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The Colebrook Chronicle
COVERING THE TOWNS OF THE UPPER CONNECTICUT RIVER VALLEY
FRIDAY, JULY 3, 2015
603-246-8998
VOL. 15, NO. 51
Historic Stark Bridge Reopened After Renovation
By Thomas Jordan
The covered bridge in Stark,
a key element of the most photographed scene in New Hampshire, has formally reopened
after over a year of restoration
work. A ceremony on Saturday
afternoon brought over 300 people to the picturesque site.
(Continued on page 2)
Man’s Death Brings
Authorities To Columbia
By Charles J. Jordan
Shortly after 12 noon on
Wednesday, police, fire and rescue personal were called to the
home of David Oldham just off
Route 3 in Columbia, north of
Blue Mountain Variety Store, for
what was originally called a car
fire with possible entrapment.
(Continued on page 2)
Police, with weapons in hand, on site at a Columbia residence where
a man’s body was discovered on Wednesday. Charles Jordan photo.
Clockwise from top left: Reconstruction has completed on the historic Stark Covered Bridge, with a
rededication ceremony last Saturday. Cecile Eich and Sue Croteau cut the ribbon on the bridge. Beatrice
Tuttle, Stark’s oldest citizen, was the first to walk on the bridge with her son, Dennis Lunn. A large crowd
was present during the ceremony and later admired the work done. Charles Jordan photos.
Four North Country Hospitals In
“Home Stretch” On Affiliation
Over the last two years, the
four hospitals in the New Hampshire North Country have been
planning an affiliation to help
them deal with the challenges
they face as small, rural, commu-
nity hospitals in a healthcare
environment that is in the midst
of significant change.
The Boards and leadership of
Berlin’s Androscoggin Valley
Hospital, Littleton Regional
Healthcare, Colebrook’s Upper
Connecticut Valley Hospital and
Lancaster’s Weeks Medical Center announced that they have all
approved a formal Affiliation
Agreement to create a common
parent organization that will
(Continued on page 2)
In Canaan: NEK
Looks To Future
By Angela Wheeler
On Tuesday night, June 30,
residents of the Town of Canaan
gathered at Canaan Memorial
Schools in the gymnasium for a
brain storming session held by
Vermont Council on Rural Devel(Continued on page 3)
Cork Boat Sets Sights
On Connecticut River
By Thomas Jordan
With the summer season
underway, it’s a common sight to
see canoes and kayaks headed to
the lakes in Pittsburg. A slightly
less common sight was seen this
past week when Pan van der
Laan of Lancaster set sail aboard
a boat made of wine corks.
Dubbed the “Conncorki,” the
catamaran-style vessel was
something that had been bobbing
in Pan’s head since the late
1990s. “I read an article in
Ocean Navigator Magazine
describing a trip down the Duoro
River in Portugal, in a cork boat,”
he explains. “This was created by
John Pollock, who started collect(Continued on page 13)
“Conncorki” sets sail on Lake
Francis in Pittsburg. Courtesy
photo.
Clinton To Be In
Gorham’s Parade
At Monday’s press conference: UCVH Interim Chief Administrative
Officer Peter Gosline, Weeks CEO Scott Howe, AVH CEO Russell
Keene, Littleton Regional CEO Warren West. Charles Jordan photo.
If you needed any indication
that we are on the verge of
another election year, this week
the leading contender for the
Democratic Party’s nomination
for President, Hillary Clinton, is
scheduled to take part in Gorham’s July 4th parade, which
gets underway at 2 p.m.
Pan van der Laan in his workshop, with his impressive catamaran
with pontoons made entirely of wine corks. Courtesy photo.
Page 2
The Colebrook Chronicle
Friday, July 3, 2015
Stark Bridge
(Continued from page 1)
The ceremony honored the
memory of Jim Eich, former
Stark selectman and champion
of the bridge’s restoration. Eich,
who passed away in 2013, was
remembered fondly by those who
spoke during the ribbon cutting
ceremony, being praised for his
good nature and his work
towards pursuing an essential
grant for the preservation work
on the bridge that now bears a
plaque in his name.
After a flute solo of the
national anthem by Alexandria
Tichy of the New Hampshire
National Guard, the ceremony
was opened by Bridge Committee
Chairperson Wayne Saunders.
“I just want to thank my committee members,” he said,
“because it’s a lot of work to pull
something like this off, and they
all work extremely hard.” He also
thanked the Stark Fire Department, who assisted with food for
the day, the local church for
providing their grounds for the
event, and the local road agent
for assistance with the ceremony.
“It’s been a community event,
basically, to plan this. I think
that’s what this event really is
about.”
Opening remarks were made
by former selectboard member
Everett Frizzell, who spoke on
the value and history of the original bridge, which dated back to
the 1850s. He shared the fact
that the bridge has a junior twin
in Alaska, after winning the
interest of a covered bridge fan
by a gentleman working on a
housing
development
near
Anchorage in the mid-nineties.
“It looks very close to this
bridge here, it’s just a mini one,”
he said, smiling. “You probably
would have to drive your Volkswagen or Cube car across it.”
He thanked everyone involved
in the project. “I’d like to welcome all of you here to this commemorative
event,
the
reopening, and what I like to
think of as the rebirth of the
historic Stark Village Covered
Bridge, which sits here gracefully on the shores of the Upper
Ammonoosuc River, with a background of the Stark village and
the picturesque Devil’s Slide. It
is a most attractive sight.”
Jason Ross, Senior Structural
Engineer of HEB Engineers in
North Conway, was in charge of
the project for the engineering
firm. He spoke about the passion
that the selectmen exhibited in
saving and preserving the
bridge, a project that had been a
big part of the past five years for
Ross. They worked with the town
to put the bridge into the N.H.
Dept. of Transportation’s municipal bridge program, with N.H.
DOT providing 80 percent of the
funding for the restoration. This,
in addition to the $904,000 grant
that the town received for the
project, was something Ross felt
was an exciting step forward for
the project.
A poem by Stark’s Katherine
Farwell Emery was read,
inspired by her love for the state,
and students from the Stark
Village School led the audience
in singing “America The Beauti-
Left photo: The discovery of a body at the David Oldham property in Columbia on Wednesday brought a steady stream of law enforcement
to the scene. Right: Firefighters tape off access to the road leading to the home and scene as an investigation into the Columbia death got
underway. Police were expected to make an announcement regarding the case sometime on Thursday. Charles Jordan photos.
ful.” State Senator Jeff Woodburn, Executive Councilor Joe
Kenney, and State Representative Wayne Moynihan all gave
remarks at the event.
“It is always remarkable to
me when the members of a community come together and agree
to put their own money into the
pot, and do something that is for
the common good of their neighbors or for the larger community,” said Moynihan, the
geographically closest representative to the bridge with a nearby
residence. “This site in Stark has
become the symbol of New
Hampshire.”
Commander David Kenney of
the United States Navy spoke,
sharing humorous reactions by
folks noticing him, a Navy member in full uniform, moving
inland towards Stark, noticeably
away from the ocean. He talked
about Eich, a four-year Navy
veteran back in the 1960s, and
praised his civic service to the
town of Stark after returning
home. “It’s about giving back,
and clearly, this is what Jim Eich
was all about, leaving an impact
that will be here for years to
come.”
Following the remarks, Jim
Eich’s widow, Cecile Eich, and
Town Clerk Sue Croteau officially cut the ribbon to open the
bridge. Those present were welcomed to cross the bridge after a
symbolic first walk by 95-yearold Beatrice Tuttle, the Stark
holder of the Boston Post Cane.
Man’s Death
(Continued from page 1)
But within a short time, that
situation was changed to a crime
scene as authorities reportedly
found a vehicle along the road
into the Oldham residence with
its airbags deployed and a body
outside of the vehicle.
The press was not allowed
further up the road, as it was
deemed during the early afternoon to be a crime scene. The
presence of law enforcement on
the scene carrying assault rifles
at their side indicated the serious
nature police were taking the
ongoing investigation. Authorities were trying to determine if
this was a case of suicide or
homicide.
By Wednesday afternoon,
N.H. State Police were indicating
that there appeared to be only
one individual involved. At that
point evidence was indicating a
likelihood of suicide, although no
official determination had been
ruled pending further investigation. Police did tell the Chronicle is that the public was not
considered to be in danger.
By presstime, information
was still minimal from N.H.
State Police, which released the
following statement at 8:42 p.m.
on Wednesday:
“New Hampshire Attorney
General Joseph A. Foster and
State Police Colonel Robert L.
