Category: Kim Forrest
National, Local Peace Events Planned for Wartime
By Kim Forrest
WASHINGTON–Win Without War, a coalition led by former Rep. Tom Andrews (D-Maine), announced Wednesday its plans for national peace actions protesting military action against Iraq. Local groups have been planning various measures as well.
The national group said vigils, letter-writing campaigns, and petitions were planned, while locally, peace vigils and rallies are also in the works.
At a press conference here, Andrews mentioned three actions. A candlelight vigil has been scheduled for locations around the country at 7:00 PM on the first night of military action. The vigil would be similar to ones held Sunday in 6,800 locations in 140 countries.
“We will stand as a united people – across the nation and across the world – to affirm our opposition to this needless invasion and occupation,” Andrews said.
Andrews, along with representatives from various other supporting groups, discussed the group’s support and concern for servicemen and women. They planned to participate in “Operation Dear Abby,” which facilitates the sending of supportive e-mails and letters from civilians to soldiers.
In addition, a “Citizen’s Declaration” will be available on Friday, and Andrews encouraged people in both the United States and worldwide to sign it.
This declaration, he said, “will affirm our commitment to address international conflicts through the rule of law and the United Nations and that would pledge our commitment to ending the Bush administration’s first-strike doctrine.”
“We are committed to building this extraordinary global citizen’s movement that has quickly become a new force for peace.”
In New Hampshire, vigils are planned for this weekend, but some of them will also be held the evening military action begins. Keene’s vigil is set for 5 PM the day military action begins. Vigils are set to continue every Saturday in Keene’s Central Square and in Peterborough at the Town House as well. A vigil in Nashua is also in the works.
A rally and march in Manchester for all Granite Staters is set for Saturday at noon.
Jenn Monroe, a spokeswoman for the Keene vigils, said the Saturday vigils in Keene have been going on for almost two years.
“There is a strong movement here in Keene, and people come from surrounding areas too to stand with us,” she said.
Calling New Hampshire a generally “conservative” state, she said that it is comforting for people with differing views to know that there are others who agree with them.
“I hope that people feel that they are not alone, that the vigil is a safe place where they can express their views…, some sort of feeling of unity even in the face of feeling hopeless,” she said.
Patrick Carkin, co-director of New Hampshire Peace Action, noted that turnout for these vigils and protests has increased in the past months. In the first week of October, he said, one to two-dozen participants attended, but more recent protests have seen upwards of 200-400 people. The Feb. 15 protest, the largest in the state, had about 1,000 participants, he said.
Tripp Mikich, a Peterborough vigil participant, said he hopes that people will continue to demonstrate their opposition to war and work toward “real democracy.”
“We would ask people to continue their presence of opposition to war,” he said. “It’s a statement about working to create a world in which war is not an option.”
Mikich added that while he was discouraged by the current administration, he felt heartened that so many people throughout the world spoke out against the war.
“If there’s any silver lining to the clouds that hang over us, it’s that there’s been an international movement that’s really greatly desiring a world of peace, where war is not an option,” he said.
Published in The Keene Sentinel, in New Hampshire.
New Child Abduction Alert System in Works for NH, Congress Proposes National AMBER Alert
By Kim Forrest
WASHINGTON--A week after 15-year-old Elizabeth Smart was found safe and returned to her family in Utah, lawmakers in Washington are working on passing a nationwide AMBER alert. While New Hampshire has no AMBER plan of its own, state officials are preparing a system to facilitate broadcasting vital information when a New Hampshire child goes missing.
On Capitol Hill, Rep. Charles Bass (R-2) announced his support of a bill that would create a national standardized AMBER alert (AMBER stands for America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response). The House is expected to consider the bill this week, and Bass called for its quick passage.
A nationwide AMBER alert system "will make it far more difficult for predators to get away with children," Bass said. "Because of the nature of the alert system, the word will go out very fast. All over the country, people will be on the lookout much more quickly."
Named for 9-year-old Amber Hagerman, who was abducted from her Texas neighborhood and later found murdered, the AMBER alert would provide information to broadcast media about a child's abduction and they would be expected to interrupt their programming to report the information. Some states also use electronic highway billboards to get the word out. The AMBER alert system has been credited with the recovery of 51 children nationwide.
