12/26/19 Weirs Times by The Weirs Publishing Company

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 26, 2019 —

VOLUME 28, NO. 52

THE WEIRS, LAKE WINNIPESAUKEE, N.H., THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2019

COMPLIMENTARY

CAP Cadet Jonathan Winslow Taking Flight As New U.S. Citizen by Mike Moffett Contributing Writer

BARNSTEAD - As young Jonathan Winslow was interested in flying, the 13-year-old happily accepted a scholarship to attend the Ace Academy’s summer flying program at Laconia Airport in 2016. And the more he learned, the more excited he became about flying. The adopted son of Glennn and Mary Winslow, Jonathan is one of those youngsters with ambition and a sense of adventure who is willing to work at actually getting to the heavens as opposed to just observing the sky

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from the safety of Belknap County’s terra firma. The Ace Academy experience enabled Jonathan to meet Captain Julie Panus of the New Hampshire Civil Air Patrol (CAP). A senior member of the Lakes Region’s Hawk Composite Squadron, Panus put in a plug for her unit and encouraged Jonathan to consider the CAP experience. “My brother, Michael Meserve, was a Civil Air Patrol Cadet in Rochester,” said mother Mary Winslow. “He loved Civil Air Patrol, so Glenn and I were delighted that Captain Panus alerted Jonathan as to the opportunities available in See WINSLOW on 22

Last Night Wolfeboro

Jonathan, Glenn and Mary Winslow at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Building in Bedford, N.H. where Jonathan would complete the last requirement for full American citizenship.

All are invited to celebrate New Year’s Eve during a day and evening of festive events in Wolfeboro capped off by fireworks lighting the sky over Lake Winnipesaukee. Beginning at Wolfeboro Town Hall at 10am. on Tuesday, December 31st, Last Night Wolfeboro events range from a ‘scavenger hunt’ at town shops to Mo, the Balloon Man making creations for children, the popular Wildlife Encounters show, Chris Herrick magic show, and a buffet supper, dessert and entertainment for everyone. New this year, Last Night Wolfeboro is presenting a free “Jazz to Keep You Warm” concert by the Freese Brothers Combo Band at the First Congregational Church

of Wolfeboro. For more than three decades, the Freese Brothers Big Band and Combo have performed swing and classic Big Band music; entertaining audiences throughout the region and raising scholarship funds for a new generation of talented musicians. The Last Night Wolfeboro schedule is available on Facebook @ WolfeboroLastNight. SHARE ONLINE FOR F D& REE A E R

THE

WEIRSTIMES.C

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 26, 2019 —

Guest Editorial We’re Not Giving Up On Charter Schools

On Friday (Decreer 13), hundreds of public charter school & The Markus The oon enTer Wildlife Sanctuary students who traveled to ConSelling “all things loon” & more! cord learned by Frank Edelblut a harsh lesTake 10% Off In the Gift Shop son about NH Dept of Education the legislaCommissioner • Free Admission • Award-winning videos, exhibits & trails! Save $1 tive process. 0 Off with th is coupo 603-476-LOON (5666) www.loon.org Open Thur-Sat They learned that sometimes n 9am-5pm Lee’s Mill Road, Moultonborough, NH partisan politics gets in the way of bipartisan problem solving. They came to the Legislative Fiscal Committee asking lawmakers to accept the first round of a $46 million federal grant to Chimney Swe public charter schools ep expand for at-risk students in New Hampshire. They were denied. o Chimne On a party-line vote, the FisSweeps • Stonework ide Brick Repairs • Liners cal Committee rejected the Caps • Installations federal grant awarded to our Fire Place Makeovers In state in August. The grant, the spection largest of its kind ever given to Fully Insured a state, was meant to replicate the success New Hampshire has had with charter schools by providing start-up funds for new and expanded public charter schools targeted for atrisk kids. For years, Republicans and Democrats agreed that public charter schools were a valuable piece of New Hampshire’s educational system. Traditional public district schools work for many students. Our system is designed for students on track for a four-year liberal arts college. Children from affluent and

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well-educated families enter that system with enormous advantages, and many thrive. But the system doesn’t work for everyone. Roughly half of New Hampshire students fail to reach proficiency in reading or math. Public charter schools are there to serve students who need a different path to a bright future. Students choose public charter schools because they are going ‘to’ something, or are moving ‘from’ something. When they go to something, it is because the want to pursue an interest, such as STEM, or the arts, or project-based learning. When they come from something, they are leaving an environment where they have not seen success, or they have been bullied. Families of means can make these choices any time they want. This grant was meant to give economically-disadvantaged students and at-risk students those same choices. New Hampshire has had great success with public charter schools, which can either be approved by local school districts or the State Board of Education. These innovate educational institutions are free from many of the bureaucratic restraints that stifle new approaches in traditional schools. Even though they receive roughly half the taxpayer support of traditional district schools and serve students who struggled in that traditional setting, New Hampshire public charter schools

consistently deliver higher academic results. Currently, more than 3,800 students attend public charter schools in New Hampshire, with a waiting list of more than 1,300. Children and parents across our state are clamoring for charter school options, but we lack the capacity, often because start-up costs are an insurmountable hurdle. That is why New Hampshire Department of Education sought and won the $46 million grant to expand public charter school options. Accepting the grant would not have created any new obligation on the state budget. Applicants would still need to gain approval from their local school board or the State Board. No schools would be able to open during the current biennium, so any impact on state spending would be taken up by the next Legislature in the next state budget. Expanding public charter schools would not be a threat to other public schools. Providing more choices enables more students to find the right schools for them. All schools, district, charter, private, and homeschooling, can provide paths to bright futures. We need to stop pitting schools against each other. This grant would have also allowed local school districts to open up islands of innovation within their walls. The Fiscal Committee’s vote puts the future of this grant in doubt. We will confer with W a s h - See EDELBLUT on 30

Our Story

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 over 20 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 30,000 copies of the Weirs Times every week to the Lakes Region/Concord/ Seacoast area and the mountains and have an estimated 66,000 people reading this newspaper. To find out how your business or service can benefit from advertising with us please call 1-888-308-8463.

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 26, 2019 —

Not So . . . o g A g N Lo

Exploring ThE lEgEnd & lorE of our graniTE STaTE May not be combined with other discounts. Expires 04/30/20

Big Boat Destroyed Eighty Years Ago

PEMI TREEWORKS LLC TREE REMOVAL - PRUNING - PLANTING - STUMP GRINDING 603-494-6395 • pemitreeworks.com

by Robert Hanaford Smith, Sr. Contributing Writer

The original Mount Washington lies in ruins at the Weirs the day after it was destroyed by fire on December 22, 1939.

o m S op u N e

Larger Store!

to the lake to pump water the firemen concentrated their efforts in watering down the boardwalk and spraying water on the Winnipesaukee Gardens. The fire disrupted a train’s progress as well as the automobile traffic. The milk train was travelling southbound when it was “flagged to a stop” by police Chief Hubbard. It was held there for about half an hour before being switched to another track “and allowed to chug slowly past.” Ten of the bobhouses which Albert Horne stored in the area of the fire were reportedly destroyed. As might be expected, the Grange meeting which was in progress was quickly adjourned, and the women went to work making coffee for

the fire-fighters. Jack Walker also sent coffee to the firemen. The Weirs firemen were unable to save the SteamSee SMITH on 24

ENTERTAIN THE COZY WAY!

MANY DINING TABLES IN STOCK TO CHOOSE FROM!

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keeping the fire of the burning boat and railroad station away from the Winnipesaukee Gardens and the campground. If the wind had been blowing from a different direction the fire could have easily spread and destroyed both of those establishments. A Waco sea plane owned by the Winnipesaukee Air SerO r been h had ewhich w Cvice pulled onto the dock was partially burned and suffered about $800 in damage according to the company’s manager, Floyd Miller. Firemen from the Weirs were assisted by those from Lakeport and Laconia. Only one piece of apparatus was left at the Lakeport and Laconia stations. Unable to get

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Cabin Rust ic s

The Steamer Mount Washington was destroyed by fire at the Weirs on the night of December 22, 1939. A newspaper article said that the fire was first noticed by a Miss Rintha Bryant who lived at Centenary Avenue at the Weirs. Miss Bryant, a stenographer at Chase and Veazey’s lumber company said she was startled to see flames licking the sides of the railroad station. The sky was lit up by the fire and the magnitude of the flames were so great that the light produced by the fire could be seen for miles around. The result was a gathering of people coming to the scene to watch the fire. The local newspaper reported that young folk from Lakeport were thumbing rides to the fire and the blowing sparks caused traffic tie-ups on the Weirs Boulevard and White Oaks roads. It was considered fortunate that the wind was blowing from the northwest

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 26, 2019 —

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DECEMBER

Tuesday 31st

Bob Marley Flying Monkey, Main Street, Plymouth. www.FlyingMonkeyNH.com or 5362551

Thursday 26th Thursday Specials

Night

Football

Patrick’s Pub& Eatery, 18 Weirs Road, Gilford. 8pm-11pm. Enjoy Thursday Night Football on one of 13 screens, and take $1 off Bud, Bud Light and Mich Ultra during the game! www. PatricksPub.com or 293-0841

Friday 27

Live Music with Matt Langley & Guest Patrick’s Pub& Eatery, 18 Weirs Road, Gilford. 7pm-10pm. www. PatricksPub.com or 293-0841 Fri. 27th – Tues. 31st

Beauty and the Beast – Live Performance Winn ipesaukee Playhouse, 33 Footlight Circle, Meredith. What happens when a French fable gets an American treatment in British comedy style? You get Beauty and the Beast, this season’s Panto at The Playhouse. The annual romp has taken audiences young and old to visit classic tales told with a twist and rousing music, as performed by a professional cast that often return from year to year to put the “merry” in Meredith! Audience participation is encouraged. Hiss the villain, cheer the hero and talk back to the Dame! Tickets are available at

www.WinnipesaukeePlayhouse. org or by calling 279-0333.

