07/04/2024 Weirs Times

Live Free Or Die: Death Is Not The Worst Of Evils.

— General John Stark

How Many SignerS of tHe U.S. ConStitUtion Can yoU naMe?

by Hal Shurtleff Director, Camp Constitution

On July 4th 2009, I was delivering delayed luggage out of Logan Airport. While waiting for the last flight to arrive, I decided to ask my colleagues how many signers of the Declaration of Independence they could name. I gave them a monetary incentive of $20. My past experiences with asking this question convinced me that my money

was safe. I was right. The most I got from any coworker was three. My firsthand experiences over the years show that my suitcase colleagues are on par with most Americans.

However, I recently shared my suitcase story with a group of 5th graders from the Lion Heart Classical Academy in Peterborough who were attending the 1st annual Patriot Youth Program hosted

by the New Hampshire Daughters of the American Revolution at the Cathedral of the Pines in Rindge, NH. I asked the fifth graders the same question, and one young man said “John Adams, Sam Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Frankin, and John Hancock.” He then asked me for $20. I told him I only had two dollars in my pocket but offered him a week at our annual

family camp worth $300. His dad was on hand and said that he would take us up on the offer. Meanwhile, retired Army Colonel Otto Busher, who was part of the program, handed the boy $20.

Does it matter if the average American can’t name five signers of the Declaration of Independence? With the exception of the Cultural Marxists and those

Veterans Social Muster In Wolfeboro

Calling all veterans, young and old! The American Legion’s Veterans Social Muster (VSM) is an opportunity for veterans and their families to receive interesting and valuable veteran-related information and socialize with fellow veterans. VSM meetings will be held on the second Wednesday of each month in the DuQuoin Education Center at the Wright Museum of World War II, 77 Center St., Wolfeboro.

Michael Hartt, American Legion Service Officer, addresses VSM attendees at the Wright Museum Veterans are encouraged to attend the next VSM on July 10, from 4:30-5:45, at the Wright Museum. The speaker will be Shawn P. Buck, Director of the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery at Boscawen. Mr. Buck will discuss the eligibility and procedures for veterans and their dependents to be interred at the cemetery.

If you have any questions or if you would like to discuss the VSM Meeting project, please contact Tom Southern, Commander, American Legion Post 18, (317) 432-1517.

Happy Birthday America!

To The Editor:

This 4th of July our country will celebrate the 248th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. That was the day representatives from thirteen colonies spoke as one. It was the day they stood together and signed a document that declared the sovereignty of the United States of America to the world. We would no longer be ruled by Great Britain, we would collectively rule ourselves.

That was the first step in a long, dangerous and difficult journey towards personal, political, religious and economic freedom. It was a journey that would cost them and our country dearly, but they were all willing to take that first step.

Since none of us personally knew the “Signers”, we only know who they were and what they did based on the limited historical records available to us. We can speculate, interpret and have an opinion, but we should do so in the context of their time, not ours.

Some will argue that these men were not perfect, that they were flawed. Yes, save one man, we are all flawed. What can’t be argued is that these men were brave, steadfast and patriotic as they laid the foundation upon which our country was built.

Since their time, the United States of America has grown into the great Nation we all call home. Millions of immigrants legally emigrated from countries

all around the world and chose to come to America. They came to help build this country. They wanted to experience the freedom, promise and opportunity that this country offered. They wanted to work, and to make a better life for themselves and their families.

My grandfather was one of those immigrants. He came from Italy to become an American, not an Italian living in America. He didn’t come here to be accommodated by America, he came here to assimilate into the “melting pot” that was America. He loved this country and was proud to be an American.

Countless immigrant family members served in World War II, fighting as Americans. They learned the language of their newly adopted country, and insisted that their children did as well. They fully immersed themselves into the culture and traditions of their new homeland.

You see, in order to become a naturalized American citizen, legal immigrants are required to renounce their former country and take an oath to “support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic”. Todays illegal “migrants” take no such oath.

Americans still absolutely welcome and support legal immigration. Americans are generous to a fault, and we are always willing to welcome into our country those who love our country, our traditions, our way of life, and who respect our laws.

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

Even as American citizens are being held against their will in foreign countries around the world, we allow foreigners, many who entered our country illegally, to burn our flag and disrespect our Country.

We allow them to spread hate, distribute drugs, traffic children, rape, murder and commit countless crimes against American citizens. Many of these foreign interlopers come from countries where the freedoms we take for granted don’t exist.

Yet despite breaking our laws, our government showers them with free housing, food, clothing, healthcare and welfare, while American Veterans and citizens remain homeless. Is this the America the Signers dreamed of? I think not. Sadly, even some misguided American citizens support and join these hate filled demonstrations that denigrate and attack their own country. Fortunately, most Americans still love and support their country. They understand that there is no perfect country, and they realize that America, despite her faults, is still the “home of the free, because of the brave”. Yes, Americans are still free to pursue, as our Founders declared so long ago, “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”.

Since that declaration almost two and a half centuries ago, many patriotic men and women have stepped forward to defend the freedoms we all enjoy. They, like the Signers, so loved this country, they were willing to

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.

Exploring ThE lEgEnd

alwayS rooM for a few More independenCe day CelebrationS

by Robert Hanaford Smith, Sr. Contributing Writer

“Lakes district is welcoming hundreds from the city,” was part of the news in the July 3rd edition of the 1948 Laconia Evening Citizen. The slogan of the day, according to the newspaper report, seemed to be “Always room to tuck in a few more.”

The Fourth was about to be celebrated with a variety of weekend activities designed to entertain the visitors and the local residents alike. Underneath the headline story was a blocked in item with

the heading “NOTICE,” with the editors perhaps thinking that on this summer holiday weekend the readers would care little that in a few days the cost of the daily newspaper would go up from four cents to five cents an issue.

In 1948 Laconia had two separate areas in which to put on July 4th celebrations: the municipal observance was held on Sunday evening, July 4th with a program at Opechee Park and events at the Weirs began a day earlier on Saturday night and extended into Monday.

The Sunday evening program at Opechee Park included a band concert, fireworks display, and a bonfire with Mayor Albert A. Parmentier lighting the fire. Other city officials joined him at the event. The concert was conducted by Leo Lamere’s City

Band, and the fireworks display, according to The Citizen, “was to be “outstanding.”

A model airplane demonstration put on by Bill Creighton and sponsored by The Weirs Chamber of Commerce was scheduled for Sunday afternoon at two o’clock at Opechee Park. Carnivals were See SMITH on 27

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brendan@weirs.com brendan@weirs.com

NEW HAMPSHIRE F OOL

a new Hiking book

by Brendan Smith Weirs Times Editor

Lots of folks come up to me and tell me how much they enjoy my books. I always appreciate that.

When they tell me I always ask which one.

One hundred percent of the time it will be either “The Flatlander Chronicles” “The Best Of A F.O.O.L. In New Hampshire” or “I Really Only Did It For The Socks.”

Not once does anyone ever mention one of my personal favorites “Favorite New Hampshire Street Trails.”

I’m always inspired when I read one of Amy Patenaude’s “On The Trails And Summits” columns, so one summer afternoon in 2000, during the height of the Covid lockdown, I decided to explore in detail some of my favorite walks around the state since there wouldn’t be a lot of folks out and about since they’d be inside with their masks on.

“Favorite New Hampshire Street Trails” is a comprehensive guide to help people who like to hike, but hate the woods, find excellent trails near where they live. No special equipment needed, you can even attempt them in dress shoes.

On the liner notes in the book it is noted: “This town by town guide shows you the best neighborhood streets to walk down and the sites to be aware of. Did you know there is a purple house with yellow shutters in Londonderry? On what street in Keene does one overgrown lawn stand out in the neighborhood. Find out how seven cars as well as a 20-foot camper can fit in one small driveway in Franklin…”

Since the Covid regulations had made it difficult to actually hike in the woods here in New Hampshire, since there would be no one watching the trails to

make sure people are keeping six feet apart (except tattletales of course), folks were looking for new hiking options.

An updated edition of “Favorite New Hampshire Street Trails” is being printed as I write this. It will include all of the great trails from the first Covid edition as well as brand new trail ideas that have been submitted by folks who never liked to hike, even on the street, but during Covid had found it to be a necessary diversion from yet another day trapped in the house.

There will be some new street hikes added in this edition for those who want a little more adventure.

You know you’ve always been curious about that one street that always seems to be mentioned in the weekly police blotter but you never had the courage to actually walk down. Well, this new edition helps you to navigate it in the safest way possible while avoiding eye contact with its residents. It is a stressful hike, but once you are safely (hopefully) done, you will have a story to tell other street hikers for years to come.

And it’s not just streets that you will be guided along, there will also be ways to make the best of hikes around some well known shopping mall parking lots. More than just walking, these mall parking lot hikes can now be more of an adventure and best tackled early in the day before too many cars create some more treacherous conditions. Some Covid era hikers were fortunate enough to have access to them 24/7 since all the stores were closed. A special section in the book will now help you to identify the different types of motor oil that have leaked from cars over the years. Bring the kids and see if they can tell the difference between 5w30 or 10w30. Not just a hike, but an educational experience.

Besides street hikes, there will also be a plethora of valuable

information to help you hike safely.

For example, what do you do if you are on one of these street hikes and you come across hikers coming down the other side of the street and there is some road construction approaching that will force you to walk in the middle of the road coming closer than you’d like to the other hikers? (If forced to come close is it best to give a small wave, a short hello, or avoid communication altogether?)

This and other street hiking questions will be answered. There will also be great information on the best maneuvers to quickly avoid getting run down by maniacs driving sixty in a thirty-five on a curving residential hiking street.

Find out which lawns are best not to step on in order to avoid the angry looks of homeowners who don’t care if you are just avoiding being killed by that maniac driving sixty in a thirty-five, they just seeded and watered their lawn for goodness sake.

There are also some great tips on how to safely look at your phone while street hiking. What is the proper amount of time to stare at your phone before looking up again so as to avoid walking into a tree? Is texting and walking safe on a street hike? Some grim statistics provided in the book may make you think twice about responding to that text when about to take that left turn down a side street.

