WVTK Local & State News February 17, 2014

The Addison Central Supervisory Union will not be consolidating its schools and governing structure at this time. The ACSU Governance Study Committee released its final report earlier today. For the past 3 and a half years, the committee has been looking at a number of scenarios including closing some schools to save money and also creating a “doughnut” Regional Education District that would include the six outlying ACSU towns, but exclude Middlebury. Committee members found that there was not much support for consolidation of schools or streamlining education governance.

A new program in New York will give incarcerated individuals the opportunity to earn a college degree through college classes at prisons across the state. Classes will be provided at 10 New York State prisons, one in each region in the state. No word on what 10 prisons will be participating in the program. The program will offer both associates and bachelor's degrees. Degrees would take generally 2.5 to 3 years. A press release says it will cost approximately $5,000 per year to provide one year of college education for one inmate. The state will be seeking proposals from educational associations for the program starting on March 3.

Officials say a fire at a townhouse on St. Michael's College campus was caused by a problem with a space heater. Saint Michael’s Public Safety and Student Life officials say 22 students were displaced by the fire. No injuries were reported. The Red Cross says 12 rooms experienced water/smoke damage and 7 rooms are being considered a complete loss. The Red Cross and some faculty members are helping the students.

A driver found out State Police are serious about the speed limit, especially when roads are a mess. Troopers stopped a Jeep Cherokee late Saturday afternoon on U-S Route 7 in Shaftsbury on an alleged speed violation. They say the Jeep, driven by Jay Philippi of Cold Spring, New York, was traveling at 101 miles per hour in a 55-zone. State Police say the highway was very slippery and covered with a layer of snow and slush at the time. Philippi is now charged with negligent operation.

Two Vermont think tanks will be debating the role of government in education. The Ethan Allen Institute and the Public Assets Institute are holding their third and final debate on the topic tomorrow in Montpelier. The will cover the topic of school choice. Organizers of the event say a little more than a third of Vermont towns pay tuition to allow students to attend any school of their choice. The debate will be held at 5:30 in room 11 of the Statehouse.