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Heart Week February 1-7


Heart Disease is the number one killer


of American women over 34. Recognizing symptoms and risks, making lifestyle changes and getting timely care can save a woman’s life. Women’s Heart Week is a national outreach campaign aimed at improving women’s outcomes from this deadly disease. Most women are not aware of this fact and fail to recognize their own risk factors for heart disease. Women’s symptoms, especially those that are milder, often go ignored. Women often miss out on critical opportunities to save their own lives. The Women’s Heart Foundation (WHF) recognizes that women are busier than ever as they juggle career, family and care- giving responsibilities. For many, each day resembles a jig–saw puzzle in which a woman is required to piece together her time and obligations. Now, more than ever, women need to take time out for themselves and be given a reminder: Take Care of Your Heart. Raising awareness, the National Women’s Heart Week has designated February 1-7 for women to recognize their heart and to take care of their heart. The outreach program, that combines fun, free activities with heart health screenings. has partnered with local organizations, to help women come together and encourage fitness, promote stress reduction activities and learn about heart-healthy eating and gender- specifics on women’s heart disease. Women are encouraged to check with their personal physicians for more information as to how they can learn more about the risk factors, as well as research the local organizations which support Women’s Heart Week.


by S. Aaron Shamshoyan Emergency alert information will soon


be available to drivers passing by the Salem Fire Department on Main Street as a new dynamic messaging sign was approved by Selectmen Monday to replace the existing deteriorating one. Assistant Fire Chief Paul Parisi requested Selectmen accept a grant for $12,500 from the State of New Hampshire Emergency Management Performance Grant Program to cover half the sign’s cost. Parisi said the sign would help communicate information during emergencies and allow the department to display other important information year round.


Current zoning regulations prohibit businesses from installing electronic messaging signs in town, a regulation in which the town itself is exempt. “We do not intend to display video on this board,” said Parisi, noting the sign wouldn’t distract drivers. “We certainly don’t want to cause any accidents,” he said adding the department didn’t feel it would be a safety hazard.


Selectman Stephen Campbell opposed the project saying the government should follow ordinances businesses have to follow. “Government has to be seen playing by the rules,” he said, also adding the sign would be placed on a busy road and be distracting to drivers. Chairwoman Elizabeth Roth also opposed


the request saying she agreed with Campbell. “They’re vivid, bright, flashy signs,” she said, worrying it would distract drivers. Parisi responded saying the sign wouldn’t strobe or flash, but display messages. Selectman Michael Lyons favored the request saying the ordnance was put in place as a result of aesthetics and not safety. “This is extremely import,” he said regarding


the information the sign would display.


Te Salem Fire Department sign will be replaced with an electronic dynamic messaging sign. “I


support this from a public safety, public access point of view.” Selectwoman Susan Covey also favored the sign. Town resident Howie Glynn spoke on the


matter, saying he felt the sign should be the size of the current one. He said he favored the sign if it didn’t flash. Selectman Patrick Hargreaves fumbled with the decision. He questioned why tax- paying businesses couldn’t install this type of sign but why the department could. He also feared other businesses would use the sign as leverage to get one of their own approved.


Two votes were taken as Selectman Hargreaves did neither vote nor abstain from the first. Ultimately the request passed three- two with Selectmen Campbell and Roth in opposition. Parisi said the department is trying to increase channels of communication and recently joined social media sites Facebook and Twitter. The recent installation of an LED messaging sign at Salem High School along with dynamic messaging signs on interstate 93 were also mentioned.


Winter Carnival Ball Phase Two Will Renovate


Soule, Fisk, Haigh Schools


by S. Aaron Shamshoyan Phase two of renovations to Salem Schools would focus on Soule, Fisk, and Haigh Elementary Schools, adding gymnasiums, kindergarten space and other specialized areas. “What phase two of the elementary schools will do is provide kindergarten, special services, ad support services,” said School Board Chair Peter Morgan at a public forum last week. The meeting included a presentation by the project’s architect Chris Drobat. “It’s good to see a district thinking about taking a plan all the way through,” he said, about the facilities master plan, “We did phase one quite successfully.”


Highlighting parts of the


renovations, Drobat said schools lacked security. “The school’s don’t meet safety codes.” He said the schools needed more video surveillance, along with a reconfigured front office, as the current one isn’t visible from the front door. “By no means do they meet New Hampshire or any kind of national standards,” he said. Drobat added the schools would benefit from art and music classrooms along with the need for one on one, two on one, and three on one specialized spaces. He also said the multipurpose rooms, acting as a gymnasium, cafeteria, and auditorium, were insufficient. He showed a small group space at the bottom of a stairwell. The infrastructure could


use work as well, “You’ve got a boiler that looks like a freight train,” he said while he showed a picture of one school’s current


boiler along with one from a recently renovated school at a fraction of the size. He also said the electrical panels were maxed out. The renovation calls for the three schools to receive a gymnasium and kindergarten classrooms, along with specialized learning space. Administrative spaces would also be redesigned to be visible from the front entrances. The schools would also receive necessary mechanical, electrical, and security upgrades.


Superintendent of Salem


Schools Michael Delahanty spoke on past and projected enrollments. “Back in 1980 and 1981, the school district had a readiness program,” he said adding the program aided six-year-old students with development issues. During 1980-81 school year, the district had 1,627 elementary students in readiness through fifth grade. Since then, the district dropped readiness, but has gained a kindergarten program leaving elementary school totals at 1,735 for the 2011-12 school year. “We’re at more then 150 students more than when we were in 1980-81 with the same facilities,” said Delahanty, stressing the urgency of the renovations. “You don’t learn on a storage closet,” he said.


Despite a second story addition previously discussed to Haigh School, only a one-story addition would be added. The project will be bonded at a total cost of $21.5 million. The plans will have to be approved in March in order for construction to begin this summer.


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Volume 5 Number 29 February 3, 2012 16 Pages Fire Department to Get Message Sign


Student Council members by Robyn Hatch On a beautiful Saturday night, Salem High School held their


famous Winter Carnival Ball for close to 390 upper class students. The kids were very excited, and the night was perfect. Dresses and suits were incredibly stylish, hair was done to kill for. This was the first event like this for many of the students - more like a prom than


an ordinary dance. The decorations were many tiny white lights everywhere, the food was set up on stations around the dance floor. Star Entertainment provided the music. Attendees danced from 7 to 10 p.m. With no trouble at all, the kids left with memories dancing through their heads.


Jess Hanlon, Elisha Farris, Jackie Cone and Danielle Ferraro


Samantha Johnston, Cariey Reiss, Alexandra Philippon


www.thecolosseumrestaurant.com Piano Bar Tues. & Weds. Evenings


Winner Best of NH 2008, 2009, 2010! Gift Certificates Available


From Napoli, Italy to Salem, NH How Italian Food Should Be!!


Breckenridge Plaza 264 NO. Broadway, Salem, NH 603-898-1190


Staff photos by Robyn Hatch


Staff photo by S. Aaron Shamshoyan


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