WVTK Local & State News December 10, 2010

E-Corporate English, a company offering English instruction to corporate professionals throughout the world has picked Middlebury as the spot in which it will expand its operations and bring as many as 100 or more good paying jobs to the area by 2013. They provide intensive language training and coaching in-person, online and over the phone. Deborah Schwarz, who is a past attendee of the Middlebury College Language School’s summer programs, launched it in 2007.

The owners of the former Shoreham Apple Co-op have received two grants to examine and carry out food storage opportunities. The apple storage facility is looking to expand its operations for the storage and possible processing of other local produce. They hope the grant will provide additional business opportunities both for area farmers and for the storage facility itself. Currently the plan is to launch a small-scale pilot project in 2011, and to go online on a commercial scale in 2012.

Voters in the Addison Central Supervisory Union’s seven towns will be asked on Town Meeting Day to support a 2011-2012 spending plan that contains a 2.03 percent decrease in spending compared to this year. The decrease allows UD-3 to meet the state’s “Challenges for Change” directive.

A majority of Shoreham voters decided this week to not move forward on two different options for building new town offices. That decision sends the town-office-expansion issue back to the selectboard, which will spend the coming months deciding whether to come up with a less expensive version of the project.

On Monday evening the Lincoln Community School board approved a scaled-back $2 million version of a bond proposal originally rejected by the Vermont Education Commissioner in September. A public information meeting will be held on January 11. Lincoln residents’ taxes will increase for the next 20 years if the bond is approved. The bond will go to a vote on January 18.

Rutland Mayor Christopher Louras said the Police Department will see layoffs if its members don't start paying more for health care. Louras said the police union voted Monday to reject a proposed contract. 
The the contract is similar to the one Department of Public Works employees agreed to this week. The DPW contract increases the employees' contribution over three years along with changes to the deductibles.

“Roots the Restaurant” is one step closer to a liquor license. The Special Liquor Committee of the Rutland Board of Aldermen voted unanimously to recommend the full board approve the application by chef/owner Donald Billings on the condition he complete the section of the application asking about criminal conditions.

Nearly 100 more National Guard soldiers are back in Vermont. The troops spent nine months in Afghanistan. The soldiers from three states served together as part of the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, led by the Vermont National Guard. In addition to the Vermont soldiers return, 136 members arrived in Maine and New Hampshire. More soldiers are expected back this weekend.

U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy says it's regrettable that the Senate failed to muster the votes to break a Republican filibuster blocking repeal of the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy banning gay troops from serving openly in the military. Leahy, a Vermont Democrat and chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, says "don't ask, don't tell" is a discriminatory and counterproductive policy.

The Vermont Department of Public Service's expected release of an audit of Burlington's troubled city phone, cable TV and Internet venture has been delayed another day. DPS Commissioner David O'Brien had said his department's report would be out Thursday, but now says it will be released Friday.

Efforts to control sea lamprey in Lake Champlain are seeing results. Vermont and New York have been working to control the parasites for two decades using a variety of method. A study of the program appears to show success in reducing the lamprey population.

Police in Burlington are looking for a man who accosted two women on city streets yesterday morning. The first incident occurred at about 6:20 AM near the corner of South Prospect and Cliff Streets. The second incident was less than 20 minutes later on Shelburne Road near Home Avenue. Neither woman was hurt. The suspect is described as a white male, about 5'8"-5'10" with a slender to average build. He was wearing a jacket with a hood. The jacket was red or maroon with black spots. Anyone with information is asked to call Burlington Police.

A former Vermont teacher has asked a judge to move his trial on charges he molested some of his former students out of Lamoille County. A court hearing took place Thursday on Shaun Bryer's request. The judge has not yet issued a decision. Bryer of Morristown faces 14 counts of sexual assault and lewd behavior.

Passenger rail projects in Vermont and Maine are going to be getting another financial boost from the federal government. The U.S. Department of Transportation is redirecting $1.2 billion in stimulus funding that had been intended for high-speed rail projects in Wisconsin and Ohio. But those two states don't want to move forward with the projects. Vermont is expected to get up to $2.7 million, helping to fully fund a $52.7 million project to upgrade the rail lines from Vernon to St. Albans, the route of the Amtrak Vermont.

Calling it a waste of money, one state representative wants to decriminalize marijuana possession. Burlington Representative Jason Lorber says a new study shows Vermont spends over 700-thousand dollars going after people who are busted with less than two ounces of pot. Lorber plans to re-introduce legislation that would make possession of less than one ounce a civil violation and not a crime. His proposal would still make it illegal to sell or use marijuana.

Hoping to ensure crisis-heating funds are available to assist low-income Vermonters this winter, People’s United Bank has donated $15,000 to the CVPS Shareheat Fund. The People’s United Bank donation will go into a pool of funds that will be used to match customer donations to the heating assistance program. Customer donations, along with the matching dollars, are distributed to five community action agencies across the state to assist those in need.

Though the Bristol Christmas pageant will include the traditional setting it also takes on a rather untraditional format this year. Seventeen-year-old Thomas Ahern, who has been taking a film class at the Hannaford Career Center, volunteered to film and edit a video version of the Christmas story that will premiere at the First Baptist Church of Bristol this Sunday at 4:30 PM.

The downtown Brandon business community has been through a rough patch, but there are signs it’s getting better. Six new businesses have moved into town over the last six months, with four opening in November alone. As a testament to the hard work and creativity of Brandon residents, every one of these businesses is locally owned and operated.

Diane Saunders of Bristol and her 3-year-old Quarter Horse Dunny recently took top honors at the Champlain Dressage Schooling Series. The pair won Overall Champion in new Western Dressage tests and scored high enough to also win the Overall High Score Senior Rider Champion ribbon. Diane and Dunny train with Amy Wales of Flatlander Farm in Hinesburg. This was Dunny's first year competing.