Saturday 28th Grateful Ball Flying Monkey, Main Street, Plymouth. www.FlyingMonkeyNH.com or 5362551

Live Music with Eric Grant Patrick’s Pub& Eatery, 18 Weirs Road, Gilford. 8pm-11pm. www. PatricksPub.com or 293-0841

Sunday 29

NFL Sunday - Specials Patrick’s Pub& Eatery, 18 Weirs Road, Gilford. 1pm-11pm. Enjoy Sunday Football on one of 13 screens, and take $1 off Bud, Bud Light and Mich Ultra during the game! www. PatricksPub.com or 293-0841

Monday 30th Team Trivia Patrick’s Pub& Eatery, 18 Weirs Road, Gilford. 7pm-9pm. www.PatricksPub.

Racky Thomas Blues Band – New Year’s Eve Gala

Pitman’s Freight Room, 94 New Salem Street, Laconia. 8pm. Tickets are $50pp. Pitman’s is a BYO venue. 527-0043

New Year’s Eve with DJ Kevin Patrick’s Pub& Eatery, 18 Weirs Road, Gilford. 8pm-12am. www. PatricksPub.com or 293-0841

Live Music with Justin Jaymes Patrick’s Pub& Eatery, 18 Weirs Road, Gilford. 8pm-11pm. www. PatricksPub.com or 293-0841

Sunday 5th NFL Sunday - Specials Patrick’s Pub& Eatery, 18 Weirs Road, Gilford. 1pm-11pm. Enjoy Sunday Football on one of 13 screens, and take $1 off Bud, Bud Light and Mich Ultra during the game! www. PatricksPub.com or 293-0841 Tuesday 7th

Center Harbor Soup Kitchen – Free Community Meal

JANUARY

Center Harbor Congregational Church, 52 Main Street, Center Harbor. 5pm – 6pm. Join ever y Tuesday night for an opportunity to meet new friends and families and enjoy a good meal together at no cost.

Wednesday 1st

Thursday 9th

First Day Franklin Town of Franklin. New Year’s Day, kayaks, and the rushing rapids of the Winnipesaukee River all converge in Franklin for what has become a tradition. Paddlers will take to the water between 10am and 1pm with novice and intermediate boaters paddling the “Upper” Winnipesaukee from Route 140 to the Train Station in Northfield. Advanced boaters will paddle the “Lower” Winnipesaukee from Cross Mill Road in Northfield to downtown Franklin, taking out at Trestle View Park. Each year more spectators gather to see the sight! Downtown businesses will be open for eating, drinking and shopping! Trestle View Park will feature a heated tent with coffee, cocoa, cider and chili.

www.ChooseFranklin.org

Live Music with Cody James Patrick’s Pub& Eatery, 18 Weirs Road, Gilford. 7pm-10pm. www. PatricksPub.com or 293-0841

Friday 3rd Live Music with Matt Langley & Guest Patrick’s Pub& Eatery, 18 Weirs Road, Gilford. 7pm-10pm. www. PatricksPub.com or 293-0841 Saturday 4th

Beginner Snowshoeing

P r e s c o t t Fa r m E nv i r o n m e n t a l Education Center, White Oaks Road, Laconia. 9am-11am. This is a perfect opportunity for adults who are new or returning to snowshoes and looking for a little guidance. Prescott Farm Educators will cover the basics of snowshoeing and take it slow. Call 366-5695 for more information.

Watercolor Classes – Eight-Week Course with Edna Greenfield

Lakes Region Art Association, Tanger Outlet Mall, Suite 132, 120 Laconia Road, Tilton. Class is limited to the first eight who register at the Gallery. This class is perfect for beginners, as well as a refresher for intermediate students. Edna will focus on ‘The Building Blocks of Watercolor’, a course to help with problem solving and inspire individual creativity. All classes will be held on Thursday’s from 1pm to 4pm. 254-8864

Thurs. 9th – Sun. 26th The Full Monty – Theatre Series Rochester Opera House, 31 Wakefield Street, Rochester. www. RochesterOperaHouse.com or 335-1992

Tuesday 14th Center Harbor Soup Kitchen – Free Community Meal

Wednesday 15th 4-Week Introduction to Curling for Adults Pop Whalen Ice and Arts Center, 390 Pine Hill Road, Wolfeboro. The session will continue 1/22, 1/29 and 2/5. Pre-registration is required a t www.WolfeboroNH/parksrecreation or call 569-5639

See EVENTS on 20

New Years’ Eve Party At Pitman’s Freight Room Tuesday, December 31, 2019 at 8pm with the Racky Thomas Blues Band The Racky Thomas Blues Band has been a torchbearer for the blues since its formation in 1995, when Racky Thomas collaborated with bassist Todd Carson, guitarist Nick Adams, and drummer Ted Larkin to make a demo cd, and do some gigs around the Boston area. Thomas has a vast repertoire of tunes – blues from world-class bluesmen, plantation gospel (the original blues), rocking electric blues, classic and obscure blues, and Racky Thomas blues! $50.00 Admission BYOB with a dance and delightful hors d’oeuvres buffet at Pitman’s Freight Room. Pitman’s Freight Room is located at 94 New Salem Street, Laconia. For tickets Call the box office at 603-527-0043.

“The Full Monty” At Rochester Opera House The Rochester Opera House is proud to present the raucous musical comedy The Full Monty, opening on Thursday, January 9th. Based on the cult hit film of the same name, The Full Monty, a ten-time Tony Award nominee, is filled with honest affection, engaging melodies, and the most highly anticipated closing number of any show. While spying on their wives at a “Girls’ Night Out,” a group of unemployed steelworkers from Buffalo sees how much they enjoy watching male strippers. Jealous, out of work and feeling emasculated, the men come up with a bold and unclothed way to make some quick cash. In preparing, they find themselves extremely exposed; not merely physically but emotionally. As they conquer their fears, self-consciousness and prejudices, the men come to discover that they’re stronger as a group, and the strength that they find in each other gives them the individual courage to “let it go.” The show opens on January 9th and runs until the 26th. Check the website for specific showtimes. Tickets range from $20-26. Reserve tickets online or call the box office (603) 3351992, M/W/F from 10-5pm and 2-hours before showtime.

David Hoisington speaks on Parkinson’s Disease Comfort Keepers and Downtown Gym Laconia are proud to present W. David Hoisington, Ph.D. also known as “Mr. C” a column writer for Parkinson’s News Today. Mr Hoisington will present on January 10, 2020 at 11:30am at the Downtown Gym, 171 Fair Street in Laconia. The topic will be the stages on Parkinson’s Disease. W. David Hoisington was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2014 as a result of Agent Orange exposure during his military service in Vietnam. From this perspective he has drawn on his personal experience with the disease, as well as his education and training as a rehabilitation specialist. Currently he writes a weekly column for BioNews Today website (https://bionewsservices. com/) and has reached out to thousands of patients worldwide.

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List your community events FREE

online at www.weirs.com, email to info@weirs.com or mail to PO Box 5458, Weirs, NH 03247

Order online at www.BrendanTSmith.com

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 26, 2019 —

F O O L NEW HAMPSHIRE A

in brendan@weirs.com

Newest Release By Brendan Smith

Live Free or Die.

*A FLATLANDER’S OBSERVATIONS ON LIFE

Before and After It has been hard to figure out what to write for this week’s column. This paper will hit the streets just before Christmas in some places by Brendan Smith and after in othWeirs Times Editor ers. So, some of you may have picked up this paper just as the freshness of the anticipation of Christmas is growing to a fever pitch while others will be picking it up a day or two after event is over, hungover from all the festivities and facing the aftermath. So, in fairness to all of my readers, I will write this column with a before and after approach. If you are picking it up on Monday or Tuesday, you can read the regular text. If you are a Thursday or later in the weekend reader, you are to read the italicized version. I love the few days before Christmas. The tree is all decorated. Lovingly cared for, keeping it replenished with new water every day and pine needles cleaned up. All is worth it as family and friends gather about, the lights and tinsel sparkling and the soft sounds of Christmas Carols in the background. The Christmas tree, lovingly cared for over the past couple of weeks to keep it looking great for the big day, will now be left on its own, begging for thirst and a little attention as it awaits its fate. Carrying it outside, cursing the pine needles that are now everywhere from the living room, to the den and the kitchen. You finally get it outside. Maybe tossed into the woods in your backyard or heaved onto a pile at the brush dump, the harsh noise of wood chippers taking care of business. It is such a pleasure to have Christmas Songs playing on the radio. Every morning when I get in my car to drive to work, or later

in the day drive to the store to do some Christmas shopping, the beautiful songs of the holiday fill me with joy and happiness and make me realize what this time is really all about. I turned on the radio this morning and the first thing I hear is, yes, another droning political ad by some candidate who promises that he/she will save the country from something or other. I can’t believe I’m saying it, but I really miss those Christmas songs. Family members, some of who you haven’t seen in a year, arrive at your house, arms full of presents. You welcome them with open arms as well as with a Christmas Eve and Christmas Day meal you have been preparing for weeks. The guest rooms have been tidied with fresh sheets and scented candles. Everyone arrives safely and it is a wonderful Christmas experience. Okay, so when in the heck is Aunt Clara going to finally leave? It’s now the 27th of December and there is no sign of her going anywhere. There are only so many more meals I can make out of the few leftovers we have and we will soon be going to the peanut butter. Have you seen her room? She really is a slob and that scented candle certainly can’t keep up. By the way, your cousin Andy called. He’s stuck on the Interstate with a flat tire and he wants you to go and pick him up. Yes, it is a lot of work to wrap all of those gifts, but they look so good under the tree and it really is worth it as you watch everyone, young and old alike, as they unwrap the gifts that you also spent so much time shopping for. Trying to find that perfect present for each and everyone. Yeah, I know there’s a lot of garbage. Four of those bags are full of wrapping paper alone. Will you please take care of it while I am at the store? I’ve got to return Johnny’s sweater, it’s the wrong size and Aunt Clara told me she’s already

got a set of those wine glasses. I’ve got to exchange them or we will never get her out of here. There’s a knock on the door and you go to answer it with great expectation. Of course, it’s the neighborhood carolers. You gather the family around to hear them sing “Silent Night”. You invite them in for a cup of hot cocoa and some good cheer. “Honey, Mister White is at the door. He’s pretty upset. It seems Rover ripped apart his garbage and there is shredded wrapping paper all over his yard. I told you to get rid of that yesterday, but do you listen? Please take care of it. Whatever you do, don’t invite him in for coffee, he gives me the creeps.” You have to admit that the stores, filled with last minute shoppers, really you a great feeling. All the decorations, the Christmas music playing and everyone really in a festive mood. You wouldn’t believe the store, it was a madhouse. It seemed like everyone was in there returning something and was trying to be first. Talk about rude, And, can you believe it? They are already putting out the Valentine’s Day stuff. I love to get dressed up for church on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. Glad we got here a little early, it’s pretty full and there are hardly any seats left. Nice to see everyone here with their families. Makes me remember what this whole day is really about. Yeah, I know it’s the Sunday after Christmas but I really don’t have time to bother with going to church. It’s my only day off and I have far too many other important things to get done. Okay, maybe I’ll be there but I might be a little late. Shouldn’t matter though, there are always plenty of seats. Merry Christmas Happy New Year!!

