Flying cars and New Hampshire’s “Jetsons Bill” for Bloomberg Hyperdrive
May 7, 2021

Terrafugia flying car manufacturing and prototype test flight

For Bloomberg Hyperdrive, a relatively new vertical on the future of transportation, I got an absolutely dream assignment to photograph honest-to-goodness flying cars. New Hampshire is the first state in the US to create legislation regulating the use of flying cars, also known as roadable aircraft, allowing them to be used in the air and on the roads. A dream of the future for decades, there are now at least two manufacturers who will be selling flying cars in the near future, and both of them have outposts in New Hampshire.

The shoot took me to Terrafugia's headquarters in Massachusetts (where their latest model was on display with folded wings, a turn signal, and an active car license plate on it), a New Hampshire airport where Terrafugia has been running test flights with a flying car prototype for safety certifications; to PAL-V's sales office at the airport in Manchester, NH; and to one of the only remaining slotcar race tracks in the United States, run by one of the state legislators responsible for getting the so-called Jetsons Bill regulating flying cars into state law.

Every piece of this project was like a kid in a candy shop with so much to photograph (even though some of the facilities had very strict rules about what could be photographed). A huge thanks to Eugene for calling me for this one!!!

A third generation prototype used for safety certification of Terrafugia's flying car, The Transition, stands in the prototype manufacturing facility at the company's headquarters in Woburn, Massachusetts, on Thu., Oct. 22, 2020. The checkerboard pattern on the body is a carbon fiber material that is both lightweight and stiff and will be covered with paint in the final production of the vehicle. The vehicle is a so-called roadable aircraft, a vehicle which functions as both a car on ordinary roads and flies like a plane. The wings fold up for road driving. The second generation vehicle first flew in 2012 and now the company is conducting flight tests and preparing for air and road safety certifications for the third generation. New Hampshire state legislators recently passed the Jetsons Bill, which sets up a framework for the legal operation of flying cars both on roads and in the air, the first state in the US to do so.
A model of the second generation of Terrafugia's flying car, The Transition, stands in the company's headquarters in Woburn, Massachusetts, on Thu., Oct. 22, 2020. The vehicle is a so-called roadable aircraft, a vehicle which functions as both a car on ordinary roads and flies like a plane. The wings fold up for road driving. This second generation vehicle first flew in 2012 and now the company is conducting flight tests and preparing for air and road safety certifications for the third generation. New Hampshire state legislators recently passed the Jetsons Bill, which sets up a framework for the legal operation of flying cars both on roads and in the air, the first state in the US to do so.
Kevin Colburn, Vice President and General Manager of Terrafugia, is seen with the second generation of Terrafugia's flying car, The Transition, in the prototype manufacturing facility at the company's headquarters in Woburn, Massachusetts, on Thu., Oct. 22, 2020. The vehicle is a so-called roadable aircraft, a vehicle which functions as both a car on ordinary roads and flies like a plane. The wings fold up for road driving. This second generation vehicle first flew in 2012 and now the company is conducting flight tests and preparing for air and road safety certifications for the third generation. New Hampshire state legislators recently passed the Jetsons Bill, which sets up a framework for the legal operation of flying cars both on roads and in the air, the first state in the US to do so.
A turn signal level (right, used during road driving) and controls for the vehicle's folding wings and magnetos are seen in the second generation of Terrafugia's flying car, The Transition, in the prototype manufacturing facility at the company's headquarters in Woburn, Massachusetts, on Thu., Oct. 22, 2020. The vehicle is a so-called roadable aircraft, a vehicle which functions as both a car on ordinary roads and flies like a plane. The wings fold up for road driving. The second generation vehicle first flew in 2012 and now the company is conducting flight tests and preparing for air and road safety certifications for the third generation. New Hampshire state legislators recently passed the Jetsons Bill, which sets up a framework for the legal operation of flying cars both on roads and in the air, the first state in the US to do so.
Assembly technicians construct the rear portion of the third generation of Terrafugia's flying car, The Transition, in the prototype manufacturing facility at the company's headquarters in Woburn, Massachusetts, on Thu., Oct. 22, 2020. The vehicle is a so-called roadable aircraft, a vehicle which functions as both a car on ordinary roads and flies like a plane. The wings fold up for road driving. The second generation vehicle first flew in 2012 and now the company is conducting flight tests and preparing for air and road safety certifications for the third generation. New Hampshire state legislators recently passed the Jetsons Bill, which sets up a framework for the legal operation of flying cars both on roads and in the air, the first state in the US to do so.
A mechanical engineer replaces a part on a third generation prototype used for safety certification of Terrafugia's flying car, The Transition, in the prototype manufacturing facility at the company's headquarters in Woburn, Massachusetts, on Thu., Oct. 22, 2020. The checkerboard pattern on the body is a carbon fiber material that is both lightweight and stiff and will be covered with paint in the final production of the vehicle. The vehicle is a so-called roadable aircraft, a vehicle which functions as both a car on ordinary roads and flies like a plane. The wings fold up for road driving. The second generation vehicle first flew in 2012 and now the company is conducting flight tests and preparing for air and road safety certifications for the third generation. New Hampshire state legislators recently passed the Jetsons Bill, which sets up a framework for the legal operation of flying cars both on roads and in the air, the first state in the US to do so.
A view of the rear portion of the third generation of Terrafugia's flying car, The Transition, in the prototype manufacturing facility at the company's headquarters in Woburn, Massachusetts, on Thu., Oct. 22, 2020. The checkerboard pattern on the body is a carbon fiber material that is both lightweight and stiff and will be covered with paint in the final production of the vehicle. The brown pieces on the body are fiberglass pieces which don't require the same level of strength as carbon fiber, a more expensive material; the brown pieces will also be painted on the finished vehicle. The vehicle is a so-called roadable aircraft, a vehicle which functions as both a car on ordinary roads and flies like a plane. The wings fold up for road driving. The second generation vehicle first flew in 2012 and now the company is conducting flight tests and preparing for air and road safety certifications for the third generation. New Hampshire state legislators recently passed the Jetsons Bill, which sets up a framework for the legal operation of flying cars both on roads and in the air, the first state in the US to do so.
The front wheel and disc brake are seen on a third generation prototype used for safety certification of Terrafugia's flying car, The Transition, is seen in the prototype manufacturing facility at the company's headquarters in Woburn, Massachusetts, on Thu., Oct. 22, 2020. The checkerboard pattern on the body is a carbon fiber material that is both lightweight and stiff and will be covered with paint in the final production of the vehicle. The vehicle is a so-called roadable aircraft, a vehicle which functions as both a car on ordinary roads and flies like a plane. The wings fold up for road driving. The second generation vehicle first flew in 2012 and now the company is conducting flight tests and preparing for air and road safety certifications for the third generation. New Hampshire state legislators recently passed the Jetsons Bill, which sets up a framework for the legal operation of flying cars both on roads and in the air, the first state in the US to do so.
A section of the wing of a third generation prototype used for safety certification of Terrafugia's flying car, The Transition, lays on a table in the prototype manufacturing facility at the company's headquarters in Woburn, Massachusetts, on Thu., Oct. 22, 2020. The checkerboard pattern on the body is a carbon fiber material that is both lightweight and stiff and will be covered with paint in the final production of the vehicle. The green lines are reference markers for collecting data on stress on the part when weights are placed on the wing during a certification test. The zig-zag wire attached to a small white rectangle is a strain gauge which will detect deformation of the carbon fiber during the test. The vehicle is a so-called roadable aircraft, a vehicle which functions as both a car on ordinary roads and flies like a plane. The wings fold up for road driving. The second generation vehicle first flew in 2012 and now the company is conducting flight tests and preparing for air and road safety certifications for the third generation. New Hampshire state legislators recently passed the Jetsons Bill, which sets up a framework for the legal operation of flying cars both on roads and in the air, the first state in the US to do so.
Kevin Colburn, Vice President and General Manager of Terrafugia, is seen with the second generation of Terrafugia's flying car, The Transition, in the prototype manufacturing facility at the company's headquarters in Woburn, Massachusetts, on Thu., Oct. 22, 2020. The vehicle is a so-called roadable aircraft, a vehicle which functions as both a car on ordinary roads and flies like a plane. The wings fold up for road driving. This second generation vehicle first flew in 2012 and now the company is conducting flight tests and preparing for air and road safety certifications for the third generation. New Hampshire state legislators recently passed the Jetsons Bill, which sets up a framework for the legal operation of flying cars both on roads and in the air, the first state in the US to do so.
