WVTK Local & State News August 15, 2012

John R. Beyrle, the former Ambassador of the United States to the Russian Federation from 2008 to 2012, will deliver the commencement address marking the end of the Middlebury Language Schools’ 98th summer session this Friday at 8 PM in Mead Chapel.  The college is scheduled to confer 136 Master of Arts degrees and three Doctor of Modern Languages degrees at the ceremony.  In addition, Middlebury College will present an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree to Ambassador Beyrle.

“Days of Caring” is Addison County United Way’s annual volunteer event. The event takes place on Thursday, September 20th and Saturday, September 22. The organization has enough projects to keep more than 500 volunteers busy. Volunteers will be working at nonprofits, schools, libraries, and towns throughout the county. The projects range from activities aide, to painter, gardener, builder and baker and everything in between.  The United Way is currently seeking additional for volunteers of all ages and with a variety of skill sets. Businesses and individuals interested in registering for Days of Caring asked to call 388-7189 or fill out an online volunteer form at www.UnitedWayAddisonCounty.org.

Vermont State Police are currently investigating vandalism at a house on School Street in Cornwall. Brian Gill was checking on his vacant rental property and discovered someone had entered the residence through an unlocked rear door. He discovered that someone had hooked a hose up to the washing machine and turned it on, flooding the residence causing approximately $1,000 in damage. State Police are asking if anyone has information regarding this case, to please call the New Haven Barracks 802-388-4919.

Bennington Battle Day is on Thursday but events celebrating the holiday will primarily take place this weekend.  On Thursday, admission to all state-owned historic sites will be free including Mount Independence in Orwell, the Hubbardton Battlefield in Hubbardton, the Chimney Point site in Addison, the President Calvin Coolidge site in Plymouth Notch and the Bennington Battle Monument, the tallest man-made structure in Vermont. Named for the Battle of Bennington, Vermont’s only unique statewide holiday commemorates a Revolutionary War battle fought on Aug. 16, 1777, in nearby New York.

Moses-Ludington Hospital is among the nation’s leaders in electronic records.  The Ticonderoga health care facility achieved “meaningful use” of its electronic health records July 31. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services only 151 of the 1,327 critical access hospitals in the country have achieved “meaningful use” and received a financial incentive payment.

The Ti-Alliance is welcoming Chattie Van Wert with her 20 years of experience owning and operating small businesses in Ticonderoga as the new Director of Ti-Alliance. A graduate of St. John's Academy in Plattsburgh, she also holds an Associate's Degree in Data Processing from SUNY Canton and a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from SUNY Albany.  She has been a member of the Chamber of Commerce, is engaged in organizing StreetFest, serves on the Board of Directors of Interlakes Health as Treasurer and Chair of the Quality Improvement Committee.  She is also a member of St. Mary's Parish Finance Council and Chairperson for their recent Summer Festival Formal Dinner and Auction fundraiser.

The Ti-Alliance Cultural Arts Initiative, with generous support from Aubuchon Hardware and Benjamin Moore Paints, is beginning an annual mural contest on key Ticonderoga buildings to incorporate public art in the community’s revitalization strategy. The winner of the contest will receive a $500 prize and special recognition through the celebration of the final product and its associated media coverage. This is a great opportunity for a young artist to become better known in the region or an accomplished artist to showcase their work in a community visited by over 100,000 tourists per year.  The mural will also be a key feature as they work to revitalize Ticonderoga through the arts! 

Jurors have begun deliberations in the trial of a Virginia pastor accused of helping a woman flee the U.S. to avoid sharing custody with her former lesbian partner in Vermont. Kenneth Miller's lawyers say he didn't know that Janet Jenkins of Fair Haven had legal parental rights when he helped Lisa Miller flee to New York and eventually to Nicaragua.

Federal wildlife officials say the Bicknell's thrush, a rare songbird that breeds in higher elevations in northern New England may need protection as an endangered species. Vermont's Center for Biological Diversity has petitioned for a change in the bird's status.

Vermont is among the states pressing the U.S. Supreme court to uphold the use of racial preferences in college admissions. The states have submitted a brief saying the Constitution allows schools to consider race as one factor in their diversity policies.

A memorial service will be held for a Vermont couple that authorities say were abducted from their Essex home and killed last year.  Relatives of Bill and Lorraine Currier have planned a one-hour reflection to be held August 25th at 2 PM at the Essex Alliance Church in Essex.  The families told the Burlington Free Press that they are inviting friends, neighbors, coworkers and members of the community to join them "to reflect on not Bill and Lorraine's tragic deaths, but on what they contributed to our lives."  Federal and state authorities announced last month that a suspect in the Curriers' deaths was in custody in another state on other charges. Police haven't released the suspect's name or whereabouts and no charges have been filed.

Vermont Democratic and Republican leaders are in a war of words over the impending visit to the state of New Hampshire Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte for a party fundraiser.  The Vermont Republican Party announced Ayotte's visit, set for midday today at the Woodstock Inn, calling her "a dynamic senator with a great message."  Democrats responded by circulating a letter calling Ayotte "extreme anti-choice," saying she's against same-sex marriage, legalized abortions and funding for Planned Parenthood.  Vermont Republican Chairman Jack Lindley says he takes offense at those remarks, accusing Democrats of swinging for the gutter. He says his party made no such comments when President Obama visited Vermont in March.

