WVTK Local & State News April 9, 2010

Explosives will once again be used on the former Crown Point Bridge. Underwater sections of two concrete piers are set to be blown-up today at 2 PM. Transportation officials say that if the piers can't be blown up today, they'll try tomorrow. The ferry service between Crown Point and Chimney Point will be briefly suspended during the explosion.

More layoffs are coming this month at the Pfizer research facility in Chazy. 25 employees were let go on Wednesday; another 16 will be let go on April 23, followed by about 30 more in May. Employees at Chem Development in Rouses Point and at Clinical Packaging in Plattsburgh are expected to remain at work until the fall.

The group that plans to give Pittsford a town green hopes to dispel some misconceptions Saturday. The Pittsford Community Corporation will hold a public forum from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Lothrop School Gym. The organization hopes to turn a 14-acre farm off Route 7 into a town center and has been collecting feedback from the public on the development.

Vermont game wardens say they caught two Addison County men with 14 trophy-sized northern pike that they illegally caught in a tributary of Lake Champlain in Panton. Officials say many fish species travel up river and streams in the spring, and officers have increased patrols around dams and culverts where they are often found in large numbers.

Frustrated with the pace of progress on a jobs bill, Governor Jim Douglas is lashing out at lawmakers. Douglas called on lawmakers to pass the bill back in January. Almost all of the $81.7million dollars is federal money, part of the recovery act. Douglas says it could end up creating hundreds of jobs. The jobs bill is now set to pass next Tuesday.

Senators voted 28-2 Wednesday to hire consultants to design a new health care model for Vermont, one of which would include a single-payer system. Approval of the bill is a victory for Sen. Doug Racine, D-Chittenden, the chairman of the Senate Health and Welfare Committee, who made it his goal this year to set Vermont on a path to a new health care system.

A Pennsylvania man is facing a number of charges after leading police on a high-speed chase. The chase was on after police received a report that a stolen vehicle that contained stolen weapons, and a woman who had possibly been kidnapped was in the area. The chase came to an end when 30-year-old Alvin Heller crashed into another car near St. Michael’s College on Route 15 in Colchester. Both drivers were treated for minor injuries. Police later determined the woman was not kidnapped.

The Plattsburgh City School District has approved a budget for next school year. As of now, there are no program cuts, but the board did eliminate funding for the GED course. School board members will have to wait till July to find out how much funding they will receive from the state. That will determine the number of layoffs.

Environmental groups on both sides of the U.S.-Canadian border are teaming up to study the impacts of Hydro-Quebec. They also want to try to determine if importing power from Canada discourages the development of renewable energy in New England and New York.

Four state senators are pushing for the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant to be relicensed by the state. The senators cite a report that says allowing the plant to operate after its license expires in 2012 will be good for jobs and the overall economy.

Voters in Essex Junction have rejected a local option sales tax. The local option would have added an extra 1-percent tax on retail sales as well as rooms, meals, and alcohol. Voters did however approve the municipal budget of just over $3-million.

State Police are warning drivers in the greater Keeseville area to lock their cars. Authorities say several cars in the village and as far away as Port Douglas have been broken into. They advise drivers to lock their cars and not to leave wallets, purses or other valuables in their vehicles.

Four Vermont senators say their colleagues in Montpelier should take into consideration a report that says re-licensing the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant is the smartest course for the state, from an economic standpoint. The report says allowing Vermont Yankee to continue operations and adopting a renewable energy policy will lead to the best result for jobs and the economy.