Friday Updates - April 26, 2013

Friday, April 26, 2013

Durham Police were the glad recipients of a new sign this week. The original sign was faded and the posts were rotted after having been originally installed in 1997 when the Police initially moved into the Batchelder building that at the time housed “Clipper Affiliates”, a company managing nursing facilities throughout the Seacoast area. Rotting will not occur this time however, as there are granite pillars on each side holding the new sign and the renovated seal of the Town of Durham. Courtesy Durham PD

PHASE I OF THE TOWN-WIDE STATISTICAL UPDATE HAS BEGUN

The Town of Durham has engaged the services of two companies to perform a Statistical Update of all property assessments throughout Durham.  KRT Appraisal will be updating the assessments of the residential properties, while Property Valuation Advisors will be updating the assessments of the commercial/industrial properties.  Both Companies will be working in conjunction with the Assessor’s Office.

 

There are five major phases to a statistical update: Data Collection, Market Analysis, Valuation, Field Review, and Informal Hearings. During these phases many tasks will be implemented in order to successfully update the assessments in Durham.

 

During the month of May, the first phase (Collection of Data) of the statistical update will begin. During this phase, income and expense questionnaires will be mailed to the appropriate commercial, industrial and apartment complex owners.  This information is strictly confidential, and is gathered to establish current levels of rental income and operating expenses for the different types of properties.  This valuation method is known as the “Income Approach” and is used to determine the market values of income producing properties.  Real Estate Appraisers and Assessors are legally required to consider the income approach.  Cooperation in completing these questionnaires and returning them to the Assessors Office will be greatly appreciated.

   

Also, during this phase data collectors from each company will also be reviewing those properties that have sold during the last two years.  This review includes physically measuring the exterior of these properties and inspecting the interior.  The purpose of this procedure is to make sure the information on the assessment record cards is correct and to note any changes that may have taken place since these properties sold. 

 

To confirm that the interior of a property was inspected, the owner will be asked to sign a data collection form verifying that the inspection took place.  Due to the volume of properties to be reviewed and time constraints to complete the statistical update, appointments for inspections will not be scheduled in advance.  The data collected is subject to verification by the New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration and a Supervisor from each appraisal company.

 

Representatives from each company will carry Picture IDs, Municipal Letters of Introduction, and have their vehicles listed with both the Assessor’s Office and Police Department.

PUBLIC FORUM HELD ON NEW TOWN HALL BUILDING, 8 NEWMARKET ROAD

A public forum was held on Thursday evening, April 25th, to receive comments from members of the public relative to the architectural elevation drawings for the new Town Hall site located at 8 Newmarket Road. Fourteen options were presented, and through a series of questions comparing different options, one particular concept seemed to be the most favorable to the citizens who participated. That concept included extending the exiting building to the north for a lobby and adding a one and one-half story Council chamber to the north of the lobby. There were other concepts that received less support.  There was also support about particular details including removal of all chimneys (which are only cosemetic), removal of any type of window shutters, and the concept of screening the tall elevator shaft behind the facade of the building. A number of the designs were more grand in scale, but believed to be too expensive. A presentation of financial implications of the project will be made in May to the Town Council. The architectural design will be presented to the Historic District/Heritage Commission in June for approval. To view the public forum, click HERE.

OFFICER DAVID CARPENTER GRADUATES FROM THE NEW HAMPSHIRE POLICE ACADEMY

Patrol Officer David Carpenter returned to Durham to begin his career after completing the necessary basic certification process at the New Hampshire Police Academy. While at the academy, David completed intensive on-site training intended to give them the core knowledge necessary to work as a police officer in New Hampshire. The police academy is 14 weeks long and requires the recruits to live on-site, except for weekends. The Academy is paramilitary in nature, with the day beginning at 5:30 am, with an exercise program to strengthen the body and improve endurance. After breakfast and lunch, they receive classroom training in laws, ethics, report writing, human relations, and many other topics. The recruit's day ends with "lights out" at 9:30 pm, after a short study period.  Officer Carpenter received both classroom and practical firearms training in the Academy's state-of-the-art indoor firing range. He also received practical and scenario-based training on everything from traffic stops and defensive tactics to building searches. Motor vehicle stops can even be simulated inside the facility which contains a realistic street scene and is capable of holding several vehicles.  Additionally, there is self-contained "track" for practical driving exercises. The Academy also has two "skid cars" which can simulate less-than-ideal driving conditions, including glare ice, even on ordinary pavement. 

