All clear for work to begin on Route 28

With construction ready to begin the fate of the
Pinkerton Tavern building still undecided.

By CHELSEY POLLOCK
Union Leader Correspondent
DERRY -- With all major land agreements out of the way, town officials say the widening of Route 28/Manchester Road could begin by August.
“We’re really pleased to see this moving along,” said Derry Public Works Director Mike Fowler on Thursday. “Sometimes you muddle along on a project and it doesn’t seem like it’s making any substantial progress, but then all of a sudden in the last 30 to 40 days a lot of things have fallen into place.” 
Town officials are scheduled to close today on the Pinkerton Tavern property at 13 Manchester Road in a “friendly agreement” between the town and property owner Arnold Goldstein of Bedford, said Fowler. 
For $722,500, the town will acquire both the parcel and its existing building. 
Earlier negotiations had stalled after Goldstein pushed for an amount closer to a 2008 assessed value of $910,000. A more recent town appraisal of the property put the value at $700,000. Goldstein sought his own reappraisal, which came in at $745,000. 
“Mine was somewhat better than the town’s, so we struck a bargain in between,” said Goldstein. “I guess you have to compromise sometimes, and I’m going to accept it because I don’t want to go to the trouble of appealing it.” 

The owners of the Pinkerton Tavern restaurant were also paid $305,000 by the town to vacate the premises by March 15. 
Fowler said the town has secured agreements for pieces of 14 other properties within the widening zone, though there is some final paperwork to be completed. 
In total, the town will spend about $1.3 million on land acquisition associated with the widening, less than the anticipated $1.8 million, he said. 
Coupled with a favorable construction market, Fowler said, the project could end up more than a million dollars under budget. 
Originally, the town had planned on $6.5 million for the project to be covered by a fund balance and a bond of up to $5.8 million. Now, Fowler said, the total project will likely cost about $5.3 million. 
Walmart will pay about an 8 percent “fair share” portion of the project, which Fowler said now sits at about $424,000. The state is also expected to reimburse about $700,000 of the total costs, he said. Down the line, Fowler said, the goal is that TIF District revenues will cover the bond repayment. 
“Things have worked out favorably for the town and the general point is that we’re really close to getting a start,” he said. 
Fowler said he hopes to put construction out to bid in May and to begin relocating utilities shortly thereafter. The state will also still need to complete a final review of the project, he said. 
Actual construction work should begin by August, he said. 
The project will move in phases, he said, working on one side of the road at a time. At least two lanes of traffic will remain open throughout the project. 
Construction will continue until about Thanksgiving, he said, and then resume again in April 2012 for final overlay work. By July 2012, Fowler said, the entire project should be complete. 
But the future of the Pinkerton Tavern building that lies in the middle of the widening zone is less defined. 
Fowler said the town will likely send out requests for proposals to see if anyone is interested in purchasing the building as a whole or dismantled into pieces. In the worst-case scenario, he said, the building would be torn down. 
“Obviously we want to keep the building intact as opposed to doing a complete demolish job,” he said. “If somebody out there has a use for the building, certainly they could take it if the price is right. But otherwise we obviously have to look at some alternatives.” 
Fowler said he expects to begin soliciting proposals as early as next week. 

For mom and daughter, a special gift is returned

Londonderry High School student Caroline Chase unwraps a wig made especially for her
mother, Debbie Tarr, who is undergoing cancer treatment.

By APRIL GUILMET
Union Leader Correspondent
LONDONDERRY -- The generosity of countless Londonderry High School students who donated their hair to help cancer patients over the years came full circle Thursday morning when the mom of a past donor benefitted from a free Pantene Beautiful Lengths wig.
Caroline Case, a junior whose mother, Debbie Tarr, was diagnosed with cancer in November, was all smiles after being called into the principal’s office on Thursday. 

Tarr recently underwent surgery to treat her cancer and continues to receive chemotherapy as she battles the disease. She cut her daughter’s hair during this year’s Beautiful Lengths event. 
Just over a week ago, Case approached English teacher Steve Juster, who organizes the school’s annual hair drive. It was short notice, but Juster and his program assistants, seniors Kendra Snyder, Shayla McElroy and Caroline Gaudet, and junior Jenny Thompson, were up to the task. 
Like all of the Beautiful Lengths wigs, Tarr’s new hairpiece is made of donated human hair and is hand-sewn. According to program officials, each wig is valued at several thousand dollars. 
Though it’s impossible to say for sure, Tarr’s new wig might have even been made using hair donated by some of Londonderry High School’s own “angels.” The wigs are delivered in one length, allowing their new owners to add their own personal touches. 
“Caroline, this box came to the school today. This is the other end of the rainbow,” Juster told Case, as he handed her a white, FedEx package yesterday morning. 
Case beamed, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. 
“It’s the semi-Jessica Simpson color you requested,” Juster offered. 
Lifting the glossy, blond bob out of its packaging, Case ran her fingers through the silky hair. “It’s so soft,” she exclaimed. “Wow, Mom’s going to love this!” 
Case later took the box with her to her art class, where it was decorated and wrapped, to make that evening’s presentation all the more special. 
“It got here so fast — it hasn’t even been a week,” Case added, noting that her mom knew she might possibly have a wig on the way but would be quite surprised to learn it arrived so promptly. 
“We thought it would take a couple months,” she said. 
Juster said the process does, indeed, typically take several months, since in most cases patients or family members must contact the local branch of the American Cancer Society with such requests because each individual case needs to be verified. 
Fortunately, local ACS representatives had already met the local mother and daughter, who both participated in this past January’s Beautiful Lengths Celebration of Giving event. 
“It worked out really quickly. You did a lot for us and inspired many people.” Juster told Case. “This here is the best of both worlds.” 
His student helpers and fellow staff members mirrored his enthusiasm. 
“I’m, like, psyched right now,” Gaudet grinned. “Can I hide behind the couch when you give it to her?” 
“Now we understand why Mr., Juster calls these people ‘angels,’” Assistant Principal Art Psaledas said. “They are gifts from above.” 

