GOOD MORNING, UPPER VALLEY!
Showers likely through the morning, possibly all day. The system that moved in from the west last night will continue on its way, with showers growing more scattered as the day goes on. Today's cloud cover will keep things on the cooler side—we'll be lucky to get out of the 60s—but will also keep things from cooling down much tonight—we'll be lucky to get below the 60s. Things may remain drizzly tonight.Cam jam. A young black bear hangs out around Erin Donahue's trail cam in E. Thetford. Ted Levin writes: "Black bear: curious, itinerant, solitary (except sow and cubs and at significant, seasonal food sources). Overlapping home ranges, however, favors communication. A chatty mammal that spreads the day's news in a very unchatty manner: deliberate chemical signals. Leaves its scent on a tree, rubbing its back, cheeks, and head, an erasable, weather-dependant message that may last days or weeks, primarily authored during the day. Peeing for emphasis ... I'm here, and Erin's back from Alaska."Loon chicks grow—and the frustrations of a diving osprey. Ian Clark was out on one of the ponds he frequents in Newbury VT recently, checking in on the loon family he's been photographing there. One of the chicks is pretty much feeding itself now; the other had some fine bonding time with Dad. And then there was that osprey...Hot air balloon lands on I-91 median in WRJ. Boy, Hartford firefighter Mitch White got the photo of a lifetime, which the Valley News puts atop John Lippman's story. The balloon left from the Quechee Green about 6 pm Wednesday with five passengers, made it as far as the North Hartland Dam, and then the wind stopped. "We were dropping pretty quickly and burning and burning (propane) fuel and weren’t going anywhere,” one passenger says. Then a thermal took it toward the highway. Veteran balloonist Chris Ritland "brought the craft down in falling darkness to a safe spot on the median" between lanes, a bit south of the Hartford rest area, Lippman writes.Tunbridge residents grapple with E. coli in their wells. Health officer and town nurse Jodi Hoyt was first alerted to the problem at the end of July, reports the Herald's Tim Calabro, when a resident reported a positive result. Her suspicion was that it had to do with contamination from flooded rivers, but further testing has found over 20 wells with positive tests—some next to wells with no issues. The White River has been showing "unswimmable" levels of bacteria, but Hoyt believes Tunbridge's issues relate to "how deep your well [is] and if your well [is] below hillside and or on saturated grounds.”Pomfret to close road, enforce parking bans for foliage season. As you remember, there's been heated discussion about the gawkers and shutterbugs who flock to Sleepy Hollow Farm in the fall. After months of discussion, reports Tom Ayres in the Standard, the Selectboard has opted to close Cloudland Road south of Barber Hill Road starting Sept 23, to make Barber Hill Road westbound only, and to prohibit parked or standing vehicles in certain spots. There will be exceptions for locals, Pomfret and Woodstock residents traveling within their towns, farmers, and emergency vehicles. Ayres details it all.Turns out, that gray fox was rabid. The fox suspected of biting a woman and her dog in N. Thetford on Sunday has tested positive for rabies, reports Frances Mize in the VN. "Rabies generally moves quickly through an area," Thetford Police Chief Michael Scruggs posted on FB late Wednesday night. "Please be aware of your surroundings and if you see an animal acting out of the ordinary, please reach out to the...Police or VT Fish and Wildlife. Keep your distance and if necessary, go inside." There have been reports of rabid animals in Thetford, Newbury VT, Bradford, and WRJ this year, Mize writes.
