01-23-2014 News

The New Hampshire House of Representatives passed a bill that would make it possible for illegal aliens to get in-state tuition at state owned colleges and universities.  House Bill four seventy four would enable those who aren’t citizens to get in-state tuition if they’ve been domiciled in the state for at least three years (how ’bout doing that for voting?) prior to attending a state university or college.  It passed on a one eighty eight to one fifty five roll call vote, which was cast largely along party lines.  We’ve linked to the bill and the roll call votes so you can see the bill and find your state rep to know if they think it’s okay to give in-state tuition to non-citizens and turn New Hampshire into a magnet for illegals looking to be somehow legitimized.  What I don’t get is how a group that complains the university system is underfunded acts to increase the numbers of students who will need state funds to attend.

State Representative Marilinda Garcia, Republican of Salem, made her bid for Congress in the Second District official yesterday.  At a press conference in Concord, Garcia released the names of more than seventy fellow state reps who’ve endorsed her candidacy and said her campaign will be focused on the positive and challenges that face America.  Saying the stakes were high and pointing to the nation’s seventeen trillion dollars in debt and Washington policies like ObamaCare, the thirty something Garcia said it’s time for a new generation of ideas.  She joins former GOP State Senator Gary Lambert of Nashua, a retired Marine colonel, in the G O P primary.  The two will square off in their first debate before the New Boston Republican Committee on February sixth.  It will be held at Whipple Free Library on Mont Vernon Road in town and starts at 7.  Area Republicans and Independents are welcome to attend the event, which will be moderated by me, Your Humble Host.  We’ve linked to Garcia’s announcement, her recent Girard at Large interview, and the details of the debatefrom this newscast at Girard at Large dot com.  No word on whether or not she was wearing stilettos at her announcement, by the way.

News from our own backyard continues after this.

Turns out our sources at Girard at Large are again on the money.  Assistant Manchester Superintendent David Ryan released some information in response to our Right to Know request asking about district wide assessment tests in the elementary schools.  Turns out that kids in grades K through 5 are now being tested three times a year in math.  We’ve obtained the first trimester tests and have posted them with this newscast at Girard at Large dot com.  There was also some English testing information, which we’ve also posted.  The documents have caused us to ask some follow up questions, the answers to which we will share once received.  In his email, Ryan said the information we’ve requested on text and work book purchases will be in our possession today.  He has not yet replied to our inquiry regarding the action plan outlined for the development of The Manchester Academic Standards.  All we really want to know is how, or if, they’re using other than Common Core standards in the development of Manchester’s standards because from the outside looking in, it doesn’t look like they’re being considered.  FY 14 Gr.K 1st Tri Math Assessment, FY 14 Gr.1 1st Tri Math Assessment, FY 14 Gr.2 1st Tri Math Assessment, FY 14 Gr.3 1st Tri Math Assessment FY 14 Gr.4 1st Tri Math Assessment, FY 14 Gr.5 1st Tri Math Assessment, Performance task kindergarten early literacy concepts, Performancetaskgrade5rubric, PerformanceTaskGrade5Unit1

Speaking of outside looking in and Right to Know issues, the New Hampshire House Judiciary Committee is looking at a bunch of bills today involving the state’s Right to Know law, which is R S A Ninety One AyRight to Know New Hampshire has released a summary of the bills and whether or not they support them and has asked for the public to weigh in on the legislation.  We’ve posted the bills and the groups recommendations at Girard at Large dot com and linked to them from this newscast for your convenience.  Remember, the stronger your right and ability to know, the less your government and its officials can hide from you.  Take a look.

Selectmen in Goffstown aren’t happy with the decision of the town’s Budget Committee to zero out the half a million dollars they wanted for roads.  In a rather long discussion, selectmen aired their concerns not only about that, but also about their Public Works Department‘s seeming inability to actually utilize all the funds they’ve been given for the purpose of repairing and rebuilding the town’s tattered thoroughfares.  While the selectmen didn’t appear to settle on simply not recommending the budget and restoring the appropriation or not recommending the budget and significantly increasing the amount of funding to enable private contractors to also work on road projects in the town, one thing is clear, the selectmen will address the issue at town’s deliberative session to restore some sort of funding.

That’s news from our own backyard, Girard at Large hour ___ is straight ahead!