Walmart Land Deal Approved

By CHELSEY POLLOCK
Union Leader Correspondent
DERRY -- In less than 15 minutes, the five town councilors present at last night’s special meeting unanimously approved a conservation easement crucial to the Walmart project on Ashleigh Drive. The item had been tabled from a meeting last week.
“I think the Conservation Commission did their homework on this,” said Council Vice Chairman Neil Wetherbee, who called for the special meeting. “I was out there for the site walk with them, and this is a win-win for the town.”
The easement allows Walmart to build on about 2.5 acres of conserva­tion land near their Ashleigh Drive site in exchange for a $100,000 payment to the town for the purchase of other conservation land. 
Walmart representatives had initially offered the Derry Conservation Commission a 14.5-acre parcel of wetlands behind the project as potential conservation land. But commissioners said they would prefer the $100,000 payout to purchase other conservation land. Walmart and the commission approved the agreement last month. 
Councilors tabled their consideration of the easement at last week’s meeting, after Councilor Janet Fairbanks asked that the issue be pushed off until the next meeting on April 5. 
Fairbanks said at that meeting that she wanted to see if more could be done to protect the 14.5-acre parcel, which provides a buffer for residents on the other side of the project. 
The council agreed to hold off on the decision. 
Then, last Thursday, Wetherbee asked that a special meeting be called to reconsider the item, saying he wanted to avoid further delays to the Walmart project. 
Councilors Fairbanks and Kevin Coyle did not attend last night’s special session. 
“I’m a little disappointed that Ms. Fairbanks and Mr. Coyle opted not to show up to this meeting that was so important to them,” said Councilor David Milz. 
But in an interview after the meeting, Fairbanks said she already knew what the outcome would be. 
“I was very disappointed and surprised that they decided to proceed with this even though I was uncomfortable,” she said. “I was originally going to go, but I said, no. This is just a power play. They want to show that they are in control and we know that. There’s a 5-2 vote and I knew it was a done deal.” 
Coyle similarly said he decided not to participate in what he called a “waste of time and money.” 
“This is a meeting that was not necessary, that was called by Neil and Brad because they wanted to show Janet they could do whatever they wanted,” said Coyle. “There was no hurry to do it. They just wanted to have a special meeting to teach a lesson to Janet and, I guess, to me. I decided that I would rather play basketball with my son.” 
With final approval out of the way, Conservation Commission Chairman Margaret Ives said last night that the commission will begin looking at how it will spend that money as soon as its next meeting on Monday. 
“We always have some things on our lists, but we need to review those,” said Ives after the meeting. “This will probably not pay for an entire (parcel), but it will help.” 
The approval will now allow Walmart developers to focus on their return to the Planning Board next month to seek site plan approval. 
“It’s always good to see,” said Peter Imse, an attorney representing the project. “In any approval process like this there’s a whole series of steps along the way, and we need to take all of them.” 

Irish singer steps up to help the troops

Anthony Kearns 

By CHELSEY POLLOCK
Union Leader Correspondent
DERRY -- While Irish Tenor Anthony Kearns was born across the pond, he says his time touring in the United States has given him an appreciation for the freedoms stateside. So when Bob Clegg of Hudson told Kearns about a local charity working to support American troops overseas, the tenor jumped at the chance to help.
“I live in Ireland, but I travel all the states to make my living and I’m very thankful for that,” said Kearns, 39, a founding member of the Irish Tenors and a successful solo artist.
“You take for granted the way we get around in this country and the peace and comfort we have in our lives,” he said. “We have to stop and remember those who are away from their homes and their families defending peace, not just for America but around the globe.”
Kearns has performed as part of many charitable events, including performances for the Wounded Warriors program and a recent USO/ThanksUSA benefit at the New Zealand Embassy.

And tonight , Kearns will bring his efforts to Promises to Keep in Derry in support of MooreMart, a Nashua-based nonprofit group that sends supplies and care packages to American troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Clegg, a former state senator who serves on the MooreMart Resource Team, met with Kearns backstage after one of his concerts in December. He said the tenor was immediately interested in supporting MooreMart and later tracked him down to ensure the charity event was moving forward.
“For an Irish citizen, (Kearns) seems to have a really soft spot for American troops,” Clegg said. “It’s really nice to see that they are appreciated around the world.”
MooreMart has sent more than 35,000 packages to New Hampshire troops overseas in the past six years, Clegg said, many including school supplies, toys and clothing for local children along with personal items for the soldiers themselves.
And to fill those boxes, he said, the volunteer-run group largely relies on donations and fundraising projects, like tonight’s event.
Tickets for the show are $50 or $80 for two people.
The program begins at 5:30 p.m. with a cocktail reception, followed by Kearns’ performance at 6:15 p.m. Promises to Keep is located at 199 Rockingham Road in Derry.
And with a capacity of about 200 people, Clegg said he hopes the location will provide a uniquely intimate show.
“This will give people an opportunity to see and hear (Kearns) in a venue that’s almost like being alone,” he said. “It’s not being in the middle of 3,000 people. It’s up close, and he’s very personable. I think people are going to really enjoy him.”
For tickets or more information, contact mooremarttickets@gmail.com.

The Road to Argentina

Ben Slavin of Hooksett will tell the story of his life-changing motorcycle
adventure tonight at the Derry Public Library. 

Slavin poses in front of Mano de Desierto, The Hand of the Desert, a sculpture in Chile’s Atacama Desert.

By CAROL ROBIDOUX
Union Leader Correspondent
DERRY -- Ben Slavin had every reason to fear the unknown.

Ben Slavin, Motocycle Adventurer.
PHOTO/Sid Ceaser www.ceaserphotography.com

This is the kind of traffic jam Slavin encountered
 on his way from New Hampshire to
Ushuaia, Argentina, the world’s southernmost city. 

