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Telegraph earns press association honors for stories, design, photos

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:28:00 EST

The Telegraph won five first place awards at the annual New England Newspaper and Press Association convention held this weekend in Boston. The staff of The Telegraph took top honors for Government Reporting for its seven-day examination of double dippers – public employees who returned to government jobs while collecting a full pension from the state Retirement System. “Excellent dogged effort to expose the large amount of double dipping that goes on by state and municipal retirees returning to public service and using loopholes to double dip,” the judges wrote. “This 7-day package was total team coverage by writers, designers, editors and photographers ... The Telegraph makes it simple for readers to read and digest.” Telegraph editorial page editor Nick Pappas won first place for Editorial Writing. “Not afraid to take a strong stand on an issue on which their readers are likely to disagree – editorials are well-written,” the judges wrote. Chief photographer Don Himsel was awarded first place in Video for “Ice House.” “Beautifully shot – creative and engaging framing without feeling arty or drawing attention to the artist’s decisions,” the judges said.

Nashua merchants feel rush when lovers’ pulses quicken

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:30:00 EST

Valentine’s Day will be extra sweet this year for Lori Robicheau. For one, the holiday means an extra 100 pounds of flour and sugar, 10 pounds of butter and 70 pounds of powdered sugar for the Nashua baker and owner of Lovin’ Cupcakes and Cannolies on Main Street. The month also marks a milestone for Robicheau’s cozy dessert stop, which opened in October. It was approximately a year ago that Robicheau, a former assistant principal at Hudson Memorial School, first got going on her dream of opening her own cupcake and cannoli place. “I’ve watched a lot of activity come from the West Coast to the East Coast with cupcakes,” Robicheau said. “There are just a few that have popped up this year in New Hampshire. When I first considered this idea, it was in January 2011, and I Googled cupcakes in New Hampshire.

The science of the ‘winter blues’ at the next Science Cafe

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:34:00 EST

This winter has hardly been winter due to a shortage of snow and ice, but one thing has been reliably seasonal: daylight. The amount of time the sun was above the horizon during each 24-hour period peaked June 21, when it was 15 hours and 20 minutes hereabouts, declined until bottoming out Dec. 21 (9 hours and 2 minutes) and is now slowly increasing each day (10 hours and 26 minutes as of Monday ). This predictable seasonal change has almost certainly caused another predictable seasonal change: an increase in the winter blues. Many people have a real problem with what health professionals call seasonal affective disorder, shortened to SAD. “I don’t think the acronym helps people take it seriously,” admits Jody Fine, clinical director of Riverbend Counseling Associates in Concord. Fine will be one of the expert panelists at Wednesday’s Science Cafe New Hampshire, which will discuss what we know and don’t know about the causes of SAD, how it can be treated, and its connection to other health issues – plus anything else you can think of. As always, the free two-hour event will be driven entirely by audience questions. Dr.

The Week in Preview: Spanish Princess Maria Theresa is said to have given chocolate to her fiance, Louis XIV of France, as an engagement gift.

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:34:01 EST

Tuesday Forgotten bonbons In the average chocolate sampler, we find that cream-filled chocolates tend to be underrepresented in favor of chocolates with hard or crunchy centers. These underdogs of the chocolate assortment get their chance in the spotlight today on National Cream-Filled Chocolates Day. The holiday is aptly timed to coincide with Valentine’s Day, an occasion for which chocolatiers prepare themed treats and special assortments. Such items include cream-filled chocolate assortments, which aren’t as readily available in stores during the rest of the year. As their name implies, cream-filled chocolates are chocolate candies typically filled with whipped cream or a butter cream. These fillings come in every flavor imaginable, from vanilla and raspberry to violet and cardamom.

NCC planning expanded auto repair program

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:35:00 EST

NASHUA – In an effort to boost its automotive repair program, Nashua Community College is expanding its campus to include two more automotive repair bays and a two-story addition that will house two classrooms. The total addition is 17,000 square feet, which will connect onto the Gregg Hall Building. The college campus is on Amherst Street in Nashua. The timetable for the addition and the costs associated with it are unclear. Nashua Community College President Lucille Jordan did not return messages seeking comment. At a Jan. 19 meeting with the Nashua Planning Board, Jordan said the addition will be used by students for internships with Honda.

Brookline panel is proposing scaled-down version of safety complex

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:36:00 EST

BROOKLINE – A volunteer group is pushing for the completion of the town’s safety complex and bent on convincing residents that a $1.4 million expenditure now could save tax dollars later. “The idea sounds crazy in this economy,” said facilities committee Chairman Peter Cook, head of a group charged by the Board of Selectmen to come up with a cost-effective and practical plan. “But building costs are at their lowest, and two or three bonds are expiring.” Selectmen directed the committee to come up with a plan that kept total town bonding at 2010 levels, and they did. They’re now beginning to promote the warrant article, emphasizing the positives. “The drivers are low cost and the expiration of the other bonds,” Cook said. In 2003, town voters approved spending to build the ambulance service building, occupied by the service since 2004. A proposal to complete the safety complex by adding a new police station was rejected by voters in 2008. The current proposal, which in addition to a police station includes a fire sprinkler system and a 40-person public meeting space, has a price tag that is $350,000 less than the one attached to the 2008 plan. It also has the unanimous support of the Board of Selectmen. “It’s a good value for the town and badly needed for the future of the town,” said Selectman Darrell Philpot. “We’re retiring some debt, so the initial net impact for the first year will be $22 on a $300,000 home.” Taxpayers are likely to be tight-fisted in March when they go to the polls to make decisions on money warrant articles. But selectmen’s Chairman Tad Putney pointed out that the building completion would not only reduce Police Department liabilities, based on inadequate space and lack of privacy, but also would provide a place for the town offices to expand.

Foreclosure numbers remain high in NH

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:37:00 EST

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the last day in a three-day series looking at the state of New Hampshire’s housing market. Despite signs of improvement in 2011, foreclosures in Nashua and most area communities remained at historically high levels that are almost unchanged from 2008, the first full year of the recession. With a slowly improving economy, Jane Law, director of communications for the New Hampshire Housing Authority, said the numbers may have peaked last year, but she predicted a long, slow recovery in the housing market. There are no obvious signs that the situation will improve much this year. “We don’t anticipate that there’s going to be a rapid improvement, by any stretch of the imagination,” Law said. Foreclosures in Nashua, including residential and business, fell by 14 percent last year. There were 200 applications submitted last year, compared to 232 in 2010. While an improvement, the 2011 foreclosure figure is slightly worse than 2009 and more than three times the number that occurred in the city in the last full year of robust growth, 2006. In Manchester, the number of foreclosures remained almost unchanged for the fourth year, at 339. That is four times the level that the state’s largest city had in 2006. Most local towns saw a drop in foreclosures last year, but a comparison to the start of the recession shows how bad they have gotten.

