Friday, April 20, 2012

Carli Anderson stands next to her donation table for the Cornucopia Food Pantry at the Durham Marketplace

Courtesy Larry Brickner-Wood

A reminder to residents that Earth Day is this Sunday, April 22nd.  

MAKING A DIFFERENCE!

Carli Anderson of Durham (pictured above) knows how to make a difference. At eight years old, she has a heart for service and caring for others. This spring, Carli has been donating her allowance and funds she has received from selling toys she no longer uses to the Cornucopia Food Pantry at the Waysmeet Center in Durham. This idea was completely her own, says her mother Heather, as Carli simply wanted to do something to help those with fewer resources than she has. Helping to donate food to those who needed it seemed like the perfect thing to do!

Last Sunday, on a beautiful day, Carli, her brother Ethan, her mom Heather, and her friend Emma set up a table at the Durham Marketplace and invited shoppers to donate food or funds for the Earth Day food baskets being organized by Cornucopia that will be distributed next week. Carli made a list of needed foods, great colorful signs to attract attention, and talked with interested folks about what she was doing, what foods were needed, and how they could help.

Durham Town Councilor Bill Cote even came over to greet Carli and thank her for her efforts. Carli’s kind and generous spirit are a wonderful ray of hope in these times, and show us all how we can make a difference!

UNH HOLDS ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY FORUM FOR DURHAM RESIDENTS ON CAMPUS MASTER PLAN -- TUESDAY NIGHT
The University of New Hampshire Master Plan Steering Committee, on which Administrator Todd Selig is a member, has developed language to limit potential development along Main Street in the recommendations it will make to UNH President Mark Huddleston next fall.

The draft master plan will no longer show any planned development in the area north of Main Street bounded by Mast, Spinney and O’Kane roads and Route 4. The draft also will include language that limits any unanticipated changes in this area to those that sustain and when possible enhance the educational, agricultural, and aesthetic value of the land.

The area where the Leavitt Center and West Edge parking lot are currently located would be available for potential public-private partnerships developed in collaboration with Durham which adhere to local zoning.  Durham's zoning ordinance would not allow a "big box" operation to exist in this location.

The revisions came after some 600 people who attended two public forums on updates to the master plan expressed objections to the possibility that UNH might at some future date lease land currently in use by its agricultural programs for commercial development.

President Mark Huddleston indicated following Tuesday's public forums that while a form of public-private venture may be appropriate for some UNH property, big box stores do not belong on UNH agricultural land.

The committee also scheduled additional forums Tuesday, April 24, from 12:40-2 p.m. in the Granite State Room of the Memorial Union Building and an evening forum specifically intended for Durham residents at 7 p.m. in the Huddleston Hall ballroom.

The master plan is intended to set guidelines for the use of UNH lands over the long term in support of its missions of teaching, research, and service. Most of the steering committee’s work has focused on academic and co-curricular uses of the campus, such as the siting for a possible center for the arts, as well as graduate housing. The Master Plan Steering Committee is advisory to the president, who ultimately will present the plan to the trustees of the University System of New Hampshire.

While the master plan update was originally intended to be completed by June, the final draft will be made available for public comment in the fall before being presented to President Huddleston.

Particular items of interest for Durham residents beyond big box concerns on agricultural lands include:

• An overt desire of UNH to strengthen ties with Durham through effective collaborative planning.
• The location of a future center for the arts proximate to downtown Durham at C-Lot/Lower Quad location.
• Future graduate housing locations on campus.
• Anticipated locations for future undergraduate housing on campus.
• The willing of UNH to work with Durham in exploring possible public-public-private partnerships for the mutual benefit of the collective community.
• Designated future location for the Durham Fire Department on B-Lot along Mill Road.
• Identified future location of UNH Police Department along Garrison Avenue.
• Future plans to address long-standing campus recreational needs at the Snively Arena impacting the UNH Outdoor Pool along Edgewood Road (UNH, not Durham, owns the so-called "Durham" pool).  The pool is an historic New Deal WPA-era project which has provided invaluable campus and town recreational and community building for generations.
• Possible structured parking on A and B Lots.
• Long-term Durham/UNH collaborative development possibilites for the Town-owned Depot Road parking lot (a Federally designated Brownfield site -- home of the former Craig Supply dry cleaning company) next to the Durham/UNH Train Station.
• Future ideas for the UNH-owned Store-24/Tedeschi Lot.
• Retail operations on campus.

