Page 28 - bon-dia-aruba-20220104

A28 u.s. news
Diamars 4 Januari 2022

Baby abandoned in box on frigid Alaska street corner

(AP) — A newborn baby wind chill factor in the area information. The Fairbanks he had no further informa- ven law that allows parents
was found abandoned in at that time was reported Memorial Hospital is among tion to share. "We are con- to legally surrender an infant
a cardboard box at a Fair- around 12 below zero. The the facilities that are part of tinuing to seek assistance under certain conditions,
banks-area intersection, baby appeared to have been the health organization. from media and the public to such as leaving the baby in
with a note indicating the left at the location recently, A map of the intersection determine the circumstances the physical custody of some-
child's parent could not troopers said. where the baby was found — of the child," he said by email. one such as a peace officer,
care for them, according identified by troopers as Dol- doctor, hospital employee or
to Alaska State Troopers. Kelly Atlee, a spokesperson phin Way and Chena Point The troopers said they are firefighter or with someone
with Foundation Health Avenue — appears to be a asking anyone who might they believe would provide
Troopers, in a statement, said Partners in Fairbanks, said the more rural setting. have information about the appropriate care. The law ap-
they were notified around 2 baby is "stable and healthy." child to contact them. plies to babies younger than
p.m. Friday that a baby had Atlee, by email, said she Tim DeSpain, a troopers 21 days old.
been found abandoned. The could not provide additional spokesperson, said Monday Alaska has a so-called safe ha-

New Hampshire secretary of state since 1976 to retire

(AP) — Bill Gardner, the four votes. tary of State David Scanlan, ter the leadoff Iowa caucuses the Declaration of Indepen-
nation's longest-serving he will focus on writing and descended into chaos, with dence, the Bill of Rights and
secretary of state and chief "The first time I ran, and speaking out "to defend and technical problems and re- the 11th Amendment.
protector of New Hamp- people asked, 'What is the promote our state and federal sults that remained muddied
shire's first-in-the-nation most important thing you're constitutions, conducting for days. "The history has always been
presidential primary, said going to do? I said: maintain our elections with the checks embedded in me," he said.
Monday he will leave of- free, fair and equal elections," and balances that both con- Then came the coronavi-
fice this week after a 45- Gardner said Monday. "Any stitutions require." rus pandemic, which cre- As recently as Thursday, he
year career. person in this state, no mat- ated challenges for munici- was on his way out of the
ter what political beliefs they "For decades, Bill Gardner pal elections and traditional Statehouse when he bumped
Gardner, 73, was first elected have, whatever status in life has fiercely protected New Town Meetings in March, into North Carolina's House
by the Legislature in 1976 they have, they're going to Hampshire's First in the Na- followed by the September Speaker Tim Moore outside
and re-elected to his 23rd have the same opportunity tion presidential primary and state primary and November and ended up giving him an
two-year term in 2020. He to vote and run for office as overseen our elections that 2020 general election. The impromptu three-hour tour
said neither poor health nor anybody else would have." are truly a point of pride for state temporarily expanded that extended well into the
politics played a role in his our state — always open, fair, eligibility for absentee voting evening. He gave his guests
decision to retire, and that he Gardner has staunchly accessible, and accurate," Re- for those concerned about two packages of peanut but-
was stepping down because it guarded New Hampshire's publican Gov. Chris Sununu the pandemic, and extensive ter crackers but drove home
was a "smooth time" between position in the presidential said in a statement. "We will safety measures were in place at 8:30 p.m. having skipped
election cycles. nominating calendar via a miss Bill and his vast insti- at the polls. All of that in- dinner.
state law that requires the tutional knowledge of New fluenced his decision to run
"I can never give back the state's primary to be held at Hampshire people, politics, again in 2020, Gardner said. "But I was thinking, 'That's
so many extraordinary ex- least seven days ahead of any and government." what I love here. I love telling
periences that New Hamp- similar contest, and gives the Prone to answering report- the New Hampshire story. I
shire voters and elected of- secretary of state exclusive In recent years, Gardner ers' questions with lengthy love talking about our his-
ficials have given me over authority to set the date. That came under fire from fellow history lessons, Gardner said tory,'" he said.
the years," he said at a news has led to multiple standoffs Democrats for his partici- one of his proudest moments "We all have lives with in-
conference at the Statehouse over the years, with Gardner pation in former President came just a few months into credible adventures whether
office where he has served waiting for the dust to settle Donald Trump's commission his tenure when he noticed at the time we realize it or
with 11 governors, 17 Sen- in other states before picking on voter fraud and for back- the sound of rustling papers not," Gardner said. "I do real-
ate presidents and 13 House a date. ing GOP legislation to tight- in some metal tubes work- ize and will be forever grate-
speakers. en voter registration rules. In ers were removing from his ful for the adventure of serv-
"The law doesn't give you a 2020, New Hampshire's Feb. office's ceiling. It turned ing the people of our state
It was a remarkable run for a road map. The law doesn't 11 presidential primary race out someone had stashed and our Statehouse."
man who majored in zoology tell you how to do it," he said. was under extra scrutiny af- New Hampshire's copy of
and at least flirted with the Critics argue that New
idea of becoming a farmer. Hampshire is too small and
But seeing friends get drafted too white to play such a ma-
and killed in Vietnam spurred jor role in picking presidents,
him to become an advocate but Gardner and other de-
for lowering the voting age fenders of New Hampshire
to 18 and inspired him to run insist the country — and the
for the state Legislature as a candidates — are well served
Democrat in 1972. because the primary requires
close contact with voters, not
When he ran for secretary just name-recognition or ad-
of state four years later, the vertising cash.
28-year-old Gardner was
such a longshot that hours "You could have a taxi driver
before the election, he from New York city filing for
rounded a corner at the State- president at the same time
house and came upon a tele- the majority leader of the
vision reporter interviewing U.S. Senate comes in to file,"
his opponent as if the other he said. "This is a wide-open
man had already won. But he opportunity for everyone to
went on to win that year and come in and have a chance.
every two years since, facing As long as we keep that, the
little or no competition aside tradition will continue."
from 2018, when he defeated
former gubernatorial candi- Gardner said after transfer-
date Colin Van Ostern by just ring power to Deputy Secre-