Over Easy: An Upper Valley winter musical would be titled "Wicked Cold," of course

By DAN MACKIE

I am not the sort of person who suddenly bursts into song — or would wish for anyone else to (too startling) — but I have been feeling musical after experiencing the movie, “Wicked,” during Thanksgiving break.I was not there under duress; as a leading...

VINS sets records for number of birds in its care

By LIZ SAUCHELLI

QUECHEE — For around a decade, Pat Tivnan has been volunteering at the Vermont Institute of Natural Science to help care for baby birds.During her four-hour shifts, she’d feed the tiniest patients at the Center for Wild Bird Rehabilitation and...

Mount Washington Observatory unveils new project to expand weather monitoring across NH

By MARA HOPLAMAZIAN

Mount Washington famously lays claim to the world’s worst weather. Now, a new project from the Mount Washington Observatory will allow people to monitor that weather more closely.Last week, the observatory unveiled a project to expand the Mount...

First right whales of season gorge on critical food off Massachusetts, giving hope for a strong year

By PATRICK WHITTLE

Scientists who study a critically endangered species of whale that lives off New England said encouraging early signs suggest the animals could have a strong season for feeding and breeding.The North Atlantic right whale is one of the rarest whale...

Upper Valley Guernseys earn ribbons at World Dairy Expo

By EMMA ROTH-WELLS

MERIDEN — To owner Angela Toms, Mill Bridge Farm is a “4-H project gone right.”Toms, a physician, and her husband, Chris Forman, a software engineer, built the barn that houses 11 Guernsey cows in 2018, after their four children joined 4-H and got...

Making Statehouse plaza festive: When moving a 40-foot Christmas tree, the wind isn’t your friend

By DAVID BROOKS

Cutting your own Christmas tree is a snap. Unless, that is, it weighs 3,100 pounds, is as wide as a lane of traffic and nature decided to make the whole process more complicated.“The wind makes it a little trickier,” said Ryan Rambeau, Concord tree...

Rain will help NH's drought conditions. But it's not enough.

By MARA HOPLAMAZIAN

Ongoing drought conditions are straining some local water systems, and state officials are urging people to conserve water where they can. Meanwhile, some people are reporting that their residential wells are going dry. Fires are also catching across...

Out & About: Upper Valley Thanksgiving meals 2024

By LIZ SAUCHELLI

Every year, dozens of volunteers and organizations make Thanksgiving special.This happens in various ways: there’s people who put together meal boxes for families in need, those who serve meals at Thanksgiving Day dinners and yet others who volunteer...

Vershire’s largest property owner sets sights on long-term forest growth

By JIM KENYON

VERSHIRE — Donna Goldberg stopped in her tracks to gaze skyward at a single 100-foot white pine that towered over smaller hardwood trees on a forested embankment.“It’s a beauty,” she said, estimating the pine’s age at about 80 years old.Trees such as...

Three-quarters of Vermont experiencing dry conditions

By ERIN PETENKO

More than 75% of Vermont is “abnormally dry,” and a quarter of the state is in a drought, according to the latest data from the U.S. Drought Monitor. As of last week, drought conditions were worst in southern Vermont, where much of Rutland, Windsor,...

Dartmouth project seeks to convert waste to energy

HANOVER — Dartmouth sophomore engineering student Ben Cavanagh monitored a biomass torrefaction reactor, which breaks down agricultural and forestry waste like husks and wood chips in a high heat, low oxygen environment to create a carbon-rich...

Valley Parents: Hanover middle school students create art out of wood, paints

By PATRICK O’GRADY

HANOVER — Besides crafting something useful from wood, eighth grader Gabriel Lizcano had another reason for taking Cliff Harriman’s woodworking class at Richmond Middle School: the joy his work brings others.“It is nice after you work so hard on...

Valley Parents column: Upper Valley dad discusses support systems

By LORI STEVER

Becoming a parent is a wonderful and unique experience. There is nothing quite like the love and joy that a child brings to a family.As a mother of three, I remember the joy and excitement that came along with each birth, as well as the new challenges...

Valley Parents: Woodstock High students combine art, nature in studies

By PATRICK O’GRADY

WOODSTOCK — On a warm, early fall morning students in Katrina Jimerson’s Eco Art class at Woodstock Union High School prepared for a “scavenger hunt” at Sculpture Fest, an art exhibition on farmland in Woodstock.The 15 students were in search of...

Valley Parents: Claremont first graders use their imaginations to build fine motor skills

By PATRICK O’GRADY

CLAREMONT — It was “Creation Station” day in Sue Tuttle’s art class at Maple Avenue Elementary School and the excitement in the room was high.Seated around several tables, the 14 first graders from Julie VanInwagen’s class listened patiently as Tuttle...

Valley Parents column: Tips to inspire kid’s creativity

By MIRIAM VORAN

Cooler weather is here and winter is on its way. Parents are looking for wholesome indoor activities to keep children busy and support their growing minds. Art projects usually top the list.You imagine your child contentedly coloring, making a picture...

West Newbury community supper persists in serving in-person meals

By EMMA ROTH-WELLS

WEST NEWBURY, Vt. — The power was out at West Newbury Hall due to high winds on the night of the 63rd annual West Newbury turkey supper and bake sale last month, but the more than 70 volunteers organizing, cooking, serving and cleaning up afterward...

UNH will receive $24 million to build space weather sensors

By MARA HOPLAMAZIAN

Researchers at the University of New Hampshire have been awarded $24 million to help build sensors that can track space weather and warn of dangers.The sensors will monitor solar wind — a stream of charged particles flowing out of the sun that can...

Marsh-Billings hosts horse logging program

Logger Derek O’Toole of Bass Brook Farm and Forest pulls an ash log that will become firewood to heat the buildings at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park in Woodstock from the Mount Tom Forest on Wednesday.O'Toole is in the midst of a...