Celebrating two great women of Portsmouth: Letters

Celebrating two great women of Portsmouth: Letters

March 19 — To the Editor:

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, there are two women that should be celebrated. Both great women have served on many local boards and are considered pillars of our Portsmouth Community.

These respected women have given locally in many ways. However, I believe they need to be celebrated for their work at State and National levels for the citizens of Portsmouth. For a combined 80-plus years, they have made sure Portsmouth voices were heard.

We need to thank these amazing women for pushing the political envelope at a time when many women were not represented.  They both served as New Hampshire representatives and state senators for many years. One of these women served as a New Hampshire executive councilor for 20 years and one ran for U.S. Congress twice. They served their political parties with their representation on national committees and as national delegates for elections. Even though they are from different sides of the aisle, they have always kept Portsmouth residents in their hearts and minds.

One of these women enjoys history and one loves her sheep. They appreciate the waterfront and have boating stories to tell. They have chosen to live their adult life and raise their children in Portsmouth. Historical Portsmouth is their home.

The two women we need to celebrate and learn from during Women’s History Month are former state Executive Councilor Ruth Griffin and former state Sen. Martha Fuller Clark.

As a resident of Portsmouth, we cannot thank these two women enough for all the time and energy they have given in supporting our great city.  Even though these two women are power houses in their political parties, they are always willing to work with all citizens.  As we celebrate Women’s History Month, we need to learn from those that came before us.  In this time of political divide, we must learn from the actions of Martha Fuller Clark and Ruth Griffin.

Please join me in thanking them for their service to our city, state and nation.

Thank you, Ruth, and Martha!

Esther Kennedy

Portsmouth

Pedestrian crossing signals at Maplewood Avenue are not safe

March 19 — To the Editor:

Recently, an 8-year-old child was struck in a downtown crosswalk at 4:45 p.m. by a driver turning right onto Maplewood Avenue from Congress Street. The pedestrian crossing indicator was on but so was the green light for vehicles.

According to Deputy Chief Maloney, a number of pedestrians crossing at that light had the signal to cross. The Deputy Chief said the child was not seriously injured and was not transported from the scene. However, I would imagine it was traumatic for the child and anyone else at that accident. Solar glare was given as a factor but the driver saw the green light!

All three Maplewood Avenue intersections (Congress , Hanover and Deer streets) have the same setup where the light turns green when the pedestrian crossing light is on. At Congress Street there are signs indicating “yield to pedestrians “and “no turn on red." The green light for vehicles goes on when the pedestrian light is at “15." I have been on these crosswalks when a driver is too eager to turn and comes right up to the crosswalk I am on.

These intersections are not safe for pedestrian crossing.

What will it take to change these signals?

Mary Lou McElwain

Portsmouth

It is terrible for North Hampton to lose a chief like Kathryn Mone

March 20 — To the Editor:

Praise goes out to the Seacoast Media Group for sharing with the readership the fact that the North Hampton town administrator and, worse, the Select Board are meddling in police department personnel matters.

We have come to a new point in how out of hand these small-town elected officials and administrators who are mere civilians are now attempting to meddle into police policy and the running of a modern municipal police department.

Chief Mone ran a top-notch department and how she chose to discipline and action events within her department were hers and hers alone. All police departments, large and small, have personnel issues today in the ever woke world and the need for political correctness. Spare the civil rights of the victims or the officers and let the Select Board attempt to influence the police chief who is the sole arbiter and policy maker within the department.

North Hampton is an affluent and progressive community and the police department needs to have stability to attract good officers and moreover keep them. It is terrible to lose a chief like Kathryn Mone a seasoned veteran cop with a sterling record. Her departure marks yet another politically motivated loss for the citizens of North Hampton and the people of the Seacoast.

It is high time the voters of North Hampton to start to choose candidates who do not have personal agendas as the members of the Select Board in North Hampton do. Whether it’s eminent domain for cell towers or meddling into police personnel matters, it appears on its face that North Hampton is in serious trouble and needs major changes in the town administration not the police department.

T. Stephen McCarthy

Portsmouth

Urge reps to vote against HB 507, a dangerous bill regarding licensing

March 20 — To the Editor,

House Bill 507, titled "an act relative to the unauthorized practice in occupational and professional licensing and certification" is currently pending in the Legislature.

According to the analysis available on the New Hampshire Legislature 2023/regular session website, "This bill clarifies that penalties for the unlicensed practice of a profession regulated under the office of professional licensure and certification do not apply so long as the person practicing does not hold themselves out as being licensed  or certified and discloses the fact that he or she is not licensed or certified."

In other words, anyone can practice certain professions although not licensed or certified to do so so long as he or she does not hold himself or herself out as being licensed or certified and discloses that fact before providing those services or asking a client to sign a contract for services.

Some of the the professions that would be affected if this bill becomes law are accountancy, acupuncture, barbering, cosmetology and esthetics, dental examiners, electricians, home inspectors, landscape architects, medicine, mental health practitioners, optometry, podiatry, psychology, real estate appraisers, brokers and sales persons and veterinarians. The complete list of affected professions can be found on the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification website.

The bill was recently referred to the Executive Departments and Administration Committee and rather than being deemed inexpedient to legislate instead resulted in a tie vote of “without recommendation.”

One has to ask oneself, “Who in his or her right mind could possibly think that such a law would be a good idea?”

The answer, of course is “no one” and therein lies the danger as the only individual who would seek to avail himself or herself of the provisions of this bill would be someone whose soundness of mind in my opinion would be questionable to say the least.

More importantly, however, apart from the legality, is the danger to the health, safety and welfare of the general public this bill would pose if it became law.

If you are a member of one of the professions I have listed, or, even if you are not  but agree that this bill is not only a bad idea but a dangerous one, I urge you to contact your representatives, as I have done, and urge them to vote against this bill.

Charles A. Griffin 

Portsmouth

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Celebrating two great women of Portsmouth NH: Letters