Officer Carpenter is now in an eight-week “field training” program where he is assigned to an experienced Durham Officer to be instructed on those tasks that are unique to Durham including understanding the location of all roadways, Durham’s record management systems, radio communications, report writing and other nuances of the Durham environment.

Active Retired Club volunteers assist Durham PD with Community Survey

ACTIVE RETIRED CLUB ASSISTS DURHAM POLICE IN PREPARING FOR THE COMMUNITY SURVEY

The Active Retired Club came to the rescue of the Durham Police this week by providing invaluable assistance in preparing the department’s survey that was mailed to Durham property owners this week.  Each taxable property in Durham will receive a survey as the mailing labels came from the Town Assessing Office's database. The members of the Active Retired Club attached a mailing label and folded the survey for mailing. Chief Kurz is grateful for their assistance and energy as is UNH Grad Student Monica Andrews who realized that she would have been doing a lot of work preparing the survey without them!

This is the Police Department's fifth survey which is presented to the community every third year. It allows the department to receive the current perceptions and wishes of the community as it relates to crime in Durham or to discern if attitudes of how police services are delivered are changing. Chief Kurz uses the results to enhance policing services and to direct the department to provide the most responsive, cost-efficient, and compassionate police services possible.

Please take the time to fill out the survey, and when folded properly, the pre-paid return will be sent to the University of New Hampshire Survey Center. Answers are completely confidential and identities will not be known by any member of the Durham Police Department.

GOT DRUGS?  NATIONAL TAKE-BACK INITIATIVE

UNH Health Services and the UNH Police Department are offering the Durham and UNH communities a chance to help in preventing pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

 

On April 27th bring your unwanted medications for safe disposal to the following locations:

 

UNH Health Services Pharmacy, 4 Pettee Brook Lane,  noon - 4:00 p.m.

UNH Police Department, 18 Waterworks Road, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

TRANSFER STATION

The Transfer Station, located on Durham Point Road, is open on Tuesday and Saturday, 7:30 AM to 3:00 PM. Permit holding residents may enter the Transfer Station during these hours only. Beginning April 15th the gate will be closed promptly at 3:00 PM.

SPRING CLEANUP

Reminder that items for residential Spring Cleanup of bulky waste must be out by 7:00 AM on Monday, April 29th. Click HERE to view the Spring newsletter for details.

TUITIONING STUDENTS INTO THE ORCSD - VOLUNTARY SURVEY

The ORCSD will be asking the Durham residents within the district to take part in a voluntary survey pertaining to tuition students.  The survey will be a scientific random telephone survey administered through the UNH Survey Center and not all residents will receive a call.  The district would like to take this opportunity to thank residents in advance for their input.  For more information regarding the survey, click HERE.

This contemplative little troll is Reggie, who sits, shall we say, "on a rock on a front lawn in the Faculty neighborhood."  He is a very popular and loved member of the community, and he often sports seasonal costumes. Here, Reggie is showing his solidarity with the people of Boston. Courtesy Kathy Horrigan

 

PSNH TREE REMOVAL ON MADBURY ROAD

The Town completed discussions with PSNH regarding tree removals on Madbury Road.  A public meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 29, 2013 at 7:00 PM at the Town Offices to discuss the tree removal plan.  Madbury Road residents will receive a letter in the next few days personally inviting them to this public meeting. Click HERE to read the letter sent to Madbury Road residents.

SPRING NEWSLETTER

This week the Spring Newsletter was mailed out to all residents.  To view the newsletter, click HERE. A hot topic in the newsletter is the Spring Cleanup of Bulky Waste, which is scheduled to begin on Monday, April 29, 2013 at 7:00 AM. Details can be found in the newsletter. Please call the Department of Public Works at 603-868-5578 with any questions.

