http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/ Daily news from The Telegraph of Nashua, NH en-us pkincade@nashuatelegraph.com (Phil Kincade) onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com (OnlineEditor) http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/statenewengland/1090931-469/nh-delegation-revised-order-is-about-politics.html MANCHESTER - New Hampshire's Democratic congressional delegation said Monday that changes to President Donald Trump's revised travel ban still left them feeling as if it was more about politics than security. U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan said she supported improving the vetting process but didn't believe the revised ban would achieve that. She noted that the Department of Homeland Security's "own analysis showed no intelligence basis for the ban, and former defense and intelligence officials from both parties have said that the ban would make us less safe." "Despite the changes, this is just another attempt by the Trump Administration at a backdoor Muslim ban - with Trump's own advisers admitting that the goals are the same as his previous executive order," Hassan said in a statement. The Republican president on Monday released a new version of the temporary ban that he revised after a federal judge blocked his old one last month. Tue, 07 Mar 2017 08:04:27 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090929-469/nadeau-resigns-from-board.html HUDSON - Embattled Hudson School Board member Benjamin J. Nadeau formally stepped down Monday night from the board three weeks before he expects to plead guilty to domestic assault and violating court protective orders charges. A letter from Nadeau, 41, was read aloud at the start of the board meeting in which he states he cannot serve the trust of the voters at this time and submitted his immediate resignation. He hopes to return to public service when he can do it "to the best of my ability." Patty Langlais, chairwoman of the board, read the letter in the first two minutes of Monday's meeting. "We wish Ben well," she said. Langlais told the board they will allow the Town Meeting election to take place and then address the remaining year of Nadeau's term. Prior to his time on the school board, Nadeau served on the Board of Selectmen beginning in 2005. Tue, 07 Mar 2017 08:08:09 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090928-469/guilty-plea-in-cocaine-sting.html CONCORD - A Manchester man pleaded guilty last week to a federal charge of trafficking cocaine in Nashua last July. U.S. Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced Luis D. Capo-Nieves, 33, formerly of Nashua, pleaded guilty March 1 to possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute. Capo-Nieves is scheduled for sentencing on June 12. Wilfredo Tanon Rodriguez, the other individual involved with Capo-Nieves during the July 1 incident, recently pleaded guilty to a related charge. Police reports indicate Rodriguez and Capo-Nieves were arrested following an undercover stakeout that was conducted after numerous complaints of illegal drug activity at the Amherst Park Apartments. Nashua officers reportedly seized about 279 grams of cocaine - worth about $10,000 - as a result of the surveillance at the Amherst Street apartments. According to police reports, Capo-Nieves was operating a beige 2000 Lincoln LS with tinted front windows that pulled alongside a parked green 1999 Volkswagen Jetta when the incident occurred. Tue, 07 Mar 2017 08:09:03 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090927-469/judge-opts-not-to-revoke-mans-bail.html NASHUA - Delivering firm warnings that he have no contact by any means with a witness in his ongoing criminal case and that he under no circumstances go anywhere near Facebook, a judge nevertheless agreed not to revoke Martin McHugh's bail as his case moves forward in Hillsborough County Superior Court South. McHugh, of Nashua, was arrested in December 2015 for allegedly letting a juvenile watch him and his girlfriend engage in sex and again in August 2016 on allegations he contacted a witness numerous times asking her to provide false statements to investigators, had been accused of violating the no-contact order by contacting the witness - his ex-girlfriend - via text message and through Facebook. But while prosecutors cited instances where, they allege, McHugh communicated with the witness, including a Jan. 28 conversation and several Facebook posts meant for her, defense attorney Chuck Keefe, by scrolling through McHugh's cell phone, was able to point out numerous instances in which the witness contacted McHugh. The witness, called to the stand by First Assistant County Attorney Michael Valentine, who prosecuted the case, said she and McHugh were once in a relationship and have children in common. She said she called police in January after McHugh allegedly contacted her through the "messenger" feature on Facebook. She said McHugh posted a photo of a hand holding a gun and the words, "Lord, forgive me, it's time to go back to the old me." She also noted someone she believed was McHugh created another Facebook account with an inappropriate screen name. But Keefe, in cross examination, read a text message from McHugh's phone that, he said, came from her. "At 8:07 this morning, you texted him, saying 'you don't have to talk to me but talk to your friend,' correct?" She answered yes, that she'd texted him twice that morning. But when Keefe asked her how many times she's "reached out" to McHugh, she responded, "I can't tell you. Tue, 07 Mar 2017 08:10:35 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090926-469/donchess-aca-critical-in-opioid-fight.html NASHUA - Mayor Jim Donchess wants to see the Affordable Care Act, currently being dismantled in Congress, remain in place at a time when the city struggles to deal with the opioid addiction crisis. "The heroin, opioid and fentanyl crisis is devastating families and businesses in Nashua," Donchess wrote to Democratic U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan, asking the former New Hampshire governor to work to keep the law, also known as "Obamacare," on the books. Congress, controlled by Republicans and buoyed by President Donald Trump, is looking to end the signature health care law enacted by former President Barack Obama, although no formal plan to replace the health care access standard has been presented. Donchess said Nashuans' lives are in the balance if the ACA is taken away. "Repealing the Affordable Care Act, and as a result Medicaid expansion, would threaten critical services to thousands of Granite Staters," he wrote. Under a deal Hassan worked out with a GOP-controlled Statehouse, New Hampshire expanded Medicaid, giving 55,000 residents access to medical care. This has meant that those battling addiction have health insurance to pay for recovery treatment, as well as medical and mental health issues related to their addiction. Although Congress has yet to offer a formal plan to replace the ACA, and especially the expanded Medicaid, some plans have been floated that would take the Medicaid funding and send it to the states in the form of a block grant. Tue, 07 Mar 2017 08:06:35 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090925-469/no-probable-cause-in-assault-case-judge.html NASHUA - Former Daniel Webster College basketball star Marquise Caudill told a district court judge Monday that he "faked like I was going to stomp" a Southern Vermont College player when the teams' Feb. 18 game erupted in a brawl after a scramble for a loose ball. But Caudill stopped short of following through, he said, telling the Vermont player, Kyle Depollar, "you're lucky I'm not that kind of guy." Caudill, called to the witness stand by his lawyer, Nashua attorney Tim Bush, recounted for the court the series of events leading up to, during and after the melee, which broke out about six minutes into the second half of what would be the final game ever for the DWC men's basketball program. Caudill, 22, currently of South Hadley, Mass., ended up being charged with a felony count of second-degree assault, accusing him of "stomping" Depollar after allegedly leveling him with a punch to the face. But after reviewing the testimony and the evidence, Judge Lucinda Sadler said she found no probable cause to support a felony charge, and reduced Caudill's bail to $2,500 cash or surety from the original $50,000 set at his Feb. 20 arraignment. The County Attorney's office