Author: The Hippo Press

Ice safety

New Hampshire Fish and Game Department officials urge outdoor enthusiasts to exercise caution when enjoying winter activities near any ice, including vertical ice and on trails. Parents are urged to educate themselves about ice safety and share their knowledge with their children to help prevent accidents.

In a statement, Col. Kevin Jor­dan, Chief of Fish and Game’s Law Enforcement Division, said that “caution is in order for those going out onto any ice, especial­ly with the extreme fluctuations in temperature and precipitation expected this week. With erratic weather conditions, some areas of ice may look safe, but may not be. We are urging people to check the ice thickness before going out onto any frozen waterbody.”

New Hampshire Fish and Game says it is never advisable to drive cars or trucks onto ice. They advise that if you’re on foot you should carefully assess ice safety before venturing out by using an ice chisel or auger to determine the thickness and composition of the ice, and continue to do this as you go fur­ther out, because the thickness of the ice will not be uniform over the entire waterbody.

Snow-covered ice can be deceiving and should always be inspected carefully. Though all ice is potentially dangerous, the U.S. Army Cold Regions Research & Engineering Laboratory in Hanover, N.H., offers this advice on ice thickness: There should be a minimum of 6 inches of hard ice before individual foot travel and 8 to 10 inches of hard ice for snow machine or off-highway recre­ational vehicle travel.

New Hampshire Fish and Game notes that thick ice does not always mean safe ice and that it is possible for ice to be thick but not strong, because of varying weather con­ditions. Weak ice forms when warming trends break down the ice and then the surface refreez­es; people should be especially careful of areas with current, such as inlets, outlets and spring holes, where the moving water can make ice dangerously thin, according to the release.

• New Hampshire Fish and Game listed these tips for staying safe on the ice:
• Don’t venture onto any ice during thaws.
• Stay off the ice along the shore­line if it is cracked or squishy.
• Docks, rocks and downed trees absorb the sun’s heat and can cause the ice around them to be thin.
• Watch out for thin, clear, or hon­eycombed ice. Dark snow and ice may also indicate weak spots.
• Small bodies of water tend to freeze thicker. Rivers and lakes are more prone to wind, currents, and wave action that weaken ice.
• Never gather in groups on less than 8 to 10 inches of hard ice.
• Always bring along a rescue rope, ice picks and a personal flo­tation device such as a float coat or life preserver.
• If you do break through the ice, stay calm. Move or swim back to where you fell in, where you know the ice was solid. Lay both arms on the unbroken ice and kick hard. This will help lift your body onto the ice. A set of ice picks can help you pull yourself out; wear them around your neck or put them in an easily accessible pocket. Once out of the water, roll away from the hole until you reach solid ice.
• If someone you are with breaks through the ice, don’t rush over to the hole — keep yourself safe. Look for something to throw or to use to reach out to the person such as a rope, tree branch or ice spud. Lie down flat and reach out with your tool. After securing the person, do not stand — wiggle backward on the solid ice pulling the person with you.

Ice safety is also very important for snowmobilers: Never assume a trail is safe just because it exists, and check out trail conditions before you go, at nhstateparks.org/ activities/snowmobiling/trail-in­formation.aspx.

Visit wildlife.nh.gov for more information which also includes a video on ice safety.

Robot talk

Attorney General John M. For­mella announced that he and a bipartisan coalition of 46 Attor­neys General have successfully urged the Federal Communications Commission to tighten rules aimed at blocking and mitigating robocalls.

In a statement, AG Formel­la said, “Illegal robocalls are a growing threat to New Hamp­shire families and businesses. By working with the FCC and col­leagues nationwide, we are taking strong, bipartisan action to protect consumers and hold those respon­sible accountable. These steps are a major move toward stopping fraud and harassment, and we must remain vigilant in combating these deceptive practices.”

According to the release, in response to a letter from the AGs the FCC has announced three ini­tiatives in its continued fight against robocallers, which include strengthening the Robocall Mitiga­tion Database (RMD), thousands of dollars’ worth of fines for non­compliance, and investigations into voice service providers trans­mitting illegal robocall traffic.

Panther Pitch winners

Plymouth State University’s annual “Panther Pitch” busi­ness competition announced two winners from 13 finalists for inno­vative business ideas: senior Cara LaPlante of North Woodstock for her Collegiate Recovery Program and senior Joe Zuber from Con­necticut for his SweetPea candy bar. The Panther Pitch challenges students to create innovative and entrepreneurial ideas that address societal challenges, according to the press release. Two other awards were presented at the Pan­ther Pitch event. Alex Ray, founder and owner of the Common Man Family of Restaurants, was giv­en the Business Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame Award and 1999 PSU graduate Todd Angilly was given the Social Entrepreneurship Award for his service as director of workforce development at the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security.

On Monday, Jan. 6, at 7 p.m. at Pembroke Town Library (313 Pembroke St., Pembroke) Joshua Duclos presents a talk called “Why Democracy?” Call 566-1031 or visit nhhumanities.org for more information.

Gibson’s Book Club meets on Monday, Jan. 6, at 5:30 p.m. at Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord (45 S. Main St.) to talk about The House in the Cerulean Sea, a novel by T.J. Klune. Newcomers are welcome!

On Wednesday, Jan. 8, at 3:30 p.m. at Newmarket Public Library (1 Elm St., Newmarket) Erin Moulton will present “History and Mystery: A Genealogy Starter Guide” for those interested in family history. Call 659-5311 for more information.