Page 4 — THE BERLIN DAILY SUN, Friday, Novemberr 18, 2011
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Support, advocacy appreciated To the editor: I’d like to take a moment to thank all of the people who expressed an outpouring of support for me to the New Hampshire Police Standards and Training Council. I’d especially like to thank Sheriff Gerald Marcou, who has been a staunch advocate, and his assistance has been immeasurable. After hearing the “other
side” of the story originally presented in this publication on October 4, the council voted unanimously that no sanctions were in order. Thank you once again, to everyone who got involved. Your efforts are greatly appreciated. Gordon Alan Lowe Jr. Chief of Police Randolph
Community night at Subway To the editor: On Tuesday, November 22, Subway in Gorham will be hosting a Community Night to benefit The Gorham Community Learning Center (GCLC). Subway will generously donate 15% of its total sales from 4-8 PM that evening to the GCLC. The GCLC is a nationallyaccredited, non-profit organization which provides child care, preschool, school age and toddler programs to children between the ages of 18
months and 12 years from Gorham, Randolph, Shelburne, Berlin, and Milan. Consider stopping by Subway on the evening of Tuesday, November 22, for a quick, healthy, inexpensive dinner, while supporting the GCLC and the children it proudly serves at the same time! Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving! The Gorham Community Learning Center Board of Directors
Lost wallet returned after Riverfire To the editor: On October 22, here in Berlin we had the RiverFire. I just want to thank the people that found my wallet, car, and house keys and turned them into the police department. I appreciate it very much there is not many honest people around anymore. I am really grateful
and to say the least nothing was missing. Thank you. I also want to thank the officer who helped me locate them and be kind enough to listen to the problem I had. Not all officials are that respectful. Once again whoever you are, thank you. Paula Fournier Berlin
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Ithaca Bound
Counting My Blessings
It’s that time of year again. And, as is always true at this time of year, a certain song keeps insisting its way into my head. Some of you may remember it. Perhaps, some of you may have sung it yourselves. It was always a part of the repertoire I used when I was performing my holiday programs here, there, and everywhere. Have you guessed what the song is by now? Did I hear someone say “Count Your Blessings?” If so, I hope that person will take some time to give himself or herself a special treat of some kind today. And keep the song fresh in mind as we approach next Thursday – Thanksgiving Day. Russian-born, but always 100% American, Irving Berlin (1888-1989) wrote the song for the beloved 1954 movie musical “White Christmas,” which starred Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney. The song was runner-up that year to “Three Coins in the Fountain” at the Academy Awards ceremony. So, once again, as I settle in after a feast fit for a king, for what I hope will be a good night’s sleep, let me count my blessings, instead of sheep, as the song’s lyric so well recommends that we all do. Perhaps, as I recall mine, you will recall yours, too. Here goes. Among the very most important things one can have in life is good health. I have been truly fortunate here. Oh, yes, this year brought the loss of vision in my right eye and a cancerous growth on my left forearm had to be removed. As with most of us, I suppose, some of the body parts that used to bend quite easily don’t bend quite as easily anymore. But, overall, I am in very good health for a man of my age, so I have little cause for complaint. Some forty-nine years ago, an attractive young woman was preceding me up the stairs to the choir room of the East Liberty Presbyterian Church, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I gathered up enough courage to ask her for a date. She said, “Yes.” Less than a year later, I asked her to marry me. She said, “Yes!” And for forty-eight years now, she has somehow managed to put up with me, bear us two fine sons, and be as
fine a life’s partner as a man like me could ever hope to have. Early in life, as a young lad in elementary school, I discovered that I had been born with a fine singing voice and a fine speaking voice, and that I had the understanding and the desire to use both of them in the most beautiful and expressive ways I could imagine. I do not mean that to be boastful. Far from it. I feel extremely fortunate that I had some wonderful teachers early on who recognized my particular gifts and guided me in the best ways of using them. They introduced me to the finest music and literature and art that the human mind has conceived over the years, and thus given me a life of riches beyond imagination. In that regard, I have been fortunate enough to accomplish much of which I think I can be justly proud. Travel has always been an important part of my life, and from the time my wallet allowed me to do so, I traveled. The woman enjoys travel, also; and, over the years, we have seen much of this country and of the world. We have become more emboldened with the passing of the years, taking journeys now that would have been unthinkable a decade ago. And our bucket list grows. We have already booked one of our adventures for next year, and a second is just about ready for calling our travel agent. One of my favorite poems begins, “You must always be intoxicated.” It then asks, “But on what?” For Barrie and me, it is on travel, on seeing the world and the rich diversity of its peoples, the beauties of nature and the habitats of wildlife. That is what intoxicates us. And that is why we will continue to travel as long as health and finances allow us to do so. At the Thanksgiving table then this year, there will be much for which to be truly grateful. I hope that all of you are able to say the same. May you, too, fall asleep after a Thanksgiving feast counting your blessings. (Ithaca Bound is the pen name of Dick Conway. His e-mail address is: ithacabound35@gmail.com.)
White Mtn. Livery out of business To the editor: To all our customers: White Mt. Livery (formally Dependable Taxi) is out of business as of this week. Back in August I switched our taxi business to a livery service (due to the high insurance requirements, not being able to be insured for the amount the city wanted, economy, declining population and restrictions of city ordinances on taxi’s) to better serve our customers and to offer service further than our insurance restrictions of 25 miles. Also competing with the two illegal taxi’s (you know who you are) really put a dent in our business I’d like to explain the events leading to my decision to close. I was set up in September by the Berlin Police Department (they we’re just doing their job as directed by the city)
and issued a ticket for $100 going by city ordinance on taxi’s, which states that a taxi is a used for “the call and demand of transportation of passengers to and from points chosen by the passenger” is considered a taxi, which is very vague and general in meaning. Basically if you take gas money from your mom to drive her to the store you are considered a taxi and can be fined. The difference between a taxi and livery service by definition is quite lengthy but the city only went “word for word” by the ordinance and not the difference between the two types of service. I am tired of fighting the city over something as silly as this which I believed would benefit the area in a better way than a taxi would. This is why I decided to close and see LIVERY page 5