The Beacon | Our Hometown Newspaper

Wilmot Historical Society Petitions to Buy Land

WILMOT — The Wilmot Historical Society (WHS) has long outgrown its space in the Town Office at 9 Kearsarge Valley Road. The…

February 23, 2025 • Read

Franklin Opera House Receives CDFA Tax Credit Grant

FRANKLIN — A CDFA Tax Credit is a tax credit grant administered by CDFA. Along with other companies, Bank of New Hampshire…

May 16, 2025 • Read

Volunteer Finds Purpose and Meaning at Franklin Animal Shelter

FRANKLIN — Franklin Animal Shelter has made the difficult decision to close its doors. This sad news has caused me to reflect…

May 11, 2025 • Read

Through the Reading Glasses — April

Uh oh . . . while my grandkids and friend herded their mother into Newton Centre’s ice cream shop, I was let…

May 10, 2025 • Read

Hiker Provides Background About Appalachian Trail

ANDOVER – The Appalachian Trail (A.T.), a 2,197.4-mile hiking-only trail, stretching from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine, traversing…

May 15, 2025 • Read

KNP Korner — June

NEW LONDON — Kearsarge Neighborhood Partners (KNP) is a nonprofit dedicated to building a community where neighbors help each other flourish. We…

May 10, 2025 • Read

Through the Reading Glasses — June

Returning from a sunlighted week on the Maine coast? Obviously, eat chocolate. Nothing high class,…

May 10, 2025 • Read

Wilmot Garden Club Plants Garden at Town Hall

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May 10, 2025 • Read

Andover Service Club Revives “Welcome to Andover” Committee

ANDOVER — The Andover Service Club is thrilled to announce the revitalization of the Welcome…

May 11, 2025 • Read

Town News

History

Local Researcher Requests Help Finding Burial Site

ANDOVER — I write again about Mary N. Chase, honored by a historical marker outside the Stone Chapel.…

May 17, 2025 • Read

Graves (Aiken) Mill and Dam Dates Back to the 1830s

ANDOVER — This dam is located on Mill Brook just north of the railroad. It dates back to…

May 10, 2025 • Read

Andover Historical Society Updates Display in Town Office

ANDOVER — The Andover Historical Society has recently changed their exhibit in the display case at the Town…

May 9, 2025 • Read

Franklin History Shows Purchase of Rare Piano

FRANKLIN — The following is a shortened version of the piece written in Albert Garneau’s book The Official…

February 22, 2025 • Read

Schools

EAVP Plans Preschooler Graduation on New Playgro…

ANDOVER — East Andover Village Preschool is getting ready to close out the end of the school year, but not before we celebrate our preschoolers who are moving on to Kindergarten! Weather depending, we will be celebrating our school year…

Franklin High School Returns to FIRST Robotics C…

FRANKLIN — After a one-year hiatus, Franklin High School Golden Tornadoes Team 7314 has returned to FIRST Robotics competition, joining teams from 139 nations around the world. The Golden Tornadoes entered their new robot, Franklinstein, in the NE District Granite…

Upcoming Events at Proctor Academy

May 23 – Underclass Students Depart Campus May 24 – Proctor Commencement Exercises May 31 – June2 | Proctor Alumni Reunion June 3 – Gordon Research Conferences Begin at Proctor…

Proctor Academy Hosts 25th Annual Hays Speaking …

ANDOVER – On April 14, representatives from each of Proctor’s 10th grade English classes delivered personal speeches as part of the 26th Annual Hays Speaking Contest. Started by late Trustee and Faculty Member John Pendleton in 2000 to elevate the…

Proctor Welcomes 150 Students to Accepted Studen…

ANDOVER – On April 4 and 8, Proctor Academy welcomed 150 accepted students and their families to campus for a series of workshops, conversations, student panels, and an immersive experience into life at Proctor. By April 10, newly accepted students…

