01/21/2021 by The Weirs Publishing Company

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 21, 2021 —

VOLUME 30, NO. 3

THE WEIRS, LAKE WINNIPESAUKEE, N.H., THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021

COMPLIMENTARY

Treasure Trove Of Motorcycle History Goes Up In Smoke Support Needed in Rebuilding Effort

Over one hundred years of history gone in the blink of an eye. Weirs Times Editor On Christmas Morning the office of the Laconia Motorcycle Week Association on Union Avenue in Laconia was engulfed in flames destroying not only the interior of the building, but also a treasure trove of artifacts, pictures, etc., that told the tale of this century old motorcycle rally, the oldest in the country. It is also an economic mainstay to the City of Laconia and surrounding areas as it welcomes hundreds of thousands of riders to the area each June. Along with the cherished memorabilia, the Association’s beloved office cat, Ashland, who graced the entrance to the building and greeted visitors, has also been missing. Fortunately, another tenant who lived in the building was able to escape the early morning blaze. Losses in the fire total into the tens of thousands of dollars and, unfortunately, insurance coverage won’t come close to covering most of the cost of the tragedy. Lost forever in the fire were 120+ years of photos, periodicals, posters, trophies, plaques, books and written records. “We didn’t own the building, we rented it,” said Charlie St. Clair who has been the director of the Association since 1991. “We only have renters insurance which doesn’t come close to covering the losses we have endured.” See FIRE on 24 N O L E I N R E A H FOR &S F RE AD E RE by Brendan Smith

The charred remains of some of the “salvageable” artifacts damaged in the fire at the Laconia Motorcycle Week Association office in Laconia on Christmas Day. Tens of thousands of dollars in memorabilia of the classic Motorcycle Rally was destroyed including over a hundred years of COURTESY PHOTO photos. The Association is looking for support in rising from the ashes.

THE

WEIRSTIMES.C

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 21, 2021 —

New Hampshire's Choice for Local & National News,Talk & Weather

WEZS Newstalk AM 1350 The New Talk Authority

Newest Release By Brendan Smith

“The Best of a F.O.O.L.* In New Hampshire”

*Flatlander’s Observations On Life

With over 40 of the best of Brendan’s weekly columns he covers everything from politics to health to technology to shopping and more. This is the perfect sampling of his unique humor which has been entertaining readers of The Weirs Times and Cocheco Times for twenty years. Order your autographed copy today for $13.99 plus $3 for shipping. (Also available on Amazon andlocal bookstores Send checks or money orders for $16.99 to Brendan Smith and mail to: Best of a F.O.O.L., c/o The Weirs Times, PO Box 5458, Weirs, NH 03247. Order online at www.BrendanTSmith.com

KINDRED FARM Newest ReleaseSPIRIT By Brendan Smith

* — F A R MBest F R E Sof H FaI NF.O.O.L. E FLEECE— “The

In New Hampshire”

*Flatlander’s Observations On Life

eeding Tra Order your autographed copy today ditiofor na$13.99 l 1927 plus $3 for shipping. (Please include any inscription you ® S H E TL would like the author to personalize your with.) ANcopy D SH E EP Send checks or money orders for $16.99 to Like us! Brendan Smith and• mail to: Best of a F.O.O.L., Center Sandwich 603-284-7277 c/o The Weirs Times, PO Box 5458, Weirs, NH 03247. kindredspiritfarmnh@gmail.com Order online at www.BrendanTSmith.com (Pickup autographed copies at the Weirs Times)

Not All In This Together To The Editor: In British society, an aristocrat is one who has a high social rank, esp one with a title. An aristocrat is part of a small, privileged class. Gee, the members of the US Congress, by these characteristics, can be considered an aristocracy. Aristocrats tend to enjoy both social and economic prestige as well as political power. Let’s look at the perks of being a US Congressman/ woman/Senator. According to the Congressional Research Service, April 11, 2018. The compensation for most Senators, Representatives, Delegates and the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico is $174,000.00. The Speaker of the House receives a salary of $223,500 while the President pro tempore and the majority and minority leaders of the House and Senate receive a salary of $193,400. In total, based upon the number of US Congressmen/ women Senators in Congress (535 in total) the overall salary is over $94 Million a year, not counting health and life insurance provisions, and other retirement provisions. Also, not included, are the MRA’s (Members’ Representational Allowances) allotted to each Congressman/woman/ Senator. Health and life in-

surance provisions for members of Congress are unique. Representatives and Senators are allowed to earn 15% of their annual rate of basic pay for “outside earned income.” Additionally, a US Congressman/woman /Senator receives free airport parking; free on-site gym; up to 239 days off; health-care subsidies under Obamacare; a better retirement plan; free flights; death benefits = to their annual salary. We are not “all in this together”! Nick De Mayo Sugar Hill, NH

Want The People Taken Care Of

To The Editor: I wonder if those who voted for change are thinking the expenditure for this impeachment are wondering how much money from Taxpayers is this costing? I think of people I know who need their dollars for housing, food, medical care, childcare really don’t care about impeaching a president who won’t even get the time to impeach? I wonder how this brings the nation together as presidentelect Biden asked to happen. I’m sure of one thing I am making a Freedom of Information request for the costs of taxpayer dollars to call for a useless vote on impeachment, at a time when people

are without homes and food because of the Covid 19, while people have lost their businesses, etc. No I don’t want impeachment I want the people taken care of by elected officials who are responsible to spend their tax dollars wisely. Harriet E. Cady Deerfield, N.H

What Group Is Next? To The Editor: Progressives, sooner or later the government will come for you. Right now Big Tech is targeting Trump supporters and it won’t be long before they are forced underground. And you will not object because you are not a Trump supporter. Next Centrist Democrats will be targeted and they won’t have a voice any longer. And you will not object because you are not a Centrist Democrat. What group will be next is anybody’s guess. The only thing that is sure is that some group will be next and there will be another group after that. And once again you will not object because you think it doesn’t affect you. Free Speech and dissent will be eliminated and no one will have objected. In fact you voted for it. Total control over your thoughts and actions will be achieved and not a shot will have been fired. See MAILBOAT on 28

Our Story

This newspaper was first published in 1883 by Mathew H. Calvert as Calvert’s Weirs Times and Tourists’ Gazette and continued until Mr. Calvert’s death in 1902. The new Weirs Times was reestablished in 1992 and strives to maintain the patriotic spirit of its predecessor as well as his devotion to the interests of Lake Winnipesaukee. Our newspaper’s masthead and the map of Lake Winnipesaukee in the center spread are elements in today’s paper which are taken from Calvert’s historic publication. Locally owned for over 20 years, this publication is devoted to printing the stories

of the people and places that make New Hampshire the best place in the world to live. No, none of the daily grind news will be found in these pages, just the good stuff. Published year round on Thursdays, we distribute 30,000 copies of the Weirs Times every week to the Lakes Region/Concord/ Seacoast area and the mountains and have an estimated 66,000 people reading this newspaper. To find out how your business or service can benefit from advertising with us please call 1-888-308-8463.

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 21, 2021 —

-201

2010

May not be combined with other discounts. Expires 5/31/2021

www.Lcurve.com

Douglas H. Greene, CPA/PFS NH & CT Registered Investment Advisor NH & CT licensed CPA Wealth Management Income Tax Preparation QuickBooks Setup & Repair doug@Lcurve.com • 860.868.3410 • Moultonborough

e S h op O u r N Com rger Store ew

Now is a good time to learn! Fun on PatsL a Peak’s beginner! area where skiers and snowboarders take their first lessons on its protected gentle slope serviced by a carpet lift. Find out more about Learn to Ski or Ride deals at SkiNH.com click Learn.

COZY CABIN RUSTICS

FURNITURE & MATTRESSES FREE

Local Delive ry & Setu p

by Amy Patenaude Outdoor/Ski Columnist

them bash through the gates practicing for their upcoming races. I am racing on Monday nights at Pats Peak in the adult racing league, aka beer league. Life on the slopes feels good. Capacity limitations are in place for using the lodges and limited ticket sales to reduce lines and avoid crowding are common. Buying your tickets well in advance on-line is the way to go and for

most places it is required. If tickets are available you may be able to purchase them the ‘day of’, especially during weekdays when they are less likely to be sold out. Many of the deals and discounts locals have been loving over the years have gone away this season. It is understandable with resorts being forced to sell much fewer day tickets to abide by soSee PATENAUDE on 22

abin Rust y C ic z o

With a little help from Mother Nature and the super duper snowmakers the skiing and snowboarding has been going strong this winter. Thankfully there has been enough snow that the Nordic Centers have been able to groom and open their trails too. Getting outside this winter with family and friends is as popular as

ever. Yes some things are different--face coverings, making reservations and getting dressed and ready to go right from your car to the slopes. But, with a little planning it works and it feels great! I have been getting out as much as I can and it is fabulous to see children having fun in their ski school lessons. I share the young high school racers’ excitement as I watched

Where To Find Winter Fun

PLYMOUTH

742 Tenney Mtn. Hwy.

603-238-3250 Mon-Sat 9-5 / Sun 10-5

MEREDITH

-F ur ni

ture & Mattre ss

es -

312 Daniel Webster Hwy.

603-279-1333 Mon-Fri 9-5:30 Sat 9-6 / Sun 10-5

COZYCABINRUSTICS.COM

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 21, 2021 —

EVENTS & ACTIVITIES Art Exhibit At RiverStones Custom Framing

The Franklin Gallery at RiverStones Custom Framing, 33 N. Main Street in Rochester, will host an exhibit during the month of January that features the work of local artist Bob Farrell. Farrell is an abstract artist who has been creating art for more than 20 years. He not only uses acrylics and oils in his paintings, but also uses a lot of unusual things to create art such as tar, house paint, spray paint and fabric pigments. Farrell often fixes and repaints older wood frames and prides himself in being able to refinish them and bring them back to life. He sometimes incorporates the frame as a part of the art itself, not just a way to surround or contain it. Bob has been working and evolving into an artist for many years. He began painting surreal but has since gravitated to abstract paintings and sculptures. He has exhibited his work in several galleries in New England and hopes to also show his art in New York City. RiverStones Custom Framing and the Franklin Gallery are open Wednesday through Friday, 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. For information about this exhibit and other RiverStones events and services, call (603) 812-1488, or send an e-mail to riverstonescustomframing@gmail.com.

Gilford Library Announces New Children And Teen Programs The Gilford Library has a few new children’s programming opportunities to help ring in the New Year. Parents of young readers can swing by the library and pick up a Children’s Literacy Calendar which provides a full calendar year of literacy-building activities to share with your young child. From writing to counting to singing, the calendar will give you ideas to start your young ones on a lifetime of learning. Also new to the library is Bilingual Story Time with Miss Maria on Facebook Live! Tune in live on Tuesdays at 10:30AM and join Miss Maria in reading, singing, dancing, and playing in both English and Spanish. If you have a teenager or tween in your life that loves cooking, then you’ll want to tell them about Snap Your Snacks! It’s a video contest running through the end of the month where teens and tweens can tag @GPLHayden on TikTok or @gilfordpubliclibrary on Instagram featuring their own 60-second food video. The best recipes and videos will be featured on the library’s Instagram page. Entries are due by February 1st.

Winter Survival Day At Prescott Farm Winter Survival Day at Prescott Farm is Saturday, February 6 from 10 am – 2 pm What’s a Quinzee? Spend Saturday, February 6 at Prescott Farm’s Winter Survival Day and you’ll find out that and more. Program attendees will build a quinzee with the group and between steps, practice skills like winter firestarting and more. In the event of a melt, guests will explore options for shelter using resources found in the forest. FMI or to register visit prescottfarm.org. Prescott Farm is located at 928 White Oaks Road, Laconia.

