Wednesday, February 17, 2010

WVTK Local & State News February 17, 2010

Rutland City Aldermen and residents had a lot of questions for the Police Chief Tuesday night. They wanted to know about the child porn investigation centered around a city police officer. This was the Board of Aldermen's first meeting since news last week that Sergeant David Shauwecker was on leave and under investigation. The City Aldermen now plan to meet with the Police Commission to find out more about Bossi's handling of the matter. This is the third Rutland officer investigated for porn in the last six years.

Some New Yorkers could see a delay in the arrival of their state income tax refund checks if Gov. David Paterson decides it's the best way to make sure the state has enough cash. The state currently limits the amount of tax refunds it pays in the first three months of the year to $1.75 billion. Paterson is considering lowering that threshold to $1.25 billion because the state must roll $1.4 billion into next year's budget to close a current year budget gap. So far the state has paid out $293 million in 281,000 tax refunds this year. The state has until June to pay the refunds before they start accruing interest. The governor is expected to make a decision in the next few weeks.

State Senate leaders are pressing for a vote next week on whether to allow the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant to continue operating past 2012. One official says the vote needs to happen now to allow utilities and workers to plan in case the plant is forced to shut down.

The first members of a Vermont National Guard deployment to Afghanistan have begun arriving. An advance party of about 20 soldiers arrived last week in what will eventually involve about 1,500 soldiers. A Guard spokesman says the Vermonters will be about 250 miles from the area where U.S. Marines are now carrying out a major operation against the Taliban.

Police say a driver involved in a January crash in Burlington that killed him and another driver had marijuana in his system. Police say toxicology tests also put the drug levels in Taylor McLaughlin's system high enough to typically impair a person's driving.

Vermont's three largest power utilities have struck a series of wholesale power deals as they near the end of their contracts with the Vermont Yankee plant and Canadian utility Hydro-Quebec. The deals include buying power from a wind farm in New Hampshire.

Another disappointing Olympics for Vermont's Lindsey Jacobellis. She veered off course and was disqualified in the semifinals of the snowboard cross, putting her out of medal contention. Jacobellis was hoping to redeem herself after squandering a sure victory four years ago in the Turin games.

State officials say 35,000 New Yorkers claimed $4.8 million in rebates for buying high efficiency appliances in the first five days of the "Great Appliance Swap Out." There are five days to go and $12 million left to be claimed. The program is intended to boost the economy, cut energy consumption, and take old, inefficient appliances out to be recycled. It's funded by federal stimulus money. Rebates for high-efficiency refrigerators, clothes washers, and freezers will range from $50-$105 for a single unit and up to $555 for the purchase of a three-appliance package. Consumers who recycle their old kitchen clunkers get a bigger rebate. After you buy a qualified appliance, you have to submit a rebate application either online at http://www.NYApplianceSwapOut.com or by calling 1-877-697-6278.