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NH OUTLOOK , Thursday, 8/23/01
NH OUTLOOK , Thursday, 8/23/01
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Headlines
Good Evening. I'm Allison McNair. Welcome to New Hampshire Outlook.
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West Nile Mosquitos
Public health officials say they have discovered the West Nile virus in mosquitoes in Salem. While
the virus had been found in dead birds, this is the first time infected mosquitoes have been found in the state.
The state says the discovery was not unexpected.
The risk of people contracting the West Nile virus is low, and in most cases there are no symptoms or just mild, flu-like symptoms.
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Intro Mill Trouble 2
More bad news today for Pulp and Paper of America. The State Labor Department will fine the company more than 100-thousand dollars for bouncing payroll checks to its workers in Berlin and Gorham. This comes at a time of great uncertainty for mill employees. And while the good news is that the North Country is not facing this crisis alone, the bad news is that there are no easy answers. Corespondent Theresa Kennett takes a look.
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MILL TROUBLES 2
This is a story that has been unfolding since early February but the recent developments have been the most disturbing. Only a few weeks ago the Burgess Pulp Mill in Berlin and the Cascade Paper Mill in Gorham employed aproximately 860 people. Today there are fewer than 100.
Go to stand up at 35:20
The rule of thumb is that for every job in the mill, there are three related jobs on the outside. You can imagine how worried that has people in the north country knowing that over 750 workers have been laid off with no idea when they will be called back.
Go to Robert Theberge at 9:36
Its significant, since we have been going through this, sales in Berlin are down an of of 30 percent, some employers have been laying people off, the loggers have concentrated on Canada, so that has not been impacted as badly as we anticipated.
Despite the recent failure of American Tissue to achieve refinancing, and their continued failure to pay over 3.6 million dollars that it owes Berlin, Robert Theberge, the city manager, says that he believes that the current owners may still turn the situation around.
Go to Robert Theberge at 3:06 to 3:35
Their plan b sounds very sound for refinancing. They are not asking for the full amount they are only asking for half. How that works with their business plan and will they be able to pay the city back immediately. I don't know.
Although Theberge had heard from several potential buyers for the mill, he did not know if American Tissue would ever consider selling.
Go to Robert Theberge at 4:37 to 4:52
Its perhaps in their best interest to keep this mill because its a money make, it a pulp mill and alot of the epa issues have been grandfathered. I believer htey do need a pulp mill to keep all of their other mills running.
Go to nats of hydro dam at 43:29
Another thing they need to keep the mill running is power
Go to stand up at 42:03
This is one of the six hydro-dams that ppa owns and uses to provide power for both of their mills. Although the dams don't provide all of the power, they do provide a significant amount, having a tremendous effect on the bottom line.
Go to Mike Waddell at 57:57
Now, we're going after those hydros because its 35 megs of power at 3 or 4 cents a kilowat to viable business interest.
Mike Waddell has been a selectmen in the town of Gorham for 11 years and is the board's current chairman. Pulp and Paper of America owes the town of Gorham over 450,000 dollars in unpaid taxes. Waddell and fellow selectman, Glen Eastman, made the decision last week to take some very aggressive steps to acquire the hydro dams. Although only two are located within the township of Gorham, Waddell and Eastman feel that all six dams are critical resources for the entire region.
Go to Waddell at 01:04:56 to 01:05:00
With those hydros, we do have a bargaining chip.
They will also be pursuing the landfill located in the un-incorporated town of Success.
Go to Waddell at 58:18 to 58:39
Every community needs a place to move its rubbish to and when that land-fill was opened all of the communities got together and supported the DES permit. Now they own it and insisted on doing all their legal work in NY, not in the state of NH. They would not sign a contract with the solid waste department.
There is no mistaking the fact that the town of Gorham is not being as patient with the mill's owners as the city of Berlin.
Go to Waddell at 54:43 to 55:08
If I could look up river and see results from the city of Berlin's behavior, I would follow suit. Right now as I recollect they are owed something like 3 million. and the taxpayers of Berlin are paying for it.
Go to Waddell at
They have shown no good will to the town of Gorham. All I have heard is horror stories:
Waddel produced newspaper clippings of what happened in the small town of Lockland, Ohio. And Lockland City Manager Evonne Kovach confirmed by telephone that American Tissue purchased a vacant mill complex in Lockland in 1990 and borrowed 1 million dollars from the town to make improvements to re-open the mill. But seven years later, Kovach says the mill was not opened and less than 50% of the 1,000,000 dollar loan had been paid back. Lockland sued American Tissue for non-payment of the loan and started eminent domain proceedings to take back the mill. The battle ended in April of 2000, the town of Lockland won. American Tissue was required to pay back an Urban Development Action Grant. And on the day that the eminent domain proceeding was to go before the court, American Tissue agreed to sell.
Go to Mike Waddell at
01:07:10
This is an extremely complex and dangerous issue, but if the communities own the hydros we have a say in our future, otherwise we are just bystanders.
Go to Glen -
Well, they do talk about it and they are scared to death.
Selectman Glen Eastman has lived in Gorhm for 48 years and is worried about the families in his town.
Go to Glen at 01:51:
Those younger people who have homes and a couple of kids in college are frightened and rightfully so.
Go to Rodd Ross at 1:39:16
I have a program from 9 to 10 in th emoring called the forum where people call in to express opinions.
Rod Ross works for WMOU and hears on a daily basis how people in his community are feeling about this situation.
Go to Rod at 1:35:42
On one hand pretty badly but we've had this happen for so long that people are looking for other things. I think that it would have been much more difficult if this had happened ten years ago.
