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Grantham
Lorie McClory
May
12
Column is online now.
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NH Senate
District 8
Senator
Bob Odell
May
13
"There is always some back and forth between the House and Senate in the closing days of the legislative session but I do not recall it being at this level in the past."
"[Senate Bill 48] will reduce regulation of traditional land line telephone companies such as Fair Point so they can compete more effectively and fairly with Comcast and other communications companies. In the end, the industry supported the bill as did consumer protection groups."
"A visionary leader, John Olson, CEO of Whelen Engineering Co,
Inc.... has made possible a partnership between Whelen and the Claremont School District to introduce advanced manufacturing to high school classes through structured daily visits to Whelen." "I spent a couple of hours with Jacqui Guillette and Brian Boardman, the general manager of the 600 plus employee Whelen operation in Charlestown, reviewing the progress of the program and learning the impact of the program in its first year."
Column is online now.
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Commentary
Marie Lozito
April
21
"One of the Founding principles of the United States is the Rule of Law. This means the law must be equally applied to all parties and that it needs to be knowable and understandable to the people." "...the law generated by the bureaucracy in America is unknowable. Because of this, the Rule of Law in America has been eviscerated."
"Currently we have over 1,300 distinct Federal organizations within 479 Federal agencies." "Individuals, businesses, and private and public organizations can be fined, sanctioned, forced to close, and even jailed for violating federal regulations." "The people and the people's will are not represented by the agencies and there is little accountability for the actions of these agencies."
Column is
online now.
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NH
House
Merrimack Dist. 3
Representative
Steve Winter
May
12
"What is the difference between the Governor's Council and the Executive Council?" There is no difference; they are one and the same."
"The Executive Council approves the spending of a major portion of the approximately $5.2 billion that is appropriated annually by the legislature. They ensure the executive branch of state government is fiscally conservative and above reproach."
"Like the governor and the two legislative bodies, the council is elected every two years. This gives the citizens of this state a “built in recall system” for replacing elected officials who do not perform as expected."
Column is
online now.
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New London
Town
Administrator
Kim
Hallquist
April
30
" 'Every vote counts' is arguably one of the most overused phrases during election season, but it is right on target for local town elections and meetings where an important measure can pass or fail, a candidate can win or lose, by a vote or two."
"Town Meeting is fast approaching – please make plans now to attend!"
"Pre-Town Meeting Pot Luck Dinner, May 9, 5:30 p.m."
"Coffee Reception for Mark Kaplan, May 5, 8:30 a.m."
Column is
online now.
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Editor/Publisher
Ken Schuster
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You
Commentators
Wanted. Sunacom wants to publish your opinions on a regular basis. Also
needed are Town Reporters for Newbury, New London, Warner, Springfield, Sutton, Newport, Andover,
Georges Mills, Goshen, Unity... and/or Roving Reporters. Please
email
Ken
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Front Page
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Wind, weather, ski area snow forecasts, global storm tracker, allergy alerts, road advisories, biting bugs,UV, air quality, sun, moon and more...
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May 17 - Dangerous plastic bottles and tick advisory (Kim Hallquist)
Plastic bottles: The New London Police Department alerts you to plastic bottles left in mailboxes, on roadsides, driveways or other areas that have been fashioned into movement-triggered explosives that can injure you. Please use caution if you see a plastic bottle containing fluid that appears to be discarded, and contact your local police department.
Ticks: Residents are reporting a higher than usual number of ticks this spring. Because some ticks carry disease, you are urged to become familiar with protecting yourself and family from tick bites. The UNH Cooperative Extension has published helpful information here.
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May 8 - Pet
Food recall update
An updated list of pet foods that have been distributed in New Hampshire and recalled because
of possible slamonella is here.
Pets with Salmonella infections
may have decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. If left
untreated, pets may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody
diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Infected but otherwise healthy
pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your
pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms,
please contact your veterinarian.
Individuals handling dry pet food can become infected with
Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their
hands after having contact with surfaces exposed to this
product. People who believe they may have been exposed to
Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the
following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody
diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. According to the Centers
for Disease Control, people who are more likely to be affected
by Salmonella include infants, children younger than 5 years
old, organ transplant patients, people with HIV/AIDS and people
receiving treatment for cancer.
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May
5- National Guard in New London tomorrow. (Kim
Hallquist)
New London Hospital, in conjunction with the New England National Guard, will
conduct a joint Emergency Preparedness Exercise tomorrow, Sunday, May 6, between 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on the hospital campus in several of the parking areas.
A significant number of National Guard personnel and equipment will be traveling through the area as part of this joint exercise. Call 526-5067 if you have questions.
