New Hampshire
Judge expected to rule quickly on fate of New Hampshire motor vehicle inspections
A federal judge is expected to decide soon on whether New Hampshire can proceed with its plan to end mandatory motor vehicle inspections on Jan. 31, or if doing so would put the state out of compliance with the federal Clean Air Act.
Lawyers for Gordon-Darby, the Kentucky-based firm that provides emissions testing equipment to more than 1,000 automobile repair shops statewide, told Judge Landya McCafferty on Thursday that the state’s termination of vehicle testing requires approval from the federal Environmental Protection Agency, something the state has not yet obtained.
Until New Hampshire receives that permission, said Allison Wood, Gordon-Darby’s attorney, emissions testing “remains enforceable under federal law.” A spokesperson for the EPA has said it could take as long as 18 months for the federal government to rule on the state’s request to end mandatory vehicle inspections.
Lawyers for the state contend that the company can’t yet seek to block the repeal of inspections because, for at least through the end of this month, those inspections are still mandatory.
They also told the judge that a decision from the EPA may not take a full 18 months: “This is not an ordinary case,” said Mark Lucas, an assistant attorney general for New Hampshire.
After hearing nearly two hours of arguments on a request to block the repeal of testing, McCafferty said she was concerned about “whiplash” for motorists who have been told inspections were set to expire. She also questioned the state on why it took six months from the passage of the repeal for it to submit its request to the EPA. McCafferty is expected to decide on Gordon-Darby’s request for an injunction blocking the repeal of testing by the end of the month.
Republican lawmakers in Concord included a provision ending mandatory inspections as part of the state budget passed last summer. Supporters said that there was little evidence that unsafe vehicles were the leading cause of crashes in the state, and that motorists should have the choice of whether or not to have their vehicles serviced.
Local car dealers and automobile repair shops, as well as personal injury lawyers, have warned about an inevitable increase in unsafe vehicles on New Hampshire roads without mandatory inspections. Some mechanics have said they plan to offer voluntary inspections for drivers who want their vehicle looked over.
Following the passage of the state budget, which contained the repeal of inspections, the New Hampshire Department of Safety and Department of Environmental Services began the process of submitting a request to the federal government to waive the emissions standards. But that formal request was not submitted until December. Before the EPA can approve or deny the state’s application, it will need to collect public comment on the matter.
Starting Feb. 1, New Hampshire will be in violation of the Clean Air Act if it no longer requires inspections, lawyers for Gordon-Darby said in court.
Gordon-Darby has a longstanding contract with New Hampshire to be the sole provider of emissions testing equipment, but there is no direct financial arrangement. Instead, Gordon-Darby receives a payment directly from repair shops each time they perform an inspection. In 2026, the firm expected to generate more than $4 million in revenue, money now in jeopardy.
Lawyers for the state told McCafferty that Gordon-Darby has the right to sue if it feels there has been a contractual violation, but that it doesn’t have standing to sue the government under provisions of the Clean Air Act.
Thursday’s hearing did not focus on the environmental impact of ending emissions testing. Data provided by the state shows that about 5% of vehicles have failed inspection due to excessive tailpipe emissions, on average, over the past 5 years, and that the number continues to decline, likely because more electric vehicles are on the roads.
With the Jan. 31 deadline looming, many New Hampshire drivers have already begun skipping inspections. Gordon-Darby said that in November, there were 33% fewer inspections performed than in the same month last year, despite the mandate still being in effect.
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New Hampshire
Missing motorcyclist found dead after crash in Shelburne, NH
A New Hampshire motorcyclist who had been missing since the Fourth of July was found dead in Shelburne late Thursday night.
State police say they received a request from the Berlin Police Department just after 7:30 p.m. Thursday for help locating 41-year-old Wesley Grondin — the Berlin man was last seen riding his motorcycle on Saturday, July 4, and had been reported missing.
Troopers received a call a couple of hours later, around 10:10 p.m. Thursday, from a concerned resident who had been out looking for Grondin along Route 2 in Shelburne. The person told police they had found Grondin dead, along with his Harley Davidson.
According to state police, a preliminary investigation determined that Grondin was riding his Harley on Route 2 westbound in Shelburne when, for reasons that remain under investigation, he crossed over into the opposing lane, struck a post, and came to a final rest in the wood line.
The crash is believed to have occurred just before midnight on July 4. At this time, police say there’s no indication that another vehicle or person was involved.
All aspects of the crash remain under investigation, however. Anyone with information that may assist investigators is asked to contact Trooper Hunter Newsham at Hunter.P.Newsham@dos.nh.gov.
