Author: NH Business Review Staff

Land purchase allows town to preserve muster grounds

LITCHFIELD - The site of the town’s muster grounds will now be permanently preserved. The town’s Conservation Commission bought the land last month. It is sandwiched between the Merrimack River and the Charles Bancroft Highway. The muster grounds may be…

Report: 2 bus runs would save money

MERRIMACK - Two runs and a sixth degree of separation. The School Board on Monday received a committee report that showed it is economically feasible to go back from three to two school bus runs. Better still, the report also…

Judicial pick may decline nomination

CONCORD - Gov. Craig Benson’s third choice for the Nashua District Court judge job may decline the nomination, the governor’s spokeswoman said Monday. Benson nominated John Coughlin for the Nashua court last week, after the Executive Council unanimously confirmed him…

Board rejects library contract

NASHUA - Aldermen took about 30 minutes to kill a proposed two-year contract for Nashua Public Library workers. The dismissal of the contract left library trustees Chairman Arthur Barrett “blindsided,” he said. Barrett said the contract was available for review…

Open space gets board approval

HOLLIS - Selectmen voted Monday night to recommend spending more than $4 million to preserve 260 acres of open space. The board voted 4-1 in favor of recommending the $3.25 million purchase of the 180-acre Woodmont Orchard parcel, located on…

Report: 2 bus runs would save money

MERRIMACK - Two runs and a sixth degree of separation. The School Board on Monday received a committee report that showed it is economically feasible to go back from three to two school bus runs. Better still, the report also…

Chimney fire ruins garage

A rotted stovepipe led to a chimney fire that badly damaged an unattached garage Sunday morning, according to the Brookline Fire Department. No one was injured, and the house at 8 Mason Road was not damaged. The fire, started by…

Civilians to soldiers

CONCORD - They arrived steadily from 2 p.m., some appearing apprehensive, others wearing expressions that reflected the apparent sadness in their hearts. Soon, this parade of Granite Staters, representing family members and friends of soldiers in the New Hampshire Army…

Changes to zoning set for hearing

NEW IPSWICH - The Planning Board is making another attempt to modify the town’s zoning regulations after being rejected by voters 11 out of 12 times last year. The newly proposed changes to the town’s zoning ordinances and subdivision regulations…

Annual greening raises money for club

MASON - Every year for the past 15 years, Arthur Ashe has been making a wreath or two at the annual Greening of Mason. This year he was watching his two daughters, Hannah and Emily, give it a try. For…

Downtown gallery a step closer to reality

NASHUA - The long road to realizing their dream of a vibrant, successful arts enclave in the downtown area reaches another milestone this week for those connected with the Nashua Area Artists Association and the local contractor who’s strongly backing…

Scamman hopes to tackle school funding

CONCORD - Most of the majority Republican Party was with the other guy, but Douglas Scamman Jr. is back as speaker of the House of Representatives. Scamman, 62, insists the GOP will unite to work on an issue-based agenda in…

Go ahead and ask

What if Google, the Internet’s favorite answer-bot, was made of flesh and blood? With “Answers Here and Now,” it almost is. The new online service, launched here last month, lets local library patrons use their Web browsers to pick the…

South working on reaccreditation

NASHUA - Nancy Hilliard didn’t know how exhausting the process of evaluating a school could be. Then she served on the visiting committee for the reaccreditation of Bow High School. “I was blown away by what this committee had to…

Oval aglow as Milford holds tree-lighting

MILFORD - Five, four, three, two, one . . . Christmas! A crowd of well over 100 revelers gathered on the Oval on Saturday evening to sing in the season and see someone switch on the Christmas tree lights. The…

Sounds of Solace

n a small suite inside the Community Hospice House in Merrimack, Linda Chadbourne sits in a straight-back chair, cradling a cherry-and-redwood mountain dulcimer and gazing into Eleanor Wentworth’s eyes. Wentworth, a patient, sits in a wheelchair in her stocking feet,…