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May 5 -
Congratulations to local Colby-Sawyer College
graduates
Stephanie Bostwick, Enfield
Andrea Brownell, Wilmot
Chelsae Crowe, Lebanon
Achic De La Torre, New London
Samantha Dodge, Meriden
Kaitlin Fifield, Warner
John Kiernan, New London
Verena Korch, New London |
Peter Logan, Hanover
Justin Martin, Claremont
Matthew McDonald, Enfield
David Salvatore, Newport
Gina Sanford, Lebanon
Alisa Slater, Claremont
Kellie Valentine, West Lebanon
Evan Wilson, Sunapee |
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Apr.
28 - Apparent murder-suicide in Springfield
(Gayle Hedrington)
As the investigation continues into the deaths of Clifford Pursell, 20, of Bradford, and Lester Snide, 23, of Springfield,
it appears that Snide may have shot and killed Pursell and then himself. Evidence
includes notes from the men whose bodies were
found last December in a shed near 4 Corners Road in
Springfield.
State Police are asking that anyone with information that could be added to the investingation to call 603-271-3636.
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Apr.
28 - Grantham man suspected in wife's murder
(Gayle Hedrington)
James Perriello, 41, was arraigned on murder charges yesterday for the death of his wife, Natalie. Perriello was at his Doc's Drive home
Thursday when officers there discovered his wife's body with multiple
handgun wounds. Also at the scene were the couple's four young children, who were not hurt.
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Apr. 26
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Humane Society honors Odell
(HSUS)
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Senator Odell at the Concord Merrimack County SPCA receiving award from Joanne Bourbeau, HSUS Northeast Regional Director |
The Humane Society of the U.S. (HSUS) presented state Senator Bob Odell this year's Humane State Legislator award. Senator Odell sponsored Senate Bill 55 that would have required a bittering agent to be added to antifreeze, making it unpalatable to pets and children, potentially savings hundreds of human and animal lives in the process. The measure passed the Senate under his leadership, but was rejected by the House.
"Senator Odell has been an outstanding champion of animal protection in the New Hampshire legislature," said Joanne Bourbeau, northeastern regional director for
the HSUS.
Senator Odell said "...I remain committed to S.B. 55 and will continue to work for its passage. Receiving the 2011 Humane State Legislature award for this bill is a true honor."
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Apr. 24 - Water commission needs your input (John Gilbert)
New London is one of five sites where the Water Sustainability Commission will hold a simultaneous state-wide discussion 6 to 9 p.m. on May 8. The "conversation", facilitated by New Hampshire Listens, a project of the Carsey Institute at UNH, will address sustainable management of water resources and infrastructure. Findings will be reported to the Governor's Commission on Water Sustainability.
"Meetings will consist of small group conversations, not presentations by talking heads. What about water is important to you? What are you concerned about? In what direction should New Hampshire be heading with respect to water resources and infrastructure?"
A light supper will be served before the discussion, and pre-registration is required. For more information and
registration click here
or call 862-0692.
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Apr. 24
- Tax relief for low and moderate income
residents"The Low & Moderate Income Homeowner’s Property
Tax Relief provisions were designed
to lessen the economic burden of the State Education Property
Tax on certain at-risk taxpayers. New Hampshire residents who
own a homestead subject to the State Education Property Tax,
resided in the homestead as of April 1, 2011, and have a total
household income of $20,000 or less if a single person (or
$40,000 or less if married or head of household) may apply for
property tax relief between May 1, 2012 and June 30, 2012."
Application form DP-8 is available on the Department's
website: www.revenue.nh.gov/forms/low_mod_program.htm
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Apr. 20
- Lead fishing tackle davastating loons
(Catherine Bushueff)
"The Loon Preservation Committee and The New Hampshire Lakes Association are asking for help to protect our loons by signing a petition in support of SB 224 and by contacting state legislators. (For the I-petition, click
here).
"The loon population remains far below historical levels and the number of loon pairs on N.H.’s lakes decreased in 2011, after a record high number of deaths from ingested lead tackle in 2010. With multiple stressors impacting the population, the common loon remains a threatened species in the Granite State."
More
at Sunapeenews
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Apr. 5 -
NH taxes: Never say never?
Alaska is the only other state without personal income and sales taxes. A proposed constitutional amendment seeks to keep it that way, but questions about
a potential impact on business tax rates have some senators worried. House Finance Chairman Kenneth Weyler, R-Kingston, said that people who are opposed to the amendment want to increase the size of government.
More
at The Nashua Telegraph
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Apr.
5 - Restaurant inspection results now online
The NH Dept. of Health and Human Services (DHHS) now has a browsable database containing food establishment inspection results
available to consumers. The current searchable database covers inspections
since Jan. 1 and will be updated monthly. Go to http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dphs/fp/inspectionresults.htm
and click on Food Establishment Inspection Report at the
bottom of the page, or download it directly here.
