Letter To Editor
Twenty years ago the recycling committee, of which I was chair,
brought the idea of a recycling building to the public. This was
not a whim or a personal want, it was to insure that we kept
moving forward with our recycling programs, knowing that the
cost of disposal would continue to rise along with the volume of
waste.
The
taxpayers approved this building. I thought my part in the
process was done. Not so! I was told by the selectmen to find a
builder and get the building done. So I did!
Long story short, when the building was almost done the
selectmen decided I was over-stepping my bounds and usurping
their position, when I was only doing what they told me to do in
the first place. Needless to say, we had words and I walked. The
building was finished but never used for its intended purpose.
I’m glad to see that it is being used by the highway
department.
Whether or not this has anything to do with the selectmen’s
attitude toward the transfer station or not, I don’t know, but I
do know we need a new swap shop building.
We
are trying to keep it neat and clean, but the building is
pitiful. Reeds Ferry makes a shed that is called the American
Classic. A 14’x18’ shed would cost under $7000. They set it up
and it is warranted for 30 years. This is the least expensive
they have and would meet our needs.
Anything kept out of the bins saves us money and there is enough
money in the expendable trust for this building.
Til
next time,
Viena Dow
This Weekend’s LRPA After Dark Feature:
1945’s “Scarlet Street”
Join Lakes Region Public Access Television at 10:30 p.m. this
Friday and Saturday night (September 22 & 23) for our “LRPA
After Dark” presentation of 1945’s dark melodrama “Scarlet
Street,” starring Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennett and Dan
Duryea.
Chris Cross (Robinson) is a loyal cashier at a downtown
brokerage house who has just celebrated 25 years on the job with
a party and a gold watch. On his way home, Cross breaks up a
violent fight between a beautiful young woman (Bennett) and a
drunken thug. The man takes off and the woman introduces herself
as Kitty March. Chris offers to escort Kitty home, but she’d
rather stop and get a drink. Kitty is impressed by Chris’s
watch, and Chris is impressed by her looks. Chris tells her a
bit about himself – that he “paints for fun” – and she assumes,
from his fancy clothes, that he’s a wealthy artist. Chris,
smitten with Kitty, lets her believe what she wants and promises
to call her. The next day we glimpse Chris’s real life: he’s
married to Adele, a complaining shrew who berates him at every
turn and treats him like a servant. She was married to a cop who
died in the line of duty, and Chris will never live up to her
heroic first husband. Chris desperately sends a note to Kitty,
asking to see her again. When the note arrives at her apartment,
we see that Kitty’s attacker was her no-good boyfriend Johnny
Prince (Duryea). Johnny, convinced that Chris really is a
wealthy artist, tells Kitty “make friends” with him so that they
may extort his money. Chris and Kitty meet. She tells him that
she’s an actress, struggling to make a living; maybe he could
rent her a place where they could spend time together? Chris
confesses that he’s married – and though Kitty is “shocked,” she
agrees to the studio set-up. Chris brings some of his paintings
there, which leads Johnny to come up with a devious plan. As
Chris gets in over his head, things go from bad to worse. How
will he come up with funds to keep Kitty in her love nest? How
will his paintings play into Johnny’s scheme? And what happens
when a good man lies, cheats and steals to hold on to his
desperate dreams?
“Scarlet Street” is a particularly bleak entry in the film noir
genre, and holds the distinction of being one of the first
Hollywood films to feature a criminal who is not punished for
his crime. At the time of its premiere, censors across the
country stridently objected to the film, describing it as
“obscene,” “immoral,” “sordid,” “indecent,” and “contrary to the
good order of the community”(!) According to TCM host Ben
Mankiewicz, “Scarlet Street” was considered so debauched that,
upon first release, it was banned in Milwaukee, Atlanta and
throughout New York. Who better to direct this grim morality
tale than Fritz Lang, one of the founding fathers of German
Expressionism? Under his watchful eye, every detail of the film,
from its carefully lit sets to the methodical folds of Bennett’s
dresses, received equal amounts of obsessive attention. While
“Scarlet Street” may have shocked critics in its day, it has won
many over in the decades since. In 2008, the American Film
Institute nominated “Scarlet Street” for its Top Ten Gangster
Films list. So grab your popcorn and join LRPA after dark for
this guilty pleasure from our cinematic past.
