Pembroke News

Another tight loss ends season for tough Pembroke squad

2009-11-04T23:44:00Z

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Pembroke Academy’s preliminary- round girls soccer match with John Stark didn’t last as long as Steve Langevin hoped it would.

In 180 minutes of regularseason play, the teams combined for one goal, leading the PA mentor to prepare his team for a tight finish.

“The last few weeks we’ve been practicing penalty kicks because we’ve been to overtime so many times this year, and because we played (Stark) so tight the first two games,” said Langevin. “We weren’t playing to get there, but we were prepared for it.”

Unfortunately for Langevin and the Spartans, JS senior forward Lauren Macklin scored with 11:24 remaining in regulation to give the Lady Generals a 1-0 victory on Thursday, Oct. 29.

With the loss, Pembroke ended the year with a 7-7-3 record, including six setbacks coming by two goals or less.

The Spartans scored just 22 goals in 16 regular-season contests, but allowed only 16 on defense to earn the No. 10 seed in the Class I playoffs.

“We played the way we have played all year,” said Langevin. “They might possess the ball in our end for the majority of the time, but they won’t get too many scoring opportunities. (Macklin) is an all-state caliber player, and she took advantage of one of those chances.”

Knotted in a scoreless tie in the second half against the Lady Generals, Jordan Heath took a feed in the box from Hannah DeBold and put a hard shot toward the upper portion of the goal, but the Generals’ goalie, Molly Dussault, leapt to tip the shot harmlessly above the crossbar. Stark’s defense cleared the ensuing corner kick to end the threat.

Pembroke had its best opportunity to notch the equalizer with 4:33 remaining when Melissa Pellerin lined up a corner kick.

Pellerin’s pass squirted free to the middle of the box, but just as Chelsey Martinelli was about to put a foot on the ball, it was cleared by a defender.

“When we play them it’s always a close game,” said John Stark mentor Heather Doucette. “All I know is we were hoping it wouldn’t get to penalty kicks.”

Pembroke, John Stark, Bow x-country teams prepare for postseason

2009-09-30T18:18:00Z

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Entering the Manchester Invitational cross country race with little chance of winning the team competition, Pembroke Academy runners took the race personally.

Even though the boys and girls teams finished near the bottom of the pack in the large school division on Saturday, Sept. 26, five Spartans set personal records, and head coach Mike Slavin was excited with the effort his runners gave.

Niki Labelle delivered the top finish for the girls; her time of 22 minutes, 27 seconds earned her 87th place overall. Jake Persons had the top time for the boys team when he finished 94th among 207 runners. Elizabeth Abbott, Rebecca Mitchell, Mariah Smith, Ben Kubat and Brian Barnes all set personal-best times at the race.

The Spartans joined John Stark and six other teams on Sept. 22 at the first-ever Windham Invitational, hosted by recently opened Windham High School.

Pembroke’s boys came in seventh on the afternoon, while the girls were eighth. John Stark’s boys team was third in the eight-team field, and the Lady Generals managed a fifth-place finish.

“We didn’t come (to Windham) to race today, we wanted to go at a slower pace and use the afternoon to prepare for Manchester,” said Slavin. “It’s tough to race three days after you ran another race.”

Many teams took a similar approach to the Windham race; the Manchester Invitational is one of the larger events on the cross country calendar. John Stark did not travel to Manchester.

Bow High School raced to two top-10 finishes at the Manchester Invitational, and the girls team managed a second- place result after scoring 111 points.

Emily Buck was fourth overall in the small-school category, with Gena Kalampalikis, Katrina Wiesner, Keelan Forey and Meaghan McCann earning points after her. The boys team was sixth, led by Jonathan Vinnenberg’s sixth-place finish overall, followed by Dylan Lucas, Ben Evans, Andrew Brunelle and Evan Smith.

All five of the boys were in the top 100, while the lowest finish for the girls was McCann in 42nd place.

Goffstown High
Four boys raced for the Grizzlies at the Manchester Invitational. Kyle McNamara led the group, followed by Ryan Lunderville, Henry Mac- Gibbon and Stephen Fortin. Kali Langevin led the three GHS girls across the finish line. She was 71st among 162 finishers. Holly St. Onge and Nikki Denison also completed the course.