A Virtual Gathering on Barn History and Preservation Trends Get together with other barn owners and enthusiasts to celebrate the U.S. Postal Service’s January 24, 2021 issuance of new set of barn postcard stamps. Enjoy a discussion about what old barns mean to our communities and trends in barn preservation with three national barn experts and an award-winning fiddle player. Featured program participants: Thomas C. Hubka, author of Big House, Little House, Back House, Barn: The Connected Farm Buildings of New England; John Porter served New Hampshire as a Dairy Specialist; Jordan Tirrell-Wysocki; Thomas D. Visser, Professor of Historic Preservation, is the director of the graduate Historic Preservation Program at the University of Vermont. His publications include the Field Guide to New England Barns and Farm Buildings and Porches of North America. The program’s facilitator is Lorraine S. Merrill. Merrill and her family own and operate a dairy farm in Stratham, NH and she served as commissioner of the state’s Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food. Also a journalist and technical writer, Merrill and two collaborators produced a book and documentary in 2020 titled, Communities and Consequences II: Rebalancing New Hampshire’s Human Ecology. Register by emailing projects@nhpreservation.org. The event is free, but donations are welcome to support barn preservation efforts.

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 21, 2021 —

F O O L NEW HAMPSHIRE A

in brendan@weirs.com

Live Free or Die.

PAUL C. DUPONT & SON BUILDING Installing Harvey Building Products

WINDOWS • DOORS • SIDING

*A FLATLANDER’S OBSERVATIONS ON LIFE

Visit HarveyBP.com

F.A.T.S.O. Diversity? As if this year hasn’t been tough enough on F.A.T.S.O. to already; now we have to deal with this. F.A.T.S.O. of course, stands for Flatlanders by Brendan Smith Adjusting To Weirs Times Editor Solitary Oblivion, a support group to help new transplants to New Hampshire adjust to their first few winters here. January is usually a very robust time for F.A.T.S.O. In a typical winter, right now we would be at our busiest, answering phone calls and signing up new members as Flatlanders who are experiencing their first winters would find themselves dismayed as the summer paradise they have been used to over the years as vacationers, has suddenly turned into a desolate snow covered ice box where their favorite restaurants are closed early (if open at all). Add to that the influx of people from away who are moving here to escape the craziness going on in the big cities this year and the shutdowns caused by COVID-19, and you have the recipe for a banner year for F.A.T.S.O. As you know, the start of this winter has been anything but usual. In December, we were all excited here at F.AT.S.O. when the giant snowfall came. We were licking our chops and spending money we assumed we would be getting in new membership fees. (Yes, the latte machine was a bit extravagant). But then it all fell apart as heavy Christmas rains and above normal temperatures since, have kept the phones quiet and our bank account below the safe level. But, as in mild winters of the past, we knew we would survive. Even news of the Polar Vortex spinning out of control and possibly bringing a miserably cold

and snowy February has fill us with hope. Even if it doesn’t come to pass, we will survive, we have been here before in mild winter amidst the cries of “climate change” that would doom us, only to find ourselves the next winter deluged with phone calls and money as old man winter suddenly came roaring back for another visit. But this winter we are faced with another problem to deal with, one we should have seen coming in this peculiar time we live in. We have come under fire for not being diverse enough. It started with a letter to the editor in a local daily newspaper. The writer, a lifelong native, was angry that he had tried to become a member of F.A.T.S.O. but was turned down after he answered question number two on our online application. The question asked simply: “Are you a non-native of New Hampshire?” With a “no” answer he was immediately greeted with a polite pop-up message telling him he was not eligible for membership. He became outraged, which caused him to write the letter to the editor of a local weekly newspaper, which in turn prompted a front page story since there wasn’t much else to report on that day. The paper did call me first to ask about the situation. “Mr. Smith would you care to comment on the letter we received from an angry person, whose gender we won’t use here as is our policy, who is upset in not being allowed to become a member of your, what appears to be, very exclusive organization?” “Sure, it’s right in the name. F.A.T.S.O. was created to help Flatlanders adjust. It really has no purpose for lifelong natives and we wouldn’t want to take their money unfairly.” “So, you are saying that your group, whose name I can’t say

since it might offend someone if they are listening into this call and could later be used in an edited form years from now to discredit me, is discriminating against natives?” “No, I’m not saying that at all. I am saying that F.A.T.S.O. wouldn’t benefit them and we focus more on people who actually need our help.” He hung up. The next morning the headline read: “Leader Of Local Group Defends Practice Of Discrimination – Claims They Won’t Help Natives.” Of course, as is the case whenever anything even smells of discrimination seeps out like a gas leak to the general public, the panic ensues. Letters to the editor were written by some before they even read the story so as to be the first in line to show their outrage. We were hanging on by a string financially even before all of this brouhaha. Current F.A.T.S.O. members are opting out of renewing so as not to be seen as prejudiced and want to avoid dirty looks from natives at the deli section of the local supermarket. I was even kicked off the popular social media site saystupidstuff.com when I tried to defend myself. I am being asked to apologize in public and to hang my head in shame. I haven’t made a decision yet on how to handle it or to do anything at all. Will this be the end of F.A.T.S.O? Will we now have to include any native who wants to join? Time will tell. Brendan is the author of “The Flatlander Chronicles” and “Best Of A F.O.O.L. In New Hampshire” available at BrendanTSmith.com. His latest book “I Only Did It For The Socks and Other Tales of Aging” will be published in Spring 2021.

CALL FOR FREE ESTIMATE

603-387-0015 / 603-387-0026 Now In 4th Printing!

The Flatlander Chronicles Weirs Times F.O.O.L columnist, Brendan Smith’s first book with over 30 of the best of his original Flatlander Columns. From learning to Rake The Roof to Going To The Dump to Buying Firewood for the first time and everything in between, Brendan recounts the humorous tales of his learning to fit into New Hampshire life as a Flatlander from New York.

Order your autographed copy today for $13.99 plus $3 for shipping. (Please include any inscription you would like the author to personalize your copy with.) Make out checks or money orders for $16.99 to Brendan Smith and mail to: The Flatlander Chronicles, c/o The Weirs Times, PO Box 5458, Weirs, NH 03247. Order online at www.BrendanTSmith.com (Pickup autographed copies at the Weirs Times)

Skelley’s Market

Whether you are a vacationer or a full time resident of the Lakes Region, Skelley's Market is the place to go for your shopping needs. Located on route

Skelley’s Market Services Include: • Gas 24 hours a day • Fresh pizza • NH Lottery tickets • Beer and Wine • Sandwiches • Daily papers

• Bailey’s Bubble ice cream • Maps • Famous Lobster Rolls • Fish and Game OHRV Licenses

PIZZA SPECIAL 2 for $18 2 Toppings Every Sat. Night 5-9pm

Stop by Skelley’s Market today and enjoy some great food, Bailey’s Bubble ice cream, a lobster roll or anything else you may need. You will be glad you did!

Skelley’s Market 374 Governor Wentworth HWY Moultonboro, N.H. 03254

Call 603-476-8887 • F: 603-476-5176 www.skelleysmarket.com

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 21, 2021 —

Amnesia Of The Anarcho-Tyrannists Is it just me or has the entire universe of establishment media, politics and Hollywood forgotten that this country has endured an entire year of relentless violent anarchotyranny? Antifa and Black Lives Matter rioters set businesses and churches ablaze, smashed state capitols and laid siege to federal courthouses. They permanently by Michelle Malkin destroyed precious statues and symbols Syndicated Columnist of America’s heritage. They assaulted elderly people, stalked and menaced bystanders, taunted and terrorized law enforcement. And they committed murder -- dozens of times -- in the name of social justice while the powers that be sat idly by. How conveniently they have all forgotten the grief of Ann Dorn, widow of retired St. Louis police captain David Dorn, who was slain by George Floyd vigilantes looting a pawn shop he was guarding on June 2, 2020. Ann Dorn condemned the violence during a speech to the Republican National Convention last summer and recounted how she relives “that horror in my mind every single day. My hope is that having you relive it with me now will help shake this country from this nightmare we’re witnessing in our cities” and “bring about positive, peaceful change.” Dorn’s plea went unheeded. Why? Because riots and invasive protest are the primary means by which the left operates and has always operated. When they take over government buildings, like 40,000 Democratic union workers did when they stormed Wisconsin’s state capitol in 2011 for nearly a month, it’s not an insurrection. It’s a First Amendment celebration. When they take over U.S. Senators’ offices, like they did during the 2018 Kavanaugh confirmation hearings, it’s not sedition. It’s “democracy.” When they feel like blocking traffic and shutting down highways, the police don’t arrest them. They protect them. And when they occupy U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities and vandalize federal courthouses -- while obstructing homeland security operations, shining lasers in cops’ eyes to blind them and hurling bricks at them to maim them -- it’s not a crime. It’s “peaceful protest.” This is not “whataboutism.” It’s an absolutely necessary and vital backdrop as we seek to make sense of what happened last week in our See MALKIN on 28

The Lies Tearing America Apart Last week, the Capitol was breached by a group of fringe Trump supporters who had bought into a series of lies: the lie that President Donald Trump lost the election due to proven voter fraud and irregularity; by Ben Shapiro the lie that the Electoral Syndicated Columnist College results, legally certified state by state, could be overturned by Congress or the vice president; the lie that Trump would remain in office if only some sort of armed rebellion were to prevent the election certification by Congress. Those were lies. And those lies had deadly consequences. Thankfully, the vast majority of Americans don’t believe those lies. Which means we should be able to unify around certain basic truths: that Joe Biden is legally president-elect of the United States; that violence in pursuit of political ends is a deep wrong and those who participate in it should be punished to the full extent of the law; that broad claims regarding invasion of rights ought to be backed by compelling evidence. But we won’t. That’s because while the Democratic Party and the political left agree that Joe Biden is president-elect, they absolutely disagree with both the fundamental precept that violence in pursuit of political ends is a deep wrong and the even more fundamental precept that claims require evidence. We saw that this summer when Democratic Party officials made light of riots spreading across the nation in the name of yet another lie -- the lie that America is systemically racist, rooted in slavery and Jim Crow, and replete with bigoted police dedicated to endangering black lives. Democrats demanded no evidence to support those claims; in knee-jerk fashion, they simply repeated ad nauseam untruths about the

existential threat to black Americans in the United States. Which means that for the Democrats and the political left, violence is fine so long as it supports their narrative, and un-evidenced claims are fine so long as they support an agenda. In order to defend such violence, the political left has mobilized behind another convenient and advantageous lie: the lie that the Capitol riots represent all conservatives and Republicans. Paul Krugman of The New York Times suggested that the “putsch was decades in the making,” chalking up the rioting to “Republican elites” since before Ronald Reagan. The Washington Post amplified a nutty post from the chairman of the Nye County Republican Party in Nevada into a referendum on a “long-festering struggle within the Republican Party over conspiracy theories, purity tests and fealty to the rule of law.” Members of the media gleefully hunted for Republicans to blame for the Capitol riots, calling for the deplatforming of brand-name conservatives and cheering on social media crackdowns. Lies are dangerous. And double standards are perhaps the most dangerous form of lying: They grant the bravery of purity to those most willing to defy decency, prompting similar spasms of cruelty and malice from the other side. The solution to our national crisis of conscience isn’t bad-faith political purges or repetition of tiresome falsehoods about the nature of the United States. It’s truth. But truth is more a shield than a sword. And we are now in the age of swords, wielded aggressively by those with little principle but an unending sense of their own moral superiority. Ben Shapiro, 36, is a graduate of UCLA and Harvard Law School, host of “The Ben Shapiro Show” and editor-in-chief of DailyWire.com.