Mont Vernon students’ dismissal idea honored White House

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:38:00 EST

MONT VERNON – Just one member was allowed inside in person, but everyone who was involved in taking a community project and turning it into a unique, practical technological invention for their school was present in spirit last week when the Village School’s Pickup Patrol Project team received national recognition at the second White House Science Fair hosted by President Barack Obama. Pickup Patrol, a Web-based software application designed to eliminate the confusion and chaos that result from unexpected last-minute changes in students’ daily school dismissal times, grew out of a FIRST Lego League competition project undertaken two years ago by the Village School-based NXTreme Team. Tony Edvalson, an eighth-grader at the Academy of Science and Design in Merrimack, represented the team. “It was a really neat experience,” Edvalson said a day after he and his mom, Maria Edvalson, a volunteer team coach, returned home. “It was fun, also very interesting. I learned a lot just being there,” the eighth-grader said. In addition to Edvalson, the Mont Vernon-based Pickup Patrol Project team includes fellow eighth-graders Rylee Noorda, Brian Apple and Nick Zumbo; seventh-grader Bryan Rose; and sixth-graders Annemarie Edvalson and Elizabeth Apple.

Congregation’s lengthy quest nears end

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 08:47:00 EST

MERRIMACK – More than a quarter-century after it started, the Merrimack Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses’ search for a home is nearing its end. The congregation, which has spent 25 years holding services in neighboring churches and members’ homes, received final approval last week from the town Zoning Board, allowing them to build a church on former farmland on Wire Road. Congregation elders and project developers first applied to the town two years ago for the land, and they’ve been fighting since to gain approval from town planners, who finally relented at a meeting Tuesday, offering conditional approval for a single-story Kingdom Hall church. “We’ve been waiting for this for a long time,” said Ron Hansen, a Merrimack resident who serves as coordinator for the congregation’s body of elders. “I’ve been in this town for almost 60 years. …We’re very happy to now have a house of worship in our own town.” The approval process was a long one for the congregation, which brought the church plans forward in September 2010. Congregation elders first selected the property, formerly Therrian’s 1897 Farm, because of its size and the quiet of the neighborhood.

Net for needy expanded

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 10:00:28 EST

New Hampshire Orchid Society holds show at Nashua Radisson

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 23:00:14 EST

The New Hampshire Orchid Society held its 21st annual Parade of Orchids on Saturday at the Radisson Hotel in Nashua. The orchid show will continue 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $10 for adults and $6 for students and seniors 65 and older.

Union contracts among 12 warrant articles discussed at Hudson deliberative session

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 08:59:02 EST

HUDSON – Approximately 80 Hudson residents rolled out of bed early Saturday morning to participate in the town’s 2012 Deliberative Session starting at the Hudson Community Center at 9 a.m. During the session, which lasted four and half hours, voters discussed 12 warrant articles that will be decided at this year’s Town Meeting on March 13. Among them are two union contracts – for Hudson’s police, fire, and town supervisors association, and another with the Hudson support staff union – the town’s proposed 2012 operating budget of $28.4 million and the town clerk/tax collector’s proposed 3 percent wage increase, the position’s first since 2007. Both multi-year union contracts, warrant articles 5 and 6, would provide employees with a $1,500 raise from July, 1 2012-June 30, 2013, plus a $1,000 raise from July 1, 2013-June 30, 2014. “One of the things that board looked at, and it’s been a particular pet peeve of mine for about 30 years, is that when we do just percentages, the people at the top of the pay scale get a much higher increase than the people at the bottom of the pay scale,” Board of Selectman Chair Shawn Jasper said of the contracts. “We have created, and continue to create when we do percentages, a widening gap between the person at the top and the person at the bottom. So, in attempt to end that, we have gone to a different model which is to give all employees in the bargaining unit the same raise. ” The police, fire, and supervisors contract covers 27 employees and would cost the town $50,201 in the second year and $35,868 in the third year of the contract. The support staff’s multi-year contract covers 20 employees, including utility billing clerks, administrative aids, secretaries, custodians and inspectors, and would cost the town $29,866 in the third year and $25,709 in the fourth year of the contract. “I think the cost-cutting savings are great,” resident and budget committee member John Drabinowicz said of the contracts.

Cilley focuses on state’s financial picture

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 08:58:00 EST

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jackie Cilley denied she’s advocating an overhaul in the tax structure. Many who saw her attack against “simplistic pledges” considered it a signal she would come out for an income or sales tax during this campaign. She won’t, but merely wanted to signal that she’d listen to any discussion as a candidate and as a chief executive about how to best meet the financial challenges the state faces. “I don’t think that a refusal to take pledges means you will be out there advocating a certain thing,’’ Cilley, 60, told The Sunday Telegraph during her first interview as a declared candidate. “That ought to be what a public servant is all about, out there listening to all views.’’ Cilley said she’s committed to trying to do all she can as governor to reduce the burden on the property tax for working families and small businesses. This would start by eliminating what Cilley called “serial passing down’’ costs from state government to local taxpayer. On casino gambling, Cilley said it’s “not a panacea’’ to the state’s fiscal woes, and like Gov. John Lynch, she’d look long and hard at any proposal that would have to have plenty of local control and better regulatory oversight. “I think it deserves to be considered,’’ Cilley said. What Cilley doesn’t like is the proposed amendment to the state Constitution pushed by GOP legislative leaders to require a three-fifths vote to raise any tax or fee. “To get nearly a two-thirds vote to agree that the sky is blue is very difficult,’’ Cilley said, not to mention “to set that kind of obstacle over even closing a loophole. We don’t know what our state will face in the future. This would hobble us forever if this campaign was successful.’’ Soon, Cilley will announce her team of professionals to work on the campaign, including a media consultant, pollster and social media director. Perceived conflict Cilley also chose to go after the leading Republican candidate for governor, Ovide Lamontagne, after advocating for a Right to Work law in New Hampshire. Cilley noted Lamontagne, a prominent lawyer, is a member of the New Hampshire Bar Association, which is mandatory for any practicing attorney. “Is he going to lobby to dissolve the mandatory membership of the bar? Because that’s what he’s talking about trying to do to unions,’’ Cilley said. Union supporters on the House Labor Committee confronted Lamontagne with this “conflict’’ after he testified for Right to Work. “The bar association controls my license, sets standards for conducting oneself in court, sets privileges for us, that’s what it does,’’ Lamontagne said. “It’s a professional association; it’s not an economic association.

