TUESDAY, JULY 26, 2011
VOL. 20 NO. 75
Elderly man accused of sex crimes strikes deal BY MELISSA GRIMA THE BERLIN DAILY SUN
LANCASTER — An 82 year old Berlin man accused of sexually assaulting a child almost 30 years ago, reached a deal with prosecutors last week that resulted in him receiving no jail time in exchange for pleading guilty to lesser charges. Gerard Duchesne, 82, of Berlin, was placed on probation after he pleaded guilty to a felony count of conspiracy to commit second degree assault and a misdemeanor charge of indecent exposure in front of Judge Peter Bornstein in Coos Superior Court on Friday, July 22. He was sentenced to two to five years in prison, suspended for 10 years and two years of probation for the felony. Duchesne was given a consecutive 12 month sentence in the county jail, suspended for two years, for the misdemeanor charge. Duchesne had been indicted in
November on two charges that he sexually assaulted a 12-13 year old boy in Berlin sometime between Aug. 1, 1982 and April 31, 1983. He was accused of conspiring with William Ploof, who has also been indicted and is anticipated to be tried in the coming months, to ply the youth with alcohol before engaging in sexual acts both in front of the child and with him. The crime is alleged to have taken place at Duchesne’s Willow Street apartment. Duchesne is expected to be called as a witness at Ploof’s trial. As part of the plea, one charge of aggravated felonious sexual assault against Duchesne was dropped. The second charge of conspiracy to commit aggravated felonious sexual assault, was amended to become the conspiracy to commit second degree assault charge. Duchesne waived arraignment on that newly amended charge see DEAL page 6
Council scheduled to consider PILT for Berlin Station BY BARBARA TETREAULT THE BERLIN DAILY SUN
BERLIN -- The city council was scheduled to hold a special meeting last night to consider a long term payment-in-lieu -of-tax agreement with Berlin Station. The agreement calls for the city to receive an estimated $43.7 million over the 22-year life of the agreement. The calling of a special council meeting to consider the PILT is a clear sign that negotiations between
Cate Street Capital and the state’s wood-fired Independent Power Producers are proceeding toward an agreement between the parties. Negotiations between Cate Street Capital and the smaller biomass owners resumed over a week ago at the request of Gov. John Lynch. The negotiations had broken down after the parties failed to reach an agreement by a set deadline of June 30. The PILT covers tax years runsee CONSIDER page 9
Board of Ed approves shooting sports BY MELISSA GRIMA THE BERLIN DAILY SUN
BERLIN — The students who participate in the Outdoor Club have had one more facet of the outdoor lifestyle added to their offerings. The Berlin Board of Education approved
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the addition of a 4H shooting sports element to the junior high club. The board voted unanimously to agree to the addition after club advisor and teacher, Jamie Welch, explained the ins and outs of the see APPROVES page 6 146 Main St. Maureen’s Boutique Mon-Fri 752-7569 9:30-6 Sat 9:30-5 & Tanning Salon Sun 12-4 SUMMER SALES ARE ON!
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Linda White of Colebrook is the city’s new housing coordinator, replacing Andre Caron who is stepping down after seven years in the position. (BARBARA TETREAULT PHOTO).
Berlin’s new housing coordinator is on the job BY BARBARA TETREAULT THE BERLIN DAILY SUN
BERLIN -- The city’s new housing coordinator admits she has big shoes to fill but Linda White brings to the job an impressive background of her own. After seven years in the position, André Caron is stepping down. Caron was the first person to hold the position which was established in 2004 with a Rural Development grant to fight the city’s blighted and dilapidated housing. White, who lives in Colebrook, has worked in the hospitality industry, in health care, and in manufacturing. She also oversaw the renovation of a historic building into a luxury apartment complex. White grew up in the Boston area before moving to Lancaster as a high school student. She graduated from White Mountains Regional High School and attended Houghton College in New York and the University of N.H. where she received a bachelor’s degree in
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behavioral science. After operating a catering service with her husband John White in Amherst, she moved to the North Country in 1988. The couple purchased and operated the Mohawk Cottages in Colebrook. Selling the business in 1995, White went to work as office manager and human resources director at Bonneville International. She coordinated all administrative duties for the 120-employee plant. White remained there until the plant closed in January 2001 and then took a position as director of human resources and community health at Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital. She said she ran 27 programs at the hospital and did grant writing. White said she left in 2005 to oversee the renovation of an historic apartment building the couple purchased in Colebrook. Working with contractors, she said they stripped the building and almost totally rebuilt it into four luxury see COORDINATOR page 6