Composite technician move a carbon fiber piece of a wing that will be installed in a third generation prototype used for safety certification of Terrafugia's flying car, The Transition, into an oven for curing the carbon fiber material in the prototype manufacturing facility at the company's headquarters in Woburn, Massachusetts, on Thu., Oct. 22, 2020. The checkerboard pattern on the body is a carbon fiber material that is both lightweight and stiff and will be covered with paint in the final production of the vehicle. The material is soft and pliable like a fabric prior to curing so it is placed on a mold as seen here and then cured at approximately 300 degrees for 10 hours to harden it for installation and use. The vehicle is a so-called roadable aircraft, a vehicle which functions as both a car on ordinary roads and flies like a plane. The wings fold up for road driving. The second generation vehicle first flew in 2012 and now the company is conducting flight tests and preparing for air and road safety certifications for the third generation. New Hampshire state legislators recently passed the Jetsons Bill, which sets up a framework for the legal operation of flying cars both on roads and in the air, the first state in the US to do so.
The second generation of Terrafugia's flying car, The Transition, stands in the prototype manufacturing facility at the company's headquarters in Woburn, Massachusetts, on Thu., Oct. 22, 2020. The vehicle is a so-called roadable aircraft, a vehicle which functions as both a car on ordinary roads and flies like a plane. The wings fold up for road driving. The second generation vehicle first flew in 2012 and now the company is conducting flight tests and preparing for air and road safety certifications for the third generation. New Hampshire state legislators recently passed the Jetsons Bill, which sets up a framework for the legal operation of flying cars both on roads and in the air, the first state in the US to do so.
Phil Meteer, age 67, Terrafugia's Chief Pilot, sits in the cockpit and adjusts his helmet before a test flight of the company's flying car, The Transition, in a hangar at Nashua Airport in Nashua, New Hampshire, on Thu., Oct. 22, 2020. The company has been recently been conducting test flights of the vehicle as part of certification of air and road worthiness. This test vehicle has some sections covered just with brown fiberglass as a way to allow engineers and mechanics easy access to switch out components for testing. New Hampshire recently passed the so-called Jetsons Bill which makes legal the use of flying cars on public roadways if the vehicles conform to various regulatory and safety requirements for both planes and cars.
A manual titled "Aircraft inspection, repair & alterations: acceptable methods, techniques, and practices," lays on a work table in the hangar where an experimental version of Terrafugia's flying car, The Transition, is worked on during test flights at Nashua Airport in Nashua, New Hampshire, on Thu., Oct. 22, 2020. The company has been recently been conducting test flights of the vehicle as part of certification of air and road worthiness. This test vehicle has some sections covered just with brown fiberglass as a way to allow engineers and mechanics easy access to switch out components for testing. New Hampshire recently passed the so-called Jetsons Bill which makes legal the use of flying cars on public roadways if the vehicles conform to various regulatory and safety requirements for both planes and cars.
A toolbox holding tools and parts for the the Rotax engine stands in the hangar where Terrafugia's flying car, The Transition, is worked on at Nashua Airport in Nashua, New Hampshire, on Thu., Oct. 22, 2020. The company has been recently been conducting test flights of the vehicle as part of certification of air and road worthiness. This test vehicle has some sections covered just with brown fiberglass as a way to allow engineers and mechanics easy access to switch out components for testing. New Hampshire recently passed the so-called Jetsons Bill which makes legal the use of flying cars on public roadways if the vehicles conform to various regulatory and safety requirements for both planes and cars.
A view of the dual tail section of an experimental version of Terrafugia's flying car, The Transition, standing in a hangar before a test flight at Nashua Airport in Nashua, New Hampshire, on Thu., Oct. 22, 2020. The company has been recently been conducting test flights of the vehicle as part of certification of air and road worthiness. This test vehicle has some sections covered just with brown fiberglass as a way to allow engineers and mechanics easy access to switch out components for testing. New Hampshire recently passed the so-called Jetsons Bill which makes legal the use of flying cars on public roadways if the vehicles conform to various regulatory and safety requirements for both planes and cars.
Phil Meteer, age 67, Terrafugia's Chief Pilot, inspects the company's flying car, The Transition, before a test flight in a hangar at Nashua Airport in Nashua, New Hampshire, on Thu., Oct. 22, 2020. The company has been recently been conducting test flights of the vehicle as part of certification of air and road worthiness. This test vehicle has some sections covered just with brown fiberglass as a way to allow engineers and mechanics easy access to switch out components for testing. New Hampshire recently passed the so-called Jetsons Bill which makes legal the use of flying cars on public roadways if the vehicles conform to various regulatory and safety requirements for both planes and cars.
A patch reading "Transition FAV/FTV Flight Test / Terrafugia / 2019" is seen on the flightsuit sleeve of Terrafugia's Chief Pilot Phil Meteer, age 67, before a test flight of Terrafugia's flying car, The Transition, at Nashua Airport in Nashua, New Hampshire, on Thu., Oct. 22, 2020. The company has been recently been conducting test flights of the vehicle as part of certification of air and road worthiness. This test vehicle has some sections covered just with brown fiberglass as a way to allow engineers and mechanics easy access to switch out components for testing. New Hampshire recently passed the so-called Jetsons Bill which makes legal the use of flying cars on public roadways if the vehicles conform to various regulatory and safety requirements for both planes and cars.
A jacket owned by Terrafugia's Chief Pilot Phil Meteer, age 67, hangs on a door in the hangar where Terrafugia's flying car, The Transition, is worked on at Nashua Airport in Nashua, New Hampshire, on Thu., Oct. 22, 2020. The company has been recently been conducting test flights of the vehicle as part of certification of air and road worthiness. This test vehicle has some sections covered just with brown fiberglass as a way to allow engineers and mechanics easy access to switch out components for testing. New Hampshire recently passed the so-called Jetsons Bill which makes legal the use of flying cars on public roadways if the vehicles conform to various regulatory and safety requirements for both planes and cars.
Phil Meteer, age 67, Terrafugia's Chief Pilot, sits in the cockpit before a test flight of the company's flying car, The Transition, in a hangar at Nashua Airport in Nashua, New Hampshire, on Thu., Oct. 22, 2020. The company has been recently been conducting test flights of the vehicle as part of certification of air and road worthiness. This test vehicle has some sections covered just with brown fiberglass as a way to allow engineers and mechanics easy access to switch out components for testing. New Hampshire recently passed the so-called Jetsons Bill which makes legal the use of flying cars on public roadways if the vehicles conform to various regulatory and safety requirements for both planes and cars.
Phil Meteer, age 67, (green flightsuit at right) Terrafugia's Chief Pilot, leads a pre-flight briefing with the test team before a test flight of the company's flying car, The Transition, in a hangar at Nashua Airport in Nashua, New Hampshire, on Thu., Oct. 22, 2020. The briefing included a rundown of all tests that would take place during the two-hour flight, and all safety measures for the flight. The company has been recently been conducting test flights of the vehicle as part of certification of air and road worthiness. This test vehicle has some sections covered just with brown fiberglass as a way to allow engineers and mechanics easy access to switch out components for testing. New Hampshire recently passed the so-called Jetsons Bill which makes legal the use of flying cars on public roadways if the vehicles conform to various regulatory and safety requirements for both planes and cars.
Engineer Alan Brown downloads data from a previous flight from within the cockpit of the experimental version of Terrafugia's flying car, The Transition, in a hangar before a test flight at Nashua Airport in Nashua, New Hampshire, on Thu., Oct. 22, 2020. The company has been recently been conducting test flights of the vehicle as part of certification of air and road worthiness. This test vehicle has some sections covered just with brown fiberglass as a way to allow engineers and mechanics easy access to switch out components for testing. New Hampshire recently passed the so-called Jetsons Bill which makes legal the use of flying cars on public roadways if the vehicles conform to various regulatory and safety requirements for both planes and cars.
Terrafugia's flying car, The Transition, takes off for a test flight at Nashua Airport in Nashua, New Hampshire, on Thu., Oct. 22, 2020. The company has been recently been conducting test flights of the vehicle as part of certification of air and road worthiness. This test vehicle has some sections covered just with brown fiberglass as a way to allow engineers and mechanics easy access to switch out components for testing. New Hampshire recently passed the so-called Jetsons Bill which makes legal the use of flying cars on public roadways if the vehicles conform to various regulatory and safety requirements for both planes and cars.
Test controller Edmnd Golaski (left) and engineer Alan Brown look over the plan before a test flight of the experimental version of Terrafugia's flying car, The Transition, in a hangar at Nashua Airport in Nashua, New Hampshire, on Thu., Oct. 22, 2020. The company has been recently been conducting test flights of the vehicle as part of certification of air and road worthiness. This test vehicle has some sections covered just with brown fiberglass as a way to allow engineers and mechanics easy access to switch out components for testing. New Hampshire recently passed the so-called Jetsons Bill which makes legal the use of flying cars on public roadways if the vehicles conform to various regulatory and safety requirements for both planes and cars.
Members of the Terrafugia test team wheel out the company's flying car, The Transition, before Phil Meteer, age 67, Terrafugia's Chief Pilot, begins a test flight at Nashua Airport in Nashua, New Hampshire, on Thu., Oct. 22, 2020. The company has been recently been conducting test flights of the vehicle as part of certification of air and road worthiness. This test vehicle has some sections covered just with brown fiberglass as a way to allow engineers and mechanics easy access to switch out components for testing. New Hampshire recently passed the so-called Jetsons Bill which makes legal the use of flying cars on public roadways if the vehicles conform to various regulatory and safety requirements for both planes and cars.