“The Best of a F.O.O.L.* In New Hampshire”

*Flatlander’s Observations On Life

With over 40 of the best of Brendan’s weekly columns he covers everything from politics to health to technology to shopping and more. This is the perfect sampling of his unique humor which has been entertaining readers of The Weirs Times and Cocheco Times for twenty years. Order 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.) Send checks or money orders for $16.99 to Brendan Smith and mail to: Best of a F.O.O.L., c/o The Weirs Times, PO Box 5458, Weirs, NH 03247. Order online at www.BrendanTSmith.com (Pickup autographed copies at the Weirs Times)

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 26, 2019 —

Out of the Shadows... And Into The Voting Booth?

My teenage son is a law-abiding American citizen. To obtain his driver’s permit this year, he brought his birth certificate, Social Security card, passport and verification that he completed an approved driver’s school course. It took a half-dozen trips back and forth between various government agencies to clear all the paperwork hurdles. by Michelle Malkin Every American citizen who has naviSyndicated Columnist gated such bureaucratic hurdles at a local Department of Motor Vehicles should be outraged at the open borders spectacles in New Jersey and New York this week. With the impeachment charade absorbing all the national media’s oxygen, however, you probably didn’t see more than a 10-second blip of these alarming developments on TV. Newsflash: America first nationalism is not winning. Hundreds of illegal immigrants and advocates took to the streets and marched on the statehouse in Trenton, New Jersey, demanding driver’s licenses without having to produce any citizenship papers. Both the New Jersey Assembly and the Senate approved the measure on Monday while defiant, entitled protesters screamed “Si, se pudo!” (Yes, we can!) and “Licencias, ya!” (Licenses now!). Identity thieves, drug cartels and human traffickers are also cheering “Yes, we can!” In New York, thousands of illegal immigrants similarly flooded DMVs statewide to take advantage of the new “Green Light” law, which allows them to obtain licenses by simply presenting foreign consular IDs. The Mexican matricula consular card, as I’ve long reported, is a notoriously fraud-prone document with little to no authentication procedures to verify identity. Meddling Mexican officials hand out matricula cards like Pez candy. They are intentionally designed as get-out-ofdeportation cards and gateways to opening bank accounts in America. Instead of a Social Security card, which American citizens have to present, illegal immigrants can just write up an affidavit stating that they don’t have a Social Security card. If my son had presented such a letter at our Colorado DMV (which also issues driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants), he would have been laughed out of the office. So, where’s ICE? Remember: New Jersey and New York are sanctuary jurisdictions that brazenly harbor and shelter illegal immigrants. The Green See MALKIN on 26

The Right to Destroy Cities This week, the Supreme Court effectively mandated continued legal tolerance for homelessness across major cities on the West Coast of the United States. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reby Ben Shapiro cently ruled that AmeriSyndicated Columnist cans have a right to sleep on the streets, and that it amounts to “cruel and unusual punishment” under the Constitution to levy fines based on such behavior. That court -- a repository of stupidity and radicalism, the Mos Eisley of our nation’s federal bench -- decided that writing a $25 ticket to people “camping” on the sidewalk is precisely the sort of brutality the Founding Fathers sought to prohibit in stopping torture under the Eighth Amendment. That ruling was so patently insane that even liberal politicians such as Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas joined the appeal attempt. “Letting the current law stand handicaps cities and counties from acting nimbly to aid those perishing on the streets, exacerbating unsafe and unhealthy conditions that negatively affect our most vulnerable residents,” he explained. But the 9th Circuit ruling will stand. That ruling followed a separate 2006 ruling from the same court, which found that cities could not ban people from sleeping in public places. In this case, Judge Marsha Berzon, in language so twisted it would make yoga pioneer Bikram Choudhury jealous, wrote that “the state may not criminalize the state of being ‘homeless in public places’” and thus could not criminalize the “consequence” of being homeless. It is worth noting that being homeless is not a “state” of being. It is not an immutable characteristic. It is an activity and can certainly be regulated. That doesn’t mean the best solution is prosecution of those living on the street -- a huge swath of homeless people are mentally ill or addicted to drugs

and would benefit from better laws concerning involuntary commitment or mandatory drug rehabilitation. But to suggest that cities cannot do anything to effectively police those sleeping on the streets is to damn those cities to the spread of disease, the degradation of public spaces and an increase in street crime. Hilariously, Berzon contended that this 9th Circuit ruling would not mandate cities to provide full housing to the homeless; it would just prohibit them from moving or arresting the homeless for living on the streets. Which is somewhat like Tom Hagen telling Jack Woltz that while he doesn’t have to cast Johnny Fontane in his new war film, he can’t stop the Corleones from rearranging the family stable. But here’s the problem: Cities that have attempted to provide increased housing for the homeless, despite some early successes, have seen their problems return. Cities like Seattle and Los Angeles have attempted to build new housing. It’s been an expensive failure. It turns out that the carrot of housing must be accompanied by the stick of law enforcement. If you cannot compel drug addicts to enter treatment, or paranoid schizophrenics to take their medication, or those who refuse to live indoors to do so, homelessness will not abate. As it is, the Supreme Court has damned America’s major cities to the continuation of the festering problem of homelessness. And that problem won’t be solved by judges who attempt to force social policy through deliberately misreading the Constitution, or who believe they are championing “freedom” for tens of thousands of Americans who are seriously mentally ill or addicted to drugs. Ben Shapiro, 35, is a graduate of UCLA and Harvard Law School, host of “The Ben Shapiro Show” and editor-in-chief of DailyWire.com. He is the author of the No. 1 New York Times bestseller “The Right Side of History.” He lives with his wife and two children in Los Angeles.

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 26, 2019 —

Sen. Rand Paul just wrote a book, “The Case Against Socialism.” I thought that case was already decided, since socialist countries failed so spectacby John Stossel ularly. Syndicated Columnist But the idea hasn’t died, especially amongst the young. “Hitler’s socialism, Stalin’s socialism, Mao’s socialism. You would think people would have recognized it by now,” says Paul in my latest video.

The Case Against Socialism Paul echoes Orwell in likening socialism to “a boot stamping on the human face forever” and warning that it always leads to violence and corruption. “You would think that when your economy gets to the point where people are eating their pets,” says Paul, contemplating the quick descent of once-rich Venezuela, “people might have second thoughts about what system they’ve chosen.” That’s a reference to the fact that Venezuelans have lost weight because food is so hard to find. “Contrast that with (the country’s) ‘Dear Leader’ Maduro, who’s probably gained 50 pounds,” Paul

observes. “It really sums up socialism. There’s still a well-fed top 1%; they just happen to be the government or cronies or friends of the government.” Naturally, American socialists say our socialism will be different. “When I talk about democratic socialism,” says Sen. Bernie Sanders, “I’m not looking at Venezuela. I’m not looking at Cuba. I’m looking at countries like Denmark and Sweden.” Paul responds, “They all wind up saying, ‘The kinder, gentler socialism that we want is Scandinavia ... democratic socialism.’ So we do a big chunk of the book about Scan-

Homeless Encampments

The Supreme Court just ensured that the nation’s homelessness crisis will continue. The court declined to take by Rich Lowry up an appeal of Syndicated Columnist a ruling by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, covering the western United States, that homeless encampments are a de facto constitutional right. In the case, stemming from a Boise, Idaho, ordinance, the 9th Circuit maintained that enforcing a prohibition against camping in public places is a violation of the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. A quick reminder. The Eighth Amendment says, “Excessive bail

shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishment inflicted.” It was adopted out of fear that Congress might, as Abraham Holmes put it, mimic the sorry experience of “that diabolical institution, the Inquisition,” or in the words of Patrick Henry, “introduce the practice of France, Spain, and Germany of torturing, to extort a confession of the crime.” It’s a long way down from these fears to the city of Boise trying to keep the homeless from creating public nuisances and dangers. What cruel and unusual punishments were the plaintiffs found guilty of violating Boise’s camping and disorderly conduct ordinances subjected to? Tarring and feathering? The rack? No, they were all sentenced to time served, with the exception of one of them who was

and the

dinavia.” Paul’s book is different from other politicians’ books. Instead of repeating platitudes, he and his co-author did actual research, concluding, “It’s not true that the Scandinavian countries are socialist.” Scandinavia did try socialist policies years ago but then turned away from socialism. They privatized industries and repealed regulations. Denmark’s prime minister even came to America and refuted Sanders’ claims, pointing out that “Denmark is far from a socialist planned See STOSSEL on 30

Constitution

twice sentenced to one additional day in jail. One of the plaintiffs who pled guilty paid a $25 fine. Nonetheless, the 9th Circuit somehow invented constitutional warrant to declare Boise guilty of a grievous violation of the Bill of Rights. According to the 9th Circuit, such encampment laws now can’t be enforced so long as there are more homeless people than practically available shelter beds in any jurisdiction. The ruling was a body blow to localities in the West where homelessness has been exploding. It’s not as though these places are heartless. Cities have been devoting significant resources to shelter and trying other tacks, including regional cooperation to homeless outreach teams. Since the basis of the 9th Circuit’s decision is that sleeping is a

basic human need, it puts at risk other commonsense statutes. It is also a basic human need to defecate and urinate. A drug addict feels a need to use drugs. When will the 9th Circuit, or some other adventurous court, find Eighth Amendment protection for these? There is an obvious public interest in tearing down encampments and keeping them from springing up. They are dens of public health risks, drug abuse and crime that significantly degrade the quality of life. When Orange County, Calif., cleared out a big encampment last year, it found more than 13,000 needles, 5,000 pounds of waste -including human waste -- and 400 tons of debris. Workers at City Hall in Los Angeles have been exposed to trash and bodiSee LOWRY on 30

