BY DARRELL HALEN At only 11, Bradley Robbins of Windham was not only the youngest competitor at the 2008 National Scrabble Championship. He emerged from the event as the youngest national champion ever. Bradley, making his debut at nationals, lost only four of the 28 games he played. He scored an average of 425 points over the 28 ...

The Friends of the Library of Windham will host their annual Strawberry Festival and book fair on Saturday, June 7, from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., on the grounds of the Nesmith Library on Fellows Road in Windham. The book fair will run from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. FLOW members, senior citizens and volunteers can enjoy an “early ...

BY JENN McDOWELL An amendment to a bill going through the state Legislature that mandates public kindergarten for districts without it poses several options for communities looking to establish a program by the September 2009 deadline. Rep. Lynne Ober, one of the drafters of the amendment to the state’s original kindergarten ...

BY JENN McDOWELLFor Trudie Young of Windham, hula hooping never gets boring. Young, 58, known as the “Recess Lady,” worked at Fidelity Investments in project management and production services for years before breaking free of the corporate world to pursue a career in –you guessed it – playtime. “I’ve seen ...

By Darrell Halen Jessica Thibeault, 11, sprinkled colorful confetti on a plate before taking a whiff of a bowl of diced tomatoes and cucumbers mixed with balsamic dressing. “Smell this,” Lindsay Miller, 11, who had stirred the mixture, said to her. “Doesn’t it smell good?” Jessica placed paper cupcake holders on ...

BY DARRELL HALENA legislative committee has voted to recommend giving 11 school districts a one-year extension to start a public kindergarten program in their communities. That’s welcome news to school officials in Salem, Windham and Pelham – three towns that don’t offer kindergarten and were each faced with a September 2008 ...

BY DARRELL HALENWhen Timmy Rochon vacationed with his family, he made only small dives while his family went scuba diving. The Windham teen felt left out and wanted to do more – he wanted to become a certified diver. Timmy, who has born with a rare genetic disorder, eventually obtained his diving certification. Because of remarkable ...

By Jim Devine Staff Writer Observer/Bruce Preston From left, Salem High sophomores Aaron Brubaker, Ryan Scenna and junior Katelynn LaSalle discuss limited parking options that underclassmen face. Ross Trecartin, president of the Field of Dreams board of directors, hopes a parking lot may be the ...