Letter
We Must Be Active To Have Our Voices Heard
We are living in difficult times. Our economy as a nation, from
federal level to our local communities, continues to choke many of
our family households. Not only did our federal payroll tax
recently go up, there are many more taxes headed our way on the
state level. And of course this doesn’t include the
taxes we pay on the county level. The 2013 Belknap County budget is
up 9% and we are looking at an enormous project of a new county
prison, something that will seriously impact each Belknap County
family.
Remember, each single tax by itself may not be much to look at, but
when we begin to put all the taxes together, we can easily see we
are in deep financial trouble.
How much has our food, gas, and other necessities risen lately? My
family, just like most in Belknap County, is facing tough choices in
our household budgets, trying to juggle all the financial “pinches”.
Town, county and state government should be offering
budgets/projects which fit our current financial situation. Fiscal
responsibility is vital.
It has never been more important for us to keep our heads down, and
stay on the target. We do not need to be angry or fear-mongering.
We can let others do that. But, we do need to be steadfast in our
message. And that includes participation in public discussions on
issues of fiscal conservatism. Being present at your town meetings,
voicing your opinion at town deliberative sessions, and running for
that open seat in town government is crucial to putting ourselves on
the path toward fiscal sanity. Be active in your community – it does
make a difference!
Rep. Jane Cormier
Belknap District 8 – Alton, Barnstead, and Gilmanton
Cameron Steenbeke Wins Gilmanton School Geographic Bee
Moves One Step Closer To $25,000 College Scholarship
Cameron Steenbeke, a 7th Grade student at Gilmanton
School, won the school-level competition of the National Geographic
Bee and a chance at a $25,000 college scholarship. The school-level
Bee, at which students answered oral questions on geography, was the
first round in the 25th annual National Geographic Bee. The Bee is
sponsored by Google (visit
www.google.com/educators/geo).
The kickoff for this year’s Bee was the week of November 12, with
thousands of school around the United States and in the five U.S.
territories participating. The school winners, including Cameron
Steenbeke will now take a written test; up to 100 of the top scorers
on that test in each state will be eligible to compete in their
state Bee on April 5, 2013.
The National Geographic Society will provide an all
expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C., for state champions and
teacher-escorts to participate in the National Geographic Bee
national championship rounds on May 20-22, 2013. The first-place
national winner will receive a $25,000 college scholarship and a
lifetime membership in the Society and a trip to the Galàpagos
Islands, courtesy of Lindbald Expeditions and National Geographic
(visit
www.expeditions.com).
“Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek will moderate the national finals on
May 22. The program will air on television. Check local listings for
dates and times.
Everyone can test their geographic knowledge with the
exciting GeoBee Challenge, an online geography quiz at
www.nationalgeographic.com/geobee, which poses 10 new questions a day, or by
downloading the “National Geography GeoBee Challenge” app, with more
than 1,000 questions culled from past Bees, from the App Store on
iPhone, iPods touch and iPad; from the Adroid Market; or for Nook
Color.
The National Geographic Society is one of the world’s largest
nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888
to “increase and diffuse geographic knowledge,” the Society mission
is to inspire people to care about the planet. It reaches more than
400 million people worldwide each month through its official
journal, National Geographic, and other magazines; National
Geographic channel; television documentaries; music; radio; films;
books; DVDs; maps; exhibitions; live events, school publishing
programs; interactive media; and merchandise. National Geographic
has funded more than 10,000 scientific research, conservation and
exploration projects and supports an education program promoting
geographic literacy. For more information visit
nationalgeograhic.com.
|