Pembroke Acadmey prevails in rain, mud against visiting John Stark

2009-09-16T21:01:00Z

The end result was precisely what Dave Tremblay, Pembroke Academy’s football coach, wanted. The means to that end, he said, require some tweaking.

PA opened slowly, answered quickly, then dominated on defense to beat visiting John Stark, 12-6, on Saturday, Sept. 12.

The Spartans allowed two long third-down gains – the latter resulting in a touchdown – on the Generals’ opening drive. Surprise, coupled with poor tackling, put the hosts in an early hole, said their mentor.

“We talked about how big the John Stark (running) backs are,” said Tremblay in the PA weight room. “But I think they needed to see for themselves what (the coaching staff) meant.”

Pembroke responded with its running game to knot the score on the ensuing drive. Junior Benjamin Kroll found the end zone from 13 yards out.

Throughout the remainder of the contest, Kroll, classmates Blake Beauchesne and Nathan Segedy, and two seniors, Jose Alicia and Dawson Matter, ran well for PA.

Kroll’s second score, early in the fourth quarter, capped a quick drive set up by Michael Berthiaume’s fumble recovery on the Stark 12-yard line.

Still, the game wasn’t decided until timely runs in the final three minutes from Beauchesne, 8 yards; Kroll, 20 yards; and Segedy, 32 yards.

“We were, I think, the more physical team,” said Tremblay. “That certainly paid off in the fourth quarter, when we broke a couple of big runs to the outside late in the game.”

The coach is confident of his team’s chances to reach the Division III playoffs.

That’s possible, even probable, provided PA plays defense as it did against Stark, minimizes turnovers on offense and avoids late-game letdowns that, Tremblay said, cost the team at least two wins in 2008.

With just seven seniors on Saturday’s Pembroke roster and more than two dozen freshmen joining the program this year, the numbers – just as they were following this early-season contest – are in the coach’s favor.

Clean air, yes; tall tower, no

2009-09-16T20:23:00Z

By Dan O’Brien

A 445-foot steam tower built at Public Service of New Hampshire’s Bow transfer station last month has numerous residents in nearby Pembroke piping mad.

Peter Bonanno of Mason Drive, Pembroke, has gathered 160 signatures from residents of Pembroke, Hopkinton, Contoocook and Hooksett who are opposed to the steam stack.

Of those 160 signatures, 63 were signed by people who say they can directly see the steam stack from their homes. The residents most affected are from Pembroke.

Nervous about home property values, Bonanno said he got steamed after watching the tower go up in only three weeks’ time while he and other neighbors had no idea it was going to happen.

“This just doesn’t seem right,” Bonnano said Friday, Sept. 11. “No one has talked about it and no one even received notice about it.”

On Sept. 9, Bonanno sent the petition and a letter to the state Site Evaluation Committee requesting a hearing on the steam stack, also called a “scrubber.” According to the letter, the committee deemed the tower “not a sizeable addition” to the current power plant site.

“It defies common sense that anyone could look at the new (steam) stack – at 445 feet in height … and not consider it a sizeable addition,” the letter said.

PSNH spokesman Martin Murray says the company “went above and beyond” to notify abutters and held two public input sessions at Pembroke’s Board of Selectmen meetings on Aug. 18, 2008, and June 15, 2009.

“We went above and beyond what we had to do in order to make sure the town was aware of what was going on,” Murray said. “More importantly, to provide the public with opportunity to ask questions.”

However, Murray admitted PSNH did not send letters to the nearby residents about the proposed scrubber.

Murray says the scrubber is a necessary part of PSNH’s $475 million plan to upgrade the facility to meet state environmental laws.

Currently, the Bow site, called the Merrimack Station, generates electricity by burning coal.

The purpose of the new scrubber is to drastically reduce the amount of pollution caused by the burning coal.

Once the facilities are renovated and the scrubber is functional, which is expected to be in July 2012, mercury emissions will be reduced by more than 80 percent from its current levels and sulfur dioxide will be reduced by more than 90 percent, Murray said.

“The state law passed in 2006 requires mercury emissions to be reduced by at least 80 percent,” Murray said.

“I’m not against my air being cleaner. But I feel that due diligence had not been done,” Bonnano said.

Precision Technology shuts out workers

2009-09-02T20:12:00Z

By Dan O’Brien

Employees of Precision Technology Inc., a bulk mail distribution center on Sheep Davis Road, arrived for work the morning of Friday, Aug. 28, to discover the doors were locked and they were out of a job.

