They ask that anyone with information call the state police in Rutland at 802-773-9101. "I think a lot of people thought they were voting for my uncle Pete," Louras said. Louras alleges that many of those finding fault with the "process" are being disingenuous: Their real objection, he said, is to the idea of welcoming refugees to Rutland. The organization knew little about Rutland, and had never considered the city as a possible destination, director Amila Merdzanovic said. If I had been brought in on the front end of this and had been given the information that apparently a select few of the elites had been given, I would have guaranteed the vetting process was thorough and there would be a program laid out about how these people would assimilate; I would have been at the front of the line welcoming them with open arms. "You've never heard of Agenda 21?". If GE were to leave the city of Rutland, it would be solely due to a lack of workforce.. And for someone who was very much in the public eye, he's not anymore. As he sat in his messy office, Louras joked about making an appearance a few hours later at a local forum hosted by right-wing author Jim Simpson, who travels the country speaking out against refugees. The younger Louras, Vermonts attorney general said, was in a mental health crisis when he shot seven times at officers, as well as at the entrance of the Rutland City Police Department.After the brief chase, the officers drew their own guns, striking Louras nine times, with a fatal wound to the head, according to prosecutors who discussed their probe of the case during a news conference Tuesday in Rutland.We consider this matter now closed, announced Vermont Attorney General T.J. Donovan, who added that he does not consider the way Louras died to be the way the totality of his life should be judged.Donovan and Rutland County States Attorney Rose Kennedy both said they wont charge the four officers who returned fire. RUTLAND, Vt (NEWS10) Police officers in Rutland, Vermont shot and killed a man they say fired shots at the Rutland City Police Department building Tuesday morning then drove off. Allaire noted he is optimistic a focus on addressing substance use disorders and forming neighborhood partnerships in Rutland can help strengthen his community after the encounter many here say really rattled locals. Police have said the deaths are linked, but have stopped short of calling the younger Christopher Louras a suspect in his cousins death. The Vermont State Police learned that a mans body was discovered off of Vermont Route 53, also known as Lake Dunmore Road, in Salisbury. Notifications from this guestbook will end. Although he opposes marijuana legalization and other lefty causes, Louras has endorsed high-profile Democrats, including Gov. More than 170 people turned out to a meeting at a Unitarian church, volunteering to help the refugees. If you're looking for "ISpys," dating or LTRs, this is your scene. Sign up here to get a weekly email with all of VTDigger's reporting on courts and crime. Life is fragile, and we need to hold our loved ones tight, Allaire said at Tuesdays news conference. He reports on criminal justice issues for VTDigger. Police said Christopher Louras shot out the window at the police. 2023 RUTLAND Police have identified the body of a man found on the edge of a road in Salisbury as Nicholas Louras, the nephew of former Rutland City Mayor Christopher Louras whose son,. 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Keeps a lot of information and ideas close to the vest, except for a close-knit group he has around him," said Alderman David Allaire, a longtime Louras rival, in an interview. that is degrading to another person. "Now should I be looking at the positive? RUTLAND, Vt. . Meanwhile, by all accounts, the three refugee families that did make it are doing well. Four officers fired on Louras in the shootout in which he also shot at the officers, according to police. Last November, after the Paris terrorist attacks, several Republican governors across the country declared they would not welcome refugees fleeing Syria into their states, citing concerns about possible terrorist infiltration. He got on the city's 11-member governing board but had bigger ambitions. State Police have not confirmed that, saying only that both cases remain under investigation. Louras' rifle was found with a total of 15 cartridges remaining in a 30-cartridge capacity magazine, and on the front seat of his vehicle investigators found two 30-cartridge capacity magazines,. People are highly motivated. VRRP, the organization tasked by the U.S. Department of State with settling refugees in the state, usually accepts 300 refugees a year. entrance of the Rutland City Police Department. In 2016, Chris Louras, Rutland's then-mayor, announced that the city would welcome 100 refugees from war-torn Syria. Yourcontribution will be matched! Mr. Louras is survived by a brother, Gus Louras, of Rutland and a sister, Marie Louras, of Rutland. Erin Mansfield is VTDiggers health care reporter. A bitter divorce left him with full custody of the couple's two sons (who now have two young stepsiblings the result of Louras' second marriage, to Judith). Commissioners refused; Bossi