can still bring the felony-level charge to a grand jury for possible indictment, but the fact the district court judge found no probable cause lessens considerably the chances that a grand jury would return an indictment. "We're very pleased that Judge Sadler agreed that there is no probable cause for a felony charge, based on the evidence presented today," Bush said in brief remarks following the hearing. Caudill, who turns 23 on March 17, also faces three Class A misdemeanor offenses - disorderly conduct, simple assault and criminal threatening - stemming from the incident. Sadler set Caudill's next hearing for April 3 in the Nashua court. In the meantime, if he makes bail, he is ordered to have no contact with Depollar; refrain from consuming alcohol or illegal drugs; not possess any firearms and to sign a waiver of extradition. Attorney Steve Ranfos, the prosecutor, amended the felony second-degree assault complaint minutes before the start of Monday's hearing. To the original wording accusing Caudill of "recklessly causing bodily injury" to Depollar with "extreme indifference to the value of human life" by stomping Depollar's head "while he was on the ground in a defenseless position," Ranfos added "resulting in a swollen lip and loss of feeling in his teeth and gums." Bush called attention to the new wording, reading to Sadler pertinent excerpts from the state statute regarding second-degree assault, which Bush claimed don't support the charge. "This was a basketball fight," he said. Tue, 07 Mar 2017 10:29:27 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090924-469/more-units-added-to-franklin-street-project.html NASHUA - Brady Sullivan Properties is aiming for a bigger mill development project on Franklin Street, with more than 30 apartment units added to the large-scale proposal. The company, though the corporate entity Lofts 34 LLC, is seeking to amend its original proposal for 168 apartments by adding enough units to bring it to 200 apartments in the project. The developer has worked on renovating the Franklin Street mill property for more than a year. City Planner Scott McPhie said Monday the company plans to add the new units in what is now the basement of the former mill building. He said the company determined there was enough space in the basement area to work once renovation efforts begin. "Sometimes you don't know what you've got until you get in there," McPhie said. The project lines up with city goals of adding housing to the downtown area to meet demand. Mayor Jim Donchess said in his State of the City address that between the Franklin Street project and the Renaissance project off Bridge Street, Nashua is looking to add 350 housing units, with more in the works in other locations. The city has already given the go-ahead for the project's initial 168-unit proposal, and Lofts 34 LLC is going before the Planning Board this week for a site plan review on the amended proposal. Damien Fisher can be reached at 594-1245, dfisher@nashuatelegraph.com or @Telegraph_DF. Tue, 07 Mar 2017 07:03:49 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090912-469/adult-spelling-bee-to-benefit-local-students.html NASHUA – The Nashua Education Foundation will hold its first Adult Spelling Bee to raise funds for city public schools. The competition will include up to 50 teams composed of three individuals each. The teams of local businesses, law firms, families, medical providers, community organizations, financial services and other community members will compete for the title of “champion speller.” Unlike most spelling bees, this event doesn’t involve solo spelling. Instead, each team can collaborate on the spelling of a word and then display its answer on a slate, according to the foundation. Seven or eight teams in a round will spell each word simultaneously by writing their answers on a slate after the master of ceremonies announces the word. The teams will have 25 seconds, and then must display their answer. Tue, 07 Mar 2017 06:36:26 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090913-469/ncc-professor-joins-lecture-series-to-discuss.html NASHUA – In her book “Writing Hard Stories,” Nashua Community College faculty member Melanie Brooks explores how writing a memoir affects the author. Brooks, who teaches short story writing at NCC, will discuss her book and the nonfiction genre Thursday, March 23, as part of the college’s spring lecture series. The event begins at 7 p.m. in the Gregg Hall Auditorium, and will be followed by a book sale and signing with Brooks. For “Writing Hard Stories,” Brooks profiled well-known memoir including Andre Dubus III, Sue William Silverman, Michael Patrick MacDonald, Joan Wickersham, Kyoko Mori, Richard Hoffman, Suzanne Strempek Shea, Abigail Thomas, Monica Wood, Mark Doty, Edwidge Dantict, Marianne Leone, Jerald Walker, Kate Bornstein, Jessica Handler, Richard Blanco, Alysia Abbott and Kim Stafford. “Writing Hard Stories” was published by Beacon Press in February. Her work has also appeared in the Washington Post, Bustle, the Manifest-Station, Hippocampus, the Huffington Post, Modern Loss, Solstice Literary Magazine, the Recollectors, the Stonecoast Review and Word Riot. Brooks received her MFA in creative nonfiction from the University of Southern Maine’s Stonecoast MFA program. Mon, 06 Mar 2017 15:37:01 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/sports/baseball/1090916-460/sale-makes-spring-debut-for-red-sox.html WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Chris Sale gave himself a mixed review after his first spring training performance for the Boston Red Sox, an outing that ended a little earlier than originally planned. Boston manager John Farrell had Sale set to go three innings Monday against Houston. But after 37 pitches in two innings, Farrell decided the debut was over. “I understand why, I mean I racked up a pretty good amount of pitches, which is another thing I’d like to get down,” Sale said. Acquired from the Chicago White Sox in December, the dominant lefty gave up two runs, one of them earned, and struck out two. “Happy? I don’t know,” Sale said. “I got some good work in. Mon, 06 Mar 2017 23:19:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/sports/highschoolsports/1090915-457/south-merrimack-duel-highlights-tuesdays-slate-of-d-i.html The final pieces to the local high school tournament puzzle have been added as the Division I and II boys basketball tournament gets underway Tuesday and Wednesday. Six area teams are involved in preliminary-round games this week, while four other locals will compete in their respective tournament semifinals in girls basketball and boys hockey, as well. Tuesday is the busiest day. There are three Division I preliminary round boys hoop games set for 7 p.m.: No. 11 Nashua South (8-10) at No. 6 Merrimack (12-6), No. Mon, 06 Mar 2017 23:13:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090908-469/school-officials-to-tackle-budget-wednesday.html NASHUA - Hoping to approve the education budget by March 29, the school board Budget Committee is set to begin working on the draft document on March 8. The committee has met on almost a weekly basis since the draft budget was presented by Superintendent Connie Brown in January, but members used the meetings to understand budget details, not make changes. The March 8 meeting will be the first time Board of Education members can vote to add or reduce items from the budget. The budget process unofficially began in October when Mayor Jim Donchess asked what a "status quo" budget would look like given the concerns on the city side. The mayor's request for a level-fund budget was because of an additional $2 million in city pension obligations. At the time of Brown's presentation of her draft budget in January, school officials assumed a spending cap of 1.2 percent. However, by the end of February, the cap was recalculated closer to 1.4 percent. In January, the 1.2 percent budget proposed for fiscal 2018 was $105,940,366, or $1,256,210 over the current budget of $104,684,156. Brown's 2018 budget, which covers the 2017-18 school year, featured the addition of all-day kindergarten for every elementary school in the district. Mon, 06 Mar 2017 07:03:55 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090907-469/ales-for-tails-merrimack-brewery-hosts-fundraiser.html MERRIMACK - Beer and animal lovers can celebrate both at the Ales for Tails fundraiser, which will be hosted by the Anheuser-Busch brewery on March 26. The