Letter
To The Editor
We
adjusted the PD budget by removing an additional patrolman position
proposed by Chief Cain. He had expressed dissatisfaction with
manpower and staffing over the past year, having had a patrolman and
school SRO cut last year.
My
reason (both on and off the record) for proposing to remove the
added officer from the budget is that for years Pittsfield has,
within the purview of the Police Chief, belonged to an area
organization that provides Special Ops and SWAT-type training and
response teams to member towns. Neighboring Chichester, Epsom,
Northwood and Barnstead don’t belong to any such group due to their
own staffing and manpower issues (they depend on the State Police
SWAT team, should need arise). Training one day per month, per
officer is expected by the Special Ops Unit. Pittsfield Police have
been sending our three top ranked officers, the Chief and both
Sargents, although 2017 has seen some reduction in attendance due to
the same manpower issues our neighbors have. I think one member from
a town of 4,100 is plenty.
The
State Police assured me their SWAT team would respond to Pittsfield
in an emergency. I asked our Chief to reduce the Pittsfield officers
in Special Ops to not more than one if we agreed to add another
patrolman this year. He didn’t agree to this compromise and I
couldn’t reconcile asking taxpayers to fund another officer without
the PD agreeing to keep our limited force in Pittsfield to every
degree possible.
Having
reached an impasse, the added position was voted out of our budget
in a split 3-2 vote.
The
building inspector’s salary was cut $5,000 to 2017’s level and a
$5,000 PD storage shed was cut to $500.
Now
it’s off to the budget committee for their scrutiny before town
meeting.
Carl
Anderson
How To
Physically Thrive During Winter Time
By
Nathalie Snyder
As a
Licensed Massage Therapist, some complaints I hear all the time when
the temperatures fall below the freezing point are “My entire body
hurts..I am so tired...I catch everything that’s going around” and
so on. Why do we feel healthier in the summertime but not so much in
the wintertime? The reason is that during the cold season our bodies
have to work harder at maintaining core body temperature within
normal range, resulting in cold hands and feet. Constricted
circulation starts affecting your joints and muscles, making them
painful and less pliable, especially if they have been previously
injured. Shorter days mean less sunshine, and therefore less vitamin
D which is essential for a strong immune system, mood and energy
regulation, and cardiovascular support. Finally, cold weather brings
rampant flu viruses that leave our immune sytems completely
depleted. How then can one thrive during winter time?
Below
are some great ways to help your body stay strong and healthy:
Take a
good Vitamin D3 supplement.
Relax
in an infrared Sauna. Sauna therapy makes the body sweat, mimicking
a fever. What happens when you have a fever? Your white blood cells
come out and look for the “enemy” viruses, bacteria, and abnormal
cells. Regular Sauna sessions will boost your immune system and make
it more resilient.
Exercise and spend time outside when possible.
Get a
Therapeutic Massage. Keeping your stress levels down will strenghten
your immune sytem, and a good massage is well-known to increase
circulation to all your muscles and help alleviate the pain.
Take a
good quality probiotic. 70 % of your immune sytem is located
in your guts. Sugar makes bad bacteria multiply, overwhelming your
good bacteria, and limiting your protection against viruses.
For
more information or inquiries contact the Sanctuary Bodyworks and
Sauna at 603-732-3855 or visit
thesanctuarybodyworksandsauna.abmp.com
Candy
Canes for Cows
Submitted By Carole Soule
Don’t
know what to do with leftover holiday candy? Here’s a thought; feed
to livestock. Of course, too much sugar is not good for cattle but a
bite here and there won’t hurt them or their teeth. We only feed
peppermint to our “ambassador herd,” which includes our pulling and
riding cattle and some of the 4H critters. We also have a bucket of
gingerbread man cookies which some of the cattle like to nibble on.
Not all the cattle like cookies or peppermints but my oxen team,
Topper and Stash, and riding steer, Curious Bleu, devour the
treats.
Even
though I don’t feed the yearlings treats they love third cut baleage
hay and watch eagerly as we strip what we call, “pumpkin bales.” We
call them “pumpkin bales” because third cut hay is fine and when
wrapped it shrinks to about half the size of other bales. It has
just as much hay as the bigger bales but looks smaller than the
others. The yearlings love this stuff but now that I’m down to just
two “pumpkin bales” I have to get them used to the more course hay.
