http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news Daily news from The Telegraph of Nashua en-us pkincade@nashuatelegraph.com onlineeditor@nh.com http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090925-469/no-probable-cause-in-assault-case-judge.html NASHUA - Former Daniel Webster College basketball star Marquise Caudill told a district court judge Monday that he "faked like I was going to stomp" a Southern Vermont College player when the teams' Feb. 18 game erupted in a brawl after a scramble for a loose ball. But Caudill stopped short of following through, he said, telling the Vermont player, Kyle Depollar, "you're lucky I'm not that kind of guy." Caudill, called to the witness stand by his lawyer, Nashua attorney Tim Bush, recounted for the court the series of events leading up to, during and after the melee, which broke out about six minutes into the second half of what would be the final game ever for the DWC men's basketball program. Caudill, 22, currently of South Hadley, Mass., ended up being charged with a felony count of second-degree assault, accusing him of "stomping" Depollar after allegedly leveling him with a punch to the face. But after reviewing the testimony and the evidence, Judge Lucinda Sadler said she found no probable cause to support a felony charge, and reduced Caudill's bail to $2,500 cash or surety from the original $50,000 set at his Feb. 20 arraignment. The County Attorney's office can still bring the felony-level charge to a grand jury for possible indictment, but the fact the district court judge found no probable cause lessens considerably the chances that a grand jury would return an indictment. "We're very pleased that Judge Sadler agreed that there is no probable cause for a felony charge, based on the evidence presented today," Bush said in brief remarks following the hearing. Caudill, who turns 23 on March 17, also faces three Class A misdemeanor offenses - disorderly conduct, simple assault and criminal threatening - stemming from the incident. Sadler set Caudill's next hearing for April 3 in the Nashua court. In the meantime, if he makes bail, he is ordered to have no contact with Depollar; refrain from consuming alcohol or illegal drugs; not possess any firearms and to sign a waiver of extradition. Attorney Steve Ranfos, the prosecutor, amended the felony second-degree assault complaint minutes before the start of Monday's hearing. To the original wording accusing Caudill of "recklessly causing bodily injury" to Depollar with "extreme indifference to the value of human life" by stomping Depollar's head "while he was on the ground in a defenseless position," Ranfos added "resulting in a swollen lip and loss of feeling in his teeth and gums." Bush called attention to the new wording, reading to Sadler pertinent excerpts from the state statute regarding second-degree assault, which Bush claimed don't support the charge. "This was a basketball fight," he said. Tue, 07 Mar 2017 10:29:27 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090927-469/judge-opts-not-to-revoke-mans-bail.html NASHUA - Delivering firm warnings that he have no contact by any means with a witness in his ongoing criminal case and that he under no circumstances go anywhere near Facebook, a judge nevertheless agreed not to revoke Martin McHugh's bail as his case moves forward in Hillsborough County Superior Court South. McHugh, of Nashua, was arrested in December 2015 for allegedly letting a juvenile watch him and his girlfriend engage in sex and again in August 2016 on allegations he contacted a witness numerous times asking her to provide false statements to investigators, had been accused of violating the no-contact order by contacting the witness - his ex-girlfriend - via text message and through Facebook. But while prosecutors cited instances where, they allege, McHugh communicated with the witness, including a Jan. 28 conversation and several Facebook posts meant for her, defense attorney Chuck Keefe, by scrolling through McHugh's cell phone, was able to point out numerous instances in which the witness contacted McHugh. The witness, called to the stand by First Assistant County Attorney Michael Valentine, who prosecuted the case, said she and McHugh were once in a relationship and have children in common. She said she called police in January after McHugh allegedly contacted her through the "messenger" feature on Facebook. She said McHugh posted a photo of a hand holding a gun and the words, "Lord, forgive me, it's time to go back to the old me." She also noted someone she believed was McHugh created another Facebook account with an inappropriate screen name. But Keefe, in cross examination, read a text message from McHugh's phone that, he said, came from her. "At 8:07 this morning, you texted him, saying 'you don't have to talk to me but talk to your friend,' correct?" She answered yes, that she'd texted him twice that morning. But when Keefe asked her how many times she's "reached out" to McHugh, she responded, "I can't tell you. Tue, 07 Mar 2017 08:10:35 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090928-469/guilty-plea-in-cocaine-sting.html CONCORD - A Manchester man pleaded guilty last week to a federal charge of trafficking cocaine in Nashua last July. U.S. Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced Luis D. Capo-Nieves, 33, formerly of Nashua, pleaded guilty March 1 to possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute. Capo-Nieves is scheduled for sentencing on June 12. Wilfredo Tanon Rodriguez, the other individual involved with Capo-Nieves during the July 1 incident, recently pleaded guilty to a related charge. Police reports indicate Rodriguez and Capo-Nieves were arrested following an undercover stakeout that was conducted after numerous complaints of illegal drug activity at the Amherst Park Apartments. Nashua officers reportedly seized about 279 grams of cocaine - worth about $10,000 - as a result of the surveillance at the Amherst Street apartments. According to police reports, Capo-Nieves was operating a beige 2000 Lincoln LS with tinted front windows that pulled alongside a parked green 1999 Volkswagen Jetta when the incident occurred. Tue, 07 Mar 2017 08:09:03 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090929-469/nadeau-resigns-from-board.html HUDSON - Embattled Hudson School Board member Benjamin J. Nadeau formally stepped down Monday night from the board three weeks before he expects to plead guilty to domestic assault and violating court protective orders charges. A letter from Nadeau, 41, was read aloud at the start of the board meeting in which he states he cannot serve the trust of the voters at this time and submitted his immediate resignation. He hopes to return to public service when he can do it "to the best of my ability." Patty Langlais, chairwoman of the board, read the letter in the first two minutes of Monday's meeting. "We wish Ben well," she said. Langlais told the board they will allow the Town Meeting election to take place and then address the remaining year of Nadeau's term. Prior to his time on the school board, Nadeau served on the Board of Selectmen beginning in 2005. Tue, 07 Mar 2017 08:08:09 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090926-469/donchess-aca-critical-in-opioid-fight.html NASHUA - Mayor Jim Donchess wants to see the Affordable Care Act, currently being dismantled in Congress, remain in place at a time when the city struggles to deal with the opioid addiction crisis. "The heroin, opioid and fentanyl crisis is devastating families and businesses in Nashua," Donchess wrote to Democratic U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan, asking the former New Hampshire governor to work to keep the law, also known as "Obamacare," on the books. Congress, controlled by Republicans and buoyed by President Donald Trump, is looking to end the signature health care law enacted by former President Barack Obama, although no formal plan to replace the health care access standard has been presented. Donchess said Nashuans' lives are in the balance if the ACA is taken away. "Repealing the Affordable Care Act, and as a result Medicaid expansion, would threaten critical services to thousands of Granite Staters," he wrote. Under a deal Hassan worked out with a GOP-controlled Statehouse, New Hampshire expanded Medicaid, giving 55,000 residents access to medical care. This has meant that those battling addiction have health insurance to pay for recovery treatment, as well as medical and mental health issues related to their addiction. Although Congress has yet to offer a formal plan to replace the ACA, and especially the expanded Medicaid, some plans have been floated that would take the Medicaid funding and send it to the states in the form of a block grant. Tue, 07 Mar 2017 08:06:35 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090924-469/more-units-added-to-franklin-street-project.html NASHUA - Brady Sullivan Properties is aiming for a bigger mill development project on Franklin Street, with more than 30 apartment units added to the large-scale proposal. The company, though the corporate entity Lofts 34 LLC, is seeking to amend its original proposal for 168 apartments by adding enough units to bring it to 200 apartments in the project. The developer has worked on renovating the Franklin Street mill property for more than a year. City Planner Scott McPhie said Monday