 For more information on the UNH Campus Master Plan, go to http://www.unh.edu/cmp/.

Moose running along Rt. 4 in Durham            Courtesy Tesa Bartell

NH DEPARTMENT OF LABOR REQUIRES CHANGES TO TOWN CLERK INTERIOR WINDOWS 

Last week, the interior reception area windows of the Town Clerk/Tax Collector’s Office were glassed in. This was the result of a recent audit by the New Hampshire Department of Labor, and was one of several identified safety deficiencies the state has required Durham to address.

The Clerk's Office staff would like the public to know that although they miss the more personal contact of the open windows, they hope residents will please bear with them as everyone adjusts to this new situation.

REAL ESTATE MARKET TRENDS FOR DURHAM 

Courtesy, Alyson Mueller

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE 
The Economic Development Committee (EDC) will meet on Monday, April 23, 2012 and will be discussing the following items:

• Introduction and welcome to new EDC member Anthony Raimondo
• Election of officers.
• Presentation by Jim Lawson highlighting community and economic information derived from the tax assessment database.
• Discussion about the projected Town Budget, revenues, and tax rates over the next five years as presented in the 2012 Town Budget.
• Development of goals for the Economic Development chapter of the Master Plan update.
• Discussion regarding the merits of presenting and developing Master Plan chapters in different Committees at the same time.
• Approval of the March 26, 2012 minutes. 

In addition to the above, the EDC also allows time for members of the public to express their views on matters relating to economic development under a "Public Comments" item on the agenda.  The EDC meetings are also televised on DCAT Channel 22.

Due to the significant public interest in the UNH Master Plan process, a stand alone public forum for Durham residents has been scheduled for April 24th at 7 PM in the Huddleston Hall Ballroom rather than as part of the scheduled EDC meeting.
 

PLANNING BOARD HAPPENINGS
The Planning Board will be meeting on Wednesday, April 25, 2012 and will be discussing the following items on their agenda: A presentation and public hearing for the construction of the new Durham Public Library; continued discussion on the proposed Zoning Amendments resulting from the Commercial Core Strategic Plan; and a continued discussion on the draft Commercial Core Chapter for the Master Plan update.  The Durham Public Library is coming to the Planning Board as a Governmental Use under 674:54 of the Revised Statutes Annotated (RSA) and has submitted plans to the Department of Planning and Community Development.  The public is welcome to come to the office to review the plans and file and can use the following link to learn more about RSA 674:54: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/lxiv/674/674-54.htm.

The Department of Planning and Community Development has also received an application for a Conceptual Consultation from Peak Campus Development for their proposed 425+/- bed housing project located at 240 and 251 Mast Road,  Tax Map 13 Lots 6-1 and 10-0.  The application will be placed on the May 9, 2012 meeting of the Planning Board.  A Conceptual Consultation is one of the pre-application review phases offered to applicants before submitting a formal application.  While the meeting is open to the public it is not a public hearing.  It is a non-binding discussion between the applicant and the Planning Board and is a great opportunity for the applicant to hear concerns and answer questions from the Planning Board early in the process.  

Due to the significant public interest in the UNH Master Plan process, a stand alone public forum for Durham residents has been scheduled for April 24th at 7 PM in the Huddleston Hall Ballroom rather than as part of the scheduled Planning Board meeting.
 

