NH State Representative Steven Smith

The Northern New England Chapter of SWANA (Solid Waste Association of North America) is announcing the availability of a scholarship for current undergraduates, graduate students, or high school seniors who have been accepted into an undergraduate program committed to a degree closely tied to Solid Waste Management, Environmental Science, Engineering or a related field of study.

The award is offered in remembrance of Steve Parker, a founding member of the SWANA Northern New England Chapter and long-term member of International Board of Directors. The scholarship is for $1000.00 and is limited to students from Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Applicants do not have to be SWANA members; however, if the applicant has identified a SWANA family member (parent, grand-parent etc.) their application may be submitted for consideration for additional scholarship funding from the International Board of SWANA for up to $5,000.00.

http://swanachapters.org/nne/Home.aspx

CONCORD – Honoring the 75th anniversary of the attack on the United
States at Pearl Harbor and paying tribute to the sacrifices of those who
were at Pearl Harbor that infamous day, Governor Maggie Hassan has
proclaimed Wednesday, December 7, 2016, as “Pearl Harbor Remembrance
Day” in New Hampshire.  

“The course of history for our great nation and the world changed with
the horrific attack at Pearl Harbor 75 years ago,” Governor Hassan said.
“This solemn occasion is an important opportunity to join together in
honoring the sacrifices of the brave lives lost that day, as well as those
who survived and those who courageously went on to defend our nation in
World War II. Because of their selfless sacrifices, our country and world
are safer and stronger. I join all Granite Staters, Americans and people
across the world in remembering this dark day in our nation’s history and
in expressing our profound gratitude for the brave men and women who
sacrificed bravely to protect their fellow citizens and defend our shared
values of freedom, liberty and equality.”

In honor of the lives lost in the attack at Pearl Harbor, Governor Hassan
has directed flags to half-staff on Wednesday, December 7, 2016.

Today is Veterans Day.  We offer our thanks to those who have served to protect us.  We should do that every day, but especially today, we should make an extra effort.

You’ll note that I didn’t use an apostrophe in “Veterans Day”.  This is actually the correct spelling because it is a day of honoring all veterans.  The holiday belongs to all Americans.  Originally, this day was celebrated as Armistice Day, the end of World War 1.

U.S. Representative Ed Rees from Emporia, Kansas, presented a bill establishing the holiday through Congress. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, also from Kansas, signed the bill into law on May 26, 1954. It had been eight and a half years since Weeks held his first Armistice Day celebration for all veterans.

Congress amended the bill on June 1, 1954, replacing “Armistice” with “Veterans,” and it has been known as Veterans Day since.

The National Veterans Award was also created in 1954. Congressman Rees of Kansas received the first National Veterans Award in Birmingham, Alabama for his support offering legislation to make Veterans Day a federal holiday.

So today, let’s not argue about things.  Let’s look for the people in our community have served, and simply say “Thank you for your service”.