The Epsom Public Library has the following activities planned for
the February school vacation week.
Monday, Feb. 25th at 2 pm a children’s art class taught by Kerry
Harman using clay with a winter theme. The class is limited to 10
children and registration is required. Call the library at 736-9920
for more information about fees and to sign up.
Tuesday, Feb. 26th at 1:30 pm, Story Time and the “Charlie and Lola”
movie, “I really need actual ice skates.” Popcorn and drinks will
be provided.
Wednesday, Feb. 27th at 6:30 pm the Family Movie, “Hotel
Transylvania” rated PG featuring the voices of Adam Sandler, Selena
Gomez and Kevin James. Join us for the fun as even monsters need a
vacation! Popcorn and drinks provided.
Thursday, Feb. 28th at 3:30 pm, Lego Club and Story Time featuring
stories, songs and crafts.
Congratulations to Jessica Hering, daughter of Kathleen and Richard
Hering of Epsom for being named to the Dean’s List for the 2012 fall
semester at the University of New England. Dean’s List students have
attained a grade point average of 3.30 or better out of a possible
4.0 at the end of the semester.
A 2011 graduate of Pembroke Academy, Jessi is a major in
Occupational Therapy with a minor in Psychology. She is also
actively involved in intermural sports, Occupational Therapy Club,
International Honor Society in Psychology, Key Club and various
volunteer opportunities.
A Turkey Dinner, sponsored by the American Legion Post 112, Short
Falls Road, Epsom, NH, will be Saturday, February 23, 2013, 4:30 pm
to 6:30 pm.
Donations:$9.00 Adults, $4.00 children 6-12, under 6 free.
Turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, stuffing, garden salad, carrots,
green beans, onions, cranberry sauce, rolls, homemade desserts, and
beverages will be served.
Door prizes and 50/50 raffle. Proceeds to benefit Post 112 community
activities.
Call Harvey at 736-4926 and/or Jane at 435-8770 for information.
Snow date is March 2, 2013 from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm.
Letter
Mike Tinsley For Epsom Road Agent
Attention Epsom Residents: I am writing in support of Mike Tinsley
as he runs for the position of Road Agent in Epsom. I have been
involved in an ongoing conversation with Mike about his interest in
the position and am convinced that he has a good grasp of what Epsom
needs for a Road Agent. Since throwing his hat into the ring, he has
done considerable research as to road construction in general,
drainage issues and solutions, specific problems with Epsom’s roads
and how best to solve them. He has investigated resources for
assisting the Road Agent. He seems to have a good grasp of different
options for repairing and maintaining the roads, and understands
that catch-basins and drainage ditches fail if they are not
regularly cleaned and maintained.
Perhaps most importantly, I see Mike as a team player, able to work
with whomever he needs to work with, not afraid to ask for advice
and input. I plan to vote for Mike Tinsley for the position of
Epsom’s Road agent and ask that you consider doing the same. He’s
the right man for the job.
Bruce Graham
Letter
To my constituents in Allenstown, Epsom, and Pittsfield:
This week, my committee heard HB654, my bill setting fees in statute
and relieving some small boards of maintaining revenues at 125% of
their budget. We discussed the fiscal impact of setting the fees to
$100 and that these boards have been generating excess funds for
years. I pointed out that the fees could be considered in the
budget, if some board were to collect too much or too little money.
The hearing on HB473, admitting UNH police into the NH retirement
system, ran long over its schedule. This is a very bad idea that has
been rejected many times before - the university’s pension system is
a defined contribution plan that isn’t as rich as the state defined
benefit plan. The University is opposed because it interferes with
negotiating benefits for their employees, and also because it costs
more. From the police’s point of view, being in the plan is more
costly (7% vs a minimum of 2.5%, plus social security). Social
Security is also a problem in that recipients of Group II pensions
lose much of their Social Security. Retiring at 45 is allowed by
both plans, but a UNH pensioner has fewer restrictions on later
employment than a Group II pensioner. However, the state employee
unions are strongly in favor of getting more people into the
retirement system to spread the costs of the unfounded liability
over a larger payroll - and incidentally create a larger pool of
affected people who will support the system. But adding more people
also creates more liabilities, and unless the stock market booms,
the taxpayers will have to pay more to cover these pensions when
they come due.
Interested readers can email me for my newsletter, with more details
than fit here.
