Salem Observer : Pelham

Pelham fund needs support

Salem Editor — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:45:00 GMT

PELHAM – The Pelham Good Neighbor Fund committee is asking for your financial support to help individuals and families during Christmas with food, clothing and toys for the children.

There are so many families in Pelham who are going to need help this year because of the tough economic times that have resulted in loss of jobs along with the high cost of food and energy.

The committee is asking individuals, families, businesses, organizations, schools, civic and church groups to be as generous as possible. They are in need of people who would like to sponsor a child or family for Christmas.

If you need help during the holidays, call Jean Robarge at 635-3363, Gerty Sousa at 401-4065, Nancy Vachon at 521-4045 or Bonnie Ward at 635-8537. Call no later than Friday, Dec. 6; your call will be handled in strict confidence.

Volunteers will be accepting donations of food and money on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 12 and 13, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Pelham Plaza in front of Hannaford Supermarket.

If you would like to make a credit card donation online, visit the Web site at http://www.pelhamgoodneighborfund.org. There is also a container for food donations at the food pantry located behind St. Patrick’s Church and inside Hannaford Supermarket.

If you would like to make a donation of a turkey or other food items, call Jim Roche at 893-1713 or Frank Sullivan at 204-5299. The committee also uses the money collected during this drive to provide financial assistance 52 weeks a year for food, heating oil, electricity, rent and other household expenses. Make your check payable to: The Pelham Good Neighbor Fund, P.O. Box 953, Pelham, NH 03076.

Pelham fifth-grader dies from complications after contracting H1N1 virus

Salem Editor — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:20:00 GMT

BY DERRICK PERKINS

PELHAM – A local elementary school student suffering from an underlying medical condition died from complications related to the H1N1 virus Nov. 17, said state and town officials.

Officials did not release many details about the child, but Pelham resident Michael Koch identified the boy as Justin May, a fifth-grader at Pelham Elementary School and classmate of Koch’s son. May had cerebral palsy, he said.

“(My son) was telling me that when he’d see him he’d give him high-fives in the hallway,” Koch said. “He knew of him, and he was a little sad when he found out (the next) morning.”

May’s family confirmed Justin had died, but declined to comment.

Superintendent Frank Bass said the school district was saddened to learn of May’s death. The boy was responding well to treatment, and swine flu was a complicating factor, not the primary cause, he said.

District guidance counselors were mobilized at Pelham Elementary School on Nov. 18 to talk with grieving students, teachers or staff. The boy was very well liked by students and staff, Bass said.

“We had counselors present to help out, and we targeted classes the child was involved in,” he said. “Everyone rallied very strongly in support, and I was very pleased and proud of their response.”

School officials have been in touch with the family. Bass described them as doing remarkably well, considering the circumstances.

May’s death is the third related to swine flu in New Hampshire and the second since Oct. 1. The death of a 22- year-old Hillsborough County woman in August was the first in New Hampshire linked to H1N1 virus. A Sullivan County adult also died last week, according to state health officials.

All had underlying medical conditions, putting them at greater risk, said Dr. Jose Montero, the state’s public health director.

The father of three schoolaged children, Koch said May’s death did not heighten his concern about swine flu. His two older children have not been vaccinated, though his 2-year-old received the vaccine Tuesday, Nov. 17.

“(May) had an increased risk of issues,” said Koch, a biochemist. “We are certainly taking our 2-year-old to the doctor, just because he’s in that risk group of being very susceptible ... Other kids had the flu this year, whether it was H1N1 or seasonal flu, and my kids have been exposed, and we’re staying vigilant.”

May is the third schoolaged child in the community to die this year, according to Bass. Robert Duffy, 15, succumbed to cancer in October, and Christian Gualtieri, 10, died while trick-or-treating Oct. 31 when a tree fell on him.

Bob Haverty, Board of Selectman chairman, extended an offer of support from the town to the May family. While the memorial arrangements are left to the family, the town will help in any way possible, he said.

“Obviously, as a parent, my heart goes out to the family,” Haverty said. “I’ll be thinking of them in this tragic time. It's unthinkable."

SHS, PHS, WHS run in Manchester

Salem Editor — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:42:00 GMT

For the first time, Windham took part in the Manchester Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 26, and the girls team ran well thanks in large part to the 11th-place time of Kate Farrell.

Farrell completed the cross country race in 21 minutes, 7 seconds. Emma Boyd’s time of 22:12 was the second-fastest time for the Jaguars.

Rounding out the Windham top five were Olivia Goodale in 92nd, Alexis Clemons in 96th and Glori Foster in 112th.

Both of the Pelham teams finished in the middle of the pack during the event. The boys ended the day in 20th among 31 teams, and the girls were 10th out of 21.

Ethan Ely and Emily Spognardi posted the top times for the boys and girls, respectively, Ely coming in 87th in the small-school category at 18:50 and Spognardi grabbing seventh overall with a time of 20:55.

