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. 22 WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2011 LANCASTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE TELEPHONE: 603-788-4939 THIRTY PAGES 75¢ North Country Strong storms comes out on top of surprise storm By Jonathan Benton caught fire. According to Martin [email protected] the fire was focused on the upper NORTH COUNTY — Residents barn area and was one of the of Lancaster and Northumberland strangest fires he’d ever seen. The were blindsided by a late afternoon barn had a metal roof and the fire storm that blew in Thursday night was centered in the rafters at the washing out roads, knocking out cross of three beams and spilled power and raining down marble out with flames licking out the sized hail. eaves. The first person to notice It was about 8:40 p.m. when the fire was Nathan Wert of the Lan- both towns lost power and it was caster Fire Department who called around that time that Sonny Mar- it in. The LFD arrived shortly at the tin of Martin’s Agway discovered that a barn on the family farm had Storm,PAGEA4 50th anniversary parade and celebration set for Aug. 6-7 weekend PHOTO BY ART MCGRATH, THE COURIER By Edith Tucker lands, sometimes violently, [email protected] Trees, branches and leaves were down all over in Guildhall after last Thursday night’s storm. This tree blocking Route 102 was cut to allow against the claims of New Yorkers. cars to pass through it. Power remained out for most of Friday for some residents. One such group formed in the GUILDHALL — Area residents Bennington area, and became should mark their calendars now known as the Green Mountain for a very special set of events this Boys, whose leadership included Sen. Judiciary Committee recommends HB648 for summer study summer. Ethan Allen. By Edith Tucker less citizens as indicated in the District 1 Sen. John Gallus, a Re- a freshman Republican of Mered- A 250th anniversary parade Eventually the matter was set- [email protected] has been planned on Sunday, Aug. tled and the “Yorkers” ceased their overwhelming majority (317-51) publican of Berlin, plans to vote ith, has taken a strong position as 7, by the Guildhall Public Library. claims upon the “Grants.” who voted to support this bill “no” on HB648, pointing out that an HB648 proponent and could Librarian Valerie Foy and other or- An old-fashioned baked bean CONCORD — The Senate Judi- (which sets ‘system reliability’ as as a professional realtor he is a well continue her efforts on the ganizers are inviting people to take supper, fireworks, and a battle of ciary Committee voted unani- the benchmark for new transmis- strong believer in private proper- Senate floor at its next session, part in this once-in-a-lifetime the bands are planned for Satur- mously, 4 to 0, on Thursday to rec- sion lines) in the New Hampshire ty rights. scheduled at 10 a.m. today (June event. day evening, Aug. 6, to start the ommend to the full 24-member House of Representatives.” District 2 Sen. Jeanie Forrester, 1) in the State House. The parade will start at the celebration. Senate that the so-called eminent Peaslee Potato Farm with the line On Sunday, well before the 2 domain bill, HB 648, be re-referred up beginning at 1:00 p.m. for a 2 p.m. parade, a pancake breakfast to the committee for study over Tractor tour p.m. kickoff. The route will be from will be hosted by the Benton Ma- the summer with an expected rein- the Peaslee farm to the village, sonic Lodge, and a church service troduction in November, ready for past the library and onto court- will be held at 10 a.m., as well as the next session, likely after some house driveway where it will dis- craft sale and music on the com- tweaking, explained prime spon- band. mon, authors Howard Coffin, who sor Coös District 1 Rep. Lawrence Festivities are being designed specializes on the Civil War, will be “Larry” Rappaport of Colebrook to mark the 250th Anniversary of on hand from noon to 2 p.m. on in both a Friday morning tele- the charters issued by Benning Sunday, and Howard Mosher from phone call and an e-mail. Wentworth for both Guildhall and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. “A Stranger In the The report will likely be made Maidstone. Kingdom” won the New England to the full 24-member Senate on Between 1749 and 1764, Ben- Book Award for Fiction in 1991 and Wednesday, June 1, when the full ning Wentworth, the First Royal later was filmed by director Jay Senate is expected to vote on it, he Governor of New Hampshire, is- Craven, who