The Pittsfield Parks And Recreation Commission Needs You!
Pittsfield Parks and Recreation Commission is looking for ideas for
new or different activities for Winterfest 2011. Because of the late
week of vacation some ice and snow activities need to be
reconsidered. If you have suggestions, please contact the commission
members at [email protected] or call at 435-1850 and
leave a message. We are also looking for volunteers to help with
activities and/or join the committee.
On Thursday,
January 27th at 12:30 p.m. at the Pittsfield Area Senior Center,
“Prescription Brown Bag” Massachusetts College of Pharmacy
Professor, Alicia Desilets and graduate students will answer
questions you have about your medications. Call 435-8482 to
make an appointment, and on the 27th, bring your prescription
medications with you.
Celebrating Birthdays are:
January 20, Mark Riel; January 21, Tanya Hunt-Bravo, Kaili Riel;
January 23, Joshua Bisson; January 24, Therese Riel; January 25,
Charles Morgan, Thomas Shaver.
A Very Happy Birthday to One and
All!
School
Lunch Menus January 24-28, 2011
Chichester Monday
-
Homemade cheese or pepperoni pizza, caesar salad, fresh fruit, milk.
Tuesday - Rotini w/ spaghetti sauce, green beans, fresh fruit,
milk. Wednesday - Max cheese sticks, baked fries, corn, bakers
choice, milk. Thursday - Turkey or ham sandwich, pickles,
carrots w/ ranch dressing, pears, milk. Friday - Hot dog w/
roll, Doritos, veggies, peaches, milk.
PES Monday -
Cheeseburger on bun, veggie, fruit, milk. Tuesday - Chicken
quesadilla, rice, beans, fruit, milk. Wednesday - Ravioli,
veggie, fruit, milk. Thursday - Chicken patty on bun, veggie,
fruit, milk. Friday - Pizza, veggies, fruit, milk.
PMHS
Monday - Pizza, corn, fruit, milk. Tuesday - Chicken wraps,
cheese, veggies, fruit, milk. Wednesday-Sliced turkey, gravy,
potatoes, cranberry sauce, peas, baked dessert, milk. Thursday -
Mac and cheese, chopped ham, bread, fruit, milk. Friday -
Grilled cheese, tomato soup, veggies, fruit, milk.
Officials Explain Proposed Health Plan Increase And Costs
By
Donna Miles, American Forces Press Service Submitted By
Merrill A. Vaughan Vice Commander, American Legion
Peterson-Cram Post 75 Pittsfield, NH 03263
Defense Secretary
Robert M. Gates is seeking modest premium increases for working-age
military retirees who use the TRICARE Prime health plan.
Secretary Gates unveiled sweeping cost-cutting initiatives Jan. 6,
including a recommendation to increase TRICARE Prime premiums for
working-age retirees in fiscal 2012, the first increase in the
plan’s 15 year history.
“For some time, I’ve spoken about the
department’s unaffordable health costs, and in particular the
benefits provided to working-age retirees under the TRICARE
program,” the secretary told reporters.
“Many of these
beneficiaries are employed full-time while receiving their full
pensions, and often forego their employers’ health plan to remain
with TRICARE,” he said. “This should not come as a surprise, given
that the current TRICARE enrollment fee was set in 1995 at $460 a
year for the basic family plan, and has not been raised since.”
Secretary Gates noted the dramatic increase in insurance premiums
during that period for private-sector and other government
employees. Federal workers pay roughly $5,000 a year for a
comparable health insurance program, he said.
“Accordingly, with
the fiscal year 2012 budget, we will propose reforms in the area of
military health care to better manage medical cost growth and better
align the department with the rest of the country,” Secretary Gates
said. “These will include initiatives to become more efficient, as
well as modest increases to TRICARE fees for working-age retirees,
with fees indexed to adjust for medical inflation.”
These
initiatives could save the department as much as $7 billion over the
next five years, he said.