Nashua...From the inside

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 08:52:00 EST

After a decade of answering phone calls – all sorts of phone calls – Nashua Fire Rescue dispatcher Jen Sullivan is leaving for the warm shores of the Gulf Coast. Sullivan, one of the most cheerful of a friendly bunch of dispatchers, will leave the department on Feb. 21. “It’s been crazy: the nights and the long shifts,” Sullivan said. Dispatchers answer phone calls from residents and communicate with firefighters, sounding the alarm and relaying the address and type of emergency or non-emergency situation that faces responders. The job has its fair share of “a lot of funny stuff and lots of weird stuff,” but also a fair share of sadness, Sullivan said. Sullivan worked as a dispatcher in Hudson before coming to Nashua in 2001. Her husband, Michael, retired a few years ago as a Nashua Fire Rescue firefighter. They have a home in Mississippi and will soon live there full time. Mayor to discuss budget A message from the mayor is expected to kick off the Board of Education meeting Monday night, as Donnalee Lozeau plans to talk to board members about the School District’s proposed budget. The board will meet at 6:30 p.m. at Nashua High School North. The proposed budget is $95,571,612, which is an increase of about $1 million, or a little more than 1 percent, compared with last year’s base budget of $94,478,076. Lozeau asked the district to submit a proposed budget with an increase of no more than 1 percent.

Worst averted for 2012

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 22:01:30 EST

I’ve dragged my feet on offering an assessment for 2012 because gauging the severity of Europe’s impact has been daunting. I originally thought they would briefly flatline our economy, but with Europe winning the gold medal in the kick the can down the road competition, it appears that the worst has been averted, at least this year. And a deal has been reached with Greece. Nothing is signed, the Germans think it’s insufficient, and Greeks are protesting nationwide, but somebody agreed to something. Not that the markets care.

Bedford man launches site to make traveling with friends easier

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 09:22:00 EST

Bryan Marble likes to travel – and he likes doing it with friends – but there are some aspects that take the fun out of it, he admits. Two years ago, Marble, 30, of Bedford, was deep into his Boston-based job without much time for a social life. He decided to reconnect with old friends by joining them on travel excursions, but Marble quickly found that planning trips with a group was a little frustrating. There were plans to visit Montreal and a season filled with nine weddings, and Marble discovered that email chains of 50-60 messages with debates about destinations, accommodations and restaurants made things pretty complicated. “I just knew there had to be a better way,” Marble said. Since then, Marble, whose background is in Web development, has been using the training he’s gained working for companies such as BAE Systems to try building a business and a website known as GroupTrip to allow group travel without the hassle. “Usually you have a lot of headaches involved in planning for a group, and usually that takes away from the anticipation of the actual trip,” Marble said. “I’m trying to keep that anticipation level high.” His website – grouptrip.co – is still in its final development stages, Marble said, but he plans to have it fully launched by the spring. Right now, users can create logins and use the site for free by inputting email addresses or Facebook or Twitter accounts to sign in and build travel databases to share with friends. Users first create a new trip by choosing a destination, inputting dates for when they want to travel and creating a title indicating the purpose for the trip – whether it be for a birthday celebration or a bachelorette party weekend. From there, members can invite friends via email or social media accounts to join in on the research and the conversation about the trip, using a single forum that makes planning easier, Marble said. “It’s anywhere from choosing the dates for where you want to go to choosing where you want to stay,” Marble said. “Who’s going to book what? How are you going to get there? Are you going to meet there? Are you going to combine cars? Things like that.” GroupTrip beats long e-mail threads that can cause ideas and links to get lost in the shuffle, Marble said. “The basic use I envisioned when I started it is everyone’s sitting around at their 9-to-5 jobs, searching out hotels and places they want to go, and they’ll shoot it off in an email,” Marble said.

Analyst praises FairPoint’s handling of massive Primary Night workload

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 23:00:29 EST

MANCHESTER – FairPoint Communications has drawn an analyst’s praise for how well it handled the massive data needs of a half-dozen television networks on the night of the New Hampshire presidential primary, with little problems and much profit. “This was an extremely lucrative event as the company billed at very high rates for last-minute, rush work,” wrote Barry Sine, an analyst with Drexel Hamilton, in a January report, concerning connections at the Radisson Hotel Manchester, one of the centerpoints for national media. “This was a marquee event for FairPoint to show off its fiber network, and experienced staff … FairPoint performed flawlessly. It can now market this performance to IT managers at banks, hospitals and other heavy telecom users in New England to leverage its success,” he wrote. Sine said he visited FairPoint facilities in Manchester and Londonderry during the Jan. 10 primary.

Finance authority’s seminars helpful for first-time homebuyers

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 08:26:00 EST

NASHUA – Nick Halamoutis and Patty Duby may not know much about how to buy a house, but they do know they’re ready to stop throwing their money down the rent drain. “We’d rather put our money into something we own,” Duby said. “It’s a lot of money.” The Nashua couple were part of a handful of people who attended a first-time homebuyers seminar in Nashua last week. The seminar, hosted by the New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority, is one of several dozen that it and other nonprofit groups host every year. As the housing market continues to rebound, so has the attendance and interest in the seminars, said Jane Law, a finance authority spokeswoman. “We’re getting far more people in our seminars this year and in the last several months than in comparative months in the previous year,” Law said. Andrew Cadorette, the finance authority’s education coordinator, ran the seminar last week at Harbor Homes. Over the two-day session, would-be homebuyers heard about the organization’s programs and learned about financing, credit, saving, mortgages, interest rates, points and more from industry experts. “It’s really a place for someone to start,” Cadorette said.

Worth the wait: Updating traffic signal system throughout Nashua

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 23:00:50 EST

NASHUA – Are you still waiting for the traffic lights on Canal Street to turn green? City officials recognize your behind-the-wheel frustration and hope to install a $3.3 million traffic signal management system that will make long red lights a thing of the past. The system would improve traffic signal coordination at major intersections, as well as reduce pollution from idling cars and lessen motor vehicle crashes, city officials say. The new system would not only better manage the timing of lights at as many as 68 intersections across the city, but also would replace hardware such as lights, cables and control cabinets. The city hopes to have a final design completed and contractor chosen by August, with a target completion date of December 2013, just in time for the Christmas rush. In a presentation to the Board of Aldermen recently, a project manager from the planning and transportation firm Vanasse Hangen Brustlin outlined the advantages of modernizing the city’s traffic control system. “By improving traffic operations, clearly if we can get people from point A to B and not (have) them idle out on the roadway … clearly that will result in an improvement in overall air quality,” said Chris Bobay, the project manager. Safety also could improve with a better-timed signal system, Bobay said. At the 68 intersections that need improvement, there have been 1,300 motor vehicle crashes in the last three years, an average of about 433 a year, he said. “The No. 1 intersection with regard to the number of crashes on a yearly basis – averaging 26 a year – is West Hollis Street at Main Dunstable Road and the F.E. Everett Turnpike,” Bobay said. The city has identified 12 roadways as major thoroughfares, but only two of them – Daniel Webster Highway and Spit Brook Road – have updated traffic signal control software, allowing lights to be synchronized in real time by city employees looking at television monitors and other data in an office. On the 10 other major traffic corridors – among them Main and Amherst streets – 55 out of 68 traffic lights are using technology from the 1990s, Bobay said.