Letter To The Editor
At
the next School Board meeting, on Thursday, 9/21, the following
motion will be considered:
“Motion that the Northwood School Board censure current board
member Tim Jandebeur for interfering with, and contributing to
the failure of, collaborative discussions between the school
district and a group of bus drivers that were critical in
providing transportation to the students of Northwood, via
publication of an inflammatory ‘letter to the editor’ in the
local newspaper which insulted the group and sabotaged any
agreement with them. As the result of his action, sufficient
local bussing could not be obtained, resulting in the need for a
sudden drastic change in school times, greatly inconveniencing
community parents and families, and reductions in bus service,
requiring students to walk greater distances to bus stops upon
dangerously busy roads and in adverse road conditions.
In
addition, the Northwood School Board requests the immediate
voluntary resignation of member Tim Jandebeur from the school
board due to his repeated dishonest, unethical and
counterproductive behavior both in board meetings and in public
which puts the district at increased risk of legal and financial
liability. His toxic, unprofessional presence on the board has
irreparably injured both the district and community at large,
and the town would benefit from having a new constructive-minded
member that values education and respects the community.”
As
always, regularly scheduled board meetings will have a public
comment session both at the beginning and end of the public part
of the meeting, for any member of the public who wishes to
express their opinion on this or any other agenda item.
Meetings are held at the school library starting at 6:30pm.
(The contents of this letter originate from the author and are
not a statement of the Northwood School Board)
Keith McGuigan
Letter
To
Northwood parents, taxpayers,
Don’t let them obfuscate the issue. This is about education and
the management of that endeavor. The bus issue has given us a
chance to see just how poor that management is. Management of
our money, the business end. Management of personnel, the engine
cylinders. Management of education, the end result of the other
two.
Regarding business, frankly I’ve never been more concerned about
the disregard of our hard earned money. The person who should
have made sure of the performance bond clause in the bus
contract received a 5.3% raise.
Personnel. A very sad event happened this last spring. Two
teachers, one with us five years and the other 10 were
non-renewed (fired). I found out via Facebook. The day before
they had received excellent reviews. Neither had a single
blemish on their record. The two people responsible collect
close to a third of a million dollars in pay and benefits. They
didn’t know the law or their teachers contract and a month
later had to reinstate the teachers. Good job teachers union.
Those two responsible received a 3% raise. We are on our third
principal and vice-principal in four years. Nottingham and
Strafford are on at least two of each.
Inserted in The Sun is the latest Smarter Balance test score.
They are very sad, after over four years of the present SAU
regime The aggregate of the three towns certainly show a
decline. Strafford, a school that I revered five years ago has
certainly come down to our level.
This is not a teaching issue but to a certainty is a management
issue. There are no bad teams, just bad team leaders who in many
cases failed elsewhere and landed here.
I’m
not sure any of our cylinders are firing.
I’m
going kayaking,
Tim
Jandebeur
Northwood
New Hampshire Bobcats
Adult male bobcat in Bow, NH.
Photo courtesy of Diane Lowe.
Learn about bobcats on Monday, September 25, 7:00 p.m. at the
Masonic Hall! Did you know that the most common wildcat in
North America is the Bobcat? The Bobcat gets its common name
from its characteristic stubby, or “bobbed,” tail. The tail is
only 4-7 inches in length with 2 or 3 black bars and a black tip
above, while the underside is pale or white. Their upper legs
have dark horizontal bands.
New
Hampshire Fish & Game partnered with the University of New
Hampshire initiating a comprehensive bobcat study with on the
ground work starting in the fall of 2009. Distribution,
population abundance, habitat use, habitat connectivity, and
methods to index populations were studied. This comprehensive
research project was completed December 2014 and has provided a
wealth of knowledge about bobcats in New Hampshire.
Protection afforded by the Department’s 1989 closure, coupled
with the apparent benefits to bobcats of a thriving turkey
population and a healthy deer population, appears to have
facilitated a recovery of bobcats in our state.
Come hear a speaker from the New Hampshire Fish and Game
Department discuss the history of wildlife in New Hampshire with
a focus on the Bobcat. Learn about the research that is ongoing
in the state. Learn new facts and interesting information.
This free program is sponsored by the Chesley Memorial Library.
Local author Rebecca Rule will be holding a book signing at
Chesley Memorial Library’s Open House on Saturday, September 23,
from 10:00 am until noon. Don’t miss this chance to purchase
your autographed copy of “Sixty Years of Cuttin’ the Cheese:
Joel Sherburne and Calef’s Famous Country Store” for only
$15.00!