also adapted “Disap- said. sued 129 township charters in pearances” and “Where the Rivers Rappaport said he is very dis- present-day Vermont. Most were Flow North” for film. appointed with the Senate Com- issued during the years 1761 to The Guildhall General Store will mittee’s recommendation, al- 1764, with over half of those is- offer hamburgers and hot dogs for though he noted that the Senate sued during 1761. sale and will also host a pig roast does not, after all, have to agree On July 20, 1764, King George III later in the day. with a committee recommenda- issued an Order-in-Council declar- tion. ing the Connecticut River as the For more information and to let “I am disappointed that the boundary between the colonies of organizers know who is planning Senators on the Judiciary Com- New York and New Hampshire. to take part, please contact Valerie mittee reacted to the multiple paid The order ended Wentworth’s Foy at 802-676-3426 (home) or 802- lobbyists of Public Service of New Hampshire (PSNH)/Northern Pass grants in Vermont and led to dis- 676-3910 (work) or via e-mail: PHOTO BY EDITH TUCKER putes between New York and the [email protected]. and refused to defend the New WMRHS animal science student Bruce Savage of Lancaster explains to Lancaster School second-grade people in these areas over the va- Carroll Concrete, Guildhall Fun Hampshire Constitution and the student Kelsey Graham some of the important aspects of tractor safety on Friday, May 27, at WMRHS’ lidity of Wentworth’s charters, Foy Flyers RC Club, Robert Styles, will of thevoters,” the prime spon- annual “Meet the Animals” Day. All WMRSD second-grade classes visit the area around the barn and explained. Styles Fuel Co., A.B. Logging, F. B. sor said. pens that are part of the high school’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) program. Residents in the “Grants” de- Spaulding and Annie Bartlett are “I believe they lack courage fended their ownership of these all celebration sponsors. when they seemingly refuse to de- fend the property rights of count- Mt. Washington Golf Course How the Contest winner week went open, Omni has 2-year lease Remembering By Edith Tucker assets, as well as the Bretton those who gave their [email protected] Woods Ski Area, and Omni man- ages their interests.” lives for freedom. BRETTON WOODS — Opera- “We have pulled the tarps off tions at the Omni Mount Wash- the greens and tees and both ington Hotel and Resort will not the Mount Washington Course be affected by the June 22 fore- and the Mount Pleasant course closure auction of the 900 acres look great,” Magor said. “This is INDEX of Crosland properties, accord- the best start to the golf season ing to managing director Larry in five years. We opened for Business Directory . .B10 Magor. public pay last Saturday and “The Omni Mount Washing- have seen a brisk business and Calendar . .B9 ton Resort has a two-year lease 176 rounds played. We are open on both golf courses — the 18- and looking forward to a great Classified . .B11-14 hole Mount Washington Course summer.” Dining . .A13 and the nine-hole Mount Pleas- Magor also included in his e- ant Course,” Magor explained mail reply that there is a special Editorials & Letters . .A4-5 in an e-mailed answer to an in- deal for locals on Wednesday quiry. “That could change with after noon (12 p.m.). Obituaries . .A2 new ownership, but we feel that Two can play the Mount this transaction could bring Washington Course (18 holes Real Estate . .A14 some promising opportunities with cart or walk) for $85, valid Sports . .B1-3 for the Resort once these finan- through the 2011 golf season. cial matters are put aside. Locals are defined as those “This transition will not im- who have their primary resi- pact the guest experience at the dence in one of the following Resort,” he continued. “CNL counties of New Hampshire Lifestyle Properties, a real es- (Coös, Carroll, Grafton or Belk- Deb Cashman of Dalton snapped this picture of a butterfly visiting red, white and blue flowers to win the tate investment trust (REIT) of nap), Maine (Oxford) or Ver- 11th week of our Facebook photo contest. There’s one more week to enter. Send photos of Coos County Orlando, Fla., continues to own mont (Essex of Caledonia). Call to [email protected]. the Hotel and the other lodging 603-278-4653 for tee-times. A2 COÖS COUNTY DEMOCRAT JUNE 1, 2011 ••• Linda L. Smulski Helen P. Boswell CONCORD — Linda L. Smulski, Twin Mountain and later moved to Her husband Daniel Smulski and GUILDHALL, Vt.