03/03/2022 Weirs Times by The Weirs Publishing Company

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, March 3, 2022 —

VOLUME 31, NO. 9

THE WEIRS, LAKE WINNIPESAUKEE, N.H., THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 2022

COMPLIMENTARY

14th Annual Robbie Mills Eight-Ball Tournament

Funspot Floor Manager Marc Tatham with his pal Oakley, helping put out the word on the 17th Annual Indoor Triathlon put on by the non-profit FUNds4Paws.org to be held Saturday. March 19th to raise funds to help save BRENDAN SMITH PHOTO animals in need.

17th Indoor Triathlon At Funspot To Help Save Animals

by Brendan Smith Weirs Times Editor

On Saturday, March 19th the 17th Annual Saving Animals Indoor Triathlon will take place at The Funspot Family Entertainment Center in Weirs Beach.

The triathlon was first held in 2005 when Starr Lawton, the bar manager at Funspot’s D.A. Long Tavern talked with a group playing a variety of games at Funspot during a rainy day. “They said they were having their own personal In-

door Triathlon,” said Lawton. “I thought that would make for a terrific fundraiser.” Being a lover if animals as well as a supporter of various animal rescue groups in the state, Starr, along with help from other ani-

mal lovers decided to hold an indoor triathlon to raise funds for the New Hampshire Humane Society. That first year the event raised just over $1,000. Over the years the event grew by leaps and bounds See TRIATHLON on 16

The 14th Annual Robbie Mills Memorial Eight -Ball Tournament will be held on Saturday, March 12th at the Laconia Rod & Gun Club, 358 South Main Street, Laconia. Doors open at 9:30am. Tournament starts promptly at 11am. Double elimination. Billiard Congress of America rules apply. $25 per person donation includes practice, lunch and entry for door prizes. (Prepay by March 5th and get a free T-Shirt.) All proceeds go to benefit the Boys and Girls Club Of The Lakes Region and the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction. There will also be trophies awarded, cash prizes, food, raffles and a live auction. If you can’t play, pay for a player that can’t afford it. See more sponsor opportunities at www.robbiemills.org where you can also prepay for the tournament. For more information you can contact Tony Felch at 603-9981418.

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, March 3, 2022 —

NO PRESSURE, NO GIMMICKS, NO KIDDING! 159 D.W. Hwy, Belmont, NH • 603-524-8821

—OBITUARY— Jewel LaPointe, 85

BELMONT - Jewel S. LaPointe, 85, of Lakewood Drive, passed away on Sunday, February 20, 2022, at Genesis Healthcare Center in Laconia. Jewel was born on November 5, 1936, in Logan, WV, the daughter of Antonio and Iva Lee (Hall) Sanchez. She liked collecting cook books and going on road trips. She loved to spend time with her family and especially her grandchildren. She enjoyed having conversations with her brother Bo and his wife Beverly, her brother David ‘Pappy’ and his wife Gail, and her sister Jean ‘Dolly.’ Jewel is survived by her loving husband of 32 years, Peter LaPointe of Belmont; her sons, Kenneth Porter of Bow, Kevin Porter of Laconia, Stephen Porter and his wife Caitlin of Penacook, and Matthew Porter of Laconia; her daughter Gerri Lynn Ainsworth and her husband Greggory of Laconia; her nine grandchildren, Abigail Ainsworth, Benjamin Ainsworth, Lauren Porter, Hunter Porter, Caleb Porter, Sophie Porter, Graham Porter, Keaton Porter, and Cody Porter; and several brothers and sisters. In addition to her parents, Jewel is predeceased by her grandson Brent Porter, her brothers, Jerry Sanchez and Jimmy Sanchez, and her beloved dog Maxwell and cat Grayson. Graveside Services will be held on Friday, March 11, 2022, at 11:00am, at the New Hampshire State Veteran’s Cemetery, 110 Daniel Webster Highway, Boscawen, NH, 03303. A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, March 12, 2022, from 3:00pm-6:00pm, at the Margate Resort, 76 Lake Street, Laconia, NH, 03246. In lieu of flowers, please donate to your favorite charity organization in Jewel’s name. Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services and 603Cremations.com, 164 Pleasant St., Laconia, NH, 03246, is assisting the family with arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial, please visit www.wilkinsonbeane.com.

Gilmanton’s Town Budget is Out of Control To The Editor: The current Select Board is proposing an operating budget that is 9.5% higher than last year’s. When inflation is running at 7%, a 40-year high, why is the Board of Selectmen raising taxes at all? In addition to this increase asked for in Warrant Article 3, Articles 5-12 will add another $666,000 of spending for a total increase of 25% over the 2021 budget! Now you know why Gilmanton’s budget has doubled in just 8 years, during a time when the population has only increased by about 10%. This out-of-control spending must stop now. To make matters worse, the total cost of Article 5 is hidden from the voters at the booth. Your ballot on election day will state a tax impact of $.207 per thousand, but that is only for the last 6 months of 2022. The real cost for this one item is double that or almost $100 per year for the average home in Gilmanton. You would only know this if you were at the Feb. 5th deliberative session or picked up the Voter’s Guide at the Academy Building. Your ballot on March 8th will not have this critical piece of information in order for you to make an informed choice. And next year, this doubled cost will be buried in the operating budget. I called out the Selectmen for disguising this cost at their Feb. 7th meeting. Our Town Administrator claimed they could not put the real cost on the ballot as this would be “overtaxation.” Informing the citizens of the true cost

of any item is NOT overtaxation. She then claimed the town attorney told them they could only put the (partial) 2022 cost on the ballot. I truly doubt there is any law that prevents you the citizens from knowing the real cost of any ballot item. I pledge to change that if you elect me as Gilmanton Selectman. We need a Board that realizes the crushing cost of inflation that is coming our way. It may be 7% now, but it will be much higher in the coming months and year. We should be cutting taxes in this time. We should not be giving money to Mid-State Health of Plymouth, a private medical practice, not even in Belknap County, as the Selectmen have asked us to do in Warrant Article 28. Paying the expenses of any private business, in this case the salaries of doctors and nurses, should never be the job of town government. If you elect me Selectman, I pledge to fight to stop this fiscal abuse and to keep your taxes low. David Strang, MD Gilmanton, NH.

Running for Gilford Budget Committee

To The Editor: My name is Kevin Shea. I am a long time resident of Gilford. I am a father and grandfather who loves and appreciates the quality of life that our town offers. I am running for a seat on the Gilford Budget Committee to serve my community and to be a strong voice for fiscal responsibility to the taxpayers. I will act as a fis-

cal watchdog to ensure our tax dollars are spent efficiently and appropriately. I am a retired corporate VP of a Fortune 500 financial institution, with a background in Cyber Security and I have also worked in finance areas for other companies. I have served as a member of a Board Of Directors for a public Credit Union and a Condo Association here in Gilford. Lastly, and dearest to me, I have served our country in the military and I am a proud U.S. Army veteran. If elected, I feel that my professional and personal background, as well as being a concerned member of the town of Gilford equips me to meet the challenge to fill a position on the Gilford Budget Committee. Please spread the word and show your support at the upcoming election Tuesday March 8, 2022. Visit my website, for my contact information, and ways you can support my candidacy. www.shea4gilford.us Vote and make your voice heard. Kevin Shea Gilford, NH.

Provisional Ballots To The Editor: New Hampshire takes great pride in its role as the first-inthe-nation primary election and receives national publicity in the weeks leading up to that process. Most all politicians seeking the office of President visit New Hampshire shortly before the primary election for photo opportunities See MAILBOAT on 37

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, March 3, 2022 —

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L I V I N G RU S T I C

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, March 3, 2022 —

EVENTS & ACTIVITIES

New Hampshire’s Own Celtic Band Comes To Wolfeboro

The Wolfeboro Friends Of Music welcomes all on Saturday March 19th at 7:30 PM to the Great Hall of Wolfeboro Town Hall to celebrate St. Patricks’ Day with The Reel McCoys for a rollicking The Reel McCoy’s are a powerhouse Celtic band with strong Canadian influences. This is a vibrant genre of music that has spread worldwide, growing in popularity in many countries, even those with no connection to the Celtic diaspora. And the members of the Reel Mccoy’s have performed with some of the best: Natalie MacMaster, Máiréad Nesbitt, Ciaran Nagle. Only recently formed, the members are each seasoned veterans of the Celtic world and beyond. Joe DeLaet (accordion, piano) is an award-winning international performer, composer, and session pianist. Jordan Tirrell-Wysocki has been fiddling on the national scene since the age of twelve, when he was part of New Hampshire’s delegation to the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. Guitarist Matt Jensen has been performing professionally with bands of varying styles for almost 20 years. The Wolfeboro Friends of Music asks that ALL attendees over 11 years of age for whom vaccination is available be vaccinated against COVID. Masks should be worn properly at all times; social distancing is required. Adult tickets are $25 and are available at Avery Insurance, Black’s Paper & Gift Store, online at www.wfriendsofmusic.org or at the door. High school students with ID will be admitted free of charge and younger children accompanied by an adult ticket purchaser will be admitted free of charge. For more information, visit www.wfriendsofmusic.org or call 603-569-2151.

Sabina: Tortured for Christ, the Nazi Years Mountain View Church at 322 Upper Bay Road in Sanbornton, will be hosting a free showing of Sabina: Tortured For Christ on Thursday, March 24th at 6pm. Great character is sometimes forged amid great turmoil. Sabina: Tortured for Christ, the Nazi Years is the story of how God’s love transformed an ambitious, atheistic hedonist into one of the greatest Christian women of the 20th century. The film opens with Sabina Wurmbrand risking her life to show Christ’s love to a trio of Nazi soldiers. Why? Why would a Jewish Christian risk her life to help her enemies – members of the army that killed her entire family? Experience the amazing true story that has redefined the concepts of love and forgiveness for millions around the world. A love offerinn will be collected for Voice of The Martyrs. Email MVIEWCHURCH@GMAIL.com to the attention of Keri Dunn for more details.

Aviation Museum Open Extra Day For New Hampshire School Vacation Week - Looking for a fun, indoor and family-friendly activity for school vacation week? Then look no further than the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire at ManchesterBoston Regional Airport! The museum will add an extra open date of Thursday, March 3 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in addition to its regular open hours of Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sundays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The Aviation Museum of N.H. has something for kids of all ages; from our real Embraer cockpit which future pilots love to play in, to scavenger hunts and a collection of aviation-themed toys that visitors are encouraged to interact and have fun with. And if you’re looking for something really unique, we even have a series of international barf bags on display! Knowledgeable volunteers (many of whom have years of experience in aviation-related fields) will be onsite to offer tours and answer questions from kids and adults alike. Admission for children under the age of six is free, and youth (ages six to 12) are $5. We also offer special rates for veterans and families. Standard admission for adults is $10. Please note that face coverings are required for anyone entering the museum.

