The Pittsfield Food Pantry is need of a
replacement upright freezer. Any help by way of donation would be
appreciated. Please contact Carl O’Brien of the food pantry at
496-8345.
VA Announces
Additional Changes To Improve Veterans Crisis Line
Changes Support Crisis
Line Staff and Creates Structure for Them to Succeed
Submitted Via Merrill
Vaughan
Canandaigua, NY –
Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson
today announced improvements to enhance and accelerate progress at
the Veterans Crisis Line, which serves as a life-saving resource for
Veterans who find themselves at risk of suicide.
Today, during his third trip to the Crisis
Line in a year, Mr. Gibson announced that the Crisis Line would form
a stronger bond with VA’s Suicide Prevention Office and Mental
Health Services. This partnership includes VA’s National Mental
Health Director for Suicide Prevention as well as several hubs of
expertise, including one Center of Excellence focusing on suicide
prevention research and education located at the same medical campus
as the Crisis Line responders in Canandaigua, NY.
Mr. Gibson also announced that the
Veterans Crisis Line would now be under the direction of VA’s Member
Services, which has many efforts underway across the nation to
restructure portions of VA that have direct contact with Veterans.
This brings an expertise in ensuring that staff in these vital roles
have more streamlined processes, adequate training and resources at
their fingertips, to better serve Veterans.
These structural changes build on key
hires made in the last year to lead the Crisis Line, including a
director with extensive clinical social work background.
“I witnessed again today that the employees at the Veterans Crisis
Line have a tremendously difficult job and they complete it with
care, compassion and professionalism,” said Mr. Gibson. I want
to make sure that the trained professionals at the Crisis Line --
folks I consider the best in the business -- are able to focus on
their core mission of focusing on the Veterans most in need of their
help. They are life savers and we have to create the structure
around them to succeed.
“Over the past year, we have put together
a strong team to lead the employees at the Crisis Line. Today’s
announcement of a structural change within the Veterans Health
Administration and additional support from our experts in suicide
prevention is another step to make sure the employees and the
Veterans they speak with have what they need give Veterans a safe
place to call when they need us most.”
As a part of the MyVA initiative, the
largest restructuring in the Department’s history, VA has made
improvements at the Veterans Crisis Line a key priority. By the end
of this year, every Veteran in crisis will have their call promptly
answered by an experienced VA responder. That will mean non-core
calls will be directed appropriately to other VA entities that can
best address their questions or concerns.
Already, VA has committed to increase
staff at the Veterans Crisis Line. It now has more than 300
employees, and is in the process of hiring 88 more staff. At the
same time, they have expanded the work area for responders and are
making necessary technology improvements to phone systems and
equipment to better handle the increased demand at the crisis line.
“Last year, counselors at the Crisis Line
dispatched emergency responders to intervene and save the lives of
Veterans in crisis more than 11,000 times,” said Gibson. “That
means, on average, we’re stepping in to save 30 lives per day.
Nothing could be more important.”
Key Facts:
Since its launch in 2007, the Veterans
Crisis Line has answered nearly 2 million calls — and nearly a
quarter of those calls were answered last fiscal year — 490,000.
The same is true for referrals to local VA Suicide Prevention
Coordinators: One quarter of the 320,000 referrals made so far
by crisis-line counselors were made in FY 2015.
Crisis Line counselors dispatched
emergency responders to callers in crisis over 11,000 times last
year (averaging 30 per day) — and over 53,000 times since 2007.
Since adding chat and text services, they
have engaged nearly 300,000 Veterans or concerned family members
through chat or text.
Veterans in crisis may contact the
Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1.They can also
text or chat with our trained professionals online at
VeteransCrisisLine.net.
Pittsfield
Area Senior Center
You are invited to join the Pittsfield
Senior Center on Tuesday, March 15, at 10:30 AM to celebrate St.
Patrick ’s Day with a musical performance by Cat Faulkner. Cat is a
professional singer who combines the traditional jazz style with a
new and exciting interpretation of the American Songbook which was
made famous by artists, Ella Fitzgerald, Rosemary Clooney, Billie
Holiday. You may be familiar with the iconic songs of that era that
include, “It had to be you,” “Night and Day” and “My Romance.”
Please come and enjoy the music and have lunch with us. Call
435-8482 to make your reservations.
