Happy New Year, Musers, here is hoping ‘24 brings you more, ‘24 gets you on the floor, ‘24 gets you out the door. Four is way more fun to rhyme with, four is even, four is possible, four has hope.
In the meantime, new year’s is a good time to look back, to think on your three. What did you do? Accomplish? Gain? Regret? Lose? Find? As for me, I organized slides and transformed them into digital pictures. I learned how to create bags out of sailcloth. I finally got numbers 0 – 100 placed around my classroom indicating how to say them ALL in Spanish and French. I got a mouth guard to help with the grinding I do when I sleep.
And, well, most recently, I got the flu as a year end present. I’ve not had the flu – ever – I believe and was down for the count. Whew. Talk about a gift of realizing the gift that is health, the gift I’ve taken for granted for decades. But I slept and hydrated, coughed and watched more tv than I thought humanly possible. While my little family traveled to Florida, I stayed home with nurse/dog Bennie and recovered. Yikes. But a lot of sleep, a lot of rest is not necessarily a bad holiday gift.
But it’s nice to start new, to replenish energy and walk outside and leave the pity party that can be like a warm bath – fun until it gets cold. It’s good to begin in January with letting go of plans but with ideas of accomplishments, possibilities, goals. What are yours? Where does your January ‘24 self want to be? Look like? Be surrounded by?
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Oh, it’s joyful to simply be alive, flu or not, goals accomplished or not. It’s good to be around for the stories, the drama, the fun, the misery, the life, the death. May your ‘24 be filled with joyful musings, loving kindness, a flu to remind you of health, and a nurse like Bennie who will invite you back to health.
Susan Dromey Heeter is a writer from Newmarket who recently let her hair go au natural white. Writing has been her passion since her English majoring days at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. Dromey Heeter has lived in The Netherlands, Alaska and currently basks in all things New England, including the frigid winters. An avid swimmer, Dromey Heeter’s great passion is to bring back body surfing as most children have no idea how to ride waves without ridiculous boogie boards.
This story was originally published by InDepth NH.
CONCORD – While Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte has said she opposes increasing highway toll rates across the state, the Senate voted Thursday to increase rates for out-of-state license plate holders.
It now goes to the House for consideration.
This would be a $1 increase for those who have out of state plates going through the tolls at Hooksett, Hampton and Bedford for out-of-state plates, a 75 cent hike for those taking Hampton’s Exit 2 and on the Spaulding turnpike at Rochester, and a 50 cent hike for those taking the exit off I-93 to Hooksett.
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An analysis in the bill shows that this would increase toll revenue by $53.3 million in fiscal year 2027 and go up each year to generate $81.4 million a year in 2036.
Senate Bill 627 passed on a voice vote with two Republicans, Senators Regina Birdsell of Hampstead and William Gannon of Sandown opposing.
Senator Mark E. McConkey, R-Freedom, moved to take the bill off the table and offered an amendment. He said the last time there was a systemwide increase to the turnpike toll was 19 years ago.
“I am sure we could all agree the cost of operations…has continued to escalate when revenue is not rising with it,” and he noted that with an enterprise fund, the state can only spend what it takes in.
The state has just completed a 10-year highway plan and there was a $400 million shortfall in projects that could not be paid for under the current income.
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McConkey said the measure would not increase tolls for New Hampshire drivers with a state license plate.
“Why don’t we ask our neighbors,” to pay a toll increase. “We are getting the best of all worlds,” by passing the bill, he said, including “protecting our residents” and having resources for improvements to the turnpike system.
Sen. Gannon, R-Sandown, asked McConkey if there are any studies on impacts near the border on businesses.
If implemented, McConkey said the state will be the 27th lowest in per mile cost still. McConkey said the bill would also increase from seven to 14 days the amount of time for those with NH license plates to pay for a toll adding there are other states that also have different rates for out-of-state users.
The Hampton toll cost would go from $2 to $3, while Hooksett and Bedford would rise from $1 to $2 for out-of-state plates.
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New Hampshire currently has the lowest rate per mile among states with tolls roads. The governor said she does not support a toll increase.
“We are not going to put a burden on drivers for a toll increase,” Ayotte said. “Families are struggling.”
WILTON, N.H. (WHDH) – A woman died in a Wilton, New Hampshire, house fire Wednesday morning, according to the New Hampshire State Fire Marshal’s Office.
At 9:08 a.m., Wilton firefighters responded to Burns Hill Road after a caller said their home was filling up with smoke. When they arrived, a single-family home was on fire and they found out two people were still inside on the second floor.
A man and a woman were both taken out of the house by firefighters and taken to Elliott Hospital. The woman was pronounced dead and the man is in serious condition.
Officials have not released the name of the victim at this time.
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At this time, investigators are looking into the cause of the fire and are trying to determine if a power outage in the area played a factor. The fire is not currently considered suspicious.
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