Bennington Banner from Bennington, Vermont • 12

12 Bennington Banner, Monday, April 26, 1982 Vermont News Briefs Vandal attacks Morrisons again Mecier seeks a new trial RUTLAND (AP) A 25-year-old Pittsford man convicted of murddr in the shooting of a hunting companion is seeking a new trial. An attorney for Bernard Mecier says several key witnesses have come forward with information that was previously unavailable. Mecier, who earlier this year was found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Richard Serafin, is in the St. Albans jail facing life imprisonment. But his lawyer now says there is evidence that (he prosecutions chief witness told conflicting stories about who actually killed Serafin.

During the trial, Meciers cousin Mark Brown testified that he saw Mecier shoot and kill Serafin on a dirt road during a deer hunting trip in Chittenden. Mecier's defense attorney says, however, that Brown told people conflicting stories about the incident. He says that evidence, which was not detailed during the trial, may have brought in a different verdict. Funeral held for abandoned baby NORTHFIELD (AP) No one knew him, but everyone wished they could have. And everyone felt the pain.

About 80 people attended a special funeral service Sunday in Northfield for an unidentified infant boy found dead earlier this month. The infant was found in a plastic bag, the victim of neglect and abandonment. The Rev. Frank Wisner III named the baby and arranged for the service, saying, It was something I needed to do. He named the boy Matthew Isaac because Matthew means gift of god and Isaac was the son taken to be sacrificed by Abraham.

Among those attending the service were representatives of the state police, who are trying to find the parent or parents of the infant. I think the state police were hoping the parent or parents out of guilt or remorse might show up," Wisner said. duty when Morrisons was broken into this weekend, but he said it was no less than five. Vandals also smashed the windows of 11 cars parked at Flynn Subaru on Northside Drive over the weekend. The damage was reported Sunday at The Burger King signs at the Bennington Square shopping center were vandalized.

That incident was reported Sunday at 8:37 p.m. Also this weekend, vandals attacked the Catamount Elementary School on School Street, causing extensive damage, police said. That break-in was reported at 1:45 p.m. Sunday, police said. According to Nicholas Charest, principal of the elementary school, the intruders sprayed the fire extinguishers located in his office and then used the empty containers to break five heavy wooden doors located at different points throughout the building.

About $40 in dollar bills was taken but the intruders did not take change and a tape recorder that they had ready access to, Charest said. Another break-in was reported this weekend at the Bennington Redemtion Ceneter on Main Street, police said. About $3 in cash was taken and there was no reported damage. The intruder entered by removing a window above a door on the east side of the building, police said. recent attacks on his business to a streak of bad luck.

Since he bought the dealership a few months ago, it has been broken into twice and vandalized twice. He also had two vehicles stolen. The hatchet incident was only one of two acts of vandalism at the dealership this weekend, police said. Two new cars parked outside were scratched badly enouth to require new paint jobs at a cost of $400 per car, Morrison said. Repairing the fuel lines will cost about $1,200, he said.

Morrison is chairman of the Crime-Stoppers committee, a group working to set up a Crime-Stoppers program in Bennington by this summer. Crime-Stoppers is a program to encourage citizens to inform police anonymously of criminal activity, often in return for pay. Morrison called the person who telephoned police this weekend informing them of the break-in a good neighbor. Thank God there are some of them left, he said. Morrison added that the Bennington police have arrested persons in the most serious incidents involving his dealership.

At a recent selectmens meeting, one citizen blamed the lack of police for the increasing vandalism in Bennington. This morning, Kearns declined to say exactly how many police were on By ELIZABETH ABBOTT Bennington police arrested a hatchet-wielding youth early Sunday morning for breaking and entering Morrison Chevrolet on East Main Street. Local police, working with state police and a police dog, flushed the intruder out of the building. The youth, whose identity is being withheld until he is arraigned today in Bennington District Court, will be charged with breaking and entering and unlawful mischief, according to Lt. James Kearns of the Bennington police.

