Boxing Day News Digest

I had a busy month and had to stop this experiment for a bit. I resumed it after Christmas Day with a look at several days of news that I'm digesting here. The purpose of this is to see how fast I can take tweets and use them in another format. 

ALBEMARLE AND CHARLOTTESVILLE 

• Several stores at Fashion Square Mall are expected to close soon after the holidays. @craftypanda has this update. (bit.ly/39eh9Pm)
• The Claudius Crozet Blue Ridge Tunnel is expected to open to the public sometime in 2020. Great details about the work needed in this @newsadvance story from Erin Conway @conway_erin_e (bit.ly/2Sp7Gi2)
• Foxfield is under a conservation easement now, which clearly defines that racing and non-racing events can happen on the property.  Allison Wravbel @craftypanda explains it clearly in this @DailyProgress article (bit.ly/2PYDTv4)
• There is a shortage of substitute teachers in Albemarle and Charlottesville. @Knott_Katherine documents current pay scales as well as efforts to try to address the issue (bit.ly/2SscSSw)

VIRGINIA

• While many in Virginia celebrated Christmas, New River Valley protesters blocking further tree-clearing for the Mountain Valley Pipeline spent the day continuing their work. @SamWall12345 and @LaurenceHammack wrote this @roanoketimes story (bit.ly/2QmiCKF)
• The Virginia State Water Control Board has approved 45 permits for 45 poultry farms in Accomack County that depend on groundwater to operate. This story is from the Eastern Shore Post (bit.ly/34XsL5Z)
• Virginia ABC stores broke sales records for the 21st year in a row. This report is from @8NEWS (bit.ly/37ezoCx) The ABC report itself is very interesting. Check out page 41 for how stores in the Albemarle/Charlottesville fared. Guess which one sold the most gallons? (bit.ly/2Qm52a9)
  
  
• This year, a dam on the Maury River came down. That lowered water levels at Jordan's Point Park, prompting the need for a new master plan. @alisonkgraham has this @roanoketimes story (bit.ly/39fmW7p)
• Last week, Governor Northam announced a $3.7 billion investment in rail infrastructure, including expansion of Long Bridge to allow for additional trains across the Potomac. @WDBJ7 has this story (bit.ly/2rtdqMK)

CLIMATE CHANGE

• Coastal wetlands will play a vital role both in carbon sequestration and in helping fight sea-level rise. That's the perspective of @MBLScience (bit.ly/350NbLk)
• Around 175 different makes and models of electric cars will be on the marker in Europe by the end of 2020, up from less than 100 now. Read this @guardian story for more information (bit.ly/34XFzt5)
• We live on a planet whose weather systems are all connected. This is a good interview with climate scientist @jrockstrom who I did not know until now. I recommend reading it. (bit.ly/2EQyFLw)
• Sea-level rise threatens some places more than others. One is the Netherlands, which has already decided to let some places to go to protect others. Read more about their planning process in this @POLITICOEurope story (politi.co/362ksac)