Inside Seven Days

Writer Kate O’Neill’s 2019 series “Hooked: Stories and Solutions From Vermont’s Opioid Crisis,” published in Seven Days, received this year’s Jack Barry Communications Award from Recovery Vermont. The award presentation took place during the nonprofit advocacy organization’s annual Recovery Day event in Montpelier on February 12.

“Hooked” was rooted in tragedy: O’Neill’s sister, Madelyn Linsenmeir, struggled with opioid-use disorder for more than a decade. After her death in October 2018, O’Neill wrote a candid and compassionate obituary that was read by millions around the world. At the urging of Seven Days, she agreed to broaden her focus in a yearlong series. O’Neill used traditional journalism, narrative storytelling and her own experiences to explore Vermont’s opioid epidemic and efforts to address it.

Seven Days, Vermont’s free, independent newsweekly, won 14 first-place awards in this year’s New England Better  Newspaper Competition — including for general excellence and top honors in business, crime and courts, education, health, human interest, religion, science and sports-feature reporting. Eva Sollberger received first place in all four video categories. The paper also won seven second-place and one third-place awards — 22 total.

The contest is organized by the New England Newspaper & Press Association; winners were announced at NENPA’s annual convention last weekend in Boston.
NENPA members submitted more than 3,000 entries in five contest divisions. Seven Days — which circulates 36,000 print copies every Wednesday — competed against numerous other large New England weeklies.

Here’s what judges had to say about Seven Days’ 14 first-place awards:

• General Excellence Award: “Seven Days is a testament to the power of a well conceived, well executed community publication.”
• Business/Economic Reporting for "Who Wants to Work on a Vermont Dairy Farm?" by Chelsea Edgar: “The writer has done considerable digging — literally and figuratively — to bring a microscope to everyday life at a dairy facility.”
• Crime and Courts Reporting for "Trafficked: How the Opioid Epidemic Drives Sexual Exploitation in Vermont" by Kate O'Neill: “Absolutely riveting story about the horrific intersection between opioid addiction and sexual exploitation of women in Vermont.”
• Education Reporting for "Survival of the Smartest" by Molly Walsh: “The graphics were dynamite. The topic, while not new, was covered thoroughly. The writing made me want to keep reading.”
• Health Reporting for "Exploring the Science, and the Snake Oil, Behind Stem Cell Therapy" by Ken Picard: ”Well written and diligently reported.”
• Human Interest Feature Story for "Who Shot Mr. Cheeseface?" by Dan Bolles: “A breezy, fun, breathless whodunit, told with pace and anticipation.”
• Reporting on Religious Issues for "Bible Study on Aisle Three" by Sasha Goldstein: “Mr. Goldstein skillfully reports on the intrusive tactics of an unfamiliar church with traveling members that have arrived in Vermont.”
• Science/Technology Reporting for "Blood, Sweat and Shears" by Sara Tabin: “A first-class work, including in-depth reporting, compelling writing, and some very good explanations of how the reporting was done.”
• Sports Feature Story for "The Mighty Bucks" by Derek Brouwer: “In-depth reporting at its finest, leading to a well-crafted feature story.”
• Entertainment Video for "Burlington High School's dance Team Brings the Crowd" by Eva Sollberger: “This high-energy video really captures the spirit of the school.”
• Feature Video for "Exploring Three Swimming Holes in Lamoille County" by Eva Sollberger: “Beautifully shot and well produced.”
• News Video for "A Recovery Coach Pays it Forward" by Eva Sollberger: “An important story that’s very well told and well produced.”
• Sports Video for "Lily Stilwell Competes in Gymkhana Ice Time Trials on Malletts Bay" by Eva Sollberger: “A very polished, well-produced video that tells an inspiring story.”
• Photo Story for "In Pictures: Monday Night Hockey at Gordon H. Paquette Ice Arena" by James Buck: “Strong set of images to tell the story.”

Seven Days founders Paula Routly and Pamela Polston are pleased to announce that 13 longtime employees are new shareholders in the media company  the two women created almost 25 years ago. The holdings of those workers, combined with those of minority owners Cathy Resmer, Don Eggert and Colby Roberts, now represent 49 percent of the business.