Military retirees automatically are
enrolled in one of two TRICARE plans, program spokesman Austin
Camacho explained. Retirees who join TRICARE Prime, the system’s
managed-care option that covers active-duty members, pay an annual
enrollment fee of $230 per year for an individual or $460 for a
family. Those in TRICARE Standard, a fee-for-service plan, pay no
enrollment fee or premium. Instead, they pay a yearly deductible of
$150 per person or $300 per family, as well as co-payments or cost
shares for inpatient and outpatient care and medications, up to a
$3,000 annual cap on out-of-pocket expenses.
TRICARE Prime, the
managed-care option that covers all active-duty members and many
retirees, costs the government $4,202 per beneficiary per year, said
Mr. Camacho. TRICARE Standard, the program’s fee-for-service plan,
costs $3,584 per beneficiary per year. TRICARE for Life, for
beneficiaries age 65 and older, costs the government $3,874 per
patient per year.
Military retirees are not required to report
whether they have jobs that offer insurance plans, Mr. Camacho said,
noting that having other insurance does not take them off the
TRICARE rolls. Rather, he explained, TRICARE becomes the “second
payer” for health care, picking up co-payments and deductibles from
the primary insurance plan.
Meanwhile, the senior TRICARE officer
told American Forces Press Service the system is poised to support
Secretary Gates’ new efficiency measures and already is making
progress as it strives to provide the best health care at the best
cost.
“All of these things help us work together to help us
achieve the secretary’s goals, and we are already starting to make
progress,” Navy Rear Adm. (Dr.) Christine S. Hunter said.
Dr.
Hunter cited several initiatives already bearing fruit. More
beneficiaries are using the lower-cost mail-order pharmacy option to
fill prescriptions. They are getting their immunizations and
increasingly participating in a new concept called “patient-centered
medical homes” that provide more comprehensive and personalized
health care. They are making greater use of online appointment
services and health care education materials. And they are
increasingly using expensive emergency-room services only for actual
emergencies.
“We need to be very aware that there is a pressure
[to improve efficiency and control costs] and the resources are not
infinite,” said Dr. Hunter. “But we are all part of the solution.”
For more retiree news and information, please visit
www.retirees.af.mil.
Capital
Area Beekeepers’ Association Is Pleased To Announce Their First
Annual Bee School.
Learn how to keep bees in a fun and friendly
environment. Bees are vital to our ecosystem and are
fascinating creatures. Families are welcome.
The school
will begin Friday nights starting Feb 18th and running thru April
15th, from 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm, at South Congregational Church, 27
Pleasant St., Concord, NH 03301.
The cost is $50.00 - $55.00
(includes membership to CABA).
Please contact Barbara Lawler for
more details and to register at
[email protected]
or by phone at 603-774-2529.
www.capitalareabeekeepers.org.
Letter
To The Editor
To the good citizens of Pittsfield: In the
Concord Monitor article “Man Fights Against An Ocean Of Zoning” on
December 15, 2010, by Monitor staff Matt Spolar, Bill Miskoe said,
“Dan believes that everybody is just dying to go out and start some
little home business that’s going to turn them into millionaires,
and that’s not true.”
Bill!, Bill!, Bill!
“The value of doing
something does not lie in the ease or difficulty, the probability or
improbability of achievement, but in the vision, the plan, the
determination and the perseverance, the effort and the struggle
which go into the project. Life is enriched by aspiration and
effort, rather than by acquisition and accumulation.”
I can’t
remember where I copied this beautiful piece of writing from, but
thanks for letting me use it.
Dan Schroth Piermarocchi
Free
Income Tax Preparation Through The Pittsfield Area Senior
Center
On Tuesdays, beginning February 8th, appointments
for Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) will be
available thru the Pittsfield Area Senior Center
from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. Taxpayers of all
ages with incomes less than $50,000 can work with
IRS certified tax preparers who will help them get
all of the credits and deductions they are eligible
for—and with direct deposit, a refund can be in your
bank account within 14 days.
VITA counselors will prepare and e-file your tax return free of
charge. If you live close to Pittsfield, and would
like to sign up for an appointment please call the Senior
Center at 435-8482.
