Good morning, Burlington.

On August 20, Seven Days received a $15,000 donation from (100+ Women Who Care-Chittenden County) and publisher Paula Routly joined the giving circle.

Retired Burlington couple Sandy and Jesse Harper have been searching for their 38-year-old son Chris—who vanished on November 15 from a local homeless shelter and has not been heard from since—even after posting flyers and offering a $5,000 reward as police follow his digital trail. The case remains unsolved as authorities and his family continue to seek tips that might explain his disappearance.

The Vermont Racial Justice Alliance announced events to honor First African Landing Day in Burlington including a showing of the documentary 1619 at noon on August 20, a traveling exhibit open weekdays this month, and a press conference.

The commemoration will be held on August 23 at the Richard Kemp Center and Roosevelt Park—featuring speakers, music, dancing and youth activities.

Burlington will host a free dance performance tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. in City Hall Park that features dancers with Parkinson’s and other mobility challenges—choreographed by Sara McMahon with Flynn’s Movement for Parkinson’s class—and invites the community to see how movement and aging come together.

Lake Champlain’s water level is the lowest in 34 years at 93.7 feet, which leaves more sand and marsh at Sandbar State Park and a shrinking shoreline near Burlington’s Waterfront and Perkins Pier — experts warn that if low water and hot, dry weather continue, algal blooms may increase in the coming weeks. Tim Mihuc from the Lake Champlain Institute said natural water shifts help balance the lake’s ecosystem, although this change raises concerns for outdoor recreation.

State officials say the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will change SNAP eligibility in February—tightening work requirements and removing exemptions that many rely on.

Local food banks are preparing to assist as roughly 10 percent of the 65,000 SNAP recipients face reduced benefits.

On August 20th, the Vermont Department of Labor awarded two grants to the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps to boost youth workforce training in agriculture and timber framing.

One grant funds a summer program with weekly stipends for 10 New American youth while the other launches a 17-week pre-apprenticeship that teaches essential timber framing skills—supporting young Vermonters in building a career.

A study by Johns Hopkins used billing codes from nearly 100,000 Vermont children to show that depression rates nearly doubled from about 4% to almost 7% between 2016 and 2022.

Researchers say kids on Medicaid had more depression diagnoses — a sign that low income may add to mental health struggles — and more help is needed.

ESPN visited Burlington last week to broadcast the UVM men's soccer team's preseason match where they beat Providence College 4-0—the Catamounts will defend their title today against Sacred Heart.

The Champlain Valley Fair

Aug 22-31, 3 PM - 11 PM — Champlain Valley Exposition — Admission prices vary — Celebrate the end of summer with rides, games, food, and entertainment at Vermont's seasonal highlight.

Jake Shimabukuro Live Performance

7:30-9 p.m. — Higher Ground — All Ages — Experience the captivating ukulele artistry of Jake Shimabukuro in a dynamic live show.

Lettuce Concert

8-10 p.m. — Higher Ground — All ages — Experience a vibrant musical journey with the genre-busting collective Lettuce.

Fai Laci Live Performance

7:30-9:00 p.m. — Higher Ground — All ages — Experience the energetic debut of Fai Laci as they perform their original tracks and share their journey in the music scene.

Maya Manuela Concert

7-9 p.m. — Higher Ground — Tickets available — Experience soulful melodies and heartfelt lyrics from Nashville's indie-pop artist Maya Manuela.

Big Pond Improv Festival

7:00-8:30 PM — Vermont Comedy Club — Check event details for tickets — Enjoy a fun night filled with laughs and improv performances.

Blood Drive

9 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. — DoubleTree by Hilton Burlington — Free entry — Make a difference by donating blood today at a local venue.

Northeast Street Rod Nationals

12-6 p.m. — Champlain Valley Exposition — $20 adults, $6 children 6-12 — Celebrate the love for street rods with commercial exhibits, arts & crafts, and a fun-filled family atmosphere.

Big Pond Improv Festival

7:00-8:30 p.m. — Vermont Comedy Club — Check for ticket prices — Experience a night of laughs with top-notch improv performances.

Hardware Hacknight with PostHog

5-8 p.m. — VCET - Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies — Food and beverages provided — Dive into hands-on hardware building with DeskHog, an open-source developer toy.