New Hampshire
Nashua, NH, woman jailed for falsifying marriage to claim late man’s estate
KEENE, N.H. — A Nashua woman who had a town clerk falsely certify a marriage that never happened so she could claim her late partner’s property has been sentenced to seven days in jail, placed on probation and ordered to repay thousands to his estate.
Attorney General John Formella said Wendy Leedberg‑Snow, 60, turned to Winchester Town Clerk Jim Tetreault after the death of her longtime partner, Eric Leedberg — who was born in Lowell — using the falsified license to pose as his spouse and lay claim to property from his estate, an effort prosecutors describe as an attempt to rewrite the couple’s history for financial gain.
“This case involved a deliberate effort to manipulate official government records and exploit the death of a loved one for personal financial gain,” Formella said in a press release announcing the sentencing. “Our vital records system depends on honesty and integrity, and those who seek to corrupt that system will be held accountable. I want to thank the investigators and prosecutors whose work ensured justice for the victim’s family.”
According to Leedberg’s obituary, he was 53 when he died on Oct. 12, 2023, following a two‑year battle with cancer.
In the obituary, Leedberg-Snow is described as his “significant other.”
Prosecutors said Leedberg‑Snow moved quickly after his death, relying on Tetreault’s signature to fabricate a marriage that never occurred and position herself as Leedberg’s surviving spouse.
Tetreault, who was a New Hampshire justice of the peace at the time, falsely signed the marriage license claiming he had officiated the couple’s wedding. He later admitted he never performed any ceremony for Leedberg‑Snow and Leedberg and had no personal knowledge of them ever being married.
Leedberg‑Snow used the fraudulent certificate to obtain property from Leedberg’s estate, including a pickup truck and trailer, and later attempted to influence a witness connected to the scheme.
Leedberg‑Snow pleaded guilty in Cheshire County Superior Court in Keene to felony counts of solicitation to commit vital records fraud, title fraud, theft by misapplication of property and witness tampering.
In addition to her seven‑day jail term, she must serve two years of probation, pay $4,600 in restitution, return the truck and trailer to Leedberg’s estate and comply with a suspended three‑and‑a‑half‑ to seven‑year prison sentence, which means the sentence only takes effect if she violates the conditions of her probation.
Tetreault, who continues to serve as Winchester’s town clerk and “fully cooperated with the State’s investigation,” according to prosecutors, pleaded guilty in April to notarial misconduct, a Class A misdemeanor. As part of a negotiated plea, prosecutors dropped a felony charge of vital records fraud. He was sentenced to 90 days in the house of corrections, all suspended for two years on good behavior, and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine plus a $240 penalty assessment.
He resigned his commissions as a justice of the peace and bail commissioner and agreed not to seek recommissioning as a justice of the peace or notary public during the two‑year suspension period.
Tetreault could not be reached for comment at his office number.
Follow Aaron Curtis on X @aselahcurtis, or on Bluesky @aaronscurtis.bsky.social.
New Hampshire
Rescue Crews Help Injured Woman Off Mt. Washington
SARGENT’S PURCHASE – On Saturday, personnel from multiple rescue crews teamed up to help an injured woman get off of Mt. Washington to seek medical treatment.
At approximately 7:45 AM, New Hampshire Fish and Game Department Conservation Officers were notified that a staff member at the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) Lakes of the Clouds Hut had taken a serious fall at the hut and was left unable to walk.
Fish and Game subsequently mobilized search and rescue personnel to come and help evacuate the young woman from her remote location.
By 10:00 AM, members of the Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue Team (AVSAR), Pemigewassett Valley Search and Rescue Team (Pemi), AMC and Fish and Game had gathered at the Base Station of the Cog Rail. The Cog Railway generously donated room on their trains, and rescuers and equipment were given rides up Mt. Washington to the West Side Trail, which allowed for a shorter and less strenuous 1.6 mile hike than other routes.
By 11:20 AM rescuers were at the hut with the patient. The patient was subsequently packaged in a litter and prepared for an overland carryout back to the Cog tracks.
Rescue personnel made steady progress, and by 2:15 PM had made it back across West Side Trail and to the train tracks. A Cog Railway train picked up the whole rescue party and brought everyone back down the mountain. Once roadside, the patient was evaluated by personnel from Twin Mountain Fire and Rescue.
She was ultimately driven from the scene by a friend and went to Memorial Hospital in North Conway for further evaluation
and treatment of multiple injuries related to her fall. The patient was identified as Cali Turner, 26, of Willimantic, Maine.
Fish and Game would like to thank all of the people and organizations involved in this rescue effort. Through the help of everyone, the rescue was a great success and got done in a timely manner.
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