WATER RESOURCES PROTECTION SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE PLANNING BOARD

The Water Resources Protection Subcommittee (WRPS) met this morning to continue its review of draft amendments to the Aquifer Protection Overlay District of the Durham Zoning Ordinance.  Once the amendments have been completed by the WRPS, the amendments will be forwarded to the Planning Board for discussion and then go through the formal process of amending the Zoning Ordinance, which will include a public hearing before being sent to the Town Council.

Newly installed fish ladder at Wiswall Dam. Courtesy Theresa Walker

WISWALL FISH LADDER RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY - MAY 3
An official ribbon cutting ceremony for the Wiswall Fish Ladder will be held at the Wiswall Dam on Thursday, May 3, 2012 at 10:00 AM. Please come and celebrate this historic transformation of the Wiswall Dam.  The river herring  (primary Alewives) are not waiting for May 3rd however.  The volunteer fish counters and NH Fish & Game have estimated about 5,000 Alewives passed the Wiswall Fish Ladder YESTERDAY, which is the first time in more than 250 years!  If anyone is interested in helping with the Wiswall fish count, please contact the Department of Public Works at 868-5578 or send an email to publicworks@ci.durham.nh.us.
 

EARTH DAY RAIN GARDEN

In celebration of Earth Day the Department of Public Works is collaborating with the Oyster River High School and NH Coast to construct a 1,000 square foot rain garden in the front lawn of the High School. For those who are unfamiliar, rain gardens are shallow depressions that are planted with ornamental plants and perennials and are specifically located to receive and filter stormwater runoff from an area much larger than its own foot print.

Oyster River High School’s new rain garden will detain and filter the rainfall running off from about 12,000 square feet of parking lot. Some rain gardens are very simply constructed, however, the High School’s rain garden will have a 3-foot thick soil filter made of a specially formulated sand/topsoil/barkmulch mix designed to filter a host of pollutants including sediments, excess nutrients, petroleum products and trace elements from stormwater and the atmosphere, and will be sized to capture all the runoff from a 1-inch rainstorm – sometimes called the water quality volume.  This represents 95% of all the annual rain storms, and as a result, the Oyster River High School’s rain garden will be filtering a significant amount of pollutants that accumulate on the parking lot. 

A special thank you goes out to LandCare Associates, E.J. Prescott, Ultra Geothermal, and Appledore Marine Engineering for donations to help make the rain garden possible.  DPW will be digging the hole next week while the parking lot is empty during school vacation and installing the piping and soil filter.  After the students return all fresh from vacation, they will be helping out during a number of volunteer efforts to install the plants.  Anyone who is interested in helping out with the installation is asked to contact Town Engineer Dave Cedarholm or Assistant Engineer April Talon at 868-5578 or email publicworks@ci.durham.nh.us.

Kudos to Publc Works for being proactive in addressing wastewater issues impacting our brooks, streams, and ultimately the Great Bay.

DURHAM LAND STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE

What do conservation, agriculture, and parks and recreation have in common? A great deal. Durham's new Land Stewardship Committee includes members of the Parks & Recreation Committee and the Agriculture and Conservation commissions. On April 10th, they met with Town Public Works Director Mike Lynch to discuss a set of common goals and ways they could coordinate and communicate about their efforts on town lands in the years to come. The discussion focused on a few important initiatives:

1. Assembling an online land inventory: Work is underway on taking stock of all town properties and lands where the town holds an interest. A file on each property could include permitted uses, scans of site maps, histories, studies, and other pertinent documents.
    
2. Promoting responsible use of our town lands: Land Use Committee members will be leading a series of public walks on town lands in the coming year. The Committee is also looking for volunteers to help. For more information, please contact Land Use Committee Chair Malin Cylde at malinelyclyde@gmail.com.
    
3. Focusing on Wagon Hill Farm: the Agricultural Commission is exploring ways to promote local agriculture and to put sections of the farm back to work (as seen in our community gardens); the Parks & Recreation Committee is working to expand public access, including parking and bathroom facilities; and the Conservation Commission is studying opportunities for ecological restoration and habitat protection.