SPONSORED: Did climate change reach a tipping point this summer? Is it now really ‘global boiling’? From deadly wildfires to record heat waves and floods, ocean warming has become a driving force in recent climate calamities. The burgundy link takes you to four unsettling ocean trends that bear close watching as our Earth enters uncharted waters. Sponsored by Solaflect Energy.Piermont's Robie Farm expands... all the way to Hooksett. Okay, that's a slight exaggeration. But the farm has leased the historic Robie’s Country Store in the town just north of Manchester, reports Jonathan Phelps in the Union Leader. The building, which the Hooksett Robies—cousins of the Piermont Robies—bought in 1887, had for decades been "a place for locals to shop, eat, attend special events and meet presidential candidates," Phelps writes. Robie Farm will run the restaurant and sell its milk, cheese, meats, and other local products at the store. (Thanks to Alex Nuti-de Biasi at the JO for noticing.)After being ejected from the VT Principals’ Association, Mid Vermont Christian sports teams will join Christian school association. You may recall that the school was barred from VPA games this past winter after its girls' basketball team forfeited a game because of a transgender player on the opposing team. MVCS's participation with the New England Association of Christian Schools, writes Mike Donoghue in the Standard, is something of a homecoming: It left NEACS a decade ago to join up with the VPA.State rep, filmmaker, and farmer John O'Brien on the mend after heart attack. The news, reports Darren Marcy in the Herald, came in Facebook posts by his wife, Emily Howe. He'd been haying on the sheep farm the two own in Tunbridge when he felt symptoms. “They are thinking there was minimal damage since we acted very quickly," Howe wrote in her initial post; O'Brien had a stent put in on Tuesday. Howe noted he's at genetic risk—and added, Marcy writes, that "O’Brien is kind of excited for the downtime away from the farm because he can actually sit and read a book."Center for Cartoon Studies, Green Mountain Economic Development Comm, and Killington all land federal grants. In the funding round that saw several Claremont-area organizations get an injection of funds, the Northern Border Commission has also funded a series of projects on the VT side. CCS is receiving nearly $1 million to renovate the "Telegraph Building" near the intersection of Gates and Currier into studio and production space, classrooms, a gallery, and more. GMEDC, which serves Orange and parts of Windsor counties, got $750K for a new child care center in Randolph. And the town of Killington got $2.25 million to help develop housing at the base of the resort.Missing Claremont woman located. The Claremont police yesterday reported that Amy Wescott, who'd been the subject of a Missing Vulnerable Adult alert issued on Wednesday, was found safe yesterday.Hiking Close to Home: Mt. Kearsarge. This week, the Upper Valley Trails Alliance recommends a somewhat challenging but family-friendly 3-mile round trip hike. You'll want the Winslow State Park side: After some optional playground time, take the steeper and rockier Winslow Trail as it is safer to ascend than descend; there's lots to see, including some wonderful rock formations. Near the top, you'll find the Barlow trail, which provides a slightly longer but easier way down. There are great views at the summit. The trailhead is in Winslow State Park (fee) off Kearsarge Mountain Rd in Warner, NH.When it comes to hiking in NH's mountains, "New Hampshire folks get in trouble too, for sure.” That's NH Fish & Game's Col. Kevin Jordan, talking to Boston.com's Abby Patkin about the fact that Granite Staters tend to think it's all flatlanders who need rescuing, when in fact the stats say it's about 50-50. Patkin looks at the growth of the state's Hike Safe program—NH sold 3,000 cards in 2015 and over 12,000 last year—and rescue missions. Jordan says he's seen a difference since the state started charging to rescue reckless hikers who don't have the card. "I think people think a little more," he says.“We knew that just building back the same way wasn't going to work.” Mike DeBonis, executive director of the Green Mountain Club, spoke with VT Public’s Mary Engisch about why the Long Trail fared better in the recent rains than during Irene. Heavy rains take a toll on trails and infrastructure, as do more hikers. DeBonis says they’ve focused on climate-resilient designs for bridges, rock steps on trails, and educating hikers, all of which helped the trail hold up. “Some of that could be due to geographic variability, storm variability,” he says, “but I think it also has to do with the infrastructure that's there.”Been paying attention to Daybreak? Because the Upper Valley News Quiz has some questions for you. Like, why did that offer from Peace Field Farm to let the Woodstock Farmers Market use its kitchen not work out? And what should we be expecting to lean toward a more pastel palette? Oh, and how many trucks are we up to that have gotten stuck in Smuggler's Notch? Those and other questions at the link.But wait! How closely were you following VT and NH?
Because Seven Days wants to know if you know what wet weather has hampered, ramping up worries for animal owners.
