Monthly Archives: December 2011

Orvis Bonney, Jr. of Hudson

December 31, 2011

Orvis W. Bonney, Jr., 83, of Laurel Place, Hudson, NH died Wednesday December 28, 2011 at the VA Medical Center, Manchester, NH. Orvis was born in Bath, ME on June 25, 1928 a son of the late Orvis W. Bonney, Sr. and Thelma (Merriam) Bonney. He had most recently lived in Derry, NH, formerly living in Londonderry, NH and Yarmouth, ME. Orvis was a graduate of the Edward Little High School in Auburn, ME Class of 1946. He served with the US Navy during WWII and was a member of the American Legion Post 27 in Londonderry. Orvis retired from Nynex in 1986 after 29 years of employment with NE Telephone in Manchester, NH. He was a communicant of St. Jude Parish, Londonderry where he served as an Altar Server. Orvis was also an avid golfer.He is survived by two sons, Orvis W. Bonney III of Manchester, and Kevin W. Bonney of Bedford, NH, three daughters, Debra A. Turnbull of N. Adams, MA, Lynn M. Cavedon of N. Smithfield, RI, and Karen E. Bonney of Hudson. He also leaves eight grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his wife, Lorraine (Asselin) Bonney in 2007.

Calling hours will be on Monday January 2, 2011 from 5 to 7pm in the Peabody Funeral Homes and Crematorium, 290 Mammoth Rd., Londonderry. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday at 10:00am in St. Jude Parish, 435 Mammoth Rd., Londonderry with cremation to follow. Private burial will be held on Holy Cross Cemetery, Londonderry. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the St. Jude Parish Building Fund, 435 Mammoth Rd., Londonderry, NH 03053.

Visit the Peabody Funeral Homes website to leave a condolence note or view others.

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By admin | Posted in Obituaries | Tagged | Comments (0)

January News for Leach Library

December 31, 2011

Library Hours
Monday – Thursday
9 AM – 8 PM
Friday & Saturday
10 AM – 2 PM
The library will be closed on Monday, January 02, 2012

Adult Program

A Midwinter Program of Songs and Stories with Kate Chadbourne at the Leach Library
On Thursday, January 12 at 7:00 PM, the Londonderry Leach Library will host an evening of traditional Irish tunes and tales in the program “Songs and Stories with Kate Chadbourne.”

Kate Chadbourne is a singer, storyteller, and poet whose performances combine traditional tales with music for voice, harp, flutes and piano. She holds a Ph.D. in Celtic Languages and Literatures from Harvard University where she teaches courses in Irish language and folklore. Her music was recently featured on NPR’s programs “Cartalk” and “All Songs Considered,” and songs from her latest CD, The Irishy Girl, are played on Irish radio programs throughout the country.

In this program, Ms. Chadbourne will present songs on harp and piano, and tunes on Irish flute and whistles. She will be singing in both Irish and English, and she will also tell several traditional Irish tales, some with harp accompaniment, and feature a selection of poetry. Please join us for this moving evening of storytelling and song. CDs will be available for sale following the program.

The event is being sponsored by the Friends of the Londonderry Leach Library. It is free and open to the public, and will be held in the library’s lower-level meeting room. Light refreshments will be served.

Reference Desk News

As “First in the Nation” to hold a presidential primary, New Hampshire plays a valuable role in the selection of the leader of our country. As candidates flock to our state for media coverage before the primary takes place on January 10, 2012, we can often speak freely to them about the issues and observe them up close. If you are interested in learning more about the candidates for President from both parties, as well as the history behind the electoral process, these books will get you started.