“These employees have been crucial to our success — upping our news game, creating meaningful events, running other publications, always innovating — so we decided to make it official,” said Routly, publisher and co-editor of Seven Days.

The newly vested shareholders extend across all departments in the operation, from editorial to circulation. They are: staff writer Paul Heintz, Kids VT account executive Kaitlin Montgomery, account executives Michael Bradshaw, Michelle Brown and Robyn Birgisson, marketing director Corey Grenier, staff writer Ken Picard, assistant arts editor Dan Bolles, production manager John James, art director Diane Sullivan, circulation director Matt Weiner, chief proofreader and special publications manager Carolyn Fox and senior multimedia producer Eva Sollberger.

All of the 1 percent owners have been with Seven Days fulltime since at least 2012. Several in the group have been working at the company for much longer.

The latest development is part of a succession plan that began in 2009, when Roberts, Resmer and Eggert were brought in as junior partners. “In some areas, we’ve mentored them; in others, Pamela and I have learned from their expertise,” Routly explained. “That collaboration has led to better decision making.”

Resmer, Roberts and Eggert each now own 12 percent of the company.

Dozens of the biggest and fastest-growing tech companies in Vermont will be hiring at the 13th Vermont Tech Jam. This annual free career and tech expo produced by Seven Days is on Thursday, October 17 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Champlain Valley Expo in Essex Junction. It’s one of the few times all of these companies come together under one roof to talk with job seekers and students and to discuss the innovative work they do.

It’s also a great opportunity for those looking to get into tech fields to check out their options, and find out about local colleges and training programs.

The 2019 Tech Jam is presented by Vermont Works.

“We are excited to be lead sponsor of Tech Jam for the second year,” said Vermont Works partner Louisa Schibli. “We’re especially looking forward to the ‘7 Wonders’ — showcasing some of our local entrepreneurs and businesses…Vermont Works is committed to making Vermont a community where our young people can stay and thrive, our companies have ample access to top talent, and we have a national platform for our entrepreneurs. Tech Jam is a big part of this mission — it increases opportunities for all Vermonters.”

The schedule includes nine presentations organized along two tracks: one for entrepreneurs, business owners and tech workers; a second for professionals who want to take their careers to the next level.

The 13th Vermont Tech Jam offers:

• Dozens of exhibitors, including sponsors Dealer.com, Data Innovations, Green Mountain Power, SunCommon, Vermont Information Processing and Norwich University plus companies such as Beta Technologies, Creative Microsystems, Mamava, Reading Plus and GlobalFoundries.
• 7 Tech Wonders of Vermont: Microchips! Mobile robots! Apps for mamas! Vermont tech companies produce a wide — and amazing — variety of products. Learn about seven of them in this opening session, which features bite-sized presentations by startups and established companies from around the state.
• High-Speed Networking: Looking to connect with other like-minded individuals in the tech industry? At this session, you’ll sit down for several nano-sized meetings with other professionals. This isn’t a job interview; it’s a chance to discover a potential new career path, make connections, learn about exciting projects and practice your conversation skills before you head out to the expo floor. You never know who you’ll sit next to!
• Inspiring Internships: Looking for an internship? These temporary positions can enhance your résumé and give you valuable work experience. Most of them come with a paycheck, too! At this session — geared toward potential interns and companies looking to start hiring them — representatives from companies with successful internship programs share their experiences and the career opportunities they offer. And an internship adviser talks about how to get hired.
• Leveraging Blockchain to Build Startups and Jobs: “Blockchain developer” is the top-trending job in LinkedIn’s recent U.S. Emerging Job Report, with a 3,300 percent growth rate over the past four years. Blockchain, the technology that powers Bitcoin, has proved valuable for many industries and remains one of the most promising solutions in a world looking for more privacy, security and transparency. Blockchain enables peer-to-peer and decentralized transactions, and its uses are still emerging. Speakers in this session will explain how blockchain helps solve specific business problems while offering a career path here in Vermont.
• Switch It Up: Feeling burned out on your current career? Out of the workforce and trying to get back in? Want to try something new and not sure where to start? Whether you just graduated college or need a boost to get over or around an obstacle at work, this workshop is for you. Hear from a career coach and others who’ve been there about how to zero in on your unique skill set and determine what’s next. You’ll leave this workshop feeling energized and ready to rock.
• Public Meeting of the AI Task Force: Artificial intelligence and machine learning offer great potential for the future of society. In 2018, the Vermont legislature created a task force to study AI and make recommendations for how the state could grow and/or regulate it. For a year, the task force has been deliberating and talking with Vermonters about their hopes, questions and concerns. At this public meeting, attendees can share their thoughts — and get an update on the group’s progress.
• Trust.IT: Trust as the Backbone of Business: In this age of data breaches, polarizing views and an ever increasing pace of business, it is more important than ever to build a company on the basis of trust — trusting the team, the tech and the customers. Join Vermont entrepreneurs and moderators Gwen Pokalo and Bonnie Reese from the Center for Women & Enterprise as they discuss building companies with trust as the backbone.
• Good Citizen Challenge Launch: Seven Days, Kids VT and the Vermont Community Foundation launch the second Good Citizen Challenge. This youth civics project encourages Vermont students to demonstrate their knowledge of Vermont and U.S. history, as well as government, community engagement and news literacy. This year’s Challenge is powered by a new game engine built by Burlington-based GameTheory; jammers will get to take it for a test drive.
• The Tech Jam Awards: On Friday afternoon, the Vermont Technology Alliance and Seven Days present the three Tech Jam Awards, for Vermont’s tech business of the year, emerging tech business and tech champion.