resigned in 2012. Online comments may return when we have better tech tools for managing them. One lives just down the street from Louras and is in the process of buying a home. "I have to imagine there's at least one or two people considering a run against him, thinking he's shot himself in the foot here, either for bringing in the refugees or the close-to-his-chest nature," predicted Notte. Louras said that despite his city's reputation for economic woe, it had plenty of cheap housing, employers struggling to fill entry-level jobs, and a willingness to welcome the refugees. Vermont State Police, the agency heading the investigation in both deaths, have not released any information in either case since Thursday. The younger Louras, Vermonts attorney general said, was in The younger Louras,. Phil Scott, R-Vermont, said in October. When he was still mayor in April 2016, Louras announced the city would become Vermonts newest resettlement community and welcome 100 mostly Syrian refugees, with more expected to follow. Three are from High 57F. The car chase ended when Louras' car got stuck in front of the Amtrak station. Footage from a police cruisers dashboard camera, obtained by NECN Tuesday, shows a chase through a popular shopping areas parking lot in downtown Rutland on Oct. 8. An off-duty officer spotted the suspect car about an hour-and-a-half later, and a police chase ensued through the Rutland City Plaza. Nick Louras, 34, of Rutland, was found dead of gunshot wounds off Route 53 in Salisbury last October. "Have you ever experienced enough pushback that you've stopped the program?". Nick was a 1945 graduate of Rutland High School. Investigators have not yet identified a motive for the killing. He was born and raised in the city he has led for the past decade through multiple police scandals, record-setting blood drives, opiate-related urban blight and countless Rut-Vegas jokes. At the same time, local employers like GE were complaining about the citys shrinking workforce. 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This has been a tragic event for our community, and of course, personally for my family, said Mayor Dave Allaire, Rutlands current mayor, who is related by marriage to his predecessor at city hall and to both of the Louras cousins who died, Nick and Chris. He traced it back to 2008 and 2009 during the sub-prime mortgage crisis, when out-of-state property owners began defaulting on multi-family homes in Rutland. "Ten years in office has tempered my style a little, and it hasn't tempered Chris," said Lauzon, adding that he would have handled the refugee situation differently. 5, "I think someone could make hay with that.". Fairlee Developer Wants to Help Others Tackle Small-Town Housing Roadblocks, 4. Sen. Peg Flory (R-Rutland), who was then House minority leader, said Louras was "intense." Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. He was predeceased by a brother, Peter Louras and by four sisters, Antoinette Candello, Georgia Bartlett, Koula Carignan and Despina Louras. Separately, Chris Louras's mother says she and his grandmother loved her son dearly and miss him every day. Now that President Trump is expected to call . Nick Louras, 34, of Rutland, was found dead of gunshot wounds off . Oct 29, 2019 1 Christopher George Louras RUTLAND Christopher George Louras, died at age 33. VRRP never announces refugee arrivals in Burlington or Winooski. Nicholas attended Mount Saint Joseph Academy and graduated from Cushing Academy in Ashburnham, MA, class of 2005. The fact that we shut the doors on tens of thousands of families just like them. He was clearly struggling to contain himself. home/garden The cousins death is still under investigation in Addison County, Donovan said.This has been a tragic event for our community, and of course, personally for my family, said Mayor Dave Allaire, Rutlands current mayor, who is related by marriage to his predecessor at city hall and to both of the Louras cousins who died, Nick and Chris.Mayor Allaire voiced his full support for the men and women of the Rutland Police Department, and thanked them for their work in a high-stress and highly dangerous situation to prevent further loss of life.Separately, Chris Louras mother, Crystal King, told NBC5, that she and Chris grandmother, Mary, loved the young man dearly and miss him every day.Life is fragile, and we need to hold our loved ones tight, Allaire said at Tuesdays news conference.Allaire noted he is optimistic a focus on addressing substance use disorders and forming neighborhood partnerships in Rutland can help strengthen his community after the encounter many here say really rattled locals.The citys Project Vision program has been working on improving the quality of life and addressing drug concerns in Rutland for years now.Drugs are believed to be a factor in the Louras cousins deaths, as Gov. Christopher George Louras RUTLAND Christopher George Louras, died at age 33. Louras and allies insist that the supporters outnumber the opponents. His paternal grandfather, Nicolaos, emigrated from Greece in 1906 to escape Ottoman Turks. In the possible homicide in Salisbury case, the body of a man was discovered early Tuesday afternoon off Route 53, also known