www.newhampshirelakesandmountains.com Publishing news & views of Lancaster, Groveton, Whitefield, Lunenburg & other towns of the upper Connecticut River valley of New Hampshire & Vermont [email protected] VOL. CXLIV, NO. 19 WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 2011 LANCASTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE TELEPHONE: 603-788-4939 FORTY PAGES 75¢ Tuning up Much of mill complex could be demolished Town briefs public on meeting with owners, seeks input By Mike Fournier Although light on specifics, would be removed and the Contributing Writer Groveton Acquisitions officials grounds reclaimed. NORTHUMBERLAND – The Jerome Epstein and Ken Miller Groveton Acquisitions recent- board of selectmen held a meet- have indicated to the board that ly acquired the mortgage rights, ing on Monday evening, May 2, to they are leaning toward demoli- formerly owned by Caterpillar Fi- brief the public on the results of tion of all of the mill complex with nancial, to the former Groveton their April 26 meeting with repre- the exception of a 40,000-square- Paperboard portion of the prop- sentatives of Groveton Acquisi- foot warehouse and a rail spur. erty and are seeking a way to set- tions LLC, the owners of the for- The building would essentially be tle with the town on the back tax- mer Wausau mill properties in sold for its scrap metal value and town. any environmental hazards Mill, PAGE A17 Northern Pass believes it will be able to acquire ROWs By Edith Tucker Both NSTAR and Northeast ward with the controversial proj- [email protected] Utilities (NU) state in their most ect. The Northern Pass parent recent 10K quarterly reports NPT, which proposes to spend companies have told the federal filed last week with the U.S. Se- $1.1 billion to build a transmis- PHOTO BY EDITH TUCKER government they believe the in- curities and Exchange Commis- sion line through New Hampshire Elizabeth Perry of Lancaster, got a reassuring hug from her dad, Lou Perry, as she sat in his lap next to ternational power transmission sion (SEC) that Northern Pass to bring 1,200-megawatts of low- her grandmother, Tammy McCartney, as she covered her ears to shut out the loud blast of brasses made line will be able to gain the need- Transmission (NPT) expects to carbon electricity from Quebec- by members of the White Mountain Regional High School Jazz Band during the their warm-up before ed rights of way for the proposed be able to acquire the necessary playing their pieces at the April 29 Pops Concert. project to be built. rights-of-way (ROW) to go for- Northern Pass, PAGE A16 Mason is Stratford Valedictorian STRATFORD — The faculty WMRHS Honors Speakers named and administration at Strat- WHITEFIELD — The Honors ford Public School have an- Speakers for the graduating nounced its honors speakers Class of 2011 have been an- for the Class of 2011. nounced, according to Erik An- This year’s Valedictorian is derson, Principal of White Kelly Jean Mason, daughter of Mountains Regional High Scott and Heidi Mason of School. Peter Wilkinson will North Stratford. Throughout give the Valedictory Address, her high school career, Kelly Jacob Barker the Salutatory Ad- has received numerous dress, and Patrick Church, the awards for her consistently Honors Address. high academic performance. Valedictorian Peter Wilkin- She was inducted into the For the last two years Kel- son is the son of Jon and Sharon Jacob Barker Peter Wilkinson Erik Anderson Mary Nugent Chapter of the Wilkinson of Lancaster. Peter is National Honor Society in her ly has been enrolled in the currently President of the Se- This year, the Honors Ad- Involved in the NH YMCA Youth Mountains Regional to be elect- sophomore year. She is the Early Childhood Education nior Class. He has also been a dress will be presented by and Government program since ed Governor. This year, he was president of the school’s Tri- program, a course that is member of the National Honor Patrick Church, son of Edward freshman year, Patrick became one of two students from NH to M Music Honor Society, Stu- available to students through Society, Student Council, and and Donna Church of Lancaster. the first student from White be selected to the United States dent Council and National Valedictorian, PAGE A18 the NH YMCA Youth and Gov- Senate Youth Program where he Honor Society. ernment Program for the last spent a week in Washington this Tillotson Corp. gives Ocean Properties three years. A dedicated leader, Groveton High School Prom Royals spring. Throughout high Peter has contributed greatly to school, Patrick has been in- more time for due diligence WMRHS through his academics volved in Band, Student Coun- By Edith Tucker 10 days and the second for 30 and activities. This