LONDONDERRY

Weirs Times’ Brendan Smith At Cold Spring Farm In Alton We i r s T i m e s e d i t o r a n d “F.O.O.L. In New Hampshire” columnist Brendan Smith will be back on the road after a long Covid break at beautiful Cold Spring Farm in Alton, NH. on Saturday, March 5th. Brendan will be telling some of his classic Flatlander Tales as well as stories from his newest book “I Really Only Did It For The Socks - Stories & Thoughts on Aging” where he tackles the ups and downs of getting older. Also performing will be wellknown local musicians Chris Bonoli and Roy D’Innocenzo. They will play a short set at 6pm while everyone gets settled, and another, extended set to close out the evening. Doors open at 5:30pm. Show starts at 6pm. Seating will be first come first served. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased at www.tix.com/ticket-sales/coldspringfarm/6481 Find out more on Cold Spring Farm’s Facebook page. www.facebook.com/coldspringfarmnh Cold Spring Farm is located at 74 David Road, Alton, NH. A good time is guaranteed to all.

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, March 3, 2022 —

F O O L NEW HAMPSHIRE A

in brendan@weirs.com

entral Baptist hurch

Live Free or Die.

*A FLATLANDER’S OBSERVATIONS ON LIFE

New Curriculum It has been an up and down year for F.A.T.S.O. For those of you new to this column, F.A.T.S.O. stands for “Flatlanders Adjustby Brendan Smith ing To Solitary Weirs Times Editor Oblivion.” It is a winter support group started by my friend Vinnie and myself to help new transplants to the area adjust to their first winters here. This year’s obscenely cold January and early February temperatures, some badly timed snowfalls, as well as a period of ice everywhere you walked, have taken their toll on so many; even those who long ago shed their F.A.T.S.O. skins, confident that they could stand alone against the season. Their confidence was understandable seeing they were properly conditioned by us already. There are a whole slew of F.A.T.S.O. graduates of whom we are very proud. They have learned well and are mostly doing fine on their own; some even taking on teaching new transplants themselves. Still, there are others who didn’t take F.A.T.S.O as seriously as they should have and simple went through the motions, showing up for class but keeping themselves occupied playing with their phones and alike. This year they have found themselves face to face with the cruel realties of this winter. I have gotten the phone calls. “My thermometer reads -15 this morning. Is this a thing?” “My driveway has been a sheet of ice for three days. What is this all about? Can you help?” Of course, Vinnie and I never turn anyone away, even the know-it-alls. Usually we find ourselves with about twenty to thirty new F.A.T.S.O. members each year, but with the addition

of those who are coming back for refresher courses, our numbers have been closer to fifty and sixty the days we hold our survival classes. We found it necessary to break things up a bit by offering separate classes with more specific themes then trying to impart too much valuable info in just one class. This way we can keep attendance down to manageable levels and not everyone will need to attend each class since there might be some subject matter they have already covered. (We are grateful to those experienced graduates who have given of their valuable time to come back and teach.) For example, there will be no need for all to attend “Roof Raking 101” if you have already mastered the artistry of this essential winter tool, but you can still attend the later seminar: “Dressing In Layers – When Enough Is Enough.” Though winter is winding down, don’t be fooled. March can be rough. The following is a list of the few classes that will be offered over the next weeks. Even if March ends up being a mild one, the next winter will be here before you know it and if you take classes now, you won’t have to worry once November rolls around and you hear that first forecast of cold and snow that seemed so far away in July. All of these classes will be held at the F.A.T.S.O. Headquarters in Laconia and pre-registration is required. We will also be making these available on DVD for those of you who still use those things. Monday 8am-10am – “Below Zero – Seriously?” We haven’t held this class in a few years, but after this past January, folks have been clamoring (whatever that means) for it. (This seminar will be rescheduled if F.A.T.S.O. Headquarters has frozen pipes again. Tuesday 11am-1pm – “Understanding The Weather Report” – Learn why people needlessly

panic over winter weather reports that usually end up being incorrect and why they will still panic, even after taking this class. (Special Guest Speaker is a former TV weather person who will tackle the conspiracy theory that weathermen are actually members of the Illuminati and can control the weather.) Wednesday 2pm-4pm- “Salt Or Sand” – Learn the proper use for different surfaces for different winter conditions as well as in food seasoning. This course can save unnecessary trips to the emergency room from both falls and stomach illnesses. Saturday 2pm-4pm – “Navigating The Supermarket” – Learn tips from professionals in how to maneuver through your local supermarket upon the announcement of an impending snowstorm. Which aisles are best to avoid? How to acquire a lower number at the deli counter and more. (The course “Do You Actually Have Enough Food In Your House To Last For Twenty-Four Hours After A Snowstorm” was cancelled due to lack of interest.) Thursday 1pm-3pm – “Keeping Active In Winter” – Learn which winter sport is best for you. Whether it be skiing, skating, snowshoeing or just watching the Winter Olympics on TV, each one will be discussed in full to help you decide. Friday 10am-Noon – “Proper Shoveling Techniques” – Learn the best positions for your body when snow shoveling. Includes the “Lift With Your Knees” method to the “Reaching In Your Back Pocket For Your Wallet To Pay The Plow Guy” method. We hope that by providing classes in this scattered format we can keep the crowds at manageable levels and give everyone the opportunity to be able to learn as much as possible to help with their future winter survival here in New Hampshire.

Central Baptist Church of Gilford, NH Independent, KJV 401 GILFORD AVE.,GILFORD, NH • CENTRALBAPTISTNH.ORG

NOW ON SALE! BRENDAN SMITH’S NEWEST BOOK! “I Really Only Did It For The Socks Stories & Thoughts On Aging”

Order your autographed copy today for $16.99 plus $3 shipping. (Please include any inscription you would like.) Make out checks or money orders for $19.99 to Brendan Smith and mail to: Socks Book c/o Weirs Times, PO Box 5458, Weirs, NH 03247 Or order online at BrendanTSmith.com (Autographed copies also avail. at the Weirs Times)

NOW ON SALE!

BRENDAN SMITH’S NEW BOOK!

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Order your autographed copy today for $16.99 plus $3 shipping. (Please include any inscrip374 Governor Wentworth HWY or money tion you would like.) Make out checks Moultonboro, N.H. 03254 orders for $19.99 to Brendan Smith and mail to: Call 603-476-8887 603-476-5176 Socks Book c/o• F: Weirs Times, www.skelleysmarket.com PO Box 5458, Weirs, NH 03247 Or order online at BrendanTSmith.com (Autographed copies also avail. at the Weirs Times)

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, March 3, 2022 —

Thank You, Tom Tancredo Tom Tancredo is fighting cancer. If you are a believer in God and country, please join me in prayer for a dear friend, mentor and patriot. While I cannot offer any comfort from his physical pain and suffering, I will do what I can with my words to lift up his indomitable spirit. Three modern leaders stand out as the pillars of the America First movement: by Michelle Malkin Pat Buchanan, Tom Tancredo and Donald Syndicated Columnist Trump. Long before Trump triumphantly won the White House in 2016 by promising to protect our borders and enforce our immigration laws, Buchanan and Tancredo made these signature issues in their presidential runs (Buchanan in 1992 and 1996; Tancredo in 2008). Tancredo was the bridge between Buchanan and Trump, all of whom battled inside and outside the Republican Party on behalf of our national sovereignty. A former teacher, five-term U.S. congressman, husband, father and grandfather, Tom made all the right (and left) enemies in the Swamp. Liberal open-borders shills and Southern Poverty Law Center smear merchants called him “hardline,” “far-right,” “extreme,” “xenophobic” and “nativist” for doing what any American elected politician is sworn to do: secure the blessings of liberty for ourselves and our posterity first and always. He founded the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus in 1999 to fight illegal immigration and uncontrolled, mass migration. At its peak, the group claimed 104 House members and seized power over GOP messaging from the proamnesty U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Wall Street Journal op-ed page (whose motto was “there shall be open borders”). As I’ve written before, long before so many Johnnies-comelately started waking up to the dire national security, public safety, public health and economic threats posed by unbridled illegal and legal immigration, Tom led the fight on Capitol Hill. In 2001, he introduced a landmark bill for a mass immigration moratorium. In the mid-2000s, Tancredo was mobbed and threatened during college campus speaking events for calling out entitled illegal alien radicals and advocating targeted immigration reduction limits to combat terrorism. George W. Bush’s amnesty architect Karl Rove threatened Tom over his successful opposition to the ruinous Bush illegal alien giveaway, telling him he’d “never darken the White House doorstep” again. He triggered the outrage mob and the entire Bush clan when he went afSee MALKIN on 36

The War On Parents Continues In September 2020, January Littlejohn went to pick up her 13-yearold daughter from middle school. Littlejohn is a stay-at-home mother to three children and a licensed mental health counselor in Florida. by Ben Shapiro So when her daughter Syndicated Columnist informed her that the school administration had begun encouraging her to identify as transgender, Littlejohn was shocked. Littlejohn’s daughter told her that school administrators had asked her about changing her name, which restroom she wished to use, and whether she wanted to sleep with boys or girls on school trips. According to the district, parents were to be cut out of the loop unless the 13-year-old gave her consent to their involvement; the district stated that “outing a student, especially to parents, can be very dangerous to the student’s health and well-being.” So, to be clear, the school would have had to phone Littlejohn for permission to administer an Advil; presumably if Littlejohn’s daughter had been suffering from depression or anxiety in school, parents would have been notified as well. But the school purposefully avoided telling Littlejohn about her daughter considering whether she was a boy or a girl, and all the attendant acts toward social transition -- all of which is often followed by hormone replacement or surgery. The school not only felt no duty to keep Littlejohn in the loop, but they also treated Littlejohn as an enemy to her own child. This, indeed, is the mentality of an enormous swath of the social Left these days. Florida is now considering a bill, the Parental Rights in Education bill, that would restrict primary schools from indoctrinating children on matters of sexual orientation or gender identity and would require schools to inform parents about minors who begin identifying as LGBTQ in school. None of this should be controversial: Parents have

always been and will always be the adults with the most stake in their children. It is parents who care most about their children, not school administrators; it is parents who shape the values and choices of their children. But that’s precisely what the Left hates. To the Left, parents are the enemy. Without any evidence of abuse -- or even any allegations of abuse -- the Left now states that forcing schools to provide transparency to parents about their children is a form of abuse. As California Gov. Gavin Newsom put it, telling schools to keep parents in the loop is “nothing short of a state-sponsored intimidation of LGBTQ children. It will put kids -- who are already navigating stress -in physical and psychological danger.” The Left, instead, wishes to teach its own version of sexual morality and gender identity to small children, without the messy intervention of parents. It is indeed that simple. And, of course, this has an impact. It is designed to have an impact. There is a reason that, according to Gallup, just 0.8% of those born before 1946 identify as LGBT, and that just 2.6% of those born between 1946 and 1964 do -- but that fully 20.8% of all those born between 1997 and 2003 identify as LGBT. That reason is not evolutionary biology making a radical turn, or even additional tolerance for such activity. The reason is that our society has decided that belief in traditional standards with regard to both sex and sexual activity must be fought tooth and nail. Any parent who holds to those standards must be treated as a threat -- not to the children they care about far more than activists do, but to the new standard. Now, perhaps the new standard is somehow superior to the old. If the Left wishes to make that case, they can certainly do so. But the Left does not have the right to hijack the minds of children and then weaponize them against their parents using public dollars, all the while pretending that such activity is actually altruism on behalf of children. It isn’t. It’s cruel to children and cruel to parents.

