Holiday, FL – A man convicted of killing his wife in in Conway in 1999 has admitted to killing a woman in Florida. The Tampa Bay Times reports that 71-year-old Warren Birkbeck called Pasco County sheriff’s deputies early yesterday to confessed that he had stabbed 42-year-old Denise Cook to death in the home they shared.

The paper reports that Birkbeck told authorities he stabbed Cook because she did not have romantic feelings for him, saying “I just have a hard time being rejected”.

Birkbeck was convicted of killing his estranged wife in Conway in 1999. He was sentenced to 15-30 years in prison, and was granted parole in 2015, and moved to Florida shortly after.

 

Conway, NH – The Robert Frost Charter School has found a new home. According to an email released to families and staff of the school a lease agreement has been finalized between the School and the Salyards building in Conway Village for the 2017-2018 School Year.

The email sent out by Don Germain of the Schools Board of Trustees stated, “ the centrally located facility is spacious, bright, and conducive to the varied needs of our instructional program.”

The School had originally planned to move into the old home of the Journey Church on East Main Street in Conway, but those plans were canceled due to unforeseen circumstance.

The Robert Frost Charter School vacated its former location in a building on the property that is now the new Settlers Street Side after this past school year ended.

The School is a public charter school, which blends the instructional strategy of Project-Based Learning with the Montessori educational philosophy and curriculum.

For more information about the Robert Frost Charter School go to their website Robertfrostcharterschool.com

Photo Courtesy of Fryeburg Police



Fryeburg, ME – A section of Route 302 in Fryeburg was closed this morning after a tractor-trailer accident. According to Fryeburg Police at 1:55am an 18-wheeler struck a large tree that had fallen completely across the roadway due to recent storms. The 31-year-old driver was uninjured. The tree had punctured both fuel tanks and was leaking diesel fuel onto the ground.

Fryeburg Fire Department contained the fuel spill until Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) arrived to assist and Fryeburg Rescue was staged in the area as a safety precaution due to the leakage. Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) responded to remove the tree and tend to damaged guardrails.

Fryeburg Police Chief Joshua Potvin said “Fortunately nobody was injured in this crash. There are no street lights on this section of roadway making it nearly impossible to avoid collision with the downed tree. After confirming the driver had no injuries, our second concern was containing the diesel fuel leak that is in close proximity to Manchester Brook which leads to the Saco River. Fryeburg Fire Department and their mutual aid did an excellent job containing the fuel leak to avoid water contamination.”

The Chief added ““The Mashpee, Massachusetts based Forestry Product Company, Govoni Forestry Products was unloaded at the time of the crash and was enroute to Casco Maine to pick up a load of woodchips. Investigators had Route 302 closed for approximately 5 hours.” 


Milton, NH – A Rochester man was killed in a car crash on Route 16 after trying to evade authorities. According to New Hampshire State Police the Milton Police Department was attempting to arrest 28-year-old Sean York on several outstanding felony warrants Sunday night at 8. York learned that the authorities were were going to arrest him and he fled the area in a stolen 2016 Chrysler 200.

Milton Police attempted to stop York in the town however he failed to stop and continued onto Route 16 South at a high rate of speed. In the area between Exit 17 and 18 York lost control of the vehicle, slid across Route 16, left the roadway, rolled over and caught on fire.

He suffered life threatening injuries and succumbed to his injuries at the scene. He was pronounced deceased by Assistant Deputy Medical Examiner Will Bartels. There were no other occupants in the vehicle and no other vehicles involved in the accident.

The crash investigation is being handled by the State Police Collision Analysis & Reconstruction Unit (C.A.R. Unit) with assistance NH State Police Troop A. Route 16 north and southbound was closed for several hours while the crash was investigated. State Police said that the accident is under investigation but at this time it appears that speed was a major factor.

Assisting on scene were members of the Milton Police Department, NH State Police Troop A Barracks, NH Fire Marshal’s Office, Milton Fire & Rescue & EMS, and New Hampshire Department of Transportation.

At this time it appears that speed was a major factor; however, the crash remains under investigation by the C.A.R. Unit. Anyone that may have further information related to this crash please contact Trooper First Class Thomas Conlon at (603) 223-8614 or email at thomas.conlon@dos.nh.gov.

26-year-old Ashalee James’ rented ATV crashed after going down a 60 foot embankment Wednesday. ~ Photo Courtesy of New Hampshire Fish and Game



Dixville, NH – A New York Woman was seriously injured in an ATV accident in Dixville Notch yesterday. Fish and Game Officials said that 26-year-old Ashalee James of Central Islip New York was driving a rented ATV on Flume Brook Trail at the rear of a group when her riding party noticed her missing at around 1:04pm. They attempted to find her for about 30 minutes.

