GOOD MORNING, UPPER VALLEY!
Other than some clouds tomorrow, we're looking at calm, clear weather for a while. The high pressure that gave us such a luminous day yesterday is still in charge, and there'll be plenty of sun today, with temps stretching toward 60. That offshore storm is down to the south, but it looks like it won't touch us. It'll probably be cloudier tomorrow, but that's just a blip. Mostly, it's going to be sparkling out there. Be nice to all those people from away. Oops. Big FedEx truck, Hartford Village Bridge, didn't qui-i-i-i-te make the turn. The maroon link is to Eric Francis's story. The guy right behind, Jordan Soncrant, caught it as well and posted the rear-view shot to FB. It's been a long time coming, but VINS's new Canopy Walk opens tomorrow. There's a hundred-foot-high treehouse. And from there, writes Seven Days' Elizabeth Seyler, "more than 900 feet of walkway loops...to three more human-made structures: a giant owl's nest, a spiderweb (20 feet in diameter) and a large eagle's nest." It's getting raves from everyone who's gotten a sneak peek, including forest canopy researcher Margaret Lowman — "Einstein of the treetops," per the WSJ — who says, "It's over-the-top wonderful."If you use the Lebanon landfill, get ready to wait. Paving work is due to begin next week around the scale house, and it's going to slow things down for people unloading waste. (VN)"The rock star of meteorologists" comes home to Hartford High. That's the Weather Channel's popular on-air personality Jim Cantore, who grew up in WRJ, graduated from Hartford in 1982, and was back there yesterday to install a new real-time weather-monitoring device. He donated it to the school, and students will use it not just to follow the weather, but to track data over time.“It was a really gross hobby, but they went nuts over it.” That's Suzanne Bohman of Warner, talking about how her three dogs — Gracie, Ruthie and Dottie — reacted to treats she made for them out of locally sourced liver. Eventually she started selling at the Warner Area Farmer's Market, got tips on how to make the process a little less gross, and now has a going business with 3 Biddies Treats. Great story in Enterprise, maybe don't read it over breakfast.In case you missed Windsor's "What Doth Life" DIY music festival... It was a few weeks ago, but now Chris Williams, who for the past couple of years has been helming an Upper Valley music podcast called The Vinyl Loft, is up with a two-hour-long set of music and interviews with local musicians who were there. The Jobz, The Pilgrims, Derek & The Demons, Death Pesos, Hannah from Dune Rider... Who knew, right?And while we're catching up... It's been slow on the presidential front around here, but now C-SPAN has posted video of Bill Weld's meeting with Dartmouth's Young Republicans, and The Dartmouth has a recap of Democratic candidate Michael Bennet's visit to campus.Off-duty Orange Co. sheriff's deputy accused in road-rage shooting incident. William Pine of Brookfield has been charged with two counts of attempted aggravated assault after he allegedly fired two shots into the rear of a Jeep Wrangler he'd been tailgating — and then tried to block — Monday evening. One shot blew out the rear window of the car, the other hit its bumper. Before we leave the Upper Valley, let's just get a look at Mt. Ascutney toward sunset yesterday. A user named "kindaladylike" posted it to Reddit last night. Purple finches could get pushed out of New Hampshire. This would be ironic, because they're the state bird. A major Audubon Society report released yesterday looks at the impact of climate change on birds and their habitats nationwide, and the purple finch is just one of many species facing habitat loss. Though Pam Hunt from NH Audubon cautions that climate change may be only one of several factors leading to the bird's declining population in the state. NH creates new outdoor recreation office. It goes by the ungainly name of the Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry Development, but at least it's not hiding its purpose. The outdoor industry in the state employs some 38,000 people and contributes 3.3 percent to its gross state product. NH renewable energy fund takes hit. Agera Energy LLC, an electricity supplier with clients in 16 states that's owned by an indicted insurance executive, declared bankruptcy last week. The problem? It owes NH's renewable energy fund $2.2 million, which is more than half what the fund planned to spend this year. NH Business Review's Bob Sanders has the corporate ins and outs. Meanwhile, across the river, civil rights attorneys say AG is violating recent Sup Ct ruling. The state's attorney general, TJ Donovan, has imposed a new rule prohibiting the public from photographing public records they're inspecting. This comes in the wake of a September state supreme court ruling that state records can be inspected without charge for copies or staff time. "Restricting the use of a requestor’s personal devices to photograph or scan public records flies in the face of the Supreme Court’s decision," says ACLU attorney Jay Diaz. Vermont's remotest spot? Easy! Remember yesterday's Reddit debate? Ryan and Rebecca Means, a pair of Florida-based ecologists, have made a project of getting to the remotest spot in all 50 states — called, appropriately, Project Remote. They use GIS to find "the farthest straight-line distance from a road or an otherwise isolated human settlement." In VT, that turns out to be in the Lye Brook Wilderness. Their writeup is at the link. NH's is in the Pemi, but sadly they haven't written about their expedition there yet. (Thanks, SP!)
ME begs to differ with VT's claim to best foliage in the universe. Yeah. So, it all started with Mike Snyder, VT's forests and parks commissioner, who said, "We like to say it's the 'world's best fall foliage.' Some could say it's the best in the universe." Oh yeah? responded his counterpart in Maine. "Remember, over 90 percent of Maine is forested. And I think, really, all Vermont has is Ben & Jerry's — they don't even have enough trees to rate." Where's NH in all this? It's got "epic fall views," its tourism department tweets. What, they don't trash-talk in New Hampshire?If you like Daybreak and want to help it keep going, here's how:
SO FRIDAY, WHAT'CHA GOT FOR US?
The idea's simple: It's for adults to wander around the museum, grab some Jasper Murdoch beer and dinner from a local restaurant, and play with the exhibits. You don't have to scrap for puzzles with a 12-year-old who's smarter than you, you can watch the leafcutter ants for hours if you want, and you can check out the "how we do glass" exhibit from Simon Pearce. Though really, we all know you're just going to head for the bubbles. Doors open at 6:30.
How likely is it that two people with Upper Valley connections would be on within a couple weeks of each other? This time it's Susan White's turn. She's a former history prof, a bookseller, and a trivia buff, and after years of taking the online screening test, got a call this spring to try out for the show. She made it on, and tonight's the night. You can root her on at the Norwich Public Library at 6:30, popcorn in hand.
Tonight, it's folk singer/balladeer Dave Richardson at 7:30; Rose Hip Jam (that's guitar/uke teacher Kerry Rose; Crossroads English teacher Steve Glazer; and APD family doc Eric Bronstein) at 8:15; and rock, jazz, funk, and classical pianist Ted McManus at 9:00. At Leb's First Congregational Church, plenty to eat and drink when you get there.
Bratwurst, Von Trapp brews for five bucks, and a
lot
of lederhosen with Inseldudler. The name translates loosely as “Island Tooters”; the band got its start in 2001 at the South Hero Apple Festival in the Champlain Islands (hence the name) and has been oom-pahing around the region ever since. Starts at 7.
Warner's parents were Frank and Anne Warner, who from the late '30s into the '60s traveled through Appalachia, New England, and eastern Canada recording and documenting folk songs and stories. He grew up listening to it all, and now performs songs "from the lumber camps, fishing villages and mountain tops of America" himself. He'll be at the Old Church Building at 7 with dancing puppets, tall tales, funny songs, playground songs, and pocket instruments (think spoons) to teach.
Have a really wonderful weekend. See you Monday.
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