Jared Goodell Launching Manchester Morning Radio Show on Tuesday, 8/25, 7am

by | Aug 18, 2015 | 3 comments

Jared Goodell Show

Keene Native Jared Goodell Launching Morning Talk Show in Manchester

Keene independent newsman and local radio pro Jared Goodell has been given a major promotion – straight to morning talk radio in Manchester, NH, starting Tuesday 8/25.  Saga Communications’ Manchester-based WFEA-AM 1370 flipped to talk radio earlier this year to provide some competition to iHeartMedia’s longtime market leader, WGIR. This summer, WFEA also signed onto translator 99.9 FM.

Goodell’s show will be the first local, longform weekday talk show on the station and it’s a major win for Goodell, a Keene native who cut his teeth in Keene music radio for years – he started at age 13 at WOOL-FM in Bellows Falls, VT. It’s a bold move for Saga to tap a young talk host like Jared to head up mornings. Good for them for taking the chance on the farm team rather than going the typical route of hiring some old politico or using a national morning show.

Goodell says of his new gig, “I hope to usher in a new era for talk radio. There is a lot of speculation as to the future of the format, some of which is not great. I love talk radio and want to see it live on for many more generations. Talk radio has always been the medium that the American people could use to amplify their voice and to hold their government accountable.”

He’s proven he’s got the chops for issues-oriented talk radio in his recent week-long fill-ins for longtime local morning man Dan Mitchell on WKBK here in Keene.  I was grateful to be a guest on a recent episode to discuss the Shire Free Church:

Goodell’s new show will be 7a-9a to start, eventually expanding to 6a-9a after a syndication contract ends. While his show will not air in Keene at this time, you can still listen online via WFEA’s website.

Good luck in the big city, Jared. Here’s a video of Goodell performing WKBK’s morning show, courtesy of Youtube’s CAPTAINQUINN: (more…)

Topless Equality Movement Spreads to Hampton Beach Sunday 8/23 for “Free the Nipple”

by | Aug 16, 2015 | 26 comments

topless_tuesday2010

Topless Tuesday 2010, Keene’s Central Square

Longtime readers of Free Keene remember the controversial and short-lived “Topless Tuesdays” events from 2010. Many critics in the area still cite it as something they didn’t like that liberty activists have done. It’s relevant to point out that none of the females who participated in that were Free State Project participants. They were all townies.

Now, five years later, the topless equality movement has come again to New Hampshire, this time with over 1,100 saying (on Facebook) they will be attending “Free the Nipple” at Hampton Beach. (Who knows what the actual turnout will be.) The event is slated for all-day on Sunday 8/23. There is no specific meeting time or location besides Hampton Beach. This is an interesting approach and one of the event organizers comments on why on their facebook page:

“Even though there is no meeting spot, I have a feeling we will notice each other and make some new friends. I plan on walking around and I’ll gladly introduce myself, but I want to enjoy the beach as much as all of you! We don’t need a giant gathering or “spectacle.” Our goal is to just be normal about it. We want to show everyone that the breast and nipple can be seen without all hell breaking loose, traumatizing kids, giving old men heart attacks, or causing the apocalypse.”

Nonetheless, certain prudes in politics are making this out to be the apocalypse. Busybody state senator Nancy Styles is talking about proposing a law banning female toplessness and some local Hampton people have been whining.

Though it’s not illegal in New Hampshire to be topless as a male or female, one city, Laconia, has made an illegal ordinance banning it. News just hit this weekend that the ladies behind Free the Nipple are planning civil disobedience in Laconia.

Things are definitely getting interesting. Stay tuned to Free Keene for the latest on this social change in New Hampshire. Though people are legally free to be topless, there’s a large social stigma that needs to be broken.  Thanks to the courageous ladies who will be participating in Sunday’s event, and especially to those who will eventually risk arrest in Laconia at an unknown date in the future.

Here are the two organizers, Kia Sinclair, and Heidi Lilley explaining why they’re having this event:

Oathkeeper, Alstead Selectman Chris Rietmann to Keynote Keenevention 2015

by | Aug 6, 2015 | 0 comments

Chris RietmannLiberty activist Chris Rietmann has made major news twice this year for first repealing all gun regulations in Alstead, where he serves as selectman. Then a couple of weeks ago, he made further headlines for leading the effort to provide armed guards outside the Keene military recruiting center – a move which was controversial among the liberty community.

At Keenevention, we’re not scared of controversy, so Rietmann was an obvious choice to give a keynote speech at Keenevention 2015.

Keenevention is Hallowkeene weekend, October 30th through November 1st. Tickets for the third-annual Keenevention are just $60 or BTC for the whole weekend, including the Hallowkeene costume dance party! Pre-event ticketing is limited to 100, so lock yours in now.

Stay tuned to the Keenevention blog for more announcements, including more panels and another keynote speaker. You can also follow Keenevention’s facebook page and join the official facebook event here.

2015 Cheshire Fair Outreach Booth Features Bitcoin Vending Machine

by | Jul 29, 2015 | 1 comment

It’s our fourth year at the annual Cheshire Fair! Keene liberty activists including Derrick J Freeman, Chris Cantwell, yours truly, and others will be manning the Bitcoin outreach booth. For the second year, the booth is featuring the original Keene Bitcoin Vending Machine. (The other, improved BVM is still at 101 Deals Thrift Store.) We’ll have the usual propaganda on hand from Copblock, the Foundation for NH Independence, NH Jury, and Shire Society. You can also declare your independence by signing the Shire Society Declaration and take it home to keep.

See you at the 2015 Cheshire Fair, today through Sunday on route 12 in Swanzey!

Cheshire Fair 2015

Derrick J Freeman at the 2015 Bitcoin Outreach Booth

Dr. Tarrin Lupo to Present New Movers Panel @ Keenevention 2015

by | Jul 22, 2015 | 0 comments

Dr. Tarrin LupoGet a fresh perspective on NH activism from a panel of people who’ve moved to New Hampshire within the last year – the New Movers Panel, hosted by new-mover-to-Peterborough, and author Dr. Tarrin Lupo.  Panelists to be announced.

Keenevention is Hallowkeene weekend, October 30th through November 1st. Tickets for the third-annual Keenevention are just $60 or BTC for the whole weekend, including the Hallowkeene costume dance party! Pre-event ticketing is limited to 100, so lock yours in now.

Stay tuned here to the Keenevention blog for more announcements, including more panels and another keynote speaker. You can also follow Keenevention’s facebook page and join the official facebook event here.