Steven D. Smith and Smith Scale Speedway slotcar races

Steven Smith (right), a state legislator in the New Hampshire House of Representative (R, Sullivan County-11), prepares to race while wife Adele Smith, 49, acts as race director (tabulating lap totals and managing the race) at Smith Scale Speedway, a slotcar racetrack in a garage near his home that he runs in Charlestown, New Hampshire, on Sun., Oct. 18, 2020. Smith is the author of the Jetsons Bill, a piece of legislation signed into law in 2020, which regulates the usage of so-called flying cars, or "roadable planes," allowing them to fly in the state and also drive on the state's roads.
Old trophies are seen on a shelf at Smith Scale Speedway, a slotcar racetrack run by Steven Smith, a state legislator in the New Hampshire House of Representative (R, Sullivan County-11), in Charlestown, New Hampshire, on Sun., Oct. 18, 2020. Smith is the author of the Jetsons Bill, a piece of legislation signed into law in 2020, which regulates the usage of so-called flying cars, or "roadable planes," allowing them to fly in the state and also drive on the state's roads.
Slotcar parts lay on a workbench in the workshop of the garage holding Smith Scale Speedway, a slotcar racetrack run by Steven Smith, a state legislator in the New Hampshire House of Representative (R, Sullivan County-11), in Charlestown, New Hampshire, on Sun., Oct. 18, 2020. Smith is the author of the Jetsons Bill, a piece of legislation signed into law in 2020, which regulates the usage of so-called flying cars, or "roadable planes," allowing them to fly in the state and also drive on the state's roads.
Steven Smith, a state legislator in the New Hampshire House of Representative (R, Sullivan County-11), is seen outside the garage near his home holding Smith Scale Speedway, a slotcar racetrack that Smith runs in Charlestown, New Hampshire, on Sun., Oct. 18, 2020. Smith is the author of the Jetsons Bill, a piece of legislation signed into law in 2020, which regulates the usage of so-called flying cars, or "roadable planes," allowing them to fly in the state and also drive on the state's roads.
A container holds slotcar parts in the workshop of the garage holding Smith Scale Speedway, a slotcar racetrack run by Steven Smith, a state legislator in the New Hampshire House of Representative (R, Sullivan County-11), in Charlestown, New Hampshire, on Sun., Oct. 18, 2020. Smith is the author of the Jetsons Bill, a piece of legislation signed into law in 2020, which regulates the usage of so-called flying cars, or "roadable planes," allowing them to fly in the state and also drive on the state's roads.
Gawain Smith, 16, poses with a bottle of Krud Kutter cleaner after winning the Islip Legends division race at Smith Scale Speedway, a slotcar racetrack run by Gawain's father Steven Smith, a state legislator in the New Hampshire House of Representative (R, Sullivan County-11), in a garage near his home in Charlestown, New Hampshire, on Sun., Oct. 18, 2020. Smith is the author of the Jetsons Bill, a piece of legislation signed into law in 2020, which regulates the usage of so-called flying cars, or "roadable planes," allowing them to fly in the state and also drive on the state's roads.
Slotcars in the Bombers division (sponsored by Boss Bodies) race on the track of Smith Scale Speedway, a slotcar racetrack run by Steven Smith, a state legislator in the New Hampshire House of Representative (R, Sullivan County-11), in Charlestown, New Hampshire, on Sun., Oct. 18, 2020. Smith is the author of the Jetsons Bill, a piece of legislation signed into law in 2020, which regulates the usage of so-called flying cars, or "roadable planes," allowing them to fly in the state and also drive on the state's roads.
Steven Smith, a state legislator in the New Hampshire House of Representative (R, Sullivan County-11), holds his favorite slotcar, a 1968 Barracuda model, outside the garage near his home holding Smith Scale Speedway, a slotcar racetrack that Smith runs in Charlestown, New Hampshire, on Sun., Oct. 18, 2020. Smith is the author of the Jetsons Bill, a piece of legislation signed into law in 2020, which regulates the usage of so-called flying cars, or "roadable planes," allowing them to fly in the state and also drive on the state's roads.
Racing memorabilia covers the walls at Smith Scale Speedway, a slotcar racetrack run by Steven Smith , a state legislator in the New Hampshire House of Representative (R, Sullivan County-11), in a garage near his home in Charlestown, New Hampshire, on Sun., Oct. 18, 2020. Smith is the author of the Jetsons Bill, a piece of legislation signed into law in 2020, which regulates the usage of so-called flying cars, or "roadable planes," allowing them to fly in the state and also drive on the state's roads.
Steven Smith, a state legislator in the New Hampshire House of Representative (R, Sullivan County-11), holds a slotcar controller while racing cars at Smith Scale Speedway, a slotcar racetrack in a garage near his home that he runs in Charlestown, New Hampshire, on Sun., Oct. 18, 2020. Smith is the author of the Jetsons Bill, a piece of legislation signed into law in 2020, which regulates the usage of so-called flying cars, or "roadable planes," allowing them to fly in the state and also drive on the state's roads.
Winning slotcars in the Bombers division (sponsored by Boss Bodies) race are arranged in the "Victory Lane" on the track of Smith Scale Speedway, a slotcar racetrack run by Steven Smith, a state legislator in the New Hampshire House of Representative (R, Sullivan County-11), in Charlestown, New Hampshire, on Sun., Oct. 18, 2020. Smith is the author of the Jetsons Bill, a piece of legislation signed into law in 2020, which regulates the usage of so-called flying cars, or "roadable planes," allowing them to fly in the state and also drive on the state's roads.
Steven Smith, a state legislator in the New Hampshire House of Representative (R, Sullivan County-11), applies suntan lotion to the wheels of a slotcar while racing cars at Smith Scale Speedway, a slotcar racetrack in a garage near his home that he runs in Charlestown, New Hampshire, on Sun., Oct. 18, 2020. Smith is the author of the Jetsons Bill, a piece of legislation signed into law in 2020, which regulates the usage of so-called flying cars, or "roadable planes," allowing them to fly in the state and also drive on the state's roads. Smith says that suntan lotion is an old slotcar trick that helps preserve the cars' tires and improve traction.
Frequent racer Jim Rhodes, 48, of Springfield, NH, controls a slotcar during racing at Smith Scale Speedway, a slotcar racetrack run by Steven Smith, a state legislator in the New Hampshire House of Representative (R, Sullivan County-11), in Charlestown, New Hampshire, on Sun., Oct. 18, 2020. Smith is the author of the Jetsons Bill, a piece of legislation signed into law in 2020, which regulates the usage of so-called flying cars, or "roadable planes," allowing them to fly in the state and also drive on the state's roads.
A sign reading "Slot Cars St" stands by the road to Smith Scale Speedway, a slotcar racetrack run by Steven Smith, a state legislator in the New Hampshire House of Representative (R, Sullivan County-11), in Charlestown, New Hampshire, on Sun., Oct. 18, 2020. Smith is the author of the Jetsons Bill, a piece of legislation signed into law in 2020, which regulates the usage of so-called flying cars, or "roadable planes," allowing them to fly in the state and also drive on the state's roads.

