July 16 briefs ET

VERMONT

Cone Foundation announces scholarship winners

WINDSOR, Vt. – The Cone Automatic Machine Company Charitable Foundation of Windsor, Vt. has announced the recipients of the Foundation scholarships for the school year 2019-20. This scholarship is available to the children or grandchildren of former employees of Cone-Blanchard Company having a minimum of five years of continuous service with Cone-Blanchard Machine Company who meet the eligibility requirements.

The following high school graduates have been selected:

Sarah Putnam, Fall Mountain Regional High School

Julia Belaire, Taylor MacDonald and Ashlyn Marsh, Stevens High School

Eliza Mabey, White River Valley High School

Ella Jaarsma, Ryland Richardson and Robert Slocum, Windsor High School

Utility company pays couple $10K to relocate to Vermont town

RUTLAND, Vt. (AP) — A utility company has given a husband and wife $10,000. The catch? The couple must move to a small town in Vermont.

Britt and Matt Britt were among the finalists for Green Mountain Power’s house giveaway last year. They are now the first to take advantage of the utility’s cash consolation-prize offer to relocate to Rutland.

The Rutland Herald reports Britt is originally from North Carolina but lived in Rutland from late 2015 to 2017. She says she was yearning for “the small-town feel” and now she has it.

Steve Costello, the giveaway’s organizer, said the utility’s regional marketing initiative has remained in touch with several of the semi-finalists and other visitors who have gone through Rutland.

Costello hopes other finalists will take advantage of the offer.

Commission strategizes marketing for Vermont airport

RUTLAND, Vt. (AP) — A local transportation commission is strategizing ways to promote a Vermont airport.

The Rutland Regional Planning Commission has been holding round table discussions on how towns can be more involved with the marketing and promotion of the Rutland airport.

Devon Neary, the commission’s transportation planner, told the Rutland Herald that there is also broad support for creating a formal committee dedicated to work on marketing for the airport.

The local officials also hope to have a big celebration including all the towns in the region once Cape Air unveils its new aircraft.

Neary said no one else knows how to promote the region “better than the region itself.”

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Information from: Rutland Herald, http://www.rutlandherald.com/

Crash injures Vermont driver, family of 5 from New Jersey

WEST HAVEN, Vt. (AP) — Vermont State Police say they expect to bring criminal charges after a crash sent six people to the hospital, including a family of five from New Jersey.

WCAX reports the crash happened Sunday morning on Route 22A in West Haven. Police say a car crossed over the center line and hit an oncoming vehicle. The driver of the other car and his wife both sustained serious injuries, and three children suffered minor injuries.

Both cars were totaled, and the road was closed for several hours while the crash was investigated.

Police say criminal charges are pending.

Information from: WCAX-TV, http://www.wcax.com

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Statewide vigil for victims of suicide, addiction

“10,000 Candles for New Hampshire” is a Statewide Candlelight Vigil to raise the banner of hope and grieve for NH residents lost to suicide and addiction.

On Thursday, August 29 in six locations, there will be a candlelight vigil.

Locations Nashua, NH – Greeley Park | Derry, NH – MacGregor Park |Manchester, NH Derryfield Park | Concord, NH State House Lawn| Dover, NH – Henry Law Park Keene, NH – Central Square

The opposite of addiction and suicide is connection. 10,000 Candles for New Hampshire raises awareness that people meet their deep underlying psychological needs through connecting with other people. This historic event is an opportunity for the population to come together in memory of those lost to suicide or addiction. There will be more than 30 speakers across the six event sites including safe station cities, Fire Chiefs Goonan and Rhodes, board members from NAMI NH and several mental health and recovery advocates.

RecoverYdia is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas (an arts service non-profit) and is based in Derry, New Hampshire. It is focused on the recovery and mental health ecosystem and its primary goal is to create meaningful human connections through digital media and events. They seek to inspire hope and strength to all by delivering digital content and events that showcase the transformation of individuals who have turned their tragedy into triumph. www.recoverYdia.com

Eight injured in pair of Maine crashes Sunday

OGUNQUIT, Maine (AP) — Maine state police say seven people from Massachusetts and one from New Hampshire were hurt in a pair of crashes over the weekend.

