28-year-old Jessica Wright of Conway was nominated to the Union Leader’s 40 under 40 ~ Photo courtesy of Greta Rybus
CONWAY, NH – A local woman has been named to the Union Leaders 40 under 40.
28-year-old Jessica Wright of Conway was nominated to the program, which recognizes some of the state’s brightest young achievers who have a record of professional and volunteer accomplishments in New Hampshire. This year’s class honors 28 women and 12 men from across the state.
Past honorees include Bode Miller, Kelly Ayotte, Frank Guinta, Jodi Piccoult, and John E. Sununu.
Wright, who grew up in the Valley, works at the Upper Saco Valley Land Trust, a local land conservation non-profit focused on “preserving land for community benefit”. Her work at the Land Trust draws on both her Master’s degree in Environmental Law and Policy and her undergraduate degree in Business Management. She is a founding member of the agricultural collaborative, Mt. Washington Valley Eaters & Growers (MWVEG) and chairs the young professionals group, STAY MWV. She also sits on the UNH Cooperative Extension Advisory Committee for Carroll County and Governor Chris Sununu’s Millennial Advisory Council.
A reception and awards program, sponsored by Citizens Bank, will be held on March 14 at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord. To purchase tickets and for more information, visit unionleader.com/forty.
https://www.wmwv.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-1.jpg00Tonyhttps://www.wmwv.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-1.jpgTony2018-02-03 07:00:572018-02-02 14:57:33Conway Woman Named To Union Leader’s 40 Under 40
PUNXSUTAWNEY, PA – The Worlds most famous groundhog weather man has made his forecast.
This (Friday) morning Punxsutawney Phill saw his shadow predicting 6 more weeks of winter.
According to folklore if a groundhog emerges from its burrow on February 2nd and see its shadow there will be 6 more weeks of winter like weather. If the groundhog doesn’t see its shadow then the spring season will arrive early.
In reality a special group on Gobbler’s Knob, a small hill outside Punxsutawney Pennsylvania decides ahead of time what Phil’s prediction will be.
According to Wikipedia Phil is accurate about 39% of the time. He has predicted more weeks of winter 103 times and an early spring only 17 times.
https://www.wmwv.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-1.jpg00Tonyhttps://www.wmwv.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-1.jpgTony2018-02-02 09:26:222018-02-02 09:26:226 More Weeks Of Winter!
Representatives from Story Land (including Duke The Dragon), Jackson Public Library, and students from Jackson Grammar school gather for the ribbon cutting of Jackson Ski Touring Foundations new Story Land Book Trail ~ Photo Courtesy of Dorothy Lane
JACKSON, NH – The Jackson Ski Touring Foundation has teamed up with Story Land to bring some classic tails to life on the trails. Jackson Ski Touring is opened up the first of two new Storybook Trails added to their trail network.
Guests got a look at the new trail located behind the Jackson Public Library during the grand opening on Thursday.
Deb Deschenes from Jackson Ski Touring said “we’ve decided to name this trail behind the library after Story Land. They have been extremely generous in the signage and they’re absolutely beautiful. So this trail will be named The Story Land Book Trail”
Duke The Dragon from Story Land came out to celebrate the grand opening of the new Story Land Book Trail at Jackson Ski Touring Foundation. ~ Photo Courtesy of Dorothy Lane
Guests at the Grand Opening included representatives from Story Land, Jackson Public Library, students from Jackson Grammar school, and special guest Duke The Dragon.
Deschenes said that on the less than 1k loop will offer outdoor enthusiasts a chance to read a story while exploring the beautiful Jackson wilderness. “you’ll be able to read a story as you ski, snowshoe, or even walk around this loop. From one sign to the next you’ll read a story, and we’ll be changing those stories out every week.”
For more information about the new story land book trail Jackson ski touring foundation and their new trail go to Jacksonxc.org.
https://www.wmwv.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-1.jpg00Tonyhttps://www.wmwv.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-1.jpgTony2018-02-02 08:02:302018-02-02 08:02:30Jackson Ski Touring Foundation Opens New Story Book Trail
CONCORD, NH -The Northern Pass Project has been denied by the State Site Evaluation Committee.
According to InDepthNH.org yesterday afternoon the committee voted unanimously to reject the 192-mile transmission line project. The seven member committee said that Eversource failed to meet its burden of proof that the project would not negatively impact the orderly development of the region.
