WNTK Local News

A Claremont, New Hampshire sex offender is seeking release from prison for good behavior, reports The Valley News.

Barrett Hodgdon, 47, of Claremont was convicted in 2017 of sexually assaulting a developmentally disabled teenager. According to the teen’s mother, she was functioning at the age level of a seven year old at the time of the assaults.

On Monday, Hodgdon appeared via video in court to plea his case, stating that a year should be removed from his 15-year prison sentence as he has completed a sex offender training program. He also states that he has exhibited good behavior and held a job while incarcerated.

Sullivan County Attorney Marc Hathaway, while acknowledging Hodgdon’s good behavior, stated that he was not yet up for parole and that the motion was “too early.”

The victim and her mother are reportedly against shortening the sentence.

New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu has ordered the closure of hotels, inns, and short-term rentals in the state, reports WCAX.

The move is yet another measure to try and “flatten the curve” of the coronavirus. Short-term rentals includes the popular travel rentals called Airbnb’s. Exceptions have been made for essential workers or vulnerable people, which includes; children in emergency placement, victims of domestic violence, and people receiving specialized medical care.

This order is set to last until May 4, 2020.

The state of Vermont has requested for federal disaster funding amid the COVID-19 crisis, reports WCAX.

Governor Phil Scott penned a letter to the president requesting disaster funds for all towns in the state. The grant would give a 75% reimbursement to local and state governments, and some nonprofits for emergency protective measures. Scott also requested Disaster Unemployment Assistance and Crisis Counseling Assistance.

To this point, the state has burned through upwards of $20 million responding to the coronavirus situation.

Charges have been brought against a man accused of burglary in a officer involved shooting in Concord, reports Patch.

Late Saturday night, Concord, New Hampshire police and NH State Troopers were in a stand-off at Concord’s White Park with 22-year-old Dylan J. Stahley of Windsor, NH. Police were originally called to the baseball field at approximately 11:20 PM Saturday night, and the stand-off lasted into Sunday morning. Stahley was shot by police, and taken to Concord Hospital to treat his injuries, and is currently still hospitalized. No citizens or police were harmed during the stand-off and there is no threat to the public. The officer’s name who fired at Stahley is being held pending a formal review.

Stahley is charged with burglary, reckless conduct, and being a felon in possession of firearms.

The incident is under investigation.

The town of Hartford, Vermont is moving ahead with pool project despite COVID-19 situation, reports WCAX.

The pool project, estimated to cost $3.3 million, was considering postponement due to the current health crisis but will move ahead as planned.

According to the Valley News, the selectboard made the decision to continue design and engineering work on the project. Possibly swaying this decision was Hartford Recreation Director Scott Hausler who stated in a March 24, 2020 letter that, “No time is more important than now for our local parks, trails, open spaces and public facilities.”

No current time table on the project was given.

According to the Lebanon, New Hampshire Police Department a Saturday morning incident led to the biting of an officer, reports The Union Leader.

On Saturday, April 4, 2020, two bike patrol officers recognized a woman in the plaza parking lot on Plainfield Road and approached her for an outstanding warrant. The woman, 24-year-old Angela Therrien, allegedly ran from the officers with drugs in her mouth. Upon capturing Therrien, she bit an officer on the finger. The officer was later taken to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center to treat the injury.

Therrien is charged with resisting arrest, simple assault, possession of a controlled drug, and falsifying physical evidence.

The Vermont Journal Pet of the Week is Mindy, a one-year-old terrier mix at the Springfield Humane Society in Springfield, Vermont.

Mindy reportedly came to the shelter as a stray. As she is on the more timid side, Mindy would best fit homes with children 10 and older. She enjoys meeting both cats and dogs, and is best fit for a home with a fenced in yard.

Applications for adoption can be filled out online at http://www.spfldhumane.org. The Springfield Humane Society can be reached at 802-885-3997.

Police in Vermont have been given guidelines on how to enforce the state’s “Stay at Home” order, reports WCAX.

In an effort to “flatten the curve”, police have been instructed to attempt to educate non-compliant individuals or businesses and ask for voluntary compliance. Failure to comply with the order can result in up to $1000 fines per day in a civil violation, or up to a $500 fine and a possible six months in jail for a criminal violation.

These directives were given by the VT state Attorney General TJ Donovan.

As of Saturday, April 4, 2020, New Hampshire has now seen nine COVID-19 related deaths, reports WMUR.

The number climbed to nine following two more deaths, both in Hillsborough County. The two were male residents over the age of 60. Saturday also saw 81 positive coronavirus tests, the most in any single day so far.

There have been 621 confirmed cases in the state, with 146 having recovered, and 86 requiring hospitalization.

New Hampshire is set to receive an extra $11.7 million from the federal coronavirus aid package, reports Connecticut Post.

The aid is set to boon community service programs and the state’s homeless population. Programs will include; eviction prevention, rental deposit assistance, and homeless prevention programs. A sum of nearly $7.5 million will be given through the Community Development Block Grant program, going to Dover, Manchester, Nashua, Portsmouth and Rochester.

The new funds are in addition to the $1.25 billion announced last week, and the $147 million announced on Tuesday that goes towards child care, law enforcement, low-income housing, schools, transit and other programs.