Arlinghaus: The budget guy
G O P Governor-elect Chris Sununu announced that Charlie Arlinghaus has joined his team to manage the state budget through the transition. Arlinghaus is President of the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy, a New Hampshire free market think tank and an influential and familiar voice on state fiscal policy. Arlinghaus will advise the governor-elect on all matters involving the state budget as well as provide counsel on public policy. The governor’s Fiscal Year 2018-2019 agency budget hearings begin on Friday, where Sununu will offer opening remarks.
On the horizon
Four recounts affecting state rep. races in our listening area are pending in the Secretary of State’s Office. Tomorrow, Manchester Ward Twelve Democrat Joel Elber will have a recount with Republican State Rep. Dick Marston, who lost by eight votes. On Friday, Derry Republican Bob Fesh faces a recount with Democrat Mary Eisner who lost by forty seven votes. On Monday, Manchester Ward Five Democrat Andrew Gregoire and Republican Lisa Freeman, who lost by just one vote, will be recounted. We are awaiting a date for a recount in a state rep. race in Dunbarton and Bow, where incumbent Republican State Rep. Jr Hoell trails fellow Republican John Martin by fifteen votes.
Marion: Has story to tell
The Diocese of Manchester will hold its 8th Annual “The Mission of Catholics in the Public Square” event this Saturday, from 9:00 a.m. to Noon at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics. This year’s topic is “Understanding Human Trafficking . . . What You Can Do to Help” featuring Jasmine Marino, a human trafficking survivor, who shares her message of survival, faith, and hope to raise awareness about the prevalence and dangers of human trafficking. Other speakers include Most Reverend Peter A. Libasci, Bishop of Manchester, Michael Posanka, Regent in Charge, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Stephanie Clark, Executive Director, Amirah, Inc.
Mission of Catholics in the Public Square
This event is intended to raise awareness about the pervasiveness and various forms of human slavery in our state, country, and world, an issue that involves an appalling affront to the fundamental dignity of the human person. The session will also provide information on the signs that a person is the victim of trafficking and what can be done to report, prevent and abolish it. There is no charge, but registration is requested at catholic n h do org slash publics quare, where you can also get additional information.
News from our own backyard continues after this.
So. Beech/President Rd. traffic snarls to end soon
The Manchester Board of Mayor and Aldermen met last night. There was lots of applause from residents from the South End as the board voted to lift the gates blocking through traffic on Gold and Sewall streets and restore President Road to two way traffic. In a Facebook post trumpeting the vote, Ward Nine resident John St. Hilaire, who at the public hearing the night before last said that, good intentions notwithstanding, all the board had managed to do with every vote it took was make things worse and pit neighbor against neighbor, said quote:
This was a win for the community on more than one level…traffic patterns have been forever altered and this win will give the community a chance to breath and return some normalcy to the south side. Hopefully neighbors can once again be friends!
Lord Emperor O’Neil: Apologizes
During the meeting, Lord Emperor Dan O’Neil, Alderman at-Large, apologized to Ward Nine Alderman Barbara Shaw for all the grief he caused her as she worked to resolve the difficult neighborhood and traffic issues, saying he had been a bit hard on her and that she deserved to be commended for her efforts.
At Monday night’s public hearing, Public Works officials said the changes could be made within a day of approval. So, look for things to change down there, pronto!
Gatsas: Veto overridden again
Also last night, despite receiving a financial forecast from Finance Officer Bill Sanders projecting a more than eight hundred thousand dollar deficit in the police department’s budget, largely because of the whopping pay raise granted to the Manchester Police Patrolman’s Association over Mayor Ted Gatsas’ veto, the aldermen voted to override his veto of the Manchester Association of Police Supervisors contract. It was the second time Gatsas vetoed the contract. The last override vote failed on nine to four with Ward Eight Alderman Tom Katsiantonis absent and, therefore, not voting. This time Katsiantonis was there and voted to override. Only aldermen Pat Long of Ward 3, Tony Sapienza of Ward 5, Bill Shea of Ward 7 and Joe Kelly Levasseur at-Large voted to sustain the veto despite the added costs and real concerns about where the money to pay for either contract will be found.
Voter Fraud: 3 million non-citizens voted
The non-partisan groups “VoteStand” and “True the Vote” announced they completed an analysis of 1 8 0 million voter registrations, and they have concluded that more than 3 million non-citizens voted on Election Day. VoteStand founder Gregg Phillips said that they are currently “building the case” in regards to this finding, and are working on getting the information out, but it may take a while since the task is “incredibly tedious.” We’ve linked to the full story from this newscast at Girard at Large dot com.
Winter Parking Ban in effect
The Merrimack Police Department announced yesterday afternoon that the town’s Winter Parking Ban went into effect last night. Said the police, simply:
No parking on town roads from 11 pm – 6 am. Thanks
That’s news from our own backyard! Girard at Large hour ___ is next!
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