GOOD MORNING, UPPER VALLEY!
Between two systems. Yesterday's weather was thanks to a passing cold front, tonight there's a polar front headed our way. In the meantime, there's a slight chance of some snow this afternoon as a disturbance from the south grazes us, but the drama will be tonight's winds as air from the north arrives. Cloudy today, temps into the low 30s, down to the low 20s tonight. Also, the skies should clear tonight, and though the Geminids' peak was last night, there's still a chance to get out and look up.One good sunrise begets another. Friday's Mascoma Lake sunrise pic inspired Timothy Lin to get his drone up over the lake that morning—and it turned out to be a fiery morning, with the endless red and orange sky reflected in the smoldering lake below. Yesterday morning, on the other hand... "The fog was magnificent," writes Norwich's Brenda Petrella. "I've been waiting for a day like this to get some portraits of trees in fog. Today was just what I've been waiting for." Randolph man dies of stabbing; police arrest suspect. Late Saturday afternoon, a passerby notified an Orange County sheriff's deputy of a stabbing on Park Street. First responders found 44-year-old Concepcion Cruz and transported him to Gifford, where he was pronounced dead. Police took 29-year-old Victoria Griffin into custody at the scene, and after an investigation by the state police major crime unit, she was arrested and charged yesterday. Four children at the couple's home, aged 12 to 16, are "now in the care of relatives," according to the VSP release.Two new ventures take shape: Hanover's Christmas market, Cioffredi's athletic training center. The Valley News's John Lippman looks at both in his Sunday column. Hanover's "Festival of Lights" with its small wooden sheds—built by volunteers from the fire department and Trumbull-Nelson—did great business its first weekend, he reports. Meanwhile, Cioffredi & Associates is moving beyond its usual physical therapy business to offer high-performance athletic training using "the kind of equipment more common at a Swiss spa for Olympians than at a physical therapist’s office in rural New Hampshire."Giving time, giving stuff, or giving money. It goes without saying that the needs are great this year, and so are the opportunities to help meet them. Junction mag's Colleen Goodhue has put together a really useful set of ideas for ways to make a difference, from volunteering for WISE to helping LISTEN prep Christmas dinner to helping Willing Hands, COVER, and other local nonprofits whose work goes directly to sustaining Upper Valleyites in need.DHMC, Lebanon agree to new yearly payment deal. The arrangement affects the hospital's "payment in lieu of taxes" on its tax-exempt property, and calls for a minimum of $1.7 million next year, reports the VN's Tim Camerato; under the agreement it replaces, which dates to 2002, the payment would have been $1.27 million. This new version runs to 2040 and, says the city's lawyer, Adele Fulton, adjust for any new square footage on the hospital campus—such as the $150 million patient tower now under construction.“Traffic volume is down, so why are as many people dying on the roads as a normal year?” That's Paul White, law enforcement liaison for VT's State Highway Safety Office. There's similar puzzlement in NH, notes the VN's Anna Merriman: In both states, thanks to the pandemic, highway traffic has dropped, but fatality rates have shown little change from average years. One possibility: a rise in "reckless" driving—speeding, driving under the influence, not using seatbelts. "The number of people driving outrageously fast and taking chances...(is) outrageously up this year,” as White puts it.Second NH House leader sidelined by Covid. In a Facebook post Saturday, House Speaker Pro Tem Kimberly Rice, a Republican from Hudson, disclosed that she has the illness and is having difficulty breathing. The revelation comes after the news last week of House Speaker Dick Hinch's death from the disease. Over the weekend, lawmakers and legislative staff lined up for Covid testing in Concord. House Democratic Leader Renny Cushing tells InDepthNH's Nancy West the State House has been closed to legislative staff members, who will work from home.Feds tell VT they're yanking unemployment benefit program. The news came Friday evening, reports Seven Days' Colin Flanders. It affects a program that currently covers close to 900 Vermonters who have used up their 26 weeks of state-allotted benefits. States with high unemployment rates are eligible for the program; VT's has been declining, but state officials argue that federal calculations undercount actual need. In a press release, the state labor commissioner scored the feds' "refus[al] to recognize the real and distinct humanitarian crisis that this pandemic has created."To lower greenhouse gases you have to know where they come from. In one VT county, it's cow burps and cars. The state keeps track of statewide data, but it's a lot of work to zero in on local metrics. So the Climate Economy Action Center, a nonprofit organization based in Middlebury, dug into sources of emissions in Addison County. Ag, they found, made up 41 percent of the county’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2017, VTDigger's Emma Cotton reports, and of that, 60 percent came from cow burps (which, it turns out, generate more methane than flatulence). Another 21 percent came from cars.Here's one way to deal with murder hornets, but you probably don't want to try this at home. New research in Vietnam has shown the first instance of tool use by honeybees—they coat hive entrances in animal dung, which repels a giant hornet species that's closely related to the species known as "murder hornets." Wellesley entomologist Heather Mattila says it's possible that once researchers discover why this repulses hornets, beekeepers can use the substance to discourage hornet attacks on their hives... if they can figure out how not to compromise safety standards for producing honey.
