Remember to include your name, hometown and daytime phone number (we won't publish your phone number). We reserve the right to edit for length and legal considerations. Send a letter.

 
We were very surprised to hear that Robie’s Country Store was getting new proprietors. Steve Christou and Dan Mitton have done a wonderful job with the store in the past year and a half, and even helped save Hooksett Old Home Day this summer. We are sad to see them leave, but welcome new entrepreneurs Kevin and Donna Brown. The Browns strike us as the kind of hard-driving people who can make a venture like this work, plus they have lived nearby in Bow for a long time until their recent move to Concord, and have a good feel for this area. They’ll have help from the Robie’s Country Store Preservation Corporation, so all they need now is community support. Let’s give it to them. ­ Ginger Kozlowski
Editor, Hooksett Banner

To the Editor:
When I was a small child my mom always told me, “If you ever need help, ask a policeman!”

I’m grown up now – a grandmother, in fact. But I still remembered what my dear mother told me.

So when I found myself in Candia, locked out of my car with my keys inside, I called a policeman. And that kind, caring officer responded in short order. After but a few minutes of skillful maneuvering, the police officer had unlocked the car door.

I would like to thank and commend the young officer from the Candia Police Department for his polite and prompt attention to my dilemma. Mom was right! And this policeman from Candia is truly one of the finest!

Marge Godfrey
Chester

To the Editor:
Another Christmas is upon us, and it reminds me how lucky we Americans are. Recently, my wife, kids and I traveled to the Philippines due to a tragedy in our family. While there, we were able to visit with an 11-year-old girl who we have been sponsoring the past four years through Christian Children’s Fund. We’ve watched her grow the past four years through pictures and letters.To finally meet Christine, our sponsored child, was a dream come true, and one of the most surreal and amazing experiences of my life. We were able to see firsthand the benefits our monthly contribution provides for a needy child.

During our brief stay there, our small children, ages 5 and 8, saw firsthand the plight of the poor and homeless. They saw homeless children who have nothing but the clothes on their backs and a hard sidewalk as their bed, begging for food in the shadow of the “golden arches.” Hopefully our kids will remember how fortunate they are the next time they start whining about nothing to wear or play with.

I’m having a little trouble getting into the Christmas spirit, knowing as my children go to bed on Christmas Eve, wondering what Santa will bring, a small child is waking up, halfway around the world, hungry. Santa has left them nothing. It’s just another day for them; a day of hunger and hopelessness.

But you can make a difference. You can give them hope. For the price of a daily cup of coffee, you can help clothe, educate and feed a child. Your contributions are put to good use, and are very much appreciated. I know that when I pass on, nobody will care about where I lived, or the car I drove, but my sponsored child will remember … that I cared.

Marc Morency
Pembroke

To the Editor:
Scrooge is alive and well in New Hampshire. He also goes by the name of Target. Target has decided not to allow the Salvation Army Santa Claus volunteers to stand in front of their store and collect money to help people who may lack the basic necessities of day-to-day living. Those assisted by the Salvation Army have limited resources. They desire a decent place for their family to live and clothing to keep them warm. They want enough food so their children do not go away from the table hungry each night.

Last Christmas, about 60 percent of all money collected in Hooksett came from the generosity of customers shopping in Target at Hooksett Crossing. Other local people donated their time to stand outside the store ringing a bell. They serve to remind us that there are families around us who have far less. Target may sell sparkling lights and brightly colored ornaments and all the wrappings to go with our gifts, but they have forgotten the true spirit of Christmas.

Mary Ellen Looney
Hooksett

To the Editor:
I don’t care how you celebrate your holidays, provided it doesn’t break the law or disturb my sleep. Some holidays push the barriers, like Independence Day. Considering the import, that day trumps all others.