Now
that it’s warming up again we’ll have to clean the feed bunker and
holding pen. Frozen manure is impossible to scrape and, with our
January thaw, frozen manure will quickly turn into a foot or more of
muck. Keeping the calves clean and dry is just as important as
feeding them.
For
now, I’ll bask in our mini-heat wave and feed peppermints to Topper
and Stash. Everyone loves warm weather and treats. If you have any
extra holiday treats you want to share with our bovines, bring them
over to Miles Smith Farm. Our guys will happily relieve you of any
unwanted candy canes. Just remember to take the wrappers off first.
Carole
Soule is co-owner of Miles Smith Farm, in Loudon, NH, where she
raises and sells beef, pork, lamb, eggs and other local products.
She can be reached at [email protected].
Obituaries
Norah (Taft) O’Dougherty
Norah
Taft O’Dougherty passed away at CRVNA hospice house, Concord, NH,
January 13 after a long battle with Alzheimers disease.. Born
October 24 1946 in Chicopee Falls, MA , she was the daughter
of the late Theodor and Virginia Taft.
Norah
was raised in Epsom and attended Pembroke Academy, graduating in
1964.
She and
her family moved to Pittsfield in 1982 where she was employed as a
stitcher at Globe Mfg. until her retirement in 2012.
She is
survived by her daughter, Karin Provencal with husband Paul of
Pittsfield, son John O’Dougherty and his fiancée Tonya Thomas
of Sanford, NC. Grandchildren Jacob, Amanda, Dakota, Skylar,
A.J., Raimee and 5 great grandchildren. Also 4 sisters Deborah,
Martha, Sarah, Rachel, and 3 brothers Seth, Jonathan, and Matthew,
as well as numerous friends and family members.
Norah
was a kind and generous person who loved to laugh. She enjoyed
cooking for her extended family and was most happy when surrounded
by her loved ones.
A
potluck celebration of life will be held from 12 to 3 on February 3
at the Pittsfield Community Center. Please bring your favorite dish
and memories to share.
Memorial contributions may be made to CRVNA Hospice House or Pope
Memorial SPCA.
Anna H. Messier
PITTSFIELD- Mrs. Anna H. Messier, 81 a resident of
Pittsfield for over 40 years, passed away following a brief illness
on Monday, January 15, 2018 at Concord Hospital.
Anna
was born on December 22, 1936 in Unity, NH, the daughter of the late
Raymond and Emma (Sheldon) Case.
Mrs.
Messier was employed for many years as an operator for Grappone Auto
Dealership until her retirement. In her younger years she was an
avid baker and cake decorator. She was most proud to have been able
to make a wedding cake for one of her granddaughters. She enjoyed
crafts such as painting and coloring, word puzzles and spoiling her
birds. Anna was a proud grandmother and great grandmother and
enjoyed being involved in their lives.
Anna
had a great fondness for the Pittsfield Balloon Rally, she was
hostess to over 20 yearly family reunions through this event.
Besides
her parents, Anna was predeceased by a son, Daniel “Danny” Messier,
a daughter, Catherine “Cathy” Carr, and siblings, Raymond, William,
Frank, Andrew, Charlie and Cecile.
She is
survived by her husband of 63 years, Andrew Messier; children,
Margaret “Peggy” Foster and her husband George, Richard “Dick”
Messier, Charles “Chuck” Messier and his wife Julie; brother, Harold
Case and his wife Judy; grandchildren, Doug and his wife Jen, Andrea
and her husband Leland, Amber and her husband Jason, James, Steven,
Jon and his wife Holly, Shilo, Joshua and his wife Ashlee, April,
Mort and his wife Crystal, Wendy, Chris, Scott and his wife Tinisha,
John and his wife Monica, Jayson and Crystal; great grandchildren,
Kayla, Danielle, Zachary, Ashley, Ensen, Marlow, Preslee, Allana,
Keagen, Tianna, Ana, Verrah, Kirslyn, Peyton, one great great
grandchild and many honorary grandchildren and great grandchildren
as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins.
At
Anna’s request there are no services. Donations may be made in
Anna’s memory to the American Cancer Society, 2 Commerce Drive #110,
Bedford, NH 03110. The Still Oaks Funeral and Memorial Home is
assisting the family with arrangements. To leave a memory or offer a
condolence please visit www.stilloaks.com
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