■The Giving Tree: Helping Our Andover Neighbors is a holiday effort organized by The Andover Community Hub to accept donations in the form of gift cards for Andover residents who can use a helping hand. Town and AEMS staff will identify those most in need. Gift cards can be dropped off anytime at The Hub, 157 Main Street in the mail slot next to the front door, or mailed to The Hub, PO Box 157, Andover, NH 03216. Cards purchased at local businesses, local supermarkets, gas stations/minimarts, JJ’s, Pizza Chef, Belletetes, Mane Street Salon, Repeat Boutique and others also help those businesses. Gift cards can be for any amount; smaller denominations preferred (for example, multiples of $25 or $50 instead of one $100 card). There will also be a letterbox under The Hub’s outdoor Christmas tree for sending letters to Santa Claus at the North Pole.
735-5135
srfchase@gmail.com
■The Town Municipal Offices are closed to public access until further notice. This includes the Boscawen Public Library. This safety precaution was taken due to an increasing number of COVID-19 cases. The lobby is open and signage is posted to help visitors. Please visit townofboscawen.org for further details or call 753-9188.
■Although the Boscawen Public Library is closed to walk-ins, patrons can pick up their requested items on a blue cart in the lobby on Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Curbside pickup will be available for patrons who are unable to come into the lobby. Staff is available by phone at 753-8576 on Monday through Thursday from 12-4 p.m. to respond to your questions. Requests can also be made at boscawenpl@gmail.com.
■Take a trip down memory lane with a Boscawen Historical Society 2021 calendar that contains 12 months of pictures from Boscawen history. They are on sale for $15 and can be ordered by calling the library at 753-8576 to arrange for pickup.
■The CES PTO will be selling Christmas trees on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Town Center. The cost of these fresh N.H. trees are $50 and checks may be made payable to the CES PTO. Trees may also be purchased from the Canterbury Store using cash or check during normal store hours.
■Since we are all staying local this year and doing our holiday shopping in the most convenient ways possible, consider ordering from Jane Balshaw’s online studio this year. Her art gallery store has several original hand-painted quilts of Canterbury scenes, garden inspired hand-sculpted and painted brooches to wear, skincare with tinctures from her own organic gardens and many other items. Order online and at checkout please select “Local Pick Up.” You can either pick it up at the gallery store or items can be delivered for free. Visit the gallery at 12 Cogswell Hill Road or check out janebalshaw.com/homepage.
■Are you interested in holiday family fun while helping out the community? Then consider the Christmas Surprise Box! The Christmas Surprise Box is filled to the brim with 12 action-packed holiday activities that are sure to keep everyone in the family entertained. With handpicked and custom-designed boxes from Belmont High School students, your experience will be one of a kind. The boxes are $25 each, with all profits donated to the Lakes Region Children’s Auction, which supports families in need during the holiday season. To purchase boxes, donate, or to find out more, visit givegab.com/teams/belmont-high-school.
Rachel Baker
bakercompany4@gmail.com
Planning board Monday
■The Planning Board will meet on Monday at 7 p.m. to discuss several public hearings. For information on the hearings, go to salisburynh.org. On the calendar tab, click on “Planning Board December 7” to read details. The public is welcome.
■The Budget Committee will meet at Academy Hall on Dec. 14 at 7 p.m. The public is welcome.
■The Selectmen will meet on Dec. 16 at 6 p.m. at Academy Hall. The public is welcome.
■The Salisbury Historical Society has been unable to conduct any fundraising events this year, but still has items for sale, including the books “The Historic Houses of Salisbury” and “They Said it in Salisbury.” SHS is currently out of “Salisbury Lost” books but are working on an updated version that might be available for Christmas. SHS also has ornaments, note cards, Christmas cards and town throws available. If you would like to purchase any of these items, please contact SHS at shscurator@gmail.com or call 648-2551. These items will also be for sale at the SHS museum on Dec. 5 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Donations to the Scholarship Fund are welcome in any amount. Checks should be made payable to Salisbury Historical Society and designated as “Scholarship Fund” in the memo line. Mail the checks to SHS, PO Box 263, Salisbury, NH 03268. SHS is a 501c nonprofit and donations will be tax deductible and greatly appreciated.
■The second issue tax bill has been mailed. The due date is Dec. 16. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Tax Collector’s office remains closed to the public. The tax collector is available by appointment. Call 648-6323 or email tcsalisbury@yahoo.com if you have any questions.
■The town transfer station will be open on its regular days and times, Wednesdays from 2-6 p.m. and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Swap Shop is open. Please remember to practice social distancing.
■December vehicle renewal registration information has been mailed to those who need to renew. Please follow the directions in the letter enclosed and the town clerk will mail your new stickers and registration to you. This only covers vehicles previously registered in Salisbury, not new vehicles or vehicles of new residents. Online vehicle registration for renewals and dog licensing is now live. See the town’s website under the department of the town clerk for that information. If you cannot access these services online contact the town clerk’s office by phone (648-6322), fax (648-6658) or email (tclerksalisbury@gmail.com) for questions about vehicle registration renewals or dog licenses. For new vehicles, marriage licenses and vital records, please email the town clerk and request an appointment.
■A reminder to all Salisbury residents that many dog licenses have elapsed this year. Even with the COVID-19 pandemic, dog licenses are still required by law. Register your dogs ASAP to avoid any fines that may be incurred due to unregistered dogs. Please email or call the town clerk (tclerksalisbury@gmail.com, 648-6322) if you are unsure of how to do so. Fees are as follows: unneutered dogs $9, neutered dogs $6.50, $2 for one dog owned by senior citizens and $6.50 or $9 for each additional dog (depending on intact or non-intact). If you would like to license your dog through the mail, please send a copy of the rabies vaccination paperwork with a pre-addressed and pre-stamped envelope. Please make checks payable to the town of Salisbury and send to the town clerk, P.O Box 2, Salisbury, NH 03268. You may also leave your fee with information in the dropbox located on the outside of Academy Hall. Please write “Attention Town Clerk” on the outside envelope. If you would like to take care of licenses for this year and next year, the town clerk has tags for both. Please register your dogs ASAP to avoid any fine related to dog registration/licensing (RSA 446:1).
■Library hours for pick-up and delivery are Monday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesdays from 1-7 p.m.,Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Story time is live on Facebook on Mondays at 10:30 a.m. The library also offers genealogy resources Ancestry and Heritage Quest to patrons for free. To access Ancestry, just log into your patron account and there is a link on the sidebar after you log in. For Heritage, contact the library for login information. Visit salisburyfreelibrary.wordpress.com or the library Facebook page for the updates on reopening, links to virtual programming and events, eBook and audiobook collections, and other digital resources. All you need to get started is a library card. If you don’t have one, the library staff and set one up via phone or email. Interlibrary loan is back, but please allow an extra week for delivery as there are quarantine procedures in place to make sure materials are handled safely.
■For more information on Salisbury and town events, visit salisburynh.org and like Salisbury on Facebook.
JENNIFER HOYT
648-2260
jimjen505@tds.net