Berlin Prison by Edith Tucker Ple Back to Work in New Hamp- [email protected] Shire,” Shaheen Said in a Press Release

Volume 118 No. 47 © WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2011 50 cents Congress passes funds to open Berlin Prison By Edith Tucker ple back to work in New Hamp- [email protected] shire,” Shaheen said in a press release. WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Berlin Mayor Paul Grenier, a Androscoggin Valley and all of Democrat fresh off a successful Coös County have one more mayoral campaign for another thing to be grateful for on term, said: “I am very happy Thanksgiving. Funding is now in about the future of Berlin; there place to open the federal prison is definitely a positive feeling in in Berlin. PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHN GUTOWSKI our city now, and Sen. Shaheen Long-distance hiker John Gutowski of Twin Mountain recently took this photograph that shows 14 of the 33 3-megawatt Granite Reliable Power Senator Jeanne Shaheen had really helped create this head- wind turbines running over the ridgelines of Owlhead Mountain and Mount Kelsey from atop Signal Mountain in Millsfield, east of the turbines. announced on Wednesday after- wind.” He credited the efforts of Millsfield Pond is in the foreground. Muise Mountain, named after the late Fish and Game District 1 Chief Arthur Muise, is the high peak behind noon, Nov. 16, that by this week- both Shaheen and Bass, pointing the turbines in the left third of the photograph. It is now protected from development because of the high-elevation mitigation agreement ham- end the Berlin Prison would get out that their help on a number mered out by Fish and Game, Appalachian Mountain Club, and GRP that is part of the project’s Certificate of Site and Facility. the funds it needs to open. And of Berlin and North Country her prediction proved correct. projects had played a huge role. Senate and House negotia- Previously, the mayor had tors had reached a conference joined other local officials, both Bank Robber has history of bad luck committee agreement on the elected and appointed, in criti- By Jeff Woodburn sued on foot by an off-duty po- 2012 Commerce, Justice and Sci- cizing Republican Senator Kelly [email protected] lice officer, he glanced back to ence appropriations bill as part Ayotte for not supporting the BERLIN – Accused bank rob- assess the widening distance of a Continuing Resolution that 2012 Commerce, Justice and Sci- ber Daniel Ray Hufstetler has a from the cop and was run over had to pass in order to avoid a ence appropriations bill. long and record of run-ins with by an unsuspecting motorist. government shutdown that Bass, speaking on the House the law, some depicting him as a "He didn't get crushed, but he would have gone into effect at floor when the bill was being de- comical dunce or -- at least -- didn't get away, either," said Lt. midnight on Friday. bated on Thursday afternoon, hopelessly unlucky. He has sev- James McGee, of the Roswell po- Because of action in the credited Mayor Grenier for his eral felony convictions against lice Department in the Appen House and Senate, President dogged determination in secur- him – burglary, theft and assault. News, in Alpharetta, GA. A Buick Barack Obama was able to sign ing funding for the federal All of which were committed nailed him, he added, “The the bill on Friday to avert that prison. while he was living in the scene was pretty bad.” possibility. He also thanked Rep. Frank Roswell, Georgia area. Hufstetler was taken to the The bill that passed includes Wolf, a Republican of Virginia On April Fool’s Day, 2009, sev- hospital and later tried and con- $6.5 billion for the federal Bu- who chairs the House Com- eral Georgia newspapers report- victed for shop-lifting. reau of Prisons. It specifically merce-Justice-Science Appropri- ed that after a snatch-and-grab Back in June of 1998, when prioritizes funding for the three ations (CJS) subcommittee, for robbery of a jewelry store, Huf- Hufstetler was 20, he was appre- prisons across the nation — in- his willingness to entertain spe- stetler was hit by a car. He at- hended and handcuffed by po- cluding the Berlin Prison — that cific legislation to fund opening tempted to steal a $12,000 PHOTO BY JEFF WOODBURN whose construction had been up three unopened federal pris- bracelet and while being pur- see Bank Robber page A2 Daniel Ray Hufstetler: unlucky or dumb? completed but needed funding ons, including the one in Berlin. to open. That is the specific pro- Bass said that he had worked vision for which Rep. Charlie on Berlin and Androscoggin Val- Bass claims credit. In a Thurs- ley issues for some 16 years, the day afternoon telephone inter- bulk of the time as congressman view, Bass exuberantly pointed from the Second