05/04/2023 Weirs Times

Helping Out Meredith Historical Society

Are you spring-cleaning and tired of treasures you once thought you couldn’t live without? Are you replacing that dining room table? Have your children outgrown their life jackets or toys? Consider donating them to the Meredith Historical Society’s Yard Sale on Saturday, May 20 from 8 a.m.-2 p.m.

Items in good working condition are welcome, whether a small knick-knack, a handy carpentry tool or a sturdy chair.

Held at Annalee Dolls parking area, Rte. 3 Meredith, this important event provides funds for maintenance of the non-profit’s historic buildings as well as expansion of its highly regarded programs.

Items can be dropped off at Annalee’s parking lot on Friday, May 19, from 4 – 6.

Low Tide on winnipesaukee

by David Warren Contributing Writer

The Witches, a string of rocks off the northeast shore of Governor’s Island, are a serious hazard to navigation on Winnipesaukee. Dozens of boats have been wrecked there. But 200 years ago, this was a tree covered island. What happened? Today, the dam bureau of the New Hampshire Depart -

ment of Environmental Services (DES) controls the water level. Or at least they try to. They lower the level in the fall to limit ice damage to shoreline structures and to prepare for the spring runoff and raise it in the spring to promote safer navigation. But mother nature can make monkeys out of all of us.

Recently, unexpected late spring floods have

floated temporary docks out to sea and caused significant shoreline erosion. And droughts have made it impossible to get into some marinas. A few years back, the drought cycle we’re currently in barred the Mount Washington from her Wolfeboro dock. But before DES assumed control, unregulated actions by dam owners caused wild variations in the lake level. In

the 1850’s things got so bad that riots broke out and men went to jail for sabotage. And the Cocheco Railroad, owners of the steamboat Dover, sued. Had they not done so the Mt. Washington or Lakeshore Rail Road might never have been built. This is the story of that suit.

When the glacier that created Winnipesaukee

No appliances or clothing can be accepted.

For more information, call 603387-8426, or email meredithistoricalsocietynh@gmail.com.

Meredith Historical Society is a 501c.3 organization.

WEIRS, LAKE WINNIPESAUKEE, N.H., THURSDAY, MAY 4, 2023

VOLUME 32, NO. 18

The original Mt. Washington Wharf at The Weirs. The Weirs Channel was around the corner at the right.

Moultonborough Taxes

To The Editor: You have an opportunity to prevent your taxes from going up by voting at the Town Meeting on Thursday, May 11th, 6:00 pm at Moultonborough Academy. Petition Article #2 for a Community Center (The HUB) is flawed with incomplete information. Here are a few points:

1. Mr. Borrin stated to the Board of Selectmen that the Town supports the HUB building. His claim is based on a survey of 478 voters where 294 were in favor of the build. However, out of a population of just over 4,000, that is less than 10%. In fact most people didn’t even bother to take the survey, so we don’t know what they think. For at least the past 6 years, the Town has voted against building a community center.

2. Cost estimates of $333/ sq. ft. to build are not from an actual bid. However, from ProEst Commercial Construction Site, estimates for a NH rec/ gym building range from $347$680/sq. ft., with no pool (or pools!). Using Mr. Borrin’s estimates, a $15M loan at 5.5% over 20 years costs $24,763,944. At today’s rates, it would be much higher.

3. The Library is asking for nearly a $650 K operating budget not including maintenance; yet, Mr. Borrin estimates a $444,432 operating budget for a HUB building that is double the Library’s size, with a pools and gym, special skilled employee requirements, and main-

tenance; that makes no sense to me.

4. Taxpayers, many on fixed incomes, are fighting inflation, school costs, etc. To ask 90% to pay for 10% of residents for additional recreation is out of balance.

The HUB project only needs a 3/5 majority to pass. You can ONLY influence the outcome by voting at the Moultonborough Town Meeting on Thursday, May 11th at 6 pm.

Barbara Koehler Moultonborough, NH.

Response To Letter

To The Editor

I would like to comment on last week’s Letter to the Editor: Guns Not The Problem. The letter points to the Entertainment Industry (Television, Movies andVideo Games) and the lack of Parental Supervision is producing the gun problem. The letter overlooks the fact that these Movies, Television, Video Games and the lack of Parental Supervision occur all over this planet. Yet it is the United States of America that is having the Gun Violence problem.

As Nation we are passing laws to protect the life of the unborn child. What about the life of living children?

The letter closes with “we have to change our ways and do some deep thinking about what really matters to us”.

I’m asking what’s more important, the right to have a military assault rifle or the right for chil-

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

dren to live a full life?

John Brennick Rochester, NH.

Please Stop

To The Editor:

There are people “out there” who in order to show (more likely “show off”) their faith on Ps. 91:13 and Mk 16:18 go around handling live, “venom fang’d” rattlesnakes…thereby violating the injunction of Mat 4:7. Well, they may (not) be doing it with rattlers, but all too many people in NH are doing the exact same thing with their vehicles.

Time and again I’ve had to swallow back my heart after having seen some yo-yo down the street just flip his door open, step into the street and walk away, blissfully oblivious of the oncoming traffic into whose path he’s stepped frantically braking to avoid him. I live in frank terror of what’s going to happen the next time I go out. Please! I do not wish to have recurring nightmares not to have to declare in court “the plantiff (Or, worse, the “deceased”) just opened the door and stepped out of his vehicle and into the path of the one that hit him w/o checking or giving warning.”

So, if you who are reading this, are one of those people, Stop!

If you know of, or know someone, who’s in the habit of doing this, have a long earnest See MAILBOAT on 36

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.

winnipesaukee spring TroLLing

by Tim Moore Contributing Writer

Trolling for salmon, rainbow trout, and lake trout on Winnipesaukee is going strong. With waters warming up, but the smelt still running, the fishing has been consistent and very good, with lots of quality fish caught so far. Spring is many peoples’ favorite time to troll. Frankly, anytime that the salmon are congregated is a good time to fish, and spring is one of those times.

This spring has been especially busy, which I needed after a short winter. A busy schedule and good fishing make the job even more fun. Let’s face it, no angler likes a slow day of fishing. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know, a bad day of fishing is better than a good day of work. Unless you work as a fishing guide. There are a few sayings that I let me clients throw out. Another one is, that’s why they call it fishing and not catching. I said that once early in my career and my clients were far from amused. Rightfully so, when a guide says it, it sounds like they are making excuses. I never make excuses for the fish, They either bite or they don’t. But I digress.

Mornings usually offer moderately better fishing than in the evening. Lately, we have been doing very well both morning and evening. I have been troll-

ing live smelt at about 1MPH and it has been working. Most mornings I have trouble keeping four lines in the water when I have two clients. It’s a problem most anglers, myself included, are dying to have. Most salmon anglers consider a little chop to be the best conditions. Lately it hasn’t mattered if it was windy or not, the fish are biting.

NH law states that once an angler catches (and keeps) their limit,

on their way home to get dry and warm. I felt bad that their trip was cut short, but it was ultimately their call. They could have continued to fish, but frankly it was miserable out there and I don’t blame them.

Last year, NH Fish and Game stocked 14,000 8–10-inch salmon. The results so far look like the survival rate was good. I am seeing quite a few 2 year-old salmon in the net. Hopefully this year will be similar for stocking, but a lot of that depends on the smelt surveys. They try not to overstock the salmon so as not to put too much pressure on the smelt. I’m hopeful that the next few years will see a rebound of salmon. Once the gap

they must stop fishing. The limit of trout and salmon is two fish. Most of my clients who wish to take some fish home will keep one fish and wait to keep their second fish so that they can keep fishing. One of my recent clients got on the boat with his son It was raining, windier than forecast, and cold. The fish were snapping better than usual. Two hours into their trip the two anglers had their four fish limit and were

Mark from Laconia with a healthy looking salmon.

EVENTS & ACTIVITIES

Canterbury Shaker Village Reopens May 13

Saturday, May 13 marks Opening Day at Canterbury Shaker Village with several special events scheduled to take place in addition to indoor guided tours.

At 10am., Opening Day at the Village begins with Canterbury Shaker Village XC 5K, the third race in the Capital Area Race Series (CARS), sponsored by Northeast Delta Dental. Featuring miles of groomed trails on nearly 700 acres, the Village hosts cross-country races throughout the year.

At 11am., visitors can learn more about the Village’s new exhibition, “For Shakers, By Shakers: Canterbury Shaker Furniture from the Collection,” at a free Walk & Talk with Education Manager Kyle Sandler. The result of meticulous research over a period of many months, the exhibition explores the breadth of Canterbury Shaker furniture through craftsmanship, color, design, materials, and purpose.

From 1-3pm. in the Carriage House, visitors will have the opportunity to meet Curator of Collections Shirley Wajda, who will discuss recent discoveries in the Village’s collection. Some of her discoveries are discussed in the Village’s online blog, The Blinn Report, available at shakers.org. Canterbury Shaker Village is located at 288 Shaker Rd., Canterbury, New Hampshire, just south of Laconia and north of Concord. To learn more, or purchase tickets online, visit shakers.org.

IMANI WINDS – DE MEMORIASA Latin Perspective In Wolfeboro

Sunday, May 21st at 3:00 PM, Grammy nominated, Imani Winds, will perform in Wolfeboro following their Carnegie Hall and Midwest Concerts. This final concert of Wolfeboro Friends of Music’s 2022-23 season.

Celebrating over a quarter century of music making, Imani Winds has led both a revolution and evolution of the wind quintet through their dynamic playing, adventurous programming, imaginative collaborations, and outreach endeavors that have inspired audiences of all ages and backgrounds.

The ensemble’s playlist embraces traditional chamber music repertoire, and newly commissioned works from voices that reflect historical events and the times in which we currently live. Recent projects include a Jessie Montgomery composition inspired by her great-grandfather’s migration from the American south to the north, socially conscious music by Andy Akiho, reflecting on mass incarceration, and a work by Carlos Simon celebrating iconic figures of the African American community. These works and more have been commissioned as a part of the Legacy Commissioning Project.

Wolfeboro Friends of Music invites all people of the greater Lakes Region to enjoy Imani Winds’ ninety-minute concert as they display their phenomenal musicianship, technical proficiency, and famously warm, humorous personalities. Tickets to this eighth concert of this season are available for $30 in Wolfeboro at the door, Black’s Paper Store, or Avery Insurance, by visiting www.wfriendsofmusic.org, or by calling (603) 569-2151

Camp Constitution Speaker Bureau Presents

“From Darkness to Light The Juli Wilkinson Story”

Come hear a story of redemption by a former abortion nurse. Juli was raised in an intact but quite liberal family. Accepted a position as abortion assistant at a late term abortion clinic, run by Warren Hern MD. Left after about 2 years there. Experienced a heart change by the grace of God. Eventually made contact with a Abby Johnson who had herself managed an abortion clinic, but left the business and went on to create outreach for abortion clinic workers. She gained courage to share my sad story, in the hope it might help women rethink their plans to end their children’s lives. Had a small role in the movie UNPLANNED- The Abby Johnson’s story of redemption. Where: Community Church of Alton 20 Church St. Alton, NH

When: Monday May 8---7:00 PM Free admission. Donations accepted. For more info call 857-498-1309.

