Superintendent: ‘Financial storm’ means trouble for Epping schools
November 25, 2008
The school superintendent is painting a bleak financial picture that would mean job cuts and reduced work hours for some staffers.
In a letter to the budget committee, Barbara Munsey described the situation as a “financial storm” that requires slicing $1 million from next year’s proposed school budget.
The financial troubles are compounded by tough times facing the national and state economies, increased costs for salaries, benefits and energy, and a declining student enrollment throughout the district, according to the letter, dated Nov. 22.
“It is disheartening to see our district affected this way; however, I acknowledge that our student enrollment and economic times cannot sustain things as they are,” Munsey wrote in the letter.
If the school board did not make cuts, Munsey said, the proposed budget would increase by $1.4 million to cover an additional $800,000 needed for increases in salaries, benefits and other costs and $600,000 to make up for a revenue shortfall.
Full story from JASON SCHREIBER
Police dig in Epping, come up empty-handed
November 20, 2008
State and local police spent much of yesterday digging up a section of a property along Friend Street.
State police investigators were tight-lipped about the excavation. They referred all comments to Assistant Attorney General Jane Young, who refused to discuss the case. Investigators appeared to find nothing significant as they filled in the hole and wrapped up their search late yesterday afternoon.
Epping Police Chief Gregory Dodge said the search was part of a follow-up investigation from another agency that didn’t involve an Epping case.
Authorities would not confirm whether the investigation was related to the Nov. 13, 1984 disappearance of Tammy Belanger. The 8-year-old Exeter girl vanished while walking to school. While authorities have followed up on several tips over the years; nothing has led them to her.
Full story from JASON SCHREIBER
Also see the article from Lara Bricker: AG, police won’t say why yard was dug up
Albert F. “Gabby” Dodge
November 18, 2008
If you went to Epping High School in the 1980’s and early 1990’s, “Gabby” was a fixture around the school. He’ll be missed.
Albert F. “Gabby” Dodge, 77, died unexpectedly Nov, 10, 2008, at Elliott Hospital, Manchester.
Mr. Dodge was a monitor for the Seacoast Learning Collaborative in Brentwood.
He was always a hard worker, starting at the W.S. Goodrich brickyard in the 1950s. He was then employed as a shoe worker for Epping Shoe Co. and National Shoe.
He was a custodian at Epping High School for 13 years until his retirement in 1993.
Following his retirement, he worked for 12 years at the Nottingham Post Office, then returned to Epping High School working part time.
He is survived by his wife, Lura (Monroe) Dodge of Epping; two daughters and their husbands, Mary Jo and Moe Lemieux of Concord and Wendy and Bill Koberski of Concord; five grandchildren, Denis, Rian, Jeff, Danielle, and Brittanie; four great-grandchildren, Kyle, Kaylee, Morgan, and Kairi; one sister, Emily Foote of Exeter; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
He was predeceased by one son, Paul Dodge, who died in 1980.
Full obituary at Seacoast Online.
Dealer’s lights heat up Epping officials
November 17, 2008
Hurlbert Toyota may be forced to pull the plug on the massive wall of lights that illuminates the front of its automotive dealership.
Town officials say the lighted wall wasn’t part of Hurlbert’s plan approved by the planning board in 2006. The dealership took over the former Crossroads Sports Center behind McDonald’s at the intersection of routes 101 and 125.
During its overhaul of the building, Hurlbert installed a large, white, plastic wall illuminated by a series of fluorescent tubes at the front entrance of the building.
Town Planner Clay Mitchell said the plan submitted by Hurlbert at the time it was approved showed the wall as a flush metal panel, not a wall filled with lights.
The wall is an eye-catcher at night and is seen easily by motorists traveling routes 101 or 125.
Full story from JASON SCHREIBER.
Epping inspector warns residents to check decks after collapse
November 8, 2008
The town’s building inspector is warning homeowners to take a hard look at their decks after three teenagers were injured last week when a deck collapsed at a local condominium.
“Everyone should check their decks, especially when they get old, and make sure they’re fastened well to the house,” Dan Kramer said after assessing the problems with the deck at the condominium at 23 Plumer Court.
The accident happened Oct. 31 when the daughter of homeowner Tammi Vasseur hosted a party for 20 of her high school friends.
Vasseur has said six people were standing on the deck when it suddenly fell off the side of the condominium. Two teenagers who were standing on the deck received minor injuries, and a third teenager who was standing below it suffered a broken leg when it landed on her.
