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Vehicle Struck By Train In Wakefield

A vehicle was struck by a train in Wakefield Tuesday afternoon. ~ Photo courtesy of Wakefield Police Facebook page

 
WAKEFIELD, NH – A car was struck by a train in Wakefield Tuesday. According to the Wakefield police at 2:55pm Police and fire crews responded to a report of a car being hit by a train at the point railroad crossing.

A vehicle was struck by a train in Wakefield Tuesday afternoon. ~ Photo courtesy of Wakefield Police Facebook page

 
Rescue crews had to extract the driver from the vehicle. The driver suffered serious injuries during the accident and was rushed to Frisbie Memorial Hospital.

Police said there was also a juvenile passenger in the car, who appeared uninjured but transported as a precaution.

The Carroll County Sheriff’s Office and Milton Fire Department assisted at the scene.

Authorities said the cause of the crash is still currently under investigation, however they do believe distracted driving and other issues may have been contributing factors.

 

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19-Year-Old Arraigned On Charges Of Aiding Roommates Suicide In Plymouth

 

NORTH HAVERHILL, N.H. – Police Say a 19-year-old New Hampshire man aided his friend’s suicide in multiple ways. Police said in court documents that Parker Hogan brought a gun, notebook and pen to the scene of his roommates death and instructed him on holding the gun at the correct angle to his head.

Police 19-year-old victim was found dead of a gunshot wound in the woods near his Plymouth apartment May 8. His death was determined to be a suicide.

Hogan was arraigned Tuesday during which his lawyer entered not guilty pleas on the charge and on charges of falsifying physical evidence.

Police said that Hogan told them Buskey had a court date and didn’t want to go to jail. He told them he helped plan Buskey’s suicide. They say the two went into the woods near the apartment, where they practiced ways for Buskey to shoot himself.

Police said Hogan left the woods, waited until he heard a gunshot and returned to make sure Buskey was dead. He called police and Buskey’s father the next morning.

Police said Hogan posted bail. He’s scheduled to appear in court in July.

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Valley Businesses Report Mostly Positive Memorial Day Weekend Despite Gloomy Weather

NORTH CONWAY, NH – The unofficial start to summer was mostly positive for Mount Washington Valley Businesses despite a cloudy forecast.

According to the Mt Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce businesses responses reporting to an informal survey this weekend ranged from saying sales were 65% up from last year to slightly down.

The gloomy weather forecast did play a small factor in weekend tourism. Becca Deschenes Director of Marketing at Cranmore Mountain Resort said that the three day weekend as a whole was down from last year, adding that When looking at just Monday, they were up over last year. Deschenes noted that she did think the weather scared people away.

However Susan Logan, Manager of Marketing and Events for Conway Scenic Railroad reported that the forecast benefitted them saying that Saturday and Sunday were up 64% and 65%, respectively, over last year.

With rain in the forecast over the unofficial start of summer many valley businesses thrived.

Dot Seybold, General Manager of Settlers Green Outlets in North Conway, told the chamber that sentiment among store managers there was very positive, noting that the bad weather helped push people into the outlet centers.

General Manager of the Royalty Inn in Gorham, Conrad Klefos, told the chamber that ATV tourism has been a great driver of business for inn with an estimated 80-percent of his guests there to enjoy ATVing. Klefoes also told the chamber that he predicts a great season due to the enthusiasm for ATVing in the northern region.

The Chamber reports that traveler sentiment is positive for travel this summer, and even a forecast for rainy weather over the Memorial Day weekend didn’t squelch visitors’ pent up desire to spend time in the Valley. 

Lauren Hawkins, Director of Marketing at Story Land, shared that while they feared the weather forecast would have a negative impact on park attendance, the excitement of Story Land’s opening prevailed. Hawkins said that the weekend was up slightly despite gloomy weather.

When it came to Mount Washington Valley lodging the chamber heard wealth of positivity. Donna Pearce, Owner/Innkeeper at the Admiral Peary House in Fryeburg, said that between weddings in the area, concerts and Fryeburg Academy graduation, the inn was filled with families. 

In addition, Bill Petrone, Owner/Innkeeper at the Buttonwood Inn shared that bookings were up over last year for the Memorial Day weekend.

Craig Clemmer, Director of Sales and Marketing at the Omni Mount Washington Hotel, also confirmed that the hotel was sold out for the Memorial Day weekend.

Despite the cloudy weather the Memorial Day weekend still set a positive tone for the summer tourism season. Tourism experts are predicting a strong summer for travel. 

Susan Logan confirmed that advance ticket sales are strong for the Conway Scenic Railroad, while lodging properties reported that the prevalence of last minute reservations makes it hard to predict. 

For more information on visiting Mt Washington Valley, please visit www.MtWashingtonValley.org

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Police Make 90 Stops During Conway Saturation Patrol

CONWAY, NH – State Police had a busy weekend in the Mount Washington Valley this holiday weekend.