  • 324.5 NOR
    Norrander, Barbara. The Imperfect Primary: Oddities, Biases, and Strengths of U.S. Presidential Nomination Politics. [2010].
  • 324.5 BRE
    Brereton, Charles. Primary politics. [2003].
  • 324.5 DUN
    Duncan, Dayton. Grass roots: one year in the life of the New Hampshire presidential primary. [1991].
  • CD BK 320.01 PAU
    Paul, Ron and Craig, Bob. Liberty defined: 50 essential issues that affect our freedom. [2011].
  • 320.6097 ROM
    Romney, Mitt. No apology: the case for American greatness. [2010].
  • 973 GIN
    Gingrich, Newt. A Nation Like No Other: Why American Exceptionalism Matters. [2011].
  • BIO BAC
    Bachmann, Michele. My Story. [2011].
  • 320.52 PER
    Perry, Rick. Fed Up! Our fight to save America from Washington. [2010].
  • 929.2 FIR
    Firstbrook, P. L. The Obamas : the untold story of an African family. 1st American ed. New York: Crown Publishers, [2011].
  • 973.932 BAL
    Balz, Daniel J and Johnson, Haynes Bonner. The battle for America, 2008 : the story of an extraordinary election. New York: Viking, [2009].

Children’s Room News

Winter Fun Bingo at the Library
Are you looking for a way to pass the time on Martin Luther King Day? The library is open and the Children’s Room will be hosting two sessions of “Book Bingo”. Come to the library on Monday, January 16 from 10 – 11 AM or 1 – 2 PM to play a fun picture version of the popular game. Every child who participates will win and be able to choose books from our special selection table. Each session is open to 50 participants. Advance registration is required and begins on Monday, January 9 at 9AM. To register, call 603-432-1127, or come by the Children’s Room.

Winter Programs
The Children’s Room will be offering the following programs as part of Winter Session 2: After School Stories, Story Time and Toddler Time. Winter Session 2 will run February 7 through March 1. Advance registration is required and begins at 9 AM on Monday, January 30. Reminder: If you were on the waiting list for Winter Session 1, you will automatically be entered in Winter Session 2. If you were in Winter Session 1, you must wait until Tuesday, February 1 to register. Please note: Parents may register a maximum of five (5) children per program at once. For further details, please pick up a newsletter in the Children’s Room.

Reminder: Winter Session 1 Programs resume Tuesday, January 10.

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By Jacklynn Weeks | Posted in Around Town | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

NH Rec Department Hosts Ice Fishing Classes

December 31, 2011

Are you a lover of cold weather? Are you looking for a new outdoor activity for those long winter months? How about ice fishing! The Lebanon Recreation Department and instructors from the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s “Let’s Go Fishing” Program will be presenting a three-session program in Lebanon on Tuesdays, January 17 and 24 from 5 PM to 7 PM, and Saturday, January 28 from 9 AM to 1 PM.

The class is open to anyone, however, those 14 and younger must be accompanied by an adult. Register online using code # 37701A, or call the Recreation Department at (603) 448-5121. The class is free, and registration is first-come, first-served. All equipment and materials will be provided. You do not need to have a fishing license to participate.

The first two classes will be held at the Lebanon Opera House at 51 North Park Street, learning about ice fishing equipment, safety and practices, as well as some winter ecology of lakes and ponds. On January 28, you will head out to a local pond and put your newly learned skills to the test!

New Hampshire Fish and Game’s “Let’s Go Fishing” program has taught thousands of children and adults to be safe, ethical and successful anglers. Find out more here. The program is federally funded through the Sport Fish Restoration Program.

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department works to conserve, manage and protect the state’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, as well as providing the public with opportunities to use and appreciate these resources. Visit their website.

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By Jacklynn Weeks | Posted in Outdoors, Sports | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments (0)

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

December 31, 2011

This is not a happy movie.  It’s based on a Swedish book of the same name, which I read in preparation for seeing this movie.  I don’t watch violent movies, and I had been warned that it would be, but I could also tell that it would be one of the big movies of 2011.  So – full disclosure – I read the book before I saw the movie to give myself an idea of when to close my eyes.  The book is disturbing in itself, but I’m very glad I read it because it was fascinating to compare it to the movie.  This is the most accurate book to movie adaptation I have ever seen.  The characters and the essential parts of the plot are almost unchanged, and I think this is a tribute both to the careful work of the director and screen writer, and to the actors, several of whom closely studied the books to gain a full background of their characters.  It shows.