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 21, 2021 —

Teachers Unions Fail Science Is your child’s school open now? Probably not -because teachers unions say that reopening would “put their health and safety at risk.” They keep schools by John Stossel closed by lobbying Syndicated Columnist and protesting. “If I die from catching COVID-19 from being forced back into Pinellas County Schools, you can drop my dead body right here!” shouts one demonstrator in my new video. But schools rarely spread COVID-19. Studies on tens of thousands of people found “no consistent relationship be-

tween in-person K-12 schooling and the spread of the coronavirus.” Even Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, encouraged schools to reopen, saying “close the bars and keep the schools open.” Heritage Foundation education researcher Lindsey Burke points out that studies in 191 countries find “no consistent link between reopening schools and increased rates of COVID transmission.” She says schools aren’t COVID-19 hotspots. “But it’s logical that they would be,” I push back. “Kids are bunched together.” “Positivity rates in schools are gener-

ally below those in the broader community,” she says. Closed schools hurt low-income students most because they have fewer learning alternatives. The privileged get around union restrictions. Almost all of California’s government-run schools are closed, but California Governor Gavin Newsom’s sends his kids to a private school that stayed open. “Choice for me, but not for thee!” quips Burke. Kids blocked from attending school suffer more than academic losses, she adds. “Kids are social animals. A lack of their ability to interact in person, see their friends, see their teachers, is really having an impact.”

That’s not a good enough reason to open schools, say the unions. In my video, one San Antonio teacher argues: “We understand that in-person learning is more effective than online teaching, but that’s not the question. The question is what is safest.” “But that’s really not at the heart of why unions are trying to keep schools closed,” says Burke. “It’s really a question of politics.” Definitely. Union demands include all sorts of things unrelated to teacher safety. The Los Angeles union demands: defunding the police, a moratorium on charter schools, higher taxes on the wealthy and “Medicare for All.” See STOSSEL on 27

Global Migration Drops Dramatically Due To Covid-19 Global migration which has surged in recent years has dropped dramatically since the COVID-19 virus closed national by John J. Metzler borders and reSyndicated Columnist stricted air travel. A recently released UN study estimates that the pandemic may have slowed the growth of international migrants by around two million by mid2020, that’s 27 per cent less than the growth expected since mid2019. Lockdowns and closed national borders in the United States and Western Europe have ebbed what was a rising tide in both legal and illegal migration.

Nonetheless, in a development clearly at odds with the pandemic, a caravan of 8,000 Honduran migrants is heading for the southern U.S. border in a bid to attempt to enter the United States under presumably looser restrictions from the Biden Administration. The report International Migration 2020 Highlights, released by the UN’s Department of Economic and Social Affairs, provides estimates on the number of international migrants by country of destination. The survey found that “two thirds of all international migrants live in just 20 countries. The United States of America remained the largest destination, hosting 51 million international migrants in 2020, equal to 18 per cent of the

world’s total. Germany hosted the second largest number of migrants worldwide, at around 16 million.” “In 2019, the United States had the largest foreign-born population in the world, while Canada had the eighth largest,” the Report states. The document adds, “The United States hosted over 1 million refugees and asylum seekers in 2018, the majority, over 700,000, were asylum seekers. The United States also remained the largest recipient of new asylum claims in the world in 2018.” Interestingly India led the list of countries with the biggest diasporas in 2020 with 18 million going outside the country - many moving to the Arab Gulf states such as Kuwait and the Emirates as well as to the UK and USA. Other major

countries include Mexico, Russia with 11 million each, and China with 10 million. Chinese migrants were the third largest foreign-born population in the world after Indians and Mexicans, with nearly 11 million Chinese migrants living outside of Mainland China. Approximately 281 million people were living outside their country of origin in 2020; two-thirds being labor migrants, especially motivated by better work opportunities. “The overwhelming majority of people migrate internationally for reasons related to work, family and study,” the report adds. Most such labor movements are legal, regulated and mutually beneficial. This certainly applies to Europe; See METZLER on 27

Tennis & Fitness Club

VIA OUR NEW ONLINE PORTAL!

Happy

45,000 S Q. F T. FAC I L I T Y!

New Year!

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 21, 2021 —

y h t l a e H &

EQUIPMENT: Free Weights Cardio Room Nautilus Circuit Hammerstrength Basketball Court

y h t l Happy New Year! FITNESS a e H & CLASSES

Make Heart Health Part Of Your Self-Care Routine

CLASSES: Booty Yoga, On The Ball, Yoga Fusion, Barre, THE PLACE FOR to (Family Features) De- moment de-stress, E Cardio X-train, IT -S N O a little voting time every giving yourself time to E ILD CAR Pilates, Zumba, H C day toAILcare LE for yourself move more, preparing B A AV Spin &and Corenot can go a long way toward healthier meals protecting the health of cheating on sleep, can TENNIS RACQUETBALL KID’S CLUB FITNESS your GILFORDHILLS.COM heart. Simple self- • all benefit your heart. 603.293.7546 care, as taking a ROAD Because heart disease 314such OLD LAKESHORE • GILFORD

to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan, which is scientifically proven to lower blood pressure. DASH is flexible and balanced, and it includes plenty of fruits and vegetables, fish, poultry, lean meats, beans, nuts, whole grains and low-fat dairy products.

SCHEDULE CLASSES & CHILDCARE VIA OUR Tennis & Fitness Club NEW ONLINE PORTAL! 45,000 S Q. F T. FAC I L I T Y! EQUIPMENT: Free Weights Cardio Room Nautilus Circuit Hammerstrength Basketball Court

WAIVING E NT FE ENROLLME RY! THE PLACE FOR FOR JANUA

FITNESS

FITNESS CLASSES TENNIS

CLASSES: Booty Yoga, On The Ball, Yoga Fusion, Barre, Cardio X-train, Pilates, Zumba, Spin & Core

RACQUETBALL

KID’S CLUB

GILFORDHILLS.COM • 603.293.7546 314 OLD LAKESHORE ROAD • GILFORD

is largely preventable, focusing on improving your heart health is important. Heart disease is a leading cause of death for women and men in the United States, and many Americans remain at risk, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Insti-

tute (NHLBI). People with poor cardiovascular health are also at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19. “Studies show selfcare routines, such as taking a daily walk and keeping doctor’s appointments, help us keep our blood pressure in the healthy range and reduce our risk of heart disease and stroke,” said David Goff, M.D., NHLBI’s director of cardiovascular sciences. It may be easier than you think to “put your heart” into your daily routine. Each Sunday, look at your week’s schedule and carve out 30 minutes for hearthealthy practices. Take an online yoga class, prepare a heart-healthy recipe, schedule your bedtime to get at least seven hours of sleep or make a medication checklist. Then seek out support from others to help you stick to your goals.

Consider these selfcare tips to try each day to make your heart a priority: Self-Care Sunday Find a moment of serenity every Sunday. Spend some quality time on yourself. Mindful Monday Be mindful about your health and regularly monitor your blood pressure or blood sugar if needed. Keep an eye on your weight to make sure it stays within or moves toward a healthy range. Tasty Tuesday Choose how you want to approach eating healthier. Start small by pepping your meals with a fresh herb or spice as a salt substitute. Get adventurous and prepare a simple, new, hearthealthy recipe. Or go big by trying a different way of eating, such as the Dietary Approaches

Wellness Wednesday Don’t waffle on your wellness. Move more, eat a fruit or vegetable you’ve never tried, make a plan to quit smoking or vaping or learn the signs of a heart attack or stroke. You could be having a heart attack if you have chest and upper body pain or discomfort, shortness of breath, cold sweats, nausea or lightheadedness. You might be having a stroke if you experience numbness in the face, arm or leg; confusion; trouble talking or seeing; dizziness; or a severe headache. Treat Yourself Thursday Treats can be healthy. Try making a dessert with fresh fruit and yogurt. Then stretch your imagination beyond food. Host a family dance party, take a few minutes to sit and meditate, go for a long walk or watch a funny show. Whatever you do, find a way to spend some quality time on yourself. Follow Friday Follow inspiring people and pages on social media, or text a friend to help you stick to your self-care goals. RememSee HEART on 27

Happy

y h t l a e H &

Happy & Healthy New Year! T o Y our G ood H ealth

by Dr. Keith Roach M.D. Synidcated Columnist

No Cure, Just Treatment for Rare Skin Disorder DEAR DR. ROACH: My girlfriend has necrobiosis lipoidica. She suffers from this on her shins, as did her mother. She is not diabetic. We cannot find good information on how to rid her of this. The information we find is not about cures, but treatments that mask the symptom, such as steroids. We cannot even find a doctor that specifically treats this condition. Can you help? -- M.B. ANSWER: Periodically I get letters referencing a condition like this one that I know absolutely nothing about. Fortunately, I have the time to do a lot of reading, and I talked to several people with the condition. Here is what I found. Necrobiosis lipoidica is a rare skin disorder, usually but not always associated with diabetes. It occurs mostly in young adults (the average is 25 years old when associated with diabetes, 46 years if not), and is more common in women. It may

New Year!

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 21, 2021 —

also be associated with thyroid disorders and celiac disease. The cause is unknown. The diagnosis is made by skin biopsy. The appearance is usually of a large, variably colored and elevated patch of skin, most commonly on the shins, as your girlfriend’s is, but it can spread to other parts of the body, especially skin that has been scraped or damaged. Because necrobiosis lipoidica can occasionally transform to skin cancer, it needs careful surveillance. There is no cure for necrobiosis lipoidica. However, there are treatments that can reduce the inflammation. Steroids, either topical or injected, are the usual first choice. Topical steroids are more effective if they are given as ointment and covered with an air- and water-tight dressing. If topical steroids are not as effective, there are many other therapies that have been tried, including: the medication tacrolimus, which decreases the immune response; ultraviolet light A; antimalarial drugs (also used for autoimmune diseases); and others. The disease normally progresses slowly, then stabilizes, but it can spontaneously resolve in some people. Necrobiosis lipoidica may also ulcerate, at which point a wound care specialist may be of tremendous value. It may not be easy to find an expert dermatologist for this condi-

tion. I would start with a support group, as you can get expertise from others who have been living with this condition. I found one large group on Facebook. I read some tips on makeup and temporary tattoos for cosmetic improvement. I found two clinical trials recruiting subjects, one in Boston and one in Pennsylvania. You can find clinical trial information at clinicaltrials.gov. More good information is available at https://tinyurl.com/ NLskin. *** DEAR DR. ROACH: My granddaughter, age 21, suddenly developed a nut allergy while away at college, when she had grown up eating every type of nut there is. She had such a reaction that she had to be taken to the emergency room, tested and was given an EpiPen, which she will have to carry with her everywhere. Is this a

common occurrence? Is it possible that she can grow out of this in the future? -- V.P. ANSWER: Although food allergies most often start in adulthood, they may develop at any time of life. Peanuts and tree nuts are among the most common food allergies that develop in adults. Outgrowing a peanut allergy is uncommon, but when it does happen, it usually happens at a young age. I would not expect her to grow out of it. Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer individual questions, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible. Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med. cornell.edu.

YEAR END CLEARANCE (UP TO 50% OFF) For All 2020 Hearing Aid Models (while supplies last) Offering FREE Hearing Screenings

NOW OPEN AT 2 LOCATIONS! Vanier Hearing Center

25 S. Mountain Rd., Unit A9, Lincoln

Family Hearing Center

150 Old County Rd., Unit 3, Littleton

vanierhearingcenter.com • 603-728-7202

HOKANSON WELLNESS HEADACHES NECK PAIN BACK PAIN SHOULDER PAIN WEIGHT LOSS

NEW PATIENT SPECIAL!! ONLY $47 (REG. $200) A healthy body is your best recipe for staying well. Along with Nutrition and exercise, make Chiropractic a part of your Wellness plan. Call today to learn more and take advantage of our new patient special. NUTRITION TESTING, CONSULTATION, LASER THERAPY, ADJUSTMENT DR. CRAIG 171 Fair Street, Second Floor, Laconia, NH HOKANSON 603-230-2464 • hokansonwellness.com

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 21, 2021 —

First Visit FREE!