Scamman hopes to tackle school funding

CONCORD - Most of the majority Republican Party was with the other guy, but Douglas Scamman Jr. is back as speaker of the House of Representatives. Scamman, 62, insists the GOP will unite to work on an issue-based agenda in…

Area libraries join online reference desk

What if Google, the Internet’s favorite answer-bot, was made of flesh and blood? With “Answers Here and Now,” it almost is. The new online service, launched here last month, lets local library patrons use their Web browsers to pick the…

Program brings music into the lives of the critically ill

In a small suite inside the Community Hospice House in Merrimack, Linda Chadbourne sits in a straight-back chair, cradling a cherry-and-redwood mountain dulcimer and gazing into Eleanor Wentworth’s eyes. Wentworth, a patient, sits in a wheelchair in her stocking feet,…

Bar owner: ‘This is not over’

HUDSON - In a petition asking the state to revoke the Zone Entertainment Complex’s liquor license, the town claims the bar is a public nuisance and threat to public safety. However, the bar’s owner says allegations the town has used…

Town to monitor treatment of water

MERRIMACK - Selectmen on Thursday agreed to spend $30,000 in sewer user fees for an engineer to represent the town as Anheuser-Busch prepares to build a facility to treat a wastewater byproduct of its brewing operations. Although the facility itself…

Yard waste collection ended

NASHUA - The Solid Waste Department’s curbside collection of soft yard waste has ended for the season. The department will not pick up any more yard waste set out with trash. Residents may bring any remaining yard waste directly to…

Nashua receives funds for park

NASHUA - As Salmon Brook flows through downtown, it passes an eyesore of weeds and abandoned industrial building foundations. But the Nashua Rotary Club and city officials, with the financial support of the federal government, have plans to brighten a…

Van reaches out to Nashua readers

NASHUA - Alice Levesque looked at the titles of the best sellers sitting on her dining room table. For an avid reader, who finishes a book a week, the delivery from Karen Egle-Gaber was a welcome gift. “I am getting…

Family homeless following Thursday blaze

TYNGSBOROUGH, Mass. - A police officer was injured and a family of four left homeless following a fire that may have had an electrical source. Tyngsborough police Officer Shuan Woods was treated and later released from Lowell General Hospital, where…

Shuttle bus to service Milford Christmas event

MILFORD - Amid the traditional holiday fare, this Saturday’s old-fashioned Christmas on the Oval will feature something unusual for Milford’s downtown - a shuttle bus. “We’ll see how it goes, and if it’s something that’s popular we might try it…

Hudson Fire Department going digital

HUDSON - Using a mixture of grants, the Fire Department is slowly moving into the modern, digital age. The department has already purchased several digital radios for its fire engines and other vehicles. The department also anticipates receiving portable digital…

Concerns resurface in preserve debate

MERRIMACK - A 2½-hour roundtable discussion about the Horse Hill Nature Preserve on Thursday ended with the Board of Selectmen hung up over the same issue that split the previous board last year: who should ultimately have management control over…

Last day to register for conference

BEDFORD-Today is the last day to register for a collaborative small-business conference on planning, growing, and financing a New Hampshire business. The New Hampshire Business Review and CEI Community Ventures Inc., a venture capital firm, are co-hosting “The Agenda for…

K of C ‘Breakfast with St. Nick’ set

MERRIMACK - The Knights of Columbus, Council 10896, is holding its 10th annual “Breakfast with St. Nick” on Saturday from 8-11 a.m., at St. John Neumann Church hall. Tickets are $5, children under 2 are free, with a family maximum…

Holiday fair slated at New Searles

NASHUA-A holiday fair will be held at New Searles Elementary School, 39 Shady Lane (off Exit 4) on Saturday from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Featured will be crafters, raffles, a holiday bake sale, and kids activities including make a craft, face…

Ham, bean supper at church planned

NASHUA-Main Street United Methodist Church, 154 Main St., will hold a ham and bean supper Saturday from 4:30-7 p.m. The menu includes sliced ham, two kinds of baked beans, cole slaw, potato salad, bread, beverage and selection of pies, all…

