12/21/2023 Weirs Times by The Weirs Publishing Company

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 21, 2023 —

VOLUME 32, NO. 51

THE WEIRS, LAKE WINNIPESAUKEE, N.H., THURSDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2023

COMPLIMENTARY

Merry Christmas Meaningful Traditions

by Robert Hanaford Smith, Sr. Contributing Writer

There was once a young girl who would awake on Christmas morning to the voices of her father and mother from the hall in their home singing joyously, “Joy to the World! The Lord is Come!” As a young woman this girl was married to a man who soon after their wedding began his basic training in a military camp. As Christmas of that year approached the young lady went to visit her husband at the camp. The town where the military camp was located was called “desolate,” and the accommodations that were available for

visitors to the camp were not the best. The hotel where the young bride had a room was described as “ramshackle and unpainted,” and with no signs to indicate that it was Christmas time. There were no colored lights or greens to brighten up the building. The room provided for her and for her husband to spend Christmas Eve was not painted and had thin clapboard walls with no pictures and no curtains to cover the windows. The gloomy appearance was magnified by the weather which was a steady rain. It has been said that their privacy was not very private, as the partitions between See SMITH on 16

Twelve Birdwatching Days Of Christmas

by Chris Bosak

For The Birds Columnist

I wanted to do something a little different for my annual Christmas column this year. I typically do a gift guide column, but I will keep that part of the article brief, only to say that giving someone a membership to a conservation organization, particularly a local one, is always a great gift for your birder. Material gift ideas, such as binoculars or spotting scopes, are readily available online. For this year, I want to do something that is perhaps a bit corny, but fun anyway. I am going to break down the classic

carol The Twelve Days of Christmas and relate each of the days to birdwatching in New England. Here we go … 12 Drummers Drumming. My first thought was to use the ruffed grouse as it makes a drumming sound by flapping and rotating its wings in the woods to claim terriSee BOSAK on 12

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 21, 2023 —

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To The Editor: Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch recently pointed out, according to Woodrow Wilson, “popular sovereignty” embarrassed the Nation because it interfered with “executive expertness”. From Wilson’s distorted view, the modern Democrat Party emerged as a dictatorial political and societal Leviathan. The ObamaBiden monstrosity used these so-called experts to transform the most historically successful society and civilization into a racist, perverted, communist nightmare. So-called experts under these numbskulls have transformed “common sense” to “nonsense.” Our society is experiencing a perversion of sanity to destroy Western Civilization. These demonic experts disdain the fundamental basis of Western Civilization, the family unit, and work tirelessly to destroy the fabric that holds the nation, and more importantly, our humanity together. The three women Ivy League presidents’ failure to condemn Antisemitism is a perfect example. These pseudo-experts expect us to believe the entire span of human history, since Adam bit into Eve’s apple, were wrong in acknowledging there are two sexes: male and female. These modern-day alchemists propound a world populated with 72 genders, including transgenderism. The only possible purpose of this malarkey is:“If we can get the hoi-poi to believe in 72 genders, and in-

struct our minor children that, despite their birth sex, they should deny their God-given gender, people will do whatever these perverted experts say”. Another principle of ObamaBiden dystopia is intersectionality: a racist and dogmatic diatribe (theory) designed and developed to divide and destroy American society and Western Civilization with jealousy, envy and hatred based on turning races and nationalities against each other, especially against white people. Love of God and country is being replaced with hate and violent protests. Finally, these “nonsense experts” tell us it is the gun’s fault when there is a mass shooting by a known criminal, whose mental illness is wellknown to local authorities. What these perverted experts want is to take away guns so they can control everyone without risk. Remember 12 million people were murdered in Hitler’s gas chambers! Putting Donald Trump back in the White House cannot happen soon enough! Charles Bradley Laconia, NH.

Our Most Powerful Weapon

To The Editor: If ever a picture is worth a thousand words, the painting of George Washington kneeling and praying by his white horse in the snow at Valley Forge is. Because of our forefathers’ prayers and sacrifice,

our families enjoy Thanksgiving and Christmas by warm fires, stuffing our bellies, and watching football. In spite of the freezing winter of 1777, the divine seeds of liberty were growing in the hearts of our troops. Even while most observers agreed with John Adams conclusion: “The prospect is chilling on every side; gloomy ; dark, melancholy, and despairing;” Washington’s faith was the Continental Army’s most powerful weapon. Washington sought guidance to overcome previous defeats, retreats, and how his men would survive the freezing winter. Our forefathers paid the price of liberty with their lives, fortunes and sacred honors. Let us pray to the same God who guided and answered Washington’s prayers. Imagine the dark outlook endured by soldiers, half naked, leaving bloody footprints in the snow of 1777. The Continental Army all but beaten after September’s retreat from New York. Suffering defeat at Brandywine: 200 troops killed, 500 wounded and 400 captured. How did the troops endure the dark gloom when Philadelphia fell to the British? They were a destitute army with soaked ammunition as their only weapon. No one today suffers the hunger our soldiers endured at Valley Forge: “One soldier’s meal on Thanksgiving Day declared by Congress was a “half a gill of rice (1/4 of a standard pint, 2 oz of rice), and a tableSee MAILBOAT on 25

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 30 years, this publication is devoted to printing the stories of the people

and places that make New Hampshire the best place in the world to live. No, none of the daily grind news will be found in these pages, just the good stuff. Published year round on Thursdays, we distribute 24,000 copies of the Weirs Times every week to the Lakes Region/Concord/ Seacoast area and the mountains and have an estimated 60,000 people reading this newspaper. To find out how your business or service can benefit from advertising with us please call 603-366-8463.

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 21, 2023 —

A Journey To The North Pole

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Jennifer and Kendall Hughes along with Anne-Marie Letourneau await the Hobo Railroad in Lincoln, NH, to take them on a journey to the North Pole. BOB LETOURNEAU PHOTOS Soon the train began to move, and we were are off to Santa’s workshop. Upon arrival to Santa’s workshop we disembarked the train and walked up a trail where we were welcomed to See POLE on 19

by Bob Letourneau

Contributing Writer & Photographer

On December 10th my wife Anne-Marie and I along with Jennifer and Kendall Hughes went on a Journey to the North Pole. This is a family presentation by the Hobo Railroad in Lincoln NH. It begins at the train station in Lincoln where you get to see all the offerings of the rail station that brings you back to a time long gone. As we waited for our train, families began to arrive all dressed for the occasion, in coordinated pajamas! After all this would be a polar adventure.

We enjoyed seeing the young children excited with anticipation to board the train and experience a travel that has all but been lost. Upon boarding the train, that was decorated for the occasion, the

conductor came around to “punch” our tickets and welcome us aboard. They also provided us with paper and pencil to fill in a preprinted letter to Santa for us to mail at the North Pole Post Office.

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 21, 2023 —

EVENTS & ACTIVITIES

Friday Night Free Ballroom Dance Instruction At Gilford Public Library

After a holiday break, free dance classes will be again resuming at the Gilford Public Library at 31 Potter Hill Road beginning January 5 and most Fridays thereafter. Classes started in November and the numbers have been steadily growing! The classes will include dances such as Slow Waltz, Foxtrot, and American Tango. Class is open to all experience levels. No partner is necessary. Singles and couples are welcome. Partners will rotate during class. For couples, rotating partners is recommended but not required. The instructor will be Brian Barakauskas (SEE PHOTO). The website SocialDanceOnline.com describes Brian as a world champion and professional dancer with over 15 years teaching experience from his dance studio. The video instruction from Brian will be stopped and restarted at optimal times to alternately observe and practice as in a traditionally taught class. Over time, the hope is to have classes at all levels, as well as social dances as demand grows. The library meeting room reservation starts at 5:30pm on Friday. Class will run about 1 hour and will start at 6pm. Because of library policy concerning when outside doors are locked, all participants should arrive before the start of class. You may enter from the downstairs rear entrance. The classroom is to the right. Class facilitators are Stephen and Carlene Peterson If you have any other concerns or questions, please contact them socialdancelaconia@gmail. com and they will respond to your inquiries.

