Reminder:
In an effort to help manage the cost of clothing for our local
families, Epsom Bible Church will be holding a free clothing swap on
Saturday, October 6th from 9-12 noon. You may bring donated clothing
beginning at 8:30 am. All clothes need to be clean and in good
repair (no rips or stains), and separated by size and gender. There
is no cost and you do not have to make a clothing donation in
order to take items. Call for more information or if you are
interested in volunteering at 344-8843.
PRESCHOOL
OPENINGS!
It’s time to be thinking about enrolling your child
for school in the fall! The Center School in Northwood is accepting
registrations for the 2012-2013 school year. The Center School
is a parent cooperative preschool located next to the town hall in
Northwood, which provides a developmental program for three, four,
and five year-olds of Northwood and surrounding towns. There
are openings in our two-day (T/Th) program and three-day (M/W/F)
morning programs. For information, please call the school at
942-7686 or email us at
[email protected]
to request an information packet.
Epsom Library News
The Epsom Public Library will be having a community “Touch A Truck”
event on Saturday, September 15th from 10 am to 1 pm. Get on board
with vehicles of all kinds. Join us for a hands on opportunity to
explore different community vehicles including a fire truck, police
car, and construction vehicles from local businesses. Raffles
tickets will be on sale for a chance to win two Lego construction
sets, and a gift certificate to the Toy Box toy store in Pittsfield.
Refreshments will be provided.
Truck drivers are invited to a complimentary breakfast beginning at
9 am. Rick Belanger is helping coordinate this event. If you have a
vehicle you would like to bring, please contact Rick or call Vickie
at the library for more information at 736-9920. Everyone is welcome
to this fun family event!
Story Time at the library continues thru the fall on Tuesdays at 2
pm and Thursdays at 3:30 pm. Children are invited to enjoy, stories,
songs and crafts. Themes for September include apples, insects and
fall weather.
Also, join the Lego Club on Thursdays at 3:30 pm. Toddler Time is on
Wednesdays at 10:00 am! Infants, toddlers and their
parents/caregivers enjoy an interactive time of stories, songs,
movement activities and simple crafts! For questions about any of
these programs call Mrs. Benner at 736-9920.
Letter To The Editor
There is an election coming soon and the signs of it are everywhere.
The race for State Representative this year has taken center stage.
The politically elite have put Tony Soltani in their sights and some
may ask why? It is simple. Tony Soltani is a principled leader who
demands integrity and fairness in the legislative process and
everyone knows Tony will speak up without fear.
Tony has a solid record of standing up for working families and
demanding that government budget the way we all do and not spend
more money than it has.
Tony stands for justice. Tony successfully led the efforts to bring
sunshine to our court system. We all can enjoy equal treatment under
the law and special favors for none. That alone has put a big target
on Tony.
Tony Soltani is a true representative who puts the needs of his
constituents before that of the party bosses in the legislature.
Tony stands clearly on the side of people and is willing to stand up
and be heard on behalf of the people he represents. I had the honor
of serving with him for a couple of terms in the State House. Tony
is a man of his word, he is honest to a fault, and he stands up for
the underdog with the passion of a warrior. He is the kind of
legislator you want on your side.
On September 11th, the people of Epsom and Pittsfield will have the
opportunity to cast their vote for a true citizen
legislator who stands up for his people with passion. You will have
the opportunity to say no to the party bosses in Concord who want to
replace him with their handpicked cronies. Please consider saying
thank you to Tony for his courage by voting for him to
serve another term in the “people’s House.”
Sincerely,
John M. Gibson
Former State Representative
Formerly from Merrimack, NH and now living in Tumwater, WA
Epsom Central School Staff and Faculty
Mrs. Melinda McElaney, SPED Secretary
Mrs. McElaney is the Special Education Secretary for Epsom Central
School. Visitors to the school are often greeted by Mrs. McElaney’s
warm smile. She studied for two years in college and has worked at
Epsom Central School for 21 years.
Mrs. McElaney schedules all meetings between parents of Special
Education students and staff, and files all appropriate paperwork
necessary to track the students’ development. She also supports and
covers for the front office staff when needed. As a volunteer, she
donates all materials and teaches a greeting card-making course for
children which entails eight classes.
Her favorite aspect of working at Epsom Central is the staff and
faculty, whom she describes as “very caring” for the children in
their charge. She says that she is proud to be part of this team.
Mrs. McElaney wishes that the upper parking lot with two visitor’s
spaces was instead dedicated entirely to visitors, to encourage more
parents and other residents to visit the school.
Mrs. McElaney children are grown. She lives in Northwood and enjoys
fishing.
Letter
To formally announce my candidacy for State Rep, it was thrilling to
burn 19 pledges/questionnaires Friday, August 17, while surrounded
by Epsom Dems. I decided to burn them after receiving a particularly
offensive one postmarked Fairfax, Va! It was robo-signed by John
Hohenwarter, NH State Liason, NRA-ILA, State and Local Affairs.
In bold letters in cover letter: “If you choose not to return a
questionnaire, you may be assigned a ‘?’ rating, which can be
interpreted by our membership as indifference, if not outright
hostility, toward Second Amendment-related issues.”
Well now, Mr. Hohenwarter, I learned our Bill of Rights in high
school! I believe in the castle doctrine, self defense and sporting
personal uses of ‘non-war-making’ guns. But, you have this whole
questionnaire thing backwards.
The term “lobbyist” came into being mid 1800s when railroad
companies needed federal legislation/assistance routing rail beds
across state lines. Congressmen were mostly farmers and plantation
owners ignorant of this ‘new fangled’ technology. RR companies sent
men to stand around the Capitol “lobby” so Senators and
Representatives would have the opportunity to ask questions of the
“lobbyist” during hearings and debate.
Used correctly, lobbyists perform an important educational function.
For example, if I was considering legislation for the nuances of
computer networking or guns, (I am ignorant of both.) I would put
questions to lobbyists from every side of each issue. I would then
use my personal moral/ethical values and my newfound knowledge to
reach my opinion. Then vote my conscience.
Got that Mr. Hohenwarter? I burned your questionnaire. You want your
Fairfax, VA voice heard in Concord, NH? You send a lobbyist up here
to stand around the Concord Capitol lobby, available 24/7.
If the voters of Allenstown, Epsom, Pittsfield elect me to represent
them, “I” will ask the questions! “You” will answer!
Nancy Heath
Epsom
Letter
To my constituents in Allenstown, Epsom, and Pittsfield:
My study committee on creating a defined contribution pension plan
for state employees (new hires only!) has made some progress on
limiting the damage to the existing defined benefit plan.
First we’ve done some research and confirmed that the initial
estimate of $1.2 billion in increased liability was more of a worst
case estimate than the most likely situation. Then we determined
that a “cash balance” plan could be implemented with no impact to
the existing pension system.
A cash balance plan looks like a defined contribution plan, with
individual accounts and a pension determined by the returns earned
on that balance; but the funds are professionally invested and a
minimum return is guaranteed. This isn’t the plan that we started
out wanting to use, but now that we’ve learned more it’s getting
serious consideration.
Anyone with an issue with the state laws or rules, or request for
legislation, is invited to meet with us on Wednesday, September 5,
from 5 to 7 pm, at the Epsom Library.
Interested readers can email me for my newsletter.
Representative Carol McGuire
[email protected]
782-4918\
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