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- Written by Patrick R. McElhiney
- Category: Articles
New Hampshire’s preliminary seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for December 2019 was 2.6 percent, unchanged from the November rate, which remained at 2.6 percent after revision. The December 2018 seasonally adjusted rate was 2.4 percent.
Seasonally adjusted estimates for December 2019 placed the number of employed residents at 757,710, an increase of 1,680 from the previous month and an increase of 12,480 from December 2018. The number of unemployed residents increased by 90 over-the-month to 20,090. This was 1,710 more unemployed than in December 2018. From November to December 2019, the total labor force increased by 1,770 to 777,800. This was an increase of 14,190 from December 2018. The unadjusted December 2019 unemployment rate for New Hampshire was 2.3 percent, unchanged from the November rate, which remained at 2.3 percent after revision. The December 2018 unadjusted rate was 2.1 percent.
Nationally, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for December 2019 was 3.5 percent, unchanged from the November rate, and a decrease of 0.4 percentage points from the December 2018 rate. The national unadjusted rate for December 2019 was 3.4 percent, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the November rate, and a decrease of 0.3 percentage points from the December 2018 rate.
NOTE: State nonfarm employment estimates are available on our Internet Web site: www.nhes.nh.gov/elmi concurrent with this release. Local area unemployment rates are expected to be available on Thursday, January 30. All monthly data will continue to be published in the monthly newsletter New Hampshire Economic Conditions.
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- Written by Kat Roedell
- Category: Articles
Founded on the ethics of Permaculture – care of the Earth, care of People, and Fair Share – It Takes a Village Pet Care, run by Traci Bisson, believes in paying it forward and giving back. Traci has been an entrepreneur since 2000, and when she decided to go back into the workforce in 2016, she found it was not a good fit for her.
She was inspired to start her pet care business when she realized her dog walker – who she hired to care for her dogs while she was at work – was enjoying his part-time gig more than she was enjoying her full-time job. She decided to give her notice and started planning for her future in the pet care industry.
Traci became certified by the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters and found unique ways to differentiate herself from the competition. She researched what safety measures were needed to keep pets safe and took a course in pet first aid/CPR. And thus, It Takes a Village Pet Care was born.
Traci has an intensive background in entrepreneurship – her first company was founded in 2000 – an image management firm that worked with authors and entrepreneurs. In 2008, she founded an online support group for mom entrepreneurs, which she sold in 2013. After the sale of her business, she decided to take time and travel the country with her family. During this time, she was exposed to permaculture, and more importantly, social permaculture where she learned how to apply the ethics learned at a business and community level. These ethics are woven into her mission, vision, and value system at It Takes a Village Pet Care.
In 2018, based on a suggestion from an employee during her review, the company launched its Dog Walking Club. Membership in their Facebook group grew to just over 700 dog owners in one year by providing an outlet for like-minded people to share ideas, socialize outdoors and learn something new through group walking experiences and expert talks.
This year, the group is expanding and is focused on giving back. Members selected three New Hampshire-based, pet industry nonprofits to support – Elder Pet in Durham, Mary’s Dogs in Northwood, and Granite State Dog Recovery in Manchester. Each organization will receive fundraising and marketing support in 2020. The members of the Dog Walking Club love this approach and are looking forward to a year packed full of outings, activities, and get-togethers.
For more information and to join, visit ITAVdog.club. Membership is free.
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- Written by Kat Roedell
- Category: Articles
The Greater Barrington Chamber of Commerce is welcoming in the New Year with New Vision, and New Presence. The Chamber has launched a new website at https://www.barringtonchamber.org/, which is easier to use, features an up to date member directory, and in the back office provides the tools the manage the Chamber’s Membership and message in a user-friendly, cost-effective way.
This technology shift will facilitate the growth and management of the Chamber, as it starts to develop a greater presence in the community, launching from the awesome foundation that has already been built.
To kick the New Year off right, the Chamber will be hosting an Open House – After Hours, at the new chamber offices. Located at 748 Calef Highway Suite 11, Barrington NH 03825, the meeting is at 5:30 to 7:00 pm on January 28th. Members should bring a guest, and if the guest signs up for the Chamber, the member will receive a discount off of their membership. Click here to register for the event.
