Stable the horses, they’re inspecting power lines
The Bedford Police Department is alerting area residents that Eversource, that’s the new and improved P S N H, has scheduled air patrols this week. If weather conditions allow, the air patrols will be conducted to inspect the transmission system using infrared cameras. If you are aware of residents that have animals sensitive to helicopter noise, such as horses, the Bedford cops ask that you make these residents aware of the scheduled flights. If you have any questions or would like additional information please contact Eversource Energy.
MPD: Announces Citizens Police Academy, police exam.
The Manchester Police Department will be hosting the twenty fifth session of its Citizens Police Academy beginning April fifth. All classes will be held on Wednesday evenings from six to eight at department headquarters on Valley Street. The Academy is an eight week program designed to inform residents about the role of the department in the community and consists of a classroom format with some limited participation, if desired. Students will examine different aspects of police work and not only be exposed to the glamor and excitement they may associate with police work, but also the things that are less glamorous but vital to daily operations. There is no fee to attend and applications are now being accepted on a first come first serve basis until the class fills. About twenty five students will be accepted. Additional information and the application are available at manchester p d dot com. Officer Mark Ampuja may be emailed with any questions at mampuja@manchesternh.gov.
The department also announced it will hold a police exam on Saturday March twenty first. Details are on Manchester P D dot com.
Milford issues parking ban
The Milford Fire Department reissued a snow emergency parking ban yesterday. It lifted the last one right around the time the last storm hit. Anyway, cars are not allowed to be parked on town streets between the hours of one and six A M until further notice.
News from our own backyard continues after this.
In what can be considered little more than a rehash of a discussion already had, the Manchester Board of School Committee’s Committee on Athletics and Extra Curricular Activities took up the issue of revising the Athletic Code of Conduct, which governs student eligibility for sports.
Athletic Code changes coming in light of Akot?
The board first had a discussion regarding the Athletic Code after Girard at Large exposed the membership of Ayei Akot on the Central High School varsity basketball team. Akot was facing expulsion for physically assaulting a girl student, but the expulsion hearing was canceled after district administrators, unilaterally and without input or consent from the Student Conduct Committee or the full Board of School Committee, returned Akot to school after entering into a settlement agreement with the U S Department of Education Office of Civil Rights.
Livingston: Refuses to release information.
Superintendent Debra Livingston has refused our repeated requests for a copy of the settlement claiming it was a non-public student record. Other news reports stated the settlement had to do with the district’s failure to provide an interpreter who spoke Dinka, Akot’s native language. We later learned and reported that both Akot and his family members have been in the city for nearly a decade and speak English rather well, leading us to question the basis of the settlement and seek a copy.
Beaudry: Pushes Athletic Code policy changes
In addition to his violent conduct, sources told Girard at Large that Akot’s grades and attendance should disqualify him from play. As he did back in January following our reports, Ward Nine School Committeeman Arthur Beaudry pushed changes to the policy that would automatically disqualify students from sports for violations of the code that are now at the discretion of the coaches and administrators. There are a lot of “may result in suspension” from athletics that Beaudry wants to change to “shall result in suspension.”
Donovan: On his radar
As they did back in January, the committee deferred any action until they heard from coaches and building principals, which one would have thought that administrators would have provided by now given their statement’s last month. Anyway, district Athletic Director Christopher Donovan said getting their feedback and tightening the code so that it’s more uniformly enforced around the district is quote certainly on my radar end quote. Oh good, we can all sleep easier now while they continue to drag their feet.
Hooksett tuition contract extension up for a vote
On tonight’s agenda for the Manchester Board of School Committee is the long awaited contract language giving life to the board’s action approving a one year extension of the tuition settlement with the Hooksett School District. Both the Manchester and Hooksett school boards approved a one year extension in lieu of a longer term contract so long ago that I can’t remember when it was passed. Anyway, it’s on the agenda and may, itself, beg the question as to whether or not the lawyer who wrote it was looking to ramp up the billable hours. there’s not a whole lot there that would justify it taking so long
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