LACONIA — Memories of Laconia as it was in the 1960s,70s and 80s were shared with students at Elm Street Elementary School's Family Writing Night on Wednesday.
The event was held in conjunction with a $50,000 Community Planning Grant which the city received last year to prepare overlay zoning districts for mixed-use development and multi-family housing in the downtown and at The Weirs.
As part of that process meetings are being held around the city in which participants are invited to give their input and last night was an opportunity for long-time citizens of Laconia to describe their recollections of the past and their favorite places in Laconia.
Former Laconia Mayor Karl Reitz said that one of his favorite places was the historic home on Parade Road where he and his family made their home for over 20 years.
He said that the home was one of those listed on the Meredith Parade Historic Trail booklet which Gary Apfel created as an Eagle Scout Project in the 1980s.
Ginny Garver French, a 1966 graduate of Laconia High School, said that she remembers a bustling downtown Laconia and trips to the Laconia Library as part of her growing up in the city, where her parents operated a driver education school.
Robert McCallum said that The Weirs was a very active and popular area when he was young and that he would like to see it regain some of its former luster as a destination for local people as well as tourists.
Elm Street School Principal Kevin Michaud said that students will be able to write stories that they heard directly from those whom spoke at the meeting.
City Planner Shauna Sanders said that the information which is being gathered will be incorporated in the plan for the overlay districts, which will incorporate guidelines and standards for architectural design, building placement, streetscapes, pedestrian walkways, traffic flow, parking space, common areas and financing options.

CAPTION:

Ginny Garver French writes about her memories of growing up in Laconia in the 1960s as Leah McCallum, 6, draws pictures at Family Writing Night at Elm Street Elementary School.  (Roger Amsden/ for The Laconia Daily Sun)

GILMANTON — One of three people arrested by police for his role in a burglary ring that was responsible for targeting homes in Gilmanton and Laconia has been sentenced to 12 months in the Belknap County House of Corrections.
Jamie Peterson, 26, formerly of 31 Allens Mill Road pleaded guilty this week in Merrimack County Superior Court to one count of burglary, one count of changing the markings on a gun, and one count of conspiracy to commit burglary.
He will serve 12 months in the county jail in Laconia and is credited with 87 days of pre-trial confinement. On the conspiracy to commit burglary charge he was sentenced to 7 1/2 to 15 years in state prison — all suspended pending seven years of good behavior.
For altering the markings on a weapon, he was sentenced to 12 months in the Belknap County House of Corrections — suspended pending his good behavior.
Peterson was one of three people who were arrested by Gilmanton Police after a Labor Day weekend surveillance of the house where Peterson, Jacqueline Oliver, 25, of 31 Allens Mill Road and Daniel Roberts, 21, of 31 Allens Mill Road.
Chief Joe Collins began the investigation after being informed of a burglary in Gilmanton in which numerous guns were stolen. He noticed the sliding glass doors had been pried open and after calling Belmont police who sent two detective, they found sneaker prints.
While investigating that burglary, Collins got a second call from a nearby home reporting a burglary where the owner reported a number of power tools were taken. Police determined the sneaker tracks were similar to those from the first burglary.
After further investigation, police determined the burglaries were stemming from 31 Allens Mill Road and watched the home until one of his officers saw a man carrying a shot gun and legging a television into the home.
Police applied for a got a search warrant. Working with the Belknap County Special Operations Group, police surrounded the home, raiding it after the two minor children inside had gotten onto the school bus.
Police recovered 17 shot guns and a number of items of jewelry and tools. Because Roberts allegedly linked the burglaries to those in Laconia, Sanbornton and Belmont, police from all four communities worked together to solve the crimes.
According to Collins, Oliver is scheduled for a plea and sentencing in Carroll County Superior court and Roberts is scheduled to appear in Merrimack County Superior Court on May 7.

LACONIA — A report from the Laconia Fire Department of a fire inspection conducted last month at the Belknap County House of Corrections identifies several problems with the facility, including the need to seal junction boxes in the electrical system to prevent short circuits and electrical shocks.
The electrical system, which is located on the floor above the inmate areas, is prone to flooding when there are problems with the heating system and water and concrete salts then enter the non-water proof electrical junction boxes and conduits, creating the risk of a short circuit, which could cause metal parts connected to the system to become energized, posing the threat of a severe electrical shock to anyone who came in contact the parts.
County Administrator Debra Shackett presented the report to the Belknap County Commissioners at their Wednesday morning meeting, noting that Facilities Manager Justin Muzzey was in attendance for the inspection and will address issues at the jail in a prioritized manner as funding allows.
Another problem the report identified is with the electrically controlled door locks which provide secured access to each area of the building. There have been issues with the reliability of the system the report notes, adding that in the event of a fire staff are required to access keys to open doors into exterior impound yards.
''This may take some time based on existing staffing levels and environmental conditions such as snow and heavy rain. Heavy snowfall may prevent the opening of exterior doors or security access gates.'' the report says, recommending that any remote doors should be provided with a reliable means to release locks on all doors and that the control system should be remotely located from the resident areas.
There is also a problem with the control room where staff reports that exterior smoke and odors emanating from the main door air intake/vent enter the room, raising the possibility that the control room operator could be incapacitated by smoke or other agents or that the space could become untenable.
There is also a deficiency in that there is no self-contained breathing apparatus for staff to use in assisting with evacuation of the building. The report recommends that equipment and training requirements for the staff should meet OSHA requirements.
It was also noted that several of the tamper resistant sprinkler heads in the sprinkler system, which covers 85 percent of the building, have been painted over and should be replaced to ensure that they function properly.
Another area of concern is with the use of circuit breakers to control the operation of heating units in housing areas. ''The constant use of these devices as operating switches may limit their effectiveness and cause premature failure'', which the report says could cause a fire in the building wiring or devices attached to the circuit.
There is also a health issue with inadequate hot water, according to the report, which says that none of the faucet sinks which were checked heated quickly enough or hot enough for proper hand washing.
''With these issues it would not be possible for inmates to properly wash hands after using the facilities. The nature of this facility along with the close quarters make the ability for proper hand washing a top priority in infectious control and the safety of the inmates, staff and community at large.''
There is also a problem with the showers, which have ventilation issues.
''Although the staff does a very good job cleaning these areas, it is clear there is a mold like substance in all the areas inspected,'' says the report.
In other business, Commissioners authorized Shackett to spend funds to become a part of the RDS (Retiree Drug Subsidy) program which is available to groups that provide a prescription drug program to their retiree groups that is equivalent to the Medicare Drug benefit.
It requires an actuarial attestation from the county's health care provider that the prescription drug program the county provides qualifies for the Medicare Retiree Drug Subsidy. There is a fee for that testing of $1,500 and a monthly cost of $1 per retiree per month. The total cost of the program should be around $2,000 with a the potential subsidy in the $20,000 to $25,000 range.