the company plans to add the new units in what is now the basement of the former mill building. He said the company determined there was enough space in the basement area to work once renovation efforts begin. "Sometimes you don't know what you've got until you get in there," McPhie said. The project lines up with city goals of adding housing to the downtown area to meet demand. Mayor Jim Donchess said in his State of the City address that between the Franklin Street project and the Renaissance project off Bridge Street, Nashua is looking to add 350 housing units, with more in the works in other locations. The city has already given the go-ahead for the project's initial 168-unit proposal, and Lofts 34 LLC is going before the Planning Board this week for a site plan review on the amended proposal. Damien Fisher can be reached at 594-1245, dfisher@nashuatelegraph.com or @Telegraph_DF. Tue, 07 Mar 2017 07:03:49 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090912-469/adult-spelling-bee-to-benefit-local-students.html NASHUA – The Nashua Education Foundation will hold its first Adult Spelling Bee to raise funds for city public schools. The competition will include up to 50 teams composed of three individuals each. The teams of local businesses, law firms, families, medical providers, community organizations, financial services and other community members will compete for the title of “champion speller.” Unlike most spelling bees, this event doesn’t involve solo spelling. Instead, each team can collaborate on the spelling of a word and then display its answer on a slate, according to the foundation. Seven or eight teams in a round will spell each word simultaneously by writing their answers on a slate after the master of ceremonies announces the word. The teams will have 25 seconds, and then must display their answer. Tue, 07 Mar 2017 06:36:26 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090913-469/ncc-professor-joins-lecture-series-to-discuss.html NASHUA – In her book “Writing Hard Stories,” Nashua Community College faculty member Melanie Brooks explores how writing a memoir affects the author. Brooks, who teaches short story writing at NCC, will discuss her book and the nonfiction genre Thursday, March 23, as part of the college’s spring lecture series. The event begins at 7 p.m. in the Gregg Hall Auditorium, and will be followed by a book sale and signing with Brooks. For “Writing Hard Stories,” Brooks profiled well-known memoir including Andre Dubus III, Sue William Silverman, Michael Patrick MacDonald, Joan Wickersham, Kyoko Mori, Richard Hoffman, Suzanne Strempek Shea, Abigail Thomas, Monica Wood, Mark Doty, Edwidge Dantict, Marianne Leone, Jerald Walker, Kate Bornstein, Jessica Handler, Richard Blanco, Alysia Abbott and Kim Stafford. “Writing Hard Stories” was published by Beacon Press in February. Her work has also appeared in the Washington Post, Bustle, the Manifest-Station, Hippocampus, the Huffington Post, Modern Loss, Solstice Literary Magazine, the Recollectors, the Stonecoast Review and Word Riot. Brooks received her MFA in creative nonfiction from the University of Southern Maine’s Stonecoast MFA program. Mon, 06 Mar 2017 15:37:01 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090907-469/ales-for-tails-merrimack-brewery-hosts-fundraiser.html MERRIMACK - Beer and animal lovers can celebrate both at the Ales for Tails fundraiser, which will be hosted by the Anheuser-Busch brewery on March 26. The event, featuring games, a brewery tour, swag and beer, will benefit the Humane Society for Greater Nashua. "We have a good relationship with the brewery, and we have crafted something a little different," Laurie Dufault, director of development for the Humane Society, said. Dufault said Ales for Tails launched in March 2016 to replace a golf tournament that wasn't "growing like we hoped." The inaugural event last year was a success, with 80 guests raising $4,800, she said. "We are not looking to make this massive," Dufault said, adding their goal is closer to 100 guests versus the thousands who turn up for their signature Wags to Whiskers event at Anheuser-Busch every fall. Ales for Tails tickets are $50. The event features a 1 1/2 hour "Beermaster Tour" of the brewery, including a question-and-answer session with the Anheuser-Busch beermaster on the beer-making process. Tickets also include photo prints of the tour group, a photo opportunity with a Clydesdale and a barbecue spread from McNulty & Foley Caterers. Remembering last year's Ales for Tails, Dufault said her favorite part was relaxing after the tour. "When everyone was done with the tour, we came back to the hospitality room, and it was really nice," she said. "It's casual and social, and there's a lot of strong games going on." In 2016, attendees got into a competitive corn hole tournament and life-size Jenga game. "It was very laid back," Dufault said. Mon, 06 Mar 2017 08:34:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090908-469/school-officials-to-tackle-budget-wednesday.html NASHUA - Hoping to approve the education budget by March 29, the school board Budget Committee is set to begin working on the draft document on March 8. The committee has met on almost a weekly basis since the draft budget was presented by Superintendent Connie Brown in January, but members used the meetings to understand budget details, not make changes. The March 8 meeting will be the first time Board of Education members can vote to add or reduce items from the budget. The budget process unofficially began in October when Mayor Jim Donchess asked what a "status quo" budget would look like given the concerns on the city side. The mayor's request for a level-fund budget was because of an additional $2 million in city pension obligations. At the time of Brown's presentation of her draft budget in January, school officials assumed a spending cap of 1.2 percent. However, by the end of February, the cap was recalculated closer to 1.4 percent. In January, the 1.2 percent budget proposed for fiscal 2018 was $105,940,366, or $1,256,210 over the current budget of $104,684,156. Brown's 2018 budget, which covers the 2017-18 school year, featured the addition of all-day kindergarten for every elementary school in the district. Mon, 06 Mar 2017 07:03:55 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090906-469/woman-held-on-multiple-charges-mass.-resident.html NASHUA - A spate of alleged bizarre behavior, including attempts to harm herself with items of clothing while being processed after her arrest, landed a Massachusetts woman in jail pending her next court appearance this week. Cheryl A. Whitney, 49, of 27 Marita St., Leominster, was ordered held following last week's Nashua district court arraignment on charges accusing her of breaking into an ex- boyfriend's Hudson home by allegedly damaging a door with a broomstick, stealing a check from him and cashing it, and contacting him in violation of a court order, according to court documents. The charges include one count each of theft, burglary and forgery, Class B felonies, along with one Class A misdemeanor count each of stalking and criminal mischief. Whitney was also served with an arrest warrant on a charge of conduct after an accident, which, according to police, stemmed from a Jan. 26 hit-and-run crash in which a vehicle knocked over a traffic-signal pole at Derry and Elm streets. Police said they tracked down the suspect vehicle by comparing evidence from the scene to damage on the vehicle. The car, a Nissan Altima, was registered to a Massachusetts leasing company under the name Cheryl Whitney, police said. She denied involvement in the crash, but police issued the warrant they ended up serving last week. Mon, 06 Mar 2017 07:02:57 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090905-469/tricked-into-shopping-trip.html It finally happened, my wife found a way to trick me into buying a new shirt. It's not that I don't like having nice things, or looking nice, or what have you. Well, to be honest, I might. But the overriding issue is that I just hate buying clothes. The whole experience of going into a store to think about how I look, and then paying for the privilege, seems like such a colossal waste of time and effort. If I wanted retrospection and self-loathing, I'd save some money and just go to confession. Mon, 06 Mar 2017 07:02:25 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090904-469/wilton-food-pantry-finds-new-home.html WILTON - With the upcoming sale of the former Sacred Heart Church, the Open Cupboard Food Pantry had to find a new home. "We're moving to Wilton Falls Building," Director Linda LaDouceur said, "with many thanks to owner Chuck Crawford," who had the space repainted for the pantry. The new site is to the right of the church thrift shop, LaDouceur said, "and should suit our purposes very well." The food pantry was started about 22 years ago by the late Deb Ducharme, LaDouceur said. "We were always at the church," she said. "We began with one big cupboard. That's how we got our name." The facility serves residents of Wilton, Lyndeborough, Greenfield and Temple. Use is by appointment only for privacy reasons, and averages about 35 appointments each month. "People come and shop," she said. Mon, 06 Mar 2017 07:01:55 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090903-469/arrested-development-suit-filed-against-labelle-artisan.html AMHERST - Amy