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 26, 2019 —

How to Lose Weight “HealtH care for tHe wHole family”

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Losing weight has been a topic in the health industry for decades. It is no surprise that people are very confused with conflicting ideas and opinions on how exactly to lose weight. I will give you the guiding scientific principle that is fool proof to lose weight. No fad diets, no juice cleanses, and no fat

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loss pills needed. There is but one simple guideline to follow when losing weight, it is calories in to calories out. That is the only way that humans are able to lose weight naturally. Creating a caloric deficit forces our body to utilize fat stores to make up for that deficit we created. I will give you one other guiding principle to use in your quest to lose weight “matter cannot be created nor destroyed, it can only be changed from one

form to another”. In simple terms, the fat on our body does not get there magically. It takes extra calories to create extra matter on our body. The only way to get rid of it is by changing fats matter to water and CO2. Yes, when we burn fat it changes to water and CO2 and we breathe it out. All it takes to do this is by eating fewer calories or by expending more energy, to create a caloric deficit. Going into the new decade of 2020 many

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people will follow a specific diet to try and lose weight. The best advice that I can give as a personal trainer is that whatever diet helps you reach a caloric deficit is going to be your best bet. People may find that a ketogenic diet helped them lose weight and it made them feel better. Everyone is an individual that has a different needs and diet restrictions that works for them. However, I am not a registered nutritionist. If you are seeking for a nutrition plan, or need a diet that better suits your needs I suggest you seek out a registered nutritionist to help you achieve your goals further. What can also help you achieve a caloric deficit and weight loss, is greater energy expenditure throughout the day. Physical exercise is a great way to help increase muscle and lean body mass to get the ‘toned’ look that most people desire. To help reach your goals See BARTLETT on 27

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 26, 2019 —

by Dr. Graham Moneysmith, DC. Contributing Writer

2020 is on the horizon. If you had asked me in 2000, I would have thought 2020 would have been way more futuristic. I mean, flying cars at a minimum. Alas, Elon Musk hasn’t hooked us up yet. So while 2020 hasn’t brought us flying cars, it is a new year and with the new year comes resolutions. Unfortunately, most of us fail at them, pretty spectacularly. Not in the epic, blaze of glory sense, but more like a dud firecracker. We’ve all been there. We set up the resolution. We plan and envision it. Yet, halfway through January or so it has collapsed around us. Or worse, we failed to even start. I believe this happens because when we think of our resolutions, we think of massive goals that tend to be abstract (like “get healthy”) and don’t come prepared with any specific action steps. This makes our goals feel like this great big huge task and it really starts to feel like an impossibility. Overwhelming, in fact. This becomes such a discouraging process that many people don’t even make resolutions anymore. Further, we

often give up on more than our resolutions, we give up on ourselves. I can totally understand why a person might feel that way but to give up on trying to improve our lives, doesn’t seem to be the answer either! Instead of hating resolutions and being the “I don’t make resolutions” person or “I’m just gonna fail, anyway” person, maybe this is the year to turn over a new leaf. 2020 can be a blank slate. And truly, you can choose any moment for a fresh start, but it just so happens that the New Year is upon us and there is no time like the present to get after your goals. So with that mind, here are some tips to help you along from the American Psychological Association: 1) Start Small: this seems obvious, but it’s not. When we make a resolution we usually

choose things like lose 50 pounds, go to the gym daily, and never eat sugar/carbs/dairy/ etc ever again. Read that again, do those statements sound realistic and maintainable? Of course not! Instead, maybe some goals like lose 5-10 pounds, work out 2-4 times per week, or replacing dessert with fruit are significantly more doable and much more easily managed. This is increases your chance of success and will help you begin to build healthy habits. 2) Change one behavior at a time: so in point #1 we listed three behavioral changes. All are good and all will improve your health. But taking on all three at once could prove overwhelming. Simply choose one. One behavior, one change, and this will become one success. This will help you build positive momentum.

3 Don’t beat yourself up: newsflash, you’re going to fail. This is ok. We don’t need to live in a all or nothing mindset. Do your best, work towards your goal, and if you slip up.... so what. Start again. Start again, each time and you will make it eventually. 4) Ask for support: we all know there is power in numbers. Tell your friends and family your goal. This will help keep you accountable, but may also help inspire those around you to go for their goals too. In the end the goals can involve things such as finances, mental peace, spiritual health, or whatever else you can imagine. I want to challenge you to sit down today and write a list of goals. Sleep on it. Now choose the

one you will focus on. Don’t overthink this. Pick one and go for it. Fulfill this plan and have, perhaps, your

best year ever. Then next year you won’t have to make resolutions, you’ll be too busy enjoying results.

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 26, 2019 —

Are Your Lungs Trying to Tell You Something?

(Family Features) Do you get short of breath doing daily activities? Feel like you’re unable to take deep breaths? Are you constantly coughing or wheezing? If you said yes to any of these questions, you may be experiencing symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a serious, potentially devastating lung disease also known as chronic bronchitis or emphysema. Though it’s easy to think of these symptoms as just part of “getting older’’ or as problems that come with aller-

gies, often they are not. Nearly 16 million people in the United States are currently living with a COPD diagnosis, and millions more don’t know they have it. COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States and a leading cause of disability. In people with COPD, the airways that carry air in and out of the lungs become partially blocked, which makes it increasingly difficult to breathe. If left undetected, the disease can greatly affect your quality of life and your ability

to complete even ordinary daily activities. COPD often occurs in people who have a history of smoking or long-term exposure to secondhand smoke and other lung irritants, such as air pollution, chemical fumes, and dusts from the environment or workplace. The chances of getting COPD also increases significantly in people who have alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, a rare genetic condition. While COPD develops slowly and worsens over time, its symptoms can See LUNGS on 27

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 26, 2019 —

Local Resident Returns to Wright Museum as Intern Having visited Wright Museum on many occasions while a student at Kingswood Regional High School in Wolfeboro before graduating in 2018, Kasey Birth

jumped at the chance to return as a college intern. “I was attracted to working at the Wright Museum because I specifically love World War II history and the

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Kasey Birth helps to catalog WWII uniforms at the Wright Museum in Wolfeboro with the museum’s curator, Justin Gamache. Kasey was a student at Kingswood Regional High School and now attends UNH with a major in history.

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plans to attend law school there, Birth said she is thrilled to be at the Wright Museum. An intern since September, Birth said a lot of her work has consisted in shadowing Curator Justin Gamache. “I’ve also helped take down exhibits, look through artifacts, put artifacts from exhibits away and catalog artifacts,” she said. “Justin has been teaching me about how he creates digital exhibits as well.” An intern himself at Wright Museum before becoming Curator in 2018, Gamache said it has been fun to work with Birth. “It’s great to be on the other side of the intern/employee partnership,” he said. “This is a great place for college students to learn not just about

museums, but nonprofits and how businesses operate in general.” Citing “a kind and helpful” staff of employees and volunteers, Birth said she will “definitely continue on” at the museum throughout her winter break in January. “I would enjoy continuing to work there over the summer if they’ll have me,” she said. As the region’s leading resource for educators and learners of all ages on World War II, Wright Museum will reopen in May of 2020, although school tours can be arranged from January-April. For more information about the Wright Museum, or to schedule a school tour, visit wrightmuseum.org, or call 603-569-1212.

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 26, 2019 —

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Ragged Mountain Resort December has been a fun month for skiers and snowboarders. We’ve had some good snowstorms and plenty of cold nights and even when Heat Miser showed up and delivered some liquid pre-snow weeks ago Cold Miser didn’t let him hang around. I am happy it is white outside. Ragged Mountain in Danbury, NH has been open since the last weekend of November and has been blowing snow and grooming and opening more trails each week. Their website has information about the mountain and a good snow report. Their Slope Report includes snow conditions, weather, where they’re snowmaking, events and the status of every trail. I learned what was up before I arrived. I booted up in the lodge and then I picked up my ticket, an RFID card, at the ticket office that is located between the two lodges. Buy lift tickets on-line (raggedmountainresort.com) and save some serious jingle. The resort uses RFID cards and there is a one time charge of five dollars for the card but from then on you can reload it and then just go straight to the lift. I slid the card into the little pocket in the left forearm of my jacket but it will work

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Ragged Mountain’s Wild Side Trail is covered with snow and ready for you! There is a good view of nearby Mount Cardigan and on clear days the vista can reach far north into the White Mountains. A high-speed 6-pack chairlift serves the Ragged’s main peak and has a vertical drop of 1,250 feet. There is terrain for all abilities including the Barnyard Triple and the Meadows Carpet--a dedicated beginner area. fine to put it in any pocket on your left side. I grabbed my skis and clicked into my bindings and skated over to the high-speed 6-Pack Summit Express chairlift line. I wasn’t first in line, actually no where near the front this time but that was okay the line moved quickly. “Diddle Doo” the gate sang every time I entered; letting me know that the gate had read my card and had opened for me. The lift line attendants

did a good job of organizing people through the gate to make sure that each chair was filled with six people. The ride up was fast and on the summit I chose to go down Blueberry Patch first, the easiest way off the summit. The groomed granular snow felt good under my skis. I cruised down the trail and connected to Lower Ridge. I didn’t notice any wind on the lift but a gust blew up the hill and it felt like it actually slowed me down. It was breezy

and cold as predicted but nothing near what some of the mountains further north were experiencing (Wildcat chose to close that day because of the wind). There was a high school race being held on the lower part of the big wide trail Main Street. I thought about how unlucky a racer would be if on the course when one of the occasional gusts blew up the hill and slowed that racer’s speed. It happens. I skied all the trails See PATENAUDE on 25

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 26, 2019 —

Franklin Open For Business & Kayaks on First Day

New Year’s Day, kayaks, and the rushing rapids of the Winnipesaukee River all converge in Franklin for what has become a tradition, First Day Franklin. Wednesday, January 1st, 2020 marks the 40th anniversary of kayakers splashing and slicing through snow and ice-filled class IV rapids to usher in a new year. Each year more spectators gather to see the sight. Downtown businesses will be open for eating, drinking, and shopping. Paddlers will take to the water between 10am. and 1pm with novice and intermediate boaters paddling the “Upper” Winnipesaukee from Route 140 to the Train Station in Northfield. Advanced boaters will paddle the “Lower” Winnipesaukee from Cross Mill Road in Northfield to downtown Franklin taking out at Trestle View Park. Choose Franklin invites all businesses, organizations and groups to be a part of the festivities. Be a part of the festivities, inform

viewing at Trestle View Park, which is the take out point for paddlers on the lower section of the river. The park will feature a heated tent provided by Choose Franklin, with coffee, cocoa, cider, chili and “Hoppin’ John” from many local organizations, along with information about the wealth of activities being put on by those organizations this winter. Spectators can walk, snowshoe or ski to viewing areas on the Winnipesaukee River Trail to watch paddlers coming down the class III and IV rapids. Choose Franklin is the main sponsor of

spectators of your winter activities, and help welcome the Merrimack Valley Paddlers and Friends of the Winnipesaukee River as they paddle down the river in Franklin, Northfield and Tilton. Spectators are encouraged to attend, with best

WHAT’S ON TAP IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD?? A listing of some of the area’s beercentric watering holes where you can find old favorites on tap as well as some cutting edge seasonals.

