Dan Segal (R) with one of his young skateboarding students. Segal travels throughout New Hampshire and Massachusetts teaching the sport that changed his own life. “Skateboarding provides life lessons that are so vastly overlooked by the general public,” says Segal who has worked with people of all ages and backgrounds.
For Laconia resident Dan Segal, skateboarding is not just an activity, but a way of life he shares and teaches throughout southern and central New Hampshire with his business, Evolution Skateboard Academy (ESA).
“I don’t know who I’d be without
skateboarding,” said Segal, who said his mother noticed an immediate change in him when he took up the sport. Skateboarding is hands down the most valuable and consistent thing in my life and has been since 1986. Now, I pass on the gift of skateboarding to others.”
“It gave me something
See SEGAL on 32
The Wicwas Lake Grange 292 located at 150 Meredith Center Road (across from Child’s Park: will be holding their annual Open HousE on Saturday, April 29th from 1 to 3pm.
There will be exhibitors and tables of items for sale. Participants include a maple syrup dealer, a local forge and a beekeeper and more. Refreshments will be served.
The Grange will have displays about their history and about the Dictionary Project for
the elementary schools. A great way yo find out what the Grange is all abot
There will be an American Flag ceremony at 2pm, followed by a bake off contest. Judges will select the best roll cake. Come and enjoy a day out, learn about the local Grange and meet up with your neighbors.
To The Editor: Guns are not the problem. What we call entertainment here in America is producing the gun problem.
From the time they are tiny, kids watch beatings and stabbings and shootings and general cruelty on screen, All too often the people doing the mayhem are hailed as heros. What kind of example is that for future behavior?
Do parents care? Not enough, apparently. A lot just let the kids watch whatever keeps them quiet so mom and pop can get back to doing the important stuff on their cell phones.
If we want to stop the shootings then we have to change our ways and do some deep thinking about what really matters to us. And what doesn’t.
Mary Weston Dover, NHTo The Editor:
“Something for free” is the greatest ploy ever used to deceive human beings. When something is offered for nothing, is it really free? Or is it like prescription drugs that has side effects? Consider the “something for free” strategies of Karl Marx, one of the greatest con-artist in all history. It is not by accident that he proposed in the Communist Manifesto the strategy for “Free Public Education” as one of the ten steps to enslave the people of a nation: “Free
education for all children in public schools.”
Today, imagine the mental anguish of a conscientious school teacher who loves to teach the truth. Each year he/she is forced to follow a politics of destruction aimed at our children’s minds in order to keep their jobs. Would you like to replace the 3R’s with the teaching children what to think not how to think? They are tasked with teaching Climate change, CRT, globalism, LBGTQ+ while simultaneously ignoring patriotism and the Christian foundation of our Constitutional Republic. Beware of those bearing gifts. Did the words “Live Free Or Die,” die in the minds of the tens of thousands of NH people who accepted government lockdown as legitimate because Executive mandates made it so? Moving back again along this road to the state controlling children, it is enlightening to consider that by 1983 the National Commission on Excellence In Education issued this historic report, “If an unfriendly foreign power had attempted to impose on America the mediocre education performance that exists today, we might well have viewed it as an act of war.” Is this one of the side effects? Is it not fair to conclude this is the result of “free” education?
During these chaotic times a voice crying in the wilderness, Tom Anderson, a great American patriot, warned that : “Freedom and Morality are indivisible.The foundering fathers knew true liberty can only take
This newspaper was first published in 1883 by Mathew H. Calvert as Calvert’s Weirs Times and Tourists’ Gazette and continued until Mr. Calvert’s death in 1902. The new Weirs Times was reestablished in 1992 and strives to maintain the patriotic spirit of its predecessor as well as his devotion to the interests of Lake Winnipesaukee. Our newspaper’s masthead and the map of Lake Winnipesaukee in the center spread are elements in today’s paper which are taken from Calvert’s historic publication.
Locally owned for 30 years, this publication is devoted to printing the stories of the people
root if combined with faith and virtue. Marxist politics planted in the minds of our school children along with twenty-six court decisions based on “separation of church and state” is bearing its contrary evil fruit as adults. Because there is no foundational wisdom, the masses mix up free with freedom all the more. Today’s American electorate’s prime motivation at the ballot box is their own pocketbook expecting different results than: higher taxes, more regulations and less freedom. The ingenious Marxist plot to destroy Americanist education, based on biblical Christianity, has resulted in a public mindset that prepared our citizens for the revolution in the American government initiated soon after WWII. Citizens haven been taught to accept the Supreme Court and the Executive branch usurp the powers of Congress. Not through bullets, but by education, the submission of the people to authority is now complete.
For decades “Free Public Education” has come from UNESCO and the Department of Education . Beware they have another costly gift for you:
https://thenewamerican. com/print/vouchers-schoolchoice-trap/
Russ Payne Merrimack, NH.
and places that make New Hampshire the best place in the world to live. No, none of the daily grind news will be found in these pages, just the good stuff.
Published year round on Thursdays, we distribute 24,000 copies of the Weirs Times every week to the Lakes Region/Concord/ Seacoast area and the mountains and have an estimated 60,000 people reading this newspaper.
To find out how your business or service can benefit from advertising with us please call 603-366-8463.
“College Success means getting a great education and graduating with little or no debt.”
—Dr. Robert Ronstadt
It was August in April at Cannon, it was 80 degrees! Bria is wearing a T-shirt as she skis off Cannon’s summit via Vista Way. The snow report boasted “Cannon was Loaded with Snow.” Franconia Notch State Park summer operations open soon--The Flume Gorge open daily on May 12th, Lafayette Place Campground open daily May 19th and the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway open daily on May 19th.
The ski season in New Hampshire is done. The lifts have closed and the resorts are working to switch over to their summer season activities.
Am I done skiing yet?
I don’t know. I went to Killington yesterday and it was really fun spring skiing but I couldn’t talk any of my friends into coming along with me. They’re all done.
The last week of skiing in New Hampshire was hot! The weather
felt more like August than April. I have never lift-serviced skied at 80 degrees before in New Hampshire. But Bria and I did just that and it was at Cannon.
We started the morning with our helmets, goggles and light jackets. We went right to the top of the mountain and skied down Taft. The lift at Mittersill was closed for the season but there was still tons of snow on its slopes. The only way to get there was to hike
up the bare snowless saddle and we thought we’d do it before it got too hot. But we still heated right up and the decision to change into our headbands, sunglasses and to ditch our jackets was made after just a few runs.
Barron’s Run was well worth the hike and we had the trail all to ourselves.
The snow was hanging in there great and the trails on the Notch side of the mountain,
See PATENAUDE on 35
Spectacle Live, the management company of the Colonial Theatre in Laconia, and Powerhouse Theatre Collaborative, a program of the Belknap Mill and the resident theatre company of the Colonial, are excited to announce their first joint fundraising event - Just Duet: Broadway Style to benefit the Colonial Theatre. On May 20, at 7pm an exciting night of musical theatre duets will be performed to raise funds to support Powerhouse’s Colonial Series and the Colonial Theatre Advancement Fund. The latter is designed to raise money for continued improvements to the backstage areas and investments in additional theatre equipment and amenities to benefit all who use the Colonial.
The fundraiser will be a friendly singing competition featuring pairs of performers from around the state. Each duo will perform an up-tempo and ballad musical theatre song to win the support of the judges and the audience. There will be prizes awarded to the pairs that garner the most points, but ultimately this will be a fun community event to raise funds for live theatre at the Colonial.
The planned songs will include Broadway hits from throughout the decades including older shows like Singin’ in the Rain, Pippin, Anything Goes, Sweeney Todd and Cabaret, and newer “classics” like Wicked, Rent, Dear Evan Hansen, Shrek, Frozen, Addams Family, Waitress and Aladdin. There will be a wide range of songs for all to enjoy.
Audience members can “vote” for their favorite duos online or with cash in person and support their favorite team while helping raise money for the cause. And those who can’t attend but would like to support can buy votes online in advance at https://www.belknapmill.org/justduet.
Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at ColonialLaconia.com or by calling 1-800-657-8774 For all the news on Powerhouse and all the exciting programs at the Belknap Mill go to belknapmill.org.
The New Hampton Historical Society Presents: Memoirs Of Col. Edwin C. Lewis on Tuesday, May 9th , 7pm at Gordon-Nash Library, 69 Main Street, New Hampton
Col. Edwin C. Lewis was an unusual man. Born and raised in the Lewis Mansion, New Hampton Village, he graduated from New Hampton Institution (1854) and Harvard College (1859), He later returned to this area and with a partner became publishers of the local area newspaper, the Laconia Democrat. Col. Lewis also was Belknap County Treasurer and served his district on New Hampshire’s Executive Council during Hiram Tuttle’s term in office, from 1891-1893.
In the years 1898-1906, Col. Lewis wrote and published a series of 30 articles recollecting his youth growing up in New Hampton Village. Lewis was a remarkable story-teller and gifted writer and his descriptions of the people, the events and the times are entertaining and enjoyable to read. Presenter, NHHS Board Member Mark Denoncour, will explore the highlights of his memoirs and give the audience a clearer perspective of what life was like in mid nineteenth century New Hampton Village. Maps, photographs and illustrations help the memoirs come alive. Free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.
LOUDON - On Saturday, May 6, New England Racing Museum will host the 2nd Annual New England Racers Reunion: Race Car Show with a variety of race cars and race motorcycles on display. “This is our season opening fundraiser and we look forward to welcoming guests from across the region to the museum with over 50 race cars are expected,” said Executive Director Thomas Netishen.
At the event, visitors will be able to view racing exhibits from Ron Bouchard Museum, ProNyne Motorsports Museum, Ollie Silva Museum, and Maine Vintage Race Car Association. Senior Tour of Auto Racers and ACOT will also have car corrals.
One important change for this year’s event is the introduction of the Jim Martel Trophy, which will be awarded to best in show. Known as “Gentleman Jim,” Martel raced across New England for four decades in cutdowns, supermodifieds, sprint cars, and stock cars. In 1970, he captured 21 wins at Star Speedway in the late model division.
In addition to best in show, other awards include best appearing open wheel race car, Mary Lima best appearing modified, best appearing stock car race car, best appearing drag race car, best appearing race motorcycle, and best appearing road race car.
