WMWV – 93.5

Concord, NH – The State of New Hampshire will soon be able to conduct an additional 25,000 COVID-19 rapid antigen tests per week as a result of the new shipment of Abbott BinaxNOW Rapid-Antigen COVID-19 tests distributed in the State as part of the US Food and Drug Administration’s effort to increase rapid COVID-19 testing across the nation. These rapid antigen test cards will be placed in community testing sites around the state to support symptomatic individuals that are in need of a quick test, including in-person school settings, frontline healthcare workers, emergency responders and other high-risk populations.

“The BINAX test will allow the state to significantly ramp up testing in a targeted fashion — specifically for students and vulnerable populations,” said Governor Chris Sununu.  “The rapid results will make decisions much easier for parents and educators.”

The BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Test can be used by laboratories that have Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA) certification. The State will distribute these tests to the 20 community testing sites established to support COVID-19 testing in New Hampshire, as well as National Guard drive-through testing locations. BinaxNOW cards are being placed in these locations because they were established to support individuals who are experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19.

“As more and more residents return to school, work and other communal settings, residents experiencing symptoms will have greater access to rapid results to quickly determine whether they have COVID-19,” said Lori Shibinette, Commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services. “Community transmission of the new coronavirus continues to occur throughout the state and we do not want symptomatic people going to a school or place of work to get a test and potentially exposing others. The BinaxNOW Rapid Antigen tests will be located in our already established community testing locations because they have procedures in place to avoid additional exposures.”

“New Hampshire schools have worked hard to get students back to school safely,” said Frank Edelblut, Commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Education. “Increased rapid testing will greatly benefit these ongoing efforts, as well as assist schools responding to cases in their communities.”

Each BinaxNOW Rapid Antigen testing kit will include a nasal swab and results are available in 15 minutes. It is anticipated that the BinaxNOW tests will be available at community testing locations in the next few weeks. The FDA expects New Hampshire will receive supplies to conduct as many as 400,000 rapid tests by the end of the year.

For information on availability of the BinaxNOW Rapid Antigen Test as well as other testing options, please click here.

Concord, NH – New Hampshire Attorney General Gordon J. MacDonald and New Hampshire State Police Colonel Nathan A. Noyes announce that arrests were made on Thursday, September 24 and Friday, September 25, 2020, in connection with the murder of Jonathan Amerault, age 25, whose body was discovered in Atkinson and Gilmanton Academy Grant in Coos County, New Hampshire on Tuesday, September 22, 2020.

On September 24, 2020, an autopsy was conducted by New Hampshire Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Jennie V. Duval.  Dr. Duval determined that the cause of Jonathan Amerault’s death as, gunshot wound to the head, and that the manner of death is homicide.

Armando Barron, age 30, of Jaffrey, New Hampshire, was arrested on Friday, September 25, 2020, and charged with capital murder for knowingly causing the death of Jonathan Amerault by shooting him while engaged in the commission of a kidnapping.  Investigators have determined that Armando Barron lured Jonathan Amerault to Annette Wayside Park in Rindge, New Hampshire in the overnight hours between Saturday, September 19, 2020, and Sunday, September 20, 2020.  Pursuant to RSA 630:1, I(b) a person is guilty of capital murder if he knowingly causes the death of another before, after, while engaged in the commission of, or while attempting to commit kidnapping as that offense is defined in RSA 633:1.

In addition, Britany Barron, age 31, of Jaffrey, New Hampshire, was arrested on Thursday, September 24, 2020, and charged, with three counts of falsifying physical evidence in conjunction with Jonathan Amerault’s murder for altering, destroying, concealing, or removing items of physical evidence when she believed an investigation was pending or about to be instituted with a purpose to impair their verity or availability.  Britany Barron is Armando Barron’s spouse.

The charges and allegations set forth in the complaints are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Source: NH State Police Press Release