Brandon Truitt is a general assignment reporter for WBZ-TV.
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/ CBS Boston
A family outing to a mall in New Hampshire turned in an instant when a child picked up a syringe that was laying in the middle of the floor.
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A New Hampshire father spoke to WBZ-TV under the condition of anonymity. He and his wife were shopping with their three children, ages 3, 5 and 6, on Sunday at the Macy’s in Salem, New Hampshire. The family was waiting near the dressing room when their middle child walked up to him with something in her hand.
“Something incredibly sinister”
“I immediately noticed it and said put that down,” the father recalled. “When she handed it to me, I immediately realized that it was a syringe that was full of brown fluid. There was just something incredibly sinister about it.”
The man said he immediately took the syringe, which appeared to have a cap on it, to an employee of the store. He said that employee notified a manager and then called police.
The syringe a child picked up inside a Macy’s in Salem, New Hampshire.
CBS Boston
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Neither the father or his daughter showed any symptoms, but he said on the car ride home an officer from the Salem Police Department called to check in and notified the family the syringe likely contained fentanyl or heroin.
“We were just in shock of what happened,” he said. “That night I just held my child the entire night just waiting for something to happen. Asking myself as the father what did I do wrong? What could I have done differently?”
The father praised the work of the Macy’s employees who acted urgently and even called him mid-week to provide an update. The company said its employees followed the proper protocol during the incident.
“At Macy’s, the safety of our customers and colleagues is always our top priority, and all incidents that put that at risk are taken seriously. Per our policy, we are unable to provide additional information and defer further questions to the local authorities,” a Macy’s spokesperson said.
It is still unclear how the syringe got there. The Salem Police Department would not respond to WBZ-TV’s request for comment.
CONCORD – While Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte has said she opposes increasing highway toll rates across the state, the Senate voted Thursday to increase rates for out-of-state license plate holders.
It now goes to the House for consideration.
This would be a $1 increase for those who have out of state plates going through the tolls at Hooksett, Hampton and Bedford for out-of-state plates, a 75 cent hike for those taking Hampton’s Exit 2 and on the Spaulding turnpike at Rochester, and a 50 cent hike for those taking the exit off I-93 to Hooksett.
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An analysis in the bill shows that this would increase toll revenue by $53.3 million in fiscal year 2027 and go up each year to generate $81.4 million a year in 2036.
Senate Bill 627 passed on a voice vote with two Republicans, Senators Regina Birdsell of Hampstead and William Gannon of Sandown opposing.
Senator Mark E. McConkey, R-Freedom, moved to take the bill off the table and offered an amendment. He said the last time there was a systemwide increase to the turnpike toll was 19 years ago.
“I am sure we could all agree the cost of operations…has continued to escalate when revenue is not rising with it,” and he noted that with an enterprise fund, the state can only spend what it takes in.
The state has just completed a 10-year highway plan and there was a $400 million shortfall in projects that could not be paid for under the current income.
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McConkey said the measure would not increase tolls for New Hampshire drivers with a state license plate.
“Why don’t we ask our neighbors,” to pay a toll increase. “We are getting the best of all worlds,” by passing the bill, he said, including “protecting our residents” and having resources for improvements to the turnpike system.
Sen. Gannon, R-Sandown, asked McConkey if there are any studies on impacts near the border on businesses.
If implemented, McConkey said the state will be the 27th lowest in per mile cost still. McConkey said the bill would also increase from seven to 14 days the amount of time for those with NH license plates to pay for a toll adding there are other states that also have different rates for out-of-state users.
The Hampton toll cost would go from $2 to $3, while Hooksett and Bedford would rise from $1 to $2 for out-of-state plates.
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New Hampshire currently has the lowest rate per mile among states with tolls roads. The governor said she does not support a toll increase.
“We are not going to put a burden on drivers for a toll increase,” Ayotte said. “Families are struggling.”
WILTON, N.H. (WHDH) – A woman died in a Wilton, New Hampshire, house fire Wednesday morning, according to the New Hampshire State Fire Marshal’s Office.
At 9:08 a.m., Wilton firefighters responded to Burns Hill Road after a caller said their home was filling up with smoke. When they arrived, a single-family home was on fire and they found out two people were still inside on the second floor.
A man and a woman were both taken out of the house by firefighters and taken to Elliott Hospital. The woman was pronounced dead and the man is in serious condition.
Officials have not released the name of the victim at this time.
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At this time, investigators are looking into the cause of the fire and are trying to determine if a power outage in the area played a factor. The fire is not currently considered suspicious.
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