NH Resources

Spent part of the day watching horse racing from Presque Isle Downs which is in the western part of New York. The whole scene made me think of Rockingham Park in New Hampshire and how the clock really is ticking down.... The historic Rockingham Park is closing for good at the end of August. And what could have been.... like Presque Isle Downs in New York. Synthetic Track Surface for one. I'm watching it now on simulcast and is the racing ever fast. The horses, at least to me, seem to corner much tighter to the rail but unlike the dirt surface there doesn't seem to be a large margin of 'comeback' on the final stretch. Like the horse in dead last position coming in to win the race. Synthetic tracks= early speed and maintaining the lead. Too bad the politicians in New Hampshire couldn't have done what they did in New York and saved the historic Rockingham Park. It's business as usual in Concord.

It's official the enlarged, deepened Panama Canal is now open for business! Spent some time reading today in the Journal of Commerce about this new means of transportation and commerce. I've said it before I still believe this canal will have a positive effect upon New Hampshire. It won't be immediate but it will change the shape of commerce and markets on the U.S. east coast which by default, has to be good for New Hampshire. Some of the industry watchers and analysts are saying that the "downturn in China" coupled with the Brexnit vote will have negative consequences on global based commerce and this alone will negate the Panama Canal. Time will tell.

Maine Gov. LePage has made it a priority to expand the International Marine Terminal with is located on commercial street in Portland. This will be a very good capital investment and create many quality jobs and needed tax base. For example, construction has now started to expand rail access into the terminal areas where containers can be easily loaded from ship to railcars or trucks for shipment across the Northeast. Maine sees the future. New Hampshire does not. New Hampshire has a state port authority based in Portsmouth. Though it's terminal is significantly smaller than what exists in Portland nothing is being done. No expansion plans, no capital plans and no strategy to create needed jobs for New Hampshire. And did I say this lack of action is all at NH taxpayer expense.