FREE

Includes hearing exam & consultation

CONCORD

230 N. Main St.

603-230-2482

Hearing Aid Demonstration

GILFORD

ROCHESTER

603-524-6460

603-749-5555

36 Country Club Rd

5 Museum Way

Quality Hearing Aids at Affordable Prices (Most major brands starting as low as $475)

SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TODAY

800.755.6460

Donate your old or unused hearing aids. In appreciation you will receive a generous credit towards new rechargeable hearing aids. Voted Best Hearing Center In The Lakes Region

Voted Best Medical Facility In The Lakes Region

BBB ACCREDITED BUSINESS

A+ rating

Visit us online at: HEARCLEARNOW.COM

SPECTRUM STAR AWARD WINNER 2020 Best

Happy

Happy &

y h t l a e H &

New Year!

This Winter, Stay Hydrated HealthTyo Stay Healthy

by Kelly M. Chapman Meredith Whole Living Center

This winter, as heating sources dry indoor air and many of us are spending our days in work environments that require masks, it’s more important than ever to be intentional with keeping up with our hydration. While in years past it would have been easy to casually sip from a water bottle or tea cup throughout the day, current restrictions can make that a little more challenging and easier to forget. The importance of keeping up with proper hydration can’t be overstated. Our bodies are made up of over 50% water, and every bodily function depends on having enough of it in our system. Proper hydration helps regulate body temperature, moves oxygen and nutrients in and waste out, supports all major organ systems, and lubricates joints. It also supports healthy metabolism and contributes to healthy, glowing skin. Dehydration on the other hand, contributes to fatigue, moodiness, headaches and brain

New Year!

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 21, 2021 —

fog. It also causes your body to function less efficiently, as it will naturally prioritize sending available water to where it’s most needed. What we drink is as important as drinking enough, and pure water is always an ideal option. If you’re someone who struggles to enjoy drinking water, try squeezing lemon or other fruit juices into your drinks for natural, low sugar flavoring. Herbal tea can also be a good option for flavor without high sugar content. While there are circumstances where they’re warranted, for every day hydration, sports drinks are usually unnecessary and can easily contribute to excess sugar intake. Each person’s daily needs are unique,

and a rule of thumb is to consume approximately half your body weight in ounces of water daily. So a 150 pound person might aim for 75 ounces, while a 200 pound person might aim for 100 ounces. This is just a rule of thumb, and factors such as exercise and seasonal factors will affect how much you need on any given day. One way to know if you’re on the right track is to observe if your urine is darker than a light straw color, in which case it’s probably time to up your consumption. If you’re having trouble reminding yourself to incorporate enough water into your routine, the following tips can help. •Set a reminder on your phone in regular intervals to ask your-

self if you’ve had any water since your last reminder. •Get in the habit of incorporating a decent amount of water consumption tied to daily activities such as waking up, meals and getting home from work. •Determine the approximate amount of ounces your body requires on a daily basis, and create a goal of drinking all of the water in a water bottle based on that goal. For instance, a 120 pound person would be aiming for approximately 60 ounces, so if their water bottle holds 20 ounces the goal would be to fill and drink the contents three times daily. •Remember that foods with high water content contribute to your overall intake, so choosing soups and fruits and vegetables such as watermelon and cucumbers can also help you stay hydrated. •Limit the intake of caffeinated and alcoholic drinks, as they function as diuretics and can cause the body to release liquids. The most wonderful aspect of how important hydration is to our overall health is that with a little intention, it’s easy to give our bodies one of the most effective tools to function optimally. Even if you’ve only been running a little dehydrated, once

you start incorporating more intentional sips, don’t be surprised if you notice your energy, mood and appearance improve rapidly.

Kelly M. Chapman, M.A. is Certified Authentic Leadership Coach & Owner at Meredith Whole Living Center.

C H I RO P R A C T I C FAG A N

DR. THOMAS A. FAGAN, DC

MOVE BETTER • FEEL BETTER (603) 279-6325 | drfagan@faganchiro.com

186 Daniel Webster Hwy • Suite 1 • Meredith, NH

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 21, 2021 —

OVER

600 GAMES FOR ALL AGES

YOUR FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT SUPER CENTER SINCE 1952! 18 Hole Indoor Mini-Golf 20 Lane Bowling Center Braggin’ Dragon Restaurant D.A. Long Tavern Cash Bingo Kiddie Bumper Cars Kiddie Rides Birthday Parties Group & Corporate Outings

IT HAS FINALLY FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR GUESTS & FOR OUR EMPLOYEES WE HAVE MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO OUR OPERATIONS HAPPENED!! HUGE FREE ALL OF FUNSPOT’S ATTRACTIONS ARE NOW OPEN!

Including: Occupancy Reductions, Increased PARTY ROOM Sanitization, Plexi Shields at POS Locations, Masks Perfect for birthdays! Recommended for Guests & Required for Employees Discounts for corporate or business parties! When Safe Distancing Is Not Practical.

603-366-4377 · FunspotNH.com

Route 3, 579 Endicott Street N, Laconia, NH

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 21, 2021 —

Not So . . . o g A g N o L

Serving ServingLaconia LaconiaDaily Daily

Mr. Mr.CC’’ss Taxi Taxi 267-7134 or 527-8001 267-7134 or 527-8001 OPEN AT 5AM DAILY OPEN AT 5AM DAILY

Exploring ThE lEgEnd & lorE of our graniTE STaTE

Familiar Topics In An Unfamiliar Era New Hampshire In January Of 1906

by Robert Hanaford Smith, Sr. Contributing Writer

Talk of a mild January, insurrection, racial tension, demands for a resignation, school closures because of illness, senatorial misconduct, and quarantines were all news items in the February 2, 1906 issue of The White Mountain Republic-Journal from the North Country of New Hampshire. The newspaper covered local, state, and national news and included much more news per inch of paper on its eight pages than our modern newspapers. For reasons I won’t bore you with I thank God for the period of storm-free weather we have enjoyed early in this year of 2021. It appears that the January of 1906 was an unusual one for New Hampshire with a correspondent from Lyme Center commenting that “Our fields look as bare as in July.” It was also reported that pussy willows were out and Frank L. Camp was digging horse radish on January 24th.

Scarlet Fever Quarantine Poster. “Something that don’t happen on that day every year.” What was called an ice-famine caused the Massachusetts town of Newton to build an ice cutting plant at Gardner’s Grove, near East Tilton. There they found the ice to be of fine quality, fourteen inches thick, and ready for their plan to fill freight cars with ice to be shipped by the train load each day in order to fill their ice houses. The weather was warm enough, however, to melt the ice on the Mad River, clearing the stream and enabling J.N. McCoy to float nearly two million feet of spruce logs from Waterville to Campton Village. Meanwhile, “The Paper Co. had to snow the road from the mountain to the main road in

order to get their lumber out.” I’m assuming that when rivers weren’t available that logs were removed from the woods by horse-drawn sleds, thus the need to “snow” the road. Other lumbermen had put their tree falling jobs on hold while they waited for the snow to come. An enjoyable lecture at Whitefield by Morgan Wood was on the subject “Where Are We At.” I expect that the topic would attract a large audience today with the right speaker as it seems that is a question that many Americans are asking these days. Many of us would probably welcome the opportunity to give our opinion on the subject. The winter of 1906 did bring quarantines to the state along with rumors of such. There was no pandemic, but scarlet

fever, whooping couch, and consumption (tuberculosis) disrupted schools and families. The newspaper reporter found the talk that was being circulated about the town of Whitefield both amusing and disgusting before noting that some of it was true. He spoke of a Whitefield man returning from Concord (apparently on the train) and the woman in front of him asked if he had heard about the terrible situation in Whitefield. She said that there were sixty cases of fever in the town resulting in a town-wide quarantine with no one allowed to enter or leave. A businessman from the town was asked “What are See SMITH on 26

WINTERBOOT BLOWOUT SALE LARGEST BOOT SALE OF THE SEASON

% OFF

REGULAR PRICES!

Some exclusions may apply, visit store for complete details

MENS * WOMENS * KIDS WEST ST. NH Meredith, NHSHOPPING 279-7463 • •CENTER, Wolfeboro, NH 569-3560 MEREDITH, NH 279-7463 WOLFEBORO KEENE, 569-3560 Phone: 352-5201 Hours: M-SAT. 9-9 SUN. 11-6 CONWAY, NH • LACONIA, NH NH 524-1276 GREENFIELD, • 356-7818 ROCHESTER, NH • STRATHAM, NH524-1276 NorthNORTH Conway, NHMA 356-7818 • Laconia, LACONIA, NH • WOLFEBORO, NH • MEREDITH, NH • NORTH CONWAY, NH

Dumont Cabinet Refacing & Counter Tops No Messyn! Demolitio E

BEFOR

Cabinet refacing includes new doors and drawer fronts of your choice The DOOR SAMPLES BROUGHT TO YOU! Affordable Cabinet refacing e! starts at only • New Countertops Alternativ

35% Cost of cabinet replacing.

• Countertop Refacing (Save Big!) • New Drawers • Custom Vanities • Closet Storage

Free Estimates… Compare and SAVE BIG! • Meredith, NH 603-279-6555 AFTER

The photo on top left shows a dark woodgrain kitchen that was refaced with a light cherry woodgrain, plus new doors and drawer fronts to brighten up kitchen. The same kitchen could have been refaced with any woodgrain or solid color you see in the photo of sample doors.

Refacing your cabinets is less than HALF THE PRICE of replacing them, SAVING YOU BIG MONEY.

Call us for your free in-home estimate 603-279-6555

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 21, 2021 —

BIRDS For The

New England’s Wild Birds & Their Habitats

A Successful Bird Outing by Chris Bosak Contributing Writer

—SW—

SUZANNE’S WINDOWS

—Hunter Douglas Certified Consultant— Suzanne’s Window Treatments, LLC Alton Bay

781-272-7878 • suzanneswindows.com

With the tendinitis in my foot acting up again, I wasn’t sure how long of a walk I would be able to bear. I had to give it a shot, however, as a few inches of light, fluffy snow had fallen overnight and made the landscape irresistible for anyone with a camera. As luck would have it, I didn’t have to go very far to get some nice bird photos. I started down a path bordered by thick brush on both sides when I saw a swarm of birds land in a nearby leafless tree. My initial thought was that they were starlings as this flock rivaled in number the large groups of starlings you often see. Something didn’t look quite right, however. They weren’t acting like starlings and they weren’t the right shape. How cool would it be if they were cedar waxwings, I asked myself. About 10 seconds later the flock descended, one by one, upon the bushes on both sides of me. Suddenly, I was surrounded by cedar waxwings picking off the leftover berries in the bushes. It is usually about this time when things like this happen that I kick myself for not having my camera with me. This day, however, I was prepared and had

A cedar waxwing grabs a berry on a snowy morning in New England. CHRIS BOSAK PHOTO

my trusty Canon in tow. The waxwings proved to be tricky photo subjects even though they were plentiful and close. They didn’t sit still for long and the thick brush made it more difficult as most of the birds remained obscured by branches. Occasionally, one would rise to the top of a bush and give me a fleeting opportunity for a nice photograph. It was the largest flock of cedar waxwings I had seen in a long while. I would estimate the number to be around 100. I checked closely for any tagalong Bohemian waxwings but did not spot any of those larger cousins of the cedar waxwing.