as Lake Dunmore Road. Instead, he says "people with an R next to their name," or "guy with a D next to his name." Learn how Report for America and local philanthropists are contributing to the cause, Cyclist Killed in Crash With Truck While Riding in Rasputitsa Race, Shooting Victim Found on Downtown Burlington Sidewalk, The Tangled Tale Behind the Abrupt Resignation of Middlebury Union High Schools Principal. John attended The Millbrook S You have permission to edit this article. Be Nice. A firefight broke out between the suspect and police, during which the suspect was hit. A few months later, during a crowded press conference at Rutland City Hall, Louras stood with dozens of high school students, refugee resettlement organizers and select local officials and announced his plan to resettle 100 Syrian refugees in the city, with more to follow. Our education reporter is Tiffany Pache. Soon afterward, officials from Middlebury, Woodstock, Warren, Waitsfield, Brattleboro, Bennington and other communities reached out to VRRP, offering to help. "Agenda 21," Louras casually explained to a puzzled visitor. Like his predecessors dating back to the 1970s, Louras has focused on Rutland's economy, which started declining when local industries mills, quarries and a railroad shut down. "And there's ample housing," she added, in contrast to the real estate markets in Burlington and Winooski. racist or sexually-oriented language. Investigators concluded all four officers acted appropriately. At the same time, the other side is circulating a petition with more than 500 names calling for a public vote to oppose the refugees' relocation. But I'm not at the point where I'm willing to self-reflect, especially with a microphone., As to whether he regretted the way he handled the refugee resettlement issue, he was quick to say "no. Rutland City, one was from Rutland Town. However, Donovan wouldnt discuss that while the murder investigation is still underway in Addison County. There is no bigger advocate for the city of Rutland." Their names are expected to be released Wednesday, Oct. 9. Tags: Rutland, Chris Louras, police shooting, drive-by shooting, AR-15, Vermont State Police, Web Only, Image. ((ROSE KENNEDY / Rutland County State's Attorney: 11:47: for that, I am eternally grateful to these officers and thank them for their actions.)) Police had always suspected that Christopher Louras killed his cousin. own cousin, Nicholas Louras, before that shootout with police. "He's a highly active, sometimes hyperactive guy who cares deeply, deeply for the Rutland community. Louras had a wife and kids by then, but the marriage broke up after the war. 255 So. There were no injuries to police or other civilians. A graveside service will be held in the spring of 2017 in Evergreen Cemetery.Donations in Mr. Louras memory may be made to the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, 8 Cottage St., Rutland VT 05701.Arrangements are by the Clifford Funeral Home. 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Online comments may return when we have better tech tools for managing them. ", Although Louras said the planning "maybe could have been handled a little better," he insisted that if he could do it all over again, he wouldn't change anything. At foreclosure auctions, some four-bedroom homes have sold for less than $20,000. "We decided that would be a great idea to try to replicate what happened at the turn of the century, when all the southern and eastern Europeans came to Rutland and built this community," he said. post your service, apartments When no jobs appealed to him after college, Louras enlisted as a warrant officer in the U.S. Army and learned to fly twin-rotor Chinook helicopters. But the 58-year-old said the pushback he got on refugees was different, fueled in part by the anti-immigrant rhetoric of the 2016 presidential campaign. Local obituaries for Rutland, Vermont 219 Obituaries Friday, April 28, 2023 Add Photos Add a Memory Barbara A Cagney Barbara A. Cagney Barbara A. Cagney, 85, of Rutland died Wednesday. Low 42F. Newly-released footage from a police cruiser's dash cam showing a chase through a popular shopping area's parking lot in downtown Rutland in October 2019. These days, however, politics are notably absent from his private sector job managing a local distribution business. Rutland Nicholas N. Louras, 89, passed away on November 12, 2016 at Rutland Regional Medical Center.Nick Louras was born July 2, 1927, in Rutland, son of Nicholas and Amalia (Alexandrides) Louras. He lets himself dream of Syrians opening falafel shops and young people moving back to be part of the newfound diversity. click here. "I've got voters who invited that guy to come to Rutland!". Board of Alderman President William Notte recalled a campaign debate in which most of the contenders gave "flowery speeches" and made a lot of promises, while Louras, looking down, hands in pockets, told the crowd that whoever won was probably going to have to raise taxes to help balance the city's budget. The scene in Salisbury is about a 40-minute drive from downtown Rutland. "I would like to be considered before outside people, Leonard said at a board of aldermen meeting. When asked if he had any plans