A gang
of volunteers donated their time and energy to rebuild the right
side wall for the library. John Vien (mason), Adam Gauthier
and son Sean, Larry Williams and son Thomas, Tim Holton and Ed Vien.
Many Thanks to all who helped !!.
The
Arts Are Alive And Strong At PES:
Three Artists In Residence
Visit In 2011! Submitted By Doug Kilmister, Principal
Pittsfield Elementary School
Thanks to the efforts of PES staff and the
generosity of community-based funders, three artists
in residence will create art with PES students in
2011.
Not
only does our school offer all students weekly classes in art,
music, physical education, library, and computer, our Unified Arts
Team, the five teachers who teach these classes, work hard to bring
enrichment through a long-standing artist-in-residence program.
These teachers research possible artists in residence, make
recommendations to the principal, and seek funding to bring the arts
to Pittsfield.
For several years now PES’s artists in residence
have been funded exclusively through grants, mostly from the
Pittsfield Parent-Teacher Organization and the Sanderson Trust Fund.
During the week of March 14th, circus artist Rick Davis, will
conduct a residency with students in grade three. During his
30 year career, Rick Davis has been a performer for Ringling
Brothers Circus, Walt Disney World, the White House, and Broadway.
He was formerly the star of the educational television show, Felix
the Cat. Mr. Davis, who is now based in New Hampshire, has toured 15
countries and authored 3 books. He’s the co-director of Silver
Lining Circus Camp, a school residency director for Circus Smirkus,
and a member of the board of the American Youth Circus Organization.
During his residency Mr. Davis will train third graders in the
circus arts and lead them in a performance for their families and
schoolmates.
During the week of April 4-8, musical artist Sowah
Mensah, who worked with Pittsfield Elementary students two years
ago, will return to PES for another long-anticipated residency. Mr.
Mensah is an ethnomusicologist, composer and “Master Drummer” from
Ghana, West Africa. He has taught music in both Ghana and Nigeria
and is currently a music professor at both Macalester College, and
the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN where he also directs
each school’s African Music Ensemble.
Mr. Mensah will work with
students grades 4 through 6 teach them to play several instruments.
A concert featuring students is scheduled for April 7th.
Finally,
Pittsfield Elementary School just last week was awarded a Children’s
Literacy Foundation (CLiF) Writer-in-Residence grant. Next
fall, a New Hampshire author or poet will come to our elementary
school and spend three days conducting hands-on writing workshops
with students at two grade levels. This winter we will select
the author and the grade-levels that will be working with him or
her.
For links to the artists’ web sites please visit the
PES website at http://pittsfield-nh.com/pes/
Wait! More Arts and Artists to
Come Last Monday at their monthly meeting, the Pittsfield
Elementary School PTO voted to provide three years of on-going
funding, $1,200 each year, to support artists in residence programs
at our school.
The Unified Arts Team is using this funding to
leverage matching funds through a New Hampshire State Council on the
Arts grant that brings New Hampshire artists to school. The
team is hoping to propose a three-year program in which three
consecutive artists will explore arts as they relate to the history
of Pittsfield.
Dorcas
Guild
The Dorcas Guild of the Pittsfield Congregational Church
met the evening of January 11th with fourteen members attending.
Newly elected president, Nella Hobson, conducted the meeting, which
opened with devotions by Elaine Coffey. Her readings included
a great one “Just for Today” and the “Prayer of St. Francis.”
All joined in the Lord’s Prayer.
Joan Riel gave her secretary’s
report, read several items of correspondence and distributed many
cards for signing. Treasurer, Reny Boyd, gave a report of her
current balance.
The food basket, brought by Sally Lewis was
taken by Beverly Moore, and will go next to Elsie Morse,
Corine Miller and Evelyn Richard. Corine Took the Traveling
apron that will go next to Reny. The Mystery Package, brought
by Reny was won by Corine. January being our Mission Month,
generous sums were voted to Haiti (through Habitat for Humanity);
New Tribes Missions; Barnstead, Epsom and Pittsfield Fuel
Assistance; and Barnstead and Pittsfield Food Pantries.