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, March 3, 2022 —

The Woke AMA The American Medical Association now tells doctors: Use woke language! It’s issued a 54-page guide telling doctors things like, don’t say “equalby John Stossel ity”; say “equity.” Syndicated Columnist Don’t say “minority”; say “historically marginalized.” Much of the AMA’s advisory sounds like Marxism: “Expose ... property rights ... Individualism is problematic ... Corporations ... limit prospects for good health ... people underpaid and forced into poverty as

a result of banking policies.” This is too much even for some on the left, like writer Matthew Yglesias, whose article about the AMA caught my attention. “Can you imagine anyone actually doing this?” asks Yglesias in my new video. “What would happen if you were in a clinical setting, and somebody starts giving you this lecture about landowners? ... Nobody practices medicine like that, and it wouldn’t be helpful to anybody!” He points out that while the AMA now tells doctors to call poor neighborhoods “systematically divested,” not “poor,” it has long lobbied for things that hurt poor people, like

restricting the number of doctors. The U.S. has fewer doctors than other countries. Per person, Austria has twice as many. “We have the best paid physicians in the world and the scarcest physicians in the world,” says Yglesias. “That’s not a coincidence.” Years ago, in most of America, anyone could practice medicine. Licensed doctors didn’t like that. That led to the formation of the AMA. They’re a trade group, says Yglesias. “They ... advance the interests of their members.” Like the teachers union or dock workers union. “It’s called a trade association

rather than a union,” says Yglesias. “But it’s never been all that different.” In 1986, the AMA called for smaller enrollment in medical schools, to curb an alleged doctor “surplus.” In 1997, it even got the government to pay hospitals not to train doctors! Today, the AMA supports rules that make it hard for doctors from other countries to practice here. Foreign doctors must complete a U.S. residency program. They don’t get credit for having practiced abroad. Such rules preserve America’s doctor shortage. That shortage allows the average doctor to make more See STOSSEL on 37

Ukraine Crisis Brinksmanship to Blitzkrieg? Vladimir Putin has rolled the dice. And now he has moved militarily into Ukraine. Significantly shortly after the 2014 Sochi Winby John J. Metzler t e r O l y m p i c s , Syndicated Columnist Putin began his dismemberment of Ukraine in the Donbas then Crimea. Washington watched but did little. It appears that the Russian despot is following the same script by supporting pro-Russian stooge regimes inside Ukraine’s territory; Donetsk and Luhansk “republics.” As UN Secretary General Antonio

Guterres warned, “The decision by the Russian Federation to recognize the so called ‘independence’ of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk is a violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine.” He added, “It is time for restraint, reason and de-escalation.” But during a late night emergency meeting of the Security Council, Putin struck. Jolted delegates faced the inevitable; a massive land war in Europe. Secretary General Guterres implored, “President Putin, stop your troops from attacking Ukraine, give peace a chance.” Later U.S. President Joe Biden stated that Putin “has chosen a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human

suffering.” In the meantime President Biden has pugnaciously warned Putin about the consequences of an invasion, and slammed an escalating series of economic sanctions on Russia aimed at deterring further aggression. Equally among European states, most notable has been Germany’s suspension of the controversial Nordstream 2 pipeline which makes central Europe even more dependent on Russian energy supplies. Russia is planning “the biggest war in Europe since 1945” warned British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Indeed the attack became a massive armored blitzkrieg with flanking maneuvers heading for Kiev the capital. Putin’s propaganda preposterously

claimed that Russia as the victim and threatened by Ukraine and the West. The stark reality is tragically unfolding before us. Following the Afghanistan debacle, the Ukraine conflict represents the second major foreign policy setback for the United States in six months! The Kremlin arrogantly views a sovereign Ukraine as a “little brother” under the protection of direct control of Mother Russia. Putin doesn’t wish to devastate Ukraine but to destroy its sovereignty and turn the region into a compliant comrade as during Soviet times. Since October there has been a steady drumbeat of threats and fears that the Russians would atSee METZLER on 29

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, March 3, 2022 —

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From Success To Sadness A New Hampshire Playwright the folks in St. Albans’ were said not to have taken to his free and easy style, others did. The Boston Post took notice and hired him to write their “All Sorts” column. For five years he wrote about drama, music and sports. His coverage of the Boston Beaneaters baseball team led to some baseball players later See SMITH on 32

by Robert Hanaford Smith, Sr. Contributing Writer

Too often the comics among us, those who make us laugh, end up living lives that are no laughing matter. Such was the case with playwright Charles A. Hoyt. He was called one of the most beloved playwrights of his time, and has been compared with some of the more recognized names of composers, like George Cohan, but tragic events led to his early death. Charles Hale Hoyt was born on July 26, 1859, in Concord, New Hampshire, to George Washington Hoyt and Martha Ann Hale. His biographers do not agree concerning his age at the time events of Charles’ childhood occurred, but it appears as if the Hoyt family moved to Charlestown, New Hampshire in the Fall of 1866 where the father, George, managed a hotel. Though his work took him to

Charles Hale Hoyt. Boston and New York, Charles Hoyt always considered Charlestown to be his home town. Martha, Charles’ mother, apparently died on March 14, 1870, though some writers indicate that she died when Charles was as young as two. Charles Hoyt attended private schools in Charlestown, after which he went to Boston Latin School. He was appointed to study at West Point, but didn’t attend there, probably be-

cause of not passing the physical examination. At his father’s request he studied law under the New Hampshire Supreme Court Justice Edmund Cushing, but that profession didn’t seem to be to his liking, so he pursued other means of supporting himself. He started his writing career with a job at the St. Albans Advertiser in Vermont where he injected humor into his articles. Though he made fun of people in his articles, and

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Letters From God Letters From God

QUESTION: Should We Look To You For Solutions To Our Earthly Problems? As I watch your country and the world spinning out of control, I grieve because in your foolishness you have left me, your creator and sustainer God, out of your affairs (Proverbs 1:2327). Fewer and fewer people are looking to me and even acknowledging me in the midst of your earthly problems. How else can I describe this except that you are spiritually blind? How often do you hear news reports wondering what I, God, think about the predicaments that you’re facing? How often do you hear politicians calling their assemblies to prayer to seek my wisdom for the tumultuous events afflicting your country? The failure to even consider me in your earthly affairs reveals that you’ve been blinded to the reality that without me, you will never be able to right your wrongs and bring back peace or prosperity. There is a spiritual reality that is influencing your earthly, social, economic, racial and geopolitical crises and you can’t even see it, let alone look to me to

thought I was altogether like you. But I will rebuke you and accuse you to your face. Consider this, you who forget God, or I will tear you to pieces, with none to rescue.” (Psalm 50:2122). Unfortunately, because my people, Israel, continued in their sin and rejected my counsel, I tore them out of their land on multiple occasions. One of those, lasted over 2,000 years. Because you are blind to my sovereign rule over the affairs of men and nations and because you can’t see my standards, your blindness is making your problems worse. If you don’t begin to “see” and turn back to me, you will suffer the same fate, because I am God and I hold the same standards on you as I did on my people back then. How does one see, you might ask? Well, first consider that you can’t see if you don’t think you’re blind. You won’t even attempt to look. Begin by acknowledging that you have been blind to me and to my sovereign control over the world and its affairs. Then you must recognize both personal and corporate culpability of rejecting me. You must see that you have made yourselves “gods” and you are living in ways that are contradictory to my will and worthy of judgment. You must then look to me to restore you into a relationship in which I can bless you. This will

require you to humble yourself before me and trust me to be God and to deliver you. You must see that I sent my Son, Jesus the Messiah, who was without sin and eternal, to walk among you and not only live but also to die. His death was a substitutionary sacrifice in which he paid the penalty for your sins. If you humble yourself and confess your sin of making yourselves “gods,” and the many acts of disobedience, violating my word and will, I will apply his sacrificial death in your place as payment for your sins. As a result, I will welcome you back into a relationship with me. Then your eyes will be opened increasingly to the spiritual dimension of life, to which you were once oblivious. You will see that, as the creator of the earth, I alone can infuse it with life as my children look to me and not to themselves or any other idol. I have done this for many who have opened their eyes and hearts to me. Will you let me do it for you?

