WVTK Local & State News January 27, 2010

Governor David Paterson is expected to announce today that the Crown Point Ferry will open next week. Paterson has scheduled a news conference for 1:30 this afternoon at the Champlain Memorial Lighthouse, next to temporary ferry docks now under construction. Because of the short distance between the 2 states, the ferry ride should take only about 3 minutes.

Dana Cole-Levesque, principal of Otter Valley Union High School, will become the superintendent of the Rutland South Supervisory Union that oversees Mill River Union High School in North Clarendon. The board there opted to hire Cole-Levesque Jan. 18 for two years and a $110,000 annual base salary after reviewing more than 20 applications for the position. Cole-Levesque was chosen for his extensive background, but he will likely face new challenges in the leadership position given the economic state of schools and a school transformation plan in development by the state.

The Rutland Redevelopment Authority's board voted unanimously yesterday morning to eliminate Executive Director Tom Macaulay's position. In a statement released after the meeting, the board said the decision was fueled by fiscal realities and their obligation to the taxpayers.

An alleged Natural Gas leak last night at the University Mall prompted an evacuation. The odder was detected just before 7 last night near the Sears store. Fire officials evacuated the mall while they searched for the source of the leak. None was found and the University Mall was back open by 7:30.

Some Vermonters have formed a new group to fight big wind projects and push for other power alternatives. The new group-- Energize Vermont wants to see the state move toward a mix of alternatives like solar and hydro instead of wind power. So far over 50 people have signed up to be part of Energize Vermont, fed up with battling wind projects on their own.

A new report out says Vermont has not done a good job of accounting for its federal stimulus funding. Vermont has received hundreds of millions of dollars for construction projects and to shore up state and local budgets. But the worker advocacy group Good Jobs First ranks Vermont 47th for its efforts to disclose stimulus spending to the public.

Vermont's congressional delegation is receiving assurances from the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission's chairman that the source of a tritium leak at the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant will be found soon. Senators Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders and Congressman Peter Welch met Tuesday with the NRC's chairman o talk over the recently announced leaking of radioactive tritium at Vermont Yankee.

A Vermont legislative committee wants to crack down on the idling of trucks which members say will reduce air pollution and health risks of diesel exhaust while saving businesses money. The House Natural Resources and Energy Committee voted unanimously Tuesday in favor a bill that would restrict idling of vehicles weighing more than 10,000 pounds to five minutes.

Officials at the Vermont Student Assistance Corp. are asking the state's congressional delegation to help it retain its role in federal student lending. VSAC officials say their role as a private nonprofit organization that helps Vermonters pay for their college educations is threatened by federal pressure and inaction in Washington.

The Vermont Farm Show, a tradition that celebrates the state's agricultural heritage, is under way again in Barre. The 76th annual exhibition at the Barre Civic Center opened Tuesday. The farm show is open to the public. Hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. today and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday.

The New York state Department of Environmental Conservation is offering free tree seedlings to schools for spring planting. The School Seedling Program offers 50 tree seedlings or a mixed packet of 30 wildlife shrubs to any school that wants to participate. The seedlings can be planted on school grounds or any community space. The DEC has also begun taking orders for its annual sale of tree and shrub seedlings grown at the Saratoga Tree Nursery. The goal of the program is to provide low-cost, native plants to landowners. Orders may be placed by calling the nursery at 518-587-1120. The order form can also be found on DEC's Web site (http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7127.html).

Monday's rains have combined with snowmelt to cause flooding problems in parts of Vermont. WCAX reports there have been evacuations in the Upper Valley. The storm prompted flood warnings for the southern two-thirds of the state.

Norwich snowboarder Kevin Pearce is being moved out of critical care at a Utah hospital, a hopeful sign of his recovery from a head injury during a training run there last month. His family tells the Burlington Free Press Pearce is making steady progress.