Another group or riders on the trail discovered the crash scene and an injured James at the bottom of a 60 foot embankment. The good Samaritans called 9-1-1 and rendered aid to James then transported her out to Route 26 to an awaiting ambulance.

  26-year-old Ashalee James was flown via DAHRT helicopter to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center ~ Photo Courtesy of New Hampshire Fish and Game



James was transported to a helicopter landing zone at Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital in Colebrook, where she was immediately transferred into a DHART helicopter and airlifted to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon with serious but non-life threatening injuries.

Authorities said that due to sustaining a loss of consciousness, James could not remember any details about the crash, and the incident was not directly witnessed by any other riders.

James was wearing a full-faced helmet and eye protection at the time of the crash. Authorities believe that alcohol was not a factor in the crash and that operator inexperience was a likely contributor to the incident.

Good Samaritans, New Hampshire State Police, 45th Parallel EMS, Colebrook Fire/Rescue and DHART personnel assisted Conservation Officers with the incident.

MaineHealth CEO Bill Caron turned out to support our community’s Let’s Go school program, shown here with tournament director Paul Keane and committee chair Bayard Kennett at the July 20th event.



NORTH CONWAY, NH – Golfers took to the greens at the Wentworth Golf Course in Jackson, NH last week as part of the 37th Annual Memorial Hospital Open Golf Tournament. The event grossed over $50,000 to support “Let’s Go,” the hospital’s initiative to bring health and wellness education and activities to school-aged children throughout Mt. Washington Valley.

The tournament was founded in 1980 by former NH congressman, the honorable Bill Zeliff. In its early years, the event often saw the likes of Governor John H. Sununu, White House Chief of Staff under President George H.W. Bush, and father of now-Governor Chris Sununu.

Now in 2017, the Sununu family turned out once again for the North Conway hospital’s cause, with John Sununu and wife Nancy playing in the tournament with Memorial’s president and CEO Scott McKinnon, and Governor Chris Sununu making an appearance at the awards dinner.

The event benefits Memorial’s Let’s Go program. The program serves 12 sites around the Mt. Washington Valley such as schools, pre-schools and daycare centers, to help them work towards receiving official “Let’s Go” program certification. Let’s Go is an evidence based program that works to reduce childhood obesity through better nutrition, more exercise and less screen time. The results are impressive. At “Let’s Go” sites’ school, child care and after school programs, almost 2,000 students were impacted by “Let’s Go”. Schools and sites are limiting unhealthy choices for snacks and celebrations, eliminating sugary beverages and limiting recreational screen time.

Last year, the event raised over $52,000 which supported the program. The event has raised over $850,000 over its long history, purchasing many pieces of life saving equipment and supporting community health programs.

For more information, go to www.memorialhospitalnh.org/golf.

2017 Memorial Hospital Open Results

1st Place Mixed $300

Will Owen/ Colin Wroblewski/ Devin Copsey/ Michelle Ramsey 57

1st Place Ladies $300

Debbie Bryant/ Sue Wiley/ Jessica Ross/ Barbara Pinkham 69

1st Place Men $300

John Idoine/ Ryan Gooden/ Justin Zinn/ Thomas McDonough 54

2nd Place Mixed $240

Jack Rowe/Chris/Rowe/Fred O’Neil/Lynn Anderson 61

2nd Place Ladies $240

Kim McKinnon/Sheila Duane/Michelle Capozzoli/Ellen Oblenbusch 71

2nd Place Men $240

Bayard Kennett/Dan Jones/ Pat Kittle/Mark Patterson 56

3rd Place Mixed $160

Bill Caron/Mark Harris/Al Swallow/Mechelle Connolly 61

3rd Place Ladies $160

Mary Vigeant/ Arlene Mrozowski/Patty Keane/Amy Russo 94

3rd Place Men $160

Don Newton/Brett Newton/Peter Pettengill/Mathew Phillips 61

4h Place Mixed $120

Mary Deveau/Peter Deveau/Mike Green/Andrew Green 63

4t Place Men $120

Christopher Walkley/Bill Zafferson/John Aubin/Bill Jones 63

Closest to the Pin

Hole #16 Ladies Michelle Ramsey 22’   $25

Hole #16 Men Jack Rowe 7’2”   $25

Hole #5 Ladies   Lynne Anderson 23’8”   $25

Hole #5 Men   Mike Green 7’3”   $25

Long Drive

Hole #12 Ladies   Jessica Ross   $30

Hole #12 Men   Curtis Tinker $30