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help change it. When the Persian King, Cyrus the Great, reigned, I spoke to Daniel about a great war that was coming (Daniel 10:1). It would have a significant impact on my people, Israel. My mouthpiece was an angel I sent. (10:11). He assured Daniel that I had heard his prayers for his people. He also informed him that there was a spiritual battle behind the scenes of the earthly conflict between nations. He then informed Daniel that his message was delayed due to conflict Michael, my archangel, encountered with the evil angelic spiritual Prince of Persia (10:12-13). The spiritual conflict influenced the physical conflict of nations. You “see,” without eyes to see the spiritual battles influencing your human conflicts, you will never look to me for spiritual and physical deliverance and those superior spiritual forces will destroy you. Therefore, you can only expect more chaos, not only because your foolish behavior has brought catastrophic results but now, I am forced to unleash my supernatural judgments on your sinful behavior. When I asked the Psalmist to write to my people, I gave him a message that would apply as much to you today as it did to them back then, because you are repeating their sins. I said “these things you have done, and I kept silent; you

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, March 3, 2022 —

Children’s Auction Receives $30,000 Award From The New Hampshire Charitable Foundation

Funds To Be Received Over Three Years; In 2022, Grant Money To Be Spent On Tech Upgrades LACONIA — The Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction has received a $30,000, three-year grant from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation (NHCF). The funds—$10,000 each year for three years—will help the organization upgrade its technology and increase its ability to raise more funds for kids in need. “We are so thrilled,” said Children’s Auction Executive Director Jennifer Kelley, noting this year’s allotment will be used for an IT upgrade. “The improvements will allow us to invest in technology and

equipment that will deliver a better auction experience as well as allow us to create an online grant process that is more streamlined for our nonprofits. Kelley added, “We are very grateful to the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation and its donors for its generosity and for selecting the Auction as a grant recipient. It’s our mission to help further the work of area nonprofits that support children and families, and this gift will make it easier for

us to raise funds while streamlining the grant application process for more than 70 nonprofits.” The award was made possible by gifts from the Annalee Davis Thorndike Fund, Rogers Family Trust Fund and the Thomas S. Gale Fund. For more information on the Auction, please visit ChildrensAuction. com.

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An American robin perches on a snowy branch earlier this winter in New England. by Chris Bosak Contributing Writer

It appears to be a good winter for juncos, blue jays and goldfinches, based on feedback from readers. Other than a few reports of pine siskins, it doesn’t seem to be a particularly strong winter for the typical irruptive species as sightings of redpolls, grosbeaks, and red-breasted nuthatches have been scarce. I’ll add American robin to the list of birds that have been seen in abundance this winter. This doesn’t mean that spring is here already, of course. As I write this,

a winter storm is predicted for the next day. Several more weeks of winter-like weather are ahead of us, I’m sorry to say. Each year a certain number of robins spend their winters in New England. They can be difficult to find and a walk in the woods is often necessary to find them. This year, robins seem to be more numerous and rather ubiquitous. I pulled into a small, dirt parking lot the other day and disrupted about a dozen robins that were drinking out of a small puddle. A

few white-throated sparrows flushed to nearby cover as well. The robins didn’t go far and I’m sure returned to the puddle as soon as I left. Robins have also been a common sighting near my feeders this winter. They aren’t eating seeds, of course, but finding berries among the brush beyond the feeders. The robins we see in the winter are likely not the same ones that entertain us and raise their young here in the summer. Those robins are probably enjoying warmer temperatures somewhere south of New England. The rob-

ins we see in the winter are likely ones that spend their summers north of here, perhaps in Canada or northern New England. To them, New England is south. When those robins head back north, they are replaced by “our” robins, which arrive sometime in March and stay with us until the days get shorter and colder again in the fall. When our robins come back and start hopping around our yards listening for worms, then we can say our harbingers of spring have arrived. How can you tell the See BOSAK on 29

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, March 3, 2022 —

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, March 3, 2022 —

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Thrills, Agony, And Olympics (And Mikaela And Kamila) by Mike Moffett Contributing Writer

Old-timers will recall the wonderful imagery that accompanied the one-minute introduction to ABC-TV’s “Wide World of Sports.” YouTube it. The narrator, Jim McKay, spoke of the “thrill of victory … and the agony of defeat.” The wipeout of a ski-jumper remains seared in our memories. (He survived.) And while all sports feature ups and downs for their participants, the Olympic Games truly provide us opportunities to witness extreme athletic agony—and ecstasy—up close and personal. Especially in this age of big screen, highdefinition television. McKay also spoke of “the human drama of athletic competition” which is everywhere at the Olympics. International competition has a special poignancy for participants who represent their entire nation, as opposed to only a high school, a soccer club, or even Notre Dame University. The recent Beijing Winter Games especially featured the travails and failures of American skier Mikaela Shiffrin. A one-time resident of Lyme, N.H, the 27-year-old Shiffrin fell several times and won no medals. That experience mir-

Mikaela Shiffrin. rored that of many other skiers, but Shiffrin was not just any skier. It’s the old “expectation game.” You see, Mikaela had already won several Gold Medals at earlier Olympics, in addition to being a six-time skiing World Champion. The high expectations went unmet. Tears were shed. Mikaela the World Champion was now seen as Mikaela the Failure by many millions watching from afar. One hopes that the skier won’t suffer permanent emotional scarring. And one suspects she’ll be fine. After enjoying such a

spectacular career, it wouldn’t be rational to let oneself be defined by setbacks as opposed to triumphs. Then there was Kamila Valieva. The 15-year-old Russian skater was under similar pressure and as was the case with the 27-year-old American skier, Kamila also fell short and returned home without a medal. Even worse, she was at the center of a drug-testing brouhaha when she popped positive for some banned substance. Unlike Shiffrin, Valieva was not a multiple world champion. Just a kid, young Kamila probably lacked

the emotional armor that Mikaela probably has. Seeing Valieva in the tear-stained agony of her defeat, one wonders if it is proper to subject a 15-year-old to such intense pressure—not to mention the years of demanding training that put the youngster where she was in Beijing. One wonders if Valieva was robbed of her childhood by parents, coaches, and a system that exploited her potential. But such is the “human drama of athletic competition.” An Olympian reality show to beat all reality shows. And all of us who’ve been involved with sports can hearken back to our own triumphs and tragedies. And most of us are better off for having been “in the arena.” (See Teddy Roosevelt quote below.) Even if our arenas were not Olympian.But somehow our sports thrills seem to make up for our sports agonies. Hopefully it will also be so for the Shiffrins and Valievas of our sports world. Sports Quiz Who was the youngest Olympic Gold Medalist ever? (Answer follows) Born Today That is to say, sports standouts born on March 3 include star heptathlete and twotime Olympic Gold See MOFFETT on 36

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, March 3, 2022 —

Teams of four will compete at indoor mini-golf, candlepin bowling, pinball, skee-ball and darts in the Saving Animals Indoor Triathlon at Funspot on Saturday, March 19th. TRIATHLON from 1 and in 2019, the last year before the pandemic, the event raised $57,000, which was distributed among various groups that help save animals. In between, the organizers of the Triathlon also started the nonprofit group FUNds4Paws.org, working at also organizing other fun events to help raise funds to save animals. FUNds4Paws pays no salaries and is strictly volunteer run. Over the years FUNds4Paws has given away hundreds of thousands

of dollars of their funds to numerous rescues, as well as hoping individual animals. Some of the beneficiaries are Live and Let Live Farm, Friends of Feral Cats NH, Franklin Animal Shelter, Lakes Region Humane Society, SNIPIT-NH Mobile Veterinary Clinic, Rozzie Mae Animal Alliance and Those Cat Rescue People. FUNds4Paws has also paid for training fees for unadoptable dogs to ensure they will find homes. One of the more significant contributions that FUNds4Paws has

made over the past few years was to help purchase a 35-foot RV that was specially modified with an onboard veterinary surgical facility to be able to travel to areas where animals need care but are not close to the proper facilities. Unfortunately, like so many other events, because of the Covid scare, the Indoor Triathlon was postponed in 2020 from March till September, but the overall fundraising was far below expectations. The group had high hopes to hit the $60,000 mark, but fell

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Have fun playing with friends while helping to save little guys like this one. far short and put a hold on funds that some of the animal groups had depended on. This year’s Indoor Triathlon is already seeing a return to normal as many teams have already signed on to play, but there are still a few spots open to fill the tournament. If you are unfamiliar with the Saving Animals Indoor Triathlon, this is how it works. Teams of four “indoor athletes” take part in vying for the high scores in candlepin bowling, indoor mini-golf, darts,

skee-ball and pinball with prizes awarded to the high scoring teams. There are also prizes for the team that raises the most money in pledges outside of the tournament, as well as the team with the best costumes and themes making for a lot of fun in itself. Team members also get free pizza and soda throughout the event. There will also be raffles of donated baskets, a 50/50 cash raffle and a “Super Pledge Prize” for team players. This years’ super prize choic-

es are Get Away Packages for two including lodging, round trip air fare and bonus attraction passed. Choices this year are Miami Beach, Las Vegas, New Orleans or Nashville. Of course, everyone who participates gets the added benefit of helping some woefully underfunded animal rescue programs in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. If you have a team and would like to register for the Saving Animals Indoor Triathlon it costs $200 per team and registration is at FUNds4Paws.org. The sign-in for the March 19th evens is at 9am and the Triathlon gets underway at 10am. The crew at FUNds4Paws would also like to thank this year’s sponsors who without there might not be a Triathlon at all. They include Naults Powersports, Hart’s Turkey Farm Restaurant, Bootleggers, Coca-Cola, Akwa Marina Beach Bar, Donovan Tree Experts, Mix94/1, Oldies92.9, Planet 100.1fm, WSCY 106.9fm, Piche’s Ski & Sports and the Weirs Times.

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, March 3, 2022 —

THE SIMPLE FEAST Tomato Soup

by Eric N Gibson Contributing Writer

With an article on Grilled Cheese last week who didn’t see one on Tomato Soup coming soon after? Tomato soup and grilled cheese are like Abbott and Costello, Martin and Lewis, Rowan and Martin, Jane Russell and a Cross Your Heart… ahh, I think you get the picture. You just cannot think of one without the other. Easy to make straight from the can, solo or as a base ingredient, your imagination is the only limit to creativity. And, believe it or not, Tomato Soup ranks high on the comfort food list. (Even higher when paired with ooey gooey yummy grilled cheese.) Tomatoes have been put into soups and foods for centuries. History indicates that it was about the middle of the 16th century when tomatoes were introduced to Europe by returning explorers of South America. But widespread popularity and use of the tomato didn’t really begin until the mid 1800’s with soup recipes being published in contemporary cook books of the day, both within and outside of the United States. But it was Joseph Campbell who is credited with bringing Condensed

