RABBIT RABBIT, UPPER VALLEY!
Wait. Seriously? Sun??!! Let's believe it when we see it, but a ridge of high pressure did make its way into the region late yesterday. We'll start with patchy, dense fog in the favored spots, but the forecast calls for it to burn off and a mostly sunny day, high getting into the low 60s. Winds from the northwest, lows tonight in the lower 40s.Hunter's moon, travel moon, dying grass moon... Whatever you want to call it, that's going to be the full moon later this month. Kent McFarland has a stunner of a photo gracing the Vermont Center for Ecostudies' "Field Guide to October." Go for the pic...stay for Julia Pupko's item on the challenges of porcupine mating. Did you know that females have 30,000 quills?The Can-Cam... It's Henry's latest invention, and as Auk points out, it puts you online and in-person simultaneously. It's Week 44 in Lost Woods, and as he does every Friday in this spot, Lebanon author and illustrator DB Johnson (Henry Hikes to Fitchburg and other classics) chronicles the doings in his favorite patch of woods. Scroll right to move on to the next panel or left to catch up on previous weeks. Just checking to see if you were on your toes... Well, this is embarrassing. Early yesterday morning, the internet alert gods were playing their little joke and sent that story about voice-over-internet at Dartmouth into my feed. Cool! I thought—not noticing it was dated... [peers again at screen]... 2003. Usually I catch stuff like that, but. not. this. time. So now you're totally up to date... on what happened 18 years ago. Thanks to those of you who pointed it out. "We all had a good laugh at the office," says one.SPONSORED: Could our "new normal" weather possibly get any weirder? This summer, we set new temperature and precipitation records across much of New England. We've lost track of the communities with Top Ten hottest, wettest rankings. Oh, and did we mention the hurricanes? What’s next? Well, it's all part of a set of alarming trends. For online tools to track those climate and weather trends in your area—and tips on how to build a more climate-resilient future—check out the Solaflect Energy website. Together, the power is in our hands to make a difference. Sponsored by Solaflect Energy.Fairlee pauses building on Lake Morey for at least a year. The move came at a selectboard meeting Monday night, reports Claire Potter in the Valley News. The board is concerned about nutrient sources feeding repeated cyanobacteria blooms on the lake—and rising septic use with the influx of pandemic residents. "It’s a whole neighborhood of nonconforming lots and buildings and questionable septic systems,” town zoning administrator Chris Brimmer tells Potter. The moratorium bars new subdivisions, principal buildings, and any project that would require a conditional use permit.Dartmouth rolling out at-home testing. At the moment, only student athletes are eligible to use the take-home test kits, reports Noah Durham in The Dartmouth, but faculty and staff who were tested regularly on campus and all grad students will be eligible shortly. Undergrads will get the kits “as soon as [the College] can finalize logistics," College spokesperson Diana Lawrence tells Durham. There are pick-up and drop-off locations around campus; the company that runs on-site testing—which will continue—will collect the kits and ship them off for testing twice a day.Hiking Close to Home: Alice Peck Day Nature Trail. The Upper Valley Trails Alliance's suggestion for the week offers three easy, well-marked trail options across a 2.2 mile network. Features include exposed rock formations, wetlands, and a diverse population of wildflowers, birds, and other terrestrial wildlife. The trails are owned by APD and open for four-season use. The trailhead parking is located to the right of the main hospital.So, what was it that damaged the Lincoln Covered Bridge in Woodstock? It's time to test your knowledge of the week's events in the News Quiz. That NH stone wall mapping project, D-H's decision to hold off on providing booster shots, and the "Devious Licks" TikTok trend causing damage at Newport Middle High School: It's all grist for the mill in the Upper Valley quiz.Fallout from Exec Council protest continues. Wednesday's rowdy protest against federal contracts to fund NH's vaccination effort—which shut down the Exec Council's meeting—yesterday drew the attention of Attorney General John Formella, who announced he's investigating whether any protesters broke the law. In addition, St. Anselm College's Institute of Politics—where the meeting was held—announced it will no longer hold public meetings, reports Annmarie Timmins in NH Bulletin. And Gov. Chris Sununu cancelled an appearance in Walpole, citing safety concerns.Protest also puts NH's vaccine expansion on hold. The contracts at the center of Wednesday's events would bring $27 million in federal funds to the state for new positions at the state health department and expanded logistics for vaccination efforts. Earlier this month, both the Exec Council and the Legislature's Fiscal Committee put off a decision on the contracts, and both were scheduled to take them up this week. With the Exec Council cancellation and the committee's decision to postpone its meeting, reports NHPR's Alli