Representative Carol McGuire
[email protected]
782-4918
Plymouth State University Fall 2012 President’s List
The following students have been named to Plymouth State
University’s President’s List. To be named to the President’s List,
a student must achieve a grade point average of 3.7 or better for
the fall 2012 semester and must have attempted at least 12 credit
hours during the semester. These credit hours must be in courses
that earn grade points and the student must have completed all such
courses attempted.
Chichester
Adam Gray, Kali Mara
Epsom
Joshua Ellsworth, Daniel Todd, Molly Todd.
Epsom Central School Staff and Faculty
Mrs. Lynne Graham, Teacher, 2nd Grade
Lynne, like most of her peers, is reticent about her own
accomplishments, which can only be drawn out through patient
questioning. Lynne is a veteran teacher, an athlete and coach, a
mother of three, the wife of “a good man,” the founder and
coordinator of the annual January Mini-Courses, a fan of her
teaching teammates, and a ready source of hugs for any child who
needs one. She earned a BS in Early Childhood Education from UNH and
Certification for Teaching Grades K-3 from Notre Dame College. After
teaching one year of pre-school, she started at ECS 25 years ago.
Lynne coached cheerleading for 13 years and has coached girls
softball for the last 16 years. After seeing her son find many
educational opportunities while in first grade in Chichester, Lynne
wondered why this could not be done for everyone at ECS. With
support from Admin and the school board, she launched the
Mini-Course Program 18 years ago. Students make their selections for
the program in November from an eclectic mix of cultural, technical,
academic, and athletic offerings provided over three days in
January. Typical choices are guitar lessons, rug braiding, ice
fishing, and rock climbing, activities which Lynne believes might
otherwise never be experienced by the children. She coordinates the
skiing/snowboarding sessions, as well as the entire program.
Lynne is in education because she loves children and wants to do her
best for every child in the school, through her classroom,
Mini-Courses, and coaching. She lived in Epsom as a child and did
her high school internship here in 1st grade and the library. She
says, “This is my town, and I have the best and strongest team
here.”
Lynne recommends that parents read to their children and have their
children read to them every day. Lynne lives in Epsom with Floyd,
her husband, and their three children ranging in age from 13 to 25.
In her spare time, she enjoys running/operating Tanorama of Concord
with Floyd, NASCAR, reading, cooking, coaching and playing softball,
and spending time at the lake.
Letter
I was told by a long time resident that you always knew when you got
to Epsom because the roads disappeared.
When we drive over our roads this winter and we can feel every bump,
crack and pot hole, realize that just grinding and paving won’t cut
it. Many of Epsom’s roads are old, designed for horse and buggy. As
the years went on, cars and trucks began to redefine what was
necessary for safe, hazard free travel. Although paving and widening
helped, its the things we don’t see that cause the greatest issues.
The issues facing Epsom’s roads are poor drainage, poor roadbed
construction, and lack of maintenance.
Without attention to detail, hard work, public input, good
management practices, efficiency, and the ability to identify issues
early on, we will be facing high repair cost, higher taxes, and
depletion of our roads and capital investments. By working twice as
hard physically, and twice as efficiently, I plan to stay within a
balanced budget, improving customer service, and tackle maintenance
issues one by one, immediately! I plan to bring our roads into the
21st century.
Feel free to contact me at
[email protected]
Find Mike Tinsley for Epsom’s Roads 2013 on facebook.
Mike Tinsley for Road Agent
Letter To The Editor
Winter is here and as of late we’ve been truly tested. The 30+ inch
storm could truly have been much worse if it had been 10 degrees
warmer and heavy wet snow. The next 2 inch storm with rain was
problematic because doing the same job on different roads or
sections of roads gave different results.
Thank all of you who helped move and remove snow from the roads and
away from driveways.
Happy to see the days get into the 30s and soon into the 40s, which
helps a lot. The maple sap should start running. Looking forward to
spring and another productive year for the Highway Department.
Gordon Ellis
Road Agent
Epsom Public Library Hosts Local Artist Exhibit
The Epsom Public Library is pleased to host “Mid-Winter Thaw,” an
exhibit featuring the work of Rochester artist Susan Schwake. This
mixed-media show evokes a welcome breath of spring in fresh,
lighthearted images and delicate pastel hues.
Susan Schwake’s vision to teach and share art on her own terms has
grown into Rochester’s Artstream Studios, which, as well as an art
school for which she has designed the curriculum, includes a
contemporary gallery and a full media design firm.
