House reconvenes in September
An interesting fact of legislative rule is that a defeated bill cannot simply be reintroduced in the following year, without substantial changes. The Gaming Commission now meeting in Concord, with members appointed by the Governor, the Senate, and the House Speaker, is working to address some of the issues that caused the casino bill to […]
To the person who stole almost $30 in cash and siphoned a full tank of gas out of our car in our driveway at 24 Severance Road, I have a few things to say to you. I really hope you needed it more than we do. After just finishing cancer treatment, and after almost four […]
Bipartisan budget passes, Medicaid expansion fails
The 2014-2015 budget passed the New Hampshire House with 346 votes for and 12 against; it passed unanimously in the Senate. Everyone from Governor Hassan to former speaker Bill O’Brien claimed credit for the bipartisan vote, but the credit, no doubt, resides with New Hampshire voters who told us to stop bickering, avoid political grandstanding, […]
I want to publicly thank the Andover Fourth of July Committee for the really wonderful day they put together for all of us. It was one of several things that make me proud to be “from Andover.” I work at the Town Office, and the day before the Fourth we had several calls from people […]
For many years, the Highland Lake Protection Association (HLPA) has sold flares for the July 4th weekend “Flare Show.” It has been an important annual fundraiser, selling approximately 100 flares. Last year, a handful of HLPA members hired ChemServe, an environmental analyst recommended by the state, to analyze the ash created from the flares. The […]
Can the NH budget be reconciled?
Breaking News! June 21 – The House and the Senate have reached agreement on the budget. Medicaid expansion will not happen now, but a commission will study expansion and report later this year at which point we will get a chance to vote on it again. In great news, flood control payments were 100% restored […]
Send your concerns to the Beacon so we can compile a list.
Duncan Coolidge has written a letter to the Beacon about the possibility of a proposal for wind turbines on Ragged Mountain. (See his letter here.) If and when a wind turbine proposal arrives, what concerns will you want to be sure it addresses? Scenic values and a good financial deal for the Town are two […]
On Memorial Day 2013, I remembered four men. One, a paternal uncle in Missouri, fought for the Union in the Civil War. The second, a maternal uncle from Massachusetts, was on the Western Front in World War I. The third is my late father-in-law. A USMA graduate, his active duty career included World War II […]
Voting for the casino bill was hard.
The recent late frost hit my grapevines hard. The leaves and the buds were 90% to 100% burned. Not unlike some of my most dedicated supporters, incensed by my support of SB 152, the casino bill. I voted to talk about it and make it better, not to kill it. My “No” vote was a […]
I can’t even begin to imagine the challenges associated with trying to produce a monthly small-town newspaper. And then to do it in such a way that is consistently interesting, informative, and somehow unbiased. One hundred issues later, I still look forward to finding the Beacon in my mailbox. You guys are the best!