DoD And VA Kick Off New Interagency
Coordination Of Complex Care Effort Synchronized Processes will
offer Peace of Mind to Service Members/Families Submitted Via
Merrill Vaughan WASHINGTON -- The Departments of Defense (DoD) and
Veterans Affairs (VA) today announced its ongoing effort to ease the
transition for service members who require complex care management
as they transition from the DoD system of health care to VA or
within each system. The effort is designed to ease the burden
for service members and Veterans, who have suffered illnesses or
injuries so severe as to require the expertise provided by multiple
care specialties throughout both Departments.
“More than a decade of combat has placed
enormous demands on a generation of service members and Veterans –
particularly those who have suffered wounds, injuries, or illnesses
which require a complex plan of care,” said Dr. Karen Guice,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs,
and Co-chair of the DoD-VA Interagency Care Coordination Committee
(IC3). “These individuals require the complex coordination of
medical and rehabilitative care, benefits, and other services to
successfully transition from active duty to Veteran status, and to
optimally recover from their illnesses or injuries.”
“Our collaborative efforts with DOD have improved and enhanced the
process of caring for our military members with serious illness,
injuries or disabilities, as they recover and return to their
communities. Great attention has been made to developing a system
which focuses on continuity of care, holistic support services
and a ‘warm handoff’ for Service members and Veterans as they move
from and between military, VA and community health care systems.
Our care coordinators now have at their fingertips tools and
processes that improve and simplify the lines of communication for
our wounded, ill, and injured Service members and Veterans who
require complex care coordination, their families, and those who
provide their care in both Departments,” said Dr. Linda Spoonster
Schwartz, Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning for the
Department of Veterans Affairs, and Co-chair of the DoD-VA
Interagency Care Coordination Committee (IC3). “This process will
enhance and improve the quality of care and services for these
Veterans and their families now and in the future.”
The hallmark of the effort is the
implementation of the role of Lead Coordinator. The Lead Coordinator
will be a designated member of a service member’s care management
team who will serve as the primary coordinator for that individual.
The Lead Coordinator will offer personal guidance and assist the
service member and their families in understanding the benefits and
services to which they are entitled. Service members, Veterans, and
their families, working with their Lead Coordinator, will have
someone to whom they can turn when they have a question or issue as
they actively participate in their care. The first phase of Lead
Coordinator Training was completed in November. It is expected that
a total of 1,500 DoD staff and 1,200 VA staff will serve as Lead
Coordinators.
This effort comes as a result of the work
of the DoD-VA IC3, established in 2012 to implement a joint,
standard model of collaboration for the most complex cases of care
that will require a warm handoff from the DoD to the VA system of
care, as well as within the Departments, and is based on many of the
best practices of collaboration that have been created over the last
decade. This effort was enacted as policy by both departments in
2015, aligning more than 250 sub-policies to one, overarching policy
that will govern the coordination of complex care cases that
transition between the two departments.
Coordination efforts are synchronized
through the IC3 Community of Practice (CoP), a group representing
more than 50 DoD and VA programs that provide specialty care,
including rehabilitation services for the visually impaired and
polytrauma centers. It will be the job of the Lead Coordinator to
guide service members through the system, ensuring that they receive
the care, benefits, and services they both require and to which they
are entitled.
Letter To The
Editor
We would like to give a sincere Thank You
to Jason Darrah for making the Fundraiser for Nathan’s Fight on
February 19th at PMHS such a huge success. All the time and effort
you put into raising ALS awareness and all of extra support for
Nathan is very much appreciated. We also want to thank Heidi Darrah,
Debbi Gosselin and Stefani Gauthier for all of their time and
effort. Thank you also to to Peter Tuttle for donating back his
50/50 winnings and to the referees who donated their paychecks. We
would like to also thank the seniors who unselfishly shared their
senior night with Nathan. If we missed anyone, please know that the
time and effort you put into making the night a success is sincerely
appreciated.
With a Sincere Thank you,
Pat and Gail Vincent
Letter To The
Editor
Pittsfield Warrant
Articles 33 and 34
NH Beagle Club proposes, via warrant article 33, to lease 134 acres
of town-owned land off Clough Road for training beagles to hunt
rabbits, with 80 acres for their exclusive use. The lease
would give a private club long-term control over town land, while
leaving the town limited authority. Termination provisions in
the lease are insufficient.