The 2nd Annual New England Racers Reunion: Race Car Show is open to the public at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 6, at New England Racing Museum in Loudon. An onsite food truck will be available and a 50/50 raffle will take place. Admission is $5 per adult and free for kids. For more information about the event or museum, visit nemsmuseum.com.
The League of NH Craftsmen Meredith Fine Craft Gallery will hold a Beginner Stained Glass Class with juried artist Susanna Ries on Saturday, May 7th from 9 am - 4pm.
This class will have you cutting; copper foiling, soldering, and framing a stained-glass panel in one day. Choose your own design from patterns supplied by the instructor, or you can use one from another source, so long as it is constructed of twelve glass pieces or less. Basic stained-glass construction will be taught and you will go home with a finished piece that is ready to hang! You will need to bring: cork board at least 16 x 20 inches, masking tape, apron, scissors, thick latex gloves (such as dishwashing gloves, NOT disposable), safety glasses (if you wear glasses you do not need safety glasses), very casual clothes and covered shoes (NO SANDALS), and a gallon-size zip lock bag (additional zip lock bags may also come in handy for storing solder or foil).
Tuition is $55.00 per student with a $45 materials fee paid to the instructor on the day of class. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Those who wish to take the class MUST sign up by Monday May, 1st
To register for this workshop call the League of NH Craftsmen – Meredith Fine Craft Gallery at (603) 279-7920 or visit the Gallery at 279 Daniel Webster Highway in Meredith.
The following was written by a Flatlander who will remain anonymous. I am reprinting here as a hard lesson that others need to learn.
If you are reading this message, then it may already be too late.
I am scratching it out on the back of a bunch of gas receipts lying abut the floor of my car.
It is past seven now and the sun is just beginning to set. At least the spring hours have kept that light around a little longer.
I had a slight feeling it might be a mistake when I made the turn. I should have heeded my instincts. I had never been on this road before, but the constant bouncing up and down on the frost heaves on the paved road I usually traveled had done a number on my back’s alignment and the potholes I couldn’t avoid were doing a number on my car’s.
I was foolish to think, no matter how many times I was told it was impossible, that I could find a way to avoid it all.
I had always passed the sign for this road during the winter months, but never dared to travel it. I had heard through legend that it led, eventually, over to that one lane route that would still take me home. Perhaps now, with spring coming on slowly, it would be I better shape.
I didn’t think it could be any worse.
At first, I thought I was fine. The road, even though it was dirt, seemed as though it had enough gravel to carry me over its soft surface. But then, as I made the turn onto the next unfamiliar surface, I knew that I was in trouble as I came face
to face with something I had heard about but thought was an overblown tale to scare me.
The mud was thick and deep.
At first my four-wheel vehicle seemed to be handling it well. I knew I only had about a mile and a half to travel, but after the first tenth of that first mile, I realized I was getting in too deep.
I was too far in to try and make my way back from where I came. I had no choice but to continue forward.
My car was now working hard at not traveling sideways and I was making little progress. Then I looked ahead and knew it was over. The muddy road started to ascend, and I knew that my four-wheel drive mid-size SUV was no challenge for this endeavor no matter what they promised in the commercials.
Still, some sense of invincibility foolishly overtook my rational thinking and I pressed hard on the accelerator thinking I could make it over the crest to a possibly better world.
And now I sit here, stuck deep in the mud, the sun slowly setting and no sign of civilization anywhere and I can’t raise a single bar on my phone.
I do see some smoke rising off in the distance. Being spring, it could possibly be a sugar shack producing maple syrup. I could make the effort over land to get there for some help. But what if I am wrong? What if it is a family of black bears boiling the remains of others like me who foolishly took this road?
I decided to stay put, the sun sinking and the chill settling in. I turned on the heat in the car. I could feel myself getting a little weaker. It had been at least two and a half hours since my last meal. How long could a double cheeseburger, a plate of fries, a chocolate shake and a giant peanut butter cookie keep me nourished?
I turned on the radio to hear some human voice to keep me company. A commercial came on for a local car dealer who was having a “Mud Season Special Sale”. I felt as if I were being mocked and I shut it off.
I was now alone with my own thoughts. I had moved here expecting a better way of life and now, it seems, it was to end like this. The cruel irony.
It is now approaching seventhirty. I have been here a whole half-hour (almost). I knew it is only a matter of time until the elements would do their damage, until the desolation infects my thinking and turns me mad.
I leave this note behind to the others that come after me. Don’t make the mistakes I did. Stay on that known path, no matter how treacherous and bumpy it seems for you will never know what lurks on the road less traveled.
I am feeling weak. I need to stop now.
This tale did have a happy eneding. About two minutes later a group of high school kids in a pickup truck came by and pulled him from the mud and towed him to the paved road a quarter mile ahead. He was grateful to live to tell the tale and gave me permission to reprint this as a warning to other Flatlanders
Brendan is the author of “The Flatlander Chronicles,” “The Best of A F.O.O.L. in New Hampshire,” and “I Really Only Did It For The Socks- Thoughts and Stories on Aging.” All are available through his wesbite BrendanTSmith.com
Republican Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina has announced the formation of an exploratory committee for his candidacy for president.
You may have noticed that Scott is Black. We may ask, in this woke age of ours, the extent to which this matters in his candidacy.
I think it does matter, which requires some explanation given that I am adamantly opposed to identity politics in all its shapes and forms.
by Star Parker Syndicated Columnist
Should Scott run and win, he will not be America’s first Black president. When America’s first Black president, Barack Obama, did run and win, it was widely viewed as a turning point in American history.
Many thought that, at last, the era of racial politics had come to an end. Now, the thinking went, that Americans showed that a Black man could run for and win the presidency, we would move on from our national obsession with race and move on to dealing with issues confronting the nation as they impact every citizen, regardless of race.
But it didn’t happen.
The American people twice chose Obama as their president, and today, perhaps more than ever, racial awareness and politics permeate our day-to-day realities.
They permeate practically all political institutions, corporate boardrooms, athletics, universities, K-12 schools and our dayto-day marketplace.
And it’s why Scott’s candidacy is so important and why his race matters.
Early in Obama’s first term he traveled to Europe for a NATO meeting, and in the press conference after, he was asked by a reporter from the Financial Times if he believes in “American exceptionalism.”
For Obama to say “yes” would have been for him to state in this international forum that there is something unique and special about his country that sets it apart from and above others.
By standards of political correctness, a “yes” answer would have been most incorrect. Obama’s finely tuned political skills immediately kicked in and he answered in a most politically correct way.
“I believe in American exceptionalism,” he said, “just as the Brits believe in British exception-
This week, a 16-yearold boy named Ralph Yarl -- black -- accidentally rang the doorbell of an 84-year-old white man, Andrew Lester. According to reports, Lester then shot Yarl twice through the door, wounding him in the head and the arm. According to Clay County prosecutor Zachary Thompson, “I can tell you there was a racial component.”
This fact pattern immediately sent the salivary glands of the media and the Biden administration into overdrive. Drooling with excitement, the media headlined the Yarl shooting for days; President Joe Biden himself immediately invited Yarl, who survived, to the White House.
The reason for the journalistic and political feeding frenzy is clear: For the political Left, the narrative of white supremacy must be maintained. What’s more, shocking examples of that narrative must be found. Yarl’s shooting fit the bill. Americans are supposed to believe, as Yarl’s attorney put it, that “blackness is under attack.”
This is a lie. Not only is it a lie, it is a blatantly idiotic and devastatingly counterproductive lie. That lie provides the impetus toward undercutting police presence in high-crime areas; it provides the basis for racially discriminatory governmental policies; it provides the foundation for the argument that all disparities between the races are the result of white discrimination.
The truth is far more troubling: In America, while most violent crime is intra-racial (white on white or black on black, for example), in cases in which blacks and whites have violent interaction, blacks are overwhelmingly the perpetrators, not the victims.
In 2019, for example, 3,299 white Americans were murdered; 566, or 17%, were killed by black perpetrators. That same year, 2,906 black Americans were murdered; 246, or 8%, were killed by white
perpetrators. Adjusted for population size -- there are far more whites in America (235 million) than blacks (47 million) -- this means that approximately one out of every million white Americans killed a black person in 2019, while 12 out of every million black Americans killed a white person. Such numbers are reflective of a norm: every year from 2001 on, the number of black-on-white killings has approximately doubled the number of white-on-black killings. When it comes to violent crime generally, the same sad truth applies. In 2019, there were 562,550 reported violent black/white incidents. 472,570 were black on white -- 84%.
The media routinely ignore these facts, since they don’t fit the narrative. In fact, the media have a general tendency not to even mention the race of perpetrators of crimes if those perpetrators are black. The people harmed most by this narrative failure are not white Americans, but black Americans, who are predominantly the victims of black crime. According to the Department of Justice, “In 2018, based on data from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program, black people were overrepresented among persons arrested for nonfatal violent crimes (33%) and for serious nonfatal violent crimes (36%) relative to their representation in the U.S. population (13%).” The vast majority of victims were black.
Understanding the facts about interracial crime presents different solutions than the lies we hear about the prevalence of whiteon-black violence. Those solutions include encouraging fatherhood in the home. Only 37% of black children are living in a home with their biological parents; 72% of black fathers aren’t married to the mother of their children; and only 4.2% of black children grow up in areas with a poverty rate below 10% and over half of black fathers present in the community.
But such discussions never take place if we focus on a lie: the lie that black victims are disproportionately the victim of white evils. Those who promulgate that lie victimize all Americans, black and white.
Earth Day was Saturday! Hooray?
“Saving humanity from the climate crisis,” says EarthDay.org, requires us to “push away from the dirty fossil fuel economy.”
Sounds logical.
But my latest video explains why doing that is cruel to poor people.
“Three billion people in the world still use less electricity than a typical refrigerator,” explains Alex Epstein, author of “The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels.” If they’re going to have “their
first well-paying jobs ... their first consistent supply of clean water ... a modern life ... that’s going to depend on fossil fuels.”
But the greens say we have a better replacement: wind and solar power.
So I push back at Epstein: “Solar is getting cheaper all the time. It’s already cheaper than fossil fuels.”
