Valley News from West Lebanon, New Hampshire • 2

Page A2 Valley News Wednesday March 19 2008 By Mam Davis Firefighters fust responded at 11 pm Monday to the fire at the home which was once a funeral parlor By around 1 am firefighters thought the blaze had been brought under control West Fairlee Fire Chief Kevin Dexter said In standard procedure they scanned the home with a thermal camera looking for heat spots inside walls They detected none Dexter said and left the scene But around 10 am a trucker driving past the home called and reported smoke and flames Dexter said Firefighters returned to the house and had most of the fire under control by noon althouiafew flames remained many places that fire can hide that you can't Dexter said law: If it's going to happen if going to The home a few mile from Route 244 north of Lake Fairlee was already destroyed by smoke and water damage by the time firefighters initially thought they lad brought the fire under control Dexter said The Vermont Fire Office will examine the scene Dexter said Building owner Franz Schwedzer identified the tenants as George and Kelly Tomms who could not be reached for comment yesterday stitch of their belongings Schweitzer said Schweitzer who has owned the building since 1994 said be is investigating whether his insurance policy covers the fire He is not sure if he will rebuild The home had smoke daectora Schweitzer said George Sykes director of emergency services for the American Red Cross of Central Vermont-New Hampshire Willey said the Tomms are staying with friends for the time firing while they figure out their next move The Red Cross provided the Tomms with food and clothing Sykes said More dam 30 firefighters from West Fair- lee Fairlee ThetfordVeishire Strafford and Bradford responded to the scene Dexter said Mark Doris earn ha reached at or (603) 727-3304 1 Valley Newt Staff Writer West Fairlee Flames rcignited yesterday at a Blood Brook Road home that had al ready been destroyed by a fire that firefighters thought they had extinguished Two adults who were renting the home were displaced but noi one was injured in the Maze which firefighters say likely started when a woodstove pipe overheated and caught the ceiling on fire Glory of the Climb Welch: FISABill Lacks Protection Of Civil Liberties By John was oneofonly Democrats with the Rep Kudnich against the bill and brother Paddy 4 play on another piece of equipment last weekend Vauey News Kearian Kelley 8 of Brownsville climbs the jungle gym at Albert Bridge School in West Windsor while his father Fred Bush administration requested information from the telecom companies without a warrant seen from this adminis- tration is a cavalier approach to the Constitution I think essential that Congress be a coequal branch and being Wekh said While Welch opposed the measure fellow Democrats Paul Hodes and Carol Shea-Porter of New Hampshire voted for the FISA bill last week supported this legislation because it protects the rights of Americans to be free from government spying while abo putting the necessary took in place to keep our country safe from terrorist attacks It is very important tint this bill does not extend retroactive immunity for telecommunication companies that may have violated our Hodes who represents the Upper VhUey said in a statement hope that both par- ties will end the political gamesmanship and work together to extend the FISA law in a way that does not violate he added Meanwhile New Hampshire Republican US Sens Judd Gregg and John Sununu both voted for the Senate version which includes the telecom immunity while US Sens Patrick Leahy D-Vt mid Bernie Sanders I-Vt voted against it Leahy in a statement last week said the House had passed a that several crucial protections without interfering in any way with this important new surveillance 1 Whether the differences between the two chambers are resolved soon remains to be seen And Congress is nowon a two-week work Welch spoke to reporter from his Hartland home and also allowed as how the break from Washington allowed him time for some snowshoe-ing that day John Gregg com be reached at jgreggvnewtxom or (603) 727- Valley News Staff Writer Hartland There appeals to be a rift between the House and Senate and toa lesser extent among the Twin State delegations over government surveillance of phone calls and e-mails inside the United States The House measure passed Friday would not provide immunity for telecommunications companies that allowed the government without prior court approval to eavesdrop on some customers after the 2001 attacks The Senate bill passed last month does include the legal immunity for the telecom companies a measure that President Bush says is needed But Rep Peter Wfelch D-Vl says even the House bill which was backed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi do enough to protect the dvil liberties of Americans Wskh a Hartland Democrat was one of only 12 Democrats along with the likes of US Rep Dennis Kudnich to vote against the House bill which passed 213-197 an Friday with no Republican support Welch said the House measure amending the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 a big improvement over the but still provides