Springfield, Vt., Fire Cause Ruled Electrical

Springfield, Vt. — Vermont State Police Fire Investigator Steve Otis said the cause of a Tuesday night fire that displaced an elderly couple from their Springfield home was electrical.

The fire was not ruled suspicious, Otis said on Thursday.

After investigating, he said he was able to conclude that there were several “electrical abnormalities” in the area near where the fire broke out.

The fire damage was largely contained to one area of the basement. The home, however, suffered heavy smoke damage.

UNH Waives Application Fee For Granite State Residents

Durham, n.h. — The University of New Hampshire is waiving its application fee for in-state undergraduate applicants applying for fall 2017 in celebration of the school’s 150th anniversary.

The school says all undergraduate and transfer applicants who apply to either the Durham or Manchester campuses by Nov. 18 will have the $50 application fee waived.

Residents who have already applied will be refunded within the next several weeks.

UNH will kick off its anniversary celebration later this month.

Enrollment management head Victoria Dutcher tells New Hampshire Public Radio she hopes waiving the fees will result in a 5 percent increase in the number of in-state applicants.

State to Buy 2 Dogs to Search for Drugs in Prisons

Concord — Dogs trained to find illegal drugs will soon be patrolling New Hampshire prisons.

The Executive Council has approved $74,000 for the state Department of Corrections to create a canine unit. The department will buy two dogs trained to detect controlled drugs as well as cellphones. The dogs will be deployed to search inmate housing as well as the mail and visiting rooms.

The department has been searching for new ways to stop the flow of illegal drugs into prisons.

The Legislature approved a bill earlier this year to put full body scanners in the prisons.

— Staff and wire reports