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Athletes Of All Abilities Summit Mt. Washington For Adaptive Sports Partners Of The North Country

Photo courtesy of Shannon Dunfey-Ball

 
PINKHAM NOTCH, NH – Athletes of all abilities summited Mount Washington this past weekend for a great cause. Sunday was the 9th Annual Sunrise Ascent on Mountain Washington to benefit the Adaptive Sports Partners of the North Country. Sandy Olney, ASPNC Executive Director said that 14 adaptive athletes supported by 280 “mules”, or people who assist them up the mountain, climbed the tallest peak in the northeast early Sunday morning. Before sunrise, teams led by an adaptive athlete ascend the eight mile Mount Washington Auto Road, to summit 6,288-foot Mount Washington. Each team pledges to raise at least $6,288. This year, 13 athletes have signed up for the challenge and ASPNC has just put out the call for volunteers to join them in this inspirational adaptive journey.

Teams pledge to raise $6,288, a dollar for every foot for Mt. Washington’s peak. Olney said every large team far exceeded that goal with one team raising over $23,000. All together the event raised a record setting $120,000, which will account for over one third of ASPNC’s operating budget for the year.

Photo courtesy of Shannon Dunfey-Ball

 
The ascent is for athletes of every ability from those who can make the climb under their own power to those who have to ride on specialty hiking chair called a trail rider which is pushed and pulled by a team of climbers. 

Adaptive Sports Partners of the North Country (ASPNC) is a community-based, not for profit organization with a mission to ensure the enrichment of the quality of life for people with disabilities. ASPNC accomplishes this through the provision of year-round opportunities for sport, recreation, and wellness through the Franconia area, North Country of New Hampshire and Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. ASPNC is dedicated to enriching the quality of life for people with disabilities, providing over 20 different sport, recreation and wellness activities for people of all ages and any ability. 

Adaptive Sports Partners of the North Country’s office is located in the Franconia Marketplace, 297 Main Street, Franconia, NH.  For more information please visit www.AdaptiveSportsPartners.org or call the ASPNC office at 603-823-5232.

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Cog Railway Teaming Up With Berlin Steel Plant

Photo courtesy of pixabay.com

MESERVE’S PURCHASE, NH (AP) – A 50,000-square-foot steel plant has partnered with the Mount Washington Cog Railway to be used as a winter shop for maintenance and construction of locomotives and passenger coaches.

The Isaacson Steel fabrication plant in Berlin was acquired by David Presby at an auction several years ago. His brother, Wayne Presby, is president of the Cog Railway and was exploring the idea of replacing or expanding its workshops at the base of Mount Washington.

The Cog Railway is starting to redo the entire line from the base to the summit. Presby Steel will be making tie plates and supplying steel for a new work car with lights, heat, a crane, tools, welders, and generators.

Wayne Presby said work will now be done on the rail line all winter.

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Fryeburg Police Investigating Nashua Man’s Death On Saco River

Photo courtesy of Fryeburg Police

 

*UPDATE* Police have identified the victim as 27 Year old Dylan Szabad of Nashua, New Hampshire. The cause of death and additional details have not being released at this time.

 

FRYEBURG, ME – Fryeburg Police are investigating the death of a Nashua man. Police said that at around 7:45 Saturday they deployed an airboat to a medical emergency call involving a canoer near mile 14 of the Saco River.

First responders discovered the body of a 28-year-old man on the beach.

Police did not release much information about the incident and the man’s name is being withheld.

The Maine State Medical Examiner’s Office is set will determine the cause of death.

 

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Back To Back Rescues In The White Mountains

ALBANY, NH – Conservation Officers had back to back rescues yesterday (8/3/18).

New Hampshire Fish and Game Officials said that at around 5:30 they received a call about an injured hiker on the Champney Brook trail in Albany.

69-year-old Steven Westcott of Rye had hiked to the summit of Mt. Chocorua and while descending he slipped injuring his ankle. His hiking partner Colleen Beechwood of Strafford NH ran out to the trail head and drove to get cell phone service to place a call for help.

Steven was able to make some progress with the assistance of passing hikers but he was ultimately placed in a litter and carried 1.5 miles back to the trailhead.

Conservation Officers and members of Conway Fire and Rescue responded and were assisted during the carryout by several hikers who were on the trail and volunteered to help.  Steven arrived at the trailhead shortly before 8:30 PM and was driven from the scene.