“The building was locked up and the workers were not given any notice, just a sign on the door,” state Labor Commissioner George Copadis said.

The sign instructed anyone with questions to call Greystone and Company, a New York City-based business banking firm. The firm did not return a reporter’s phone call.

Merrimack County Superior Court Judge Bruce Mohl issued a temporary restraining order on Aug. 31 against the company, preventing the transfer of assets of Precision Technology until a formal hearing is held. A hearing has been scheduled for Sept. 10 at 10:30 a.m.

The company did not provide the 60 days notice, or severance pay, to employees as required by the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act.

Precision Technology employed 131 people, Copadis said.

“I know this will be extremely difficult for the workers and their families,” Gov. John Lynch said in a written statement. “New Hampshire state government is committed to helping them through this difficult time.”

Several workers who gathered outside Precision said the first to be informed of the company’s closing were second- shift employees, at about 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27. The workers were told to pack up and leave before their shifts ended.

“I came here this morning at 5 o’clock to go to work and the doors were locked,” said Ellie Smith of Allenstown, whose 46th birthday was the previous day. “It’s like, ‘Happy birthday. Now go home and support your two kids.’”

Smith said she was one of several employees temporarily laid off for nine weeks and just returned to work two weeks ago.

John Busa, Executive Vice President of Precision, was outside the facility with displaced workers Aug. 28 but would not comment. As of press time, the company has not stated publicly why it abruptly shut down, but numerous employees said the building was foreclosed. A check with bankruptcy court records shows Precision did not file bankruptcy as of Aug. 31.

Copadis said it’s illegal for a company to close its doors without giving 60 days notice if it employs over 100 people under the federal Work Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act. However, following the law is another issue.

“There’s no enforcement power by the U.S. Department of Labor,” he said. “They’ll indicate there was a violation, but then the workers have to band together and take the company to court.”

Anita Baker, 54, her husband, Mike Baker, 50, and his brother, George Baker, 53, took Precision’s closing particularly hard. They live together in the same Webster mobile home and Anita and George work at the facility full time.

“That’s two-thirds of our income,” said George, who said he worked at Precision for 38 years. “It’s gonna hurt big this time.” Through tears, Anita, a 21-year employee, said, “We’re going to lose everything we had because of this.”

Ken Blodgett, 46, of Epsom, said he’ll work any job necessary to support himself and his daughter who just graduated high school.

“I’ll do whatever it takes, whether it’s making sandwiches at Subway or washing dishes,” Blodgett said.

The day of the closure was a scheduled pay day. Copadis said a major concern was how to distribute paychecks that were locked in an office.

“The bank secured the building. Myself and the human resources person were finally permitted access after a couple of hours of speaking back and forth with the security force and the bank,” he said.

Workers from Rapid Response Team of the New Hampshire Department of Labor met with dozens of employees outside the facility to assist with wage claims. The Rapid Response team held three sessions at the Concord Employment Security Office for Precision workers to help file claims for unemployment, health care, food stamps and other available services. If you are an employee who still needs to file claims, you may on the Labor Commission’s Web site, labor.state.nh.us or call 271-3699 for assistance.

Pembroke Academy girls, solid last year, has nucleus back for run in ’09

2009-09-02T20:04:00Z

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

The Pembroke Academy girls soccer team has a strong core and, later this year, that could translate into a better seed.

Though the Spartans finished last year at 10-5-1, a cluttered Class I postseason picture left them with the No. 11 seed. PA bowed out in the first round of the playoffs.

A combination of youth and experience has Pembroke’s mentor, Steve Langevin, excited about the current season, which began on Friday, Aug. 28, with a 2-0 victory over Bow.

One strength of the team is the defensive backfield, which is almost completely intact from last season.

“It’s nice to have that, because we’re just going to get to know each other even better,” said Langevin. “By playing more together, they’re going to be become even more difficult for other teams to get through.”

Abby McCormack is back as starting sweeper as a sophomore. She’s joined by fellow returners Emma Pinard, Haleigh Parker and Alyssa Douglas. The only new face on defense is Laurin Brainerd, who played junior varsity in 2008.

Langevin said he has 19 players, and all should expect to see time on the field running a high-pressure scheme that focuses on team defense from every position.