Church to hold Advent workshop

NASHUA - Arlington Street United Methodist Church will hold an Advent workshop and mini-fair on Saturday from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. This event will be held in lieu of the Holly Town Fair. The Advent Workshop and Mini-fair will feature interactive…

Youth Council among recipients of statewide grant

New Futures, a statewide advocacy agency working to reduce underage alcohol problems and increase access to treatment, has awarded close to $1 million in grants, including one to the Youth Council in Nashua. In all, eight organizations will receive money…

Selectmen have more work to do on budget

MERRIMACK - As it now stands, the town’s budget for next year is $26.01 million, up $1.24 million, or about 5 percent over current spending. However, the bottom line is still in flux with the Board of Selectmen scheduled to…

Cash, sweets stolen from stand

HUDSON - Vandals hit the Pop Warner concession stand at Hudson Memorial Middle School, making off with a sweet stash. Police were contacted at 11:30 a.m. Monday about the vandalism, in which a wall was torn off a metal trailer-like…

World Series trophy comes to Manchester

MANCHESTER - Kenneth Gagne was born in August 1918 - just before the Red Sox won their second-to-last World Series. He died this year on the morning of Oct. 28 - the day after the Sox earned their first championship…

Committee preps for superintendent search

HOLLIS -With candidate interviews set to begin in less than two weeks, the Hollis/Brookline superintendent search committee met Tuesday to iron out a list of interview questions for the wannabe future leaders of School Administrative Unit 41. Current Superintendent Ken…

Historical society gets new director

William Veillette was supposed to begin his new job today. But sure enough, the Amherst man found himself at his new home, the Museum of New Hampshire History, on Tuesday, a day ahead of schedule. “I couldn’t resist, so I’m…

Accident startles students

AMHERST - A car ended up on its side leaning against a utility pole just outside Souhegan High School at noontime Tuesday after it collided with a pickup truck driven by a teenage student. The adult driver of the car,…

World AIDS Day observed today

NASHUA - The theme of World AIDS Day in 2004 is “Women and AIDS.” A Nashua area event is sponsored by the Southern NH HIV/AIDS Task Force, in conjunction with Dartmouth Hitchcock Clinic and the city of Nashua Division of…

Suspicious fire near school investigated

Authorities were investigating the cause of a suspicious fire that broke out in a Dumpster at a local school early Tuesday night. Fire crews responded to the Elm Street Middle School at 117 Elm St. shortly after 4:30 p.m. when…

Smile for Santa

Eric Frederick of Nashua introduces Santa Claus to his dog Polka Dot, a 1-year-old female Dalmatian, during a special pet photo session at the Pheasant Lane Mall in Nashua on Tuesday. Frederick and his wife, Patricia (not pictured), posed with…

Hollis selectmen OK land appraisal

HOLLIS - Selectmen have not decided whether to recommend spending more than $4 million - the largest amount yet - on land conservation purchases. With the Special Town Meeting to consider these potential land purchases just a couple weeks away,…

Sox to rally in N.H. today

MANCHESTER - The World Series champion Boston Red Sox will continue their victory tour of New England today with a trip to New Hampshire. The main event is a rally at 3 p.m. at Veterans Park in Manchester, featuring Red…

Freshman Seminar survives challenge

NASHUA - If Board of Education Chairwoman Kim Shaw wanted to draw attention to what she perceives to be a lack of communication between the district and the board, she accomplished that goal. At Monday night’s board meeting, teachers, administrators…

Panel reshapes plan to fill board vacancies

NASHUA - An aldermanic committee on Monday approved an amendment to proposed legislation that would change the way vacancies are filled on elected city boards or commissions. Instead of appointing people to fill vacancies on the Board of Aldermen, the…

Proposed moratorium to aid town planners

MILFORD - Getting some breathing space from development so Milford can look at the big picture is the idea behind a proposal to halt big new projects for a year. “(The Planning Board) has been struggling with this for a…