Early
Head Start is accepting applications for children under the age of 3
and for prenatal women. Fun activities, information, support, and
learning experiences are provided through home visiting and
playgroups. It is free for income eligible families. For further
information and to jump start your child’s learning, please call
435-6611.
Letter
New
Hampshire Burdens StudentsWith High Tuition and Debt
New
Hampshire should be ashamed. It ranks last among the 50 states in
higher education funding. That funding dropped 27% between 2008 and
2015 and continues to lag. The state has relied instead on
student-paid tuition, which has risen much more rapidly than family
incomes, leaving students with the largest share of loan debt in the
country. NH is one of only two states that does not provide
need-based scholarship aid to in-state students.
Sununu
and the Republican-controlled legislature have again refused to
increase higher education funding. Part of this refusal was
political, but the main reason was pure stinginess. Many legislators
felt the state could not “afford” it. Yet the state found money to
give another tax break to large wealthy corporations by reducing the
business tax.
In
fact, the state’s budgetary practices and tax laws often result in a
boon to the wealthy, who benefit the most from NH’s absence of
income, capital gains, and inheritance taxes. These practices
continue to downshift costs to the state’s towns, most notably in
the form of real estate taxes. The same middle class families who
are struggling to pay tuition and student debt are also struggling
to pay the nation’s third highest real estate taxes.
Almost
60% of NH’s high school graduates attending 4-year colleges leave
the state (the highest exodus in the nation). Many leave for better
job opportunities elsewhere, mostly in Massachusetts. Although
employment has risen since the recession, the median hourly wage in
our state has fallen more than anywhere else in the country except
New Mexico.
Demographic projections forecast continuing aging of our population
and fewer young people entering the workforce. This does not augur
well for our economic future. When will the state change its
priorities and start supporting our college students instead of
driving them away?
Jane
Westlake
Center
Barnstead
SCREENAGERS: Growing Up In The Digital Age
Movie –
Free
SCREENAGERS is the first feature documentary to explore the impact
of screen technology (cellphones, computers, gaming systems, etc.)
on kids. It is being shown at Prospect Mountain High School at 5:30
p.m. on Wednesday, October 4th. Parents and community members are
encouraged to attend in addition to parents and community members
from neighboring towns. There will be a facilitated discussion
following the film. This event is being co-sponsored by Alton
Central School, Barnstead Elementary School, and Prospect Mountain
High School.
Physician and filmmaker, Delaney Ruston decided to make SCREENAGERS
when she found herself constantly struggling with her two kids about
screen time. Ruston felt guilty and confused, not sure what limits
were best, especially around mobile phones, social media, gaming,
and how to monitor online homework. Hearing repeatedly how other
parents were equally overwhelmed, she realized this is one of the
biggest, unexplored parenting issues of our time.
Director Ruston turned the camera on her own family and
others—revealing stories that depict messy struggles over social
media, video games, academics and internet addiction. Examples of
stories, include Hannah’s, a 14-year old victim of social media
bullying that stemmed from her trying to hide her use of social
media from her mom. Issues are different for boys and girls, and the
film also follows Andrew’s story, a straight-A student whose love of
video games spins out of control when he goes off to college and
lands in an internet rehab center.
Interwoven into these stories, are insights from thought leaders as
well as leading brain scientists who present evidence on real
changes happening in the brain. SCREENAGERS goes far beyond exposing
the risks of screen time, but reveals multiple approaches on how
parents and educators can work with kids to help them achieve a
healthy amount of screen time.
Pioneer
Clubs Start Tonight!
Do your
kids know what their strengths are? What are they good at? What
abilities and interests do they have? You may have been looking for
a Christian alternative to Scouts or 4H to provide your child with a
rich experience that expands their horizons. Good news: Pioneer
Clubs is returning to Barnstead NH!
Our
typical Pioneer Club meeting will include Games, Scripture Memory,
working toward your monthly Skill Awards, Small Group Bible Study,
and Songs. Who will have more fun: the kids or the leaders? Club
Members will have matching tee-shirt Uniforms and an Activity Book
to accompany their Bible Study lesson. Awards will be proudly
displayed on their Award Lanyard until the end of the year. Keep an
eye out around town for our group; we are planning a hike on Monday
October 9th while we are earning our Hiking Award.
We will
meet on Wednesdays from 6pm to 7:30pm at the Center Barnstead
Christian Church, located beside the Barnstead Town Hall. Family
Prayer Meeting is held simultaneously. Sept 27th is our first
Pioneer Club meeting. All kids, Kindergarten to 6th grade, are
invited to join! For more information, please check out our website
at http://centerbarnsteadcc.org/
Oscar
Foss Memorial Library News
OFML
Celebrating 100 Years!
Join us
on Saturday, October 21 for our Centennial Celebration! Festivities
begin at 10am and will continue throughout the day for the whole
family. Come help us celebrate our 100th anniversary with cake, a
history walk, special activities, raffles, and more! We will be
unveiling our used book store and our Little Free Book Exchange.
