Thursday, August 2, 2012

Flume Gorge closed because of a power outage (UPDATE)


UPDATE:
Power restored at NH's Flume Gorge

FRANCONIA, N.H.—The New Hampshire State Parks agency says the Flume Gorge and Visitor Center are back in business following a power outage.

The attraction at Franconia Notch State Park is a natural granite gorge extending 800 feet at the base of Mount Liberty.

The visitor center explains the history of the park.

The attraction was without power early Thursday, but was restored later in the day.

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FRANCONIA, N.H. - The New Hampshire State Parks agency said the Flume Gorge and Visitor Center was closed for the day Thursday because of a power outage.

The attraction at Franconia Notch State Park is a natural granite gorge extending 800 feet at the base of Mount Liberty.

The visitor center explains the history of the park.

The attraction is expected to reopen Friday.



Read more: http://www.nhstateparks.org/explore/state-parks/flume-gorge.aspx

Pittsfield Mass. Woman finds rattlesnake on porch

A Berkshire County woman got quite a surprise when she went out to enjoy her porch one day last week.

Elizabeth Hayes McGraw says as she was greeted by the family dog out of the corner of her eye she saw a 4-foot long timber rattlesnake.

McGraw tells The Berkshire Eagle she screamed, grabbed the dog, jumped inside and called police.

She sent a picture to the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife district office in Dalton, which confirmed it was a poisonous rattlesnake.

The snakes are classified as endangered in Massachusetts and sightings are extremely rare.

Tom Tyning, a professor at Berkshire Community College, who's been studying rattlesnakes in the Berkshires for more than 20 years, returned the snake the wild.

Source: http://ow.ly/cGAk5

Boston News, Weather, Sports | FOX 25 | MyFoxBoston

Woman lifts car off her father and saves his life

Lauren Kornacki learned CPR several times. For years she's worked as a lifeguard.

The 22-year-old just graduated from Mary Washington with a physics degree, but while looking for work, she decided to return to something familiar to earn a little money.

Two days ago, her supervisor held a review session on CPR skills. On Saturday Lauren used what she learned to save her father's life.

"I opened up his airway to make sure he could breathe and everything and at that point I'm just telling him, talking to him," said Lauren.

"You can't leave me. Just stay with me. Keep breathing." Lauren's father, Alec, was working on his car, a BMW 525i. The jack slipped and the car fell on top of him.

Lauren was on her way out the door when she came upon him, unconscious and crushed. "As I go to open the garage door I hear a primal scream, like...dial 911!" said Lauren's mother, Liz.

That scream was Lauren discovering her father. "There was no tire," said Lauren. Seconds later, she did what most would consider unthinkable, she moved a car weighing a ton and a half off her father's body.

 "I just lifted up kind of right here and just kind of threw it, shoved my body as hard as I could then I came back and dragged him out and started CPR," Lauren said.

"It flashed like, I'm going to lose my dad. His eyes were open, he wasn't responding to me. I knew I had to get his heart beating again and I had to get him breathing."

And in that moment, with those skills and strength, she was the only person keeping her Daddy alive. "I'm just telling him, talking to him. You can't leave me," said Lauren. "Just stay with me. Keep breathing."

 Her father is still in the ICU, but walking and finally getting the chance to thank Lauren. "I told him what happened," said Liz. "He just, the tears just come to his eyes. He said thank you for saving my life and she just smiled her blue eyed smile and that was it."

 "Just seeing him move and breathing I literally just sat there and was watching his chest rise and that's when I lost it," said Lauren. "I just couldn't handle it." Liz says Lauren is the reason Alec is alive.

She says he was without oxygen and a heart beat for less than five minutes. "She got his heart beating again and got him breathing again," said Liz. "So, she's it. He gave her life and then he gave her life. I am in awe of her.

She is the day. She saved the day. I can't even tell you how proud I am of her."

Alec's doctors didn't want him to speak to the press just yet, because he's still in the ICU.

 He has several broken ribs, some numbness, and other fractures, but nothing that appears to be permanent damage.

 He also asked us to share this statement: "I'm just so lucky and proud that I have daughters that can perform CPR and have the knowledge to save lives. I think it's an important skill for everyone to know and if it weren't for Lauren I would not be alive today."

Alec has three daughters. All three know CPR.





Wednesday, August 1, 2012

84-year-old Ohio Hiker rescued in NH mountains

CONCORD,N.H. (AP) - New Hampshire fish and game officials say they have safely rescued an 84-year-old man who became lost while hiking in the Ossipee Mountains.

State Conservation Officer Dale Gargac said New Hampshire Fish and Game authorities got a 911 call Wednesday afternoon from Victor Hobden of Bellbrook, Ohio, saying he had lost his way in the vicinity of Mt Shaw (2,989 ft).

Gargac said he was found about a mile from a logging road, and safely brought out on an all-terrain vehicle.

Gargac said the man wasn't familiar with the area and was hiking alone without a map, GPS or compass.


65th Annual lobster festival held in Rockland, Maine



Some 60000 people are expected to descend on Rockland Maine over the next five days for the 62 annual Maine lobster festival this year in particular lobster dinner hoping that love affair with lobster. Last long after the party is over there's anything insane racing Claire.

Individual home run a mile long high tonight.

Kenya tunes arrival in Rockland arbor signals the start of the -- but the real king of this festival of course is lobster. And -- wow. I thought that by the way is three lobsters with more -- then you should tell your doctor about. And that I said I'm not a big -- who had -- real big. It's not pretty but it is pretty good. Each comment. The festival will Shell out more than 20000 monsters between now and Sunday all prepared right in front of -- lobster and loving public.

We have the world's greatest lobster cut there which can cut. 16100 pounds of lobster every fifteen minutes so that is -- shown itself that it must say. Lucky season pretty industries so there are a lot of their retailing kind of -- dollars a pound in many places and -- of -- on the market. -- and say they'll take all the help they can dad. Most of men working with festivals say while they may not profit directly from the event. It's great promotion for an industry that employs some 6000 maniacs.

General Admission Wednesday, the first day of the Maine Lobster Festival opens at noon and closing at 10pm. Admission is reduced to $5/adults, $2/children (ages 6-12 yrs). This is new for the 2012 festival. Our free day has been moved to Sunday.

Thursday through Saturday admission is $8/adults, $2/children (ages 6 to 12 yrs). Children age 5 and under are free. Sunday, our Hometown Day is our NEW "Family Fun Day" and admission is free for all ages.Discounted 4-pack of 1-day tickets are now available for this year.

The price for the 4-pack of tickets is $25 for adults (a $29 value) and $8 for children 6 to 12 yrs old. These passes will be available for sale at the Main Gate on Wednesday and Thursday of the Festival and online.

The Festival site, at Rockland's Harbor Park, is easy to find. Rockland is four hours by car from Boston and less than two hours from Portland. You can also take the train from Brunswick to Rockland with Maine Eastern Railroad.

You can use our Map to find your way around town, and get specific directions from your location by visiting Google Maps or Travel and Directions from the Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce.