Colonel edward ephraim Cross Civil war hero
by Robert Hanaford Smith, Sr. Contributing Writer
This is the second part of
Edward E. Cross was born in Lancaster, New Hampshire on April, 22, 1832, attended local schools and, as an adult, as noted in last week’s article, pursued a journalism career.
That took him to Arizona where he started a news -
paper and invested in the mining industry. Eventually, with the beginning of the Civil War, he moved back to New Hampshire and was assigned the position of Colonel of New Hampshire’s Fifth Volunteer Infantry Regiment in the Civil War.
The history of the NH Fifth Regiment, written by the unit’s Assistant Surgeon, William Child, included statements by Colonel Henry O. Kent, a friend of Cross, who indicated that as a child Edward Cross was “an intense
Veterans Program In Laconia
Michael Bichrest of the Veterans Administration will be speaking at the Laconia Knights of Columbus Veterans meeting hall on Monday November 18, 10am Michael works with the Veteran’s Outreach, VERA and is a MVP Coordinator.
Any veteran, active military personnel, or those wishing to support our vets are invited. Services will be available for any veteran who would like to submit or follow up on a benefits claim. The meeting hall is located at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 314 South Main St, Laconia. Parking is available in the rear of the building and access is via the rear door.
The Knights of Columbus also sponsor an informal coffee and donuts open house every Friday morning, 10am to Noon and is open to all veterans. Advocate services and materials are available.
Knights Of Columbus is located at 314 S Main St, Laconia.
The Chickahominy River, Va. Grapevine bridge built May 27-28, 1862, by the 5th New Hampshire Infantry under Col. Edward E. Cross.
Robert Hanaford Smith’s article on New Hampshire’s Fifth Volunteer Infantry Regiment in the Civil War.
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS PHOTO
D.A. LONG TAVERN D.A. LONG TAVERN
Always Lots Of Fun On Tap!
Out In Left Field
To The Editor:
I just read the letter from Joe Novak; he is really way out in left field with what he said!
Your paper prints the truth that so many people do not want to hear .
Keep up the good work , we look forward to it every week.
Betty Coursey Holderness,
NH.
Anti-Americanitus
To The Editor:
“All you have to do to takeover a nation is change their religion.” Powerful words spoken by John Steinbacher, in 1970, at The John Birch Society sponsored Boston New England Rally for God, Family, and Country. Today, looking back at decades of Supreme Court rulings, who can argue? Our nation is following this path: Jesus Christ and the Ten Commandments have become enemies of the state.
For the past seven decades, a chronic mind-control disease I’ve coined “Anti-Americanitus” has been transmitted through educational bureaucracies in bed with UN/UNESCO global elites. Each new generation is infected with the three basic tenets of communism: (1) there is no God, (2) there is no innate right or wrong, and (2) man is a graduate beast. This perverts the true educational common core from how to think to what to think.
This political Anti-Americani-
tus virus is a chronic nation destroying disease, perhaps more deadly than viruses attacking the flesh. Each day the Marxist “principle of reversal” is acted out: “Always accuse the opposition of what you are guilty of.” The Marxist moral base is “the end justifies the means.” Spreading lies about Americanism ensures love of country has become an endangered species.
We see Anti-Americanitus dominating our major means of communication everyday. Influencers who expose lying and deceit are feared by the Ministers of Truth and smeared. Truth is daily put on trial in the public arena by advocates of evil. Anti-Americanitus permeates and politicalizes everything. How can school children who are taught that their giver and provider is the state be expected to govern and vote as if God exists? Why should we be surprised that hate directed at a leader who dares oppose what has always been a provider to them instead of being punished by the state draws applause from those infected. Disagreement with the self-appointed ministers of truth is punished and labeled as evil by the gods of party loyalty.
Don’t be intimidated by the marketers of evil in today’s chaotic times. Liars outnumbering the truth tellers advantage is rapidly losing ground. Seeds planted in children’s minds through forced curriculum in school, nourished through phony media lies, reinforced by entertainment and government
propaganda soon will die when confronted by truth. Because truth will overcome a wall of fear built on deception. The biblical foundational premise of Americanism - Judaeo/Christian ethics is the only true antibody to kill Anti-Americanitus overcoming hate by a revolution of truth and love.
Russ Payne Merrimack, NH.
Thanks From Rep. Terry
To The Editor:
Thank you to the voters of Alton and Barnstead for approving my service to you and returning me to Concord for a third term.
It was so good greeting so many of you at our two polling places and receiving many smiles and thumbs up. I only wish I could have been in both locations all day, instead of having to split my time between each one.
I look forward to contributing to an already solid record of accomplishments as our fellow citizens made decisions on November 5 that will enable Republicans to continue building upon the numerous successes of the past four years.
I wish all of you a blessed Thanksgiving with family and friends, remembering with our donations to groups such as the Salvation Army those who will be alone and/or in need.
Rep. Paul Terry Alton, NH.
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
Confusion at the Bird feeder
by Chris Bosak
Something looked a little off at the birdfeeders. I get more house finches at my feeders than I can count, but as I entered the living room and glanced out the window, the five brown birds eating seeds didn’t look like the birds I have become so accustomed to seeing.
Nor did they look like house sparrows, another brown bird I have become all too accustomed to seeing at the feeders.
I got a little closer, being careful not to flush them by approaching too quickly, and noticed they were female purple finches. While I get daily visits from house finches, I hadn’t seen purple finches at my feeders in several years. That’s why it took me a second or two to figure out what they were.
A house finch, left, and purple finch eat seeds from a feeder in New England. Note that the purple finch is bulkier and more heavily marked.
Differentiating between purple finches and house finches is one of the most common birding quandaries in New England. It’s also one of those things where once you get it, you wonder why it was so difficult for so long. The confusion is understandable, as they are very similar in ap-
pearance and behavior. It is particularly difficult when the birds are far away. It’s much easier when the birds are closer, such as at a feeder. It’s even easier when they are visiting the same feeder at the same time, offering a side-byside comparison.
There are two parts to solving this puzzle
and having confidence in your identification: males and females. Purple finches and house finches are sexually dimorphic (males and females differ in appearance), so you need to learn both.
Let’s start with the male. Years ago, someone told me, “When you
See BOSAK on 27
Contributing Writer
EVENTS & ACTIVITIES
Upcoming Events At Meredith Library
As part of both its NaNoWriMo Writing Inspiration Series and its NOIRvember events, author Milli Knudsen will be visiting the Meredith Public Library, 91 Main Street, in the Historic Study Room on Wednesday, November 20 from 6:30pm to 7:30pm. She will be talking about and signing her new book titled Murder and Mayhem: True Crime in New Hampshire from 1883-1915.
In addition to discussing her writing journey from inspiration to publication, Milli will also speak about her interest in true crime. Milli began volunteering with the NH Cold Case Unit in 2019, which led to becoming the paralegal/data analyst in 2022, and in 2024 to also working with NH’s Major Crimes Unit.
Seating is limited so attendees should register on the library website at www.MeredithLibrary.org as early as possible. Go to the events calendar and click on the event to register. Or call 603-279-4303.
Join Tim Carter, syndicated newspaper columnist and founder of AskTheBuilder.com on Thursday, November 21 from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM at the Meredith Public Library as he helps attendees separate fact from fiction when it comes to home improvement issues. Bogus advice people get from the Internet, YouTube videos, and even some uninformed builders and remodelers can cost homeowners tens of thousands of dollars should they follow it. That’s why it’s so important to get information from a reputable source.
Tim will address issues such as whether: ridge vents are the best attic ventilation, asphalt shingles can last 50 or more years, sump pumps are the best way to solve wet basements, concrete is not supposed to crack, whether deck stains are not supposed to peel, and many more.
There will be time at the end for audience questions too so people can finally ask a builder those home improvement questions they’ve always wondered about.
“Fraud Watch Basics, The Scam Landscape”Program In Alton
Friday, November 15th, the Community Church of Alton will host a speaker from the AARP on “Fraud Watch Basics, The Scam Landscape”. This presentation will be held at the church, 20 Church St. Alton NH 03809, at 1pm. Coffee and snacks will be served afterward.
“Fraud Watch Basics, The Scam Landscape” is a comprehensive understanding of the current prevalent scams and fraudulent activities that individuals, particularly older adults, might encounter, along with essential knowledge on how to identify and avoid them, including information on common tactics used by scammers and strategies to protect oneself from falling victim to fraud; essentially, it’s a guide to navigating the current landscape of scams and staying safe. Area covered arw Diverse Scam Types: Covers a wide range of scams including identity theft, phishing emails, robocalls, fake charity solicitations, home repair scams, investment fraud, romance scams, and more.
Awareness and Education: Aims to educate individuals on how to recognize red flags associated with scams, like high-pressure sales tactics, requests for personal information over the phone, or suspicious online offers.
Reporting Mechanisms: Provides information on how to report suspected scams to relevant authorities like the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the AARP’s own Fraud Watch Network. Protective Measures: Offers practical tips on safeguarding personal information, managing credit reports, and setting up fraud alerts to minimize the risk of becoming a victim.
Winter Is Coming To Squam Lake
Come join Lakes region Conservation Corps members Peter and Meg for their final Adventure Ecology program of the year! This program will take place Chamberlain-Reynolds Memorial Forest on November 19th from 1–4 PM. We will be taking a short walk through the late autumn forest to one of the SLA’s campsites, where we will gather around and get warm with a fire. On this program we will learn about what happens to our watershed in the winter. Coffee, tea, and hot cocoa will be provided.
Participants are encouraged to bring enough food and water for the duration of this program. The weather this time of year can change very quickly so we encourage participants to wear/bring extra layers. We will be sitting for most of this program so bringing a small camp chair or sit pads are recommended, but not required. The SLA can provide sit pads for those who need one.
For more information, or to sign up for this Adventure Ecology visit the SLA website (squamlakes.org) or contact the SLA directly (603-968-7336). The SLA also offers other guided hikes and Adventure Ecology programming throughout the year. These free programs are open to the public and cover a variety of nature and conservation related topics. Adventure Ecology programs are presented by the SLA’s Lakes Region Conservation Corps AmeriCorps members, who perform important conservation work in support of the Association’s mission. To see and register for all our upcoming events, please visit squamlakes.org/calendar.
The Squam Lakes Association is dedicated to conserving for public benefit the natural beauty, peaceful character and resources of the watershed. In collaboration with local and state partners the SLA promotes the protection, careful use and shared enjoyment of the lakes, mountains, forests, open spaces and wildlife of the Squam Lakes Region.
NH
Boat Museum To Participate In Museum Store Sunday
MOULTONBOROUGH - On Sunday, December 1, from 12 noon to 4pm., the Museum Store at New Hampshire Boat Museum (NHBM) will participate in Museum Store Sunday. Founded by the Museum Store Association, Museum Store Sunday is a global initiative to encourage public support of museum stores during Black Friday weekend.
“We’re inviting people to do their holiday shopping with us this year,” said NHBM Program Director Anne Lennon. “We have great books, games, maps, posters, bags, lake-themed mugs, sweatshirts, stocking stuffers, and toys—anything a boat lover would love.”
Noting she will also host a craft area where kids can make a free Christmas ornament, Lennon expressed excitement about the opportunity for people to visit NHBM’s Museum Store in Moultonborough during their off-season. “This is our first year participating, and we hope this will become a yearly event for us,” she added.
The Museum Store at NHBM will be open on Sunday, December 1 from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and is accessible online year-round. To learn more about NHBM or visit their virtual museum store, visit nhbm.org.
Founded in 1992 by vintage and classic boating enthusiasts, NHBM offers dynamic exhibits, engaging programs, and events tailored to people of all ages’ diverse boating lifestyles and values. NHBM is sponsored in part by North Water Marine, Goodhue Boat Company, Kingswood Press and Design Studio, Epoxy Floor New England, Belletetes, and Eastern Propane.
by Brendan Smith Weirs Times Editor
OOL
NEW HAMPSHIRE
‘tis the season
The campaign signs have come down, the TV ads are no longer being shown, the oversized mailers are vying for room in the landfill, the obnoxious eager smiles behind the annoying knocks at the door when you are trying to enjoy the weekend have disappeared and woman who are unhappy with how things turned out are cutting off their hair.
Yes, election season is over and that can only mean one thing.
It’s time for Christmas. We have spent the last several months spewing our displeasure with those who disagree with us. We have felt our blood pressure go to new heights as the TV and radio folks told us why we should be angry, even if we were having a good day. Some of us may have even lost good friends due to our political differences. But now comes the time for healing. The time for joy. The time for goodwill towards your fellow man, and, more importantly, the time to get really good deals on cool stuff.
After all, nothing can shake the post-election blues, and make you forget how much you despise your neighbor who had the wrong election sign on his lawn, better than fifty percent off on a new Ultra High Defintion 75-inch TV with surround sound.
Some complain that Christmas advertising starts too soon nowadays. It seems every year that it happens earlier and earlier. First it was Black Friday happening the day right after Thanksgiving. Soon it was the night of Thanksgiving and now, Black Friday sales are being hinted at before the frost is even on the pumpkin (whenever that
is).
I used to be in the camp of those who thought we should wait until at least the day after Thanksgiving to start celebrating the Christmas season with buying stuff. But today I agree with the idea that Christmas advertising is needed as soon as possible after an election especially, after a Presidential election as contentious as this one was. Healing a nation and bringing folks together is crucial for us as Americans and what better way then to have some awesome deals on some cool stuff.
Let’s face it, when it comes to a great deal on a new TV, refrigerator or even a sofa/loveseat combo, we, as Americans, stand as one people.
You never see anyone marching in the street because the newest iPhone is going to be fifty percent off for one night only from Midnight to 8am, or that the latest trend in kids toys will be available soon at your local retailer. Instead, they will stand together, liberals and conservatives, all races and creeds, for hours, sometimes in the freezing cold, waiting for the doors to open so they can (hopefully) be one of the lucky few to grab one.
Yes, there have been struggles, even riots when it comes to the procuring of the precious goods, but even these moments are not defined by political differences, but just the basic human characteristic we all share: The need to get cool stuff cheap, even if we don’t need it.
I have heard more than a few people complain this year that they couldn’t believe that stores already had up their Christmas decorations and that there were even a few Santa Claus at the malls. But, I for one salute them for doing what is needed to help heal this country.
Not only are they cashing in on that basic human characteristic, but they are also doing a service for mankind at this
crucial time.
One story I would like to share is of a good friend who campaigned hard for his favorite candidate. Giving his blood, sweat and tears in holding signs at cold intersections, knocking on doors (a few which were answered) and making phone calls (usually around dinnertime) in support of his candidate. He was heartbroken when his choice lost. He went into a bit of a depression, not coming out of his house for two days. He even contemplated cutting off all his hair in protest, but he was bald so that depressed him even more.
It’s hard to say how long his sadness would have lasted, but as a good American and friend, even though we were on different sides and sparred during the election season, I called to let him know that his local appliance store was having a two for one, pre black-Friday sale, on a washer and dryer combo.
Sure, he is still disappointed about the election, but the pain is a lot less since he is now enjoying a super quiet spin cycle and twenty-four levels of drying temperatures at more than reasonable prices.
Unfortunately, the humanitarian service provided by the early onslaught of Christmas retail, even though it has been extended, is still way too short.
After the decorations come down, the tree is thrown in the dump and the wonderfully discounted appliances and gadgets that were sought after are now merely things that are just around the house and not providing the joy one who have hoped for, the whole cycle will begin to repeat as possible presidential candidates for 2028 start arriving in in New Hampshire early in 2025.
Really Only Did It For The SocksStories & Thoughts On Aging”
Order your autographed copy today for $16.99 plus $3 shipping. (Please include any inscription you would like.) Make out checks or money orders for $19.99 to Brendan Smith and mail to: Socks Book c/o Weirs Times, PO Box 5458, Weirs, NH 03247 Or order online at BrendanTSmith.com (Autographed copies also avail. at the Weirs Times)
Order your autographed copy today for $16.99 plus $3 shipping. (Please include any inscription you would like.) Make out checks or money orders for $19.99 to Brendan Smith and mail to: Socks Book c/o Weirs Times, PO Box 5458, Weirs, NH 03247 Or order online at BrendanTSmith.com (Autographed copies also avail. at the Weirs Times)
SPIRIT FARM
This series of Letters From God is an attempt to put the thoughts of God as revealed in the Scriptures.
Letters From God Letters From God
QUESTION
What Are Your Thoughts On The Election Results and M.A.G.A.?
It was obvious that your citizenry overwhelmingly agreed that it was time for a change. They felt that the current administration was out of touch with their needs and were at fault for the widespread decline in the general welfare of their lives. The promise of “a golden age” in which they could enjoy the blessings of the past, particularly economically, endorsed the M.A.G.A movement and the new political regime. What I think about this change is that, it is about time. Some news organizations for years have been pointing out the demise in almost every aspect of your lives. But most of the major media outlets covered up the obvious and whitewashed the problems, that have led to this state of affairs. I, however, kept telling you that it is real and how you must see and change the core reasons that have led you to moving in reverse.
You must fear however, that M.A.G.A alone can’t fix the problems. You see, as I stated in a previous letter, the core problem for you and every nation is your relationship with me. I made you, as individuals and as a Nation. I blessed you with prosperity be-
cause you made me, God, and sought to follow me and my will by basing your laws and behavior on my word and my will. You now have a leader, in your new President, who not only promises prosperity again but has already demonstrated that he can bring prosperity again, based on his first term of office. Your votes to restore him to office, in order to bring this prosperity, have brought great hope and expectation of a future “golden age.”
If, however your leaders don’t restore me as God, and my will as the basis of your blessings, your hope will be dashed and your decay will continue until, like all other countries, you will join the scrap heap of Nations. What you must add to your efforts to bring back the blessings you once enjoyed is to Make America Godly Again! I have reminded you often that “Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord.” (Psalm 33:12) . Listen to the context of this statement and truth.
Psalm 33:1-3 It begins with a call to praise and worship me as God with joyful songs. True hope and joy come not from manufactured political speeches and promises but from experiencing my blessings because you honor me. When I bless you, you will be filled with a sincere joy that will be unquenchable.
Psalm 33:4-7 It continues by giving the reasons you should praise and worship me, your God First, because my word “is right and true”
and I am “faithful in all” that I do (:4). I will never lead you in paths that will hurt you but only in paths that will bless you. Next, since I as “Lord loves righteousness and justice;” when you make me your God, “the earth is full of” my “unfailing love.” (:5).
The perverse behaviors ushered into your national life through the last political administration were not “righteous” nor did they represent my “justice” and you, as a result have been missing my “unfailing love.” When this changes, your joy will return. Next, it is as you recognize that it was by me and my word as Lord, who created the “heavens” and all the “starry hosts,” and contains the waters of the earth from overrunning its boundaries, that your hope and joy will change (:67). You who see this, will trust me and the same power that created all the universe and holds it in check. It will be at your disposal for change and for life. Psalm 33:8-22 It continues by calling for the proper response to me if you ever hope to make your individual lives and your country great again. You must “fear the Lord” and “let all the people of the world revere me.” (:89). I am God! If you neglect me or continue to rebel against my word and will, you cannot prosper. I, as God and LORD, will “foil the plans of the nations” and “thwart the purposes of the peoples” if you continue to turn from me (:10). You cannot succeed when I am against you
but when you follow my “plans” you cannot help but succeed (:11). Why? I as God, “look down and see all mankind.” Since I formed “the hearts of all,” I can see “everything” you do (:13-14). You can’t hide godless behavior and think I won’t judge your sins. “No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength.” (:16-17). Not even the military might of your country, the greatest the world has ever known, can save you if, because of your beliefs and behavior, I am against you. But for “those who fear” me and rely on my “unfailing love,” I will “deliver them from death and keep them from famine.” (:18-19). Only those who “wait in hope for the LORD” and whose “hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name,” have their “hope” fully realized (:20-22).
At the heart of this passage and promises are these words: “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD…” If you pray for your leaders to return to me and my ways, you will Make America Godly Again and then I will Make America Great Again in response.
I love you, God
These letters are written by Rev. Dr. Sam Hollo of Alton, NH
why trump won
Donald Trump.
He’s back.
After the most dramatic election cycle in modern American history, Trump has won a sweeping victory, moving every single state in America in his direction from 2020. He didn’t just sweep the swing states. He only lost New Jersey by five points. He won Miami-Dade County in Florida -- the first Republican presidential candidate to win the county since George H.W. Bush in 1988. He won 45% of the Hispanic vote. In several of the key swing states, he broke 40% with the Jewish vote. He won north of 20% of the Black male vote.
Trump grew his coalition in every
by John J. Metzler
Columnist
single area.
Across the board.
So, what happened?
The answer has two components: first, Trump. And second, the Democratic Party and its apparatchiks in the media.
First, Trump. Trump is a unique figure. He was one of the most famous people on earth before he ever ran for president. This made him immune to attempts to characterize him in overwrought fashion. Nobody truly believed Donald Trump was Hitler; after his first term, there was literally zero evidence that he would ever be. Yet Democrats continued to treat him as a threat to the very fabric of the republic, a would-be dictator hell-bent on seizing power and wielding it against his enemies.
e le C tion 2024: t he
r evenge o f t he ‘ f as C ist ’
How will the media and Democratic pundits explain Vice President Kamala Harris’ stunning defeat? How will the media and Democratic pundits explain former President Donald Trump’s incredible recapture of the White House, the most improbable comeback since heavyweight champion George Foreman regained the title at age 45 having lost it 20 years earlier?
How many times did the “experts” count Trump out? When he won the presidency in 2016, so many
described Trump as mentally unstable that he took a cognitive test and allowed the White House doctor to hold a press conference to convince the country that Trump was not “crazy.” Critics, who considered Trump delusional, hoped out loud his cabinet would invoke the 25th Amendment over Trump’s supposed “incapacity.” The House impeached him twice. He was routinely called a “fascist.” He survived two assassination attempts. Trump endured a barrage of personal, legal, financial and physical attacks that would have bludgeoned a normal human being into submission. This includes, but is not limited to, a nearly four-year investigation of his alleged “collusion”
donald trump’s hinge of viCtory
Democrat Party candidate Kamala Harris called for an election which would “Turn the Page” on the past decade of division and discord. The Vice President won that challenge; American voters overwhelmingly turned the page on the Kamala Harris candidacy and ended it with a decisive victory sending Donald Trump, her Republican challenger, back to the White House in the greatest political comeback in American history. Kamala’s crushing electoral defeat came as a political thunderclap on a clear day.
Ironically Harris campaigned to
cure the current woes facing America; inflation, controlling massive illegal immigration, and fixing a floundering economy, all of which she presided over. What Kamala forgot was that she was ironically campaigning against her own Biden/ Harris Administration of which she served as Vice President for three and a half years! The obvious question hung like a Damocles sword; Given the obvious challenges she presented, why did she not try to fix them?
If the recently concluded American Presidential election campaign were were a political thriller, the Producers would say the story was simply too far fetched; bizarre plot twists, legal hijinks to try to jail the opposition candidate, two assassination attempts, all set to a permanent
drumbeat of competing accusations.
Most Americans, and I suspect a large part of the world, were happy to see the two year political marathon end.
People had had enough. Biden originally had a constituency and brand but his obvious cognitive decline forced him to step aide for his lackluster Vice President Kamala Harris, who soon became saddled with growing global chaos, high inflation and border insecurity. Harris emerged as the standard bearer for a stagnant status quo which people increasingly rejected.
Despite the Harris campaign’s massive billion dollar political war chest; she outspent Trump by $400 million, the Democrat Party’s financial edge proved a dull sword.
Kamala Harris went from the
soundtrack of Summer Joy and turning the Page for America, into a crude and darkly comical trope that Trump was a Nazi, a fascist, posing a “threat to democracy.” The demonization of Donald Trump and his VP running mate JD Vance, combined with the incessant law-fare with per-
See METZLER on 29
Syndicated
See ELDER on 27
See SHAPIRO on 28
by Larry Elder Syndicated Columnist
by Ben Shapiro
Syndicated Columnist
Which IRA is Right For You?
The individual retirement account (IRA) is celebrating its golden anniversary. Created in 1974, this savings vehicle has helped millions of people build resources for retirement. And in 1997, the Roth IRA was introduced. But which IRA is right for you?
Let’s look at the basic differences between the two IRAs. With a traditional IRA, you generally invest pretax dollars, so the more you put in, the lower your taxable income. Your earnings grow tax deferred, meaning you pay no taxes on them until you start taking withdrawals. (If you take withdrawals before you reach 59½, you’ll be subject to ordinary income tax and a 10% IRA penalty.)
When you invest in a Roth IRA, your contributions aren’t deductible, but they can be withdrawn at any time, tax- and penalty-free. And you can typically withdraw your earnings on these contributions tax free once you’re 59½ and you’ve had your account at least five years. (If you don’t meet these conditions, withdrawals of earnings are subject to income taxes and the 10% penalty.)
So, are you better off by taking the immediate tax break offered by a traditional IRA or the long-term benefits of tax-free withdrawals available with a Roth IRA?
If you think you’ll be in a higher tax bracket when you retire, you might want to consider a Roth IRA, especially if you have a long time until retirement. This will give you more opportunities to put away funds that can be withdrawn tax free. Conversely, if you think you might be in a lower tax bracket upon retirement, you might lean toward a traditional IRA, as
you’d get the tax benefits now, when you’re in a higher bracket, and can eventually make your taxable withdrawals when you’re in a lower one.
Here's something else to keep in mind: Once you turn 73 (or 75 if you were born in 1960 or later), you must start taking taxable withdrawals — technically called required minimum distributions, or RMDs — from your traditional IRA. But if you have a Roth IRA, you won’t face RMDs and can essentially keep the money in your account indefinitely. If you don’t need all the funds in your Roth IRA for your retirement, you can pass them on to your heirs.
Ultimately, though, your income may determine which IRA is right for you. You can earn any amount and contribute to a traditional IRA, though if you exceed certain income limits, your contributions may no longer be tax deductible. If you and your spouse don’t have a 401(k) or other retirement plan through your employers, you can make a full, deductible contribution to a traditional IRA regardless of your income.
But you may not be able to contribute to a Roth IRA, or at least not make the full maximum annual contributions, if your income is above certain levels. Your tax advisor can explain these levels, which often increase from year to year. (In 2024, the most you can contribute to either IRA, depending on your income, is $7,000 per year, or $8,000 if you’re 50 or older.)
Under some circumstances, you can convert a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA, though you’ll need to pay taxes on the conversion. In any case, think carefully about your options and make the choices that are appropriate for your needs.
This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC.
Investing is about more than money.
At Edward Jones, we stop to ask you the question: “What’s important to you?” Without that insight and a real understanding of your goals, investing holds little meaning. Contact your Edward Jones financial advisor for a one-on-one appointment to discuss what’s really important: your goals.
GILFORD
NICK TRUDEL, CFP®, ChFC®, AAMS™ , CRPC™, FINANCIAL ADVISOR (603) 293-0055
nicholas.trudel@edwardjones.com 28 Weirs Rd., Suite 1, Gilford, NH
LACONIA
BENJAMIN J WILSON CEPA®, FINANCIAL ADVISOR (603) 524-4533
benjamin.wilson@edwardjones.com 55 Canal Street, Laconia, NH
LACONIA
JASON R POCHILY FINANCIAL ADVISOR (603) 524-4533
jason.pochily@edwardjones.com 55 Canal Street, Laconia, NH
LACONIA
DAVE BOCHICHIO FINANCIAL ADVISOR (603) 524-4533
dave.bochichio@edwardjones.com 55 Canal Street, Laconia, NH
MEREDITH
DEVON SULLIVAN, CFP®, ChFC®, CRPC™ , FINANCIAL ADVISOR (603) 279-3284
devon.sullivan@edwardjones.com 164 NH Route 25, Unit 1A Meredith, NH
MEREDITH
CARI LAMONTAGNE FINANCIAL ADVISOR (603) 279-3161
cari.lamontagne@edwardjones.com 3 Mill Street Meredith, NH
MOULTONBOROUGH
KEITH A BRITTON FINANCIAL ADVISOR (603) 253-3328
keith.britton@edwardjones.com 512 Whittier Highway, Suite 1 Moultonborough, NH
by Mike Moffett Contributing Writer
Truth be told, I’m a terrible golfer—despite my innate athleticism. (wink)
Before COVID, I was a member at Loudon Country Club and played in several leagues. And while I rarely broke 100, I’d hit enough good shots to keep hope alive for that glorious breakout round.
It never happened. But making an occasional nice chip shot, a long putt, or—best of all—hitting a tee shot 250+ yards was enough to keep me keeping on.
After COVID, my occasional nice tee shots disappeared. Part of it was lack of play. Part was probably age. And I kept changing my grip, my stance and everything else every other hole.
Kiss of death.
This year I put the clubs away in early October. Late autumn golf is rugged. It’s often cold and windy. Once the frosts start one can’t tee off until mid-morning. It gets dark early. And with parts of the course covered with leaves you can lose a ball right in the middle of the fairway.
But November 1st was nice and warm, and my friend State Senator Tim Lang suggested playing nine holes at Den Brae in Sanbornton.
Why not?
I sliced my first tee shot 160 yards off to the
novemBer golf –and “the drive”
right.
“You know, it wasn’t all that long ago that I occasionally crushed the ball,” said I.
“So you say,” said Lang.
Lousy tee shot after lousy tee shot. It was especially painful when I thought back to the halcyon days of 250yard drives. Gone with the wind. I felt like Willie Mays in 1973. Flailing away. Over the hill. Washed up.
We drove up to the seventh tee. The highest point on the course, it looked down over a narrow fairway, with another hill between tee and green.
Tim’s tee shot was short of that intermediate hill. I stepped up and yet again tried a new grip. With a slower backswing.
CRACK!
The ball took off like a rocket. Rising and rising. Right down the middle. It disappeared over the hill.
“Wow,” said Tim.
“Yeah, that felt good,” I replied. “Like the glory days!”
I couldn’t wait to see where the shot ended up.
Tim played his second shot over the hill, and we drove to see where we ended up. We quickly found Tim’s ball, but we couldn’t find my tee shot. Darn!
“I swear it was right down the middle.”
I prepared to drop a new ball when Tim said “Wait! Look up by the green”
We drove toward the green, and there it was. My ball. Around 30 yards from the pin. We checked the yardage on the score card. 340
yards from the white tees.
“That was a 300-yard drive!” I exclaimed.
“Maybe 299,” said Tim.
I chipped to within eight feet and missed the birdie putt by an inch.
As we drove to the eighth tee, I was euphoric! I was back! A 300-yard drive!
That’s the thing about golf. While an old guy can never hit a ball over Fenway’s left field wall or kick a 60-yard field goal at Gillette Stadium, he can occasionally make a shot that Tiger Woods would envy.
I thought about Babe Ruth. Even though he was over 40 years old, on May 25, 1935, he had a three-homer game for the Boston Braves in Pittsburgh.
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State Senator Tim Lang and the sports columnist earlier this year at Loudon Country Club.
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avoiding Braided line wind Knots
by Tim Moore
Contributing Writer
As a professional fishing guide and public speaker, one thing I hear all the time is the difficulty some anglers have using braided line. Braided line is just that, several strands of line braided together, which gives it a smaller diameter than monofilament and has almost zero stretch but requires more maintenance while fishing on a spinning reel than traditional monofilament. The added maintenance often frustrates some anglers enough to give up on braided line all together. However, once most anglers get used to it, the advantages far outweigh the added attention using braid requires, and over time fishing with braid becomes second nature.
The issues most anglers have with braid are a result of line winding back on the spool too loose and how they deal with loose line. The result of loose line on the spool of a spinning reel is often the dreaded wind knot. There are ways to prevent wind knots though. First off, when you close the bail of your reel by reeling, the line gets thrown around the spool loosely. The first trick is to close the bail
by hand rather than by reeling. It may not seem like a very big deal, but if you are fishing with lures, you could be talking about hundreds of casts and therefore, opening and closing your bail hundreds of times. Loose line seems to have a mind of its own, and always wants to get worse unless you prevent it. Closing the bail by hand is the first step.
Another source of loose line is a result of braid’s light weight. When you cast with braided line, extra line will get pulled out by the momentum of your cast and by the wind. When you make a cast and reel in the slack there is no resistance, and the line is wound on the spool very loosely. Do this several times and eventually there will be a loose loop sticking
up from underneath the line on the spool. The loose loop typically grows and then on one good hard cast, gets pulled out from underneath, leaving you with a mess that is all but impossible to untangle.
Home Improvement
Dining
To help prevent this requires one small, but effective, added step when you cast. Make your cast and close the bail by hand as soon as
Many homeowners can undoubtedly take a stroll through their homes and find at least one space that could be repurposed to provide more functionality. Real estate professionals know that such sentiments are not uncommon, and many point to formal dining rooms as spaces that have fallen out of favor in recent years.
Formal dining rooms were once common in newly built homes, but the pivot toward open concept floor plans left it up to homeowners to decide if such spaces were for them. In a 2017 book published by
room conversion ideas to
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The Simple Feast
by Eric N Gibson Contributing Writer
It is the simple things that are often overlooked…
The Simple Feast Simple The Simple a simple lasagna
The thought of lasagna began a few weeks ago, but I was procrastinating. And these frequent spats of warm weather just pushed winter entrees further away into the future. But, I was on a quest of sorts. The objective being, to make lasagna.
I know, many of you right about now are saying to yourself, “Lasagna! How hard can that be?” But as many others can attest, lasagna can be a very arduous, laborious, even elusive task. Too, lasagna is a labor of love: the love of lasagna or because of the love for someone who loves lasagna. Regardless of the reason one makes it, it can be a task.
In the past I have made lasagna by cooking the noodles until they resemble a caldron of eels. Often these eels ... eer... noodles would fall apart or slip from my grasp as I tried several ways to remove them from the kettle one at a time. To say the least, it was difficult. I have yet to find a way that works in getting the noodles
out of the pot easily and without ruining the noodles. Invariably I will pinch too hard and break off pieces. And no matter how much I rinse the noodles, they are still hot. Sometimes too hot! I remember one attempt at lasagna, the time I drained the noodle water from the kettle. That was a mistake! Three layers into the lasagna and the noodles were beginning to stick together. Before I was done I had a big old mess of drying noodles stuck to nearly every surface imaginable including me!
I tried draining the
noodles once and pouring a little olive oil onto them. Not getting the results I wanted I thought “if a little is good, a lot must be better” so in went a healthy dose. While the olive oil worked (for the most part) to keep the noodles from sticking, I was back to a slippery “kettle of fish”. And, the effects of olive oil on a GI system not accustomed to consuming olive oil in such volume? Well, let’s just say that olive oil created more issues than it solved. So it was becoming more evident to me why people think making lasagna is a labori-
ous task. Most of the build time is spent handling the noodles! I was determined to make this an easy process. But how?
Then I remembered seeing one of the cooks making lasagna in the dining hall. They never cooked the noodles, they just shingled them raw then sauced and cheesed and shingled another layer, continuing the process until it was to the top of the pan.
Now at this point some of you are saying, “Well, dahh! That’s how you are supposed to make lasagna.” But those of you who have been faithful readers of this feature may recall an article on American Chop Suey. In that article I noted that ACS and Stuffed Peppers was as close as it got to “Italian Cuisine” when I was a kid. And only because one had noodles and they both had tomato sauce. Not until I was older did takeout pizza get added to the International section of the menu at “Gibson’s House of Blue Collar Eats”.
So it was with simplicity in mind that I tried making lasagna with dry noodles. Anticipating a lasagna that would be not too wet, not too dry. I wanted a lasagna that would taste good and have eye appeal. There is nothing worse than a casserole that, within two or three servings taken from it, looks like a train wreck. I also wanted a
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His third dinger actually left Forbes Field—maybe the longest drive ever hit there.
I had the honors at the eighth tee. Still euphoric, I couldn’t wait to again deploy my newer grip and hit another 300-yarder. I took a slow backswing and then let it rip.
I hooked the ball into the woods.
Then it occurred to me that that mighty Babe Ruth drive in Pittsburgh in 1935 was his 714th— and final—homer.
Sports Quiz
How old is Tiger Woods? (Answer follows)
Born Today
That is to say, sports standouts born on November 14 include MLB pitcher Curt Schilling (1966) and former Patriot safety Lawyer Malloy (1973)
Sports Quote
“It took me 17 years to get 3000 hits in baseball. It took one afternoon on the golf course.” – Hank Aaron
Sports Quiz Answer
Tiger Woods will turn 50 on December 30, 2025.
State Representative Mike Moffett was a Sports Management Professor for Plymouth State University and NHTIConcord. 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 mchlmoffett@ yahoo.com.
Good braided line can be the difference between landing a trophy fish and only having a fish story.
from 11
your lure hits the water. Before you begin reeling, lift the tip of your rod high enough to tighten and pull the slack out of your line, and reel down to your normal fishing position without dropping slack in the line. Keeping your line tight prevents loose loops from forming on the spool.
Lastly, give the spool a quick visual inspection before each cast. If you see a loop on your spool, make a light cast to get some of the line off the spool, and finish pulling the rest of the line off until you get down to the loop. Then, hold the line in your rod hand to create some tension, and reel the line back on. If you make a hard cast with a loop in your spool you may very well cause the problem you are trying to prevent.
Fishing with braid will help increase your catch by allowing you
to feel more bites, respond faster to those bites, and land more fish. It may take a little practice in the beginning, but if you stick with it you will probably end up with braid on most of your spinning reels. If you find it to be too much maintenance and using braid takes the fun out of fishing then by all means, keep using monofilament. If fishing isn’t fun then what’s the point!
Tim Moore is a fulltime licensed professional fishing guide on Lake Winnipesaukee. He owns and operates Tim Moore Outdoors, LLC. He is a member of the New England Outdoors Writers Association, and the producer of TMO Fishing on YouTube and the Hooked with TMO Fishing Podcast. Visit www.TimMooreOutdoors.com for more information.
MOORE
Decorative kneelers, watering cans, and pruners are practical, must-have items for any gardener.
holiday gift ideas for gardeners
by Melinda Myers
It’s time to begin tackling that gift list for the holidays. Consider gifting your favorite gardener some-
thing practical and attractive to enjoy for months and even years. No matter your budget, you can find the perfect gift to generate a smile immediately and throughout the garden season. Stuff a stocking, pot, or decorative tin with small but essential items that are handy for any gardener. A can of twine that prevents tangling yet keeps it convenient is useful for securing plants, marking gardens, and much more. Include garden clips that secure plants, hold row covers in place, or serve as a third hand when tackling garden tasks. Every gardener needs a snip for deadheading and grooming flowers.
Encourage your gift recipient to stay healthy when gardening. Gift a water bottle so they are more likely to stay hydrated. This is more important than ever with the increase in extreme summer temperatures. Consider gifts that protect eyes and skin from the sun’s intense rays. Add a container of sunscreen or a widebrimmed hat. Include a pair of tinted safety glasses that provide UV protection to help protect their eyes from dirt, pollen, sticks, and branches when gardening. Keep them gardening longer with items that protect their joints and muscles. Protect knees with kneelers or kneeling
pads. The Burgon & Ball® Kneelo® Garden Kneelers and Kneeling Pads (coronatools. com) come in various colors that are easy to find in the garden or shed. Filled with a shock-absorbing foam sandwiched between two layers of memory foam, they will allow your gift recipient to garden longer. If they walk a lot in the garden, gifting kneepads with equally good cushioning and comfortable straps may be the better choice. Encourage your gift recipient to protect and support their hands with gloves that fit, provide support, and are fashionable. Burgon & Ball® Love the Glove™ garden
mix Cash & Cans prize Calendars on sale
Mix 94.1fm’s 38th annual Cash & Cans Money and Food Drive for the Holidays is set for December 8-13. A unique way to raise money is to purchase a Mix Cash & Cans prize calendar. “The calendar is filled with over six thousand dollars in cash and prizes, each prize donated to us by area businesses and individuals. And we appreciate each and every one of them,” said Fred Caruso, founder of the Cash & Cans program in 1987. Winners will be selected daily during December and you can win multiple times.
Calendars are ten dollars each and available at Prescott’s Florist, Vista Foods and All My Life Jewelers in Laconia; at Franklin Savings Bank offices in Franklin, Tilton, Gilford, Bristol, and Boscawen; Caleb’s Barber Shop, Hanser Auto Body, Tilton Senior Center and Diana’s Morning Brew, Downtown Tilton; Park-N-Go Market, Northfield and Grevior Furniture and the Hair Depot in Franklin. You can also email Caruso at fred@mix941fm. com and calendars will be mailed to you.
Last year, Mix Cash & Cans raised over $71,000 in cash and thousands of pounds of non-perishable food items. All donations stay local, benefiting
the Twin Rivers Interfaith Food Pantry; St. Vincent DePaul’s Food Pantry, The Santa Fund of the Greater Lakes Region; the Tilton/ Northfield/Sanbornton (TNS) Christmas Fund; Bread & Roses Soup Kitchen; the Franklin Police Toys for Tots program; Santa’s ‘Lil Helpers through the Belmont Police Department; Every Child Is Ours; American Legion Post 49’s Christmas Baskets; the Meredith Emergency Food Pan-
try; St, Joseph’s Food Pantry in Belmont, the Northfield/Tilton Congregational Church Food Pantry and Got Lunch! Belmont. Donations are always welcome. Make checks payable to Mix Cash & Cans and mail to PO Box 99, Franklin, NH 03235 or Venmo @mixcashandcans. For more information about the Mix Cash & Cans program, contact Caruso at 603-9342500 or by email.
handy haCKs to taKe the stress out of holiday hosting
(Family Features)
Hosting is a big responsibility, especially during the holidays when the pressure is on to create a magical and
memorable experience. Planning a menu and decorating for the occasion is just the start.
