catching up on local news

• The gods seem to be conspiring against local campgrounds this summer. Not only did incessant rain splatter the region at near record levels in June, but the N.H. Legislature has seen fit to impose a 9 percent rooms and meals tax on campsites. Recreational campers and campground owners are not pleased with this development, nor are Republican opponents of the state budget. Never before has the tax, normally imposed on hotels and their restaurants, been expanded to include campsites. The new state budget also increases the rooms and meals tax rate from 8 to 9 percent, delivering an extra blow to the campgrounds now under its purview. The result will likely be higher fees for campers, many of whom are already pinching pennies in these tough times. You might be better off pitching a tent in the backyard of your house—if it hasn’t been foreclosed on.

• New Hampshire’s first ever Pecha Kucha Night took place in January, and organizers believe the event was successful enough to warrant a sequel. The second local Pecha Kucha Night takes place at the Gas Light Co. in Portsmouth on Wednesday, July 8. Pecha Kucha, a Japanese term meaning “the sound of conversation,” is a networking event held in more than 200 cities around the world. Various industry professionals offer streamlined presentations with 20 PowerPoint slides and 20-second descriptions of each slide. The idea is to let people get their message across in a concise and stimulating way. Hosted by Calypso Communications, the event begins on the Gas Light’s deck with drink and food specials at 5 p.m. Presentations start in the third floor nightclub at 7 p.m. Topics will vary, and Calypso is still looking for more speakers. Call Mike Teixeira at 603-431-0816 or visit www.calypsocom.com.

• Surfers in York, Maine, were steamed on June 23 when the town chose not to expand its designated surfing zone at Long Sands Beach despite optimal wave conditions. An ordinance in York allows the town to temporarily expand its 120-yard surfing zone at times when conditions attract large groups of surfers. According to local surfer Aaron Rohde (an occasional freelance photographer for The Wire), the tight quarters created significant safety hazards on June 23. Rohde was involved in two collisions and several near misses, causing more than $100 of damage to his board. He said only a handful of swimmers were at the beach and more than 20 surfers were corralled in the 120-yard span. Parks and Recreation director Michael Sullivan said he was out of the office that day and left the decision to the lifeguard supervisor. Sullivan said surfers are responsible for their own safety within the permitted zone.

• The N.H. Legislature recently passed a number of law changes involving the sale of liquor. One of those changes will allow the N.H. Liquor Commission to establish eight new grocery or convenience stores that sell booze, and one of those stores will be located in Seabrook. The stores will be added in geographic regions where they are necessary “to satisfy local community needs,” a press release reads. The Commission has already opened a new wine specialty store in Plaistow. The new laws, originally pitched as the Liquor Commission Modernization Act and included in the state budget package, also allow the Liquor Commission to sell other items in stores, such as gift bags, corkscrews and wine glasses. The act also reorganizes the Commission’s management structure, establishes an enterprise fund to make it operate more like a business, and simplifies the process of attaining a liquor license. Cheers.

• Portsmouth’s newest waterfront restaurant opened on June 21, restoring deck space on the Piscataqua River. The River House is at 53 Bow St., former location of The Stockpot. The new joint started generating buzz even before it opened, winning top honors at the 25th annual Chowder Festival at Prescott Park on June 6. Its menu is somewhat more upscale than the traditional New England fare offered at The Stockpot, but there is still plenty of fresh seafood and chowder. There is also a variety of flatbread pizzas with pesto and shrimp and other tasty toppings. The two-floor restaurant also has a wooden deck out back, taking its place alongside other waterfront decks of Poco’s Bow Street Cantina, Harpoon Willy’s, Old Ferry Landing, The Oar House and The Blue Claw. A standing area of the deck now includes some table fixtures, upon which you can rest your elbows while you sip a summer beverage.