Editor, The Citizen:

I'm writing about: "Gilford man arrested for growing pot" story published on Feb. 16.

I'm sure that many marijuana growers and sellers are thankful to the Laconia Police Department and the federal Drug Enforcement Administration for this latest marijuana bust and others like it.

Without operations like this, marijuana would be worth what other easy-to-grow weeds are worth — very little.

Thanks to the Drug Enforcement Administration and other so-called "drug warriors," the easy-to-grow weed is worth more than pure gold — and completely tax free.

Any marijuana growers, sellers or traffickers arrested will soon be replaced. They always are.

Kirk Muse

Mesa, Ariz.

Editor, The Citizen:

As if Ms. Glickman's letter to the editor (Feb. 15, "Sled dogs often mistreated") wasn't bad enough, the title chosen by the editor to introduce it to readers was even more unfair and offending.

My hope is that the same amount of readers who read Ms. Glickman's propaganda and its title will read this letter. To preface, I am a third generation short-distance sled dog driver and admittedly do not have any expertise in long-distance racing like the Iditarod. However, I want to make sure that readers do not take Ms. Glickman's out-of-context and out-of-date information and apply it into believing that all sled dogs are "often mistreated" by their owners, as the title so claims.

Ms. Glickman's accusation that sled dog drivers beat their dogs into racing makes about as much sense as having the Sled Dog Action Coalition in Miami, Fla. Sure, there are probably a few bad apples out there who animal rights groups will exploit in order to mislead the public, but it is irrational to believe that these dogs are mistreated. Why would anybody go through the extraordinary dedication, effort, cost, and love it takes to raise and race sled dogs if they did not hold their dogs at the highest level of admiration?

For anyone who has ever seen a sled dog race, including the Lakes Region championship in Laconia this past weekend, it is obvious that these dogs simply love to run. Quite opposite to the unfounded claim that Ms. Glickman chose to quote in her letter, dogs do not have "the hell beaten out of them" in order to get them to run. In fact, these dogs want to run so badly that at most races it is not unusual to see a handful of grown men, snow hooks, and a four wheeler struggling to constrain the dogs from running at the starting line.

So to those of you who read Ms. Glickman's letter on Monday and have already made judgments, please know that an overwhelming majority of the sled dog racing community is animal lovers. If you still think that we "are all lying," as quoted in the letter, I cordially invite you to next year's World Championship race in Laconia; you can see for yourself the sheer excitement and love for this sport by the dogs and drivers alike.

Julie Bryar

Moultonboro

Editor, The Citizen:

I recently read about Mrs. Lynch taking on the subject of school lunches and obesity in our schools. What she needs to look at is the lack of exercise in our schools.

Here's an example of what a student may face each day.

6:30 a.m. — board bus, sit down, be quiet.

7:45 a.m. — school starts, sit down, be quiet.

2:30 p.m. — board bus, sit down, be quiet. Then sometimes 2-3 hours of homework, after that, dinner, etc. Where's the play time?

Our students only have 6 straight weeks of gym and then nothing for the rest of the year. They may "earn" occasional recreation time at times throughout the year, but that is all.

When I was in school we had recess up to seventh grade, and then gym four times a week until 10th grade. Then we had gym one quarter of the year until graduation. Homework was rare. We turned out fine. What we need to do is cut back (or eliminate) homework and let the teachers do the teaching. I think you will see a better focused student if they are healthy and fit.

When we become adults, most of us try to jump on the exercise bandwagon and try to get fit so we live longer. Why not start them early?

Our family likes to bike, walk, hike, etc., but it all has to be crammed into 2 days! (when my child doesn't have weekend homework) What good does all the education do if they are having all kinds of health problems before they are 30?!

Justice Fabrizzi

Franklin

Editor, The Citizen:

My comments are directed to Thornton residents who were not able to attend the Jan. 13 public hearing on the two petition articles encouraging protection of water quality in the Pemi and Mad rivers. I am a riparian landowner on the Pemi and a member of the Pemigewasset River Local Advisory Committee (PRLAC). My concern centers on the quality and quantity of water in the Pemi and its associated aquifers given the accelerated development that has taken place, and will continue to take place over the next 10-15 years. Those of you who are on community wells or individual wells in corridor aquifers should take note. Some key issues:

River corridor development significantly expands impervious surfaces — roads, parking lots, buildings, driveways, lawns, golf courses, etc. Runoff from these surfaces brings oil, fertilizer, herbicides, pesticides, salt, other chemicals into the river. It is estimated that 40-50 percent of all toxins that pollute our rivers enter via surface runoff.

What goes into the river almost inevitably finds its way into the adjacent aquifers, even if the aquifer is a considerable distance away. Thornton is blessed with major aquifers — very likely the most precious resource in the community. The anticipated growth in the river corridor over the next 10-15 years will place heavy demands on water resources. Thornton community leaders must assess the longer term implications of this and take steps now to mitigate the negative impact.

What’s being proposed is pretty simple — a 100 foot forested, vegetated buffer along the edge of the river. A buffer is the most efficient, effective water treatment vehicle yet devised. It traps and filters runoff, and recharges ground water storage. Some limits on impervious surfaces in this sensitive area are also requested.

Virtually all the rivers in the state are playing by these proposed article rules today, in fact tougher rules than that are proposed for Thornton. Bristol and Holderness have these rules in place. Bridgewater will vote on theirs in March. Plymouth and New Hampton are considering changes. Three years ago, PRLAC considered two options for enhancing water quality protection on the Pemi. First, we could go to the state and lobby for inclusion in the Comprehensive Shoreland Protection Act (CSPA) like all other rivers in the state, or, we could take our concerns to each town in the Pemi Corridor and convince them of the need to take action. We chose the more difficult town by town local control route which we felt would be better long term. My riverfront property can be adversely affected by many things. Nothing could be worse than a well infected by river water contamination or a river full of weeds fueled by excess nutrients reaching the river by surface runoff. The river is a public trust, it belongs to all of us. Those who own property on the river have a special responsibility to do a few logical things to keep bad stuff from reaching what ultimately is our water supply.

