DUI arrests in Portsmouth

Sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols last weekend resulted in a total of 24 arrests in just two nights, spurring police to step up enforcement of drunken driving.

The Seacoast DUI Task Force, composed of a number of state and local agencies, established sobriety checkpoints on Maplewood Avenue and Market Street on Friday, July 7. According to a release from the Portsmouth Police Department, the checkpoints netted 15 arrests between the hours of 10 p.m. on Friday and 2 a.m. the following morning. Police charged 12 individuals with driving under the influence and one with operating after suspension. Charges were not brought against one arrestee, and charges against another were still pending.

On Saturday night, Portsmouth police and state troopers initiated a saturation patrol, putting extra officers on the street to look for drunk drivers until early Sunday morning. The patrol yielded nine more arrests, eight for driving under the influence and one for disobeying an officer and operating after suspension.

Portsmouth police called the high number of arrests “alarming” and said they represent a “major public safety concern for the city and surrounding Seacoast towns.” Police will continue to conduct sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols throughout the the summer to keep drunk drivers off the roads.

Most of those arrested over the weekend were from New Hampshire, but others were from Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New York. The oldest person arrested was a 60-year-old man, while the youngest was only 18. The N.H. Highway Safety Agency funded additional saturation patrols in surrounding communities, resulting in more DUI arrests. Volunteers from MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) and police cadets from Portsmouth and Dover assisted with the sobriety checkpoints in Portsmouth.

The Portsmouth Police Department pointed to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicating that alcohol was involved in 39 percent of the fatal crashes that occurred in 2005, resulting in 16,885 deaths.

“Someday, we hope to report zero DUI arrests as the result of our efforts,” the release states. “Until then, we will continue to aggressively patrol our streets in an effort to apprehend drunk drivers throughout the Seacoast.” 

park to replace old Portsmouth water tower

Construction on a new park near the intersection of Islington and Essex streets is scheduled to begin within the next month. With the old water tower removed, the property is open for improvements, and it didn’t take long for the city to make use of the space.

“The last time we painted the tower (was) around 10 or 15 years ago, when they did the inspection they found that the rivets were deteriorated and they probably wouldn’t make it to another paint cycle,” said Portsmouth Public Works deputy director David Allen. “It was a small tank, just under 200,000 gallons, and we’ve accommodated for the loss with the improvements to the large tank out at Lafayette.” By the time inspection was completed, plans were already in the works for a park in the area. But construction cannot begin until preliminary work is conducted on the nearby historic powder house. The circular brick building dates back to the early 1800s and was previously used to store ammunition for the city. It will be incorporated as an exhibit in the new park.

“The house and tank were on the same property,” said Allen. “Now, with the tank gone, the powder house becomes much more prominent, and we’re currently doing restoration on it.” The park is to be mostly a garden area, planned and funded by the Portsmouth Garden Club, which donated $500 to the city to plant a variety of floral decorations. “We’re going to put in a brick walkway up to a circular garden, and then a walkway to the powder house,” said Allen. “We’re also going to use some large curved granite blocks taken from the foundation of the water tank to use as benches.”

Schematics for the park show a garden area with circles of peony, phlox and tulips surrounding a single river birch tree. Lilac bushes will grace the entrance to the powder house. Portsmouth residents can expect the small park to be finished sometime in early fall. 

Lucky 7 reopens

Following an extensive winter renovation, Lucky 7 celebrated its grand reopening on Saturday, July 7. The unique downtown art shop on Sheafe Street has honed its focus on a new motto: recycle, renew, reuse.

Owner RickaMae said all the crafts available in the shop come from recycled or reused materials, collected with a trained eye for artistic potential. Products include clocks made with children’s books and cookie tins, charm bracelets laced with assorted trinkets, urban bags fashioned from billboards, plastic mirrors and more. The “eco-conscious art” was created by RickaMae and other artists who use recycled materials.

Lucky 7 is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays, noon to 8 p.m. on Thursdays, noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays, and limited hours on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. For more information call 433-4377. —MK

independent to challenge Sununu

Another candidate has thrown his name into the bidding to unseat beleaguered Republican Senator John Sununu. Loudon resident Shawn Girard, who has no prior political experience, recently announced his candidacy to run against Sununu as an Independent in the 2008 election.

Girard joins three Democrats who have announced their intentions to unseat Sununu. Katrina Swett, Portsmouth Mayor Steve Marchand and former astronaut Jay Buckey have already launched their campaigns. Many Democrats are hoping former Governor Jeanne Shaheen will also run against Sununu, although Shaheen has not indicated that she will do so.

Girard admits he is a political newcomer, but says he is committed to initiating positive change for the state and the country. He has four children and is currently director of information technology at Residential Resources, a human services company for developmentally disabled clients, based out of Keene.

The latest candidate presents himself as a refreshing alternative to mainstream Republicans and Democrats. “There are no solutions to be found in the major parties,” Girard states in his campaign announcement. “There are more than two opinions in America today and I think voters are becoming too savvy to accept two sides of the same coin as their only choices.” Girard vows to use donations from New Hampshire citizens to fund his campaign. He accuses Sununu and other politicians of funding their campaigns with donations from sources outside the state and said that such candidates fail to represent the interests of New Hampshire people.