HardCorp

That was really the first thing you thought of? Not, "Gee I wonder what the songs are?", but instead your mind automatically went to determining what computer program created the graphic? When served a great meal is your first thought " Hmmm Weber Grill or Hibachi ?". Sad

Is Howard Weinstein still the director of the corps? I heard he wasn't at the DCI meetings in Indianapolis and it was a Furlano that represented Blue Stars. Did BS have camp this past weekend that would have prevented him for being there?

from this morning's Nashua Telegraph...http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090122/NEWS01/301229834 Spartans looking for buyer By ANDREW WOLFE Staff Writer awolfe@nashuatelegraph.com MANCHESTER – The Spartans Drum & Bugle Corps hopes to find a buyer for its headquarters building in the next week, and may also sell off uniforms and other equipment to pay its debts, the group's bankruptcy lawyer said Wednesday. Director Peter LaFlamme blames the economy for the group's downfall, but a lawyer representing one of the Spartans directors said that LaFlamme's nephew, Paul LaFlamme, and two other directors suspect that Peter LaFlamme himself may be to blame. "They have a litany of complaints against Peter LaFlamme . . . and they don't believe he should be running the organization," attorney Leonard Deming of Nashua told Bankruptcy Judge Michael Deasy during a hearing in federal court Wednesday. Paul LaFlamme and some other directors accuse LaFlamme of mismanaging the group and failing to provide adequate information for the board to oversee the group and its finances."We have no idea why they're in bankruptcy, except that they had a lot of money and it's not there anymore," Deming said. Meanwhile, LaFlamme said after Wednesday's hearing that he hopes to keep the decades-old Nashua institution alive, though he has no firm plans for how he might do so. For more information: Read the bank's request to foreclose. Read the Attorney General's petition to put Spartans in receivership, and report by receiver. Read the Spartan's objection. For now, the organization has been shut down completely and only the bookkeeper is being paid, said the Spartan's lawyer, Eleanor Dahar of Manchester. The only debts still accumulating are mortgage payments and property taxes, she told Deasy. If LaFlamme enrolls any members this year, Deasy said any money the organization takes from individuals must be put into escrow and kept separate from any other accounts. Spartan members pay $1,000 or more in tuition to belong to the group, Dahar said. A hearing is scheduled next week on a request by Bank of New England to foreclose on the Spartans' Hall at 73 E. Hollis St., but the Spartans hope to negotiate with the bank to sell the property beforehand, Dahar said. The group has two offers, though both fall short of the $815,000 owed on its mortgage, she said. The Spartans could sell off various equipment and other assets to cover the rest, she said. The Spartans bought the building in 2005, with a mortgage of more than $1 million, court records show. The property is now assessed by the city at $936,500, but the Bank of New England estimates its current market value at around $800,000, court records show. The Spartans were trying to sell the building before the bank foreclosed and got some interest from a local church, a Manchester lawyer, and an abutting property owner – but had no definite offers, according to a Nov. 13 report by Concord lawyer Todd Fahey. Fahey was appointed to temporarily oversee the Spartans at the request of the state attorney general's charitable trust division. The attorney general's office has since dropped its oversight of the organization, lawyers in the bankruptcy case said, in part because the Spartans can't pay the receiver and in part because of the bankruptcy. "They're content at this point, so long as there's a court overseeing things, to let this proceed," Dahar said. In addition to the drum and bugle corps, the Spartans used to run a charter bus company and a popular bingo game, but both have been shut down. Last year's public smoking ban helped snuff bingo revenues, LaFlamme said, and the economy took a toll on the bus and corps business. According to Fahey's report, only one of the group's five busses still runs, and bingo revenues had been falling for two years. The bank and the City of Nashua are the Spartans' largest creditors, owed for the mortgage and property taxes, but both can be paid through the sale of the Spartans Hall and other assets, Dahar said. There are some 20 to 30 other creditors, all owed only small sums, with the exception of Citizens Bank, she said. According to court documents the Spartans owe Citizens $88,754, which Dahar said is credit card debt. Peter LaFlamme himself hasn't drawn a salary from the Spartans since October, he said after the hearing. How much he was paid before that point is unclear. Deming said there are records showing LaFlamme was taking $700 a week in salary during a time when the Spartans were reporting to the IRS that he got no income. There are also indications that Spartan funds were used to pay individual credit card debt, he said, but it's not clear whose. "We don't feel that he has been forthcoming," Deming said, adding, "We're trying to get the U.S. Trustee's office to take a good, long look at this." The U.S. Trustee is an arm of the Department of Justice, assigned to represent the public interests in bankruptcy court by monitoring the process and investigating potential fraud. Nonprofit groups are required to publicly disclose some documents, including IRS 990 forms. The Spartans' 990 forms available online show that LaFlamme received $2,100 in compensation in 2004; $7,700 in 2005; $1,518 in 2006; and nothing in 2007. The group's 2008 form is not available, and may not have been filed as yet. Andrew Wolfe can be reached at 594-6410 or awolfe@nashuatelegraph.com.

