Mar 20-26, 2019
How Casella Waste Systems Converted Garbage Into an Empire; Vermont Students Grade Lawmakers’ Anti-Vaping Efforts; Plans Move Forward on Museum Devoted to History of Opiate Abuse
Cover Story
Two Men’s Trash: How Casella Waste Systems Converted Garbage Into a Sprawling Empire
A black-and-white photo of John and Doug Casella in the entryway of Casella Waste Systems headquarters in Rutland projects an appealing image. The brothers, with…
Seriously: House Renters — Burlington, VT
In this episode, Bryan searches for an apartment to rent in Burlington.
A Writer Goes Without, and Within, on a ‘Detox’ Cleanse
I’m a skeptic in most areas, but perhaps especially when it comes to detoxification cleanses, in which people purposely go for varying periods of time…
Album Review: Thai BlueJeans Salesman, ‘One Thousand Miles of Mud’
(Self-released, digital download) It’s been almost three years since we’ve heard from Thai BlueJeans Salesman, the psychedelic-folk project of Poultney-based musician Tim Halteman. His 2016…
Movie Review: Dance and Death Merge in Gaspar Noé’s Visually Stunning ‘Climax’
Do you like your dance laced with a bit of homicide? Is Black Swan your jam? Do you wish that the sinister ballet in The…
I’m Almost 20, Single and Still a Virgin—Help!
Dear Reverend, I’m 19 years old, almost 20, and I’ve always been single, and I’m still a virgin. I have friends that are girls, but…
Castleton Adds Cannabis Program to Vermont’s Higher Ed Scene
One sector of Vermont’s “higher” education scene is growing. Beginning this summer, Castleton University will offer a 12-credit cannabis certificate program. Students must take three…
Up in Smoke: Students Grade Lawmakers’ Anti-Vaping Efforts
High school students commonly excuse themselves from class to use the bathroom, then use the trip to take furtive hits of nicotine-laced vapor from e-cigarettes….
A Singer Talks Opera to Fans of the Met Live in HD
It’s fine to experience opera without preparation — Julia Roberts did it in Pretty Woman and was moved to tears — but a little insight…
Movie Review: Dull Thriller ‘The Wedding Guest’ Doesn’t Deserve an Invite
Dev Patel clearly got Daniel Craig’s mail by mistake. Or Idris Elba’s. Maybe Jet Li’s. There’s no regulation requiring every member of the Screen Actors…
Hackie: Meet Your Heroes
Travis Kennedy was a burly man: 6-foot-3 if he was an inch, and probably 230 pounds. He was handsome, too, with a mop of curly,…
Foam Brewers Celebrate Expansion With an Evanescent Mural Project
An eagle-eyed imbiber of Foam Brewers beer might notice a sly message on each of its 16-ounce cans: “Time Kills Art.” In the case of…
Eat This Week, March 20 to 26, 2019: Live From the Factory
This weekend, more than 100 sugarhouses statewide will open their doors to visitors for sweet, old-fashioned treats, including pancake breakfasts, sugar on snow and maple…
Welcome Wagon: Vermont Pays Up as Internet Migrants Settle In
When Amelia Potasznik-Kriv and her wife, Caitlin, made up their minds last year to get the hell out of Dallas, they began their search exactly…
Letters to the Editor (3/20/19)
Brave New World of Farming [Re “Milking It,” March 13]: My congratulations to Chelsea Edgar for her fine article on the intense collaboration of the…
Soundbites: Brian Wilson to Perform at Burlington Discover Jazz Festival
All Smiles Holy. Shit. In case you missed it, the Burlington Discover Jazz Festival, along with Higher Ground Presents, recently unveiled the artist closing out…
Rosy Relations: Scott, Legislature Getting Along Fine — So Far
Republican Gov. Phil Scott surprised many last week when he told WCAX-TV’s Neal Goswami that he wouldn’t go to the wall to stop any increase…
An Enosburg Falls Museum Will Explore 19th-Century Roots of Opioid Crisis
An unlikely addition to the retail landscape sits sandwiched between Kohl’s department store and Maurices women’s clothing at the south end of University Mall in…
At the Green Mountain Film Festival, New Music for Silent Classics
A great film score can transform a movie. Just consider John Williams’ triumphant opening fanfare for Star Wars or his dread-inducing string work on Jaws,…
Princess Explore the Divine Feminine Through Their Multimedia Sci-fi Rock Opera
The science fiction genre lends itself to examining societal flaws and social issues — and how we might go about changing them if we only…
Free Will Astrology (3/20/19)
ARIES (March 21-April 19): During the coming weeks, everything that needs to happen will indeed happen only if you surprise yourself on a regular basis….
UVM’s Dance Program Celebrates a New Major and a New Sprung Floor
Five students in a dance rehearsal simultaneously reached their arms wide and twisted their torsos like synchronized miniature windmills. Moments later, they walked in angled…
You’ve Got Hate Mail: Are This Man’s Awful Screeds Protected Speech?
Christopher Hayden barraged a Burlington city councilor with messages to “go back to Senegal” and “watch your step.” He walked into Burlington City Hall and…
Ava’s Candy Store Brings Sweets to White River Junction
When your woodworking shop runs out of inventory, open a candy store. That’s basically the story behind Ava’s Candy Corner, which opened for regular business…
Art Review: “Pangs: Ali Palin, Misoo and Susan Smereka” at New City Galerie
Joseph Pensak, who founded and directs New City Galerie, doesn’t always curate its fascinating shows, but he did create the current one, “Pangs.” In it,…
In Burlington’s South End, Two Side-by-Side Salons Share ‘Head’ Space
Commercial development in Burlington’s South End is a study in consumer choice. If you like pizza with your beer, walk the west side of Pine…
Album Review: D. Davis, ‘Hopeful’
(Self-released, CD, digital) D. Davis is an unassuming fellow. Modest almost to a fault, he’s the kind of guy who doesn’t stand out in a…
Hotel Bar the Copper Grouse Welcomes Drinkers and Diners in Manchester
About halfway through my late Saturday lunch a few weeks ago at the Copper Grouse in Manchester, the host asked if I’d mind scooting down…
Lion Turtle Tea to Open on Burlington’s King Street This Summer
From biker bar to teahouse. No, it’s not the name of a new sitcom. It’s the trajectory of the storefront at 41 King Street in…