Holidays are great and should be celebrated without anyone, nor the government, being left in charge of what is or isn’t allowed. Common sense will prevail. If you want to celebrate the rising of the great pumpkin, it’s OK with me. Running with the bulls down Elm Street is OK too! Please apply for a permit, though. Racing on our highways is cool, too. Again, permit required. Celebrating is far better than war.

Fireworks on Easter morning is not appropriate. Setting them off at 3 a.m. for no good reason is also unacceptable, as I have been informed. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing sweeter than the smell of a freshly lit fuse, nor the sound of the whoosh followed by a big bang, in my book. Sometimes the crowd doesn’t appreciate it. Personally, I don’t like rounds being fired into the air. They do come down somewhere!

Celebrating and announcing your beliefs are acts specifically protected by our Constitution. Your rights are protected, not enumerated, by that great covenant. The Constitution protects the people from the government. It does not protect the government from the people. It does not empower the government in any way, yet our government seems to be manipulated into restricting our behavior by folks like the ACLU. Every time you turn around, these creeps want to remove something, especially anything Christian. X-mas? I don’t think so.

When our government attempts to usurp its will upon the people, contrary to the Constitution, it is our duty to disobey. As a citizen of this great nation, it is your duty to protect and defend this covenant. Our children and grandchildren will be subject to our government or will be protected by our courage, as we have been by our forebearers.

So, wearing the armor of the Lord and the promise of our Constitution, I wish you a Merry Christmas! Happy birthday, Jesus!

Dave Ross
Hooksett

To the Editor:
To the Editor: It has been 13 years since I chaired an ECS building committee and brought to the town a bond and asked for its support. Well, we have again run out of space.

Back in 1992, we asked the voters to support an addition to the school. We proposed a plan that called for the addition of 11 classrooms and a gym.

That project was done for $1,985,000, came with a 10-year bond and had a tax impact of $3.03 at its highest and $2.10 in its last year.

The current project is considerably more difficult in that the renovation to the existing space will make up a large portion of it. Code no longer permits us to delay big ticket items like sprinklers and replacing the heating system. We are increasing the number of classrooms by eight and replacing the cafeteria and library. The current project estimate is for $6,782,585.

Before you decide that this is far too much to pay please consider this. The state of New Hampshire contributes 40 percent of the payments annually. This gives us a high tax-rate increase of $3.89 and a last year rate of $2.34 on a 10-year bond. It is our expectation that this project will last us 10 years.

The building committee has worked long and hard on this project. We believe we have a good design which is consistent with our conservative nature. We have not gone wild with additional space or undertaken any renovation that is not required. Failure of the bond request will not see a reduction of scope the following year. The current bond rate is very favorable at 4.5 percent and the cost for labor and material, though not low, is reasonable. We will be having a public hearing on the project on Jan. 4. Please mark your calendars. We will also be doing a presentation at the annual school deliberative session in February.

Frank Catanese, chairman
Epsom Central School
Building Committee

To the Editor:
As a caregiver for my husband who died of Alzheimer’s disease and presently the care-giver for his 97-year-old sister, I am extremely concerned about the Granite Care program.

As a senior advocate, I’m aware of the many problems seniors face, and, at age 83, like many of New Hampshire’s seniors, I have tried to ensure that I will have the kind of care I need and want should my health deteriorates.

I have purchased supplemental insurance as well as long-term care insurance, work with my physician to do what I can to prevent serious problems, have rolled up the scatter rugs and have put my savings in an annuity to ensure I can continue to pay the premiums on my health care coverage – which, for long-term care, insurance is $4,000 a year.

I definitely believe that in-home care is not only the preference of seniors but is more cost effective. But will it be available? When I need it?

We need to ensure that there will be sufficent trained personnel to keep seniors at home and that help begins as early as possible. A little bit of help initially is a preventative for more costly care later. We need to take an overall look at what seniors and especially those living alone need to keep them at home. Such things as help with home maintenance, the ability to shop and get to the doctor’s, and someone to call daily to insure their safety and afford them, sometimes, their only contact of the day.