Salem’s day at the races included a 16th-place finish from its boys team and an eighth-place result from the girls.

Benn Dutton, Dan Schmidt, Eric Teuber, Eric Hutchins and Mitch Dutton were the top five boys for the Blue Devils, starting with Benn Dutton’s time of 17:41.

Crossing the finish line first for the Lady Blue Devils was Stephanie Cabral in seventh place overall, with Samantha Hutchins, Colleen Gill, Kerrin Foley and Amy DeNuzzio wrapping up the scoring on the day.

– Matt Schooley

Law raising dropout age to 18 means schools must find, return kids to class

Salem Editor — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 18:53:00 GMT

BY DERRICK PERKINS

When school doors opened across the state this fall, an unexpected group of students was affected thanks to a new law that raised the minimum dropout age from 16 to 18.

Schools in New Hampshire were given the task of locating formerly legal dropouts, as students who had legally dropped out previously before turning 18 must now return to school.

Pelham and Salem were not greatly affected by the new law, which went into effect on July 1.

Pelham/Windham Superintendent of Schools Frank Bass said the issue isn’t about tracking down the students who had already left school, but stopping future students from doing the same.

“The new law is not really an issue for us,” said Bass. “The issue is being able to catch the student before their fall. We have to provide a safety net and find intervention strategies that will be helpful for them and their parents.”

Pelham High School, which had 693 students last school year, had a dropout rate of 2.3 percent in 2008-09, a total of 16 students. Though Salem High School had a higher number of dropouts than Pelham, the percentage was lower in 2008-09, with 44 students leaving school, a percentage of 1.9 percent. Superintendent of Schools Michael Delahanty said Salem officials had to send out letters to six students telling them of their obligation to return to school, and they have not had any trouble tracking those students down.

Before the law was even put into place, Salem had a variety of alternative programs for students struggling with standard classroom learning, something he believes directly led to the school’s low dropout rate.

“The options and alternatives we’ve offered for years have been beneficial to our students and students in other communities,” said Delahanty. “Many districts have patterned their programs after ours and adapted it for their own purposes. For our school district, our program works very well.”

The school offers an alternative diploma program, the GED option and an individual accountability plan for completing the high school work that must be approved by the superintendent, which can include online or evening classes.

One of the issues with the law that Delahanty sees is that in many cases students dropping out of school are involved in drugs and alcohol, and school is not always the solution for what they need.

Overall, however, the superintendent believes the law is in the best interest of the state’s students. Bass agrees, saying Pelham school officials embrace the change, and see it as another opportunity to help kids stay on track.

“We’re confident that we’ll be in great shape when the year is over,” said Bass. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we had zero dropouts at Pelham High School.”

Salem, Pelham athletes impress at MOC; many locals earn trip to Vermont

Salem Editor — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 20:21:00 GMT

BY JERRY LIPTAK

Salem and Pelham high schools bused a number of athletes to the Track and field Meet of Champions at the University of New Hampshire on Saturday, June 6. Many of those proved themselves among the state’s best and, by finishing among the top six in their events, travel to New Englands on Saturday, June 13, at Burlington High School in Burlington, Vt. Mike Marshall was a double winner for the Blue Devils, easily winning the 110-meter hurdles in 14.85 seconds. The senior also won the long jump with a leap of 21 feet, 4 inches. In addition, he placed fifth in the high jump. Amy Desrosiers, an SHS sophomore, followed up her solid Class L performance by winning the discus throw at the MOC with a toss of 122- 2. Her classmate, Melissa Higgins, took fifth in the 200- meter dash, and the underclassman was third in the 400.

In the Salem senior’s last competition in New Hampshire, Robyn Ciriello placed second in the shot put and fourth in the discus, so she’ll head to Vermont for regionals as well.

Salem freshman Jerickson Fedrick raced to second place in the 100-meter dash. His sophomore teammate, Max Jacques, took fourth place.

The 4x100-meter relay team, without a senior among the group, took third place, while the 4x800 group placed sixth.

Salem junior Erica Begin moved on to New Englands by taking sixth in the javelin. Pelham’s Cameron Robidoux, a junior, finished fourth in the 200.

Salem’s Jacques also competed in the triple jump at the MOC.

Pelham sophomore Kelsi Lynde was 12th in the 300- meter hurdles.

SHS freshman Victoria Rozumek tied for eighth in the high jump.

Young Pelham team determined to continue improvement

Salem Editor — Wed, 13 May 2009 19:02:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Sean Corrigan joked that he’s a first-year teacher, first-year coach and first-year adult.

The Pelham girls tennis coach hopes to continue his own maturation process alongside his players this season and in years to come.

On Monday, May 11, the Pythons fell to upstart Bedford, 8-1, but Corrigan looked on during the matches with an eye towards the future.

With the loss, Pelham fell to 3-7 on the year, but with only two seniors in the starting rotation, the mentor remains upbeat.

