🌱 Patch AM: How could tonight’s council votes reshape Burlington’s sidewalks and recovery services?

Hi Burlington! We have the latest buzz right here. Let's keep you in the loop and get this morning started right! ☀️

In today's newsletter:

• How could tonight’s council votes reshape Burlington’s sidewalks and recovery services?
• What’s next in Burlington’s high-profile shooting case after new evaluation?
• Burlington and Malone communities mourn the loss of Bonita “Bonnie” Durell

Also on today's calendar: Festive Friday: Light Up the Night and 7 more events.

📸 Have a great pic of holiday decorations from around Burlington? Post it to Burlington photos of the day! ☃️ 🟢-🟠-🟣-🔴-🟡-🔵 ☃️

Today's riddle: Can February March? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Tuesday: Mostly cloudy, with a high of 29 and low of 24 degrees.
• Wednesday: Afternoon snow showers, temps: high: 40, low: 22.
• Thursday: Variably cloudy and breezy, with a high of 44 and low of 40 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Burlington City Council to discuss sidewalk obstructions, grant for drug recovery shelter (mynbc5.com) — Burlington’s City Council is meeting tonight to vote on a $104,000 grant that would help launch a 24/7, 12-bed drug recovery shelter on Pearl Street, funded through opioid settlement money. Councilors will also debate expanding enforcement against people obstructing downtown sidewalks, potentially allowing all municipal employees, not just police, to issue complaints with fines up to $500.
   

2. Burlington man competent to stand trial on charges of shooting Palestinian students, report finds (vtdigger.org) — A judge in Burlington has received a new psychiatric evaluation finding Jason Eaton competent to stand trial in the 2023 shooting of three Palestinian students on North Prospect Street. Defense attorneys plan to seek their own expert review, and the court aims to have the case trial-ready by late spring. Another status hearing is expected in about 60 days.
   

3. Bonita "Bonnie" King Durell (vtdigger.org) — A longtime educator and tech professional who spent her final years at Burlington’s Ethan Allen Residence has died at age 84. Her family remembers her sharp mind, artistic gifts, and deep curiosity. A memorial service is planned in Chasm Falls, New York, with donations invited to support the Burlington care home that looked after her.
   

4. World's tallest filing cabinet towers over Burlington, Vermont (boingboing.net) — A quirky landmark in Burlington the “world’s tallest filing cabinet” rises above a Flynn Avenue parking lot as a tongue-in-cheek monument to bureaucracy. Artist Bren Alvarez built it in 2002 to protest decades of delays on the long-discussed Southern Connector road between I-89 and downtown Burlington, turning local frustration into public art.
   

📸 Around Burlington

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Burlington

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Friday December 19

• Maria Bamford
  Vermont Comedy Club, 101 Main St, Burlington
  8:30 pm

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Friday December 19

• Festive Friday: Light Up the Night
  Church Street Marketplace , 131 Church St , Burlington
  4:00 pm
• Candlelight: Christmas Carols on Strings
  First Unitarian Universalist Society of Burlington , 152 Pearl St , Burlington
  7:00 pm

Sunday December 21

• Montpelier Monthly Hook-In
  Trinity Methodist Church , Montpelier, VT, VT, United States
  1:00 pm
• Sharon, VT Rug Hooking and Fiber Crafts
  Baxter Memorial Library , Sharon, VT, 05065, United States
  2:00 pm
• Sunday Public Skate at Leddy Arena
  Burlington, VT Calendar , 216 Leddy Park Road , Burlington
  2:30 pm
• Solaris Holiday Cheer -- Burlington, VT
  College Street Congregational Church , 265 College St , Burlington
  4:00 pm

Tuesday December 23

• Brattleboro Area Rug Social - 4th Tuesday
  St. Michael’s Episcopal Church , 16 Bradley Avenue , Brattleboro
  10:00 am

Thursday December 25

• Christmas Day
  Burlington, VT Calendar
• Champlain Islands Fiber Bees
  North Hero Methodist Church , 3671 US-2 , North Hero
  11:00 am

📣 Burlington Shout Outs!

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🗓 Events Nearby

Tuesday December 16

• Knitting and Crochet for Kids
  Library Meeting House , 830 Main Street , Colchester
  3:30 pm
• Public Art Committee Meeting - CANCELLED
  South Burlington, VT Calendar , 180 Market Street , South Burlington
  5:30 pm
• Winter Band Concert @ CHS PAC
  Colchester High School , 131 Laker Ln , Colchester
  6:30 pm
• Planning Commission Meeting
  South Burlington, VT Calendar , 180 Market Street , South Burlington
  7:00 pm

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• Hey, friends.
  I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the process of learning and unlearning and how it’s so much a part of our personal growth. We spend so much… (Nextdoor Downtown)

• Walgreens posted a job opening for Inventory Specialist in Burlington. Apply here.
• SAS Retail Services posted a job opening for Travel Retail Sales Merchandiser in Burlington. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Burlington here.

Ok Burlington! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I don't know, but April May!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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