25 MPH SPEED LIMIT ADJUSTMENT PROPOSED FOR DOWNTOWN CORE

At the February meeting of the Traffic Safety Committee, there was general consensus that the speed limits of roadways within the downtown area and commercial core should be designated 25 MPH due to traffic demands combined with pedestrian and bicycle activity.  Additionally, the committee was informed that the University of New Hampshire is adjusting its speed limits within interior UNH campus roads.  Consequently, the committee has recommended that it is an appropriate time to coordinate and stabilize speed limits throughout the downtown and campus core. 

The Durham Town Code (the technical name for all ordinances adopted by Durham) assigns all roadways to be 30 MPH unless otherwise specified.  In other words, if the Code is silent regarding speed a speed limit on a roadway, by default it is 30 MPH.

The Traffic Safety Committee is an administrative committee organized by the Town Administrator to advise him regarding traffic safety matters.  Members include the police chief, fire chief, public works director, planner, and code enforcement officer.  A Planning Board representative also attends, as do some members of the Town Council regarding topics of interest to them. 

At this time, an amendment to the Code is scheduled for presentation and first reading before the Council on June 4th.

To view the collection of roadways impacted by this change, click HERE.

NO BRUSH WILL BE ACCEPTED AT THE TRANSFER STATION UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

After consulting with the Fire Department, the Town has decided to temporarily hold off on accepting brush at the Transfer Station and Recycling Center until further notice due to dry conditions and an increase for fire hazard. 

There is a large amount of brush currently at the facility that has not been able to be burned due to the dry conditions. The Town is now at red flag for fire hazard and two days of heavy consistent rain is needed in order to lift the ban.  Residents will be informed once they may begin bringing brush to the Transfer Station. 

SPRING CLEANUP

The annual bulky waste pickup BEGINS MONDAY, APRIL 3O, 2012.  Please place materials curbside NO EARLIER than April 28th and NO LATER than 7AM on April 30th.  Remember that items that require an electronics sticker still do during curbside collection, they can be purchased at the Public Works office for $10.  This is not the time of year that we collect brush and leaves, that is during Fall pick up.  If you put out brush and leaves, they WILL NOT BE PICKED UP.  The newsletter that should have been received by all residents this week with details on the collection. To view the newsletter, click HERE.

HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE DAY

The 2012 Household Hazardous Waste Day will be held at the Department of Public Works facility located at 100 Stone Quarry Drive on Saturday, September 22, 2012.  As in the past, all hazardous waste will be collected by appointment only.  To register, you must call the Department of Public Works at 868-5578 or e-mail publicworks@ci.durham.nh.us. 

Remember, the maximum collected per household is five gallons.  LATEX AND OIL BASED PAINTS , MOTOR OIL, AND ANTI-FREEZE ARE NOT ACCEPTED AT HAZARDOUS WASTE DAY!  These items can be brought up to the Transfer Station with your permit throughout the year.  Latex paints must be dried out first, motor oil, anti-freeze and oil based paints can go up as is.  Typically, hazardous waste is categorized as toxic, ignitable, corrosive, reactive, or otherwise hazardous. Please check the manufacturer’s label.  Please see Spring Newsletter for details. 

MEMORIAL DAY HOLIDAY SCHEDULE 

The Transfer Station and Recycling Center will be closed on Saturday, May 26th, for the Memorial Day Holiday. The regular Town offices will be closed on Monday, May 28th for the holiday. There will be NO COLLECTION OF TRASH AND RECYCLABLES ON MONDAY, MAY 28TH.  All routes will be pushed ahead one day for example if you are normally collected on Monday, you will put your items out by 7am on Tuesday, if you normally are on Tuesday, you will put out on Wednesday, etc.  There will be no commercial collection on Friday, June 1st. 