Quinn announce that they are
investigating a suspicious death
on Route 3 in Columbia, New
Hampshire. The name of the
deceased is not being released
pending family notification and
autopsy results. The investigation is ongoing. No additional
information is anticipated to be
released at this time.”
At the scene we spoke an
acquaintance and close friend of
the family of David Oldham, who
owns the property, and were told
that the family believed it was
Oldham’s body found on the property–although the Colebrook
Chronicle was unable to receive
official confirmation of this. We
were told that family members
had been attempting to reach
Oldham earlier in the day and
expressed concern and drove to
the scene, discovering on the
road into the property a vehicle
with its airbags deployed and a
body not far away, near a fire pit.
This source also told the Chronicle that the Oldham house was
in disarray. “We didn’t know if
he had done the damage himself
or if it had been ransacked,” we
were told.
Because of the unusual
nature of the scene, police immediately had it taped off and a
full-scale investigation began.
As of late Wednesday night,
WMUR TV–which used Colebrook Chronicle video filmed
earlier in the day and sent
reporter Stephanie Woods to
Columbia for the late night newscast, reported:
“State Police and the Attorney
General’s office have been on the
scene all day alongside Route 3
in Columbia, and they are investigating a death that they say
was suspicious. Earlier today,
they say that one man did die.
They’re withholding the name
until they can notify the family
and his next-of-kin. They’re saying that this is suspicious. Earlier today, Colebrook Police,
Attorney General’s office and
State Police surrounded a private residence where the death
allegedly occurred, and they do
continue to investigate right
now. We spoke to State Police
earlier tonight, and they said
that the autopsy will take place
tomorrow, and pending those
results, they will release more
information, as well as the identification of the man who died.
Again, they are calling this death
suspicious, and we are waiting
on more details here.”
Hospitals
(Continued from page 1)
serve communities in the North
Country. Its name will be North
Country Healthcare.
“This preserves access to highquality, personal health care for
people in the North Country and
positions us to meet future challenges,” said Upper Connecticut
Valley Hospital Interim Chief
Administrative Officer Peter
Gosline in an official press
release.
“All of the Boards of the hospitals have thoroughly reviewed,
negotiated and approved the
affiliation agreement. We are
now ready to submit it to the NH
Attorney General’s Office for its
review.”
added
Littleton
Regional Healthcare CEO Warren West.
During a press conference at
the Mountain View Grand hotel
last Monday, we spoke with Greg
Placy of Colebrook’s Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital, who felt
optimistic about the organization. “As you’ve seen over the last
few years, we’ve started sharing
specialists with other hospitals.
This only opens it up wider to us,
to provide us the ability to provide better quality, and maybe
even some more specialists that
we don’t currently have. We may
also be sharing some of our services with other hospitals as well.
“This is a step forward,” he
added, “because if we remained
four independent hospitals, we
would remain competing with
each other, rather than working
with each other to provide a
better North Country healthcare
system.”
North Country Healthcare
will become the parent organization of the new four-hospital
health system. Under the
arrangement, each of the hospitals will exchange some autonomy to enable joint development
of a highly coordinated health(Continued on page 3)
The chief executives of the North Country’s four hospitals, seated, with
representatives from their individual boards standing behind them,
signed the latest documents for the North Country Healthcare
affiliation agreement. Chrles Jordan photo.
Friday, July 3, 2015
The Colebrook Chronicle
Page 3
On Tuesday night, June 30, residents of the Town of Canaan gathered at Canaan Memorial Schools in the gym for a brain storming session with USDA Rural Development
members. Community members were given the opportunity to speak their ideas to help boost opportunities and support the quality of life for Kingdom residents. Pictured at the
right is Ben Doyle, a Community and Economic Development Specialist with the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA), speaking to the group of Canaan residents to try and get a
picture of what it is the community would like to see done to help it prosper and boost opportunities. Angela Wheeler photos.
Hospitals
Canaan Meeting
(Continued from page 2)
(Continued from page 1)
care network that will improve
quality, increase efficiencies and
lower the cost of healthcare delivery in the North Country region.
During Monday’s press conference, it was explained that
this is a unique arrangement,
and should this succeed, it would
provide a model for other similar
programs.
While there will be a new
board and management for
North Country Healthcare, each
hospital’s current Board of Trustees will continue its community
oversight role, and, in coordination with the new parent organization, establish strategy and set
direction for each hospital. It
could be a possibility that the
individual hospitals would operate without individual CEOs
under this program.
“Whether this affects Upper
Connecticut Valley Hospital or
not, I’m not sure,” said Placy.
“We do still have our own hospital board, and we must vote on
things as well as the parent, in
order for changes to go forward.”
“Each hospital will maintain
its own board of trustees or directors and maintain control of its
own endowment and charitable
assets,” emphasized Weeks Medical Center CEO Scott Howe in
the press release.
The Affiliation Agreement
will now be delivered to the N.H.
Attorney General’s Office and its
Division of Charitable Trusts for
review and approval. As part of
the review process, community
information meetings will be
held in each hospital community
to outline what the agreement
entails and answer any questions
people may have. The meeting
dates and locations will be
announced later this summer. It
is anticipated that if the approvals are obtained, North Country
Healthcare will be operational in
early 2016.
“It’s a tribute to the spirit of
cooperation that makes the
North Country and its people
special that each organization
and its board could find the common ground needed to make this
work,” said Androscoggin Valley
Hospital CEO Russ Keane.
More information on the
North Country Hospitals Affiliation
may
be
found
at
www.northcountryhealth.org.
opment (VCRD) with USDA
Rural Development members.
Community members were given
the opportunity to speak their
ideas to help boost opportunities
and support the quality of life for
Kingdom residents. There have
also been meetings held in Hardwick and Newport with the final
meeting being held in Lyndonville, Vt.
The Town of Canaan has just
recently received help from these
organizations with the building
of the new Wastewater Treatment Facility. These investments are part of the Obama
Administration’s efforts to help
rural and Tribal communities
that have the greatest need for
assistance, the USDA is targeting capital and technical assistance to small businesses and
development organizations to
help stimulate more businesses
and development organizations
to help stimulate more business
activity in areas that are struggling economically. Planners say
that this will help revitalize
these small, remote rural communities and create muchneeded jobs for local residents.
The funding is being provided
through USDA’s Rural Business
Enterprise Grant (RBEG) and
Rural Business Opportunity
Grant (RBOG) programs. Rural
Business Enterprise Grants help
small and emerging rural businesses. Rural Business Opportunity Grants promote sustainable
economic development in rural
communities with exceptional
needs.
The grants are being awarded
in areas designated as (REAP)
zones. REAP zones are areas
that are considered economically
distressed due to factors such as
poverty, geographic isolation,
declining populations or economic upheaval,such as the closing of a major job provider, like
Ethan Allen. Designating rural
Canaan, Vt., as a definite REAP
zone. The 2014 Farm Bill
extends all current REAP zones
through 2018.
Information supplied at the
meeting stated that “The Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD) is dedicated to the
support of the locally-defined
progress of Vermont's rural communities. VCRD is a dynamic
partnership of federal, state,
local, nonprofit and private partners. Actively non-partisan with
an established reputation for
community-based facilitation,
VCRD is uniquely positioned to
sponsor and coordinate collaborative efforts across governmental
and organizational categories
concerned with policy questions
of rural import.”
The last chance to have your
voice and opinion heard as to
how this grant money should be
used for the Town of Canaan will
be on Aug. 6, 2015, at Lyndon
State College in Lyndon, Vt. from
6:30-8:30 p.m. For more information, contact VCRD by calling
(802) 223-6091, by email at
info@vtrural.org, or by visiting
www.vtrural.org.
Police, EMS Reports
NORTHUMBERLAND
POLICE
On June 22, at 10:13 a.m.,
officers responded to a 911 call
reference a vehicle driving erratically, vehicle was located on
Route 110 and stopped. The
driver, 54-year-old Mark Crowley of Marlborough, was subsequently arrested for Driving
under the Influence. He was
booked and released on PR bail
with a court date in the Lancaster Court for July 6.
GROVETON AMBULANCE
During the week of June 2228,
Groveton
Ambulance
responded to two medical calls in
Groveton Village, two medical
calls and one fire standby in
North Stratford, and one medical
call in the town of Stark.
Groveton Ambulance provided Emergency Medical Ser-
vice support to the Speedway 51
Races and Blessing of the Bikes
in Groveton, and the Stark Covered Bridge dedication in Stark.
In the same period Groveton
Ambulance performed one transfer from the Child Advocacy Center in Groveton to Androscoggin
Valley Hospital (AVH) in Berlin.
Northumberland police and rescue were called to the scene of a motor
vehicle crash on Route 3 on Monday. Tammy Thivierge photo.