So far, 39 states have a statewide AMBER plan in effect, and while New Hampshire is not one of them, Granite State officials are attempting to come up with their own plan.
Bass, the father of two young children, said statistics show that the chances of finding abducted children dramatically decrease with time, so an AMBER alert that brings people information quickly is extremely helpful.
If the national AMBER alert bill passes, it would certainly benefit the Granite State, Bass said. He explained that because of New Hampshire's small size, it would be easy for abductors to leave the state quickly.
With a nationwide AMBER alert, Bass said, "we would be assured of a seamless communication between small New England states."
According to Jim Van Dongen, public information officer for the New Hampshire Department of Safety's Emergency Management Office, the state currently has an "ad hoc" system in place, meaning that if a child goes missing, the police would generally call a news conference to publicize information. But there is no standardized method of getting information out to the public.
Sgt. Kelly McClare, assistant unit commander for the New Hampshire state police major crimes unit, said he hopes that a new program, the New Hampshire Child Abduction Alert System, which he described as "basically an AMBER alert system," will be put into place within the next month and a half. He said that work on this plan has been going on for years but that with the increased and more publicized abductions around the country, "we really started to put our heart and soul into this." He added that the New Hampshire system would work with systems in other states.
A meeting of state officials and broadcasters is scheduled for Friday to solidify plans for the new procedure.
Van Dongen said that the plan is being developed with broadcasters and law enforcement officials. It would use the Emergency Alert System (EAS) to broadcast announcements and details of a missing child in the same way that notices are given of severe weather warnings.
He said that certain criteria would have to be met if such an alert is to go out. "First, this has to be for a child 17 and younger in a life-threatening situation," he said. "There also has to be some information that can be passed on to the public, such as a description or a license number."
He also said that providing information to radio stations is the "most important part" of the plan, in that "reaching people in their cars in really the top priority." Drivers could spot an abductor on the move, and use a cell phone to call police, he said.
McClare said that information would also be sent to television stations, which could scroll the information on the bottom of screens, as they do with severe weather messages.
This plan would have "really no cost to the state of New Hampshire," Van Dongen added, saying that the only real costs would be for media software upgrades, and the New Hampshire Association of Broadcasters has picked up the tab for such changes.
Ed Brouder, Chairman of the State Emergency Communications Committee, explained that the Federal Communications Commission has created a three-letter Child Abduction Emergency code, which would be sent, with other information, to radio broadcasters around the state in the event of a kidnapping.
Brouder said that the effort to upgrade the software for the 90 or so New Hampshire radio stations' started in September and is almost finished. He added that the upgrade will help standardize the broadcasting of information so that all areas of New Hampshire can have equal access to details.
"Whether it's state police or a tiny little town, they all need to be on the same page," Brouder said.
According to McClare, it will be very important to avoid false alarms and overuse of the system.
"We have to make sure that we don't overuse or issue a false alert," he said. "It's like the weather alerts; since they go on quite a bit, people change the channel or turn it down. We don't want that to happen with an AMBER alert."
Published in The Keene Sentinel, in New Hampshire.
Additional LIHEAP Funds to Bring More Warmth to a Frigid Winter
By Kim Forrest
WASHINGTON--With local temperatures averaging below the freezing mark for most of this winter, the bitter cold is often tempered by the comfort of a heated home. However, for those who cannot afford heating, the chilly climate does not end when they enter their homes.
This week's $150 million increase in funds for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) aims to change that.
New Hampshire will receive $631,895 of that emergency money. It will receive almost $3 million in emergency money, of about $200 million nationally, that was made available in January. In total, New Hampshire has received over $15.5 million in LIHEAP grants in fiscal year 2003 including standard LIHEAP funds and emergency grants. This brings the national total to $1.76 billion this year.
According to Celeste Lovett, New Hampshire state energy assistance director, Cheshire and Sullivan Counties combined received $330,000 from New Hampshire's January $3 million emergency gain. She said she learned of this week's release of funds from a press call but added that she has not heard about it officially or received any new money.