After about 10 minutes, the waxwings gathered in another nearby tree and soon after that flew off to parts unknown. It was then I noticed the other birds around. A decent number of robins were also picking through the leftover berries. Robins are known as a harbinger of spring, but some robins, of course, stick with us through winter. Then a hermit thrush popped out of the brush to check me out. It hopped to a nearby branch, and then another. Then it skulked back into the thick brush. A hermit thrush is another good winter sighting in New England as most of them

have flown south by the end of fall. Satisfied with the day’s effort and wondering when my foot was going to give out, I headed back to the car eager to check out the waxwing photos on the back of the camera. I was happy with the results even though there weren’t any prize-winners among the photos. I was just happy to get some decent shots to mark and memorialize the day. Here’s hoping for more successful bird outings for us all. Chris Bosak may be reached at chrisbosak26@gmail.com or through his website www.birdsofnewengland.com

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 21, 2021 —

Pete’s Hardwood Unlimited Floors, Inc. FAMILY / LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED HIGHEST QUALITY CRAFTSMANSHIP

Belichick, Bedminster, And Trump by Mike Moffett Contributing Writer

NEWS ITEM: New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick opted not to go to the White House to receive a Medal of Freedom from President Trump. Ouch. That one had to really hurt the now former president. I attended a wild election eve rally late on Monday, November 7, 2016, with candidate Trump at Manchester’s SNHU Arena. Trump got his biggest cheers when he implied he had Tom Brady’s endorsement. Then Trump read a letter from Bill Belichick, which stated: “You’ve proved to be the ultimate competitor and fighter. Your leadership is amazing. I have always had tremendous respect for you.” Wow. (Full disclosure: I went with Beth to the Hillary Clinton rally the night before, also in Manchester. But Beth opted out of attending the Trump rally avec moi!) Anyway, Trump soon left Manchester for Michigan where he held his last campaign rally at midnight. Brady played college football at Michigan, and Trump wasn’t shy about dropping Belich-

Bill Belichick. ick’s and Brady’s names in the Wolverine State—which he ended up winning by a hair, no doubt due to the midnight rally and the football comments. That Belichick would eschew the medal presentation is a true measure of how low President Trump’s popularity has fallen. I’ve criticized BoSox manager Alex Cora for boycotting a White House reception for the World Series champions, but I saw that as a case of not hanging with one’s team. Refusing an individual medal is different. And the 2021 political climate is also very different from 2018’s, considering the horrific imag-

ery associated with the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. (Full disclosure: I went to the White House in 2018 when Trump honored NASCAR Driver-of-theYear Martin Truex and had a wonderful experience.) There’s little downside for politicians to hang out with sports heroes. However, the reverse doesn’t hold true. Sports figures who get political inevitably alienate fan segments. But kudos to anyone who exercises their first amendment rights and takes public stands on issues or candidates they care about. I admire Belichick for his 2016 endorsement as well

as for his 2021 medal rejection. Trump has sports trouble far more significant than the Belichick snub. According to the Associated Press, the PGA of America cut golf ties to Trump when it opted to take away the PGA Championship event slated to be held at his Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey next year. That decision penalizes all kinds of good folks in the Garden State who were looking forward to working at or attending this hallmark major golf event. Why should they suffer for Trump’s transgressions, real or perceived? Might the PGA have waited just a little while to let the dust settle as opposed to making a seemingly hasty emotional decision to pivot away from Bedminster? (Full disclosure: I might have liked to have gone down to Bedminster for the 2022 PGA, that being a bit more proximate than Augusta, Ga., or St. Andrews in Scotland.) Maybe someday Bedminster could be the site of a golf summit featuring a foursome of Trump, Belichick, Brady, and Barack Obama. While unlikely, I think such a sports outing would create some great optics and some hopeful healing. Okay. Enough poliSee MOFFETT on 27

Installatio n Refinishin g Dust Conta inme Recoating nt Repairs

Fully Insured Eco Friendly Affordable Prices

(603) 875-0032

hardwoodunlimitedfloorsinc.com

APACHE

Tax Preparation Prior Years Unfiled Returns Our Specialty!!! Small Business Administration (SBA) guidance for coronavirus loans/grants Late Filer? No Problem Statutes of Limitation for Tax Collection Protect Your Tax Returns from Past Years Why You Should Always File Returns for Past Years Even if You Haven’t Filed In Years Time Limits for Refunds and Audits Remedies for Missing Tax Documents Are My Social Security Benefits Taxable? Records You Need to Keep

ApacheTax@yahoo.com 732-501-2985

F ISHING C H A RT E R S (603) 842-3572

N EW H AMPSHIRE

B OAT T R I P S : S A L M O N , L A K E T R O U T ,

B ASS

P R I VAT E 1 : 1 K AYA K T R I P S

Y EAR R OUND !

T IMM OOREO UTDOORS. COM

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 21, 2021 —

Burnt Timber Brewing & Tavern Releases Juniper Beer WOLFEBORO — By early February, Burnt Timber Brewing & Tavern, a 24-seat brewpub in Wolfeboro, is expected to release juniper beer, which feature seasonal and foraged ingredients. “The staff and my family hiked to Moody Mountain Cabin in Wolfeboro to pick the juniper,” said Burnt Timber Tavern CoOwner Eddie Michno. Brewed the same day with the juniper as a kettle addition, the beer was co-fermented with Saison and Brettanomyces in an ex-sherry oak barrel.

“This beer reflects our ongoing efforts to source local ingredients while making eclectic, yet very approachable beers,” said Michno. In addition to rotating beers, Burnt Timber Tavern offers a full food menu, which features everything from fermented vegetables to salt-cured meats smoked over apple wood. To learn more about Burnt Timber Brewing & Tavern, located at 96 Lehner St., Wolfeboro, visit burnttimbertavern.com.

Burnt Timber Brewing owner Eddie Michno picking juniper at Moody Mountain Cabin.

We'll bring out the kid in you! OPEN EVERY DAY YEAR ROUND! OVER

600

GAMES FOR ALL AGES!

18 Hole Indoor Mini-Golf 20 Lane Bowling Center Huge Free Party Room Braggin' Dragon Restaurant D.A. Long Tavern

Kiddie Rides Cash Bingo Group & Corporate Outings

Your Family Entertainment Super Center Since 1952!

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 21, 2021 —

Wicked BREW Review

The

wickedbrews@weirs.com

Founders’ Backwoods Bastard

by Jim MacMillan Contributing Writer

Memorable. It’s a word that has been spoken before in this column. It speaks of uniqueness and something that came along just at the right time for us. It can be used to describe an event, an experience or a product. In the beer world, I like to use it as a way to help me remember to re-purchase the memorable beer another time. Brewers who make memorable beer are expert craftsmen of their trade. Our focus brewery this week is from Grand Rapids and they are Founders Brewing. Founders Brewing has a cool history. It was back in 1997 that co-founders Mike Stevens and Dave Engbers met at college, enjoyed homebrewing and decided to open the doors to their Grand Rapids, MI 9800 square foot facility to sell their first creations. It wasn’t the smoothest start as the two would admit but they plodded along and finally got really good pretty quickly. The turning point was the development of

their Centennial IPA recipe. It turned heads and began a following; this was around 2001. The philosophy of build a bigger beer ‘Brewed For Us’ was unique approach for those times. Building on this concept and finding their master brewer, Jeremy Kosmicki helped kick off bourbon barrel aging of big beers such as Kentucky Bourbon Stout (KBS) and Dirty Bastard Scotch Ale. In 2004, BeerAdvocate.com rate KBS the second best beer in the world which put Founders Brewing at the pinnacle of their game. 2007 brought more growth as Founders moves

to their current location in Grand Rapids which helped quadruple their size. A massive taproom provided a place for folks to gather, eat and listen to live music. By 2011, Founders was rated the second best brewery in the world… now that’s memorable! And in 2016, the 190,000 square foot Barrel House was completed to make barrel-aging more obtainable. It is a huge cellar underground that helps keep barrels at a constant 55 degrees. Find out so much more at FoundersBrewing.com Backwoods Bastard is an offshoot of Dirty Bastard Scotch Ale. The difference between

them is the barrel-aging process which allows the oak soaked previously in bourbon now to impart or give-back those essences into the ale that helps make that sought after flavor. Hues that approach darkest of redbrown tones with a tan frothy head make for a great start. Rich aromas of bourbon, caramel, brown sugar, toast greet you at the glass rim. Tastes follow closely with the addition of vanilla and spice. This 11% ABV is quite boozy which you will need to prepare your senses for. Overall, a great sipper and warmth in cold seasons. BeerAdvocate.com has officially rated Foundation’s Backwoods Bastard as ‘World Class’ and awards it a 97 out of 100. Other followers are rating it as high as 4.91 out of 5.0. You can buy 12 oz four packs of Backwoods Bastard Aged Ale at Case-n-Keg in Meredith as well as other fine beer providers. All of Founders beer is just amazing!

WHAT’S ON TAP IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD?? A listing of some of the area’s beercentric watering holes where you can find old favorites on tap as well as some cutting edge seasonals.

ACKERLY’S JOHNSON’S GRILL & GALLEY TAPHOUSE 83 Main Street, Alton 603.875.3383 Akerlysgrillandgalleyrestaurant.com Henniker - Kolsch 603- Winni Ale Tuckerman - Pale Ale Great Rhythm - Squeeze Moat Mountain - Stout

COPPER KETTLE TAVERN

At Hart’s Turkey Farm Restaurant 233 D.W. Hwy, Meredith 603.279.6212 hartsturkeyfarm.com Bud Light Stoneface IPA Moat Mtn - Blueberry Tuckerman - Pale Ale 603 - Winni Amber Ale ...+6 More On Tap

D.A. LONG TAVERN

At Funspot Family Entertainment Ctr. 579 Endicott St N., Weirs 603.366.4377 funspotnh.com Oxbow - Moon Rocks Founders - Rubaeus Nitro Litherman’s - Simply Red Henniker - Dustoff Foley Brothers - Fair Maiden Maine Beer - Mean Old Tom ...+6 More On Tap

At Johnson’s Seafood & Steak 69 Rt 11, New Durham 603.859.7500 eatatjohnsons.com/ newdurham Wormtown- Blizzard of ‘78 Bentwater- Sluice Juice Maine Beer Co.- Lunch Southern Tier- Salted Caramel Banded- Charms & Hexes Liars Bench- No Dice Pilsner ...+30 More On Tap

PATRICK’S PUB

18 Weirs Rd., Gilford 603.293.0841 Patrickspub.com Patrick’s Slainte House Ale Sam Adams - Seasonal Guinness Tuckerman - Pale Ale 603 - Winni Amber Ale Harpoon - IPA Woodstock - Frosty Goggles ...+8 More On Tap

THE WITCHES BREW PUB

At The Craft Beer Xchange 59 Doe Ave., Weirs Beach 603.409.9344 FB @craftbeerxchange Schilling – Czech Pils 603 – Wood Devil DIPA Moat – Bone Shaker Brown Wormtown – Table Talk Chocolate Pecan Pie Ale Woodstock – Maple Porter Spencer Trappist – Stout ...+30 More On Tap ** Tap listings subject to change!

RESTAURANT OR BAR OWNER?

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 21, 2021 —

OUT on the TOWN Great Food, Libations & Good Times!

Soupify Your Supper by Angela Shelf Medearis The Kitchen Diva

RESTAURANT | DAIRY BAR | MARKETPLACE | TAPHOUSE Serving Lunch & Dinner Dine in or Takeout 7 Days A Week

JOHNSON’S TAPHOUSE

Featuring 36 BEERS on Tap!