The Open House will celebrate National Library Card
Sign-Up Month so if it’s your first visit, sign up for a new
library card…and help the library win the Granite State Library
Card Challenge for adding the most new library cards in the
month of September! September is also the month to replace lost
library cards free of charge so make sure to visit if you need a
replacement card. Visit the library web site at
www.chesleylib.com for more information about our library.
Obituaries
Eugene T. Cronin
Eugene T. Cronin, 93, died September 7th at the Epsom Health
Care Center, Epsom, following a long illness.
He
was born in New York City, the son of Patrick and Mary (Hanley)
Cronin and he lived in Brooklyn, NY where he was employed by
Lewellan’s Department Store as a sales representative. He had
been a resident of Northwood prior to moving to Epsom Manor. He
was a US Navy Veteran of WW II.
He
was the widower of Josephine Cronin and he is survived by a son,
Pat Cronin, of New Jersey, and a daughter Carol Bailey of
Northwood, also, a sister in law Rose Martucci and a niece Peggy
Monilaws.
An
urn burial with military honors was held at the NH Veterans
Cemetery on September 15th.
The
Waters Funeral Home, David Pollard, Director, assisted with
arrangements.
Carol Gustafson Weddle (1929-2017)
Carol Gustafson Weddle, age 88, of Front Royal, VA, passed away
at home in Rockland, VA early Friday morning, September 8th,
2017. A funeral service was conducted on Saturday, September
16th, 2017 at Front Royal Presbyterian Church with retired
Pastor Dr. Tom Rhyne and Transitional Pastor Ed Dawkins
officiating. A private graveside service will be conducted at
the Rockland Community Cemetery at a later date.
Carol was born in Lynn, Massachusetts on September 4th, 1929 to
the late Nils Robert and Gladys Moore Gustafson. She graduated
from Lynn English High School in 1946 and New England Deaconess
Nursing School with honors as a Registered Nurse in 1950 and
married Benjamin H. Weddle, Jr. in 1951.
She
was one of the most human, kind & benevolent people you would
ever meet. On the phone with a needy person she was amazing in
her ability to sooth and understand, or to calm down.
She was smart and able to talk on almost any subject, but
nursing, travel, family, antiques and politics topped the list.
While Ben and Carol lived in Northwood, NH where they had an
attached barn, she opened Cats Paw Antiques and Crafts shop. She
loved it. Later at Rockland VA she and her best buddy, Scottie
Thomson, turned the one-room schoolhouse into The Old Rockland
School Antique and Craft Shop which they have managed for over
50 years.
She enjoyed reading and always took a book, if she suspected
Ben would have to stop and gab
She
loved birds and bird watching. At least once in South Africa
they drove over 350 miles-one way to hopefully see a Jackass
penguin (They did!).
She loved flowers and was always looking forward to spring to
see what was to come out first.
Cats were a lifelong love. When a teenager, she was first given
a Siamese by “Aunt” Alice Wilson, and had a cat almost all her
life; in later life strays or farm drop-offs became a part of
her life.
She
never missed her Saturday night British TV; starting with Judy
Dent.
In
her younger years she loved to knit and crochet. She admired
good work, and while in Africa she continually worked with the
women who made and sold their knitting or crocheting on street
corners how to improve their work. She tried to build a
marketing system to send the women’s work to America to sell,
but that never prospered after she left Africa.
In
Africa, not surprisingly, Carol and Ben enjoyed driving around
every park to observe the animals in their natural habitat. They
once passed this bull elephant along the road, Ben turned and
drove back; the elephant was annoyed and came walking towards
the car. When he got to within maybe 50 feet, Carol strongly
urged Ben to back up faster. The elephant kept gaining on them
until they no longer could see the elephant’s mouth ahead of the
car. So Ben backed up really fast and finally got safely away.
Carol then called to Ben, quite loudly, the very worst thing she
could think of to say, “You are such a typical person!”
She is survived by her husband Ben Weddle, sister Deborah Avery
of Bridgewater, NH, son Jeff Weddle and wife Alice of Moneta,
VA, daughter Lisa Weddle and husband Frank of Cresskill, NJ, son
Sam Weddle and wife Marianne of Front Royal, daughter Cynthia
Weddle and husband Azzdine of Lovettsville, VA, her 8
grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
In
addition to her parents, Carol was preceded in death by her
older sister, Nancy C. Worth, in 2015, and daughter Caryl Leigh
Weddle in 1986.
Flowers are welcome, memorial contributions may be made to the
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.