WVTK Local & State News June 16, 2014

Now through Wednesday, June 18, Water Street and Charles Avenue will be closed to through traffic. Access to Water Street will be limited to resident traffic only. Charles Avenue to Duane Court will remain open from the south while construction continues. Workers will try to reopen Water Street and Charles Avenue at the end of work each day.

Police are asking for the public’s help in identifying a suspect in an attempted armed robbery in Rutland. Investigators say a man robbed Mac’s Convenience Store on North Main Street just before 9:30 p.m. Sunday. Anyone with information is asked to call the Rutland Police Department at 802-773-1816.

Officials in Montpelier were talking about Vermont's opiate addiction problem today. Governor Peter Shumlin, health officials, and others were part of a daylong forum at the statehouse on the growing drug health crisis. Organizers say the goal is improving addiction services that are working, and finding better prevention methods. Governor Shumlin will be meeting on the topic tomorrow too. He's holding a discussion with fellow Northeast governors on possible regional solutions to the opiate epidemic. That meeting will not be open to the press or public.

Criminal charges are pending in a vehicle accident that took place last night in Starksboro. State police have not released a lot of details but do say 23-year-old Andrew Bissonette of Huntington was thrown from the vehicle and was unresponsive when rescue crews arrived on the scene. Bissonette was taken to the hospital. A passenger in his car was also hurt. Police say speed was a factor in the crash.

Officials say Vermont small businesses required to purchase employee health insurance through the state’s exchange will have to enroll directly with insurance companies for another year. Due to ongoing issues with the state healthcare exchange, the state and its primary vendor, technology firm CGI, will continue to develop the software to allow online purchases by small businesses but it will not be read by the time open enrollment starts on November 15.