Goffstown News

Goffstown 9 and 10s lose pair to white-hot Salem American

2008-07-23T20:44:00Z

BY RYAN O’CONNOR After cruising through the New Hampshire District 1 Little League all-star winners bracket, the Goffstown 9- and 10-year-olds hit a pinstriped wall. That mass of brick and mortar was Salem American, which fell in the first round before winning nine straight games, including back-toback 4-1 and 8-7 victories over Goffstown in the tournament finals. “Obviously, it was a heartbreaker to lose two in a row at the end like that, but we just met a team that was unbelievably...(read more)

Goffstown 10 and 11s oust Bedford for state title

2008-07-23T20:38:00Z

BY RYAN O’CONNOR As it turned out, the difference between these two teams was negligible. The Bedford 10- and 11- year-old Little League all-star team, undefeated prior to a 14- 2 setback against Goffstown on Saturday, July 19, met the same foe the next day for the state title. It was Bedford’s third straight contest against its neighboring rival. Meanwhile, Goffstown – 6- 3 losers to Bedford on July 14 – beat Lamprey River in a 4-3 come-from-behind victory on Friday, July...(read more)

Goffstown eyes new fire station site, hires firefighters

2008-07-23T20:30:00Z

BY STEPHEN BEALE The county land on Mast Road appears to be the go-to place for government building these days. The Goffstown District Court in a few months is moving out of the town hall and into the second floor of the Bouchard Building owned by Hillsborough County, next to the state prison for women and across from the Goffstown Police Department. Now, the Fire Department is thinking about building its new station on the county land. On Monday, July 21, Fire Chief Rich O’Brien told the Board...(read more)

When district court moves, town offices may be renovated

2008-07-23T20:15:00Z

BY STEPHEN BEALE The town hall could be due for its first renovation in almost 20 years. The town might revamp its basement after the Goffstown District Court moves out of there and into a Hillsborough County building on Mast Road. The court is expected to depart by the beginning 2009, although a definite date has not been announced. The move will provide more space to the town offices for Goffstown. Town Administrator Sue Desruisseaux said the town is hiring a consultant to evaluate where the various...(read more)

Bedford beats Goffstown, which needs a win for a rematch

2008-07-16T20:51:00Z

BY MATT SCHOOLEY Bedford may have knocked off Goffstown with a 6-3 victory, but the head coaches for both teams had a feeling they may be seeing each other again soon. Although Bedford won the winners bracket final in the 10- and 11-year-old state Little League tournament, Goffstown, with a victory in its losers bracket game, would face a familiar opponent. “I am confident that we’re going to win our next game, and then we’ll be right back against Bedford, playing in the finals,”...(read more)

After loss, Goffstown wins three to reach losers bracket semis

2008-07-16T20:46:00Z

BY RYAN O’CONNOR Prior to the losers bracket quarterfinals against Manchester Westside, the Goffstown 11- and 12-year-old Little League allstar team maintained a 1.24 ERA and a .333 batting average. Following a 10-0 mercy-rule win on Monday, July 14, it’s safe to say the boys improved those already sterling numbers. “We’ve been waiting for a game like this,” said manager Bill Mount. “They were focused and patient. The kids haven’t hit the ball this well all...(read more)

Museum open for two weekends this summer

2008-07-16T20:41:00Z

BY STEPHEN BEALE One does not have to travel to Manchester, the Seacoast or Boston to experience a museum. Goffstown has its own museum, but not too many people in town know it exists. “They don’t realize that it is here,” said Eleanor Porritt, the curator. The catch is that the museum is open only a few weekends this summer, since it is staffed entirely by volunteers. The openings are scheduled for July 19 and 20 and Aug. 16 and 17. Saturday hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays...(read more)

Town, church disagree over land

2008-07-16T20:33:00Z

BY STEPHEN BEALE Economic development and private property rights are clashing in a plan for a new church building on land the town thinks is better suited for industry. At its last meeting in June, the Gofftsown Board of Selectmen voted to ask the Zoning Board to reconsider its decision earlier that month to grant a variance to Goffstown Harvest Christian Church, allowing it to move forward with plans for a church building at the corner of Saint Anselm Drive and Route 114. Chairman Nick Campasano...(read more)

