03/21/2024 Weirs Times

Wolfeboro’s Mildred beach celebrates 100th birthday

by Kathy Fairman

Mildred A. Beach of Wolfeboro celebrated her 100th birthday on Saturday, March 2, 2024 the way she lived the first century of her life, with grace, confidence, an occasional tear and a good many laughs. She spent the day at home in the little white cape her father built in the 1930s, visiting with family and more than a few dear friends who stopped by to share congratulations and fond memories.

“Remarkable,” “Sharp as a tack,” “Amazing,” and “I remember when…” were among the comments heard as folks gathered around cupcakes, coffee and punch after enjoying their cherished moments with the birthday girl, fondly known as “Beachie” or “Millie,” as well as Mildred.

A basketful of nearly 200 birthday cards, each carefully opened, read and returned to their envelopes sat on her side table next to a growing pile of those yet to

be opened.

Many included personal notes often with thanks for Mildred’s guidance support or leadership; among them letters from four New Hampshire governors, two of whom are currently New Hampshire’s US Senators. A copy of Saturday’s Union Leader rested on her knees, a Boston Globe nearby.

Wolfeboro Selectman Linda Murray read a Commendation from the Town’s Board of Selectman citing Mildred’s many years of

service to Wolfeboro and the State of New Hampshire, including bringing “joy to everyone she has met with her sense of humor, keen intellect and words of encouragement.”

Mildred Arlene Beach was born in Wolfeboro in Huggins Hospital, a wood-frame structure then located between Kingswood Regional High School and the Kingswood Golf Course on South Main Street. A heartshaped monument nestled

Vietnam Veterans Day Ceremony

TILTON - Veterans throughout the state and the general public are invited to attend the New Hampshire Veterans Home’s (NHVH) Vietnam War Veterans Day ceremony on Friday, March 29th at 11am at 139 Winter Street in Tilton, NH. This special observance commemorates the hardships suffered and sacrifices made by three million Americans during the Vietnam War as well as their families who supported them.

Nancy Warner and Terry Farish, keynote speakers, will represent the 625 Red Cross Sisters who served in Vietnam as ‘Donut Dollies’. Their address will explain their mission and honor their Brothers who served in the military as well as their Sisters who served alongside them with the Red Cross. The ceremony will take place in the Home’s ‘Town Hall’ great room, accessible via entrance at the corner of Winter Street and Colby Road in Tilton.

Additional speakers will also honor those who served to provide the ‘Welcome Home’ soldiers did not receive when returning from deployment overseas. The Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 41 and Service Credit Union are providing sponsorship for the event.

Mildred Beach at home on Lake Wentworth in Wolfeboro.

Not Better Off

To The Editor:

In his State of the Union address President Biden seemed very angry that I don’t feel better off now than during Trump’s Presidency.

Am I better off when $20 buys 3 gallons of gas fewer than under Trump?

Or when my normal groceries are now too expensive? And my taxes are up?

My fixed income doesn’t buy what it bought before.

How do middle-income and poorer Americans support their families?

And Biden wants to spend more money and increase our expenses.

By not enforcing our immigration laws Biden violates his Oath of Office; as a result, millions of people suffer.

Almost every day another American is killed by an illegal alien that Biden let into our country, thousands more are victims of other illegal alien crimes. 85,000 unaccompanied illegal alien children have been lost, many are being exploited as labor or sex slaves. Annually more Americans die of fentanyl that comes over Biden’s open border than died in the whole, long Viet Nam war.

Schools, housing, recreation, and other areas provided for American children, elderly, and others have been taken over for use by Biden’s illegal aliens.

Millions of Americans are killed or otherwise victimized by known criminals that Democrat prosecutors and judges refuse to prosecute, release without bail, or are given trivial sentences that don’t deter criminals.

High crime rates drive stores, offering merchandise, and businesses, offering jobs, to move away from communities making life much more difficult for lawabiding people.

Democrats just seem to like criminals more than law-abiding citizens and victims.

Biden has made some people better off: billionaires, Mexican drug cartels, and taxpayer-supported illegal aliens.

Most Americans don’t feel better off under Biden because they aren’t better off!!

Don Ewing Meredith, NH.

Taxpayer Funded Lobbying

To The Editor:

Are you, as a taxpayer, okay with lobbyists going to Concord with your hard-earned tax money? Your property tax money is currently being funneled to lobbying groups, through association memberships. It is then used to influence legislation that you may or may not agree with. Often lobbying is sold to municipalities packaged with other services so they have no choice but to spend taxpayer money on lobbying if they want access to their other services. These associations offer valuable support to town, city, and school administrative and legislative bodies. Legal support, continuing education and historical resources are useful and necessary for your governing bodies to function efficiently. The lobbying effort is where the lines become blurred.

Representative Josh Yokela’s

bill (HB1479) as introduced would eradicate the public funding of lobbying. During the legislative committee hearing, an amendment to HB1479 sought to gut the entire prohibition and was ultimately not adopted by the committee. A new amendment proposed seems to meet in the middle and not go quite that far: requiring lobbying entities to offer independent lobbying and nonlobbying services. If the client is a municipality, any contract that includes lobbying services, or is for lobbying services only, shall be limited to one year, and shall not be executed by the municipality prior to approval by the legislative body.

There are growing concerns over tax-payer money being used for lobbying at the State House. Often lobbying is sold to municipalities packaged with other services so they have no choice but to spend your taxpayer money on lobbying. But, this new amendment coming to the House floor on Thursday would allow the municipality an option to buy the other services offered by these associations without the lobbying effort and give the local taxpayers the power to vote on whether or not their tax money should be used for taxpayer funded lobbying. This is the opportunity to bring real power to the voters of New Hampshire. Contact your Representative today and communicate that taxpayers should hold the authority to determine whether their funds contribute to taxpayer-funded lobbying. The bill is scheduled for a vote in the house this upcoming Thursday.

NH. Rep Nikki McCarter Belmont. NH.

Exploring ThE lEgEnd & lorE of our graniTE STaTE

daniel Webster - the farMer

by Robert Hanaford Smith, Sr. Contributing Writer

Daniel Webster had a farm, and on that farm he had twenty-five acres of Swedish turnips. Mr. Webster also had eighteen yoke of oxen on his farm, with at least twelve yoke of them, meaning twenty-four individual ox, were from New Hampshire.

So what did Daniel Webster do with his twenty-five acres of Swedish turnips? He fed them, mixed with some corn meal, to his eighteen pairs of oxen, intending to fatten them up. All of the oxen were

said to be at least four years old, implying that they were well trained, and to be very valuable.

In previous articles I have written some of Mr. Webster in his primary roles as a great orator and politician, but he was also a very accomplished and successful

lawyer, and, probably mainly as a hobby, and to satisfy his addiction to spending, he became a farmer.

Webster grew up on a farm in Salisbury, NH, but in a relatively poor family, but after being a successful lawyer in Portsmouth and then

Boston, after having his first law office in Boscawen, his financial situation was greatly enhanced.

After becoming a Boston lawyer Webster bought a farm by the ocean in Marshfield, Massachusetts, and my description of some things that were on that farm come from the writings of a good friend of Mr. Webster’s, Judge George Washington Nesmith, who was a Justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court and would become the President of the New Hampshire Agricultural College.

Nesmith visited Webster at his Marshfield farm in October of the year 1851, just a few days after the second New Hampshire Agricultural Society fair and the first of its kind held at Manchester, New Hampshire, at which

Daniel Webster In His Younger Days.

EVENTS & ACTIVITIES

Dr Chris Gnanakan, Professor At Liberty University To Speak In Alton

Keynote Topic: Sharing Christ Among the Suffering Unreached in the Hindu, Muslim and Buddhist Worlds

The Community Church of Alton is pleased to announce that Dr. Chris Gnanakan, from South India, Professor of Theology and Gobal Studies at Liberty University, will be speaking at their Missions Night on April 6 from 5:30 to 8 pm.

The Keynote Topic: Sharing Christ Among the Suffering Unreached in the Hindu, Muslim and Buddhist Worlds. Dr. Gnanakan travels the world extensively, even into highly restricted areas with the Christian message, and comes to NH to share with us his work in Asia. He is a compelling teacher on the topic of world religions. The event will include a pot luck dinner and a presentation from Kevin Van Brundt of Camp Sentinel.

Professor Chris Gnanakan will be in the New Hampshire area only for the weekend, he is a dynamic speaker with a message you won’t want to miss!

The Community Church of Alton, is located at 20 Church St, Alton, NH for more info contact Deb Ryan cell 413-478-7539 or email dryanbagge8@gmail.com

“Paint Your Town Beautiful” Exhibit In Rochester

Easter Bunny To Arrive At Aviation Museum

Instead of hopping, he’s coming by student-built airplane!

The Easter Bunny will arrive on Saturday, March 23 at 9 a.m. at the Aviation Museum of N.H., 27 Navigator Road, Londonderry, N.H.

The celebrated treat-bearing rabbit is scheduled to taxi in on a studentbuilt RV-12iS, a two-seat light sport aircraft completed by students at the Manchester (N.H.) School of Technology.

The bunny’s 9 a.m. arrival will be accompanied by a water cannon salute courtesy the Manchester Airport Fire Department.

After disembarking from the student-built plane, the Easter Bunny will visit with fans, pose for pictures, and give out candy including chocolate Easter treats from Granite State Candy Shoppe. The Easter Bunny will be at the Aviation Museum from 9 to 11 a.m., when he’ll leave for his next engagement via a fire truck from the Manchester Airport Fire Department.

The Easter Bunny’s visit is free and open to all. Families are asked to arrive no later than 8:30 a.m. to park and safely make their way to the Aviation Museum, which is located at 27 Navigator Road, Londonderry, N.H.

Families are asked to dress appropriately for the outdoor event.

The Aviation Museum of N.H. will be open to the public on Saturday, March 23 starting at 9 a.m., with free admission and free activities for kids in the museum’s classroom during the bunny’s visit.