He was about to embark on the road trip of a lifetime. His only real objective was to have an adventure, so he figured he’d see about riding his motorcycle as far south as possible.
“My biggest trip, before this, was an overnight trip in the mountains of New Hampshire,” said Slavin, 27, of Hooksett.
Riding 23,000 miles to Argentina meant going way outside his comfort zone — exactly the point for an engineer in need of a break from the “real world.” Tonight, Slavin will recall his trip through a series of colorful slides and, perhaps, even more colorful stories for anyone who will listen at the Derry Public Library. “I didn’t have all the answers before I left, but I figured it out along the way,” said Slavin, who admits that the prospect of leaving American soil and crossing into Mexico — given the current headlines involving drug wars, gang killings and a generally dangerous climate for tourists — was scary. 
“I didn’t know what to expect as I was crossing into Mexico. Honestly, I was excited but also terrified,” said Slavin. “If you read the news, they publish the worst of the worst. I thought every old lady was out to rob me. But once I settled down and settled in, I had a great time.” 
Slavin blogged his way through the 2009 trip that included 15 countries and countless adventures on his approach to his final destination of Ushuaia, Argentina. Upon his return, he was bombarded with questions from those who wanted to know more about the logistics of such a trip. That’s what inspired Slavin to return to Mexico, where he recently completed filming a how-to guide for motorcycling in Mexico called, appropriately, “Motorcycle Mexico.” 
“People were asking me tons of questions — all the same ones I had myself before I left. So I decided to put together a compilation of interviews from different riders, as well as my own thoughts, as a guide for anyone who wants to know what the dangers are. 
It includes everything from general safety and how to stay safe on the road, to what to do with your bike at night, how to get money from an ATM and what to expect at military checkpoints,” Slavin said. 
What he learned was that even veteran transcontinental motorcycle travelers have conflicting advice. 
“Ultimately, you have to make your own decisions,” said Slavin. 
He’s hoping his own experiences will help others to be prepared for such a trip, which was everything he hoped it would be, and so much more. 
The heaviest traffic jams were also the hairiest — like the herd of sheep that just sort of gathered around him as he made his approach into Tierra Del Fuego, which translates to the Land of Fire, the island province on which Ushuaia is located. 
“I did ride with a friend from Guatemala to Ecuador, but before and after that part of the trip, it was all solo, and I have to say, I really did enjoy the solo time — that’s when you really connect with locals. 
You’re more approachable if you’re alone,” Slavin said. 
Although he hasn’t yet planned his next big excursion, he’s been teaching himself to speak Russian. 
“The only plans I have right now are to travel this summer to the different motorcycle rallies to share my story and hopefully encourage and empower others who’ve ever thought about taking a major road trip to give it a try,” said Slavin. 
He said he’s only been riding for about six years. 
“I wouldn’t push anyone into something like this. My first trip was a selfish joy ride. 
It was fun to get out and see the world, but my second trip to Mexico was motivated by the urge to put something together that would help others,” said Slavin. “For anyone who’s ever dreamed of just leaving it all behind and going for it, this will help.” 
Slavin will be hitting the library circuit over the next few months. You can catch his Adventure Motorcycling Travelogue March 23 at Derry Public Library starting at 6:30 p.m. 
Other dates include: Hooksett Public Library, March 29; Milford Public Library, May 10; Hancock Public Library, May 19; Gilford Public Library, June 14; Lincoln Public Library, June 16; Goffstown Public Library, June 21; Dublin and Freedom libraries, TBA. 

At Whispering Pines, Derry ZIP code wins

New street names and numbers will still go into effect 

at the mobile home village next month. 

By APRIL GUILMET
Union Leader Correspondent
LONDONDERRY -- Following a lengthy survey process, the majority of Whispering Pines Mobile Home Village residents who responded said they’d rather retain their Derry ZIP code, even though most of their homes are technically located in Londonderry.
At the start of this year, United States Postal Service officials surveyed resi­dents of the 258-unit mobile home park that sits on the Derry/Londonderry border in hopes of resolving what could be a potentially dangerous situation in instances where emergency responders are unable to determine whether they’re needed in Derry or in Londonderry. 

According to Town Assessor Karen Marchant, who shared survey results with town officials during Monday night’s Town Council meeting, just 71 of the mobile home park’s 258 homeowners responded to the survey. Forty of them said they’d prefer to keep their current Derry ZIP code. 
Marchant said most of those residents have a Londonderry street address, though in the wake of the survey results, those addresses will still be considered Derry territory as far as both towns — and the Postal Service — are concerned. 
Just 37 of the park’s units are actually located within the Derry town limits. 
Contacted yesterday afternoon, Tom Rizzo, a spokesman for the Northern New England Division of the U.S. Postal Service, said the survey results leave the postal service with little choice but to abide by the residents’ wishes. “It was quite clear from the survey that these residents prefer to keep things the way they are,” Rizzo said. “Frankly, the decision has been made, and we’re obligated to follow those results.” 
The towns of Londonderry and Derry, along with the state’s 911 program, petitioned the Postal Service last April, in hopes of updating ZIP codes within the mobile home village, and the survey took place during the month of January 2011. 
Town officials in both towns had approved new street names and numbers for Whispering Pines, but opted to hold off on making those new names official until final survey results were revealed. 
Marchant said the new street names and numbers would still become effective on April 20, though all those addresses will retain their Derry ZIP code. 
After April 20, Whispering Pines residents calling 911 will be required to identify themselves using their new addresses, Marchant stressed, noting the new names are taken from different types of trees, such as Douglas and Conifer. This change will at least help alleviate some confusion from emergency responders since the current like-sounding street names pose a challenge. 
“It’s still really confusing right now,” she continued. “We have eight streets up there, all of them (will soon) have the names of trees, so at least when the fire departments hear those names, they have an idea where they’re going.” 