Hope Ministries - First United Methodist Church Wesley Way (off Rte. 11A) Gilford, NH

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VOLUNTEERS needed for serving and clean-up on the 25th. Please call 603-455-9455 and leave your name and phone #. (Volunteers must call in advance.)

Tenney Mountain Resort To Open December 23rd The Winter 2024 season kicks off at Tenney Mountain Resort on Saturday, December 23rd. For the Plymouth community and beyond this is big news as many regard Tenney’s opening as the return of affordable skiing & riding to the state of New Hampshire. For the past year Tenney has made it their mission to regain the trust of locals who’ve grown used to watching the beloved mountain in their back yard reopen under new management with promise of long term stability, only to close again the next season, or in some cases, years at a time. New owners, North Country Development Group, purchased the resort last year with the intention of not only reopening the mountain, but investing in a long term plan to turn Tenney into a 4 season resort and reinvigorate the local economy. “We’ve invested over 4 million dollars so far into infrastructure, including snowmaking upgrades, base lodge renovations and lift & trail maintenance,” says new owner, Steven Kelly. “I think skiers & riders will notice the improvements right away, while still experiencing the nostalgia of coming down the same trails they skied as kids. Best of all, we’ve got a lot of community members on our team here. There’s a good chance the person waiting on you in our lodge, greeting you in the parking lot or teaching your kids how to ski, is a neighbor. There’s a sense of community here. It’s infectious. Even if you’re not a local you’ll soon feel like a part of our family.” Kelly is quick to point out that Tenney is an independent, family-focused resort, where skiers and riders can experience big mountain thrills at a small mountain price. With lift tickets starting at just $65 ($45 on weekdays), compared to the over $100 price tag at other NH resorts, Tenney has truly delivered on its claim of offering “the best flippin’ deals in New England.” But there are still some things Tenney won’t offer. “What you won’t find here are long lift lines, mediocre food at 5-star restaurant prices or an inattentive staff,” says Dan Egan, Tenney’s General Manager. “We’re confidant in our product and know if we can convince our friends and neighbors to give Tenney another try, they’ll be hooked like the rest of us.” Look for special events all winter long, including their Grand Opening Celebration & Fireworks on Dec. 23, New Year’s Eve Party & Fireworks on Dec. 31, Kaboom X Snow & Motox Big Air Show Jan. 5&6, and live entertainment every weekend in their base lodge. Tenney Mountain Resort is an independent, family-focused mountain, offering a big mountain experience at affordable prices. Founded in 1960 by Sam Hall, a World War II veteran of the fabled 10th Mountain Division, the resort, once the largest in the region, sits on 184 acres, offering 1,650 vertical feet of skiing and riding with 3 lifts servicing 47 trails, ranging from easy beginner runs to challenging black diamonds. Their newly remodeled New England style base lodge houses the festive Backcountry Bar & Grill, hosting community events, concerts and functions. Learn more by visiting www.skitenney.com

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 21, 2023 —

F O O L NEW HAMPSHIRE A

in brendan@weirs.com

Live Free or Die.

The Reason thing was missing. I wasn’t getting from it what I needed; though I didn’t know I needed it at the time. (I won’t speak for Kim; her journey is her journey.) Then Covid hit and things changed. Churches were foolishly shut down, including ours, and attending online seemed to distance me even more from something that really wasn’t inspiring me any longer. Then came the phone call. It provided us with the impetus to try another church which was not exactly close by. We were searching, so why not give it a try? Long story short. We ended up becoming members of that church where we still are today. Yes, God did direct us there, of that I have no doubt. It was what my spiritual side really needed. I had never learned the Bible like this before, even in my school years. Then the Bible was always this enormous book where we only seemed to focus on the small, comfortable parts. Eventually, over time, I began to feel the Holy Spirit within me when I attended our new church. I had heard it could happen, though I never understood it, and it thrilled me when it finally did. I used to look at church as a chore to do so God wouldn’t be upset with me and not let me into heaven. Now I look to it as my favorite part of the week. I’ve come to understand now there is only one way to heaven and that is through faith in Jesus Christ as my savior. (No, it’s not through church attendance or how much you put into the collection basket. Not even through your good works, though those will just come naturally with true faith anyway.) Most importantly, at this time of the year, I understand more than ever that Jesus Christ is the reason for this season. We celebrate his virgin birth at Christmas. The Son of God who would eventually sacrifice himself to

*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 andInstalling more. This Harvey Building Products is the perfect sampling of WINDOWS • DOORS • SIDING his unique humor which has Visit HarveyBP.com been entertaining readers of The Weirs Times and Cocheco Times for twenty years.

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*A FLATLANDER’S OBSERVATIONS ON LIFE

My heart has changed over the years when it comes to Christmas. I was never really much of a religious person when it came to the season. by Brendan Smith I was born Weirs Times Editor and raised in a Christian household and went to schools that reflected that in elementary through high school. As I grew older and developed my own thoughts on many subjects, I turned away from all that teaching. Not necessarily on purpose, not as a mission, but more just ignoring it all as I let the comfortable route of the human world take control. I still celebrated Christmas, as many of us do, with the lights and songs and movies and gift giving and all the rest. But I certainly was far away from the real reason for the season. Today, I am sixty-eight years old, and it has only been over the last few years that I have come back to faith, really just finding it for the first time. It happened through a series of events that began with an unexpected phone call at work from someone I did not know at the time, which came with impeccable timing as I was struggling with my own thoughts on faith. God often provides the answers when you least expect them if you are paying attention. I had been attending church again at the time. My wife, Kim, got me to go after we met back in 2010. She remarked that I looked a little bit like a deer in the headlights as I attended my first church service after so many years. Over time, I did become more relaxed in attending. It was a good beginning to get me somewhat back on track. Still, it wasn’t where God wanted me for sure. I could feel some-

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

save us from ourselves. Without that ultimate sacrifice, we would all be walking around feeling hopeless. And many of us do, searching for flawed human substitutions to take the place of the grace of God that is available to each and every one of us. I am still learning every week more and more about the Bible and how it is all we really need. It has the answers to all life’s questions and is the best selfhelp book out there. (Even the uncomfortable parts which some churches, unfortunately, ignore.) The last time I wrote an article about my faith, a reader commented that people should keep their faith to themselves. I strongly disagree. As many of us gather around the table for dinner on Christmas after opening gifts and the talk turns to earthly things like the upcoming election and the candidates and how maybe one of them will be the one to save us from this and that, how many of you will talk of the true reason for the day, about the birth of the only one that can truly save us, even as others roll their eyes at you? I used to keep quiet about my faith. But today I feel different as I have experienced the change within me and pray that others will get there as well. As a Christian it is what I am called to do. Still, I’m not going to come knocking on your door or approach a stranger on the sidewalk to talk about my faith – unless God inspires me. I won’t be afraid to speak up at the dinner table though and I will use the opportunity to comment about it here once in a while since God has given me this gift of writing. So, have a wonderful Christmas and I hope that you will at least take a few minutes to remember what the day is really all about or to do some research (The Bible) if you don’t. I appreciate you taking the time to read this. Even if you did roll your eyes.

Order your autographed copy today for $13.99 plus $3 for shipping. (Also CALL available on Amazon FOR FREE ESTIMATE andlocal bookstores 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

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*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)

Skelley’s Market

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Stop by Skelley’s Market today and enjoy some great food, Richardson’s ice cream, a lobster roll or anything else you may need. You will be glad you did!