Rochester Public Library presents an Art Exhibit titled “Paint your Town Beautiful” featuring the art of the award-winning artist Marina Forbes. The art exhibit is free and open to the public and will be running during the regular library hours until the end of March. “A Conversation with the Artist” event will be held on the last Tuesday of March, on March 26th from 6pm to 7:30pm. The event is free and open to the public. The exhibit features beautiful scenery and picturesque architectural landmarks of Rochester, NH and neighboring towns in February. As they browse through the exhibits, visitors will learn some fascinating background details about some Rochester landmarks. This info was generously contributed by the local historians: Bob Griffin, a President of the Rochester Historical Society, Kent Marzoli, the current church historian for the First United Methodist Church and the Rochester Public Library.

The Rochester Public Library is located on 65 S Main St in Rochester, NH 03867 Painting “A Day at the Library” is by Marina Forbes.x

For more information (including some upcoming presentations and hands-on painting workshops), please contact Marina Forbes by phone at (603) 332-2255, by e-mail at marina@marinaforbes.com

A Brief History of the Building of the Rochester Public Library:

1903: Andrew Carnegie gave $20,000 to the town to build the library.

1905: The new library opened on October 2, 1905. It was designed by Randlett & Griffin of Concord, NH in Georgian Revival Style.

1941: A three-story addition was attached to the rear of the building. It included a second floor museum, a first floor stack room, and a basement “Courier Room” for additional newspapers and periodicals.

1996: A second addition was built.

Medieval Merriment Is Coming To Franklin.

The Franklin Opera House is pleased to announce a special Spring Gala event on Saturday, April 27 at 5:30 p.m. featuring a sit-down meal, fundraising raffle, and music by The Scott Spradling Band. This event is being celebrated with a Medieval Feast theme (costumes optional!). Some of their Friends from the neighboring Kingdom of Footlight (Franklin Footlight Theatre company) will be joining the fun in the Great Elks Hall (the Franklin Elks Lodge) for a rousing good time.

A ticket to the Spring Gala event includes salad, sides, rolls, a main course (roast turkey or stuffed shells), dessert & a complimentary ale, wine or soda from the bar. Gluten-free gravy and rolls are available upon request at purchase. Each Lord or Lady will receive their drink medallion upon check-in and one complimentary raffle ticket!

After dinner, Scott Spradling brings his tremendous “modern big band” (with lots of horns!) playing the mega hits heard on the radio over the years – from the 50’s to the 90s. Enjoy tunes from Chicago, Billy Joel, Sinatra, Michael Bublé, Huey, and more! Attendees can sit back and enjoy the show, or feel free to get up and dance!

All proceeds from this event will directly contribute to funding the renovation and reopening of Franklin Opera House.

Come join in the fun at Franklin Lodge of Elks for a night of feasting, frolic, and frivolity. Tickets are $49 per person and must be purchased in advance by April 20, either online at www.FOHNH. org, or by calling (603) 934-1901.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

*A FLATLANDER’S OBSERVATIONS

by Brendan Smith Weirs Times Editor

What’s the big deal

Unless you’ve been living in a cage, or spending all your time on Social Media, which is basically the same thing, you are most likely aware of the big event that is to take place on Monday, April 8th.

It’s time for a solar eclipse, the first one since 2017 and supposedly, bigger and better, according to news reports.

I haven’t been thinking much about it but I was reminded of it when I sat down at my laptop to try and figure out what to write about this week. An unsolicited message in my email reminded me that it wasn’t too late to buy special glasses to witness the eclipse without burning out my eyeballs.

It seems this year that New Hampshire will benefit by being one of only thirteen states to be able to see the totality of the eclipse. The further north you go, the better. People from other states and countries are booking rooms in Northern New Hampshire to take in the event.

That is certainly off season good business for many places. I just hope it’s not a cloudy day. They are calling this a “once in a lifetime event,” which it may or may not be depending on how long you live or what else you might have going on in your life.

I don’t mean to be a party popper, I do think a solar eclipse is pretty cool. But it also seems that these “once in a lifetime” natural phenomena are becoming pretty routine. The eclipse being just another one of a long line of things including meteor showers, northern lights, a close up sighting of Mars, A NY Jets Super Bowl victory, etc, etc, that are always happening and being talked about on the news as being the first of its kind in

many years.

Not that they are wrong, but I always feel that if I happen to miss one of the “Once In A Lifetime” events that I only have to wait a couple of weeks until another one takes place. Maybe even a “Once In A Century” event that is even more amazing.

People do get a little crazy over these things, not wanting to miss out on witnessing it so they can tell everyone they did, over and over again. Kind of a bragging rights ritual.

This eclipse, just like the last one in 2017 and probably the next one in 2044, will have a lot of people spending a lot of money to be in the right place at the right time with the right equipment in order to have something to talk about at their next dinner party. (Once again, good for business and hopefully a cloudless day.)

In case you don’t know how an eclipse works it goes something like this: It gets dark in the afternoon when it is supposed to be light, then it gets light again. That’s about it. Not too earth shattering since we know it is going to happen.

The moon comes between the earth and the sun and casts its shadow on the earth. If you miss it somehow by not realizing that it just got dark and now it is light again in the middle of the afternoon, you can watch it on TV later. It will most likely be the lead story and then, the next day, no one will talk about it on the news anymore unless there was a tragedy related to the eclipse. They will get back to talking about what this or that politician did or what celebrity did what. (Maybe they’ll even talk about the next natural phenomena that hasn’t happened in a while but will be happening soon enough.)

Back in ancient times, no one knew when an eclipse was going to happen, it just took them by surprise, they didn’t even have

time to buy special glasses so they wouldn’t burn up their eyeballs. Oftentimes events such as these would change lives and affect entire civilizations.

Now we know exactly when the next eclipse will be as well as the one after that and when it is over, we will probably just forget about it and plan for the next thing we want to do.

I think it would be great if we still didn’t know when these things are about to happen. Sitting at home or in our offices when suddenly the lights begin to fade for what seems like no reason at all.

We would run outside and be in awe as the light of the sun suddenly goes away. What does it mean? Is this the end of the world? Is God angry? (He certainly has very reason to be.)

Then the light would come back and we would feel a sense of awe and wonder and maybe think about our place in the universe. We wouldn’t soon forget it. Even on the news they might even talk about it for longer than a day. At least they’d have a lot of stories about people who burnt out their eyeballs. (The conspiracies on social media would be fun to read for sure, everyone would have a different theory and no one would ever be convinced they are wrong.)

As for me, I take the arrival of the eclipse with a grain of pepper (cutting back on salt, doctor’s orders). I already know it’s coming, so what’s the big deal?

Give me a good old-fashioned, unexpected earth shattering, life-altering celestial event any day of the week, then you’ll really have my attention.

Come to the 2nd Annual Missions Night

With Dr Chris Gnanakan, Professor at Liberty University

Keynote Topic: Sharing Christ Among the Suffering Unreached in the Hindu, Muslim and Buddhist Worlds

Date/Time: Saturday April 6 5:30-8:00 pm

Community Church of Alton, 20 Church St, Alton NH Potluck Dinner & Inspirational Speakers

All are welcome!

This series of Letters From God is an attempt to put the thoughts of God as revealed in the Scriptures.

Letters From God Letters From God

QUESTION: Why Would You Say That We Can Have Your Blessings If We Become Poor In Spirit?

You must understand that as your Creator I have values that are diametrically opposed to those you have created in your worldly realm (Isaiah 55:8). You have departed from me and, as a result, you have developed your own wisdom (James 3:1318). It is faulty, and it will ultimately reveal that you are a fool.

The reason this is true is because I created you and I know how you function best. When I designed you, I made you to function in ways that you have radically altered. As

a result, so many of my designs appear to be opposite of yours and thus confusing to you, as evidenced in your question. Like the promise of my blessings, if you are “poor in spirit.” (Matthew 5:3). Poverty, in your understanding, is not a benefit or blessing but a curse. But when you understand it from my perspective and live accordingly, you will discover all the riches I long to give you, as your heavenly father and creator. You will begin to possess the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 5:3). In heaven, I possess life without any form of death, and I will bestow that life on you if you follow me and my wisdom.

To be “poor in spirit,” is speaking of the spiritual realm or your capacity to have a relationship with me, God. Since I am the source of life and your

life is possible only as it is derived from me, you must be in relationship with me to experience that life. Your life is derived and not intrinsic. Without me you exist but you don’t truly experience life in your physical existence, and when you die you will not know life eternally (John 3:36). How can you, when you are separated from me, the source of life after you die? What caused this is that you became “rich in pride.” Pride was the first sin. It was committed by one of my created angels, Lucifer, who exalted himself and made himself a so called “god.” (Isaiah 14:12-15). He took many of the created angels with him when he made the fateful decision to exalt himself over me and defy and disobey my will (Revelation 12:3-4). Once I created the first man and woman, he then tempted them to exalt themselves as so called “gods,” and to act in disobedience to me, their creator (Genesis 3). As soon as they did, they began to die.

live forever but sin, especially the sin of pride, separated them from me, the source of life.

How does this relate to being “poor in spirit?” Quite simply, if you ever hope to be restored to me and begin to know life now, that will last for eternity, you must recognize that to be rich in pride and sin, keeps you away from me, your creator God who alone possess life and who alone can give it to you once again. To be “poor in spirit,” is the recognition that you have no chance of enjoying life without me, and then admitting that what you considered as riches was in fact a “Trojan Horse,” that continues to deceive you out of life.

First, a spiritual death, in their relationship with me, the source of life. Then with themselves as they developed guilt, shame, blame and quickly, jealousy and anger toward others, which would be manifested by a brother murdering his brother (Genesis 4). This would lead to physical death, which would have been avoided if only they had remained in a relationship with me. I created them to

In fact, the word I chose for “poor,” means abject poverty. It isn’t that you don’t have much but in fact that you have nothing. I made Adam & Eve perfect and because I am perfect, they were able to have a relationship with me and I could pass my life into them. Once they sinned, even once, there was nothing they could do to ever restore themselves to being perfect, without sin. Thinking things like going to church, giving money, doing good works, relying on the fact you were raised in a religious home or any other selfjustification for being accepted back into a relationship with me, can’t make you perfect as I am perfect. That is the standard that is required in order to be

Jonathan glazer’s evil oscars display

by Ben Shapiro Syndicated Columnist

This week at the Oscars, a director named Jonathan Glazer made international headlines.

