To the Editor:

What a beautiful night for softball we had last Friday, Aug. 4, at the Villa Fields! The children and families of the Goffstown area immerged as the real winners, with $1,500 raised for Crispin’s House programs and services to youths. Many thanks to all who helped with the event, played in it, attended it and made it possible.

Many, many thanks to all the volunteers and players who stepped up to the plate to make the Crispin’s House Summer Softball Tournament one of the best events ever.

Thanks especially to Kevin Baines and John Reihl and the board of directors and volunteers of Goffstown Junior Baseball. The junior baseball organization worked hard to open the playing fields after soaking rains and ran the concession stand to our benefit. And thanks, too, to Christine Shaw for dedicating an evening to cooking the delicious food that helped make the event a success. Leah Rose Kendrick and Darcie Hambleton represented the Starfish Coalition, while helping junior baseball volunteers with food service. We really appreciate all their efforts.

A huge thanks goes to Neighborhood News, too, for its great stories of fear and rivalry leading up to the event and the outstanding sportsmanship of its team in accepting nicknames like Jerry “Geritol Time” Liptak.

The stories were fun and informative and, no doubt, contributed greatly to the success of the night.

Umpires Ken Perkins, Jim White, Scott Hambleton and Al Baines made a huge contribution to the one-pitch event by calling them like they saw them. Thanks, too, to Connor Shaw, Tom Mirando, Capt. Kerry Steckowych, Sgt. Pierre Poulliot and members of Goffstown Junior Baseball for announcing the big event and keeping the crowd well informed. We are grateful for all their dedication and great work.

And what great play by all our teams, including the ever-famous grudge match between Neighborhood News and Goffstown police, Goffstown Fire Department, Goffstown Department of Public Works, Goffstown Junior Baseball’s board of directors, Goffstown True Value Hardware and Granite State Plumbing and Heating!

Thanks to everyone who stood up to bat, caught a ball or took a spill for our benefit. Congratulations to our champs, the Goffstown Junior Baseball board of directors. Everyone played their hearts out and is a winner in our book.

Many thanks also go out to Brown Graphix for its work on our awards and T-shirts, and thanks to Diane Baines, Leah Rose Kendrick, Matthew Luphold, Alex Baines, Eric Hambleton, Scott Hambleton and all the volunteers who pitched in and helped with the event.

Finally, my sincere appreciation goes to Al Baines and the entire board of directors of Crispin’s House Inc. for their hard work on this event, as well as their dedication to the youth of the greater Goffstown area. Al worked to put together so much of the event and wore so many hats during the tournament. Without his hard work, we wouldn’t have had so much fun. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

Laurie Hambleton
Executive director
Crispin’s House Inc.

To the Editor:

I am a resident of Juniper Drive. (“Trash Can Alley” ­ Aug. 3 article) and I can truly understand why Mr. Wozniak finds the trash cans to be such a nuisance.

It actually forces him to hit the brakes on his 55 mph jaunt down our lovely Trash Can Alley. I am surprised though that he even noticed the aesthetically unpleasant barrels since I was under the assumption that your vision becomes blurry at “warp speed.”

I will admit that I sometimes forget to take in my barrel on Tuesday evenings ­ who hasn’t forgotten when they are busy? However if our barrels being on the edge of the road actually serves to slow down those people who think this is their own “personal Autobahn,” then I will gladly leave mine out. After all, I can always replace the barrel if it is run over, but I can certainly never replace my children if they stray into the street!

Thanks, Darrell, for reminding us that trash pickup is on Tuesday ­ and may I give you a neighborly reminder that the speed limit on Juniper Drive is 35 mph, not 55 mph!

Shannon Batal-McCabe
Goffstown

To the Editor:

I cannot stop laughing at the letter to the editor written by Mr. Darrell Wozniak (Aug. 3) titled “Living on Trash Can Alley.” I read The Goffstown News weekly and enjoy reading about “real” issues in town.

But to have an individual complain because trash containers are not taken off the street in a timeframe that is conducive to him is just plain comical. I am glad that he doesn’t worry about the town floods, or our increasing taxes, or the school budget or the kindergarten ... just trash containers!

I guess now that his crusade to stop elderly housing projects in town has fallen through, he’s ready to tackle the next biggest problem in Goffstown; those big ugly green and blue containers ruining his scenic drive up Juniper Drive.