Hosting also means ensuring all dishes are
cooked to perfection and kept warm until serving time, guests’ dietary needs are considered and table conversation topics are ready. Then, of course, there’s the post-dinner cleanup.
This holiday season, consider these tips to help tackle your hosting duties with grace and create an event you can enjoy, too.
Request RSVPs
Planning a party is even more complicated when you don’t know how many guests you’ll be entertaining. If you create a guest list and ask invitees to let you know their plans, you’ll have a better idea whether you should
double your favorite dishes. You’ll also know who has special dietary needs and be able to plan a seating chart that puts everyone at ease. Be sure to include a date that gives guests a specific RSVP deadline and plenty of time for you to adjust your plans before the big day.
Meal Prep As Much As Possible
Get as much of the food preparation out of the way ahead of time as you can. Some dishes can be prepared and even cooked ahead of time so you’re just reheating, but you can also save a lot of time
MAUREEN ROBIDOUX, RN, BSN, Certified Aesthetic Nurse, with 24 years of experience.
gloves come in various designs and more importantly, are durable and comfortable. The padded palm provides extra protection, and the two-way stretch keeps hands cool while improving dexterity. They are machine washable and don’t get stiff after getting wet in the garden.
Add a hand pruner, a snip like the Burgon & Ball® RHS® British Meadow Fruit & Flower Snip, and a weeding tool to the gloves and set them inside a small bucket to place near the front or back door. You’ll save them time looking for tools and allow them to take advantage of small blocks of time to weed, deadhead, or pick a flower bouquet to enjoy.
You’ll also find many options for the indoor gardeners on your list. Look for a quality houseplant pruner designed for isolating the leaf or stem to be removed. An attractive indoor plant mister from Burgon & Ball® is available in stainless steel, charcoal, or stone. It fits any décor and the spritz to their plants will wash off dust, discourage insect pests, and boost humidity.
And the gift of time is always welcome. Offer to help with garden cleanup, planting, or weeding. Together you’ll create new memories while accomplishing items on their gardening todo list.
Gifting items that last will remind the recipient of your friendship every time they put it to work. And
you’ll be happy knowing you made it easier and more enjoyable for them to continue gardening.
Melinda Myers has written over 20 gardening books, including the recently released Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How
to Grow Anything” instant video and DVD series and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment TV & radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and was commissioned by Corona Tools for her expertise in writing this article. Myers’ website
24, 30, December, 1, 7 & 8 10:00am - 4:00pm*
and photos with Santa
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Party Friday, November 22 | 4:00pm - 7:00pm
by organizing ingredients for the dishes that must be prepared the day of the event. A good rule of thumb: If it doesn’t have to wait until the day of the party, do it before. That frees up your time so you can handle any unexpected hiccups that arise without piling on more stress.
Simplify the Cleanup Situation
Rely on tried-andtrue products that do the heavy lifting for you when it’s time to clean up after the meal. An option like Finish Ultimate Dishwashing Detergent cleans dishes in tough conditions, even without pre-rinsing, so you can focus on what matters during this time of year: spending more time with your loved ones. It removes tough stains like grease and cheese, as well as common holiday dishes
like apple pie and mac and cheese. An added bonus: Since you don’t need to pre-rinse, you’ll save up to 20 gallons of water per dishwasher load.
Create Designated Spaces
Guests are likely to arrive with items in hand that need a place to go, like coats, shoes, handbags and gifts. Avoid clutter by determining ahead of time where you want to put these items. If you have a coat closet with space, that’s a good solution, but a nearby bedroom may also be an option. Especially if you’re hosting a potluck meal, be sure to plan ahead for where each course should go, with appetizer bars, dessert tables and a countertop with protective pads for warm foods.
Send Guests Off With A Parting Gift
A memorable event
can be made even more so when guests have a token to take with them. Send everyone home on a happy note with a simple gift like a prewrapped holiday treat. Be sure to tuck these away someplace near the door so they’re a pleasant surprise you can access easily when guests begin to make their exits.
Find more ways to tackle holiday messes and make hosting duties a breeze by visiting finishdishwashing. com.
Post-Party Cleaning Tips
1. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, especially from your partner or children.
2. Prep your table the night before. Get sparkling dishes and glassware by using a product such as Finish Jet-Dry Rinse Aid, which assists in drying and helping your dish-
es shine when used in the rinse cycle.
3. Start by collecting trash and clutter. Throw trash away and create piles of items that need returned to their proper places. Remember that taking a few extra minutes to organize things like seasonal decor as you go can help make next year’s event easier.
4. Complete each job before moving to the next. Some prefer to tackle a room at a time while others prefer to finish a specific chore, like sweeping the floors throughout the house, before moving on.
5. Be realistic about what must be done before you sleep. Some tasks really do need immediate attention, like collecting and emptying glasses that could be spilled and safely storing leftover food. The rest can likely wait until after you get some rest.
Times F.O.O.L columnist, Brendan Smith’s first book with over 30 of the best of his original Flatlander Columns. From learning to Rake The Roof to Going To The Dump to Buying Firewood for the first time and everything in between, Brendan recounts the humorous tales of his learning to fit into New Hampshire life as a Flatlander from New York.
your autographed copy today for $13.99 plus $3 for shipping. (Please include any inscription you would like the author to personalize your copy with.) Make out checks or money orders for $16.99 to Brendan Smith and mail to: The Flatlander Chronicles, c/o
HACKS from 20
SIMPLE LASAGNA
SERVINGS: 12-16 TIME: About 80 Minuted INGREDIENTS
2 box Lasagna dry noodles (1 and ½ boxes)
1 pound Ground Italian Sweet Sausage
2 24oz cans Spaghetti Sauce
1 14.5oz can Diced Tomatoes with garlic
16 oz. Sliced Provolone Cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
16 oz. Mozzarella Shredded Cheese divided 2/3 1/3
16oz. Tub Ricotta Cheese
2 Lg Eggs
2 Tbsp. Italian Seasoning plus garnish
1 tsp. Black Pepper
½ tsp. Onion Powder
PREPARATION
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a skillet, brown the ground sausage meat, drain well, and hold until needed.
- In a mixing bowl combine one can of spaghetti sauce, the can of diced tomatoes, the seasonings and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl combine the eggs, Ricotta, 2/3 Mozzarella, and grated Parmesan cheese.
- Begin to build the lasagna by spooning out a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of a 11x15 baking dish.
- On top of the sauce lay out five noodles side by side, shingled to fit if needed, and one across to fill the void, breaking if needed, to fit across the pan.
- On top of the noodles lay out two rows of three slices of provolone and cut a seventh in half to fill the gap between the two rows.
- Sprinkle a few spoonfuls of sausage meat over the provolone cheese.
- Spoon the ricotta cheese mixture evenly (in blobs is fine) then spoon on some sauce.
- Complete this process four times then top with a layer of noodles.
- Over the last layer of noodles, take the second can of sauce and pour the entire contents over the entire surface of the noodles and into the gaps.
- Top with the remaining slices of Provolone and most of the 1/3 Mozzarella held in reserve.
- Sprinkle some Italian Seasoning over the top and place into a preheated oven, baking for 30 minutes. Remove the lasagna from the oven and gently place a sheet of foil over the top. Replace into the oven and continue to bake for an additional 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and carefully remove the foil so as not to peel off the melted cheese. Internal temperature should be a minimum of 165 degrees and the noodles tender. Use any remaining Mozzarella to cover the surface and let it melt while at rest for five minutes before serving.
lasagna that was filling, but yet not overly heavy. Above all else, it needed to be easy to execute and not take hours from start to finish. Have I found it? I think so. But there are a few ways to streamline more.
I began with cooking the meat, in this case I used a pound of ground Sweet Italian Sausage. Remem-
ber, one of my prerequisites was simplicity and with a mild pre-seasoned product such as sweet Italian Sausage the work is done for you. Just open, turn into the skillet, and cook!
