Coming up this Sunday at 6
PM, Brandon Music will present a concert by celebrated local musician Caitlin
Canty. General Admission is $15
and reservations are encouraged. A pre-show dinner package is available for
$30. The Vermont native, who now
resides in New York City, has folk-pop roots with a Western tone. Call (802) 465-4071 or email
info@brandon-music.net for reservations or information.
Today at Noon the Middlebury Design Advisory
Committee meets at the Town Offices. Agenda Items include a Review of
Middlebury College's Athletic Facility on South Main Street. Get details by visiting the Town’s Website.
The colder temperatures have put a severe strain on
the resources of some of Addison County’s human service organizations. HOPE is an organization that has been
helping fight poverty in Addison County since 1965 and helps people obtain
food, clothing, housing, heat, and medicine. They work hard to make sure
Addison county families have their critical needs met. The colder temperatures have caused
more families to ask for help, and right now, HOPE has an urgent need for
firewood and also donations to the food shelves. If you can help, please contact HOPE at 803-388-3608. You can also visit www.hope-vt.org.
Last Sunday afternoon around 1 Vermont State Police
responded to a report of a burglary on Mountain Road in Addison. The crime was
committed at an unknown time between Friday the 18th and Sunday the 20th. Items
taken included jewelry and electronics. Anyone with information regarding this
incident is encouraged to contact the Vermont State Police in New Haven at 802-388-4919
or submit an anonymous tip by texting CRIMES to keyword VTIPS.
The Schroon Lake Fish & Game Club will host its
21st annual ice fishing derby on Saturday and Sunday, March nd2 and 3rd. Fishing will start at daylight on
Saturday and end at 4 PM on Sunday. All fish must be weighed in at the
clubhouse by 4 on Sunday and must be caught in the designated waters of Schroon
Lake. You’ll need to purchase tickets prior to fishing in order to be eligible
for any prizes. This includes children who have tip-ups out. Pre-registered anglers do not have to
sign in at the clubhouse before fishing. Tickets for pre-registration are $12
through Sunday, February 24th, and $15 after that date.
The Ticonderoga area is a ton lighter this year
than in 2012. That’s the pounds
lost by members of the community’s “weight-loss challenge” a year ago. But
that’s the just the beginning. Now starting its second year, the program has
set a goal of 10,000 pounds lost for 2013. In 2012 89 people took part in the
program, losing an average of 22.5 pounds each. This year 200 have registered
to date. Each challenge group is divided into two teams. Results are posted on
a Facebook page along with inspirational quotes, advice, recipes and other
information. Interested people can contact Jessica Paradis by Email at jparadis@nycap.rr.com
Town of Jay and Essex County officials are using a
grant from the State Department of Environmental Conservation to start the
debris-removal process at the former Land of Make Believe. The remaining debris from the original
cleanup was not covered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, but that is
under appeal by the Town of Jay. The
debris was left after tropical storms Irene and Lee battered the area last
year. Officials from the Town of Jay and Essex County felt the removal of this
debris was crucial in assuring public safety in the event of possible future
flooding of the Ausable River. The Land of Make Believe is a former theme park
in Jay’s Upper Jay hamlet. The park closed decades ago, but volunteers had been
trying to restore it before the floods struck.
The League of Women Voters has asked area state
lawmakers to volunteer their time to educate and interact with students from
area schools in Clinton and Essex counties so they can learn how the New York
State Legislature in Albany works.
This program is presented through the eyes of Sen. Betty Little,
Assemblywoman Janet Duprey and freshman Assemblyman Dan Stec. It will be held
9:30 a.m. to noon tomorrow at Peru Central High School. This is also an awards program where
two student delegates, chosen by their schools based on achievement, character
and interest in government, will receive public recognition, letters of
commendation and certificates signed by all three state legislators. Further
information can be found on the League of Women Voters website: plattsburgh.ny.lwvnet.org/.
