TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2011
VOL. 20 NO. 151
BERLIN, N.H.
752-5858
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School board directs BHS to petition hockey to Div. II BY MELISSA GRIMA THE BERLIN DAILY SUN
BERLIN — Despite input from the athletic community defending an administration decision to allow Berlin High School’s varsity boys’ hockey team to play within their division next year, the Berlin Board of Education voted 3-2 to petition the NHIAA to include the Mounties on the Division II schedule for 2012-13. The vote came at the tail end of the board’s regular business last Thursday night, after Nathan
Morin offered the motion. Morin said that he had reviewed the information previously presented and felt this was the best option. The board had learned at their last meeting that the school administration had opted not to petition the team up to Division I as they had been doing for years, in an effort to rebuild the program due to low participation numbers. The hockey boys have only 19 players in the entire program this year, which will make it difficult for the school to field a junior varsity team. Coach Mike Poulin, spoke to the board defending the Division
III designation as necessary given the participation numbers. Poulin said he had seen the program drop from a high of 45-50 players to the current 20, which includes just 17 skaters and 3 goalies. He described the drop in numbers as “drastic” and explained that the coaching staff and administration met and looked at the program as a whole before making their difficult decision. He noted that although the team has some kids who can play at the Division I level, it also includes players who just started to
The Request for Proposals was announced yesterday with proposals due Feb. 16. A release from the Bureau of Trails, which is spearheading the search, said the state hopes to see construction underway by spring 2012 and initial sites ready for use by late summer. “The increase in ATV and OHRV recreational
trails in northern New Hampshire is providing for a great economic opportunity for local businesses that accommodate off-road recreational trail users. The addition of this highly needed camping facility would greatly complement the existing and future opportunities in the region,” said Trails Bureau
see HOCKEY page 15
State seeks proposals for campground at Jericho State Park BY BARBARA TETREAULT THE BERLIN DAILY SUN
BERLIN – The state is seeking proposals from private developers interested in building and operating a 200-site campground at Jericho Mountain State Park under a 20-year lease with the Division of Parks and Recreation.
see PROPOSALS page 10
Plans to move county attorney office are going forward BY BARBARA TETREAULT THE BERLIN DAILY SUN
Adeline Belodeau, 3, and Brianna Lapre, 7, considered Santa Claus carefully when it was their turn to tell him what they wanted for Christmas during Santa’s visit to the Gorham Town Hall Friday. Brianna’s request caused Santa to pause for thought: she asked for a new iPod. Santa’s visit was sponsored by the Gorham Firefighters. (GAIL SCOTT PHOTO)
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LANCASTER - Plans to move the Coos County Attorney office back into the Coos County Courthouse are moving forward despite reservations from the county attorney. Members of the county delegation’s subcommittee on the department’s budget toured the department’s current office space Monday and viewed plans for the renovated space in the courthouse. Last year, the county attorney’s office moved to a 2,000 square foot space on the third floor of the former Lancaster National Bank building in downtown Lancaster after Superior Court Justice Peter Bornstein agreed with Coos County Attorney Robert Mekeel that the former 1,000 square foot office space in the courthouse was unsuitable. Since then the county commissioners have worked out a proposal with the state Bureau of Court Facilities to see PLANS page 16
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