Rep. Charles Bass, R-2nd, has been a major supporter of increased LIHEAP money, writing numerous letters to congressional appropriators and the Bush administration on the subject. He said that he was "thrilled" about news of the added funds.
"Fuel prices haven't ever been higher in modern times…. That, combined with an extremely bitter cold winter in the Northeast, I've never seen such cold temperatures so late," Bass said. "Hopefully, [the added funds] will get us through…. I think that there is a clear understanding on the part of the administration that this issue requires immediate attention."
According to the Web site of New Hampshire Governor's Office of Energy and Community Services', there has been a marked increase in the price of home heating in the past year. The cost is currently $1.798 per gallon, while a year ago it was $1.153.
Darlene Ayotte, energy services director of Southwestern Community Services said that 2, 718 Cheshire and Sullivan County residents have received heating assistance since Oct. 1. She said that there is no real trend among the applicants, though many have been recently unemployed.
"It's everybody," she said. "We've been seeing a lot of people who were recently laid off who have not applied for assistance before."
To be eligible for fuel assistance, a family must meet certain requirements, including a maximum total household income for a family of four of $33,485.
Published in The Keene Sentinel, in New Hampshire.
Study Shows Graduated Drivers Licensing Means Fewer Accidents for Teens
By Kim Forrest
WASHINGTON--Teenagers who live in states like New Hampshire that force them to go through steps before getting full driving privileges get into fewer accidents, according to a group of studies released recently by the National Safety Council.
At least 38 states, including New Hampshire, have graduated driver licensing, or GDL, and although teens still have the highest rate of collisions, states with GDL have lower teen accident rates. Drivers 16 and 17 years old in New Hampshire must have youth operator s' licenses before they can get full-privilege licenses. According to one of the studies, New Hampshire has had a GDL program in place since January 1998.
New Hampshire recently fine-tuned some of its driver-education legislation and tightened some policies, giving young drivers some more hurdles to pass before they can gain full driving privileges.
Allan Williams, chief scientist with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, called GDL "a way of phasing young people into full privileges" and said it is important for teens because "driving is not something you learn overnight…. It can have lethal consequences."
"GDL has been successful, sometimes dramatically successful," Bill Combs, GDL policy analyst for the National Safety Council, said. "No studies say that it's not successful or counterproductive, and where it has been instituted, crash rates have gone down. It's a compellingly simple idea."
Teen drivers account for the highest rates of fatal collisions. For 16-year-olds, , there were 71 fatal crashes per 100,000 licensed drivers in 2000. For 18-year-olds, the figure was 63 per 100,000. One in five 16-year-old drivers get into a car accident in their first year of driving, especially during their first month.
While the studies did not specifically examine New Hampshire's driving patterns, the results in other states showed clearly that GDL does lessen accidents.
Pennsylvania's GDL program, for example, was implemented in 1999 and recorded a 27 percent drop in crashes among 16-year-olds and a 58 percent drop in traffic fatalities in the same age group from 1999 to 2000.
New Hampshire's law for young drivers changed in January, extending the time that newly licensed young drivers are prohibited from having more than one passenger younger than 25 years old in the car from 90 days to six months, with exceptions for members of the driver's family or if someone 25 or older is in the vehicle.
The new law allows youth licenses to move up to full-privilege licenses after 13 months of violation-free driving. However, if the teen driver is convicted of any driving offense, the waiting period for a full license is extended until a year after the day of the conviction. Before, a young driver would have a restrictive license for five years, without any extensions for violations.
Teen drivers in New Hampshire are required to have 10 hours of driving time with a driving instructor, six hours of observing another teen driver with an instructor, 20 hours of driving time with a parent or guardian and 30 hours of driver's education classroom time, Terry Tibbetts, education consultant for driver education for the New Hampshire Department of Education, said.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave New Hampshire an "acceptable" rating for their licensing system, the second-highest of four rankings.
The institute's Williams said New Hampshire's licensing system was "not the strongest," partially because the state prohibits youth licensees from driving only from 1 A.M. to 5 A.M. even though many teen accidents begin earlier in the night.
