WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2012
WEDNESDAY
Laconia man charged with beating death claims state playing games to avoid speedy trial
VOL. 12 NO. 173
LACONIA, N.H.
527-9299
FREE
Gilford officials believe ‘resort’ condo owners are renting to long-term tenants in defiance of zoning & deed restrictions BY MICHAEL KITCH
out any time you want, But you can never leave.” Although approved as a hotel/ motel and limited to “transient occupancy,” Code Enforcement Officer Dave Andrade suspects that some of the condominium units have become homes to individuals and families for extended stretches Fuel Oil OIL & PROPANE CO., INC. of time. Recently he 10 day cash price* Laconia 524-1421 subject to change informed the condoTHE LACONIA DAILY SUN
GILFORD — Town officials are concerned that at the Paugus Bay Plaza Condominiums at 131 Lake Street, like the fictional Hotel California, “You can check
3.69 99**
minium owners that he was investigating. “I’ve been dealing with that property for 16 years,” he said. “I’m trying to work with the association, but coordination is a challenge.” Long known as One Gilford Place, the property at 131 Lake Street consists of two components, one residential and the other commercial. The residential component consists of 63
residential condominium units on two floors of a building that envelops the commercial space on the ground floor beneath it. According to the assessor’s database, there are 47 separate owners, a handful of whom own multiple units. Most are individuals and couples, but a half-dozen units are held by partnerships and corporations. The units range between see CONDOS page 8
BY GAIL OBER
THE LACONIA DAILY SUN
LACONIA — Attorneys defending a former South Main Street man in the beating death of one of his friends have asked for the case to be dismissed citing prosecutorial vindictiveness and the lack of a speedy trial. Public Defenders Wade Harwood and Tim Landry contend charges of manslaughter and negligent homicide brought by the N.H. Attorney General against Jason Durgin, 35, formerly of 233 South Main Street, for allegedly beating Leo Lapierre to death should be dropped because the state abused its power when it earlier dismissed a single charge of second-degree assault against Durgin after the county attorney couldn’t produce its key witness before jury selection. According to police statements elicited from Tracy Hebert, a woman who lived in the same trailer as Durgin, she saw Durgin punch and kick Lapierre between 9 and 10 p.m. on May 2, 2011 but went and see TRIAL page 9
Steven Richmond, in preparation for his upcoming role as “Atticus Finch” in the Winni Players’ production of “To Kill a Mockinbird,” has his hair dyed by Normenta Jacquith at NJ’s Tangles in Bristol. The show begins February 10. (Laconia Daily Sun photo/Adam Drapcho)
Theater company believes ‘Mockingbird’ remains instructive story, 50+ years after debut of Harper Lee’s celebrated novel BY ADAM DRAPCHO THE LACONIA DAILY SUN
BRISTOL — As one of the treasured works of 20th Century American literature, few are unfamiliarity with the story of “To Kill a Mockingbird,” either by reading Harper Lee’s novel, published in 1960, or the classic 1962 film starring Gregory Peck. The story will be presented again soon at the Winnipesaukee Playhouse,
where director Bryan Halperin said the story of a 1930s southern town continues to hold relevance for local residents today. Late last week, two of the Winni Players’ production’s stars spent the afternoon at NJ’s Tangles in Bristol, where owner and stylist Normenta Jacquith helped them get into character. Jaydie Halperin, a fifth-grader at Inter-Lakes Middle Tier and daughter of Bryan, lost nine inches
of her long hair to prepare to play tomboy “Scout,” while Steven Richmond had his hair dyed brown to play the character of “Atticus.” Bryan, who accompanied his daughter at the salon, said the play offers a fresh perspective on the story, even for those who are familiar with the book and film. The production, in his view, illustrates see MOCKINGBIRD page 12