Posted Thursday, May 1, 2008 Milford Drive-In Still Packs 'Em In Celebrating is 50th anniversary this year By Nancy Foster Milford Observer Correspondent There are fewer than 400 drive-in movie theatres remaining in the United States, but the Milford Drive-In, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, is still going strong. Fifty-years ago, a fellow named Bob Goodrich built the Milford Drive-In in the middle of a corn field in the west end of town. With the sounds of spring in the background, folks from all over the region would head out to the Drive-In, packed into station wagons and hot-rods. [read more]

Posted Thursday, May 1, 2008 New Pastor Called at First Baptist First Sunday as pastor is July 6 On April 20, Dr. Ronald J. Bouthillette (Pastor Ron) was called to be the new pastor of Milford First Baptist Church. His calling marked the end of a two-year search by the Pastoral Search Committee and the beginning of an exciting new chapter in the life of First Baptist. Pastor Ron’s first Sunday with First Baptist will be July 6th. He replaces Rev. Dana Miller, who retired two years ago, after leading the church for over 25 years. [read more]

Posted Thursday, April 24, 2008

Richard Jones Remembered at Ceremony
"He got to be called a hero."
By Nancy Foster
Milford Observer Correspondent

As more than 100 people crowded into the Harley-Sanford VFW Post to pay their respects to the family of Richard Jones on April 10, it became clear that the local boy who was killed aboard the USS Thresher 45 years ago hasn’t been forgotten.

Jones, who grew up on the family farm in the west end of Milford, died on April 10, 1963, when the USS Thresher, a nuclear submarine built at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, came apart off the shores of Cape Cod. [read more]

Posted Sunday, April 6, 2008

Police Search for Gas Station Robber
By Peter Bragdon
Milford Observer Publisher

Milford police are searching for a man alleged to have robbed Stoney's Tire Service at about 9:00 Saturday night. The suspect allegedly used physical force while taking cash from the attendant at the gas station located at 742 Elm Street. The suspect, who fled on foot, is described as a male in his late teens or early twenties with an Hispanic accent, 6'-1" tall, 180 pounds. He was last seen wearing baggy blue jeans, baggy blue hooded sweatshirt, a blue LA Dodgers ball cap, and a blue bandana covering his face. The suspect is considered dangerous.

Anyone with information about this incident is urged to call the Milford Police Department's detective division at 673-7742.

Two police sketches of the suspect, based on interviews with the girls. Posted Thursday, April 3, 2008 Second Abduction Attempt Alleged Milford police believe the incidents may be related By Nancy Bean Foster Milford Observer Correspondent A second abduction attempt in two days by what appears to be the same suspect has the town on high alert. Tuesday night at around 7:30 pm, a 15-year-old girl was walking eastbound along Nashua Street near the Milford Oval when she was approached by a man in a green compact car with New Hampshire plates. According to police, as the girl was walking along the sidewalk, the car pulled up ahead of her and stopped. As she drew nearer to the vehicle, the driver, whom the girl did not know, rolled down his window and asked if she needed a ride home. The girl said no, and continued walking. The man pursued her in his vehicle, driving alongside her, trying to convince her to get in the car. As the girl continued to refuse a ride, the man sped off. The girl and her parents reported the incident to police on Monday night. [read more]

Photo by Dick Tortorelli

Posted Thursday, April 3, 2008

Fire Damages West Street Home
By Peter Bragdon
Milford Observer Publisher

A smoky fire Saturday evening, March 22, caused extensive damage to a single-family home at 83 West Street, the same home extensively damaged in a fire ten years ago.

According to Fire Chief Frank Fraitzl, crews were summoned to the home at about 7:15 that Saturday evening and arrived to find fire on the first floor of the two-story home, with smoke throughout the building. Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the fire and search the home for occupants, Fraitzl said.

One occupant was transported to Southern NH Medical center for non-life threatening injuries; there were no injuries to firefighters.

Crews from Amherst and Mont Vernon covered the Milford station while Milford's firefighters were at the scene.

The home was the scene of a fire ten years ago. Former Fire Chief Dick Tortorelli recalls the earlier fire "pretty much gutted" the building then.