The 13th Vermont Tech Jam is sponsored by an array of Vermont companies and organizations: Vermont Works, Vermont Information Processing, SunCommon, Data Innovations, Dealer.com, Vermont Agency of Commerce & Community Development, Department of Labor, Vermont Tech Council, Norwich University, Collins Aerospace and Green Mountain Power, with additional support from Vermont Business Magazine, Comcast and the Vermont Technology Alliance.

The Vermont Tech Jam was conceived in 2008 by Seven Days, the Vermont Technology Alliance and a coalition of public and private sector partners who sought to increase the visibility of the state’s vibrant, and growing, technology sector. The event is produced by Seven Days, with organizational support from the Vermont Technology Alliance.

For more information, a complete schedule and a list of exhibitors, visit techjamvt.com.

Seven Days, Vermont’s free, independent newsweekly, won four first-place awards at the annual Association of Alternative Newsmedia conference last month in Boulder, Colorado.

The AAN Awards recognize the most artful, compelling and courageous journalism produced each year by the alternative newsmedia. AAN member publications vary in size and circulation, and are based in cities across the U.S. and Canada; the awards contest gives these publications the opportunity to compete against their peers. This year’s competition consisted of 600 entries submitted by 55 publications in the U.S. and Canada; the University of Colorado Boulder’s department of journalism conducted the judging.

Seven Days’ awards included:

• A first place in the Innovation/Format Buster category for the Give and Take series. Digital editor Andrea Suozzo used public tax filings to create a database of Vermont's nonprofit organizations. From that came five weeks of stories exploring and exposing the state's massive nonprofit economy.

• A first place in the Specialty Publication category for What’s Good: The Seven Days City guide to Burlington.

• A first place in the Cartoon category for Tim Newcomb.

• A first place for former staff writer Alicia Freese in the Long-Form News Story category for “Sheriffs, Inc.” Freese explored how Vermont’s sheriffs use side contracts with government entities, malls and even construction companies to bolster their budgets — and their own personal salaries.

Seven Days also received a third-place honor in the Multimedia category for “Photographer Matthew Thorsen Gets the Last Word,” a Stuck in Vermont episode created by Eva Sollberger. Molly Walsh received an honorable mention in the Beat Reporting category for her higher education coverage. Former food writer Hannah Palmer Egan also received an honorable mention in the Food Writing category. 

Seven Days has won dozens of awards for its journalism — including the coveted, best-of “general excellence” honor from the New England Newspaper and Press Association. But on June 19, 2019, the Greater Burlington Industrial Corporation celebrated the free, independent newsweekly for a different reason: its business leadership. GBIC gave the C. Harry Behney award, its most prestigious honor, to Seven Days’ five owner-publishers: Paula Routly, Pamela Polston, Cathy Resmer, Colby Roberts and Don Eggert.

