Vermont’s most stunning scenic mountain view to the east – Mt. Washington, the largest peak in New Hampshire – faces a possible name change. But public opinion is running against the change to Mount Agiocochook, the Journal-Opinion reports.
InDepthNH.org reviews state opposition to proposed named changes for Mount Washington and the Baker River.
“[Easton NH resident Kris] Pastoriza urged the U.S. Board of Geographic Names to change the name of Mount Washington to Mount Agiocochook as it was known by native Americans before European settlement, because the first U.S. President owned slaves, and that the name for the Baker River be changed to the native Asquamchumauke River, noting Lt. Thomas Baker, for whom it is now named and his troops destroyed a Pemigewasset native village near Plymouth in 1712.”
The U.S. Board of Geographic Names meets this morning, but neither Mount Washington nor the Baker River are on the panel’s meeting agenda.
“As of August 8, the BGN has received 65 emails from individuals, 14 in support of renaming Mount Washington and 51 opposed; many of these also referred to the Baker River change,” according to BGN meeting minutes from August.
Pro-Hamas panel discussion – Tuesday October 17, 7 pm, at the O.N.E. Community Center 20 Allen St in Burlington, several pro-Palestinian groups will hold a panel discussion.
“Early on Saturday, October 7th, Palestinian resistance fighters broke through Israel’s siege of Gaza. In response, Israel has declared total war against the people of Gaza, completely cutting off access to food, water, and electricity, while bombing the Strip and killing entire families,” the statement said.
This panel, featuring Wafic Faour (Vermonters for Justice in Palestine), Debra Stoleroff (Jewish Voice for Peace), and Nolan Rampy (Tempest Collective), will discuss how to understand the current situation in Palestine, the 17-year siege of Gaza, and questions of resistance, colonialism, the role of Biden and US imperialism, and mass struggle.
The event is sponsored by Burlington Tempest Collective and Vermonters for Justice in Palestine.
Outdoor recreation grants – The State of Vermont today announced $6 million in Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative (VOREC) funding will be available to strengthen their local outdoor recreation economies, including support for communities to recover flood impacted outdoor recreation resources and projects to expand outdoor equity.
The Vermont Office of Racial Equity will collaborate on the administration of the Outdoor Equity track. Shalini Suryanarayana, Education and Outreach Associate for the Office said, “We are so pleased to see a focus on outdoor equity and the way equity considerations have been woven into all the other funding tracks. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to work together to change the landscape in Vermont in ways that can lift everyone up.”
The online application portal is open through December 15, 2023, for all grant tracks. Projects should begin in summer 2024.