Local and regional news

LINCOLN, NH – Interstate 93 in Lincoln was closed for an hour after a serious car accident Monday. New Hampshire State Police Troop F said that at around 9:50am a Chevy Equinox collided with tractor-trailer near exit 34A in the North Bound Lane of the interstate.

Police said the SUV, being driven by 37-year-old Traci Sackett of Warren NH, was going about 60 MPH when it struck the rear of the 2003 Kenworth hauling a load of wood chips. S

ackett suffered moderate to serious injury and was initially transported to Speare Memorial Hospital in Plymouth, NH and was later transported to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH to be treated for her injuries.

A young girl who was riding with Sackett received only minor injuries.

The driver of the tractor-trailer 23-year-old Dakota Heon of Farmington, NH was not injured in the collision.

Authorities said that after an investigation they believe that Sackett was under the influence of drugs at the time of the accident and she was subsequently arrested and charged with Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated.

She was given a court date of October 15 in the 2nd Circuit-District Division-Plymouth Court on October 15, 2018.

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Airlines and federal facilities will accept Maine driver’s licenses through October 2020.

Maine’s secretary of state says the Department of Homeland Security has issued Maine another waiver for compliance with the Real ID Act. The federal Real ID law was passed by Congress after the 2001 terrorist attacks to strengthen rules for government-sanctioned identification. It sets minimum standards for government-issued IDs that are required to enter certain areas in federal buildings or board commercial airplanes.

The current waiver expires on Oct. 10, but Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap requested a renewal in August.

Dunlap’s office says the waiver will be valid through Oct. 1, 2019, but the Department of Homeland Security will not be enforcing Real ID until Oct. 1, 2020. That means Maine driver’s licenses will be valid for federal purposes, including boarding commercial aircraft, until that date.

Portland International Airport Director Paul Bradbury said airport officials are working with Dunlap’s office to eventually provide information on acquiring a driver’s license that complies with Real ID standards. The standards include adding anti-counterfeit technology such as a hologram to driver’s licenses.

Maine was the first state to opt out of Real ID requirement more than a decade ago, but Republican Gov. Paul LePage in April signed a bill into law directing the state to issue new Real ID compliant drivers licenses and non-driver identification cards.

The Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles is implementing systems and procedures needed to issue Real ID licenses and identification materials starting on July 1, 2019.

CONCORD, NH – The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department had another busy weekend with multiple rescues and searches.

On Saturday Conservation Officers were called to rescue 62-year-old Marcia Henry of Bradford, Vermont, who had fallen on a slippery ledge, was unable to walk off Mount Kinsman in Lincoln. Authorities said that Henry had badly injured her leg in the fall and was unable to hike under her own power. Pemi Valley Search and Rescue Team and the Upper Valley Wilderness Response Team joined with conservation officers and reached the injured hiker at about 4pm. They then carried her to the trailhead arriving at abuot 8:30 that evening. She was then taken by a private vehicle to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon.

That night Fish and Game assembled a search party on Mt. Israel in Sandwich. A group of ten women where camping at Mead Base Camp, when two of the women decided to hike Mt. Israel from Mead Base Camp with plans to return a few hours later. When the women, identified as 43-year-old Charity Audet, from Hooksett NH and 34-year-old Amanda Simeone from Nashua NH, still hadn’t arrived by 8pm the group called for help. After several hours of searching one of the camping members received a call from one of the missing women at about 3am Sunday from a residence on Mt. Israel Road. The two said they needed to be picked up and were unsure of their location. They were picked up by a Conservation Officer and reunited with their group at Mead Base Camp.

When interviewed they stated that they had hiked Mt. Israel and then decided to go on to Guinea Pond. After reaching Guinea pond they decided to take the Guinea Pond trail back to Sandwich Notch Road. They soon encounter a large section of the trail that was flooded out and while attempting to go around it became disoriented. They found a power line and followed it until they eventually intersected Mt. Israel road where they called their friends for assistance.

Then on Sunday Fish and Game were alerted to a report of an injured hiker on the Black Angel Trail in Bean’s Purchase around 1:30 p.m. Due to the nature of the injury and lack of specificity as to the seriousness of the hikers condition, a rescue call was initiated with Fish & Game Conservation Officers, members of the U.S. Forest Service, Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue (AVSAR), Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, and Mahoosuc Mountain Rescue responding. The exact location for the hiker, later identified as 21-year-old Sarah Fenton from Temecula California, was also unknown and a USFS Back Country Ranger, who had been patrolling near the Blue Brook Shelter at the time, was able to locate the injured hiker approximately half way between the junctions of Basin Rim Trail and Wild River Trail.

