V28-N06 February 2020

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Amherst Citizen

THE AMHERST CITIZEN • 1

VOLUME 28 – NUMBER 6

FEBRUARY 2020

Postal Customer

THE

PRSRT. STD. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 10 Amherst, NH ECR WSS

www.amherstcitizen.com •FEBRUARY 2020 •

AM H E R S T , N E W HAM P S H I R E ’S C O M M U N I TY N E W S PAP E R

HNew H H H H Hampshire First in the Nation Primary Ballots –H Page H 10 H H H H H H Results ofH H H H H Deliberative Meetings: Posted on www.amherstcitizen.com subscribe to our e-newsletter: www.amherstcitizen.com/subscriptions.html

Amherst Garden Club Morning Program, February 6, 2020

Bridal Bouquets: From Past to Present!

Souhegan’s Spring Musical “Legally Blonde” Full of Splashy Show-Stoppers

Souhegan High School

Doug Olsen Latin Jazz Quintet Comes to SHS for Jazz Night #2 Jody Gage of Fortin Gage Flowers & Gifts

AMHERST – “Love is in the air” this February as we welcome Jody Gage of Fortin Gage Flowers & Gifts in Nashua for a special floral demonstration focused on bridal bouquets from past to present. Join us for this special program and you will not only enjoy an inspirational floral demonstration but will also be a guest at a faux wedding reception! That’s right, we’re setting up the room with round tables and tablecloths, just like a proper wedding reception. Our Hospitality team is hard at work preparing appetizers and light goodies to serve before the program starts. Silver service tea and coffee will also be available. Make your way into the reception hall, find your seat, and enjoy the presentation. Applaud the floral creations while sampling tea sandwiches and cookies. Be sure to save room for a taste of wedding cake! Club members will be dressed for the occasion, so dig through your closet for something fun to wear. Be brave and wear your old wedding dress or tux (whether it fits or not), get another wear out of that old bridesmaid dress, don a Royal fascinator à la Kate Middleton, or simply dress as a guest. See you at the wedding! The meeting will be held at the Messiah Lutheran Church, 303 Route 101 in Amherst beginning at 9:00 AM with a short social time and business meeting. The program will begin at 10:15 AM. Everyone is welcome without a fee.

See Page 11 for March Programs

Amherst Lions Club’s Fire & Ice is Set for February 7

Amherst Lions Club is looking for the best chili in town. The fifth annual Fire & Ice chili cook-off and all-you-can-eat sundaes is set for Friday, February 7. Both individual cooks and restaurant chefs wishing to enter their chili recipe (two-gallon minimum) for one year’s bragging rights should contact Bob Miskelly at amherstlionsclub@gmail.com for more details. Deadline to register is Feb 5. In addition to chili, there will be corn bread, salad with all the fixings, drinks, and hot dogs who might not care for chili. For dessert, you may make your own ice cream sundae. Entertainment includes the Amherst Middle School Jazz Band and Krickey The Clown. Held 5-7 pm at the Amherst Middle School, 14 Cross Road. Instead of ticket purchase, the Lions are asking for donations with all proceeds going to local charities.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Letters............................... 2 Town News............................ 4 Recreation............................ 4 Library.................................. 5 Arts & Entertainment............. 6 Schools................................. 7 Obituaries............................. 11 Mont Vernon......................... 12

AMHERST – Souhegan Drama’s cast, crew and creative team are hard at work preparing a fabulous performance for this year’s musical, “Legally Blonde”. This clever comedy based on the popular 2001 movie follows the charming Elle Woods as she sets out to follow her dream of love and happily-ever-after. She soon discovers that she is capable of far

more than being blonde and popular. Hers is a journey of self-discovery as her true strength is revealed: a woman who is both powerful and independent on her own terms. This year will be full of splashy show-stoppers, a couple of loveable 4-footed friends and a lot of Bend and Snap! Show dates are March 26, 27, 28 at 7pm, and March 29 at 2pm,

and the show is considered PG13 for some adult language and situations. Tickets can be purchased beginning February 14 th at Souhegan High School, Moulton’s Market and The Homestead. Ticket prices are $12 for Adults and $10 for Students, Seniors, and SAU #39 Staff. Thank you for supporting Souhegan Drama!

ParentingNH Announces Top Teachers in NH Five Granite State educators selected from parent,colleague and administration nominations MANCHESTER — Bells are ringing throughout the halls of five New Hampshire schools in honor of the talented teachers selected by ParentingNH for its third annual New Hampshire Top Teachers list. This year, the Top Teachers are educators in a variety of subjects for students in elementary school through high school. Profiles on all five teachers were published in the January 2020 issue of ParentingNH and individuals will be honored in an onthe-field ceremony before a New Hampshire Fisher Cats game on May 3, 2020. “The quality of submissions from our readers was overwhelming,” said Melanie Hitchcock, editor, ParentingNH, the first and only statewide publication for parents of children and teens. “Each told the heartwarming story of a teacher who has made a difference in his or her school and community. Congratulations to this year’s honorees, who encourage growth, curiosity and confidence in the youth of the Granite

State.” ParentingNH accepted online nominations from colleagues, parents and school administrators this past fall.

