Democracy for New Hampshire - Upper Valley

Taking Action on Energy at the Local Level

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 23:58:01 -0400

A few weeks ago, the Lebanon City Council formed an Energy Advisory Committee. City Councilor James Dean and I worked together to propose the idea. The City Council is non-partisan, but it just so happens that James Dean is a Republican and I am a Democrat.

Two things I notice about this: Energy is an issue that provides opportunities for Democrats and Republican to work together. And local government seems to lend itself to non-partisanship.

There are a lot of great things happening with energy committees around the state - and nation. It gives me hope for the future.

Some groups to know about...

US Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement

The Carbon Coalition

Sustainable Energy Resource Group

EPA New England's Community Energy Challeng

Fiscal Responsibility - A Good Example

Wed, 07 Mar 2007 07:20:47 -0500

According to the Education Commission of the States, "Educators and policymakers are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of the first five years of life in the development of children's brains and the cognitive, social, emotional and physical foundations of later success. Research has demonstrated that quality early learning programs can have significant and lasting benefits throughout childhood and into early adulthood. As a result, states and districts are investing more money than ever before into early learning programs, increasing the need for policymakers to make difficult policy and funding choices."

Read the entire article here.

Investing in early education childcare strikes me as a very fiscally responsible thing to do.

Lebanon City Councilor & DFNH Political Director Launches Bid for Re-election

Fri, 02 Mar 2007 09:47:06 -0500

Lebanon, NH -- City Councilor Karen Liot Hill, 28, will seek re-election on the March ballot. “I have learned a lot and made some significant accomplishments over the past two years, such as chairing the City's first-ever strategic planning process," she says, "and I would like to continue serving Ward 3 residents as their representative to our City Council in order to further the work I've become involved with." Her top priorities for a second term on the Council include engaging residents more effectively in decisions affecting the city, developing a transportation and open space plan to incorporate into the Zoning Update planned for the March 2008 ballot, pursuing opportunities to save energy and invest in new energy alternatives through the creation of an Energy Advisory Committee, and improving our long-term fiscal health by investing in our infrastructure.

Karen is the City Council representative to the Pedestrian & Bicyclist Advisory Committee, which seeks to make Lebanon more walkable and bike-able. She is part of the renewed momentum behind the project at the Westboro Yard, as a member of that City Council subcommittee. She has additionally served on the Dana House Committee, dedicated to preserving this historic asset to Lebanon, and the ADA Committee, charged with overseeing the incremental implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act within our City. She is currently a member of the Council Subcommittee on Zoning which will facilitate the process of reviewing and revising the Zoning Update. "I have enjoyed bringing an action-oriented approach to our city government," says Karen, “My goal has been to conduct city business with a thoughtful, honest approach that respects our past and embraces our future, and I believe I have done so.”

Senator Biden at Dartmouth this Tuesday

Sat, 24 Feb 2007 10:53:33 -0500

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The 2008 Presidential Candidates at Dartmouth College:

U.S. SENATOR JOE BIDEN (D-DE)
Chairman, Senate Foreign Relations Committee

"Town Hall Meeting"

Alumni Hall
2nd Floor of the Hopkins Center

THIS Tuesday, February 27
**6:30 PM**
Doors Open at 6:00PM...Seating is Limited, so Arrive Early!

Sponsored by the Dartmouth College Democrats and the Nelson A. Rockefeller Center
**********************************************************
This event is free and open to the public. No tickets necessary.
QUESTIONS?: e-mail college.democrats@dartmouth.edu
DIRECTIONS: http://hop.dartmouth.edu/about/directions.html

Film Screening - "An Inconvenient Truth"

Wed, 07 Feb 2007 08:07:38 -0500

"Bright Ideas in Energy"

The Upper Valley MeetUp, White River Toyota, and Partridge Family Heating present: Local Actions with a Global Impact, what you can do about global warming and energy independence.
Come and see the movie "An Inconvenient Truth," meet members of the Upper Valley's New Energy economy, and learn about actions you can take.

"An Inconvenient Truth" is Al Gore's Oscar-nominated documentary about global warming. The film will be introduced by former astronaut and DMS faculty member, Jay C. Buckey, Jr., MD--an advocate for a New Energy economy. Before the film, during intermission and afterwards, local businesses,
non-profits, and civic groups that have products/activities related to energy will display their products and efforts in the Opera House lobby.