Tomato Soup to the table in the late 1890’s once he figured out a way to reduce the water content in the can, thus reducing weight and shipping expense. Keeping costs low while increasing profits, no doubt. What is it about tomato soup that people like? I think most will agree that it isn’t so much the soup itself as it is the memories that this comfort food creates. By the time I was 22 I had learned the meat cutting trade working in a small store. The owner and his wife were great, but I needed something more and I thought it was a degree. At 22, I thought I was going to be the old man of the class, was I ever wrong. All sorts of federal programs filled with financial incentives were sending nontradi-

tional students back to the classroom. The average age of my freshman class was perhaps north of 32. So, what does this have to do with Tomato Soup, you ask? I’m getting there. Between classes and time to burn, some of us would go to the student lounge and hang out, do homework, eat lunch; all the things old college “kids” did. One of the older guys, a single dad, was headed for his apartment on campus and I was heading down town to find something to eat. I asked him if he wanted a lift, it was a rainy, cold, overcast day. He said, “Sure! It beats walking.” On the way to his place he asked if I wanted to have some lunch. He admitted he didn’t have much to offer but I was welcome to join him. So I did. Long story short,

he popped a can of Tomato Soup, doctored it a bit to give it some ¨staying power¨ and laid out a sleeve of saltines. That was lunch. One of the best I have ever had. As we sat by the kitchen window, at a small dinette barely big enough to fit the two of us. (We were both the size of baby gorillas; over 6 feet tall and 230 pounds apiece.) We indulged in a most memorable meal. Not of Tomato Soup and soda crackers, but because of the delightful conversation held between two strangers. Moe opened his home to me that day, sharing not only his food but his wit and insightful wisdom gained through his years of experiences. What the rest of us were going to school for he naturally demonstrated: food, when shared with others, is a medium for an experience, and that experience is Hospitality. Nothing beats a cup of Tomato Soup on a raw bone cold day in fall, winter, or spring. Those awful days of blustery wind driven freezing cold rain, sleet, or snow that just will not let up. One brisk walk to the wood pile or a hop, skip, and jump right into that deep puddle and you become a convert to the comforts of a steamy hot mug of thick, rich, Tomato Soup. It’s a full on assault to the senses: to see the steam rise, and feel the warmth of the bowl or mug on your finger tips. And the color, anything from deep red to a creamy orange hue, these alone trigger something familSee FEAST on 22

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outside, we’re still looking for an icy treat inside. In my family’s dessert experiments, we’ve come up with some doozies, but here’s one you may not have tried: If you put popsicles in the blender, the creamy result tastes just like yummy sherbet. -JoAnn * If your lunchbox could be fresher, here’s a tip from S.W. in Texas: Spray a piece of bread with vinegar and zip it up in your lunchbox overnight to clear out smells. * “You don’t need to buy a special brush to get at high ceilings and skylights: Simply cover a broom with a pillowcase to clean cobwebs off the ceiling. To clean a skylight, cover a mop with a double layer of paper towels or newspaper, and secure with clips. Spray the paper with window cleaner and heft it up!” -- M.E. in Arkansas * “Here are two more uses for orange peels: Remove all labels and hard parts of the peels. Toss orange peels in a quart Mason jar. When full, fill with vinegar and set in warm place for two weeks. Strain into

spray bottle, then discard peels. Makes an excellent disinfectant and ant killer. Or, dry orange peels. When crisp-dry, break into pieces and toss in a blender, then blend to a powder. Put in airtight container to sprinkle on fruit salads or use for orange zest.” -- B.C. in New Hampshire * Pinprick hole in your rubber glove? Put the glove on and paint the hole with nail polish. It’ll seal up a small hole, making the glove usable again. * “Here’s an awesome way to clean silver. Take an aluminum foil pan -- the disposable kind -- and line it with a piece of aluminum foil; sprinkle in some salt -- I use sea salt, but any kind will do -- then add an equal amount of baking soda, and fill the container with boiling water. Put your silver, including jewelry, into the mix -it cleans instantly! Of course, you’ll have to turn the larger pieces, so be careful not to burn yourself.” -- L.N. in B.C., Canada * Do you remember the last time you went on vacation and came home the night before returning to work or school, and the house was trashed and there was no food or anything? Do yourself a favor here: Clean See TIP on 19

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, March 3, 2022 —

OUT on the TOWN

WEIRS TIMES’ BEER FINDER

Great Food, Libations & Good Times!

TIP from 18 house before you leave; schedule a grocery delivery of essentials for your return, if possible; and schedule a recovery day at home before returning to work. * Bread can be frozen and reheated in the oven after a quick spritz of water. Sliced bread can be defrosted on the counter as needed. There’s really no excuse to have bread go bad. * For furniture items that require their own small tool to tighten screws (think, IKEA furniture, etc.), this tip is genius: Tape the tool to the underside of the furniture, or in an inconspicuous place. It will be handy for quick tighten-ups and ready when you need to take it apart to move it. • “I had to pick up a bunch of BBs that spilled in our garage. It was very aggravating, until I decided to get out my vacuum. I put a very thin sock (didn’t have any panty hose) on the end and tucked it into the hose. I secured it with a zip tie. I was able to suck up most of the BBs, and they went right back in the container.” — E.L. in North Carolina • If you make your own broth, you can freeze cubes in easyto-measure amounts by using your muffin tin. Measure out broth in half-cup or cup amounts, then freeze. When done, pop them out into a freezer-safe baggie.

* Use mismatched socks to protect glass items when transporting them from place to place, or even in storage. * Refillable spray bottles work best for cleaners. Refills can be economical, they put less waste in the system, and here’s one more reason: less propellants used, which can be a serious irritant to lungs. Purchase an attractive bottle, and then look up some recipes for ecofriendly cleaners. You might be surprised how well they work and how great they smell! * Get rid of the smell of burned popcorn in your microwave by setting a bowl of coffee grounds in it overnight. Somehow, when you remove it in the morning, it smells of neither popcorn nor coffee! Send your tips to Now Here’s a Tip, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803. (c) 2022 King Features Synd., Inc.

ACKERLY’S

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

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

603.859-7500 | EatAtJohnsons.com

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CALL FOR TAKE OUT Hours: Tuesday - Sunday 11:30am - 8pm 331 SOUTH MAIN ST., LACONIA

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Grill & Galley 83 Main Street, Alton 603.875.3383 Akerlysgrillandgalleyrestaurant.com Stoneface -IPA Smuttynose -Old Brown Dog Harpoon -Winter Warmer Great Rhythm -Resonation Moat Mtn -Stout

COPPER KETTLE TAVERN

At Hart’s Turkey Farm Restaurant 233 D.W. Hwy, Meredith 603.279.6212 hartsturkeyfarm.com Henniker - Working Man’s Porter Concord Craft - Safe Space Stoneface - IPA Moat Mtn - Blueberry 603 - Winni Amber Ale ...+6 More On Tap

D.A. LONG TAVERN

At Funspot 579 Endicott St N., Weirs 603.366.4377 funspotnh.com Lagunitas - Willettized Coffee Stout (2019) Banded - Daikaiju Fiddlehead - Aetherium Burlington - Elaborate Metaphor Rockingham - Winter Wonderham Toppling Goliath - Zeelander ...+6 More On Tap

JOHNSON’S TAPHOUSE

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

www.wrapcitysandwiches.com

MORRISSEYS’

Porch & Pub 286 S. Main St., Wolfeboro 603.569-3662 Morrisseysfrontporch.com Smithwick’s Guinness Harp Concord Craft Safe Space Concord Craft Coffee Stout Stella Artois ...+11 More On Tap

OVER THE MOON FARMSTEAD 1253 Upper City Rd, Pittsfield overthemoonfarmstead.com CIDERS: Thirteen5; Little Apples BEER: Full Moon Blanket (Belgium Gold Strong); La Lune Blonde (Belgium Blonde Ale); German Pilsner; American Pale Ale; IPA with Honey SESSION MEADS: Razz What She Said; Currant Obsession; No Need To Argue

PATRICK’S PUB

18 Weirs Rd., Gilford 603.293.0841 Patrickspub.com Patrick’s Slainte House Ale Great North - Moose Juice Guinness Tuckerman - Pale Ale 603 - Winni Amber Ale Woodstock - Moody Brew IPA ...+9 More On Tap

THE WITCHES BREW PUB

At The Craft Beer At Johnson’s Xchange Seafood & Steak 59 Doe Ave., Weirs 69 Rt 11, New Durham Beach 603.409.9344 603.859.7500 FB @craftbeerxchange eatatjohnsons.com/ Ace – Pineapple Cider newdurham Moat Mountain – Czech Pils Orono -The Way Life Should Be Lithermans – Misguided IPA Widowmaker -Blue Comet Fiddlehead – 2nd Fiddle DIPA Northwoods -Glass 3 Floyds – Zombie Dust Pale Ale Bells -Expedition Stout Smuttlabs – Snaccident Stout Woodstock- Frosty Goggles ...+30 More On Tap Lone Pine - Oh-J ...+30 More On Tap ** Tap listings subject to change!

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, March 3, 2022 —

SIMPLE SPICY TOMATO SOUP

The Loon Center

& Markus Wildlife Sanctuary The Loon’s Feather Gift Shop Selling “all things loon” & more!

• Free Admission • Award-winning videos, exhibits & trails! Lee’s Mill Rd, Moultonborough, NH

603-476-LOON (5666) • www.Loon.org

SEE WEBSITE FOR HOURS

Yield: 6-8 servings Time: 20-30 minutes Ingredients: 1- 23 ounce can of Condensed Tomato Soup 12oz. Water (½ a can) 12oz. Milk, Cream, or ½ and ½ 3/4 cup Chunky Mild Salsa 1 Tbsp. White Sugar (optional) Garnish Sour Cream Grated Cheddar Cheese Fresh Chopped Cilantro or Chives

- Arrange a layer of cheese slices on a slice of bread - Arrange the 4 thin slices of tomato on top of the cheese - arrange the remaining cheese slices on top

of the tomato - top with second slice of bread - Over Low to Medium heat melt one tablespoon of butter in the fry pan and carefully place the sandwich into the hot fry pan. - Heat for a few minutes but do not burn (unless you like your grilled cheese extra toasty). - Remove with a spatula and melt remaining butter in pan. - Flip the sandwich, carefully placing it into the hot pan of melted butter. - Heat to desired doneness and remove to plate.

- Serve immediately with chips and soup of choice if desired.

FEAST from 17 iar, pleasing, satiating within. And that smell, the richness of steaming tomatoes blended with perhaps onion or maybe celery? And the spices, subtle notes of paprika and pepper tickling your nose. And with each sip, you feel the warmth as it permeates from your core outward. What’s that you say? But Tomato Soup is too acidic? Well that could be, and on occasion I would agree, but there are ways to decrease the acid and improve the flavor. Have you tried experimenting with some sugar? The

old-timers can still remember the days of their youth when they mimicked their grandpa. Sneaking the sugar bowl off the table. In bare feet they would dash to the garden. Plucking that perfectly ripe red tomato from the vine, it nearly fell into the hand. Then, taking a shingle from the wood shed they would steal off to the shade of a tree. There they sat, with their little Imperial jackknife taken from the pocket of their bib overalls. And they cut that tomato on the cured shake, wedge after wedge, dipping each delicious piece into the sugar bowl. Mmmmmm!!!! So why not add a bit of sugar or perhaps some cream? In moderation, these will help to reduce some of the acidic properties in Tomato Soup. And, while they do bring a different dimension, they do not take away from the classic tomato flavor. Garnished with grated cheddar and paprika, or a dollop of sour cream and fresh herbs, or served with grilled cheese or soda crackers, Tomato Soup not only hits the spot, but alone or together with friends, it’s a Simple Feast.

