HB628: “requiring certain non-public schools or education service providers that accept public funds to perform background checks on all employees and volunteers.” 

This is a bill that would require nonpublic schools and education service providers who accept public funds to comply with requirements for criminal history background checks for employees and volunteers. This would also include any education program approved under NH’s “Learn Everywhere” program. Pretty straightforward and who wouldn’t want to keep school children as safe as possible even in an educational environment?

Republicans, that’s who.

About a week ago, while considering the bill, Republicans on the House Education Committee felt HB628 was needless. State law currently requires public school districts perform a criminal history background check on every person applying for any position in said district. The law also stops districts from hiring anyone until the background check is passed. 

Naturally, the committee Democrats support the bill, arguing the benefit new security measures would bring to recent programs which permit families to use public money for nonpublic education. The argument was the state should now become proactive in vetting potential employees for those schools. 

And naturally, Republicans disagreed. They felt it is up to the parents, not the state, to decide whether they feel comfortable sending their children to a private school. One Republican committee member stated “These are people that (parents) trust. Why the need for a background check?”

Really?!? That’s your argument??

Another Republican committee member said most private schools claim they already require background checks for potential employees, something their insurance companies ask for. This member also said when public adequacy funds are given to parents via “education freedom accounts,” that money should not be thought of as public funds anymore. Why? Well, because the schools are not public, therefore the state shouldn’t require background checks. A Democrat committee member who is a former teacher, stated having to go through criminal background checks for any position that this committee member previously held. “This is not an intrusion on people; this is a safety net for kids.” 

The House Education Committee takes the bill up in Nov. and then it goes to the entire House to be voted on. If you would like to express your own opinion about this bill to the committee just click here.

On the other hand, in head-scratching disbelief, Republicans are instead pushing for House Bill 267, which would permit public school districts to perform more background checks “on any group of employees on a more frequent or reoccurring basis” than what is already required. Naturally, the Democrats have expressed concern about how this bill, which they are against, could be negatively used against some employees. 

Again, if you would like to express your own opinion to the committee, as to the blatant hypocrisy between the two bills, just click here.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) and there are more than 10,000 people (male and female) affected annually by domestic violence in New Hampshire. There is a law requiring any person suspecting abuse or neglect in a child under age 18 must report immediately to the state’s Division for Children, Youth and Families (DCYF). 

There are crisis centers holding events this month to promote awareness of and education about domestic violence, while at the same time getting information about available resources out to the public. 

• Thursday, Oct. 12, 8:00pm (rain date, Oct. 19)
  T-Hall Lawn at UNH
  “Take Back the Night”
  This is an annual event led by students. There will be a candlelight vigil and inter-active awareness activities, along with student activists and speakers. An opportunity for those who have been affected by any form of violence (abuse, harassment, sexual violence and stalking) to share their stories will be available.
  
   
• Tuesday, Oct. 17 -Tuesday, Oct. 31 all day
  Dimond Library at UNH
  Clothesline Project Display
  The SHARPP (Sexual Harassment and Rape Prevention Program) clothesline project display is a collection of shirts made by and for domestic violence survivors. This display enables survivors to tell their stories while raising awareness about domestic violence. There will also be a resource table available with books and podcasts.
  
   
• Wednesday, Oct. 25, 6:30pm
  YWCA NH (72 Concord St. Manchester)
  “Dare to Speak”
  This event is a collaboration between REACH @ YWCA of NH, SHARPP, The Harbor at St. Anselm College, SNHU Deborah L Coffin Women's Center, and Manchester Community College and brings together students and communities.

A little more about SHARPP, according to their website:

“SHARPP’s mission is to provide free & confidential response services and comprehensive prevention initiatives for students, staff, and faculty at the University of New Hampshire. Along with our community, we co-create education, prevention, and advocacy opportunities from an intersectional and empowerment-based lens that recognizes oppression as the root of violence. By centering those most impacted by interpersonal violence, we strive to foster individual healing and collective liberation.”