Northern Pass representative Martin Murray said “We are shocked and outraged by today’s SEC outcome. The process failed to comply with New Hampshire law and did not reflect the substantial evidence on the record. As a result, the most viable near-term solution to the region’s energy challenges, as well as $3 billion of NH job, tax, and other benefits, are now in jeopardy.
Long-time opponent Susan Schibanoff of Easton told Indepth NH “The SEC did the right thing today by law and by the people of New Hampshire.”
New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu said in a statement that he was “stunned” by the committee’s decision. Adding that SEC’s decision denies the state much-needed clean energy and the jobs that would come from the project.
The company has 30 days after the committee issues a written decision to ask for a rehearing or to reconsider its vote. Thursday was the third of 12 deliberative sessions ending Feb. 23 when an oral decision is expected.
The $1.6 billion plan being developed by the utility Eversource was set to bring hydropower from Hydro-Quebec in Canada to Southern New England Markets by creating a transmission line through New Hampshire.
https://www.wmwv.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-1.jpg00Tonyhttps://www.wmwv.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-1.jpgTony2018-02-02 07:19:322018-02-02 07:24:14Northern Pass Denied By State Site Evaluation Committee
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https://www.wmwv.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-1.jpg00Tonyhttps://www.wmwv.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-1.jpgTony2018-02-02 05:34:072018-02-02 05:34:07Cancellations and Delays For Friday Feb. 2nd, 2018
OSSIPEE, NH – Authorities have released the name of the driver killed in an accident in Ossipee. Ossipee police said that at 1:21 Tuesday afternoon 39-year-old Henry Doran from Enfield died at the scene after crashing into tractor trailer hauling wood chips.
Authorities said that Doran was headed south in a Carroll Tire light box truck on Route 16 just north of Pine River Road when he crossed the center line crashing head on into a Garland Lumber Co. Truck being driven by 42-year-old Joseph Breen of Moultronboro.
When police arrived they found the tractor trailer on its side with load of wood chips spilled into the roadway and the box truck in the middle of the road with significant damage.
Breen was not seriously injured in the accident.
Police said it is not yet known why Doran crossed into the North bound lane, however, speed is not believed to be a factor.
Route 16 was closed for about 5 hours while crews investigated the accident.
https://www.wmwv.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-1.jpg00Tonyhttps://www.wmwv.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-1.jpgTony2018-02-01 10:59:532018-02-01 10:59:53Police Name Man Killed in Fatal Ossipee Crash
Chet Lucy and his son A.O. visited the WMWV studios during the stations 50th Anniversary Celebration in June 2017. (From Left to Right) A.O. Lucy, Chet Lucy, Roy Prescott ~ Photo by Karen Williams
CONWAY, NH – Life long Conway resident and staple in the Mount Washington Valley Chet Lucy has died. According to the Conway Daily Sun Chester B. Lucy, or Chet as everyone in the Valley knew him, died at age 91 of natural causes in the home that he was born in on Sunday.
Chet is part of fifth generation family to call the Mount Washington Valley home and was buried this weekend in the Lucy Family Plot.
Chet was known for many things from his active participation on local boards and committees, owning Conway Supply, and for his plethora of volunteer work around the Valley. He was also notably known for his ability to swing a vote during the old town meetings. Selectman Mary Carey Seavey told the Sun “At town meeting, he commanded such attention when he spoke, and whatever he said always made such a difference. He always spoke so eloquently.”
During the WMWV celebration of 50 years on the air Chet, a long time dignitary on the station, came in to help the station celebrate. Roy Prescott Morning Show host on WMWV said “I was lucky enough to get to know Chet over the years and always found that his Yankee sense of humor and candor was something that really distinguished him from the rest.” Services are set to be held at a later date according to his obituary.
https://www.wmwv.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-1.jpg00Tonyhttps://www.wmwv.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-1.jpgTony2018-01-31 10:15:512018-01-31 10:15:51Conway Town Legend Chet Lucy Passes Away At 91
Conway Scenic Rail Road Train Station in Norcross Circle, Conway ~ Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia
CONWAY, NH – Dot & Russ Seybold announced the sale of the Conway Scenic Railroad to Profile Mountain Holdings Corp, led by President David Swirk. The sale was completed on January 30, 2018 and PMHC will commence operations immediately in anticipation of the seasonal opening in April.