High School Highlights: Wrestling, Scores, Schedule

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 09:08:00 EST

The Milford High School wrestling team went undefeated on the day, while Nashua North’s Joey Page picked up his 100th career win at the Souhegan-Milford Dual Meet Championships. The Spartans picked up wins over White Mountains (62-9), Plymouth (45-21) and North (42-33), the last of which came down to the final match, where Milford’s Rueben Carson pinned North’s Marly Kert at 2:36 of the 120-pound match. Also wrestling well for Milford was Andrew Myers (182), Connor Borne (152), Joe Albina (170), Scott Dannewitz (160) and Devin Dolliver (132), who had two pins on the day. North went 1-2 – beating White Mountain Regional 45-12 while losing to Milford and Salem (36-33) – at Saturday’s meet, but Page wasn’t going to let the Titans go without a memorable highlight for the day. Page, who went 3-0 on the day at 160 pounds, recorded a pin in 38 seconds against his White Mountain opponent to lock up the 100th victory of his high school wrestling career. Also going unbeaten on the day with three pins to their credit were Cam Bennett at 106 and Connor McBride at 145. In the loss to Milford, Titans 170-pounder Joe Chimelski pulled out a 6-2 win over the Spartans’ Albina. Bishop Guertin 24, Exeter 21 The Cardinals finished up the Division I regular season with a win over the Blue Hawks. Zak Kemos (138-pounds) and John Fagan (195) both recorded pins for Bishop Guertin, while Cole Fokas (126), Brandon Levesque (132) and Ryan Szczgielski (113) also picked up wins. Alvirne, HB win 2 of 3 The Broncos and the Cavaliers each took two of three dual meets at the Cavalier Classic at Hollis Brookline High School. Alvirne defeated Bow (31-30) and Pelham (36-24) but lost to Londonderry (57-10).

Records illustrate the cost of Nashua buying Pennichuck

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 09:01:23 EST

NASHUA – The city’s recent purchase of Pennichuck Corp. carried a price tag of more than $200 million. A large chunk of that money – $137.8 million – bought all 4.7 million shares of the privately held corporation. Another $5.17 million was earmarked for what you could call the cost of doing business: legal, accounting, banking and bonding fees. These fees amount to what, on a smaller scale, you see in the fine print of a contract when getting a new car. But buying a company requires research of law and regulations, fiscal acumen and the services of bond underwriters. “These things aren’t cheap,” said Alderman-at-Large Brian McCarthy, who has worked closely on the Pennichuck acquisition for a decade, starting when the city made a failed bid to buy the company and then entered several years of legal entanglements before acquiring Pennichuck last month. According to documents obtained last week by The Telegraph, the city spent $4.16 million on legal and banking services and $1.01 million on bond counsel and underwriting services to take ownership of Pennichuck, reaching that $5.17 million total. John Patenaude, who is the interim CEO of Pennichuck for the infancy of city ownership, previously had served as a contracted consultant who advised city officials through their efforts to negotiate the stock purchase of the company. For that consultant work, between June 2010 and January, Patenaude received $148,883 in what the city has labeled as “executive fees.” Patenaude became CEO on Jan. 25 when the city officially purchased Pennichuck; he will serve no longer than three years and receive an annual salary of $190,000. The top fee went to Boenning & Scattergood, a securities, asset management and investment banking firm.

Nashua single mother saves for home through loan program

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 09:00:38 EST

NASHUA – Nicole Boyle considers her modest home a miracle. She has lived in her home, tucked away in an established south Nashua neighborhood, since last summer. She still can’t talk about how lucky she feels to have it without shedding a tear. “I really didn’t think I ever could have bought a house on my own,” said Boyle, 39, a divorced mother struggling to raise three children on her salary in a job with a social service agency. “I thought I would have needed someone else to help us.” Boyle was able to buy a home through a community loan program, purchased in part through money she was able to scrimp and save. Boyle bought her home through an Individual Development Account program, which provides a $6,000 grant for down payment and closing costs, provided that participants can save $2,000 on their own. The program requires participants to take workshops on finances and budgeting, geared toward first-time homebuyers. Boyle learned about the program through Greater Manchester NeighborWorks, the only New Hampshire chapter of the nonprofit NeighborWorks America organization. NeighborWorks is one of various agencies in the state that partners with the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund for the IDA program, said Marcy Meyer, director of asset development for the loan fund. The Community Loan Fund raises money for the program through a mix of federal money and private contributions, Meyer said. Part of the contributions come through the sale of tax credits, she said. “Business owners throughout New Hampshire support the program through buying tax credits,” she said. The Community Loan Fund also manages reporting and maintains data about the program.

Celtics need Rondo to recover quickly

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 23:01:57 EST

TORONTO – Rajon Rondo, after a long night, didn’t leave the locker room for the team bus until long after his teammates had vacated the building. As the Celtics point guard admitted to Doc Rivers during halftime of an 86-74 loss to the Toronto Raptors, he was playing horribly. He had, for example, five turnovers in the first half, though he went error free during the last 24 minutes. “To his credit, at halftime he said, ‘Man, I’m playing like crap.’ And I said, ‘That’s fine, but keep playing,’” Rivers said. “Even if you don’t play well, it can’t affect your energy and your effort, because everyone is always watching on your team.” The problem is Rondo only got marginally better. He wasn’t particularly effective during the Celtics’ Thursday night loss to the Lakers, either, though he didn’t want to entertain a suggestion that he’s in the midst of a slump. “That’s you guys’ opinions,” he said.

Wade prefers his footing to Gronk’s

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 23:02:02 EST

Sometimes there is ample time for rest and recovery. So when Dwyane Wade sustained what ultimately was diagnosed as a high ankle sprain, he rested and recovered, returning after two weeks off, soon back to the top of his game, as evidenced by his 33-point outing Wednesday against the Orlando Magic. Three days earlier, Wade scored 25 points against the Toronto Raptors, then took stock in the pitfalls of trying to speed up the timetable for such an injury. It left him appreciative of the extra caution the Miami Heat medical staff took. Wade said he hardly was surprised by how limited New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowki was during the Super Bowl, two weeks after sustaining a high ankle sprain in the AFC championship game, one that ultimately required the type of surgery Wade was able to avoid. “I mean, I knew it was going to be tough for him. But, obviously, it’s the Super Bowl. What do you expect him to do?” Wade said of Gronkowki, before the debate turned to Gronkowki’s post-Super Bowl shirtless dancing agility. “He’s going to go out there and he’s going to try.

Kids Sports Wrapup: Basketball, Gymnastics, Baseball Tryouts

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 10:02:11 EST

BASKETBALL Middle School Nashua Catholic Jr. High girls win Tri-County title The middle school basketball season wrapped up last weekend with the Tri-County Middle School League Championships at a packed Nashua Community College gymnasium. Both the boys and girls squads from Nashua Catholic Regional Junior High School reached the championship game. The girls came out on top. Girls: Nashua Catholic 37, Pennichuck 29 The Nashua Catholic girls squad capped an undefeated 15-0 Tri-County season by defeating cross-town opponents Pennichuck Middle School 37-29 in the Class I tournament finals. Point guard Marie Laplante lead the NC scoring with 11 points, followed by Danielle Mackey (7), Mollly Dee, Adaeze Okorie, Brea Veilleux, and Megan Donovan (4 apiece), and Emma Wiliams (3).

