E E R F Tuesday, January 31, 2012
‘Incredulous’ cuts in Meredith? Selectmen challenged on plans to eliminate Parks & Rec. programs — P. 14
VOL. 12 nO. 172
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Laconia woman 4th person charged for Manchester bank robbery LACONIA — City police acting on a warrant issued from the Manchester Police Department arrested a local woman in connection with the Queen City armed robbery of a branch of the Northeast Credit Union on December 19. Manchester Police Det. Sgt. Ryan Grant said Merry Beth Miner, 35, of 70 A Academy St. in Laconia faces one count see ROBBeRy page 12
‘Brutus’, a 12 year-old German shepherd, gets a pat from his owner Dan Briggs. In the background is what’s left of the family’s garage, which erupted in flames early on Sunday morning. The dog alerted its sleeping owners, leading to a quick response from firefighters, who were able to prevent the fire from spreading to the house. (Laconia Daily Sun photo/Adam Drapcho)
‘Brutus’ earns steak dinner for saving his Belmont family’s home with late night fire alert By AdAm drApcho THE LACONIA DAILY SUN
BELMONT — A family here is coming to terms with the loss of a garage and its irreplaceable contents after a fire broke out early on Sunday. Damage to the house at 133 Middle Route was limited, though, thanks to
a response that was accelerated by “Brutus”, a 12 year-old German shepherd. The dog alerted his sleeping owners shortly after midnight to tell them that something wasn’t right. “He was really loud, crying,” said Tracy Briggs, who was
asleep with her husband Dan at about 12:45 a.m when the dog they’ve had since he was a puppy, woke her. It’s not unusual for him to need to go outside in the middle of the night but she said there was something more urgent about his crying this time. When
Briggs awoke, she said she could smell a fire and looked out the back window to see “smoke billowing from the garage.” She woke up Dan and called 9-1-1, then the two of them got “Brutus” and “Kawi”, a pit bull who was asleep on see BRutus page 10
Hickok to retire from Gilford BudCom; O’Brien wants to stay on selectboard By GAil oBer
Budget Committee Chair Richard Hickok will not. A representative of the Town Clerk Tax Collector’s Office said yesterday that O’Brien had filed his paperwork with her office. In a brief interview Friday evening, Hickok said he www.THScompletepropertycare.com would not run again. 888-827-5612 Plowing Hauling Two other seats open on the 603-470-6125 Sanding Disposal Budget Committee include Maintenance & Management Phyllis Corrigan and Vice-Chair
THE LACONIA DAILY SUN
GILFORD — Selectboard Chair John O’Brien will seek a second term in the upcoming town elections but long-time
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David “Skip” Murphy — neither of whom has said yet if they’ll seek re-election. The filing period closes on Friday at 5 p.m. Another new face to the political chessboard but no stranger to Gilford is Barbara Aichinger who has put her name in for one of the three openings on the Budget Committee. Aichinger is also one of the prime sponsors of five petitioned warrant articles on see GILFORd page 10