Glazer won an Academy Award for his film, “Zone of Interest,” which centers on the family life of Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Hoss and his wife, Hedwig, who happily cultivate their home and garden as just behind the wall, Jews are tortured, shot and gassed. Glazer had an incredible opportunity to point out the obvious continuity between the victims of the Holocaust and the Jewish victims of Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Envelope on Oct.

by John J. Metzler Syndicated Columnist

7; he had the opportunity to point out the continuing plight -- largely ignored by the media and the left -- of some 134 hostages still held in Gaza by Hamas, including American citizens; he had the opportunity to observe the international community’s willingness to, for its own political reasons, pile on Israel by attempting to stop the Israeli Defense Forces from destroying Hamas wholesale.

Instead, Glazer did something truly shameful: he used his Jewish background and his Holocaust film to attack Israel.

“Right now we stand here as men who refute their Jewishness and the Holocaust being hijacked by an occupation which has led to conflict for so many innocent people, wheth-

See SHAPITO on 28

by John Stossel Syndicated Columnist

degroWth

The left has a new goal: degrowth!

We should “buy less stuff,” forgive debts, grow our own food, etc.

They say this will “build a more just and sustainable society” and “save the planet” from “climate chaos.”

This idea is popular with capitalism-haters.

One at a ChangeNow “eco conference” says, “A smaller, slower economy could also be a sweeter economy.”

A sweeter economy? What nonsense.

We already unintentionally experimented with “degrowth.”

During the pandemic, frightened politicians closed businesses and

ordered people to stay home.

Growth stopped.

“Did that save us?” asks Swedish author Johan Norberg in my new video. “No. It was a terrible tragedy. Sixty million people were thrown into extreme poverty.”

Yet some “degrowth” activists call the pandemic a good thing. “Did a lot of environmental good,” says one on Al Jazeera. “Pollution has been radically cut, emissions have plummeted,” says another.

It’s true. The pandemic did reduce carbon emissions.

“But by no more than 6%!” says Norberg. “If we wanted to reduce global warming,” he says, “We would need one pandemic every year. And that would be a terrible disaster for human life and health.”

Sure would.

Climate change may be a seri -

See STOSSEL on 29

haiti’s ticking huManitarian tiMeboMb

As waves of gang violence engulf an already poor and destitute land through a reckless orgy of shootings and looting, the Caribbean island of Haiti equally faces a widening domestic humanitarian crisis along with a ticking migrant exodus, much of which could easily spillover into the United States.

Though no stranger to civil conflict in recent years, Haiti’s precarious situation sadly took a turn for the worse when gang violence forced the recent resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, let -

ting the country slide into free fall. The UN migration agency cites that 362,000 people are already displaced in Haiti; a further 5.5 million people, almost half the population, need humanitarian aid.

The G-9, a loose federation of the nine major gangs led by rogue policeman Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherizier, has filled an uneasy political vacuum in Haiti stemming from the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise and the ouster of current American-backed Premier Henry. Gangs such as the G-9 group now control 80 percent of the capital Port au Prince and are embedded in the city’s sprawling slums. A warlord “culture’ permeates the island.

For the past few years gang vio-

lence has plagued the Caribbean country. During 2023, Haiti suffered violence with 8,400 people killed along with many others kidnapped. The National Police force has been overwhelmed and outgunned by the militants. Recently more than 4,000 criminals were released from prisons by gangs adding to the chaos and ranks of rioters.

Observers describe Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherizier as a charismatic “left wing populist.”

Haiti remains the hemisphere’s poorest country and the most likely place for the next humanitarian crisis spillover.

Sadly this once beautiful land slips closer to Dystopia as corruption, ineffective government, and

the socio/economic aftershocks of the devastating 2010 earthquake which took 300,000 lives, followed by the COVID-19 pandemic. A poor country has gotten much poorer but equally less accessible to international food assistance.

Currently aid agencies have trouble delivering aid given that the principal Port au Prince airport is closed and streets and towns are controlled by competing gangs. Despite the urgent need, assistance is slow in coming. The UN system’s 2024 humanitarian appeal for $674 million is grossly underfunded at just 3.2 per cent!

The chaotic security situation is growing ever more dangerous, according to the UN’s Philippe

Intrigue AI mimics the cerebral cortex of the human brain to quickly and more accurately ‘fill in’ the gaps produced when our hearing system falters.

• Replicates how our “normal” auditory system works.

• Distinguish words and speech more intuitively and naturally.

• Hear soft sounds without distracting noise.

• Reduce the effort it takes to listen and hear.

BIRDS For The

New England’s Wild Birds & Their Habitats

different kind of nature Walk

by Chris Bosak Contributing Writer

What started out as a bird walk eventually morphed into a different type of nature walk.

I figured I would head to the nearby park a week before the official start of spring to see if any early spring birds had arrived. My main target, as always in midMarch, was American woodcock. As always, I came up empty in that department.

Other birds were scarce as well. The winter ducks had presumably left the ponds for points north. No other spring birds had arrived yet, at least not that I saw that day. I know that eastern phoebes are around right now, and the other day through my window at work I saw a yellowrumped warbler. But there was no such luck on this walk.

The only birds I did see were the predictable ones such as chickadee, tufted titmouse, whitebreasted nuthatch, robins, and turkey vultures. An eastern bluebird was the birding highlight as it turned out.

But the real highlight came when I walked past a vernal pool that was teeming with frogs. I heard the spring peepers calling from a long distance away, but plenty of wood frogs were swimming in the pool as well.

As soon as I took my

third step towards the pool, the once-deafening chorus stopped abruptly. I walked up to the pool quickly to see what else might be around, but other than a lone wood frog floating on the surface, everything was quiet and out of sight. I retreated promptly to let the peepers and other frogs get on with their day.

A little farther down the trail, I came to a pond and noticed turtles on the logs and rocks jutting above the surface. From experience, I knew if I took a step or two off the trail towards the pond all of the turtles would have plopped into the water. So I took a quick look through the binoculars and went on my way along the trail.

I’m not sure why, but I was surprised to see the frogs and turtles out already. It was nearly 70 degrees on this day, but I just wasn’t ready for the spring sightings. With the winter ducks off the ponds and replaced by turtles and frogs, it was an abrupt change from winter to spring sightings. Sure, winter may have a few gasps left for us here in New England, but on this day it was all spring.

Frogs and turtles were not the only surprises. I also saw several mourning cloak butterflies and even some mosquitoes.

For the most part, however, the transition to spring will happen slowly in nature. The weather will fluctuate wildly over the

next month or so, as it always does this time of year in New England, and bird species will return one by one.

Regardless of what is or isn’t found on walks, spending time outdoors is always a worthy use of time.

A wood frog floats on the surface of a vernal pool in New England last week.

524-5222

by Mike Moffett Contributing Writer

I recently bingewatched some early episodes of Legacy: The True story of the L.A. Lakers. It’s really good, I must admit. It starts with the 1979 purchase of that NBA franchise by Jerry Buss and goes on from there. It’s personality-driven, and the Lakers certainly had no shortage of characters.

The NBA was struggling in 1979. The NBA Finals were shown ontape delay on CBS, at 11:30 p.m., after the local news. I kid you not.

Buss’s kids used to go to the Forum and make cold calls, trying to sell tickets. Truth.

But soon a new winning culture evolved. The team already had Kareen Abdul Jabbar, the most dominant force in Hoop World. The addition of Ervin “Magic” Johnson energized the team and the franchise.

“Showtime” was born, featuring glamorous movie-stars, dancing “Laker Girls” and flashy court action.

The team won the 1980 NBA title.

As a Celtic fan, I especially enjoyed the west coast perspective on the Boston-Los Angeles rivalry—especially during the 1980s Magic-Bird era. Sweet. Especially Boston’s triumph in Game 7 of the 1984 Finals.

Sweet for me to relive, anyway. That triumph made Boston 8-for-8 in

the lakers

title series against L.A. But the Lakers gained revenge in 1985 and 1987. By the end of the decade, the NBA was flourishing.

Legacy episodes are personality driven. There’s not all that much hoop action but the interpersonal stuff is compelling. And the series is replete with interviews with players and others who created one of sport’s most iconic franchises.

Legacy is not to be confused with Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty , an HBO original series which features actors playing the Lakers and company. But as a basketball guy, I just can’t watch faux hoopsters pretending to be Magic or Larry. Still, Winning Time has been a success as well.

After LeBron James led L.A. to the 2020 NBA title, the Lakers could claim 17 championships, as many as the

legacy over the Laker legacy.

As I write this, the C’s have the NBA’s best record while the Lakers are ninth in the western conference and would miss the playoffs. It looks like Boston just might win that 18th title before L.A. does.

If only the C’s could “Beat L.A.” in the Finals.

While an 18th Celtic championship might not rate a TV series, we’d certainly settle for a victory parade and a “one hour TV special!”

Sports Quiz

Where did the Lakers play before they moved to Los Angeles in 1960? (Answer follows).

Celtics. (Hopefully Boston will beat L.A. to an 18th.) A big part of the Laker legacy has been winning.

So why not a Celtic TV series?

Well, while the C’s certainly have their own legacy, a Boston hoop TV series just couldn’t match Hollywood, the Playboy Mansion, and the SoCal beach vibe. Quincy, Braintree, and Somerville just don’t compare with Malibu, Westwood, or Santa Monica. And off the court, Larry Bird was pretty boring compared to Magic. I just can’t picture the Hick from French Lick partying at the Playboy Mansion or the Forum Club. Likewise, re: McHale, Parrish, or any of the Celtic owners.

