N.H. population at 1.3-M
E E R F Wednesday, March 23, 2011
wednesday
Registered sex offender from Meredith is alleged to have re-offended with preteen girls
Census finds overall growth measured at 6.5%, mostly in suburbs — Page 2
VOL. 11 nO. 209
LacOnIa, n.h.
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Sheriff says he can save Barnstead about $168K By Gail OBer
THE LACONIA DAILY SUN
BARNSTEAD — Belknap County Sheriff Craig Wiggin last night told the selectmen the town could potentially save $168,000 a year by turning over its police duties to the county. Wiggin emphasized that his numbers were estimated and the board, which has two new members who were seated earlier this month, said the possibility of ceding
police authority to the Sheriff’s Department was only a discussion at this point and was far from becoming a reality. “This is not a new concept and it is not a novel idea,” Wiggin said prefacing his presentation with a brief history of local control in New Hampshire. As a community, Barntead has been on the cutting edge of regionalization, joining forces with neighboring Epsom, Chichester,
Pittsfield, Strafford, Pembrook, and Northwood to tackle a number of community expenses including road salt purchases and more recently some savings on health insurance rates. It also owns half of the state’s lone joint-operating-agreement high school, with Alton. According to Barnstead Police Chief Kenneth Borgia, the police department has see sHeRIFF page 8
Ride like the wind
By Gail OBer
THE LACONIA DAILY SUN
LACONIA — A Superior Court judge ordered registered Meredith sex offender held on $50,000 cash only bail Monday for allegedly violating the terms of his parole. Paperwork filed with the Belknap County Superior Court indicated Daniel Blackstone, 26, of 222 Chemung Road allegedly sexually assaulted two girls, ages 8 and 11, while visiting with his girlfriend in an undisclosed Maine community. Blackstone was convicted of felonious sexual assault on July 19, 2007 for having oral sex with a girl who was younger than 13-years-old. The assaults took place in Meredith between October of 2003 and January of 2004 when Blackstone was 20. He was placed on three years probation after his release from jail. Under the 2008 terms of his probation and 2007 conviction, Blackstone was ordered not to leave see CHaRGes page 10
Craig Asher from Long Island, NY enjoys snow kiting on Lake Winnipesaukee from Ellacoya State Park in Gilford on a recent avenue. (Karen Bobotas/for the Laconia Daily Sun)
City school board chairman sees prolonged, painful budget season By adam drapchO THE LACONIA DAILY SUN
LACONIA — The School Board usually has by this time of the year an idea of what the budget for the coming school year will look like, if not a finalized figure. This budget season, Modern Woodmen
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though, is fraught with significant variables until the state budget picture clears up, which could leave local administrators waiting until June to learn how big of a hole the city will have to dig itself out of. At the School Board meeting
last week, Chair Bob Dassatti cautioned members of the community and district staff to wait until the state budget for the two year period that begins on July 1 comes into greater definition before speculating about the effects on
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local schools. “I’m viewing this year’s budget as a marathon,” he said. “It’s too early right now to get specific about the areas where we’ll cut... Let’s hope against hope that it is not going to be as bad as we’ve laid out.” see LaCOnIa page 10
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