Council debates use of cable fees

By APRIL GUILMET
Union Leader Correspondent
LONDONDERRY -- Following a lengthy discussion at Monday night’s Town Council meeting, councilors opted to table a decision on whether to reallocate additional cable franchise fees to the town’s general fund.
A public hearing on the topic will now be scheduled sometime in June, once town officials have a better grasp of pending state budgetary changes.
On March 21, councilors suggested having 1.5 percent of the 5 percent cable franchise fees deposited into the town’s general fund on July 1, when the new fiscal year begins.
Councilor John Farrell further suggested raising that amount to 2.5 percent, or half of the town’s cable franchise fees.
“We already know we’re not going to be able to reduce expenses dramatically, and we’d like to increase our revenue,” Farrell said. “If we move to 2.5 percent, that would give us another $170,000 in our fund that we’d have available in case something happens with the state budget.”
Earlier this month, town officials expressed frustration over the pending state budget and what it could mean for Londonderry.
On Feb. 15, Gov. John Lynch revealed his proposed new $10.7 billion budget plan, which calls for millions of dollars in cuts, including a reduction in state reimbursements for teacher, police and firefighter retirements from 35 percent to zero.
Though its still too early to tell, the town could be forced to come up with an additional $468,000 to cover those retirement contributions next year, Caron said, though town officials won’t know for sure until May or June, when the final outcome of the state budget is revealed.
As it stands now, the town is already tapping into cable access reserve funds to bolster the general fund.
During budget workshops held earlier this winter, town officials ultimately agreed to spare cutting the cable department’s training coordinator position, held by Erin Barry, by dipping into the cable access reserves instead.A total of $105,000 in cable department fees will be placed in the town’s general fund this coming fiscal year, meeting the town’s goal of saving $105,000 from the cable budget, while keeping Barry’s position intact.
The additional percentage suggested by the council would bring that number up to $275,000.
According to Cable Director Dottie Grover, $40,000 has already been moved from the cable department’s special revenue fund into the town’s general fund for the past three years to keep residential taxes down.
While other towns collect cable access fees, not all of those fees are used to fund the cable department the way Londonderry does.For example, in Hampstead, 4 percent of access fees are collected, though only half of that is used toward cable operations. In Windham, 5 percent of access fees are collected, though none of that is used toward cable operations.
Caron said the council could amend a policy anytime, as there is nothing that legally encumbers the fees to the cable fund.
Councilor Tom Dolan said: “I’d certainly like to hear more from the public because we’ve talked about taking pieces of the cable fund, but I don’t think we’ve had a comprehensive discussion. This is something that almost begs for a public hearing. We’ve heard very limited testimony that the general public is against this, but I’d like to hear some more.”
Dolan then made a motion to table the topic until June when the state budget is finalized, and the council unanimously agreed.

A STITCH IN TIME...

Gina Chowdry holds a portrait of her late husband, Ken Chowdry, who died Feb. 27 after suffering a
heart attack as he was clearing the driveway of snow.

By CAROL ROBIDOUX
Union Leader Correspondent

Karen Johnson of Groton, Mass., right, was the
last customer to come in and claim items left at the
Derry Tailor Shop after the passing of
owner Ken Chowdry three weeks ago.
Jack Goterch, left, a longtime friend of the
Chowdrys, helped match owners to garments. 

DERRY -- There's a sort of timelessness that takes over after you lose the love of your life. Gina Chowdry feels it, now that her husband of nearly 53 years, Ken Chowdry, is gone.
These past several days have blurred into weeks. The years they spent together suddenly feel like hardly enough.
Ken Chowdry, 81, owner of the Derry Tailor Shop, died Feb. 27. It was a Sunday morning and he was feeling good after spending a productive day in his tiny workshop on Ryan’s Hill. He suffered a heart attack after going outside to remove snow from his driveway.
He leaves behind a legacy as exquisite as the tailored suits he was famous for fashioning. 

Spools of thread are all that's left
hanging in the tiny tailor shop.

He learned his trade as a custom tailor on London’s legendary Savile Row, “the golden mile of tailoring,” and produced garments for some of history’s most illustrious icons — Elizabeth Taylor, Victor Mature, Ronald Reagan, Humphrey Bogart and Clark Gable. 
He sewed riding habits for Jackie Kennedy and is credited with tailoring the suit worn by a 3-year-old John-John Kennedy during his father’s funeral. 
“Yes, the ‘Salute Suit,’” says Gina Chowdry softly, looking at a spread of newspaper clippings written about her husband that is laid out across her dining room table. 
Chowdry retired to Derry 24 years ago to open a tailor shop, where the work he did was mostly to keep himself busy. 
His life here was happy, yet unremarkable compared to the life he’d lived leading up to his retirement. 
Chowdry was cut from the cloth of Indian wealth, a life he rejected as a teenager. Instead of heading off to London to become a barrister, Chowdry became a tailor’s apprentice, eventually working for H. 
Huntsman & Sons. Although he never fully reconciled with his parents, Chowdry never looked back, said his wife. 
“We met on the train. Love at first sight. We both rode it to the West End. I was 21 and didn’t speak English, but Kenny taught me later. There I am in this big city, and he was staring at me on the train. I didn’t know what to think. So I told my sisters about him when I got home, and they told me to give him my phone number. 
I did. And he called me right away. This is how we started going out,” said Gina Chowdry, whose given name, Gioconda, is more famously known by art aficionados as what Leonardo da Vinci called his “Mona Lisa.” She holds up a portrait of her husband, dark and handsome and dapper in a military uniform, taken in 1953. 
“This is when he rode in the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II,” said Gina Chowdry. She brushes her fingers gently across the glass, her grief as fresh as her tears. 
“I just can’t believe my Kenny’s gone,” she said. 
Although she hated leaving her family behind in London, once married in 1959 she knew that she would follow her husband to wherever his ambition led them. 
“He always loved being a tailor, but he wanted success. He came here with big dreams,” she said. 
Her husband’s first job in America was for Woodward & Lothrop in Washington, D.C., followed by management jobs at other major clothiers in Philadelphia and Connecticut, all the while continuing to make custom suits as a side business. 
“By the time we retired to New Hampshire, he had thousands of customers. He didn’t advertise — it was all word of mouth,” she said. She was a gifted seamstress as well and worked alongside her husband over the years. 
“He was an artist, my husband,” she said, touching the lining of her husband’s navy pinstripe suit. 
“This was one of his favorites. Look at this,” she said, proudly curling back the fabric at the sleeve, to reveal impeccable workmanship. “He had such beautiful hands.” 
Longtime customer and friend Jack Goterch of Derry said he enjoyed getting to know Chowdry over the years. He and his wife, Lynne, befriended the Chowdrys, and Jack Goterch was there to help clear out the shop, which was left cluttered with antique machinery, dozens of spools of thread and a backlog of inventory that was never claimed. 
“There were a lot of items we had to give to the Goodwill, because we couldn’t find the owners or they just didn’t want to come in — even a wedding dress. Ken did a lot of work for people, no charge. I think, by the time he got to Derry, he was doing it because he loved it, not because he needed to,” said Goterch. 
On Saturday, Goterch finally reunited the last of the clothing with owner Karen Johnson of Groton, Mass. She explained that the dated-looking pieces had belonged to her mother, who died 15 years ago. 
“I hung on to them for a long time thinking I’d like to find a good tailor to modernize them so they could have a second life,” said Johnson. She took the pieces from Goterch and looked them over, deciding that Chowdry must have never gotten around to the alterations. 
“I honestly kind of forgot about them,” said Johnson, who admits she’s a little disappointed that she’ll never see how Chowdry might have updated them. 
“I came up here from Groton because I’d heard so much about him, as a tailor. I’m sorry it didn’t work out,” said Johnson. “I’m sorry he’s gone.” 