Past meets present as Milford celebrates historic 1972 boys basketball championship

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 23:02:27 EST

They seemed to arrive suddenly, almost out of nowhere. And before anyone knew it, they were gone again, only this time we were wiping their dust from our eyes. Early in a long-ago December, few gave these tall, lanky guys who never stopped running much of a chance to come out of the impending schoolboy basketball season with more than a .500 record and maybe a couple of moral victories. They didn’t listen. Because they knew – “while we may not go all the way, we’re going to make some noise between now and March.” Four decades later, more than half the players on a little-known team that would write one of the most fascinating stories in state schoolboy hoop history returned home to Milford to celebrate the 40th reunion of their 1972 championship season, a fete accomplished in just their second year playing with the “big boys” of Class L. They’re the Milford AREA High School Spartans, a “Hoosiers” scene come to life in the center of the Souhegan Valley.

Slow, steady better than most people realize

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 23:02:31 EST

Remember to always start slow. That was mentioned at the end of last week’s column about interval training, but it really should have been right where it is this week. If you’re just starting to exercise, interval training is not what you want to start out with. Slow and simple is the way to go, at the beginning, but not a lot of people start that way and that’s another reason why so many people fail at their goal of losing weight. “Hard and fast every day is not sustainable,” said Shelby Young, one of the personal trainers at Hampshire Hills. For someone who has never exercised, who has been sedentary most of his life, who you might refer to as the classic couch potato, Young would give the following workout instructions to begin. “Start with some body weight strength training, some pushups and situps,” he said. “Then get on the (cardio) machines and go long and slow for the first few weeks and then increase.” Long and slow exercise can be good for everyone now and then. Most people, when they exercise, stay at the same medium pace and never speed up or slow down.

BG boys win D-I swimming title

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:00:13 EST

Conventional wisdom is that the penguin is the best-swimming bird, but a certain Catholic school in Nashua has made a strong case for it actually being the cardinal. The Bishop Guertin Cardinals boys’ swim team ran away with its fourth straight Division I championship at UNH’s Swazey Pool on Saturday, while the girls had the area’s best finish with an impressive third place showing. The Cardinals boys, whose 287 points far outdistanced second place Bedford (209) and Nashua North (171), wasted no time getting into the winner’s circle. The 200 yard medley team of Brandon Conceicao, Matt Puksta, Samuel Root, and Joseph Moleski, all of whom would be heard from several times during the meet, took home first place in the opening boys event, and it continued from there. Moleski won the 50 yard freestyle, David Pfeifer crushed everyone in the diving event, scoring over 165 points higher than the next competitor, Puksta and a different cast of characters won the 200 yard freestyle relay, then Puksta won 100 yard breaststroke. Those were just the wins; a host of Cardinals filled out the top six in events, meaning they advance to Sunday’s Meet of Champions along with the top six finishers in Division II. Other Cardinals who advanced are Brett Seeley-Hacker, Erik Rockstrom, Joseph Soraghan, Andrew Yourell, Brian Regan, and Kurt Iske. Nashua North got strong performances from Oliver French, who won the 500 yard freestyle and qualified in several events, Nathan Garner (winner of the 200 yard intermediate and 100 butterfly), Alexander Flinn in the 100 yard butterfly and backstroke, and Ryan Clukey (relays and 100 backstroke). Meanwhile, the girls were no slouches, improving 73.5 points from last year’s showing and finishing third behind Dover (208) and Bedford (201).

Patriots’ Super Bowl XLVI strategy had a catch

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 10:03:03 EST

Since Kansas City Chiefs coach Hank Stram famously agreed to be miked XLII years ago, no Super Bowl experience truly has been complete until we hear the NFL Films audio to learn what really went on. Super Bowl XLVI was no exception. Only three days after the game, behind-the-scenes insights began to emerge on the NFL Network’s “Sound FX” show, as well as on NFL.com. Among the gems: New England Patriots Coach Bill Belichick telling his defense before the New York Giants’ final drive: “Make them go to Manningham. Make them go to Pascoe, all right? But let’s make sure we get Cruz and Nicks.” Oops. The Giants opened with a 38-yard pass from Eli Manning to Mario Manningham, right in front of Belichick. Later, Patriots defenders were heard in the huddle saying that for strategic reasons, they had to let the Giants score, while on the sideline, quarterback Tom Brady doubted that would work, saying, “They’re not going to score.” They did, when Ahmad Bradshaw awkwardly and reluctantly fell on his backside into the end zone, and all turned out well for the Giants in the end. Bear market for Nets Team Marketing Report is out with its annual survey of NBA ticket costs, which shows – no surprise – the two most expensive teams are the Knicks and Lakers, who average $117.47 and $99.25 for non-premium seats. The Nets’ average is $37.06, below the league figure of $48.48. But wait: Many fans are more interested in the going rate on the secondary market, where prices rise and fall based on demand. Take Wednesday: The Linsanity-driven Knicks host the lowly Kings, and the cheapest ticket was $45 as of Saturday afternoon (up 50 percent from Friday) on FanSnap.com, which monitors several dozen outlets. That same night, the Nets host the Grizzlies.

Sabers boys, girls finish 2nd at D-II swim championships

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:00:23 EST

The Souhegan Sabers boys and girls swim teams both played the bridesmaid at the Division II championships at UNH’s Swazey Pool on Saturday. The Saber boys scored 172 points and fell just 16 points short of champion Oyster River, while the girls placed second with 172 points, behind St. Thomas Aquinas (196). Souhegan had all of the area’s wins, with Eric Howard taking home the 50 and 100 yard freestyles, and the Sabers’ 200 and 400 yard freestyle relay teams also emerging victorious.

Ski strategies for ‘Presidents Week’

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:00:17 EST

Presidents’ Week is, traditionally the peak week of any ski season, especially here in the northeast where school systems traditionally schedule a vacation week around the holiday. Every area is covered with snow – be it natural or man-made. This year, when natural snow has been in short supply over much of the regions, snowguns have been blasting to deepen bases and buff up surfaces in anticipation of the coming holiday. School kids are looking forward to time off from classes and time on the slopes.

Quick response by Hudson firefighters saves woman

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:00:17 EST

HUDSON – Crews entered a burning elderly housing unit Friday morning and encountered “a bank of smoke,” firefighter Glen Bradish said. “You couldn’t see right in front of you,” Bradish said. But the four firefighters inside – Bradish, Dean Sulin, Dennis Haerinck and Capt. Dave Morin – could hear someone banging in a back room. The men knew the woman who lived in the elderly housing unit at 39 Westchester Court was still inside. The trick was finding her. Fire dispatcher Katherine Saunders, in her first week working solo, notified crews arriving at the scene that smoke and fire had forced the resident who called 911 into a bathroom near the rear of the wood-frame structure. Scouring the smoke-filled home, the men located Patricia Lennon in a bathroom off the main bedroom suite. They found Lennon in the shower, where she had gone to protect herself from the flames and smoke. Bradish and Sulin carried Lennon through the flames and smoke that filled the one-story home and brought her to safety. Lennon was transported to Southern New Hampshire Medical Center in Nashua, where she was treated for smoke inhalation. Lennon was doing well, Morin said Friday afternoon. “The resident was awakened by her smoke detector,” Fire Chief Shawn Murray said.