DHHS Public Health Director, Dr. José Montero, said “We are very excited to provide such a tool to the public for the first
time.” “Consumers want to know their food is safe. By routinely inspecting over 4,800 food
establishments in the State, food inspectors are working to protect public
health by preventing foodborne illness and injury.”
The database does not include inspection results from
self-inspecting cities and towns. For a list of those towns and
email addresses of contacts go to: http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dphs/fp/sanitation/documents/selfinspect.pdf
Temporary food service establishments and occasional food service establishments
( fairs, festivals, circuses, etc.) are exempt from licensing
and are not in the database.
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Apr. 3 - Newbury, Sunapee, New London online
assessing changes
Chief Assessor Norm Bernaiche announced today, "Tri-Town Assessing has
changed the Online Property information database from
Sustainable Mapping Solutions (SMS) to Cartographics Associates,
Inc. Cartographics Associates, Inc. produces the Tax Maps for
all three towns and the Tri-Town Assessing felt the consistency
would be beneficial to the citizens."
More
here.
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Mar. 24 - Earliest
"Ice Out" on record
"Ice went out on Lake Sunapee on Thursday, March 22, 2012, which is the earliest date recorded since charting began in 1869."
"Ice out is declared when a boat is able to navigate from Georges Mills to Newbury."
According to data at the
Sunapee Town Office, there were two other ice outs in March:
1921 and 1946... both on the 29th. Last year's ice out was April
21.
More
at Sunapeenews.com
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Mar.
23 - "Naturally Curious", bears and
bird feeders (Lorie McClory)
Birdfeeders and bears
In case you've been hibernating, this has been a fabulous, warm lead into
spring. Bears are waking up earlier than usual, so it’s time
to take down your birdfeeders. Don’t worry: the birds will
find food and this will keep the bears from being attracted to
your yard.
Naturally Curious
program in New London
March is a month
of rebirth and awakenings. Sap flows; migrant birds return from
their wintering grounds; and mating seasons begin. It’s the
month with which Vermont naturalist and wildlife photographer
Mary Holland begins her book Naturally Curious: A
Photographic Field Guide and Month-by-Month Journey through
the Fields, Woods, and Marshes of New England.
Holland will be
offering a wildlife slideshow beginning at 6:30 p.m. Sunday,
March 25 at Our Lady of Fatima Church in New London.
More
at Lorie's column.
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Mar.
23 - Dartmouth President nominated to head World
Bank
This morning, President Obama nominated Dartmouth College President Jim Yong Kim to head the World Bank, a move that would turn the organization over to a physician and development expert as opposed to the bankers, corporate leaders and political officials who have run it since its founding.
More
at the Washington Post
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Mar.
11 - Fact check the candidates with a click
Now on Sunacom, with a
button click you can see who is most often telling you the
truth, and who isn't, among the top five individuals
seeking the Presidency this year. Provided by PolitiFact. Check
it out in the left column.
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Mar. 7 -
NH brews coming to farmers markets?
"A bill expected to pass the House of Representatives this week would allow New Hampshire breweries to sell beer at farmers markets across the state."
"The bill passed the Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee unanimously and should be on the House floor for a vote today or tomorrow."
More
at the Eagle Tribune.
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Mar. 6 - New London Town Meeting moves to May
(Kim Hallquist)
"May Town Meetings are often more well-attended because the weather
is nicer (much less likely to have sub-zero weather or a driving
snow storm) and people who spend the winter months out of New
London will have a better chance of being home in time to
attend."
"[Selectman]
Mark Kaplan decides not to seek reelection."
More
here.
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Mar.
6 - Daylight Saving Time begins this Sunday!!!!
After 2 a.m. Sunday, March
11, most of the US will be on Eastern Daylight Time until
November 4, at 2 a.m.
In 2007, Daylight Saving Time was moved to the second Sunday of
March, as part of President George Bush's energy policy bill, signed in 2005.
What US states and other countries and regions do not subscribe
to seasonal time changes or start and stop at times and dates
different from ours? Find out here.
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Mar.
5 - University scholarship for Georges Mill
student (UND)
"David Edmonds of Georges Mill, N.H., received the Community of Learners Scholarship from the University of North Dakota for the 2011-2012 academic year."
"This scholarship program is intended to honor and reward students who contribute to enhancing UND as vibrant and connected learners."
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Mar.
3 - Loons now a "Threatened Species" in NH
According to NH Fish and Game, the Common Loon is a "threatened species". The threat comes from lead fishing tackle, the largest contributor to documented adult loon mortality in the state.
Senate Bill 224 would strengthen current law, which does not include lead jigs
that are longer than an inch, weighing less than an ounce. NHDES says
that is "the size range known to be ingested by loons."
Opponents, including bass fishing advocates and tackle industry representatives, claim the science does not support changing the law, and
that other threats to waterfowl are more significant.
Senators Odell, Lambert, Forrester, and Carson, and Representatives Newton and Belk are sponsoring the bill.