A vandalism spree involving the use of a pellet gun
to shatter car windows in the Rutland area continued for a second day with
about 30 reports, according to Rutland City Police. On Wednesday, police in the city fielded complaints from about
75 people whose windows had been shot out sometime between midnight and 6 a.m.
Wednesday. On Thursday, the damage
continued with about 30 reports from residents in Rutland, Center Rutland and
West Rutland whose vehicles were vandalized overnight and, in about eight
instances, during the day. Anyone with information about the vandalisms is
asked to call Rutland Police at 802-773-1816.
Green Mountain Power on Thursday warned customers
that several attempts to scam its commercial customers over the phone have been
reported. The caller claims to be
representing Green Mountain Power and requests the customer pay their account
balance by releasing credit card information to the caller or paying their bill
by means of a money card or other alternate payment mechanism. The caller also
represents that the customer would have electric service disconnected if they
do not comply. Any customer receiving such a call should not provide the caller
with any personal information and should immediately contact the Vermont State
Police or their local law enforcement agency.
Rutland City officials are looking for one vote
from residents and another from the Legislature. Rutland voters will get a chance to weigh in at town meeting
on granting the Board of Aldermen the authority to make tax stabilization deals
on residential properties. From the Legislature, city leaders hope to get an
expansion of the state law that governs such deals. The Board of Aldermen voted 6-2 Tuesday night in favor of
placing the question on the March ballot.
The Killington town Planning Commission is
considering a plan to reduce the number of lanes on Killington Road. The commission and public reviewed a
presentation that offered a plan to add a multiple-use path along the main
access road to Killington Resort between West Hill and School House roads. The plan offered a pair of proposals to
make the quarter-mile stretch of road more attractive to pedestrians and
cyclists, safer for motorists and more lucrative for merchants. The proposals
are available on the town’s website under the Planning Commission tab at www.killingtontown.com.
Talking on your cell phone while driving could soon
be illegal in Vermont, unless you have a hands-free device. So far 10 states have the ban, but
there's been no change in crash data, and it's difficult to enforce. Regardless, Vermont State Police say
two hands on the wheel is always going to be safer than one, and the law could
potentially save lives. Those
opposed to the ban say it's the conversation that's distracting, not the fact
you're holding a phone. If the
hands free cell phone ban does pass, a violation could mean a $100 fine and two
points on your driving record.
Governor Peter Shumlin wants to raise $32 million
in new taxes, mostly on the "break-open" tickets sold in bars and
social clubs, and place new time limits on a state welfare-to-work program to
balance the state's fiscal 2014 budget. Shumlin outlined a general fund budget
plan nearly $1.4 billion out of total projected spending of $5.3 billion in his
annual budget address to lawmakers yesterday afternoon.
A Vermont federal judge has ordered a Virginia
pastor to be held in custody after the man refused to answer grand jury
questions about his role in helping a woman and her daughter flee the country
in a same-sex custody case. Kenneth Miller was ordered held for one week to see
if he would change his mind.
Governor Peter Shumlin told the state Legislature yesterday
he intends to fight for reforms to education, health costs, welfare benefits,
clean energy and transportation, while at the same time closing a budget gap of
70-million dollars. The governor
wants to re-purpose nearly 17 million of the 26 million spent supplementing the
Federal Earned Income Tax in order to boost child care subsidies. Other ideas mentioned are redoubling
weatherization efforts and clean energy initiatives, adding Vermont can build
the best health care system in America, along with sending 25-million dollars
to private insurers shortchange by Medicaid and lowering premiums for residents.
A plane bound for Burlington had to make an
emergency landing instead in New York Thursday night. When the crew for Delta Flight 4333 told tower controllers
it could not extend the planes flaps while approaching for a landing, the
decision was made to have it touched down in Plattsburgh instead because of the
longer runway. No one was hurt,
and the approximately 30 passengers finished their journey to Burlington by bus.
