Local and regional news

,

Cowboy Of the Mountains Al Risch Passes Away

Tuckerman Ravine a location near and dear to Al Risch’s heart so much so that he founded an organization to preserve the location.

CONWAY, NH – A skiing legend in the Mount Washington Valley has passed away. The Conway Daily Sun Reports that the Cowboy of the Mountains Al Risch passed away Saturday at the Merriman House at Memorial Hospital at age 85. Risch had been living at the Merriman house for the past year do to declining health.

He was the founder of the Friends of Tuckerman Ravine, the Professional Ski Patrol Association, and the Mount Washington Valley Chapter of Habitat for Humanity.

He leaves behind quite the legacy including many humorous stories of adventures shared with friends on the mountains he loved so much. One such story told to the Sun from Al’s son Jake was the creation of the Al’s Folly, a trail at Wildcat that Al created without the approval of the Forest Service. The story highlighting Al’s ask for forgiveness rather than permission attitude that garnered him the nickname of the Cowboy of the Mountains.

Al’s legacy is a great one not just affecting the Valley but also the nation as standards he helped develop for paid ski patrollers remain in use to this day.

Risch leaves behind his loving wife, Alison, sons Jake and Matt, and granddaughter Naomi.

His family said that at Al’s request there will be no visiting hours but a celebration of life will be announced at a future date.

 

,

Maryland Couple Rescued After Getting Lost Hiking Near Diana’s Bath

BARTLETT, NH – A couple of hikers are home safe after getting lost in Bartlett. Fish and Game Conservation Officers were called to Moat Mountain at around 7pm Monday (10/8/18) after 73-year-old Allen Burdette and his wife 60-year-old Roberta, from Aberdeen Maryland, got lost.

Authorities said the pair were hiking near Diana’s Bath when they became disoriented and ended up on the Moat Mountain Trail. The couple called for help saying that they were unsure of their location and were unable to continue due to the darkness, wet slippery terrain and they had no lights.

The 911 coordinate placed them approximately 0.5 miles north of the summit of North Moat Mountain and 5 miles from their vehicle at Diana’s Bath trailhead parking area. Rescuers found the hikers at 11 pm, They were cold, hungry and tired but otherwise unharmed. After receiving warm clothing food, water and headlamps they were escorted back to their vehicle at Diana’s Bath parking area, arriving at 4:00 a.m Tuesday.

Fish and Game Officials said this incident is a good reminder to all people recreating in the outdoors to plan appropriately when hiking.  When hiking in the mountains always monitor the weather forecasts and alter or delay you hike if necessary.   The weather suddenly and frequently changes in the mountains; hikers should carry appropriate equipment for unexpected situations and be prepared to spend the night if necessary. Having appropriate gear aides in safety. Please visit www.hikesafe.com for a list of recommended hiking equipment.

,

Police Investigate Woman Found Dead In Rochester Storage Locker

 

ROCHESTER, NH – New Hampshire law enforcement officials are investigating a suspicious death in Rochester.

Police officers discovered the body of 45-year-old Jessica Purslow inside a self-storage unit after being alerted by a caller around midnight Sunday.

New Hampshire Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Jennie V. Duval conducted an autopsy and determined that Purslow died of a single gunshot wound. Authorities said the manner of her death has not been determined and is pending further investigation. The attorney general’s office has described Purslow’s death as suspicious.

WMUR-TV reports the manager of Rochester Self Storage confirmed that Purslow had rented a unit there for a few years.

Police are asking anyone who saw Purslow at the Rochester Self Storage to contact the Rochester Police Department at 603-330-7127.

,

Rochester Fair Will Be Back For Another Year

~Photo courtesy of Rochester Fair Facebook page

ROCHESTER,NH (AP) – Organizers of a more than 100-year-old New Hampshire fair that was shut down over finances say it will return for the second year in a row. Foster’s Daily Democrat reports officials announced Tuesday they have set Sept. 12, 2019 as opening day for the 143rd Rochester Fair.

The fair was canceled in 2017 due to debts and lower attendance. It was revived this year.

The Rochester Agricultural and Mechanical Association board says they made close to $118,000 in revenue at this year’s fair. Association clerk Don Whittum says about 20,000 people attended.

Fair staff coordinator Mark Perry says the fair’s success hinged on the fact that more than 100 staff members gave up their stipends. Still, Whittum says he believes the association can keep the fair going another 100 years.