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, March 3, 2022 —

PHOTO COURTESY CLIFFORD PHOTOGRAPHY CLIFFORDPHOTOGRAPHYNH.COM

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, March 3, 2022 —

Brenda MacKay

Established 1971

My Little Sewing Room

ning Dry Cleaff & Drop O rvice Se p u k ic P

“You sow your oats... while I stitch your britchez”

Homestead Place, Alton, NH (603) 875-5329

Avoiding Wedding Day Disasters Wedding planning helps to avoid disasters on your most special day. But despite all efforts to achieve a perfect wedding there will always be small hiccups along the road that could turn your day into a major disaster! With proper planning and a simple change in your priorities you will be able to relax and actually enjoy marrying the person you love. There seems to be no such thing as a disaster proof wedding. It is not uncommon for couples to find their wedding day to be plagued with one or two significant disaster. This article isn’t really so much about how to avoid your wedding disaster, or even how to minimize the wedding disaster poten-

PHOTO COURTESY CLIFFORD PHOTOGRAPHY CLIFFORDPHOTOGRAPHYNH.COM

tial, but how to handle one so that the disaster does not have to ruin, or even heavily impact, your wedding day. Planning a wedding is one half optimistic

jubilation and dream realization and one half delegation. Division of labor or proper delegation on your wedding day plans may result to a fabulous wedding. If, however, you become too demanding, delegate too heavily and heap

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piles of responsibilities onto just one or two people, or try to master every chore yourself, you are definitely asking for wedding day disasters to show up and make themselves well known on the big day. Small Disasters, Large Disasters, and Opportunities Disasters are going to range from small to large. Anything can happen on a wedding day. The flower girl might wet her pants or the groom might faint, forget his vows, or forget where the church is and what time he is supposed to be there. Using your potential disasters as an opportunity requires a very special mind set, but one that anyone is able to achieve. Weddings become so important, especially to women, because they earmark an event that is See AVOID on 28

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, March 3, 2022 —

Finding The Humor In Your Wedding Almagra Barn At Waukewan Golf Club Located in the heart of the Lakes Region, this 1800’s farm offers everything you are looking for in a charming New England setting. The Property had operated as the Almagra Farm before it became a golf club. “Almagra” translates to “Red” in native languages. The function facility is an elegant post & beam barn, with a beautiful fieldstone fireplace and large dance floor. We are surrounded by majestic mountain views. It is a perfect place for weddings, receptions, rehearsal dinners, business meetings and conferences or special occasions. Please contact Kim Hale at 603-677-2649 or email: Please contact Kathy Baker at 603-677-2513 khwaukewan@metrocast.net for more information. khwaukewan@metrocast.net for more information. 166 Waukewan Road

PHOTO COURTESY CLIFFORD PHOTOGRAPHY CLIFFORDPHOTOGRAPHYNH.COM

Prepare for anything to happen on your wedding day!! No matter how much preparation you have given to your wedding or reviewed the details; some things can just happen. One week before my wedding, my father announced he was going in for a major colon operation. Unfortunately, there was no way he could re-schedule this operation and there was also no way we could re-schedule the wedding. We just had to go on. The operation was a success but by the time the wedding hit he was still in the hospital and was only able to come to the wedding to walk me down the aisle. The poor guy

helped pay for the party, had tons of friends there and had to leave. It sucked but there was absolutely nothing we could do about it. It was just the way things played out. You can never know what might happen. But, the main thing is to go on. My dad not being at my wedding was a huge glitch in my day but it also helped me overlook all the other things. Say for example: • My fiancé getting a black eye the day before the wedding while kickboxing • The spa screwing up my booking for my pedicure and manicure (on the positive, they did get the

bridesmaid’s correct) • My aunt spilling a full glass of red wine all down the front of my mothers (pink) dress • Scrambling for a place for pictures as the weather wasn’t cooperating for outdoor pictures as planned • And the best, a bell man screaming at my husband and I to open our door on our wedding night as he thought we were having a huge party (it was next door) –although my husband always likes saying we made way too much noise that night. In hindsight, it’s all See HUMOR on 28

Center Harbor, NH

603-279-6661

www.waukewangolfclub.com

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, March 3, 2022 —

Sacred Heart Church 291 Union Ave Laconia, NH 524-9609 St. Joseph Church 30 Church St. Laconia, NH 524-9609

St. André Bessette Parish Masses now open to the public at Sacred Heart Church

Saturdays: 4pm; Sundays: 7:00, 8:30 & 10:30am Livestreamed Mass: Sunday 8:30am Daily Masses: Monday & Thursday: 8am, Tuesday: 5:00pm, Wednesday: 8:15am Both churches are open daily for private prayer

Three Basic Things to Remember For a Wedding

We will be following the Governor’s guidelines for COVID-19. .. 40% seating capacity, social distancing, masks & hand sanitizer required.

www.standrebessette.org

Very Reverend Marc B. Drouin, V.F., Pastor

PHOTO COURTESY CLIFFORD PHOTOGRAPHY CLIFFORDPHOTOGRAPHYNH.COM

800.321.5008 | atlaspyro.com

One of the most exciting days of anyone’s life is the day that they get married. They may wait for that day for years with anticipation, wanting to make sure that everything goes as perfectly as possible. To be certain, a lot of advance preparation is necessary to ensure that there are not any major problems when the day arrives. Here are some things that you should consider in advance so that you can make sure that the day is going to be one that is special and is going to be remembered, not for the problems that occurred, but for how smoothly it went. Long before the wedding day arrives, you must ensure that the location is available and that it is going to

be available on the day that you needed for your wedding. This is a problem that may seem obvious, but the last thing that you would want is for any last-minute problems to arise that could result in a major change for the wedding date plans. Not only is this important for you and your significant other, it is also important for all of the guests that may be prepared to attend the wedding. Think about those who may be coming from out of town, and if it is necessary to change the date at the last minute, it can be a very expensive change. Flowers are a very important part of many weddings as well. You need to make sure that the florist is contacted

far in advance and that they have an exact idea of what you want to take place during the wedding. Again, there are many things that need to be considered in this regard, and it is not only going to be for the bride and groom. In many cases, the flowers are not only going to be at the wedding ceremony themselves but they will also be at the reception. Ensure that the florist is on board with all of your needs and that they have a reputation for taking care of the needs of their customers. The photography that is going to take place during the wedding is also something that needs to be considered carefully. SomeSee BASICS on 28

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, March 3, 2022 —

PHOTO COURTESY CLIFFORD PHOTOGRAPHY CLIFFORDPHOTOGRAPHYNH.COM

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, March 3, 2022 —

BASICS from 26 thing that you may want to consider is that the photographer should be able to work alongside with the videographer that is being used. When they work well together, the end result is going to be one that will be enjoyed for many years to come. If I could give you one more piece of advice, it would be to ensure that even the smallest of detail is thought out well in advance. It is the details that are going to be what is remembered about the day, and although the significant features of the wedding are also going to be remembered.

HUMOR from 25 really humorous (well except my dad part)! Make sure you grab your humor on your wedding day about all the things that are out of your control! If you can’t seem to find the humour, try to do a few relaxation techniques such as: • Tighten the muscles in your toes. Hold for a count of 10. Relax and enjoy the sensation of release from tension. • Breathe deeply and slowly. • Get a quick breath of fresh air! A quick walk can give you a much-needed “timeout” which will release some tension. Try to also designate someone to take care of details that you just don’t need to worry about. For example, have a friend in charge of the catering or someone for the music etc. When a problem arises, the bride usually hears and then you can just tell your friend and forget about it. You don’t need to be wasting your time fighting with the catering or disc jockey.

AVOID from 24 “supposed to happen” in a very “specific manner.” When we can start to let go of the “supposed to” and “should” theories, then we can focus in a more determined fashion on what is most vital to us, why we are going through with this highly expensive and taxing endeavor, and how we can make sure we enjoy our own wedding day. For all the money, time, energy, and thought that we put into a wedding, so many men and women alike find that they either barely even remember the day or didn’t have time to enjoy the day. We usually spend more money, time, and energy on wedding planning than we do for vacations and yet we don’t completely enjoy them or at least remember them? How logical is that? Turning a problem into an opportunity is not easy, but it is very simple. The primary step is learning to recognize any chance or room for improvement or change from the traditional wedding ceremony. The second is learning to allow yourself an ideal emotional day and let the details fall as close to as you hoped as possible. If your emotional experience is beautiful and life affirming, the physical experience around you will be better. A Change In Priorities Breathes New Life Into Weddings

A simple change in your priorities may be

just what you need in order to achieve your perfect wedding. Simple changes in your priorities or minor shift in your perspective might as well change your entire wedding day experience. The ability to be flexible no matter what happens is just the beginning. Nothing will change and it will not make you less joyful while you exchange wedding vows if you allow your flower girl to change into different clothes after she wets her pants. Watching your abouttobehusband go on the fly when it is his turn to recite his wedding vows allows you to witness honest beauty rather than watching him blow it. These small but vital changes in perspective are a strong piece of bringing together the perfect wedding day. Ditching the ideas of “could be” and “should be” and “want it to be” and transforming your day into an honest celebration of love, family, friends, and the future creates a while new vibe for the entire wedding. With enough perspective alterations your wedding day can go from that story book fantasy that ends with a notated disaster that stands to ruin the whole day to a beautiful day without pretense, without judgment and without emotional distress.