WATER CONSERVATION: WATERSENSE SPRING 2013 NEWSLETTER

On April 1, the Town Council approved an amendment to the plumbing code that refers to WaterSense labels for bathroom fixtures. Just what is WaterSense?  It's a program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designed to identify and promote water-efficient products and practices. The Spring 2013 WaterSense newsletter includes tips for outdoor sprinkler spruce-ups and other homeowner conservation measures, links to resources such as its "Water–Smart Landscape Photo Gallery," and news about water-saving initiatives across the country.

AGRICULTURAL COMMISSION WORKSHOPS

The Agricultural Commission invites residents to the following workshops focusing on backyard poultry and vegetable gardening:

• Saturday, May 4th, 10am - Noon, Town Council Chambers: "Vegetable Gardening Success Through Organization and Design".  Workshop Leader is Agricultural Commission member and Master Gardener Vin Dell'Ova.
• Thursday, May 30th, 6:30pm - 8:30 pm, Town Council Chambers: "Chickens 101: Care and Maintenance of a Healthy Layer Flock".  Workshop Leader is Dorothy Perkins of UNH Cooperative Extension.

For more information please contact Agricultural Commission Chair Theresa Walker at theresawalker@comcast.net or visit the Agricultural Commission's web site at http://www.ci.durham.nh.us/bcc.

 

Courtesy Walter Rous                      

DURHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

Another week of cooperative weather allowed the exterior work at the library to proceed at a good clip.  Temperatures increased from mid-30’s at the start of the week to mid-60’s by the end as the weather went from slightly overcast and drizzly to cloudless and sunny by Friday.

The masons were able to complete brickwork on the Children’s Wing arcade, the west façade and on the east elevation facing Madbury Road.  Once the brick is laid up and the mortar has begun to set, the masons must wash down the brickwork to remove any excess mortar.  Masons also began the stone infilling of former basement windows along the entry arcade.  The carpenters continued to work on the exterior siding, trim and framing in the bicycle storage area.

On the interior, the electricians continued to pull wires back to the basement electrical room and began installation of lights in the Community Room, Break Room and the entry arcade.  The drywall installers continued to hang, mud and sand drywall in the basement, boiler room, Café and main stairwell.  The fire shutter that would isolate the main stair from the first floor lobby in case of a fire was installed and carpentry work associated with its installation was completed.  The soffit over the display cases and shelves that will greet patrons in the lobby was framed.  The interior columns, door frames and interior windows received finish coats of paint.  The steel railings at the second floor balcony were hoisted into place with considerable effort.  The railings at the balcony are technically considered guard rails and must be no less than 42” above the floor unlike stair handrails which must be no less than 34” and no more than 38” above the stair tread nosing.  In both cases, guards and handrails must not have openings that would allow passage of a sphere 4” in diameter (think about the head of a small child!).

Courtesy Walter Rous

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.

Madbury Road Tree Cutting Public Forum - Monday, April 29, 2013

Historic District Commission - Thursday, May 2, 2013. To view agenda and other information, click HERE.

Durham Agricultural Commission Workshop - Saturday, May 4, 2013 (10:00 AM - 12:00 Noon)

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/.

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

DCAT Programming Schedule, please click HERE.

SAVE THE DATE - MILL POND DAM 100TH YEAR GALA!

On Sunday, September 15, 2013, a Mill Pond Dam 100th GALA will be held at the Three Chimneys Inn. This event, sponsored by the Historic District/Heritage Commission, Three Chimneys, and Durham Parks & Recreation, will be held from 3-5:00 PM. You won't want to miss this special event. More information will be coming soon!

TRY THE TRAIN TO MAINE!  AMTRAK WEEKEND STEAL DEAL 

Amtrak's Downeaster train service is being affected south of Haverhill due to bridge replacement, so the Rail Authority is offering $5 trips on a few select upcoming weekends. The deal covers trips between stations from Haverhill north through Exeter, to Freeport, and all the way to Brunswick, Maine. It's a great opportunity to take a little excursion to Portland (the Old Port!), Freeport (LL Bean!), or Brunswick (Bowdoin College!). Relax and view the scenery instead of the traffic...stroll around your destination town without worrying about parking. Besides, there's no cheaper way to introduce the kids to rail travel.

