Also on today’s menu:
Maine Murder Victim’s Remains Found In Stark
Biden To Sign Foreign Aid Package Today
Governor Chris Sununu and Department of Administrative Services Commissioner Charlie Arlinghaus are putting a positive spin on the cancellation of a purchase-and-sales agreement with a potential developer of the former Laconia State School property, announcing on April 23 “that the 217 Lakes Region acres … is [sic] now back on the market. After much work over the last few years by the State, city, and interested developers who have pored over the property, the site is poised to become perhaps the premier www.217acresforsalelaconianh.com.”
Sununu said, “The opportunity to redevelop the Laconia State School property into a vibrant economic and community center is immense. The hard work has already been done to prepare the property for sale. I remain optimistic that another buyer will see the opportunity, and when they come knocking, we stand ready to move quickly.”
The announcement continued, “The state has been actively moving toward redevelopment of the property following years of work by the Lakeshore Redevelopment Commission. A promising development had done more than a year’s worth of work and coordination with the state and city before the previous buyer was unable to fulfill the terms of the sales agreement.”
Arlinghaus said, “The possibility of this unique property in this amazing location being back on the market has generated a remarkable amount of interest. I think the next chapter of this story promises to be something good for the State and Great for Laconia. I’m excited about the possibilities.”
Discussion: As previously reported, the”promising development” was flawed from the start by Arlinghaus’ failure to look into the prospective developer’s background, and the Executive Council’s decision to go ahead with the purchase-and-sales agreement despite the revelations about Robyn Alexander by reporter Annmarie Timmons. It’s interesting that Sununu, who yanked the sales preparation effort away from the Lakeshore Redevelopment Planning Commission in the belief that he could do a better job of getting the property the market, is now giving the commission some credit. Note that the 220-acre property is now described as 217 acres, reflecting a carve-out of three acres that the state will retain.
Maine Murder Victim’s Remains Found In Stark
The remains of a man missing from Windham ME, discovered in Stark NH in April, have been positively identified, and a Leeds ME suspect has been charged in his murder, according to New Hampshire Attorney-General John M. Formella, New Hampshire State Police Colonel Mark Hall, and New Hampshire Fish and Game Colonel Kevin J. Jordan.
Members of New Hampshire State Police and the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, with assistance by the Maine State Police, Windham (ME) Police Department, and Maine Warden Service, had discovered the body during a search in the Stark area on April 19. Deputy Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Mitchell L. Weinberg conducted an autopsy that concluded that the body was that of 34-year-old Alex Jackson and that he was the victim of homicide, although the exact cause and manner of death are being withheld
Jackson was reported missing in May 2023. The Maine Attorney-General’s Homicide Unit has charged Joseph Chute, 30, of Leeds ME with causing Jackson’s death, and the charge was filed in Maine’s Androscoggin County Superior Court.
Discussion: Authorities are not saying why they decided to conduct the search in Stark, referring questions to the Office of the Maine Attorney-General and saying no further information will be forthcoming in the immediate future.
Biden To Sign Foreign Aid Package Today
President Joe Biden Jr. expects to sign legislation today that will allow the United States to begin sending $61 billion in fresh weapons and equipment to Ukraine within days after the Senate on April 23, in a bipartisan 79-18 vote, approved a $95 billion foreign aid package that also includes military support for Israel and Taiwan.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the vote, which follows the House passage of aid over the weekend, “reinforces America’s role as a beacon of democracy and leader of the free world”.
The Senate had passed a similar aid package in February, but conservatives, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, had prevented it from coming to a vote in the House of Representatives. Johnson finally broke with the most conservative House members who wanted to withhold aid and allow Russia to take over Ukraine, even though it could lead to his removal from the speaker’s role.
Discussion: The bill also included provisions to confiscate Russian assets in Western banks; impose new sanctions on Russia, Iran, and China; and force ByteDance to sell TikTok so the company will not be subject to China’s control.