Dodgeball tourney to benefit Japan quake victims

By APRIL GUILMET
Union Leader Correspondent
LONDONDERRY -- Proceeds from A dodgeball tournament held at Londonderry High School next month will assist relief efforts for earthquake victims in Japan.
The tournament, affectionately dubbed “Dodgeball-Mack Plaque Style,” will take place at the high school on April 7 at 6:30 p.m., with Londonderry students playing against Pinkerton Academy.
Admission to the event is $3 for students, and $5 for adults.
English teacher Mary Johnson, who serves as adviser for Londonderry High School’s National Honor Society program, said she’s in the process of locating a direct contact for relief efforts, though school officials are considering working with the Green Band Association, which is affiliated with the North Japan Band.
“In the past 10 years, they have evidently raised over $30,000 for victims of natural disasters,” Johnson said on Monday. “Donating to them would ensure money is used directly for relief in Japan.”
The high school Honor Society has been hosting the dodgeball tournament for the past four years, and each year proceeds are distributed to a different charity.
In previous years, the Honor Society has assisted such causes as Servants for Haiti, Families in Transition and the Peace Corps, in conjunction with a Londonderry High School graduate who was serving in the Corps. 
“For each of these years,we’ve been able to donate $3,500 to these deserving charities,” Johnson said. 
Communications teacher Karen Robinson, along with her video and radio students, will be broadcasting the tournament live over local airwaves and on the town’s public access channel. 
Next month will mark the first time Pinkerton Academy has jumped on board. 
“There has been a lot of excitement surrounding this event, not just for the rivalry but for the anticipated support we can offer to a country desperately in need,” Johnson said. 

Model flyers, town of Londonderry, remain on common ground

New Hampshire Flying Tigers booth at Londonderry
Old Home Day. COURTESY PHOTO

By APRIL GUILMET
Union Leader Correspondent
LONDONDERRY -- A former landfill and town dump on Auburn Road will continue to be used as a launching area by a local group of model airplane enthusiasts.
Following a brief discussion held during the Monday night Town Council meeting, the board voted unanimously in favor of renewing an agreement between the New Hampshire Flying Tigers and the town of Londonderry, which owns the Auburn Road site. 
In accordance with the renewed contract, the town will retain control and flexibility regarding the site’s usage. 
The model airplane club, which boasts around 70 members from Londonderry and surrounding towns, has been using the Auburn Road site since summer 2008. 
Town Councilor John Farrell said the agreement has worked well over the past several years, and the council voted unanimously in favor of extending the agreement. 
The landfill site was used as the town’s dump during the 1960s, and at one time more than 1,000 drums of chemical waste, discarded tires and solid waste were buried there. 
The state closed the landfill in 1980 after hazardous substances were found in nearby surface and ground water. Later, it was determined by the Environmental Protection Agency that the contaminated water was flowing toward residential wells at the nearby Whispering Pines Mobile Home Park. 
In 1987, the government agency declared the area a federal Superfund site, mandating that most of the 570 residences within a one-mile radius of the area be supplied with municipal water. 
Federal law requires Superfund sites to be examined every five years to determine whether cleanup efforts are still required. The most recent examination was conducted last summer. 
Past cleanup efforts included installing a water line, capping three disposal areas, establishing institutional controls and performing monitored natural attenuation of arsenic-contaminated ground water. 
Contamination within the soil is believed to have been removed or encapsulated, and EPA officials believe there are no longer any known users of the contaminated ground water. 
Before using the Auburn Road site, the Flying Tigers had been using a field located behind Merrimack Wood Products (off B Street) in Derry near the Londonderry border. 
When that property was put up for sale several years ago, club members approached the town of Londonderry regarding the vacant former landfill. 
For more information, visit www.newhampshireflyingtigers.org

American Dream

A local store is turning “gently used” American Girl dolls into big business and big smiles. 

Bryar Doherty, right, takes her new American Girl doll “Jess” for a test hug on Saturday as Pam Gani, left, looks on. The doll was Bryar’s birthday gift, thanks to her grandmother’s generosity and Gani’s ingenious new retail outlet that sells all things American Girl, gently used, at discounted prices. 

By CAROL ROBIDOUX
Union Leader Correspondent
DERRY -- Saturday was an important day for Bryar Doherty.
Turning 7 meant her birthday wish, for an American Girl doll, was finally coming true.
“She’s Asian-American. I love her because she has black hair and looks like my sister,” said Bryar, holding the 18-inch dark-haired beauty of a doll named Jess at arms length, taking in her pink sunglasses, almond-shaped eyes and tropical bikini.
“Brand new, the ‘whole world’ set, would run 400 to 500 dollars,” said Bryar’s mom, Stephanie Emerson, of Bedford, who will get the doll, her corresponding American Girl book, and assorted accessories for about $120, gently used. 

Bitty Babies, like this “gently used” pair for sale
at Pam Gani’s shop, are the starter dolls
 that lead doll lovers into the world of
American Girl dolls, which feature a line
of customizable dolls as well as historic dolls. 