As New Presence begins to shape, community members will see more collaboration between other chambers in the area – in fact on January 29th there will be a Tri-Association Mixer at The Stone Church in Newmarket from 5:00 – 7:00pm. Located at The Stone Church Music Club - 5 Granite St, Newmarket, New Hampshire 03857. This event is hosted by Newmarket Business Association, Celebrate Durham, and The Greater Barrington Chamber of Commerce. Click here to register for the event.
And to even further mix it up, traditionally Chamber Membership Meetings have been held at 11:30 am on the first Wednesday of every month. Moving forward, there will be alternating breakfast meetings and lunch meetings – so more members may be able to attend based on various schedules. The next Chamber Membership Meeting will be February 05, 2020, from 8:00 AM - 9:30 AM at Nippo Lake Golf Club - 88 Stagecoach Rd, Barrington NH, 03825. If you want breakfast, the registration will give you the option to purchase your breakfast ticket in advance, which is the most cost-effective way for the attendees. February’s presenters will be The Barrington School Foundation and It Takes a Village Pet Care. Click Here to Register to Attend.
These three great meetings are an excellent start to the New Year and the Chamber is still offering great events throughout – the Peepers Race, The Golf Tournament, The Village Festival, as well as recognizing the business of the year, and citizen of the year. Keep checking their website for more information, and as always, the Barrington Town News (proud member of the Greater Barrington Chamber of Commerce) will keep you posted on upcoming events and information.
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- Written by Kat Roedell
- Category: Articles
If you look at a Map of Barrington, NH you will see that it is pretty much the shape of a baseball diamond. It is bordered by Rochester, Bow Lake Village, Northwood, Nottingham, Lee, and Madbury. Major roadways are NH Route 125 (Calef’s Highway), NH Route 9/US Route 202 (Franklin Pierce Highway), US Route 4, NH Route 126, and a smidge of 202A. Barrington also has easy access to NH Route 16 which intersects with Highway 95.
There are plenty of places to fish and encounter wildlife with 1.9 square miles of inland water in the 46 .7 square miles of land. For the type of fish found in the ponds, click here.
The Town was founded in 1722 and as of 2017 there were 9049 people.
With ways and means, and highways and byways – Barrington is full of places to explore and discover. From a map count, there are at least 14 bodies of water and 17 areas of conserved land open to the public. There is also a cozy local shopping area on the corner of Routes 9 and 125. Many other local businesses are situated on Route 125, including a movie theater. Route 202 is mainly residential, but it is zoned mixed commercial so you will find businesses scattered between homes and woodlands.
There are regular town services, a police station and fire station on Route 9, baseball fields and the town transfer station are on Smoke St., right off of route 9, several churches, and a library.
At last count, our business directory had over 300 businesses found in Barrington as well, including restaurants, stores, and home décor. If you are interested in the businesses the Town of Barrington, check out our business directory!
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- Written by Kat Roedell
- Category: Articles
During the winter months, many people on fixed incomes struggle with basic resources. One of these resources is proper heating for their residences. Bills that can be paid in normal months can sometimes quadruple in the winter months when extreme cold coupled with older homes can become problematic.
There are resources available in these situations, but if a family member doesn’t know where or how to look for the aid, it can be challenging. Heating relief can come in two ways, weatherization and fuel assistance – and you can apply for one or both on the same form. The program is managed through local Community Action Agencies, and there are 5 CAAs throughout the state of New Hampshire.
If you reside in Barrington or other places in Strafford County, your Community Action Agency (CAA) office is Community Action Partnership of Strafford County (CAPSC) Strafford County offices are located in Dover, Farmington, and Rochester. According to the fuel assistance website, if you are homebound and unable to visit a CAA office, telephone your local office to arrange a home or phone interview. The phone number for CAPSC is 603-435-2500.
Be certain when completing your application for aid to provide ALL of the requested information, and follow through with your appointments. If you rely on friends or family for transportation, make certain that the time and date of your appointment works for them as well. This will prevent processing delays.
Income Eligibility Guidelines: These guidelines are based on the gross household income by a number of people. For example, a family of four making $50,000 gross income (before taxes) would be eligible for fuel assistance, but not for the Weatherization Program.
