Remembering Mark Brighton’s immodest proposal to scare off helicopters
Dec. 5 − To the Editor:
I would like to offer my belated condolences to Mark Brighton’s loved ones because I learned of his passing just before embarking on a 2-week vacation. What I appreciated most about Mark was his wit. One of my favorite letters of his to the Herald was one in which he proposed a solution to the problem of annoying low flying tourist helicopters: he would put a stop to them by sunbathing in the nude on his rooftop. Although there is now a little less laughter in the City of Portsmouth, we can rest assured that there must be a special place in Heaven for those who made the rest of us smile.
Christina Lusky
Portsmouth
Plan for Route 1 doesn’t make sense to me
Dec. 5 — To the Editor:
Today, there are no pedestrian crossings on Route 1 between Ocean Road and the mall with McKinnon’s Market (Springbrook Circle.) The Route 1 improvement plan would eliminate the crossing and stop light at Springbrook Circle and replace it with a traffic circle. It would also replace the traffic light at Walmart with another traffic circle. Thus, there would be no pedestrian crossings for a mile north of Ocean Road.
As a pedestrian this makes little sense to me. Most of the residences are on the east side of Route 1 while the businesses are on the west side. I applaud putting in sidewalks, but eliminating any way for pedestrians to cross the street to access the businesses defeats the purpose of having sidewalks.
Eliminating the crossings also affects those who use the Coast Bus on Route 1. If you live on the west side of Route 1. you have to take the outbound bus to go downtown because you cannot safely cross the street to catch the downtown bus. If you live on the east side of Route 1 you have to take the outbound bus all the way to its end when it becomes the downtown bus to get home for the same reason.
From Ocean Road to Hoover Dr. there is plenty of room to put in a sidewalk on the east side of Route 1 which could be connected to the existing sidewalk on Elwyn Park. If pedestrian crossings were added at Heritage Avenue and at Walmart one could have sidewalks on the east side of Route 1 and the bike lanes on the west side without affecting the Elwyn Park residents. I would also point out that there is no room on the west side of Lafayette Road for a 10-foot sidewalk and bike lane in spaces north of Springbrook Circle.
Walter Hamilton
Portsmouth
Why isn’t all this development reducing our taxes?
Dec. 6 − To the Editor:
OK, I have reached the threshold of not understanding why massive developments in Portsmouth, which generate large revenues for the city don’t translate into stable level property taxes, or decreasing property taxes. What put me over the edge to write this letter is the Portsmouth Herald story of the new Torrington development on Constitution Avenue. I have no doubt that it will be another beautiful addition to the city. And that too, when complete next summer will generate large amounts of revenue by new condo owners to the city. That’s just one example. Where does the money all go, that it can’t result in less of a property tax burden to the residents, renters and taxpayers of the city? I will leave it at that.
Roger Wood
Portsmouth
The city of ‘yes’!
Dec. 3 − To the Editor:
Several weeks ago I had the idea of putting together a charity dodgeball game between the Portsmouth police & fire departments. I thought we might be able to do some good, while creating a fun community event for the holidays.
I called the athletic director at PHS and explained my idea for this halftime entertainment at a basketball game. He said yes.
I reached out to the fire and police departments to see if they’d be interested in participating. Both chiefs said yes.
I reached out to local nonprofit Gather to see if they wanted to build a food drive onto the event. They said yes.
I reached out to the Mayor to see if he’d help MC the event. He said yes.
I reached out to several former Portsmouth Mayors, and some current city councilors to see if they’d help promote it. They all said yes.
I reached out to city staff, friends & colleagues for their support. They all said yes.
This is what makes our community so amazing. It’s the people and their willingness to deal themselves in to help others. It just takes an idea and the courage to share it with someone else, and then the magic starts.
The event is planned for the evening of December 20th and I’m inviting you to join us and to bring non-perishable food items for the food drive. I hope that you too will say yes.
Happy holidays!
Jason Goodrich
Portsmouth
What state representatives owe to people with opposing views
Dec. 3 − To the Editor:
On session days at the New Hampshire House of Representatives, especially when a controversial vote is being taken, there are often people protesting outside the State House and trying to appeal to representatives as they enter the chamber. In the past, I’ve smiled at the people advocating for policies I support and put blinders on to people who share opposing views. The fliers they tried to hand me were likely to land the floor. This kind of “they’re wrong; I know better” mentality, though, neglects our primary role as elected officials: to represent our constituents and the people of New Hampshire.
As individuals, I understand when people consider certain views hateful, harmful, or offensive. How people choose to respond to these situations is a highly personal choice, and their feelings are valid. As Representatives, though, we owe it to Granite Staters to hear them out. We might not agree, but we need to understand where people are coming from in order to address their concerns. That doesn’t mean we change our opinions or that we convince them to change theirs; it simply means that we come from a place of understanding (or wanting to understand) rather than judgement.
As we head into our next term, I look forward to learning from my peers on both sides of the aisle, cosponsoring bipartisan legislation, and listening more to people brave enough to share their views with us. There’s plenty of time for reflection in the months and years ahead about why our recent election turned out the way it did (regardless of whether you’re pleased with the results, disappointed, or indifferent). The only way forward, though, is to truly represent the views of our constituents. If you live in Portsmouth Ward 1 or Newington, please don’t hesitate to reach out with any concerns – or things that are going well! I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue serving our community in this new term.
Rep. Jennifer Mandelbaum
Rockingham 21 (Portsmouth/Newington)
This is not the time to drop out or give up
Dec. 3 − To the Editor:
“ In the end, the party would announce 2 +2 = 5. And you would have to believe it. It was inevitable that they would make that claim sooner or later. The logic of their position demanded it”. George Orwell
Are you living in the Trumpian Hellscape of American decline? This is how the candidate described America.
I don’t think so – and neither is anyone else in New Hampshire (and most probably in the other States as well).
Did you really believe in this hellscape of extreme decline? Is that why you voted for him?
People – please think very carefully. We are awash in lies on every form of media. We need to challenge these lies and not support them on any media. And we need to think about which media we take in.
A non-elected, self-proclaimed “co-president” Elon Musk can with impunity charge an American patriot with treason and ask for his execution. Does this sound like a so called “banana republic”?
This is the beginning of the Trump’s promised revenge program. He said he would seek revenge for any who came out against him – did you believe him? I did – and perhaps as you look at his cabinet picks you now will also. He is doing what he promised to do – destroying our democratic government to create his dictatorship.
And he does NOT have a mandate. The margin for the popular vote in this year’s presidential election is the 2nd closest since 1968 – and it’s still tightening.
Please remain vigilant and please stay informed and involved. This is not the time to drop out or give up. Pay attention to where you get your “news” – make certain to use several sources and challenge what you read and hear.
Our country needs an educated populace who are thinking carefully, staying informed and challenging their own and others thinking. The survival of our Republic demands it.
Linda Cunningham
Portsmouth
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Nude sunbathing, taxation frustration and more: Letters