“When we look at solar and wind around the world,” he answers, “it always correlates to rising prices and declining reliability. Why? Because solar and wind are intermittent. At any time, they can go near zero.”
That means wind turbines and solar farms don’t replace fossil fuel
plants. You have to build them in addition to fossil fuel plants.
“We spent trillions of dollars in subsidies and mandates putting solar panels and wind turbines everywhere,” Epstein points out, “Yet we’re still having shortages of fossil fuels.”
Germany invested heavily in solar and wind power. Elites around the world praised German politicians for creating record renewable power. But that didn’t work so well when the winds slowed and clouds appeared.
Germans now pay much more for electricity, triple what Americans pay.
Germany has even turned to coal for energy. Coal! Coal is the filthiest fuel. Yet Germany now imports coal from Russia and America.
OK, say the activists, even if renewables have problems, soon we’ll have better batteries so we can bank wind and solar energy and store it until it’s needed!
Batteries are “getting continually better and cheaper,” I say to Epstein. Backing up all solar and wind with batteries would cost “multiples of global GDP,” responds Epstein. “This is a total fantasy.”
“You say unaffordable,” I push back, “but who’s to determine what
Seventy years is a long time, especially for a military alliance even between friends.
There are few in the world notably including the Atlantic Alliance, forming NATO in 1949. But in the case of East Asia, the strategic and economic links which emerged from the cauldron of the Korean War ending in 1953, created an extraordinary success story which is being celebrated by South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol’s State Visit to Washington D. C. In a planned address before the U.S. Congress, President Yoon is expected to outline South Korea’s
by John J. Metzler Syndicated Columnist
aspirations to become a “global pivotal state.” In the context of the Summit both Presidents Joe Biden and Yoon are expected to pledge to deepen extended deterrence in response to North Korea’s growing nuclear threat as well as enhance intelligence sharing and cybersecurity. Yoon is expected to underscore the Seoul government’s commitment to democracy, deterrence and digital innovation.
Today most people view the modern Korea, that of Hallyu, Hyundai, Samsung and BTS.
This is the contemporary image. Yet the success story that is South Korea has been around for decades now emerged from the post war narrative where a relatively small, devastated and divided Korean Peninsula was growing from the
devastating 1950-1953 war.
U.S./South Korean two way trade reached $187 billion in 2022, that’s up from $101 billion in 2012. Significantly though, China is South Korea’s major trading partner for over a decade.
Economists tell us that South Korea, the free and vibrant part of the divided nation, grew like the Phoenix in the 1960’s and 1970’s through hard work and perseverance. But until Seoul hosted the 1988 Summer Olympics, the saga was still very much before and after. The before was a rebuilding Korea, controlled by a rigid authoritarian political system run by former generals in civilian clothes. Then came the democratic surge on the cusp of the Summer Games which led to a fractious but vibrant
democracy since the late 1980’s to this day.
The underlying reason of the ROK/U.S. Military Treaty was obviously defense, but more specifically deterrence; avoiding a war with the bellicose Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), aka the communist North. Equally the Treaty offered the ultimate insurance policy for South Korea that it could build and prosper in safety behind the U.S. defense shield despite the shadows from the North.
The Military treaty stems from an interlocking system of defense pacts implemented during the Eisenhower Administration; Korea 1953, ROC/Taiwan 1954, and Japan 1960. The U.S./ROK Mutual Defense Treaty was framed by the
I know our parents would be pleased that “The Governor Meldrim Thomson Jr. Principle Above Politics Chairman’s Award” will be presented to Speaker of the House, Sherm A. Packard.
Speaker Packard is serving his 17th term in the NH House representing Rockingham District 5 and over these years he has served on many important committees and positions in the house Leadership, started his own business in 1978 where he worked for over 30 successful years and continues to use those many important business skills in his role as Speaker.
Sadly in December
At the 2023 NH-GOP Amos Tuck Dinner on April 14th with Special Guest Governor Ron DeSantis, Tom Thomson, son of NH Governor Meldrim Thompsom presented “The Governor Meldrim Thomson Jr. Principle Above Politics Chairman’s Award” to Speaker of the NH House, Sherm A. Packard. (L. to R.) Gov. Ron DeSantis, Speaker Sherm Packard, Tom Thomson and Chris Ager, Chairman of the NH Republican Party.
2020 former Speaker Dick Hinch died from Covid 19, at the time Sherm was Deputy Speaker and was sworn in as New Hampshire’s new Speaker of the House on January 6, 2021. Speaker Sherm Packard led the 400 members of the NH House through one of the most difficult times in our history during the Covid 19 Pandemic and he did it with grace, strong leadership skills and always believing in the NH Advantage and the people of NH.
Congratulations New Hampshire Speaker Sherm A. Packard.
Tom Thomson, representing the Children of Meldrim and Gale Thomson
This series of Letters
From God is an attempt to put the thoughts of God as revealed in the Scriptures.
First of all, let me remind you that not all gay and transgenders are violent. Many live and let live. At the same time many have become militaristic in their promotion and defense of their lifestyle. So have myriad numbers of others, who practice other behavior that I have deemed wrong, who seek to defend their lifestyles with violence. There are a number of reasons why this is being manifested but allow me to focus on the core reason.
Anyone who is living in ways that are contrary to my will and design are committing sin. The word sin is actually an archery term. It means to miss the mark of the bullseye. The bullseye is what I, your creator, designed to bring you life in all its fullness. Because I made you, I know what will bring health and what will bring ill-healthy and even death. When you depart from my will, every thought or action brings some form of death, not necessarily immediately but always ultimately. Just as all who are touched by cancer physically, begin with an imperceptible amount, it is a form of death that needs to be removed as quickly as possible
or it will consume you. Like every human being who has at one time or another chosen to reject me and thereby reject my will, regardless of their sin, they too have acquired a “spiritual cancer.” This is why I said through my prophet Isaiah, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity (or sin) of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6).
This problem of sin is universal, and everyone needs to take this into consideration.
But with respect to your question of violence and militancy, this explains the response of some gay or trans people and others who miss the mark of my standards. Once you sin even once, you are separated from me. In this condition you no longer have my heart, which I gave to the first man and woman before they sinned against me. This “new” heart possesses attributes that instinctively breeds conflict and animosity. This is true for anyone in any relationship.
I listed these qualities in a passage recorded in a letter to a church in Galatia. It said, “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies,
and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:19–21).
It is noteworthy that when Lot who was a “righteous,” man attempted to urge the men of Sodom & Gomorrah to not have sexual relationships with his guests, who were actually angels in human form, their reactions was militant and violent. They said, “Get out of our way…we’ll treat you worse than them.” (Genesis 19:9). Sadly, that was their last chance to come back to me and to their senses from their sinful behavior. I waited so long but it was time to bring judgement. Sodom & Gomorrah once flourished and was a blessed and beautiful place but because of my judgement due to their sins, it became a barren wilderness and everyone who once “lived” there, lost everything. I write because I love you and long to give you and everyone who practices any sin, a chance to live now and forever. I sent my son, Jesus the Messiah, to live among you and to give his eternal and sinless life to pay for your sins and eternal debt that separated you from me and which brought death.
Note in the words of Isaiah previously stated, that when you as sheep have gone astray, it led to “iniquities,” another way of saying, sins. But you must also note that I, as Lord God have, “laid on him the iniquity (or sin) of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6).
I have as a result of my love for you, my creation, done everything for you to be restored to me and to life. I gave my son to deliver you. I can do no more. The next move must be yours. If you are willing to give up your rights to what, your creator said was wrong, and ask me to forgive you, I will apply the substitutionary blood of my Son Jesus to your sins and you will be clean. I will restore our relationship and give you my Spirit. His power will enable you to deal with all sin and as you do, the spiritual “cancer” will be healed. Then your heart will soften toward me and everyone else and I will enliven you with “life that is truly life,” that will continue for eternity (1 Timothy 6:19).
I write because I love you and desire for you to be restored to me.
God
These letters are written by Rev. Dr. Samuel Hollo, pastor at the Community Church of Alton, NH.
Weirs Times F.O.O.L columnist, Brendan Smith’s first book with over 30 of the best of his original Flatlander Columns. From learning to Rake The Roof to Going To The Dump to Buying Firewood for the first time and everything in between, Brendan recounts the humorous tales of his learning to fit into New Hampshire life as a Flatlander from New York.
came to me during a very challenging interaction with someone years ago while working in forensics.
ing to find me here in the morning.” I was afraid for my life.
by Leslie Gray, LCMHC Gray Matters Counseling & Wellness
In last month’s article, I hinted that I would return to share with you a boundary setting technique that is fool proof. This particular technique
Austin wants to tell you about a very important finding in medical research. Any decline in hearing results in declines in cognitive performance and brain function.
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As the conversation went on, this individual became increasingly agitated, projecting his anger onto me even though his situation had nothing to do with me. He began posturing, moving to the edge of his seat. He was yelling and pointing his finger at me as if his choices were somehow my fault. The situation looked dire. I was just doing my job.
I remember thinking that no amount of training or college had adequately prepared me for that moment. I was at a complete loss. All I could think was, “This is it. They’re go-
But just before things got completely out of control, something deep in my gut went into action. It started making its way up through my body toward my mouth. I thought, “Don’t say anything. You’re going to make it worse!” But it was no longer within my control. The words came out against my will. And to my surprise, this enormous, hostile, rage-filled man stopped dead in his tracks. He sat back in his seat as if I had just punched him in the face. He looked stunned. He put his hands up in a defensive gesture and quietly said, “I am so sorry. I don’t know what got into me. I didn’t mean to say those things to
I just sat there, dumbfounded at his reaction. I couldn’t
So, what did I say that made him come to his senses? I’ll get to that in a minute but as it turns out, it wasn’t just about what I said, it was about how I said it. And what I didn’t say. Since then, I’ve studied this method to a great degree, wanting to understand why it was so effective. I’ve used it again and again in various settings and in my experience, it has worked 100% of the time.
I’ve gone on to teach it to others to give them a tool for selfprotection, personal boundaries, and practicing assertiveness. Sometimes, people come back and say that they tried it, but it didn’t work explaining that the other person got defensive, kept arguing, and that the situation escalated. I ask them to repeat what they said and each time it turns out that they failed to follow the rules which, of course, results in backlash from the other person.
