Boutin: Introducing drug court bill
As part of a collective effort to combat the heroin crisis in the state, Senate Majority Leader Jeb Bradley, Republican from Wolfeboro, and Senator David Boutin, Republican from Hooksett, will join Manchester Mayor Ted Gatsas to announce a legislative proposal for a statewide drug court grant program that would enable counties to create new drug courts as well as sustain those already in existence.
Gatsas: Making another attempt for drug court funding
The details will be released tomorrow morning at ten thirty in the Aldermanic Chambers at City Hall. Also expected to be in attendance for the announcement are Manchester state representatives Will Infantine, Republican from Ward Six, Patrick Long, Democrat from Ward Three and Joe Lachance, Republican from Ward One. Police Chief Nick Willard and Assistant Police Chief Carlo Capano will be on hand as will Fire Chief James Burkush, Public Health Director Tim Soucy, AMR Ambulance Director Christopher Stawasz and Hillsborough County Superior Court Judge Ken Brown. Girard at Large will be present to record and blog the event live, in real time to provide you with the details. Be sure to surf in!
MSD: Will get “alternate activity” presentation
Scott Foster, the Manchester School District’s “walk walk, wiggle wiggle, clap clap” Wellness Council Advisor on physical activity breaks for students, will be present at tomorrow night’s meeting of the Manchester Board of School Committee. Foster recently appeared at a meeting of the board’s Coordination Committee to demonstrate and discuss the activity breaks being used in some elementary school classrooms to make up for the loss of recess time, which he said was attributed to standardized testing.
Ambrogi: Saw it differently
When asked by Mayor Ted Gatsas, after going through all the benefits of physical activity, which included better grades and better behavior, why the schools aren’t restoring lost recess time, Foster said teachers don’t want to lose the instructional time because of testing pressures. When Gatsas suggested picking a school to pilot more recess time to see how it worked, Foster enthusiastically proclaimed it quote “an excellent idea.”
Staub: Interested in research on recess alternatives
Foster told at-Large School Committeewoman Kathy Staub, who inquired about what the research suggested was the best activity alternative to recess, that there were lots of studies, but that what happened in classrooms should be left to common sense and the discretion of the teachers; the same teachers, according to him that don’t want more recess because they have too much testing. Foster is presenting to the board at the suggestion of Gatsas who had a differing recollection and interpretation of the September fourteenth discussion than did Coordination Committee Chair Sarah Ambrogi. We’ve linked to our Live Blog Forum coverage of the meeting and to video of the meeting so you can see and hear for yourself.
Health Audit: Gatsas tries at school board.
Also on tomorrow night’s agenda is a letter from Gatsas to the school board regarding his proposal to audit the district’s health and dental insurance programs to ensure that those dependents covered by the plans are eligible for coverage. Gatsas suggested the audit after learning that the state of New Hampshire conducted one and discovered that six percent of those covered as dependents were ineligible for coverage.
News from our own backyard continues after this.
Osborne: Voters determine the budget battle tomorrow.
Voters in Derry will head to the polls tomorrow to determine whether or not the budget cuts enacted by the town council will stay or go. The town has been embroiled in a fierce budget battle over the past seven months as four of the seven town councilors have sought to reduce spending and taxes. It has been marred by raucous meetings, which have seen several people ejected, some escorted from the council’s chambers by police, the dissemination of false information by those opposed to the cuts, intimidation tactics deployed against members of the council’s majority and a Mexican standoff with petitioners who gathered signatures to overturn the budget cuts, which the council refused to act on until a court ordered an election, which in and of itself, raised questions about whether or not the laws governing elections could be honored. Derry Town Councilor Mark Osborne, who has become the primary target for protester scorn will fill us in on the details this morning.
Guinta: Hosting job fair
Congressman Frank Guinta will host a job fair in the Queen City this Wednesday, October 14, at Manchester Community College.
“Finding a job is hard work. My staff and I are hoping to make it a little easier for Granite Staters, who will have the opportunity to meet dozens of potential employers and education providers,” said Guinta in a statement announcing the event.
It’s open to all residents and will be held from four to seven P M in the college’s multipurpose room.
Among those present, will be representatives from AutoFair Automotive, Modern Woodmen of America, Admiralty Chimney Service, Easter Seals, Liberty Hill Construction, Manchester VA Medical Center, US Army Manchester Recruiting Company, US Small Business Administration, NHTI, Dept. of Safety, Bentley Commons, PC Connection, Primerica Financial Services, The Arbors of Bedford, Allied Barton Security, Acapella Technologies, Manchester Police Department, Comcast, Drinkwater Marketing, Ecco, Hero to Hired/ESGR, Senture, Staples, 911 Restoration of New Hampshire, The Moore Center, and UPS
For more information contact Brian Dobson from Guinta’s Manchester office at 6 4 1 9 5 3 6.
Bedford Coffee with a Cop: Bring your GAL travel mug!
This month’s Coffee with a Cop in Bedford is scheduled for tomorrow morning from seven to nine at Bedford Falls on 5 Corporate Drive. All are welcome, say the Bedford cops and the coffee’s on them!
That’s news from our own backyard, Girard at Large hour ___ is next
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