Keene residents with an eye on a seat on the local board of education will start translating "looking" into "running" this week. Some heavyweight board talent is nearing the expiration of their terms: board chair Kathy O'Donnell, Kristin Blais and Carl Panza. Blais headed the ad-hoc committee which developed the elementary school reconfiguration proposal, and it was a motion by Finance Committee member Panza which led to the cut of over half a million dollars from the proposed school budget for next year. The filing period for the three openings begins Wednesday and runs through a week from Friday.
DROPOUT RATE FALLS
One of Cheshire County's four public high schools is in some illustrious company, within context of the latest state statistics on high school dropouts. Hinsdale High is one of five New Hampshire high schools which have gone at least two years with no dropouts at all. The others are Mascenic Regional, Pittsburgh, Sunapee, and the Academy for Science and Design Charter School. Overall, however, there has been a slight uptick in the statewide dropout rate, according to Education Commissioner Virginia Barry: up to 1.19 percent, from the previous year's rate of .97 percent.
HYDRO-POWER BAN
The New Hampshire Senate is expected to vote this week on a proposed eminent domain restriction which effectively would kill the Northern Pass project to carry Canadian hydro-power to southern New England. The bill up for a vote Wednesday would prohibit power projects that are not needed in New Hampshire from using eminent domain. Senate Republican leaders are trying to find a compromise. Amendments would either provide greater property owner protections against eminent domain or would expand the ban to include all private developments.
PHOTO ID AGAIN
In the wake of the election day tempest over videographed evidence of the ease with which people can falsely vote under dead people's names, it's no surprise that voter ID is returning to the legislative mix in Concord. The latest incarnation would allow someone without state-issued ID to vote, but they would have their pictures taken at the polls. They would then need to bring a photo ID to their local clerk within three days. Governor John Lynch vetoed similar legislation this past year
PRIMARY MOVE
Speaking of elective matters, the New Hampshire Senate has before it a measure that would move New Hampshire's bienniel state primary up by a month, to the second Tuesday in August. Historically, New Hampshire's non-presidential primary has taken place on the second Tuesday of September. Supporters of the legislation say an earlier primary date would give campaign winners more time to raise money, and give election officials more time to prepare absentee ballots for voters who are overseas, such as military personnel. Critics of previous such moves have noted that a primary in the heart of Summer vacation time might artifically hold down turnout.
ROMNEY RECORDS
Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is getting ready to release some tax records. Romney, who won New Hampshire's primary handily, was upset in South Carolina's primary by former GOP House Speaker Newt Gingrich. A bitter slugfest is expected to unfold in Florida, which holds the next primary on January 31st. Romney has accused Gingrich of being a veteran Washington, DC insider. Romney's opponents in the Republican presidential race have been peppering him to release tax records.
STABBING SUSPECTS
Two people are now under arrest for the stabbing death Sunday of a young man in Farmington, NH. Ryan Stewart, who was 22, was found with several stab wounds outside of his apartment, which is also across the street from the police department. Stewart was pronounced dead at a hospital a short time later. Christopher Gay and Cory Bennett are now in jail, charged with second-degree murder.
FATAL SNOW CRASH
A snowmobiler is dead after a crash Sunday night in Belmont, NH. The victim's name has not yet been released, but authorities say he was 25 and from Laconia. Fish and Game officials say he was testing the sled after doing some repair work on it when he lost control and it slammed into a tree. According to investigators, the young man was not wearing a helmet and died instantly. The sled is being checked to see if a mechanical problem caused the crash.
DOUBLE PLOW
A new type of double snow plow is causing some double takes. The new rig, being tried out in the Franconia Notch area, tows a second plow behind a plow truck so the one truck can get two lanes at once. The double plow is being tested first in Franconia Notch before eventually being moved to Interstate 93 in Manchester and I-95 on the Seacoast. The new "tow plow" is also being used now in Maine, Vermont and Massachusetts.
NUKE RULES
Not surprisingly, last week's court directive that Vermont Yankee may remain operational, beyond the expiration of its original license in two months, has evoked a firestorm of criticism by elected officials. Governor Peter Shumlin lambasted Entergy Corporation for not, in his words, being a trustworthy partner. Senator Bernie Sanders says the ruling that the state has no say on the license renewal on safety grounds sets a horrendous precedent. And Congressman Peter Welch says it defies common sense that states have no say in the operation of nuclear plants within their borders.
NO POWER OUTLET
What if they extended a nuclear power plant's operating life, and no one bought the power? That, in a nutshell, is the deal between Vermont Yankee and Vermont's electric companies. Back before it was determined that VY would operate beyond March 21st, Central Vermont Public Service and Green Mountain Power signed deals for electricity from other sources. Subsequently, the state's two largest utilities agreed to merge. And now the combined utility says there will be no change in the original plan. In fact, as of now, NO Vermont utility will be buying the power generated by the home-state's nuclear plant. Entergy officials downplay the issue, noting Yankee's non-Vermont customers will still be there.
HOCKEY BENEFIT
Twelve teams battled over the weekend in a women's hockey tournament, all in the name of cancer. Some of the players in the "Face-Off Against Cancer" included cancer survivors, while other women were skating on behalf of family members or friends. This is the 13th year for the hockey battle, with a goal of raising 72-thousand dollars.