7-Eleven plans to sell 30 Wilson Farms stores in upstate New York, including the five that remain in the North Country.  The stores are in Keeseville, Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, West Chazy and Wilmington. They are among the 188 Wilson Farms stores 7-Eleven acquired in 2011. The company will also offer employees the chance to take a job at 7-Eleven or Wilson Farms stores in western New York.

Governor Peter Shumlin is not going to be endorsing his Lieutenant Governor, Phil Scott, for re-election this fall.  Shumlin, a Democrat, says it's a simple matter of politics, as Scott is a Republican.  The governor will officially endorse fellow Democrat Cassandra Gekas tomorrow at Union Station in Burlington.

Clarendon homeowners will see an increase in their property tax rates, while the non-residential rate dropped slightly.  The 2013 municipal and education tax rate for homeowners is $1.73 per $100 of assessed property value, which is a 3-cent increase over the $1.70 tax rate for 2012.  Non-residents will see their 2013 municipal and education rate drop a half-cent to $1.73.

More residents of rural east-central Vermont will be able to use high-speed Internet service, thanks to $1.3 million in investments so far this year by ECFiber.  The money is being used to extend ECFiber's fiber-optic network to areas of Chelsea, Vershire, Thetford, Norwich, Tunbridge and Strafford that currently don't have broadband Internet service.  ECFiber is raising money from local investors for its network, with people able to buy in for as little as $2,500 dollars. No public money has been used in the project so far.

Friday will be the final Friday Night Live of the year in Rutland.  The event was originally scheduled for last week, but was cancelled due to expected rain.  Organizers pledged the make-up event would be up to the standard of previous Friday Night Lives this summer.  Also rescheduled was the final round of the Friday Night Food Fight, a cooking competition in which local amateurs work with local ingredients.  Friday Night Live kicks off at 6 PM and the Food Fight begins at 7 PM.

The Gallery at Brandon Music on Country Club Road in Brandon is pleased to feature works by local artists Nancy and Richard Weis. The exhibit, featuring small-scale encaustic paintings by Nancy Weis, and large-scale acrylic works by Richard Weis, is on display in the Music Café, and all works are available for purchase. Brandon Music Café is open from 10:00 am to 5:30pm every day except Tuesday.  Visit them online right now at www.brandon-music.net.

Vermont's Lake Dunmore Branbury Classic women’s champion Mariana Lara of Montpelier just edged 55-year-old Donna Smyers by 11 seconds to win in 2:21:15 last weekend. The Branbury Classic, like the race in London, was an “Olympic distance” triathlon, which consisted of a 1,500-meter swim, 40-kilometer bike, and 10,000 meter run.

National Bank of Middlebury is a sponsor of the upcoming Summer Sampler event to benefit Dinners With Love, a local non-profit organization whose mission is to facilitate donations of quality restaurant meals to hospice patients and their families free of charge.  Restaurants are asked to prepare meals for people living in the communities where the restaurant operates.  This truly is a wonderful example of neighbors helping neighbors and this service is now available in many towns in Rutland and Addison Counties. This Sunday the Summer Sampler will take place at the Brandon Town Hall from 4 – 7PM. The cost is $20 and all proceeds will benefit Dinners With Love.

From Fox 44 and ABC 22 News – Your Voice in Vermont & New York:

Nearly one year after Tropical Storm Irene destroyed the Vermont state complex in Waterbury, word on how much money FEMA will give to help rebuild it was supposed to come this week.  But on Tuesday Governor Peter Shumlin told reporters that wasn't going to be the case.  "I want to let you know that those numbers will not be coming this week," said Shumlin.  It could take several weeks.  But he insists it will come.  "I believe FEMA will come through," said Shumlin.  The reason for the delay, Shumlin says the federal organization needs more time to review the state's request.  It's a delay the democrat says he's ok with, as long as the money to build a new complex for nearly 1,000 workers comes.  Governor Shumlin says there will not be a ground breaking here in Waterbury until they find out just how much money FEMA will give them.  Despite the delay he says the project will be completed by 2015.  But what happens if FEMA doesn't pull through?  "I'm not going to speculate on having to do half of a job," said Shumlin.  While he won't back down from the project in front of them, Governor Shumlin admits if the money falls through they have another plan in place.  "We would be foolish not to have some idea of what to do if the money if that we need didn't come through," said Shumlin.

From homes to businesses, green ribbons are appearing to support the Vermont Air National Guard landing a new fighter mission.  It's part of what's being called "Green Ribbons for the F-35."  The campaign started several weeks ago.  "I didn't start it to change anybody's mind about it. I just wanted to give voice to those who are in support," says Nicole Citro, campaign organizer.  Citro says she was concerned there was a misconception most people were against the guard upgrading to the louder F-35's.  That's why she's asking guard backers to display green ribbons.  "This is a way they can show their support and hopefully not feel that they are alone in it. There are others out there that feel the same way that they do," says Citro.  In towns where many guard members live the number of green ribbons is growing.  That's not the case everywhere.  In neighborhoods near the airport and which could be most affected by the F-35's, there were few green ribbons.  In Essex, which is not far from the guard, Tim Allard proudly tied a green ribbon outside his pizza store, Upper Crust.  He's worried guard members might leave if the F-35's don't come.  "Anything we can do to support our guys over at the Air Guard," says Allard. "It's important to have them here. There are a lot of people that live here and been with the Air Guard for years."  The campaign is not selling the ribbons.  Organizers are simply asking people to be creative in finding a way to show their green ribbon support.