Given each year since 1995 in honor of past GBIC president C. Harry Behney, the recognition singles out Vermont leaders “for their significant contributions to advancing the economic wellbeing of the people of our community and promoting a climate that enhances the economic vitality of the state of Vermont." Seven Days is the first media company to receive the award; past honorees have included governors, senators and philanthropists.

In his remarks, GBIC president Frank Cioffi recognized the five Seven Days publishers “for their vision and commitment in advancing innovation and entrepreneurship through the creation and ongoing promotion of the Vermont Tech Jam.” Since 2008, the career fair and expo has showcased the state’s tech companies to attract professionals and college students who might otherwise look for tech jobs outside the state; this year's event takes place Thursday, October 17, at the Champlain Valley Expo in Essex Junction.
Cioffi also praised Seven Days for “thoughtful and inspiring leadership in shining light on the opiate epidemic facing our region and state” — a reference to the paper’s yearlong “Hooked” series reporting on Vermont’s opioid crisis. Calling it a “catalyst to help Vermonters come together as a community to find meaningful ways to address the challenges of addiction,” Cioffi credited the paper with “forging positive social and economic change for Vermonters.”

Accepting the award during GBIC’s annual meeting at Echo, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain on the Burlington Waterfront, publisher and co-editor Paula Routly said to the audience: “A lot of communities have lost their local newspapers. It’s hard to imagine the impact until it’s too late. The best papers provide a kind of gathering place. A common culture. They’re the glue that brings and holds us together. This honor feels like a rare acknowledgment of that.”

When Seven Days launched Vermont Restaurant Week 10 years ago, the goal was to celebrate Vermont’s vibrant food scene, drive traffic to local businesses and help our neighbors in need. At least one measure of the event’s success set a record this year: a $25,344.03 donation to the Vermont Foodbank. Over the past decade, Restaurant Week has generated a total of $147,395.36 for the Vermont nonprofit. Vermont Federal Credit Union is the presenting sponsor of Restaurant Week.

“We are so grateful to Seven Days and Vermont Federal Credit Union for organizing this event, to all of the restaurants who participated, and to all of the individuals who dined during the 10th annual Vermont Restaurant Week,” said John Sayles, CEO of the Vermont Foodbank. “The Vermont Foodbank believes everyone in Vermont plays a role in solving hunger, and this generous gift is an example of how our friends, neighbors and businesses come together to ensure that everyone in Vermont has access to healthy food every day.”
“It's a tremendous feeling knowing that, as the presenting sponsor of Vermont Restaurant Week, we have been a part of growing an event that builds financially strong communities, promotes Vermont’s thriving food industry, and has also provided nearly $150,000 to the Vermont Foodbank over the past 10 years,” said Jean Giard, president and CEO of Vermont Federal Credit Union.

Many sources contributed to the total donation. Proceeds from the Sweet Start Smackdown, a dessert competition featuring local pastry chefs, benefitted the foodbank. Donations also came from a panel discussion at ArtsRiot; from Pints & Poses, a yoga class for digestion at Burlington Beer Company’s Taproom; from the Sensory Social, a cider and cheese pairing at CO Cellars; Culinary Trivia Night at Nectar’s; event raffles; and a portion of sponsorship dollars.
City Market/Onion River Co-op, one of the festival’s sponsors, gave the Vermont Foodbank 40 percent of its two stores’ Rally for Change donations during the month of April. The program encourages customers to round up their total at the register and donate the difference.

Finally, restaurants were encouraged to donate $1 to the foodbank from every meal sold during Restaurant Week. Embracing that initiative were 3 Squares Café, August First Bakery & Café, the Bearded Frog, the Bench, Bistro de Margot, Bleu Northeast Seafood, Bluebird Barbecue, Burlington Beer Company, Charlie B’s Pub & Restaurant at Stoweflake, Cork Wine Bar & Market, the Daily Planet, ¡Duino! (Duende), East West Café, Fire & Ice Restaurant, Hazel, J. Morgan's Steakhouse, Junction at the Essex, Vermont’s Culinary Resort & Spa, Juniper, Kismet, Michael's on the Hill, Misery Loves Co., Ruben James, the Scale, Three Brothers Pizza & Grill, Three Penny Taproom, Tres Amigos, Vermont Pub & Brewery and the Windjammer Restaurant.