to re-enter politics, the former mayors answer came fast: Hell no. He then attended the Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, MA. police officers who shot and killed the son of Rutlands former mayor back in Both prosecutors praised police for facing a threat with 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. "I think that was a fearless approach, and color Thom Lauzon a coward, but I would not have taken that approach," Lauzon said. Last week, the first two of an expected 25 Syrian refugee families arrived in Rutland, Vt., a scenic, blue-collar town of 16,000 people. Literally. VTDigger publishes a wide range of stories about Vermonts educational system from early childhood education issues to public and private K-12 schools to higher education. Refugees, once they legally enter the country, can live wherever they want. UVM Student Wins Inaugural Nonbinary Division at Boston Marathon, 6. Da Capo Publishing, Inc. Peter Miller, Iconic Vermont Photographer, Dies at 89, 3. homes for sale Or send us a tip. Chance of rain 80%. We recognized from federal and state data that if GE were to leave the city of Rutland, that it wouldn't be because of [development law] Act 250, Louras said. Keep it Clean. The younger Louras, Vermont's attorney general says, was in a mental health crisis when he shot seven times at officers - as well as at the entrance of the Rutland City Police Department shown in this surveillance footage - before the cops drew their own guns, striking Louras 9 times, with a fatal wound to the head. Christopher Louras death, obituary: 33 year old Christopher G. Louras was killed Tuesday in an early morning Rutland Vermont shooting with officers. Well check it out and report the results. Well check it out and report the results. Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Louras privately lobbied the VRRP to choose Rutland, then spent months quietly laying the groundwork for the refugees' arrival without seeking approval from the board of alderman, or even telling most city officials what he was up to. 5, Before he got into politics, he was in the Army. People respect him for that," Notte said. 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For information about our guidelines, and access to the letter form, please ((JACK THURSTON: The former mayor's late son is also suspected ((MAYOR DAVE ALLAIRE / Rutland, VT: 12:18: this has been a tragic event for our community, and of course, personally for my family.)) 33-year-old Christopher Louras is struck by police bullets. Don't just lay it on everybody and say, 'I know better, and that's it.'". And thats where I went.". He lost a reelection bid in a four-way Town Meeting Day race in March 2017 to David Allaire. One in five Vermonters is considered elderly. Separately, Chris Louras mother, Crystal King, told NECN and its affiliate, NBC 5 News, that she and Chris grandmother, Mary, loved the young man dearly and miss him every day. Jack Thurston. Need more info? It's all based on relationships to get things done, and I felt it should be about policy and not personality.". He keeps a model of the chopper in his city hall office along with a crushing amount of paper piled on the desk, floor and coffee table and couch. Four officers fired at him. Louras thinks some of those who have settled into Chittenden County might decide to move south, where housing is cheaper. As interpreted by Simpson and the segment of the populace that insists President Barack Obama is a Muslim, it's a conspiracy between the UN and liberals to create one world government. Louras emitted a high-pitched laugh as he watched, shaking his head. Police later located the white Ford Focus around 7 a.m. near the Walmart in the downtown shopping plaza. Nina Keck/VPR. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Louras was the son of Rutlands former longtime mayor, also named Chris Louras. The mayor and father of four stated firmly, "Refugee resettlement should not be a political issue.". I'm certainly concerned about that, too, but that's not my issue. Phil Scott, R-Vermont, said in October. He got out with a rifle and officers from Rutland City and Rutland Town in downtown Rutland fired their weapons at him. He served 10 years active duty, maintaining and test flying CH-47 Chinook helicopters. We'd love to hear eyewitness After the brief chase, the officers drew their own guns, striking Louras nine times, with a fatal wound to the head, according to prosecutors who discussed their probe of the case during a news conference Tuesday in Rutland. Alan J. Keays is the former longtime news editor of the Rutland Herald. Officers won't be charged in shooting of former Rutland mayor's son, WHICH INVOLVED A HIGH- PROFILE FAMILY IN LOCAL POLITICS. Phil Scott, R-Vermont, said in October. "It was an itch I had to scratch," he said. With the crisis in war-torn Syria, which has prompted millions of displaced people to flee to Europe, the VRRP is upping that number to 400. Mayor Allaire voiced his full support for the men and women of the Rutland Police Department, and thanked them for their work in a high-stress and highly dangerous situation to prevent further loss of life.
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