Skelley’s Market 374 Governor Wentworth HWY Moultonboro, N.H. 03254 Call 603-476-8887 • F: 603-476-5176 www.skelleysmarket.com

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 21, 2023 —

The Patriotism Of Sen. Tommy Tuberville After some 10 months blocking hundreds of promotions for senior military officers, Sen. Tommy Tuberville relented and backed off, allowing some 400 promotions to be confirmed by the Senate. Tuberville stalled Senate confirmation for military promotions in order to pressure the Defense Department to back off its newly by Star Parker hatched policy on abortion in which DOD Syndicated Columnist -- i.e., U.S. taxpayers -- will foot the bill for women in the military to travel out of the state where they are residing to get an abortion. The policy was set forth after the Supreme Court ruling overturning the Roe v. Wade decision. Per Tuberville, the Defense department acted outside of its authority with this measure. It goes against long-standing Defense department rules under which the Defense department provides coverage for abortion: rape, incest or threat to the life of the mother. We also have the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits taxpayer funded abortion -- although there are different opinions whether DOD falls under its purview. Tuberville argues that the Defense Department using taxpayer funds for unrestricted abortion requires new law. President Joe Biden called Tuberville’s efforts “pointless,” saying he, along with those who supported his efforts, “needlessly hurt hundreds of service members and military families and threatened our national security -- all to push a partisan agenda. I hope no one forgets what he did.” I echo the president’s sentiments. I hope no one forgets the courageous efforts of Tuberville to stand alone in a highprofile effort that, rather than being narrowly partisan, has profound implications on our national culture and hence on our national security. Much attention has been directed recently to our universities. Many Americans have been shocked to see the cultural rot that has taken hold at our elite institutions of learning. Presidents of these universities mouth mindless, antiliberal, woke slogans while students speak out and demonstrate in support of atrocities committed by terrorists. We would be mistaken to think this is a phenomenon and problem limited to our universities. Students are already arriving to our universities indoctrinated in our public schools and culture at large with disSee PARKER on 28

Why Trump Is Winning So, according to the legacy media, disaster is about to befall America. Former President Donald Trump is the overwhelming favorite to win the Republican presidential nomination: The latest Des Moines by Ben Shapiro Register/NBC News poll Syndicated Columnist shows Trump at 51% in Iowa, up 8% since October, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in a distant second at 19% and Nikki Haley at 16%. According to analyst Steve Kornacki, there is an enthusiasm gap in favor of Trump: 70% of Trump supporters say their minds are made up. He is currently at 72% favorability with Iowa caucusgoers. In the general, Trump is also up. And he’s not up by a small margin. He is up significantly. Donald Trump, if the election were held today, would become president of the United States. According to a Wall Street Journal poll over the weekend, Trump leads President Joe Biden 47% to 43% in the national polls; if third-party and independent candidates enter the mix, that lead jumps to six points, 37% to 31%. What’s more, according to the latest CNN poll, Trump leads Biden by 10 points in Michigan; he leads by five in Georgia. There are two reasons for this. First, Joe Biden is terribly, terribly unpopular. That same Wall Street Journal poll shows that just 23% of voters say Biden’s policies have helped them personally, compared to 53% who say his policies have hurt them. Meanwhile, half of voters say that Trump’s policies helped them versus 37% who say they hurt. Biden’s job performance is at 37% approval and 61% disapproval; just 30% of voters like Bidenomics. That condition is unlikely to alleviate for Biden before the election. It is, according to The Wall Street Journal, “less affordable than any time in recent history to buy a home, and the math isn’t changing any time soon.” Average new home payments

currently stand at $3,322, up from $1,746 at the end of 2020. What’s more, Biden’s supposed soft landing doesn’t look particularly likely to happen, despite the happy talk from the media. November job growth was weak -- which is what the Fed was looking for when they raised interest rates in order to tamp down inflation. But that job growth was only even in “weak” territory because of health care, government employment and leisure and hospitality. In fact, those three sectors plus private education employment are responsible for 81% of all jobs created in 2023. Business starts are weak. Gross output -- a measure of the entire economy, not merely the spending side that we see in gross domestic product -- has flatlined. In the first two quarters of the year, business spending dropped 9%. Biden’s team keeps trying to whistle their way past the graveyard on his candidacy. The literal graveyard. According to Semafor’s Ben Smith, at the White House holiday party, Biden “strayed into a couple of hazy monologues, which ended only when his wife interrupted him to remind him it was a party. His speech wasn’t terrible, or even noteworthy. But everyone in the room realized Biden had a simple rhetorical job and hadn’t quite pulled it off.” That’s right: Joe Biden literally couldn’t get through a holiday speech at the White House. This brings us to the second reason Trump is leading Biden in the polls right now: he’s not in the news. That’s also the reason he’s up in Iowa head and shoulders above the rest of the candidates. Because he’s not in the news, he’s beating Biden -that takes the electability argument away from DeSantis and Haley. And because he’s not in the news, everyone has been able to look away from Trump’s crazy, which has always been his Achilles heel. Ironically, one of the best things ever to happen to Trump politically was his social media ban: it has made him nearly invisible. So, here’s the question: Will things stay this way? Biden’s apSee SHAPIRO on 28

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 21, 2023 —

Not-So-Scary Truth About Climate Change United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry says it will take trillions of dollars to “solve” climate change. Then he says, “There is not by John Stossel enough money in Syndicated Columnist any country in the world to actually solve this problem.” Kerry has little understanding of money or how it’s created. He’s a multimillionaire because he married a rich woman. Now he wants to take more of your money to pretend to affect climate change.

Bjorn Lomborg points out that there are better things society should spend money on. Lomborg acknowledges that a warmer climate brings problems. “As temperatures get higher, sea water, like everything else, expands. So we’re going to maybe see three feet of sea level rise. Then they say, ‘So everybody who lives within three feet of sea level, they’ll have to move!’ Well, no. If you actually look at what people do, they built dikes and so they don’t have to move.” People in Holland did that years ago. A third of the Netherlands is below sea level. In some areas, it’s 22 feet below. Yet the country thrives.

That’s the way to deal with climate change: adjust to it. “Fewer people are going to get flooded every year, despite the fact that you have much higher sea level rise. The total cost for Holland over the last half-century is about $10 billion,” says Lomborg. “Not nothing, but very little for an advanced economy over 50 years.” For saying things like that, Lomborg is labeled “the devil.” “The problem here is unmitigated scaremongering,” he replies. “A new survey shows that 60% of all people in rich countries now believe it’s likely or very likely that unmitigated climate change will lead to the end of

mankind. This is what you get when you have constant fearmongering in the media.” Some people now say they will not have children because they’re convinced that climate change will destroy the world. Lomborg points out how counterproductive that would be: “We need your kids to make sure the future is better.” He acknowledges that climate warming will kill people. “As temperatures go up, we’re likely to see more people die from heat. That’s absolutely true. You hear this all the time. But what is underreported is the fact that nine See STOSSEL on 28

Give Us Educated, Skilled Immigrants Yearning to Support Themselves John Metzler is off this week. When Emma Lazarus wrote her famous line in 1883, “Give me your tired, your poor,/ by Betsy McCaughey Y o u r h u d d l e d Syndicated Columnist masses yearning to breathe free,” there was no Medicaid, food stamps, housing vouchers and government-run shelters. Those who came knew they were on their own. Now they arrive with their hands out. A country can have open borders or a generous social safety net, but

not both. President Joe Biden is the poster boy for that mistake, and cities across the U.S. are paying the price. New York City Mayor Eric Adams has warned that the cost of sheltering, feeding and providing health care and other services to the deluge of migrants will “destroy” the city. Yet Adams returned emptyhanded from a visit with Biden’s staff on Dec. 8 to seek federal help. For the second time, New Yorkers are being told by a U.S. president, in so many words, to “drop dead.” Biden is also turning his back on Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles and other cities beleaguered by the busloads of destitute migrants

from the southern border. Chicago Alderman Raymond Lopez says the black community there is “no longer feeling the love from Uncle Joe,” as Biden leaves the city to struggle alone with the cost of feeding and sheltering migrants. Windy City Democrats, outraged by the burden thrust on them, are vowing to disrupt the Democratic National Convention next summer and make their voices heard. Americans everywhere feel the same. Charity is supposed to begin at home. Chicagoans want to take care of their own first, including the 68,000 locals who are homeless. Immigration is spiking to all-time

highs, exceeding even the wave of newcomers from Europe in the late 19th century, when Lazarus wrote her poem. About half the spike is due to Biden’s open-border policies. A record 12,000 broke through the southern border last Tuesday, the biggest one-day surge ever. Immigration per se is not the problem. The U.S. economy needs more workers. With the birthrate declining and baby boomers retiring, the U.S. has a people-shortage problem that can only be solved by immigration. But Biden is welcoming destitute migrants, instead of newcomSee MCCAUGHEY on 22

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 21, 2023 —

OVER

600 GAMES FOR ALL AGES!

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 21, 2023 —

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

Letters From God

QUESTION: If You Are God, Why Was Your Son Born In A Stable?