The iconic railroad and tourist attraction with the historic 1874 train station has enjoyed 44 continuous years of operation. Originally hired as President and General Manager of the railroad in 1990, Seybold was instrumental in the expansion to Crawford Notch and the commencement of a truly world-class railroad experience. Russ and Dot purchased the railroad in 1999 and continued to expand operations with the addition of two full-service dining cars including the “Chocorua” and the “Hattie Evans,” and the dome observation car “Dorthea Mae.” They were key founders of the highly successful Polar Express holiday excursion. Other signature annual events including Day Out With Thomas ™, Pumpkin Patch Express, Santa’s Holiday Express and Railfans Weekend which generate tens of thousands of guests each year.
Profile Mountain Holdings Corp, DBA Conway Scenic Railroad, is jointly owned by David Swirk and his business partner William Sullivan, Jr. This is their second and by far most exciting venture together. David, PMHC President, has nearly 30 years of short line rail management experience focused on business development and operations including mechanical and engineering. David and his wife Rhonda, having purchased a house in Conway last year, are looking forward to working together at the CSRR for many years to come. Rhonda comes from a 23-year career in banking, finance and office management.
“We look upon the Conway Scenic Railroad as an economic development engine which is closely tied to the communities in which it operates,” shared Swirk. The goal is to work with area business leaders to increase ridership and tourism for the mutual benefit of everyone, and we sincerely appreciate this once in a lifetime opportunity to follow the same track that Russ and Dot have established to preserve and improve upon this historically significant property.”
Russ and Dot are residents of Jackson, New Hampshire and will continue to make the Valley their home. Dot Seybold is the long-time General Manager of OVP Management, Inc. the development company for Settlers properties in North Conway. Russ Seybold is former President of White Mountain Attractions and is currently treasurer of the Mt. Washington Valley Habitat for Humanity, and active in the local Kiwanis organization. Both Russ and Dot are recipients of the Robert Morrell award recognizing community leadership. “Owning and operating the CSRR has been both a challenge and a joy. We are very grateful to the hard-working employees and dedicated volunteers that have been essential to the success of the railroad. We are confident that the railroad will be in very good hands and wish David, Rhonda and Bill much success.”
https://www.wmwv.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-1.jpg00Tonyhttps://www.wmwv.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-1.jpgTony2018-01-31 08:24:592018-01-31 08:24:59Conway Scenic Railroad Sold
CONCORD, NH (AP) – New Hampshire regulators are scheduled to start deliberations on the Northern Pass project, a $1.6 billion plan to bring hydropower from Canada to southern New England.
The Site Evaluation Committee on Tuesday starts 12 days of public deliberations, leading to an oral decision on Feb. 23. A written decision is expected March 31.
The project would run a 192-mile transmission line, carrying enough hydropower for about a million homes.
Northern Pass has formal contracts with suppliers and a labor agreement with construction managers and unions. It’s been granted permits by the Energy Department and the U.S. Forest Service, and has the support of Massachusetts energy officials.
Supporters say it will create jobs and cut energy costs. Opponents fear transmission lines will destroy scenic views, reduce property values and hurt tourism.
https://www.wmwv.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-1.jpg00Tonyhttps://www.wmwv.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-1.jpgTony2018-01-30 16:00:492018-01-30 11:11:36NH Site Evaluation Committee Begin Northern Pass Deliberations
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Looking to strike a balance between ice-free roads and clean waterways, public works departments around the country are working to cut their salt use in winter by slathering the roadways with beet juice, molasses, and even beer waste to make them safer.
Rock salt for decades has provided the cheapest and most effective way to cut down on traffic accidents and pedestrian falls during winter storms. But researchers cite mounting evidence that those tons of sodium chloride crystals — more than 20 million nationwide each year — are increasing the salinity of hundreds of lakes, especially in the Northeast and Midwest. That is putting everything from fish and frogs to microscopic zooplankton at risk.
“There has been a sense of alarm on the impacts of road salt on organisms and ecosystems,” said Victoria Kelly, a road salt expert at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in New York. “We’ve seen increasing concentrations in river water, lakes, streams. Then, scientists started asking the question: What is going to happen to the organisms living in freshwater bodies and what will happen to the freshwater bodies as a whole?”