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, March 3, 2022 — METZLER from 7 tack Ukraine, largely because that sovereign country wishes to join NATO in the future. Weeks of intense diplomacy saw Putin become the epicenter of global attention as French, Brit-ish, German and other diplomats rushed to the Kremlin to talk peace. Putin reminds them with bemused contempt and a twinkling smirk, of their energy vulnerability and dependence on a spider web of Russian gas pipelines which bind them all together. An information war has reached full spin cycle between Moscow and Washington. Claims, charges and countercharges have created a chaos of confusion abetting Putin’s plans. Theatrics aside, an American/Russian

military clash through miscalculation is totally possible during this dangerous “grey zone conflict” posturing and wider conflict. Following the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and subsequent collapse of the former Soviet East Bloc, the Atlantic Alliance was expanded to former members of Moscow’s Warsaw Pact. This was a bitter pill for Russia to accept. Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary joined NATO in 1999 and the Baltic States in 2004. Russia opposes any further NATO enlargement, especially on its frontiers. This conflict with the Kiev government has been simmering since 2014; now the war has exploded. But Ukraine’s tough and inspiring President Volodmyr Zelensky serves as a rallying

point for freedom in his beleaguered country. Nonetheless neither NATO nor the U.S. are treaty bound to defend Ukraine as we are Poland or Lithuania. Still since 2014 the U.S. has provided more than $2.5 billion in military aid to Ukraine. The UN General Assembly has met in urgent session to soundly condemn Moscow’s actions. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba issued a dire warning, “We are currently in the midst of the largest security crisis in Europe since the Second Word War. The crisis was created and is being escalated by one side unilaterally, by the Russian Federation.” He added, “The beginning of a largescale war in Ukraine will be the end of the world order as we know it.”

American Ambassador Linda ThomasGreenfield stated, “we stand at a crossroads in the history of this body.” (UN) She added, “Russia’s actions are an unprovoked violation of international law, of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.” “The world is calling for peace, but Russia is not listening,” United Kingdom Ambassador Barbara Woodward stated. Clearly there’s no sane alternative for Europe. 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.

BOSAK from 13 difference? We’ve seen our spring robins every year of our lives and we just know when they are the ones gracing us with their presence. The days will have become longer and warmer, and the excitement of spring will be in the air. Then, we’ll look at our yard, see a robin, and spring will have arrived. This is certainly not to say our winter robin visitors aren’t welcome. In a way, these winter robins are worthy of more attention than our summer robins. We don’t expect to see robins in the winter, so when we do, it’s a worthy sighting. By mid-summer, our robins have become commonplace and we long to see something different. Winter robins are rarely alone. Usually, when there is one robin, there are dozens. In some northern loca-

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tions, winter flocks of robins number in the hundreds or even thousands. Despite the large numbers, robins can be usually difficult to find in the winter. The frozen ground means their favorite meal of worms is unattainable. Rather, robins that stay with us in the winter eat mostly berries and certain seeds. Fruit from ornamental trees, holly bushes, leftover crabapples and other berries sustain these robins. So among the blackcapped chickadees, tufted titmice, whitebreasted nuthatches, mourning doves, northern cardinals, woodpeckers, dark-eyed juncos and white-throated sparrows that we get used to seeing in the winter, keep your eyes open for robins in your neighborhood. Unless, of course, you’d rather wait until spring.

Paid Break! Free Pizza & Soda!

(while on break)

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, March 3, 2022 —

Yours truly making snowshoe tracks on a trailless trek up West Hitchcock Mountain, elevation 3,064 feet . I followed my compass uphill and my snowshoe tracks on the way back. I carried plenty of extra clothing, food and a thermos of hot coffee. PATENAUDE from 3 hiking all NH 4,000 footers in each of the 12 months). One was off to the Kinsmans and the other two headed to Pierce. Well, West Hitchcock

happens to be on the New Hampshire Highest 200 list. I snowshoed up the path and then when I reached an open area I went north through the trees to find the

abandoned forest road that was marked on my map. Trees and Hobble Bush have begun to reclaim the wide flat way through the forest. There was plenty of new growth

so that my guess that it wouldn’t be any fun to try to ski it was correct. Several times I walked in the more open hard wood forest adjacent to the old forest road. The snowshoe conditions were very good, I could move fast staying on top of the snow. Six years ago I made my way to the top of this peak from the west starting from Lincoln woods. This time I was hitting it from the south and I knew it would be a lot steeper. When the road started to get steep I set my compass bearing to head to the summit ridge. Before I could start to climb the steeps I had to slab down and cross a stream. I could see open water but I found a good place to cross where the snow made a good bridge over the rocks in See PATENAUDE on 31

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, March 3, 2022 —

Sometimes the recognized summit is difficult to find, especially when the summit is long and flat. Not all mountains have summit registers. West Hitchcock’s summit is outside the Pemigewasset Wilderness Boundary. PATENAUDE from 30 the streambed. It was 19 degrees and lightly spitting snow when I started out but now it was really snowing. The hardwood forest was wide open and silent. I crossed no animal tracks the entire outing. The higher I climbed the more my snowshoes began to sink into more cold powdery snow. It wasn’t bad, maybe sinking 3 or 4 inches with the occasional post hole to surprise me. As I neared the summit ridge it got really steep, almost like climbing a ladder. My snowshoe crampons bit

into the snow. I pushed with my ski poles and grabbed trees to help pull myself up. Walking on the summit ridge felt like a vacation, it is nearly flat and a third of a mile long. The highpoint is on the very northeast end. Once at the highpoint I quickly removed my wet fleece and dressed more warmly in my light down jacket and I pulled over my head its warm hood. I drank hot coffee from my thermos while I read the names in the register. It doesn’t get many visitors, no one from last summer and

the most recent were in December a pair from Quebec and Maine. The previous signers were a small group from Ossipee way back early last March. I returned by retracing my tracks in the snow. On the way down, since I wasn’t breathing hard, I noticed I could now hear the toot-toots from Loon Mountain’s steam train. A few of the steep sections I had to work my way down backwards so I could dig my crampons into the snow to lower myself. When I was almost back to the old forest road I realized I couldn’t see my tracks anymore. The tracks weren’t deep but now the crampon marks were buried with a few inches of snow. The road wasn’t hard to find, all I needed to do was to continue downhill and I’d hit it. My car was blanketed with three inches of new snow and it was still snowing and there were no other cars in the lot.

I packed my stuff away and changed into dry clothes. I couldn’t find my snow brush so I used a towel to wipe the snow off my car. The rumble of a snow plow truck on the Kanc Highway broke the silence. The truck’s appearance would make my drive back to Lin-

coln a little easier. Have Fun. Amy Patenaude is an avid skier/outdoor enthusiast from Henniker, N.H. Readers are welcome to send comments or suggestions to her at: amy@weirs.com.

—SW—

SUZANNE’S WINDOWS

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781-272-7878 • suzanneswindows.com

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, March 3, 2022 —

SMITH from 9 becoming actors in his plays. In a memorial article after his death The Inter-State Journal (NH-VT) printed some of his lines that attracted attention, so I’ll share a couple: “ Wheeling is to be the capital of West Virginia. The Hub sends its congratulations,” and, “A Connecticut woman of 40 has had the forty-tude to elope with a youth of 18.” I realize that these may not seem very funny in the days we live in, but Hoyt became known as “the man who has made the whole world laugh.” It was while he was in Boston that Charles wrote his first plays.

Caroline Miskel, Hoyt’s second wife.

New Hampshire Marine Patrol

Get your New Hampshire Safe Boater Education Certificate! New Hampshire has a mandatory boating education law. Everyone 16 years of age and older who operates a motorboat over 25 horsepower on New Hampshire waters must have a boating education certificate. The New Hampshire boater education course covers a range of topics from safety instructions to boat handling to reading the weather and prepares you for a variety of situations you could find yourself in while on the water. To search/register for a Boating Education Class visit our website at www.boatingeducation.nh.gov or for information regarding boating laws and regulations visit www.marinepatrol.nh.gov

Remember to wear your life jacket!

The productions of Gifford’s Luck and A Bunch of Keys were somewhat successful for the 24 year old writer, so he left the newspaper to become a full-time playwright and producer, writing an average of one musical comedy play each year. A word that was used to describe the plays of Charles Hale Hoyt is one I don’t hear used much, if at all, in these days. The word is “farce.” A couple of the shorter definitions for farce are “a humorous play,” and “a comedy in which everything is absolutely absurd.” Someone said that Hoyt had no higher purpose than to make people laugh. When he was asked if he was ever going to be serious he claimed that he was already doing that and noted that making $100,000 a year was not a minor accomplishment. The Howard Theater in Boston hosted his first plays and was the place of his first successes as a playwright. He brought a new style of production by drawing from the actions of ordinary people to

Hoyt’s Madison-Square Theatre build his plays upon. Those plays are said to have not contained much of a plot or continuous story line, but, rather, involved a series of humorous events. The critics were not always impressed with Hoyt’s creations, but the audiences were. Charles Hoyt started a production company in New York with a partner, Charles Thomas, which sent out groups into the country to perform Hoyt’s plays. In 1894 they took over the management of the Madison Square Theatre in New York; the theater became known as Hoyt’s Theatre. The play titled A Trip To Chinatown set a record run of 657 continuous performances. Though of Boston

and New York fame, Charles Hale Hoyt held onto his ties to New Hampshire. A write-up by The Lambs Club of New York says, “Hoyt was called New Hampshire’s first and greatest playwright. ‘The sparkling briskness of his plays is the characteristic of the man.’ a contemporary local author wrote.‘Keenly satirical yet never wounding, good humoredly witty, frank, and genial, Charles H. Hoyt, like his own plays, is a New England production and New Hampshire proudly claims him as her own.’” Before retired Boston Red Sox catcher Carlton Fisk became Charlestown’s favorite son, Charles Hoyt See SMITH on 33

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, March 3, 2022 —

Hoyt Mausoleum at Charlestown, NH, with flowers placed in his memory. Poster with Playwright Hoyt’s plays. SMITH from 32 probably fit that role. He bought a mansion in Charlestown and was twice elected to represent the town in the state legislature. During that time he had companies of performers go to Concord to put on plays for the legislators. The fun-loving playwright had a serious desire to have a family and was married twice, both times to actresses. The first marriage was to Flora Walsh from San Francisco, a woman described by a reporter as “One of the prettiest on the stage, and a most lovable woman.” They were married for about five years but a baby girl born to them did not live and Flora died of pneumonia on January 22, 1893 at the age of 22. The year 1893 was a sad one for Hoyt because his

father and his partner, Charles Thomas, also passed away in that year. That led to some heavy drinking by the bereaved playwright. Hoyt’s second marriage in 1894 was to a woman who was called the most beautiful of stage actresses by the name of Caroline Miskel. Further tragedy came when Caroline, just a couple of years later, contracted blood poisoning during a pregnancy, and died during childbirth. The baby boy also died. So the man from New Hampshire who had spent years making other people laugh and had made that his life’s work was overcome by great sadness. One writer said, “Broken with grief his mind gradually gave way.” A friend and busi-

ness partner, Frank McKee had him placed in an Insane Asylum in Hartford, Connecticut, after which he went to his home in Charlestown where he died four months later on November 20, 1900 at the age of 41. The cause of death was listed as paresis, but the root cause

might have been stated as being reckless living brought on by a broken heart. Charles Hoyt’s funeral was held at the Episcopal Church in Charlestown where his body lay in state for the many who came to mourn his passing. His body was laid to rest in the family mau-

soleum in Forest Hill Cemetery.

