Local and regional news

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Kid’s Race Around Story Land For Literacy This Labor Day!

Kids race in Believe in Books Literacy Foundation’s Kids’ Fun Run 2017. ~ Photo courtesy of believeinbooks.org

GLEN, NH –On Labor Day, Monday, September 3rd, kids will get to race through Story Land in Glen, NH for Believe in Books Literacy Foundation’s Kids Fun Run presented by Memorial Hospital and Story Land.

The Kids’ Fun Run will begin promptly at 9:00 am with registration opening up in the back parking lot at 8:15 am.  Last year, over 400 kids participated in this event and Believe in Books Literacy Foundation is hoping for even more this year!  Bonuses of participating as a racer include a t-shirt, a medal, and a free admission into Story Land for the entire day!  Local children in school districts SAU 9, 13, 20, 3 & MSAD 72 have their registration fee covered by Memorial Hospital, so they can race for free! All other participants only pay a $10 donation to register!  All net proceeds from this event will go towards BIBLF’s Books from Birth program. 

Books from Birth started in 2008 and since then, BIBLF has been able to provide new books to over 3,000 families through this outreach program. Children in this program are mailed new, age-appropriate books at important developmental stages at no cost to the family when they return a postcard provided at a participating hospital! Looking to expand this program to more hospitals in more towns, BIBLF hopes to raise funds and awareness of the importance of an early introduction to literacy. Statistics show early introductions to literacy provide an increase in educational outcomes and continuous reading habits into adulthood.

Visit www.believeinbooks.org to register for the event or to sign up and help volunteer at the event.  Volunteers will also receive an event t-shirt and a free pass into Story Land that day! BIBLF is hoping this will be the biggest Fun Run to date.

This fundraiser is one that the Believe In Books Literacy Foundation has created to help support its literacy initiatives.  The Believe In Books Literacy Foundation is a Charitable 501 (c) (3) Non-Profit guided by the needs and involvement of the communities of which it serves, with a mission to advance healthy development of young minds through literacy programs that encourage early reading, imagination, and physical activity. Visit believeinbooks.org for more information about their fundraisers and literacy programs.

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Car Bursts Into Flames On North South Road

A car burst into flames on North South Road in North Conway Thursday Afternoon. ~ Photo courtesy of Shannon Kelter

NORTH CONWAY, NH – A Car burst into flames in North Conway yesterday. According to one witness at around 5pm a Volkswagen Beetle was smoking from underneath while traveling down North South Road just north of the Settlers Green intersection.

The witness said that another driver had honked to get the Bug driver’s attention and get her to pull over.

A car burst into flames on North South Road in North Conway Thursday Afternoon. ~ Photo courtesy of Shannon Kelter

After the driver had left her vehicle the Beetle reportedly caught fire.

Conway Police Lt. Christopher Mattei said that there were no injuries and that the cause of the fire remained under investigation.

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Mud Bowl Goes Under The Sea For 2018

The North Country Mud Crocs celebrate their Mud Bowl victory in 2017. ~ Photo courtesy of Tom Eastman/Conway Daily Sun

 

NORTH CONWAY, NH — This years Mud Bowl theme has been announced. The 36th Tournament of Mud Parade, sponsored by Amoskeag Beverages LLC of Bow, will be held Saturday September 8th at 10 a.m. in North Conway Village featuring a theme of “Mud Bowl Goes Under the Sea.”

Serving as grand marshal will be Patty Tilton of the Conway Daily Sun, longtime Mud Bowl souvenir program graphics coordinator and her mother-in-law, lay minister Gerry Tilton of the First Church of Christ Congregational in North Conway. Gerry has been a dedicated volunteer at Mud Bowl, where she serves as a notary registration official.

Prizes are offered for first ($250), second ($150) and runner-up ($100) in both the team and open class.

Parade registration deadline is Sept. 5 for community nonprofits and individuals interested in being part of the fun. Groups interested in being in the parade are asked to email Parade Chair Josh Snell JSnell@SVMSnellBros.com.

For forty-two years, Mud Bowl, the Championships of Mud Football, has pitted twelve teams against each other during the three-day weekend after Labor Day at Steve Eastman Memorial Field in Hog Coliseum, behind the North Conway Community Center.

This year the Mud Bowl will take place on September 7th-9th.

Among the teams competing are three local teams: the defending two-time champion North Country Crocs, the 11-time champion Mount Washington Valley Hogs who first brought Mud Bowl to North Conway in 1976; and a new team back for their second year, the North Conway Mud Things.