Volunteers Needed At Castle In The Clouds

Castle in the Clouds is currently accepting applications for volunteers for the 2023 season, which begins on May 27th. Volunteers are a fundamental asset to Castle in the Clouds, and Volunteer Benefits are awarded based on accrued hourly milestones. Whether you are interested in history and art, hospitality, gardening, hiking, education, or just looking for a way to get involved, there are many opportunities to make a difference at the historic mountaintop estate. The Castle in the Clouds is always accepting new volunteers to support their nonprofit mission throughout the following areas: museum interpreter and group tours; visitor services; hiking trails; educational outreach; Lucknow organ player; programs; office administration; weddings and events; and gardens and grounds.

When asked about their experience volunteering at the Castle in the Clouds, a long-term volunteer shared: “As a volunteer Visitor Services Greeter, I try to do whatever I can to make guests feel informed and welcomed. I enjoy the human connection and know that I will meet at least one guest who makes me smile each day. I feel that volunteering makes me a better person and I encourage all who have the time and interest to volunteer at Castle in the Clouds.”

Those interested in volunteering are welcome to fill out a volunteer application on our website at castleintheclouds.org/volunteer or email volunteers@castleintheclouds.org for more information.

by Brendan Smith

Beyond My ConTroL

I have a really great idea for a very funny column about the upcoming summer tourist season,but as I sit down to write it but I know I am totally at the mercy of my laptop.

It’s been getting on in age and can be unpredictable.

Will it perform as it is intended, to turn on and make me wait a few seconds; a few seconds I can use to get my ideas I order, or will it decide that it’s time for one of its obnoxious updates and put a kink into my writing schedule?

Will all go smoothly without a hiccup or will I have to spend the next ten minutes to a half hour or more watching the circle in the middle of my laptop’s screen endlessly chasing its own tail, and if so, will I be able to retain the ideas that are in my head for this column or will I lose them?

There is not much I can do when my laptop needs to update. I look at it as my laptop’s electronic call of nature. The urgency of the update is something that I can’t feel, but I start to think that maybe the laptop can and needs to act immediately.

What are these updates anyway? I would assume that their purpose is to see to it that my laptop is running more smoothly; that it is able to process things smoother and faster. (Except, obviously, the updates themselves.)

When the update notice rears its ugly head, I sigh. I know it could be quite a while until I am allowed access to my laptop’s function. Still, it implores me that under no circumstances whatsoever am I to turn off the computer during the process of the update.

I comply, even though at times I am frustrated enough to do so. I am ready with my ideas and, with a cup of hot coffee in hand, excited to do battle with words, but it often won’t let me go to work immediately. When this happens, I am often tempted to go against the orders I see on the screen and just turn the thing off anyway.

Still, I stop and think. It’s a habit of mine.

I assume that my laptop is receiving its orders from a place far away. A place I envision that is full of wires and electricity and people with coke bottle glasses who are telling it it is time for its update. I could be wrong, but I like the scenario.

So, I think, it is not necessarily the fault of my laptop. It is possible that my laptop isn’t thrilled about the updates either. Maybe it feels some sort of weird electrical pain as the updates happen and, if interrupted and needed to be started over again, the pain is even worse.

So, it implores me when I turn it on, not for any reason whatsoever turn it off because it will only be worse for the laptop.

If I turn it off, maybe I will be acting selfish and heartless and not thinking of my laptop but only of myself. So, I don’t. Instead I watch it chase its tail and start to think crazy things like maybe my laptop has feelings and I need to be considerate of what may or may not be real.

Then these bizarre thoughts carry to other electronic devices as well. Did my tablet feel pain when I accidentally dropped it on the floor? Did my keyboard at work suffer greatly when I inadvertently spilled hot coffee all over it? Was my cell phone feeling distress when I was forgetful and left it behind at the restaurant only to be confiscated by the hostess and placed in a dark box with other forgotten things until I came back the next morning to rescue it?

Then it occurs to me that maybe life was easier when we didn’t have all of this technology. Sure, the way we do some things might be slower but the psychological pressure we might begin to feel if we were to think crazy thoughts like there is a different plane of existence for our gadgets might not be worth it.

Of course, I may be the only one who is thinking this way and, of course, I would never even have these thoughts cross into my head if my laptop didn’t have to go through its obnoxious routine of its random updates and if I had never seen 2001: A Space Odyssey.

So, I press the on button and wait a few seconds. All seems to be fine, but I’ve fallen for this trap before. I know better than for get too confident or smug. Plus, all this thinking has given me a headache and I need to lie down for a bit.

I guess my great column about the upcoming summer tourist season will just have to wait until next week.

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

NOW ON SALE!

“I Really Only Did It For The SocksStories & Thoughts On Aging”

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

Or order online at BrendanTSmith.com

(Autographed copies also avail. at the Weirs Times)

NOW ON SALE!

“I Really Only Did It For The SocksStories

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

Or order online at BrendanTSmith.com

(Autographed copies also avail. at the Weirs Times)

Daily Masses: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday: 8am, Tuesday: 5:00pm

Sacred

Weirs Times Editor

Biden sLeeps TighT whiLe naTion drowns in deBT

Hillary Clinton writes in The New York Times that Republican insistence to link any increase in the nation’s debt ceiling to spending control and cuts threatens our national security.

Joe Biden ThreaTens To ‘Finish The JoB’

by Star Parker Syndicated Columnist

“It’s a sad irony that Mr. McCarthy and many of the same congressional Republicans seemingly intent on sabotaging America’s global leadership by refusing to pay our debts are also positioning themselves as tougherthan-thou China hawks.”

Clinton is right that our enemies, Russia and China, see America today as weak and are using the opportunity to strengthen their influence around the world.

But the reason they see the supposed leader of the free world as weak is not because America refuses to “pay our debts.”

Russia and China see our nation as fiscally and morally corrupt, and they are right.

Whether we’re speaking about a nation, or an individual, absence of self-discipline is a sign of weakness.

The only words that capture fiscal reality in our country today are “profligate” and “undisciplined.”

The Congressional Budget Office projects $2 trillion deficits over the next decade. It projects national debt, today equal to 100% of our GDP, to reach a record 118% of GDP in 2033 and, by 2053, almost twice the size of GDP.

Average federal spending, per CBO, over the last 30 years, from 1972 to 2022, was 20.9% of GDP. In 2023, it is projected to reach 23.7% of GDP and by 2033, 25.3%.

Yet, this does not seem to bother President Joe Biden and his fellow Democrats at all.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and fellow Republicans are putting on the table a plan to at least start getting our fiscal house in order, but Biden has noted he has zero interest in any conversation. He wants unconditional agreement to raise, once again, the nation’s debt ceiling.

Why does it even matter that we should get things under control? Many important reasons.

One, the more that fruits of our hard work are diverted to government rather than productive and creative use in the private marketplace, national productivity suffers. We’re already seeing the results of this.

As economist and blogger Scott

by Ben Shapiro Syndicated Columnist

This week, President Joe Biden formally launched his 2024 reelection campaign. He did so with a three-minute video in which he did not appear on camera speaking for more than two seconds at a time; the highly produced video instead utilizes audio of Biden over fast cuts of Normal Americans (TM) doing Normal Things (TM). Biden’s message is simple: “Finish the Job.”

But what, precisely, is the job? Biden’s first term record is abysmal: a 40-year inflation high, now baked into the price structure; systemic weakness in the banking system, brought about by the necessity of the Federal Reserve raising interest rates; an out-of-control debt problem that will only appreciate over time; a collapsing Middle East in which a serious war is now the most likely outcome; an emboldened China casting its eyes upon Taiwan; a Europe unsure about American leadership despite the war in Ukraine; an Afghanistan turned over to eighth-century barbarians, with hundreds of Americans still behind enemy lines and 13 American service members murdered; and a social fabric frayed beyond recognition by the insistence on racial “equity” and the false malleability of sex itself, especially for children.

Biden’s record is one of the worst for any first-term president. His “Finish the Job” slogan sounds more like a threat by a movie villain than a guarantee of future prosperity.

Joe Biden has nothing to run on.

Nothing except former President Donald Trump.

His announcement contains zero actual accomplishments of his first term. Instead, his entire campaign will be rooted in the same message as his first campaign, and the Democrats’ 2022 campaign: Vote against Republicans -- and by Republi-

cans, they mean Trump -- or democracy will be imperiled. “That’s been the work of our first term,” Biden intones. “To fight for our democracy ... But, you know, around the country, MAGA extremists are lining up to take on these bedrock freedoms.” By MAGA extremists, of course, Biden doesn’t just mean people who attempted to prevent certification of the 2020 election. He means anyone who opposes his agenda. “When I ran for president four years ago,” Biden mumbles, “I said we were in a battle for the soul of America. And we still are.”

This campaign strategy rests almost entirely on Republicans nominating Trump. In 2022, this message resonated only in areas that nominated Trump-lite candidates, from Georgia to Pennsylvania to New Hampshire. In New York and Florida, where Republicans ran more traditional Republican candidates, Democrats lost seats. Gov. Brian Kemp, who did not bow to Trump’s pressure in Georgia, won reelection handily; so did Gov. Ron DeSantis in Florida, who ran on his record of accomplishment and freedom in the state. Democrats’ “Democracy Dies in Darkness” sloganeering only carries weight when Republicans allow it to do so.

Will Republicans hand the 2024 election to Biden? They very well could. Right now, Trump leads in the Republican primaries, despite attacking his nearest rival, DeSantis, almost entirely from the Left: bashing DeSantis’ record on COVID-19, slamming entitlement reform, criticizing DeSantis’ battle against Disney’s corporate social engineering. Trump has been unfairly targeted by political opponents to be sure -- Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg’s case against Trump over a 2016 payoff to former porn star Stormy Daniels is a legal joke. But that doesn’t mean that Republicans are likely to benefit from a campaign revolving around Trump’s legal troubles and his persistent focus on the supposedly “stolen” 2020 election. In fact, Trump has yet to answer the most basic question he himself has raised about his electabil -

by John Stossel Syndicated Columnist

Marxian eduCaTion

Some schools are ditching traditional grading.

Instead, they use “labor-based grading,” an idea promoted by Arizona State University professor Asao Inoue.

Labor-based grading means basing grades more on effort than the quality of work.

In addition, Inoue lectured a conference of rhetoric professors “stop saying that we have to teach this dominant English. ... If you use a single standard to grade your students’

languaging, you engage in racism!”

So I reported that Inoue opposes teaching standard English. He complained that I was being unfair.

“What I’m saying is that students should have choices,” says Inoue in my latest video. “Is it possible that a student comes in who wants to learn the standardized English in my classes? Absolutely.”

My German-speaking parents made me learn proper English. Where would I be if they hadn’t?

“There are absolutely benefits to a standardized English,” says Inoue. “But that same world creates those same benefits through certain kinds of biases. Those can be bad.”

Lecturing to professors, Inoue says, “White people like you ... built the steel cage of white language supremacy ... handmaiden to white bias in the world, the kind that kills Black men on the streets!”

What? Teaching standard English kills Black men?

“I think it can,” says Inoue. “We have Eric Garner saying, ‘I can’t breathe.’ But no one’s listening and he dies. That’s the logics that we get.”

I still don’t get it. Eric Garner died because white people teach standard English? He uses words like “logics”? “Languaging”?

Much of the time, I don’t understand what Inoue is talking about. If

this is how professors speak now, I see why students are bored and depressed.