Setting the cooked meat aside after draining it, I opened a can of sauce and the diced tomatoes. I held one can in reserve not sure if I would need it. You can do the same or
food are introduced to. Its basic translation means “everything in its place”. Ingredients are ready in their proper quantities, measures and preparations (washed, trimmed and cut to size). Pans are ready at hand, greased or papered if need be. This all helps with proper and efficient assembly and execution of the dish being made. And believe me, when everything is in its place, it saves time and extra steps, those unnecessary movements, while cooking is under way. The assembly process for this lasagna is pretty easy. A thin layer of sauce to begin with. Then lightly shingle (barely overlap) your noodles, trying to use whole ones on the bottom layer. I start my noodles going the long way and place one across the “top” or the gap at the
end of the pan. You don’t need to get too obsessed with them touching or not touching. As the noodles cook they will absorb moisture and expand.
One thing I did was vary my layering with the noodles so one end of the pan did not get “saucier” than the other. This also reduces the “Train Wreck in a Pan” look after two or three servings. I also “hid” all the broken pieces throughout the body of the lasagna, keeping the best looking noodles for the top and bottom layers.
Over the noodles goes some sauce, then the provolone, then a sprinkle of meat, and then little blobs of the three cheese mix. Continue to repeat this process for three layers and you should be nearing the top of your pan. At this point, top with the full noodles that you held in re -
serve and it is time for the second can of sauce. Pour this over the entire top and fill any gaps seen along the edges or between noodles. Layer with the remaining Provolone and the Mozzarella and bake it according to the recipe.
I was very pleased with how this lasagna looked, tasted, and held together once it was cut into. I am not a fan of over-saucing while I know some people who are. If you are one who enjoys extra sauce you may want to consider heating an additional jar or can of your favorite flavor to serve at the table. Serve this lasagna to a hungry crowd along with a toss salad and garlic bread and in just under 90 minutes you too can have a delicious Simple Feast. Enjoy!
you can open both and combine the sauce, tomatoes and additional seasonings. For ease you could even add the meat to the sauce and really streamline the process. Again simplicity was the goal. Mixing the cheeses together with the eggs everything was taking shape. And here begins the “mise en place”. This is one of the first French culinary terms students of
reader and keen observer.” As an adult he apparently never wavered in his love for the scenes of his childhood.
Colonel Kent’s remarks were published in the Coos Republican on July 14, 1863, in which he commented on his friend’s character. Calling Cross a true patriot, Col. Kent said “As an officer, he was a strict and unswerving disciplinarian, punishing with severity any shirking or neglect of duty, but ever prompt to recognize and reward actual merit.” Col. Cross was called brave to the utmost limit, and “a kind friend, a good son and brother, a brave and chivalric soldier.”
As previously noted. Edward Cross led the Fifth New Hampshire Regiment as they traveled to Camp California in Virginia where they spent the winter of 1861-2 before heading out from there to participate in a number of
battles against the Confederate Army. In midMarch of 1862 the Fifth was attached to the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 2nd Corps, of the Army of the Potomac as they advanced to Manassas, Virginia and on to Gainesville and Rappahannock Station as they began what would become some costly encounters with the southern soldiers. Their engagements, which continued until the end of the war cost the greatest loss of all
the infantry or cavalry regiments involved in the Civil War. Their casualties included 18 officers and 277 enlisted men who were killed either on the battlefield or died later from their wounds and two officers and 176 enlisted men who died of disease.
The history of the Fifth says that the Rappahannock campaign was bloodless but still the severest ever endured by the regiment. Why? “The
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men were without any kind of tents; they had no camp or cooking utensils; they waded in mud and water; they marched night and day; they forded streams and slept on the bare earth in open air so cold as to freeze their wet clothing; they were
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supplied with poor rations, often without any for twenty-four hours... They were often routed by night alarms, after an all-day’s march, to march again until morning.”
Those realities should help us to appreciate the veterans of our military forces, realizing that the hardships and dangers they have faced in the different wars our country has been engaged in were not limited to the battles they fought in.
In May of 1862 the regiment became part of Woodbury’s Engineer Brigade and constructed the Grapevine Bridge over the Chickahominy River. Colonel Cross also kept his regiment disciplined and in readiness for battle with drills, etc.
Colonel Cross did not drive his men, he led them into battle with such intensity and courage that they sometimes became open targets for the enemy. He was wounded in battle several times before being fatally wounded at Gettysburg. On May 31st and June 1st during the Battle of Fair
Oaks or Seven Pines the Colonel was injured when he was hit in the thigh by a minnie ball and on the left side of the face with buckshot. The regiment had thirty men killed in that battle along with 170 wounded. Later that year, in September, at the Battle of Antietam, Cross was wounded again in an encounter that resulted in his Fifth Infantry Regiment of 319 fighting men losing seven men who were killed and 120 more wounded. Colonel Cross, instead of wearing a hat during combat was known for wearing a red bandanna on his head to make it easier for his soldiers to spot him during the battle. Some have thought that this also made him a more easy target for the enemy. After recovering from his injuries the Colonel would return to his leadership role over the Fifth Regiment. During one of the recovery times he wrote a brief letter to his father to tell him he was okay. The letter was dated December 21, 1862, sent from Washington
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Col. Edward E. Cross
Monument to the NH Fifth Regiment at Gettysburg.
D.C., and said, “Dear Father, I am in this city doing well. Mr. Chase is with me. I am not half so badly hurt as the papers say. As soon as I am able I shall go to Concord, for a few days - but not to Lancaster- the weather is too cold. You need not be in any apprehension about me. I hope the Democrats will carry the state next spring. You probably received the money Dick & I sent. In haste Yours, E E Cross Col 5th NHV.”
Edward Cross had a brother, Captain Richard Cross, who also served in the New Hampshire Fifth Infantry Regiment as the captain of Company K. He was also wounded by a shot in his leg at the Fair Oaks battle and again at the battle of Chancellorsville when a shell fragment hit him in the chest.
sion revoked because of some unacceptable behavior.
It should be noted that in May of 1863 Col. Edward Cross was promoted to take charge of the Brigade and the Fifth New Hampshire received a new commander in the person of Lieutenant Colonel Charles F. Hapgood. These men were serving in these positions on July 2nd,1863 at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Col. Edward Cross had not followed his usual procedure and instead of wearing a red bandanna on his head he wore a black one. It was six o’clock in the late afternoon when Colonel Cross was overseeing the actions of the Brigade that he was shot in the abdomen with a minnie ball. The ball went through his body. The wounded soldier was carried to a wheat field located about a mile away but
at the rear of the army. The wheat had recently been cut and gathered into sheaves, some of which were gathered to make a bed for the Colonel. It was there, surrounded by his sur-
geon, officers, and men who were under his charge, Edward E. Cross died at about 12:30 a.m. on July 3rd. His body was taken to his home town and he was buried in
Lancaster, at the center of the village cemetery. We remember him as one of many heroes who have served their country well, even to the point of death.
This brother, Richard, was promoted to Major in December of 1862, and to Lieutenant Colonel on July 3, 1862, after the battle of Gettysburg. In 1865 Richard Cross was commissioned as a Colonel, but had that commis-
GILPATRIC METAL RECYCLING
SMITH from 24
Captain Richard Cross of Company K, brother of Col. Edward Cross.
Sketch of the Grapevine Bridge.
ELDER from 7 with Russia to win the election. The New York attorney general and the Manhattan district attorney ran for office promising to “get Trump” — a violation of the ethics of a prosecutor whose job is to do justice, not to promise indictments or legal action against a particular individual, particularly before gathering any evidence. Fifty-one “senior intelligence officials” wrote a letter during the 2020 campaign that described the bombshell Hunter Biden laptop as Russian disinformation. The media suppressed the story. A Media Research Center study found that 9% of Joe Biden voters in seven swing states would not have voted for Biden had they known about the story. Mark Zuckerberg spent over $400 million of his own money in 2020 to drive up Democratic turnout to help defeat Trump.
Oct. 23, 2024, CNN’s Anderson Cooper to Harris: “For weeks, you have been calling Donald Trump unstable, unhinged. You have called him dangerous. You have quoted General Milley recently, who called him a fascist. Today, you quoted General Kelly, who said that Trump repeatedly praised Hitler.”
Harris: “Yes.”
Cooper: “... You’ve quoted General Milley calling Donald Trump a fascist. You yourself have not used that word to describe him. Let me ask you tonight, do you think Donald Trump is a fascist?”
Harris: “Yes, I do. Yes, I do. And I also believe that the people who know him best on this subject should be
trusted.”
By regaining the presidency the night of Nov. 5, Trump became history’s first and only “fascist” leader who:
— Allowed citizens to keep and bear guns — unlike Adolf Hitler, who restricted Jews from access to and ownership of guns.