More than 100 restaurants across the state participated in Vermont Restaurant Week this year. Each location offered special, prix-fixe meals during the event, which ran from April 26 to May 5.

In addition to Vermont Federal Credit Union and City Market, this year’s sponsors were Vermont Creamery, Burlington Beer Company, WhistlePig Whiskey, Shacksbury Cider and the Essex, Vermont’s Culinary Resort & Spa, with media support from WCAX, WNCS the Point, Front Porch Forum and the Vermont Department of Tourism & Marketing.

Vermont has garnered a national reputation for its award-winning specialty food and drink products and inventive, locally focused cuisine. For the last decade, Seven Days’ Vermont Restaurant Week has celebrated the state’s chefs, farmers, producers and others food-service professionals that have helped put the Green Mountain State on the map. The event has also raised $95,375.32 and counting for the Vermont Foodbank, the festival’s beneficiary. Seven Days is excited to announce the details of the 10th annual event presented by Vermont Federal Credit Union.

For 10 days, April 26 to May 5, 104 restaurants from Brattleboro to St. Albans will offer special prix-fixe dinners at three price points — $20, $30 or $40 per person. Lunch, brunch and breakfast specials at select locations will also be available. The diversity in cuisine and participating restaurants will whet the appetites of diners across the state. The full list of menus can be found at vermontrestaurantweek.com.

This year’s special foodie events include:

• The Sweet Start Smackdown: Dessert comes first at this Restaurant Week-eve kick-off battle, in which local pastry chefs from every corner of the state compete and foodies feast. Scores from celebrity judges and votes from attendees decide the winner of Vermont Restaurant Week’s Signature Sweet. Thursday, April 25, 7-9 p.m., Higher Ground in South Burlington.
• Cooking With WhistlePig: Students learn how to prepare a three-course meal featuring WhistlePig Whiskey from a Cook Academy chef at the Essex Culinary Resort & Spa. Friday, April 26, Wednesday, May 1, Friday, May 3, and Saturday, May 4, 5-8 p.m. in Essex.
• Pints & Poses Yoga: Join Corey Grenier for an all-levels foodie flow in the brewery. This hourlong vinyasa-style class will focus on digestion, detoxification and mindful eating. End your practice with a pint or a flight. Sunday, April 28, 11 a.m. to noon, Burlington Beer Company in Williston.
• Culinary Trivia Night: Feed your brain with foodie trivia and compete for delicious prizes at this rowdy event emceed by Top Hat Entertainment. The grand prize is a $500 gift card to Hen of the Wood. Monday, April 29, 6-9 p.m., Nectar’s in Burlington.
• The Sensory Social: Cider and cheese? Yes, please! Join Shacksbury Cider and Vermont Creamery for a fruitful and fraîche guided tasting that will make your senses sing. Tuesday, April 30, 5:30-7 p.m., CO Cellars in Burlington.
• The Dish — The Wild World of Fermentation: Hear from brewers, farmers, chefs and business owners about their experiences with fermented products while exploring reputed health benefits, opportunities for preservation of local food, and whether this food trend is here to stay. Wednesday, May 1, 5:30-7 p.m., ArtsRiot in Burlington.

Look for more information about events, participating restaurants and how to donate to the Vermont Foodbank at vermontrestaurantweek.com.

Vermont Restaurant Week is presented by Vermont Federal Credit Union and sponsored by Vermont Creamery, Burlington Beer Company, WhistlePig, City Market/Onion River Co-op, Shacksbury Cider and the Essex, Vermont’s Culinary Resort & Spa. Additional support is provided by Vermont Tourism, WNCS the Point, WCAX and Front Porch Forum.

More than 70 Vermont students who completed the 2018 Good Citizen Challenge gathered at the Statehouse in Montpelier on March 27 to be recognized for their accomplishment.