Believed to be first used in the 1940s in New Hampshire, salt became the go-to de-icing agent as cities expanded, highways were built and motorists came to expect clear roads. More than a million truckloads a year are deployed in ice-prone climes, most heavily in the Northeast and Midwest.
But many state and local agencies are seeking ways to reduce salt use as its environmental impacts are becoming more apparent.
They have turned to high-tech equipment to spread salt more efficiently, better weather forecasting to time their salting, and liquefied organic additives that help salt stick to pavement. That reduces salt use by preventing it from washing away immediately.
Agencies from New Jersey to North Dakota are using a mixture that includes beet juice; New Hampshire and Maine use one with molasses. Highway departments also have turned to beer waste, pickle brine and, in at least one Wisconsin county, cheese brine.
“Adding salt to the environment does have negative impacts, but for those of us in the Northeast, especially in rural states, where driving is the predominant way of getting around, we need mobility,” said Jonathan Rubin, director of the Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center and lead author on a 2010 report on the cost and benefits of salting Maine roads.
“In my opinion, we are always going to be using some degree of road salt,” he said. “The question is, can we use less?”
Salt corrosion already causes billions of dollars in damage each year to cars, roads and bridges — and now there are growing signs it’s making freshwater ecosystems saltier. In the past 50 years, chloride concentrations in some lakes and rivers quadrupled and, in a few, increased a hundredfold.
Last year, a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences concluded that more than 40 percent of 327 lakes examined had experienced long-term salinization, and that thousands more were at a risk. Researchers also estimated nearly 50 lakes in the study, including small ones in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Rhode Island, could surpass the Environmental Protection Agency’s chloride threshold concentration by 2050, potentially harming aquatic life.
Earlier this month, the University of Maryland’s Sujay Kaushal led another PNAS study that showed how road salt also results in the release of other salts like potassium and magnesium along with toxic metals like lead and copper into the nation’s waterways. Dubbed the freshwater salinization syndrome, Kaushal said this has caused a spike in salinity and alkaline levels at nearly 230 sites in the East and Midwest including the Hudson, Potomac, and Mississippi rivers.
Experiments at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute aquatic lab in Troy, New York, have found that higher salt concentrations reduced growth rates in rainbow trout and decreased the abundance of zooplankton — tiny animals or larvae that are critical to the aquatic food chain and play a role in keeping lakes and streams clean.
Other studies have shown that salinization of lakes and streams reduces the numbers of fish and amphibians, kills off plants, and alters the diversity of these freshwater ecosystems.
“At high road salt concentrations, you can see reductions in growth, reduction in the diversity of species within a system and you can also see effects on reproduction of certain species,” said William Hintz, of Rensselaer Polytechnic.
Despite such environmental concerns, Caleb Dobbins, New Hampshire’s highway maintenance engineer, doesn’t envision salt being replaced anytime soon by substitutes, such as magnesium acetate, which he says are 30 times more expensive and have their own environmental challenges.
“Everybody is looking throughout the world,” he said. “Nobody is finding that silver bullet.”
https://www.wmwv.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-1.jpg00Tonyhttps://www.wmwv.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-1.jpgTony2018-01-30 09:00:242018-01-30 06:53:20Scientists Working On Ways To Reduce Road Salt Damage
Conway Woman Named To Union Leader’s 40 Under 40
CONWAY, NH – A local woman has been named to the Union Leaders 40 under 40.
28-year-old Jessica Wright of Conway was nominated to the program, which recognizes some of the state’s brightest young achievers who have a record of professional and volunteer accomplishments in New Hampshire. This year’s class honors 28 women and 12 men from across the state.
Past honorees include Bode Miller, Kelly Ayotte, Frank Guinta, Jodi Piccoult, and John E. Sununu.
Wright, who grew up in the Valley, works at the Upper Saco Valley Land Trust, a local land conservation non-profit focused on “preserving land for community benefit”. Her work at the Land Trust draws on both her Master’s degree in Environmental Law and Policy and her undergraduate degree in Business Management. She is a founding member of the agricultural collaborative, Mt. Washington Valley Eaters & Growers (MWVEG) and chairs the young professionals group, STAY MWV. She also sits on the UNH Cooperative Extension Advisory Committee for Carroll County and Governor Chris Sununu’s Millennial Advisory Council.
A reception and awards program, sponsored by Citizens Bank, will be held on March 14 at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord. To purchase tickets and for more information, visit unionleader.com/forty.
