Stamford Man Facing Arson Charge

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STAMFORD, Vt. — A local man is facing arson and fraud charges related to a fire at his Mill Road home last week.
 
Joseph T. Pallas, 31, was cited through his attorney on Monday on charges of first-degree arson and insurance fraud. He is scheduled to appear for arraignment at 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 24, 2025, in the Criminal Division of Vermont Superior Court in Bennington.
 
According to a State Police report, the Fire Department responded to a structure fire at 536 Mill Road at about 9:30 on Friday morning. Firefighters saw heavy black smoke coming from under the eaves on the two-bedroom home and found samoke and flames along base of the staircase inside. 
 
"Fire suppression efforts were conducted with both internal and exterior attacks," according to the report by Detective Sgt. James Wright. "Because of the Fire Department's efforts, the structure was saved."
 
Fire Chief Paul Ethier requested aid from the Department of Public Safety's Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit for assistance in determining the origin and cause of the fire. Detective Sgts. Matt Hill, James Wright and Chris Blais and Assistant State Fire Marshal Jay Moody from the Division of Fire Safety responded to the scene.
 
They determined the cause of the fire to be arson and, "after a lengthy investigation," the Fire and Explosion Unit identified Pallas as the individual whom investigators believe purposely set fire to his residence, according to State Police. Pallas purchased the home in 2021, according to the grand list.

Tags: arson,   structure fire,   

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Companion Corner: Fox at Berkshire Humane Society

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — There's a sweet and energetic dog at the Berkshire Humane Society waiting for his new family.

iBerkshire's Companion Corner is a weekly series spotlighting an animal in our local shelters that is ready to find a home.

Fox is a 3-year-old Pomeranian who has been at the shelter for about a month.

Canine caregiver and adoption counselor Simone Olivieri told us about Fox. 

"He's a bundle of joy. He would love a family who's home with him a lot, because he's just, he's very social and wants to be with his people a lot. And he would be fun to bring out and about, bring a lot of places, because he's very happy to go anywhere," she said.

When Fox enters the room he is immediately a puffball of energy that goes around and around the room.

He came to the shelter after his former owner could not take care of him anymore. 

"The owner was just not able to care for him anymore. Had he came in with another dog, Wolf, and she already did find her forever home just last week," said Olivieri. "The two of them were left with a friend of the original owner, and the owner did not come back to pick them up, and the friend had too many animals in the house, and too much going on, and she just couldn't continue to look after them, so they did end up coming to us."

Fox can go home with cats and children but is not recommended to go home with other dogs as he gets too excited.

"He would love a home where people are home quite a bit to give him all the attention that he so desires. He loves kids. He absolutely adores children. So he would like a home with kids to play with. He could live with cats. We are saying that he should not live with other dogs. The only reason is that he gets very humpy, and he does not leave the other dogs alone," she said.

With his energy it is recommended he goes to a home that can keep him active whether walks or hikes and even fetch in the yard.

Fox does need to learn more about walking on a leash and has a tendency to mark in the house but he was recently neutered. Olivieri said belly bands will be sent home with whoever adopts him to help prevent marking and managing it.

"He would like an active home. He really does like to go for walks daily. He likes to run around in the yard. He does need a little work on leash walking. He sometimes gets a little tangled still under your feet, and he's learning how to walk on a leash," she said. "So, someone who's got some patience and some time to work on some training with him."

"He also is not fully potty trained, so he does know to go potty outside. However, he will still mark, urinate in the house sometimes, and he might poop here and there in the house."

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