The Brattleboro Reformer from Brattleboro, Vermont • 3

Vermont Monday, April 5, 2004, www: reformer com Brattleboro Reformer Ceremony remembers soldiers who died in helicopter crash By RUSS BYNUM A oc laird Prcaa SAVANNAH, Ga. A (be 4-foot granite monument was unveiled from beneath a camouflage tarp, so was a years worth of grief shared by the fam Hies of six soldiers who went down with Storm 6." Mark Smith knelt and ktsaed the marker, calling his brothers name. Destiny Pedersen, age 8, cried for her father And Sue Boule clutched the blackened dog tags that belonged to her son. Soldiers at Hunter Army Airfield gathered with family members of their fallen comrades Friday to mark the anniversary of the April 2, 2003, crash in central Iraq of a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter, call sign Storm 6." All six soldiers on board were killed. Lou and Sue Boule lost their son, 22-y ear-old Spc.

Mathew G. Boule, in the crash They traveled from their home in Dracut, Mass to join other families for the anniversary in part because they didn't want to spend the day alone It is good. But it does stir up a lot of emotions," Lou Boule said. Its tough. Unless youve lost a child, you have no clue." The monument was placed among live oak trees outside the headquarters of the 3rd Infantry Divisions 4th Brigade, the divisions attack helicopter unit.

one who insisted on a memorial ceremo ny to mark the anniversary It's closure for the soldiers, closure for the families," Potts said "The thing about the Army is it's one big family that takes care of each other After the monument unveiling. Spc. Ian McCarthy strummed his guitar and Chief Warrant Officer Bradley McGar vey sang Soldier After All" a song they wrote Kuwait last year in anticipation of the war. Their six fellow soldiers had heard the song before they died McCarthy and McGarvey wanted their families to hear it too. All six soldiers names are engraved on one side: Boule; Captain James P.

Ada mouski, 29, of Springfield. Chief Warrant Officer Erik A llalvorsen. 40, of Bennington, Chief Warrant Officer Scott Jamar, 32, of Granbury, Texas, Chief Warrant Officer Eric A. Smith, 41, of California; and Sgt Michael Peder sen, 26, of Flint, Mich. It's nice to see that they havent been forgotten," said Chanel Pedersen, Michael Pedersens widow "Someone told me; United we stand, together well remember.

And Im grateful for that Pedersen said she's still coping with her husband's death, and trying to make sense of it to their 8-year-old daughter, Destiny. It's hard to explain to young kids small kids why daddy's not coming back. She doesn't get the concept of death, Pedersen said. But as the days and months go by, she's getting better." Though initial reports said the Black-hawk was shot down, the Army later concluded the cause was accidental The helicopter's four-man crew was transporting two pilots when it crashed on a sandbar at the edge of the Karbala Lake The Blackhawk'x pitots, flying at night, apparently became disoriented and lost control, said Col. Curtis D.

Potts, the brigade commander. Potts personally flew to the wreckage to help recover the bodies. He's also the Farmers watch as milk prices creep up Fog descends on a barn in Marlboro on Wednesday. Jason R. HenskeReformer MONTPELIER (AP) The price of milk is rebounding from record-low levels, but Vermont dairy fanners aren't ready to claim victory in their battle for financial stability.

Milk brought $13.83 per hundredweight at the end of February, said Louise Calderwood, Vermont's deputy secretary of agriculture. The price is expected to reach $16 by mid-summer Farmers who have struggled through nearly two years of record-low milk prices are cautiously optimistic about the price spike. "We are expecting to see a significant rebound through the end of the year, Calderwood1 said. But it won't make up for the years of low prices that have gone before, she added. "Because prices have been depressed for so long, even a slight increase is not enough to get the pressure off their backs, she said.