Twenty-six years ago, a school board in Oakland, California, announced that its Black students were “bilingual.” They spoke both Black English (Ebonics) and standard English, and the schools should give “instruction to African-American students in their primary language.”

Ebonics advocates told teachers not to correct students who “she here” instead of “she is here.”

When many people, including Black parents, objected, Oakland officials said that they never intended to teach

sudan; deaTh on The niLe

There’s blood in the Nile. The mighty river separating Sudan’s capital city Khartoum has seen fighting erupt between two rival factions of the Army. What could have been a quick internal flash up between the main military factions which have tenuously ruled this vast land since the 2021 military coup, has morphed into a bitter fight for power on the streets of the capital. More than 500 civilians have been killed in the crossfire and foreign diplomatic, humanitarian workers and business people have been trying to flee the country.

Khartoum, Sudan’s capital of 5 million sits strategically alongside the confluence of the River Nile.

by John J. Metzler Syndicated Columnist

It’s here that both the Blue Nile emanating in Ethiopia’s highlands and the While Nile sourced from Uganda’s Lake Victoria, combine into the mighty waterway flowing towards Egypt.

Why is this important? Sudan is one of Africa’s largest countries; it borders seven other countries, themselves some of the continent’s most unstable and poorest states; Ethiopia, Libya, Chad and South Sudan. Spillover from the conflict, be it refugees, or further political instability holds dangerous regional repercussions.

There are two key military players in the violence but both sides have layers of support from militias and

international meddling. Generals Abdel Fattah al-Burhan of the Sudanese Armed Forces has spoken about putting the country back to civilian rule. Rival General Mohamed “Hemedti” Dagalo, and his Rapid Support Forces, an armed unit with roots in the old Darfur Janjaweed militias, has built a powerful parallel force of 100,000 that has intervened in conflicts such as Libya. Russia’s notorious Wagner paramilitary group reportedly has links with the RSF.

In the midst of internationally brokered ceasefires, American, British, French, Turkish and other civilians are being airlifted or convoyed out of Sudan via tenuous links to neighboring states.

While U.S. diplomats were quickly evacuated, shockingly the White

House said it has no plans for a government-coordinated evacuation of Americans trapped in Sudan, which could number up to 16,000 private U.S. citizens. Fully two weeks into the conflict the first Americans were finally evacuated from the fighting.

Volker Perthes, UN Special Representative for Sudan warns, “I urge both sides to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law and ensure the protection of civilians.”

Even prior to the current crisis Sudan was in dire social and economic straits. Joyce Msuya, UN Assistant Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs briefed the UN Security Council, that “humanitarian needs in Sudan were

sMoke your poCkeT ConsTiTuTion? Forward governMenT Thinkers vs. road BLoCkers

Rev. Steve Craft and I on behalf Camp Constitution recently presented a donation of 1,500 pocket copies of the U.S. Constitution to the Alton-Barnstead, NH Schools. I authored an article for our blog on the subject and shared it on a number of Facebook groups of which I belong. Most of the members of these groups were encouraged and motivated by our act. But not all. I encountered an irate person whom I will call “Forward Government Thinker” or FGT.

FTG took exception to our act of generosity and civic mindedness: “Hallie, you can take your pocket copy of the constitution, roll it up and smoke it?”

This is not the first time I have encountered people who hate the U.S. Constitution and their argument against it is similar.

“And what are you planning to replace it with?” was my first reply.

FGT: “Words on parchment from over 2 centuries ago DOES NOT apply to our lives in this day and age. Those that resist change and forward movement are the roadblocks of our society.”

This is their classic argument: “Something 200 years or older has no validity.”

I once debated a man

who made the same argument. I asked if the U.S. Constitution were written in 1848 would it also be obsolete. He answered in the affirmative, and I thanked him for refuting the “Communist Manifesto” written by a white Eurocentric male.

FGT thinks that I am a roadblock to society. Roadblocks serve a particularly important function: They prevent people from driving off a road and getting injured or killed. Our Founders gave us Constitutional roadblocks not to curtail freedom, but to prevent tyrants from imposing their will upon us. I think the term “roadblock of society” should be there next to Hillary’s “Deplorables.”

My reply to FGT: “I disagree. The US Constitution is as valid today as it was when it was ratified. So, what

do you suggest we replace it with? Is freedom of speech, trial by jury, freedom of the press all words on parchment that do not apply to our lives today? What kind of change do you want? A nation with an all-powerful government that controls all aspects of our lives. Or what George HW Bush wanted: ‘A New World Order’- a UN as envisioned by the Founders of the UN?”

FGT: “(A vulgar acronym) Hal, it needs an overhaul. Think of the preamble as the USA’s mission statement. Just as many large entities have done to refresh their brand, revision is necessary. That’s why we are stuck in the good ole days/good ole boy mentality. Many things that worked then, do not work now. The US Constitution is antiquated and does not align with our country as we stand today. Expecting our country to make forward progression without a forwardthinking government is absurd.”

My Reply: “But you refuse to tell me what you want to replace it with? And, just what is ‘forward thinking government?’”

FGT: “I am not re -

fusing anything. STOP living like it was 200+ years ago…science and technology has advanced us in so many ways! Yet you live in the past which prevents forward thinking! (Vulgar acronym), Harold! When were you born?”

My Reply: “You want to get rid of the U.S Constitution but have nothing to replace it with except with some blind faith in ‘forward government thinking.’ There is nothing forward about ‘forward thinking government.’ It will always lead to tyranny. Science and technology have nothing to do with human nature, which never changes.”

I forgot to tell FGT that I was born in 1959.

At least FGT is honest about the desire to see the U.S. Constitution trashed and relegated to the dustbins of history. There is a well-funded attempt by people who share FGT’s disdain for the U.S. Constitution and people like me who as FGT puts it “are the roadblocks of society” to hold an Article V Convention. These people were clever enough to have some of their well-paid operative’s appeal to conservatives who do not hate the U.S. Constitution, and another group of their well-funded operatives appeal to those on the Left who hate the U.S. Constitution and pretty much everything else about the United State except their trust funds. (The teachers and professors in the government school and state colleges have been successful beyond their

Camp Constitution’s Chaplain Rev. Steve Craft, speaking at an event in Alton.

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

Letters From God Letters From God

things, if followed, will always injure them, often for a lifetime, or end their life suddenly.

QUESTION: Why Doesn’t God Give Us The Freedom To Live As We Desire?

The reason why you must never attempt to live as you please is because I, as your Creator made you to function well only by following certain behaviors. When I gave you my laws or commands, I included in them those things that would help you to experience the fullness of life and those which, if you practiced them, would diminish life. You must recognize that whatever I have disapproved with regard to beliefs or behavior are things that ultimately would hurt and even kill you. The other reason you must never follow your own will is because your natural human tendency isn’t to obey but to disobey.

I spoke to my people, Israel through my prophet Isaiah who told his people, “we all like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way…’ (Isaiah 53:6). Children from the time of their birth never need to be instructed to disobey parents, whose wisdom if followed, will protect them from danger and death. Instead they must be taught to obey because their natural inclination is to do what is wrong not right. Doing the wrong

Solomon wrote the book of Proverbs which contains my wisdom for life. He included the following proverb. “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law.” (Proverb 29:18). This proverb reveals a condition that will lead to lawless behavior and as a result to certain destruction. This condition is when my revelation is cast aside. Revelation refers to my words found in my book, the Bible. I intended them to be your manual for life, so that if you obeyed them you would enjoy life but if you disobey them you would languish in death.

To cast off my revelation refer to those who either already had access to my words and wisdom and no longer live according to them or to those who have deliberately chosen to reject me and my word altogether. They choose to enjoy “freedom to live as we desire,” as expressed in your question to me. They decide not to use my words as the basis of right and wrong. Instead of seeing my laws and commands that were both positive and negative guides for life, they saw them as restrictions on what they think is life. Unfortunately, because of their limited knowledge of right and wrong and the natural tendency to do what

is wrong, they were deceived into thinking that by throwing off restraint and doing whatever they desire they would experience a quality and quantity of life they might never have if they obey me and my words. Note however that the proverb I gave to Solomon says that it will only be those who keep my laws who will be blessed. To be blessed is the equivalent to enjoying maximum pleasure from following the manual written by the maker for whatever product you use. Will you really have more life if you consider the airlines you fly too restrictive by not allowing you to fly and take control? Will you really have more life if you reject the Center for Disease Control’s wisdom of carcinogens and just ingest anything you desire regardless of their wisdom for health and life? You will not be blessed and prosper in life but instead you will be cursed. Your lives will be marked by suffering, sorrow, pain, failure and death.

It is interesting to note that I told the first man and woman what would continue to bring them life. They had everything but they were given one of my negative commands. They were told to not eat from one tree. I knew that if they did eat of it, they would disobey & be cut off from me, the source of life. For throwing off what they thought was my restraints, death entered their lives and

the lives of everyone born thereafter.

But notice that my proverb not only presents the problems that will come to those who reject my word but also the blessings that will come to those who accept it and live by them. It says, “blessed is he who keeps the law.” These are the people who recognize that I created these laws for life and because they want to live, they obey me. When they do, these laws and commands lead them to beliefs and behaviors that causes them to prosper and have my blessing. They will enjoy a quality of life during their time on earth and a quantity of life with me that will last forever. They will recognize in my words that their sins have separated them from me the source of life. They will recognize and accept their Savior, my son Jesus the Messiah, who died to pay their penalty. They will receive my Spirit and be empowered to obey and please me. The question I will return to your question above is this, will you die because you reject my words that bring life or live because you choose to follow my words?

I love you, God

These letters are written by Rev. Dr. Samuel Hollo, pastor at the Community Church of Alton, NH.

Not So LoNg Ago ...

Exploring ThE lEgEnd & lorE of our graniTE STaTE

The FirsT MiLL Crank in Coos

by Robert Hanaford Smith, Sr. Contributing Writer

In the latter half of the 1700’s the interior of New Hampshire began to be settled at a faster pace than had been allowed during the wars that saw the British army opposing the French and native Americans.

As colonists built houses and towns, mills were built along the streams of water and the equipment to run them had to be transported to the mill’s location. An obstacle was the lack of suitable roads on which to transport the heavy machinery needed to construct the mills.

Haverhill minister Rev. Grant Powers wrote about what he called the first millcrank in the Coos region of New Hampshire and Vermont. The story was told him by Judge James Woodward (visit last week’s article) and the father of a then future governor of New Hampshire, John Page, Jr. Keep in mind that the following event took

place sometime between 1765 and 1770 when Vermont was an independent republic and what would become Coos County was still a part of Grafton County. Vermont didn’t become the fourteenth state until the year 1790, and Coos County was born in 1803.

A mill-crank was needed at a mill being constructed in Newbury, Vermont, across the Connecticut River

it, to place the millcrank upon for the trip. It was what we would call today a custom-made sleigh with several advantages: “It was light; the runners were wide, and would not readily cut through the snow; the beams were high from the ground, so that rocks and stubs were not likely to strike the cross-beams.” The easy part was going to Concord to acquire the mill-crank; the trip back was another story.

from Haverhill, New Hampshire. One was available in Concord but the roads between there and Newbury were not good enough to enable the settlers to move the mill-crank by oxen or horses. The only way to remove the part from Concord to Newbury was manpower and six men were chosen for the task.