“Our average doll is 75 to 85 dollars,” said Pam Gani, who opened the all things American Girl resale store she calls Once Upon a Time in December. 
For something that happened rather quickly — part hunch, part happenstance — the store’s become a word-ofmouth sensation. 
She has yet to hang a sign out front of the two-story outlet on Rockingham Road, to the right at the peak of Ryan’s Hill heading south. 
Gani has relied mainly on Craigslist and the local mom information network to bring a steady stream of customers to her shop from as far away as Western Massachusetts and Vermont, just to check out her in-store inventory. 
“We were actually going to start an Internet-based consignment store — we’re avid eBayers. It was going to be women’s and children’s gently used clothing,” said Gani. 
Destiny had something else in store for Gani, a former information technology recruiter who has been reinventing herself ever since her industry dried up after 9/11. 
Having raised two boys as a single mom, Gani was totally out of the girl-trend loop. She had no idea that the American Girl doll line by Mattel has, for 25 years, dominated the doll scene. 
For the uninitiated, American Girl dolls can be custom made to your specifications — skin tone, hair and eye color, braces, endless outfits and accessories. There are also Bitty Babies and a historic line of dolls with a complete story line relayed in book form. 
Now that she has a 7-yearold daughter of her own, Gani was beginning to learn the ways of the American Girl dolls, and stumbled into a good deal on a historic Emily doll NIB (new in the box), thinking she might devote a corner of her store to reselling the dolls, if there was demand. 
“I wanted to test the waters, so I decided to donate the doll to my daughter’s PTA auction at Derry Village School for a fundraiser they were doing sort of a last-minute thing. They ended up with 3,500 raffle tickets in the coffee can for that doll,” Gani said. 
She recognized an opportunity to sell the popular dolls at sensible prices. Naming the store Once Upon a Time has a double meaning for Gani. On the surface, these dolls once belonged to someone else and are now going to have a second chance. 
“It’s also because they are really different kinds of dolls than when I was growing up. 
Each one has an identity and an adventure. They aren’t sitting around waiting for some knight in shining armor to come save them — so it’s sort of my way of saying that ‘once upon a time’ story line I grew up with is nothing but fiction,” Gani said. 
While the dolls are the anchor, it’s hard to make money on them at the prices she’s reselling them for. Using her former head-hunter skills, Gani specializes in retired dolls and hard-to-find accessories, which she expects will be the gravy. 
“Once I get a collection in from a collector, I do some Internet- based consignment on the back end, and then sell the rest in the store,” said Gani. 
Many of her starter dolls came from local teenagers who had outgrown their interest in the collectible dolls — feeder dolls for the next generation of little girls. 
She is not alone in her endeavor. As her luck would have it, Lynda Wollen of Nashua came along. 
“I’m an avid doll collector and American Girl doll fan myself,” said Wollen. “I found Pam’s business on Craigslist. 
But I also repair dolls, and since Pam and I both have young daughters, we just clicked.” 
Twice a month Wollen sets up a “hospital” inside Gani’s store. 
“We call her ‘the doctor.’ For 25 dollars, she will clean up your doll, rebraid their hair, restring them. Unlike the American Girl hospital, she won’t charge an arm and a leg for fixing an arm or a leg,” said Gani. 
Wollen said that while there are some fixes beyond her ability — the company smartly cornered the market on using impossible to match eyes and limbs — she can still make magic with a well-worn doll. 
One of her sidelights is working for a local cleaning service restoring dolls that have been damaged in fires and floods. 
“There are so many dolls that get thrown aside when all they need is a little work. 
They can be fixed up and loved again,” Wollen said. 
In yet another unexpected partnership, Gani is launching a monthly workshop for girls and their dolls. “Mem’s Attic” begins March 26 at 10 a.m. 
with Denise Berard of Haverhill, Mass., a success coach who enjoys the fine art of being a grandmother. 
For $20, each attendee will have a tea party experience with all the trimmings, along with some etiquette and manners, and a take-home craft. 
“What I will do is a spin on a tea party. In addition to learning how to set a table properly for a tea party, this month the girls will also be learning how to design and make a necklace for themselves and their dolls, and we’ll be painting a jewelry box for the dolls,” Berard said. 
“Intermingled, there will be a little bit of virtue as well. 
I have my Ph.D in pastoral psychology, so this month we will focus on kindness and talk about why it’s so much fun to be kind.” 
On the Web: www.onceuponatimeag.com. 

Group's littering fight is more than trash talk

By APRIL GUILMET

Union Leader Correspondent

LONDONDERRY -- Life in Londonderry can get pretty messy sometimes.

But with the help of a newly formed committee aimed at stopping litter bugs in their tracks, a dozen dedicated residents are hoping to brighten up their community in time for spring — and for many seasons to follow.

Last week, Londonderry’s anti-littering advisory committee held its first meeting. The new group, a subcommittee of the solid waste advisory committee, hopes to raise public awareness of what’s become an unsightly problem in certain sections of town.

This past December, town of­ficials announced plans to form such a committee, though discussions had been in the works for much longer. 

Each spring, members of the town’s Beautify Londonderry committee join forces with hundreds of volunteers from various community organizations to spend several weekends picking up litter, planting flowers and completing countless other community projects. 

Following this past spring’s mass cleanup, a concerned resident asked the Town Council to help combat the local litter problem. 

Committee spokesman Kerri Stanley said plans are in the works for the group to work closely with local police to discourage residents inclined to litter. “It is our hope that the public being informed of the ramifi cations of their littering will ultimately deter them from doing so and to dispose of trash properly,” Stanley said on Friday. 

Working closely with police Chief Bill Hart, this group of residents has taken a tough stance on such offenders. 

“This means that if anybody sees another individual littering while driving, that person can get the license plate of the offender and shouldn’t hesitate to report it,” Stanley said. “Residents who want to do their part in reducing the amount of litter should take this as seriously as if they were witnessing any other crime taking place and report it to the authorities.” 

In New Hampshire, those charged with littering can face fines of up to $2,000 along with a year in prison. 

According to Chapter XVI of the town’s municipal code, “litter” is defined as “all rubbish, refuse, garbage, yard waste, trash, debris, dead animals or other discarded materials of every kind and description.” 

