tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16673429285821082102011-11-27T20:00:18.729-05:00An industry and a city trying to reach 21.Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.comBlogger1301100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-50331811901618140482010-01-25T23:24:00.004-05:002010-01-25T23:29:36.363-05:00

LPJ has outgrown it's blogspot. I've finally put a bit of work into lastprintjournalist.com, which is up and running(ish). I've got to add more material, but the LPJ blog you've come to know, love and sometimes hate is there. It's got a new look, which I'm really psyched about. I hope you'll keep reading and keep the feedback coming. Thanks.

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-26856721858758416952010-01-21T17:16:00.003-05:002010-01-21T17:42:19.608-05:00

Air America, the liberal radio network, declared bankruptcy today. They referred to a "perfect storm" in the media today as part of the cause.But Fox News, the news station at the other end of the ideological spectrum from Air America, seems to be strong as ever.This is the second time Air America declared bankruptcy. It led me to wonder if running a for-profit radio station that proselytizes

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-25758937575987708272010-01-21T14:58:00.003-05:002010-01-21T14:58:00.245-05:00

Two and a half weeks ago a representative from the U.S. Census Bureau came to the council meeting to ask the councilors for ideas about how to find people willing to work. She informed the council she was having a hard time filling the more than 100 temporary positions the Census Bureau had open for people willing to knock on doors this spring to collect basic demographic information, and she was

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-4256271008810970012010-01-20T16:10:00.003-05:002010-01-20T17:02:22.956-05:00

So I've kind of been out of the loop with the whole vacation and everything, but I'm starting to get back into things. In case you only stop in to read LPJ from time to time, there has been a vigorous debate going on in the comments pertaining to Laidlaw and Mayor Paul Grenier.Laidlaw's application was rejected by the SEC last week. They have indicated the issues should be sorted out quickly. The

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-16685153197254901572010-01-20T13:46:00.003-05:002010-01-20T14:48:58.407-05:00

The Bureau of Trails announced last week they will not turn a section the Presidential Rail Trial, or PRT, into an ATV trail for now. The announcement caused an audible sigh of relief in Randolph, where residents organized to protest the proposal. The proposal didn't include opening up the PRT beyond Jimtown Road in Gorham, but Randolph residents said they were concerned riders would continue

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-81438192168284359622010-01-18T22:11:00.003-05:002010-01-18T22:29:10.578-05:00

...well, mayor.Mayor Grenier made good on his promise to create closer ties with Laidlaw—a number of representatives from the company were at the meeting tonight, as Mayor Grenier, Councilor Robert Danderson and Councilor Michael Rozak were sworn in. It will be an interesting new chapter in the book of Berlin.I'm interested to see how the new council interacts. The staunch Laidlaw opponents ranks

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-27061292481558967872010-01-18T09:06:00.003-05:002010-01-18T09:14:44.676-05:00

My job is weird and great. I was late to the police station today because I got caught behind a plow going over the notch, and now I'm kicking it outside White Mountain Community College poaching Internet, despite the fact they are closed for the holiday.It's guaranteed to be an interesting day in Berlin, with the council transition and all, but everything is closed, it's 9 a.m., and the next

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-21999547487331288822010-01-15T18:02:00.005-05:002010-01-15T19:11:57.852-05:00

Well, biomass undoubtedly going to stay a hot topic for while now, between the SEC rejecting Laidlaw's initial application and the petition hearing on whether CPD should go through the same review process. It's an interesting environment. I wonder if the fierce fighting could keep either project from coming to fruition. Seems possible.I wanted to mention the massive turnout I saw last night at

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-57574084945508382152010-01-13T17:36:00.006-05:002010-01-14T14:39:04.317-05:00

So I've barely been back a week, and I'm thinking about leaving again. My wife is encouraging me to go to Haiti, to help with the relief effort and to look for stories. I have a contact there who I sent a message, to see if I could help. And I found a $400 airplane ticket, which isn't cheap but isn't expensive. During 9/11 and Katrina I considered going to help, but I never got off my butt and

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-73368139156120170572010-01-04T13:52:00.003-05:002010-01-04T14:08:47.288-05:00

I mentioned it on here, that I was going to Mexico. I did, it was nice, hot and sunny. Now I'm back, happy to see white snowy mountains instead of white sandy beaches.A lot happened while I was gone, I'm sure, but I have yet to catch up on all of it. I'm still getting caught up on Rite Aid closing and the latest Laidlaw/CPD stuff. But I've got something cool to tell you.At 5:32 p.m. on Saturday

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-88181548993632359342009-12-11T20:10:00.010-05:002009-12-11T22:47:05.994-05:00

I tried something today I thought worked pretty well. It's something new for LPJ, and I think it will be a great addition to the site. I spend a bunch of time in the car heading back and forth from Glen to Berlin, and now I've got a way to put it to better use. Check it out:I'm putting in two versions to see which people like better as well. One is YouTube and the other is Vimeo.This is the first

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-28777054969616685612009-12-10T23:07:00.000-05:002009-12-10T23:15:25.718-05:00

I'm trying to improve and expand my reporting skills and repertoire, so I've applied to the John Jay College Center for Media, Crime and Justice Guggenheim Fellowship. I'd go to NYC for a weekend, learn a bunch, then come back and do a big story on something related to police and crime. Here's my pitch, we'll see if I get it.Police departments in post-industrial communitiesBerlin, N.H., was