New Hampshire education officials deciding whether to leave NCLB behind

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:00:23 EST

With a deadline looming later this month, New Hampshire education officials are still uncertain about whether to apply for a waiver from the federal No Child Left Behind law. A decision could be made next week, said Peal Leather, deputy commissioner of education. The waiver would allow New Hampshire to develop and implement its own accountability standards in education, as opposed to the federal requirement for all students to be proficient in math and reading by 2014. The state would need to apply for a waiver by Feb. 21. Education officials are taking extra time to analyze the waivers approved Thursday for 10 states, including Massachusetts, Leather said. Two areas of interest in that analysis are the regulations surrounding educator effectiveness and teacher evaluations, he said. “We’re still looking at it very closely, and we’ll make a decision shortly,” Leather said. The state House of Representatives tabled two bills during a legislative session on Wednesday that would have separated New Hampshire completely from No Child Left Behind. But educators said the bills would have had “devastating” effects on education and caused the state to lose more than $60 million in federal funding for at-risk students. The waiver would be a different approach: It keeps some federal accountability in place, but gives states the opportunity to develop their own standards for students and school districts. In exchange for the waiver, states would have to agree to creating teacher and principal evaluations that link performance to student test-score data. Other reforms would be establishing “college- and career-ready standards,” along with coming up with ways to intervene in low-performing schools. Nearly two-thirds of New Hampshire schools have been tagged as “in need or improvement” based on No Child Left Behind’s standards.

Grand Hill Pond proposed as a new name for Jew Pond in Mont Vernon

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 08:52:00 EST

MONT VERNON – If tiny Jew Pond in the center of Mont Vernon should get a new name, as some people in town have suggested, what should it be? A public hearing Monday will consider “Grand Hill Pond” as an option. The name is taken from an adjacent hill, whose name in turn was taken from The Grand, the biggest and best-known of the many hotels that operated here a century ago, when Mont Vernon thrived as a summer residence for people fleeing Boston’s summer heat. Article 10 of the proposed Mont Vernon town warrant says “To see if the Town will vote to petition the USGS (United States Geographic Survey) to rename Jew Pond to Grand Hill Pond.” Monday’s hearing will discuss that and the rest of the warrant, which includes the proposed town operating budget. The warrant will be taken up for more detailed debate and a decision at Town Meeting on March 13. The hearing will be at 7:15 p.m.

Protestors balk at drug-testing, GED requirement for more unemployment benefits

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 08:50:00 EST

NASHUA – Danny Keating, 27, worked as a pipe-fitter, and Barbara Morris, 54, as an office manager. Bill Merrow, 71, retired as a carpenter, but like many elderly people, would like to find a job to help make ends meet. Though of different ages, the three are united in the belief that the U.S. Congress should extend unemployment benefits and do so without requiring recipients to undergo drug tests or obtain a GED. Keating, Morris and Merrow were among about a dozen people who gathered for a lunch-hour protest Friday in front of the East Pearl Street office of U.S. Rep. Charles Bass, R-N.H. The protest, organized by the New Hampshire Citizens Alliance, asked Bass to “walk in the shoes” of 2.8 million Americans who will lose unemployment benefits if Congress doesn’t extend them. Organizers blame conservatives in Congress for “erecting barriers” between jobless Americans and benefits by attaching drug-testing and GED requirements to an extension of the benefits. “People are jobless and losing their homes, and Congress continues to be a roadblock in getting things done,” said Olivia Zink, a community organizer.

Mark Connolly, financial whistle-blower, won’t run for governor

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:00:40 EST

CONCORD – Mark Connolly, the whistle-blowing former director of state Securities Regulation, took himself out of the running as a Democratic candidate for governor on Friday. “I have decided to focus on needed changes in Concord right now and not mount a campaign for governor at this time,” Connolly said in a statement. Connolly, 57, said he can better work to reform consumer protection laws and reduce the role of lobbyists in the Statehouse as a nonpartisan advocate. “I believe focusing on such issues as diminishing the control of lobbyists, bringing needed regulatory reform in this state, improving our state’s consumer protection laws and other needed issues is where I can best be of help,” Connolly said. “These issues are not and should not be viewed in the context of a partisan gubernatorial debate – too much regulation, who is to blame for this, et cetera.” Connolly, of New Castle, wrote a book, “Cover Up,” charging that state officials in the banking and attorney general’s offices deliberately ignored signs of the growing scandal at Financial Resources Mortgage, which eventually became the state’s largest Ponzi scheme. In the book, Connolly advocates returning power to state prosecutors to investigate consumer complaints about banking and insurance practices and exploring the creation of an inspector general to bring such scams as FRM to light earlier. Connolly said he’s convinced the state’s image as an attractive place for business is at risk if laws aren’t changed to bring tougher regulation of shady financial offers. “In New Hampshire, I believe if we don’t address certain issues, like improving our consumer protection laws, as well as diminishing the sometimes harmful influence of lobbyists and certain special interests in Concord, the strength of this state’s business climate, as well as its small-business development/entrepreneurial capital needed to sustain our growth, will be negatively impacted,” Connolly said. The announcement came three days after former Barrington state Sen. Jackie Cilley confirmed she was in the Democratic primary hunt, joining former Senate Majority Leader Maggie Hassan, of Exeter. On the Republican side, former state Board of Education Chairman Ovide Lamontagne, of Manchester, and socially conservative leader Kevin Smith, of Litchfield, are declared candidates. North Hampton businessman Steve Kenda and Manchester Mayor Ted Gatsas have said they’re exploring Republican primary runs. Connolly said he reserves the right to pursue a political future, as he believes that’s where true change can occur. In 2010, Connolly explored a primary campaign for U.S. Senate against eventual nominee Paul Hodes, of Concord. During his tenure at the Securities Regulation Bureau, Connolly oversaw several major securities enforcement cases, including actions against Tyco International, Ameriprise, ING, Pennichuck Corp., Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch and UBS. The cases resulted in more than $55 million in securities fines and investor restitution. But a run for statewide office in this election would have subjected Connolly to charges that he failed to do enough to blow the whistle on FRM before it closed and sought bankruptcy protection. Hassan chaired a legislative study committee that faulted Connolly’s agency along with the Banking Department and attorney general for failing to work cooperatively on FRM. Kevin Landrigan can reached at 321-7040 or klandrigan@nashuatelegraph.com.