The statement itself is simple and can be tweaked to match the situation or your style of speech. The rules that follow are key. I simply said, “I don’t allow anyone to speak to me this way,” making it crystal clear what my boundary was. I didn’t tell him what he could or couldn’t do. I didn’t shame, threaten, or try to overpower him. And what’s more, my actions were
Springtime has arrived, and with it a change of pace and a time to take stock of our surroundings. With an increase in the demand for our attention, whether it be from children’s sports starting up again or simply the natural uptick in social engagements the warmer weather brings, now is a great time to get clear about what is working for us, and what is not. While that includes our physical environment, by also including our time demands and any emotional weight we’ve been carrying to
our spring cleaning list, we can truly move forward with a sense of renewal.
We each only have so much time, and how we spend it has an incredible impact on our overall life satisfaction. While it can be easy to look at our obligations and
feel as though there’s little time to prioritize the activities that fill our cup, if we don’t make time for them we can end up depleted,
and sometimes even resentful. While certain activities are non-negotiable, if we take time to take stock we might be surprised by how many engagements are agreed to out of habit or politeness. Additionally, once we get clear and honest with ourselves about what truly makes us happy, it can allow us to look at our schedule with more discernment.
This spring, consider asking yourself: What truly makes me happy? What am I willing to
give up to create more space in my schedule to have more of that? Another area we might not recognize as needing tending to is emotional weight. This can come in many forms, and includes resentments, limiting beliefs, and mental clutter. While these can be somewhat tricky to parse out, it’s worth setting aside time to take stock of which of these we may be holding onto that are no longer serving us. Some questions we might ask ourselves to identify them are: Am I spending time rehashing a circum -
stance or event that has passed and is no longer relevant to the present and future I want? Are there choices I would make differently if I was open to challenging some of my current beliefs and assumptions? In what ways would my life be made easier if I chose to invest time organizing and creating systems that work better for me? Because we carry our minds with us wherever we go, by taking time to clear out unnecessary emotional baggage we might find that our entire lives feel lighter and clearer after releasing these types of
emotional weights.
Of course, no spring cleaning is complete without also taking stock of the physical items around us. By letting go of things that are taking up unnecessary space, we create more clarity around what we value while at the same time simplifying our surroundings in ways that can also help clear mental clutter. While this can be challenging, questions we might ask ourselves while making tough decisions are: How would I feel if I knew someone who needs this item more than me were to receive it?
Is this item worth the space it takes up in my life?
Once we’ve identified and removed what is no longer working for us, that leaves us with an incredible opportunity to focus on gratitude for everything we’ve chosen to keep. Even if we begin small and inch our way to a lighter and brighter tomorrow, by making it a habit of asking ourselves these questions, we can experience a sense of renewal in our schedule, mind and environment.
GRAY from 10
equally as important as my words. My body language matched my tone in that I wasn’t making it about him. I was making it all about me. I sat back in my seat, lowered my voice, placed my hands across my chest in a self-protective gesture. All of this sent the message: “I am not a threat to you; and I will not be threatened by you.”
Further, I didn’t match his energy. I didn’t posture. I didn’t point my finger at him. I didn’t shame or threaten him. I made it all about me and what my boundaries were rather than trying to remove his power. And just like that, he came to his senses.
Most of the time, the person stops and apologizes, immediately realizing their wrongdoing. Sometimes, it’s someone that just has to have the last word, and I let them. It’s not the hill I want to die on. Energetically, they were prepared for a fight, and I didn’t give it to them. Nonetheless, they must discharge that last bit of energy and either repeat what I said sarcastically, or just make noises. But the point is, the behavior immediately stops. If I need to then walk away if they aren’t mature enough to take ownership of their behavior, so be it. I can try talking with them another time when I feel (safe, respected, etc.). My life: my choice.
In the words of
Eleanor Roosevelt, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” Choose not to give consent to bad or abusive behavior. I do.
Leslie A. Gray is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and operates Gray Matters Counseling & Wellness, PLLC in Laconia NH. Feel free to submit responses or requests for subject content to: askgraymatters@ gmail.com
Ladd had in mind that in a year or two, the maid, Hannah Clark, would make a good wife for Judge Ladd’s brother, John Ladd.
by Robert Hanaford Smith, Sr. Contributing Writer
It is now Springtime in New Hampshire which is the season that many couples choose as the time of the year they will have their wedding day. However, the wedding I am going to tell you about now was not held in the Spring, but in the Fall of the year. It was later reported to have been the first marriage performed in Grafton County; however, it did not set the standard or establish a precedent as to how a marriage ceremony should be planned and performed.
A Rev. Mr. Powers told the story in his “Historical Sketches of Coos County,” stating that he had been told the details of the events relating to the marriage by the groom himself.
James Woodward arrived in Haverhill, New Hampshire in the year 1763 and bought land along the Connecticut river where he set up what was called a
tent to be his home. Working on clearing his land, Mr. Woodward was said to have been enjoying single blessedness. He spent his days felling trees on his farm and went to the farm of a Dow family for his meals. He would sleep on the meadow at night.
Concerning James Woodward’s singleness, the Rev. Powers said this: “And although he sometimes dreamed of fairy forms, of sparkling
eyes, and ruby lips, yet he knew not that Providence had anything of this kind in reserve for him, and if he had, he knew not where it might be found; for young females, in those days, were duly appreciated.”
The next year, as things happened, Judge Ladd and his family moved into town, and they brought with them a young maid at the age of fifteen. Mr. and Mrs.
When James Woodward went to visit his new neighbors, the Ladds, and saw their maid, Hannah Clark, he immediately had different ideas about the young lady’s future.
To quote Rev. Powers again, “....there he saw the object which took, at once,full possession of his soul, and he could not see why he might not enjoy it, as well as John Ladd; and from that moment, he resolved to secure Hannah Clark for his wife, if it was in his power.”
Mr. Woodward would afterwards stop at the Ladd’s for an occasional visit and would sometimes have the opportunity to talk with Hannah Clark, enough so that he became confident that she was interested in getting to know him better. For a while the Ladds had no suspicion that their neighbor and their maid were falling in love, but when they did sense that there was a mutual attraction they prohibited any further visits to their home by James Woodward.
Reprinted from the August, 1903 edition of The Granite Monthly
which, when one is only a child, one may not quite understand.
It was mid-summer: the Child had accompanied his parents to church, according to the custom of the time, and was perched on the extreme edge of the seat in the high, straight-backed, and deeply paneled pew. The choir in the gallery on the left had been joined in the psalm singing by the congregation, and during the long opening prayer the Child had remained in his uncomfortable position of rigidity.
High over his head, behind the pulpit, under the great soundingboard, the good old elder had reached the “ Fourthly” in his exposition of the text, and at this point the tender muscles in the weary little body of the Child relaxed ever so slightly. The day was very warm and there were no tall shade trees with overhanging, leafy branches to screen the large two-storied wooden structure from the fervid rays of the sun, but a cool breeze stole softly up into the open windows from the valley below, and the Child gazed far out over the peaceful hills where, in the distance, against a background of pearl-tinted clouds, Mount Teneriffe raised its lofty summit to the sky. His thoughts wandered also, for you all must know that even in a sermon there are many,many things
Only the day before he had played on a little rustic bridge with the boy older than he, who, in a frock coat— the Child still wore a spencer—was just now seated in front of him. They had lingered a long time, listening to the sweet song of the brook as, quivering and sparkling above its rocky bed, it slipped away to seek the deep and quiet shade of the pines. He remembered that his companion of yesterday had told him how, long ago, the great bears from the mountain region used to come down to drink from this very brook. Rattlesnake brook, he had called it, and that near the border of the stream, farther down, the Indians had hollowed several mortars from an immense boulder at a convenient distance from their wigwams. This boy, Augustus, with the rosy cheeks, had said furthermore that it all must be true, for it was according to tradition.
Tradition! He never before had heard that word. There are so many things for a child to learn, and often it is so hard to understand. He would ask his father to explain to him the meaning of this new word. The Child glanced at the end of the pew where his father, clad in a suit of broadcloth, with blue swallow-tailed
coat, dove colored vest with gold buttons, high stock, and ruffled shirt bosom, was seated in an attitude that betokened profound meditation.
So deeply absorbed in the parson’s discourse did he appear to be, that he seemed totally oblivious of his surroundings; and, in order that his mind might not be distracted by the sight of objects about him, he thoughtfully had closed his eyes. Then the Child, in a very solemn and decorous manner befitting the occasion, slid gently along the edge of the seat until his little soft,warm body nestled against the shimmering folds of the sprigged silken gown of his mother, with its quaint fan-shaped bodice and voluminous skirt.
The mother of the Child smiled upon him and bent over him her stately head crowned with heavy masses of soft brown hair, arranged in an eminently becoming manner which differed widely from the then prevailing style. From the depths of the black satin pocket that hung from her arm, she extracted a seed-cake and gave it to the Child, who had returned her smile and was now gazing in silent rapture up into that sweet face so delicately fair, yet expressive of a fine dignity.
One little round cheek was pressed lovingly against the flowing bell sleeve with the under-
sleeve of embroidered mull, and her white silk shawl, deeply bordered and heavily fringed and having a faint scent of lavender, slipping from her shoulders, made a soft pillow for the curly golden head of her first¬born. A moment more, with the gentle swaying of the mother’s sandal-wood fan, and with the parson’s “Seventhly,” there came to the little one the deep sweet sleep of childhood. One chubby fist, that until now had remained tightly clenched, opened slowly and his dear, beautiful golden-brown beetle which he had found that morning under the cinnamon rose bush at home, again knew the light of day, and feasted on the crumbs from the seedcake as they lay on his little yellow catechism.
The sermon ended, the pastor invoked a blessing from the Divine Presence in behalf of his little flock; and the Child, awakening suddenly and meeting with large questioning blue eyes the luminous dark ones of his mother as he listened to the impressive words, there read clearly the meaning of the benediction. And the Child understood.
Pro sports postseasons used to be much simpler. The winner of MLB’s ten-team American League played the winner of the ten-team National League in the World Series. And the winner of the NFL’s Eastern Conference played the winner of the Western Conference in an NFL Championship Game.