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-72377685404542360082009-12-10T20:20:00.004-05:002009-12-10T21:43:57.051-05:00

Some people think watching city council week after week would be dull; I laugh when I hear that. So much to discussion goes on at those meetings and all the others like them it's hard to keep up. Tedium simply doesn't apply. The last meeting in particular there was an impressive level of public input, with probably almost 10 people standing up to speak, and then there were a plethora of topics

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-81618302611879470682009-12-07T17:42:00.002-05:002009-12-07T17:58:13.351-05:00

It is getting close to the holidays, which, for my wife and I, means a trip. We get out of town for Christmas instead of try to choose between our five families (two sets of divorced parents and my sister with the only niece and nephew). It works well, but it means I spend the weeks leading up to when we leave frantically trying to get everything done.That was the story this last weekend: we went

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-91503601284429570902009-12-01T10:53:00.001-05:002009-12-01T10:53:00.559-05:00

Good signs are spreading through Berlin. The properties at 90 and 92 Main St. were cleaned up with Neighborhood Stabilization Program money. Notre Dame was cleaned up with an EPA Brownfields grant. The property on High Street was cleaned up by the land owner. Berlin has things to smile about. These aren't the most recent photos by any means, but it's clear the work has been progressing. Under

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-6482266483589154142009-11-30T21:56:00.005-05:002009-11-30T22:34:33.177-05:00

I wonder what the real problem is. I was talking to a friend who lives a block away from the house where the shooting happened, and he said he thinks the real problem in Berlin is the landlords renting out slums and moving people up from Nashua and Manchester to where their welfare dollars go further. Actually, to be fair, he only mentioned the landlords as the problem, and I am filling in the

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-23823313651873151842009-11-30T10:51:00.005-05:002009-11-30T22:37:04.284-05:00

After a few comments about sensationalism, and then an opportunity for truly sensational reporting, it couldn't be a better time to talk about the subject.This is a photo of the door knob not at the house on Third Avenue, but at the house on Western Avenue where they found the man now in the hospital. I knocked on the door to see if I could find someone to talk to about the incident on Friday,

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-26391187976670016342009-11-26T21:55:00.004-05:002009-11-27T14:19:48.579-05:00

One person was killed and one was wounded after a home invasion on Third Avenue on Wednesday night. Police are still looking for a third person involved in the incident.I'll be looking for more information tomorrow. Just thought readers ought to know.Update: Got the names of everyone involved except for the third person police are still trying to identify. Sounds like it was a busy Thanksgiving

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-3185690046170932242009-11-25T08:15:00.003-05:002009-11-25T08:42:56.516-05:00

I posted video of the wall on Main Street coming down yesterday to the Berlin Reporter's Facebook page. I thought people would be happy to see it coming down, but the comments were mixed. One person said they should start at one end of Main Street and continue to the other, and then go down Western Avenue.I spent yesterday going in and talking to several of the store owners on Main Street about

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-81768891663179654722009-11-23T22:20:00.004-05:002009-11-24T10:49:04.508-05:00

Tonight's city council meeting was awesome. Great. Phenomenal.Councilor Dick Lafleur made it clear he was unhappy with the other councilors for not making the meeting last Monday."The greatest responsibility of every public official is to be here," he said.Councilor Lafleur was appointed to fill the mayor's role for that meeting, but only Councilors Ron Goudreau, Tom McCue and Mark Evans joined

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-7956781525459845702009-11-22T22:21:00.003-05:002009-11-22T22:27:49.559-05:00

Just so you know, the official Berlin Reporter Facebook page is now up, and I've been handed the reins. Because it's a weird week with the holiday, there won't be any council in this Tuesday's paper. (See, it is a weird week—normally the paper comes out on Wednesday.) So I'll be giving a brief summary and wrap up on the Facebook page.That digital revolution in media is still supported by the

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-12888944623072332202009-11-20T20:23:00.003-05:002009-11-20T20:48:00.740-05:00

I went to a presentation by the New Hampshire Press Association on Thursday where presenters talked to high school students about what it means to be a reporter. There were representatives from a number of northern New Hampshire papers, including both Berlin papers, and people from the southern part of the state.The reporters from the southern part of the state talked about a newsroom with three

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-13108740449228342082009-11-19T22:29:00.004-05:002009-11-19T22:47:50.254-05:00

The transcript is here. The LLEG press release is here. The discussion has already been going on under comment sections for other posts. Again, I don't feel this is the most important issue for Berlin, but I know others disagree and they are welcome to comment here.My original post, which got tons of comments, said, "what I'm hearing is that PSNH told the PUC they have no deal with Laidlaw. None.