The mentor doesn’t expect any individual to post a gaudy goal total, and the offensive load is spread equally through the lineup.

Junior Rachel Devoe is the top returning goal scorer; she tied for team honors in 2008. Langevin expects senior Kacie Paradie and first-year varsity players and sophomores Hannah DeBold and Alycia Abbott to have an impact at forward.

The NHIAA instituted a new method of keeping the standings for Class I on a oneyear trial basis, with teams rewarded more for wins against tougher opponents. Langevin said if the system were in place last year, the Spartans likely would have had a much higher seed based on their strength of schedule.

Eleven of Pembroke’s 16 games this season come against last year’s top 10 teams. If the Spartans continue to notch difficult wins, a reward likely awaits the group.

“We’re just trying to get in (the playoffs),” said Langevin. “We’re hoping the tough schedule we’re playing will get us a little more ready for the tournament. You just want to get there and get hot at the right time, and then any of the top 10 teams can win it all.”

Pembroke 5K XC leaderboard includes plenty of locals

2009-09-02T20:02:00Z

Several athletes with area ties were among the top finishers at the Pembroke 5K Cross Country Race in Pembroke on Aug. 22. The 3.1-mile event raised money for the Pembroke Academy cross country team.

Brian Anderson, 21, was the first entrant to cross the finish line, posting a time of 18 minutes, 51 seconds. Mark Thomas, 52, was next in 21:31. Steven Grohosky, 47, was third overall among the men in 23:25.

Eileen Slavin, 17, paced the female runners and took third overall, finishing in 22:13. Maureen McAuliffe, 19, was next in 23:05, with Zoe Frolking, 18, posting a time of 23:17.

Marina Slavin paced the 14- to 17-year-old female entrants; like Frolking, Slavin finished in 23:17.

Other female age-group winners included Amanda Novak in the 13-and-under division with a time of 41:17, Kelly Thomas in the 18- to 29-year-old division in 25:09, Amy Farnum in the 30- to 39-year-old division in 39:15 and Dawn Heinrich in the 40- to 49- year-old division in 24:38.

Steven Abbott Jr. was first among 13-and-under male competitors, posting a time of 27:15.

Zack Novak finished in 28:42 to lead the 14- to 17-year-olds, with Tim Plante pacing the 18- to 29- year-olds in 28:10. Ray Hamel was the top male among 30- to 39-year-olds with a time of 54:52.

Bill Boyd finished in 23:43 to lead the 40- to 49-year-olds, and Frank Davis was first among 60-and-over athletes with a time of 37:59.

Book shows what Suncook looked like through the years

2009-08-19T20:57:00Z

By MARK PETERSON

Walking through Suncook Village can be like a walk into the past, and Allenstown author Carol Martel takes a deeper look into the historic community’s past with her book, “Images of America: Suncook Village.”

Martel was born in Manchester, but takes a great interest in the history of Allenstown, where she has lived for the past 30 years. Her interest in researching the community’s history began when she moved to Allenstown, and when she sought information about the house she was living in.

Martel was particularly interested in learning exactly how old her home was. After learning that many of the town’s records had been destroyed by a fire, her curiosity was sparked. Martel continued to do her own research and consulted with others researching the town, which eventually led to the publication of her book, “The History of East Allenstown and Bear Brook State Park” in 2003.

Martel intended to publish a follow-up book based on West Allenstown, but couldn’t separate the history of western Allenstown and the Suncook Village. The idea for the follow-up book eventually evolved into Martel’s latest book, “Images of America: Suncook Village,” released last March.

In the book’s introduction, Martel addresses the issue of exactly where Suncook begins and ends. For many, it is unclear exactly where Suncook is and how it is different from Allenstown or Pembroke. Suncook isn’t actually a town, it is a census-designated place, or a counterpart of other towns or villages. In the introduction of her book, Martel outlines Suncook’s boundaries as being the Merrimack River to the west, Route 3 to the east, Broadway to the north, and the Allenstown-Hooksett line to the south.

“Images of America: Suncook Village” brings the community’s history to life with more than 200 photos of Suncook from the 19th and 20th centuries. Martel describes it as a pictorial history of Suncook. With the help of in-depth captions, black-and-white photographs do all of the work in illustrating the history of the Suncook community. Instead of chronicling Suncook’s history in chronological order, the book is broken into nine chapters of photographs.

