Once again, the tri-town initiative will help keep invasive weeds from entering or leaving the lake. Two paid positions are up for grabs, as well as volunteer slots.
Three of the lake's camps have canceled their summer programs because of the pandemic. Two others are cautiously optimistic about opening, pending final state guidance.
We've been asked a lot of questions. The answers are fairly simple.
The state's rapidly changing guidance for operating campgrounds during the pandemic has relaxed some restrictions while leaving others in place.
What's a "member" when it comes to permission to stay at campgrounds this year? Raymond's town manager Joseph Ilsley says the State Attorney General's office told him seasonal campers don't qualify as members, but said the opposite a day later. Lobbying was the reason, he says. The AG's office says it was a miscommunication.
Bucking a headwind of municipal opposition, the governor on Friday decided campgrounds can operate at half capacity to serve "state residents and members" during the current phase of the pandemic. It appears seasonal campers are included in the ruling.
Letter to governor says opening campgrounds as scheduled could spike COVID-19 cases. Meanwhile, many seasonal campers believe they can keep things safe, and some say they have nowhere else to go.
Most hotels, motels and inns are closed because of the pandemic, but many resort-style campgrounds are scheduled to open in the next few weeks. A growing number of officials think that's a bad idea.
Tamworth officials are among area leaders raising concerns about the spread of the COVID-19 virus if campgrounds open in mid-May as scheduled. An online petition to keep campgrounds closed says thousands of visitors could spread the virus and overwhelm local medical facilities.
Ice-out was this past Sunday, beating Lake Winnipesaukee's ice-out date for the first time in my 20 years of tracking such dates. Now it's time to turn our attention to the state's plan to manage spring and summer levels as construction of the dam ramps up again.
Looking back over the last ten years, "ice-out" has been in mid- to late-April, with last year being April 26. If history repeats, there should be a slow melt and discharge into the lake for the next two weeks.
Mother Nature will ultimately call the shots, but the state predicts work will recommence in mid-May.
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