69 State Route 11, (just south of the Alton circle) New Durham, NH

603.859-7500 | EatAtJohnsons.com

D.A. LONG TAVERN

January is National Soup Month, and I’ve been busy making homemade chicken stock in my slow cooker and using the flavorful broth as a base for several bellywarming bowls of soup. I’ve also enjoyed exploring new soup recipes, starting with a unique new cookbook. “SOUPified: Soups Inspired by Your Favorite Dishes” contains 31 cozy, comforting recipes -- one for every day of January. Created by Michele Di Pietro, it transforms supper recipes into soups. “SOUPified” OPEN Tues. - Sat. 11am - 10pm

Laconia’s Best Pizza Delivered To Your Door!

PIZZA / CALZONES • SALADS SUBS / SYRIANS • SEAFOOD

Always Lots Of Fun On Tap! Located in a quiet corner Exceptional Craft Beer List of Funspot, steps away Specialty Cocktails from lots of fun stuff... Made to Order Pizza 20 bowling lanes, 18-hole mini-golf and the largest arcade in the world including a huge collection of classic video & pinball WACKY WEDNESDAYS games!

TAKE OUT & DELIVERY

302 S. MAIN STREET, LACONIA • 524-9955 • SOUTHENDNH.COM

was released to coincide and celebrate National Soup Month, as well as inspire readers during another season of sheltering in place. Chef, culinary consultant and rising social media star (50k with a bullet), Di Pietro didn’t set out to create

ARE BACK !

TAVERN HOURS Open Every Day, year round

Mon. - Thur. 4 -10pm Fri. 3-10 • Sat. noon - 11pm Sun. noon - 10pm

Discounts on draft beers, flights and pizzas in the tavern! Plus discounts on bowling &

free pool! 4pm-close

Located Inside Funspot, Rte. 3, One Mile North Of The Weirs Beach Sign 579 Endicott Street N. • Weirs • NH • 603-366-4377 • funspotnh.com

215 Laconia Rd. - Tilton • 603-286-2223 273 Loudon Rd. - Concord • 603-715-8600

www.wrapcitysandwiches.com

the perfect response to another snowy pandemic winter season, but that’s precisely what she did with her new book. “I once read that every good soup tells a story,” Michele says. “So true! “These soups were born out of the quarantine period of the COVID-19 pandemic, when I spent countless days being cooped up in a one-bedroom New York City apartment with no outdoor space and a lot of extra time on my hands. I needed to focus on something positive, challenging and delicious,” she said. “I began by transforming a handful of favorite dishes into soup versions -- things that were nourishing, hearty and spoonable -- while still keeping the true essence of the dishes intact, or, in my parlance, I SOUPifed them. My desire soon grew into a full cookbook of SOUPifed recipes, which has never been done before.” Recipes include SOUPified versions of Eggplant Parm, Lasagna, Shrimp Scampi, Philly Cheesesteak, Clams Casino, Chinese Egg Roll and one of my favorite suppers, Chicken Marsala in “Soupified” form. Portions are generous, and each recipe is scaled to feed either 4 to 6 or 6 to 8 hungry diners, yielding multiple meals in some instances, or freezer See SOUP on 21

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 21, 2021 —

OUT on the TOWN Great Food, Libations & Good Times!

SOUP from 20 stashes for the future. SOUPified is a salute to National Soup Month, and the perfect way to spoon up a bowlful of your favorite comfort foods on a chilly winter day. SOUPIFIED CHICKEN MARSALA You can save time by using a 1 pound chopped, roasted or rotisserie chicken, and omitting the steps in the recipe for preparing and searing the raw chicken breast. Follow the recipe as directed for preparing the vegetables, and add the chopped roasted or rotisserie chicken into the pot along with the mushrooms and continue the recipe as directed. 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, divided 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided 2 cups diced shallots (about 4 shallots), or 1 small yellow onion, chopped 1 cup diced celery (about 3 to 4 ribs) 1 1/2 cups dry Marsala wine or grape juice 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1 pound white mushrooms, coarsely chopped 1/2 cup chopped sundried tomatoes, drained 1/4 cup heavy cream 2 cups cooked egg noodles or rice, optional 1. Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towel and season both sides with

1 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. Dredge breasts in 1/2 cup flour until coated on both sides. Shake off any excess flour. Set chicken aside on a plate. 2. Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in 6-quart pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Transfer chicken breasts to pot and sear until browned on both sides (about 3 to 4 minutes per side). The chicken does not need to be fully cooked at this point. Transfer seared breasts to cutting board and let them rest for 3 minutes. Then cut them into bitesized pieces (about 3/4inch dice). Set aside. 3. Add remaining 3 tablespoons butter to pot and melt over medium heat. Add shallots or onions and celery, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until vegetables have softened a bit, stirring occasionally. 4. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup flour on top of shallot mixture; stir to coat, and continue stirring for 1 to 2 minutes while flour cooks. Gradually pour in wine or grape juice, and whisk mixture quickly to fully incorporate flour into liquid until smooth. Then stir to loosen and scrape

ks a e St od • sta eafo a P S

up any browned bits on bottom of pot. 5. Add broth, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, the remaining salt and pepper, and reserved chicken. Mix until all ingredients are well combined. 6. Cover pot and bring mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Simmer, partially covered, until celery is soft and chicken is fully cooked (if using the seared chicken breasts, about 15 minutes). 7. Reduce heat to low.

Then, whisk in cream and cook for another 3 minutes while stirring. Stir in the cooked egg noodles or rice, if desired. Remove the soup from the heat and serve immediately. Makes 6-8 servings. Angela Shelf Medearis is an award-winning children’s author, culinary historian and the author of seven cookbooks. Her new cookbook is “The Kitchen Diva’s Diabetic Cookbook.” Her website is www.divapro.com.

NEW Craft Beer Destination in The Weirs! HOME

36 Rotating Craft Taps • Great Lake Views • Delicious Pub Food OPEN ALL YEAR - FULL LIQUOR LICENSE

603-409-9344 • 59 Doe Ave, Weirs Beach, NH

S ving You Safely

Bar, Pub & Dining Room Outdoor Covered Patio & Roadside Café

OPEN MONDAY-SATURDAY, 10:30AM-4:30PM

&TOP DOLLAR PAID

Mon - Thur 4-8:30pm Fri & Sat Noon-9pm Sun Noon-8:30pm

ORDER ONLINE AT

PATRICKSPUB.COM

(603) 293-0841

The

Copper Kettle

T A V E R N

603.527.8144 myrnascc.com

yrna’s Classic Cuisine Italian & American Comfort Food

Turkey • Steaks • Prime Rib • Seafood OPEN DAILY AT 11:30AM

Mon-Sat until 8pm Formerly known as Sun until 7:30pm Nadia’s Trattoria, voted one of the top ten restaurants ALSO OFFERING TAKEOUT, Veal Francese and Eggplant Rollatini in NH by Boston Magazine. PICKUP & CURBSIDE!! — Join us Tue-Thurs from 3-5 p.m. for Small Plate Specials — Exit 23 off I-93 • 233 Daniel Webster Hwy • Meredith Hours: Tues. Wed. & Thur 3-9pm Fri. & Sat. 3-9:30pm Connect 603-279-6212 • HartsTurkeyFarm.com With Us! Located under the canopy at 131 Lake Street At Paugus Bay Plaza, Laconia Located under the canopy at 131 Lake Street at Paugus Bay Plaza

THIS WEEKEND SPECIALS NOW OPEN FOR INSIDE DINING!

Hours: Tues. Wed. & Thurs. 3-9pm; Fri. & Sat. 3-9:30pm

(603)527-8144

myrnascc.com

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 21, 2021 —

PATENAUDE from 3 cial distancing rules. There are some good values out there if you look for them. Please remember all lift tickets and packages must be purchased in advance

and on-line! **Waterville Valley Resort is offering 2 For 1 Tuesdays, two lift tickets for the price of one ($102 total) and along with Sa itvethey are $10 Off with offering the option of a this coupon lodging deal partnered

$199

o Chimne ide

spection

603-520-7217

Sweeps • Stonework Brick Repairs • Liners Caps • Installations Fire Place Makeovers

Chimney Swe

Fully Insured

Gunstock is a pretty sight all lit-up and a lot of fun to ski and ride or to go snowtubing at night. Night skiing is a good value. Night sessions begin early at 3 pm, before it gets dark, allowing guests to ride the Panorama Lift to the summit during the first hour. Learn more at Gunstock.com. with the Silver Fox Inn & Town Square stay Monday night and get Tuesday night for free. Discount code is “Two4Tues.”

PHOTO COURTESY GUNSTOCK MOUNTAIN RESORT

**Pats Peak’s popular Saturday Night POP is back, pay-one-price of $79 and it includes a 6 to 10pm lift ticket, rentals, lesson tips and snow tubing. POP now offers the option of starting earlier at 4 pm for $99 and 5 pm for $89. POP goes February Vacation weeks February 13th through the 27th. **King Pine Ski Area has extended its operating hours and is offering weekday halfday tickets(1:30-6pm) for $39 and twilight tickets (3:30-6 pm) for $25 adults. Weekend/ Holiday Twilight tickets are $29. Check prices for juniors and seniors 70+ they’re even less. **Gunstock MounSee PATENAUDE on 23

Pats Peak giant cookies on the deck beneath one of outdoor heaters, yummy and fun. Green house shelters, wind breaks and outdoor heaters have been added to the outdoor deck area to help keep guests warm and comfortable while maintaining social distancing.

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 21, 2021 —

Yours truly and Bria on the lift at Pats Peak’s Cascade Basin. Pats Peak has 90 percent of its trails open. The snowtubing park is open Friday through The Traveling Taco, taco truck at Pats Peak! Sunday and Holidays. All lift tickets and packages must be purchased online, ticed all along. Some at the base of the lifts in advance. For reservations and more information visit PatsPeak.com of the grab and go food before! PATENAUDE from 22 tain Resort’s Night Sessions deal is Tuesday-Saturday starting at 3 pm (which means that from 3 to 4pm you can ride the Panorama lift to the summit) ending at 8 pm on weekdays and on weekends until 9pm. Weekday tickets are $44 and weekend $56, youth tickets, ages 6-22 years, are $36 & $44 respectively. **Mount Sunapee Resort has a Wednesday special through February 10th for everyone, tickets are just $43 with a 7-day advance purchase and otherwise less than 7 days the price is $46. **Mount Cranmore’s Saturday night Twilight lift ticket for all ages 4 - 8 pm is just $39. The Indy Pass is still on sale for $259 for adults and $129 for kids, includes two days of skiing at 50+ resorts. New Hampshire Indyresorts are Pats Peak, Cannon Mountain and Black Mountain. Un-

fortunately Vermont has not exempted New Hampshire travelers from their quarantine rules so I don’t plan on going to Vermont this winter. That’s too bad because Magic, Jay Peak and Bolton are on the Indy Pass. ** Cannon Mountain Just recently added NH resident Deal Days for January. Purchase lift tickets for $45 on 1/20 and 1/27 New Hampshire’s cross-country ski areas have many kilometers groomed and most charge around $21 for a day pass. We joke that cross-country skis are the new toilet paper--seems like everyone is trying to buy them and have created shortages. But don’t worry Nordic Centers are still renting equipment but be sure to make reservations before you go. I do like some of the changes that have been made this season. I like the lodges clutter free because we are dress-

ing up in the parking lot and keeping our stuff in our cars. Those of you that have skied out West know that is what they have prac-

and the Food Trucks are convenient and are time savers. Lastly why didn’t they think of putting porta potties, especially those nice heated mobile toilets,

I hope these changes stick around for a long time. Have fun.

thusiast from Henniker, N.H. Readers are welcome to send comments or suggestions to her at: amy@weirs.com.

Amy Patenaude is an avid skier/outdoor en-

GILPATRIC METAL RECYCLING, LLC Bring us your ferrous and non-ferrous metals to recycle!