(Buss was constantly photographed partying with gorgeous women. Can’t picture Harry Mangurian hitting the town like that.)

Still, I’ll take the Celtic

Born Today

That is to say, sports standouts born on March 21 include MLB batting star Tommy Davis (1939) and Brazilian soccer star Ronaldinho (1980).

Sports Quote

“I’m proudest of my life off the court … affecting people’s lives, effecting change, being a role model.” – Magic Johnson

Sports Quiz Answer

Minneapolis

State Representative

Mike Moffett was a Sports Management Professor for Plymouth State University and NHTI-Concord. He coauthored the award-winning “FAHIM SPEAKS: A Warrior-Actor’s Odyssey from Afghanistan to Hollywood and Back” which is available on Amazon. com. His e-mail address is mimoffett@comcast.net.

Ervin “Magic” Johnson

The Simple Feast

breaking With tradition

The Simple Feast Simple

by Eric N Gibson Contributing Writer

Easter is Sunday, March 31, this year, and yes, it does seem early. Just how do we determine the Sunday upon which Easter is celebrated? Well, after some careless research, I discovered it is based upon complex algorithms developed centuries ago. These formulas are based in part on biblical sequences corresponding with the Jewish celebration of Passover while not conflicting with the Christian celebration of the Resurrection of Christ. And, so as not to disenfranchise the secular observers, it too, relies on Mother Nature’s success at the Craps table during her annual trip to Vegas. If she goes bust early, then she hangs the full moon during the Vernal Equinox. Luck be with her, then she gets a few extra nights in the High Roller suite and Easter is in April.

The Simple

Roast Leg of Lamb that graced many an Easter table as the centerpiece. And this tradition, as historians tell us, goes back to ancient times. Back to the very first Passover.

WEIRS TIMES’ BEER FINDER

ACKERLY’S

Grill & Galley

83 Main Street, Alton 603.875.3383

Akerlysgrillandgalleyrestaurant.com

Stoneface - IPA

Woodstock - Double Brown

JOHNSON’S TAPHOUSE

At Johnson’s Seafood & Steak 69 Rt 11, New Durham 603.859.7500

eatatjohnsons.com/ newdurham

Fortunately determining the traditional Easter meal was a whole lot easier. Or was it?

Have you ever wondered why Ham is traditionally served at Easter? Tradition dictates that a Ham be served at Easter as the centerpiece of the grand buffet. After

all, what could be more impressive to the entire extended family gathered ‘round said board replete with fine white linen and matching napkins. A table adorned with heirloom silver flatware, bone china, and crystal that sings to the gentle tapping of melting ice within. And that Ham. That gorgeously wonderful ham! A ham that has been perfectly cured in a brine of sugar and salt and then smoked to perfection. A succulent haunch of gammon masterfully scored in criss cross fashion as if it were the stock of a fine European side by side hand checkered by a master craftsman. Each diamond studded with a perfect whole clove. A jambon crusted in cherry gems and pine-

apple rings and finished with a sweet yet savory spiked maple glaze that has made its way into every nook and cranny in order to complement the already moist and tender succulent deliciousness that defines the very essence of… Baked Ham.

Have I made my point?

I like ham. So, imagine my surprise when I began to realize that it wasn’t until about 75 years ago, that Ham, for practical reasons, was fast becoming the front runner as the entree of choice on the dining table of most U.S. homes in which Easter was celebrated. I’m sorry, did I say, “fast becoming the front runner?”

Why yes, I did. Because prior to this time, as some of our older readers may recall, it was a

According to the Book of Exodus in chapters 11 and 12, the accounts of “The Plague on the First Born” and “Passover” tell us that from Pharaoh to the handmaid at the mill wheel, master and slave alike, the first born male of man and animal will not be spared God’s wrath. It would be taken out upon Egypt for their enslavement of God’s people. God instructed Moses on how to prepare, specifying how His people were to procure, slaughter, prepare, eat, and destroy any remaining unconsumed portion of lamb before day break. God’s people were to paint the door frame of their dwellings with the blood of the lamb to signify that they were of the faith and to be passed over, to be spared the wrath of God, when the destroyer came.

Fast forward a handful of millenia, give or take a century or two.

It is the 1950’s. A major world conflagration was behind us and the U.S. was prospering from the technical knowledge gained during the conflict. New synthetics are taking over the textile industry, tanking the wool market, the military industrial complex having been the largest consumer of wool. Less demand for wool means fewer producers of sheep

Great Rhythm - Pale Ale

Baxter - Coastal Haze

603 - Amber Ale

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

Throwback - Irish Red

Oxbow - Sasuga!

Unibroue - La Fin Du Monde

Feathered Friend - So Says I

Left Hand - White Russian

Nitro

Narragansett - Lager

+6 More On Tap

FOSTER’S TAVERN

403 Main Street Alton Bay, NH 603-875-1234

fosterstavernbythebay.com

Bud Light

Tuckerman - Pale Ale

Aqua Vue Haze -Muddy

Road Brewery

Sam - Seasonal

Allagash - White

Maine - Lunch IPA

+2 More On Tap

Lone Pine -Brightside

Widowmaker -Blue Comet Shipyard -Smashed

Pumpkin

Jack Abby -Red Tape

Muddy Road -1762 Porter

Northwoods -Autumn Buzz

+30 More On Tap

MORRISSEYS’

Porch & Pub

286 S. Main St., Wolfeboro 603.569-3662

Morrisseysfrontporch.com

Morrisseys’ 20 Year Lager by Great North

Smithwick’s

Guinness

Harp

Concord Craft Safe Space

+11 More On Tap

PATRICK’S PUB

18 Weirs Rd., Gilford 603.293.0841 Patrickspub.com

Patrick’s Slainte House Ale

Great North - Moose Juice

Guinness

Clown Shoes - Bubble Head 603 - Winni Amber Ale

Tuckerman - Pale Ale

+9 More On Tap

THE WITCHES BREW PUB

At The Craft Beer Xchange

59 Doe Ave., Weirs Beach 603.409.9344

FB @craftbeerxchange

Moat – Miss V’s Blueberry

Ayinger – German Marzen

1911 – Black Cherry Cider

Jack’s Abby – Blood Orange

Able Ebenezer – Burn the Ships IPA

Mighty Squirrel – Cloud

Candy IPA

RESTAURANT OR BAR OWNER?

Contact Us Today to Find Out How to Promote Your Business here! sales@weirs.com or 603-366-8463 x 319

+30 More On Tap **

Boneless Pork Loin Roast with peas and Seasoned Roasted Red Potatoes.

which means a decrease in available lamb and rising prices. Unintended consequence?

Perhaps. But it just so happens that there is a less expensive option: pork. And not just any

pork, Ham! According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for 1950, Pork averaged 62 cents per pound, compared to Lamb at 72 cents while high end beef steaks and roasts were running a whopping 94 cents

PORK LOIN ROAST

Servings: About 10 (5 Pound Roast) Time:1 Hour 20 Minutes (+/-)

INGREDIENTS

5 pound Pork Loin Roast

2-3 Tbsp. Soy Sauce (or Worcestershire Sauce)

1 tsp. Salt

2 tsp. Onion powder

2 tsp. Garlic powder

2 tsp Black Pepper

1 tsp Ground Sage

2 tsp. Flour

3 tsp. Olive Oil

-PREPARATION-

- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

- Line a edged sheet pan with aluminum foil and evenly spread the olive oil onto the foil.

- In a bowl mix the seasonings and flour to create a rub.

- Place the loin roast onto the prepared sheet pan and coat the roast with the soy sauce.

- Coat the pork loin with the seasoning mixture.

- Bake at 425 degrees F. for 20 minutes then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. and continue to bake for an additional 12-15 minutes per pound. At about 50 minutes begin to monitor the internal temperature of the roast. Once it reaches 145 degrees F. remove from the oven and let it rest under a tin foil “tent” for about 15 to 20 minutes. Continue to monitor temperature. It may rise a bit as it continues to “cook” while at rest, then fall back to about 140.

- When ready to serve, carve and plate.

- Times may vary depending upon thickness of the roast and individual ovens.

per pound. WOW! Don’t laugh, according to the 1938 - 2009 Fair Labor Standards Act the U.S. Minimum Wage in 1950 was .75 cents per hour. The Bureau of Census indicates that in 1950 the average household yearly income was $3,300. With an average of about 30% of take home pay going to purchase food, every penny counted. So, for a whole dollar less, you could have a ten pound Ham rather than a ten pound Leg of Lamb. It doesn’t sound like much but that dollar saved could

New Hampshire M arine Patrol

New Ham pshire has a mandatory boating education law Ever yone 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

go to fill little Dick and Jane’s Easter Baskets with all kinds of treats. What a bargain!

Well, fast forward yet again 75 years to 2024 and, while I like Ham, I decided this is the year to officially break with tradition. The Easter menu this year: Seasoned Roast Pork Loin with pan drippings gravy, home made Apple Sauce, Peas, Roasted Potatoes, and other delectables. In making this choice I wanted a fool proof recipe so that this fool wouldn’t botch the family dinner. Now, I know how to cook a pork roast and usually it will be Boneless Butt, the meat typically being more tender and flavorful than the loin. But, I wanted something large enough to feed everyone and just cook one and done while not taking hours. (Remember bulk adds time.) Boneless pork loin fit the bill. Because a loin is long and narrow, more surface area is spread out

stem thermometer. It is a relatively inexpensive investment in food safety.

across a plane. It is like cooking a baseball bat rather than a basketball. (Sorry, it’s the only analogy I could think of.)

Point being, the thinner the meat, the less time it will take for the heat to reach the center of that meat and get it to the proper internal temperature.

