🌱Help Arrives: Docs, Nurses+ Christmas Church Controversy +Games

Hello, Bedford! It's me again, Paula Constance, your host of the Bedford Daily.

First, today's weather:

Partly sunny today. High: 47 Low: 24.

Shoutout to our premier local sponsor:

Have you stopped by T-BONES Great American Eatery off River Road lately? If you buy a $25 gift card from now through New Year's, you'll get another $5 thrown in for free. Learn more here.

Want to see your business featured in this spot? Click here to get started.

Here are the top stories in Bedford today:

1. Help Arrives For Exhausted Doctors And Nurses: Bedford residents who are concerned about overwhelmed hospitals with the highest number of new COVID-19 illnesses in the country will be happy to hear that help has arrived. Exhausted doctors and nurses from the Elliott Hospital received a morale boost just before dawn on Saturday when the federal Disaster Medical Assistance Team walked through the doors. Hospital President Greg Baxter raised the alarm to state health officials last week after the hospital and staff were overwhelmed with more severely ill COVID-19 patients than the ICU could care for. The Disaster Medical Assistance Team is a diverse group of 24 paramedics, nurses, doctors, and pharmacists. Team Commander Michael Player said this was their 43rd deployment this year. He said that most, but not all, of the deployments this year were for COVID-19. The Disaster Medical Assistance Team has manned vaccination sites, helped with monoclonal antibody treatments, and assisted the staff of a 1,000-bed hospital in Louisiana. Doctors and nurses at the Elliott Hospital are relieved that at least for the next two weeks, help has arrived. (The Union Leader)
2. Game On! If you are looking for a fun way to support Bedford athletes, Patch and ScoreStream have partnered to bring you all of the week's upcoming games. This week, the Bedford High School Bulldogs will be playing the Timberlane Regional High School Owls on Tuesday, Dec. 14. Some venues may limit the number of fans that are allowed due to the pandemic, so be sure to check first. You may be able to view some games on BCTV, Bedford Community Television on the BCTV website. Find out more about the game schedule for the next two weeks here: (Bedford Patch)
3. Bedford Church Christmas Controversy: Members of the New Hope Christian Fellowship, a new Southern Baptist congregation of about three dozen people, hoped to meet for Christmas services in the living room of a house they bought last year in Bedford off of Route 101. Church members started converting the home into a church, but in October the Town of Bedford said that the congregation and public can't gather on the property until the construction passed town inspections and had the required occupancy permit, which prompted a lawsuit by lawyer Michael Tierney on behalf of New Hope. The Town also taxed the property, but then issued a refund. Tierney said the church knows it needs an inspection and occupancy permit when construction is completed, but members want to worship in the living room of the existing house which isn’t part of the construction. Alan Goedecke, of the family owned Goedecke Paint and Decorating in Bedford and treasurer of the new congregation, said not being able to worship on the property is "very disheartening." Church members are waiting for a Superior Court Judge's ruling following a hearing on Wednesday. The judge hoped to have a decision by Dec. 25, but couldn't promise anything. For now, members plan to meet privately for Christmas prayers and songs, with New Hope for the New Year. You can read more about this story here: (The Union Leader)

Today's Bedford Daily is brought to you in part by our friends at Ring, the home security company. Ring does a lot more than doorbells: check out their full suite of smart home products at Ring.com. And thank you Ring for helping to make local news happen in Bedford!

Today in Bedford:

• The Craftworkers' Guild Annual Holiday Fair (10 a.m.)
• Winter Choir Concert — Bedford High School (6:30 p.m.)

From our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

• Healthy Buffalo — (Visit website)
• RD1 Fitness — (Visit Website)
• Tiger Warrior Dojo — (Visit website)
• MJ'S Market, Inc — (Visit website)
• Add your business here

Events:

• New Year's Eve — Interactive NightLife Experience (December 31)
• Add your event

Loving the Bedford Daily? Here are all the ways you can get more involved:

• Share this free newsletter with a friend or neighbor with this link
• Get your local business featured in front of readers
• Send me a news tip or suggestion at paula.constance.patch@gmail.com

You're officially in the know today. I'll see you soon!

— Paula Constance

About me: I am a freelance writer, author, and media producer. I am committed to media projects that empower, engage, and help make the world a better place.