The Great Gulf Trail from Route 16, follows the West Branch of the Peabody River, though the Great Gulf, climbs up the headwall and ends at the junction with the Gulfside Trail a half a mile away from the summit of Mount Washington. This is how the description of the Great Gulf Trail begins in the AMC White Mountain Guide book. The steep headwall gains 1600 vertical feet in the last half mile to reach the top of the rim. Many of the steepest and wildest trails in the White Mountains originate in the Great Gulf Wilderness. Here Bria is climbing up the steep headwall.
Mount Washington’s great gulf hiking the steep trails
by Amy Patenaude
The Great Gulf Trail was tops on our list of trails Bria and I planned to do on our backpacking adventure in the Great Gulf Wilderness. Many of the steepest and wildest trails originate from the valley of the Great Gulf.
Bria is working on redlining the White Mountain Guide–that’s hiking every trail in the book. I hiked these
trails many years ago when I did my redline and I am happy to do them again. We dropped my car
“Jennie Powers: The Woman Who Dares.”
On Wednesday, July 24th at 7pm, the Lake Winnipesaukee Museum will host NH Humanities speaker Jenna Carroll, who will present her talk “Jennie Powers: The Woman Who Dares.” Since seating is limited, reservations are requested, to lakewinnipesaukeemuseum@gmail.com or by phone 603-366-5950. This grant-funded program is free to all attendees.
Jennie Powers took a stand against social vices in New Hampshire and Vermont in the early twentieth century. She was a humane society agent in Keene from 1903-1936, and one of the first to become a deputy sheriff in New Hampshire in 1910. Jennie was cited by the Boston Post newspaper in 1906 as having arrested more men than any other woman in America. As a photographic activist, she used her camera to document animal cruelty, family violence, and wide-spread poverty in New Hampshire’s Monadnock region and beyond.
Jenna Carroll has worked as both a curator and executive director of museums, and currently serves as the director of education at the Historical Society of Cheshire County in Keene. Her one-hour illustrated presentation introduces us to Jennie’s life story, the work of humane societies at the turn of the twentieth century, and the
D & SHARE ONLINE FOR F
War On Children
To The Editor:
In American society today, we are seeing a “War on our Children”. This is an orchestrated attempt by “Big Tech” to gain control of our children’s minds and hearts and they have been doing an excellent job so far. Smartphones are their weapon.
Because of our great concern over this issue, we want to get the word out to parents, grandparents and guardians there is help with this battle. In an attempt to stave off the damage caused to our youth by continuous smartphone usage (it is said children spend at least 5 hours a day on their phones), three major counter-offensives have been launched to give guidance on how to break this strangle-hold and allow our children to have a happy childhood.
1. California has historically started many major movements in American society. So, it is not as surprising as I first thought that Los Angeles (The City of Angels) would show us the way to save our children: “Ban Smartphones in the Classroom!” Over 429,000 students in grades K-12 of the LA Unified School District will be prohibited from using smartphones and social media platforms during the school day. Educators believe this will curb classroom distractions and protect students’ mental health.
2. Jonathan Haidt is a social psychologist who has written the book “The Anxious Generation (How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an
Epidemic of Mental Illness)”. He opines smartphones have led to a rise in mental illness in childhood. This book is flying off the shelves and he may be the most sought-after public speaker in the USA as parents are increasingly concerned about smartphones destroying the mental health of their children. His message is simple: “Don’t let the children have smart phones!” (There are phones available without internet access if they must have a phone.)
3. The U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has been sounding the alarm about the harmful effects of social media and the way technology is affecting the brains of our youngest population. Dr. Murthy states we have “a mental health crisis in adolescents” and “our children’s well-being is at stake”. He is receiving bipartisan support in Congress for a bill known as the “Kids Online Safety Act” which is an attempt to require on-line platforms to take steps to protect minors while using social media.
As a community we have an obligation to protect our children.
• Parents Do Not Give Your Children Smartphones.
• If They Already Have One, Restrict The Amount Of Time They Are On These Phones.
• Let’s Keep Smartphones Out Of Laconia’s Classrooms! Let’s give childhood back to our children!
Charles & Marie Bradley Laconia, NH.
Support Your Local Police
To The Editor:
One of the key reasons American liberty stands today is because our founders designed a unique system of local control of law enforcement; where the loyalties of family and friends are a precious guardian of liberty. Being blessed to see 87 years gives perspective on how things have changed. One such perspective is the gradual process to move local control of police to federal control.
Art Thompson in his book, American Exceptionalism described this increasing federal law enforcement power that utilizes federal funds (your tax dollars) to reduce freedom with federal control:
“With the call for more funding and manpower in the wake of defunding the police movement by Marxist, Soros backed prosecutors, and the subsequent rise in crime, the situation is being supported by both the Left and Right to have more federal involvement in the local police. This will ultimately lead to a Federal system which will be out of the hands of local people.”
This narrative is exactly why the John Birch Society (“JBS”), perceiving this dangerous trend in the 1960’s, initiated their Support Your Local Police Committees (“SYLP”) across the nation to prevent unlawful abuse of power with education. One
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
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.
BIRDS For The
New England’s Wild Birds & Their Habitats
by Chris Bosak Contributing Writer
Owls have always been somewhat of a blind spot for me in terms of finding birds. I love owls (who doesn’t?) and spend inordinate amounts of time in their habitat, but rarely do I see these mystical birds.
It’s not that I never see them. I’ve seen the occasional barred owl and a few greathorned owls in my day, and even snowy owls a handful of times, but the sightings are few and far between.
There was a winter a few years back when everyone was seeing barred owls. I was able to see a few during that spurt. Remember the “winter of the snowy owl?” The Arctic birds were showing up everywhere along the coast and even inland. I saw three snowy owls that
A young barred owl perches in a tree in New England during a recent summer.
winter. Then there was the great gray owl that delighted birders in Newport in 2017. I saw that one too. Under “normal” circumstances, however, my owl sightings are rare.
With my actual owl sightings at a minimum, I was happy to vicariously experience a neat owl experience relayed to me by Mary Ellen of Keene. Mind you, she and her family
live not far from downtown Keene.
Earlier this month, she heard a highpitched screechy call that she did not recognize. The Merlin app
See BOSAK on 26
EVENTS & ACTIVITIES
“How Oil Fueled The Conflict” Lecture At Wright Museum
WOLFEBORO — On Tuesday, July 23rd, the Wright Museum will welcome museum volunteer Arthur Krulewitz. This is the seventh program of the Wright Museum’s 2024 Education Series.
In their desire for expansion and empire in the 1930s both Japan and Germany had an insatiable appetite for natural resources. Paramount petroleum. Oil lubricated the road to war. The quest for oil dictated military goals and oil shortages influenced military tactics. In the end oil proved to be the Achilles heel of the Axis powers
Doors open at 6:00 p.m., the program begins at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, July 23rd 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.
An Evening of Broadway To Benefit Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction
The Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction will hold its third annual theater fundraising event, An Evening of Broadway, on Wednesday, Aug. 14, at 7 p.m. at The Colonial Theatre Laconia.
The event is family-friendly, and tickets range from $20-$30. Individuals are also invited to sponsor a seat for $20 per child to allow children from the Boys and Girls Club and other local nonprofits to attend at no cost.
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online or in person at The Colonial Theatre box office at 609 Main St., Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The show will offer musical performances of all ages from local community theater groups, including Franklin Footlight Theatre, Gilford Performing Arts, Interlakes Theatre, Powerhouse Theatre Collaborative, The Power Chords, Streetcar Company and Winnipesaukee Playhouse. Students from Broadway North Dance Studio and Stages Dance Academy will be performing as well. This event is made possible by our presenting sponsor, Franklin Savings Bank. Radio personality Pat Kelly will serve as emcee.
“An Evening of Broadway is such a fun and creative way to support children in need, while also showcasing the exceptional local talent we have here in New Hampshire.” explained Jenn Demers, marketing and community engagement officer for Franklin Savings. “As a community bank, we know that by giving back, we have the opportunity to grow stronger as a community. We are thrilled to support The Lakes Region Children’s Auction.” For more information, contact Jennifer Kelley at Jenn@ChildrensAuction.org or call 603-5270999.
Learn more about the Auction at ChildrensAuction.org.
Meredith Conservation Commission To Dedicate Accessible Deck At Quarry Pond
Last fall, under the leadership of the Meredith Conservation Commission, members of the Meredith Rotary Club constructed an accessible deck compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) at Quarry Pond, a quiet body of water that attracts birds and wildlife, on the Quarry Pond Trail within Page Pond Town Forest. The Meredith Conservation Commission invites the public to “Donuts on the Deck” a celebratory dedication of the new accessible deck. The event will be held on Saturday, July 20. It begins at 9:30 am at the Quarry Pond Trailhead. Participants will proceed approximately 3/10 mile by foot or mobility device to the deck, where they’ll enjoy donuts, macaroons, and have the option to take a guided hike to the Page Pond Mill Dam.
To reach the Quarry Pond Trail at Page Pond Forest, follow Route 25 to Quarry Road (Moulton Farm) and continue to the end of the road. Ample parking is available at the site. While the upgraded trail can accommodate mobility scooters, strollers, wagons, and electric wheelchairs, please note that not all grades are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, so manual wheelchair users may find it challenging. For specific questions regarding the trail conditions, visit https://www.meredithnh.org/conservation-commission or contact the Conservation Commission at conservation@meredithnh.org.