I am glad you noticed. Few give thought to this unusual and unexpected entrance into the world by my Son Jesus, who was and is God, even as I am (John 1:1-12). Nobility bring their children into the world with the finest accoutrements. The finest hospitals, physicians and attendant nursing care is always provided to ensure every need of both mother and child is met. Yet, when I, your creator God, brought my Son into the world, it was in abject poverty and the humblest circumstances (Luke 2:1-7). In fact, because of this, few were even aware of his sublime birth and many of those who were aware of my Son’s coming, would reject him and even attempt to take his nascent life through murder (Matthew 2:13-18). When Mary, whom I chose to carry and birth my son, and Joseph her husband, searched for a place to deliver the child there was literally no room to provide even modest accommodations. Isn’t it astounding that your Savior, who is himself God, entered your world to deliver you from the curse of death and no one was willing to pro-

vide even a room for his birth? I could have easily provided the most luxurious accommodations for his birth to assure comfort and safety fit for the “King of Kings,” but I chose to forgo this deserved privilege. Why? First, because of who I am. I am humble and prefer not to lavish luxuries on myself and my Son but instead lavish them on my people and maintain a humble lifestyle (Philippians 2:1-11). Though I possess all the wealth in the universe, I do not need riches and the accouterments that come with them. It is my greatest desire to give more than take. Even at creation, I made the world and everything in it and around it, as a gift to my children (Genesis 1,2). It was a free and magnificent gift so that they may enjoy and share all that is mine. If those at the time of my Son’s birth truly knew me and my humble nature and desired to worship me and my Son, they would have expected this humble arrival of their Savior. Instead, because most were filled with pride and selfishness, it was inconceivable to them that my Son would come in such humble circumstances. As a result, they would miss the blessings that he came to bestow on humanity. They would either not know or not care that I had revealed hundreds

of years before where he would be born, “Bethlehem of Ephrathah” (Micah 5:2) and when he would be born (Daniel 9:24-27). This leads me to the second reason why I allowed my Son to be born in such humble circumstances. I sought to reward those who shared my nature of being humble and would appreciate my gift to them. Most of the political and religious establishment would miss him due to their pride and arrogance. Most of my chosen people, Israel, would miss him as well. The only ones who recognized my gift of my Son were the humble. It included Mary and Joseph of course, humble shepherds, (Luke 2:820) faithful worshippers like Simeon and Anna (Luke 2:25-38), who because of their love and devotion to me were in the right place at the right time to see him, touch and hold him and revel in the privilege of enjoying the presence of their Creator God and Savior. Wise men from other countries traveled great distances and also beheld my Son Jesus because they knew I had promised he would come and therefore saw the “star,” my celestial birth announcement, and made their way to his side (Matthew 2:112). Because I am humble, I rewarded those who forsook pride, arrogance and self-deification. But, those who continued in their pride would miss me, my Son and the rich eternal benefits he came to lav-

ish on them (James 4:6). What about you? Have you recognized that you are not God? Have you realized that you need a Savior to deliver you from the curse of death for disobedience to me and my laws? Are you aware that I had planned for his coming from the day that Adam & Eve sinned against me and became separated from me, the source of life? Have you humbled yourself so that you have eyes to see and receive my Son as your Savior? Your answer to these questions will determine your destiny. I am humble and I only give grace, my free resources from heaven to enable you to live with the fullness of life for all eternity, to the humble. Most had no room for my Son and missed their Messiah. WILL YOU? I love you, God These letters are written by Rev. Dr. Sam Hollo of Alton, NH.

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 21, 2023 —

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 21, 2023 —

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Yours truly skating on Jackson XC’s Quail Trail in a winter wonderland, my first cross country ski of the season. Events coming up December 29th-XC Ski & Snacks Tour, on the 31st the Jackson Jaunt 10k & 5k Classic citizen’s race and on January 21st The White Mountain Classic 22k. Learn to Classic or Skate Ski Super Saver Packages are available. Check out more that Jackson XC’s has to offer online at JacksonXC.org. The ground was brown around my home but there are many places in New Hampshire where the trails are white. Snow fell and blanketed the ground on and near the White Mountain Notches. While other places had a little snow or a lot of rain the good news is that it has been really cold and the snow makers have been out there performing their magic. It really pays not to assume anything about snow conditions. Checking the snow report

at your favorite Nordic center or Alpine resort before you go is the best bet. I was scrolling the SkiNH.com conditions page and the Jackson XC snow report revealed they were open. Bear Notch Ski Touring was open too. My husband Charlie and I packed up our cross country ski gear and drove straight to Jackson. We were super excited to ski cross country for the first time this season. We arrived mid-afternoon. The Jackson XC Touring Cen-

ter is right on the Main Street in Jackson on the Wentworth Resort Loop. In the summer the Center and the ski loop double as a golf course and pro shop. We went inside and we purchased our trail passes, checked out the grooming report and put on our ski clothes and ski boots. If you don’t have your own ski gear in the Jackson XC Touring Center they have a complete rental shop and Ski School. They even rent Pulk Sleds–a See PATENAUDE on 26

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 21, 2023 —

BOSAK from 1 tory. I am, however, going to save the grouse for later. So the 12th day will be the drumming of New England woodpeckers. Hopefully the image you have of drumming is a woodpecker drumming on a tree in the woods rather than drumming on the side of your house. 11 Pipers Piping. This one is obviously for piping plovers, which nest along New England beaches. The small shorebird is a favorite among birdwatching beachgoers. It is also a species of concern and many New England conservationists put a lot of

work into making sure plovers have the best chance of a successful nesting season. 10 Lords A-Leaping. OK, I’m stretching with this one a little bit, but I am going with the ivory-billed woodpecker, a bird that is believed to be extinct and has the nickname Lord God Bird because of what people said upon seeing it for the first time. The traditional range of the ivory-billed woodpecker is a bit south of New England, but I’m going with it anyway. Hopefully, the Lord God Bird is not actually gone, but rather just keeping out of sight all these years.

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9 Ladies Dancing. I’m going with the belted kingfisher here. In almost all cases of New England dimorphic (male and female look different) birds, males are the more colorful sex. That is not the case with the belted kingfisher, however, as the females sport some rusty-red coloration on their upper bellies. It’s not a glaring difference, but it is noticeable enough for kingfishers to get the ladies dancing nod. 8 Maids A-Milking. This one belongs to the song sparrow. The reason a rather nondescript bird gets this one is because of its cheerful song that is sometimes translated to “maids, maids, maids, put on your teakettleettle-ettle-ettle. 7 Swans A-Swimming. This one is rather obvious as New

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Cardinals are part of the fourth day of Christmas. England is home to a swan species. The mute swan, an introduced species that is proliferating throughout much of America, has not become overly abundant in the middle or northern parts of New England, but it is a common sighting in southern New England, for better or worse. 6 Geese A-Laying. This one is pretty obvious too as Canada geese are about as common as they come in terms of waterfowl in New England. Other geese will show up occasionally, such as brant or snow geese, but how do you not go with Canada geese here? 5 Gold Rings. Let’s go with golden-crowned kinglet here. I could have gone with goldfinch here, but I like kinglet because it has “crowned” and “king” in the name. Obviously, that brings up images of the three kings that visited the nativity. Golden-crowned kinglet it is. 4 Calling Birds. I

could have gone in a few different directions here, but I am going with a tie between cardinals and Carolina wrens. Carolina wrens, relative newcomers to New England, brighten up even winter days with their boisterous melodic songs. They are one of the few birds that sing in the winter, although not as often as in other seasons. Cardinals also sing in the winter on occasion, and when they do, it is always a pleasure to hear, so I am putting cardinals in this category as well. 3 French Hens. After some debate, I decided to go with the northern bobwhite for this category. The small ground game birds have largely been erased from the New England landscape, but they do show up on occasion in the region. It is likely that most or all of the bobwhites that show up in New England are escapees from a farm. Nonetheless, New England is part of their historic range and per-

haps one day they will thrive in our corner of the United States again. 2 Turtle Doves. Mourning doves, of course, fit this category nicely. They are plentiful throughout New England and their “cooing” sounds are relaxing on a spring morning. A Partridge In A Pear Tree. Here is where I am going with ruffed grouse. There is another bird species officially called a partridge, but the ruffed grouse is often called a partridge by many people, especially in New England. Ruffed grouse are a favorite game bird in New England. I am not a hunter, but I still get a thrill every time I find one in the woods. I hope you enjoyed this break from the everyday bird column. Feel free to send me your thoughts on what birds could have been included. Have a great Christmas and enjoy the rest of the holiday season.