ACKERLY’S JOHNSON’S GRILL & GALLEY TAPHOUSE 83 Main Street, Alton 603.875.3383 Akerlysgrillandgalleyrestaurant.com 603 - Winni Amber Ale Tuckerman - Pale Ale Smuttynose - Mysterious Haze Moat Mountain - Square Tail Stout Lone Pine - IPA

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First Day Franklin. Franklin Fire Department, Franklin Parks & Recreation, Aubuchon Hardware and Franklin Storage Company provide supplies, tables, heat and electricity for the event tent. For more information, to reserve a table for your organization, to volunteer to help with the tent or refreshments, to be a sponsoring partner, or be involved in any way, please contact: Dan Darling of Heartstring Media by phone at (603) 380-0246, or by email: dan@heartstringmedia. com.

At Hart’s Turkey Farm Restaurant 233 D.W. Hwy, Meredith 603.279.6212 hartsturkeyfarm.com Allagash White Tuckerman - Pale Ale 603 Winni Amber Stoneface IPA Moat - Miss Vs Blueberry Henniker - Working/Porter ...+6 More On Tap

D.A. LONG TAVERN

At Johnson’s Seafood & Steak 69 Rt 11, New Durham 603.859.7500 eatatjohnsons.com/ newdurham Bent Water- Sluice Juice SoMe- Whoopie Pie Stout Two Roads- Two Juicy Allagash- Farm to Face Maine Beer Co. - Dinner Muddy Road- Porter the Merrier ...+30 More On Tap

PATRICK’S PUB 18 Weirs Rd., Gilford 603.293.0841 / Patrickspub.com 603 - Winni Amber Ale Woodstock - Autumn Brew Tuckerman - Pale Ale Sam Adams - NE IPA Patrick’s Slainte’ Ale Switchback Ale ...+8 More On Tap

THE UNION DINER

At Funspot Family 1331 Union Ave., Entertainment Ctr. Laconia 603.524.6744 579 Endicott St N., theuniondiner.com Weirs 603.366.4377 Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale funspotnh.com Wormtown - Blizzard of ‘78 Rockingham - Winter Hobbs - Saint Benefitta Wonderham Litherman’s - Misguided Cigar City - Marshal Zhukov Angel Dogfish - Hazy Ripple Moat Mountain - Helles Wormtown - Mass Whole Henniker - Hugs From Pat Earth Eagle - Quiet Spirit Single Cut - Desert! ...+6 More On Tap ** Tap listings subject to change! 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

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 26, 2019 —

Wicked BREW Review

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Marshal Zhukov’s RIS World War II saw men of courage become great leaders. If we think back to a few of these, the list surely would include Genby Jim MacMillan e r a l D o u g las MacArContributing Writer thur, Winston Churchill, George Patton, Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower. These combined men helped the U.S. to win the war. Other countries had their share of great leaders too. Russian-born Georgy Zhukov became Marshal (highest leadership rank) and led the Red Army to victory over Nazi Germany. And why the interest in these old guys? Well it happens that our focus beer this week bears the name of the Russian leader; rightly fitting for a Russian Imperial Stout (RIS). So today we turn our sights on Cigar City Brewing. Cigar City Brewing of Tampa Bay, Florida, has a rich background of flavor. It was 2007 when Joey Redner decided to take his home brewing brilliance public and began what is now Cigar City. In 2009, production began in what is now a 60,000 barrel a year brew house. Their aggressive style of marketing and an eye for growth brought them to the bargaining table in March of 2016 to be be bought by Oskar Blues Brewery so that nation-wide distribution could be made possible. Because the two breweries had similar mindsets to brewing, the deal was perfect. Today, we in New Hampshire can enjoy the fruits of their labors and helping make a growing fan-base for an important entry into flavorful craft beer. Find out more on

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D.A. LONG TAVERN their website, cigarcitybrewing.com. As you probably have guessed by now, I am quite fond of stouts, big ones. There’s just more flavor, more mouthfeel, and generally their more boozy nature either due to %ABV, bourbon-barrel aging or both. Winter is the time to enjoy these gems too. Worry about the extra ounces or pounds you gained from these in the spring. Russian Imperial Stouts are on top of the “gimme that beer!” list. Marshal Z is big; 11.8%. But that is the style of RIS. Cigar City dedicated this RIS to Marshal Zhukov’s fine leadership during WWII. It is opaque black with a medium mocha head with lots of expresso, toffee and chocolate notes. You might even notice a slight bit of molasses in there. Taste fol-

lows dramatically with tons of roasty coffee and a dry finish courtesy of English hops and fairly thick mouthfeel. Make sure you have it in a snifter glass to realize all that goodness. Really a great beer served with good food. BeerAdvocate.com has officially rated this beer ‘World Class’ and awarding a 97 out of 100. Almost all of the BA contributors judged this one in the 4.35 and above scoring with lots of excitement. Find your 22 oz bottle at Case-n-Keg, Meredith as well as other fine beer providers. Since they have a huge following, I’m sure you will find this Cigar City RIS on your beer shopping list very soon. Cheers and Merry Christmas!

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 26, 2019 —

BIRDS For The

New England’s Wild Birds & Their Habitats

by Chris Bosak Contributing Writer

The birding had been slow — not dreadfully slow, but slower than usual, for sure — when we rolled up beside some evergreens in a front yard. We noted a flurry of activity (finally) and stopped for a closer inspection. A half-dozen juncos flitted close to the ground, flashing their white-edged tails. Suddenly, a yellow bird flew from one tree to another. Any yellow bird that is not a goldfinch is cause for “ID at all costs” during a Christmas Bird Count. Not that goldfinches aren’t welcomed species, but they are rather expected to be seen in New England in December. Other yellow birds, not so much. It landed just long enough for us to get a decent look and for Frank to get a few good-enough photographs. It was a warbler, for sure. We immediately thought orange-crowned warbler as they are the warblers most often seen during a New England Christmas Bird Count. Frank inspected the photos on his camera — something that wouldn’t have been possible 20 or 25 years ago — and determined it was a Nashville warbler instead. In the flurry, we also noted a ruby-crowned kinglet scurry from one bush to another. All the while, a Caro-

Loons in non-breeding plumage may be found on Long Island Sound during CHRIS BOSAK PHOTO the winter months. lina wren belted out a song from a telephone wire across the street. As a birdwatcher, you love those flurries. You really love them during a Christmas Bird Count. Frank and I cover a coastal area of Connecticut and have done so for going on 20 years. For that area, we finished the Count with 52 species and close to 2,000 birds. Not bad, not great. We’ve had better years, to be honest. The Christmas Bird Count is an annual citizen science project that has grown from 27 participants in the inaugural Count in 1900 to now more than 75,000 participants each year. Keene was one of the original 25

Count areas. The data is used by ornithologists and other scientists to track long-term trends of bird populations. Yes, it’s scientific and for a great cause. But, really, most people do it because it’s great fun. It’s an excuse to take a December day and watch birds from sunrise to sunset (even longer for the owlers.) It does, however, become a responsibility for participants. You don’t want to miss a day and let down the birds or your fellow birders. Weather plays a big role in the amount of fun you have. Here in New England, a midDecember day can be 50 degrees or zero degrees. It can be sunny,

cloudy, rainy, snowy, or any combination thereof. I’ve done Counts in blizzards and I’ve done Counts when it feels like early September. This year’s Count was cloudy, cold, and breezy. I’ll take it. It could have been a lot worse. The breeziness may have kept some birds hunkered down, but I don’t think the lack of birds we saw was due to the weather, except for the freshwater ponds. We visited a few ponds that had been frozen a few days prior to the Count so most ducks flew off for open water. We did see a lot of gadwall, a few ringnecked ducks and hooded mergansers, See BOSAK on 30

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 26, 2019 —

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by Mike Moffett Contributing Writer

SIGNAL STEALING? N E W S I T E M —The Houston Astros allegedly stole baseball signals electronically en route to their 2017 World Series victory. To yet again paraphrase Captain Renault from Casablanca: “I’m shocked. Shocked to find out that there’s been sign stealing in baseball!” There are a several issues here that bear comment. First, it appears that the Astros likely did cheat. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred launched an extensive investigation that will probably document how the Astros stole signs via a centerfield camera in Minute Maid Park. Batters were then signaled by a bang on a dugout trash can if a fastball was coming. Baseball has rules prohibiting this type of thing. So if the Astros broke the rules they should suffer consequences. After all, think of all the proverbial youngsters “watching at home.” Do we want them to think that cheating is OK? Second, baseball has a long tradition of sign stealing, going back to when runners on second base would see

Closing at 3 PM on Christmas Eve & at 3PM on New Year’s Eve Route 25, Meredith, NH 279-3915 • www.moultonfarm.com

