Bruce Leone opens new hardware store in Sunapee; Newport says goodbye to its old LaFrance

1979

CLAREMONT

After investigating all possible avenues of saving the Farewell House, Claremont Savings Bank President Robert Love will recommend to the board of trustees that the 1887 Victorian structure be “removed,” in effect, that means demolished. There’s only one saving possibility remaining: “It will be my recommendation to the board to donate the building to a nonprofit organization and we would help with the moving costs. The problem is what you’d have to pay for a lot. It didn’t make economic sense at all to purchase the building except for parking,” said Love.

The police department budget request is up 11 percent this year, a result, according to Police Chief Joseph R. Devine, of pay hikes and gasoline increases — costs he has little control over. The total budget is $569,421. Proposed pay increases total 11.43 percent. Utilities and petroleum products account is up by a whopping 15 percent, mostly due to the rising price of gas and oil, according to Devine.

NEWPORT

Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Evans, Piermont, who recently spent several days with their daughter and her family, Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Pysz and son, East Mountain Road, also visited Mr. and Mrs. Frank Sanborn, Roseland Road. Mrs. Sanborn has been Mr. Evans’ teacher when he was a pupil in the Lyme School.

Ronald E. Lemay, 30 Belknap Ave., Newport, has sold his interests in Special Information Services, an investigative agency, to Sturm, Ruger and Co., Inc., manufacturer of firearms. Mr. Lemay, former deputy chief of police in Newport, and James J. Dombroski founded the organization in 1972. “We started with one customer — Curt Caldwell in Sunapee — and grew to our present size of several hundred customers all over New Hampshire,” Mr. Lemay said. He indicated he sold his interests mainly because of health reasons. He has had two back operations. He said, also, that the work in Special Information Services is losing its challenge; becoming too routine.

Dayton Duncan, Roxbury, has accepted the position of press secretary with Gov.-elect Hugh Gallen. His column, “Wooden Nickels,” which has appeared on the editorial page of the Argus-Champion for years, appears this week for the last time.

Guests at an open house at the home of Mrs. Hugo Nelson and son Hugo of Sunapee Street, included Emma Lohr, Newbury, Mr. and Mrs. Roderick Hansen and children of Croydon, Richard Benson Sr. and son, Kevin, Mr. and Mrs. Urho Kivisto, Pat and Ellen Nichols and Ellen Greenwood and two children, all of Newport.

SUNAPEE

A new hardware store, operated by Bruce Leone, Springfield, is open nights and weekends in Lower Village and will soon be open seven days a week. The Sunapee Hardware Store is an addition to the home of Mr. Leone’s father, Richard Leone, a counselor at Sunapee High School. The store will sell pet foods, keys, glass, grain and general hardware and service and repair glass and broken windows.

LANGDON

The absentee rate at Fall Mountain Regional High School more doubled during the past week, apparently the effect of a flu virus invading the area. Normally around 5 or 6 percent, the absentee rate jumped to about 20 percent during the past week, according to Superintendent of Schools Harry Wescott. About 150 students were absent Friday.

1964

CLAREMONT

At a regular meeting of the Tri-Gra-Y Way Club Tuesday at the home of the advisor, Mrs. Douglas K. Reed, 72 Summer St., an induction ceremony was held for the incoming officers for the next two-month period. Inducted were Molly Reed, president; Carole Savoie, vice president; Cynthia Wolcott, secretary; and Ann Patrick, treasurer.

Gerard R. Lague, aviation electronics techician first class, U.S. Navy, is serving aboard the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga, home based at the Naval Air Station, Jacksonville, Fla. Lague is the son of Mr. and Mrs. L.F. Savier Lague of 58 Pearl St.

National Guard news — After drill, the Hot Shots played the Vets in the weekly basketball game. The Hot Shots outscored the Vets 24-14 in the first half and hung on to win, 42-34. Fairbanks has 18 points for the Hot Shots while Sanderson collected 18 for the Vets. Tom Dion was the big man under the boards for the Hot Shots.

The recent U.S. Public Health report on the dangers of smoking have apparently cut into local cigarette sales about 25 percent. Newsweek recently reported sales of cigarettes nationally had dropped 20 percent since the report was made last Saturday. At the same time, locally, a small increase in sales of cigars and pipe tobacco has been noted. However, at this point there appears to be no widespread search for a substitute. Women, of course, have a problem men don’t have. Society frowns on their puffing on pipes or cigars. The city’s three supermarkets, Dixon’s Super Duper, IGA and A&P, all reported a drop in cigarette sales.

NEWPORT

Newport’s beloved 1928 LaFrance fire engine has found a new home. It was purchased recently by Charles Sanborn of Bradford from Dartmouth Motors in Newport. Sanborn is a painter and contractor with a strong affection for antique fire engines. Newport’s LaFrance was a mainstay in the town’s fire truck stable from 1928 until it was traded with a young sister truck this month for a new LaFrance body mounted on a GMC chassis supplied by Dartmouth Motors.

Miss Carolyn Peck, a secretary employed by the Boston Mutual Life Insurance Co., spent the weekend with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Peck, North Main Street. She was accompanied by Richard Currier, also of Boston.

Mrs. Ray Smith, Beech Street, has returned to her duties in Harrington’s Jewelry Store after having spent a vacation with her daughter, Carolyn, a student in Salem College, Winston-Salem, N.C.

