Salem Community Patriot March 11, 2011 - 9


Thumbs Up? Thumbs Down?


Comments expressed in this column are the sole views of those callers and do not reflect the views of the Area News Group or its advertisers. Town and school officials encourage readers to seek out assistance directly to resolve any problems or issues. The Area News editorial staff holds the right to refuse any comment deemed inappropriate.


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“Thumbs down to the waste that goes on in the Salem schools. I am a substitute for the district & also a tax payer and I have seen many ways money is being wasted. Salem High has at least 6 times the number of secretaries that Woodbury, yet has only one more grade. At any given time you can walk through and see them hanging around, chatting & drinking coffee. We definitely don’t need another one. Every teacher has a working computer on their desk in every building I’ve been in. Why do they need new lap tops? The high school employs people who drive around the parking lot in a golf cart with walkie-talkies. How much are we paying them? I can also hear my mother’s voice in my head saying ‘close the door! are we heating the outside?,’ when I see how many teachers have classroom windows wide open while the furnaces are burning expensive heating oil! As taxpayers we need to reign in the people who are asking us for more money we don’t have, when they are not watching how they are spending the money they have already taken.”


“Thumbs up to ‘innocent until proven guilty.”


“Thumbs down to Salem Police. How come the Salem Police only have to work four days out of seven? Who wrote that contract? No wonder our taxes are out of sight. Do we pay overtime for the other three days of the week that they may work? Why don’t they have two officers to a car five days a week and when one is out sick the other can ride alone like they do now? How much money could the town save? The Salem Police Relief Association that calls for donations is really the Police Union!! When you donate to that you help pay for them to sue the town for


“Thumbs down to the New Hampshire Democratic Party and their cronies in the State Employees Association for their cowardly attacks on a wonderful competent young woman simply because of who her boyfriend happens to be. What a disgrace!”


“Thumbs down, way down to the New Hampshire


Firearms Coalition, a group of radical gun grabbers who won’t rest until they have attacked every elected official who actually believes in the Second Amendment.”


“Thumbs down to the State Employees Association (SEIU) for their intimidation tactics against our local New Hampshire leaders for daring to reform the retirement system. These guys remind me of the thugs from ‘On the Waterfront’ with taxpayers and State Representatives playing Marlon Brando.”


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“Thumbs up to the New Hampshire legislature for repealing the ‘Evergreen’ law. Hopefully our Selectmen will now be able to control our budget from costs not anticipated, and now within their control. It’s about time local government had a level playing field with the unions.”


“Thumbs up to Representative DJ Bettencourt, the House Majority Leader ensured that New Hampshire’s small businesses were helped by extending the carry forward period which allows them ample time to utilize job growth tax credits. Well done!”


“Thumbs up to Majority Leader D.J. Bettencourt for his leadership and the excellent progress House Republicans are making to repair New Hampshire.”


THANK YOU. I would like to extend my most sincere


thanks and appreciation to the voters of Salem for their support over the past 18 years.


Everett McBride Candidate For Selectman


“Thumbs down to the shameful coward lowlifes who have nothing better to do than personally attack our State Representatives and elected officials. What is wrong with you? Get a life!”


“Thumbs up to Rep. D.J. Bettencourt. You know he must be doing something right when all the whining liberals and union hacks are personally attacking him. I hope D.J. doesn’t give in and doesn’t back down.”


“Thumbs down to New Hampshire Democrats and the State Employees Union. Why


is it hard for them to imagine that a woman is qualified on her own for a job and was not hired simply because of who she is dating?”


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“Thumbs down to the anti-gun zealots at the New Hampshire Firearms Coalition who continue to viciously attack and lie about the great Second Amendment supporters in the New Hampshire Legislature.”


“Thumbs down to childish rumors and those


who believe and act on them. Thank goodness our society does not allow us to persecute and bully people based on rumor. What is a rumor? NOUN; a story or statement in general circulation without confirmation or certainty as to facts. A study in 1947 showed that ‘as a rumor travels, it grows shorter, more concise, more easily grasped and told.’ The study found that 70% of details in a message were lost after 5 mouth to mouth transmissions. The truth shall set you free.”


“Thumbs up to the Salem High Culinary Students that run the 3 Seasons Restaurant at the high school, I had lunch there and the food was excellent, cheap and made and served by Salem High School students. This place should be bustling with business!!”


“Thumbs down, way down to the Salem


Water Department. It has become very apparent that it would be less expensive to find a way to water my yard, or do my laundry with Premium Gasoline or Home Heating oil rather than trying to keep up with the Salem water and sewer bills. 1st They force residents to hook up with the sewer water program while still allowing septic systems to be installed near our rivers, lakes and water supplies. Then they provide false and incomplete, or misleading information about how residents will be affected and their billing practices. Then you get blindsided with outrages bills during the most difficult times of the year along with cut of notices. You can also look forward to their increasing water sewer charges faster than or local property taxes go up.”


“Thumbs down to the Mr. Delehanty and Mr. Messinheimer for not even giving an interview to the man who applied for 2 more positions at the Lancaster and the high school. I worked with this man when he was a sub for Salem. He knew just what had to be done. They hired a man who doesn’t know anything a the Soule school because his wife is connected to the school department. She writes something to do with the school news.”


“Thumbs up to the Salem NH Highway Department. They have done a fantastic job this winter. I was able to get out every storm and the roads were clear and I’m very pleased with the job they are doing.”