The
Service Project for Jan/Feb/Mar will be warm clothing (coats,
sweaters, sweatshirts, and socks). Banners for the sanctuary
were discussed. It was the general feeling that a set for
Easter would be nice. This will be looked into.
The annual
church meeting will be held January 23rd, following the morning
worship service. A pot luck lunch will be served. On
January 30th, Dorcas Guild will host the Fellowship Hour with Nancy
Fogg and Peggy Jacobs, as hostesses. In the future, when collations
are requested, Rev. Dave will contact Nancy White who will then get
in touch with Joan Riel.
It was noted the sanctuary flags
(Christian and American) are in need of repair. The Wednesday
Women’s Work Group, which starts up again on February 2nd,
will check out the needed repairs after which Dorcas Guild would get
them cleaned.
At the close of the meeting a Book Swap was held.
Hostesses Corine Miller and Elaine Coffey served the “Happy Birthday
to All” cake and ice cream, cheese and crackers, punch and coffee.
Each member received a token package with a poem attached, “A Gift
of Love.”
The next meeting will be held February 8th with Peggy
Jacobs and Gail Ann Newton as hostesses. This will be banana
split night and everyone should bring their favorite topping.
Letter
January 28th, 5 pm
This is an important date for Pittsfield
residents. It is the last day residents may submit their names
for election to the Planning Board in the March elections. If
you recall, last year voters elected to decrease the Planning Board
membership from 6 elected members (+ 1 selectman) to 4 elected
members (+ 1 selectman). All Planning Board members must now
run for re-election and hopefully others will submit their names as
well. There are two 1-year terms, one 2-year term, and one
3-year term.
If you are a tax-paying property owner in
Pittsfield, with a vested interest in the future of our town, please
consider submitting your name for one of the positions available on
the Planning Board or on the various electable positions listed by
the Town Clerk. Let’s make every position contested rather
than unopposed to insure that every vote really does count.
God
Bless Our Troops, Rachel Wood Pittsfield
Family
Movie Night!
Family Movie Night will begin at the Carpenter
Library on Friday, February 18th at 7 pm with Ramona and Beezus
(2010) rated G, 103 minutes.
This 20th Century Fox 2010 release
of director Elizabeth Allen’s adaptation of the popular children’s
books by Beverly Cleary, stars Joey King as Ramona Quimby, Selena
Gomez as big sister Beezus, and Bridget Moynahan and John
Corbett co-star as Mom and Dad Quimby.
The movie is possible by a generous grant from the
Sanderson Fund. Family Movie Night is a new
program at Josiah Carpenter Library. Josiah
Carpenter Library has purchased an MPLC Umbrella
License to provide copyright coverage to allow the
public showing of movies. Movies will
now be shown regularly on our quarterly Family Movie
Night event, and in conjunction with our Josiah Book
Worms Teen Book Group, and our Read-Meet-Talk Book
Group for Grown-ups.
Audio video equipment to provide for public viewing, has been
purchased through the Sanderson Fund Grant. This equipment
will be used for movies, and other special programs and guest
speakers.
“Read-Meet-Talk” Book Club For The Grown-Ups!
Josiah Carpenter Library has a brand new book club! The first
organizational meeting of the “Read-Meet-Talk” Book Club, will be
held at 7:00 pm on Thursday, January 27. The first title for
discussion, Eat, Pray, Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert, will
be available to pick up at that time.
During the first
organizational meeting of “Read-Meet-Talk”, all members will be
asked to discuss the following ten questions:
• Why do I want to
join a book club and what do I expect to get out of it? • What
kinds of books would I like to read? • What are the
responsibilities of each member? If I don’t finish the book can I
still come to the meeting? • What part does my library
membership play in my Book Group membership? • What is proper
meeting etiquette? • Who will lead book discussions? The person
who recommended the book, rotating leaders, or a permanent leader?
• Can the meeting schedule be altered? How? For what
reasons? What about summer, holidays and Christmas? • How
will we select the books we want to read? • Anything
missed? • Discuss book suggestions brought to the first
organizational meeting and choose.
