Another aerial bombardment of pesticides is planned for
tonight (Tuesday night) in Whiting. The
problem is mosquitoes, some of which may be infected with Eastern Equine
Encephalitis and West Nile Virus. Both
have been detected in Whiting, and a two-mile square section of Whiting was
sprayed last Thursday. The same area
will be sprayed again this evening (Tuesday evening) at dusk, weather
permitting, with people being told to stay inside and close their windows.
The Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant will be shut down and
decommissioned by the end of next year. New
Orleans-based Entergy announced today that they plan to cease power production
after its current fuel cycle and shutdown in the fourth quarter of next. The decision to close Vermont Yankee in 2014
was based on a number of financial factors, including: an increasing natural gas market, and the
high cost of repairs at the Vernon
facility. Since 2002, the company has
invested more than $400 million in the safe and reliable operation of the facility.
A Vermont man
pleaded guilty today to kidnapping, sexually assaulting and killing his
12-year-old niece in an elaborate ruse involving a fake pool party and phony
evidence to manipulate authorities into thinking she was killed by someone she
met online. After today’s plea,
47-year-old Michael Jacques of Randolph
avoids a federal death penalty trial for the 2008 slaying of Brooke
Bennett. When the judge asked him if all
of the allegations were true, Jacques replied saying, ‘‘I'm afraid it is, sir.’’ It could take several months before Jacques
is sentenced as a judge still needs to approve the plea agreement.
A house fire in Brandon
left six people homeless today. Crews
arrived on the scene to find fire coming from the living room area of the building
with flames coming out the adjacent windows. No one was injured in the blaze. Investigators say a lamp, which was knocked
over by their cat, caught the couch on fire which spread to the rest of the
house. Officials say the building is a
complete loss. The American Red Cross is
helping the family displaced by the fire with food, clothes and replacements
for other items lost in the fire. The
family will stay with relatives tonight.