“We have a lot of promise and young players,” said Corrigan. “We have a lot of players who want to get better and are determined to improve their game.”

The closest singles match came at No. 4; Jacky Ta battled back before falling to Lauren Pritchard, 8-6.

Megan Szmyt and Shannon Krauss are the top two singles players for the Pythons, and the only seniors in the rotation.

Janelle Gordon, in her first year of competitive play, could vie for the top spot next year in Szmyt’s absence. Gordon has taken lessons for years but picked up a racquet in March and has since become one of the better players on the team.

Also performing well this season has been junior Nicole Mastacouris, whom Corrigan said has been one of the silver linings in a sub-par season for Pelham. The No. 6 singles player has gone 7-3 so far, despite losing her match to Bedford’s Ally Mahoney by an 8-4 margin.

In addition, Mastacouris battled wrist tendonitis but played her doubles match.

“It shows she has a lot of desire and is here to play,” said Corrigan. “It sets a great example to the team that she is willing to play no matter the circumstances.”

Corrigan keenly watched an exhibition doubles contest featuring sophomores Kammi Mickle and Kayla Soares.

The coach said he looks forward to seeing the duo in his future rotation and said the exhibition matches help them gain competitive experience.

Another aspect of the loss that Corrigan found beneficial was playing a team far ahead of his squad in the standings.

“When you play a top-seeded team, you get to see how they carry themselves,” said Corrigan. “I’m glad they can see how winning teams do the little things. It isn’t only about how you hit the ball, it’s about the cohesiveness of the team.”

Strong offseason has Pelham coach eyeing increase in victories

Salem Editor — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 18:34:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Matt Regan didn’t need much time to get to know his players this preseason.

The Pelham High School boys lacrosse coach returned all but one athlete from last year’s 2- 12 squad, and Regan enters 2009 optimistic that this team can add significantly to that modest total.

Three seniors are crucial to Pelham’s success this year. Senior attacker Mike Woonton is the main goal-scoring threat, with CJ Ziogas poised to add plenty of assists to his career numbers. For a fourth season, Andrew Keegan guards the goal, entering the season with an improved all-around game.

Regan said an opposing coach told him he believed Keegan’s improved passing abilities may make him the best keeper in Division III.

Another senior expected to make a strong contribution is Sean Paradis, a former attacker whose speed and ability to throw and catch prompted Regan to move him to midfield.

Junior midfielder Tom O’Brien, new to the squad, transferred last year and is available to help.

Still, upperclassmen aren’t the only players leading the Pythons, with freshmen midfielders Alec Paradis and Josh Medeiros expected to make immediate contributions.

Paradis, said Regan, is perhaps his most physically gifted player.

In the past, Regan attempted to organize summer leagues and offseason programs for his players, with little interest from the athletes.

The mentor said PHS enters the year motivated after a strong offseason. A large number of Pythons committed to a Bedford winter league, and Regan said he has already seen vast improvement.

“There has been a big jump physically in the guys who were juniors last year and are seniors now,” said Regan. “Lacrosse is a sport where you have to believe you can do things. You have to have that edge. Going from being a junior to a senior, you get that confidence.”

Police applicants on the increase in Pelham and Salem

Salem Editor — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 18:16:00 GMT

BY DERRICK PERKINS

Even before the recession was in full swing, Lt. Brian McCarthy had seen a change in the attitudes of civilians and certified police officers alike looking for open positions within the Pelham Police Department.

With one officer overseas in the military, McCarthy began to look for a temporary replacement, and though there was no guarantee the individual hired would have a job when the officer returned, it wasn’t long before he found a taker.

“It’s ‘take any work you can get.’ He told me, ‘I don’t care, it’s work and I’ll take it,’” McCarthy said. “Thankfully, we were able to keep him. and this is before the sky fell.”

Now the department has been inundated with applications from both certified police officers and civilians looking for work. This time last year, McCarthy said he had received two resumes. He has already received 25 so far this year with three coming in over the last week alone.

“Anytime that the economy starts to tank, people flock to government jobs, in my opinion. This recession is a perfect example of that. People are getting laid off from the private sector left and right, from computer companies to retail stores,” McCarthy said. “The only people so far that have not had to deal with any layoffs are the police.”

There has not been an increase in the number of resumes and applications flowing into the Police Department in nearby Salem, but officials said that was likely due to the department not having gone through a hiring process since the economic crisis began. During downturns and recessions in the past, Salem police Capt. Shawn Patten said the number of individuals applying for open positions rose to anywhere between 300 and 500. During a year when the economy was doing well, that number would be around 50, he said.

Officials may have a chance see first hand how much interest in law enforcement employment has grown in the near future as selectmen plan to discuss applying for the COPS Hiring Recovery Program this week as a way to possibly bring three new officers to the department. As part of the economic stimulus package, the program subsidizes the first three years of the new officers’ salaries and benefits with the department agreeing to keep those individuals on staff for a full year after the funding ends.

