E E R F Tuesday, February 21, 2012
tuesday
Shaker narrows superintendent search to 2
BELMONT — The search for the new superintendent for the Shaker Regional School District has been narrowed to two contenders both of whom are current superintendents in other New Hampshire school districts. The announcement came yesterday from the Shaker Regional School Board subcommittee that consists of School Board Chair Pret Tuthill, Sean Embree and Robert Reed. Heidi Hutchinson served as an alternate. The search committee was assisted by a 16-member advisory. see sHaKeR page 10
Back to $105/barrel
Price of oil at 9-month high after Iran halts exports to Britain & France — P. 2
VOL. 12 NO. 187
LaCONIa, N.H.
527-9299
Free
Waterfront property holding its value in Gilford By Michael Kitch THE LACONIA DAILY SUN
GILFORD — Despite claims by some homeowners, sales data indicate that last year most waterfront properties here sold at closing prices above or near their assessed value. According to the Multiple Listing Services (MLS) 14 waterfront properties changed hands, six for more than $1-million and eight for less than $1-million. Of
the most expensive properties, two sold for more than their assessed value — one for 170-percent and another for 56-percent more — while two others sold for more than 95-percent of their assessed value. Only two of the properties were listed at prices below their assessed values, one by $38,000 an the other by $63,000. Three-quarters of the waterfront properties that sold for less than $1-million closed at prices in excess of their assessed
values and seven of the eight were listed for sale for more than they were assessed by the town. Altogether the MLS reported 93 sales in Gilford during 2011 and included assessed values for 67 of the transactions. Properties sold at less than $400,000 were more likely to have fetched less than their assessed value than more expensive properties. Of the 43 sales at less than $400,000, 34 closed see WateRFRONt page 10
‘Ora’s Boy’ remembers
New book chronicles growing up French Catholic in Laconia in 1940s & 50s By ed engler
THE LACONIA DAILY SUN
The robot created by the Gilford High School robotics team fires a foam basketball to freshman Jonathan Coughlin. The team, in its seventh year, has high hopes for the upcoming FIRST! Robotics regional competition in Manchester. (Laconia Daily Sun photo/Adam Drapcho)
Robot Hoop Dreams By adaM drapcho THE LACONIA DAILY SUN
GILFORD — The Gilford High School robotics team started seven years ago with a handful of students. The program slowly built upon itself each year and now boasts a roster of 20. In addition to being more numerous than in years past, the team is also at its most competitive. In looking forward to the Granite State Regional FIRST Robotics Competition, held March 1-3 at the
3.79 99**
Fuel Oil OIL & PROPANE CO., INC. 10 day cash price* Laconia 524-1421 subject to change
Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, team mentor Chris Drever has high expectations. Not only does he want his team to make it to the final round of the regional competition – something the team has never done before – he said, “We want to win the regional and go to the national competition.” It’s a bold goal, but Drever thinks it’s attainable. The team has come close to the finals in the past, and this past weekend, in a pre-regional contest, see GHS ROBOt page 8
3.799
10-day Heating Oil Cash Price:
*
staffordoil.com 524-1480
* subject to change
LACONIA — In 1950, 10 year old Lucien “Sonny” Virgin got a part-time job delivering The Evening Citizen to homes scattered along N. Main Street. His route was five miles long, from his own house just off Busy Corner to a spot a little short of the State School and back. After paying the newspaper office for the the papers, he cleared $5 a week. But he had debts. He owed Paquette Sporting Goods $21 for the bicycle that made, in good weather, his job easier. And he owed his mother $21 because he borrowed from her to buy the route from another boy. When all was said and done his net income was $3 a week. When Sonny informed his mother he was out of toothpaste she told him that since he was now working, he would be buying his own toothpaste and soap. From that day forward, his mother Ora provided the roof over his head and food on the kitchen table. For everything else, including clothes, he was on his own. When he was in high school, his mother cut off the heat to his small room near the attic, a sign that, see sONNy page 7