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- Written by Patrick R. McElhiney
- Category: Articles
The Quilts of Valor Foundation (QOVF) announces today, quilters all across America are being asked to sew on February 1, 2020. One the first Saturday of each February, we gather to cut, iron, sew, quilt and finish Quilts of Valor. Last year over 4,000 people participated across the nation.
Since 2003, Quilts of Valor Foundation has become a national grassroots community service effort, connecting the home front with our wounded combat warriors and veterans, QoV are stitched with love, prayers, and healing thoughts. Combat troops who have been wounded or touched by war are awarded this token of appreciation that unequivocally says, “Thank you for your service, sacrifice, and valor."
Bare Bones Quilting Group organizer, Charlene Roche is happy to announce their group's participation in the National Event will take place in the Comfort Inn, Dover, NH. Calling all patriotic citizens that want to help make quilts for combat service members (men/women) and veterans. Bring your sewing machine, 100% cotton thread and sewing supplies. You don’t sew? That’s OK, we need happy hands to iron, cut fabric or hand sew.
Join Bare Bones Quilting on Saturday, February 1, 2020, from 9:30 - 4 pm to quilt for a cause by calling Charlene Roche 664-2940 or register online www.qovf.org.
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- Written by Patrick R. McElhiney
- Category: Articles
CONCORD, N.H. – New Hampshire Homeland Security and Emergency Management is reminding residents and visitors of northern New Hampshire to be prepared as a heavy mixed-precipitation winter weather event is expected tonight into Sunday.
The National Weather Service (NWS) in Gray, Maine issued a Winter Storm Warning for part of Coos County from 9:00 P.M. tonight until 7:00 P.M. on Sunday. Heavy mixed precipitation is expected. Total snow and sleet accumulations of up to 4 inches and ice accumulations of up to a third of an inch is expected.
The NWS in Gray, Maine issued a Winter Weather Advisory for parts of Coos and Carroll Counties from 9:00 P.M. tonight until 7:00 P.M. on Sunday. Freezing rain is expected with total ice accumulation of a light glaze.
“Freezing rain will cause hazardous travel conditions until Sunday evening,” said NH Homeland Security and Emergency Management Director Jennifer Harper. “Scattered power outages are possible in northern New Hampshire. Take time today to prepare your family for disasters.”
If you must travel, do so with an emergency kit. Visit ReadyNH.gov to download an emergency kit shopping list so you know what to stock in your emergency kit.
Due to heavy, mixed precipitation, power outages and tree damage are likely. If you lose power, be sure to report the outage to your utility provider every 24-hours until your service is restored.
New Hampshire Utility Provider Telephone Numbers:
Eversource..................................... 1-800-662-7764
Liberty Utilities*........................... 1-855-349-9455
NH Electric Co-Op......................... 1-800-343-6432
Unitil*.......................................... 1-888-301-7700
*Recently updated.
If you see downed power lines, stay away and call 9-1-1.
Harper provides these additional reminders:
- Slow down and move over for emergency vehicles.
- Do not crowd the plows or emergency crews.
- Clear all snow and ice off your car, including your roof, around lights and license plates before traveling.
- Bridges, overpasses and exposed road areas are the most prone to icy conditions.
- Visit ReadyNH.gov to learn more preparedness tips to help you and your family stay safe.
Take time now to prepare. Director Harper encourages everyone to plan ahead of disasters. The core steps toward preparedness is:
- Make an emergency kit,
- Have a family emergency plan, and
- Stay informed by signing up for NH Alerts.
Download templates and instructions for each of these preparedness steps online at ReadyNH.gov.
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- Written by Ginna Schonwald
- Category: Articles
On December 16th, Barrington’s new Police Chief, George Joy, was sworn in at a Select Board Meeting. Joy, a 20-year veteran of the force is the former Deputy Chief, but most Barrington residents will recognize him as the K-9 officer in Barrington. Joy has been Barrington’s K-9 officer since 2003, a role he has relished. He is the handler for the Barrington Police Department’s current K-9, Gipsy, who will retire from this role and become a house pet. “She’ll have a hard time with that,” Joy says. “She likes to work.” However, since Gipsy is bonded to him as her handler, Joy plans to purchase the dog from the department. Joy notes that this is not the end of Barrington’s K-9 program.