Dates for the deal: May 4-5, and May 11-12; reservations required. Check the details at the promotional website. To help plan your trip, visit the current Downeaster schedule and find visitor tips (including bus and tax connections) at the website for the Portland Transportation Center.

Want to leave your car near Durham's Amtrak station? Park for free on weekends at UNH's "A Lot" across the railroad tracks or the Nesmith Hall parking lot across Main Street, or at Durham's Depot Road parking lot to the right of the station.  Free parking is available to Durham residents in the Depot Road Lot for a day trip on the train by contacting the Durham Police Department at 868-2324, M-F, and obtaining a day pass for weekend use. 

AMTRAK DOWNEASTER - NATIONAL TRAIN DAY, MAY 11TH

Join the celebration on Saturday, May 11, 2013 from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Brunswick Station, 16 Avenue, Brunswick, Maine. Free event!

• Downeaster train tours and cafe samples - 1-4 PM
• Kids activities
• Travel ideas
• Educational exhibits
• Ticket giveaway

To learn more about the Amtrak Downeaster, click HERE.

DO YOU HAVE A BIG IDEA FOR A SMALL GRANT?

The Lamprey River Advisory Committee is seeking creative, hard-working individuals or groups to apply for small grants that help to spread the word about the Lamprey River. The committee seeks projects whose goal is outreach that highlights protection of the river’s outstanding wildlife & ecology, history, recreation, or other attributes. Past projects include: videos,

town trail planning & mapping, land & soil conservation education, water conservation education and making rain barrels, mapping historic mill sites,

on-site septic system reviews for landowners, Lamprey River Curriculum revision, and creation of a lending library of tools to remove invasive plants.

All proposed projects need to address an issue identified in the Lamprey River Management Plan, 2007 Revision, located at http://www.lampreyriver.org/about-us-2007-mgmt-plan-revision. Grants up to $5000 will be considered for the best proposals. Please note that not more than 10% of the grant budget can go toward overhead costs.

The deadline for applications is May 17, 2013. Details for the Small Grants Program can be found at http://www.lampreyriver.org/about-us-2013-small-grants-program or by contacting Sharon Meeker, outreach sub-committee chair, at s-meeker@comcast.net or 659-5441. We are happy to discuss potential projects informally prior to application submission. The committee wants to hear from you!

New England Cottontail Rabbit

VOLUNTEERS WANTED: GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY FOR A GOOD CAUSE!

Did you know the New England cottontail rabbit is in trouble? (In fact, it's being considered for listing under the federal Endangered Species Act.) Would you be interested in helping to keep them off the list while promoting native plants? If you also enjoy working outdoors, grab a shovel this coming weekend and help us plant shrubs to restore the rabbit's natural habitat. Join other volunteers and the Strafford Rivers Conservancy at the Horrigan property off Bennett Road, Durham, this Saturday, April 27 and/or Sunday, April 28 anytime between 9am and 5pm both days.

 

Expect to get dirty! Please come prepared to work hard, wear appropriate clothing and boots for the mud, bring a shovel (if you have one), work gloves, water, and lunch or snacks. (Just a note: this IS vacant land; there are no bathroom facilities. Also, bug season is starting.) Bring a friend: teams of two work well, with one person opening the soil with a shovel and the other pushing in the live stakes (dormant cuttings of silky dogwood). Download an event flyer for directions and complete information. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will contribute to the Strafford Rivers Conservancy (SRC) a set amount for each shrub planted.

If you'd like more information, send email to Anna at info@straffordriversconservancy.org or call Emma Carcagno at UNH Cooperative Extension, (603) 862-2512.

WORKFORCE HOUSING RENTALS AVAILABLE - DOWNTOWN DURHAM AT FORMER GRANGE PROPERTY

Two-bedroom workforce housing apartments are now being offered in downtown Durham. Rentals will be available June 1, 2013. Heat and Hot Water included in the rent. Rental application and security deposit are required. Income restrictions apply. This project was part of a public-private redevelopment of the former Grange parcel which has won numerous state planning awards, as well as an award from the NH Workforce Housing Coalition.  For more information, contact Nikki Douglas at 603-557-0834, nikkidouglass@kw.com.

