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Fast News

Open and close

MILFORD – The town hall and Wadleigh Memorial Library will be closed on Friday, Nov. 10 for Veteran’s Day. The transfer station will also be closed Friday and open on Nov. 11 at normal hours.

The library will re-open Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 1-5 p.m., Sunday.

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Big projects

MILFORD – A fire station upgrade is the town capital improvement committee’s highest priority for the 2018 warrant, Paul Dargie told selectmen recently,

Dargie, who chairs the committee, also said there will be no proposal for a new library this year, because library trustees are taking another look at expansion.

Board member Kevin Federico, however, said he needs more justification for spending $3.5 million to expand and renovate the 43- year-old fire house. “I have no doubt it” it needs work, but taxpayers need more specifics, he said.

The Swing Bridge, which needs major repairs of up to $800,000 is out of the committee’s six-year planning horizon, “way out.” Dargie said.

The school district is on the committee’s priorities list with a $5 million bond, for 2020-2021, for renovations to the high school and middle school.

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Night light

MILFORD – Christopher McEleney of West Meadow Court, a new development off West Street near the high school football field, asked selectmen last week for a street light at the entrance to the cul-de-sac. There are now 34 families on the street, and they do a lot of walking, jogging and dog-walking, he said, and there’s a blind spot at the crosswalk. “People are out at all hours and some don’t have the sense to wear bright clothing at night,” he said, especially Friday nights, when there’s a lot of traffic during football games. Selectmen agreed that the crosswalk needs a light.

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Storm aid

New Hampshire Homeland Security & Emergency Management Director Perry Plummer asks the owners of homes or businesses that sustained damage as result of the Oct. 29-30 storm to report the damage to 1-866-444-4211.

State officials say there is more than $14.2 million worth of damage from last week’s storm that damaged roads and bridges, flooded rivers and left hundreds of thousands without power.

Homeland Security Director Perry Plummer says the greatest amount of damage is in Carroll, Coos, Grafton, and Hillsborough counties.

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Tax rate

MILFORd – The new tax rate for 2017 is $29.39, with the town portion at $6.65, the county $1.28, state education $2.28 and the local school tax $19.18. Selectmen’s Chairman Mark Fougere announced the numbers at the board’s Oct. 30 meeting and said the town tax is down from $7.12 in 2016 and this is the third year in a row there is a decrease. The local school rate is up by 90 cents.

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Holiday Fair

LYNDEBOROUGH – The annual holiday fair will be held on Saturday, Nov. 25, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., at the J.A. Tarbell Library.

Among the exhibitors are Joan Hyde, doll clothes; Ralph Dwire, wooden items, Karen Grybko, salsa and candy, goat milk soaps and hand creams; Anna Roemer of Twilight farm, yarn, hand-knitted items; JAT Library Knitters, felted bags, hats and mittens; Susan Wicket, table place mats; Jan Kolesar, ornaments of NH birds; Tim and Dana Welch, Purgatory Alpaca Farm; and Diana Chauvin, sewing crafts, baby items, jewelry pouches, kid’s aprons.

In addition, the new History of the Lyndeborough Central School will be available.

A 24- inch decorated boxwood tree will be raffled to benefit the library. Drawing is Dec. 4.

Christmas wreaths will be on sale, or for pick-up by those who have ordered one.

The giving tree will be set up – help local families by picking a tag.

For information, contact the library at 654-6790, or Karen Grybko at 654-5362.

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Speeding

WILTON – Traffic on Isaac Frye Highway over Abbott Hill is much too fast and resident Paul Levesque would like selectmen to lower the speed limit to 25 miles per hour.

“The road is hilly, curvy and narrow,” he told selectmen on Monday, Nov. 6. “And there are a lot of pedestrians around High Mowing School.”

Selectman Chairman Bill Condra agreed. “I’ve driven that way many times and it’s been very exciting” with a number of drivers “taking their half out of the middle. I pretty much agree with what you said.”

A letter was read from Police Chief Brent Hautanen suggesting the lower speed limit. He mentioned “ten sharp corners and 16 driveways with limited sight distances.” The narrowness of the road “makes people drive closer to the center.”

Levesque suggested “adding a center line to keep people on their side.”

Selectman Kermit Williams said it was “reasonable to go with the chief’s recommendation.”

Hautanen will be asked to prepare the modifications to the ordinance.

Such changes require a public hearing and it will take “a couple of weeks to set up,” Condra said. The board agreed to begin the process to lower the speed limit from the “top of the hill to McGettigan Road.”

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Eliminating risk

At the request of State Fire Marshal J. William Degnan and The New Hampshire/Vermont CO Alliance, New Hampshire Governor Sununu signed a proclamation declaring Nov. 5-12, 2017 as Carbon Monoxide Awareness week. The National Association of State Fire Marshals (NASFM) advised the creation of the first National CO Awareness Week in the United State the week of November 5-12, 2017 to be continued on an annual basis thereafter. Requests were brought forth to the U.S. Congress to proclaim that week to be the first National CO Awareness Week in the United States.

Marshal Degnan wants to remind residents about the dangers of carbon monoxide levels in your homes. “Carbon monoxide (CO) is produced whenever any fuel such as gas, oil, kerosene, wood, or charcoal is burned. As the winter months come upon us, our use of fuel for heating increases thereby, increasing the potential for elevated levels of carbon monoxide.” says Marshal Degnan.

Nationwide, hundreds of people die accidentally every year from CO poisoning caused by malfunctioning or improperly used fuel-burning furnaces or appliances. Marshal Degnan advises, “Unvented space heaters should never be used as a primary source of heat. Should your family need the extra warmth and use an unvented space heater, be sure to install a carbon monoxide alarm.”

Fire departments responded to 931 New Hampshire households where carbon monoxide was a threat and was present since January 2016 to June 2017 and there were two deaths due to CO poisoning. That is why CO alarms are so important. Infants, elderly people, unborn babies, and people with anemia or with a history of heart or respiratory disease can be especially susceptible. Symptoms of CO poisoning may include headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, sleepiness, and confusion. Do not ignore symptoms, particularly if more than one person is feeling them. Marshal Degnan warns, “If you suspect CO poisoning, get outside to fresh air immediately, and then call 9-1-1.”

A Carbon Monoxide Awareness and Prevention Summit will be held on November 8th at the Fireside Inn and Suites in West Lebanon. The focus for the Summit, “Knowledge is Action,” is to provide a professional opportunity to convene multiple stakeholders to explore carbon monoxide poisoning issues in the NH and VT bi-state region.

By Kathy Cleveland and Jessie Salisbury