Hudson - Litchfield News | March 23, 2012 - 3


Local Heroes Take to the Ice in Fifth Annual CHaD Battle of the Badges Hockey Championship


by Doug Robinson They skate for kids. New Hampshire firefighters are facing off against New Hampshire Policemen to raise funds to support CHaD, the Children’s Hospital of Dartmouth. Pelham Police Officers, Dave DeRoche, and Ryan Donovan as well as Hudson Police Officer Dan Conley will lace up their skates and take to the ice in support of helping area children. “As New Hampshire’s only comprehensive, full-service


children’s hospital, the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth (CHaD) provides an extended system of care that offers advanced pediatric services CHaD was recognized in 1992 as a “children’s hospital within a hospital” by the National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions, Inc. (NACHRI). CHaD is one of 205 children’s hospitals in the United States providing care specifically focused on children” states Dartmouth Hitchcock Hospital.


Guerrette Speaks Out Against Pre-Election Fliers


by Kristen Hoffman Some Litchfield voters received fliers from former


School Board candidate Dennis Miller on Saturday, March 10, asking if they were comfortable with electing someone charged with a felony to the School Board. The fliers were pertaining to Jason Guerrette, another candidate vying for one of the two open seats on the Board. Now Guerrette is speaking out against the fliers,


saying that they were grossly incorrect and have caused his family unneeded grief, as he was never convicted of a felony.


Dennis Miller argued that the fliers were in line with the content Guerrette regularly posts on his blog


“Our Mission” continues CHaD, is “The Health of Your Child. (It) is the most important thing. As New Hampshire’s only comprehensive, full-service children’s hospital, the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth (CHaD) provides an extended system of care that offers advanced pediatric services.


Hudson Police Office Dan Conley Pelham Police Officer Ryan Donovan


“CHaD is committed to providing outstanding, compassionate care for children and their families. Our mission is to provide each child the best care, in the right place, at the right time, every time.” “Over 5,000 people attended the hockey game last year and donated over $100,000 for CHaD” commented Hudson Police Officer, Dan Conley. “I played local High School Hockey for Bishop Guertin, and then I played at college. This is my third year and hopefully, with the help from my sponsors, I will have raised a combined three-year total over $10,000 for ChaD. It is a great cause and a great event.” Pelham Police Officer, Dave DeRoche has participated with the Battle of the Badges, since its inception, five years ago. “The idea for this fundraising event came from my police chief, while working at the Kensington, NH, police department. I can remember the first games and they all have been fun. We had referees, uniforms, and about 200 fans


that came to the game that first year. Today, it has evolved into a spectacle with special lighting, fireworks, and fun for everyone. This year, we expect over 6,000 people to attend the event at the Verizon Center, Manchester. I have a passion for this charity event, and I have a bigger passion for those kids who are helped by CHaD.” Fellow Pelham Police Department Police Office, Ryan


Donovan, will be skating in the Battle of the Badges for his third year. “You really do not realize the impact until you take a tour of the facility. Each year this event gets bigger and bigger. It is great that we are able to help out children who really need our help. To me, being a true public servant goes beyond the police badge I wear. My association with ChaD humbles me” Those who wish to make an online donation to their


favorite Firefighter or Police Officer are invited to make their donation Web link, www.kintera.org/faf/home/default. asp?ievent=999278. The Battle of the Badges Hockey Game t will take place on Saturday, March 31, at 5 p.m., at the Verizon Center in Manchester.


“Litchfield Education Matters.” Miller also stated that the flier was not sent out in an effort to curb votes away from Guerrette, but rather to inform the people of the town to pertinent information. “[The flier] made no statements of whether [the incident] was right or wrong,” Miller said, adding that the information involving the arrest and misdemeanor firearms charge was not editorialized or analyzed to sway Litchfield voters away from voting for him. Miller’s fliers stated Guerrette was charged with a


felony stemming from a domestic assault complaint placed by Guerrette’s ex-wife nine years ago. The flier claimed that Guerrette was charged and with a felony while living with his ex-wife in Ohio back in February 2003.


According to Guerrette, on the evening of the incident, his wife, who he was in the process of divorcing, took his gun and hid it in his truck which was parked in the driveway. His ex-wife then called the police department on the premise of domestic assault. He was arrested and charged for domestic assault and keeping his gun in his truck, a misdemeanor in Ohio. The charges of domestic assault were dropped as there was no proof that an assault had taken place. He was charged a $250 fine for having the gun in the truck.