PAY IT FORWARD PROJECT

For her Pay It Forward project, Oyster River Middle School 7th grader Shivika Aggarwal has teamed up with "We Care Charity" that has been sending shipments of used clothes, toys, etc. to India to be distributed to orphanages and other charity organizations. Shivika is currently collecting used clothes, toys without batteries, board games, puzzles, children's books. If you would like to donate any of these items, there will be a bin inside the town office for items to be dropped off by Saturday, May 4th.

SPRING CLEANING FOR SYRIA

Please come to the Community Church on Saturday, May 4th to drop off your old or unused clothing as part of a clothing drive hosted by Forrest Spinney, a student at Oyster River High School. 

As part of his Power of One project to raise awareness of the ongoing civil conflict in Syria, the clothing drive is designed to ship clothes to children and families of refugees caught in the crossfire. Forrest is working with a local family from Syria and the Syrian American Medical Society. The drop off will be located at the back of the church from 9 am to 1 pm.  Forrest will be at the door to the left of the Echo Thrift Shop to unload your items. Thank you in advance for your time and contributions.

PARKS AND RECREATION PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

JOIN US FOR YOGA:  Mondays:  5:45AM and 5PM;  Tuesdays:  7:15PM; Thursdays:  6:00AM.  What to expect:  Yoga is a series of physical poses which promote good posture, alleviate health problems, reduce stress, and make the spine supple.  Yoga is often used as both an exercise and a form of physical therapy. Cost is only $40 for 8 sessions! Couples Yoga coming soon! Find out more HERE. 

GET FIT! CHECK OUT ONE OF OUR ENERGIZING CLASSES TODAY!  

BOOT CAMP, Wed/Fri, 7AM 

PILATES, Mon 9AM, Wed 6:30 PM, Sat 10AM

ZUMBA - Mon/Wed 5:30 PM, Sat 9AM

STRENGTH & STRETCH - Wed/Fri 8AM

TAI CHI (Beginner/Advanced) - Fri 4-5:30 PM

TAI CHI (Moving for Better Balance) - Tue/Thu 9-10AM

Find out more HERE.

GRANITE STATE TREASURE HUNTS OUTING AT WAGON HILL FARM

(Thomas Bunce – Secretary GSTH)

On Sunday, April 21, 2013, 42 members of the Granite State Treasure Hunters for Historic Restoration held their Spring Outing at the Wagon Hill Farm in Durham, New Hampshire. Hosts from the Town of Durham, for the outing, were Michael Lynch and Stefanie Frazee. They assisted and guided the club through the application process to qualify for land use. To gain group access to the property required a $150 liability deposit and proof of Club Liability Insurance. After having met all of the necessary qualifications, the permit was issued enabling the April event.

The day began with Dave Waterhouse, GSTH President, conducting a business meeting consisting of a review of the events planned for the 2013 season and recognizing Michael and Stefanie for their assistance. The hunt began at 9:30AM with each club members given a trash bag to pick up any trash encountered on the property surface or found in the ground. Members then spread across the entire site with metal detector in hand searching for coins, historical artifacts, and jewelry.    

The highlight of the day was the presence of WMUR Channel 9 filming the event for a Chronicle program to be aired sometime in May. The show will feature interviews with Michael and Stefanie, Club Officers, and members of the Club in pursuit of “Treasures”

At the end of the day, members of the club displayed their findings. The majority of finds consisted of oxen shoes, horse shoes, various scraps metal of unknown identity, square nails, an oxen bell, and an assortment of pull tabs and bottle caps. Two buttons were found that appeared to be in excess of 200 years old as well as a silver ring. Most members found coins of post 1964 vintage, with a few coins that appeared to be large cents but the dates were worn prohibiting validation.

For the metal detecting hobbyist, a treasure is defined in the eye of the beholder. Given that belief, everyone had a good time and look forward to returning in 2014 to continuing the never ending search for that special treasure.

COYOTE'S INKWELL

Durham Parks and Recreation presents: Evening of Storytelling with Michael Lang - storyteller and owner of The Coyote’s Inkwell: sharing folktales, fables, music, and original stories.  Program designed for 1st through 5th grade ages, but all are welcome @ Parks & Rec Building Thursdays: May 16th, 23rd, 30th  5-6pm ($5/child)

SUMMER SPEED CAMP:  For athletes in grades 7-12 who are looking to improve their game, while having a TON of fun this summer. Find out more HERE.