Wouldn’t it be in the town’s interest to have the authority to
terminate the lease for failure to keep the beagles on the leased
land, failure to maintain the fence intended to keep the
beagles/rabbits on the land or for excessive noise from barking
dogs? Then there is the issue that any fence good enough to
keep beagles in, will surely disrupt natural wildlife corridors and
habitat. And what about bathroom facilities and parking and
statewide/multi-club events that would draw more participants?
I imagine the leadership of the Beagle Club has good intentions, but
leadership changes as the years go by and 20 years is a very long
time for the town to cede control to a private club with such
limited protections for the town. Shouldn’t this town-owned
land be for the benefit of all Pittsfield residents, not the
exclusive use of a private club and a few townspeople? The
small “benefit” that comes to the town as a whole is a nominal
annual lease fee, which amounts to $800 in the first year.
It is also likely the town’s goals will change over 20 years.
A much better, more flexible approach would be the creation of a
town forest – on the exact same acreage – as proposed in Warrant
article 34.
A town forest will give the town full latitude over this property,
benefit all residents and the town as a whole, generate revenue
through timber harvest and avoid unwanted consequences.
Cindy Hayden
Pittsfield
Letter
To the voters in pittsfield.
At town meeting please vote yes for warrant article 37 To see
if the town will vote to establish a revolving fund pursuant to RSA
31:95-H. You may read warrant article 37 in the town report.
This was presented last year. It was drafted by the HSA in
accordance with information provided by the New Hampshire Municipal
Association. The Town Administrator had questions and sent it to
legal inquiries at the NHMA. Margaret M. Byrnes, Esquire,
staff attorney, replied in part, “I do read that last sentence
to mean that in any situation where a town is permitted to collect
fees, the town can also create a revolving fund for those fees.”
(Title III Chapter 41 Section 41:9-a gives the right to collect
fees).
Housing standards received an email from
the administrator stating, “NHMA has given the green light to an HSA
revolving fund. It will be on the warrant.” The select board chose
to ignore that and it was not put in last year’s warrant. That is
why it is a petition warrant this year.
Money collected by HSA should not go into
the general fund, but into a revolving fund for housing standards as
housing standards source of funding is those fees collected.
The governing body of the Housing Standards Agency is the town
meeting, the voters of pittsfield, not the select board. That is why
I am asking for your yes vote.
Title III Chapter 48-a Housing Standards Section 48-a:1
definitions II “governing body,” shall mean,
in a city, that governing body which is designated as such by the
charter of that particular city; in a town, the town meeting.
William Elkins
Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday And Easter
Services This year as in past years, First Congregational Church, 24
Main Street, Pittsfield, will hold its usual Palm Sunday Service at
10 a.m. Sunday, March 20. The worship service will remember the
entry of Jesus into Jerusalem with the distribution of palms.
A special Maundy Thursday worship service
including Holy Communion, commemorating the “Last Supper” of Jesus,
will be held Thursday, March 24, at 7 p.m. Special music will be
provided by the Chancel Choir and JuBellation Handbell Choir.
On Easter Sunday, March 27, at 7 a.m., the
customary Sunrise Service will be held in the Sanctuary with
breakfast immediately following (about 8 a.m.) in the Vestry. The
traditional Easter worship service will commence at 10 a.m. with
special music provided by the Chancel Choir and JuBellation. Come
and worship at either service and join in for breakfast!
There is parking and a wheelchair
accessible entrance at the rear of the church at Chestnut Street.
For more information about any of these services, call the church
office at 435-7471 and speak with Rev. Dave Stasiak.
Murder,
Murders, How Many Are There?
Pictured are two of the cast of “The Game’s Afoot”
— Cathy Williams, portraying Daria Chase, and Kim Tinkham, playing
Inspector Goring.
The Pittsfield Players’ cast of “The Game’s Afoot” is honing their
sharp-edged witty lines and physical foolery in preparation for
their five-performance run beginning March 11. “This
mystery/farce written by Ken Ludwig is a winner,” says director Mike
Hobson. And a winner it is, as it was awarded the Mystery
Writers of America Edgar award in 2012 for Best New Play.
Clearly, the most flamboyant character to arrive at the mansion home
of actor William Gillette for holiday festivities is Miss Daria
Chase, renowned gossip columnist. Daria, portrayed by Cathy
Williams, exercises her writing skills with the delicacy of an
artillery barrage. With razor-sharp, soul-cutting style she
has sliced to ribbons most of the assembled guests at one time or
another.