If the town is approved, it would mark the first growth in the department since 1990, according to Chief Paul Donovan.

With one vacancy to be filled in his department, McCarthy has already begun interviewing applicants. One benefit of the increased interest in the position is the amount of certified police officers sending in resumes. While it costs roughly $27,000 and takes about a year to train a civilian, experienced officers can be patrolling in 12 weeks or less.

Still, the number of civilians putting in applications outweighs trained officers, according to Mc- Carthy. Given the economy, he said it wasn’t a surprise to him.

“We’ve seen a significant increase in the last 10 months,” McCarthy said. “We just got a vacancy that I’ve already got people in for interviews this (week)”

Salem’s deep gymnastics team takes another state title by big margin

Salem Editor — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 20:14:00 GMT

BY JERRY LIPTAK

The Salem girls gymnastics team followed Pinkerton throughout the state gymnastics championship meet at Salem High on Saturday, Feb. 21. Yet ultimately, each New Hampshire team found itself in a familiar place – following the Blue Devils in search of the state title.

The hosts won their third straight crown and eighth overall with 136.2 points, and they did it handily, defeating Pinkerton, the No. 2 seed entering the meet, by nearly four points. The Astros’ total of 132.625 was precisely two points better than Central.

Pelham, which placed 12th as a team, received a fine performance from senior Chelsea I’Anson, who was seventh in the all-around among individuals and won the beam (please see the story on Page B-2).

SHS head coach Ginnie La- Vallo said the Blue Devils generally perform well on beam and dominate the floor exercise, but they struggle at times on vault and uneven bars.

Salem, paired with Pinkerton throughout the afternoon session, began its title quest on vault, then moved to bars. If the Blue Devils stumbled on either or both, the Astros and Little Green were waiting to pounce. They’re still waiting.

“The vault has always been our downfall,” said LaVallo. “But they sure came through today.”

Salem won the vault with four top-20 efforts. Junior Shireen Kirata posted a 9.025 to take fourth, and senior captain Leeann Vadala was sixth. Those two competed in the all-around for SHS and joined with senior captain Jessica Maffeo, back from mononucleosis, and freshman Jamie Maffeo to tally 34.725 points in the event.

Vadala, sporting two knee braces to stabilize her from further injury, then posted the day’s highest score, earning a 9.4 on uneven bars. Jamie Maffeo finished sixth, Kirata tied for seventh, and sophomore Geena Terino also scored as Salem won bars as well. The rout was on.

“We’re certainly going to enjoy this one because who knows what happens next year,” said LaVallo, who added that the team’s depth ensured this season’s crowning achievement.

The program loses Jessica Maffeo and Vadala, who finished second to Spaulding’s Kaitlyn O’Brien for the individual all-around title, to graduation. In addition, Windham’s high school welcomes Jamie Maffeo and fellow freshmen Christy Theriault and Giana Contrada; all contributed in Salem’s pursuit of the championship, with Theriault’s ninth-place tie on floor and 12th-place tie on beam adding to the SHS score.

Vadala was sixth on beam, and Contrada and Kirata, a strong eighth in the state among all-around competitors, pumped up the team score. Jessica Maffeo and Taylor Buatti, a junior, competed on beam as well.

Buatti joined Vadala and the young Theriault among top- 10 finishers on floor, and Jamie Maffeo, 11th, also scored. Juniors Kirata, Jess Theriault and Buatti are eligible to return for Salem, as is Terino. LaVallo, though, said her two seniors, Jessica Maffeo and Vadala, are difficult to replace.

“They have been great leaders, even role models,” said the coach. “They do their own work and find time to help others. They’re exactly what you want in a captain.”

Meet notes
Spaulding’s O’Brien also scored a 9.4 on floor to match Vadala’s tally on bars. Salem was within one-half point of sweeping each team event, taking second on beam to Pinkerton before closing the tourney with the usual strong performance on floor.

Mass. gas tax hike may benefit N.H. businesses

Salem Editor — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 19:46:00 GMT

BY DERRICK PERKINS

A 19-cent jump in the Massachusetts gas tax has local gas station owners hoping to see a rise in customers from across the border, though the talk of taxes has left motorists steaming at the pumps.

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick unveiled the increase to the state’s gas tax on Jan. 20 as part of a plan to raise $500 million a year to offset the cost of repairing the Commonwealth’s deteriorating roads, bridges and tunnels.

Reaching a total of 42.5 cents per gallon, the increase would leave Massachusetts surpassing New York and California with the highest gas tax in the nation. By comparison, the gasoline tax in New Hampshire is 18 cents per gallon, with another 1.6 cents set aside in environmental fees. Motorists already pay a 18.4 cent federal tax on each gallon of gasoline purchased.