The NFL’s post-season once consisted of one game. Seriously. Like the Greatest Game Ever Played—
Baltimore Colts 23 New York Giants 17 in the 1958 NFL title match.
Although for a while, the NFL did have a Playoff Bowl (officially known as the Bert Bell Benefit Bowl). Originally referred to as the Runner-Up Bowl, it was always played at Miami’s Orange Bowl and pitted the secondplace team from the NFL’s Eastern Conference against the second-place team from the NFL’s Western Conference. The winner could then lay claim to the prestigious title of “Third Best NFL Team from 1963” or whatever year they played in it.
Green Bay Packer coach Vince Lombardi called the Runner-Up Bowl “A Sh*t Bowl. A losers’ bowl for losers.”
Tell us what you really think, Vince.
“It’s a hinky-dink football game, held in a hinky-dink town, played by hinky-dink players. That’s all second place is. Hinky dink.”
Lombardi’s negative attitude towards the Bert Bell Benefit Bowl / Runner-Up Bowl / Playoff Bowl may help account for his Packers losing to the St. Louis Football Cardinals in the 1964 “Sh*t Bowl.”
Lombardi’s name is now on the trophy that goes to the winner of the Super Bowl. He had a 5-1 record in NFL title games and a 2-0 Super Bowl record. But who knew that he also had that “postseason” hinky-dink loss to the Cardinals?
So now you know … “The rest of the story!”
I was pondering postseason pro sports while in a Portland, Oregon, sports bar watching the NBA’s Heat beat the Chicago Bulls 102-
91 in the hinky-dinky town of Miami in a “play-in” game on April 14th.
Play-in? PLAY-IN??
Okay. Eight teams from each of the NBA’s Eastern and Western Conferences earn playoff spots. Simple, yes?
Not anymore. In 2021 the NBA Board of Governors opted to establish a “Play-In” option, involving the teams ranked 7th through 10th in each conference. The 7th place team and 8th place team play each other with the winner advancing to the playoffs as the 7-seed. The loser then played the winner of the elimination game between the 9th place and 10th place teams to determine the playoff’s 8-seed.
Joining Chicago in “Play-In Land” were Toronto, Oklahoma City and New Orleans, who also earned PlayIn opportunities—but
Miss Winnipesaukee, Dr. Kenzie Howe, will be vying for the title of Miss New Hampshire this weekend. We would like to wish her the best of luck!
did not advance. For tunately, our Boston Celtics finished second and got to play the Atlanta Hawks in a “first round” playoff series. As the #8 seed, the Hawks beat #7 Miami in the first-round playin, forcing the Heat to play that game against #10 Chicago’s Bulls, who’d earlier beat #9 Toronto. Got it?
So, after the playins, NBA teams still face four seven-game series en route to an NBA title. It’s now theoretically possible for an NBA team to play 30 (THIRTY!) playoff games in a season.
That’s a far cry from how it used to be for our Celtics back in the 8-team NBA of the early 1960’s. The league’s two four-team conferences each produced three playoff teams. The first-place teams received first-round
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Spring has all but kicked winter to the curb for this year, but it is always interesting when winter hangs on as long as possible.
Based on my observations, and many recent emails I have received, winter is making its last gasp. The air is filled with the sounds of spring. I can’t go anywhere without hearing chipping sparrows and cardinals singing their hearts out. That is a good thing, of course.
The most telling signs that spring is here are the nests being built and even the baby birds that have hatched already.
My last few walks, however, have also included juncos and white-throated sparrows, birds we usually associate with winter. I went for a bird walk the other day and, because I was planning to submit the results to eBird, I kept track of the number of species I saw and heard. I ended up with 32 species, and it was a fantastic mix of spring birds, winter birds and year-round birds.
The winter birds included the aforementioned white-throated sparrows and juncos, but also featured brown creeper and ruby-crowned kinglet.
The spring birds included palm warbler, pine warbler, yellowrumped, warbler, Louisiana waterthrush and
eastern towhee. Soon, it will be only spring birds, and many of them, and year-round birds.
Here are some other observations from readers around the state: David, who splits his time between New Hampshire and Connecticut, noted that the loons had returned to the local lakes around Washington, N.H., a few weeks ago, even before the ice had fully melted. He enjoyed hearing the first loon calls of the year one morning at sunrise.
Any time spent outdoors is an opportunity for a good nature sighting. Kevin in Massachusetts was clearing brush in his yard when he noticed a pair of yellow-bellied sapsuckers drilling holes in a tree a few feet off the ground.
Kevin watched and took a few photos as the birds drank the sap running down the tree. Check out one of the photos in the “Reader Submitted Photos” section at www.birdsofnewengland.com
Bruce from Swanzey sent in some great photos of purple finches at his feeders. Purple finches, the state bird of New Hampshire, are often confused with house finches, a western U.S. transplant whose population has burgeoned over the last several decades. Purple finches are slightly larger with a thicker bill. Males are more rosy in color and the coloration is more prevalent than the red on a house finch. One of Bruce’s photos may be found at the above website as well.
Connie from the Lakes Region saw eastern phoebes, tree swallows and song sparrows one recent morning. The tree swallows, as swallows are wont to do, dive-bombed her as she unknowingly walked in the vicinity of their nest. She also had good luck scanning Lake Winnipesaukee and spotted common and hooded mergansers, wood ducks and scaup.
John and Joanne from Dover, as well as Michelle from Moultonborough, were visited by huge flocks of grackles in recent weeks. They wondered how to discourage the birds from cleaning out their feeders. A giant flock of grackles can wipe out an entire stash of food in no time.
As we walked toward the steps of the local Grange Hall on a recent Sunday morning my senses perked at the instantly recognizable odor emitting from within. Not an overpowering nor offensive scent, to the contrary, it was a welcoming fragrance, a breakfast bouquet. The pleasing aroma of bacon grease, hints of warm maple syrup accented with fresh brewed coffee, all intertwined with subtle notes of woodsmoke. The cast of the morning sky reminded us that we were still in mid spring’s cool grasp. But this sultry breath, this intoxicating exhalation from within an old two story wood framed structure called home to the local chapter of the agrarian fraternity since 1891, captured its patrons from the parking lot long before setting foot upon the doorstep to enjoy the bounty found within. The slight chill in the air that would persist most of the day made one relish the ensuing meal all the more. As our party gathered, in waiting for friends, we were ready, eager to indulge in a delightful repast. We stood
ACKERLY’S
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83 Main Street, Alton 603.875.3383 Akerlysgrillandgalleyrestaurant.com
Woodstock - Dbl Pig’s Ear
Stoneface - IPA
Baxter - Coastal Haze
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603 - Winni 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
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603 - Winni Amber Ale
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D.A. LONG TAVERN
At Funspot 579 Endicott St N., Weirs 603.366.4377 funspotnh.com
Ten Bends - Crow’s Eye
Frost - Double Pony Boy
Foundation - Flightless
Wonder
KCBC - Hellgrazer
Mast Landing - Certain Things
True North - Cerveza
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Farmer’s Breakfast of Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, Sausage, and Ham, Homefried Potatoes and Corned Beef Hash, Pancakes, French Toast, and Baked Beans.
at the threshold of the 10th Annual Strafford County Farm Bureau “Farm Style Breakfast Fundraiser and Spring Cabin Fever Reliever.”
Or, as many locals refer to it simply, “The Farmer’s Breakfast.”
Held at the Jeremiah Smith Grange in Lee NH this event lends an opportunity to welcome spring while enjoying a hearty breakfast and visit with acquaintances from throughout the county. With generous
portions of everything served up by many youthful faces with smiles and welcoming attitudes, the meal is a real crowd pleaser. According to The Communicator, a publication of the state Farm Bureau office, the fundraiser this year was to benefit the Strafford County Farm Bureau’s “Youth in Agriculture Grant Program.”
The meal itself was a delicious mix of eggs, bacon, ham, and sau-
sage, pancakes, strata, French Toast, and crepes, fried potatoes, corned beef hash, and baked beans. Fruit, real warm maple syrup and a bounty of odd edibles such as whipped butters, jams, and Rhubarb sauce were also on hand along with the ever present freely flowing coffee, tea, and juice.
This delicious meal began to make me think about just what is ‘The
Pumpkin
Jack Abby -Red Tape
Muddy Road -1762 Porter
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Porch & Pub
286 S. Main St., Wolfeboro 603.569-3662 Morrisseysfrontporch.com
Smithwick’s
Guinness
Harp
Concord Craft Safe Space
Concord Craft Coffee Stout
Stella Artois
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1253 Upper City Rd., Pittsfield overthemoonfarmstead.com
Oatmeal Stout
London Porter
Pitt Stop Pils
Coffee Porter
No Need To ArgueCranberry Mead
Maple Apple Cider ...+6 More On Tap
18 Weirs Rd., Gilford 603.293.0841 Patrickspub.com
Patrick’s Slainte House Ale
Great North - Moose Juice
Guinness
FOSTER’S TAVERN
403 Main Street Alton Bay, NH 603-875-1234 fosterstavernbythebay.com
Tuckerman - Pale Ale
Sam Adams - Seasonal
Sam Adams - Wicked Hazy
Maine Beer Co - Lunch
Newburyport Brewing CoGreen Head IPA ...+2 More On Tap
At Johnson’s Seafood & Steak 69 Rt 11, New Durham 603.859.7500 eatatjohnsons.com/ newdurham
Lone Pine -Brightside
Widowmaker -Blue Comet
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Clown Shoes - Bubble Head 603 - Winni Amber Ale
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BREW PUB
At The Craft Beer Xchange 59 Doe Ave., Weirs Beach 603.409.9344
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Citizen Cider – Lake Hopper
Voodoo Ranger – Juice Force
Kilkenny – Irish Red Ale
El Sequndo – Broken Skull IPA
Woodstock – Kanc Maple Porter
Southern Tier –Peanut Butter Cup Imperial Stout ..+30 More On Tap
** Tap listings subject to change!
(BPT) - Longer days and bountiful sunshine mean the outdoor season has arrived. As excited as you may be to enjoy the fresh air out on your lawn, there are several spring lawn care tasks to complete first.