According to the National Safety Council study, one-third of teen fatal crashes occur between 9 P.M. and 6 A.M., even though only 15 percent of teens' total mileage is driven during that time. The Insurance Institute said that the "optimal" time for a driving prohibition is 9 or 10 P.M. to 5 A.M.
Robert Rodrigue, an instructor at the Cheshire Driving School in Keene, said that he feels graduated driver licensing is good for the safety of his students. He said that New Hampshire has little by little put into place many of the laws necessary for a good GDL system.
"I think there's a ton of credibility behind [the studies]," he said. "If you look at [New Hampshire's] collection of laws, we pretty much have all the pieces."
Tibbetts said that while laws are important, there are certain things students must learn before being able to drive safely, including communicating with parents and not succumbing to peer pressure while in the car.
"I would like to see young people take responsibility and realize that driving is a lifelong learning process," he said.
Published in The Keene Sentinel, in New Hampshire.
Virtual Marchers Tie up Phone Lines with Protest
By Kim Forrest
WASHINGTON--Eager protestors from all over called, faxed and e-mailed anti-war sentiments to Senate offices and the White House Wednesday during an all-day "Virtual March."
New Hampshire residents were no exception.
The offices of Sens. Judd Gregg (R-NH) and John Sununu (R-NH) both received much greater volumes of communication from their constituents than normal. So much so that phone calls to both of their offices later Wednesday afternoon were met with the message: "All circuits are busy now. Will you please try again later…? "
Jeff Turcotte, press secretary for Gregg, said that while specific numbers were not available, the phone lines were "extremely busy" throughout the day. He said that normal phone traffic is around a call every five minutes, or about 10-12 an hour. On Wednesday, however, the calls were coming without interruption.
Sununu's communications director, Barbara Riley, said late Wednesday afternoon that the Washington office received over 350 calls regarding the war in Iraq, while the New Hampshire office received 23. Though subject matter was not yet tallied, the Washington office received about 700 e-mails.
The March, organized by the groups Win Without War and MoveOn.org, did not include the offices of House members, and so the offices of New Hampshire's two House members were not greatly affected.
Sally Tibbetts, press secretary for Rep. Charles Bass (R-2), said the office received 30 calls and e-mails Wednesday about war with Iraq, while the office of Rep. Jeb Bradley (R-1) received "the normal volume, with a few more calls regarding Iraq," press secretary T.J. Crawford said.
Those who registered for the virtual march on Moveon.org posted their messages by state.
"This war will only magnify anti-American terrorism," a Keene resident wrote. "War is not the path to democracy or friendship. We need continued diplomacy!"
"Two bullies don't make a right!" a New Ipswich resident posted. "Bush, take the lead and find the peaceful way."
Peter Schurman, executive director of MoveOn.org, said that as of midnight Tuesday 140,000 people had registered for times to call. He said that that would equal about 420,000 calls from registered participants and 80,000 faxes.
Schurman spoke positively about the day's events. "From what we're hearing, senators are hearing loud and clear from constituents about their opposition to war."
While many protestors were able to get through to Senate offices, at least two New Hampshire residents were met with constant busy signals.
Melissa Gosselin, a 35-year-old Nashua resident, tried to call Gregg's and Sununu's offices and the White House, but was met with busy signals. The message that she had prepared spoke loud and clear of her feelings toward war.
"I was going to say war means broken bones, blindness, loss of limbs, death of brothers and sisters…. The United States is not above international law," she said.
Noel Cassidy, a 55-year-old Walpole resident, also tried calling Gregg's and Sununu's offices, but could not get through. He said he felt a bit pessimistic about the protest's effectiveness, adding that he wasn't sure about the administration's willingness to listen to constituents.
Still, Turcotte said, the enthusiasm with which people called represents the true nature of the Granite State.
"That's what great about New Hampshire," Turcotte said. "People are not afraid to share their opinion."
Published in The Keene Sentinel, in New Hampshire.
Protest Potential War…But Don’t Leave Your Living Room
By Kim Forrest
WASHINGTON--For those who want to rally against the impending war on Iraq but are too busy (or lazy) to leave their homes or offices, the organization Win Without War has created the perfect protest.