event, featuring games, a brewery tour, swag and beer, will benefit the Humane Society for Greater Nashua. "We have a good relationship with the brewery, and we have crafted something a little different," Laurie Dufault, director of development for the Humane Society, said. Dufault said Ales for Tails launched in March 2016 to replace a golf tournament that wasn't "growing like we hoped." The inaugural event last year was a success, with 80 guests raising $4,800, she said. "We are not looking to make this massive," Dufault said, adding their goal is closer to 100 guests versus the thousands who turn up for their signature Wags to Whiskers event at Anheuser-Busch every fall. Ales for Tails tickets are $50. The event features a 1 1/2 hour "Beermaster Tour" of the brewery, including a question-and-answer session with the Anheuser-Busch beermaster on the beer-making process. Tickets also include photo prints of the tour group, a photo opportunity with a Clydesdale and a barbecue spread from McNulty & Foley Caterers. Remembering last year's Ales for Tails, Dufault said her favorite part was relaxing after the tour. "When everyone was done with the tour, we came back to the hospitality room, and it was really nice," she said. "It's casual and social, and there's a lot of strong games going on." In 2016, attendees got into a competitive corn hole tournament and life-size Jenga game. "It was very laid back," Dufault said. Mon, 06 Mar 2017 08:34:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090906-469/woman-held-on-multiple-charges-mass.-resident.html NASHUA - A spate of alleged bizarre behavior, including attempts to harm herself with items of clothing while being processed after her arrest, landed a Massachusetts woman in jail pending her next court appearance this week. Cheryl A. Whitney, 49, of 27 Marita St., Leominster, was ordered held following last week's Nashua district court arraignment on charges accusing her of breaking into an ex- boyfriend's Hudson home by allegedly damaging a door with a broomstick, stealing a check from him and cashing it, and contacting him in violation of a court order, according to court documents. The charges include one count each of theft, burglary and forgery, Class B felonies, along with one Class A misdemeanor count each of stalking and criminal mischief. Whitney was also served with an arrest warrant on a charge of conduct after an accident, which, according to police, stemmed from a Jan. 26 hit-and-run crash in which a vehicle knocked over a traffic-signal pole at Derry and Elm streets. Police said they tracked down the suspect vehicle by comparing evidence from the scene to damage on the vehicle. The car, a Nissan Altima, was registered to a Massachusetts leasing company under the name Cheryl Whitney, police said. She denied involvement in the crash, but police issued the warrant they ended up serving last week. Mon, 06 Mar 2017 07:02:57 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090905-469/tricked-into-shopping-trip.html It finally happened, my wife found a way to trick me into buying a new shirt. It's not that I don't like having nice things, or looking nice, or what have you. Well, to be honest, I might. But the overriding issue is that I just hate buying clothes. The whole experience of going into a store to think about how I look, and then paying for the privilege, seems like such a colossal waste of time and effort. If I wanted retrospection and self-loathing, I'd save some money and just go to confession. Mon, 06 Mar 2017 07:02:25 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090904-469/wilton-food-pantry-finds-new-home.html WILTON - With the upcoming sale of the former Sacred Heart Church, the Open Cupboard Food Pantry had to find a new home. "We're moving to Wilton Falls Building," Director Linda LaDouceur said, "with many thanks to owner Chuck Crawford," who had the space repainted for the pantry. The new site is to the right of the church thrift shop, LaDouceur said, "and should suit our purposes very well." The food pantry was started about 22 years ago by the late Deb Ducharme, LaDouceur said. "We were always at the church," she said. "We began with one big cupboard. That's how we got our name." The facility serves residents of Wilton, Lyndeborough, Greenfield and Temple. Use is by appointment only for privacy reasons, and averages about 35 appointments each month. "People come and shop," she said. Mon, 06 Mar 2017 07:01:55 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090903-469/arrested-development-suit-filed-against-labelle-artisan.html AMHERST - Amy LaBelle says she still wants to buy property across Route 101 to expand her winery in Amherst despite a lawsuit filed by a neighbor. LaBelle, however, said she and her husband, Cesar Arboleda, wouldn't rule out moving the expansion out of town if the delay becomes onerous. "We are looking at all our options," she said. The couple will continue trying to buy the 48-acre property so they can build a hotel, restaurant and distillery, along with more vineyards. An old farm building on the property would be converted to offices. In papers filed in Hillsborough County Superior Court-Northern District last month, Richard Fredette, of Winterberry Drive - through his attorneys, Craig, Deachman & Amann - contends the 11-acre development would "forever alter the character and quality of the neighborhood" and the "commercial development conflicts to a marked degree with the zoning ordinance." Fredette says it isn't compatible with the area's rural character. The property is in the town's Northern Transitional Zone, where permitted uses include single-family homes, farms, farm stands and home occupations. Last year, the Zoning Board of Adjustment gave the project two variances, one for the hotel and restaurant and the other for the distillery. The ZBA approved parts of the variance in August and September and upheld its decisions after a November rehearing. Board members said the property's steep terrain limits its uses, that it isn't appropriate for single-family houses, and that what LaBelle has called an artisan village is the kind of upscale development they want to encourage. LaBelle Winery was built on the east side of Route 101 in 2012 when LaBelle and Arboleda moved the operation out of their Amherst backyard. It has a bistro, function room and wine-tasting terrace overlooking acres of vineyards. A court hearing is scheduled for April. "I am trying to be patient, which is not easy for an entrepreneur," LaBelle said, but, "we want everyone to be comfortable" with the development. Last August, a Zoning Board hearing drew about 130 people, including residents of the nearby Holly Hill neighborhood who were opposed, as well as many residents who said the winery's expansion would be a boon for the town and the area. The property is the last remaining portion of Bragdon Farm, which once covered 183 acres. The Bragdon family donated the Bragdon Hill sledding area, adjacent to the winery, to the town many years ago. Kathy Cleveland can be reached at 673-3100 or kcleveland@nashuatelegraph.com. Mon, 06 Mar 2017 07:01:21 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090900-469/blaze-destroys-litchfield-home.html LITCHFIELD – Forced to contend with two of firefighters’ staunchest enemies – high, gusty winds and freezing temperatures – dozens of crews from Litchfield and numerous area towns battled a 3-alarm blaze Saturday night that ultimately destroyed a large colonial home on Muscovy Drive. Nobody was home at 17 Muscovy Drive when flames broke out shortly after 7:30 p.m., triggering a deluge of 911 calls that prompted Deputy Litchfield Fire Chief Doug Nicoll to call for a second alarm while he was still on his way to the scene, Chief Frank Fraitzl said Sunday. Nicoll, who Fraitzl said arrived within four minutes of being dispatched, reported “a two and a half story home heavily involved in fire.” Litchfield Engine 4 dropped about 1,000 feet of 4-inch hose to allow pumper trucks to set up a water supply to the engines at the scene. Fraitzl said a Litchfield tanker truck added the additional 800 feet of hose needed to reach the closest hydrant, which he said is on Meadowbrook Lane, about a third of a mile away. In the meantime, Fraitzl said, Litchfield police worked on finding contact information for the homeowners, whom they were eventually able to reach and confirm that nobody was in the house. Town property records list the owner of the home as Paul R. Priestley, and