Town Talk
The Manchester Police Department is stepping up traffic enforcement patrols focused on arresting impaired drivers as part of a "Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest," as part of a mobilization effort that began last month and extends through this Labor Day Weekend.
The state's executive office of public safety and security provided $779,000 in federal grant funding for this initiative for both enforcement and a public education campaign.
Manchester Patrolman David Lynn, who obtained and administers the town's grant, said the first shift paid for under the grant mobilization produced immediate results.
"Sgt. Todd Fitzgerald arrested an alcohol-impaired operator," Lynn said. "(He) was only approximately half-hour into the shift when the arrest occurred."
Lynn has only scheduled one additional shift as part of the Labor Day mobilization.
"The reason being that a town our size only receives a limited amount of money per mobilization and I have been saving most of our allotted funding for (this weekend)," he said.
This is Manchester's first year of participation in this highway safety grant. There are typically six mobilizations annually. Because Manchester entered into it at the halfway point, the Police Department has only been involved in the last three mobilizations. The Labor Day weekend mobilization is the last one scheduled for this calendar year.
In addition to drunken driving offenses, the mobilizations under this grant can also target and encourage seat belt use.
Lynn said Manchester Police plan to participate in all six mobilizations next year.
While Massachusetts State Police will conduct sobriety checkpoints throughout the area this weekend, Lynn said Manchester police officers will not take part in those efforts.
"In my 22 years as a police officer in Manchester I cannot recall us ever engaging in a sobriety checkpoint," Lynn said.
Manchester Public Library
The results are in for the Adult Summer Reading Competition.
The winners are numbers 2, 13, 19 and 20. Bring your slip with your winning number to the Circulation Desk at the library to claim your prize. The top rated summer reading books of the summer were — David Baldacci's "The Collectors" and "Divine Justice," Susan Pfeffer's "Life As We Knew It" and "Dead and Gone;" Hillary Jordan's "Mudbound," and Tatiana de Rosnay's "Sarah's Key."
The Library's Homework Center opens on Monday, Sept. 14. Hours are 3 to 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday, following the school calendar. Students will have a dedicated computer available to them to search the internet and for word processing. Free printing is available during homework center hours.
Students can also access the array of databases available on the library's Web site (manchesterpl.org). These contain millions of full-text articles from scholarly journals as well as the popular press in all fields of research: the environment, health, science, the humanities, business and many others in the subscription databases from Infotrac and Ebsco.
The library's ongoing series on health returns on Sept. 16 at 6:30 p.m. Pat Scalice will return to speak on the benefits of Aromatherapy. For six weeks, beginning on Wednesday, Sept. 23, the library will hold a series of programs titled "My Life, My Health," to discuss strategies for coping with chronic health conditions. Each of these Wednesday programs will begin at 1 p.m. and last until 3:30 p.m. There is limited space so sign up at the library or call Nancy Hammond, director, Council on Aging at 978-526-7500. The health programs are supported by an Equal Access LSTA grant.
Volunteers are needed at the library. The fall is about change; maybe your schedule has changed this fall and you need to find a change-of-pace. The Library always needs volunteers to keep the flow of books moving smoothly. Whether by shelving, processing new materials, or removing the old, there is plenty of work. Volunteering is a good community service opportunity for high school students as well, Library officials said.
Those interested in helping out at the library are urged to call 978-526-7711 and speak with Dorothy or Mike.
Other events:
Monday, Sept. 14, 7 p.m., Non-fiction Book Group;
Tuesday, Sept. 15, 1:30 p.m., Preschool Story Time;
Tuesday, Sept. 15, 4 p.m., Hearthside Book Group;
Tuesday, Sept. 15, 3:30 p.m., Afterschool Book Group, register;
Wednesday, Sept. 16, 10:30 a.m., Dance Fitness, Literacy through Movement, register;
Wednesday, Sept. 16, 6:30 p.m., Pat Scalice, Aromatherapy;
Saturday, Sept. 19, 10:30 a.m., Clayworks, Serpent Came to Gloucester, register.
Library programs are free and open to everyone. The main entrance is handicap accessible. New members for book groups are always welcome.
Town Talk is compiled each week by reporter Jonathan L'Ecuyer. If you have an item for Town Talk, call L'Ecuyer at 978-283-7000, ext. 3451, or e-mail jlecuyer@gloucestertimes.com.