Bennington police were kept busy throughout the weekend with vandalism complaints at another automobile dealership, the Catamount Elementary School and other businesses throughout town. A1 Morrison, the owner of Morrison Chevrolet, said that he requested and received permission from States Attorney Raymond Bolton to testify at the youths arraignment. Morrison, whose dealership has recently been the target of several thiefs and vandals, said this morning that it appeared from the damage that the youth was planning to burn the building down. It could have been real serious, Morrison said. At 1:25 a.m.

Sunday, an unidentified person called police and reported seeing a person break into the rear of the dealership, police Water problem closes Yankee MONTPELIER (AP) An unexplained drop in the reactor core water level triggered a 19-hour shutdown at the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant this weekend. The shutdown was ordered early Saturday when a control room indicator registered the water level drop in the reactor vessel, which is the container housing the atomic fuel. Plant spokesman Stephan Stoll said the water level had not dropped to anything crucial when the alarm sounded. Eight local students get Merit recognition Sen. Alan Cranston to speak here June 12 Snelling announcement May 8 MONTPELIER (AP) Gov.

Richard Snelling will span the state with his re-election announcement, hitting six communities in one day as part of a campaign theme emphasizing Vermont as one family. Snelling will officially launch his re-election bid May 8 with an announcement in St. Albans. His tentative schedule calls for him to repeat his statement at five more gatherings in Burlington, Middlebury, Rutland, Bennington and Brattleboro. The governors formal entry into the race will come at the end of a week in which his chief opponent is to officially begin her challenge.

Lt. Gov. Madeleine Kunin is tentatively scheduled to make her announcement in Montpelier on May 3. Three people injured in weekend accidents said. Officer Anthony Sauseville went to the scene, saw that someone was inside the building and asked for help from local and state police, police said.

Police called Morrison, who let the them in the building. Morrison said that police gave a warning to the intruder that police and a dog were in the building and the youth surrendered soon after. Morrison said that the youth entered the building by smashing a rear window with a hatchet and, once inside, went through the desks in the office. Police who searched the rest of the building found that the intruder attempted to cut two heating fuel lines with the hatchet, slashing one of them at least halfway through, Morrison said. About 150 gallons of fuel spilled out onto the floor of the boiler room before the flow was stopped, the owner said.

When we got there, there was oil squirting all over the place, Morrison said. Sitting in the pool of fuel were several sheets of canvas that had been dragged from another room, Morrison said, leading him to believe that the youth planned arson. Potential fire is really scary, Morrison said, adding its been a tough weekend, Morrison said he does not know the youth personally and attributed the Institute in Troy, N.Y., and the University of Vermont. Missi King of Shaftsbury is planning on attending either Norwich University or Embry Riddle Cpllege in Florida. She is interested in aeronautics.

Miss Lebarron will be going to Wellesley College in Massachussetts where she will probably study languages. She has also been studying at Bennington College this year. Ray of Bennington will be attending the University of Vermont. More than onemillion high school students participate in the National Merti Scholarship Program. Those students are chosen from their scores on the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test taken during their junior year.

Some 15,000 high-scoring participants qualified as semifinalists and were honored in the fall of 1981. About 13,500 semifinalists advanced to finalist standing by meeting requirements that included being endorsed by their high school principals, outstanding high school records, and submitting high scores on the scholastic aptitude test. Of the finalists, 5,000 are awarded scholarships. FRANCES BEVIS Frances Bevis, 59, a resident of Homestead Mews, North Bennington, died Saturday at Putnam Memorial Hospital after a long illness. Bom in South Shaftsbury on Nov.

10, 1922, she was the daughter of Clarence Ross and the former Mabel Benn. She was educated in Shaftsbury and in Troy, N.Y. She married Francis Bevis on June 7, 1940, in Shaftsbury. She was a longtime resident of Church St. in Shaftsbury.

In earlier years, she was employed at the Polygraphic Co. in North Bennington. Mrs. Bevis was a member of the Shaftsbury Methodist Church. Survivors beside her husband include a daughter, Carole Cornell of Bennington; a son, Richard F.