Each chapter’s photographs revolve around a clear theme, such as churches and schools, or the mill industry. Martel said the images of the large textile mills, and the workers who made them run were among her favorites.

“I think that they really convey a lifestyle at that point in time. In essence also (they convey) the cultural lifestyle, how people lived,” said Martel.

“Images of America: Suncook Village” offers readers photographs of buildings that are still around, such as the recognizable clock tower on Main Street. Readers will see buildings that have been modified, such as the Pembroke Village School, which has been expanded or learn about places that no longer exist, such as the Suncook ball field which was where the Suncook Wastewater Treatment Plant now sits.

As much as buildings and railroads have been vital to Suncook’s rich history, Martel acknowledges that it’s been just as much about the people living in the area. “I think there are a lot of good people in the area that have accomplished a lot of wonderful things,” said Martel.

Semiquincentennial to be highlighted at Pembroke-Allenstown Old Home Day

2009-08-19T20:44:00Z

By KAREN DANDURANT

Old Home Day used to be a tradition where town residents who moved away would return one day a year.

Now it is simply a reason to have a party, and this year’s party for Pembroke residents is truly special. The town is celebrating its 250th anniversary during Pembroke-Allenstown Old Home Day.

Since half of 500 is 250, the celebration has been named the semiquincentennial (half of five centuries), or Semi-Q for short.

The events begin on Friday, Aug. 21, at 6 p.m., with the Pembroke vs. Allenstown softball game at Memorial Field in Pembroke.

“Thanks to Regis Lemire, the softball game is coming together and we have coaches and umpires and 11 players from Pembroke and four from Allenstown,” said Fred Kline, Semi-Q committee chairman. “Between additional contacts and people we will draft, Regis is confident that the game will go well.”

Kline added that, thanks to the efforts of resident Lorette Girard, Friday’s concession will be donated and prepared by the folks at Studio Three, a local business.

“We also we will be selling T-shirts and November ball tickets there, Kline said. “We have volunteers for the cashier’s job, including Alane Rapazza, state representative, Dianne Schuett and many others.”

A raffle will take place at the softball game for tickets to see the Wailers, of Bob Marley fame, at the Casino Ballroom. These are skybox seats, and the show is Aug. 26. Four tickets were donated by Bryan Christiansen of Comcast.

Saturday, Aug 22, is the official Old Home Day for both Pembroke and Allenstown. So, of course there is a parade, run jointly by both towns.

“The parade will start at 10 a.m.,” Kline said. “It will begin at School Street in Allenstown. Then it goes to Main Street and crosses the bridge into Pembroke. It proceeds up Broadway to Pleasant Street and then down to Memorial Field.”

Parade goers will get a sweet treat as they watch the town’s parade float. It includes a three-layer 6-foot-wide, 6-foot-tall cake. There is also a Semi-Q breakfast, including pancakes, at the Jewell Lodge from 7 to 10 a.m. and a walk-through window at the corner of Main and Union streets from 8 a.m. to noon, including homemade muffins.

The cost is $4 for breakfast for adults, $2 for children and $1.50 for a muffin and coffee. Also featured in the parade is the old horse-drawn town hearse.

Tours will be conducted by the Historic Society during the weekend of Old Home Day, starting each day at 2 p.m. from the Pembroke Town Hall, and the Grange will host an open house on Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. and on Sunday, Aug. 23, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

A bit of history According to the community Web site, Pembroke’s history began in 1725 when Captain John Lovewell (sometimes Lovell) and his intrepid band of Indian fighters, recruited from the towns around Dunstable, Mass., decided to drive the Indians out of what is now New Hampshire.

According to best available information, Francis Doyen, one of Lovewell’s soldiers and his wife were the first white inhabitants who ever wintered in the township, 1728-1729, and they may have been the first permanent settlers, says the Web site.

Pembroke was formed through three land grants. The Bow grant was granted in May 20, 1727. The Mason grant, presently known as the Masonian claim of 1621, was granted by the Council of New England, established in Plymouth, County of Devon, England. The Suncook grant of Aug. 6, 1728, was granted by His Majesty’s Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England in General Court. The inhabitants of Buck Street and Bow, having boundaries adjacent to the Suncook boundary line, became discontented with the Township of Bow. They petitioned the New Hampshire House of Representatives to be joined with Suncook.

