FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2011
VOL. 20 NO. 110
Celina Cass’s death ruled a homicide BY MELISSA GRIMA THE BERLIN DAILY SUN
CONCORD — The suspicious death of an 11-year-old Stewartstown girl last month has been officially ruled a homicide by the state medical examiner’s office, but that same agency is declining to release how the child died. “After further investigation and receiving toxicology results, Deputy Chief Medical Examiner Jennie V. Duval, M.D., has ruled Celina Cass’s manner of death to be a homicide,” according to a Thursday afternoon press release from the Attorney General’s office. “While Dr. Duval has also determined the cause of death of Celina Cass, that result is not being made public at this juncture.” The statement goes on to say that investigators believe that to release their findings would have a negative impact on the “integrity of the investigation,” which is ongoing. Cass was reported missing on July 26, after last being seen at her computer the prior evening. Her stepfather, Wendell Noyes, reported her missing the next
morning. A week later, her body was found nearby in the Connecticut River. The disappearance of the girl triggered a massive search effort with the F.B.I., state and local police, Fish and Game, local fire departments, U.S. Border Patrol, and volunteers searching the area. The search effort received national attention and the F.B.I. posted a $25,000 reward for information about her whereabouts and the arrest and prosecution of a suspect. Although not vocal during the initial stages of the investigation, Cass’s mother, Louisa, recently gave an emotional interview to WMUR. In that interview, Louisa told the news organization that she and Noyes separated shortly after Celina’s body was discovered. According to a story posted on WMUR.com, Noyes’ family members said he suffered a mental breakdown and is receiving care in Berlin. No suspects have yet been named in this case and the investigation remains active.
Jolbert Street fire under investigation by authorities BERLIN — A small fire on a kitchen stove drew plenty of attention Thursday morning, especially since that stove is in an unoccupied home on Jolbert Street. Fire crews were called to 118 Jolbert at 8:32 a.m. on Sept. 22, after neighbors heard smoke detectors sounding in the residence next door. According to Fire Chief Randy Trull, the neighbors who called in the alarm, said the most recent tenants had vacated the location a week or so ago. Trull said that when firefighters arrived they witnessed smoke see FIRE page 5
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School Administrative Unit Superintendent Paul Bousquet (l) and Cheryl B. Baker, discussion facilitator, address the Randolph forum on the future of education in the Androscoggin Valley, Wednesday, in the Randolph town hall. (GAIL SCOTT PHOTO)
Randolph open to change in area education administration BY GAIL SCOTT THE BERLIN DAILY SUN
RANDOLPH—A straw poll at the end of the discussion on Wednesday night found that just under 50 percent of those in attendance favor combining the area’s two school administrative units, high schools and middle schools, while leaving elementary schools as they are. Of Randolph’s approximately 275 voting age population, 23 turned out for the Randolph session of the regional forums on the future of education in the Androscog-
gin Valley that are in the process of being held from Shelburne to Errol. Faced with dwindling enrollments and dwindling finances, area school leaders hope that these forums, funded by a $15,000 grant from the Neil and LouiseTillotson Fund, will help them gauge the climate for change in area education. Historically such discussions have gone nowhere, but the world is a different place now. As School Administrative Unit Supersee RANDOLPH page 8
NH investors to buy Groveton mill BY MELISSA GRIMA THE BERLIN DAILY SUN
Neighbors were able to quickly raise an alarm for a small fire in this vacant home on Jolbert Street thanks to working smoke detectors that could be heard outside the residence. The fire is under investigation by state and local authorities.
GROVETON — A group of Northern NH businessmen have signed an agreement to purchase the former Wausau and Groveton Paper Board mill. Ken Miller, Executive Vice President of NJ-based Perry Videx, the company that currently owns the property, confirmed the “property is under agreement of sale.” Miller said he could not disclose the names of the potential purchasers, but
did say that they were New Hampshire businessmen and guessed that they plan to use the property for multiple business ventures. Miller explained that the agreement was signed on Monday, Sept. 19 and the buyers have approximately two months to complete their due diligence. The mill site has been vacant since 2007. According to the real estate listing posted online by CRG Auctions and Hart
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