Pelham Police Officer Dave DeRoche Eye Tests for Nottingham Students


by Lynne Ober Over the years medical research has proven that routine vision screening is important for children, because many abnormalities are treatable if discovered early, but if left untreated, can lead to vision loss and blindness. Three common problems can easily be found in children. These are strabismus, which is a misalignment of the two eyes and affects about four percent of children, amblyopia which is reduced vision in an eye and refractive errors such as nearsightedness or farsightedness. The Nottingham West School Nurse (NWES), Laurie Picard, arranged for the office of New England Eye Specialist & Fusion Med Spa to visit and complete comprehensive vision screens for the entire school, grades K through 5 for the 2011-2012 school year. Dr. Kristin Stanley and Dr. Christopher


Brown along with their assistant Sarah came to NWES for a total of five days from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and were able to complete screenings for approximately 732 students ranging from kindergarten to fifth grade. These two doctors offer their services to the Hudson School District free of charge and have a wonderful rapport with students of all ages. “Through this program we were able to


screen many children and send the results home to their parents and/or guardians who may not know their children need glasses or further medical evaluation,” said Principal Peter Durso. Often school nurses conduct eye screening, but NWES has a large student population and on any given day, the nurse is handling between 90 and 115 student visits. Therefore, it is difficult for the nurse’s office to complete all of these screenings. In stepped New England Eye Specialist & Fusion Med Spa, who have staff willing to visit any school that requests them and perform the comprehensive vision screen. “They provide


a wonderful service for our students,” smiled Superintendent Randy Bell.


Guerrette did not refute the fact that the incident happened; instead, he argued that the facts were misrepresented. Guerrette, a 23-year Navy veteran was honorably discharged with all of his security clearances intact in 2008, this would not have happened if he were a convicted felon. He also added that shortly after the incident was closed, he received sole custody of his two sons and moved to New Hampshire, again, something that would not have been possible with a felony. He married his current wife, Hope Guerrette, in 2004. Guerrette argued that the fliers have damaged his personal life, and has put his family in a difficult place, something that he believes they do not deserve. “Politics is a dirty business anyways, and things get spun,” he said. He also stated that Miller did not know the scope and depth of the repercussions caused by the flier, stating that his family has gotten a lot of unwanted attention, especially his wife. According to Guerrette, the flier made no mention of the fact that the incident involved his ex-wife, and not his current wife.


Guerrette said that the release of the arrest record has no bearing on how he has handled his seat on the School Board. “There are damages here,” he added “It’s an invasion of privacy.” He added that by sending out the fliers, Miller was creating


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impression of Guerrette that just wasn’t true. Miller said that last year, Guerrette made a point to object to that a former School Board member failed to disclose a lawsuit regarding a citizen prior to a School Board meeting that involved the individual. Miller added that Guerrette has singled people out for what he thinks and believes is wrong, and rallies for transparency in town government, something that he did not adhere to regarding his arrest record. Guerrette has been an active voice on the


Litchfield School Board during his three year term and regularly discloses right-to-know information. “He’s researching public records in Litchfield,” Miller said. According to Miller, he did the same thing with public records in Ohio.


In the past, he has then uploaded the documents to his blog. Guerrette argued that Miller’s flier was above and beyond what he ever did with his blog, “He took it to the next step, and there was no real reason to do it,” Guerrette said, adding that Miller had a good chance of being elected regardless of if he sent out the fliers, “It was clear he was going to win,” Guerrette said.


Guerrette added that his family has dealt with the brunt of the suffering, “My wife is a very private person,” he said, adding that the unpopular publicity is causing her and his sons distress. “I don’t think he should have affected the family,” Hope Guerrette said. She added that due to the unwanted publicity, the family has to explain what happened to their two sons. “I think it’s wrong to take it out on the family - I think it’s hateful,” Hope added. Ultimately, Guerrette lost his bid for re-election. Miller and newcomer Derek Barka won the two open seats on the School Board.


Guerrette has not stated that he plans to run


for School Board next year, “It’s still too early,” he said. He did say that he will continue to attend the meetings as a member of the public and will still work on his blog. “I’ll see how this year goes,” he said. Hope added that she will stand by her husband if he decides to run for School Board again, adding that she will hold his signs at the polls again, despite the negative attention.


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