in some cases closed-door sessions for telecom companies tugu-ing they acted properly in handingover information to the government without a warrant whole immunity question is really part of a political strategy by the president that is related to his own agenda not constitutional rights or national Welch said in a phone interview Monday this bill a judge would be looking at the information secretly and the plaintiff would have no access to it More importantly the public would have no Wslch also said the broader issue of civil liberties remains paramount and Welch 12 along likasof Dennis to vote House NH By Momma Love If lawmakers donothirtg the date and communities face substantial -increases in retirement contributions next year to continue shoring up the main pension fund and pay for the medical subsidy The proposed remedies include pegging benefits for new hires to a final annual base salary In addition police and firefighters would have to work 25 years not 20 to be eligible to retire at ge 50 instead of age45 Mice and firefighters oppose the extension They say the changes would mean reduced benefits while forcing police and firefighters to stay on the job part their physkal ability to wrestle suspects to the ground or cany people out of burning buildings Some oif the benefit changes would apply only to new hires One controversial provision would change the makeup of the board of trustees by giving employee groups less representation cost-of-living increases into the main pension fund to ease increases paid by property taxpayers for local contribution to the retirement system The $6 billion fund pays pensions for retired police officers firefight- era teachers and other public sector workers The plan is funded at 63 percent of its long-term liabilities short by about $27 billion on its annuity fund alone There are also multimil-lion-dollar problems in funding health insurance subsidies cost of living increasesand health insurance for retired state workers Last year the Legislature took steps to shore up the pension system but still must find solutions to providing annual cost-of-living increases and health care subsidies for retired municipal workers and teachers The state pays 100 percent of its health insurance In a companion bill the House voted to give teaches and municipal workers eligible for the subsidy in extra year to claim iL Currently they must retire by July 1 to get the benefit Mice and firefighters are subject to different rules Lawmakers fear a surge of retirements this year would mean the loss of the most experienced workers at schools and towns across the state The main retirement bill also calls for studying ways to provide health care to retirees not eligible for the medical subsidy which includes most active employees One idea is for employers and employees to pay into a new account to provide port-retirement funds that could be tapped for medical expenses by the employees who qualify for the existing subsidy A commission also would study how to pay for future cort-of-living increases For now any increases granted would be capped though retirees living on the smallest pensions would get at least $500 Associated Ptbm Writer Concord Lawmakers are considering freezing a health insurance sub-sidy for some retired teachers and municipal workers requiring newly hired police and firefighters to work longer before retiring and shoring up the state pension fund with millions from an account reserved for other benefits The House voted 25960 yesterday without debate to impose the freeze and make several other changes to the state retirement system The trill would end annual 8 percent increases in the subsidy so the fund paying the benefit run out of money State law requires towns to let their retirees participate in their municipal health plans The subsidy paid to the towns reduces the out-of-pocket cost to the retirees The bill also would shift $250 million from an account used to pay for he has continuing concerns that the 3213 Lynch Tours Flood-Prone NHTownas Snow Melts Local Regional Briefs a result investigators believe there is a stftng indication that Brianna is in fact a victim of foul Hall said in a statement issued yesterday The parents have offered a $20000 reward in the said the holds the of two of rain in area and months in northern part state Enfield Recount Tomorrow Enfield Officials will hold a recount tomorrow night on the Village Plan Alternative a clustered development initiative that failed in last election by one vote Former State Rep Paul Miraki who petitioned to put the plan on ballot requested the recount after the measure was apparently defeated 367-366 Mirksi has been working on the Village Plan Alternative off and on since 1997 when he was in the state legislature Outside the polls 1st week he called it that could save investors money with concentrated development while leaving laige tracts of usrible land open for forest or agriculture The Enfield Planning Board declined to endorse the measure citing a loss of local control under the state-run program but last Tuesday night Miraki said he was encouraged by the dose vote The recount will be held at 8 pm at Whitney Hall Four Years Since VtTeen Vanished