Shea Porter: “Yes, I would” vote for Obamacare again.
Quote “Granite Staters might as well be screaming in a soundproof booth because Congresswoman Shea-Porter still refuses to listen.” That’s what former Congressman and Carol Shea Porter rematch rival Frank Guinta had to say after watching an interview Shea-Porter did with Josh McElveen of Channel Nine on Sunday. Regarding her vote in favor of Obamacare, McElveen asked Shea Porter quote “Knowing what you know now, hindsight being what it always is, all the problems that were had, if you could make the same vote again, would you make it?” “Yes, I would” was Shea-Porter’s reply.
Winterton: Town halls not public.
Shea Porter has also come under fire for claiming to have held ten town hall meetings open to the public, then releasing a list of privately accessed, by invite only events. Hooksett Town Councilor Don Winterton released a statement through the Guinta campaign, questioning how a June tour at the town’s G E plant could be on the list of open, public town hall meetings. Quote “While it is important that the Congresswoman tour local business facilities, meet employees and discuss their issues, it is incorrect to call this a town hall meeting as it was a closed meeting at a private facility behind barbed wire fence and with security guards at all entrances for an event exclusively for screened employees.” End Quote. Winterton said he’d expect as a town councilor and constituent, that he and the general public would have been notified of the meeting so he could attend.
Hassan: Forward with illegal campaign cash
The New Hampshire Department of Justice announced that the Plumbers and Steamfitters Union PAC violated State laws by refusing to report donations made to the campaign of Governor Margaret Wood Hassan. The ruling comes in response to a complaint filed by the New Hampshire Republican State Committee on August 6, 2014. “The Attorney General’s Office has completed its review of the complaint, and we conclude that the L U 1 3 1 Committee has violated state law,” wrote Associate Attorney General Richard Head in a letter sent to Local Union 131 Volunteer PAC Chairman David Pelletier. The union was ordered to back-file paperwork with the Secretary of State’s Office and account for all donations made. In a statement released by the Republican State Committee, Chairman Jennifer Horn said the ruling quote “confirms that Governor Maggie Hassan’s union allies broke the law by refusing to report tens of thousands of dollars in tainted donations to her campaign. Governor Hassan has already been caught red-handed accepting $33,000 in illegal contributions from other Big Labor PACs, and her behavior raises serious ethical questions about her administration. The dark ethical cloud hanging over the Hassan Administration has undermined public confidence in state government and called Governor Hassan’s integrity into question.” End Quote. Horn called on Hassan to contribute the forty one thousand dollars donated by the Plumbers and Steamfitters PAC to charity. Over the summer, Governor Hassan was forced to return $33,000 dollars in illegal campaign contributions from union PACs.
News from our own backyard continues after this.
Gatsas: Had it priced right.
The old Manchester Police Station is back on the market. So said Mayor Ted Gatsas in an interview yesterday here on Girard at Large. Apparently, the deal the city had fell through and it took an action after coming out of non public session on Tuesday night to notify its real estate broker to re-list the property. Aldermen had voted to accept an offer from Tranquility Holdings, LLC. Their intended use was not disclosed. Apparently, they decided not to proceed with the eight hundred seventy five thousand dollar transaction as they conducted their due diligence on the building. The aldermen voted to list the property for two point one million dollars after the building was vacated. Gatsas, a former commercial real estate broker, argued for an asking price of one point two million dollars, hinting strongly that he had an interested buyer. The aldermen rejected the advice. An offer Brady Sullivan Properties had submitted at the same time as Tranquility Holdings, LLC was rejected. Word is, by the way, that the buyer interested at the time the original price was set was Binnie Media, who believing that the asking price was too high to make an offer deemed reasonable and decided to purchase a property in Concord instead. That property is now the hub of their radio and TV operations after millions in renovations.
MPD: Hosting Robbery Prevention events
As a service to the community in response to the recent number of convenience stores robberies, the Manchester Police Department will be conducting a Robbery Prevention Seminar for convenience store owners and employees. This seminar will cover several topics, including prevention tips, employee safety and suggested actions both during and following a robbery. The seminar is free of charge and will be held in the Manchester Police Department Community Room located at 405 Valley St.. The dates and times are October 23rd at 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. and October 30, at 6:00 p.m. Each seminar will be the same and will run about an hour long. Any questions should be directed to Crime Prevention Officer Paul Rondeau at 7 9 2 5 4 3 2.
Argiropolis: Waiver granted
Girard at Large has learned that the towns of Alton and Londonderry have been approved to use the S A T instead of the Smarter Balanced Assessment to satisfy the state’s assessment and accountability requirements in the Eleventh Grade. Alton School Board Krista Ellis Argiropolis member released the news on her Facebook page saying quote: “Very cool news tonight…. our high school, (Prospect Mountain), is one of two high schools in N H that has been approved to use the S A T for assessment & accountability for Grade 11! WHOOT! When I was elected to the board in 2 0 1 0, I asked for a resolution to use a meaningful assessment, like the SAT… 5 years later… here we are! I feel like a kid at Christmas! Our administration made it happen – and the request went up to the U.S. Secretary of Education. The other high school approved was Londonderry. It will be administered in the Spring 2015 of the Junior year. This is in lieu of the Smarter Balanced Assessments (which is replacing the NECAP). Oh, yeah… and it’s free.” End quote. This has activists in the Queen City asking why Manchester isn’t on this list of districts and, no doubt, will have Mayor Ted Gatsas asking some pointed questions. It also calls attention to statements made by both Board of Education Chairman Thomas Raffio and Commissioner of Education Virginia Barry declaring there will be no alternatives to the Smarter Balanced Assessment.
That’s news from our own backyard, Girard at Large hour ___ is next.
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