GOOD MORNING, UPPER VALLEY!
Okay, now yuck. That coastal low tracked farther east than expected, which is why things didn't really start in earnest until last night. But now we get rain and snow and maybe some freezing rain. No ice accumulation expected, and temps will eventually get into the mid-30s, wind shifting around to the northwest. Everything should come to an end by mid-afternoon. DHMC plan envisions 300 new employees, 2500 additional trips per day on Route 120 corridor. The medical center filed the formal plans last week for its proposed $130 million expansion. In all, it expects to add 212,000 square feet in a five-story patient tower, with 64 beds initially and room to double that number. That would be about 17,000 additional square feet and 16 more beds than DHMC initially proposed, the VN's Nora Doyle-Burr points out. The Leb planning board will take up the site plan in January.Haverhill's Oliverian School exploring move to Bennington. The alternative boarding school "for adolescents who have not thrived in traditional settings" has put down a $4.9 million offer for the 371-acre property once inhabited by Southern Vermont College. Oliverian currently has 17 buildings on both sides of Route 25 in Pike, part of Haverhill. The school has until January to decide whether to close the deal or walk away from it.Dartmouth's Hell Gate Gorge cabin burns to ground. The fire erupted Friday night and destroyed the three-room cabin, which overlooks the gorge and Dead Diamond River in the college's extensive Second College Grant. A group staying there evacuated safely, and college officials are waiting for a report from the fire chief in Errol, NH. (VN)Here's one way to keep it local for the holidays. A few years ago, Revolution tried offering gift cards to WRJ's various shops and restaurants, but didn't want to exclude anyone. The result was a serious hit to the wallet. Last Valentine's Day they tried a smaller version, with just five women-owned businesses. Now, says Kim Souza, they've figured out how to be both inclusive and accessible: You choose five $25 gift cards from any of 26 businesses for $100. List at the link, but you need to go into Revolution to clinch the deal.Woman who stole from vets' group wants early release. Danielle Goodwin is serving time in the NH Correctional Facility for Women for stealing nearly $100K from Project VetCare, the Hanover nonprofit she co-founded with Vietnam vet (and Bonnie CLAC founder) Robert Chambers. In a plea deal she'd gotten 18 months suspended from her original sentence, and now is asking for early release from that. Prosecutors contend she's violated the terms of the deal, and have filed to have the 18 months reinstated. (VN) Civil political conversation may be tough, but it's not impossible. NHPR looks at a bipartisan group in Keene that's been meeting monthly since early 2017 to hash out such issues as immigration, income inequality, and health care. Retired Keene State prof Tom Bassarear, who organized it, says Ds and Rs alike have values they agree on: democracy, fair elections, a level playing field, and that everyone deserves a chance to succeed in life.Tomorrow's a big right-to-know day at the NH Supreme Court. It will be hearing three cases involving the state's open records law and news organizations' efforts to expand government transparency. Two of the cases, on which the NH ACLU is co-counsel, involve the state's use of an “internal personnel practices” exemption to keep information private. The third involves efforts by a Keene State prof and her students to get access to city records.VT hospitals face massive nurse, doctor shortage. That's the conclusion of a draft report by the state's Rural Health Services task force. It predicts almost 4,000 nursing vacancies between now and next spring, as well as a shortage of 70 primary care physicians. The report cites four chief factors: the cost of nursing and medical education; limited educational capacity in the state; Vermont's aging workforce; and and provider burnout. VT's Catholic diocese put $500 million in property into trusts to protect it from abuse settlements. The move to shield assets became public when it was first launched 13 years ago, but the details of how the Church went about it have gone unreported. Now VTDigger's Kevin O'Connor takes a look at what the Church did under former Bishop Salvatore Matano, who justified his steps as "designed to reassure Vermont churchgoers who feared the potential loss of their parish holdings."UVM Health launches routine genomic DNA testing pilot. This is a little different from the DNA testing that's already common when looking at symptom causes. Now the health network wants to make testing for 147 genes that are established indicators of increased risk for certain diseases a routine part of primary care. It's part of an effort to focus on prevention. And also, um, "in the future, patients will...have the opportunity to share lifestyle, environment, and nutrition data." (Thanks for the tip, NS!)VT gets a Brewshed Alliance. The idea is simple: Breweries have an interest in preserving clean water. So the Vermont Natural Resources Council has started enlisting them in its clean-water efforts. Lawson's Finest Liquids, The Alchemist, Halyard Brewing, Magic Hat, and Zero Gravity have signed on so far. Similar alliances are already up in Oregon, Washington, and Maine.
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GOT PLANS?
. This 2018 documentary makes the case for a plant-based diet, following ex-mixed martial arts competitor James Wilks as he turns vegan and interviews elite athletes like ultra-marathoner Scott Jurek, cycling champ Dotsie Bausch, and powerlifting record-holder Patrik Baboumian about their experiences. 6 pm at Woodstock Town Hall.
. The Norris Cotton Cancer Center, D-H, and the Montshire are holding a series of community discussions about health and policy research being done in VT and NH on a variety of health-related issues. These are open to the public, but they do ask you to RSVP. At the Montshire at 6:30 pm.
. That and this week's other live pub/bar listings at the link.
. "This is the area's BEST live trivia series, with the best prizes... accept no substitutes!" they boast. Starts at 7, in case you want to put it (and yourself, and your pals) to the test.
. Tonight and every Tuesday night, 8-10. You'll need an access code, phone number at the link.
Drive safely out there. See you tomorrow.
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