Montpeliex (ap) Four yeare after a 17-year-old girl disappeared Vermont State Police said yesterday they believe she was the victim of foul play Brianna Maitland of Sheldon vanished March 19 2004 after leaving the Black Lantern Inn in Mont-gomery where she worked as a dishwasher Ha 1965 Oldsmobile 88 was found about a mile away smashed into an abandoned barn Four days later her parents reprated her missing Over the last 10 months Vermont State Police detectives have expanded the investigation interviewing numerous people some of whom had already been interviewed according to Detective LL Glenn Hall Forty-three-year-old Susan Foss pleaded guil ty to her thud drunken-driving conviction reckless conduct and dmg possession On Monday she began a one- to three-year prison term After her release serve 180 days in jail on the drunken-driving charge She's also lost her license for five yean and if site ever getskback have to have an alcohol-ignition interlock installed on her car for two yeare Foss struck Derry Officer Robert Moore while he was directing traffic at a construction zone in Windham last July and kept driving Moore suffered a fractured hip but has since returned to work NH House OKs More Charter School Aid Concord (ap) The New Hampshire House has approved more aid for charter schools struggling stay open The proposal would said $17 million in state aid to selected schools next year Schools without local financial support would get $2700 per pupil more in state aid Charter schools in that category include: the Academy for Science and Design Cocheco Aits and Technology Franklin Career Charter Anatomy New Hampshire Equestrian Academy Sea-coast Strong Foundations and Suny Village Charter schools supported by their districts would get $500 more per pupil Schools in that category include: CSL Great Bay e-Leaming Ledyaid Charter Academy and North Country Charter AmWCuIyi The Virtual Learning Academy would get $250 per pupil The House voted 204-118 to send the trill to the Senate Staff aid wire reports equivalent of two months of rain in the area and several months in the northern part of the state A few days of steady rain or wanner conditions could prompt more rapid melting and trigger flooding Earlier in the day Lynch and state emergency management personnel met with fire and police officials at the Goffstown Police Department to discuss what strategies to pursue in advance of potential flooding One plan included possibly dredging a portion of the Piscataquog after it became choked with debris from erosion A few residents were in the neighborhood near Sonny Avenue when the governor visited under bright blue skies with temperatures that prompted gradual melting Resident Marc Larochelle who has lived in the neighborhood for 20 yean said he and other residents feel more prepared this year He added that the gradual melting is helping to reduce the snow pack are all optimistic this year that we can go through the season and enjoy ouraelves instead of spending another year fixing and rebuilding" he said The Associated Press Goffstown nh -r- Gov John Lynch toured Goffstown neighborhoods yesterday ravaged by floods in 2006 and 2007 as residents braced for the spring thaw and the potential rise of the Piscataquog River This year poses a greater risk of flooding because the snow pack is denser than in previous yean Lynch said a state we are more vulnerable today than we were last year or the year before because of the snow the governor said as he stood near a home where the water had risen about halfway up the garage door during past floods we see today there is a lot of snow here in Goffstown and in the Southern part of the Lynch said some residents whose homes were severely damaged in the floods have already placed sandbags around foundations He chose to visit Goffstown because it is one of the New Hampshire com- munities hit hardest by the flooding and remains at risk Lynch said the snow holds the Lynch snow equivalent months the several the of the Anyone with information about disappearance or who may be responsible is bring asked to call Vermont State Police at (802) 524-5993 Weak Dollar Brings Foreign Skiers Kilungton Vt (a?) The weak American dollar is helping attract Canadians and other foreign tourists to ski areas where they are spending more time and money than a typical domestic skier officials said By far Canadian make up the largest share of the international clientele but resorts say people are craning from Europe South America and elsewhere officials said Stowe Marketing Director Mike Griboum said the number of Canadian visitors is up 10 to 12 percent over last year Last week the number of Canadian visitors jumped 15 to 20 percent compared to previous yean Many Ontario schools take breaks during early March Smuggler's Notch Marketing Director Nancy Illemann said that 85 percent of last overnight visitors were from Canada And has been pushing its family-friendly ski brand in Argentina Columbia Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic Illemann said Woman Who Struck Cop in Prison 1 Brentwood njl (ap) A Deny (New Hampshire) woman has begun a state prison term for running down a police officer with her pickup truck last summer.