Keith Ammon and the PAL-V roadable aircraft sales office in Manchester, NH

Keith Ammon, a sales representative for PAL-V, poses for a portrait in his PAL-V sales office in the Ammon Center at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (MHT) in Manchester, New Hampshire, on Fri., Oct. 23, 2020. PAL-V stands for Personal Air and Land Vehicle and is a so-called roadable aircraft or flying car, meaning that it can function both as an air vehicle and road vehicle. Ammon served in the New Hampshire state House of Representatives as a Republican representing Hillsborough 40th District from 2014 to 2018 and is currently running for election to the legislature. Ammon helped draft the Jetsons Bill, a recently signed law that makes flying cars legal in New Hampshire, the first state to adopt such legislation. Though they share the same last name, Ammon says he doesn't know whether the person the building is named after is related to him.
Gordon Baxter's book "How to Fly" lays on a window sill in the offices of the National Flight Simulator pilot training school in the Ammon Center at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (MHT) in Manchester, New Hampshire, on Fri., Oct. 23, 2020. Keith Ammon, a sales representative for PAL-V, has his sales office in the building. PAL-V stands for Personal Air and Land Vehicle and is a so-called roadable aircraft or flying car, meaning that it can function both as an air vehicle and road vehicle. Ammon served in the New Hampshire state House of Representatives as a Republican representing Hillsborough 40th District from 2014 to 2018 and is currently running for election to the legislature. Ammon helped draft the Jetsons Bill, a recently signed law that makes flying cars legal in New Hampshire, the first state to adopt such legislation. Though they share the same last name, Ammon says he doesn't know whether the person the building is named after is related to him.
PAL-V sales brochures and a sign reading "Be a Pioneer" lay on a display in the lobby of the Ammon Center at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (MHT) in Manchester, New Hampshire, on Fri., Oct. 23, 2020. Keith Ammon, a sales representative for PAL-V, has his sales office in the building. PAL-V stands for Personal Air and Land Vehicle and is a so-called roadable aircraft or flying car, meaning that it can function both as an air vehicle and road vehicle. Ammon served in the New Hampshire state House of Representatives as a Republican representing Hillsborough 40th District from 2014 to 2018 and is currently running for election to the legislature. Ammon helped draft the Jetsons Bill, a recently signed law that makes flying cars legal in New Hampshire, the first state to adopt such legislation. Though they share the same last name, Ammon says he doesn't know whether the person the building is named after is related to him.
Keith Ammon, a sales representative for PAL-V, is seen with his Piper Cherokee PA-28-180 airplane parked at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (MHT) in Manchester, New Hampshire, on Fri., Oct. 23, 2020. PAL-V stands for Personal Air and Land Vehicle and is a so-called roadable aircraft or flying car, meaning that it can function both as an air vehicle and road vehicle. Ammon served in the New Hampshire state House of Representatives as a Republican representing Hillsborough 40th District from 2014 to 2018 and is currently running for election to the legislature. Ammon helped draft the Jetsons Bill, a recently signed law that makes flying cars legal in New Hampshire, the first state to adopt such legislation.
Keith Ammon, a sales representative for PAL-V, demonstrates a virtual reality (VR) demonstration set-up, used in sales meetings, which operates a PAL-V flight simulator, in his PAL-V sales office in the Ammon Center at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (MHT) in Manchester, New Hampshire, on Fri., Oct. 23, 2020. PAL-V stands for Personal Air and Land Vehicle and is a so-called roadable aircraft or flying car, meaning that it can function both as an air vehicle and road vehicle. Ammon served in the New Hampshire state House of Representatives as a Republican representing Hillsborough 40th District from 2014 to 2018 and is currently running for election to the legislature. Ammon helped draft the Jetsons Bill, a recently signed law that makes flying cars legal in New Hampshire, the first state to adopt such legislation. Though they share the same last name, Ammon says he doesn't know whether the person the building is named after is related to him.
Keith Ammon, a sales representative for PAL-V, stands near a sales display featuring the PAL-V in the lobby of the Ammon Center at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (MHT), where his sales office is located, in Manchester, New Hampshire, on Fri., Oct. 23, 2020. PAL-V stands for Personal Air and Land Vehicle and is a so-called roadable aircraft or flying car, meaning that it can function both as an air vehicle and road vehicle. Ammon served in the New Hampshire state House of Representatives as a Republican representing Hillsborough 40th District from 2014 to 2018 and is currently running for election to the legislature. Ammon helped draft the Jetsons Bill, a recently signed law that makes flying cars legal in New Hampshire, the first state to adopt such legislation. Though they share the same last name, Ammon says he doesn't know whether the person the building is named after is related to him.
Keith Ammon, a sales representative for PAL-V, stands near a sales display featuring the PAL-V in the lobby of the Ammon Center at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (MHT), where his sales office is located, in Manchester, New Hampshire, on Fri., Oct. 23, 2020. PAL-V stands for Personal Air and Land Vehicle and is a so-called roadable aircraft or flying car, meaning that it can function both as an air vehicle and road vehicle. Ammon served in the New Hampshire state House of Representatives as a Republican representing Hillsborough 40th District from 2014 to 2018 and is currently running for election to the legislature. Ammon helped draft the Jetsons Bill, a recently signed law that makes flying cars legal in New Hampshire, the first state to adopt such legislation. Though they share the same last name, Ammon says he doesn't know whether the person the building is named after is related to him.
A virtual reality (VR) demonstration set-up, used in sales meetings, which operates a PAL-V flight simulator, is seen on a desk in Keith Ammon's PAL-V sales office in the Ammon Center at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (MHT) in Manchester, New Hampshire, on Fri., Oct. 23, 2020. PAL-V stands for Personal Air and Land Vehicle and is a so-called roadable aircraft or flying car, meaning that it can function both as an air vehicle and road vehicle. Ammon served in the New Hampshire state House of Representatives as a Republican representing Hillsborough 40th District from 2014 to 2018 and is currently running for election to the legislature. Ammon helped draft the Jetsons Bill, a recently signed law that makes flying cars legal in New Hampshire, the first state to adopt such legislation. Though they share the same last name, Ammon says he doesn't know whether the person the building is named after is related to him.
Keith Ammon, a sales representative for PAL-V, displays his skull cufflinks in his sales office in the Ammon Center at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (MHT) in Manchester, New Hampshire, on Fri., Oct. 23, 2020. PAL-V stands for Personal Air and Land Vehicle and is a so-called roadable aircraft or flying car, meaning that it can function both as an air vehicle and road vehicle. Ammon served in the New Hampshire state House of Representatives as a Republican representing Hillsborough 40th District from 2014 to 2018 and is currently running for election to the legislature. Ammon helped draft the Jetsons Bill, a recently signed law that makes flying cars legal in New Hampshire, the first state to adopt such legislation. Though they share the same last name, Ammon says he doesn't know whether the person the building is named after is related to him.

Portraits of Elizabeth Kolbert for the Guardian
April 6, 2021

Elizabeth Kolbert has been a staff writer at The New Yorker since 1999 and is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History," published by Henry Holt in 2014 (awarded in 2015). She is seen here outside her home in Williamstown, Massachusetts, on Fri., Feb. 26, 2021. "The Sixth Extinction" argues that the earth is currently in the middle of a global extinction event caused by humans.
Elizabeth Kolbert has been a staff writer at The New Yorker since 1999 and is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History," published by Henry Holt in 2014 (awarded in 2015). She is seen here outside her home in Williamstown, Massachusetts, on Fri., Feb. 26, 2021. "The Sixth Extinction" argues that the earth is currently in the middle of a global extinction event caused by humans.
Elizabeth Kolbert has been a staff writer at The New Yorker since 1999 and is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History," published by Henry Holt in 2014 (awarded in 2015). She is seen here outside her home in Williamstown, Massachusetts, on Fri., Feb. 26, 2021. "The Sixth Extinction" argues that the earth is currently in the middle of a global extinction event caused by humans.
Elizabeth Kolbert has been a staff writer at The New Yorker since 1999 and is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History," published by Henry Holt in 2014 (awarded in 2015). She is seen here outside her home in Williamstown, Massachusetts, on Fri., Feb. 26, 2021. "The Sixth Extinction" argues that the earth is currently in the middle of a global extinction event caused by humans.
Elizabeth Kolbert has been a staff writer at The New Yorker since 1999 and is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History," published by Henry Holt in 2014 (awarded in 2015). She is seen here outside her home in Williamstown, Massachusetts, on Fri., Feb. 26, 2021. "The Sixth Extinction" argues that the earth is currently in the middle of a global extinction event caused by humans.
Elizabeth Kolbert has been a staff writer at The New Yorker since 1999 and is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History," published by Henry Holt in 2014 (awarded in 2015). She is seen here outside her home in Williamstown, Massachusetts, on Fri., Feb. 26, 2021. "The Sixth Extinction" argues that the earth is currently in the middle of a global extinction event caused by humans.
Elizabeth Kolbert has been a staff writer at The New Yorker since 1999 and is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History," published by Henry Holt in 2014 (awarded in 2015). She is seen here outside her home in Williamstown, Massachusetts, on Fri., Feb. 26, 2021. "The Sixth Extinction" argues that the earth is currently in the middle of a global extinction event caused by humans.