a second occupant as Danielle S. Comeau. That Nicoll, the deputy chief, reported a partial collapse of the building about a minute after he arrived indicates the fire, likely fanned by the high winds, had made significant headway before it became visible to neighbors or passersby. The home is near the beginning of Muscovy Drive, a cul-de-sac that runs off Meadowbrook Lane in a higher-end residential area between Hillcrest Road and Albuquerque Avenue. Fraitzl said that the wind not only “caused the fire to quickly spread throughout the building,” it also pushed flames into a wooded area surrounding the home, forcing officials to summon mutual aid forestry trucks to access what he called “thick brush and woods” to quell the flames. In all, Fraitzl said about two acres were singed by flames. In addition to fanning the flames, he said, the wind also created a wind chill factor that made the single-digit temperatures feel like it was well below zero. That resulted in a third alarm being sounded, Fraitzl said, “to allow the rotation of firefighters out of the cold and icy conditions.” The cold also caused equipment to freeze, rendering it unstable, he added. The Greater Nashua Salvation Army activated its Emergency Disaster Services team, which responded with its mobile rehabilitation van to assist firefighters and other first-responders working at the scene. Surrounding towns providing mutual aid assistance, either at the scene or covering Litchfield’s station, included Hudson, Nashua – which also sent an AMR ambulance – Merrimack, Pelham, Londonderry, Amherst, Hollis, Salem, Derry, Bedford and Manchester. Mon, 06 Mar 2017 02:04:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090901-469/three-music-festivals-to-grace-downtown-nashua.html NASHUA – After coordinating a pilot music festival last fall, Great American Downtown has announced that it is planning three more music festivals this year. Each festival will take place in spring, summer and fall respectively, and will have a different theme, said Paul Shea, executive director of Great American Downtown, an organization whose mission is to enhance a vibrant commercial and cultural Downtown Nashua. Shea said last fall’s Downtown Fall Music Festival proved that there is a demand for such events. eight-hundred to 1,000 people attended attended the festival, which was held along the Nashua River near Water Street, he said. The first festival this year, Nu Muse Festival, will feature an “eclectic variety” of musical acts from across the nation, including Consider The Source, The Grand Slambovians and Bella’s Bartok. Consider The Source, an instrumental trio, categorizes itself as sci-fi, Middle Eastern fusion, while the Grand Slambovians create “moody but upbeat alt-roots rock.” The festival will be held May 6 from 1-10 p.m. on a closed-off section of Main Street between Pearl and Temple streets, and will be free to the public. Mon, 06 Mar 2017 02:04:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090902-469/nh-economists-see-shift-in-priorities.html Economists and finance experts in New Hampshire say President Trump’s plan to spend an additional $54 billion on national defense, and to pay for it with cuts to other government departments, is more a reflection of his priorities than a practical proposal. During a speech last Tuesday to a joint session of Congress, Trump said he would make large cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency and other domestic programs – Social Security and Medicare are not on the chopping block – to pay for the proposed 10 percent increase in military spending. Michael Goldberg, the Todd H. Crockett Professor of Economics at University of New Hampshire and a senior research associate at the Institute for New Economic Thinking, said adding $54 billion dollars to the defense budget without cutting Social Security or Medicaid doesn’t make sense financially. The U.S. spent about $604 billion on national defense in 2016 – more than four times the second largest budget, China’s $147 billion, reported the bipartisan nonprofit Center for Strategic & International Studies. Goldberg shared a pie chart that details 2016 federal government outlays to explain his point. The largest federal expense in 2016 was Social Security, at $929.4 billion; Medicaid comes in third – right behind defense spending – at $595.3 billion. Mon, 06 Mar 2017 02:01:01 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/sports/football/1090895-460/free-agency-means-its-shopping-time-for.html It’s shopping time. You can always tell who the desperate teams in the National Football League are; they’re the ones who shop until they drop during the first few days of the free-agent frenzy. The New England Patriots, obviously, are never one of those. But this is always an interesting time, as players can begin talking with teams on Tuesday, the NFL’s so-called “legal tampering period.” Late Thursday is when signings can begin. In fact, the Patriots usually make more news for who they lose rather than who they go out and sign. Sometimes it’s “Who’s that?” when the news comes as to who they’ve secured. But they always seem to make a difference, don’t they? Let’s start with who could walk: The key names from the unrestricted pool would be, obviously, led by linebacker Dont’a Hightower. After that: tight end Martellus Bennett, corner Logan Ryan, defensive linemen Alan Branch and Jabaal Sheard, and safety Duron Harmon. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 23:49:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/sports/basketball/1090893-460/celtics-stumble-down-stretch-in-109-106-loss.html PHOENIX – Some said Tyler Ulis was too small for the NBA. That’s why he wasn’t drafted until the second round. He sure looks like he belongs now. On a night where small players took center stage, the diminutive rookie, listed optimistically at 5-foot-10, threw in a 3-pointer at the buzzer after Isaiah Thomas’ turnover and the Phoenix Suns came away with a wild 109-106 victory over the Boston Celtics on Sunday. The Suns’ Eric Bledsoe tied it at 106 with a reverse layup with four seconds to play after Thomas and Jaylen Brown each missed a free throw over the final 20 seconds. The 5-foot-9 Thomas, the league’s No. 2 scorer who had 35 points, took the inbounds pass from Jae Crowder and the Suns’ Marquese Chriss knocked the ball away. “He got a hand on it,” said Thomas, a former Sun. “I thought Jae would get it out quicker than he would. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 23:40:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090892-469/merrimack-brewery-hosts-ales-for-tails-for.html MERRIMACK – Beer and animal lovers can celebrate both at the Ales for Tails fundraiser, which will be hosted by the Anheuser-Busch brewery on March 26. The event, featuring games, a brewery tour, swag and beer, will benefit the Humane Society for Greater Nashua. “We have a good relationship with the brewery, and we have crafted something a little different,” said Laurie Dufault, director of development for the Humane Society. Default said Ales for Tails launched in March 2016 to replace a golf tournament that wasn't “growing like we hoped.” The inaugural event last year was a success, with 80 guests raising $4,800, she said. “We are not looking to make this massive,” Dufault said, adding their goal is closer to 100 guests versus the thousands who turn up for their signature Wags to Whiskers event at Anheuser-Busch every fall. Ales for Tails tickets are $50. The event features a 1.5-hour “Beermaster Tour” of the brewery, including a question-and-answer session with the Anheuser-Busch beermaster on the beer-making process. Tickets also include photo prints of the tour group, a photo opportunity with a Clydesdale and a barbecue spread from McNulty & Foley Caterers. Remembering last year's Ales for Tails, Dufault said her favorite part was relaxing after the tour. “When everyone was done with the tour, we came back to the hospitality room, and it was really nice,” she said. “It's casual and social, and there's a lot of strong games going on.” In 2016, attendees got into a competitive corn hole tournament and life-size Jenga game. “It was very laid back,” Dufault said. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 19:58:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090891-469/school-officials-to-tackle-budget-wednesday.html NASHUA – Hoping to approve the education budget by March 29, the school board Budget Committee is set to begin working on the draft document on March 8. The committee has met on almost a weekly basis since the draft budget was presented by Superintendent Connie Brown in January, but members used the meetings to understand budget details, not make changes. The March 8 meeting will be the first time Board of Education members can vote to add or reduce items from the budget. The budget process unofficially began in October when Mayor Jim Donchess asked what a “status quo” budget would look like given the concerns on the city side. The mayor’s request for a level-fund budget was because of an additional $2 million in city pension obligations. At the time of Brown's presentation of her draft budget in January, school officials assumed a spending cap of 1.2 percent. However, by the end of February, the cap was recalculated closer to 1.4 percent. In January, the 1.2 percent budget proposed for fiscal 2018 was $105,940,366, or $1,256,210 over the current budget of $104,684,156. Brown's 2018 budget, which covers the 2017-18 school year, featured the addition of all-day kindergarten for every elementary school in the district. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 19:43:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090890-469/yaris-hailed-as-a-big-picture-thinker.html NASHUA – When a small, high-tech startup that had been operating over a garage in Goffstown was named a runner-up in a local business competition, the new company won rent-free office space in Nashua for a year. That was exciting news to Ben Yaris, a member of the team of Forcivity, a cloud-based data reporting and access platform, who was serving as the firm’s director of engineering. The company’s new Nashua headquarters is located on Innovative Way in the Nashua Technology Park on the Gateway Hills campus. Forcivity was runner-up in the HiTech category of the 2016 fifth annual Flatly Challenge, a vigorous competition designed to assist startups and emerging businesses in several fields, including robotics, information technology, life sciences and other leading-edge technologies. Working in their new office, which is about 800 square feet, Forcivity’s four-person Nashua team enjoys access to several building amenities, including conference rooms and a health club. “It’s a pretty good deal, especially for a startup,” Yaris said. “It’s a lot of money we get to save.” But just as importantly, being honored and supported by other entrepreneurs who believe in the company gives its team a big dose of motivation. “Hopefully by the end of the year, our business will be taking off and we’ll be able to continue a lease here,” Yaris said. “Hopefully we’ll have a bigger space.” Forcivity enables its customers to gain control over their data. Yaris, who has helped design its products, was named chief technology officer last month. In his new position, Yaris helps drive the company’s brand and products and manage its overseas development team, and will build a technical team in the United States. “Ben is absolutely the right person to lead the tech side of the house at Forcivity,” co-founder Steve Baines said in a statement. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 17:37:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090888-469/off-the-radar-police-records-show-few.html NASHUA – The home operating as an unlicensed day care center where a 15-month-old baby died last week was not on the radar of Nashua police officers in the more than eight years prior to the infant’s death, according to documents obtained by the Telegraph. Of the nine pages of police logs dealing with the 131 Ash St. residence, about half the calls deal with the events surrounding the Feb. 22 death of the toddler. The remainder of the logs show routine calls made from or about the house since 2008, the first time the Lavalley family was reportedly investigated for operating an unlicensed day care facility. Shane and Erica Lavalley have denied any wrongdoing in the child’s death, saying last week they were devastated by the tragedy. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 17:31:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/sports/highschoolsports/1090886-457/merrimack-stopped-by-pinkerton.html DERRY – When No. 7 Merrimack and No. 2 Pinkerton met earlier this year, only one basket separated the teams. That wasn’t the case on Saturday night, but one could have figured otherwise if not watching the scoreboard. Pinkerton advanced to the NHIAA Division I semifinals following the Astros’ 46-40 home win against Merrimack. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 17:22:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/sports/highschoolsports/1090885-457/alvirne-drubs-dover.html HUDSON – No. 12 Dover High had this upset-minded trip from the Seacoast mapped out extremely well. The Green Wave took care of business on a similar trek to No. 5 Londonderry in Wednesday night’s Division I playoff opener. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 17:19:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/sports/highschoolsports/1090884-457/bg-brushes-off-north.html NASHUA – You know you’re watching a good basketball team when you blink and suddenly the whole complexion of the game changes. That certainly was the case on Saturday night with the Bishop Guertin High School girls en route to an 83-44 win in the Division I quarterfinals at the Colligadome. The Nashua North Titans were stunning everyone, jumping out to leads of 9-1 and 11-4 over the Cardinals. But by the end of the first quarter, Guertin led 23-14 and 45-25 at the half. “I think we were a little shocked,” senior Meghan Cramb, the Cards leading scorer with 16 points, said of the team’s slow start. “Definitely not the start we were looking for. But we bounced back, our team definitely rallied together.” Top-ranked Guertin (17-1) will now head to Southern New Hampshire University on Thursday night to take on another local rival, No. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 17:10:51 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/sports/football/1090882-460/quick-primer-on-free-agents.html On first look, it’s tempting to ask “Is that all there is?” on the NFL free agency front. A deeper investigation reveals some talent being available at most positions. As for studs, game changers and franchise players, well, there simply isn’t much now that the Steelers won’t be letting prize running back Le’Veon Bell slip away. While last year’s crop had a collection of All-Pros, some of whom wound up with franchise tags, this year’s group had only one full-time All-Pro, Kansas City safety Eric Berry, who also went through this in 2016 before being tagged at $10.8 million. He got his long-term deal at the end of February. Minnesota kick returner Cordarrelle Patterson is the other All-Pro whose contract is up. The salary cap increases from $155.27 million to $167 million. So let the spending begin. The cream Unquestionably, Bell was the best among the unrestricted guys — and the most untouchable. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 17:04:01 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/sports/football/1090881-460/feeling-a-draft-well-not-really.html Somehow the entertainment value of the National Football League Scouting combine eludes this humble scribe. Of course, that also goes for the NFL Draft, the NBA Draft, the NHL Draft and the Major League Baseball Draft and any other draft, other than a military draft and a cold draft beer. But there are lots of folks out there who seem fascinated by what, in any other industry, would be a very basic administrative exercise. Admittedly, the scouting combine does involve wataching athletes perform various physical feats. But once you’ve seen one wide receiver timed in the 40-yard dash you have pretty much seen them all. They are all quick and all finish about two tenths of a second within one another. Fascinating. Wake me when a receiver breaks the 4-second mark in the 40. WAITING AND WATCHING: Jimmy Garoppolo may hold the record for most widespread discussion of a backup quarterback. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 17:01:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/sports/baseball/1090880-460/price-says-too-early-to-tell-when.html FORT MYERS, Fla. – Boston Red Sox ace David Price says it’s still too early to tell when his ailing left elbow and forearm will heal enough for him to pitch in a game. Price was told this week that he won’t need surgery or an injection. The team said he will be shut down for seven to 10 days, take anti-inflammatory medicine and be re-evaluated after that. “I’m not going to put a timetable on it,” Price said Saturday. “If it doesn’t get better in a certain time period, it’s something we’re going to have to talk about again. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 16:55:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/sports/highschoolsports/1090879-457/bishop-guertin-hockey-advances-to-semis.html BOYS HOCKEY D-I quarterfinal No. 5 Bishop Guertin 6, No. 4 Hanover 2 Ben Peterson netted a hat trick to pace the Cardinals to victory in a Division I quarterfinal at Hanover. Guertin scored two in the first and padded the advantage with three goals in the second to seize a 5-0 cushion and complete control. Austin King, Cam Fagan and Ryan Flynn each accounted for a Guertin goal, while Doug Barker and Chase Blazak had two assists apiece. Jake Perrin made 15 stops for BG (12-5-2), which will meet defending champion and top-seeded Bedford (18-1-1) – a 9-1 winner over Manchester Central – for a 7:30 p.m. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 16:49:01 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/sports/kidssports/1090878-457/mya-wrestlers-bring-home-state-crowns.html The Merrimack Youth Wrestling Program earned five titles and three seconds in the annual NH State K-4 Elementary Wrestling Championship Tournament at Nashua South High School. As many as 16 wrestlers for Merrimack competed, with the following highlights: Olivia Dine, grade K, breezed through her bracket pinning two of her opponents and winning one by technical fall to take first place on the podium and state champ title. Grade two teammates Liam Bright and Rhys Dewar met each other in the championship match with Bright grabbing second place and his only loss being a four-point defeat to state champ Dewar. Dewar maintained his winning streak bringing home his third state title in three years. Cayden Dine, grade three, also grabbed first place on the podium for the second year in a row. Another third grader, Jackson Meehan, maintained his state champ title for the second year in a row with two pins. Second grader Liam Newman once again breezed through his bracket pinning all of his opponents and taking a first place crown. Meanwhile, kindergartner Grayson Chestnut fought hard against opponents with a large weight advantage and grabbed a third place medal with one win by pin. Second grader Micah Dodds notched his first and second career wins bringing home silver medal. First grader Ryan Marone wrestled up against two of his second grade teammates to bring home a third place medal and his first career win. Luke Emond, also grade two, wrestled hard and finished in fourth place. Second grader Aiden Kennedy captured his first career pin and then followed it up with pin number two to take second place. Another second grader, Kael McAloon, completed one win by pin en route to a third place finish. Third graders Gryffen Gelinas, Christian Chestnut and John Regal all fought hard in their brackets each taking a fourth place medal on the day. Fourth grader Ivey Johnson wrestled her way to third place on the podium. BASKETBALL Nashua Biddy Boys playoffs Cavs 50, Satellites 14 Colin Holbrook had 11 and T.J. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 11:34:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090877-469/francophonie-culture-with-a-french-twist-at.html The French language annually is celebrated by millions of French descendants on five continents who, during “Francophonie,” pay homage to the language and the culture. Francophonie, like a festive global holiday, takes place nearly worldwide throughout March. Antarctica and English-settled Australia sit this one out. Nashua’s Dominique Boutaud, an award-winning artist and owner of Healing in Color, 120 Main St., will add some vibrant hues to this year’s Francophonie by hosting a gala reception at her gallery from noon-6 p.m., next Sunday, March 12. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 11:25:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/business/1090869-464/under-review-interior-sec.-zinke-promises-coal.html WASHINGTON – Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke on Friday promised a comprehensive review of the federal coal leasing program, even as President Donald Trump moves to do away with a moratorium on coal leases on public lands. Trump, who has vowed to revitalize the slumping coal industry, is expected to issue an executive order any day now abandoning the moratorium on new coal leases imposed under the Obama administration. Zinke, who was sworn in Wednesday as interior secretary, said he will “look at everything across the board” on coal, adding that the department is likely to revamp the leasing program to ensure maximum value for coal companies and taxpayers alike. Under the current coal leasing program, “there is no probability that actually you can do with that lease what’s intended with it,” he said, comparing federal lease sales to junk bonds. “Rather than selling a junk bond, we need to look at maybe selling a double-A bond,” the former Montana congressman told reporters after an introductory speech to Interior employees. “I think we all benefit from that.” The Interior Department “needs to do a lot of homework upfront, look at that (lease) and value it correctly,” Zinke said. “And also give the buyer a probability that there is a return on investment.” As a former Boy Scout, Zinke said he wants to “make sure when I leave the campground it’s returned to the same or better” condition. “I think America on our public lands has the same view,” he said. The Obama administration imposed a three-year moratorium on new coal leases on federal lands in January 2016, arguing that the $1 billion-a-year program must be modernized to ensure a fair financial return to taxpayers and address climate change. The coal program has remained largely unchanged for more than 30 years despite complaints that low royalty rates and a near-total lack of competition have cost the government hundreds of millions of dollars a year in untapped revenue. The moratorium imposed by then-Interior Secretary Sally Jewell drew praise from environmental groups and Democrats, but condemnation from Republicans who called it another volley in what they asserted was a “war on coal” waged by President Barack Obama. At least 30 mining applications in nine states have been blocked under the directive, according to a federal list obtained by The Associated Press. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 10:55:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/business/1090858-464/sound-investments-to-reduce-energy-costs-and.html On March 7, voters in the Hollis School District will have the opportunity to consider Warrant Article 1. This article proposes a $2.8 million investment in cleaner, lower cost heating strategies for the Hollis Primary School and Hollis Upper Elementary School, energy efficiency improvements to the buildings and solar electric generation. The Hollis Primary School was built in 1952, with numerous additions to accommodate growth over the decades. The Upper Elementary School was built in 1980 with a major addition in 1997. Comprehensive planning and design for energy use has never been considered for either building, resulting in aging infrastructure and significant energy-related over-expenditures through the years. The substance of Article 1 is the result of a year of study and careful cost/benefit analysis set in motion by passage of Article 4 at the 2016 annual meeting. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 10:22:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/statenewengland/1090856-469/healthcare-leaders-fear-loss-of-obamacare.html BERLIN – If the Affordable Care Act is repealed without an adequate replacement, it would be a disaster for many in the North Country, seven healthcare officials told Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan and Rep. Annie Kuster. Thousands would lose health care and hospitals and clinics would have higher costs that would reduce services and require layoffs, members of the Congressional delegation was told at a roundtable discussion Friday. The three Democrats called the meeting as the Republican-controlled Congress and President Donald J. Trump consider repealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA), sometimes called Obamacare. It is unclear to what extent the ACA would be changed and how any replacement would work. The North Country officials said there could be improvements to the ACA, which is tied to the Medicaid expansion in New Hampshire. But even in their existing form, the two programs have been a great help to people struggling to make a living. “We have a tendency to think about those on Medicaid as poor people who are unemployed when in fact many, many, many are people who are working more than one job,” said Ken Gordon, the chief executive officer of Coos County Family Health Services. Pre-existing conditions One benefit has been that people with pre-existing health problems have finally been able to get health insurance, said Nancy Frank, the executive director of the North Country Health Consortium. Frank said her group has been in touch with people “with tears in their eyes telling us they have had a previously existing condition that they have been able to take care of and they would have died if they had not been able to have access to insurance.” The availability of health insurance has been hugely important to some families because it means they can avoid catastrophic medical bills, said social worker Paul Robitaille, a member of the audience. “I want to remind you what it was like before,” he said. Robitaille told the delegation members about meeting with a man whose employer fired him shortly after he learned the man had terminal cancer. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 10:13:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090855-469/21st-century-learning-after-school-program-hopes-to.html NASHUA – Featuring clubs, language support and homework help, the revitalized 21st Century Extended Day Program hosts about 60 kids at each of the Title I elementary schools in Nashua for three hours past the end of the school day. Program staff members now hope to offer the same services for Nashua’s three middle schools. “A lot of parents are disappointed the sixth grade doesn’t have the program,” said Gail Casey, 21st Century Program coordinator. The middle schools hosted the program in the past under a different director, but it hasn’t been in place for years. Nashua’s 21st Century staff are now applying for a competitive grant for five years of funding for all three middle schools. “At this point, it’s definitely needed,” Casey said, adding 21st Century has support from the community, including agencies getting involved with after-school services. “It’s great the community wants to be involved and have access to middle school students in a new way,” she said, noting vocational and soft skills coaching agency My Turn expressed interest. “They are going to provide different activities and workshops to middle school students at 21st Century … so 21st Century students can get career readiness skills.” The Spartans have also expressed interest, she said. 21st Century “is really a platform for agencies to offer programs to students,” Casey said. “This gives them access.” The after-school program also serves as an extension of the school day with study sessions and support from Nashua teachers, including English Language Learner teachers. “It’s a casual setting for students to speak about concepts they learned in school,” Casey said. “Sometimes students need time to process information. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 10:10:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090854-469/sunshine-week-events-planned-for-nashua-manchester.html NASHUA – In recognition of Sunshine Week, Right to Know New Hampshire will participate in two free events, including one in Nashua, designed to increase knowledge about the state’s Right to Know Law. Sunshine Week, from March 12-18, is a national initiative to promote open government. On March 13, the Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications and New England First Amendment Coalition will present a discussion concerning the key to open government in New Hampshire – the state Right to Know Law. “The Right to Know in New Hampshire, in Theory and Practice” will begin at 7 p.m. at the Loeb School, 749 E. Industrial Park Drive, Manchester. The two-part program will include a presentation by David Saad, president of Right to Know New Hampshire, a citizens group working to improve access to government in the state. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 10:07:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090851-469/nashua-after-school-program-hopes-to-expand-to.html NASHUA – Featuring clubs, language support and homework help, the revitalized 21st Century Extended Day Program hosts about 60 kids at each of the Title I elementary schools in Nashua for three hours past the end of the school day. Program staff members now hope to offer the same services for Nashua's three middle schools. “A lot of parents are disappointed the sixth grade doesn't have the program,” said Gail Casey, 21st Century Program coordinator. The middle schools hosted the program in the past under a different director, but it hasn’t been in place for years. Nashua's 21st Century staff are now applying for a competitive grant for five years of funding for all three middle schools. “At this point, it's definitely needed,” Casey said, adding 21st Century has support from the community, including agencies getting involved with after-school services. “It's great the community wants to be involved and have access to middle school students in a new way,” she said, noting vocational and soft skills coaching agency My Turn expressed interest. “They are going to provide different activities and workshops to middle school students at 21st Century … so 21st Century students can get career readiness skills.” The Spartans have also expressed interest, she said. 21st Century “is really a platform for agencies to offer programs to students,” Casey said. “This gives them access.” The after-school program also serves as an extension of the school day with study sessions and support from Nashua teachers, including English Language Learner teachers. “It's a casual setting for students to speak about concepts they learned in school,” Casey said. “Sometimes students need time to process information. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 07:10:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/sports/highschoolsports/1090850-457/bedford-cruises-past-guertin.html BEDFORD – In a roller coaster of a regular season, Bishop Guertin hopes its final valley came Friday night at Bedford. Troy Meservey poured in 21 points and grabbed eight rebounds, pacing the Bulldogs to a 68-53 victory over the Cardinals in a Division I boys basketball tilt at Bedford High School. Max Chartier added 18 points, five rebounds, four steals and three assists for the Bulldogs (15-3), who will receive a first-round bye in the 13-team tournament which starts with the preliminary round Tuesday. Bishop Guertin will learn its seed and opponent Monday, but coach Matt Regan knows his team will need to buckle down to earn an extended stay in the postseason. “It was very disheartening, the effort on defense,” Regan said. “This has kind of been us all year – up and down, up and down – but I just told them that the next one, if you’re down, that’s it. If we play like this, it’s over. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 01:40:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/sports/highschoolsports/1090849-457/merrimack-scores-45-39-win-over-memorial.html MERRIMACK – For anyone that enjoyed defense, Merrimack was the place to be on Friday night. In the final game of the regular season for both teams, Merrimack beat Manchester Memorial, 45-39. Scoring was at a premium throughout most of the contest, with the teams combining for only 11 points in the first quarter, struggling to penetrate each other’s tight zone defenses. The lack of early offense occurred for different reasons, however. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 01:37:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/sports/highschoolsports/1090848-457/north-outlasts-londonderry.html LONDONDERRY – At some point, probably right around the 30th minute, Friday night’s regular-season Nashua North boys hoop finale transformed from playoff tune-up to epic classic. And Alonzo Linton had his magic brush working on this one every step of the way. “If he doesn’t get votes for first team (Division I all-state) or Player of the Year, or something, I don’t know what they’re voting for,” said North coach Stephen Lane of the 6-foot-4 junior who led all scorers with 38 in the Titans’ 93-85 double OT thriller over host Londonderry High. “He hit every big shot right up until the second overtime. And he did it with two guys on him, guys hanging all over him. Just spectacular.” Linton had to be. The Titans trailed from the jump and found themselves down 60-51 headed to the fourth. Without the big fella twisting, spinning, slashing and slamming his way through and over the Lancers, the hole might have been 30. But suddenly in the fourth, it was like Coach Lane opened auditions for the hero’s role. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 01:31:01 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/sports/highschoolsports/1090847-457/hb-girls-storm-into-semifinals.html CONCORD – Hollis Brookline High School girls basketball coach Bob Murphy said the other night he might have a better idea of how his team could shut down the powerful Bishop Brady attack. His better idea turned into a better result than a week ago when the Cavaliers last played the third-ranked Green Giants, as they avenged a 10-point loss with a stunning 66-62 Division II quarterfinal road win. The Cavs, now 15-5, will now head to the Division II semifinals at Southern New Hampshire University on Tuesday night where they will face No. 2 Portsmouth at 6 p.m. “Our zone defense wasn’t working particularly well, they shot lights out in the first quarter,” Murphy said. “Then we went with a man-to-man defense and it seemed to make a difference for us.” Did it ever. The sixth-seeded Cavs, who got 18 points from Cassandra Stapelfeld, found themselves in a 56-56 game with 2:48 to play. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 01:28:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/sports/baseball/1090846-460/sox-say-no-surgery-for-price.html After David Price consulted two renowned orthopedic doctors, the Boston Red Sox said Friday the left-hander will not need surgery or an injection in his ailing left arm. Price traveled to Indianapolis on Thursday for consultation with Drs. James Andrews and Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who were at the NFL Combine. Price is expected to return Saturday to Boston’s spring training complex in Fort Myers, Florida. “Indy is a little chilly right now so I’m gonna head back to fort myers! My 40 time was 4.11...ill let one of you name my island,” Price tweeted Friday. Manager John Farrell said the findings represented a best-case scenario for Price, who will rest and receive treatment for the next seven to 10 days. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 01:19:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090845-469/hudson-selectmen-approve-aquatic-plant-control-grant.html HUDSON – The Board of Selectmen made quick work of its business Tuesday and approved three measures, including a $12,582 grant for exotic aquatic plant control from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services. The grant will help fund diver-assisted suction harvesting (DASH) in Otternic Pond and both DASH and herbicide treatment in Robinson Pond to remove fanwort and variable milfoil. About 85 lakes, ponds and rivers in New Hampshire have some type of invasive species, said Amy Smagula, exotic aquatic plant coordinator for the Department of Environmental Services. Ken Dickinson, chairman of the Hudson Conservation Commission, said Otternic Pond has historically received less attention than Robinson Pond, and therefore will be the priority this year. Dickinson said divers will hopefully begin work in Otternic Pond next month. Last year, he said, divers were unable to clean Otternic because the drought brought water levels down too low, so this year, they’re planning to do it earlier. The selectmen also accepted Hudson resident Bill Tate’s donation of a grist mill stone that will be placed in Benson Park by road agent Kevin Burns. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 01:19:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090843-469/area-youth-attending-opioid-summit.html Several Greater Nashua schools will be sending students to the New Hampshire Youth Summit on Opioid Awareness in Manchester on March 7. The half-day summit at the SNHU Arena is designed to educate middle and high school students about the dangers of opioid addiction while promoting the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. More than 500 people in New Hampshire died from drug overdose deaths in 2016. The summit will feature a showing of “If Only,” a short film co-produced by James Wahlberg with support of the Recovery Centers of America and Millennium Health. The keynote speaker, Jeff Allison, a New England native and former Miami Marlins pitcher, will share his story of addiction and recovery. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 00:58:09 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090842-469/one-grateful-immigrants-personal-journey.html This is the time of year I start finding myself staring out the slightly cobwebbed bay window trying, albeit never successfully, to trick my mind’s eye into seeing a great expanse of warm, brilliant beach sand against an azure-blue backdrop instead of the melancholic sight of soggy, brownish lawn dotted with remaining traces of dirty snow mounds. And exacerbating this year’s version of my little late-winter ritual is Mother Nature’s idea to start teasing us a little earlier than usual, what with delivering that generous stretch of May-like temperatures when the calendar still reads February. And then cruelly bringing back the deep freeze. So situated is my favorite (read: the levers still work) recliner that with a slight turn of the head I’m watching TV, typically wearing out the remote trying to avoid the barrages of commercials that seem to have created a whole new meaning of “annoying.” In between, I’m almost always toggling back and forth between news and sports channels – pretty typical, I suppose, of an aging male baby boomer who long ago landed, and set up housekeeping, in the news business. What is far from typical, though, is the news itself. While I’ve never waxed political in this space – and don’t intend to start now – nobody, no matter what one’s personal take on the grand scheme of things, can deny that the subject of immigration is about as hot these days as a topic can get, even for Washington. It’s against this backdrop that I’ve found my windowsill daydreams of beach sand and ocean waves have taken a back seat to a particular question, a rhetorical one in that it cannot be answered, just pondered: What would Uncle George and Aunt Naify, if they were alive today, think about the current state of affairs regarding immigration? I’ll never know for sure, but I bet anything I’d be fascinated with what they had to say. George E. Shalhoup and Naify Shalhoup Forzley, who died in 1999 and 1987 respectively, were born just after the turn of the 20th century in a village in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 00:57:48 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090838-469/ash-ct.-duo-allegedly-sold-drugs-to.html NASHUA - A man and a woman living on Ash Court in downtown Nashua were indicted this week on a combined 17 felony charges accusing them of possessing, and selling, various types and quantities of narcotic drugs on numerous occasions throughout September and October. Lorri Drew, 49, and Antron Hughes, 55, both of 2 Ash Court, face 7 and 10 indictments, respectively, alleging that they individually, and in concert with one another, sold drugs to undercover police officers or confidential informants on Sept. 7, 12, 16, 21 and 26, and Oct. 7, 11, 13 and 26, sometimes more than once a day, according to the indictments. All are charged as subsequent offenses, because Drew and Hughes have both been convicted of drug-related crimes in the past. Drew was also indicted on one count each of possession of a controlled drug, subsequent offense, and common nuisances, a felony charge that accuses suspects of "knowingly keeping or maintaining a common nuisance," in this case, Drew's residence, "for the illegal keeping or selling of controlled drugs." Because he also lives at 2 Ash Court, Hughes was also indicted on a common nuisance charge. along with one count of attempted sale of a controlled drug, subsequent offense, alleging he attempted to contact his supplier to obtain drugs on Oct. Sat, 04 Mar 2017 13:45:39 EST