Congressional out that Sen. Shaheen had incor- District. porated the same language into “This is great news,” Bass the bill’s Senate version. This said in a Thursday afternoon kind of mutual effort is charac- telephone interview. “I think teristic of how New Hampshire’s that good things lie ahead for delegation works across the Berlin, with the possibility of aisle, he said. Bass is a Republi- bringing diversified industries can, Shaheen a Democrat. that can take advantage of the “This is very, very good news hot water produced by the for the North Country and New Berlin Station biomass plant Hampshire,” Shaheen said. “By plus the available land on the creating more than 300 jobs, the east side of the Androscoggin PHOTO BY JEFF WOODBURN PHOTO BY JEFF WOODBURN Berlin Prison will provide a $40 River,” he explained. Accused bank robber Daniel Hufstetler confers with his attorney, Hannah Kinne. Sheena Craig with her attorney Joseph Garrison million economic boost to a The 1,280-bed men’s medium- community that really needs it. security federal facility on the Once the bill passes, the Bureau East Side of Berlin was complet- Bank robbers nabbed, loot used to avoid eviction will begin the hiring process ed in 2010 at a total cost of $276 By Jeff Woodburn bank and -- minutes later -- de- Class A felony. Hufstetler’s attor- from Class B to Class A felony, within weeks.” million. [email protected] positing part of the loot into their ney, Hannah Kinne, with the Lit- based on the statutory definition “I am glad the Congress is Federal medium-security LANCASTER –A recently un- landlord’s bank account to avoid tleton public defender’s office, of the alleged crime. coming together in a bipartisan employed man and his girlfriend eviction from their High Street, said her client plans to plead not Buteau argued that Craig’s bail see Berlin Prison page A2 way to pass this bill and get peo- are accused of robbing a local Berlin apartment. On Thursday, guilty. The state’s evidence, she be set at $50,000 personal recog- Daniel Hufstetler and Sheena said, is “all circumstantial.” nizance and $500 cash bail. He Craig separately appeared in Lan- Buteau argued that Huf- noted that Craig was unemployed Word on the Street: caster District Court to face stetler’s bail should be set at and had a record – in 2005 she was felony charges brought against $75,000 cash only bail based on convicted of theft in Georgia. Her them. his previous criminal record, and, attorney, Joseph Garrison, who is Is the economy getting better or worse? Hufstetler allegedly robbed at Buteau said, the defendant is a also with the local public defend- gunpoint the Guardian Angel “danger to public safety and a er’s office, said $500 cash bond, Credit Union in Berlin on Novem- possible flight risk.” Kinne coun- was not fair. “It’s inappropriate,” ber 14 at 2:50 p.m. and then fled in tered that bail should be $20,000 he said, “for driving a car.” Garri- a get-away car driven by Craig. personal recognizance and son also said Craig’s conviction Several witnesses described the $10,000 cash or corporate surety. should have been annulled, that suspects and their vehicle, ac- “He’s indigent (and ) has no in- she has worked over a year as an cording to Berlin Police Lt. Dan come,” she said and suggested overnight stocker at the Gorham Buteau, who represented the setting bail so high that it ex- Wal-Mart and that she has strong state in both appearances. Huf- cludes only wealthy people could local ties – including two girls stetler left with $3,450 and 17 min- be violation of the “equal protec- aged 7 and 13. “She has a tremen- utes later, Craig made a deposit in- tion rights for people without dous amount of commitment to to their landlord, David Thomp- money.” the area,” said Garrison. Des- son’s account at Northway Bank. A few minutes after Hufstetler jardin was unconvinced and Three days earlier, on Nov. 11, was escorted out of the court- ruled in favor of the state. Garri- Thompson sought the help of the room by Deputy Sheriffs and tak- son said the family was collecting Paul Bergeron, Berlin David Steffen, Berlin Barry Hartman, Pittsburg local police to assist him in evict- en to the Coos County prison to the money and would have it in a “little bit better” “going back down” “industry has closed” ing Hufstetler and Craig. await a Nov. 23 probable cause few hours. The two were arrested without hearing, his girlfriend and alleged Buteau said that the Berlin Po- By Jeff Woodburn thought we’d ask some random David Steffen, of Berlin, incident on Wednesday evening, partner-in-crime, Craig arrived in lice Department, State Police, FBI [email protected] shoppers in the parking lot of agrees, but he’s looking at people and arraigned at around noon the court.

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