I spent a lovely late winter afternoon with Pulitzer Prize-winning author and New Yorker staff writer Elizabeth Kolbert near her home in far northwestern Massachusetts to accompany an interview in the Guardian, my first assignment for the publication. Her recent books focus on climate change, so outdoors and surrounded by trees seemed perfect for the pictures.

We stomped around in the snow for a bit…I’m sure if someone was watching it would’ve been pretty funny to see me moving sandbags and lightstands around while trying not to make too many footprints near where I wanted her to stand for each picture.

Boston-area restaurants closed due to the pandemic
March 26, 2021

A view of Nathalie Wine Bar closed for hibernation during the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic in Boston, Massachusetts, on Wed., Jan. 6, 2021. A sign on the door reads, "To our loyal patrons, Nathalie Wine Bar will be closed through the winter months, until further notice. We can't seem to smoothly maneuver things that are out of our immediate control & because of the lack of concern & the irresponsibility of the federal/state government, small businesses are struggling to stay alive."

So many restaurants in the Boston area closed temporarily over the winter due to the pandemic. Some called it "hibernation" while others bristle at that term. Mostly for the historical record, I set out over the course of a few days to photograph many of the shuttered storefronts and the sometimes handwritten letters posted on their doors thanking costumers and neighbors for the support and hoping for better days. The restaurants here are in Boston, Cambridge, and Somerville.

Signs in the windows of Boston Beer Works near Fenway Park read "See you next season," and "Times have changed," and "But loyalty is forever," while the restaurant and bar is temporarily closed during the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic in Boston, Massachusetts, on Wed., Jan. 6, 2021. All locations of Boston Beer Works closed on March 16, 2020. An announcement on the company's website reads, in part that the bars will remain closed "until the Governor determines it is safe for our industry to resume operations. ... We greatly appreciate all the support that our fans have provided us and our staff. These are challenging times, but we will rally together and weather this storm like we have so many others in the past."
Chairs and tables stand in the former space of Ora Trattoria along Boyston Street in Boston, Massachusetts, on Sun., Jan. 10, 2021. The restaurant shut down in January 2020, before widespread closures due to the then unknown coronavirus pandemic. Another restaurant had been planned for the space, but those plans had been abandoned as of August 2020, when the toll of the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic on restaurants was well-known.
Paper covers the windows of Orfano, a Fenway-area restaurant that went into hibernation on Nov. 1, 2020 during the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic in Boston, Massachusetts, on Wed., Jan. 6, 2021. In an interview with the Boston Globe, owner Tiffani Faison said that the restaurant interior could not be reconfigured for safe indoor dining. "I'm deeply aware that I don't just get a mulligan...This is a decision I'll be paying for for a very long time, but I don't find myself in a place where I feel like I have a choice," she said.
Paper decorated with a rainbow and a handwritten note to customers cover the windows and front door of Commonwealth, a restaurant in Kendall Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on Mon., Jan. 4, 2021. The note on the door reads "Thank you Kendall Sq. and all of our guests for your continued support! We will be back next year to serve up your favorite food! [Heart] CW." In an interview with Boston Eater, Commonwealth owner Steve "Nookie" Postal talked about his decision to hibernate the restaurant in Sept. 2020, stating that it's not a closure: " No. Hibernating, like a bear. ‘Til when? ‘Til this shit is over."
Black Lamb, a restaurant in Boston's South End, announced a temporary closure from December 24, 2020, to April 1st, 2021, to weather the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic, seen here in Boston, Massachusetts, on Sun., Jan. 10, 2021.
Sal's Pizza, across the street from Fenway Park, has closed temporarily during the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic in Boston, Massachusetts, seen here on Wed., Jan. 6, 2021. A sign in the window states that it will reopen when "government restrictions are lifted."
Paper decorated with a rainbow and a handwritten note to customers cover the windows and front door of Commonwealth, a restaurant in Kendall Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on Mon., Jan. 4, 2021. The note on the door reads "Thank you Kendall Sq. and all of our guests for your continued support! We will be back next year to serve up your favorite food! [Heart] CW." In an interview with Boston Eater, Commonwealth owner Steve "Nookie" Postal talked about his decision to hibernate the restaurant in Sept. 2020, stating that it's not a closure: " No. Hibernating, like a bear. ‘Til when? ‘Til this shit is over."
A sign on the front door of Back Deck indicates that the Downtown Crossing restaurant has gone into temporary closure hibernation due to restrictions on restaurants put in place during the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic in Boston, Massachusetts, on Sat., Jan. 9, 2021. A Dec. 9, 2020, announcement from Back Deck and sister-restaurant French Quarter proprietor Brad Fredericks, stated, in part: "We tried earnestly to remain open since our restart in late June, and reached a level of stabilization in October, but recently just too much damn COVID...We will continue to monitor COVID cases, vaccine implementation, returning activity in our downtown neighborhood, potential government stimulus…and will reopen when we determine it prudent. My sincere hope is that reopening will ocur while we are still in winter months. In the meantime, our social distancing mannequins will keep the seat warm for you."
Paper covers the windows of Little Donkey, a restaurant in Central Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on Mon., Jan. 4, 2021. A typewritten note on the door by Ken and Jamie reads, in part, "This year has been the toughest of our careers...we have been fighting for our staff, their health, their well-being...Now we pivot again. Little Donkey will go into a 'hibernation' today in order to reopen the business on the other side." A sign inside the doorway displays the hashtag #saverestaurants.
On December 7, 2020, Delux Cafe, a restaurant and bar in Boston's South End, announced a temporary closure due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The restaurant's hibernation will continue until further notice, according to a note posted to Instagram. Signs on the exterior of the restaurant read "Delux is temporarily closed / We'll miss you / Merry Christmas / Happy New Year / See Ya Later 2020 / Stay Safe / Take Care of Each Other" and "Thanks to our amazing neighbors, regulars and friends. We can't wait to see you all again," in Boston, Massachusetts, on Sun., Jan. 10, 2021. The sign also includes the name of a Venmo account for people to contribute to a fund supporting Delux's employees.
With its sign dark in the night, American Flatbread (Sacco's Bowl Heaven) is temporarily closed in hibernation due to the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic in Davis Square in Somerville, Massachusetts, on Tue., Jan. 26, 2021. A Dec. 15, 2020, announcement from the restaurant states, in part: "Sadly, we will be joining the many restaurants unable to stay open through the winter.... We’ll be posting to remind you that we love you and to announce pop-ups....Without relief, there will be many closures and a lot of businesses will not reopen. We consider ourselves very lucky to have a plan and the opportunity to reopen in the spring."
No. 9 Park, a restaurant in the Barbara Lynch Collective, has been temporarily closed for the month of January 2021 due to restrictions on restaurants put in place during the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic in Boston, Massachusetts, on Sat., Jan. 9, 2021. A sign on the front door reads, in part: "With the health and safety of our employees, guests, and the greater Boston community in mind, we have decided to temporarily close all Barbara Lynch Collective restaurants, including No. 9 Park, for on-premise dining until February 2021."
A sign on the doors and windows of Milk Street Cafe, indicates that the establishment is temporarily closed in hibernation due to restrictions on restaurants put in place during the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic in Boston, Massachusetts, on Sat., Jan. 9, 2021. The restaurant closed on Oct. 27, 2020, and an announcement at the time stated that it would reopen once "more of our customers are able to return to their offices."
Signs on the doors to Time Out Market announce ""We're hitting the snooze button. Time Out Market will be out of hibernation when we can all party again. 'Til then, let's all continue to support local faves," in Boston, Massachusetts, on Wed., Jan. 6, 2021. The hibernation period began on Dec. 20, 2020.
Despite a banner reading "Now open for lunch Monday-Friday," Rosebud American Kitchen & Bar, a high-end diner in Davis Square, is temporarily closed in hibernation due to the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic in Davis Square in Somerville, Massachusetts, on Tue., Jan. 26, 2021. On Dec. 27, 2020, the restaurant announced the closure on Instagram, reading, in part: "It’s with heavy hearts that we announce today is our last RoseBrunch for a while. We’re making the very difficult & heartbreaking decision to close our diner doors & turn off our neon for the winter....We aren’t calling this a hibernation because that feels cute & natural and this is anything but that. We need aid & relief from our city & government that we just aren’t getting right now." The vintage neon sign is normally a fixture in the area at night, but it has been turned off since Dec. 27.
A piece of caution tape is seen on the temporarily closed Lucky Strike, part of a bowling alley chain with bars and restaurants inside, located across Lansdowne Street from Fenway Park, is temporarily closed during the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic in Boston, Massachusetts, seen here on Wed., Jan. 6, 2021. A sign on the door announces that the business closed since March 16, 2020.
Chairs are seen piled up in an closed area of the indoor dining room of Caffe Nero in Boston, Massachusetts, on Wed., Jan. 6, 2021. Indoor dining in restaurants is currently limited to 25% of total capacity, so many establishments have closed sections of their indoor dining space.
"Social distancing mannequins" are seen inside Back Deck, a restaurant in Downtown Crossing, that has gone into temporary closure hibernation due to restrictions on restaurants put in place during the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic in Boston, Massachusetts, on Sat., Jan. 9, 2021. A Dec. 9, 2020, announcement from Back Deck and sister-restaurant French Quarter proprietor Brad Fredericks, stated, in part: "We tried earnestly to remain open since our restart in late June, and reached a level of stabilization in October, but recently just too much damn COVID...We will continue to monitor COVID cases, vaccine implementation, returning activity in our downtown neighborhood, potential government stimulus…and will reopen when we determine it prudent. My sincere hope is that reopening will ocur while we are still in winter months. In the meantime, our social distancing mannequins will keep the seat warm for you."
Paper covers the windows of Little Donkey, a restaurant in Central Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on Mon., Jan. 4, 2021. A typewritten note on the door by Ken and Jamie reads, in part, "This year has been the toughest of our careers...we have been fighting for our staff, their health, their well-being...Now we pivot again. Little Donkey will go into a 'hibernation' today in order to reopen the business on the other side." A sign inside the doorway displays the hashtag #saverestaurants.
The Lansdowne Pub, located across Lansdowne Street from Fenway Park, is temporarily closed during the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic in Boston, Massachusetts, seen here on Wed., Jan. 6, 2021. The plants appear to have been moved to the window to maximize their exposure to sunlight during the closure. A facebook post from the bar on Nov. 28, 2020, states that the Lansdowne hopes to reopen in March 2021.
With its sign dark in the night, American Flatbread (Sacco's Bowl Heaven) is temporarily closed in hibernation due to the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic in Davis Square in Somerville, Massachusetts, on Tue., Jan. 26, 2021. A Dec. 15, 2020, announcement from the restaurant states, in part: "Sadly, we will be joining the many restaurants unable to stay open through the winter.... We’ll be posting to remind you that we love you and to announce pop-ups....Without relief, there will be many closures and a lot of businesses will not reopen. We consider ourselves very lucky to have a plan and the opportunity to reopen in the spring."

