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CORONAVIRUS OR NOT, WE LOVE OUR PETS

What happens when your pet gets sick? The real question is, what do we do in a crisis like this?

Fryeburg Veterinarian Dr. Susan Simpkins says: “We’re seeing all the normal things that we would see; allergies start to tick up this time of year, GI issues, we’re seeing a lot of porcupine quills I think probably people are getting out there with their dogs, hiking.” With the importance of social distancing, pets of course allowed into the Fryeburg Veterinary Hospital but owners remain in their cars and the consults are done by phone. Dr. Simpkins goes on to explain: “Veterinarians and technicians work together to, you know, get an exam done and assess the animal, we then call the owner by phone, the veterinarian does, and discusses what we found in the exam and any recommended treatments.” She goes on to explain that it may take a few phone calls back and forth to truly understand what’s going on and determine the right treatment for the animal based on the conversation between the doctor and the animal owner.

Fryeburg Veterinary clinic is currently taking orders for medications, seasonal preventatives and prescription diets while still practicing social distancing. All deliveries are done curbside.

As the weather warms up, Dr. Simpkins urges you to protect your pet through the spring season and consider visits and or treatments for heartworm, fleas and ticks and other seasonal parasites.

Visit Dr. Simpkins and her veterinary family at FryeburgVet.com.

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Local Favorite Junco Releases NEW ALBUM

Bobby Sheehan of Local Favorite and Fryeburg Band, Junco called in to the Magic Morning Show today and debuted some BRAND NEW Songs with Gino. Junco has been together for numerous years now and have released their 3rd project together called Red Run Wild. Available now on all platforms. Junco hails from Fryeburg, ME and is made up of Bobby Sheehan (vocals/guitar/piano), Jeremy Holden (lead guitar), Alex Ouelette (drums/percussion/vocals), Dan Stackhouse (oboe/saxophone), and Clifford Cameron (organ). There’s also a lot of special guests on Red Run Wild as well. Bobby explained that he writes most of the lyrics of the songs but it’s a cooperative effort when writing the music. He also talked about the recording process happening up in Bangor, ME at NESCOM Studios where Bobby (and Gino) went to school. He also mentioned it was mastered at the legendary Gateway Studios in Portland, ME. Below is the lead single from the album, A Nostrum. Give it a listen and if you like what you hear make sure you visit Junco at JUNCOBAND.COM and purchase their NEW ALBUM, Red Run Wild.

Click here for the interview:

 

 

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Happy 50th Earth Day! <3

There are some positives to humans isolating, staying at home, consuming less and polluting less. On this, the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day we find ourselves in the middle of a pandemic. However in the midst of it, studies show that the earth is repairing itself and species are allowed to thrive. This is a good thing for us, for our children, for our future.

This year we have to celebrate either at home or at a distance from one another but there are many ways to do this. Here are a few ideas:

  • Spread some earth love online with home made projects, poems or songs. There are plenty of ideas on Pinterest of age appropriate crafts you can make. Pinterest also has some great starter lines for stories and poems… When you’re done, post them online for your friends and family to see what the earth means to you today. It’s guaranteed to bring awareness and smiles. We all miss each other and love the positive posts.
  • Learn something new. Learn about endangered species, how you can help them, volunteer or donate to organizations dedicated to saving them. Learn how the earth is healing because it’s less impacted by humans. Learn how to plant a tree, a garden a flower, anything living. Find out what it takes to make a bat house or a bird house.
  • Take the Earth Day Challenge: a 22 day series that gives you action items to protect the environment. They’re all online at the Earth Day Network. You can add your own actions with the hashtag #earthday2020
  • Join Columbia University’s webinar Saturday, April 25th “Understanding Environmental Justice and Community Health in light of Covid and Climate”.
  • Get on the NASA website for resources from across the agency sharing their wealth of knowledge through games, books, images, posters and programs. These are free to everyone.
  • Watch environmental films. For younger kids or kids at heart there’s The Lorax, Schoolhouse Rock, March of the Penguins, Bears and Wall-E for example. Other favorites include Our Planet, Food, Inc. as well as an Earth Day celebration on Turner Classics.
  • Check out the Smithsonian’s Earth Optimism Digital Summit– today through Sunday. It’s packed full of information, virtual workshops, video competitions, and panels on everything from sustainable food to protecting biodiversity.
  • Take the earth into consideration when you’re voting.
  • Hug a tree or just put your bare feet on the ground or your hands in the earth or your favorite river, stream or lake and listen quietly to the world around you.