Presently, we wait until a person is almost ready for 24-hour care before we step in to help. This is not the way to save on nursing home costs and stretch the time seniors can pay for their own care (which, by the way, they prefer). My savings would almost be gone if I hadn’t purchased an annuity. I am willing to live on a lot less to ensure it would last as long as I needed income. But it works only if there will be affordable, reliable, in-home care when needed.

Presently, in order to comply with current regulations, often more help than is actually needed or wanted is required. A review using common sense as to how we evaluate what is needed and/or wanted in the way of help should be done before we commit ourselves to this plan. A little can go a long way if it is the right “little!”

It is the inability to find someone to change the smoke alarm or light bulb that is too high to reach, to get groceries or prescriptions, the necessity of spending a whole day to go to the doctor only a few miles away, to have to make a dozen calls and still find no one to do outside chores, the fear that should you fall no one will know. It is these small things that become overwhelming if you live alone and drains your self confidence in your ability to care for yourself.

All arround the state we see communities are beginning to take a broader view of what their seniors need and how things like home maintenace, daily assurance calls and ways to insure services can be provided for those who no longer have a means of transportation. We now have Service Link where seniors can call for “information and referral.” We need to ensure every senior knows he is not alone and just a phone call away from help. But we also need to ensure that the services needed are available and affordable.

We are making a start, but let’s not tie our hands for the next five years. We need the freedom to make our own Granite State decisions as we work toward making the Granite Care program one that really works for our citizens. Making it difficult for seniors to go into nursing homes is not the answer. Making it possible for them to remain in their homes (where they want to be) is!

Helen Zarnowski
Bedford

To the Editor:
(Last month) my dogs left the yard. Though they are both aging, quite deaf and a little lame, the Pet Fence battery had run down and they went for a stroll. When they didn’t come right back, my heart sank.

It was a year ago (Nov. 23, 2003) here in Weare that our friends’dog, Zack, didn’t come back to the house after he attending to his morning duties. Unknown to his family, a hunter was stalking deer in their neighborhood.

While the family was preparing for breakfast they heard three shots. Zack was the family dog, loving and gentle with the young kids. The hunter had shot Zack through his shoulder and left Zack to bleed to death 400 feet from his family’s home. This hunter did not go to the nearest home to tell the family. He did not notify the police. Neighbors saw a hunter quickly leaving the woods after they had also hear the gunshots and they helped search for the injured dog. Ultimately, the police were able to track down the hunter. This man was not a novice hunter. This man claimed Zack attacked him and he shot in self defense.

The Weare Animal Control officers, Lorrie and Bruce Benzel, have asked that a bill be entered into law which could follow RSA: 207:39 (a) as RSA:207:39 (b) Reporting Domestic Animal Shot While Hunting.

Any person, while actually engaged in hunting or the pursuit of wild animals or wild birds, causing death, injury or damage to domestic animals, ducks or fowl or fires any weapon at any domestic animal, duck or fowl must report the incident immediately to the local police department and/or animal control officer. The person must also report the incident by mail to the director of Fish and Game.

Any identification such as dog tags must be noted and the person responsible must do everything within reason to save the life of the domestic animal that was wounded or damaged or the person shall be guilty of a violation subject to having his license to hunt revoked and he may not be granted a license to hunt for a period not to exceed five years and maybe subject to being charged with animal cruelty. The current law does not require notification.

Please call or write to your local legislators to ask that this bill be passed into New Hampshire law in the 2005 session. Sheila Roberge, senator from District 9, has offered to introduce this bill.

This young dog was the best friend of the family’s 4- and 7-year-old children. The youngest still misses curling up and napping with her buddy. Please support Zack’s Law this year. It requires an individual to notify authorities if a domestic animal is shot. It is the humane thing to do. It is the least that Zack’s killer could have done.

(My neighbor called to say my dogs were in her yard playing with her kids.)

Carolyn Sheehan
Weare