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 21, 2023 —

D.A. LONG TAVERN

Army/Navy—And Marines And Olympians by Mike Moffett Contributing Writer

Alert readers will recall that last week’s column was about sports traditions. And one of our greatest annual sports traditions is the ArmyNavy football game. This year’s event was extra special, as it was played in New England at Foxboro’s Gillette Stadium. Navy prevailed, 17-11. Such fun to watch on TV. How many other football teams feature their own parachutists descending upon midfield during pre-game? My Facebook feed was inundated with friends sharing photos and commentary from Gillette. I regretted not going, but I was still on the west coast. Our two oldest service academies have a (usually) good-natured sports rivalry going way back. (See weekly trivia question and sportsquote below.) Army and Navy compete for the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy, although Joe Biden has yet to attend a game as President. There is a third school in that trophy mix—the Air Force Academy. The Falcons actually lead that interservice competition with 21 trophies, to Navy’s 16 and Army’s 11. There were five shared awards. The Coast Guard Academy also has a football team, but the Bears play in Division

Navy running back Eddie Meyers.” III against the likes of Plymouth State and Norwich. And in case you didn’t know, the Marines are part of the Department of the Navy. Numerous Midshipmen gridsters eventually become Marines. (Usually, the toughest and best-looking Midshipmen become Marines.) Speaking of Marines, as a former Leatherneck, I naturally track the Army-Navy football thing. Which brings us to Eddie Meyers. Newly commissioned Marine Corps lieutenants all spend around six months at the USMC’s Basic School in Quantico, Va. When I was a new lieutenant, I was in that school’s Charlie Company, 4th Platoon. Officers were assigned to training companies alphabetically, which is how I ended up get-

ting to know Eddie Meyers—Meyers coming just before Moffett in the alphabet. (Right after me, alphabetically, was Greg Montesi, also a graduate of the Naval Academy who competed at both the 1984 and 1988 Summer Olympics in quadruple sculls.) It so happened that Meyers was a football legend from his days as a running back at the Naval Academy. Fast Eddie led the Midshipman to three straight winning seasons, setting rushing records for game, season, and career. He ran for over 1300 yards his senior year, which included a four-touchdown game against Syracuse. Navy never lost to Army while Eddie was playing. Marines are known for busting on each other and Eddie the football star occasionally got some ribbing. Of course.

Stocky and very strong, Eddie wasn’t much of a distance runner, and the USMC has a three-mile run as part of its physical fitness test. After Meyers finished way behind me (and his Annapolis classmate Montesi) in that three-miler I made a suggestion to the legendary running back. “Eddie, you really need to work on your running!” Eddie was not amused. I’m sure he’d have preferred the NFL’s 40-yard sprint over the USMC’s three miler. He may or may not have beaten me in the sprint. Meyers was signed by the Atlanta Falcons, but like Roger Staubach and David Robinson, he couldn’t play pro ball while fulfilling his service requirement. But he did take a 30-day leave while at Quantico to hang out with the Falcons. It was cool to see him in a preseason game in Washington against the Redskins before he again exchanged See MOFFETT on 14

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 21, 2023 — MOFFETT from 13 his NFL uniform for his Marine Corps uniform. I went on to be an infantry officer in California while Meyers became a supply officer in Georgia to be close to his Falcons. I never saw him again after Quantico. But with all the recent Army-Navy Foxboro hoopla I thought of Eddie and wondered what happened to the Navy star. Google ahoy! Turns out that Meyers continued to use his leave time to do Falcon training camps through 1987, playing in preseason games. He unsuccessfully appealed to the USMC for early release to pursue his pro football aspirations. A foot injury in a 1987 preseason game ended his NFL dreams. While Meyers never made the big time, his daughter Elana did. Google pointed me to

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some NBC sports features on Elana Meyers Taylor—Eddie’s daughter, whom I remembered as a toddler in Quantico. Elana unsuccessfully tried to make the 2008 USA Olympic softball team. That setback didn’t end her Olympic dreams though. Having inherited her dad’s extraordinary athleticism, Elana redirected her focus to the Winter Olympics. Eddie enlisted a former Falcon teammate, Billy “White Shoes” Johnson, to be her fitness coach. Elana became a push athlete for Eric Pac at the Vancouver Olympics in 2010 and earned a bronze medal. She transitioned to bobsled at Sochi in Russia in 2014 and won a silver medal, missing a gold medal by a tenth of a second. She and her two-person bobsledding teammate Lauren Gibbs won another Silver Medal at the

PyeongChang Olympics in South Korea in 2018. Three Olympics and three medals. Not bad. It’s perhaps a bit ironic that this super running back would end up living vicariously through his daughter’s Olympic exploits after his NFL career never materialized. Anyway, all the ArmyNavy energy from Foxboro made me add that football classic to my bucket list. They play again at FedEx Field in Landover, Md., next December. A road trip beckons. Maybe I’ll try to track down Eddie and see if he’s going. I’ll want to ask him if he ever took my advice and worked on his running. “Merry Christmas!” Sports Quiz Who leads in the Army-Navy football rivalry? (Answer follows) Born Today That is to say, sports standouts born on December 21 include African-American baseball great Josh Gibson (1911), MLB slugger Dave Kingman (1948), and tennis star Chris Evert (1954). Sports Quote “I should like very much like to revive the football game between Annapolis and West Point.” – Assistant Secretary of the Navy Teddy Roosevelt in 1898, seeking to overturn an edict against the having game after Navy won the first three contests in 1890, 1892, and 1893. Army would win for the first time, 17-5, in 1899, in Philadelphia. Sports Quiz Answer Navy’s Midshipmen lead Army’s Cadets 6354-7 in their gridiron rivalry.

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 21, 2023 —

The

Simple Feast

WEIRS TIMES’ BEER FINDER

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies The

The

Simple Feast

by Eric N Gibson Contributing Writer

It started as a simple “Thank You.” The young squire needed cookies for a cookie swap. With less than a week to go, I took pity on the bachelor. Or more rightly, my pity was with the people whom he socializes with. Why? Because my son is the classic “that guy” who brings chips and dip to a potluck social. He comes by this honestly, I think it’s something triggered in the male DNA. Once we hit our twenties and are still single, it is as if we are preprogrammed, chips and dip for potlucks and “booze and scratchies” for Yankee Swaps. (Trappings for the gift vary from a rather minimalist brown bag to a vibrant colored gift bag with a bow, depending upon the age of the bachelor.) I know, because I too, was ¨that guy¨ once. In exchange for his help on a recent weekend, I told him I would make him cookies to take to the cookie swap. There was nary a peep of protest. Then I asked the question I should have asked before volunteering to make cookies. “How many do you

The

Simple Feast

need?” “Forty.” “FORTY COOKIES!?!?” I exclaimed. “Are you crazy! How many people are going to this thing?” “Probably all the usuals. But, this is a popular end of the year meeting. I want to make sure I have enough.” After some quick math in my head I replied, “That’s still only about ten or twelve people. You obviously haven’t been to too many cookie swaps. Even if there are twelve of you, with a couple cookies for each, that’s only twenty-two. Where do you get forty from?”