Date: Thursday February 8, 2007
Place: Lebanon Opera House
Time: Doors open at 6 pm, film at 7 pm, intermission at 8 pm.
Tickets: $5 adults, $3 students

This has been made possible with the generous support of: Evans Fuels, Simple Energy, groSolar, Advance Transit, Upper Valley RideShare, Ames Byrd, SERG, VPIRG, NH-PIRG, COOP Foodstore, Jim Merkel, Dartmouth Hybrid Racer, Upper Valley Cooperative Food Stores, and Imprint Communications.

"Bright Ideas in Energy: Local Actions With a Global Impact"

Tue, 06 Feb 2007 23:48:01 -0500

"Bright Ideas in Energy: Local Actions With a Global Impact"

Monday, February 26, 7pm
Top of the Hop @ Dartmouth College
Goal: Inspire a commitment to personal action

In a follow-up event to the screening of Al Gore's Oscar-nominated film, "An Inconvenient Truth," the Upper Valley MeetUp will present a round-table discussion with experts and leaders working on energy issues. Each discussant will share a favorite energy initiative, and the majority of the program will consist of Q&A with the audience, who will be asked to share their favorite energy-saving ideas. Participants include NH State Senator Peter Burling, NH Public Utilities Commissioner Clifton Below, VPIRG Director Paul Burns, and Thayer Engineering School Faculty member and entrepreneur Lee Lynd.

Film Screening - "An Inconvenient Truth"

Tue, 06 Feb 2007 23:27:24 -0500

"Bright Ideas in Energy"

The Upper Valley MeetUp, White River Toyota, and Partridge Family Heating present: Local Actions with a Global Impact, what you can do about global warming and energy independence. Come and see the movie "An Inconvenient Truth," meet members of the Upper Valley's New Energy economy, and learn about actions you can take.

"An Inconvenient Truth" is Al Gore's Oscar-nominated documentary about global warming. The film will be introduced by former astronaut and DMS faculty member, Jay C. Buckey, Jr., MD--an advocate for a New Energy economy. Before the film, during intermission and afterwards, local businesses, non-profits, and civic groups that have products/activities related to energy will display their products and efforts in the Opera House lobby.

Date: Thursday February 8, 2007
Place: Lebanon Opera House
Time: Doors open at 6 pm, film at 7 pm, intermission at 8 pm.
Tickets: $5 adults, $3 students

This has been made possible with the generous support of: Evans Fuels, Simple Energy, groSolar, Advance Transit, Upper Valley RideShare, Ames Byrd, SERG, VPIRG, NH-PIRG, COOP Foodstore, Jim Merkel, Dartmouth Hybrid Racer, Upper Valley Cooperative Food Stores, and Imprint Communications.

Feingold in New Hampshire

Thu, 05 Jan 2006 16:47:21 -0500

Feingold will also be speaking at an event Saturday for the Upper Valley Democrats, in Hanover, New Hampshire. The speech will be covered on C-SPAN's "Road to the White House" series, which will air on Sunday, January 15th at 6:30 pm Eastern Time.

Notes from the Orford Flea

Mon, 08 Aug 2005 16:13:12 -0400

Thanks to Carl Schmidt of the Orford Democrats, Karen Liot Hill and I had the chance to staff a DFNH table at the annual Orford "Flea" this weekend.

Now in it's 29th year, the Orford Flea is one of the great flea markets in NH during the summer. There's an amazing array of goods for sale, and people throughout New England come to attend it. My favorite item for sale was the vintage wooden say announcing "Red Sox Game Today" for a mere $595.

It was thrilling to speak with people about Democracy for New Hampshire and the grassroots change which is underway in the Granite State. We got a lot of support from people, regardless of which state they call home, and about half a dozen new members joined DFNH.

Perhaps the most memorable conversation occurred with a couple from New Jersey who were registered Republicans. The Orford Dems had a number of anti-Bush bumper stickers on their table, and this couple came to express their disapproval of Bush. I asked them to say more -- why, as registered Republicans, were they no longer supporting the President?

DFNH-er Karen Liot Hill wins; becomes new Lebanon City Councilor

Wed, 09 Mar 2005 11:17:56 -0500

Karen Liot Hill — DFNH co-founder, board member, co-director of political affairs, and Upper Valley Meetup co-conspirator — won her first political election yesterday, winning a race for a seat on the Lebanon City Council.

Karen beat incumbent Councilor Dominic Balestra by almost 2-1 on a day that began with pouring rain and ended in a blizzard of snow. Although turnout was low, Karen's decisive victory was part of sweeping change in the council, as both incumbents in the City Council lost their positions.