This vehicle went off the road in Northumberland on Monday. Police and rescue were called to the scene.
No further information was available at this time. Tammy Thivierge photo.
Page 4
The Colebrook Chronicle
A Story Well Told
We know that there will be those in the community who do not wish to relive the events of Aug. 19,
1997. We understand.
As a person who has spent our entire adult life
documenting both the good and the bad that you
encounter as a journalist, we look back at the events
of 18 years ago through the prism that still seems
surreal. We found ourselves right in the middle of
an unfolding drama, which we witnessed from the
inside, and yet we still find it hard to realize it really
all happened, here in Colebrook, even though we
saw it. And in a week when once again we see law
enforcement pour into our region as they did on
Wednesday–this time to investigate an untimely
death in Columbia– we long ago have come to expect
that not all news is sunshine and roses.
In the current issue of Yankee and in his forthcoming book, writer Richard Carey has done a
masterful job sensitively telling the story of that
long ago summer day when the world seemed to
close in all around us and we found solace in doing
what we each felt most qualified to do. For this
editor, we remain glad to have been there to be able
to help my fellow skilled journalists and be a part
finishing the work Dennis had begun that day.
We still miss our friends we lost that day.
Charles J. Jordan
Friday, July 3, 2015
Editor Charlie Jordan was a fairly young whippersnapper when he took this photo 43 years ago, during
Colebrook’s Fourth of July parade on July 4, 1972. It shows the float entry for the Colebrook Future
Farmers of America Alumni, which as the sign indicates was marking “40 Years of Progress.”
Campaign
SENATOR AYOTTE BRINGS
CAMPAIGN TO COLEBROOK
On Tuesday evening U.S.
Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH)
officially kick-off her reelection
campaign in Manchester. The
next morning she visited the
North Country, appearing at a
town hall-style meeting at the
Tillotson Center in Colebrook,
where she took questions from
the public. After the event, she
spoke with the Colebrook
Chronicle in this exclusive
interview. You can see the entire
interview in this week’s Video
News
of
the
Week
at
www.colebrookchronicle .com.)
CHRONICLE: This is the
day after your announcement
that you’re running for re-election.
AYOTTE: I am. I officially
announced yesterday, so I
wanted to get up to the North
Country right away and have an
opportunity to have a town hall
meeting up here. I’m going to go
over and visit the new operation
VA Health Clinic. I think the
North Country is such an important part of our state. I love the
beauty of the North Country,
and the people, so I’m so glad to
be here today.
CHRONICLE: After four
years in Washington, what have
you learned during that time?
How do you prepare for that kind
of position?
AYOTTE: One thing I’ve
learned is that, just like anywhere else, in Washington, getting to know people as people and
relationships matter in terms of
how you treat other people. I had
that experience as Attorney General, because I originally worked
under a Republican governor,
and then I worked under a Democrat governor. So I realized that
just taking that same experience
(Continued on page 5)
Editor: Charles J. Jordan; Publisher: Donna Jordan
Associate Editor/Video Editor: Thomas Jordan
Reporter/Photographer: Angela Wheeler
Reporter/Photographer: Samantha McMann
Canadian Correspondent: Corey Bellam
Sports Photographer: Tina McKenzie
U. S. Senator Kelly Ayotte takes questions during a town hall-style meeting at the Tillotson Center in
Colebrook on Wednesday morning. After the event, she spoke with the Colebrook Chronicle for the
interview above. Charles Jordan photo.
Friday, July 3, 2015
Campaign
(Continued from page 4)
was the way to try to work with
other people to get things done
in Washington. I think what you
find out in Washington is that
there’s a lot of team meeting on
both sides, but you’ve got to
break out of that and find out
what people are interested in.
Even people that you have very
different philosophies with, there
are areas where you can find
common ground, and I think
that’s how you get legislation
done in Washington.
CHRONICLE: Are you seeing progress in bipartisan efforts,
working across the aisle?
AYOTTE: I think we are.
This year, just getting the Senate
operating better, getting votes
for anyone who wants to offer an
amendment on a vote. We’ve
certainly voted a lot more this
year, so we’ve been able to get
bipartisan “doc fix” done, some
trade legislation, a bill on veterans’ suicide, trafficking, a bill to
review the Iran negotiations, so
there’s some things we’ve been
able to get done. I think there’s
a lot more to do, but we’ve seen
some steps in the right direction.
I think the key is, again, focusing
on, “Okay, what is it I agree with
this person on that we need to
get done for the country,” as
opposed to always focusing on
what you disagree with someone
on.
CHRONICLE: As you go into
the thought of running again,
what are some of the things that
are hanging in the balance now
that you really want to be a part
of?
AYOTTE: There’s a lot hanging in the balance. I wake up
every day with a sense of purpose
of wanting to get things done for
the country, because we have
such a great country, and such a
great state, and I see some great
challenges before us. I think it’s
time for us to come together and
have a bipartisan large fiscal
agreement for the country that
addresses the $18 trillion in debt,
and makes programs like Medicare and Social Security sustainable. That’s going to take people
to work across the aisle, and it’s
going to take some courage, and
I want to do that. I have two
children, and if we don’t do that,
then we’re going to be passing
along a country that’s severely in
debt. The other issues that I’ve
been working on is, I think,
sometimes in Washington, I don’t
know, maybe they didn’t work in
a small business, but they do
things that make it harder for
small businesses. So to be that
voice for New Hampshire’s small
businesses in Washington, cutting through red tape and
bureaucracy, making it easier,
making sure that people think
about what it’s like. My husband
is a small business owner, so I
know what it’s like out working
every day for him, so I want to
make sure I bring that perspective there. And then, of course,
our veterans–this is something
that’s been a priority for me from
day one, making sure they get
the benefits they’ve earned, the
health care access here in New
The Colebrook Chronicle
Hampshire, because too often our
veterans are having to go long
distances. And then terrorism,
and making sure we protect the
country, stopping those that
want to harm us. Making sure
that the country remains safe
and that means supporting our
military and what they need.
CHRONICLE: How do you
keep the balance between domestic and international concerns?
AYOTTE: I think you have to
start with the building blocks, so
if you look at our prosperity, our
freedom–without security, you
can’t have prosperity or freedom.
So there is a basic investment we
have to make to make sure we
have a strong military, that we
remain safe. What I think we
need to be doing also is being
very thoughtful and careful
about what our engagements are.
Making sure that if we send our
men and women in uniform to
another area of the world, that
there is a strong plan for success,
that it really is something we
should do to protect our country
versus other people’s interests,
and that there is a way to have
a path that they can come home.
So, to me, that’s if we do have
situations where there is potential to get embroiled in conflict,
it’s thoughtful analysis and being
very careful about what we
engage in. But there’s no doubt
that without a strong military
and good intelligence, our adversaries are going to try to take
advantage of us.
CHRONICLE: How do you
feel about the large Republican
presidential field right now?
AYOTTE: I think that in New
Hampshire we can do a real
service to the nation, of our role
in the First in the Nation Primary and vetting candidates.
The town hall meeting I did
today in Colebrook, I want to see
those candidates out doing the
town halls, and I think that will
show the people of New Hampshire who the strong candidates
are. We have a very important
role, when you see the number of
candidates on the Republican
side, I think our role becomes
even more important in winnowing down this field through the
vetting that we do at Town Halls,
at the VFW halls, at the diners,
at the local businesses, on the
Main Street. That, to me, makes
New Hampshire even more
important in this process.
CHRONICLE: How can people find more information about
you?
AYOTTE: For information on
my
campaign,
it’s
KellyForNewHampshire.com.
There’s a new video that you can
take a look at. Obviously, I still
have a lot of work to do as a
Senator for New Hampshire, so
if you have a question on that
side,
my
website
is
Ayotte.Senate.gov. That’s for official business, and also I send out
each week a newsletter from that
site about what we’re doing at
the Senate.
Read The Chronicle Online For Free At
www.colebrookchronicle.com
Page 5
Page 6
The Colebrook Chronicle
Friday, July 3, 2015
Media
Left: The cover of the current July-August 2015 issue of Yankee magazine, which includes information
about the article in the coverline “A Day This Small Town Will Never Forget…” Right photo: Among the
five photos taken by Charlie Jordan in the Yankee article is this picture Jordan took in 1992 of Dennis
Joos interviewing presidential candidate Pat Buchanan and his wife in the Sentinel’s newsroom.
