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NORTH HAMPTON, NH – On warm spring days, the Beach Plum’s seaside ice cream stand is always popular. But when scores of cars with Massachusetts license plates showed up on Mother’s Day, some local residents worried New Hampshire’s COVID-19 restrictions were being ignored.
Police Chief Kathryn Mone has heard several residents concerned that social distancing wasn’t being adhered by those waiting for ice cream or food at the Beach Plum. She said she has worked with Beach Plum owner Bob Lee and feels he has made improvements that will soon include online ordering to facilitate quicker service.
As for Beach Plum patrons parking along Route 1A, Mone said, Rye and North Hampton are working with the state to enforce no parking regulations along the state road. Sawhorses and yellow police caution tape along the roadside cut off parking, she said, and the state deployed electronic signs informing the public the beach is closed and parking isn’t allowed along Route 1A.
“Those signs have helped a lot,” Mone said. “And we’ve had the state police assisting us with enforcement. We requested their help.”
Although state and local police enforce parking and beach closures, that isn’t the case with social distancing, she said, adding social distancing and mask-wearing are strongly recommended, but they’re the responsibility of business owners and residents.
Mone understands the concern some Granite Staters have when they see vehicles with Massachusetts license plates in town. The Bay State has the third most deaths and fourth-most cases among the states. But, she reminds in the United States freely crossing state lines is a lawful right of Americans… click here to read the full story
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