Sexual Violence Prevention Virtual Resource Center at Keene State College website:

“Keene State’s Sexual Violence Prevention Virtual Resource Center is a hub for resources, supports, and information about sexual and relationship violence and sexual health and wellness on campus and in the community. You'll discover how and where to get help for yourself or a friend when sexual or relationship violence has occurred, what sexual health resources are available to you on campus and in the community, how you can become involved in sexual violence prevention on our campus, what prevention and response trainings are available on our campus and how to sign up for them, and more.”

Need assistance or know someone who does? Call 1-866-644-3574 helpline. To report child abuse or neglect, call (800) 894-5533 (in-state) or (603) 271-6562. 

Last Monday night I went to NH Department of Transportation’s public meeting concerning our states 10-year transportation plan. This is the instrument that is used for planning infrastructure projects along all the state roads in New Hampshire. 

The long and the short of it is, there just isn’t that much money available in our state transportation kitty. The last state gasoline tax increase was in 2014, when it was raised from 18 cents to 22.2 cents a gallon. The additional four cents per gallon was set aside to pay for state and municipal bridges and roads, and to cover the bond payments on I-93.

The average cost of gasoline has only gone up about 12% since 2014. Compare that to the cost of road construction, which has doubled in that time. Meanwhile, the gasoline tax hasn’t moved at all, even as behemoth gas-guzzling trucks are selling at a faster rate than ever.

Those four cents have enabled New Hampshire to have some pretty nice roads in the meantime. I always compare our roads to Massachusetts, where the roads universally suck, I guess because voters in that state choose to prioritize things like education over easy driving. 

But New Hampshire’s road-superiority over Massachusetts may be ending soon, as the proceeds of that four cents gasoline tax increase are scheduled to be diverted from paying for roads and bridge construction to cover their other purpose, which is making those the I-93 bond payments.

This financial squeeze being what it is, we are looking at a situation where long-term project planning is having to be slashed.  Planning ahead to 2033, there is less than $5 million in available funds to cover projects in all the southwest region of the state. 

Three projects were submitted to this program from Keene and Swanzey, but the $5 million will only partially cover one of those projects, which will widen and add multi-modal lanes to Route 10 in Swanzey. The other two projects – both worthy and reflecting transportation and safety needs in our community – have been cut from the planning.

Basically, there isn’t enough in the kitty. A four-cent gasoline tax hike from nine years ago, soon to be diverted elsewhere, is not enough to keep up with the growing cost of pouring concrete and asphalt in 2023, much less 2033.

Last November, three Executive Councilor members defunded a ten year old community sex education program. While councilors Joe Kenney (R), Ted Gatsas (R) and David Wheeler (R) had voted for the program in the past, they now cited the rights of parents for changing their votes in November. Both Kenney and Wheeler felt parents should be aware of what their children are sharing while participating in the program. But in the next head scratching moment, children need parental permission anyway to be in the program. 

Wait! What?

The program focuses on children who are considered at-risk, such as those living in homeless shelters, in foster care or who have been victimized through human trafficking. This program is not through the schools but by community agencies, and offers instruction on abstinence, birth control, reproduction and sexually transmitted diseases. Decision-making and relationship skills are also offered in addition to subjects concerning gender identity.

The only two councilors who approved the $680,000 contract was Janet Stevens (R) and Cinde Warmington (D). Despite not being approved, our elected federal representatives managed to convince federal officials to bring back the funding, circumventing the Executive Council.  

On Thursday, September 21, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D) announced funding will be provided to the Amoskeag Health in Manchester and the TLC Family Resource Center in Claremont through the Dept. of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Those two cities have experienced the highest teen pregnancies in the state. Between those two centers, this funding will enable them to reach almost 300 students. 

The council’s Republican members had also previously defunded family planning contracts with Equality Health Center, Lovering Health Center and Planned Parenthood of Northern New England. Sen. Shaheen was instrumental in securing $500,000 to bring back Planned Parenthood’s services. Again, circumventing the Executive Council.