Call it a protest for couch potatoes.
The "Virtual March," as its sponsors call it, asked participants to phone or send e-mail and fax messages opposing a war to the White House and their senators' offices from 9 AM to 5 PM Wednesday. The goal was to produce a steady flow of messages every minute of the workday.
"Political leaders need to know we are serious, we are organized and we are growing in strength," former Maine Congressman Tom Andrews, national director of Win Without War, said in a statement. "On Feb. 26, we will let our fingers do the marching and demand that our voices be heard."
According to Peter Schurman, executive director of Moveon.org, which monitors the online component of the protest, about 120,000 people have signed up to participate in the protest. Protesters could sign up for specific times to call the offices at the Moveon.org website and could receive tips on what to tell their senators as well. Interested people could still get involved Wednesday by logging on.
Schurman said that the main message of the campaign was to "let the inspections work."
"It's a simple fact that letting the inspections work is the best way to keep Americans safe," he said. "It's the best way to ensure that Saddam Hussein is disarmed."
He added that Win Without War was sending gift baskets to the Senate offices to show thanks for senators' efforts to maintain democracy.
Sean Donahue, co-director of New Hampshire Peace Action, said he has been informing members of the group about the march and hopes that New Hampshire residents will take part.
"I think at this point our lawmakers need to hear from as many people as possible about strong resistance to war in New Hampshire," he said. "Our senators and representatives have a responsibility to listen to the will of the people, and they should take their responsibility seriously."
Kurt Konietzko, a Keene retiree, said that he would probably be phoning in today. Calling a war with Iraq "immoral" and "unethical," he said that it was important for local residents to get involved.
"If you don't [take action], [the government] will think you agree with them. We need to stand up and say no," he said. "We need to be heard."
One of the organizations in the Win Without War coalition, the National Organization of Women (NOW), also was encouraging members to get involved with the Virtual March, said Kris Moody, NOW's northeast regional director and former New Hampshire NOW president. She called the protest a good opportunity for those who wanted to be a part of protests in bigger cities but were not able to.
"This Virtual March provides an opportunity to be part of a large-scale action, to join together with many people to send a coordinated message of peace," she said.
Moody said that New Hampshire members of NOW have received e-mail alerts on the Virtual March and that she herself would be calling New Hampshire Republican Sens. Judd Gregg and John Sununu as well as Rep. Jeb Bradley (R-N.H.).
Hollywood celebrities were also getting into the act through Artists United to Win Without War, a branch of Win Without War.
Kate McArdle, executive director of the group, said that about 140 actors and actresses as well as a few former members of the military were members of Artists United and that most of them would be participating in the protest.
She named actors Tony Shalhoub, Mike Farrell, Tyne Daly, and James Cromwell as some of the celebrities who phoned people Tuesday to remind them to call in Wednesday.
"To be really honest, I don't know if we can prevent a war from happening," McArdle said. "But the more people in Washington who feel that people are [against war], the better."
The offices of the Senate delegation from New Hampshire said that they were prepared to handle tomorrow's deluge of communication.
Gregg said in a statement that he encourages New Hampshire residents to call his office on issues important to them and that Wednesday would be no exception. "My office is prepared for the possibility of a high volume of calls, e-mails and faxes, and I value the opinion of every Granite Stater who expresses their point of view regarding the possibility of armed conflict in Iraq and all other issues."
Barbara Riley, communications director for Sununu, said that the office was prepared for the large amounts of calls, faxes and e-mails. "On this issue and others, Senator Sununu strongly encourages New Hampshire residents to let him know their questions, concerns and comments. This input is forwarded directly to him," she said.
Schurman said he is optimistic that the Virtual March will be successful and that politicians will hear the message loud and clear.
"We're very confident that every senator is going to hear from their constituents constantly throughout the day," he said, "and we're hopeful that that will give the senators the courage to stand up and properly assert that war making authority belongs to Congress and Congress alone."
Published in The Keene Sentinel, in New Hampshire.