But, isn’t pork loin dry? It can be, but this is because of the cook not the cut. People tend to overcook pork, being taught that pork carries parasites. While intentions were to kill the parasite, the unintended consequence was that the pork died a second death, drying to shoe leather. We have come a long way in how we (here in the U.S.) raise pigs commercially. Too, we have created better guidelines on how to handle and cook pork to meet internal temperatures that will kill pathogens if they are present. I always recommend having, at the very least, a properly calibrated

Wanting to have this article in before Easter, so that you too have some food for thought, I decided to give a boneless Pork Loin Roast a trial run. Using a 5 pound loin, a splash or two of Soy Sauce, and just a few spices and seasonings this roast came out great! And it’s all about time and temperature. I placed the loin into a preheated 425 degree oven and let it bake for 20 minutes to get the spices to begin to crust before turning down the oven temperature to 350. From there I figured on about 12-15 minutes per pound. The real “tell” that the roast is done is the internal temperature. Since you are cooking a whole muscle meat (not ground) the internal temperature of pork needs to be a minimum of 145 degree F. Upon reaching the proper temperature, I pulled the Pork Loin Roast from the oven and let it rest under a foil “tent” in its pan for about 20 minutes while continuing to roast the potatoes, put on peas to boil, and eventually got around to drawing off the pan drippings to make gravy.

This Pork Loin Roast was the most tender, moist, and flavorful pork roast I have made since cooking a Pork Butt last year. The secret is to cook it properly and let it rest before carving so the meat retains its juices. Just monitor the temperature while it is at rest. While I enjoy Ham, Pork Roast truly is one of my favorite dinners when done right and would go equally well as your Easter Dinner or any Simple Feast. Enjoy!

boat raMp etiquette

by Tim Moore Contributing Writer

I know, It’s only March. Why am I revisiting the boat ramp topic already? Have you looked outside. Like it or not, it’s almost boating season. So, a gentle nudge to help everyone enjoy their time on the lake can’t hurt.

Etiquette is defined as: The customary code of polite behavior in society or among members of a particular profession or group. Like driving a car, one operator can cause huge delays and backups, especially at times when traffic is highest. Etiquette is not appreciated more than at a boat ramp, as it shows that one boater cares for the timeliness in which other boaters can get on the water and often brings about a sense of community among folks who barely know each other. Here are some tips for good boat ramp etiquette.

Use Staging Areas

Almost every boat ramp I have ever been to has a designated (with signage) or an implied staging area. This is an area that was designed for boaters to stage their boats prior to backing down the ramp. The staging area is an out of the way place where you can take your time getting your boat ready to launch. It’s where you

Keeping a flow (and the peace) at boat ramps means seeing this sooner rather than later.

do things like, release your tie-down straps, install your plug, rigging your tie-off lines and fenders, get life jackets out of storage compartments, and transferring items such as fishing gear, coolers, and whatnot from your vehicle to your boat, without holding up others who would otherwise be able to get on the water faster than you. Whatever you do, do not stage your boat in the middle of the ramp. I wish I had a nickel for every time I saw someone drive right by the sign saying, “Stage Boats Here” and proceed to stage after they back into the ramp. I know it’s tempting to back right down the ramp if there is no one there, but you don’t know when someone is going to pull in, so just don’t do it.

Many boaters launch and land at dawn or dusk. Turning off your headlights may not be intuitive, until you’ve tried to stage or launch your boats while another boater’s headlights are beaming in your face. Headlights are slightly angled down to keep the brightness on the road where it belongs and not in other drivers’ faces. When you have a boat in tow and back down a boat ramp, your lights become slightly angled up and look like high beams, blinding everyone in front of your vehicle. It’s not only inconsiderate, but also dangerous. Turn off your headlights while launching your boat. If your vehicle has day running headlights that stay on while the vehicle is running, shut the vehicle off. Use your parking lights or bring a headlamp if you need ad -

ditional light.

Use The Courtesy Dock

Most marinas, and some town or state ramps, will have a courtesy dock for boaters to tie up to after they launch their boats. These docks are a place to tie up your boat while you park your vehicle. They are not for staging your boat. This is not the place to load up coolers and fishing gear. This is a temporary place to tie up your boat. Some marinas have larger courtesy docks, so you might have a little more time to be there depending on the traffic, but most marinas expect boaters to help them keep things moving by limiting the amount of time spent tied up to the courtesy dock. If you have a friend who can take the boat out and raft while you park the vehicle, take advantage of that.

Take Turns

Often times, especially on weekends, boat ramps are busy with people launching and landing. It’s hard to know for sure exactly who goes next all the time, but if there are boaters waiting to launch or land when you arrive at the ramp, get in line and wait your turn, even though the line is figurative. Marinas

often have dock workers that know who’s next and will help keep everyone in line, but ramps with no attendant boaters are responsible to stay in the know about who is next. Most boaters appreciate knowing that you give a crap about who is next and usually respond accordingly to being asked.

Don’t Park Like A…

Okay, you staged your boat in the staging area, with no headlights, you launched quickly and tied up to the courtesy dock. You did everything right. You head to the trailer parking area, pull into a space, and head to your boat, but you missed one very important piece of the etiquette puzzle. Your trailer is at a weird angler, making it difficult for other people with trailers to get around it without hitting it. Maybe you noticed and thought it was no big deal, but some trucks and trailers are longer than others. The truck next to you might not be able to get out, or others may not be able to get in, so you’ve essentially taken up two spaces. I don’t worry about parking well only for other boaters, I do it to make life easier for myself as well.

Don’t Appoint Yourself Ramp Attendant

Not all ramps have an attendant, and many attendants are only there to collect money. Private marinas usually have attendants who help keep things flowing

MOORE from 14

and make sure people launch and land in an orderly fashion. All too many times a frustrated or egotistical boater starts barking orders at other boaters. Fun fact: You’re not helping! Shouting orders at other boaters only increases the stress level. Not all boaters are the masters of their craft that many of us consider ourselves to be. If your true concern is getting on or off the water sooner, don’t stress out the inexperienced boaters. Remember, we were all new to boating once upon a time.

Proper launch etiquette isn’t something new, and it isn’t exclusive to just some launches. It applies to every launch, everywhere you go. I realize many people don’t know what proper launch etiquette is, and I really try to give the benefit of the doubt, but a little common sense goes a long way. A little common sense goes a long way. Whether we are fishing or just pleasure boating, we all spend time on the water for one reason, to have fun. Proper launch etiquette keeps the flow moving and a little courtesy goes a long way toward that fun. We’ve all had someone drive by us while we are staging our boats and stage theirs at the ramp. If you have ever trailered a boat and used public boat launches, then you have either been part of the problem or part

of the solution. Which example do you want to set? It’s one of the few, if not the only, boating topics where there is no real middle of the road. You either stage your boat before you pull into the ramp, or you do not.

Tim Moore is a fulltime licensed New Hampshire fishing guide and owner of Tim Moore Outdoors, LLC. He offers guided fishing trips on Lake Winnipesaukee and kayak trips for striped bass. He is a member of the New England Outdoors Writers Association and the producer of Tim Moore Outdoors TV. For information on guided trips visit www.TimMooreOutdoors.com. You can also follow TMO on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ TimMooreOutdoors.

www.lakesregionepoxy.com

(StatePoint) When choosing what kind of plants to put down in your yard, you likely focus on the what and the where. After all, a beautiful plant in a prime location enhances curb appeal and even bragging rights.

You may pay less attention though to understanding your plant hardiness zone and all the ramifications that come with it. To help ensure your plants don’t just survive, but thrive, the experts at lawn care equipment

hoW to pick plants that Will thrive in your cliMate

manufacturer Exmark are sharing the following insights about plant hardiness:

What Is Plant Hardiness?

The secret to growing healthier plants is called plant hardiness. Plant hardiness is the

ability of a plant to survive adverse growing conditions such as drought, flooding, heat and cold. Ever watched with frustration as a late-season temperature dip leaves your beautiful buds with a serious case of frostbite? That’s why plant hardiness zones were developed.

What Is My Growing Zone?

The United States is divided into 13 zones.

Zones 1-6 being the coldest, and 7-13 the warmest. Zone 1 averages -60 degrees F while zone 13 never drops below 70 degrees F. A general guideline is to plant anything designated for your zone or lower, but never higher. Know what zone you live in, and be sure to always check the tag on the back of the plant or seed pack before planting anything.

Perennials Versus Annuals

There’s a reason you see palm trees in Miami, not Minnetonka, Minn. In the case of perennials, it’s not about when the first frost is, but how cold it gets, and whether that plant can survive

American farming contributes billions of dollars to the gross national product every year, which is one reason why the USDA has long monitored weather data. If determining when the average final frost may occur for every region in the country is worth billions, what could that same knowledge mean for your garden? Well, choosing plants with hardiness levels appropriate to specific planting zones gives you the best chance of gardening and landscaping success. See THRIVE on 20

spring garden cleanup With pollinators in Mind

by Melinda Myers

Spring cleaning, indoors and out, is a long-standing tradition for many households. But as we learn more about the important pollinators, insect-eating toads, songbirds, and beneficial insects, the more we realize we need to adjust some of our timing and methods.

It is safe to remove winter protection, such as mulch, when the temperatures begin hovering around freezing or your plants are beginning to sprout. Keep some frost protection handy just in case you need to protect any tender plants from a hard freeze.

Always check for frost heaving. When cold winters are interrupted by warm spells, bare soil may thaw and

then refreeze. This temperature fluctuation can cause the soil to shift and push spring flowering bulbs, coral bells, daylilies, and other perennials out of the soil. Just gently push them back in place or reset in the soil making sure the roots are covered.

Wait for temperatures to be consistently above 50 degrees to start cutting back perennials that were left standing. This allows any beneficial insects overwintering in the hollow stems time to emerge and find a summer home.

Cut some of the

stems to the ground and some back to 18 to 24” on each plant. These old stems provide summer homes for some of our native bees. As new growth emerges in spring, it will mask the older stems so your garden will look as beautiful as ever.

5 steps to get your yard ready for spring

(Family Features) As the weather begins to warm and days get longer, it’s important to begin preparing your yard for a healthy growing season. While factors like climate, soil type and grass type can all impact how your yard grows, there are a few steps you can take during the spring months to help your lawn thrive.

