There are times when public officials, representatives, and voters just have to say no, such as, when a proposal is not sound, reasonable, or affordable. They must be firm in their convictions for the common good, and base their decisions not on personalities or popularity but instead on the use of good judgment to advance […]
Louise! My reaction to your co-sponsorship of Bill HB 1473 is: No social-emotional learning in schools? No relationships, mentoring, civic engagement? Where did you get this?! Have you not seen what happened to kids of all ages during the COVID-19 pandemic? Not only did they lose valuable academic skills and time, they also lost the […]
Some days ago I listened to the former candidate for Chancellor of Germany, Mr Armin Laschet, who was giving a speech warning of the dangers of extreme right positions within some groups in current German society. His warning: “Don’t let these groups come close to governmental functions; they will use their positions to destroy democracy.” Does this […]
The Town of Danbury Selectmen irresponsibly, in my opinion, voted to “recommend” an ill-advised $3M, 20-year bond for a so-called “safety center” (Article 4 on the ballot). In contrast, the Budget Committee wisely “does not recommend” the article. Meanwhile, voters in the towns of Groton, Bridgewater, and Hebron will be voting on whether or not […]
Thomas Paine’s Common Sense was published in January 1776, 14 months after he arrived from England, and many months after the war with England began at Concord and Lexington. The pamphlet was an overnight success and Paine became the most popular and widely read author in the American colonies. Common Sense established Paine as one […]
Thank you so very much for including us (The South Danbury Church) in the Beacon for November! We’re continually surprised and delighted by Andover friends and new friends who mention seeing our news, and who attend our events because of The Beacon. If there were a Good Neighbor prize, you would certainly have our vote! […]
In reference to Kent Hackman’s letter to The Beacon entitled “Uriah and Mary N. Chase Research Project Completed,” I must point out that Kent is being characteristically modest regarding his work. As a proofreader for this project, I can attest that his research has unearthed some historical gold nuggets for the people of Andover. In […]
Louise Andrus provides us with her “View from Concord” on a monthly basis in The Beacon. I found her August View to be somewhat of a contradiction on a number of levels. She states that she is now taking some Constitution classes (I hope not with PragerU) and provides her interpretation that both the New […]
Several times lately, I have observed Andover and East Andover residents jogging or riding their bicycles. These times have been at dusk, and those individuals have not been wearing reflective clothing. Please protect yourselves. None of us want to hear of a tragedy. Reflective clothing and sneakers are widely available. Connie Ressler East Andover