LaBelle says she still wants to buy property across Route 101 to expand her winery in Amherst despite a lawsuit filed by a neighbor. LaBelle, however, said she and her husband, Cesar Arboleda, wouldn't rule out moving the expansion out of town if the delay becomes onerous. "We are looking at all our options," she said. The couple will continue trying to buy the 48-acre property so they can build a hotel, restaurant and distillery, along with more vineyards. An old farm building on the property would be converted to offices. In papers filed in Hillsborough County Superior Court-Northern District last month, Richard Fredette, of Winterberry Drive - through his attorneys, Craig, Deachman & Amann - contends the 11-acre development would "forever alter the character and quality of the neighborhood" and the "commercial development conflicts to a marked degree with the zoning ordinance." Fredette says it isn't compatible with the area's rural character. The property is in the town's Northern Transitional Zone, where permitted uses include single-family homes, farms, farm stands and home occupations. Last year, the Zoning Board of Adjustment gave the project two variances, one for the hotel and restaurant and the other for the distillery. The ZBA approved parts of the variance in August and September and upheld its decisions after a November rehearing. Board members said the property's steep terrain limits its uses, that it isn't appropriate for single-family houses, and that what LaBelle has called an artisan village is the kind of upscale development they want to encourage. LaBelle Winery was built on the east side of Route 101 in 2012 when LaBelle and Arboleda moved the operation out of their Amherst backyard. It has a bistro, function room and wine-tasting terrace overlooking acres of vineyards. A court hearing is scheduled for April. "I am trying to be patient, which is not easy for an entrepreneur," LaBelle said, but, "we want everyone to be comfortable" with the development. Last August, a Zoning Board hearing drew about 130 people, including residents of the nearby Holly Hill neighborhood who were opposed, as well as many residents who said the winery's expansion would be a boon for the town and the area. The property is the last remaining portion of Bragdon Farm, which once covered 183 acres. The Bragdon family donated the Bragdon Hill sledding area, adjacent to the winery, to the town many years ago. Kathy Cleveland can be reached at 673-3100 or kcleveland@nashuatelegraph.com. Mon, 06 Mar 2017 07:01:21 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090901-469/three-music-festivals-to-grace-downtown-nashua.html NASHUA – After coordinating a pilot music festival last fall, Great American Downtown has announced that it is planning three more music festivals this year. Each festival will take place in spring, summer and fall respectively, and will have a different theme, said Paul Shea, executive director of Great American Downtown, an organization whose mission is to enhance a vibrant commercial and cultural Downtown Nashua. Shea said last fall’s Downtown Fall Music Festival proved that there is a demand for such events. eight-hundred to 1,000 people attended attended the festival, which was held along the Nashua River near Water Street, he said. The first festival this year, Nu Muse Festival, will feature an “eclectic variety” of musical acts from across the nation, including Consider The Source, The Grand Slambovians and Bella’s Bartok. Consider The Source, an instrumental trio, categorizes itself as sci-fi, Middle Eastern fusion, while the Grand Slambovians create “moody but upbeat alt-roots rock.” The festival will be held May 6 from 1-10 p.m. on a closed-off section of Main Street between Pearl and Temple streets, and will be free to the public. Mon, 06 Mar 2017 02:04:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090900-469/blaze-destroys-litchfield-home.html LITCHFIELD – Forced to contend with two of firefighters’ staunchest enemies – high, gusty winds and freezing temperatures – dozens of crews from Litchfield and numerous area towns battled a 3-alarm blaze Saturday night that ultimately destroyed a large colonial home on Muscovy Drive. Nobody was home at 17 Muscovy Drive when flames broke out shortly after 7:30 p.m., triggering a deluge of 911 calls that prompted Deputy Litchfield Fire Chief Doug Nicoll to call for a second alarm while he was still on his way to the scene, Chief Frank Fraitzl said Sunday. Nicoll, who Fraitzl said arrived within four minutes of being dispatched, reported “a two and a half story home heavily involved in fire.” Litchfield Engine 4 dropped about 1,000 feet of 4-inch hose to allow pumper trucks to set up a water supply to the engines at the scene. Fraitzl said a Litchfield tanker truck added the additional 800 feet of hose needed to reach the closest hydrant, which he said is on Meadowbrook Lane, about a third of a mile away. In the meantime, Fraitzl said, Litchfield police worked on finding contact information for the homeowners, whom they were eventually able to reach and confirm that nobody was in the house. Town property records list the owner of the home as Paul R. Priestley, and a second occupant as Danielle S. Comeau. That Nicoll, the deputy chief, reported a partial collapse of the building about a minute after he arrived indicates the fire, likely fanned by the high winds, had made significant headway before it became visible to neighbors or passersby. The home is near the beginning of Muscovy Drive, a cul-de-sac that runs off Meadowbrook Lane in a higher-end residential area between Hillcrest Road and Albuquerque Avenue. Fraitzl said that the wind not only “caused the fire to quickly spread throughout the building,” it also pushed flames into a wooded area surrounding the home, forcing officials to summon mutual aid forestry trucks to access what he called “thick brush and woods” to quell the flames. In all, Fraitzl said about two acres were singed by flames. In addition to fanning the flames, he said, the wind also created a wind chill factor that made the single-digit temperatures feel like it was well below zero. That resulted in a third alarm being sounded, Fraitzl said, “to allow the rotation of firefighters out of the cold and icy conditions.” The cold also caused equipment to freeze, rendering it unstable, he added. The Greater Nashua Salvation Army activated its Emergency Disaster Services team, which responded with its mobile rehabilitation van to assist firefighters and other first-responders working at the scene. Surrounding towns providing mutual aid assistance, either at the scene or covering Litchfield’s station, included Hudson, Nashua – which also sent an AMR ambulance – Merrimack, Pelham, Londonderry, Amherst, Hollis, Salem, Derry, Bedford and Manchester. Mon, 06 Mar 2017 02:04:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090902-469/nh-economists-see-shift-in-priorities.html Economists and finance experts in New Hampshire say President Trump’s plan to spend an additional $54 billion on national defense, and to pay for it with cuts to other government departments, is more a reflection of his priorities than a practical proposal. During a speech last Tuesday to a joint session of Congress, Trump said he would make large cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency and other domestic programs – Social Security and Medicare are not on the chopping block – to pay for the proposed 10 percent increase in military spending. Michael Goldberg, the Todd H. Crockett Professor of Economics at University of New Hampshire and a senior research associate at the Institute for New Economic Thinking, said adding $54 billion dollars to the defense budget without cutting Social Security or Medicaid doesn’t make sense financially. The U.S. spent about $604 billion on national defense in 2016 – more than four times the second largest budget, China’s $147 billion, reported the bipartisan nonprofit Center for Strategic & International Studies. Goldberg shared a pie chart that details 2016 federal government outlays to explain his point. The largest federal expense in 2016 was Social Security, at $929.4 billion; Medicaid comes in third – right behind defense spending – at $595.3 billion. Mon, 06 Mar 2017 02:01:01 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090892-469/merrimack-brewery-hosts-ales-for-tails-for.html MERRIMACK – Beer and animal lovers can celebrate both at the Ales for Tails fundraiser, which will be hosted by the Anheuser-Busch brewery on March 26. The event, featuring games, a brewery tour, swag and beer, will benefit the Humane Society for Greater Nashua. “We have a good relationship with the brewery, and we have crafted something a little different,” said Laurie Dufault, director of development for the Humane Society. Default said Ales for Tails launched in March 2016 to replace a golf tournament that wasn't “growing like we hoped.” The inaugural event last year was a success, with 80 guests raising $4,800, she said. “We are not looking to make this massive,” Dufault said, adding their goal is closer to 100 guests versus the thousands who turn up for their signature Wags to Whiskers event at Anheuser-Busch every fall. Ales for Tails tickets are $50. The event features a 1.5-hour “Beermaster Tour” of the brewery, including a question-and-answer session with the Anheuser-Busch beermaster on the beer-making process. Tickets also include photo prints of the tour group, a photo opportunity with a Clydesdale and a barbecue spread from McNulty & Foley Caterers. Remembering last year's Ales for Tails, Dufault said her favorite part was relaxing after the tour. “When everyone was done with the tour, we came back to the hospitality room, and it was really nice,” she said. “It's casual and social, and there's a lot of strong games going on.” In 2016, attendees got into a competitive corn hole tournament and life-size Jenga game. “It was very laid back,” Dufault said. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 19:58:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090891-469/school-officials-to-tackle-budget-wednesday.html NASHUA – Hoping to approve the education budget by March 29, the school board Budget Committee is set to begin working on the draft document on March 8. The committee has met on almost a weekly basis since the draft budget was presented by Superintendent Connie Brown in January, but members used the meetings to understand budget details, not make changes. The March 8 meeting will be the first time Board of Education members can vote to add or reduce items from the budget. The budget process unofficially began in October when Mayor Jim Donchess asked what a “status quo” budget would look like given the concerns on the city side. The mayor’s request for a level-fund budget was because of an additional $2 million in city pension obligations. At the time of Brown's presentation of her draft budget in January, school officials assumed a spending cap of 1.2 percent. However, by the end of February, the cap was recalculated closer to 1.4 percent. In January, the 1.2 percent budget proposed for fiscal 2018 was $105,940,366, or $1,256,210 over the current budget of $104,684,156. Brown's 2018 budget, which covers the 2017-18 school year, featured the addition of all-day kindergarten for every elementary school in the district. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 19:43:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090890-469/yaris-hailed-as-a-big-picture-thinker.html NASHUA – When a small, high-tech startup that had been operating over a garage in Goffstown was named a runner-up in a local business competition, the new company won rent-free office space in Nashua for a year. That was exciting news to Ben Yaris, a member of the team of Forcivity, a cloud-based data reporting and access platform, who was serving as the firm’s director of engineering. The company’s new Nashua headquarters is located on Innovative Way in the Nashua Technology Park on the Gateway Hills campus. Forcivity was runner-up in the HiTech category of the 2016 fifth annual Flatly Challenge, a vigorous competition designed to assist startups and emerging businesses in several fields, including robotics, information technology, life sciences and other leading-edge technologies. Working in their new office, which is about 800 square feet, Forcivity’s four-person Nashua team enjoys access to several building amenities, including conference rooms and a health club. “It’s a pretty good deal, especially for a startup,” Yaris said. “It’s a lot of money we get to save.” But just as importantly, being honored and supported by other entrepreneurs who believe in the company gives its team a big dose of motivation. “Hopefully by the end of the year, our business will be taking off and we’ll be able to continue a lease here,” Yaris said. “Hopefully we’ll have a bigger space.” Forcivity enables its customers to gain control over their data. Yaris, who has helped design its products, was named chief technology officer last month. In his new position, Yaris helps drive the company’s brand and products and manage its overseas development team, and will build a technical team in the United States. “Ben is absolutely the right person to lead the tech side of the house at Forcivity,” co-founder Steve Baines said in a statement. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 17:37:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090888-469/off-the-radar-police-records-show-few.html NASHUA – The home operating as an unlicensed day care center where a 15-month-old baby died last week was not on the radar of Nashua police officers in the more than eight years prior to the infant’s death, according to documents obtained by the Telegraph. Of the nine pages of police logs dealing with the 131 Ash St. residence, about half the calls deal with the events surrounding the Feb. 22 death of the toddler. The remainder of the logs show routine calls made from or about the house since 2008, the first time the Lavalley family was reportedly investigated for operating an unlicensed day care facility. Shane and Erica Lavalley have denied any wrongdoing in the child’s death, saying last week they were devastated by the tragedy. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 17:31:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090877-469/francophonie-culture-with-a-french-twist-at.html The French language annually is celebrated by millions of French descendants on five continents who, during “Francophonie,” pay homage to the language and the culture. Francophonie, like a festive global holiday, takes place nearly worldwide throughout March. Antarctica and English-settled Australia sit this one out. Nashua’s Dominique Boutaud, an award-winning artist and owner of Healing in Color, 120 Main St., will add some vibrant hues to this year’s Francophonie by hosting a gala reception at her gallery from noon-6 p.m., next Sunday, March 12. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 11:25:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090855-469/21st-century-learning-after-school-program-hopes-to.html NASHUA – Featuring clubs, language support and homework help, the revitalized 21st Century Extended Day Program hosts about 60 kids at each of the Title I elementary schools in Nashua for three hours past the end of the school day. Program staff members now hope to offer the same services for Nashua’s three middle schools. “A lot of parents are disappointed the sixth grade doesn’t have the program,” said Gail Casey, 21st Century Program coordinator. The middle schools hosted the program in the past under a different director, but it hasn’t been in place for years. Nashua’s 21st Century staff are now applying for a competitive grant for five years of funding for all three middle schools. “At this point, it’s definitely needed,” Casey said, adding 21st Century has support from the community, including agencies getting involved with after-school services. “It’s great the community wants to be involved and have access to middle school students in a new way,” she said, noting vocational and soft skills coaching agency My Turn expressed interest. “They are going to provide different activities and workshops to middle school students at 21st Century … so 21st Century students can get career readiness skills.” The Spartans have also expressed interest, she said. 21st Century “is really a platform for agencies to offer programs to students,” Casey said. “This gives them access.” The after-school program also serves as an extension of the school day with study sessions and support from Nashua teachers, including English Language Learner teachers. “It’s a casual setting for students to speak about concepts they learned in school,” Casey said. “Sometimes students need time to process information. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 10:10:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090854-469/sunshine-week-events-planned-for-nashua-manchester.html NASHUA – In recognition of Sunshine Week, Right to Know New Hampshire will participate in two free events, including one in Nashua, designed to increase knowledge about the state’s Right to Know Law. Sunshine Week, from March 12-18, is a national initiative to promote open government. On March 13, the Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications and New England First Amendment Coalition will present a discussion concerning the key to open government in New Hampshire – the state Right to Know Law. “The Right to Know in New Hampshire, in Theory and Practice” will begin at 7 p.m. at the Loeb School, 749 E. Industrial Park Drive, Manchester. The two-part program will include a presentation by David Saad, president of Right to Know New Hampshire, a citizens group working to improve access to government in the state. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 10:07:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090851-469/nashua-after-school-program-hopes-to-expand-to.html NASHUA – Featuring clubs, language support and homework help, the revitalized 21st Century Extended Day Program hosts about 60 kids at each of the Title I elementary schools in Nashua for three hours past the end of the school day. Program staff members now hope to offer the same services for Nashua's three middle schools. “A lot of parents are disappointed the sixth grade doesn't have the program,” said Gail Casey, 21st Century Program coordinator. The middle schools hosted the program in the past under a different director, but it hasn’t been in place for years. Nashua's 21st Century staff are now applying for a competitive grant for five years of funding for all three middle schools. “At this point, it's definitely needed,” Casey said, adding 21st Century has support from the community, including agencies getting involved with after-school services. “It's great the community wants to be involved and have access to middle school students in a new way,” she said, noting vocational and soft skills coaching agency My Turn expressed interest. “They are going to provide different activities and workshops to middle school students at 21st Century … so 21st Century students can get career readiness skills.” The Spartans have also expressed interest, she said. 21st Century “is really a platform for agencies to offer programs to students,” Casey said. “This gives them access.” The after-school program also serves as an extension of the school day with study sessions and support from Nashua teachers, including English Language Learner teachers. “It's a casual setting for students to speak about concepts they learned in school,” Casey said. “Sometimes students need time to process information. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 07:10:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090845-469/hudson-selectmen-approve-aquatic-plant-control-grant.html HUDSON – The Board of Selectmen made quick work of its business Tuesday and approved three measures, including a $12,582 grant for exotic aquatic plant control from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services. The grant will help fund diver-assisted suction harvesting (DASH) in Otternic Pond and both DASH and herbicide treatment in Robinson Pond to remove fanwort and variable milfoil. About 85 lakes, ponds and rivers in New Hampshire have some type of invasive species, said Amy Smagula, exotic aquatic plant coordinator for the Department of Environmental Services. Ken Dickinson, chairman of the Hudson Conservation Commission, said Otternic Pond has historically received less attention than Robinson Pond, and therefore will be the priority this year. Dickinson said divers will hopefully begin work in Otternic Pond next month. Last year, he said, divers were unable to clean Otternic because the drought brought water levels down too low, so this year, they’re planning to do it earlier. The selectmen also accepted Hudson resident Bill Tate’s donation of a grist mill stone that will be placed in Benson Park by road agent Kevin Burns. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 01:19:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090843-469/area-youth-attending-opioid-summit.html Several Greater Nashua schools will be sending students to the New Hampshire Youth Summit on Opioid Awareness in Manchester on March 7. The half-day summit at the SNHU Arena is designed to educate middle and high school students about the dangers of opioid addiction while promoting the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. More than 500 people in New Hampshire died from drug overdose deaths in 2016. The summit will feature a showing of “If Only,” a short film co-produced by James Wahlberg with support of the Recovery Centers of America and Millennium Health. The keynote speaker, Jeff Allison, a New England native and former Miami Marlins pitcher, will share his story of addiction and recovery. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 00:58:09 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090842-469/one-grateful-immigrants-personal-journey.html This is the time of year I start finding myself staring out the slightly cobwebbed bay window trying, albeit never successfully, to trick my mind’s eye into seeing a great expanse of warm, brilliant beach sand against an azure-blue backdrop instead of the melancholic sight of soggy, brownish lawn dotted with remaining traces of dirty snow mounds. And exacerbating this year’s version of my little late-winter ritual is Mother Nature’s idea to start teasing us a little earlier than usual, what with delivering that generous stretch of May-like temperatures when the calendar still reads February. And then cruelly bringing back the deep freeze. So situated is my favorite (read: the levers still work) recliner that with a slight turn of the head I’m watching TV, typically wearing out the remote trying to avoid the barrages of commercials that seem to have created a whole new meaning of “annoying.” In between, I’m almost always toggling back and forth between news and sports channels – pretty typical, I suppose, of an aging male baby boomer who long ago landed, and set up housekeeping, in the news business. What is far from typical, though, is the news itself. While I’ve never waxed political in this space – and don’t intend to start now – nobody, no matter what one’s personal take on the grand scheme of things, can deny that the subject of immigration is about as hot these days as a topic can get, even for Washington. It’s against this backdrop that I’ve found my windowsill daydreams of beach sand and ocean waves have taken a back seat to a particular question, a rhetorical one in that it cannot be answered, just pondered: What would Uncle George and Aunt Naify, if they were alive today, think about the current state of affairs regarding immigration? I’ll never know for sure, but I bet anything I’d be fascinated with what they had to say. George E. Shalhoup and Naify Shalhoup Forzley, who died in 1999 and 1987 respectively, were born just after the turn of the 20th century in a village in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley. Sun, 05 Mar 2017 00:57:48 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090838-469/ash-ct.-duo-allegedly-sold-drugs-to.html NASHUA - A man and a woman living on Ash Court in downtown Nashua were indicted this week on a combined 17 felony charges accusing them of possessing, and selling, various types and quantities of narcotic drugs on numerous occasions throughout September and October. Lorri Drew, 49, and Antron Hughes, 55, both of 2 Ash Court, face 7 and 10 indictments, respectively, alleging that they individually, and in concert with one another, sold drugs to undercover police officers or confidential informants on Sept. 7, 12, 16, 21 and 26, and Oct. 7, 11, 13 and 26, sometimes more than once a day, according to the indictments. All are charged as subsequent offenses, because Drew and Hughes have both been convicted of drug-related crimes in the past. Drew was also indicted on one count each of possession of a controlled drug, subsequent offense, and common nuisances, a felony charge that accuses suspects of "knowingly keeping or maintaining a common nuisance," in this case, Drew's residence, "for the illegal keeping or selling of controlled drugs." Because he also lives at 2 Ash Court, Hughes was also indicted on a common nuisance charge. along with one count of attempted sale of a controlled drug, subsequent offense, alleging he attempted to contact his supplier to obtain drugs on Oct. Sat, 04 Mar 2017 13:45:39 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090835-469/car-shop-seeking-bankruptcy-profitable.html NASHUA - A set of documents prepared by embattled classic car dealer Dusty Old Cars indicates the business had been turning profits through August. "We are a very profitable company," Dusty Old Cars owner Stephan Condodemetraky said Friday. Condodemetraky was responding to a Telegraph request to explain the documents that he had emailed to the newspaper by accident in November. Dusty Old Cars is part of Chapter 11 bankruptcy case filed in February, as the company is dealing with numerous customer complaints and an investigation by the New Hampshire Attorney General's office. Condodemetraky declined to offer specific explanations for the information that appears to show profits for the company. He said the documents were prepared for a financial institution, although he wouldn't say what institution or explain the purpose for which the documents were prepared. He did say the figures contained in the documents do not provide a complete picture of Dusty Old Cars' finances, as they were working papers. "It's not an accurate look at my company," he said. A profit and loss statement shows, for example, Dusty Old Cars brought in $913,000 in net income, meaning after expenses, from January through August 2016. However, a balance sheet for the same period shows Dusty Old Cars had total assets in August of $2,454,485.15, and the exact same amount in total liabilities and equity. The bankruptcy filing from the middle of Febuary indicate Aftokinito Rally, the company that operates Dusty Old Cars, has from $1 million to $10 million in assets, and from $500,000 to $1 million in liabilities. Sat, 04 Mar 2017 12:53:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090837-469/incarcerated-teen-hopes-to-help-others.html You want to believe Trevor Clough. Want to believe every word he says. That he’s ready to change his life once leaving the state prison, perhaps in two months. That he’ll pursue a college degree, leading up to a career helping troubled kids. That he won’t stick a gun in someone’s face again and steal money. That he’s done smoking crack. “I’m realizing that this just isn’t the way to live,” Clough, who’s 19, tells me from a tiny meeting room in the state prison. Sat, 04 Mar 2017 12:46:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090836-469/career-readiness-program-for-young-adults-set.html My Turn, hoping to prepare 10 young adults for skilled manufacturing careers, has partnered with Hitchiner Manufacturing Co. in Milford. “We’re actually recruiting right now; as soon as we