Fenton was on an overnight hike as part of a UNH outdoor adventure crew. The crew was on their way out when Fenton slipped and fell on a wet section of trail, striking her head. A member of her group was able to get a call through to 911, but due to the remote location and lack of cell coverage no additional calls were able to be made or received.

After a medical assessment was conducted, Fenton was deemed capable of hiking out under her own power and was assisted down the trail by the ranger and members of her hiking group. The rescue crew hiking in from the Wild River trailhead continued their response into the scene to provide assistance if necessary.

Fenton was assessed by the Bethel Ambulance at the trailhead and was ultimately transported to Memorial Hospital in Conway for precautionary reasons.

BERLIN, NH – The new Berlin Blackjacks will be taking over the ice at Notre Dame Arena starting this Saturday.

The Blackjacks are among the first American teams to be added to the Ligue Nord-Americaine de Hockey, a minor-level professional hockey league based out of Quebec. LNAH translates to the North American Hockey League and is regarded as a more respected hockey league than the Federal Hockey League of which the River Drivers were a part of.

According to Wikipedia the LNAH differs from other leagues because it lacks a veteran limit rule, which allows teams to stock up on experienced players.

The league is also considered by fans as being the toughest league in the world.

News Director Christian Mower spoke with Blackjack Team President Mark Dorval Thursday about the new team and what hockey lovers can expect this coming season. You can listen to the interview below.

 

The Blackjacks play the Thetford Assurancia Friday (9/28/18) in Thetford Mines Quebec, and have their first ever home game at Notre Dame Arena Saturday night (9/29/18) at 7:30pm.

 

For the latest information on Blackjacks’ hockey check out their their facebook page.

 

17-year-old Ramsie Taylor was killed when a dump truck struck her vehicle Wednesday morning ~ Photo courtesy of Ossipee Police

OSSIPEE, NH –  A car accident in Ossipee took the life of a 17-year-old girl yesterday morning. Ossipee Detective-Sergeant Robert J. King Jr. said that at 7:14am police responded to a motor vehicle accident at the intersection of Routes 28 and 171.

Police said a dump truck being driven by 61-year-old Joseph Goodrow of Alton was headed north on Route 28 when it struck a Chevy Cobalt driven by Ramsie Taylor of Wolfeboro as she entered the intersection from Water Village Road. Authorities said Taylor was killed upon impact.

Investigators said that speed and alcohol do not appear to be factors.

Investigators with state police are checking the truck for mechanical problems as they try to figure out what happened.

Kingswood Principal Guy Donnelly told the Conway Daily Sun that Taylor was a senior at Kingswood regional High School, and they will have counselors available for students who need them.

Ossipee Town officials said the crash should never have happened, noting that they have been lobbying the state to fix the intersection for years.

WMUR-TV reports that there have been 65 milti-vehicle accidents at that intersection, including multiple fatalities since 2010.

HOLLIS, N.H. (AP) — Tourism officials in New Hampshire are projecting a slight increase in the numbers of visitors and the amount spent this fall in the state.

The New Hampshire Division of Travel and Tourism Development on Monday projected that 3 million out-of-state visitors who spend the night will spend $1.4 billion in the state. That would mark a 4.5 percent increase for visitors and a 5 percent increase for spending.

The fall season is considered the second most important travel season in New Hampshire, representing a quarter of all the visitations. Scenic drives and outdoor recreation are among the most popular activities for visitors.

Early projections are that this fall season should be a good one, with a University of New Hampshire scientist suggesting there will be vibrant fall colors.

Two teens were injured when a vehicle they were in rolled over in North Conway September 18th. ~ Photo courtesy of Conway Police

 
NORTH CONWAY, NH – A group of teens were injured during a Conway car accident on Tuesday. According to Conway Police Lt. Christopher Mattei Police responded to a rollover at the intersection of Randall Farm Road and Beechnut Road in North Conway at around 6:09 pm.

Lt. Mattie said that though the accident remains under investigation it appears that the 16-year-old driver was headed down Beechnut and was unable to navigate the turn onto Randall Farm Road. The car then allegedly went across the road, striking a large rock. It rolled over and came to a rest on the passenger side, trapping two of the occupants inside.

Authorities said that two of the juveniles were transported to Memorial Hospital with what appeared to be non-life-threatening injuries. 

The names of the driver and passenger were not released due to their age, but police did say that all three were from the Conway area.

Lt. Mattie said that speed does appear to be a factor in the crash and that charges may be pending.