They made a wooden sled or rude hand sleigh, as they called

It happened to be a very cold week and the snow was deep. When the transporting team reached Hebron they were tired and cold, or, in the words of Rev. Powers, “they felt themselves exhausted by fatigue, and benumbed by the cold.” In an effort to make the trip easier they chose to travel on the level surface of the frozen Newfound Pond. When they reached the halfway mark of the six-mile trip across Newfound Lake they stopped to rest and set down on the sled. John Page got up and walked a distance away until he found “a glade, or opening in the ice,” where he could have a drink of water. Upon returning to the sleigh Mr. Page found his companions drifting off into a sleep, which,

Dr. Robert Ronstadt

Picture of water-powered saw-mill in early 1900’s, but probably similar to the late 1700 ones.

“College Success means getting a great education and graduating with little or no debt.”

—Dr. Robert Ronstadt

—Dover Jewelers—

Mother's Day! Mother's Day!

MoTher’s day aT oMni MounT washingTon resorT

Mother’s Day Weekend:

Friday May 12th:

•Welcome Social: 4pm-6pm at The Great Hall

Saturday May 13th:

•Mommy & Me Yoga: 8am-9am at The Conservatory

•Morning Hike to Upper Falls: 10am, meet at Concierge Desk

•DIY Brown Sugar Scrub: 12pm at Omni Kids Center

•Mom & Me Guided Painting: 2pm-4pm at The Conservatory

•Sweet Social: 4pm6pm at The Great Hall

Omni Mount Washington Resort is offering special activities to celebrate all moms this Mother’s Day Weekend from May 12-14, with highlights including a complimentary round of golf, a Mother’s Day brunch buffet and weekend-long activities including mommy & me yoga, guided painting, DIY brown sugar scrub, a morning hike and more.

Mom’s Golf Free at Bretton Woods

On May 14th, individuals can purchase 1 full round of golf required to access Mother’s Day deal which includes green fee and cart fee. There will be a full-service clubhouse to golf lessons with PGA professionals offered. Subject to availability and course conditions, space is limited. Call 603-278-

4653 for more information and tee times. For moms with a passion for golf and are interested in the complimentary round of golf on Mother’s Day, Omni Mount Washington Resort is a golfer’s paradise. There are two golf courses, including one designed by Donald Ross. The two championship courses — one with 18 holes, and the other with nine — both offer views of New Hampshire’s Presidential Range.

Mother’s Day Brunch Buffet at Main Dining Room

The resort is hosting a Mother’s Day brunch in the 1902 Main Dining Room with an à la carte Mumm-osa Bar featuring Mumm’s Champagne. Adults are $50 per person, children 6-12 years of

age $25 and children

5 and under, free. Subject to tax and a 20% gratuity charge. To make reservations please call 603-2788864.

The resort itself is located at the base of stunning Mount Washington and is surrounded by nearly 800,000 acres of the White Mountain National Forest and is home to Bretton Woods, New Hampshire’s largest ski area. Opened in July 1902 by New Hampshire native Joseph Stickney as the most luxurious hotel of its day, the property stands as a grand masterpiece of Spanish Renaissance architecture and continues to attract guests with its beautiful scenery and year-round activities.

•Succulent Flowerpots: 5pm at Omni Kids Center

•Classic Smores: 7pm at the Fire Pit

Sunday May 14th:

•Mom’s Golf Free on Mother’s Day at Bretton Woods: Offered all day

•Mother’s Day Brunch Buffet: 12pm4pm at The Main Dining Room

•Crafts & Cards for Mom: 12pm-4pm at Omni Kids Center

•Family Board Game: 12pm-4pm at The Great Hall

•Movie Matinee: 2pm at the Dartmouth Room

by Mike Moffett Contributing Writer

Sports facilities don’t endure forever.

During a recent jog on a running trail in Portland, Oregon, I came across a basketball court in the woods. Or what used to be a basketball/tennis court. It was covered with leaves and other detritus. One backboard still stood, sans hoop. Vines proliferated. Nature was reclaiming the space.

If basketball courts could talk, I’d ask this one questions. Who made the first basket there? When did it happen? Who made the longest shot? What was the biggest crowd to hang out there? The most epic game? Any fights?

Surely some nonbasketball things happened on this court in a forest. Maybe it served as a lovers’ rendezvous after dark? Or less happily, a place where drugs were dealt?

But dying basketball courts can’t talk.

Sports facilities are not immortal. The basketball court my dad played on at Groveton High School later became a woodshop. And then a library. But that space will always stoke hoop memories for oldtimers. Maybe there’s some residual basketball energy there— sport ghosts if you will. There are great books out there on the subject. BALLPARKS: A

dead arenas

If arenas could only talk.

Yankee Stadium— the House that Ruth Built—opened 100 years ago. I did get to a game there a year before it was replaced in 2008. Countless millions of eternal sports memories were created there in the Bronx.

Consider the old Boston Garden, which was razed in 1995. Newspapers published testimonials highlighting its legacy and recounting unforgettable events held there, sports and otherwise. It’s where Havlicek stole the ball. Where Orr’s flying goal won a Stanley Cup. See MOFFETT on 37

Journey Through the Fields of the Past

by Eric Enders is one of them. Sports venues are integral parts of communities. For example, Ebbets Field was the storied home of the Brooklyn Dodgers. It was razed in 1960 and is now the site of an apartment complex. I wonder whose apartment now stands over the batters’ boxes, where Jackie Robinson used to steal home plate. I obviously never went to a Dodgers game there, but Ebbets Field still touches all of us.

On April 15, 1947, Robinson made his major league debut at Ebbets before a crowd of 26,623 spectators, more than 14,000 of whom were black. Now Robinson’s #42 has been retired by Major League Baseball, and

is displayed at every MLB stadium, including Fenway Park. While I never got to Ebbets Field, I did visit the world’s first “sports” stadium—the Roman Colosseum, which was completed in the year 80, almost 2000 years ago. The site of all kinds of gladiatorial contests, that edifice endures and is a major tourist attraction. Its blood-soaked turf evokes sport-thoughts of life and death struggles fought with even more urgency than the Stanley Cup playoffs. The spectators there were depraved, vicious, and merciless—kind of like Philadelphia sports fans. But the Colosseum’s final competition was centuries ago. One ponders the identity of the last gladiator to die there.

(Above) A dying basketball court in Portland, Oregon. (Below). The sports columnist at the Roman Colosseum, site of so many life-and-death gladiatorial struggles.

“GERSHWIN BLUE”

Lakes region syMphony orChesTra pops ConCerTs

Pianist Chris Mega performs George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” and Vocalist Madison MacNeill performs Gershwin-era classics with the Lakes Region Symphony Orchestra May 13 and 14.

The Lakes Region Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of music director Benjamin Greene, invites you to the final concerts of our remarkable 20222023 season with two performances on Saturday May 13, 2023 at 7:00pm and Sunday May 14, 2023 at 3:00pm at Inter-Lakes Auditorium in Meredith.

LRSO celebrates the 100th anniversary of George Gershwin’s American Clas -

sic “Rhapsody in Blue” - perhaps Gershwin’s most famous and one of the most performed of all American concert works - with Meredith’s Chris Mega featured on piano. In the Gershwin theme LRSO welcomes vocalist Madison MacNeill to the stage performing several Gershwin and Gershwinera standards from the Great American Songbook.

LRSO entertains with a mix of orchestral and vocal selections that include “S’Wonderful”, “Strike Up the Band”, “Embraceable You”,” But Not For Me”, “Summertime”, “Chattanooga Choo Choo”, a medley of Cole Porter tunes and more! Visit www. LRSO.org for a more

complete lineup.

Chris Mega’s involvement with the Lakes Region Symphony Orchestra spans over two decades, and he is currently the pianist and Executive Director of the organization. Chris is classically trained but enjoys playing jazz – a combination that

fits well with Gershwin’s orchestral work. Over the years with LRSO Chris has had the opportunity to perform the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2, and the Grieg Piano Concerto, and is excited to solo with this Gershwin classic.

Chris recently teamed up with Hermit Woods Winery in Meredith to book and perform “Piano Nights” every Friday and Saturday night, and is involved with other music programs presented at the winery.

Madison MacNeill’s

talent was most recently on display in “Something Rotten!” with the Powerhouse Theater Collaborative (the resident theatre company at the Belknap Mill and the Colonial Theatre in Laconia) and other performing arts companies. She has trained at Berklee College of Music and through master classes with Broadway professionals. Madison has always enjoyed singing jazz and musical theatre, and is thrilled to be joining the Lakes Region Symphony Orchestra for this occa-

sion singing the music she loves!

These May 13th and 14th concerts are the capstones of the LRSO’s brilliant 20222023 season and sell quickly. Tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for students college-age and under. Tickets are available online at www.LRSO.org or by calling eTix at 800-5143849.

Long-time patrons and new-comers alike are invited to enjoy this live orchestral experience.

Thanks to concert sponsor Bank of New Hampshire, and all our patrons and sponsors, for supporting live orchestral music here in the beautiful Lakes Region of New Hampshire. Join our mailing list at www.LRSO.org or follow us on facebook at LRSO1 to receive notice of all our performances next season. Please be sure to tell a friend!

The Lakes Region Symphony Orchestra is a Meredith, NH-based, non-profit orchestra that performs throughout the fall, winter, and spring months.

Madison MacNeill

Chris Mega

New England’s Wild Birds & Their Habitats

More reader sighTings

by Chris Bosak Contributing Writer

It’s usually about this time that I write a column about a recent bird walk that yielded a few warblers and how it’s a sign of a great warbler season ahead. Lately, that has turned out not to be the case as the last few warbler seasons have been rather ho-hum, for me anyway.

Well, maybe my fortunes will change this year. I have taken three bird walks over the last week that have yielded very few warblers. A flock of yellow-rumped warblers and a lone palm warbler have been my only sightings. Granted, it’s a little early in the season, but usually by the last week of April, the birds we have looked forward to seeing for so long have returned. At least some of them. Not this year, though, at least not for me.

I’m hoping that means the season will pick up quickly, and it will be the best warbler season in years. I’ll let you know how that goes.

Warblers are small and often colorful birds that return to New England in spring, usually late April and through May, after having spent their winters well south of here. The spring warbler migration is the highlight of the year for many birdwatchers. Although not war-

Red-bellied woodpeckers do indeed have red bellies.

blers, birds such as indigo buntings, scarlet tanagers, rose-breasted grosbeaks and Baltimore orioles are also colorful birds whose return each spring is highly anticipated.

I have had my typically good luck finding eastern towhees this spring, so I can’t complain too much.

To fill the void left from my lack of sightings, I’ll share a few more sightings from readers around the region.

Ann from the Monadnock Region has had a tough time keeping the feeders filled as so many birds are visiting her yard. She says it’s been like Grand Central Station with birds such as evening grosbeaks, purple finches, goldfinches, red-bellied

woodpeckers, downy and hairy woodpeckers, grackles, chipping sparrows, red-winged blackbirds, cardinals, white-throated sparrows, juncos, whiteand red-breasted nuthatches, chickadees and Carolina wrens. Busy feeders indeed.

“It’s such a treat to have so much color on these drabby days,” she writes.