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-1284559267197970012009-11-19T22:11:00.003-05:002009-11-19T22:27:14.991-05:00

Roger Brooks has been in town talking about what Coös County needs to do to become a destination community. I sat in on the meeting at WMCC and was entertained and impressed. I did get the impression if he told some members of the community to jump off the Tondreau Peninsula, they would, but his ideas had merit.One I liked in particular was the idea of a recessed piazza with sprinklers. In the

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-25646288178151676672009-11-16T22:33:00.003-05:002009-11-16T22:57:55.136-05:00

Not enough councilors showed up for quorum tonight, so there was no meeting. There was some interesting discussion to be had, regarding the city deciding to borrow from Laconia Savings Bank instead of with the municipal bond bank, and priorities for the next budget cycle. Unfortunately no decisions could be made.Tomorrow is the BIDPA meeting, and WREN is on the agenda. I'm interested to hear what

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-5147525467062472232009-11-11T22:06:00.001-05:002009-11-11T22:06:00.407-05:00

A lot of people looking for a progressive Berlin are upset about the outcome of the election. I have to ask: Why?Perhaps the candidate you wanted to win didn't, but does that really matter? The city still has $4.3 million to take down or fix up dilapidated properties. It still has funky new stores opening on Main Street. It still has a brand new ATV trail, which people for years have been

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-73329624409823460672009-11-11T09:44:00.002-05:002009-11-11T10:20:43.035-05:00

Members of Berlin Industrial Development and Park Authority met with the Women's Rural Entrepreneurial Network last night. It was AWESOME!Why? Because it was a group of beer-drinking men with wine-drinking women. Confident, capable, smart, funny, energetic, creative entrepreneurial wine-drinking women. Just the kind of women (and people) Berlin needs to kick start the next version of the city's

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-2379691021072674002009-11-09T15:49:00.004-05:002009-11-09T17:27:48.517-05:00

A lot of my time in Berlin is spent in the car since the Reporter has no dedicated office here. As a result I listen to a lot of NHPR. Today the news was consistently about Berlin, Germany, and the fall of the Berlin wall. The wall fell twenty years ago today (I was eight), but it still affects the people who lived through the transition.I can't remember the exact quote, but the NPR newscaster

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-33952389281171003332009-11-06T16:01:00.007-05:002009-11-06T22:09:16.064-05:00

I was driving around today and heard the newscast on NHPR mention the ATV trail opening tomorrow. In fact, I heard them mention it two different times. Residents of Berlin notice when statewide media report the fires that happen all too often in town. It's worth pointing out when they are covering the good things as well. While it is usually WMUR people mention when they talk about this

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-36525027233833518002009-11-04T20:47:00.003-05:002009-11-04T21:41:08.740-05:00

The roof of a building at the corner of Pleasant Street and Mason Street collapsed yesterday. The public works director, fire chief and code enforcement officer assessed the structure and declared it unsafe. They called the company demolishing the southern burnt out building on Main Street and asked if they could use the excavator for a few minutes. The excavator drove up Main Street, demolished

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-67222495449280715312009-11-03T22:22:00.003-05:002009-11-03T22:49:10.190-05:00

At the mayoral debate there was one question I thought was better than the others, and I didn't asked it. Barbara Tetreault asked the candidates how they were going to unify the city, which has been polarized for years over the Laidlaw issue. Now Paul Grenier is going to be taking the reins of an administration as divided as the city. Even the alliances he formed to win this election are ones

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-17230385481114693742009-11-03T20:06:00.002-05:002009-11-03T21:11:50.670-05:00

Paul Grenier wins the Berlin election for mayor.Ward one—Ryan LandryWard two—Bob DandersonWard three—Mike RozakWard four—David Poulin, 2 year; Tim Cayer, 4 year

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-78335871217759697062009-11-03T19:52:00.003-05:002009-11-03T20:06:40.966-05:00

Right now, wards one and two are in.Ryan Landry won ward one.Bob Danderson won ward two.Paul Grenier won both wards. Still waiting on wards three and four.Update: Ward four goes to David Poulin and Tim Cayer. Paul Grenier won this ward as well.Update: Ward three goes to Mike Rozak. Paul Grenier won this ward as well. Berlin has a new mayor.

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-3885918491414624522009-11-03T16:58:00.003-05:002009-11-03T17:06:06.017-05:00

OK, it's election night, a building collapsed and was demolished today, and the PUC held a pre-hearing concerning the Clean Power/PSNH dispute.Crazy news day, making for a crazy news week. I didn't make it to the PUC hearing in Concord, but what I'm hearing is that PSNH told the PUC they have no deal with Laidlaw. None. Zero.I wasn't there, but that's the report I got. I'm going to look into it

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-25473634898960046812009-11-03T11:24:00.003-05:002009-11-03T11:55:46.191-05:00

The election results should be announced by 8:30 p.m. tonight. LPJ will post the numbers immediately, and the Berlin Reporter will have a wrap-up tomorrow on their website. Again, because of the day of the week it won't be in the print edition, but we'll have the story the same time as the daily. In fact, if all you want are the numbers, LPJ will have them up by 9 p.m.Sometimes makes you wonder

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-9504729999021776202009-10-30T07:30:00.003-04:002009-11-02T09:28:34.773-05:00

And no, it has nothing to do with fires. Or the election, Laidlaw, CPD or anything else particularly controversial.Here's the ATV story I did for NHPR. I put it to some photos I had, though only one of them is actually from reporting the story. Blogger doesn't just let me upload MP3s to the site, so I had to make it a movie. Enjoy! Update: Here's a link to the story on NHPR. The transcript

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-5034023379898777902009-10-30T06:53:00.001-04:002009-10-30T06:53:00.232-04:00

