WVTK Local & State News March 15, 2011

The New York state Department of Environmental Conservation is reminding fishermen that all shanties must be removed today. With warm-ups on the way there's a danger those shanties will fall partially through the ice and become hard to remove. Those shanties also create a hazard for snowmobiles and other vehicles on the ice. Once the ice is out sunken shanties pose dangers for boaters.

A new company will open its doors in Middlebury today. eCorp English designs online lesson plans to teach foreign executives how to do their jobs in English so they can succeed in business travel and presentations. UPS, Toyota and Google are among eCorp's clients. The company has hired 35 employees to start and hopes to have more than 125 employees by 2013. Officials say they chose Addison County in large part because of Middlebury College and its international reputation for foreign language education.

This winter’s snowfall has stretched Addison County town budgets. Not only have expenses for materials like sand and salt gone up, but labor costs have also risen as road crews have worked long hours trying to keep roads and sidewalks clear. Meanwhile repair bills have also mounted as equipment has been pushed to the limit. Many towns have had to get creative in dealing with the near-record 10 feet of snow that has fallen on the county so far this winter. That is about four feet more than average.

A metal recycling company is expected to buy the former Monahan Filaments property on Case St. in Middlebury. They plan to employ up to 30 people to disassemble vehicles and other metal equipment and sell the reusable parts. The prospective buyer of the foreclosed property is Rutland-based Earth Waste Systems. The company already has a presence in Middlebury, as the Wyre Wheel, along with other locations in Castleton and Morrisonville, NY.

The owners of the Vermont Energy Company in Ferrisburgh have filed plans with the town of Middlebury to spin off another “alternative convenience store” complete with deli and gas pumps at the now-vacant Sunoco station on Court St. The plan calls for substantial interior renovations to the Sunoco building and an exterior paint job.

A major improvement to medical record keeping is coming to Middlebury. Work is under way to turn the Middlebury area into one of the most connected communities in Vermont. By early 2012 you will experience the seamless transfer of information between your physician’s office and Porter Medical Center. This is expected to increase efficiency and improve patient care.

A Ticonderoga man remains jailed after allegedly being found in possession of child pornography. Ticonderoga Town Police began investigating Arthur Ellis Jr. in late February after learning he was reportedly in possession of several illegal and obscene images. During a subsequent search of his Montcalm Street residence, police said, they located several DVDs containing child pornography. The investigation continues.

Castleton firefighters responded to a fire in an ice fishing shanty on Lake Bomoseen yesterday morning. By the time firefighters arrived, the 4-by-8 shanty was completely burned. Because the ice is pulling away from the shore, the firefighters did not attempt to go out to the shanty for safety reason. The fire chief said the cause of the fire is unknown at this time and no injuries were reported. They do not know who the owner of the shanty is, but hopes someone will come forward with any information.

A Marine from Danville has died in fighting in Afghanistan. The U.S. Department of Defense says 22-year-old Cpl. Ian M. Muller was killed Friday in a combat operation. He was a member of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force based out of North Carolina.

A new report says the cost of buying a house in Vermont has dropped. The Vermont Economy Newsletter’s annual report says the share of median family income needed to make payments on a mortgage for a median priced home fell to 14.8% in 2010. That's the lowest percentage of income needed to service a mortgage since 2002. The main reason is the decline in mortgage rates. However it appears that housing costs and mortgage rates are likely to go up this year.

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders says Vermonters will be hurt by proposed cuts to the federal budget. The cuts that were passed by the House would reduce funding to programs like Head Start and community health centers. Social Security would also be affected. Sanders has proposed a 5.4 percent emergency surtax on household income over one million dollars, which he says will close the deficit by up to $50 billion a year.

Gas prices are on the rise and Vermonters are feeling the pinch. In Vermont, the average price is now $3.62 a gallon according to Vermontgasprices dot com. That's up seven cents from last week and 77 cents higher than a year ago. Congressman Peter Welch is now calling on Washington to act. In the short term he wants President Obama to release 30 million barrels of oil from the country's strategic oil reserve fund. He is also calling for Congress to pass anti-price gouging laws and to raise the tax on oil traders who make profits speculating on prices.

A family outreach program for the Vermont National Guard may not be funded not for much longer. Funding was supposed to stop next month, but state guard officials learned it's received a short-term reprieve from the feds. It helps vets with even the simplest things, like rides to appointments at the VA hospital, or more complicated issues like dealing with vets living with post traumatic stress disorder, or substance abuse issues, or even financial issues. It received another two-point-four million last summer in federal funds, and the word from Washington is long-term funding is unlikely.

The Rutland Natural Resources Conservation District is hosting its annual dinner and meeting at the Godnick Adult Center in Rutland at 5 PM Wednesday. “Energy Savings in the Home and on the Farm,” is the topic of discussion at the event, with guest speaker Bob Murphy, customer support specialist with Efficiency Vermont. The meeting is open to the public. A registration fee of $10 includes dinner. Today is the final day for pre-registration. For more information, contact Nanci McGuire at 775-8034 ext. 17, or by e-mail at nanci.mcguire@vt.nacdnet.net.

And Hobbes is extending a word of congratulations this morning to a Vermont State Police trooper and her dog Casko that are once again the top team of officer and canine in the state for the second time in three years. Senior Trooper Michelle LeBlanc, who is assigned to the Williston barracks, won the award, which is presented to the team that shows outstanding proficiency in all areas of police K-9 functions in training and in on-duty performance.

The Vermont Public Interest Research Group is expanding its solar energy program. Residents in the communities of Shelburne, Hinesburg and Charlotte are eligible for discounts on solar electric panels. And people living in Montpelier, East Montpelier, Berlin and Middlesex can purchase solar hot water electric panels at a reduced cost. For more information click HERE.