LEBANON, N.H.

Airline offering $12 tickets for flights out of Lebanon

A small airline is offering huge discounts over the next few days to help the Lebanon, N.H., airport qualify for more federal funding.

Cape Air is offering $12 tickets to passengers flying from Lebanon to either Boston or White Plains, N.Y., through Monday. The tickets include all fees, and the New York tickets include ground transportation from White Plains to Manhattan.

Airport manager Richard Dyment says the goal is to reach 10,000 departing passengers by the end of the year, which would boost the airport’s federal funding for safety improvements and other projects from about $150,000 to $1 million.

Cape Air added additional flights for the promotion, many of which are already sold out.

PROVIDENCE, R.I.

Teen bites off part of mother’s nose on Christmas Eve

Police say a 15-year-old Providence girl flew into a rage and bit off part of her mother’s nose on Christmas Eve.

Police say the girl also pushed her 60-year-old grandfather down a flight of stairs and punched and kicked two police officers who responded to the scene.

The mother and grandfather were treated at a hospital.

Authorities did not say what sparked the outburst, but say the girl threatened to kill everyone and attacked her family when they tried to prevent her from grabbing a knife.

The girl was charged with mayhem, felony assault and resisting arrest and was taken into custody of state youth services.

The girl’s mother, 37-year-old Annalilla Caballero, says her daughter is mentally ill and forgot her medication.

PORTSMOUTH, N.H.

Woman accused of impeding murder probe gets court date

The 19-year-old woman accused of lying about her whereabouts the day a University of New Hampshire student was killed is due back in court Jan. 2.

Kathryn McDonough of Portsmouth remains in custody on charges related to the disappearance and death of 19-year-old UNH sophomore Elizabeth Marriott of Westborough, Mass.

Prosecutors say McDonough lied when she said that she and 30-year-old Seth Mazzaglia of Dover had no contact with Marriott Oct. 9, the day she disappeared. Prosecutors say Mazzaglia, who is charged with second-degree murder, suffocated or strangled Marriott.

McDonough has been in custody since her arrest Christmas Eve. She’s due in Portsmouth District Court on Wednesday for a hearing on charges of conspiracy and hindering apprehension.

Her lawyer says he and McDonough haven’t decided whether to waive the hearing.

DORSET, Vt.

Police: OUI driver ended up on ex-land of AA co-founder

Vermont State Police say a man faces a drunken driving charge after driving onto the lawn of a historic home once owned by the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Police said 55-year-old Donald Blood III of Marlborough, Mass., has been ordered to appear in court in Bennington on Jan. 14.

Blood thought he was driving into a parking lot, police said, but it actually was the lawn of the Wilson House, built in 1852 in Dorset, the birthplace of AA co-founder Bill Wilson.

The Wilson House’s website describes it as a “place of sanctuary where people can come to give thanks to God for their new lives.”

It still hosts several AA meetings each week.

NORTHFIELD, N.H.

Unable to sell house outside fire district, chief may lose job

With the soft real estate market of recent years, many Americans are finding it tough to sell a home. But for Fire Chief Bradley Ober, it’s a special problem.

Ober’s contract with the Tilton-Northfield Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department requires him to live in the fire service district. But he’s been unable to sell his house in Ashland, 20 miles away, without taking a big loss.

The Concord Monitor reported that two of the three members on the district Fire Commission say Ober has to move by this June or he’s out of a job.

Meanwhile, townspeople, local officials and firefighters have been telling officials about Ober’s success as chief and his dedication to the communities.

CONCORD, N.H.

As safety measure, police make 4,000 vehicle stops

New Hampshire state police say they made nearly 4,000 motor vehicle stops in efforts to curb highway collisions and fatalities during the two weekends before Christmas.

State police said they issued 834 speeding citations and nearly 2,500 warnings during the two weekends, when they bulked up their public presence as part of what’s known as C.A.R.E. Life Saver Weekends.

Police also made 58 arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and issued 34 citations to drivers with suspended licenses.

Police Sgt. Matthew Shapiro said crackdown efforts will continue into the New Year’s holiday weekend.

PRINCETON, Mass.

Explosion and fire kill man who lived alone at house

One person is dead after an explosion that ignited a four-alarm fire and damaged a home in Princeton.

Officials at the state Fire Marshal’s Office did not release the name of the victim. But the Telegram & Gazette, quoting neighbors, reported that 61-year-old Rick Conway was living alone in the house that belonged to his mother, who recently moved to a nursing home.

The explosion Thursday blew away the front section of the home. Princeton Acting Fire Chief John Bennett said fire officials believe it was “some sort of gas explosion.” The cause of the fire was being investigated.

BOSTON

Crackdown appears unlikely despite absentee ballot scam

The state’s top election official says he’s reluctant to tighten access to absentee ballots, even after a Massachusetts state lawmaker agreed to plead guilty to casting invalid absentee ballots.

State Secretary William Galvin said he wants to know who might have helped Rep. Stephen Smith. But he said clamping down on absentee ballots could make it harder for some voters, including overseas military personnel.

Prosecutors said that in 2009 and 2010, Smith obtained absentee ballots for voters who were ineligible or unaware. They said in other cases, the 57-year-old Everett Democrat would intercept the ballots and cast them himself.

Smith has agreed to resign and not seek elected office for five years.