House Bill fifteen oh eight is on the docket of the House Education Committee today and legislators at the State House are bracing for a firestorm. If passed, the bill would force the unelected State Board of Education to terminate any and all current and future participation with the Common Core national standards and direct the State Department of Education to stop implementation of the standards and, perhaps more importantly, any testing associated with the standards. The bill is being heard at an opportune time as educators in Nashua recently panned the Common Core aligned Smarter Balanced Assessment. In a letter to Nashua Superintendent Mark Conrad, educators at the Fairgrounds Middle School wrote quote “The FMS staff collectively believe that the Smarter Balance Test is inappropriate for our students at this time and that the results from this test will not measure the academic achievement of our students; but will be a test of computer skills and students’ abilities to endure through a cumbersome task.” Conrad’s response? Damn the torpedoes! In an article we’ve linked to in the Nashua Telegraph, Conrad said talk of delaying the test was quote unquote “counterproductive” and that the district will use the tests beginning next Spring. School officials in nearby Londonderry have applied for a waiver to the test, proposing an alternate testing scheme. School officials in Alton and Manchester have indicated they would do the same. House Bill fifteen oh eight will be heard today at eleven thirty in Room 2 oh 7 of the Legislative Office Building. If you can’t attend, we’ve included a link with this newscast so you can find, mail, email or call your legislator. NOTE: The hearing has been moved to Room 305-307 of the LOB.
The New Boston Republican Committee will host the first debate between G O P congressional candidates State Rep. Marilinda Garcia of Salem and former State Senator Colonel Gary Lambert of Nashua. The candidates have been busy about the business or introducing themselves and releasing competing conservative endorsements in recent days. Garcia released the endorsement of the iconic conservative group GOPAC, while Lambert unfurled the support of Gun Rights Across America. Both are relatively unknown across the district. Despite that, both are within a handful of points against incumbent Democrat Annie Kuster in a recent U N H / W M U R Granite State Poll, that also showed Kuster with dismal approval ratings. The debate starts tonight at 7 at the Whipple Free Library located at sixty seven Mont Vernon Road in New Boston. I, your Humble Host, have the honor of moderating the debate and will gladly ask your questions of the candidates. Just drop me a note at Rich at Girard at Large dot com. The New Boston G O P says any Republican or Independent voter is welcomed to attend. We’ve linked to all the details from this news read at Girard at Large dot com.
News from our own backyard continues after this
A spokesman for former congressman and once again congressional candidate Frank Guinta is wondering whether or not Congressman Carol Shea Porter will take her own advice on Obamacare and resign. Shea Porter reportedly told the President at a private meeting with a handful of Congressional Democrats that those responsible for the disastrous roll out of Obamacare should resign. Guinta spokesman Ethan Zorfas said given her own role in the law’s passage, if Shea Porter quote “truly believes that those responsible for the train wreck that is Obamacare should resign then we await her resignation.” End quote. He noted that Shea Porter not only supported the bill like few others, but she also voted several times against amending or delaying implementation of the law that has stripped more than twenty two thousand Granite Staters of their health insurance.
The Attorney General’s Office has released the names of the five Weare police officers involved in the shooting death of suspected drug dealer Alex Cora DeJesus. DeJesus was allegedly shot and killed in an undercover drug bust gone bad on August fourteenth. Those involved are sergeants Joseph Kelly and Kenneth Cox, Detective Frank Hebert and officers Nicholas Nadeau and Brandon Montplasir. Expect the investigation to continue for another two months.
The Hooksett Police Department is warning residents of a dual on-line and telephone scam. A resident recently reported being contacted after responding to an on-line ad about home health care. The resident was mailed a check to purchase a wheel chair. The victim deposited the check, was told to purchase Money Paks and read their codes to the scammer, which the victim did. It was not until after the Money Paks were transferred that the victim learned the original check was counterfeit. This kind of scam is common and very difficult to investigate or prosecute as the scammers using pseudo names, e-mail addresses, phone numbers and physical addresses from out of state. Police are urging residents to never accept checks from non-verified sources, to use caution when receiving this type of correspondence and to be aware of the tactics the scammers use, such as sending checks and requesting money orders, Money Paks, etc. in return. If residents have questions they should contact their local police department.
That’s news from our own backyard! Girard at Large Hour ___ starts right now!
