Fifty-five year old James Fox, a second grade teacher at the Fred C. Underhill School in Hooksett turned himself into the Hooksett Police Department after a warrant for his arrest was issued. Fox allegedly exposed himself to an adult woman on April twenty fifth. He and the victim live on close vicinity to each other on Granite Hill, where the incident took place. Fox was released on two-thousand dollars personal recognizance bail.
Because he is a teacher, the department notified Hooksett School Superintendent Charles Littlefield of the arrest. Sources tell Girard at Large that parents of the school were told of the incident in letters that went home yesterday, despite the incident not being on school grounds or involving children. Memo to the Wicked Smaht Wizzahds in Pembroke…Anyway, the Hooksett Police Department is asking others to whom Fox may have exposed himself to contact Det. Lombardo at 6 2 4 1 5 6 0 extension 3 1 7.
Since we mentioned Pembroke, I guess maybe we should report that its parent board, the S A U 5 3 School Board, met last night to receive a presentation on the Right to Know Law from Barrett Christina, the staff attorney for the New Hampshire School Boards Association. Trouble is, they failed to gather a quorum, so the meeting turned into a workshop. At the outset, S A U Board Chair Benjamin Brown said that members of the public would not be allowed to ask questions aloud, but could write them down and submit them to the chair of their individual school boards. It would be up to them to ask the questions submitted, the public was told.
Funny thing is, there was only one member of the public present. That was Pembroke parent David Pearl, who after some discussion and attempts to ask questions, did submit his questions in writing to Pembroke School Board Chair Thomas Serafin, who refused to accept Pearl’s questions saying “Sir, I’m not the chairman of your school board.” Pearl protested saying his daughter went to Pembroke Academy. Quote: “You’ll have to give it to the chair Hooksett School Board” said Serafin to Pearl, who is a Hooksett resident. Hooksett is not a member of S A U 5 3, which includes the towns of Allenstown, Chichester, Deerfield, Epsom and Pembroke.
Many of the questions fielded by Christina seemed focused on how to limit public input, such as can we limit public comment only to our town’s residents, which was asked by Pembroke School Board member Patricia Nardone-Boucher. Prior to submitting his questions in writing, Pearl told the board as his attempts to ask questions were rebuffed that quote “this is the problem that we have as citizens in the public, you spend more time figuring out how to not talk to us than letting us engage in the discussion.” Based on what we continue to see out of Pembroke and that S A U, that appears to be an entirely accurate statement.
News from our own backyard continues after this.
Nathaniel Kibby, the monster that abducted then fourteen year old Abigail Hernandez as she walked home from Kennett High School in Conway, unexpectedly pled guilty yesterday to seven felony charges, including kidnapping and rape. Kibby held Hernandez for nine months, during which he tortured her in unspeakable ways. In sentencing him to forty five to ninety years in prison, Judge Larry Smuckler told Kibby he was getting off light given the heinous acts he committed, but that he was willing to agree to the sentence so that Hernandez and her family didn’t have to continue with the trial, which would have had to sort through nearly two hundred charges brought against Kibby.
The plea deal eliminates all but the seven felony counts, including federal counterfeiting charges associated with Kibby’s use of counterfeit funds to pay prostitutes while he imprisoned the teen. It was ultimately the use of the funny money that led to Kibby’s arrest for his crimes against Hernandez, whom he released eight days before he was caught. Hernandez, now seventeen, was in court for the sentencing. In a statement, she said what he did had changed her life forever, but that she forgave him for all he did. She now appreciates her freedom and family in ways she could not have before.
A report on Senate Bill 4 8 5 is scheduled to be voted on by the full House and Senate next week. The bill would establish the Granite Hammer Grant Program for cities and towns in New Hampshire. Senator Jeanie Forrester said that the pilot program in Manchester has been highly successful by “quelling the supply of heroin and other illegal substances on the street while sending a strong signal to drug traffickers that New Hampshire will not tolerate this kind of dangerous and illegal drug activity.” Lawmakers hope that other cities and towns would want to take advantage of the Granite Hammer Grant Program if the bill passes next week.
The town of Bow’s Memorial Day Celebration and Cookout will take place at the Gazebo and require a road closure. On Monday, between three and seven, Knox Road will be closed between the intersections of Logging Hill Road up to Heidi Lane. No parking will be allowed on Logging Hill Road, White Rock Hill Road and Bow Center Road. Parking for this event is at the Memorial and Elementary schools. There will be shuttle buses running from the parking lots to the fire station.
The Manchester Public Works Department issued a reminder that, starting this past Monday, the collection of yard waste will happen every other week. That means that if your neighborhood is not serviced this week, it will be serviced next week.
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