Fam, "state health officials say an urgent need to boost vaccine outreach is in limbo."53,000 cars. That's one-ninth of all the cars registered in New Hampshire—and it's also how many cars it would take to produce the annual CO2 emissions generated by Manchester-Boston Regional Airport. On his Granite Geek blog, David Brooks takes a look at a new online "Airport Tracker" tool. Logan's about the same as a coal plant. Portland beats Manchester, at 65,000 cars. And Burlington? Brooks says it's nowhere to be found, but if you go to the tool, there it is: 40,550 cars.Unpredictable weather is messing with the leaves. By now, the leaves in northern Maine should be well on their way to yellow, orange, and red. But as of late September, 70 percent were mostly green. The delay, reports the AP's Patrick Whittle, stems from climate change. Heat waves, drought, too much rain—all are taking a toll on the pageantry of autumn. In some places in the US, where warm weather has led to “foliage scorch,” leaves have gone straight to dry and brown. As the elements continue to play havoc, scientists expect those really good, extended foliage seasons to become fewer and farther between.Still trying to figure out what this EB-5 scandal is all about? In 2012, VT Digger founder and editor Anne Galloway was at the first big press conference, where then-Gov. Shumlin and other VT officials announced plans for major infrastructure investments in the Northeast Kingdom. She had her doubts. Since then, the massive fraud known as the EB-5 scandal has spilled into public view with the recent release of over 600 pages of federal court documents. Galloway joins colleague David Goodman's podcast to parse the scandal’s dirty details, its astonishing breadth, and the people involved.As organic milk industry grows, small VT organic dairy farmers struggle. The latest blow, of course, was the decision by Horizon Organic to end its contracts with 28 farms in the state. But even before then, report VPR's Elodie Reed and Howard Weiss-Tisman, organic dairy farms were going out of business—20 percent of them since 2012. What had initially seemed a promising way for small operations to thrive has been filled with challenges as the organic milk industry consolidates and favors large operations, especially those out West. Reed and Weiss-Tisman detail the issues.Do you know where to find Hanover's WWII Memorial? How about the marker commemorating Bradford VT as home to the maker of the first geographical globes sold in the US? Or the bronze plaque to naturalist and writer Ernest Harold Baynes created by Annetta St. Gaudens (Augustus's sister-in-law) in Meriden? They're all in the National Monument Audit created by the Philadelphia-based Monument Lab. Of the monuments entered (they don't have all of them, but 48,000 is a good start), Abe Lincoln has the most, followed by George Washington, Columbus, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Thanks, JG!Oops. Let's say you catch a 21.3-pound catfish, which would set a new record in Connecticut. You get in touch with Fish and Wildlife so you can be declared the new state record-holder for a white catfish catch. Which it does. But then you give the fish to your grandfather—who cooks and eats it. And the state is forced to rescind its declaration, because the only way to tell the difference between a white catfish and a channel catfish is to examine it. Which it can't. “I can’t believe that they think it’s OK to do this to someone," says brief record holder Ben Tomkunas. "It’s such an embarrassment.”
And the numbers...For the time being, Daybreak is reporting Covid numbers on Tuesdays and Fridays.
NH reported 362 new cases Tuesday, 443 Wednesday, and 438 yesterday; with additional catch-up numbers, it now has 120,268 for the pandemic. There have been 5 deaths since Monday, bringing the total to 1,481. The active caseload stands at 3,845 (+250 since Monday) and hospitalizations at 144 (+1). The state reports 217 active cases in Grafton County (+35), 182 in Sullivan County (+27), and 411 in Merrimack County (-36). Town-by-town numbers reported by the state: Claremont: 76 (+24 since Monday); Newport 55 (+14); Canaan 21 (+8); Charlestown 18 (-9); Wentworth 17 (-1); Lebanon 15 (+3); Rumney 13 (+ at least 9); Haverhill 9 (+4); Dorchester 7 (+ at least 3); Hanover 7 (-1); Newbury 7 (-1); New London 6 (-3); Orford 6 (+ at least 2); Sunapee 5 (no change); Grantham 5 (+ at least 1); Springfield 5 (+ at least 1); Piermont, Warren, Enfield, Grafton, Plainfield, Wilmot, Cornish, Croydon, and Unity have 1-4 each.
VT reported 86 new cases Tuesday, 105 Wednesday, and 223 yesterday. It stands at 33,662 for the pandemic. There were 7 new deaths during that time; they now number 317. As of yesterday, 46 people with confirmed cases were hospitalized (+10). Windsor County has seen 48 new cases since Monday, for a total of 2,247 for the pandemic, with 272 new cases over the past two weeks; Orange County gained 18 cases during the same time, with 82 over the past two weeks for a total of 1,075 for the pandemic.
Dartmouth reported yesterday that it's at 2 cases among undergrads (no change), 1 among grad and professional students (+1), and 5 among faculty and staff (+2). Nobody is in quarantine, 3 students and 10 faculty/staff are in isolation.
