The Dawn of a New Era: The 2026 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1x is Here

After many attempts to connect around a schedule that rarely slows down, we finally sat down today with Courtney Litchfield for our final Littleton Chevrolet Teacher Giveaway of the season and what a true pleasure it was to get to know her and everything she pours into her students and community. Like so many great educators, Courtney’s path to the front of the classroom wasn't a straight line.  Right out of high school, she and her high school sweetheart packed up and moved to Los Angeles.  After spending some time out west, the pull of home brought them back to the area in 2012 and Courtney jumped straight into higher education.  She started her college journey at NHTI before transferring to Keene State College, where she graduated in 2013 with an impressive triple-threat academic foundation: a Bachelor’s Degree in History, an Associate’s Degree in Education and an Associate’s Degree in Special Education. Before stepping into a full-time classroom, life took her and her sweetheart to New York City for five years, where she worked in customer service at a title office in Brooklyn.  Life was changing for both of them and they needed to follow their dreams.  When they eventually made their way back home once again, Courtney was ready to put her degrees to work.  She landed her very first teaching job at the Beckett Academy...working inside a literal little red schoolhouse.  There, she taught life skills, math and literacy, laying the groundwork for the hands-on, student-centered educator she is today. Outside of school, Courtney has a second calling as a wedding coordinator, having organized and executed more than 60 weddings to date.  As fate would have it, her work in the wedding industry led directly to her next big career move.  While coordinating a wedding, she was approached by the guidance counselor from Blue Mountain Union School (BMU) who strongly encouraged her to apply for an open teaching position.  With that encouragement behind her, Courtney went for it and got the job. That was in 2015, marking the start of her dedicated tenure at BMU.  Over the years, Courtney has proven to be the kind of educator who steps up wherever she is needed most.  During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, she temporarily moved over to the Newbury School to cover for a fellow teacher who was navigating health issues, ensuring those students never missed a beat. At BMU, Courtney’s versatility has been nothing short of remarkable.  She has taught across a wide spectrum of grade levels...from fourth grade, fifth through eighth grade and all the way up to high school seniors in the twelfth grade.  Her primary focus has centered on the Applied Pathway Program and High School Life Skills classes, where learning goes far beyond textbooks.  One standout highlight from her classroom includes guiding her students through OSHA safety standards and completely rebuilding the school’s greenhouse, alongside deeply practical, hands-on lessons in cooking and cleaning that prepare students for independent adult lives. If you ask around Blue Mountain Union, you quickly realize Courtney’s impact doesn't stop when the final bell rings.  She serves as the Class Advisor for the Junior Class, a group she has loyally stuck with since their freshman year.  Together, they work tirelessly to fundraise for major milestones like Prom and their Senior Class Trip, running concessions at high school games to build up their class treasury.  She also spearheads the prom committee and serves as the school’s go-to event coordinator, organizing major community gatherings highlighted by the annual Memorial Day and Veterans Day assemblies. Courtney is always looking for ways to broaden her students' horizons.  She recently coordinated a visit from the Taiko Drumming Team out of Burlington, Vermont...giving students an unforgettable cultural experience where they not only spent an hour learning from the drumming team but also learned how the traditional drums are crafted and if that wasn't enough on her plate, Courtney also stepped up this year for her first season coaching the Varsity Girls Soccer team.  While she always hopes for more wins on the scoreboard, she walked away proud of the team's effort and excited about the strong foundation they built for future seasons. When we asked Courtney what she loves most about her career, her passion was unmistakable. "When students come in below their grade level by two years, I work along with others to build their confidence and move those students three to four levels of growth or grade levels," she shared. "That is so rewarding and I am so happy." For Courtney, academic progress starts with human connection. "We need to build a relationship with the students...we need to break barriers.  Those foundations of learning are when the work starts." She is also candid about the realities of modern education.  When asked about the toughest parts of the job, she noted that student behaviors can be challenging, "but I so love what I do.  It's about the students and moving us all forward with positive progress." That drive is fueled by a strong culture at BMU.  Speaking on the support she receives from leadership, Courtney praised her administration for always encouraging everyone to do and be better...a sentiment echoed by Principal Scott Blood, who reminds his staff that "we could be the best school in Vermont," calling teaching "a humbling experience and very rewarding." "I love being a teacher.  I love BMU.  My goal...our goal is to always improve," Courtney said. So, what is a teacher who wears a dozen different hats doing with her $500 Amazon Gift Card from Littleton Chevrolet?  She already has her cart loaded and ready to roll!  Courtney is stocking up on essential literacy tools, visuals and writing supplies, including CVC dry-erase word writing cards and phonics flip charts.  True to her community spirit, she’s also grabbing medals for an upcoming basketball tournament, raffle tickets for school fundraising and even a Soccer Barbie for her varsity girls. Courtney, thank you so much for your time, your heart and your tireless dedication to Blue Mountain Union and every student lucky enough to cross your path.  Keep up the incredible work and keep making a difference!  @teachers @littleton Chevrolet teacher giveaway   @blue mountain union school  @vermont