“Well, some of them make really good cookies. And, I want to have some extras just in case.” “Are you sure you need forty cookies? That seems like a lot.”” “Well, I don’t know for sure. But, they won’t go to waste.” Making a noise that was a mix of groan and consternation, I grumbled, “I’ll see what I can do.” Over the next few days I mulled over what kind of cookie I was going to make. Time was running short. I decided on a Peanut Butter Cup Cookie. I recently procured a 24 cup Mini Muffin Pan. With Christmas com-

ing I also bought some mini Peanut Butter Cups thinking that if I could stash these in the right place, just maybe I could keep everyone out of them long enough to use these for baking. Now, many of you may think this would be relatively easy to do, but in this house, when it comes to chocolate, well, collectively what we lack in will power we make up for in dedication to a cause. In this case the cause is seeking out chocolate. Most of us were born with a K-9 nose. In fact, if chocolate were an illegal substance, we could readily find gainful employment with the DEA or Customs at any airport or border point of entry. Moving a few cans of Lima Beans I had used to screen the peanut butter cups, I was in luck, the four bags were still where I had stashed them. With everyone out of the house I could make cookies without any sticky fingers lurking about. Typing a few words into the search box of the internet browser I was instantly inundated with recipes for Peanut Butter Cup Cookies. Simple, Easy, Simply Easy, The Best, and even Simply Easily The Best; it was all there illustrated in vivid color. If I thought it was difficult to figure out what cookie to make, that was nothing compared to what recipe to use. Do I want the See FEAST on 24

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 21, 2023 —

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To make things worse the Christmas decorations the young lady had ordered to be sent ahead of her had not arrived. Nevertheless, the joy of just being together was enough for the happy recently wed couple on that Christmas Eve. But on the morning of Christmas day the

surroundings had not changed as the rain was still falling, the room was as unattractive as before, and, in addition, the recent bride was overwhelmed with a feeling of homesickness. The memory of those Christmas mornings of old and the singing of “Joy to the World” flooded her mind. All of a sudden she said

“Arthur, I must sing, or I’m going to cry!” He replied, “ Go ahead and sing.” So she stood up and sang with all her might, “Joy to the World! The Lord is come: Let earth receive her King!” She shared that she had to sing loudly to keep her voice steady. Soon she heard other voices joining hers as the sound came through the thin parSee SMITH on 17

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 21, 2023 —

SMITH from 16 titions of the hotel. It became a chorus of voices, both women’s and men’s, singing in unison the glad song, “ Joy to the World! The Lord is come!” As young couples gathered together for breakfast no one complained about the mediocre food as the loneliness that they had all been experiencing melted away and they laughed and talked as one happy family. They were also trying to find out who started the song that brought to their minds the true meaning of Christmas, and lifted them from being trapped “ under the circumstances: into the hope brought by the birth of the King called Emmanuel or “ God with us”! I have changed the wording somewhat, and added a comment or two, but the above story

Joy to the World as seen in an 1859 Freewill Baptist Hymnbook was told in a letter printed in the Laconia, New Hampshire, Evening Citizen on December 15, 1953. The letter was sent to the newspaper by Clinton A. Condict of Laconia who stated that the incident was reported by Mrs. Clarence

Hamilton in Hearthstone magazine. There are many traditions that are repeated by individuals and families at this time of the year, but sadly, some of them have nothing to do with the real meaning of Christmas, so I encour-

age the readers to think about that real meaning as we approach Christmas of the year 2023. Some of us have the tradition of attending Christmas Eve Candlelight Services on the evening before Christmas. Candles are lit in honor of the birthday of the One Who called Himself the Light of the World, the Lord Jesus Christ. On Christmas day we celebrate the birth of Jesus and hopefully think about what His coming to earth means for us as individuals and the world as a whole. Christmas Eve Candlelight services are both solemn and joyous occasions that represent a good tradition for families to keep each year if only to remember why we have a national holiday called Christmas. It is true that the first settlers in New Hampshire probably followed the Puritan tradition of See SMITH on 18

in New Hampshire polling in the past month. Sununu, a Trump critic who is serving his fourth and last two-year term as governor, was reelected last year by more than 15 percentage points and is popular in the 17 state. He was seen as a top recruit for the Senate last year but declined to run, and he also chose not to run for the Republican presidential nomination himself — saying at the time that he thought he could have more influence as an external voice than as a candidate. On the 2024 presidential campaign trail, Sununu stumped with Haley, DeSantis and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, as he weighed which of the three to back. In an interview last month, he said he would talk over his decision with friends and family over the Thanksgiving break. He said he was looking for someone who could beat Trump and who could connect with voters on “a very retail level.” Before the raucous crowd in Manchester, Sununu lauded Haley as a traditional Republican with the executive experience to secure the border, tackle mental health needs and ensure low taxes and limited government. He urged New Hampshire voters to turn the page on this era’s politics, taking shots at both PresiMay not be combined with other discounts. Expires 12/31/2023 dent Joe Biden and Trump. “We have a president who is more concerned about nap time,” he said. “We have a president who is worried about jail time.” In a news conference after the event, Sununu and Haley shot down suggestions that Haley might choose see should us atshe win the nomSununu as her Come vice president ination. “I think he is fantastic, but he has told me he doesn’t want anything to do with VP,” she said. Haley told reporters she had been more focused on We buy sell high quality jewelry from winning overand voters than scoring endorsements 460 CENTRAL AVE, DOVER elected officials, but she nevertheless called Sununu’s Less win than 30bid. minute drive. support a huge foraher Sununu argued that the 603-742-1749 race had now become a contest between only two people — “Nikki Haley and Donald Trump.”

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Given a Republ could he pendents strong sh primary Undec lican pri the state Democra Democra expected contest. “It is r Trump a unaligne really th Day, and But ju question ments, no the basic and ever At the solicited when sh presiden state pol “It is n the crow you have In the voter wh ularly k lican pr Haley’s

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 21, 2023 —

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SMITH from 17 not observing Christmas because they didn’t want an event that resembled activities of pagan origin. Other colonists, however, felt it proper to celebrate the birth of One Who was not only a King, but also a Savior from sin. Because Jesus is seen as a gift of God to mankind the tradition of giving has long been part of the Christmas season, but has also brought about the commercialism associated with the holiday that I used to hear complaints about each year, though now in 2023 we seem to have succumbed to whatever

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Donna and I, Bob,Jr. and wife Michelle a few years ago. consequences it brings. This brings about the many appeals from various charitable organizations to give to them, along with the tradition in families of exchanging gifts. I remember walking through the Woolworth and Newberry stores in Laconia with the little money I had to spend looking for small gifts I could buy for my siblings and my parents in the early 1950’s. It

was a particularly difficult task in finding something I thought my parents would like, so I would cross the street to one store and then back to the other in search of that elusive gift. Another long held Christmas tradition that seems to be fading in popularity is the sending of Christmas cards. This was a way of recognizing the birth of Jesus, depending, of course, on the type of cards cho-

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sen, and of keeping in touch with relatives and friends. This seemed to be a good tradition, not yet gone, but perhaps diminished by rising postal costs and the advent of social media. The Manchester, New Hampshire newspaper of December 25, 1918, The Union, was full of advertisements with the word “Christmas “ in them, with Merry Christmas and Christmas Greetings being the most used phrases. The ads in the December 15, 1918 Littleton paper, The Courier, as did that of others, used the word Christmas in different ways to advertise their products. In this year’s December newspapers you are more apt to see the word holiday or holidays than the word Christmas. You will need to search diligently to find mention of the One whose birthday we observe on Christmas, Jesus, the Christ. The idea is to include other special days which take place in December. Christmas, unlike the others, however, has the distinction of being, since 1870, a national holiday of the United States. I suggest resisting the trend towards making Christmas something other than it was originally intended to be and that advertisers and newspaper columnists and the rest of us recognize the uniqueness of Christmas and be not afraid to call it what it is, Christmas! Such is not advocating a national religion. It is recognizing our heritage. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL! “JOY TO THE WORLD, THE LORD IS COME!”