This week, though the election is hot news, is not about the election for me. Since my paper comes out Wednesday I've got to search around for stories other than the biggest one in the city. I fell like I'm breathing fresh air for the first time in a while, not mired in the combative discussions that have engulfed the city for the last few weeks. And when I look around I remember why I have hope

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-79687087331730266742009-10-29T17:59:00.007-04:002009-10-29T20:35:40.434-04:00

Last night's debate, in six clips. I left out the audience questions; if anyone misses them let me know and I'll post them too. It was a great discussion, and I hope people will use this as a resource to further educate themselves about the candidates. If you want a full quality version give me a shout and I'd be happy to provide you with it. (Not that I expect anyone to take me up on that, but

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-19220387166583504292009-10-28T21:51:00.006-04:002009-10-29T21:57:10.880-04:00

Tonight's debate was great. Awesome. Perfect.I'd like to thank all the councilors and candidates who made the debate happen, and everyone who came out to watch and to learn. I hope it helped make up some voters' minds. (I also admit, I'm not event organizer, so that it didn't have more hiccups than it did was surprising.)I recorded the entire mayoral portion and will post it on here as soon as I

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-9982489360952181472009-10-28T09:26:00.005-04:002009-10-28T21:48:22.152-04:00

I went to the public information meeting about ATVs last night. Where there were no more than 20 people, and most of them were AVATV club members who already are familiar with the rules. It reminded me about the fire information meeting earlier this year, where again almost no one showed up. At city council often it's just the daily paper's reporter and me, and everyone else is at home.Was it

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-84006154977196636302009-10-27T17:03:00.005-04:002009-10-29T20:53:02.714-04:00

I got my script approved for my Berlin ATV story. Going to record it tomorrow and send it to them. It should play sometime near the end of the week. Working to fill the rest of the state in on what's going down up in Berlin.So donate to NHPR—maybe a small part of that donation will come back to me.Update: Just finished mixing the final audio and uploading to NHPR's server. I'll try to keep

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-64344185110622299052009-10-26T23:09:00.003-04:002009-10-27T00:05:08.099-04:00

I know, election season is supposed to be fun, but I'm looking forward to it ending. In many ways it did for me tonight, though I know it hasn't.I live in a parallel world where anything that happens after Monday doesn't matter. I won't be reporting on the election next week because by the time my paper comes out the election will be over. Sure, I'm partial sponsor of a debate Wednesday night,

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-69039976304678235042009-10-26T09:54:00.003-04:002009-10-26T09:58:14.097-04:00

I just realized something I wanted to ask LPJ readers. I know this is a heated election, but are there any undecided voters out there? I was just thinking about the debate, which, if last week's council meeting is any indication, will likely have some spirited discussion. But will people be there to make up their minds, or is it more just to see a little sport? I feel like most of the people I

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-65272040306687407192009-10-26T09:24:00.005-04:002009-10-27T10:32:50.857-04:00

I just wanted to post a quick comment someone made this morning. I drove into town and noticed that many of the signs were missing for Paul Grenier, Michael Rozak Beverly Ingersoll and Robert Danderson. Because they were put up in groups they were hard to miss, but now as you drive into town there are empty wooden stakes sticking up everywhere. My first thought was someone had pulled off the

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-46054099893585651332009-10-24T12:18:00.005-04:002009-10-24T12:51:15.852-04:00

Councilor Mark Evans, the fiscal conservative from ward three, has announced his support for Mayor David Bertrand. The efforts of candidates Paul Grenier, Bob Danderson and Michael Rozek appear aligned to remove a number of the incumbents, and my conversations with these men indicate their politics run close to those of Mr. Evans. Both Mr. Danderson and Mr. Rozek called themselves fiscal

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-66184185637276482442009-10-21T21:40:00.005-04:002009-10-21T22:47:54.248-04:00

I am supposed to meet with Ron Goudreau and Paul Grenier (separately) to talk capital improvements and taxes. Mr. Grenier said the bond will result in at least a $1.67 increase in the tax rate, which currently is $29.82. Mr. Goudreau said the $29.82 includes the first year's repayment on the bond. There won't be a tax increase, he said, because the bond payments are already figured into the tax

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-42723746351278765832009-10-20T17:47:00.003-04:002009-10-20T18:59:53.533-04:00

I've had several people tell me I should restrict comments from anonymous people. I don't want to do that, because I don't like imposing restrictions on ideas. during tense debates, however, like are occurring this election season, commenters call people liars and thieves without signing their name. That is a sad. Everything I write has my name on it. Matt Borowski and Jon Edwards stridently

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-37332455237901097922009-10-20T09:41:00.003-04:002009-10-20T10:11:26.332-04:00

Last night's city council meeting could have filled a paper. There were more public comments and back and forth than I've ever seen there. I had 600 words to capture the entire meeting. That sucks. 600 words is enough to cover one issue in depth, or two issues briefly. I chose one issue in depth, which of course meant I left a lot out.The city needs to start videotaping the meetings. I, and no

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-31176117615569468022009-10-20T09:20:00.004-04:002009-10-20T09:32:11.367-04:00

Here's a copy of the mayor's report from last night.Page one:Page two:

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-77652752170002485022009-10-19T13:56:00.003-04:002009-10-19T23:43:03.520-04:00