Other great tips, like who is the best person in your family to call in case one of the street hikers in your group breaks a shoelace and can’t make the trip back home, will help you make the very best of every street hike.

So order your copy today. (A heads up, the first edition of “Great Hikes Around The House” is already in production in case another so-called virus shutdown happens.)

GUEST EDITORIAL

i’ll work to fix tHe border

by

Russell Prescott Kingston, NH.

Joe Biden, Chris Pappas, and the Democrats in Washington have created a national security and humanitarian crisis on our Southern border. As your Congressman, I’ll work to fix it.

Since President Biden took office in January of 2021, more than 9.2 million individuals have been encountered by the U.S. Border Patrol attempting to cross into the United States illegally. Those are just the ones we know of – countless more went undiscovered.

The crisis at the border is, first and foremost, a national security issue. The unsecured Southern border is an open invitation for those who wish to harm us. Since 2021, 357 individuals on the terrorist watch list have been apprehended trying to enter the United States. The 2024 fiscal year has seen a spike in Chinese nationals attempting to enter our country – 24,376 have been apprehended so far.

Open borders are fueling a humanitarian crisis in the United States. Every family in New Hampshire has been affected by the illegal drug trade, as Mexican cartels use the porous Southern border to transport the death, destruction, and misery of drug addiction into American communities. Human trafficking across the Southern border is a modern-day slave trade.

Illegal migrants have placed an unsustainable burden on our communities. The Biden Administration’s policy of transporting illegal migrants throughout the country has made every community a border community, and cities and towns have had to provide services that they didn’t budget for and taxpayers can’t afford.

When I am elected to serve you in Congress, my first priority will be to secure the border.

I will fight to complete the border wall, hire more Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, and provide the U.S. Border Patrol with the high-tech equipment they need to do their jobs.

I will support a return to the successful “Remain in Mexico” program that required asylum seekers to apply at a U.S. consulate in Mexico and remain in Mexico until their claim was resolved. President Trump created this program; President Biden eliminated it with the stroke of a pen. It’s time for Congress to make it law.

tiM SCott’S iMportant MeSSage

by Star Parker Syndicated Columnist

South Carolina Republican Sen. Tim Scott hosted an event in Washington, D.C., marking the Juneteenth holiday, which showcased why he has been included among the candidates Donald Trump is considering as his running mate.

Juneteenth, now a national holiday, commemorates June 19, 1865, the date of the final implementation of the Emancipation Proclamation in the State of Texas. It’s considered the official end of slavery in the United States.

Scott’s event, attended by a list of major Republican donors, which I also had the privilege of attending, was entitled the Great Opportunity Policy Summit.

This following the announcement of Scott’s Great Opportunity PAC of plans to spend $14 million on outreach to Black and Hispanic Americans leading up to the presidential election.

The centerpiece of Scott’s message about American opportunity has always been himself.

His birth into a poor home in the South to a single mother. That is, birth into exactly the circumstances which so many claim define circumstances that make it impossible to succeed.

Black, poor, no father. In a country that is allegedly racist.

But Scott’s critical message is that America is not about racism but is about opportunity.

Does that mean there are no racists in America? Of course, not. But there are sinners of all shapes and forms in our country.

Scott is telling Black Americans, and all Americans, that you are not defined by others. Others do not define your personal destiny. You do.

And he presents himself to show that being Black, let alone being born Black and

poor to a single mother, is not a recipe for failure. Despite coming into this world under tough circumstances, he now is a United States senator and has been a candidate for the nation’s highest office.

It is also important to note that Scott is a humble man. He does not say he made it because he is so special. What he says is special is our country and the values that allow even an ordinary guy under the worst of circumstances to succeed.

The essence of Scott’s message was once conveyed by Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw, which subsequently was used by President John F. Kennedy in an address to the Irish parliament and then by Robert F. Kennedy in his presidential campaign in 1968.

“You see things as they are and ask, ‘why?’ I dream things that never were and ask, ‘Why not?’”

A more prosaic version says some see a glass half full and some see a glass half empty.

Of course, it is the nature of things that work always must be done to make things better.

So, despite the truth that America is a free country, and that anyone with character, determination and the right values can make it, things can always be improved.

So, Scott’s Opportunity Policy program targets institutional improvements that can be made in the country to make the path to success even smoother and more accessible.

He is an advocate of giving parents choice and control over where to send their child to school.

And he supports the Opportunity Zone program, which provides tax incentives for business investment in our nation’s most troubled ZIP codes.

There is no freedom without law, so Scott supports rigorous law enforcement both in our cities and on our border.

Black Americans are making it in Amer-

by John Stossel Syndicated Columnist

a Candidate wHo CareS aboUt freedoM

Former President Donald Trump spoke at the Libertarian Party convention, asking delegates to vote for him, promising,

“I will put a libertarian in my Cabinet!”

But Libertarians nominated Chase Oliver instead.

Unlike most political candidates, Oliver learned about the world by working regular jobs.

“My first job was dishwasher,” he tells me. “But then I did every job you

by John J. Metzler Syndicated Columnist

could do. ... I moved into the world of logistics, moving goods from one side of the world to the other, and I got an appreciation for free markets.”

For my new video, I grill Oliver about what it means to be a libertarian.

“Someone who allows you to live your life in peace, free from government intrusion,” he answers.

“Don’t Democrats and Republicans basically believe that?” I ask.

“They love to talk the talk about freedom,” he says, “but they push government programs that invade your privacy, your business, your life.”

What about the poor and the help-

living

There’s said to be a Chinese curse which suggests, “May you live in interesting Times.”

On the one hand it appears like a gesture of good fortune and happiness. It certainly can be.

But what it subliminally implies is that you live in a world of churning conflict and chaos, and an age of disharmonious turbulence. Such resembles the current domestic and international situation. The jarring spectacle of the Presidential Debate between President Joe Biden and former President

less?

“Just because I don’t want the government to help people,” Oliver answers, “doesn’t mean that we don’t need to help people.”

He argues that private individuals will do a better job.

Two years ago, Oliver ran for the senate in Georgia, got about 2% of the vote and forced a runoff between Democrat Raphael Warnock and Republican Herschel Walker. When Warnock won the seat, some Republicans called Oliver a “spoiler.”

Oliver replies, “You can’t spoil something that’s already rotten. Approval ratings of Congress and the president are always below 50%. ...

People are sick and tired of the twoparty system.”

Recent polls suggest a libertarian candidate takes votes from both Biden and Trump.

Ben Shapiro criticizes Oliver, saying, “He supported the employer vaccine mandates ... the least libertarian policy in human history.”

Oliver replies, “I don’t support mandates from government.”

He just argued that private store owners should have the right to set policies at their store. “You as a consumer then have a choice: ‘Will I work at this business or take my talent elsewhere?’ A lot of busi-

See STOSSEL on 37

in “too intereSting” tiMeS

Donald Trump, served as a stark reminder of the obvious and profound risk to the American Republic. The planned early debate, even before the party nomination Conventions, was, as many have been saying, a political stress test for Biden. He failed.

The President’s performance was dithering, daft and dumbfounded.

Now we enter the unspoken...until today. For six months I have been saying that California Governor Gavin Newsom was waiting in the wings and would profit from Biden’s weak presidency. Gavin was the happiest guy in the CNN spin Room in Atlanta!

Two days before the debate, any American suggesting or saying

that Joe Biden was feeble or facing cognitive decline would have been rebutted with a smirking smile or a bitter rebuke as a hateful Republican. Ten minutes into the debate the Curtain, as in the mythical Kingdom of Oz, was torn back and we saw the President stumble and slip through pretty simple questions from the CNN moderators. By the end of the debate two things were clear; Donald Trump had convincingly won and the Democrats were in meltdown panic mode over the President’s performance.

The state of denial by Democrats towards Biden was shattered.

Now even the pro-Democrat mainstream media are openly questioning whether Biden should continue. The Democrats went

into a tizzy and shelved faux deference to the President. Indeed many knew this would happen. Now it has.

The narrative has flipped. The next day the powerful New York Times editorial called for the President to “leave the race” while key left wing columnist supporters, the guardians of the regime, politely but very firmly called for Biden not to be the candidate in November.

Within a day, the talk of Biden’s rambling incoherence and feeble physical demeanor became matter of fact news, rather than politically verboten heresy.

Following Biden’s disastrous debate debacle against Donald Trump, without missing a beat the largely

On Wednesday, July 10th at 7 PM, diver Hans Hug will open the summer lecture series at the Lake Winnipesaukee Museum with his talk on “The Wrecks of Winnipesaukee.” Since seating is limited, advance reservations are requested, by e-mail to lakewinnipesaukeemuseum@gmail.com or by phone 603-3665950. This program is free for Lake Winnipesaukee Historical Society members; for non-members there is a $5 fee.

“The Wrecks of Winnipesaukee” will focus on the underwater history of the Big Lake, showing videos and sonar images of ship-

HanS HUg openS HiStoriCal SoCiety SUMMer leCtUre SerieS

wrecks seen while diving, as well as artifacts from below the surface of the lake. Hans Hug, Jr. of Exeter has been an avid diver for over thirty years, exploring sites throughout New England, from Cape Cod and Cape Ann to the Connecticut River. Using high tech sidescan sonar equipment, he has located more than seventy wrecks in Lake Winnipesaukee, including large pieces of the original steamer Mount Washington. His recent discoveries will be of great interest to those interested in Lake Winnipesaukee history. More information on Sonar Search & Recovery can be found at www.sonar -

sar.com.

The Lake Winnipesaukee Historical Society was founded in 1985 with the mission to promote and preserve the history and heritage of the Big Lake and its vicinity. Programs focusing on the Lakes Region and New Hampshire history are held on Wednesdays during the summer season. Located at 503 Endicott Street North, next to Funspot in the Weirs, the museum is open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10 AM to 4 PM, July 5th through midOctober.

Hans Hug, Jr. opens the 2024 Summer Lecture Series at the Lake Winnipesaukee Museum on Wednesday, July 10th at 7pm.

