WVTK Local & State News May 30, 2014

A statewide emergency exercise will be conducted next week in Vermont. A press release says federal, state, and local responders will exercise emergency plans and procedures in a statewide catastrophic exercise from June 2-7. Activities will simulate multiple disasters affecting all corners of the state. About 1,600 participants will be participating in the exercises. Questions about the exercises should be directed to the Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security at 1-800-347-0488.

New York State Police is warning the public about a text messaging scam. Police say they have received numerous reports of citizens receiving a text message from either Adirondack Regional Bank or Adirondack Federal Bank advising that there was a problem with their account. The text message instructs the individual to call a number and enter their social security and credit/debit card number. Police say the text message has also gone to non-customers.

The annual Vermont Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics are passing through Rutland and Addison counties today. The run is a series of four relay-style running events, beginning in the four corners of our state. Local law enforcement and public safety, along with local program athletes, coordinators, and coaches, run the “Flame of Hope” through their local towns and cities to raise awareness of Special Olympics and athletes with intellectual disabilities. Tonight, Torch Runners will assemble at the Windjammer in South Burlington to run the Final Leg of the Torch Run together. Final Leg runners will escort the Flame of Hope into Opening Ceremonies of Summer Games at the University of Vermont.

A Ferrisburgh man is charged with six counts of promoting child pornography. A press release says 41-year-old Scott Cota posted several advertisements on Craigslist looking for "taboo" materials. Through the advertisements, individuals traded files with Cota containing inappropriate images and movies. Cota pleaded not guilty. The court set bail at $100,000 cash and imposed conditions of release that would limit his access to children and the internet.

If you want to participate in the annual Lake Champlain International Fishing Derby, you'd better hurry up and register. The deadline to sign-up online is Saturday at midnight or in one of 40 different area stores. The L-C-I derby is slated for Father's Day weekend, June 14th through the 16th. Organizers say they've got a new give-away this year, a 23-foot star-craft pontoon boat with a 115-horsepower Yamaha outboard engine. And, it has a Lawrance fish finder!