Advance three-day tickets are $15 (entitles the bearer to two $500 prize drawings — need not be present to win) and are available at the North Conway Community Center and Vaughan Learning Center. Daily tickets are $6 for ages 14 and older; and $4 for ages 6 through 13. Family passes are $15 per day (two adults, two children).

The money raised during this event is donated to multiple non-profits in the Mount Washington Valley including the North Conway Community Center, Vaughan Learning Center and Carroll County Retired Senior Volunteer Program. To date, more than $900,000 has been raised since the games were first held in North Conway in 1976.

Find more information on Facebook at Mud-Bowl.org or northconwaycommunitycenter.org or call the center at (603) 356-2096.

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Congressional Candidate Sues Mount Washington Valley Economic Council For Exclusion

Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia

CONWAY, NH – A Republican Congressional candidate who did not get invited to compete in yesterdays debate is suing the Mt. Washington Valley Economic Council. First congressional district candidate Andy Martin filed the suit in Merrimack Superior Court against the MWV Economic Council Executive Director Jac Cuddy, the economic council, TD Bank, New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, Mt. Washington Chamber of Commerce, Ham Charitable Foundation and Epstein. Martin, from Manchester, claims that it is unethical for the non-profit, tax-exempt entities to pick winners and losers in debates sponsored by the charitable entities, and that it violates both federal and state law.

Martin was not invited to debate due to the economic council’s rule that participants must have raised a certain amount of funding. In all there are 5 republican candidates vying for the seat in congress, but only two candidates had reached that level of funding in order to participate.

Last week the Economic Council held a debate with seven Democratic candidates.

Jac Cuddy told the Conway Daily Sun that because all seven candidates had raised at least 5 percent of the funds that the leading fundraiser had raised, they were invited to debate. Adding that they did they same thing for the four republican candidates, however only two met that requirement.

The Primary will be on September 11th.

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1st Congressional District Republican Candidates Debate In North Conway

NORTH CONWAY, NH – First Congressional District Republicans will be battling it out this morning. The Mount Washington Valley Economic Council will be hosting the second in a pair of debates at the North Conway Grand Hotel. The debate will be moderated by Echo Group chairman George Epstein.

Registration begins at 8:30 am with the debate beginning at 9am.

The debate will be between former South Hampton Police Chief Eddie Edwards of Dover and state Sen. Andy Sanborn of Bedford.

Five people in total are seeking the GOP nomination including contractor Michael Callis of Conway, contractor Jeffory Denaro of Auburn, and Andy Martin of Manchester.

Sanborn and Edwards were set to debate earlier this month in Concord, however after Edwards declined to take the pledge to support whomever won, the debate turned into town hall for Sanborn.

The primary election is on Sept. 11th, and the general election will be on November 6th.

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Man Seriously Injured In Early Morning Accident In Naples

A Naples, ME man was seriously injured during an early morning accident on Monday (8/27/18). ~ Photo courtesy of Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office

 

NAPLES, ME – A Maine man was seriously injured in a car accident in Naples early this morning. The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office said that 48-year-old Patrick Connolly III, of Naples, was driving in his Chevy Pickup truck on Route 11 at around 6:30 am, when he failed to stop at a stop sign at the intersection of Route 302. Connolly continued through the intersection and struck an embankment.

Emergency crews from Naples Fire/rescue called for a Life Flight helicopter once on scene due to the severity of Connolly’s injuries. He was flown to Centeral Maine Medical Center for treatment, his condition had not been released by news time.

Authorities said that though the investigation is still on going speed and alcohol appear to be factors.

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Jackson Covered Bridge Closed Starting Monday As Repairs Get Under Way

Crews clean up the Honeymoon Bridge following a cement truck failing to clear the cross bracing this past July. ~ Photo courtesy of the Jackson Area Chamber of CommerceCrews clean up the Honeymoon Bridge following a cement truck failing to clear the cross bracing this past July. ~ Photo courtesy of the Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce 

JACKSON, NH – A 142-year-old New Hampshire covered bridge is getting some repairs. New Hampshire Department of Transportation Officials said work on the Honeymoon Covered Bridge in Jackson was scheduled to start on today (8/27/18). It will take three weeks to complete.

The Department of Transportation says during the repairs, the bridge will be closed to all traffic daily from 7 a.m.to 3:30 p.m. Signs at each end will alert drivers to the closure. The bridge over the Ellis River will be open to traffic on weekends during the repair time period.

The bridge was damaged by vehicles twice within a few weeks. A Conway teen crashed a minivan into a bridge support and truss on June 30, and then an Alvin J. Coleman & Son cement truck damaged the bridge’s roof on July 23.