From Amherst Amanda Eaton – Grade 1

Wilkins Elementary School was chosen. Amanda Eaton has been teaching for 16 years. She strives to spread kindness in her school and in her community, and is thankful for being part of a collaborative team who inspires her. Nominator Kelly Comtois, the parent of a former student, said, “My daughter grew leaps and bounds with Amanda. Amanda has this amazing way of captivating her students’ attention. She speaks to them with respect and calmness — in turn they respect her. One of the most important things about Amanda is she teaches kindness and self-love. A teacher like this comes along every now and again if you are lucky. We were so lucky to have had her in our lives.”

about smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. New Hampshire State Fire Marshal Paul J. Parisi wants to remind citizens that smoke alarms are critical to protecting your family’s life during a fire event. “Most people think a fire won’t happen to them. While we truly hope it doesn’t, we regularly see the devastating effects a fire can have on a family.” Parisi continued, “When there IS a fire, smoke alarms are the biggest factor when it comes to giving people time to get out alive.” The National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) recommends installing

Jazz Studies at Worcester Polytechnic Institute and was the Director of Music in Medfield Public Schools for the last 25 years before then. Doug is a very active clinician and guest artist with appearances at MIT, Berklee, Harvard, UMASS Amherst and Dartmouth, WPI and Brandeis University. Doug performs regularly with the John Almark Jazz Orchestra and with two of his newest projects “Latin Bash” and the Doug Olsen Qtet. Joining Doug will be jazz ensembles from Souhegan HS, Windham HS, Alvirne HS and Amherst Middle School. General admission for the event is $10.00 and doors will open at 6:30pm. For additional information contact Carl Benevides at cbenevides@sprise.com. Join us for this great night of music! For more information on Doug Olsen, go to : www.douglasolsen.net.

Amherst Middle School Musical

Amanda Eaton, first grade teacher at Wilkins Elementary School in Amherst, was recently named one of five Top Teachers in New Hampshire by ParentingNH. Eaton is pictured with students Jack Brady, Ceci Gathier, Phoebe Larson, Hannah Kausch and Zoe Wright. PHOTO: KENDAL J. BUSH Others honored were: Marilyn Mitchell – Grade 1 Chester Academy, Chester Andrew Bengtson – Mathematics, Grade 2, 3 and 4 Next Charter School, Derry; Scott Dunlop – All subjects, Grade 8-10 Spaulding Youth Center, Northfield; and Kelly Gagnon – Grade 2 Derry Village School, Derry.

Nominations for the 2020 New Hampshire Top Teach-

ers list will open in October 2020. Preschool teachers through Grade 12 are eligible for consideration and submissions will be accepted from parents of former students, teachers, administrators, principals and former students age 15 and older. For more information about ParentingNH’s Top Teachers, please visit www. pa rent i ng n h .com /ne whampshires-top-teachers.

NH Firefighters Concerned About Residential Fires Without Working Smoke Alarms Over the past week, New Hampshire has experienced at least three residential structural fires where smoke alarms were either tampered with and not working, or not present at all. Fires in Lebanon, Hooksett, and Plymouth all occurred after dark while residents were sleeping. The fires in all of these instances were significant enough to cause the families living in these dwelling units to be displaced. As a state we are fortunate that none of these fires resulted in serious injury or death. However, we consider them to be red-flag warnings that we need more public education

AMHERST – The Doug Olsen Latin Jazz Quintet will be the featured guests at our 2nd Jazz Night of the year on Friday, February 7th at 7:00pm. Doug Olsen has been a free-lance trumpeter for over 25 years performing jazz and world music. He plays solo and/or lead trumpet with many of New England’s top bands and has also been a featured soloist with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, USAF Band of Liberty, the Smithsonian Masterworks Jazz Orchestra, Berklee College of Music Faculty Bigband, the Big Apple Circus and Little Anthony and the Imperials. Doug has recorded extensively on pop/rock, swing, jazz and Latin CDs, including “Prozac Nation” by Bellevue Cadillac (featured on “The Sopranos” and “Shallow Hal”) and jazz vocalist Michelle Mailhot’s “A Happy Madness”. Doug currently serves as the interim Director of

smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement. In New Hampshire, it’s the law. Over the last 5 years, New Hampshire has seen 43 deaths from unintentional residential fires. In over half of those cases the residents did not have working smoke alarms. Nationally, about 40% of unintentional residential home fire deaths had no working smoke alarms (source: NFPA). Comparatively speaking, over the last five years New Hampshire has fared worse than the national average concerning smoke alarms

in unintentional residential fire fatalities. If you need smoke alarms for your house, residents are urged to contact their local Fire Department, as many NH departments have free smoke alarm programs. Also, the American Red Cross, through its Home Fire Campaign, can provide you with FREE smoke alarms. According to Maria Devlin, CEO of American Red Cross New Hampshire and Vermont, people can sign up for alarms, installation, and a home safety check by calling (800) 464-6692 or going online to SoundTheAlarm.org/ NHVT.

Lily, Lucie, & Ms. Hannigan dancing down Easy Street! (L to R); Sierra Burke (Lily), Lucie Emond (Rosie), and Brynn Biskovich (Hannigan)

Leapin Lizards! Amherst Middle School Theater Club is excited to announce this years musical, Annie Jr! The cast has been hard at work learning dances, music and blocking since October. Annie played by eighth grader Riley Dunham, is a precocious 13 year old who lives in a run down orphanage in NYC. The orphanage is run by the tyrannical Ms. Hannigan played by 7th grader Brynn Biskovich. The villains of the show Rosie and Lily are played by Lucie Emond and Sierra Burke. Throughout the show they plan with Hannigan to prevent Annie from having a life as a billionaires daughter. Ms. Warbucks played by eighth grader Veronica Cas-

tell is the wealthiest woman in the world and throughout the story she falls for Annie’s hopeful nature and positivity. Join the students and join Annie and meet her mischievous accomplices Pepper,Duffy,July, Kate, Harper,Tessie,Molly! AMS is presenting Annie Jr. in present day time with the same classic songs you know and love! Come support the students on March 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th! Tickets will be available online at Brown Paper Tickets starting February 6th. Contact the club at amsinvadesnyc@gmail. com with any questions or if you would like to place an ad in the program.


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