“New Hampshire Moose: Past and Present”
On Thursday, July 18th, the Loon Center presents the program “New Hampshire Moose: Past and Present “with Henry Jones, Moose Project Leader & Wildlife Biologist, NHF&G. Learn about moose and what caused the New Hampshire moose population to increase or decrease since 1900. Henry Jones will help us understand the current factors influencing moose and the future of moose in the state.
Held at The Loon Center in Moultonborough, the Summer Nature Talks are presented every Thursday evening at 7:00 pm during the months of July and August. All programs are free admission. For over 40 years the Loon Preservation Committee has worked to preserve the common loon and its habitat in New Hampshire through monitoring, research, education, and management activities.
Next Thursday, July 25th, when Susie Spikol presents “Otter Amazing” Directions to The Loon Center: From Route 25 in Moultonborough, turn onto Blake Road at the Central School. Go one mile to the end and turn right onto Lee’s Mill Road. The Loon Center will be on your left! For more information, call the Loon Center at (603) 476-5666.
To see the full 2024 nature talks schedule, please visit www.loon.org.
by Brendan Smith Weirs Times Editor
OOL
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Cause i Want to
I was reading recently that a local man rode 700 miles on his bicycle because he thought it might help stop the war in Gaza.
At first I thought “Wow, seven hundred miles, he must have been tired when he was done.”
Further reading made me aware that he didn’t do the 700 miles in all in one day. He did it over the course of approximately two weeks and kept it all mostly in Northen New Hampshire and even used it as an opportunity to visit and stay with some friends along the way.
The news article seemed to imply that the bike rider was retired and probably had a lot of time on his hands anyway.
From the photos I saw with the article it looked like he already had a nice bicycle as well as the proper clothes and gear (a nice helmet by the way) to make riding a bicycle for seven hundred miles over fourteen days or so more comfortable than if he tried to do it with a three -piece suit, shirt and tie, leather dress shoes and a fedora. (Now that would have been a sight to see. Might even have made the national news.)
Now don’t get me wrong, I doubt that I could bicycle seven hundred miles in two weeks mostly because riding a bike is not my thing and I give him a lot of credit for doing it. I could probably, if I were retired, play a lot of cornhole over the course of two weeks, stopping for meals and sleep and even visit with friends. I like that game and I’m not bad at it. Heck, I wouldn’t even need to have cause to play it.
Of course, I could make it out that I was doing it for a reason
other than the fact that I was just doing something I liked. Maybe I could get a headline that reads “Former editor plays cornhole for two weeks to end the war in Ukraine.” Maybe even say I’m doing it to stop so-called climate change since it was a little warmer this afternoon than it was this morning as I write this.
The bicycling retiree even, as the story read, kept bicycling through extreme heat, tornado warnings (but no tornados) and some torrential downpours. Of course, sometimes he missed all of these if he had happened to be visiting old friends, or eating or maybe even sleeping when a tornado warning was issued.
Not to toot my own horn, but I have played cornhole in extreme heat in Arizona once for a few hours, but never yet in a downpour or even a warning for a tornado that never formed, so my hat is off to him.
I’m sure by this time I have sparked the ire (whatever that means) of readers who think I am not being sensitive to the mission of a person who unselfishly, for at least a few hours a day, committed himself to helping bring light to a cause that he believes in.
I’m all for that.
I recall reading an article about a veteran who walked many miles over days to bring attention to the plight of homeless veterans. I’m sure if he had a choice, he wouldn’t have chosen to walk that many miles just for fun. There are many more examples of folks who do put themselves in truly uncomfortable situations for long periods of time to bring focus to their cause. (By the way, blocking traffic and interfering with other people’s lives is not a good focus to bring attention to any cause, it usually turns more folks against you.)
But being retired and riding your bicycle for a few hours
every day, something some of you probably enjoy to a certain extent, to bring attention to a cause you want to publicize doesn’t exactly seem like anything that is really going to draw a lot of attention to what your cause is. It almost seems like a retirement bucket list item.
If I was retired and played cornhole for two weeks straight with breaks to eat, sleep, go to the bathroom and even stop to visit some friends I haven’t seen in a while, all to bring attention to something or other, I’m sure most folks wouldn’t care. Some folks might even be jealous that I have the time to do it while they still have to get up and go to work every day. But you never know, if the cornhole thing worked and people paid attention to what cause I was playing it for, I might branch out to do other things I enjoy for long periods of time to bring attention to some other cause I might be interested in.
I can envision one of the news stories now:
“A Local man has decided to eat a bowl of chocolate ice cream while sitting on his front steps every day for the next month to bring attention to his cause. He has even eaten the ice cream on rainy days and during extreme heat. He even eats the ice cream on days when he really doesn’t feel like eating ice cream since he has had so much ice cream already. ‘I am going to keep doing this until people stop doing this thing I don’t like them doing, or at least until the end of the month,’ said the man.”
I could even sit at my computer and keep writing this column for hours on end to prove some kind of point, but I doubt you’d keep reading.
Thanks for reading this much.
Letters From God
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
QUESTION
What Are Your Thoughts On Our Crisis Of Confidence In Our President?
I am saddened and grieved that you have been deceived for so long. Your country has begun a slow but certain descent into chaos as a result of rejecting me, my wisdom and my power.
What you are witnessing is evidence of that slide.
For years it has been obvious to your eyes that your President is impaired. To those assisting him, politicians of the same party and perhaps most significantly major media agencies have deceptively covered over these problems with denials and accusations of “cheap fakes.” This, despite their overwhelming awareness of the problems. This extensive cover up actually covered their greedy and malevolent grasp of power. They have collectively been sycophants deceiving you in order to protect your President, so that they could protect themselves and their own interests. Once his true condition was emblazed on the minds and hearts of the rest of the country, in your recent debates, they had to speak out in word and print to call for his resignation due to his impaired condition. Now, they were
forced to admit what I and you have been witnessing for years, lest they be pilloried for blind and deceptive personal interests over the admission of truth and consequently lose their precious power. Unfortunately, this attempt at speaking truth, reeks of being nothing more than a “jailhouse confession,” in which they speak the truth to cover the lies so that they can continue to hold power. I can see through the words into their hearts (Hebrews 4:12) but because so many of you don’t trust me, you never allowed me to reveal this deception (Hosea 4:6).
Letters From God
You must realize that there has been a concerted effort to lie and deceive you, the American public. Regardless of the issue of your President’s health or ill-health, to be functioning in a society in which lies and deception are the norm is hideously evil and will ultimately bring you down. May I remind you that I created the earth and everything in it. My crowning achievement was humanity, made in my image, as persons who had intellect, emotion and will. People who had a soul and could live in relationship with me and know my love and rich blessings. I also made them without sin or evil, including lying and deceiving (Genesis 1-3).
I am holy and cannot practice deceptions or any evil (Habakkuk 1:13). Truth is my moniker, for it characterizes all I am and
do. But I must remind you that I also created angels, who though different in form and dimensions, are persons even as you are. Before I created you, there was a rebellion against me in the angelic realm. It was ultimately led by their champion called Lucifer. His name means “bearer of light” or “morning star.” (Isaiah 14:12). Unfortunately, his “brilliance” went to his head and he chose to rebel against me, taking many of the angels with him (Isaiah 14:13-14). When they did, they were severed from my love, power and holiness and their hearts became malevolent instead of benevolent, as they were created. You must understand that in his and the other “fallen angel’s” minds and hearts, there is a desire to not only attempt to hurt me but also to hurt you, my created human progeny (John 10:10-11). This is fact not fantasy and failure to believe me and see him and his malevolent character, as you and your country once did, will ensure your bondage to his evil.
I must however, inform you again as I have in previous letters, that his main strategy to ensnare you in his evil and deadly destiny is through deception. He is the “Father of lies,” (John 8:44) in that he deceived the first man and woman away from me which led to death spreading to all their progeny (Genesis 3). If there are lies and deceptions, he is ac -
tively among you and his leadership will always lead to “death.” Personal death, physically and spiritually in your relationship with me, as well as national death for any nation which abandons me and follows his wisdom.
This is why I am saddened and grieved. I have blessed you so much as a nation. In your early days, like Israel, you walked with me and obeyed me, enjoying my blessings, but now that you have begun to walk away from me, you are walking with Lucifer (Hosea 11). He is an “angel of light,” in that he deceptively promises life by following him, but only delivers death (2 Corinthians 11:14). Unless you see this, believe it and return to me it will not matter who your President is. I will be against you, and your sins and your tolerance of being deceived, even as you are being in these days, will lead to your demise and ultimate personal and national death.
May I remind you that your first President, Washington, in his farewell address famously stated, “Religion and morality are indispensable supports” to “all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity.” He also said, in a circular letter to the States, June 8, 1783, “I now make it my earnest prayer, that God would…most graciously be pleas’d to dispose us all to do Justice, to love mercy and to demean our
the five stages of BiDen grief
by Ben Shapiro Syndicated Columnist
With the revelation over the past two weeks that President Joe Biden is mentally and physically diminished, Democrats have traveled through all five stages of grief; first, they experienced denial; then anger; then bargaining; next, depression; finally, acceptance. But what they’re accepting is not Joe Biden’s mental decline. What they’re accepting is the fundamental reality that they bet on the wrong horse. And what comes next is likely to be even worse.