yeah and unfortunately for Crown Phantom, BD, Cavaliers and Cadets had no age-outs at all.

Much like those who say they refuse to sit through a corps performance that includes the use of amplified voice. It seems like the OP is more concerned with the potential that Raiders staff will lack imagination and not bring anything new to the table with the arrangements. (a la the WSS show in 07). This trait is very common with smaller corps who struggle just to play certain selections and do not get involved in the potential emotional connection. When a small corps does so (Spokane Thunder 08) the impact is noticeable. The last few Raider's shows give ample crdence to the poster's concerns. Is there a new brass arranger this year?

Andrea Birbilis from Racine Scouts, Northmen, Americanos, Northern Aurora & Purple Lancers Just listen to her sing the National Anthem!

What does that mean, "the equipment is paid for and owned by a third party"? Is that like hiding assets? Smells fishy to me.

will DCI?

May I suggest you keep dirty laundry regarding the corps dealings with DCI private? I can not imagine they would be thrilled to read this.

Well it did say they owe $150,000 in credit card debt and didn't even have the means to pay an accountant to do the required audit. So, should this year's membership be required to overpay fees to help the organization recover from years of apparent bad fiscal policies?

Isn't it "Grimace" as in Evil Grimace and not "Grimus" that rhymes with Primus who is an obscure rock band that tries too hard to innovative and fails to reach a wide audience?

"Lighten up Francis" Sgt Hulka

Right, sure.

Dude, it's obvious you love to reply to each and every post , but c'mon. You chimed in to say that you don't know anything about this and don't watch the show????? It's OK to just read a few threads.......step away from the keyboard slowly and with your hands up in the air

i was pretty sure it was not the Oregon Crusaders, but the Spokane Thunder

Here's hoping the Cadets have a member who is one hell of a pianist and can rip up the field with some hot licks.

Mr Brace, Your answer, altought deigned to be witty, misses the mark. There are plenty of scientific applications to judging - are corps in tune, clarity of articulation, moving in concert, etc. Judging any performance activity must contain elements of subjectivity, but there also exist certain compulsories.

wow- so you are saying that they won't fild a corps anymore? I just thought it meant reorganization. Are there any Spartans members or staff on DCP who can shed light on this?

way to lose any credibilty ......... Pioneer in semi - finals?

Spirit not a typical 8-12 corps? 2002 10th 2003 12th 2004 13th 2005 12th 2006 12th 2007 12th 2008 15th Sprirt IS the typical 12th place corps !

wasn't that last year's drill? bada bing. Thank you, I'll be here all week

http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.d...EWS01/301109955 Published: Saturday, January 10, 2009 Drum & bugle corps files for bankruptcy By MICHAEL BRINDLEY Staff Writer mbrindley@nashuatelegraph.com NASHUA – The Spartans Drum & Bugle Corps, a Nashua institution that dates back to the 1950s, has filed for bankruptcy protection, according to records filed in United States Bankruptcy Court.

Is this the old Light Brigade or East Coast Jazz?

uncalled for

and their alumni corps - Passed Wind