Writing in The Valley News, columnist Jim Kenyon said of Karen's victory: "Karen Liot Hill's victory over incumbent Dominic Balestra in Ward III shouldn't come as a surprise for one reason: Hard work. Liot Hill, 26, knocked on more than 100 doors and made dozens of phone calls to voters, the kind of grass-roots campaign often lacking in Lebanon politics. She mailed out campaign literature to roughly 1,800 households. Yesterday, she stood in the snow and cold outside the downtown polling place for 11 hours, greeting voters with her homemade campaign sign. 'It probably made a diffference, but I don't want to take all the credit,' she said. 'There was a lot of discontent with the current city council.'"

Karen's victory was also made by possible by the hard work of Becky Windt, former Dean manager in the Upper Valley, and Sarah Ayers, a Dartmouth student who served as a NH delegate for Dean at the Democratic National Convention in Boston in 2004.

Way to go, Karen!

Read the story in the Valley News

Dartmouth for Democracy!

Mon, 07 Mar 2005 18:38:00 -0500

This is, I think, a first — a college/campus-based group that is part of the Democracy for America coalition.

I write about "Democracy for Dartmouth," a student organization commited to the ideals of DFNH and DFA. Founded by Ben Krauss (class of 2006), Democracy for Dartmouth recently held its first meeting with approximately 20 students in attendence.

And who is their formal adviser? None other than former Dean Dozen Congressional candidate, Jeff Smith of St. Louis, MO (www.jeffsmith2004.com). Jeff is a now a visiting professor at Dartmouth, and huge asset to both NH and the Dartmouth campus.

Democracy for Dartmouth (DFD) will affiliate with Democracy for New Hampshire, and we look forward to seeing news about their activities.

Send a note of encouragement to Ben (Benjamin.A.Krauss@Dartmouth.Edu), and stay tuned for more information!

Upper Valley March MeetUp

Sat, 26 Feb 2005 22:00:42 -0500

Join us for a presentation from Paul Burns, Executive Director of VPIRG, about important issues and legislation in Vermont, New Hampshire, and the nation. Learn how you can take action to make a difference in your community. The power to make change is in our hands!

See more information at http://dfa.meetup.com/52

Upper Valley February Meetup

Mon, 31 Jan 2005 15:14:06 -0500

Greetings!

We have an exciting meetup planned for February. Two members of the Democratic National Committee - Gaetan DiGangi of the New Hampshire delegation and Peter Mallary of the Vermont delegation - will join us to hear our thoughts about the direction of the Democratic Party and who its next leader should be. We'll also hear from them about some of their experiences and how they see things happening inside the party.

You can see details for this event, and information about other topics of interest, at our website.

Freedom & Liberty for Some?

Mon, 31 Jan 2005 15:13:10 -0500

This compelling article appeared in the Connecticut Valley Spectator's January 27th issue. It was written by the Upper Valley Meetup's own Audrey McCollum, a writer and retired psychotherapist...

In his inaugural speech, President Bush aimed to engage our nation in a moral crusade to spread freedom and democracy across the world. Together, the words "freedom," "liberty," and "free" were used 49 times (I counted), as though the president and Michael Gerson, his speechwriter, hoped to burn them into our minds. The word "peace" was used only once.

The president's mission actually replicates the aims of the Project for a New American Century (PNAC) which I described on 12/4/04. Published in 1997 by men who include key players in the Bush inner circle, this scheme favors the use of pre-emptive wars -- possibly several at once -- as well as new nuclear weapons, domination of space through Star Wars systems, and control of cyberspace through the Global Information Grid.

Although new nuclear weapon development was voted down by congress, the president has activated the other ghastly schemes. Now dark hints from Vice President Cheney and observations of The New Yorker's writer Seymour Hersh indicate that the president's warlike sights are now aimed at Iran.

Howard Dean @ "Un-auguration" Party

Tue, 18 Jan 2005 20:55:01 -0500

A great opportunity for NH residents willing to drive to Burlington, VT....

Governor Howard Dean and Democracy for America
Invite you to join us for

UN-AUGURATION

Thursday, January 20, 6-10 pm
Emerald Ballroom, Sheraton Burlington
870 Williston Road, Burlington

Featuring:

GOVERNOR HOWARD DEAN

Stand-up comic and state representative
JASON P. LORBER

If you would like to attend, please RSVP online at:
http://www.democracyforamerica.com/jan20

For more information, e-mail Carolyn Dwyer
cdwyer@democracyforamerica.com or call Selene Hofer-Shall at
802-651-3200, Ext 164