Bevis of Bennington; six grandchildren; three sisters, Edna Julien of Seffner, Margaret H. Ross of North Selectmen plan budget sessions tonight, Tuesday The Bennington Board of Selectmen will meet to discuss the budget for next year tonight and Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in the jurors room in the County Court House on South Street. The board will be discussing the proposed $188,979 budget for parks and recreation, the proposed $44,001 budget for the senior citizens and $146,741 for community assistance. The board will also have to decide whether to put the funding requests for the community agencies on the June ballot as separate items.

Last year townspeople approved appropriations for all the agencies except day care. The Bennington Day Care Center subsequently closed after its funding was defeated. For next year, the town managers office has budgeted the same amount of assistance to the 14 social, educational and cultural organizations as they received this year. Citizens Party will meet Tuesday The Citizens Party of Vermont will hold an organizational meeting Tuesday, April 27, at the Second Congregational Church on Hillside Street Three persons were injured in accidents over the weekend, Bennington Police report. James E.

Magner III, 24, of Shaftsbury, lost control of his moped while heading north on College Road Friday at 1:30 a.m. and hit a tree Lake Paran review set tonight at 7 The North Bennington village trustees will meet tonight with the Lake Paran Association to review the operations of the private organization which owns the lake spanning both the village and Bennington. The meeting will start at 7 at the railroad depot on Main Street. The village fathers, who annually donate funds to the association, have been concerned about falling participation at the facility. We want to find out where they stand and do some factfinding if we are going to give them money, said Lewie Dodge, chairman of the trustees.

Edward Rice, president of the Lake Paran Association, said that the resort had experienced a dropoff in participation because of the popularity of the nearby state-run Shaftsbury In addition the association has had trouble finding help in the fall to clean up the lake. Rice said the association had been just about breaking even financially in recent years. Were going to give it one last shot, Rice said of his organizations efforts to keep the resort going. If the Lake Paran Association is unsuccessful this year in boosting membership, the members would sell out to another nonprofit organization, said Rice. Last year the trustees appropriated $1,200 to the association.

They are considering a $1,000 grant for next year. Eight Bennington County high school seniors received word this week that they are among the countrys outstanding scholars as designated by the National Merit Scholarship Program. In Manchester, three Burr and Burton Seminary students have been selected as National Merit scholars, eligible for up to $1,000 in scholarship money. At Mount Anthony Union High School, one student has been selected as a National Merit finalist, and four others designated as commended students. According to guidance counselors at MAUHS, those students have not yet been notified of any scholarships.

School officials at Arlington Memorial High School said today that had not been notified of the scholar selections. Burr and Burton students Paula J. Bowen of Dorset, Edie Sadler of Weston and Matthew Hong of Sunderland are all National Merit Scholars. Miss Bowen has been awarded a Boston College merit scholarship. If she chooses to attend Boston College, a Jesuit University in Chestnut Hill, she will be eligible for the scholarship, according to Headmaster Robert Kennedy.

Miss Bowen, an honor student at the Manchester school, has also been admitted to Wellesley College, a highly selective womens college in Massachussetts, and to Emory University in Atlanta. Matthew Hong, who can use his scholarship at any school in the U.S., has been admitted to both Harvard and Yale universities. According to Kennedy, Hong, aside from being an honor student, is both a musician and soccer player. Miss Sadler is planning to enter the pre-medical program at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. At MAU, Molly Matteson has been named a National Merit finalist.

Stephen Fabricius, Toni King, Leslie Lebarron, and Carl Ray have been named commended students. Miss Matteson, the daughter of Bennington Town Manager Robert J.M. Matteson, has been accepted at Haverford College in Pennsylvania, Williams College and Middlebury College. Miss Matteson, who plans on studying liberal arts, has been attending classes at Bennington College during her senior year. Fabricius of Bennington, who hopes to study engineering, has been accepted at Rennselaer Polytechnic Hospital Notes FRIDAY, APRILS Admissions Ralph Brown, Pownal; Rebecca Corbett, Hoosick Falls, N.Y.; Mildred Poore, Pownal.

