Hanover's first Obama for America rally of the 2012 campaign cycle drew over 20 local residents, including State Rep. Susan Almy, D-Grafton, former chair of the New Hampshire Ways and Means Committee, to the Rockefeller Center on Sunday afternoon. The two-hour event concluded the organization's first day of canvassing in the Upper Valley. Almy said she came to the meeting out of curiosity and a desire to contribute to President Barack Obama's re-election efforts. "I wanted to see how things were developing," she said in an interview with The Dartmouth. "I think that it's really important that people from local campaigns work with people at the national level so we can cooperate on unseating the Republicans, re-electing the president and making real changes." Several attendees expressed reservations regarding the focus, scope and effectiveness of the host organization, Obama for America. Carolyn Tenney, a Hanover resident, said Obama for America should focus on recruiting and involving more students. "They're going to determine the next election," Tenney said. The next Obama for America campus event will occur on Dec. 8, according to Sara Bean Duncan, Obama for America New Hampshire state field director.
The Stanford University Graduate School of Business unveiled a new program to enable students to pursue projects aimed at combatting poverty in developing countries, The Stanford Daily reported. The Stanford Institute for Innovation in Developing Economies was funded by a $100 million gift from former Stanford student Robert King and his wife Dorothy King. The Kings have pledged to contribute an additional $50 million if others also raise $50 million to start another anti-poverty initiative, The Daily reported.
Durham police officers arrested nine University of New Hampshire students for drug possession early Sunday morning, WMUR reported. The nine students all members of the university's Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, which was suspended for five months in October were charged with possession of illegal drugs while two were also arrested for disorderly conduct. Police officers noted multiple safety violations during a search of the suspended fraternity's physical plant, and the town code enforcement officer subsequently declared the building uninhabitable due to fire, health, electrical, building and life safety code violations, according to WMUR. The investigation is ongoing and police officers said they anticipate that more arrests will be made. Durham police is also investigating an alleged sexual assault reported at the ATO physical plant early Sunday morning, WMUR reported.
