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NEWPORT — “I could give you a hard time if I wanted to, but I’m not,” Trevor Smith is reported to have said on March 12, following a strange incident that landed him in front of a judge, facing a felony charge.

Smith, 32, of Newport, was arrested after he repeatedly offered to help police transport a child that was left outside shortly during an arrest on Route 105 in Derby, while the child’s mother was being arrested. Smith pled innocent to the charge of impeding a public officer.
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MORGAN — The Seymour Lake Association’s (SLA) Board of directors announced that they plan to file suit this week against the State of Vermont, Agency of Natural Resources (ANR). The lawsuit is the culmination of six years of what SLA characterizes as “fruitless discussions and inaction by ANR, resulting in continued water quality degradation, property damage, and violations of an existing Vermont statute and a Vermont Supreme Court decision, both specific to water levels at Seymour Lake.”
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IRASBURG — A wild party last night in Irasburg became a crime scene after a large fight broke out inside. A home next door to the party was also vandalized in the process, leaving Vermont State Police calling for backup from the U.S. Border Patrol. Many were underage, and four were arrested.

On Friday, April 18, the police were called to the Rowell residence in Irasburg at 11:45 p.m. after they contacted the authorities to report that their window had been smashed out by a rock that someone had thrown from a large party next door at Thomas Pingree’s residence. According to police, the Rowell’s reported that there were kids outside yelling for Mr. Rowell to come out and fight. They were also throwing bottles all over the place.

When the police arrived, a large fight had broken out inside Pingree’s home. The police were forced to enter the residence by force and subsequently had to restrain numerous people who were actively fighting. The state police requested assistance from the Border Patrol as the crowd numbered roughly 50 people.

Numerous people fled the area when the police arrived, however, many were screened for alcohol consumption. Several tickets were issued for underage drinking.

Pingree, 25, was cited for unlawful mischief and enabling the consumption by minors.

One man, age 18, was charged with providing false information to a law enforcement officer. Two others were charged with disorderly conduct and under age consumption of alcohol.

The police are saying that the case remains open and additional charges may be forthcoming at a later date.

ST. JOHNSBURY — The search continues for runaway Lauren Blackmon, now age 17. During the early morning hours of October 9, 2012, Blackmon, ran away from her residence on Moose River Drive in St. Johnsbury.

Blackmon, who was living with a friend’s family, was facing relocation out of state. It is believed she intentionally ran away to avoid the move. Within a month of running away, there were reported sightings of her in the St. Johnsbury area. However, since these initial reports, no further sightings were made to authorities.

The case remains open and active with the Vermont State Police. Follow-up interviews with family, friends, and associates of Blackmon have not revealed any new contact between Blackmon and these individuals.

Blackmon will turn 18 in October of 2014, but the Vermont State Police remain concerned as there is no indication she is prepared to provide for herself, and officials would like to confirm her welfare.

At the time Blackmon ran away, she was approximately 5’7″ tall, weighing approximately 170 pounds, with hazel eyes, and blond hair.

DERBY LINE — Debra Kinney, 59, of Derby Line, was sentenced to three years imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, after pleading guilty of defrauding Border Lodge Credit Union accountholders of over $633,000. According to court papers, Kinney’s acts of embezzlement occurred over a period of years.

Kinney was the manager of the Border Lodge Credit Union in Derby Line. In November 2012, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, along with state and federal bank regulators, searched the credit union and seized the documents and operations of the financial institution based on evidence of widespread fraud and misappropriation of accountholders’ funds.

After an ensuing investigation, Kinney was indicted. Federal credit union regulators permanently shut down and liquidated the assets of the credit union.

Kinney pled guilty to the federal fraud charges in January, 2014.

According to court papers, Kinney would frequently write checks to herself or for her benefit, and for that of family members drawn from credit union accountholders without authorization. A subsequent financial investigation determined she removed hundreds of thousands of dollars from multiple accountholders. All told, the investigation revealed improprieties with 33 different accounts.