According to Troop E they conducted a DWI Saturation Patrol in the Conway area between 9pm Saturday and 3 am Sunday. Police said they made a total of 90 motor vehicle stops during the patrol.

Officials reported that during one stop an individual reported suffering from suicidal thoughts, the officer was able to help the individual by providing with medical help at a local hospital.

Police also made one physical arrest during the DWI check. 57-year-old Catherine Heinz, of Fryeburg Maine was arrested for DWi, Possession of a Narcotic Drug, and an active Electronic Bench Warrant. 

Colonel Christopher Wagner, Director of the New Hampshire State Police and Lieutenant Kevin Duffy, Commander of the Troop E barracks said they “consider the detection and apprehension of impaired drivers and enforcement of the Driving While Intoxicated statutes to be a top priority.  They will continue to collaborate and utilize DWI Saturation Patrols and other means to deter, detect and remove impaired drivers from New Hampshire roadways.”

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Memorial Day Ceremonies In The Mount Washington Valley

 

  • Conway:

    • 11:30 a.m. – American Legion Post 46 holds wreath-laying ceremony at Conway Veterans Honor Roll outside Kennett Middle School.
    • 12:00 p.m. – American Legion Post 46 holds raising the colors, military gun salute, and laying of a wreath at the Conway Village Cemetery on Washington Street.
    • 1 p.m. –  Veterans will meet at Mineral Springs Rehabilitation and Retirement Center to honor veterans there.
    • 1:45 p.m. – American Legion Post 46 holds wreath ceremony at the courtyard cemetery at St. Margaret of Scotland Anglican Church on Pleasant Street in Conway.
    • 2:30 p.m. – light lunch buffet for American Legion Members and the Public at Post 46 on Tasker Hill Road.

 

  • North Conway:

    • Bartlett VFW and Post 95 head from Jackson Village Cemetery to Intervale cemetery on Route 16-A.
    • Bartlett VFW and Post 95 travel to Glen cemetery for a small march.
    • 11:30 a.m. – Procession at Bartlett Village near the Fred Hodgkins Veterans Park at Josiah Bartlett Elementary School.
    • Lunch served after to veterans and their immediate families at the VFW Post
    • General Public served lunch at Bartlett Congregational Church.
    • 1:30p.m. – North Conway American Legion Post 95 and the Bartlett VFW host observances at North Conway cemetery

 

For more information, call Louis Lavender, Francis P. Murphy VFW Post of Bartlett, at (603) 356-9490 or American Legion Post 95 Leader  Post Commander Jim LeFebvre at (603) 356-7296.

 

  • Jackson:

    • 8:30 a.m – Parade participants meet at J-Town Deli
    • 9 a.m. – Parade begins and travels to Jackson Village Cemetery with participation from the Jackson Grammar School Band, the Bartlett VFW and American Legion Post 95.

 

For more information, call Louis Lavender, Francis P. Murphy VFW Post of Bartlett, at (603) 356-9490 or American Legion Post 95 Leader  Post Commander Jim LeFebvre at (603) 356-7296.

 

  • Madison:

    • 8 a.m. – American Legion Post 46 holds a ceremony at Lyman cemetery on High Street in Silver Lake.
    • 8:30 a.m. – Bus ride from Madison Town Hall to Gilman Cemetery in East Madison
    • 8:45 a.m. – Gilman Cemetery ceremony including the Kennett High/Middle School musicians playing taps at 9 a.m
    • Parade following Gilman Cemetery ceremony ending at the veterans memorial at Madison Town Hall with a flag ceremony, rifle squad salute and playing of taps.
    • Madison Fire Department offers a community breakfast by donation at their station.

 

  • Ossipee:

    • 11 a.m. – Memorial service on the front lawn at the Ossipee Town Hall put on by the Rodney H. White VFW Post 8270.

  • Tamworth:

    • 12 p.m. – A Memorial Day Observance will be held at the Tamworth Veterans’ Memorial at the junction of Main Street and Routes 113/113A.

 

  • Fryeburg/Lovell, Maine:

    • 11 a.m. – Memorial Day Celebration including Fryeburg Academy students playing taps in Lovell Village at Memorial Monument
    • 1 p.m. Parade starting at Legion Hall on Bradley Street in Fryeburg. The parade will travel to Bradly Park for another memorial service.

For more information, call George Weston at (207) 935-2567 or (207) 890-6062.

 

 

 

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Northern Pass Denied By Site Evaluation Committee For Second Time

CONCORD, NH – The Northern Pass has been denied for a second time. Yesterday the New Hampshire Site Evaluation Committee denied an appeal by Eversource for the $1.6 billion transmission line project.

The committee originally rejected the proposal in February. During the meeting members agreed there was no reason to revisit the Northern Pass application.

WMUR-TV reported that after facing criticism saying that the deliberations were incomplete committee member  Chris Way said, Referring to the application,  “There really wasn’t much information..There seemed to be a lot of gaps.”

Northern Pass officials said they may take their case to the supreme court. Both Environmental groups and Northern Pass officials say they like their chances at the Supreme Court.