It’s no secret that homeowners love a lush green lawn, with 36% of American homeowners revealing that their lawns are a top investment in both time and money, according to TruGreen’s new survey*. However, it can
be easy to make common lawn care mistakes that can jeopardize both the look and health of your lawn.
“While homeowners may want a quick fix for getting their lawn ready, there is no one-
size-fits-all approach to maintenance, which can often result in mistakes and an unhealthy lawn,” said Brian Feldman, director of technical operations at TruGreen. “This season, take a step back and ensure you’re not falling victim to some common
lawn care mistakes our expert team has witnessed.”
The professionals at TruGreen, the nation’s leading lawn care provider, are helping make sure you’re not falling into the most common lawn care mistakes among homeowners, See MISTAKE on 28
Look to the garden when struggling to find the best gift for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, birthdays, or other occasions. A gift of plants, seeds, or gardening tools and accessories provides months and years of beauty and enjoyment.
With so many options it is easy to match the gardening gift to the recipient and your budget. Plants are always a great choice for gardening enthusiasts. Small, more affordable plants are fun for gardeners to tend, nurture, and watch grow. Giving larger plants or unique varieties provide a gift the recipient may be reluctant to purchase for themselves.
Do-it-yourself gardening gifts are good choices for both beginners and experienced gardeners who like the process as well as the results. An attractive container, some seeds or plants, and potting mix is a good place to start. Consider giving a self-watering pot to increase success and reduce maintenance. Add some plant tags you purchase or put your artistic talents to work creating your own.
Those who like to cook and garden will appreciate gifts that help them grow their own fresh herbs. Plants and seeds are always a good choice. Combine these with containers like the Provence selfwatering planter that
This all-in-one basket, stool, and seat, the Bamboo Garden Stool and Basket Combo, allows gardeners to carry tools, plants, and veggies or turn it over to sit on for weeding or planting.
is compact and spillproof for indoors. An elevated garden like the VegTrug® herb planter or the VegTrug® SelfWatering Herb Planter Box is a great way to grow, tend and harvest herbs in a sunny spot on the patio, deck, or balcony.
For those that like to garden outdoors, containers, stakes, trellises, and tools are always welcome gifts. A tool caddy that holds pruners, plant tags,
and reaching into the garden easier reduces fatigue and extends the time and enjoyment of gardening. The Bamboo Garden Bench and Basket offer dual functions, allowing gardeners to sit and weed or easily carry their harvest from the garden to the house.
Vegetable and flower gardeners will appreciate a harvest basket like the Garden Hod. Hods were originally used by Maine clam diggers to hold and rinse their catch. The oil-finished pine-and-maple frame and food-grade vinylcovered mesh of the Garden Hod lets you rinse dirt and debris from your veggies right in the garden.
Help your gift recipient bring in the birds with gifts of bird feeders and birdbaths. Add-
and other small garden accessories is an easy way to store and transport hand tools to the garden. Consider a cart like the Mobile Tool Storage Caddy that allows easy transporting of long-handled tools, space for hand tools, and a basket for other supplies.
Make gardening more accessible with a gift of a kneeler, kneeling pad, or garden bench. Protecting joints and making kneeling
(Family Features)
Running a household can get expensive. Between regular maintenance and utility costs, things can add up quickly over the course of a month.
One of the most costly parts of owning a house is typically heating and cooling. If your house isn’t sealed or energy efficient, your heating and cooling costs may climb every season. However, an energy audit is one way to find air leaks and other inefficiencies around your house. Consider these tips from the experts at Best Pick Reports to perform a home energy audit and take steps to address any issues.
What to Look for During the Home Energy Audit
Attic
* Check to see if the holes for your wiring, plumbing and piping are properly sealed and insulated.
* Check the hatch leading into the attic for air leaks. Test for air leaks by closing all the windows and doors then turning on the air conditioner or furnace. Hold a lit stick of incense near the hatch. If the smoke rises between the hatch and the frame, there might be a leak.
Ductwork
* Test for air leaks by turning on the heat or air conditioning in your
home and feeling the ducts for any leaks. If you aren’t sure, shine a flashlight on the ducts and see if any dust is blowing.
* Check the manufacture date on the furnace and water heater. These appliances lose efficiency over time. Furnaces should be replaced after 25 years, on average. Water heaters should be replaced after 10 years.
* Check your water heater’s insulation. If the water heater is hot to the touch, it isn’t retaining heat properly.
* Check the furnace filter. If it’s dirty or hasn’t been replaced within the last three months, your HVAC system may be working too hard.
* Check for drafty windows or doors by closing all the windows and doors then turning off the air conditioner, furnace and fans. Hold a lit stick of incense near all sides of the window or door frame and underneath the door. The direction the smoke wafts will tell you if there’s a draft.
Now it’s time to address any issues you found. Some of these fixes are straightforward enough you can likely handle them on your own. For others, you might need to bring in a professional.
Attic
* Seal holes around wires or pipes with high-temperature, flexible caulk or spray foam.
* Insulate your attic hatch by attaching foam insulation to the back of the hatch. If the hatch door doesn’t have weather stripping, add some.
Ductwork
* Repair leaky ductwork with duct sealant (mastic) or metalbacked (foil) tape.
* Insulate ducts as
See AUDIT on 26
ing these items to their landscape can help increase the number and variety of winged visitors. Bird watching and gardening provide enjoyment while also boosting our spirit and mood.
Consider adding the gift of time. Help assemble, place, or plant the gardening gift. Spending time together
makes any gift more special and enjoyable for you both.
Melinda Myers is the author of more than 20 gardening books, including Small Space Gardening and Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” instant video and DVD series and Melinda’s
Garden Moment TV & radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and was commissioned by Gardener’s Supply for her expertise to write this article. Her website is www.MelindaMyers. com.
needed with duct insulation material rated at least R-6.
Furnace and Water Heater
* Replace furnace filters at least every three months.
* Wrap your water heater in an insulated blanket (R-8 or higher).
* Insulate the pipes
attached to your water heater with foam pipe insulation or insulating tape.
Windows and Doors
* Replace failed caulking and weather stripping around windows and doors.
* Add a door sweep to exterior doors to eliminate the gap between the floor and the bottom of the door.
These home energy audit fixes are often just the beginning of making your house more efficient. To maximize your home’s efficiency, hire a professional home energy auditor to do a full inspection, both inside and outside. Visit bestpickreports. com and fivestarrated. com to find experts in your neighborhood.
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(StatePoint) If you’re like many outdoor enthusiasts, the warm months mean fun bonfire parties with sing-a-longs, scary stories and s’mores, right in your backyard. But having a woodburning firepit requires having a dedicated place to store firewood.
“A firewood rack is not only important for an organized yard, it protects your fuel source from moisture, making for less smoke and more efficient burning. While it might seem like a complicated build, it can be a simple, easy and quick weekend DIY project that will greatly improve your backyard experience,” says Jamie Briggs, director of marketing at Exmark, a leading manufacturer of lawn
care equipment. That’s the idea behind this “Done-InA-Weekend Project” from Exmark:
TOOL LIST
• Miter saw
• Eye and ear protection
• Gloves
• Tape measure
• Level
We’re
603-800-9336
• Pencil
CUT LIST
Large Rack
• (2) 10-foot 2x4s (pressure treated)
• (2) 8-foot landscape timbers (pressure treated)
• (3) standard cinder blocks
Small Rack
• (2) 10-foot 2x4s (pressure treated)
• (2) standard cinder bocks
Build Steps
• Measure, mark, and cut your 2x4s into 5-foot pieces.
• For the smaller rack, lay the two cinderblocks side by side, holes up. For the larger rack, place two of the cinderblocks at either end of the length of the landscape timber, holes up. Place
(603)
including:
Mistake 1:
While it’s tempting to shower your lawn with water (and love), be mindful that doing so is not only wasteful and can increase your water bill, but can also drown out your emerging lawn - especially during rainy months.
Pro Tip: Follow the general rule to water 1-2 times a week for a total of 1 inch of water.
Mistake 2: Improper Fertilization
Fertilizer provides your lawn with critical nutrients. However, if not applied correctly it can damage your lawn. Every lawn is unique, requiring some research to determine the best fertilizer, technique, frequency and quantity of product.
Pro Tip: Connect with a lawn care professional to plan a proper fertilization regimen for your lawn’s unique needs based on various factors, including your region’s climate and grass type.
Mistake 3: Bagging Your Lawn Clippings
Think of leaves and trimming as vitamins for your lawn, as they are filled with beneficial nutrients for the soil. Rather than reaching for the trash bag to remove these clippings from your lawn, leave them be. They help your lawn grow stronger and healthier.
Pro Tip: Remove the bag from your mower to disperse the lawn clippings and mow them back into your lawn.
Mistake 4: Mowing Your Lawn Too Short
When the mower blades are set too low, they can damage the grass plant. Unfortunately, damaged grass is more prone to weeds, drought stress and disease.
Pro Tip: For most grass types, maintain a minimum length of 3 inches to encourage grass to flourish. As a rule of thumb, don’t cut more than 1/3 inch of a grass blade in a single mow.
Mistake 5: Overlooking Weed Prevention
Timing is everything
sides facing inwards.
in lawn care. While it can be tempting to plant spring seeds to get your lawn back up to your standards, the best time for seeding is actually in the fall. But keep in mind, there are other critical things that should be tackled this season to achieve a healthy, green lawn.
Pro Tip: Don’t wait to protect your lawn from unsightly weeds. Work with a lawn pro to apply a pre-emergent weed control to stop weeds from germinating throughout your lawn.
A green lawn of your dreams is possible when you avoid and correct these common lawn care mistakes. If you have questions or need further expertise to verify your current lawn care habits, consult a lawn care professional at TruGreen. com.
*Survey conducted by OnePoll on behalf of lawn care company TruGreen polling 2,000 Americans with a yard/ lawn
the third cinderblock in the middle of the other two to work as support.
• For the larger rack, lay the two lawn timber planks across the cinderblocks and then check to ensure they’re level.
• For the smaller rack, turn the 2x4s so the wide sides are facing inwards. For the larger rack, place the cut 2×4 pieces into the holes of the cinderblocks, small
• To ensure the security of your build, resituate the two lawn timbers so they’re as tightly placed against the 2×4 planks as possible.
• Load up your wood!