For more information call
435-8406 and ask for Rozalind J. “Roza” Benoit, Library Director.
Josiah Book Worms Teen Book Club The club for ages 13 to 19,
currently meets on the first Thursday of every month at 7:00 PM.
Pre-registration is required. Call the Library Director,
Rozalind J. “Roza” Benoit at 435-8406 for more info.
Sponsored in
part by Mike Suliman of The Village Pizza, and a grant from The
Sanderson Fund.
Plan
New Hampshire Charrette Details
Friday, January 21, 2011 at the
Pittsfield Community Center
3:30 PM: Public Input Session 1 with
Plan NH and Citizens (about hour and a half). 6:30 PM: Public
Input Session 2, also with Plan NH and Citizens (about hour and a
half).
Saturday, January 22, 2011 Pittsfield Elementary
School 3:00 PM: Plan NH will present to the Town (about hour and
a half). Also on Saturday at 9:30 AM (about hour and a half) for
a Sustainable Pittsfield public workshop.
If you have any
questions please call Ed Vien at 435-5052 or Matt Monahan at
226-6020.
Obituaries
Bertrand L. Spooner Jr.
Bertrand L. Spooner Jr., 86 of Old
Turnpike Road, Danbury, NH, passed away on January 11, 2011 at home
after a brief illness. He was born in West Greenwich RI and
grew up in Loudon NH. He enlisted in the United States Marine
Corps on December 7, 1942 and served during World War II in the
Asian Pacific Theatre. His service included 3-1/2 years in which he
served as a Sergeant in the 2nd Marine Division and participated in
the battles of Tarawa, Tinian, Saipan and Okinowa, some of the
fiercest battles in the Pacific Campaign, in the Weapons Company as
a Rifleman and Machine Gunner.
He also participated in the
occupation of Nagasaki, Japan and he was honorably discharged on
December 6, 1945. He was awarded the Bronze Star, the Purple
Heart, Presidential Unit Citation, United States Marine Corps
expeditionary Medal, World War II Navy Occupational Medal, World War
II American Campaign Medal, World War II American Defense Service
Medal, World War II Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, World War II
Victory Medal, the United States Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal. He
was a life time member of the Marine Corps 2nd Marine Division
National Chapter, the Mid-Atlantic Chapter and the New England
Chapter, as well as the Disabled American Veterans Association,
United States Naval Institute, VFW, and the Marine Corps Historical
Foundation. He was also a member of the Pittsfield Historical
Society and Loudon Historical Society where he donated numerous
items.
After returning from the war, he married Virginia I.
Bennett and worked for the Federal Government with the
Veterans Administration Regional Office in Providence, RI as
the Chief of Receipt and Dispatch Unit as well as Mail Section and
Chief of Data Processing. After 17 years he transferred to the
Department of the Navy at Quonset Point, RI and was EMA Supervisor
and Project Planner with the Data Processing Department. He retired
in 1972 and moved to Northfield NH where he owned an antique shop
and enjoyed planting and growing vegetable gardens.
He was a
writer and regularly wrote numerous articles which were published in
the United States Marine Corps “Follow Me” and “Leatherneck”
Magazines. He is predeceased by his wife Virginia I Spooner of 56
years and his daughter, Cynthia Carter of Northfield, NH. He is
survived by his children Leigh Spooner and his wife Linda,
Sandra Cherry and her husband Joseph, Daniel Spooner Sr. and his
wife Margaret, Susan Dore and her husband Steve, Sharon
Mauser and her husband David, James Spooner Sr. and his wife Donna
and Bertrand Spooner III and his wife Pennie. He has fifteen grand
children and eleven great grand children. He enjoyed his
family, the outdoors, gardening, and reading.
He had written
numerous stories that he planned on publishing, including a
children’s book.
He owned and operated an antique book shop in
Danbury NH. He was most proud of his family and his Marine Corps
affiliations and was a very caring and giving person.
Funeral
services were held on Saturday, Jan. 15th. Burial will be in
Floral Park Cemetery in the spring with a full military honor
service. An online guestbook is available at
www.neunfuneralhomes.com
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