THURSDAY,Newfound DECEMBER 1, 2016 FREE IN PRINT, FREE ON-LINE • WWW.NEWFOUNDLANDING.COM Landing COMPLIMENTARY Participants of all ages — and species — take part in Turkey Trot BY DONNA RHODES There were a few [email protected] new additions in this BRIDGEWATER — year’s efforts, though, From the very young adding to both the to the elderly, par- fun and the funds. ticipants with two Proceeds from an ed- legs to four legs, baby ible “turkey cookie” strollers, walkers and painting table, a silent runners could all be auction for barbecue found making their grills, smokers and way along Mayhew other outdoor items as Turnpike and Whitte- well as a special raffle more Point in Bridge- for 100 gallons of heat- water for the 32nd an- ing fuel from Dead Riv- nual Turkey Trot last er Company in Bristol Thursday morning in all benefited the cause. Bridgewater as they Each race/walk par- helped raise money for ticipant also received the local Santa Fund of tickets they could en- the Newfound Region. ter for other raffle Each year, the San- drawings from local ta Fund provides local businesses, including families in need with gift certificates to a va- food, gifts and warm riety of local eateries winter clothing, and and shops, glassware, DONNA RHODES this year it was sup- holiday ornaments and Hebron resident Ron Delisle and Kris Hering of Bristol were fashionable standouts in the crowd that assembled for the 32nd ported once again by a artwork. annual Turkey Trot at Newfound Grocery on Thanksgiving morning. large and enthusiastic “We really had some crowd. SEE TURKEY TROT, PAGE A10 Tree lighting brings the holidays Space Needs Committee forced to to Bristol's Central Square BY DONNA RHODES [email protected] BRISTOL — An reconsider position off and on wintry mix BY THOMAS P. CALDWELL including a basement on couldn’t dampen the Contributing Writer the new town hall would spirit of the annual BRISTOL — Concerns be problematic because tree lighting festivities about drainage and es- of drainage issues, and in Bristol’s Central calating cost estimates said doing it properly Square last Friday, associated with proposed would cost $300,000. As an and the weather even building projects forced alternative, he suggested cleared just in time for the Bristol Space Needs extending the building by families and loved ones Committee to hold an 10 feet to accommodate to gather on the com- emergency meeting af- the storage needs of the mon to sing and rejoice ter it had completed its town, saying that would over the upcoming hol- recommendations to the add $122,000 to the build- idays. town. ing cost. Some of the features The committee had Shaw also suggested planned for the event, DONNA RHODES been unanimous in rec- installing an elevator in such as roasted chest- Besides Santa, the Gingerbread Man also made an appearance in Central Square in Bristol last Friday night, helping everyone kick off the holiday season. ommending the construc- the existing municipal nuts and other treats, tion of a new town hall building, saying there were cancelled due to ered together to sing for about four years now been placed in the mail. on a lot adjacent to the should be a public area at the changing weather, nostalgic holiday songs and always look for- Daughter Emerald is current municipal build- the police station. but music led by Lib- such as “Deck the Halls,” ward to this,” said one hoping for Shopkins ing, and renovations to McNally said there by Danahy still filled “O Christmas Tree,” and Alexandria mom as her toys this year while her the existing building should be an additional the square and even “It’s Beginning to Look children eagerly looked brother Griffin put in a to better accommodate catch basin for parking the Gingerbread Man A Lot Like Christmas,” forward to Santa’s first request for Lego’s Star the police department. lot runoff, but the State of stopped by for photos sirens were soon heard appearance of the sea- Wars and other Star However, just before New Hampshire is reluc- with all the boys and in the distance, herald- son. Wars adventure kits. submitting that report to tant to approve requests girls. ing the arrival of Santa. Letters to Santa, Their spirits grew the selectmen, architect that would add to the load After people gath- “We’ve been coming she added, had already SEE TREE LIGHTING, PAGE A10 Brackley Shaw and en- SEE SPACE NEEDS, PAGE A9 gineer Michael McNally raised concerns about the drainage on the so- Festival of Trees raises funds for Newfound theater program called Smith lot and the additional runoff from a BY DONNA RHODES NRHS Drama Direc- larger parking lot. [email protected] tor Stephanie Wiencek Shaw told the com- BRISTOL — Friends said she was excited mittee on Nov. 22 that of Newfound Theater about the new fundrais- hosted their first ever ing event and hopes it is Festival of Trees at the something that will grow INDEX Old Town Hall in Bristol over the years. n last weekend, where 20 “Money we raise Volume 3 • Number 49 beautiful holiday trees through this fundrais- Opinion ........................A4 were up for raffle, each er means we don’t have Obituaries ....................A5 designed by local fami- to raise ticket prices so Schools ...................NONE lies and businesses. Win- families can continue to Towns .................... A5,A6 ners of each raffle got to come out and enjoy our take home not only the theater performances,” Churches ................ A6,A7 trees themselves, but said Wiencek. Arts & Ent. ..............NONE the themed items and Among the many spe- Health .....................NONE gifts that went along cially themed trees raf- Business ..................NONE with them, such as or- DONNA RHODES fled off this year were Sports ............B1-B4 & B8 naments, music cd’s, Molly Croxon of the Newfound Regional High School Thespian Society and violinist Lisa Kato an Elf on the Shelf tree, of the school’s orchestra brought a touch of holiday nostalgia to the inaugural Festival of Trees Classifieds ...............B6-B7 books, game, home decor a Dr. Seus tree, and one last weekend, proceeds of which benefited the Friends of Newfound Theater. 16 pages in 2 sections and more. from Basic Ingredients ©2016, Salmon Press, LLC. Brenda Clayton, in- High School’s annual popular Festival of Trees I thought it would be a Bakery titled, “While Call us at (603) 279-4516 strumental in behind theater performances, in Plymouth each year. great way to raise money Visions of Sugar Plums email: [email protected] the scenes operations was also the person who “It’s been such a big for the community plays Danced in Their Heads.” www.salmonpress.com for Newfound Regional first headed up the very success in Plymouth that here,” Clayton said. SEE FESTIVAL, PAGE A9 Local A2 NEWFOUND LANDING, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2016 n Newfound School Board finalizes budget proposal BY THOMAS P. CALDWELL than the current-year recommending expen- to consider the consol- for their own buildings. not have the ability to Contributing Writer budget because of oth- ditures that increase idation of some of its Hebron and Bridge- maintain their schools BRISTOL — The er obligations, such as the school district tax schools was echoed by water formed a village in the same manner as loss of Groton’s stabi- increases in retirement assessment by more other board members district to build and Hebron and Bridgewa- lization grant, which and health insurance than two percent, but on the 28th. maintain an elementa- ter, and Buckley noted reduced its state ade- spending, as well as the voters at the deliber- “The alternative is ry school which they there are already in- quacy aid to zero, com- cost items in the two- ative session of the to reduce personnel,” lease to the Newfound frastructure problems pounded by the limits of year teachers’ contract annual meeting are said Vincent Paul Mi- Area School District, because the Bridge- the school district’s tax that the board ratified not bound by that re- gliore of Bridgewater. and Levesque said oth- water-Hebron Village cap, resulted in further on Nov. 14. striction, and could in- “To avoid that, we’ll er towns might take School has a different cuts to the superinten- In order to meet the crease the budget from have to consolidate op- a similar approach to type of security cam- dent’s proposed budget tax cap, Superinten- the floor. erations.” keep up maintenance era, preventing her for 2017-2018 and led the dent Stacy Buckley had “I am going to ap- Business Adminis- on the other schools. from monitoring that Newfound Area School eliminated most of the prove this budget, trator Michael Limanni It would be more com- school as she does the Board to consider alter- building maintenance but not recommend said the district could plicated, however, be- other schools in the dis- native ways to preserve that had been part of it,” Levesque told the amend its tax cap to cause, while Bristol, trict. both educational pro- her original propos- board. “I’d really, re- exempt infrastructure Danbury, and New That returned the grams and the district’s al, including roof re- ally, really like to see improvements, but Mi- Hampton have elemen- discussion to the pos- infrastructure. pairs to address leaks someone step up at the gliore said he doubted tary schools in their sibility of closing a While the board ap- at Newfound Regional deliberative session such a measure would towns, Alexandria and school to consolidate proved an operating High School and asbes- and amend the budget pass.