Antrim
After supporting two articles that could eliminate the town’s deficit by the end of the year, voters approved an advisory budget committee in an effort to prevent deficits in the future.

After declining to deliberate on the question, voters approved an article to transfer $194,077 from a tax increment finance (TIF) district fund to the general fund.

After deliberation of a $450,000 article designed to address the town’s deficit, a single “no” vote rang through the Town Gym at Antrim Elementary School during Thursday evening’s Town Meeting. The remainder of the more than 175 voters at Town Meeting approved the article, although many had questions about the origin of the deficit and the steps being taken to prevent another one.

Dublin
Dublin voters rejected an amendment that would have eliminated raises for town employees before passing a budget with the pay increases intact.

The final budget was amended upward by $100 for a contribution to the Contoocook Valley Transportation Company. Funding for the Advocate town newsletter passed easily while a vote on gay marriage was postponed indefinitely.

Francestown
Francestown voters put $505,000 into capital reserve funds, half of which is targeted for future repair and replacement of bridges.

Voters also approved two separate warrant articles totaling $200,000 for work on Pleasant Pond Road. The budget was approved after much debate on whether to restore streetlights that were eliminated at last year's Town Meeting. Eventually, residents approved the streetlights, though they will differ significantly from those recently removed.

The gay marriage article failed in secret ballot.

Greenfield
Voters at Town Meeting on Saturday questioned the town’s no-raise budgeting policy this year after Police Chief Brian Giammarino requested and received a $1,000 raise for one of his officers.

Despite what Selectman Aaron Kullgren called “overwhelming” economic pressures, the town approved all department budgets, each of which appeared as a separate warrant article. Voters also approved capital reserve appropriations and a $50,000 article to paint the town offices and Meeting House.

Following a discussion about the merits of the state’s current recognition of same-gender marriages, voters rejected an article calling for a constitutional amendment to the definition of marriage.

Greenville
In a quick, but sparsely attended Town Meeting, Greenville voters approved the budget and passed all warrant articles.

The warrant article asking voters from Temple and Greenville for $42,040 for a new police cruiser was amended downward to $33,306. Greenville's share of the payment went from $26,040 to $20,650. The approval is contingent on passage from Temple, which shares police services with Greenville.

A petition article that called for a resolution on gay marriage to send to state legislators was tabled.

Hancock
Hancock voters passed a $1,793,500 operating budget and authorized spending up to $20,000 for repairs to the transmission,engine and dump body of the town's 1994 Mack truck, both by wide margins.

By a vote of 102-67, voters passed an article to rescind a 2004 vote to put up to $6,000 of Land Use Change Tax revenue into Conservation Commission funds each year. Before the final vote was taken on the article, Conservation Commission member Ron Mack proposed amending the article to rescind the 2004 decision for just two years; that amendment was defeated on a voice vote.

A petition amendment calling for a resolution that citizens of New Hampshire be allowed to vote on an amendment to the N.H. Constitution that defines "marriage" was defeated, by a vote of 32 Yes, 102 No.

Jaffrey

Voters showed their support of town government, town employees and their local nonprofits in passing all the warrant articles, including petitions, proposed by them and their supporters.

The support means that town employees will get raises and the Fire Department is authorized to lease a new rescue truck with a down payment of $83,000 from the capital reserve fund. What’s more, nonprofits are to receive over $63,000 in financial support from the town.

Three petitions submitted by residents -- proposing that voters be allowed to vote on a amendment to the state constitution defining marriage, that the town designate Ingalls Road a scenic road and that the town collect a $1 fee for every acre in current use -- however, failed to meet legal standards and/or were passed over by the Town Meeting voting body.

Lyndeborough
In a meeting that lasted well over five hours, voters approved the budget and all but one warrant article.

Voters did reject a request to place $25,000 in a police station fund to begin putting money away for renovations. The gay-marriage petition article failed by a 2-to-1 margin.

Mason
Mason voters easily passed the budget, but turned down warrant articles for a new backhoe and a new police cruiser.