Did Bobby Thompson’s 1951 New York Giants cheat their way to the National League pennant?” catcher signs and then signal batters as to what was coming. This necessitated catchers making their signals more complex. It’s part of the game. One of the biggest stories in baseball history was how the 1951 Giants came from 13 games behind the Dodgers to win a pennant after Bobby Thompson’s famous ninth inning playoff game home run. Decades later it came out that the Giants were stealing signs from centerfield, not unlike how the Astros are alleged to have done. This may have slightly tarnished that Giant pennant but, well, that’s baseball. Have you ever noticed how players and managers cover their faces during conferences on the pitching mound? That’s because lip readers were

once employed to “gather intelligence.” Likewise for NFL coaches on the sidelines covering their mouths as they speak into their head sets. In fact, Little Leaguers now cover their faces with gloves when speaking on the field, as they emulate the big leaguers, even though most Little League teams presumably don’t employ lipreaders. Trying to figure out what opponents are up to is part of the game. And third, it’s probably time to just simply do away with arcane, unenforceable rules such as the ones prohibiting sign stealing. Laws or rules that are unenforceable or that don’t make sense foster a lack of respect for said laws and rules. Remember when the speed limit was 55

mph? Virtually everyone was guilty of exceeding that speed limit, resulting in a cynical lack of respect for that law, which was eventually changed. Four cars once famously aligned themselves side-by-side on a four-lane freeway, each going exactly 55 miles per hour—the posted speed. No one could pass them and traffic backed way up. The four drivers subsequently got in trouble FOR FOLLOWING THE LAW! So change the baseball rule. Allow signstealing. Sports Quiz Who was the Dodger pitcher who surrendered that 1951 home run to Bobby Thompson—the “shot heard round the world?” (Answer follows) See MOFFETT on 30

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 26, 2019 —

OUT on the TOWN Great Food, Libations & Good Times!

EVENTS from 4

Friday 17th

Recycled Percussion F l y i n g M o n k e y, M a i n Street, Plymouth. www. FlyingMonkeyNH.com or 536-2551

Saturday 18

Recycled Percussion

F l y i n g M o n k e y, M a i n S t r e e t , P l y m o u t h . www. FlyingMonkeyNH.com or 536-2551

Tuesday 21

Center Harbor Soup Kitchen – Free Community

HOLIDAY GIFT CARDS!

Meal

Center Harbor Congregational Church, 52 Main Street, Center Harbor. 5pm – 6pm. Join every Tuesday night for an opportunity to meet new friends and families and enjoy a good meal together at no cost.

Friday 24th Denny Laine & the Moody Wings Band F l y i n g M o n k e y, M a i n Street, Plymouth. www. FlyingMonkeyNH.com or 536-2551

Saturday 25th “The Finest Szechuan and Mandarin Cuisine in the Lakes Region”

Special Gluten Free Items Celebrating 20 YEARS & Vegetarian Dishes Se

For Health Conscious People

Recycled Percussion F l y i n g M o n k e y, M a i n Street, Plymouth. www.

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536-2551

Sunday 26th Red Hot Chilli Pipers F l y i n g M o n k e y, M a i n S t r e e t , P l y m o u t h . www. FlyingMonkeyNH.com or 536-2551

Tuesday 28th Center Harbor Soup Kitchen – Free Community Meal

Center Harbor Congregational Church, 52 Main Street, Center Harbor. 5pm – 6pm. Join every Tuesday night for an opportunity to meet new friends and families and enjoy a good meal together at no cost.

Broken Arrow F l y i n g M o n k e y, M a i n Street, Plymouth. www. FlyingMonkeyNH.com or 536-2551

ONGOING Senior Ten Pin Bowling League

Funspot, Rt. 3 Weirs Beach. 10am every Monday morning. 50 years and older welcomed! Call Gail 569-1974 or Al 8552561

Northern Grafton County Republican Committee Meeting Littleton Regional Healthcare Conference Room, 580 St. Johnsbury Road, Littleton. NGCRC meets the first Tuesday of every month at 7pm. Any interested persons are asked to contact Janice Novak at janicenovack@ myfairpoint.net or call 8235011

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Tuftonboro Library, Tuftonboro. Tuesdays 6pm7:30pm. Come to share your interests, hobbies, favorite books and movies, a story, song, place to hike or more! Have fun making new friends.

Lakes Region Detachment Marine Corps League

Meredith Community Center, Rt. 3, Meredith. 6:30pm. Second Thursday of the month. New members always welcome. 630-3439.

Tuftonboro Country, Bluegrass & Gospel Music Jam Session

Old White Church, 109A, Tuftonboro. Every Tuesday from 6:30pm-9:30pm. The public is invited to attend the jam session. Fans of country, bluegrass and gospel music are invited to come enjoy an evening of music! Bring your instruments to play and sing along, or just come to listen. There is no admission charge, donations are requested. For more information call Joe at 569-3861

Lakes Region Brain Injury Support Group Meeting Lakes Region Community Services, 719 Main Street, Laconia. 6pm-7:30pm. Group meets 1 st Thursday of the month. 225-8400 for more information.

Toastmasters Meetings – All Welcome

Moultonborough Public Library, Moultonborough. 2nd & 4th Tuesdays of the month from 6:30pm-8:30pm. All are welcome to check out this fun, supportive group of individuals finding their voice and honing their communication, listening and leadership skills. For more info contact Marcia at 5697494

Plymouth Brain Injury and Stroke Support Group Meeting

T h e W h o l e V i l l a g e, 2 5 8 Highland Street, Plymouth. 6pm-7:30pm. Group meets 2nd Wednesday of the month. 225-8400 for more information.

Public Skating Merrill Fay Arena, 468 Province Road, Laconia. Public skating will be offered Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 11:30am-1pm and Saturday & Sunday 12pm-1:30pm. $5pp, kids age 5 and under are free.

info@merrillfayarena.com or 528-0789

Line Dancing

Gilford Public Library, 31 Potter Hill Road, Gilford. 9am10:30am Every Wednesday. 524-6042

Marine Corps Meetings

See EVENTS on 21

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 26, 2019 —

OUT on the TOWN Great Food, Libations & Good Times!

EVENTS from 20

Granite Steak & Grill, Rte 11, Farmington Rd, Rochester. 11:30am. Third Tuesday of every month. All Marines and Navy FMF Corpsmen and spouses welcome. 335-7414 or 781-956-6982.

“Moving Through Grief” – A Monthly Drop-in Support Session

Lakes region VNA Office, 186 Waukewan Street, Meredith. Sessions will be held on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 1:30pm. Carol Snow-Asher, Spiritual Care Counselor and Bereavement Coordinator at LR VNA will facilitate the monthly support session for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one. 279-6611

Family Story Time

Concord Public Library, Green Street, Concord. Wednesdays at 9:30am. This class includes stories, fingerplays, songs, and fun, all designed to strengthen children’s reading or prereading skills! Registration is not required, and all ages are invited; groups welcome! 2258670

Hooks & Needles – Knitting & Crocheting Group

Meredith Senior Center, 1 Circle Drive, Meredith. Group meets every Tuesday 9:3011:30am. All are welcome. 279-4647

Support Group for Caregivers & Those with Alzheimer’s or Other Dementias

Laconia Congregational Parish Hall, 18 Veterans Square, Laconia. 2pm on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday’s of each month. Group is confidential and non-denominational. 5366060

Once Read Bookstore – A Project of the Friends of Meredith Public Library

Hannaford Shopping Center, 38 Whittier Highway, Meredith. Bookstore is open every Thursday and Friday from 10am to 2pm and Saturday 10-3:30 and Sunday 11 to 2. All proceeds fund programs for children and adults at the Meredith Public Library. 5200434

Newfound Knights – Chess Club Sleeper-Minot Library, Bristol. 5-7pm. Twice a month (Tuesdays). Any and all chess players are welcome, even if you have never played, people will be willing to take time and teach you how to play. Learn a new game, meet new people and have fun! Free and open to all. Tron84nh@gmail.com for dates and more details.

Agape Ministries Food Pantry and Thrift Store Open

The Former Center Harbor Food Pantry, 80 Bean Road, Moultonborough. Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9am-12pm, and Sunday 12pm-3pm. 250-8028

Lakes Region Brain Injury Support Group

Lakes Region Community Services, 719 Main Street, Laconia. 6-7:30pm. 1st Thursday of every month. 2258400

Lakes Region Camera Club Meeting Trinity Episcopal Church, Route 25, Meredith. 7-9pm. First and third Thursday of the month. Persons of all experience levels are welcome to attend.

www.lrcameraclub.com

Zentangle Workshop

VynnArt, Main Street, Meredith. Every third Friday. Call 279-0557to sign up.

Overeaters Anonymous

Hope-Franklin RCC, 175 Central Street, Franklin. Saturdays 11am-noon.

NAMI-NH Family Support Group

Breakfast & Lunch

Gourmet Coffee, Espresso & Tea 33 N. Main St. • Wolfeboro

603.569.3991

Pease Public Library, downstairs, Plymouth. 7pm. First and third Mondays of each month. Open to anyone who is dealing with a close friend or family member who has a mental illness. 254-5090 or 536-2699

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 26, 2019 —

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A Civil Air Patrol Cessna 182 WINSLOW from 1 joining Hawk Squadron.” The Hawk Composite Squadron is one of several squadrons that make up the New Hampshire Wing of the Civil Air Patrol, a nonprofit organization that’s the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force. The CAP squadrons are committed to three core missions: Aerospace Education, Cadet Programs, and Emergency Services. “Jonathan went online and learned about Civil Air Patrol and wanted to know more,” explained Mary. “After attending a Hawk Squadron Open House at Holy Trinity School in Laconia he knew he wanted to join, which he did in October of last year.” Now a senior airman (looking for promotion) with Hawk Squadron, Jonathan wants to be an Air Force pilot. So can Jonathan acquire the “right stuff” that pilots famously need to succeed? Time will tell, but if he’s anything like his parents he already has lots of right stuff. ADOPTING ANGELS Angels are also be-

lieved to take wing from time to time, as evidenced by the wonderful work that Glenn and Mary have done as parents. The two met in Deerfield, and after dating for five years they were married on Sept. 10, 1988. Daughters Brittany and Madelyn were born in 1990 and 1995 respectively. Possessors of strong social consciences, the Winslows became aware that not every youngster was lucky enough to be born and brought up into a safe loving environment the way Brittany and Madelyn were. So in 1998 Glenn and Mary trained to be foster parents so they might be eligible to bring a less fortunate child into their home. After moving to Barnstead in 2001, they reviewed some photos of Haitian children posted by an American adoption agency, and they both independently focused on Grace, an eight-yearold who was in an orphanage near Port-auPrince. Mary went to Haiti in August of 2004 to make arrangements for Grace, but while at the orphanage she saw Jonathan, then

a starving one-year-old who only weighed ten pounds. “I couldn’t believe he was that old,” said Mary. “He was so tiny. I knew we had to try to help him.” Mary tackled the necessary administrative requirements and arranged for health care and by June of 2005 Grace and Jonathan were ready to travel to America. Mary returned to Haiti with Madelyn to get the new Winslow family additions but got stuck there for 16 days as Haiti was in the midst of a coup. “White people were being kidnapped or robbed, as they were thought to be rich,” recalled Mary. “I did have a bunch of cash on me for the adoption transactions so I was quite nervous. But Ernst, our interpreter, found us a driver who drove a really beat up, crappy car, and no one bothered us.” Mary and Madelyn spent what they had to, which combined with prayers positioned them to return home to New Hampshire on July 7, 2005, with Grace and Jonathan. The adventure was exacting, but adding two children to the Winslow family proved exciting See WINSLOW on 23