YANKEE ARTICLE
RECALLS AUG. 19, 1997
It was a bright, sunny summer day in 1997, yet it is remembered by all who lived through it
as Colebrook’s darkest day. It
was the day that a malcontent
named Carl Drega went on a
shooting rampage in Colebrook
and before it ended with Drega’s
own death in the woods of Brunswick, Vt., four beloved local people were killed, Judge Vickie
Bunnell, newspaper co-editor
Dennis Joos, and Scott Phillips
and Les Lord of the N.H. State
Police.
The complete story of that day
and how the town was ripped
apart, only to slowly work to heal
itself is about to burst back onto
the scene with the upcoming
publication of Richard Adams
Carey’s long-anticipated account
of the drama, In The Evil Day,
to be published in book form this
September by University Press
of New England.
To preview the book, Yankee
magazine has published in its
current July-August 2015 issue,
expected on newsstands this
week, a portion of the book focus-
ing on how the News and Sentinel, with the aid of others,
completed putting its issue
together that night under the
most trying of circumstances. It
was an issue nearing the final
stages when co-editor Dennis
Joos was killed just outside the
back door by Drega shortly after
the Columbia man had gunned
down Vickie Bunnell, Scott Phillips and Les Lord.
Yankee’s editor Mel Allen
decided to focus on the newspaper angle and edited it into a
5,000-word piece from Carey’s
book text. The result is titled
“The Hardest Deadline,” which
is described on the opening page
of the magazine article this way:
“When horrific violence came to
a small New Hampshire town,
the staff of the weekly newspaper
had to somehow get the issue out
and let the community know
what had happened, even though
their editor and close friends
were dead.”
Yankee asked Colebrook
Chronicle editor Charlie Jordan
to assist in illustrating the article for two reasons: Jordan had
long been associated with Yan-
kee, having written for Yankee
from 1971-1982 and working as
an editor there from 1982-1985,
having established close friendships with Yankee. But also
Jordan worked closely beside
Sentinel Publisher John Harrigan that fateful night with Sentinel staffers and people from
the community to finish the
paper that Dennis Joos had
begun with co-editor Susan Zizza
earlier that day. Jordan, who had
worked at one time with Harrigan at the Coos County Democrat, happened to be at the
nearby library when the shootings occurred and took most of
the photos at the scene that day.
Author Rick Carey said of the
Yankee excerpt from his forthcoming book, “There were so
many acts of courage on display
that day from people who, during
that morning, had no idea so
much would be demanded from
them. The job of these journalists
returning to their desks and
publishing this story was one
such act, and the first public
affirmation that hatred and gun
violence would not and could not
destroy this community.”
Business
The Dollar Tree store in Northumberland is nearing its opening as the company is conducting interviews
with potential employees this week. Charles Jordan photo.
Friday, July 3, 2015
The Colebrook Chronicle
North Country Photo Album
Historic Stark Covered Bridge Reopened
Photos by Charles Jordan
Over 300 were in attendance for the rededication.
Alexandra Tichy performed “The
National Anthem” on flute.
The bridge honors former selectman Jim Eich in a plaque.
Photos lined the bridge, including a copy of the Colebrook Chronicle
story when restoration work began last year.
Former Stark selectboard member Everett Frizzell gave opening
remarks at the event.
Stark Elementary School students led the audience in singing “America the Beautiful.”
Page 7
Page 8
The Colebrook Chronicle
Friday, July 3, 2015
Community News
Left photo: This past weekend, June 26-28, was the 39th Annual Great North Woods Ride In and Blessing of the Bikes. This year's event was held in Groveton, at Speedway 51,
after several years of being held at the Shrine of our Lady Grace in Columbia. This year's event featured live music, a race on Saturday night, several vendors including Wilkins
Harley-Davidson from Barre, Vt., and a Biker's Rodeo. Right photo: This year's Blessing of the Bikes was sponsored by the Groveton Catholic Parish St. Francis Xavier and
was led by Father Daniel Nassaney, OMI (at right) and Father Henri Delisle, OMI (left). Angela Wheeler photos.
POORE FARM OPEN BARN
CELEBRATION SUNDAY
The Poore Family Homestead
Historic Farm Museum on Route
145 in Stewartstown is celebrating its founder J.C. Kenneth
Poore’s 130th birthday with the
annual “Open Barn and Birthday
Celebration” and with a reenactment by the American Mountain
Men of the Trappers and Traders
era, on Sunday, July 5.
On Saturday and Sunday,
July 4 and 5, the North East
Company, the local chapter of the
American
Mountain
Men
(http://www.mtmen.org), will be
back this year in force to have a
historic encampment at the
Poore Farm for two days. Come
see the American Mountain Men,
their traditions and way of life
and how our nation’s greatest,
most daring explorers and pioneers lived and survived alone in
America’s vast wilderness using
only what nature had to offer.
Visitors can see firsthand what
life was like on the frontier and
how the guns of the era work.
In addition, on Sunday, July
5, Harold Boydston will be on
hand playing authentic western
Cowboy music on mandolin and
guitar. Period dressed reenactors, including Hope Carpenter,
will be on hand again this year
demonstrating weaving, spinning and soap making. Audience
participation is encouraged. Try
a drop spindle or another 1800s
(Continued on page 9)
This year at the Great North Woods Ride In and Blessing of the Bikes
a Biker's rodeo was held on Saturday afternoon. Participating in this
year's Slow Ride were Corey and Peter Mardones, Ken Cayer, Doug
Cunningham, Chad Gowitzke, Mark James and Karl Porcello. Angela
Wheeler photo.
The second event of the Biker's Rodeo was the Board Ride in which
Peter Mardones took second place, Ken Cayer took third place and
Mark James took first place riding his bike carefully along top of thin
boards for the longest distance before going off the side. Angela
Wheeler photo.
A Weight Toss competition was also held as part of the Biker's Rodeo
on Saturday. Coming in first was Peter Mardones (right), in second
was Andrew Chainey (middle), and third was Ken Cayer (left). Angela
Wheeler photo.
Friday, July 3, 2015
The Colebrook Chronicle
Page 9
Community News
(Continued from page 8)
craft. Lady Beefheart will be on
hand to demonstrate brain and
egg tanning animal hides, and
Albert Cloutier will be back
again, crafting axe and hatchet
handles out of White Mountain
Ash.
The Homestead is a significant historic and cultural North
Country destination. Do not miss
this opportunity to view the
many displayed artifacts, meet
the volunteers, directors and
enjoy some old-world demonstrations.
Free birthday cake and lemonade will be served. All are
welcome. The Poore Farm
Museum will be open for the
celebration from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Admission is by donation with a
suggested minimum of $8 per
adult. Accompanied children
under 12 are free.
The Poore Farm Museum is
an historic homestead/ settlement documenting one families
life from the 1830s to the 1980s.
The house, barns and outbuildings are all in original condition
and reflect their use and era.
The feeling one gets when entering the homestead is to step back
in time to one that existed prior
to rural electrification of the
northernmost regions of New
Hampshire.
SUMMER MUSIC CAMP
SET FOR COLEBROOK
The fifth annual Summer
Music Camp will be held from
Aug. 14-20, at the Tillotson Center in Colebrook. The free daily
program is for area music students entering Grades 6-12, who
will be part of their school chorus
and/or band. It includes music
lessons, group rehearsals and
other musical activities led by
professional instructors from
local schools. A concert is
planned for Aug. 20.
More details will be shared
soon. For pre-registration or
questions, contact Sharon Pearson
at
Prelude619@
myfairpoint.net or 915-0879.
BUSINESS AFTER HOURS
AT TIMEOUT TAVERN
On Thursday, July 16, a Business After Hours will be held
from 5-7 p.m. at Timeout Tavern
Sports Bar and Grille (at the
Northland
Restaurant)
in
Canaan, Vt. Business community members are welcome to join
in this free networking event
that is co-hosted by the North
Country Chamber of Commerce.
The business will be showcased
and its history will be shared by
the current and past owners.
Light appetizers and beverages
will be served. The deck will be
open for the enjoyment of the
guests on this summer evening,
and trivia games will start at
6:30 p.m. for those that want to
stay afterwards.
Please RSVP by contacting
Britni at the Chamber office at
237-8939 or info@chamberof
thenorthcountry.com. Responses
are appreciated by the 14th.
CASA EVENT PLANNED
FOR COLEBROOK
CASA of NH is in the midst
of planning for its second annual
signature community event in
Colebrook.
North of the Notches ATV
and Brewfest will take place on
Saturday, Sept. 26, at Bear Rock
Adventures. This event has the
feel of a country fair with activities including hayrides, demonstrations, vendors, food, live
music, ATV grass drags, live
entertainment and a craft brewfest.