Two readers from Connecticut reached

out with some nice sightings. Jason wrote that he hadn’t seen a red-bellied woodpecker in a long time until one showed up the other day. He also wondered, like many people do, why it is called a redbellied woodpecker when red is rarely seen on the belly. Many birds were named from ornithologists who were holding a dead specimen of the bird in their

The Simple Feast

LeMon parMesan asparagus

WEIRS TIMES’ BEER FINDER

by Eric N Gibson

The Simple Feast Simple The Simple

Many’s the time I have written fond memories of my mother’s cooking. Her specialty, I have yet to rival: Cranberry Coffee Cake. It was truly legendary! She excelled at delicious deserts of cakes, pies, cookies and confections. All of it masterfully created with seemingly the scarcest of effort. She made wholesome mouth watering dishes from casseroles to stews. She could cook tempting meals of chicken and turkey and succulent roasts of beef and pork. Why, she even baked that most unholy of ¨meats¨ that comes in a square can and rhymes with Ham topped with prepared mustard, a touch of brown sugar, and clove. And it too was delicious!

But the one thing that could challenge mom faster than you could say “Shazam!” was vegetables. When it came to vegetables, the only thing blanched in our house was our appetite. Yes, she could bake a potato. And mashed potatoes tasted better than the average. And yes, she did make a scrumptious Baked

Cauliflower with a crushed snack cracker and butter topping. But nearly every other cooked vegetable suffered under the hands of my mother.

One of the most dreaded of vegetables to ever grace our plates was Asparagus. Now don’t get me wrong, I have grown to enjoy, relish in fact, Asparagus; just not as my mother served it.

She would cook Asparagus until all nutritional benefits were wholly extracted from it. Once done, (over done) she would turn these “wet noodles” out into a colander, allowing the cooking water to “wash” over these limp sprigs. Perhaps in hopes that any

Fresh vegetables served in a salad fared no better. Drawn and quartered, chopped, diced, shredded, and shaved with nightmarish conviction. The way she wielded the kitchen blade… Well! You’d have thought this slight, petite, humble matriarch of the domicile was in direct lineage to the executioner of William Wallace. And bugs on our veggies? Well, those who did not take the rinsing as an omen suffered their own fate. If they passed through the gauntlet of cutlery unscathed they were surely to perish in the deluge of Italian dressing; a certain death by vinegar based scalding.

ACKERLY’S

Grill & Galley

83 Main Street, Alton 603.875.3383 Akerlysgrillandgalleyrestaurant.com

Woodstock - Dbl Pig’s Ear

Great Rhythm - Squeeze

Baxter - Coastal Haze

Tuckerman - Pale Ale

603 - Summatime

COPPER KETTLE TAVERN

At Hart’s Turkey Farm

Restaurant 233 D.W. Hwy, Meredith 603.279.6212 hartsturkeyfarm.com

Henniker - Working Man’s Porter

Concord Craft - Safe Space

Stoneface - IPA

Moat Mtn - Blueberry

603 - Winni Amber Ale

...+6 More On Tap

D.A. LONG TAVERN

At Funspot

579 Endicott St N., Weirs 603.366.4377 funspotnh.com

last bits of nutritional value would languish for one fleeting moment longer over these lifeless spears with this final anointing being their revival? When they hit the plate they were a shadow (almost literally) of their former self. Languid squishy stalks that mimicked the characteristics of seaweed just having washed upon the beach. They were too a very deep earthy tone of green bordering on the color of a swamp dwelling frog, all signs of vitality having diminished, as if evaporated into the ethos of a hard boil. I vowed never to eat Asparagus again once I was old enough to choose my own vegetables.

I can see the horrific scene in my mind’s eye. It was one unfortunate ant who went missing among the toss only to appear on my plate. I could tell the poor creature was suffering in the flow. Ants always seem to do these melodramatic gyrations in order to overtly accentuate their anguish. It was mired in the pale orange goo that passed for dressing, trying desperately to grasp a passing buoy of minced garlic or some such “seasoning.” As I watched, albeit out of morbid fascination, its head tossed back, mandibles open as if in angst, the last twitches of its antenna, I thought about offering it a life line, a tine of my fork, then hesitated, holding back

See FEAST on 29

Jack Abby -Red Tape

Muddy Road -1762 Porter

Northwoods -Autumn Buzz ...+30 More On Tap

MORRISSEYS’

Porch & Pub

286 S. Main St., Wolfeboro 603.569-3662 Morrisseysfrontporch.com

Morrisseys’ 20 Year Lager by Great North Smithwick’s

Guinness

Harp

Concord Craft Safe Space ...+11 More On Tap

OVER THE MOON FARMSTEAD

1253 Upper City Rd., Pittsfield overthemoonfarmstead.com

Oatmeal Stout

London Porter

Pitt Stop Pils

Coffee Porter

No Need To ArgueCranberry Mead

Ten Bends - Crow’s Eye

Frost - Double Pony Boy

Oxbow - Liquid Swords (2022)

KCBC - Hellgrazer

Mast Landing - Certain Things

Barreled Souls - Munro

...+6 More On Tap

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 Co -

Green Head IPA

...+2 More On Tap

JOHNSON’S TAPHOUSE

At Johnson’s Seafood & Steak 69 Rt 11, New Durham 603.859.7500 eatatjohnsons.com/ newdurham

Lone Pine -Brightside

Widowmaker -Blue Comet

Shipyard -Smashed Pumpkin

Maple Apple Cider ...+6 More On Tap

PATRICK’S PUB

18 Weirs Rd., Gilford 603.293.0841 Patrickspub.com

Patrick’s Slainte House Ale

Great North - Moose Juice

Guinness

Clown Shoes - Bubble Head 603 - Winni Amber Ale

Tuckerman - Pale Ale ...+9 More On Tap

THE WITCHES

BREW PUB

At The Craft Beer Xchange 59 Doe Ave., Weirs Beach 603.409.9344

FB @craftbeerxchange

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!

Contributing Writer

Pan Seared Sirloin with Mushrooms, Lemon Parmesan Asparagus, and Mashed Potatoes.

no doubt easily feed them both.

MOORE from 3 BEST WHOLE CLAMS ON THE LAKE! Kids meals served with fries, drink & a frisbee! 55 Mt Major Hwy, Alton Bay • 875-6363 • popsclamshell.com

is filled in for missing year classes of fish we should be well on our way. We’re just getting started, but it feels to be good to be back in the boat and running trips with more amazing people. There is still plenty of availability for those interested in getting out. My calendar doesn’t usually fill up until after schools get out.

Tonka road JoB

by Donald Guarino Gilmanton, NH.

Every spring I have to clean the lawn of rocks deposited by my spring snow plowing.

This year I had the help of my grandsons, who are highly qualified for rock removal.

It had occurred to me that loading and moving stones, from the lawn, with their TONKA dump truck could be fun. My grandsons were very excited at the prospect of moving rocks to their job site. They had already been running a 1/64 scale road job in a washout in the driveway that happen to be close to the rocks on the lawn.

This year I had expanded my grandson’s fleet of TONKA heavy equipment. Three off road dump trucks, two rubber tire loaders and a 1963 track mounted shovel have been added to the fleet. All the heavy equipment was purchased at yard sales or auctions thanks to my friend who kept an eye out for me.

The gravel stones from the lawn seemed to be scaled perfectly for the size of the dump truck we were using. With my grandsons imagination their hands became clamshells as they loaded the truck along with making the sounds of a diesel motor. The loaded truck moved to their job site and dumped for a future project.

Everyone got a chance to ride in the empty body, pushed by the other, back to pick up another load of rocks, three yards away. After many truck loads all that was left was a small amount of sand and dead grass to be raked up.

My grandsons made a spring chore into a time of fun and laughter. One that will be remembered.

Three ways To prep your hoMe For Bug season

(StatePoint) It can be tempting to think that bugs simply disappear in the cooler months. The truth is that many bug species have evolved to survive all year long, sometimes hiding in the warm nooks and crannies in and around homes. Others go into a hibernation-like state.

“Bugs can be a lot smarter and more resilient than you may realize. Even if you don’t see household pests right now, some may still be waiting in your home for those first warm days to signal them to become active, search for food and find a mate,” says Emma Klingman, senior products research at Zevo, a maker of pest control products with naturally-inspired

ingredients you can feel good about.

To prep your home for bug season and outsmart pests, follow these three steps:

1. Tidy up: Household pests love snacking just as much as

people do, but you don’t need to play host to them. After meals, wipe down tables, counters and other kitchen surfaces. Be sure to regularly sweep and vacuum crumbs, as well as mop up to eliminate sticky food residue. Keep a tightly-fitting lid on your garbage bin, and rinse cans and jars

before recycling them.

2. Be ready: Even an immaculate home will face pest problems at some point. That’s why it is important to have tools on hand to catch a problem early, before it becomes a much bigger one. Zevo’s Instant Action sprays target and shut down biological pathways found in insects, not in people or pets. Likewise, the brand’s traps use a UV and blue light system to attract and capture flying insects, and they have a discreet design that can serve as a bouncer at your home’s entry points. It’s also smart to use these traps in potential problem areas, such as near trash cans and fruit bowls and near toilet bowls and drains.

3. Safeguard the yard: Defending your yard from pesky pests will not only improve the comfort of your

Tips For designing and MainTaining a Low-MainTenanCe

garden

by Melinda Myers

Don’t let your spring garden enthusiasm lead to overplanting and the creation of a summer gardening nightmare. A design with maintenance in mind and some strategic care can help reduce the time you spend managing your gardens and landscape.

Consider using fewer plant species when designing perennial flowerbeds. Increase the number of each to boost the visual impact of the garden and reduce maintenance. You’ll have fewer species to manage, identify and differentiate from the weeds as they emerge in spring.

Select plants suited to the growing conditions and that do not require deadheading and staking. Avoid pest- and diseaseprone plants as well as those that quickly multiply and overtake neighboring plants and the garden bed.

Design garden beds with gentle curves and avoid tight spaces that limit access and will make managing the surroundings difficult. Make sure all parts of the garden can easily be reached for planting, weeding, harvesting, and care. Add a path of wood chips or a few steppers, like Leaf Stepping Stones, to large garden beds as needed for easier access.

Reduce watering needs by growing plants suited to your

Snip-n-drip irrigation systems apply water directly where it is needed and fit any garden planted in rows.

area’s normal rainfall. Group moisture-loving plants together to minimize the amount of water used and time spent watering. Enlist the help of soaker hoses or drip irrigation like the Snip-n-Drip Soaker system (gardeners.com) when watering is needed. This irrigation system applies water to the soil where needed and can be cut with scissors to fit any garden that is planted in rows. Reduce watering frequency, suppress weeds, and improve the soil with the help of organic mulches like leaves, evergreen needles, and wood chips. You’ll gain multiple benefits with this one task. Spread a one- to two-inch layer of mulch over the soil surface. Pull it away from tree trunks, shrub stems and off the crowns of flowering plants and vegetables. The finer the mulch material,

See GARDEN on 28

resiLienT FLooring Trends For spring reModeLing

(Family Features) If the idea of a spring remodel brings equal parts intrigue and dread, starting with your flooring can make the process more appealing. For example, sustainable, resilient flooring comes in a variety of options to both your budget and personal style.

Resilient flooring is a durable type of flooring that includes rubber, linoleum, cork, luxury vinyl tile or sheet vinyl, among others. Increasingly popular in homes across the country, resilient flooring options from Beautifully Responsible partners are designed with indoor air quality and other important performance factors in mind, but they’re also built to stand up to the rigors of everyday life.