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 26, 2019 — WINSLOW from 22 and rewarding. So Glenn and Mary decided that their family had room for more. New Hampshire’s Division for Children, Youth, and Families helped the Winslows identify adoption candidates in greater Laconia and in 2010 they adopted eleven year-old twins Edward and Elisha. Nicole followed in 2011, which then gave Glenn and Mary seven children. Despite the fact that the Winslows lived in a small house, they made things work for their growing family. A selfemployed carpenter, Glenn worked hard to help pay the bills while Mary homeschooled the youngsters. Glenn cashed in his retirement accounts to help pay for the adoptions and the family seemed to always find a way to make things work. “God provides,” explained Mary. But they weren’t done yet. Not at all. On January 21, 2012 a little girl was born drug-addicted in Manchester’s Elliot hospital, the sixth child to a mom who needed help, and to a father who was incarcerated. Enter the Winslows. Soon Rosalinda Marguerita had a new home in Barnstead. Having adopted kids from Haiti, Laconia, and Manchester, the Winslows turned their sites to Bulgaria, where adoption agencies were trying to place children in dire need. Mary found her way to the Balkans and the Winslows added three more children, Zoey, Jeremiah, and Joyanna. Zoey was six years old and not much more than ten pounds, and despite Mary’s best efforts, she didn’t make it. But in 2014 Jeremiah (10) and Joyanna (7) were safe in New Hampshire.

Jeremiah flourished and learned American lessons quickly, first from Mary and then at Prospect Mountain High School. Joyanna also did well as a new Granite Stater, but struggled with some health challenges—consequences of some dubious medical practices in Bulgaria. In November of 2015 (National Adoption Month) the Winslows met Amy, then 26, and working at a Wendy’s restaurant. A victim of abuse years earlier, Amy sought stability, a measure of which Glenn and Mary realized they could provide. What followed was a non-traditional consensual adult adoption. While Amy now lives on her own in Concord, she is now part of the Winslow family with all its associated love and support. ALWAYS ROOM FOR ONE MORE Particularly aware of how many children need help around the world, and by now experts in the international adoption processes, the Winslows inevitably were alerted about situations where youngsters needed help. Glenn and Mary often provided people with advice and guidance on adoption matters and helped connect prospective parents and prospective adoptees with the proper authorities or resources necessary to save lives. And despite the size of their family in 2017, the Winslows returned to Bulgaria when they became aware of a particularly needy child. Enter Annabella, also known as “Peppy.” Peppy was a six-yearold with Down’s Syndrome who was in dire need in a Bulgarian group home, after an horrific experience at an orphanage. When no one else would help, the Winslows knew they

The Winslow family. had to. Now nine years old, Peppy is a happy Granite Stater. Given the international flavor of the Winslow household, Mary has put the sign language skills she learned at UNH-Manchester to good use. “Not only is sign language useful with our less verbal kids, but it’s a useful skill for our kids who also love to talk,” said Mary.

SUCCESS AND SORROW A big family means lots of work, but also lots of joy and laughter, at least with parents like Glenn and Mary. But inevitably there are also those stressful and sad days. Like when Joyanna died. The little girl came down with a fever associated with foot reconstructive surgery and those prior Bulgarian medical practices. On July 20, 2019, her heart stopped beating. Her life was honored

and celebrated at a funeral which was held in a Pittsfield church and attended by around 500 mourners. “Jonathan’s fellow Civil Air Patrol cadets showed up in uniform,” said Mary. “It was very moving and impressive.” CITIZENSHIP All of which brings us to November 5, 2019, and the United States Customs and Immigration Services building in Bedford, N.H., where 16-year-old Jonathan Winslow would complete

the last requirement for full American citizenship. It was a big day for the Civil Air Patrol cadet, and an important step forward on a journey that Jonathan hopes will see him realize his dream of becoming an Air Force pilot. Family members and friends were there of course, most prominently being Glenn and Mary, exuding that special and positive aura of serenity that so often marks people of faith. And as people of faith, they believed that somehow little Joyanna was also witnessing and celebrating right along with them. The Civil Air Patrol may have given Jonathan Winslow the opportunity to fly, but it was Glenn and Mary Winslow who gave him wings! Michael Moffett is a columnist for the Weirs Times, a retired Marine Corps officer, and a Senior Member and Lieutenant Colonel with the New Hampshire Civil Air Patrol. Anyone wishing to learn more about adoptions or to donate could go to Reece’s Rainbow at https://reecesrainbow.org/

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 26, 2019 —

SMITH from 3 boat Mount Washington, but they stayed on the scene until 7:30 in the morning wetting down the ruins to completely extinguish the fire. Some of the readers may recognize some of the names of the men who worked all night combating the fire. They included Captain George Wesley Tarlson, Will Floyd, Henry Allard, Bryan Avery, Fred H. Dearborn, Leon Horne, Harvey Smith, W.H. Cole, and Hollis Cole. Elmer Davis apparently stayed to care for the railroad during the fire. The cost of the damage caused by the fire was estimated to be $200,000 with an additional loss of $75,000 “or more” to the Bos-

The Mount Washington II, the replacement for the steamer that was destroyed by fire, being brought under the Weirs Bridge from Paugus Bay in August 1940. The new ship’s steel hull was brought in by rail cars to an area at the southern end of Paugus Bay where the pieces were welded back together and the ship was launched. ton and Maine Railroad, according to the Weirs station agent, Archie Macomber. What was called a “heroic

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boat to push the steamer away from the dock, but he couldn’t get near enough because of the heat. The Mount Washington boat was at that location for repairs and the low water level of the lake left the bow of the boat in but six inches of water. Some said that it was actually sitting in the mud at the bottom of the lake. The owners of the boat were George and James Carroll. They had only owned it for a little over a year, having purchased it in September of 1938 from Captain Leander Lavallee who continued as the ship’s captain. According to a newspaper article at the time of the fire the boat was built locally at a cost of $64,000 and initially launched in Alton Bay in the year 1872. It was repaired in 1896, including being re-planked, at a cost of $42,000. Additional repairs were done in the year 1914 at a cost of $11,093, and more work on the boat was required by The Public service Commission in 1925. Captain Lavallee had it re-planked again before the sale to the Carrolls. Owners of the Mount Washington be-

fore the Carroll brothers included Captain Herbert A Blackstone who had a 15 year stint as the skipper, the Boston and Maine Railroad, Captain Lavalee, who bought it from the B&M Railroad for $3,000, and Sidney Baker, who resold it to Lavallee. In his book, Follow the Mount, Bruce Heald said of the coming of the Mount Washington steamer to Lake Win-

was also involved in the steamship business. Captain Leander Lavallee as owner of the big boat provided tourists a means of transportation and enjoyment as the first “Mount” made its way around the big lake for 67 years before the big fire destroyed it on that December day, just a few days before Christmas in the year 1939 – 80 years ago. Captain Lavallee

The steamer Mount Washington coming into Weirs Landing around 1900. nipesaukee: “She was longer, faster, and the most beautiful sidewheeler built in the United States.” She was said to go through the waters of the big lake at a speed greater than 20 miles per hour. We probably think of the Boston and Maine as primarily a railroad company, but before other means of transportation took business away from it, the B&M

wasted no time in looking for a replacement, and, as a result of a lot of work the Mount Washington II was launched on August 12, 1940. Robert Hanaford Smith. Sr., welcomes your comments at danahillsmiths@yahoo.com

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 26, 2019 —

On the summit of Ragged Mountain Resort a group of kids, members of the Ragged Mountain Ski Team, are meeting with their coach. The ski team offers programs for kids a 6 through 18 years of age. PATENAUDE from 13 that were open on the main mountain. My favorite route was Upper Ridge and then slipping into the short but steep and narrow Upper Crewcut and popping back out onto Ridge and then taking Wild Side the rest of the way to the bottom. The good granular snow held up well all morning and it was fun making turns. From Ragged’s slopes the mountain views can reach far north into the White Mountains but since it was cloudy to the north only nearby Mount Cardigan was in full view. I wasn’t disappointed, Cardigan and the surrounding tree covered foothills are a lovely New Hampshire landscape to behold. The Barnyard Triple chairlift and the Meadows carpet lift for beginners were open and people were out learninghow and others were just out skiing and

Apres Ski in the Stone Hearth Bar is the place to be when your day on the slopes is done. Megan the bartender served me a cup of hot chocolate with plenty of sweet whipped cream on top. On Saturdays enjoy live music from 3-6 pm. Ragged is hosting a New Years Eve Celebration and Nick’s Other Band will be playing from 7-9 pm along with other festivities and entertainment for children, including fireworks.

At the base of Ragged Mountain there is a Waffle Cabin next to the 6-Pack high-speed chairlift. Sweet waffles are sold plain or with chocolate sauce. snowboarding having a good time too. The Waffle Cabin near the base of the 6-Pack Summit Express lift appeared to do a brisk business. Waffles are yummy but with all the Christmas cookies I have been eating I decided to skip it this time. It was nearly lunch time when I called it a day. I made a lot of runs and my legs were ready to start resting. Back in the lodge I took off my boots and

decided to check out the Stone Hearth Bar. It would have been less expensive to buy a hot chocolate in the cafeteria but I enjoyed the atmosphere and the bartender topped the cup off with a big serving of whipped cream. Early season skiing has had a lot to offer and there will be more trails open for the Holiday period. And by the time you read this Spear Mountain will open!

