Tax Assessors Deny Shire Free Church 2015 Tax Exemption

At last month’s public tax assessors’ hearing, Shire Free Church minister Mark Edge gave a rousing speech and then the Keene tax assessor board refused to explain their reasons for denying the Shire Free Church a tax exemption in 2015. Next step is an appeal to superior court. We dropped our case from last year so we could bring attorney Brandon Ross on to assist from the beginning in 2015. Stay tuned here to Free Keene for the latest on this attack on religious freedom. Here’s the video:

War on Chalk Escalates at Cheshire County Fair

Today I chalked a hopscotch on the sidewalk in front of the bitcoin booth. The first person to enjoy it was a man in his 60’s who asked, “May I?” before hopping along with the pattern. Children and adults alike opted to jump through the chalk squares. For about twenty minutes.

Laurie, the woman who appears to be in charge of the vendors at Cheshire County Fair, came over to me and told me that it had to go. She said that we can’t have children slowing down the foot traffic. She also informed me that we were “already on probation” because of our previous violations (stepping out of our booth to meet people who were walking over to talk to us, wearing a gun, and not wearing a shirt). She later returned and poured water on the chalk.

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NJ Governor Chris Christie Confronted About Edward Snowden, Cannabis in Keene, NH

As the presidential campaign for 2016 heats up, more presidential candidates will make the mistake of visiting Keene. Last month it was Bernie Sanders. This month, it’s Chris Christie, the well-fed governor of New Jersey, one of the most corrupt and awful of all the fifty US states.

Christie sauntered into Keene today for a speaking event at local bar “Lab N Lager”. The place was at overflow capacity while liberty activists (and former state rep Steve Lindsey) waited outside for Christie’s arrival for a chance to ambush him with tough questions, as has become the tradition since 2012 here in Keene. Here’s what happened:

Armed Guards Outside Recruitment Center Led by FSP-Supporting Former Sheriff Candidate

Chris Rietmann

Oath Keeper Chris Rietmann Stands Guard Thursday Outside the Recruitment Center in Keene, NH

Less than a week after making national news via Ben Swann’s Truth in Media for helping nullify all gun restrictions as a selectman in Alstead, liberty activist Chris Rietmann then made the front page of the Sentinel on Monday. He was featured in the Sentinel article for heading up an effort by local Oath Keepers and other local gun owners to guard the military recruiting center in the aftermath of the recent attack on the recruiting center in Tennessee.

Rietmann, a supporter of the Free State Project and recent independent candidate for Sheriff, explained the purpose of the continuing guard mission was to bring attention to the insanity of gun-free zones, which includes military recruiting centers, schools, and military bases. Gun-free zones are places where law-abiding people are put in jeopardy and are unable to defend themselves against anyone with a mind to kill innocents.

Since the guard effort has continued all week, the Sentinel posted a follow-up piece on Wednesday, NECN filed this report, and other news coverage of Rietmann and crew’s efforts included the not-so-friendly Daily Beast.

After hearing the military had sent a memo to recruiting offices telling them to call the police on the armed guards, Rietmann and his crew changed tactics. I went down there today with a video camera to get the story straight from Rietmann:

MAXIM Magazine Reports from Porcfest 2015!

Maxim August 2015 CoverMore major mainstream media coverage of the Free State Project just rolled in from Maxim magazine. Thanks to Livia Gershon for her feature article on the Porcupine Freedom Festival 2015, aka Porcfest!

In the article, she covers a newbie gun shoot she attended, the interesting vendors, Free Grafton, Cop Block, Muslims 4 Liberty, and Buzz’s Big Gay Dance Party.

It’s not Livia’s first foray into the New Hampshire liberty community. She also reported in 2014 from the Liberty Forum for Aeon magazine.

VIDEO – State Rep to Activist: You Have No Right to Record Me!

In a video recorded on Keene’s Main St. Sunday evening, State Rep Gladys Johnsen calls Keene Cop Block‘s JP Freeman “dumb” and tells him that he has no right to record video of her! This, after being pulled over by KPD’s officer Leslie Ainsworth – kudos to KPD for not giving the state rep special treatment. Here’s the video of Johnsen’s shocking behavior:

Johnsen  (contact info here) doesn’t appear to understand the NH Constitution’s Bill of Rights‘ Article 22 which protects the freedom of the press or Article 8 which says government agents will be open and accountable.

This is certainly not how a state representative should behave, especially in front of a camera. You’d think she’d know something about the freedom to record, considering she co-sponsored the bill to mandate police body cameras (currently retained in committee). However, her bill does not allow the public access to the police footage, which is a huge issue and goes to show that Johnsen is just an arch-statist to the core. Her NH Liberty Alliance report card for 2014 ranks her as a “D-“. In the yet-to-be released 2015 rankings, Johnsen scored as “Dereliction of Duty”, meaning she missed 70% or more of the NHLA’s scored votes. The NHLA recommends she step down from office as a result of missing so many important votes.

For the raw footage of the encounter, click here.