If you’ve ever launched a boat, dropped a fishing line or sat by the shoreline at the Pattenville Picnic Area along the Moore Reservoir in Littleton, New Hampshire, you’re looking out over one of the most serene bodies of water in the North Country. Stretched across nearly 3,500 acres between New Hampshire and Vermont, the reservoir looks like it has been part of the landscape forever. But beneath those calm, deep waters lies a hidden chapter of local history: the drowned village of Pattenville. Before the valley was inundated in the mid-1950s, Pattenville was a bustling small hamlet situated along the banks of the Connecticut River on the Littleton side, across from Upper Waterford, Vermont. It was a classic New England river town...home to farmsteads, family homes, tree-lined roads, and vibrant local lives. Generations of residents farmed the fertile floodplain soil, crossed the river via local bridges and built their lives around the natural rhythm of the North Country. However, as post-World War II New England rapidly expanded, demand for electric power skyrocketed.  The powerful, rushing waters of the Connecticut River were seen as the ultimate source for clean, renewable energy and the valley surrounding Pattenville was identified as the ideal location for a massive hydroelectric station. In the early 1950s, construction officially began on the Samuel C. Moore Dam. The engineering project was colossal...designed to build a 178-foot-high, nearly 3,000-foot-long barrier to harness the river's flow, creating the largest conventional hydroelectric facility in New England. Building a reservoir of that scale required sacrifice.  Thousands of acres of land needed to be cleared to hold back over 200,000 acre-feet of water. For the people of Pattenville (and neighboring Upper Waterford), the impending dam meant saying goodbye to their hometown forever. Before the gates closed and the basin was filled, an enormous effort took place to dismantle the village piece by piece: **Homes & Structures: Buildings were auctioned off, moved inland to higher ground or completely demolished **Infrastructure: Roads...including portions of Route 18...were realigned or slated to be submerged. **Resting Places: Centuries-old local cemeteries were carefully exhumed by hand, and loved ones were relocated to surrounding towns like Littleton and St. Johnsbury to ensure their graves would not be lost under the rising tide. By 1956, the dam was completed, and the waters began to rise. Slow-moving floodwaters swept over the old foundations, roads, and fields, permanently erasing Pattenville from the map and giving birth to the Moore Reservoir. Today, the Moore Reservoir is celebrated as an outdoor paradise. Known for its vast, pristine stretches of undeveloped shoreline, it offers incredible opportunities for boating, kayaking and fishing for northern pike, bass, and trout. Yet, for those who know where to look, hints of the past remain: Submerged Stone Walls: On clear days or during seasonal water drawdowns, sharp-eyed boaters can still spot old stone farm walls disappearing straight into the depths...silent markers of ancient property lines. The Pattenville Name: While the village itself is gone, its legacy lives on at the Pattenville Picnic Area, keeping the town's memory alive for visitors who pause to admire the sunset over the water. Pattenville stands as a powerful reminder of the delicate balance between progress and history. Though its streets now lie quietly 60 to 120 feet below the surface, the story of the community that gave way to power the North Country remains an indelible part of New Hampshire’s heritage.

Every autumn, leaf-peepers and photographers from around the globe make a pilgrimage to the White Mountains of New Hampshire.  While the region boasts dozens of breathtaking peaks and scenic drives, one spot consistently steals the show: Artist’s Bluff. Perched at the northern edge of Franconia Notch State Park, this rocky outcrop offers what many consider the single most iconic, postcard-perfect view of New England’s fall foliage but why has this modest 1.5-mile loop transformed into a world-famous destination for autumn photography? Autumn over Echo Lake at Artist's Bluff. Source: Sugar Hill Inn 1. The Composition is a Photographer’s Dream Nature painted Artist’s Bluff with effortless balance.  Standing on the granite ledge, your lens frames a layered masterpiece: In the foreground: A carpet of fire-red sugar maples, brilliant yellow birches, and deep orange oaks tumbling down the mountainside. In the mid-ground: The glassy, dark waters of Echo Lake, perfectly mirroring the surrounding canopy and catching the light of sunrise or sunset. In the background: The towering, dramatic slopes of Cannon Mountain and the sweeping curves of the Franconia Notch pass, sweeping upward to meet the autumn sky. Whether you shoot with a professional DSLR, a drone, or a smartphone, the natural symmetry of the Notch creates depth and scale that standard landscape views simply can't match. 2. Maximum Reward for Minimal Effort Many of the world's most dramatic mountain vistas require grueling, day-long treks.  Artist’s Bluff is different. The short, 1.5-mile loop trail gains roughly 400 feet of elevation...making it accessible to hikers of all skill levels, families, and photographers hauling heavy camera gear. Within 20 to 30 minutes of stepping off the trailhead near Route 18, you’re sitting on open granite, looking out over thousands of acres of peak fall color.  That high-payoff accessibility makes it a magnet for travelers capturing early morning light without needing a midnight alpine start. 3. Unmatched Density of Color New England’s unique mix of northern hardwoods creates a fiery palette rarely seen in other parts of the world. Because Franconia Notch serves as a natural funnel, the microclimate triggers early, vibrant color changes across a tight valley.  Standing atop the Bluff puts you right in the middle of a continuous, high-density sea of reds, golds, and ambers extending as far as the eye can see. Tips for Capturing the Perfect Photo Golden Hour Magic: Aim for early morning as the sun clears the ridge. Dawn light softens the contrast, paints the mountain slopes in warm tones, and often brings calm, mirror-like reflections to Echo Lake. Beat the Crowds: Given its popularity, arriving at sunrise or visiting on a weekday ensures a quieter experience and smoother parking along Echo Lake Beach or the trailhead lot. Composition Trick: Position a subject on the rocky ledge in foreground warm-toned jacket or sweater to give your photos a sense of human scale against the vast mountain backdrop. Artist’s Bluff isn't just another scenic overlook...it is the quintessential New England fall experience wrapped into a brief hike.  For anyone dreaming of autumn in full color, standing on those granite rocks above Echo Lake belongs right at the top of the bucket list.