Ragged Mountain will be hosting a New Year’s Eve Celebration with Long Trail Brewery, Dinner, Fireworks and entertainment for the kids. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year. Have fun.

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 26, 2019 —

MALKIN from 6 Light law explicitly bars ICE from having access to DMV records. As the Center for Immigration Studies points out, the legislation now creates a situation in which “a foreign nation, Canada, freely shares its DMV information with CBP and ICE,” while “the state of New York will refuse to do so.” Pay close attention to this insanity. It’s not just about rewarding law-breakers with driving privileges. Our country’s election integrity is under siege by foreign influence. Mass migration, legal and illegal, is bringing in millions of potential new voters who support gun control, socialized medicine, expanded welfare,

free speech restrictions and resistance to immigration enforcement. Do the political math: Illegal immigrant driver’s licenses + Motor Voter + Soros-funded naturalization and registration drives + anti-Trump resistance lawsuits against voter citizenship checks = recipe for systemic voter fraud, more amnesty, and a permanent Democratic ruling majority. In New York alone, some 265,000 illegal immigrants are projected to obtain their driver’s licenses over the next three years. Earlier this year, after citizens passed a referendum barring licenses for illegal immigrants in Oregon, state Democrats handed them

over anyway. Fifteen states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico now confer driving privileges on illegal immigrants. Latino groups, the Mexican government, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Charles Kochfunded Libre Initiative all banded together to secure these “America last” legislative victories. Next step: Out of the shadows... and into the voting booths? The special interests of “Open Borders, Inc.” on the left and right all vehemently deny that illegal alien and noncitizen voter fraud happens. But it does. And it’s not just illegal border jumpers but also visa overstayers and other

immigration phonies. How quickly we forget: Illegal alien Nuradin Abdi -- the suspected shopping mall bomb plotter from Somalia -was registered to vote in the battleground state of Ohio through the DMV. So was convicted al-Qaida agent Iyman Faris, who planned to sabotage the Brooklyn Bridge and had entered the country fraudulently from Pakistan on a student visa. In the battleground state of Florida, indicted terror suspect Sami Al-Arian illegally cast his ballot in a Tampa referendum in 1994 while his citizenship application was pending. And in New Jersey just two years ago, the

Public Interest Legal Foundation revealed after a six-month review of New Jersey county voter registration files that thanks to the federal Motor Voter system, “616 admitted and officially recorded noncitizens in 11 counties engaged on some level with the NJ voter registration system;” “nine percent of aliens self-reporting their status also cast ballots prior;” and “75 percent of noncitizens were invited to register while receiving driver’s licenses or in other government transactions like community college admissions or public schools.” Imagine if American citizens took to the streets and raised

their voices to stop the spread of driver’s licenses for people here illegally in numbers that matched the open borders hordes in New York and New Jersey. Instead, Beltway breadand-circuses distractions dominate the airwaves while the sovereignty saboteurs drive American law and order off the cliff. Michelle Malkin’s email address is MichelleMalkinInvestigates@ protonmail.com. To find out more about Michelle Malkin and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 26, 2019 — BARTLETT from 8 faster I suggest joining a gym because it will bring accountability to your life. There are many gyms offering really good New Year deals. Fit Focus in Laconia is offering a waived joining fee of $0 that is usually $50 if you mention this article! Fit Focus isn’t your only option and I encourage everyone to join a health club in the winter months. The people at that work at the gym are always warm and inviting, these are

people that genuinely care for you and want to see you accomplish your goals. I wish you the very best in the new year of 2020. It is never too late to reinvent yourself, turning a new leaf to a better version of you is more than just pounds on a scale. Making sure that you are happy with the person inside of yourself is just as important as your physical appearance. Happy Holidays and good luck through the new decade.

Warren Bartlett is a personal trainer at Fit Focus in Laconia New Hampshire, and the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Kingswood Regional High School. He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist from the National Strength and Conditioning Association and an All American Miler who has run a 4:09 mile. He is an avid hiker, runner, and outdoor enthusiast. Contact warren @warren@fitfocusgyms. com

LUNGS from 11 be treated and its progression can be slowed, which is why early detection and treatment are so important. If you are noticing any issues with your breathing, talk to your health care provider about getting tested for COPD. The sooner you get a diagnosis, the sooner treatment can begin. Your provider will design a treatment plan to help address your symptoms and improve your lung function and quality of

life. The key to keeping COPD at bay - or preventing it from getting worse - is to understand and recognize the signs and symptoms early and discuss them with your health care provider. The sooner this happens, the sooner you can get back to doing the things you love. Through educational efforts like the Learn More Breathe Better program (https:// www.nhlbi.nih.gov/ breathebetter), the National Heart, Lung,

and Blood Institute shares valuable information about the symptoms of COPD, as well as how to diagnose and treat it. With these tools, those living with COPD can effectively manage the disease, and those who have symptoms can find the support and assistance they need.

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 26, 2019 —

Super Crossword

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B.C.

by Parker & Hart

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 26, 2019 —

Sudoku

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CAPTION THIS PHOTO!!

The Winklman Aeffect

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#779 was Rick Butterfield, Bridgewater, NH.)

PHOTO #783 Send your best caption to us with your name and location within 2 weeks of publication date... Caption Contest, The Weirs Times, P.O. Box 5458, Weirs, NH 03247 email to contest@weirs.com

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 26, 2019 —

MOFFETT from 19 Born Today ... That is to say sports standouts born on December 26 include former Red Sox catcher Carlton Fisk (1947) and former Yankee first baseman Chris Chambliss (1948). Sports Quote “I would prefer even to fail with honor than to win by cheating.” --Sophacles Sports Quiz Answer Ralph Branca Mike Moffett was a Professor of Sports Management for Plymouth State University and NHTIConcord. He co-authored the critically-acclaimed and award-winning “FAHIM SPEAKS: A WarriorActor’s Odyssey from Afghanistan to Hollywood and Back” (with the Marines)—which is available through Amazon. com. His e-mail address is mimoffett@comcast. net.

LOWRY from 7

EDELBLUT from 2

STOSSEL from 7

ly fluids from nearby encampments, which also were responsible for a rodent infestation at City Hall. San Francisco is notorious for needles and human feces on its streets. A society that lacks the ability to prevent such blatant and revolting affronts to public order -- degrading and dangerous even to their supposed beneficiaries -- has lost something important. A society that tells itself that it is literally impermissible to use the law to discourage them has lost its mind.

ington to preserve the availability of these funds. We will work with the Legislature to authorize acceptance of this grant. And we will beseech the members of the Fiscal Committee who turned their back on charter school students to change their mind. I am disappointed that partisanship continues to block this grant. If you care about children and if you care about New Hampshire taxpayers, you would approve this grant. Charter schools open up educational possibility to thousands of New Hampshire students. And I’m not ready to give up on helping thousands more.

economy.” In fact, in rankings of economic freedom, Scandinavian countries are near the top. “They have private property, private stock exchanges,” says Paul. “We learned that, actually, Bernie is too much of a socialist for Scandinavia!” Scandinavia did keep some socialist policies, like government-run health care. The media claim that’s why Swedes live longer, but Paul says: “This is the trick of statistics. You can say, ‘The Swedes live longer, and they have socialized medicine!’ Yet if you look hard at the statistics, it started way before socialized medicine.” Scandinavians already lived longer 60 years ago, and they also had lower rates of poverty. That’s because of Scandinavian culture’s emphasis on self-reliance and hard work. Paul reminded me of an anecdote about economist Milton Friedman. “This Swedish economist comes up to him and says, ‘In Sweden,

Rich Lowry is editor of the National Review.

Frank Edelblut is Commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Education

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we have no poverty!’ Friedman responds, ‘Yeah, in America, we have no poverty among Swedish Americans!’” In fact, Swedes have 50% higher living standards in the U.S. than when they stay in Sweden. Danish Americans, too. Socialism can’t take the credit. But the most important argument against socialism is that it crushes freedom. Socialists get elected by promising fairness and equality, but Paul points out: “The only way you can enforce those things is to have an equality police or a fairness police, and ultimately they show up with truncheons. ... The best kind of socialist leader ends up having to be ruthless because you can’t be a kinder, gentler socialist leader and get the property.” By contrast, capitalism largely lets individuals make their own choices. “It’s a direct democracy every day,” says Paul. “You vote either for Walmart or you vote for Target. You vote with your feet, with your wallet. People who succeed are the people who get the most votes, which are dollars. And as long as there’s no coercion, seems to me that that would be the most just way of distributing a nation’s economy.” It’s not perfect, but look at the track record of the alternative, says Paul: “Stalin, Hitler, Mao, Pol Pot, Castro, Chavez, Maduro. It doesn’t work.” John Stossel is author of “No They Can’t! Why Government Fails -- But Individuals Succeed.” For other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit www.creators.com.

BOSAK from 18 and, of course, tons of mallards. We had other successes, too, such as the Nashville warbler and kinglet. Other highlights included several hundred brant, a gray catbird, a peregrine falcon, and seven common loons on Long Island Sound. Frank and I discussed the demise of the monk parakeet. We used to count dozens of the bright green birds along the coast and this year we had only one fly over our heads. Its squawking alerted us to it. Monk parakeets, of course, are not native to New England, but an escaped shipment from JFK Airport decades ago led to an established colony along the Connecticut coastline. They used to thrive here; now, they are all but gone. They build huge, heavy nests made of sticks on utility poles, so we concluded that the utility companies must have had something to do with their disappearance. That’s just a guess, however. Want to get involved with a Count in your area? Most local Counts have been done already this year, but start planning now for next year. Do an Internet search for “How do I join the Christmas Bird Count” and the first result will be a link to the National Audubon Society’s CBC page. You can also check out historic local results from your area. If you do sign up, be prepared to have fun. Just be ready to bundle up. Chris Bosak may be reached at chrisbosak26@gmail.com or through his website www.birdsofnewengland.com

Animal Crackers

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 26, 2019 —