As I’ve said before, I hate asking for money, but we have an $802 gap to close by the end of the day.

We’re short of our $3,100 goal, so if you value the local news, guides, and stories we bring to your inbox, consider helping us close the gap today.

I’ve heard from some of you who would rather not donate online, so you can also send a check. Make it payable to Courier Newsroom, write “Granite Post” in the memo line, and mail it to:

Granite Post / COURIER Newsroom
3229 Greenpoint Ave., PMB 532
Long Island City, NY 11101

(Yes, the headquarters are in New York. The people writing all of Granite Post’s content are not. We’re local.)

Now, onto the wiener dogs.

Dachtoberfest is back in Littleton this weekend, complete with dachshund races, costumes, and a whole lot of tiny legs. More on that below.

Here’s some other news to know this morning:

Here’s what’s inside today’s newsletter:

📸 Reader photo: Golden hour hits the White Mountains. Send us your photo! 

📰 What we’re reading, including: NH housing construction hits a 20-year high—but the state still needs 40,000 more homes by 2030.

🍂 Fall fun: 5 subtle signs of fall only New Hampshire locals notice

📢 Question of the week: Should the government be able to cancel someone’s health insurance over suspected fraud before the case is individually reviewed? Share your take! 

🗓 Top events: See what’s happening around New Hampshire.

(Courtesy of Rita Riley)

📸 Shoutout to Rita Riley for capturing this incredible shot at the Hancock Notch Trailhead in the White Mountains on Aug. 19 at 7:28 p.m.

🪶 Fun fact: The White Mountain National Forest covers nearly 800,000 acres across New Hampshire and western Maine.

📷 Share your photo: Got a New Hampshire photo you love? Send it our way for a chance to be featured in an upcoming newsletter.

🔗 Related: White Mountains spot named most charming NH small town by HGTV. Do you agree?

Local news is disappearing. The pressure on the newsrooms that remain is growing.

More than 3,500 newspapers have closed nationwide since 2005. Journalists and newsrooms face increasing attacks from the federal government, while funding for local news continues to dry up. We can’t keep doing this work without our readers’ support.

We have until Sept. 30 to reach our end-of-month fundraising goal. Help us keep delivering factual, free information.

🏠 NH is approving more new housing than it has in years …

Housing production has reached its highest level in two decades, with much of the new permitting concentrated around the Seacoast, Nashua, and Manchester. But the state still estimates it needs more than 40,000 additional homes by 2030, and today’s permitting rate remains far below its 1980s peak. NHPR

📬 Wave of outside money floods NH Senate race …
Outside groups have poured roughly $50 million into New Hampshire’s US Senate race between Democrat Chris Pappas and Republican John Sununu, filling voters’ mailboxes and screens with political ads. Much of the recent spending has come from Republican-aligned groups backing Sununu or attacking Pappas. NHPR

💳 NH credit card delinquencies near Great Recession levels …
Nearly 10% of New Hampshire borrowers are severely behind on credit card payments, a rate similar to levels seen around the Great Recession. Auto loan delinquencies are also climbing, while most Granite Staters continue to keep up with mortgages, home equity loans, and student debt. NHPR

New Hampshire may be known for its vibrance come fall, but only locals know these subtle, stunning signs of the season. (Getty Images/Unsplash)

By Stacy Milbouer

🌼 Goldenrod and asters — Look for clouds of yellow goldenrod and bluish-purple asters blooming together in fields, along roadsides, at the edges of woods, and in wetlands.

🦋 Milkweed — Those fluffy, silky pods cracking open along fields and roadsides are a sure sign of fall—and their seeds promise more milkweed for monarch butterflies next year.

🌹 Wild beach roses — Along Hampton and Rye beaches, Odiorne State Park, and the Seabrook dunes, fragrant beach roses give way to bright red-orange rose hips as fall arrives.

🍂 Lily pads — New Hampshire’s fall colors aren’t just in the trees. Lily pads on ponds and rivers turn from bright green to shades of eggplant and scarlet.

🔴 Bittersweet — Its bright red berries and yellow leaves can provide one of the last bursts of color before winter, but beware: The invasive Asian variety can choke out trees and other plants.

The Trump administration is canceling Affordable Care Act coverage for more than 760,000 people, saying their enrollments were unauthorized or fraudulent. Federal officials say the move will save about $2.2 billion in taxpayer-funded subsidies.

So this week’s question is:

Should the government be able to cancel someone’s health insurance over suspected fraud before the case is individually reviewed?

Here’s what you’re saying:

“Definitely not! This is another example of the current administration’s policy of using a shotgun to kill a mosquito. Health care is a life and death issue and should be handled on a case-by-case basis as much as possible. If we weren’t involved in an illegal war and an illegal and unconstitutional ICE campaign, we might have the time and money to give our citizens affordable and adequate health care.” — JoAnn Carlson

(Google My Maps)

🎬 14th Annual Monadnock International Film Festival
Keene, Oct. 2-4
Independent films from New England and around the world take over Keene for three days of screenings, with a virtual festival following Oct. 6-15. 
More info

📚 36th Annual Book Sale at Saint Anselm College
Manchester, Oct. 2-4
Browse thousands of fiction and nonfiction books, plus DVDs, VHS tapes, and CDs. Paperbacks and audiovisual materials are $1, hardcovers are $2, and admission is free.
More info

🍂 27th Annual Autumn Craft Festival on the Lake
Meredith, Oct. 3-4
Shop more than 70 booths of juried arts, crafts, specialty foods and seasonal treats along Lake Winnipesaukee. Admission is free, and leashed pets are welcome.
More info

🐑 Vermont Sheep and Wool Festival
Tunbridge, VT, Oct. 3-4
Celebrate peak foliage season with fiber animals, yarn and fleece vendors, demonstrations, classes, shepherd workshops, herding demos, local food, and more.
More info

🎃 The 42nd annual Apple Harvest Day festival 
Dover, Oct. 3
Food, live entertainment, and 250 craft vendors, complete with a 5k road race.
More info

🎃 4th Annual Frizzhome Gardens Fall Festival
Bedford, Oct. 3
This free fall festival features more than 35 vendors, pumpkin painting, face painting, homemade baked goods, and at least six flavors of free homemade ice cream.
More info

🌭 Tailswag’s Third Annual Dachtoberfest
Littleton, Oct. 3
Wiener dogs take over Littleton for a day of dachshund races, contests, more than 35 vendors, food trucks, and plenty of four-legged fun. Admission is free.
More info

🎻 Fall Fiddle Festival Concert
Concord, Oct. 3
Fiddlers from the Celtic and New England traditions join forces for an afternoon of live music featuring Alden Robinson, Audrey Budington, Liz Faiella, and guitarist Dan Faiella. 
More info

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Katy Savage with a story from Stacy Milbouer. It was edited by Crystal Niforos.

Granite Post is free for everyone. Your support makes our work possible.