All of the losses of individual accountholders were insured by the National Credit Union Administration which insures credit union accounts up to $250,000. As part of the liquidation of the credit union, the National Credit Union Administration paid accountholders for losses they suffered. To date, Kinney has not paid any restitution.

MONTGOMERY — A woman was rescued in Montgomery on Tuesday at around 5:30 p.m., after being stuck in rising flood waters on Longley Bridge Road. Police and a local resident, using a large farm tractor, were able to pull the woman out of her vehicle to safety.

Vermont State Police received the call that a full sized truck was caught in the flood waters.

Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Corporal McKenney was the first law enforcement to arrive on scene. He and nearby resident, Stanley Longley, saw that the truck was still occupied. Realizing the woman inside was sitting in the frigid water and fearing the vehicle may be swept away, Corporal McKenny and Mr. Longley took action.

Mr. Longley obtained his farm tractor from his residence and drove it to the edge of the flood water. Corporal McKenny boarded the tractor and they backed into the water towards the stuck vehicle. Once at the vehicle, Corporal McKenny was able to break a window and pull the woman out of the truck.

McKenny, with the assistance of Enosburg Rescue member Dean Scott, was able to get the woman to the tractor. They then drove all involved to safety.

Members of the Vermont State Police, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Enosburg Rescue, and area fire departments responded to the scene. During their response units found direct routes to the stuck vehicle were impassible due to flood waters and heavy mud on the back roads. This drastically increased response times as alternative routes were sought.

At one point a responding ambulance and fire truck were stuck in heavy mud on Longley Bridge Road.

The woman was not seriously injured and was transported to Northwest Medical Center for precautionary purposes.

BARTON — Three families needed to seek temporary shelter last night as the power was shut off at their apartment building at 66 Glover Road in Barton, as the water level rose in the building’s basement.

The Red Cross is reporting that volunteers supported the displaced residents in Barton, as well as Lyndonville last night as flood waters continued to rise overnight.

In Lyndonville, six residents sought refuge at the local fire department, where the Red Cross provided the staff, equipment, and food to open a temporary shelter.

All of those in need of assistance were able to head home by 7:30 a.m. as waters receded. The assistance provided overnight, as with the frequent assistance provided this winter to families devastated by house and apartment fires, is provided by the American Red Cross without charge.

All of Orleans County is still under a flood watch issued by the National Weather Service. A flood watch means that there is a potential for flooding based on current forecasts.

DERBY LINE — The police are saying that a 25-year-old woman from Sherbrooke, Quebec, was taken into custody at the U.S. border in Derby Line on Thursday, after she was believed to be intoxicated. Customs officers became suspicious when the woman tried to enter a closed entry lane, and ran over several cones.

The woman is reported to have tried to cross into the U.S. at the I-91 Port of Entry at around 11 p.m. on Thursday, April 10.

U.S. Customs Officers advised that she drove her car into a closed lane of entry, running over several cones that marked the lane closure in the process. Officers are reporting that upon speaking with her, they detected a strong odor of intoxicants, and several signs of intoxication.

The Vermont State Police arrived, and the woman agreed to standardized field sobriety exercises. She was subsequently taken into custody and transported to the Derby Barracks, where she was processed for suspicion of DUI.

She is scheduled to appear in Orleans County Court on April 29.

NEWPORT — A 74-year-old woman was transported by helicopter from North Country Hospital to Dartmouth Hitchcock Hospital this afternoon after being involved in a major accident on I-91 near Irasburg.

Delma Reed, of Newport, suffered an injury to her left arm after her vehicle overturned during the two vehicle crash. Rebecca Deyo, 54, of Derby, was the driver of the other vehicle.

At around 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 13, both drivers were traveling north on I-91 near mile marker 162 in Irasburg. Both drivers were traveling around 65 miles per hour. According to the police, Reed had been driving behind Deyo in the travel lane, and started to change lanes, when Deyo changed lanes as well, striking Reed.

After the collision, Reed, traveling in a 2007 Subaru Impreza, traveled off the blacktop and onto the soft portion of the median. While attempting to steer the vehicle back onto the blacktop, the vehicle overturned, coming to an uncontrolled rest on its roof in the passing lane.