This series of Letters From God is an attempt to put the thoughts of God as revealed in the Scriptures as they relate to individuals and the nation of the USA

Letters From God Letters From God

QUESTION

What Are Your Thoughts On Our Celebration Of Freedom In Our Country?

Sadly, most in your country will not celebrate freedom. Most will not give it a second thought. You will be lost in the pleasures of life that were won for you, as a result of the actions of many who have gone before. You will also be lost in using your freedoms to practices things that are and will bring bondage and death, because you continue to violate my will and design for life. What you call “freedom” is doing whatever you desire, instead of doing what is right, what I commanded and what brings genuine freedom and life. This has not always been true in your country but it is a modern reality. There is an explanation for this deadly misunderstanding of freedom and the abominable practices that accompany it.

The first reason is that you have forgotten the sacrifices made in the past to provide for freedom in the present. Your past President, Abraham Lincoln, in his Gettysburg Address, following the bloody battle for freedom said, “It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task

remaining before us, that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion, that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” According to Lincoln, you can only ensure that you will have freedom in the present and in the future, if you remember what your freedoms cost in the past. Failure to do this will result in the soldiers of the past dying in vain and the generations of the future losing those freedoms and dying in bondage.” In other words, by looking to the past and appreciating the cost of your freedom, it should propel you in the present to ensure the continuation of freedom in the future. A proper understanding and commitment to the same values should, as a result, lead you to be more dedicated to preserving and advancing those freedoms for yourself and future generations. If you don’t, the unique government Lincoln spoke of, shall not have “a new birth of freedom.” That government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall perish from the earth. The fact that so many will never stop to even think of those sacrifices for freedom and will be lost in their pleasures of the moment, signals a foreboding bondage that awaits your generation. The second reason why

your misunderstanding of freedom that you enjoy today is actually a form of bondage, so that your “government of the people, by the people, for the people,” shall perish, is because you are no longer under me, God, as expressed by President Lincoln. You cannot be free unless you are, as he said, “under God.” You can’t be free because without me you are under the bondage of the penalty of your sin. This penalty separates you from me, a holy God. Isaiah the prophet spoke for me when he said, “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you so that he will not hear.” (Isaiah 59:2).

anything you want, you are egregiously violating my will with abominable practices, that will bring my judgment, bondage and death.

This is why another President, John Adams, said, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” Only when you are “under God,” can you be out of bondage and truly free.

I can’t have relationship with sin and when you sinned even once, you were separated from me. In this condition you must pay the penalty of sin, which is eternal separation from me, the source of life. You can’t have “life that is truly life,” (1 Timothy 6:19) including genuine freedom now and forever, unless you are in a relationship with me and I give it to you. You also can’t have freedom and life because, without me you are under the bondage of the power of sin. Go ahead and try to obey all of the 10 Commandments I gave you, both by observing the letter of the law and the spirit of the law, (Matthew 5-7) and you will see that you can’t. In fact, the more you try, the more you violate my laws. Since you as a nation have forsaken me and your understanding of “freedom,” is being able to do

Open your eyes and hearts! Recognize your understanding and practices associated with your celebration of “freedom,” are ensnaring and killing you. Allow my Son, Jesus, to apply his sacrificial death to pay the penalty for your sins. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him.” (Romans 5:8-9) Then, allow my Spirit, to empower you to do what I said is “right,” instead of gorging on sinful and shameful behavior. Then I will set you free and you will be free indeed. You and your nation can have “a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” Your decision today, will determine your destiny tomorrow!!!

I Love You, God

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

SCeniC railriderS

The northern terminus of the tour is the Hannah Duston Historic Site and Monument where the Merrimack and Contoocook Rivers meet. Riders are ready to pedal back to their station to complete our 6.2 mile tour. We were spread out about 300 yards between each other for a peaceful and lovely outing. Scenic RailRiders in Concord, NH (ScenicRailRiders.com) is open every day but Wednesday and offers five tours a day with the first beginning at 8:30 am and the last at 4:30 pm–tours last between 1.5 and 2 hours.

My mother has wanted to pedal the railbikes on the tracks along the Merrimack River in Concord for quite some time. Scenic RailRiders opened in July of 2019. Shortly after they opened Mom must have read about pedaling along the tracks because she has been talking about it for nearly five years. She never made plans

with any of her friends to go but every once in a while she would mention she’d like to try it. Last Monday afternoon the threat of thunderstorms was low and it wasn’t too hot. I looked on-line to see what they had to offer and saw that they had openings available in two hours for their 12:30 outing. I called Mom and she was ex-

cited to go.

It’s easy to reserve a bike on-line at their website and there is a thorough FAQ section on their website where you can find all the answers to your questions. They do allow walk-ups if you arrive early and only if they’re not fully booked. They rent by the rail-bike, not per person. It is nice that they offer

2-seaters and 4-seater rail-bikes tours. I paid $90 for a 2-seater bike for us (4- seaters I think were $160).

Mom and I packed our lunches and we hopped in the car. Mom grew up in Penacook, a village in the north part of Concord. Fisherville Road, Route 3, leads to Penacook which makes sense since the original

by Mike Moffett Contributing Writer

New Hampshire’s senior U.S. Senator, Jeanne Shaheen, spoke to the crowd before the gentlemen started their engines at the June 23rd NASCAR Race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon.

“Welcome to New England’s top sports event!” proclaimed Shaheen.

Truth, or Granite State puffery?

Shaheen definitely could have made “top sports event” case twenty years ago, when NHMS races drew over 100,000 fans to both annual NASCAR showdowns. Think about it. More fans squeezed into the Loudon, N.H. stands than could be seated at Fenway Park and Gillette Stadium combined!

Top sports event indeed.

But that was then, and this is now.

NHMS has downsized. The north (Laconia side) bleachers have been dismantled. And iffy weather meant there were plenty of empty seats in the remaining stands on June 23rd. But the crowd numbers reflected more than just iffy weather. NASCAR attendance and TV ratings have been tailing off for two decades, although there have been certain signs of a “rebound” the last few years.

n.H. naSCar!

The sports columnist with Samantha and Loudon the Lobster in the NHMS owner’s suite during the USA TODAY 301.

While I have never been the most passionate or knowledgeable NASCAR fan, I love the energy of the big races in Loudon, and as I live within walking distance of NHMS, I’ve indeed walked (or mostly ridden) to the track many times.

NASCAR weekends are wonderful local carnivals. Walking the grounds to “peoplewatch” is such fun, as fans come from all over. The many different booths of hawkers and vendors help enhance the race vibe.

The NASCAR culture features many Dixie accents—somewhat incongruous in northern New England but still fun to hear, nonetheless. Celebrate diversity, right? Racing’s traditionally been a particularly southern passion. Florida has Daytona. Georgia

has the Atlanta Motor Speedway. North Carolina has the Charlotte Motor Speedway. And of course, Alabama has the Talladega Superspeedway.

Alabama is one of three states I’ve never been to—along with Mississippi and North Dakota. I’d like to go the Talladega someday—a “Bucket List” thing. But I’m afraid that if I talked much down there, I’d get laughed at.

“Where the hell are y’all from? You a Yankee?” might respond the chicken vendor when I ordered some tenders and, er, lemonade?

I must say that this is the first NHMS NASCAR event where I did not see any Confederate flags. Loudon is not Talladega, Atlanta, Daytona, or Charlotte. Truth be told, Loudon

is about as Yankee as you can get (as in Civil War, not American League).

But I digress.

Given the weather, I was going to watch the USA Today 301 from home on the USA Network. I love seeing the helicopters and always hope for an aerial view on national TV that shows my neighborhood.

But I got a call from a Loudon farmer friend, State Senator Howard Pearl. I’d helped him throw hay bales a few days earlier and he told me he had an extra pass. My response?

“I’m in.”

The passes helped us access the owner’s luxury suite to hob nob with some great people and enjoy some great food and wonderful libations—out of the elements. It doesn’t get much better.

Senator Shaheen was up there, after her early speech. So was former U.S. Senator and current gubernatorial candidate Kelly Ayotte, who pointed out to me that “Loudon the Lobster” was also a suite guest. He’d later be presented—on national TV—to the race winner. So, I joined those posing for pics holding Loudon.

The 25-pound crustacean was a bit slippery to hold, and I must admit I almost dropped Loudon. I cringed at the potential headline.

“Giant Dead Lobster Presented to NASCAR Race Winner!”

Fortunately, Loudon

$525 to family stipend paid monthly.

Healthy goal oriented athletes need housing September 2024March 2025 while in Lakes Region.

survived. At least he survived his visit to the luxury suite anyway.

The race quickly moved along, with the drivers probably sensing impending precipitation. But with the weather deteriorating, the red flag came out after 220 laps, 81 short of the full 301.

Tyler Reddick and his #45 Toyota were in first place when the action stopped.

I thanked all concerned and took the elevator down to the ground floor. I was going to buy a bag of Hackleboro donuts from Harry Weiser, a Canterbury constituent with a wonderful donut

booth, but raindrops started to fall, and I had a mile plus walk to get home so I hoofed it. I got home and turned on the TV and sure enough, the rain delay was continuing. The light rain turned to heavy rain as evening approached and it looked like the race was over. Reddick

was interviewed as the presumptive winner. I went to my study to work but when I later returned to the living room, I stunned to see that the race had somehow resumed.

This year NASCAR added a new wrinkle to its rule book—one involving wet weather tires. These would allow races to start or finish under soggy circumstances that otherwise would have prevented competition. I watched, fascinated by this turn of events. The race now involved very different tactics, as cars sometimes actually slid or hydroplaned around the magic mile. During “yellow flag” conditions, drivers would seek the water puddles on the inside lanes to cool their tires. But around 8 p.m. a different challenge arose. It was getting dark!

New England’s top sporting event had all kinds of twists and

turns in 2024! But NASCAR officials somehow got every lap in, and Christopher Bell and his Toyota #20 eventually took the checkered flag—along with Loudon the Lobster.

I somehow think that Tyler Reddick, the— ”leader in the clubhouse”—was not a wet tire fan that day!

