WVTK Local & State News June 11, 2010

Construction crews will break ground on the new Lake Champlain Bridge today. The groundbreaking ceremony will be held at the temporary ferry docks on the New York side of the lake at 10:15 this morning. Both Governors Jim Douglas and David Patterson will be there for the start of construction on the new bridge.

Ticonderoga Police are looking for the person or persons responsible for shooting 3 horses at local farms. All 3 horses are still alive but are under veterinarian care while they recover from their gunshot wounds. If you have any information about the horse shootings, please call the Ticonderoga Police Department.

As the town of Pittsford finishes work on its water system, the Select Board has turned its attention to the sewer. The board voted this week to warn a $1.97 million bond issue for sewer improvements. The vote is scheduled for July 20 with informational meetings at 6:30 p.m. on July 13 and July 19 at the Lothrop School gymnasium. Those plans include laying down new pipe in the most worn-out areas and replacing a pump station where a lot of groundwater seeps in.

A team of engineers is proposing to build one of the state’s largest solar farms on the west side of Route 7, across from the Hill Top RV Center in New Haven. The proposed project would feature 178 ground-mounted solar trackers with panels capable of harvesting enough energy to power 500 homes annually. It would also include an organic farm operation calling for sheep and goats to graze near the high-tech equipment. This is the second major solar farm proposal to be pitched in Addison County in recent months.

Officials from the Vermont Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living in late May revoked the license of Alden Place Residential Care Home LLC in Vergennes for a series of 23 alleged violations that affected “the health and safety of the residents.

The Rutland Redevelopment Authority is projecting to finish the fiscal year about $10,000 in the black. While not a significant sum of money, it does represent an improvement from this time last year when the RRA finished more than $13,000 in debt to the city.

CVPS customers will see a slight decrease in the bills stating next month. Central Vermont Public Service has been collecting a 1-percent surcharge that was added to your bill last year to help cover the cost of repairs from the 2008 Ice Storm. That surcharge expires at the end of the month. For most people, the surcharge turns out to be about 30 cents a month.

The Paterson administration has begun preparing state agencies for what could be the first government shutdown in New York History. The shutdown could begin as early as Monday at midnight unless lawmakers pass an emergency-spending bill. With no budget yet for the fiscal year that began April 1, the state has been relying on emergency bills to stay in operation.

Two teenagers, missing since Sunday, have been found safe and sound. Police say the search came to an end after received numberous tips that the 2-missing 16-year-olds were seen in the Middlebury area. Hunter Pawlaczyk of South Burlington and Zoe Robb of Burlington were considered by police as runaways.

The Education Commissioner has braced school officials around Vermont for across-the-board spending reductions in next year's budgets. After holding the line on spending last year, school districts will be asked to shave $23 million from the bottom line in fiscal year 2012. 
The reduction directives are part of Challenges for Change.

One of the men charged in the shooting death of a former St. Michael's College professor has changed his plea. In court yesterday, 28-year-old Chad Lussier changed his plea to guilty. As part of the plea deal he will serve 60 days in prison. Lussier was taken into custody to start serving his sentence immediately.

A German company is pulling its operations out of Vermont and is headed back to Europe this year. Suss MicroTec says it's going to relocate a division from Waterbury to Germany later this year, which means a loss of 80 jobs. Suss also has a service and sales division in Waterbury, which is moving west to California.

A pair of St. Mary's School students will be the featured speakers at Flag Day ceremonies in Ticonderoga. Sponsored by Ticonderoga Elks, the Flag Day festivities will take place Sunday at 1 p.m. in Bicentennial Park. In the event of bad weather, the ceremony will be moved to the Ti Armory on Champlain Avenue.

The Slate Valley Teen Center has programs and a location, now it just needs to bring the two together. 

The Fair Haven Select Board last week voted to allow the organization to use the second floor of the town office building rent-free for 20 years. In return the center has to renovate it at no cost to the town.