New Hampshire

Hundreds evacuated after fire breaks out near New Hampshire theater during concert

Published

2 years ago

April 21, 2024

Hundreds evacuated after fire breaks out near New Hampshire theater during concert

About 450 people were evacuated from the Flying Monkey Performance Center in Plymouth, New Hampshire, Saturday evening after a fire broke out near the theater, according to firefighters.

Firefighters were dispatched to the area of 41 to 45 Main St. around 9:10 p.m. for a report that multiple buildings were on fire, the Plymouth Fire Department said in a press release. The Flying Monkey’s manager had noticed the fire and called 911.

At the scene, firefighters found heavy flames at the empty building, which used to house Peppercorn Farm Market & Cafe and Downtown Pizza, the fire department said. The fire soon climbed from two alarms to three alarms, and eventually, firefighters from 16 different departments responded.

Next door, the Flying Monkey was near capacity for a concert by Foreigners Journey — an 80s rock music tribute band, according to the fire department. All the concert-goers, staff and artists were evacuated from the building without incident.

“Containing the fire proved to be a challenge due to the proximity of the buildings, as well as the fact that one building had multiple ceilings, and roof structures that had to be accessed,” the fire department wrote in the release.

After moving to a “defensive operation,” firefighters got the fire under control, according to the fire department. One firefighter was treated at Speare Memorial Hospital for a shoulder injury and later released.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, according to the fire department.

The Motet was set to play at the Flying Monkey Sunday night, but the show has been cancelled due to the fire, according to the concert venue. Ticket holders should look for an email from the ticketing company for further instructions.

“While we sustained only minor smoke damage, it will take a few days for us to perform necessary recovery efforts,” the Flying Monkey wrote on its website. ” … Thanks for your understanding and for your outpouring of support. We are grateful for our community and our fans.”

The Flying Monkey is a historic venue that dates back to the 1920s, during which it hosted sold-out showings of silent movies, according to its website. The theater eventually closed and fell into disrepair, but reopened in 2010 after being purchased and renovated by the owner of The Common Man — a local chain of restaurants and inns that has a location in Plymouth.

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New Hampshire

N.H. woman accused of civil rights violation after allegedly shooting at lost man because he was Black

Published

6 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

N.H. woman accused of civil rights violation after allegedly shooting at lost man because he was Black

Local News

Diane Durgin, 67, is accused of shooting at a Black man who inadvertently drove to her property after a prearranged truck part sale, prosecutors said.

A New Hampshire woman is accused of violating the state’s Civil Rights Act four times after she allegedly shot at a man because he was Black, prosecutors said.

Diane Durgin, 67, of Weare, N.H. could face up to a $5,000 fine for each violation she is found to have committed, the office of New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella said in a press release Tuesday.

Durgin is also charged with criminal threatening against a person with a deadly weapon and attempted first degree assault with a deadly weapon, Michael Garrity, a media representative for the New Hampshire Attorney General, said in an emailed statement to Boston.com.

Durgin had a final pre-trial conference last week, Garrity said.

In a civil complaint filed Tuesday, Durgin is accused of threatening physical force against the victim, the AG said. Prosecutors asked the court to issue a preliminary injunction barring Durgin from repeating her alleged behavior and from contacting the victim and his family.

During the morning hours of Oct. 20, 2024, the victim claims, he “mistakenly” drove to Durgin’s home after a prearranged purchase of a truck part with a seller online, prosecutors wrote as part of their request for an injunction.

When the man — whom prosecutors identified in court documents as X.G. — arrived, Durgin allegedly stepped out of her home and approached his car with a gun “holstered by her waist,” prosecutors wrote.

Upon noticing that X.G. was Black, Durgin allegedly “removed her gun and pointed it at X.G.,” prosecutors said in the injunction request.

While X.G. explained that he was lost, Durgin called the victim a “Black mother[expletive],” and threatened to “kill him,” prosecutors allege.

As the victim attempted to drive away, Durgin allegedly took her gun and fired two shots at the fleeing man’s car, missing both times, the AG’s office said.

While on the phone with a dispatcher, Durgin allegedly said she shot the man’s car because the victim is Black, the AG said.

“The guy is Black. And he, he…he says he’s meeting someone here and I think he’s coming here to steal,” Durgin allegedly said.

Police located X.G. and brought him to the Weare Police Department, stopping along the way at the correct seller’s home to complete the truck part purchase, prosecutors wrote in court documents.

To prove a violation of the New Hampshire Civil Rights Act, the AG must show that Durgin “interfered or attempted to interfere with the rights of the victim to engage in lawful activities by threatening to engage in or actually engage in physical force or violence, when such actual or threatening conduct was motivated by race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, sex, gender identity, or disability,” prosecutors said.

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New Hampshire

Up to 4 inches of snow expected in NH tonight. See latest forecast

Published

18 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Up to 4 inches of snow expected in NH tonight. See latest forecast

It may be March, but winter in New Hampshire is far from over. Just one week after a blizzard tore through the state with heavy snow and high winds, the state is getting another round of snowfall.

The state will get three to five inches during the evening and night of Tuesday, March 3, says the National Weather Service (NWS) of Gray, Maine. While the accumulation will not be significant, the snowfall may cause dangerous road conditions and a layer of ice on the ground in certain parts of the state.

Here’s what to know before tonight’s snow in New Hampshire, including snow totals and timing.

When will it snow in NH tonight?

According to the NWS, it will start snowing in New Hampshire during mid-afternoon or early evening and continue through the night. Specifically, snow will arrive to the southern part of the state around 2-3 p.m., spreading northwards through the rest of New Hampshire by 5 p.m.

Rain or freezing rain will mix in later this evening across southern New Hampshire, creating a wintry mix. All precipitation should move out of the state by midnight.

Due to the timing of today’s snowfall, the Tuesday evening commute will be affected, with the NWS warning to slow down and exercise caution while driving.

How much snow will NH get tonight?

New Hampshire will get one to four inches of snow tonight, with one to two inches in northern New Hampshire, two to three inches in southern New Hampshire and three to four inches in the center of the state, with the possibility for five inches in localized areas.

In the Seacoast specifically, Portsmouth, Rye, Hampton and York are expected to get between two to three inches of snow, while Dover, Exeter and Rochester may get up to four.

The wintry mix may also cause a light glaze of ice across southern New Hampshire.

NH weather watches and warnings

The NWS has issued a winter weather advisory for the state of New Hampshire, in effect from 1 p.m. on Tuesday, March 3 through 4 a.m. on Wednesday, March 4.