So, this Hallmark sports event that started with hawkers and vendors on the lively speedway grounds before proceeding to the owner’s suite before taking me to the comfort of my couch and flatscreen TV was indeed a pretty cool happening.

Definitely New England’s top sports event!

JULY 4TH WEEK JUNE 29 TH - JULY 7 TH

Sports Quiz

What does NASCAR stand for? (Answer follows)

Born Today

That is to say, sports standouts born on the Fourth of July include blustery NFL owner Al Davis (1929), blustery MLB owner George Steinbrenner (1930), and Morganna Roberts, baseball’s kissing bandit (1947).

Sports Quote

“I feel like I got a pile of cattle chasing my ass, and I’m pedaling as hard as I can to stay in front of ‘em. I keep looking behind me while I’m driving like hell.” – NASCAR driver Rusty Wallace on what it’s like trying to hold on to a race lead.

Sports Quiz Answer

National Association for Stock Car Racing

State Representative Mike Moffett was a Sports Management Professor for Plymouth State University and NHTI-Concord. He co-authored the award-winning “Fahim Speaks: Between Two Worlds: A Hollywood Actor’s Journey as a U.S. Marine Translator through Afghanistan” which is available on Amazon.com. His e-mail address is mimoffett@ comcast.net.

Christopher Bell and his #20 Toyota won the 2024 USA TODAY 301 at NHMS on June 23rd.

The sports columnist flanked by former U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte and current State Senator Howard Pearl.

MOFFETT from 13

The Simple Feast

The Simple The Simple Up in SMoke!

The Simple Feast

by Eric N Gibson Contributing Writer

The following is an illustration of a recent experience and the importance of having fire extinguishers in the home as part of a fire safety / readiness plan. I am not an expert in the field of fire safety nor do I advocate that my handling of the situation related herein was the proper method. These are merely some observations after the fact. Always seek professional guidance from credentialed sources when creating a safety plan for you and your family. - The Author

“Do you smell smoke?” I really hate this question. Even more so when I am the one asking it.

But, such was the case this past week. My sniffer was telling my brain that something was amiss. As I turned to look in the oven window, what really got my attention was the thick gray smoke pouring from the vent on the back of the stovetop and rapidly filling the kitchen.

“Uh-oh! That’s not good.”, I said aloud, trying to act casual and not alarm my niece.

Cautiously, I opened the oven door. The scene was something right out of a wizards movie, thick black smoke curling about in a darkened void as though something malevolent was trying to manifest itself into being. Before shutting the door I spied through the haze, the muffin pan on the top rack. This sole occupant was awash in grease and that grease was now pouring over the edges and splattering onto the bottom of the hot oven box creating a pool.

The smoke’s billowing fumes roiling from the stovetop vents were a mere prelude to fire.

My opening and closing the oven door; the initial check, a second time to add a few pans to collect and shield the drippings from the open flames of the gas

stove, a third time to pull the muffin pan out. As I look back on it, all this only added oxygen, encouraging imminent combustion. It was a fire the likes of which I had never witnessed in an oven and while it had me concerned it was still contained. First things first, turn off the oven. Check! Second, grab the fire extinguisher. Che… Uh-Oh! After what seemed like an eternity, I found it. It was on the kitchen counter. I had been conditioned over many years to look to the floor at the end of the counter. This was where it had always been, next to the paper shredder. That was until Easter, when we hosted the family meal. In an effort to ensure all trip hazards were out of the way the shredder and extinguisher were moved. It was not too

far from where it was “supposed to be”, but when seconds count these are seconds lost.

With the extinguisher in hand and the pin pulled, I admit I was reluctant to open the oven door again. Perhaps I had seen Backdraft or all those EMERGENCY! episodes one too many times? But I wanted the fire out. So, ensuring my niece was far enough away, I opened the door, quickly aimed at the base of the fire, squeezed the trigger, and swept back and forth. Not over exaggerating the motion but just enough to smother the flames. The fire was out in an instant. The oven? Coated with a thick yellow greasy powdery residue.

My niece asked me if I had ever had a kitchen fire before.

See FEAST on 16

WHERE WE PUT YOUR HEALTH FIRST

Fortunately I had not. Not at home nor at work. However, for many years I was responsible for staff training and we had Fire Safety and Fire Extinguisher training on almost a yearly basis. I had the local fire department come in and conduct live fire extinguisher training with fire. Everyone was encouraged to use the extinguisher to put out a fire in a controlled setting and this training has paid off.

In retrospect, could this fire have been avoided? Most likely. Both my niece and I read the preparation instructions on the muffin mix. The mix was in a mason jar, a gift that perhaps one might give as a welcoming present. The instructions called for “1 ½ C. Melted Butter”. Both of us read this as 1 AND ½ Cups rather than ½ Cup. We both passively questioned the quantity but being a recipe in a large jar, we thought nothing more about it. Obviously our instincts were right: too much butter.

Could I have acted sooner? Yes. I would wager a guess and say your oven window is a lot like mine, sort of dingy and tinted from years of bakedon cooking. I know very few who clean their oven window after each use but having gone through this experience I would highly encourage it. Too, the oven rack was not centered; it was still set higher up from the last time it was used. Set to the proper height and with a clean window, we would probably have had a better visual as to what was happening in the oven, perhaps even before it got to the point of “Do

you smell smoke?”

Did I do things wrong? Probably. But I am not inviting critique. I have plenty of friends in several fire departments who are more than willing to troubleshoot and Monday Morning Quarterback. A fire needs three things: heat, fuel, and oxygen. Take one of these away and the fire will either not start or it will go out if started. I shut off the stove which killed one fuel source but grease (another fuel source) in the hot oven (400 degrees) was still in the oven and had been the ignition fuel. Removing the muffin pan took much of the fuel away but significant grease remained pooled at the bottom near the gas flames.

I,know I gave oxygen to the situation by opening the door, not once but several times. However, the oven is not airtight. There are holes, nooks, and crannies that may allow oxygen in and fire out which was my concern. Nestled between my wood counters could this have become a fire out of control if left to “burn itself out”? I don’t know and I did not want to find out. This is why I opted to open the door one last time and use the fire extinguisher, and in this case it smothered the flames, starving the fire of oxygen. Does training work? Absolutely. I have been retired for nearly three years. In the twentyfive years that I was employed as a trainer and manager I organized and actively participated in more than twenty Fire Safety / Fire Extinguisher training programs. My niece commented on how I handled the oven fire and I told her about the training, the acronym PASS, and showed

her the instructions on the extinguisher that illustrate PASS. Her observation was, “More opportunities for training should be available because who has time to read the label in a panic situation? I wish they would have taught us this in school.” When should you dial 9-1-1? Some say immediately. I would say, you are always better off calling 9-11 and getting the fire department moving as soon as possible. Why I did not, I cannot say. Then use your fire extinguisher to put out the fire if possible. And have a way out in case the fire cannot be put out. The fire department would prefer to see you and your loved ones safe, arriving at a smokey, but intact house, and give everything a look to ensure no danger is present, rather than arrive at a conflagration with injuries or worse. If you do not have a fire extinguisher in your home, buy two (not one, TWO!) or even three or four or more. Place them in locations around your home that make sense. Know where they are and LEAVE THEM THERE! Ask your local fire department for ideal locations within the home and garage. Change extinguishers as often as recommended. And, as extinguishers are changed for new ones, PRACTICE! It need not be a live fire but you can practice discharging the extinguisher on a pile of trash in the middle of the driveway to get a better understanding of how it works. And that’s this week’s Simple Feast. Enjoy!

BIRDS For The

New England’s Wild Birds & Their Habitats

tHe warbling vireo

by Chris Bosak Contributing Writer

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently added a story on their website about the redeyed vireo and mentioned, jokingly, that it is sometimes referred to as “the bird that doesn’t shut up.” The short post says the bird can sing more than 20,000 times per day and that their “incessant singing” makes up for their rather drab plumage.

I can’t dispute what the article says, as red-eyed vireos do indeed sing a lot, and I’ve heard them frequently throughout this spring and early summer. But this year, I’ve been more taken by the red-eyed vireo’s cousin, the warbling vireo.

Seemingly every walk I’ve taken this year from late April on has included a sighting of a warbling vireo. Well, maybe not always a sighting, but at least a hearing. It is usually the first bird I hear as I approach the woods. “Yup, another warbling vireo” has been a frequent refrain on my walks this year.

Warbling vireos are aptly named as their song is long and varied with plenty of ups and downs. While most of our wood warblers do not truly warble, the warbling vireo certainly does warble. (Try saying that sentence a few times quickly.)

Speaking of difficult things to say, the most

A warbling vireo does what it does best: sing from a branch of a deciduous tree.

commonly used mnemonic for recognizing the song of the warbling vireo is “if I sees you, I will seize you, and I’ll squeeze you till you squirt.” Seriously, that’s it. Look it up if you don’t believe me. That particular mnemonic never really worked for me in the field, but I included it in case it does for you.

In other words, the warbling vireo has a song that is, as I mentioned before, warbling. It seems that even the experts have a hard time explaining the song and agreeing on it. The Audubon Society all at once describes the song as “cheery” and “drowsy.” How can something be cheery and drowsy at the same time?

My go-to birding web-

site AllAboutBirds.org (a site of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology) describes the song as such: “Male Warbling Vireos sing a rapid, undulating, highly variable song with a rich, burbling quality lasting about 3 seconds. The song usually concludes with an accented note pitched higher than the preceding melody.”

Similar to the redeyed vireo, the warbling vireo is not the most exciting bird to look at – not that they are seen that often anyway. They typically hang out at the tops of trees hidden by foliage as they sing their ubiquitous song. If you do happen to spot one, you will see a grayish, olive green bird with white underneath and washed throughout with faint yellow. They have a

KINDRED SPIRIT FARM

dull white stripe above the eye and a dull white arc below the eye. They are not big suburban birds like robins, catbirds, cardinals or blue jays, but they may be found in most wooded areas. I’ve certainly had more than my fair share of warbling vireo sightings (and hearings) during my walks this spring and summer. I rather enjoy my encounters with warbling vireos − and red-eyed vireos, for that matter. They should embrace the moniker of birds that “never shut up.”