get 10 people, we’ll start,” said Allison Joseph, executive director of My Turn in New Hampshire. My Turn provides career readiness skills, paid internships and support toward further college education or a full-time career for teens and young adults. The agency also has case managers and job coaches to help support participants. The work training program is geared toward local adults ages 18-24, Joseph said. “We will be recruiting from the Greater Nashua and Greater Milford areas, cohorts of 10 each,” she said. The groups will be split in two, and swap positions between classroom and hands-on learning. “In the morning, five will be in the classroom with soft skills, and math and reading training relevant to the job,” Joseph said, noting they plan to use Hitchiner training material, “In the afternoon, they will be in training cells to do hands-on learning.” Hitchiner, the largest employer in Milford, recently announced plans to expand that location by 31,000 square feet. There will be two additions: 29,000 square feet of manufacturing space and offices and a 2,250-square-foot mechanical room. In Milford, there are about 335 employees who work over three shifts. My Turn has been working with local manufacturers in Greater Nashua for three years, pairing young adults with manufacturing jobs in critical need of skilled labor. Sat, 04 Mar 2017 12:43:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090831-469/nashua-clubs-program-helps-develop-young-entrepreneurs.html NASHUA – A recent field trip to the Four Hills Landfill and Recycling Center inspired a group of local youths in the Entrepreneurial Alley program at the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Nashua to present their inventions to help manage trash. “We identified ways to deal with waste, and the challenge is, ‘How do you change your habits at your home that reduces and reuses waste?’ ” said Rajesh Nair, local businessman and founder of EnCube Labs. Nair is also the founder and lead coach of the Entrepreneurial Alley program. The landfill trip was part of the six-month Entrepreneurial Alley program taught by EnCube Labs and piloted by the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Nashua. In January, participants designed and built inventions that performed a task, but didn’t necessarily solve a problem. This week, they designed and created an invention that helped solve the problem of managing or reusing trash. The final project, set for April, will have groups of kids create something that addresses a problem and could be marketable, fulfilling the entrepreneurial piece of the program. Inventions presented Friday afternoon at the club included a sensor that alerts the user when a trash can is full and a rack to hold plastic grocery bags. “You don't need an engineering degree to do any of these things,” Nair said, adding the kids have all learned elements of 3-D CAD, 3-D printing and electronic programming. “I have taught kids as young as 8 years old; they can pick it up.” For the presentation Friday afternoon, teams of 16 club members in four groups explained their projects to parents, club staff and other visitors. Julie Sage, 12, explained her group created the trash sensor to prevent bags of garbage from overflowing. “Trash is a huge problem. Fri, 03 Mar 2017 20:51:22 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090829-469/career-readiness-program-prepares-to-open-in.html MILFORD – Hoping to prepare 10 young adults for skilled manufacturing careers, MY TURN, Inc., has partnered with Hitchiner Manufacturing Co. in Milford. “We're actually recruiting right now; as soon as we get 10 people, we'll start,” said Allison Joseph, Executive Director of MY TURN, Inc., in New Hampshire. MY TURN provides career readiness skills, paid internships and support toward further college education or a full-time career for teens and young adults. The agency also has case managers and job coaches to help support participants. The work training program is geared toward 18-24 year old adults in the Greater Nashua and Greater Milford areas, Joseph said. “We will be recruiting from Greater Nashua and Greater Milford areas, cohorts of 10 each,” she said. Fri, 03 Mar 2017 16:19:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090789-469/strong-winds-take-down-trees-across-region.html NASHUA – Chris LaPointe, of Brookline, was at home with his kids Thursday when he heard a bang. So he ran downstairs where he saw a downed power line in his front yard. “There was a flame coming off the trees out front and a flame coming off of the power line,” LaPointe said. Across the street, at 32 Parker Road, a tree fell onto an electrical pole, causing a chain reaction that ended with electricity grounding into his lawn. He quickly shut off his home’s circuit breaker, instructed his kids to exit the back of the house and called the police. LaPointe’s experience was one of many chaotic occurrences Thursday as high wind gusts took down trees and telephones poles and scattered trash into the streets. Gusts as high was 45 mph were recorded at Nashua Airport, and the National Weather Service reported 43 mph gusts in Hudson and 35 mph in Litchfield and Hollis. Lt. Anne Perriello, of the Pelham Police Department, said several downed trees forced the town to temporarily close roads, including Hobbes Road, Majestic Avenue, and the intersection of Hearthstone Road and Brookview Drive. On Dutton Road at around 9 a.m., Perriello said, the top of a tree came off, caught some telephone wires and crashed through the windshield of a Subaru Outback. The driver wasn’t injured. One lane of the road was closed until 10:30 a.m. Fri, 03 Mar 2017 14:29:47 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090713-469/six-arrested-for-illegal-gas-work-in.html NASHUA - Complaints by tenants of gas odors and investigations by Nashua Fire Rescue resulted in the arrest of six men from New Hampshire and Massachusetts for having natural gas work completed illegally in several city properties. Police say property managers and maintenance workers are facing a fuel gas fitters charge, a Class A misdemeanor, for work they did themselves or for not having licensed installers perform work in apartment buildings on Ledge Street, Whitney Street and East Hollis Street. The following men have been arrested by the Nashua Police Department: Garry Gauthier, 52, of Gauthier Realty located at 16 Amherst St., was arrested following an inspection of a property he owns at 128 East Hollis St. in Nashua. Police say Gauthier allegedly had work performed on a gas-fired furnace system by a maintenance person who was not a licensed fuel gas fitter. Edward Dodd, 56, of Milford, was also arrested in connection to the East Hollis Street property, which he maintains. It is alleged, by law enforcement, that Dodd performed work on a gas-fired furnace system and was not a licensed fuel gas fitter. Xu Bin Zheng, 38, of Wakefield, Mass., was arrested following an inspection of a property he owns at 54 Whitney St. Fri, 03 Mar 2017 14:19:59 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090659-469/local-news-digest.html New members elected to YMCA board NASHUA – The YMCA of Greater Nashua announced the newly elected members of its board of directors. “I am excited to have these wonderful community leaders joining our board of directors to aid us in our great work and service to the Greater Nashua region,” said Michael LaChance, CEO of the YMCA of Greater Nashua. Elected to three-year terms were: • Matthew D’Arcy, a commercial account executive with Cross Insurance. • Rich Hillman, a product manager with Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics. • Deane Navaroli, a principal with Harrington and Reeves. • Gloria Selvitella, regional vice president of Farley White Management Co. Board members work with staff to develop a long-range strategic plan that guides the implementation of programs and initiatives that support the Y’s efforts to nurture the potential of youths, improve the nation’s health and well-being, and support neighbors. The board leadership consists of: • Chief Volunteer Officer Lydia Foley, a broker/owner with Purple Finch Properties. • Treasurer Steven King, health plan CEO with United Healthcare. • Vice Chairman Steve Lynn, vice president of national sales-managed accounts at Fidelity Investments. • Secretary Anna O’Herren, director of pharmacy and retail operations at Walgreens. • Immediate Past President Michael Rubino, senior director of software development with Oracle Corp. For information about how to get involved with the YMCA or to donate, visit www.nmymca.org or call 598-1533. – TINA FORBES Participants sought for Senior Citizen Police Academy NASHUA – Nashua Police Chief Andrew Lavoie announced that the Police Department will hold Senior Citizens Police Academies 9 a.m.