New London’s restaurants during the pandemic for NBC News
December 7, 2020

A sidewalk sandwich board indicates that The Social Bar and Kitchen is open for customers in New London, Connecticut, on Sun., Oct. 25, 2020. The restaurant/bar shut down at the start of the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic and didn't re-open until mid-September 2020. While closed during the pandemic, the restaurant/bar was reconfigured to allow greater distance between customers. Restaurants in New London are allowed to operate at 75% capacity, restaurant manager Sean Murray says that The Social Bar and Kitchen is only operating at around 50% inside capacity as a way to increase distance between patrons.

I spent an afternoon in New London, Connecticut, for a story for NBC News about how restaurants in the coastal town are dealing with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. From restrictions on indoor dining to decreased foot traffic in the downtown business district to people's fear of contracting the virus in public settings, it hasn't been easy for the businesses this year. I profiled a handful of businesses and the mayor, who remains cautiously optimistic about the future. But walking downtown and seeing empty sidewalks and closed storefronts on a weekday afternoon with nice weather, it seems like the difficulties will be felt for quite a while longer.

Thanks to Matt for the call, my first assignment with NBC News. You can read the piece here: 'I'm going to church more': Restaurant owners wonder whether they'll survive winter

Sean Murray is the manager of The Social Bar and Kitchen, in New London, Connecticut, on Sun., Oct. 25, 2020. The restaurant/bar shut down at the start of the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic and didn't re-open until mid-September 2020. Murray says this back patio was opened in late 2019 or early 2020 before the pandemic, and has offered customers a place to feel safer dining out. While closed during the pandemic, the restaurant/bar was reconfigured to allow greater distance between customers. Restaurants in New London are allowed to operate at 75% capacity, Murray says that The Social Bar and Kitchen is only operating at around 50% inside capacity as a way to increase distance between patrons.
A server takes customers' orders at The Social Bar and Kitchen in New London, Connecticut, on Sun., Oct. 25, 2020. The restaurant/bar shut down at the start of the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic and didn't re-open until mid-September 2020. While closed during the pandemic, the restaurant/bar was reconfigured to allow greater distance between customers. Restaurants in New London are allowed to operate at 75% capacity, restaurant manager Sean Murray says that The Social Bar and Kitchen is only operating at around 50% inside capacity as a way to increase distance between patrons.
A partially enclosed patio is available for diners at On the Waterfront, a seafood Italian restaurant in New London, Connecticut, on Sun., Oct. 25, 2020. During the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic, according to owner Anthony Schiavone, the restaurant has operated at reduced capacity and expanded outdoor seating, seen here with plastic curtains. Schiavone says the restaurant is now operating at 75% capacity, in accordance with local regulations.
Anthony Schiavone is the owner of On the Waterfront, a seafood Italian restaurant in New London, Connecticut, on Sun., Oct. 25, 2020. During the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic the restaurant has operated at reduced capacity and expanded outdoor seating, seen here with plastic curtains. Schiavone says the restaurant is now operating at 75% capacity, in accordance with local regulations.
Marge Hayes (right) and husband Keith Wilson, of Storrs, Conn., eat at the outdoor seating at Captain Scott's Lobster Dock in New London, Connecticut, on Sun., Oct. 25, 2020. The restaurant is a walk-up counter service window with only outdoor seating, and as a result has been able to weather the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic better than others in the city. The couple said they were on a "leaf-peeping" drive in the area and decided to stop at the restaurant. Keith had a lobster roll and New England clam chowder, and Marge had lobster bisque and a fish sandwich.
A sign on the front door indicates policies for safe dining during the COVID-19 pandemic at The Social Bar and Kitchen in New London, Connecticut, on Sun., Oct. 25, 2020. The restaurant/bar shut down at the start of the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic and didn't re-open until mid-September 2020. While closed during the pandemic, the restaurant/bar was reconfigured to allow greater distance between customers. Restaurants in New London are allowed to operate at 75% capacity, restaurant manager Sean Murray says that The Social Bar and Kitchen is only operating at around 50% inside capacity as a way to increase distance between patrons.
Mayor Michael E. Passero says that Rhythm Lounge, a bar featuring live music, is one of the businesses in the city that have not yet reopened after being shut down during the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic downtown New London, Connecticut, on Sun., Oct. 25, 2020.
Michael E. Passero is the mayor of New London, Connecticut, seen here in the Central Business District, on Sun., Oct. 25, 2020. Passero says that during the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic, some businesses in the city have been successful, while others have ceased operations. Passero is in his fifth year as mayor, having started his second term a year ago.
A sculpture fountain depicts a whale tail in Parade Plaza in downtown New London, Connecticut, on Sun., Oct. 25, 2020.
A sign reading "For Lease / Restaurant" hangs in a window on Bank Street, a street filled with many restaurants and bars in downtown New London, Connecticut, on Sun., Oct. 25, 2020.
Restaurants, bars, and other businesses line Bank Street in downtown New London, Connecticut, on Sun., Oct. 25, 2020.