Kramer said the wooden deck, which resembled a balcony attached to the side of the condominium about 10 feet off the ground, was built nine years ago and met building codes at the time.
Full story from JASON SCHREIBER
Deck collapses at Epping party, 3 hurt
November 1, 2008
Three Epping High School students were injured last night when a wooden deck collapsed during a Halloween party hosted by their friend.
The deck gave way just before 8 p.m. at a condominium at 23 Plumer Court.
Homeowner Tammi Vasseur said six teenagers were standing on the deck at the time of the collapse. The deck, which jutted out over the driveway from the side of the condominium, fell about 12 feet and landed on top of a teenage girl who was standing under it. Witnesses said the girl’s boyfriend quickly pulled her out from beneath the deck and rushed her to the hospital.
Connor Patton, 16, said it appeared she suffered a leg injury. Patton was standing outside in the driveway, about five feet from the deck, when he heard a noise.
Full story from JASON SCHREIBER.
Other coverage:
Deck collapses during party in N.H.
Three taken to hospital after deck collapses during party
Stalled Engine Cause of Epping Plane Crash
October 14, 2008
One man was sent to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries after he was involved in a small aircraft crash on Sunday, Oct. 12.
Epping police Sgt. Sean Gallagher said Paul Aquaviva, 44, of Hampstead, was attempting to land a single-engine Piper Cub when he encountered trouble, crashing into a field on Red Oak Hill Road. Police, fire and rescue crews from the town responded at 12:11 p.m. to the field, which is where the aircraft is kept, Gallagher said.
The plane is owned by landowner Daniel Harvey, who permitted Aquaviva to use the aircraft, Gallagher said. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the cause of the crash and will be inspecting the plane. It does not appear the crash was weather related, Gallagher said.
Aquaviva suffered facial injuries in the crash and was transported to Exeter Hospital with non-life threatening injuries, according to Gallagher. As of Monday afternoon Aquaviva was still being treated at Exeter Hospital.
Read the full story from Dave Choate
Pilot Injured in Epping Plane Crash
October 13, 2008
A pilot from East Hampstead was injured in a crash-landing on an Epping farm yesterday, moments after his wife got out of the small, antique plane, according to the plane’s owner.
Phyllis Harvey, who owns the 1939 Piper J3C-50, said she suspects engine failure was to blame for the crash at Red Oak Hill on her family’s farm. A spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration said investigators had yet to determine what caused the crash.
The pilot, Paul Acquaviva, survived the crash with “some cuts and slashes” on his face, according to Epping Police Chief Gregory Dodge.
Acquaviva was taken to Exeter Hospital. He was receiving treatment in the emergency room but was expected to be discharged some time last night, a hospital spokesman said.
Acquaviva had been flying in the single-engine plane with his wife, Nancy, in the front passenger seat, Harvey said. However, she said, he quickly landed and let his wife out because the plane was not running smoothly.
Read this full story from The Union Leader.
Epping landfill chief takes his lumps over mattresses
October 10, 2008
Town officials have found themselves mired in a mattress mess.
Mountains of mattresses collected at the town landfill were supposed to be hauled off to a private recycling company but were buried instead. Meanwhile, residents have been charged $10 per mattress and $10 per box spring to cover the town’s cost of having them taken away to a recycling center.
As many as 200 mattresses may have been left at the landfill, but not all were buried.
Jim Freeman, the town’s solid waste supervisor, decided to have the mattresses buried because there is plenty of room at the landfill and he wanted to save the town from having to pay to recycle the mattresses.
Freeman may have had good intentions, but his decision didn’t sit well with some town officials and residents.
Full story from JASON SCHREIBER
Epping residents express safety concerns to selectmen
October 3, 2008
Residents of Jenness Road want help from the Board of Selectmen to keep the road safe.
Resident John Driscoll recently asked selectmen to do something about a plugged culvert which has caused water to back up onto eight different properties in the area, as well as created a dangerous situation for vehicles traveling along Jenness Road.
“With that (culvert) plugged up, the water backs up and sheets across the road,” Driscoll said. “Then, in the winter it freezes, and the Public works guys are out there all the time chipping it away, and laying down sand. Then the water runs over it again, and freezes over the sand. I’m surprised nobody’s gotten killed on that corner.” The culvert, which was plugged in 1994, has been an ongoing problem for Driscoll and his neighbors. His mother lived there prior to him, and couldn’t understand where the flooding issues were coming from until the day they found out the culvert had been plugged.
See the full story from Terrill Covey