More
at SunapeeNews
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Feb.
27 - Fairpoint heads toward deregulation with SB
48 (NHBR)
"Under SB 48, FairPoint wouldn't have to do nearly as much regulatory reporting. It wouldn't have to pay penalties for poor service. It wouldn't have to get approval for its rates (though there are rate hike caps). It wouldn't have to face PUC regulators for oversight on anything that is not related to basic phone service. And the bill would overturn a recent PUC decision regulating Comcast's phone service for the first time."
"FairPoint has long complained that it has been losing so much market share - to the CLECs, to cellphones and Internet services like Skype -- that it no longer has a monopoly."
More
at NHBR
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Jan. 15 -
Land Use Change Tax under fire
(Todd
Selig, Durham Town Administrator)
House Bill 1515 proposes major changes to the assessment and use of the Land Use Change Tax
(LUCT).
This bill threatens local control, raises significant concerns on several levels, and should be killed.
The bill provides that
failure to pay all property taxes on current use land within 30 days after the date of notice of tax will constitute a change of use, triggering payment of the LUCT.
Land will be considered changed in use and subject to the LUCT if the landowner does not notify the local assessing officials within 30 days that the land has changed from one qualifying use to another.
If any LUCT assessment is not paid within 30 days after the due date, the property shall be deeded to the municipality.
These are extremely harsh
penalties that, to our knowledge, municipalities are not
seeking, and are neither in the interest of property owners nor the
municipalities. Municipalities generally do not want to acquire land because of unpaid taxes, they simply want the taxes paid.
A hearing is scheduled before the House Municipal and County Government Committee next Tuesday, Jan. 17, at 10 a.m. in LOB Room 301.
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Jan.
12 - Senate seeks to update phone regulations
(NH Senate)
The Senate Energy Committee voted today to modernize the 100-year-old regulations governing telephone service providers, with Senate Bill 48.
Senator Bob Odell, the bill's prime sponsor, said that the legislation is necessary and long overdue. He said, "Telecommunication companies here in New Hampshire that provide landline services are seeking regulatory parity with cable and wireless providers. As the law stands now, landline companies operate under much more onerous regulations. When passed, SB 48 will represent a significant modernization of our current policies. We want the free market, not regulations, to dictate which companies gain or lose customers." He added, "Competition is already managing the retail market and creating better offers for customers."
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Jan. 9 - Sunday fire hits Hopewell Farms in
Newbury (Gayle Hedrington)
Newbury, Bradford, Sutton, Goshen, Sunapee, Newport, and New London Fire
departments responded to a fire at Hopewell Farms, 3 South Road in Newbury, shortly after 9 a.m.
Jan., 8. The fire engulfed the barn where tilapia had been
raised in an enclosed aquaculture system, killing all of the
fish, several piglets and chickens.

Photo - Newbury FD |
Newbury Fire Chief Henry Thomas said, "High gusts of winds and the large truss construction of the
barn hampered efforts to extinguish the flames." He said that
what caused the fire was undetermined and he would meet with the Fire Marshall
for assistance with the investigation. "All the firefighters did a superb job,"
Thomas said, noting they kept flames from reaching the house. Andover Fire Department covered for New London, Wilmot and Henniker,
and Springfield covered for Sunapee while those firefighters
were at the scene. "That is what is great about mutual
aid". |
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Jan. 8 - "Mangled facts" in Manchester
last night (FactCheck.org)
"Truth took a punch or two at the first of two GOP debates before New Hampshire’s critical presidential primary.
Romney, talking about taxes, said federal, state and local government consume 37 percent of the economy today compared with only 27 percent when John F. Kennedy was president. In fact, taxes now consume only 27.4 percent of GDP.
Paul blasted Gingrich for avoiding the draft during Vietnam, and Gingrich said Paul had a “long history” of inaccuracies. The truth is Gingrich was both a student and a father at the time, and probably would have failed the physical anyway, according to his stepfather, an Army man.
Santorum said the term “middle class” implies class warfare and is one “I don’t think we should be using as Republicans.” The fact is his own campaign used it in an Iowa flyer, and he has used it in the past himself.
Paul attacked Santorum as a “high-powered lobbyist.” Santorum was never registered as a lobbyist, though he earned more than $200,000 working as a consultant for a lobbying firm and an energy company.
Candidates also recycled some false or doubtful claims we’ve gone over before. Romney repeated his misleading claim that his firm Bain Capital invested in businesses that “have now added over 100,000 jobs.” Huntsman again claimed Utah was “No. 1” in job creation while he was governor, which isn’t true according to the standard statistical measure for employment. And Santorum again put words in President Obama’s mouth by claiming that the president “supported” the results of a disputed election in Iran."
More
at factcheck.org
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Dec.