Governor Cuomo is showing some potential
flexibility in his push for a minimum wage increase. Cuomo tells "Crain's" editorial board his pitch
for a 20-percent hike in the state's minimum wage is a "starting
point" for negotiations with the Legislature. Business groups have already complained about the plan to
push the minimum wage to eight-75, saying such a move would cripple small businesses.
School districts around the state aren't terribly
excited about Governor Cuomo's budget proposal. Most districts will not see the four-percent aid increase
Cuomo talked about, and many will actually lose hundreds of thousands of
dollars. The varied nature of the
aid is due to Cuomo having the lion's share of the increased aid go to
high-needs districts.
Environmental groups are pushing back against the
Cuomo administration's plan to support a growing yogurt industry by easing
regulations on large-scale dairy operations. The Greek yogurt industry is
growing so fast in New York that the state doesn't have enough cows to meet the
demand for milk. The Sierra Club and other groups say Cuomo's proposal is
illegal and would likely result in runoff pollution.
A teary-eyed Alex Spanos, 24 walked into Rutland,
Vermont courtroom Thursday. As his
attorney consoled him, he was arraigned for a second time on the 2012 fatal
accident that killed Carly Ferro. "Mr.
Spanos' would continue to enter his plea of not guilty your honor," said
defense attorney Mary Kay Lanthier.
Last September prosecutors charged him with manslaughter, which carries
a 15-year max sentence. Now that
charge has been upped and he's facing second-degree murder that carries a life
sentence. New court documents
released Thursday show a passenger in Spanos' car claimed Spanos inhaled
"dust off" right before he crashed. In the moments leading up to the accident he said
Spanos slumped toward the wheel and accelerated toward Rutland Discount Foods. Outside the store, prosecutors say
Spanos crashed his car, killing Ferro and injuring her dad. Rutland County State's Attorney Marc
Brierre wouldn't say what piece of evidence increased the charge. "I'm not going to make any
comments. We filed the charges based upon the evidence," said Brierre. Spanos' family kept quiet as they left. "Anything you'd like to say Mr.
Spanos?" said FOX44/ABC22. Ferro
supporters were also in the courtroom and quickly left after the brief
arraignment without saying anything.
We asked Brierre if Ferro's family was happy with the new charge. But he wouldn't say. "I don't want to comment about
anything else other than what I said in court," said Brierre. Spanos will be back in court next week. He was being held in jail for not
posting money but that's not an option now as the judge ordered him held
without any bail.
There are new details on a controversial issue
involving Costco. Efforts to sell
gasoline at its Colchester center got a boost. Yesterday, the Vermont district environmental commission
issued an act 250 land-use permit for the plan. It says the three-island, 12-pump gas station could be built
*if* Costco helps pay for traffic improvements at the nearby intersection. Senator
Bernie Sanders has been a supporter of bringing gas to Costco. He's been concerned about prices in
northwestern Vermont and believes the competition could help lower prices. “Nationally when companies like Costco
sell less expensive gas prices tend to go down in the area. If Costco permit to
sell gas is approved I hope and expect gas prices to throughout the region will
go down saving families a substantial amount than what they are currently
playing.” Competitors opposed to
the proposal... Say increased traffic and environmental issues are causes for
concern. The permit states Costco
would be responsible for help paying for traffic improvements at the nearby
interstate 89, route 7 interchange.
Fletcher Allen isn't seeing too many people seeking
medical help because of the cold weather.
But don't be fooled, there are plenty of risk factors. The ER says hypothermia cases have been
at a minimum. But there are things
to be mindful of. Make sure to
have working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, keep your cars stocked with
supplies in case it stops working in a secluded location and of course, stay
covered up to avoid frostbite. “Frostbite
can happen in a number of minutes. The water in your skin starts crystallizing
starts tingling that's where you get the pain sensation. As soon as you see it
start getting a little white you got it.”
The most basic advice given by medical experts just stay inside.