The Subaru was totaled, and Reed suffered a severe injury to her left arm. She was taken to North Country Hospital for treatment before being airlifted to Dartmouth Hitchcock.

Deyo’s vehicle, a 2005 Ford Explorer, was able to be driven from the scene.

The case is still under investigation, however, the police report that neither speed nor alcohol appear to be factors in the crash.

GREENSBORO — The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced Wednesday that it has awarded a $251,000 Emergency Community Water Assistance Grant (ECWAG) to Greensboro Fire District 1 to improve drinking water quality for users in Greensboro Village.

The grant will help the Fire District develop an additional well. The system’s existing wells have suffered from drought conditions in the past two years, forcing residents to draw untreated drinking water directly for Caspian Lake. Untreated surface water does not meet the standards of the Safe Drinking Water Act, requiring the system to issue boil water notices to its users.

“In the middle of our two-year pipe replacement project, our primary well started to dry up,” John Makin, a member of Greensboro’s Prudential Committee said. “USDA Rural Development stepped in with critical funding for a new well. This has been a major undertaking for our Fire District Prudential Committee. We have been very fortunate to have the professional help that has been provided throughout this project.”

The Fire District is in the final stages of an 18,000 foot water line replacement project scheduled to be completed in the coming months. USDA Rural Development provided $2,833,250 in low cost loans and grants through the agency’s Water and Waste Disposal Program.

The new lines will increase fire protection and decrease water consumption due to old leaking pipes. The contractor for the project, Munson Earth Moving Corp., recently received the Associated General Contractors of Vermont 2013 Best Builders award for this project.

“Safe, high quality drinking water in sufficient quantity is not a luxury, it is a necessity,” Ted Brady, the State Director of USDA Rural Development Vermont and New Hampshire, said. “Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and the team at USDA Rural Development recognize that our rural communities cannot shoulder the burden of making large drinking water improvements alone, and the ECWAG program is one of the most effective tools we can use to address sudden and unforeseen water quality and quantity concerns.”

ORLEANS — Trout fishing and bass catch and release seasons open tomorrow, and anglers are looking forward to fishing the local lakes and streams.

The Willoughby River in the Village of Orleans is a popular spot for spring fishing. The Willoughby flows north from Lake Willoughby to Lake Memphremagog, and rainbow trout and landlocked salmon can be seen jumping the falls on their spring spawning run. The trout swim up river for about 15 miles from Lake Memphremagog, where they spawn in the rocky shale of the river just out from Lake Willoughby.

The Willoughby River is also relatively unpolluted and rich in oxygen, which make ideal water conditions for trout.

Brook trout are a native species, as well as being Vermont’s official coldwater fish. Wild brook trout in the smaller streams are often eager to feed, but fishing smaller streams can be challenging because they can be easily spooked. When fishing these waters keep a low profile so they don’t see you.

Casting can also be a real challenge in smaller streams. Use a short rod or make short, underhand tosses. Worms are the bait of choice in small streams because there is usually not enough room to effectively fish an artificial lure.

Tomorrow also starts bass catch and release season. Bass have been growing in popularity with Vermont’s anglers, and the Northeast Kingdom boasts many great options for catching both largemouth and smallmouth bass.

Gardner Park, located on Lake Memphremagog in Newport, is a good spot for bass fishing. Much of the Gardner Park waterfront can be fished easily. A good location is where the Clyde River enters the lake. A footbridge just to the west of the US-5 bridge is another spot that you might want to try.

Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department officials are reminding anglers that felt-soled boots or waders are prohibited to curb the spread of invasive algae.

The official season dates are:

Bass Catch & Release Season (Apr 12 2014 – Jun 13 2014)

Trout & Landlocked Salmon (Apr 12 2014 – Oct 31 2014)

Have fun, and stay safe. If you want to share any of your photos from this season, post them to our Facebook wall, or else use the hashtag #newportdispatch on Instagram.