Four times, residents asked to vote by secret ballot. Both votes that required two-thirds approval were rejected. A majority of voters turned down $125,000 for a lease purchase of a new backhoe and a $36,000 request for a new police cruiser fell two votes short of the two-thirds requirement.

The budget, which also went to a ballot vote, passed easily, as did an article to put $20,000 into a highway equipment capital reserve.

Temple
A bond for a new fire department truck was amended to an outright purchase of $75,000 and then approved by voters at Saturday's meeting.

A warrant article for a new police cruiser to be shared with Greenville was amended from $16,000 to $12,656. Greenville also amended its portion of the article downward, meaning the Temple/Greenville Police Department will now have $33,306 for a new cruiser.

The town's gay marriage petition was tabled while the budget was approved.

Wilton
At Town Meeting Thursday, voters added $50,000 to the proposed $3,962,040 town budget in order to guarantee funding for repairs to the Fire Department roofs. During discussion, it was noted that insurance will probably reimburse much of the cost of the roof repairs, but the money was added to ensure the project could be done.

All other items on the warrant were approved as submitted, except for the gay marriage petition article, with was tabled by a standing vote.

Four Massachusetts men ages 18 to 20 were arrested Friday in connection with a robbery earlier in the day at TD Bank in Rindge.

Joshua Robinson, 20, of Hubbardston, Elijah Robinson, 18, of Hubbardston, Christopher Boisvert, 20, of Gilbertville and Adam C. Fowley, 18, of New Braintree are being held on $500,000 cash bail and will be arraigned in Jaffrey District Count on Monday.

Current charges include aiding criminal activity, conspiracy to commit robbery and hindering apprehension.

According to a press release from the Rindge Police, a single male entered the bank at 2:30 p.m. Friday and demanded money before leaving on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash. Police did not say if a weapon was used in the robbery or how many employees or customers were in the bank at the time.

Officers David Blake and Joseph Hazelrigg and Detective Daniel Anair, all of Rindge, responded to the scene to take witness accounts, begin the investigation and notify surrounding agencies. At 3:10 p.m. Sgt. Craig Tucker of Jaffrey Police stopped a suspicious vehicle with the four males suspects.

ANTRIM -- After supporting two articles that could eliminate the town’s deficit by the end of the year, voters approved an advisory budget committee in an effort to prevent deficits in the future.

After declining to deliberate on the question, voters approved an article to transfer $194,077 from a tax increment finance (TIF) district fund to the general fund.

After deliberation of a $450,000 article designed to address the town’s deficit, a single “no” vote rang through the Town Gym at Antrim Elementary School during Thursday evening’s Town Meeting. The remainder of the more than 175 voters at Town Meeting approved the article, although many had questions about the origin of the deficit and the steps being taken to prevent another one.

Details in Tuesday's Ledger-Transcript.

The Conant boys basketball team won a record fifth straight Class M championship on Wednesday night when it defeated Berlin 41-35 in front of almost 2,000 people at Southern New Hampshire University.

The Orioles held the record at four consecutive titles and Wednesday added another to the total.

Going into the game undefeated at 21-0, Conant was matched up with the second seeded Mountaineers, 19-2.

Conant struggled to get anything going offensively in the first half, shooting just 4-for-20 and trailed by three at the break.

It took until about the two-minute mark of the third for the Orioles to regain a lead that had eluded them since the midway point of the second quarter.

A Sean Martin steal and lay-up tied the game at 22 and Kemph Kim put Conant ahead with a lay-up of his own. The Orioles led by four going into the fourth and six early in the quarter, but Berlin came back to tie it at 31 with 3:52 left.

Consecutive baskets by Jimmy Peard and Martin pushed the lead back to four and the Mountaineers never got any closer than three.

Conant shot 8-for-15 in the second half and held a 10-point advantage at the free throw line for the game.

Martin led all scorers with 20, while playing every minute of the game, and was the only Oriole in double figures.

Peard had seven points and seven rebounds before fouling out with 1:39 left. Kim scored five with five rebounds and five assists.

Conant is 108-2 over the last five seasons and has won 43 straight.