From dethatching and aerating to fertilizing and mowing, tackling these simple chores can help ensure your yard looks its best and is prepared to fight off

seasonal weeds, disease and drought.

Tune Your Mower

Before it’s time for the first mowing of the season, inspect your mower and perform any routine maintenance necessary. That goes beyond sharpening, or replacing, the blade, and includes changing the oil, spark

plugs and filter as well as filling with a fresh tank of gas.

Loosen The Thatch Layer

While it’s important to avoid working on your lawn until after the final freeze to avoid damaging the grass, raking your yard with a spring tine rake to loosen thatchthe layer of leaves, roots

and dead grass that builds up between live grass and soil - before the first mow is equally important. Be sure to rake when the soil is dry; if it’s too soft or muddy, you may pull up healthy grass crowns.

Combat Compacted Soil

See YARD on 23

installing bathrooM tile like a pro

(Family Features)

Updating the flooring can help infuse new life into tired, outdated bathrooms. For an upscale, polished look that doesn’t have to break the bank, consider installing tile flooring.

Before you get started, you’ll want to make some decisions about the look and feel of your flooring:

Ceramic or stone? Weigh factors such as porosity, how slippery the surface may be when wet and how well it retains heat or cold. Ultimately, your decision hinges on the needs and uses of your family.

Complement or contrast? Define the overall style you want as well as the colors and tones that will help best achieve your vision.

Big or small? Generally, the larger the tile, the fewer grout lines, and too many grout lines in a smaller space can create the illusion of clutter. However, smaller tiles can eliminate the need to make multiple awkward cuts, and small tiles are perfect for creating accent patterns or introducing a splash of color.

When you’ve got your overall look and materials selected, keep these steps in mind as you begin laying the flooring:

1. Prepare your subfloor. Use a level

to check for uneven spots; you need an even surface to prevent cracks in the tile or grout as well as rough spots that could pose tripping hazards. Use patching and leveling material to create a consistent surface. Apply a thin layer of mortar then attach your cement backer board with screws. Cover joints with cement board tape, apply another thin layer of mortar, smooth and allow to dry.

2. To ensure square placement, draw reference lines on the subfloor using a level and carpenter square. Tile should start in the middle of the room and move out toward the walls, so make your

initial reference lines as close to the center as possible. Mark additional reference lines as space allows, such as 2-foot-by-2foot squares.

3. Do a test run with your chosen tile by laying it out on the floor. There are color variations in most tile patterns, so you’ll want to verify each tile blends well with the next.

4. Mix tile mortar and use the thin side of a trowel to apply mortar at a 45-degree angle. Use the combed side to spread evenly and return excess mortar to the bucket. Remember to apply

THRIVE from 16

603-520-7217

Plant hardiness zones are less important however when it comes to annuals. Because these plants are only meant to last the length of

one growing season; waiting until after the average first frost date will save you from having to re-plant. Know that even if your plant survives the frost, it may never match the photo you saw advertised at the nursery.

TILE from 19

Planting Zone Rule Of Thumb

Plant hardiness zone maps are, well, all over the map. Consider the number assigned to your zip code as a starting point. You may live right at the break between one zone and the other. Remember that it’s better to guess too low, than too high. In the South, the heat can put real stress on a plant not made for it. Your particular geography can also affect your hardiness zone, like if you live on a hill or in a valley.

For more insights, check out the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, and watch “Find Your Plant Hardiness Zone,” a recent episode of “Backyard Smart,” an original series from lawn care equipment manufacturer, Exmark. To watch the video, visit Backyard Life, which is part of a unique multimedia destination with a focus on helping homeowners improve their outdoor living spaces. There you can also download additional tips and view other Exmark Original Series videos.

Understanding what plants will thrive in your climate is essential to having a healthy lawn and garden. Fortunately, free resources abound to help you garden and landscape successfully.

mortar in small areas, working as you go, so it doesn’t dry before you’re ready to lay the tile.

5. When laying tile, use your reference lines as guides. Press and wiggle tile slightly for the best adherence.

6. Use spacers to create even lines between one tile and the next, removing excess mortar with a damp sponge or rag.

7. As you complete a section of tile, use a level and mallet to verify the tiles are sitting evenly.

8. Let mortar dry 24 hours before grouting.

9. Remove spacers then apply grout to joints, removing excess as you go.

10. Allow grout to dry per the manufacturer’s instructions then go back over tile with a damp sponge to set grout lines and clean grout residue.

11. Once grout has cured - usually at least a couple weeks - apply sealer to protect it.

Find more ideas and tips for updating your bathroom at eLivingtoday.com.

Gardening shows used to be reserved for weekend radio or perhaps a special segment on your local afternoon news. They eventually expanded to cable channels like HGTV, but there’s an astounding amount of information to be gained about gardening through podcasts. You can even pop in your earbuds while pruning your bushes, planting your tulip bulbs or growing your own tomatoes! These five podcasts are a great place to start, whether you’re still in the planning stages of your backyard garden, a newbie who has tried

Green-Thumbed Aspirations

and failed in the past, or a seasoned grower looking for new inspiration:

“The Beginner’s Garden With Jill McSheehy”

-- When host Jill McSheehy started gardening just 11 years ago, she said she scoured the internet and books, but she had trouble understanding all the lingo and determining what information was specifically helpful to her. Enlightening episodes include “Preventing Indoor Seed Starting Problems Before They Start,” “Adapting the Garden to Your Climate and Having Fun Doing It,”

and even “How to Plant and Grow Blueberries Successfully.” (JourneyWithJill.net)

“The joe gardener Show” -- PBS and DIY Network TV host Joe Lamp’l brings his practical tips and wealth of information to his weekly podcast with an emphasis on organic gardening and growing food. His recent episodes include “Greenhouse Hacks and Tips: Lessons Learned in My First Year,” “Your Seed Starting Questions Answered,” and “Grow Fruit Trees Successfully.” He also welcomes guests like flower farmer Lisa Mason Ziegler and

garden designer Benjamin Vogt to lend a hand in their areas of expertise. (joegardener.com)

“Garden Basics With Farmer Fred” -- Fred Hoffman has been a U.C.-certified Master Gardener for over 40 years, and he’s also a veteran of three radio shows about farming and gardening in Northern California. He has no plans to slow down, putting out his weekly podcast that includes special Q&A episodes on “Lawn Drainage and Perennial Pruning,” “Seed Starting Tips and Weed Control,” and “Mason Bee Basics,”

among many others. (Buzzsprout.com)

“Roots & Refuge” -Host Jess Sowards introduces herself saying that all she wanted in the world was “a little farm where I could raise my family and grow our food.” She’s gone on to watch her dream unfold and now shares her journey with the rest of the world in her weekly podcast. Particularly special episodes include “Knowing Where Your Food Comes From” and “So You Want to Be a Homesteader?” (RootsandRefuge.com)

“The Good Dirt: Sustainability Explained” --

Preserving the planet for the generations to come is the goal for mother-daughter gardening team Mary and Emma Kingsley. Their podcast brings weekly interviews with farmers, artists, authors and leaders in the sustainable and regenerative living space. Not all episodes focus on gardening, but they’re all invaluable. Topics include “Creating a Backyard Microfarm,” “Lawns into Meadows” and the hosts’ “Slow Living Challenge,” which takes place this March. (Lady-Farmer.com)

(c) 2024 King Features Syndicate, Inc.

YARD from 18

If your soil has become compacted - likely the effect of heavy foot traffic - and is too dense for water, air and other nutrients to reach the roots of your grass, aerating can help break it up and reduce thatch. A core, or plug, aerator can introduce tiny holes into your soil by removing plugs of grass and soil, which lets nutrients more easily reach the roots. An added bonus, the plugs can decompose on top of your grass, supplying more nutrients.

Fill In Bare Spots

If your lawn is looking sparse, overseeding, which involves spreading grass seed over your existing lawn, can help fill in bare spots. Be sure to choose the right type of seed for your climate and soil type to ensure proper growth. Applying a slow-release nitrogen fertilizer at the same time can provide additional nutrients that are important for promoting healthy growth.

Start Seasonal Mowing

When the ground is dry enough and your grass is long enough to require cutting, begin seasonal mowing. Be sure to use proper techniques, including varying your mowing direction each time to avoid creating patterns or ruts, and avoid cutting grass too low, which can make the lawn more susceptible to weeds and drought stress. In general, never remove more than onethird of the grass blade at a time.

Find more tips to help get your yard ready for warm weather at eLivingtoday.com.

MYERS from 17

If you can’t wait, stack the stems out of sight until temperatures warm and pollinators have a chance to emerge. Then chop and compost the debris in mid-summer.

Tie or bungy cord tall ornamental grass plants before cutting them back to make cleanup easier. Then use a hand pruner for small jobs or a string trimmer or hedge clipper for larger plantings. Wait for new growth to fill in shorter grasses and simply comb your fingers through the plant removing the old brown leaves.

Leave fall leaves on the soil surrounding the plants to serve as mulch, suppressing weeds and conserving moisture. As the leaves break down, they add organic matter and nutrients to the soil. They also provide homes for beneficial insects and insulate the soil for plants, toads, and more.

Mark the location of perennials like butterfly weed and hardy hibiscus that emerge later than most plants in spring. This helps to avoid accidentally weeding them out. Leave a few stems standing, use plant markers, or next fall plant some spring flowering bulbs near the plants to serve as a colorful placeholder.

Consider leaving some sunny spots bare for ground-nesting bees. Avoid areas like entryways and gathering spots where people and the bees may collide. Although the bees are docile and not likely

to sting, people are often fearful leading to their elimination. Setting aside some outof-the-way spaces for ground-nesting bees allows everyone to coexist more happily.

This is also a good time to tidy up garden beds and lawn edges. You’ll slow the invasion of weeds and grass into garden beds and lawn encroaching onto walks.

Remove weeds as they appear. The smaller weeds are easier to remove and eliminating them before they flower and set seed means fewer weeds you’ll need to pull in the future.

