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New Hampshire
Pond hockey in New Hampshire brightens winter for hundreds. But climate change threatens the sport. – The Boston Globe
Elsewhere, at New York’s Saranac Lake, a palace constructed from thousands of blocks of ice was closed during the winter carnival Saturday due to safety concerns as it melted away. The same day in Maine, an 88-year-old man died when the all-terrain vehicle he was on plunged through the ice after a fishing trip, the latest in a series of such accidents.
In the Midwest, there has been a decrease in both the extent and duration of ice cover on the Great Lakes, while some smaller lakes have lost about 20 total days of annual ice cover over the past century, said Ted Ozersky, an associate professor at the University of Minnesota Duluth.
He said the rapid changes also could affect wildlife and ecosystems. “We really don’t know what this loss of winter means for our lakes,” Ozersky said.
Last year was the warmest ever recorded on Earth, and a natural El Nino weather pattern has made winter even milder in some places.
In Meredith, players traveled from around the country for the tournament that began Feb. 2. The rules were four per side with no goalies, and players ranged in ability from beginners to former professionals.
In all, 275 teams competed across 26 rinks surrounded by small, portable barriers and tended to by skaters carrying snow shovels. There were no referees, and players had to aim the puck at one of two tiny goals. Some hardy spectators watched all day, including one family that wore crampons for traction.
One team arrived decked out in furry coats, another set up a barbecue and most started socializing the moment their games were over.
“It’s the most fun weekend of the year,” said Kelly Kittredge, a former college player whose “Boston Beauties” team ended up finishing second in the women’s open division. “This year, some warm days, but making the best of it.”
As climbing temperatures turned ice to slush on the first day of competition, some players swapped their skates for boots. Cooler temperatures on the following days made for faster action on the ice.
Pond Hockey Classic founder Scott Crowder said there’s nothing better than playing outdoors in a beautiful setting.
“For the older generation, it’s nostalgic. It’s how they grew up playing. They’d go down to the local park and pond, and strap on their skates and play all afternoon,” Crowder said. “I think anybody that’s ever laced up a pair of skates, having the opportunity to skate outside just pulls at the heartstrings.”
Crowder said that, on average, the lake ice was about eight or nine inches thick this year, the minimum they needed to safely host the tournament. He said he can’t predict the future of the event, adding there is plenty of appetite from spectators and players, local businesses, and the township of Meredith.
“But there is one variable we can’t control,” Crowder said, referring to the weather. “And it’s a big one.”
Elizabeth Burakowski, a research assistant professor at the University of New Hampshire in Durham, said data shows New England is a U.S. hotspot when it comes to winter warming.
“I grew up in New Hampshire, and so driving up to the lakes in northern New Hampshire, Lake Winnipesaukee, you typically expect by January that things are fully iced over,” she said. “That there’s snowmobilers out there, there’s ice fishing going on. And in recent years, that’s just not what I’ve experienced.”
Kibble, for one, has made the trip from Milton every year since the tournament began 15 years ago and has no plans to stop now. His team competes in the over-50s age group these days, and he jokes that the moniker on his shirt, “Eggs,” refers as much to his body shape as his team’s eggnog tradition. He says it’s all about the camaraderie.
“Just being outdoors, skating, playing hockey like we used to when we were kids,” he said.
Crime
Elijah Allman’s arrest on March 1 was his second in New Hampshire in a matter of days.
A court hearing for Cher’s son Wednesday over allegations he broke into a New Hampshire home this month has been canceled.
Elijah Allman’s arrest on March 1 was his second in New Hampshire in a matter of days. Allman, the 49-year-old son of the iconic singer and actress, was also detained Feb. 27, accused of acting belligerently at a prestigious prep school in Concord.
It is unclear if Allman, of Malibu, California, has any connection to the home in Windham, New Hampshire. He is being held in the Rockingham County Department of Corrections, Superintendent Jonathan Banville said.
The hearing Wednesday was continued until an undetermined date after Allman got an attorney Wednesday morning. The attorney, Sarah Landres, did not respond to a request for comment.
Allman, whose father was the late singer Gregg Allman, is charged with two counts of criminal mischief, one count of burglary and a count of breach of bail for breaking into the home on March 1. Police said in a report that Allman did not have permission to be at the home and forcibly entered it.
Officials at St. Paul’s School said Allman last month identified himself as the parent of a prospective student and slipped into the dining hall as some students were leaving the building. Police responded to reports that he was disturbing people in the building.
He was charged with four misdemeanors in the school incident: two counts of simple assault, criminal trespass and criminal threatening. Allman was also charged with a violation of disorderly conduct, which is illegal in the state but not considered a crime. He was released on bail.
Allman did not respond to an email requesting comment, and a phone number for him was not working.
In December 2023, Cher filed a petition to become a temporary conservator overseeing her son’s money, saying Allman’s struggles with his mental health and addiction have left him unable to manage his assets and potentially put his life in danger.
The petition says the superstar performer’s son is entitled to regular payments from a trust fund. But “given his ongoing mental health and substance abuse issues,” she is “concerned that any funds distributed to Elijah will be immediately spent on drugs, leaving Elijah with no assets to provide for himself and putting Elijah’s life at risk,” the petition says.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Jessica Uzcategui denied the request, saying she was not convinced that a conservatorship was urgently needed. Allman was in the courtroom with his attorneys, who acknowledged his previous struggles but argued that he was in a good place, was attending meetings, getting treatment and reconciling with his estranged wife.
The son of Cher is scheduled to be in court Wednesday for a hearing over allegations he broke into a New Hampshire home earlier this month.
It was the second arrest in a matter of days for Elijah Allman, 49, of Malibu, California, who was detained Feb. 27 after allegedly acting belligerently at a prestigious prep school in New Hampshire. It was unclear if Allman had any connection to either St. Paul’s School or the home in Windham, New Hampshire.
Allman remains in the Rockingham County Department of Corrections in what is called preventive detention, Superintendent Jonathan Banville said.
Allman, whose father was the late singer Gregg Allman, faces two counts of criminal mischief, one count of burglary and a count of breach of bail for breaking into the home on March 1. Police said in a report that Allman did not have permission to be at the home and forcibly entered it .
In the incident at the prep school, Allman was charged with four misdemeanors: two counts of simple assault, criminal trespass and criminal threatening. Allman was also charged with a violation of disorderly conduct, which is illegal in the state but not considered a crime.
At about 7 p.m. that day, Concord police responded to reports that Allman was disturbing people in the dining hall of St. Paul’s School. After charging Allman, police said he was released on bail as his case works through the court system.
Allman did not respond to an email requesting comment, and a phone number for him was not working. It was unclear from the court records if Allman has an attorney.
In December 2023, Cher filed a petition to become a temporary conservator overseeing her son’s money, saying Allman struggles with mental health issues and addiction have left him unable to manage his assets and potentially put his life in danger.
The petition from the singer and actress said Elijah Allman is entitled to regular payments from a trust fund. But “given his ongoing mental health and substance abuse issues,” she is “concerned that any funds distributed to Elijah will be immediately spent on drugs, leaving Elijah with no assets to provide for himself and putting Elijah’s life at risk,” the petition says.
A few weeks later, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Jessica Uzcategui denied the request, saying she was not convinced that a conservatorship was urgently needed. Allman was in the courtroom with his his attorneys, who acknowledged his previous struggles but argued that he is in a good place now, attending meetings, getting treatment and reconciling with his previously estranged wife.
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