...but somebody's got to do it.Several members of the city council said they wanted to step aside before the election, that they didn't intend to run again. I've had conversations with almost all the incumbents, and several told me they decided to run the evening the registration period expired. One councilor even said he was torn as to whether he wanted to win or lose because of the four-year

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-77978291671085276972009-10-16T15:04:00.004-04:002009-10-16T16:32:52.262-04:00

I wonder if communities really want to know what is going on. Do they have a real interest in journalism that looks past the bake sales and the town events to what is going on behind the scenes?I am working to raise people's awareness, or at least access, to what is going on in Berlin. I intend to incorporate video, audio and written reporting on the city, because every bit of openness is more

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-48987048682115993612009-10-14T22:22:00.004-04:002009-10-14T22:22:00.475-04:00

I talked to Mayor David Bertrand about his bid for reelection and his stances on the issues in contrast to Paul Grenier's. A story about it will be in an upcoming paper, but I shot video of the conversation I thought might be worth posting here. It is incomplete and unedited, but it gives voters an idea of his stance on the issues. I'm shooting with a Panasonic Lumix LX3, which only shoots in 10

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-89676527560328093372009-10-13T22:29:00.004-04:002009-10-13T23:25:35.087-04:00

I skipped the Berlin city council this evening to attend a public hearing in Gorham about expanding ATV trail usage to include some of the rails to trails land in Gorham, creating a corridor to Success. The conversation got heated at times as Randolph residents and several Gorham residents voiced their opposition to ATVs sharing the multi-use trails.I couldn't help but laugh watching the two

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-77884954446258251182009-10-12T11:05:00.002-04:002009-10-12T11:48:14.849-04:00

I went for a short visit to Quebec City this weekend. My wife and I stayed at the Chateau Frontenac (we had coupons left over from our honeymoon), took in the sights and bought a lot of wine. While there we had a number of discussions about why rural Canada seems to be doing better than rural America. On Canadian television some Canadian politician was talking about how the Canadian economy is no

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-32753863178638512632009-10-11T11:20:00.003-04:002009-10-11T23:05:00.251-04:00

The PUC is going to investigate the Clean Power complaint. This should be interesting...

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-57960796120046689992009-10-08T19:46:00.004-04:002009-10-08T23:23:22.683-04:00

I've got a great story for next week's Reporter. Really great. I don't want to go into it here, but next week's issue will not be the one to miss. Make sure you don't.I have to say, I love my job.Sorry to all interested parties, but I have no interest in being an editor or a publisher. I want to be out there, where the story is happening, digging things up. That's what I'm good at, and that's

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-63595727638863298482009-10-05T18:08:00.002-04:002009-10-06T11:07:51.373-04:00

Berlin wants jobs. The city is sagging because there are few viable opportunities, and everyone wants to see that change.The question is, what kind of jobs? Jobs for whom?If the city puts an emphasis on creating 21st century jobs, then all the residents who got laid off by the mill will be left out. The skills needed for service sector high-tech jobs are different than the skills needed to fell

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-45259570150841353002009-10-04T19:14:00.001-04:002009-10-06T11:08:51.896-04:00

Do you miss the mill? Please, everyone who lived in Berlin when it was there, answer yes or no. I just talked to Paul Grenier, candidate for mayor, and this was his response:"Nothing positive happened with the closing of the mill. I think it's a lot worse, look around."I didn't live there then, so I don't know. I lived near Livermore Falls and Jay during high school, and a girlfriend's parents

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-44035525694268122232009-10-04T00:01:00.004-04:002009-10-04T01:22:19.739-04:00

I did a little work to the site over the weekend, trying to make it look a little more spiffy. I must admit, because of the weather I missed Riverfire. The photo at the top of the page is from the preparations for the event; I'm disappointed I didn't get to watch those pallets burn.If anyone has any good photos please send them to me, I'll put them up and give you credit. I am planning on

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-34053523566216817382009-10-01T17:35:00.002-04:002009-10-01T17:54:16.751-04:00

Between today and yesterday I talked to people at the PUC, PSNH, Laidlaw, CPD and more. I made phone calls all the way to Florida, and I've been waiting for calls and missing calls from people at almost every agency. I've got reports from Massachusetts and New York universities about biomass sitting on my desktop, and I've been immersed in them to better understand the issues and factors involved

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-71226167031760562382009-09-30T22:15:00.005-04:002009-10-04T16:48:19.643-04:00

As of early this afternoon, the following people had signed up to run in the 2009 Berlin municipal election:Mayor — seat currently held by David BertrandDavid BertrandPaul GrenierWard 1 — seat currently held by Ryan LandryBeverly IngersollWard 2 — seat currently held by Richard LafleurRobert DandersonWard 3 — seat currently held by Ronald GoudreauPaul CussonMichael RozekWard 4 — seats currently

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-817061585447143982009-09-29T20:06:00.004-04:002009-09-29T21:11:18.610-04:00

Someone told me the secret to success: fail harder.I work for the Berlin Reporter, which, as I've been told, used to cover bake sales from Errol to Shelburne. It wasn't particularly interested in getting into the complex subjects facing Berlin. I have not followed the same approach.I read an article in the Columbia Journalism Review about how newspapers need to stop just covering events and start

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-46678747071846260492009-09-28T18:10:00.003-04:002009-09-29T20:06:28.513-04:00