New this year, organizers are
inviting community members to
take the stage and show off their
talents. If you are interested in
applying for time on stage, contact Jen Buteau at 237-8411 or
email her at jen@casanh.org.
Acts can be composed of an
individual, group or business.
Performances might include
music (singing, instrument),
dance, martial arts, juggling,
magic, animal tricks, or demonstrations
encouraging
the
crowds to participate e.g.
Zumba, Yoga, belly-dancing.
They are open to ideas, so be
sure to contact them soon.
To learn more about CASA of
NH visit www.casanh.org.
CHRISTMAS IN JULY
SALE AT THRIFT SHOP
As special summer treat, the
Groveton Thrift Shop at 9 State
St. will have a 50-percent-off
sale of its large inventory of
Christmas items. Here savvy
shoppers will find everything
required to avoid crowding the
Christmas season with frantic
trips to expensive malls. Not
only are decorations and gifts
included in the sale, but other
bargains are available at the
usual “can’t be beat” prices.
Recently a loyal “Snow Bird”
pulled up in a truck with a load
of donations that had been accumulating in the family’s garage
throughout the winter. Many of
those items flew out the door as
quickly as they could be priced
and shelved. Others, including
golf clubs, a car seat and other
children’s equipment remain.
In addition, a number of
“downsizers” have provided the
Shop with glassware, flatware,
dishes and cooking equipment.
Anyone undertaking a first
apartment or wanting a change
of style will find the current
stock enticing.
Children will be delighted by
the assortment of games and
toys, books and puzzles that will
help sharpen their minds and
prepare them for the challenges
of the next school year.
Excluded from the sale are
the case of jewelry and hand
knits as well as the pillows and
a rack of brand new clothes.
In case of questions, call the
Thrift Shop at 636-2026. The
Thrift Shop operates Wednesday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.,
and summer Saturdays from 9
a.m.-12 noon. It will be closed on
July 4.
–submitted by Alice B. Poole
The 39th Annual Blessing of the Bikes and Great North Woods Ride In was held this year at Speedway
51 in Groveton after several years of being held in Columbia at the Shrine of Our Lady of Grace. Events
played all throughout the weekend starting on Friday, June 26 and running until Sunday, June 28.
Angela Wheeler photo.
COOS COUNTY
NURSING HOSPITAL
On Father’s Day residents on
all floors enjoyed played a Gone
Fishing Game in the morning.
A delicious roast beef dinner was
enjoyed by residents and their
guests. In the afternoon, an
exhibit of anything on wheels
was enjoyed in the Family Room.
Jackie Blakley made and decorated a beautiful wedding cake
for the Wedding Reception Cocktail party. One layer of the cake
was chocolate and the other was
a white cake. The yummy white
frosting was decorated with pastel petunias. The room was decorated with wedding dresses,
pictures, a ring bearers and a
flower girls outfits, a cake topper
and other wedding items. Ice
cream was served along with the
cake to our wedding guests.
Residents reminisced about their
own weddings while sipping on
their favorite beverages.
A group reminisced about the
days when the ice man would
deliver ice and making homemade ice cream. A story was read
about the ice man and residents
shared some of their own stories.
June birthdays were celebrated with a Summertime
Birthday Bash. Residents were
served berries and cream and
reminisced about picking and
cooking berries. In the Special
Care Unit (SCU), residents made
summer flowers, had fun making lighthouses from clay pots
and garden decorations from tin
cans. They enjoyed their bird
sensory and fabric sensory programs.
Bev Gebhard was the lucky
winner of the Blackout Bingo
game. Residents in the SCU
played a summer word game,
Letter Switch and Unit Bingo.
Residents exercised with a
Stretching Group and a Chair
Chi program.
Judy and Sally entertained on
Friday afternoon to an appreciative audience.
A watermelon was carved into
the shape of a pig. The pig was
filled with chunks of watermelon
which were served at a social on
the patio along with traditional
slices.
COMFORT COUNTRY AT
FANTASTIC FRIDAY NEXT
Fantastic Fridays got off to its
sixth season last week on the
common in North Stratford.
Patrons enjoyed the music of
Manika Druke, a teenaged
singer/guitarist from Lancaster.
A variety of delicious, fresh goodies from the gardens and kitchens of local vendors were offered,
as well as many handcrafted and
flea market items.
This week the band Comfort
Country will entertain the crowd
from 4:30-7 p.m. on July 3. The
band is made up of well known
artists Lee Baker, Tim Berry,
Joanne Gilman and Suzan Shute
joining in harmony singing, playing lead and rhythm guitar, mandolin and bass. They perform a
wide variety of country tunes
from Patsy Cline to Patti Loveless and Lefty Frizzell to Zack
Brown. They add in some doowop 1950s, a little gospel and
bluegrass to make for an enjoyable time.
GOTHARD SISTERS
COMING NEXT TUESDAY
The Great North Woods Committee for the Arts will present
Irish step champions The
Gothard Sisters in a return trip
to Colebrook on Tuesday evening, July 7, at the Tillotson
Center in Colebrook. Partner
sponsorship for the show is provided by Granite Bank.
The Gothard Sisters are a
dynamic all-female Irish music
and dance trio from the Pacific
Northwest. The three sisters
perform and record new Celtic
arrangements of well-known traditional tunes and songs, as well
as their own original compositions from their six recorded
studio albums.
As champion Irish dancers
who have competed overseas
multiple times at the World
Championships, they include the
visual elements and the exciting
(Continued on page 10)
Page 10
The Colebrook Chronicle
Friday, July 3, 2015
Community News
(Continued from page 9)
rhythms of Irish step dancing
into tightly choreographed, highenergy variety shows.
The signature sound of the
Gothard Sisters’ recording (their
album “Story Girl” was awarded
Album of the Year in 2011 by
Celtic Radio) blends the freedom
and lyricism of traditional folk
forms with the discipline gained
from years of training as classical musicians and the competitive world of Irish dance.
Greta Gothard is trained classically as a violinist; she started
playing at the age of five and has
performed as a youth symphony
member and a soloist in such
venues as Benaroya Hall in Seattle and the Kimmel Center in
Philadelphia. As an Irish step
dancer, Greta competed at the
The talented three Gothard Sisters from the Pacific Northwest return to Colebrook for a spirited concert
filled with Celtic tunes and dancing next Tuesday, July 7, at 7 p.m. The show, held at the Tillotson Center
in Colebrook, is presented by the Great North Woods Committee for the Arts. Partner sponsorship is
provided by Granite Bank. Tickets are $15 and now on sale at Fiddleheads. Courtesy photo.
World Championships of Irish
dance four years in a row as a
soloist and a team member on a
figure choreography that placed
second in the world. Greta now
plays guitar, keys, Cajon and
several more instruments and
sings backup vocals to help
round out the sound of the
Gothard Sisters.
Willow Gothard also learned
to play the violin at an early age,
following the footsteps of her
older sister. Willow has always
enjoyed the influence of Irish and
Celtic music and other dance
music. This led to, among other
things, a very successful competitive Irish dance career in which
she placed in the top five several
times in the Western Region and
competed in solos, recalling at
the World Championships in
2009. During this time, Willow’s
interest in traditional Irish
music grew and subsequently
she began writing her own tunes.
Solana Gothard was trained
as a classical violinist starting at
the age of three. Solana has
(Continued on page 11)
Two members of N.H. Fish and Game visited with community
members at the Stratford Grange on Saturday, June 27, to get help
and input for their 2015 Wild Life Action Plan, that comes out every
10 years. Pictured is John Kanter a Nongame and Endangered
Wildlife Coordinator and Jillian Kilborn, a Regional Wildlife Biologist. Angela Wheeler photo.
Friday, July 3, 2015
The Colebrook Chronicle
Page 11
Community News
(Continued from page 10)
always followed in the musical
footsteps of her older sisters.
Having studied violin with teachers and mentors from an early
age, Solana also found herself
drawn to singing and vocals as
well as her violin playing. Putting her vocal talents to use as
the lead singer of the Gothard
Sisters, Solana has also added
Bodhran, pennywhistle, Cajon
and various percussion instruments to her repertoire. Solana
is also an accomplished Irish
dancer--she was the youngest
dancer from the Pacific Northwest ever to qualify for the World
Championships at the Western
Region Championships in 2006.
The Gothards will be bringing
with them their brand-new CD,
“Mountain Rose,” which features
12 tunes ranging from “Queen of
Argyll” to the ever-popular “St.
Anne’s Reel” done in the inimitable Gothard style.