“If you keep on taxing people, they are not going to buy it,” said Jim Massahos, owner of Salem’s R and J Getty. “People from Massachusetts will start coming over here. If someone gets 20 gallons, that’s like eight to 10 bucks a week. That’s a lot of money, especially now.”

Massahos, who has been operating the Main Street gas station since 1972, said the tax hike was good news for border communities like Salem with Massachusetts residents considering crossing the border for gas as one way to save money.

Frank Laratonda, manager of the Route 28 One Stop Retail Shoppe, said he had already seen a roughly 7 percent increase in the amount of customers from Massachusetts filling up at his pumps, a figure he expects to rise with the Commonwealth’s gas tax.

“I believe that it will help our sales, at least on the border stores. People are coming up here right now for other items, why not come up for gas, too?” he said. “This should definitely be a benefit for us.”

While many New Hampshire motorists view the increase as making the state a more attractive location for out of state consumers – like Derry resident Mike Stankus, who called the move “great news” for the economies of border communities – the plan has left a sour taste in the mouths of Massachusetts motorists.

Topping off his gas tank at Salem’s North Broadway St. Hess station, Richard Bartholdson, a native of Massachusetts’ South Shore, said the tax increased disgusted him.

“Where does it end?” he asked. “Between that and the cost of food, the lack of jobs and then the little guy gets to pay more for gas. Do you have to lose your home before you get relief?”

Massachusetts is not alone in eyeing increased taxes at the pump as a way to fill in budget deficits. Legislators in New Hampshire, for the first time since 1992, are considering a 15 cent increase on the gas tax as a way to fund the upkeep of the state’s transportation infrastructure.

Casting a critical eye on the move, Massahos predicted the potential increase would backfire, inspiring motorists to stay off the roads and dampening business for gas station owners. If the state wanted to lend residents a helping hand during the recession, they ought to cut taxes rather than raise them, he said.

“These people have already adjusted to where they’re learning not to use two cars anymore because of the price of fuel. All that it is going to do is keep people from driving,” Massahos said. “If they were smart they wouldn’t raise the tax and everyone will come over here. It’s a no-brainer.”

Salem boys take third at state meet; all Salem, Pelham teams score

Salem Editor — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 21:01:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Mike Marshall led Salem High School to a third-place finish at the Class L state meet, while Pelham took part in the Class I-M-S competition as well.

On Sunday, Feb. 8, at Hanover’s Dartmouth College, the Blue Devils boys team scored 46 points, just two behind secondplace Londonderry. No team approached Nashua South, which won the title with 57 points.

Marshall won two individual races, grabbed a second-place finish and teamed with Ross Davies, Max Jacques and Jerickson Fedrick to win the 4x200 relay, having a hand in 38 of the team’s points.

“After the two-hour ride up, Mike went all over the place for the rest of the afternoon,” said head coach Todd Seastedt. “He was a busy boy.”

In addition to the relay, Marshall won the long jump and 55- meter hurdles and took second in the high jump.

“You have to be happy with the performance,” said Seastedt. “I spent the whole bus ride trying to find a few more points. Maybe you could look at another few points from (Marshall), but it’s nearly impossible to expect three gold medals from a kid. All of the kids performed well, and we couldn’t have gotten much stronger performances.”

The Salem girls finished 10th out of 13 teams, scoring 18 points on the afternoon.

Robyn Ciriello, Melissa Higgins and Stephanie Cabral all earned top-six finishes for Salem. Ciriello contributed 10 points in the shotput with a winning toss 35 feet, 7.5 inches, Higgins added six points, finishing third in the 300-meter dash at 41.39 seconds, and Cabral took fifth – and two points – in the 1,000-meter dash with a time of 3:10.38.

Pelham
The Pelham boys finished in the middle of the pack during the Class I-M-S event, ending the competition in 11th among 21 teams with 10 points.

Todd Paquin led the boys with a third-place long jump finish and a fourth-place effort in the 55-meter dash. He was also eighth in the 55-meter hurdles, during which he took a hard spill.

“He got a little ahead of himself, over-rotated, and that caused him to stumble. He had no choice but to get right back up and immediately run in the 55-meter dash finals,” said Jen Jaquith, one of Pelham’s coaches. “You would never know that Todd had fallen less than five minutes earlier when he ran his 55-meter dash.”

Cameron Robidoux battled an ankle injury he suffered the prior weekend at UNH, taking eighth in the 55- and 300-meter dash. Kelsi Lynde was sixth in the 55-meter hurdles and also ran on the sixth-place 4x400 relay team with Emily Long, Melody Long and Emily Spognardi, who placed sixth in the 1,500-meter race.

Stark just can’t keep pace with Pelham, which leaves Weare with basketball win

Salem Editor — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 01:49:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Justin Hojlo and Kevin LeBlond were in a shootout, but in the end it was Hojlo with more ammunition.