PART-TIME CLERK OF THE WORKS POSITION

The Town is seeking a responsible person to oversee the construction of its new 10,000+ square foot library.  This individual will monitor the new construction of the library and site development, anticipate and observe the library construction, track contract progress, procedures, workmanship, schedules, overall job safety, and provide seamless coordination between the Design & Build Team, Town officials, library staff, and the Building Committee.   Interested qualified party’s may send a cover letter, references, and resume by Friday, May 4th to Michael Lynch, Director of Public Works, 100 Stone Quarry Drive, Durham, NH 03824.  PH: 603-868-5578, e-mail: mlynch@ci.durham.nh.us. To view the full job description for this positions, click HERE.

DISPOSAL FOR UNWANTED PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

Police departments will once again host the “Unwanted Prescription Take Back” program at the end of April.  However, the Durham Police recognize the value of offering this program on a continuous basis to the Durham community and not just on occasional random dates.  Consequently, community members can visit the Durham Police facility at 86 Dover Road during business hours Monday through Friday from 8AM to 5PM and dispose of their unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.
 
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue.  Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs.  Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—both pose potential safety and health hazards.
 
If residents have questions about the program they can call the Durham Department at (603) 868-2324.

______________________________

Residents may also be interested in knowing that on Monday, April 28, 2012 from 12:00 noon to 4:00 PM, the UNH Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public another opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. Bring your medications for disposal to UNH Health Services at 12 Ballard Street. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
 
Last October, Americans turned in 377,080 pounds—188.5 tons—of prescription drugs at over 5,300 sites operated by the DEA and nearly 4,000 state and local law enforcement partners. In its three previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners took in almost a million pounds—nearly 500 tons—of pills.

CHIEF KURZ ATTENDS NATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ADDRESSING POLICE RESPONSE TO ALZHEIMER DISEASE

Chief Dave Kurz was invited to attend a meeting in Washington, DC last week to discuss with the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and the U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) a strategy for law enforcement to respond to persons with Alzheimer disease. 

Alzheimer’s disease is a community problem, especially when a person with Alzheimer’s is missing. Searches are exhaustive, expensive, and often have tragic endings. As the number of persons with Alzheimer’s increases, there is a recognition that law enforcement intervention to assist this vulnerable population and their caregivers will also increase. The goal of the initiative is to enhance the capacity of law enforcement to handle calls involving persons with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (AD/D), thereby strengthening police-community relations and providing improved services to this growing segment of our communities.

With the presence of the University of New Hampshire and the host of young people in the community, it may seem to be an odd concept for the Durham Police to become overly focused upon.  But as more active retired people move to Durham to take advantage of the cultural, athletic, and art programs offered in this community (a national trend for college communities), the initiative takes on a new importance as the Durham Police seek to provide services to all of the Durham community.

DOG LICENSES

A reminder that it is time for residents to renew their dog licenses.  All 2011 dog licenses will expire April 30th.  A late penalty of $1/month will be added to license fees beginning in June.

ADVANCE PROPERTY TAX PAYMENTS

Residents may not be aware that there is another option for paying their property taxes in July and December. State law allows property owners to make prepayments toward their anticipated bill.  After January 1st, property owners can make payments in any denomination, at any interval on any property they own.  These payments will be applied to their next property tax bill. Upon receipt of the actual tax bill due in July or December *prepayments will be deducted from the total bill and any remaining balance will show as amount due.
 
If making payments would help a family's budget, residents can start making prepayments January 1st, in any amount, at anytime they wish. They need only to identify themselves as the owner and identify the specific property they desire the payment to be applied. It’s that easy. Questions concerning advance property tax payments can be directed to the Town Clerk-Tax Collector's office at 603-868-5577 or email lpitt@ci.durham.nh.us.
 
*Interest is not paid on prepayments.
 