This is not a horror movie, but its content is, if that makes sense.  It’s meant to be a mystery and a thriller, which it is.  I knew what was going to happen and yet I still felt charged with suspense throughout the film – all two and a half hours of it.  To its credit, I never got bored or felt its length – the pacing is perfect.  The story opens with our main character Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) who is a financial reporter who has just been convicted of libel (he was framed).  He is hired away from his independent magazine – which he co-runs with his lover Erika – to write a biography of a wealthy company owner named Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer).  Vanger lives on an island with what’s left of his crazy family, who all hate each other.  Blomkvist soon learns that his actual objective is to solve the murder of Vanger’s niece Harriet, who disappeared from the island forty years ago.  Blomkvist spends most of his time going through boxes of ancient evidence looking for clues, in a method that is very un-movie-like.

Meanwhile, we’ve been introduced to Lisbeth Salander, a tiny young woman who is a reclusive introvert and a ward of the State – classified psychologically unstable and must rely on an appointed guardian who handles her finances for her.  The audience is immediately sympathetic toward this character, who is completely expressionless, and yet the actress (Rooney Mara) conveys every emotion with apparent ease.  This lonely character is a brilliant hacker, and clearly able to handle herself, but is often taken advantage of because of her size and demeanor.  The audience was sometimes amused by her indifference and impatience with other characters throughout the movie, and Mara purposefully plays Salander with dry humor when there needs to be a break in the incredible amount of tension.  For me, the star of the book was Salander, and the same went for the movie.  Rooney Mara stole every scene she was in, and I found myself impatient to see her again whenever she wasn’t onscreen.

I don’t want to give away a single secret of this plot because the mystery is so compelling.  I will say that I was a little disappointed that we got a few hints early on that weren’t in the book, but they weren’t terrible give-aways.  You do have to pay very close attention to the dialogue.  Everybody speaks in a Swedish accent (except for Daniel Craig, which did annoy me) and some things are said rather fast.  The details are one of my favorite parts of this movie.  Something as simple as boxes that have been carried into a house during a snowstorm being damp.  Of course they’d be damp, the snowflakes would melt, but in any other movie the boxes would look dry.  If you see it, look for details like that; David Fincher is famous for being a director who is obsessed with details, and it shows.  He is very careful to keep the movie grounded in its Swedish origins, when it could have easily been American-ized.

I said in the first paragraph that this is a very violent movie.  It is, but not in the usual way.  There isn’t loads of blood and gore (there is a bit of blood, and some very realistic wounds), but that’s not why everyone is finding this so hard to watch.  PARTIAL SPOILER HERE, SKIP TO THE NEXT PARAGRAPH IF YOU WANT TO AVOID IT: I think it’s important to warn people that this movie contains extremely graphic scenes of sexual violence.  You see everything, and the horrible aftermath of it.  However, all of this is vital to the story and characters, and not one second of this movie contains gratuitous violence.

Some of the people who I’ve spoken to about the movie have said they won’t see it because of the content it contains, and I can see why.  The unflinchingly honest depiction of the horrors is extremely difficult to watch.  You have been warned.

If you think you can handle the movie, see it.  It’s one of the best movies of the year, though admittedly one of the darkest.  I predict Rooney Mara receiving a Best Actress nomination this Oscar season, and possibly (hopefully) a win.  See it for the characters, the mystery, and the remarkably good directing.

My Londonderry NH Net rating, 4 seeds 

Images The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo a Columbia Pictures (c) courtesy

Visit the The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo website for trailers and promotions.

 

 

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By EJ Lee | Posted in Columns | Tagged , , | Comments (2)

Falvey to Collect Signatures This Weekend

December 30, 2011

Tomorrow, Saturday, December 31, 2011, several will gather on the Town Common from 9 AM until 4 PM to collect signatures for a manifesto regarding the Woodmont Commons development. The manifesto was prepared by Jack Falvey and begins, “If you are in agreement with this citizen view of the Woodmont Project, please sign this document to express your will to the elected and appointed officials of our town…” Residents are urged to stop by the Common, talk with supporters of the manifesto, and sign the document.

The document brings up many concerns the citizens of Londonderry feel have not been addressed by the developers and Planning Board. The document states, “New costly expansions of fire, police, highway and schools would be required and these additional costs have not been estimated or addressed as the developer wants the zoning changed first and the costs dealt with after the fact.  This document opposes that order.”

Other key points in the manifesto include:

“This document supports open public discussions of zoning changes before specific plans are considered.”