NEWPORT — The city drafted new zoning bylaws to accommodate the proposed AnC Bio plant. The adjustments were related to height restrictions for buildings in a light industrial zone. This required Fire Chief Jamie LeClair to meet with developers and assess the situation. His decision is that the city needs five high-rise packs in order to respond if a fire ever broke out at the plant.

“When you have a high-rise structure, the state mandates that they put in a standpipe, which is a pipe that goes on each floor that the fire department can hook into with their hoses to have access to water,” Fire Chief Jamie LeClair said on Wednesday. “These high-rise packs have all the equipment to hook into the standpipes to fight the fire, as opposed to stretching a bunch of hose from the outside, all the way up four or five floors.”

On Monday night, in order to make sure that the AnC Bio project does not come across any hang-ups, the city council voted to fund the new equipment in next year’s budget. The equipment is estimated to cost $19,600.

City Manager John Ward’s reasoning was that even with tax breaks given to AnC Bio, the city would collect more in property tax than the price of the new equipment. With the AnC Bio plant appraised at $30 million, even with a 90 percent tax break, the city would receive $34,791 in tax payments.

LeClair said that the new equipment could be used to fight a fire anywhere that has standpipes built into the structure, noting that North Country Hospital is one such building, however, he stated that they are not necessarily in use at the hospital.

He also noted that maintaining the standpipes is often costly, but that it is entirely up to the property owner, and is not a cost that would fall on taxpayers in the future.

The other options to pay for the equipment would have been to seek impact fees from the developer, in this case Bill Stenger and his partners, or else search for grants.

NEWPORT – The National Weather Service is saying that the Barton River is expected to cause minor flooding overnight Tuesday and into Wednesday. The forecast is saying that the flooding will impact Maple Street and River Road between Orleans and Coventry station. They are saying that there will be extensive field and lowland flooding.

The flood stage is at 8.0 feet, and is expected to rise near 8.5 feet by late Wednesday.

Today, the Health Department sent out a message urging all Vermonters to prepare for spring flooding.

Spring flooding is a potential hazard every year as ice floes break like pieces of a giant jigsaw puzzle, forming blockages at bridges and tributaries, causing rivers and streams to overflow their banks.

“Flooding is a leading cause of weather-related deaths in the U.S., and most are preventable,” said Chris Bell, director of public health preparedness for the Vermont Department of Health. “Public Health Week is a good time for us all to remind each other not to underestimate the power of water, especially moving water.”

Part of being ‘Vermont Strong,’ Bell said, is to be ready for any hazard, including the possibility of flooding.

Most flooding-related deaths occur when people attempt to drive through flooded roadways, or cross moving water. Six inches of moving water can knock down an adult, and 18 inches can carry away a vehicle, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Floodwaters can also contain harmful bacteria, sewage, agricultural or industrial waste, chemicals, metals, and other substances. It can even contaminate drinking water wells.

The Health Department has extensive information about precautions to take before and after a flood at: http://healthvermont.gov/enviro/water/flood.aspx.

Emergency information about flooding and power outages is also available in English plus 10 other languages at: http://www.healthvermont.gov/local/rhealth/rh_fact.aspx

The American Red Cross has also just released a new flood app to help get your family and home ready for a flood, now available at iTunes or Google Play app stores.

STANSTEAD, QC — The Stanstead Fire Department conducted a fire training exercise on Sunday morning, burning down an old house owned by the FamilyPrix pharmacy. The house was also owned by Raymond Falconer for many years.

The fire was started at 9 a.m. By around noon the building was completely down. The area was still smoldering Monday afternoon.

The drill allowed firefighters the opportunity to keep the fire contained to one area, as well as watch the way the flames spread from start to finish.

Stanstead firefighter Jason Hartley said the exercise was just a “surround and drown,” where the department was only concerned with keeping the fire contained, rather than training in any inside firefighting or search and rescue techniques.

“It was a good training experience, especially for the new guys on the department who have not had as much experience yet,” Hartley said. “The drill allowed them to watch the way the fire evolved, and we worked together to keep it contained.”

Because the Stanstead Fire Department works as mutual aid with Derby Line, Vermont, they were notified of the drill.

All Photos by Jason Hartley.