When Peggy O’Neil became the executive director of WISE (Women’s Information Service) in 2003, the Lebanon, N.H., non-profit organization known for its work in assisting survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence, the organization was using a decades-old logo that showed a woman in silhouette, her face hidden from view. The image was consistent with society-wide attitudes toward the twin scourges of domestic and sexual violence – kept out of public view, and rarely spoken of.

“We know that secrecy and isolation breed domestic violence and sexual assault,” O’Neil said in a Zoom interview.

But shrouding these issues in secrecy and isolation is not the best way to combat a global public health problem.… Read More

Eugene Chabot, 102 Receives Lebanon’s Boston Post Cane

The day following Mr. Chabot’s birthday (Thanksgiving 2020), representatives of the Lebanon Historical Society called upon him at his residence on Lily Lane in the in West Lebanon to present him with the City’s Boston Post Cane in recognition of his becoming the City’s oldest resident.

Chabot was born November 26, 1918 in Paquette, Quebec which borders Pittsburg, NH. He was raised on his family’s dairy farm where he worked until 1936 when he moved to Berlin, NH as an employee of the Brown Paper Company mill for the next 24 years.

The next move brought him to the Upper Valley with his bride, Theresa Dube, whose Berlin family relocated to Hanover, then Lyme and Plainfield.… Read More

For sisters Laura and Cecilia Gonzalez, food is love, and family is everything. Even though they are separated by thousands of miles – Laura lives in Lebanon with her husband Jim, and Cecilia is in Mexico City – they have found a unique way to stay connected. Their new joint venture is a virtual cooking school that’s all about sharing the rich and flavorful culinary heritage of Mexican cooking and its central role in their family.

Laura is the second sibling and has worked as a Spanish teacher in the Rassias Center at Dartmouth.… Read More

Hi, I’m Devin, and I’m a community organizer. That’s how I usually introduce myself these days. If someone had told me when I first moved to Lebanon that I would soon lead multiple local organizations, plan various independent political advocacy demonstrations and actions, and serve on a housing board, two task forces, a commission, and (hopefully soon) Lebanon City Council… well, I can’t say I would have believed them. Nonetheless, less than a decade later, this is my volunteer résumé. I share this not to brag, but rather to encourage everyone with an interest in community – the way it functions, the opportunities to be found therein, or simply the people to meet – to get involved.… Read More