Joy feels strongly about continuing community policing efforts, and the K-9 can be an important bridge in this work. “We often have police officers there at the beginning of the day, greeting kids as they come to school. Some kids’ families, unfortunately, teach them not to like the police. The dog can be a bridge to reach those kids,” Joy explains. The Barrington police also participate in other community events including scouting programs, PTO programs and DARE classes for 5th graders in Barrington.
Joy notes that when he started in the Barrington Police Department 20 years ago, it was a very different place. “We had six officers and it was an on-call department. There wasn’t time to do the extra things that we do now.” The current police force has a full-time 24-hour program with 12 officers, including the chief.
“Barrington is not the small rural community that it used to be and that some people still think of it as,” Joy says. “There’s been a lot of change town-wide. I always caution people to lock their cars and lock their houses.” Joy explains that thefts are often crimes of opportunity. Recently, Joy says, the town has been fortunate not to have had the rash of thefts from vehicles or home break-ins that have sometimes occurred in past years. However, he encourages residents to be vigilant.
If there is one message Joy wants Barrington residents to know, it is to contact the police if you have concerns. “People often hesitate to call us because they’re afraid they are going to bother us. But if you see something that’s out of place, we want to hear from you. A lady who stays home with children may notice unusual activity or a car that is unfamiliar. It bears looking into,” Joy says. “Chief Williams had a saying that I really believe in. ‘If you see something, say something and we’re going to do something.’”
One resident has expressed concern about Jessica’s Law, which requires drivers to clear the snow and ice off their vehicles before driving. The law is named after Jessica Smith, a 20-year-old who was killed after ice blew off a tractor-trailer causing a fatal accident. “We’re definitely out there enforcing Jessica’s Law, or ‘negligent driving’ as the RSA is named,” Joy says. “If someone sees a gross violation, and they call us at the time, an officer might be able to apprehend the person. The key for us is to identify the driver.” However, Joy cautions, never use a cell phone while driving unless it is in hands-free mode or an emergency situation exists!
Another priority for Joy is to continue training the current group of Barrington officers, most of whom have only been with the force 1-2 years. “We have a very young police department,” he explains. “I want to make sure they have the training that they can go anywhere and be a supervisor.” That being said, Joy also wants to increase retention in Barrington. “We have a really good group of young ladies and gentlemen and I’d like to keep them,” Joy says.
Currently, Joy is in the process of hiring a replacement for the role of Deputy Chief, with a target start date of February 10th. “That will help me get my supervisory structure back in place,” Joy explains “We have a very experienced person coming in, who will help to develop the department.”
One example of this development is to get another K-9 officer in place, which requires time for training, both for the dog and the handler. “We don’t buy the dogs fully trained,” Joy says. “They have basic obedience training, but a fully trained dog costs about $13,000 and that’s just not possible for us.” Joy notes that having the handler training with the dog is good for both. The hundreds of repetitions of reward-driven training strengthen the bond between dog and handler and helps the dog look forward to its work. And it is important work. “Primarily they are a location tool. Whether it’s locating narcotics, explosives or people,” Joy says. “They can help us find suspects who have escaped. They can also help us locate missing kids or elders who have gotten lost.” Joy hopes to have a new K-9 team in place by early fall of 2020.
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- Written by Patrick R. McElhiney
- Category: Articles
Barrington, NH -- Audio Events has been recognized as a winner of the 2020 WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards®, an accolade representing the top wedding professionals across the board in quality, service, responsiveness, and professionalism reviewed by couples on WeddingWire. This is the seventh straight year of winning the Couples’ Choice Awards® for Audio Events.
WeddingWire analyzed reviews across more than 20 service categories, to find the most highly-rated professionals of the year. These winners exhibit superior professionalism, responsiveness, service, and quality when interacting with the consumers who turn to them to help ease their wedding planning process each month.
A leader in the local wedding and events industry, Audio Events provides couples with a one-of-a-kind wedding DJ and event lighting experience. Currently serving New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts Audio Event works under the belief that no two events should be the same, and that every couple deserves a unique experience.
Audio Events is honored to be one of the top wedding DJ businesses in New Hampshire. For more information about Audio Events, please visit them at www.audioeventsonline.com.
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