31 - "It's Not About the Hike" comes to
Newbury
Start your new
year in the right frame of mind. Nancy Sporborg and Pat Piper
present "It's Not About the Hike". It's free and open
to residents and non-residents alike at the Newbury Town Office,
Sunday, Jan. 8 at 2 p.m.
It's for everyone - hikers, non-hikers, people who are sedentary or active, outdoor enthusiasts and indoor homebodies, 10 year olds and 90 year olds and everyone in-between.
It is inspirational, motivational and about pushing ourselves
beyond our comfort zones, overcoming fears, finding passions and living our lives to the fullest.
The one-hour presentation includes movies, music and photographs. Humorous and touching, the speakers share their personal lives in a way that makes the message and learning universal.
More
about the presenters.
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I wish you vibrancy, clarity and
serenity in 2012.
Ken Schuster, Editor and Publisher

Bradford NH, Oct. 2011
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Dec.
30 - First flu cases of the season confirmed
NH Dept. of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has
confirmed that one adult and two children in the state have
contracted seasonal influenza. It is likely that flu has been circulating prior to
these results, but flu is not a reportable disease, and DHHS is not
notified of all cases.
“Now that we know it’s here, we hope this serves as a reminder to everyone
who has not yet been vaccinated to do so,” said DHHS Public Health Director
Dr. José Montero. For people who prefer to not get the
injection, there is a nasal version of the vaccine for most people ages
two through 49.
Influenza is highly
contagious, spreading through the air by coughs, sneezes, and direct contact
with infected people. Flu symptoms usually begin one to four days after
exposure to the virus.
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Dec.
16 - Hannaford recalls ground beef
Hannaford Supermarkets this morning issued a voluntary recall of ground beef and is advising consumers to check for
ground beef purchased at its stores with a "sell-by" date of Dec. 17 or earlier.
These ground beef products may be contaminated with a Salmonella typhimurium strain (S. typhimurium). The information received to date indicates that 10 people have become ill, all of whom have indicated that they purchased ground beef between Oct. 12 and Nov. 20.
For further information call Hannaford Customer Information Center, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. - 800-213-9040, option 6.
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Dec.
15 - Unseasonably warm temps delay snowmobile
season
NH Division of Parks and Recreation, Bureau of Trails
annouced today that the snowmobile trail system that normally
would open today will remain closed because of inadequate snow cover.
Trail gates are closed and logging operations continue.
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Dec.
9 - How to vote by absentee ballot (Linda
Plunkett)
Print and fill out the
"application for state election absentee
ballot", mail or give it to your Town Clerk, and the Town Clerk will mail
to you a ballot to fill out and return. All materials (instructions, ballot, marking pencil and return envelopes) are included. Postage is not included, though.
If you are a US citizen living overseas, there are special procedures for which
you can vote via email.
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Dec. 9 -
Newbury's absentee primary ballots are ready
(Linda Plunkett)
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Republican
candidates

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Democrat
candidates

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Dec.
9 - Ski season begins at Mount Sunapee
Mount Sunapee Resort opens for this
winter season Sunday, Dec. 11 with top-to-bottom skiing and riding on the Main Mountain. Upper and Lower Blast-Off trails
provide more than 6,000 feet of continuous terrain for advanced skiers and riders. The Sunapee Express high-speed quad chairlift will operate daily.
Snowmaking continues around the clock, as temperatures permit, to open additional terrain.
The Learning Center is not yet open, nor is there terrain open for novice or beginner skiers or riders.
Sunday, Dec. 18 is the first of two Cares and Shares days at Mount Sunapee.
Skiers and riders who bring five non-perishable food items to the ticket window
will pay only $35. The food is donated to local families and food shelters for the holidays.
More
at Mountsunapee.com
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Nov.
22- Neighboring towns assist at local house
fire (Gayle Hedrington)
Croydon, Newport, Grantham, Sunapee, and Goshen Fire Departments responded to a fire at 37 Fletcher Road in Croydon Flat shortly after 7 a.m.
this morning. The addition to the two story colonial house remained ablaze for about
two hours.
Property owners Kathy and Phillip Crowley of Chesterfield NH were not
there at the time. Cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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Nov.
18 - FDA cautions dog owners about chicken jerky
products
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is
cautioning consumers about chicken jerky products from China for dogs (also sold as chicken tenders, strips or treats). In the last 12 months,
there has been an increase in complaints associated with these
products by dog owners and
veterinarians.
FDA is advising consumers who feed their dogs chicken jerky products to watch their dogs closely for the following signs that may occur within hours to days of feeding the products: decreased appetite; decreased activity; vomiting; diarrhea, sometimes with blood; increased water consumption and/or increased urination. If the dog shows any of these signs, stop feeding the chicken jerky product. Owners should consult their veterinarian if signs are severe or persist for more than 24 hours. Blood tests may indicate kidney failure (increased urea nitrogen and creatinine). Urine tests may indicate Fanconi syndrome (increased glucose).