The two senior guards dueled during a Class I contest on Tuesday, Jan. 13, with Hojlo’s Pelham Pythons pulling away from LeBlond and the John Stark Generals, 88-71.

Hojlo poured in 35 points to help fight off LeBlond and his 27 points, as the Pythons improved to 5-1 in Class I play.

“They’re a very talented team,” said John Stark’s head coach, Michael Smith. “From what I’ve seen, they are one of the best, if not the best, team in Class I.”

Pelham opened up a 41-23 lead and appeared to have distanced itself from the home team. Moments later, LeBlond answered with back-to-back threes to cut the deficit to 10, and John Stark trailed by 12 at the half.

LeBlond, John Stark’s only returning starter from last season, scored six consecutive points to cut the lead to 66-61, but that was the closest approach for the 1-5 Generals.

According to Pelham’s mentor, Todd Kress, his crew’s response to Stark’s comeback was not surprising.

“It’s a matter of continuing the up-tempo style of play,” said Kress. “We want to make it so they may make a single run, but they aren’t able to sustain it. I think our team depth wore on them a little.”

Four players scored in double figures for Pelham, including Steve Spirou with 26 points. In the loss, John Stark’s Travis Matteuzzi notched his first double-double, scoring 16 points and adding 11 rebounds.

The game was fast-paced throughout, with both teams constantly running up and down the floor.

Kress said the way John Stark played while they were managing a second-half comeback looked familiar.

“They freed up their shooters and were basically beating us at our own game,” said Kress. “We had to keep pushing and hope to be the team standing at the end.”

Smith agreed the pace of the game was the key to his team’s comeback – and its prior and subsequent stumble.

“We got caught up a little in the speed of the game at the beginning,” said Smith. “We like to force the tempo, and did that for a while, but they are a little better at it than we are.”

Hojlo hit four three-pointers and was also successful on the interior.

“He has the ability at any time to get where he wants to be on the floor,” said Kress. “He’s included his teammates a lot more of late, especially early in the game. They can’t just key in on him. Then later in the game he is able to get out there and just do what he wants.”

Though Smith was happy with his team’s effort in cutting into a big lead, he said in the second half the Pythons left his group in the dust.

“Most teams like to play at about 50 mph,” said Smith. “We want to play at 70, and Pelham got to about 90.”

Home meet goes swimmingly for Rockingham Area Youth Swim team

Salem Editor — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 02:08:00 GMT

The Rockingham Area Youth Swim (RAYS) team’s second home meet of the season was a decisive victory against the Peterborough Wave Swim Club.

The meet, which took place Dec. 7 at the Workout Club and Wellness Center in Salem, ended with a 308-61 win for the girls and a 270-49 margin for the boys.

Among 8-and-under girls swimmers, Gillian Connors took first in the 25-yard freestyle and butterfly, and second in the 25 backstroke. Halle Hamilton won the 25 back and placed second in the 25 free.

Ally Gillespie won the 100-yard individual medley (IM), while Emily Martsolf took top honors in the 25-yard breaststroke and second place in the 25 fly. Madison Martin was second in the 25 breaststroke.

For the 8-and-under boys, Donovan Hopkins won the 25- and 50-yard free, and the 25 back. Max DesRosiers won the 25 fly and took second in the 25 and 50 free. Liam DesRosiers placed second in the 25 back.

In the 9- and 10-year-old girls division, Mackenzie Donovan swept the 50 free, 100 IM and 50 back. Sarah Rodgers was second in the 50 and 100 free, as was Sarah Muller in the 50 back. Alexis Sawyer won the 50 fly and 100 free. Michaela Smith placed second in the 50 breaststroke.

Among 9- and 10-year-old boys, Connor Hopkins took the top spot in the 50 free, 100 free and 50 breaststroke. Raimond Chevalier took second in the 50 free and back. Eli Runge won the 50 fly and placed second in the 100 IM. David Hume was second in the 50 breaststroke and third in the 100 IM. Samuel Lynn won the 50 back and took second in the 100 free.

Brianna Nowicki placed first in the 200 free and second in the 50 fly and breaststroke in the 11- and 12-year-old girls division. Lauren Courtemanche won the 50 free, and Anna Matsco took second in the race.

Meghan O’Connor won the 200 IM and was second in the 100 free. Emily Matsco won the 100 free and took second in the 200 IM. Julia Enos won the 50 fly and breaststroke.

Brandon Perron paced the 11- and 12-year-old boys by winning the 50 and 100 freestyle races.

Andrew Dalencourt took second in the 50 free and fly. David Holzberger won the 50 back and placed second in the 50 breaststroke. Justin Missert was second in the 50 back. Richard Hume topped all competitors in the 50 fly and placed second in the 100 free, while Christopher Gallo won the 50 breaststroke.

