An early morning fire in Putney on Tuesday destroyed the Route 5
home of Kimberly and Kenneth Basinger and sent Kenneth Basinger to
the hospital. Kenneth was in critical condition when transferred from
Brattleboro Memorial Hospital to Massachusetts General Hospital.
The fire chief mentioned that Basinger, his wife, and two children
escaped their burning home at about 2:41 a.m., but Kenneth Basinger
seemed to have re-entered the burning home at one point. Kimberly
Basinger reported the fire at 2:41 a.m. and later called back to report
someone possibly still inside. When firefighters arrived, Kenneth
Basinger was outside the building and received treatment before
being taken to BMH. The home, once a store and gas station called
“Top of the Hill” is now a total loss. The fire did not seem suspicious but is under investigation. Multiple fire departments assisted in extinguishing the fire. A Go-Fund Me page has been set up for the
family.
On Monday evening, a little after 9pm, Vermont State Police
responded to a single motor vehicle crash on Coolidge Memorial
Highway in the Town of Guilford. Vermont State Police arrived on the
scene and met with the operator, 24-year-old Zebulen C. Lesure. An
investigation determined that Lesure was under the influence and
placed under arrest for suspicion of Driving Under the Influence of
alcohol and possession of a regulated drug. Lesure was transported to
the Westminster Barracks for processing. Lesure was later released
with a criminal citation and is scheduled to appear in Vermont
Superior Court, Windham Criminal Division, on March 12.
Four ambulances were called to the scene of a three-vehicle crash in
Spofford on Monday. One of the vehicles involved in the crash was a
van from the Bellows Falls Area Senior Center. There was only one
person in that vehicle at the time of the crash. While the cause of the
crash is currently unknown, all those involved suffered only minor to
moderate injuries. The victims were taken to Keene for treatment.
Vermont officials are seeking a federal major disaster declaration to
compensate towns damaged by flooding in December in Essex,
Lamoille, Orange, Orleans, Rutland, Windham, and Windsor counties.
Federal assessors have identified more than $1.9 million in damage to
towns caused by flooding on Dec. 18 and 19, according to the
governor’s office, exceeding the $1.2 million the state must show to
qualify for a public assistance disaster declaration. If granted, the
declaration unlocks FEMA funding to reimburse municipalities for 75%
of eligible costs.
It’s cold and flu season, and while some Vermonters may want
medical help, one hospital is reminding people that not everything
requires a trip to the ER. University of Vermont Medical Center
officials on Monday said many regional hospitals are at or near
capacity and that they are helping people determine the best place to
get care. They say primary care is good for things that can wait for an
appointment, like sprains, colds, flu, or a stomach bug. Urgent care is
for non-emergencies that can’t wait for an appointment, and the
emergency department is only for immediate life-threatening
conditions. It comes after Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center last
week said that it is also experiencing a surge in respiratory illnesses
that is resulting in long wait times at the ER.
A favorite Vermont wintertime tradition is back for the 37th year. The
Joe’s Pond Association is gearing up to put the famous concrete block
out on the ice, and it’s time to get your guesses in for when it will fall
through. Each year, the association puts the block tethered to a clock
out on the ice. When the ice melts, and the block falls through, the
clock records the ice-out time. While the block isn’t out on the ice
quite yet, tickets for the ice-out contest are officially on sale. Proceeds
are split 50/50 between the winner(s) and the Joe’s Pond Association,
which uses the money for the annual fireworks display, water quality
initiatives and other programs. Last year, the ice broke on April 17 at
10:18 p.m. More than 11,000 tickets were sold.
WTSA SPORTS FOR WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 21st 2024
THE BRUINS ARE IN CANADA TONIGHT AGAINST THE OILERS, THEY DROP THE PUCK LATE AT 10PM.
Longtime Patriots captain Matthew Slater announced his retirement after 16 seasons on Tuesday morning. The wide receiver turned special teams, became a 5x First-Team All-Pro, a 3x Second-Team All-Pro, and a 10x Pro Bowler in New England. He was also named to the Patriots’ All-2010’s Team, and All-Dynasty Team. Slater is also, of course, a 3x Super Bowl champion.
In Local Boys Basketball it was Burlington over the Brattleboro Bears last night 101 – 56.