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 21, 2023 —

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Jennifer and Kendall Hughes on their way to the North Pole. POLE from 3 Santa’s small village. There was the Post Office, Santa’s Library and Santa’s workshop. Once we were in the workshop and seated we were treated to songs and storytelling by San-

ta’s elves. Soon Santa comes in to see what all the ruckus is about, only to see all the children and their parents sitting there in anticipation of his arrival. Santa told everyone

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 21, 2023 —

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 21, 2023 —

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(Top) S anta g ree ts v i sitor s and me e t s some of the children who arrived at the North Pole on the Hobo Railroad. (Above) Bob L e t o u r n e au w r i t e s a letter to be mailed f r o m S a n t a’s P o s Office. (Right Middle) Bob and Anne-Marie Letourneau aboard the Hobo Railroad PHOTOS COURTESY OF BOB LETOURNEAU

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 21, 2023 —

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 21, 2023 —

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MCCAUGHEY from 22 one welfare program, according to Census Bureau data. Biden’s proposed immigration “reform” actually loosens the standards for familybased migration even more, never mind the impact on taxpayers and city social services. And here’s the wackiest legal immigration program: the diversity lottery. Fifty thousand immigrants from “underrepresented nations” are literally admitted randomly every year. Biden wants to expand that. Canada is recruiting Ph.Ds. Biden is prioritizing

diversity. Sens. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) and John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) introduced a bill Nov. 24 to establish a point system or “skillsbased approach” here. Americans tired of supporting the strangers coming to their shores, when their own neighbors need help, should support this bill. That includes New York Democrats such as Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries — a New Yorker — charges that Republican reform plans, including deterring il-

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legal migration, are “anchored in xenophobia.” Wrong. They’re anchored in survival. Unless the U.S. acts to shut down illegal migration and reform legal immigration to favor self-sufficiency, New York and other cities face even tougher days ahead.

Betsy McCaughey is a former lieutenant governor of New York and chairman of the Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths. Follow her on Twitter @ Betsy_McCaughey. To find out more about Betsy McCaughey 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 21, 2023 —

FEAST from 15 recipe with 4.5 stars or 4.8? And why isn’t there a 5 star recipe? And who did the rating? With little time to quibble on these details I clicked on the 4.8, scrolled past the gushing blather and began to read the recipe. It seems everyone has a story and a desire to tell it. (And no, the irony of that statement is not lost on this author.) As I scanned the recipe: Peanut Butter, sugar, sugar, egg, flour, yada yada yada. - check, check, checkcheck-check. Cream together - check! 8 minutes - check! Pull! Stick! Done! - Check. Check. Aaannnd check! Best of all, this recipe made forty cookies. DING! “Winner! Winner! Chicken Dinner!” This was going to be a cinch. It was, in a sense, almost too easy. And with that bit of over confidence to misguide me, that’s where things usually go from ¨easy peasy lemon squeezy¨

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— PREPARATION— - Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. - In a mixing bowl combine butter, sugars, and peanut butter and cream together until fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla, and milk and beat until well blended. - In a mixing bowl add flour, soda, and salt and sift or whisk to combine. - Add dry ingredients to the peanut butter mixture, one cup at a time, and mix completely, continue until dough forms. - Divide dough into 40 uniform balls and place each ball into a mini muffin cup. - Bake in the oven for 8 minutes, remove, and place one peanut butter cup into each cookie, pushing into the cookie to set it. - Let cool in the tin for 15 minutes and then gently ¨pop¨ out of the tin with a thin bladed knife and set each cookie on a cooling rack until a firm set of the peanut butter cup. - Keep in an airtight container. *This recipe is not of my personal creation but one of many that I found on the internet.

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to “off the rails.” Making the cookie dough was very simple. Combining softened butter with the sugars and the peanut butter sounds easy. But, the devil, as they say, is in the details. I used a lesser brand of peanut butter, not generic, but certainly not “top shelf.” Store brand is OK, but, in retrospect, for best results, I should have used a good quality peanut butter with both a sweet and roasted peanut flavor. Second, rolling dough into dough balls is a pretty easy task. However, dividing a bowl of dough into forty evenly sized dough balls so they bake at the same rate… not so easy. In fact, this is probably the most time consuming part of the project. And it is at about this point I began to realize why my mother in law uses the premade dough, the kind you can buy in flat packs that are already “pre-squared.” All you need to do is ¨cut¨ or “break” the squares from each other and roll them into a ball. And using Chocolate Chip

Cookie dough adds a nice touch. Kudo´s to Grammy! (With age, comes wisdom.) After about 20 minutes of playing add and subtract I had forty relatively uniform dough balls plopped into mini muffin tins. It was to be smooth sailing at this point, as I placed the trays into the oven, set the timer for 8 minutes, and breathed a sigh of relief. “Not so fast!” It was that little voice in the back of my head calling out to me. “Over there. On the counter. Those peanut butter cups aren’t going to unwrap themselves.” Have you ever felt like Lucy and Ethel working the conveyor line of the candy factory? Well, trying to play “Beat the Clock” unwrapping forty mini peanut butter cups and taking their candy cup papers off, all in under 8 minutes, is a lot like that. The faster you go, the farther behind you get. It was at this point too, that I realized there were only 39 cups. I was short one cup. This accounts for the “solo act” in the corner of the accompanying picture. I had to scramble to find a mini candy bar and some peanut butter candy pieces for that fortieth cup before the cookie cup cooled. As fun and easy as these cookies really were to make, if I were to do it again, I think I would take the simple way out, opting for the premade dough at the grocery store and grab a bag or two of unwrapped peanut butter cups in the candy aisle. That would turn any simple Thank You into a truly Simple Feast. Enjoy!

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 21, 2023 — MAILBOAT from 2 spoon of vinegar.” Beaten down with defeat, the count of 4,000 soldiers were incapacitated in January and February of 1778; resulting from exposure, undernourishment and disease. Historian George Bancroft tells us that “love of country and attachment to General Washington sustained them through these unparalleled hardships, and that without his leadership the army would have dissolved and vanished.” Tory Quaker Issac Potts after observing the source of Washington’s power, praying in the snow, related to his wife; “Independence will be established because God in His Providence has willed it so because Washington was the only one on earth the Lord would listen to.” Prayers were answered that spring

cheering our soldiers as France entered the war as an ally with the promise of French money and troops. The Continental Congress acknowledged this as the hand of God, declaring a National Day of Thanksgiving on May 7th following Washington’s orders issued at Valley Forge on May 5th of 1778. He proclaimed: “It having pleased the Almighty Ruler of the Universe propitiously to defend the cause of the United American States, and finally by raising up a powerful friend among the Princes of the earth, to establish our Liberty and Independence upon a lasting foundation; it becomes us to set apart a day for gratefully acknowledging the Divine Goodness, and celebrating the event which we owe to his benign interposition.” Yes, the political

climate of our day is gloomy as globalist move to control our lives. Read Psalms 2 where David tells us that “the Lord laughs at the Kings of the earth and the rulers who counsel together against Him.” Pray that our people once again will rise up in a thundering appeal to the same God our fathers relied on for divine protection. Who was, who is and who will always be, “The great I Am.” Just as at Valley Forge prayer was the Continental Army’s greatest asset, today it still remains our most powerful weapon. Russ Payne Merrimack, NH.