Discharge Pamela Gorman, Hoosick Falls, N.Y. SATURDAY, APRIL 24 Admissions Warren White, Arlington; Helen Gardner, Bennington; Beverly Gallett, Manchester Center. Discharges Raymond Albergine, Eagle Bridge, N.Y.; Robin Capriola, Leon Foster, Patricia Field and baby boy, Bennington; Janette Reed, Pawlet; Marion Wheeler, West Halifax; Marilynne Harrington, Shaftsbury. SUNDAY APRILS Admissions Kathleen Watts, Hoosick Falls, N.Y.; Juanita Eddy, Manchester Center; Theresa Weller, Hoosick Falls, N.Y.; Alice Ollivett, Bennington Discharges Rebecca Corbett, Kimberly Young, Hoosick Falls, N.Y. Sen.

Alan Cranston, an early entry into the 1984 Democratic presidential race, will be the keynote speaker at the annual Bennington County Democratic Dinner on June 12 at the Ramada Inn. The announcement was made today by Judge George M. Fienberg, Bennington County Democratic Chairman. Cranston, who ran ahead of President Reagan by almost 200,000 votes in California in 1980, will be joined by a host of Vermont Democratic dignitaries, Fienberg said, including former governors Philip H. Hoff and Thomas P.

Salmon, Sen. Patrick J. Leahy, Lt. Gov. Madeleine Kunin, State Senator Mark Kaplan, former Secretary of State James Guest, Chittenden County Senator Thomas McGregor and a number of legislators and political candidates.

With a dynamic speaker like Alan Cranston and the confidence and optimism running through the Democratic Party these days, Fienberg said, I expect well have quite a crowd at the dinner. Obituaries Bennington and Beverly Noesen of Troy N.Y.; two brothers, Donald Ross of Troy and Charles Ross of California; her father of Troy; several nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts and uncles. Another son, Charles O. Bevis, died on Oct'. 19, 1979.

The funeral will be held from the Mahar and Son Funeral Home Tuesday at 11 a.m. with the Rev. Robert Hundemann, pastor of the Shaftsbury Methodist Church, officiating. Friends may call at the funeral home today from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. when the family will be in attendance.

Burial will be in the family lot in Center Shaftsbury Cemetery, Shaftsbury. Memorial contributions in her memory may be made to the Bennington Rescue Squad through the funeral home office. MARJORIE H. HEALY Marjorie Helena Healy, 71, of 119 Adams St. died Friday afternoon after a long illness.

Born in Bennington on June 6, 1910, she was the daughter of Patrick J. and Mary Maude (Mathers) Healy. Miss Healy attended the Academy School and graduated from Bennington High School. She also was a graduate of Bay Path Institute. She worked in various departments at Bennington College, beginning in 1939.

In 1947, she became assistant director of dining halls and held that position until her retirement in 1978. She is survived by three sisters. Miss E. Theda Healy, Mrs. John (Frances) Bender of Bennington, Mrs.

John (Kathleen) Elwell of Arlington; nieces and nephews. A sister, Mildred Healy, died on March 6 and a brother, R. Kenneth Healy, in 1971. There will be no calling hours at the Gibney Funeral Home, which is in charge of arrangements. Funeral services will be held at St.

Francis de Sales Church on Tuesday at 10 a.m. Burial will follow in the family lot in Park Lawn Cemetery. Memorial contributions in Miss Healys memory may be made to the Bennington Rescue Squad through the funeral home office, 625 Main P.O. Box 139, Bennington, 05201. WILLIAM B.NYE William B.

Nye, 51, a Korean War veteran, died Saturday evening at the Vermont Veterans Home after a long illness. stump, police said. A friend took him to Putnam Memorial Hospital where he was treated for a broken nose and released. At 2:25 a.m. on Saturday, Jeffrey Kinney, 19, of Carpenter Lane, lost control of his pickup truck while travelling east on Route 9 near Harvard Street and tore down two telephone poles, police said.