Those caught littering in Londonderry may also be subject to town fines, ranging from $100 for the first offense, to $1,000 for the fourth offense. 

Stanley, who is also one of the acting volunteers organizing this spring’s annual Beautify Londonderry initiative, said it’s extremely disheartening to see trash accumulate just days after a project is completed. 

“We are tired of people’s lack of concern for the environment and their ignorance in blatantly tossing trash out their car windows,” she said. 

The committee is currently in the process of consulting local businesses, particularly the town’s fast food restaurants and other places that are located in areas where excessive trash seems to pile up, in hopes business owners can help combat the problem. 

“Something as simple as a sign on their drive-through windows could make the consumer think again before littering,” Stanley said. 

The anti-littering committee meets monthly at Town Hall, with meetings generally held on the third Wednesday evening of each month, and residents wishing to assist this cause are welcome to attend. 

“Slowly but surely we are determined to take back our town and make it a place people can be proud to live and where visitors will note its cleanliness,” Stanley said. “It is not impossible and where there is a will, there is a way. We definitely have the will and now we are making our way.” “ 

Nature's sweet nectar as fleeting as spring

Free samples are all part of the allure for guests who come to Folsoms Sugar House
in Chester for tours and tastings this weekend.

By CAROL ROBIDOUX
Union Leader Correspondent
CHESTER -- 

Rowan Dunning, 9, of Goffstown enjoys some
maple syrup-topped ice cream,
 courtesy of Cam Picard, background.

Here is a window into why Brian Folsom is in the sugar house business.
“Brian’s grandmother used to use sap for everything, when the sap was running. She’d cook vegetables in it, make her tea with it. We never understood why her vegetables always tasted so much better than everyone else’s,” said Andrea Rohde, Folsom’s sister.
Rohde drove to town Saturday from Kennebunk, Maine, to help out with crowd control at her brother’s place, Folsoms Sugar House, during New Hampshire’s annual Maple Weekend.
The annual crowd-pleasing event draws thousands of maple enthusiasts who have options — 85 of them, to be exact; that’s the number of participating sugar houses that open their doors for demonstrations, tours and free samples over the two-day event.
It also provides an opportunity to market the fruits of their limited labor.
Maple season is as fragile as it is brief; depending on the seasonal temperature and just the right mix of cold nights and warm days, maple farmers have a small window for collecting sap and boiling it down into syrup and other delectable by-products, including maple cream, maple candy and maple sugar.
One of the first things Jon Chase, 12, of Exeter, noticed was that Folsom’s evaporator was made in the U.S.A. The second thing he noticed was the “wicked hot” temperature, thanks to the wood Folsom feeds it every six minutes.
“Whoa — 220 degrees,” said Jon, who is taking in all the nuances of the syrup manufacturing operation. It’s his first time, said his father, David Chase.
“We wanted to do this for a couple of years, but this year, the timing was finally right,” said Chase. “My father actually recommended Folsom’s.”
Brian Folsom’s sugar shack is small, but that’s what many of his customers like about it.

“We’ve been to a bigger place, west of here. But we like the intimacy here. It’s not a pre-packaged narrative. You can hang out and talk to the guy, and he can explain the process,” said Matt Morrison of Derry. He was loosely supervising his boys as they took a final splash in a mud puddle outside the sugar house on their way toward the car, as his wife, Amy, snapped some photos. “Of course, the boys like the free samples.” 

Muriel Gordon and Fran Royea of Plaistow were standing next to the evaporator, which was chugging out clouds of steam as the brown bubbles of watery sap boiled down to syrup, which emerged as a slow drip from a spigot positioned over a silver bucket.

Jon Chase, 12, of Exeter, gets a close
 look athow maple syrup is made from
sap during a tour at Folsom's Sugar House
in Chester Saturday.

“We come every year,” said Gordon, showing off the contents of a brown bag full of small bottles of syrup, which she will take with her as souvenirs on her upcoming Florida vacation.
Inside the gift shop, the newest addition to the 20-year-old sugar house, sisters Madison and Samantha Takesian of Sandown, ages 9 and 6, were wiggling their fingers around in the bottom of small white paper sample cups, to get the last granules of maple sugar.
“Mmmmmm,” said Samantha, as she moved on to a plate of pretzel sticks surrounding a dish of maple mustard.
“Mmmmm,” she hummed, crunching happily, as she was about to send her half-eaten pretzel stick back into the savory drink for a second taste.
“No double dipping,” said her grandmother, Geraldine Takesian, in the nick of time.
Mary Downes and son, Ryan Dunning, 9, of Goffstown were the first customers in line for a scoop of vanilla ice cream topped with maple syrup and a liberal spray of whipped cream.“We are a maple syrup family,” said Downes, sliding the first bite into her son’s wideopen mouth. “We try to hit a different maple house every year.”
Maple Weekend continues today.
For more information on where to find a sugar house near you — or one you’ve never visited before — go to nhmapleproducers.com.

Eight-town police chase ends in crash, arrest

BREAKING NEWS

A Derry police cruiser and Crime Sceen Unit, leaving a home at 117 Hampstead Road, where an early morning
 burglary led to an eight-town police chase that ended in Concord, with an arrest. 

By CAROL ROBIDOUX

Union Leader Correspondent

DERRY - Police said a brazen burglar who got away with a small amount of cash from a Hampstead Road home before leading police on a multi-town chase was arrested in Concord.

John Eric Claude Williams, 32, of 52 Middle Road, Lancaster, will be charged with multiple offenses related to Friday's car chase by several police departments involved, said Derry Police Capt. Vern Thomas.The Hampstead Road resident, whose name was not released by police, said he called police to report a burglary in progress at 117 Hampstead Road, after hearing unusual noises coming from downstairs. The home owner looked out an upstairs window and saw a red 1997 Chrysler Sebring in his driveway that didn't belong.

Derry Police Sgt. Steve Phillips arrived just as the car was backing down the driveway toward Hampstead Road. Phillips stopped his cruiser at the end of the driveway in an attempt at blocking the car from leaving, and said he made eye contact with Williams as he ordered him to stop.