year, he cil, and National Honor Society. [email protected] days, making Ocean Proper- helped organize the first WM- This year, he was elected to DIXVILLE — The Balsams ties’ decision date as to RHS school wide lip dub and the serve as the Student Represen- resort will open on May 27, but whether to go forward on or recent Talent Show fundraiser tative to the School Board. He is its pending sale to Ocean Prop- before May 23. for classmate, Brooke Ramsdell. a founding member of both the erties Ltd. Hotel and Resorts of Ocean Properties originally Involved in athletics NHIAA Student Athletic Coun- Portsmouth may not have been apparently thought it would throughout high school, Peter cil, and the WMRHS Athletic completed by then. The Tillot- only take 30 days for its due has been a member of the Var- Council, and he has played soc- son Corp. is committed to diligence after the Tillotson sity golf, soccer, and track and cer, basketball, and baseball opening the resort on time and Corp.’s March 10 decision to field teams. He has worked sum- throughout high school. A Na- operating it until a sale is com- sell the 7,700-acre property to mers at the Colonel Town Safe tional Merit Scholarship Quali- pleted. Balville, LLC, created for this Haven program and has volun- fier, Granite State Scholar, NH Two extensions were re- purchase. The legal and finan- teered for the Colonel Town Scholar, and NH Scholar Ath- quested and received by Ocean cial specialists responsible for Recreation Department. A Gran- lete, Patrick was accepted into Properties to allow it to per- the due diligence expected to ite State Scholar, NH Scholar, the University of Maine Honors form a very thorough due dili- have work completed by mid- and NH Scholar Athlete, Peter Program and will major in Com- gence before going forward April. was accepted into the Universi- munications. with the purchase of the Bal- As that date neared, howev- ty of New Hampshire Honors sams Hotel and Resort from the er, a 10-day extension was Program and will major in Engi- Tillotson Corporation of Lex- sought. neering. ington, Mass., explained Tillot- With snow still covering the Salutatorian Jacob Barker is How the son Corporation president ground, even more time was the son of Larry and Heidi Bark- week went Tom Deans of North Conway in needed, Deans said. er of Lancaster. Jake is cur- a Sunday afternoon telephone As time ran out, however, rently the President of the Na- Some quality interview. tional Honor Society of which The first extension was for Diligence, PAGE A16 he has been a member for three time with Mom years. He has also served as Freshman Class President, par- ticipated in Student Council, Weekly contest winner and served as Executive Assis- tant to the Governor of the NH INDEX YMCA Youth and Government PHOTO BY BRIAN EMERSON program in which he has been Paul Frizzell and Margaret Pelletier of the Junior Class were Business Directory . .B11 involved throughout high crowned this year's King and Queen at Groveton's 2011 Prom. school. Jacob is also a three- Calendar . .B10 sport athlete at White Moun- tains Regional where he has Pittsburg shooting suspect Classified . .B9-11 been a member of the Varsity baseball, soccer and Nordic ski indicted for murder Dining . .A13 teams. By Melissa Grima burg home and were able to run Editorials & Letters . .A4-5 In the fall of his junior year, [email protected] for help despite being wounded Jake studied at The Mountain LANCASTER — The man ac- by the shotgun blasts. Obituaries . .A2 School of Milton Academy. cused of killing one and injuring Arsenault is charged with There he further developed his two more in a November shoot- first degree murder, and an al- Real Estate . .A14 ing in Pittsburg has been indict- strong interest in the environ- ternate charge of second degree Sports . .B1-5 ment. He also has extensive vol- ed on murder charges. murder, for the death of Flan- unteer experience with the Ap- Kenneth Arsenault, 50 of ders. He was indicted by a Coös palachian Mountain Club Three Stewartstown, is accused of Grand Jury on April 28, on that Mile Island Camp in Laconia. A killing 21-year-old Justin Flan- and additional charges of at- ders in Pittsburg on Nov. 2. tempted murder and first-de- Christina Morin of Berlin was the winner of week eight of our Granite State Scholar, NH Schol- Shooting victims Tanya Ran- gree assault for the injuries to Facebook photo contest with this inspired winter scene. Check us ar, and NH Scholar Athlete, Ja- cloes, 30 of Colebrook and Jessie Rancloes and Parker. out on Facebook to enter your photos…there are four weeks left in cob will major in Environmental Parker, 25 of Littleton, survived the contest before a grand prize winner is selected. Studies at St.