LaBarre Jurors, We Thank You
June 30, 2008
The citizens of Rockingham County and the state of New Hampshire owe a true debt of gratitude to the men and women who served on the Sheila LaBarre jury.
These jurors were forced to put their lives on hold, go to court for six weeks, listen to gruesome testimony day after day, and then make the extremely difficult determination of whether a woman who admitted murdering two men was insane or criminally responsible for her actions.
Their careful and thoughtful deliberations sent a murderess to jail, probably for life. Most of us will never bear such a solemn civic responsibility, but these jurors handled it with grace, care and, most importantly, deliberate fairness.
And they did it all for the sum of $20 a day and 20 cents per mile in transportation reimbursement.
Read the full editorial on Seacoast Online.
Ken Knight: Pats fans learn to eat crow, with a side of humble pie
February 18, 2008
LET ME PREFACE this by stating that I am not a Patriots fan, even though I was born and raised in Massachusetts. I have been a loyal, dedicated, die-hard Minnesota Vikings fan, never wavering since 1969.
I must take exception to Mark Morris’ comments in his Feb. 6 New Hampshire Union Leader column, “Super lessons from Sunday.”
First, he is right on the money when he states that the “experts” in the media beat up every facet of the game to the point of nausea. However, he made no mention of the fact that it started right here in New England in April, on NFL draft day, when the Patriots made the deal for Randy Moss.
That was precisely when the local sports media first mentioned the hollow words “19-0, Super Bowl 42 champions.” After being forced-fed this fraudulent information for eight months, I cannot begin to tell you how sickening this ordeal was!
Read the rest of Mr Knight’s Opinion on the Union Leader website.
Read a counter-opinion by an Epping resident on Patriots Daily.
Tax System Shouldn’t Punish Disaster Victims
December 19, 2007
Every year, people who lose their homes to fire or flood get a lesson in the harsh realities of New Hampshire’s tax system, a system the Legislature should revisit. For assessment purposes, New Hampshire’s property tax year begins - appropriately in our view - on April Fool’s Day. If a property exists on April 1 and burns down on April 2, it’s taxed as if it existed for a full year.
Jack and Beatrice Knight of Epping, whose home was razed by fire last May, were hit with a full $6,360 tax bill. They have asked Epping’s selectmen for an abatement. Granting one is within the board’s power, but the state Department of Revenue Administration recommends that abatements never be granted. A veteran department official can’t remember the last time it happened. Granting an abatement sets a dangerous precedent, one that could cause problems later when others, whose case may not be as strong, cite precedent and demand similar treatment, state tax officials say.
Read the rest of the editorial from the Concord Monitor
Got An Opinion?
October 12, 2007
Do you have an opinion about something going on in Epping? (C’mon, we know you do) Drop us your rant in an email at editor|at|eppingnews|dot|com and perhaps we’ll use it here!