Time to catch up...
NH reported 1,190 new cases on Friday, 791 on Saturday, and 722 yesterday, reaching 30,956 overall. There were 19 deaths over the weekend, bringing the total to 584, and 251 people are hospitalized (up 3). The current active caseload stands at 6,560 (up 257). Grafton County is at 188 active cases (up 2), Sullivan has 56 (down 2), and Merrimack has 822 (up 46). In town-by-town numbers, the state says Hanover has 33 active cases (down 11), Lebanon has 31 (up 10), Claremont has 22 (up 4), Newport has 13 (down 7), New London has 10 (up 1), Enfield has 6 (up 1), as do Grantham and Haverhill (up at least 2 each). Canaan (down 4) and Charlestown (up at least 1) have 5. Warren, Wentworth, Orford, Plainfield, Grafton, and Sunapee are all in the 1-4 category. Piermont, Croydon, and Springfield are off the list.
VT reported 88 cases Friday, 116 on Saturday, and 119 yesterday, bringing its official total to 5,753, with 2,147 of those active (up 49 over the weekend). There were 6 new deaths—they now stand at 95—and 22 people with confirmed cases (no change) are hospitalized. Windsor County gained 16 cases over the weekend (87 over the past 14 days) to stand at 295 for the pandemic. Orange County gained 8 cases (with 65 over the past 14 days) and is now at 277 cumulatively. In weekly town-by-town numbers released Friday, Springfield gained 11 cases over the week before, Hartford added 8, Randolph gained 6, Windsor added 4 and Bethel at least 4 (moving from the 1-5 category to 9 since March). Bradford and Royalton added 3 cases each, Hartland added 2, and Thetford added at least 2 (it's moved from the 1-5 category to 7 total for the pandemic). Chelsea, Woodstock, and Killington each added 1 case over the week before.
News that connects you. If you like Daybreak and want to help it keep going, here's how:
In case you didn't read Colleen Goodhue's article above, at this time of growing need in the Upper Valley probably the key central online resource—both for people in need and for people who can afford to give—is Upper Valley Strong. It's filled with links to local pantries and other food resources, eviction and other housing resources, utility information, financial relief, and other information. It also has a volunteer portal if you want to donate time.
Meanwhile, the 19 Days of the Upper Valley is going strong, with a variety of efforts to support The Haven. An astounding array of local businesses are participating, with a portion of their proceeds going to donations (and being matched, up to $150K, by the Byrne Foundation). And the local Cameo Arts Foundation and Cameo Baroque have put an all-Telemann concert (recorded at the First Congregational Church of Lebanon) online as a benefit: You can drop a check at the Haven or Dan & Whit's, or mail one to Cameo at PO Box 6, Orford NH 03777, made out to The Haven.
And speaking of support, one taken-for-granted organization that's looking for help is WDEV radio, based in Waterbury, VT: 89 years of independent radio and, as reader TM writes, "the last place on radio you can hear a real Vermont accent—on the morning 'Trading Post,' usually farmers selling hay baler parts, etc." If you're in listening range, you may already have heard former Gov. Jim Douglas, actor Rusty DeWees and other VT luminaries putting in a pitch.
Meanwhile, if you're looking for something to do, the Co-op's cooking school is offering an online "Ultimate Mediterranean Mezze Platter" class. "Putting one together is more assembling than cooking, however there are a few parts that are best made fresh," they write. "We will make our own baba ganoush, hummus, lavash and roasted red peppers." $7.
And at 7 pm, the Howe's Ciné Salon will be hosting Margaret Parsons, head of the National Gallery of Art's film program. She'll be talking about the digital revolution, its impact on cinema, and approaches to saving the filmmaking arts—as well as showing (and discussing) a variety of art films from the collection.
To start the week,
A street guitarist, an older guy with a cane who clearly doesn't need it, and a minute of joyous connection on a rain-slicked street in The Hague a couple of months ago.
(It's Twitter, so you'll need to turn up the volume yourself—loud—on the bottom right.)
See you tomorrow.
Written and published by Rob Gurwitt Banner by Tom Haushalter Poetry editor: Michael Lipson About Rob About Tom About Michael
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