For the full profile of all the members of this year’s 40 Under 40: www.unionleader.com/section/news0202. For more information on the Upper Saco Valley Land Trust: www.usvlt.org, Mt. Washington Valley Eaters & Growers: www.facebook.com/MWVEG/, STAY MWV: www.staymwv.com, UNH Cooperative Extension: extension.unh.edu/Carroll-County, or the Millennial Advisory Council: www.governor.nh.gov/millennial/index.htm.
6 More Weeks Of Winter!
PUNXSUTAWNEY, PA – The Worlds most famous groundhog weather man has made his forecast.
This (Friday) morning Punxsutawney Phill saw his shadow predicting 6 more weeks of winter.
According to folklore if a groundhog emerges from its burrow on February 2nd and see its shadow there will be 6 more weeks of winter like weather. If the groundhog doesn’t see its shadow then the spring season will arrive early.
In reality a special group on Gobbler’s Knob, a small hill outside Punxsutawney Pennsylvania decides ahead of time what Phil’s prediction will be.
According to Wikipedia Phil is accurate about 39% of the time. He has predicted more weeks of winter 103 times and an early spring only 17 times.
Jackson Ski Touring Foundation Opens New Story Book Trail
JACKSON, NH – The Jackson Ski Touring Foundation has teamed up with Story Land to bring some classic tails to life on the trails. Jackson Ski Touring is opened up the first of two new Storybook Trails added to their trail network.
Guests got a look at the new trail located behind the Jackson Public Library during the grand opening on Thursday.
Deb Deschenes from Jackson Ski Touring said “we’ve decided to name this trail behind the library after Story Land. They have been extremely generous in the signage and they’re absolutely beautiful. So this trail will be named The Story Land Book Trail”
Guests at the Grand Opening included representatives from Story Land, Jackson Public Library, students from Jackson Grammar school, and special guest Duke The Dragon.
Deschenes said that on the less than 1k loop will offer outdoor enthusiasts a chance to read a story while exploring the beautiful Jackson wilderness. “you’ll be able to read a story as you ski, snowshoe, or even walk around this loop. From one sign to the next you’ll read a story, and we’ll be changing those stories out every week.”
For more information about the new story land book trail Jackson ski touring foundation and their new trail go to Jacksonxc.org.
Northern Pass Denied By State Site Evaluation Committee
CONCORD, NH -The Northern Pass Project has been denied by the State Site Evaluation Committee.
According to InDepthNH.org yesterday afternoon the committee voted unanimously to reject the 192-mile transmission line project. The seven member committee said that Eversource failed to meet its burden of proof that the project would not negatively impact the orderly development of the region.
Northern Pass representative Martin Murray said “We are shocked and outraged by today’s SEC outcome. The process failed to comply with New Hampshire law and did not reflect the substantial evidence on the record. As a result, the most viable near-term solution to the region’s energy challenges, as well as $3 billion of NH job, tax, and other benefits, are now in jeopardy.
Long-time opponent Susan Schibanoff of Easton told Indepth NH “The SEC did the right thing today by law and by the people of New Hampshire.”
New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu said in a statement that he was “stunned” by the committee’s decision. Adding that SEC’s decision denies the state much-needed clean energy and the jobs that would come from the project.
The company has 30 days after the committee issues a written decision to ask for a rehearing or to reconsider its vote. Thursday was the third of 12 deliberative sessions ending Feb. 23 when an oral decision is expected.
The $1.6 billion plan being developed by the utility Eversource was set to bring hydropower from Hydro-Quebec in Canada to Southern New England Markets by creating a transmission line through New Hampshire.
Cancellations and Delays For Friday Feb. 2nd, 2018
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Sau 49, Wolfeboro, Ossipee – 2 Hour Delay
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Police Name Man Killed in Fatal Ossipee Crash
OSSIPEE, NH – Authorities have released the name of the driver killed in an accident in Ossipee. Ossipee police said that at 1:21 Tuesday afternoon 39-year-old Henry Doran from Enfield died at the scene after crashing into tractor trailer hauling wood chips.
Authorities said that Doran was headed south in a Carroll Tire light box truck on Route 16 just north of Pine River Road when he crossed the center line crashing head on into a Garland Lumber Co. Truck being driven by 42-year-old Joseph Breen of Moultronboro.
