WVTK Local & State News November 29, 2010

Tomorrow the Pulp Mill Bridge will operate with alternating traffic in one lane only between 8AM and 4PM.

The new Champlain Bridge linking New York and Vermont should be open to traffic next August. That was the assessment of state transportation officials and the project contractor, who provided a construction update November 19th. Flatiron Construction of Colorado will work through the winter on the $70 million bridge. The company is operating two shifts at the bridge, Monday morning through Saturday night.

This Saturday is the Holiday Kick-Off Weekend for A Very Merry Middlebury! Watch Santa Arrive By Fire Truck over the Cross Street Bridge and up Main Street at 9:30 AM. You can then visit with Santa from 10AM – 12:30PM at Middlebury Community House. Other activities that day include Horse Drawn Wagon Rides, the Hot Chocolate Hut, Free Gift Wrap Service for any gift purchased in Middlebury, Nativity Scenes from around the world and so much more! WVTK will even provide the soundtrack all weekend beginning Friday at 2PM with Continuous Christmas Classics! Click here for more information!

Superintendent Evelyn Howard said last week that as a whole, the Addison Northeast Supervisory Union will not meet the spending reduction mark set by the Challenges for Change law passed in the last legislative session. The law aims for every school in the state to reduce spending in 2011-2012 by 2 percent from what is budgeted in the current school year.

The newly renovated Holley Hall will open its doors to the public from 3 to 7 PM this Friday. They would like you to celebrate Bristol community members’ contributions to its new look. The town offices will host tours, presentations and the unveiling of both the historic painted curtain and a time capsule.

The Better Middlebury Partnership has created some new currency to promote downtown shopping. The BMP has produced a new version of the “Middlebury Money”. These checks can be purchased in various denominations for transactions at local retail, dining and lodging establishments. At its peak, approximately $27,000 worth of Middlebury money was sold in one year, sparking business for local merchants and service providers. The program has been around for about 15 years.

The extended downturn in the economy is forcing more Vermont families to seek food assistance. A new federal report says the share of households in Vermont that at times didn't have enough nutritious food rose from 12.1% to 13.6% between 2008 and 2009.

Two 2010 graduates of Vermont's St. Johnsbury Academy have filed a lawsuit claiming the private school refused to follow its own policies when it suspended them from playing sports for 120 days. Jessica Sullivan and Kyle Berge were suspended last year for allegedly drinking alcohol at an off-campus party. The students, who now attend college, denied the allegations.

An expert on posttraumatic stress disorder is planning a speech in Norwich. Dr. Edward Tick, a psychotherapist who heads the Soldier's Heart Clinic, in Troy, N.Y., will talk about the experiences of soldiers - from World War I to Iraq - to describe the trauma of war and the way communities can help them heal. Tick will speak at 7 PM Wednesday at Norwich Congregational Church.

A renowned World War II Army unit is getting its due in Vermont. Several veterans and their families were among those who gathered Saturday at the Stowe Mountain Resort for the dedication of a new statue honoring the Army's 10th Mountain Division. Members of the division were accomplished skiers who fought in the mountains of Italy and used their skiing and climbing skills to navigate the harsh terrain.

A special panel looking at Vermont's tax structure is planning a meeting at the Statehouse as it nears completion of its work on a report to the Legislature. The Blue Ribbon Commission on Vermont's Tax Structure meets tomorrow at 9 AM as it works toward a deadline of Jan. 31, when the law that established it says it is supposed to issue its final report to the Legislature.

The federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission has named a new resident inspector for the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant. Sarah Rich graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2008 and more recently completed a 2-year NRC training program, in addition to the agency's regular nuclear inspector qualification program.

Christmas will arrive in Port Henry this Saturday. That's when the Town of Moriah Chamber of Commerce will host its 21st annual Moriah Midnight Madness. Midnight Madness will take place 1-6 PM and feature store sales, giveaways, street vendors, music, fire truck rides for the children, candy, face painting, balloons, games and more. Santa will arrive on a Port Henry Fire Department truck and will meet with children and adults on Main Street.

The annual Holiday in Hague will be held this Saturday. Sponsored by The Hague Chamber of Commerce and the town of Hague the event will be noon to 4 PM. The town businesses and community organization will offer a variety of things on sale from Christmas trees to hand crafts, to boutique items, to gifts for children to purchase and wrap. A holiday parade will be held at 2:30 p.m. featuring community groups and "Dressed up Doggies."

The town highway department installed four new “Welcome to Ticonderoga” signs recently. A Department of State Local Waterfront Revitalization Program grant for $40,000 was awarded to the town for the signs. The Ticonderoga Main Street Partnership and PRIDE of Ticonderoga administered the grant.

Ticonderoga High School's Future Business Leaders of America club has begun a business selling t-shirts. The business was started with Ticonderoga's Main Street Committee and has the support of several local businesses. The profits earned go towards funding the FBLA activities throughout the school year.

For more than 100 years, the Ethan Allen Club has operated out of Burlington. Now, the social organization is shutting down. The club president said membership has been struggling the past five years. The private social club was where numerous state business and political leaders met, but that will change after December 15th. Champlain College will take ownership, turning the clubhouse into a residence hall.

More than 40 people gathered in Brandon’s Central Park to listen to Christmas carols at the annual Memory Tree Lighting yesterday afternoon. The Brandon Chamber of Commerce holds this annual town tradition. The Otter Valley Union High School chorale opened the lighting ceremony signing various seasonal songs. The Brandon Festival Singers also gathered around the Christmas tree for a performance. The Christmas tree in the town park is a live tree that was planted a few years ago.

Victims of minor crimes in Burlington, Vt., will soon be able to start filling out their own crime reports rather than wait for police to arrive. Police Chief Mike Schirling says after two months of testing, the department is ready to launch its online citizens' crime reporting system.

A Vermont man who's charged with threatening to kill President Barack Obama is asking to be released from custody. Forty-3-year-old Christopher King, of Rockingham, was charged last month after allegedly making the threat online. He has pleaded not guilty to making a threat against the president, a federal charge.

According to the National Christmas Tree Association consumers bought 28.2 million farm-grown Christmas trees and 11.7 million artificial trees in the U.S. last year, about the same as in 2008. Of the consumers across the country who bought a farm-grown tree, 78 percent got a precut tree and 22 percent cut their own.

Millions of shoppers are expected to log onto their computers today for one of the busiest online shopping days of the year, Cyber Monday. Ninety percent of retailers will offer bargain prices and free shipping. However, not all deals will last all day. In 2009, online spending increased 5% on Cyber Monday to nearly $890 million. To help you navigate through the top deals: www.cybermonday.com