—Call for pricing

We Buy CATALYTIC CONVERTERS - See Nick for Pricing BUSINESS HOURS: Mon. - Fri. 7am to 3pm Closed Sat. & Sun.

Fully Licensed Facility License Number: 19J-001 Permit Number: DES-SW-PN-11-006

Office: (603) 744-3453 Fax: (603) 744-6034

201 Abel Road, Bristol, NH 03222

**IF USING GPS, TAKE RIVER RD TO ABEL RD. (DO NOT TAKE PEAKED HILL RD.)

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 21, 2021 —

An old Motorcycle Week photo, possibly from the 1920s, is one of the few to survive the blaze while hundreds of others were lost. BRENDAN SMITH PHOTO

Laconia Motorcycle Week Association Director Charlie St. Clair, stands in front of the burnt out office of the Association which caught on fire on Christmas morning. BRENDAN SMITH PHOTO FIRE from 1 The Motorcycle Week Association did not use the building merely as an office, but also

as a museum where eighty-five percent of the memorabilia related to the history of the annual event was

stored and displayed. “I’ve been collecting Motorcycle Week memorabilia for fifty years,” said St. Clair. “We had

A scorched motorcycle trophy survived the fire. COURTESY

things in there that date back to the early 1900s. There was literature from 1903. We even had full oil cans with Harley Davidson and Indian Motorcycle logos going back to the 1930s. The fire caused the paint on the cans to blister off.” About eight years ago, St. Clair attended

PHOTO

an auction of a personal collection of memorabilia, mostly binders full of 8x10 photographs taken by local photographers on the Laconia Rally. “I had planned to maybe spend a couple of thousand dollars at the auction,” said St. Clair. “I ended up spending about sixteen

thousand.” Though the salvage effort continues to go on at the building, it appears that just about all of the photos were lost. “We had been planning on having everything on display for the 100th Anniversary in 2023,” said St. Clair. There has also been no signs to this point of Ashland though there is a small glimmer of hope that he may have escaped and is still somewhere in the area. In a release about the fire the Motorcycle Week Association tell Ashland’s story: “Charlie rescued Ashland in 2006 following a firework’s show he had done for the Town of Ashland’s July 4th Celebration. It appeared from the holes on either side of this tiny kitten that an owl (or something similar) may have tried to take him away as a snack. Ashland escaped and appeared to the fireworks crew that night and was happily appointed Motorcycle Week office mascot! Ashland loved greeting visitors and ‘helping’ with work tasks, which mainly involved sleeping on the desk or on an available lap. He also loved his best friend, Paugus, our other office kitty; rescued from outside our office on a very cold winter’s day in 2008. Paugus passed away in his sleep this past fall after battling cancer. Together, this mighty duo helped supervise all tasks and provided laughter and comfort in times of stress. Both are sorely missed.” The word of the loss spread quickly throughout the local community and there have already been folks who have donated artifacts as well as monetary donations to help See FIRE on 25

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 21, 2021 —

This photo shows a small part of the extensive damage caused by the fire on Christmas morning. As you can see there is not much left and over. Charlie St. Clair had been collecting Motorcycle Week memorabilia for fifty years and only a very small portion of that extensive collection has survived.

There still has been no sign of Ashland (inset) since the fire. Hope is still held out that he may have escaped. Ashland is pictured here with Paugus. They both greeted visitors to the Motorcycle Week offices. Paugus passed away in his sleep this past fall. COURTESY PHOTOS FIRE from 24 in the long road to full recovery. Paul Cote of Massachusetts has set up a GoFundMe page (“We Love Laconia Motorcycle Week”) to help the effort. All of the funds raised will be used to cover fire clean up cost, estimated at forty thousand, as well as replacing items to run the office and, of course, acquiring other memorabilia that might be available. “I especially want to thank the Laconia Fire Department and the other departments who did a terrific job in knocking down the fire,” said St. Clair. “They literally saved the building. I think if it had happened on Christmas Eve night no one might have seen

the smoke and called it in before it was way too late. It was lucky they got the call when they did.” Still, amidst the wreckage of the devastating fire, St. Clair, along with Deputy Director Jennifer Anderson and the board of the Laconia Motorcycle Week Association, are rolling up their sleeves and already getting to work to prepare for the 2021 Rally will which be held in June. “We will be working from a remote location for now,” said St. Clair. “But we plan to be back here in the future as the landlord plans to rebuild. It is important not only for the history of Motorcycle Week but also the history of Laconia.” St. Clair is still com-

ing to grips with this devastating loss to a lifetime worth of work, but he still sees he silver lining. “I know it’s a cliché, but you can’t take anything for granted as every day is

a blessing.” To donate to the rebuilding efforts you can donate to the ‘We Love Laconia Motorcycle Week’ Go Fund me page or send a check payable to LMWA, PO

Box 5399, Laconia, NH. 03247 and put “Friends Of MC Week – Rebuild Fund.” No donation is too small. If you have memorabilia to donate contact Charlie St. Clair.

26 SMITH from 13 you traveling about the country for? Scattering the germs of scarlet fever? When he was asked what he knew about it, he replied that he knew the deaths were so numerous that it was necessary to have burials during the night time. The truth was said to be that there had been no deaths and many who had been quarantined had recovered, and functions that had been temporarily canceled because of the fever were meeting again. The whole town had not been quarantined, but individual homes had, with the quarantines of the homes of the Clark’s, Colbath’s, and Dubie’s being lifted before February 2nd. School was closed in the town of Bath because many children were sick with the measles, and the Center school in Lyme closed

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 21, 2021 —

Map of the Indian and Oklahoma Territories in 1892. for a day because the teachers were sick. A United States Senator from New Hampshire was accused of improper and illegal use of the mail. Senator Gallinger mailed a pamphlet “...

on the injurious effects of beer drinking.” The mailing by Senator Gallinger contained extracts from a speech he made on the subject and numerous extracts from the opinions of physi-

cians on “beer drinking and other teetotal testimony.” This was apparently one of the actions leading up to the enactment of prohibition more than a dozen years later, but was considered an abuse of the Senator’s mailing privileges. On a more local level, but a reminder that demands for resignations are not a new thing, a group of between thirty and forty girls employed by the New England Wire Mill in Lisbon, New Hampshire, were united in such a demand. Every one of the girls signed notices stating that they would leave the employ of the mill if a certain man who was also employed there was not discharged. What the specific complaints were I do not know, but the community was anxiously waiting for the outcome of the demands. In the national news of January of 1906 the word “insurrection” was used in regards to some action of some representatives against the House of Representatives’ rules committee. The “insurrection” involved the joint state-

Senator Jacob Gallinger. hood bill with the administration and Democrats opposing a rule to limit debate on the bill. The opposition was said to have been “crushed” when the rule to limit debate was adopted by a vote of 187 to 157, with all of the Democrats voting against it. On January 25th the statehood bill was passed by a vote of 194 to 150. This created a state from the territory of Oklahoma and Indian Territory to be known as Oklahoma. It also created a state to be known as Arizona from Arizona and New Mexico territories. Race relations also entered the Commerce Committee’s consideration of railroad rates for passenger and freight trains. The question of the equality of blacks and whites was brought up and a question as to the benefit the bill would have in preventing discrimination. The committee was told “... that unless some provision was made for separate coaches for black passengers on through

trains “ the southern senators would never consent to the legislation.” The United States postal service was also in the news in 1906 with former New Hampshire Governor Bachelder going to Washington with other Grange members to meet before committees on post roads and post offices “in favor of establishing a parcel post.” It was thought that their efforts would be to no avail because a member of the Senate was the president of an express company and “Senatorial courtesy would probably prevent the Senate from favoring such a measure.” Nevertheless, the postal service was said to be doing an inspection of rural free delivery routes. So it was a different time with different ways of living, but with familiar issues still in the news. Robert Hanaford Smith, Sr., welcomes your comments at danahillsmiths@yahoo.com

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 21, 2021 — METZLER from 7 Germany had the largest foreign-born population of any country in Europe; the number of immigrants rose by nearly 3 million between 2015 and 2019. The largest groups came from Poland, Turkey, Russia, and Syria. Germany equally hosts the largest numbers of refugees and asylum seekers within Europe. Not surprisingly nearly two thirds of all international migrants live in high income countries, in contrast with 31 percent in middle income countries. Yet, eighty percent of the world’s refugees lives in low and middle income countries. Case and point, Kenya accommodates a huge refugee camp for Somalis, Turkey hosts four million Syrians, tiny Lebanon holds refugees of many regional conflicts comprising a third of its population, and Pakistan provides shelter for millions of Afghans. The Report states that refugees comprise around 3 per cent of all international migrants in highincome countries. Yet refugees who flee their homelands due to a substantiated fear of political, religious, social persecution account for only twelve percent of all international migrants. Nonetheless between 2000 and 2020, people fleeing conflict, persecution and human rights violations doubled from 17 million to 34 million people. In 2011 the socalled Arab Spring saw a series of political uprisings against entrenched largely authoritarian regimes throughout the Middle

East. Governments in countries like Egypt, Tunisia, Libya fell to the rising tide of revolution which would soon turn full circle back to dictatorships but not after terrible socio/political disruption. Only Tunisia emerged a better place. Syria remains in the midst of a gruesome civil war, and became the origin of 6.7 million refugees. Libya became the conduit for millions of illegal migrants fleeing into southern Europe, usually routed by brutal and organized human trafficking networks. In Latin America, nearly 3 million Venezuelans had fled their country by mid-2019. Socialist Venezuela became the largest source country of asylum seekers, mostly fleeing into neighboring Colombia. Clearly richer countries such as the U.S., Canada and European states serve as a magnet to migration; creating a safe, legal and mutually beneficial system remains a ongoing challenge for all. John J. Metzler is a United Nations correspondent covering diplomatic and defense issues. He is the author of Divided Dynamism The Diplomacy of Separated Nations: Germany, Korea, China.

STOSSEL from 7 “The Oregon Education Association ... said they wanted the state to halt any transfers virtual charter schools,” says Burke. “There’s clearly no health issue in a virtual setting.” It’s revealing that government-run schools fight to stay closed, while most businesses -- private schools, restaurants, hair salons, gyms, etc., fight to be allowed to open. Why is that? Burke points out that government schools “receive funding regardless of whether or not they reopen.” So, union workers get paid even when they don’t work. Not working seems to be a big union goal. At one point, LA teachers even secured a contract saying that they only are “required to provide instruction ... four hours per day” and they will “not be required to teach classes using live video conferencing.” Nice non-work if you can get it. Yet, the teachers unions keep winning. They will win more now that Democrats control the federal government. Congress’ last stimulus package forbids any funds to be used to expand school choice: no “vouchers, tuition tax credit programs, education savings accounts, scholarship programs, or tuition assistance programs.” So, students lose. Parents lose. Taxpayers lose. America loses. Unions win. We asked 21 teachers unions to respond to the criticisms in this column. Not one would. Their behavior reveals their true interest: power and money. Students come third.

MOFFETT from 15 tics. Bring on the Super Bowl! Sports Quiz Where did Bill Belichick go to college? (Answer follows) Born Today That is to say sports standouts born on January 21 include golf great Jack Nicklaus (1940) and NBA star Hakeem Olajuwon (1963). Sports Quote “I hate to lose. Losing is part of the game but I hated it. I still hate to lose. And that will never change. By the way, just because I turned the page and poured all my energies elsewhere does not mean that I don’t miss organized sports. I do.” – Donald Trump Sports Quiz Answer Belichick attended Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, where he played center and tight end. He also served as the lacrosse team captain during his senior year. State Representative Mike Moffett was a Professor of Sports Management for Plymouth State University and NHTI-Concord. He co-authored the critically-acclaimed and award-winning “FAHIM SPEAKS: A Warrior-Actor’s Odyssey from Afghanistan to Hollywood and Back” which is available on Amazon.com. His email address is mimoffett@comcast.net.