As events at the gathering turn from bad to worse, the authorities
learn of strange happenings at the mansion and send Inspector Goring
to investigate.
Gifted as an intelligent and witty police inspector, Goring, played
by Kim Tinkham, often displays the distracted attention of a child,
her thought process gliding off to who knows where. Yet her
exemplary career has made her one of only a few female inspectors,
and she admires the character of Sherlock Holmes. Meeting
Gillette, who has portrayed Holmes onstage for some twenty years, is
a milestone event for her until she considers him a suspect for
murder.
Will the confusing mystery behind multiple murders come together in
a clear picture? Will the guilty party, or parties, be
correctly identified so that justice does prevail? It’s all to
be seen and heard in “The Game’s Afoot.”
The Pittsfield Players’ production of “The Game’s Afoot” will be
performed March 11, 12, 18 and 19 at 7:30 p.m. and March 20 at 2
p.m. at the Scenic Theatre, 6 Depot Street, Pittsfield.
Tickets are $15 and available at pittsfieldplayers.com or by calling
603-435-8852.
Pittsfield Candidates Night 2016
Pittsfield Listens and the Greater
Pittsfield Chamber of Commerce co-sponsored Candidates Night.
Candidates for the offices of Select
Board, School Board, Zoning Board, Planning Board, as well as
Library Trustee participated in the event.
Community members gathered in small groups to discuss hopes and
concerns for the future of Pittsfield and possible solutions.
Community members then participated in a
dialog with all of the candidates to ask questions and listen to the
candidates present their perspectives on issues and priorities.
Pittsfield Youth Voice lead one of the small group discussions
ensuring all candidates heard their perspective as young voices of
Pittsfield.
“I would like to thank Pittsfield Listens
for the great experience. Knowing tonight was Meet the Candidates
night, and my “fear” of being the center of the group, I was anxious
all day. After having Paula [Pittsfield Listens Facilitator] talking
to me and keeping me calm, I was ok after we got started. THANK
YOU!!!” said Adam Gauthier.
The event was part of Pittsfield Listens “Round Tables, Not Podiums”
series. The intention is to bring community members together
and with the combination of knowledge, skills, values and
motivation, make Pittsfield a great place to live, learn, work and
play.
The event was held at the Pittsfield
Elementary School in advance of Town Election Day on Tuesday March
8th at Town Hall. Information from the event including letters from
the candidates can be found at the Post Office and Town Hall. NH has
“same day registration” meaning you can register and vote at Town
Hall on Election Day.
VA Takes Accountability Actions against
Board Of Veteran Appeals Personnel
Actions Proposed Against Three
Attorneys, Two Judges Referred to Merit Systems Protection
Board
Submitted Via Merrill Vaughan
WASHINGTON - The Department of
Veterans Affairs (VA) today announced it proposed disciplinary
action against three Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) attorneys,
and has filed a Complaint against two Board Veterans Law Judges.
Accountability actions against the Board judges have been referred
to the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), which has direct
jurisdiction over cases concerning administrative law judges.
Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs Sloan
D. Gibson filed a Complaint against two Board Veterans Law Judges
with the MSPB and VA proposed actions against three board attorneys
for reasons of misconduct based on information received as part of
an Office of Inspector General (OIG) investigation that revealed a
pattern of inappropriate emails that were racist and sexist in tone.
The OIG proactively brought the information to VA early in their
investigation and VA acted immediately by assigning the Board
employees to non-adjudicative duties pending the disciplinary
actions that have now been taken to protect Veterans appellate
rights.
“These actions are reprehensible and
completely counter to our values,” said Gibson. “It undermines the
trust the American people place in the VA to serve our Veterans and
has no place in this Department. We will not tolerate it. Taking
action as quickly as we did was simply the right thing to do.”
VA proposed disciplinary actions in
mid-January against two attorneys. One attorney retired, and one
resigned from Federal service while the actions were pending. VA
proposed a lesser administrative penalty against one attorney.
VA is conducting a review of appeals
handled by these individuals while also examining comparative
statistical data from internal quality review processes and appeals
of Board decisions to the federal courts. At this time, we have no
indication that any Veterans’ appeal was unjustly influenced by
their conduct.