What does it mean to be post-industrial? I was walking around one of the Berlin parks this evening, and I was able to wander through the relics of the bygone era—the remnants of industrialization. It was like walking through Stonehenge, with echos of history that don't make sense in the modern era. While I enjoy the traces of the past, the city itself is still trying to figure out just how to

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-37627832314953226422009-09-23T17:32:00.004-04:002009-09-23T18:11:54.154-04:00

I was reading one of the articles I posted about yesterday, and had an idea that could completely change Berlin.Offer a free apartment to any four year college graduate under 30 (or 35, or 28) who will settle in Berlin.Berlin suffers from a brain drain. Too few young, creative people stay or return to Berlin. As in other places, "the best kids go while the ones with the biggest problems stay, and

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-12315507996707866522009-09-23T12:53:00.005-04:002009-09-24T15:39:09.062-04:00

I've seen a convergence of random incidents that make me think it's time to start asking some questions of the Public Utilities Commission and Public Service of New Hampshire.In a story I wrote last week, Clean Power Development said they are ready to break ground on their project if they can get a purchase power agreement. CPD has a complaint before the PUC that says PSNH's refuses to discuss

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-27749979480091776612009-09-22T21:46:00.007-04:002009-09-23T21:13:42.606-04:00

I heard about this while listening to NHPR, and though I haven't listened to it yet I read the short version. It profiles Pittsburgh, a former steel town that now is trying to find its place in the present. (Incidentally, isn't it great how sports teams used to represent the industrial? The Steelers, from a steel town; the Pistons, from the nation's auto capital; the Bulls, from Chicago, the

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-87989998137863964532009-09-21T15:01:00.004-04:002009-09-21T22:26:38.155-04:00

A Sunday morning fire destroyed the house at 320 High St., and now its guts are spilling out onto the sidewalk. The smell of smoke burned in my lungs as I took pictures on Monday, and a man stopped by to peer into the building's bowls. He said the it'd be a shame if no one comes by and takes all the copper piping and wire left exposed. I got the distinct impression he would do it as soon as I

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-78925025909043092692009-09-20T11:11:00.006-04:002009-09-20T12:52:55.695-04:00

Last weekend Brad White, the owner of International Mountain Climbing School in North Conway, guided a rock climbing client on Mount Forist, perhaps the first use of city's resource in such a way. They climbed three routes, and it was the first time the client had ever been to Berlin. Mr. White told me she loved the entire experience.Mr. White went to Mount Forist after hearing from an employee

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-74665745152002070642009-09-15T12:14:00.002-04:002009-09-15T12:17:25.430-04:00

This is what I do for fun when I'm not working. It's a little project my friend Brian Post put together, and I thought I'd put it up here. It has nothing to do with journalism or Berlin, but I hope you enjoy it all the same.The Beast from Brian P on Vimeo.

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-38225294094126989762009-09-12T22:52:00.006-04:002009-09-13T15:58:53.761-04:00

Thank you to Michael Bartoszek for your response to the questions I posted about Laidlaw's intentions related to community gifts. Lou Bravakis, vice president of development for Laidlaw Berlin Biopower, called me Friday morning and gave similar answers, and he will be quoted in next week's paper. Thank you to both Mr. Bartoszek and Mr. Bravakis for getting back to me in a timely fashion. The

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-26005274767837110352009-09-10T18:50:00.002-04:002009-09-10T19:18:55.728-04:00

I got the press release about Laidlaw sponsoring Berlin Youth Hockey, and I read the story in today's daily paper. It's good to see Laidlaw making some investment in the community; that is the sort of corporate citizen the city should hope for.The story, however, didn't go deep enough. Max Makaitis held up the daily at tonight's community EFSEC committee meeting in response to questions about how

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-28917322412095779482009-09-08T11:50:00.005-04:002009-09-08T13:50:42.799-04:00

It is my first day home after a four-night holiday weekend. My wife and I mini-vacationed on the coast of Maine, visiting family along the way. The drive back to northern New Hampshire was eerie after a summer of traffic. The roads were quiet and the sidewalks were empty; my first thought was how nice it is to have our town back. Shops are still open though, and businesses will have to shift into

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-11442605993464959872009-09-03T16:30:00.003-04:002009-09-03T17:36:30.811-04:00

I got to have a long conversation with councilor Tim Cayer yesterday about what it is that makes Berlin a remarkable place. I, like him, was astounded to find a pocket of small town America so perfectly preserved; a city with a feeling lost a half century ago in most places. The allure of a "dying mill town" may seem hard for some people to grasp, but I can't get enough of it. It has something

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-25619141053899663522009-09-03T14:13:00.005-04:002009-09-08T14:33:16.941-04:00

I found this on Twitter, and I thought it was incredible. Crazy, but incredible.It was rejected by the World Wildlife Fund. It certainly gets the message across.I've got an actual LPJ post to write this afternoon/evening, but I've got to get some work done first. I just thought this was crazy.Update: NY Times did some reporting on the video and its history.

