WVTK Local & State News October 4, 2010

The Addison County Humane Society says the number of animals in their care has doubled in recent years, and they are struggling financially to keep up. On Saturday the big fundraiser "Woofstock" was a big hit! About 75 dogs and their owners came out to support the Addison County Humane Society, and have a little fun. Many of the canines on hand were alumni of the Humane Society including Hobbes. This week you’ll have another chance to support the Addison County Humane Society as Bruce & Hobbes raise money with the Fabulous Fall Foliage Tour that gets underway this Thursday! Get the details and make a donation right here!

A Vermont plant has earned a $31.5 million contract to make helicopter maintenance diagnostic systems for the U.S. Army. Sen. Patrick Leahy says the units will be produced at Goodrich Corp.'s facility in Vergennes and be used on the Army's Black Hawk and Pave Hawk helicopters. The contract announcement comes a month after the company was awarded an extension of a $5.7 million Navy contract.

Nearly a thousand people came Saturday to mourn the death of a young Vermont Marine, and to share good memories of him. The funeral Mass for Lance Corporal Anthony Rosa was held at Missisquoi Valley Union High School in Swanton, where he graduated two years ago. He died late last month while on patrol in Afghanistan.

Heavy rainfall Thursday and Friday left flooded roads and areas in Essex well into the weekend. Pettingtill Road off of Route 128 was shut down all day Saturday, with North Williston Road closed until noon that day. Cornfields right off of Williston Road were heavily flooded. The clean up got underway Sunday, but it will be a while before its all back to normal.

The Centers for Disease Control is recommending that anyone over 6 months of age receive the flu shot this year except for those allergic to the vaccine. This year's shot also includes vaccine for the H1N1 virus. The new recommendation means that anyone seeking a flu shot should be able to receive one.

A new grant will help provide more protection for those who protect and serve. Senator Patrick Leahy announce on Friday that the state of Vermont will receiving a $1-million-dollar grant for bulletproof vests.

Vermont author Katherine Paterson, who's been named national ambassador for young people's literature, will speak about the importance of reading in child development in an appearance Thursday at St. Michael's College in Colchester. Her address, "The Child Left Behind," will cap Vermont Reads Day, a statewide celebration organized by the Vermont Humanities Council.

Shot down once, the owners of the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant continue pushing for a second vote by state lawmakers for a license extension allowing it to stay open past 2012. Vermont is the only state that has given itself the power to turn thumbs down on a re-licensing. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission typically has that authority.

A group of Russian and Norwegian nuclear scientists, regulators and activists is visiting Vermont and Massachusetts to learn about nuclear decommissioning. The group is meeting with anti-nuclear groups, including the New England Coalition and Citizens Action Network, as well as visiting the Vermont Law School to meet with students and faculty in the school's environment and energy programs.

Vermont's Fletcher Allen Health Care will be in the spotlight today at a national health care summit being held in Washington. The Burlington hospital will be included because of its steps to boost quality while cutting costs. Fletcher Allen was recommended for the event by U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy.

A national children's group has given Vermont's two U.S. Senators its second-best honor for their support of legislation favorable to kids. First Focus Campaign for Children honored 50 members of Congress as Champions for Children for their extraordinary efforts on children's behalf. A second 50, including Sens. Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders, were labeled Defenders of Children.

Verizon Wireless could pay out up to $90 million in refunds to cell phone customers who were improperly charged for inadvertent Web access or data usage over the past several years. The FCC had asked Verizon Wireless last year about $1.99-a-megabyte data access fees that appeared on the bills of customers who didn't have data plans but who accidentally initiated data or Web access by pressing a button on their phones.

Volunteers gathered in Bristol to help make the Fletcher Allen Pediatric Unit a little warmer. Over 100 people made 600 baby blankets in 6 hours. The groups Mothers Without Borders and Brady's Smile collaborated on the event. Brady's Smile focuses on making a family's experience in the hospital a little easier. The blankets will be donated to Fletcher Allen's Pediatric Unit, making it the first hospital in Vermont to participate in the Brady's Smile program.

The Ticonderoga Federal Credit Union will host Shred Fest, a free paper-shredding event to increase public awareness of identity theft prevention, October 18 and 19 as part of their annual Credit Union Week celebration. Documents will be shredded on site in a mobile shredder. The Credit Union asks participants to bring a non-perishable food item for donation to the local food pantries, in exchange for the free service. Shredding will be at the Ticonderoga office 11AM to 1PM October 18 and at the Port Henry office 9-11 AM October 19.