Daybreak Monday 4/22/24

GOOD MORNING, UPPER VALLEY!

Sunny but brisk. A breakaway jolt of arctic air came through yesterday, so though we've got high pressure and virtually cloudless skies, we likely won't get much above 50 today—upper 40s to the north. That air is also dry and there are gusty winds out of the north, so today's not the day to be burning brush. Clear tonight, lows in the mid 20s ahead of a one-day warm spell tomorrow.Yeah, but you haven't seen one like this. One more eclipse photo—here because it's so cool. "We were in the parking lot of the Price Chopper in Newport (with many others)," a reader writes, "and our friend Kaytee Ray-Riek had a fixed camera taking shots throughout the eclipse. She then merged a bunch of them to produce this nice progression of the event. It was a spectacular day and this is a great record of it." He's right. (Thank you, SR!)JAG Productions to shut down. In a Thursday email to supporters and at this past weekend's performances of The Lesson, JAG founder Jarvis Green announced that the eight-year old theater company will end its run in June, after the final performance of Sondheimia at the Briggs, part of its JAG Underground series. Green noted the company's long record of pathbreaking work—everything from Choir Boy and  Fences to Esai’s Table and Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill—but added, "Despite our successes, the broader crisis facing the arts has not spared us." His email and one from the board at the link. VT Center for Ecostudies still seeking volunteers for backyard (and front yard) tick study. The study's goal, which VCE researcher Jason Hill launched last year, is to gauge the impact of tick sprays on other insects and to help homeowners "make informed decisions about how they manage their own properties," Hill tells the Valley News's Liz Sauchelli. Last year's results, Sauchelli writes, show that tick treatment for lawns does reduce the tick population—but also that of other insects, especially caterpillars and spiders. More findings in Sauchelli's piece, details on the study here.“It’s the ultimate team sport. It is not possible to be successful by yourself." That's Billy Bender, who grew up in Norwich and goes to Dartmouth, talking about pairs rowing. Two weeks ago, he and Dartmouth alum Oliver Bub qualified for the Paris Olympics. As VTDigger's Juan Vega de Soto writes, "The event demands a minutely coordinated precision; from placing the same amount of force in the stroke, to extracting the blade simultaneously. 'It’s a level of trust, of intimacy even, that you don’t get in any other sport,'" Bender tells him. Vega de Soto profiles how Bender went from not good enough to qualify for Dartmouth's team to an Olympic berth.

Riding the bus. You can do it anytime without charge, Susan Apel points out in Artful, thanks to Advance Transit. "Free public transportation is rare but gaining in popularity," she points out (and lists the cities that offer it). Recently, after watching buses "pull in and out of the stop in front of Lebanon’s City Hall for years," she climbed aboard. Nothing earth-shattering happened, which is pretty much the point: The bus made its rounds on time and the ride was pleasant. "To get just a taste of what it is and how it works," she adds, "I recommend you choose a route and take a ride." Routes and schedules here.Valley News looking for community input on its coverage. Over the weekend, the paper announced it's creating a new Reader Advisory Board as it seeks "feedback about what we are covering, and what we aren’t." Members of the board—there'll be nine to 11 of them—will meet quarterly with VN staff and, the paper writes, serve as "liaisons with the broader Upper Valley community." You've got until May 15 to apply, need to live in the paper's coverage area, and can't be an elected official or have a career "in public relations or communications focused on the Upper Valley."Hundreds evacuated from Flying Monkey in Saturday night fire—including fire chief. The fire, reports WMUR's Tim Callery, broke out in the Downtown Pizza building on Main Street in Plymouth while some 450 people, including fire chief Tom Morrison, were next door at the Flying Monkey watching a Foreigner tribute band. Plymouth's Fire Department Callery notes, "quickly [struck] three alarms, bringing in help from 12 surrounding towns." The Flying Monkey got only minor smoke damage; the pizza building remains closed. Footage of the fire from onlookers quickly made its way to social media. With bill on childhood vaccinations, NH making its way into the national spotlight. The measure, which recently passed the House and is now in the Senate, would end proof-of-vaccination requirements for kids enrolling in child care. State epidemiologist Benjamin Chan testified against it last week, reports NHPR's Paul Cuno-Booth, arguing, “As vaccination levels decrease, this is putting our children and our communities and our child care agencies at risk." Manchester GOP Rep. Ross Berry, a sponsor, argues the measure axes a “needless paperwork requirement.” NH "would be the only state in the US to have such a law" if it passes and Chris Sununu signs it, notes Mother Jones.“We’ve been accused of harboring terrorists, which is completely untrue." Leb City Manager Shaun Mulholland has grown frustrated with allegations from GOP state legislators who say Lebanon's become a "sanctuary city." While its "welcoming" ordinance does bar cooperation with the feds in enforcing civil immigration laws, police do cooperate on criminal cases, he explains to NH Bulletin's Annmarie Timmins. It's just one of several examples of misinformation in the illegal immigration debate that Timmins digs into, including inflated border crossing claims, claims about immigrant crime, and the data for NH.A conversation with VT's newly appointed education secretary. Zoie Saunders started work last week, though the state Senate has yet to weigh in on the Florida transplant's confirmation. VT Public's Mikaela Lefrak spoke to Saunders on Thursday and a transcript's now available. Lefrak asks in particular about Saunders' time with the private company Charter Schools USA—"I'm not interested in bringing charter schools to the state of Vermont," Saunders says; public funding for private schools; and her goal of "improving student outcomes and student opportunities" statewide.Time for a jigsaw! The Norwich Historical Society's Sarah Rooker has another one ready: It's a photo from around 1900 looking across the river from Hanover toward Norwich. "You can see how much narrower the Connecticut River was before the Wilder Dam created Wilder Lake," she writes. And adds: "This is a 75-piece puzzle. If it is too hard, you can change the number of pieces. Old photos of landscapes are a little challenging :)"

Heads Up

And to take us into the week: cows.

Or, actually,

The cows are out in the Flint Hills of Kansas, on Derek Klingenberg's farm. And it's pretty clear they've got a thing (as many cows do) for music. Though as one commenter writes, "i think i am more impressed that you know so many trombone players."

See you tomorrow.

Written and published by Rob Gurwitt   Associate writer: Jonea Gurwitt   Poetry editor: Michael Lipson  About Rob                                                                                                  About Michael

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