At first, Democrats engaged in full-scale denial that anything was wrong with Joe Biden. The White
House maintained that he was hale and healthy; Democrats in Congress tried to maintain the brave front that his debate failure had been a oneoff. This is a stance now relegated to Biden’s immediate family: Jill Biden insists that Joe is just fine; Hunter says that Joe hasn’t lost a step. But the rest of the party quickly moved on to stage two: anger. Democrats in Congress and members of the legacy media were -- and are -- enraged at the Biden campaign. They knew, of course, that Biden is addled. But they had faith that the Biden campaign wouldn’t put that reality on full display. They believed that the Biden campaign, even with its ailing frontman, would somehow cobble together a winning campaign against Donald Trump. When their
See SHAPIRO on 29
DestruCtive iDeas
by John Stossel Syndicated Columnist
Joe Biden and Donald Trump fight about everything.
But they agree about one thing: tariffs, the subject of my new video. Trump imposed tariffs on steel, aluminum, washing machines, solar panels and other products from China.
Then Biden took office and slapped a 100% tariff on Chinese electric vehicles.
Now Trump says, if elected, he’ll impose the tariff on all Chinese cars. This is a destructive competition.
The idea of a tariff sounds good. Protect American businesses from
foreigners! Protect American workers from cheap foreign labor!
That’s the seen benefit for Americans.
The unseen harm is worse.
First, tariffs are a hidden tax. They make everything cost more. Yet few consumers see that inflation is increased by tariffs.
American steelmakers love Trump’s tax on Chinese steel, but every American who uses steel has to pay more.
The U.S. International Trade Commission says that Trump’s tariffs helped increase domestic production of steel, but production in other, dependent industries dropped by a greater amount.
A second unseen harm: protected
See STOSSEL on 27
ukraine’s trauMa Continues; un anD nato sCraMBle for solution
by John J. Metzler Syndicated Columnist
As Ukraine’s war enters its third summer of fighting, there’s a morbid cadence to the conflict.
The Russian invaders continue a bloody slugfest with a tough but worn-down Ukrainian army. Civilians throughout Ukraine are intended victims of indiscriminate Russian missile attacks. Clearly the international community has long ago chosen political sides but then sits on the sidelines as to viable solutions.
In Kyiv the capital, the most recent high profile atrocity, a Russian
missile attack on the Ohmatdyt Children’s Hospital, jolted us from the ho-hum headlines and military claims about who is winning skirmishes along the vast murky depth of the Ukraine/Russian front line.
Following the unprovoked attack on the Children’s Hospital which was for specialized cancer patients, the fifteen member UN Security Council met in emergency session. Ironically the Council presidency for the month of July is held by Russia, the perpetrator.
Joyce Msuya, the UN’s top humanitarian official told ambassadors that two of the country’s main specialist hospitals for children and women were heavily damaged along with key energy infrastructure, reportedly
killing dozens of civilians, including children. She stressed, “Intentionally directing attacks against a protected hospital is a war crime, and perpetrators must be held to account.”
Ms. Msuya warned that these recent incidents were part of a “deeply concerning pattern of systematic attacks” harming healthcare and civilian infrastructure across Ukraine.
There was a sullen stillness to the Security Council meeting on the Kyiv attacks; The Russian Ambassador, seemingly self-conscious, dispensed with the usual diplomatic niceties as he introduced the speakers, especially the United States, the UK and of course Ukraine.
U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas
Greenfield stated sternly, that they gathered in emergency session for a single reason: “We are here today because Russia, Permanent Member of the Security Council… attacked a children’s hospital.” The Ambassador added, “The fact is that across the country hundreds of children have been killed, thousands have been wounded and millions have been displaced from their homes as Russia continues its campaign of terror in Ukraine.”
UN humanitarian sources highlighted that aid operations have been impacted by the attacks, with more than 14.6 million people, around 40 per cent of Ukraine’s population, requiring some form of humanitarian
A breakthrough in Ear-Brain Technology™:
Intrigue AI mimics the cerebral cortex of the human brain to quickly and more accurately ‘fill in’ the gaps produced when our hearing system falters.
• Replicates how our “normal” auditory system works.
• Distinguish words and speech more intuitively and naturally.
• Hear soft sounds without distracting noise.
• Reduce the effort it takes to listen and hear.
including Starkey, Phonak, Oticon, Audibel and NuEar.
Not So LoNg Ago ...
Exploring ThE lEgEnd & lorE of our graniTE STaTE
it happeneD in nh’s WooDs Chasing Bees anD piCking raspBerries
by Robert Hanaford Smith, Sr. Contributing Writer
Honey was a luxury that was not regularly on our family table back in the year 1948, but when we purchased honey it was done after a ride to the Walter Corliss farm in Meredith Center.
Mr. Corliss was a serious beekeeper who had his first swarm of bees given to him by his father when he was only seven years old. Those bees were not purchased from another beekeeper, but were given to Walter by his father after a successful bee hunting trip in the woods. That resulted in decades of hunting bees and producing honey by Mr. Corliss.
There are probably few beekeepers who go into the woods hunting for bees in these days because it is not an easy hunt and the chances of even finding a wild swarm of bees is certainly much less than it was in 1948. Bees have suffered in recent times from disease and unfavorable
the wild is a fascinating occupation that some might consider an ordeal, though my guess is that Walter Corliss found it an enjoyable summertime activity.
One had to first start from a place where honey bees were active and be able to distinguish honey bees from other bees and like insects. Bees fly in a straight line from their source of nectar to their hive in a cavity of a tree, and the bee hunters used some type of sugar mixture to lure the bees to a spot from which they can start following them.
• Stonework Brick Repairs • Liners
Caps • Installations
a hive. Photo from July 3, 1948 issue of The Laconia Evening Citizen. Raspberries & Wool July 20, 2024 9-4
weather conditions, and it is true that bears love honey, but bears were practically non-existent in this part of the state in the middle of the 1900’s, but now seem to be common throughout the state.
Hunting bees was more commonly called “lining” bees because of the method used; Corliss, according to an article in the July 3, 1948 Laconia Evening Citizen had lined bees every year for more than fifty when he was recognized in the newspaper for his unusual vocation. In the fall of 1947 he had been successful in finding ten swarms of bees. He kept approxi-
mately 50 hives, the containers that housed each swarm, on his farm in Meredith Center. Some of these were rented to area farmers, particularly gardeners and fruit-growers who used the bees as pollinators for their crops when they were in blossom. In 1948 the charge for renting a hive of bees was about seven dollars, which included delivery and then the removing of the hives before farmers began spraying insecticide on their crops. Of course Corliss would also have ownership of the honey produced by the bees.
“Lining” of bees in order to find swarms in
Bees collect nectar to take back to the swarm where it is processed by other bees into honey. The idea is to note the direction an individual bee travels after collecting his load of nectar from the flowers. Some bee hunters would capture the bee in a small container and put a little colored paint on it so they could distinguish it from the other workers when it returned for a new batch of nectar.
The hunter would note the direction the bee was traveling and follow as far he could and then repeat the process from that point and gradually draw closer to the goal. Those who painted a dot on a particular bee that came back to the bait
Historic Clough Tavern Farm invites you to join us in celebrating the farm’s main crops:
♦ Pick Your Own patch open as long as the berries last
♦ Master Gardener and growing raspberries
♦ Teeswater Sheep -learn about our critically endangered breed and “Shave’em to Save’em” Livestock Conservancy program
♦ Farm Tours at 10am, 12 & 2pm RSVP please (limited to 10 per tour)
♦ Clough Tavern Farm wool products and Two Sisters’ Garlic herb and spice blends
Walter Corliss lifting tray of honey and bees from
by Mike Moffett Contributing Writer
I left the hilltop military base shortly after my relief arrived at 2000 hours. I warily drove out the gate and down the hill, while hearing continuous explosions, both near and far. A rocket whizzed by overhead. My car window was down, and the smell of cordite and gunpowder was prominent. Smoke covered the nearby city. I turned a corner and slammed on the brakes after hearing “Pop Pop Pop” and seeing sparks in front of a house to my right. I looked at my watch and saw I still had time to make a scheduled link-up with senior military officers at a secure location below the hill. I hit the accelerator and hurriedly continued my descent. Kabul? Baghdad? Mogadishu? No.
Honolulu, Hawaii, on New Years Eve—Dec. 31, 1999. I was driving from Pacific Command at Camp Smith down to Pearl Harbor. The secure facility was an officers’ club on the Naval Base, a fine place to welcome in the Year 2000. The city was indeed covered with smoke. Hawaii’s large Asian population annually shoots off countless tons of fireworks to welcome in the New Year. It’s a cultural thing. While Hawaii is a very blue state, its natives
July fireWorks anD July skiing
honor Chinese traditions while tolerating— if not celebrating—incredible annual public and private pyrotechnical displays unrivaled even by red states like Texas or Tennessee.