MAD SCIENCE SUMMER CAMP: Durham Parks & Rec and Mad Science have teamed up to offer:

Rockin' Rockets & Fantastic Flight - Jul 29-Aug 2, 2013; 9AM - 3PM, $250, for ages 7 to 12 years. Fantastic Flight will allow campers to build many different flying devices from balloon copter and kites to rockets. Learn about navigation tools and see how Newton's Laws of Motion help explain how things move and how rockets fly!

Secret Agent Lab - Aug 5-Aug 9, 2013, 9AM - 3:30 PM, $250, for ages 7 to 12 years. Look out 007. The Mad Science Secret Agent Lab is in session! From decoding messages to metal detectors and night vision, you will get a chance to check out cool spy equipment and even create your own edible message in a hands-on look at the science that spies use!  For more information and to register, click HERE.

ADVENTURE PADDLE CAMP:  Parks & Recreation is teaming up with Seven Rivers Paddling to offer kids kayaking camps this summer!  We are offering a series of week-long sessions for kids ages 6-8 and 9-13.  Each session will guide the participants through basic paddling techniques; balance; self rescue skills; wildlife exploration; and conservation topics. For more information, please visit Seven Rivers Paddling on FB, or email: sevenriverspaddling@gmail.com

KAYAK TOURS:  Durham Parks & Recreation is teaming up with Seven Rivers Paddling to offer weekend tours this summer! Seven Rivers Paddling Days:

• Saturday, May 4th @ 5PM (Sunset Tour) – Jackson’s Landing
• Saturday, May 11th @ 10AM – Jackson’s Landing
• Saturday, May 18th @ 3PM – Jackson’s Landing
• Saturday, May 25th @ 10AM – Jackson’s Landing

All tours are $50/person, (ages 9+) and include necessary instruction and gear (boats too)! Both beginner and advanced paddlers welcome.  Tours are 3 hours each.  Space is limited!

To register, please fill out a registration form at: www.ci.durham.nh.us/recreation (follow directions on top of form).  

 

COUCH TO 5K:  Have you ever wanted to run a 5k but don’t know how to get started?  Come run with us in our “Couch to 5k” program.  Nicole and Sheila are great instructors who bring FUN and energy into running.  This program includes registration for, and concludes with the Bobcat Bolt 5k in June. To register, click HERE and follow directions on top of the form.

16TH WORLD TAI CHI QUIGONG DAY CELEBRATION: Join Parks & Recreation Tai Chi Instructor Lin Lin Choy on Saturday, April 27th @ 10AM – Great Lawn, UNH.  This is a free event for all ages.

STUDENT TO STUDENT: Durham Parks & Rec is teaming with UNH athletes to offer homework help and recreational activities after school at ORMS. This is a fun, free program that engages students in healthy, educational activities with local college students. Dates for Fall 2013 will be available soon.

MEMORIAL DAY PARADE 2013:  Every Durham resident, veteran, and family member is invited to participate in the annual Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 27th. Join us as we celebrate and honor the men and women who have, and are currently serving our country.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS:

• Durham Day - Saturday, September 21, 2013 at Wagon Hill Farm (Rain Date: Sunday, September 22nd)
• Music By the Bay Summer Concert Series - June, July, August 2013 at Wagon Hill Farm
• Memorial Day Parade - Monday, May 27, 2013

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JOIN ANY CLASS, ANYTIME!  For more information regarding any of the classes or events offered by Parks and Recreation, visit the P&R web site at https://www.ci.durham.nh.us/boc_parksrec.

The Annual Quackfest event will be held on Saturday, May 4th. See more information below. Thank you to top duck sponsors: Durham Marketplace, Dover Auto World, DF Richard, Bragdon Dugas & Rutter, Tedeschi Food Shops, and Durham Great Bay Rotary.

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

Harmony Homes Community Garden

Harmony Homes Assisted Living at 1 Stagecoach Road still has a few openings in its free community garden for this summer. To reserve a spot, email HarmonyHomesNH@hotmail.com or call at 292-6087 to reserve a spot.

