Author: NH Business Review Staff

School parcel eyed for station

MILFORD - If a new police station is built in town, a committee that has been studying the issue since spring said it should be built in place of the largely unused Garden Street School - probably. The committee’s final…

Rep. Bass backs $4m

NASHUA - Projects at Daniel Webster College, St. Joseph Hospital and the Senior Activity Center are in line to receive more than $4 million in federal funds. U.S. Rep. Charlie Bass is advocating for the projects, which have won early…

Ortiz flashes signature smile

NASHUA - Cailyn Costa likes all the Boston Red Sox players, but her favorite is David Ortiz. That could be because the 28-year-old designated hitter has a reputation as an upbeat, sincere team player, or because he led the team…

N.H. soldier in picture with Bush

MANCHESTER (AP) - President Bush’s secret visit to Baghdad on Thanksgiving was an exciting time for American troops and for one household in Manchester. David Legro was watching the news when he saw a soldier pass by. “Hey, I think…

Judging a book by its cover helpful for president

When President Bush recently described himself as “a friendly guy,” he made a point that many of his critics concede: They disagree with his policies but like him personally. Now that his job-approval ratings are hovering around the 50 percent…

Anti-virus utility a great deal

Getting something for nothing is a good thing, except when you get exactly what you paid for. But AVG Anti-Virus, a free utility, doesn’t come with the usual gotchas. Installing it requires downloading and running a six-megabyte installer, then registering…

Government falls behind in Internet maintenance

It’s not enough to build a Web site. If you want people to use it, you have to make it helpful and easy to find. So says the General Accounting Office, a federal agency that recently examined traffic at the…

Gateway makes digital move

Gateway Inc. has expanded its reach into the electronic home with some solidly built digital cameras that offer budding photographers another option beyond the tried-and-true Canons, Sonys and Nikons. Gateway’s premium model is the DC-T50 ($399), a 5.25-megapixel workhorse with…

Vote set for Wednesday on teachers contract

WILTON - The board of the Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative School District and the school’s teachers have agreed on a new three-year contract, but the district’s Budget Committee says the percentage increases are too high given the economic climate. A special district…

Kids commandeer airwaves in Merrimack

MERRIMACK - “Hi, I’m Jeremy King with ‘Merrimack Matters!’ ” Jeremy, 12, stood with a microphone poised to interview Janet Angus, the library director. Meanwhile, Jennifer Bull, 11, worked the camera, staring intently into the viewfinder. This was the main…

Get well soon

Comcast Cable officials notified City Hall it would be raising cable bills early in 2004. The average price increase will be about $2.71 a month, said a letter from Elizabeth Graham, the cable company’s director of government and community relations,…

Time to find a tree

IIn the time it took Steve Fetter to get his baby daughter out of her car seat, his two young sons had already found _The One. Walking among the 14 rows of Christmas trees at Brookdale Fruit Farm in Hollis…

MEDIAN SALE PRICES

This chart shows the median sale prices for houses and condominiums in 11 areas of Nashua between April 1, 2002, and March 31. The areas were defined by the Nashua Regional Planning Commission, which analyzed data for home sales. Southwest&tab;&tab;&tab;$385,000…

Housing_costs_plague_city

NASHUA - Working families are increasingly facing home prices that are beyond their reach, according to a newly _issued report by the Mayor’s Task Force on Housing. “This housing problem is not just a problem for the low-income (residents). This…

False alarms rise in Hudson

HUDSON - After two years of decreases, the Police Department is starting to see a rise in the number of false alarms. The police and fire departments have suggested raising the fines for false alarms and other changes to the…

How much water?

MONT VERNON - The drive to raise enough money to buy 78 acres of forest along Purgatory Brook has reached two-thirds of its $90,000 goal, but the deadline is now only three months away. Joanne Draghetti, who has been leading…

Housing cluster crosses hurdle

NASHUA - The Zoning Board of Adjustment has approved a local development firm’s request for a special exception to build a 40-lot single-family cluster housing project on 12.5 acres owned by the 1590 Broadcasting Corp. at 502 W. Hollis St.…

Vandals damage building

LYNDEBOROUGH - Sometime during Saturday night, vandals broke into the clubhouse at Pinnacle Mountain Fish and Game Club off Cemetery Road. Damage is estimated at about $10,000, including broken windows, doors, furniture and appliances, a television and a microwave oven.…

Residents vent at town meeting with Bass

WILTON - There is no way to control Congress, lawmakers are totally out of touch and need to get the deficit under control, reduce spending and control taxes. Those were some of the comments made to U.S. Rep. Charles Bass,…

Six N.H. schools to get laptops in computer program

The six schools that will get about 700 new laptop computers for 7th-grade classes and teachers early next year were announced earlier this moth by Gov. Craig Benson. The leased computers, wireless networks and technical support will be going to…

PC Connection vows to revive fed contract

Saying there was no indication of intentional wrongdoing, Merrimack-based PC Connection predicts it will win back a $56 million federal contract canceled over possible sales by a subsidiary that may have resulted in “underpayment of fees” or sales of “unqualified…

Baseball team’s primary goal is pleasing fans, sponsors

Someday, new parents may feel the need to consult a lawyer when choosing a name for the baby. For now, consultations with counsel are advisable when naming a baseball team. Legal as well as public relations considerations are involved in…

Postal Service urges residents to shovel

Snow and ice will soon cover the ground as the winter months quickly approach. Wintry conditions are a serious concern for the men and women of the U.S. Postal Service who deliver mail. A Postal Service official said numerous letter…

Town boards try _to work together

MERRIMACK - The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday agreed to meet with members of the School Board as a first step toward forming an Affordability Master Plan Committee. The meeting will take place after Jan. 1. School Board Chairman Ken…

