Gov. Lynch has been traveling throughout the state promoting his latest education plan: raising the dropout age from 16 to 18.

He made a recent stop at Pelham High School and congratulated Billy Burns, an 18-year-old who wanted to drop out, but with the help of staff members at the school, finally got his diploma.

It's a great story – and a great plan. Who can argue against it?

The dropout age hasn't been changed since 1903, when school wasn't a necessity for a person to make his or her way in the world. Now, education is the key to getting a good job and achieving success. Preventing teens from dropping out will benefit both them and society.

But the simple act of making the dropout age two years older is not going to be enough to prevent some kids from leaving school. The kids who really don't want to be there simply won't go. And then what happens? How will the plan be enforced? Will towns be required to add more truant officers to round up these kids? Will the courts be overloaded with truancy cases? Will it become just another unfunded mandate like the No Child Left Behind act?

While Lynch's plan is a good one and will probably be most helpful to those who are on the fence about dropping out, more options must be made available.

More programs for kids who are not academically inclined need to be put into place. Better classes and counseling to direct these students into a path in which they can succeed have to be created.

We applaud the governor's attempt to do something to make sure these students don't fall through the cracks, but it's important to remember that without something solid to support it, it won't be enough.

— Editorials published by Neighborhood News Inc. are written by an editorial board. The board is composed of Publisher and President Amy J. Vellucci, Executive Editor Ginger Kozlowski and Managing Editor Christine Heiser.

This all-free family event would not be possible without the help of a lot of people. We would like to express our sincere thank you to the following:

Santa Claus for taking the time out of his busy schedule to join us. The Suncook United Methodist Church for once again hosting our activities in their sanctuary and parish hall.

The Suncook Masonic Association for the use of their hall for Santa's Place. The downtown businesses that did such a beautiful job decorating their storefronts and opening their doors to host activities and provide refreshments and raffle prizes.

The Pembroke Police Department, the Pembroke Public Works Department, the Pembroke Fire Department, the Allenstown Fire Department and the Allenstown Fire Department Women's Auxiliary, the towns of Pembroke and Allenstown and the Pembroke Library.

We also appreciated help from the following organizations: American Legion Post 28, Kiwanis Club of Pembroke and Allenstown, Knights of Columbus Council 4666, Meet Me In Suncook Committee, St. Therese Rosebush Society and the Suncook Valley Rod and Gun Club.

Thanks to Doug Bailey and Clifford McGinnis for providing the wagon rides. Bob and Margaret Wheeler for the pony rides. The entertainers: the singers, dancers, musicians, face painters and balloon artists.

Many thanks to the following businesses: A & B Lumber, Associated Grocers of New England, Ayles Insurance, Big Jim's Bargain Outlet, Carlucci Mechanical, Frank Cassidy, Country Traditions, Dean's Barber Shop, Delauren's Styling Salon, Diane's Beauty Boutique, DJC Designs, D & N Family Security Co., Donahey Tree Farm, Dunkin Donuts, Emily's Collectibles, Energy Improvements, Epoch Corp., Family Physicians of Pembroke, Famous Village Pizza, Gelinas Farm, Great Northern Video, Vincent Greco, Jacques Fine European Pastries, Keeler Family Realtors, Lavallee Oil Co., LDG Corp., Magic Images, Mobil On the Run – Allenstown, Mr. Gelo's Kenpo Karate, Pembroke Estates, Pembroke Sand & Gravel, Pembroke Wellness Center, Richard Peppe, Esq., Petit Funeral Home, Rainville Shoe Store, Renna's Café, Sam's Club, Serendipity Day Spa, Speedy Printing & Copying of Concord, Studio 3 Tattoo, Suncook Family Dentistry, Suncook Family Health Center, Suncook House of Pizza and 603 Technology.

To the many volunteers, and most importantly to the club members, a very sincere thank you. Without your help and support, this event would not take place.

We wish you all as beautiful a holiday season as you have helped provide others.

Lorette Girard
Celeste Borgman
Co-chairmen, Christmas in Suncook Village

He was rude to submit a letter far beyond the limits requested by the Banner, and then imputed their wisdom, as well. The Banner is a fine paper and they proved their journalistic fairness by printing his lengthy blather!

He even had the audacity to contradict my dictionary. Theory is not “fact” in the library's copy either. Of course, he also made the usual preposterous claims that are unverifiable and in fact, transparently false. He speaks for “all scientists”? Altogether, it was a lame attempt at misdirection and obfuscation; smoke and mirrors.

