Latest news with #UnionLeader
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Marston-Dunlap Conservation Area to open June 8
The town of Bedford is celebrating the opening of the Marston-Dunlap Conservation Area at 560 Wallace St. "We are excited to show the work of so many different people who made this possible," Conservation Planner Kathleen Ports said. "Bedford residents seem to really enjoy their trails and this is a neat effort." The conservation area, a 46-acre parcel of land, is preparing for its opening ceremony on Sunday at 10 a.m. The ceremony will begin with a ribbon cutting followed by a guided walk through the trails that starts at 10:30 a.m. As previously reported in the Union Leader, the Piscataquog Land Conservancy and the Town of Bedford conserved 123 acres of land formerly owned by the Marcia Marston Trust in Bedford and Goffstown. Bedford then purchased 46 acres of land from the Marston Trust in 2021 for $1 million with money previously contributed to the Bedford conservation fund. The opening has been a long time coming since the town purchased the land. According to Ports, they halted their plans in 2022 to perform an archaeological survey. Ports said the land was owned by the Dunlap family in the late 1700s. Major John Dunlap originally settled in Goffstown, but then took down his home, marked each piece, and carried it to the new location in Bedford. "The 46-acre wooded parcel of land was once part of a farm of over 200 acres, much of which belonged to the Dunlap family starting from the 1770s," Ports said. "The Dunlaps were expert furniture makers whose works are displayed in several museums across the country." Dunlap Road was laid in 1780 but was then replaced by Wallace Road in the 1820s. According to Ports, remains of 1930s and 1940s touring cars can be found near the road on the conservation area. Conservation Commission Chair Grant Killian said most of the remains of the Dunlap homestead are now overgrown by the forest. "I think that's neat, it shows that nature marches on no matter what we do," Killian said. The town resumed plans in 2023 to build a parking lot and clear out 1.5 miles of trails for the public to use. With the project now complete, Killian said he is looking forward to welcoming the public to this historic place. "Now that spring has sprung this is a fresh opportunity we have to welcome the community to use this place that has layers of history," Killian said. sgreen@
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Yahoo
3 administrators at NH elementary school placed on leave after student assault investigation
Three administrators at an elementary school in New Hampshire were placed on leave following an internal investigation into allegations of students being assaulted. In a letter sent to parents and guardians on Friday and shared with Boston 25 News, Sanborn Regional School District Superintendent Thomas Ambrose announced administrative action after reviewing the findings of an investigative report on the 'In-Step' program at D.J. Bakie Elementary School in Kingston. Ambrose said the findings led him to place Principal Elizabeth Childs, Assistant Principal Lorin Caffelle, and Director of Student Services Troy Kennett on 'non-disciplinary paid administrative leave.' The Union Leader reported that the internal investigation began in November 2024 after Kingston police charged Aimee Ragonese, 37, of Raymond, with seven counts of endangering the welfare of a child and four counts of simple assault. Ragonese served as the former head of the school's In-Step program, which supports students with developmental and cognitive delays and learning and behavioral disabilities. She resigned from the position after police announced criminal charges against her, the Union Leader reported. The alleged assaults reportedly involved five students between the ages of 6 and 9, some living with autism and special needs. According to the Union Leader, the charges against Ragonese accuse her of 'using excessive force to pull up a boy's pants, causing him to cry; pushing another boy to the ground with a wall divider, and in other incidents involving the same child, allegedly grabbing him by the shoulders and throwing him to the ground three times and yanking him by the arm with excessive force; digging her fingernails into a boy's armpits, resulting in lacerations; dragging a boy by his ankle and holding him upside down, causing him to hit his head on the floor; and shoving another boy into an enclosure.' Ragonese has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Ambrose says his next steps involve meeting with employees involved in the investigation and scheduling meetings with impacted families. 'I will be meeting with every employee who is involved in this investigation next week. I will then begin scheduling meetings with the families that were directly impacted to provide an opportunity to review the report and meet with me one-on-one,' Ambrose said in a statement. Kelli Killen, the elementary school's current director of human resources, has since taken on the role of acting principal, according to Ambrose. 'Ms. Killen has worked in elementary schools throughout her career and has previously served as an elementary school principal as well as a central office administrator,' Ambrose explained. 'I am grateful for her experience and willingness to step in to help.' Ambrose added, 'I understand how stressful this has been for all of you, and I cannot thank you enough for your patience and cooperation.' Ragonese's case is slated to return to court on March 18. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
