250,000 grant designed to strengthen regional food systems by putting more…