Where there’s a will, there’s a way! 

But we can avoid a large amount of that by educating ourselves as to who candidates are and do they represent the best interests of ourselves, our families and our communities? Voting matters, not just at the federal level but statewide and equally important, locally! Tuesday, October 3rd is primary day for a lot of communities in New Hampshire. Take the time to vote so your voice can be heard, don’t throw it away.

Yesterday I posted an article heralding Tuesday’s special election win of Hal Rafter (D-Gorham) to New Hampshire’s House of Representatives. I also included the fact that there are currently three vacant seats due to recent resignations, two of them this week. 

Troy Merner (R-Lancaster) apparently doesn’t live in Lancaster, according to an investigation undertaken by NH’s attorney general’s office. Merner resigned not only from his position in the NH House but also from the Lancaster Board of Selectmen. The Boston Globe reported the investigation discovered he hasn’t resided in Lancaster, the district he previously represented, since August, 2022. He and his family live in Carroll, a town in a different legislative district in Coos County. The Lancaster address turned out to be a rented office.

Merner, a four-term representative, was aware of the on-going investigation, but continued to collect the mileage compensation for claiming to travel between his former residence in Lancaster and Concord. The attorney general’s office is now looking into whether Merner broke any laws when he took compensation for mileage and voting in a town he no longer lived in. 

This past Monday, Sept. 18th, the attorney general’s office sent a letter to House Speaker Sherman Packard, informing him of the alleged deception. Merner resigned his seat the next day along with his position on Lancaster’s Board of Selectmen.

Question: will former representative Troy Merner be held liable for the compensation he wrongfully took from taxpayers? Asking for a friend . . .

As an aside but should not be forgotten; in 2020, Republicans in the NH House proceeded to gerrymander the district maps. Despite that disenfranchisement to voters, they lost seats in the 2022 midterms.

On August 12th, I wrote about an upcoming special election for Rockingham County. I asked you to urge anyone you knew in either towns of Northwood and Nottingham to get out and vote on September 19th for Hal Rafter, a former Nottingham selectman and school board member. Well, I am pleased to report that Mr. Rafter won that open seat for the NH House of Representatives!

This past April, incumbent Brian Bartlett (R) resigned due to health issues, resulting in this win by Rafter. Despite a heavily gerrymandered map drawn up last year, this latest win by Democrats brings their numbers up to 197 to the Republicans 198. There are also two Independents in the House with three seats that still remain open. This past Monday, Bill Hatch (D-Gorham) announced his resignation (unknown when to take effect), and Troy Merner (R-Lancaster) resigned on Tuesday. David Cote (D-Nashua) resigned in July due to chronic health conditions. 

If Democrats can flip at least two of the open seats on November 5th, a slim majority can be gained. If you know people who live in those districts, feel free to share this post and urge them to vote in November! Together, we can do this!

The loudest neighbor in our ward is the Ferry Brook Gun Range, also known as the "Cheshire County Shooting Sports Education Foundation."

If that name sounds euphemistic to you, its because it is. This gun range would very much love to be seen as charitable and educational organization, so it can get an exemption that will allow it to skip out on paying $20,000 a year in property taxes on their land and buildings.

According to the Sentinel, the "non-profit" gun range has recently been appealing the City of Keene's rejection of their argument that shooting guns is a sufficiently charitable endeavor as to excuse them from having to pay taxes like the rest of us chumps. 

The gun range was denied this request, and a previous appeal, back in 2021. Since then, they have changed their bylaws to sound more charityish. And educational.

What kind of educational exactly? More than just target practice for home-schoolers, it seems. Perhaps you will recall last year when this gun range was offering a build your own AR-15 clinic?

Right. Because what our state, oozing with nutball secessionists, really needs right now is more people who've been educated on how to build AR-15s in their basement. Surely this is an endeavor worthy of a tax break.

