Wednesday, March 19, 2014

WVTK Local & State News March 19, 2014

If you have not yet registered for health insurance through Vermont Health Connect, you have less than two weeks remaining to do so. Open enrollment ends March 31st. At the beginning of March, the numbers were up to 37-thousand Vermonters who have picked a plan. Those not signing up through the exchange could find themselves without coverage for the rest of the year, and facing a federal penalty.

Vermont is looking to change who is in charge of schools. Right now, lawmakers are considering doing away with supervisory unions and in their place push for bigger school districts to form. By 2020, supervisory unions would be done away with and districts would re-form, to provide education from kindergarten to twelfth grade. Officials say the new districts could offer more to students or make sure current programs are kept. Many school leaders, including those from current supervisory unions, agreed.

Police are investigating attempted burglaries at the Mobil gas station and Family Dollar in Wallingford early yesterday morning. The attempted burglaries happened between 3:30 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. Vermont State Police say the person didn't get inside the Mobil station, but did make it through one of the front glass windows at the Family Dollar. The person, believed to be a man, entered the store and went directly to the cigarette container. Police say the individual came from the area of the Wallingford Rescue building and returned there before leaving in a vehicle. The vehicle is possibly a maroon Subaru station wagon. Anyone with information is asked to contact Vermont State Police at (802)-773-9101.

It’s day three of the CCTA Bus Driver Strike and so far there is no new negotiations are scheduled. While the drivers are picketing, the busses remain parked inside the CCTA Garage. The union says it is ready for new talks, but officials from CCTA say they have not received a new written contract proposal from the drivers.