Children’s book characters will also be visiting and available for
pictures throughout the day.
Please
call the library (269-3900) or visit our website (oscarfoss.org) for
more information about any of our programs or events. There is
always something happening at the Oscar Foss Memorial Library!
Library hours are; Tuesday and Wednesday: 10am-6pm, Thursday and
Friday: 12pm-8pm, Saturday: 10am-1pm, Sunday and Monday: closed.
“Barnfield” Christmas Softball Tournament
Submitted By Craig And Jamie Thoroughgood
The
champions.
2nd
place.
3rd
place.
Aijah
Thoroughgood delivering gifts and checks to the Pittsfield Fire
Department's Dave Simpson.
“Barnfield” is a unique name made up from parts of the Town of
“Barn”stead and the Town of Pitts“field.” The 2nd annual “Barnfield”
Christmas Softball Tournament was an adult coed softball tournament
that was held to benefit the children of Barnstead and Pittsfield.
Seven softball teams played the weekend of September 16th and 17th
to raise money for the towns children. We would like to thank the
PYBA for use of the fields for the weekend.
Thank
you to the following teams for playing. “Santa’s Slammers”, the
“Weekend Warriors”, “Angie’s Elves” sponsored by JJP Son &
Contractors, the “Grinches,” “Main Street Grill & Bar”, “V.H. Gang,”
and “Loudon Country Club.”
Congratulations to “V.H. Gang” for taking home the championship,
“Main Street Grill & Bar” for coming in 2nd place, and “Angie’s
Elves” for coming in 3rd place!
We
would like to publicly thank the following businesses and community
members that donated to the event either financially or with gifts:
Bell Brothers, RASCO Plumbing and Heating, LLC., AMENICO, Nick
Hayes-HHR Enterprises, Crown Trophy, Jitters Café, JJP & Son
Contractors, Epping Well-Pittsfield Office, Kathleen Beltrami, Tim
and Estella Henninger, Tim & Tracy Roode, Vanessa You, the employees
of Kentek Corporation, Carroll & Brenda Hodgdon Jr., Roberta & Lisa
Maxfield, Julie Taylor, Tracy Huyck, Meridian Fire Protection, and
the Centeno/Flores Family. We would like to thank Bud and Linda
Bedell for running concessions all weekend. We would also like to
thank the 2 Prospect Mountain High School students who came to
volunteer and left with community service hours. If I have forgotten
anyone’s name I sincerely apologize.
We are
happy to say that the tournament was a HUGE success and raised
$2050.00! Each town received checks in the amount of $1,025.00! The
stipulation is that the money has to be used towards Christmas gifts
for needy children this year. Each town will also receive 52 new
toys for Christmas! Meredith Jacques accepted the checks and toys
on behalf of the Barnstead Elementary School. Dave Simpson accepted
the checks and toys on behalf of the Pittsfield Fire Department. The
PYBA will receive $576.00 from concession stand sales.
As you
can see it takes a “small army” to stand behind us to make this such
a success. It is an amazing feeling to see people come together and
do such a positive thing for two communities, which some are not a
part of. To all involved THANK YOU and be proud to be a part of an
amazing community. We will all definitely make Christmas morning
very special for some children this holiday season!
Executive Councilor, Andru Volinsky, To Address Local Democrats In
October
You are
invited to hear Executive Councilor Andru Volinsky speak at
October’s meeting of the Tri-Town Democrats of Barnstead, Gilmanton,
and Alton. Volinsky, a New Hampshire lawyer and advocate, was lead
counsel in the Claremont School Funding suit and has represented
Dover in its efforts to obtain fair funding for its schools. With a
focus on transparency, after every Executive Council meeting,
Volinsky posts a report called “The $15 an Hour Spotlight,”
revealing the lowest hourly wage for each approved contract.
Volinsky believes the state should use its leverage as a major
customer for contracted services to insist on a minimum wage of $15
an hour for employees working on state contracts, ranging from
highway paving to snow removal. Andru has also been in the news this
year for being an outspoken opponent of Education Commissioner Frank
Edelblut based on Edelblut’s lack of qualifications for the
position.
The
guest speaker will be followed by action items and community
organizing.
Join us
for the meeting in Gilmanton at the Temperance Tavern at 506
Province Road (Rt. 107) on Monday, October 2nd. Come for socializing
and potluck any time between 6:15 pm and 6:30 pm. The meeting runs
from 6:30 pm to 8:30pm.
The
meeting is open to any and all residents of Barnstead, Alton, and
Gilmanton who consider themselves moderate, liberal, or progressive
Democrats or like-minded Independents. Potluck items to share are
encouraged but not required. For more information, email
[email protected] or
visit the “Barnstead, Alton, and Gilmanton Democrats” Facebook page.
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