Daybreak Friday 6/5/20

HEY, IT'S FRIDAY, UPPER VALLEY!

And it's getting warmer... As in, mid-to-high 80s by this afternoon. There's also a front headed our way, though the timing's uncertain: We have a chance of showers and thunder starting this morning and running pretty much straight through tomorrow. If it's not storming, though, it should be pretty sunny. How do you like that for certainty? Lows tonight only in the mid-60s.Layers of sight. Remember yesterday morning's fog? In Plainfield, William Daugherty sent his drone up: rising through softly obscured trees into a few seconds of dense fog at the treetops, then reaching the surface of the blanket with its stray wisps lit up by the sun, then even higher, looking down on tree crowns poking through the mist as the far hills come into view. Just 46 seconds. Put it on full screen for the effect. Don't thank me, thank William.And it's a wrap for this week...

Yep, there it is: JC Penney to close. Last month, the company announced it was filing for bankruptcy, and yesterday it released a list of the first 154 stores to shut down as part of its Chapter 11 filing. The store in the Upper Valley Plaza is among them. So are its stores in Keene, N. Conway, Rochester NH, Berlin VT, and Bennington. Skinny Pancake to remain closed, Jewel of India to move down the street. The Skinny P's announcement that "we are putting our pencils down on any immediate efforts to relocate in Hanover" came on its Facebook page yesterday. The restaurant had been searching for new space in town since early this year. In addition, the VN's John Lippman reports, the Noodle Station and its Swirl & Pearl frozen yogurt counter won't reopen; that space will be taken over by the Jewel of India, whose current building will be torn down.“We’re just trying to survive. We’re just trying to get home.” That's Vince Wilson, the Hanover resident who helped organize the vigil that drew 300 people to the Hanover Green last Saturday, talking about black men's fears of getting pulled over by the police. The VN's Anna Merriman spoke to Wilson; Vermont Law School dean Shirley Jefferson, who's organizing tomorrow's rally in S. Royalton; Bethel vigil organizer David Phair; Hartford selectboard member Alicia Barrow, and others about their frustrations, the connection they've found at recent rallies, and why this time might be different."I know that out of this chaos and uncertainty, the seeds of greatness, empathy, and change will take hold." Jahmal Mosley is superintendent of the Nashua public schools, the twin brother of a police officer in Brockton, MA, the son of a Marine who had "the talk" with him when he got his drivers license about the dangers of being a young black man behind the wheel of a car. He's just written a heartfelt and personal open letter to the Nashua community. "I know America will right this wrong because that is what this country was built on: righting our wrongs and appealing to our better selves," he says. But adds: It's going to take work.Thank goodness Susan Apel gave into temptation. Trying to decide whether to eat outdoors, the Artful blogger writes, "I dithered—absolute safety versus a sorely needed soul-satisfying experience—and chose the latter." She went to Three Tomatoes for lunch. And there, she happened on the really striking murals being painted by local high schoolers on the windscreens set up by owner Robert Meyers to protect diners. Boy, those woodpecker chicks are feisty! In May, VINS took in over 150 injured and orphaned wild birds, double its usual number. They filmed them, and just put a greatest-hits compilation together: songbird nestlings getting fed, hairy woodpecker nestlings feeling their oats, American woodcock nestlings, three adult goldfinches getting released, baby barred owls in their nest, an adult mourning dove lighting out for the territory...VT, NH at opposite ends of pandemic unemployment spectrum. The personal finance site WalletHub compared states for increases in unemployment claims during the last week for which there's data (May 25), the overall jump since the beginning of the coronavirus crisis (March 16), and year to year. It found that in percentage terms, New Hampshire has been the 3rd "most affected" state in the country since the start of the crisis, with a 3,900-percent jump in claims; Vermont ranks 47th, with a 1,156-percent increase. NH to start releasing federal education grant money. As you'll remember, the state got nearly $34 million from the federal CARES Act to give local districts. State Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut had been hoping for more clarity from US Ed Secy Betsy DeVos over how to treat private schools—ordinarily, the funds would be distributed based on students receiving free/reduced lunch, but DeVos wants private schools' entire student population counted, meaning they'll get more. Edelblut said districts should set aside the disputed money.NH sets process for registering and voting by mail. The state says that if you are ill or fear becoming ill with Covid are valid reasons to register and vote absentee, and yesterday set out guidance for registering by mail: you'll need a copy of a photo ID as well as a bill or other document showing your current address, as well as an affidavit from a witness who stands at least 6 feet away (or behind a window) and attests that you are who you say you are. State won't monitor NH lake beaches this summer. For the last 17 years, the state's been monitoring lake, pond, and river beaches as well as its oceanfront for harmful summer algal and cyanobacteria blooms. This year, because of budget problems and staffing cutbacks, it's restricting its testing to 16 coastal beaches. “We are encouraging towns to sample their own freshwater beaches. We will also be available to respond to cyanobacteria bloom issues or any complaints related to beaches," DES official Amanda McQuaid tells the Monitor's David Brooks.Another looming cutback? Road and bridge maintenance. NH depends heavily on its gas tax and road tolls, and both have taken a hit during the pandemic. Preliminary estimates put the losses at $55-$60 million for the highway fund and $40-$50 million for the turnpike fund (don't ask). Although federal and turnpike construction projects are under way, transportation commissioner Victoria Sheehan says she's worried about the department's ability to do preventive maintenance.VT legislative leaders say they'll fast-track business bailout. Gov. Phil Scott's $400 million economic stimulus proposal included $250 million in loans and grants to businesses funded by the CARES Act, and yesterday, House Speaker Mitzi Johnson and Senate President Tim Ashe said they aim to get an initial round of money out quickly to small businesses while the legislature works through the rest of Scott's relief package.In addition, administration floats plan to spend $375 million to shore up state's health care industry. Under the proposal, providers would be required to "sustain or improve health-care quality and preparedness," human services secretary Mike Smith told the Senate Health and Welfare Committee yesterday. "I don't want providers to take this money and then drop dialysis, for example," he said. "We want to make sure that if you're going to take the money that you're still providing essential services to the community." A few VT museums starting to reopen. The Burlington Free Press is up with a list of museums around the state and where things will stand this summer. Billings Farm plans to reopen June 27, the Birds of Vermont Museum in Huntington just reopened, and the Lincoln family home at Hildene reopens June 11. The Montshire, Shelburne, and Zlotoff Tool Museum haven't announced reopening plans. Speaking of museums, the Enfield Shaker Museum has a puzzle for you. No, not a question, an actual virtual jigsaw puzzle. It's of the 1854 Church Family Cow Barn on Route 4A in Enfield. You can see the whole thing put together at the link, then hit the link there to put it together yourself."It's a nightmare." That's gubernatorial candidate Brian Frees of Wilmington, VT, running on a platform to require uniform creemee sizing throughout the state. Kiddee cones, he points out, are often more like what a "small" used to be. “The people in Montpelier are worried about all sorts of things that don’t really affect our daily lives," says his cousin. "None of them are willing to take a look at the actual issues, like why some places give you a tiny squirt of ice cream and call it a medium, and others give you so much on a kiddie cone that I doubt a kid could actually carry it. It’s stressful." It's also satire: The Winooski. Let's say you had nothing but time on your hands. You'd totally spend two months building a swish machine, right? That runs around your entire yard, through 70 different steps, before dumping a basketball cleanly through a net? Send me your video when you're done. In the meantime, here's this guy's... (Thanks, AS!)

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