To view the full video tutorial, visit Exmark’s Backyard Life site at https:// backyard.exmark. com, a multimedia destination that
provides homeowners with everything from grilling tips and design projects to gardening and lawn care advice.
“Our firewood rack gives you plenty of storage so you can keep your bonfire blazing for an entire party. It’s also one of the simplest builds we’ve ever done, and you’ll be able to make quick work of it over your weekend downtime,” says Briggs.
Also they kept a close watch over the movements and activities of young Hannah Clark.
Still the two had mutual friends who could pass messages between them so all was not lost. So what was labeled “an innocent conspiracy” went on for a full year until talk of a clandestine marriage was begun.
That type of proceeding was agreed upon and carried out in the manner that Rev. Powers later revealed: “Woodward went to Newbury, and told all his heart to Ephraim Bailey, son of Gen. Bailey, and brought him to espouse his cause, and to cooperate with him.
Woodward told Bailey they must have one female enlisted in their interests. Bailey said he believed he could find one that would sustain that part. He was then paying his addresses to a young girl by the name of Hannah Fellows, and he could initiate her into the secret, and secure her aid. It was accordingly confided to her, and it was so arranged that Hannah Fellows was to pass over to Haverhill, and spend the afternoon in visiting Hannah Clark, tell her what was expected of her, and with the sun about an hour high, she was to solicit the favor of Mrs. Ladd to have Hannah Clark walk with her as far as the river on her return to Newbury.”
At the same time it was requested of the Rev. Mr. Powers that he be on the western bank of the river at the time the two Hannahs would reach the river. Ephraim Bailey was to transport Rev, Powers across the river in his canoe and then they would meet
Postcard
with the ladies and all would enter the tent of James Woodward where the marriage ceremony would take place. “Woodward,” Rev. Powers said, “had already taken out license from under the king to authorize his being married without publishment...”
Everything was said to have proceeded as planned with Rev. Powers and Ephraim Bailey being seen coming up the bank from the river as Hannah Fellows and Hannah Clark reached the meadow. They all entered into the tent of James Woodward and there he and Hannah Clark were soon joined in a lawful marriage.
After the ceremony the Newbury residents returned across the river to their homes and Hannah Clark, now Hannah Woodward returned quickly to the home of the Ladds with the whole ceremony, etc. happening quick enough so there was no suspicion that anything out of the ordinary had occurred. James Woodward continued working on his meadow property and
Hannah continued in her employ of the Judge Ladd family. Somehow Rev. Powers was not aware that the marriage was a secret and let it be known that he had officiated at the wedding of
Clark and Woodward. After some time had gone by a woman paid a visit to Mrs. Ladd and told her that a story was going around in Newbury that James Woodward and Hannah Clark were mar -
ried. Mrs. Ladd told her that there was not a word of truth in the story and that Mr. Woodward wanted to court Hannah but they would not allow it.
The visitor told her the story came from Rev. Powers and asked Mrs. Ladd if she knew the story was not true.
Being pressed about the truthfulness of the story that was being told about, Mrs. Ladd went to the kitchen to engage in the following conversation where Hannah was doing her work:
“ Hannah,” said she, “They say you are married to James Woodward; is it true?”
“Yes Ma’am,” said Hannah.
“Then I have nothing more for you to do,” replied Mrs. Ladd; “ I shall not part man and wife.”
Hannah, we are told, put her belongings in a basket and ran for
the meadow and lived happily with her husband for forty years.
James Woodward became the highly respected Judge Woodward and the couple became the parents of 12 children. She died on October 21, 1805. He married a second wife and died at “the advanced age of 80,” in 1821.
As for the Woodward-Clark wedding being the first one in Grafton County and that being reported as such more than 75 years later, I read from a different historian that acquaintances of James and Hannah, John Page and Abigail Sanders, according to town records, were united in marriage 12 days before the secret ceremony of the Woodwards.
Farmer’s Breakfast’?
To most the term conjures up visions of being seated at a small town greasy spoon surrounded by the local coffee clutch of middle aged men in time faded bib overalls and seed caps covering balding pates. The din of the estab-
lishment is given to chatter about the latest weather or banter regarding the merits of one brand of tractor or pickup over another as everyone swills down strong coffee by the mug full. “Mary” the waitress, swaggers from the kitchen, three meals precariously balanced between hands
and forearms, as though she were a circus balancing act. She places a heaping platter of fried eggs and breakfast meats (bacon, sausage links, and a slice of fried ham) before you. Some hash and a serving of fried potatoes grace another plate that lands be-
side the first. And a short stack of Flapjacks (pancakes) on a third lands within easy reach of the previous two. You survey the meal like a landbarron gazes over their rolling estate marveling at just how much food lays before you. That’s when the waitress tells you, “I’ll be back with your beans in just a minute.”
But in days not so long ago, the Farmer’s Breakfast was something different. Often it was dependent upon the season, as well as the size and the economic station of the family. The more mouths to feed meant the greater foodstuffs needed to stretch. It was usually the men and boys getting the lion’s share at the table, being expected to work hard in the fields and farm all day. The home economist didn’t know much about vitamins and nutrition back in the day but they did know that full bellies meant less distractions from a gnawing stomach and that in turn meant a focused energy to get things done.]
To some the farmers breakfast was perhaps simply a heel of bread dipped into a skillet of hot drippings (lard) or even bear grease and washed down with a hot beverage, perhaps coffee, tea, or even broth. To others, fortunate enough to keep a few chickens, they may have eggs with their
bread. A cow may have offered some the luxury of milk, butter, and cream at mealtime. Too, it was not uncommon, back in the day, to have leftovers from the previous evening’s meal for breakfast. Potatoes and other vegetables combined with scraps of meat chopped fine were turned into hash. Saturday evening’s Baked Beans, deliciously sweetened with brown sugar and cooked to a caramel brown tender state in a heavy sweet warm juice of molasses, onions, salt and pepper served up with a slab of raisin studded brown bread. Or maybe a slab of pie and chunk of cheese. Little can compare to a wedge of Apple pie with Extra Sharp Cheddar, washed down with black hot coffee or steamy Earl Grey tea on a cold Autumn morning.
For those places that
saw cornmeal as a staple it was not uncommon to have warm Johnny Cake (Corn Bread) for breakfast if other components; sweetener, leavening, and milk or cream could be readily had. Or perhaps to some down south the farmers breakfast was Scrapple and Eggs. Made of rendered hogs head meats, cutting room scraps, offal and other bits and pieces along with a corn meal-like mush and seasonings, then ground together and pressed into loaf forms, Scrapple, some say, has a flavor similar to sausage and is made of everything but the squeal! Once set, it is cut into slabs to be fried in fat, that too was rendered from the hogs, in a hot iron skillet and served with fried eggs. To some of meager means or in times of lean, the “Farmer´s Breakfast” was one of thin rations designed
more to sustain and keep one from starvation, until the next meal could be had. The farmer and his family waking in the early morning hours, each member responsible for their chores, they then sat down before a meal of sparse victuals. Perhaps porridge and hot tea? A few scraps of bread baked earlier in the week? Add to these some canned or dried fruit preserved from an earlier season by the matriarch of the brood. But that is only
if one were truly of good fortune. Regardless of the size of the meal, breakfast was, is, and always will be the most important meal of the day, for on this meal is built the foundation of the day at hand. Whether it be as minimalist as a bowl of hearty cereal or as lavish as a five course meal, make your next breakfast a delightful repast. In doing so you too are sure to indulge in a Simple Feast. Enjoy!
that helped me develop my self-esteem, confidence, and problem-solving,” he added. “Skateboarding provides life lessons that are so vastly overlooked by the general public.”
He teaches these lessons at outdoors skateboard parks in various towns, some of which include Meredith, Plymouth, Laconia, West Lebanon, Pelham, and Milford to name a few. He also visits Framingham and Quincy, MA on a monthly basis to offer lessons there.
“I’ve taught skateboarding in people’s driveways, too,” he added.
As for the kinds of individuals who have taken lessons from him, Segal said they run the gamut from
the age of 3 to late 40’s. The majority of his clients are females.
“It’s been interesting who has contacted me for lessons,” he said.
Segal shared some of his most memorable lessons, including a 46-year-old woman who escaped Afghanistan.
She had heard about skateboarding before she came to Manchester,” he said. “It was quite a story to learn more about her and how she came here.”
Another “incredible” story involves a blind girl with her dad, an army vet who had been away for ten years and was having trouble connecting with her.
“The lesson was only supposed to be her, but her father had to bring her shoes because she showed up in Crocs,” said Segal. “It wasn’t planned, but they discovered skateboarding together that
sulted from a job posting on the Internet for a skateboard instructor several years ago.
“I did a few lessons for a company down in Amesbury and loved it,” he said.
What he did not love, however, was the fact the company was not locally owned, a recognition that led him to start ESA.
“I wanted to start something local that I could control and offer in my own way,” he said. “I just love skateboarding and want people to experience it, too.”
Segal said he hopes people can eventually experience skateboarding through ESA at its very own indoor skateboard park.
day.”
Segal provided more than a lesson.
“The father didn’t have the money for a skateboard, so I gave him mine,” he said. “I didn’t want him to experience any barriers in skateboarding with his daughter.”
Reducing barriers, according to Segal, is his primary objective.
“It’s not about the money,” he said. “It’s about getting people on boards and helping them have some incredible experiences.”
Having taught nearly 100 students so far since opening in 2020 at the onset of the pandemic, he said he has been surprised at ESA’s continued growth and the diversity of his clientele.
“I didn’t even know there was a demand for skateboarding lessons,” said Segal, who said his initial foray into the industry re -
“There is no indoor skate park on the I-93 corridor,” he said. “I have a business plan written up. I just need funding to make this happen. I think there is a real opportunity here.”
This opportunity includes reducing the stigma around skateboarding, which Segal said often characterizes its practitioners as social outcasts.
“There is an urban legend to it that just isn’t true,” he said.
“Skateboarding is such a positive sport and can help you gain confidence and selfesteem. It’s fun, and there is a lot of camaraderie to it…Just go to a skatepark for one day and hang out for an hour. You will get a much better understanding of who we are and what we do.”
In reflecting on how skateboarding has enhanced his own understanding of the sport and himself, he cited letting go of preconceived notions.
