Keene Archives - Granite Grok

OPINION: You’ll Have To Vote Out The #Woke Untouchables

September 28, 2025 Anthony Ferrantello

The issue at hand is much deeper than a Council vote of 11 to 4, allowing Bobby Williams to keep his seat as councilman, misrepresenting Ward 2 residents in Keene. Based on his vile and cold-hearted comments celebrating the assassination of Charlie Kirk, Bobby apparently represents the far left’s elitist mindset marinated in resentment and … Read more

OPINION: When Political Violence Is Normalized—and Local Leaders Stay Silent

September 24, 2025 Thomas Burton

The phrase “86 Bobby Williams” has emerged in recent public discourse—not as a threat, but as a civic statement demanding that Councilor Bobby Williams be removed from office following his inflammatory comments about a political assassination. The phrase echoes a protest sign reading “86 47”, seen in a photo where Williams appears smiling in a … Read more

OPINION: Remove Bobby Williams from Keene City Council

September 20, 2025September 19, 2025 Anthony Ferrantello

Dear Mayor Kahn and City Council On September 17, Keene City Councilor Bobby Williams offered a sort of “apology” about his vile and offensive comments about Charlie Kirk’s assassination, which he posted on Facebook. In his apparent apology, he called Kirk’s assassination a tragedy when it was, in fact, an atrocity. A tragedy is a … Read more

MACDONALD: Keene Pride Get’s What It’s Looking For But Its Meaningless

August 26, 2025August 26, 2025 Steve MacDonald

The city ultimately settled for a proclamation, which, according to Keene Now, “will give Keene Pride what they are looking for.”

Opinion: “This Used To Be My Town, Too …”

July 18, 2025 Rebecca Montrone

My husband, Dale, and I were both born in Keene in 1958 and grew up here. My father was a business owner for over 50 years and was a three-term Keene City Councilor. Dale’s father taught industrial arts at the Keene Jr. High, and to this day, many comment on how they still have the … Read more

Opinion: Declaring the City of Keene an LGBTQ+ Sanctuary City

July 17, 2025July 16, 2025 Anthony Ferrantello

Dear PLD Committee and Council Members, The July 9th PLD meeting on declaring the City of Keene as a Sanctuary City was for me a dysfunctional display of groupthink in action. The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer + (LGBTQ+) community claimed (without measurable evidence, KPD police incident reports on assaults, or other metrics) that they … Read more

MacDonald: Your Town Could Be Targeted Next If You Don’t Sign This Petition

July 16, 2025 Steve MacDonald

The moment that you isolate any group politically for special recognition or privilege, the idea that we are all the same goes out the window. Equality is only possible in concept or fact if our most common denominator defines us. We are all human; therefore, human rights apply to everyone. It becomes unnecessary to enumerate … Read more

Sims: Letter to The Keene City Council

July 17, 2025July 15, 2025 Bronwyn Sims

On the proposal to make the city an LGBTQ “Safe Haven” As a woman, athlete, and coach for girls and women in Keene, New Hampshire, I feel compelled to share my perspective on the proposed initiative to declare Keene a “safe haven” for the “LGBTQIA+ community.” My commitment to fairness and respect for all is … Read more

Sims: Community, Identity, and Sanctuary

July 10, 2025 Bronwyn Sims

Dear Members of the Keene City Council and PLD, I am writing as a woman, an athlete, and a gymnastics coach for girls and women in Keene, New Hampshire, as well as a signatory to the Declaration on Women’s Sex-Based Rights (the Declaration). The Declaration was authored by Women’s Declaration International, a global radical feminist … Read more

Opinion: Prevent Keene From Being Designated a “Sanctuary City!!”

July 9, 2025June 29, 2025 Anne L. Farrington

As many of you have probably heard, there have been a couple different resolutions proposed to the Keene City Council recently that involve the LGBTQIA+ community. The most current proposal is from the Keene Pride organization, requesting that the “City of Keene be designated as a sanctuary city for the LGBTQIA+ community”. (if you want … Read more

Keene Now Selling Parents Portrait of a Graduate: Here Is What They Will Not Tell You

September 21, 2023September 21, 2023 Ann Marie Banfield

Do you get the feeling that school administrators do not want you challenging them on the garbage they are allowing in your district now? From Pornography for kids to gender theory to CRT to assignments that are more about identity and self-examination than actually learning any quality academic content. The Keene school district is no exception. They are selling this latest fad as if it’s a “strategic plan.” Schools simply copy the fads, then years later when it’s time to keep the focus off the lousy proficiency scores, they come up with something else to replace them.

Weed is Still Illegal in New Hampshire so Why is Bud Barn in Vermont Advertising on Keene Radio [Update]

July 16, 2024September 1, 2023 Steve MacDonald

A reader alerted me to this bit of news—Bud Barn, a purveyor of ‘Premium Cannabis Products Made (and taxed) in Vermont,’ is advertising on Keene, NH, radio. Even if they are trying to capture the ears of Vermonters who work in Western New Hampshire, to quote a different local, weed ain’t legal here.

qurstions question marks image by qimono pixaby

Public Schools Should Conduct Exit Interviews with Teachers and then Post that info on the Website

August 18, 2022 Ann Marie Banfield

I would propose that everyone begin requesting that the school administration conduct exit interviews with teachers that include a set of questions to help school board members and the public understand why teachers are resigning.

I Am Running for State Representative with Three Concerns …

October 29, 2024August 15, 2022 Joseph Mirzoeff

I am running for Representative in Cheshire District 15 with three concerns: Freedom, Truth, and Justice.

Mental health anxiety depression Image by Josh Clifford from Pixabay

The Keene Schools and the Mess That’s Been Created

March 29, 2022 Ann Marie Banfield

Last night the Keene school district facilitated a community forum. This was done because of the escalation of behavior problems within the school district that caused many teachers to resign.

Teachers Leaving Due to Behavior and Violence in the Schools

March 21, 2022March 21, 2022 Ann Marie Banfield

I’ve been warning about the behavior problems in New Hampshire schools. Parents and teachers in schools like Manchester and Nashua have been sounding the alarm bells that behavior problems are escalating.

COVID Truth and Reconciliation

October 29, 2024March 17, 2022 Joseph Mirzoeff

The second year of COVID ended February 28, 2022, a few weeks ago. The inoculations started December 14, 2020, late in the first year. The aged and infirm got their shots first. The healthy working-age population got their inoculations beginning in March 2021 in NH.

Woman dark hair green eyes scarf Photo by Alexandru Zdrobău on Unsplash

The Mask Slips as NH Towns and Schools Drop Mandates

February 22, 2022 Steve MacDonald

The People’s Republic of Keene has rescinded its mandatory mask mandate city-wide. The Nashua Board of Alderman is scheduled to revisit theirs tonight, and it seems likely it too will be mothballed.

The Colonial Theater Keen NH Screen Grab COVID-19

Just Get a Grip – Will you Please?

February 20, 2022 Op-Ed

COVID-19 Policy: For the safety of our patrons, artists, venue staff, and our community as a whole, we will be requiring proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 PCR test from within 72 hours for admittance to all events until further notice.

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Can I Have My Liberty Back Now?

February 2, 2022 Op-Ed

The problem with progressives is that they believe they know what’s best for you even if you don’t agree with it. You don’t have the right to make a call about your own health safety and wellness.