Frank's Footnotes Newsletter: Preparing for Tropical Storm Sandy

The Importance of Manufacturing: Tour of New Hampshire Ball Bearings
New Hampshire Ball Bearings is a leading manufacturer of precision bearings and complex bearing assemblies for the defense, aerospace, medical, dental and high technology markets. This Tuesday, I had the chance to tour their facility and see what they do. The manufacturing industry is very important to me. Throughout my time in Congress I have hosted three Manufacturing Summits as part of my “Getting Granite Staters Back to Work” jobs initiative. It is my hope by bringing both educators and manufacturers to the table, we can improve the manufacturing industry here in New Hampshire and bring good jobs back home to the Granite State.

	On the Right Track: Huot Technical Center
	This week I had the opportunity to tour Huot Technical Center in Laconia and visit with the students there. Huot Technical Center provides career and technical education programs to its students to allow them to have an opportunity to experience a variety of career choices. I was impressed to find the school is equipped with the most up-to-date equipment and technology needed to keep our technical schools competitive. The faculty and staff at the school works hard to create opportunities for students to participate in field sites and internships for more engaged learning. A special thank you to Director Scott Davis and the rest of the administration and staff for hosting me!

	“Getting Granite Staters Back to Work”: Meeting with Business Leaders and an Employee Town Hall at Timberland
	One of the things I love most about my job is the chance to meet with Granite Staters and have substantive discussions with them. On Tuesday, I hosted a very important meeting with some of the Greater Laconia area members of my Business Advisory Committee. It is imperative as your Member of Congress I meet with local job creators and small business owners to discuss their concerns and ideas for brining jobs to New Hampshire. This week I also hosted a Town Hall meeting with the employees at Timberland in Stratham as part of my “Getting Granite Staters Back to Work” jobs initiative.

	Celebrating New Jobs in the Granite State
	This week I had the opportunity to celebrate the groundbreaking of Sanctuary Care in Rye and the ribbon cutting of eClipse Professional Services in Exeter. Sanctuary Care is a memory-care residence facility that is uniquely designed for individuals who need memory care for Alzheimer’s and dementia. During my time in Congress, I have visited many care facilities throughout New Hampshire and am pleased this facility will serve a population that needs specific care. The amount of people suffering from Alzheimer’s or dementia is rapidly increasing nationwide. I have made an effort to meet with the Alzheimer’s Association both in Washington and here in New Hampshire to make sure as a Member of Congress I am doing all I can to advocate for legislation on their behalf.  Click here to read an article from the Union Leader about it! eClipse Professional Services was founded in 2005 by Mr. Leslie Bihari, when he found an opportunity to blend two passions, software and science. eClipse was able to grow from a small consulting boutique into a full service Contract Research Organization, providing clinical trial management services worldwide. To accommodate the growing company, eClipse has purchased a new office building in Exeter and I couldn’t be more proud of Mr. Bihari’s innovation and his work as a job creator here in New Hampshire! I wish both Sanctuary Care and eClipse Professional Services all the best for continued success.

	Helpful Tips for Preparing for Tropical Storm Sandy
	As I finish another busy week representing you, I cannot help but keep a close eye on the storm track for Hurricane Sandy as it progresses up the Atlantic coastline. Hurricanes, tropical storms and nor’easters all present real danger to our homes and small businesses, and should not be trifled with. As my constituents in the Mount Washington Valley can tell you, even a small storm can produce significant flooding that imperils lives and leaves long lasting damage. I urge my constituents to keep track of the location and expected landfall of Sandy. Hopefully the storm will deflect out to sea but if it does not, you should be prepared for the worst. Below I have included links to various agencies that will be tracking the storm and that provide you with practical tips to stay safe in case Sandy comes to New Hampshire. I will keep my website updated with any new information. http://www.ready.gov/hurricanes (hurricane readiness information including an action list for home and business owners) http://www.nh.gov/safety/divisions/hsem/ (if Governor Lynch declares a state of emergency, this site will be useful to obtain local emergency information) http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ (the National Hurricane Center which is tracking Sandy…this site is updated frequently based upon computer projections and observed data) http://www.wmur.com/weather (as Sandy approaches, weather sites like WMUR’s will provide additional information you will need to know about in case of landfall or a close pass to the New Hampshire seacoast.)