EVENTS & ACTIVITIES

The Life and Legacy of Captain Andrew Haldane At Wright Museum

WOLFEBORO— On Tuesday, July 9th, the Wright Museum will welcome Garrett Shetrawski. This is the fifth program of the Wright Museum’s 2024 Education Series.

The Life and Legacy of Captain Andrew Haldane. Also known as Ack Ack, using skills he learned as captain of the football and baseball teams in Bowdoin College, led his men bravely though the battlefield of the Pacific. His story is portrayed in the 2010 HBO Miniseries The Pacific.

Doors open at 6:00 p.m., the program begins at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, July 9th at the Wright Museum’s DuQuoin Education Center, 77 Center Street in Wolfeboro. Admission is $5 for members and $10 for non-members. Reservations are strongly encouraged and can be made online at https://wrightmuseum.org/lecture-series or by calling 603-569-1212. The region’s leading resource for educators and learners of all ages on World War II, the Wright Museum features more than 14,000 items in its collection that are representative of both the home front and battlefield. For more information about the 2023 Lecture Series, or museum, visit wrightmuseum.org.

Cheryl Shanahan is NH Boat Museum Featured Artist In July

MOULTONBOROUGH – Cheryl Shanahan will be the featured artist in July at the New Hampshire Boat Museum (NHBM), which will host a reception on Wednesday, July 10 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. for members.

“We are especially excited because people can not only see Cheryl’s work but also experience our new Moultonborough Campus,” said NHBM Executive Director Martha Cummings. “Our Moultonborough Campus provides a wonderful backdrop for local artists.” With a background in writing and music and more than 40 years of photography experience, Shanahan started painting in 2020. Using acrylic paints, she described her style as “contemporary impressionism.”

“I find inspiration in the natural wonders that New England offers, particularly the sparkling lakes, scintillating blue skies, and range of textures and colors found in the forests and on the hills and mountains,” she said.

At the reception, she said people can expect to see “a collection featuring the best that the Lakes Region has to offer in views, vintage boats, and boathouses.” Shanahan splits her time between New Hampshire’s Lakes Region and Richmond, VA.

Founded in 1992 by antique and classic boating enthusiasts, NHBM offers dynamic exhibits and engaging programs and events tailored to the diverse boating lifestyles and values of people of all ages. NHBM is sponsored in part by Belletetes, Eastern Propane & Oil, Epoxy Floor New England, Goodhue Boat Company, Kingswood Press and Design Studio, KW Coastal, Lake and Mountains, North Water Marine, and Taylor Community. To learn more about NHBM, or upcoming events and programs, visit nhbm.org.

David Loucky At New Hampshire Music Festival

Daivd Loucky, a low brass multi-instrumentalist, will be the feaetured artist at the New Hampshire Music Festival Thursday, July 11th at the Silver Center, Plymouth NH at 7pm and then on Friday, July 12th at Gilford Community Church, Gilford NH at 7pm

Loucky has been Principal Trombonist with the New Hampshire Music Festival since 1987. He is a frequent guest performer with the Nashville Symphony and he can be heard on countless recordings and video game projects produced in Nashville’s studios. From 1998-2000 he performed as Assistant Principal Trombonist with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, touring six European countries and performing six times in Carnegie Hall. Loucky is Principal Trombonist with the Nashville Opera Orchestra and is a charter member of Intersection, Nashville’s premier new music ensemble. He has performed most of the prominent euphonium and bass trumpet parts of the symphonic repertoire with Nashville Symphony, Memphis Symphony, Virginia Symphony, Louisville Orchestra, Huntsville Symphony and Orchestra Kentucky. A committed music educator, Loucky is Professor of Trombone and Euphonium at Middle Tennessee State University. He earned music degrees from Wesleyan University, Yale School of Music, and Stony Brook University and he pursued additional studies in classical and jazz traditions in Cologne and Vienna.

Since his initial appointment, Loucky has returned annually to the NHMF with his wife Nancy. Their son Andrew served on the NHMF stage crew for several years. Loucky loves to hike in the White Mountains, having summited all 48 of New Hampshire’s peaks over 4000 feet with his daughter Tyler. Loucky loves to cook, garden and tend honeybees with Nancy at their home in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Program and Ticket infomation at nhmf.org

Experience The Magic of Pink Floyd Lakeport Opera House

Fans of the legendary progressive rock band, Pink Floyd, are in for a treat as New England’s premier Pink Floyd tribute band, Floydian Trip, is set to take the stage at the historic Lakeport Opera House in Laconia, NH.

On Wednesday, July 10th, at 7:30 pm, audiences will be transported on a mesmerizing journey through Pink Floyd’s iconic discography as Floydian Trip delivers an unforgettable live performance. Doors will open at 6:30 pm, allowing concert-goers to soak in the ambiance of this beautiful venue before the show begins.

Known for their exceptional musicianship and faithful interpretations of Pink Floyd’s music, Floydian Trip promises an evening filled with classics like “Comfortably Numb,” “Wish You Were Here,” and “Another Brick in the Wall.”

Following their awe-inspiring performance earlier this year at the Lakeport Opera House, the band’s return is highly anticipated. Fans can expect stunning visuals, immersive soundscapes, and a true celebration of Pink Floyd’s timeless music. Get your tickets now for what promises to be an unforgettable night of music and memories. For ticket information and reservations, visit www.lakeportopera.com or call (603) 519-7506.

nH boat MUSeUM inviteS pUbliC to See ‘MUSeUM in tHe Making’

MOULTONBOROUGH- The New Hampshire Boat Museum (NHBM) is preparing to open for the season on Friday, July 5 at their new campus on Route 25 in Moultonborough. “This season is all about a museum in the making, so visitors can see some of the work that is underway” said Executive Director Martha Cummings. “Right now, we’re working on large-scale exhibition designs.”

According to Cummings, staff and volunteer excitement about the new campus opening rests on substantial “sweat equity.” “We have been very busy moving our small objects collection and several boats from our location in Wolfeboro to the new 24,000-square-foot building,” she said.

Noting NHBM purchased the property in 2022, Cummings said the building includes a mezzanine and climate-controlled exhibits. “The structure is ADA-compliant, too,” she added. “Long-term, exhibits will showcase previously unseen artifacts and boats, which is pretty exciting.”

According to Jaime Laurent, Co-Chair of NHBM’s Board of Trustees, 2024 represents a chance to take “a glimpse of NHBM’s future.” “We will feature temporary exhibits that reveal

the incredible diversity of our state’s boating culture,” she explained.

In the future at the Moultonborough campus, Cummings said visitors will be able to explore and interact with history through “compelling” exhibits that showcase boat building, sport and speed, and many styles and types of boats powered by wind, steam, gas, and paddles.

“This new space allows us to do so much more with programs and events while also providing the best care for our collections,” added Cummings.

Laurent agreed and said the Moultonborough Campus underscores an important element of NHBM’s deeper mission. “We believe boating, the outdoors, lake life, and historic and modern boating culture is for everyone,” she said.

NHBM’s new cam -

pus is located at 130 Whittier Hwy (Rte 25) in Moultonborough. The season runs from July 5 until September 29, Thursday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Sunday, 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. For this season, NHBM will offer free admission, but a $10 donation per person is encouraged to support programming and event experiences. Featured programs at the Moultonborough Campus this summer include Lake Discovery Drop In Days on July 19 and August 16 and Hulls and Hops speaker series with Twin Barn Brewing on July 25, August 22, and September 12. NHBM will also host monthly featured artist receptions for NHBM members.

NHBM is sponsored in part by Goodhue Boat Company, Eastern Propane and Oil, Kingswood Press and Design Studio, KW Coastal, Lake and Mountains, Taylor Community, Belletetes, and North Water Marine. To learn more about NHBM, visit nhbm.org.

Summer Fun! Summer Fun!

If

Because wild salmon have more active lives and varied diets than farmed fish, their taut flesh tastes more complex and is nuanced according to their surroundings. (Think of it as the difference between a summer tomato ripened in the sun and a winter one from a greenhouse.)

See next page

603-279-9099

Come and celebrate America at the 4th of July Weekend Gunstock Craft Fair, Saturday and Sunday, July 6-7, at Gunstock Mountain Resort in Gilford.

Hours are Saturday and Sunday 10 am to 5 pm both days! Buy American made arts & crafts!

There will be over 120 awesome exhibitors including handsome cedar wood furniture, memory frames, amazing hand painted glass/metal/wood/ mushrooms, beautiful folk art, handcrafted wooden American flags, amazing chainsaw wood carvings with demos by Elise, custom leather belts & beautiful totes/pocketbooks, awesome acrylic and watercolor fine art, gourmet oils & vinegars, amazing pottery, beautiful pressed floral art, NH maple syrups,

hand poured soaps, soy candles, several jewelry styles, quilts and quilted wall-hangings, charcuterie boards, children’s chalkboard mats, unique macrame furniture, handsome alpaca products, wildlife photography, custom signs, amazing baked goods, and lots more.

Live Music with North River Both Days! Held Rain or Shine Under Canopies. Free Admission & Free Parking! Friendly, leashed dogs are welcome! More Info Call Joyce (603) 387.1510 - GPS Address: 719 Cherry Valley Road, Gilford NH 03249 - See you there!!! joycescraftshows.com

1218 Union Avenue, Laconia, NH 03246 (at Watermark Marine) Monday thru Friday, 8am - 5pm Saturdays, 8am - Noon

Diving gear, snorkels, masks, suits & more!

Please call or email us today for information on diving classes.

foUrtH of JUly QUilt SHow

This is a reminder that If you plan to be in Wolfeboro over the 4th of July weekend, stop by the Town Hall on S. Main Street to see the quilt show put on by the Ladies of the Lakes Quilters’ Guild. On display will be quilts made by Guild members for the children at David’s House, which is part of the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth. This is one of several charities supported by the Guild. This event will happen on July 6 and 7, from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. Look for signs near the Town Hall. This event is free of charge.

On Sunday, July 7, there will be a special presentation by the Quilts of Valor Program at 1:00 p.m. Six deserving veterans will each receive a comfort-

ing and healing quilt, with a patriotic theme, made especially for each of them. Don’t miss this event!