Robert Hanaford Smith welcomes your comments at danahillsmiths@yahoo.com.

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, March 3, 2022 —

Super Crossword

PUZZLE CLUE: PROGRAM FINALES

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by Parker & Hart

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, March 3, 2022 —

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Runners Up : After the mask mandate was dropped, the students are now required to receive a daily dose of Cod Liver Oil. - Priscilla Richdale, Pembroke, NH. Open wide! Best tonic to protect you from getting “ girl cooties” in the whole world! And it’s free! Enjoy. - Tim Eade, Ctr, Barnstead, NH.

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, March 3, 2022 —

MALKIN from 6 ter soft-on-borders Jeb Bush (then-governor of Florida) in 2006 and dubbed Miami a “ThirdWorld country.” (Twelve years later, President Donald Trump would set off the same triggers when he rightly complained about the flood of immigrants coming from “s---hole countries”). Libertarian former GOP House Majority Leader Dick Armey openly bragged about censoring Tom while they served in the House together, telling a National Press Club audience in 2010: “When I was the majority leader, I saw to it that Tom Tancredo did not get on the stage because I saw how destructive he was.” Destructive to the open-borders GOP donor base, that is. The silencing of true America

First warriors by Conservatism Incorporated sellouts continues to this day, of course. Tom was a defiant cancel culture canary in the coal mine. He survived and thrived. What Tom told me in 2014 when he ran for governor in Colorado holds true for every authentic America First Republican running for office: “The party bosses hate my candidacy because it represents a threat to their power and to the crony capitalists who want the government to supply them with cheap labor.” Tom’s detractors in both parties accused him incessantly of “hate.” But he is simply a lover of unvarnished truth. On the campaign trail, in the halls of Congress and in real life, he was and is one of the most genial and kind

human beings I’ve had the privilege to know. As I wrote to him in a text message last week while he was undergoing chemotherapy: “I will never forget the kindness you showed me twenty years ago when I asked you to write an endorsement for my first book, Invasion. We have long shared a love for our country -- and for Colorado, a place I’ve happily shared as a home for the past 14 years. I was so honored to support your run for governor and your fight against those trying to destroy this beautiful state. The forces of evil tried to cancel your voice time and time again but your voice will never be silenced. You always told it like it is! You have served our country so valiantly and left an indelible mark

on the America First movement. Most importantly, you guarded your independence and integrity and always put family first.” In typical humble and cheerful Tom fashion, he replied: “Thank you so much ... I wish I could always live up to those accolades. God bless you.” No, Tom. Thank you. We who carry the America First flame are eternally indebted to you. Godspeed. 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.

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, March 3, 2022 — STOSSEL from 7 than $200,000 a year. Well-paid doctors can be choosy about where they work. It’s why it’s tough to find a doctor in rural America, says Yglesias. There are lots of Walmarts and Targets in rural areas because there is no limit on big stores. Walmart and Target compete to serve as many communities as they can. Likewise, “Restaurants keep time that’s convenient for their customers. Doctors keep hours that are convenient for doctors.” I asked the AMA for an interview about this, but they declined. They sent us a statement saying they’ve worked

to approve “approximately 20 new medical schools.” Why does the AMA and its “Liaison Committee on Medical Education” even get to approve new schools? I don’t get to approve new TV reporters. The AMA’s statement claims it supports “increasing ... the number of physicians.” If that’s true, it’s long overdue. A study in Annals of Internal Medicine says if there were more primary care doctors, 7,200 lives would be saved. Since doctors are scarce, more people go to nurses for help. But AMA lobbyists push for laws that require nurses to be supervised by a doctor.

“That makes it much harder to open retail health clinics ... (that offer) low-cost, highconvenience treatment,” says Yglesias. “Nurses have a lot of training ... there’s a lot of useful stuff that they can do.” The AMA’s lobbying hurts poor people most. The AMA doesn’t like talking about that. Instead, it now obsesses about politically correct language, telling doctors, don’t say, “excons”; say “formerly incarcerated.” Don’t say “slaves”; say “enslaved people.” It’s hard to imagine how that helps patients. Yglesias concludes, “Getting really ob-

sessed with language politics is a good way to position themselves as the good guys, without addressing their own role in creating these problems.” John Stossel is creator of Stossel TV and author of “Give Me a Break: How I Exposed Hucksters, Cheats, and Scam Artists and Became the Scourge of the Liberal Media.” For other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit www.creators.com.

MAILBOAT from 2

election. Same day voter registration allows for a person to register to vote right up to the day of the election at the polling place. Certain documentation is required to justify a person’s domicile including photo ID among other things in most all of those states and DC but New Hampshire’s election law RSA 654:12(a) allows a person to register to vote on election day without any of those documents if they simply fill out a Qualified Voter Affidavit (QVA). The QVA is a form signed by the registrant whereby they “…swear and affirm, under penalties for voter fraud…” that they do in fact have See MAILBOAT on 38

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MAILBOAT from 37 the documents necessary to confirm they are a duly qualified voter and they are required to provide that documentation to the supervisors of the checklist within a certain amount of time following the election. New Hampshire election law requires the supervisors of the checklist to verify “…as soon as practical following an election…that the person was domiciled at the address claimed on election day…”, but this process has fault and that fault lies in the inability to correct an invalid ballot cast on election day by a person that has not followed through with the requirements of RSA 12:a or, has fraudulently filed a QVA form. NCSL identifies fortyseven states and Washington, DC that have a provisional ballot process. The provisional ballot process allows for a person to cast a legal

ballot even though there may be a question of the voter’s eligibility or other concerns for legitimacy of the ballot cast. The provisional ballot is filled out by the voter then sealed in a secure envelope with identification tied to the specific voter. Once the voter’s eligibility is confirmed the provisional ballot can be entered into the certified count. A provisional ballot process does not diminish a citizen’s voting rights, it does in fact provide for a more secure and fair election process. The New Hampshire House of Representatives currently has proposed legislation in a bill HB 1543 that would add a provisional ballot process in New Hampshire election law. That law needs to be enacted to assure New Hampshire has in place the most fair and secure election process in the Nation to justify the First-in-theNation recognition.

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Running For Inter-Lakes Seat

To The Editor: My name is Rachel Xavier and I am running for the At Large Representative seat on the Inter-Lakes School Board. Among my many goals for success, I specifically want to build a strong and communicative relationship between Inter-Lakes staff, parents, families, and taxpayers in the communities of Meredith, Center Harbor and Sandwich. Education has always been very important to me. I was raised by two school teachers who taught for a total of over 60 years, together serving the public school system. After living in the Lakes Region for most of my life, I presently reside in Center Harbor with my husband, our

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13 year old son, and our four dogs. I am a member of the Center Harbor Planning Board, the Center Harbor Heritage Commission, the Center Harbor Community Development Association, and Friends of Meredith Parks and Rec. This area has a special place in my heart. I remember as a little kid, fishing with my dad and exploring the lake. We would always be hiking or outside enjoying what this beautiful area has to offer. My first real job was at The Boathouse Grille before it became Lago. It has always been home to me and I knew this is where I wanted to raise my son. I work for Keller Williams Lakes & Mountains Realty in Meredith, running my own team called The Xavier Group. I have organized many fund-raisers throughout the community, believing that with business success comes the obligation to give back. As an active Realtor, we have teamed up with Surfside Burger Bar and raised $10,000 for the Skateboard Park and new playground at Prescott Park, and $5,000 for the Humane Society. We sponsored a Halloween Walk for the second time which was free to participants, but gathered $4000 in donations, which was combined with our yearly donation and given to the Children’s Auction. We have so many more planned! As a resident of Center Harbor and most importantly, a parent seeking the best for all the children of the district, I want to be part of solutions, bringing a fresh voice and conversations to the I-L School Board meetings. Presently, dialog and transparency seem to be lacking between the board, the public, the students, and staff.

With rising costs, a shrinking enrollment, and challenges lingering from the pandemic, having someone who can be a purveyor of civil discourse and openness is imperative to find the best path forward. I believe my business experience combined with my community organizing success makes me an ideal candidate for all aspects of the school board agenda. Elections are March 8 and all voters in Meredith, Center Harbor, and Sandwich have an opportunity to vote for all School Board candidates within the District. I hope to see you all at the polls and would very much appreciate your vote. Rachel Xavier Center Harbor, NH. To The Editor: My name is Mark Anderson and I’ve got 500 words to convince you to vote for me on March 8, 2022, as I run for the Meredith Representative on the Inter-Lakes School Board. Why should you vote for me over my two opponents? My best asset is my family and I’m the only one running for this position with kids now attending the Inter-Lakes schools. My wife, Meggin, and I have three kids, ages 10, 13, and 16, and through them, I see a broad spectrum of what is going on in the classrooms. I believe that the School Board needs a parent’s voice who has kids presently in the system, to better understand how the Board’s decisions affect the students. I’ve been a Youth League volunteer coach for many years, teaching kids the fundamentals of soccer, basketball and baseball, as well as good sportsmanship and fair play. Teachers and coaches, in the class-

room or on the field, are the backbone of learning and will guide future leaders with respect and life values. From 1999 to 2015, I owned and operated a successful commercial audio and video systems company with 12 employees, Baystate Audio and Media Services. Currently I work for DGI Communications, and it is through my work experience, that I understand how I can be an asset on the I-L School Board. When I make a video, in order to get the whole picture, I need to look through many lenses, capturing many angles. Being on the school board brings the same methodology. Very few topics have only one discussion point. I want to bring enthusiastic dialog to cover every angle before making decisions, whether it’s Covid protocols, curriculum, budget, negotiations, or policy. The table doesn’t just belong to the Board and Superintendents - it belongs to everyone in our district and everyone needs a voice for speaking and listening. Hopefully, I have given you enough of an insight into my beliefs and procedures to earn your vote on March 8. As a board member, I will make myself available to the public, answer questions, and attempt to give board meetings a friendlier atmosphere. Please vote Anderson, Mark Anderson, on March 8, 2022 for the Meredith Representative position. Because we are a Cooperative School District, all voters in Meredith, Center Harbor, and Sandwich will be able to vote for me on their town ballots. You don’t need to just live in Meredith. Mark Anderson Meredith,NH.

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, March 3, 2022 —

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, March 3, 2022 —