In 1736, members of the Congregational Church chose the Rev. Aaron Whittemore to be pastor. Sometime near the period of incorporation, the Presbyterians built their own meetinghouse “on a little knoll covered with a pine grove on the west side of Pembroke.” The first pastor was the Rev. Daniel Mitchell. Eventually the Congregational and Presbyterian churches were reunited in Pembroke.

Incorporation of Pembroke was granted on Nov. 1, 1759, “authorizing the levying and collecting such Province Tax as shall be imposed upon them by law as any other Town or Parish in this Province.”

On the passage of the act of incorporation, the Plantation of Suncook ceased to be and the Town of Pembroke took its place in the sisterhood of the Commonwealth of New Hampshire to enjoy all the rights and privileges belonging to towns.

About 1807, three men came to Pembroke: Dr. Abel Blanchard, the Rev. Abraham Burnham and Boswell Stevens Esq. Dr. Blanchard was not a person of good health and began to fail about 1817. He died March 15, 1818. In his will dated Jan. 15, 1818, Dr. Blanchard (having no family of his own and after making bequests to his friends) left the rest of his property to found a “public school or academy in Pembroke.” The school (although for many years called “Blanchard Academy”) was incorporated June 25, 1818, as Pembroke Academy. Fire has destroyed the original buildings, but the academy, now a public high school serving Allenstown, Pembroke, Epsom, Chichester and Deerfield, continues to be a vital institution in Pembroke.

A new class of graduates

2009-07-01T19:43:00Z

By Lauren Sausser

The first instinct Bridget Sargent had at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 20, was to hit the snooze button.

But then she remembered she had to graduate.

“Once I was awake, I was excited that it was graduation,” said Sargent, a Pembroke Academy senior from Allenstown.

Sargent and her friend Lynn Noonan worked together to make sure their sashes were straight and their caps were pinned on correctly. Both will attend the New Hampshire Technical Institute in Concord this fall.

All the graduating seniors were abuzz about future plans that morning.

Senior Kurtis Chesley is shipping off to Illinois in a few weeks for basic training. He is joining the Navy; Tyler Fritz will head to NHTI to study video game design.

Savannah Fitzpatrick, the senior class treasurer, is excited about attending Plymouth State University this fall, but was more focused on the speaking part she had to deliver in front of hundreds of family and friends who turned out for the graduation ceremony.

Fitzpatrick also presented awards to Pembroke Academy faculty.

“I’m nervous about speaking,” Fitzpatrick said before the program. “I feel like I was in first grade last week. These last four years have gone by so fast.”

More than 200 seniors received diplomas on the athletic fields of Pembroke Academy yesterday morning. The rain held off, and the grass was dry enough to set the picture- perfect backdrop for the ceremony.

“When I looked at her this morning, I thought that by the end of the day, she’ll be on her own,” said Donna Hall, mother of graduate Alex Hall, who will attend the University of Hartford in Connecticut.

“It’s gone by very quickly. We’ll definitely miss her, but we’re excited for the opportunities ahead,” she said.

Andrew Gosselin, father of senior Stephanie Gosselin, said there could not be a prouder parent on the athletic field yesterday.

“I know my daughter has a head on her shoulders above most others,” Gosselin said. “She’s graduating from Pembroke Academy in the top 10 percent of her class. She knows exactly who she is, and what she wants to be. It’s a very proud moment.”

West, Central and Memorial high schools also held graduations on June 20.

Pembroke Academy reaches playoffs under first-year coach, finishes with 10 wins

2009-06-03T19:34:00Z

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Dylan Hall’s goal entering the season was to make the playoffs. Hall’s Pembroke Academy boys tennis team reached that goal, and in impressive fashion.

The Spartans posted one of the best campaigns in school history, finishing the regular season at 10-4 to earn the seventh seed in the Class I tournament before losing in the quarterfinals to secondranked Souhegan, 7-2.

Poor weather forced the Spartans and Sabers to play inside Nashua Swim and Tennis Club on Friday, May 29. Kyle Carty was the only member of the Spartans’ ladder to earn a singles victory; PA’s No. 5 came away with an 8-6 win over Souhegan’s Nate Readington.

Early on, it appeared the doubles matches would have meaning. The majority of the scores remained tight before the Sabers pulled away to clinch the team win before singles play concluded.

