Orleans - page 2

ORLEANS — The Lake Region Union High School track and field team’s regular season wrapped up last week with a list of impressive performances as they prepare for the state championship meet this weekend.

Catherine Close placed fourth in the javelin at the Burlington Invitational and eighth in the discus, against many Division One schools.

Riley Urie finished fourth in the 100-meter dash and fifth in the 200m dash at the South Burlington Coaches v. Cancer Twilight Meet. Urie also tied the Lake Region school record in the 400m with a time of 53.7 At Lyndon Institute, in only his first ever attempt at the event.

The team had several top-six finishers at the Northeast Kingdom freshmen meet.

Andrew Hicks placed third in the 100m and long jump, and second in the 400m dash. Cole Royer, Josh Kelley, and Jorden Prue finish in fourth, fifth, and sixth, respectively, in the 800m run. Kaitlyn Verge was third in the 800m run and Brezee Lalime was fourth in the shot put and fifth in the long jump.

Lake Region had more top-six results at the Freshman Sophomore Championship held at U-32.

Mason Svayg won the high jump outright, and finished second in the 400m. Joslyn Hinton was second in the shot put and teamed up with Autumn Walsh, Annie Doucet, and Kaitlyn Verge to place second in the 4-by-100m relay. Verge was also sixth in the 800m run.

Coach Liz Chichester said the team is looking forward to the Division Three state championship meet this Saturday at Green Mountain Union High School in South Chester.

ORLEANS — Someone broke into the American Legion in Orleans early Saturday morning.

Police say they were dispatched to the scene after an alarm went off at around 1:18 a.m.

The Orleans Fire Department observed a window was broken when they arrived at the building.

A witness told police that they saw a gold colored SUV leave the scene shortly after the alarm was activated.

Police are asking anyone with information about this incident, or the vehicle the witness described, to contact the Derby Barracks at 802-443-8881.

ORLEANS — Police are saying that the man accused of vandalizing a church in Orleans has denied deliberately setting a small fire inside the building, and that fire investigators are still unable to determine if the fire was set deliberately or not.

On December 14, Justin Roy, 20, of Orleans, was arrested after police responded to a report of a fire at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church on East Street. During the vandalism a tablecloth had been set on fire, causing damage to a wood panel. The fire was quickly extinguished.

Today, fire investigators opened an investigation trying to determine if the fire was set, or possibly accidental. Police say Roy, after being arrested for burglary and vandalism, denied deliberately setting the fire.
 
Investigators say the suspect had previously wrapped a knife with a cloth, lit it on fire and used it as a light source while inside the church. They say he used the torch until some candles were located as a source of light.

The tablecloth that burned the wall was ignited from the bottom, and burned upward towards the top of the table. Investigators say no evidence of an ignition source was located at or near the fire.

Detective Sergeant Larry Smith says he believes the ignition source was probably from a lighter or candle, but that no remnants of the candle was found in the area to indicate an accidental ignition.

The source of the fire is still undetermined.

On Tuesday, Roy pled not guilty to charges of burglary, unlawful mischief, and unlawful trespass.

ORLEANS — An Orleans man is facing numerous charges after St. Theresa’s Catholic Church was vandalized on Monday night.

Police say that Justin Roy, 20, of Orleans, was arrested for burglary, unlawful mischief, and unlawful trespass, after a call came in at around 8 p.m. of a fire at the church, located at 44 East Street.

Father Timothy Naples said that items were broken and a tablecloth had been set on fire, causing damage to a wood panel in the building, however, the fire was extinguished by a neighbor.

Police say that the damages are estimated at around $3,000, with much of the damage labor intensive to clean up, after several fire extinguishers were discharged throughout the building.

Entry into the church was made by breaking out a window, and Fr. Naples said that the perpetrators cut themselves in the process, and that there was a significant amount of blood at the site.

The church usually holds services on Saturday evening, and say that they will work to get the building cleaned up in time. They say there is also the possibility of holding services in the parish hall.

Roy was lodged at Northern State Correctional Facility for lack of bail.

ORLEANS — Fire destroyed a home in Orleans on Tuesday, leaving a local family temporarily homeless.

The fire broke out at around 1 p.m. on South Street, at a two-story home built on the edge of the Barton River, near the Ethan Allen plant.

The home was owned by Jeremy Glodgett and Jessica Ortiz.

There was nobody home at the time of the fire, and there were no injuries reported.

The Orleans Fire Department was assisted by several area departments to help battle the blaze throughout the afternoon.

The family of five have been in contact with the American Red Cross, who are helping them with their immediate needs. In the next few days a caseworker with the Red Cross will help direct the family to needed services.

There is no word yet as to what may have caused the fire.