Jessica Martin took first in three races among 13- and 14- year-old female competitors – the 200 free, 100 free and 100 breaststroke. Allison McCarthy was second in the 200 and 500 free races. Julia Bushell won the 50 and 500 free races and took second in the 100 free. Alyssa Boccia won the 200 IM and took second in the 50 free. Shelby McKenney won the 100 back and took second in the 100 fly. Tori Claverie placed third in the 100 back, and Cassie Clark was third in the 100 fly. Tricia Caiati was second in the 100 breaststroke.

In 13- and 14-year-old boys competition, Ethan Doherty was first in the 200 free. Nicholas Bergeron placed first in the 50 free, 100 back and 100 free. John Rodgers took second in the 50 free and 100 breaststroke.

Alex Flinn topped everyone in the 200 IM and 500 free and was second in the 100 back. Alex Holzberger took second in the 200 IM, 100 free and 500 free. Kelley Hayes was third in the 100 breaststroke.

The 15-and-over girls group included Hannah Fairbanks, first in the 200 free and 100 fly, and second in the 500 free; Haley Bowen, second in the 200 free and first in the 100 breaststroke; Jane Tighe, tops in the 50 free, 200 IM and 100 free; Mandy Avella, second in the 50 free and 100 breaststroke and first in the 100 back; and Angela Bleeker, second in the 200 IM, third in the 100 free, and first in the 500 free.

For the 15-and-over boys, Mark Bacigalupo won the 100 fly and placed second in both the 200 free and 100 back. Nathan Thompson was first in the 500 free and finished third in the 200 and 100 free. Colton Skavicus topped everyone in the 50 free and 100 breaststroke, while placing second in the 100 fly. Erik Luebbers was second in the 50 and 100 free. Chalmer Swanson IV was second in the 100 breaststroke.

Lawrence cop, from Salem, faces rape, kidnapping charges

Salem Editor — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:23:00 GMT

BY JENN McDOWELL

Pelham police arrested a Lawrence, Mass., police officer on Tuesday, Sept. 30, after Salem police asked for assistance on a well-being check for him.

The Lawrence officer, who lives in Salem, is facing serious charges related to a possible rape that allegedly took place on Friday, Sept. 26.

Kevin Sledge, 46, of Salem, is facing criminal charges out of Lawrence of rape, kidnapping and indecent assault and battery, according to Pelham police, and was considered a fugitive from justice at the time of his arrest.

Sledge allegedly left his post during a shift at the Lawrence Police Department at around 1:45 a.m., picked a woman up off the street and put her into his 2002 Jaguar. The charges stem from that incident, but few details have been released.

Capt. Shawn Patten of the Salem Police Department said a call came in on Tuesday, Sept. 30, asking for a well-being check on Sledge.

“We went to the address to conduct a check and he was not there, but we came to find out that he had left in his vehicle,” said Patten.

Salem police put out a bulletin on Sledge’s car, and a citizen responded and gave a description of the vehicle, saying it was at the Pentecostal Church on Bridge Street in Pelham.

Pelham police Lt. Gary Fisher said police caught up with Sledge at around 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 30, as he attempted to leave the church, pulling him over on Bridge Street in the area of Hobbs Road.

Sledge has been in trouble with the law before, said Patten. Salem police arrested Sledge in 2005 after being accused of assault and battery by his girlfriend, whom Sledge claimed had assaulted him. For that, Sledge was placed on modified duty.

Deputy Chief Michael Driscoll of the Lawrence Police Department said Sledge has been in trouble several times during his 15-year tenure with the Lawrence police.

“He has had some issues in the past,” said Driscoll. Sledge was charged with rape in 1999, but was acquitted in court. He was on administrative leave during the court proceedings. Sledge pleaded guilty to tampering charges in 2004 in Concord District Court, and was on administrative leave for a while.

The city of Lawrence informed Sledge on Monday, Sept. 29, that he will no longer have a job with the department, Driscoll said.

“Yesterday, he was served with notice of intent to terminate by the city of Lawrence,” said Driscoll.

As of Tuesday, Sept. 30, Sledge was being held as a fugitive at the Pelham Police Department. His arraignment, where he would decide whether to be extradited back to Lawrence, was scheduled for 2 p.m. that day.

Elsie retires from Salem Observer

Salem Editor — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 18:42:00 GMT

BY CHRISTINE HEISER

Elsie Talanian, longtime Salem Observer employee and town icon, is retiring.

One of the most familiar faces in town, Elsie, 88, cites health reasons for stepping down from her position, which she’s held for 42 years.

She’s known to readers for her column, “A Chat With Elsie,” a folksy collection of local announcements and wisdom, one of the most popular items in the paper. She’s also well known throughout the Salem community and surrounding towns as a successful advertising saleswoman.

She was inducted into the New England Press Association Hall of Fame in 2007 for her editorial and advertising contributions to the paper.

Elsie remembers her start at the Observer in 1966.

“I was staying at the Rockingham Hotel in the Depot, after just moving to New Hampshire from Connecticut,” she said. “I was in the little store across the street and saw an ad looking for a newspaper person. I went to see Robert Phinney, the publisher, and he hired me on the spot.”