Pembroke No. 6 Bill Bouchard raced to a 4-1 lead early against Nate Poulack, but was unable to hold on and fell, 9-7. Stephen Boddie posted the next closest result, falling 8-5 at No. 3.

At No. 3 doubles, Carty and Luke Underwood defeated their Souhegan counterparts, 8-4.

Four players are eligible to return for Pembroke, including two from among the team’s top six.

Bouchard and No. 4 Ricky Yeames are likely to hold spots in the ladder next season, while head coach Dylan Hall looks for contributions from inexperienced players Jeffrey Lin and Emerson Brooks in 2010.

Despite the early exit from the playoffs, Hall said he was impressed with his team’s 10-5 mark.

“We beat Bow twice, which is our main rival, and we also beat Hanover for the first time in school history,” said Hall. “For Pembroke tennis, we had a very good year, and the seniors can take a lot out of this.”

The mentor, looking to continue the program’s growth, wants his team’s effort this year to resonate with PA’s other student-athletes.

“I’m really hoping that with the success of the team we’ll be able to attract some athletes who may not necessarily be tennis players,” said Hall. “It’s the type of sport where if you have a good, athletic kid, I can show them how to play.”

National Guard closer to buying property

2009-06-03T19:12:00Z

By Lauren Sausser

Business owners along Sheep Davis Road in Pembroke can’t make heads or tails of a proposed $38 million National Guard training facility slated for a 214-acre tract on Riverwood Drive.

Some have not even heard of the project; others are indifferent.

A few think the proposal will stimulate the local economy; others are citing potential drawbacks.

Holly Manning, owner of Serendipity Day Spa, whose business is located less than a mile from the proposed facility, has concerns about potential noise problems, but said she has not done enough research on the project to develop a firm opinion. Mike Gove of Pembroke Automotive, also on Route 106 near the proposed training facility is not familiar with the project but can foresee one potential negative impact.

“The only thing I could see happening is it’s a sizeable tax base we’re going to be losing,” Gove said.

That’s the same concern that the Pembroke Board of Selectmen share, said Town Administrator David Jodoin.

“With all the cuts they’re looking at making toward the towns … the selectmen wonder where the state can come up with $3 million,” Jodoin said.

The state government will cover the cost to purchase the privately owned property, approximately $3 million, later this year through a capital appropriation. The cost to build the facility, which will include about 107,000 square feet of instructional space, administrative offices and student barracks, is estimated at $38 million and will be paid for by the federal government.

There is at least one Pembroke business owner who is all for the project – Bert Whittemore of Riverwood Properties, who owns the property the National Guard is seeking to purchase.

“I think it’s a great use for the property,” said Whittemore, also a Pembroke resident. “I can’t think of a town that wouldn’t want an Army facility, but I recognize I’m only one citizen and other people have other views.”

Whittemore’s father first begin purchasing tracts of the parcel over 60 years ago, he said.

“This (project) has been studied to beat the band,” he said, recognizing the business transaction is not a done deal. “This is a tumultuous time and I don’t count my chickens when they’re not even in the yard.”

The New Hampshire National Guard recently published an environmental impact study and opened a period of public comment on the proposal for the Pembroke training facility.

Normand Provencher, the business manager of Pembroke Water Works, said any concerns the Water Department had about the project were eased in that report.

“We have a well which will abut their property, as well as two other wells downstream from them,” Provencher said. “At the time, originally, they were going to have artillery that was going to be used at the site. They were going to be using hand grenades which would emit carcinogens in the ground. We also didn’t want them tearing up the terrain, which would also alter the protection of the groundwater.”

But after a meeting with town officials and representatives from the Guard, Provencher said those fears have been addressed.

An environmental impact study, released earlier this month, indicates that the proposed building will have “no significant environmental effects.”

Col. Jeff Vorce, project manager for the National Guard facility, said no artillery will be used on the training site.

“There is a misnomer that we were going to have a live fire range out there,” Vorce said. “That was never planned; this land is too small for a live fire range.”

To further ease concerns, the town’s wastewater department has allocated adequate capacity for the proposed training facility, which will allow the new facility to tie into the town’s sewer system, preventing the necessity of building an on-site septic system, which could have also compromised groundwater resources, Provencher said.

Vorce said he hopes the property can be purchased by October in order to proceed with design plans. Construction will begin in spring 2011, he said.

