SAU 29 co-superintendent Bill Gurney has three weeks to figure out how to cut 550-thousand dollars from the Keene school district’s budget. Only one person brought her concerns about the reduction to a public hearing Tuesday night … and the Keene School Board chose not to reconsider Article 1 of the school warrant, which proposes an operating budget of 61,571,139. Gurney has been invited to present his cost savings to the Finance Board at its next meeting, only days before the 1st budget session on Saturday, February 11th. Two articles on the Keene school district’s warrant presented to the public Tuesday night were submitted by petition. Article 15 asks if the district should discontinue the use of Jonathan Daniels School. Article 16 addresses changing the grade structure. One of the sponsors of these articles, Susan Freitas told the board she strongly supports maintaining the current K through 5 grade span. School district attorney John Wrigley said even if Keene voters reject these articles on March 13th, the school board would not be bound by those results.
ONE DEAD IN CRASH
A fatal head-on crash on Route 9 in Spofford topped a long to-do list for area fire and rescue people Tuesday. State Police say a small car driven by 22-year-old Benjamin Moseley of Charlestown inexplicable crossed the center line while westbound on 9, and crashed head-on into an east-bound semi. Moseley was pronounced dead at the scene. The semi-driver, Paul Modzelewski of Staten Island, was released after treatment of minor injuries at Cheshire Medical Center. The crash remains under investigation by state police out of Troop-C.
STORE ROBBED
Keene Police spent much of last evening in pursuit of a lone male behind the city's latest robbery. The clerk at the Sunoco station on West Street reported a man wearing a ski mask came in around 6:45 Tuesday evening, brandished a gun and a knife, and demanded cash. The man fled on foot with an unspecified sum of many. Police quickly found a stash of clothes and the knife and gun believed to have been used by the bandit, behind the nearby Savings Bank of Walpole branch on West Street. As of early today, no sign of the man. The suspect is described as white, 20-something, 5'6" to 5'8" and of average build.
TAX OR NO TAX
An income tax showdown looms today in the New Hampshire House, which is scheduled to vote on a constitutional amendment that forever would block impoosition of any new tax on personal income. New Hampshire has no general personal income tax but does tax interest and dividends. Supporters argue changing the constitution to bar the taxes would enshrine the state's longtime opposition to an income tax while leaving untouched any existing taxes. Opponents argue the prohibition could have unintended and devastating consequences in a changing world. They say it alsocould result in higher business taxes. The House is scheduled to vote on the measure today.
NURSING HOME DEATH
A New Hampshire resident who once worked at a Brattleboro nursing home is accused of killing one of the residents. Jodi LaClaire of Bennington was in court Tuesday, pleading not guilty to second-degree murder in the death of an 83-year-old resident at the Thompson House nursing home. Investigators say LaClaire gave the woman, who was not a diabetic, an injection of insulin causing her to fall into a coma and die. Prosecutors say LaClaire used the woman's credit card while the woman was in a coma, as well as after her death.
MOTHER BLAMES NOBODY
The mother of the 15-year-old boy struck and killed by the Vermonter passenger train near Vernon Elementary School Sunday evening has been heard from. And Dawn Pratt tells the Brattleboro Reformer she harbors no ill feelings toward the crew of the train involved in what she calls a freak accident. Eric Pratt died while following a friend across the tracks Sunday. His mother says the family's prayers are for the train crew, and for all the emergency personnel who responded to the scene. And she says no one should be blamed for what happened.
SPORTS
There's a fairly modest local mid-week sports schedule tonight. The Conant and Bow boys basketballers play at Conant tonight, following the girls' basketball matchup which Bow won last night. Also tonight, boys and girls basketball for Hinsdale and Mascenic, boys at Mascenic, girls at Hinsdale. ConVal hosts a boys hockey match with Kearsarge and a wrestling meet against Milford.