The first crash happened Sunday morning on the Maine Turnpike on Ogunquit. Police say one car stopped suddenly due to engine failure and another car slammed into it. Six Massachusetts residents were injured, including two children. The crash slowed traffic to a crawl for two hours as only the breakdown lane could be used.

A few hours later in Lebanon, police say a pickup truck lost control on Route 202, struck two oncoming cars, then collided with a parked vehicle in a driveway. Both the 18-year-old driver from Lynnfield, Massachusetts, and a passenger from Rochester, New Hampshire, suffered head injuries. Neither was wearing a seatbelt.

Gas prices rise a bit in northern New England

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Gas prices continue to rise in northern New England, though they remain lower than the national average.

The latest GasBuddy survey shows the average price for a gallon of gas is $2.64 in New Hampshire, $2.70 in Vermont and $2.71 in Maine. Those all represent increases compared to a week earlier, but they’re all significantly lower than the average price a year ago. The national average price of gasoline rose 3.3 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.79.

Analysts say the rise in prices nationally is tied to higher oil prices due to global geopolitical tensions, declining oil inventories and Hurricane Barry’s impact on oil production.

Hiker injured in Dry River Wilderness

Harts Location – On Saturday, July 13 shortly before noon, New Hampshire Fish and Game was notified that a hiker was injured on the Dry River Trail in the Dry River Wilderness. The hiker was Denise Blank, 58, of Craryville, NY. At 10:30 a.m., Blank was hiking with her family when she slipped down an embankment and injured her head. There is no cellular service in the area and a member of the group had to hike out nearly 3.5 miles then drive to make a call for help. Along with Conservation Officers rescuers from Bartlett Fire Department, SOLO Wilderness Medicine, Lakes Region Search and Rescue, the Appalachian Mountain Club, Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue, and the US Forest Service responded. Rescuers placed Blank in a litter and carried her nearly 3.5 miles back to the trailhead, where she arrived shortly before 7 p.m. and was driven from the scene by Bartlett Jackson Ambulance and taken to the Memorial Hospital in North Conway for treatment.

While Blank and her hiking partners were well prepared for the conditions, it is important to note that wilderness area trails, especially in the Dry River Wilderness, are rough and difficult to follow. High water conditions and flooding constantly erode and erase sections of trail which creates hazards, slows travel times, and complicates route finding

Eleven-year-old leaves hiking group

Goshen, NH – On July 12, at 11:30 a.m., Conservation Officers were notified of a missing 11-year-old on the Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway Trail. A camp counselor leading a group of campers from the Farm and Wilderness Camp of Plymouth, Vermont, reported that an 11-year-old member of the hiking group had gone missing when he ran off from the group earlier that morning. The group of seven campers and two counselors had spent the night at the Steve Galpin Shelter at Moose Lookout. As the group prepared for a third day of hiking, the 11-year-old took off from the group when he went to change into dry clothes. After attempting to locate the missing hiker with no success it was decided that one of the counselors would hike four miles to Pillsbury State Park Headquarters in Washington to report the incident.

Conservation Officers responded to Pillsbury State Park and were able to utilize ATVs to get close to the shelter where the group was waiting for assistance. At 3:10 p.m., word was relayed that the missing hiker had returned to the group at approximately 2:30 p.m. All members of the hiking party were escorted back to Park Headquarters where they were met by staff from the Farm and Wilderness Camp to be taken back to Vermont.

It was learned from the 11-year-old that he no longer wanted to continue with the hike and spend another night in the woods as they still had two days left with the planned hike. The group had planned accordingly with proper equipment but had not looked at a weather forecast which predicted rain in the area through Thursday night.

Outdoor enthusiasts are encouraged to purchase a Hike Safe card at wildnh.com/safe. The card helps support Fish and Game search and rescue activities. For safe hiking tips and a list of essential gear, visit hikesafe.com.

PHOTO- Courtesy– Will Torrey

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Psychiatrist Receives National Award

Lebanon, NH –  Will Torrey, MD, Dartmouth-Hitchcock (D-H) Department of Psychiatry’s vice chair for clinical services, was presented with the Exemplary Psychiatrist Award by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) . Torrey, who is also a professor of Psychiatry at the Geisel School of Medicine, was given the national award at NAMI New Hampshire’s Party with a Purpose in New Castle, NH.