I was on a special assignment in Hawaii as a reserve USMC lieutenant colonel as part of a widespread mobilization in anticipation of Y2K trouble. There was international concern about the consequences of computers crashing everywhere because early programmers didn’t foresee possible issues with software and hardware as we flipped from one century to another.
Hawaii was one of the last time zones to enter the new millennium. When I reported for duty 12 hours earlier, I braced for all kinds of crises. But everything went smoothly. There was a message about a cash register malfunction in New Jersey, but that was about it.
I flashed back to that memorable millennial New Year’s Eve on July 4th when I went for a
walk at dusk in a nice blue Portland (Oregon) neighborhood. Numerous yards featured sparklers, whiz-bangs, firecrackers, bottle rockets, and more. But it was family fun, not Antifa agitation. Ah, the aroma of cordite in the evening. It smells like … Hawaii!
The next day, July 5, featured temps of almost 100 degrees Fahrenheit. A good day to head for the hills. Or the mountains—as in Mt. Hood.
Dr. Beth and I had earlier visited the Mount St. Helens Visitor Center just over the border in Washington State, fascinated to revive memories of that volcano blowing its top in 1980—one of the most dramatic acts of nature to ever strike our continent. Mt. Hood also remains an active stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc, but it seemed peaceful, so we took a chance on a visit. What really called to us was the Timberline Ski Area which was well up the mountain—supposedly
America’s only yearround ski operation. Surely it would be less than 100 degrees up there. And if we didn’t actually ski, we might see some good skiers in action.
Maybe inspiration for a summer ski column?
The upper lodge was an impressive edifice that some might recognize from The Shining. Younger readers can google that classic Jack Nicholson horror movie. As well as Mt. St. Helens. It’s all so “1980.”
The drive up was free, in contrast to what it costs to drive up Mt. Washington. It was wonderfully warm, and the snow was slushy. Skiers wore shorts and tee shirts. The slopes beckoned, but I hadn’t skied in a long time— not since a Plymouth State Alumni event at Cannon Mountain, where the challenge was ice, not slush. I watched skiers take the chairlift to its highest point. Was the snow better up there? I wouldn’t find out. I didn’t bring skis and during these infla
$525 to family stipend paid monthly.
Healthy goal oriented athletes need housing September 2024March 2025 while in Lakes Region.
4th of July pyrotechnics in Portland, Oregon, and 5th of July skiing on Mt. Hood.
tionary times, I couldn’t afford to rent.
The 11,245-foot summit seemed so close. I wondered what it was like at the top of active stratovolcano. But a hike up was not going to happen—not with me wearing Adidas running shoes. Maybe another time.
I took one last, long, extended look all around. The imposing peak. The incredible views. The beautiful lodge. The smiling 5th of July skiers. And I reminded myself of how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful country. America’s 250th birthday, our “semi quincentennial,” is now less than two years away.
It’s never too early to start planning and stocking up on fireworks—as they apparently do in Hawaii, Oregon, and elsewhere. How about New Hampshire putting on the biggest July 4th fireworks display ever in 2026? Light up Mt. Washington! That July snow in Tuckerman’s Ravine could memorably reflect those remarkable pyrotechnical colors for an especially Glorious 4th. Hopely we’ll have clear, liberating skies—as in 1776.
“Live free or die!”
The sports columnist in an ‘undated’ ski photo at Cannon Mountain.
Sports Quiz
What Laconia woman won two skiing silver medals at the Squaw Valley Winter Olympics in 1960? (Answer follows)
Born Today
That is to say, sports standouts born on July
CLEAN OUT SERVICE
CLEAN OUT SERVICE
18 include two-time American Olympic Gold Medal figure skater Tenley Albright (1935) and star MLB catcher and manager Joe Torre (1940).
Sports Quote
“Skiing is the next best thing to having wings,” – Oprah Winfrey
Sports Quiz Answer Penny Pitou.
State Representative Mike Moffett was a Sports Management Professor for Plymouth State University and NHTI-Concord. He coauthored the awardwinning “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
Beef anD nooDles CoMfort fooD
The Simple Feast The Simple Feast Simple
by Eric N Gibson Contributing Writer
Sometimes you just want something for dinner that is quick and easy. Something that is filling and tastes good. Something with a familiar flavor but it need not be full of fan fare, hooplah, nor pomp and circumstance. That is when I usually turn to the pantry and reach for a box of noodles. By the time the noodles begin to boil I have usually figured out what to do with them. Do they get sauced? Do they get mixed with veggies? Add a browned burger or some other protein such as chicken or tuna for a casserole? Or maybe just a dab of butter or olive oil with some herbs and seasonings for a subtle side dish? With noodles, the possibilities are endless, they are, in essence, a blank canvas.
The Simple
lawn clippings that I find visually repulsive. Now, pasta and sauce may be fine for the starving coed on a Wednesday before payday with no more “Campus Cash” on their meal card, but for most adults noodles and sauce “just ain’t gonna cut it.” Having a deeper, more sophisticated palate than the average late teenager or freshly minted twenty-somethings cramming for exams, many of us yearn for comfort food with a bit more substance.
And then there is sauce. Tomato reds, cream, cheese, and roux based whites, or maybe even something in between? Personally, I try to avoid the “in-betweens,” those tomato and cream “Rosa” sauces. When mixed with fresh herbs, while some may find these sauces tasty, there is just something about that sickly pale orange hue freckled with minced
Something that offers depth of flavor along with satiety. But we are also busy people with jobs, family, and social commitments that often do not leave us much time to dedicate to the making of food. This means that sometimes shortcuts are necessary.
Shortcuts, to a certain degree, mean compromise and it is here that you need to decide
just what it is that you are willing to give up in exchange for what you get. For me, finding a can or jar of spaghetti sauce that can accomplish what I need done rather than making a sauce from scratch is where I have struck my compromise. While I enjoy making a sauce from scratch once in a while, I do not wish to dedicate my entire day to the process every time I need one. Nor do I, at this time, do any home canning. As there are plenty of passable (and better than passable) sauces on the market shelves at very affordable prices, I do not feel that my pasta nights nor my casseroles have suffered from the lack of “home made” sauce.
So, I save time and personal energy by keeping a few prepared sauces on my shelf. In the case of this Beef and Noodles dish tomato (spaghetti) sauce,
ACKERLY’S
Grill & Galley
83 Main Street, Alton
603.875.3383
Akerlysgrillandgalleyrestaurant.com
Stoneface - IPA
Moat Mtn. - Blueberry
Great Rhythm - Pale Ale
Baxter - Coastal Haze
603 - Amber Ale
COPPER KETTLE TAVERN
At Hart’s Turkey Farm
Restaurant
233 D.W. Hwy, Meredith 603.279.6212
hartsturkeyfarm.com
Henniker - Working Man’s Porter
Concord Craft - Safe Space
Stoneface - IPA
Moat Mtn - Blueberry
603 - Winni Amber Ale
Worcestershire sauce, and a browning sauce are my go to prepared sauces. In my humble opinion, these three sauces should be in every pantry and spice cupboard because they are so versatile. Used as a condiment and seasoning in simple side dishes to foundations for complex casseroles, these three sauces bring body, dimension, depth, and bold richness in flavors to any meal.
A few cautions however when using Worcestershire and browning sauces, these tend to be high in sodium so use them judiciously, less is more. And the browning sauces (think gravy helper in a little bottle) will often be used to both darken a sauce and bring their flavor properties to a sauce or dish, so again, be judicious in the amount used. You can always add more if needed after seeing and tasting.
+6 More On Tap
D.A. LONG TAVERN
At Funspot
579 Endicott St N., Weirs
603.366.4377 funspotnh.com
Little Willow - Gone Camping
Cisco - Shark Tracker Light
Rockport - Jetty Juice
Deschutes - Fresh Squeezed
Prairie - Blueberry
Boyfriend
Barreled Souls - Summer Jam
+6 More On Tap
FOSTER’S TAVERN
403 Main Street
Alton Bay, NH
603-875-1234
fosterstavernbythebay.com
Tuckerman pale ale
Aqua Vue Haze
Allagash white
Maine Lunch
Guinness
Stoneface IPA
+10 More On Tap
JOHNSON’S TAPHOUSE
At Johnson’s Seafood & Steak
69 Rt 11, New Durham
603.859.7500
eatatjohnsons.com/ newdurham
Lone Pine -Brightside
Widowmaker -Blue Comet
Shipyard -Smashed Pumpkin
Jack Abby -Red Tape
Muddy Road -1762 Porter Northwoods -Autumn Buzz +30 More On Tap
MORRISSEYS’
Porch & Pub
286 S. Main St., Wolfeboro
603.569-3662
Morrisseysfrontporch.com
Morrisseys’ 20 Year Lager by Great North Smithwick’s Guinness Harp
Concord Craft Safe Space
+11 More On Tap
PATRICK’S PUB
18 Weirs Rd., Gilford
603.293.0841 Patrickspub.com
Patrick’s Slainte House Ale
Great North - Moose Juice
Guinness
Clown Shoes - Bubble Head
603 - Winni Amber Ale
Tuckerman - Pale Ale
+9 More On Tap
THE WITCHES BREW PUB
At The Craft Beer Xchange
59 Doe Ave., Weirs Beach
603.409.9344
FB @craftbeerxchange
Jack’s Abby – Blood Orange Wheat
Golden Rod – Mango Cart
1911 – Raspberry Cider
Kettlehead – Dreamstate
Able Ebenezer – Lady of the Lake Lager
Last Chair – Powder Bear
+30 More On Tap
RESTAURANT OR BAR OWNER?