And NHPR's got a whole set of questions about doings around the Granite State—like, which mega-corporation is closing its facility in Merrimack.
In NH, new law bars insurers from requiring pre-approval for crisis mental health, substance use care. The measure, reports Annmarie Timmins in NH Bulletin, means that people can get insurance without prior authorization if they're treated by a mobile crisis team. Before, "insurers could require...pre-approval if the care was provided outside a licensed hospital emergency facility," Timmins writes. The bill had sailed through the Senate, but faced a challenge from House Republicans in committee before finally passing.Want to dive really deep into why all that rain fell on Vermont July 10-11? Well, the National Weather Service in Burlington has just put up a webinar in which three NWS forecasters there discuss everything that came together to make so much rain fall in such a short time: atmospheric blocking, strong winds on high, lots of moisture in the air; comparisons with previous storms; what the experience was like for forecasters as they tried to come to grips with what they were seeing and how they came to their conclusions; and a whole lot more.And yet, in VT home sellers aren't required to report flood risk. In many other states, writes Report for America corps member Carly Berlin in a joint VTDigger/VT Public article, sellers or landlords are required to disclose if a property is in a floodplain or needs flood insurance. "But if you’re looking to buy or rent in Vermont," Berlin reports, "you aren’t entitled to any of that information." Though realtors often use a disclosure form, it's voluntary, often leaving home buyers or renters with no knowledge that they're in a dwelling prone to flooding. Berlin notes that NH, ME, and MA also lack disclosure laws.“Roughly translated, they are saying: ‘Get off our land.’” Peter Rock, a gull expert in the UK, knows what gulls do and why. He’s been studying them since 1980, writes Linda Geddes in The Guardian: banding, measuring, tracking, and learning how to avoid their assaults. Ever since that country's Clean Air Act passed in 1956, banning the burning of trash and sending more food to landfills, gulls have been hanging around urban areas and taking advantage of humans’ castoffs. And—as anyone eating a sandwich knows—not just castoffs, but also food you’re still holding ... and eating. Rock doesn’t have a sure-fire solution, but apparently, "staring into their peculiar eyes really weirds them out.”The Friday Vordle. If you're new to Vordle, you should know that fresh ones appear on weekends using words from the Friday Daybreak, and you can get a reminder email each weekend morning. If you'd like that, sign up here.
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At 5 pm today, Vershire Rec welcomes in Upper Valley roots/Americana band Still Hill (named for a road in the NEK): Rob Lees on guitar, Niles Franc (bass, banjo, and harmonica), Jen Freise on fiddle, Cody Williams on mandolin, and every one of them on harmony and melody. At the Vershire Town Center.
This evening at 6, Pentangle Arts winds up its popular summertime Music by the River series with Houston Bernard. The country rocker and Army vet was born in Oklahoma, raised in Alaska, and is based in Massachusetts now, though these days he's on the road a lot as a rising indie country music artist with a big-voiced, bright sound. No charge, on the Woodstock Green if it's dry out, in the Woodstock Town Hall Theater if it's raining.
Also at 6 this evening, Allen Street in Hanover closes down to all but foot traffic for the weekend, as Hanover throws its first Allen Street Block Party. Actually, the street closes earlier, but the music starts at 6 with Andrew Brozek of Ramblers and Co., then moves on at 7 to Canopy. It all continues tomorrow with storytime with Still North Books, magic from Jason Purdy, the North Country Chordsmen, an open mic hosted by novelist Katie Crouch, and again on Sunday with jazz from Grace Wallace and Billy Rosen followed by the Awen Family Band. Food and drink throughout from Sawtooth Kitchen and Still North.
And if you feel like driving north, St. Johnsbury is closing out its summertime street festival/gallery stroll/food & drink/music Final Fridays extravaganza this afternoon and evening, starting at 4 with everything from art-making to corn hole to henna tattoos to a mountain bike ride to crafts, biking, and tango demos to fitness classes to dining everywhere, both inside and out. At 7 pm, singer-songwriter Diana DeMuth closes things out.