-noon Tuesdays from May 16-June 6. The four-week program is designed to provide seniors a glimpse into the day-to-day operations of the Nashua Police Department and its community partnerships. The sessions will focus on the complex social issues facing seniors today. Lavoie invites residents interested in the program to call Senior Relations Specialist Jane Constant at 594-3628 for more information. Space is limited. The deadline for reservations is May 1. – TINA FORBES Fri, 03 Mar 2017 14:19:59 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090607-469/dying-in-vein-author-seeks-justice-for.html (Editor's Note: Kathy MacKay and Stacy Milbouer are former Telegraph employees.) NASHUA – This year marks 20 years since Kathy MacKay's husband, David, died of AIDS after infusing his blood with FDA-approved hemophiliac medication tainted with HIV. When they married in 1987, MacKay knew her husband had contracted HIV from his medication, but thought the incident was accidental. She later found information suggesting drug companies were aware the medication was compromised with HIV and hepatitis C, but continued to sell it in the U.S. and abroad. In collaboration with her friend and former colleague Stacy Milbouer, MacKay documented victims of tainted blood, including her own family, in a 2004 photo-essay book, “Dying in Vein: Blood, Deception ... Justice.” Seeking justice for victims, the two women are now raising funds to publish Volume 2 of “Dying in Vein,” which will take e-book form to incorporate video, such as interviews with victims. “The new book is about justice,” MacKay said. Fri, 03 Mar 2017 14:19:59 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090602-469/not-licensed-as-a-day-care.html NASHUA – The Ash Street home where a 15-month-old boy died Wednesday was an unlicensed day care business, according to the state. Representatives with the New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services stated Friday the home has never been licensed to be a day care center, although there have been complaints about an unlicensed child care business at that property going back to 2008. The Ash Street homeowners, Shane and Erica Lavalley, met Friday with Telegraph reporters, although they declined to speak on the record. Their attorney, Justin Shepherd, called the child’s death a tragedy. “It’s our understanding that the baby previously had some medical issue, nothing that appeared overly serious and nothing that would readily cause alarm,” Shepherd said. The baby, whose identity has not been made public, was at the Lavalleys’ house on Wednesday and went down for a nap. The baby slept for a couple of hours, but did not respond when the Lavalleys attempted to wake him, Shepherd said. “Tragically, the baby passed away with no cause or wrongdoing by either Erica or Shane Lavalley,” he said. “The entire Lavalley family is completely devastated by the untimely passing of the baby. Fri, 03 Mar 2017 14:19:59 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090600-469/hollis-preschool-prepares-kids-with-play-based-and.html HOLLIS – Hollis Preschool has been serving local families for more than 60 years, with new emphasis placed on helping children transition from preschool to kindergarten and beyond. “This is where the kindergarten readiness program comes from,” said Lindsay Silvestri, school co-director and lead teacher of the 4-year-old program and kindergarten readiness program. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, children preparing to move beyond preschool stay later and learn new skills. “Because we’re a developmental program, a big part for us is a social piece: learning how to sit next to another child, how to sit still, raise your hand – those are critical skills going into kindergarten and first grade,” Silvestri said.  Hollis Preschool also has a new “character building’ program to help with the children’s transition to higher grades. “We have a new social-emotional program this year on how to be patient, kind and tolerant,” she said.  The nonprofit school for ages 2-5 is run by a board of community members and parents, and currently includes seven teachers and 49 children.  “A lot of parents who send their kids through the school are on the board,” Panella said. Panella is the co-vice chairwoman of the school’s board, and her 2-year-old daughter, Kate, attends the program. Fri, 03 Mar 2017 14:19:59 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090796-469/city-academy-aims-to-show-how-local.html NASHUA - School starts Monday for city residents who want to learn more about the ins and outs of Nashua's government. The Nashua City Academy will begin Monday night in the City Hall auditorium. Mayor Jim Donchess said all of the slots are full for the classes, which will run until June. "The response has been really good," Donchess said. The class is limited to 50 people, and those spaces were filled earlier this week soon after Donchess announced the plan for the program in his State of the City address. Donchess wants Nashua's city government to be more open and transparent for residents, and the classes will give people the opportunity to see its workings up close. "My goal is to get more people involved in city government," Donchess said. The classes will show residents how things work in the police and fire department, public works, finance, and other areas, he said. The first class on Monday night will offer a glimpse into the workings of the mayor's office and the Board of Aldermen. Donchess said he wants to see the people who come to class get more information about how the city functions, and he hopes that knowledge will spur them to get involved in their community. Damien Fisher can be reached at 594-1245, dfisher@nashuatelegraph.com or @Telegraph_DF. Fri, 03 Mar 2017 10:02:58 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090795-469/arrest-made-in-alleged-assault.html NASHUA - Police early Sunday morning arrested Nashua resident Charles Wells, roughly two hours after officers called to his residence for a reported domestic dispute found a 37-year-old woman bleeding from her mouth and clutching her abdomen in pain, police said. Wells, 33, of 4 W. Hobart St., was subsequently charged with two counts each of second-degree assault and second-degree assault - domestic violence, all Class B felonies, along with one Class A misdemeanor count each of simple assault and domestic violence, police said. He was arraigned Monday in Nashua district court, at which time Judge Lucinda Sadler modified his bail from $25,000 to $10,000 cash only. If Wells does make bail, the judge's orders prohibit him from having any contact with the alleged victim, and that he is to stay away from 4 W. Hobart St., the residence where he and the alleged victim had been living. If Wells needs to retrieve personal items, including any vehicles, from the home, the bail order requires that he do so only with the presence of police. Other conditions state Wells shall live for the time being with his sister at her Nashua home and refrain from alcohol and illegal drugs, not possess firearms and sign a waiver of extradition. He is next due in court for a hearing at 8:15 Thursday, March 9. Police said the alleged victim, who told officers she is Wells' girlfriend, also "had redness around her neck," was "complaining of severe pain to the left side of her head ... Fri, 03 Mar 2017 10:02:33 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090794-469/womens-foundation-ceo-at-nashua-event.html NASHUA - Tanna Clews, the new CEO of the New Hampshire Women's Foundation, introduced herself to community members Wednesday and got their input about how the organization can better serve its purpose. The event at the Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce attracted representatives from nonprofit Nashua-based women's resources the Front Door Agency and Marguerite's Place, the League of Women Voters of New Hampshire, and political figures, as well as those who wanted to learn more about what the New Hampshire Women's Foundation does. The foundation's mission is to promote opportunity and equality for women and girls in the state through research, education, philanthropy and advocacy. In 2016, the organization, which has about 100 grantees, granted about $75,000 from donors and Clews said they are looking to hit $100,000 this year, and to double that in 2018. Clews previously served as an executive and strategic consultant for the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, the NH Department of Education and the Community College System of NH. An alumnus of Smith College, a women's college in Northhampton, Mass., Clews said she is finally leading an organization that aligns with her passion. The foundation was born two and a half years ago in a merger of the New Hampshire Women's Initiative and the Women's Fund of New Hampshire. "A lot of people ask me how it's possible to have an organization that does both advocacy and philanthropy - quite frankly, it's one of the reasons why I took the job," Clews said. By both supporting women's causes and advocating for them through policy positions, Clews said the organization can have a greater impact. Some of the policies that the New Hampshire Women's Foundation is advocating for include paid family and medical leave, full-day kindergarten and higher-quality early childhood education. "I am pleased to see Gov. Sununu has added money to the budget for full-day kindergarten," Clews said. Though, she added, she thinks he could go farther. The foundation also helped fund the Women's Day of Action & Unity in Concord Jan. 21 with the assistance of Planned Parenthood. Clews said she has seen increased interest in the organization since the presidential election. "November threw us a gift ... Fri, 03 Mar 2017 10:02:03 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090791-469/nashuan-charged-for-using-phone.html BOW – New Hampshire State Police say Nashua resident Paige Corriveau’s illegal use of a mobile electronic device while she