orange-st-mug-shots-2The Manchester Police Department executed a search warrant it obtained on November ninth for 1 3 5 Orange St. yesterday.  The cops were looking for drugs, dealers and users.  To be sure, they found that and more after members of Special Enforcement Division and SWAT went into the property.  In addition to finding eighteen people, two hand guns, which suspects tossed from the building as police entered the building, and small amounts of cash, crack cocaine, suboxone strips, alprazolam pills and conazepam, police also found an eighteen month old child.

Two people barricaded themselves into a bedroom during the search.  After evacuating the building, police used tear gas to encourage them to leave the bedroom.  According to their press release, it quote “had the intended effect.”

orange-st-mug-shots-1The eighteen month old was taken into protective custody by the state.

Nine were arrested including:

  • William Pellot Sosa 04/30/88 Charges: Falsifying Physical Evidence (Firearm) Resisting Arrest / Sale Controlled Drug
  • Juan Cortes Lassalle 11/18/86 Charges: Falsifying Physical Evidence (Firearm) Resisting Arrest/ Arrest Warrant Sale Controlled Drug
  • Charles Teague 02/27/72 Charges: Sale Controlled Drug
  • Nicholas Crawford 11/25/93 Charges: Sale Controlled Drug
  • Scott Richards 01/18/86 Charges: Sale Controlled Drug / Warrant other agency
  • Glenn Woodward 02/20/1961 Charges: Resisting arrest/detention
  • Aaron Perry 05/09/81   Charges: Warrant other agency
  • Cassandra Asiaf 01/20/90 Charges: Warrant other agency
  • Charles Ali 09/20/86 Charges: Warrant – Contempt of Court/ Possession Controlled Drug.

The Manchester Fire Department is reporting a decrease in both drug overdoses and related deaths.  Statistics released yesterday by Emergency Services Director Christopher Hickey showed that from May to October of last year, there were four hundred and eight overdoses resulting in forty six deaths.  From May to October of this year, there were three hundred ninety one overdoses with thirty nine deaths.

May was used as the start date to reflect the onset of the Safe Stations Program.

Hickey: Community doing a good job

Hickey: Community doing a good job

In an email to the press, Hickey said, quote:

Something is working.  I know it’s not a huge drop, but with expectations being that there will be a significant increase from 2015’s levels to 2016’s expectations I’d say we are doing a pretty good job as a community.

Eversource scam

Eversource scam

The Candia Police Department is warning of an Eversource scam.  Police say calls threatening to disconnect service are being received in town.  They’re asking residents to report any such call to them at 4 8 3  2 3 1 8 and to Eversource at 8 0 0 6 6 2 7 7 6 4.

News from our own backyard continues after this.

The Committee on Public Safety and Traffic of the Manchester Board of Mayor and Aldermen will hold a special meeting on Monday night at five to hear comments from  residents of Manchester regarding traffic issues in the city’s South End.  As is customary, each person will be given only one opportunity to speak; comments shall be limited to three minutes to allow all participants to speak and any comments must be directed to the Chair.

Gatsas: Something in the works?

Gatsas: Something in the works?

Attached to the agenda were two letters sent to Mayor Ted Gatsas in response to inquiries he’s made regarding the traffic arrangements agreed to by Walmart as part of its site plan development.  In the letters, City Solicitor Tom Clark said it was his opinion that quote

the imposition of conditions that have been met by Walmart have no effect on the jurisdiction of the Traffic Committee to enact future changes to the traffic regulations of the City (sic).

Planning and Community Development Director Leon LaFreniere wrote  that Walmart had met the Planning Board’s conditions and that the board is quote

not bound by actions of the planning board regarding subsequent decisions they make to the city’s street system.  Should the Board of Mayor and Aldermen determine that alternative traffic measures are appropriate, any changes the BMA might implement would have no impact on the Certificate of Occupancy I issued for Walmart.

So, the upshot is residents will finally get the say they were promised  meeting and it looks like the mayor’s got something in the works.

Vargas: Launches listening tour

Vargas: Launches listening tour

Manchester’s new School Superintendent Dr. Bolgen Vargas has announced a series of informal gatherings to talk about education in the city.  The sessions will be for any Manchester resident, student or district employee.  A morning and afternoon session will be held each month at a different school.  All are welcome, no matter where in Manchester you live.  Vargas says he’s eager to hear from faculty, staff, parents and other members of the community who has questions or wish to offer thoughts on how to best meet the educational needs of the city’s school children.  We’ll publish the entire schedule, which starts this month at Bakersville Elementary School at seven thirty in the morning.

Vargas also submitted a proposed budget time-line for this coming Monday’s meeting of the Board of School Committee.  It’s clear that he’s going to engage the community in that process, too, so stay tuned as details are finalized.

That’s news from our own backyard!  Girard at Large hour ___ is next!

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