MRYHA hosts hockey swap at Sullivan Arena

2008-07-09T19:13:00Z

The Manchester Regional Youth Hockey Association (MRYHA) hosts its second annual hockey swap Aug. 1 and 2 at Saint Anselm College’s Sullivan Arena. Equipment dropoff takes place Friday, Aug. 1, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. The sale takes place Saturday, Aug. 2, from 8 to 11 a.m., and pick up of cash and unsold equipment is noon to 2 p.m. Equipment not picked up is donated to MRYHA. For more about the swap and MRYHA, visit http://www.mryha.org...(read more)

Police details are over budget

2008-07-09T19:02:00Z

BY STEPHEN BEALE Police Chief Patrick Sullivan told the Goffstown Board of Selectmen this week that he has exceeded his budget for police details, largely due to the New Hampshire presidential primary. Sullivan said he is already $2,000 over his original budget of $60,000 for police details. He said the town spent about $15,000 on details in January alone because of the Democratic and Republican presidential debates at Saint Anselm College. Sullivan estimates that by the end of the year the town...(read more)

Goffstown boy enters contest

2008-07-09T18:57:00Z

BY STEPHEN BEALE Chris Dovas may be proof that one is never too young to be a rock-and-roll drummer. As early as the age of 3, he began playing the drums with his father, although he confesses that he did not take it seriously until he was 6 years old. Now 9, Chris sounds much older than he is. Ask him to play “Iron Man,” a classic Black Sabbath song from 1970, and, as he bobs his head up and down while his sticks rumble and roll over the drums, one might forget that he is a 9-year-old...(read more)

Gallop perennially draws community of fun-loving athletes

2008-07-02T14:16:00Z

BY RYAN O’CONNOR Sean Colligan didn’t learn his lesson at last year’s Goffstown Gallop. But at this year’s 5.2-mile run, he took the rest of the field to school. After finishing second behind an invited guest in 2007, Colligan once again chanced fate. “I actually invited more people this year,” he said. Still, on Saturday, June 28, Colligan left both his buddies – and everyone else – in the dust. He won the 29th annual Goffstown Gallop with a time of...(read more)

Many struggle to pay last year’s fuel bills, worry about future

2008-07-02T14:08:00Z

BY MATT SCHOOLEY It may be warm in July, but area residents are still feeling the pain of the past winter’s heating bills and fear what the future holds. Goffstown resident Carol Clark said her oil prices have tripled from what she used to pay. “It’s extremely frustrating. I don’t know what to do. A $300 fill will cost almost $900 and it’s ridiculous,” said Clark. “I wear a sweater or a jacket all winter in the house. It’s awful. I wear an electric...(read more)

Man works to make 4,000-foot climbs in N.H.

2008-07-02T14:02:00Z

BY CAROLE KLEMENT HUXEL Mark Duval of Goffstown made his first 4,000-foot mountain climb in 1994, when a friend invited him along on a hike up Mount Moosilauke. Already an avid climber, Duval and his wife, Nina, had climbed Mount Washington several times, and after climbing “Moose Hillock” he began to make two or three serious climbs a year. “After a while, I was starting to make a dent in the (Four- Thousand Peak) list,” he said. “It became a goal. I met a couple more...(read more)

Villa Augustina sold to parents

2008-07-02T13:58:00Z

BY STEPHEN BEALE Founded 90 years ago as a school run by the Religious of Jesus and Mary, the Villa Augustina was reborn this week as an independent Catholic school with parents at its helm. “This year … we’ve all been holding our breath for so long, afraid that there might be no more Rosary Hall masses, basketball games, Saints’ processions or talent shows,” the Villa Augustina Leadership Transition Team wrote in a letter to parents earlier this week. “We feared...(read more)