The August issue of the Advocate celebrates our 25th anniversary! Published monthly since August of 1999, the newsletter continues its mission of providing useful and entertaining information “written by neighbors for neighbors.” The issue looks back at our beginnings, profiles previous editors, and introduces people working behind the scenes: our tech guru, copy editor, and graphic designer, as well as our board of directors. We also include some amusing historical tidbits from long-ago issues of the Advocate. Our summer intern, Margot Eaton, writes of her beloved grandfather Peter Hewitt and includes one of his last Advocate “Ponderings.” We recognize our advertisers, long-time and new, who help provide the financial support to allow the Advocate to be mailed to every household in Dublin every month.
Of course, the issue also includes the usual features: an update on summer programs at the Dublin Public Library, dispatches from Alan Edelkind, our ConVal School Board representative, and from Select Board member Carole Monroe on the survey conducted by the Dublin Education Advisory Committee. Susan Peters reports on new electricity rates from Eversource and Cheshire County Community Power, and looks back on the Traffic Calming measures for the center of town that began 25 years ago. Jay Schechter, chair of the Conservation Commission, discusses ways to mitigate the negative effects of soil and gravel runoff into Dublin’s wetlands.
Rusty Bastedo, who has been an Advocate staffer since the newsletter started, writes about architect J. Lawrence Mauran’s influence on buildings in the center of town, as well as the library, which he designed. Sara Germain announces the annual meeting of the Dublin Historical Society, which will feature a talk on the geology of the region by Professor Fred Rogers.
Summer events and classes continue at the DubHub. A group art show, organized by Jean Mann, includes a public reception on August 9, and Dublin musicians April Claggett and Rhine Singleton are featured at Coffee House & Open Mic on August 17. Project Shakespeare returns with a production of “Macbeth” on August 2. Additionally, the DubHub asks for suggestions for new events and programming.
Nina McIntyre and Peter Kenyon, Beech Hill-Dublin Lake Watershed Association board members, report on the 134-acre network of trails and plans for a hilltop meadow and an accessible “all persons trail.” The Harris Center announces an August 4 Beech Hill hike to Eagle Rock.
In addition to hiking and outdoor activities, summer is a great time for cultural events: tickets for the Peterborough Players’ “Ben Butler” are still available, although “Man of La Mancha” is apparently sold out. There are four intriguing August presentations at the Monadnock Lyceum in Peterborough on Sunday mornings, and three at the Amos Fortune Forum in Jaffrey on Friday evenings. The August Advocate includes descriptions of the topics. Dublin Community Church continues its summer guest musician series and announces the resumption of community suppers in the fall.
Finally, the staff of the Advocate thanks the residents of Dublin for their support over the past 25 years. We hope to continue to “encourage and strengthen our community” in this special town.