Williams ignored Phillips' command and drove across the front yards of two adjoining Hampstead Road properties to get around the cruiser, speeding away in the wrong lane of Hampstead Road. Williams had to swerve to avoid other arriving police cruisers as he fled.

Derry Police pursued Williams, attempting to stop him on East Derry Road. Williams continued onto Chester Road, speeding up as he passed a school bus that had stopped to pick up some elementary school students near the intersection of Chester and North Shore roads.

At that point, Derry Police called off the chase and notified surrounding police departments to be on the lookout for the car.

Williams continued driving north, through Chester and Auburn, along By-Pass 28 to Hooksett onto Route 3 into Allenstown and Pembroke to Route 106 where he crashed at the intersection with I-393 in Concord, at a State Police road block, where spike strips had been set up and the intersection secured from morning traffic, said New Hampshire State Police Major Russell Conte.

Auburn Police Chief Edward Picard said speeds ranged from 60 to 80 mph.

Derry Police will be charging Williams with burglary (class B felony), disobeying a police officer and reckless driving. He is currently being held at the New Hampshire State Prison on a Probation Violation as well as three state police warrants for burglaries unrelated to the Derry incident.

Picard said Williams allegedly drove his car directly at an Auburn police cruiser and police expect to charge him in connection with that incident.

Walmart meeting rescheduled for March 23

By CAROL ROBIDOUX

Union Leader Correspondent

DERRY -- A special Council meeting has been set for March 23 to revisit a tabled action item from Tuesday night's meeting, involving a stretch of wetlands behind the proposed Walmart.

Tuesday's vote would have moved the project a step closer to construction.

Thursday, Councilor Neil Wetherbee called for the meeting, to accept the tabled easement amendment that would allow a road to be built on 2.5 acres of existing conservation land leading up to the site off Ashleigh Drive. In exchange, the town would receive $100,000 toward the purchase of future conservation land.

Left in limbo is a 14.5-acre stretch of wetlands that currently provides a buffer to residents living behind the proposed building site. That land was offered to the town by Walmart, and considered by the Conservation Commission. But in the end, it was decided that the $100,000 would be a better long-range investment in the town's conservation holdings.

Tuesday, as the vote was in process, Councilor Janet Fairbanks requested that the Council table the vote until the next scheduled meeting, three weeks away. She wanted to find out if there was any way to renegotiate with Walmart to get something in writing that would prohibit them from developing that land, in perpetuity.

According to Conservation Commission Chair Margi Ives, the land, while environmentally vital, is considered a "low value wetlands," because it doesn't abut other protected land, and isn't part of the New Hampshire Wildlife Action Plan.

"We thought it would make more sense to try to get the money and use it on land with higher ecological value," Ives said.

She said the Conservation Commission has spent months looking at all options. Part of the process included successfully lobbying for Walmart to move a proposed access road, which not only makes residents happier about the plot plan, but also has less impact to existing wetlands.

Wetherbee said after Tuesday's meeting, he immediately regretted not pushing for a vote, despite Fairbanks' misgivings.

Thursday Wetherbee sent out an e-mail to his fellow Councilors requesting the special meeting to avoid delaying the project for three more weeks.

"I think it is important to remember that Walmart walked away from this project just a few years ago," said Wetherbee.

He said that while he didn't believe there was any real danger of that happening again, after thinking about what transpired at Tuesday's meeting, he felt the Council was sending mixed signals about its commitment to this project.

"And not just to Walmart, but to our Town Administrator, who we have given specific direction to, that keeping this TIF project revenue neutral is our No. 1 goal," said Wetherbee.

Yesterday Anderson said with this project -- as with any project -- delays mean money.

"From my perspective this has been fully vetted in front of the Conservation and Planning boards, so my feeling is a delay is just money and time," Anderson said.

Councilor Kevin Coyle said Wetherbee's call for a special meeting is "absolutely ridiculous," and also represents a waste of time and money.

"There's no hurry. Walmart said they could wait three weeks. Their process is ongoing. We're not delaying it in any way," said Coyle. "This is about power for Neil and Brad (Benson). They didn't like that Janet wanted to put it off. It's simply about power and control."

Coyle said other municipalities commonly refrain from voting on matters the same night as a public hearing.

"It's a routine practice that allows people to sit and think about an issue before voting," Coyle said. "This was the first I'd heard about the Conservation Commission giving up that 14 acres. I was going to go out and walk the site, to see what condition it's in."

Council Chair Brad Benson said he believes the Conservation Commission did its due diligence and came back with the best decision for the town.

"They decided to let Walmart use a half acre of wetlands and mitigate it for the town to buy better quality conservation land," Benson said.

He added that down the road, even if Walmart tried to backtrack on its current position, that it has no plans to build there, the company would have to go through a tedious process that would involve stringent local restrictions on useas well as state DES requirements, as well.

"We just delayed them three weeks. We need to get them through this process. It's the start of a major development for Derry," Benson said. "I know there is a perception that the purchase of conservation land hasn't been fair and balanced. But that's not true. Right now we have our town administrator looking into three parcels of interest on the west side of Derry -- there are no boundaries when it comes to conservation land," Benson said.

Resident Maureen Rose, who spoke during Tuesday's public hearing against giving up the 14.5-acres of wetlands to Walmart, said Thursday that she accepts that this is, likely, a "done deal" with Walmart.

"Wildlife and wetlands are important all over town, and in light of all the development on Tsienneto Road, that's driving wildlife toward that area, they should be looking at preserving that land," Rose said.

"Right now nobody thinks that land is developable. But regulations can change. Fourteen acres is a lot of land. We need green and we need trees to absorb the damage in the air, from cars and other pollution. If the Conservation Commission isn't going to pay attention, who is going to?" Rose said. "I know it's a done deal, and they're going to take their $100,000. All we can do is shine a light on them."

By noon Thursday Anderson said that Councilors Joel Olbricht, David Milz and Benson had agreed to the meeting, which was enough to move forward with the meeting, under the town's Charter. Although there is no public comment, the 7 p.m. meeting is open to the public.