Lets be clear: the culture of gun violence promoted by establishments like the Cheshire County Shooting Sports Education Foundation is a threat to all living people. In 2021 there were 48,830 gun deaths in the United States, and I am entirely out of good will to extend to the personal firearms industry that has lead us down that path.

But, strictly on the property tax issue:  I really think gun ranges should have to pay higher property taxes than the rest of us, on account of the massive noise problem they create. 

That noise doesn't just scare away all of natures critters, it also has the effect of reducing property values in the neighborhood - and hence the amount of taxes collected on those properties. I don't think its unreasonable to say that the gun range should be on the hook for the additional taxes that would have otherwise been collected on those properties if being near the range hadn't damaged their value.

But no, these cheapskates want to burden our community without chipping in to cover the cost. 

And they want to call it charity.

There is a new on-line financial literacy course coming to New Hampshire. On Sept. 14, the NH State Board of Education unanimously voted to approve the course being offered by Prager U. This half-credit course will be available through NH’s “Learn Everywhere” program and is free of charge. 

What is "Learn Everywhere"? Well according to their website: “Learn Everywhere is a program designed to build on existing New Hampshire educational philosophy, law, and rule. At its most basic level, it is simply seeing and understanding our existing public education system and the learning that engages students, from another perspective.”

Learn Everywhere isn’t a “place” per se, but is a belief that students gradually acquire successful abilities by work-based and hands-on learning. It is an educational program that is unique to NH and was initially approved in 2020. The program allows for students to earn credits outside of the traditional classroom and submit completed certificates to their respective schools. All schools are required to permit students to earn up to one third of the required graduation credits through this program. Schools are not required to accept 100% of credits towards high school graduation, but they can. 

Learn Everywhere was founded as a way to increase educational opportunities for public school students in NH. Which means, only those students attending public schools earn those credits.

A small sample of their approved programs: North Main Music in Nashua; Seacoast Science Center in Rye; Friends Forever International in Durham; Seacoast United in Hampton; Neil Stone’s Karate Academy in Hollis. 

What is Prager U? According to THEIR website: “We promote American values through the creative use of educational videos that reach millions of people online. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Prager University Foundation (“PragerU”) offers a free alternative to the dominant left-wing ideology in culture, media, and education. Whether you’re searching for a deeper understanding, a new perspective, or a way to get involved, PragerU helps people of all ages think and live better.”

According to Prager U, their friends at The Daily Wire had put together a documentary praising their first ten years in the “mind changing business.” They promote themselves as an “educational, media platform” dedicated to advancing pro-American values. Their website states their “videos educate, inspire, and entertain millions of online viewers. Serving audiences of all ages, our informative content offers a free alternative to the dominant left-wing ideology in culture, media, and education.” Their political mission is a desire to produce kid-oriented “edutainment” that combats so-called “woke agendas” in the classroom.

Oh, and donations are tax-deductible . . .

The videos or podcasts offered run anywhere from five to more than 60 minutes on a variety of topics such as:
 Former Dept. Secretary Betsy DeVos Says Teachers Unions Destroy Education 
Dennis Prager on porn, the sexualization of kids and gotcha moments 
Annabella Rockwell: I Entered College Happy. I Left Angry.Hurricane Idalia Hits Florida
 N95 Masks May be Toxic, Man Gets to Stay in Sorority: 
BLM Settlement, China Bans Clothes That Hurt Feelings, Private Gun Safe Code Given to FBI?: 9/8/2023 C J Pearson

As an aside, Rockwell is an heiress to an (unknown) pharmaceutical company in Manhattan and Pearson is a 21 year old conservative, freelance journalist who is the executive director for Young Georgians in Government. He describes himself as an anti-establishment populist and campaigns for Republican candidates. These are just two of the contributors.