Most dogs recover, but some have died.
FDA continues extensive chemical and microbial testing but has not identified a contaminant. Many of the illnesses reported may be
from causes other than eating chicken jerky. Veterinarians and consumers
should report cases of animal illness associated with pet foods to the
New Hampshire FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinator at 800-891-8295
or go to www.fda.gov/petfoodcomplaints.
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Nov. 8 - More staff cuts at Dartmouth-Hitchcock
by January
The state's largest
health care provider is planning to eliminate up to 100 jobs in the next two
months.
Newly appointed Dartmouth-Hitchcock CEO, Dr. James Weinstein, told employees about the reductions
last Friday, and followed up with an email yesterday.
Staff reduction is one of the measures taken in recent months as
D-H seeks to close a $100 million deficit.
This year, the state's 10 largest
hospitals expect to provide more than $131 million of medical care for patients who
can not pay. Those hospitals also will pay about $135 million in
Medicaid "enhancement" taxes, bringing the total financial impact to $266 million. The tax is 5.5 percent
of a hospital's patient revenues.
More
at Valley News
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Nov. 2 - Primary will be Jan. 10 (Linda
Plunkett)
Late this morning, Secretary of State Gardner
announced the date of the Presidential Primary as JANUARY 10, 2012.
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Nov.
2 - Fairpoint charges it was duped by Verizon
Suit charges Fairpoint "paid
a princely sum for a collection of inferior assets that had no future."
A group of former FairPoint Communications creditors has filed suit against Verizon Communications, charging that the giant telecom is to blame for FairPoint's bankruptcy and continued financial troubles.
The suit claims FairPoint went bankrupt because of its "disastrous" $2.7 billion purchase of Verizon's landline and Internet operations in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont in 2008. FairPoint filed for bankruptcy 18 months after the acquisition.
More
at NHBR
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Nov. 1 -
Traveling? Unhealthy air predicted for Keene area
tomorrow
The NH Dept. of Environmental Services (DES) is expecting air pollution concentrations to reach unhealthy levels
tomorrow in Keene and other valley areas of southwestern NH. Fine particle pollution is expected to increase this afternoon, tonight and into tomorrow. DES
advises sensitive individuals in those areas to limit prolonged exertion. Sensitive individuals include children, older adults, and anyone with heart or lung disease such as asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis. Even healthy individuals may experience mild health effects and should consider limiting strenuous or prolonged activities.
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Nov.
1 - Colby-Sawyer College annual Faculty Art
Exhibition
The exhibit will feature recent work by the studio art faculty in ceramics, digital/electronic art, drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, mixed media work, sculpture and watercolor.
The reception is free and open to everyone, Thursday, Nov. 3, 5 to 7 p.m. in the Marian Graves Mugar Art Gallery,
on the New London campus. The show runs through Dec. 16.
Exhibitors are Deborah Campbell (painting); David Ernster (ceramics); Nicholas Gaffney (photography); Brandy Gibbs-Riley (graphic design); Jon Keenan (ceramics); Michael Lovell (painting); Kurt McQuiston (digital/electronic art); Mary Mead (printmaking and sculpture); Jane Prophet (mixed media); Namita Sharma (graphic design and mixed media); Kristin Tupper (watercolor); and Bert Yarborough (painting).
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Oct.
30 - The "Village People" of Grantham (Laureen Caponigro)
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"They weren't the scary,
ghoulish, threatening images we have come to expect in
October in preparation for Halloween. No blood, brains
or hairy hands reaching from a grave. This little town
created an atmosphere of tranquility and wellbeing, a
perfect place to welcome fall."
More |
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Oct.
11 - Claremont Lowe's closes
Lowe's hardware stores in Claremont and Hooksett will close "in about a month" and the Manchester store closed "abruptly" last night, "without providing any notice to employees".
A Lowe's press release stated that the company is closing 20 stores nationwide and laying off about 1,950 employees. New Hampshire was the hardest hit. No other state had more than two stores close.
Inventory at the Hooksett and Claremont stores will be sold off in "close-out sales".
More
at the Union Leader
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Oct.
9 - Monetary donations for "Cleaning
Buckets" (Janet Lowell)
Related to the story
"
Supplies needed for flood victims"
below,
please make checks payable to "Lake Sunapee UMC" with
"Hurricanes 2011" as the notation. Send to Lake
Sunapee UMC, PO Box 335, Sunapee NH 03782
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Oct. 8 - Scientists studying Lake Sunapee to meet next week
From Oct. 10 to 14, more than 100 scientists from 24 countries will meet at Mount Sunapee Resort to
"discuss freshwater lakes and reservoirs, including what can be done to keep them healthy in the face of population growth and competing demands."