NH One of the Worst for Food Stamps but Showing Improvement, Study Shows
By Kim Forrest
WASHINGTON--Although New Hampshire has ranked among the lowest of the states in providing food stamps to those in need, it has shown improvement in recent years, a new study released Thursday by the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) revealed.
Against a backdrop of this weekend's winter meeting of the National Governors Association, the start of work on the FY 2004 fiscal budget and the reauthorization of federal child nutrition programs this year, FRAC released state-by-state statistics on federal nutrition programs.
"This report creates a framework for the anti-hunger debate around the country," said FRAC president Jim Weill, at a news conference here.
Weill noted that President Bush's proposed 2004 budget does not include new funds for the already troubled child nutrition programs.
"The president's [proposed] budget has not a single penny for new money for any of the child nutrition programs," he said. "We think that's unacceptable."
According to the report, an estimated 39- 53 percent of those in New Hampshire who qualified for food stamps in 2000, actually received the assistance. The report did not provide comparable figures for 2001 or 2002.
Terry Smith, food stamp program manager for the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, said the state has seen much improvement in more recent years. The study showed a 13 percent increase in participation from 2000.
Still, Smith said, the department is working on outreach programs for the people who need the most assistance. This includes distributing information in places frequented by the working poor and the homeless, providing quality customer service and removing what he called "unintentional barriers to participation."
"We're working on it," he said. "We're working hard."
Weill noted that one of the major nutrition problems in the United States is food insecurity. Food insecurity, while not as severe as hunger, means that families have "just enough resources to buy adequate food," Weill said. However, this often means that the nutritional value of their food is insufficient. He relayed the story of an Ohio mother who had to add water to her baby's milk to increase the supply, despite the lessened nutritional value.
"No mother should have to cut her milk with water in order to feed her baby's stomach," Weill said.
As of the latest survey, in 2002, by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 33 million Americans are living with either food insecurity or hunger, up from 31 million the year before.
In New Hampshire, the study shows that in 1999, 2000 and 2001, an average of 6.5 percent of all households were food insecure, while 1.9 percent were living in hunger.
The report also revealed statistics about school breakfast and summer nutrition lunch programs. New Hampshire ranked 37th in the nation in providing students with free or reduced-price breakfasts and 38th in offering students free or reduced-price summer nutrition lunches.
In the 370 New Hampshire schools that participate in the school breakfast program (73 percent of schools in the state that have a lunch program), for every 100 students who receive free or reduced-price lunches, 35.9 receive free or reduced-price breakfasts, meaning that 10,136 students receive such discounted breakfasts. This compares with to the national ratio's average of 42.9 students.
Weill said that breakfast should be much more commonplace in schools. "It makes more and more sense to serve breakfast to all kids," he said, adding that students who have school-sponsored breakfasts improve in terms of academics, behavior and health. "The breakfast program ought to look at lot more like [the] lunch [program]," he said.
Looking toward the future, FRAC's study offered two suggestions: to increase federal funds for nutrition programs, and to improve use of those funds by state and local governments. Weill said he hoped that as Congress reauthorizes these programs this year, many of their needs will be met.
FRAC and other groups dealing with hunger sent a letter last November to members of various House and Senate committees in a plea to reform child nutrition programs and to reserve about $1 billion annually for such programs.
"Congress has an opportunity to address the unmet need this year," Weill said. "Improving access, reducing red tap, and improving the quality of nutrition all must be high priorities during the reauthorization of the child nutrition programs."
Published in The Keene Sentinel, in New Hampshire.
House Passes Bass’ Fraud Prevention Act
By Kim Forrest
WASHINGTON--The American Spirit Fraud Prevention Act, a bill introduced by Rep. Charles Bass (R-NH), has passed the House, 422-1. The legislation, intended to thwart scams and fraudulent activity during national emergencies, would double fines that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) could impose on scam artists.
This bill, approved Feb. 12, would amend the Federal Trade Commission Act to state that any party found guilty of exploiting consumers during a presidentially declared national emergency could be fined up to $22,000 per violation.