These three sisters were a hit
when they first played in Colebrook and, with a new album to
promote, they will once again
please the crowds. The show will
start at 7 p.m. and advance tickets are available for $15 at Fiddleheads on 110 Main St. in
Colebrook or at the door on the
night of the concert. For more
information on this and other
GNWCA
shows,
visit
www.gnwca.org or call 237-9302
or 246-8998.
ISHC ANNOUNCES ANNUAL
MEETING SPEAKERS
The Board of Directors of
Indian Stream Health Center
(ISHC) invites the community to
ISHC’s 2015 Annual Meeting on
Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2015. The
event is being held at the Spa
Restaurant and Outback Pub in
West Stewartstown. A reception
starting at 5 p.m. will be followed
by a 6 p.m. buffet. A suggested
donation of $18 from those who
are able to make a donation is
appreciated to help offset the cost
of the evening.
This year, ISHC has two
dynamic presentations by Dr.
Sean Boynes, Director of Interprofessional Practice of DentaQuest Institute and Deborah
Amdur, Medical Center Director, White River Junction VA
Medical Center. Dr. Boynes will
speak about the importance of
integrating oral health into the
scope of comprehensive primary
care services. Amdur’s presentation will focus on the importance
of accessibility and high quality
primary health care to Veterans.
Dr. Sean G. Boynes is a Dentist
Anesthesiologist
who
received his D.M.D. from the
University of Pittsburgh and
completed a three year residency in anesthesiology from the
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He currently serves
as Director of Interprofessional
Practice at the DentaQuest
Institute, Expert Advisor for
Safety Net Solutions and Senior
Dental Advisor for CareSouth
Carolina. Prior to his current
position, Dr. Boynes was Director of Dental Medicine at CareSouth Carolina, a federally
qualified health center in the
Pee Dee Region of South Carolina. He has authored or coauthored over sixty publications
relating to dentistry, public
health, pharmacology, or anesthesiology. He is owner and
Chief Consultant of Dental Medicine Consulting, a consulting
firm that assists organizations
and programs with quality eval-
uations, chart auditing, and integrating dental and medical
disciplines. Dr. Boynes has been
recognized by many organizations and the National Health
Service Corp recently featured
him as one of the 40 top clinicians for their 40th Anniversary
Celebration and the National
(Continued on page 12)
Page 12
The Colebrook Chronicle
Friday, July 3, 2015
Community News
The Weathervane Theatre in Whitefield opens its 50th season on Saturday night, July 4, with an opening night performance of “Bubble and Squeak,” where the audience will
get a chance to meet, see and hear the professional acting company and interns who will be appearing all summer long in multiple roles. The first full performance opens on
Tuesday, July 7, with “Fiddler on the Roof.” Left photo: “Oleanna” is a thought-provoking drama by noted American playwright David Mamet. A two-character tour de force
with AEA actors Nathan Brisby and Claire Neumann starring as professor and student. Talk-backs between cast and audience are planned following each performance. Middle:
The music is hot and the guys are cool: “Smokey Joe’s Café” opens July 9. With AEA and professional actors Robert H. Fowler, John Wilkening, Daniel Belnavis, Sam Dowling,
and Jacques Stewart–and a bevy of lovely ladies–singing the best of Leiber and Stoller pop hits. Right photo: “Fiddler On The Roof” which starts July 7. With North Country
resident Peter Gair as Tevye, and a whole village of professional performers, including three of his daughters portrayed by Claire Neumann, Crystal Sha’nae, and Elizabeth
Doyle. Schedule and ticket info at www.weathervanetheatre.org or by calling 837-9322. All shows begin at 8 p.m. The season will continue through August with four more shows
added to the rotating repertory: “Into The Woods,” “Lend Me A Tenor,” “The Full Monty” and “Floyd Collins.”
(Continued from page 11)
Children’s Oral Health Foundation lists him as a Dentist of
Distinction.
In addition, he
remains an active clinician providing services to special needs
populations in South Carolina.
Amdur was appointed Director of the White River Junction
VA Medical Center in December
of 2012. As Director, Amdur oversees operations for a 74-bed
acute care hospital and seven
Community Based Outpatient
Clinics that provide a full range
of primary, secondary and specialty care. Amdur leads a staff
of approximately 1,000 employees providing care to over 24,400
Veterans in a two state catch-
ment area. The White River
Junction (WRJ) VA is closely
affiliated with the Geisel School
of Medicine (formerly Dartmouth Medical School), the University of Vermont College of
Medicine, as well as multiple
nursing and allied health affiliations. The facility also supports
a large research and residency
training program. Prior to her
current position at WRJ, Amdur
was Chief Consultant for Care
Management and Social Work
Service with overall responsibility for five national programs in
the Department of Veterans
Affairs: National Social Work,
Caregiver Support, Family Hospitality, Post Deployment Care
Management, and the VA Liai-
son Program. Amdur holds a
Master of Social Work from
Washington University, St.
Louis and a Bachelor of Arts
from Cornell University.
To attend, RSVPs are
required. Contact Gaetane Boire
at
388-2432.
Visit
Indianstream.org
for
more
details on the event.
Lisa and Scott Dissler were on hand helping out at the Stratford
Penny Sale this past weekend. The sale was held in the school's
gymnasium. Angela Wheeler photo.
Kathy Roth and Amy Tessier were selling the tickets used to bid on
each of the items at the Stratford Penny Sale. Angela Wheeler photo.
Friday, July 3, 2015
The Colebrook Chronicle
Page 13
Left photo: A group of helpers worked hard on Pan van der Laan’s “Conncorki,” a boat of his creation made entirely of wine corks. Right photo: Setting sail on the maiden voyage
at Martin Meadow Pond. The trip was a success, and the crew has their sights on the Connecticut River. Courtesy photos.
Cork Boat
(Continued from page 1)
ing corks as a youngster, and
who built a tightly packed,
heavy, well-designed ship. In
comparison, our construction
project has been light weight and
capricious.”
Construction on the Conncorki began several years ago,
through the combined efforts of
Pan, Tom Southworth, and Bob
Fink, with assistance from the
Wilco Direct metal fabrication
shop in Littleton.
“Collecting large quantities
of wine corks is a lot of fun. In
addition to gathering a few corks
ourselves, I recruited friends
and colleagues to help out. As a
medical practitioner, I asked my
patients to save corks (in moderation, of course!) We were
blessed by the staff of two Boston establishments, the Beacon
Hill Hotel and Bistro, and
Cheers/Hampshire House; both
contributed vast quantities of
corks,” noted Pan.
Cork is also viewed as a favorable and versatile material,
being easily recycled. Pan
explained that cork is harvested
from oak trees that grow primarily in Portugal and Spain. “The
6.6 million-acre cork forest is a
biodiverse area that depends on
an active and traditional cork
industry for it’s survival. In comparison, synthetic corks are not
biodegradable, and have a
heavier carbon footprint, as do
aluminum screw caps.”
Pan also welcomed the challenge of the project. “There were
no plans. We wanted a large
enough platform to sleep on (if
need be), and to entertain our
grandchildren. A catamaran
seemed to be the logical solution.
Two hulls were constructed,
using lightweight wood frames,
holding fine mesh fish nets containing many thousands of corks.
The hulls were bolted together,
but had to be disassembled to
move them out of the workshop
in the barn.”
The vessel saw a successful
maiden voyage crossing Martin
Meadow Pond on June 21, and
the crew has their sights set on
the trailerable portions of the
Connecticut River. “Our plan for
Conncorki is to travel down the
Connecticut River, hence the
boat’s name. The Connecticut is
New England’s longest river, 410
miles from source to sea, and is
a wonderful asset to the region.“
Last week, the Conncorki
began to tackle the journey with
a visit to First Connecticut Lake
in Pittsburg. “It was quite windy
on the First,” said Pan, “but the
boat sailed well. We got pretty
damp.” Lake Francis followed, a
milder experience, and the crew
of the Conncorki is ready for the
long journey ahead.
Page 14
The Colebrook Chronicle
Friday, July 3, 2015
Around The Region
The grand-prize winning Fishing Derby float in Bury’s Canada Day parade was a sight to behold. Corey
Bellam photo.
CANADA DAY IN BURY
The small town of Bury, Que.,
was a-buzz this past weekend,
as it was the famed 88th Canada
Day celebration for that town.
This draws people from all
over the Eastern Townships and
far beyond to a weekend of pure
family fun. The fun all kicked off
on Friday evening with a children's baseball game in Memorial Park and an Amateur Hour
taking place under the huge tent
which included from the smallest of little tykes right up to the
adults all singing their hearts
out.
The true highlight of the evening was when 10 year old
Leanne Bilodeau took the stage.