Rookie coach sees experience as means to Pembroke Academy’s improvement

2009-04-16T02:22:00Z

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

No matter where they come from, Dylan Hall looks forward to seeing some wins.

The first-year Pembroke Academy boys tennis head coach said while he has an idea what his team’s lineup will look like, the efforts of those closer to the ladder’s bottom rung weigh just as much as those of his top player.

“A win is a win,” said Hall during a scrimmage against Goffstown on March 31. “Our goal is to make the playoffs, to play good, solid tennis and get in there and have some fun. We’ve got a good group of kids, practicing has been good, and I think we have a good shot at it.”

Barring an unforeseen change, Tim Phair is the Spartans’ No. 1. Luke Underwood, Stephen Boddie and Ricky Yames, not necessarily in that order, should man the Nos. 2 through 4 spots, according to Hall.

The coach also said Kyle Carty and Bill Bouchard are among those expected to see court time this year, as well as Emerson Brooks, who has shown promise as a freshman.

Pembroke traveled to and handily defeated Laconia on April 13, 8-1. The Spartans face Plymouth Regional at home on April 20.

While practice time has prepared the team for its seaBarring an unforeseen change, Tim Phair is the Spartans’ No. 1.

Luke Underwood, Stephen Boddie and Ricky Yames, not necessarily in that order, should man the Nos. 2 through 4 spots, according to Hall.

The coach also said Kyle Carty and Bill Bouchard are among those expected to see court time this year, as well as Emerson Brooks, who has shown promise as a freshman.

Pembroke traveled to and handily defeated Laconia on April 13, 8-1. The Spartans face Plymouth Regional at home on April 20.

While practice time has prepared the team for its seasonopener, being able to scrimmage has exposed Hall’s squad to a different kind of action.

“Tennis is the type of sport where you can practice a lot and be good in practice, but nothing makes up for game experience,” said Hall. “It’s a totally different animal once the games start. Certain kids get tight, certain kids get better, so (the scrimmage) is huge.”

During the preseason meeting with GHS, Hall wasn’t necessarily concerned with the scores of the matches, but said he and his team benefited from the day.

“I’ve just been watching to see how they perform under pressure, and all kids are different …,” said Hall. “What I really want to see is them put to use some of the stuff we’ve worked on, and that’s all I am really looking for.”

Pembroke Academy's first-year coach sees experience as means to improvement.

2009-04-01T19:46:00Z

No matter where they come from, Dylan Hall looks forward to seeing some wins.

Barring an unforeseen change, Tim Phair is the Spartans’ No. 1.

Luke Underwood, Stephen Boddie and Ricky Yames, not necessarily in that order, should man the Nos. 2 through 4 spots, according to Hall.

The coach also said Kyle Carty and Bill Bouchard are among those expected to see court time this year, as well as Emerson Brooks, who has shown promise as a freshman.

PA’s season begins Tuesday, April 7, with a home match against Lebanon. The team travels to Laconia on April 13, then faces Plymouth Regional at home on April 20.

While practice time has prepared the team for its season-opener, being able to scrimmage has exposed Hall’s squad to a different kind of action.

During the preseason meeting with GHS, Hall wasn’t necessarily concerned with the scores of the matches, but said he and his team benefited from the day.

Goffstown-Pembroke Academy Tennis scrimmage

Pembroke police officer will retire, be honored

2009-04-01T18:09:00Z

The Pembroke Police Department will host a retirement reception for Sgt. Glenn Northrup on Friday, April 17, at 7 p.m., at the Pembroke Safety Center.

All are welcomed to attend to thank Northrup for his years of dedication and service to the community of Pembroke. Light refreshments will be served.

Northrup started his career in law enforcement as a parttime officer with the Allenstown Police Department in 1987. He joined the Pembroke force in 1989. He is a graduate of the New Hampshire Police Academy’s 88th class. While in Pembroke he served as the department’s technical accident reconstructionist. Northrup regularly volunteered during Officer Survival Week at the Police Academy for many years.

“There aren’t a lot of police officers who successfully spend 20 years working nights, weekends, and holidays,” said Pembroke Chief Scott Lane. “Sgt. Northup is to be commended for his dedication and sacrifice to the people of Pembroke.”

For those who cannot attend the event, cards and well wishes can be sent to Sgt. Glenn Northrup, Pembroke Police Department, 247 Pembroke St., Pembroke, NH 03275.