VA Improves Timeliness Of Provider
Payments
Modification Enhances Veterans Access to Receive Timely,
High-Quality Care
Submitted Via Merrill Vaughan
WASHINGTON – To
enhance Veterans’ access to care and eliminate delays in Choice
provider payment, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is
eliminating administrative burdens placed on VA community providers.
Previously, payments to Choice providers were not allowed until a
copy of the Veteran’s medical record was submitted. Now, community
providers, under the Choice program, will no longer be required to
submit medical records prior to payment being made. To facilitate
the change, VA has modified the Choice Program contract, making it
easier for Health Net and TriWest to promptly pay providers.
VA continues to require pertinent medical
information be returned to ensure continuity of care; however, it is
no longer tied to payment. VA is taking these steps to more closely
align with industry standards.
“This administrative step just makes
sense,” said VA Under Secretary for Health Dr. David J. Shulkin. “It
ensures Veteran access, timely payments and strengthens our
partnerships with our Choice providers. We know that providing
Veterans access to high-quality, timely healthcare would be
impossible without collaboration with our community providers.”
VA’s Plan to Consolidate Community Care Programs outlines additional
solutions to improving timely provider payment. VA is moving forward
on two paths to further improve timely payment. First, VA is
working toward a single community care program that is easy to
understand, simple to administer and meets the needs of Veterans,
community providers and VA staff. Secondly, VA plans to pursue
a claims solution that moves to a more automated process for
payment. VA envisions a future state where it is able to
auto-adjudicate or process a high percentage of claims, enabling the
Department to pay community providers promptly and correctly, while
adopting a standardized regional fee schedule to promote consistency
in reimbursement.
Veterans seeking to use the Veterans Choice Program or wanting to
know more about it, can call 1-866-606-8198 to confirm their
eligibility and to schedule an appointment. For more details about
the Veterans Choice Program and VA’s progress, visit
www.va.gov/opa/choiceact.
Letter To The Editor
Town Forest:
On March 12, 2016, Pittsfield will have an opportunity to vote
on Article 34 to create a Town Forest on the 144 acres of rocky,
steep land that is designated as Map R-11 lot 2 and Map R-26 lot 8.
Here are a few reasons why the Pittsfield
Conservation Commission supports a Town Forest:
• Pittsfield, a town with both city and
rural character, should have a place for folks to go hiking,
hunting, jogging and horseback riding or to enjoy a picnic in the
woods. A 144 acre town forest can improve the quality of life for
many of the people who do not own large parcels of land.
• The Town Forest is a place where
neighbors can come together to share and celebrate their connection
to each other and to the land. The Pittsfield Youth Workshop, PYW,
supports the creation of a Town Forest which will provide many
community service and recreational opportunities for their youth
members.
• Large unfragmented habitats create
natural corridors for all species of wildlife and a resilient
landscape to cope with the effects of climate change.
• The Pittsfield Conservation Commission has an active Forestry Plan
in place for the proposed Town Forest. This plan will produce
significant revenue which will pay the management costs of the Town
Forest. Recreation and wildlife value will be created and
offered at no cost to the taxpayers.
George Bachelder, Pittsfield Road Agent, states that Clough Road,
the entrance to the Town Forest, is beyond the carrying capacity for
an unpaved road, (362 cars/day use Clough Road from the last
official car count). He would discourage the use of this land
for a housing development on the grounds of vehicle traffic
capacity.
Please support Article 34 to create a Town
Forest for the benefit of Pittsfield.
Carl Wallman
Letter
Dear Pittsfield Residents,
The Economic Development Committee (EDC)
is planning a special meeting on March 23, 2016, 6:00-8:00 pm in the
PMHS Lecture Hall. The topic of discussion will be our economic
strategy and focus.
With the assistance of Matt Monahan -
Central NH Regional Planning Commission (CNHRPC) and Stuart Arnett -
Arnett Development Group, the EDC will provide a forum for business
owners, town officials, and other residents to give input into what
economic strategy should be focused on as we move forward. This is
part of the EDC’s update of the Pittsfield Economic Profile document
originally created in 2007.
Please RSVP by emailing: [email protected] or
calling 435-6573 by March 16, 2016.
Sincerely,
Ted Mitchell, Chairman
Economic Development Committee
Junior Service League Of Concord Presents
Snow Queen
The Junior Service League (JSL) of Concord proudly
presents “Snow Queen” by Stacey Lane. The play will be held at
Memorial Hall at St. Paul’s School, Concord, NH, Friday March 18th
at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday March 19th at 1:00 p.m.