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-17222810082238848982009-09-02T16:23:00.004-04:002009-09-02T16:41:10.460-04:00

There are few things more powerful than a well-told story. In the past several days I've stumbled on several of them. One can be found here, talking about Laotians killed by U.S. cluster bombs. Another is from from NOW, a PBS program that consistently finds stories missed by other outlets. Check out this NOW video about a U.S. Marine prosecutor so disgusted with U.S. treatment of detainees he

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-65584102304563472432009-09-01T08:07:00.005-04:002009-09-01T08:32:16.183-04:00

The city has the opportunity to apply for a grant for $14 million to fix every city street. Every road would be repaired and brought from its present condition to very good or excellent condition. The understanding, however, according to city manager Pat MacQueen, is that if the city accepts the grant it will spend $600,000 a year to maintain those roads. The city currently spends between

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-47914715856202535862009-08-29T13:57:00.003-04:002009-08-29T14:37:35.400-04:00

The next year or two will the years to watch in Berlin. The prison will finish construction, Clean Power will start building, Laidlaw will apply for EFSEC review, Fraser will reach an agreement with someone to supply cheap energy, Jericho Mountain State Park will have hold its first ATV festival and the blue line will finally run through town. I can't imagine a better time to be reporting

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-41322703821116842952009-08-24T15:33:00.005-04:002009-08-24T16:32:40.513-04:00

Marketing, people, I'm talking about marketing!I know there are people who are passionate about Laidlaw, one way or the other. I agree it is a big issue, and both Berlin papers have done a miserable job reporting on it. I intend to change that. I want to find out more about the company, about its history, about North American Dismantling, and about every aspect of biomass as it affects the

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-62135431780368654512009-08-19T09:32:00.005-04:002009-08-19T09:47:50.745-04:00

New Hampshire Department of Resources and Economic Development has hired a North Conway company, the Glen Group, to do marketing for the North Country. Part of the plan is to throw an event at Jericho Mountain State Park. Mayor David Bertrand said previous councils relied on the state to market Berlin, and the results didn't do much for Berlin. Is this one more example of the same?Chris Gamache

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-27064268312067907642009-08-17T15:05:00.003-04:002009-08-17T15:28:37.353-04:00

On the agenda for tonight at Berlin City Council: Economic Development/Promoting Berlin Discussion.Councilors will be discussing what the city can do to better promote itself. I hope that is a discussion that continues throughout the city. It isn't something that should just be happening at city hall; the ramifications continue down Main Street, out Route 110, and throughout Coös County.Hopefully

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-15592685483096769512009-08-16T22:20:00.003-04:002009-08-16T22:57:07.043-04:00

So I haven't posted in the last several days because I spent most the week chasing down stories more complicated than I understand. I spent so much time at conversations with people that didn't result in stories that I wound up scraping for stories by the end of the week. Whenever I write a story I usually only put 25 percent of what I've learned into the paper. The rest is background and

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-68574559709406507062009-08-11T23:38:00.001-04:002009-08-12T09:51:29.055-04:00

I love Google. I use Gmail, Google Maps, Google Docs, Google Calendar, Blogger, all sorts of Google applications. But then, every once in a while I find a reason to hate Google.Google has a company policy to never be evil, so hopefully they don't turn into a 21st century Microsoft. I can appreciate that. But then how come when I type Berlin NH into Google Maps, the tag that comes up under Explore

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-67579422022267797642009-08-11T22:46:00.006-04:002009-08-11T23:27:34.175-04:00

I sat down with economic development director Norm Charest the other day and had a talk about marketing and Berlin's future (a good recap of the conversation will be in next week's Berlin Reporter). He pointed out that marketing will only go so far when the first thing people see in the city is burned out buildings and decrepit houses. He said he didn't see that marketing would amount to much,

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-46536105312414811112009-08-11T13:20:00.003-04:002009-08-11T14:05:18.510-04:00

Berlin, New Hampshire is full of treasure, and no one there seems to notice.I was in the federal building yesterday, mailing some letters at the post office and checking about a story at one of the offices, and I noticed something. The mail boxes are the same type I had as a kid growing up: golden bronze, with an eight pointed star and letters instead of numbers for the combination lock. The

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-83263603420223418002009-08-10T12:17:00.002-04:002009-08-10T12:19:55.614-04:00

Berlin — a few years ahead of Augusta, Maine. A similar article was in the NY Times about Berlin two years before. How have those last two years been?

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-18238195736175161962009-08-10T11:46:00.005-04:002009-08-10T12:10:15.201-04:00

On the ride to Berlin this morning I was listening to NHPR, and I heard an story on the success of local newspapers. It gave me hope that the Berlin Reporter, and even the local daily, can survive and thrive. I have received a fair bit of positive feedback (and a little negative as well) about the Reporter's coverage of the area. Like Berlin, the paper has to provide a quality product to attract

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-66194845171564371332009-08-07T22:00:00.000-04:002009-08-07T22:00:00.263-04:00

In the last week I've talked to the mayor, two councilors and and both local economic development directors about what Berlin needs to do in terms of marketing. And I've heard comments from other people, most whom see the same problem I do. I must admit I don't spend much time with people who denigrate Berlin, though I know they're out there, but still it seems much of the mood is decidedly

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-58543776065187686102009-08-07T15:28:00.004-04:002009-08-07T15:33:48.648-04:00

Sometimes I don't like being right: yesterday's attack on Twitter was to silence a Blogger from Georgia who opposed Russian influence in the region.http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/07/attack-on-twitter-came-in-two-waves/?hpAs print disappears as a viable medium, what are the weaknesses of the alternative? It's awful hard to burn every book; is it easier to burn down a website? I hope people

