The Colchester Sun www.ColchesterSun.com
oc tober 15, 2015
Vol. 14 No. 41
Prsrt Std ECRWSS U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 266 Burlington, VT 05401 Postal Patron-Residential
Suspicious activity surrounds King Spa principals By Jason Starr The Colchester Sun The Colchester Police Department has made no arrests in its prostitution and human trafficking investigation of a massage business on Porters Point Road, but the woman who registered the business with the Vermont Secretary of State was arrested in 2004 on suspicion of prostitution and disorderly conduct, according to New Jersey State Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy President Deborah Overholt. In a decision last February, the board denied an application from Jin Yu Berninger for a license to practice massage in New Jersey. Berninger’s failure to disclose the 2004 arrest
in her application was cited as the reason. According to the board, the prostitution charge was not prosecuted, and Berninger pleaded no contest to the disorderly conduct charge. She was sentenced to 12 months probation and fined $2,500 for practicing massage without a license, the board noted. Eight months after the decision, Berninger filed the “King Spa” trade name with the Secretary of State’s office in Vermont, where there are no licensure requirements for massage therapists. Colchester police shut down King Spa last Monday. Two other names appear on the King Spa trade name registration: Inson Everett and Garth Schonert. Everett was investigated by the Bennington Police Department when
police and FBI agents searched and shuttered two Bennington spas as part of a prostitution and human trafficking investigation in 2013, according to Bennington Det. Larry Cole. He said Tuesday that Everett was not arrested because of weak prostitution laws in Vermont. “We couldn’t charge for certain things being done there,” Cole said. “We couldn’t prove prostitution.” Schonert owns a business in Rutland called Hot Stone Massage that the Rutland Region Chamber of Commerce lists as a duespaying member. But Chamber Director of Membership Development Joan Hill said the owner lives out of state and told her he planned to hire someone to manage the establishment. “I’ve been in there a couple times trying
to find out who the manager is and a phone number, but every time I’ve gone it’s closed,” Hill said Tuesday. Rapid response After Colchester police joined Department of Homeland Security investigators in a search of King Spa last Monday, they called in Colchester Building Inspector Derek Shepardson to cite the business with a zoning violation. Shepardson, in advising landowner Peter Handy of the violation, said the space had been closed because three beds and a full kitchen were installed in the unit without permits. –See spa page 3
New lakefront zoning rules proposed
Pink with a purpose
By Jason Starr The Colchester Sun
Lisa Couture, Chrissy Tuner, and Tory Couture hang out with the Pink Panther during the Pink Out the Park event.
Photo | Roy Mercon
Bayside Park was awash in pink Saturday as 179 runners participated in the third annual Pink Out the Park 5K Walk/Run to support Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. In addition to the run, the event featured prizes, raffles, a pink hot rod, a Field of Hope, Jazzercise workouts and more.
