On Oct. 14 and 15 the Upper Valley Hawks Special Olympics team was hosted by the Dartmouth football team to meet players and coaches at practice and then attend Saturday’s game. This was arranged with the help of Coach Joe McIntyre and player Vito Penza, who has been a volunteer with the Hawks track team.
What a great event for everyone! The Dartmouth players and coaches could not have been more gracious and welcoming. Coach Buddy Teevens even called for the robotic tackling dummy to be brought over when asked by one of the Hawks athletes. Dartmouth players engaged with our athletes and families, patiently chatting, passing footballs and giving interviews. There was a genuine exchange between Special Olympians and these wonderful young men in the Dartmouth football family that Coach Teevens and his staff have put together.
Our athletes train, work, volunteer and are a huge part of the community. They do all this, as it should be, with willing hearts. To be recognized as an organization by the Dartmouth team was something our team looked forward to all week. The event was filmed by CATV and will be aired tonight at 7 p.m. on CATV 10. Please go to CATV’s website for more broadcast times on both CATV channels 10 and 8 or to access the program via the internet. See how little it takes to brighten the world.
Thank you, Dartmouth football and CATV.
Randi Harron West Hartford
Trump Isn’t a GOP Outlier
Are you appalled at some of the misogynistic, racist, elitist, fear-mongering things that Donald Trump says? Many Republicans are giving the appearance of distancing themselves from him, but don’t be fooled. Trump is expressing the core views of the Republican Party that no one else has been foolish enough to say. To end the Republican obstructionism in Congress, we need to vote the Democratic Party ticket.
Alex Henzel North Pomfret
It is widely known and well documented that presidential candidate Donald J. Trump in 2005 publicly stated that he forced himself on women. Now several women have claimed publicly to have been the subject of such unwanted advances.
Mr. Trump insists that each and every one of these women are lying. Perhaps it is time for Mr. Trump to tell us the names of the women he was referring to in 2005, so as to clear this whole thing up.
Richard Sachs Grantham
I read with interest the July 21 article in the Valley News, “Could Mountain Lions Save Lives?” The article suggested that recent cougar range expansions would reduce the number of deer-vehicle collisions in the East, saving millions of dollars and hundreds of lives annually.
In the Upper Valley, cougar sightings are becoming more common. Recently, there were two in Norwich. For those interested in hearing more about confirmed cougar sightings, Susan Morse, of Keeping Track, will give a lecture and slide presentation on Friday at 5:30 p.m. at the Montshire Museum in Norwich. Her presentation, “Return of Cougars to the East,” is free and open to the public.
Come learn about cougar ecology, biology and recent range expansions. This event is sponsored by the Vermont Center for Ecostudies, the Montshire Museum, the Norwich Conservation Commission, and Keeping Track of Norwich. For more information see goo.gl/T0eshu.
Jen Goulet Norwich
Supporting Rep. Laware
While everyone is focused on “to Trump or not to Trump,” let me offer an endorsement that is more important. Charlestown is part of my legislative district, and I am also a Charlestown citizen. That means that my representative is Tom Laware. Rep. Laware’s courtesy and integrity are above reproach, and we can all be proud to be represented by him in the New Hampshire House of Representatives.
As a Republican, he has earned the respect of members of both parties in his two terms, which makes him a very effective legislator. Rep. Laware has served on the county executive finance committee and kept your county taxes from increasing. He has fought successfully to support local public transportation.
He never stops thinking about his responsibility and your best interests. I hope that you join me in voting for Rep. Tom Laware for another term in the House representing Charlestown.
Rep. Steven Smith Charlestown
It is a privilege to live in a state where we live near and get to know our elected representatives. We first met Lee Oxenham at church, where she is now a deacon. We came to know her as a passionate advocate for the environment, loving this beautiful state as we do. Later, after being elected as our state representative, she was thrilled to be appointed to the committee on House Resources, Recreation and Development, where she could work as a good steward for our wildlife, waters and forests. She has also been an advocate for alternative power sources to reduce our dependence on fossil fuel. She champions the needs of her constituents, firstly in the community. She put forward her constituent requests, from repaving Route 120, honoring Eagle Scouts, and helping with access to care at DMHC.
She is not afraid to raise the hard issues — better access to mental health care, criminal justice reforms, and the prevention of sexual violence. We are proud to have her as a friend, neighbor and our representative. We urge our neighbors in Cornish, Plainfield, Grantham and Springfield to re-elect Democrat Lee Oxenham to the New Hampshire House.
Laura and Ed Cousineau Cornish
I often grimace at the suggested insights that polls provide during elections. Yet this year I have been searching for reasons why so many voters continue to support the Trump candidacy despite his boorish, sexist behavior.
There is the obvious sentiment to clean out the stables of the accumulated muck. Columnist Jim Kenyon’s recent pieces about DHMC support another rationale (“Who They Gonna Call?” Oct. 23). DHMC’s financial problems and the subsequent cutbacks seem to be a local microcosm of the deep financial divide across the country. I’m sure that 23 DHMC employees making over $500,000 a year have a skill set that reflects graduate degrees, other professional training and years of experiential knowledge. Polls suggest that a significant part of Donald Trump’s appeal stems from voter belief that those in charge neither understand nor represent them. I don’t intend to solely single out DHMC; they and others in similar positions might want to reflect on what Mr. Kenyon is suggesting.
Symbolism can often be contrived, but in this instance a gesture that the financial burden is being shared equitably by everyone at the institution regardless of position might in some small way lessen the appeal of demagogic candidates both now and in the future.
Sean Mullen Thetford Center
Earlier this month the Currier Museum of Art in Manchester opened a spectacular exhibition entitled “Mount Washington: The Crown of New England.” This is the first undertaking anywhere dealing with art of the Mount Washington area, and it includes beautiful works by nearly every major 19th century American landscape artist. While the principal focus of this show is on the paintings, there is also a comprehensive collection of other antique artifacts relating to Mount Washington, such as prints, photographs and guidebooks. The exhibit will be on view through Jan. 16.
Don’t miss this remarkable offering at the Currier Museum. You will not be disappointed.
Ann and Harte Crow Etna
Trump Drops the Ball
For those who worry about what will happen if Donald Trump refuses to accept the outcome of this election — don’t. As the leader of the “birther movement,” Mr. Trump has been trying to delegitimize the outcome of the last two presidential elections, and he has failed. He is the spoiled child who threatens to take his ball and go home — but the ball is democracy, and it’s been ours for 240 years. He’ll be going home empty-handed.
Barry Wenig Lebanon
Garvey Is Best Candidate
Having had the honor of serving in public office for several years, it was my good fortune to learn first-hand what it truly takes to make the legislative process work. For this to happen, elected representatives of the people must first and foremost always ask themselves, “What is best for my fellow citizens?” Senate candidate John Garvey understands this without reservation.
To achieve the objective of doing what’s best for your constituents, those elected must learn to reach out across the aisle, listen to all the facts, compromise and reach mutual agreement. One must do this absent of anger, negativity, ideological vitriol and narrow self-interest.
Over the years we in western New Hampshire, also known as the Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee Region, have been blessed by the service of several state senators who have exhibited those traits: senators like Jim Saggiotes, Alf Jacobson, George Disnard and Bob Odell. In my opinion, John Garvey is just such a person and deserves our support in this election. He is without a doubt the best candidate running in this election to represent us in the New Hampshire state Senate.
John B. Tucker New London