The Berlin Daily Sun, Friday, September 2, 2011

Page 1

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2011 VOL. 20 NO. 98

BERLIN, N.H.

75

2-5858

FREE

Bass, Burton get storm damage update from Gorham BY BARBARA TETREAULT THE BERLIN DAILY SUN

GORHAM -- U.S. Congressman Charlie Bass and Executive Councilor Raymond Burton got a first hand report on the damage from Tropical Storm Irene which Gorham offi cials estimate at over $1 million. On a two day tour of the North Country, the pair met Thursday afternoon with Gorham town manager, Robin Frost, Emergency Management Director, Chad Miller, and Selectman David Graham. State Senator John Gallus (R-Berlin) also attended as did Gorham resident Don Provencher. Frost told Bass and Burton the storm had resulted in signifi cant infrastructure damage to the town’s roads as well as residential property. Miller said the Peabody and Moose Rivers, which he noted are both uncontrolled, fl ooded. The Peabody River caused the most damage, rendering White Birch Lane impassable. Stony Brook Road, Spring Road, Bangor

Road, Glen Road, Bell and Washington Streets were also damaged. The Moose River caused damage to the Lancaster Road and forced the evacuation of residents in Braeburn Village. The town estimates damage to its roads at over $1 million. Miller said the town will be seeking Federal Emergency Management Agency funding to repair the damage. In the past he said the federal government had picked up 75 percent of the cost with the state and local community splitting the remaining 25 percent. Miller said he hopes the state will still share in the cost. Bass said he was re-familiarizing himself with FEMA regulations. “We can’t fix things but we can certainly help you with the administrative process,” he said. Miller said the fl ooding has caused serious erosion and bank destabilization to the rivers, especially the Peabody. In some cases, banks have been reduced to two to three feet. He

U.S. Congressman Charlie Bass and Executive Councilor Raymond Burton meet with Gorham offi cials Wednesday during a two-day swing through the North Country. (BARBARA TETREAULT PHOTO).

said the state Department of Environmental Services is still assessing the damage but it will cost millions of dollars to make the Peabody River

safe. He said fi xing the problem will be complicated, in part because the Peabody borders the White Mountain see UPDATE page 6

Fire at Smith hydroelectric plant knocks out power BY BARBARA TETREAULT THE BERLIN DAILY SUN

Berlin firefighters yesterday morning responded to a fire at Public Service of N.H.’s Smith hydroelectric station. The fire temporaily knocked out power to 5,000 customers. (RITA DUBE PHOTO).

BERLIN -- A fi re yesterday morning at Public Service of N.H.’s Smith hydroelectric station knocked out power to about 5,000 customers for approximately two hours. Berlin Fire Chief Randall Trull said the department received a call at 9:54 a.m. Thursday, reporting a fire alarm had been activated at the plant at 99 Glen Avenue. Trull said an initial crew of six firefi ghters, including two trainees, responded to discover light smoke in the basement and a small fi re inside

at the back of the building. The response team called a general alarm and an additional ten fi refighters responded within 15 minutes. Because of the electrical equipment in the building, Trull said the crew initially attacked the blaze with carbon dioxide extinguishers until the electrical power was shut off. Once the power was off, he said the crews went in with hose lines. Electric service was temporarily shut off to part of the city and customers in Milan and Errol. Power was restored to all customers by 2 p.m. see FIRE page 10

Manchester man pleads guilty to Berlin rape, gets two years of prison time BY MELISSA GRIMA THE BERLIN DAILY SUN

LANCASTER — A Manchester man has been convicted in Coos Superior Court of kidnapping, rape and assault, following an incident at the Budget Inn

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last summer. Charles Wade Anderson, 38, pleaded guilty in front of Judge Peter Bornstein on Aug. 22, to charges of kidnapping, aggravated felonious sexual assault, and second degree assault. As a result he will spend

two years in jail and is required to register as a sex offender. Anderson is accused of keeping a woman in a room at the Budget Inn in Berlin against her will on see GUILTY page 6

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