— Allowed freedom of religion — unlike Mao Zedong, under whose “Cultural Revolution” religious activity was banned.
— Did not create a state-controlled media. According to the Holocaust Encyclopedia: “The Nazis wanted Germans to ... believe in Nazi ideas. To accomplish this goal, they tried to control forms of communication through censorship and propaganda. This included control of newspapers, magazines, books, art, theater, music, movies, and radio. ... Even telling a joke about Hitler was considered treachery.”
— Did not have one journalist arrested, kidnapped, tortured or killed.
— Did not have one political opponent arrested, kidnapped, tortured or killed.
— Did not establish a secret police — no Brownshirts, no stormtroopers, no Red Guards.
— Did not coerce neighbors, friends and relatives into spying on one another or reward them for doing so.
— Did not impose a command-and-control economy.
— Did not force citizens to attend political rallies.
— Started no new wars.
— Negotiated peace deals in the Middle East that provided the Jewish state of Israel with greater security.
— Used the democratic primary process to win nomination, left office after one term and sought reelection through the democratic primary voting process against an opponent chosen by her party’s leaders.
A Marquette University poll found that 79% of likely voters consider the country on the wrong track. Most Americans say they are worse off than they were four years ago. Food has gone up 20% and gas prices up 50%. The BidenHarris administration permitted millions of unvetted illegal aliens to enter the country. Asked by a friendly interviewer whether she would have done anything differently from President Biden, Harris said, “Not a thing that comes to mind.” This is why she lost. Call this the revenge of the “fascist.”
Larry Elder is a bestselling author and nationally syndicated radio talk-show host. To find out more about Larry Elder, or become an “Elderado,” visit www.LarryElder.com. Follow Larry on X @ larryelder. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.
BOSAK from 3
see a male purple finch, you’ll know it.” At the time, I found the statement to be not at all helpful. Eventually, it made sense and still guides my identification to this day.
When you see a common bird like a house finch so often, it is obvious when something is a bit different and warrants added attention. To me, purple finches always seem a bit larger and stockier, but that’s not always a reliable clue as the smaller purple finches and larger house finches overlap in terms of size. House finches also have smaller heads than purple finches.
Male purple finches are a deep pinkish-red, and the coloration is more widespread than the rosy red on the house finch. Color is usually a good differentiator, but as we know, the colors can vary widely among house finches depending on their diet. Also, from a distance, it can be difficult to differentiate between pinkish red
and rosy red. For me, the facial markings are the biggest differentiator. Purple finches have a dark line extending back from the eye with a light stripe above and below the eye. Again, these markings will be tough to see from a distance, but when seen up close, the facial markings are a dead giveaway. House finches do not have distinctive facial markings. With females, these markings are the biggest differentiator as well. Female purple finches are brown overall but are heavily streaked throughout, while female house finches are light brown all around with much less notable streaking.
A female purple finch somewhat resembles a female rose-breasted grosbeak, while a female house finch looks nothing like a grosbeak. No one differentiator holds the key all the time, but combining the differences in color, size, bulkiness and markings should enable a confident identification. I will post photos of male and female purple and house finches on www.birdsofnewengland.com soon to give a more visual comparison. In the meantime, keep an eye on your feeders and let me know what shows up.
The attack didn’t land. Trump also has magnetic charisma. It’s a sort of charisma that many Americans don’t understand: he rambles, he jokes, he says silly things. But he is absolutely himself, 100% of the time. He is the most authentic political candidate of our lifetimes. Americans trust him, despite his penchant for exaggeration and tall tales, because they know him.
And what’s more, Trump knows them, too. Trump has an innate love for the American people. When he dons an apron at a McDonald’s and serves fries, he’s not doing that because he wants Americans to believe that he’s suddenly a blue-collar fry cook. It’s because he wants them to know he likes and re-
spects them. And that he likes and respects their values.
Which brings us to the Democratic Party and their propagandists in the media.
The story of the 2024 election isn’t about Kamala Harris. She is a nothingburger. She always was. She was never “joy” or “brat.” She is a career politician who has never won a vote outside of California. She was slotted into Joe Biden’s nomination because the sitting president physically expired on the debate stage. And she then proceeded to act as a fresh coat of paint on the battered jalopy of the Democratic Party record.
Americans saw through it. What Americans saw, instead of her celebrity-flecked candidacy of pseudo-
excitement, was yet another iteration of the Democratic Party’s playbook: transgressive values disconnected from the traditional family values Americans like; a peculiarly insular view of the economy that believes a government handout can make up for expensive groceries and declining prospects; an arrogance rooted in the supposed superiority of a pseudo-intellectual self-appointed nobility -- a nobility that scorns achievement and innovation in the name of luxury beliefs; an antiAmerican sense of our country’s history and role in the world.
Americans have been saddled with this Democratic playbook since the Obama era. And they hate it. That’s why Trump won in 2016. And it’s why Trump
won again in 2024. Because while the left likes to proclaim that Trump isn’t normal, the reality is that their agenda isn’t normal. The form of normality they cherish is deeply abnormal. It runs counter to American notions of virtue and individual freedom, of property rights and American exceptionalism. Slathering platitudinous nonsense on that abnormality doesn’t render it more normal; it just renders it more dishonest.
And so the normies struck back. They said enough. They want the American dream -- Hispanics in south Texas and white Americans in northern Ohio and Black voters in Wisconsin; Catholics and Protestants, Jews and Muslims.
It turns out the Amer-
ican dream is still alive in the hearts of Americans. We want our share of that dream. Even more, we want to dream that dream together.
That’s why Donald Trump is back. Because America is back.
Ben Shapiro’s new collection, “Facts and Furious: The Facts About America and Why They Make Leftists Furious,” is available now.
Shapiro is a graduate of UCLA and Harvard Law School, host of “The Ben Shapiro Show,” and cofounder of Daily Wire+. He is a three-time New York Times bestselling author. To find out more about Ben Shapiro and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www. creators.com.
sistent legal challenges to his candidacy, actually energized his voter base who saw the U.S. political system morphing into something akin to an election in Pakistan or Tunisia.
Personal attacks by both sides abounded like the Autumn leaves blowing with a wind. but the low point came when Joe Biden just a week before election day branded Trump supporters (about 75 million of his fellow Americans) as garbage. This tone deaf and stupid remark activated undecided
voters who may not have been comfortable with Trump’s personality but then energized the Republican base!
Democrat New York State Governor Kathy Hochul labeled New Yorkers who voted for Republicans as “antiAmerican.”
Had Harris focused on policy specifics, rather than just saying “I have a Plan” but without any any details, cost her dearly. So did her lack of serious interviews even with a largely fawning leftist media.
The political planets had aligned for a mas-
sive Trump/Vance victory, both in the electoral college and the equally important popular vote as significant swings of Hispanics and Black/American voters towards Trump cemented his landslide.
The Harris vote underperformed Biden’s 2020 bid in most areas.
Not only did Donald Trump win the storied swing states North Carolina, Georgia and Blue Wall (places like Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan) but with larger margins.
As importantly Trump’s vote tally made significants inroads, but
not winning, in classic Democrat stronghold states like New York.
Trump won the election with his GOP base and a widened multiracial working-class coalition.
Most political pundits were shocked over the magnitude and depth of the Trump win which also saw the Republicans carry Congress, both the Senate and the House. The final tally of 312 Electoral College votes and a popular vote advantage of 51/48 percent put the Republicans in sweet territory not seen since the Ronald Rea-
gan landslides in the 1980’s. The outcome represented a clear and importantly definitive result.
It signaled a repudiation of the woke ideological intolerance, striving for a secure U.S. border, and tackling the undertow of inflation and economic woes.
Foreign leaders were quick to congratulate Trump; Britain’s Kier Stormer, France’s Emmanuel Macron, Hungary’s Victor Orban, India’s Modi and South Korea’s Yoon. Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky proclaimed
that Trump’s “peace through strength” strategy may be able to bring a “just peace” to war torn Ukraine.
Donald Trump’s antiestablishment message posed American voters with a simple question “Are you better off today than you were four years ago?”
John J. Metzler is a United Nations correspondent covering diplomatic and defense issues. He is the author of Divided Dynamism The Diplomacy of Separated Nations; Germany, Korea, China.
by Parker & Hart
SUPER CROSSWORD
B.C.
PUZZLE CLUE: ELEMENTAL EXPANSION
CITIES OF SOUTHEAST ASIA
Answers on Page 27
The Winklman Aeffect by John Whitlock
