James Burke, 60, of Wilmington was ordered to pay a fine of $868 after he was convicted of intentionally feeding bears in his yard. (Vermont Fish & Wildlife photograph)
James Burke, 60, of Wilmington was ordered to pay a fine of $868 after he was convicted of intentionally feeding bears in his yard. (Vermont Fish & Wildlife photograph) Credit: Vermont Fish & Wildlife photograph

Firefighters Quickly ContainTwo-Alarm Basement Fire

West Weathersfield — Firefighters extinguished a fire in the basement of a Maple Street home on Thursday evening after striking a second alarm.

Authorities found black smoke coming from the home but were able to contain the fire to the basement, according to the West Weathersfield Fire Department’s Facebook page.

Upper levels of the home suffered only minimal damage, the department said.

Hanover Police Warn ResidentsTo Be Wary of Utility Scam

Hanover — Hanover police are warning residents of a recent scam where people are calling and pretending to be representatives of Liberty Utilities and demanding payments on “overdue accounts.”

The scammers are threatening to turn off customers’ power if money is not wired, Hanover police said in a Friday night news release.

If residents think they are a victim of the scam, police are urging them to hang up the phone and call their utility company’s main line or Hanover police at 603-643-2222.

Vermont Man FinedFor Feeding Bears Outside Home

Wilmington, Vt. — A Vermont man has pleaded no contest to charges he intentionally fed bears outside his home.

James Burke, of Wilmington, was fined $868 last month and lost his right to hunt, fish or trap in the state for three years.

Authorities executed a search warrant at Burke’s home in September. Game wardens had witnessed the 60-year-old placing out plates of food in his yard that bears were actively feeding on.

Burke had been issued a violation notice in 2006 that ordered him to stop feeding bears. Officials had notified Burke after feeding bears became illegal in Vermont in 2013. Wildlife officials believe he continued to feed bears.

A bear biologist for the state Fish & Wildlife Department said a bear that’s been fed no longer behaves like a wild bear.

Women Sue Groom, Say He Flew Drone That Hit Them at N.H. Wedding

Brentwood, n.h. — Two women are suing a groom and the event company that ran his wedding reception after they allege he flew a drone that hit them in the head at the New Hampshire event.

Kneena Ellis, of Seabrook, N.H., and Kelly Eaton, of Peabody, Massachusetts, claim in their Dec. 1 suit that they suffered permanent physical and emotional injury as a result of the Aug. 8 incident.

The suit alleges Barry Billcliff had flown the drone to take pictures at his wedding reception at Searles Castle in Windham, N.H. It says the drone collided with the women while they were on the dance floor. The suit says they suffered a concussion as a result.

Billcliff declined to comment on the suit.

— Staff and wire reports