HEART from 8 ber to take care of your mental health, too. Two of the main hurdles to self-care are depression and a lack of confidence, according to a study published in the “Journal of the American Heart Association.” If your mental health is taking a toll, take action to show your heart some love. Reach out to family and friends for support, or talk to a qualified mental health provider. Selfie Saturday Inspire others to take care of their hearts.

Talk about your selfcare routine with loved ones or share a selfie on social media. Having social support and personal networks can make it easier to get regular physical activity, eat nutritious foods, reach a healthy weight and quit smoking. Learn more about heart health and hearthealthy activities in your community, and see what others are doing for their heart health, at nhlbi.nih.gov/ourhearts or follow #OurHearts on social media.

COUNTRY LIVING: Neat & tidy 3BR Manufactured Home on a full foundation with 2.01 private acres in the quaint town of Rumney, NH; convenient to activities & amenities in Plymouth & White Mountains. This home offers an open floor plan, galley kitchen & deck with beautiful mountain views. ONLY: $169,900

Melanie Benton

REALTOR®

C: 603-254-6170 / O: 603-744-8526 x23

507 Lake Street, Bristol OldMillProps.com

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 21, 2021 —

MALKIN from 6 nation’s Capitol. (And isn’t it the Left that always urges us to identify “root causes” when their thugs cross the line?) Law-abiding Americans are angry and frustrated precisely because the law has not been equally applied. Whether we’re talking about lockdown rules or mob rules or election rules, the elites and their allies live by one set of rules and govern by another. Hundreds of thousands of peaceful Donald Trump supporters are being smeared by pundits and politicians who have downplayed leftwing lawlessness from Day One of the Trump presidency. Those who protest this injustice are being purged from social media and the public square at warp speed:

--Some 70,000 dissidents on Twitter were summarily purged after being tarred as dangerous conspiracy theorists on Monday. --Air Force veteran Ashli Babbitt, an unarmed Trump supporter who was gunned down by Capitol police last week, has been ruthlessly defamed by blue-checkmarked celebrities on Twitter and labeled a domestic terrorist. --MAGA moms and their children are being dragged off airplanes by federal jackboots for attending the Jan. 6 rally, while antifa and BLM advocates gloat. --”Stop the Steal” organizer Ali Alexander and his colleagues have been wiped off Silicon Valley platforms, along with conservative social media company Parler, liber-

tarian Ron Paul, “War Room” host Steve Bannon, “America First” host Nick Fuentes, “Red Elephants” host Vince James, cartoonist Ben Garrison, Judicial Watch president Tom Fitton, election fraud researcher Ron Watkins, Gen. Michael Flynn, and lawyers Sidney Powell and Lin Wood. --Trump faces yet another phony impeachment attack despite his explicit call for supporters to “peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.” Meanwhile, actual convicted domestic terrorists like Black Liberation Army assassin Assata Shakur, Weather Underground killers Kathy Boudin and David Gilbert, and May 19th Communist Organizer Susan Rosenberg (a left-wing

weapons supplier and insurrectionist pardoned by Bill Clinton and now a board member of the umbrella group overseeing Black Lives Matter) are deified by the media, Hollywood and academia. Maxine Waters has been cribbing Martin Luther King Jr.’s line about riots being the “language of the unheard” ever since she danced on the ashes of the L.A. riots with Bloods and Crips. Liberal magazine Slate declared just six months ago in defense of antifa and BLM anarchotyrannists that “non-violence is an important tool for protest, but so is violence.” There simply cannot be peace and civil order in such a dysfunctional country of

double standards and stifled dissent. It is dishonest and harmful to our republic to pretend otherwise. Michelle Malkin’s email address is MichelleMalkinInvestigates@protonmail.com. To find out more about Michelle Malkin and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

MAILBOAT from 2 Then they will come for you and no one will object as there is no one left to speak for you. If you think you are safe because you are part of the “in group”, history has a nasty surprise for you. Political movements have a way of eating their young, leaders change, thinking changes and friends are suddenly enemies. That leader you thought would be different this time will turn out to be the same as all the others. It is not the leader, it is the system. Outlawing Free Speech results in tragedy for everyone. Protect your future by protecting Free Speech. Edward W. Smith Concord, NH.

THE CLASSIFIEDS

I WILL BUY * Fine Antiques * Art * * Jewelry * Silver *

Judy A. Davis Antiques

One Item or Entire Estate ~ Cash Paid For:

All Antiques: American and Continental furniture, paintings, oriental rugs and bronzes. Historical documents, old books and maps, nautical items, barometers and sextants. Old prints, movie and travel posters. Old photography, cameras and musical instruments. Gold and Silver U.S. and foreign coins. Civil war and all military items, guns, swords, medals and old flags. Old advertising, wooden and metal signs, vintage whiskey and wine, old weathervanes, old pottery, old jugs, crocks and textiles, lamps and lighting, glass and china. Old toys, banks, trains, sports memorabilia and comic books. Over 40 years experience in the antique business. Chinese and Asian arts, jade, ceramics, oriental textiles, furniture and art. Classic cars and motorcycles, gas pumps, oil cans and signs 25 years and older. All estate and contemporary jewelry, diamond rings, brooches, Patek, Rolex, all watches and charm bracelets. All Fine Gold and Silver Jewelry. Sterling silver flatware, tea services, trays and all silver and gold. Certified by Gem School of America Member: New Hampshire Antique Dealers Assn.

603-496-1811

603-934-5545

jlake@metrocast.net

AUTOS WANTED CASH FOR CARS! We buy all cars! Junk, high-end, totaledit doesn’t matter! Get free towing and same day cash! NEWER MODELS too! Call 844-813-0213

HEALTH & FITNESS DO YOU HAVE CHRONIC KNEE OR BACK PAIN? If you have insurance, you may qualify for the perfect brace at little to no cost. Get yours today! Call 1-800-2170504 OXYGEN-Anytime. Anywhere. No tanks to refill. No deliveries. Only 2.8 pounds! FAA approved! FREE info kit: Call 1-855-917-4693

MISCELLANEOUS 4G LTE HOME INTERNET

Now Available! Get GotW3 with lightning fast speeds plus take your service with you when you travel! As low as $109.99/mo! 1-888-674-1423 DEALING WITH WATER DAMAGE requires immediate action. Local professionals that respond immediately. Nationwide and 24/7. No Mold Calls. 1-800-506-3367 DISH TV - $59.99 For 190 Channels + $14.95 High Speed Internet. Free installation, Smart HD DVR Included, Free Voice Remote. Some restrictions apply. Call 1-877-925-7371 E L I M I N AT E G U T T E R CLEANING FOREVER! LeafFilter, the most advanced debris-blocking gutter protection. Schedule a FREE LeafFilter estimate today. 15% off Entire Purchase. 10% Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-855-964-1491 GENERAC

S TA N D B Y

GENERATORS provide backup power during utility power outages so your home and family stay safe and comfortable. Prepare now. Free 7-year extended warranty ($695 value!). Request a free quote today! Call for additional terms and conditions. 1-877-378-1582 HUGHESNET SATELLITE INTERNET Finally, no hard data limits! Call Today for speeds up to 25mbps as low as $59.99/mo! $75 gift card, terms apply. 1-855-703-0743 INVENTORS-FREE INFORMATION PACKAGE Have your product idea developed affordably by the Research & Development pros and presented to manufacturers. Call 1-855380-5976 for a Free Idea Starter Guide. Submit your idea for a free consultation. MOBILEHELP, AMERICA’S PREMIER MOBILE MEDICAL

ALERT SYSTEM. Whether you’re Home or Away. For Safety and Peace of Mind. No Long Term Contracts! Free Brochure! Call Today! 1-844-892-1017 STAY IN YOUR HOME longer with an American Standard Walk-In Bathtub. Receive up to $1,500 off, including a free toilet, and a lifetime warranty on the tub and installation! Call us at 1-866-945-3783 or visit www.walkintubquote. com/pennysaver

FOR RENT Warm Weather Is Year Round In Aruba. The water is safe, and the dining is fantastic. Walk out to the beach. 3-Bedroom weeks available. Sleeps 8. Email: carolaction@ aol.com for more information.

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 21, 2021 —

SERVICES DIRECTORY #

Colonial Colonial SidingSiding

Old Fashioned STONEWALL

BLACK BEAR MASONRY

Specializing in Dry Fieldstone or Granite Walls New Wall Built

Specializing in Brick and Stone Fireplaces, Chimneys, Walls, Walks, Patios, Gardens 35+ Years Serving Wolfeboro & The Lakes Region Blackbearmasonry@yahoo.com Call, or text! 603-387-2655

RESTORATION

Since 1976 !

SIDING • WINDOWS • DOORS KITCHENS • BATHS Interior & Exterior Renovations

Alton Bay 875-2132

INSURED • REFERENCES • SNOW PLOWING

LakesRoof.Com Owens Corning Roofs Service that satisfies ...

250-6051

35 Years Experience Contact Tony Luongo

603-471-1954

Pete’s Hardwood Unlimited Floors, Inc.

Experience with WATERFRONT PROPERTIES

Family / Locally Owned & Operated • Highest Quality Craftsmanship

Installation • Refinishing Recoating • Repairs FU Dust Containment INSULRLEY D

$100 Take $100 Off on a job of $1,000 or more with this coupon OFF exp. 12/31/21

(603) 875-0032 • hardwoodunlimitedfloorsinc.com

Paul C. Dupont & Son Building Installing Harvey Building Products

WindoWs • doors • siding

Visit HarveyBP.com

CALL FOR FREE ESTIMATE

603-387-0015 —— 603-387-0026

Major Credit Cards Accepted

35 Years Experience In Surveying, Site Planning & Septic Design 603-539-4900 • land-tech.com

Dumont Cabinet Refacing & Counter Tops — AN AFFORDABLE ALTERNATIVE —

Cabinet refacing includes new doors and drawer fronts of your choice

Cabinet refacing DOOR SAMPLES BROUGHT TO YOU! starts at only • New Countertops

• Countertop Refacing (Save Big!) 35% Cost • New Drawers • Custom Vanities of cabinet replacing.

• Closet Storage

Free Estimates.... Compare & SAVE BIG! • Meredith, NH 603-279-6555

Bruce Thibeault PAINTING Over 30 Yrs. Exp.

• Staining • Urethaning • Res./Comm. • Quality Work • Interior/Exterior • Wallpaper Removal • Pressure Washing • Window Reglazing • Screens • Free Estimates • Fully Insured

364-2435 BruceThibeaultPainting.com

SERVICES DIRECTORY

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 21, 2021 —

Super Crossword

PUZZLE CLUE: MULTITUDINOUS

B.C.

by Parker & Hart

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 21, 2021 —

Sudoku

Magic Maze THEMETHISWEEK: 101 DALMATIAN CHARACTERS

Caption Contest OUR PICK FOR BEST CAPTION

PHOTO #841

Early concept was the Banana Queen until the franchise realized the name had no “A-PEAL” -Alan Doyon, Meredith, NH.

Runners Up : When John and Mary opened their new restaurant, it soon became the “top banana”. - Bill Pawluk, E. Wakefield, NH.. The Queen of Bananas reminds all not to fall for the banana up the car tailpipe trick. - Joe Vitali, Manchester, NH. The large bananas were soon removed when it was found liability insurance would triple due to the size of the peels. -Robert Ferlito, Auburn, MA.

CAPTION THIS PHOTO!!

The Winklman Aeffect

PHOTO #43 Send your best brief caption to us with your name and location within 2 weeks of publication date... Caption Contest, The Weirs Times, P.O. Box 5458, Weirs, NH 03247 email to contest@weirs.com

by John Whitlock

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 21, 2021 —