South stuns Alvirne

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:00:20 EST

NASHUA – It’s been a year of unpredictable outcomes in Division I boys basketball this season, but what happened at Nashua High School South on Friday night deserves a spot at the top of the list. A South team that had dropped seven of its previous eight games hosted an 8-3 Alvirne team many figured would end the season in the top four. The final: South 65, Alvirne 34. Sure South’s 5-7 record entering the game was a little misleading. The team’s last five losses had come by a combined 11 points, including two-point losses to Pinkerton Academy and Manchester Central and a one-point loss to Merrimack. But who could have predicted a total blowout, especially after Alvirne took a 16-10 after the first quarter. “It was just one of those situations where we had a good night and they had an off night,’’ said South coach Nate Mazerolle, whose team improved to 6-7. “Defense is something we’ve gotten away from lately, but we focused on it the last couple of days at practice.’’ Things began to go South for the Broncos when the Panthers opened the second quarter with a 13-0 run to take a 23-16 lead. Alvirne fought back to within four at halftime, but the third quarter was an unmitigated disaster for the Broncos. They committed nine turnovers, bringing their total after three quarters to 20, and were just 1-for-9 from the floor, with a number of air balls.

Raptors push C’s losing streak to 2

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:00:27 EST

TORONTO – DeMar DeRozan scored 21 points to lead the Toronto Raptors to a 86-74 wire-to-wire win over the visiting Boston Celtics on Friday. Toronto snapped a five-game losing streak to the Celtics as well as a three-game overall losing skid. Boston has dropped back-to-back outings after winning five straight. DeRozan mixed mid-range jumpers and tough takes to the basket, getting seven of his points from the foul line. He had the Canadian fans on their feet with a sky-high alley-oop finish that was part of a 14-1 start to the game for Toronto. Point guard Jose Calderon played a controlled pace for the Raptors, scoring 17 points and dishing out 14 assists. He buried a step-back 3-pointer to extend the lead to 12 with 1:38 remaining in the game. The Celtics looked gassed a night after losing at home to the rival Los Angeles Lakers in overtime.

High School Highlights

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:00:39 EST

BOYS BASKETBALL Merrimack 44, Manchester Memorial 28 On a night when offense was hard to come by, Tyler Gendron scored half of the Tomahawks’ points, dropping in 22. It was a block by Gendron early in the second half that ignited Merrimack (10-2) defensively, as it held Memorial (6-5) to just 10 points in the final 16 minutes. Brad Jarry added six for the ’Hawks and Jackson King, Bryan Courtemanche and Eric Gendron each had five. Campbell 66, Raymond 61 The Cougars improve to 12-3 after beating a tough Raymond squad. Jesiah Wade had 16 points in the win. Max Gouveia had 14 points and Chuck Neild added 13 points for the Cougars.

Only 2 Boston prospects make ESPN’s top 100 list

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:00:57 EST

Everyone loves a good list, especially when it comes to baseball prospects. Thursday, ESPN.com’s Keith Law published his fifth annual list of the top 100 players in the minor leagues. It’s subjective, of course, but Law, a former Toronto Blue Jays executive, explains his rankings, which include only two Red Sox players: infielder Xander Bogaerts (No. 62) and catcher Blake Swihart (No.

Big men present big problems for Celtics

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:01:03 EST

BOSTON – As the game wore on, it began to feel like watching the same episode of SportsCenter again and again. Each time the ball hit the rim, you simply knew either Pau Gasol or Andrew Bynum was coming away with the rebound, and more than likely was about to turn it into points. It was the issue that cost the Celtics the NBA title two years ago. It was the biggest reason they fell short to the Miami Heat in the playoffs last season, and it became clear once again Thursday night it would again be a tremendous problem down the stretch this season. The Celtics, who lost 88-87 in overtime, simply do not have the bodies to contend in the frontcourt. Boston’s struggling big men were once again toasted by the Lakers’ bigs Thursday. The C’s were out-rebounded 55-45, a stat that does not begin to illustrate the dominance. Whether it was Gasol outworking the Celts’ front court for a putback, such as his tap-in with 9.8 to go in regulation, or Bynum outjumping three C’s for a rebound and adding a hoop, it was trouble all night. “People don’t realize how big these two are,” said Lakers forward Troy Murphy. “They touch the rim without jumping.

Gala celebrates Nashua mayor’s re-election

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:01:42 EST

NASHUA – Mayor Donnalee Lozeau will host a sold-out, $100-per-plate gala Saturday night to celebrate her unopposed re-election to the city’s top government post. A guest has the option of contributing up to $3,500 to be recognized as a “platinum” donor for a separate VIP reception with Lozeau. Despite running unopposed for a second term, Lozeau’s campaign incurred expenses, she said this week when asked about the gala and where the money she was raising was going. After paying for gala expenses and donating $2,000 to nonprofit organizations, proceeds will be forwarded to the honorarium account established for a sitting mayor, she said. Lozeau, as allowed by law, transferred $3,000 from that account to her campaign last year. Lozeau said if she decides to run for a third term as mayor or for another public office, she would consider using honorarium funds again. She declined to speak specifically about future campaigns, though, and said her focus was on the four-year term she started last month. Lozeau said gala ticket prices don’t reflect the recouping of campaign funds, but rather speak to the cost of holding the event. The event will be held in a Crowne Plaza Hotel ballroom, and black tie is optional. Aside from the $100 entry cost, a partygoer can attend a private reception before the gala by contributing at least $1,500. “Silver” sponsorship costs $1,500, “gold” sponsorship” runs $2,500 and “platinum” sponsorship requires $3,500. The gala is meant to celebrate another term and thank the people who helped make re-election possible, Lozeau said.

Foreclosure settlement just the first step, officials say

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 10:03:30 EST

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first day in a three-day series looking at the state of New Hampshire’s housing market. The $43 million foreclosure settlement this week won’t right the wrongs of the New Hampshire mortgage crisis. It won’t correct the struggling housing market, and, with promises of an $1,800 payout, it won’t help foreclosure victims get back in their homes. “Eighteen-hundred dollars is a slap in the face,” said Gary Vallier, a Milford resident who lost his home to foreclosure last year. “I’m not sure I’ll even accept it.” New Hampshire’s settlement announced Thursday was part of a national $26 billion settlement in which 49 of the 50 states participated. In the short term, the agreement will help thousands of struggling homeowners keep up with their mortgage payments, according to the state Attorney General’s office. In the long run, it could help restructure the mortgage industry to prevent similar fraud and abuses in the future. Under the settlement, the nation’s five biggest mortgage holders – Bank of America, Citigroup, GMAC, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo – acknowledged “robo-signing” thousands of foreclosure documents without reviewing the accuracy of the papers. The agreement “isn’t perfect. Nothing ever is,” James T.