Contact Us Today to Find Out How to Promote Your Business here! sales@weirs.com or 603-366-8463 x 319
** Tap listings subject to change!
FEAST from 13
On this particular evening I wanted a quick meal and to be honest, I wanted something other than American Chop Suey. Commonly known as ACS in this house, it was becoming all too common in this house. I realized that I had been making it nearly once every two weeks or perhaps a little more frequently. Usually my ACS is a medium for refrigerator clean out, all the veggies that
need to go, go into ACS, their last stop while still viable candidates for the plate. (Not to be confused with the compost pile, you can hide a multitude of minor sins on the plate when it’s all sauteed and mixed with ground beef, noodles, and covered in a veil of sauce. Just sayin’.)
Not so with this Beef and Noodles dish! This is different. I was careful not to overload it with veggies, just adding the mushrooms.
Mushrooms are a great addition to nearly any dish. Mushrooms bring a certain soft texture to anything they are put into. And their texture, while delicate, can vary greatly when raw or cooked. They also bring a certain earthy flavor to any dish that seems to complement nearly any protein. Mushrooms, while they can be rather spendy, are also a great meat stretcher for those times when company shows up at the door unannounced. Not wanting to be accused of overloading this dish with veggies but refusing to sacrifice that delicious taste found in the Allium family, I used Onion Powder and Garlic Powder. Too, other savory notes are noticed by using Bell’s stuffing seasoning. A powder fine consistency, Bell’s offers all the flavor of traditional Italian seasonings while not being conspicuously visually present. As much as I do enjoy fresh garden herbs, I never poohpooh the use of ground dry herbs, spices, and seasonings. When used appropriately, these items can bring everything from subtle hints to rich bold satisfying flavors to a dish.
BEEF AND NOODLES COMFORT FOOD
YIELD” 8 Servings Time: About 45 Minutes INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Fusilli Noodles
2 24oz cans of spaghetti sauce
¾ Cup Water
2-3 Tbsp. Cream of Wheat
1 Pound of ground beef
8-10 Fresh White Mushrooms (sliced)
¼ tsp. Black Pepper
1-1½ tsps. Garlic Powder
½ tsp. Onion Powder
1 tsp. Bell’s Stuffing Seasoning
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
2 tsp. Browning Sauce
¼- 1/3 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
Shredded Mozzarella or other favorite cheese
PREPARATION
- In a large pot, cook the noodles according to the directions on the box. Once “done” , continue to boil for an additional 10 minutes then turn off the heat and leave in the hot water until ready to combine with beef and sauce. (Beyond al dante but not mushy.)
- Begin to make the meat sauce while the noodles are cooking. In a pot, cook the ground beef, reduce the heat to medium, drain the grease, and return the beef in the pot back to the heat.
- Add the sliced mushrooms and let cook for about 5 minutes.
- Add two cans of spaghetti sauce, ¾ cup of rinse water (rinse one can with ¾ cup of water then pour it into the other can, swish it around to rinse, then add this to your sauce and beef mixture.
- Add the Cream of Wheat as a thickener, along with the pepper, garlic and onion powders, the stuffing mix seasoning, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir after each addition. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes or so to reduce / thicken, stirring often.
- Add the grated Parmesan Cheese and stir to combine. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
- Drain the pasta and return it to the large pot. Pasta should be past the al dante stage but not mushy.
- Before taking off the heat, add the browning sauce to the meat sauce, stir to mix completely. Pour the meat sauce over the pasta. Mix completely and serve with a sprinkle of shredded Mozzarella or other preferred cheese on top.
Using 80/20 ground beef in this recipe offered just the right balance of flavor and body to the sauce and ultimately, the dish. Be sure to drain off the excess grease otherwise the grease will make this dish heavy and dull, masking flavors by coating everything including the palette. Once you have drained the grease be sure to continue to cook the meat a bit longer while ensuring that it is broken up rather than clumpy. This will allow for a thicker meat sauce. And speaking of thickening the meat sauce, I also used
Cream of Wheat to help absorb some of the added moisture in the sauce. Just a few shakes of the box and a quick stir while no one was looking, I still have plenty of Cream of Wheat leftover from that A Nation at War article last week. To be polite, a little goes a long way. This Beef and Noodles comfort food is basic. It brings the classic garden flavor sauce together with beef and noodles, and tops it off with an optional blend of cheeses that come together to form a classic dish in very little time. Relying on prepared sauces and seasonings that add a rich deep
flavor, this delicious dish can be served right from the pot, on a platter, or as a casserole. It is budget friendly, easy to prepare, and customizable to your individual tastes without breaking the bank. Whether it be served up solo on the fly, or with a side of salad and garlic bread as part of a leisurely sit down dinner, this is an easily accomplished satisfying meal that anyone can put together for a Simple Feast.
Enjoy!
Summer Fun! Summer Fun!
shark Week at MereDith puBliC liBrary
Take A Bite Out of Summer During Meredith Shark Week at the Meredith Public Library.
The staff of the Meredith Public Library has designated July 20 to July 27 as Meredith Shark Week. They’ve created several fun and informative events for the public to celebrate sharks - nature’s apex predators and such fascinating undersea creatures.
Meredith Shark Week begins on Saturday, July 20 at 11am with the first event titled Hooked on Sharks: Dr. Furey Explores Sharks in NH Waters and Their Biology. Dr. Nathan Furey, an Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences at the University of New Hampshire, will be sharing lots of fun facts about sharks. He will bring hands-on props such as shark jaws and tracking technology that researchers use on all sorts of fish. The professor will also explain how researchers detect tagged white sharks off NH Beaches in Rye and Hampton. His presentation will include powerful visuals on the library’s large flat screen TV. Finally, for fans of movies like The Meg, Dr. Furey will discuss why scientists are certain the megalodon is extinct.
Our next Meredith Shark Week guest is scheduled for Thursday, July 25 from 6 PM to 7:3opm with a program titled Working with
Sharks in Film Production and Conservation.
Multi-talented Liz Parkinson joins us live from Los Angeles via Zoom in the library Function Room to talk about her amazing international career, accomplishments, and working with sharks in film and TV production. She will share photos and stories of her underwater adventures where she comes face to face with sharks as they interact with her!
Liz is a Hollywood underwater stunt performer, freediver (who can dive to 150 feet and hold her breath underwater for six minutes without SCUBA gear), competitive swimmer, shark
wrangler and ocean conservationist.
Liz has appeared on Discovery Channel’s Shark Week and worked with legendary director James Cameron on Avatar: Way of Water. She’s also done underwater training for cast and crew in other Hollywood blockbusters such as F9: The Fast Saga and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Liz is enthusiastically looking forward to participants’ questions about all aspects of her Hollywood career and her work with sharks. Conquer the Deep: Escape Room will be available on Tuesday (July 23), Wednesday (July 24), and Thursday
(July 25). Library staff worked hard putting together this multi-media, live action experience suitable for the whole family.
The escape room is located inside the library where librarians have decorated one of the front historic rooms (the rooms with the fireplaces) like an ocean submersible. The storyline of the escape room is that participants are researchers from Sea Base Atlantic who have be-
in the Clouds Adventures Start With
Photo by Stoddard Whitridge
Sendak’s classic children’s book, “Where Are,” the Wild Things are hardly mild. character, a little boy named Max, meets
Summer Fun! Summer Fun! 72nD Melvin village
most delicious way to cook wild salmon this summer
CoMMunity ChurCh fair
these monsters, he first notices their “terrible” roars, teeth, eyes and claws. A rumpus ensues, and Max comes to learn that these monsters aren’t terrible at all. They’re
Come join the fun at the 72nd Melvin Village Church Fair and Auction on Saturday, July 20 from 9am to 2pm with a live auction beginning at 11:30am. All proceeds support the numerous outreach and service ministries of MVCC.
just Wild Things: unpredictable and exciting. The same is true of wild salmon.
While farmed salmon is tame in taste — the result of controlled environments — wild salmon tastes like hardearned adventure. Its well-exercised flesh is lean and meaty. Its flavor is nuanced and robust from foraging for food. And its color is deep, ranging from hot pink to ruby red.
If wild salmon’s firm texture or intense flavor has ever surprised you, know that you’re just tasting salmon that has run free — what a treat. Follow these tips to better understand, appreciate and cook this wild thing.
The best salmon to choose
252 Daniel Webster Hwy, Belmont, NH or Call (603) 524-2000 www.lakesregiondock.com info@lakesregiondock.com
This year the Fair will feature over twenty-five flea market and craft booths, along with a Live Auction. Booths include crafts by local artisans, households selling their “attic treasures”, clothing boutique, jewelry, books, puzzles, and baked goods. Shopping begins at 9am with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Booths will be open from 9am to 2pm. The day will include games for the children and traditional fair food, all on the shoreline of beautiful Lake Winni-
Not to be missed is the old-fashioned, live Auction beginning at
You can find wild salmon in the fresh fish section of many grocery stores, but look in the frozen aisle, too.