This is an opportunity for families to attend live theatre and
raise funds for a Concord-area non-profit organization. The JSL of
Concord has once again teamed with director Karen Braz, to bring
this children’s classic to life. It is sure to entertain
children of all ages! A special thanks to the sponsors
who helped make this event successful: Concord Pediatric
Dentistry, Concord Orthodontics, Merrimack County Savings Bank and
Taylor Rental & Party Plus of Concord.
Play will benefit Concord area children in need The JSL continues
it’s 80+ year tradition of supporting local social service agencies
in the greater Concord area by distributing money raised to
organizations supporting women and children. Tickets are a suggested
$5.00 donation at the door. Please join us for “Snow Queen.”
To contact JSL, please visit: www.jslconcord.org
Letter
Attend School And Town Meetings
Part 1 of Pittsfield’s political process:
Tuesday, March 8th – Voting Day at the town hall.
Part 2 is Thursday, March 10th, when all
registered voters must attend the 7PM School District Meeting at the
Elementary School to vote on the school budget.
Part 3 is Saturday, March 12th, 10AM,
again at the Elementary School, to vote on the town budget.
Last year, the combined effect of voting YES to budget increases at
both meetings literally led to our 4% tax increase for 2015.
That 4% increase led to our distinction as the 15th highest taxed
town in New Hampshire.
This year, based on the school and town
budgets, property owners could be faced with yet another increase of
over $2.80 per thousand!!!!!
If you find this unacceptable and, more importantly, unsustainable,
then please attend the school and town meetings. Your vote
counts!!! Your vote determines the budget. Your vote
determines your tax rate.
Remember, everyone gets the same card to raise either for or against
a tax increase, and no one is forced to say a word! If you
proudly vote NO across the board for any tax increases, then you
have treated everyone as fairly as those who vote yes. There
are no favorite ‘causes’ when you consciously choose to unilaterally
vote against a tax increase.
Please attend the school and town meetings and vote as though the
content of your wallet depends on it! The hard truth is IT
DOES!
God Bless Our Troops,
Rachel Wood
Jacey Lynn Darrah, the daughter of Heidi
and Jay Darrah of Pittsfield has been recognized for her academic
achievements during this past semester at San Diego State University
in California. Jacey was placed on the Dean’s List for the Fall 2015
semester for being in the highest ten percent of all undergraduate
students at SDSU. Jacey is majoring in Television, Film, and New
Media Critical Studies and is planning to graduate in 2017.
Where Is Your Name Written?
Fr. Curtis Metzger, St. Stephen’s
Episcopal Church With the success of programs like “Finding your
Roots” on PBS, and the success of software programs that help you
find your ancestors, there is evidently a lot of interest in where
we come from and records that help us discover that. The photo
accompanying this article is of our parish register that records
baptisms, marriages, burials, and communicants/members. These old
books seem relics of a by-gone era, except that occasionally it
comes in handy to actually have these records on paper. About once
or twice a year I get a request to look up a parish record to help
someone find some information. It’s nice to be able to turn a few
pages and go hunting to find a written record (in cursive!) So,
other than having comfort in some old records, where is your name
written and what does it mean? Have you been part of community or
religious organizations that will tell your story of being engaged
in your community? When your descendants come looking for written
records (because the computer records were lost when the hard drives
crashed!), where will your name appear?
For Christians this time of the year is
called Lent. It is the period of time that we reflect on our
relationship with God in preparation for Easter. It is often seen as
a penitential time of self-denial, but it really is about
questioning how authentically we are living our faith—taking time to
really assess that. In a sense, we ask ourselves if how we are
living reflects what is ‘written’ down about who we are, or think we
are.
For those who are part of a community of
faith, you know the blessings of having brothers and sisters who
help you to live fully into your faith and surround you with love
amidst trials and tribulations. If you are not part of a community
of faith, I’m sure there are many who would welcome you….and write
your name down in their books and in their hearts.
Officer John Webber Joins Pittsfield
School District As School Resource Officer
Kindergarteners recently interviewed
Officer Webber to learn about their community. Students were excited
to try on his bullet proof vest!