Finding the answer 4 decades later

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 08:34:00 EST

Finally, 40 years later, it all makes sense. Back then, all that we purple-bleeding Panthers from perennial interscholastic powerhouse Nashua High School saw were two simple words: “Milford,” and “Spartans.” And there, within those words, lay the enduring riddle I solved, at long last, over the last couple of weeks. Come March 15, it’ll be 40 years since the evening I stood on the sideline of the University of New Hampshire’s Lundholm Gym, watching my old buds Gary, Pete, Bobby, Rex, Bruce, et al, take the floor of the storied venue to warm up for what would surely be a textbook exhibition of basketball revenge. The scene was set. It was the semifinals of the state Class L hoop tourney, the perfect opportunity for a twofer for us Panthers. Not only would we avenge one of the flukiest flukes in memory – our unthinkable loss in the 1971 Queen City holiday tournament to the tiny Class L newbie they called the Milford AREA High School Spartans – we’d soon be on our way to the finals and the matchup we craved against venerable nemesis Manchester Central. “They’re pretty good, ya know … might give you a lot of trouble,” offered one wag, claiming neutrality. “Well, yeah, they’re tall, beat a lot of good teams this year,” I mused aloud before adding, to myself, “But … Milford? Beating Nashua? In basketball? In the Class L tournament?” They’re an “I” team that’s in “L” because their school happened to get a few new students last year, I assured myself.

NH attorney general regains jurisdiction – to a point

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 08:19:00 EST

CONCORD – Until the foreclosure settlement this week, the N.H. Attorney General’s Office had no authority to investigate bank fraud or other lending abuses thanks to a legal provision that exempted banks and other financial institutions from the state consumer protection law. The $26 billion settlement, announced Thursday in Washington, D.C., restores the state office’s jurisdiction over Bank of America, Citigroup, GMAC, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo – the five banks covered under the settlement agreement. But even as it works to help the state’s suffering homeowners and foreclosure victims, the provision, which covers the banking, insurance and securities industries, among others, prohibits the Attorney General’s Office from investigating other banks not included in the settlement. “In contrast to almost all of the attorneys general in this country, my hands are tied behind my back from pursuing these types of claims against financial institutions,” said Attorney General Michael Delaney, who said he hopes to join future settlements involving other banks and mortgage lenders. “In light of the scope of the misconduct that this multistate investigation has uncovered … it just makes no sense to keep the attorney general on the sidelines.” State lawmakers first enacted the exemptions in 2002, looking to clarify the Consumer Protection Act, which provided oversight responsibilities to the Attorney General’s Office, the Banking Department and other state authorities, said state Rep. John Hunt, R-Rindge, who helped to craft the exemption proposal. “The issue was, ‘How do we fix this? How do we create a bright line to determine who’s in and who’s out?’ ” said Hunt, who was chairman of the House Finance Committee at the time. “This was our answer.” In the years since, the exemption has left financial oversight to the state Banking Department, among others, which can issue fines and other penalties, but can’t file criminal or civil lawsuits against banks, said James Boffetti, a senior assistant attorney general. “They don’t have the same options for recourse that we do,” said Boffetti, who said lawsuits can lead to heavier penalties for the banks.

Hudson driver cleared in December crash involving state trooper

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 08:50:00 EST

CONCORD – The state trooper whose speeding cruiser crossed Route 101 in Brentwood and crashed nearly head-on into a tractor-trailer operated by a Hudson man in early December violated various traffic laws and is responsible for the collision, state police investigators ruled in their report released Friday afternoon. Trooper Gary Ingham, a K-9 officer assigned to Troop A in Exeter, was “traveling too fast for the traffic conditions … and failed to use due care” at the time of the accident, the report states. The findings place him in violation of state emergency vehicle laws, said Sgt. Steven Wheeler, commander of the department’s Technical Accident Reconstruction Unit. The investigation clears the truck driver, Robert Beauregard, 42, Wheeler said in the report. It rules out any improper operation on Beauregard’s part, and also rules out as factors weather conditions, distraction from cellphone use, driver fatigue, roadway conditions, vehicle conditions, or drug or alcohol use by either operator. Beauregard said Friday the news brings relief, but also that he was confident all along the investigation would confirm he wasn’t at fault. “I feel good, yes, because I know I did nothing wrong,” he said. “I did everything in my power to avoid this accident. Nineteen years driving a truck, nothing like that ever happened.” Ingham suffered what initially appeared to be serious injuries and was flown by medical helicopter to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Passersby helped him from the crumpled cruiser immediately after the crash.

Hospital tips off police that patient was a fugitive

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:00:10 EST

Police received a tip about a fugitive from justice from an unlikely source Thursday morning. Staff at St. Joseph Hospital called police to say a patient they were treating was a wanted man, said Lt. Michael Moushegian. How the hospital knew William N. Sartelle was wanted is a great question, Moushegian said. “They invoked HIPAA and wouldn’t tell us how they knew,” Moushegian said. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA, is a federal law that protects the medical privacy of patients.

Nashua man fails to return to Manchester halfway house

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:00:49 EST

A Nashua man is wanted after not returning to a minimum security halfway house in Manchester on Friday. Daniel Alfred Martin, 60, of Nashua, left the Calumet Transitional Housing Unit around 8:30 a.m. to look for work. He failed to return by noon, as instructed, according to the state Department of Corrections. Martin, who is serving a sentence of three to six years for burglary, has been in prison since Nov. 3, 2008, and eligible for parole since November, according to the DOC.

SUV crashes into Amherst bank

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:00:45 EST

Emergency workers converged on an Amherst bank Friday evening after an SUV smashed into the building. Amherst fire, police and medical personnel were called to TD Bank at 40 Route 101A on the corner of Veterans Road around 4:30 p.m. Details weren’t immediately available, but a green Chevy Blazer had smashed through a north-facing corner of the building. The SUV’s front end protruded into the building and caused significant damage to itself and the building. Tire marks were visible on the grass between the south-facing front of the bank and Route 101A. They appeared to travel over the grass and a small island in the parking lot before swinging wide to the right and heading toward the building from the north. Amherst Deputy Fire Chief Matt Conley said EMTs attended to one person inside the building, but didn’t have information about the extent of any injuries, what caused the crash or who was driving. By 6 p.m., contractors were on the scene to seal the building. Conley said some filing cabinets inside the office were damaged but that the building was structurally sound. Employees of the branch declined to comment. – JOSEPH G.

Bill would protect teachers who want to teach alternatives to evolution

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (The Nashua Telegraph) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:26:48 EST

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article originally presented the wrong party for bill sponsor Gary Hopper, who is a Republican. The error has been corrected. , CONCORD – Obscure-sounding tweaks to the duties of the New Hampshire Board of Education don’t often draw national attention, so it was a surprise to some when the Seattle-based Discovery Institute sent a speaker to a hearing Thursday on a bill titled “relative to scientific inquiry in the public schools.” “Are you going to other states, too?” asked a surprised Rep. Mary Gorman, D-Nashua, of Joshua Youngkin, program officer in law and policy for the Discovery Institute, a prominent opponent to the teaching of evolution. Youngkin was in Concord on Thursday testifying before a legislative hearing on the bill.