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 21, 2023 —

Twilight at the end of Jackson’s Boggy Brook Trail, it gets dark early in December. Jackson XC has been delighting cross country skiers for over 50 years with over a 100 kilometers of trails reaching from the center of Jackson’s village to deep into the White Mountain National Forest. There are miles of gentle trails for beginners too. PATENAUDE from 11 special sled skiers use to pull their small children behind them while they ski. They also rent

snowshoes and backpacks. Jackson makes snow on the Resort Loop. I noticed two fan snow

guns set-up and ready to make snow later that night. They’re giving Mother Nature a hand. We know the trails

Charlie kicking and gliding up the Experimental Forest Trail at Bear Notch Ski Touring Center. All 65+km of their trails are dog friendly. For their snow condition report visit their website at BearNotchSkiTouring.com. at Jackson well and we decided the best skiing for us would be up at the end of Carter Notch Road at the Prospect Farm Trail network. From Carter Notch the See PATENAUDE on 27

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Board Members Kevin Killourie (North Conway), John Higgins (Glen) and Fred Symmes (Concord) are all smiles with the start of snowmaking season at Jackson, NH. JacksonXC celebrated its 50th Anniversary with a Capital Campaign that has raised nearly $1.5 million in support of projects to ensure another 50 years of xc skiing with projects like snowmaking and improving trails throughout their 100 kilometer trail network. One of their new fan guns is blowing snow on the trail behind them. PHOTO BY ELLEN CHANDLER

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 21, 2023 — PATENAUDE from 26 Quail and Boggy Trails were groomed and tracked. These trails were busy and someone had just left as we arrived. We were really lucky to be able to park in the only available parking space at the trailhead. Here at the higher elevation the forest and the trails looked like a winter wonderland. We were ecstatic that there was so much snow here. The grooming put us over the moon! It felt so wonderful to be skate skiing again. It filled us with joy to be gliding on our skis. We passed by people that were out classic skiing–kicking and gliding. A few of the people had their well behaved dogs out with them. These trails are “pet friendly” trails. On the Quail Trail I especially liked the view through the bare hardwood trees of the nearby White Mountains. The sun was beginning to sink behind Stairs Mountain and near the end of the trail we could see the white tip of the top of Mount Washington. On the way back the uphills we worked to get up now would be fun fast downhills. Instead of going back to the car we turned left up the Boggy Brook Trail. For the first skate ski of the year this was more than I thought I would be able to do but with Charlie’s encouragement and the wonderful snow conditions I couldn’t resist. The views from the Boggy Brook Trail up Carter Notch to the Wildcats and Carter Dome mountains were grand. Dusted white with a tad of alpine glow beginning to appear were eye and heart-filling. On our way back we passed a few other ski-

ers making their way back to the parking lot too. But there were a few skiers just heading out and I noticed two of them were wearing headlamps. I gathered they knew what time it gets dark out. The next day Charlie and I decided to head to Bear Notch Ski Touring and we arrived midday. It was pretty quiet and we easily found a parking space behind their 222-year old farmhouse. Bear Notch is located on Route 302 in Bartlett. Charlie paid the trail fee at the house’s porch. They have the cutest trail pass, it has a picture of a cross country skiing bear onit. They have rental equipment available and their report said to call ahead to arrange lessons. We decided to classic ski. Since the temperature was warmer we used our no wax skis. This was a good choice because they had a good strong kick. More skiing joy! I followed Charlie across the meadow and up the Waterfall Trail. The cascading

A tower snow gun shooting snow at Pats Peak! Thank goodness for the snowmakers. All over New Hampshire the snowmakers have been working overtime to make sure we have the very best snow conditions for the vacation week. Get outside and have fun. If you don’t know how to ski, snowboard or cross country ski make this the year you learn to glide on snow. The resorts have wonderful learn-to programs.

27 waters next to the trail were lovely, decorated with a little ice. Along the Experimental Forest Trail the Bartlett Haystack ridgeline was right above us. Along the way I noticed areas where trees had been harvested it really opened the view, especially up Crawford Notch to Hart’s Ledge. The snow was nice and the tracks were good. We only passed by a couple of other skiers and one had a nice big dog. Dogs are allowed on their entire trail network and Bear Notch is recognized as one of the best places to stay and play with your dog. It was fun gliding down the Waterfall Trail back to the park lot. We enjoyed wonderful early season cross country skiing and we are looking forward to more. Charlie and I are snow dancing and I hope you are too. Have Fun and Merry Christmas.

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 21, 2023 —

PARKER from 6 torted, destructive values. In a Wall Street Journal/NORC poll from March this year, only 38% said patriotism is “very important,” compared to 70% who in 1998 said it’s very important. Among those under the age of 30, only 23% said patriotism is very important. Regarding religion, 39% said it is very important, compared to 62% in 1998. Of those under 30, only 23% said having children is “very important.” Does the major decline in the values of religion, patriotism, family and children point to something happening in our culture we should worry about? I think yes. Does it have implica-

tions on our national security? I think yes. Military recruiting officers testified last week before the Senate Armed Services Committee on personnel. The Army fell short of its recruiting goal by 25% in 2022, and the Army, Navy and Air Force all failed to meet recruiting goals in the fiscal year that ended in September. Per Gallup polling earlier this year, 60% expressed “a great deal/quite a lot” of confidence in the military, compared to 82% 20 years ago, in 2003. War is about life and death. Abortion is about life and death. War is about values that go beyond self. Abortion is about values that go beyond self. Tuberville may have caused inconvenience to hundreds of officers

in line for promotion. But if those officers do not see or understand the importance to our nation of the pro-life values to which Tuberville has drawn national attention, this is a sign of a major problem in national security. I cannot imagine a healthy military guided by officers who do not appreciate the sanctity of life. Tuberville may have lost this battle. But he shined light where light must be shined. Our future depends on the values Tuberville has championed. Star Parker is president of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education and host of the weekly television show “Cure America with Star Parker.”

STOSSEL from 7 times as many people die from cold. ... As temperatures go up, you’re going to see fewer people die from cold. Over the last 20 years, because of temperature rises, we have seen about 116,000 more people die from heat. But 283,000 fewer people die from cold.” That’s rarely reported in the news. When the media doesn’t fret over deaths from heat, they grab at other possible threats. CNN claims, “Climate Change is Fueling Extremism.” The BBC says, “A Shifting Climate is Catalysing Infectious Disease.” U.S. News and World Report says, “Climate Change will Harm Children’s Mental Health.” Lomborg replies, “It’s very, very easy to make

this argument that everything is caused by climate change if you don’t have the full picture.” He points out that we rarely hear about positive effects of climate change, like global greening. “That’s good! We get more green stuff on the planet. My argument is not that climate change is great or overall positive. It’s simply that, just like every other thing, it has pluses and minuses. ... Only reporting on the minuses, and only emphasizing worst-case outcomes, is not a good way to inform people.” Every Tuesday at JohnStossel.com, Stossel posts a new video about the battle between government and freedom.

THE CLASSIFIEDS

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SHAPIRO from 6 proval ratings are unlikely to recover from where they are now. The economy is in tender shape. The Ukraine war is going badly. Israel is going to have to continue its war not only against Hamas but against Hezbollah and possibly the Yemeni Houthis. Which means Biden’s only hope is putting Trump front and center. That could happen via Trump’s criminal trials -- but that may be largely baked into the Trump cake at this point. Would even a conviction radically shift people’s opinions on Trump? Today’s Trump advantage is no mere chimera. It may just be the 2024 reality. Which is why the media and Democrats are panicking, and they should be.

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 21, 2023 —

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— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 21, 2023 —

SUPER CROSSWORD

PUZZLE CLUE: LOVE OF SOLVING

B.C.

by Parker & Hart

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 21, 2023 —

SUDOKU

MAGIC MAZE

WORDS FOUND IN“SEASONS GREETINGS”

CAPTION CONTEST OUR PICK FOR BEST CAPTION

Runners Up :

CAPTION THIS PHOTO!!

The women made a girlfriend for Frosty the Snowman and named her Slushy the Snowwoman. - Barbara Bowman, Franklin, NH. After many years of unsuccessful dating, the four sisters decided to build a man

PHOTO #994

Surrounded by four beautiful women, Frosty started to melt before the sun was even out. -Bob Watson, Bristol, NH.

of their own. He was very cool, a little cold at times but they always knew where to find him. - David Haynes, Alton, NH. He Doesn’t look like Parson Brown, but I’ll go withi it. -Larry Keniston, Wolfeboro, NH.

PHOTO #996 Send your best brief 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

The Winklman Aeffect

by John Whitlock

— THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, December 21, 2023 —

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