Tickets will be also available for the Guild’s raffle quilt. Visit the Guild’s website at llqg. net for more information, and a picture of this year’s beautiful quilt.

OPEN DAILY MAY 1ST THRU OCT. 31ST

On Exhibit June 1st - Sept. 1st, 2024

D-Day: Freedom from Above

June 6, 2024, marks the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion, also known as Operation Overlord.

Summer Fun! Summer Fun!

Hk powerSportS

land & lake poker rUn

Get ready for a treasure-hunting, swashbuckling good time in New Hampshire’s Lakes Region this summer. On Saturday, July 13, hundreds of attendees will participate in the 23rd annual HK Powersports Land & Lake Poker Run, followed by an all-ages pirate-themed “Buccaneer Bash” at The NASWA Resort in Laconia, all to benefit Easterseals NH’s core programs.

Beginning at 10:30 a.m., participants will travel by boat, car, or motorcycle to four different checkpoints on or around Lake Winnipesaukee and collect sealed envelopes containing playing cards. The fifth and final card stop for all players will be at the resort’s NazBar & Grill, where they will reveal their hand to a panel of judges for a chance to win cash prizes of $750, or $1,000 for High Rollers Club members.

The Buccaneer Bash, to kick off at 12:30 p.m., will feature a grand buffet, beach games, a live auction, raffles, and other family-friendly entertainment and activities. The grand prize for the day is a brand-new Sea-Doo personal watercraft from HK Powersports of Laconia including a trailer, valued at more than $14,000. Other prizes from Laconia businesses include a new Saber stainless steel grill from Fireside Living, an Old Town Saranac canoe, and an Old Town Heron kayak pro-

Hundreds of attendees are expected to participate in the 23rd annual HK Powersports Land & Lake Poker Run for Easterseals NH on Saturday, July 13. Participants will travel to four different checkpoints on or around Lake Winnipesaukee and collect sealed envelopes containing playing cards. At the fifth and final card stop, they will reveal their hand to a panel of judges for a chance to win cash prizes.

vided by Irwin Marine. Additional prizes will be awarded to attendees in multiple categories, from Best Pirate Costume and Best Pirate Crew to Best Pirate Boat, Best Pirate Land Ship, and Best Little Pirate.

Since its inception in 2001, the HK Powersports Land & Lake Poker Run has raised more than $1.7 million for Easterseals NH’s core programs, which consist of thoughtfully integrated services and on-the-ground supports to thousands of individuals of all ages and abilities annually, including children, adults, seniors, and veterans. This year’s event is dedicated to the memories

of both Peter Makris, the late father of NASWA Resort owner Cynthia Makris; and Brian Connelly, founder of

Fireside Living and a longtime Lakes Region community activist who passed away last fall.

on 26

Photo by Stoddard Whitridge

aviation MUSeUM’S annUal ClaSSiC Car SHow

for this event is provided by Primary Bank. Vehicles of all makes and eras are welcome, including odd or unusual conveyances. It’s a great chance for proud owners to show off their completed projects or works in

progress, and for the public to check out some amazing rides from all over New England.

The show will include a special appearance of a student-built two-seat RV-12iS light sport aircraft. The plane was completed in August 2022 by high

school students at the Manchester (N.H.) School of Technology. The plane-building program is a partnership between the school, the Aviation Museum, and Tango Flight, an educational non-profit.

Also, a number of vintage restored fire trucks are expected to attend.

The car show is held on the grounds of the Aviation Museum, with close-up views of the action on nearby Runway 17-35 at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport.

Trophies will be given out for the People’s Choice Award and the Museum Award. All registered entrants will be included in a raffle with multiple winners of valuable prize packages. A separate 50/50 raffle will be held as well as a yard sale, with all proceeds to benefit the non-profit Aviation Museum.

gUided Hike of bald knob loop in CoCkerMoUtH foreSt

GROTON -Join the Newfound Lake Region Association (NLRA) for a guided hike in the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests (SPNHF)’s Cockermouth Forest on July 19 at 9am. Land conservation is one of the best ways to protect the health of Newfound Lake.

NLRA has worked with the Newfound Land Conservation Partnership (NLCP) to increase the amount of conserved land in the watershed, and this hike will take participants through some of the watershed’s publicly accessible conserved lands.

Led by one of NLRA’s Watershed Stewards/ AmeriCorps members, participants will explore parts of the Cockermouth Forest, see views of the lake to the south and mountains to the north, and get a new perspective on keeping the watershed healthy. This moderate, approximately 4 mile hike has a few rocky scrambles.

Registration is required and space is limited. Register online at NewfoundLake.org/ events or call 603-7448689.

The NLCP is a collaboration among NLRA, the Society for the Protection of NH Forests, the Lakes Region Conservation Trust, the Nature Conservancy, and volunteer representatives from the towns of Hebron, Groton, Bris-

tol, Bridgewater, and Alexandria. Since 2009, the Partnership has worked to promote land conservation within the Newfound Watershed through education and community outreach and has supported efforts to conserve nearly 8500 acres. Learn more about conservation in

the Newfound Watershed and why land conservation is important at NewfoundLake.org/ NLCP.

Land conservation is an important part of NLRA’s work to protect the high-quality waters of Newfound Lake and its watershed, maintaining a healthy and diverse ecosystem. Through water quality and invasive species monitoring, educational events such as guided hikes and nature activities, and land conservation efforts that protect open spaces and help manage stormwater pollution, You can learn more about NLRA’s initiatives at NewfoundLake.org.

Summer Fun! Summer Fun!

POKER from 23

Easterseals NH appreciates the support of its major event sponsors: HK Powersports, The NASWA Resort, Mix 94.1 FM Radio, Sea-Doo, Brady-Sullivan Properties, and Seachoice Products. Other sponsors include Amoskeag Beverages, Bank of New Hampshire, Baron’s Major Brands, Belknap Subaru, Bellman’s Jewelers, Bio-Kleen, CocaCola, Cohen Family, Crown Special Events,

East Coast Flightcraft of New England, Fireside Living, Goodnight Johnny’s, Irwin Marine, Kellogg Marine Supply, The Laconia Daily Sun, Mark Abare, North Water Marine, Northwing Offshore Racing, Paugus Bay Marina, Pie Guys Pizzeria, South End Media, Sysco of Northern New England, Watermark Marine Supply, West Point Waste Services, White Mountain Fiberglass, Winnisquam Marine, and ZUP.

Admission/registration is $10 per vehicle entry plus occupants, cash only. To facilitate orderly set-up, owners are asked to arrive between 9 and 10 a.m. at the grounds of the Aviation Museum, 27 Navigator Road, Londonderry, N.H.

Admission to the grounds for spectators is $5 per adult; children 12 and under free. Admission is cash only. Only show cars will be allowed

CAR from 24 on museum grounds; spectators and visitors are asked to park on local streets outside the museum and walk to the car show. The event will have food trucks. Portable toilets will be available during the show. The Aviation Museum will be open to visitors from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; admission to the museum is included with car show admission. Businesses or dealers wishing to attend as vendors at the car show should call Leah Dearborn at (603) 6694877 to reserve space. A limited number of vending spaces is available.

The Aviation Museum of N.H., located at 27 Navigator Road, Londonderry, N.H., is a non-profit 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization.

The Aviation Museum of N.H., based in the 1937 art deco passenger terminal at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, is dedicated to preserving the Granite State’s rich aviation past, and also inspiring students today to become the aerospace pioneers of tomorrow.

also taking place during the first weeks of July with the Knights of Columbus carnival taking place from July 3rd to July 5th and the Veterans of Foreign Wars carnival opening on Monday, July 5th and continuing all week through the 10th of the month.

Reportedly, at the request of many mothers, the Knights of Columbus Carnival was providing rides for the children on Saturday and Monday afternoons. The K.of C. carnival was held at the St. Joseph Parish Grounds and included a midway, music, and

regular Saturday night dance, though labeled a “Carnival Dance,” at the Winnipesaukee Gardens with Johnny Bothwell and his sensational 15 piece recording band, and a Midnite Dance which began at the arrival of Monday morning just after midnight. On the Big Lake there were yachts, water skiing, and inboard races. The weather report in 1948 for New Hampshire was “Fair and Warm.”

There were other activities going on in the Laconia area on Independence Day in 1948. Back in those days town and city baseball games were big deals

an amateur show. The three finalists of the amateur contest included eight year old Raymond Poire, who did an impersonation of Al Jolson, Clara Grant, and Theresa Guyer. A special attraction was the giving away of a Dodge Sedan along with other prizes.

The VFW Carnival was held at the rear of the VFW Home on Court Street and featured three big vaudeville acts, games, and a midway. On Monday evening the Guyer sisters and their brother Harold were the entertainers for the closing night. Admission was free.

I note that there seemed to be more respect in those days for observing Sunday as a special holy day than there is in present times. That being noted, not all activities or celebrations came to a halt on those days when the Fourth came on a Sunday. In fact, someone in the area had made arrangements for local folk to take a bus on Sunday, July 4th, to attend the Red Sox- Philadephia

Movie theaters were more numerous in the Lakes Region threequarters of a century ago and attracted more people than now. Laconia’s two Main Street theaters were active places and the older generation may recognize the names of the actors. The Colonial was showing, on July 3rd, “All My Sons,” with Edward Robinson and Burt Lancaster, and they also included fight pictures with contests

game, so those who couldn’t stand to see a Fourth go by without attending a baseball game might still do so. Those who wanted to attend that Boston game were to call 1558; can you imagine using just four numbers to get the person you wanted?

Franklin was showing “ Wyoming,” and Joe Kirkwood, Jr. as Joe Palooka in “ Fighting Mad” on the Third, and they advertised a double feature they called a “Gay Musical Midnight Show,” on July 4, 1948. If one wanted to read the comics in the July 3rd edition of “ The Citizen “ some of your choices would have been Scorchy Smith, Oaky Doaks, Buz Sawyer, Homer Hooper, The Adventures of Patsy, and Tarzan.