Often flash frozen shortly after being caught, frozen fish maintain their peak taste more than the defrosted fish displayed on ice. Simply thaw it by refrigerating it overnight uncovered on a paper towel-lined plate. Or, if you’re in a hurry, place the fish in a resealable plastic bag in a bowl of cold water, replacing the water every 30 minutes or so to keep it cold. Resources like Seafood Watch can help discern which salmon is sustainably raised. If the only option available is in the fresh case, choose fillets that are firm, shiny, uniform in color and don’t smell like much of anything.
How
11:30am You will find some exceptional auction items this year. There will be a vacation getaway to the Island of Montserrat, a Fall Foliage Getaway in Colebrook, NH, and
different types of salmon taste
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
a one week stay on the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee at the beautiful Museum Lodges. Other auction items include a golf cart, 25’ 1994 Cobalt Bowrider boat, canoe, rowboat, paddle boat, water sports tubes, paddleboard lessons, furniture, vintage furniture, lawn mower, snowblower, quilt, tiffany style desk lamp, artwork, gift cards, and so much more! All auction items will be available to preview the morning of the auction.
Please call or email us today for information on diving classes.
All Fair and Auction activities will take place at the Melvin Village Community Church located at 476 Governor Wentworth Hwy in Melvin Village, except for the Clothing and Jewelry Boutique which will be located just down the street at 460 Governor Wentworth Hwy. For more information and a complete list of live auction items and vendors go to mvccnh. org/fairauction or call the church office at (603)544-9661.
Summer Fun! Summer Fun!
heBron fair
shoppe”
On Saturday, July 27, 2024, from 9 to 3, the Hebron Common will become a bustling fairground when the Union Congregational Church of Hebron sponsors the 72nd Annual Hebron Fair. The fair committee is excited to announce the new “Vintage Shoppe” tent featuring collectibles and gently used items.
Numerous art and craft vendors and food purveyors, the “Hebron Boutique” rummage sale, the vendor and business showcase raffle, the book tent, and the baked goods/ plants booth will be back. Also returning will be Hebron Fair tshirts, the “dunking” booth and kids’ games at the “Midway,” plus
booths by some of our local nonprofit organizations.
Please note that the Hebron Yard Sale usually scheduled for Labor Day weekend will not be happening this year.
As always, the church thanks everyone for their support. The fair is a success because of the generosity of our wonderful community.
For more information visit hebronchurchfair. org, contact info@hebronchurchfair.org, or call 603-409-7143.
lila DanCe festival to return to roChester CoMMon park
The Lila Dance Festival will return to Rochester Common Park in Rochester, New Hampshire on Saturday, August 24 at 1pm. A nonprofit founded by Nathan and Elyssa Moyer in 2022 and a Fellow of New Hampshire Dance Collaborative (NHDC), Lila Productions is organizing the festival. Free to the public, the event will include live music, food and drink vendors, and multiple dance shows throughout the after-
and surrounding areas.
“Our mission is to foster genuine appreciation for dance among diverse communities in New Hampshire through community outreach, educational initiatives, and live performances,” said Nathan. “It’s important for people in the area to know that there are many talented dancers and choreographers here and that they don’t need to go far to enjoy excellent dance performances.”
Dance Festival are choreographer Alejandro Figliolo and Philadelphia Ballet’s Yuval Cohen and Emily Wilson. All other dancers are local to New Hampshire
Selected as a 2024 Fellow in NHDC’s NH Dance Accelerator program, Lila Productions has received support and guidance, including mentorship from founder Joan Brodsky. “Joan is a champion of New Hampshire dance, and her mission aligns perfectly with ours,” added Nathan.
Dance performances at the Lila Dance Festival will take place at 2pm, 3pm, 4pm and 6pm on Saturday, August 24 at Rochester Common Park, with a rain date of Sunday, August 25. A preview performance, “Milonga!,” will take place at The Music Hall Lounge in Portsmouth, New Hampshire on Sunday, August 18 at 12pm. Tickets are required for this event, and can be purchased on The Music Hall’s website, themusichall.org.
“Jennie Powers: The Woman Who Dares” program at Lake Winnipesaukee Museum on Wednesday, July 24th at 7pm.
MUSEUM from 1
politics of the Progressive Era (1890s-1920s) from a local perspective. Jenna is also the narrator of and historical consultant for the acclaimed 1992 short film on Jennie Powers
(available on YouTube). 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. Lo -
cated at 503 Endicott Street North, next to Funspot in the Weirs, the museum is open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10 AM to 4 PM through midOctober.
FROG ROCK TAVERN
of the key communist strategies in their “war on police” stopped by Birchers, in the 1960’s, was Civilian Review Boards (“CRB”). CRB’s were appointed by local liberal politicians to pass judgement on the often needed splitsecond policemen encounters. This deterred policeman’s efficiency in keeping the peace. CRB’s were eliminated by SYLP Committees in New York City, Philadelphia, and several other cities. Thus, eliminating this communist tool to enhance riots by hindering police opposition concerned with CRB judgement. It is important to realize how critical to liberty the second part of the SYLP slogan is, “And Keep Them Independent.” Publicized for decades on bumper stickers , yard signs and billboards, keeping local police independent is a core reason we are still free. Today, we are losing local police control because of increased federal funds silently working against us. The law protecting us has slowly turned against us. The proper purpose of law is to protect “life and property.” There has been an inverse relationship to the exact degree that federal agencies have usurped control of local enforcement. Fake news has become the cheerleader for more federal funds while local police suffer from lack of support and loyal friends. The silent encroachment spends more money while crime increases. JBS/SYLP committees are still active and grow-
MAILBOAT from 20
ing in many large cities across the nation. The committees employ the same winning strategy: letters to The Editors and to government officials at local, county, state and federal levels. It is impossible to hold federal police accountable to local citizens. Precious American liberty needs your help to expose the gradual silent acceptance of the weaponization of federal law enforcement, unconstitutionally usurping local control. Multiply this powerful ex-
posure of the results of federal law enforcement by sharing this link: https://thenewamerican.com/print/bidencrime-wave/ Take action. Join a Committee or start one. Share this action alert with local , state and federal officials, particularly with local police and county sheriffs: https://jbs.org/ alert/defund-abolishunconstitutional-federal-law-enforcement/
Russ Payne Merrimack, NH.
Bria popping out near the top of the Wamsutta Trail with Mount Madison seen in the background. The Wamsutta Trail starts from the Great Gulf Trail just opposite the Six Husbands Trailhead. In 1.7 miles the trail climbs 2,200 vertical feet to the Auto Road,to just above the 6 mile post, elevation 5,300 feet. The trail is named for Wamsutta, the first husband of the Poscasset tribe’s Queen Weetamoo’s six husbands.
off at the Great Gulf Trailhead on Rte 16 and then drove about four miles south to start our hike at the
Pinkham Notch Visitor Center.
Just after 7 am, with our heavy backpacks filled with plenty of food for the next three days, we started hiking up the Old Jackson Road to the Madison Gulf Trail. Shortly after crossing the Auto Road we dropped our
Working your way down the Sphinx Trail is slow and wet work. The Trail runs between the Gulfside and Great Gulf Trails down the Sphinx Col between Mt. Jefferson and Mt. Clay. There are lots of slippery rocks and plenty of beautiful cascading water. You’re guaranteed to get your feet wet hiking this trail.
packs and took a path to the summit of Low’s Bald Spot. We were already dripping with sweat. It was humid. The trail was muddy but the many rocks were mostly dry. When we intersected the Great Gulf Trail we weren’t exactly surprised that we didn’t meet a single Appalachian Trail hiker. The bad weather the previous day kept them off the mountaintops so no one was coming down from Madison yet. We turned left and up the Great Gulf Trail. The Peabody Brook
was roaring and I started to wonder about crossing Chandler Brook. We hiked on and we were able to rock hop across but a few of the rocks we stepped on were several inches under water. We hiked past the Clam Rock wilderness campsite; it had a bear box and the rock looks like a giant clam. We went further up the trail and set up at the other campsite just above the intersection with the Six Husbands Trail. No bear box at this site. You would have had a laugh if you
watched us throwing the granola bar with string tied to it up to a tree branch in order to hang our food. Bria had more skill and finally got the bar to fly over a branch and we hung our food. We set up our tents and readied our daypacks. Hiking with only daypacks on our backs we felt like we had wings. We hiked down to the Six husbands Trail and we didn’t get any further than the bank of the Peabody River where we spent time scouting for a way to
and we each stayed in our tents until the next morning.
It was wonderful to wake up to sunshine and we were excited to climb the Great Gulf Headwall and Mount Washington. Donning our daypacks we flew up the trail, passing by more lovely waterfalls. Soon we were at Spaulding Lake–not much of a lake but a pretty pond. We could see the headwall ahead now.
safely ford the River. Neither of us was willing to take a crazy risk so we will have to come back another day.
Then we saw the only person we saw all day, a fellow hiking out and back to Spaulding Lake.
So we went up the Wamsutta Trail to the Auto Road and then hiked to the Chandler Brook Trail and then back down to our campsite. The trail is named for Wamsutta, the first of Weetamoo’s six husbands. We are glad we have rock climbing skills because this trail is steep with plenty of wet rocks. By the time we reached the Auto Road it was nearly 3 o’clock and we could hear thunder but since they were still sending cars up we took this as a good sign.