I laughed out loud when I read “I am matter and I am moving myself.” You are a living organism, made up of matter which is in decay. Even you are going to die and decay someday, sorry.

You have to throw a ball to get it to move. It won't throw itself and will not travel forever. You have to add heat to something to get it hot. When the source is removed, it cools down. His long-winded list of creatures left out the obvious, they eat each other. Natural Selection explains extinction. Extinction is not evolution, sir.

Given his claim to be a learned person, I must conclude that his letter was a calculated and deliberate act of deception. Fortunately, he is not very clever and I pray he's not a teacher. I enjoy intellectual jousting, but prefer my opponents be mounted and have a lance.

As for Charles Beward, I found no works published by his sources after diligently searching with the library computer, statewide. They must be talking heads, like Krauthammer and Will. Apparently he trusts TV over personal research and study. The first thing to pop in my head was a line from a Clint Eastwood movie, where Clint was told he shot an unarmed bandit. Clint responded, “he should have armed himself.”

David Ross
Hooksett

Everyone had a great time and the kids seemed to finish a lot of their holiday shopping.

A big thank you to the Hooksett Girl Scouts for offering free gift wrapping; Girl Scout Troop 289 for decorating cookies; Girl Scout Troop 2120 for the snowmen, Santa Claus for posing for pictures; Dippin' Dots for a cool treat; HERC for serving the food; the book fair run by Karen Murray and Nancy Dupont; all the people who donated raffle items; and all of the people who volunteered their time to help out.

Susan Lievens
Kim Steger
Debbie Schimmel
Joan Hamilton
Debbie Dionne
Mary Darby
Becky Nelson
Hooksett PTA

There appears to be concern from residents about nonresident committee members voting on town related decisions.

However, I would like to point out that one person in particular, Capt. Sean Mulholland, has done numerous things for this town, despite not being a resident.

For example, he made sure the fencing and fields were done correctly for the baseball and hockey fields and oversaw the construction of the police departments new building. He also ensured that the police department driveway got paved and the flag pole and police department signs were put up (despite the fact that they were not in the budget), and with all this he was still under budget.

Under the circumstances, I strongly urge you to reconsider the issue of nonresidents having a vote on the committee decisions. When the nonresident is willing to put in the time on their own and be a member of these committees, they should have the right to vote the way they think is right.

Larry Anderson
Allenstown resident and committee member

I stumbled onto a picture of a newby with an Audi. They come here for our Live Free or Die life, and bring a stinking foreign car with them.

Guess I will stumble on out of here and wash my Caddy.

Martin N. Tirrell
Lisbon

That's why I was so disappointed to learn that Congress could cut cancer research funding by as much as $100 million this year.

A cut in cancer funding could lead to delays in the development of new cancer-fighting drugs and treatments, screenings that detect cancer at its earliest stages and programs that improve the quality of life of cancer patients. A funding cut would mark the first time in more than a decade that the federal government has reduced support for cancer research.

In September, 92 Senators and 280 members of the House signed a letter supporting the Bush Administration's goal to eliminate suffering and death due to cancer by the year 2015.

With adequate funding, we can make cancer a disease people live with, rather than die from.

Thirty years ago, a cancer diagnosis left many without hope. Today, 10 million Americans are survivors of the disease.

Now Congress has the chance to ensure there is enough money invested in research and programs to allow for far more progress in the future.

I urge my Congressional delegation to oppose any cuts in cancer research and programs.

Rather than reverse our progress in the war against cancer, Congress should give the gift of hope to cancer patients and their families this holiday season.

Alyssa Ehl
Hooksett

Hooksett Cub Scout Pack 292 wants to officially thank Profile Self Storage for the use of their facility for storing Pack supplies and equipment. Their generosity is appreciated.

Michele Leclerc
Hooksett Cub Scout Pack 292

Adults and children alike enjoyed themselves immensely between the craft tables and the many hands-on “craft-making” tables. Children had the opportunity to make gifts for the special people in their lives, wrap them up and finish with a card.

Karaoke recording and Santa were definitely a couple of extra treats!

Many people expressed pleasure at this well-thought-out function.

In anticipation of making this event even better next year, we would like to encourage people to send us new and interesting craft ideas that we may add to this workshop.

Please e-mail us at epsompto@yahoo.com and let us know!

We also ask that baby food jars be saved for next year's “improved” snow globe making. Thanks again – we couldn't do it without you!

Judy Small
Donna King
Co-chairmen of Santa's Workshop
Epsom