About a half hour after receiving the first call Conservation Officers were called to assist a lost hiker on the Blueberry Ledge Trail in Waterville Valley. 76-year-old Karen Kappes, of Holden Massachusetts, was hiking when she lost the trail, she attempted to self rescue but was unsuccessful.

A Fish and Game Conservation officer was able to locate her using the coordinates given by 911 dispatch. She was located approximately two miles from her parked vehicle and ½ mile off trail between the Blueberry Ledge Trail and the Blueberry Ledge Cuttoff Trail.  She arrived at the trailhead at approximately 9:30 PM and was reunited with her awaiting son.

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Franconia Notch Starting Shuttle Service In Attempt To Help Parking Issue

A composite picture of the iconic “Old Man of the Mountain” state land mark. ~ Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

 

FRANCONIA, NH – The New Hampshire State Parks department has announced that they are launching a pilot shuttle service in Franconia Notch State Park. This service, which starts tomorrow (8/3/18), offers a safe and legal alternative to parking on Interstate 93 for people visiting the popular tourist attractions in the Notch. The shuttle service will run out of Cannon Mountain’s Peabody Base Lodge parking lot (Exit 34C) and run through Sunday October 14. Hikers can park for free in the lot and take the approximately 10-15 minute ride one-way to Lafayette Place. Then the shuttle will pick visitors up at the Falling Waters/Bridle Path and return them to the Peabody Base Lodge parking lot. The shuttle will run continuously from 8:30 AM to 8:00 PM Friday through Monday (rain or shine). The initial cost will be $5 per person and only cash will be accepted.

State Officials said that since it is a pilot program, dogs will initially be allowed and Lafayette Place and Falling Waters/Bridle Path trailheads will be the only stops other than the Peabody lot. State officials will evaluate the shuttle service pilot program, adjusting as needed and determining its overall feasibility. 

Phil Bryce, director of NH State Park said “Although a shuttle service is not a normal park operation for us, we felt that we should step up and provide a safe and legal parking alternative for visitors hiking in the park and national forest.”

Increased visitation to the White Mountains Region, particularly at the Falling Waters/Old Bridle Path trailheads near Lafayette Place, has caused parking lots to fill quickly, resulting in illegal and unsafe parking along Interstate 93. For the past year, state agencies, the White Mountain National Forest and other partners have been working together to explore alternatives to parking on the highway. This included reaching out to the private sector to provide a shuttle service but no interest was shown.

For information on additional available hiker parking lots, parking lot capacity and trails accessed from parking lots, visit franconianotchstatepark.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Jackson Inn Manager Accused Of Hate Crime

JACKSON, NH – A Jackson woman is being indicted after the people she kicked out of the Inn she was working at accused her of a hate crime and assault.

The New Hampshire Attorney General Gordon J. MacDonald and Carroll County Attorney Michaela Andruzzi announced the indictment of 32-year-old Priscilla Protasowicki, on two counts of simple assault subject to the hate-crime enhancement.

The charges allege that on April 20th Protasowicki, while working at the Covered Bridge Riverview Lodge in Jackson, assaulted two patrons in an effort to remove them from the establishment because of their religion and perceived national origin.

The indictments accuse Protasowicki of pushing Mohamed Ghallami and Chahrazade Mounaji saying she was “substantially motivated to commit the crime because of hostility towards the victim’s religion, race, creed or national origin.”

Protasowicki said the couple, became upset when they arrived and saw a 9/11 first-responder’s badge in the lobby. They demanded a refund, but refunds aren’t possible under the inn’s policy.

According to The Conway Daily Sun Protasowicki said Ghallami told Mounaji to get her phone out and start recording the dispute and that they would make a lot of money posting the video on YouTube. Adding that she never touched Mounaji , and that she “barely touched” Ghallami after he refused to leave or to show their IDs or the credit card used to book the room.

The charge of simple assault subject to the hate-crime enhancement carries a possible maximum sentence of five years in the New Hampshire State Prison.

On July 17, 2018, the Attorney General initiated an action against Ms. Protasowicki pursuant to the New Hampshire Civil Rights Act based on this same conduct. Each violation of the New Hampshire Civil Rights Act carries a maximum civil penalty of $5,000.

The court may also enjoin further violations of the Act, a violation of which constitutes a class A misdemeanor, award restitution to the victims, and grant other equitable relief that it deems appropriate.

Protasowicki is scheduled to be arraigned in Carroll County Superior Court on August 22nd, with the hearing on alleged Civil Rights Act violations scheduled for August 24th.

Protasowicki was convicted of simple assault after a confrontation with a guest in 2011.