Community Archeology Day, Saturday, April 27, 2013, 9AM to 3PM (May 4th heavy rain backup day), UNH's Great Lawn at intersection of Main Street and Edgewood Road. The students of The Lost Campus: The Archeology of UNH invite all to visit their excavations of the first train station in Durham (opened in 1841, moved in 1912; part of the B&M railroad). Contact Carolyn.Stolzenburg@unh.edu, 603-862-1864 with questions.

UNH May Day Carnival, Saturday, April 27, 2013, 1:00 - 9:00 PM, Parking Lot C and Quad Way at UNH. All are welcome at this campus and community event, featuring amusement rides, game booths, live music, carnival food and more. Admission is free for all UNH students, faculty, staff and their families. $5 Admission for all other community members.

Durham Police Officers Association Pancake Breakfast, Saturday, April 27, 2013, 8:00-10:00 AM, Durham Evangelical Church, Dover Road. Proceeds benefit the Chief Ray Burrows Scholarship Fund. $7/adults, $3/children for all you can eat pancakes, home fries, sausage, bacon, and eggs.

Great Bay Forum with EPA Director and Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter, Tuesday, April 30, 2013, 5:30-7:00 PM, Great Bay Discovery Center, Greenland. A free forum on the future of the Great Bay. Discussion will be on innovative solutions available to help communities preserve this vital natural resource. RSVP to Chuck Gilboy, Chuck.Gilboy@mail.house.gov or call 603-641-9536  Need a reminder? Download the invitation.

An Introduction to Rain Garden Design & Installation, Friday, May 3, 2013, 8:30 AM-3:30 PM, Great Bay Community College Room 123-124, 320 Corporate Drive, Portsmouth. Installation rain date: May 6th. Registration deadline is April 29th.  For more information call 603-559-1529

Great Bay Rowing (GBR) - Registration is now open for the spring session. GBR is a non-profit club fostering interest in the sport of rowing. We provide our members, with the opportunity, facilities, equipment, and instruction to row at both competitive and recreational levels. For more information, click HERE.

7th Annual Oyster River Quackfest, Saturday, May 4, 11:30 am to 2:00 pm, Durham Landing.  Cheer on the ducks at 1:00 pm as they “race” to the finish line. This fun family day includes live music by the ORMS Jazz Band, the NH Notables, lots of free children’s activities, a BBQ, and prizes.Ducks are for sale at Durham Marketplace and all three Growing Places locations.  Proceeds from Quackfest benefit Growing Places children’s programming and Rotary of Durham Great Bay community projects. 

Annual Tech-cycle Event. ORHS's robotics Team, River's Edge Robotics, will hold this second annual event, Saturday, May 4, 2013, 9AM-5PM, senior parking lot at ORHS. Please bring any electronics or appliances that are not being used anymore. Contact Nate Oxnard, noxnard@orcsd.org with questions.

Active Retirement Association Presents Author, Eleanor Morse, Sunday, May 19, 2013, 2:00 PM, Durham Community Church. Ms. Morse will discuss her new book, White Dog Fell From the Sky, a novel which takes place in apartheid South Africa in 1976. For more information, call 603-292-6234 or email momstarks2237@comcast.net.

Durham Great Bay Rotary Upcoming Meetings. All meetings held at 7:30 AM at the Three Chimneys Inn,. All are welcome. Apr 24th-GSE Team from Nigeria; May 1st-John DeLorey on college financing/planning; May 8th-club forum; May 22nd-GBRC member Arthur Bradbury; Call 603-868-1664 for more information.

Legally Blonde The Musical - SAVE THE DATE - May 23, 24, 25 (7PM) and May 26 (2PM), ORHS, Tickets: $7/students, $10/adults

ORHS List of Athletic Events for the Spring - To view the schedule, click HERE.  *** Weather could postpone or cancel some of these events ***. For daily updates, contact ORHS at 603-868-2375, extension 2.

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 9th 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 10th, from 10am to 5pm and on Saturday, May 11th from 10am to 2pm.

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.

The Durham Public Library is located in Mill Road Plaza. (603) 868-6699.

DURHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

Preschool Storytimes, Tues. April 30th and Thurs.  May 2nd at 10:30 am – This week:  Wild Animals!  Join us for stories, fingerplays, songs, feltboard and a craft.  All are welcome. 

Pajama Storytime, Tues. April 30th, 6:30 p.m. - Join ORPP and the Durham Library for our monthly Pajama Storytime.  This month:  Wild Animals/Pets! Make a wild animal craft and meet a pet, Mia, from Tales for Tails will visit. Come wearing your pajamas.  We read stories, do fingerplays, songs, feltboard and make a craft.  ORPP supplies a snack.  All are welcome.

Homeschooling Activity Hour Friday, May 3rd, 10:30-11:30 a.m. –This week:  Poetry - hear some books/poems, learn and write some poems, decorate your poem.  Homeschoolers join us as we read some books, play some games and work on a craft.  This program is geared for home-schoolers but all are welcome. We will meet for eight Fridays (starting April 5th and ending May 24th).
Carol & Crew Puppet Show, Sat. May 4th, 10:30 a.m. - Carol & Crew are back for an amazing Puppet Show!  Carol's puppet shows are very fun, interactive and entertaining.  All are welcome!  Don't miss it!
McGregor Memorial EMS CPR Course, Tues. May 7th 6:00-8:15 p.m. - McGregor Memorial EMS is proud to offer a CPR Course at the library. The cost for the Community CPR Class is $20, and payment is due the night of the class. Please register at www.mcgregorems.org
Raccoon Readers, 2nd-4th grade book group, Tues. May 7th 6:00-7:00 p.m. - Join us for our 2nd-4th grade book group.  This month's books are "The Lemonade War" by Jacqueline Davies and/or "The Missing Heir" by Tracy Barrett. Come discuss the book(s), authors, play some games, and make a craft.  Copies of these books are available at the Circulation desk.  All are welcome!

Young Adult Writing/Blog Group, Tues. May 7th 7:00-7:45 p.m. - Join us for this monthly writing group for Young Adults (10 yrs & up).  We do writing exercises, talk about your writing and post your writing to our blog "Write Away".  We also talk about books, movies...  All are welcome!

Libros Lovers, High School Book Group, Weds. May 8th 1:00-2:00 p.m. - Join us for this High School Book Group.  This month's book is "Delirium" by Lauren Oliver.  Ruth Wharton MacDonald is the facilitator.  All are welcome and pizza is served.

Oster River High School Poetry Night, Weds, May 8th, 7:00 p.m- Join Oyster River High School Students for a night of creative poetry readings!  The ORHS Poet Laureate, ORHS Poetry Out Loud Winner and the ORHS Literary Magazine Members will do some readings.  Refreshments will be served and all are welcome!

Henna Body Workshop, Joint Library Teen Program, Sat. May 11th, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. - Learn the history of henna body art as used in ceremony, ritual, and medicine as well as the various designs used in different cultures.  Learn how to mix henna and after choosing/creating a design, paint away!  Taught by master herbalist and henna tattoo artist, Melissa Morrison, this workshop is for grades 7th - 12th.  Registration required.  Please register (at any of the three libraries) by May 4th.  This joint teen library (Durham, Lee and Madbury) program is being held at the Lee Library.
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. The program will end on May 31st, 2013 so come in to collect your patches.  We will begin again Sept. 1st, 2013.

  
Check out our website www.durhampubliclibrary.org for more info.

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"

"Education and Religion - Durham Churches: The Community Church of Durham. The Community Church has truly been a 'community church'. It was the only church building in Durham through 1950, and it served both town and college, with members of twenty different denominations attending it over the years. In the early years, it was the 'town church', to which all citizens were expected to contribute (the canvass for contributions was call ed the 'Every Citizen Canvass'). Serious business was transacted at an annual meeting; the whole town sat in judgment of the past year's work and planned for the future.

The Reverend William Beard was the minister from 1897 to 1908. He lived in the parsonage on Newmarket Road, which had been bequeathed to the church by Mrs. Lydia Simpson in 1895. In 1900 the old vestry or chapel, which had stood west of the church, was moved to the rear of the sanctuary and remodeled to provide a study, a parlor, a dining room, and a kitchen." Published in 1985 by the Durham Historic Association.

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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