This controversial and strongly opposed decision to bring the financial literacy videos came through anyway, in spite of the opposition from teachers unions and educators themselves. The decision brought praise for Frank Edleblut, NH’s head of the Education Dept. from Marissa Streit, the CEO of Prager U. She claimed permitting their program would assist in putting an end to “gaslighting” by also allowing parents to watch these videos with their children. NH is different from Florida and Oklahoma where the programs were approved for use in the classrooms. Here, the approval was for only the financial literacy course, also known as “Cash Course.”

Prager U is receiving no taxpayer money nor a contract with the state. The course is not a requirement for any student in NH. A former public school teacher from Concord, Mary Wilke, feels this course lacks rigor and is not aligned with the intention of Learn Everywhere’s program. The Prager U course consists of memorizing fifteen five minute videos followed by a multiple-choice assessment rather than anything hands-on. 

Make of this what you will and remember, voting has consequences.

With the immediate need to address the in-your-face fact of global extreme weather and climate change, the Bipartisan Infrastruture Act was signed into law by Pres. Biden in Nov. 2021. Among the infrastructure included in this law is the investment in a national network of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. It also includes the largest investment in domestic manufacturing of batteries along with the important minerals that power them. 

A charging station is a power supply device, suppling electrical power to recharge vehicles (cars, buses, trucks, hybrids). Charging stations provide multiple connectors conforming to an assortment of international standards. This enables a large variety of vehicles the ability to use these charging stations.

Public charging stations are generally found at government facilities, retail shopping centers and some public parking areas. Private charging stations are usually at private residences, hotels and workplaces.

In 2016, the German automaker Volkswagen AG entered into a settlement with the United States and the state of California for cheating on emissions tests and deceiving customers. Included in the settlement was the company’s agreement to spend $4.7 billion to relieve pollution and invest in vehicle technology that supports zero-emissions. Nearly $31 million came to New Hampshire through that settlement and $5 million had been set aside for statewide charging station projects. 

Which brings me to good news for Keene and the surrounding area. Later this month, Keene’s Monadnock Food Co-op will become the recipient of a public charging station. The station is expected to be finished in November and customers will pay for using it. A usage price will be determined by the co-op in order to enable it to recoup its investment. 

Money from the above-mentioned settlement and around $308,000 from New Hampshire’s Dept. of Environmental Services will go towards the installation. Additionally, the Monadnock Sustainability Hub raised $30,000 towards the installation. 

This is how we move forward in addressing and combating the very real issue of climate change!

“The mission of Hundred Nights, Inc. is to provide shelter and crisis related services to those at risk of or experiencing homelessness.”

That is the mission statement of Keene’s homeless shelter, founded in Jan. 2010 by local resident Don Primrose. Nearly fourteen years later, there will be a celebration of the facility’s new and bigger location on Water St. in Keene. A “Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Open House” will be held on Sept. 23, 

But let’s back up with a little bit of history first . . .

Hundred Nights was originally begun as an emergency shelter during cold weather months for those who were not able to find any shelter through the City of Keene – Southwestern Community Services. These shelters may have already been filled to capacity or the person was not eligible for these services. Hundred Nights initially was opened from Dec. 21 to March 31, but is now open year round, along with their on site Resource Center.

Like other non-profits, the shelter depends a lot on volunteers and fundraising. These volunteers are tasked with assisting in running errands, keeping the shelter (bedding and towels are washed daily), preparing meals on the weekends, delivering evening meals and organizing the closet where donations are stored. There is an on-site shelter manager and a couple more volunteers meeting people as they come in. 

Nearly ten years later, with the need for a bigger facility becoming more apparent, Hundred Nights began the process of searching for and securing the right piece of property to expand on. In 2020 a purchase option agreement was signed for the property on Water St. In Aug. 2021, the Keene Planning Board gave its approval and construction began in April, 2022.  The public will have a chance to visit the new expanded Hundred Nights on Sept. 23. The Ribbon Cutting takes place at 10:00 am with an open house following from 10:30 through 2:00. 

Volunteers are always welcomed and needed, as are donations.  

To read Hundred Nights “Good Neighbor” agreement: Hundred Nights Neighborhood Relations (hundrednightsinc.org)