He was taken to Putnam Memorial Hospital by the Bennington Rescue Squad where he was treated and released. Police report that his vehicle was destroyed in the accident. Also on Saturday, at 5:47 p.m., John Flood, 19, of North Bennington, fell off his motorcycle in the trucking terminal onRoute 67A, police said. He was taken to Putnam Memorial Hospital where he was treated and released. Tax office opens Tuesday The Bennington Internal Revenue Service office will be open on April 27 to give prople answers to federal tax questions and help with problems concerning notices and bills.

The office is located in the Federal Building on South Street. Hours are 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to i p.m. For help when the office is not open, taxpayers may call 1-800-642-3110. Union District school budget review tonight The Mount Anthony Union District school board will review the budget proposed for 1982-1983 tonight at the boards meeting at the junior high school.

Also on the agenda is a report by MAU senior high school Principal Donald Banchik on the Scholastic Aptitude Test course planned for this summer. The open meeting is scheduled to start at 7. film, which stars Paul Muni, are $2.50 for members, $3 for nonmembers. Insulate your home. Get more comfort and use less fuel.

Infrared scanning and pictures now available. Myers Insulation Bennington, Vt. 447-0742. ADV. Ask for spring special! Free second set of prints.

CTC Photo, 254 BenMont. ADV. Creative Learning Pre School opening for 3 4 year Centrally located in Bennington. For information, call Judy Woodard, 447-1208. ADV.

Even though were under construction adding to our building, we are still serving dinner daily as always. Publyk House Restaurant, Harwood Hill, Bennington. ADV. Tickets for the $15-per-plate dinner soon will be available from party members and from Fienberg, Box 55, Bennington, telephone 447-1051. It will be the kickoff on what I surely expect to be a great and historic year for Democrats here in Vermont and in Washington, Fienberg said.

4 Born in Windsor on Dec. 19, 1930, he was the son of Luther Nye and the late Katerine (Duling) Nye. Mr. Nye was employed as a machinery inspector in Springfield in an industrial plant. He entered the U.S.

Navy on Feb. 12, 1952, and was honorably discharged June 5, 1952. He was a member of VFW Post 771 in Springfield. Survivors beside his father include a sister, Mary Lucas of San Antonio, Texas; two sons, Robert Nye and William Nye; a daughter, Colleen Rouillard; aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. The funeral will be held Tuesday afternoon at 2 from the All Faiths Chapel at the Vermont Veterans Home, where the Liturgy of Christian Death and Burial will be offered.

Friends may call at the chapel one hour before the service. Military committal services will be offered at the Veterans War Memorial Cemetery at the Vermont Veterans Home immediately following the service. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Mahar and Son Funeral Home, Bennington. MILDRED L. HARROVIAN MANCHESTER Funeral services for Mildred L.

Harriman, 61, of Manchester N.H., formerly of Manchester and Pittsford, who died Saturday in a Manchester N.H., nursing home, were to be held this afternoon in the Brewster Funeral Home. The Rev. Richard D. Olmstead, pastor of the First Baptist Church, officiated. Burial followed in the Factory Point Cemetery in Manchester.

Bom on March 31, 1921, in Manchester, she was the daughter of Robert J. and Forence (Eddy) Lincoln. She attended Manchester and Pittsford schools. After living in Rhode Island and Maine, she moved to Manchester, N.H., in 1958. Survivors include a son, William E.

Harriman of Derry, N.H.; a daughter, Sharon Samel of Waltham, a brother, Robert J. Lincoln of Pittsfield, two sisters, Mrs. Ruth Cook of Manchester and Mrs. Vivian Saari of Shushan, N.Y.; a neice and two nephews. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society through the funeral home office.

Bennington Briefs The Little League final tryouts for major and minor leagues will be held tonight at 5:30 at the Little League complex on Park Street Extension. Fred Astaire, Rita Hayworth and Robert Benchley star in Youll Never Get Rich, a musical about a producer and a show girl, Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Bennington Free Library. Rehearsals for the Bennington County Choral Societys June concerts Scenes from Gilbert and Sullivan will begin Monday at 7:30 p.m. in the music room at Mount Anthony Union High school.

All singers are welcome: no auditions. Concert dates are June 19-20, 1982. Scarface, the original gangster movie, filmed in 1939, will be shown Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Bennington Museum. Tickets for the.