“This document opposes the destruction of the existing one acre per dwelling economic model of Londonderry that all residents have agreed to for the past fifty years.”

The document can be obtained and printed here, then simply dropped off either at the Londonderry Leach Library or at the Town Common tomorrow. Jack Falvey will also be at the Millennium Mile Road Race on Sunday accepting signed manifestos and signatures.

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By Jacklynn Weeks | Posted in Around Town | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (0)

Ski Resorts Open, Historical Londonderry Ski Area

December 30, 2011

With over 200 voters so far in our “favorite ski resort” survey, Loon Mountain is in the lead with 23% of the votes. Read our story on Londonderry’s own historical ski area and then take our survey!

Way up on a hill overlooking the western slopes of southern New Hampshire the relatively new Parrish Hills should have been named Birchwood hills after this now closed ski area. Off to the south west you can see the still active Wachusett ski complex, to the north west the newManchester-Boston Regional Airporttower juts above the viewshead like a crown on the Queen city of Manchester, even if it is located in Londonderry.

These facts on the defunct Londonderry ski hill, come from Peter Misiaszek Jr. His parents owned the Birchwood where, like children of many small business’s, he spent every day in the winter at a historic gem of Londonderry, New Hampshire. This comes to us courtesy of Jeremy Davis Founder, New England Lost Ski Areas Project. His website has much more information on Londonderry’s Birchwook Ski Area and other New England Ski Areas that are worth the “Internet trip” to the site.

Opened 1965 Closed 1985

The Ski Area was on a 175 acre lot originally purchased by my grandfather Edward Misiaszek. The main reason why the ski area was opened was to keep all the employee’s of the family construction company Derry Paving busy in the winter, since paving was difficult to do with snow on the ground! The ski area was definitely a family run business. My mother Lillian ran the snack bar, hence the name “Lil’s Snack Bar” which offered a full range of food and snacks for breakfast through dinner. We also offered a ski school, (which every local elementary school participated ), rental shop and night skiing. There actually were seven trails with three lifts. ( 2 T-bars, 1 Poma lift).

Birchwood had an established ski racing team named the “Birchwood Bombers” which was originally coached by Bill and Eileen Kohut. The team consisted of 30-40 local kids ranging from age 7-16. The team always seemed to fair well on race days, always coming in a close 2nd to Pats Peak mainly because we were out numbered in some cases two to one. Two of my sisters, Judy, and Jill and I were on the team as three of the original members. Every winter, we would host a Winter Carnival, in which the locals could sign up for races such as the “egg and spoon race” and the “Chug-a-Lug” contest ( The adult Beverage race!) we offered a punch race for the kids!!

Like most ski areas in the area at this time we all relied on mother nature to supply us with the “white gold” . As everyone is aware the harsh winters of old were few and far between after the blizzard of 78′. The summer of that same year, we purchased and installed snow making equipment, that included water pipes and the snow gun it self, the air was supplied by one of my fathers compressors used for the Paving Co. My father Pete Sr. and Craig Bennett were the two that always ran the snow making equipment and sno-cat. Craig also ran the Ski School as well.

Prior to the opening of the 1986 season we were dealt some bad news when we found out that during the summer months some thieves had come and actually stole the snow making pipes right off of the ground. My father tells me that the Londonderry Police saw the trucks leaving with the pipes, but thought they were workers from the construction company. This was one of the main reasons along with the decline in the sport itself that we did not open that year….I know I speak for many many people throughout the Londonderry thanking my family, especially, Lil and Pete for some great memories!

Please visit the Birchwood Ski Area information on the New England Lost Ski Areas Project if you are interested in other New England Slopes that have been lost. A direct link to the Birchwood Ski Areawill show some great photos and more comment’s on our lost treasure to Londonderry.

Special RequestThe New England Lost Ski Areas Project would appreciate some photos of the area in the past. We would love to publish them for all to enjoy in Londonderry and will make them available to this great effort to preserve the history of the Sport of Skiing!

You can reach us on our Londonderry Hometown News CONTACT page.

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By Jacklynn Weeks | Posted in Around Nutfield, Outdoors, Sports | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (4)