“Thumbs down to the parent who wrote about Salem Patriot


by David Jaracz The number-five seed Salem Blue Devils boys’ basketball team had good timing to have one of their most convincing wins of the season, as they defeated the Nashua North Titans, 58-40, in the opening round of the New Hampshire Division I playoffs. A balanced scoring attack and strong team defense propelled Salem to the win against a scrappy but undermanned Titans team, and the Blue Devils will now set their sights on the next round in a road game at number-four Manchester Central. Despite what would end up being a relatively easy win for Salem, the first quarter made it look like the contest would be much more evenly matched. Played at a slow pace as both teams tried to get an idea for what the other would be doing, the defenses controlled the first period as they focused on keeping the other side out of the paint. Salem started the scoring by rattling off the first six points of the game: two second chance lay-ups by senior captain Joseph Gallant, followed by a steal and driving lay-up by Michael Lorenz. Nashua then went on a 6-0 run themselves, with two jump shots from Michael O’Connor and a lay-up from Liam Burke. While Salem’s offense ended up being spread out relatively evenly, with five players scoring seven or more on the game, the Titans’ offense came primarily from two main sources. O’Connor led


all scorers with 16, and Anthony Farmer followed closely with 15. The Titans only dressed seven players for the game, and it was obvious these two players would be the focal point of the Nashua offense.


Salem Patriot


While the first period was relatively low scoring, ending with a Salem lead of 11-9, the rest of the game was a much faster-paced, wide- open affair. Sophomore guard Andrew Ruffen hit three quick three-pointers and Salem suddenly found themselves up 22-11. Salem’s hot-hand shooting would last the entire quarter, as the team went 8 for 10 from the field. Ruffen’s nine points in the quarter led the way as Salem put up 22 in the frame, and while Nashua was able to score a respectable 13 themselves, Salem was able to make a jam-packed student section happy as the team took a 33-22 halftime lead. Salem would not let the lead slip below double-digits for the rest of the game. The third quarter was an absolute defensive


clinic by Salem, as a combination of tough, tight defense and a quickly tiring Nashua side meant the Titans would only put up a single field goal in the third. Titans coach Tom Arria had a tough hill to climb with only two reserves, and the Nashua energy level dipped sharply in the second half, as could only be expected. Salem and coach Rob McLaughlin had no such problems, as they


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Miss M., you’re just mad because your son or daughter got into trouble. It all comes down to you setting the right example. I don’t think the children of town should be bullying and be so prejudiced to who they are, what they wear, and where they come from. It shouldn’t take our taxpayers money to teach your child what is morally right and not pick on kids with differences. Don’t blame someone else for you not setting the right example in the first place.”


“Thumbs down, way down


to the Westboro Baptist Church. I find it humorously ironic that the people from the Westboro Baptist Church have to drive back to Topeka


Kansas with a sign they hold up at their rallies that read ‘you’re going to hell’ and as the song goes ‘I’d hate to be you in that dreadful day.’”


“Thumbs down to the Salem fire chief speeding on route 495 with a teenager in the town car - guess we taxpayers pay for personal transportation too.”


“Thumbs down, WAY down to the New Hampshire Democratic Party for unanimously electing Ray Buckley for another term as Chairman of the party. This man is the primary cause of the disintegration of decency and decorum in New Hampshire politics.”


“Thumbs down to Ed Declercq. In his sorry quest for relevance and influence he trolls the Internet and Facebook and collects rumors about those in elected office and then posts anonymous attacks. How very sad!”


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“Thumbs down to the New Hampshire Democratic Party and their local ruffians for attacking and smearing Republicans anonymously in such a reprehensible manner. Their tactics are what is wrong with politics.”


“Thumbs up to Majority Leader D.J. Bettencourt. He is doing an awesome job of cleaning up the disaster and chaos the Democrats created in New Hampshire’s economy. How sad that all the Democrats do is sit back and attack him while he is cleaning up their mess.”


Tank you for your submissions. All comments, thumbs up or down, are anonymous and not written by the Area News staff. Tumbs comments can be sent via telephone, 880- 1516 or emailed to us at thumbs@areanewsgroup.com. When submitting a Tumbs comment, please specify that you would like it printed in the Salem Edition. No names are necessary. Please keep negative comments to the issue. Comments should be kept to 100 words or less.


Blue Devils Defeat Titans in First-Round Playoff Game


managed to pour in another 13 points, highlighted by a long-range three from Jeffrey Meisser and two more threes from Ruffen to close out the quarter with Salem up 46-24. Ruffen’s five three-pointers on the night led the Blue Devils in scoring, followed by Meisser, who ended up with 11 points. The fourth quarter gave Coach McLaughlin the luxury of letting some of his reserves gain some valuable playoff experience, and they held their own against the Nashua starters. The Titans didn’t give up after the disappointing third quarter, and actually outscored Salem 16-12, but the lead built up in the second and third quarters was far too much to overcome, and Salem ended up with the 18-point victory. Salem now goes on the road in the second round of the playoffs, visiting number-four seed Manchester Central on Friday at 7 p.m. The first round of the Division I playoffs held mostly to form, with the only upset being number-11 Alvirne defeating number-six Merrimack, 50-48. The brackets of the final eight will see the winner of Salem vs. Central


Sports Sports


Joseph Gallant hits a reverse baseline lay-up


play the winner of number-one seed Bishop Guertin and number-eight seed Spaulding. The bottom half of the bracket sees number-two Trinity host number-seven Londonderry, and Alvirne looking for another upset as they travel to number- three seed Manchester Memorial.


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