Fire was just latest flare in simmering dispute

WELLS RIVER—More than two weeks after a fire devastated an historic school building, it remains to be seen whether the old school will ever be restored. But it is clear that there are a lot of hurdles to overcome.
The flames which burned in the historic schoolhouse in Wells River on July 18 may be symbolic of a smoldering, what some might call, hostility between Lisa Stepancic, the building’s owner and the broader village community.