Legal cannabis home-grow for Northeast Leaf
November 30, 2020

Growing consultant Mike reaches up to cannabis colas of a Platinum Punch plant in the backyard where an outdoor legal home grow is planted which also includes cannabis strains Meatbreath, Hulk Angry, Banana Split, Platinum Punch Remix times Platinum Kush Mints, Platinum Punch, Strawberries and Cream, and Runtz, in Springfield, Massachusetts, on Wed., Oct. 14, 2020. The crop has sustained a drought this year in Massachusetts and recent storm bursts including 70 mph winds, and a couple of the plants have reached 12 feet tall. The plants will all be harvested in the next week before cold fall weather arrives or more drenching rainstorms hit the area.

I spent an afternoon in western Massachusetts photographing a legal outdoor cannabis home grow operation in a residential backyard for Northeast Leaf, a new magazine covering the marijuana industry in New England and part of the Leaf Nation family of publications around the US. I don't know too much about cannabis culture, so it took extra effort keeping track of the names of all the strains being grown and parts of the plants being harvested.

A view of a bud on a Banana Split cannabis plant is seen in a backyard legal home grow which includes cannabis strains Meatbreath, Hulk Angry, Banana Split, Platinum Punch Remix times Platinum Kush Mints, Platinum Punch, Strawberries and Cream, and Runtz, in Springfield, Massachusetts, on Wed., Oct. 14, 2020. The crop has sustained a drought this year in Massachusetts and recent storm bursts including 70 mph winds, and a couple of the plants have reached 12 feet tall. The plants will all be harvested in the next week before cold fall weather arrives or more drenching rainstorms hit the area.
Growing consultant Mike (right) and homeowner Mark stand near a backyard legal home grow which includes cannabis strains Meatbreath, Hulk Angry, Banana Split, Platinum Punch Remix times Platinum Kush Mints, Platinum Punch, Strawberries and Cream, and Runtz, in Springfield, Massachusetts, on Wed., Oct. 14, 2020. The crop has sustained a drought this year in Massachusetts and recent storm bursts including 70 mph winds, and a couple of the plants have reached 12 feet tall. The plants will all be harvested in the next week before cold fall weather arrives or more drenching rainstorms hit the area.
Growing consultant Mike uses a jeweler's loupe to inspect the trichomes of a Runtz cannabis plant in the backyard where an outdoor legal home grow is planted which also includes cannabis strains Meatbreath, Hulk Angry, Banana Split, Platinum Punch Remix times Platinum Kush Mints, Platinum Punch, Strawberries and Cream, and Runtz, in Springfield, Massachusetts, on Wed., Oct. 14, 2020. The crop has sustained a drought this year in Massachusetts and recent storm bursts including 70 mph winds, and a couple of the plants have reached 12 feet tall. The plants will all be harvested in the next week before cold fall weather arrives or more drenching rainstorms hit the area.
A Platinum Punch Remix times Platinum Kush Mints cannabis plant is seen next to a white picket fence in a backyard legal home grow which includes cannabis strains Meatbreath, Hulk Angry, Banana Split, Platinum Punch Remix times Platinum Kush Mints, Platinum Punch, Strawberries and Cream, and Runtz, in Springfield, Massachusetts, on Wed., Oct. 14, 2020. The crop has sustained a drought this year in Massachusetts and recent storm bursts including 70 mph winds, and a couple of the plants have reached 12 feet tall. The plants will all be harvested in the next week before cold fall weather arrives or more drenching rainstorms hit the area.
Clippers rest on bins filled with a partial harvest of Strawberries and Cream (from foreground), Platinum Punch, and Platinum Punch Remix times Platinum Kush Mints cannabis plants from a legal cannabis home grow which includes cannabis strains Meatbreath, Hulk Angry, Banana Split, Platinum Punch Remix times Platinum Kush Mints, Platinum Punch, Strawberries and Cream, and Runtz, in Springfield, Massachusetts, on Wed., Oct. 14, 2020. The crop has sustained a drought this year in Massachusetts and recent storm bursts including 70 mph winds, and a couple of the plants have reached 12 feet tall. The plants will all be harvested in the next week before cold fall weather arrives or more drenching rainstorms hit the area.
Growing consultant Mike holds up a bud from a Meatbreath cannabis plant, which he says smells like hotdogs, as he harvests a backyard legal home grow which includes cannabis strains Meatbreath, Hulk Angry, Banana Split, Platinum Punch Remix times Platinum Kush Mints, Platinum Punch, Strawberries and Cream, and Runtz, in Springfield, Massachusetts, on Wed., Oct. 14, 2020. The crop has sustained a drought this year in Massachusetts and recent storm bursts including 70 mph winds, and a couple of the plants have reached 12 feet tall. The plants will all be harvested in the next week before cold fall weather arrives or more drenching rainstorms hit the area.
Homeowner Mark harvests a Meatbreath cannabis plant in his backyard where he has a legal cannabis home grow which includes cannabis strains Meatbreath, Hulk Angry, Banana Split, Platinum Punch Remix times Platinum Kush Mints, Platinum Punch, Strawberries and Cream, and Runtz, in Springfield, Massachusetts, on Wed., Oct. 14, 2020. The crop has sustained a drought this year in Massachusetts and recent storm bursts including 70 mph winds, and a couple of the plants have reached 12 feet tall. The plants will all be harvested in the next week before cold fall weather arrives or more drenching rainstorms hit the area.
Sunlight illuminates the leaves of a Platinum Punch cannabis plant in a backyard legal home grow which includes cannabis strains Meatbreath, Hulk Angry, Banana Split, Platinum Punch Remix times Platinum Kush Mints, Platinum Punch, Strawberries and Cream, and Runtz, in Springfield, Massachusetts, on Wed., Oct. 14, 2020. The crop has sustained a drought this year in Massachusetts and recent storm bursts including 70 mph winds, and a couple of the plants have reached 12 feet tall. The plants will all be harvested in the next week before cold fall weather arrives or more drenching rainstorms hit the area.
A security camera looks over a backyard legal home grow which includes cannabis strains Meatbreath, Hulk Angry, Banana Split, Platinum Punch Remix times Platinum Kush Mints, Platinum Punch, Strawberries and Cream, and Runtz, in Springfield, Massachusetts, on Wed., Oct. 14, 2020. The crop has sustained a drought this year in Massachusetts and recent storm bursts including 70 mph winds, and a couple of the plants have reached 12 feet tall. The plants will all be harvested in the next week before cold fall weather arrives or more drenching rainstorms hit the area.
Growing consultant Mike harvests from the top of a Platinum Punch cannabis plant in a backyard legal home grow which includes cannabis strains Meatbreath, Hulk Angry, Banana Split, Platinum Punch Remix times Platinum Kush Mints, Platinum Punch, Strawberries and Cream, and Runtz, in Springfield, Massachusetts, on Wed., Oct. 14, 2020. The crop has sustained a drought this year in Massachusetts and recent storm bursts including 70 mph winds, and a couple of the plants have reached 12 feet tall. The plants will all be harvested in the next week before cold fall weather arrives or more drenching rainstorms hit the area.

Biobot Analytics for Bloomberg Businessweek
September 6, 2020

Analytical Chemist Katelyn Foppe holds a tube with a wastewater sample with obvious particulate matter in the lab of Biobot Analytics in The Engine, a venture capital company founded by MIT and located in Central Square not far from the MIT campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, on Fri., May 22, 2020. Biobot has taken samples from approximately 400 cities around the United States and uses them to analyze COVID-19 infection rates. The company has developed a method to measure SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19, in wastewater which they say can help identify viral outbreak locations and measure infection rates across populations independent of other testing and reporting efforts. As the Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic worsened, Biobot allowed municipalities to request their COVID-19 analysis, and quickly reached capacity. The company has been rapidly expanding to meet demand. Dr. Eric Alm, Biobot's scientific co-founder and a Professor of Biological Engineering at MIT, said of the bank of samples, which represents 400 cities and about 10% of the United States population, "You probably know someone who pooped in this water."
Dr. Eric Alm, Biobot's scientific co-founder and a Professor of Biological Engineering at MIT, prepare wastewater samples for RNA extraction, including RNA from coronavirus in the sample, for COVID-19 analysis in the lab of Biobot Analytics, a company that analyzes waste water and sewage to find trends in virus infections, opioid use, and other epidemiological data about municipalities around the US, seen here in lab space at The Engine, a venture capital company founded by MIT and located in Central Square not far from the MIT campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, on Fri., May 22, 2020. The company has developed a method to measure SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19, in wastewater which they say can help identify viral outbreak locations and measure infection rates across populations independent of other testing and reporting efforts. As the Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic worsened, Biobot allowed municipalities to request their COVID-19 analysis, and quickly reached capacity. The company has been rapidly expanding to meet demand. Alm said of the samples collected by the lab, which represent 400 cities and about 10% of the United States population, "You probably know someone who pooped in this water."