As to how they are feeling about the current mill owners?
Go to 01:46:50
That they don't trust them, worried about what's going to happen next, cutting off the puppy dogs tail one inch at a time. It's quite difficult.
Senator Judd Gregg met with Berlin City officials Tuesday. Mayor Danderson took the opportunity to convey the results of a meeting he attended in NY with American Tissue Executives.
Go to Danderson at 2:00:22
My opinion of that meeting is that they have no intention of selling the mill. They would rather run it into the ground. I don't know why, but they will not be selling any time soon.
While the dire straits of the Pulp and Paper of America overwhelmed much of the discussion, several economic development opportunities were discussed, including a federal penitentiary.
Go to Judd at 2:03:04
The Federal Bureau of Prisons is looking to relocate a federal prison in the Northeast..big commitment. If that this the route your community decides to go, I will go to bat for you.
Go to Glen Eastmen
I do hope that Senator Gregg and Senator Smith will hire an economic development specialist for the Berlin Gorham area, put an office up here and come up with a plan that can be implemented that will be in the best interest of north country. That is my hope.
And while some still hope for a Mill resurrection, others are looking for new ways to take control of their financial futures. In the North Country, Theresa Kennett for New Hampshire Outlook.
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Tag Mill Trouble
Representatives from Senator Gregg's office will meet with north country officials next week to discuss economic development opportunities. One of the major topics of discussion will be the infrastructure requirements for a federal penitentiary.
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Court Security
The state Supreme Court today refused to hear a lawsuit on a plan to layoff New Hampshire's District Court officers. The suit was filed by twenty-nine regular and temporary court officers --- who were scheduled to lose their jobs today. They wanted the Supreme Court to delay the layoff plan and declare the state budget unconstitutional. Instead, the high court ruled that the case should be heard in Superior Court. As far as employment now -- court officers have the option of taking lower-paying, per-diem positions.
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Business Outlook
Investors weren't in a buying mood on wall street today. Analysts say there is some nervousness
over the just-released minutes from the June Fed meeting. Some of the central bankers say they want to stop cutting rates to avoid possible inflation.
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Wall Street Stocks
The Dow closed down forty-seven seventy-five. The Nasdaq was down seventeen. and the S&P was off three point twenty-two.
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NH Stocks
Here's a look at stocks of interest to New Hampshire investors. Shares of Chubb were up a dollar-and-forty-three-cents. Fisher Scientific lost a dollar-forty. Keane Corporation was up forty-six cents. Oracle stock lost sixty-three cents. And shares of Pennichuck were down a dollar.
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Into Mt.Wash Bike Race
We'll have your forecast in a minute. But first, we're going to take you on a bike ride. It's 7-point six miles and all uphill through some of the world's most dramatic changes in weather. Some 600 cyclists are looking forward to the grueling challenge this Saturday in the 29th annual Mt. Washington Bicycle Hill Climb. The temperature can change as much as 40 or 50 degrees during the race. Producer Chip Neal follows one rider from the 26th Annual event.
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MT. WASH RACE
This story follows one racer in the 26th Annual Mt. Washington Bicycle Hillclimb. We meet Geoff Hamilton from Marblehead, Ma. He says there is nothing else like this race. 7.6 miles up to the summit of Mt. Washington at 6288 feet. Racers have to contend with up to 22% grades, high winds, and 40 to 50 degree temperature changes. It is a grueling task for the 600 cyclists who race each year. Since this story was taped the new course record is now 50 minutes and 21 seconds set by Tyler Hamilton, Geoff's brother. Race day this year is on Saturday August 25 at 7 AM with starting activities at the base of the Mt. Wahsington Auto Road. All proceeds go to support the Tin Mountain Conservation Center providing environmental education programs to 2000 students in the North Country. for more information go to www.tinmt.org
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Tag Mt. WAsh Bike Race
Geoff Hamilton will be racing once again in this year's event after skipping last years race. His brother, Tyler owns the course record of 50 minutes 21 seconds. Proceeds from the race go to the Tin Mountain Conservation Center, which provides environmental education courses to 2000 children in the North Country.
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Intro Mt. Washington
From the top of the summit now, we go to Katie Koster of the Mount Washington Observatory who tells us what it was like on the summit today and what we can expect for tomorrow.
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MT. WASHINGTON
Katie Koster- reporting - Observer
Picture:
http:/www.mountwashington.org/download/nhptv/08-23-01.JPG
Mt. Washington Observatory\Today on the Summit\High: 59 degrees\Wind: Variable\Mostly cloudy\Visibility: 40 miles
Tonight\North\Mostly cloudy/Chance of showers\Lows: 50 - 55\Winds: N 5 - 10 mph\
Tonight\South\Partly cloudy/Chance of showers\Lows: 55 - 60\Winds: N 5 - 10 mph\
Tomorrow\Statewide\Mostly cloudy in am\Becoming partly sunny\High: 70 - 75\Winds: N 10 mph
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Intro Wedding Anniversary
Last weekend the Great North Woods played host to the social event of the season. The 60th wedding anniversary celebration of Eugene and Marie Beloin. But as producer Chip Neal found out it was actually a celebration of family - a very big family.
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Goodnight
That's it for this edition of New Hampshire Outlook.
We'll be back tomorrow at 7:30.
Good night.
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founders
Thanks to our founding sponsors who have provided major funding for the production of New Hampshire Outlook:
New Hampshire Charitable Foundadtion
Public Service of New Hampshire
Alice J. Reen Charitable Trust
Putnam Foundation
Stratford Foundation
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