Whatever you do today, it’s a celebration of the planet that houses us all. And just like we’re taking precautions now to protect one another, our families, our friends, our co-workers, strangers… let’s watch the affect and bring some of our care out of this and forward in the future to our Mother Earth.

“The earth is what we all have in common”. ~ Wendell Berry

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Senator Jeanne Shaheen Discusses Earth Day, Small Business Assistance, Healthcare, and More

US Senator Jeanne Shaheen called in to the Magic Morning Show today and talked with Gino about a plethora of topics. Senator Shaheen has always been a big proponent of safeguarding the natural environment and for this reason the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day means a lot to her and her team. She also discussed an agreement to recognize the assistance of small businesses in New Hampshire, reopening the economy, getting more funding for more testing, and even touched on the Mount Washington Valley’s concern of the reopening of campgrounds and taking in more visitors from out of state. Click below to listen to the full interview.

 

To learn more about Jeanne Shaheen and her efforts as a US Senator please visit SHAHEEN.SENATE.GOV

 

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LOCALS URGE GOVERNOR SUNUNU TO ROLL BACK THE OPENING OF CAMPGROUNDS

With visitors already refusing to comply with the stay at home orders of their states and coming to the Mount Washington Valley to visit and recreate, the local concern over an influx of campers is not outrageous. Ski areas and outdoor attractions in the White Mountain National Forest have needed to close for this very reason. In fact, if you’re a member of the AMC 4,000 footer club and you’re looking to bag a peak, it won’t count right now.

Last week after his decision to close NH schools, Sununu said “The asymptomatic transmission of this virus is very prevalent” he continues, “You could have an entire classroom of kids passing COVID back and forth without a single symptom, without a sniffle.” This leaves some locals baffled about his decision to let campgrounds that can collectively handle thousands of guests open as usual.

In an opinion article written today by Jeb Bradley for the Concord Monitor Senator Bradley offers this: “We should decrease the risk of visitors traveling from virus hot spots coming to campgrounds in our state while the virus can be spread and supply chain shortages occur in supermarkets. Large venues will not be open quickly. Smaller gatherings should continue during a phased opening of our state as we are not going to flip a switch from one day to the next.”

For weeks locals in the Mount Washington Valley and surrounding areas have been urging governor Sununu to reconsider campgrounds as essential businesses and keep them closed until COVID-19 is under control in many of the urban areas campers may be coming from. There has been a petition from the officials in Conway to the governor with no response. State Representative Steve Woodcock explains: “The biggest thing is we don’t need to take an unnecessary chance by allowing folks to congregate in large numbers in campgrounds”. He goes on to say that the current stay at home order is what people should be following. Representative Woodcock explains that “we’re just not there yet” and that his concern is that with out of town guests congregating in larger numbers at these campgrounds, both campers and locals are more at risk of contracting the virus.

Governor Sununu’s stay at home order is due to end in two weeks on May 4th.

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The Valley Pride Day 2020 Motto is “Take A Walk, Take A Bag”

Donna Woodward, organizer of the annual Valley Pride Day gave Roy Prescott a call yesterday and the two discussed the “redesigning” of the yearly clean-up event. Sadly, there will be no celebration on May 2nd like in years past due to the coronavirus but Donna told Roy that that does not mean people can not still go out there and do their part. She says the new motto is “Take A Walk, Take A Bag”.  Listen below as Donna not only explains the new approach to Valley Pride Day but also announces that this will be her last year as the “Queen of Clean” (as Roy likes to put it) and she has handed the duties of organizing the event to Saco Valley Trout Unlimited.

 

For more information about Valley Pride Day follow them on Facebook!