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Today at 3:30, Bradford kicks off its two-day Autumn Fest with musicians wandering around town, prize drawings at local businesses, displays around town, and pop-up sales and booths everywhere. Tomorrow, there'll also be talks and an evening actors workshop by the Old Church Theater at Bradford Academy.
And, of course, tonight's First Friday in WRJ, with stores and galleries open late, restaurants doing bustling business, music everywhere, and a chance to hang out with the various friends you bump into on the street. There'll be a "meet the artists" reception at Long River Gallery and an opening reception at Kishka Gallery for Untitled (Reading Rainbow), an immersive installation by artist and drag queen Untitled Queen and sound artist/DJ Jess Ramsay.
At 7 this evening, there's a Zoom panel discussion on "Adapting to Climate Change: Ideas & Inspiration," hosted by the Eastman Charitable Foundation. Vital Communities' Sarah Brock, climate and energy researcher Caroline Wren, and Meghan Butts, who runs the Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission, will talk over how individuals and communities can take steps to adapt to the changing environment.
At 9:30 am tomorrow, the Walk to End Alzheimer's starts off from Hanover High School with—so far—244 participants and 56 teams. Registration's at 8 am, there's a kickoff ceremony at 9, and then participants head to the streets.
Starting at 10:30 tomorrow morning, it's Archeology Day at the Montshire, with demos, ancient artifacts—arrowheads, knives, and shards found in Vermont; materials from the 18th and 19th centuries—and Vermont's state archeologist on hand to talk over the past and how we learn about it.
And starting at 2 pm tomorrow, Windsor's What Doth Life music collective puts on a barnstormer of a festival at the Windsor Exchange: two stages, eight Upper Valley bands—including Derek and the Demons, Carton, The Pilgrims, Chodus, Time Life Magazines, and a 20th anniversary reunion of McAsh—and a lot of spirit. It's outdoors, but even so, they say, "Masks and vaccinations are highly suggested, ya knucklehead."
Also at 2 pm, the Hanover Conservancy is celebrating 60 years of community conservation with speeches, stories, and an anniversary cake at Rivercrest on Lyme Road. Park at their offices at 71 Lyme Road or at Sheridan Printing.
At 3 pm Saturday, the Orford Social Library hosts Theo Martey of the Akwaaba Traditional African Drum and Dance Ensemble for a performance and drumming workshop at the Orford bandstand.
At 7 pm tomorrow evening, the fine folks at the Vermont Almanac will be throwing a reading and general get-together at the Chandler in Randolph. Writers you know, including Mary Holland, Amanda Gokee, and Ted Levin will be reading from their contributions to the first Vermont Almanac, music by Turnip Truck, and there'll be plenty of Vermont goods producers on hand to show off their wares, including Calabash Gardens, Third Branch Pottery, and Vermont Glove. Masks required.
Tomorrow at 7:30 pm at the First Congregational Church of Lebanon (and again Sunday at 2 pm at a private home in Hanover), Classicopia returns with a three-part concert by singer/songwriter Jessica Deskin and pianist Elizabeth Borowsky, presenting songs by Deskin, solo piano works by Borowsky, and a new song cycle, "The Nature of Life," composed by Borowsky.
At 8 pm tomorrow, WRJ fashion boutiques Revolution and Nancy the Girl hold a Fall Fashion Extravaganza—"A full spectrum of casual, formal, upcycled, vintage & couture" with 30 local models "of all shapes, sizes and ages" in Northern Stage's Courtyard Theater. Masks required, admission is $20, which will all benefit the Hartford Youth Council.
Finally, at 1:30 on Sunday, members of the Post Mills Congregational Church, Thetford First Congregational Church, and United Church of Thetford are hosting the annual Lake Fairlee Crop Hunger Walk at Post Mills Congregational Church. It's a fundraiser for Church World Services and its efforts to provide food, disaster relief, and refugee assistance around the world.
One of the world's great jazz organists—maybe the greatest—died this week. Dr. Lonnie Smith grew up just outside Buffalo, did a stint in the Air Force, and when he returned home decided he wanted to become a musician.... He just didn't know which instrument he wanted to play. But he began hanging out at a music store owned by a local accordion player, Art Kubera. "One day the owner said 'Son, why do you sit here every day until closing time?'" Smith later recalled. "I told him, 'Sir, if I had an instrument, I could work, and if I could work, I could make a living.' One day I went there, and he closed the place. We went to his house in the back, and there was a brand-new Hammond organ. He told me, 'If you can get this out of here, then it's yours.' It was snowing in Buffalo, but I did. Art was my angel." To groove us into the weekend,
(Thanks, DG!)
See you Monday.
Daybreak Where You Are: The Album. Photos of daybreak around the Upper Valley, Vermont, New Hampshire, and the US, sent in by readers.
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