Friday, May 25, 2012

Manchester NH Middle school students snare mysterious reptile


MANCHESTER, N.H. - Two Manchester middle school students got the catch of a lifetime at Steven's Pond on Friday.

They fished a reptile resembling a small alligator out of the pond.

Seventh-graders Eric Vaughan Jr. and Jesse Philbin love to fish, and they caught the big one Friday.

"I saw it today and we ended up getting it," Vaughan said.

It's not clear exactly what the reptile is yet, but police said it could be a Cayman.

"It was just a mean-looking creature," Philbin said.

For two weeks, the Manchester middle-schoolers have been wading into Steven's Pond looking for what residents referred to as an alligator.

They had been looking around Friday afternoon and baited a hook determined to reel in the reptile.

"He took it and the hook got hooked in his mouth, and we dragged him over, and we got him in the net," Vaughan said. "It's bigger than any fish I've ever caught."

The teens said the reptile put up a big fight.

Source: http://www.wmur.com/news/nh-news/Middle-school-students-snare-mysterious-reptile/-/9857858/14229604/-/x1cgra/-/index.html#ixzz1vwbgr28A

Mohawk Trail State Forest Reopen after Tropical Storm Irene

Photo Credit: Dave Peatfield
CHARLEMONT, Mass. — A popular state forest is back open after getting battered by Tropical Storm Irene.

The Mohawk Trail State Forest was closed for months after the storm, but campers are finally back on the grounds.

The Loftus family is enjoying a family camping trip at the Mohawk Trail State Forest.

“It’s really nice, my first time here, but it’s really cool to be on the river with the mountains in the backround,” says Sarah.






Photo Credit: Dave Peatfield
It wasn’t so peaceful here last August when Tropical Storm Irene hit.

Massive rain caused big flooding problems here, washing away some campsites and even part Route 2 leading to the state forest was washed away.

Brendan Loftus says they were here soon after that.


“We just went for a cruise, not specifically to see the damage kind of a fall foliage. We couldn’t get over how bad the damage was,” says Brendan.

Photo Credit: Dave Peatfield
A lot of Franklin County took a beating by the storm, especially here.

These camp sites weren’t open for the fall season because the damage here at the state forest was so bad, they couldn’t open until after the new year.

After months of clean up and repairs, it’s business, or camping, as usual.

” We did some hiking this morning and now we’re going kayaking have you noticed any damage along the way? Not really its been pretty good,” says Kate Loftus.


Photo Credit: Dave Peatfield
“It’s amazing how much they’ve accomplished in that amount of time. The way they rebuilt a lot of the area, like the rocks to channel the river and prevent future damage.”

Now the only worry here is having enough wood for the camp fire to keep the mosquitoes away.

Not only is the Mohawk tTrail State Forest open in time for Memorial Day, the campground is booked solid for the weekend.
Photo Credit: Dave Peatfield

2 car accident on 495S turns highway into a parking lot for over an hour in Haverhill



A two-vehicle crash with serious personal injury occurred on Interstate 495 South, just south of exit 52 in Haverhill, around 8:05 tonight, according to state police.

Both sides of the highway were closed for well over an hour for the landing of a medical helicopter and investigation.

The cars involved were a snarled mess and appears the occupants of one vehicle needed to be removed with the Jaws of Life.

The vehicles involved are a 1999 Pontiac Grand Am and a 2006 Hyundai Elantra. Reports were that a female alone hit the second car with a male driver and small child. All were sent / flown to Lawrence General Hospital.

My family and I had the misfortune of sitting in traffic less than a thousand yards from the crash site while the state police investigated the scene.

Traffic was reported to be backed up to 95S.

12 year old falls 30 ft off rock face on Mt Major


ALTON, N.H. - Rescuers from a number of Lakes Region communities rescued a 12-year-old and his 46-year-old uncle who were injured on Mt. Major this afternoon.

According to Fish and Game officers at the scene, the 12-year-old fell an unknown distance around 4 p.m. When his uncle rushed to help him, he fell 30 feet off a rock face. His fall was stopped by a tree, authorities said.

A registered nurse in the family who was hiking with them provided first aid. The family used a cellphone to call 911 and rescuers were able to track their GPS location through the phone.

Emergency crews reached them in about 3 1/2 hours.

They both had to be carried off the mountain and were taken to a nearby hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.

New Hampshire Fish and Game provided assistance along with crews from Alton, Gilford, Gilmanton and New Durham.



Read more: http://www.wmur.com/news/nh-news/Boy-uncle-rescued-on-Mt-Major/-/9857858/14219484/-/2m9u7sz/-/index.html#ixzz1vwBpyDvR