WVTK Local & State News May 24, 2010

570 Students graduated from Middlebury College yesterday. Husband-and-wife journalist team Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn addressed the graduating class of the College. The couple has authored three best-selling books and also received honorary doctor of letter degrees yesterday.

Over the weekend UVM held the graduation ceremony for the Class of 2010 and dedicated its newest building on campus. The James M. Jeffords Building was named in honor of the former Vermont Senator. It’s now the newest home to the Agriculture and Life Sciences Department. The building will begin to house classes this summer.

The town of Fair Haven is offering a reward of $500 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the people responsible for a rash of home break-ins and robberies. Police believe more than one person or group is responsible. The board is also open to paying out multiple awards depending on how many people came forward and what information they provide.

Vandals did almost $10,000 in damage to the municipal pool in Proctor this spring, but town officials said the popular summertime site will open on time next month. Vandalism at the pool off Park Street isn't uncommon, but the level of damage done by those who broke into the building used as an office, first aid station and concession stand at the pool exceeded anything the town has seen before. The pool is set to open around June 7th or 8th.

Vermont State Police are still helping to investigate the disappearance of Robert John Servian, a 61-year-old from Sarasota, Fla., who has been missing since April 2. 

Servian's car was found at the Holiday Inn parking lot in Rutland Town on May 3. He was not registered as a hotel guest there. State police have treated Servian's vehicle as a potential crime scene. Servian is described as being 6-feet tall and 210 pounds, with white hair and blue eyes. Anyone who may have information about his disappearance is asked to contact either Vermont State Police or the Sarasota Police Department.

A fire sparked by a barbecue grill destroyed a home in Shelburne. Investigators say the homeowners had used their grill Saturday night, with the fire starting several hours later. The 2 people living there managed to get out okay but the home on Beaver Creek Road is considered a complete loss.

The principal of the Orchard School in South Burlington says his school is ready to help students and families deal with the death of a fellow student when classes resume today. 5-year-old Amelia Sperry died Saturday after being hit by an SUV in a Shelburne neighborhood. Guidance counselors will be on hand to work with the kindergarten students and their families.

New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has declared that he is running for governor of the state. The Democrat announced his long-anticipated campaign online early Saturday Morning. The son of former New York Governor Mario Cuomo has already raised more money than any of the other candidates. This fall, every state office and both U.S. Senate seats are up for election.

Senior officials in the Paterson Administration say Governor David Paterson will introduce a bill today that will keep all New York Parks and Historic Sites open for the year, including this upcoming Memorial Day weekend. But the Legislature will have to agree to take $6 million from the Environmental Protection Fund to pay for it.

Green Mountain Power has asked Vermont utility regulators to approve a $150 million plan to build up to 21 wind turbines spanning 3.2 miles on a Lowell Mountain ridgeline. The power company says the project will create enough new electricity for 20,000 homes and include upgrades to existing transmission infrastructure and substations.

Vermont's jobless rate dropped slightly for the month of April to 6.4-percent. According to officials the unemployment rated dropped 2-tenths of a percentage point from March to April. Officials say the report for last month shows the job market is improving in Vermont. The numbers across the state range from 4.5-percent in Hartford to 9.7-percent in Newport.

Tuition will be going up for UVM Students next year. The UVM Board of Trustees voted on Saturday to increase the tuition by 4-percent. That means the average undergraduate Vermont Resident will pay over $12,000 this fall while a Non-Resident Student will pay over $31,000. The decision to increase tuition passed by a voice vote without discussion.

A jury has found Joseph McCarthy guilty of manslaughter in connection with the shooting death of his neighbor John Reiss, a retired St. Michaels College Professor. Prosecutors are not sure who fired the fatal bullet but said that McCarthy should be held responsible because it came from his shooting range.

Senator Patrick Leahy is asking for the Morse’s Line Border Crossing Station to be permanently closed. Homeland Security wants to upgrade the seldom-used facility, which would include seizing some valuable farmland from a local farmer. Since only 2 or 3 cars pass though the Port of Entry each hour, Leahy says the money for upgrades can be better spent elsewhere.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand plans to introduce legislation this week to ban drop-side cribs due to fatal accidents. The industry has already started phasing out drop-sides and big retailers have taken them off the selves. The bill would outlaw the manufacture, sale, and resale of all drop-side cribs, and ban them from use at day-care centers and hotels.

This upcoming weekend is not only Memorial Day Weekend, but it’s also the return of the Killington Stage Race. The Killington Stage Race was once one of the biggest bike races in the Northeast. Its been 10 years since the race has taken place. More than 400 riders are expected to compete this upcoming Saturday.