Heather, Ethan, and Carli Anderson encouraging donations to the Earth Day food baskets. Courtesy Larry Brickner-Wood

EARTH DAY FOOD BASKETS - DONATIONS NEEDED

The Cornucopia Food Pantry at the Waysmeet Center at 15 Mill Road is organizing and distributing Earth Day food baskets again this year, and are in desperate need of donations to meet requests for assistance.  These Earth Day food baskets are an extension of the weekly services that Cornucopia provides to meet the hunger and food insecurity needs of the UNH, Durham, and surrounding communities.  The Earth Day baskets in particular are intended to provide some hope and relief from the stress and pressure of temporary or chronic food insecurity and hunger with healthy, wholesome, and fresh foods. 

The Earth Day baskets also celebrate our planet and its abundant gifts and the hope and support of a community that cares for our neighbors.  The food baskets will be distributed on Wednesday, April 25th, and Thursday, April 26th, at the Waysmeet Center at 15 Mill Road. 

The food pantry especially needs fresh produce, eggs, milk, cheese, juice, cereal, rice, pasta, pasta sauce, meat, flour, sugar, spices and herbs, and any wonderful surprises and treats residents may want to contribute.  Cornucopia also is in need of gift certificates (usually $20) to local supermarkets such as the Durham Marketplace.  The organization also welcomes volunteers on all or any part of the 25th and 26th.  If you can help or donate, please contact Larry Brickner-Wood at waysmeet@comcast.net or Stacey Hoang at stg9@wildcats.unh.edu and at 862-1165. Cornucopia’s web site is http://www.cornucopia.unh.edu

Cornucopia served over 1,500 customers and 6,000 people on a weekly basis, and provided 524 food baskets serving over 2,100 people, thanks to the generosity of our community!

BROTHER OF DURHAM RESIDENT IN THE TOP 10 OF WALMART'S "GET ON THE SHELF" COMPETITION
TJ Foltz, brother of Durham resident Kim Schmidt, is participating in Walmart's national contest, "Get on the Shelf", a competition similar to American Idol but for products, not singers. TJ's product, Humankind Water, has made it into the top 10 out of over 4000 entrants thus securing him a spot in the finals.  His product gives 100% of the net profit to help support people who do not have clean drinking water. If TJ's product wins it will be stocked in Walmarts nationwide potentially raising millions of dollars for those without clean drinking water and saving thousands of lives. 
 
People can vote twice daily by texting HkW to 50500 and on facebook. Voting runs through Tuesday, April 24th.  For more information, visit http://humankindwater.org/.

PUBLIC MEETINGS: SCHEDULE AND VIDEO ON DEMAND

The following public meetings are scheduled for the coming week  All meetings begin at 7:00 PM and are held in the Council chambers at the Durham Town Hall unless otherwise indicated below. To view agendas for the meetings listed below, please click HERE.

Economic Development Committee - Monday, April 23, 2012 

Integrated Waste Management Advisory Committee - Tuesday, April 24, 2012 

Planning Board - Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Durham Agricultural Commission - Thursday, April 26, 2012

All meetings recorded on DCAT are available on DVD at the Durham Public Library for checkout and viewing.

VIDEO ON DEMAND: Meetings can also be viewed via Video on Demand. Interested viewers can access the streaming site from the Town’s website at http://ci.durham.nh.us/  by clicking the DCAT on demand logo, or directly at http://dcat.pegcentral.com/.

Oyster River School Board meeting schedule, please click HERE. 

Durham Public Library Board of Trustees meeting schedule, please click HERE.

DCAT Programming Schedule, please click HERE.

A students tries her hand at juggling during the 2011 UNH May Day Carnival.

Courtesy UNH

UNH MAY DAY CARNIVAL - APRIL 28TH

The University of New Hampshire is hosting its third annual May Day Carnival on  Saturday, April 28, 2012 from 1:00 - 9:00 PM in UNH's C-lot. The carnival is an event sponsored by UNH students, and is a day and evening full of rides, games, live music, and carnival food. Family hours are 1:00 to 3:00 PM. There will be kid-friendly rides and games!  This event is $5 per person for an entry fee; all rides and games are free.  Free parking is available in B-lot.  Hope to see you there!

