On Monday morning of August 26, 2024, troopers from the Shaftsbury Barracks were alerted to a vehicle over an embankment on Tunnel Street in Whitingham, identified as Harold Lavanway’s 2011 Honda Civic. Upon arrival, they confirmed Mr. Lavanway was deceased inside the vehicle. Preliminary investigations indicate he was traveling northbound when he lost control on a left curve, veering off the shoulder and resting approximately 10 feet down the embankment. The exact time of the crash is unknown. Mr. Lavanway’s body will be sent to the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Burlington for an autopsy. Authorities request that anyone with information contact the Shaftsbury Barracks at 802-442-5421. The investigation is ongoing, with no further details available at this time.
The Vermont State Police are investigating an attempted armed robbery that took place on Monday afternoon, August 26, 2024, in Rockingham, which may be linked to two other bank robberies in southeastern Vermont. The identities of the suspects, a man and a woman, are currently under investigation, and the public is advised to consider them armed and dangerous. At approximately 2 p.m., officers from the Vermont State Police Westminster Barracks and detectives from the Bureau of Criminal Investigations responded to the Rolling Twenties Dispensary at 440 Rockingham Rd. Reports indicate that the suspects demanded money and marijuana. The male suspect is described as approximately 40 years old, white, about 5 feet 9 inches tall, wearing a light gray long-sleeved shirt over a dark undershirt, gray sweatpants, and brown work boots. He had short brown hair, a black cap with a white stripe, dark sunglasses, blue latex gloves, and a black N-95 mask, with a bulge on his right hip believed to be a firearm. The female suspect is also around 40 years old, white, heavier-set, and about 4 feet 11 inches tall, dressed in a dark hooded fleece, tight blue jeans, and a brown leather belt. She had red hair under a black cap, dark sunglasses, blue latex gloves, and a black N-95 mask. The suspects were last seen driving a blue 2021 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck with New Hampshire license plate No. 527 0106, which was spotted in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, as it fled into Massachusetts. The Vermont State Police asks that anyone who might have information regarding the attempted armed robbery in Rockingham call the VSP Westminster Barracks at 802-722-4600 or email Detective Sgt. Dan Hall at daniel.hall@vermont.gov. People also can submit an anonymous tip online at https://vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit. No additional information is available at this time.
Vermonters looking for a fresh start now have a new tool to help
them find the perfect job. Earlier Monday, local leaders
convened in Burlington’s Old North End for the launch of the Vermont
Employment Pathfinder. The application uses artificial intelligence to
interview a job or skill seeker, builds a resume based on users’ skill
profiles, and matches them with relevant education and career
opportunities. The app focuses on new Americans and those entering
or reentering the workforce after an extended period off. The app is
free. https://www.vermontemploymentpathfinder.com/
On Sunday, shortly after 4:30 PM, Troopers from the Vermont State Police-Westminster Barracks encountered two individuals walking along Interstate 91 near Exit 3 in Brattleboro. One of the individuals was identified as Roland Ensminger, 44, who had an active extraditable warrant issued from Texas. Following the confirmation of the warrant and the Texas agency’s agreement to extradite, Ensminger was apprehended and taken to the Westminster Barracks for processing. Per order of the court, Ensminger was then issued a flash citation to appear in Vermont Superior Court, Windham County Criminal Division, yesterday afternoon to answer the charges.
The first criminal trial stemming from a five-year investigation into abuse allegations at New Hampshire’s youth detention center commenced yesterday. Victor Malavet, 62, from Guilford, is one of nine former state employees charged in connection with the attorney general’s extensive probe into the Sununu Youth Services Center. Charges against a tenth individual were dropped in May due to incompetence, and another passed away last month. While the other defendants worked at the Manchester facility previously known as the Youth Development Center, Malavet was employed at the Youth Detention Services Unit in Concord, where he faces 12 counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault against a 16-year-old girl from 2001.
Police Chief Dave Bemis of Bellows Falls announced that the Bellows Falls Police Department is currently conducting an investigation into a robbery that occurred at TD Bank on Monday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. He further indicated that the Vermont State Police are also looking into a robbery in Rockingham, reportedly involving the Rolling 20s cannabis shop. Additionally, the Brattleboro Police are investigating a robbery at Brattleboro Savings & Loan. Chief Bemis mentioned that authorities are exploring the possibility of a connection among the three incidents. He confirmed that a lone individual entered the Bellows Falls bank, and fortunately, no injuries were reported.
Police are asking the public for help identifying a person suspected of
siphoning gas out of two school buses. Vermont State Police say they
received a report on August 13 from Twin Valley Middle High School
in Whitingham that two of their school buses had gas siphoned from
them in August. Anyone who can identify the suspect is asked to
contact the state police in Westminster at 802-722-4600 or to leave an
anonymous tip online. https://vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit
Authorities have apprehended two individuals in relation to a stabbing incident that occurred over the weekend in Montpelier, one of whom is a minor. According to Montpelier police, 16-year-old Ross Goldstein-Perdue from Worcester has been charged with second-degree attempted murder and will be prosecuted as an adult. Meanwhile, 33-year-old Santos DeJesus from Barre is facing charges as an accessory after the fact to second-degree attempted murder. Both suspects were scheduled to appear in court this afternoon. The stabbing, which took place outside the Walgreens on Main Street on Saturday night, resulted in the victim being hospitalized.
WTSA SPORTS FOR TUESDAY AUGUST 27th 2024
THE BLUE JAYS DEFEATED THE REDSOX LAST NIGHT 7 – 3 GAME 2 OF A 4 GAME SET IS TONIGHT AT 7:10 PM FIRST PITCH.
THE YANKEES BEAT THE NATIONALS YESTERDAY 5 – 2 GAME 2 OF THEIR 3 GAME SERIES IS TONIGHT AT 6:45 PM FIRST PITCH
THE PATRIOTS RELEASE 14 PLAYERS AS CUTS BEGIN, AND HEAD COACH JEROD MAYO SAYS DRAKE OUT PLAYED JACOBY BUT STILL NO DECISION ON WEEK ONE STARTER. WEEK ONE OF THE NFL STARTS SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 8TH, PATS AT CINCINNATI ON CBS.