Please support the proposed Thornton articles on Pemi water quality protection.

Max Stamp

Bristol

Editor, The Citizen:

Alert to Lakes Region Restaurants & Patrons! I am systemically allergic to latex, an allergy which I acquired while working in the health care field and wearing latex gloves. Latex sensitivity and allergy symptoms range from skin irritation to hives & wheezing to anaphylactic shock and death. In my case I started with skin issues, then hives, and I later had a blood test which revealed that I am highly reactive to latex. As a registered nurse and health-care consumer myself, I applaud LRGH as they have moved from high-protein, powdered latex gloves to a low-protein, non-powdered alternative (to lessen the exposure level to those not yet allergic) and non-latex nitrile gloves for those who are or may be already allergic. I hope that in the near future they and other health-care providers will go completely non-latex with all of their gloves, catheters and other products for the safety of everyone.

What alarms me greatly is the apparent lack of knowledge on the part of many Lakes Region restaurants as to the dangers of latex allergy.

In using latex gloves in food preparation (especially powdered latex gloves, as latex particles adhere to the powder and become airborne causing a potential respiratory irritant and food contaminant) they are exposing unwitting patrons to the ingestion of latex proteins.

It is the proteins in latex which trigger the allergy. (Coincidentally, those allergic to latex are then prone to develop cross-reactivity to foods such as bananas, kiwi, avocado and pitted fruits, as their proteins are very similar to latex proteins.) Many of the cheaper gloves out there are both powdered and high-protein which makes them doubly dangerous for anyone who is sensitized. (It is for that same reason that LRGH bans latex balloons because they are often high-protein and powdered. Mylar balloons are a safer accepted alternative.)

To reduce the risk of allergic response to both patrons and restaurant employees as well, I appeal to restaurant owners to make the changeover to non-latex nitrile or vinyl gloves. Latex allergic patrons (as well as those who are as yet unaware of their sensitivity or allergy status) can then enjoy your restaurant safely. Your employees will also reduce their risk of developing this allergy which develops with repeated exposure.

Anyone interested in further information regarding latex allergy should know that there is a blood test available which can determine whether your are sensitive to latex vs. systemically allergic, and much more information can be found on many latex-allergy-related Web sites.

Emily M. Bryant

Gilford

Editor, The Citizen:

Why is it always a "poor place" for a snowmobile and not a "poor place" for the erection of a huge building National Forest Land by a non-profit organization such as the Appalachian Mountain Club. How does a non-profit group, as this, manage to plant a building on National Forest land right in the middle of what used to be a spot of natural beauty where all could enjoy the scenery of Crawford Notch.

How much do the complaining members of this group add to the economy of the state of New Hampshire? Our state knows how much snowmobiling brings to the economy from purchasing a machine to keeping the North Country Business all winter.

Why can't all people, as owners of the White Mountain National Forest, join together to help each other enjoy their winter sports on multi-use in the White Mountain National Forest trails.

One of the objections we hear and see in print is the use of state funds to build snowmobile trails. All money used for the construction of snowmobile trails by the State Bureau of Trails comes from snowmobile registrations. All registration money is distributed to the Fish & Game (safety and law enforcement), State Bureau of Trails (construction and maintenance of trails), and local clubs (grant-in-aid matching fund for maintenance of trails).

Yes, we travel through the state on our machines, but we pay our way.

Remember the first things we learned as children: Smile and share.

Betzy and Jim Graham

Center Harbor

Gerry and Chuck Caldwell

Center Harbor

Editor, The Citizen:

We are writing in support of Jack McDevitt’s candidacy for fire engineer in the town of Gilford.

We admit that we have not known Jack for very long. In fact, we only met recently at a Gilford Rotary meeting. Jack brings to the job of fire engineer a long and varied list of credentials both in public service and business. He is the current interim Gilford fire engineer and has been an active volunteer firefighter for 40 years. He was the chief fire officer for the town of Hopkinton before moving to Gilford. He has also been the chief executive officer of McDevitt Trucks for over 20 years.

In addition to these stellar qualifications, we are supporting Jack for one very important reason — his approach to the provision of fire services. As he explained to the members of Gilford Rotary, his current focus is to effect a continued quality level of fire service and cost savings through the efficiencies of regionalization of service.

We have come to the conclusion that municipalities can no longer continue to provide the variety of needed services — fire, police, library, education, etc. —on a "stand-alone" basis. Every town and city in New Hampshire is now confronted with a deep dichotomy of opinion between those who want to maintain or improve municipal services and those who seek to reduce this effort in the name of property tax savings. The one approach that may bring both sides into agreement seems to be providing such services on a regional basis.

The key question to be asked and answered is whether every town and city needs to have its own __________. You fill in the blank. In Jack McDevitt’s case, it the provision of firefighting services. Jack espouses an approach that would bring Gilford and its surrounding towns and the city of Laconia to the table to study how a quality level of firefighting service could be provided on a shared basis. This approach allows for the continuation of fire services while producing efficiencies of scale and a reasonable tax burden for the local taxpayer. It’s an approach that, in my opinion, needs to applied to all local services.

Jack McDevitt’s support of a regional approach marks an experienced public servant that appreciates both the need for quality fire services with a businessman’s focus on efficiency and low cost. He should appeal to both the "tax payer" advocates and "government" supporters in Gilford. We’re voting for Jack McDevitt.

Bill and Erika Johnson