DURHAM PARKS & RECREATION PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

2012 Memorial Day Parade Announced  

The 2012 Memorial Day Parade will take place on Monday, May 28th at 10:00am, beginning at the Town Landing on Old Landing Road.  Town committees, commissions and civic organizations, as well as all service men and women, past and present, are encouraged to march.  Those groups interested in marching should contact Parks & Recreation Committee member Michael Mengers at michaelwmengers@yahoo.com, 969-8973.

New Recreation Activities are forming! Spring has sprung with new energy and fun social activities planned. If you are interested in joining a Tennis Ladder, Pick-Up Volleyball, Tai Chi for Balance, or Learn to Run please contact Sandy Devins, Parks & Recreation Director at recreation@ci.durham.nh.us or call (603) 817-4074.

Learn to Run beginning Thursdays April 26th from 9:30-10:30AM at the Durham Town Hall Lot. Cost is $40/8wks. Learn to run with Instructor Sheila Harding. This class begins with walking for exercise and will build your stamina to prepare you to run a 3 mile race.  Also a great way to kick off a weight loss program and socialize!

For more information about any of our Recreation Programs or to register please contact Sandy Devins, Parks & Recreation Director at sdevins@ci.durham.nh.us or 817-4074.

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

Holocaust Remembrance Program, Sunday, April 22, 2012, 10:00 AM, Durham Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 20 Madbury Rd. Program presented by Larry Vogelman. For more information, visit http://uudurham.com/wp/, or email ken.s.mitchell@gmail.com.

QuackFest, Saturday April 28, 2012, 10:00 AM-2:00 PM, Durham Landing. Ducks will be launched at 12:00. Proceeds from the event will benefit Growing Places and the Durham-Great Bay Rotary.

Criterium Bike Race, Sunday, April 29, 2012, for children age 4-6 and 6-9, UNH Campus in the B Lot area. Registration is 9am – 11 am, race will begin about 11:45 depending on other races. This event is hosted by the UNH Cycling team for the Eastern Collegiate Cycling Conference. For more information, click HERE or visit http://www.unh.edu/unhtoday/2012/02/unh-cycling-brings-championship-durham.

Lamprey River Cleanup, Saturday, May 5, 2012, 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM (rain or shine). Sponsored by Great Bay Trout Unlimited. Volunteers meet at the Wiswall Dam park area. Trash bags will be provided. Complementary BBQ for cleanup volunteers will follow. Contact greatb3@greatbaytu.org, 603-743-9080.

Oyster River High School Presents Chicago, May 10, 11, 12 (Thu, Fri, Sat), 7:00 PM. Box Office hours: 12-5 PM; open May 2,3,4,7,8,9,10. Tickets: $9; students and seniors, $6. For more information contact Armida Geiger, 603-868-7156, armidageiger@comcast.net.

Bobcat Bolt, Saturday, May 12, 2012, 9:00 AM, Oyster River High School. Will be featuring a Kids Fun Run right after the 5k and 10k, which will again lead right into the festivities at the Oyster River Festival.  Details are up on the Bobcat Bolt web page, so if you haven’t signed up already, hop on-line and sign-up now at http://bobcatbolt.com/wp/?page_id=63. For more information, click HERE.

Programs at St. George's Church: Mondays, 5:15 PM: Women in Dignity AA meeting (closed); Tuesdays, 1:00 PM: Durham Bridge Group; Tuesdays, 7:30 PM:Overeaters Anonymous meeting; Thursdays, 7:00 PM: Durham AA meeting (open). Call 603-868-2785 for more information on these programs.

UNH Museum of Art Events at the Paul Creative Arts Center: 

Wed & Thu, April 25 & 26, 2012, noon, Gallery Talk. Degree candidates from the B.F.A. degree program in the Department of Art and Art History, UNH, discuss their works on view.