City office building granted variances

NASHUA - A former rooming house at 381 Main St. that was the focus of numerous complaints by neighbors about drug dealing, littering and trespassing by its residents would be converted into office space under a plan approved by the…

Another public works staffer leaves

NASHUA - Another senior staff person is leaving the Division of Public Works, the third departure in a month’s time. The string of departures is prompting some questions about whether there is trouble in the division causing the top managers…

Selectmen shoot down library position

HUDSON - In hopes of attracting more candidates, the library wants to turn a part-time adult services position into a full-time one. Right now, the position is about 30 hours a week and does not include any benefits. The lack…

No holiday for plumbers

When it comes to shoveling food into hungry mouths at Thanksgiving, sometimes the mouth at the bottom of the sink eats the most. Except in that case, the indigestion is felt by everyone in the house. “Everything goes down the…

Water utility’s superintendent resigns

MERRIMACK - Brian Wilson served his final day Wednesday as superintendent of the Merrimack Village District. Wilson’s resignation was accepted by the MVD commissioners in a nonpublic session Oct. 20, according to meeting minutes. “Brian Wilson noted that he feels…

Preparing for duty

ilitary duty rarely yields to celebrations such as Thanksgiving, or even marriage. Sgt. Matthew Bernard realized this when he extended his Army Reserve commitment: The call could come at any time. But never did he imagine he would have roughly…

Gas mains in the way of Lowell Road widening

HUDSON - Delays in moving gas mains could affect the schedule for the Lowell Road widening project. The Board of Selectmen unanimously approved Tuesday sending a letter to KeySpan asking the company to move up work on relocating its gas…

Girl released after dog bite

NASHUA - A 5-year-old girl mauled by a pit bull terrier was expected to be released from a Boston hospital on Tuesday, the same day the dog was killed. On Sunday morning, Kaspar Boghossian was watching television with his daughter…

Streeter seeks hike in aid for education

CONCORD - Nashua Mayor Bernie Streeter said Tuesday that he would take a tougher tone trying to get more state education aid for his city in 2004 - and he endorsed a state tax increase to get it. “Last year…

Architect picked for

LITCHFIELD - Plans for a new elementary school received a boost this weekend when the School Board picked an architect for the proposal. The board on Saturday approved hiring Harriman Associates, which is based in Portland, Maine. The firm also…

Steps taken in restoring floor

WILTON - The floor of the rotunda in the public library is an elaborate mosaic comprising thousands of half-inch squares of marble. Since 1908, patrons have walked across it, and in places the floor is a little worn. Using a…

’50s town history

WILTON - There have been a lot of changes in town in the past 50 years, but many things have remained the same. In 1956, resident Fred Wilkinson was a student at Boston University’s School of Education, working on his…

Costs to insure workers mulled

BROOKLINE - Selectmen said they have a tough nut to crack before ringing in the New Year. Board members spent the bulk of their Monday night meeting considering how best to deal with the increasing cost of health care for…

On the web

The contract of Pennichuck President and CEO Donald Correll can be seen as part of the company’s quarterly report on the Web site of the Securities and Exchange Commission. To see the contract, go to the Web site, www.sec.gov, and…

Buyout bonus for utility CEO raises questions

NASHUA - The contract for the head of Pennichuck Corp. includes a $500,000 bonus that appears much more likely to be paid if the utility is sold to anybody other than the city of Nashua, according to documents filed by…

Falling reserves could lead to bond rating dip

CONCORD - Gov. Craig Benson said he’s “very concerned’’ at the possibility the state’s bond rating could be lowered when Wall Street agencies make a decision about an $80 million, long-term note in the coming weeks. During an interview, Benson…

Unfurling a message of acceptance

NASHUA - As the sun rose Monday morning, a group of teenagers stood on the roof of the north campus of Nashua High School ready to deliver a message. With a heave from those above the brick façade of the…

Cell tower would require town vote

LYNDEBOROUGH - AT&T Wireless wants to place a 100-foot communications tower near the town barn off Locust Lane, and selectmen would like to have it there to provide some needed income for the town. Two obstacles stand in the way,…

Senior housing project gets $4m

NASHUA - One of the final pieces of the puzzle to build a complex with a new Senior Activity Center and affordable elderly housing has fallen into place. Southern New Hampshire Services has received $4,041,000 to open 43 units of…

Experts: Flu shots help

NASHUA - Anyone considering skipping the flu shot this year because the vaccine doesn’t match a strain of the flu that has surfaced in some parts of the country should think again. “It’s not exactly the same strain, but the…

A week of cultural sharing comes to an end

NASHUA - Those who embraced the Tibetan Buddhist monks during their stay in the city must now practice the Buddhist concept of nonattachment and say goodbye to their new friends. Throngs of people crowded into the foyer of the Nashua…

Hearing set _on tipping fees in Merrimack

MERRIMACK - After years of debate by residents, seemingly countless hours of discussion by town officials and several contentious town meeting votes, the pieces of the trash disposal puzzle are falling into place. A $1.5 million transfer station being built…

Veterans tax credit faces approval in April

MERRIMACK - It was an early test of the town’s new ethics ordinance, which was designed in part to keep public officials from getting involved in areas where there might be a conflict of interest. Selectmen’s Chairman Dick Hinch is…

Convenience store gets preliminary approval

NASHUA - The Planning Board has given conditional approval to a proposal to build a convenience store at 523 Broad St. next to the new Majestic Heights subdivision, but that approval may be short-lived. Final approval of the plan hinges…

Group seeking medical volunteers

NASHUA - A community-based Medical Reserve Corps is looking for a few good volunteers among doctors, pharmacists, lab techs and medical professionals of all stripes to serve. The 2-year-old national MRC makes its arrival in the state after three communities,…