One more news item to let you know more about

1948: “Acting (Laconia) Police Chief Charles E. Dunleavy today called attention to state laws which prohibit sale or use of fireworks with the exception of displays for which a permit must be obtained from police. Cap pistols and canes are the only form of fireworks permitted by law, he explained.” I can almost smell the odor left by that cap pistol ammunition.

Oh, those good old days!

Happy Independence Day!

The 1948 Laconia Fourth activities included two baseball games at the popular Pearl Street Grounds. On Saturday, July 3rd the Laconia City Club was to play against the T.T.K. Club of Manchester who had previously beat the city club. The Laconia City Club’s opponent on Monday, July 3, was the Dover Baxter Mills Club.

The Fourth celebration at the Weirs included the and the Fourth was an ideal time to have them. So it was customary in some towns to have a parade in the morning, a baseball game in the afternoon, and maybe a concert or some other activity at the ball park before the fireworks after darkness set in.

Still, if you wanted to stay in the Lakes Region and find something to do on Saturday or Sunday night one could have, in 1948, tried to book an evening excursion on the Sophie C for a three-hour trip on Lake Winnipesaukee, leaving the Weirs at 8 p.m. for only $1.50. Or if you had wanted a bigger boat, you could have tried the “Moonlight Sail “ on the M.V. Mount Washington which left the Weirs at 8 p.m. on Sunday Night. This lake trip also included entertainment by the comedian Frank Fontaine, a stage and radio personality, and star on the Vaughn Munroe Show.

between Louis and Walcott. In the news was the report that the ushers from “the Colonial “ had gone on a boat ride on Thursday morning, just before the big weekend. The Gardens finished the showing of “Corvette K-225,” and “Wings Over Honolulu,” The Key Theate in Meredith offered patrons a technicolor showing of “Adventures of Robin Hood,” with Errol Flynn and Olivia DeHaviland on Saturday and “Duel in the Sun,” with Gregory Peck and Jennifer Jones on Sunday and Monday. The Regal in

Reverend Marc B. Drouin, Pastor

From July 3, 1948 Laconia Evening Citizen.

From July 3, 1948 Laconia Evening Citizen.

Waiting For The Parade.

I

immigration cases. Far too many

have used this loophole to simply disappear and never show up for their court appearance.

I will support state efforts like those in Texas

to stop illegal migrants. Our border states are on the front lines of an invasion. The federal government should be working with state governors, not against them.

I will end all amnesty policies, defund sanctuary cities, and end outright the practice of transporting illegal migrants throughout the United States and dropping them into communities that are unprepared for them.

I will support the deployment of military assets to secure the border against the violent drug cartels and human trafficking rings. Our open border threatens our safety and security. It poisons our communities with the carnage of illegal drugs. It is the most important crisis we face as a nation. There are common-sense solutions that we know will work, but it will take political will and leadership to get the job done. America is and always will be the shining city on the hill, and people from around the world will continue to seek to come here. However, we should demand that those who immigrate to America do so legally.

Russell Prescott grew up in Exeter and currently lives in Kingston. He is the owner and president of R.E. Prescott Company, a wholesale distributor and manufacturer of water treatment systems. He served five terms in the New Hampshire Senate and was twice elected to the Executive Council. He is a Republican candidate for Congress in New Hampshire’s 1st District

die for it. Today, and every day, we should remember the words engraved on the granite wall of the Korean War Memorial in Washington, DC, “FREEDOM IS NOT FREE”.

So what does Independence Day mean to todays American citizen? Do we all feel a sense of shared history, community, unity, patriotism, pride, love of country, thankfulness and appreciation for the country the Signers bequeathed to us? Again, I believe that most Americans still share those sentiments.

So today as we celebrate our Independence Day, by gathering with family and friends, let us not forget how blessed we are to live in this beautiful and bountiful country.

Let us pledge to never give up the personal, political, religious and economic freedoms the Signers fought so hard for.

Let us remember those brave and selfless Signers whose actions on July 4, 1776, literally changed the world

Let us put aside our personal differences, and remember the common thread that unites us, we are all Americans, and it’s our birthday.

Happy Birthday America, and may God continue to bless us!

Michael Petruzziello

Major, USMC (Ret) Wolfeboro, NH.

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pro-Biden mainstream media (with very few holdouts) conceded the inevitable. But shall the President step aside, for whom?

Gavin Newsom or Michelle Obama?

The CNN sponsored Debate intended to swing independent voters and energize the electorate but had a more subliminal audience. Indeed the real and most influential viewers may have been in Moscow, Beijing and Tehran where the ruling dictators were following a script which was not so much political but rather invitational and alluring.

Following Biden’s appalling Afghan pullout debacle in 2021, Putin’s Russia was tempted and then energized to go beyond its usual military provocations in Ukraine and later take the gamble on invasion.

And speaking of elections, this week there will be the UK Parliamentary elections, Iran’s Presidential election, and the French Legislative elections.

In the French case

President Macron

gambled and likely lost. In the first round of voting, Marine Le Pen’s right-wing National Rally secured a powerful first place finish with 33 cent of the vote, the far Left Alliance Popular Front followed with 28 percent, and President Macron’s ruling coalition trailed with 20 percent; there’s a runoff July 7th. But the political game is hardly over.

In the United Kingdom, the long serving Conservative party (with a Small c) will likely be voted out of power. (July 4th)

Militarily speaking, there’s a real possibility of an expanding Israel/Hamas/Hezbollah war in both Gaza and into Lebanon. There’s communist China’s persistent saber rattling and military threats to democratic Taiwan.

Last autumn, former Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who served both under George W. Bush and Barack Obama, wrote in Foreign Affairs magazine, “The Dysfunctional Superpower; Can a Divided America Deter China and Russia?” The ar-

ticle offered a starkly realistic view of the grave threats facing the United States juxtaposed to the political climate in Washington.

The USA enters some very dangerous waters. Shall the Trump “criminal” sentencing on July 11th put the leading U.S. Opposition GOP candidate in jail, thus making him more of the martyr?

Sadly this law fare resembles the very kind of political antics found in foreign countries the U.S. is quick to criticize.

Now we are entering VERY interesting times.

John J. Metzler is a United Nations correspondent covering diplomatic an defense issues. He is the author of Divided Dynamism The Diplomacy of Separated Nations; Germany, Korea, China.

name was Fisherville and wasn’t Concord originally Penacook. Mom recalled riding a train from Penacook to Concord when she was a youngster. I remember seeing trains

too. Passenger train service ceased in 1965 and freight trains ran until 1992. The track is now officially abandoned and fortunately the rails have not been removed.

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is located less than a mile past the Beaver Meadow Golf Course on Sewalls Falls Road on the west bank of the Merrimack River. We arrived about 25

minutes before our tour started. We were greeted by a cheery employee and we checked in. No e-tickets, we just had to give our name. We were given a nice booklet that tells their story and the history of the rails and area surrounding the tracks. The last page was stamped with today’s date, a keepsake that my mother especially appreciated. Then we returned to our car and ate our sandwiches.

The outing wasn’t sold-out, with all the heat and thunderstorms it probably hasn’t encouraged riders. They are open rain or shine and will only close if conditions are dangerous.

Everyone gathered near the tracks and listened to a summary of the tour and the instructions on how to ride and brake. On the back of the rail-bike there was a basket and there was also an umbrella. Each rail-bike has a fun name. Ours was Juliette and yes Romeo was in front of us. I placed my back-

gave one of us time to hand our cell phones to one of the guides to take our photo before we set off. We pedaled down the track and we seemed to easily maintain the distance to the one in front of us. We pedaled down the green tunnel and we had glimpses of the Merrimack River and ponds covered with lily pads. After just over a mile we stopped and dismounted our railbikes while our guides rolled them onto a turn-table to reverse direction. Now Mom and I were first in line behind the guide. Remember to take everything out of your pants pockets because they will work their way out. It was good we got

Here is the southern terminus of the tour where the guides use the round about table to reverse the direction of our rail-bikes.

pack that had carried our rain jackets and water bottles in the basket.

On our 2-seater I sat in the right hand seat, the side that has the brake controls. The brakes are like a bicycle cycle hand brakes; squeeze to slow and stop.

Mom and I were last in the line of the ten or so rail-bikes. A guide went out first and then we set off one after another after the rail-bike in front reached the 300 foot marker. This was nice because it

a mile warm-up and then a chance for Mom to take her jackknife out of her pocket and put it in our backpack. Mom was happy we were now in the lead and she wanted to pedal fast since now we wouldn’t have a chance to run up on anyone. The guide took off and I realized they weren’t just pedaling, yes they had electric motor assist. It is pretty easy to pedal at a relaxing rate but we did work hard to see how fast we could

truly and my 82-year-old mother Katherine pedaling across the railroad bridge above the Contoocook River. The tour is

We’re ready to go! Our seats were adjusted for the length of our legs, buckled into our seats and then we were off on our Romeo rail-bike. All the RailBikes have names. My father thought we were going to be pumping a pump cart like the ones you see in old movies. As we pedaled through farmland and on the bank of the Merrimack River we appreciated the comfortable seats and the smooth ride of the easy to pedal Rail-Bikes.

go. We liked going fast, well maybe 10 or 15 mph.

Now past our starting point the next two plus miles we really enjoyed. We kept a steady relaxing pace as we went by places nearer the River and open farm land. The Morrill Dairy Farm’s cows were busy eating as we pedaled past. Mom pointed out to me the Rolfe Barn and the oldest house in Penacook, the Nathaniel Rolfe House built in 1774.

The only animals we saw besides the cows were plenty of crazy chipmunks and a gray squirrel that decided just in the nick of time to get off the tracks as we barreled down on him.

Pedaling rail-bikes on the abandoned Boston & Maine tracks in Concord, NH. The last passenger train to run on the line was in 1965 and the freight trains ran until 1962. My mother remembers riding the train to Concord from Boscawen when she was a youngster.

Utah the gruesome story of her horrible kidnapping and the horrible deed.