Thu., April 26, 2012, Cultural Excursion. Day trip to Boston Symphony Orchestra Open Rehearsal and to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. The program at the Boston Symphony Orchestra features Bernard Haitink, conductor, and Till Fellner, piano. It includes: Debussy's Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun; Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 22 in Eb, K. 482; and Beethoven's Symphony No. 6, Pastoral. Pre-registration is required. Contact 603-862-3713 for more information.

FRIENDS OF THE DURHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY SPRING BOOK SALE

The Friends of the Durham Public Library Spring Book Sale kicks off at the Durham Public Library on Thursday, May 17th from 6pm to 7pm with an Early Bird Preview--admission to this special one hour event is $10 for best selection!
 
The sale opens to everyone from 7pm to 8:30pm Thursday evening. The sale will continue on Friday, May 18th, from 10am to 5pm and on Saturday, May 19th from 10am to 5pm.
 
Come browse quality books and a great selection! Pick up your summer reads while supporting the Durham Public Library. All proceeds from the Friends Spring Book Sale support Library programs.

DURHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

DPL Building Committee Meeting, Friday April 27, 9:30 a.m., Town Hall Council chambers. The DPL Building Committee will meet with SMP Architecture and Bauen Corporation in the Council Chambers, Town Offices on Friday April 27, 9:30 a.m. to discuss plans for the new library. The public is welcome.
No Storytimes this week during Oyster River School Vacation Week.  Stop by the Children’s room all week for a Make-it-Take-it craft!
Fly Fishing in Argentina, Weds. April 25th, 6:30-8:00 p.m. - Imagine fly fishing in the rugged landscape of Argentina. In 1999, Mark Foley did just that, hiking and fishing with the backdrop of the stunning Andes mountain range. If you're interested in fly fishing, or even just want to learn more about this beautiful South American country, don't miss this presentation.

The Friends Book Discussion Series, Weds. April 25th at 10:30 a.m. - This month’s book is Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”.  Books are available at the library.  The Friend’s Book Group will meet again on Weds. May 23rd at 10:30 a.m. to discuss “Death Comes to Pemberley” by P.D. James.  All are welcome.

Scott Jameson, Magician Performance, Thurs. April 26th, 10:30 a.m. at the ORHS Multi-purpose room. Don't miss this fun performance!  All ages are welcome!

Carol & Crew Puppet Show, Sat. May 5th, 10:30 am - Join us for this fun Puppet show with Carol and Crew.  All ages and all are welcome!  Don't miss it!
Registration for Tales for Tails: Have a young reader who could use some non-judgmental encouragement for reading aloud? A Delta Therapy dog is waiting for your child. Sign up at the library for the last session in May.

Join the Patch Program, our reading incentive program for children aged 2-12 years. Children earn patches for minutes read or being read to as well as a Durham Library book bag. If new to the program, stop by and register. Thanks to the Friends of the Durham Public Library for their continued support of this program. 

Check out the library's website at http://www.durhampubliclibrary.org/durham/ for more information.

WEEKLY ARREST REPORT

*Academic year commences the third week of August through graduation at UNH in May.

FROM "DURHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE A HISTORY - 1900-1985"

Communications-Durham's Post office: “When the New Hampshire College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts moved from Hanover to Durham in 1893, the volume of services provided by the post office soon increased markedly. Because the classification of a post office, as well as the salary of its postmaster, then depended on the number of cancellations it handled, Durham became a third-class post office on January 1, 1904. In 1907 the post office was located for the first time in a building specifically constructed to house it. This building still stands on the south side of Main Street just west of Runlett House.” Published in 1985 by the Durham Historic Association.

And finally, our six year old daughter had a very nice joke for us one night this week: 

Q:  Why did the chicken cross the playground?  A: To get to the other slide.

Have a very nice weekend.  

Todd

Todd I. Selig, Administrator

Town of Durham, New Hampshire

T:  603-868-5571    F:  603-868-5572

tselig@ci.durham.nh.us    http://www.ci.durham.nh.us

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