White smoke has risen in the Vatican’s chimney, which means there’s a new issue of Seven Days. Or maybe they’re just burning their copies. Here’s this week’s lineup of news and politics stories.
- How do new Americans put down roots in the Burlington area? Some immigrants are transitioning from being renters to homeowners — and landlords.
- Foreclosures are down in most parts of the country, but Vermont saw 33 percent more last year. Officials say Vermont banks are still less likely to foreclose on homeowners than national banks, though.
- Two of Burlington’s most influential real estate developers are going their separate ways. It’s like when the Beatles broke up.
- In news from other strains of Christianity, the Episcopal Diocese of Vermont could pocket millions if it sells the Rock Point property in Burlington. But the Diocese is, for now, resisting the temptation.
- This week is the Real Estate issue, so we traveled around Vermont (and Plattsburgh) to see what you can rent for $1200 a month. Or, if you’re in the market to buy, how about one of these multimillion-dollar homes in Stowe?
- This week in Fair Game: Sen. Bernie Sanders stays relentlessly on message.
Grab your copy of Seven Days on newsstands and on our iPad/iPhone app.


Re: the Fair Game piece about Bernie:
You report him as essentially dodging gun control questions, explaining: “That could be because Sanders â who first won election to the U.S. House when the National Rifle Association targeted his Republican opponent â has largely opposed federal firearm laws, calling gun control an issue for states to decide.”
An issue for the states to decide? What bull. Red-faced screaming Bernie thinks everything should be done at the federal level. He loves big government. But he’s running away from the issue of gun control — you know, the issue that he expolited to defeat the honorable Pete Smith for Congress in 1990. Meanwhile, Pete “Getting Tough Things Done” Shumlin runs away from gun control on the state level, insisting that it needs to be addressed at the federal level.
Huh?