Consider these five home flooring trends for 2023 to help you create a tailored space at home and take the next step by visiting the Design Inspiration section of beautifullyresponsible.com to explore real-world design examples.

1. Classic Hardwood with a Resilient Twist

Ideal for kitchens, dining rooms, hallways and home offices, hardwood designs create a timeless foundation for your home with the ability to evolve with your tastes. When you go the resilient flooring route, you’ll find design options for everything from dramatic walnut to stately mahogany. Plus, options like luxury vinyl tile and plank are modular, making installation a little easier for DIYers.

2. Modern, Stone-Look

Flooring. When it comes to resilient home flooring, stone style designs don’t just look sturdy, they’re durable, too. For example, slate-inspired tiles can add effortless class and character to high-traffic rooms that are cleaned often, such as dining rooms and mudrooms.

Stone-look resilient flooring also gives your floors a stronger ability to adapt to rooms like kitchens and bathrooms, which often see fluctuations in temperature and moisture. Rigid-core flooring, for example, is one of the fastest growing categories of resilient flooring due to its comfort, durability and ability to resist water.

3. Large Format Tiles. Functional rooms like the kitchen are often the heart of the home where people meet to share the adventures of their days. They also often see a lot of dirt, moisture and accidental spills. However, resilient home flooring installations are resistant to scratches and stains, ideal for homes with small children and pets. Plus, they are easy to clean without the need for harsh chemicals and there’s no grout to maintain. Many resilient flooring options are also available

New Hampshire based epoxy vendor (since 2000) - marine epoxy, epoxy putty - epoxy paints and barrier coatings, epoxy primers, apply underwater touch up and repair epoxies (pools and boats) - floor epoxies - pontoon boat repair systems. Basement leak repair systems. Two part polyurethanes and moisture cured urethane (MCU) coatings. Rollers, brushes, thickeners. pigments, non-skid grits, fiberglass cloth rolls.

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in water-resistant or waterproof varieties. An option such as large-format tile, including the sheet vinyl category of resilient flooring, can also create the illusion of space in basements, laundry rooms, mudrooms and other areas, making them appear more expansive.

4. Statement Designs. Just like a statement piece ties together the perfect outfit, a statement floor can make an impressive focal point in the kitchen, bathroom, basement, laundry room or mudroom. With statement designs from Beautifully Responsible partners, the possibilities are nearly endless with a variety of styles such as Bohemian, Farmhouse, Mid-Century Modern, Minimalist Zen, Scandinavian and more that can appeal to homeowners with different tastes and preferences. Resilient flooring types like luxury vinyl tile and sheet vinyl are also available with textured surfaces to make an additional statement.

5. Cozy Spaces. If you’ve found a perfect statement rug, resilient flooring can create an ideal foundation underneath in family rooms, bedrooms, hallways or basements. Many resilient floors are built to provide comfort underfoot, absorb sound and make spaces accessible for all levels of mobility. Also look for third-party labels such as FloorScore to identify solutions for protecting the air quality in your home.

the thinner the layer of mulch you’ll need.

Slow the infiltration of grass and weeds into garden beds and eliminate the need to hand trim with a bit of edging. Use a shovel to dig a V-shaped trench around the perimeter of the garden edge. Fill this with the same mulch used in your flowerbed to create a mowing strip around the garden bed.

Join forces with neighbors and rent an edging machine for the day or weekend. These machines can make it easier and quicker to accomplish this task. With a shared rental, you all save money and no one has to maintain and store the equipment.

Keep tools handy to save time and energy spent retrieving forgotten tools from the shed or garage. Weather-

proof garden tool bags with multiple compartments make it easy to organize, store and carry hand tools, plant tags, gloves, and other small items to the garden. Or store them right where they are needed. Convert an old mailbox or invest in a small storage container like the waterproof Galvanized Garden Tool Storage Box. Mount it on the end of a raised bed, fence, or post to keep small tools, gloves, safety glasses, and more in a handy location.

Use carts, wagons, or a gardener’s summer sled when moving large or heavy loads. You’ll be able to accomplish the move with fewer trips and less muscle strain.

Take time this season to implement a few of these strategies. A few changes can save you time that you can

instead spend relaxing, enjoying, or adding more gardens.

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.

home’s outdoor spaces, it will help prevent insects from finding their way indoors. Be sure to eliminate standing water by properly tending to your lawn and by periodically clearing downspouts of debris. Any water feature in your garden should use running water. If you have a patio or deck, consider screening it in. If you don’t love the look of screened walls, installing ceiling fans can be an effective alternative. Run the fans whenever you entertain to deter unwanted guests, such as mosquitos, from crashing the party.

Of course, it’s always a good idea to apply bug repellant when spending time outdoors. Find a formula that will be easy to use, such as the new on-body products from Zevo, which include a pump spray, aerosol and lotion. They offer eight hours of protection from mosquitoes and ticks and are lightweight, odorless and not sticky.

For more usage tips and more information, visit https://zevoinsect.com and follow on Facebook, TikTok and Instagram (@ZevoInsect).

“As we usher in gorgeous spring weather, it can be an especially challenging time of year to keep bugs at bay at home. But with the right tools and strategies, you can help prevent and combat infestations as they arise,” says Klingman.

BUGS from 22

GARDEN from 23

thinking better of it. After all, I did have to eat off that fork, and one never really knew for sure where ants had traveled. I think, if given the choice, suffering under the focused rays of the sun through a magnifying glass would have been a better way to go. Just an instant of excruciating heat, a “Piff!”, a wisp of smoke, and it’s done. “Fait Accompli!”

¨Eric! Eat your dinner!¨ Mom’s command sharply brought me back to the present as I cautiously probed the lettuce with the end of my fork looking for ants.

A strange thing happened once I became an adult. Enrolled in college, it was during this time, engaged in the mandatory curriculum of my degree program, that I had some cooking courses. I began to learn the different cooking methods of vegetables; steaming, parboiling, blanching, roasting, braising, sauteing, grilling, and yes, even microwaving. An entirely new world opened its doors to me. I even reluctantly welcomed Asparagus back onto my plate.

Today, most vegetables can be sourced nearly any time of year. But Asparagus has historically, without doubt, been a welcome harbinger of Spring for many. It has been a traditional Easter vegetable on many tables. And Spring is when we, in this house, tend to eat a great deal of Asparagus, enjoying this welcomed refresher that signals the start of another growing season.

Have I ever tried to grow Asparagus?

“Yes!” Was I successful? ¨No.¨ Of the eight to ten plants we bought and planted

about twelve years ago three or four properly propagated the second year and two the third. However, since that time, only one stalk continues to defiantly grow among my mint and herb patch (originally the Asparagus bed). So I let it do its thing while it enjoys the company of other plants. Here it grows to a modest height and extends its wispy fernlike arms as if it were the garden host, there to welcome wayward plantings looking for a place to take up temporary residence. Over the years it has seen herbs of every common variety come and go. It has bore witness to this author’s neverending battle with wild blackberry canes and other parasitic plants and vines. It has even shared soil for a season or two with a stunted yet determined Rhododendron that resolutely beat the odds of survival; which were clearly not in its favor. So how do I cook Asparagus you ask? Well, the best I have found to date is a simple recipe. (How befitting, given this features title.) About 8 minutes before the main entree is plated and the starch of choice too is readied for the table, I gather a skillet, olive oil, lemon juice, kosher salt, coarse black pepper, butter, and some grated Parmesan cheese. With a sharp paring knife I clip off the white ends

Lemon Parmesan Asparagus

Yield: 2 Servins Time: About 8 minutes

INGREDIENTS

16 - 20 Asparagus Spears (small to medium size) trimmed and cleaned

1-2 teaspoons Olive Oil (enough to coat the skillet)

1 Tbsp. Butter (approx.)

2-3 Tbsp. Lemon Juice

TT* Black Pepper Medium Grind

- Heat Skillet on stovetop

TT* Kosher or ground Sea Salt (any salt will work)

1-2 tsp. Grated Parmesan Cheese

* TT means ¨To Taste¨ so not much just for a bit of flavor but not measurable.

— Preparation —

- Add Olive Oil to coat bottom of skillet

- Place Asparagus Spears into the hot skillet and saute in the oil for a few minutes.

- Add the lemon juice and continue to saute until most of the liquid evaporates and spears turn a vibrant green.

- Add the butter and continue to move the spears about the hot pan. They will become coated with the melting butter. Add the pepper and salt and turn off the heat. Toss on the grated parm and serve out of the hot skillet at the table or plate and serve adding a bit more parm for garnish

about an inch from the base of the stalk and these go to “the girls” or to compost. If I want some Asparagus for a salad or pasta dish another night, I will trim about another inch off the already prepared stalks and set these aside in the fridge for later use.

Into the skillet goes a bit of olive oil to be heated for just a minute or two. Then the Asparagus spears are sauteed (periodically moved about the hot skillet) for about 4 minutes. To this goes about three splashes of lemon juice to create a bit of steam. The stalks will take on a nice vibrant green and become a bit pliable: toss in a touch of butter (the lemon juice nearly evaporated), a dash of salt, a dash

or two of pepper, and wiggle the skillet a bit to roll the stalks around. They should retain a bit of their vibrant green while also taking a bit of the browning butter hue

and too they will pick up a few blackened bits of the fond from the pan. Turn off the heat, toss on a bit of grated Parmesan, and by now the entree and starch to accompany

the meal should be done and you have only to plate this magnificent Simple Feast. Enjoy!

if he let it continue, he felt, “no power short of Omnipotence could have aroused them,” He felt that they were all in great danger if he allowed them to sleep, so, “He cried out to them that they were all dead men, if they did not instantly awake, and bestir themselves. He seized them by their shoulders, and shook them, and made them stand up; and he so preached terror to their auditory nerves, that they revived, and resolved to make every possible effort to reach a camp in the woods; and they were successful, and thus saved themselves alive.”

Their survival was actually greatly aided by the forward looking actions of the generation of men who came before them.

On a route or trail

from the towns of Haverhill to Salisbury the men had built a series of cabins, one camp every twelve to sixteen miles to meet the needs of travelers.

Each camp was supplied with fuel and the means to build a fire. Those using the camps were expected to use the boughs of hemlock trees for a bed. It was to one of these camps that the mill-crank transporters went for protection from the cold.

The group of men were not past the danger, however, as the cold persisted as they continued their trip while pulling the sled with the mill equipment, gradually coming closer to Newbury. According to Rev. Powers, the men came close to perishing again when

they were in the northeast part of the town of Piermont. Apparently they were once again exhausted from the task they had undertaken and one of their number suggested that they stop and sleep for a few minutes.

This time it was James Woodward who was credited with taking action that saved the half dozen men from “giving up the ghost.”

Woodward apparently was the one who told them if they gave way to the temptation to sleep a few minutes “they never would awake in the body.” They were told that it required just one more effort to make their way to Haverhill which they were successful in doing. Once in Haverhill “they found the blessings of a fireside, of food, comfortable

Wall of rocks from location of old water-powered saw-mill in New Hampton, NH.

lodgings, and anxious friends to sympathize with them.” And the saw-mill crank was delivered for use at Atwood’s Mills in Newbury.”

Haverhill wasn’t and isn’t in Coos County, but in Grafton County, and Newbury is across the river in Vermont, but somehow the story about the mill-crank is said to be the first one delivered to Coos which must mean to include northern New Hampshire and Vermont.