“I could not be more honored to be recognized by this wonderful organization that has had a profound impact on millions of Americans, including me,” said Will Torrey, MD. “Many of us at Dartmouth-Hitchcock are proud to be part of an effort to move toward a society and healthcare system where mental health and substance use disorders are treated with the same urgency, respect, and seriousness of purpose as any other important painful health concern.”

The Exemplary Psychiatrist Awards program allows NAMI members, state organizations and affiliates throughout the country “to honor the exceptional contributions that many psychiatrists make to improve the lives of people living with mental health conditions.” Torrey was nominated for the award by Ken Norton, executive director of NAMI NH.

“Will has a national reputation for his innovative and person-centered approaches to psychiatry,” said Norton. “He is very careful to be inclusive about the voice of people with lived experience in the work he does, and strongly believes in the importance of educating and empowering family members and people with mental illness. He has made a lasting impact on the individuals and families he has worked with, on the medical students he has taught and supervised and on his colleagues.” Norton adds that Torrey’s position enables him to educate the public about the discrimination and prejudice persons with mental illness often face, and to train medical students and teach them about the family perspective in mental health care.

Torrey has been involved with NAMI since he came to Dartmouth as a resident in 1985. “NAMI does amazing work supporting families and individuals with psychiatric illnesses, and they’ve done more than any other organization to combat stigma. And NAMI has also been very helpful to me in teaching residents and Geisel medical students about psychiatric illness,” said Torrey.

Law aims to inform people out of prison of right to vote

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A New Hampshire bill that aims to better inform people with criminal records of their voting rights has been signed into law by Gov. Chris Sununu.

New Hampshire Public Radio reports sponsors say the bill clarifies an existing law detailing voting rights for convicted felons who are no longer incarcerated.

New Hampshire law already says people convicted of felonies can vote after their “final discharge.”

Reps. Nicole Klein-Knight and Donald Bouchard’s bill clarifies “final discharges” means release from incarceration and includes people on parole or probation.

The law also requires training for probation officers on voting rights and mandates prisons provide written notice to offenders about voting eligibility during periods of suspension or parole.

Republican Gov. Sununu signed the law this month. It’s slated to take effect in September.

Savings Bank of Walpole Named Top Bank In NH 

Keene, NH – Savings Bank of Walpole received four New England Banking Magazine Choice Awards for banking excellence at the annual Best Bank Expo. 

The Banking Choice Awards recognize banks that receive the highest ratings from their own customers in four categories: Customer Service, Technology, Community Contribution, and Overall Quality. The Awards honored the top three institutions in each category from each region in Connecticut and, Massachusetts and statewide in New Hampshire and Rhode Island. Savings Bank of Walpole was ranked in the top two in each category earning top honors in New Hampshire for the categories of Community Contribution and Overall Quality. 

Accepting the awards for the Bank was Mark Bodin, President of Savings Bank of Walpole. Bodin also sat on a panel of bankers representing institutions that consistently rank at the top in independent consumer surveys, to discuss best practices in the industry. 

“As a truly local bank, every decision Savings Bank of Walpole makes and the products and services we offer, is rooted in what’s best for our customers,” says Mark Bodin, President of Savings Bank of Walpole. 

“There was widespread interest in our innovative community engagement program among the bankers at the conference. Receiving these awards is an honor – and it also means that our efforts are resonating with our customers – and making them happy.” 

The Banking Choice Award rankings are based upon the Banking Benchmarks®, the industry’s gold standard of customer-experience measurement, which is conducted twice a year among hundreds of thousands of households and businesses. In an effort to get unbiased opinions, a double-blind survey is used to ask customers a variety of questions about the institutions with whom they bank.  New England Banking Magazine presents the awards and was the host of the event. 

Founded in 1875, Savings Bank of Walpole is headquartered in Walpole and serves the Connecticut River Valley and Monadnock Regions of New Hampshire and Vermont from offices in Walpole and Keene. With assets totaling $425 million, the Bank offers a wide range of financial products, including services to individuals, businesses and organizations. The Bank is affiliated with NH Mutual Bancorp, further enhancing the quality products and services it provides to customers. The Bank’s SBW Wealth Management division offers financial planning services. Savings Bank of Walpole is an equal housing lender, and member of the FDIC.