Members of the Newport-Lake Sunapee Area Jaycees heard a debate on the New Hampshire Sweepstakes at their meeting Monday night in the Moose Home. Richard Carlson, owner and manager of WCNL said he endorsed the Sweepstakes because it will provide a legal channel for the person who likes gambling and who wishes to put up $3 for sweepstakes ticket. Edward DeCourcy, editor and publisher of the Argus-Champion, said he opposed the sweepstakes because it is immoral and because New Hampshire has 18 statutes making gambling a crime.

CROYDON

Sunday guests of Mr. and Mrs. Wilfrid Dent were Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Dickerman and their children from Goshen.

SPRINGFIELD

Miss Debbie Allen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Delbert Aiken, celebrated her fourth birthday recently with a party at her home. Seven young friends and their mothers attended. Games were played. Ice cream and cake were served to the guests. Linda and Diane Clark, Mark and Douglas Densmore, Rodney Gleason, Barry Goodrich and Herbert Wilson were the special guests.

SUNAPEE

James Cooke has completed the requirements for his B.A. degree in English literature at the University of New Hampshire, Dunham. He is the son of Mrs. John Davies. He lives with his wife and two children in Kittery Point, Maine.

GEORGES MILLS

Joseph Fleming has been re-elected chairman of the trustees of the Georges Mills Community Methodist Church. Other officers are Mary Fleming, John W. Sargent, and Harold G. Chase Sr., trustees; Willard Chase, lay leader; Ruth Austin, financial secretary; Ruth Almeder, recording secretary and clerk; Mrs. Fleming, treasurer; and Marjorie Towsley and Suzanne Pecehlon, Communion stewards.

LEMPSTER

Mr. and Mrs. James Drew and Lawrence Drew were among recent guests of Mrs. Doris Griswold in her home in Bellows Falls, Vt.

The third and fourth degrees were conferred on Marjorie Patterson and Dona Roy at the last meeting of Silver Mountain Grange.

1949

CLAREMONT

Peter Parker was program chairman of a two-part quiz at the Stevens Junior High School assembly program Thursday afternoon when the girls defeated by boys, 24-19. Contestants on the victorious team were Ellen Smith, Barbara Belisle, Loraine Prieve, Janet Fenoff and Flora Blanchard. Members of the boys’ team were Emil Nelson, Frank Lizotte, Robert Schneider, Norman Anderson and Joseph Sucharewski.

George F. Hayes, representative of McKesson & Robbins, left this morning for Indianapolis, Ind., to visit the laboratories of the Eli Lilly Co.

Advertisement — Gaudreau’s Super IGA Market, 181 North St., Claremont, Low Priced Coffee, IGA deluxe coffee, 1 Lb., vacuum jar, 53 cents, Sunny Morn Coffee, 1 Lb., 40 cents; Phillip’s Tomato Soup, 5 cans, 25 cents.

The Girls Friendly Society meeting Sunday at Trinity Church planned a tea for mothers on March 6. Two new members, Marie Boardman and Florence Beck, were welcomed. Refreshments were served by Florence Beck and Myrna Wark.

Edward Laroche was re-elected president of LaSociete St. Jean Baptiste Inc., of Claremont at the annual meeting of the group in Moose Hall Sunday afternoon. Also re-elected were Phillippe Moreau, vice president; Joseph Bissonnette, financial and recording secretary; Arthur C. Parent, treasurer; Louis Provencher, visiting committee; Louis Desmarais, inner guard; Israel Giguere, Elmer Houde and Arthur Drapeau, trustees; Napoleon Caron, Edward Caron and George Mainville, auditors; Rev. Leo Lavoie, spiritual advisor; and Dr. Francis Nolin, medical examiner.

NEWPORT

Richards School Grade 6 Notes — In English class recently, we took turns reading a few sentences to determine how clearly we read. In the auditions, David Smet was judged the best because he pronounced his words carefully in a voice loud enough to be understood. In Drill 5 in Arithmetic, Maria Stamatiou received a star rating, as she had every example correct, and Shirley Surrell and Janice Woodhull each received Excellent.

Mrs. Salma Kainu of 17 Columbus Circle left yesterday for Lake Worth, Fla., where she will spend a month visiting friends and relatives.

Nine-year-old Norma Waterman of 28 Church St., found a string of pearls in front of the Argus office Monday afternoon. Norma brought them into the office where the owner may have same by calling for them. If not, then finders keepers and Norma will be the keeper.

Local officers of the Textile Workers Union, CIO, were installed early this week in ceremonies held at Red Men’s Hall. Robert Boyle was installed as president of Local 112. Other officers were Victor Childs, executive first vice present; Elizabeth Emerson, executive second vice present; John Wirta, financial secretary; Bernard Racicot, recording secretary; and Charles Partlow, sergeant-at-arms.

CROYDON

James Johnson and his sister, Mrs. Hope MIller of Sunapee, were callers recently at Mr. and Mrs. Homer Fletcher’s.

GRANTHAM

Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Hudson and niece, Miss Lenora Follensbee, left on Monday for Tampa, Fla., where they expect to remain for six weeks. Mrs. June Horton has charge of the post office during their absence. The patrons of the office are reminded that the closing hour is 5:30 p.m.

SPRINGFIELD

The friends in this neighborhood of Mrs. George D. Philbrick are glad to hear that the progress of her broken hip is reported as favorable.

CORNISH

Mrs. Harold Fox picked pansies from her garden on March 2.

ACWORTH

Mrs. Alice B. Porter and daughter, Jane Alice of Langdon, spent last week with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Solon L. Neal, while Mr. Porter was attending a school for the American Legion in Indianapolis, Ind.

WEST UNITY

The Jarvises, Slacks, Nelsons and Spears now have telephone connections. They are on the new 817 line, which has been run out to Unity.