Lake Sunapee is home to one
of 30 monitoring buoys deployed across the globe. Others sites are in Sweden, France, Ireland, Estonia, Canada, Taiwan, China, Brazil, Israel, and Australia.
The instruments "record and transmit data, 24/7, about lake and reservoir conditions, such as temperature and oxygen levels. This information helps scientists and managers understand and respond to variables such as flooding, development, and introduced species."
Portions of the conference open to the
public will be Oct. 11, 5-6:30 p.m. when scientists will be available to discuss their research posters. On Oct. 12 at
7 p.m. "Dr. Justin Brookes of the University of Adelaide will address the global water crisis. Following his lecture, a panel of international scientists will review critical water quality issues, what scientists are doing, and how citizens can become involved."
This is the 13th Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network conference
and is hosted by the Lake Sunapee Protective Association and the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies.
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Oct. 7-
Deadline Oct. 14 to register and change party (Kimberly Hallquist)
New London - Supervisors of the Checklist will hold a session for additions and corrections to the Checklist on
Friday, Oct. 14, 7:00 - 7:30 p.m. In addition to registering new voters,
it will be the last time voters can change party affiliation
prior to the presidential primary. New voters may continue to register at the Town Clerk's office until 10 days prior to the Presidential Primary.
Springfield - Friday, Oct. 14, 7-7:30 p.m. (Tamara Butcher)
Grantham -
Friday, Oct. 14, 7-7:30 p.m. (Lorie
McClory)
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Oct.
7 - Record-breaking visitor numbers expected this
weekend
"The most scenic roads in New Hampshire are expected to be busiest with traffic during the weekend, said Bill Boynton, public information officer at the state Department of Transportation. As visitors tend to flock to the Lakes Region and White Mountains to witness fall foliage, Route 112 is expected to see traffic flow heavier than usual, he said."
"According to AAA of Northern New England, this month's average price for regular unleaded gas in New Hampshire is approximately $3.45, compared to last month's average of $3.64."
More
at Fosters.com
Area
gas prices.
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Oct.
7 - Supplies needed for flood victims (Lorie
McClory)
The
Grantham United Methodist Church is collecting supplies to
assemble cleaning buckets for flood victims in Vermont and New
Hampshire. This is being done through the United Methodist
Committee on Relief (UMCOR). Donations may be dropped off at the
Grantham church Tuesday mornings between 9:30 and 10:30, or
Sunday mornings between 8:30 and 11. The cost to assemble each
bucket is approximately $55, so donations of the specific items
needed and monetary donations are greatly appreciated.
[From Janet
Lowell: Please make checks payable to "Lake Sunapee
UMC" with "Hurricanes 2011" notation. Send to
Lake Sunapee UMC, PO Box 335, Sunapee NH 03782]
Items needed for
each bucket:
-
5-gallon
bucket with resealable lid
-
liquid
laundry detergent (two 25-ounce or one 50-ounce)
-
liquid
household cleaner (12 to 16 ounces) that can be mixed with
water (no spray cleaners)
-
dish soap
(16- to 28-ounce bottle)
-
air freshener
(aerosol or pump)
-
insect
repellent spray (6- to 14-ounce aerosol spray or pump with
protective cover)
-
scrub brush
(plastic or wooden handle)
-
18 cleaning
wipes ( hand wipes or reusable wipes, no terry cleaning
towels)
-
seven sponges
-
five scouring
pads
-
50
clothespins
-
clothesline
(two 50-foot or one 100-foot cotton or plastic)
-
24 roll heavy
duty trash bags
-
five dust
masks
-
two pair
disposable kitchen gloves (rubber or latex)
-
one pair work
gloves (cotton or leather).
If you have
questions or need items picked up, call Janet Lowell at
863-8820. Church address:
418 Route 10 South,
Grantham, NH 03743
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Oct.
6- Bridge repairs on I-89 tonight and tomorrow
night (NHDOT)
NH Dept. of Transportation has scheduled maintenance for various
northbound and southbound I-89 bridges, between exits 2 and 9,
from 8:30 pm to 3:00 a.m. tonight and tomorrow. Some left lane
restrictions will be applied. Arrow boards, signs and traffic cones will be used to guide motorists through the work zones.
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Sep. 27
- Learn about Planning and Zoning Boards (Tamara
Butcher)
Are you or someone you know interested in learning more about the Planning or Zoning Boards and how they work? Maybe you have thought you would be interested in serving on one of these boards. The link below will take you to the Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission 2011 Fall Planning & Zoning Conference. There is a charge for the Conference to cover materials, speakers and refreshments.
2011 Planning and Zoning Conference
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Sep.
27 - Mushroom poisoning increase
"alarming"
The cool damp weather has
encouraged a bumper crop of wild mushrooms, but NH Dept. of
Health and Human Services has issued a warning about eating
them. Public Health Director, Dr. Jose Montero, said that there
has been an "alarming" increase in emergency room
visits by people who have eaten poisonous mushrooms.
