WNTK Local News

New Hampshire health officials have announced a record 529 new COVID-19 cases statewide on Thursday, reports WMUR.

According to the report, this is a new single-day case record for the state since the beginning of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Also a new record, according to state epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan, are the 4,006 cases that are currently active.

Officials have also announced that there are 98 NH citizens currently in hospital for COVID-19, which is the most since June 1st, and more than double where this statistic was at two weeks ago. Two more COVID related deaths were reported, bringing the total number since March to 506.

These statistics come on the heels of Governor Chris Sununu announcing a statewide mask mandate, which will take effect on Friday. 

Vermont broke their daily COVID-19 case record again on Thursday.

According to new data from the VT Department of Health, there were 148 new COVID-19 cases announced today, which brings the state’s total to 3,310 since the pandemic began. VT’s seven-day test positivity rate average is now at 2.1%.

State health officials also announced two new COVID-19 related deaths on Thursday, bringing the state’s total to 61.

Seventeen VT residents are currently in hospital for virus-related symptoms, with one of these individuals residing in an intensive care unit.

According to WCAX, Governor Phil Scott issued a statement ordering all flags to half-staff to remember VT citizens who have passed due to COVID-19. 

A Hopkinton, New Hampshire man has been arrested for allegedly committing voter fraud during the NH presidential primary.

According to the Associated Press, 46-year-old Ole Oisin, of Hopkinton, was arrested on Tuesday on two misdemeanor counts of wrongful voting. The NH Attorney General’s Office reports that one of these counts alleges that Oisin submitted a voter registration form for the February 11, 2020 primary stating that he was born in “Senegal, Nation of Islam”. The form also said that he was born in 1984. Oisin, who was reportedly born in Ireland, did not provide proper documentation stating that he is a naturalized citizen.

His second charge of wrongful voting alleges that he submitted an affidavit that did not provide his actual domicile address, stated that he was born in 2001, and again stated that his birth place was Senegal.

Oisin is scheduled to be arraigned on January 12, 2021. 

An illegal alligator has been found and confiscated from a Claremont, New Hampshire home.

According to a report from News 7 Boston, officers from the NH Fish and Game Department responded to reports of illegal wildlife at a home in Claremont. They received a warrant to search the residence and discovered an alligator and an opossum. The woman residing in the home was then charged with illegal possession of wildlife.

The two illegal animals were turned over to licensed facilities that have been deemed “capable of caring for the animals.”

A violent altercation in Claremont on Monday morning landed one individual in the hospital, and their assailant behind bars, reports the Claremont Police Department via press release.

According to the report, members of the CPD responded to the Factory Street area at approximately 10 AM on Monday after receiving multiple phone calls stating that a man was assaulting a woman with a baseball bat.

Upon arriving at the scene, officers found the woman, who was bleeding from her head, and located the man holding the bat. At this time, police arrested Brad Young, 27, and emergency services administered aid to the woman before transporting her to Valley Regional Hospital to be treated for her wounds.

On Tuesday, Young was arraigned on the following charges; Attempted Murder, two charges of First Degree Assault, two charges of Second Degree Assault, and Criminal Threatening with a Deadly Weapon. The report states that several charges are brought forth as alternate theories by the Sullivan County Attorney’s Office.

The man has been held without bail at the Sullivan County House of Corrections until further notice. The assault is still currently under investigation.

Anyone with information regarding the incident are encouraged to contact Detective Sergeant Justin Laffin of the CPD at 603-542-7010 or at jlaffin@claremontnh.com. 

The state of Vermont has crossed the 3,000 COVID-19 case threshold, according to new data from the VT Department of Health.

On Monday, state health officials announced 122 new positive cases of the virus, bringing VT to 3,008 total cases since March.

There are currently 19 citizens in hospital due to COVID-19, with one of them residing in an intensive care unit.

As of now, 59 deaths statewide have been linked to the coronavirus, while a total of 2,050 people have reportedly recovered. 

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services reported 358 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Monday.

These new cases bring the state’s total since March, when the pandemic began, to 15,029. Over that time, 11,185 (74%) people infected with the virus have recovered.

Also, five new hospitalizations were announced bringing the number of citizens currently in hospital for the virus to 74. About 5% (817 people) of all cases have resulted in hospitalization so far.

One more COVID-19 related death was announced on Monday, an elderly resident of Coos County. This marked the 500th death linked to the virus since the pandemic began.

As of now there are 42 people awaiting the results of their COVID-19 test, while 6,200 NH residents are being monitored for symptoms. 

A Connecticut man led troopers from the Vermont State Police-Royalton Barracks and the New Hampshire State Police on a cross-state chase Saturday night.

According to the Royalton Barracks’ press release, troopers identified a black SUV traveling at high speeds on Interstate 89 South at approximately 7:20 PM. Troopers then caught up to the vehicle but when they attempted to initiate a routine traffic stop, the SUV fled the scene. Multiple VSP troopers pursued the vehicle until it crossed state lines into NH, where the chase was taken up by NH-based authorities.

Police were able to pull over the vehicle, but the operator, 32-year-old Erik J. Smith of East Hartford, CT, fled on foot into the woods. Smith was pursued by a K-9 unit.

Upon his arrest, Smith was charged with DUI and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. He was also found to be on federal parole. VSP also issued Smith a citation for Grossly Negligent Operation and Eluding a Police Officer.

He is scheduled to appear in Windsor County Superior Court Criminal Division on January 12, 2021.

New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu has issued new travel restrictions and recommendations ahead of the upcoming holiday season, reports the Associated Press.

Sununu states that anyone who travels outside of the New England region will be asked to either self-quarantine for 14 days or self-quarantine for seven days, then receive a negative COVID-19 test.

While Sununu states that, “Obviously, we’re not going to tell people that they can’t have a family gathering at Thanksgiving,” the state is cautioning people to wear masks, especially if elderly or at risk people are in attendance. 

A Claremont, New Hampshire man who has been charged in an alleged revenge porn incident is asking for his cell phone to be returned, reports the Union Leader.

According to the report, 43-year-old Chad Boardman was prepared to go to trial back in February for two counts of dissemination of private sexual images until the state of NH filed a nolle prosequi motion on the charges. Justin Hersh, the Assistant Sullivan County Attorney, told the court that contact with the alleged victim had ended.

Boardman, who allegedly used his Samsung to send sexual images to the alleged victim on Facebook’s messenger app, was in Sullivan County Superior Court this week requesting he have his phone returned. Hersh refused to release the phone, stating that it could be considered contraband under law, and due to the fact that it could become evidence if the state renewed the charges. Hersh wrote, “The statute of limitations has not expired in this case; the case may be revived at any point during the period of limitations, and Mr. Boardman’s cellular device may be relied upon as evidence at any future criminal proceeding, subject to the period of limitations.”

Boardman has attempted to argue that the posting of the photos was protected under his First Amendment rights.