It may be just enough to help catch up on Volunteers sea re i repairs to equipment." Andrew Meyer, an organic dairy farmer who once served as executive director of the Governors Council for the Interstate Dairy Compact, said farmers have grown accustomed to boom-and-bust market cycles "The problem with the price of milk is that is goes down just as quickly as it goes up, Meyer said. "It's nice to see the price going up, but stability is the issue with conventional milk The number of Vermont farms has fallen from 2,900 to 1,400 in the past decade, said Peter Sterling of Dairy Farmers of Vermont, which is organizing dairy farmers to bargain for higher wholesale prices Sterling said the price must stay at $16. We did a poll with 315 farmers asking them what do you need to make a decent profit, Sterling said. Over 100 responded and they said $16 per hundredweight." for missing teen Briefs MONTGOMERY (AP) Search teams looking for missing 17-year-old Brianna Maitland of Sheldon prepared Sunday for a winter storm expected to last until Tuesday morning. About 300 people searched in teams, on foot, for Maitland in Franklin County on Friday and Saturday, Dennis said.

He estimated another 100 turned out Sunday. Some groups came from as far aw as New York, Montreal, and Pittsburgh, he said. Ml Companion policy discounts on Home Renters Auto Umbrella Insurance Let Kinney Pike evaluate your insurance coverage and shop the best rate for you. indictment was for a drug violation and, in part, for a drug-related murder, which the agents suspect occurred in Manhattan or the Bronx, Green said. Federal search nets three drug arrests BURLINGTON (AP) A search by the Drug Enforcement Agency has resulted in three arrests, including the capture of one of New York Citys most wanted fugitives.

Robert Sasso, 22, and Shannon Smith, 24, of Flushing, N.Y., appeared in U.S. District Court on charges of possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute, the U.S. Attorneys Office said Friday. Smith was on New Yorks top ten most wanted list on attempted murder charges. Smith and Sasso were arrested for possessing more than two ounces of cocaine after officials searched an apartment at 12 Baker St.

in Essex. They were found in two bedrooms in the apartment and gave officials false identifications. During the search, police found about 70 grams of suspected crack cocaine, a set of digital scales and a .380 caliber pistol. A Burlington man also was arrested after DEA agents and police searched two Burlington locations. Oliver Washington, 24, was charged with possession of about 18 grams of cocaine with intent to distribute and appeared in U.S.

District Court on Thursday. Kumry fkr Inairaitrr. htr. Vlnu ranrr Specialist Crafting Insurance Since 1904 Contact Leslie at 802-254-2366 1 -800-639-1 534 www.kinneypike.com Senate OKs early education hill MONTPELIER (AP) A program to expand early-childhood education programs throughout Vermont and pay for them with tax dollars has won unanimous approval in the Senate. TheSenatjs jiten, wjyfftppjy.qflves tothe House for review, encourages school districts to take part in' a little-used state program that funds preschools associated with a public school system.

The state now spends about $5 million annually to fund public preschool programs. Although participation in the program is growing, lawmakers believe the rules controlling these funds are too vague and possibly prevent new schools from developing early education programs. Senators believe their bill, which passed 28-0 Friday, will encourage elementary schools to begin new programs or partner with privately run preschools to offer certified early education classes to as many as three times more students than are enrolled today. Preschools receiving public funds currently educate about 2,600 students. Education officials predict an effort to expand the program could increase participation to nearly 8,000 by 2011.

Such growth would increase annual education spending nearly $25 million. Sen. James Condos, D-Chittenden, chairman of the Senate Education Committee, acknowledged this cost. But he said better education of children at an early age could save the state later. Deputy sheriff arrested BENNINGTON (AP) A Bennington County sheriffs deputy has been arrested in connection with a murder investigation.

Vincent Pagan, a part-time deputy, was wanted by federal agents on drug- and murder-related charges, according to Agent Joseph Green of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Pagan, 33, appeared in federal court in Albany, N.Y., on Friday. He was arrested Wednesday while on the job, according to Bennington Police Sgt. Chad Schmidt. A federal judge issued a warrant for Pagans arrest, and federal agents notified Bennington police on Wednesday, Sheriff Gary Forrest said.

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