Press Releases and Bridge StaffParkapalooza Returns for One Day
Hubbard Park will come alive on Saturday, Aug. 23, from 4 to 8 p.m. with Parkapalooza, a free, one-day celebration at the Old Shelter and Stage.
Music kicks off at 4:30 p.m. with D. Davis and Marc Gwinn, followed by Slap Happy Jack from 6 to 8 p.m. Led by guitarist/vocalist Joey Dorwart Crane, the nine-piece band blends rock, big band, blues, and swing for a high-energy evening.
Parkapalooza, the Montpelier Parks Department annual concert series, was cut from the city budget this year and wasn’t going to happen at all, but volunteers came forward to organize this one-time event.
This year’s event grew from the friendship between Dorwart Crane and Josh Jackson of Timber Homes of Vermont. The two met at the same event over a decade ago when their wives were both pregnant, and their shared love of music kept them connected. When Jackson learned the annual summer series wasn’t happening, he teamed up with Dorwart Crane to bring Parkapalooza back — securing sponsors, booking musicians, and keeping the tradition alive.
A longtime musician, Dorwart Crane has played in wedding bands, bar bands, garage bands, and more since high school, eventually forming Slap Happy Jack with his wife Andy (of Blossom Wellness), who also sings in the band. Originally from Colorado and California, the couple traveled and camped in Vermont before settling in Montpelier. Last year, they wowed audiences with their “Slap Happy Santa Christmas Spectacular,” and now they’re bringing that same spark to Hubbard Park.
Beyond the music, raffle prizes benefiting Montpelier parks, sweet and savory crepes from La Bonne Crepe Cart, and a selection of non-alcoholic drinks will be offered. Sponsors include Timber Homes, Blossom Wellness Center, Onion River Outdoors, and the city of Montpelier.
Thirty New Affordable Apartments Open in Berlin
On Aug. 6, the Berlin community celebrated the grand opening of Fox Run Apartments with a ribbon cutting. Downstreet Housing and Community Development and Evernorth, the co-owners and co-developers, developed Fox Run to provide essential housing for 30 low- and moderate-income households in the Berlin New Town Center.
Currently 13 of the 30 units are filled, Sarah Madru, director of development at Downstreet told The Bridge. Three more are about to be leased, and 14 are vacant, all one and two bedroom units, she said.
Fox Run Apartments is a single three-story building with a mix of affordable and market-rate apartments situated in the heart of the Berlin Commons New Town Center. Located within walking distance to area employers, schools, and essential services, the new building offers green space, community gardens, an onsite office for resident services and property management, and a community room.
Funding and financing totaling over $15 million from a mix of public and private sources was raised to cover development costs. Housing New England funds provided the tax credit equity investment of $5.8 million, administered by the Vermont Housing Finance Agency. The Vermont Housing Finance Agency also provided $175,000 from the Vermont Housing Investment Fund. The Vermont Housing and Conservation Board contributed over $ 3.1 million, including over $2.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding and $1.4 million in HOME funds. Citizens Bank provided the $7 million construction loan. The town of Berlin contributed $500,000 through the Vermont Community Development Program. Other sources of funds include NeighborWorks, Efficiency Vermont, and Green Mountain Power. The Vermont State Housing Authority awarded 10 critically needed project-based housing subsidies to Fox Run Apartments.
Wiemann Lamphere Architects is the project architect. Neagley and Chase is the construction manager. For more information or to apply for an apartment, go to downstreet.org/fox-run-apts
CCV Announces New Academic Dean
The Community College of Vermont (CCV) has named Candace Lewis as its new dean of academic affairs, starting July 1. She succeeds former Academic Dean Debby Stewart, who retired in June after 31 years at CCV.
Lewis has served in various academic leadership roles at CCV since 2007, most recently as associate academic dean. She holds a master’s degree in anthropology from Northern Arizona University and brings an interdisciplinary background to her work in higher education. She has contributed to program and curriculum development, educational partnerships, and workforce initiatives throughout the Vermont State Colleges system. Lewis lives in Georgia, Vermont, and has served as a director for the Franklin Grand Isle Workforce Investment Board and is a former board member for the Franklin County Regional Chamber of Commerce. In 2025, she was appointed to the board of Vermont Humanities.
Awards and Honors
Simmons University — The following local residents were named to the spring 2025 dean’s list at Simmons University in Boston: Barre — Deanna Wild; Middlesex — Ella Pembroke; Montpelier — Maeve Byrne, Phoebe Gingold. Simmons dean’s list recognition is awarded to undergraduates with a grade point average of 3.50 or higher.
Norwich University Dean’s List — The following local students were named to the spring 2025 dean’s list at Norwich University: Barre — Joshua Cates, Caitlyn Couture, Charles Codling, Hope Farnsworth, Riley Fleury, Abigail Geno, Annika Helpard, Austin Kelley, Hailey Lafaille, Meadow Lafaille, Madison MacDonald, Brianna Mattote, Zackary Parton, Madison Pembroke, Megan Riley, Creston Severy, Jessica Shepard, Cassidy Sweeney, Abigail Viens, Brittany Weston; Berlin — Immanuel Diamant; Calais — Sawyer John; East Barre — Brady Aldrich; East Calais — Caitlyn Fielder, Charlotte Low; East Montpelier — Conchobhar Boccia-Cole, Kaitlin Deuso, Dahlia Hedges, Arianna Merced, Jordan Pryce; Graniteville — Julia Dunn, Paige Dwinell; Marshfield — Natalie Gouge; Middlesex — Madison Beaudoin, Elly Budliger; Montpelier — Joseph Badgett, Aiyana Baldasty, Caedin Bodach-Turner, Jacob Halecky, Willa Hart, Ari Jorgenson, Olga Kissner, Chia-Chen MacVicar-Ceckler, Sophie Martel, Stella Meyer, Ashuqullah Musadiq, Clayton Winters; Northfield — Eliezer Aboagye, Samuel Beebe, Trina Beede, Eyram Dzampah-Ametepee, Gaurika Gurung, Kunyi Hong, Saira Khadka, Majd Khalaf, Anthos Khanal, William Kolb, Paige Lagerstedt, Sebastian Mucha, Emma Salls, Ishmael Sesay, Colin Snyder, Valeri Williams, Molly Yacavoni; Orange — Delaney Partlow; South Barre — Molly Violette; Websterville — Zack Wilson. Dean’s list honors are awarded to full-time undergraduates with a semester grade point average of at least 3.40.
Norwich University President’s List — The following local students were named to the spring 2025 president’s list at Norwich University: Barre — Heidi Abbott, Julian Cressy, Autumn Lewis, Ariyana Little, Camille Marineau, Chloe Mattson, Gretchen Thomas; East Calais — Alaina Beauregard; East Montpelier — Calister Boyd; Graniteville — Lydia Haggett; Marshfield — Olivia Smith; Montpelier — Katelyn Hersey, Noah Kopsco, Devansh Mamoria, Hope Seggelink, Clara Wilson; Northfield — Tucker Curtis, Lindsey Duggan, Jorja Sutton, Amrutaa Vibho, Kateryna Vietrova; Northfield Falls — Olivia Boyd; Plainfield — Caroline Mancini; Websterville — Emily Wilson; West Berlin — Meredith Wilcox. The president’s list recognizes full-time undergraduates who earned a perfect 4.0 grade point average.
These stories were compiled from press releases by Bridge staff.
