A bunch of you flew through last week’s US presidents crossword in under three minutes!

Here are our top finishers:

🥇 Christy Roberts — 2:00
🥈 Jane Duggan — 2:02
🥉 Lisa Plotnik — 2:18

This week’s crossword is all about America’s first ladies. 

Reminder: You must send us an email with your time to appear on the leaderboard. Good luck!

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

📰 What we’re reading, including: Even buying flowers is getting more expensive as gas prices climb in New Hampshire.

🤫 The 8 best speakeasies in NH and how to find them.

📢 Question of the week: Do you think New Hampshire has the right priorities when it comes to education? Tell us your thoughts.

🔠 Solve our crossword. The theme? America’s first ladies.

🏡 New Hampshire home sales are picking up, but affordability remains a challenge …

Home sales jumped 12% in June compared to last year, marking the state’s first-ever $1 billion month in residential sales. But with a median home price of $575,000 and inventory still less than half of what it was in 2019, many buyers continue to struggle. WMUR

🌸 A longtime Manchester flower shop says rising gas prices are driving up costs …

Jacques Flower Shop, a family-owned business that’s been operating since 1974, says higher fuel prices are making deliveries more expensive and increasing the cost of imported supplies like vases, baskets, and pottery. The shop is holding off on raising delivery fees for now and says buying from New Hampshire growers helps keep some costs down. WMUR

⚖️ And, a Concord man was found to have violated New Hampshire’s Civil Rights Act after assaulting a transgender woman …

A Merrimack County judge ruled that a 2024 assault on a transgender woman at her Concord workplace was motivated by bias against her gender identity. The court ordered the man to stay away from the victim for three years and imposed a $5,000 civil fine, most of it suspended if he complies with the order. Boston.com

(Luis Castaneda/Courier Newsroom)

By Britteny Dee

Most people don’t associate New Hampshire with secret bars and hidden cocktail lounges. But if you know where to look, you’ll find everything from a genuine Prohibition-era speakeasy beneath a historic hotel to modern hideaways concealed behind soda machines and unassuming storefronts.

Here are some worth checking out:

🤫 61 Main Street — Plymouth 
Tucked behind a Greek restaurant, this cozy cocktail lounge serves classic drinks and seasonal creations.

🤫 815 Cocktails & Provisions — Manchester
A hidden entrance leads to a moody cocktail bar with vintage décor, leather seating, and inventive drinks.

🤫 O’Keefe’s Speakeasy — Waterville Valley 
A mountain-view lounge inside the Waterville Valley Conference Center with a classic speakeasy atmosphere.

🤫 Slow Burn Lounge — Portsmouth 
Hidden beneath Federal Cigar, this underground lounge pairs craft cocktails with premium cigars in a historic setting.

🤫 Sole’s Bar — Keene
Disguised as an old shoe store, guests enter through a secret payphone before stepping into a 1920s-inspired hideaway.

In case you missed it, Gov. Kelly Ayotte recently signed House Bill 1268, which loosens New Hampshire’s homeschooling requirements.

Parents who homeschool can now choose whether to notify the state or their local school district. The law also eliminates the annual evaluation requirement, and parents are no longer required to keep educational records and materials for at least two years.

So this week’s question is:

Do you think New Hampshire has the right priorities when it comes to education?

Here’s what you’re saying:

“While our State Constitution and, I believe, the majority of our people see NH kids as ‘our’ kids, deserving the best education provided by us collectively, much of the Republican majority in our Legislature view them as ‘your’ kids, or at least your town’s kids. They also incorrectly view our teachers, paras, and administrators, who are extremely dedicated to a successful future for our kids, as selfish, partisan, and inefficient because such characterization makes it easier to justify their disinterest. Education is a fantastic investment for the kids, their families, and the local and state communities, deserving significant and fairly distributed resources.” — Keenan Pawley

Think you’ve got what it takes to crack this crossword? Tell us how long it takes you to finish it by emailing us at info@granitepostnews.com! This week’s topic? America’s first ladies.

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

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