Saturday
Tomorrow morning starting at 9 and running until 2 pm, the Richards Free Library in Newport, NH is throwing its annual book festival: lots of books for sale, homemade cookies at the cookie walk, crafts, breakfast (starts at 8) and lunch on the porch.
Also starting up at 9 am tomorrow, the Quechee Scottish Games and Festival takes over the polo field at 45 Deweys Mill Road. Piping competitions, caber toss, stone put, and hammer throw, sheepdog demonstrations, more pipe bands than you can put a stone at, clan parade at noon, live music from The Rebel Collective and the Lissa Schneckenburger Trio, food and beer trucks throughout. Runs until 5 pm.
From 10 am to 5 pm tomorrow, AVA Gallery will be celebrating its 50th birthday with an open house: artist demonstrations, a scavenger hunt, raffles, and more, including cake. Here's a timeline from the days it first opened in a barn in Norwich (it moved to Hanover shortly after, and Lebanon in 1990), and here's Susan Apel's Artful article from yesterday on AVA's history and what to expect at the birthday bash.
Tomorrow starting at 3, Barnard throws its much-cherished Barnard Street Dance. The dance ran for a couple of decades, until it was shut down after an accident in 2015. Barnard Rec and BarnArts revived it last year out in front of Barnard Town Hall (or inside if it rains). There'll be games, a potluck—and, of course, music throughout: Jakob Breitbach, Kit Creeger, and Christopher Billiau's Route 5 Jive; longtime contra dance band Blind Squirrel—Erin Smith, Steve Hoffman, Suzanne Long, Christina Jeske, and Chip Hedler, with Kevin Donohue calling; roots/jazz/blues rockers the Ben Kogan Band (with Kogan, Michael Zsoldos, Jakob Breitbach, and Joe Chapman); and Burlington-based Afro-Funk band Sabouyouma closing things out.
This is a drive away, but if you're a fan of Valley Improv, you should know that they'll be up in Burlington at 5 tomorrow afternoon, taking part in the weekend-long Big Pond Improv Festival at the Vermont Comedy Club. The festivities, with a huge array of improv troupes, get going this evening at 6. Valley Improv's spot tomorrow is part of an hour-long family-friendly block of short-form comedy.
Sunday
At 2 pm Sunday in the East Barnard Church, about 30 residents of E. Barnard will offer up "Letters from Home," reading from the monthly newsletter that a retired engineer named Donald Wesbrook started up in 1943 to send to townsfolk who were serving in the armed forces all over the world. They often wrote back, and Wesbrook incorporated their news into the next issue of the newsletter. Readers will include Floyd Van Alstyne, now 103, who plans to be on hand to read part of a newsletter he received while serving during World War II. As RJ Crowley writes in the Standard, "There is no admission fee and, in the true spirit of keeping with the thematic throughline, refreshments will consist of Pancake Cake and water — standard fare during the war effort."
Sunday at 3 pm, Seven Stars Arts in Sharon presents singer, guitarist, and storyteller John John Brown with "Songs, Stories, & Art: Lessons from Strangers," in which Brown weaves together music, stories, cartoons, and photos—a collaboration with an Indonesian artist to bring visuals to the story songs about 14 different characters that Brown has written.
And also at 3 on Sunday, Court Street Arts presents a concert on the town common with the Royal Towne Brass Quintet. In Alumni Hall if it rains, but the forecast is looking good!
And to take us into the weekend...
Let's go with Houston Bernard (who's in Woodstock tonight) and his anthem to this country's better lights: "doing the right thing, living within our means, ethics, respect and honesty," as he put it to a reporter a couple of years ago.
Have a fine weekend! See you Monday for CoffeeBreak.
The Hiking Close to Home Archives. A list of hikes around the Upper Valley, some easy, some more difficult, compiled by the Upper Valley Trails Alliance. It grows every week.
The Enthusiasms Archives. A list of book recommendations by Daybreak's rotating crew of local booksellers, writers, and librarians who think you should read. this. book. now!
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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