WVTK Local & State News May 11, 2010

Voters in Vergennes and Addison will go to the polls today and re-visit the issue of merging school districts and forming the Addison Northwest Supervisory Union. Many residents in Vergennes have expressed concern with assuming Addison's and Ferrisburgh’s debt load. Both towns must vote in favor of the merger for it to take place July 1, next year.

A public meeting is set for tonight night in Addison on the new Crown Point Bridge. Vermont and New York Transportation Officials will discuss the bridge design and operation of the temporary ferry service. They'll also update the public on the removal of debris from the old bridge. The meeting is scheduled for tonight at 6:30 at the Addison Central School.

Work crews this week are scheduled to begin more than $5 million in resurfacing work on a substantial segment of Route 125 in East Middlebury, Ripton and Hancock. The work will stretch from the intersection of Route 7 South through East Middlebury Village, all the way through Ripton village and up to the entrance of the Middlebury College Snow Bowl.

A new trial request for convicted murderer Jonathan Bruno has been denied at the local level, but he still has appeals pending of his sentence and conviction to the state Supreme Court. Bruno was sentenced to 35 years to life in prison in March for the killing of John Baptie. A Rutland jury convicted Bruno at the end of a trial that featured numerous witnesses who saw the two men on that day.

Police are blaming failure to stop at a stop sign for a collision that turned deadly in Castleton. Investigators say the car driven by Edna Fairbanks of Hubbardton failed to stop at the intersection of South Street and Route 30. Her car collided with another vehicle, and Fairbanks was killed. The other driver was taken to Rutland Regional Medical Center with minor injuries.

The new, now 6 year old library at Middlebury College has its name. “The Davis Library” was announced at a ceremony attended by hundreds of students, faculty and trustees this past week.

Vermont lawmakers are returning to the state house today as this years session goes into overtime. Members of both the House and Senate had hoped to wrap-up the session on Saturday but hey still have a number of bills to finish before they can go home for their summer break. They also have to pass a budget for next year.

Education leaders in Vermont want opinions on how to reform the No Child Left Behind Act. Senator Bernie Sanders participated in a live video chat. He said school funding should not be based on competitive grants, and that special considerations should be made for rural states. Sanders said he plans to bring these ideas back to the Health, Education, Labor, and Pension Committee that he is a member of.

The New York State Legislature has passed an extender bill that includes furloughs for state workers. Governor David Paterson says 100,000 state workers will have to take a furlough day each week. Paterson says he will stop the furloughs, scheduled to begin next week, if unions agree to other concessions, including a suspension of their 4-percent raise.

Vermont State Police are once again searching for the body of Brianna Maitland. Investigators looked for her body in a Richford gravel pit yesterday after receiving a tip. Maitland was 17 when she disappeared in 2004. She was last seen at work in Montgomery. Police did not find any evidence. More searches are being planned.

South Burlington police made 2 separate arrests at the same home on Saturday night. Acting on a tip, officers arrested 2 men at a home on Williston Road after finding drugs, guns, and cash. While processing the suspects, police got a call about a break-in at the same house. Officers arrested 2 woman who had broken into the home thru a window.

The South Burlington Police Department is moving into a new building on Gregory Drive this week. Voters approved the $7.2 million move last September. Officials say the move shouldn't take long, in fact, they plan to be up and running from the new building by tomorrow morning. A ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house is scheduled for Saturday, June 12.

The Burlington City Council voted last night to appeal the Act 250 Permit for a Half-Way House downtown. Residents and community members were split on the house, some said the house would hurt the neighboring Church Street Marketplace. The Half-Way House would be run by the national Phoenix House organization.

School Boards in Chazy, Chateaugay and Lake Placid will be holding their annual budget meetings tonight. The public is invited to attend the meetings in which they will discuss a number of key issues affecting next year's school budget. Each of the meetings will begin at 7 PM.

The Plattsburgh-North Country Chamber of Commerce is holding a job fair tomorrow. About 30 employers will be there including NovaBus, 3 different hospitals, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Organizers say job fairs are even more important in a recovering economy. The job fair will be tomorrow from 4 to 8 PM at the West Side Ballroom in Plattsburgh.

The Lamoille North Supervisory Union, which oversees Lamoille Union High School and Middle School, has temporarily laid off its entire support staff. The support staff includes office staff, special education professionals, and custodians. School officials stressed that this is only until a new contract is in place. The superintendent says negotiations are at an impasse.