When police arrived they found the tractor trailer on its side with load of wood chips spilled into the roadway and the box truck in the middle of the road with significant damage.
Breen was not seriously injured in the accident.
Police said it is not yet known why Doran crossed into the North bound lane, however, speed is not believed to be a factor.
Route 16 was closed for about 5 hours while crews investigated the accident.
Conway Town Legend Chet Lucy Passes Away At 91
CONWAY, NH – Life long Conway resident and staple in the Mount Washington Valley Chet Lucy has died. According to the Conway Daily Sun Chester B. Lucy, or Chet as everyone in the Valley knew him, died at age 91 of natural causes in the home that he was born in on Sunday.
Chet is part of fifth generation family to call the Mount Washington Valley home and was buried this weekend in the Lucy Family Plot.
Chet was known for many things from his active participation on local boards and committees, owning Conway Supply, and for his plethora of volunteer work around the Valley. He was also notably known for his ability to swing a vote during the old town meetings. Selectman Mary Carey Seavey told the Sun “At town meeting, he commanded such attention when he spoke, and whatever he said always made such a difference. He always spoke so eloquently.”
During the WMWV celebration of 50 years on the air Chet, a long time dignitary on the station, came in to help the station celebrate. Roy Prescott Morning Show host on WMWV said “I was lucky enough to get to know Chet over the years and always found that his Yankee sense of humor and candor was something that really distinguished him from the rest.” Services are set to be held at a later date according to his obituary.
Conway Scenic Railroad Sold
CONWAY, NH – Dot & Russ Seybold announced the sale of the Conway Scenic Railroad to Profile Mountain Holdings Corp, led by President David Swirk. The sale was completed on January 30, 2018 and PMHC will commence operations immediately in anticipation of the seasonal opening in April.
The iconic railroad and tourist attraction with the historic 1874 train station has enjoyed 44 continuous years of operation. Originally hired as President and General Manager of the railroad in 1990, Seybold was instrumental in the expansion to Crawford Notch and the commencement of a truly world-class railroad experience. Russ and Dot purchased the railroad in 1999 and continued to expand operations with the addition of two full-service dining cars including the “Chocorua” and the “Hattie Evans,” and the dome observation car “Dorthea Mae.” They were key founders of the highly successful Polar Express holiday excursion. Other signature annual events including Day Out With Thomas ™, Pumpkin Patch Express, Santa’s Holiday Express and Railfans Weekend which generate tens of thousands of guests each year.
Profile Mountain Holdings Corp, DBA Conway Scenic Railroad, is jointly owned by David Swirk and his business partner William Sullivan, Jr. This is their second and by far most exciting venture together. David, PMHC President, has nearly 30 years of short line rail management experience focused on business development and operations including mechanical and engineering. David and his wife Rhonda, having purchased a house in Conway last year, are looking forward to working together at the CSRR for many years to come. Rhonda comes from a 23-year career in banking, finance and office management.
“We look upon the Conway Scenic Railroad as an economic development engine which is closely tied to the communities in which it operates,” shared Swirk. The goal is to work with area business leaders to increase ridership and tourism for the mutual benefit of everyone, and we sincerely appreciate this once in a lifetime opportunity to follow the same track that Russ and Dot have established to preserve and improve upon this historically significant property.”
Russ and Dot are residents of Jackson, New Hampshire and will continue to make the Valley their home. Dot Seybold is the long-time General Manager of OVP Management, Inc. the development company for Settlers properties in North Conway. Russ Seybold is former President of White Mountain Attractions and is currently treasurer of the Mt. Washington Valley Habitat for Humanity, and active in the local Kiwanis organization. Both Russ and Dot are recipients of the Robert Morrell award recognizing community leadership. “Owning and operating the CSRR has been both a challenge and a joy. We are very grateful to the hard-working employees and dedicated volunteers that have been essential to the success of the railroad. We are confident that the railroad will be in very good hands and wish David, Rhonda and Bill much success.”
NH Site Evaluation Committee Begin Northern Pass Deliberations
CONCORD, NH (AP) – New Hampshire regulators are scheduled to start deliberations on the Northern Pass project, a $1.6 billion plan to bring hydropower from Canada to southern New England.
The Site Evaluation Committee on Tuesday starts 12 days of public deliberations, leading to an oral decision on Feb. 23. A written decision is expected March 31.
The project would run a 192-mile transmission line, carrying enough hydropower for about a million homes.
