A Look Back and a Look Forward from Sam Obar 180

Sam Obar 180 is exactly one year old today.  I would like to thank everybody who has supported the blog and read all of my rants, problems, endorsements, opinions, suggestions, and more over the past year.  It has been great to hear from you in your emails and comments.  I have had the pleasure of having such prominent local figures as Walpole Town Administrator Michael Boynton and Walpole Times reporter Keith Ferguson read my postings, and it has meant a lot to me that so many people in Walpole take me seriously at such a young age.  It is actually somewhat of a compliment that people like Mr. Boynton don't like some of the things I write, because at least it means he's paying attention and understanding what those under 18 have to say, and not laughing it off like it is insignificant.  So thank you, Mr. Boynton, and others, for your support, compliments, and criticisms.  It has been much appreciated.  I hope all you Sam Obar 180 readers will continue to let me know where you differ in opinion, where I make mistakes, and where you agree with me on issues.  I like reading your emails.

A special thanks should go to a former editor of The Walpole Times and current editor of WalpoleNews.com, Tom Glynn.  Probably most of you found my blog from that site, and I owe him a lot of gratitude for linking to my blog from WalpoleNews.

We have tackled some interesting issues during the past year here on Sam Obar 180, including library budget cuts, a controversial new library, a new police station proposal, an athletic director's dramatic fall, the Rebel mascot, the town website, the town election, downtown businesses, and more.  No one can predict what will happen in 2010, or what sort of issues we will be discussing here on Sam Obar 180 and townwide.  But I look forward to having your continued support and readership in the new year and the new decade.

Thanks, and Happy New Year!

-Sam Obar