The March 18, 1842 issue of Hill’s New Hampshire Patriot newspaper notes what the State of New Hampshire did to make it easier to transport mill machinery and other goods through the wilderness areas of the state. As towns were settled roads were built within those towns, but seemingly not so much where there were no people living, in other words, from town to town.

Seventy-five or so years after that first delivery to Newbury the newspaper cred -

ited the State of New Hampshire with providing an easier and quicker (than six or seven days) means of delivering mill-cranks and other goods. That means was the turnpike road.

The New Hampshire legislature had allowed the giving of grants and right of ways for turnpikes and bridges throughout the state. The turnpikes, which were private toll roads, delivered the Granite

Staters of the 1800’s from being, according to the 1842 newspaper, “comparatively little better than was that of our ancestors in 1765-70, when six men, for the purpose of transporting a mill crank seventy miles, were obliged to undertake a voyage as perilous as one across the Atlantic...Until turnpikes were erected, the common roads over the rough lands and through the forests were nearly impassable.”

The newspaper further predicted that within one hundred years from the time that Captain Page and Judge Woodward and four others took the sled with the millcrank from Concord to Newbury at the risk of their lives that a railroad would make approximately the same route carrying thousands of tons in less hours than the number of days it took these six human freight carriers to deliver the mill-crank.”

Map showing path of railroad from Concord to Haverhill fulfilling prediction of same.

SMITH from 30

retreated, it bulldozed up a giant earthen dam called a terminal moraine that blocked the flow out of what we now call Lake Winnisquam. Winnipesasukee was more than 25 feet higher than it is now and drained out through Alton Bay into the Merrymeeting river. When the dam breached, it gouged out the Winnipesaukee River, which joins the Pemigewasset in Franklin to form the mighty Merrimac. And the Merrymeeting reversed direction! In addition, several new lakes were created, including Opechee, Winnisquam, Waukewan, Kanastaka, Mirror, Crescent and Wentworth. Before the dams were built at Lake Village in Gilford (now Lakeport in Laconia), and at Meredith Bridge in Meredith (now downtown Laconia), the lake was more than 6’ lower than it is now. That’s when the Witches was an island. And what

The entrance to the Weirs Channel as it appears today. Note the extensive landfill that created Weirs Beach.

we now call Paugus Bay was a fetid swamp with a narrow channel running up the middle called the Winnipesaukee River. That’s the route Simon Willard and Edward Johnson followed in 1657 under orders from the governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony John Endicott, to find the headwaters of the Merrimac River,

and thus the northern boundary of the Bay Colony (yes, Laconia was once part of Massachusetts!) They carved their initials along with the Governor’s in a rock they found at the entrance to the Weirs channel, and departed. Fast forward to 1933 and the launching of the Belknap, the first commercial steamboat on

Lake Village and Meredith Bridge flourished. However, when owners at Meredith Bridge raised their dam level to produce more power, the owners at Lake Village were forced to do the same. The lake eventually rose to its current level, thousands of acres of shoreland were lost and Witch Island disappeared.

Things really got going here when the railroads arrived. The Lady of the Lake, the most important steamboat ever on Winnipe-

saukee, was launched in 1849, closely followed by the Dover in 1851. And this brings us to the heart of our story.

The huge woolen and cotton mills in Lowell and Lawrence Massachusetts were powered by the Merrimac. In a move to control river flow, they formed the deceptively named Winnipissiogee Lake Cotton and Woolen Manufacturing Co. in 1851 and started buying up all the dams that controlled flow into and

See WARREN on 33

the lake. To make the trip from the Lake Village shipyard to the Weirs, they lashed barrels to the side of the hull to float her over the shallow Winnipesaukee River. They also had to dredge the Weirs channel. That’s when Endicott Rock was “discovered.”

The Belknap was a failure, but the water powered mill complexes that grew up at

The entrance to the Weirs Channel viewed from the bridge (ca. 1919). Note the causeway to Endicott Rock. The Mt. Washington dock is way around the corner to the left.

An early map showing the Lake Village Dam at the outlet of the Winnepiseogee River, and the Meredith Bridge Dam at the outlet of Little Bay.

WARREN from 1

out of Winnipesaukee. Their holdings extended from Lake Village to Weirs Beach, Melvin Village, Wolfeboro, Alton Bay and even points north of the lake. The mill owners, under the guise of a company called the Boston Associates eventually controlled 45 miles of the Merrimac and 193 square miles of New Hampshire waters, and released water from the Lake Village dam at their pleasure regardless of the consequences to navigation.

Major riots at Lake Village ensued, and men went to jail for sabotage. And the proprietors of the steamboat Dover, backed by the Cocheco Railroad that owned her, sued.

The texts of two legal agreements made between the Winnipissiogee Lake Cotton and Woolen Manufacturing Company (later known as the Lake Company) (LC), and the proprietors of the steamboat Dover (PD) and the Cocheco railroad, are truly fascinating. The reason that PD brought the suit against LC is never specifically stated, but one may infer that

low water levels in the lake caused problems for the Dover at her various ports of call, in addition to unexpected encounters with submerged rocks. Because LC controlled the water level with the Lake Village dam, PD blamed them for their problems.

As we’ll soon see, LC disputed this (perhaps with some justifica tion, as drought con ditions may have been the main cause), but elected to settle any way. In addition, they made some very in teresting concessions regarding dockage at the Weirs and rights of way for the future Lakeshore Railroad.

The texts of these agreements were handwritten in beau tiful single spaced script on 12 pages of legal sized paper. The anger harbored by LC is palpable (they spent a whole page railing at PD saying that no inju ry actually occurred!), and the agreement is excessively wordy in an attempt to prevent any further actions by PD.

Here then is a sum mary of the first agree ment dated June 27, 1860.

To settle the suit

brought against it by PD regarding property, water and riparian rights, LC agreed to pay PD $4000, with $1500 retained until PD extended their wharfs at Meredith Village and Wolfeboro Bridge by 30 feet. In return, PD agreed to

causes of action that PD ever had, now has or may hereafter have regarding irregularity in the flow or any retention or discharge of the waters of Winnipissiogee by any dam or obstruction. In addition,

PD agreed to make no claim against LC for any future damage to steamboats, wharfs or other company property caused by irregularities in the lake level, and would do nothing to defeat any future dams, excavations or

improvements that LC wished to make. PD also agreed to extend this agreement to cover any wharfs or landings that they deeded, licensed or conveyed to other persons or companies.

See WARREN on 34

The Lake Village Dam with Elm Street and Union Avenue in the background. The stone dam was built in 1851. The wing dam built in 1861, was filled in around 1957.

The old Channel Bridge (ca. 1915). Note the Laconia Trolley.

WARREN from 32

hands. The red belly of this woodpecker must be more obvious when you’re holding one in your hand. If the bird is perched just right on a feeder, the red belly is fairly apparent, but rarely strikingly so.

Carol from Connecticut, the author of Elle’s Day at the Shore and Elle’s Day at the Zoo, watched from her living room window as several female hooded mergansers dove one by one into a small pond. She said it reminded her of synchronized diving.

“When they resurfaced, I noticed that several of them had caught a nice meal,” Carol wrote. “I later counted eight birds that were all taking part in what my sister called a ‘merganser ballet.’ It was very cool!”

Good luck out there. Let me know what you see.

WARREN

And, finally, any further extension of PD’s wharfs beyond the 30 feet stipulated above would be done at PD’s expense.

Now we get to the really interesting and important part. LC agreed to lease to PD, for $1 per year, up to 300 feet of shoreline they owned at the Weirs between the channel and the wharfs owned by the Boston, Concord and Montreal Railroad and the Lady of the Lake steamboat (i.e. the current site of Weirs beach), so that PD could make a connection to the B C & M RR. In return, PD agreed to do nothing to impede the flow in the Weirs channel or prevent or obstruct the deepening of the channel. Finally, LC agreed in perpetuity to furnish, within 10

days of demand by PD, buoys, chains and fastenings, to be placed by PD, that were needed to mark hazards to navigation that arose due to variations in the lake level caused by LC.

This agreement, which covered 7 legal size pages of single spaced hand written text (I think lawyers are paid by the word) was signed by William Hale and George Mathewson as trustees of the Cocheco Railroad, and by Josiah B. French of the Winnipissiogee Lake Cotton and Woolen Mfg. Co.. Also cited was a prior meeting of the Cocheco RR on April 30, 1860 that authorized Hale and Mathewson to represent them.

Here is a summary of the second agreement, also dated June 27, 1860.

To release LC from any claims or demands regarding irregularity in the flow of or retention of any discharge of the waters of Winnipissiogee Lake by reason of any dam or obstruction at Lake Village or elsewhere, or by any reason of any excavation of the lake or elsewhere,

LC agreed to pay PD $500. This agreement then repeated the conditions and restrictions stipulated in the first agreement. In addition, it clarified the buoy agreement to say that if LC didn’t provide the buoys within 10 days, PD should acquire and place them and bill LC later.

And now we get to the really interesting part of the second agreement. LC agreed to convey to the Cocheco RR and its successors the right to extend their line over LC property to connect to the B C & M RR (which Benjamin Kimball ultimately did in 1889 when he built the Concord Railroad, locally known as the Lakeshore railroad, that finally connected Alton Bay to Lake Village). And, finally, the offer to lease 300 feet of shoreline axdjacent to the Weirs channel was repeated, with the added condition that PD would not obstruct or impede the widening of the channel. This agreement, which covered an additional 5 pages, was signed by the same parties as the first, and the prior meeting of the Cocheco RR was again

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noted.

So there you have it. I have no direct evidence that the Cocheco RR took advantage of the offer of frontage at the Weirs. But the Dover and Winnepiseogee RR, which took over the line in 1863, certainly did. That’s probably the reason they lengthened the Dover and renamed her the Chocorua.

When the SS Mt. Washington was launched in 1872, the railroad network serving the white mountains and the Lakes Region (including Wolfeboro) was virtually complete. The only lucrative route for large steamboats that remained was the run between Wolfeboro and the Weirs (a fact that remains true today).

The Lady of the Lake owned that route. And because the railroads were not interoperative, the Mount was barred from the Lady of the Lake’s dock until the 1890’s, when the Boston and Maine took over that line. The dock next to the channel was far from ideal, and inconvenienced passengers who had to walk up to the railroad station to continue their journey, but if it hadn’t been available when the Boston and Maine took over the Alton line in 1870, it’s not likely they would have built the old Mount.

I would like to thank Susan Weeks, the curator of the Tuftonboro Historical Society Museum, for sourcing the legal document this article is based on.

ity: If, as he states, the 2020 election was stolen through voter fraud and falsification, how does he plan to overcome that problem in the 2024 election?

The polls show a consistent pattern: If Trump is the Republican candidate, Biden is more likely to win. It is difficult to imagine millions of Americans switching their 2020 votes in precisely the opposite direction. Indeed, polls currently show Biden beating Trump by an average of 3.1%, while losing to DeSantis by a slim margin. Trump currently trails Biden -a president with an approval rating in the low 40s -- in Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Joe Biden wants Trump. His entire campaign is built around Trump. Perhaps, like Hillary Clinton, he’ll get more than he bargained for. But Republicans don’t need to take that gamble. And they’re clearly running a higher risk of a Biden second term if they do.