"Federal officials already have some powers to prosecute those engaged in fraud and deceptive practices, but we must make it clear that we will severely punish those who aim to take advantage of Americans during an emergency," Bass said in a statement.
Tad Furtado, the congressman's legislative assistant, said that these elevated penalties would be in effect for both simple and more elaborate schemes, which include parties setting up websites and phone banks to con people out of money. Scams that take place during national emergencies, Furtado said, "that are really trying to get people when they have their guard down the most…, the penalties ought to be more severe."
Furtado said that part of the inspiration for creating such a bill came from a New Hampshire-related incident that occurred a few days after Sept. 11, 2001. A telemarketer purporting to be from the "New Hampshire Firefighters Dependent Association" was calling people and asking for donations. One of those called suspected the charity was dubious and referred his suspicions to the New Hampshire Department of Justice's division of charitable trusts. It was found that the group, while it did exist, was not based out of New Hampshire and was not a non-profit organization.
Terry Knowles, registrar at the division of charitable trusts, said that Bass' bill is certainly a good idea for citizens. "We notice when there's any sort of disaster, not just terrorism, there are people out there raising money for victims," she said. "But they are not always honest. Anything that prevents [fraudulent activity] would be a good idea."
Even now, Knowles said, with the Columbia space shuttle disaster still fresh in many minds, scam artists may be attempting to exploit those who are simply trying to help the victims' families.
She offered some tips for those who receive over-the-phone solicitations for donations that seem suspicious. "First of all, people should never, ever give their credit card numbers or bank information over the phone to anyone," she said. "Secondly, request something in writing from the caller. All legitimate organizations will explain their program and where the money goes in writing."
Knowles added that people can always call their state's attorney general's office to find out if an organization is authentic.
An earlier version of Bass' bill, introduced after the Sept. 11 attacks, passed the House in the last Congress but did not see Senate action. The new bill, after passing the House, was referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation.
"By enhancing civil penalties against those who would exploit the circumstances of an emergency or disaster, this bill would help ensure that individuals who are interested in selling products or raising money for charities do so in an honest fashion," Bass said.
Published in The Keene Sentinel, in New Hampshire.
New Hampshire Interns Hit the Beltway Scene
By Kim Forrest
WASHINGTON – In the years following the Monica Lewinsky affair and the Chandra Levy disappearance, interns in Washington have become associated with scandal and salacious gossip. However, according to some young D.C. interns from the New Hampshire area, these stereotypes are certainly not what interning in the nation’s capital is all about.
An estimated 20,000 interns a year, generally unpaid, spend their days hobnobbing with the most powerful and well-known in politics today, and are not always the coffee-toting, copy-making, mail-opening, phone-answering laborers that many make them out to be. No matter what may happen in Washington, through scandal, terror alert, or sniper attack, interns remain a vital part of how our nation’s capital runs.
“Since that whole mess with Monica Lewinsky, I am sure that the word “intern” has very different implications in many people’s minds,” says 26-year-old Keene State College student Stacia Howell, who is currently interning at NationalGeographic.com. “As far as my experience here…I have found that interns are looked highly upon, more so than I had anticipated.” She added that when she first told people that she was interning in Washington., “Monica” jokes would automatically follow.
Brad Fitch, deputy director of the Congressional Management Foundation, which publishes the Congressional Intern Handbook, said that since the Bob Packwood scandal of the 1990s—during which the longtime Oregon Republican senator resigned over charges of sexual harassment-employers have been “much more sensitive to female interns.” He added, “There’s a whole new awareness regarding sexual harassment and safety issues,” saying that in the newer addition of the handbook, a section on sexual harassment and safety was added.
Craig P. Donovan, author of Internships for Dummies, called the Lewinsky and Levy scandals an “aberration.” He said that such events called attention to problems of supervision that some interns have, noting that sometimes “organizations don’t take time to properly develop their internship programs” and that interns are left with “misuse of time and energy.”
Although some students may have had concerns about having such undeveloped internship programs, most fears were assuaged once they started work. Howell, who had never been to Washington prior to her internship, noted that she had concerns about being “[a] gofer…at the bottom of the totem pole,” but has found that she has “actual work responsibilities, and [interns] are respected and treated like any other employee.”