This young lady has been very
sick, but she wanted to compete,
so mom and dad along with
many family members were
there to cheer her on. She sang
(Continued on page 15)
A very proud Leanne Bilodeau along with her new guitar she won
with her singing at Bury’s Canada Day. She is pictured with Jodi
Davis, organizer of the event. This young lady is a true fighter, and
the community is very proud of her. Corey Bellam photo.
While strolling along the streets of Bury, we came in contact with a
group that included four generations. Johanne Lapointe, Catherine
Doughery, and Gisele Lapointe were joined by Tyler and Alyssa in
front. Corey Bellam photo.
Friday, July 3, 2015
The Colebrook Chronicle
Page 15
Around The Region
Students from Sawyerville Elementary were thrilled to take home the first place trophy after nailing the
win at the Bury track meet this year. Corey Bellam photo.
Grant Taylor takes a quiet moment at the Cenataph to remember his
good friend Herbie Rowell, the newest addition to the stone. This year,
retired Col. Jack Garneau gave the traditional salute from the float
during the Canada Day parade, and WWII veteran Grant Taylor, 94,
received it in honor of all the fallen. Corey Bellam photo.
Some of the many proud Bury Legion members during the Canada
Day festivities. Corey Bellam photo.
(Continued from page 14)
her heart out and won in her
class. The prize for this was a
guitar donated by Plav-Audio.
Leanne was shocked but she
strutted up to the stage with a
happy tear in her eye.
Saturday was the big day. It
all started at 7 a.m. with a Fish-
ing Derby at Pope's Pond just
as you enter Bury. The children
were all fishing for “that big one”
that lurks the pond. After that,
the day just kept getting better.
At 10 a.m., the music started at
St. Paul's Rest Home with David
Mc.Burney and Friends. Then it
was off to have a piece of straw-
berry shortcake at the Bury
Armory, a true Bury tradition.
At noon, the parade came
down Main St. to a cheering
street lined with people. The
parade was filled with floats,
clowns, horses, horse drawn wagons, and the Bury Legion Branch
48 marching and riding on a
float. When the parade was over
it was time to head into Memorial Park for all sorts of activities
to include minnow races, woodsman competition, children’s
games, petting zoo, music under
the tent plus so much more to
keep both young and old busy.
Then around 10 the sky came
alive with a wonderful fireworks
display that amazed everyone.
The band Night Train played
into the early hours . This pretty
much brought Bury Canada Day
to a close and all headed home
to the comfort of their beds.
–Corey Bellam
WHIP-POOR-WILL AND
SOUNDS OF THE NIGHT
On July 9, at 7 p.m. Pamela
Hunt of New Hampshre Audubon will present a slide program
entitled "The Whip-poor-will"
which will be followed by a short
"Sounds of the Night" field trip
for those interested. The whippoor-will was once familiar
across much of New Hampshire.
Today it is rare except in a few
scattered locations. Pam Hunt
is an expert on whip-poor-wills.
She will show this interesting
bird of the night and talk about
its conservation, natural history
and ecology, and the research
conducted to better understand
this unusual species. Pam is an
avian conservation biologist with
N.H. Audubon. She became
interested in birds as a youngster
when an uncle took her birding.
She has degrees from Cornell,
Univ of Montana, and a PhD
from Dartmouth College. She
coordinates and prioritizes bird
research and monitoring in N.H.
(Continued on page 16)
A recent visit to the Uplands Museum drew our attention to these
bowls by Rick and Dick Tracy of Lennoxville. Corey Bellam photo.
Page 16
The Colebrook Chronicle
Friday, July 3, 2015
Around the Region
(Continued from page 15)
She is also active in dragonfly
monitoring and mapping.
The program will be in the
Great Room of the Summit Lodge
of Weeks State Park and will
begin at 7 p.m. Come early and
bring a picnic supper, or climb
the Fire Tower for one of the best
views north of the notches.
Weeks State Park is located on
the east side of Route 3, approximately two miles south of Lancaster.
The "Sounds of the Night"
field trip led by Pam Hunt will
begin at the summit lodge at the
Park immediately following the
7 p.m. indoor slide program on
whip-poor-wills. The group will
travel in cars to a local site
known to be used by whip-poorwills where we hope to hear them
singing at dusk. Later we will go
on to other sites to discover and
learn about additional sounds of
the night. The trip is expected
to last two to three hours,
weather permitting.
The Evening Program Series
is sponsored by the Weeks State
Park Association, NH Division of
Parks, and UNH Cooperative
Extension. They would like to
say thanks to the local business
supporters who make the Weeks
State Park summer events possible. All programs are free and
the public is invited.
THE WOOD BROTHERS
AT THE COLONIAL
The Colonial Theatre with the
support of Mascoma Savings
Bank will present The Wood
Brothers Friday, July 10. When
Oliver and Chris Wood were
growing up in Colorado, Oliver
taught his younger brother Chris
to play the bass. Thirty years
later, The Wood Brothers are
still making music together, and
the result is electrifying. Chris
and Oliver have joined forces
with multi-instrumentalist Jano
Rix. Together, the trio shuffles
between bluesy country and
swampy funk with their dialedin harmonies, spunky acoustic
guitar, virtuosic upright bass,
and jangling percussion. The
Wood Brothers draw on their
many timeless influences (Robert
Johnson, Willie Nelson, Charles
Mingus) while always staying
grounded in their own fresh
sound: playful and warm, with a
little brotherly mischief thrown
in for good measure.
From early in their childhood
in Boulder, CO., Chris and Oliver
were steeped in American roots
music. The brothers bonded over
bluesmen like Jimmy Reed and
Lightnin' Hopkins, but their
paths, musical and otherwise,
would diverge. Oliver moved to
Atlanta, where he played guitar
in cover bands including King
Johnson, a hard-touring group
that would release six albums of
blues-inflected R&B, funk and
country and spent years as blues
great Tinsley Ellis's guitarist.
Chris, meanwhile, studied jazz
bass at the New England Conservatory of Music, moved to New
York City where he formed
Medeski Martin and Wood,
which over the next two decades
would become a cornerstone of
contemporary jazz. After pursuing separate musical careers for
some 15 years, the brothers performed together at a show in
North Carolina and decided they
needed to play together.
General Admission tickets for
the 8 p.m. performance are $35;
Colonial, Catamount Arts and
St. Kieran’s Community Center
for the Arts members $29. Tickets are available in advance
while they last at Maia Papaya
Cafe, Bethlehem, The Littleton
Food Coop, or Catamount Arts,
St. Johnsbury. The doors open at
7 p.m. for the 8 p.m. performance
with refreshments on the patio.
For more information about this
or upcoming live events find The
Colonial on Facebook by going to
Facebook.com/BethlehemColon
ial, follow The Colonial on twitter
(@ColonialNH), visit the Colonial
online
at
www.BethlehemColonial.org or
tune in to Bethlehem’s own community radio, WZNC, broadcasting from atop the historic
Colonial Theatre at 99.9 on the
FM dial.
This evening of great Americana music is made possible with
additional support from New
Hampshire Public Radio, The
Cold Mountain Café, The Wayside Inn, The New Hampshire
State Council on the Arts, The
New Hampshire Charitable
Foundation and The Colonial’s
presenting partner, Catamount
Arts.
Steve Wilson, Jim Wark, and Jeff Cheal, holding a check for $1,400
raised for the benefit of the Huntingville Ballpark, which is in need
of repairs after being destroyed in the recent Coaticook flooding. Corey
Bellam photo.
The Phaneuf Sisters, Melissa, Patricia and Nathalie, served up
spaghetti at the benefit supper for the Huntingville Ballpark, organized by Anita Goyette. Corey Bellam photo.
Hilary Paintin and Melissa Chapman out horsing around at the
Canada Day parade in Bury. Corey Bellam photo.
Friday, July 3, 2015
The Colebrook Chronicle
Page 17
Business Directory
JP FRAMING
JEFFREY PETTIT
603-237-5039
Stewartstown, NH
Additions • Garages • Houses • Camps
Page 18
The Colebrook Chronicle
Classifieds
For Sale
Central Boiler E-Classic OUTDOOR
FURNACES. Heat your entire home
and hot water. EPA Qualified. Call
today, 1-800-295-8301. (603) 2378301. 9/25
Buying snowmobiles, ATVs and
motorcycles. Call (603) 538-6963
or (802) 334-1603. TFN
Le Rendez-vous
French Bakery & Café
121 Main Street, Colebrook
Flageolets, beans, Cardomom, dried
fruits, Goji berries, wild dried
blueberries, mulberries, etc. Organic
quinoa, volcano rice, black rice, chia
seeds, hibiscus (flowers) powder,
rubbed sage, hemp seed, spices,
sumac, Herbes de Provence,
homemade Belgian chocolates.