Ben Shapiro is a graduate of UCLA and Harvard Law School, host of “The Ben Shapiro Show,” and co-founder of Daily Wire+. He is a three-time New York Times bestselling author; his latest book is “The Authoritarian Moment: How The Left Weaponized America’s Institutions Against Dissent.” To find out more about Ben Shapiro and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www. creators.com.

BOSAK from 15

wildest imaginations.)

So far, thanks to members of the “roadblock community,” they have been unsuccessful, especially in New Hampshire where they have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars.”

FGT: “Before you lose your shirt…understand that taking the time to practice the pause helps more than you think. Here is something for you to chew on…I voted for the former twice. Then I took the time to pause and reflect back on the J6 attack on our democracy. DJT and his disrespectful cult members have all but ruined the GOP! DJT will go down being known for infamy, infidelity, indiscretion, idiocies and imploding the Republican Party!”

My reply: “My shirt is in my possession but thank you for your concern. You still have not told me what you want to replace the U.S. Con-

stitution with. We are not a democracy; we are a republic. I have issues with many in the Republican Party but Biden, Harris, and their cabinet, which resembles a freak show, is a national disgrace. Biden, a liar all of his political life, and over the past ten years, an employee of the Communist Chinese government, is a supporter of eight-year-old children getting sex change operations. Harris who started her political career as a mistress for San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, not only openly supported the Black Lives Matter and Antifa riots, but she also raised money to get the terrorists bailed out of jail-one of which upon release murdered a person.”

Note how FGT deflected from opposing the U.S. Constitution to her disdain for the Republican Party.

FGT: “Your shirt was

left right on the floor. Amend! Evolve! History should be taught exactly as it happened. That’s the point. Happened is past tense. We don’t live in our past, we reflect upon it and hopefully learn from our mistakes. Our Constitution, as written, is antiquated and archaic. It doesn’t have to be rewritten in its entirety, but it certainly has opportunities for amendments.”

First FGT wants to trash the Constitution but cannot or will not tell us what we should replace it with, and now just wants to amend it.

My reply: “And just what amendments do you propose?”

FGT failed to offer any proposed amendments but was terribly certain the Constitution needed amending.

Another person with the same mindset of FGT posted:

“Why is a Reverend (an ecclesiastic devo -

tion) handing out political materials to a public school system (secular institution)? Shouldn’t there be a separation of church and state; especially during a public (non-church sponsored) event?”

My reply: The U.S. Constitution is not political material, and the Lemon Test is a dead letter thanks to the Shurtleff v Boston decision. Free speech is just that regardless of who is saying it. (https://pjmedia.com/culture/marktapscott/2023/03/16/ heres-why-the-unanimous-shurtleff-decision-is-even-moreimportant-than6-3-dobbs-n1678939 ) And another posted: “Seems like he is just stirring the pot.”

My reply: “No, just exercising the rights I have as an American citizen protected by the U.S. Constitution.”

The U.S. Constitution was written by far-

sighed men who had a keen understanding of human nature and history and that is why they gave us an incredible document that granted limited powers to the three branches of the federal government. James Madison, known as the Father of the Constitution. wrote in Federalist Papers 51:

“If Men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and the next place, oblige it to control itself.”

It is hard to blame FTG and those that share FTG’s perspective. Contempt for the U.S., its organic docu-

ments, and its history are taught at most, if not all, of our nation’s government schools, private prep schools, colleges, universities, Hollywood, Corporate America, and the media -A.K.A “Fake News.” However, thanks to the efforts of Hillsdale College, Prager University, The National Center for Constitutional Studies, and literally hundreds of organizations large and small like Camp Constitution, the tables are being turned. Let us hope and pray that America can have a rebirth of freedom and the likes of FGT will come to have a love our unique Constitution and our exceptional nation.

Reader who would like a pocket copy of The U.S. Constitution may E-mail me campconstitution1@gmail.com

Grannis has pointed out, the U.S. economy grew annually 3.1% per year from 1950 to 2007. Since then, average growth has been 2.2% per year. Economist Steve Moore at the Committee to Unleash Prosperity estimates that this one percentage point drop in annual GDP growth, due to more and bigger government, has lopped off about $15,000 in median family income. If we had continued the 3.1% growth, the average American would

have some 22% higher income, per Moore.

Second, we’ve just gone through a period experiencing the ravages of inflation, the direct result of government spending and pouring increasing amounts of money into the marketplace that are not backed up by productive resources.

Third, higher interest costs. A byproduct of inflationary pressure is increasing interest rates. Higher rates translate into ever-increasing interest costs on our debt burden in the federal

budget. The CBO projects that in 10 years, in 2033, interest costs in the federal budget will reach 3.6% of GDP. If defense spending remains around where it is today, interest costs in the federal budget will exceed defense spending.

Which takes us back to Clinton’s laughable claim that the Republican push for some fiscal responsibility threatens national security.

Republicans want to reset the federal budget baseline to 2022 and limit increases over the

next 10 years to 1% per year. Total savings would be $4 trillion over 10 years.

This can be described as a dose of prudence. It certainly can’t be called draconian.

But prudence is the last thing our irresponsible president wants to hear about. He and his party want a blank check on the earning power of the American people.

But, as Margaret Thatcher once said, sooner or later you run out of other people’s money.

Star Parker is president of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education and host of the weekly television show “Cure America with Star Parker.” To find out more about Star Parker and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers at www.creators. com.

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PARKER from 6 talk with him. Or have one of those who feels that he has enough parents/children/relatives/friends that he can afford to bury 1 or 2.

And this goes also to all you maniacs out there who are in the habit of shooting out of your driveways - forwards or backwards, it don’t make no difference - without checking.

B.J. Figueredo Gonic, NH.

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at a record high. 15.8 million people, a staggering one third of the population, needed humanitarian aid…3.7 million people were internally displaced.”

She warned, “This conflict will not only deepen those needs. It also threatens to unleash an entirely new wave of humanitarian challenges…And we are preparing for refugee influxes into countries across the region.”

A little history. Sudan, an overwhelming Muslim country, has been under military control during large parts of its post-1956 independence era. The 30-year rule of President Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir, a General, ended with the military forcing him out in April 2019. He ruled the country and saw it shatter; South Sudan broke away in 2011. Just a few years earlier alBashir became the first incumbent head of state to be indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC), for crimes against humanity for his regime’s ethnic cleansing actions during the Darfur crisis. Curiously nobody seems to know where the former leader is hiding today.

Sudan has faced a constant churn of military coups, political malfeasance, and corruption which has turned this potentially rich land into one of the continents poorer countries. Though once a major oil exporter, primarily to the People’s Republic of China, the petroleum sector has slumped in the recent years. Sudan however has an expanding gold mining industry which has drawn the attention of both China and Rus -

sia. Economic growth is negative 2 percent and per capita income is but a mere $770 annually.

Khartoum the capital, presents a city of jarring contrasts; ultra modern buildings in places juxtaposed with dusty unpaved streets and pitiful levels of poverty which now witness intense but localized fighting and looting.

As UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres asserted before the Security Council, “The power struggle in Sudan is not only putting that country’s future at risk. It is lighting a fuse that could detonate across borders, causing immense suffering for years, and setting development back by decades.” SG Guterres implored, “The fighting must stop immediately.”

Sudan’s real danger remains conflict contagion. Namely that this regional crisis will spread to neighboring states.

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.

Ebonics, just to recognize it as a legitimate language.

Inoue says that the Ebonics movement didn’t do enough.

“Everyone says, yes, we believe in that, but they didn’t do anything in their classrooms.”

No wonder his students label him “easy grader.” I’m glad he doesn’t teach engineering.

Inoue identifies as “Japanese American.”

I tell him that Japanese Americans earn, on average, $21,000 a year more than average Americans, yet he keeps talking about America’s “white supremacy.”

“What kind of white supremacist country lets that happen?” I joke.

Inoue replies, “Japanese American communities wanted to be seen as more American” and made great efforts to join American culture.

Exactly! Japanese Americans prospered because of it. So do other immigrant groups. Several now earn more than whites in America. They succeed by speaking standard English, and because America is relatively color blind.

“I get a little uncomfortable with colorblindness,” replies Inoue, “That’s not how humans work ... there’s no such thing as a neutrality.”

“But there is,” I say. “Hire people based on the highest test score, you’re being neutral about other factors.”

“Depends on how you see the test,” he answers. Tests may be biased. He also criticizes high school honors classes, calling them “pretty white spaces.”

Inoue says he believes in “Marxian” ideas, and asks things like, “Who owns the means of opportunity production in the classroom?”

“Where has Marxian philosophy ever helped people?” I ask.

Marxian philosophies “don’t give us a plan of action. They’re not socialism,” he says. As for capitalism, “I think we can do better.”

I doubt it. For years, intellectuals promised Marx’s ideas will work better than capitalism. Instead, socialism perpetuated poverty

Nevertheless, on campuses today, Marx’s views thrive. Students often hear them unchallenged.

At least Inoue was willing to come on Stossel TV to debate. Most “Marxian” professors refuse.

Every Tuesday at JohnStossel.com, Stossel posts a new video.

Where James Brown was giving a concert when Martin Luther King was assassinated in 1968. And it was also a place where my dad once played basketball for New Hampton in a New England Prep School tournament.

If only the old Garden could have given a goodbye interview. What stories it could have told. But as that dying basketball court in Portland reminds us, sports facilities are not immortal.

Except for maybe Fenway Park.

Sports Quiz

What happened to Boston’s Braves Field, where the Hub’s National League franchise played for decades? (Answer follows)

Born Today

That is to say, sports standouts born on May 4 include WNBA legend Dawn Staley (1970) and Irish golf star Rory McIlroy (1989).

Sports Quote

“Tessie, Nuff Ced McGreevy shouted; We’re not here to mess around; Boston, you know we love you madly; Hear the crowd roar to your sound; Don’t blame us if we ever doubt you; You know

we couldn’t live without you; Tessie, you are the only, only, only.”—from “Tessie” by the Dropkick Murphys (2004). The song was first sung by the Royal Rooters at Boston’s home games during the first World Series in 1903, which were played at the Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds.

Sports Quiz Answer Braves Field is now Nickerson Field on the campus of Boston University. The old stadium was home to the Boston Braves from 1915 to 1952. Interestingly, the Red Sox played the 1915 and 1916 World Series home games there because Braves Field held more fans than did Fenway Park. Ironically, the Miracle Braves of 1914 played their World Series home games at Fenway Park because Braves Field was not yet open.

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

METZLER from 7 STOSSEL from 7

MOFFETT from 13

by Parker & Hart

SUPER CROSSWORD

B.C.

PUZZLE CLUE: TWELVE OF DIAMONDS

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THEME THIS WEEK: -TRAIL

CAPTION CONTEST

OUR PICK FOR BEST CAPTION

A tank of air is a necessary accessory when traveling to L. A.

-David Doyon, Moultonborough, NH,

Runners Up : The up-close version of the Clean Air Act provided by the EPA. -Jean Cram, Pittsfield, NH.

Greta refused to date Ralph, so he refused to share his Pure Air after he “Gassed” her! - Alan Doyon, Meredith, NH.

Grabbing some fresh air used to mean going outside - Bob Watson, Bristol, NH.

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The Winklman Aeffect by John Whitlock