She already had experience as a socials writer in Connecticut. While working there, she met and interviewed then-Gov. Abraham Ribicoff, Lady Bird Johnson, Gen. Douglas MacArthur and Margaret Truman. She also had breakfast with First Lady Pat Nixon.

At the Observer, she started writing about clubs and organizations, making $95 a week. The paper was run in a room in the hotel back then, she said. Occasionally, her stories wouldn’t run. When she confronted Phinney about it, he told her there weren’t enough ads to support the number of pages it would take to run everything.

In typical Elsie fashion, she took matters into her own hands. She asked Phinney to show her how to sell ads, then she hit the streets. The rest is Observer history.

Elsie has witnessed many events in that history.

“I remember one time when the horses got loose at Rockingham Park,” she said. “Lenny Wefers, the Tribune reporter, was in the Masonic Hall writing up the story. Meanwhile I was in Peever’s, the corner drug store, on the phone telling the story to the Associated Press. I thought that was pretty funny.”

Peever’s was on the corner where Salem Co-op Bank is now. She said it was the best place to hear the news.

“I’d sit in there, having a hot chocolate in the winter, or a Coke if it was summer, pretending to look over my notes,” she said. “That’s when you heard all the town gossip.”

Elsie was with the paper through several changes in management. Phinney sold the paper to Richard Noyes, who sold it to Arthur Mueller Jr., who sold it to the Union Leader.

Joe McQuaid, Union Leader publisher, knows things will be different at the Observer from now on.

“No one is irreplaceable, they say. But ‘they’ never met Elsie Talanian,” McQuaid said. “All of us associated with The Salem Observer and Neighborhood News know that the paper and the office won’t be the same without her.

“When we took over the Observer, Elsie took over all of us. You didn’t try to stop her, you just tried to keep up with her. She remains dear to her newspaper family as well as the community.”

In 2005, the paper was added to the four other weekly papers published by Neighborhood News Inc., an independent subsidiary of the Union Leader Corp. Elsie rolled with the changes, continuing her successful sales career and writing about and taking photos of town happenings.

Like a family

But it hasn’t been all business to Elsie. To her, her friends and coworkers were like family. Gail Stratos, lead designer and assistant production manager at Neighborhood, has worked with Elsie since 1982, when Stratos joined the Observer while still in college.

“Elsie’s been with me my whole adult life,” said Stratos.

She recalls when she and her husband, Danny, who also worked as a graphic designer at the Observer at the time, were getting married. Elsie booked them a room for their wedding night at the Hilton in Boston and made sure the room was stocked with champagne, fruit and cheese.

“It was so nice of her to do that for us,” Stratos said. “And she took care of the staff like we were her kids. She’d bring in Chinese food and pizza, making sure we were all fed. I love her to pieces, and I’ll miss her so much.”

Sales manager Dixie Goodell was always amazed by her energy and work ethic.

“It’s been my privilege to work with Elsie since I joined the company five years ago,” she said. “She is a true professional with a tenacity for getting the facts correct, meeting deadlines, and treating everyone she meets with dignity and respect. All of us at Neighborhood News understand her need to focus on her own health at this time, but are sad to lose her from our daily lives.”

Elsie has many happy memories of working with people in town. She thanks those who gave her news tips through the years, and also thanks her advertisers, who were always good to her, she said.

Many times business owners would tell her to just put them on the page if the cost wasn’t too high, if she were doing a sponsorship page for the Cub Scouts or a blood drive, and not bother to call them.

“I never took advantage of any of my people,” she said. “They trusted me.”

She’ll miss her friends and advertisers, she said. The feeling is mutual.

“She’s been knocking on my door for 23 years,” said Emmett Horgan, owner of Rockingham Toyota in Salem. “She’s an incredible lady, the most well-known person in Salem. I have the utmost respect for her."

Horgan says he uses her as an example for his own staff.

“I wish my sales team had her energy,” he said. “Retirement is just not in her DNA, but I wish her the best.”

Betsy Harris, from the Harris’ Pelham Inn, said words failed her at the thought of Elsie retiring.

“She’s a great friend, like a surrogate mom,” she said. “She’ll be sorely missed.”

Elsie is heartbroken about leaving the Observer, she said. She talked of all the people who have been named in her column.

“I’d put the birth of a child in there, then years later, I’d post the marriage of that child,” she said.

Her retirement plans are first to follow doctors orders, “this time,” she said, and recuperate fully from recent surgery on a bleeding ulcer. Then she’ll take it from there. She’ll have time to spend with her friends playing Bingo at Rockingham Park, for sure.

Of course, the steady stream of visitors to her room at Salemhaven, where she is at present, attests to a woman who plans to spend retirement with the people who mean most to her: the friends and neighbors she’s met through her years at The Salem Observer.