,

Man Attempts To Take Officer’s Gun During Arrest In Conway

27-year-old Alex Spaulding was arrested on multiple charges including attempting to take a Police Officer’s firearm. ~ Photo courtesy of Conway Police

CONWAY, NH – An Albany man allegedly tried to take a Police Officer’s gun while being arrested. According to Conway Police, Officer Hill was at the North Conway Irving Tuesday ( 10/2/18) when he saw 27-year-old Alex Spaulding in the parking lot. Officer Hill was familiar with Spaulding through prior law enforcement contact and was aware that Spaulding had an open warrant for his arrest for Theft and Receiving Stolen Property.

When the Officer approached Spaulding and told him about the warrant, Spaulding immediately fled on foot.

As he was running away Police allege that Spaulding threw away items in a small container. The items were later identified to be drug paraphernalia and what is believed to be Methamphetamine.

Once Officer Hill caught Spaulding, authorities said a struggle ensued on the ground between Irving and the Eastern Mountain Sports Plaza. During the struggle Spaulding allegedly attempted to pull Officer Hill’s firearm from it’s holster. The struggle lasted approximately 1 minute until other officers arrived on scene to assist.

It was later discovered that Alex Spaulding was out on bail and also wanted on several Carroll County Superior Court warrants.

Spaulding was charged with theft a class B Felony, Resisting Arrest or Detention a class A Misdemeanor, Simple Assault on Law Enforcement a class A Misdemeanor, Taking Gun from LE (Attempt) a class B Felony, Possession Controlled Drugs Felony Special, and Falsifying Physical Evidence a class B Felony.

Police said that Spaulding has a lengthy motor vehicle and criminal history.

 

,

Berlin Inmate Death Under Investigation

BERLIN, N.H. (AP) — The New Hampshire Department of Corrections is investigating the death of a prisoner who was serving a life sentence for murder.

The Corrections Department says 65-year-old Joel Smith was found unresponsive at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Northern New Hampshire Correctional Facility in Berlin. Corrections officers and medical personnel attempted life-saving measures on Smith. The state’s medical examiner is investigating the death and Smith’s next of kin have been notified.

In 1979, Smith was convicted of murder in Maine and given a life sentence. He was sent to New Hampshire in 1995 as part of an Interstate Compact process with Maine.

,

Memorial Hospital To Organize Mount Washington Valley Community Health Engagement Forum

MaineHealth’s Deb Deatrick presents at the 2015 Community Health Needs Forum. ~ Photo courtesy of Rachel Damon

NORTH CONWAY, NH – Memorial Hospital is inviting stakeholders from across the Mount Washington Valley to join them on Wednesday November 14, 2018, to shape priorities for community health at a special forum aimed at providing input to the region’s healthcare organizations.

The Mt. Washington Valley Health Collaboration will be hosting this forum to present Carroll County health data as part of the Community Health Needs Assessment. The purpose of this forum is to identify health priorities for our county and to identify together what you think is important in addressing the health of our community.

The forum will discuss the Carroll County and Oxford County (Maine) Health Profile and is scheduled for November 14, 3:00 – 5:00pm at Red Jacket Mountain View Resort, 2251 White Mountain Highway, North Conway. The Carroll/Oxford County Health Profiles contain almost 200 data points that describe health outcomes, health behaviors, healthcare access and quality, and the social, community, and physical environment that affect our health. A previous forum was held in 2015.

Sue Ruka, Director of Population Health at Memorial Hospital said, “We want to share this data and get our neighbors’ input about what they see as our biggest health issues. New this year, the presentation will also include a list of past priorities and what our partners have been doing to address them. This is an exciting opportunity to discuss how we can improve the health of our community.”

In addition to collecting input on local health priorities, the forum will also collect information about local resources that could help to address those priorities. Forums and other community feedback will be used as guidance to create new, county-specific health improvement plans in the spring of 2019. As in the past, this forum is an important step in shaping a Carroll County Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA). The final CHNA report is scheduled to be released in March 2019. This report will include the County Health Profile with a summary of the findings and other outreach.

A schedule as well more details about the forum can be found at http://bit.ly/MemorialCHNA. The website will also host the final CHNA report due out in March, 2019.

The event is free and open to the public. To reserve a seat, you can register online at http://bit.ly/2019MemorialCHNA

The Carroll County Community Engagement CHNA is made possible through the support and collaboration of our Community Health Collaboration partners including Memorial Hospital, Saco River Medical Group, Visiting Nurses Home Care & Hospice of Carroll County, Children Unlimited, Carroll County Coalition for Public Health, White Mountain Community Health Center, T. Murray Wellness Center, Inc., The Gibson Center, Genesis, Northern Human Services, and countless dedicated community member organizations.

Story Contributed to by:
Kathy Bennett
ice President – Community Relations & Development
kbennett@memorialhospitalnh.org