God forbid someone leaves one out a few extra days if they are on vacation, or has to work a 20-hour shift at the firehouse and just can’t get the energy to wheel it down the driveway Tuesday afternoon after a morning pickup. Maybe Mr. Wozniak can become a Good Samaritan and travel house to house each Tuesday night, helping the elderly and the unfortunate wheel their bins in so he doesn’t have to look at them one more day than he feels is necessary. Wouldn’t that be the “neighborly” thing to do?

Maybe Mr. Wozniak can call Curtis Sliwa, president and founder of the Guardian Angels, to see how he can start his own branch of the “Goffstown Alley Cats”; a special green and blue beret trash can militia. They will take the streets back, one bin at a time.

What’s next? Should we be afraid to leave our mail in our mailbox one extra day in fear of reprisal? Also, make sure your morning newspaper is in by 10 am. Remember, “Big Brother” is watching you!!

Mr. Wozniak, get a life. Find something more constructive to do in the town with your spare time.

And thanks for making me laugh.

Rick Looney
Goffstown

To the Editor:

Chairman Griffin and Vice Chairman Hunter, when do you plan on having GTV broadcast the live meetings so that the people at home can actually hear all of the participants in the meeting?

As I watched the meeting this Monday night, there was a consistent loud hum, making it very hard to hear most of the meeting. I could hear some of the people who were addressing the board, but when Carl Quiram spoke he spoke softly and it was very difficult to even get an idea of what was being discussed. This is not the first time there have been problems with the audio. This was supposed to be cleared up when GTV switched to digital. Last week when I tuned in, there was no broadcast of the meeting, which has happened in the past despite being listed on the town’s Web site municipal calendar.

GTV also use to rebroadcast the selectmen’s meetings about four times per week. This does not happen anymore. GTV is community television. It’s supposed to be there to serve the community to keep them informed so we know what is going on in these meetings.

Give Dick at GTV the funds and cooperation he needs to help keep the residents of Goffstown informed.

Also, Chairman Griffin and Vice Chairman Hunter, can you explain to the people of Goffstown why my repeated requests to GTV over the past two years to have a public notice run on GTV 16 and GTV 22 has been consistently ignored? The public message was the same one that I ran in The Goffstown News for a good portion of last year. The message is:

“The American with Disabilities Act” WWW.ADA.GOV “Questions?” Call 800-514-0301.

Chairman Griffin and Vice Chairman Hunter, you are up for re-election in March 2007. You continue to have a lack of concern for the community’s right to know. I urge my fellow Goffstown residents who have had enough of the “good ole” board ways to remember this coming March, “It’s time for a change” “Your vote does count” VOTE OUT selectmen Griffin and Hunter.

Wayne Perreault
Goffstown

To the Editor:

My name is Bob Wheeler and I am writing to introduce myself as a candidate for the state Senate in District 20 that comprises Goffstown and Manchester Wards 3, 4, 10 and 11. I am a taxpayer and small business owner in Goffstown who has over 30 years of dedicated public service in municipal and state government to offer the voters of District 20.

I am running for the state Senate because our representation in Concord has been inconsistent with the priorities of voters in District 20. As a state representative, I have worked hard in the House to help pass a financially responsible, fiscally sound state budget.

Similarly, in Goffstown, I have applied the same fiscal responsibility to keep our municipal budget level funded with no tax increases over the past four years. As citizens in District 20 continue to budget their finances to address the increased costs of living, the state should also embrace this logic as well.

Over the past year, New Hampshire families have been faced with the harsh reality of the rising costs of living. The prices of gas, home heating fuel and electricity affect everyone from families and small business owners, to grocers and the menu at your favorite restaurant.

As a ranking member of the House Finance Committee, I have labored with other elected officials to provide electrical assistance to low-income families at no cost to the ratepayer, business assistance credits for fuel costs, and locating alternative sources of fuel to decrease our dependency. This type of leadership on issues affecting New Hampshire’s families must continue.

During the coming months, I look forward to meeting the voters of District 20 about my campaign and the issues concerning you. It will be my pleasure talking to you about the type of leadership you see in your state Senator.

Bob Wheeler
Goffstown