Sometimes people are hesitant to apply for this aid, but over 29,000 households were certified for the fuel assistance program last year. The Fuel Assistance program is a Grant – which means the money received does not need to be repaid and it doesn’t count as income towards other government assistance.
More information about this program can be found here.
Additional Assistance may be found through the following services:
- 211 NH
Telephone: 211 or 866-444-4211 - NH Bureau of Elderly and Adult Services
Central Intake
Telephone: 800-949-0470
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- Written by Patrick R. McElhiney
- Category: Articles
CONCORD, N.H. – Representatives from the Ride for the Fallen 7 Foundation will present officials from the Department of Safety and Department of Transportation with a custom-made, wooden United States flag etched with the names of the Fallen 7. The flag will be permanently displayed in the Incident Planning and Operations Center; a state building that houses agencies from both the Department of Safety and the Department of Transportation.
WHO: Ride for the Fallen 7 Foundation President Brian DeSimone, Department of Safety Commissioner Robert Quinn, Department of Transportation Commissioner Victoria Sheehan, Homeland Security and Emergency Management Director Jennifer Harper, NH State Police Colonel Christopher Wagner, DOT Director of Operations David Rodrigue, and other state agency officials.
WHERE: Incident Planning and Operations Center, 110 Smokey Bear Blvd, Concord, NH
WHAT: Ride for the Fallen 7 Foundation representatives will make a presentation to state agency leaders in gratitude for the collaborative effort in organizing the July 6, 2019 Ride for the Fallen 7.
WHEN: Thursday, January 23, 2020, 9 AM to 10 AM. Please arrive by 8:50 AM.
CONTACT: Paul D. Raymond, Jr., Community Outreach Coordinator, (603) 892-5804
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- Written by Ginna Schonwald
- Category: Articles
No one wants to think about the threat of nuclear war. However, the expiration of the Iran nuclear deal and the U.S. withdrawal from the INF treaty, in addition to increased tensions in the Middle East have caused renewed concern about the devastation that nuclear war would cause. And with more than 13,000 nuclear weapons stockpiled in nine countries, concerned citizens have come together to take action across the country including in New Hampshire.
In recent months, resolutions calling for steps to reduce the risk of nuclear war have been adopted by voters in Exeter, Lee, New London, Warner, Peterborough, and Alstead, plus by City Councils in Dover, Portsmouth, Durham, and Keene. Similar resolutions have been taken up by towns and cities throughout the U.S. as well as state legislatures in Maine, New Jersey, Oregon, and California. Now it’s Barrington’s turn.
A group of concerned Barrington citizens has petitioned to place a “Back from the Brink” warrant article on the Barrington Town ballot this March. The warrant article is a resolution calling on the U.S. elected officials to take the following steps to prevent nuclear war:
- Renouncing the option of using nuclear weapons first;
- Ending the sole, unchecked authority of the president to use nuclear weapons;
- Taking U.S. nuclear weapons off hair-trigger alert;
- Canceling the plan to replace the entire U.S. nuclear weapons arsenal with enhanced weapons (at an estimated cost $1.7 trillion); and
- Actively pursuing a verifiable agreement among nuclear-armed states to eliminate their nuclear arsenals.
Petition warrant articles have had proven results in impacting state and national issues. Petition warrant articles regarding large groundwater withdrawals helped to stop the USA Springs water bottling plant from withdrawing more than 350,000 gallons of water a day in Nottingham, NH. In addition, warrant articles in hundreds of NH, Massachusetts and Vermont towns put the nuclear weapons “freeze” movement on the national agenda in 1982.
Hundreds of health, environmental and religious organizations have joined to support the “Back from the Brink” movement including The Unitarian Universalist Association, the Presbyterian Church, Pax Christi USA, the Union of Concerned Scientists, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Sierra Club, Veterans for Peace, the American Friends Service Committee, and 350.org.
An information session on the proposed Barrington warrant article will be held on Thursday, January 23rd from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Barrington Public Library. In addition, the warrant article will be discussed at the Town Deliberative Session on Saturday, February 1st at the Barrington Middle School.