Northern Pass has formal contracts with suppliers and a labor agreement with construction managers and unions. It’s been granted permits by the Energy Department and the U.S. Forest Service, and has the support of Massachusetts energy officials.
Supporters say it will create jobs and cut energy costs. Opponents fear transmission lines will destroy scenic views, reduce property values and hurt tourism.
Scientists Working On Ways To Reduce Road Salt Damage
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Looking to strike a balance between ice-free roads and clean waterways, public works departments around the country are working to cut their salt use in winter by slathering the roadways with beet juice, molasses, and even beer waste to make them safer.
Rock salt for decades has provided the cheapest and most effective way to cut down on traffic accidents and pedestrian falls during winter storms. But researchers cite mounting evidence that those tons of sodium chloride crystals — more than 20 million nationwide each year — are increasing the salinity of hundreds of lakes, especially in the Northeast and Midwest. That is putting everything from fish and frogs to microscopic zooplankton at risk.
“There has been a sense of alarm on the impacts of road salt on organisms and ecosystems,” said Victoria Kelly, a road salt expert at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in New York. “We’ve seen increasing concentrations in river water, lakes, streams. Then, scientists started asking the question: What is going to happen to the organisms living in freshwater bodies and what will happen to the freshwater bodies as a whole?”
Believed to be first used in the 1940s in New Hampshire, salt became the go-to de-icing agent as cities expanded, highways were built and motorists came to expect clear roads. More than a million truckloads a year are deployed in ice-prone climes, most heavily in the Northeast and Midwest.
But many state and local agencies are seeking ways to reduce salt use as its environmental impacts are becoming more apparent.
They have turned to high-tech equipment to spread salt more efficiently, better weather forecasting to time their salting, and liquefied organic additives that help salt stick to pavement. That reduces salt use by preventing it from washing away immediately.
Agencies from New Jersey to North Dakota are using a mixture that includes beet juice; New Hampshire and Maine use one with molasses. Highway departments also have turned to beer waste, pickle brine and, in at least one Wisconsin county, cheese brine.
“Adding salt to the environment does have negative impacts, but for those of us in the Northeast, especially in rural states, where driving is the predominant way of getting around, we need mobility,” said Jonathan Rubin, director of the Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center and lead author on a 2010 report on the cost and benefits of salting Maine roads.
“In my opinion, we are always going to be using some degree of road salt,” he said. “The question is, can we use less?”
Salt corrosion already causes billions of dollars in damage each year to cars, roads and bridges — and now there are growing signs it’s making freshwater ecosystems saltier. In the past 50 years, chloride concentrations in some lakes and rivers quadrupled and, in a few, increased a hundredfold.
Last year, a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences concluded that more than 40 percent of 327 lakes examined had experienced long-term salinization, and that thousands more were at a risk. Researchers also estimated nearly 50 lakes in the study, including small ones in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Rhode Island, could surpass the Environmental Protection Agency’s chloride threshold concentration by 2050, potentially harming aquatic life.
Earlier this month, the University of Maryland’s Sujay Kaushal led another PNAS study that showed how road salt also results in the release of other salts like potassium and magnesium along with toxic metals like lead and copper into the nation’s waterways. Dubbed the freshwater salinization syndrome, Kaushal said this has caused a spike in salinity and alkaline levels at nearly 230 sites in the East and Midwest including the Hudson, Potomac, and Mississippi rivers.
Experiments at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute aquatic lab in Troy, New York, have found that higher salt concentrations reduced growth rates in rainbow trout and decreased the abundance of zooplankton — tiny animals or larvae that are critical to the aquatic food chain and play a role in keeping lakes and streams clean.
Other studies have shown that salinization of lakes and streams reduces the numbers of fish and amphibians, kills off plants, and alters the diversity of these freshwater ecosystems.
“At high road salt concentrations, you can see reductions in growth, reduction in the diversity of species within a system and you can also see effects on reproduction of certain species,” said William Hintz, of Rensselaer Polytechnic.
Despite such environmental concerns, Caleb Dobbins, New Hampshire’s highway maintenance engineer, doesn’t envision salt being replaced anytime soon by substitutes, such as magnesium acetate, which he says are 30 times more expensive and have their own environmental challenges.
“Everybody is looking throughout the world,” he said. “Nobody is finding that silver bullet.”