GOOD MORNING, UPPER VALLEY!
Cold? What cold? "Seasonably mild temperatures are anticipated for the upcoming week," say the weather folks, and though there's some low pressure drifting by overhead, temps will still get into the upper 30s today, with a mix of clouds and sun. Light winds from the northwest, mid-teens overnight.But just two days ago... This was hard to miss if you paid any attention to the news, but Mt. Washington matched its low-temp record of -47F, and recorded wind speeds over 120 mph, bringing the wind chill to a record-setting -108. Burgundy link goes to a Twitter video. Meteorologist Francis Tarasiewicz tells NHPR's Gabriel Lozada that the cold hitting a small opening between his wrist and his glove felt like a bee sting.Eviction notices signal change in Hartland. The notices went to residents of eight apartments in the center of town, reports Justin Campfield in the Valley News, which have been owned since last fall by Boston-based MG2—the same company that a year ago sent similar notices to residents of 18 apartments in Quechee. The company owns the whole parcel on which the apartments as well as the Hartland Diner, the post office and BG's Market sit; BG's is due to reopen Friday after renovations, while the post office's lease is up for renewal and the company is "in discussions" with diner owner Nicole Bartner.“It is unsafe and totally unviable to have people just relying on space heaters when it’s negative 13 degrees out." That's a member of Dartmouth's grad-student workers' organization talking to The Dartmouth's Isabelle Han about the 40 apartments at the Summit on Juniper complex in Lebanon that have been without reliable heat for the last few weeks. The company that handles residential operations for the grad student housing there says faulty compressors are being replaced—but residents report they've received multiple emails promising problems will be fixed by the "end of the day."These days, that could be a team coach behind the school-bus wheel. For the last few years, bus companies have been grappling with a shortage of drivers—and middle and high school sports teams with uncertainty about when, or even whether, they might get to games. So, reports Liz Sauchelli in the VN, coaches have been taking it on themselves to get a commercial drivers license and then do the driving themselves. And get paid for it by the bus company. “I just thought it’d be a great way to ensure at least my teams are going to get where they’re going on time every day,” says Mascoma High's athletic director.Yesterday marked the 136th anniversary of the Hartford Train Disaster. You may have seen the historical plaque along Route 14: On Feb. 5, 1887, a train bound for Montreal hit a broken rail and partially derailed; three cars plunged into the White River, and at least 40 passengers and crew lost their lives in the wreck and ensuing fire. On his Upper Valley VT/NH Musings, Dave Celone writes that he was passing that way yesterday—"the blue-greens of the water undulating under the ice were spectacular," he writes. "Hard to imagine a fiery train wreck happened there." He rounds up the lore, with photos."White River Junction in 1957 is forever locked in among my fondest memories." That year, writes former NH ag commissioner and local historian Steve Taylor in a reminiscence in the VN, WRJ was still a bustling rail stop and depot, the area was crowded with livestock feed dealers, Twin State Fruit, the dock where Cadillacs headed for Miller Auto got unloaded, restaurants, banks, "the Hotel Coolidge, two drugstores, Colodny’s Surprise Department Store, a newsstand, Western Union office, movie theater, stationer..." and above all, in his memory, the Lang Hardware Store, "the most interesting and engaging business in all of White River Junction." He looks back, with photos.Crevice competition. That's why, not long from now, male snow buntings will be heading north despite the Arctic cold. "Typically," writes Mary Holland on her Naturally Curious blog, "arctic songbirds nest in the open, but the eggs and young of crevice-nesting Snow Buntings experience far less predation than those of other birds." The problem: there aren't always enough crevices to go around. So, as with any land rush, there's pressure to get going. Females will follow four to six weeks later.An update on wake-boat rules. If you've been following along, you know that several Lake Fairlee residents have helped spearhead a statewide effort to get VT's Dept of Environmental Conservation to regulate where the controversial boats—which can erode shorelines and stir up phosphorus from lake bottoms—can operate. In Sidenote, Li Shen writes that last month the state issued its proposed rule, which would allow the boats to operate 500 feet from shore, rather than the 1,000 feet advocates wanted, but does require boats to be decontaminated if they leave their home lake. Next step: a public hearing.And two VT stories from Friday:
In The Guardian, Asher Lehrer-Small notes that VT had the largest percentage increase in homelessness from 2020-2022 (151 percent, according to a December HUD report), though it also had the lowest percentage who were also unsheltered. The issue is becoming especially acute for schoolkids in the state: In St. J, the school district’s homeless liaison, Kara Lufkin, tells Lehrer-Small that her caseload is now at nearly two dozen students this year, double what it was for the previous two school years. The affordable housing crisis has a big part to play—and advocates are worried about what will happen as VT phases out pandemic rental assistance.
And in a six-page affidavit, the former president of Jay Peak, Bill Stenger—now serving an 18-month prison sentence for his role in the EB-5 fraud scandal—said that he was an "unknowing pawn" in the scheme and that state officials, including then-Gov. Peter Shumlin, had "covered up" the fraud. In VTDigger, which first uncovered the whole mess,Ann Galloway and Alan J. Keays detail the allegations and responses, including Shumlin's retort that it's common for defense lawyers to "attempt to shift the blame for criminal activity to everyone that they can think of."
Longtime Daybreak readers know it's got a soft spot for colossally wrong-headed travel writing about this region, and a weekend entry from an Indian site,
Nomad
, gloriously fits the bill. There's also the town's Main Street historic district and its large parks to serve as a draw. But hey, they got Gile Mountain right!
(Thanks, JF!)
The Monday Vordle. With a word from Friday's Daybreak.
And let's ease into the week with...
Tim Minchin, the Australian comedian and composer best known for
Matilda the Musical
and his vastly entertaining, musically (and philosophically) rollicking live shows. But Minchin's also got a poignant, quiet, storytelling side—
See you tomorrow.
Written and published by Rob Gurwitt Writer: Jonea Gurwitt Poetry editor: Michael Lipson About Rob About Michael
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