In early April, during the first few weeks of the coronavirus pandemic, I heard about a lab in the Boston area that was testing municipal waste water and sewage as a way of discovering COVID-19 infection rates in a community. After a little research, I pitched the story of Biobot Analytics to Bloomberg Businessweek, and happily, editors there were interested. A few weeks later, I was in the lab on a late Friday afternoon, photographing the lab in operation as they organized hundreds of samples, prepped water for analysis, and collated data. I also had a short portrait session with one of Biobot's founders and CEO,

As it turns out, the lab was an offshoot of the Eric Alm's lab at MIT, which also started the OpenBiome project, photographed in 2014 for the Chronicle of Higher Education.

A big thanks to editors Jane and Ryan for helping make this story end up in print!

Dr. Mariana Matus, cofounder and CEO of Biobot Analytics, (right) and Analytical Chemist Katelyn Foppe organize wastewater samples in the lab of Biobot Analytics, a company that analyzes waste water and sewage to find trends in virus infections, opioid use, and other epidemiological data about municipalities around the US, at The Engine, a venture capital company founded by MIT and located in Central Square not far from the MIT campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, on Fri., May 22, 2020. The company has developed a method to measure SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19, in wastewater which they say can help identify viral outbreak locations and measure infection rates across populations independent of other testing and reporting efforts. As the Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic worsened, Biobot allowed municipalities to request their COVID-19 analysis, and quickly reached capacity. The company has been rapidly expanding to meet demand. Dr. Eric Alm, Biobot's scientific co-founder and a Professor of Biological Engineering at MIT, said of the samples collected so far, which represent 400 cities and about 10% of the United States population, "You probably know someone who pooped in this water."
Analytical Chemist Katelyn Foppe sorts samples of wastewater from approximately 400 cities around the United States used in COVID-19 analysis in the lab of Biobot Analytics, a company that analyzes waste water and sewage to find trends in virus infections, opioid use, and other epidemiological data about municipalities around the US, at The Engine, a venture capital company founded by MIT and located in Central Square not far from the MIT campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, on Fri., May 22, 2020. The company has developed a method to measure SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19, in wastewater which they say can help identify viral outbreak locations and measure infection rates across populations independent of other testing and reporting efforts. As the Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic worsened, Biobot allowed municipalities to request their COVID-19 analysis, and quickly reached capacity. The company has been rapidly expanding to meet demand. Dr. Eric Alm, Biobot's scientific co-founder and a Professor of Biological Engineering at MIT, said of the bank of samples, which represents 400 cities and about 10% of the United States population, "You probably know someone who pooped in this water."
Samples of wastewater from approximately 400 cities around the United States used in COVID-19 analysis are seen in a fridge in the lab of Biobot Analytics, a company that analyzes waste water and sewage to find trends in virus infections, opioid use, and other epidemiological data about municipalities around the US, seen here in lab space at The Engine, a venture capital company founded by MIT and located in Central Square not far from the MIT campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, on Fri., May 22, 2020. The company has developed a method to measure SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19, in wastewater which they say can help identify viral outbreak locations and measure infection rates across populations independent of other testing and reporting efforts. As the Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic worsened, Biobot allowed municipalities to request their COVID-19 analysis, and quickly reached capacity. The company has been rapidly expanding to meet demand. Dr. Eric Alm, Biobot's scientific co-founder and a Professor of Biological Engineering at MIT, said of the bank of samples, which represents 400 cities and about 10% of the United States population, "You probably know someone who pooped in this water."
Dr. Mariana Matus is the cofounder and CEO of Biobot Analytics, a company that analyzes waste water and sewage to find trends in virus infections, opioid use, and other epidemiological data about municipalities around the US. The company is based in a small chemical lab in The Engine, a venture capital company founded by MIT and located in Central Square not far from the MIT campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. She is seen here on Fri., May 22, 2020. The company has developed a method to measure SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19, in wastewater which they say can help identify viral outbreak locations and measure infection rates across populations independent of other testing and reporting efforts. As the Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic worsened, Biobot allowed municipalities to request their COVID-19 analysis, and quickly reached capacity at about 400 municipalities, which represent about 10% of the United States' population. The company has been rapidly expanding to meet demand.
Dr. Eric Alm, Biobot's scientific co-founder and a Professor of Biological Engineering at MIT, prepare wastewater samples for RNA extraction, including RNA from coronavirus in the sample, for COVID-19 analysis in the lab of Biobot Analytics, a company that analyzes waste water and sewage to find trends in virus infections, opioid use, and other epidemiological data about municipalities around the US, seen here in lab space at The Engine, a venture capital company founded by MIT and located in Central Square not far from the MIT campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, on Fri., May 22, 2020. The company has developed a method to measure SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19, in wastewater which they say can help identify viral outbreak locations and measure infection rates across populations independent of other testing and reporting efforts. As the Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic worsened, Biobot allowed municipalities to request their COVID-19 analysis, and quickly reached capacity. The company has been rapidly expanding to meet demand. Alm said of the samples collected by the lab, which represent 400 cities and about 10% of the United States population, "You probably know someone who pooped in this water."
Research Scientist Kyle McElroy (left) and Analytical Chemist Katelyn Foppe work with wastewater samples in the lab of Biobot Analytics, a company that analyzes waste water and sewage to find trends in virus infections, opioid use, and other epidemiological data about municipalities around the US, at The Engine, a venture capital company founded by MIT and located in Central Square not far from the MIT campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, on Fri., May 22, 2020. The company has developed a method to measure SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19, in wastewater which they say can help identify viral outbreak locations and measure infection rates across populations independent of other testing and reporting efforts. As the Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic worsened, Biobot allowed municipalities to request their COVID-19 analysis, and quickly reached capacity. The company has been rapidly expanding to meet demand. Dr. Eric Alm, Biobot's scientific co-founder and a Professor of Biological Engineering at MIT, said of the samples collected so far, which represent 400 cities and about 10% of the United States population, "You probably know someone who pooped in this water."
Dr. Eric Alm, Biobot's scientific co-founder and a Professor of Biological Engineering at MIT, prepare wastewater samples for RNA extraction, including RNA from coronavirus in the sample, for COVID-19 analysis in the lab of Biobot Analytics, a company that analyzes waste water and sewage to find trends in virus infections, opioid use, and other epidemiological data about municipalities around the US, seen here in lab space at The Engine, a venture capital company founded by MIT and located in Central Square not far from the MIT campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, on Fri., May 22, 2020. The company has developed a method to measure SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19, in wastewater which they say can help identify viral outbreak locations and measure infection rates across populations independent of other testing and reporting efforts. As the Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic worsened, Biobot allowed municipalities to request their COVID-19 analysis, and quickly reached capacity. The company has been rapidly expanding to meet demand. Alm said of the samples collected by the lab, which represent 400 cities and about 10% of the United States population, "You probably know someone who pooped in this water."
Between the legs of Analytical Chemist Katelyn Foppe, samples of wastewater from approximately 400 cities around the United States used in COVID-19 analysis are seen in a fridge in the lab of Biobot Analytics, a company that analyzes waste water and sewage to find trends in virus infections, opioid use, and other epidemiological data about municipalities around the US, seen here in lab space at The Engine, a venture capital company founded by MIT and located in Central Square not far from the MIT campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, on Fri., May 22, 2020. The company has developed a method to measure SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19, in wastewater which they say can help identify viral outbreak locations and measure infection rates across populations independent of other testing and reporting efforts. As the Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic worsened, Biobot allowed municipalities to request their COVID-19 analysis, and quickly reached capacity. The company has been rapidly expanding to meet demand. Dr. Eric Alm, Biobot's scientific co-founder and a Professor of Biological Engineering at MIT, said of the bank of samples, which represents 400 cities and about 10% of the United States population, "You probably know someone who pooped in this water."

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