The Challenge invited K-12 students to earn points by doing a variety of activities related to civics, history, advocacy and media literacy — all crucial elements of being an informed citizen. These activities included attending city council meetings, picking up litter, reading local news articles, writing a letter to an elected official and naming the five freedoms specified in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Seven Days and Kids VT organized the initiative, with support from the Vermont Community Foundation. Its goal? To incentivize youth to educate themselves about the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, using their communities as a classroom. Students finished the Challenge by earning 251 points, the number of towns in Vermont.

The Statehouse event was part of their reward. The Good Citizens met with Governor Phil Scott in his ceremonial office and posed for a group photo.

“I think it’s important for all of us to get involved and be good citizens, be public servants,” said the two-term Republican. And anyone can run for office, he said. “I certainly didn’t envision myself being in the position I am today when I was your age, not by a long shot.”
Speaker of the House Mitzi Johnson (D-South Hero) also addressed the group.
Representative Peter Conlon (D-Cornwall) introduced the students from the  House chamber floor; legislators gave them a round of applause. Afterward, each student received a medal, a T-shirt, a sticker and a pocket-sized U.S. Constitution, donated by Phoenix Books.
Seven Days Deputy Publisher Cathy Resmer congratulated the Good Citizens. “You have just as much right to be in this building as anyone else here,” she told the students in the Cedar Creek Room. “I hope that’s something you’ll take away from your experience today. This might be your first time here, but I hope it won’t be your last.”

Find more information and sign up to receive updates about the 2019 Good Citizen Challenge at goodcitizenvt.com. The Statehouse event is the subject of the April 4 episode of Eva Sollberger’s “Stuck in Vermont” web video series. Find it at sevendaysvt.com.
Other Challenge partners included: Front Porch Forum, the Young Writers’ Project, Vermont State Parks and Historic Sites, GameTheory, Phoenix Books and the Winooski Peace Initiative.

Here is a list of students who completed the Good Citizen Challenge, organized by town:

Barre:
Tyler Graves

Burlington:
Bella Olinger and Sam Reilly

Cabot:
Alan Moody

Charlotte:
Henry Bushey and Lila Bushey

Clarendon:
Ethan Bishop

Colchester:
Chris Palagonia and Ben Palagonia

East Montpelier:
Harvey Neddo, Joseph Neddo and Arthur Neddo

Essex:
Jack Dragoo

Essex Junction:
Isaac Dodge and Sawyer Kless

Jericho:
Henry Swisher

Manchester Center:
Lindsey Treat

Middlebury:
Henry Weston

Milton:
Hannah Smiley

Montpelier:
Thea Boyles, Teagan Brennan, Zoe Keuhl, Lily Meyer, Anna Newara, Somerset Pierce and Lachlan Pierce

Moretown:
Grace Heller

Morristown:
Hazel Longe

Morrisville:
Mabel Huard

Quechee:
Michael Leavitt

Rutland:
Jackson Kitts

Salisbury:
Riley Amerio, Thomas Bishop, Sophia Boise, Channing Brush, Meredith Cameron, Kayla Charbonneau, Keenan Chicoine, Ethan Delorme, Owen Flanagan, Josie Gaiotti, Chris Gile, Natalie Gillette, Vance Larocque
Jameson Maguire, Addison Moats, Emma Morrissey, Luke Nuceder, Yankee Rheaume, Sutton Rubright, Mercedes Sheldrick, Pela Slater, Makyliah Tellier
Tyreese Tucker, Gabe Velez, Cody Warner, Ada Weaber, Matt Whelan, Mykayla White and Holly Whitney

Shelburne:
Grace Warrington and Peter Warrington

South Burlington:
Rosalynn Manalo

St. Albans:
Ethan Oszurek and Sophia Oszurek

St. Johnsbury:
Phyler Holt

Stowe:
Lada Salida, Noah Vandenburg and Evangeline Vandenburg

Underhill:
Aly Dorman

Waterbury Center:
Janelle Hoskins

West Burke:
Ella Switser and Lucas Switser

West Rutland:
Miles Robbison

Winooski:
Graham Resmer, Ivy Resmer and Alia Ross