She
is the author of Art Lab for Kids, a book offering 52 creative
adventures in drawing, painting, printmaking, paper and mixed media,
all geared to the young artist.
The exhibit runs through March 16, and is available
for viewing during regular library hours: Monday – Thursday, 10 am
to 7 pm, and Saturday, 9 am to 1 pm. For more information, call
736-9920 or visit
www.epsomlibrary.com.
American Legion Post 112 of Epsom was honored on February 11, 2013
by the New Hampshire and the National Offices of the American Legion
for attaining the goal of 100% renewal of its membership for the
year 2013. Receiving the award for Post 112 are from left to right
Cliff Simonds, Chaplain, Gerard Leduc, Commander, Harvey Harkness,
Membership and Finance Officer and William Zarakotas, Adjutant.
Holding the American Flag are members Herve Brien and Maurice
Patterson.
Letter
Epsom Road Agent - Gordon Ellis
I would like to thank Gordon Ellis and his crew for doing such a
wonderful job keeping up with all the snow we recently received. The
tireless long hours you and your crew have put in is an example of
your care for the roads and our town.
I would also like to thank you for all the hard work and care you
have put in over the years to fixing Epsom’s roads. You have saved
the town money by utilizing your personal skills and the skills of
others to save our town money. Because of your hard work and
leadership, Epsom’s roads are getting fixed in a fiscally
responsible way.
I ask the town’s residents to continue in this positive direction
and re-elect Gordon Ellis as Road Agent.
Thank you.
Joy Sheehan
Epsom
Obituaries
Michael Benson Cowan
April 24th 1945 -
January 31st 2013
Michael (Mike) Benson Cowan, 67, beloved father, partner, brother,
and friend, passed away Thursday, January 31, 2013 at St. Rose
Dominican Siena Hospital in Henderson, Nevada. Mike was born on
April 24, 1945 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the son of Raymond
Paterson and Florence (Steagall) Cowan. Mike grew up in Pennsylvania
and New York, where he attended Syracuse University and SUNY
Cobelskill, where he graduated with a degree in Landscape
Architecture.
After college, Mike moved to New Hampshire, where he lived for 25
years, the majority of these years spent in Epsom. Mike had a richly
diverse job history. While living in NH, Mike worked with the State
of NH in the Civil Defense Office (later called Emergency
Preparedness). During the great Blizzard of ‘78, Mike was on duty in
Rye, where he helped coordinate the State’s response to the storm.
Mike also taught Defensive Driving and trained EMT personnel. Mike
later went on to work at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, where he
continued his work with training emergency responders. While in NH,
Mike also worked as a Realtor, then at the Seabrook Greyhound
Racetrack.
Mike left New Hampshire to follow his lifelong dream of working with
trains. He began his train experience working for Sperry
Rail Service as a rail technician. Mike then went on to work at his
dream job as a Brakeman and Conductor on the Grand Canyon Railway in
Williams, Arizona. He loved to walk around talking to passengers,
telling everything there was to know about the train and the
surrounding landscape, his excitement contagious in his sparkling
eyes. Mike and Merilee have property in Williams next to the
mainline of the BNSF railroad where they had hoped to build a B&B
for railfans.
Mike later moved to Henderson, Nevada, where he continued living his
passion as a volunteer at the Nevada Southern Railway in Boulder
City, Nevada. Living near Las Vegas, Mike enjoyed buffets at local
casinos and he especially loved the fountains at Bellagio as well as
the gardens in the Conservatory there. Mike loved connection with
large experiences. His passions included music, especially pipe
organs, mighty evergreen forests, oak trees, and animals, who he
always felt deserved to have a “forever home.”
A kind, funny, and well-loved man, Mike is survived by his loving
daughters Melinda E. Woodard, of Renton, Washington and Meaghan F.
Cowan of Madbury, New Hampshire; grandchildren Flora and Harry
Woodard, and Honorah and Emery McGlone. Mike is also survived by
Merilee Ellsworth formerly of Epsom, his best friend and partner of
15 years; his sisters, Sally Hallock of Mars, PA, Debra Monteverde
of Pittsburgh, PA and Pamela Herdman-Bosworth of Allison Park, PA;
along with nieces and nephews, and friends from all over the world.
There will be no public memorial service, but you are
very welcome to visit and add to his public online memorial site at:
http://mikebcowan.remembered.com.
Donations may be made in Mike’s name and memory to: Friends of
Nevada Southern Railway, 600 Yucca Street, Boulder City, NV 89005.
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