Rotary Log for meeting of August 28, 2015
by Ben Babcock
Photos by Leo Gagnon
 
President Bill presided on a beautiful summer day.  He encouraged everyone to enjoy the remaining days of summer.  The thought of the season’s end provoked more than a few groans.
 
 
Guests were introduced following the pledge of allegiance, the four way test and the invocation from Rev. Allen.  President Bill then moved to Birthdays – remarking on the longevity of so many of the club’s members.  Janice Woods, Nick Aeschliman, John Bohenko, Jamie DeStefano and John Gray were acknowledged for their many years in Rotary.
 
Several Happy Dollars followed – a good take for the coffers!
 
Announcements began with some important upcoming dates from President Bill.  Sept 10th is the Club Barbeque and group photograph.  On September 12th the Rotary Club of Portland, Maine is celebrating its 100th anniversary.  Senator Angus King will be the visiting speaker – all are welcome to attend. Saturday October 24th is the Bridge the Gap Polio Walk.
 
 
Stanford Cross requested volunteers to assist with the Disability Awareness Regatta on September 13th.  Volunteers were also requested for the 20th annual Fall Festival at Scamman Farm on September 19th . More volunteers are needed for the Uganda Celebration on Labor Day September 7th from 3-5pm.  Katherine Edison requested volunteers for the Rotary Reads Committee.
 
Neal Ouellett introduced the clubs newest member, “Cuzin” Richard Smith.  Cuzin Richard is honored and excited to be a part of the club.
 
 
Dave Holden introduced the guest speaker – the club’s own Steve Dubois.  Steve has been the Police Chief in Portsmouth since 2012.  His talked about the unsolved homicides of Portsmouth, covering four cases dating back to 1981. The cases involve the brutal murders of Laura Kempton and Tammy Little. He also discussed two other arson-related homicides.
 
Chief Dubois has been personally invested in the four cases since he joined the department.  Early-on, he spent many off-duty nights pouring through evidence, taking notes, and tracking down leads.  Over time, he ensured that these cases remained assigned to detectives within the department. Further, he encouraged officers to continue to work towards solving the crimes.  The City Council has also passed a budget to allow officers to carry on this effort. It’s a tribute to the community commitment to find justice for the victims.
 
 
In his talk, Chief Dubois touched upon the particular challenges posed in each of the investigations.  Many of the forensic technologies that we take for granted today were only in their infancy back in the day.  DNA analysis, fingerprinting, and other forensic techniques have advanced significantly in recent years.  These gains can still be useful in solving “cold cases.”  On many occasions, they have shed new light on old investigations.
 
In the Kempton case, new DNA technology allowed Police to create a “DNA Profile” of a suspect. The samples were collected more than 20 years ago.  Still, the passage of time degrades physical evidence and makes other aspects of solving these cases more difficult. But there is still reason to be optimistic. Chief Dubois praised his department for their diligent work to crack these mysterious cases year after year. And he acknowledged the quality of the department in general.  
 
 
A "suspect" being rounded up.
 
The 50/50 raffle was won by Stella Scamman, who also drew a match of $75!
 
Respectfully submitted, Ben Babcock
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sponsors