Kerrianne McWalters, 21, a Dickinson College senior from Deering, NH, interned at the Software and Information Industry Association last spring, and also found she was given her share of responsibility. “I worked directly under the litigation coordinator to process piracy claims in preparation for litigation,” she said, listing her many responsibilities, such as investigating piracy reports and preparing cases.
According to Peter Stephens, managing director of The Washington Center, which he says is the nation’s largest center for young professional training programs, Washington internships are not just for students with political aspirations but “are open to students across academic spectrums,” ranging from law to the environment to engineering. “What [interns] really get to do is ‘try on’ the career that they’re aiming for,” he said. “If they’re pre-law, [they can]… see what goes on day to day being a lawyer.”
While interns are typically college students, high school students also can get into the act by applying for the competitive Congressional Page Program during their junior year. Westmoreland native Jeff Mitchell, an 18-year-old senior at Keene High School, spent the last school year as a page in the House of Representatives. He worked in the Republican cloakroom, and explained that he had to know what was happening on the House floor at all times, meeting some well-known politicians in the process.
“I had to know every congressman by face,” he said. “I met the prime minister of Australia, Tony Blair, Hillary Clinton, Bob Dole, John McCain, Donald Rumsfeld.”
Mitchell’s ninth day of work happened to be Sept. 11, 2001. He said there was “mayhem” when the Capitol had to be evacuated. But he added that the anthrax scare was even worse because part of his duties required handling the mail.
Despite the many tragic events, Mitchell never wavered in his intent to stay in Washington. “I was never scared about staying,” he said. “My parents asked me if I wanted to come home, some of my friends wondered why I didn’t want to…. [The scares] weren’t a strong enough reason.”
C. Olivia Zink, a December graduate of the University of New Hampshire, recently interned at the Environmental Protection Agency and was Washington during the sniper shootings. She said that it was certainly the worst part of her stay in the capital, and noted that among her friends and family “concern [about living in Washington only arose once the sniper attacks occurred.”
Experts say that D.C. internships are an important and valuable step in starting a career in any field.
“An internship in Washington, D.C., is one of the most highly coveted internship opportunities there is,” Donovan said. “Washington, being the capital, provides access to individuals and organizations… [that] cannot be equaled anywhere else.”
Zink said that her internship was very important to her professional development, saying, “It taught me what I want and do not want in a job and gave me experience that was more valuable than a semester of taking classes.” As for their careers, many New Hampshire interns are considering pursuing permanent jobs in the capital
“I would [want to live in Washington],” Zink said. “The atmosphere in D.C. is great. It’s a young city.”
McWalters echoed those sentiments, saying that she hopes to find a position in the capital after she graduates. “I had a wonderful experience living and working in D.C.,” she said, “and I feel I am better prepared for the ‘real world’ because of it.”
Published in The Keene Sentinel, in New Hampshire.
New Hampshire Sees Increase in Education Funding with Gregg Amendment
By Kim Forrest
WASHINGTON--Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH), a strong proponent of increased education funding, said he has added over $2 billion to the fiscal year 2003 omnibus appropriations bill for education programs. The money will go toward expanding special-education programs, programs for disadvantaged students and Pell Grants for college students in need, adding money to programs valuable to New Hampshire’s education system.
New Hampshire is in line for a an estimated $3.8 million (14 percent) increase in programs to put into operation the No Child Left Behind program that was signed into law in early 2002. New Hampshire will also gain an increase of 17 percent, or about $5.4 million for special-education programs.
“This increase will go a long way to ensure that school districts and educators in New Hampshire can focus on the important work of teaching students rather than being concerned about whether or not they have the tools to get the job done,” Gregg said in a statement.
Gregg also noted that despite some reports, the No Child Left Behind Act will not be a strain on state and local school budgets. “It’s a win-win situation in the sense that [schools] are getting a lot of dollars on top of a lot of dollars with the increases…without a great deal of strings attached,” he said.
The House was expected to pass the bill Thursday night and the Senate Friday morning.
Published in The Keene Sentinel, in New Hampshire.
