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 ...

BY GINGER KOZLOWSKILunacy. An apt description of the idea a bunch of high school kids could design and build a robot capable of playing a game under conditions similar to the moon’s surface in just six weeks. But that is exactly what teams involved in this year’s FIRST robotics competition are doing for this year’s game, called ...

BY MATT SCHOOLEY With Halloween arriving, not all students will be getting tricks or treats in the classroom, as many schools have shifted away from traditional festivities. One school that has done away with Halloween festivities is Hooksett’s Fred C. Underhill School, as Assistant Principal Ralene St. Pierre said the school has been ...

BY RYAN O’CONNOR Last year, Auburn’s Joey Dudek rode his arm and leg to Gillette Stadium – and very nearly the Super Bowl. Dudek, who won the 10- and 11-year-old division of the local Pepsi Punt, Pass and Kick competition last August, also triumphed at the sectional competition in Bristol, R.I., and then the regional ...

EASTERN EQUINE ENCEPHALITIS Although Eastern equine encephalitis, or EEE, has not been detected in samples taken from around New England this year, officials urge that care be taken to avoid contracting this viral disease, considered to be one of the most deadly mosquito-borne diseases in the United States, according to the U.S. ...

BY JENN McDOWELL As warm summer weather entices people to spend more time outside, state health officials are warning residents to be more aware of the big dangers that lie in wait in the tiniest of organisms. Jason Stull, New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services’ public health veterinarian, said that right now ...

BY GINGER KOZLOWSKI If there’s one person who’s doing well in this changing economy, it’s John Labbe. Labbe is the owner of Hearth Designs in Hooksett, and he sells pellet stoves, wood stoves, fireplaces and other heating-related items. With people looking for alternatives to heating with oil, he said pellet stoves ...

BY JENN MCDOWELL With gas prices flirting with the $4 mark, it’s a wonder people are sticking to their summer vacation plans. But for the most part they will, according to the American Automobile Association. They’ll just be more frugal. While AAA has not released official summer travel projections yet this year other than ...

BY GINGER KOZLOWSKI When it comes to getting access to public information, your best bet is often to go in person to the town hall, school district office or police department itself. But that is time consuming and difficult for many people. Going online is not only simple but available at any time. The Right to Know Law does not specifically ...

BY RYAN O’CONNOR Melanie Cooper will only serve half of her original sentence. After Cooper pleaded guilty to hindering apprehension, a felony, in the investigation of Eric Windhurst’s 1985 murder of her stepfather, Danny Paquette, she was sentenced in December to three to six years in prison. But after a three-judge panel ...