SO GOOD TO SEE YOU, UPPER VALLEY!
Brrrr... but sunny! First, though, that was nice moonlight on the snow, eh? Yesterday's polar trough is headed for the Maritimes and high pressure is building in, but it's going to be cold for mid-November. Highs getting into the mid-20s, with a steady wind from the northwest that'll make wind chills uncomfortable. Then it's back into the single digits tonight — though it looks like temps will start to moderate tomorrow afternoon.Police identify pickup of interest in Rockingham murder. It's coming up on two weeks since a state trooper discovered the body of Roberto Fonseca-Rivera in his delivery truck by the side of Route 103. Now state police have identified a silver pickup, which they believe to be a Toyota Tacoma SR5, that was passing through the area. They're hoping to find the occupants, who "may be witnesses," says Eric Francis. Video images of the truck at the link.Hanover, Lebanon chambers of commerce merge. The combined organization will now be known as the Upper Valley Business Alliance, and is shifting its focus. “We want to...have a seat at the table on matters important to [business owners], hit hard on economic development, workforce issues and promote tourism to the Upper Valley," board president Jen Packard tells the VN's John Lippman. Tracy Hutchins, the former Hanover chamber's director, will run the UVBA; the Lebanon chamber had been without a director since June, when Rob Taylor left to become Enfield's land use administrator. King Arthur Flour goes Paleo. It's launching a new grain-free flour today, made of cassava, almond and coconut flours. Leb manager proposes boost in city's operating budget, eight new employees. Driven largely by increased staffing and rising health insurance costs, the budget drawn up by City Manager Shaun Mulholland would run $2.4 million over current spending. However, the city's overall budget would see a $10.4 million drop thanks to trimmed infrastructure spending. The VN's Tim Camerato has the numbers.Dartmouth engineers land grant to collaborate with Greenland village on renewable energy. The $2.4 million NSF grant will fund four years of work by engineering prof Mary Albert and her team in Qaanaaq, where many of the residents make their living hunting and fishing and have been reliant on diesel and other fossil fuels. The community invited Albert to work with them to find alternatives, since common solutions, like hydropower, aren't available there. “It's not a straightforward problem—it’s multifaceted," says Albert.Cedar Circle Farm experiments with an unexpected crop: Saffron. For the second year in a row, the farm is planting the crocuses that yield the highly prized spice, even though they've traditionally been grown in Asia and southern Europe and weren't expected to be cold-hardy. “We just kind of put them in the ground and that was it,” says the farm's Marnie Williamson. “It’s still a work in progress.” It's all part of an effort led by a UVM research prof to help Vermont farms diversify. (VN)NH House committee tries again on paid family leave. The new measure is similar to the mandatory paid family and medical leave bill vetoed earlier this year by Gov. Chris Sununu. It would impose a 0.5 percent payroll deduction on private employees to fund up to 12 weeks of leave. But it does make a few changes. Most notably, instead of extending to companies with 20 employees or more, it would apply to companies with 50 or more. Even so, Republicans don't much like it. VT state auditor finds "numerous questionable choices" in remote worker program. That's the now-famous grant program to reimburse people for moving to Vermont. In particular, argues Auditor Doug Hoffer, it's hard to know whether grantees moved to the state because of the program, and cites Dept. of Economic Development surveys showing that they were most interested in access to outdoor activities and in moving to a safe place to raise a family. Full report here.Really? Best breweries of the decade? Paste magazine, the music and entertainment mag based in Atlanta, is out with a list of the 50 breweries that defined the beer scene and made major contributions to the industry over the past decade. Seven from New England made the list: The Alchemist and Hill Farmstead from VT; Maine Beer and Allagash from ME; and three from MA, including the #2 spot, Tree House Brewing. Lawson's Finest Liquids made the honorable mentions. Sorry, NH. If you like Daybreak and want to help it keep going, here's how:
OKAY, WHAT'S WORTH BRAVING THE CHILL FOR?
His latest collection,
Here
, was published in September, and he looks life, aging, impermanence, and nature square in the face. As his publisher's page says, "
Here
is a title, but it’s also a statement, an incantation and affirmation: '
Let’s chant it throughout the year,'
Lea writes, '
like so much birdsong: we’re here we’re here we’re here.'"
At 7 pm, and as usual, reserve a seat: [email protected] or 649-1114.
. It's an extremely sobering look at the impact on the ground of climate change and regulatory rollbacks under the Trump administration. She'll be presenting the film at BALE in So. Royalton, and then leading a conversation about it all. Starts at 7:30. If you can't make it but wish you could,
.
. The former MA governor and current GOP presidential candidate will be talking with Rockefeller Center senior fellow Charles Wheelan about issues, policies and priorities that will define the presidency over the next few decades. At the Rockefeller Center starting at 5.
Have a fine day out there. See you tomorrow.
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