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the return trip Mom and I took our time. We enjoyed the views and I enjoyed Mom’s stories about growing up in Penacook. From start to finish the tour took a little more than an hour and a half and we pedaled 6.2 miles. It was so pleasant. I asked my 82 year old mother

what did you like best, “All of it, I loved all of it.” she replied. I bet my mother will want to go again this summer. Have fun.

We slowed down as we crossed the railroad bridge over the Contoocook River to look at the river where it meets the Merrimack River. I told Mom this is where Becca and I started our kayak adventure a couple weeks ago. After crossing the bridge we were now on the island that is the Hannah Dustin Historic Site. This was the end of the line for us and we watched our guide push our railbike on the turntable and spin it around and then push it up the track to make room for the next one.

Everyone stretched their legs and walked around the statue of Hannah Dustin. My mother and I told a family from

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Boston

they have convinced to hate American and its incredible history, most Americans love to celebrate Independence Day. Yes, even in Boston where tens of thousands of people of all races come out to the Esplanade and listen to Patriotic music performed by the

There

dence. They pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. Not one defected. Not one “matured politically.”

John Hancock was the only delegate to sign the Declaration of July 4th. It wasn’t until August 2 that the majority of the delegates signed the Declaration. New Hampshire’s Dr. Matthew Thornton was the last signing it on November 4th, 1776. While I won’t give a bi-

ography of all 56, I will give a short bio of our state’s signers and recommend the book Lives of Signers of the Declaration of Independence originally published in 1850 and reprinted by Wall Builders: New Hampshire had three signers: Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple and Matthew Thornton.

Dr. Josiah Bartlett

Josiah Bartlett was born in Amesbury, MA on November 29, 1729. He became a doctor at the age of 21 and moved to Kingston, NH. He and his wife Mary had 12 children. He was elected to the office of justice of the peace but in 1774, the governor, appointed by the King, had him removed from the position due to his involvement with the Committee of Correspondence.

In 1775, Bartlett became a colonel in the New Hampshire Militia, and became a member of the 2nd Continental Congress that same year. He voted for independence on July 4th, being the first delegate to do so. He signed the Declaration of Independence on August 2 and may have been the 2nd one after John Hancock.

During the war, he served as a physician treating wounded soldiers. He was a member of the Constitutional Convention, and as a supporter of the new Constitution, he serves as a delegate to New Hampshire’s Ratification Convention. He became the 1st governor of New Hampshire in 1793.

He passed away in 1795, and is buried in the Plains Cemetery in Kingstown, NH

William Whipple

Born in Kittery, Maine 1730 which was

part of Massachusetts at the time, he became a ship captain. He became a delegate to the 2nd Continental Congress and signed of the Declaration of Independence.

He served as a brigadier general in the New Hampshire. Militia. He led his soldiers in the Battle of Saratoga.

He freed his slave Prince who served with him during the war. Prince was depicted in the painting “Washington Crossing the Delaware” by Emanuel Leutze, but it was historically inaccurate since he was not involved with the crossing.

After the war, he became a New Hampshire judge on the state’s supreme court. He died in November of 1785 and is buried in North Cemetery Portsmouth, NH.

Matthew Thornton

Born in Ireland on 1714, he came to America when he was four. He and his family settled in Worcester, MA, and he, like Josiah Thornton, became a doctor. He settled in Londonderry, NH. He and his wife Hannah had five children.

In 1745, he served a surgeon in the Battle

of Louisburg in Nova Scotia. He became a member of New Hampshire’s colonial legislature and in 1775, he became president of New Hampshire’s provincial congress. He became a delegate to the Second Continental Congress, and while he wasn’t present on July 4, he signed the Declaration on November 4, 1776, being one of the last to do so. Like Josiah Bartlett, he became an associate justice on the New Hampshire Supreme Court.Late in life, he published Paradise Lost, Or The Origin Of The Evil Called Sin. He died in 1803 while visiting his daughter in Newburyport, MA. He is buried in Thornton Cemetery, Merrimack, New Hampshire.

One of my favorite Founding Father’s was John Adams who was the main driving force behind the Declaration of Independence, prior to the vote for independence, he made this speech: Sink or Swim, Live or Die, Survive or Perish, I give my heart and my hand to this vote. It is true indeed that in the

Dr. Josiah Bartlett

William Whipple.

beginning we did not aim for Independence, but there is a Divinity that shapes our ends. Why then should we defer the declaration? You and I indeed may rue it. We may not live to see the time when this declaration shall be made good. We may die; die Colonists or die Slaves. Be it so, be it so. If it be the pleasure of Heaven that my country shall require the poor offering of my life, the victim shall be ready. But while I do live, let me have a country, or at least the hope of a country, and that a free country.

But whatever may be our fate, be assured that this declaration will stand. It may cost treasure and it may cost blood, but it will stand and richly compensate for both. Through the gloom of the present, I see the brightness of the future, like the sun in

Matthew Thornton

heaven. We shall make this a glorious and immortal day. When we are in our graves our children will honor it. They will celebrate it with thanksgiving and festivities, with bonfires and illuminations. Before God I believe that the hour has come. My judgment approves this measure and my whole heart is in it. All that I have, all that I am, and all that I hope

in this life I am now ready to stake on it and leave off as I began. Live or die, survive, or perish, I am for this declaration. It is my living sentiment and by the blessing of God it will be my dying sentiment. Independence now, Independence forever.

May the readers of The Weirs Times have a Happy Independence Day. Readers who would like a free pocket copy of the U.S. Constitution containing the Declaration of Independence may send me an E-mail campconstitution1@ gmail.com

P.S. Question: What other countries have a July 4th? Answer: They all do.

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nesses who required vaccines probably lost good talent to firms that didn’t. That’s the way the marketplace is supposed to react, not government.”

Like many libertarians, Oliver supports mostly open borders.

I ask, “You would let anybody in, who’s not a criminal?”

“Yeah, come through a port of entry to declare who you are. If you’re not dangerous, come right through.”

“How can we have open borders when America has become a welfare state?” I ask. “People would come here to freeload!”

“We need to be able to walk and chew gum

at the same time,” he responds. “We can oppose the welfare state while fixing the immigration crisis.”

Libertarians don’t think America should police the world. Oliver is the most anti-war candidate.

“I started out in the Democratic Party,” he recounts, “An anti-war protestor opposing the Bush wars. (Then) I realized it wasn’t really an anti-war party, it was an anti-Bush party masquerading as an anti-war party. Libertarians (are) the real anti-war party.”

When it comes to what I fear is the biggest threat to America’s future, Oliver doesn’t pander like the Republicans

and Democrats, who claim they will “protect” Social Security.

“People around the age of 40, we recognize that even if we contribute to Social Security, we’re never going to get those benefits because of how unsustainable this system is.”

He’s right. Both Social Security and Medicare are going broke.

“We have to sound the alarm that Social Security is unsustainable and frankly, if you were given your wealth back, you could just put that into the marketplace and earn a far better retirement than what the government’s providing you in their Ponzi scheme of Social Security.”

Boys’ Soccer at Kearsage; 6:45

Field Hockey at Littleton; 4

Girls’ Soccer at Kearsarge; 5

WINNISQUAM

Boys’ Soccer at St. Thomas; 4 Friday, Sept. 29

BELMONT

I point out that politicians who admit that don’t win elections.

Volleyball vs. Pelham; 5:45

Tuesday, Oct. 3

BELMONT

Boys’ Soccer at Mascoma; 4

Girls’ Soccer vs. Mascoma; 4

PARKER from 6

Girls’ Soccer at Prospect Mountain; 7:30

“You have to be bold in your principles,” He responds, “even if it costs you a few votes.”

Volleyball vs. Newfound; 6:15 Saturday, Sept. 30

GILFORD

GILFORD

ica. Twenty-two percent of Blacks earn over $100,000 a year, and 33% earn over $75,000.

Boys’ Soccer vs. Prospect Mountain; 11

Now you know a little more about this year’s Libertarian presidential candidate. I’ll expand in a future column.

Cross Country at Coe-Brown; TBD

Field Hockey vs. St. Thomas; 4

Girls’ Soccer vs. Prospect Mountain; 12:30

Volleyball vs. Laconia; 4:45

GILFORD-BELMONT

Football vs. Laconia; 7

WINNISQUAM

Boys’ Soccer at Campbell; 4

Girls’ Soccer vs. Campbell; 4 Wednesday, Oct. 4

BELMONT

they believe that others control their lives, the greater our country will become.

Cross Country at Prospect Mountain; 4

Scott’s vitally important message to all Americans, of every background, is this is a land of opportunity. Taking advantage of it means taking responsibility for your life.

Volleyball at Moultonborough; 6:15

GILFORD

Boys’ Lacrosse vs. Milford; 4

Girls’ Lacrosse at Milford; 4

Softball at Winnisquam; 4

WINNISQUAM

Boys’ Soccer at White Mountains; 4

Every Tuesday at JohnStossel.com, Stossel posts a new video about the battle between government and freedom. He is the author of “Give Me a Break: How I Exposed Hucksters, Cheats, and Scam Artists and Became the Scourge of the Liberal Media.”

Boys’ Soccer vs. Farmington; 10

The more individuals take control of their personal destiny, the less

Field Hockey vs. Littleton; TBD

Football vs. Franklin; 2

Volleyball vs. Souhegan; 5:45 Monday, Oct. 2

BELMONT

Star Parker is president of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education and host of the weekly television show “Cure America with Star Parker.” Her recent book, “What Is the CURE for America?”

Cross Country at Prospect Mountain; 4

Volleyball at Gilford; 5:45 Thursday, Oct. 5

BELMONT

Girls’ Soccer at Inter-Lakes; 4

All schedules are subject to change.

SERVICES DIRECTORY B

Mount Washington ing second and ahead

White

Gilford finished Hopkinton Ryan Folan spot in the Gilford. Brett Skoog Wallace from points and the fourth Colton Byars man rounded off on the Gilford day, Oct.

SUPER CROSSWORD

B.C.

by Parker & Hart

PUZZLE CLUE: CABINET MAKING

MAGIC MAZE

THEME THIS WEEK: STARS IN THE SKY

Answers on Page 37

The Winklman Aeffect by John Whitlock