AE/MS Invites Public to 2025 8th Grade Graduatio…

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AE/MS Invites Graduating Andover Seniors to Join Senior Walk

ANDOVER — AE/MS’s 8th Grade Graduation is Thursday, June 12 at 6 PM in the Gym. All are welcome. …

May 15, 2025 • Read

Andover High School Alumni Announces Reunion Plans

ANDOVER — Covid and other committee issues put a stop to our annual Andover High School Reunion, but we have planned to have one this year. It will…

May 10, 2025 • Read

Andover Organizations

Andover Community Hub Announces June Event Lineup

ANDOVER — There’s too much going on at The Andover Community Hub to list it all, but here’s a taste of…

May 17, 2025 • Read

Andover Community Hub Announces Monthly Senior Lunches

ANDOVER — Senior lunches are held at The Andover Community Hub on the fourth Tuesday of each month, 12 PM, year-round.…

May 17, 2025 • Read

Save the Date: It’s Rock ‘n’ Tacos Time!

ANDOVER — Coming to a barn near you! The Andover Community Hub’s 2025 Rock ‘n’ Tacos annual music and food event…

May 17, 2025 • Read

Opinion

Deborah Aylward’s View from Concord — June

An unassuming, Mr. Peabody-looking fellow by day, by night, Senator…

May 30, 2025 • Read

Louise Andrus’s View from Concord — June

It is still hard for me to believe that the…

May 30, 2025 • Read

World Leadership: Toward a Common, Sustainable Future

World leadership today requires commitment to multinational collaboration because we…

May 11, 2025 • Read

Births

It’s a Boy!

Born: Elizabeth Paige Richardson, August 9, 2015

Trevor and Evan St. Clair

Born: Beckett David Pontbriand

Kids

Andover Sisters Wake Up With America

Summer Reading Program Rocket Launch

Girls with Attitude Turn Lemons into Backpacks

New Hampshire Electric Co-op Foundation Awards Grant

Other People News

Andover Resident Begins Georgia to Maine Appalachian Trail Adventure

Hiker Provides Background About Appalachian Trail

Neighbor Shares Recipes – Financiers

Olivia Genus of Franklin Takes Top Dance Scores

Around the World

The Beacon Travels to Monaco with Abby Lance

The Beacon Visits Switzerland with the Darlings

Andover Traveler Takes The Beacon to Iceland

Around the World with The Beacon – India!

Deaths

Gregory Keith Fleury — March 3, 2025

Edwin “Jon” Barselle — January 21, 2025

Robert B. Ford — February 6, 2025

Glen W. Gallup — February 13, 2025

Outdoors

Highland Lake Sees Ice Out by Early April 2025

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May 9, 2025 • Read

Wildlife Return on Highland Lake Heralds Spring

ANDOVER — Happy spring! The ice went out on Highland Lake either very late on April 4 or early April 5. Broken ice often…

May 9, 2025 • Read

Hiker Prepares for 2,200-Mile Hike on Appalachian Trail

ANDOVER — How much does the knife weigh? How much do those winter pants weigh? How much does the protein bar weigh? How much…

February 21, 2025 • Read

Annual Ice Fishing Derby Attracts Record 224 Attendees

A Cold but Sunny Day on Highland Lake in January

Family Clears an Ice Rink on Highland Lake

Sports

Andover Recreational Basketball: Season in Review

Andover Recreational Basketball closed out their season during the last week of February after three months of practices and games. While the records of…

February 22, 2024 • Read

Andover Youth Baseball Gears up for Exciting New Season

The Andover Youth Baseball (AYB) program, a beloved institution in the community, is gearing up for another exciting season. With four teams (TBall, Rookies,…

April 19, 2023 • Read

Andover Recreation Needs Soccer and Basketball Directors

After a successful winter season of basketball and skiing, Andover’s Recreation Committee is looking to next fall’s soccer season with excitement. Sign-ups for fall…

March 22, 2023 • Read