(603) 237-5150.
Dachshund woven basket by the
Danbury Mint. Still in original
packing. 12x12x7. $40. Call (603)
636-1304. 7/3
1999 Pontiac Montana Van, 7
passenger with removable rear seats
for more cargo space. Power sliding
door rear audio controls, cloth
interior, cold a/c, 3.4 liter V-6, 121k,
good condition, great family vehicle.
$2,700. Please call (603) 252-1883,
Stewartstown, N.H. 7/3
2005 Ford Taurus wagon SE model,
automatic, V-6, cloth interior, power
windows/locks/mirrors, cold a/c, rear
seat that folds flat for more storage,
120k, very good condition, no rust,
good tires, title in hand. $3,495.
Please call (603) 252-1883,
Colebrook, N.H. 7/3
Friday, July 3, 2015
Call (603) 246-8998
28-inch Brosco pocket door. All the
hardware, in the box, never used.
$200. Can be seen at Creampoke
Camp. 237-5296. 7/3
Mobile Home, West Stewartstown,
NH, park. 2 bedrooms 1 bath, lots of
updates, but still needs some work.
Shed for toys, ATV, snowmobile trail
at front door. $6,000 firm. Call for
more information. (603) 237-5259 or
(603) 331-3279. 7/10
2002 Dodge Dakota Sport, 4x4—tilt,
cruise, air, power windows, trailer
hitch, torneau cover, V8, 5 speed.
$3,000 or best offer. 237-5711. 7/10
2014 Arctic Cat 500 Prowler
EFIHDX, red + black only 37 miles,
windshield, roof, 3500lb winch, lift
kit, Swamplite AT 8X9X14 tires,
$9,250.00 Columbia NH, 978-3176665 or 922-3248.
02 Dodge Grand Caravan – Burgundy,
well-kept, AC, automatic, inspected
to 7/2016, 121K miles. Includes four
snow tires mounted on rims, tow
package, and detachable roof racks
with storage clamshell.
Asking
$2,495. Call (603) 246-7107 or (603)
331-1772. 7/17
Shop Tools—Delta Shapers, 10”
Radial arm saw, 2 HP dust collector,
scroll saws, wood lathe, concrete saw,
18” drum sander, ceiling dust
collector,
Duraspin
screwgun,
flooring nailer, sawzall. Call (603)
538-7084. 7/17
1993 Ducati 900SS—new: tires, chain
and sprockets, valve adj., fluids. 19k.
Cover and luggage incl. $3,500 obro.
(603) 246-9681. 7/17
Services
Music Lessons: Guitar, Ukulele,
Banjo, Mandolin, Bass, Dulcimer,
and Voice. Children ages 5-8 for
$60/month, includes instrumental
rental. All other students, $75,
instrument rental $15. Roberta’s
Studio, (603) 331-1628. TFN
Would like to haul your junk and
unwanted vehicles. Call Rusty
Edwards. (603) 237-5676. 7/31/15
Wanted
Top dollar paid for junk cars and
trucks. Also, steel, batteries,
aluminum cans. Call (603) 636-1667
days or (603) 636-1304 nights. 10/30
Farm Fresh
!**NORTH COUNTRY**!
**MARKETPLACE
& SALVAGE**
104 Colby Street, Colebrook
603-631-1221
http://www.marketplaceandsalvage.com/
Open: Tues.-Fri. 9-5
Sat. 9-2
Offering Local Produce,
Meats & Products
Expanded Salvage Section!
FARM FRESH EGGS!
Fresh Produce Arriving Daily!
TFN
For Rent
Groveton--3 bedroom house, 1 baths,
eat-in kitchen, wrap-around porch,
living room, dining room, 1-car
garage. $750 per month. Call Tony,
(508) 335-7037. 7/10
Firewood
Cut, split, delivered. Free delivery
within 20 miles. Jones Brook Farm,
Guildhall, Vt. (802) 328-2013.
12/31/15
Help Wanted
115 positions - Temporary/seasonal
work field packing and field
harvesting
broccoli,
potatoes,
cauliflower, lettuce, and cabbage.
From 7/11/2015 to 10/26/2015 at
Smith's Farm Inc., Presque Isle, ME.
Three months of previous experience
required in the job described.
Saturday work required. Must be
able to lift/carry 60 lbs. $11.26/hr or
current applicable AEWR or
applicable piece rate depending on
crop activity. Raise/bonus at employer
discretion. Workers are guaranteed ¾
of work hours of total period. Work
tools, supplies, equipment supplied by
employer without charge to worker.
Housing with kitchen facilities
provided at no cost to only those
workers who are not reasonably able
to return same day to their place of
residence at time of recruitment.
Transportation and subsistence
expenses to work site will be paid to
nonresident workers not later than
upon completion of 50% of the job
contract. Interviews required. Apply
for this job at nearest State Workforce
Agency in state in which this ad
appears, or NH Works Centers, 151
Pleasant St., Berlin, NH 03570-0159.
Provide copy of this ad.ME Job Order
#143308. 7/3
Dance Classes
Step by Step School of Dance
offering beginner’s ballet, jazz, tap
and hip-hop. (Kids and adults
classes.) Individual and group classes
available. For schedules and pricing,
call (603) 237-4009 or 991-3387.
TFN
Monuments
Cemetery monuments sold new,
installed, cleaned, death date
engraved. Dana Nordberg, (603) 3312942. 8/7
Yard Sales
Packrats Secondhand Store
& Mr. Hemon’s Antiques
We offer an eclectic mix of antique,
vintage, and gently used items.
Open Saturdays 10 to 5,
Sundays 10 to 3,
weekdays & evenings
by appointment.
137 West Road; Clarksville, NH
03592.
Check out our Facebook page for
updates to inventory and hours.
Garage Sale—July 3 and 4, 10 a.m.-3
p.m. Frances Haynes, Hughes Road,
Colebrook. Rubber stamps and
papers to make greeting cards,
scrapbooking and craft supplies,
picture frames, 3-ring notebooks,
kitchen table and 4 chairs, odds and
ends. No early birds please! 7/3
Gigantic Yard Sale at the Baldwin
Building, 1569 Main, St., in beautiful
downtown Pittsburg, Sat., July 4,
9-2, rain or shine. Fantastic values
and treasures galore. 7/3
Free
Free hay—about 10 acres. You cut
two or three times per season and take
free. Located on Rte. 102,
Bloomfield, Vt. Tel. (603) 329-6827
or (603) 339-0837. 7/10
Friday, July 3, 2015
The Colebrook Chronicle
Obituaries
RAYMOND P. FOREST
PITTSBURG–Raymond
“Butch” P. Forest, 68, of Pittsburg, passed away at his home
on Thursday, June 25, 2015,
after a long struggle with declining health.
He was born in Nashua on
April 19, 1947, a son to the late
Raymond and Rita (Carrier)
Forest.
He was raised in
Nashua, and was a veteran of
the U.S. Army Reserve.
For most of his adult life, Ray
was a long-time chef at Nashua’s
oldest restaurant, “The Modern”
which closed in 2001.
He
enjoyed his retirement years in
Pittsburg where he was known
to many for his snowplowing and
lawn mowing.
He is survived by his daughter, Kymberly Lagios and husband Greg of Center Ossipee,
and by his partner, Diane
Cunha, of Pittsburg, as well as
several cousins.
There are no public calling
hours or services at this time.
An interment will occur at a
later date in Nashua.
Condolences may be offered
to the family online by going to
www.jenkinsnewman.com.
Funeral arrangements in
N.H. are under the direction of
Jenkins and Newman Funeral
Home in Colebrook.
REGINALD H. AND ALICE
ABBOTT SERVICE
LANCASTER–A graveside
service for Reginald H. and Alice
C. Abbot will be held Thursday
afternoon July 9, at 4 p.m. in
Calvary Cemetery in Lancaster.
Military honors will also be conducted in Mr. Abbot’s memory.
Arrangements are under the
direction of Bailey Funeral
Home, Lancaster. Please go to
www.baileyfh.net for more information or to send an online condolence.
Page 19
Page 20
The Colebrook Chronicle
Friday, July 3, 2015
Sports
SPEEDWAY 51
Speedway 51 in Groveton,
owned and operated by Joey
Laquerre, will be hosting the
Granite State Pro Stock Series
in the Twisted Tea Firecracker
151 on Saturday, July 4. The
speedway's regular divisions will
also run. Racing events start at
5:30 p.m. Also on the schedule,
is a spectacular Independence
Day Fireworks Show.