drove north on Interstate 93 Wednesday night – with a 5-year-old in the car – more than likely caused her to lose control of the vehicle and crash into a line of trees. Corriveau, 27, was charged with a violation-level offense for allegedly using the device while driving, a practice that has been illegal in New Hampshire since July 1, 2015. Police said Thursday that local officers and state troopers were alerted by other drivers a short time before the crash that someone was driving erratically on the highway. Corriveau and the child, whose relationship to Corriveau wasn’t specified by police, were transported to Concord Hospital for treatment of injuries that weren’t considered lifethreatening, police said. Their conditions, or whether one or both had been released from the hospital, wasn’t immediately known Thursday. Police said officers and troopers arrived at the crash scene just before 8 p.m. They found Corriveau’s 1998 Toyota Corolla in a cluster of trees about 100 feet from the highway. “The vehicle was totaled,” police said in a statement. Police ask that anyone who may have witnessed the crash or has information about it to call Trooper Christopher Elphick at 271-3636. Fri, 03 Mar 2017 08:42:47 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090790-469/two-charged-in-merrimack-crash.html MERRIMACK – Two people were arrested and the owner of the Auto Workshop was left without his roadside sign Thursday when a mid-size sedan veered off the road and careened through the yard and parking lot of the Daniel Webster Highway business. Nobody was hurt, but longtime Auto Workshop owner Paul Masry and his employees were plenty surprised, he said, when all of a sudden they “heard a big ‘Kaboom’” shortly after noon. “I looked up, saw a big cloud of dust over there,” Masry said, looking out his office window and gesturing toward a late-model Hyundai, which was surrounded by police officers and firefighters who had been called to the shop at 556 Daniel Webster Highway. Police weren’t immediately available Thursday to identify the suspects or give additional information on the incident, such as the cause and what charges the suspects face. Meanwhile, the “Kaboom” Masry heard, he later surmised, was the sound of his sign splintering under the impact of the suspect car. Oddly, both support posts remained standing, apparently untouched by the car. “He must have gone right in between them,” Masry said. “I don’t know how he did it, but he did.” The car, its trunk lid sprang open and its windshield spider-webbed, then struck a parked Honda Accord before coming to rest about 10 yards from the sign. It appeared the suspect vehicle was headed north on Daniel Webster Highway when it crossed into the southbound lane and onto the shoulder, where Masry believes it bounced off the remains of a snowbank before taking out his sign and hitting the parked Accord. After police transported the suspects, believed to be a man and a woman, a flatbed tow truck arrived to remove the suspect vehicle and collect the debris it left in its wake. Meanwhile, Merrimack resident Bob Koontz and his wife surveyed the damage to the Accord and took photos. Koontz said the car belongs to his son, who had dropped it off earlier Thursday for service. “Paul called me right away,” Koontz said, referring to Masry. Fri, 03 Mar 2017 08:39:15 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090740-469/student-green-club-sets-sights-on-north.html NASHUA – In an effort to help stock local food pantries and school cafeterias, students and faculty have teamed up to plant produce at the Nashua High School North greenhouse. “This will provide the students with a hands-on learning experience while simultaneously teaching them about community involvement,” said Andrew Morin, co-coordinator of NH Farm to School's Nashua school garden initiative and executive director of the Regenerative Roots Association. The Farm to School initiative was launched by the University of New Hampshire's Sustainability Institute in 2003. The students’ Green Club, which includes Morin, 15 pupils and teachers, have been developing a school garden and horticulture program at the high school in the past few months. The group has big plans for the North greenhouse, and for future gardens across the Nashua School District, Morin said. “For the 2017 growing season, we plan to start over 250 vegetables in the greenhouse which will subsequently be transplanted to a new quarter acre community garden at Sullivan Farm managed by the Regenerative Roots Association,” he said. Regenerative Roots aims to help communities establish sustainable farming techniques, educational programs, charitable endeavors and environmental preservation practices. At Sullivan Farm in Nashua, the plan is for interns and volunteers to cultivate the produce and donate it all to local food pantries and schools for free, Morin said, “Two places that typically lack access to healthy, locally grown produce.” The Green Club also plans to build a raised garden bed at North consisting of four raised beds, 4 by 8 by 10 feet each. The greenhouse was a part of the new high school when it opened more than a decade ago, but it fell out of use in recent years. Thu, 02 Mar 2017 08:02:16 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090741-469/man-who-died-in-mobile-home-fire.html Fire officials have identified the victim of Sunday's fire in a mobile home park in Nashua. An autopsy conducted on the man found inside the manufactured home that burned at 24 Sunrise Trail is Michael J. Martell, 58. Martell, the homeowner, died of smoke inhalation. NFR Deputy Chief George Walker said Monday firefighters started an initial search while fighting the flames, and they found the man in the rear of the trailer. He was declared dead at the scene. People who lived near him said Martell kept to himself and was a quiet neighbor. The fire was deemed accidental and no other information was available. Don Himsel can be reached at 594-1249, dhimsel@nashuatelegraph.com, or @Telegraph_DonH   Wed, 01 Mar 2017 17:00:00 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090177-469/manufacturing-company-plans-to-expand-facilities.html MILFORD - Hitchiner Manufacturing Co., the town's largest private employer, is planning to build onto its Elm Street plant, an expansion that will require 30 or 40 new employees. The addition is for new product lines and new contracts, Earl Blatchford, of Hayner/ Swanson in Nashua, told the Milford Planning Board recently. Engineers and company representatives offered the board a conceptual proposal for adding 31,000 square feet to Hitchiner's Milford headquarters. The company, which also has two plants in Mexico, makes parts for the automotive, aerospace and other industries. Tim Sullivan, vice president for corporate affairs, said the new products and customers are confidential. Sullivan said the family-owned company has demonstrated an "ongoing commitment to Milford, to New Hampshire and to manufacturing." In 2012, the company moved into a new multimillion-dollar expansion of the Elm Street building, and at that time President John Morison said more expansion is possible. The company has been in Milford since 1951 and has two facilities here: the Elm Street headquarters with its vacuum-casting operation and a ferrous-casting operation on Savage Road. "It's an exciting opportunity for Hitchiner," said Blatchford, who said the engineers are on a "fairly aggressive schedule" and have already submitted an application to the Zoning Board of Adjustment. The company is asking to expand an existing nonconforming use and encroach into a front-yard setback. There will actually be two additions, he said: 29,000 square feet of manufacturing space and some offices, and a 2,250-square-foot mechanical room. Board members said they liked the plans and will probably focus on parking and landscaping. "So far it looks like a really good plan," Vice Chairwoman Janet Langdell said. Wed, 01 Mar 2017 16:01:56 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090717-469/tappans-hearing-delayed-nashua-murder-suspect-set.html NASHUA - The competency hearing for Devin Tappan, the 30-year-old Nashua man accused of killing his Kinsley Street neighbor in January, has been rescheduled for April, according to court documents. Initially set for next week, the hearing, which Tappan's public defender requested following his Jan. 9 arraignment in Nashua district court, was recently moved to Monday, April 10, in the city court. Tappan, formerly of 32 Kinsley St., Apt. 1, is charged with second-degree murder for allegedly bludgeoning to death Javier Rivera Afanador, 45, sometime between 2 a.m. and 7 p.m. Wed, 01 Mar 2017 07:03:18 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1090716-469/driving-instructor-ordered-off-road.html AMHERST - The owner and sole instructor at a Cadwell Drive driving school is not allowed to teach any courses after her certificate expired this month. Catherine Meaney, owner of the All Star Driving School, said Monday she stopped teaching on Jan. 31, though she continues to book students for spring and summer classes at her facility. Meaney's school did have February classes, which she said she did not teach. It is unclear who will teach the future classes for Meaney. New Hampshire State Police trooper Russ Bailey said Meaney's driver's education certificate expired at the end of January. Wed, 01 Mar 2017 07:02:48 EST