A balancing act Local schools maintain security while encouraging an open learning environment Colin Flanders The Colchester Sun Cheers from a nearby soccer game echoed from beyond the brick exterior of Colchester High School during a late afternoon last week. Two students spoke animatedly on the sidewalk. A mixture of leaves scattered across the pavement, crunching under the tires of a passing car. The American flag soaked in fading rays of sunlight — resting motionless in its half-mast position — a visual reminder of the lives lost after a gunman terrorized a community college in Roseburg, Oregon on Oct. 1. And while that incident took place 3,000 miles away, the killings resonate locally, bringing with them the question that comes each time such a tragedy occurs — what is being done to keep schools safe? According to Colchester High School's Assistant Principal Tim Emery, and Rob Reardon, principal of Essex High School, the answer is simple: planning and preparation. Among these preparations are monthly lockdown drills, which begin with an
announcement over the loudspeaker alerting those inside and outside the building a threat is present. Following the announcement, classroom doors are locked, lights are turned off and students are directed to a part of the room not visible from the hallway. “What we’re looking to do with our protocols is to make it difficult for [an intruder] to move throughout the building. The main goal at that point is to create as much time as possible for the police to arrive,” Reardon said. Reardon points to the school safety guide, a large blue binder located on the bookshelf in his office, as an important asset for such situations. The guide contains a list of the more common scenarios school officials may face. It spans allergic reactions and fights to bomb threats and the presence of weapons on school grounds, while providing a detailed assessment chart. “So in the heat of the moment when everybody's emotions are running high, you have something to focus on,” Reardon said. While Emery shared a similar sentiment, both administrators admitted that in a highstress environment, even the best plans can fall short. “It's possible the best thing to do isn’t just to sit there and do nothing,” Emery said. Emery said Colchester faculty discussed with police the best course of action in the event a shooter is coming towards a classroom — or attempting to enter — such as finding objects in a room that can be used for defense or covering the floor of a door's entrance with soap. “It's really something that you want to have
thought about ahead of time so you’re not just reacting to the moment, when there's a lot of anxiety,” Emery said. Reardon agreed, adding that while it depends on the situation, Essex faculty members are told to use their own discretion when assessing the best course of action to a threat. Since the Columbine High School shooting in 1999, police have also shifted their response tactics, according to Essex Police Cpl. Kurt Miglinas. Instead of waiting for a tactical team to arrive to the scene, responding officers will enter the school quickly, heading “toward the sound of gunfire” in an effort to eliminate the threat. “We don’t wait for everybody to show up for what we need. We go in right away now,” Miglinas said. School administrators also stressed the need for preventive measures. Once the school day begins, both schools require people to enter through the main entrance as all other doors are locked. Visitors must then explain their presence and sign in. The schools also remain in contact with the local police departments in an effort to stay up-to-date with the best safety and security practices. “It's a balancing act,” said Reardon, talking about maintaining an open and inviting school atmosphere while also ensuring a secure environment. “But if you’re going to err on any side, it's going to be safety and security,” Reardon said.
The Colchester Planning Commission unveiled a new zoning proposal for the lakefront along West Lakeshore Drive to an audience of marina owners and residents Tuesday in the community room at the Colchester Police Department. Three new zoning districts have been designed to improve the quality of stormwater runoff, preserve lake views and promote public access to the water. Two consultants worked with the planning commission members and Planning and Zoning Director Sarah Hadd to write the draft proposal after a public visioning session last spring. The new districts would replace the existing patchwork of residential, commercial and industrial zones that exist for Colchester’s hub of boating and tourism. Consultant Brandy Saxton of PlaceSense said the new regulations would help create an improved “sense of place” along the lakeshore corridor by consolidating to fewer districts with similar guiding principals. Critics of the proposal viewed the draft as a one-size-fits-all approach to a variety of property types. Hadd encouraged landowners to continue to provide input on the proposal before a final draft is submitted to the planning commission by the end of the year. “I think there is hopefully something for everyone to like and probably something to not like in the draft,” said Hadd. “How do we come up with something that works for as many people as we can?” –See lake page 3
Music events take center stage Colchester music teachers and students are gearing up for a busy musical school year. With the first concert just days away, here’s a look at some highlights of this year’s programs. Union Memorial School students will “join” the circus Under the guidance of music teacher Martie Mutz and the unified arts teachers at Union Memorial School, all students in kindergarten through second grade will experience an artist-in-residency with Circus Smirkus. For five days, students will learn from Circus Smirkus performers about the art of performing as they test their juggling, clowning, singing and dancing skills. A final performance will be held for parents and families on Friday, March 18 in the Colchester High School gymnasium. Porters Point School students will perform a musical called “Squirm,” by John Jacobson and John Higgins. This performance will run over two nights, giving students more opportunities to take on leading roles. These performances will be on Feb. 10 and 11 in the CHS Theater. Malletts Bay School welcomes new “ukes” MBS music teacher Tyler Mast and his fifth-grade music students will be strumming ukuleles this year. With financial help from Friends of Colchester Music, Mast –See music page 2