Take advantage of the delay in spring cleaning by cleaning and sharpening your tools. When the temperatures are right, with tools in hand, you will be ready to get busy in the garden.

Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” instant video and DVD series and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine. Myers’ website is www. MelindaMyers.com.

Mildred graduated from Brewster Academy in 1942 and immediately went to work for the Lakes Region Association (LRA) under executive secretary Harold Hart, a Wolfeboro entrepreneur. It was one of six such regional organizations established by the New Hampshire Legislature in the 1930s to promote economic growth throughout the state especially in the areas of tourism, healthcare and transportation.

Mildred would devote her life’s work to this goal leading the LRA

“For two years from May through October I flew to New York every other weekend and reported back to Concord,” she said, adding with a twinkle in her eye, “My plane ticket cost $13 roundtrip.”

Economic challenges she recalls include the 1950’s polio epidemic, when she served on the county task force; there were 51 cases in Carroll County and for two years, very few vacationers.

During the gasoline shortage in the 1970s she and Hamilton developed a system to let visi-

Winnipesaukee.

But she came to know her favorite, Emily McLaughlin, while serving on the Board for The Barnstormers Summer Theatre in Tamworth.

A lifelong fan of music and theatre, Mildred rarely missed a show and McLaughlin returned year after year as a favorite of the summer cast, yet she was better known as the character Jesse Brewer on the TV soap General Hospital.

“My mother was loyal to her daytime television, and a fan of General Hospital” recalls

among the trees can be seen from the road.

Her first home was in the Hersey Block, now the Corner Store at Pickering Corner. The Beaches apartment had corner windows

and Mildred remembers watching the Ringling Brothers Circus come to town.

“The Circus Train was so long it unloaded at both the Downtown and Wolfeboro Falls Stations. Wagons and ani-

mals would converge at Pickering Corner, and make their way down South Main Street to the Brewster Farm (now Kingswood Regional High School) to set up. So, my sister Muriel and I had front row seats!”

for four decades bringing businesses together with collaborative and cooperative efforts, such as the Lakes Region Attractions, the NH Travel Council and Made in New Hampshire. She often worked with her counterpart in the White Mountains, the late Dick Hamilton who liked to say, “HamiltonBeach makes a great mix!”

Mildred also worked with the State’s Department of Tourism. One of her favorite jobs was managing New Hampshire’s exhibit in the New England Pavilion at the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair.

tors know where they could buy gas so they would still come on vacation; they did.

In 1971 Mildred was one of the principals in founding WASR, Wolfeboro’s radio station, with its primary owners Alan and Sharon Severy. She wrote and produced her weekly show “Kaleidoscope” for many years. She’s had occasion to rub elbows with a few celebrities over the years, among them Henry Fonda, Katharine Hepburn and Jane Fonda during the filming of the movie, “On Golden Pond” on both Squam Lake and Lake

Mildred. “Emily was so nice. She came to the house to see my mother, and oh, wasn’t that a thrill for Mom!”

Mildred’s father, Clarence, died suddenly in 1942, and as the eldest of three children, she became the family’s primary breadwinner. In addition to her full-time job at LRA, both she and her mother, Hazel, also worked part-time at the hospital to make ends meet.

“We focused on paying the mortgage and keeping the house.” she said. “The payment was only $23.40, but back then it was a lot.”

BEACH from 1

Mildred in the Millie B with Dick Eaton and Kathy Fairman. Circa 2005.

From Left: Dick Hamilton, White Mountain Region; Mildred; Mary Rulison, Seacoast Council on Tourism, Lauri Klefos, NH Dept. Travel and Tourism, Steve Barba, Balsams Resort, and Sandy Hamilton. Circa 2005

While that house has continued to be Mildred’s home, she also owns two summer cottages on Lake Wentworth which hold a very special place in her heart.

As does Mildred in the hearts of her neighbors and friends from Lake Wentworth, one of the many smaller lakes that encircle Winnipesaukee.

She is part of the reason Lake Wentworth remains today a haven for bald eagles, bass fishing, loons and those seeking a 1900s style of lake living.

In the mid-1970s when Stamp Act Island, Wentworth’s largest island, by far, was slated to be sold and divided into house lots, Mildred was instrumental in leading the Lake Wentworth Association and other individuals in raising money to buy the island and gift it to The Nature Conservancy to prevent its development.

Mildred has enjoyed a life-long love affair with all things Lakes Region, Wolfeboro, and New Hampshire. While she kept a rowboat at camp on Lake Wentworth, her 21-foot Penn Yan power boat was for boating and fishing on Winnipesaukee.

She christened the MS Mount Washington when it was relaunched after it was lengthened in the 1970s and the Millie B, her namesake, when it was launched on Winnipesaukee in 1998.

She is also a licensed pilot, and embraced snowmobiling when it became popular, not only driving her own sled, but also working with others establishing the network of trails throughout New Hampshire riders still enjoy today.

Following her 1980s retirement from the LRA

(predecessor to today’s Lakes Region Tourism Association), she served as a Wolfeboro representative in the New Hampshire Legislature for six years.

Every town, region, state and even country has its treasures and here in New Hampshire and Wolfeboro, Mildred Beach is clearly one of ours.

The boards and asso ciations on which Mil dred served are too nu merus to name, and we would still miss some.

Awards and accolades given in recognition of her contributions both in her work and person al life are also numerous and well deserved, but it is her continued inter est in people and the present day, that can be especially admired today. And, of course, her sense of humor.

Some fifty years ago when asked by a cub reporter at the Granite State News why every one spent so much time speculating on Ice-Out, she replied adding a slight New Hampshire drawl: “Well, there’s not much goin’ on this time

of year… and it beats the heck out of watchin’ paint dry!”

Happy Birthday Beachie, and keep ‘em

Mildred Beach Circa 1990

Mr. Webster gave three short speeches. He told the fair goers at Manchester, “I delight to dwell upon the consideration that I a New Hampshire man, and now among New Hampshire men. I delight to feel that I stand on my native soil, in the neighborhood of those whom I have regarded since my infancy.”

Mr. Nesmith and the caretaker of Daniel’s Franklin farm, John Taylor, spent the night at Webster’s 1,700 acre

Marshfield farm before making a tour of the estate the next day. This would have been approximately a year before Webster’s death in 1852. In the north pasture they found a flock of about forty sheep, with about half of them being South Down sheep and the other half being Cotswold.

Webster also had on his farm, mixed with the sheep, what Nesmith referred to as South American sheep, or Llamas. These, he indicated, were given to

Mr. Webster by a sea captain, and were not Alpacas and not useful for much.

In addition to the previously mentioned animals Mr. Webster had on his farm at that time fifteen cows of various breeds and four bulls of separate breeds, those being Durham, Devon, Ayrshire, and Hereford. I don’t know why there

were so many oxen on the farm but remember that he lived before the day of tractors and the like, so oxen and horses were needed on the farms for pulling, etc. For Webster, they may have also been collectors items.

In September of that year he had been part of a party of six that spent more than a week at Mr.

Fabyan’s White Mountain House. When it came time to pay the bill for their stay Mr, Fabyan refused to take any compensation. Webster felt that Fabyan was a poor landlord and he did not want to make him any poorer so he offered to buy a pair of steers from him. Fabyan insisted that the steers were not for sale, while Webster insisted that he had to have them and asked him to set a price. Fabyan finally set a price of $150 with delivery to Plymouth, New Hampshire.

Webster told his visiting friends that the steers were not worth anything over $100 dollars so the amount over that paid his bill for the hotel stay.

The man known primarily for his speaking abilities was not only also a farmer, but one who enjoyed other outdoor activities. He was a hunter and a fisherman. In fact, the same Fall season in which his visitors at his Marshfield home were impressed by his turnip patch he engaged in a morning hunting and fishing excursion. He and John Taylor had been to East Andover and were returning to Franklin that evening and spotted a flock of ducks near the shore of Webster Lake and decided to return in the morning with a shotgun and fishing gear. John Taylor was instructed to have their old horse, Tom, ready to take them to the lake by 4:00 o’clock the next morning. The man hired to be the keeper of the boat house, Hezekiah D. Bachelder, would help with the boat. Once in the boat it didn’t take long before they spotted the ducks in the distance. According to Judge Nesmith the conversation from the three men in the boat went like this: “‘Now blaze away,’ cried Bachelder.‘No; get a little nearer,’ says John.

SouthDown sheep- one of the breeds Daniel Webster had on his farm in Marshfield.

Sketch of George W. Nesmith - friend and biographer of Daniel Webster.

SMITH from 3

LACONIA PUTNAM FUND PRESENTS

SMITH from 26

‘Push ahead, and keep still,’ says Webster.” As soon as the ducks began to rise from the water both barrels of the gun were discharged.

The excited shouts of all three men followed the sound of the shotgun blast as the men realized that the great orator had shot two fat ducks. His companions indicated that Webster’s countenance had a glow of satisfaction as great as they had ever seen. According to his friend, the Judge, “During the last year of his life it frequently gave him high enjoyment to recur to the exciting scenes of Webster Lake,” The men had some success in catching some fish and decided that they would, with the help of Mrs. Batchelder and a young man named Peabody who happened to come along with three

gray squirrels, prepare a meal for themselves with Webster being the expert in preparing chowder.

Daniel had a companion on some of his fishing trips by the name of Peterson who apparently took him out on the ocean as well as fishing in streams from the land.

One thing you may not know about Mr. Webster, and a thing that some of his pictures may appear to show he is not capable of, is that he sang. Mr. Peterson was asked if he ever sang on their fishing trips. Peterson answered in the affirmative, saying that his friend would sometimes break out into a loud song when they were trout fishing, or recite poetry or practice his speeches. Fish, Peterson added, are easily frightened. He added that when they fished the

brooks for trout he knew that Webster frightened the fish, but when they were fishing for cod in the sea it seemed as if the louder he sang, the better the fish seemed to bite.

And, returning to the Mr. Webster’s remarks at the 1851 Agricultural Fair in Manchester, he

expressed the anticipation that the building of the city would “...bring them together, inspire them with a love of social order, of moral instruction, of religious education, and make them feel their importance to one another.”