It was an adventure getting to the Chandler Brook Trailhead, over to the Alpine Garden, down the steep Nelson Crag Trail and then walking a mile down the Auto Road.
Look, we’re camping! We camped tow nights at the Wilderness campsite just above the intersection of the Six Husbands Trail in the valley of the Great Gulf. No need for air conditioning during the night because it was in the 40’s at an elevation of 3,200 feet.
At the trail the rain stopped and we slowly and carefully lowered ourselves down the trail and we crossed Chandler Brook many times. Our feet were wet all day. The waterfalls were lovely. These trails are rough and since they are in
a designated Wilderness Area they are not blazed but mostly have a worn footbed to follow.
We arrived back at our campsite just before 5pm. We had a big day hiking nearly 12 miles and 4,800 vf. At 6pm it started raining
Climbing up the headwall is challenging not only because it is steep and has sharp loose rock with water flowing down the slope but because the route is not marked. Route finding is difficult. Long ago it was blazed; we saw a few old yellow painted blazes but with no way of knowing if the blaze was correct or perhaps the rock with the blaze was pushed to its location by an avalanche.
The views were grand and we enjoyed our efforts. We could hear the train whistle and see cars on the Auto Road but we felt very alone on the headwall. We admired the steep cliffs next to us. We picked our way up and as we neared the lip we could see hikers on the Gulfside Trail.
Stepping over the lip
On the Great Gulf Trail above the intersection of the Sphinx Trail and below Spaulding Lake you’ll discover many waterfalls in the West Branch of the Peabody River. Yours truly and Bria in front of Weetamoo Falls.
onto the top of the rim felt like stepping back into the real world. It was busy up there. Only half a mile away was the summit building, trains, cars and lots of people and hikers.
We walked over Washington’s summit before 11 am and into the summit building to enjoy the finer things in life–the cafeteria and restrooms. We each had a satisfying chili dog and hot chocolate. We spoke with friends that worked at the NH State Parks information desk. People asked us if we hiked up
the mountain and how long it took us. They were puzzled when we said two days.
To get back to our Great Gulf campsite was of course another challenge. We finally met some AT hikers as we headed back down to the Gulfside Trail and we waved to the people in the Cog Railway car.
We took the loop over Mount Clay that afforded more views deep into the Great Gulf. Our route up the headwall looked steep because it is steep. Now we headed down
Looking back at the Great Gulf Headwall and the summit of Mount Washington from the Gulfside Trail. Yah, we really climbed up that headwall!
PATENAUDE from 22
PATENAUDE on 24
The Square Ledge Trail begins at the intersection of the Lost Lake Trail across from the Pinkham Notch Visitors Center and on the other side of the footbridge over the Ellis River. Just one mile round trip this trail will take you to the top of a ledge with a very fine view of Mount Washington, Tuckerman Ravine and Huntington Ravine. Everyone will enjoy this hike.
another steep and rough trail, the Sphinx Trail. We looked for the Sphinx rock formation.
Our imaginations saw things but who knows. This trail is in the trees and water runs right down the middle of it most of the way, espe-
cially in the steepest sections. We crossed the brook above a rock flume, had wet feet again and lots of slow going.
Yours truly and our pal Jenn, NH State Park Ranger at the information desk in the Sherman Adams Building on top of Mount Washington.
Wentworth Market
We got big backpacks and our day packs are tied on the top. We began our trip at the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center.
We were happy to be done with the Sphinx Trail and back on the Great Gulf Trail again. Here we met a man setting up his campsite and a hammock. We enjoyed the waterfalls and the trail back to our camp. We hiked only 6.5 miles
3200 vf and it was a grand day. We sat outside to make dinner together. It was fun except for the million black flies/gnats and the little things that fly and sometimes bite but always in our face. Unbelievably we
still had the campsite all to ourselves.
As we were hanging out a fellow came running down the trail. And we called out to him and asked where he had hiked today. He told us up Six Husbands and down Sphinx. He said he had no problem crossing the river.
The next morning on our way out we hit a couple of trails Bria needed–The Osgood Cutoff and the Great Gulf Link. And since I found a parking place just before Noon near Bria’s car at the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center we decided we could hike one more thing. We headed up to Square Ledge and saw North Conway camp kids rock climbing. We ate lunch in the shade while soaking in the view of Mount Washington and its famous ravines. Have Fun.
Amy Patenaude is an avid skier/outdoor enthusiast from Henniker, N.H. Readers are welcome to send comments or suggestions to her at: amy@weirs.com
for repeated trips would be at an advantage. Once a swarm of bees was located in a tree the hunter would mark the tree with his initials to indicate his find and claim to that particular swarm. Any others who located the swarm afterwards would respect the claim of the initial discoverer who would return for the bees and the honey in the Fall, a job that obviously would not necessarily be an easy one. A bee liner needed to be mindful of the rights of the owner of the land who would usually allow the successful hunter to take possession of the bees.
Today, as then, though, property owners were legally the owners of most that grew on their land, so no one should think that anything they find as a hiker, explorer, or forager on another’s land belongs to them. It is not a matter of “finders keepers; losers weepers,” when one finds something in the woods. The average yearly production of a swarm of bees occupying one hive in 1948 was said to be thirty pounds of honey, but one of Walter Corliss’
swarms in 1947 was said to have produced 107 pounds. A 2024 statistic says that the average swarm produces 80 to 100 pounds of honey and that a swarm needs 35 pounds of honey to keep it fed through the winter. Not all hives have been the same size and honey producers usually either leave enough honey in the hive for bees to survive the winter or replace it with other sweet food to feed the bees.
At about the same era that Mr. Corliss was hunting bees farm families were also harvesting other goods from the woods. Before modern logging methods changed things it was common to find piles of sawdust in open locations among the trees that had been subject to logging operations. I’m not sure if it was the sawdust or the clearings in the woods where the sawdust was deposited that stimulated the growth of this product, but it was berries, raspberries.
Loggers still leave sawdust in the woods, but not so much in big piles where portable gas-powered sawrigs were brought in. I recall a summer when
neighbors informed our family that they had found a raspberry patch on our (my parents’) land out in the woods. Wanting to act on what we had been told my siblings and I found the spot in the woods where there was an unusually a thick growth of raspberries. We had left home prepared with the traditional raspberry boxes and proceeded to start picking, of course, after some sampling.
We soon discovered that we weren’t alone, however, for the neighbor children were on the other side of the patch, also picking raspberries, and maybe wishing that they had never revealed the existence of the those berry bushes. Or maybe feeling guilty that they were picking raspberries on someone else’s land? Or should have my family have felt guilty for picking berries on our own land after we had found out about them from our neighbors? Though still a child then, I recall questions like these going on in my mind as this stuff was happening. As it was they picked their share of the raspberries, and we picked
our share, which was as many as we could get before someone else picked them, and as far as I know, all went home happy with the result. Maybe I should add that most of our neighbors were also rel-
Blackberries could also be found in the woods, and still can, and during my childhood there were a couple high-bush blueberry bushes in the pasture, which was half-woods.
With the current bear population it might be difficult to find any ripe berries, or the sawdust piles of olden days. And mint leaves; we also found mint.
SMITH from 9
Honey Bee gathering nectar from a dandelion blossom - Spring 2024
Raspberries - 2024 crop- Not from the woods, but from my Cousin. atives.
identified it as a barred owl. At that moment, she could not find the bird to confirm the ID.
Later in the evening, as she was bringing in her birdfeeders for the night, she heard it again.
“I heard the sound again and went to the front yard to see if I could locate the owl. I saw not one, but three,” she wrote in an email.
By this time, her husband and son joined the adventure and con-
cluded that they were young barred owl siblings. They watched and waited to see if any adults would show up. Sure enough, two more owls appeared and “seemed to be feeding the young.”
A few evenings later, two of the birds were in the yard again calling.
“We watched the young ones as we spotted a squirrel on a nearby tree and both birds went after the squirrel but missed,” she wrote. “We had
wondered earlier this year why we hadn’t seen many squirrels and chipmunks in our yard. I think we now know the reason.”
The third youngster showed up at this point, and Mary Ellen and her family decided to give them their space. She surmised that they fledglings were at the stage of learning how to hunt but still relying on their parents for food.
When I lived at my previous home in the woods, I would occa -
Sacred Heart Church is open daily for private prayer www.standrebessette.org
Reverend Marc B. Drouin, Pastor
sionally hear barred owls at night and heard the screeching of the young ones a few times. It is one of those sounds that makes you ask yourself “what the heck was that?” when you heard it for the first time. The first time hearing a fox scream at night elicits the same reaction.
It’s always nice to hear bird stories about youngsters thriving.
This spring and summer, I have personally found the nests of robins, eastern phoebes, yellow warblers, blue-gray gnatcatchers, red-shouldered hawks and a few others. I was fortunate enough to be able to watch the daily progress of the robin and phoebe babies. It’s always a thrill to see the next generation of birds take flight.
come trapped in their submersible at the bottom of the ocean. They have 60 minutes to solve a series of puzzles and riddles to “escape” before the submersible is destroyed!