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- Written by Patrick R. McElhiney
- Category: Articles
Five Men Indicted for Operating an International Procurement Network to Export Goods from The United States to Pakistan’s Nuclear Program
CONCORD – Five men, all associated with the front company “Business World” in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, and including Muhammad Kamran Wali (“Kamran”), 41, of Pakistan; Muhammad Ahsan Wali (“Ahsan”), 48, and Haji Wali Muhammad Sheikh (“Haji”), 82, both of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada; Ashraf Khan Muhammad (“Khan”) of Hong Kong; and Ahmed Waheed (“Waheed”), 52, of Ilford, Essex, United Kingdom, was indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 and conspiracy to smuggle goods from the United States, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced. The grand jury returned the indictment on October 16, 2019, and it was unsealed today.
According to the indictment, between September 2014 and October 2019, the defendants operated an international procurement network of front companies that existed to acquire goods for the Advanced Engineering Research Organization (AERO) and the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), and to cause those goods to be exported from the United States to the entities without export licenses in violation of federal law. Both AERO and PAEC were on the Commerce Department’s Entity List, which imposes export license requirements for organizations whose activities are found to be contrary to U.S. national security or foreign policy interests. PAEC was added to the Entity List in 1998. AERO was added to the Entity List in 2014, after the U.S. Government found that it had used intermediaries and front companies to procure items for use in Pakistan’s cruise missile and strategic UAV programs.
According to the indictment, the defendants attempted to conceal the true destinations in Pakistan of the U.S.-origin goods by using the conspirators’ network of front companies as the supposed purchasers and end users of the goods and as the apparent source of payments for the goods, even though the goods were ultimately received in Pakistan and paid for by AERO or PAEC. The defendants and their network of front companies were never the actual end-users of the goods exported from the U.S. The defendants caused the U.S. companies to file export documents that falsely identified the ultimate consignees of the shipments as entities other than AERO and PAEC. The defendants never applied for or obtained an export license from the Commerce Department authorizing the export of goods to AERO or PAEC in Pakistan.
The indictment identified 38 separate exports from the U.S. that the defendants caused, involving 29 different companies from around the country. Three of those companies are in New Hampshire. None of the U.S. companies is alleged to have been complicit in the illegal exports.
Each defendant is charged with two felony counts of conspiracy. Although arrest warrants are pending, none of the five defendants have thus far been apprehended.
“Federal export control laws are vital tools that help prevent items from being exported overseas where they could be used in ways that can jeopardize our national security,” said U.S Attorney Murray. “In order to protect the safety and security of the American people, we work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify those who violate these important laws. We will continue to be vigilant in our efforts to identify individuals whose actions may jeopardize the national security of the United States.”
“The defendants smuggled U.S. origin goods to entities that have been designated for years as threats to U.S. national security for their ties to Pakistan’s weapons programs,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. “This indictment puts the world on notice not to do business with these defendants and demonstrates our commitment to holding them accountable. It also stands as an example of the kind of deceptive behavior U.S. businesses need to watch out for in designing appropriate export control and sanctions compliance programs.”
“The indictments unsealed today are a result of the ongoing coordination and collaborative counterproliferation efforts by the Office of Export Enforcement, the Justice Department, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and Homeland Security Investigations,” Special Agent in Charge William Higgins of the Office of Export Enforcement said. “The Boston Field Office of the Office of Export Enforcement will continue to vigorously pursue violators with all its partners to stem illicit trade that threatens U.S. national security and undermines U.S. foreign policy.”
"Stopping the illegal exportation of sensitive defense technology is a top priority for the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) and today's indictment is the result of a multi-agency effort," stated Special Agent in Charge Leigh-Alistair Barzey, DCIS Northeast Field Office. "The DCIS is committed to working with the USAO-NH, Homeland Security Investigations and the Office of Export Enforcement, to protect our nation's security by identifying, investigating and prosecuting criminal procurement networks."
“The alleged behavior of these five individuals presented more than a violation of U.S. export laws, it posed a potential threat to the national security interests of the United States and to the delicate balance of power among nations within the region.” said Jason Molina, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations. “HSI’s Counterproliferation group proactively works investigations into U.S. import-export licensing laws violations because of the threat it can pose to our national security.”
This matter was investigated by the Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement; the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service; and Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Davis and Trial Attorney Nicholas Hunter of DOJ’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, National Security Division.
The charges and allegations contained in an indictment are merely accusations. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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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 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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