Cataldo: Hassan playing election year politics
Governor Margaret Wood Hassan broke out her veto pen yesterday. The first bill she killed was H B 5 1 2, which would have prohibited the confiscation of firearms during a state of emergency, like was done in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. The bill would have added firearms accessories to the list of items that cannot be seized by the state during an emergency and would allow citizens recourse if their firearms are taken away from them. Bill co-sponsor Senator Sam Cataldo, Republican from Farmington, called the bill quote “minor in nature” and summarized the governor’s response as “it is an election year so this is just politics as usual.” Cataldo is an Air Force veteran and strongly believes this bill would have protected the rights of New Hampshire citizens to defend themselves in a state of emergency.
Hassan also vetoed H B 1 6 3 7, which gave school districts that have to pay tuition to other communities to educate their kids the ability to assign them to a private school. The bill was in response to the ongoing controversy in Croydon, where the school board opted to pay tuition to a Montessori school for a handful of students in the absence of an agreement with neighboring Newport to exclusively send their kids to its middle and high school.
Hinch: Decries veto
House majority leader Dick Hinch, Republican from Merrimack, hammered Hassan over the veto saying quote:
“There are many small towns in New Hampshire, like Croydon, that don’t have their own school systems, and parents should have the choice of where they believe their child fits best and can thrive. Maybe if the governor remained in the state to do her job, she would see how signing this bill would have helped our small towns rather than obstructing them…The people of New Hampshire deserve better.”
Reagan: Not amused
Senate Education Committee Chair John Reagan, Republican from Deerfield, condemned the veto in a statement issued yesterday, saying, quote:
“This bill served as an important fix that would have allowed a handful of students to continue receiving their education at the school they currently attend, however, because the Governor put politics over the best interests of these students, they will be moved to other schools without any say in the matter. The State should not be interfering in local control of our schools, especially when a duly elected school board in a town without a school finds it best to tuition their students to nearby educational institutions of their choosing.”
Sununu: Clarifying…
Seems gubernatorial candidate and Executive Councilor Christopher Sununu has backed off his comments about the failure of leadership at the state and local level when it comes to the opioid crisis in the state. Sununu made comments that provoked a sharp response from Manchester Police Chief Nick Willard, who called them quote “idiotic,” and Mayor Ted Gatsas, also a candidate for governor, who called on Sununu to apologize to emergency personnel. In a statement issued yesterday, Sununu spokesman Dave Abrams said, quote:
“The problems associated with the drug crisis are not about police officers and fire fighters and those who are on the front lines of this issue every day and are working hard to save lives. The ineffectiveness in which this epidemic has been managed stems from a lack of leadership in the Governor’s Office. Those elected to lead our cities and state have the ultimate responsibility to exert leadership on this issue. Denying you have a problem, hiding behind others and deferring responsibility are the actions of career politicians who have failed our families again and again on the scourge of opioids in New Hampshire.”
News from our own backyard continues after this.
Sartori & Libasci
The Diocese of Manchester did something that hasn’t been done in a while: It ordained a new priest. Bishop Peter A. Libasci ordained Reverend Michael Sartori last Saturday. Libasci welcomed Sartori to the priesthood saying priests are central to the life of parishes and the church itself. He asked the faithful to pray for the newly ordained priest. Sartori hails from St. Kathryn Parish in Hudson, where he celebrated his first Mass on Sunday, and was graduated from Trinity High School and St. Anselm College before attending St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore. For more information about vocations to the priesthood and religious life, visit Catholic N H dot org slash vocations.
Bryfonski: Graduation Day advice
Bedford High School’s graduation is tomorrow morning at ten and Bedford Police Chief John Bryfonski dispensed issued a statement dispensing some tips for the day. On top of the list is a reminder that underage drinking is illegal and carries a penalty of a suspended license for ninety days and a three-hundred dollar fine. Any person who facilitates or hosts an underage drinking party can be charged with a misdemeanor. Bryfonski cautioned students to not drink and drive, waring that the Bedford Police Department will conduct increased D W I patrols in conjunction with graduation day. He also encouraged students to call their parents or a trusted adult if they need anything and suggested parents know their children’s plans for the day and make sure that they, the parents, are available to pickup them, their children, up at any time and under any circumstance.
Women just keep assaulting men in domestic situations in the town of Hooksett. The Hooksett Police Department recently responded to a residence on South Bow Road for a nine one one hang up call. Officers determined that thirty four year old Catherine Flower of Manchester had scratched her longtime boyfriend during an argument over a receipt. Flower was arrested and charged with domestic violence related simple assault. Wonder if he left her with the bar tab…
That’s news from our own backyard! Girard at Large hour ___ is next!
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