(At no time are participants actually trapped or locked in the space. Parents don’t have to worry about wanting to leave early with their children if necessary.)
Space will be limited for this popular event. Attendees must schedule their sessions in advance. There will be four available time slots per day. To book your time slot for one to six people, call the library at 603-2794303.
The library has a full collection of shark-related books (fiction and nonfiction) and movies available to check out. Many will be on display on the first floor
right near the circulation desk for patron convenience in perusing the choices. Material will come from the children’s collection, the young adult area and the adult stacks so there will be something for everyone in the family. The shark-theme materials will be on display until the end of July.
Meredith Shark Week concludes with a double dose of shark movie fun on Saturday, July 27. Showing at 9:30am will be the original summer blockbuster, the movie that started the “sharksploitation” film subgenre, Jaws! Based on Peter Benchley’s bestselling novel of the same name and one of Academy Award winning director Steven Spielberg’s first movies, Jaws (rated PG) tells the story of small New England beach community under attack by a great white shark. At 11:30 AM, the “chomping” continues with a more modern blockbuster shark movie, The Meg (rated PG13), which stars Jason Statham as a rescue diver who comes face to face with a megalodon – a prehistoric (and largest-ever) shark long thought to be extinct! Both movies will be shown in the library Function Room on the large flat screen TV. Admission for the movies is free and there will also be popcorn and movie candy available at no charge, courtesy of the Friends of the Meredith Library.
There will be sharktheme souvenirs for the kids as well as a photo op with a shark backdrop to create lasting memories.
companies get lazy.
STOSSEL from 7 LETTERS from 6 in these voluntary exchanges disrupt our lives and lower our standard of living.
Instead of devoting their energy to customer satisfaction and innovation, it’s easier and often more profitable to lobby politicians, pushing for more tariff protections.
When I was young, Ford and GM improved their cars because they found they had to compete with Toyota, BMW, Honda, etc.
We should all be glad that no 100% tariffs existed then.
Trump’s big tariffs on steel didn’t even help U.S. Steel. It’s now trying to sell itself to a Japanese steel company.
By contrast, trade benefits most everyone.
Flying today is cheaper than ever.
Fifty years ago, a flight from Los Angeles to Boston cost about $1,000.
Today, you can book the same trip for just over $100.
Trade makes that possible. Manufacturers buy airplane parts from all over the world.
Boeing’s newest plane depends on Italian manufacturers for its engine. Its wings come from Germany and France. Floor beams are sourced from the United Arab Emirates, and the plane’s doors come from Vietnam.
A tariff on any of these parts would make flying more expensive for all of us.
(Boeing’s recent safety problems weren’t caused by trade. That was all American.)
Of course, not everyone flies. But everyone enjoys the fruits of trade.
Do you eat fresh produce in winter?
Our avocadoes come from Mexico. Grapes from Peru and Chile. Bananas from Guatemala and Ecuador.
Attempts to meddle
Biden and Trump don’t get that.
Goldman Sachs’ chief economist predicts that Trump’s plan to “put a ring around the country” would raise our inflation rate another 1.1%.
Biden once pretended to understand trade.
“Trump doesn’t get the basics,” he said in 2019. “He thinks his tariffs are being paid by China. Any freshman econ student could tell you that the American people are paying his tariffs.”
Biden promised to remove Trump’s tariffs.
But once in office, he caved to special interests and increased them.
The Tax Foundation says tariffs imposed by the last two presidents equal a $625 tax on every U.S. household.
Of course, the justification for tariffs is protecting American industry and American jobs.
Trump said his tariffs were a part of his “duty to protect the interests of working men and women, farmers, ranchers, businesses and our country itself.”
Biden now says his tariff proposals are “strategic and targeted actions that are going to protect American workers.”
It’s true that trade sometimes crushes American companies and takes jobs from some Americans.
But that opens up new opportunities.
When NAFTA took effect, 100,000 automotive workers in Michigan lost jobs.
But soon, total sales of cars and car parts went up. Most former auto workers applied their skills in more productive ways elsewhere
... mostly in specialties where Americans produce most efficiently: high-end machinery, energy, movies, music, medicine, internet startups.
Not only do Americans make more money producing those things, but the jobs are safer and less physically demanding.
Despite “America first” fearmongering about growing international trade, it hasn’t reduced total wages or the total number of American jobs. Unemployment remains near an all-time low.
Yes, cheap imports hurt some American companies. Politically connected industries will always try to persuade ignorant politicians to “protect” them. But tariffs hurt many more Americans than they help.
Every Tuesday at JohnStossel.com, Stossel posts a new video about the battle between government and freedom.
selves, with that Charity, humility & pacific temper of mind, which were the Characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed Religion & without an humble imitation of whose example in these things, we can never hope to be a happy Nation.”
You and your nation will never be “happy” without me and without seeing and rooting out deceivers. It is beyond time, for you to “know the truth,” for only “the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32). Choose wisely, those who will lead you to life and reject those who will lead you to death.
I Love You, God
These letters are written by Rev. Dr. Sam Hollo of Alton, NH
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assistance.
Russia’s delegate Vassily Nebenzia fired back rhetorically that the “alleged attack” as he called it, was as the Kremlin claims, “a missile of the Ukrainian air defense.” He added in stunning Orwellian tradition, “Here you get the magic of verbal gymnastics demonstrated by Western members of the Security Council, trying by any means to protect the Kyiv regime.”
Ukraine’s Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya said that Russia had “deliberately targeted” society’s most vulnerable and defenseless group, “children with cancer and other lifethreatening illnesses.”
The Ukrainian delegate reported a Russian KH-101 Missile hit the hospital. Kyslytsya stressed that the Russian “war criminals will wind up in Hell, bypassing Purgatory.”
As expected no resolution nor formal statement was voted on, just this verbal rebuke.
Two hundred miles to the south in Washington D.C., the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Atlantic Alliance in 1949. The Post-WWII Pact of free states was designed to defend war torn Europe from then looming Soviet aggression and serve as a clear deterrent to invasion. NATO has worked remarkably well and today Europe is whole and free.
But following the fall of the Soviet Union and the freedom tsunami which swept into Central Europe, countries ranging from Poland and the Baltics and later Hungary and the Czech Republic and others were brought
into NATO. And the organizations once Europe-focused Mission ranged to the Balkans, Libya and to Afghanistan. At the same time, the majority of NATO members failed to keep up the necessary military spending to sustain and support the Alliance. Significantly, former President Donald Trump brought political pressures on some NATO member states to pay; today two-thirds of Allies have fulfilled their commitment of at least 2% of GDP annual defense spending.
Since Russia’s aggression against Ukraine which started in 2014 with the seizure of Crimea,and later in 2022 with the current invasion, there’s a strong political pull to bring Ukraine into NATO, despite the military risks. Such a move could bring the Alliance into a military nuclear conflict with Moscow as NATO’s Article 5 clearly stipulates collective defense. Yet the NATO Conference communiqué while supporting Ukraine doesn’t call for full membership anytime soon; “We fully support Ukraine’s right to choose its own security arrangements and decide its own future, free from outside interference. Ukraine’s future is in NATO.” But when? In the meantime NATO has slated another $40 billion in military aid for Kyiv. Tragically the war continues.
John J. Metzler is a United Nations correspondent covering diplomatic and defense issues. He is the author of Divided Dynamism The Diplomacy of Separated Nations; Germany, Korea, China.
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hopes were stripped away all at once, they responded with pure, unbridled fury. Congressmen called for Biden to step down; The New York Times editorial board fantasized about his ouster. But as Joe Biden continued to hold on -- as he continued to stonewall all the attempts by his erstwhile allies to dump him overboard -- Democrats entered phase three: bargaining. Now they began to fantasize about an open convention. A shortened primary process. A Kamala Harris invocation of the 25th Amendment. Anything -- anything! -- to get rid of Biden. Perhaps it would tear the party apart and finally sink the Democrats’ 2024 hopes ... but surely the Biden campaign couldn’t continue to maintain the charade.
And yet Joe Biden continued, stolidly, to deny any problems at all. He said that only elites within the Democratic Party wanted him gone. He explained that he had won the most votes in the primaries, and that he would not leave absent an act of God. He stated that he would be fully satisfied if he ran to the end of the race and lost, so long as he had done his “goodest.” And so Democrats descended into depression. Looking at the national and state polls, Congressional Democrats began to mutter behind closed doors about the prospect of losing both the House and the Senate. Donors began shifting their money away from the presidential race and toward down-ballot races.
Now Democrats seem finally to have shifted into acceptance. Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., who had earlier said
that Biden should drop out of the race, now reversed himself. When asked whether he had done so for pragmatic reasons, he answered surlily, “Well, yeah. He said he’s gonna remain in, he’s our candidate, and we’re all going to support him.”
Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., who had floated the idea of a shortened primary season, announced that Democrats would be “riding with Biden.”
Democrats know, of course, that Biden is in terrible shape in this presidential cycle. As Jake Sherman of
Punchbowl News reported, “Very very few think he can win and that he is the right candidate for this moment post debate.” But it’s too little too late. No force on earth or in heaven can move Biden. Unless he is hit by lightning -- or suffers an actual physical collapse -- he’ll be the man on the ballot in November.
