Parents at Jewett Street Elementary School have won their way.  In a press release issued on Friday,  Manchester Superintendent Debra Livingston said she will no longer pursue developing the details necessary to see

Livingston: Beats retreat from Jewett Street School

Livingston: Beats retreat from Jewett Street School

whether or not it made sense to convert the school into a facility to housed the district’s pre-K program and shift its population to Southside Middle School to create a so-called K thru 8 Innovation School.  The idea generated a furious backlash from parents not only at Jewett, but also from those whose pre-K kids are housed at three other locations that would have been consolidated into the school, especially those whose kids are in the autism program at Smyth Road School.  The Keep Jewett Elementary School group issued a statement thanking Livingston for listening to their concerns and complimenting her on her commitment to improving education in the district, which was really interesting to read after what most of them posted about her and the district on social media.  They also said they were ready to help do the hard work necessary to help redistrict the schools that have gone almost twenty years without changes to boundary lines.   Livingston’s announcement and the parents’ release are both posted with this news read at Girard at Large dot com.  I’m thinking I’m going to have something to say about this during the show this morning.

The Manchester Health Department has announced the recipients of this year’s Public Health Excellence Award for Food Safety.  Each

Tim Soucy

Soucy: And the winners are…

year, the department recognizes those food establishments who maintain high sanitary standards, comply with all applicable laws and regulations and have staff that is trained in safe food handling practices.  Health Officer Tim Soucy, who appears on this radio show every other Wednesday at seven forty in our Public Health and Wellness segment, said this year’s group of almost one hundred award winners is the largest in the history of the award.  Among the notables are Manchester icons like The Derryfileld Restaurant and The Yard Restaurant, Central High and the Manchester School of Technology.  Alderman at-Large Joe Kelly Levasseur issued a press release stating that while his restaurant, Theo’s, didn’t make the list, he was really on the list because he said he won.  We’ve published the entire list  with this newscast at Girard at Large dot com.

News from our own backyard continues after this.
Police in Merrimack have issued an alert to residents urging them to lock their car doors after a rash of vehicle break-ins and thefts have rocked neighborhoods in the southern part of town.  Several thefts from motor vehicles and two stolen vehicles have occurred on:  Camp Sargent, Tinker, Thornton, Erik, Kyle, and Greenleaf  roads.  The suspects walk through neighborhoods checking car doors to see if they are locked.  The cops are asking residents in town to call them immediately if they notice any suspicious activity during the night.  Their number is 4 2 4 2 2 2 2.  Of course, if it’s an emergency, call 9 1 1!
The House Judiciary Committee will hear Senate Bill 3 19 tomorrow. This is the so-called buffer zone bill that seeks to forbid all witness and protest, including silent prayer, within

SB 319: Right to free speech...somewhere else

SB 319: Right to free speech…somewhere else

25 feet of abortion facilities, even on public property.   Right to Life and First Amendment activists are urging those concerned about the proposed restraint on free speech to attend the hearing, which starts at ten thirty in room 2 0 8 of the Legislative Office Building in Concord.  Passage of this bill is the highest priority of the session for abortion advocacy groups.  We’ve linked to our really recent interview with Kurt Wuelper of N H Right to Life on the topic so you can learn more.  Those opposed to the bill are asking their supporters to call the committee’s office or email the members with a simple “No on S B 3 19” message if they cannot attend.  We’ve posted the phone number and email address with this newscast at Girard at Large dot com.  Call 271- 3184 or  send  an  email  to  House Judiciary Committee @ leg dot state dot n h dot u s with the message:  NO on SB 319.

O'Dell: Calling it a career

O’Dell: Calling it a career

State Senator Bob O’Dell, Republican from New London or Lempster, depending on whether you read his news release or the senate’s Web site, is retiring the seat he’s held for six terms.  O’Dell, who represents the two dozen towns of District Eight, including Weare, Francestown and a couple of others in our listening area, first took office in two thousand two after a term in the House.  He is currently the Chair of the Ways and Means Committee, they’re the ones who do all the tax and fee stuff, and serves on the Finance Committee.  Most recently, he helped engineer the state’s expansion of Medicaid and a twenty three percent increase in the gas tax.  He says while he looked forward to another campaign and meeting with the people of his district, he was uncertain about making another two year commitment saying he wanted to tend to his family and neglected hobbies.  Critics suspect he’s somewhat concerned about the political fallout that might come from backing the expansion of Medicaid to implement Obamacare in the state and jacking the gas tax.

That’s news from our own backyard, Girard at Large hour ___ starts right now.