“I’ve worked with some many different
See SEGAL on
kinds of people, some with unique challenges that don’t let that stop them,” he said. He cited a deaf woman from Ukraine with a mental disability as just one example.
“I go into every lesson with an open mind,” he said.
For Segal, skateboarding serves as a metaphor for overcoming fear, which he considers an acronym that stands for “False Evidence of Appearing Real.”
“I’ve seen amputees skateboarding and doing tricks,” he said. “The possibilities are endless. All you need is the desire to skate.”
Desire need not be paired with innate skills either.
“I had no talent whatsoever,” he said. “I just worked and worked and worked, and I loved it.”
It is this joy he hopes to pass onto others.
“Book lessons or even a party with me,” he said. “I also offer free lessons on occasion, so follow me on social media.”
For those perhaps concerned about safety, Segal said evidence supports skateboarding as eminently safe.
“Skateboarding is one of the safest sports there is with skateboarding comprising less than 1% of ER-related sports injuries,” he said. “There are skateboard pros out there with no legs… I can teach anybody how to skate.”
To learn more about Segal, or book a session or party, visit facebook.com/evolvingskateboarding.
An early morning hike up and over the saddle to Mittersill. Since the lifts at Mittersill were closed for the season this was the only way to reach Mittersill’s snow covered slopes. From the saddle there is a fine view of Cannon Mountain.
PATENAUDE from 3 the five fingers, were all skiing well.
It was fun to see nearly everyone skiing without jackets and many people were in T-shirts.
More than a few wore shorts too. Some boys skied without any shirts at all. The sun was hot but the snow was always cold.
At the base of the lifts
there was water from the melting snow pools. And each lap around the mountain the puddles became deeper. It is all part of the spring skiing fun: to try to avoid deep water.
People in the parking lot were tailgating. A few parking spaces below us people were barbecuing. We brought along our lawn chairs and sat outside our car
and enjoyed our own bag lunches.
Our chairs were comfortable and it was nice to relax in the sunshine. We rallied and we walked back to the lifts for a few more last runs.
Don’t forget to wash and pack away your ski clothes so they’ll be ready to grab and go next November. Have Fun.
Get your New Hampshire Safe Boater Education Certificate!
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
Remember t o wear your lif e jacket!
alism, and the Greeks in Greek exceptionalism.”
America’s first Black president is a very politically correct man. And it’s why his presidency changed nothing regarding racial realities in America.
Tim Scott is not a politically correct man, and it is why his potential presidency can change everything.
He does believe America is exceptional, and he is not afraid to say it. His recent book, “America, A Redemption Story: Choosing Hope, Creating Unity,” recounts what he has learned growing up poor, becoming a successful businessman and making his way to the U.S. Senate -- and now, maybe, the presidency.
His personal success story is not about government programs, but about “perseverance and
grit,” only possible with faith and freedom.
Scott is pro-freedom, pro-private property, pro-personal responsibility and initiative and pro-life.
We must understand that the collapse of these core issues and principles, so vital to a genuinely free society, is threatening our nation both domestically and internationally.
As David McCormick and James Cunningham show in their new book, “Superpower in Peril: A Battle Plan to Renew America,” our collapsing culture is endangering national security, as the Army falls short of recruitment goals with more and more young Americans unwilling or unable to serve.
Tim Scott is Black man in America who knows that this is an exceptional country and that the exceptionalism
is rooted in faith and freedom.
Scott understands that out future starts in the hearts and minds of every American citizen of every background and that our future does not start in Washington.
This vital message was lost in the presidency of our first Black president, and great damage was done.
So, Scott’s race matters not for woke reasons but for anti-woke reasons.
This is a candidacy that can make all the difference where Barack Obama failed.
Star Parker is president of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education and host of the weekly television show “Cure America with Star Parker.”
that is?”
“The general narrative is we’re destroying the planet with fossil fuels, so who cares how much energy costs?” Epstein says. “The truth is, the planet is only livable because of low-cost, reliable energy from fossil fuels.”
Before fossil fuels, “Life expectancy was below 30. Income was basically nonexistent. The population was stagnant because people had such a high death rate. The basic reason is that nature is not a very livable place for human beings.”
By contrast, thanks to cheap fossil fuels, “We make it unnaturally safe by producing all forms of climate protection. We produce drought relief ... sturdy buildings. We produce heat when it’s cold, we produce cold when
it’s hot. We have this amazing, productive ability. That’s the only reason we experience the planet as livable.”
Unfortunately, because of today’s foolish hysteria over fossil fuels, energy prices will climb. “When you threaten an industry, you scare investors and producers. Massive threats to industry have definitely cut down production.”
America’s affluent protesters can afford the higher prices. But poor people will suffer. Allowing billions of the world’s poor to live a modern life requires energy from gas, oil and even coal.
The United Nations now puts pressure on countries to stop using fossil fuels. Governments in poor countries, eager for UN handouts, often listen.
“Their whole popula-
tion is going to suffer,” warns Epstein. “People who have by far the least in the world (are) most subject to today’s international pressure against fossil fuels.”
If we want more of the poorest people to have decent lives, we need to invest in both fossil fuels and nuclear power.
Every Tuesday at JohnStossel.com, Stossel posts a new video about the battle between government and freedom. He is the author of “Give Me a Break: How I Exposed Hucksters, Cheats, and Scam Artists and Became the Scourge of the Liberal Media.”
BOSAK from 18 METZLER from 7
Here are a few things to try if grackles are dominating your feeders and keeping the smaller birds away. Use thistle and safflower seeds. Thistle is too small for the grackles to manipulate and safflower is typically not a favorite of grackles.
Goldfinches, chickadees and other small birds will eat thistle and cardinals and grosbeaks will eat safflower.
Use a cage feeder for suet. Most birds can hang onto the cage and eat the suet, but grackles have a tough time with it. Try feeders with small or no perches, or feeders that are surrounded by a cage.
While it can be frustrating to go through so much seed in such a short time and have the smaller birds shut out of the feast, grackles typically do not stay long before moving along and continuing their journey. I have enjoyed the few times dozens, or maybe even hundreds, of grackles have invaded my yard. It’s a unique and memorable scene. Of course, they’ve always been gone by the next day, so I’ve never had to keep them fed for very long.
Grackles and many other birds form big flocks for a few reasons, the main ones being protection and finding food. Whether awake or roosting for the night, strength in numbers holds true when it comes to protecting the flock from predators such as hawks or owls.
Welcome to spring migration.
Let me know what you see out there.
able American Secretary of State John Foster Dulles.
Viewing the military equation, American forces are still stationed along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on the 38th parallel separating the two sides. The U.S. forces, now numbering only 28,500 serve as a military trip wire to forestall any rash moves by the North. Cross that line and you are fighting the U.S.
For the longest time this equation held given that North Korea’s military was massive but conventional.
North Korea’s rogue nuclear weapons and missile programs since the 1990’s have dramatically changed the military calculus. The DPRK regime has emerged as a global threat.
DPRK missile firings and past nuclear tests have formed the cornerstone of Kim Jongun’s rogue regime; this year alone the North has fired 3 ICBM’s and 14 other ballistic missiles into the sea and usually off Japan. The warnings are clear, the UN Security Council regularly meets to discuss North Korean
MOFFETT from 17 proliferation, and then nervously waits for the next incident. This is not a sustainable policy. What would happen if one such firing were not a test or mistakenly hit a commercial airliner?
The Alliance is built around deterrence and trust, two vital components maintaining security in East Asia. Moreover on the divided peninsula, South Korea has clearly won the battle of ideas, economic prosperity and scientific innovation. The North’s Communist dictatorship remains frozen in the past, faces food shortages, but still supports a formidable military threat. Thus South Korea still relies on its American partnership forged in steel seven decades ago.
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.
byes with the second and third place teams playing off in best-offive series. So typically, the top-seeded Celtics would play one series against the winner of the 2/3 series in order to advance to the NBA Finals. For example, in 1961, the Celts played only ten playoff games en route to the NBA title, beating the Syracuse Nationals in five games and then the St. Louis Hawks in five games. (Yes, those cities used to have NBA teams.)
The NBA probably got the idea for its “Play-In” from the NCAA, which features a “First Four” playing for the final two spots in the 64-team men’s and women’s basketball tournaments.
Even Major League Baseball adopted a single game “Wild Card”
feature from 2012-21. Remember that 2021 Yankee-Red Sox Wild Card Game at Fenway? But now both the American and National Leagues each have six teams playing regular series in their postseasons. So, MLB postseason participation is up from two (like when the Red Sox played the Cardinals in the ’67 Series) to twelve!
In the NHL, 16 of 32 teams make the playoffs. In the NFL, 14 out of 32 teams make the playoffs.
So, in this age of “Equity and Inclusion,” why not just let every pro team go to the playoffs? Give every team a trophy! Except how could the NBA possibly justify the 17-65 Detroit Pistons earning a post-season berth?
To paraphrase Vince Lombardi, maybe we
still need a few Loser Sh*t Teams as reminders that even today, “failure happens.”
Where did Vince Lombardi win his final post-season NFL game (Super Bowl II) in 1968? (Answer follows).
That is to say, sports standouts born on April 27 include NBA legend George “Iceman” Gervin (1952) and MLB pitching star (and Trinity High School grad) Chris Carpenter (1975).
“Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing.” – Vince Lombardi
At hinky-dinky Miami’s Orange Bowl.
Hart
THEME THIS WEEK: THOMAS JEFFERSON
OUR PICK FOR BEST CAPTION
“Hey Pa! What does it say? Is “Hat Day” going to finally become a holiday!”
-Cindy Boucher, New Hampton, NH.
Runners Up : Mr. Smith reads Cat in the Hat to his students.
- Ken Fougere, Campton, NH.
Dad explains to the “ hat “club members what he has in his hands. ( a copy of The Weirs Times)- Joe Vitali, Belmont, NH..
“Look kids, a sale on hats that actually fit.”Dwayne Anthony. Woburn, Mass.
CAPTION THIS PHOTO!!
Send your best brief caption to us with your name and location within 2 weeks of publication date... Caption Contest, The Weirs Times, P.O. Box 5458, Weirs, NH 03247 email to contest@weirs.com