So far in 2011, NH
emergency rooms have reported 31 cases of mushroom poisoning,
with 18 of them just this month. "While this is just one
means of tracking illness caused by mushrooms [it is] not
necessarily
comprehensive", Montero said.
A wide variety of mushrooms
grow here, and some are toxic. "As little as one bit of a
poisonous mushroom can cause serious injury or death. Many toxic
mushrooms look a lot like non-toxic ones". There is no
approved treatment for mushroom poisoning. Symptoms may not
begin until hours after ingestion and can include abdominal
pain, nausea, vomiting, fever, severe diarrhea, a change in
heart rhythm, and low blood pressure.
More
about poisonous mushrooms.
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Sep.
25 - October SRK Greenway hikes
(Gerry Gold)
The Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge (SRK) Greenway Coalition's Fall 2011 hike schedule continues with four Greenway hikes crossing parts of Goshen, Sunapee, Springfield and New London. The hikes, all free to the public, are listed below. Please contact the leader at least a day before to get details on start time and location. Bring water, sun screen, hat, and a snack. (E) is Easy. (M) is Moderate. (D) is Difficult.
Oct 1 (Sat): Passing Snow Bound Farm and Star Lake Farm in Springfield (Trail #4). 4.1 mi. (E) Peg Bastien (456-2347).
Oct 8 (Sat): Gile Forest, the Overlooks, Royal Arch, Devil's Half Acre Pond, Great Brook cascade are on the way from Springfield to Pleasant Lake, New London (Tr#5). 8.4 mi. (D) Andy Hager (526-2846).
Oct 15 (Sat): Sunapee Lower Village to Deer Hill Rd on Trail #3. 7.3 mi. (M). Susan Chiarella (763-4661).
Oct 22 (Sat): Old Province Road, Goshen, to Sunapee Town Offices via Webb Forest and
Red Water Creek Preserve (Tr#2). 7.3 mi. (M) Gerry Gold (526-2857).
The SRK Greenway Coalition is a non-profit volunteer organization that promotes hiking and land conservation. Hike all 14 sections for a certificate of completion! The SRK Greenway's 14 sections covering 75 miles of trails are open to all. For information, visit
www.srkg.com
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Sep.
16 - Lake drawdown dates announced
NH Dept. of Environmental Services (DES) announced today the annual fall drawdown dates of lakes and ponds controlled by DES-owned dams.
Drawdowns reduce winter ice damage to shoreline properties and reduce spring flooding. They also give waterfront property owners an opportunity to inspect and make any repairs, after securing a permit from the DES Wetlands Bureau.
Below are the lakes in our area that will be lowered, the brooks and
rivers that will be affected by water released, drawdown date and
depth in feet:
Sunapee Lake, Sugar River, Oct. 10, 2.5'
Little Sunapee Lake, Kidder Brook, Oct. 15, 1'
Kezar Lake, Lane River, Sept. 30, 2'
Mascoma Lake, Mascoma River, Oct. 10, 3'
Webster Lake, Chance Brook, Oct. 10, 2
'
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Sep. 14 - Hazardous waste and medications
disposal (Linda Plunkett)
The third of four
scheduled disposal dates for hazardous waste and unwanted
medications is this Saturday, Sep. 17, at the Newport Highway Garage, 449 South Main Street (Rt. 10).
Electronics collection is at same location, but there is a fee.
The next
collection day is Oct. 15, 9 am - noon at the City of Lebanon Solid Waste Facility, 370 Plainfield Road (Route 12A).
Click here
for more information, including of list of acceptable and
unacceptable items.
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Sep.
7 - Beach bacteria advisories removed
NH Dept. of Environmental
Services (DES) has removed beach bacteria advisories from the
beaches listed below, because the swim season is complete and
testing has ended for the season.
Dewey Town Beach on Lake Sunapee, Sunapee
Opechee Park Cove, Laconia
Beards Brook Town Beach, Hillsborough
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Sep. 1 -
You can help hurricane Irene victims (Lorie McClory)
The American Red Cross is directing all
community members with food and clothing donations to The Haven in White
River Junction, VT. In turn, The Haven is distributing this emergency
food and clothing to all Irene victims who are in need.
Through its Outreach Program, the Haven has
also set up a fund specifically to help Irene victims with various
emergency needs. All funds donated will go directly to those who have
been devastated by the natural disaster.
The Haven is working in partnership with all
area resources to ensure that no one falls through the cracks.
To donate food and clothing, stop by
The
Haven, 713 Hartford Ave., White River Junction, VT. To donate funds you
can send a check, call with a credit card number, or go to www.uppervalleyhaven.org
to make a contribution online. Please specify "Hurricane
Irene."
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