May 17, 1950: In a flurry of gunfire during which three shots were exchanged, an alert Nashua patrolman early this morning narrowly escaped death in thwarting an attempted burglary at the F. W. Woolworth store on Main St. The patrolman, Ralph J. Provencher, 26, escaped being shot by one of the two men he surprised in the store when a bullet fired at him struck a cash register and ricocheted away.

Provencher fired two shots in return as the burglars fled through a rear door and made their escape in the direction of Water St.

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May 18, 1955

The aviation commission, in a letter to Francis LaFlamme of the aldermanic land and buildings committee, counted itself out of a meeting with alderman on changes it had proposed for the Nashua Airport. In the letter, the commission said it had presented its recommendations and would not negotiate changes. It also said it would “be any part of a part of a political or pressure movement.”

Aldermanic president Royal Dion said the commission’s presumption that the city would play politics over the airport “a gross insult.” Dion said there would be no action on the proposal until the commission sat down to discuss it.

The commission said the aldermen should rescind the brick hangar lease of the Nashua Aviation and Supply Co., and lease it to H and H Airways.

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May 19, 1990

A bartender testified that Peter Dushame was not drunk when he left the North Andover, Mass., VFW post an hour before he allegedly caused an accident that killed 10-year-old Lacey Parker. Will Nadeau said he served Dushame five vodka tonics between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 1. After that, Nadeau said, Dushame only drank Cokes and was not drunk when he left around 3:30 p.m.

Prosecutors allege Dushame was driving drunk in the breakdown lane of the Everett Turnpike south of Exit 1 in Nashua when he hit a motorcycle, which then hit the motorcycle on which Parker and her father, Gordon, were sitting.

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May 20, 2017

Stephan Condodemetraky, owner of the now defunct classic car dealership Dusty Old Cars, is facing jail time after the Grand Jury in the Merrimack County Superior Court handed up numerous criminal indictments Friday. Condodemetraky is indicted on one count of witness tampering, nine counts of forgery and 10 counts of title application fraud, according to court documents.

“I am not sure what you are referring too (sic),” Condodemetraky replied via email when asked for comment. The title fraud and forgery indictments all deal with one man, Brad West of Manchester, who was allegedly defrauded by Condodemetraky in 2013, though there are hundreds of other people who claim to have been taken by Condodemetraky.

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May 21, 1960

Fire officials are continuing their investigation of a fire that heavily damaged a vacant, city-owned property at 11 Maple St. and hospitalized one fire fighter early this morning. Lt. Robert Garant of 12 Dow St. was hospitalized. A member of the Central Fire Station, Garant was treated for smoke inhalation at St. Joseph’s Hospital and released.

Alderman-at-large Maurice L. Noel said that the city has about 75 percent insurance coverage on properties it owns. The city purchased this property to make an off-street parking lot.

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May 22, 1965

State police reportedly moved into Maine in their bid to track down a black Ford sedan believed to be the get-away car used by the killer who shot William E. Fergnani, 51, to death yesterday morning in his Catalina Trailer Sales park on Rte. 3 near the New Hampshire state line. Two witnesses said they drove into the trailer park on business and saw two men struggling and a woman nearby.

They said the struggled ended with Fergnani being shot. A man and a woman jumped into the get-away car and drove off toward Nashua.

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May 23, 1955

Vaccination of nearly 600 first- and second-graders, the first of 1,600 public and parochial students who will receive the Salk polio vaccine, went smoothly. “The kids were wonderful,” said Dr. Ernest J. Fraser, chairman of the city Board of Health and director of the city-wide program.

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