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-7022603103329952672009-08-07T09:01:00.003-04:002009-08-07T09:28:39.539-04:00

To Anyone and Everyone:I left the comment moderation on this blog open to anonymous comments because I am an advocate of free speech. It's hard to work for a newspaper and not be. Anyone can add any viewpoint they want here without concern of censorship (clean language and pertinence to the conversation please). But I'm also in favor of learning to the Truth, as much as there is a truth with a

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-77136334564512124432009-08-06T20:17:00.003-04:002009-08-06T20:39:55.522-04:00

Twitter went down for a few hours earlier today. Even now I can't post anything, although my feed is still going. It makes you wonder: what would we have learned about Iran had there been a cyber-attack at the same time? I don't think Twitter will replace journalism, but it certainly aids in the practice of it. What happens when regimes learn to wield technology on par with demonstrators? Or will

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-35752447750612121912009-08-06T09:39:00.002-04:002009-08-06T14:28:03.889-04:00

I heard a report on Morning Edition today, an interview with a Senegalese rapper. He said Africa is too well known for famine, war and disease, which belies how much hope there is for the continent. The African people need to take pride in their lives and their heritage, he said, not see it as a yoke. It rings true with the city of Berlin as well, and it clarifies the point I was trying to make

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-58082524006054548772009-08-05T19:25:00.005-04:002009-08-06T19:32:02.734-04:00

One of the advantages of working for a weekly paper is that I can have long conversations. Like on Monday, when I arrived at a house on Western Avenue that had a fire over the weekend. The owner showed up, then the tenants, and I spent probably an hour talking to them about what had happened.Or the car dealership general manager, who I showed me the clunkers stored in the back lot.Or the police

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-72483504816944888142009-08-01T06:03:00.002-04:002009-08-01T06:10:42.186-04:00

Another new project I'm considering — live Twittering from city council meetings. It could serve as my notes for the story due the next day, and if anyone wanted to see what goes on in at a council meeting, with little more range than makes it into the paper, real time, they'll have that option. It would also be a way for tech savvy people interested in Berlin to stay in the loop. Playing with

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-72514933119120890702009-07-31T16:15:00.002-04:002009-07-31T16:25:07.631-04:00

So I've got a few other projects on my plate for the next couple weeks, which will probably end up on here. The first one I start tomorrow and ought to be pretty interesting. The second one I'm still in the process of figuring out. But I thought I'd give a little preview:Food For Thought — Steve Dupuis is a stone mason who lives in Evan's Notch on the border of Maine and New Hampshire. This past

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-1183712026112572882009-07-30T23:21:00.004-04:002009-07-31T12:54:08.354-04:00

Posting on New Hampshire Craigslist Rants & Raves section, July 5 (unedited):I am thinking about buying a multiunit property in berlin and wondered about the town and the people there? Would this be a mistake?Responses, same day:Berlin NH is the Black Hole of NH..............it consumes money, lives, and souls.....it's appetite is insatiable, Great deals on multi multis, usually means evil

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-52738148296052997842009-07-30T17:21:00.003-04:002009-07-30T23:53:45.756-04:00

Ok, it's time for me to backpedal.I thought, less than a week ago, that capitalizing on ATVing and snowmobiling was pointless, because it was focusing on something citizens of the city were more interested in than people from around the state and further abroad. After several days discussion, however, my perspective has changed.I don't think ATVs are the silver bullet for Berlin, but I don't see

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-58554805733744483202009-07-27T22:50:00.003-04:002009-07-27T23:43:58.041-04:00

No, I didn't make up the title.That's the name of the initiative put forth by Norman Charest, Berlin's economic development director. It is a proposal to replace Berlin's failing manufacturing sector with infrastructure to make the city an ATV recreation destination."This is not strictly a tourism initiative," he said in tonight's city council meeting. "The old Berlin is dead and gone. We need to

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-77355188574644321312009-07-23T21:01:00.005-04:002009-07-23T21:47:51.410-04:00

My story on Our Town Biodiesel aired this evening on NHPR News. It profiles Forrest Letarte, the 25 year old founder and CEO of Our Town, which takes waste vegetable oil and turns it into home heating oil fuel. It'll be on tomorrow morning as well, and you can listen to it on NHPR's website. Check it out.It isn't a video at all — it isn't possible to upload MP3s to Blogger, so I set it to photos.

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-40123421314569235822009-07-23T16:46:00.003-04:002009-07-23T21:00:40.303-04:00

I was talking about Twitter with someone and they pointed out something wonderful: while there might be trending topics, it's possible to read about whatever interests you through a simple search. There may be a saturating conversation that day, but it doesn't extinguish everything else. Twitter is not a zero-sum game.Radio, however, is.I love radio. Some of my first reporting was for WMPG, the

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1667342928582108210.post-2314196281464619982009-07-22T13:50:00.003-04:002009-07-22T14:05:19.512-04:00

Berlin usually lives in a different time than the rest of the county. In the last year the country has caught up to Berlin, but for a long time the two were speaking different languages.Money flowed freely around the U.S. for the last decade, but not in Berlin. The mill has been gone for years, and crowded streets, secure jobs and a thriving city went with it.The first drive through the city it

Erik Eiselehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000017878410493171noreply@blogger.com0