HOLY WEEK SERVICES

Holy Thursday March 28:

7:00 P.M. - Mass of the Lord’s Supper

Good Friday March 29:

7:00 P.M. - Veneration of the Cross

Holy Saturday March 30: 7:30 P.M. - Easter Vigil

PLEASE NOTE: NO 4:30 pm SATURDAY MASS

Easter Sunday March 31: 9:30 A.M. - Easter Mass

er the victims of October the 7th in Israel or the ongoing attack on Gaza,” Glazer intoned nervously.

There are a bushel of lies in this single sentence. First, there was no “occupation” of Gaza prior to Oct. 7; the Israelis abandoned Gaza in 2005 and turned it over to the Palestinians, who promptly tore down Israeli infrastructure and elected Hamas, who themselves turned Gaza into a fullscale terror ministate. Second, no “occupation” could justify the wholesale slaughter of some 1,200 innocents in Israel and the taking of 250 hostages on Oct. 7. Third, it is certainly not “Jewish and the Holocaust being hijacked” to point out that Hamas literally targets Jews for extermination, just as

the Nazis once did. And finally, Israel is taking extraordinary measures to protect civilian life in Gaza; Israel has taken measures no military in history has taken, including sacrificing the lives of its own soldiers to go door-to-door in a terrorist-ridden urban hellscape.

In fact, Glazer has it all backward. It is he who is using his Jewishness and the Holocaust as a weapon -- in favor of Hamas. Glazer has little actual involvement in Judaism on a day-to-day level -- he grew up reform and there is little evidence of his Jewish practice today. But he’s happy to pull out his Jewishness card -- to say that he, As A Jew, stands against Israel defending itself. This allows him to garner plaudits from his fellow politi-

SHAPIRO from 7 AUTOS

cal left-wingers, all the while maintaining his status in the intersectional hierarchy. Jews, as it turns out, are only allowed in the intersectional hierarchy so long as they use their Jewishness to attack Israel, or whatever the left-wing cause of the day is.

In reality, Glazer is the villain of his own film. In “Zone of Interest,” there are no Jews: all we can hear of them is their screams from beyond the wall. Otherwise, they are nameless, faceless victims. And those are precisely the kinds of Jews Glazer likes. He’s happy to use their corpses to win Oscars, even as he attacks the live Jews defending themselves from the ideological descendants of the Nazis, Hamas.

All of which makes

sense. After all, as author Dara Horn has pointed out, people love dead Jews. It’s the live ones who are so problematic for people like Jonathan Glazer. The live ones have the unfortunate habit of fighting back and making life uncomfortable for doctrinaire left-wingers who want to be accepted in their morally benighted social circles.

Ben Shapiro , is a graduate of UCLA and Harvard Law School, host of “The Ben Shapiro Show,” and cofounder of Daily Wire+. He is a three-time New York Times bestselling author; his latest book is “The Authoritarian Moment: How The Left Weaponized America’s Institutions Against Dissent.”

LETTERS from 6

restored to me.

“Being poor in spirit,” is humbling yourself, admitting you can’t save yourself and looking to me to do for you what you can’t do for yourself (James 4:6-8). You can’t make yourself perfect again. It will take more than being “poor in spirit,” but it is a necessary start in the process of being restored and receiving eternal life. We will discuss the next steps in the letters that follow and if you apply each one, you can and will be restored. If you fail at this step, you will go no further and death will be your destiny. As I close, can I ask you, have you recognized how poor you are in the spiritual realm of relationship with me? Have you

FINANCIAL

CASH FOR CARS! We buy all cars! Junk, high-end, totaled-it doesn’t matter! Get free towing and same day cash! NEWER MODELS too! Call 1-866-258-6720

WESLEY FINANCIAL GROUP, LLC Timeshare Cancellation Experts. Over $50,000,000 in timeshare debt and fees cancelled in 2019. Get free informational

package and learn how to get rid of your timeshare! Free Consultations. Over 450 positive reviews. Call 855-428-7954

MISCELLANEOUS

G LTE HOME INTERNET

Now Available! Get GotW3 with lightning fast speeds plus take your service with you when you travel! As low as $109.99/mo! 1-877-452-1183

CARING FOR AN AGING LOVED ONE? Wondering about options like seniorliving communities and inhome care? Caring.com’s Family Advisors are here to help take the guesswork out of senior care for you and your family. Call for your FREE, no-obligation consultation:1-844-556-4158

ELIMINATE GUTTER CLEANING FOREVER!

seen that; one sin is enough to separate you from me forever? (James 2:1-13). Have you become aware that the “richness of pride,” has blinded you to your need for me, your Savior? If so, you have become “poor in spirit,” and you are ready for the next step.

You will not believe what I have done for you to make your return to me and the life, only I can give. Humble yourself before me and I will exalt you by restoring you to myself and lavishing life in all its fullness upon you (James 4:6).

I love you, God

These letters are written by Rev. Dr. Sam Hollo of Alton, NH.

LeafFilter estimate today. 15% off Entire Purchase. 10% Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-855-723-0883

SAFE STEP North America’s #1 Walk-In Tub. Comprehensive lifetime warranty. Top-of-the-line installation and service. Now featuring our FREE shower package and $1600 Off for a limited time! Call today! Financing available. Call

Safe-Step 1-844-610-9711

SWITCH AND SAVE UP TO $250/YEAR on your talk, text and data. No contract and no hidden fees. Unlimited talk and text with flexible data plans. Premium nationwide coverage. 100% U.S. based customer service. Limited time offer: get 50% off on any new account. Use code GIFT50. For more information, call 1-866-926-5071

LeafFilter, the most advanced debris-blocking gutter protection. Schedule a FREE

ous threat. But reducing global growth won’t help. It would make things worse. Growth and that much-hated capitalism are our only hope to create the wealth that may help us better adjust to climate change.

Norberg points out, “If we didn’t have any economic growth since the 1950s, we would have slightly less global warming, but around half a million more people would die because of climate-related natural disasters. The risk of dying has declined by some 90%, and that’s not because we have fewer disasters. ... It’s because we’ve had economic growth. It means that we improve construction, improve early warning systems, improve health care ... we can deal with disasters in a better way.”

Over time, even a little growth makes a huge beneficial difference.

“If Sweden, my own country, had had just one percentage point lower economic growth per capita, then Sweden today would be as poor as Albania.”

“What’s wrong with Albania?” I ask.

“Albanians are a quarter as rich as Swedes,” responds Norberg, “That shows in everything from life expectancy and child mortality to working conditions.”

Albania’s growth was stunted by years of communism. Because of that, today Albanians risk their lives to try to reach capitalist countries.

“That’s what you need to know about different economic and political systems,” says Norberg. “Look at where the refugees go. They always go from more socialist economies to capitalist economies.

People risk their lives to get to freedom and prosperity.”

The no-growth advocates don’t acknowledge that. They despise capitalism, and don’t see its benefits. We invited more than a dozen of them to come on Stossel TV to explain the evils of capitalism and describe how degrowth is better. Not one would.

I wish one would come to my studio to argue. I’d ask what he thinks about the claim Norberg makes in his newest book, “The Capitalist Manifesto.” He says, “The global free market will save the world.”

“That’s grandiose,” I tell Norberg.

“But it is saving the world,” he says. “Bit by bit, step by step. Every day over the past 20 years, more than 130,000 people were lifted out of extreme poverty!”

That means economic growth freed millions from stoop labor, from burning manure for heat, from lives where they die young.

Not only did free markets release people from miserable poverty, when they did, they created conditions where people want to take care of the environment. It’s why capitalist countries are less polluted than socialist ones. Only when you aren’t worried about your next meal can you start thinking about preserving nature.

On top of that, growth may give us the technology to reduce pollution and adjust to climate change.

Degrowth would leave the world poor, miserable and polluted.

Branchat, “The capital is surrounded by armed groups and danger; it is a city under siege,” he stated. A UN humanitarian report cited widespread looting at the main port, where the overwhelming majority of goods and supplies are transported.

Not too many years ago the UN Security Council dispatched a peacekeeping force to the Caribbean island from 2004 to 2017. The peacekeepers were sent to Haiti after a rebellion led to the ouster of the radical leftist priest turned President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

Last autumn amid widening violence and calls from the previous government for assistance, the UN authorized a police mission for the island.

The East African country of Kenya decided to participate as did some Caribbean countries. The police are yet to arrive.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has announced $33 million in immediate humanitarian assistance for the Haitian people. The Biden Administration is contributing $300 million for the planned Multinational Security Support Mission police forces.

But for anyone who feels Haiti is remote or isolated, just look at the map; the country sharing the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic, is only 700 nautical miles miles from Florida.

Significantly the ongoing Haitian crisis could trigger a humanitarian migrant spillover with a small boat exodus from the beleaguered island. Migrants don’t wish

to go to nearby Cuba, but may try to sail to Florida’s shores.

Yet realistically given the region’s geography, Haiti is just across the Windward Passage from Cuba, and near the American Naval base base at Guantanamo! Guantanamo has a bigger landmass than most people realize; 45 square miles, a large bay, medical and lodging facilities.

Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) warned in a letter to the Biden Administration, “We believe that the people of Haiti deserve our

sympathy, targeted American assistance and the support of the international community. However, Floridians and the rest of the American public will not tolerate your administration again opening the floodgates for countless, unvetted foreign nationals to stream into our country, putting our national security at grave risk.”

It’s time for the U.S. to wake up and prepare for what may soon happen. Nearby Guantanamo holds the key to properly processing

fleeing Haitians and offering them a safe temporary refuge.

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.

METZLER from 7

STOSSEL from 7

SUPER CROSSWORD

B.C.

by Parker & Hart

PUZZLE CLUE: WELL-DEFINED

MAGIC MAZE SUDOKU

WORDS ADDED TO DICTIONARY IN 1900

Answers On Page 29

The Winklman Aeffect by John Whitlock