Through collaboration with the Pittsfield
Police Department and Pittsfield School District, the opportunity to
bring Officer John Webber into the school as a School Resource
Officer (SRO) was made possible through grant funding.
Since December of 2015 SRO Webber has been
in place in the school district and has brought supportive
opportunities with him.
The School Resource Officer concept is
based upon a triad system. A SRO is a part-time teacher, part-time
counselor and full-time police officer.
The SRO becomes fully involved in the daily life of the school. SRO
Webber is stationed at either PMHS or PES depending on what is going
on or a certain need. He has requests from staff members to be
in either school (PES or PMHS) at a particular time. His
duties involve anything from patrolling the school zones before and
after school, to investigating crimes that occur in the schools, and
everything in between.
By having an SRO in the school it has enabled the Pittsfield Police
Department to follow up quickly on crimes that are occurring. In the
short time SRO Webber has been in the school he has already started
to develop relationships with students and teachers. Both
approach with concerns or ideas about things going on at school.
SRO Webber has spoken with classes and has
been asked to possibly teach a Learning Studio in the future.
He has taken on many other roles in his
time as the SRO. Currently, he is serving as a Co-Facilitator of the
Wellness Coalition, serving on the Emergency Management Team, as
well as the Pittsfield Interagency Community Coalition.
SRO Webber has been focused on building
relationships with students and staff, as well as learning the
routines and systems of PES and PMHS. His responsibilities include
providing coverage at arrival and departure times, lunch, transition
times, and school events. Additionally, he will support the school
curriculum (DARE Program, Learning Studios, etc.), work with the
Student Support Specialists on investigations and interventions, and
serve on school committees such as the Juvenile Probation Parole
Office (JPPO) Team.
Students are welcome to come to him with concerns during free
periods. If parents would like to speak with SRO Webber about
concerns they may have, they are welcome to contact him at either
PMHS or PES.
Obituaries
Christian “Chris” J. Schoppmeyer
NEWMARKET – Christian “Chris” J.
Schoppmeyer, 59, of Riverbend Road, died peacefully Saturday, Feb.
27, 2016, at his home.
Born Jan. 28, 1957, in Queens, N.Y., he
was the son of Frederick Freyer and Helen Grace (Eisinger)
Schoppmeyer.
Chris was raised in New York by his
mother, Helen and stepfather, William Schoppmeyer. He was a graduate
of Unity College in Maine. He spent his teenage years in Pittsfield,
NH and graduated from Pittsfield High School.
His law enforcement career spanned over 35
years, beginning with the NH Fish and Game Department. Following
that he worked with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, first as a
Wildlife Inspector at JFK Airport and later as a Refuge Officer at
the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. In 1987 Chris began
working for NOAA Fisheries Service as a Special Agent, retiring in
January 2014. Following his retirement, Chris continued his work
with the Federal Law Enforcement Officer’s Association (FLEOA) as
Vice President of Agency Affairs.
Chris was a dedicated member of his
community, serving as a member and chairman of the Newmarket
Conservation Commission, cofounder of the Newmarket Fishing Derby,
an active participant with the Newmarket School to Career program
are just some of the many ways he enriched the lives of those around
him.
Chris was foremost a family man. He loved
fishing with Travis, hunting with Erin, walking with Shadow, going
to baseball games, spending time as “Pop-pop” and sharing his life
with Terri. He loved family celebrations and gatherings, earning him
the title of “Captain Fun.”
His father and stepfather predeceased him.
In addition to his mother, Helen
Schoppmeyer of Pittsfield, survivors include his wife of 34 years,
Terri (McGraw) Schoppmeyer of Newmarket; son, Travis Schoppmeyer and
his wife, Carolyn of Exeter; daughter, Erin Schoppmeyer of Queens,
N.Y.; grandchildren, Jakoby and Violet; brother, Steven Schoppmeyer
and his wife, Mary of Walpole; sister, Susan Gray and her husband,
Dennis of Barnstead; and nieces, nephews, and cousins.
A memorial service was held on Saturday,
March 5, at the Newmarket Community Church, Main Street, Newmarket.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may
be made in honor of Chris’s love for the Newmarket Fishing Derby and
town conservation projects. Please make checks payable to: Trustees
of the Trust Fund, Mail to: Newmarket Town Hall, Finance Dept., 186
Main Street, Newmarket, NH 03857.
Visit
kentandpelczarfh.com to sign an
online guestbook.
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